MIAMI (VINnews) – Jewish former NBA superstar Amar’e Stoudemire is beginning a new chapter in his life, graduating from a Miami police academy as he prepares to serve with the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department.
https://x.com/MDCollege/status/2110537498002694176
Stoudemire, who embraced Judaism during his post-basketball career and received Israeli citizenship in 2019, graduated Wednesday from Miami Dade College’s School of Justice Basic Law Enforcement Academy after months of intensive training. He is also known by his Hebrew name, Yahoshafat Ben Avraham.

The six-time NBA All-Star and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee has spoken about his childhood dream of becoming a police officer. His family also includes several members who served in law enforcement.

“It’s something I always wanted to do since I was a kid,” Stoudemire told Sports Illustrated.

Stoudemire, 43, rose to prominence as a star forward with the Phoenix Suns and later played for the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. He averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds over 846 regular-season NBA games and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003.

His connection to Israel deepened after his playing career brought him to the country, where he played professional basketball and became increasingly involved in Jewish life.

Stoudemire also received the Harry “Coach” Everett Award in recognition of his contributions to the police academy program.

His transition from professional basketball to law enforcement marks a significant career change, with a focus on public service, community engagement and mentoring young people.

Family getting up:

Mrs. Meira Schonbrun
Daughter

Mr. Daniel Krich
Son

Mr. Eli Krich
Son

Mr. David Krich
Son

Mrs. Sabina Krich
Daughter

Ms. Chani Krich
Daughter

(AP) – Six propellers whir to life, lifting a drone above a field somewhere in Ukraine. A weighted stretcher secured to its frame simulates a wounded soldier in body armor.

Far from the front line, the demonstration offers a glimpse of a far more dangerous mission: flying into a battlefield where enemy drones and artillery can leave wounded troops stranded for weeks or months, then carrying them to safety without an evacuation crew.

The Associated Press was granted exclusive access to a field demonstration of the drone. This week, StarGate was handed over to a combat brigade for evaluation under front-line conditions.

The aerial medical evacuation drone was developed over the past year by Ukrainian defense technology company SkyFall. If it proves reliable in combat, it could transform battlefield evacuations, reaching soldiers in places that ground vehicles cannot access and potentially saving those so severely wounded that hours of waiting could cost them their lives.

“The idea came directly from the front line, from the trenches,” said SkyFall’s spokesperson, who asked not to be named because of the security risks facing Ukrainian military technology personnel. He spoke to AP wearing a balaclava. The AP was not permitted to disclose the testing location.

In some sectors, the so-called kill zone — the area under constant threat from drones and artillery — stretches 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) or farther. StarGate has a one-way range of 15 kilometers, potentially allowing it to reach critically wounded soldiers trapped deep inside the kill zone.

A representative of the SkyFall drone company climbs into a medical module of the SkyGate drone before a demonstration flight at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

A request from a military commander
The idea grew out of a military request, the spokesperson said. Last year, Flint, commander of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, known as Code 9.2, approached SkyFall’s founder about developing a safer way to evacuate wounded soldiers from hard-to-reach positions.

For troops in Code 9.2, reaching a front-line position to retrieve the wounded can mean traveling on foot through areas where vehicles are vulnerable to drones. Unmanned ground vehicles have taken on a growing role in evacuating casualties and delivering supplies, but they struggle through mud, craters and shattered roads. Rivers, mines and drones can stop them altogether.

Ground robots typically take two to three hours to reach a position, depending on distance, road conditions and the threat from above, said KVN, a commander with Code 9.2.

“Covering 10 kilometers in minutes would be a drastic change on the front line,” he said.

Evacuations continue regularly in his unit’s area, he said, but it is not always possible to retrieve a wounded soldier on the same day. For someone with severe injuries, the wait can be critical.

Both Flint and KVN were identified only by their call signs in line with Ukrainian military protocol.

SkyFall emerged after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and has grown into a Ukrainian drone manufacturer. Its Vampire heavy-lift drone, known to Russian forces as “Baba Yaga,” is used by Ukrainian troops for battlefield missions. The company also makes Shrike first-person-view drones and has developed the P1-SUN aerial interceptor.

Named after the science-fiction franchise in which portals connect distant worlds, StarGate can carry a payload of up to 150 kilograms (330 pounds), according to the company – enough for a wounded soldier wearing body armor and carrying combat equipment. Its medical evacuation cabin is built around a stretcher.

The drone cruises at 65 kph (40 mph) and can reach speeds of up to 105 kph (65 mph). SkyFall says it can be prepared for flight in about 10 minutes.

The SkyGate drone, made by the SkyFall drone company and equipped with a medical module, flies during a demonstration at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Dueling drone tests
At the test field, StarGate lifts off as first-person-view drones buzz toward it, simulating the aerial threats that dominate Ukraine’s front line. Electronic jamming is activated. As one attacking drone closes in, a net shoots out, ensnaring it and sending it off course.

The encounter resembles a futuristic duel fought by machines. But carrying a wounded soldier raises the stakes.

One of SkyFall’s biggest challenges was ensuring the drone could navigate when electronic warfare disrupts communications or interferes with GPS signals. StarGate uses two communication channels — Starlink and the company’s proprietary L-Link system — alongside an artificial intelligence-based system to help it maintain control when satellite navigation is unavailable.

The drone is operated manually, but has several AI functions that allow it to operate in GPS-denied environments or when signals are spoofed or frequencies are jammed, the spokesperson said.

If communication is lost entirely, SkyFall says, the drone can plot a route back to a safe area. It is designed to operate in rain and snow, with thermal-imaging cameras for nighttime missions.

SkyFall also says it has demonstrated the drone’s ability to continue flying after losing one of its arms. The company has not provided data showing how reliably it can withstand damage under combat conditions. The drone began front-line tests this week.

From prototype to combat ready drone
StarGate has undergone multiple design changes, including detachable arms for easier transport, a medical-grade stretcher and improved software and defenses.

The company estimates each system will cost at least $50,000, depending on configuration, and aims to produce up to 1,000 a month by the end of 2026.

For KVN, however, it is too early to judge. His unit needs at least a month of experience with the drone before it can provide meaningful statistics on its success rate.

“It’s a completely new method of evacuation,” he said. “It’s difficult to talk in depth about the pros and cons right now. We need to work with it more.”

SkyFall confirmed the unit is evaluating StarGate but declined to disclose the results.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (VINnews) — Ohio’s 10th District Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that the state’s EdChoice scholarship program is unconstitutional, prompting criticism from school choice advocates who say the program protects parents’ right to determine their children’s education.

Agudath Israel of Ohio strongly disagreed with the decision, expressing confidence that the program will ultimately be upheld on appeal.

“While we are disappointed by today’s ruling, we remain confident that EdChoice will ultimately be upheld,” said Rabbi Yitz Frank, executive director of Agudath Israel of Ohio. “For tens of thousands of children across Ohio, these scholarships make an enormous difference in helping families access the education of their choice.”

Frank said Agudath Israel has played an active role in advocating for and expanding the program and would continue working to defend it.

The EdChoice program provides scholarships of up to $8,400 for eligible students to attend nonpublic schools of their families’ choice. Agudath Israel said every child in Ohio is eligible for a scholarship under the program.

The organization emphasized that the court’s decision does not immediately end the program and that families can continue using their scholarships while the legal process moves forward.

The case is expected to be appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Supporters argue that school vouchers give parents greater freedom to choose an education that fits their children’s needs, including religious education. Critics contend that public funding for private schools undermines the state’s public education system.

The appeals court’s ruling marks another development in the legal dispute over the use of public funds for private school tuition.

MIAMI (VINnews) – Two women filed a federal civil lawsuit Monday accusing former Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and two associates of participating in a scheme that recruited young women, supplied them with drugs and facilitated paid sexual encounters, including travel across state lines.​

The 33- to 38-page complaint, filed in the Middle District of Florida by attorney Spencer Kuvin, names Gaetz, former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg and former Florida state lawmaker Christopher Dorworth as defendants. It also names dental companies affiliated with Greenberg’s family. The alleged conduct spanned 2017 to January 2019, according to the suit and contemporaneous reporting.

The plaintiffs, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, were 20 and 22 when introduced to Gaetz in the summer of 2017, the complaint states. Both said they lacked stable income at the time. Greenberg, who is serving an 11-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty in 2021 to sex trafficking of a minor and other charges, allegedly recruited them through SeekingArrangement.com and introduced them to a circle that included Gaetz and Dorworth. Controlled substances were provided at parties and private homes to facilitate the encounters, the suit alleges.​

Jane Doe 1 claims she received more than $6,000 from Gaetz; Jane Doe 2 claims she received more than $4,000. Payment descriptions included phrases such as “Being my friend,” “car deductible” and “Love you,” according to the complaint. Jane Doe 1 also alleges she witnessed Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old girl identified in the suit as “Victim A,” who is not a plaintiff. The defendants arranged and funded travel for the women and others to locations including Miami, Las Vegas, the Florida Keys and New York City, the suit says.​

Gaetz, now 44, rejected the claims. “I look forward to taking the plaintiffs’ depositions because much of the conduct alleged against me is false,” he said in a statement. “The lawsuit relies almost exclusively on a Congressional Committee report that didn’t allow me to confront my accusers. Now I will finally have that chance.”​

The case revives a scandal that derailed Gaetz’s nomination by President Donald Trump as U.S. attorney general and contributed to his resignation from Congress in 2024. A bipartisan House Ethics Committee investigation, whose findings were later made public, concluded there was “substantial evidence” that Gaetz violated House rules and laws by paying for sex (including with a minor), using and possessing illegal drugs such as cocaine and Ecstasy, accepting impermissible gifts, and obstructing the probe. The committee did not find sufficient evidence of a federal sex-trafficking violation. Gaetz has long denied wrongdoing.​

Kuvin, the plaintiffs’ attorney, said he looks forward to deposing Gaetz under oath. Efforts to reach Dorworth were unsuccessful, according to the Miami Herald, which first reported the filing.​

Gaetz now hosts “The Matt Gaetz Show” on the One America News Network. In June 2026, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez appointed him to the Triumph Gulf Coast Board, which distributes settlement funds from the 2010 BP oil spill for economic development in Northwest Florida Panhandle counties. Gaetz described the role as a return to public service.

The allegations in the civil complaint have not been proven in court. Greenberg’s prior criminal conviction is separate from this lawsuit.

NEW YORK (VINnews) – Michigan’s high-stakes U.S. Senate race is drawing national attention as Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed faces growing scrutiny over allegations involving his family’s Muslim Brotherhood connections, his relationship with controversial commentator Hasan Piker, and his positions on Israel.

In an interview for Rabbi for America, Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch examines these controversies with Robert Spencer, author and expert on Islamic extremism, focusing on the ideological movements influencing American politics.

One of the most explosive controversies involves El-Sayed’s family. His half-sister, University of Chicago professor Eman Abdelhadi, wrote in a 2012 social media post about their mother’s activism in the Muslim Brotherhood during the 1970s. Other posts reportedly described a longer family association with the organization.

El-Sayed has denied having personal or family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, dismissing his half-sister’s statements as hearsay. The allegations have not established that El-Sayed himself belongs to or supports the organization.

The controversy has intensified questions about the Muslim Brotherhood’s history, its ideological relationship with Hamas, and the broader influence of political Islam in Western democracies.

Another major concern is El-Sayed’s decision to campaign alongside Hasan Piker, the far-left commentator who notoriously declared that “America deserved 9/11.” Piker has also made inflammatory statements about Hamas, Hezbollah, Israel and Jewish Americans, including calling Israel “Jewish ISIS” and Orthodox Jews “inbred.” Although El-Sayed has since distanced himself from Piker, critics continue to question his original decision to embrace the controversial streamer.

El-Sayed has also called for ending both offensive and defensive American military assistance to Israel, a position critics argue could undermine Israel’s security, embolden Iran and Hezbollah, and weaken an important American ally in the Middle East.

His response to the March 2026 attack on Temple Israel in Michigan has generated further controversy. An armed attacker drove into the synagogue while approximately 140 children were inside. Although El-Sayed condemned the attack and antisemitism, his subsequent use of the phrase “hurt people hurt people” and discussion of the attacker’s personal circumstances drew criticism from those who believed his remarks unnecessarily contextualized an act of antisemitic violence.

For Schonbuch, these controversies raise broader questions about extremism, antisemitism, national security and the direction of American politics.

The discussion with Spencer examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s long-term ideological objectives, the distinction between religious identity and political extremism, and the implications of El-Sayed’s publicly stated policies.

With control of the United States Senate potentially at stake in Michigan, the controversy surrounding Abdul El-Sayed has become part of a much larger national debate over America’s political future.

About Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch

Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, LMFT, is a psychotherapist, author, and host of Rabbi for America, a YouTube channel. Through his interviews with leading political commentators, authors, and public figures, Rabbi Schonbuch addresses antisemitism, Islamic extremism, American politics, and the growing threats facing Israel and the United States.

Watch the full interview and subscribe to Rabbi for America:

https://www.youtube.com/@rabbiforamerica

NEW YORK (AP) — Manhattan’s Upper West Side has been reveling in the company of its latest celebrities: A family of barn owls nested in a water tower atop a building near Central Park.

This is the first documented instance of barn owls nesting in Manhattan in modern history, according to one expert, and the owls have attracted nightly crowds of people in the street eager to get a glimpse of the elusive birds.

“It was, like, totally shocking,” Andrew Farnsworth, a migration ecologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said of the barn owls. “To the best of our knowledge, like the collective birding knowledge, there hasn’t been a nest in, you know, in Manhattan, at least in recorded history.”

Word of the barn owl family didn’t get around until last week, when Elisabeth Williams, an Upper West Side resident, notified a local news outlet on Oct. 6 that she and her husband saw multiple owls at the water tower atop a building on West 75th Street close to Central Park West.

The couple had previously seen a single owl on an apartment windowsill a few days earlier and were shocked even then, Williams recalled.

“In a place like Manhattan, you normally really have to go out of your way to encounter nature,” she said. “And here it was, just sort of right outside our window.”

Barn owl sightings are rare in New York City
It’s not the first time that birds have captivated New Yorkers. Residents have fallen in love with American woodcocks, who are known to stop in Midtown Manhattan’s Bryant Park every year as they migrate north in early spring. And after Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl died in 2024, dozens of mournful fans gathered to say goodbye to the beloved creature who flew around Manhattan and became a joy to many after someone let him out of his zoo enclosure the previous year.

But barn owl sightings in New York City parks are very rare, according to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. New York is at the northern fringe of the barn owl’s range and the barn owl population has declined “at an alarming rate” over time, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

“There’s lots of excitement among New Yorkers, both birders and non-birders alike, about these owls because owls really capture the attention,” said Jessica Wilson, executive director of NYC Bird Alliance. “They’re magical, they’re nocturnal, they are secretive, they’re not commonly seen, especially on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. And to have this chance to see these birds is really thrilling.”

Photographers and casual onlookers have gathered on the street on a nightly basis to spot the owls.

“I’ve only seen one barn owl ever, and that was in California,” said Val Coleman, a retired New York City resident who was on the Upper West Side earlier this week trying to spot the owls. “At dusk, we hope they will come out to hunt. We hope they don’t eat poisoned rats with rodenticide in ’em.”

David Barrett, a Manhattan-based birder who runs the popular social media account, Manhattan Bird Alert, said he’s observed at least one adult barn owl and five fledglings at the water tower. He’s also seen an adult owl carrying rodents back to the water tower. There are believed to be two adult owls, and some photographers have claimed to have seen six fledglings, Barrett added.

“Having one barn owl is a rarity, but it’s not national news. Having a family, for the first time ever, breeding in Manhattan in recorded history, that’s special news,” Barrett said.

Screeching was heard by residents
Before the recent barn owl sightings, Williams and her husband heard periodic screeching noises outside going back to early September. They initially assumed it was a bird of some kind but were skeptical when a phone app indicated the noise was from a barn owl.

Thomas Obersteiner said that he first heard bizarre screeching and wailing noises from outside one evening in mid-September. It sounded like someone was “being murdered outside,” he said.

“That lasted for two or three weeks, every night, sometimes more, sometimes less, coming from different directions,” Obersteiner added. “But I had no idea what that was.”

On multiple occasions, Obersteiner or his wife ran into their children’s bedroom after mistaking the owls’ screech for a child in pain, he said. It wasn’t until he saw a news report that he realized that owls were making the sounds.

Farnsworth said the screech is typical of barn owls, who use it to communicate with one another. The screech is like a “horror movie kind of experience,” he said.

Obersteiner, who said his roof deck is the “probably the best location in town right now” to watch the owls, has been letting nature photographers access that perch to observe the owls “almost every night” since news of the barn owls spread. On one night last week, 20 people had gathered.

“We can’t say no because it’s so much fun and these people are so serious,” Obersteiner added. “It’s beautiful.”

Williams and her husband were not bird watchers before the barn owl family moved in to the water tower. But that may change soon after their “delightful” experience.

“I think we’re about to become birders,” Williams said.

JERUSALEM — October 15, 2026

A newly obtained audio recording reveals a serious irregularity in an automated election polling system, raising questions about the accuracy of these polls ahead of Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections.

The recording, published alongside this article, captures a respondent attempting to select HaTzibur HaCharedi, the new political party headed by Moti Leitner, only to discover that the automated polling system will not accept the selection. The recording provides direct evidence of a polling system failing to register a respondent’s stated political preference.

The incident raises serious concerns about the reliability of election surveys and the possibility that support for HaTzibur HaCharedi is being grossly underrepresented in published polling results. If the problem documented in the recording extends to other respondents, as is likely (since it is rare that a system only glitches with one specific respondents phone number), it could result in polling figures that fail to accurately reflect the party’s actual support.

If respondents who intended to choose HaTzibur HaCharedi were systematically unable to do so, the party’s actual support would be substantially higher than published polls indicate, particularly since Haredi voters are reached mainly through this kind of survey and would have been the ones most affected by the “glitch”.

A telephone poll is, in practice, a poll aimed at Haredi voters. That the one party built to compete for those voters could not be selected in such a poll makes it difficult to attribute the omission to an oversight. It suggests that a survey directed at the Haredi community was constructed without the option of HaTzibur HaCharedi at all. The central question is whether this was an isolated technical malfunction or, is it evidence of a broader problem affecting how support for HaTzibur HaCharedi is measured?

The recording establishes that a respondent was unable to register their intended preference. However the extent of the issue, its cause, and whether published polling results were affected remain to be determined.

With less than two weeks until Election Day, the incident raises urgent questions about the transparency and accuracy of election polling, and warrants an immediate explanation from the polling company responsible.

The audio recording is available below.

NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for the BBC say President Donald Trump is trying to delay sitting for a deposition in the defamation case he brought against the British broadcaster until January 2027.

In a filing this week, they asked a Florida court to compel the president to appear in the $10 billion case after they say he canceled an agreed-upon date this week, citing “matters of national importance.”

“Two months of discovery remaining, the BBC still has not been able to depose, and does not even have a schedule to depose, the most central figure in this case: Plaintiff himself,” attorney Charles D. Tobin wrote in the filing. “Those delays have flouted the cooperative spirit of discovery and precluded the BBC from obtaining the evidence necessary to robustly litigate its defense.”

Trump, who has a history of avoiding depositions, filed the lawsuit against the BBC last December, seeking $10 billion in damages as he accused the British broadcaster of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices related to a documentary, “Trump: A Second Chance.”

Britain’s publicly funded national broadcaster admitted filmmakers spliced together quotes from different sections of the speech Trump delivered to his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, before the storming of the U.S. Capitol, to make it seem like he was directly urging violence.

The 33-page lawsuit accused the BBC of broadcasting a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump,” calling it “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The broadcaster apologized to Trump over the edit and the head of the BBC and the British broadcaster’s top news executive both resigned. But the broadcaster has denied Trump’s claims that it defamed him.

In the filing this week, BBC lawyers said that they first requested dates for the deposition in July, and followed up repeatedly. Both sides, they said, eventually agreed on Oct. 16.

However, after weeks of silence, they wrote, “Plaintiff’s counsel responded on September 28, 2026, indicating that ‘the President is no longer available for his deposition on October 16 due to other matters of national importance’ and that counsel would ‘endeavor to provide you with a replacement date by the end of this week.’ He did not.”

Instead, they said, they were told last week that Trump “has no availability whatsoever for a deposition” before discovery is set to close on Dec. 18. and were told that Trump would instead make himself available the second or third week of January.

In a statement in response to the filing, a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team did not address the reasons for Trump’s delay, but repeated its allegations against the BBC and said the president was holding the broadcaster “accountable for its defamation and reckless election interference just as he has held other fake news mainstream media responsible for their wrongdoing.”

Trump voluntarily dropped a $500 million lawsuit he filed against his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen in 2023, days before he was set to give a deposition in that suit.

(VINnews) – Amazon introduced two artificial intelligence wearable devices Thursday designed to help users remember conversations, organize tasks and manage their schedules.

The devices, developed by Bee, an AI wearable company Amazon acquired in 2025, can transcribe conversations, generate summaries, create reminders and help users follow up on discussions, CBS News reported.

Excited about our new Bee devices launching today. They turn your conversations into summaries, to-dos, and reminders, so the details are there when you need them.

Bee Frontier goes on your wrist or clips to your clothing, and Bee Eclipse snaps to the back of your phone to catch what you’d otherwise forget throughout your day, whether it’s notes from a class you’re taking, the details of a trip you’re planning, or an idea that comes to you in the car.

They connect to Alexa+ and https://t.co/Z6kkwemkMT, so the things you mention are easy to find later. And you’re always in control…one button turns it on or off, a light shows when it’s on, audio is never stored, and only you can see your data.

Think folks are gonna find this really handy. https://t.co/miymqkFzPS

— Andy Jassy (@ajassy) October 15, 2026

The Bee Frontier, priced at $74.99, is a silicone wristband that can also be clipped to clothing. It features two microphones, water resistance and up to seven days of battery life.

The Bee Eclipse, priced at $99.99, is a credit-card-sized device that attaches magnetically to the back of a smartphone. Amazon says it offers more than 21 days of battery life and will be available soon.

Both devices can turn conversations into summaries, to-do lists and reminders. They also integrate with services including Gmail, Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook, allowing users to draft follow-up emails and create calendar invitations.

Basic features, including conversation summaries and 14 days of memory, are available for free. A Bee Pro subscription costs $11.99 a month and provides expanded app integrations, suggested tasks and additional memory features.

Privacy remains a key consideration for devices designed to capture conversations. Amazon says audio is processed in real time and deleted after transcription, while transcripts are encrypted and remain under the user’s control. The devices include an indicator light when recording is active and a button to turn recording on or off.

The launch comes as technology companies explore AI-powered devices that offer hands-free assistance beyond traditional smartphones.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A prominent Washington watchdog group is suing Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, trying to block him from serving as one of the administration’s top envoys without disclosing his personal finances and potential conflicts of interest.

The group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, argues that Kushner’s role as a chief negotiator in the U.S.’s most prominent ongoing foreign policy concerns means he should be considered an official government employee and comply with all relevant requirements.

Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, are considered to be the president’s closest and most influential diplomats. Neither is Senate-confirmed, and Witkoff is a formal employee, although the wealthy investor does not draw a taxpayer-funded salary.

The White House has repeatedly said Kushner remains a private citizen and is doing his diplomatic duties on a volunteer basis.

But in the lawsuit, CREW said Kushner is representing the United States while simultaneously running an investment firm that manages billions of dollars of foreign-owned assets.

“While his personal business interests abroad raise serious conflict-of-interest concerns, he has not been properly vetted for his government role,” read the legal complaint, filed Wednesday. ”(A)nd he has evaded transparency obligations that aim to ensure that he exercises government authority for the good of the American people and not himself.”

The Constitution’s appointments clause and a post-Watergate ethics law are meant to ensure that federal officials are properly vetted and that their assets are adequately disclosed.

Kushner’s unofficial role has made him central to the biggest foreign policy challenges of the second Trump administration, including the wars between Israel and Hamas, Ukraine and Russia and the U.S. and Iran. He was a primary negotiator of the peace plan that was inked between Israel and Hamas last year, and he regularly travels abroad to meet with world leaders as a representative of his father-in-law.

Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, were formal government employees during the first Trump administration and filed the appropriate financial disclosures, although neither took a salary. Though Kushner had some domestic policies in his portfolio during Trump’s first term in office, he has been mainly focused on foreign policy the second time around.

Chad Mizelle, an attorney for Kushner, said in a statement on X that the lawsuit is “without merit” and that CREW lacks standing to challenge him.

CREW insists that it is directly harmed because Kushner is depriving it of records that would otherwise be available from government officials.

“Both outside ethics counsel and government ethics attorneys have reviewed Jared Kushner’s volunteer government service and confirmed that his arrangements comply with applicable ethics requirements,” said Mizelle, who served as chief of staff at the Justice Department from the start of the second Trump administration before leaving government service last year.

Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly attacked CREW as an “unserious, Trump-deranged organization that has been attacking President Trump, his family, and his administration since the first term.”

Calling Kushner a “proven dealmaker,” Kelly said his “personal business activities have nothing to do with his diplomatic engagements, which he conducts on a volunteer basis at the President’s request and while paying his own expenses.”

Kushner himself has brushed off conflict-of-interest questions in the past, saying in a CBS News interview last year that his business and financial connections were actually an asset.

“What people call conflicts of interests, Steve and I call experience and trusted relationships that we have throughout the world,” Kushner said in the interview, referring to Witkoff. “If Steve and I didn’t have these deep relationships, the deal we were able to get done, that freed these hostages, would not have occurred.”

Kushner was referring to the Israeli hostages who were freed by Hamas as part of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement.

Also named in the lawsuit are Witkoff, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in their official capacities.

(AP) – Mortgage rates held steady this week, keeping the average long-term U.S. home loan rate at its highest level in nearly three years.

The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was unchanged from last week at 7.40%, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.27%.

The latest reading ends a seven-week climb for the average rate, which is at the highest level since Nov. 16, 2023, when it was at 7.44%.

Meanwhile, borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, often sought by borrowers refinancing a home loan, eased this week. That average rate dropped to 6.71% from 6.73% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.52%.

Rates on home loans are influenced by inflation, Federal Reserve policy and bond-market investors’ expectations for the economy, among other factors. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Mortgage rates have been climbing since late February, when the U.S. war with Iran began, pushing up the price of oil and driving inflation higher. The run-up in rates also reflects heightened bond market volatility, which has pushed up yields on U.S. Treasurys.

U.S. home sales remain stalled this year in large part because of rising mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power and prompting many to put off buying a home.

The recent string of mortgage rate increases snapped as the 10-year Treasury yield pulled back from its highest level since 2002.

The yield was at 5.10% at midday Thursday on the bond market. It had topped 5.30% earlier this month amid worries about high inflation, signals of a strong U.S. economy and other factors. It’s still well above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran began.

In late February, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly dipped to 5.98%, its lowest level going back to late 2022. The 1.42 percentage point increase in the rate since then translates roughly into an additional monthly cost of $376 for a borrower financing a $400,000 home loan at the current average rate.

Depending on a borrower’s income, credit and other factors, they may qualify for a rate on a 30-year mortgage that is below or above the current average.

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes were essentially flat last year, stuck at a 30-year low.

This week, the National Association of Realtors said that existing U.S. home sales rose in September from the previous month, but slowed compared to a year earlier amid rising mortgage rates and home prices.

The surge in mortgage rates in recent weeks has put off many would-be homebuyers.

Mortgage applications, which include loans to buy a home or refinance an existing mortgage, fell 2.7% last week from the previous week as mortgage rates rose, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Faced with higher borrowing costs due to rising mortgage rates, more homebuyers are opting for adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs. Such loans, which typically offer lower initial interest rates than traditional 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages, accounted for 10.5% of all mortgage applications last week — the highest level in a year, MBA said.

Despite holding steady this week, it’s likely that the recent upward march in mortgage rates is not over.

Reports this week showing prices at the consumer and wholesale level rose more than economists expected flashed the latest sign that inflation has worsened as rising oil prices add on costs to all manner of goods and services.

The reports could persuade the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve to hike their key interest rate by December, and could set the stage for more rate increases early next year, said Jiayi Xu, a senior economist at Realtor.com.

“In other words, mortgage rates are unlikely to ease anytime soon, but bringing inflation under control would pave the way for lower rates and a much-needed boost to affordability for the year ahead,” Xu said.

Wall Street traders now expect the Fed will keep its short-term rate unchanged at its next policy meeting this month, but the odds of a rate increase in December have jumped to 64.6% from 49.9% a month ago, according to data from the CME Group.

While the central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, its decisions to raise or lower its short-term rate are watched closely by bond investors and can ultimately affect the yield on 10-year Treasurys.

In its latest forecast, mortgage buyer Fannie Mae projects that the rate on a 30-year mortgage will average 7.4% in the final quarter of this year and average 7.5% in 2027.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — At least eight states are suing artificial intelligence giant OpenAI, saying the company’s popular chatbot model violated state consumer protection laws by hurting children and deceiving adults.

The company’s chatbot model, ChatGPT, is giving dangerous medical advice, encouraging paranoia and coaching people to hurt others or commit suicide, Iowa’s lawsuit said. At the same time, the chatbots are pretending to be agreeable and compassionate while preying on the vulnerable, according to the lawsuit.

“OpenAI is hurting kids and they are lying to Iowans,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said in a statement.

In a statement, OpenAI said it has already built safety protections into ChatGPT for children, and that it would continue to do so to improve the model.

The wave of lawsuits are the latest filed by states under their consumer protection laws, accusing tech giants that offer AI chatbots and social media platforms of harming children. The states that filed separate lawsuits Wednesday in state courts are Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia.

In its lawsuit, Arizona said ChatGPT encourages teens to share personal information with it and, at times, discourages them from sharing that information with parents, authorities or friends.

ChatGPT is the most popular chatbot in the world, commanding nearly half the American marketplace, according to the lawsuits.

In August, Meta agreed to add stronger child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms in an $18 billion landmark legal settlement that ended a trial over teen social media addiction and settled claims filed by nearly every state.

Coordinated, multistate lawsuits against the tech industry have borne fruit. Although the safety measures that Meta agreed to adopt did not apply industrywide, the company quickly urged its competitors to adopt similar measures.

OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said in a statement that the company is committed to working with states on “advancing pragmatic AI policies that apply to the entire AI industry — not just one company.”

ChatGPT is intended for users age 13 and older, and users under 18 need permission from a parent or guardian to use it, OpenAI said. The chatbot model for teens has safeguards that are designed to reduce exposure to self-harm, violence, eating disorders and explicit sexual or graphic content, it said.

Nearly nine in 10 teens who use ChatGPT use it for learning, information, skill-building or productivity, the company said. On average, teens spend under 15 minutes a day on ChatGPT, it said.

ChatGPT provides break reminders for periods of extended use and OpenAI said it works with external experts who review policies and the model’s behavior.

LONDON (AP) — British booksellers are caught up in a battle over terrorism and free speech after Irish novelist Sally Rooney said her books can no longer be sold in the U.K. because she financially supports the banned group Palestine Action.

The announcement by Rooney’s British publisher that it will no longer distribute her books has reignited debate over the U.K. government’s decision last year to outlaw the direct-action protest group as a terrorist organization. The ban makes membership in or support for Palestine Action a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Rooney is a best-seller and a supporter of the Palestinians
Rooney, 35, is the critically praised author of four novels: “Conversations with Friends,” “Normal People,” “Beautiful World, Where are You” and “Intermezzo.” Her books have sold millions of copies, and both “Conversations with Friends” and “Normal People” were adapted for television by the BBC.

She supports the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which calls for boycotts of Israeli businesses, universities and cultural institutions over Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians. Israel views the movement as an attack on the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

FILE – From left, Paul Mescal, Sally Rooney and Ed Guiney participate in Hulu’s “Normal People” panel during the Winter 2020 Television Critics Association Press Tour on Jan. 17, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

After the U.K. banned Palestine Action in July 2025, Rooney said she would use proceeds from her books and their TV adaptations to support the group. On Wednesday her U.K. publisher, Faber, said that paying her royalties could violate the terror ban and it had “taken the decision that we can no longer supply her works in the U.K. in any format.”

It said the decision had been made with Rooney’s agreement.

“I have made every effort to be honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions, and I am wholly prepared to accept the consequences,” the writer said in a statement.

Bookshops are hit by the fallout
Faber’s announcement left British bookstores scrambling to understand whether they were breaking the law by selling Rooney’s books.

The Booksellers Association later said it had “confirmed with Faber that whilst those titles are no longer available to U.K. bookshops to order, they can continue to sell their existing stock within the U.K. market.”

Some stores rushed to stock up on Rooney’s novels, but found distributors had already run out.

“We were thinking, we’ll just get a whole bunch before we stop being able to,” said Lucy Burke, a bookseller at London’s Camden Town Bookshop. “Because she’s a hugely popular seller here, and quite evergreen. But now it seems like what we have is all we’re going to have.”

Burke described the situation as “absolutely ridiculous” and said it amounted to censorship of “one of our most prominent writers.”

UK says Palestine Action backs violence
Palestine Action, founded in 2020, aims to stop U.K. military support for Israel, which it says is committing genocide against the Palestinians – a claim Israel strongly denies.

The group says it aims to stop genocide by disrupting “corporate enablers of the Israeli military-industrial complex.”

In 2024 its activists broke into a factory owned by Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems UK, smashing equipment with sledgehammers and crowbars. The next year, activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in June 2025, sprayed red paint into the engines of two tanker planes and caused further damage with crowbars.

The group says it does not advocate violence against people, but a police officer suffered a fractured spine when she was hit with a sledgehammer during the factory break-in.

The British government says Palestine Action has “carried out acts of terrorism, celebrated those who took part in them and promoted the use of violence.”

“The proscription of Palestine Action does not affect lawful protest in support of the Palestinian cause, which remains a fundamental democratic right,” the Home Office said in a statement.

The battle over the ban is heading to the UK’s top court
Civil liberties groups say the ban unjustifiably restricts the rights to protest and free speech. In response to the government’s decision, thousands of people have tested the law by silently holding signs reading “I support Palestine Action.”

More than 3,000 people have been arrested, and more than 1,200 have been charged under the Terrorism Act, though no one has yet been convicted.

The scale of the arrests, and the profile of those detained – including retirees in their 80s and 90s – has put Britain’s Labour Party government under pressure.

The center-left government has tried to rebuild bridges with pro-Palestinian supporters since Prime Minister Andy Burnham replaced Keir Starmer in July.

Last month the U.K. formally recognized a Palestinian state and banned goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said his message to people “moved and outraged by the plight of the Palestinian people” is “We hear you. You were right.”

The government has not lifted the ban on Palestine Action, however, and the group continues to challenge its proscription in court.

The High Court ruled in February that classing Palestine Action as a terror group alongside the likes of al-Qaida and Hamas was disproportionate and unlawful. The Court of Appeal overturned that decision in June, saying outlawing the group was “justified and proportionate.”

Next month the group’s lawyers will ask the country’s top court, the U.K. Supreme Court, to quash the ban.

John Clegg, a bookseller at the London Review Bookshop, told The Guardian that Rooney’s stance could help in changing the law.

“Good on her for taking a stand, it seems a ridiculous law. If this thing convinces the Home Office to move faster to get rid of it, I’m all for it.”

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli forces eliminated two terrorists who facilitated the smuggling of weapons and military equipment into the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency announced Thursday.

The strike took place Wednesday in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza and targeted Basel Nabil Abd al-Rahman Kashta and Ahmad Raja al-Shaer, according to the joint statement. The men were involved in procuring and trading weapons while advancing smuggling operations into the territory.

The terrorists were killed to remove an immediate threat to Israeli civilians and IDF troops operating in the Yellow Line area, officials said. Steps were taken before the strike to mitigate civilian harm, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance.

Security forces continue efforts to degrade Hamas’ military buildup and financing capabilities in order to prevent the rehabilitation of the group’s infrastructure, the announcement stated. IDF troops under the Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue operating to remove any immediate threat.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday made public a handwritten letter written by the young son of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, in which the boy described wanting to take up a weapon against Jews.

The letter was written by Ibrahim Sinwar when he was 10, around the start of the war, and was recovered by IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip in 2024, the military said. Officials released it as the second anniversary of Sinwar’s death nears.​

Addressed to his father, the note expresses how much the child misses him and hopes to see him “victorious.” Ibrahim wrote that in his free time he makes pistols, tanks, and Kalashnikovs out of paper and cardboard, and declared his wish “to hold a Kalashnikov and shoot Jews,” according to the IDF’s translation. He also asked when his father would return so he could sleep with his arms around him, and closed with a request for prayers and protection.​

The letter was accompanied by drawings the boy made showing weapons, tanks near the border fence between Gaza and Israel, and missiles being launched toward Israel.​

The IDF said the letter and drawings show how Sinwar’s ideology was reflected in the way his children were raised, and how Hamas’ emphasis on hatred and violence has affected a younger generation in Gaza.​

Sinwar, widely viewed as the chief planner of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and led to the taking of roughly 250 hostages, was killed by Israeli forces in Rafah on Oct. 16, 2024.​

(AP) – In the midterm elections, meat is on the menu.

As Democrats and Republicans argue over high prices and the Iran war, they’re also having a food fight over who’s the most red-blooded carnivore.

The latest example came this week in Mississippi, where Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom released a video with a snippet of Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith saying that if consumers are upset over high beef prices, “you know you have so many proteins to choose from.”

The video cuts to a man grilling burgers who says, “Pick another protein? I’d rather pick another senator instead.”

The Mississippi race is somewhat unusual because it’s the Democrat hammering the Republican over beef. Elsewhere, Republicans have branded Democrats as vegans or otherwise opposed to meat, trying to show that they’re culturally out of step with voters, hostile to local cattle industries or just not manly enough.

In Texas, Republicans seized on an old interview in which Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico boasted that his campaign, then for the Texas statehouse, was going vegan. Talarico has since been publicly scarfing down barbecue to rebut allegations that his dietary choices mean he’s not a real Texan.

In Colorado, Republicans have gone after Democratic congressional candidate Manny Rutinel for his activism against meat production and factory farming. In college, he was photographed shirtless with a banner for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals around his chest. In 2021, Rutinel founded Climate Refarm, which advocated for cutting down on the use of meat and has signed onto letters advocating for raising taxes on meat and dairy. He also supported a 2024 ballot measure to ban a lamb slaughterhouse in Denver, which failed.

Rutinel, 31, is now running against Republican Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado’s 8th district, which includes a vast swath of the northeastern part of the state dotted with ranches, dairy farms and meat processing facilities, including the headquarters of beef production titan JBS Swift. Republicans have hammered Rutinel over advocating veganism, to the point that the conservative media group Daily Wire this week released an undercover video of a campaign official saying Rutinel eats meat “as little as possible.”

Rutinel, who’s made a point of publicly eating steak tacos on the campaign trail, scoffed at such arguments in an interview after a recent campaign stop. “I don’t think Coloradans care about what’s on my plate,” he said. “I think they care more about what’s on theirs.”

Evans said the issue goes beyond Rutinel’s meal preferences. “I don’t care what he eats personally,” Evans said in an interview. “I care that he wants to use the power of the government to make everyone eat that way.”

Republicans have gone after two other Democratic House candidates on meat — hammering Lindsay James in Iowa’s 2nd district, an area filled with hog farms, for supporting “meatless May” in a 2020 Facebook post, and Amish Shah in Arizona’s 1st district for his longstanding vegetarianism and animal rights activism.

Also in Iowa, Republican Senate candidate and current Rep. Ashley Hinson slammed her opponent, state lawmaker Josh Turek, for opposing a bill banning lab-grown meat from being sold in the state. “He’d rather have meat that comes from a lab than from our family farms,” she said at a campaign appearance.

Democrats have hammered on meat as well, but mainly just as one of the staples that cost more under Trump, squeezing voters’ pocketbooks. Trump has tried to lower prices by opening U.S. markets to beef imports, especially from Argentina, which is governed by a close Trump ally.

However, those moves have angered U.S. producers as prices have remained stubbornly high, creating a potential weakness in Republican-leaning states where Democrats hope to gain ground this year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pound of ground beef cost $6.79 last month, up from $5.55 in January of 2025, when Trump returned to office.

That was the dynamic that Hyde-Smith, a cattle rancher and former state agriculture commissioner, was addressing in her interview that was clipped in Colom’s video. The prosecutor — who also delivers the “pick another senator” line in the spot — is running a longshot challenge in Mississippi.

A spokesman for Hyde-Smith’s campaign argued that the Democrats deserve blame for high prices. “It is Scott Colom who supports Biden-era policies that drove up inflation,” said Nathan Calvert.

NEW YORK (VINnews) – Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday the completion of a Citi Bike expansion that added more than 230 stations and 3,700 docking spaces across seven neighborhoods in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

The expansion brings the bike-share system to Norwood and Riverdale in the Bronx; Bay Ridge, Brownsville, East New York and Kensington in Brooklyn; and Forest Hills in Queens.

In Forest Hills, identified station locations include 98th Street and 64th Road, Queens Boulevard South and 65th Road, Yellowstone Boulevard and 65th Avenue, Austin Street and 66th Avenue, and several intersections along 66th and 67th roads. Other reported locations include 99th Street and 65th Road, 110th Street and 66th Road, and Queens Boulevard North and 67th Road.

The expansion adds about 10 square miles to Citi Bike’s coverage area, bringing the system’s total service area to 86.5 square miles. About 62% of New Yorkers now live within the service area, according to the city.

The rollout began in Bay Ridge and concluded in East New York. Since stations first opened in Bay Ridge in September 2025, riders there have taken more than 75,000 trips, city officials said.

“Riding a bike is one of the best ways to get around the city,” Mamdani said, adding that the expansion would make it easier for New Yorkers to commute, attend appointments and access cultural attractions.

The New York City Department of Transportation worked with Lyft, which operates Citi Bike, to identify station locations and install the new infrastructure. All new stations feature Lyft’s next-generation Pillar docking design.

Citi Bike General Manager Patrick Knoth said more than half of trips at the new stations in Norwood are reduced-fare rides, highlighting the system’s reach among lower-income riders.

The city and Lyft also plan to add hundreds of docks this fall within the existing service area to increase capacity in high-demand neighborhoods, including Midtown, Chelsea, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Gowanus.

The expansion drew support from elected officials and transportation advocacy groups, who said broader bike-share access could improve connections to jobs and other destinations, particularly in neighborhoods with limited transportation options.

Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Ben Furnas welcomed the expansion while calling for more affordable bike-share access. Bike New York CEO Ken Podziba said the additional stations would help address transportation gaps and encourage more residents to use bicycles for commuting and everyday errands.

NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for a man wounded by an immigration officer while driving with his young son in New York said in a court filing Wednesday that the agent who shot him never identified himself before he ran up to the car, smashed one of its windows, then fired several shots into the vehicle.

The account by lawyers for Oscar Belgal contrasted sharply with the version of events outlined by Department of Homeland Security officials. They have said officers opened fire only after Belgal smashed his car into two government vehicles and “accelerated toward other officers.”

The Legal Aid Society, in a petition filed in Brooklyn federal court seeking Belgal’s release, said he had picked up his son from school on Oct. 8 and was stopped in front of a fire hydrant, looking for a parking spot, when “an anonymous, masked man” stormed up to the vehicle with his gun drawn, followed by other masked men with guns.

“The men did not identify themselves, show any documents or otherwise communicate with Oscar in any substantive way,” Belgal’s lawyers wrote. “Instead, without identifying himself, the first man struck and shattered Oscar’s window and began firing a pistol into Oscar’s car while his son cowered in the back seat. One of those bullets struck Oscar in the neck and he immediately began to bleed.”

New York City police security camera footage released by the department last week shows some of the encounter but doesn’t conclusively resolve the dispute about how the shooting happened.

The video shows a man wearing a sweatshirt and a red hat running up to the car with his gun pointed at Belgal, then immediately using the barrel of his gun to bash the driver’s side window. The window shatters on the second blow.

A second officer comes into view alongside the car and draws his gun. Belgal then pulls into the street, away from the two officers. The car pulls out of view of the camera, with the officer in the red hat in pursuit.

Whatever happened next didn’t appear on the NYPD’s security cameras, but the chase ended just a moment later, with Belgal’s damaged car resting against a concrete barrier with bullet holes in its windshield and a rear window.

Video from bystanders and NYPD body camera footage show that ICE officers handcuffed Belgal and tended to a gunshot wound to his neck as he sat on the pavement outside the car. NYPD officers took Belgal to a nearby hospital.

DHS didn’t comment Wednesday on the claims by Belgal’s lawyers, saying the incident remains under investigation. But DHS officials have maintained that ICE officers fired their weapons because they believed their lives were in danger.

Belgal’s lawyers said he didn’t learn the men were ICE officers until he awoke later in the hospital. They say he remains detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he has yet to receive surgery to remove the bullet lodged in his neck. They also say he has lost sensation on the left side of his face and is suffering from impaired hearing.

“Mr. Belgal’s detention was unlawful from its inception. ICE officers shot him in the neck in front of his five year-old son, failed to provide him with immediate medical assistance, and now continue to hold him in a facility notorious for medical neglect,” said Perry McAninch and Elyssa Williams, the lawyers representing Belgal.

DHS referred questions about Belgal’s medical treatment to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which manages the jail. That agency also declined comment, citing “privacy, safety, and security reasons,” but said, in general, that it “does not deny any inmate necessary medical treatment or basic necessities.”

At a news conference last week, Marcos Charles, the head of ICE’s enforcement and removal operations, said Belgal refused orders to exit his vehicle and then accelerated and smashed into two government vehicles as ICE officers tried to block him from driving away.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has maintained officers didn’t know a child was in the car and blamed Belgal for putting his son’s life in danger.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea performed its first underwater-launched missile tests in nearly three years on Wednesday, likely from an as-yet-deployed submarine that it says is designed to launch nuclear weapons.

The high-profile tests come as North Korea is dialing up weapons demonstrations in an apparent bid to pressure the United States to offer greater concessions if it wants a resumption of diplomacy.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday the military tested two types of strategic cruise missiles in the country’s eastern waters. It said the tests were aimed at assessing the readiness of North Korea’s underwater combat systems and demonstrating the reliability of its nuclear deterrent.

KCNA didn’t say what launch platform was used. But the agency’s photos of the launch suggested the country mobilized the “Hero Kim Kun Ok” submarine that was unveiled in 2023 with great fanfare but drew outside skepticism about its claimed capabilities.

If confirmed, Wednesday’s missile launches were the first public weapons tests from that submarine, which implies North Korea began testing weapons systems for the vessel before its deployment in what would be a major threat to South Korea and the U.S., experts say.

Weapons testing likely signals impending submarine deployment
North Korea for years has been developing various missiles designed to be fired from underwater, which was a worrying development for its rivals because such launches would be difficult to detect in advance.

Before Wednesday’s tests, all North Korean underwater launches were made from a 2,000-ton-class submarine with a single launch tube. Many experts call it a test platform rather than an operational submarine in active service.

In September 2023, North Korea launched the “Hero Kim Kun Ok,” saying the submarine was capable of launching tactical nuclear weapons from underwater. State media photos showed the submarine has at least 10 missile launch tubes in addition to its torpedo tubes.

At the time, many foreign experts were skeptical the submarine would work as North Korea described, saying it was likely a modification of an existing, aging diesel-fueled submarine.

A lack of known weapons tests from the submarine in the past three years signaled it had some technical issues including an ability to right itself. But Wednesday’s tests indicated North Korea had resolved those issues and started testing the weapons to be carried by the submarine, according to analyst Shin Jong-woo at South Korea’s Defense and Security Forum.

North Korea will likely also test ballistic missiles from the submarine before it is deployed by the navy, Shin said.

The submarine’s deployment “would pose a significant threat” to South Korea and the U.S. because underwater-launched missiles are “formidable weapons that we don’t know when and where they would be fired,” said Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert who teaches at Seoul’s Hanyang University.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launches and concluded the missiles were launched from a submarine, with one fired from a vertical launch tube and the other from a torpedo tube. The South’s military didn’t immediately specify the North Korean submarine that it believed was involved.

North Korean leader wants to pressure Trump
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently turned his focus to strengthening the navy after a decade of expanding the country’s ballistic missile program. In March 2025, North Korea unveiled its first nuclear-powered submarine under construction, but it’s unclear when the construction would be completed.

Wednesday’s launches were the first underwater testing activities since January 2024. They extended a recent run in weapons demonstrations, including tests of various hypersonic missile systems on Sept. 20 and Oct. 3 that the North said were aimed at advancing its arsenal of weapons designed to overwhelm missile defenses in South Korea and Japan.

The tests came after North Korea in August rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s apparent effort to revive diplomacy with Kim by scaling back a military drill with South Korea. North Korea said shortening the duration of the drill won’t change its hostile nature.

North Korea has previously said it could return to diplomacy if the U.S. abandons its “hostile” policy toward Pyongyang and drops demands for the North’s denuclearization as a precondition for talks.

North Korea’s latest submarine-launched tests were part its efforts to gain leverage in potential negotiations with the U.S., Moon said.

“North Korea would want to say it would never give up its nukes,” Moon said. “It’s sending a message to the U.S. saying that ‘We’ve perfected land-abased nuclear weapons and are deploying nuclear weapons to the maritime domain so that you shouldn’t demand our denuclearization any longer.’”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal authorities are investigating letters with “suspicious substances” that have been mailed to congressional and election offices nationwide.

Authorities are urging recipients to treat the letters as “potentially hazardous.”

The Senate was informed of the investigation by a message from the Senate Sergeant at Arms that was obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The mailings come just three weeks before Election Day and are reminiscent of a similar threat in 2023, when several election offices received envelopes containing the powerful opioid fentanyl,

In Congress, the situation appeared isolated to the Senate, but the House was monitoring, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

Mailed packages containing a powdery substance led to the evacuation this week of election offices in at least two states, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The Ohio secretary of state said the Postal Service intercepted a package containing a white powder intended for its office and noted that similar mailings had been sent to election officials in multiple states.

The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors issued a joint statement condemning what they said were threats against election staff.

“Those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties,” they said in their statement.

BEIRUT (AP) — A Hezbollah official acknowledged Thursday that a truck full of explosives seized by Lebanese authorities last week belonged to the militant group and said the explosives were intended for use against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

The truck, which was stopped at a checkpoint on the main highway linking Beirut with the eastern Bekaa Valley, was carrying 780 kilograms (1,720 pounds) of explosives, including 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of TNT and 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of C-4 plastic explosives, according to judicial officials.

Two men were arrested when the truck was stopped, and Lebanese authorities launched an investigation. They said that security agencies will go after other people involved in the shipment.

The news of its seizure had generated heated public discussions, with many accusing Hezbollah of planning to carry out assassinations of domestic opponents at a time when the group is under increasing pressure to disarm.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam noted that C-4 explosives had been used in several “infamous political assassinations in Lebanon’s modern history.”

Hassan Fadlallah, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, in a statement Thursday acknowledged that the truck was transporting materials for the group. He said the explosives were “intended exclusively for use against the Israeli occupation” in southern Lebanon and called the allegations that they were part of an assassination plot “baseless.”

“It is well known that (Hezbollah’s) weapons include explosive devices — a subject the enemy has frequently addressed and whose impact it deeply fears,” the statement said. It was the group’s first comment on the captured explosives.

Fadlallah said Hezbollah had requested Lebanese authorities to hand the shipment over to them and release the two people who were detained.

The incident has highlighted growing tensions between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government.

For years, Hezbollah had moved weapons freely in parts of Lebanon. That changed in March, when the Lebanese government declared all military activities by the Iran-backed group “illegal.”

That decision came hours after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, triggering a war that has killed nearly 4,000 people in Lebanon and resulted in Israeli forces occupying a large swath of southern Lebanon. The group fired the rockets two days after Israel and the United States launched a war on Iran, its main backer.

Hezbollah has refused to recognize the government decision outlawing its military wing, and Fadlallah’s statement described it as “null and void.”

NEW YORK (VINnews) – New York City Comptroller Mark Levine sought Thursday to defend his record on investments in Israel following criticism from pro-Israel groups over his decision not to make direct purchases of Israel Bonds at this time.

Levine said the city’s pension funds hold more than $285 million in Israeli investments, primarily equities, and stressed that Israel remains one of the world’s most innovative economies.

He said those holdings demonstrate that the city’s pension funds are not participating in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.

Levine explained that several challenges currently prevent direct purchases of Israel Bonds, including restrictions stemming from a rule change implemented by his predecessor on the city’s short-term investment desk. He said his office continues to evaluate Israel Bonds alongside other potential investments.

“Anyone suggesting that this means I am giving up on Israel is trying to turn the ordinary rebalancing and management of a pension portfolio into a political issue,” Levine wrote.

The comptroller reiterated his personal connection to Israel, saying it would not change, while emphasizing his fiduciary responsibility to protect the retirement funds of 750,000 current and future city retirees.

Levine said he remains committed to investing in Israel while making investment decisions based on financial considerations rather than politics.

The economic relationship between New York City and Israel is deeply important, bringing substantial investment into our city and generating strong returns for our pension funds.

Our funds invest around the world, including more than $285 million in Israel, primarily in equities. Israel remains one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative economies, and those holdings remain an important part of our portfolio. They also make clear that New York City’s pension funds are not engaging in BDS.

I expressed my deep appreciation for the Israel-NYC economic relationship during my campaign for comptroller, and that appreciation remains unchanged. I also pledged to make every investment decision free of politics, based solely on its financial merits and my fiduciary responsibility to 750,000 current and future retirees.

We apply those same principles to Israel Bonds. At present, a number of challenges, including constraints related to a rules change on our short-term investment desk made by the previous comptroller, prevent us from making direct purchases. We continue to evaluate this investment, as we do all potential investments.
Anyone suggesting that this means I am giving up on Israel is trying to turn the ordinary rebalancing and management of a pension portfolio into a political issue. That is simply not the case. Our commitment to investing in Israel remains clear in the hundreds of millions of dollars in Israeli equities that our pension funds continue to hold.

Like many Jewish New Yorkers, my deep personal connection to Israel is a part of who I am. It will not change. As New York City comptroller, I also have a solemn duty to safeguard our city’s pension funds, and I will not shirk that responsibility. I will continue to honor both commitments with integrity.

— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) October 15, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that the Pentagon will no longer livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, after the announcement faced bipartisan criticism and Vice President JD Vance said he wouldn’t watch it.

Trump said on social media that publicly airing the execution “might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan.”

But, he continued, “any very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device.”

The Pentagon has said Hasan’s execution is scheduled for Dec. 3. Trump said the execution can be viewed in person by immediate families of the victims, “if they so choose.”

The announcement earlier this month from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Hasan’s execution would be public — and subsequent confirmation from the Pentagon that it would be livestreamed — prompted significant blowback from both Republicans and Democrats, with many pointing out that the images could be used to fuel radicalization.

When asked how the public execution comported with his Christian faith earlier this month, Vance said “I don’t know that that’s actually going to happen.”

“So whatever the controversy is about the method of the execution, I hope that people don’t forget that this is a guy who brutally murdered a lot of innocent people,” Vance said.

But he continued: “Now, that said, I mean, look, if it’s ultimately livestreamed, I’m not going to be watching it.”

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who held the rank of major, walked into a medical building on Nov. 5, 2009, where soldiers were waiting in long lines to receive immunizations and medical clearance for deployment. He shouted “Allahu akbar” — Arabic for “God is great!” — and opened fire with a laser-sighted handgun. He also shot at the backs of soldiers fleeing toward the parking lot.

Hasan said it was an effort to stop them from going to Afghanistan and killing his fellow Muslims. A military judge barred him from presenting that as a defense during his 2013 trial. Hasan was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the back by law enforcement, and he now uses a wheelchair.

Hasan could seek a lengthy delay of his execution, though given his behavior at trial, he may not want to.

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — President Donald Trump used a Western campaign swing on Wednesday to pitch Republicans as vigilant supporters of gun rights and to defend his acceptance of a luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One.

At an evening rally in Montana, Trump hewed close to the kind of attack lines that his party wants to hear as the president travels the country, and he warned that the Second Amendment would be “under siege” if Democrats win in November’s midterm elections.

But his message was more off script earlier in the day as he visited an economically struggling corner of rural Arizona. Trump opened his remarks there by describing how the new jet parked behind him was a gift from the Qatari royal family.

“When you’re given gifts, you take ’em, right?” Trump told the crowd in Bullhead City. “When they give you a 747, you say two words: ‘Thank you.’”

Trump’s comments came during the second and final day of a Western swing, part of a midterm roadshow designed to rally the Republican Party ahead of Nov. 3 elections that will determine control of Congress. His first stop was Alaska on Tuesday, where he announced Taiwan would purchase gas from a proposed mega-gas project there and pardoned two Alaskans who had pleaded guilty in 2022 to Clean Air Act violations.

The president continued to bestow favors in Montana, where he announced a new military testing range that had been sought by the state’s Republicans.

“Montana will help ensure the American military always reigns supreme,” he said.

As Americans grapple with persistent concerns about the cost of living, Trump often reverts to some of his personal priorities, including renovation projects in Washington or trappings of the presidency, including the luxury jet.

Trump accepted the new plane last year despite strong criticism, including from some of his staunchest Republican supporters.

Trump zeroes in on guns while campaigning in Montana
Trump’s visit to Western Montana’s 1st District was aimed at boosting House candidate Aaron Flint, a former aide to retiring Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke, who was Interior secretary in Trump’s first-term Cabinet.

Flint’s opponent is Sam Forstag, a Democratic labor union leader and Forest Service smokejumper, a specialized firefighter who gets to fires by aircraft and parachute.

Forstag has said he supports expanding voluntary safe storage of firearms for people in a mental health crisis, but he describes himself as a gun rights champion and he says firearms are relied upon in Montana for hunting and staying safe.

Trump, speaking to a crowd of his supporters in a horse show arena in Kalispell, near Glacier National Park, called Forstag “extreme” and said Democrats “will take your guns away if we don’t keep it going.”

He noted that Republican candidates Kurt Alme, running for the Senate, and Aaron Flint, running for the House, have earned top ratings from the National Rifle Association.

Meanwhile, Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead has earned an F, and Forstag was given a question mark by the NRA because he “refused to fill out a form,” Trump said.

He did not mention Seth Bodnar, the independent in the Montana Senate race who is backed by top Democrats in the state.

Luxury Air Force One serves as backdrop and speech fodder
In Arizona, soaring music played as the former Qatari jet flew low over the local airport where supporters awaited Trump in the heat. The president, wearing his signature red baseball cap, emerged with a wave and a fist bump and slowly descended the stairs as speakers blasted Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” the song that marks Trump’s entrance at campaign events.

Air Force One, now wearing Trump’s new red, white, blue and gold paint scheme, and mountains filled the background as he started speaking about how he learned that the Qataris had “the best of all the 747s.” He described to the crowd, which was standing in the sun at a rural desert airport to hear him speak, how he called Qatar’s emir and asked to borrow the aircraft before the leader instead offered it as a gift.

Mohave County, where Bullhead City is located, has higher poverty and unemployment rates than the state and nation, with a lower per-capita income, according to Census and state unemployment data.

Trump also spoke extensively about his aesthetic flourishes around Washington: the White House ballroom that is under construction and a just-completed helipad on the South Lawn, along with a triumphal arch he has planned for the capital city.

“The fake news media doesn’t talk about how well we’re doing” as a country, Trump said. Journalists ask him instead about “affordability,” he said, pronouncing the word in a dismissive tone.

Trump traveled to Arizona to rally support for Rep. Andy Biggs, who is seeking to defeat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Republicans running in the state’s two competitive U.S. House districts, Jay Feely and Rep. Juan Ciscomani, did not attend the event.

GOP strategy is shifting as Election Day nears
With under three weeks left in the campaign, the Western swing comes as Trump’s party has begun retreating from a handful of battleground U.S. House races and Democrats aim to raise money for candidates who seemed like long shots earlier this year.

The shifting money in the final weeks of midterm campaigns reflects an increasingly defensive posture by Republicans, who have already trimmed their expectations in U.S. Senate races, and new aggression from Democrats, who are trying to capitalize on Trump’s low public approval.

Trump has kept up a brisk pace of hour-plus-long rallies — new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia called it a “midterm blitz” — in his effort to stem expected Republican losses and fight a historical trend in which the president’s party typically loses seats in elections halfway through their term in the White House.

Trump twice won Arizona, in 2016 and 2024, but lost the state in 2020. Montana’s 1st District is slightly less Republican overall than the state, which voted for Trump by double digits in each of his three presidential campaigns.

Arizona is the lone swing state in recent stops
His other visits so far in October have taken him into traditionally solid Republican territory — Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas — as he weathers low approval ratings, rising costs and the Iran war.

Arizona stands out as the lone swing state among the president’s recent stops, though the airport rally was in a county Trump won with 78% of the vote in 2024.

Biggs has been a stalwart ally of the president and assisted Trump’s attempt to block certification by the House of Trump’s 2020 election defeat. A one-time head of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, he’s represented a safe GOP seat since winning election in 2016.

He faces Hobbs, who narrowly defeated Republican Kari Lake in the governor’s race four years ago. Arizona was long a GOP stronghold, and registered Republicans still outnumber Democrats and independents by a comfortable margin, but voters have repeatedly rejected Trump allies and handed the state’s top offices to Democrats.

Trump said Biggs “will always stand with law enforcement” and took aim at Hobbs, who he said “does the bidding of the cartels” on the U.S.-Mexico border. Hobbs counters that she has strengthened the border by sending National Guard troops there and has boosted local law enforcement funding.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli combat engineers recently demolished a roughly 1.5-kilometer (about 0.9-mile) underground tunnel belonging to Hamas that crossed into the portion of the Gaza Strip held by Israeli forces, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The tunnel, located in the southern Gaza Strip, contained several rooms intended for use by Hamas operatives, according to the military. It passed beneath the Yellow Line, the demarcation line established under the October 2025 ceasefire arrangement that separates areas under Israeli military control from those outside it.

Troops from the Southern Brigade, operating under the engineering unit of the Gaza Division (143rd Division) and Southern Command, carried out the operation together with the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit. The forces sealed and blew up the passage as part of ongoing efforts to clear terrorist infrastructure from the Israeli-held side of the line, the IDF said.

The military stated that its troops remain deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to act against immediate threats.

The Yellow Line was drawn as part of the U.S.-brokered framework that ended major fighting. It places roughly half of the Gaza Strip — primarily eastern and border areas — under Israeli control while confining the rest to the west. Israeli forces have repeatedly reported finding and destroying tunnel networks, weapons caches and other infrastructure on their side of the line since the ceasefire took effect.

Yahalom specializes in complex engineering and underground warfare missions. The IDF has released video footage of the sealed tunnel on its official channels.

This operation is one of multiple similar demolitions announced in recent weeks as Israeli forces continue systematic efforts to dismantle remaining Hamas tunnel infrastructure east of the Yellow Line.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Dov Landau, the senior Lithuanian haredi leader, has urged shochatim (kosher slaughterers) planning to travel abroad for work to postpone their trips until after Israel’s upcoming elections, stressing that every vote is important for the Jewish people.

The issue was brought before Rabbi Landau by Rabbi Rafael Manat, rabbi of the Osem-Nestlé food conglomerate, head of the institutions in Zichron Yaakov and a close aide to the rosh yeshiva.

According to a report by Kikar HaShabbat, kosher slaughterers working for various kashrut organizations are scheduled to travel overseas approximately a week to ten days after Sukkot to supervise the slaughter of meat for the Jewish market. While those traveling to relatively nearby destinations, such as Poland, are expected to be able to return to Israel in time to vote, those assigned to distant countries, particularly in South America, could face journeys of several days and may be unable to return for Election Day.

Rabbi Manat asked Rabbi Landau whether the slaughterers should delay their trips until after the elections, despite the resulting financial losses for the workers and their teams. “Elections are a greater public need,” Rabbi Landau responded. When Rabbi Manat asked whether the slaughterers should therefore wait, the rosh yeshiva reiterated that the elections serve the needs of the Jewish people.

“Every vote, every single vote, is very, very important for the Jewish people,” he said.
Rabbi Manat explained that postponing the trips would have financial consequences. Teams that travel at the beginning of the winter season may be able to make three overseas trips, whereas those who wait until after the elections might manage only two, reducing their income.

Rabbi Landau acknowledged the additional consideration but returned to the importance of voting, asking whether the slaughterers expected him to advise them to miss the elections.

Rabbi Manat then asked the rosh yeshiva to bless the workers for the financial sacrifice they would be making by delaying their travel. Rabbi Landau responded with a blessing, saying: “May Hashem help them and grant them double and even greater blessings, satisfaction, long life, and all good things.”

The exchange highlights the emphasis Rabbi Landau places on participation in the upcoming elections, which he described as a matter of significant importance to the Jewish people. His response also reflects the view that the responsibility to vote may take precedence over professional and financial considerations, even for workers whose livelihoods depend on overseas assignments.

NEW YORK (VINnews)  — A CNN report claims that the US military has developed new plans for potential strikes against Iran, including the possible deployment of one of its most destructive conventional weapons: the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “Mother of All Bombs.”

According to the report, the plans would provide President Donald Trump with additional military options should he decide to resume operations against Iran, potentially targeting the country’s nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure.

The MOAB is one of the largest conventional bombs in the US military’s arsenal. Weighing approximately 21,600 pounds (9.8 metric tons), it carries an explosive payload equivalent to roughly 11 tons of TNT and is guided by GPS technology. Despite its enormous destructive power, the weapon has been used in combat only once. In April 2017, the US military dropped a MOAB on an ISIS target in Afghanistan, striking a network of tunnels and fortified positions used by the terrorist organization. However, the possibility of deploying the weapon against Iran has raised serious questions about its effectiveness against heavily fortified underground nuclear facilities.

According to CNN, US military planners are examining whether the bomb could successfully target Iranian installations buried deep beneath the surface. One particularly challenging potential target is a suspected nuclear facility known as “Pickaxe Mountain,” which is believed to be protected by thick layers of granite and located deep underground.

Family getting up:

Reuben Epstien
Sitting at 413 Grand St #F401 NY, NY

Reuben Epstien

Sitting at 413 Grand St #F401 NY, NY

Samuel Epstien

Sitting at 173 Beach 134th St, Bell Harbor

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale inflation rose more than expected last month on a big jump in fuel costs, a sign that stubbornly rising prices remain an economic challenge for consumers and a political problem for Republicans in the midterm elections.

Wholesale inflation rose more than expected last month on a big jump in fuel costs as rising prices become a bigger economic challenge for millions of Americans, and a growing political problem for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.

The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — soared 6.3% in September from a year ago, up from 5.6% in August and the biggest increase since December 2022, the government said Thursday.

On a monthly basis, wholesale prices rose 1.3% from August to September, marking the largest increase since March 2022, after a 0.5% gain the previous month.

Thursday’s data amplify the better-known consumer price index, released Wednesday, which also accelerated in September as gas prices jumped. A broad range of goods and services also got more expensive. Both inflation reports raise pressure on the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve to hike their key interest rate. Inflation has now topped the central bank’s 2% target for five and a half years.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.7% from August to September, up sharply from 0.2% in the previous month. Compared with a year ago, core prices rose 5%, up from 4.6% in August.

More expensive energy drove most of the increase as wholesale gas prices soared more than 20% from August to September. But the report also showed other costs rising, including those for electricity, vegetables, shipping, and air fares.

Ongoing inflation has eroded Americans’ incomes and soured most consumers on the economy. The Labor Department said Wednesday that average weekly paychecks, when adjusted for inflation, shrank last month compared with a year ago for the first time since May.

Higher prices have also taken a toll on Trump’s standing with U.S. voters. A poll released this month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living. And only 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, a new low.

The Federal Reserve, meanwhile, will hold a policy meeting in two weeks and are expected to keep its key short-term interest rate unchanged. But officials had already penciled in another rate hike later this year, which economists mostly expect to occur in December.

The Fed raises borrowing costs in an attempt to slow borrowing and spending and bring down inflation.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian drones attacked a refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region early Thursday, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a brief truce spurned by Moscow was over amid deepening tensions with Washington.

The drone strike started a fire at the refinery about 300 kilometers (180 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia’s Defense Ministry and Ryazan Gov. Pavel Malkov said. Russia’s Astra online news outlet posted what it said was a photograph of the blaze.

A senior Ukrainian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, confirmed that Ukraine had hit the refinery.

Zelenskyy complains about U.S. stance toward Ukraine
The strike could further complicate Kyiv’s relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, which have soured again in recent days.

Zelenskyy was outraged by Russia’s continuing aerial bombardment of his country’s energy infrastructure in apparent defiance of Trump’s demand on Sunday for both sides to halt those attacks.

The Ukrainian government said that it was heeding the ceasefire, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Ukraine never stopped its strikes on refineries that have hurt Russia. It wasn’t possible to independently verify each side’s claims.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labeled Ukraine’s strikes on oil facilities as a “direct and crude challenge to President Trump.”

Zelenskyy complained that, despite going along with Trump’s demand for a truce, Ukraine in recent days was denied the usual Western intelligence on Russian ballistic missile strikes and limits were placed on its use of U.S.-made Starlink communication terminals. Both are vital for Ukrainian defenses and attack operations.

The Ukrainian leader said that his patience had run out. He said in an interview with the Financial Times published Thursday that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries would resume. “We’re done,” he was quoted as saying.

Trump made a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel, despite international efforts to sanction Russia for its invasion and diplomatically isolate Putin.

Zelenskyy slammed the agreement, saying it would allow Russia to press on with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began more than 4½ years ago. U.S. efforts under Trump to end the war have made no progress.

Zelenskyy said in an interview late Wednesday with Piers Morgan on the British journalist’s YouTube show that he felt betrayed by Trump’s deal with Putin, the energy ceasefire announcement and the Starlink operational issues.

“Really, yes, between us,” Zelenskyy told Morgan when asked if he felt betrayed by the American president. “Our country has to survive, and we count on our real partners, strategic partners, the United States and President Trump.”

He said that the U.S. behavior “was really strange and what was not like between partners but that they switch off Starlink, so some actually crazy steps between us.”

Zelenskyy says U.S. position isn’t ‘on the right side of history’
In the same interview, Zelenskyy said “we are losing a strong partner” in the United States.

He said that “it’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side. But we are OK that he’s in the middle.”

Zelenskyy said someone is pushing Trump into a stance that is “not the right side of history.”

The Starlink speed limits choked Ukrainian efforts to defend itself and hit back against Russia, Kyiv officials said.

Elon Musk noted on X that the military version of Starlink, called Starshield, is controlled by the U.S. military and Trump.

The absence of Western intelligence leaves Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian ballistic missiles. Trump has said the U.S. hasn’t stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine.

Ukraine looks to Europe for more help
Amid fears that the Trump administration may be withdrawing support for Ukraine, Zelenskyy was due in Brussels for talks with European Union leaders at a summit Friday.

He was traveling to Belgium after visiting London, where he won pledges of more help from U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Asked whether the EU still trusts Trump, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, replied: “We definitely have a different approach to this war. We see that we have to pressure the aggressor to stop the war, not the victim to surrender.”

“Squeezing Ukraine is not the right approach, and that is why Europe is standing beside Ukraine,” Kallas told reporters.

Russian strike in Ukraine kills 3 civilians
Three people were killed and six others injured after the Kirovohrad region of central Ukraine came under a Russian drone attack lasting more than 10 hours, Ukraine’s Emergency Services said Thursday.

Zelenskyy said on X that between midnight and Thursday morning Russia launched more than 850 drones at Ukraine, adding that the barrage came “precisely at a time when the speed of our defensive capabilities is being artificially restricted.”

Russian aerial attacks hit 15 Ukrainian regions, he said.

“It is obvious that Russia deliberately chose to escalate its attacks after receiving sanctions relief and seeing attempts to pressure Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “It is important that everyone in America stand not with the aggressor, but with our efforts to protect lives, end this war and guarantee security.”

Ukrainian air defenses stopped 536 Russian drones during a large-scale overnight attack, the Ukrainian Air Force said, but impacts were recorded at 31 locations.

A Ukrainian missile destroyed six warplanes at an airfield in southwestern Russia, Zelenskyy said. The aircraft were used to launch powerful glide bombs, he said.

“Russia is dragging out the war, so our long-range operations will continue,” he said on social media.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 166 Ukrainian drones overnight. It said that its forces hit two vessels carrying military cargo.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A civil lawsuit seeking more than NIS 2.5 million in damages was filed on Wednesday at the Central District Court in Lod against Meir Leifer, the son of former school principal Malka Leifer, who was extradited from Israel to Australia and later convicted of abusing students.

Meir Leifer was himself convicted of committing an indecent act against a 10-year-old boy. He was sentenced to eight months of community service, a suspended prison sentence and compensation of NIS 45,000.

The new lawsuit alleges that the abuse caused severe and lasting psychological harm to the victim, who is now 13, affecting his education, social relationships and daily functioning. “The plaintiff’s soul remains wounded, and he has become a sad and withdrawn person,” the lawsuit states, describing anxiety, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating and significant social and academic problems.

According to the claim, the boy may require long-term psychological treatment and assistance, while his future earning capacity could also be affected. The lawsuit seeks compensation for medical and therapeutic expenses, emotional suffering, future loss of earnings, pension losses and ongoing care. It also requests damages under Israel’s Prevention of Harassment Law.

The plaintiff argues that the amended indictment to which Leifer pleaded guilty described three separate indecent acts, justifying statutory compensation of NIS 120,000 for each act without requiring proof of financial damage. The court has also been asked to appoint an independent psychiatric expert, at Leifer’s expense, to assess the boy’s alleged psychological disability.

A statement of defense has not yet been filed.

According to the amended indictment, which Leifer admitted as part of a plea agreement, he visited the family’s home several times seeking food, despite having no previous relationship with them. During a subsequent visit, the boy invited him to play a computer game. While they were together in the child’s bedroom, Leifer engaged in unwanted physical contact, including kissing the boy and touching him inappropriately over his clothing.

The child subsequently left the room. When Leifer returned the following day, the boy expressed fear and asked his mother not to let him enter. She instructed Leifer to leave.

Leifer pleaded guilty to committing an indecent act against a minor under 16 without consent. In addition to eight months of community service, the court imposed a seven-month suspended prison sentence, an 18-month probation order and NIS 45,000 in compensation.

In sentencing, the court considered his guilty plea, acceptance of responsibility, participation in treatment and difficult family circumstances. It also noted that he had previously spent approximately three weeks in custody and an extended period under electronic monitoring and house arrest.

Meir Leifer’s mother, Malka Leifer, was the principal of Adass Israel School, an ultra-Orthodox girls’ school in Melbourne, Australia.

She fled to Israel in 2008 after allegations emerged that she had abused students. Australian authorities subsequently sought her extradition to face criminal charges, leading to a prolonged legal battle in Israel.

Following years of proceedings concerning her fitness to stand trial and repeated extradition hearings, Israel’s Supreme Court cleared the way for her extradition. She was returned to Australia in January 2021.

In 2023, an Australian court convicted her of abusing two former students and sentenced her to 15 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 11 years and six months.

Attorney Keren Barak, representing the boy, said the case highlighted the need for stronger enforcement, sentencing and supervision of offenders.

“When criminal justice does not fully address the pain and damage caused, civil justice can provide victims with recognition, compensation and a sense of justice,” she said.

Barak pledged to pursue substantial compensation for the boy and his family, emphasizing that protecting children from abuse was both a legal and public responsibility.

New York (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman)  Tinton Falls, in Monmouth County, 17 miles from BMG is known for having the highest waterfall on New Jersey’s coastal plain as well as having an outlet center. Who would have ever thought it wuld also serve as a reference point to have us learn more about Tchias HaMeisim.

How so?  It now has one of the first in the nation’s revived – Toys R Us. The chain went bankrupt in 2017, closed its stores, and seemed gone for good. Now it has come back.

The two subjects have nothing to do with each other, l’havdil.  Tchias HaMeisim is one of the thirteen fundamentals of our emunah. But when people talk about something that “came back from the dead,” it is a good moment to learn what the Torah actually teaches about the real thing.

I have a remarkable sefer called, “Techiyas HaMeisim” by Rabbi Zev Aryeh ben Chaim Efraim Steiglitz and much of teh information below comes from that sefer.

Basic Belief

The Mabit (Beis Elokim, Sha’ar HaYesodos 53) writes that Tchias HaMeisim is one of the foundations of the Torah. A person who does not believe in it has no real share in the Jewish faith. Rav Saadia Gaon (Emunos V’Deos 7) adds that a person who denies Tchias HaMeisim will not take part in it, even if his other deeds were good. The punishment matches the sin.

The belief is rooted in the Torah itself. The Gemara (Berachos 15b) compares the grave to a mother’s womb, based on the pasuk in Mishlei (30:16). A womb takes in and gives out. So too the grave, which takes in the dead, will one day give them back. The Gemara (Pesachim 68a) brings another raya from the pasuk “I put to death and I bring to life; I wounded and I will heal” (Devarim 32:39). Just as the same person who is wounded is the one who is healed, the same person who dies is the one who will come back to life.

It Is Not Hard for Hashem

The Mabit explains why this is not beyond belief. When a person breaks a clay pot, he cannot put it back together exactly as it was. Even a goldsmith who melts down a gold cup and recasts it ends up with a new cup that only looks like the old one. People can make new things, but they cannot bring back the very same thing that was lost.

Hashem can.

He will bring back the very same person, with the same body and soul. For Hashem, restoring what once existed is kav’yachol an easier step than creating something new. This is because Hashem prefers not violating one of the laws of teva that he put into the world.  (This is, by the way, one of the lessons of Megilas Esther.)

Two Tchias HaMeisim

Many meforshim hold that the dead will rise at two different times. The first resurrection will come at the beginning of the Days of Mashiach. The Aruch LaNer (Sanhedrin 90b), based on the Gemara in Yoma (5b), writes that Moshe, Aharon, and Aharon’s sons will rise then to teach the people, just as they did when we left Mitzrayim.

The Ritva (Rosh Hashanah 16b) and the Radbaz (Teshuvos 2:839 and 3:1069) add that the tzaddikim who died in galus will also rise at that time. They suffered without ever seeing the good fortune of Klal Yisrael, and now they will see it, along with the building of the Beis HaMikdash.

The second techiya is for everyone else, and according to the Radbaz it will come later, close to the seventh millennium. The Rif on Ein Yaakov (Sanhedrin 92a) also describes two resurrections, one in the days of Mashiach and one in the World to Come. The Gaon of Vilna (Aderes Eliyahu, Devarim 3:26) teaches that all of Klal Yisrael will rise in the merit of Moshe Rabbeinu.

The Order of Events

The Zohar (Toldos 139a) teaches that the Beis HaMikdash will be built first, then the exiles will be gathered in, and forty years later the dead will rise. Those forty years will bring many troubles and wars, “and fortunate is the one who escapes them.”

The Rash (Ma’aser Sheni 5:2) seems to say that Tchias HaMeisim comes before the building of the Beis HaMikdash. The Aruch LaNer (Niddah 61b) resolves this by explaining that the great tzaddikim will rise early, even before the general resurrection. The Gaon of Vilna, quoted in HaKesav VehaKabbalah (Devarim 32:35), explains that the words of Kaddish, “ba’agala u’vizman kariv,” “speedily and soon,” mean that all the stages of the geulah, including Tchias HaMeisim, will come close together, one after another.

When Will It Happen?

There are several opinions about when the general resurrection will take place. Some say at the end of the sixth millennium. The Ran (Sanhedrin 99a) explains that it depends on how long the Days of Mashiach last, with opinions of forty, seventy, or four hundred years. The Zohar also speaks of forty years.

Rabbeinu Bachya (Devarim 30:15) finds a hint in the word re’eh, “see,” whose numerical value is 206. He says Tchias HaMeisim will come 206 years after the geulah. The Ramban, in his commentary on Shir HaShirim (8:12), explains the pasuk “two hundred for those who guard its fruit” to mean that the dead will rise two hundred years into the sixth millennium, after the wars are over.

Rav Saadia Gaon (Emunos V’Deos 7) adds a sobering note: a person who dies during the seven years of the war of Gog will not rise.  Hopefully, we won’t pasken like this.

Where Will the Dead Rise?

Some say the dead will rise all over the world. Others say they will rise only in Eretz Yisrael, and those buried elsewhere will roll through underground tunnels until they reach the land. The Chesed L’Avraham (3:22) writes that the dead of Eretz Yisrael will rise on the very day Mashiach comes, while those outside the land will rise later.

The Mabit (Beis Elokim 55) makes an interesting exception. He holds that Moshe Rabbeinu and the generation of the midbar will rise where they are buried and then walk to Eretz Yisrael. They were on a mitzvah journey to the land when they died, and Hashem will let them finish it. The same may be true of anyone who died on the way to Eretz Yisrael.

Who Will Merit to Rise?

Rabbeinu Bachya (Kad HaKemach, Evel 2) explains that the pasuk “many of those who sleep in the dust will awaken” (Daniel 12:2) refers to Klal Yisrael. The Mabit (Beis Elokim 53) writes that the resurrection is for tzaddikim, since resha’im are called “dead” even while they are alive.

Chazal (Kesubos 111b) teach that the light of Torah is what revives the dead. Those who learn Torah will rise. The Chafetz Chaim (Chovas HaShemirah 13) points out that the Gemara concludes that even people who did not learn will rise in the merit of supporting Torah.

Women earn this merit by helping their husbands and sons learn (Berachos 17a), and the Chazon Ish is quoted as saying that a woman also earns it through her tznius. A person who dies al Kiddush Hashem will also rise.

Several everyday mitzvos earn this reward as well. Chazal (Devarim Rabbah 7:1) teach, as explained by the Shevet Mussar in Einei HaEdah (Ki Savo), that answering Amen earns a place at Tchias HaMeisim. The Chida (Chomas Anach, Yeshayahu 32) explains that a person who gives tzedakah generously “will stand” at Tchias HaMeisim.

The Mabit (Beis Elokim, Sha’ar HaTefillah 17) writes that every generation that prayed for the geulah will be brought back to see it. That is why one of the first questions asked of a person in the next world is “Did you anticipate the salvation?” (Shabbos 31a).

Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld (Toras Chaim 82) even suggests that buried Sifrei Torah may one day be restored, since nothing is ever truly lost before Hashem.

The Bodies of Tzaddikim

The Ya’aros Devash (2:7) explains that the bodies of complete tzaddikim do not decay in the grave, as the Gemara says (Shabbos 152b). The Bigdei Yesha, based on the Midrash and the Alshich, explains why. Before a tzaddik dies, Hashem shows him his reward. Both his body and his soul are comforted, and his body rests in the grave as if asleep.

Tzaddikim Will Revive the Dead

The Gemara (Pesachim 68a) teaches that in the future, tzaddikim will revive the dead, just as Eliyahu and Elisha did. The Alshich (Yeshayahu 12; Zechariah 8:4) explains that this is why tzaddikim will then be “called by Hashem’s Name.”

The Gemara (Chullin 7b) also teaches that “tzaddikim are greater in death than in life.” The proof is a dead man who was thrown into Elisha’s grave, touched his bones, and came back to life (Melachim II 13:21). During his lifetime, Elisha needed great effort to revive the Shunamite’s son. After his death, a single touch was enough. The Beis Yisrael (Derush 34) discusses this at length and cites a Midrash that the man was the tzaddik Shalom ben Tikvah, who gave water to every traveler entering his city. His own tzedakah helped bring him back.

Must Everyone Die First?

The Ramchal (Ma’amar HaIkarim) writes that everyone must die, at least briefly, before Tchias HaMeisim. The Michtav M’Eliyahu (vol. 4, p. 150) explains that death removes the last traces of the sin of Adam HaRishon. The Maharil Diskin (Bamidbar 18:28) disagrees that everyone will die at once, since the world can never be completely empty of people.

Will the Body Live Forever?

This is a famous machlokes. The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 8:2, and in his Ma’amar Techiyas HaMeisim) holds that those who rise will live very long lives and then die again, since Olam HaBa is for souls alone. The Ra’avad strongly disagrees and holds that they will live forever in their bodies, though those bodies may be as strong as angels.

The Kesef Mishneh suggests that the two really disagree only about terms. The Lechem Mishneh explains that the Rambam sees Tchias HaMeisim and Olam HaBa as two separate worlds. The Ramah (Abulafia) sided with the view that the resurrected will never die again, and the Shelah (Toldos Adam) explains the Rambam’s reasons for a temporary bodily reward.

Closing Thoughts

Why might Toys R Us have shut down in the first place?  Perhaps it involved a measure of Gaavah.  Their jingle was “The World’s Greatest Toy Store is Toys Are Us.”  We see two things:  We should stay away from Gaavah b’tachlis haRichuk. But we also see Hashem allows for Teshuvah.  If the news from Tinton Falls gets people talking about techias haMeisim, let it lead to more learning, and to the chessed, Torah, and tefillah that will bring that day.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

NEW YORK (VINnews)  — Former U.S. President Barack Obama has drawn criticism from conservative and pro-Israel commentators after claiming that Jews fleeing persecution in Europe “took land off people” and “were excessive” in establishing themselves in Israel. Critics accused him of overlooking the Jewish people’s more than 3,000-year connection to the Land of Israel.

Obama made the remarks Tuesday during a conversation with journalist Susan McKay at Belfast’s O2 arena, as part of a speaking tour that also includes Glasgow and Manchester.

Discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Obama acknowledged centuries of Jewish persecution, particularly in Europe, and said Jews had understandably sought refuge. “The fact is that the Jewish people, for millennia, were oppressed, discriminated against, killed,” he said. “What is also undeniable is that they took land off people and they were excessive.” Obama added that Palestinians who lost land understandably viewed it as an injustice and sought its return.

The remarks prompted accusations that Obama had portrayed Israel’s establishment primarily as a consequence of European antisemitism and the Holocaust, disregarding the Jewish people’s ancestral connection to the territory and their continuous presence there throughout history.

The conservative news website The Daily Wire, co-founded by Jewish commentator Ben Shapiro, accused Obama of promoting a distorted historical narrative that depicted Jews as outsiders who displaced the local population. Media watchdog HonestReporting similarly criticized the former president for overlooking the Jewish people’s historical ties to Israel. “Israel’s legitimacy did not begin with European persecution,” the organization wrote. “Neither did Jewish history.”

Critics also pointed to documented Jewish land purchases from Arab landowners during the Ottoman and British Mandate periods, arguing that these transactions complicated Obama’s broad characterization of Jewish settlement.

During the discussion, Obama emphasized that neither Israelis nor Palestinians would disappear from the region and that both peoples needed to acknowledge this reality. He urged Israelis to consider whether their children and grandchildren could live indefinitely behind security barriers or whether lasting security required a political settlement consistent with moral and ethical principles.

Obama argued that Israel, as the militarily stronger party, bore particular responsibility for breaking the cycle of violence. He warned that relying on military and technological superiority while refusing concessions could provide temporary security but ultimately undermine Israel’s moral standing. He also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, while emphasizing that not all Israelis supported its policies.

Turning to the Palestinians, Obama argued that they could not defeat Israel militarily and should instead pursue nonviolent strategies based on moral and political persuasion. He condemned Hamas’ October 7 attack, saying such violence was highly unlikely to bring meaningful political progress for Palestinians.

Obama identified ending the violence, alleviating humanitarian suffering, halting settlement expansion in the West Bank and rebuilding Gaza as immediate priorities. However, he acknowledged that even these goals would require substantial diplomatic efforts and an American administration prepared to pursue creative solutions.

The former president compared the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Northern Ireland’s troubled history, warning that societies can become trapped by historical grievances and competing national narratives.

His comments nevertheless reignited debate over how Israel’s establishment should be understood historically, particularly the relationship between Jewish national aspirations, centuries of Jewish attachment to the land and Palestinian claims of dispossession.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s Shin Bet security service received a direct warning from Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar weeks before the October 7, 2023, massacre, according to testimony by Palestinian political figure Sufian Abu Zaida, raising fresh questions about what Israeli intelligence officials knew ahead of the attack and how they interpreted the information.

The account emerged in an interview conducted by Israeli-French journalist Emmanuelle Elbaz-Phelps for the French magazine Le Point. Elbaz-Phelps subsequently shared details of the interview on X.

According to Abu Zaida, Sinwar asked him during a meeting on September 14, 2023, to convey an unusual message to Israeli authorities, warning that Hamas was preparing a development that would fundamentally change negotiations over Palestinian prisoners.

“Before the end of September, we will put things on the table that will cause an earthquake in everything related to the negotiations, and they should prepare themselves for the emptying of the prisons,” Sinwar allegedly told him.

Abu Zaida explained that the reference to emptying the prisons meant securing the release of all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Unlike Sinwar’s public threats, this warning was allegedly delivered through a personal intermediary who maintained direct contact with Israeli security officials.

Abu Zaida said he wrote down Sinwar’s words in a notebook during their meeting. After leaving Sinwar’s office and retrieving his mobile phone and smartwatch, which he had been required to leave outside, he contacted former Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan and then the Shin Bet.

According to Abu Zaida, both contacts asked whether Sinwar had specifically instructed him to convey the message to Israel. “He insisted,” Abu Zaida recalled. “He told me, ‘You must pass it on and also report back to me that the message was delivered.'”

Abu Zaida said he subsequently met Shin Bet officials and stressed that the warning should not be dismissed as routine rhetoric.

“Sinwar wasn’t just making threats. He set a date: by the end of the month,” he said.

A Warning That Was Apparently Misinterpreted

Despite recognizing the unusual nature of the message, Abu Zaida acknowledged that he himself failed to anticipate the scale of the October 7 attack.

He believes Israeli security officials took Sinwar’s warning seriously but interpreted it as a possible limited kidnapping operation rather than preparations for a massive cross-border assault.

“I think they believed that, at most, 30 or 40 people would enter from Gaza, kidnap a soldier and return. That’s what I thought, too,” he said.

Abu Zaida even considered the possibility that Hamas was planning to abduct an Israeli in Judea and Samaria rather than launch an operation from Gaza.

“I thought he was referring more to the West Bank, that they had a cell ready, with a target, and that it would carry out a kidnapping,” he explained. “But who am I? I’m not the national intelligence assessor.”

He attributed his assessment to Sinwar’s repeated emphasis on obtaining the release of Palestinian prisoners.

“Sinwar was talking about releasing prisoners. He wanted to strengthen the cards he held. Two bodies were not enough for him,” Abu Zaida said, referring to the remains of Israeli soldiers held in Gaza at the time.

Abu Zaida also said his contacts with Sinwar were known to Israeli intelligence. The two had first become acquainted during their imprisonment in Israel, and their relationship later developed into a channel for conveying messages between Hamas and Israel.

He said he regularly informed both Dahlan and the Shin Bet about his meetings with Sinwar, partly because he feared being caught in an Israeli airstrike while visiting the Hamas leader’s office.

The testimony suggests that at least some Israeli security officials may have received a specific, time-bound warning directly attributed to Sinwar, rather than merely observing signs of heightened Hamas activity.

However, the account does not establish which Shin Bet officials received the message, whether it reached the agency’s director, Ronen Bar, or how it was assessed and circulated within the Israeli intelligence community.

The revelations come as former Shin Bet director Ronen Bar has filed a NIS 3 million ($970,000) defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of making false allegations about Bar’s conduct before the October 7 massacre.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the Central District Court in Lod, challenges Netanyahu’s September 28 accusation that Bar recognized warning signs on the night before the Hamas attack but failed to alert the prime minister. Bar contends that Netanyahu has sought to shift responsibility for the intelligence and security failures onto him.

According to the lawsuit, Shin Bet personnel began alerting military counterparts to unusual indications of Hamas activity at approximately 11 p.m. on October 6. An intelligence alert was distributed at 3:03 a.m., followed by additional communications, including a call to the military secretariat at 3:55 a.m.

Bar says his chief of staff contacted Netanyahu’s military secretary, Avi Gil, at approximately 6:15 a.m., shortly before the Hamas attack began. The lawsuit acknowledges that the initial alert was assigned a lower urgency than it warranted.

The dispute raises two distinct questions: whether Bar fulfilled his responsibility by informing the designated officials in the Prime Minister’s Office, and whether the gravity of the intelligence required him to bypass routine procedures and contact Netanyahu personally.

The new testimony concerning Sinwar’s September 14 warning introduces a further dimension. Abu Zaida’s account was previously corroborated in a September 2026 television interview in which he displayed what he described as the handwritten message dictated by Sinwar. He said the intermediary channel had operated since March 2022, making the communication part of an established relationship rather than an isolated contact.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A newborn baby was rushed to the hospital in serious condition Wednesday night after being found without a pulse or breathing following a home birth in Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul neighborhood. United Hatzalah emergency medical personnel performed advanced resuscitation and successfully restored the infant’s heartbeat before transporting the baby to Shaare Zedek Medical Center for further treatment.

The incident has raised suspicions that the apartment was being used as an unauthorized birthing facility operating outside the hospital system. According to witness accounts, at least three deliveries at the location have reportedly involved complications requiring resuscitation of the newborns. Police detained the doula who accompanied the latest delivery for questioning as part of an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

United Hatzalah said its emergency dispatch center initially received a call reporting a woman in labor. By the time emergency personnel arrived at the apartment, the baby had already been delivered and was being held by the mother. An initial medical examination revealed that the newborn was unconscious, not breathing, and had no detectable pulse.

Professor Jeffrey Kashuk and Dr. Aryeh Yaffe, both volunteer physicians with United Hatzalah, joined paramedic Shuki Becker and EMT Dudi Rosenwald from the organization’s intensive care ambulance team in providing emergency treatment. The medical team immediately began advanced neonatal resuscitation. After successfully restoring the infant’s heartbeat, they transported the baby in the intensive care ambulance to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in serious condition.

The investigation is expected to examine whether the apartment was being used regularly for deliveries, whether appropriate medical supervision and emergency equipment were available, and whether those involved were authorized to provide the services offered..

Under Israeli Health Ministry regulations, home births are permitted under specified medical and safety conditions. They must be attended by an appropriately qualified midwife or obstetrician, with suitable emergency equipment and arrangements for rapid transfer to a hospital if complications arise.

The ministry requires professionals attending home births to have neonatal resuscitation training and recommends that deliveries take place within approximately 30 minutes of a hospital maternity ward. It also states that licensed hospital delivery rooms are generally safer for mothers and newborns.

The Jerusalem incident highlights the importance of these safeguards, particularly when a newborn requires immediate emergency intervention. It remains unclear whether the location met the Health Ministry’s requirements for home births or whether the doula was working alongside a licensed medical professional.

New York (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman)  This article introduces a very very important development in cardiology that not too many people know about – even doctors. 

“A,” a good friend of this author is a chef. For years, his work was hard and physical. He lifted heavy pots, carried crates of chicken from Bingo, and schlepped supplies back and forth all day long. It never bothered him.

Then something changed. He could no longer lift and schlep. He got tired quickly. He felt weak and out of breath doing things that had always been easy for him.

I told him that needed to see a cardiologist immediately. This was not something to wait on.

He listened.

The doctors found that he had atrial fibrillation, or AFib. He was treated at NYU Langone with a newer procedure called pulsed field ablation. The change has been amazing. 

His story is a good reason to understand what AFib is, and how this new treatment works.

What Is AFib?

Atrial fibrillation, or “AFib,” is the most common kind of irregular heartbeat. Millions of Americans have it, and more people get it as they grow older.

The heart has four chambers. The top two are called the atria. Normally, they beat in a steady rhythm. In AFib, they stop beating properly and just quiver, or shake, in a messy way.

Some people with AFib feel their heart pounding or fluttering. Others feel tired, weak, dizzy, or short of breath, just like the chef. Some people feel nothing at all.

AFib is more than uncomfortable. It can be dangerous. When the atria quiver instead of pumping, blood can collect there and form a clot. If a clot travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke. This is why many people with AFib take blood thinners.

Fixing the Rhythm

Doctors often try to put the heart back into a normal rhythm. Medicine sometimes works, but not always, and it can have side effects. Many patients choose a procedure called catheter ablation.

Most AFib starts in one area of the heart: the spot where four veins, called the pulmonary veins, enter the top left chamber. The bad electrical signals start there and spread. In ablation, the doctor makes a ring of tiny scars around these veins. The scars act like a fence. The bad signals cannot get through.

The Older Methods: Heat and Cold

For many years, doctors made these scars in two main ways. (There was also a laser method, but it did not work better than the others.)

1. Heat (radiofrequency ablation). The doctor uses a thin tube with a tip that gets hot. The heat burns tiny spots in the heart.

• The good: It can reach almost any part of the heart. A skilled doctor can treat many areas, not just the veins.
• The bad: It takes great skill. The doctor must hold the tip perfectly still on a beating heart for 30 seconds or more. Heat can also hurt nearby body parts. The esophagus, the tube that carries food to the stomach, sits right behind the heart. Burning it can cause very serious problems.
• The ugly: In rare cases, heat can also make a hole in the heart wall (with apologies to CE)

2. Cold (cryoablation). The doctor uses a small balloon that freezes the tissue.

• The good: It is safer than heat, and it is easier to use. Many more doctors can do it well.
• The bad: It mostly reaches only the openings of the four veins. If AFib has spread to other parts of the heart, the balloon cannot treat them well. The patient may need to come back for more procedures.
• The ugly: It can cause Phrenic nerve injury. It can weaken the diaphragm on one side and causes shortness of breath. It usually recovers within weeks to months, but sometimes longer.

I personally explored the possibility of these two methods but decided not to go forward following the advice of a good friend’s brother (a cardiologist).

The New Method: Pulsed Field Ablation

Pulsed field ablation, or PFA, is the newest method. The FDA, approved it in 2024. Since then, many hospitals have started using it.  Dr. Donny Zwickler informed me about it at a Glatt Kosher trip to the Canadian Rockies in Banff, Canada this past summer, and told me to see a student of his who is doing wonders with it.  Since then, I have been looking into it.  [Please note that the author is not a doctor, but has served on the medical ethics board of a hospital for several years. One should always speak to one’s own specialist and not rely on medical information from the internet.]

PFA does not use heat or cold. It uses very short, very strong bursts of electricity. These bursts poke tiny holes in the heart cells being treated, and those cells stop working. One heart doctor described it as almost like waving a magic wand over the cells.

The biggest advantage is that PFA is a bit of a fineschmecker (somewhat choosy). Heart cells are very sensitive to this electricity. The esophagus, nerves, and blood vessels are much less sensitive. So PFA can treat the heart while mostly leaving nearby body parts unharmed.  And hence those that were hesitant about the other types of ablation – have less to worry about.

Benefits of PFA include:

• A shorter procedure, so the patient is asleep for less time.
• Less swelling and less pain.
• Faster healing.
• Less risk to the esophagus and nearby nerves.

Not a Magic Bullet

Some heart doctors warn that PFA is not a cure-all. One doctor explains it this way: what matters most is not the tool. What matters is what the doctor does with it.

AFib can be compared to a forest fire.

• In early AFib, the fire is small. It is only around the four veins. Making a scar fence around those veins often solves the problem, no matter which tool is used.
• In later AFib, the fire has spread to other walls of the heart. Treating only the veins is like putting out one small part of a big fire. It helps, but the rest keeps on burning r”l.

This explains why some patients need two, three, or even four procedures. If the doctor treats only the veins each time, the patient may get a little better but still need medicine. A doctor with more experience may be able to treat the other areas too, sometimes in just one procedure.

The first PFA tools were built mostly to treat the four veins. Early studies showed they worked about as well as the older methods for early AFib.

They did not work dramatically better. Some reports showed success in roughly 60 to 70 percent of early cases. For patients with more advanced AFib, treating only the veins with PFA was often not enough.

New medical tools usually help in one of two ways:

1. They let top experts do things that were impossible before, or
2. They make standard procedures easier, so more doctors can do them well.

The freezing balloon did the second thing. Early PFA did too. It made the standard procedure faster and safer. Since then, newer PFA tools have been made to reach more areas of the heart. Doctors keep working to use PFA for harder cases.

Patients should, without being too chutzpadik, consider asking two questions, not one:

• “Which tool will you be using?”
• “What exactly will you do, and how much experience do you have with cases like mine?”

What Happens During the Procedure

The procedure is done in a hospital.

1. The doctor makes one or more very tiny openings in a vein in the groin.
2. Thin wires go through the vein all the way up to the heart. Thin, bendable tubes, called catheters, slide over the wires.
3. The tubes are guided into the top left chamber of the heart.
4. The doctor records the heart’s electrical signals. A computer turns these signals into a 3-D map of the patient’s heart.
5. Using the map, the doctor sends the electrical bursts around the four veins and any other trouble spots.
6. The tubes are taken out. The patient must lie flat for a few hours so the openings in the groin can close.  

Most patients go home the same day or the next morning.

Risks

Every procedure has some risk. Problems can include bleeding or bruising in the entry area. Rarely, a stroke or heart injury can happen. Doctors are still studying how PFA may affect blood cells and the kidneys when a lot of energy is used.

AFib can come back, especially in more advanced cases. Some patients need a second procedure. Also, having ablation does not always mean a patient can stop taking blood thinners. That is a decision to make with the heart doctor.

The Lesson: Do Not Wait

“A”‘s story teaches an important lesson. When someone suddenly cannot do what he always did, such as lifting, walking, or climbing stairs, it may be a sign of a heart problem. Feeling unusually tired, weak, or out of breath should never be ignored. Getting checked quickly can make all the difference.

A Halachic Perspective

The Torah commands, “V’nishmartem me’od l’nafshoseichem,” to guard our health very carefully (Devarim 4:15). Chazal and the poskim teach that this includes getting proper medical care. The Gemara (Bava Kamma 85a) learns from the words “v’rapo yerapei” that a doctor has permission to heal.

There are three parts to this Mitzvah: 1. When doctors find a safer and gentler way to fix the heart’s rhythm, using it is part of keeping this mitzvah. 2. Choosing a skilled and experienced doctor is part of it too. 3. And not putting off a visit to the doctor when something feels wrong is part of it as well.

The author can be reached at [email protected].

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Democratic support among Jewish voters in New York has dropped sharply, according to Siena College polling averages discussed Wednesday by CNN data analyst Harry Enten.

In the U.S. House generic ballot among Jewish voters, Democrats held a 40-point advantage in 2018 and a 49-point lead in 2022. That margin has narrowed to 13 points in 2026 — a 36-point shift toward Republicans, Enten said.

“Their lead is absolutely tumbled into the Hudson River among Jewish voters,” Enten said. “Yes, they are still ahead, but we are talking about historically strong numbers for Republicans among Jewish voters.”

A comparable erosion appears in the governor’s race. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lead among Jewish voters has fallen from 51 points in 2022 to roughly 13 points, according to the data Enten reviewed.

Observers have tied the movement in part to the growing influence of the Democratic Socialists of America in New York politics and to Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Enten noted Mamdani’s net favorability among Jewish voters stands at minus 23 — substantially lower than his standing with the broader New York electorate. Earlier Siena polling has also shown majority unfavorable views of both Mamdani and the DSA among Jewish respondents, alongside concerns linked to the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and positions on Israel.

Conservative commentator Clay Travis highlighted the CNN segment on X, writing that Jewish voters in New York are abandoning Democrats in record numbers.

New York has the largest Jewish population of any U.S. state. Pew Research Center data indicate about 6% of New York adults identify as Jewish, compared with roughly 2% nationwide.

NEW YORK  (VINnews) — A Philadelphia man was arrested Wednesday after police said he entered a Midtown Manhattan synagogue during services last year, recorded without permission and yelled “Allahu Akbar,” authorities said.

Shear Nobles, 48, was taken into custody at the Fulton Street subway station in Lower Manhattan while attempting to evade the fare by ducking under a turnstile, law enforcement sources said. He faces charges of aggravated harassment and disruption of a religious service.

On July 21, 2025, around 7:15 p.m., Nobles entered Shuva Israel, a Sephardic synagogue at 122 East 58th Street, during an evening service, the New York City Police Department said. He used his cellphone to record inside the building without authorization and went into the sanctuary where congregants were praying. He then stated loudly “Allahu Akbar,” causing fear and annoyance, according to police. No injuries were reported.

Nobles, who had no known connection to the synagogue, fled on foot and remained at large for more than a year, sources said. The NYPD’s hate crime task force participated in the investigation.

Nobles has no prior arrests in New York City. Sources said he has a history of arrests in Philadelphia dating back roughly two decades that include robbery, burglary and retail-related offenses.

The synagogue, associated with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto’s Shuva Israel organization, is located in a historic Midtown building that also houses a large Torah library.

Representatives for the synagogue and the NYPD did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.

NASHVILLE (VINnews) — Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on Wednesday sharply rebuked Tucker Carlson, accusing the former Fox News host of falsely claiming that Shapiro wants to kill Christians because of the Noahide laws and labeling the allegation “psychotic.”

In a post on X that included video clips, Shapiro wrote that Carlson “is apparently out there saying I want to kill Christians because of the Noahide laws or something. This is psychotic.” He continued that he would “expect nothing less from an addled nicotine salesman who spends all of his time rallying for Islamists like Abdul El-Sayed and Zohran Mamdani while making excuses for Hitler,” adding, “Tucker wants conservatives to lose. It’s that simple.”

The exchange stems from comments Shapiro made Oct. 7 at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Iowa. Responding to a student in a “Jesus is King” shirt who asked about faith, Shapiro explained the traditional Jewish view that non-Jews need not convert to Judaism to have a share in the world to come. Instead, he said, they are expected to observe seven basic moral principles known as the Noahide laws: prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, sexual immorality, theft and eating flesh from a living animal, along with the establishment of courts of justice.

Shapiro has said the full exchange included praise for the student’s Christian belief. In a subsequent post, he quoted his own remarks: “I think you’re doing a great job by believing in Jesus. I think that’s great. I think you should continue to go to church, I think you should continue to speak out about your faith, I think that Christianity in America needs a resurgence, and that’s the greatest factor that will lead to a revitalized America.”

Short clips of the event circulated widely online, with some accounts framing Shapiro’s mention of the Noahide laws as an attempt to impose Jewish religious rules on Christians. Certain critics have cited historical rabbinic discussions of penalties for violations of the laws — including capital punishment in certain contexts under ancient or theoretical Jewish jurisprudence — to allege that Shapiro endorsed harm to Christians. Shapiro and others have described these interpretations as distortions and antisemitic conspiracy theories.

The Noahide laws, referenced in the Talmud, are understood in traditional Judaism as the fundamental ethical obligations applicable to all people, not as a program for enforcing Jewish religious practice on non-Jews today. They have long been a staple of antisemitic literature that claims a secret Jewish plot to subjugate non-Jews under severe penalties.

Carlson’s specific remarks prompting Shapiro’s response appear tied to recent media appearances, including discussion on the Jimmy Dore show. The dispute reflects broader friction on the right between Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire and a frequent defender of traditional Jewish and pro-Israel positions, and Carlson, who has drawn criticism from some Jewish and conservative voices over his commentary on Israel, Jewish influence and related topics.

WASHINGTON (VINnews) — The Trump administration is investigating Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., in an effort to build a case to revoke her U.S. citizenship and potentially deport her, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night.

The investigation focuses on whether Omar or her late father misrepresented her age on immigration documents decades ago, potentially allowing her to obtain citizenship automatically through her father’s naturalization. Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 after arriving from Somalia with her family in 1995.

Federal agents searched Omar’s Washington home Monday, seizing her cellphone, passport, notebooks and computers, according to the Journal. Authorities have also issued more than a dozen subpoenas, including to relatives, as a Minnesota grand jury examines the family’s immigration records.

Omar has denied committing immigration fraud. Her office accused President Donald Trump of targeting her, saying there was no basis for the investigation.

Federal officials reportedly examined a similar allegation during the Biden administration but did not pursue it because of insufficient evidence.

Revoking citizenship is a legally demanding process. The Justice Department must bring a case in federal court and prove that a person materially misrepresented information to obtain naturalization. Former Justice Department immigration official Leon Fresco told the Journal that prosecutors would face a difficult legal path.

The investigation comes weeks before the November midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking reelection. Trump has repeatedly criticized the congresswoman and Somali immigrants, making Omar a frequent target of his political attacks.

The Journal reported that the inquiry is part of the administration’s broader effort to denaturalize U.S. citizens, with officials pursuing more than 200 lawsuits seeking to revoke citizenship.

MONSEY, N.Y. (VINnews) — Genazym, a prominent auction house specializing in rare Jewish books, rabbinic manuscripts and historical Judaica, has listed a first edition of the revered Chassidic sefer Noam Elimelech with a starting price of $1 million ahead of its Nov. 8 auction.

The volume, printed in Lvov in 1788, carries an estimated value of $2 million, according to the auction house’s catalog. The listing describes it as a complete, well-preserved copy of one of the most sought-after works in Chassidic literature.

Authored by Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, one of the leading figures of early Chassidus, the sefer is a commentary on the Five Books of the Torah. The first edition also includes Likkutei Shoshanah, a collection of teachings by Rabbi Elimelech, and Iggros Kodesh, which includes material addressing opposition to the Chassidic movement.

According to Genazym’s catalog, the first edition was published by Rabbi Elimelech’s son, Rabbi Elazar, two years after his father’s passing, in fulfillment of his father’s explicit instruction to bring the work to print.

The catalog describes the copy as printed on thick, high-quality paper, with minor restoration to the margins of several leaves and light signs of use.

Beyond its scholarly significance, Noam Elimelech holds a special place in Chassidic tradition. The sefer is widely regarded among Chassidim as a source of blessing and protection, and traditions associated with it describe its use in connection with health, childbirth and other personal needs.

The first edition is particularly prized for its distinctive printing features, including the use of asterisks to mark pauses in the text. According to Chassidic traditions cited by Genazym, those markings carry mystical significance, with some traditions associating them with spiritual revelations experienced by Rabbi Elimelech.

Genazym’s upcoming auction, titled Perfection Is Rewarding, is scheduled for Nov. 8, 2026. The Noam Elimelech is listed as Lot 50, with bidding starting at $1 million.

A Growing Market for Rare Jewish Books

Founded by three brothers from the Stefansky family, Genazym has developed a prominent position in the market for rare sefarim and Judaica. The brothers worked as private dealers in rare books before establishing the auction house.

In its company history, Genazym says it has spent approximately 20 years researching Jewish history and preserving rare books, manuscripts and other historical artifacts. Its offerings include first-edition sefarim, handwritten Torah insights, letters from prominent rabbanim and Rebbes, and Judaica collectibles spanning centuries.

A 2023 profile by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency described how Genazym helped bring rare Jewish books to a wider audience, particularly within the Orthodox Jewish community. The auction house has attracted both experienced collectors and buyers newly interested in acquiring items connected to Jewish history and Torah scholarship.

Genazym says its specialists research the history and provenance of items and work to establish their authenticity. The company serves private collectors and institutions, offering assistance with buying, selling, authentication and appraisals.

The upcoming sale places one of Chassidus’ most treasured works among the auction house’s featured offerings, with the $1 million starting price reflecting the rarity and religious significance associated with the first edition.

The complete listing and auction details are available on Genazym’s website.

(AP) – The state of Florida won a key court decision Wednesday that allows it to enforce a ban on social media accounts for kids under 14 and other restrictions.

The law was one of the most restrictive in the U.S. on social media use by children when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it in 2024.

The law implicates the First Amendment, an appeals court said, but “likely does so in a content-neutral manner.”

It would likely survive a full legal challenge “because it doesn’t burden substantially more speech than necessary to advance the important interest in protecting minors from social media addiction,” a panel from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a 3-0 opinion.

The law bans social media accounts for Florida children under 14 and requires parental consent for use by kids who are 14 or 15.

Industry trade groups the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice sued Florida, arguing that the law violated the free-speech rights of social media providers and users. A judge in 2025 said the law likely was unconstitutional and granted an injunction.

That injunction was put on hold while the appeals court heard the case. The lawsuit, with the injunction now overturned, will return to federal court in Tallahassee.

The appeals court noted that the law covers social media platforms “that have been determined to induce heavy use by children, and applies only to platforms that use both algorithms and one of several addictive features.”

An email seeking comment from the Florida attorney general’s office was not immediately answered. NetChoice said it was disappointed with the decision.

“We are currently evaluating all of our options as we continue the fight to ensure Floridians’ rights to free expression online are protected, and parents remain in the driver’s seat when it comes to making decisions for their families,” said Paul Taske, a lawyer at NetChoice.

DUBLIN (VINnews) — The Herbert Park Hotel & Park Residence in Dublin’s Ballsbridge neighborhood has not issued a public explanation for canceling a confirmed block of 70 rooms booked for delegates attending an international conference on combating antisemitism, according to statements from Irish Jewish leaders and media reports.​

The Herbert Park Hotel in Dublin cancelled a reservation for 70 rooms intended for delegates attending an international conference on combating antisemitism, after learning the purpose of their visit.

As revealed by Maurice Cohen, Chairman of our Irish affiliate, the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, hotel management also questioned whether the gathering was connected to the Israel Defense Forces, despite it being a civilian diplomatic conference attended by representatives from across Europe, including the European Jewish Congress.

This is deeply disturbing. That a hotel would cancel accommodation for participants in a conference dedicated to combating antisemitism, while raising questions about supposed links to the Israeli military, reflects precisely the kind of prejudice and suspicion that such gatherings seek to confront.

Having participated in the conference ourselves, we stand firmly with our Irish affiliate and share its serious concerns. We call on the hotel to provide a clear explanation for its decision and recognise the gravity of what has occurred.

It is profoundly troubling that those working to combat antisemitism should themselves encounter such treatment. Jewish organisations and those standing against hatred must never face exclusion or discrimination because of their work.

— European Jewish Congress (@eurojewcong) October 14, 2026

Maurice Cohen, chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, disclosed the cancellation during a reception at Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs marking the opening of the 15th meeting of the Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA). The gathering, supported by the World Jewish Congress and the European Commission, took place in Dublin Oct. 12-14 as part of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.​

If you read one thing this evening, let it be this speech from Maurice Cohen, President of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland about the Herbert Park Hotel. He poignantly describes how this hotel – once associated with friendship, celebration and his mother – has now, rather tragically, acquired a very different place in his memory.

‘…contemporary antisemitism does not always arrive wearing the language of the past. It does not always announce itself with a slur, a threat or a placard. Increasingly, it can present itself as a question, a precaution, a policy, a request for clarification. It begins by treating Jewish identity as evidence of political allegiance. It turns Jewish people into representatives of a foreign state, Jewish gatherings into security concerns, and ordinary acts of welcome into decisions requiring special permission. That is the danger of antisemitism today: not only that it excludes Jews, but that it makes their exclusion appear reasonable.’

‘Seventy rooms had been booked. Seventy people had been welcomed as guests. The only thing that changed was what they were understood to be. That is not a minor administrative inconvenience. It is a warning. Antisemitism survives by changing its vocabulary while preserving its logic: Jews are treated as different, suspect and collectively responsible. The words may be new, but the message is old. You may enter as an individual, but once you are recognised as Jewish, the terms of welcome can change. And that is why we still have a long way to go in Ireland, the land of 100,000 thousand welcomes: because the test of a society is not whether it welcomes people before it knows who they are. The test is whether it continues to welcome them after it does. Yes, a long way to go in Ireland and The Herbert Park Hotel.’

Shame on Herbert Park Hotel. And shame on Ireland for enabling and cultivating this culture of antisemitic exclusion.

— Rachel Moiselle (@RachelMoiselle) October 14, 2026

Cohen said the hotel initially confirmed the reservations earlier this year. During a subsequent meeting with the general manager to discuss facilities, he explained that the event would bring together government-appointed officials and Jewish community representatives focused on fighting antisemitism, with most participants not Jewish and no military involvement. He described the manager’s demeanor changing before she asked whether the Israel Defense Forces would be involved. After consulting with the owners, the hotel withdrew the booking the following day.​

Delegates were accommodated at a different Dublin hotel, and the conference proceeded as planned. The Herbert Park Hotel has declined to comment on the reports, with inquiries referred to corporate management and no official statement released explaining the decision.​

The episode has drawn criticism from Irish Jewish figures. Former Justice Minister Alan Shatter described the cancellation as an example of escalating antisemitism in Ireland after the hotel inquired about an IDF connection. Chief Rabbi of Ireland Yoni Wieder noted that the hotel has previously hosted Jewish and Israeli guests without issue and called the reported actions a “downright disgrace” if accurate.​

Cohen highlighted the irony of encountering such a barrier while organizing a conference specifically to address antisemitism. He also referenced broader concerns, including 143 recorded antisemitic incidents affecting Ireland’s small Jewish community of roughly 2,200 people between July 2025 and January 2026, as well as prior debates over renaming Herzog Park, which honors former Israeli President Chaim Herzog, who grew up in Dublin.

Public posts, including on LinkedIn, have questioned whether the hotel intends to provide any further account of its decision. The hotel’s website describes it as a four-star property overlooking Herbert Park, known for conference facilities and ranked highly in recent traveler awards, but it has not addressed the cancellation publicly.

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (VINnews) — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has donated $5 million toward the construction of a new Chabad center in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, which will be named in honor of his family, Kraft and the organization announced Wednesday.

The 23,000-square-foot facility, to be known as the Kraft Family Chabad at Chestnut Hill, is under construction at the corner of Bellingham Road and Grove Street. The $25 million project began last year and is expected to be completed in fall 2027.

With gratitude to Hashem, we announce a historic $5 million gift from the Kraft family, naming our new home the Kraft Family Chabad at Chestnut Hill.

Watch this special message from Robert Kraft!

David Frankel, Building Chair
Rabbi Mendy & Grunie Uminer
https://t.co/AT3x5p8gOD https://t.co/W5bjKh7MhK

— Rabbi Mendy Uminer (@Chabadch) October 14, 2026

“Chestnut Hill is my home. It is where I raised my family. And having a vibrant Chabad center right here in my hometown means a great deal to me and the Kraft family,” Kraft said in a video announcement. “Knowing it will serve Jewish families for generations to come makes it even more meaningful.”

Kraft, a billionaire businessman and Brookline native, is a prominent supporter of Jewish causes. His latest donation brings the project’s fundraising total to $20 million, according to the Chabad website. The organization is seeking an additional $5 million to complete the fundraising campaign.

Chabad-Lubavitch, an Orthodox Jewish movement with a worldwide network of institutions, has expanded its presence in Chestnut Hill under Rabbi Mendy Uminer. The congregation has grown from seven families in the early 2000s to hundreds today.

The community currently holds services, classes and other programs at its synagogue at 163 Bellingham Road.

Kraft and Uminer have developed a relationship over the years. Kraft celebrated a second bar mitzvah with the Chabad community last year, while Uminer officiated at the wedding of one of Kraft’s granddaughters and performed the bris for Kraft’s first great-grandson.

The new center’s development faced opposition from some neighborhood residents and delays of nearly a year as neighbors challenged the proposal and a town board sought to halt the demolition of two single-family homes on the site.

Chabad sued the town twice and prevailed in both cases, ultimately securing the permits needed to begin construction last year.

Once completed, the center is expected to serve Jewish families in Chestnut Hill and surrounding communities for generations.

BEITAR ILLIT, Israel (VINnews) — A tragic incident in Israel on Wednesday claimed the life of 9-year-old Eliyahu Azriel of Beitar Illit, who suffered fatal injuries when a burning recycling bin apparently exploded as he walked home from cheder with his brother.

Eliyahu, a fourth-grade student at the Nitei Meir Talmud Torah, was walking home from school along Nadvorna Street toward his home on Harav Oyerbach Street, a short distance away, when the incident occurred, according to Israeli media reports.

A deodorant canister apparently exploded inside the burning bin, sending a burning tin can flying into the boy’s abdomen. He was severely injured by the intense heat and flames.

Emergency responders rushed Eliyahu to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem while performing resuscitation efforts. He suffered severe burns and multiple traumatic injuries, but doctors were unable to save his life.

Eliyahu was the eighth of 10 children in the family of Rabbi Chaim Azriel, who lives in Beitar Illit.

According to the reports, Eliyahu’s brother ran home to alert their mother, but the ambulance had already taken the boy to the hospital. A Hatzalah volunteer who was in the area helped bring his mother to the hospital.

Following arrangements by ZAKA, Eliyahu was released for burial. His funeral was scheduled for Wednesday night at the Sephardic funeral hall at Har Hamenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem.

The circumstances surrounding the fire and explosion were not detailed further in the initial reports.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal authorities investigating Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar seized the Democratic lawmaker’s phone and have issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including to some of her relatives, according to a person briefed on the probe.

The subpoenas were issued for a grand jury collecting evidence in Minnesota as federal authorities probe potential fraud in Omar’s immigration paperwork, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation. The investigation led to federal agents searching Omar’s Washington, D.C. home on Monday just weeks before the November midterms, in which Omar is seeking reelection.

The scope of the investigation into Omar is unclear, though Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has suggested that authorities were examining potential crimes related to her family’s immigration paperwork.

On Tuesday, Washington D.C. U.S Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a Fox News interview that “there are several investigations going on” related to Omar and that her office is also probing issues concerning the lawmaker’s financial disclosures.

“If there was a crime that was committed, it will be prosecuted,” Pirro said.

The search of Omar’s home so close to next month’s midterm contests that will determine control of the House and the Senate was swiftly condemned by Democrats, who accused the administration of targeting the Democrat for political purposes. Omar, in a statement on X, called the search an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.”

“For 10 years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation,” she said. “I will not be silenced.”

A phone message seeking comment was left Wednesday with a representative for Omar.

Though the Republican focus on Omar’s background dates back years, the search notably took place three weeks before the November midterms, in which Omar is seeking reelection. The Justice Department has historically sought to avoid public investigative actions involving a candidate within 60 days of a primary or general election.

Omar, who was first elected to the House in 2018, represents Minnesota’s 5th District, including Minneapolis. She is part of The Squad of progressive lawmakers who are a vibrant political force on the left wing of Congress but have also endured repeated attacks from Trump, dating back to his first term. She was one of the first two Muslim-American women in the House and the first African refugee to be elected to Congress.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s Defense Ministry announced Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with the United States to purchase 12 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the Israeli Air Force.

The deal, valued at roughly $1 billion, followed government approval earlier in the day to transfer about 1 billion shekels to the ministry for the procurement. Deliveries of the aircraft — the newest and most advanced “Echo” variant — are expected to begin in the early 2030s, the ministry said. Boeing will supply the helicopters under the government-to-government arrangement.

Defense Minister Israel Katz welcomed the purchase, calling it “a critical step in the IDF’s force buildup, one that will strengthen its operational capabilities against a wide range of threats and contribute to the security of the State of Israel in the years to come.”

Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram instructed Israel’s defense mission in the United States to finalize the agreement with the Pentagon after the cabinet’s funding decision.

The acquisition nearly collapsed amid a months-long budget dispute between the Defense and Finance ministries. Israel missed a final U.S. ordering deadline last week despite three prior extensions, as officials failed to identify a funding source for about $288 million of the total cost. The government resolved the impasse by approving the transfer of approximately 1.03 billion shekels, drawn largely from planned cuts to a multi-year development program for Israel’s Arab communities covering 2027-2029, with a smaller amount taken from the 2026 budget.

Military officials have described the helicopters as an urgent priority reflecting lessons from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, particularly the need for faster response capabilities. Israel currently operates a mix of older AH-64A and AH-64D models; the new aircraft are intended to replace or supplement the oldest platforms in the fleet.

In January, the U.S. State Department approved a possible sale of up to 30 AH-64E helicopters and related equipment to Israel for an estimated $3.8 billion. The current agreement covers an initial tranche of 12.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks dropped to their worst day since July. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Wednesday and had its fifth loss in the six days since setting its all-time high.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.9%. A report showing inflation accelerated last month raised expectations on Wall Street that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates.

More expensive borrowing could slow the buildout of AI data centers, and AI stocks were the heaviest weights on the market. Bank of America sank after reporting a weaker profit than analysts expected.

NEW YORK (AP) — The new White House press secretary is facing mounting questions about her background and resume as she transitions into her role as the public face of the Trump administration.

Katie Zacharia has long described herself as a lawyer as she has worked to establish herself as a commentator for conservative outlets like Fox News and Newsmax. But so far, she and the White House have offered no evidence that she passed the bar exam in any state or in China, where she worked for a large law firm years ago.

The questions add to the confusion surrounding President Donald Trump’s decision to hire Zacharia, who had worked for his social media company for only a few months when he announced her appointment and whose debut at the podium on Tuesday has been widely panned.

Afterward, the president was asked by reporters where Zacharia had passed the bar exam, following a report by the independent outlet Popular Information that she did not appear to be licensed in any state.

Trump stepped aside to allow Zacharia to answer.

“When I moved to China,” she responded over the sound of Marine One whirring in the background. It is not clear what she had intended to say or whether she had finished the sentence.

China’s notoriously difficult National Unified Legal Professional Qualification Examination can only be taken by Chinese citizens.

Asked what credentials she held, the White House passed along a statement from Zacharia, who received a bachelor of arts degree from Pepperdine University in 2007 and received her law degree from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011, according to the school and her LinkedIn bio.

“I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials,” it read.

Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, added that Zacharia was “uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people about all the great things President Trump and his Administration have been doing, and she will do an incredible job as press secretary.”

A resume under scrutiny
According to her LinkedIn profile, Zacharia has been the senior communications adviser at the Trump Media & Technology Group since June and spent two months as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year.

From 2011 to 2013, it says, she served as an associate on the International Practice Team at the Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing. She also worked as the manager of fundraising and communications for Compassion for Migrant Children, which assists the children of migrant workers, from 2012 to 2013.

More recently, it says she served as general counsel for Fix California, a group started by Trump administration official Richard Grenell.

Neither the firm nor the two groups responded to questions about her tenure and background.

Zacharia has long called herself a lawyer. On Instagram, she describes herself as the White House press secretary, “Wife, Mom, & Lawyer” (with three heart emojis after “Mom”).

And her official author page at the California Globe, where she wrote occasional commentary, says that, in addition to being a “regular commentator on Fox News, Newsmax,” she has “extensive experience in political advocacy, international corporate law, and non-profit work, including time as outside counsel for the World Bank and IFC in Beijing.”

A June 2026 press release from NovaRed Mining Inc. announcing her appointment to the company’s advisory board, which was first reported by Popular Information, said her “professional experience includes work related to international legal and financial transactions, including matters involving organizations associated with the World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation during her tenure with Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing.”

In announcing her hire on his social media site, Trump described Zacharia as “a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax.”

“She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning. She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA!” he added.

‘No Record’ found
Zacharia is not listed as a member of the state bar in California, where she currently resides, according to a public database.

Rick Coca, a spokesperson for the State Bar of California, a regulatory agency that oversees state licensing, said in a statement that they have “no record of Kate Sharon Zacharia or Kate Sharon Black” or any version of her married or maiden names “having been licensed to practice law in California.”

Popular Information said the same was the case in all 50 states they had queried, plus Washington, D.C.

In response, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Bar of California asking them to investigate whether Zacharia misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of California law.

“In California, calling yourself a lawyer without a license isn’t puffery; it’s a crime. The State Bar should investigate whether Ms. Zacharia has misled the public about her credentials and hold her accountable if she has,” said CfA Executive Director Michelle Kuppersmith in a statement.

The State Bar said they could not confirm whether they had received the complaint or were conducting an investigation, citing confidentiality laws.

BRONX (VINnews) — An off-duty New York Police Department detective was stabbed 10 times by two men prosecutors described as illegal immigrants after he identified himself repeatedly as a police officer, then pursued the attackers barefoot for two blocks despite his wounds, Bronx authorities said Wednesday.

The details emerged during the arraignment of D’Angelo Caraballo and Sneinder Mejia on attempted murder charges in the Oct. 2 assault on Detective Jose Mercedes. Both men were ordered held without bail.

Bronx Assistant District Attorney Paul Irace told the court that Mejia stabbed Mercedes numerous times while the detective tried to place him under arrest. “He used his training to stop this from happening,” Irace said. The detective identified himself as a police officer more than six times, the prosecutor added.

Mercedes, a 10-year veteran, was unloading items from his car when the pair pulled up on a two-wheeler and demanded his chain, sparking a scuffle. He chased the suspects until blood loss weakened him. More than two weeks later, he still lacked use of his left hand and was recovering from surgery, Irace told Judge Alvin Yearwood. Several NYPD detectives filled the courtroom.

Mercedes later told reporters he nearly died. “I told them in English, I told them in Spanish that I was a police officer. They didn’t care,” he said.

Caraballo and Mejia fled the scene and were later located in Massachusetts. Both are natives of the Dominican Republic who were in the United States illegally, according to authorities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to a request for information on their status.

Mejia, identified as the accused stabber, faces first- and second-degree attempted murder of a police officer. Caraballo faces a second-degree assault charge involving a police officer.

AVENTURA, FLA (VINnews) – Author, rabbi and speaker David Nesenoff has released Little Book of Big Faith, a personal account of his struggle to maintain bitachon, or trust in Hashem, while facing the possibility of an incurable illness.

Known for his humor, storytelling and talks delivered to Jewish communities around the world, Nesenoff writes that the medical uncertainty challenged the very principles he had spent years teaching others. Despite encouraging audiences to embrace life’s unexpected turns and trust in Hashem, he found himself struggling to hold onto that faith.

“I felt like a fake” and “a phony,” Nesenoff acknowledges in the book, describing the gap between the messages he shared publicly and the fear he experienced privately.

Nesenoff is a rabbi, journalist, filmmaker, author and speaker whose career has included Jewish communal leadership, publishing and anti-bias education. He previously served as a Conservative rabbi for approximately two decades and published and edited The Jewish Star newspaper on Long Island and The Jerusalem Observer in Israel. He also worked as an anti-bias consultant for the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Monitors Office.

Later in life, Nesenoff became affiliated with Chabad-Lubavitch, the Orthodox Hasidic movement, embracing its teachings and traditions. He has since spoken at hundreds of Chabad centers worldwide, sharing messages about Jewish identity, faith, Israel, antisemitism and the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

Nesenoff became internationally known in 2010 after recording an exchange with Helen Thomas, a longtime White House correspondent, during a Jewish American Heritage Month event at the White House. When asked about Israel, Thomas made remarks telling Jews to leave the land and return to their countries of origin. The video sparked widespread condemnation and led to her resignation from her position as a columnist.

The incident brought Nesenoff into the international spotlight, but his work has extended well beyond that episode. He has continued using humor, personal experiences and Jewish teachings to address the challenges people face in their lives. He is also the author of I Never Met the Rebbe Many Times, a book reflecting his connection to the teachings and legacy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

In Little Book of Big Faith, Nesenoff turns to a more personal subject: what happens when the faith one encourages in others becomes difficult to sustain in one’s own life.

He explores the meaning of bitachon and describes his desire for that trust to remain firmly rooted during his medical ordeal. Instead, he writes, he felt his faith was “gushing off me like a waterfall.”

The book also examines how people confront uncertainty when they cannot control the outcome. Nesenoff shares correspondence with the Lubavitcher Rebbe and recounts what he describes as a natural miracle he witnessed.

The short volume is designed to be accessible to readers who may themselves be struggling with illness, anxiety or other difficult circumstances and want encouragement without committing to a lengthy book.

For Nesenoff, the central message extends beyond the specifics of his diagnosis. He intends to continue speaking and writing about life’s unexpected detours, even as he navigates his own uncertain path.

The book has received positive responses from readers and professionals in several fields.

Rabbi Alex Carlebach of Johannesburg described the story as gripping and praised Nesenoff’s honesty. Psychiatrist and speaker Dr. John Yaakov Guterson recommended the book for people dealing with anxiety, citing its combination of spiritual depth, humor and love.

Dr. Robert Gluck, a former surgeon and associate professor at Hofstra-Northwell School of Nursing, characterized it as an honest and tense journey through darkness. Rishe Deitsch, editor-in-chief of the N’shei Chabad Newsletter, praised Nesenoff’s writing and described him as a talented writer and chossid.

Robert Phillips, Ph.D., founder of the Center for Coping, highlighted the book’s emphasis on finding meaning and personal growth amid fear. Yael Trusch, host of the Jewish Money Matters podcast, described an advance copy as raw, real and relatable.

Little Book of Big Faith is available in bookstores and on Amazon. More information about Nesenoff and his work is available at DavidINSPIRES.com.

NEW YORK (AP) — The federal government is planning to dramatically shrink its most influential health survey, and some researchers worry that the changes will underestimate how many Americans are disabled.

At least half the survey questions could be axed. The cost-saving change is part of an ongoing effort to slim down the 69-year-old National Health Interview Survey, which for years has been suffering from declining response rates.

As many as a quarter of wheelchair users and more than a third of people who are blind or deaf could be miscategorized as not disabled because of the shorter survey, according to some advocates and researchers. That could leave the government unable to recognize the health needs of many disabled Americans, or the damage caused by changes to Medicaid or other health insurance programs, they say.

The cuts are being ironed out and officials predict the whittling won’t be as severe as what’s been suggested in earlier proposals.

Questions that have been proposed for removal deal with memory, fatigue, arthritis, difficulty walking and climbing stairs, as well as others about the use of hearing aids, canes, wheelchairs and scooters.

“We just won’t know any of that anymore,” said Scott Landes, a Syracuse University sociology professor who researches people with disabilities.

Officials are still determining exactly how much cutting will take place. Currently, the survey has 490 health questions for adults. U.S. officials expect that the 2028 questionnaire will have about 200 to 225 questions, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Stephen Blumberg, who oversees the survey.

U.S. Census Bureau workers conduct the survey every year on behalf of the CDC. It’s a $40 million annual project, and around 30,000 households answer the questions each year.

Their answers have shaped the public’s understanding of topics including how common chronic fatigue syndrome is, how many people get X-rays, what proportion of U.S. children suffer seizures, and how many Americans have health insurance. The survey’s responses also are the foundation of how we measure the nation’s progress — or backsliding — on problems such as obesity and smoking.

Fewer people are interested in participating in such surveys. And the National Health Interview Survey is particularly daunting, as it can take an hour or more and has traditionally involved an in-person interviewer asking the questions.

The planned redesign should cut it to about a half hour, Blumberg said.

“People are busy. They’re more protective of their privacy, and some don’t trust the government to protect their data and use it only for statistical purposes,” he said. “Fewer people see sharing information with the government as their civic duty.”

The survey was first conducted in 1957, and has been updated every 15 to 20 years. The latest update was put into the field seven years ago, prompting some advocates to ask why it was being changed so quickly.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the White House Office of Management and Budget were behind dramatic staff reductions, research funding overhauls and other federal health agency changes under the current Trump administration. But neither ordered this redesign, Blumberg said.

Rather, the factors driving the current redesign include tightening budgets and difficulties fielding enough workers to do so many in-person interviews — which was affected last year by a federal hiring freeze.

Another factor: The Census Bureau is reconfiguring its data collection platforms for the 2030 census in a way that affected the health survey, he said.

Related to all that is a proposed change in how the health survey is conducted. Instead of starting with in-person or telephone interviews, people will receive an invitation to fill out the survey online or to fill out a paper questionnaire. That’s because in-person interviews have proven difficult with the proliferation of gated communities, locked buildings without door attendants and doorbell cameras, according to officials.

However, Census Bureau staff will visit homes for a smaller second round of surveying, Blumberg said.

A notice about the survey redesign appeared in the Federal Register in August, opening a public comment period that runs through Oct. 20.

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — Advisers to President Donald Trump worked behind the scenes to protect Kimberly Guilfoyle’s job as U.S. ambassador to Greece before she was asked to resign this week amid allegations of improper conduct, according to sources who spoke to the Daily Mail.

Those sources said some close to the president feared that removing the longtime Trump ally could lead her to disclose personal and political details about the first family. They described Guilfoyle as having maintained a private journal or “burn book” documenting conversations and relationships from her years inside the Trump circle, which some have nicknamed “The Devil Wears MAGA.”

Guilfoyle, 57, a former Fox News co-host and onetime fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., was confirmed as ambassador in 2025 after the couple’s engagement ended in 2024. She served roughly 11 months in Athens. The White House confirmed Tuesday that she had been asked to resign following reports of an Office of Inspector General inquiry into her tenure.

In a lengthy statement posted on X, Guilfoyle denied the allegations and said she would “vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity.” She called the ambassadorship “the honor of a lifetime,” thanked Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and reaffirmed her support for the America First agenda. She highlighted work on energy agreements and defense cooperation with Greece, a NATO ally.

“While my time as Ambassador may be coming to an end, my commitment to President Trump, the America First movement, and the country I love will never end,” she wrote.

The Daily Mail reported that some Trump allies viewed the Greece post in part as a way to distance Guilfoyle after her relationship with Trump Jr. ended. Trump Jr. later married Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson. One source told the outlet that Guilfoyle “knows where the bodies are buried” regarding family and political matters and that “nobody wants an angry Kimberly back home with nothing to lose.”

Allegations under review, according to multiple reports including the Wall Street Journal and Daily Mail, have included claims involving private aircraft, gifts, relationships with a Greek energy and construction firm, and a request to a donor to cover a large credit-card bill before her confirmation. Guilfoyle’s attorneys have rejected wrongdoing, saying any payments sought related to prior speaking engagements and that she followed State Department rules on travel. She has called the accusations false.

Trump told reporters this week that he “didn’t like what I read” about the matter and confirmed she would not remain in the post. White House press secretary Katie Zacharia said Guilfoyle had been “a wonderful asset to the team” and wished her well.

Guilfoyle has not publicly addressed claims of any private journal. The Daily Mail’s reporting relies on unnamed sources familiar with internal discussions.

Family getting up: Shacharis: 8:00 am Mincha: 7:00 pm Maariv: 7:00 pm

Rabbi Hershel Fried
Husband

Rabbi Yosef Meisels
Brother

Mrs. Rochel Cohen
Sister

Dr. Frimi Walkenfeld
Daughter

Mrs. Chana Malka Friedman
Daughter

Rabbi Hillel Fried
Son

Rabbi Chaim Eluzer Fried
Son

Mrs. Briendy Stern
Daughter

Mr. Ari Fried
Son

Mr. Suchy Fried
Son

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City lawmakers plan to ban horse-drawn carriages from Central Park, ending their more than 150-year run as an iconic, old-timey tourist attraction, following decades of opposition from animal welfare activists and the death of a teenage tourist last spring.

The City Council is expected to approve a bill next week that would end the rides by 2028. Three consecutive mayors had called for an end to the carriage rides because of safety concerns, only to have lawmakers yank back the reins.

A spokesperson for Julie Menin, the council speaker, confirmed the incoming vote and said the proposal had enough support to pass. Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office said he had reached a deal with the speaker on the legislation.

“The horse carriage industry is coming to an end in New York City,” Mamdani said in a social media post.

Teen’s death reignited debate over carriage rides
The latest push for a ban started in June, when 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, visiting the city from India, died after jumping from a runaway horse carriage during a ride with family members. His death, which appeared to be the first fatality in a horse carriage accident since they were introduced in Central Park, reignited the debate over whether carriages, a romantic throwback to the city’s past, have a place in a modern metropolis.

Mahajan’s family has appeared at City Hall, in person and through videoconference calls from India, begging the city to finally end the rides.

“We are shattered, our whole family shattered. The pain does not go away,” his father, Deepak Mahajan, told city council members via a videocall during a hearing for the bill last summer, saying his son leapt from the carriage to try and help his mother, who was flung from her seat, after the horse bolted. “Every morning we wake up and think of nothing but the loss of our son.”

For decades, animal welfare activists and other critics have decried the carriage industry, arguing horses shouldn’t be hauling tourists around busy streets and Central Park while having to navigate bustling traffic and gawking passersby. In the past, horses have collapsed, gotten startled and run off, hitting cars or other objects, with each accident resulting in fresh calls for a ban.

“The tragic and preventable death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan made clear that the status quo is no longer acceptable. Horse-drawn carriages have long been part of New York City’s history, but in an increasingly busy Central Park, this tradition has become a growing public safety liability,” Menin said in a statement.

The industry and its supporters have long cast the rides as a way for visitors to experience the New York they know from classic movies and television.

Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse danced into one of the carriages in “The Band Wagon.” Robert Redford and Jane Fonda rode one in “Barefoot in the Park.” Macaulay Culkin escaped bandits in a carriage in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”

“Taking a horse and carriage ride in New York City is one of the most iconic things to do in New York City and people from all over the world know about us and travel to New York to go to a carriage ride in New York,” Conor McHugh, a longtime carriage driver, told the Council earlier this year.

Mayors have faced pushback in efforts to ban rides
Efforts to close down the industry have been met with pushback from unions and influential supporters, often resulting in tiresome political fights that have seen mayors throw up their hands over nagging worries about putting carriage drivers out of work and what to do with the horses if they can no longer work.

Transport Workers Union International President John Samuelsen said the Council’s bill has “no meaningful economic relief for workers” and that Menin “used the tragic death of a tourist to contrive a public safety crisis.”

“This is disgraceful political opportunism, and Zohran should not simply go along with it, particularly when immigrant families’ livelihoods are being destroyed. This entire situation is reprehensible,” he said in a statement.

The proposal as written would require the mayor’s office to develop a workforce transition plan for drivers, and includes a measure that would allow the city to consider some kind of compensation for industry workers. Carriage owners could not sell their horses off for slaughter, according to the bill’s language, which requires that horses be disposed of in a “humane manner.”

“I think we have a civic responsibility to ensure that we are not leaving anybody out to dry,” Mamdani told reporters Wednesday.

The mayor’s predecessor, Eric Adams, called for ending the industry during the waning days of his administration, but the proposal went nowhere. The mayor before that, Bill de Blasio, had pledged to eliminate the rides on day one of his administration but abandoned the crusade after heavy opposition from unions and a media blitz involving actor Liam Neeson.

Over the years, the city has placed various safety regulations around the industry, including a requirement that the horses get at least five weeks of vacation a year outside of city limits with daily access to a pasture. The horses are inspected by a veterinarian twice a year, and the maximum age they can work at is 26, according to city regulations. And they don’t work when it is hotter than 89 degrees.

Family getting up: Shacharis: 8:00 am Mincha: 6:40 pm Maariv: 7:15 pm

Mrs. Esther Krausz
Wife

Mrs. Chips Gold
Sister

Mrs. Angie Frank
Sister

Mrs. Layala Steinmetz
Sister

sitting shiva in Eretz Yisroel. Phone number 848-258-0039, Israeli number 0553308592. Please consider the time difference when calling.

Mrs. Mindy Nagel
Daughter

Mrs. Shifra Sabel
Daughter

Mrs. Chavy Reich
Daughter

Mr. Sumi Krausz
Son

Mr. Yitzchok Isaac Krausz
Son

Mr. Moshe Zev Krausz
Son

Mrs. Chayala Schondorf
Daughter

Mrs. Rifky Horowitz
Daughter

LAKEFRONT ESTATES, Fla. (VINnews) — Florida law enforcement and local government officials visited Lakefront Estates on Wednesday to show support for a newly established Orthodox Jewish community whose first families moved in just last week, following an online campaign targeting the development.

Rabbi Mark Rosenberg, chief chaplain of the Florida Highway Patrol and Miami sheriff’s office, was also present during the visit and addressed the reported antisemitic messages targeting the community.

The visit included Florida Highway Patrol Executive Director Dave Kerner, Chief Matt Williams, Florida Highway Patrol troopers, Glades County Sheriff David Hardin and County Manager Paul Carlisle, according to Rosenberg.

More than 100 families have already moved into the new community near Lake Okeechobee, according to community representatives. Schools are open, and dozens more families are expected to arrive as the development begins to take shape as a center of Orthodox Jewish life in rural Florida.

The visit came one day after an online campaign reportedly targeted the development with antisemitic messages, including images displaying Stars of David alongside the words “assimilate” and “go home,” Rosenberg said.

“These families are already home. They should not have to give up their Jewish identity to be accepted as neighbors,” Rosenberg said. He added that Jewish families moving into the area should be welcomed as neighbors, not viewed as a threat.

Rosenberg thanked Kerner for taking the concerns seriously and coming personally, alongside Williams and state troopers. He also thanked Hardin, the Glades County Sheriff’s Office and Carlisle for their presence and support.

“The Free State of Florida must be free for people of every faith,” Rosenberg said. “We came to listen, build relationships, and help address residents’ safety concerns.”

He said the message to the families was clear: They belong in the community and deserve to raise their children and practice their faith peacefully.

Rosenberg also thanked Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier for his support of religious freedom. However, Uthmeier’s attendance at Wednesday’s visit has not been confirmed.

The visit came as the new residents begin establishing their homes, opening schools and building the educational and communal institutions needed to support the growing community.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (VINnews) — Seastreak Ferries and Atlantic City developer interests are in early discussions about a high-speed passenger ferry that could connect lower Manhattan with the resort city as soon as Memorial Day 2027, officials said.​

Seastreak President James D. Barker described the talks as preliminary. “We are in the very early stages of this. This isn’t a sure thing. We’re really just exploring the idea,” Barker told NJ.com. A working group involving the Highlands-based ferry operator and developer Tommy Carr has been meeting roughly every other week.​

One option under review would depart from the Battery in lower Manhattan and arrive at Farley State Marina near the Golden Nugget casino. From there, passengers would be steps from that property and a short walk or potential shuttle ride from other Boardwalk casinos. Travel time is estimated at roughly 2 hours and 45 minutes — competitive with the typical three-hour drive from Manhattan that includes the Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway.​

A round-trip fare in the range of $145 has been discussed, according to reports. Seastreak could initially deploy two of its largest vessels, the 600-passenger Commodore and Courageous, both high-speed catamarans already used on limited summer runs to Martha’s Vineyard. Those boats have operated in ocean conditions, though Barker noted that a purpose-built ocean-going vessel with wave-piercing technology could be considered later if demand materializes.​

Scheduling remains unresolved. Stakeholders have floated both weekend-focused service and midweek options. Availability of the vessels, which also serve other seasonal routes, is among the factors still being evaluated. A trial program could begin next summer if remaining operational and community issues are addressed.​

The concept has drawn interest from Atlantic City officials and casino stakeholders. A Sept. 21 meeting included Mayor Marty Smalls, city officials, Carr’s DEEM Enterprises and others, according to local reports. The ferry discussion also ties into broader development plans for the former Bader Field site.​

Seastreak already operates frequent service between New York City and Atlantic Highlands, N.J. A separate proposal for trial service to Point Pleasant Beach was rejected by that town’s council earlier this year.​

Barker emphasized that excitement among local groups does not yet equal a commitment. “It’s something that we’re working through. It’s become public because there are a lot of people who are excited about it, who want this to happen, but we’re in very, very early stages,” he said.​

(Reporting based on publicly available statements and published accounts from Seastreak, local officials and regional media.)

NEW YOPRK (VINnews) – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday welcomed Comptroller Mark Levine’s decision not to invest city funds in Israeli bonds, saying the city should not purchase bonds issued by any foreign government.

Asked by Jacob Kornbluh about a New York Times report on Levine’s decision, Mamdani said he supported the comptroller’s move.

“I welcome the comptroller’s decision,” Mamdani said. “It is something that I’ve said in the past, that I don’t believe that our city should purchase Israel bonds. We don’t purchase the bonds of any other sovereign nation. I don’t think that we should make an exception when it comes to Israel.”

“This is the decision that the comptroller is making, and it’s one that I support,” Mamdani added.

Mamdani welcomes Levine’s decision:

“I welcome the comptroller’s decision. It is something that I’ve said in the past that I don’t believe that our city should purchase Israel bonds. We don’t purchase the bonds of any other sovereign nation. I don’t think that we should make an exception when it comes to Israel.

“This is the decision that the comptroller is making, and it’s one that I support.”

— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) October 14, 2026

MALTA, N.Y. (VINnews) — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday a planned $21 billion investment to build two semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Malta, New York, a project he said would create tens of thousands of construction and supply-chain jobs and strengthen domestic chip production.

GlobalFoundries, which operates a major semiconductor manufacturing campus in Malta, confirmed the planned expansion as part of a U.S.-Japan initiative. Japan will provide the investment capital, while GlobalFoundries will supply the technology and operate the facilities, according to the company.

Trump said the project would generate 27,000 construction and supply-chain jobs and more than 1,000 additional highly skilled manufacturing jobs.

The first facility is expected to begin operations in 2029, GlobalFoundries said. Construction is expected to begin later this year. The company said the expansion would significantly increase U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capacity, although the timeline for the second facility was not specified in the announcement.

Malta is in Saratoga County, approximately 180 miles north of New York City and about 15 miles north of Albany. The region has developed into a major center for semiconductor manufacturing and technology research.

GlobalFoundries said the new facilities are intended to meet growing demand for chips used in automobiles, industrial equipment, communications networks and other technologies. The project would further expand the company’s existing operations in Malta, where it manufactures semiconductors for a range of commercial and government applications.

Trump credited his administration’s trade agreements with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan for helping secure investment in American manufacturing. He described the project as part of a broader effort to expand domestic industrial capacity, create jobs and strengthen national and economic security.

The president also announced an additional $955 million federal investment in GlobalFoundries focused on silicon photonics, silicon-germanium technology and advanced packaging. The funding would bring the administration’s total investments in the company to $1.63 billion, Trump said.

GlobalFoundries confirmed a separate agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce involving up to $955 million in existing incentives under the CHIPS and Science Act. The company said the funding would support investments at its facilities in Malta and Burlington, Vermont, as part of a broader $5 billion investment in those operations.

Under a separate arrangement, the Commerce Department will receive an equity stake of approximately 4% in GlobalFoundries, according to the company. Trump said the government’s stake was valued at more than $2 billion, arguing that taxpayers should benefit financially from federal support for private companies.

The planned expansion comes as the United States seeks to increase domestic semiconductor production and reduce reliance on overseas manufacturing. Semiconductors are essential components in automobiles, telecommunications equipment, computers, data centers and defense systems.

The announcement did not provide a detailed construction schedule for both facilities or specify when all the projected jobs would be created.

(AP) – The horrific death of a man who was ejected from a Six Flags roller coaster in Georgia is drawing attention to the safety of amusement park rides that have become increasingly faster and steeper in their quest for the biggest thrill.

Deaths on roller coasters are still extremely rare, and Georgia officials have said little about what happened Monday when Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old school employee from Atlanta, was thrown from his seat while riding the Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia before striking other patrons and then landing below the ride.

Goliath uses a sheer drop from 200 feet (61 meters) to reach top speeds of 70 mph (112 kph). It focuses on velocity and downhill plunges rather than turning riders upside down through loops or corkscrews. It has operated at the park for two decades.

Six Flags temporarily closed nine similar coasters across North America following the death, saying it was doing so out of an abundance of caution.

Ride manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard said it is “actively investigating the incident and will not comment further until we have a better understanding of what happened.”

The US has a patchwork of rules regarding rides
In the U.S., roller coasters and other rides at major amusement parks such as Six Flags are not regulated by the federal government. That responsibility falls to states.

Some say this has led to an inconsistent patchwork of rules where some states have strict regulations and others have little to no oversight.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts has repeatedly introduced legislation to close what he calls a “loophole” in federal law that allows U.S. safety officials to regulate mobile rides but prevents the Consumer Product Safety Commission from overseeing stationary rides like those at major amusement parks.

Brian Avery, a University of Florida professor and amusement ride safety expert, agrees that more federal regulations are needed.

“Who’s watching those in these organizations to ensure that they are adequately trained, that they are compliant, that they are monitoring these rides to the level which the standards have established?” Avery said.

Georgia’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, which oversees annual ride inspections in the state, is “conducting an in‑depth and comprehensive review” of what happened Monday at Six Flags, said Garrison Bennett, a spokesperson.

Amusement park industry has set its own safety standards
Amusement park operators worldwide generally adhere to what are known as ASTM standards set by industry experts, which cover everything from ride design and construction to how much acceleration and force each rider is allowed to experience.

The industry has multiple layers of inspection, said Dennis Speigel, a theme park consultant and past president of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, a trade group. Park operators are under pressure from insurance carriers that could face a hefty payout if something goes wrong.

“With the checks and balances that are put in place, theme parks are really one of the safest places to be on the planet,” he said in a phone interview Tuesday.

In 2024, the rate of serious and reportable injuries per million roller coaster rides was 1.27, according to the trade group. For all amusement park rides, “guest behavior” contributed to 66% of the injuries that year, with 9% attributable to operational factors and 15% to technical factors, the group said.

Jakob Wahl, the trade group’s current president, extended condolences to Kariem’s family in a statement on Wednesday.

Experts say roller coaster safety mechanisms are ‘dependable’
Martin Lewinson, a roller coaster expert and a professor at Farmingdale State College, said it was difficult to imagine there being a mechanical malfunction on a roller coaster such as Goliath because of its design.

The ride features a pull-down lap restraint called a “clamshell” that works with a ratchet mechanism that makes clicking sounds as you press it down over your hips. They have multiple disks to ensure redundancy if one fails, Lewinson said.

“They’re dependable. They’re not so technically advanced that theme parks have difficulty with operations,” Lewinson said.

The operator then has a safety system that displays a green “go” light for every seat on the train before it can be dispatched. The train should theoretically not be allowed to proceed unless all restraints are locked, Lewinson said.

But few things are 100% safe.

In 2022, a 14-year-old Missouri boy fell to his death from an Orlando amusement park ride when the harness didn’t lock properly due to his size. In 2013, a 52-year-old Dallas woman was killed when she slipped out of her seat on the Texas Giant ride at Six Flags Over Texas. Six Flags has since added redesigned restraint-bar pads, seat belts and a coaster seat at the ride’s entrance so guests can check whether they fit safely into the cars before getting on.

Nick Mendenhall, who has been on the Goliath more than a dozen times in recent weeks and witnessed Monday’s death, said he saw Six Flags staff check the restraints each time he rode it.

“There are two employees, one on either side of the train, and with their hands they push down and they make sure it locks every time. I’ve never seen them not do it,” Mendenhall said.

States handle oversight in different ways
In California, the state Department of Industrial Relations approves new rides and rides that have been modified. State officials either directly inspect them and how they are being operated each year or rely on an annual inspection by the owner, according to the department’s website.

Florida’s largest theme parks, on the other hand, are exempt from state safety inspections, unlike smaller venues and fairs. Instead, the largest theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal conduct their own inspections and have their own protocols, but they must report to the state any injury or death. Texas, similarly, relies on inspections carried out by private inspectors hired by park operators or their insurance companies.

Arizona, where Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix is located, does not have a state-level agency that regulates amusement park rides or conducts safety inspections at all. The law requires an annual private inspection, with enforcement largely by local government.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (VINnews) – Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has named Andrea J. Martin, an assistant professor of law at Penn State Dickinson Law, to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, according to a recent report.​

Martin, 57, who is Black and Jewish and co-founded the independent Center for Jewish Legal Studies, said the surge in antisemitism after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel led her to focus more of her work on protecting Jewish civil rights. Her sons Max and Sid were in college at the time.

“I never knew America would turn on Jews this way, and that antisemitism would reach these levels,” Martin said. She added that she previously worried more that her sons, who are Black Jews, would face racism than antisemitism. “I never thought when I sent my kids away to college that Max would have to worry about hot coffee being poured on him in a library.”

Max encountered severe antisemitism at New York University, she said. Sid attended Penn State. The family raised the boys in Carlisle, Pa., and attended Temple Ohev Shalom, a Reform synagogue in Harrisburg. Martin, whose own Jewish upbringing was largely cultural, wanted her sons involved in synagogue and religious school.

Martin grew up in Washington, D.C., attended the University of Rhode Island and earned her law degree at Howard University. She began her career as a prosecutor in the Rhode Island attorney general’s office, where she helped draft hate crimes legislation and served on a governor’s commission on prejudice and bias.

At Penn State she teaches law and the Holocaust and focuses her scholarship on antisemitism and anti-discrimination law. She has spoken at conferences about what she describes as the “genocide” libel against Israel and the origins of false “settler colonialism” narratives. Martin argues that contemporary anti-Zionism functions as a proxy for Jew-hatred rather than a political critique of a movement, noting that Israel already exists as a state.

She supports statewide adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism through an executive order by Shapiro. The commission already uses the definition, which includes examples such as comparing Israeli policy to that of the Nazis or denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination. Martin said it is the only widely used definition that effectively addresses modern antisemitism rooted in anti-Zionism.

The Human Relations Commission seeks to help residents of the commonwealth work, live and take part in public life free from discrimination. “All Pennsylvanians should feel that they can come to this commission and be represented,” Martin said. “We need to enforce the law, not politics.”

She attended her first commission meeting in September. Training for new members is expected in late October or early November. The panel is designed for 11 members and currently has 10. Martin said she hopes to help develop antisemitism training for institutions that seek the commission’s help and that families facing discrimination in public schools know they can turn to the panel.

Last week she testified before a Pennsylvania legislative hearing on antisemitism in schools. Reports citing FBI data noted 395 hate crime offenses tied to 325 incidents in Pennsylvania since Jan. 1, 2025. Of those incidents, about 26% were religion-based, with Jews targeted in roughly 65% of the religion-based cases despite comprising about 2.7% of the state’s population. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 281 antisemitic incidents in Pennsylvania in 2025, down 40% from the prior year, with significant numbers at colleges and K-12 schools.

Martin said many people who experience discrimination do not want to pursue costly, time-consuming lawsuits; they simply want fair treatment. “I hope I make a difference. I hope I make the Jewish community proud,” she said.

(AP) – President Donald Trump’s new press secretary stepped to the podium, the eyes of a packed room of journalists — and many in their audiences — upon her. She smiled broadly at the sea of faces both probing and friendly. With that, Katie Zacharia went live and became the official voice of the world’s most powerful person.

Fourteen minutes and just three questioners later, she was done. In the aftermath, it was clear that the former Newsmax commentator accomplished at least one thing: She put the “brief” back in briefing.

In her debut Tuesday, Zacharia looked downward and often read directly from a script. She paused and grinned when she uttered the words “Department of War.” She stumbled on a question about her background and mixed up the words “husband” and “president.” The few questions she took were nonconfrontational and from media outlets that have been sympathetic to the Republican president. In short: She made no memorable impression — or at least, to hear some tell it, not the one she likely wanted.

This would not be an easy job under any circumstances. Trump most frequently serves as his own spokesman. And his antagonism toward the media has created a new layer of tension. Zacharia is finding out on day one that she, too, will be under constant watch. Some — including a few of those who have stood in her shoes — didn’t think it went all that well.

In fractured times, in a national media scrum unimaginable just a few decades ago, what is the proper way to approach a job like this? How do you speak effectively when your boss speaks for himself so often that he commandeers the news cycle multiple times a day — and sometimes late into the night — with remarks provocative, unexpected and sometimes incendiary?

For one, you realize for whom you work: not your audience of millions but your audience of one, and the absolute need for his approval.

“I get to do what I was doing on the outside already, which was hoping to amplify, multiply and expand upon President Trump’s incredible agenda for the American people,” Zacharia said. Nowhere did she mention the task of disseminating accurate information to Americans.

The press secretary role has been many things
Over the nearly 10 decades since former journalist George E. Akerson made his and the office’s debut as Herbert Hoover’s press secretary in 1929, the job has served many purposes: deliverer of information, amplifier of policy, jouster with journalists, protector of the presidential reputation and, sometimes, overlord of obfuscation.

Under Trump and his second-term press secretary so far — Karoline Leavitt, who resigned in August — the job has been primarily one of acting as the immovable object against an irresistible, and in Trump’s eyes sometimes treasonous, force.

Leavitt got to know this terrain well in her 17-month tenure. She took a smiling but combative stance against a press that was increasingly coming under Trump’s criticism for coverage — and was named in at least one lawsuit about White House media access. She was not shy about interdicting what she considered media bias. “What a stupid question,” she said to one reporter at a briefing last year.

Trump, outside the White House on Tuesday shortly after Zacharia’s briefing, praised her debut as “excellent.” She was standing behind him at the time.

Other early reviews were more critical. MS NOW quoted one unnamed White House official as saying of the performance: “She needs to get much better fast, otherwise she’ll break Scaramucci’s record.” Anthony Scaramucci, an early White House communications director for first-term Trump, lasted 11 days in 2017. Said Scaramucci on X Tuesday afternoon: “I hope she makes it.”

Joe Biden’s former press secretary, Jen Psaki, now the host of a show on MS NOW, put it more succinctly, posting on X: “Well that briefing was basically an SNL skit….except it wasnt.”

Talking up Trump but taking few questions
While Zacharia’s performance — and of course, that’s what every briefing is — may have been bumpy to some, it was also mostly content-free except for news she broke about the White House asking U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to quit, which she immediately did.

Predictably, also like Leavitt before her, Zacharia spent a great part of her opening monologue praising Trump and giving an “up ’til now”-style update on his second term’s priorities and accomplishments so far. Talking points included a “booming economy,” “his historic boom in energy production” and “a great relationship with Venezuela.”

She was also fond of superlatives, a trait that likely will resonate with a president whose remarks are often equally if not more expansive: “President Trump is working to secure the Western Hemisphere for centuries to come.”

When it came to questions, though, she was downright parsimonious. She allowed three questioners, then answered an additional one as she prepared to depart. The three called on during the briefing were Breitbart, Fox News and the Daily Mail, all of which have been friendly to Trump in varying degrees during periods of his two terms. And she said she would continue Leavitt’s policy of bringing “new media” in — which has often meant outlets more sympathetic to Trump.

“We love new media and we want to be able to embrace it,” she said. Currently, three major outlets — CNN, MS NOW and Politico — are fighting to regain White House access after Trump banished them last month, saying he didn’t like their coverage and calling it “fake news.”

How will Zacharia fare in coming days and weeks and, if it lasts, months? That, like so much else, depends on one thing: Donald Trump.

The late U.S. Sen. Howard Baker once famously said that, when being asked difficult things, handle it something like this: If you don’t like the question being asked, just answer a different question. On Tuesday, a half-century later, Katie Zacharia found a different way in — pick three nonconfrontational questioners, then defer to your boss and say: The End.

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas prosecutor says a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent appeared to use a vehicle to intentionally strike a man who took off running in Houston and that an investigation opened by his office could result in criminal charges.

Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, needed surgery for a broken leg after being hit by a car Saturday, said Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, an immigrant rights organization that is helping the man’s family.

The encounter has set off new criticism over immigration enforcement in Houston, where local prosecutors have also investigated a July fatal shooting by a federal immigration officer.

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, a Democrat, expressed concern over surveillance footage that shows Parra Hernandez and another person jumping out of a white truck and running as a dark SUV pursues them. A vehicle strikes Parra Hernandez, who is seen on the ground seconds later.

“In a case like this, the most obvious criminal charge is aggravated assault with a deadly weapon,” Teare told FOX 26 Houston. “Meaning the car was used as a deadly weapon. And it certainly is what appears to have happened based on the surveillance footage.”

Tim Oberle, a spokesperson for ICE in Houston, said in a statement sent to The Texas Tribune on Saturday that “As ICE officers attempted to apprehend the illegal aliens, Miguel Parra-Hernandez ran in front of an ICE vehicle and was struck.”

Spokespersons for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday.

Parra Hernandez has been in the U.S. for 34 years and was on his way to work when the encounter began, according to Espinosa. Espinosa declined to share Parra Hernandez’s status.

He said he saw two ICE agents in Parra Hernandez’s room while visiting him at the hospital.

“He already had a surgery for the injury under his knee and now we’re waiting for swelling to go down in his ankle to be able to have a reconstructive surgery on his ankle,” Espinosa said.

Teare said ICE and DHS have not cooperated with his office during its investigation.

In July, Teare said DHS also ignored his request for information after an ICE officer fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. The shooting was one of at least 10 deaths involving encounters with immigration officers since the start of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

(AP) – U.S. President Donald Trump said that “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration is set to begin in “our new and beautiful Greenland,” though it wasn’t clear what developments he was referring to on an island where resource extraction has stymied companies for decades.

Despite Trump’s optimism, the harsh climate of Greenland — a self-governing territory of Denmark, rather than a part of the United States — as well as a lack of infrastructure have foiled all previous attempts to extract so-called rare earth minerals, as well as oil and gas. No efforts have ever progressed beyond the exploratory stage, and a moratorium on new gas and oil permits has been in place for several years.

“Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform following a campaign event Tuesday in Wasilla, Alaska.

Trump was stumping for Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is seeking a third term to represent the state in an election against Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola.

Rising energy prices — a direct result of the Iran war, which began on Feb. 28 after the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes — are creating serious and sustained financial hardships for working class Americans before the midterm elections next month. Trump’s comments are likely aimed at addressing voters’ concerns before Election Day on Nov. 3.

Recent deal paved way for more US bases but no exploration rights
Last month, Trump signed an agreement with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, following months of tensions with NATO allies over the U.S. president’s repeated demands to take control of the semiautonomous Danish territory. It doesn’t grant the U.S. any special exploration rights, but does place some limits on investments by non-NATO countries in strategic sectors.

The deal also paved the way for more U.S. bases in Greenland and eased tensions over Trump’s repeated calls for Greenland to become part of the United States. The agreement would still apply if Greenland eventually chooses independence.

Trump has expressed his desire to acquire Greenland since 2019 and, during his second term, issued threats to seize the territory from Denmark, a NATO ally.

Naaja H. Nathanielsen, who represents Greenland in Denmark’s parliament, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she wasn’t very surprised — or concerned — following Trump’s post.

“This is just the way the president decides to engage,” she said. “I think we have all come to expect something like that.”

Nathanielsen said that any current projects regarding resource extraction were still years away from potential success. She said that she believes Americans worried about the price of gas were the post’s intended audience, rather than Greenlanders, before the upcoming election.

“I recognize the worry in the U.S., but I think it’s not a quick fix,” she told the AP. “There’s no Greenlandic barrels of oil on ground in any near future.”

Nathanielsen also said that she wasn’t upset by Trump calling the island “our Greenland.”

“I think, of course, it’s somewhat disrespectful,” she said. “But you can also see it as a term of endearment if you wanted to be very generous. Right now, I don’t think much of it.”

Representatives from Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as from Greenland’s prime minister and the island’s mining ministry, did not immediately return requests for comment Wednesday.

Greenland has valuable resources
Greenland has large deposits of the rare earth minerals that are needed to make everything from computers and smartphones to the batteries, solar and wind technologies that will power the transition away from fossil fuels. China currently dominates the world’s supply of these critical minerals and the Trump administration is seeking to break Beijing’s chokehold on them.

The U.S. Geological Survey has also identified major potential offshore deposits of oil and natural gas.

But tapping these resources could be prohibitively difficult: The rare earth minerals are encased in rock, and the offshore oil and natural gas deposits are covered by Arctic ice. And in 2021, Greenlandic lawmakers said the island would not issue any new oil and gas permits because of the environmental impacts of oil extraction, and a desire to avoid further worsening of the global climate crisis.

Trump boasts about Greenland’s strategic spot in the Arctic
Trump’s Truth Social post also touted Greenland’s strategic location, saying that “from a Security Purpose in the Defense and Offense of both the United States of America, and Europe,” the island is “second to none.”

“Any future attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived,” he wrote. “It gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World!”

The United States was prominent in Greenland for decades but, since 1945, the U.S. military presence in Greenland has decreased from thousands of soldiers on 17 bases and installations to roughly 200 soldiers on the remote Pituffik Space Base in the northwest. The base supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO.

Trump said last month that the U.S. would “immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations,” including “building two very major military bases.”

NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York City Comptroller Mark Levine has backed away from his campaign promise to reinvest city pension funds in Israeli government bonds, citing financial concerns and declining credit ratings amid regional conflicts.

Levine, a Democrat and outspoken supporter of Israel, said in an interview with The New York Times that his office had decided not to purchase the bonds for now, despite his pledge during last year’s campaign to resume investments discontinued by his predecessor, Brad Lander, in 2023.

“I always said this would be based on financial considerations only, not politics — that’s still my position,” Levine told the newspaper.

Levine said ratings downgrades, regional instability and investment considerations influenced the decision. He emphasized that his position was not politically motivated.

The city previously held approximately $40 million in Israeli bonds. Credit-rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global and Moody’s downgraded Israel’s credit standing or outlook during the wars involving Hamas and Iran.

Levine said he remained a steadfast supporter of Israel, while acknowledging his personal disappointment over the decision. He also criticized the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to The New York Times, the city’s pension system has more than $285 million invested in Israeli companies, separate from direct investments in Israeli government bonds.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian drones lost some of their fighting capacity after restrictions were suddenly imposed on the battlefield use of the country’s U.S.-made Starlink communication terminals, officials said Wednesday as the capital endured another night of missile attacks.

At the same time, Ukraine did not receive the usual advance warning from its Western partners of the devastating Russian ballistic missiles that have struck Kyiv for two consecutive nights, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, triggering fears that Ukraine is being starved of vital intelligence, especially from the U.S.

Zelenskyy did not specify which partners he was talking about when referring to the lack of warning. U.S. President Donald Trump has said the U.S. has not stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine.

The developments frustrated the Ukrainian military and deepened fears that Kyiv’s relationship with Washington is unraveling.

Ukrainian officials fear U.S. support for the war effort is falling away after Trump struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel despite international efforts to sanction Russia for its invasion and isolate Putin.

Trump said Saturday that it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, suggesting Zelenskyy has not done enough to end his country’s war with Russia and blaming him for high diesel prices in the U.S.

Trump’s efforts to stop the fighting have resulted in no progress.

Starlink is an essential tool for Ukraine
Ukrainian officials are concerned that U.S. support, especially related to the sharing of military intelligence and the use of American tech titan Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system, may be in jeopardy.

Musk’s SpaceX overnight imposed a speed limit on Ukraine’s Starlink terminals mounted on drones, Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said on social media. The restriction disrupted operations, including making the slower-flying attack drones easier targets for Russian defenses.

Starlink is a vital tool for the Ukrainian military, both in offensive and defensive operations. The network is used for long-range drone missions, interceptor air defense systems and front-line logistics, Beskrestnov said.

“Obviously, this action cannot be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation,” Beskrestnov said, without elaborating.

Neither SpaceX nor the White House offered any immediate comment.

Kyiv got no warning about initial ballistic missile attack, official says
Yurii Ihnat, Ukraine’s air force spokesman, said there was no warning of an initial Russian ballistic missile attack on Tuesday night, although Kyiv was warned about three later waves of missiles.

A lawmaker on Ukraine’s parliamentary Defense Committee told The Associated Press that intelligence sharing with international partners has not stopped. The lawmaker spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give statements to the press.

Five people were killed and 36 injured in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital that lasted from Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, Kyiv police said.

Russia keeps bombing Ukraine’s power grid despite Trump’s truce demand
Zelenskyy voiced outrage Wednesday over Russia’s continuing aerial bombardment of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in apparent defiance of Trump’s demand for a ceasefire.

“We ask America and EVERYONE in the world who does not turn a blind eye to reality to respond — and to respond forcefully” to Russia’s ongoing aerial barrages, Zelenskyy said in a social media post Wednesday.

“Russia has squandered the opportunity for de-escalation and has clearly chosen to continue its insane war of annihilation,” he said.

Moscow’s forces pounded Ukraine’s power grid, as well as oil and gas facilities, for the third straight night, Zelenskyy said, after Trump claimed that Russia and Ukraine had agreed not to strike energy infrastructure 4 ½ years after Moscow’s forces invaded.

Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has agreed to halt Ukraine’s monthslong campaign targeting Russian oil refineries that caused fuel shortages for Russians. Ukraine’s last reported hit on an oil refinery was Friday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that details of the energy ceasefire are still being decided. “The work in that direction is continuing,” he told reporters.

Russia hits three Kyiv power plants in attack, causing outages
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that its forces attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in Kyiv, the wider Kyiv region and the northeastern Kharkiv region overnight, striking a total of six power plants.

Russian forces hit all three of Kyiv’s combined heat and power plants overnight into Wednesday, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said. At least 600,000 people were left without power, Zelenskyy said.

Russia fired 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 drones at energy and critical infrastructure in Kyiv, the Kyiv region and Kharkiv overnight, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine claims it is pushing Russia back on the battlefield
Ukrainian officials say they are pushing back Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, which Russia’s bigger army has been trying to capture for years.

Ukraine has liberated 277 square kilometers (107 square miles) in the operation that started in the summer, Ukraine’s Third Army Corps commander Brig. Gen. Andrii Biletskyi said Wednesday.

It was not possible to independently verify the claim, and Russian officials did not comment.

Zelenskyy visits London for talks on more help in the war
Zelenskyy arrived Wednesday in London for talks with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham as Kyiv and its European supporters race to shore up Ukrainian defenses. The Ukrainian leader could go to Brussels to attend a European Union summit later this week.

European leaders fear Moscow’s wider ambitions on the continent and accuse Russia of sabotage as part of a hybrid war on the continent. They seek to keep Washington on Ukraine’s side.

Burnham told the House of Commons that Ukraine is facing “a dark and difficult moment” and that Zelenskyy won’t go away “empty-handed.”

“What I have to do in my role is try and repair bridges so that the support comes back,” he said.

Analysts noted that Trump’s latest moves girded Europe into standing firm behind Kyiv.

“Ahead of a tough winter for Ukraine, Donald Trump’s swing back toward Russia bodes ill,” Rym Momtaz of the Carnegie Europe think tank wrote Tuesday. “But instead of panicking, Kyiv’s European allies are focusing on action.”

Ukraine attacks a Russian data center with long-range drones
Ukraine is trying to fight back with attacks on other targets on Russian soil.

Russian air defenses overnight downed 902 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions, illegally annexed Crimea and the waters of the Azov Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a separate statement Wednesday.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 493 drones flew toward the capital region. Most were downed far away, and 180 were intercepted as they approached the Russian capital, he said. He did not report any damage or casualties.

In Russia’s Saratov region, one person was killed and several residential buildings were damaged, Gov. Roman Busargin said.

Russia’s state-backed Sberbank confirmed an attack on its Saratov data center, once slated to become Europe’s biggest data center.

Russian state news agency Tass quoted Alexander Vedyakhin, Sberbank’s first deputy chairman of the board, as saying that Sberbank systems were operating normally.

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — The U.S. State Department sharply criticized a complaint filed in Lebanon against the country’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, after reports that she contacted Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter to inquire about his son, who was critically wounded in a terrorist ramming attack.

A State Department spokesperson said the United States was aware of the complaint, filed by a lawyer described as affiliated with Hezbollah. The spokesperson called it embarrassing that a military court was reviewing the matter against Moawad, noting that she had been carrying out the policy of Lebanon’s legitimate government and taking part in U.S.-led negotiations.

The department urged Lebanon’s military justice system to direct its limited resources toward prosecuting Hezbollah operatives allegedly plotting against the Lebanese government and its citizens, rather than officials working on the state’s behalf. It also called for the repeal of laws and procedures that, in Washington’s view, enable the political targeting of citizens and diplomats while shielding Hezbollah members. “We have no patience for obstruction,” the spokesperson said.

The complaint was submitted by Lebanese lawyer Hassan Adel Bazzi following September reports, including in Beirut Review, that Moawad had reached out to Leiter about the condition of his son. Lebanese authorities referred the complaint to the government commissioner at the military court for review. Lebanese media and judicial sources have described the referral as a routine procedural step that does not itself amount to a formal charge or investigation.

Some Lebanese reporting has disputed the precise nature of any contact between the ambassadors, with one outlet stating that communications have remained within the established trilateral framework.

Neria Leiter, an Israeli reservist and son of the ambassador, was seriously injured in late September when a Palestinian assailant rammed a vehicle into security personnel at a checkpoint on Route 443 in the West Bank. He suffered severe head injuries, underwent extended brain surgery, and has remained in critical condition at a Jerusalem hospital. The attacker was shot and killed at the scene. Ambassador Leiter’s older son was killed while serving in Gaza in 2023.

Moawad and Leiter have been central figures in U.S.-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel aimed at addressing security arrangements and related issues. The two countries remain technically in a state of war.

DELLONA, Wis. (AP) — Six people, including one child, were killed Tuesday night in a plane crash near Wisconsin Dells, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department said.

The six-seat, single-engine plane was traveling from Kenosha to Menomonie when it crashed in a wooded area near Mirror Lake State Park in the Town of Dellona shortly before 10 p.m., authorities said. Rain was falling as a thunderstorm moved through the area.

The sheriff’s department said it received multiple reports of a downed aircraft around 9:30 p.m. Five adults and one child who were traveling in the plane were found dead, the sheriff’s department said.

Police said the fixed-wing Piper PA-46 airplane was in contact with a nearby air traffic control tower before the crash. Investigators were reviewing those transmissions and whether weather played a role in the crash, the sheriff’s department and the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Police said there wasn’t any damage to structures or anyone on the ground. The names of those killed were not immediately released.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Social Security Administration projected Wednesday that the annual cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities will go up by 3.6% beginning in 2027, with some recipients complaining that is not enough to offset soaring prices.

The adjustment translates to $75 extra per month for the 73 million people who receive monthly Social Security benefits and nearly 7.5 million beneficiaries who get Supplemental Security Income.

The announcement comes as inflation adds pressure on household budgets and businesses and as midterm elections are weeks away.

The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for retirees and disabled beneficiaries is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers, up to a certain annual salary. That is set to increase to $192,300 in 2027, from $184,500 in 2026.

The agency’s commissioner, Frank Bisignano, said in a statement that the adjustment will give recipients “greater financial stability.”

Older adults feel the bite of rising costs
Some older adults feel the increase is a drop in the bucket as inflation has eaten away at monthly savings. The government reported last month that inflation accelerated in August as gas prices spiked in the wake of renewed fighting between the United States and Iran.

Lorrie Ufkin, a 71-year-old retiree who lives outside Rochester, Minnesota, said the COLA will not put a dent in her healthcare costs, which are set to increase after the Trump administration concludes at year’s end a temporary Medicare Part D subsidy program that has helped offset premiums. Ufkin said that her premiums and drug cost are expected to rise, although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has projected a modest increase for most people.

The COLA “doesn’t even meet what they’re going to do for changes to Medicare,” she told The Associated Press.

She said one of the medications both she and her husband take will go from $11 per month for each prescription, to $200 per month, after Republican administration changes made to older Americans’ healthcare programs. She said that was “catastrophic.”

Senior advocacy groups say the COLA is a strong reminder of the financial straits of many older people.

“There’s a lot on the line financially right now for older Americans — one in five have no retirement savings, and more people feel financially insecure this year than last. That makes Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment critically important,” said AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan.

Jaime Jakubczak, a 68-year-old resident of Buffalo, New York who retired early at 55, has recently gone back to work to make ends meet, specifically to afford rising property taxes. He said the COLA is insufficient because it is offset by high inflation and a proposed 3.9% property tax increase in his town.

Jakubczak called the 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment “a pittance,” given how high food, healthcare and gasoline prices have become across the country.

“We were getting ahead a little bit with the COLA based on inflation, but the inflation is so high that it doesn’t offset what our COLA allowance is,” he said.

Most older adults believe the COLA isn’t adequately keeping up with inflation, according to an AARP poll from September. That poll found that about three-quarters of those 50 or older disagreed with the idea that a 3.5% COLA in 2027 would be enough to keep up with rising prices.

Social Security faces a looming funding shortfall
The Social Security Administration faces a looming bankruptcy date if a funding shortfall is not addressed by Congress.

The June 2026 Social Security and Medicare trustees’ report states that Social Security’s combined trust funds — which cover old age and disability recipients — will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2034. After that, incoming revenue would cover about 83% of scheduled benefits.

While a permanent solution for shoring up the benefits program has not been passed into law, lawmakers on the Hill have called for new measures to replenish the trust funds.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, in June proposed lifting the Social Security payroll tax cap, which is a maximum amount of earnings taxable. Treating all income the same “would generate substantial revenue that would extend the solvency of Social Security for another generation,” they wrote in The New York Times.

The move is controversial because Republicans have traditionally criticized calls to raise taxes on the wealthy.

The Peterson Foundation estimates that lifting the payroll tax cap would add roughly $3 trillion into the program over the next 10 years.

Both the Trump and Biden administrations signed into law new benefits for retirees, which boosted their finances, but simultaneously accelerated the insolvency of the old-age benefits program.

The Trump administration, as part of Republicans’ tax and spending bill, gave a temporary tax deduction for people 65 and over, which applies to all income — not just Social Security. But those who aren’t able to claim the deduction include the lowest-income older adults who already don’t pay taxes on Social Security, those who choose to claim their benefits before they reach 65 and those above a defined income threshold.

Additionally, Democratic President Joe Biden in 2024 repealed two federal policies — the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset — that previously limited Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people, including largely former public workers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are preparing an ambitious 100-days agenda focused on delivering their campaign promises — making life more affordable and conducting vast oversight of the Trump administration — if the party seizes majority control in next month’s elections.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become House speaker if the party wins power, said the Democrats will be united “right out of the gate” on reinstating Affordable Care Act tax breaks, reversing Republican Medicaid cuts, holding votes against the Iran war and undoing President Donald Trump’s tariff regime.

They expect to launch the agenda in the first 100 hours, once the new Congress is seated in January.

“Fighting for an affordable America — that’s what unites Democrats all across the country,” Jeffries said recently at the party campaign headquarters in Washington.

“That’s our commitment to the American people, because the cost of living is way too high and far too many people who are working hard, playing by the rules, can’t thrive and can barely survive — and are drowning — in the Trump economy.”

It’s a hyper-focused agenda tapping into the voter sentiment that is driving much of the midterm election as Americans wrestle with affordability concerns and inflationary costs from the Iran war and other policies.

The undertaking will also test the ability of the sprawling House Democrats to work together and avoid the chaotic divisions and disruptions that have hobbled Republicans under Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership.

Democrats have been out of power in the House since 2023. If Jeffries takes the helm, he would be the first Democratic speaker since Nancy Pelosi, leading a new generation of lawmakers that includes a handful of far-left candidates who are aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America.

“The antidote to that is getting things done,” said Illinois Rep. Nikki Budzinski, who is poised to become chair of the New Democrat Coalition, the largest caucus within the House Democrats. She said the party is determined to show the American people that “Democrats know how to govern.”

A Freedom Caucus of the far-left?
Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said he is often asked if Democrats will be confronting their own version of the Freedom Caucus, referring to the far-right Republicans who often grind the House agenda to a halt.

“It doesn’t work that way,” Casar told The Associated Press in an interview. “The Freedom Caucus breaks things. But if you’re a progressive, you want to pass things.”

Leader Jeffries, Casar and other Democrats have been in touch with the progressive candidates, many of whom are backed by the DSA as the party focuses on shared priorities.

“This notion that because we’ll have new members somehow we’re going to be disjointed — not so,” said Louisiana Rep. Troy Carter, who hopes to become chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. “All those banking on that, save the popcorn for another day.”

The Republicans, who are confronting an increasingly difficult election-year climate to hold onto their majority, portray Democrats as beholden to a far-left socialist agenda.

If Republicans retain power, Johnson has said they would press on with what they have already accomplished alongside Trump, which has been an agenda focused on cutting taxes and federal spending.

“What we would do in the next two years is exactly what we have been doing already,” Johnson said on CNBC’s Squawk Box, “and that is putting the conditions in place for a strong America again.”

Fix healthcare, stop the war, end the tariffs – and investigate Trump
Months ago, Jeffries launched five working groups to tackle the affordability agenda focused on healthcare, housing, groceries and goods, gas and utilities, and care-giving.

Each group is headed by a progressive and a centrist Democrat — the healthcare working group, for example, is run by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama — with the goal of striking common ground on draft policies that all House Democrats can support.

At the same time, Jeffries has tasked the ranking Democrats on the House Oversight and Judiciary committees with preparing investigations. They are focused on Trump, his family and his administration, as part of a sweeping anti-corruption agenda. Impeachment, Jeffries has said, is neither on nor off the table.

“We need to lower the cost of groceries and gas. Two, we need to make healthcare affordable for every single American. Three, we’re going to hold the crooks accountable who’ve visited unprecedented corruption on the American people,” Jeffries said. “Beginning on day one.”

Democrats plan to vote quickly to reinstate the health care tax credits for the Affordable Care Act, which expired in 2025, leaving millions of Americans confronting higher health insurance costs.

Proposals are also ready to reverse the Medicaid cuts that Republicans put in place as part of their “One Big Beautiful Bill” of tax breaks and program cuts, including new work requirements for recipients.

There are measures to reverse Trump’s tariffs as Congress works to claw back power from the White House.

And Democrats, who have forced multiple votes on ending the Iran conflict, plan to pressure the Trump administration to end the military action by pushing forward more war powers resolutions.

Much of the House Democrats’ agenda, if they regain power, would depend on the size of the majority. Details also depend on the Senate, and whether it flips to Democrats.

“We cannot simply go back to the status quo,” said Usamah Andrabi, a spokesman for Justice Democrats, an outside group that supports the far-left progressives.

And Trump, at the White House, has ultimate say, with veto power at the stroke of a pen.

“We’re going to do a lot and we’re going to be very busy,” Carter said. “We will not be able to fix everything overnight.”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced outrage Wednesday over Russia’s continuing aerial bombardment of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in apparent defiance of U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for a ceasefire.

Moscow’s forces pounded Ukraine’s power grid, as well as oil and gas facilities, for the third straight night, Zelenskyy said, after Trump claimed that Russia and Ukraine had agreed not to strike energy infrastructure 4 ½ years after Moscow’s forces invaded.

Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has agreed to halt Ukraine’s monthslong campaign targeting Russian oil refineries that caused fuel shortages for Russians. Ukraine’s last reported hit on an oil refinery was last Friday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that details of the energy ceasefire are still being decided. “The work in that direction is continuing,” he told reporters.

Trump’s efforts to stop the fighting have made no progress.

Ukraine claims it is pushing Russia back on the battlefield
Ukrainian officials say they are pushing back Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, which Russia’s bigger army has been trying to capture for years. Ukraine has liberated 277 square kilometers (107 square miles) in the operation that started in the summer, Ukraine’s Third Army Corps commander Brig. Gen. Andrii Biletskyi said Wednesday.

It was not possible to independently verify the claim, and Russian officials did not comment.

Ukrainian officials fear U.S. support for the war effort is falling away after Trump struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel despite international efforts to sanction Russia for its invasion and isolate Putin.

Ukrainian officials said the deal would help Russia continue its invasion, while European leaders fear Moscow’s wider ambitions on the continent and accuse Russia of sabotage as part of a hybrid war on the continent.

Zelenskyy arrived in London on Wednesday for talks with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham as Kyiv and its European supporters race to shore up Ukrainian defenses. The Ukrainian leader could go to Brussels to attend a European Union summit later this week after his London trip.

“We ask America and EVERYONE in the world who does not turn a blind eye to reality to respond — and to respond forcefully” to Russia’s ongoing aerial barrages, Zelenskyy said in a social media post Wednesday.

“Russia has squandered the opportunity for de-escalation and has clearly chosen to continue its insane war of annihilation,” he said.

Russia hits three Kyiv power plants in attack, causing outages
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that its forces attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in Kyiv, the wider Kyiv region and the northeastern Kharkiv region overnight, striking a total of six power plants.

Russian forces hit all three of Kyiv’s combined heat and power plants overnight into Wednesday, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said. At least 600,000 people were left without power, Zelenskyy said.

Russia fired 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 drones at energy and critical infrastructure in Kyiv, the Kyiv region and Kharkiv overnight, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine fears dwindling US support for its war effort
Ukrainian officials are concerned that U.S. support, especially the provision of military intelligence and the use of American tech titan Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system, may be in jeopardy.

Musk’s SpaceX overnight imposed a speed limit on Ukraine’s Starlink terminals mounted on drones, Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said on social media.

Starlink is a vital tool for Ukraine, both in attack and defense. It is used in long-range drone missions, interceptor air defense systems, and front-line logistics, Beskrestnov said.

“Obviously, this action cannot be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation,” Beskrestnov said, without elaborating.

SpaceX made no immediate comment.

Ukraine didn’t receive the usual advance warning from its partners of Russian missile attacks that hit Kyiv for the second consecutive night, Zelenskyy said Tuesday. He did not specify which partners he was talking about when referring to the lack of a warning, but the development raised fears that the U.S. may not be providing Kyiv with usual intelligence.

Yurii Ihnat, Ukraine’s air force spokesman, said there was no warning of an initial Russian ballistic missile attack on Tuesday night but Kyiv was warned about three later waves of missiles.

Trump has said the U.S. has not stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, and a lawmaker on Ukraine’s parliamentary Defense Committee told The Associated Press that intelligence sharing with international partners has not stopped.

The lawmaker spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give statements to the press.

Five people were killed and 36 injured in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital that lasted from Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, Kyiv police said.

Ukraine attacks a Russian data center with long-range drones
Ukraine is trying to fight back with attacks on other targets on Russian soil.

Russian air defenses overnight downed 902 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions, illegally annexed Crimea and the waters of the Azov Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a separate statement Wednesday.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 493 drones flew toward the capital region. Most were downed far away, and 180 were intercepted as they approached the Russian capital, he said. He did not report any damage or casualties.

In Russia’s Saratov region, one person was killed and several residential buildings were damaged, Gov. Roman Busargin said.

Russia’s state-backed Sberbank confirmed an attack on its Saratov data center, once slated to become Europe’s biggest data center.

Russian state news agency Tass quoted Alexander Vedyakhin, Sberbank’s first deputy chairman of the board, as saying that Sberbank systems were operating normally.

Zelenskyy visits London for talks on more help in the war
Burnham, the British prime minister, vowed to keep backing Ukraine in the war.

“My message to the Ukrainian people could not be clearer: We are with you for as long as it takes, and we will go further and faster in our support to back your courageous fight for peace in Europe,” he said ahead of Zelenskyy’s visit.

Analysts noted that Trump’s latest moves girded Europe into standing firm behind Kyiv.

“Ahead of a tough winter for Ukraine, Donald Trump’s swing back toward Russia bodes ill,” Rym Momtaz of Carnegie Europe wrote Tuesday. “But instead of panicking, Kyiv’s European allies are focusing on action.”

(AP) – A federal judge on Tuesday extended an order blocking President Donald Trump’s administration from banning reporters for three news outlets from the White House, a pivotal operational development for the organizations as the extraordinary case — pitting the president against the media that cover him — makes its way through the legal system.

In a victory for media organizations at a time when tension between the White House and journalists is high, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that CNN, MS NOW and Politico are likely to succeed in their constitutional free speech and due process claims.

“Still,” he added in his late-night order, “no one should interpret the Court’s decision to suggest that President Trump’s concerns about accuracy and fairness in the media’s reporting are unfounded, or that the government is powerless when its true aim is to protect national security when classified information is unlawfully disclosed.”

But Kelly agreed with the plaintiffs that the national security arguments came after the fact and were unsupported by the administration.

The judge also wrote that without a preliminary injunction the outlets “are likely to suffer irreparable harm, and that the balance of the equities and the public interest tip in their favor.”

An email to the Justice Department, which is arguing the case on behalf of the administration, was not immediately returned. The White House also did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Theodore Boutrous Jr., attorney for the three media organizations, hailed the judge’s ruling.

“When the President issued his ‘ban on the free press,’ he blatantly and explicitly violated due process and the First Amendment,” Boutrous said in a statement. “The harm this ban did to our clients, the First Amendment, and the public as a whole is profound. The Court was right to enjoin the White House from enforcing this ‘unconstitutional ban on the free press’ for the foreseeable future.”

Judge says no warning given before banishment
Kelly, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, previously ordered the White House to restore the reporters’ “hard pass” press credentials while he weighed their claims. With that temporary order expiring Tuesday, the judge issued a preliminary injunction that preserves the status quo indefinitely while the case is pending.

Kelly said that, “to put it mildly,” the White House didn’t give the plaintiffs any warning that they were in danger of losing their hard passes before Trump’s Sept. 18 social media post about their bans.

The judge also said the impact of the White House ban goes far beyond a single reporter’s ability to do their job.

“The ban threatens to cut off all Plaintiffs’ access to the White House press area—a space open to many of their competitors—thereby restricting their ability to observe happenings there firsthand, immediately report on those activities, and try to engage with government officials,” the judge wrote.

Hard passes give journalists who regularly cover the White House longer term access to its campus without having to get permission ahead of time.

The government asked Kelly to suspend his own decision pending an appeal, but the judge said it didn’t justify that request. Kelly said the bans impacted a total of 78 reporters at the three news organizations.

Earlier judicial action against White House had
been only temporary
Trump provided no notice before announcing the bans in a Sept. 18 social media post, which criticized their reporting as “fake news.” Kelly temporarily blocked the bans on Sept. 24 at the request of the news outlets, which jointly filed a lawsuit in Washington, D.C.

Attorneys for the outlets have described Trump’s move as “unprecedented and blatantly unconstitutional” under the First and Fifth amendments. They argued that it’s illegal for Trump to punish the journalists because he doesn’t like the content of their reporting.

“The ban also inflicts an injury on all news media organizations — which now risk a similar fate if they engage in fact-based, independent reporting the President deems insufficiently favorable,” plaintiffs’ lawyers wrote.

Government lawyers argued that access to the White House is a privilege — not a right — and said the president can impose the bans to protect national security and to stem the spread of misinformation.

“The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President,” Justice Department attorneys wrote. “Presidents have had a relationship with the press since the beginning. They have long decided which journalists should receive privileged access, which has varied substantially from administration to administration.”

Family getting up:

JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Minister Israel Katz warned Wednesday that Hezbollah would face a severe military blow and lose additional territory in southern Lebanon if it joins Iran in an attack on Israel, with the areas of Nabatieh and the Litani River becoming part of Israel’s permanent security zone.

Speaking during a visit to the IDF’s buffer zone in southern Lebanon, Katz said the military is prepared to carry out a ground offensive. He added that Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, “will also be evacuated, and its terror infrastructure will be struck, and more than one million Shiites will become displaced in Lebanon.”

“Nasrallah destroyed Lebanon’s Shiite community before he was eliminated, and Naim Qassem could annihilate it completely, until he too is eliminated,” Katz said, referring to the late and current leaders of the Iran-backed militant group.

The comments came the morning after Katz told an event that Israel is identifying attempts by enemies, led by Iran and its proxies, to carry out attacks intended to influence the results of Israel’s Oct. 27 election.

Israel has maintained a security zone in southern Lebanon amid ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah. Katz has previously stated that the IDF will not withdraw from the area until the group is disarmed and threats to northern Israeli communities are removed. His latest remarks expand on that position, tying any deeper Israeli advance and large-scale population displacement in Lebanon directly to Hezbollah’s potential participation in a broader Iranian assault.

Hezbollah has not immediately responded to the statements. The group has long been a key Iranian proxy and has engaged in cross-border fighting with Israel.

Katz, known for blunt public remarks, has increased such comments in recent weeks ahead of the election. Israeli officials have repeatedly linked operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon to broader efforts to counter Iranian influence in the region.

PARIS (AP) — France’s cybersecurity authority has warned that a cyberattack targeting supermarkets may still be ongoing as stores restocked Wednesday after the attack sent refrigerator temperatures soaring, raising concerns about the security of vital food supply chains.

The agency said Tuesday night that the attacks were “likely still underway.” It urged stores to reconnect refrigerators to the internet only through a secure VPN connection or protected network, install firmware updates and change passwords.

Attackers remotely took control of refrigeration systems in hundreds of supermarkets and independent stores across France in the early hours of Monday. Temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for about six hours, forcing stores to discard fresh and frozen goods. The Intermarché supermarket chain reported losses of “tens of millions of euros” in a single day.

In the Netherlands, a major supermarket chain was restarting systems it had shut down as a precaution amid what parent company Ahold Delhaize called a “cybersecurity incident.” The incident halted home deliveries and disrupted some supplies to its extensive network of stores across the country.

Authorities in both countries were investigating the cyber incidents, which exposed vulnerabilities in some older refrigeration management systems and in the countries’ highly efficient food supply chains.

Cybersecurity authorities and Europol investigate
The Dutch National cybersecurity Center said several cyber incidents had affected Europe’s food sector, but it saw “no reason at this time to believe that these incidents are linked.”

The European Union’s police agency, Europol, confirmed to The Associated Press that it was in contact with authorities in the affected countries but declined to give details, citing an ongoing investigation.

No perpetrators have been publicly identified, and no claims of responsibility have been made public.

François Deruty, a former operations director at the French Cybersecurity Agency, said those responsible could range from sophisticated state-sponsored actors to a disgruntled French student. Protests by high school students angry about dilapidated, understaffed schools have roiled France since mid-September.

“I still can’t determine whether it’s being directed by someone or whether it’s an individual trying to take advantage of the prevailing chaos to show off their skills or send a message,” said Deruty, who is now chief intelligence officer at cybersecurity company Sekoia.

“I’m somewhat struck by the timing and the fact that politicians already have enough issues to deal with in France right now,” he added. “This adds another — one that not everyone will necessarily understand technically, but that resonates with all citizens in their everyday lives.”

An early morning alarm saved one Paris supermarket’s fresh supplies
A 4 a.m. alert sent to one of Antony Bohne’s suppliers saved most of his fresh fruit and vegetables. For his frozen food, it was already too late — his freezers’ temperature had already spiked to nearly 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t save those products,” said Bohne, director of Intermarché La Villette in Paris.

In the Netherlands, trays usually brimming with fresh tomatoes lay empty on Wednesday in an Albert Heijn supermarket on the outskirts of The Hague. Elsewhere in the store, staff were busy stocking shelves, and most products were in plentiful supply.

Pieter Zwaan, a senior researcher at the respected Clingendael Institute, recently co-authored a report on food supplies in the Netherlands, where supermarkets rely on “just in time” deliveries multiple times each day to keep shelves filled.

“Without IT and electricity it is impossible to order and deliver product to supermarkets” so frequently, he said.

To mitigate the risks of a prolonged supply chain disruption, the report recommended Dutch households build up reserves that would keep food on the table for eight days — the current government recommendation is a three-day stockpile.

In France, the hack is seen as a cybersecurity wake-up call
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said that about 700 of the country’s 10,000 supermarkets were affected. He said there was no risk to France’s food supplies but acknowledged that the attack “touches the heart of our food security” and called it a “wake-up call for everyone.”

Deruty said that software vulnerabilities exploited in the hack in France “are an accident waiting to happen” and that “people simply hadn’t patched their equipment” with security updates.

While awareness of cyber risks has grown considerably in recent years, it still hasn’t filtered down to everybody.

“There are still people who will be surprised and say: ‘I run a franchise store. Why would I be a target for a cyberattack?’” Deruty said.

French attack targeted older systems
The French cybersecurity agency said Tuesday it was “aware of numerous compromises” involving refrigeration system remote control modules made by Danish company Danfoss as well as U.S.-based Copeland.

Danfoss has said that most affected systems in France were older products that no longer received software or security updates, and that it is working with affected customers to limit the damage.

In an August report, U.S. cybersecurity firm Claroty identified vulnerabilities in the Danfoss AK-SM 800A and Copeland XWeb Pro platforms, which are used to manage refrigeration infrastructure in supermarkets, warehouses and other facilities.

For example, Claroty said “numerous controllers” using the Danfoss system were directly accessible from the public internet, leaving them wide-open for cyberattacks. But it noted that Danfoss and Copeland had since fixed the vulnerabilities.

Copeland said Tuesday that a vulnerability had been identified in “a discontinued, end-of-life generation of controllers,” and that it was working with impacted customers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. inflation accelerated last month as gas, clothes, and air fares got more expensive, evidence that rising prices remain an economic challenge just a few weeks before the midterm elections that have focused heavily on issues related to affordability.

The consumer price index rose 3.7% in September compared with a year ago, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 3.4% in August. On a monthly basis, costs jumped 0.6% from August to September, the biggest gain in five months, up from a 0.4% increase the previous month.

The figures underscore the lingering impact of the Iran war on gas prices and the stubborn persistence of inflation, which fell sharply from a 9.1% peak in 2022 but this year has ticked higher since the war began in late February. The rise isn’t all linked to gas prices, as surging investment in data centers and AI has also pushed up prices for computer chips and the consumer electronics that also use them. Elevated inflation has posed political problems for Republicans in Congress and is a challenge for the Federal Reserve, which is required by Congress to seek stable prices.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.6% in September from a year ago, up from 2.4% the previous month. And they climbed 0.3% from August to September, an elevated pace that, if it continued for a year, would run well above the Fed’s 2% target.

Ongoing inflation has taken a toll on Trump’s standing with U.S. voters. A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 17% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the cost of living issue. And only 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, a new low.

Federal Reserve officials are watching inflation data closely to determine whether they need to raise their short-term interest rate further, and by how much.

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh said last month that inflation isn’t moving quickly enough back to the central bank’s target, causing the Fed to hike rates for the first time in three years, to about 3.9%.

Yet some key Fed officials have suggested the central bank can wait before increasing rates again. The Fed has a policy meeting Oct. 27-28, but most Wall Street investors expect it to hold rates then, and potentially implement another hike in December. Fed officials have penciled in just one more rate hike this year.

By raising borrowing costs, the Fed hopes to slow spending and growth and cool price increases. Yet much of the current inflation comes from supply shocks, such as the Iran war’s disruption to oil and gas supplies, and higher interest rates can’t address those bottlenecks.

Warsh has said his goal is to keep the gas price spike from seeping into more areas of the economy. It’s already pushed up the price of air fares about 22% from a year ago.

Gas prices jumped more than 9% from August to September, Wednesday’s report said. Rising gas costs are a highly visible sign of inflation and often drive down measures of consumer sentiment about the economy.

Prices at the pump have ticked lower in the past two weeks to a nationwide average of $4.33 a gallon, according to AAA, though they remain higher than a month ago.

Those costs raise shipping and other expenses for many large and small businesses, some of which are forced to pass the cost to consumers. Last week, PepsiCo said that it will raise prices for its snack foods, including Doritos, Ruffles, Sun Chips, and some sodas to offset higher costs for fuel, aluminum, and food ingredients.

The artificial intelligence buildout has also sharply elevated the cost of semiconductors, computer equipment, and electrical components, which have been passed on to consumers in the form of more expensive electronics such as gaming devices, laptops, and smartphones.

Goldman Sachs estimated in a report Tuesday that the AI buildout has added about a half-percentage point to the annual inflation rate, according to the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge.

On September 1, Nintendo increased the price for its Switch 2 gaming system by 11% to $499.99. And Apple’s newest iPhone, the iPhone 17, cost about 10% more than its previous upgrade, though some of that likely reflects greater capabilities.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli police have arrested a foreign activist following a confrontation near Mitzpe Yair in the southern Hebron Hills, alleging that she has ties to a group designated by Israel as a terrorist organization and previously published an image depicting a crosshair aimed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

According to the Israel Police, officers from the Hebron station in the Judea District were dispatched to the scene several days ago after receiving a report of a confrontation. An investigation identified one of the people involved as an anti-Israel activist and one of the founders of the student organization MAC, which police said promotes activity against Israel in response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack.

Police also alleged that the woman supports Addameer, a Palestinian prisoner-rights organization that Israel designated as a terrorist organization in 2021. 

Following intelligence work by the foreign nationals desk at the Judea and Samaria District’s central investigative unit, officers examined the woman’s social media activity. Police said they identified an image taken abroad in which she wore a shirt featuring Netanyahu’s picture alongside a symbol resembling a sniper’s crosshair directed at his head and body.

The suspect was arrested Tuesday evening and questioned at a police station. During questioning, she allegedly accused Israel of genocide and said she had come to Israel to undertake an internship connected to Addameer, with the stated aim of providing legal assistance to Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention facilities.

At the conclusion of the questioning, she was placed in custody. On Wednesday morning, she was brought before the Population and Immigration Authority for a hearing to consider her deportation and a possible ban on future entry into Israel.

The police statement did not identify the woman by name or provide her nationality. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the statement did not include a response from the suspect or her legal representatives.

Police said that the case forms part of a broader effort to prevent foreign activists from traveling to flashpoints in Judea and Samaria to take part in confrontations or disturbances. According to the statement, Israeli authorities have prevented 160 foreign activists from entering the country since the beginning of 2026 and deported more than 60 others.

Judea and Samaria District Commander Moshe Pinchi said police would continue working to prevent what he described as attempts by foreign anti-Israel activists to undermine Israel’s international standing. He called the image targeting Netanyahu an especially serious matter, arguing that it went beyond political opposition and crossed a line into incitement against a sitting prime minister.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel and Colombia inaugurated Colombia’s new embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, a step Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called an important and historic day for bilateral relations and for Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Sa’ar joined Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar at the ceremony to open the mission. In a post on X, Sa’ar noted that Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella had told him in Buenos Aires, well before his election, that if elected he would immediately move Colombia’s embassy to Jerusalem. “He promised — and fulfilled,” Sa’ar wrote.

The opening makes Colombia the 10th country to locate its embassy in Jerusalem. Sa’ar said the number of embassies in the city has doubled since he took office less than two years ago, and he expressed hope that more would follow soon.

The move reverses actions taken under former Colombian President Gustavo Petro. In May 2024, Petro severed diplomatic relations with Israel over its military operations in Gaza, closed Colombia’s embassy in Tel Aviv, and recalled its ambassador. De la Espriella, who took office in August, restored ties, and the two countries reinstated a free trade agreement earlier this week.

Most countries keep their embassies to Israel in Tel Aviv. Israel considers Jerusalem its undivided capital, while Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. The city’s status remains a core issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Several countries, including the United States, have relocated their embassies to Jerusalem since the U.S. move in 2018.

Sa’ar has described the rapid improvement in ties under the new Colombian government as reversing most of the negative effects of the previous administration and opening new areas of cooperation. The embassy is led by Colombian Ambassador Tania Gilinski. Israel’s ambassador to Colombia, Vivian Aisen, also attended related events.

The inauguration follows earlier agreements between the two foreign ministers to fully restore diplomatic and economic relations and exchange ambassadors.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Twenty-two antiquities originating in Greece, seized in 2020 from warehouses in central Israel as part of an investigation into illegal antiquities trading, were returned to Greek authorities on Tuesday.

The artifacts were formally handed over during a ceremony at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, following the completion of legal proceedings in Israel and their confiscation. This marks the first time Israel has returned antiquities to Greece.

The ceremony was attended by Greek Culture Minister Dr. Lina Mendoni, Israeli Ambassador to Greece Adv. Penina Yanai, Amir Ganor, head of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Theft Prevention Unit, and other representatives from both countries.

The event also highlighted growing professional cooperation between Israeli and Greek law enforcement agencies and their shared commitment to protecting cultural heritage.

The artifacts were seized during a joint operation conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Theft Prevention Unit, Israel Police and the Israel Tax Authority. Investigators raided a gallery, warehouses and apartments across central Israel, uncovering thousands of archaeological objects originating from Israel and other parts of the world.

The investigation focused on suspected illegal antiquities trading and the possession of objects believed to have originated from the looting of archaeological sites and ancient tombs throughout the Mediterranean region and elsewhere.

Among the objects returned to Greece are ancient Greek pottery vessels, including pieces dating to the seventh century BCE that feature artistic influences from the ancient Near East.

The collection also includes pottery decorated in the distinctive black-figure and red-figure styles, depicting figures and scenes from Greek mythology. The vessels date from the eighth to the fourth centuries BCE. Such vessels served a variety of purposes in ancient Greek society, including everyday use, religious rituals and burial customs. Some were placed in graves as offerings intended to accompany the deceased.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the return carried particular significance because it was the first time Israel had repatriated antiquities to Greece. “The return of antiquities from Israel to Greece has special meaning,” Mendoni said. “It lays the foundation for deeper cooperation between our countries in protecting cultural heritage.”

She added that every repatriation carries broader moral and symbolic importance, emphasizing that combating the illegal antiquities trade requires international cooperation, mutual trust and a shared commitment to protecting cultural heritage and upholding the law.

Israeli Ambassador Penina Yanai said that removing an antiquity from its place of origin interrupts its historical story. “Today, that story can continue,” she said. “Israel and Greece are two nations with ancient histories and two modern states in which archaeology plays an important role in understanding the past and national identity.”

She added that the ceremony represented more than the return of artifacts, describing it as an expression of respect for history, heritage and the friendship between the two countries.

Amir Ganor, head of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Theft Prevention Unit, warned that illegal antiquities trafficking crosses national borders and can cause irreversible damage to the cultural heritage of the countries from which objects are taken. He said the trade can also provide cover for terrorist financing, organized crime and money laundering. “Interrupting smuggling networks and preventing the continued generation of illegal profits from antiquities help thwart criminal activity and, above all, protect cultural heritage,” Ganor said.

The investigation has also helped establish closer professional ties between Israel’s Theft Prevention Unit and Greece’s antiquities enforcement authorities. Last month, representatives of the two agencies held a joint international enforcement workshop to discuss expanding information-sharing, identifying potentially looted objects and tracing antiquities trafficking routes.

Mendoni noted that during a visit to Jerusalem in March 2025, she discussed expanding cultural cooperation with Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar. She described the return of the artifacts as a practical expression of the commitment established during those discussions. The two countries are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding in the near future to formalize their cooperation in protecting cultural heritage.

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu welcomed the return, saying Israel understands the deep connection between a people and its heritage. He praised the Israel Antiquities Authority and law enforcement agencies in both countries for their work, adding that closer cooperation reflects a shared responsibility to preserve the treasures of the past for future generations

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Two Israeli families have received court approval to use sperm preserved from their deceased sons to have grandchildren, following lengthy legal proceedings that have highlighted the absence of comprehensive legislation governing posthumous reproduction in Israel.

Avi and Sigal Harush, whose son Reef, a 20-year-old soldier in the IDF’s elite Egoz unit, was killed in Gaza in April 2024, received approval this week. On the same day, Irit and Asher Shahar were granted permission to use sperm preserved from their son Omri, an IDF officer who died in a traffic accident during his military service in 2012. The decisions allow both families to proceed with their plans, although they do not guarantee that the process will result in the birth of a child.

For the Harush family, the decision follows more than two years of efforts to fulfill what they believe was Reef’s wish to become a father. According to his father, Reef frequently spoke about his hopes of raising a family. Following his death, the family discovered personal writings in which he emphasized the importance of continuity.

“We never imagined it would happen under these circumstances,” Avi Harush said. “But this is the situation we find ourselves in, and we’re trying to honor Reef’s wishes in the best way possible.”

The family is now preparing to identify a woman who would become the child’s mother, with Reef’s parents serving as grandparents. “We wouldn’t have entered this process if we weren’t absolutely certain this was what Reef wanted,” Harush emphasized.

For the Shahar family, the legal struggle has lasted 14 years. Following Omri’s death in 2012, his parents initially sought permission to have a child using his preserved sperm and raise the child themselves. That request was rejected.

The couple subsequently revised their plans, seeking a woman who would raise the child as its mother while they would take on the role of grandparents. Approximately two and a half years ago, they found a prospective mother who agreed to participate in the process.

However, the state opposed the arrangement, arguing that there was insufficient evidence that Omri would have wanted a child after his death with a woman he had never met. Although a family court initially approved the request, the state appealed to the district court, prolonging the proceedings.

An agreement was eventually reached, allowing the family to move forward. “We’re happy, but it’s restrained happiness,” Irit Shahar said. “We still face another stage, and we don’t know how long it will take or whether it will succeed.”

The two cases reflect a broader debate in Israel over the rights of bereaved families to use sperm retrieved from deceased relatives. According to Health Ministry figures, sperm was retrieved after death from 271 men between October 7, 2023, and November 2025, including 250 soldiers and 21 civilians. In 203 cases, the requests were initiated by parents, while partners initiated the remaining 68.

Although sperm retrieval and preservation are permitted under established procedures, there is no comprehensive Israeli law governing its subsequent use for reproduction. As a result, families frequently require judicial authorization.

Irit Oren Gunders, chairwoman of Or LaMishpachot, an organization supporting approximately 2,700 bereaved military families, criticized the legal difficulties faced by parents. “The state allows parents to preserve their fallen son’s sperm, but when they seek to use it to have a grandchild, they are forced into a long and exhausting legal battle,” she said.

The organization has been advocating legislation that would establish clearer procedures and reduce the need for prolonged court proceedings. The Shahar family has also played a role in efforts to improve IDF procedures concerning posthumous sperm retrieval.

According to Asher Shahar, when his son died in 2012, the family was not informed that sperm retrieval was an option and had to discover the possibility independently.

Today, he said, military representatives inform bereaved families of the option when notifying them of a soldier’s death. The issue has also raised ethical and legal questions concerning the deceased person’s wishes, the rights of prospective mothers and the welfare of children conceived after a parent’s death.

Both families maintain that their decisions reflect their sons’ desire to have children and that any resulting child would be raised by a mother with the support of an extended family.

For the Harush and Shahar families, the court decisions represent an important milestone after years of uncertainty. While further medical and practical steps remain, both families hope the approvals will allow them to preserve their sons’ legacies through future generations.

DUBLIN (VINnews)  — A luxury hotel in Dublin has reportedly canceled a block booking of 70 rooms for delegates attending an international conference on combating antisemitism, allegedly after discovering the purpose of the gathering.

The incident involved the four-star Herbert Park Hotel in the Irish capital’s Ballsbridge neighborhood and was disclosed by Maurice Cohen, chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, during a reception at Ireland’s Foreign Ministry marking the opening of the conference.

According to Cohen, the hotel initially confirmed the reservation for participants attending the 15th meeting of the Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA), but subsequently withdrew the booking after staff learned that the guests were participating in an antisemitism conference.

Cohen also alleged that hotel management questioned whether the event had any connection to the IDF, despite the gathering being an entirely civilian and diplomatic initiative with no military involvement.

The incident was first reported by Israeli media, including Ynet, which said that a hotel manager declined to comment when approached about the allegations. A separate inquiry was reportedly directed to the hotel’s corporate management. No public explanation for the cancellation has been established.

The conference brought together representatives from across the European Union as part of SECCA, an international network supported by the World Jewish Congress and the European Commission.

The meeting took place during Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union and was intended to underscore the country’s commitment to combating antisemitism, including through the working definition developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

The definition, adopted or endorsed by numerous governments and institutions, provides guidance for identifying antisemitism, including instances in which hostility toward Israel crosses into anti-Jewish discrimination.

In May 2026, SECCA representatives issued a joint statement expressing deep concern about rising antisemitism worldwide, including attacks targeting synagogues, Jewish schools and community gatherings. The statement urged governments to strengthen security, prosecute hate crimes and expand Holocaust education.

Jewish community representatives have reported incidents of harassment, intimidation and physical aggression, including allegations of Jews being spat at or assaulted in public places and on public transportation. Relations between Ireland and Israel have also deteriorated sharply amid disagreements over the Gaza conflict.

Recent controversies have included the cancellation of a theatrical production dealing with the October 7 attacks, Irish broadcaster RTÉ’s decision not to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s involvement, and disputes surrounding sporting events involving Israeli teams.

The controversy also coincided with a visit to Dublin by senior Jewish leaders from seven of the world’s largest diaspora communities. On October 13, representatives of the J7, an international coalition of Jewish organizations from Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, gathered at Herzog Park in Dublin to express solidarity with Ireland’s Jewish community.

The delegation met with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, government officials and local Jewish representatives to discuss concerns about antisemitism.

Cohen addressed the gathering, which also featured remarks from Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt on behalf of the international delegation. According to the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the visit was intended to draw attention to antisemitic rhetoric and incidents in Ireland against the backdrop of rising anti-Jewish hatred internationally.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Diplomats from countries that maintain friendly relations with Israel have recently approached charedi political figures to explore whether the charedi parties might be willing to join a government led by former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, according to a report by the Israeli news outlet Hayom.

The reported contacts reflect international interest in possible alternatives to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government ahead of Israel’s next election. According to the report, the diplomats are trying to determine whether support from the charedi parties could help Eisenkot assemble a viable governing coalition.

The diplomats reportedly believe that a government dependent on the Arab parties would struggle to survive politically, while Netanyahu could wait for such a government to collapse and seek to return to power. They are therefore examining whether the charedi parties could provide a more stable alternative. One of their central questions is whether the charedi parties’ rabbinic leadership would approve participation in a government headed by Eisenkot, whose political positions differ from those of the current coalition on several major issues.

The report did not identify the diplomats or the countries they represent, and it did not establish that formal coalition negotiations have begun.

The reported diplomatic feelers come amid growing debate over whether Eisenkot can attract charedi support despite his firm position on military service. In July, Eisenkot said he would be willing to partner with Shas if it accepted his core political principles. However, he has repeatedly insisted that a future government must establish a framework requiring military, national, or civilian service, including for charedi men. He has said he would not abandon that principle even at the cost of another election.

The conscription dispute remains a major obstacle for the charedi parties, whose political leadership has traditionally sought to protect yeshiva students from compulsory military service. A September report in The Jerusalem Post said charedi political figures were considering remaining outside the next coalition until the draft-law crisis was resolved, potentially allowing legislation to advance without their direct participation in government.

The report added that charedi representatives presented their parties as pragmatic on territorial issues. They reportedly told the diplomats that the parties are not driven by a messianic vision of settling Gaza, Lebanon, or Syria, and do not make settlement expansion in Judea and Samaria a central political objective. One charedi source reportedly said the parties would not necessarily block a diplomatic agreement concerning Judea and Samaria, although the rabbis would have the final say if such an agreement came to a vote.

That picture is consistent with broader reporting that the charedi parties generally prioritize religious, educational, budgetary, and community interests over a comprehensive ideological platform on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their positions on settlements and territorial policy are not entirely uniform, however, and the parties’ ultimate decisions would depend on the terms of any proposed agreement.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Tuesday evening that Egypt’s then-intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, visited Israel just 11 days before Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, but firmly denied meeting or speaking with him during the visit.

Speaking on Channel 14’s The Patriots program, Netanyahu addressed reports that Kamel had made a secret trip to Israel on September 26, 2023, allegedly to deliver an urgent warning about Hamas’s preparations for a major attack.

Netanyahu confirmed that Kamel had been in Israel but insisted that he had no contact with him. “He did not meet with me because I was attending a memorial ceremony for IDF soldiers at the time,” Netanyahu said. “The exact timing is known. Therefore, it was a lie from the outset. He neither met nor spoke with me.”

The prime minister also questioned who had met the Egyptian intelligence chief during the visit, saying he had repeatedly sought answers from Israeli security and law enforcement authorities.

“I am the prime minister of Israel. The head of Egyptian intelligence was here, and I want to know whom he met,” Netanyahu said. “I don’t know whom he met. I am trying to find out.”

He suggested that whoever had met Kamel was attempting to shift responsibility onto him, although he offered no evidence identifying the individual or establishing such an effort.

The remarks follow a report in The Atlantic alleging that Kamel had traveled to Israel shortly before the Hamas attack to warn that the terrorist organization was preparing a significant operation and that time was running out to prevent a major escalation.

According to The Atlantic investigation by journalist Vivian Salama, a chartered Cessna aircraft linked to Egyptian intelligence landed at Ben Gurion Airport on September 26, 2023, approximately two hours before Netanyahu addressed a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.

The aircraft reportedly parked in a restricted area used for sensitive diplomatic and security missions and remained in Israel for just 67 minutes before returning to Cairo.
Salama said she verified Kamel’s presence through flight records and interviews with officials from several countries, including Israel, Egypt and the United States.

The investigation claimed that Kamel warned senior Israeli security officials that Hamas appeared to be mobilizing for an unprecedented attack. Although the warning reportedly did not identify a specific date or operational plan, the Egyptian intelligence chief urged Israel to consider economic concessions to Gaza to avert an escalation.
The report also indicated that Egypt had delivered additional warnings through other channels, including written communications, in the weeks preceding October 7.

Tuesday’s acknowledgment establishes that Kamel did visit Israel, while leaving unresolved who received his warning, whether its contents were passed to Netanyahu, and what action Israeli authorities took in response.

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of the intelligence and political failures preceding October 7, when Hamas-led terrorists invaded southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 others.

The central unanswered question is no longer whether Egypt’s intelligence chief was in Israel shortly before the massacre, but what happened to the warning he reportedly delivered and whether it reached the country’s highest political and security leadership.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (VINnews) — A longtime South Jersey deli is facing a $1,000 civil penalty from New Jersey regulators for using terms such as “Jewish” and “kosher-style” on its menu and website without a required disclaimer that its food is not kosher.

The Kibitz Room, a New York-style deli on Springdale Road in the Shoppes at Holly Ravine that has operated since the mid-1990s, was issued a notice of violation after a Sept. 16 inspection by the state Division of Consumer Affairs. The Oct. 7 notice seeks the penalty under a consumer-protection rule that requires businesses not representing their food as kosher to prominently disclose that fact when advertising with words including “Jewish,” “Hebrew,” or “kosher-style.”

The state is not alleging the deli sold non-kosher food as kosher. Instead, the citation cites the restaurant’s website description of itself as a “New York-style Jewish deli serving overstuffed sandwiches, hand-cut pastrami, and traditional favorites since 1996,” along with a menu item called a “Jewish cheesesteak.”

Brandon Parish, who began managing the deli earlier this year after it reopened following a period of closure and bankruptcy proceedings involving prior operators, called the action “totally ludicrous.”

“There is a distinction between being Jewish and being kosher. We claim to be a Jewish-style delicatessen. That doesn’t mean we’re kosher,” Parish told reporters. He described the enforcement effort as a “schmear campaign” and noted the deli serves items such as shrimp and bacon that clearly signal it is not a kosher establishment.

Parish said he plans to post the required “not kosher” notices on the door and menu to comply but intends to challenge the citation at a hearing scheduled for Oct. 28. He argued that regulators should focus enforcement resources on protecting actual kosher consumers rather than non-kosher businesses.

The Division of Consumer Affairs confirmed it issued the notice of violation but declined further comment, citing the ongoing enforcement matter.

Customers interviewed by local media said regulars understand the deli is not kosher. One described the fine as unnecessary for a “kosher-style” restaurant that makes no kosher claim.

New Jersey’s rule, part of regulations implementing the state’s Kosher Food Consumer Protection Act, aims to prevent consumer confusion by requiring clear disclaimers in specific type sizes and placements on menus, signs, and advertisements. Some other New Jersey delis that use similar language include “Not Kosher” statements on their websites or materials, though enforcement appears uneven.

The Kibitz Room is known for oversized sandwiches, hand-sliced smoked fish, and a pickle bar. It reopened in May under Parish and his father after earlier financial difficulties.

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — A super PAC aligned with President Donald Trump is canceling remaining planned spending in the districts of two sitting House Republicans less than a month before Election Day, citing polling that shows their re-election prospects have weakened, according to people familiar with the plans.

MAGA Inc. is reallocating investments that had been set for the seats held by Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, a source familiar with the decision confirmed to Fox News Digital. The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC tied to House Republican leadership, is also withdrawing its remaining support from the same districts and redirecting resources elsewhere, sources said.​

The moves, first reported by The New York Times, come as Republicans work to defend a narrow House majority. The latest Fox News Power Rankings project Democrats with an edge in 219 seats — the number needed for control — while Republicans are favored in 198, with 19 seats still considered competitive. Both Kean and Miller-Meeks represent purple districts that have flipped or been closely contested in recent cycles.​

Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District in the suburbs and exurbs of New York City, won the seat in 2022 by fewer than 10,000 votes and secured a wider margin in 2024. He faces Democrat Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot. A source close to Kean’s campaign said the race remains “fully funded down the home stretch” through party and candidate efforts, and noted that his Democratic opponent lacks soft-dollar reservations on her behalf. A spokesperson for the Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC responded that national Republicans were “abandoning” the race and that Democrats expect to flip the seat.​

Miller-Meeks is seeking a fourth term in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Davenport and Iowa City. She first won the seat in 2020 by six votes and later defeated Democrat Christina Bohannan by larger and then very narrow margins. Fox News Digital reported that her campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.​

The Congressional Leadership Fund is shifting resources toward other races it views as more attainable, including those involving Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Monica De La Cruz of Texas, according to reporting. The group is also pulling back from efforts to unseat Democratic incumbents in Michigan’s 8th District and Ohio’s 1st District, sources familiar with the plans said. CLF President Chris Winkelman has described similar reallocations as moves intended to “keep the pressure on the most vulnerable Democrats and preserve a path to 218 seats.”​

The funding decisions reflect a broader triage by major Republican outside groups in the final weeks of the campaign as they concentrate resources on races they believe remain winnable.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman clashed over antisemitism, public safety and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during their only scheduled gubernatorial debate Tuesday night.

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, invoked the deadly 1991 Crown Heights riots in Brooklyn to question whether Jewish New Yorkers would be protected under the city’s current leadership, according to Haaretz.

The exchange placed antisemitism and concerns about the safety of Jewish communities at the center of the debate ahead of the November election.

Hochul, a Democrat seeking another term, accused Blakeman of undermining public confidence in the New York Police Department, setting up a dispute over policing and how officials should address threats facing Jewish residents.

The candidates also sparred over Mamdani, whose positions and political ties have become a point of contention in the governor’s race, as well as President Donald Trump.

The debate was the only one scheduled between Hochul and Blakeman before Election Day, giving both candidates an opportunity to present their positions on public safety, antisemitism and the direction of New York state.

REGGIO EMILIA, ITALY (VINnews) — A group of roughly 100 Jewish early childhood educators from the United States and Israel canceled a planned professional study trip to northern Italy after organizers required them to sign a statement condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, according to reports from Jewish Insider and the Times of Israel.

The educators, affiliated with the U.S.-based Paradigm Project, a professional learning network for early childhood teachers, had been scheduled to visit Reggio Emilia from Oct. 11 to 16. The goal was to observe and learn the Reggio Emilia Approach, a postwar educational philosophy developed in the region that emphasizes children’s curiosity, hands-on exploration, collaboration and classrooms designed around the interests of young learners. The approach has been widely adopted by Jewish preschools in the United States because educators see its focus on individual potential, relationships and community as consistent with Jewish values.

Before the trip, participants were told they must sign a declaration that read, in part: “I distance myself from the occupation of Gaza and the violation of children’s and human beings’ rights in the occupied territories as well as in every place in the world.” The requirement followed objections from some parents linked to Reggio Children, the Italian organization that oversees the educational approach and had been working with the Paradigm Project. Critics of the visit claimed that schools represented by the educators supported the Israel Defense Forces. Reggio Children was also reportedly preparing a separate document for visiting groups that called for keeping “militarization out of schools.”

Pesha Kletenik, head of Manhattan Day School and one of the educators who had planned to attend, said participants’ identities were made public and their personal and institutional social media profiles were reviewed and characterized as demonstrating support for Israel and the IDF. Melissa Davis of Washington, D.C.’s Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School described the demand as one of “the ripple effects of global antisemitism” and called the canceled trip “a loss for our community in the near term — our teachers, and in turn, their students will not be enriched by this experience.”

The Paradigm Project informed Reggio Children that the visit would not proceed, stating that meaningful professional learning requires “a calm, open setting” that the current climate did not provide. Organizers expressed hope that the relationship could be repaired and that future collaboration might still be possible.

Italian Senator Ivan Scalfarotto of the center-left Italia Viva party criticized the requirement on social media, writing: “Asking Jews, as Jews, to distance themselves from the policies of the Israeli government is antisemitism.” He added that the incident in Reggio Emilia, a city with a long democratic tradition, left him “appalled.”

The episode occurs against a backdrop of documented increases in antisemitic incidents in Italy. The Center of Contemporary Jewish Documentation has reported hundreds of such incidents in recent years, and surveys have indicated that a notable minority of Italians view attacks on Jews as justifiable.

The Reggio Emilia Approach remains influential in early childhood education worldwide. Many Jewish day schools and preschools have integrated its principles while adapting them to their own values and communities.

NEW YORK (VINnews) – A 33-year-old Jefferson County man was charged last week with threatening federal law enforcement officers after FBI agents attempted to question him about alleged antisemitic threats made to a Jewish charity.

Dylan Daniell, of La Fargeville, New York, was arraigned Friday in federal court in Syracuse on a criminal complaint charging him with threatening a federal officer. He was ordered held in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 15.

According to the complaint, a Jewish nonprofit received several calls in May in which the caller threatened violence against Jews, including saying he wanted to put them “in a gas chamber and kill them.”

The FBI identified Daniell as the likely user of the phone number used to make the calls, prosecutors said.

On Oct. 7, two FBI agents went to Daniell’s residence to question him about the calls. After identifying themselves, the agents were allegedly threatened by Daniell, who said, among other things, “only good cop is a dead cop” and warned them to leave before he pulled something out on them.

About four hours later, one of the agents received a text message from Daniell’s phone number warning, “You ever come to my house again you will not like it. That’s not a threat that’s a promise,” according to the complaint.

FBI Albany Field Office Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli said the allegations involved disturbing threats against a Jewish charity followed by threats against the agents investigating the case.

Daniell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted, along with a potential fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release.

The FBI is investigating with assistance from New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.

The allegations in the complaint have not been proven. Daniell is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An engineer at OpenAI has been charged with secretly installing a recording device inside a conference room in what officials said Tuesday was an effort to capture sensitive conversations about the company’s technology.

The employee, identified as a 35-year-old Saudi national named Abdulrahman Alfozan, was arrested Friday, a week after the ChatGPT maker discovered an audio recording device hidden in the conference room, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in San Francisco.

The complaint did not identify the company, but the company confirmed in a separate statement that it had discovered a “sophisticated recording device that was hidden inside one of our offices,” reported the finding to the FBI and fired the employee.

“We used our models to understand the device and where it had come from, identifying that a specific employee had planted it a few days earlier. We referred the matter to the FBI, and we’re grateful to the agents and prosecutors who moved quickly to make an arrest. The FBI’s investigation is ongoing and we will continue to support their work,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.

“At this time, we have no indications of this individual inappropriately accessing or exfiltrating model weights, source code, or customer data. The employee was terminated,” the statement said.

The complaint does not detail what Alfozan might have wanted to do with any captured communications.

Alfozan made his first court appearance Tuesday on a charge of using or endeavoring to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept oral communications. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.

The recording device was found September 30 concealed in toilet paper and inserted into a USB port on the back of a television in the conference room, according to the complaint.

Though the conference room where the recording device was found did not have a camera at the time it was installed, closed-circuit television footage inside the company’s offices revealed that Alfozan was near the conference room on a half-dozen occasions last month despite not having any authority to access the space, the complaint says.

The company subsequently added a camera to the room that last week captured Alfozan entering and checking behind the television where the recording device was installed, according to the FBI.

The complaint also he also used a productivity tool to make multiple inquiries about the company’s building addresses, meeting rooms, meeting-room capacities and calendars.

Before his arrest last week, the complaint says, Alfozan left an unattended bag in a different room in the building that included his wallet, identification and another recording device.

WASHINGTON (AP) — CVS Pharmacy Inc. and various subsidiaries have agreed to pay $315 million to resolve a Justice Department case alleging it unlawfully dispensed medically unnecessary prescriptions of highly addictive opioids, officials said Tuesday.

The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought in 2024 that accused the healthcare giant of providing massive amounts of opioids and other controlled substances “to fuel its own profits at the expense of public health and safety.”

It’s the latest effort by the federal government to hold accountable companies that officials have alleged helped fuel the U.S. addiction and overdose crisis.

“Today’s settlement is a significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by cracking down on pharmacies who unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in an emailed statement.

CVS said in a statement that its pharmacists were trained “in the safe and appropriate use of all medications” and that it had implemented “best-in-class” programs to help them “make the best decisions on behalf of patients.”

The company said it strongly disagreed with the claims made in the lawsuit and that the settlement admits no wrongdoing.

The company said in 2024 that pharmacists were being held to “vague, undefined, and ever-changing standards of practice” when it comes to filling prescription opioids.

The lawsuit filed under President Joe Biden’s administration accused CVS of violating the Controlled Substances Act by filling illegitimate prescriptions for high doses of potent opioids that “fed dependence and addiction.” The Justice Department alleged it dispensed large quantities of opioids based on prescriptions from known “pill mills,” or providers that hand out prescriptions for drugs without a legitimate medical purpose.

It alleged that poor staffing levels coupled with performance metrics and incentive compensation policies implemented by the company led to pharmacists racing to fill prescriptions without confirming they were legitimate. The prescriptions were often billed to and reimbursed by Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs, the lawsuit says.

Under the settlement, CVS must also “implement additional safeguards to ensure that prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances are dispensed only when medically appropriate,” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, who leads the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said in a statement.

Over the last decade, drugmakers, wholesalers, pharmacies and other companies have agreed to settlements with governments in the U.S. totaling over $50 billion. Most of the money is intended to go to address the crisis, which has been linked to more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. some years, though the numbers have fallen sharply recently.

Most of the settlements — and dollars — have been with state and local governments, but the U.S. has reached several deals, including in the last two years with the pharmacies Walgreens and Walmart.

(AP) – A man who fell to his death from a roller coaster at an Atlanta-area amusement park was not the first to die on such a ride in recent years.

Authorities have not released information about how 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was thrown from Goliath at Six Flags over Georgia on Monday. Several people also were injured.

Here’s a look at other fatalities and injuries on U.S. roller coasters:

Six Flags Magic Mountain
The park in Southern California announced last month that it was retiring its famous X2 roller coaster following lawsuits alleging riders suffered serious brain injuries. The park settled one wrongful-death lawsuit with the family of a 22-year-old rider who was rushed to a hospital with severe brain bleeding in 2022. He died a day later. The medical examiner’s office determined he died from “blunt head trauma.” Six Flags Entertainment Corp. said the ride had consistently passed safety tests.

Epic Universe
A medical examiner concluded last year that a man who was unresponsive after riding a roller coaster at the Universal Orlando Resort park died from blunt impact injuries. Joshua Stephany, the medical examiner for the Orlando area, ruled the death an accident. The man in his 30s was found unresponsive after riding Stardust Racers.

Texas Giant
In 2013, a woman riding a roller coaster in Texas died after she was thrown from her seat, fell 75 feet (23 meters) and struck a metal beam. Witnesses said the woman expressed concern about the Texas Giant roller coaster’s safety bar not completely engaging as the ride was starting.

Darien Lake
A U.S. Army veteran who lost both legs in Iraq was killed in 2011 after he was thrown from a roller coaster at Darien Lake Theme Park & Resort in upstate New York. Investigators said operators did not follow rules posted at the ride’s entrance, which require that riders have both legs.

Dixie Landin’
A 21-year-old rider fell to her death from a roller coaster at the amusement park in Louisiana in 2010. A state investigation could not determine a cause.

Disneyland
In 2003, a locomotive broke loose from a train on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster in California, killing a man and injuring multiple other riders. The car derailed after a guide wheel fell off. State investigators found the wheel was not tightened according to Disney’s standards and a safety wire was not installed.

(AP) – President Donald Trump questioned Rep. Ilhan Omar’s finances in a Truth Social post, alleging that a financial disclosure initially reported a net worth of up to $30 million before being corrected to approximately $100,000.

Trump suggested, without providing evidence, that the original figure could be connected to alleged fraud in Minnesota. He also questioned Omar’s property holdings, vehicles and her husband’s finances.

The president called for answers about Omar’s wealth and raised questions about alleged immigration-related activities involving Somali nationals.

Trump’s claims have not been established by the statements in his post. The circumstances surrounding the reported financial disclosure discrepancy, including the original filing and the explanation for any correction, would need to be independently verified.

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — Israeli defense firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has displayed a full-scale model of its Sky Sonic interceptor, a system under development to counter hypersonic missiles, at the Association of the United States Army exhibition this week.​

The model, shown at the event that opened Monday in Washington, marks a rare public appearance for the project, which Rafael first announced in June 2023 and has kept largely under wraps for more than three years. Roughly 25 Israeli defense companies are participating in the exhibition as they look to expand their presence in the U.S. market.​

Israeli firms showcase next-generation defense tech at AUSA expo in Washington | All Israel News

Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound and can alter course in flight, making them harder for conventional air defenses to detect, track and intercept than traditional ballistic missiles. According to Rafael, Sky Sonic is designed to match speeds of Mach 5 to 10 and intercept hypersonic atmospheric cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and glide vehicles, using real-time sensor data to track unpredictable trajectories.​

Rafael Chairman Yuval Steinitz said in 2023 that work on the interceptor had begun earlier in the decade and drew on the company’s existing technology. He described the project as being in advanced development and said initial flight tests were expected soon. The company has released little further information since then and has not disclosed whether flight tests have occurred or when the system might become operational.​

The program was unveiled amid growing international attention to hypersonic weapons, following Russia’s use of such missiles against Ukraine and claims by Iran of advances in the technology. Rafael has positioned Sky Sonic as part of efforts to address these emerging threats. The company is also displaying interceptors associated with its Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems, along with a high-power laser system, at the exhibition.​

Technical details of Sky Sonic remain classified. The full-scale model offers the clearest public view yet of the interceptor more than three years after its initial announcement.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department said Tuesday that it’s imposing $1.2 billion in fines on Bank of America for allegedly violating anti-money laundering and sanctions laws.

The fines on America’s second-biggest bank amount to the third-largest in the department’s history.

“When a bank of this size fails to meet its anti-money laundering and sanctions obligations, the consequences extend far beyond its own walls, exposing the entire U.S. financial system to significant illicit finance risks,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “Today’s actions send a clear message that even the biggest financial institutions are not above the law.”

Treasury said Bank of America also reached an $11.6 million settlement with the department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control over “apparent violations of numerous sanctions programs, including on Iran, Russia, narcotics, and global terrorism.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Nelson Vandermeer voted Republican for decades but balked at supporting President Donald Trump, fearing that the Republican’s plan for tariffs on imports would hurt workers more than help.

Last year, Vandermeer’s premonition came true in a very personal way. The 62-year-old lost his job as a product designer at Howard Miller, a clockmaker that relied on parts produced overseas. After a century in business, the company in Zeeland, Michigan, closed its factory, sold off its inventory and brand name and laid off nearly 200 workers.

“So much for bringing jobs back,” Vandermeer said. Next month, he plans to vote straight Democrat in the midterms.

As if an unpopular war with Iran and persistent inflation were not enough trouble for Republicans, they are confronting a backlash over the tariffs that Trump made a cornerstone of his economic agenda. He promised that charging higher taxes on imports would spur a factory renaissance in the United States, but that has not come to pass. Although the country has added manufacturing jobs so far this year, the sector has fewer employees than when Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers insisted that a factory boom is underway, citing increases in manufacturing output and more work in certain nonresidential construction trades. “Factory construction jobs of today mean more manufacturing jobs down the road once those factories come online,” she said.

Even before the tariffs, Howard Miller struggled as Americans lost their taste for fancy timepieces such as its signature grandfather and mantel clocks. So the company broadened its offerings years ago to include bar carts, cabinets and consoles.

But those products also depended on glass and other parts from abroad, and diversification did not ensure survival.

“I could still have a job, but now I don’t because of tariffs,” Vandermeer said. “It was like taking a knife to the back.”

Job losses pile up in battleground states
Vandermeer lives in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which is represented by Republican Bill Huizenga, who is running for a ninth term in the Nov. 3 election.

Before Trump implemented his broadest set of tariffs last year, on what the president called “Liberation Day,” Huizenga was supportive.

“Is it going to be easy? Not necessarily. Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely it is,” he told reporters at the time.

A spokesperson for Huizenga said last week that the congressman “sees a potential role for tariffs” for boosting domestic manufacturing “while recognizing the need to address their broader economic effects.” His Democratic opponent, state Sen. Sean McCann, has criticized the incumbent for opposing legislation that would rein in tariffs that Trump imposed unilaterally.

There are similar issues in competitive races in Kansas, Iowa and Ohio, where Republican acquiescence could hurt the party on Election Day as their constituents face factory layoffs, farm foreclosures and higher prices.

Tracy Chew, 55, voted for Trump in 2016, then for Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024.

She used to work for Case, a backhoe manufacturer, but the company announced before the tariffs that it would close its plant in Burlington, Iowa. She lost her job in April, as did her daughter, followed by husband and son-in-law over the next few weeks.

Chew is leaning toward voting for Democrats again this year, feeling that Trump let them down.

“I’m furious he isn’t doing enough,” she said. “Tariffs are not targeting the right companies, the right amount.”

Layoffs in Iowa have piled up elsewhere.

Winnebago Industries, which produces recreational vehicles like campers, cut 200 jobs last year after the cost of importing aluminum, steel and electronics increased by tens of millions of dollars.

“It’s a day to day battle,” said Michael Happe, the company’s chief executive.

In the tight race for an open U.S. Senate seat in Iowa, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson faces Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek. There is a close contest, too, in Kansas, where Democrat Adam Hamilton, the pastor of the largest United Methodist Church in the U.S., is trying to unseat Republican Roger Marshall.

Cole Hoppock, chief executive of appliance maker Vornado Air in Wichita, Kansas, said Trump’s tariffs “impacted virtually everything.” The company known for its retro household fans laid off more than 70 factory workers in February, blaming higher prices for imported parts.

Trump’s trade policy could force cutbacks soon at another Kansas employer, Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier. Trump has threatened to ban the company’s sales in the U.S. if Bombardier does not start making all its planes in the U.S. Bombardier said it buys parts from 2,800 companies in 47 states, including in Kansas, where it employs more than 1,000 people

Trump’s approach to trade is unpopular
Trump has spent years complaining that other countries are ripping off the U.S. when it comes to trade. Most economists say he is wrong and that his remedy — broad universal tariffs — would cause more pain than help.

Now most Americans disagree with Trump’s approach, according to The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A September poll showed only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of trade negotiations, compared with 4 in 10 in March.

Some of Trump’s tariffs have been haphazard.

He targeted Brazil because of political differences and he jacked up tariffs on China to levels so extreme that they risked a recession and forced the president to retreat. The Supreme Court in February ruled against Trump’s declaration of an emergency to roll out his “Liberation Day” tariffs last year, leaving foreign trade unsettled as the administration continues to adjust with new levies and threats.

Tariffs are far from the only reason for the lost of manufacturing jobs, and factories have cut workers for decades with or without them. Even some Republicans who dislike Trump’s approach will not split with the party.

Bicycle Corp. of America, which closed its factory in South Carolina last year, blamed rising prices for imported parts. Koby Bird, who retired after working in quality control, likes tariffs but was frustrated by Trump’s habit of raising and lowering them seemingly at whim.

“It was all over the place,” Bird said. “Businesses couldn’t plan.”

Next month, Bird is likely to stick with Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, because tariffs are only one issue and he believes Democrats would spend too much money on the wrong things.

Ernie Goss, an economist at Creighton University in Nebraska, said manufacturing woes may not convert to Democratic victories. He said some people may “think the tariffs in the long run will work.”

Some workers may be turning on Trump
Wendell Young, a union leader in Pennsylvania, where several factories have had layoffs, said he senses a backlash among workers.

Last summer, Young said he got a firestorm of angry responses to his email blaming tariffs for a decision by Post Holdings to cut 160 jobs at a local pet food factory.

“Keep politics out of this,” wrote one of workers at the plant in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. “President Trump isn’t the reason.”

“People used to beat me up for not supporting Trump. I haven’t heard that in a year,” said Young, president of Local 1776 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. “Some of these people are red Republicans and they are shocked. They expected more jobs.”

Post Holdings ultimately agreed to reduce the head count by offering severance for people to leave, but lower production had a ripple effect.

Local can manufacturer Trivium Packaging decided to cut several jobs because they were getting less orders from Post and other companies, according to Young’s union.

“I understand the mindset behind tariffs, but I just don’t know if it’s working,” said former Post worker Heather Kingston. She left for another company before the layoffs, and her husband is still working at Post. “There doesn’t seem to be many manufacturing jobs moving into the area,” she said.

Kingston said she voted for Republican Dan Meuser in the 9th District last time but is having doubts this year. Meuser’s seat is considered safe, but other races in the state are up for grabs, including in the 7th and 8th districts, which are near the Post and Trivium factories.

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police say DNA evidence ties one of their former homicide detectives to the decades-old murder of an 8-year-old girl who was abducted as she was walking to church more than 65 years ago.

Gloria Kowalewicz was found shot dead in a ditch in 1960, just hours after she went missing. Chicago police say new technology allowed them to match a fingerprint and DNA from the crime scene to Thomas F. McInerney Jr., then a detective working on violent crimes.

“McInerney should never have worn the CPD star, and it is devastating to accept that he was never identified and held accountable while he was alive,” police said in a statement provided to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Gloria was walking just a few blocks from her home to a morning Mass on Nov. 12, 1960, but she never made it, according to police. She was found around four hours later, her body dumped in a forest preserve in southwest Chicago.

Authorities formed a task force to investigate. They “knocked on hundreds of doors,” interviewed more than 1,300 people and questioned more than a dozen people under polygraph, according to the statement.

Police collected and preserved a bullet, Gloria’s coat and shoes, and a white communion purse that held her prayer book. Using modern forensic technology and with assistance from the FBI and Illinois State Police, investigators linked DNA found on those items and a “carefully preserved” fingerprint lifted from Gloria’s purse strap to McInerney.

The FBI said in a statement to The AP that it was “pursuing every investigative lead that may bring closure on other potential unsolved crimes that occurred during that time period in our area.”

The technology used to identify McInerney allows federal and local law enforcement agencies to compare evidence with genetic profiles on genealogical websites. It was previously used to identify the Golden State Killer more than four decades after the case was first opened by identifying DNA from a tissue left in a trash can. The technology has prompted privacy concerns.

McInerney joined the Chicago Police Department a year before the murder and retired in 1987, police said. He then worked for the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Reno and Las Vegas until he retired in 2004, according to a Chicago Tribune obituary. He died in 2006.