For months after September 11, there was a bottle of Coke in my car that I could not bring myself to touch. People riding with me asked why I didn’t throw it away. I told them I couldn’t. It was the last thing I had from my friend.

I met him in 2001 at a business conference in New York, one of those events that runs over several weeks. At one of the breaks a young man came over and started talking with me. He could see I was an Orthodox Jew. Within minutes we discovered we were both from France, and we clicked immediately. He was observant himself, but in the way of many French Jews: nothing outward at the office, no yarmulke at work, but he went to shul to pray. He was so happy to have found an Orthodox Jewish friend in New York.

He had recently moved to America to build a new life. He didn’t have a car yet, so I drove him home after the sessions. Our friendship grew through those drives.

He had just started working at Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center. His wife was expecting their first child. They knew it was a boy, and we had already planned that I would perform his bris. He was so excited. They were building a future in America and preparing to become parents.

The last time I saw him was the night of September 10, 2001, driving him home. He left that bottle of Coke in my car.

The next morning, as the attacks unfolded, I knew immediately where he worked. I called his phone over and over. No answer. Then I called his wife. She was crying. He had managed to reach her from inside the building. There was heavy smoke, he told her. He was trapped with several others, and they were trying to find a way out. That was the last time she heard his voice.

Cantor Fitzgerald occupied floors 101 through 105 of the North Tower. It lost 658 people that day, more than any other company. My friend never came home.

In the days that followed, the chevra kadisha organizations were working to identify Jewish victims, so that they could be brought to a proper Jewish burial. Tzitzis could identify a man as a Jew. I was trying to help his wife through that process, and there was a question I could barely bring myself to ask her: had he been wearing tzitzis that morning?

He almost never wore them to work, she told me. But on that particular morning, he had them on.

Her answer has never left me. I cannot explain why that day was different. And as far as I know, he was never identified.

His wife went back to Paris, to her parents I believe, and we lost touch. Their son turns 25 this year. I never learned whether his bris ever happened.

Another man from France comes to mind when I think about those tzitzis. He was a successful Wall Street executive, originally from Paris, who had grown up with almost no Jewish education. He knew very little about Yiddishkeit, but he had always known he was Jewish.

Later in life, he began exploring his Jewish roots. When he learned that a Jewish male is meant to have a bris milah, he insisted on doing it immediately. I performed his adult bris.

I give adults reconnecting with Judaism several traditional items, including tzitzis, a siddur and a Chumash. This man was rushing straight back to his Manhattan office. He put the tzitzis on over his clothes.

I gently suggested that he might want to wear them under his shirt while walking through midtown. He answered immediately: “No. I’m proud to be Jewish. I want everyone to see that I’m Jewish.”

Two men from France. One had almost nothing of Judaism growing up and wanted the whole world to see his tzitzis. The other lived his Judaism quietly, the French way, nothing showing at the office, and wore his tzitzis, for a reason I will never know, on the last morning of his life.

People ask me what forty years as a mohel has taught me about the Jewish soul. I think of these two men. A person can carry his Jewishness where no one sees it, and it is there all the same. On the hardest day this city has ever known, it showed itself.

Rabbi Nechemia Markovits, M.B., is a certified mohel in Brooklyn, New York, and has served families since 1986.

“I was born in a country that no longer exists,” Igor Tulchinsky tells me simply at the beginning of our interview. “The Soviet Union.” 

Tulchinsky, who was born in what is now called the Republic of Belarus, left his home at the age of 11. It was the 1970s, when the Cold War between the communist East and the USA-led West was at its most dangerous. Many believed the third world war, and maybe even nuclear conflict, was coming as the two super-powers battled for control and influence around the world. 

His parents, both accomplished musicians, were allowed to leave with 1 ruble, worth anywhere between 20¢ and 50¢ according to black market rates (no Soviet citizens could gain the official rate of 1 ruble to $1.30). “My father spent it on a piece of gum as soon as we crossed the border,” Tulchinsky tells me. “And symbolically it was Polish gum, and it melted in my mouth as I chewed it.” 

His childhood experience taught him that life was often about risk. And that without risk, results are often poorer. 

“My parents took very big risks,” he says. “In those days, when you applied to get out, you could get permission, or you could get a denial. If you got into a denial process, you were without a job. Everybody thinks you’re a traitor, and you just kind of live in the shadows. But thankfully, that didn’t happen, and we went to Italy, applied for refugee status in the United States, and received the status in about four months. 

“It’s a kind of move that changes you. It puts you in a place where you’re okay taking risks and understanding that sometimes big risks should be taken because even if you don’t try to take them, they can take you.” 

Igor Tulchinsky pictured with his mother. His parents are both accomplished musicians.

WorldQuant

Tulchinsky made his fortune in the world of algorithmic trading in the financial markets. He is the founder of the hedge fund, WorldQuant, which was spun-out from Millennium, Israel Englander’s U.S. quant business. 

Tulchinsky says AI is changing everything they do and will soon lead to a 100-fold leap in productivity for WorldQuant. The firm is investing heavily in structuring presently unstructured financial data and finding value as they progress. 

So, it may seem odd that a man whose net worth is estimated at $1.7 billion and who works at the cutting edge of the technological revolution is interested in a 1,000-year-old tapestry that is the centerpiece of the British Museum’s biggest blockbuster show in 50 years. 

The Bayeux Tapestry exhibition opened this month in London. More than 65,000 people queued online for tickets when they were first released and it is now sold out until the end of the year. More than 1 million people are expected to file past the 70-meter-long embroidery, which marks the French Norman conquest of Anglo-Saxon England in 1066—the last time Britain was successfully invaded. It is the first time the tapestry has been seen in the U.K. 

Tulchinsky has donated £5m ($6.8m) to the British Museum to support the exhibition which has been described by King Charles as a “remarkable artwork”. Tulchinsky says bringing history to the next generation of young people drives him to act, and that seeing something that is both physical and ancient leads to greater creativity and a deeper sense of what only humans can do. In the age of always-on social media and large language models, such skills are increasingly important. 

“When you just give money to somebody, they take the money, they spend it, it’s gone,” he says. “When you give somebody a skill, the skill stays with them their whole life, and maybe a part of it gets transferred across generations, and so on. It’s like in business. I look for maximum output per dollar spent. In philanthropy, I also look for maximum impact for dollar spent. 

“If businesses are doing philanthropy in a way that’s not maximally impactful, we’re not getting the full benefit of it. It’s just money shifting locations. We really want philanthropy to create permanent skills that compound exponentially over time. [We say that] talent is distributed equally around the world, but opportunity is not. So, in the big picture, we want to close that gap by providing opportunity to talent where there isn’t any opportunity, and by education.” 

The WorldQuant Foundation funds WorldQuant University, which offers free online education programs in financial engineering and applied AI. As technology advances and the delivery of information expands, slowing down and considering longer timeframes becomes increasingly valuable. 

More than 1 million people are expected to file past the 70-meter-long embroidery, which marks the French Norman conquest of Anglo-Saxon England in 1066—the last time Britain was successfully invaded. 

The British Museum

“Looking at what [the Bayeux Tapestry] is, how important it is historically; it shows essentially the formation of England,” Tulchinsky says. “And [then] the huge size of it, the precision, the fact that it’s a physical object that you can go and look at. It takes you away from the war of the world of Instagram and TikTok and all that stuff.” 

King Charles, President Emmanuel Macron of France and the U.K. Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, were given a private view of the tapestry last week. Macron said the work was a “masterpiece”. 

“People who see the tapestry become influenced,” Tulchinsky says. “They take a few steps back from Instagram and a few steps into the past, and looking into the past is a little bit like flying really high in the sky. You look down, and everything looks small and inconsequential. And when you look into the past, it does the same thing for the present. 

“We really want philanthropy to create permanent skills that compound exponentially over time”

Igor Tulchinsky

“If you look deeply enough, [it gives you a] kind of respect and humility and understanding that perhaps in some ways those times were much more difficult and demanded strength and character that may not be in such demand today.” 

The tapestry is thought to have been embroidered in England by a large group of skilled craftswomen before being taken back to Bayeux in France to be displayed. It was commissioned by a cousin of the victor in the war against England, the Duke of Normandy, later known as William the Conqueror. In its complexity, Tulchinsky sees the earliest echoes of what we now call systems thinking. 

“They compressed a big tale into 70 meters of art—that’s mathematical. It requires broad understanding. It requires compression. It requires putting things in the right places and doing that without losing the meaning of the story. So definitely, there is an art to math connection.” 

Philanthropy focuses on the mechanisms of giving to others. But Tulchinsky also knows its positive effects can be felt closer to home. Until his team approached him about the opportunity to fund the Bayeux exhibition, he had not heard of the embroidery. 

“Social media doesn’t require attention span,” he says. “Everything is served to you to build up your dopamine. But here you have to examine something very big, and you have to think.  

“And we cannot lose these things because if we do, there’ll be nobody around who can manage the AI. Somebody has to manage it, and the person who manages it has to be a broad thinker and has to have a deep understanding of not only AI but different subjects, critical thinking. 

“Seeing these kinds of things in a new way, that are out of this world, they increase your creativity because your brain just puts things together in different ways, and you see something here, and then you apply it there. So, in ways that can’t even be foreseen, I expect to get a creativity boost following seeing and understanding the tapestry.” 

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Dear Editor:

I am writing because I am truly broken and hurt for the tragedies that happened this year all over, not only lakewood, five towns, monsey – every Jewish community was affected…….

I would like to share my personal story with you. Twenty four years ago my son died on the delivery table in a cord accident. Needless to say that my life has changed instantly and will never go back to the way it was. In addition, recently, I saw the beautiful story of Shalom for Charlotte which broke every human heart. The family managed to find Hashem and spread light – when darkness was around them. There is something beautiful that comes out of humility and there is nothing more humbling than losing a child/sibling.

When I hear of alienation – I also always hear the words – time to heal – not ready etc. Everyone knows its just words to rationalize the desires of the ego and to go down a path created by the evil inclination. Good luck to all of you who do this to your parents or others who are complicit in helping these children make poor choices.

What happened to me and others who lost young ones – we can never know what caused this tragedy. However, for sure, I have become more sensitive to alienation inasmuch as my son needed to be buried as it is a commandment in the torah while other children bury their parents alive obviously it is no mitzva – quite the contrary – despite what other therapists or rabbanim say.

Keep in mind, life is short, if you hurt someone, wait – its not the end of the story. Look no further than the torah, the stories of the torah show us what Carma is and it is called midda kneged midda. Never wonder why things are great even though there is deception and fraud lying right next to you. Hashem does not forget any deed.

I close with a blessing that people should ask themselves every day as many times as they can, “Is Hashem happy with my choices.” Those who have alienated their parents obviously know the answer is a big NO. But their fragile ego is stubborn.

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

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he currently has no intention of running for president in 2028, pushing back on mounting speculation about his political future while stopping short of ruling out another White House bid later on. His comments come as Vice President JD Vance is also widely discussed as a possible contender for the Republican nomination. Rubio made the remarks during an interview with Colombia’s RCN while traveling in South America.

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I have no plans at this time,” Rubio was quoted as having told Colombian station RCN.

Rubio stressed that his attention is currently devoted entirely to his responsibilities in the Trump administration, where he serves both as secretary of state and as President Donald Trump’s interim national security adviser.

“I’m not a candidate for anything right now. And I’m 100% focused on my job, and I have to be because I have two jobs,” added Rubio.

Rubio has reportedly delivered much the same message in private conversations. According to NBC News, a person familiar with his thinking said Rubio recently told at least one individual that he does not intend to enter the 2028 race, although he remains pleased with his current role and has not closed the door on seeking the presidency at some later point.

“Rubio loves being secretary of state and is really enjoying the job,” the person said. “The president trusts him to have a big portfolio. He is still young, and smart in both policy and politics, and is keeping his options open for the future”

“If you asked him if he’s interested in 2032 or 2036, he would probably say sure,” the person added.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Questions about who might eventually succeed President Trump as the Republican Party’s standard-bearer have increasingly centered on Rubio and Vance. Discussions about the party’s post-Trump future were also evident at this week’s Republican gathering in Dallas, where Vance was among the prominent figures drawing attention.

A person close to Vance said the vice president intends to consider whether to seek the presidency following the midterm elections. That consideration, however, would not necessarily result in an immediate decision or campaign announcement.

For now, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly declared himself a candidate for the 2028 presidential election. President Trump has repeatedly spoken positively about both members of his administration and has even publicly gauged audiences’ reactions to the prospect of the two men emerging as future contenders.

“You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, who’s fantastic,” Trump told NBC News in May 2025, when asked who might continue his MAGA movement after his presidency. “You look at – I could name 10, 15, 20 people right now just sitting here.”

Trump raised the subject again during a Rose Garden gathering on May 11, asking those in attendance, “Alright, let’s go, you ready? Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Both men were greeted with applause.

The President then suggested that Rubio and Vance might conceivably wind up on the same Republican ticket.

“By the way, I do believe that’s a dream team, but these are minor details,” he said to laughter from the audience. “That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance.”

Last August, Trump said it was still too early to designate anyone as his political successor for 2028, though he identified Vance as a prominent potential candidate and also mentioned Rubio as a possible running mate.

Rubio himself has previously indicated that he would back Vance if the vice president ultimately decides to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. Recent reporting has likewise noted Rubio’s earlier statement that he would support Vance if he runs.

A presidential campaign would not be new territory for Rubio. The Florida Republican sought his party’s nomination in 2016, competing against Trump before ending his campaign after losing the Florida primary. Rubio subsequently endorsed Trump.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He served there until 2025, when he joined the Trump administration after receiving unanimous Senate confirmation, 99-0, to become secretary of state.

Despite Rubio’s current insistence that a 2028 campaign is not in his plans, speculation about his presidential ambitions has continued since he joined the administration. Some of that attention has been fueled by his own broader comments about his hopes for the country and its future.

“My hope for America is what it’s always been. I think it’s the hope I hope we all share,” Rubio said in May in response to a question in the White House briefing room. “We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, where you’re not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity but, frankly, it’s a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States attempted to recruit its NATO allies for a move aimed at “systematically dismantling” the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Politico reported on Thursday.

According to three NATO diplomats, the US administration called on member states of the alliance to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty, and end their support for it.

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker made the demand during a closed-door meeting of ambassadors from the alliance’s 32 member states, held in Brussels in mid-July. According to the diplomats, Whitaker asked allies to help dismantle the court and concluded his remarks with a warning: “We will be watching closely who stands with America.”

At the same time, the US delegation to NATO circulated a document among the delegations outlining the administration’s demands. “The United States will systematically dismantle the capabilities of the International Criminal Court,” the document stated. Washington asked allies to “immediately take steps to withdraw” from the Rome Statute.

The countries were also asked to “examine the threat” that the United States claims the court poses to them, publicly condemn what was described as the ICC’s “overreach of authority,” and immediately halt “any material support” for it. “Let’s end once and for all the charade of the International Criminal Court,” the document stated.

NATO itself is not a party to the Rome Statute, but all alliance members except the United States and Turkey are members of the court.

France, Netherlands stand against US attack on ICC

The US move sparked opposition during the meeting. France and the Netherlands defended the institution and made clear they did not intend to comply with the American demand.

One diplomat who attended the meeting described Whitaker’s remarks as “quite shocking,” while another said they were “disappointing.”

The US mission to NATO did not respond to Politico’s request for comment. The French delegation declined to address the details of the closed-door discussion but stressed that France’s support for the court was “unwavering.” The Dutch delegation referred to comments by Foreign Minister Tom Brandsen, who said the Netherlands fully supports the court.

According to the report, US envoys also raised the demand in bilateral discussions with European countries. The US State Department warned that it would increase scrutiny of countries that refuse to distance themselves from what it called the court’s “false authority” while continuing to rely on American assistance.

The campaign against the ICC was launched over the summer by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accused the court of undermining US sovereignty. “The International Criminal Court and its friends are waging war against our country, not through bullets or missiles, but through laws, treaties, and the power of what is called international law,” Rubio said on July 13. “If they believe they can deprive us of our sovereignty, we will teach them the full meaning of American resolve.”

The US campaign against the court stems in part from concerns that American officials and soldiers could face prosecution for war crimes. In 2020, the ICC opened an investigation into alleged crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan, though the investigation was given lower priority the following year.

The US administration is also acting against the court over proceedings against Israeli officials and the arrest warrants issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

US sanctions ICC officials, President Tomoko Akane

Last month, Washington imposed sanctions on ICC officials, including President Tomoko Akane.

In response to the US move, an ICC spokesperson said the institution “remains focused on fulfilling its mandate impartially, independently, and in accordance with the Rome Statute, for the benefit of victims and in the name of justice.” The spokesperson added that despite attempts to obstruct its work, the court “remains steadfast and resilient.”

The confrontation comes at a sensitive time in relations between the United States and its European allies. Tensions have risen after many European countries refused to join the US war against Iran, as well as following US President Donald Trump’s previous threats to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory belonging to Denmark, a NATO member.

According to Politico, the demand regarding the ICC was raised shortly after the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara had reportedly succeeded in reducing tensions. The diplomats estimated that Washington was not attempting to issue an explicit ultimatum to its allies, since the issue was raised as a side topic during a routine meeting. However, they emphasized that raising such a demand within NATO was particularly sensitive because of the United States’ role as the alliance’s de facto leader.

This post was originally published on here.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale inflation picked up last month after cooling earlier this summer as higher oil and gas prices stemming from the Iran war are keeping costs elevated.

The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 5.4% in August from a year ago, up from 4.7% in July, the government said Thursday. Annual wholesale inflation peaked this year at 5.9% in May after the Iran conflict raised energy costs. On a monthly basis, wholesale prices increased 0.4% from July to August, after a 0.1% increase the previous month.

Inflation has shown some signs of easing in recent months but is still high, frustrating consumers who are struggling with more expensive gas, groceries, clothing and other essentials. Oil prices globally topped $100 a barrel this week on renewed fighting in the Middle East, while President Donald Trump has intensified a trade war with Canada, a sign tariffs still could push up costs. Rising prices pose a political problem for the Trump administration and Republicans running in the midterm elections.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2% from July to August, the same as the previous month. Compared with a year ago, core prices rose 4.6%, up from 4.2% in July.

Thursday’s figures will come under particularly close scrutiny because they could help determine whether the Federal Reserve raises its short-term interest rate at a policy meeting next week. Data from the producer price index helps calculate the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, which will be released Sept. 30.

The government revealed on Monday that Israel ranks third worldwide in artificial intelligence commercialization in its annual economy report, unveiled ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

According to the report, Israel is still among the top ten powerhouses in terms of AI development, research, and commercial implementation, something that also translated into higher investment rates in the Israeli high-tech ecosystem.

The report noted that the country recorded a 53% increase in capital raised by high-tech ventures during the first half of 2026, compared with the same period in 2025.

At the same time, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) TA-125 Index rose by 35% during the last Jewish calendar year, while the shekel strengthened 11% against the dollar, even amid the uncertainty created by the war.

Inflation also went down according to the report, from 2,5% in 2025 to 1,5% in 2026, and the budget deficit stayed within the 4,9% target, with the latest numbers indicating a 3,3% deficit.

Aiming for $70,000 GDP per capita

While the government announced that Israel’s nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita was projected to reach the $70,000 milestone, it also pointed out that the purchasing power of per capita still remained $4,000 below the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average.

This difference stands mainly because Israeli prices are marginally higher than the OECD average, meaning that even with a high GDP per capita in nominal terms, the actual purchasing power of Israelis is lower than average.

In terms of actual growth, the government reported a 3,2% growth in the GDP during the first six months of 2026, compared to the second half of 2025.

In the employment market, the government reported a 3,3% unemployment rate, while the employment rate among people aged 15 to 64 stands at 71%, a little below the 74% reported in OECD countries.

This post was originally published on here.

National Resistance Front forces, a coalition of anti-Houthi forces led by former Houthi ally and senior member of the Yemeni government, Tareq Saleh, have obtained intelligence and maps revealing an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plan for a phased advance and takeover of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Iran International reported, citing a Wednesday Yemeni military media announcement.

The information was found on the laptop of a Houthi commander captured by government forces in western Yemen, according to the military, which added that the individual was responsible for Houthi operations.

“The Republic Network,” affiliated with the NRF, also published images of military maps that the outlet said show four stages of an advance toward Bab al-Mandab and the city of Hodeidah, as well as parts of the Houthis’ military plans and movements, according to Iran International.

The Iranian-backed Houthi terror group took control of Mocha, a Yemeni port city on the Red Sea and less than 50 miles from the Bab al-Mandab Strait, three anti-Houthi Yemeni government officials told Reuters on Thursday.

Arab media outlets first reported that Yemeni government forces had withdrawn from the city on Thursday morning as the Houthis advanced, and online social media posts displayed photos and videos of Houthi fighters within the city.

NRF commander leads military contingent into Mocha

According to the NRF, a force commander led a military contingent into Mocha on Thursday morning.

“Force reorganization and consolidation [of Mocha’s defenses] are underway in coordination with the anti-Houthi coalition,” NRF’s official media outlet reported.

The NRF forces clashed with Houthi naval forces, the outlet added.

This post was originally published on here.

BEIJING (AP) — A cargo ship docked for repairs in a Chinese port caught fire, killing 25 people, Chinese state media reported Thursday.

The ship was being repaired in the Beihai Shipbuilding Co. at the port of Qingdao, a major shipping hub on the northeastern Chinese coast. A photo released by Xinhua news agency identified the ship as the Ocean Melody, which sails under a Liberian flag, according to the tracking website VesselFinder.

20 people are dead and 5 remain missing after a foreign-flagged cargo ship caught fire during repairs at Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding in China on Sept 10. Of the 42 people aboard, 12 evacuated safely and 5 were hospitalized with injuries. All 5 are in stable condition. https://t.co/yWjNTSW59X pic.twitter.com/FNTpETFvuv

— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) September 10, 2026

A total of 42 people had been on the vessel, and 12 of them were safely evacuated, Xinhua reported. Five were injured and taken to the hospital, and they remained in a stable condition.

The fire started around 11 a.m. Thursday and was extinguished by 2:30 p.m. local time. Videos online showed workers on the ship attempting to put out the fire.

China’s President Xi Jinping issued “important instructions” to urgently conduct rescues of missing people on the ship, Xinhua said, adding that Premier Li Qiang called for “trapped” people to be rescued.

Xi also called for ensuring “preventive measures are thoroughly implemented” and “resolutely prevent major and catastrophic accidents.”

Beihai Shipbuilding is part of the state-controlled China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the world’s largest shipbuilder. Its main businesses include shipbuilding and ship repairing, according to Beihai Shipbuilding’s website.

President Trump has promised that every adult American could receive a $5,000 windfall if Republicans win both chambers of Congress in the midterms in November, and, while light on details, the plan would cost more than $1 trillion.

The president did not specify who would pay for the scheme, but said the money would have to be spent on U.S. goods and services. According to Census Bureau data for 2020, there were 260 million adults living in the U.S.—a figure likely to have increased as the population continues to age. Yet even with this more conservative figure in mind, the plan would still cost at least $1.3 trillion.

If the plan were deemed legal and feasible, it would be funded by the U.S. Treasury, which is already financing deficits and the interest payments required to service its public debt.

The Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) latest monthly budget update, released yesterday, reports the federal budget deficit totaled $2 trillion in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2026, beginning in October and ending in August. This was $6 billion less than the deficit recorded for the same period last year.

However, the CBO points out that this reduction is only due to shifts in payment timings. Payments that had been due to land on September 1, 2025, were instead moved to August of that year—if it weren’t for the reallocation, this year’s deficit would stand at $82 billion more than the same period in 2025.

These deficits add to the pile of debt the U.S. has accrued over decades—now sitting at more than $40 trillion. For the past 11 months, the CBO reports that the U.S. Treasury has spent $1.05 trillion servicing that debt—approximately $95 billion every month.

Interest payments alone have cost the Treasury more than its outlays for the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Commerce, and the Environmental Protection Agency, combined. Indeed, interest is still $50 billion ahead of the combined spend.

Hypothetically, President Trump’s $5,000 suggestion would stimulate spending and thus would generate revenue for the Treasury in the long term. However, it’s not clear whether the proposed outlay would be financed ahead of time or rely on further Treasury borrowing.

That being said, it’s difficult to estimate how the plan might shape up. The president’s promise was broad: Speaking at the Republican party’s first-ever midterm convention last night, he said “If the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000. It will be called the Trump dividend. Congratulations.”

Previous examples

While the premise of Trump’s offer is unusual, as it is based on a political outcome rather than a perceived economic need, it’s not unheard of for governments to put cash in the hands of American households.

Already in his second term, Trump has suggested that tariffs would generate so much cash that it could be shared with the public in the form of $2,000 checks. The president’s math raised eyebrows, as he suggested the duties could both help pay off national debt and leave some over for consumers in the scheme estimated to cost $135 billion.

This was, at the time, nearly half of the tariff revenues expected to be generated annually. However, the proposal was razed when the Supreme Court ruled the basis of Trump’s tariffs was illegal, and ordered the government to refund more than $100 million of the revenues.

In his first term during the coronavirus pandemic, Trump also attempted to increase aid to American households by $2,000—an increase on the $600 agreed by Congress. The motion was knocked down by Senate Republicans, and the proposal never reached a vote.

The plan was later followed through by President Joe Biden, and questions linger over the extent to which the extra soending contributed to rocketing inflation during the period (peaking at 9.1% in June 2022).

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

JERUSALEM (VINnews)  — A senior Lebanese official has urged Israel to give Lebanon’s government time and political space to weaken Hezbollah, saying the country may be facing a rare opportunity to move toward peace with Israel.

“Israel must help us. Israel must give us oxygen,” the official told Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth in an interview on the sidelines of the MEAD conference in Washington. “The Lebanese people today dream of peace with Israel.”

The official, who said he was also conveying the views of other senior Lebanese figures, described the current moment as potentially “the last chance” for a fundamental change in relations between the two countries. He said the killing of longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israel created new hopes inside Lebanon that the Iran-backed organization could eventually be weakened. “Hezbollah is Lebanon’s cancer,” he said. “But for this to succeed, we need your help.”

The official acknowledged that Lebanon’s efforts to remove Hezbollah weapons and military infrastructure from several villages have so far produced only limited results. He said the Lebanese Armed Forces remain too weak to confront Hezbollah directly.

“It is clear to us that only you can do the job, but do it properly,” he said, while urging Israel to commit to a full withdrawal from Lebanon once Hezbollah has been disarmed.

The Lebanese official’s comments came as former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale offered a similarly optimistic assessment of the potential for change in Beirut. In an exclusive interview with Israeli journalist Roi Kais after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Hale said he came away with the impression that Aoun is prepared to go “all the way” in efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

Hale also said Aoun “dreams” of establishing full diplomatic relations with Israel, describing the Lebanese president as a potential partner despite the considerable obstacles facing the process. Israeli public broadcaster Kan framed the interview as an effort to persuade Israelis that there may be “a partner on the other side of the border,” even if significant doubts remain.

The assessment comes as Aoun faces pressure from both Israel and Hezbollah. He has pledged to restore the Lebanese state’s monopoly over weapons, while Hezbollah has resisted demands that it surrender its arsenal. Aoun said in June that a U.S.-brokered framework agreement with Israel was a first step toward restoring Lebanon’s full sovereignty and bringing Israeli-held territory back under Lebanese control.

But implementation has stalled. The New York Times reported last month that Lebanon’s government had made some progress in reducing Hezbollah’s influence over state institutions, but remained largely incapable of forcibly disarming the group. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has rejected disarmament while Israeli forces remain in Lebanese territory.

The Lebanese official told Ynet that Israel’s military campaign could ultimately strengthen Hezbollah by weakening the very government attempting to challenge it. “Hezbollah fires drones at IDF forces in order to draw a disproportionate Israeli response, to blow everything up,” he said. “Israel needs to be more restrained in its use of force.”

He specifically urged Israel not to strike Beirut, saying attacks on the capital would politically weaken Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

The comments come amid continued violence despite the U.S.-brokered framework. Israeli forces have continued striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has carried out attacks against Israeli troops. Israeli officials say the military operations are necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military capabilities.

Recent Israeli strikes have killed dozens of people in southern Lebanon. Reuters reported that seven people were killed in strikes on Sept. 6, while at least 12 were killed in strikes on Kfar Rumman the following day. Israel said the attacks targeted Hezbollah personnel and weapons activity.

The Lebanese government, meanwhile, has been trying to expand the army’s presence in the south. Aoun and Salam met Wednesday to discuss the continuing Israeli attacks and measures to reinforce Lebanese Army forces in areas outside Israeli control.

The Lebanese official said Israel must reassure Lebanese citizens that it does not intend to permanently occupy parts of their country. “Lebanon is not Gaza,” he said. “Lebanon is a sovereign country with pride.”

He argued that an Israeli commitment to withdraw after Hezbollah’s disarmament could strengthen Aoun’s government and make it politically easier for Lebanon to confront the group. The official also dismissed the idea that hostility toward Israel is deeply rooted among Lebanese society, saying that while Israeli actions in the past, including the 1996 Qana massacre, generated anger, attitudes have changed.

Asked whether Israelis could one day travel freely to Beirut, he replied: “Why not?”

“After Hezbollah is disarmed, it is absolutely possible,” he added. “It will take a few years, but it is achievable.”

Hale’s assessment reinforces the central question facing Israel and Lebanon: whether pressure on Hezbollah should be combined with measures designed to strengthen Aoun’s government, or whether continued military pressure is necessary until the group is fully disarmed.

For now, the diplomatic opening remains fragile. Hezbollah continues to oppose surrendering its weapons, Israel says it will not withdraw fully without guarantees that the group cannot rearm, and Lebanon’s military lacks the strength to impose the state’s authority throughout Hezbollah’s strongholds. Yet both the Lebanese official and Hale argue that, for the first time in years, Beirut may offer Israel a potential partner for a longer-term settlement.

Historic South Jersey amusement park Clementon Park & Splash World has closed its doors and will be put up for sale, its corporate owner announced Wednesday.

The decision marks the second time in seven years that the historic site has shuttered. Owned and operated by Chicago-based IB Parks & Entertainment, the park officially ended operations Monday following the conclusion of its 2026 summer season.

“After five memorable years, we are saddened to announce that we have made the difficult decision to close the park and plan to offer the park for sale,” management said in a statement posted to the park’s website. “It has been a privilege to care for a place that has meant so much to generations of families. We are hopeful that we will find a buyer who shares our love for Clementon Park and will carry its history and legacy forward.”

IB Parks & Entertainment acquired the 52-acre property at a foreclosure auction in March 2021 for $2.37 million. The venue had previously closed unexpectedly in late 2019 under prior ownership following a $4.5 million loan default, remaining dark until IB Parks purchased and reopened it in summer 2021.

Founded in 1907 by Theodore Gibbs and his two sons, Clementon Park began as a traditional “trolley park” built at the end of a transit line to encourage weekend ridership and provide recreation for nearby Philadelphia residents. Situated on a spring-fed lake between Philadelphia and Atlantic City, the venue remained family-run for more than a century before its first sale in 2011.

Over the decades, the site expanded into a hybrid amusement and water park following a $5 million renovation in July 1993 that added the Splash World water park. Its major attractions include the Hellcat wooden roller coaster, the Dragon Coaster, a drop tower, a giant Ferris wheel, and various water slides.

IB Parks & Entertainment, which also operates Indiana Beach Amusement and Water Park in Monticello, Indiana, did not state a specific financial reason for the closure.

Management noted that additional details regarding the property sale will be released as they become available.

In an extraordinary turn of events at the massive Ateres Shlomo Torah network, thousands of avreichim who had gone three months without receiving their monthly stipends were paid in full Thursday — after an American donor agreed to cover the enormous shortfall on one unusual condition: Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin would accompany him to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

According to B’Chadrei Chareidim, thousands of avreichim learning in Ateres Shlomo kollelim across Eretz Yisroel had not received their stipends for three consecutive months amid serious financial difficulties facing the network.

The financial strain was attributed in part to the weak U.S. dollar, with the network struggling to close substantial budget gaps while continuing to support its enormous network of yeshivos and kollelim.

The remarkable breakthrough came when HaRav Sorotzkin visited the home of a wealthy donor in Miami.

The donor presented the Rosh Yeshiva with an unusual proposition: “If Rosh Yeshiva comes with me to Uman for Rosh Hashanah — I will cover all the debts that same day and transfer the full amount for the three months.”

HaRav Sorotzkin, carrying the responsibility for thousands of avreichim and their families, did not immediately accept the offer.

Late Wednesday night, he held an urgent telephone consultation with one of the Gedolei Yisroel, explaining the situation and the condition imposed by the donor.

After hearing the details and considering the tremendous financial pressure facing thousands of families just before the Yomim Tovim, the Gadol instructed HaRav Sorotzkin to accept the offer.

HaRav Sorotzkin then turned to the donor with a simple response: “Transfer the money — and I’m coming.”

The Rosh Yeshiva subsequently departed for Uman.

And the donor kept his word.

By Thursday, the bank accounts of thousands of Ateres Shlomo avreichim had been credited with the outstanding funds, with all three months of unpaid stipends deposited in full.

The dramatic development brought tremendous relief to thousands of families just days before Rosh Hashanah, ending a months-long financial crisis with a conclusion few could have imagined.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Anyone who has lived in Israel over the past few years can attest to the constant volatility, uncertainty, and stress that we have been living through.

We are in constant survival mode, especially since October 7, 2023, and that state of being can crack even the best of us. With budgets logically earmarked in a top-heavy fashion toward defense and security, other vital resources and issues are suffering from a lack of attention and proper budgeting.

Yet we must promote, finance, and treat education as if Israel were in the middle of a peaceful oasis. It’s the primary realm, besides security, that ensures our future. Based on results published this week, we’re failing in education security.

Israel suffered a dramatic collapse in the 2025 PISA exam, which assesses 15-year-old students’ performance in mathematics, reading, and science. In all three subjects, Israel recorded its lowest-ever scores, significantly below those in the previous exam, held in 2022.

Israel’s average score across the three subjects fell by 29 points, the second-sharpest decline among the 75 countries and economies tested, after Latvia.

Israel’s divided school system is failing its future

Israel’s mathematics score fell to 433 points, down 25 points from 458 in 2022, the second-sharpest decline worldwide after Malta. Israel’s science score fell to 442 points, down 23 points from 465 in 2022 and the third-sharpest decline worldwide.

The steepest decline was in reading. Israel’s score fell to 436 points, down 38 points from 474 in 2022 and the second-sharpest decline worldwide, after Latvia.

Of course, those results must be seen in the context of the upheaval the country – and the nation’s students – have faced over the last three years. Education Minister Yoav Kisch did just that, attempting to put a positive spin on the results.

“After nearly a year and a half of war, the evacuation of communities, and deep disruptions to the continuity of learning, I believe these results demonstrate the extraordinary resilience of Israel’s education system,” Kisch said. “Israel maintained its ranking in reading and science compared with 2018, and in math it dropped just one place.”

The Education Ministry also attributed the low scores to the chaotic disruptions to regular learning schedules forced on the education system by the war.

But as valid as war excuses may be, there’s an underlying factor to the scores that can’t be ignored. The education system desperately needs reform.

In 2025, 23% of all first-graders were Arabic speakers, and 25% were haredim (ultra-Orthodox). Israel’s Arabic-speaking students scored below many Third World countries – including below six of the seven Arab countries that participated in the PISA exam. Nearly all of the haredi students in Israel do not even study the material and, as a result, are not even tested.

According to Prof. Dan Ben-David, president and founder of the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research, the bottom line is that about half of Israel’s children – among them haredim, Arab Israelis, and those living in Israel’s geographic and socioeconomic peripheries – are receiving a third-world level education.

“And as if that were not enough, these children belong to the fastest-growing segments of the population. When they eventually constitute half, and later a majority, of Israel’s adult population, they will not be able to maintain a first-world economy,” Ben-David told The Jerusalem Post.

Ben-David’s solution is to dismantle the four separate education streams that currently function in Israel (state, state religious, haredi, and Arab) and replace them with a new, single education system for all.
“The basic tenets of such an overhaul need to include a significant upgrade of the compulsory, identical, core curriculum (allowing the remaining curriculum to reflect local parental preferences). Funding should be only for fully compliant schools, with complete cessation of funding for all others,” he proposed.

Ben-David’s proposal is worth considering, but even if it’s too ambitious, education must take a prominent spot at the table of any future government.

As we head to next month’s election, every party will try to convince the electorate that it has the answer to the country’s pressing issues. They’ll talk about security and the economy. But just as important is what their plans are for the future.

Just as defense is paramount to securing a thriving future for Israel, education is vital to the well-being and continued success of the Jewish state. Brushing the issue aside because we’re fighting for our survival is not an option.

This post was originally published on here.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Iran has been using a secretive barter-like trading mechanism to circumvent U.S. sanctions on its oil exports and obtain goods from China, including military equipment and medicines, according to Iranian and other sources who spoke to Reuters.

The arrangement, which has been operating since at least 2021, allows China to continue purchasing Iranian oil at discounted prices while limiting the exposure of Chinese banks and companies to U.S. sanctions. Reuters reported that between $2 billion and $2.5 billion moved through the mechanism over the past year.

According to two senior Iranian sources and three other people familiar with the system, the money is managed through two entities linked to China’s Ministry of Commerce and Iran’s central bank. The arrangement operates largely outside the international banking system, effectively allowing Iranian oil revenues to be converted into credits for purchases of Chinese goods.

Reuters reported that about 70% of the funds handled through the mechanism are directed toward infrastructure projects in Iran, while the remainder is used to pay Chinese suppliers for goods including medicines, vehicles and other essential products. The system has also reportedly been used at least once in the past year to facilitate contracts for air-defense equipment.

The mechanism illustrates how Tehran and Beijing have developed alternative financial channels to maintain trade despite Washington’s sanctions campaign.

China is by far the largest buyer of Iranian crude. The U.S. Treasury said in April that Chinese independent “teapot” refineries account for the majority of China’s purchases of Iranian oil, with China taking roughly 90% of Iran’s oil exports. Washington has warned financial institutions about the sanctions risks associated with these transactions.

A 2023 academic study also documented the broader use of barter arrangements in Iran-China trade, noting that sanctions had encouraged Tehran to receive part of the value of its oil exports in Chinese goods and services rather than conventional payments.

The latest arrangement has become particularly important as the United States has intensified its economic campaign against Iran. Reuters reported earlier this month that U.S. sanctions and a naval blockade have sharply reduced Iranian oil exports and restricted Tehran’s access to foreign currency. Iranian officials and analysts say the pressure is contributing to severe inflation, currency shortages and difficulties importing essential goods.

Washington has also increasingly targeted financial intermediaries that help Iran convert oil revenues into usable funds. On Sept. 4, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned a Turkish investment bank and two subsidiaries, accusing them of facilitating transactions between China and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, including the conversion of Iranian oil revenues into cash and gold. The bank rejected the allegations.

China, meanwhile, has continued to reject the legitimacy of unilateral U.S. sanctions. In response to Reuters’ questions about the reported barter system, China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing “has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions” that lack a basis in international law or authorization from the U.N. Security Council.

Chinese officials have similarly defended their country’s continued purchases of Iranian oil, despite growing U.S. pressure. Chinese refiners have remained major customers for Iranian crude, although Reuters reported in August that Iranian oil deliveries to China had fallen sharply as the U.S. blockade and sanctions campaign intensified.

The system also highlights a broader challenge facing Washington: even as the United States attempts to cut Iran off from the international financial system, Tehran and its largest trading partner have developed mechanisms designed to avoid conventional banking channels altogether.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

There are times when we become so focused on doing the right thing that we fail to notice the opportunity to do something even greater.

On the Rosh Hashanah before her passing, Rebbetzin Shayna Chana Elyashiv was not well and was unable to go to shul to hear the shofar. My friend, Rav Gedalya Sheinen, told me that after davening, he would blow shofar for Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv according to all the different shitos.

That year, when he finished, he asked Rav Elyashiv if he should go to the rebbetzin and blow shofar for her so that she could fulfill the mitzvah.

To his surprise, Rav Elyashiv told him not to.

It was the second day of Rosh Hashanah, he explained, and the obligation to hear shofar on the second day is only miderabbonon. Additionally, women are not obligated to perform the mitzvah, but have accepted it upon themselves. Since blowing for the rebbetzin would involve extra tircha—a burden for Rav Sheinen—it was not necessary and he should go home.

Rav Sheinen left and began walking home.

Then he heard Rav Elyashiv calling after him.

“Kumt tzurik. Come back.”

Rav Elyashiv told him that after telling him to go home, he had thought about it and reconsidered. He said that it was true that the mitzvah of shofar on the second day is only miderabbonon and returning to blow more kolos would be a tircha.

“However, my wife will be so happy to hear the kol shofar,” Rav Elyashiv said. “By blowing for her, you will be doing a chesed and chesed is a mitzvah mide’Oraisa. I can be matriach you for a de’Oraisa.”

What an extraordinary way to look at life.

Rav Elyashiv had initially viewed the situation through the pure lens of halacha and concluded that there was no reason to impose upon Rav Sheinen. But then he thought about his wife. He thought about the happiness those sounds would bring her. Suddenly, what had appeared to be an unnecessary tircha became an opportunity to fulfill a mitzvah de’Oraisa.

The story reminds us that, sometimes, we can become so preoccupied with the mitzvah we are trying to perform that we fail to see the mitzvah standing right in front of us.

We look for lofty opportunities to serve Hashem while overlooking the person beside us who needs a little of our patience, a kind word, a smile, a favor, or simply the knowledge that someone cares about him. We get involved in performing the “big” mitzvos and let mitzvos that we consider minor fall by the wayside.

There is something especially powerful about this message as Rosh Hashanah is upon us. We spent the past weeks of Elul examining ourselves and thinking about what we need to improve. We thought about our davening, our learning, our mitzvos, and our bein adam laMakom.

But the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 7:3) teaches us that doing teshuvah involves more than repenting for improper actions. It also includes doing teshuvah for bad ideas, as well as anger, hatred, jealousy, chasing after money and honor, gluttony, and the like.

When we do teshuvah, we should also be examining ourselves by considering how the people around us feel because we are in their lives.

“Do I make life easier for them or more difficult? Do I notice when someone needs something from me or do I see only the inconvenience it will cause me? Do I recognize the opportunities for chesed that Hashem provides me with every day?”

Rav Elyashiv’s greatness was not merely that he knew the halacha. It was that he understood that beyond the halacha was a person, and beyond the person was an opportunity to do the will of Hashem.

Sometimes, the greatest avodah is hidden in the smallest act of consideration.

And sometimes, before we go rushing down the stairs, we need to stop, turn around, and listen for the voice calling, “Kumt tzurik. Come back.”

Rav Sheinen was already walking down the stairs. The decision had been made. The matter was settled. But Rav Elyashiv stopped him and said, “Kumt tzurik. Come back.” He had reconsidered. He had looked at the situation differently. What a moment earlier had seemed to be an unnecessary tircha had suddenly revealed itself as an opportunity for a greater mitzvah.

There is something almost prophetic about that scene as we stand at the threshold of a new year.

At the time of the technological revolution, during the beginning of the twentieth century, when the world suddenly began exploding with innovative inventions, the Chofetz Chaim wrote in his sefer Sheim Olam that these new inventions serve to strengthen our emunah. Regarding the camera, he noted that it demonstrates that the Mishnah’s admonition that we should always be cognizant of Hashem’s “ayin ro’eh,” an eye that sees, is not merely an allegory. The development of the telephone similarly reinforces the reality of “ozen shoma’as,” an ear that hears.

The Chofetz Chaim taught us to look at the inventions of man and discover in them reminders of the wisdom and truth of the Torah.

If there is a technological invention that seems to symbolize our situation this week, perhaps it is the reset button.

The remarkable thing about a reset button is that it tells us that what happened until now does not necessarily determine what happens next. You can be working on a computer when it freezes, something goes wrong, everything stops working or a process becomes corrupted, and then, with the press of a button, the computer can be shut down and started again, and the problem is gone.

Rosh Hashanah is our Divine reset button.

We look back at the past year and see mistakes, failures, disappointments, and habits that we wish we could undo. We wonder how we can break patterns that have become deeply ingrained. We may feel that because we have been the same person for so long, we are destined to remain that way.

Rosh Hashanah comes and tells us that this is not true.

“Zeh hayom techilas ma’asecha.”

On this day, everything starts over again.

Rosh Hashanah is not merely the commemoration of the first day of creation thousands of years ago. It is an opportunity to experience creation anew, to recognize that Hashem is recreating the world today, and that He is giving each of us the opportunity to renew our own personal circumstances as well.

Rav Yisroel Salanter famously asked why Rosh Hashanah precedes Yom Kippur. Would it not make more sense, he reasoned, for us first to cleanse ourselves through teshuvah and then afterward be judged and celebrate Hashem’s dominion over the universe? Would it not bring greater glory to the King if His subjects, who gather to proclaim His sovereignty, were already purified of their sins and fully devoted to His will?

Perhaps the answer lies in understanding the essence of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah tells us that there is no status quo.

Nothing is guaranteed to continue into the coming year simply because it existed during the previous one. There are no chazakos. We cannot assume that what was will necessarily be.

And that is both frightening and comforting.

It is frightening because we realize that we have no lease on the blessings we enjoyed during the past year. We cannot assume that good health, parnossah, nachas, simcha, peace, or any of the other gifts Hashem granted us will simply continue because they were ours yesterday.

But it is also enormously comforting.

Because if there are no chazakos for the good, there are also no chazakos for the bad.

The person who struggled this past year is not condemned to continue struggling. The person who failed does not have to remain a failure. The person who was distant can become close. The person who was weak can become strong. The person who made the same mistake again and again can choose, with Hashem’s help, to make a different choice this time.

We pour out our hearts on Rosh Hashanah precisely because we believe that nothing has to be the way it was. We daven for a good new year because the future has not yet been written.

“Hayom haras olam.”

Today is the day of creation.

Not only then, when the world was first created, but today. Now. At this very moment.

“Hayom yaamid bamishpot kol yetzurei olamim.”

Today, the forces of creation are once again present, as Hashem judges every one of His creations and determines the course of the coming year.

Rosh Hashanah marks a new beginning for every person.

And that new beginning is itself a source of comfort. It tells us that we are not locked into our present spiritual state. We are not prisoners of our past. We can press the reset button. We can choose a different path. We can become different people.

We can say that Rosh Hashanah comes before Yom Kippur because, before we can undertake the difficult work of teshuvah, we need to know that teshuvah is possible.

Before we can confront our shortcomings, we need to believe that they do not define us, and before we can begin the journey toward becoming whole again, we need to know that we can have a new start.

Remember when we were kids and we would have a race, and if we didn’t get off to a good start, we’d call for a do-over? Rosh Hashanah is that new start. It’s the do-over.

The person we were yesterday does not have to be the person we are tomorrow. What happened last year doesn’t have to happen next year.

When we hear the sounds of the shofar, we hear echoes of the sounds that were sounded at Har Sinai, when Klal Yisroel stood together and was transformed into the nation of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. The shofar at Har Sinai heralded a new beginning. The world had reached the moment toward which it had been moving since creation. Klal Yisroel was about to receive the Torah and enter into its eternal covenant with Hashem.

At that moment, there was only hope and promise.

The shofar was also sounded at Yovel, the year of freedom and renewal. When we hear the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, we can hear within its sound an echo of Yovel, the great declaration of freedom that accompanied the return of the eved to his family and his home, and the return of each person to his ancestral property.

The sounds of the shofar sounded at Yovel proclaimed that the past does not have to imprison the future.

A person who had spent years as a slave could go home and begin again. A family that had lost its ancestral field could reclaim it. The world could be restored to its original order.

We, too, can begin again.

We can receive a fresh start, a new lease on life. We can return to the place where we belong.

This helps us understand the remarkable fusion of simcha and awe that characterizes Rosh Hashanah. It is the Yom Hadin, the awesome Day of Judgment, when every person stands before Hashem, and at the same time, we are commanded to celebrate the day as a Yom Tov.

Why the simcha? How can we be expected to be joyous when the judgment is upon us?

The answer is that the simcha is not despite the judgment. We are joyous because we think about what the judgment makes possible.

We are not simply being judged on the person we were. We are being given the opportunity to become the person we can be.

As far removed from Hashem as we may feel, as much as we may regret what has happened during the past year, and as dark as our situation may sometimes appear, the shofar comes to remind us that the story is not over. It’s just starting. There is a new beginning.

And there is teshuvah, the bridge between the person we have been and the person we can become. Rachmana litzlan, the plane crashed and we were thrown into a stormy sea. Teshuvah is the life vest provided to us, enabling us to hang on to life and return safely to shore.

The shofar calls us to reach for it.

We slip. We make mistakes. We commit aveiros. We fail to perform mitzvos as we should. When the shofar sounds, we look back and see the places where we fell short, the opportunities we missed, and the things we could have done better.

But one of the greatest chassodim that Hakadosh Boruch Hu does for us is that He gives us a way out of the rut.

He gives us Rosh Hashanah.

He gives us the ability to make a new beginning, to start from scratch, to press the reset button on our lives.

To be happy, even if we were sad.

To be upbeat, even if we were down.

To learn well, even if we didn’t last year.

To daven with kavanah, even if our tefillos have become rote.

To become better people, even if we have been disappointed in ourselves.

To scrub ourselves clean from aveiros, from the dirt and silliness in which we allowed ourselves to become entangled.

Rosh Hashanah gives us the ability to press reset on all the components that make up our lives and begin anew.

When we were children, we would sometimes search for the colon—the famous “two dots”—in a Gemara. We would be struggling through a difficult sugya, confronted by a question we could not understand, an argument that seemed beyond us, or a line of Gemara that had left us hopelessly confused. So, we looked ahead to find those two dots, which meant a new sugya and a chance for a new beginning.

Whatever had gone wrong in the previous sugya, we knew that here we could start fresh. Perhaps this sugya would be easier. Perhaps we would follow it better. Perhaps this time we would finally understand.

Rosh Hashanah is the two dots in the shvere sugya of life.

We pick ourselves up, we turn the page, and we begin again.

We are arriving at the end of another year, and some of us are staggering toward the finish line. The past year had its share of difficulties. When we express the annual hope of “tichleh shanah vekileloseha,” there is no shortage of tzaros and challenges to which we refer.

Yet, the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (16b) teaches that a year that is “rosh,” impoverished, at its beginning will be rich at its close. Rashi explains that this means that Klal Yisroel approaches Rosh Hashanah like poor people, with our hands outstretched, recognizing that we have nothing of our own and that everything depends upon the generosity of Hashem.

Our tefillos are like the pleas of a poor person before a wealthy benefactor. We say in Selichos every morning, “Kedalim ucheroshim dofaknu delosecha.” We say to Hashem, “We stand here as poor people, as paupers, and we knock on Your door and have faith that You will open it and grant us a good year.”

Rav Yitzchok Blazer would say in the name of his rebbi, Rav Yisroel Salanter, that the yesod of Rosh Hashanah is to recognize that we have no guarantees and no chazakos, but we recognize that we are standing before the Source of all blessing.

We are like a poor man who was given an appointment with the most generous baal tzedakah in the world, and we are filled with hope that he will give us what we ask of him.

Rav Eizik Sher expands on this idea.

On Rosh Hashanah, everything in creation and every creature is judged individually. The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah (1:2) teaches, “Kol bo’ei ha’olam ovrin lefonov kivnei maron.”

Think about what that means. The entire world is standing in judgment. Billions of human beings. Nations and countries. Kingdoms and governments. Each one is being judged. Who will have hunger and who will have plenty. Who will have drought and who will be flooded. Who will experience war and who will experience peace. Who will prosper and who will suffer.

And in the midst of this enormous gathering, there is only one nation that knows the secret, only a tiny percentage of the billions who stand before the Borei Olam who understand what it means to be zoche badin.

Only Am Yisroel knows the secret of standing before the King like an “oni bapesach,” like an impoverished person who knows that he has nothing to rely upon except the rachamim of the One who holds everything in His hands.

Our sense of frailty is our strength. We know that on our own, we are nothing and have nothing. We have no guarantees and no chazakos. But we know that we have Hashem, and when a person comes before the Source of all blessing with that recognition, anything is possible.

Thus, on Rosh Hashanah, the first two days of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, we do not recite vidui or al cheit. The teshuvah of Rosh Hashanah begins somewhere deeper. It begins with how we think.

Because before we develop a new course of action, we need to develop a new perspective. Before we can change what we do, we have to change how we see ourselves, how we see our lives, and how we see our relationship with Hakadosh Boruch Hu.

The kol shofar awakens us to the realization that we are beginning again. On this day, we don’t look back. We look ahead. We look at everything that we can do right. We do teshuvah on our thought process. We hear the shofar call out to us, saying, “Kumt tzurik. You can do it. You can be great. You can do all the mitzvos properly. You can be a baal middos. You can be a kind and gentle tzaddik who performs the mitzvos perfectly. And you can have a great year.”

On Rosh Hashanah, the person who struggled with his davening can begin to approach tefillah differently. The person whose learning was inconsistent can open a Gemara with renewed determination. The person who has been carrying anger or disappointment can choose to let go, and the person who has become discouraged with himself can lift his head and remember that Hakadosh Boruch Hu has not become discouraged with him.

The call of the shofar is simple, without an elaborate melody or complicated words, because teshuvah begins with a call that comes from somewhere deep within a person and says, “I want to come back. I want to be better. I want to begin again.”

And we are not starting the journey alone. Hakadosh Boruch Hu is right there with us, holding our hand and helping us. We make the first move, but Hashem promises to help us complete the journey, to strengthen us when the road is difficult, and to enable us to accomplish what we could not accomplish on our own.

As we stand at the beginning of another year, whatever our situation is, we should not be intimidated. The shofar calls out to us, “Uru yesheinim mishinaschem.” Don’t fear the future. Awaken from your sleep, from your nightmares and fears. New opportunities, new accomplishments, new nachas, and new growth await you.

We know Who holds the year in His hands, and that knowledge allows us to approach the Yom Hadin not only with awe and trepidation, but also with the simcha that comes from knowing that we are being given another chance.

We will hear Hashem calling each one of us and saying, “Kumt tzurik. Come back. Begin again. It’s a do-over. You can do this. You can win. You can have a winning year.”

May we all be zoche to a great year, filled with yeshuos, refuos, hatzlocha, brocha, and geulah.

Kesivah vachasimah tovah.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels defeated Saudi-backed forces and seized the strategic Yemeni port city of Al-Mocha near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, media outlets reported Thursday.

The dramatic military achievement brings the Iranian proxy closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and its goal of targeting shipping through the critical waterway to the Red Sea, a major threat to the regional balance of power. The development is a major blow to government forces, which has long controlled the strategic city.

Witnesses told media outlets that the Houthi forces seized the city while screaming “Death to Israel, death to America.”

The offensive began in recent days, with the Houthis capturing several communities bordering the Red Sea before advancing on Al-Mocha.

Clash Report said Al-Mocha fell during a rapid Houthi offensive that overwhelmed the defensive lines of forces aligned with Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.

According to reports from the ground, the Houthis captured Hays, Al-Khawkhah and Yakhtul within a single day before continuing southward. Control of some areas changed hands repeatedly: Saudi-backed forces initially recaptured Hays but were forced to retreat after the Houthis renewed their offensive.

Houthi-affiliated maps claim that approximately 2,600 square kilometers—roughly seven times the size of the Gaza Strip—fell under the group’s control within a short period. The figure has not been independently verified, and the maps apparently include areas where the Houthis do not have firmly established military control. Nevertheless, the rapid collapse of local forces and the Houthi advance into the Al-Mocha area indicate a significant shift on the battlefield.

The offensive began on September 3 along several routes in the Taiz Governorate. It was designed to isolate Al-Mocha from the city of Taiz and the hinterland controlled by Yemen’s internationally recognized government, seize supply routes and open a path southward toward Dhubab and Bab el-Mandeb.

An estimated 100 to 150 fighters from both sides were killed during the initial stages of the fighting. International reports indicate that the overall casualty toll has been higher since the conflict intensified in late August.

Senior Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi later conducted a “victory tour” of the Al-Jarrahi area. He was filmed driving an armored vehicle previously supplied by the United Arab Emirates to local forces and subsequently captured by the Houthis. The footage appeared intended to highlight the collapse of the Gulf-backed forces and pressure remaining fighters to surrender.

Meanwhile, Mahdi al-Mashat, chairman of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council, announced an amnesty for members of the opposing forces who lay down their weapons. The offer was apparently intended to accelerate the disintegration of local forces and reduce resistance as the Houthis advance southward.

Al-Mocha is a historic port city on Yemen’s western coast, north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Its capture gives the Houthis another base near the strategic shipping route linking the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

Their next major objective is Dhubab, which lies even closer to the strait. Control of both areas would not give the Houthis complete physical control of Bab el-Mandeb, whose western shore faces Djibouti and Eritrea, but it would significantly expand their ability to threaten shipping with missiles, drones, explosive boats and naval mines.

The development is particularly concerning amid the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. If Iran continues disrupting the Persian Gulf’s principal energy route while the Houthis strengthen their hold over the southern entrance to the Red Sea, two of the world’s most critical maritime trade arteries could simultaneously come under pressure from Tehran and its allies.

Bab el-Mandeb is a crucial passage for oil tankers and cargo ships traveling between Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal. Disruptions there could force shipping companies to reroute vessels around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, lengthening voyages, raising insurance and transportation costs, and potentially driving up global energy and consumer-goods prices.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A tunnel dug next to the security barrier, near the communities of Givat Ze’ev and Givon, was discovered in the Palestinian village of Al-Jib, the police announced on Thursday.

The tunnel was uncovered on August 28 and was in an advanced stage of excavation. Its entrance had been camouflaged inside an ancient cistern to conceal the digging.

Following the discovery, Jerusalem Border Police officers launched a targeted operational and intelligence effort in the area and arrested a suspect carrying excavation tools.

Israel Police

An archaeological examination of the tunnel and surrounding area confirmed how its entrance had been concealed.

Israel Police

On Wednesday night, Border Police officers, working with IDF forces, completed the sealing of the tunnel.

Police said security forces would continue working to detect and thwart infrastructure near the security barrier in order to protect residents of the area.

Israel Police

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran on Wednesday night, saying the United States is closely watching activity at the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and threatening a powerful military response if Tehran attempts to advance its nuclear program there.

Speaking at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, Trump said U.S. officials had detected signs of renewed activity at the underground facility, which is located near Iran’s badly damaged Natanz uranium enrichment complex.

“We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute, because we will have to hit them very hard,” he said.

Trump defended the ongoing war against Iran as necessary to ensure that the Islamic Republic does not obtain a nuclear weapon. Pickaxe Mountain, which contains two deeply buried tunnel complexes, has been under close U.S. scrutiny for months.

“For 51 years, people have been trying to, and other Presidents have been trying to talk them out of it, but they don’t understand talk, these people. They only understand one thing, and that’s they’re getting plenty of it.”

NOW – Trump, at GOP midterm convention: "We noticed there's a little activity at Pickaxe [Mountain]. I would advise Iran not to get cute. Because we will have to hit them very hard, we have no choice." pic.twitter.com/BFvWXprOGc

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) September 10, 2026

The warning echoed similar comments Trump made last week, when he raised the possibility that American forces could target Pickaxe Mountain if evidence emerged of nuclear-related activity at the site.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he told reporters at the Oval Office last week, before adding, “We may hit Pickaxe very soon…if there was anything going on with Pickaxe.”

Trump: I think we should call the Hormuz Strait, we should call it the Trump Strait. I should get something out of this. pic.twitter.com/6GvxDyMxOU

— Acyn (@Acyn) September 10, 2026

Trump has been publicly threatening possible U.S. action against Pickaxe Mountain since at least July. Recent satellite imagery has indicated an increase in construction activity at the facility, according to an analysis published this week by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

During Wednesday night’s address, Trump also turned his attention to the Strait of Hormuz, joking that the strategically crucial waterway should eventually bear his name.

The President predicted that oil prices would decline once the United States wins the war against Iran, saying they “will be going down as soon as we win the war with Iran, which is taking place right now.”

Trump then asserted that the United States now controls the critical shipping route and suggested a new name for it.

“We’ll win it. We’re winning it. We control the Hormuz Strait. I think we should call it the Trump Strait. I should get something out of it. The Trump Strait.”

“I’ll have an announcement, we’ll call it the Trump Strait. And I’m sure the Iranian leadership will be thrilled with that,” the President continued. “I’d like to tell you it was their idea. It was not their idea. Don’t think they’re too happy about it. I don’t think they’re too happy.”

The remarks came after Trump told reporters earlier Wednesday that he believes the war could end shortly after the November midterm elections.

“I think the war will end immediately after the election,” he said, arguing that Iran “can’t hold out any longer.”

Trump further alleged that Tehran is deliberately attempting to keep the fighting going in hopes of affecting the outcome of the midterms.

“They’re desperate to try and affect the election so that we could get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.”

Trump’s prediction of a relatively swift conclusion to the war reportedly differs from assessments being discussed by some senior members of his administration. The Wall Street Journal reported that White House officials have privately warned the President that the conflict could continue for years, potentially lasting through the end of his current term in January 2029.

According to the report, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top administration officials have considered the possibility that Tehran could continue resisting the American blockade and military campaign for an extended period, despite Trump’s public statements suggesting that the war could soon be brought to an end.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales defended the administration’s handling of the conflict in comments to The Wall Street Journal, saying, “President Trump has destroyed Iran’s military capabilities and is crippling what’s left of its abysmal economy with the most powerful naval blockade in world history and crushing sanctions,” and adding, “Only President Trump knows what he will do and when.”

When Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s controversial pied-à-terre tax took effect, some critics warned it could drive wealthy residents and investment out of New York City.

But inside Manhattan’s high-end real estate market, brokers and market data paint a more nuanced picture: while the policy has triggered confusion among buyers and sellers, some high-net-worth buyers appear to be adapting rather than leaving.

“Any time you add more taxes and your barrier to entry is harder, then it’s not going to be great for the real estate,” Douglas Elliman’s No. 2 agent by volume in Manhattan, Michelle Griffith, told Fox News Digital. “Am I for the pied-à-terre tax? Absolutely not. What I always look at is the opportunity cost… So that remains to be [seen].”

“[The next] two quarters will not tell us the full impact. This is uncharted territory: prior taxes were one-time closing costs, not a recurring annual charge, and whether it produces capital flight is a question we may not be able to answer until 2029,” Douglas Elliman Senior Vice President of Research and Analytics Charles Snyder also told Fox News Digital.

About one month ago, a New York judge temporarily blocked parts of Mayor Mamdani’s rollout of the new tax on luxury second homes, ordering City Hall to take down a controversial list containing the names, addresses and property values of more than 900,000 New York City property owners. The Aug. 10 order temporarily restrained the Mamdani administration from moving ahead based on the disputed property roll or mailed notices and barred the city from enforcing its deadlines against homeowners caught up in the rollout. The city appealed that same day, automatically staying the temporary restraining order and allowing the rollout to continue while the case proceeds.

The signed order would also have prevented the city from imposing, assessing or collecting the surcharge against homeowners identified on the supplemental roll or sending a notice without first making an individualized determination and providing the notice required under state tax law.

The tax has sparked a legal battle, while opponents have warned it could push wealthy New Yorkers toward lower-tax states such as Florida, Texas and Tennessee. However, recent Manhattan transaction data shows continued luxury-market activity despite uncertainty surrounding the surcharge.

“The luxury market entered the tax era from a position of strength rather than weakness. Manhattan contracts rose 4% year-over-year in Q2 to 3,188, closings above $10 million were up 31%, and July, the first month under the tax, saw 98 contracts signed at $4 million and above, down 24% from June but up 5% from a year ago,” Snyder said.

“[Luxury property historically] absorbs [tax increases], but not right away and not for free,” Snyder added. “After the 2019 mansion tax expansion, luxury closings fell 20% in 2017, and the luxury median dropped to $5.4 million from $6.5 million. The catch is that this tax is an annual charge on top of the closing taxes, which raises the odds that this may have a greater impact on the luxury market.”

“The number one word to summarize the pied-à-terre tax is confusion. It’s created so much confusion in the market, not only for our buyers and our sellers, but whether it’s real estate attorneys… real estate professionals. And I think part of why it’s so confusing, is the valuation,” Griffith noted. “If you were to sell the apartment, what is it worth? But now, in having conversations about the pied-à-terre tax, it’s the Department of Finance’s (DOF’s) assessed value… I’ll give you an example: I was looking at an apartment this morning. It sold for $9.5 million, but the Department of Finance’s assessed value was $1.5 [million].

“[It’s] a lot of unknowns that people are trying to get their head around. So we always say, anytime there’s uncertainty, what happens in the market, certain people pause. So whether it’s a presidential election, whether the mayor’s being elected, and whether we’re talking about pied-à-terre taxes, it’s creating some moments of pause. But really what it’s created is uncertainty,” she continued.

In the tax’s first two years, through June 30, 2028, condo and co-op units that are not used as a primary residence may be subject to the surcharge if their DOF market value is at least $1 million, with rates ranging from 4% to 6.5%. One-, two- and three-family homes that are not used as a primary residence may be subject to the surcharge if their DOF market value is at least $5 million, with rates ranging from 0.8% to 1.3%. Beginning July 1, 2028, the $5 million threshold and 0.8% to 1.3% rate structure will apply to covered properties, while DOF will value condo and co-op units under a new methodology that considers comparable condo and co-op sales.

“I would say probably one of the biggest levels of confusion is people are saying, ‘Well, if my property is worth a million dollars, am I going to be taxed?’ And that’s because we’re not looking at fair market value. We’re looking at the DOF assessed value, which can sometimes be a fifth or less of the actual valuation,” Griffith said.

When asked whether property valuations are clustering around the $1 million and $5 million tax thresholds, Snyder responded, “Not in a measurable way yet, and through mid-2028 the law is harder to game than the mansion tax because the trigger is assessed value on the city’s roll, not sale price. That changes in July 2028, when the condo and co-op threshold moves to $5 million of market value tied to comparable sales, and at that point we would expect real clustering just below $5 million, the same pattern the market has shown at the mansion tax thresholds.”

Douglas Elliman data shows that luxury supply tightened following the tax announcement: Q2 new listings fell 7% year over year, with $5 million to $10 million condo listings dropping 10%. In July, the first month the tax took effect, new listings for properties priced at $4 million or more fell 53% from June and 41% from the previous year.

“There is no mass exodus. Our big crisis is inventory,” Griffith said. “The biggest challenge we have in the market right now is inventory. The lack of inventory at every single price point is making it a very difficult market to transact in. And things that come to market are going into bidding wars immediately… Although I know the headlines are much more sensationalized talking about the pied-à-terre tax, really, our biggest challenge is lack of inventory.”

“Unsold sponsor inventory is down 15% year-over-year to 3,334 units, the lowest level since 2014, suggesting owners are waiting rather than a wave of forced selling,” Snyder said.

Market metrics from Douglas Elliman also indicate that properties are not taking longer to sell (July median condo days-on-market fell 14% to 88 days), but buyers are demanding higher price concessions. Additionally, sellers with properties hovering just above key benchmarks such as $5 million are being forced to price below the line to satisfy pied-à-terre buyers capitalizing the recurring tax cost into their offers.

“I had a couple of properties that we sold this summer and they were priced slightly above five. Bids came in, they were slightly below that number, and then we have serious conversations with our sellers and we say, ‘Listen, this is going to come up multiple times. Most of the buyers that have been serious about this property are all looking at it as a pied-à-terre, so you’re likely gonna have to be below that $5 million mark,” Griffith explained.

“I think certain clients are evaluating their usage and how much time they’re spending in New York,” she said. “But I want to be completely transparent. No one’s rushing and listing it for sale or listing it to rent… I think certain people that maybe don’t want to sell the property and keep it in their portfolio are thinking about renting.”

“We are confident in both the pied-à-terre surcharge and the City’s ability to implement it fairly and effectively,” Matt Rauschenbach, a spokesperson for the mayor, previously said. “This surcharge asks those who own second homes valued at $5 million or more to contribute their fair share to the city they benefit from.”

Griffith and Snyder warned that aggressive tax surcharges could backfire if transaction volume drops or prices fall, potentially reducing city revenue from real property transfer and mansion taxes and offsetting some revenue from the new surcharge.

“The early behavioral signal is that some high-end buyers are choosing to rent in Manhattan for now and others are being far more selective about what they buy, which reads as a delay in commitment and a higher bar for the right property rather than a departure from the city,” Snyder detailed. “At the same time, our Florida new development portfolio is having a banner year, but most of that product will not deliver for one to three years, and we do not yet know how many of those buyers will be NYC relocators.”

“You don’t come to Manhattan for anything to be easy,” Griffith admitted. “I think the biggest thing is, we need to reduce the size of our budget, right? They keep talking about, how are we going to get money to make up for the deficit? Well, you need to also decrease spending. So maybe we need to shift that conversation into, are the programs effective? Where’s the money going? How is it being utilized, and how do you decrease spending?”

Fox News’ Stepheny Price and Maria Paronich contributed to this report.

UNITED NATIONS (VINnews) — Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations launched an international Task Force on Combating Antisemitism on Wednesday, saying the world body can no longer treat rising Jew-hatred as a problem of words rather than action.

Ambassador Danny Danon said the initiative was formed with the support of multiple countries and is intended to turn condemnations into coordinated policy. He pointed to antisemitism on streets, campuses, synagogues and inside the United Nations itself.

“An institution founded in the wake of the Holocaust cannot turn a blind eye to it,” Danon said after the launch. With the election of a new secretary-general approaching, he added that fighting antisemitism “must be a top priority.”

The Israeli mission said representatives of dozens of countries took part in the first meeting, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Argentina and Slovakia. Participants are expected to identify emerging threats, develop practical tools and coordinate diplomatic responses.

Danon said governments have too often declared concern without following through. “The words ‘Never Again’ were not meant to be a slogan. They were meant to be a commitment,” he told journalists at a Security Council stakeout. “Words, declarations and statements are not enough. It is time for action.”

He cited a reported 136% increase in antisemitic incidents across the seven countries with the largest Jewish communities outside Israel compared with the period before the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre. Danon called the surge an international problem that requires an international response and urged additional governments to join the effort.

Jeff Bartos, the U.S. representative to the United Nations for management and reform, described antisemitism as a “global pandemic” and criticized what he called bias by some U.N. special rapporteurs. Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Union coordinator on combating antisemitism, said it is “fully unacceptable” that Jews in many places hide their identity in public. “There can be no excuse for antisemitism,” she said. Rabbi Mark Goldfeder of the National Jewish Advocacy Center told the meeting that governments should measure results by prosecutions, not statements.

Danon said the task force will seek measurable recommendations rather than symbolic language and will address antisemitism both outside the organization and “right here within the walls” of the United Nations. He stressed that the fight is not Israel’s responsibility alone.

“This mission is the responsibility of the entire international community,” he said..

Israeli security forces have located a man who was reported missing after voluntarily entering a Palestinian village in northern Judea and Samaria, according to a joint statement issued by police, the military, the Shin Bet and the Israel Prison Service.

The man, a 53-year-old resident of the northern settlement of Ariel, was found safe, security officials said.

Authorities did not disclose which Palestinian village the man had entered or where he was ultimately located.

Security forces from the various agencies began searching for the man overnight, according to an earlier statement. Police said the operation included a police helicopter as well as Metzada, the Israel Prison Service’s elite unit.

Meanwhile, WAFA, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, reported that Israeli forces entered the towns of Kifl Haris and Qira on Thursday morning. Both towns are located near Salfit, a larger Palestinian city situated adjacent to Ariel.

According to WAFA, Israeli forces deployed across several areas of the two towns while surveillance drones operated overhead.

The circumstances surrounding the man’s disappearance and his subsequent discovery were not immediately detailed by the security services.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) Britain is considering expanding its sanctions regime against Israel in the coming months, including possible measures targeting Israeli banks that finance construction or mortgages in settlements in Judea and Samaria, according to senior British officials cited by Israel’s Channel 12.

The expanded package is expected to take between six and nine months to develop, according to the report. Possible measures could also target Israeli retail chains involved in settlement-related activity.

The reported plans come as relations between Britain and Israel have deteriorated sharply over Israel’s settlement policy in the West Bank, particularly plans to develop the strategically important E1 area east of Jerusalem.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced the first measures this week, including a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements and restrictions on British businesses providing services to settlements. London has also previously imposed sanctions on individuals and organizations accused of financing or facilitating settler violence.

The British government says the measures are aimed at settlement expansion and activity that it believes undermines the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel. In a joint statement issued Tuesday, Britain, France, Canada and nine other countries said settlement expansion and settler violence in Judea and Samaroa were undermining the prospects for a two-state solution. The countries said they would introduce or consider national restrictions on trade in goods from settlements.

Miliband has been particularly critical of Israel’s plans for E1, saying the project could divide Judea and Samaria and undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state. The British government has described Israeli settlements in the region as illegal under international law.

The dispute escalated after Israel announced a series of retaliatory measures against Britain. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Tuesday that Israel would close Britain’s consulate in East Jerusalem within 30 days. The consulate plays a major role in Britain’s diplomatic and consular relations with the Palestinians. British diplomats working there are expected to lose their diplomatic status when the closure takes effect.

Israel is also removing British representatives from the U.S.-led coordination center for postwar Gaza in Kiryat Gat and terminating Britain’s training program for Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank. In addition, Israel has barred 12 British politicians and other citizens from entering the country, according to Sa’ar. Among those barred is former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Sa’ar said Israel’s response was coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and accused Britain of interfering in Israel’s internal affairs and upcoming elections. Israel is scheduled to hold national elections in October.

The British government has defended its actions. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday that Britain must continue to act according to its values and support what he described as justice for Palestinians. The government has emphasized that the sanctions target settlement activity and not Israel’s existence or the Israeli people.

The United States, meanwhile, has criticized the European measures. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described the sanctions as discriminatory, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the measures could further destabilize the region.

The British measures are part of a broader international shift over Israeli settlement policy. France, Canada and nine other countries joined Britain in Tuesday’s statement, while several European governments have already imposed restrictions on settlement goods or are considering additional measures.

Britain had already taken tougher action in June, when it coordinated sanctions with Australia, Canada, France and Norway against individuals and organizations accused of financing or enabling settler violence. London also advised British businesses against economic and financial activity in Israeli settlements.

The economic impact of the new trade restrictions is expected to be limited because the volume of direct British trade with Israeli settlements is relatively small. The political significance, however, is considerably greater, as Britain remains one of Israel’s traditional Western allies.

For Israel, the dispute has become another front in a widening diplomatic confrontation over its policies in Judea and Samaria. For Britain and its allies, the measures are intended to pressure the Israeli government to halt settlement expansion and preserve the possibility of a two-state solution.

The possibility of further sanctions against Israeli financial institutions would mark a significant escalation. If implemented, measures affecting banks that provide mortgages or financing for settlement construction could have a substantially greater economic impact than the current restrictions on settlement goods. For now, however, British officials have not publicly confirmed such banking sanctions, and the details of any future package remain under discussion.

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Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Thursday warned that Iran may soon attack Israel due to the internal turmoil the regime is facing.

“Given the possibility that Iran could decide to act against Israel because of the economic stranglehold and intense pressure it is under, I again warn the Iranian leadership: Any attack against Israel, for any reason and from any location, will be met with a powerful response,” Katz said.

He warned Iran that Israel’s response will inflict “severe blows that Iran has never before experienced, including against its major energy facilities, which provide resources and capabilities for the Iranian war, terror network, and for attacks against Israeli citizens.”

Katz added that he and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to be on alert and prepared for action.

“Such a blow would set Iran back by decades and further destabilize the ayatollahs’ regime, which the Iranian people so deeply despise and yearn to see fall,” he said.

It was Katz’s second warning of a possible imminent Iranian attack, following a similar warning a week earlier.

Katz issued the remarks in a video statement ahead of Rosh Hashanah, together with a bracha to the Jewish kehilla in Iran.

“I want to send a birchas Shana Tova to the Jewish community in Iran and wish them a good and safe year. You are part of the glorious Jewish history and will always be in our hearts,” he said.

Addressing the Iranian people, Katz added: “Next year in Tehran, liberated from oppression and tyranny.”

Katz concluded with a blessing to the Jewish people in Israel and around the world: “Shanah Tova—and may our enemies, those who hate us and all who seek our harm, be removed.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Apple on Wednesday unveiled a highly anticipated foldable version of the iPhone along with other consumer tech devices embedded with artificial intelligence in the first major product event under the leadership of new CEO John Ternus.

Wednesday’s event marked the first major product launch since Ternus stepped into the top job at Apple after former CEO Tim Cook stepped down at the end of August after 15 years leading the company.

Ternus has worked at Apple since 2001, primarily in its product design and hardware engineering teams, and brings deep knowledge of key products like the Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods to the role.

The two Apple veterans joked about the transition during the event, with Cook appearing in a video about how to start the presentation that ended with a closeup of the former CEO saying, “Not me. That’s your guy,” and pointing back to Ternus.

Leander Kahney, editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, spoke with FOX Business following Apple’s event and said that Ternus does a “very good job of putting a human face on the big corporation that is Apple.”

“He talked a lot about the team, about the people behind the products and what a privilege it was to be able to lead the team, and he thanked them at the end,” Kahney said. “I think that’s something Steve Jobs used to do, and it’s a good continuation of that, to acknowledge that he’s not just the one guy – that he might be the face of Apple, but it’s definitely a big team of people behind him.”

Here’s a look at some of the key topics discussed during Apple’s event.

The new iPhone Duo, which is foldable and offers the largest ever iPhone display, will come with a starting price of $1,999. Duo’s 7.6-inch display is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and when opened is also the thinnest iPhone. It comes with storage options from 256 GB to 2 TB, and serves as Apple’s entry into the foldables market that has been dominated by Android devices.

The Duo’s folding system is made of more than 100 small precision components, and Apple said that it used AI algorithms during manufacturing to match each hinge with its best-fit housing to ensure perfect alignment.

“I think it’s going to be really popular,” Kahney said. “It combines portability with the big screen. Performance seems to be fantastic. It looks like it’s a really good phone for gaming and for productivity, of course, for working on the go. The cameras look pretty good – they’re obviously not the best cameras, but they look plenty good enough for all those everyday uses.”

Kahney added that the selfie feature was a “very clever” use case, as it allows users to not have to rely on a camera when setting up a group picture and will instead wait until people are in the picture and begin taking pictures automatically.

The Duo will be available starting on Oct. 23, with pre-orders opening a week earlier at 5:00 a.m. PT on Oct. 16.

“The key thing with Ternus was talking about the Apple ecosystem,” Kahney said. “Being a product guy, he’s worked on all of these different things – the Apple Watch, the iPad, the iPhone. And this is Apple’s strength, I think, having an ecosystem of products that complement each other and work well together.”

“They had new phones, new AirPods, new Apple Watches – all of them powered by AI,” Kahney said. “AI, of course, is going to have a massive impact on the kind of experiences and the kind of things you can do with watches, with tech products, and they seem to be well-integrated.”

Apple unveiled AirPods 5, which have “industry leading” active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, hands-free Siri AI and live translation, the company said. The devices start at $129.

The Apple Watch Series 12 boasts an updated health sensing system, including higher-frequency heart rate and heart rate variability measurements. Those updates pair with a redesigned Health app to track users’ workouts, sleep, heart rate and more. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399.

AI features were a notable focus in the latest products Apple rolled out at the event, and Ternus himself said that if you were designing a new product from scratch that would serve as an AI-powered personal hub, it would look a lot like the iPhone.

“There’s no product in the world better designed to be your intelligent personal hub than iPhone,” Ternus said. “As your personal hub, your iPhone can do so much more for you because it understands your context. This includes your calendar, your relationships, your routines, the most private details of your daily life.”

Ternus said that Apple Intelligence runs on devices whenever it can to protect users’ data, calling it “personal intelligence that’s actually personal,” and outlined how AI is making the company’s products more capable.

“From Siri becoming more capable and more personal across your Apple products, to meaningful health insights with Apple Watch, to powerful new AirPods, features like live translation, and so much more,” Ternus said.

Kahney noted the Apple Watch’s live rewind tool, which can provide subtitles for conversations and summarize important discussions for reference.

“It’s very smart for Apple to take an Apple Watch, which a lot of people wear these days, and layer in those kinds of AI features without coming up with a whole new product,” Kahney said.

• In today’s CEO Daily: An interview with GM CEO Mary Barra
• The big leadership story: Jensen Huang declares the start of the AGI era.
• The markets: Mixed globally as Brent crude tops $100 a barrel
• Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune.

Good morning. Alyson Shontell, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief, writing from New York this morning. When I had the chance recently to interview Mary Barra for Fortune’s Titans podcast, the GM CEO made clear that the company has no plans to abandon EVs, even as consumer adoption has slowed, improvements to the charging infrastructure have taken longer than expected, and the Trump administration has pulled back on policies designed to accelerate the transition.

“I don’t think it’s shifted our mission,” she told me. “We still think EVs are the end game.”

That conviction matters, given that GM has spent years investing in electric vehicles, batteries, software, and charging. Going forward, Barra is applying a pragmatic framework: GM will keep selling EVs and hybrids; it will also keep selling the lucrative trucks and SUVs that many Americans still want. Investors by and large have applauded her embrace of the messy middle: The stock is trading near its all-time high and is up nearly 6% YTD.

The mantra that Barra returned to again and again in our interview was choice. She invoked the goal of the legendary GM CEO Alfred P. Sloan: to reach “a lot of pocketbooks.” It’s an idea that feels newly relevant in an inflationary era, as automakers try to serve customers with very different budgets, driving habits, and comfort levels with electrification.

As for her broader management philosophy, Barra told me, “Agility is a superpower now.” It’s a lesson she learned early in her tenure as CEO, when it became clear that a disastrous ignition-switch malfunction had not been addressed for months because of what she called at the time a “deeply troubling” culture of bureaucratic inaction. Barra quickly instilled a set of protocols to prevent anything like that from happening again: Solve problems immediately, build mechanisms for employees to surface concerns, and repeat the message until it becomes embedded in the culture. 

That’s still her approach. “Rarely do problems get smaller,” she told me. Today, GM starts every meeting with a safety message—a way to keep the lessons learned from the ignition switch crisis top of mind—and maintains a “speak up for safety” culture. 

Creating an agile organization also means anticipating what lies ahead. To that end, GM is investing in automation, aiming to offer eyes-off-the-road highway driving in a Cadillac Escalade IQ by 2028. It is spending more than $250 million on skilled-trades training, which Barra has told high school students may be “a little more AI-proof” than some white-collar jobs. And it is experimenting with AI in factories and vehicle design to help its workforce move faster.

These approaches add up to a clear strategy other leaders can learn from: Play the long game and don’t let shifts in the landscape throw you off course. Address problems as they arise and retain the flexibility to meet customers where they are now.

Check out my full interview with Mary Barra here.

Contact CEO Daily via Diane Brady at [email protected]

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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An overnight Iranian attack on a U.S. base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. warplanes, CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs wrote on X.

“Multiple American military aircraft suffered damage in strikes overnight on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan,” Jacobs wrote, citing anonymous sources.

“One A-10 Thunderbolt, known as the Warthog, was struck and left with a missing wing. Roughly eight F-15s sustained light damage and were placed back into service.

“American forces in Jordan launched more than 30 Patriot missiles against the Iranian strikes.

“The overnight damage came after the US attacked five Iranian tankers in retaliation for Iran targeting a U.S. Navy warship. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed they launched attacks at eight tankers and two warships, including the base in Jordan.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The Transportation Security Administration has launched a new program allowing eligible TSA PreCheck members who are not flying to go through security and enter secure areas to greet arriving passengers or say goodbye to departing loved ones at the gate at some U.S. airports.

Under the program, eligible TSA PreCheck members without tickets can pass through security and enter gate areas, bringing back access that was largely restricted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that led to heightened airport security measures.

The move would bring back the emotional send-offs and gate-side reunions that were common before 9/11. The program would also allow guests to meet someone during a layover or visit airport restaurants and shops.

After 9/11, access beyond airport security checkpoints was generally limited to ticketed travelers, although airlines could issue gate passes in certain circumstances.

“As an exclusive benefit for our most trusted travelers, this new program makes it easier to return to the gate for welcomes and send-offs, meet friends during a layover, and enjoy dining and shopping along the way, bringing back the moments that once defined air travel,” the TSA said on its website.

The program, Gateside by TSA PreCheck, is free, but members interested in a guest pass must apply online at least one day and no more than three days before their planned visits and receive approval before showing up at the airport.

If approved, guests can enter security using a TSA PreCheck lane with an acceptable form of identification. Visitors who do not have an acceptable form of identification can use TSA ConfirmID to attempt to verify their identity for a $45 fee. TSA does not guarantee that it will be able to verify their identity.

The passes are valid for only one calendar day, although reentries are permitted for that day.

Children can also go through security but must be included on their parent or guardian’s application.

The TSA said members of other trusted-traveler programs who have a Known Traveler Number may also apply for access to the gates.

The initial rollout applies to 13 airports, including Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.

The other participating airports are Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, Will Rogers International Airport and Eppley Airfield.

But the agency said it plans to expand the program to additional airports in the coming months.

This comes as 21 airports across the country have adopted policies allowing non-ticketed visitors to receive a guest pass to move through airport security and into the terminal at no charge, with Pittsburgh International Airport being the first major U.S. airport to enact such a policy in 2017.

The plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Norway for the funeral of the Norwegian king narrowly avoided being struck by a drone while taking off from Moldova on Tuesday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed.

“His plane was almost hit by a drone as it was about to take off from Moldova,” Støre told the Norwegian NRK public broadcaster. “That’s the reality he’s facing.”

Moldova was forced to close its airspace because of the drone incursion, government spokesperson Dumitru Ciorici said Wednesday, forcing several incoming flights to circle overhead or land at airports outside the country.

The departures of three planes, including Zelenskyy’s, were delayed.

The drone crashed in a sunflower field on the outskirts of a village 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Chișinău International Airport, sparking four fires. No injuries were reported.

The airspace restrictions were lifted, and Zelenskyy’s plane took off later than scheduled.

The drone crossed into neighboring Romania, a NATO member, where it was tracked through several northeastern counties.

The ministry said two F-18 aircraft of the Spanish Air and Space Forces were raised to track its trajectory before it reentered Moldovan airspace.

On Wednesday, Moldova’s police said explosives experts discovered fragments of the drone that featured a propulsion system and characteristics similar to a Geran-type drone, which Moscow has used extensively in its full-scale war in Ukraine.

“Investigations identified the point of impact, where an explosion occurred and a crater of considerable size was formed,” police said, adding that specialists are continuing investigations “to determine the type and mass of the explosive payload.”

Ukraine neighbors both Romania and Moldova, and since Russia’s full invasion in 2022, both countries have reported dozens of drone incidents.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem & AP)

The U.N. atomic watchdog’s board on Wednesday reported Iran to the U.N. Security Council for the first time in 20 years, citing it for failure to cooperate in a long-running investigation into uranium traces detected by inspectors at undeclared sites.

Western officials suspect that the traces could provide evidence that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program until 2003. Iran says that it’s not pursuing nuclear weapons, and that its program is entirely peaceful.

Reporting Iran to the Security Council opens the country to possible sanctions and asset freezes, though such punitive measures are unlikely because Iran’s allies Russia and China hold veto power on the panel.

Twenty-three countries on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-member board of governors voted for Wednesday’s resolution at IAEA headquarters in Vienna.

China, Russia and Niger opposed it, while eight countries abstained and one didn’t vote as it was in arrears, according to diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the outcome of the closed-door vote.

The resolution was put forward by the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

The diplomatic move has been under consideration since June 2025, when the IAEA board found Iran officially in noncompliance with its nonproliferation obligations because of Tehran’s lack of cooperation in the investigation.

Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. in Vienna, Reza Najafi, rejected the resolution, describing it as a “political tool” and saying that it ruined confidence in the IAEA’s “independence, impartiality and credibility.”

He suggested that compliance with any obligation to allow U.N. inspections of nuclear sites inside Iran was, in any case, impossible at the moment because of the country’s continuing war with the U.S. and Israel.

The U.S. this week destroyed five Iranian oil tankers and Tehran hit back at American targets in Jordan, the latest burst of back-and-forth strikes that have lurched the sides back toward open hostilities in a more than 6-month-old war.

The draft resolution, which was seen by The Associated Press, requested IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to report the agency’s concerns “to the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the IAEA Statute.”

The resolution also reiterated its call upon Iran “to urgently remedy its non-compliance” with previous agreements and to take steps deemed necessary by the IAEA to assure “the non-diversion of nuclear material.”

Since Israel and the U.S. struck Iran’s nuclear sites during the 12-day war in June 2025, Iran hasn’t given IAEA inspectors access to nuclear sites that were affected by the strikes. The IAEA also has been unable to verify the status of Iran’s stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the June bombing.

Najafi said that airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel made safe access for inspectors to Iran’s nuclear sites “materially impossible.” He said that Iran has “neither stopped nor suspended its safeguards obligations,” adding that “performance is currently impossible under continuing military operations and persistent threats.”

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi echoed that sentiment in an post on X.

“They attack Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities, disrupt the normal verification process, and then use that very disruption as a pretext to pass a resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors,” he said.

According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponize its program, IAEA chief Grossi warned in an interview last year with the AP. He said that it doesn’t mean that Iran has such a weapon.

(AP)

Cream cheese and ready-to-eat deli-style salads are facing a recall over potential listeria contamination.

New York-based Made Fresh Salads, Inc. issued a recall this week for all of its cream cheese products and Ready-to-Eat Deli Style Salads in response to the listeria risk.

Made Fresh Salads’ recalled cream cheese items include 5-pound and 30-pound tubs of various flavors, such as 5-pound apple cinnamon cream cheese, 5-pound tofu vegetable spread, 30-pound whipped cream cheese and 30-pound scallion cream cheese.

The company also recalled dozens of ready-to-eat salad products, including 5-pound chickpea salad, 5-pound bowtie pesto, 30-pound macaroni salad and 30-pound potato salad.

The company’s 7-pound chocolate pudding, 6-pound vanilla pudding, 12-piece crab cakes and 12-piece potato croquettes were also subject to the recall.

Affected items have expiration dates ranging from Sept. 3 to Sept. 18.

The salads and cream cheese items were distributed in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx in New York City in 5-pound and 30-pound white plastic tubs with a Made Fresh Salads label or Northside label and half-size aluminum pans.

The products may have been repacked by retail locations in deli-style or other retail packaging, according to the company, although retail packaging and coding can vary based on purchase location.

The recall was initiated following environmental sampling by the company and the Food and Drug Administration, revealing that some areas of the facility tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The company has ceased production and distribution of the products as it continues to investigate, along with the FDA, what caused the contamination.

A listeria infection can cause symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, as well as miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

It can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

No illnesses have been reported thus far in connection with the recalled products.

Consumers who purchased the affected items are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

In the real world, President Donald Trump is struggling to stop inflation, rout the Iranian government and restore American manufacturing with tariffs.

However, it’s a different story in the fantastical vision that he shares with supporters on social media. Over Labor Day weekend, Trump and the White House unleashed an extraordinarily heavy torrent of memes that portrayed the president as singularly powerful.

One video depicted Trump as a superhero wielding Green Lantern’s ring to effortlessly build a wall to keep out migrants and erect a slew of busy factories. Another post showed him in a U.S. hockey uniform looming over Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as Carney cowered on the ice. And another had Trump on a military ship as it bombarded an enemy fleet.

Trump’s allure has always relied on a mythical version of himself, from “The Apprentice” to the White House, but the gap between meme and reality has become glaringly stark ahead of the midterm elections. Most U.S. adults are unhappy with Trump’s handling of the economy and say the Iran war hasn’t been worth it, but Trump has responded with outlandish images of himself as unstoppable and omnipotent.

Memes risk sidestepping reality

Some of the pictures are generated with artificial intelligence, and the administration has previously defended the memes as funny and their critics as humorless. Yet the stakes right now are serious for congressional Republicans who have tied their own fate to a president with low approval numbers. Trump’s party will put him center stage at an unusual midterm convention on Wednesday and Thursday in Dallas in hopes of stoking voters’ enthusiasm.

Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist, said that Trump’s social media posts can energize his base of “Make America Great Again” followers, although the tradeoff is that he’s not talking about how to fix inflation.

The voters who are likely to determine control of Congress in the midterms “are not going to be won over with memes,” Madden said. “The affordability voter is driving this election cycle and the issues they care about are anchored in the economy.”

The White House press office did not respond to a request for comment. Trump sometimes plucks memes from a sprawling ecosystem of online conservative supporters, and sometimes his government staff produces them as part of their official messaging. Recently they created a series of old-school video games, such as a “Tetris” knockoff called “Build the Wall.”

“The memes will continue,” Kaelan Dorr, a member of the White House communications team, recently posted on social media. “The winning will continue.”

Aging presidents promote vitality online

The problem for Trump is that voters have other images they’re using to define him. Drivers can spot through their windshields that gasoline is averaging $4.15 a gallon, up nearly 30% from a year ago because of the Iran war. And social media is inundated with questions about the 80-year-old president’s health and vitality, spurred by pictures of his bruised hands or video clips of him appearing to fall asleep in meetings.

White House officials have said the bruising is caused by “frequent handshaking” and Trump’s aspirin regimen, and they’ve denied that he’s dozed off.

Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, is three years older and faced relentless scrutiny about his age while in office. His White House came to embrace a meme version of Biden with lasers for eyes, suggesting that he was powerful and focused rather than infirm.

Andrew Bates, who was a deputy press secretary for Biden, said that Trump’s memes seem to be about avoiding the actual responsibilities of governing. He said they risk angering voters who see Trump as more focused on redecorating the White House than bringing the Iran war to a successful end.

“When a president who ran on bringing gas prices under $2 a gallon is now saying, ‘You’re at four dollars, it’s OK,’ it unfortunately makes sense that he’s also posting fever dreams,” Bates said.

Some memes have caused trouble

The memes have occasionally gotten Trump into trouble. He posted an image of himself as Jesus in April, which caused a degree of consternation among some supporters. The president later claimed he thought the image showed him as a medical doctor — albeit a doctor in Biblical robes with light emanating from his hands.

In February, his account posted a racist video of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as primates, which he deleted after a backlash.

Last October, Trump shared a video of him in a fighter jet dumping feces on Americans who were protesting his policies.

What the memes have not done so far is boost his wider approval ratings. Only 33% of U.S. adults approve of how he is handling the job of being president, according to a July AP-NORC poll.

But the polling also hits at a reason why he might be sending the memes to rally his core supporters. Just 15% of U.S. adults strongly approve of his presidency, the poll found, a slight decline from 22% shortly after he took office.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

The Iranian nuclear site buried under Pickaxe Mountain has seen an increased level of construction work over the last year, analysts reviewing satellite imagery shared with CNN on Wednesday.

Construction at the site, analysts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank told CNN, “has shifted from active excavation toward probably internal construction and continued exterior reinforcement.”

The site has seen “more road activity,” as well as “raising and hardening of the (tunnel) portal accesses, paving of the internal road network, reinforcement around access areas, and the flattening and removal” of excavated dirt.

According to CSIS, the site has likely been designed to be a safe haven for Iran’s nuclear program, CNN reported.

CSIS analysts said that the site could serve as a centrifuge assembly facility, an enrichment facility, or other “nuclear-weapons-relevant” work. However, based on the continuous construction, the analysis estimated that the site “is not yet capable of enrichment work, if that is the intended purpose.”

A source familiar with the matter told CNN that the United States had considered Pickaxe Mountain one of the potential targets if the war against Iran escalated in the last several months.

One source said that the Defense Department had recently held a “planning sprint” on the topic of strikes against Iranian underground facilities, including Pickaxe Mountain.

US explores options for striking deeply buried Iranian sites

Pickaxe Mountain could prove difficult to strike with existing US non-nuclear bombs due to the granite surrounding the underground facility, according to the CSIS analysis cited by CNN.

Four days before the US launched Operation Epic Fury, a Defense Threat Reduction Agency program manager signed an emergency $1.2 million contract justification for repairs to an underground test facility at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, CNN reported.

The document referred to preparations for a live-fire test of classified capabilities and said the work needed to be completed within two to three weeks due to a “time-sensitive national security directive.”

Three sources told CNN that the planned test was connected to the Iran war and efforts to develop ways of targeting Iran’s deepest underground facilities.

CNN said it could not independently verify whether the test occurred or confirm the purpose of activity observed at the White Sands site.

US developing next-generation penetrator

The US struck Iranian nuclear sites during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025. A top US general later told lawmakers that only the entrances to the deeply buried Isfahan nuclear site were buried because the Pentagon believed its Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs could not destroy the facility, CNN reported.

The US military is also developing a successor to the Massive Ordnance Penetrator that could potentially target more deeply buried facilities.

A prototype contract was awarded in September 2025, and the Air Force sought defense industry sources for the weapon in June, CNN reported.

CNN also reported that the US maintains operational plans to strike Pickaxe Mountain. The site was included in a target package considered earlier this summer, although it remains unclear whether existing US munitions could penetrate deeply enough to destroy what Iran may have moved underground.

This post was originally published on here.

One of the crypto industry’s oldest firms is splitting in two. Consensys announced on Wednesday that it is rebranding as MetaMask, which is the name of its flagship wallet product. This unit will operate as an independent corporate entity, focused entirely on its consumer MetaMask platform, while the rest of the firm’s operations—which include various protocols and Ethereum software for institutions—will be housed in a new and separate unit.

Under the new corporate arrangement, Consensys founder Joe Lubin will be CEO of the standalone MetaMask unit, while longtime executive Mike Kriak will lead the new, institution-focused entity that will carry on the legacy Consensys name. Lubin will also serve as Executive Chairman of the latter.

In an interview with Fortune, Lubin explained the decision to split the company came upon recognizing that its consumer-focused MetaMask operation was accruing value at a more rapid pace than the rest of Consensys’s business units.

The shake-up comes at a delicate moment in the corporate evolution of Consensys. Founded over a decade ago in Brooklyn as an Ethereum startup incubator, it relocated to Texas in 2023, and a year ago signaled plans to go public early this year, but those plans appear to have been scuttled by a major downturn in the crypto market.

Lubin declined to comment on the renewed timeline for an IPO, but his comments about the rapid growth of its consumer platform, and the company’s decision to split the firm suggest the standalone MetaMask firm might seek a listing as soon as early 2027.

Over the years, Consensys has sought to align its corporate values with the decentralized ethos of the Ethereum blockchain, of which Lubin was one of the cofounders. This goal has served to keep the company close to developers and longtime crypto enthusiasts, but has also meant that Consensys has at times suffered from the same chaos and strategic drift as Ethereum itself.

In the last several years, Consensys has carried out rounds of layoffs, and also got in a bruising but successful fight with the Biden-era Securities and Exchange Commission over the right to build decentralized software.

During this time, Consensys also sought to build out MetaMask, which began as a decentralized wallet for Ethereum, but has since expanded into something more like the crypto version of a neo-bank.

“We see a massive opportunity ahead of us as MetaMask is really maturing,” said Lubin, who pointed out to the brand’s recent launch of “Master Account,” which lets users hold various assets—including various forms of crypto and fiat currencies—in a single account, which they can spend using a Mastercard-supported debit card.

MetaMask also has a suite of other services, including perpetual futures and prediction markets, that Lubin says are providing an increasingly diversified revenue stream.

Lubin has hinted in recent years that MetaMask, which has a stablecoin, was poised to drop its own token, but on Tuesday told Fortune that the current business and regulatory climate means that fewer firms are inclined to issue their own cryptocurrencies.

As for the new corporate unit focused on protocols and institutional software, it will use the legacy name Consensys. Lubin said the recent push by banks and other companies to push portions of their operations on-chain will presage a long-term boom for both Ethereum and the newly-constituted Consensys.

In response to why the company chose to split its business units, and the new firms’ timeline for an IPO, a spokesperson declined to provide specific details.

“We don’t comment on market speculation or potential future capital markets activity. What we can say is that MetaMask and Consensys are two strong businesses operating in distinct markets, with different growth trajectories and paths to value creation. Separating them gives each company the dedicated leadership, focus and strategic flexibility to pursue its opportunity independently and maximize its long-term potential,” said the spokesperson.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

For centuries, French and Italian mountain communities on the flanks of Western Europe’s highest peak have gazed upon seemingly eternal glaciers and snow that gave the colossus its name: Mont Blanc, the white mountain.

But climate warming is dismantling the picture at alarming speed.

Europe’s record heat waves this summer savaged permafrost that for millennia has acted like glue on the Alpine landscape. Defrosting cliffs came apart as high-altitude cold gave way to higher temperatures, sending rock falls cascading from the heights. A famously dangerous rock-prone gully that climbers have long braved on ascents to the summit, 4,805 meters (15,766 feet) up, became temporarily impassable.

“We weep for our mountain, the way it’s changing. It hits us in the gut,” said Stéphane Bozon, a deputy mayor in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, a French town at the foot of the giant that straddles France’s border with Italy.

“From mid-July onward, we saw an increase in rock falls. We saw areas becoming difficult to access because of glacial retreat and snowmelt on the glaciers, with crevasses opening up and rock collapses making some areas difficult to reach or traverse,” he told The Associated Press.

Each degree of warming can have an outsized impact. On the Aiguille du Midi peak, which rises to an altitude of 3,842 meters (12,605 feet) in the Mont Blanc range, average temperatures for July have soared. From a chilly 1.6 C (33.8 F) in 1994, the monthly average for this July was the warmest ever recorded, at 3.3 C (37.4 F), says Meteo France, the national weather service.

“The mountain really dried out, with temperatures unlike any I had ever experienced,” Bozon said.

The Himalayan flood disaster hits close to home in the Alps

In the wake of devastating floods in the Himalayas, AP talked to researchers, climbers and residents coping with the risks and uncertainties of climate change on Mont Blanc.

The Aug. 26 floods that swept through Nepal and China were triggered after a collapse of bedrock and glacier ice sent debris and water surging through multiple Himalayan rivers. Initial assessments of many scientists are that climate change played a key role in creating conditions for the catastrophe.

As Earth’s global average temperature rises because of the burning of oil, gas and coal, the chances of such disasters increase.

In the Alps, glaciers once admired for their icy majesty are being eyed with trepidation as they shrink and lose stability.

Bozon, who is in charge of safety for Chamonix, says his town urgently needs to prepare for “serious scenarios” of chunks of glacier or mountain potentially falling onto inhabited areas.

“We have to move quite quickly because this summer has shaken us and year after year we’re being shaken by the glaciers’ retreat,” he said.

In Italy, researchers are also documenting dramatic damage wrought by heat on glaciers this year. In Lombardy, Alpine glaciers have lost more than 40% of their surface area since 1991, according to the region’s glacier service.

“While it used to snow at high altitudes in the past, now it rains,” said Vanda Bonardo, head of the Italian branch of the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps, a nongovernmental organization.

“So we’ve also seen the effects on the stability of the terrain,” she said.

Rock falls in the Mont Blanc area have surged

Permafrost that has held Alpine peaks in its icy grip for thousands of years acts as a cement, helping to hold their steep rock faces together. It took a beating from the succession of heat waves.

“That doesn’t mean that all the rock faces will collapse in the coming years or decades but quite a number of them are on the verge of becoming unstable and remain stable today only because of the presence of that ice. As the ice changes, we have seen a huge, huge number of rock falls and rock collapses this year,” said Ludovic Ravanel, a researcher at Savoie Mont Blanc University who specializes in climate change’s impact on mountain snows, glaciers and frosts.

A collapse is a major fall involving more than 100 cubic meters (3,531 cubic feet) of rock — more than enough to fill a large shipping container. Ravanel expects this year’s tally of collapses in the Mont Blanc massif “will probably reach around 400.” He says that is about 10 times more than two decades ago.

The last time things got close to this bad was the ’’catastrophic year″ of 2022, he said, with nearly 300 collapses.

“This has really been one of the defining features of the summer of 2026,” he said.

A Mont Blanc climbing guide juggles the risks

Chamonix-based mountain guide Stuart MacDonald says it shocks him to see how rapidly and extensively glaciers that hang from the flanks of the Mont Blanc massif are retreating.

When he guides people up the peaks, he points them to “where the glacier was last year and this is where it was 10 years ago. And that usually has quite an effect.”

Melting and the risk of rock falls made his job “pretty challenging” this summer and forced him to cancel plans to lead a group to Mont Blanc’s summit last week.

“You hear it before you see it and then you’ll turn round and you’ll just see an enormous cascade of rocks coming down a slope and it can be quite terrifying,” MacDonald said.

“What’s most scary is that sometimes these rocks are falling on routes that we used to be climbing at this time of year,” he added. “It can be depressing sometimes when you look at something that you maybe climbed in July or August in the past and you see that it’s absolutely impossible to do it now.”

___

Leicester reported from Paris. Associated Press journalists Trisha Thomas and Paolo Santalucia in Rome and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

In July, Saudi Arabia and the United States bombed Iran-backed militias in Iraq after blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities that had been claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, another Iranian ally.

Now, regional officials tell The Associated Press that the Houthis helped the Iraqi militias plan and execute the two-day swarm attack, showing a new level of coordination.

Iran spent decades building up armed groups on Israel’s frontiers that suffered major losses in the wars following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of Gaza. Israel battered the Palestinian militants as well as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which had been Iran’s most powerful ally.

Regional officials and experts say Iran is now using the Iraqi militias and the Houthis to threaten Saudi Arabia and other American allies in the Gulf in order to drive up the costs of the war launched by the U.S. and Israel in February.

It is a risky strategy. A wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi oil facilities on Tuesday threatened to reignite full-scale war with the kingdom. Iraq has ordered militias to disarm by the end of this month, though powerful Iran-backed groups have refused to do so. A new American effort to economically isolate Iran could spark further escalation.

Iran-backed groups in Yemen and Iraq form a pincer movement

The Houthi involvement in the Iraqi drone attack was confirmed by two Saudi officials, citing intelligence, and a senior Iraqi security official. They said Houthi emissaries worked in an operations room run by Iraqi militias.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. responded with joint airstrikes that killed at least 20 Iraqi fighters, six Iranian advisers and at least one Houthi official. The death of the Houthi, not previously reported, was confirmed by a Houthi official and an Iraqi militia member.

A U.S. military official said Houthis had been killed in previous strikes in Iraq. The U.S. is concerned about the Houthi presence there and their ability to launch attacks on other countries, including Saudi Arabia, the official said.

Two officials with the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group of militias that is officially part of Iraq’s security forces, denied involvement in the attack on Saudi Arabia and denied that the Houthis were operating under its auspices. The PMF includes powerful militias backed by Iran that sometimes act independently.

All the officials and the militia member spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media. The Houthis did not respond to a request for comment.

Cooperation grew during the war in Gaza

Cooperation between the Iraqi militias and the better organized Houthis had grown throughout the war in Gaza, when they coordinated attacks on Israel, according to the Houthi and regional officials. At the height of the war, Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi spoke of a joint operations room.

After the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, Iran and its allies began firing on Gulf nations to broaden the conflict and inflict pain on major oil producers hosting American forces.

“Iran has a hybrid strategy in the current war. We are not fighting on one front and we are not using one tool,” Mahdi Mohammadi, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker, wrote on social media in June.

“The Houthis’ growing prominence during the Gaza war opened up a new horizon in Iraq. Many groups there became eager to support the Houthis, and in return, the Houthis started sharing their military expertise with Iraqi militias,” said Ahmed Nagi, senior Yemen analyst at the Crisis Group, an international think tank.

Now they are “squeezing Saudi like with pliers,” Nagi said.

Houthi blockade of Saudi Arabia ramps up pressure

A week before the drone swarm attack, the Houthis declared a blockade against Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, threatening another critical trade route as the wartime disruption of the Strait of Hormuz has jolted the world economy.

Since late July, the Houthis have carried out over a dozen attacks against Saudi oil facilities and tankers in the Red Sea, according to the war monitor group ACLED.

On Tuesday, they launched a wave of attacks on oil and other facilities in southern Saudi Arabia, wounding more than 70 people, including women and children, Saudi authorities said.

The Houthi blockade has forced Saudi Arabia to adopt a “dark” transit policy that includes turning off tracking signals on oil tankers in the Red Sea, according to ACLED.

Saudi oil exports are in the crosshairs

Saudi Arabia had diverted much of its oil to the Red Sea after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. When the Houthis began attacking, the kingdom started shipping more oil north to the Suez Canal and Egypt’s SUMED pipeline, whose flows have risen from 650,000 barrels a day in June to over 1.9 million in August, according to global shipping monitor Kpler.

Last month, the Houthis showed they can target that route as well, striking a Saudi tanker in the northern Red Sea with a missile. The tanker had reportedly traveled from the Saudi port of Yanbu to the Suez Canal, some 1,000 kilometers (700 miles) from Houthi territory.

The Houthis “are willing to weather some shorter term pain for what they feel will be longer term gains,” such as extending their reach along the Red Sea coast, said Adam Baron, a Yemen expert at the New America think tank in Washington.

“The train to a return to full scale war has left the station, and it’s unclear if anyone is going to jump in to stop it,” he said, citing the U.S. focus on Iran and the Saudis’ reluctance to intervene in Yemen again.

The Houthis have their own reasons for fighting Saudi Arabia

The rebels seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014. The following year, the Saudis joined with Yemen’s internationally recognized government in a counteroffensive, likely fearing that the kingdom could end up with a Hezbollah-like group on its doorstep.

The civil war has killed at least 150,000 people, according to U.N. estimates, and at times pushed Yemen to the brink of famine. A ceasefire that had mostly held since 2022 is now in tatters.

For years, a Saudi-led blockade has raised pressure on the Houthis while exacting a heavy toll on ordinary people in rebel-held parts of Yemen.

The Houthis have often responded by escalating hostilities, and renewed fighting could allow them to gain control of energy-rich areas of eastern Yemen, said Elisabeth Kendall, a Yemen expert at Cambridge University’s Girton College.

The Houthis have no shortage of advanced weaponry

The Houthis, who control northern and central Yemen, have been smuggling in advanced weapons for years, circumventing the blockade and a U.N. arms embargo. Iran denies arming the rebels, but Iranian-made weaponry has been found on the battlefield and in intercepted shipments.

The rebels have an array of cruise and ballistic missiles, drones and unmanned submarines.

Saudi-backed forces in Yemen are fighting back on a number of fronts, including the crucial port city of Hodeida and the province of Taiz along Yemen’s west coast. The Houthis have attacked Mokha, the main Red Sea port still held by the government.

Saudi Arabia appears reluctant to directly target the Houthis again, but if the rebels continue to escalate, “it will have to act decisively once and for all,” Kendall said.

___

El Deeb reported from Beirut and Abdul-Zahra from Baghdad. Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

A historic change will take place this Rosh Hashanah at Yeshivas Kol Torah in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim, as Rav Yeshaya Rothenberg, who has served as the yeshiva’s longtime baal tefillah for Mussaf on both days of Rosh Hashanah, will not lead the tefillos this year.

Rav Rothenberg, the rov of the Gra Shul in Bayit Vegan, has stood before the amud at Kol Torah for decades. His departure marks the end of an era for the yeshiva’s Yomim Noraim tefillos, with his voice, nusach and presence having become an inseparable part of the yeshiva and its uplifting Rosh Hashanah atmosphere.

Taking his place this year will be Rav Yehuda Wolpin, son of Rav Refael Wolpin, a ram at Yeshivas Kol Torah. Rav Yehuda is also a grandson of the yeshiva’s rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger.

The incoming baal tefillah, who comes from the world of Yeshivas Chevron, will bring his own distinctive style to the amud, while seeking to preserve the longstanding traditions that have characterized the tefillos at Kol Torah.

The planned nusach will combine elements of both traditions. Familiar and beloved portions of Rav Rothenberg’s nusach will remain, while niggunim and elements of the stirring style associated with Yeshivas Chevron will also be incorporated.

Extensive preparations have been underway in recent days to ensure a smooth transition and to familiarize the bnei hayeshiva with the new combination of styles.

As part of those preparations, Rav Wolpin held a special session with a group of bochurim from the yeshiva. Together, they carefully reviewed the finer details of the nusach, practiced the transitions between different portions of the tefillah, and prepared for the climactic moments of the Rosh Hashanah davening.

{Matzav.com}

A major controversy has erupted in Yeshivas Chevron in Yerushalayim after special “kosher” cellphones distributed to the yeshiva’s bochurim were discovered to contain a loophole that reportedly allows users to bypass the device’s restrictions and install virtually any application.

The Android 11-based devices had been specifically approved for use by the yeshiva and include several permitted features not generally found on standard kosher phones, including public transportation information, seforim and music. However, bochurim discovered that creating a new user profile on the phone apparently opens an unrestricted environment without the filtering and blocks imposed on the primary account.

Ironically, the loophole was discovered because bochurim were attempting to download Torah shiurim from Kol Halashon.

One talmid told B’Chadrei Chareidim that the bochurim were unable to transfer shiurim by cable using a station in the yeshiva, leading to notices being posted explaining that a new user could be created through the phone’s settings to enable the transfer.

“The story is that the bochurim wanted to download shiurim from ‘Kol Halashon,’ but they couldn’t copy the shiurim with the cable to the station in the yeshiva, so the yeshiva posted notices that a new user could be opened in the device’s settings and then it would be possible to copy the shiurim. What became clear is that the new user has no filtering at all and no blocking,” the talmid said.

The discovery has caused considerable turmoil inside the yeshiva. Another concern is that even if the devices receive a software update closing the loophole, bochurim may eventually discover another method of bypassing the restrictions.

The yeshiva had not yet issued an official response as of Wednesday night, and B’Chadrei reported that the devices will likely be collected from the bochurim.

The phones were introduced in an effort to combat the widespread use of so-called “kosher Xiaomi” devices — smartphones that can outwardly resemble approved kosher phones while providing access to unrestricted smartphone functions.

The initiative itself had previously generated controversy. Last year, the devices were distributed free of charge to younger bochurim in Vaad Aleph, although recipients were required to provide two security checks: NIS 600 in case the device was damaged and NIS 1,500 if the phone was deliberately breached. Several Gedolim and Roshei Yeshiva had initially opposed the device before it ultimately received approval from the yeshiva’s leadership.

At the beginning of the current Elul zman, the phones were distributed to the broader student body under the same deposit arrangement. Now, just weeks later, the newly discovered loophole has thrown the entire program into question.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

With Rosh Hashanah falling on Shabbos this year, Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Rav Kalman Ber, has issued a special letter offering practical halachic guidance for the Yom Tov while addressing concerns over the fact that the shofar will not be sounded on the first day of Rosh Hashanah.

In his letter, Rav Ber cites the well-known statement of Chazal: “Any year in which the shofar is not sounded at its beginning will experience troubles at its end.”

At first glance, the statement could cause particular concern in a year such as this one, when the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos and the shofar is therefore not blown.

Rav Ber, however, stresses that there is no reason for concern. He notes that the Baal Halachos Gedolos, as cited by Tosafos in Maseches Rosh Hashanah, explains that the statement of Chazal does not apply when the shofar is not blown because of the sanctity of Shabbos.

The chief rabbi also cites the Aruch LaNer, who noted that while Jewish history has indeed seen difficult years in which Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos, some of the most momentous and positive events in Jewish history also occurred during such years.

Among them, Rav Ber noted, were the year in which the sin of the Golden Calf was forgiven, the year in which the Mishkan was erected, and the year in which the Jewish people entered Eretz Yisroel.

The explanation, Rav Ber writes, is that when the shofar cannot serve as the advocate for Klal Yisroel, Shabbos itself becomes their advocate.

That merit, however, comes with a responsibility: The protective power of Shabbos depends upon the Jewish people properly respecting and observing its sanctity.

Rav Ber therefore called for a particular strengthening this year in kavod Shabbos and shemiras Shabbos, both in private life and in the public sphere, so that the merit of Shabbos will stand on behalf of Klal Yisroel on the Yom Hadin.

Beyond his words of encouragement, Rav Ber’s letter provides a detailed overview of the practical halachos that apply when Rosh Hashanah begins on Shabbos.

The shofar is not sounded on the first day, and in davening, the words Zichron Teruah are recited. Rav Ber also noted that attention should be paid to the other changes in the nusach hatefillah that result from the first day coinciding with Shabbos.

Regarding Avinu Malkeinu, Rav Ber noted that there are differing minhagim concerning its recitation when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos.

Similarly, with regard to Tashlich, many have the custom to postpone its recitation until the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

Rav Ber also reminded the public that no preparations may be made on the first day of Rosh Hashanah for the second day.

Preparations for the second night may therefore begin only after tzeis hakochavim, and after reciting Vatodi’einu during Maariv or saying Baruch Hamavdil bein kodesh l’kodesh.

On the second night, Kiddush and Havdalah are combined according to the order known as Yaknehaz. No bracha is recited over besamim.

Rav Ber further noted that on the second day, a Shehecheyanu is recited over the blowing of the shofar even by those whose usual custom is not to recite Shehecheyanu over the shofar on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

Rav Ber concluded his letter by wishing Klal Yisroel a kesivah vachasimah tovah and expressing his hope that the merit of Shabbos will stand on behalf of the Jewish people on the Yom Hadin.

{Matzav.com}

CUPERTINO, Calif. (VINnews) — Apple on Wednesday unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, a launch that also renewed attention on a less visible part of the company’s story: years of Israeli engineering that helped build the cameras, chips, sensors and storage inside the iPhone.

The Duo, introduced at Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event, opens to a 7.6-inch inner display and has a 5.4-inch outer screen. It is powered by the A20 Pro chip, starts at $1,999 for 256GB of storage and is scheduled for pre-order on Oct. 16, with shipments beginning Oct. 23.

The device will not carry a “Made in Israel” label. But Apple’s Israeli footprint is well established. The company operates research and development centers in Herzliya, Haifa and Jerusalem and employs about 2,000 to 2,500 people in the country, according to Israeli business and technology reports. Apple executives have described those teams as central to work on custom silicon, cameras, depth sensing and storage.

Avi Kaner, a New York businessman and frequent commentator on Israel and technology, wrote Wednesday that Israeli companies and engineers have left a mark on iPhone features across several generations, even if most buyers never see that connection.

Apple’s presence in Israel grew through a series of acquisitions and a long-term buildup of local labs.

In late 2011 and early 2012, Apple bought Anobit, an Israeli flash-memory company. Hardware chief Johny Srouji, a Haifa-born Technion graduate who now oversees Apple’s hardware organization, has said the company’s storage controllers are developed in Israel. Apple later hired around that team and expanded chip work in Haifa.

In 2013, Apple acquired PrimeSense, a Tel Aviv firm known for 3D sensing technology used in Microsoft’s Kinect. That purchase is widely linked to Apple’s later work on depth sensing and Face ID. In 2015, Apple bought LinX Computational Imaging, which specialized in compact multi-camera systems and computational photography. In 2017, it added RealFace, a facial-recognition startup. Later deals included Camerai and, in 2026, the Israeli startup Q.AI.

Those purchases were not one-off talent grabs. Apple turned them into standing R&D operations focused on semiconductors, imaging, sensing and memory — some of the hardest problems in a modern smartphone.

Rony Friedman, who long led Apple’s Israel R&D organization, said earlier this year that local teams contributed to chips, cameras and depth systems used in features such as Face ID and cinematic video, as well as work on the Apple Watch, Mac processors and Vision Pro. “It’s hard to find an Apple product that doesn’t have some kind of touch from Apple employees in Israel,” he said.

Srouji has struck a similar note. After visiting Apple’s Israeli labs last year, he said the local team is “essential to developing products used by experts, entrepreneurs, creators and students around the world.”

Apple has also been expanding its physical presence. Reports describe a large new Herzliya campus expected to come online in 2027, plus additional space in Jerusalem near the Hebrew University. Industry accounts have called the Israeli operation one of Apple’s most important development centers outside Cupertino.

The new iPhone Duo puts that history in a fresh frame. Foldable phones depend on custom silicon, durable sensing, camera systems that work across two displays, and storage that can handle high-resolution video. Those are the same areas Israeli engineers have been working on for Apple for more than a decade.

Kaner argued that the story is larger than any single acquisition. Apple, he said, absorbed Israeli startups and then built a lasting research presence around chips, cameras, sensing and storage — technologies that helped define the iPhone even when the finished product is assembled elsewhere.

Apple typically declines to discuss individual acquisitions or assign public credit for specific features to particular labs. The company has not issued a statement tying the Duo itself to its Israeli centers. The public record, however, shows a consistent pattern: Israeli firms supplied key capabilities, Israeli engineers stayed on, and Apple kept expanding the operation.

For iPhone users, the result is mostly invisible. Face ID, computational photography, on-device storage and custom chips are marketed as Apple inventions. Behind those systems is a pipeline that runs through Herzliya, Haifa and Jerusalem as well as California.

The Duo will begin reaching customers next month. Whether or not buyers notice the Israeli role, the engineering record suggests that role is already inside the phone.

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The Shas party filed an urgent petition with Israel’s High Court of Justice on Wednesday against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, challenging her decision to prevent a state-sponsored conference commemorating Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l from taking place ahead of the upcoming election.

Shas is accusing the attorney general of “selective and political enforcement,” arguing that her treatment of the Rav Ovadia memorial is inconsistent with the treatment of memorial events honoring slain Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.

According to Shas, memorial events for Rabin are permitted to take place even close to an election, while the state-sponsored conference honoring Rav Ovadia has been disqualified because of its proximity to Election Day.

“While memorial events for Yitzhak Rabin are held as usual close to elections, the memorial conference for Maran is disqualified, causing serious harm to the feelings of the faithful,” Shas argued.

Following the attorney general’s decision, Shas decided to bring the dispute before the High Court, filing an urgent petition challenging Baharav-Miara’s directive.

At the heart of the petition is the party’s contention that there is no justification for treating the conference honoring Rav Ovadia differently from other official memorial events.

Shas stressed that, from its perspective, the dispute is not merely about whether the conference will take place. The party argues that preventing an official gathering honoring Rav Ovadia constitutes a serious affront to the many people who regarded him as their spiritual leader.

Shas said that barring the event commemorating Rav Ovadia causes “serious harm to the feelings of the faithful.”

The controversy began after the Religious Services Ministry sought to hold the state-sponsored conference commemorating Rav Ovadia from October 6 through October 8, close to the anniversary of his petirah on 3 Cheshvan.

Because the proposed conference dates fall close to the upcoming election, however, the attorney general directed that the event be postponed until after the election, citing concerns that holding it beforehand could violate election-campaign laws.

Shas initially turned to Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg and asked him to overturn the attorney general’s directive.

Sohlberg ruled that he did not have the authority to review or overturn the attorney general’s instruction.

At the same time, Sohlberg emphasized that he was not ruling on whether the attorney general’s decision was justified on its merits. He further clarified that the parties could present their arguments through the appropriate legal proceedings.

As a result, the attorney general’s directive remained in effect.

Shas has now moved the battle to the High Court, where it is challenging the decision and arguing that the state-sponsored gathering commemorating Rav Ovadia should not be subjected to different standards from other memorial events.

Top White House advisers have privately told President Trump that the war with Iran could continue for years, potentially lasting through the remainder of his presidency and even beyond January 2029, as Tehran continues resisting U.S. pressure, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials have discussed the possibility with Trump in meetings at the White House. Their concern is not that Iran has announced a plan to simply wait for Trump to leave office, but that Tehran may be able to withstand the U.S.-led blockade, sanctions and ongoing military pressure far longer than Washington initially hoped.

Trump has publicly projected a much faster end to the conflict, telling reporters Wednesday that the war would end “immediately” after the November midterm elections because Iran would no longer be able to hold out. Privately, however, his advisers are preparing for a very different possibility: a conflict lasting another two years or more.

The Pentagon is already planning for a prolonged American military presence in the Middle East. Some U.S. air-defense units have no firm withdrawal date, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has extended certain deployments into 2027, and roughly 50,000 American troops remain stationed across the region. Marine and Air Force units are also continuing to rotate into the Middle East.

U.S. officials are increasingly concerned that Iran could adapt its attacks and rebuild stocks of missiles, drones, radar systems and other military equipment as the conflict continues. A drawn-out war would also keep significant U.S. military resources tied up in the Middle East rather than available for Europe and Asia.

Trump has privately pushed for a quicker end to the fighting while continuing to support a long-term economic campaign intended to force Tehran to dismantle its nuclear program. The administration is therefore confronting two competing realities: the president wants Iran to capitulate soon, while his own advisers believe Tehran could remain defiant well into the final years of his presidency.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Pakistan has delivered a Saudi warning to Iran demanding that Tehran rein in its Houthi allies in Yemen following a major escalation in attacks against Saudi Arabia, as the countries seek to prevent the crisis from spiraling further, The Times of Israel reports, citing Saudi, Pakistani and Iranian sources.

The warning followed Houthi strikes Tuesday against an airbase in Khamis Mushait and oil infrastructure in nearby Saudi cities, which wounded 73 people. The attacks were among the largest against Saudi Arabia since the Iran war began in February.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Wednesday that Saudi warplanes had carried out 54 airstrikes across several Yemeni provinces over the previous 12 hours, warning that the strikes would not go unanswered. The escalating confrontation has opened another regional front threatening global energy supplies as Iran and the United States simultaneously trade attacks against shipping in the Gulf.

Pakistan’s warning carries additional weight because of its defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that while Islamabad’s military role would be limited to defending Saudi territory, an attack spilling into the kingdom could activate the joint security arrangement between the three countries. Under the pact, he said, aggression against one would be considered aggression against all three.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A yeshiva bochur who spent 48 hours in an Israeli military prison after being detained over his status with the IDF discovered weeks after his release that he was unable to receive medical services through his health fund or purchase medications through his coverage.

According to a report by Kol Chai, the young man was detained unexpectedly because of his status with the military authorities and transferred to a military prison. He was released after two days.

Approximately four weeks later, he went to his health clinic to undergo medical testing. According to the bochur, the doctor informed him that his account had been blocked in the system and that she was therefore unable to provide the requested service.

He also said that he was unable to purchase medications for himself at the pharmacy through his health fund coverage.

A summary of the medical visit reportedly documented the problem explicitly.

“Was in military prison, released four weeks ago. Not eligible for health fund services — visit cannot be documented. Must complete a breath test through the IDF,” the document stated.

The case has raised questions about the civilian consequences that can result from information transferred by the IDF to government agencies, particularly when an individual has already been released from military custody but continues to be listed in government systems under a military status.

Leumit Health Services, the health fund through which the young man is insured, said that responsibility for determining his official status does not lie with the health fund.

“The issue of the applicant’s status is not under Leumit’s responsibility, but rather that of the National Insurance Institute,” Leumit said in a statement.

The National Insurance Institute, meanwhile, said that its records were based on information it received directly from the IDF.

“The National Insurance Institute received a report from the IDF that he has been serving as a soldier since August 13, 2026. Accordingly, during the period of military service, medical services are provided through the IDF,” the agency said.

The National Insurance Institute added that it had not received any notification identifying the young man as a deserter and stressed that it had not independently taken away his health benefits.

“We did not receive any notification about desertion. We do not deny rights to anyone; we operate according to the law, based on the names reported to us by the IDF,” the agency said.

The responses indicate that although the bochur had been released from military prison approximately four weeks earlier, the IDF had continued to report him to the National Insurance Institute as an active soldier. Under that classification, responsibility for his medical care would rest with the IDF rather than his civilian health fund.

The result, according to the report, was that when the young man subsequently sought civilian medical care, he found himself unable to receive treatment through his regular health fund and unable to obtain medications through its pharmacy coverage.

The widow of a man killed in Sunday’s fiery Amazon jet crash in Miami has filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing the retail giant and its aviation partners of negligence and a string of dangerous landing mistakes. 

Yaraisi Santiso Morejon alleged the disaster was caused by pilot error, inadequate personnel training and the use of an unairworthy aircraft, according to the complaint reported by Courthouse News.

Her husband, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, was among five people killed when the Boeing 767 overran a runway at Miami International Airport and slammed into two vehicles before erupting in flames.

Morejon also alleged that the flight was conducted under hazardous conditions, citing an active thunderstorm in the area, the outlet reported. 

“This disaster was not an unavoidable accident,” Morejon said. 

The complaint named the pilots as Captain Joseph Carroll, 55, and co-pilot Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, accusing them of touching down far past the safe zone on the runway.

The plane reportedly landed more than 40 knots, or 46 mph, faster than the recommended speed, touched down 4,000 feet past the target zone and failed to perform a proper nose-flare maneuver, in which the pilot gently raised the aircraft’s nose just before touchdown to slow its rate of descent.

When the approach became unstable, the pilots failed to execute a mandatory go-around or declare an emergency, the suit alleged.

The jet ultimately plowed through the perimeter fencing and overran the runway by about 1,300 feet.  

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday said investigators are still working to determine what happened during the crash and have not released an official cause. 

Flight operator 21 Air was also accused of inadequately training its pilots, providing poor crew supervision and imposing demanding flight schedules.

Prior safety complaints from former employees were also ignored or suppressed, according to the outlet. 

Crews were reportedly pushed to fly without proper rest, pilots with limited English skills were allowed to fly and aircraft remained in service despite ongoing problems, the suit alleged. 

In a statement to Fox Business, Amazon said every jet operated on its behalf was flown by an FAA-certified air carrier under FAA-approved operations and maintenance programs. 

“The FAA actively oversees each carrier’s programs and any changes are individually reviewed and approved by the FAA,” the company said. “These programs require: licensed individuals to perform regulated activities, recurrent training of licensed personnel, and routine aircraft inspections and maintenance at regular intervals.”

After the incident, 21 Air issued a statement extending its condolences to those impacted. 

“Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives. Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available,” the operator said. 

Meanwhile, the aircraft owner, Atlas Air, was accused of supplying an aging 32-year-old plane and failing to ensure that critical stopping systems were fully operational and safe. 

Authorities on Tuesday revealed that key braking systems, including speed brakes and thrust reversers, were not deployed during landing, citing available recorded data recovered from the crash. The NTSB said investigators will continue analyzing the circumstances of the incident. 

Amazon was also named in the suit for allegedly failing to adequately oversee the operations. 

In a statement, the retail giant expressed its sympathies to those affected by the crash and said it was working with investigators and its operators on the matter. 

Amazon added that using independent air carriers was “standard practice in commercial aviation.” 

“Major U.S. (and foreign) passenger airlines also contract with independent carriers to operate flights under their brand but as separately certificated and regulated air carriers,” Amazon said.

Israel opened its first embassy in Slovenia on Wednesday, signaling warming relations after populist Janez Janša formed a center-right government following elections in March.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar opened the embassy in a ceremony attended by his Slovenian counterpart, Tone Kajzer.

In a moving ceremony, together with my friend and colleague @TKajzer, the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, I inaugurated the Embassy of Israel in Slovenia just an hour ago.

This is the fifth new Israeli embassy within a year and a half.

We have friends in Europe and around the… pic.twitter.com/mNdBk7VbaO

— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) September 9, 2026

“This is the fifth new Israeli embassy within a year and a half,” Sa’ar noted in an X/Twitter post. “We have friends in Europe and around the world, and we must strengthen relations and cooperation with them.”

Slovenia’s Foreign Ministry marked the event as “an important milestone in relations between our two countries.”

“An embassy is more than a diplomatic mission,” it said. “It is a bridge between our countries, economies, institutions and people. We want today’s opening to mark the beginning of a period of greater dialogue, stronger cooperation and, above all, more tangible results for the benefit of our people.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that Slovenia’s new government and Prime Minister Janša “have demonstrated their friendship toward Israel through both words and actions, and have expressed support for Israel within the European Union.”

The rapprochement comes as Israel faces growing diplomatic isolation elsewhere, including import bans from Britain, France and Canada on products from Israeli settlements.

A turnaround for the first European country to recognize a Palestinian state

The embassy’s opening marks a sudden turnaround for Slovenia, a tiny Alpine country which is a member of the European Union and the NATO military alliance. Under the previous government of liberal Robert Golob, it was one of a few European countries to recognize a Palestinian state.

The move is not universally popular in Slovenia. 

Protests were scheduled against the opening of the embassy on Wednesday evening by student movements, a left-wing political opposition party and pro-Palestinian groups.

Slovenia one of first EU countries to ban West Bank imports, PM Netanyahu

Slovenia was also among the first EU countries to ban imports from the West Bank and entry for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his two hardline ministers, decisions the new government quickly revoked.

Israel was among the first countries to recognize Slovenia’s independence, and the two established diplomatic relations in 1992. Slovenia opened an embassy in Israel in 1994, while Israel had been represented until then by a non-resident ambassador.

This post was originally published on here.

The Trump administration is preparing to issue $500 rebate payments to as many as 1 million Americans who officials say were charged too much for their Obamacare coverage, according to Axios.

The payments are expected to be delivered by direct deposit to eligible recipients across 30 states before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The administration intends to highlight the rebates alongside savings it says are coming from Trump’s tax-cut legislation and prescription drug plan.

The initiative also reflects a broader element of Trump’s approach to reshaping the health care system: providing financial assistance directly to Americans to help cover insurance costs rather than directing those dollars to health insurers. Trump is also expected to discuss the rebates during a Wednesday night speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.

According to administration officials, the rebate program would draw on approximately $500 million in excess fees that were paid by Affordable Care Act recipients who were allegedly overcharged by insurers during the Biden administration. Officials say the excess money was subsequently returned to the government.

“That money was over-collected and just sitting there” a U.S. official told Axios.

Administration officials say the refunds would be available to Obamacare enrollees who do not receive premium assistance through the program.

Officials specifically identified Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Delaware, New Hampshire, Texas, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri as states with relatively large populations of people expected to qualify for refunds.

The planned payments represent a new use of Obamacare by Trump, who unsuccessfully sought to repeal the law during his first presidential term. The administration now intends to use the program as part of its broader health care agenda while seeking to navigate a difficult midterm election environment shaped by voter concerns about high prices and the war in Iran.

The money has a longer policy history. In 2023, the Biden administration proposed directing fees from the same fund toward providing no-cost contraception for people with ACA insurance plans that did not include contraceptive coverage.

Republicans in Congress opposed that proposal, arguing that the fees were intended to maintain the Obamacare exchanges and that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services did not have the authority to redirect the funds to another purpose. The Biden administration eventually withdrew the proposal.

Following the 2024 election, some Republican congressional policy staffers who had opposed the Biden administration’s contraception proposal joined the Trump administration.

The Trump administration subsequently lowered some of the fees in an effort to reduce premiums. Officials said the administration then determined that a substantial amount of money remained available for a rebate program as Trump began advancing a new health care proposal.

“It’s time for Congress to pass President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan, which will finally begin prioritizing people instead of insurance company profits by sending billions in taxpayer-funded health care dollars directly to Americans to help them better afford health coverage and care,” a U.S. official said.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania made a stunning appearance at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas tonight, appearing by video to praise President Donald Trump’s efforts on behalf of the American steel industry, reject the left-wing direction of his own party, and introduce Republican Sen. Dave McCormick.

The highly unusual appearance by a sitting Democratic senator at a major Republican campaign gathering comes less than eight weeks before the November midterm elections and marks perhaps the most dramatic sign yet of Fetterman’s growing estrangement from the Democratic Party.

Fetterman appeared in a prerecorded video standing in front of a U.S. Steel facility in western Pennsylvania, wearing his trademark hoodie.

“Yes, I’m Senator John Fetterman, Pennsylvania. Yes, I’m a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I’m a common-sense Democrat,” Fetterman told the Republican gathering.

“I’m always going to stand with America. I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life,” he said.

Fetterman used the appearance to introduce McCormick, his Republican Senate colleague from Pennsylvania, whom he described as a friend despite their sharply different political affiliations.

“Dave McCormick is the kind of senator that gets the job done, and he’s going to fight for Pennsylvania. I’m proud to count him as my friend,” Fetterman said.

But it was Fetterman’s praise for cooperation with President Trump that made the appearance especially striking.

Pointing to the steel plant behind him, Fetterman said that he and McCormick would join forces with the President to protect one of Pennsylvania’s most iconic industries.

“We’ll work together and we’ll work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way right here in the Steel Valley,” Fetterman said.

When the video concluded and McCormick walked onto the convention stage, the Republican senator enthusiastically acknowledged his Democratic colleague.

“How great is John Fetterman, right?” McCormick said, thanking Fetterman for his “friendship” and “courage.”

Fetterman’s cameo was particularly remarkable because the two-day Dallas convention is not a bipartisan policy conference but a major Republican political event intended to rally GOP voters and candidates ahead of the November 3 elections. President Trump is the centerpiece of the gathering, which has informally been dubbed “Trumpapalooza.”

The convention is designed in large part to help Republicans defend their congressional majorities. The GOP currently holds a 53-47 advantage in the Senate, making Fetterman’s increasingly independent political posture particularly noteworthy as Democrats attempt to regain control of the chamber.

Fetterman’s appearance did not include an announcement that he was leaving the Democratic Party, and the Pennsylvania senator has repeatedly rejected speculation that he plans to become a Republican.

Nevertheless, Wednesday night’s move immediately intensified questions about Fetterman’s political future.

Once regarded as one of the Democratic Party’s more progressive figures, Fetterman has increasingly broken with Democrats on several of the most contentious issues facing Washington, particularly Israel, the war with Iran and immigration. He has also become an outspoken critic of what he regards as the extreme left flank of his party.

The divide has been especially pronounced over Israel. Fetterman has emerged as one of Israel’s most forceful supporters in the Senate and has frequently found himself at odds with Democrats who have become increasingly critical of the Jewish state.

In July, Fetterman went so far as to identify a circumstance under which he could leave the Democratic Party, saying that his “red line” would be if the party became “the anti-Israel party.”

Despite those clashes, Fetterman continues to vote overwhelmingly with Democrats and has insisted that he is not preparing to become a Republican.

“I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats,” Fetterman wrote earlier this year.

His political standing in Pennsylvania, however, has undergone an extraordinary reversal. A recent New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena College poll found Fetterman viewed favorably by 79% of Pennsylvania Republicans, compared with just 21% of Democrats. Sixty-seven percent of Democrats viewed him unfavorably. Remarkably, Fetterman’s favorable rating among Republicans was higher than McCormick’s.

The relationship between Pennsylvania’s two senators has itself become increasingly unusual. Fetterman and McCormick have appeared together publicly and recently established a bipartisan fundraising committee, Common Ground PA, a move that generated criticism from Democrats.

Fetterman’s convention appearance centered largely on the steel industry and the controversial acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel.

Trump initially opposed the takeover but ultimately approved an arrangement after securing a series of commitments intended to protect American steel production and workers. The agreement included a U.S. “golden share” providing the federal government with special powers over certain corporate decisions.

Fetterman and McCormick have both emphasized preserving Pennsylvania’s steel industry despite their partisan differences, and Fetterman presented that cooperation Wednesday as an example of his willingness to work across party lines.

Still, appearing in a promotional video at a Republican convention represents a substantially different political step from cooperating with Republicans on legislation.

The episode drew immediate comparisons to Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, who appeared at the 2004 Republican National Convention and delivered a blistering speech supporting President George W. Bush while attacking Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

Fetterman stopped far short of endorsing Republican candidates generally or announcing a change in party affiliation. But his presence on the giant screens at a convention built around President Trump provided Republicans with one of the night’s most unexpected moments — a Democratic senator telling a Republican audience that he would reject “extremes and socialism” and work alongside Trump.

With the midterm elections less than two months away and control of Congress hanging in the balance, Fetterman’s surprise cameo is certain to further fuel one of Washington’s most persistent political questions: Just how much longer can one of the Senate’s most unconventional Democrats remain comfortable inside the Democratic Party?

{Matzav.com}

Belaaz has learned that more than 100 yeshiva bochurim subject to the draft and classified as ‘IDF deserters’ were arrested while attempting to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. Most were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport.

This week alone, the peak travel period for Uman, 60 yeshiva-bochurim have been arrested and transferred to Prison 10, the official military prison.

Breslov rabbanim had instructed yeshiva students at risk of arrest not to travel to Uman this year, but a significant number went anyway.

According to IDF estimates, hundreds succeeded in leaving Israel via indirect routes. The army plans to arrest them upon their return after Rosh Hashanah.

Workers renovating a historic Jewish community building in Kostroma, Russia, made an extraordinary discovery when they uncovered siddurim and other seforim hidden during the dark years of Communist rule.

One of the seforim had been disguised inside the cover of a secular non-Jewish book, a powerful reminder of the fear under which Soviet Jews were forced to conceal their connection to Yiddishkeit. Remarkably, the sefer was found open to Pirkei Avos.

The historic building was constructed in 1880 and purchased in 1892 for the city’s rov at the time, HaRav Tzvi Hirsch Schneiderman. Kostroma’s central shul was later built in its courtyard in 1903.

In a remarkable twist of hashgacha pratis, Rav Schneiderman’s granddaughter, who lives near the mother of Kostroma’s rov and Chabad shliach, Rabbi Nisan Rupu, recently transferred the building’s spiritual rights to the shluchim continuing her grandfather’s legacy.

Rabbi Rupu arrived in Kostroma 24 years ago and received control of the shul building, while the rov’s former home remained in government hands. Following years of determined efforts, the property was gradually returned and was ultimately granted to the Jewish community rent-free for 40 years with the generous assistance of philanthropist David Aminov.

The building’s interior was previously restored, with Russia’s Chief Rabbi, HaRav Berel Lazar, attending the chanukas habayis for its mikvah and kindergarten.

The latest renovations are focused on preserving the building’s deteriorating exterior walls. At the same time, the community has launched the writing of a historic new Sefer Torah marking nearly 100 years since the release of the Frierdiker Lubavitcher Rebbe from Soviet imprisonment and exile.

The writing began near the Ohel during the annual “Shabbos Selichos With the Rebbe” trip organized by Russia’s Torah and education foundation. The Sefer Torah is scheduled to be completed and brought to Kostroma on Yud-Beis–Yud-Gimmel Tammuz 5787, the 100th anniversary of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s release.

The newly discovered seforim, the restoration of the historic building and the writing of a new Sefer Torah have become powerful symbols of the dramatic revival of Yiddishkeit in a city where Jews were once forced to hide their faith.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Good morning. Most CFOs aren’t giving up on junior talent. They’re giving up on the old way of developing it.

That’s the subject of a conversation I had with James Tucker, who leads corporate finance and strategy globally at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Tucker talks to hundreds of finance chiefs a year. His read: entry-level hiring hasn’t totally stopped, but the job itself is being rewritten in real time.

“The old reliable model was, ‘I’ll hire people who’ve studied and got their accounting certificates, and what they’re really good at is doing a replicable task at a high level of accuracy and quality,” Tucker said. Firms hired large cohorts to do routine finance work, like reconciliations, journal entries, and basic reporting. They then watched who rose to the top.

AI is changing that.

What replaces the old model, in Tucker’s framing, is a pillar: fewer people, hired for judgment rather than task execution, operating as quality control on top of AI-built systems rather than producing the numbers themselves.

That’s the tension. The work AI is taking over is also how junior employees traditionally developed judgment. AI can do the research, drafting and problem decomposition; junior employees get fewer chances to practice those skills.

The concern is showing up in the data. A recent working paper by Harvard researchers suggests generative AI adoption can reduce hiring of junior workers, particularly in AI-exposed jobs, while having much less effect on existing senior workers.

In a BCG global study of C-suite leaders, half said they’re already seeing “de-skilling” in their organizations, and more than 60% expect it to become a material problem within three to five years. More than half cited slower junior-talent development as an underlying driver.

So what should CFOs do?

Tucker’s answer is to replace volume with concentration—and automation with apprenticeship. Rather than spreading the remaining manual, judgment-based work, such as the roughly 10% of reconciliations that resist automation, across a large junior class, firms should concentrate those reps on fewer people so an experience curve still forms.

Junior staff also need to be in the room for real decisions, not processing “widgets” in the back office, so they absorb judgment through observation and repetition. Rotations between finance and the business can help, too. Tucker sees a consistent gap in junior talent: strong technical acumen, weak business acumen. Getting people closer to pricing, operations, and strategy gives them context that spreadsheets alone can’t provide.

Hiring criteria are shifting accordingly. Accounting skills are still desired, but there’s more focus on pattern recognition and the instinct to know when an output looks wrong.

Sheryl Estrada
[email protected]

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

I would like to put something out there because this has become an ongoing issue, yet very few people are willing to speak about it publicly. And unfortunately, there is a real fear that if someone does raise these concerns in a public forum, there may be consequences that no parent wants to face—especially when it comes to the school their children attend.

For years, many parents have been kvetching and raising concerns about the amount of vacations, breaks, half-days, and days off that our children have throughout the school year. Unfortunately, the parents who work extremely hard to make ends meet and pay full tuition are often the ones who feel the greatest impact.

I am not a Rav or a Rebbi, and I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do think it is fair to ask some questions.

We speak constantly about the importance of chinuch and the values we are trying to instill in our children. Yet, on practically every legal holiday, we have a half-day of school. What message are we sending when school ends at noon? For many working parents, that doesn’t mean half a day of work—it means dropping the children off, turning around, and then having to arrange another pickup and carpool a few hours later.

And then there are the vacations surrounding Yom Tov.

Rabbeim and Morahs work incredibly hard day in and day out, and Baruch Hashem, over the past several years, schools have made significant efforts to improve their salaries and compensation. They deserve to be compensated fairly for the important work they do.

But why have the vacations before and after Yom Tov become so extensive?

Are working parents not making Yom Tov? Don’t we also have homes to clean, a sukkah to put up, Pesach preparations to do, meals to prepare, and countless other responsibilities? Why does so much of the burden seem to fall on the parents?

This isn’t about blaming teachers or criticizing our schools. It is about asking whether the system as a whole has become unbalanced.

And now, it seems to be trickling down even further.

What started with yeshivas is increasingly becoming the norm in playgroups for children as young as a year and a half to four years old. I honestly cannot understand how it has become acceptable for a playgroup to have no school on Fridays, every legal holiday off, Yom Tov breaks, mid-winter vacation, Chanukah vacation, and additional days throughout the year.

At some point, we have to ask: Where does this end?

Parents want to give their children an appropriate chinuch. We want to support our schools, our teachers, and our communities. We want our children to have the best education possible.

But parents also have jobs, businesses, mortgages, bills, responsibilities, and families to take care of. We cannot simply continue adding days off and assume that the parents will somehow figure it out.

And perhaps the biggest problem is that there is no real forum where parents feel comfortable raising these concerns without worrying about retaliation or consequences for their children.

This is an age-old issue, and I know I am certainly not the first parent to feel this way. I also know there are many sides to the discussion.

But I hope that one day we can have an honest, respectful conversation about this as a community—without fear, without attacking anyone, and with the understanding that the goal is not to take anything away from our children’s chinuch.

The goal is to find a balance that works for everyone: our children, our teachers, our schools, and the parents who work tirelessly to make it all possible.

Name withheld upon request

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israel’s population has reached an estimated 10.305 million ahead of Rosh Hashanah, according to figures released Wednesday by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The country’s population increased by approximately 124,000 people over the past year, representing annual growth of 1.2%.

Israel is home to approximately 7.8 million Jews and members of other non-Arab communities, who account for 78.3% of the population. Nearly 2.2 million Arabs make up the remaining 21.7%, while an additional 300,000 foreign nationals reside in the country.

Approximately 182,000 babies were born in Israel during the past year, while 50,000 people were niftar.

The figures also showed a negative international migration balance that reduced population growth by approximately 8,000 people.

Around 24,000 new olim arrived in Israel, while another 4,000 people entered through family reunification. Approximately 21,000 Israelis returned after living abroad, while 57,000 left the country.

Israel’s fertility rate remains significantly higher than that of other developed nations, standing at 2.88 children per woman—more than double the OECD average of 1.41.

Life expectancy in Israel is 81.4 years for men and 85.9 years for women.

As of January 1, 2026, the global Jewish population stood at nearly 15.9 million, with approximately 46% living in Israel. Since the establishment of the state, roughly 3.51 million people have made aliyah.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Wednesday in a conversation with the NY Post that the growing influence of democratic socialists and other left-wing figures within the Democratic Party poses what he described as a threat to the country, singling out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Michigan Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Johnson also predicted that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will face serious difficulties managing an influx of left-wing lawmakers in the next Congress.

Speaking to The Post on the sidelines of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Johnson was asked whom he considered the “most dangerous” politician in America. Rather than naming one person, he pointed to a broader faction of the Democratic Party.

“I would say there’s a type,” Johnson told The Post when asked about the “most dangerous” politician in the country. “It’s the Mamdani, El-Sayed, AOC wing of the party that is a danger to the whole country, because they do not believe in the founding principles of America.”

Johnson argued that the political movement represented by those figures extends well beyond any single candidate or elected official.

“They have disdain for American principles, and they want to take us down a dark, dangerous road,” the speaker further warned on the sidelines of the Republican midterm convention. “And it’s not just one individual; it’s that trend that we’re seeing. There are many Mamdanis who popped up all around the country, and they don’t understand history.”

Johnson and other congressional Republicans used the Dallas gathering to promote their legislative record during President Donald Trump’s second term, including tax cuts, while warning supporters about the consequences they say would follow if Democrats gain control of the House. The convention comes less than two months before the November midterm elections.

The Democratic Party’s left flank has gained ground during the 2026 primary season, with a number of democratic socialist and progressive candidates defeating more moderate rivals. The trend has fueled an internal debate among Democrats over the party’s direction heading into November.

Johnson, who has spent much of his speakership navigating narrow Republican majorities and occasional defections from GOP lawmakers on major votes, argued that Jeffries will confront an even more difficult leadership challenge.

“Jeffries is going to have a nightmare on his hands, but it’s a very different challenge than the one I have in the Republican conference,” he said. “My task every day is to get all the conservatives together, the rugged individualists, and all their ideas, and find a consensus.”

Johnson contended that the ideological disagreements within the Democratic conference would be fundamentally different from those he has faced among Republicans.

“Hakeem has the opposite approach. He is going to have people in his conference who hate America, hate its founding principles, and want to blow it up — figuratively, in legislation,” the speaker went on. “They want to tear down all the foundational principles of the country.”

Despite those sharp political differences, Johnson said his personal relationship with Jeffries remains friendly.

Johnson revealed that he has “a very cordial relationship” with his Democratic counterpart, adding that “I like Hakeem as a person, and I obviously have great empathy for the challenge that he has to deal with.”

Jeffries played an important role in helping Johnson survive an effort to remove him as speaker in 2024 after then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sought to oust him over his decision to permit a House vote on aid to Ukraine. Democrats declined to support the removal effort, allowing Johnson to remain speaker.

Other members of the House Republican leadership also questioned how Jeffries will manage the changing composition of his party in the next Congress.

“He can’t control his caucus now,” House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) told The Post. “How’s he going to control it next year if all these crazies get in; if all these communists get in, the writing’s on the wall.”

McClain also questioned whether Jeffries will remain the Democratic leader after the elections.

“Who even knows if he’s going to be [leader] next year?” she added.

The Post said it contacted the offices of both Jeffries and Mamdani seeking comment.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer also rejected the terminology commonly used to describe the Democratic Socialists of America and its candidates, offering his own characterization of the movement.

“They are communists. DSA is a nonsense term,” he said. “They both have the same goal: it’s to control human beings. It’s authority. It’s just that one does it by the ballot box, and the other one does it by force.”

Johnson, McClain and Emmer all expressed confidence that Republicans will retain control of the House in November. Their statements were partisan predictions made in the context of the midterm campaign; control of the chamber will be decided by voters in the November 3 elections.

Johnson said Republican recruitment, messaging and fundraising have left the party well positioned heading into the final stretch of the campaign.

“We recruited extraordinary candidates. [We have] a very strong message,” Johnson said. “They have a fundraising advantage right now in the entire Republican ecosystem. We’ve raised far more funds than Democrats for the first time in a decade.”

He concluded with a prediction about the GOP’s House majority.

“I believe we grow the majority.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yosef Shlomo Lisitzin zt”l, the renowned talmid chochom who served as rosh habekius at Yeshivas Bais Medrash Elyon and rosh kollel of Kollel Morashah V’Daas in Bnei Brak. Rav Lisitzin was niftar at Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center after his condition deteriorated due to a serious illness. He was just 55 years old.

The levayah was held Wednesday evening from his home at 8 Rashbam Street in Bnei Brak and proceeded to the Ponevezh cemetery for kevurah.

Rav Lisitzin was born on 21 Tammuz 5731 to his father, Rav Tzvi Yaakov Lisitzin zt”l, rosh kollel of Heichal HaTalmud, and his mother, Mrs. Mina Miriam Lisitzin.

As a bochur, he learned at Yeshivas Ponevezh, where he acquired his Torah from the yeshiva’s roshei yeshiva and rabbanim. His connection to Ponevezh remained a defining part of his life, and those close to him said that he regarded himself as a talmid of Ponevezh until his final day.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his wife, Mrs. Tzirel Lisitzin, daughter of Rav Chaim Noach Cohen zt”l of Bnei Brak.

Throughout his life, Rav Lisitzin was known for extraordinary hasmadah and encyclopedic knowledge of Torah. Those who learned alongside him recalled a talmid chochom who seemed never to lift his eyes from the Gemara and whose entire existence revolved around Torah learning.

At Ponevezh and Bais Medrash Elyon, acquaintances described him simply as an adam gadol, saying that his extraordinary brilliance and breadth of knowledge had marked him for greatness. His mastery extended across virtually every area of Torah, including obscure and rarely studied subjects that are exceptionally difficult to acquire through ordinary study.

Alongside his extraordinary scholarship was remarkable humility. Those who encountered him recalled his warm and pleasant manner toward every person, qualities that stood in striking contrast to the enormous breadth of Torah knowledge he possessed.

Rav Lisitzin devoted many years to harbotzas haTorah at Yeshivas Bais Medrash Elyon, where he served as rosh habekius and helped guide talmidim toward a broad mastery of Shas.

He simultaneously served as rosh kollel of Kollel Morashah V’Daas-Gertler in Bnei Brak.

His attachment to Torah knew virtually no interruption. Even during bein hazmanim, Rav Lisitzin would not leave the bais medrash. He would sit and learn from morning until night, reportedly without even leaving for breaks.

Rav Lisitzin was also the author of the Yefeh Mareh series of Torah works on Shas, incorporating the teachings of the Rishonim, Acharonim and poskim.

One acquaintance, describing the extraordinary scope of Rav Lisitzin’s Torah knowledge and the intensity with which he continued learning until the end of his life, wrote:

“In breadth of Torah knowledge across all of Shas, it would appear that even among the greatest and most towering Torah scholars, he was exceptionally unique and outstanding, as reflected in his many seforim and the enormous body of Torah work he left behind as a blessing. His extraordinary diligence began from the dawn of his youth and continued until his final day and literally his final breath. He continued delivering shiurim to the kollel avreichim and yeshiva bochurim from his sickbed while his life was literally in danger every moment, with depth and breadth as though he were sitting in the bais medrash, until the final moment before he lost consciousness during his last days.”

The acquaintance also described Rav Lisitzin’s conduct outside the bais medrash and his lifelong attachment to Ponevezh:

“His brisk walk in the street was like that of the most elevated servants of Hashem, with exceptional guarding of his eyes and fear of sin, his eyes fixed on a small Gemara or his writings. His avodah of tefillah engaged all his senses. All his life, he davened within the walls of the holy Ponevezh Yeshiva and never casually davened elsewhere. He was so young, and he was destined for such greatness, as one of the truly exceptional gedolim of the generation.”

Rav Lisitzin’s final years were marked by extraordinary personal suffering.

In Teves 5785, he endured the devastating loss of his son, Rav Chaim Noach Lisitzin z”l, one of the distinguished young avreichim of Kollel Ponevezh. Rav Chaim Noach was suddenly niftar after failing to awaken from his sleep. He was only 28 years old.

Yet even amid his own illness and the crushing loss of his son, Rav Lisitzin continued his Torah learning and harbotzas haTorah with remarkable strength.

Just approximately two weeks before his petirah, Rav Lisitzin experienced one final family simcha when another of his sons became engaged.

Despite his severely weakened condition, Rav Lisitzin rose from his sickbed and participated in the engagement celebration.

His petirah leaves the Torah world bereft of an extraordinary talmid chochom whose combination of encyclopedic knowledge, relentless hasmadah, humility and devotion to harbotzas haTorah distinguished him throughout his life.

Rav Lisitzin leaves behind his family, talmidim and an enormous legacy of Torah learning and written Torah works.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch issued a forceful call Wednesday for Americans to maintain “moral clarity” about the September 11 terror attacks, warning against efforts to erase the distinction between the terrorists who carried out the massacre and the first responders who risked their lives to save others. Her remarks came two days before the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Tisch delivered the message with Mayor Zohran Mamdani standing alongside her during the unveiling of an expanded September 11 Memorial Wall at NYPD headquarters at One Police Plaza.

The memorial now includes the names of 469 additional NYPD members who died from illnesses connected to their service following the attacks. The wall serves as a permanent reminder both of the devastation inflicted on New York City and of the extraordinary response by police officers and other first responders.

“Preserving that history also means preserving its moral clarity,” she said.

“The men who attacked this city were terrorists. The men and women who ran into the towers to save innocent lives were heroes. Twenty-five years cannot be allowed to blur that distinction and shame on those who do.”

Tisch did not identify anyone by name as the target of her comments. Her remarks came, however, amid renewed attention to past comments by political streamer Hasan Piker, who drew widespread criticism after saying in 2019 that “America deserved 9/11.” Piker, who has supported Mamdani politically, subsequently said that his remark was intended as commentary about what he viewed as the consequences of American foreign policy in the Middle East.

Mamdani showed no visible reaction as Tisch delivered her comments.

Later Wednesday, the mayor and police commissioner appeared together for a security briefing detailing preparations for Friday’s 25th anniversary commemorations of the September 11 attacks.

The NYPD is planning an extensive security operation in Lower Manhattan for the anniversary ceremonies, including an expanded police presence, counterterrorism officers, specialized units and coordination with federal, state and local agencies.

Piker has since sought to clarify his controversial 2019 statement, explaining that he was arguing that American actions in the Middle East can produce consequences that ultimately rebound against the United States.

{Matzav.com}

Erev Rosh Hashanah 5787

As we stand on the cusp of a new year, we look back with profound gratitude to Hakadosh Baruch Hu—and to His emissaries, our partners and supporters— for another year of extraordinary growth, accomplishment, and kavod haTorah in the Kollelim Shas Yidden.

134 Gaonim. One Shas.

This past year once again brought the remarkable sight that has become synonymous with Shas Yidden: 134 avreichim geonim gathering together for a public farher on Kol HaShas Kulo—the entire Shas.

The farher, held at Yeshiva Ohr Hachaim in Yerushalayim, took place alongside a siyum on Shas by each of the participating avreichim. Gedolei Torah “strolled” through Shas with question after question, and the answers came with astonishing speed, clarity, and precision.

Questions ranged across the entire Shas, touching on the Chachmei Yisrael and the Tzedokim, darkei shalom, dreams mentioned throughout Shas, forgotten Torah that Abaye reminded Rav Yosef of, and countless other topics. The rapid-fire responses demonstrated not merely knowledge, but a remarkable bekius, depth, and command of the vast expanses of Torah.

“I Have Never Seen Talmidei Chachomim Such as These”

Hagaon Rav Reuven Elbaz, Rosh Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim, was visibly moved by the scene. Seeing 132 true gaonim together, he remarked that he was nearly convinced that the berachah of “Baruch Shecholak Meichachmaso Lirei’av” should be recited.

Hagaon Rav Menachem Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Nesiv Hada’as, testified that despite having spent years among the greatest batei midrash and alongside outstanding talmidei chachomim, he had “never seen Talmidei Chachomim such as these.”

A Torah Revolution Across the World

Today, seven Kollelim Shas Yidden—in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Beitar, Kiryat Sefer, London, and Flatbush—are cultivating a generation of lomdei Shas whose accomplishments are inspiring the entire Torah world.

In Flatbush alone, the Kollel continues its demanding daily regimen of nine blatt of Gemara, studied five times each together with Rashi and Tosfos, in addition to Yerushalmi, monthly written examinations, and rigorous farheren.

The impact reaches far beyond the Kollelim. Those who witness these farheren are inspired to take on new shiurim, deepen their own limud haTorah, and raise their aspirations for what can be accomplished through unwavering dedication to Torah.

As we enter the new year, we extend our deepest hakaras hatov to each and every supporter who makes this Torah empire possible.

May the zechus of supporting such unparalleled yegias haTorah and Torah mastery stand by you and your families for a year of brachah, hatzlachah, yeshuos, and kol tuv—a year in which all your tefillos are accepted b’rachamim u’v’ratzon, and you are blessed with birkas Hashem b’ruchniyus u’v’gashmiyus.

Kesivah v’chasimah tovah,

A Gut Gebentsht Yor,
and with heartfelt gratitude,
Kollel Shas Yidden

ShasYiden.com

North Korea has constructed a second uranium enrichment facility at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, marking another major expansion of the rogue regime’s nuclear weapons program, according to a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The new two-story facility is capable of housing as many as 28 centrifuge cascades, significantly increasing Pyongyang’s ability to produce enriched uranium that could be used for nuclear weapons.

The findings emerged from a comparison of satellite imagery taken during the building’s construction with photographs released by North Korean state media following dictator Kim Jong Un’s visit to the facility in June.

The images reportedly show gas centrifuge cascades installed on both the upper and lower floors of the new building.

The IAEA also reported clear indications that an expanded wing constructed in 2024 at North Korea’s Kangson uranium enrichment facility near Pyongyang became fully operational in January.

The agency said the findings demonstrate that North Korea is steadily and alarmingly expanding its nuclear infrastructure at multiple sites despite years of international pressure and sanctions.

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Former Shin Bet director Yoram Cohen, the No. 2 candidate in Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, said that chareidi parties will have no place in a future coalition led by his party unless they accept a requirement for military or civilian service for all Israeli citizens, declaring that Yashar would maintain that position even at the cost of another election.

Cohen made the comments in his first interview with chareidi media, speaking with Yishai Cohen of Kikar HaShabbat. The former Shin Bet chief also addressed responsibility for the October 7 massacre, rejected claims that security officials deliberately withheld information from Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that night, discussed his decision to enter politics alongside Eisenkot, and expressed confidence that Eisenkot will form the next government.

Explaining why he agreed to appear before a chareidi audience, Cohen said, “I think there is room for the chareidi public as well to hear what we have to say and what our plans are. Sometimes there is also criticism of us, but in my opinion, they should know what the facts are. And I also believe that a certain segment, which we cannot currently estimate, might even vote for us.”

Cohen was asked about a recent Haaretz report claiming that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed had warned Netanyahu before October 7 about a possible major development involving Gaza.

“I don’t know any intimate details about this incident,” Cohen said. “Such a report could be true, but I think it would be preferable — let’s say, for everyone’s sake — for there to be confirmation from an international source that would verify it.”

Cohen then criticized Netanyahu’s credibility and said the prime minister had received other warnings before the war, although he stressed that they were not specific warnings about an attack from Gaza.

“The problem we have, I think, is Mr. Netanyahu, the prime minister, who has already been caught several times in lies and in not telling the truth about events that definitely occurred,” Cohen said. “And the second thing is that he did receive warnings both from the head of the Shin Bet and the head of Military Intelligence before the war — not warnings about Gaza, but warnings about war. And these things, either he dismissed them, as we saw on Channel 14, or he did not attribute importance to them.”

Asked how he apportions responsibility for the failures that culminated in the October 7 massacre, Cohen said the greatest immediate responsibility rested with the professional security establishment, particularly the IDF and Shin Bet.

“I think the weight of the responsibility first of all falls on the professional echelon — mainly the IDF and Shin Bet — because they failed to produce a sufficiently strong, good warning about Hamas’ intention to invade the State of Israel, and that is a very major failure,” Cohen said.

He said the Mossad also bore responsibility regarding intelligence connected to meetings in Qatar, Beirut and Damascus and the possibility of a coordinated regional attack that ultimately did not materialize.

“But the central failure is, of course, the failure to provide a warning,” Cohen continued. “The second thing: our defenses collapsed, and after that our fighting was not sufficiently effective.”

At the same time, Cohen said significant responsibility also belonged to Israel’s political leadership, particularly Netanyahu.

“But there is also significant weight on the political echelon, headed by the prime minister, because the prime minister intensively, over the course of years, shaped Israel’s security concept — both the concept of containment vis-à-vis Hamas and other things that were much worse, such as giving approval to the Qataris to fund Hamas for years on a very large scale,” Cohen said.

Cohen was also asked whether he agreed with Naftali Bennett’s call for a future government to designate Qatar an enemy state on its first day in office.

“I think they should have been defined long ago as a state hostile to Israel,” Cohen responded. He added that the precise designation should be determined through a formal discussion involving the Mossad, Foreign Ministry, National Security Council, Shin Bet and other relevant agencies rather than through a declaration made solely for the media.

The interview then turned to Netanyahu’s contention that had he been awakened during the early morning hours of October 7, the outcome could have been different.

“I think there was reason to wake him,” Cohen said.

But Cohen strongly rejected the contention that senior security officials recognized that a major Hamas invasion was imminent and deliberately decided not to inform Netanyahu.

“The problem was this: both the Shin Bet, or the Shin Bet leadership, and the IDF leadership, generally speaking, did not think we were facing an event like this,” Cohen said. “It’s not that they thought we were facing an attack and decided not to wake the prime minister. That is not true!”

Cohen said the available intelligence from Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet was transmitted to the National Security Council and the prime minister’s military secretariat at approximately 3 or 4 a.m.

“All the information that Military Intelligence had and the Shin Bet had was passed to the National Security Council and to the military secretariat of the prime minister at around three-four in the morning — all the information they had,” he said.

“The second thing: their assessments were also passed along, and those assessments were wrong. They were not correct assessments; they were wrong assessments. So they did not hide it from the prime minister.”

Cohen said he had personally seen the written summary prepared by then-Shin Bet director Ronen Bar after Bar unusually summoned his senior staff to Tel Aviv during the night.

“I saw the memorandum, meaning the summary Ronen Bar made after he brought his entire staff, unusually, to Tel Aviv,” Cohen said. “They discussed the matter, and at five in the morning he summarized all the alternatives they saw, and he instructed his chief of staff to send that summary to the prime minister.”

Cohen then discussed his decision to enter politics and explained why he chose to join Eisenkot’s Yashar party.

“I had meetings and offers from almost all the heads of the Zionist parties,” Cohen said. “I rejected them for various reasons. I think we are in a time of crisis following the war, with challenges both within Israeli society and in security.”

“I chose Gadi because I have known him for 30 years,” Cohen continued. “I know his personal capabilities, his character, his functional independence, the depth of his thinking, and especially two important qualities that today are almost no longer common currency: the first thing — he is a reliable person. I’m not saying others are unreliable, but his reliability is at a very high level. And the second thing — he sets a personal example that I very much appreciate.”

Asked whether he was seeking a particular senior ministry, such as defense or national security, Cohen said no position had been promised to him.

“It’s clear that I came into politics in order to have an influence, and in order to have an influence, you need to fill central positions,” he said. “I did not set any condition with Gadi, and I did not sign any contract or memorandum of understanding with him regarding a position or a number.”

“Our job, and we are working hard for it, is to win the election, lead the bloc, for Gadi to be prime minister — and he will be an excellent prime minister — and afterward we will see the results and the coalition.”

Cohen then laid out what he described as three fundamental conditions for parties seeking to join a Yashar-led coalition.

“We want to get above 61 so that we will have stability,” Cohen said. “But we want to do that and create or shape a coalition with parties that will stand with us on three important principles, which are also important to chareidi society: that they recognize that the state is a Jewish and democratic state; the values of the Declaration of Independence; universal service.”

“Universal service means universal service: men will serve three years, either in military service or civilian service,” Cohen continued. “And from our perspective right now, unfortunately — and I say unfortunately, I regret it very much — neither the chareidi parties nor, by contrast, the Arab parties accept these three principles, and therefore they are not relevant.”

Cohen sharply criticized the chareidi political and rabbinic leadership over its position on the draft, saying he believes it has failed to recognize the military’s manpower needs.

“I think this is a very serious mistake by the chareidi political leadership and even the rabbinic leadership, that they do not grasp the gravity of the hour and the need, and they do not come and say, ‘Something has changed. We need to enter negotiations and see how we can help a public that needs combat manpower.’ Combat! We don’t need kosher supervisors, and we don’t even need Army Radio.”

At the same time, Cohen said Yashar does not expect the transition to universal service to happen instantaneously.

“We did not come with a framework — I don’t want to use the word populist — but we know that going from zero to 100 is something that will take… it is a process; it will take a very long time.”

Cohen said Eisenkot’s proposal would allow exemptions for up to 3% of the overall annual cohort, including exceptional Torah scholars as well as outstanding individuals in other fields.

“That means that out of 150,000 people who enlist in a year, 3% of them will receive an exemption — these are the exceptional individuals,” Cohen said. “These exceptional individuals will probably mostly be chareidim, but there will be musicians, there will be athletes, and there will be other people whom a committee will determine are exceptional, and they will receive a deferment.”

“We, out of respect for Torah, see a need for this and see importance in it, not to cut down the entire tree from below,” Cohen said. “But we believe we have a need. We are not coming from a place of revenge.”

The interviewer then noted that while Shas has declared its loyalty to Netanyahu, United Torah Judaism figures have indicated that they could potentially negotiate with Eisenkot following the election. Cohen was asked directly whether Yashar’s door would be open to UTJ if the party refused to accept universal service.

“There is nowhere to go!” Cohen responded.

“Universal service for all citizens of the State of Israel, Jews and Arabs, is our central banner because it is an existential need,” he said.

Cohen described the issue as an essential condition for joining the coalition.

“On the security issue, which you asked about — this is the cornerstone of joining the coalition,” he said. “Whoever does not reconsider and engage in soul-searching, and excuse me for saying this — changes his ways on this matter, and combines the sword and the book rather than only the book, I don’t think he is part of the coalition.”

Asked whether that meant United Torah Judaism should understand that it has no alternative coalition option to Netanyahu under the current circumstances, Cohen answered, “Certainly.”

He then criticized what he described as political pressure over jobs and funding and raised concerns about the image of the chareidi community among secular Israelis.

“What, doesn’t it bother people?” Cohen asked. “What a bad image there is! We need to go back and do our homework on everything: on the image of the chareidim, on the partnership of the chareidim.”

The interviewer then cited MK Moshe Gafni’s contention that declarations excluding chareidi parties are campaign rhetoric and that after the election, a bloc without 61 seats would ultimately offer the chareidi parties at least as much as Netanyahu in order to form a government.

“I am prepared to commit that it will not happen,” Cohen responded. “I am prepared to commit that it will not happen!”

Asked explicitly whether he would maintain that position even if the alternative were another election, Cohen replied: “Even at the price of repeat elections!”

Cohen predicted that Yashar and its prospective partners would nevertheless secure enough support to form a government, while saying the party was also in contact with individuals currently aligned with the governing coalition.

“And there is an option… We will reach more than 61 and 63, and we will form a government,” Cohen said. “And I’m already telling you here that in the conversations we have, in the contacts we have — we also have contacts with people from within the current coalition. And I believe that under the circumstances today, some of them will also find a door to us the day after the election.”

{Matzav.com}