For nearly three decades, 59-year-old Eileen Munoz spent her workdays in a cubicle. To her, the tiny confined desk came to represent everything she felt about her 9-to-5 career in insurance: stuck. 

The most she ever made in a year was $70,000, and she eventually became so burnt out that she would cry on Sundays knowing her cubicle and another full workweek were waiting for her.

Seeing how miserable she had become and how work was spilling into her home life, her husband encouraged her to quit. Finally, in her mid-50s, she did, without much of a plan and assuming whatever came next would be her old job in a different font. Instead, a friend introduced her to user-generated content, or UGC, where brands pay everyday creators to make social media content they can use to market their products. Munoz had never edited a video, filmed herself for a brand or even added subtitles. 

But in 2025, just her second year as a content creator, she brought in roughly $500,000 from UGC and TikTok Shop, where she promotes products aimed at people navigating middle age, including skincare and supplements as well as products related to menopause, thinning hair and aching joints. She also works across home and pet categories.

Munoz is an unusually successful example of an opportunity emerging for Gen X in an industry long associated with Gen Z and millennials. But the creator economy may already be older than its reputation suggests: Fortune reported in 2022 that the average creator was 40, according to an Adobe study. As brands increasingly rely on creators to sell products online, some older creators are finding that the age they once feared would hold them back can actually work in their favor. Marketers still need to reach consumers in their 40s, 50s and 60s, and recent research suggests a creator’s age can shape how credible they appear to consumers.

“I thought, am I too old?” Munoz said. “That is honestly the number one thing that I hear.”

Brands have an age problem

Florian Dost, a marketing professor at Brandenburg University of Technology, coauthored a recent study that found age can increase assumptions of a creator’s expertise while perceived attractiveness tends to diminish those views.

He described a “sweet spot” that varies by platform and what is being sold, noting that one TikTok experiment, for example, put the optimal apparent age between the late 40s and mid-50s.

“I definitely see that brands, but also influencer agencies, have a blind spot for age,” Dost told Fortune. “Selling new stuff to old consumers is the biggest marketing challenge of our day.”

Munoz knows this too, saying brands have plenty of young people to hawk their wares but not middle-aged influencers.

And when it comes to what she buys herself, that age gap matters. 

“I will not buy [skincare] from a 19-year-old, 20-year-old, 30-year-old,” she said. “I’m gonna buy from people my age.”

A second act

UGC was Munoz’s entry into content creation. After she began making money creating content directly for brands, she added TikTok Shop as a separate income stream.

Unlike UGC, where a brand typically pays for a piece of content, TikTok Shop allows creators to post videos featuring products to their own accounts and earn commissions when viewers buy. Munoz says experimenting with those videos and learning what converts viewers into customers helped turn social commerce into her biggest source of creator income.

For Munoz, the transformation wasn’t just financial. Previously, she had spent decades working overtime whenever it was available. Now she works from home in Diamond Bar, California, where she controls her schedule and hopes her creator income will eventually allow her husband to retire, too.

She says the biggest obstacle she hears from other Gen Xers is the assumption that social media belongs to somebody younger. Her generation didn’t grow up filming videos on smartphones or editing TikToks. Munoz didn’t know how to do any of it either.

“If you think you are too old to do UGC or TikTok Shop, that is such a lie,” Munoz said.

Now she wants to use the location freedom that comes with her work to travel with her husband and spend months at a time living in places they once could only visit, from New York to France. 

Which is a striking reversal from the Sundays she once spent dreading the return to her cubicle.

“I feel like crying sometimes,” Munoz said. This time, though, it’s because “it is the best job ever.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Timothy (or Tim) Armoo became a millionaire before turning 30. Now, as Gen Z blames a brutal job market and AI for their struggles, the millionaire entrepreneur isn’t having any of it—he says this is actually the easiest moment in history to get rich.

“It is scarily easy” to build wealth right now, Armoo told Fortune. “This is the greatest era of wealth creation ever. And it kind of pains me when a lot of young people are like, “I’m bored.” How can you be bored? This is the greatest technology ever in history, and you’re not obsessing over it.”

“In 2026, if you’re talking about the small things (that you can do to become successful), one of the most obvious things is to build relatively small projects with AI,” he added. 

Armoo knows more than most what it’s like to make it, despite the odds being stacked against you. Sent to live with his grandmother in Ghana as a baby, he described the start of his life as “uncertain and dangerous.” When he finally moved back to London, home became a council estate in the middle of gang violence and knife crime.

Yet despite arriving in the U.K. with no money, no network, and years of instability behind him, Armoo started his first business —a tutoring service —at just 14, scaling it to 65 tutors within six weeks. By 17, he already had an acquisition under his belt: the sale of his publication, Entrepreneur Express, to Horizon Media. In 2017, while most of his university peers were out partying, he spent his second year founding Fanbytes, an influencer marketing agency that went on to land clients like the U.K. government, Deliveroo, and Samsung. Brainlabs acquired it in 2022 for an eight-figure sum, when Armoo was just 27.

Armoo is putting his money where his mouth is—$6.7 million of it

It’s no secret that Gen Z don’t want 9-to-5 jobs. Research, surveys, and snap polls have consistently revealed that the latest generation of workers want to be their own boss—and Armoo says AI has made that dream more achievable than ever. He’s put real money behind the claim, too.

“AI enables you to think of an idea and put it out into the world,” Armoo added. “And social media means that you don’t need to pay someone in order to do it. You just need to spend time on the platform and just keep posting.”

And he’s backing that up with cash. Armoo’s just launched Legon Fund, where he’s committed £5 million (around $6.7 million) of his own cash to fund AI startups founded by minority entrepreneurs.

“The reason I did that was that my wealth wave was social media,” he explained. “Now I think the wealth wave is AI, and I don’t want anyone to say, ‘Well, I had the idea, but I didn’t have the money to distribute it.’”

“So now, you have no excuse, because you can learn—ChatGPT and Claude are virtually free—and if you’ve got something that’s working, here’s the money to get more customers for it.”

Gen Z is giving up on corporate jobs entirely—and increasingly betting on themselves 

Entry-level hiring has slowed sharply as companies lean on AI, and Gen Z graduates are applying to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of roles without a single offer to show for it. But, Armoo isn’t wrong: It’s perhaps never been easier to ditch the corporate ladder altogether and become your own boss.

A generation ago, creating a shop front and marketing your business would have required renting a physical space and splashing out on ad space in your local paper. 

Now entrepreneurs don’t even need to leave home to build a website on Squarespace, sell directly to customers on TikTok, and catch up with contractors or clients anytime on Zoom. 

Gen Zers, the oldest of whom were born in 1997, have barely known a world without those tools.

“There’s so much more infrastructure available for people who want to create things of their own,” says Natasha Stanley, head coach at careers site Careershifters.org, previously told Fortune, adding that there’s been a “democratization of access to the entrepreneurial world.” 

Chase Gallagher, the 24-year-old founder of $1.5 million a year CMG Landscaping, echoed that starting a business is “easier now than ever before because 20 years ago we didn’t have this here”—while pointing to his phone. “This device has made me millions of dollars because it’s helped me market my business.”

And in fact, plenty of Gen Zers are already ahead of the curve: The second-fastest-growing job title among the generation is “founder,” according to LinkedIn. According to Intuit’s Entrepreneurship in 2026 report, 43% of Gen Z are considering starting a business in 2026—more than any other generation. 

“My generation doesn’t want to go work a consulting or banking job. They don’t even want to be an astronaut anymore,” Steven Schwartz, the Gen Z founder and CEO of the creator-commerce platform Whop, previously told Fortune. “They want to make content online, they want to find customers online.”

His advice? “The biggest learning is you have to just start a business if you want to. You can’t be successful in business if you’re not starting a business. That’s step one,” Schwartz says, laughing. “So I think just doing it is a huge thing and not really worrying about, ‘What if this doesn’t work?’ Because like, what if it does work?”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Breslov organizers are preparing for a significantly larger Rosh Hashanah gathering in Meron this year, as thousands of Chassidim may be unable to travel to Uman because of IDF conscription issues and arrests involving Chareidi bochurim, Arutz Sheva reports.

While some Breslov Chassidim have spent Rosh Hashanah in Meron in previous years as an alternative to traveling to the kever of Rebbe Nachman in Uman, organizers believe the numbers could rise sharply this year because of restrictions on leaving the country and concerns among those affected.

A special committee has been formed in recent days to coordinate the gathering at the kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, and registration has opened for lodging arrangements. Preparations include sleeping accommodations, a large tent for Yom Tov meals, and expanded facilities for tefillos.

Organizers are preparing for the possibility that thousands could spend Rosh Hashanah in Meron and are urging early registration so the event can be handled in an orderly way.

At the same time, Breslov organizers stressed that Uman remains the primary destination for the Chassidim. They said there is a continuing hope and tefillah that those seeking to travel will ultimately be able to reach Rebbe Nachman’s kever and that the obstacles preventing them from doing so will be removed.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Brad Lander, the Democratic candidate for the seat to represent New York’s 10th Congressional District, emerged undaunted from a protest where he was heckled and forced out for being a Zionist despite his extreme criticism of Israel, including labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide.

“I want to address what happened over the weekend outside Madison Square Garden, where a few loudmouths heckled me. To be clear, I’m just fine, and I’m glad I attended,” he said in a video recording he posted to his X account, explaining that he attended to protest the treatment of minorities in India.

“I won’t stop joining rallies against hate in India, in Israel, and Palestine, or in New York City because of a couple of loud numbskulls,” he added.

He then doubled down on his harsh stance on Israel, saying his position has earned him criticism from both sides.

“I protest when I believe people are perverting Judaism to justify ethnic cleansing and exclusion, and I feel solidarity for Muslims who are doing the same,” he said. “Now, it’s no secret that some people disagree strongly with some of my views, as someone who objects vehemently to what Israel is doing to Palestinians in Gaza, which I do believe meets the definition of genocide, and in the West Bank and in Lebanon.”

“I get criticized frequently by centrist and right-wing Jews,” he said. “And as someone who nonetheless believes in the vision and the possibility of a Jewish and democratic Israel alongside a free Palestine, once decades of occupation and apartheid end, I get criticized frequently by left wingers who oppose Zionism.”

“Those conversations aren’t always easy, but I try to take them seriously, to listen in good faith, and to build coalitions with people who don’t always agree on everything, and I have no plan to stop,” he added.

“Of course, it’s not great when a couple of fringe assholes with drums and bullhorns take over a rally and try to bully people,” he said. “So, I calmly stood my ground and I remained at the protest against the RSS. No one’s going to tell me where I can stand or what positions I can take.”

At first, Lander did stand his ground, but omitted the fact that he was forced to move to a different area of the protest for his own safety.

Lander thanked those who spoke out against the behavior of the hecklers, including Yaakov Berman, a Chabad liaison, who he said rebuked people online who “took delight” in what happened.

Critics have said that Jewish anti-Zionists who try to prove their anti-Zionist bona fides eventually fail because anti-Zionism is not about Israel; it’s about hating Jews. They add that no rhetoric against Israel, no matter how extreme, will be enough for the Jew haters, citing Scott Wiener as a case in point.

Observers have said that Brad Lander has yet to learn this lesson, despite a hard one being administered already.

A planned White House meeting between President Donald Trump and the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum of Kiryas Yoel, has sparked a fierce public dispute, with conservative activist Laura Loomer attacking the invitation and questioning why the Rebbe is being given access to the president, radio host Sid Rosenberg joining the criticism, and Satmar Headquarters firing back by pointing to Kiryas Yoel’s overwhelming electoral support for Trump.

The controversy erupted after Loomer wrote on X that the Rebbe is expected to meet with President Trump on Thursday and asserted that White House Jewish Liaison Martin Marks had arranged the meeting. Loomer sharply criticized Marks over the invitation and claimed that the Rebbe intends to use the meeting to urge Trump to intervene with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu over the drafting of yeshiva students in Eretz Yisroel.

Loomer wrote: “BREAKING: White House Jewish Liason Martin Marks appears to be setting President Trump up for a political crisis. Satmar Rebbe, one of the leaders of the haredi movement that rejects the State of Israel has been invited by Marks to meet with @POTUS on Thursday. @martinjmarks

“These are anti-Israel pro-Mamdani rabbis who are being hosted with open arms in the Oval Office. Did anyone bother to do any vetting? The Grand Rabbi of Satmar was reportedly invited to the White House by Martin Marks and plans to ask President Trump to pressure Israeli PM Netanyahu @netanyahu to end the draft of ultra-Orthodox Yeshiva students, as reported in Hasidic news outlets.

Loomer cotninued: “Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, the Grand Rabbi of Satmar in Kiryas Joel, previously directed his representatives to endorse jihadist Zohran Mamdani @ZohranKMamdani for NYC Mayor and supported Kathy Hochul against Lee Zeldin @epaleezeldin for NY Governor in 2022. He then said Mamdani isn’t an anti-Semite, which is outrageous. I am told that endorsements for GOP candidates are NOT currently on the agenda for this meeting, per White House sources. Why is White House staffer @martinjmarks scheduling precious face time between President Trump and anti-Israel lunatic Democrat rabbis who are frowned upon by majority of the Jewish community? Who will Martin Marks invite to the White House to meet with President Trump next, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed? @AbdulElSayed

“Bizarre things are happening at the White House this week and I don’t think anyone has told President Trump. This is going to severely [anger] the Jewish Republicans in the MAGA base who voted for President Trump. It’s also going to create tension with world leaders ahead of Rosh Hashanah.”

Loomer’s broadside was followed by an even more heated reaction from Sid Rosenberg, the New York radio personality and outspoken Trump supporter. Rosenberg took direct aim at the Satmar Rebbe and urged Marks to reconsider the meeting, using unusually harsh language in his X post.

“This is a HUGE mistake!!! This Rabbi is a TERRIBLE guy and has no right being anywhere near @POTUS! …Come on Marty! You can’t do this! Please!!!! I kill this guy and @rabbiindig on my show all the time! The worst Jews have to offer!!!”

The attacks prompted a public response from Satmar Headquarters, which addressed Loomer directly and disputed the political picture she presented of the Rebbe’s community.

Satmar’s response focused particularly on the voting record of Kiryas Yoel and the Town of Palm Tree, home to Rav Aharon Teitelbaum and a major center of Satmar Chassidus. The statement argued that the community has demonstrated exceptionally strong support for Trump in presidential elections and urged Loomer to examine the actual voting record.

Satmar Headquarters wrote:

“Dear @LauraLoomer

“We appreciate your concerns regarding the recent invitation extended to the Grand Rebbe of Satmar, Rabbi Aron Teitelbaum, to meet with President Trump. However, it’s important to clarify regarding the community of Town of Palm Tree and Village of Kiryas Joel, the seat of Grand Rebbe Aron which is home to a significant number of Satmar Hasidim. Historically, Palm Tree/Kiryas Joel leadership has shown strong support for President Trump in both recent presidential elections, voting overwhelmingly in his favor—more than any other Jewish community in the nation. This demonstrates a deep commitment to his leadership and policies within our community. We encourage you to fact-check the voting trends and sentiments of Kiryas Joel residents. Engaging in respectful dialogue about our community’s perspectives can foster better understanding and unity during these complex times. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we hope for a constructive conversation moving forward. Best, @HQSatmar”

The dispute highlights the complicated political position occupied by Satmar. Satmar is famously and ideologically opposed to Zionism and the State of Israel on religious grounds, while the heavily Chassidic Kiryas Joel community has simultaneously delivered enormous margins for Trump in presidential elections. Its political activity on the state and local levels, however, has not always aligned with Republican candidates.

Loomer’s criticism centered heavily on those distinctions, particularly the Satmar leadership’s relationships with Democratic politicians and its position regarding Zohran Mamdani. She also sought to frame the planned meeting as potentially problematic for Trump’s relationship with pro-Israel supporters.

The immediate issue expected to be raised at the White House, according to Loomer and reports she referenced, is the ongoing battle in Israel over the draft of yeshiva students. The issue has become an extraordinary point of concern throughout the Chareidi world as arrests and enforcement measures against yeshiva bochurim have intensified.

Rav Aharon Teitelbaum has been among the prominent Chassidic leaders speaking out against efforts to draft yeshiva students, and the reported White House meeting would provide an opportunity to bring those concerns directly to President Trump.

Satmar’s public response did not address the substance of what Rav Aharon plans to discuss with Trump or dispute that the draft issue could be raised. Instead, its statement concentrated on rejecting Loomer’s portrayal of the community’s relationship with Trump and emphasized the extraordinary margins the president has received from voters in Kiryas Joel.

The increasingly heated exchange now places additional attention on Thursday’s expected meeting.

{Matzav.com}

A man was killed Sunday night after a fire erupted in an underground parking garage of a residential building in Rishon Lezion, with initial reports indicating that a Tesla may have crashed into a wall before catching fire.

Fire and rescue crews were dispatched to the building on Ahi Lahav Street and worked for an extended period to extinguish the blaze and search the smoke-filled garage.

Once firefighters brought the fire under control, they discovered a person inside one of the vehicles with no signs of life.

Magen David Adom paramedics and EMTs examined the victim but were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene.

“When we arrived at the scene, we saw a vehicle on fire. After prolonged operations by the firefighting forces, a person was located inside a vehicle, unconscious. We performed medical examinations, but unfortunately, there were no signs of life,” paramedics Benny Joseph and Shaked Ron Tal Cohen said.

According to Israel Fire and Rescue Services, preliminary findings indicate that the blaze began in an electric vehicle and subsequently spread to several other vehicles parked nearby.

A separate report from the scene indicated that the electric vehicle was a Tesla that apparently struck a wall for reasons that remain unclear and then burst into flames.

Authorities stressed that the circumstances surrounding the reported collision are still under investigation, and no official determination has yet been released regarding the cause of the fire.

Even after the flames were extinguished, firefighters remained at the scene and continued ventilation operations to clear the heavy smoke from the underground garage.

Volunteers from ZAKA’s Central District were also dispatched to the scene and assisted police in preserving the dignity of the deceased and collecting findings from the area.

A fire investigator from Israel Fire and Rescue Services, together with police investigators, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the deadly incident.

{Matzav.com}

The confrontation between the Finance Ministry and the defense establishment is escalating, with senior Finance Ministry officials rejecting claims that they are withholding funds and launching an unusually harsh attack on the IDF’s financial management, Walla reported.

The criticism comes after IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir claimed last week that “the IDF’s coffers are empty,” in remarks aimed at deflecting public criticism over the millions of shekels he ordered transferred to disgraced former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi.

Senior Finance Ministry officials fired back with an unprecedentedly scathing response, calling the defense establishment’s accusations against the ministry “baseless and completely contrary to reality.”

They said the Finance Ministry has transferred enormous sums to the IDF—well beyond the amount allocated in the state budget—and has fully honored its budgetary commitments. “The defense budget has nearly tripled in two years,” the officials said, “while the defense establishment engages in wasteful management and routinely refuses to implement efficiency measures.”

They further charged that the IDF has “closed its ears to the many proposals” suggested by the Finance Ministry to increase the defense budget through additional funding sources.

Their sharpest criticism was directed at the defense establishment’s handling of its budget itself. “The defense establishment routinely manages its budget in a manner contrary to the law,” the officials said. “It disregards the budget approved for it by law, does as it pleases, and then the Finance Ministry has to come running to cover the shortfall.”

They added that defense officials instead choose “the easy way out—demanding money from taxpayers,” describing the defense budget as “the only budget in the country that operates without oversight and without transparency.”

Finance Ministry officials also blasted what they called the defense establishment’s “ingratitude,” stressing that the ministry has financed the IDF’s operations on all fronts to the tune of hundreds of billions of shekels.

The officials concluded by warning that the refusal of senior defense officials to seriously grapple with the enormous scale of their budget is “extremely concerning,” saying that their conduct “harms the country’s economy while failing to provide security commensurate with the state’s investment.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A collection of suitcases still bearing flight tags, barcodes and Israeli security-screening markings from Ben Gurion Airport has mysteriously surfaced for sale at a flea market in Paphos, Cyprus, raising questions about how the luggage made its way from Israel to the market.

The unusual discovery was made by Liri Bork-Shavit, an Israeli who frequently travels between Israel and Cyprus. She spotted the apparently well-preserved suitcases at Paphos’ weekly flea market and immediately recalled piles of unclaimed luggage she had documented at Ben Gurion Airport several months earlier.

Bork-Shavit, who is known as a social activist, told Walla that the sight brought her back to photographs she took during July and August, when disruptions and heavy congestion plagued Ben Gurion Airport. At the time, she saw large quantities of luggage sitting without apparent owners both inside the airport and outside the terminal.

According to Bork-Shavit, the suitcases being offered for sale in Paphos still displayed tags and markings associated with Israeli security screening, making them stand out from the other merchandise.

“It doesn’t look like regular flea market inventory,” she said.

Bork-Shavit initially believed the luggage might have belonged to El Al, but she later determined that the markings primarily indicated that the bags had passed through security screening at Ben Gurion Airport rather than establishing that they had belonged to passengers on a particular airline.

Despite the photographs and the unusual circumstances surrounding the discovery, there is currently no official evidence establishing that the suitcases are among those that went missing at Ben Gurion Airport during the period of travel disruptions.

It also remains unclear who originally owned the bags or how luggage carrying Israeli airport markings ultimately ended up for sale at a flea market in Cyprus.

“Someone might still recognize their suitcase there,” Bork-Shavit told Walla, while stressing that she does not yet have a complete explanation for how the luggage reached Paphos.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

It was a beautiful summer afternoon several weeks ago when I took a walk with my children through southern Crown Heights. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and the neighborhood was peaceful.

Then, as we approached the intersection of Clarkson Avenue and Albany Avenue, that tranquility was suddenly shattered by the deafening sounds of heavy construction. The noise was impossible to ignore. I looked toward the construction site and was stunned by the sheer scale of what was being built.

I later began researching the project at 681 Clarkson Avenue and was deeply troubled by what I learned. The massive development is slated to contain 1,081 units, including supportive housing intended to serve people struggling with mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness.

Whatever one’s views on the need to provide services and housing for vulnerable New Yorkers, a project of this extraordinary size raises serious questions for the surrounding community. What will be the impact of concentrating such a large supportive-housing population in one location? What safeguards will be put in place? What additional policing, sanitation, medical services and other resources will be provided? And what has been done to ensure that the surrounding families and residents will not bear the consequences of decisions made without adequate community input?

As a parent raising children here, these questions concern me deeply.

Crown Heights is our home. Families have invested their lives in this neighborhood. Children walk these streets to school and shul. Residents deserve to know what such an enormous project will mean for public safety, quality of life and the future character of the community.

And 681 Clarkson Avenue does not exist in a vacuum. Residents are already watching additional homeless and supportive-housing facilities expand in and around the neighborhood. At the same time, new bike lanes and other street changes are eliminating badly needed parking, while the anticipated Albany Avenue MTA bus route threatens to place still more pressure on streets already struggling to accommodate residents, businesses and traffic.

At some point, residents have a right to ask: How much can one neighborhood reasonably be expected to absorb?

Perhaps most disturbing has been the relative silence surrounding these changes. Where is the public discussion? Where are the community meetings? Where are our elected officials and local leaders demanding answers about the cumulative effect these projects will have on Crown Heights?

This is not an argument that people struggling with homelessness, addiction or mental illness should be abandoned. They need help, treatment and appropriate housing. But compassion does not require concentrating enormous numbers of vulnerable individuals in one neighborhood without addressing the legitimate concerns of the families already living there.

The construction is moving forward. The changes to our streets are moving forward. Once these decisions are implemented, reversing them may be exceedingly difficult.

Crown Heights residents therefore need to start asking questions now — loudly, respectfully and persistently. Our elected officials and community leaders should tell us exactly what is planned, what protections are being put into place, and why so much is being concentrated in this particular area.

Silence is not a plan for the future of Crown Heights.

A Concerned Resident

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that Tehran is still working toward an agreement to end the war, saying continued fighting is not in Iran’s interests or those of the wider region.

“We are still working to reach an agreement and believe that continuing the war does not serve our interests or the interests of the region,” Pezeshkian said, arguing that dialogue and cooperation remain the path toward resolving the conflict.

Pezeshkian accused the United States of failing to honor previous understandings, saying Iran remains prepared to pursue diplomacy if Washington fulfills its commitments and takes steps to restore trust.

Before departing for a visit to Kyrgyzstan, Pezeshkian also warned that Iran would respond forcefully to further attacks. “We are not seeking war,” he said, “however, we will not sit idly by in the face of any aggression.”

His comments came following the most significant U.S.-Iran escalation in roughly a month. U.S. Central Command confirmed that American forces struck two IRGC rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian forces were observed preparing rockets carrying sea mines for deployment into international shipping lanes.

Iran reported casualties among IRGC personnel and civilians but did not release an official toll. An IRGC spokesman called the American strike a “strategic and deadly mistake” and warned that Washington would pay economically and militarily.

Iran subsequently launched ballistic missiles toward King Hussein Air Base and Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, where American forces are stationed. Most of the missiles were intercepted, with no casualties or significant damage reported.

The escalation also spread to the United Arab Emirates, where the Defense Ministry said its air force intercepted an Iranian drone over UAE territorial waters. Iran claimed it targeted Al Minhad Air Base, which hosts American forces and helicopters, though the UAE denied that the base was hit.

Meanwhile, the IRGC claimed that an oil tanker attempting to travel through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz was struck by two sea mines and caught fire after allegedly violating Iranian instructions.

President Trump responded with a blistering attack on Tehran, declaring Iran “officially a failed nation” and saying the country is “dead,” pointing to what he described as the destruction of its military capabilities, collapse of its currency, soaring inflation and chaos within the regime.

Washington is also preparing to intensify its economic pressure campaign. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration plans to impose new secondary sanctions every week against institutions and entities doing business with Iran, beginning with banks helping Tehran circumvent financial restrictions.

The renewed military escalation and concerns over additional mining in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed oil prices higher and weighed on markets across the Gulf.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Israeli Navy has identified increased Turkish naval activity in recent months, including military exercises and a growing Turkish presence in the Mediterranean and in areas used by Israeli naval forces, Kan News reports.

Against the backdrop of growing tensions between Israel and Turkey, the Navy is preparing for what defense officials describe as the possibility of a “turn” in relations — including the operational and strategic need to be ready for a potential military confrontation with Turkey.

The assessment does not mean the IDF believes a confrontation with Turkey is imminent. Rather, the Navy is preparing for the possibility that relations could deteriorate significantly and require Israel to contend directly with Turkish military forces.

The growing concern also comes amid Turkish military activity connected to Syria, where Israel has been closely monitoring Ankara’s efforts to expand its presence and capabilities.

Despite the tensions, Israeli defense officials have stressed that Israel does not want Turkey to become an enemy, and channels remain in place between the two countries aimed at preventing friction and unintended escalation.

The Israeli Navy is continuing to monitor Turkish exercises, deployments and naval activity as it prepares for the possibility of a significant change in the strategic relationship between Jerusalem and Ankara.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Surveillance video posted Sunday by Manhattan Shomrim appears to show the assault of a Hasidic Jewish man in Midtown Manhattan the previous Monday.

The incident occurred near 47th Street and Sixth Avenue, according to Manhattan Shomrim. The group said the suspect approached the man, stole his hat and punched him in the temple while shouting antisemitic and derogatory remarks.

🚨 ANTISEMITIC ROBBERY/ASSAULT IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN
On Monday, a Jewish man was walking near 47th Street and Sixth Avenue when he was approached by a perpetrator who stole his hat and then punched him in the temple. During the attack, the perpetrator was shouting profoundly… pic.twitter.com/k2xECvD998

— Manhattan Shomrim Safety Patrol (@msspshomrim) August 30, 2026

The suspect fled the scene but was later arrested after the NYPD responded to the incident. Manhattan Shomrim said the NYPD Hate Crimes Unit is investigating the case.

The suspect was released without bail, according to the group, but is expected to face assault and antisemitic hate crime charges.

Manhattan Shomrim thanked the responding officers and its volunteers for assisting the victim and urged anyone who witnesses an antisemitic attack to call 911.

1 ARRESTED FOR ROBBERY & HATE CRIME ASSAULT IN MIDTOWN

A big thank you to the @NYPDnews 18th PCT & Hate Crimes Task Force for their great work.

If you see something, say something – 24/7 HOTLINE (212-430-2024) pic.twitter.com/uMwpcr19BC

— Manhattan Shomrim Safety Patrol (@msspshomrim) August 25, 2026

Several Israeli desalination plants south of Hadera were temporarily shut down Monday after unusual weather conditions caused severe turbidity in the Mediterranean Sea, preventing the facilities from operating normally.

Israel’s Water Authority said the unusual sea conditions affected water quality and forced some desalination facilities to suspend operations. Authorities also ordered a reduction in the supply of fresh water for agricultural use in southern Israel.

Despite the shutdowns, officials stressed that Israel’s overall water system continues to operate normally. Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, has begun increasing production from other available water sources to compensate for the disruption.

Officials expect some of the affected desalination plants to resume operations in the near future as sea conditions improve. Full operations will return once turbidity levels decline and the seawater becomes sufficiently clear.

The shutdown initially raised concerns that Israel’s water infrastructure may have been targeted in a cyberattack, particularly amid previous Iranian attempts to attack Israeli water systems. However, an industry official told N12 that the disruption was not caused by a cyber incident.

Israel’s National Cyber Directorate has previously warned that Iranian actors have repeatedly attempted to target the country’s water sector, but said those efforts have so far failed to cause significant damage.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Besides a social media post from President Donald Trump, the White House has said little about what he is calling “THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY” in Venezuela.

Trump said the agreement announced Friday night would give the United States a stake in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, a step toward his goal of extracting energy from the country after American forces captured then-President Nicolás Maduro in a middle-of-the-night raid in January and brought him to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges.

Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, described the deal as a step toward economic recovery that will modernize the country’s oil industry. In a televised address to the nation late Sunday, Rodríguez insisted Venezuela’s sovereignty is secure and said she wants the country to become a global energy powerhouse.

Earlier on Saturday, she said the oil reserves would “cease to be an inert, cold statistic and will instead become concrete solutions. Housing is one of them.”

But the answers to many questions, including how soon the reserves could be drilled and who will pay to make it happen, were not immediately clear. No text of any agreement has been released.

A look at what is known and unknown:

What are the terms?

The U.S. government and an unnamed private operator in Venezuela formed a new company that was given the rights to untapped oil fields for 100 years.

A statement from Rodríguez said the deal involves the development of 17 fields with a proven potential of 65 billion barrels. It said the agreement could draw $100 billion in investment into Venezuela’s oil industry and yield over $209 billion in taxes for Caracas.

Trump said the agreement was negotiated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Rodríguez.

The deal gives the United States 55% effective output of the new private company, including an ownership stake and rights to buy oil at cost. American purchases of the oil will go toward the U.S. strategic oil reservesalong with the military, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The company would be the second largest corporate holder of proven reserves after Saudi Aramco, according to the official.

Will gas prices go down?

Probably not any time soon.

Trump says the deal will help lower gas prices for Americans. That is an important objective for the Republican president as the Iran war slows the shipping of Persian Gulf oil and keeps prices elevated months before November elections in the United States.

But experts have repeatedly warned that Venezuela’s dilapidated oil infrastructure will take years and billions of dollars to repair. A substantial boost in production is not expected to happen quickly.

The deal could be “helpful in the long run, but it’s not going to do anything to change the price of gasoline at the retail station for Labor Day weekend,” said Amy Myers Jaffe, director of the Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab at New York University.

Neither side made clear who would pay for infrastructure investments and at what cost.

The average price of gas in the U.S. stood at about $4.08 a gallon on Saturday, according to AAA. The average price was $3.20 at the same time last year.

Kevin Book, managing director at ClearView Energy Partners, said the oil industry is awaiting clarity on the deal’s details. Venezuela has room to increase its oil production, he said — in the past it produced more than 2.5 million barrels a day above current levels — but investments of this scale don’t happen quickly.

“It’s going to take time — many years — to deploy that much capital and produce the kind of incremental results that history suggests possible,” Book said.

How will Venezuelans react?

Some in Venezuela considered it a betrayal of what their government has stated repeatedly for decades: Venezuelan resources are for Venezuela, and leaders would not allow the U.S. government access to those resources.

At a market in eastern Caracas on Saturday, Douglas Borjas said he was upset about the announcement.

“I think they’re doing it to cling to power,” he said of Venezuela’s leaders. “It’s like, ‘I’m giving you a vast amount of petroleum as long as you leave me alone here in power.’”

He added: “The Venezuelan people deserve better. Venezuela has resources that can be exploited, but for the benefit of the people, not for the benefit of the corrupt elite.”

Harvard University professor Ricardo Hausmann, a former Venezuelan planning minister, called it a “shameful deal.”

“Venezuelans will not respect this illegitimate deal and no major US oil company will take it seriously because they know it will not last,” Hausmann said on social media, adding that Rodríguez “has no legitimacy or constitutional power to commit Venezuela to any such deal.”

In her national address, Rodríguez pushed back on some of the early criticism.

“One thing must be absolutely clear: Venezuela retains ownership and sovereignty over its resources,” Rodríguez said. She said the goal is to reach other agreements with transnational private companies such as Chevron, Repsol and Shell.

She added: “We want to be an energy powerhouse, a major oil producer, a significant gas exporter, and a major national petrochemical developer.”

What’s the reaction on Capitol Hill?

It is unclear whether Congress will play a role in the arrangement, but lawmakers from both parties were quick to weigh in.

Trump allies called it a win.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said it was a historic deal that helps both countries. “If it were up to DC Democrats, Maduro would still be in power, Venezuelan oil would be going to China at half price, and the people of Venezuela would be getting robbed by a corrupt regime,” Moreno wrote on social media.

It was condemned by Democrats who said Maduro’s capture was a means to this end.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said Trump was always after Venezuela’s oil, branding it “corruption at epic scale.”

“Will prices come down for Americans? Who knows but likely not as much as Trump has forced them up thru his idiotic Iran War,” Kaine said on social media.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said Trump “put our service members at risk to get Venezuelan oil for his billionaire buddies.”

What questions remain?

Many important details remain unclear, including who will cover necessary investments, the identity of the private operator and how America’s stake in the company breaks down.

The U.S. will get 55% of the company’s effective output, but it was not clear what portion of that comes from an ownership stake and how much comes from the right to buy oil at cost.

It also is unclear how the industry will react. Persuading big American oil companies to return to the region could prove a challenge given the political uncertainty and damaged infrastructure.

Chevron, the only U.S. oil company actively producing in Venezuela, declined to comment. Separately from Trump’s announcement, Chevron already had been in talks to expand investment in the country. Exxon Mobil also declined to comment.

David Oxley, chief climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics, said that on its face, the deal could double U.S. oil reserves and reduce dependence on crude oil from Canada and Mexico. But Oxley, writing in a commentary, cautioned that there are logistical hurdles and said the value of Venezuela’s reserves may have been exaggerated under former President Hugo Chavez.

Even with legal and security guarantees, it is not clear that U.S. oil companies “would be eager to invest,’’ he wrote, noting that “there simply might be more enticing commercial opportunities on offer elsewhere.’’

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

New York isn’t just losing residents — it’s losing some of the people who help power its economy.

As New York continues to see residents move to other states, former New York Gov. George Pataki is warning that entrepreneurs, financial leaders and major donors are increasingly heading for the exits.

Pataki joined FOX Business’ Cheryl Casone on “Mornings with Maria” to discuss the state’s outmigration, its business climate and the policies he believes are pushing residents and job creators elsewhere.

“You know, it’s just almost tragic to see the loss of people, not just people, but people who create jobs, who donate to hospitals and museums, the best of New York, the people who have made New York the entrepreneurial and financial center are just leaving,” Pataki said.

The former governor argued that New York risks weakening its position as the nation’s financial center as companies expand their workforces elsewhere, pointing to the growing pull of lower-tax states such as Texas.

“We fought hard to keep it the financial capital of the world. It still is for the moment. But if we continue these tax-and-spend and soft-on-crime policies, it’s just going to get worse,” he said.

Pataki also warned that additional tax increases and rising debt could deepen the state’s challenges and drive more residents away. Still, he said New York has the ability to reverse course.

“We’re going to end up not just with the highest taxes in the country, but with unsustainable debt, with more people leaving,” Pataki said. “We’re not doing great right now, but New York is New York. It’s very resilient. It still has great people. We put in place the right policies and it will come roaring back. So in that sense, I’m an optimist.”

Rebbetzin Yehudit Yosef, daughter-in-law of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, has spoken out against the controversial decision to cancel memorial events honoring him, saying the move disregards the legacy of a towering religious figure whose influence reached across Israeli society.

The memorial events were canceled following a directive from legal officials, who argued that Rav Ovadia’s close identification with the Shas party could cause the gatherings, taking place near the election period, to be regarded as political campaigning.

“I am in tremendous pain today, and there are moments when I feel that this is it — I can no longer remain silent,” Rebbetzin Yosef began.

“When I heard that they want to cancel the memorial for my father-in-law, Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef, of righteous and holy memory, it hurt me, and it continues to hurt me deeply,” she said. “And not because of the event or the ceremony, but because of its significance and what it says.”

Rebbetzin Yosef emphasized that Rav Ovadia belonged far beyond the confines of any political party or particular community.

“Maran belonged to everyone: Sephardim, Ashkenazim, Chareidim, secular Jews, traditional Jews, Chassidim, yeshiva students and soldiers. Everyone entered his home, and he felt the pain of every one of them,” she said.

She also recalled witnessing Rav Ovadia’s concern for Israelis during times of war and tragedy.

“I saw him during wartime. I saw nights when he did not close his eyes. I saw him cry when he heard about soldiers who had fallen and about another family whose world had been destroyed. I saw him pray from the depths of his heart for the wounded,” she said.

Officials working under the attorney general ordered the cancellation of the memorial ceremony for Rav Ovadia, maintaining that his identification with Shas could cause the gathering to be considered political propaganda during the election period.

Rebbetzin Yosef said she found the decision particularly painful given Rav Ovadia’s decades of devotion to the Jewish people.

“That is why it is so difficult for me to understand: How can you take such a figure, who dedicated an entire lifetime to this nation, and decide that he is not worthy of stopping, remembering and honoring him?”

She concluded by drawing a distinction between the government’s ability to cancel a particular event and its inability to erase Rav Ovadia’s enduring influence.

“Perhaps you can cancel a ceremony, but you cannot cancel a legacy, and you cannot decide for millions of people whom they will remember and whom they will honor.”

The cancellation has sparked an uproar in the Chareidi community, with prominent rabbinic figures sharply criticizing the decision.

Rav Yitzchok Yosef, the former Sephardic chief rabbi and son of Rav Ovadia, delivered an especially fierce denunciation of the attorney general.

“The religion-hating attorney general who decided to cancel the memorial gatherings for Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory. This wicked woman is messing with Maran? The Almighty will destroy her; she will receive her blow,” Rav Yosef said.

A banner plane that took off from Lakewood Airport today accidentally dropped its banner, landing in a tree – pictured.

It was recovered by the owners.

New details have emerged from the interrogation of one of two Israeli teenagers charged with carrying out missions for an Iranian agent, including an admission that he eventually knew he was working for someone connected to Iran but continued because he wanted the money.

The two minors, ages 14 and 16 from Kiryat Motzkin, were indicted Sunday for allegedly carrying out assignments for a foreign agent operating on behalf of Iran.

During questioning, the main suspect said he became suspicious after being asked to photograph shopping centers and gather information about entrances, exits and security guards.

After sending videos of the Seven Stars Mall in Herzliya, the teen said he deleted the footage because he feared it could be used to carry out a terror attack. He also temporarily stopped communicating with the handler and deleted their chat.

Despite those concerns, however, the relationship resumed after the handler contacted him using another account and offered him additional work, including setting up a Telegram channel to recruit other teenagers.

The suspect was given NIS 900 to purchase a new phone for the recruitment effort, but instead allegedly forged a receipt from electronics retailer KSP without buying the device.

During his interrogation, the teen initially claimed he had thought the person directing him was a “leftist.” Investigators confronted him with messages in which he himself referred to the handler as Iranian.

Asked directly whether he had knowingly performed assignments for an Iranian agent, the teen acknowledged that he had.

He told investigators that the handler had not asked him to do anything he considered dangerous to Israel or its citizens and said his motivation was financial.

“I just wanted money,” the teen said, adding that after completing graffiti and surveillance assignments, the handler told him he was connected to Iran. The teen said he regretted his actions.

According to the indictment, the teens were tasked with spraying political graffiti in Kiryat Motzkin. The main suspect received approximately $250 for the graffiti assignment and gave NIS 150 to his friend.

The handler later instructed the teen to photograph a mall, roads and a government building in the Tel Aviv area and provide information about security arrangements. The second teen refused to participate after telling his friend that he suspected they were dealing with an Iranian agent.

The main suspect nevertheless completed the surveillance assignment and received approximately NIS 600.

He later sent the handler a photograph of his passport and his face to verify his identity in exchange for roughly $100.

Investigators say the teen also tried to expand the operation by recruiting other minors. In a voice message to his friend, he allegedly asked him to add “as many kids as possible” to a Telegram channel, specifically seeking teenagers willing to carry out higher-risk assignments.

In total, the main suspect allegedly received approximately NIS 3,500 from the Iranian agent.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Amid the uproar that erupted over the IDF’s decision to sentence 16 soldiers to prison for heeding their Rabbanim and refusing to enter an APC with a female paramedic, some responded by noting a glaring contradiction: The IDF is calling on Chareidim to enlist even as it punishes religious soldiers for insisting on maintaining their religious standards while serving.

Noam chairman Avi Maoz responded by saying, “Givati soldiers, Rotem Battalion, you risked your lives with mesiras nefesh in Lebanon, and today the army is turning its back on you. It is not acceptable that with one hand the army calls on the Chareidim to enlist, and with the other it harms outstanding soldiers who want to live according to their faith. Even if you are required to sit in prison, do it with your head held high and with Jewish pride. Free to be a Jew.”

The “Soldiers’ Wives For The Kedusha of the Machaneh” organization issued a statement saying: “We demand that the soldiers be released immediately and that those responsible for mistreating them be held accountable. The agenda of progressive coercion has reached a new moral low, with extreme and harmful consequences. The IDF is a Jewish army. Halacha, mitzvos, and kedusha are our guiding principles, and Shomrei Mitzvos will not become a doormat for commanders unworthy of their positions.

“This is a disgrace and a badge of shame for the Chief of Staff and the Defense Minister. You cannot call on Chareidim to enlist while religious soldiers serving in the IDF are persecuted for remaining faithful to the Torah and kedusha.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man refusing to eat food while jailed on charges he shot two National Guard troops near the White House, killing one of them, can be fed against his will under a judge’s emergency order.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta agreed Saturday to order “nonconsensual” nutrition and medical treatment for Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was rushed to a hospital in July after he stopped eating. Mehta said federal Bureau of Prisons medical staff can feed Lakanwal intravenously or through a medical tube to save his life.

Redacted court filings haven’t specified a reason for Lakanwal’s refusal to eat, but prosecutors noted that courts have held that prison officials can involuntary feed “hunger-striking prisoners.”

Justice Department prosecutors asked Mehta to order the emergency life-saving measures for Lakanwal. Their written request wasn’t immediately made public in online court records.

Defense attorney Shelli Peterson declined to elaborate Monday on Lakanwal’s medical condition and care. A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office also declined to comment.

The Justice Department hasn’t announced whether it will seek the death penalty in the case. “That is a very weighty decision,” Pirro said last year.

The order authorizing Lakanwal’s involuntary feeding expires Oct. 28 but can be renewed.

Lakanwal, an Afghan national who resided in Bellingham, Washington, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges in the November 2025 shooting that killed West Virginia National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe.

Beckstrom, 20, and Wolfe, 24, were deployed to Washington as part of President Donald Trump’s law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital, which began last summer. Lakanwal ambushed the Guard members outside a subway station three blocks from the White House, according to prosecutors.

Another National Guard member heard gunshots and saw Beckstrom and Wolfe fall to the ground as Lakanwal fired a gun and screamed, “Allahu Akbar!” according to a police report. Lakanwal was shot during the confrontation and made his initial court appearance from a hospital bed last year.

Israeli authorities carried out a large-scale enforcement campaign across Judea and Samaria over the past two days, demolishing illegal structures in Area C that officials said posed security and environmental concerns, including construction near the security fence and an important archaeological site.

The first operation took place Sunday in the village of Shuweika, north of Tulkarm, where forces from the Efraim District Coordination and Liaison office entered the area together with the Civil Administration’s Supervision Unit. IDF soldiers from the regional brigade provided security for the operation.

Authorities targeted unauthorized structures that had been erected immediately adjacent to the security fence near the Israeli communities of Bahan and Bat Hefer.

According to defense officials, the construction was carried out in Area C despite an existing order prohibiting building at the location. Officials said the unauthorized structures created an immediate security and safety concern because of their proximity to the fence and nearby Israeli communities.

Enforcement operations shifted to the Binyamin region the following day, with personnel from the Binyamin District Coordination and Liaison office joining the Supervision Unit and regional brigade forces for an operation near Birzeit.

During that operation, authorities demolished illegally constructed infrastructure in the Wadi Zeytun, also known as Ein Obeid, archaeological area in Area C.

The construction had been erected near the ancient road leading to Jerusalem and beneath the historic Khirbit Tarfon site, an archaeological location dating back to the First and Second Bais Hamikdash periods.

The IDF, Civil Administration and other security agencies said enforcement actions against unauthorized construction would continue throughout the region as part of an ongoing effort to uphold law and order.

Officials said authorities would particularly focus on illegal construction deemed to pose threats to security, public safety or stability in Judea and Samaria.

Germany is dramatically expanding efforts to deport Afghan nationals, including people without criminal records, while quietly increasing direct coordination with the Taliban regime to establish a regular system for returning migrants to Afghanistan.

The shift represents a significant change from Germany’s previous policy, under which deportation flights to Afghanistan were largely limited to convicted criminals and individuals considered security threats.

According to an investigation by German broadcaster NDR, three Taliban representatives traveled secretly to Germany last week to help prepare the logistics for expanded deportation flights.

The delegation reportedly traveled from Kabul through Qatar, where German consular officials issued the Taliban representatives 30-day visas allowing them to enter Germany.

Germany’s Foreign Office confirmed that the delegation had arrived in the country.

More than 250 Afghans have been deported from Germany over the past two years. The latest flight, on July 28, returned 31 Afghan nationals to Kabul.

Among those deported was one person without a criminal record, marking the first such removal since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021.

Berlin is now looking to significantly increase the pace of removals, with plans reportedly calling for as many as three group deportation flights each month in addition to Afghans being returned on regular commercial flights.

The cooperation comes despite Germany not formally recognizing the Taliban government.

Approximately 450,000 Afghan citizens were living in Germany as of April 2026, including roughly 403,000 who were born outside Germany.

Germany is not alone in reopening channels with the Taliban over migration. In June, the European Union hosted Taliban representatives in Brussels for closed-door discussions focused on returning Afghan nationals whose asylum claims had been rejected.

Representatives from 15 European Union countries participated in those talks, which were led by Sweden and the European Commission.

The growing contacts underscore a broader shift across Europe as governments seek ways to increase deportations to Afghanistan despite continuing concerns over the Taliban’s rule and human rights abuses.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

OKLAHOMA CITY (VINnews) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has told President Donald Trump that his state would “proudly welcome” Jewish families who lawfully come to the United States seeking safety and opportunity, citing a surge in antisemitism that he said is especially disturbing in Canada.

In a July 22 letter to Trump, Stitt wrote that reports of increasing violence, intimidation and discrimination against Jewish communities since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel were “deeply troubling.”

“It is especially disturbing to see such ugly hostility in western nations that otherwise hold themselves out as bastions of tolerance and civility, such as Canada,” Stitt wrote. “No one should be forced to live in fear because of their faith.”

The governor said Oklahoma has a “strong and vibrant Jewish community, especially in Tulsa,” that has contributed to the state since before statehood and is prepared to receive new neighbors.

“Should Jewish families lawfully come to the United States in search of safety and opportunity, I want you to know that Oklahoma would proudly welcome those who choose to make our state their home,” the letter said.

Stitt thanked Trump for what he called “steadfast leadership in confronting antisemitism and defending religious liberty.” Copies of the letter were sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.

The letter has drawn renewed attention this week after Christian lawmakers and faith leaders urged the Trump administration to create a lawful, expedited pathway for Jewish Canadians who say they no longer feel safe. Advocates working with families have said more than 2,000 Jewish Canadians have expressed interest in relocating.

Jewish and Christian leaders in Tulsa have already offered to help receive families. Local groups, including Tulsa Tomorrow and the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, have run a relocation assistance program known as Lech L’Tulsa, offering matching relocation grants, exploratory visits and immigration-legal support for eligible Canadian households.

Canadian Jewish organizations have documented record levels of antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7, including harassment, vandalism, threats and attacks on schools, synagogues and businesses. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said more than two-thirds of religion-motivated hate crimes in Canada last year targeted Jews, who make up about 1% of the population.

Stitt’s letter does not create a new immigration category. Any move would still have to follow federal law. Trump recently amplified calls for an expedited legal pathway, and Oklahoma has been cited as one potential destination if such a process is created. Nebraska has also been mentioned as a possible partner, according to reports.

Oklahoma’s Jewish population remains small compared with coastal states, but Stitt has previously said the state’s emphasis on family, faith and entrepreneurship aligns with Jewish communal life and that antisemitic street intimidation common in some large cities “doesn’t happen in Oklahoma.”

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu issued a sharp message on the Chareidi draft controversy Sunday night, declaring that those who are not learning Torah should enlist in the IDF and that anyone who proclaims, “We will die rather than enlist,” should be sent immediately to jail.

In a wide-ranging interview with Yinon Magal on Channel 14’s “The Patriots,” Netanyahu laid out his security and political priorities ahead of the elections for the 26th Knesset. He placed defeating the Iranian regime at the top of his agenda, pledged to complete the disarmament of Hamas and Hezbollah, addressed divisions within the political right, criticized Itamar Ben Gvir and Ofer Winter, and discussed further changes to Israel’s judicial system.

“Anyone who does not learn Torah should enlist. And anyone who says, ‘We will die rather than enlist,’ should go straight to jail,” Netanyahu said.

Iran was at the center of Netanyahu’s discussion of Israel’s security challenges. The prime minister said that despite the severe blows Tehran has suffered, the Iranian regime has not abandoned its nuclear ambitions.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon as long as I am prime minister,” Netanyahu declared.

He went further, saying that Israel must ultimately bring about the defeat of the Iranian regime.

“This regime must be defeated. I am committed to that, and it is possible. They are weaker than they were,” Netanyahu said.

According to Netanyahu, defeating the Iranian regime would also bring Israel closer to completing its campaigns against Hamas and Hezbollah.

Turning to Gaza, Netanyahu vowed that Hamas would be stripped of its weapons, whether voluntarily or through military force.

“The plan for Gaza is the elimination of Hamas. We will disarm it the easy way or the hard way. We will disarm them. I am committed to it, and I will do it,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said his government had withstood enormous pressure during the war and promised that Israel would also finish the job of disarming Hezbollah.

Summarizing his priorities, Netanyahu said, “First and foremost—to defeat Iran. It is in our hands.”

Netanyahu also devoted a significant portion of the interview to the upcoming election and the danger that competing parties could split the right-wing vote.

He welcomed talks between Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin over a possible political alliance and said he would assist efforts to bring them together “in every way.”

Netanyahu was more critical of Ben Gvir, taking issue with his refusal to join forces with Smotrich.

“Today Ben Gvir needs to do it. He is categorical: ‘I am not uniting,’” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said examinations conducted by his camp indicate that mergers among right-wing parties would strengthen the bloc. He warned that little time remains to prevent right-wing votes from being wasted.

“We have very little time, a week and two days, to enable this merger so that we do not lose a single vote,” he said.

Netanyahu also spoke at length about Ofer Winter, revealing that he met with the former senior IDF officer several weeks ago and offered him a place in Likud.

“I told him, look, there are two possibilities—you can come to us and be welcomed, or you can go your own separate way,” Netanyahu recounted.

Netanyahu warned that Winter’s decision to run independently could ultimately damage the right-wing bloc.

“I am concerned that this party could do one of two things—either waste votes or cause one of the parties to fall,” he said.

He also expressed skepticism about Winter’s declaration that he would support Netanyahu following the election.

“Winter said that he would support me. That’s fine and that’s true, but he added a ‘but,’ and a ‘but’ is an escape hatch,” Netanyahu said.

Turning to the judicial system, Netanyahu acknowledged that his government’s previous effort to enact changes had failed to accomplish its objective.

“We need to learn the lessons. The fact is that we did not succeed,” he said.

At the same time, Netanyahu made clear that he has not abandoned plans to make further changes to the judiciary. He said that if voters give the right another mandate, his government would seek to restore what he described as the proper balance between the branches of government.

“There is an understanding that the balance must be restored, and with that understanding we will succeed in doing it, and I am committed to doing it,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu was also questioned about the night before the October 7 massacre and whether events might have unfolded differently had he been awakened and informed of the warning signs that were emerging.

His answer was unequivocal.

“It would have looked completely different. That is the truth,” Netanyahu said.

He then went further, saying, “If they had woken me up, this would not have happened. I’m not saying that nothing would have happened, but it would not have happened like this.”

The prime minister called for the release of official protocols from the period surrounding the attack and said materials he presented to the state comptroller had surprised the comptroller. Netanyahu also reiterated his opposition to establishing a state commission of inquiry, instead proposing what he described as a “balanced commission of inquiry.”

Toward the end of the interview, Netanyahu returned to the Chareidi draft crisis and acknowledged that mistakes had been made in efforts to pass legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students.

“The draft law did not pass because mistakes were made. It can and must be handled differently,” Netanyahu said.

According to Netanyahu, the number of Chareidim entering the IDF is approaching 5,000. He said that on the day of the interview alone, 500 Chareidim enlisted, including 300 who entered combat tracks.

Netanyahu stressed that he has “enormous respect for the Torah world,” while drawing a firm distinction between those genuinely engaged in Torah learning and those who are not.

“Anyone who does not learn Torah should enlist,” Netanyahu said.

With the recent changes to the LSTA rules and pricing, thousands of Lakewood families were faced with a decision: pay the additional cost per child for transportation, or make alternative arrangements.

Now that the new school year is getting underway, we want to hear from parents:

Did you opt into the LSTA and agree to pay the additional transportation cost per child?

Or, did you decide to forgo the LSTA and arrange carpools instead?

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused Israel and Russia, along with international far-right groups, of spreading disinformation on social media that helped fuel last month’s massive migrant surge into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where more than 70,000 people crossed the border in just two days.

Sánchez said his allegations were based on research by the European Union’s diplomatic service, which found that Russian and Israeli networks circulated false claims portraying Spain as having lost control of its borders. Among the claims was a distorted account of a Spanish Supreme Court ruling suggesting that migrants who entered Ceuta by swimming could not be returned.

According to Sánchez, the disinformation campaign was aimed at attacking Spain over its positions on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

However, Sánchez said there was no evidence that Morocco was involved in triggering the unprecedented wave of crossings and praised Moroccan authorities for quickly cooperating with Spain to bring the situation under control.

That position drew sharp criticism from members of Sánchez’s own left-wing coalition. Sumar lawmaker Alberto Ibáñez called the accusations against Israel and Russia “not credible” while criticizing Sánchez for defending Morocco. Party spokesperson Verónica Barbero also criticized the government’s reluctance to blame Rabat and accused it of failing to show sufficient concern for residents of Ceuta.

Official figures presented by Sánchez show that more than 90% of the migrants who crossed into Ceuta have since been returned to Morocco. Around 5,000 remain in the city, including approximately 1,200 unaccompanied minors.

European Commission officials and intelligence agencies have also identified activity by Russian-linked actors and human-smuggling networks that circulated similar content aimed at destabilizing Europe.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews) — Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and former Republican congressional candidate Dan Bilzerian share nearly two dozen donors who gave more than $61,000 combined to their campaigns, according to a Fox News Digital review of Federal Election Commission filings published Monday.

The candidates sit on opposite ends of the political spectrum. El-Sayed has called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, higher taxes on the wealthy and Medicare for All. Bilzerian supported the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts and advocated lower taxes and less regulation. Both have called on the United States to cease all aid to Israel.

Shared donors contributed $23,144.12 to Bilzerian’s campaign and about $38,626.20 to El-Sayed’s campaign, the review found. Their overlapping network includes prominent critics of Israel.

Bilzerian lost the Republican primary in Florida’s 6th Congressional District to Rep. Randy Fine, who is Jewish. The contest drew condemnation from Republican leaders after Bilzerian released a 2½-minute AI-generated advertisement that called Fine a “fat Jew,” depicted him with horns, used the slur “Shylock” and referenced Adolf Hitler with the line, “Should we revisit that Austrian painter’s opinions?” Bilzerian has also said “Jewish supremacy is the greatest threat to the world today.”

El-Sayed has accused Israel of committing “genocide” against Palestinians. He has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and has drawn scrutiny over associations with far-left streamer Hasan Piker, from whom he later distanced himself after Piker’s remarks about Jewish Americans.

Among the shared donors is Georgia attorney Ibrahim Awad. FEC records show Awad gave $7,000 to El-Sayed’s campaign around March 2026 and $12,651.88 through a joint fundraising committee supporting Bilzerian in April 2026. On the “Sumud Podcast” in August 2025, Awad compared Israel’s campaign in Gaza to the Holocaust, saying it was “happening in real time right in front of us,” and described Zionism as a “toxic way of thinking” rooted in “supremacy.”

Texas businessman Hussein “Sam” Mahrouq, the child of Palestinian refugees, donated $3,500 to El-Sayed between May 2025 and April 2026 and more than $1,000 through a committee supporting Bilzerian. Mahrouq also gave $400,000 to American Priorities PAC, which was formed to counter the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and has donated to Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., both critics of U.S. aid to Israel. In a statement, Mahrouq said a contribution “should not be interpreted as an endorsement of every position taken by a candidate or organization.”

Muhi Khwaja, co-founder of the American Muslim Community Foundation, donated $625 to El-Sayed and $26.68 to Bilzerian. In a November 2023 essay, Khwaja wrote that “the philanthropic world can no longer turn a blind eye to the collective punishment facing Palestinians.”

Neither El-Sayed’s campaign nor Bilzerian’s campaign responded to inquiries from Fox News Digital about the shared donors or their positions on Israel.

El-Sayed, a physician and former Wayne County health director, won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary and is running in a closely watched general election. His campaign has separately drawn attention for receiving more than $115,000 from dozens of individuals tied to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an organization designated as a terrorist group by the United Arab Emirates and labeled as such in Florida and Texas.

Bilzerian, a social media personality and poker player, spent more than $1 million of his own money on the Florida race and received about 19% of the vote. Jewish organizations and Republican officials condemned his campaign as antisemitic. Fine, the incumbent, won the primary by a wide margin.

Three Force 100 soldiers are taking their legal battle to the next level, launching a new offensive—this time against the ousted Military Advocate General and the State Attorney.

In a lawsuit filed Monday in the Jerusalem District Court, the soldiers are demanding NIS 18 million in compensation for a series of wrongs they say were committed against them throughout the affair, including “false suspicions, false arrest, invasion of privacy, defamation, the wrongful filing of an indictment and the cover-up of the investigation into the leak.”

The lawsuit follows an initial civil proceeding in the Magistrate’s Court against journalist Guy Peleg and Channel 12’s news company. Now, due to the size of the damages being sought and the allegations raised, the case is moving to the District Court. The lawsuit was filed by attorney Menashe Yado of the Honenu organization and attorneys Dr. Itamar Miron and Elchanan Miron of the Miron, Prives, Ben-Zion law firm.

The defendants named in the new lawsuit include former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, former Chief Military Prosecutor Matan Solomash, Lior Ayash, the Military Advocate General’s Office spokeswoman, the Military Police, the IDF, Guy Peleg and the Israeli News Company, as well as Guy Gofman, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, State Attorney Amit Aisman, Gal Asael, Alon Altman, the State Attorney’s Office, the Israel Police and the State of Israel.

The total amount sought in the lawsuit is NIS 18 million. The complaint details a series of alleged damages, including NIS 1.5 million for falsely being suspected of a serious offense, NIS 450,000 for 15 days of false arrest, NIS 3 million for defamation, NIS 1 million for a wrongful indictment and NIS 500,000 for the alleged cover-up of the investigation into the leak, in addition to other damages.

The lawsuit does not focus solely on the media publication in 2024, but on a chain of events that the soldiers say began with the false suspicions against them, their highly publicized arrests and the leaking of investigative materials, and continued with the criminal proceedings and the manner in which the investigation into the leak was handled.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs raise particularly serious allegations regarding the conduct of authorities after the leak was exposed. They claim that those responsible for investigating the leak refrained for months from opening an effective investigation and that a subsequent inquiry was structured in a way that, they allege, could not have uncovered the full truth. They further claim that misleading representations were made to the High Court of Justice regarding the leak and the extent of exposure to the leaked materials.

According to the lawsuit, defendants, including senior officials in the prosecution and law enforcement system, covered for those responsible for the leak and even submitted a position paper to the High Court that the plaintiffs claim was misleading.

The plaintiffs say this subjected them to prolonged legal torment, beginning with the leaking of the investigative materials on August 6, 2024, and continuing until the indictment was withdrawn on March 12, 2026.

The lawsuit further alleges that State Attorney Amit Aisman and other officials were responsible for handling the investigation into the leak but failed for months to order a criminal investigation. The plaintiffs claim that instead of identifying those responsible for the leak and investigating how the materials were transferred to the media, actions were taken that delayed and obstructed efforts to uncover what happened.

The plaintiffs further argue that even after the leak was exposed, the system was obligated to reexamine the conduct of those involved rather than settle for an internal review.

At the same time, the lawsuit sharply criticizes the criminal proceedings themselves. According to the complaint, the Military Advocate General and other officials held a hearing for the soldiers at the request of their defense attorneys but rejected their arguments concerning the leaking of the investigative materials, which the plaintiffs claim constituted a severe conflict of interest.

An indictment was subsequently filed, and the soldiers contend that the proceedings were fundamentally flawed. The plaintiffs point in particular to the decision by the current Military Advocate General, Itai Ofir, to withdraw the indictment. They argue that the indictment’s withdrawal following a new hearing and the acceptance of the defense’s arguments is a significant indication that the original proceedings were flawed, and that had the alleged wrongdoing not occurred, the period during which they were forced to contend with a serious indictment could have been prevented or at least substantially shortened.

Attorney Menashe Yado of Honenu, who represents the soldiers, said: “This is a complex lawsuit against powerful entities, including the former senior command of the Military Advocate General’s Office and Channel 12 News, the most powerful media organization in Israel, which joined together to severely harm the soldiers, as well as against the heads of law enforcement agencies who are protecting the Military Advocate General out of ideological identification and institutional closeness to her, while severely undermining the rule of law and the individual’s equality of rights when facing the law enforcement system.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A veteran prosecutor in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office has accused his superiors of directing him to investigate President Trump and his political allies without legitimate grounds, alleging that the state’s top law enforcement office was being used to pursue James’ political opponents.

Daniel Wiesenfeld, who previously worked as a Brooklyn prosecutor and is now assigned to James’ Investor Protection Bureau, made the explosive allegations in an email sent to thousands of employees in the attorney general’s office. According to the Times Union, Wiesenfeld said his supervisor ordered him “to find and pursue crimes” involving people and organizations connected to Trump. The email was subsequently deleted.

In the message, Wiesenfeld alleged that Investor Protection Bureau Chief Shamiso Maswoswe specifically told him to investigate “Trump himself, Truth Social, Hewlett Packard (DOJ approved merger)… without having a credible reason for targeting the organizations and individuals,” according to the report.

Federal regulators recently gave approval to Hewlett-Packard’s $14 billion merger with Juniper Networks.

Wiesenfeld argued that prosecutors should be equally concerned about political interference in law enforcement regardless of which side is accused of engaging in it.

“If you believe Trump is using the [Department of Justice] attorneys to prosecute his enemies and further his political interests, you should find it equally troubling that Tish [James] is doing exactly the same thing,” Wiesenfeld allegedly wrote in the message, which was reportedly distributed to approximately 2,000 employees before being removed.

Wiesenfeld went on to urge his fellow prosecutors to resist any effort to use their positions to go after individuals based on their political affiliations.

“I ask you that you not serve as Tish’s personal attorneys by targeting her political enemies,” he allegedly wrote. “Instead, I hope you choose to prosecute crimes and find the individuals accountable, rather than targeting individuals and then finding crimes.”

Wiesenfeld said prosecutors should instead devote their resources to problems including “rampant nonprofit homeless shelter fraud and antisemitic crimes in and around synagogues,” while accusing James of spending “significant public taxpayer dollars to target convenient public enemies,” according to the Times Union.

The allegations come against the backdrop of years of bitter political and legal conflict between Trump and James.

While campaigning for attorney general in 2018, James pledged to “prosecute the president for crimes committed in New York state” if voters put her in office. She subsequently launched legal action against Trump after becoming attorney general.

James’ office secured a judgment against Trump, his sons and his company in 2024 in a civil fraud case involving allegations that property values and Trump’s wealth had been overstated. An appeals court later upheld the finding against Trump while eliminating the massive financial penalty that had been imposed.

Trump has repeatedly pointed to James’ case against him as evidence that the attorney general has pursued him for political reasons.

Wiesenfeld, meanwhile, was placed on paid administrative leave following the controversy. A spokesperson for James described the situation to the Times Union as “a personnel matter.”

“The office of the attorney general is committed to upholding New York’s laws and protecting the rights and freedoms of all New Yorkers, regardless of political beliefs,” the statement said. “We strongly reject any assertion to the contrary.”

Republican officials in New York seized on Wiesenfeld’s accusations, arguing that the email supported their longstanding claims that James has politicized her office.

“Letitia James weaponized the attorney general’s office into a political hit squad and then tried to cover up her tracks,” state Republican Chairman Ed Cox told The Post on Sunday. “She is utterly unfit to serve.

“New Yorkers deserve an attorney general who prosecutes criminals, preserves public records and enforces the law without fear or favor,” Cox added.

The controversy also drew a response from the campaign of Republican attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy, whose spokesperson, Nicole Kiprilov, said Komatireddy would pursue a different set of priorities if elected.

“When Saritha is attorney general, she will instruct her attorneys to lock up repeat offenders, build residential treatment for the homeless, and root out fraud — not target people because of their politics,” Kiprilov said.

“It’s good to see that even the rank-and-file in the AG’s office agree that this is the right way forward. Let’s work together — across partisan lines — and create a safer, more affordable New York.”

Komatireddy previously served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, where she held several senior positions, including chief of International Narcotics and Money Laundering, deputy chief of Appeals and deputy chief of General Crimes.

She also previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he served on the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Melissa DeRosa, a former top aide to ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also weighed in on the allegations Sunday, criticizing James in a post on X.

“@TishJames has been abusing her office for political gain for years.

“Don’t criticize Trump’s use of DOJ if you’re not going to call out hers -/ it’s wrong when either side does it.”

{Matzav.com}

Michelle Obama is facing criticism after saying she does not miss the years when her daughters lived at home, telling Jon Stewart that she now enjoys having complete control over her schedule while emphasizing that she remains extremely close with her children.

The comments came during Wednesday’s episode of Obama’s “IMO” podcast, where Stewart discussed how the daily responsibilities of raising children had provided structure and meaning in his life. When he asked Obama whether she missed that stage of parenting, her answer was brief.

“I’m good,” Obama said.

The remarks quickly drew criticism, including from California Republican Party Delegate Elizabeth Barcohana, a mother who told Fox News Digital that Obama’s comments appeared to reflect resentment toward motherhood at a time when the subject has become part of a broader national discussion.

Barcohana said she interpreted Obama’s comments as suggesting that she was relieved the years of actively raising daughters Malia and Sasha were behind her.

“There is a difference between a mother expressing exhaustion from the demands of motherhood — which is real and relatable — and expressing resentment,” Barcohana said. “Resentment is what appears to come through in Michelle Obama’s remarks, and it is especially painful to hear amid the national conversation surrounding the Lindsay Clancy trial.

“She seems happy that her daughters’ childhoods are over. That is not a relatable feeling for most mothers at all.”

Obama, however, made clear during the discussion that her feelings about no longer having her daughters at home should not be confused with a lack of affection for them. She said she loves Malia and Sasha and noted that she was scheduled to have dinner with them that same evening.

“I don’t miss them. I don’t. I love them. I’m going to see them tonight for dinner. I love them,” she said. “But Barack cried when they went to college. I was like, ‘Bye, little — goodbye.’ Now I … now Friday nights aren’t wrecked with terror and fear about, ‘Where are you? Where are you?’”

Obama contrasted her reaction to becoming an empty nester with that of her husband, Barack Obama, saying he cried when their daughters left for college while she welcomed the transition.

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh was among those who attacked Obama over the remarks, accusing her of having been eager for her daughters to leave home despite the advantages and assistance he said the family’s wealth provided.

“And yet she still couldn’t wait for the kids to leave because the minor demands they made on her time and energy were still too much for her. Just a total raging narcissist,” Walsh said.

Political commentator Link Lauren similarly criticized Obama, arguing that the remarks fit a broader pattern in which she publicly complains about her family and privileged lifestyle.

“This podcast is just her sitting around her mansion in Martha’s Vineyard complaining about how hard her life of luxury is and how much she despises her husband and children,” Lauren said.

Obama offered additional context for her reaction to becoming an empty nester, saying she enjoys the independence that comes with her daughters being adults and believes she already devoted substantial time to raising them and developing close relationships with them.

“I love my schedule. I have a great schedule, and it’s all mine,” Obama said. “I mean, I’ve had so much quality time with my children. So much. Yeah, yeah. I know them inside and out.”

Obama has also spoken positively about Barack Obama’s role as a father. Last year, she said both of them consciously made their daughters a priority during the eight years that the family lived in the White House.

“It was important for both of us, for me and Barack, to carve out that time in those eight years when our girls were in their formative years, you know,” Obama said.

{Matzav.com}

MIAMI (VINnews) -Gabriel Groisman, the former mayor of Bal Harbour, Florida, who has become a prominent national voice in the fight against antisemitism since leaving office, announced Monday that his new book, “The Jewish Fight for America,” will be released in December by Gefen Publishing House.

Groisman said the book grew out of three questions he is frequently asked: What is happening to Jews in America, how serious is the situation, and what can be done about it?

Some exciting news.

My book, The Jewish Fight for America, is coming out this December with Gefen Publishing House, Ltd.

I'm scheduling launch events across the country, December through the Spring. If you can fill a room, I will come. DM me.

Thanks for the support! pic.twitter.com/B03gfpXlMD

— Gabriel Groisman (@GabeGroisman) August 31, 2026

Groisman said the book grew out of three questions he frequently receives: “what is actually happening to Jews in America, how serious is it, and what can we do about it?!”
The book will examine what Groisman describes as urgent challenges both within and outside the Jewish community, including growing apathy and assimilation, political and ideological divisions on the left and right, the increasingly complicated political landscape and the fight against antisemitism.

He also plans to explore the role of Israel in Jewish identity in the diaspora and makes the case for why American Jews should be invested in the future of the United States.

“The book will take the reader through the fights we must urgently take on internally against growing apathy and assimilation, against the dangerous ideologies on the left and on the right, the fraught and delicate political landscape, the fight against antisemitism, the fight to keep Israel as an integral part of the Jewish identity in the diaspora, and finally why we must fight for America,” Groisman wrote.

Groisman served as mayor of Bal Harbour from 2016 to 2022 and gained national attention for his advocacy against antisemitism and the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement targeting Israel. Since leaving office, he has continued to speak nationally about antisemitism, Israel and Jewish identity.

The book is scheduled for release in December, with launch events planned across the country from December through the spring.

“If you can fill a room, I will come,” Groisman wrote, inviting communities and organizations interested in hosting an event to contact him.

He said the cover, preorder links and bulk preorder pricing for organizations will be announced soon.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A pregame stunt involving two passenger jets flying dramatically low over a sports stadium in South Africa drew huge cheers from the estimated crowd of around 56,000 people, but also sparked a major debate over safety risks.

The flyby by two Embraer jets operated by local airline Airlink happened on Saturday before a rugby game between South Africa and New Zealand in Cape Town.

Flight tracking service Flightradar24 estimated that the lead jet passed just 41 to 46 feet (12 to 14 meters) above the roof of Cape Town Stadium, with the crowd and the top-ranked rugby teams in the world below.

The second jet, which was right behind, flew through a cloud of pink dust that shot up from the stadium roof as part of the pregame show.

Airlink, a sponsor of the South African rugby team, said that the flyby was conducted according to safety regulations.

The airline said that it was carefully planned and rehearsed, with the aircraft traveling at around 150 knots (278 kph or 172 mph), when they went over the stadium. Each jet had three senior captains onboard, Airlink said, operating in the roles of a commander, a co-pilot and a safety officer.

The jets weren’t carrying any passengers.

“Airlink notes the concerns expressed in various social media and online forums regarding yesterday’s formation flyby over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium,” Airlink said on Sunday. “The flight demanded careful planning and rehearsal, as it required navigating at low altitude, at around 150 knots. The South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services provided valuable guidance, approval and support to ensure a safe flyby.”

South African rugby has a tradition of stadium flybys at big games, starting when a Boeing 747 flew over another stadium in Johannesburg before the 1995 Rugby World Cup final between the same teams, which are fierce rivals.

But this weekend’s flyby was especially low and dramatic, generating global interest after it was shown as part of the pregame broadcast, and sparking a flurry of videos shot by witnesses.

Some aviation experts questioned whether the margin for error was too small.

“Basically, that lead aircraft … was kind of like dodging over the roof and climbing over the one side and dipping below and then climbing over the other side. That was a little bit uncomfortable,” Chris Martinus, president of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association South Africa, told The Associated Press on Monday.

He said if “something adverse happens, you just don’t have options at that kind of altitude.”

Keith Tonkin, an Australian aviation consultant and former military and commercial pilot, said Monday that the Embraer passenger jets — which are small to medium jets designed for regional flights — weren’t designed or intended for that kind of low-level operation and warned against the precedent.

“The bigger picture is that a benchmark has been established and others may expect to do something similar, and that’s not going to end well,” Tonkin said. He added that turbulence or a bird strike at such a low altitude could leave the pilots with too little room to maneuver without hitting the stadium.

Airlink said that the flight data recorded by both aircraft confirmed that their flights were performed within civil aviation safety limits for speed and altitude.

With Tishrei approaching, thousands of travelers will be making their way to and from Israel for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkos. Chaim V’Chessed offers the following important reminders to help ensure a smooth journey.

Travelers Insurance

Every holiday season,  Chaim V’Chessed  is contacted by travelers to or from Israel, who encounter a medical crisis and discover that they do not have sufficient medical insurance.

It cannot be emphasized enough that both Israelis traveling abroad and visitors to Israel must obtain appropriate travelers insurance before traveling.

Customs

Travelers entering Israel should be aware of customs regulations. The duty-free allowance for gifts is $200 per person. Items exceeding the allowance should be declared.

Jewelry and other valuables should never be brought into Israel in their original store packaging. New jewelry in boxes, especially multiple pieces, may appear to Customs officials to be newly purchased merchandise intended for resale, potentially resulting in customs charges and even suspicion of smuggling. Jewelry intended for personal use should be removed from its packaging and brought as a personal item.

Travelers leaving Israel with expensive jewelry, watches, electronics or other valuables that they intend to bring back should consider declaring these items to Customs before departure.

Bringing Food into Israel

Food imports are subject to restrictions. As a general rule, travelers may bring up to 3 kg of food, with no more than 1 kg of any one type. Raw meat may not be brought into Israel.

Arba Minim

Those traveling to Israel for Sukkos with Arba Minim should be aware of Israel’s agricultural import regulations.

As in previous years, one esrog may be brought into Israel for personal use. Lulavim, hadassim and aravos may not be brought into Israel and may be confiscated at the airport.

Travelers whose lulav, hadassim or aravos are confiscated will be provided with replacement Arba Minim through arrangements made by the Ministry of Agriculture.

ETA-IL

Passengers en route to Israel must obtain an ETA-IL before traveling. Travelers should apply only through the official government website, at this link. Beware of unofficial sites which charge additional fees.

Israeli citizens traveling on an Israeli passport do not require an ETA-IL. Additionally, Israeli citizens are currently permitted to enter Israel using a foreign passport, if they hold one. While technically they are exempt from the ETA-IL requirement, Chaim V’Chessed that they obtain one regardless. The same applies to student visa holders.

Check Your Passport

Before heading to the airport, check the validity of every passport in the family and make sure all travelers meet the entry requirements for their destination.

Foreigners traveling to Israel must have at least three months of validity on their passports to enter the country.

Safe Travels!

Whether you are traveling for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or Sukkos, a few minutes of preparation can prevent significant problems during your trip. Ksiva v’Chasima Tova!

{Matzav.com}

As we approach Rosh Hashana and the Yom Hadin, just days away, perhaps we need to stop for a moment and think about what we are witnessing around us.

Chazal tell us that although the four misos Beis Din are no longer administered by a Beis Din as they were in the past, the din itself has not disappeared. The forms of misas Beis Din can still come about in different ways. Mi b’eish, mi b’mayim, mi b’chaya etc — the din remains very real.

Over the past year, we have unfortunately witnessed events that should shake us to our core. Tragedies, disasters and unimaginable suffering have unfolded in different parts of the world. When we see the most recent tragic events in Nepal, where lives were tragically lost and even many of those who were spared were left without their homes and possessions, it should not simply be another news story that we read and move on from.

These are things that should cause us to pause.

We don’t know the cheshbonos of Shamayim, and certainly cannot point to any particular person or event and say why something happened. But as Yidden, we are taught to look at what happens in the world and take a message for ourselves.

The Yom Hadin is approaching. We will soon stand before the Melech HaMishpat and ask to be written for another year of life, health, parnassah, nachas and yeshuos.

Perhaps the events we have witnessed throughout this year are meant to be a wake-up call.

The din is real. The world is not hefker. And the fact that we don’t see a Beis Din carrying out misos Beis Din in the way it once did does not mean that the concept of din has disappeared.

As we prepare for Rosh Hashana, let us not allow these events to pass by without internalizing the message. Let us use these final days to strengthen ourselves, improve our bein adam l’chaveiro, our bein adam laMakom, our tefillah and our commitment to Torah and mitzvos.

May we all merit to approach the Yom Hadin with genuine teshuvah and achdus, and may Hashem grant each and every one of us, our families and our community a kesivah v’chasimah tovah, a year of life, health, peace and bracha.

Kesivah V’Chasimah Tovah.

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

HTPD: We have already arranged to have the NJMVC Mobile Unit back at Police Headquarters on September 3rd from 10:00AM to 2:00PM! This is a by appointment only event. No walk-ins will be accepted.

Please see attached image in regards to the appointment process and the offerings.

The appointments are now available via the below link.

https://telegov.njportal.com/njmvcmobileunit/

Two women have been charged in connection with Friday’s crash outside NPGS that killed nine-month-old Hayeled Yitzchok Rosenberg A”H.

Maria CobonGuzman, 20, of Trenton, was charged with manslaughter, operating a motor vehicle without ever having possessed or been issued a valid driver’s license while involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash, and two counts of assault by auto.

Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, 22, of Toms River, was charged with knowingly engaging in conduct creating a substantial risk of death to another.

Federal immigration authorities have also lodged immigration detainers against both women.

Police responding to the scene found that a mother and her two minor children, a five-year-old girl and nine-month-old boy, had been struck by a vehicle.

All three victims were transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. The mother and her five-year-old daughter remain hospitalized in stable condition. The nine-month-old boy, Hayeled Yitzchok Rosenberg A”H, was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, an investigation determined that CobonGuzman was driving a Ford Fusion through the parking lot when she struck the mother and the baby carriage carrying both children.

Investigators determined that CobonGuzman did not possess, and had never possessed, a valid driver’s license in New Jersey or any other state.

Investigators also determined that Lazaro-Flores was aware that CobonGuzman did not have a driver’s license but nevertheless permitted her to operate the vehicle.

Both women were taken into custody and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where they remain pending detention hearings.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Nearly three years of fighting have severely degraded Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, stripping it of the ability to carry out the massive, coordinated invasion of northern Israel that the terror group spent nearly two decades preparing, according to a new report by Walla military correspondent Amir Bohbot.

The IDF’s campaign against Radwan has systematically targeted the unit’s commanders, fighters, underground infrastructure and supporting networks, dramatically changing the balance of power along the Lebanon border.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has placed particular emphasis on dismantling the elite force, backed by extensive intelligence collection that extended beyond Radwan operatives themselves to secondary and tertiary support networks.

During the fighting, Israeli forces uncovered the full extent of Hezbollah’s underground infrastructure near the border, revealing the scale of preparations that had been made for a potential attack on Israeli territory.

According to the report, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah initially hesitated to activate the invasion plan. By the time he began seriously considering it, the IDF had reorganized its forces along the northern border and disrupted Hezbollah’s plans through operations on the ground and from the air.

The situation changed even more dramatically once the IDF launched its deep ground maneuver in Lebanon. Most Radwan fighters withdrew deeper into Lebanese territory, while many of the unit’s veteran commanders and experienced field officers were eliminated.

Those commanders have largely been replaced by younger operatives without comparable battlefield experience, resulting in what the report describes as a significant deterioration of Radwan’s operational command structure.

The damage has deprived Hezbollah of one of its most dangerous capabilities: launching a coordinated, deadly cross-border assault simultaneously at numerous locations.

Hezbollah had spent nearly 18 years developing the plan, which envisioned Radwan terrorists infiltrating Israel by surprise, seizing communities and IDF positions throughout the Galilee, and creating a major strategic and psychological victory.

The planned assault was designed to take place both above and below ground, using extensive tunnel systems and other infrastructure built along the border.

Israel’s destruction of forward Hezbollah positions, underground routes and command structures has now pushed the terror group away from an offensive posture near the border and forced it deeper into a defensive battle for survival.

The IDF believes the weakened Radwan Force no longer presents the same invasion threat that existed before October 7, though Northern Command continues preparing for a wide range of potential Hezbollah attack scenarios.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NEW YORK (VINnews) – Hundreds of people gathered Sunday evening at The Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, New York, to celebrate Rabbi Marc Schneier’s 36th anniversary as the congregation’s founding senior rabbi and to dedicate a new Torah in his honor.

Schneier was joined by Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber and his father, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a Holocaust survivor from Vienna and longtime rabbi of Park East Synagogue.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier donated the new Torah to mark his son’s anniversary. Chief Rabbi Ber flew in from Israel for less than 24 hours specifically for the dedication and brought a custom-made Torah cover.

The Torah is dedicated to Rabbi Marc and Simi Schneier and to the memory of Simi’s parents, Rita and Naftali Teitelbaum, who were also Holocaust survivors.

Chazzan Netanel Hershtik, the world-renowned cantor of The Hampton Synagogue, performed with the synagogue choir during the program.

Jewish tradition compares a Torah dedication to a wedding, reflecting the significance and joy of welcoming a new Torah into a community.

“What a night! I am so honored to have celebrated my 36th anniversary at The Hampton Synagogue with the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Kalman Ber, and my father, Rabbi Arthur Schneier,” Schneier said. “There is no place like the Hamptons! Every day, our community makes the ordinary extraordinary.”

Last month, the New York Post spotlighted the Westhampton Beach synagogue as a major gathering place for politicians, business leaders and prominent members of the Jewish community. The Post described the synagogue as an influential political stop in the Hamptons, noting that it regularly attracts prominent elected officials and other high-profile figures.

YWN regrets to inform you of the petira of the Komarna Rebbe of Manhattan, HaRav Yehoshua Safrin zt”l, a distinguished link to the prewar Komarna dynasty and one of the last surviving talmidim of HaRav Reuven Grozovsky zt”l at Bais Medrash Elyon. He was 91.

The Rebbe was niftar over Shabbos, leaving behind a family and a remarkable legacy deeply rooted in the Torah and Chassidic heritage of Komarna.

HaRav Yehoshua was the son of the Komarna Rebbe, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Safrin zt”l, an extraordinary talmid chacham and mekubal who served as the Komarna Rebbe in New York and later in Yerushalayim. HaRav Chaim Yaakov was renowned for his mastery of both nigleh and nistar and helped rebuild the Komarna dynasty following the devastation of the Holocaust.

The Safrin family arrived in the United States in 1938, after HaRav Chaim Yaakov recognized the growing danger facing European Jewry. His chassidim subsequently established Bnei Yaakov Anshei Komarno for him on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

It was in this environment that HaRav Yehoshua grew up, immersed in the distinctive Komarna mesorah of Torah, avodah and Toras hanistar.

The Komarna dynasty traces its roots to HaRav Alexander Sender Safrin and his son, HaRav Yitzchok Eizik Yehuda Yechiel Safrin of Komarna, the famed Heichal Habracha, one of the prominent Chassidic and kabbalistic figures of the 19th century.

HaRav Yehoshua was a son-in-law of Reb Moshe Menachem Razler zt”l.

In addition to carrying on his family’s Komarna mesorah, HaRav Yehoshua played an important role in preserving the Torah of his father. He worked to publish manuscripts left behind by HaRav Chaim Yaakov, including volumes of “Pri Chaim” and “Poras Yosef,” ensuring that his father’s Torah would remain available for future generations.

HaRav Yehoshua also had particularly close ties with Ger and was a major benefactor of Gerrer mosdos. Over the decades, he developed a close relationship with the Gerrer Rebbe and was frequently accorded honors at Gerrer family simchos, including being called upon to recite brachos under the chuppah.

He also devoted significant resources to preserving his father’s legacy in Eretz Yisroel, including renovating and restoring the historic Komarna Bais Medrash on Rechov Malchei Yisrael in Yerushalayim’s Geulah neighborhood.

Those who knew HaRav Yehoshua remembered him as a Yid of an earlier generation, known for his warmth, ready smile and ability to offer an encouraging word to those around him.

His petira marks the loss of another living connection to the generation that established Torah life in America before and after the Holocaust, as well as to nearly nine decades of Komarna history in New York.

The levaya will take place Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at Shomrei Hadas Chapels, 3803 14th Avenue in Boro Park.

Following the New York levaya, the aron is expected to be flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah. The family will be sitting shiva in Manhattan.

Yehi zichro baruch.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

https://buytickets.at/apex/2331010/r/tls

Khal Hampshire Hills is led by R’ Yoel Marton Shlita.

Reb Leizer Yudel Finkel Shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim, attended the event.

A Skverer avreich from Yerushalayim was arrested in the Eilat area and sentenced to 10 days in Military Prison 10 on charges of draft evasion, just days before the bris of his newborn son, which is scheduled to take place this Thursday.

The arrest has caused an uproar within the Skverer community, with the avreich’s family and friends urgently appealing to the relevant authorities to allow him to leave prison and participate in his son’s bris.

B’Chadrei Chareidim has learned that the avreich had made several attempts in recent weeks to regularize his status with the IDF at the recruitment office. However, for various reasons, he was reportedly unable to enter the office and complete the necessary procedures.

After being told that he was not expected to encounter any difficulties or face arrest in the Eilat area, the avreich traveled there. Upon arriving at Camp Yotam, however, he was unexpectedly taken into custody by military authorities on allegations of draft evasion and was subsequently sentenced to 10 days in military prison.

The arrest stunned his family and friends, particularly because his newborn son’s bris is scheduled for Thursday, just two days away. Relatives and friends are pleading with officials to show compassion and permit him to leave prison so that he can attend the family simcha.

Those close to the family say that the avreich is fully prepared to cooperate in resolving his military status as soon as he is given the opportunity to do so.

The avreich is also seeking to settle his status so that he will be able to travel to the United States for the upcoming Sukkos and Simchas Torah period and spend the Yom Tov in the presence of his rebbe, the Skverer Rebbe.

Family members and friends are expressing hope that authorities will take the unusual and sensitive circumstances into consideration and allow the father to be present for his son’s bris.

Tzuriel Sharon, CEO and owner of the Direct Polls polling firm, spoke with Kol Chai following the poll that gave Ofer Winter’s new Amcha Yisrael party eight seats.

Sharon said the poll began on the evening Winter launched his party and continued into the following day because of the surprising results and the need to verify them.

“It was a very unusual poll, relatively speaking, compared with the polls we conduct every week,” he said.

Sharon then broke down where Winter’s eight seats are coming from.

“Six and a half of those eight seats come from the right-wing bloc,” he said. According to Sharon, nearly four and a half seats come from Likud, about half a seat from Shas, and another seat from Otzma Yehudit and the Religious Zionist Party.

Another seat and a half comes from so-called “third bloc parties”—voters for Gilad Erdan, Yuli Edelstein, Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel. Roughly another half-seat comes primarily at the expense of Avigdor Liberman.

Despite Winter drawing most of his support from existing right-wing parties, Sharon said his entry into the race actually strengthens the right-wing bloc overall, raising it from 58 to 59 seats.

“You can even begin to imagine getting back to a number starting with six,” he said cautiously, referring to the possibility of the bloc returning to 60 seats or more.

However, Sharon warned that it is far too early to know whether Winter will be able to maintain his current strength.

“For Winter, it’s either a citation for excellence or a failing grade,” he said, recalling previous parties that debuted strongly in the polls only to collapse by Election Day. The New Right, he noted, once opened with 14 seats in the polls before ultimately failing to cross the electoral threshold, while Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope began with 22 seats and finished with just six.

Sharon added that Betzalel Smotrich is now at greater risk and argued that Likud’s attacks on Winter over the past week were a mistake.

“Those attacks only strengthened him,” he said.

Sharon also addressed Shas, which received just seven seats in the poll, saying the result points to a “real problem” for the party as it battles to hold on to its voter base, particularly traditional voters.

“Shas has a very serious problem among the traditional electorate,” he said, estimating that those voters represent a pool of three to four seats out of the roughly 11 seats potentially available to the party.

According to Sharon, Likud, Itamar Ben Gvir and now Winter are all competing for those voters, with Winter taking roughly half a seat from Shas in the latest poll.

Sharon noted that Shas has already launched a campaign aimed, among other things, at “restoring the sense of pride” among its voters.

Regarding Naftali Bennett, Sharon said the former prime minister has managed to halt his decline over the past two or three weeks.

“Bennett changed direction, changed his campaign,” Sharon said. After falling to seven seats in Direct Polls surveys, Bennett climbed back to nine before stabilizing at eight. According to Sharon, Bennett has “managed to stop the bleeding” and stabilize his position.

By contrast, Sharon said Winter’s entry into the race has dealt a major blow to the smaller parties and efforts to establish a so-called “third bloc.”

“Yesterday, the person who finally crushed that whole development was Winter,” he said. “There is no Erdan event.”

According to Sharon, the possibility of Benny Gantz consolidating that bloc around himself has also failed to materialize.

Toward the end of the interview, Sharon was asked about the significant gap between Direct Polls surveys, which show the right-wing bloc approaching 60 seats, and polls conducted for other Israeli media outlets that put the bloc considerably lower.

He declined to engage in a dispute with other pollsters.

“I don’t deal with comparisons between my polls and 11, 12, 13 or 14,” he said. “I deal strictly with what I see.”

Sharon also stressed that pollsters must approach their findings with humility.

“I’m not a Navi, nor do I claim to be,” he said, concluding that ultimately, “the public isn’t stupid,” and every voter will draw his own conclusions.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

A Miami defense-technology company generating about $1 million in annual revenue is preparing to enter the public market in a deal that could value the combined company at $638 million. Its biggest advantage may be its growing access to Washington.

Space-Eyes develops artificial-intelligence software that detects and tracks drones while combining radar, radio-frequency and satellite data into a single operating picture for governments and security agencies.

Eric Trump joined the company during the second quarter as its third-largest private investor and a strategic adviser. Space-Eyes has agreed to merge with McKinley Acquisition Corp., a blank-check company, and expects the combined business to trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker CUAS.

The transaction assigns an enterprise value of approximately $370 million to the operating business—about 370 times its reported annual revenue. The larger $638 million figure represents the projected equity value of the combined company and assumes that McKinley shareholders do not withdraw their money before closing.

That distinction matters. Space-Eyes has participated in military exercises and was selected by the U.S. Space Force to develop tracking algorithms, but its valuation depends heavily on winning much larger government and commercial contracts as it moves beyond research and development.

The company opened a Washington office in January and has assembled a proposed post-merger board with extensive defense, financial and corporate experience. The nominees include retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and former Delta Force officer Jim Reese; former Morgan Stanley investment-banking executive Terry Meguid; Wharton professor Harbir Singh; and aerospace entrepreneur Norm Christensen.

Company executives said Eric Trump helped introduce prospective board members but will not serve as a director. McKinley Chief Executive Peter Wright said Trump brings experience assessing drone threats to high-profile properties, regardless of his relationship to the president.

The investment adds Space-Eyes to a growing collection of drone and robotics companies connected to President Donald Trump’s sons.

Eric Trump invested in Israeli drone manufacturer Xtend as part of its planned public-market transaction. Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. also backed Powerus through an investment vehicle, while Trump Jr. became an adviser to drone-components manufacturer Unusual Machines in late 2024. Eric Trump separately serves as chief strategy adviser to robotics developer Foundation Future Industries.

Several of those companies have secured or pursued government business. Powerus announced an agreement to supply interceptor drones to the U.S. Air Force, while Foundation Future Industries received a $24 million Pentagon contract to test humanoid robots for potential military applications.

Those connections have attracted congressional scrutiny. House Democrats asked the Defense Department’s inspector general in May to investigate the circumstances surrounding Pentagon business awarded to a drone company backed by the president’s sons. Lawmakers later sought a broader review of federal awards involving multiple defense companies connected to the Trump family.

Representatives for Eric Trump have said he is a passive investor in certain ventures, does not participate in their daily operations and plays no role in awarding or overseeing government contracts.

For investors, the immediate question is whether Space-Eyes can turn government relationships and promising technology into substantial revenue. The merger still requires shareholder and regulatory approval, and its expected fourth-quarter closing is not guaranteed.

Buying into the company would therefore mean wagering on contracts Space-Eyes expects to win—not on the approximately $1 million in business it produces today.

JBizNews Desk | Miami

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

As the Yamim Noraim and Selichos season approaches, the legendary king of Jewish music, Mordechai Ben David has released a moving new single, “U’V’Tuvcha Hagadol.”

Presented by Yeedle Werdyger and Zevi Fried, the new song draws its words from Shacharis and Selichos, expressing Klal Yisroel’s heartfelt tefillah for chesed, rachamim and the ultimate Geulah.

The song was composed by Mordechai Ben David together with Eli Laufer, with musical arrangement and production by Eli Laufer, Moshe Laufer and Nir Graf.

“This is a tefillah that we say every morning after Parshas HaAkeidah,” Mordechai said.

“רבונו של עולם, כמו שכבש אברהם אבינו את רחמיו לעשות רצונך בלבב שלם, כן יכבשו רחמיך את כעסך מעלינו.”

“Master of the World, just as Avraham Avinu suppressed his compassion in order to fulfill Your will wholeheartedly, so too may Your compassion suppress Your anger against us.”

“Wishing that we should all have a good year, filled with abundance, closeness and love of Hashem,” MBD added.

The production is by Yeedle Werdyger and Zevi Fried, with vocal arrangement by Moishy Roth.

Composers | לחן: Mordechai Ben David & Eli Laufer
Producers | הפקה: Yeedle & Zevi Fried
Additional Music Production | הפקה מוזיקלית נוספת: Nir Graff
Arrangers | עיבוד: Nir Graff, Eli Laufer & Moshe Laufer
Vocal Editing | עריכת שירה: Eli Klein & Yossi Tyberg
Choir | מקהלה: Moishy Roth
Duduk | דודוק: Ilia Mazia
Mixing & Mastering | מיקס ומאסטר: Eli Lishinsky
Cover Art | עיצוב עטיפה:
Shneur Cortez PR | יחסי ציבור: Israel Rozen

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New York (VINNEWS/Rabbi Yair Hoffman)  When a missile struck the tank of Uri Asher during the Iron Swords war, the Israeli state responded exactly as it was built to respond. Uri, severely wounded and having lost a leg, received devoted military and medical care. The system knew who he was, what he was owed, and how to deliver it.

His parents, however, Uri’s caretakers, received nothing.

“While Israel’s heroes receive institutional accompaniment, their families often find themselves without an appropriate response,” reads the mission statement of Advot, the organization Moshi and Yocheved Asher founded after discovering that their experience — a second, invisible campaign of uncertainty and daily coping conducted entirely without support — was not unusual at all.

It was standard.

They met family after family of wounded soldiers dealing with pain, anxiety and functional collapse, and all of them were outside the circles of assistance.

That is not a gap in a program. It is a structural feature of how Israeli social support is designed, and it explains why the most consequential social work happening in Israel right now is being done by small nonprofits funded by private philanthropy, building parallel infrastructure the state does not have.

It is somewhat shocking that Israeli social support runs on two tracks that do not meet nor connect.

The first is the statutory municipal welfare system— professional, licensed, and calibrated specifically for these types chronic cases. Its social workers were carrying caseloads beyond  capacity before October 7. The war added an enormous number of newly disrupted households without adding a proportionate number of social workers, and the arithmetic has not improved.

The second is community goodwill, whose capacity the war demonstrated dramatically. Neighborhoods organized meal rotations, childcare, transportation and cash within days, often faster than any government body. But goodwill has a documented life cycle. It surges, exhausts itself, and fades within four to six months — usually just as affected families enter the hardest phase, when the casseroles stop and the actual long-term burden begins.

Between the two falls a category of family the system does not officially recognize: the functioning household, two working parents and a mortgage, struck by cancer, by a serious accident, by a death, or by a father who has spent two hundred days in reserve duty while the family’s income quietly evaporated. Such a family is eligible for little and known to no agency.

These families do not vanish. Some recover on their own. Others decline slowly over three to seven years until they finally cross the eligibility threshold and arrive at municipal welfare as full cases — at a human cost that cannot be recovered and a fiscal cost several multiples higher than early intervention would have required.

Shlomo HaMelech described the condition three thousand years ago. Ki im yipolu, ha’echad yakim es chaveiro; v’ilo ha’echad she’yipol, v’ein sheini l’hakimo — “For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow; but woe to the one who falls with no second to lift him” (Koheles 4:10).

Yad Tamar and the argument for infrastructure

Yad Tamar, now operating in 47 Israeli communities, was built specifically on that seam, and its history explains the approach.

It began roughly fifteen years ago at the bedside of a young woman named Tamar, as a telephone hotline for families confronting cancer. That hotline still runs and accompanies approximately 1,800 families a year. About eleven years ago the organization made a decision that separates it from most of the Israeli nonprofit sector: it stopped expanding services and started building infrastructure.

What Yad Tamar installs in a community is designed to remain after its staff have moved on — a local community team, a corps of trained volunteers, a mapped inventory of every real resource available in that town, formal referral channels running in from the municipal welfare department, and a purpose-built application for coordinating crisis response and long-term support.

The operational framework organizes help into three concentric circles: family and close friends; formal services and community resources; and trained volunteers drawn from the community itself. Staff map and mobilize each circle, then build a written support plan with the family that connects every identified need to a specific named resource rather than a referral into empty space. It is, in effect, an attempt to manufacture the sheini in advance, before the fall — and to make sure he is still standing there two years later.

The organization reports 3,500 families supported annually and roughly 2,800 volunteers nationwide. Its footprint is unusually broad and tracks no single constituency: the Gaza envelope, the north, the communities of Judea and Samaria that absorbed disproportionate losses in the war, and substantial infrastructure inside Druze society.

Two elements of the model deserve scrutiny rather than applause, because they are where the claim will actually be tested.

The first is the economic argument. Each community built is supposed to make the next one cheaper and faster, as training protocols, materials and municipal relationships become transferable. That is a flywheel claim, easy to assert and hard to prove. Yad Tamar’s answer is scale: an increase from a NIS 5 million annual budget (about US$1.5 million) to NIS 7.5 million (about US$2.2 million), which it says would double its entry pace to 30 new municipalities in a single year. Whether per-community cost actually falls at that speed is the number a serious funder should demand in writing.

The second is measurement. In partnership with Social Finance Israel and the Joint Distribution Committee, the organization developed a model tracking outcomes rather than outputs — family functioning over time, prevented decline into welfare dependence, community resilience. That is a materially harder standard than the volunteer-hours-and-families-served reporting that dominates the sector. It is the right standard. It is also young, and outcome data of this kind takes years to become persuasive.

The stated five-year objective is a formal national partnership with the Ministries of Welfare and Health. The strategic logic is that the government already channels resilience and community budgets through municipalities, meaning a philanthropic shekel spent building the infrastructure unlocks public shekels to operate it.

What makes this a systemic story rather than a profile is that other organizations, working on entirely different problems, have arrived at an identical architecture.

Advot, the Ashers’ organization, is headquartered in Kedumim and organized around a single premise: a soldier cannot be rehabilitated without strengthening the people around him. Its work spans emotional and social accompaniment, individual and group support, legal and financial guidance, rights-realization assistance, respite activities, and the recruitment and deployment of volunteers. It has also built an AI-driven support agent, developed by families of the wounded together with technology firms, to deliver information and guidance discreetly at any hour — a recognition that the families who need help most are often least able to sit in an office and ask for it.

One of Advot’s stated areas of activity is legislative amendment and government support. The organization is lobbying to change the law precisely because the law does not currently see the people it serves.

MOSHE, founded in 2017 by Gal Nissim-Emanuel after the suicide of her brother Moshe Uri Nissim, describes itself as the first organization in Israel functioning as a community-based emergency response system for suicide prevention. Its method, called ROOFING, rests on the same premise as Yad Tamar’s circles and Advot’s family focus: build a protective human circle around the person at risk by mobilizing those already in his life, rather than routing him into a system with no room. The organization reports 1,778 interventions supporting some 17,500 people, 129 trained volunteers, and 7,600 community resilience agents trained nationwide.

Three organizations. Three different presenting problems. One identical conclusion: the state cannot reach these people in time, so the community must be trained, structured and equipped to reach them instead. V’hachut hameshulash lo bimheirah yinatek — a threefold cord is not quickly severed (Koheles 4:12). The verse comes two pesukim after the warning about the man who falls alone, and the sequence is not accidental. Shlomo HaMelech moves from the danger of isolation directly to the durability of a structure built of more than one strand.

What these organizations have built is impressive, increasingly measured, and probably necessary. But the underlying fact is that Israeli civil society is now constructing at private expense a layer of social infrastructure that in most functioning states is a public responsibility. Philanthropy is being asked to fund the prevention of a problem the public system will otherwise absorb later at far greater cost — and asked precisely because the public system has demonstrated that it will not.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

In a dramatic revelation, thousands of Kurdish fighters were secretly brought to Israel and underwent operational training as part of a sweeping Mossad plan to send them into Iran and help trigger the collapse of the Islamic regime, according to details revealed by Israel’s Channel 13.

The highly ambitious operation, code-named “Cat in the Boots,” began taking shape following Operation Rising Lion in June 2025. Then-Mossad Director David Barnea strongly backed the plan and presented regime change in Tehran to Israel’s political leadership as an achievable goal.

The plan was far beyond the conceptual stage. Thousands of Kurdish fighters actually traveled to Israel, where they trained for operational scenarios ahead of a potential entry into Iran. During their preparations, the fighters were instructed that any harm to civilians would result in Israel cutting off its assistance.

The plan envisioned the Israeli Air Force launching a massive assault in Iran’s Kurdish region to open an entry route for Kurdish forces into the country. Israeli planners believed that initial successes by the Kurdish forces on Iranian soil could ignite demonstrations involving millions of Iranians, placing enormous pressure on the regime and potentially bringing about its downfall.

When massive anti-regime demonstrations erupted in Iran in January 2026, officials considered accelerating the operation. Israel, however, sought additional time amid concerns that the forces were not yet sufficiently prepared. During a White House meeting the following month, President Trump asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when Israel wanted to move forward and when it would be ready. Barnea estimated that bringing down the regime could take approximately one year, while IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir believed it could take as long as three years.

Trump eventually gave the green light and Israel launched its campaign — but just days later, a dramatic order from Washington brought the Kurdish component of the operation to a halt. Three days after the campaign began, the White House instructed Israel not to send the Kurdish forces into Iran. “Three days after the campaign began, we got a ‘Don’t,’” a senior Israeli official said.

Israeli officials attributed the reversal to opposition from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and pressure from Vice President JD Vance. Israel’s political leadership and the Mossad attempted to persuade Washington to reverse the decision but were unsuccessful. Barnea subsequently presented an alternative plan, which security officials described as inferior to the original and not nearly as prepared. The alternative ultimately failed to produce the results Israel had hoped for.

The operation also involved a previously reported effort surrounding former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Israeli planners had identified Ahmadinejad — referred to internally as “the friend” — as a possible candidate to lead Iran if the existing regime were toppled.

Separately, Channel 13 reported Sunday that another Mossad initiative, known as “Project Garden,” prompted an unusual internal review inside the intelligence agency. The worldwide influence operation, launched following October 7 and managed outside Mossad headquarters by a well-known campaign manager, was reviewed following claims of irregularities in financial conduct. The Mossad said the review was intended to formalize procedures and that no financial embezzlement was uncovered.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Trump administration plans to impose a new round of sanctions against Iran every week as Washington intensifies its economic pressure campaign against Tehran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday.

Bessent said the new measures will begin by targeting financial institutions that assist the Iranian regime, signaling that Washington intends to steadily increase the economic pressure on Tehran.

“The banks will be first,” Bessent said.

The announcement comes as the Trump administration seeks to further squeeze Iran’s already struggling economy while tensions remain high between Washington and Tehran.

The weekly sanctions campaign marks an escalation in the administration’s effort to isolate Iran financially and restrict the regime’s ability to access the international banking system.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, is facing criticism over plans to travel to Portugal for what is reportedly her third luxury Islamic women’s retreat this year.

Duwaji is scheduled to participate as an “artist in residence” at the “Journey Through Islamic Calligraphy” retreat organized by The Women Sanctuary. According to the retreat’s website, prices range from approximately $4,300 for shared accommodations to $5,260 for a private room with a bathroom.

The program includes exploring Islamic history and heritage in Portugal as well as an illustration workshop led by Duwaji.

The upcoming trip follows another retreat Duwaji attended last month on the Spanish island of Mallorca, where she participated in a “spiritual wellness” program organized by the same group.

The trips have drawn criticism from Mamdani’s political opponents, including Queens Councilwoman Joann Ariola, who contrasted Duwaji’s activities with previous New York City first ladies who focused on visiting schools and charitable work.

“Being Zohran Mamdani’s wife must be very stressful, because this first lady is more interested in vacations than in issues affecting New Yorkers,” Ariola told the New York Post.

Former City Councilman Bob Holden also criticized the couple, accusing them of behaving like “jet-setters” rather than focusing on New Yorkers and calling the trips an example of what he described as hypocrisy within the Mamdani administration.

Duwaji has also faced scrutiny over previously reported social media activity. Reports earlier this year highlighted old posts and interactions attributed to her that included inflammatory anti-Israel content and criticism of the U.S. military.

Mamdani has previously defended his wife from political attacks, arguing that she does not hold an official position in his administration and should not be treated as a political figure.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli singer and songwriter Ishay Ribo says he has turned down more than NIS 1 million ($280,000) in potential earnings after consulting a rabbi about whether to participate in a major concert series featuring both male and female performers.

In a wide-ranging interview published by Ynet, Ribo explained that he was offered a place in the 2025 NEXT Hanukkah tour, one of Israel’s major entertainment productions, featuring leading singers, dancers and a large-scale production aimed at a broad and predominantly young audience.

The production made several accommodations to Ribo’s religious lifestyle, and he said there were many reasons to accept the offer: publicity, exposure, financial rewards and the opportunity to reach a large new audience. Nevertheless, Ribo ultimately decided to consult his rabbi. The rabbi advised him not to participate.

Ribo said the decision was not an obvious one for him. “There were a lot of advantages: publicity, success, recognition, exposure and a budget,” he said. “It also flattered me. On the other hand, I felt that it was crossing a line that I had not crossed until then.”

Why did he turn down the million-shekel offer? Ribo clarified that the issue was not simply that women were present at the event. He acknowledged that he had previously performed on stages where women also appeared.

The problem was the format of the NEXT production: it involved a large ensemble of male and female singers and dancers. Ribo said that he does not sing with female singers and questioned whether he would personally feel comfortable appearing as part of such a production. He also said that he did not want the production to have to fundamentally change its character simply because he was participating.

But his rabbi raised another consideration — Ribo’s responsibility to his religious audience. Ribo explained that many of his fans are from the religious and Haredi communities, where there are stricter standards regarding exposure to women singing and certain forms of entertainment. His rabbi told him that by appearing in such a production, Ribo could inadvertently give his followers the impression that they, too, could legitimately attend or watch entertainment that they would normally avoid.

“He showed me that I also have a responsibility in this,” Ribo said, explaining that the conversation helped him reach a decision he felt completely at peace with.

According to estimates cited by Ynet, giving up the performances meant walking away from more than NIS 1 million, in addition to the considerable publicity and exposure that would have accompanied the shows.

Ribo revealed that he has also declined opportunities to serve as a judge on Israeli reality music programs.

The reason, he said, was his unwillingness to sit in judgment of female singers. His religious standards regarding women’s singing meant that the role would not be compatible with his principles.

The decisions illustrate the unusual position Ribo occupies in Israeli popular culture. He has become one of the country’s most successful mainstream performers while continuing to maintain religious boundaries that affect the venues he performs at, the artists with whom he collaborates and the projects he is willing to accept.

Ribo has made another unusual decision involving his public career: in February 2026, he announced that he was stepping away from social media for 40 days, despite having hundreds of thousands of followers.

The announcement accompanied the release of his song “HaNeshama Lo META” (“The Soul Is Not Meta”), a play on the name of the company behind Facebook and Instagram. Ribo wrote that he had been struggling for a long time with the world of social media and had found himself exposed to material he did not want to see.

He specifically mentioned unwanted news, images, lashon hara and discussions about other people. He described social media as a mechanism that can draw people in and make it difficult to control what enters one’s consciousness.

Israel Hayom reported that Ribo made the announcement to hundreds of thousands of followers, making the decision particularly striking for an artist whose career depends heavily on public exposure.

Ribo did not simply disappear from public life. Rather, he announced a deliberate 40-day hiatus from the platforms while continuing his musical career and performances.

The move also had an earlier precedent. Ribo had previously discussed his complicated relationship with social media and the tension between its usefulness as a promotional tool and the religious concerns surrounding the content that appears on such platforms.

Ribo has built an unusual career at the intersection of Israel’s religious and secular worlds. Born in Marseille, France, he immigrated to Israel as a child and eventually developed into one of the country’s most prominent religious singer-songwriters. His music incorporates Jewish religious texts and themes of faith, prayer and spirituality while being produced in a contemporary Israeli pop style.

His popularity extends far beyond the religious community. He has collaborated with major mainstream Israeli artists and performed for large audiences in Israel and abroad.

In 2023, he became the first Israeli artist to headline a concert at Madison Square Garden, performing before a capacity audience at the iconic New York venue. The event was notable not only for its scale but also because Ribo maintained his Orthodox identity at the center of his public image.

His ability to cross the religious-secular divide has become one of the defining features of his career. Academic and cultural writing about Ribo has similarly noted that he has maintained a substantial audience in both religious and secular communities while preserving boundaries such as not performing with female singers.

In the Ynet interview, Ribo presented his decisions not primarily as sacrifices but as part of his understanding of his religious life and career.

The NIS 1 million offer could have brought him money, exposure and access to a younger mainstream audience. Instead, he chose to follow his rabbi’s advice. His decision to step away from social media similarly came at a cost: those platforms provide artists with direct access to hundreds of thousands of potential listeners and concertgoers.

For Ribo, however, the calculation is different. His career has demonstrated that he can become a mainstream Israeli star without abandoning the religious principles that govern his personal life. The latest decisions suggest that, even as his audience and commercial opportunities continue to grow, he remains unwilling to treat those principles as negotiable.

NEPAL (VINnews) — A Nepalese school principal is being hailed for his quick thinking after he evacuated around 900 students just 10 minutes before a devastating flash flood swept through the school and surrounding area, potentially preventing a mass-casualty disaster.

Rajendra Dawadi, headteacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nepal’s Nuwakot district, received four separate warnings about the approaching flood within just a few minutes at around 9:10 a.m. local time.

Among those warnings was a report from a parent who had arrived at the school to collect his daughter after hearing that a massive flood was approaching. Dawadi told the BBC that the combination of the calls convinced him that he could not afford to wait for further confirmation.

He immediately ordered the students to evacuate to higher ground and instructed buses carrying students to turn around and leave the area. “If we didn’t make a quick decision, if it were 10 minutes later, we all, including the students and me, wouldn’t be able to speak to you today,” Dawadi told the BBC.

A student smiles after locating her bag from a pile extracted from the mud brought in by the recent flash floods, at the Shree Bagheswori Madhyamik School in Galchhi, Dhading district of Nepal Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

He later explained that even if the warning had proved false, losing a single day of classes would have been a small price to pay for protecting the children. “I decided I shouldn’t delay any more. Even if the flood was not coming, it was just a matter of a single day’s classes,” he said.

The decision proved critical. The floodwaters surged through the area with extraordinary speed, destroying buildings and sweeping away the nearby Trishuli market. The school itself was subsequently buried under mud and debris.

The terrifying videos of flood in nepal😢 It looks more dangerous 😔😔😭 pray for 🇳🇵🙏🕉️ #timure #rasuwa #flood #climatechange #disaster pic.twitter.com/X0tOfuVvSz

— Bimal Tiwari (@bmmmlll8) August 29, 2026

Dawadi said a hostel building located only about 100 meters from the river was engulfed almost immediately after the students had been evacuated.

The school has more than 1,600 students in total. Around 900 were at the school and directly evacuated when the warnings arrived, while buses carrying other students were ordered to turn around before reaching the danger zone.

The scale of the destruction has since become clear in images from the area, with much of the school campus buried beneath a vast layer of gray mud and debris.

Among those who narrowly escaped was 16-year-old student Yunisha Amatya. She recalled running with her classmates toward higher ground as the flood approached, describing how the nearby market was swept away before their eyes.

“We survived by just 10 seconds,” she told the BBC. Yunisha said the students rushed along a narrow, muddy route behind the school toward safety. She recalled that the ground was slippery and that students were pushing and jostling as they desperately tried to reach higher ground.

“If there was no grip in my shoes I would have fallen,” she said, adding that people who attempted to escape by another route were apparently swept away.

Her family endured hours of anguish after losing contact with her. Yunisha’s mother, Sabina Kumari Shrestha, repeatedly tried calling her daughter and her husband after hearing that the flood had struck. When she eventually learned that Yunisha had reached safety, the family was still unable to reunite with her immediately.

Yunisha and other students remained stranded for two nights after roads were cut off by the disaster. She was eventually evacuated by helicopter, along with Dawadi, to their home village across the river.

The flooding was part of a catastrophic disaster that struck parts of Nepal and Tibet, with enormous volumes of water, mud, rock and debris surging through valleys. Recent reports have described the disaster as being linked to a major geological event in the Himalayas, with a glacier or mountainside collapse contributing to the sudden release of water and debris.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands remain missing, while rescue teams have been working across devastated communities. The disaster has also severely damaged infrastructure and hydropower facilities in the region.

The destruction has extended to schools across the affected areas. The Guardian reported that dozens of schools were damaged or destroyed, affecting thousands of children.

For Dawadi, the decisive moment came when he had to choose between waiting for certainty and acting on incomplete but increasingly urgent information. The four warnings he received came from different people within minutes of one another, including reports that floodwaters had already swept through an upstream settlement.

The arrival of a parent at the school was particularly significant. “Parents don’t rush without a strong reason,” Dawadi recalled, explaining that the parent’s decision to come and retrieve his daughter convinced him that the threat was genuine.

Dawadi’s actions have since been widely praised as an example of how rapid decision-making can save lives during a natural disaster. He has also suggested that improved early-warning systems could give communities more time to react. Sirens and other systems capable of immediately alerting residents, he said, could make an important difference when floods arrive with almost no warning.

In this case, however, it was a handful of urgent phone calls, and a school principal willing to act immediately, that gave hundreds of children the precious minutes they needed to escape. As the flood destroyed the school they had been sitting in only moments earlier, the students were already on higher ground.

Dawadi’s decision may have turned what could have been one of the disaster’s worst tragedies into a remarkable story of survival.

A teenager in a Ford Mustang reportedly smashed through the perimeter fence of a New Hampshire airport Saturday night, drove onto an aircraft parking area and struck both a tractor and a small parked plane.

Nobody was killed. Authorities say the 17-year-old driver was intoxicated and fleeing police. There is no indication the incident was terrorism.

But that is exactly why what happened should get Washington’s attention.

If an allegedly intoxicated teenager being chased by police can drive through an airport perimeter and reach aircraft, America should be asking a much larger question: What happens when someone actually intends to cause damage?

That question carries far greater weight today.

The United States is confronting renewed hostilities with Iran, whose Revolutionary Guards have vowed retaliation following American military action against Iranian positions. Tehran has repeatedly demonstrated that its responses do not have to remain confined to a traditional battlefield. Iran has options ranging from attacks on energy and shipping infrastructure to cyber operations, proxies and other forms of asymmetric warfare.

And economic disruption itself can be a weapon.

The latest confrontation has already demonstrated how quickly geopolitical conflict can reach American businesses and consumers. Renewed fighting around the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices sharply higher Monday. The waterway is one of the most important energy corridors on Earth, and disruptions there immediately affect transportation, manufacturing, shipping, inflation and ultimately the price Americans pay for everyday goods.

America therefore cannot think about homeland security only in terms of military bases or government buildings.

Airports are economic infrastructure.

So are ports, power grids, water systems, telecommunications networks, rail lines, fuel terminals, data centers and major logistics hubs.

Disable enough of them—even temporarily—and the damage does not stop at the physical site. Flights are canceled. Cargo stops moving. Workers cannot get where they need to go. Supply chains back up. Businesses lose revenue. Insurance costs rise. Markets react. Consumers pay more.

That is precisely why hostile governments and terrorist organizations increasingly look at economic disruption as part of modern warfare.

Iran has also previously been accused of cyber activity targeting Western utilities and American water infrastructure. Recent reporting on Tehran’s potential retaliation options has identified energy facilities, shipping routes, utilities, cyberattacks and sabotage among the vulnerabilities security officials must consider.

None of that means Saturday’s incident in New Hampshire was anything more than what police say it was.

It means America should learn from it.

According to New Hampshire State Police, the Mustang crashed through the perimeter fence at Portsmouth International Airport, crossed an aircraft apron and struck a tractor and an unoccupied stationary aircraft before stopping.

That should be treated as a real-world security test that nobody intended to conduct.

The question for airport authorities around the country should now be straightforward: Could the same thing happen here?

Could an ordinary passenger vehicle penetrate the perimeter? How quickly would it be detected? Could it reach a commercial aircraft, fuel storage area or other sensitive infrastructure? Where are physical barriers strong enough to stop a vehicle rather than merely mark a boundary? And are smaller airports being protected with the same urgency Americans expect at the largest hubs?

Security planning cannot begin after a hostile actor finds the weakness.

September 11 taught America what happens when civilian transportation infrastructure is turned into a weapon. Twenty-five years later, the threat environment has changed enormously. Drones, cyberattacks, inexpensive technology and decentralized terror networks have expanded the number of ways an adversary can create enormous economic damage without fielding an army.

The lesson from New Hampshire is therefore bigger than one teenager, one fence and one damaged airplane.

The United States is again facing enemies who openly want to impose costs on America. Protecting the country means protecting not only American lives but the infrastructure that keeps the American economy moving.

A fence that can be smashed through by an intoxicated teenager should not simply be repaired.

It should trigger a question across the country:

Where else are we this vulnerable—and are we going to find those weaknesses before our enemies do?

JBizNews Desk | New Hampshire

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

Nearly 25 years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the health catastrophe linked to the toxic aftermath of the World Trade Center’s destruction continues to grow, with the number of certified 9/11-related cancer cases surging nearly 1,700% over the past decade and civilians now accounting for more cases than first responders.

Figures compiled by the World Trade Center Health Program show that cancer certifications among first responders, survivors, downtown Manhattan residents, workers and others exposed to conditions around Ground Zero have climbed from 3,204 in 2015 to 57,044 this year — an increase of approximately 1,680%.

“Sadly, we lose roughly two clients a day and see a new cancer certification every 50 minutes,” said lawyer Michael Barasch, whose firm represents thousands of people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program.

The latest numbers also mark a significant and sobering shift in the long-term impact of the attacks. For the first time, cancer cases among civilians who lived, worked or went to school in the vicinity of Ground Zero have exceeded those recorded among firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel who spent extended periods at the site.

Survivors now account for 28,913 cancer cases, compared with just 694 in 2015 — an increase of 4,066%. Responders account for another 28,131 cases.

Health officials are also seeing growing numbers of uncommon forms of cancer among both survivors and responders exposed to the toxic dust and debris unleashed when the Twin Towers collapsed.

Among those diagnoses are 82 cases of thymus cancer, which affects the thymus gland located behind the breastbone in the upper chest. Tumors of the thymus are extremely rare and make up less than 1% of cancer cases overall.

Another 591 people have been diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancers, rare tumors that can develop in areas including the pancreas, bowels, lungs and adrenal glands. Among 9/11 survivors, the number of neuroendocrine cancer cases rose 6% between March and June alone.

Male breast cancer has also emerged among those exposed to Ground Zero contaminants. There are currently 188 certified cases involving men, an unusually high figure for a disease that is rare among males.

Brain cancer has affected another 163 people in the 9/11 population. That figure increased by 14 cases, or 9%, during the most recent quarter.

Part of the continuing rise in cancer diagnoses is believed to be connected to the aging of those who were exposed following the attacks. Many Ground Zero survivors and responders are now in their late 50s, 60s and early 70s, when the likelihood of developing cancer generally increases.

But the statistics among World Trade Center Health Program members remain striking. CDC data through June show that 67% of the program’s 145,275 current members have been certified with at least one of 69 cancers associated with 9/11 toxic exposure. By comparison, the lifetime risk of developing cancer among Americans overall is approximately 40%, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The mounting death toll from illnesses associated with the aftermath of 9/11 has also far surpassed the number killed on the day of the attacks. At least 9,425 people have now died from post-9/11-related illnesses — more than three times the 2,977 victims killed on Sept. 11, 2001.

“9/11 did not end on 9/11. The cancer clock is ticking 24/7,” Barasch said.

Among those living with the consequences is Leslie Lane, now 76, who worked for Merrill Lynch in the World Financial Center across from the World Trade Center. She was inside her office when hijacked planes struck the towers.

As Lane made her way out of the area that morning, she remembered encountering the massive cloud of debris that engulfed lower Manhattan.

“You could taste the dust. You could taste the fuel, greasy gas,” she told The Post.

Two days after the attacks, Lane reported to another Merrill Lynch office at 222 Broadway to help arrange the relocation of the company’s lawyers. By November, she had returned to working downtown.

Nearly two decades later, during a routine medical examination in 2020, doctors discovered that Lane had thymus cancer.

“I was lucky. The cancer was caught early,” she said.

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering subsequently removed the tumor surgically, and Lane has remained free of a recurrence.

Lane believes the cancer resulted from the contaminants she breathed in following the destruction of the World Trade Center.

“Thymus cancer is a very rare form of cancer. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke,” she said.

She also recalled how the air continued to carry the unmistakable residue of the disaster long after officials assured people that conditions were safe.

“For months afterward, you could taste the fuel in the air in the back of your throat and mouth. They kept telling us the air was safe. I don’t think it was,” she said.

Electrician James Ryan, 65, also spent extensive time at Ground Zero following the attacks. His work included providing lighting at locations throughout the disaster site, including areas in and around the Pile, as well as rewiring portions of the World Trade Center PATH train facilities.

Years later, Ryan went for a routine medical checkup and doctors detected blood in his urine. An MRI followed, leading physicians to discover pancreatic cancer while it was still at an early stage.

Ryan underwent surgery in 2019 in which doctors removed part of his pancreas.

“I got very lucky,” Ryan said.

Despite the enormous number of people already being treated or monitored, Barasch said thousands more who were exposed to the toxic environment surrounding Ground Zero may still be outside the system.

He estimates that only about 15% of civilians exposed to 9/11-related toxins have enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program.

Among the people represented by his law firm are individuals who were students at schools and colleges near the World Trade Center at the time of the attacks and who later developed serious illnesses at relatively young ages. Students at Stuyvesant High School, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Pace University and nearby elementary and middle schools were among those potentially exposed.

Barasch is urging anyone who was in the affected area and may have been exposed to enroll in the World Trade Center Health Program and undergo appropriate medical screening.

“Early detection is the difference between life and death,” Barasch said.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — After a marriage to a resident of a village near Hebron that was marked by severe abuse, Michal managed to break free from the relationship and rebuild her life. This week, after strengthening her Jewish faith with the help of the Yad L’Achim organization, she married a combat veteran suffering from PTSD following his service in Gaza, in an emotional wedding held according to Jewish law.

The wedding was attended by Michal’s family, who stood by her throughout her difficult journey, as well as her three children, who also returned to Judaism, along with other relatives and guests.

Michal, a pseudonym, was just 17 when her story began. Young and insecure, she met an older man from the Hebron area at her workplace. Over time, he showered her with compliments and encouragement, focusing on the very vulnerabilities that made her susceptible to his attention. Their relationship quickly intensified.

He eventually persuaded her to convert to Islam. She left her family home and abandoned her plans to enlist in the IDF, convinced that she had found the right path for herself.

The relationship ultimately led to marriage, and the couple had two children. But almost immediately after the wedding, the reality she faced changed dramatically. The courtship and affection were replaced by control, restrictions and violence.

According to Michal, the abuse she experienced was physical, psychological, verbal and financial. On one occasion, when she attempted to leave, she said her husband threatened her in graphic detail, describing how he would kill her and dispose of her body. The threats left her feeling that escape was impossible. In another incident, Michal said that when their son was only a few weeks old, her husband assaulted the infant and slammed him onto the floor. She described the incident as another devastating breaking point.

Over the years, Michal repeatedly tried to escape the life she had found herself trapped in. But fear and threats repeatedly drove her back. She also said that her husband attempted to further draw her into Islam, including by reading verses from the Quran to her.

Throughout the years, Michal was assisted by Yad L’Achim, which helped her and her children through the difficult process of breaking away from the relationship.

In an interview she gave previously, Michal said the organization’s representatives continued to support her even after she returned to the relationship she had been trying to escape. She said they did not judge her for returning. According to Michal, the organization helped provide housing, financial assistance and emotional support. Her children have also continued to receive guidance and mentoring.

“My relationship with Yad L’Achim, I credit them for the place where I am today,” Michal said. “Without Yad L’Achim, I’m not sure I would have managed to do it.”

Escaping the abusive relationship, however, was not the end of Michal’s journey. It was the beginning of a completely new chapter. After finally breaking free, Michal deepened her religious commitment and reconnected with Judaism and a life centered on faith and observance. She wanted to create a different future for herself and her children, one built around the Jewish values she had chosen to embrace.

It was during this new chapter that she met a man who had been traumatized by his military service in Gaza. Their relationship developed gradually, and Michal decided that this time she wanted to build a relationship based on faith, commitment and the dream of establishing a Jewish home. After everything she had endured, she worked toward reaching the chuppah under Jewish law, determined to begin again. This week, that moment finally arrived.

The couple were married in an emotional Jewish wedding surrounded by family and friends. For Michal, the ceremony represented the culmination of an extraordinary journey, from a vulnerable teenager drawn into a relationship that led her to convert to Islam and eventually subjected her to years of fear and abuse, through repeated attempts to escape, and finally to a renewed choice of freedom, Judaism and a life of faith.

For those who supported her along the way, the wedding was more than a celebration. It was a visible symbol that the story of a person who has endured years of fear and hardship does not have to end there.

Yad L’Achim says Michal’s story demonstrates that even after years in circumstances that may appear impossible to escape, it is possible to rebuild one’s life and begin a new chapter.

The organization continues to assist women involved in relationships with Muslim men and provide support to them and their children. In many cases, the organization says, leaving such relationships is a lengthy and complicated process requiring sustained practical, financial and emotional support.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Israel Defense Forces on Monday announced that Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa has been officially nominated as the next chief of Central Command.

The military said Defense Minister Israel Katz approved IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir’s recommendation to appoint Bar Kalifa to the post. He is slated to assume the role in 2027, “subject to an operational situation assessment.”

Bar Kalifa currently heads the Personnel Directorate. He previously commanded the 36th Division during months of fighting against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Zamir also announced a broader round of senior appointments, including three new brigadier generals and 11 new colonels. Two brigadier generals and 23 colonels are moving to new positions at the same rank. Another 19 senior officers are being sent to studies between assignments.

The full list of appointments remains pending Katz’s approval.

As the new school year begins, the debate over digital versus analog learning rages on, while more school districts reconsider the role of devices in the classroom.

That’s as test scores in math and reading tanked after schools ditched textbooks in favor of screens. But the effect of computers and tablets on education goes beyond the basics of the so-called three R’s.

“Elementary school always taught more than reading and mathematics. Children learned how to wait for someone else’s idea to be expressed before sharing their own, to negotiate disagreements and explain their thinking,” University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education professor Sarah Schneider Kavanagh and University of Portland School of Education professor Katie A. Danielson wrote in a Washington Post op-ed earlier this month.

Such lessons are actually a critical aspect of growing up, as children’s cognition has been shown to mature via person-to-person interactions, not just from receiving information, they added

But classroom computers and adaptive software now provide individualized instruction to many students. While that offers benefits, Kavanagh and Danielson warned there are also trade-offs.

For example, when students merely click through math lessons on their own instead of solving problems with classmates, they don’t hear different ways of thinking.

That kind of collective learning is especially important in the era of AI as distinctly human skills like attention span, curiosity, judgment, empathy and collaboration become more valuable, Kavanagh and Danielson argued.

“Children don’t need school to become more like the digital world,” the professors wrote. “They are already immersed in that world for much of the time outside school hours. They need a place designed for other aims, such as conversation instead of consumption and collaboration instead of personalization. That isn’t resisting the future; it’s preparing children to be fully human in it.”

Computers and online learning saw steadily expanded use in classrooms for decades, then they became essential during COVID-19 lockdowns. But rather than revert to pre-pandemic ways afterward, schools continued to relying heavily on them.

There’s now a growing backlash. According to one tally, lawmakers in at least 17 states had introduced or debated legislation related to devices or screens in classrooms as of July.

And earlier this year, the nation’s second largest school district, Los Angeles Unified, banned in-school screen use for students in preschool through first grade and curbed screen time for older students.

There’s growing evidence that devices not only hurt test scores but children’s ability to think.

Earlier this year, in written testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath said Gen Z is less cognitively capable than previous generations, despite its unprecedented access to technology.

He said Gen Z is the first generation in modern history to score lower on standardized tests than the previous one, citing a stark correlation in scores and time spent on computers in school.

While skills measured by these tests aren’t always indicative of intelligence, they are a reflection of cognitive capability, which Horvath said has been on the decline over the last decade or so.

“We’re facing challenges more complex and far-reaching than any in human history—from overpopulation to evolving diseases to moral drift,” he told Fortune‘s Sasha Rogelberg. “Now, more than ever, we need a generation able to grapple with nuance, hold multiple truths in tension, and creatively tackle problems that are stumping the greatest adult minds of today.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Israel’s security establishment is on unprecedented alert amid a dramatic surge in warnings and terrorist plots across Yehuda and Shomron.

Security officials are warning of intensified efforts to carry out significant attacks against civilians and security forces in the area.

According to a Channel 12 News report, the efforts to carry out attacks are being directed primarily by terrorist elements outside Israel, primarily Iran, Hamas leaders abroad, and Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Channel 12 News quoted a senior military official as saying: “The motivation to carry out attacks in Yehuda and Shomron is high, and the lack of success is driving that motivation even higher.”

The security establishment has identified growing difficulty among terrorist elements in Yehuda and Shomron in carrying out significant attacks in the area. According to the assessment, this difficulty is further increasing their motivation to carry out attacks in an effort to score a psychological victory and encourage hostile elements abroad to orchestrate attacks.

The IDF is working to thwart every hostile initiative, with the understanding that any incident that is not thwarted in time could ignite a widespread conflagration throughout the entire sector.

Against the backdrop of the growing threats, security forces and IDF soldiers are intensifying offensive operations to thwart terrorist infrastructure in cities and villages. The ongoing operations include nighttime raids, the seizure of large quantities of weapons, searches, and the questioning of suspects in the field.

Over the past week alone, forces from the IDF’s Yehuda and Shomron Division arrested approximately 60 suspects involved in terrorist activity, including terrorists who were already in advanced stages of planning attacks intended to be carried out in the immediate future.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

With an estimated net worth of $400 million, Kevin O’Leary could afford to never cook, clean, or grocery shop for himself ever again. But the Canadian businessman and Shark Tank investor isn’t one to pass up financial savings—no matter how small.

“I’m always looking for a great deal, that’s why I’m in Walmart,” he said in a recent Instagram video. “You know those fantastic black jeans I’m always wearing? That’s right—Walmart special, 29 smackaroos. That’s how you save dough.”

The 72-year-old added that his wife sent him to the store to buy some essentials, including batteries, butter, paper towels, and OxiClean laundry spray. But O’Leary wasn’t about to waste the opportunity to hunt for a saved buck.

“I want to save dough when it comes to paper towels. Check it out. Bounty—12+ rolls is like 18 small rolls—I’m going plus,” he said with a smirk.

O’Leary, who owns multimillion-dollar homes in Florida, Massachusetts, and Toronto, has made the point to shop at Walmart on numerous occasions—long arguing that there’s no reason to pay more for everyday essentials when a cheaper option will do. 

Plus, as O’Leary sees it, there’s no guarantee the money you spend today will still be there when you need it.

“I hate wasting money,” O’Leary told CNBC in 2021 after a Walmart run went viral. “I just don’t get why you would do that. It’s so hard to make it in the first place.”

From Warren Buffett to Scale AI’s Lucy Guo—even billionaires still look for ways to save

O’Leary is not alone among the ultrawealthy in keeping a frugal streak. Some of the world’s richest people have continued to hunt for bargains and avoid spending more than they need to, even as their fortunes have grown.

Warren Buffett, whose net worth currently sits at about $144 billion, has long embraced a famously frugal lifestyle. The 95-year-old still lives in the same five-bed, two-and-a-half-bath home in Omaha, Nebraska, that he purchased in 1958 for $31,500. Today, the house is worth over $1.3 million.

He also famously used to stop at McDonald’s on his way to the Berkshire Hathaway office—and let the stock market dictate his order. When markets were down, he’d spend $2.61 on two sausage patties. On better days, he’d splurge $3.17 on a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, according to a 2017 HBO documentary.

Ikea’s late billionaire founder Ingvar Kamprad had a similar love for savings. Despite at one time having an estimated $58.7 billion fortune, Kamprad bought second-hand clothes and drove an old Volvo.

“I don’t think I’m wearing anything that wasn’t bought at a flea market,” Kamprad said in a 2016 documentary on Sweden’s TV4. “I want to set a good example.”

Kamprad also continued working at Ikea until he was 87, more than three decades after he became a billionaire. He died in 2018 at 91.

One of the newest members of the billionaire club, Scale AI cofounder Lucy Guo, is a more recent example of someone whose spending habits have remained relatively modest as her fortune has soared. The 31-year-old has long embraced the FIRE (financially independent, retire early) movement by going to extremes to save money, including buying discounted clothing, skateboarding to work, and booking flights she would later cancel so she could eat for free in American Express airport lounges.

“Everything I wear is free or from Shein…Some of them aren’t going to be that great quality, but there’s always like two pieces or so that really work out, and I just wear them every day,” the billionaire founder previously told Fortune. “I still literally buy buy-one, get-one-free on Uber Eats.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — An Israeli-developed antibiotic gel helped eight of 10 diabetic patients who were candidates for foot amputation avoid the procedure in a small clinical pilot at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, according to the company behind the technology.

GentaGel, an Israeli biotech firm, developed a biodegradable polymer that releases antibiotics directly at the infection site for up to 60 days. The pilot enrolled 10 patients with severe infected diabetic foot ulcers and bone infections who faced amputation or surgical removal of infected bone.

Eight patients recovered without amputation. Researchers also observed wound closure and bone regrowth in those patients.

The findings are preliminary. GentaGel said it is advancing additional studies in Israel and the United States and pursuing a regulatory pathway with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Diabetic foot infections are often hard to treat. Severe cases can lead to repeated surgery, long hospital stays and amputation.

Standard antibiotics are usually given by mouth or intravenously, so only a portion of the dose reaches the infected tissue. GentaGel is designed to keep a high local concentration of antibiotic at the site while limiting exposure elsewhere in the body.

The pilot was conducted with Shaare Zedek through Madait, the hospital’s innovation arm. Dr. Mati Nof, director of the Foot and Ankle Surgery Unit and the study’s principal investigator, said the trial tested whether the treatment could help heal infected bone.

“Based on the findings from the pilot with 10 patients, I became convinced that there is real potential to heal infected bone without the need for amputation,” Nof said.

The technology was invented by Prof. Avi Domb of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a specialist in controlled drug-delivery systems. GentaGel is led by co-founder and CEO Dr. Ariel Orbach and co-founder and COO Eli Lerner.

The company said severe localized infections carry a large medical and economic burden and estimated U.S. treatment costs at more than $20 billion a year. It said the 10-patient results do not by themselves prove how the treatment would perform in a larger population. Follow-up studies are expected to provide more data.

Senior U.S. military leaders have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran is unsustainable and could weaken America’s ability to respond to threats elsewhere, including threats to the U.S. homeland, according to The Washington Post.

The warnings were included in an Aug. 14 classified Pentagon assessment that reviewed the worldwide availability of U.S. warships, aircraft, personnel and weapons systems. Military leaders said the Iran campaign has pulled ships, aircraft and other assets away from Europe, Asia and Latin America, limiting training and reducing readiness in those regions.

Some U.S. forces in the Middle East have been ordered to remain through September, while other deployments have been extended into 2027. The heads of U.S. European Command, Pacific Command and Southern Command, along with the Navy’s top admiral, formally objected to further extensions even while agreeing to carry out the orders. Army and Air Force leaders accepted additional extensions but warned that doing so comes with significant risk.

The Navy has raised the sharpest concerns. Adm. Daryl Caudle, the chief of naval operations, warned that the Navy cannot sustain its current level of support for the Iran campaign with no clear end date. Barely one-quarter of the Navy’s destroyer fleet is currently ready for deployment, according to people familiar with the assessment.

The prolonged conflict has also strained key U.S. weapons stocks. Patriot and THAAD air-defense interceptors, Tomahawk missiles and Reaper drones have all been affected, while many Air Force units sent to the Middle East are slated to remain there into 2027. The Trump administration has disputed reports that the U.S. is facing munitions shortages.

Overall, one person familiar with the assessment described the view among senior military leadership as the six-month Iran operation having been “too much for too long.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Belzer community in Yerushalayim was plunged into mourning on Shabbos afternoon with the passing of the young bochur Yehuda Aryeh “Yudel” Weber z”l following a five-year battle with a serious illness. He was just 14 years old.

Yehuda Aryeh z”l was the son of Reb Shmuel Weber, a prominent Belzer chossid, and Mrs. Malka Ginendel Weber. His paternal grandfather is Reb Shlomo Weber, proprietor of the well-known grocery store on 16th Avenue in Boro Park. His maternal grandfather is Reb Boruch Mordechai Kupferstein, a prominent mashpia in Belz.

Yudel attended the Belzer Talmud Torah in Yerushalayim. Last Av, he began learning in the Belzer yeshiva ketana in Yerushalayim.

Despite the difficult treatments he was forced to undergo, Yudel displayed extraordinary determination to continue his learning and attend yeshiva. Even as he struggled with his illness, he made tremendous efforts to come to yeshiva whenever he was able.

Over the course of the past five years, Yudel endured tremendous suffering, which those close to him said he accepted quietly and with remarkable strength and emunah.

Throughout his illness, countless people davened for Yehuda Aryeh ben Malka Ginendel and hoped for his recovery. Tragically, on Shabbos afternoon, Parshas Ki Savo, he returned his pure neshamah to its Creator.

The levayah was held on Motzoei Shabbos, departing from the Sanhedria Funeral Home in Yerushalayim. The procession passed the Belzer Bais Medrash in Kiryat Belz before continuing to the Kahal Machzikei Hadas section of Har Hamenuchos, where Yudel was brought to kevurah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

MIAMI (VINnews) – Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., is echoing a sentiment that has gained attention among Jewish leaders in South Florida, declaring Florida the best place in the country to be openly Jewish and proud.

“Florida is the best state to be Jewish & proud in the entire USA,” Gimenez wrote Monday on X. “We have ZERO TOLERANCE for anti-semitism, tough law & order, a strong & growing community, & diversity of thought. It’s why Florida is the safest state to be Jewish in America!”

Thanks @RepCarlos!!! https://t.co/txVJzxshfz

— Gabriel Groisman (@GabeGroisman) August 31, 2026

Gimenez’s comments echo those of former Bal Harbour Mayor Gabe Groisman, who said Miami is the best place outside Israel for an openly proud Zionist Jew.

Groisman’s comments were highlighted in an April 2025 Times of Israel article titled “The safest place to be Jewish in America.” The article cited South Florida’s large and growing Jewish community, strong ties to Israel and Jewish institutions as reasons for the region’s appeal.

Gimenez, a Republican who represents Florida’s 28th Congressional District, has been a prominent supporter of Israel and an outspoken critic of antisemitism.

His comments come as South Florida continues to attract Jewish residents and institutions from across the country, particularly from the Northeast.

Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuGPO

One of the most recurring refrains that resonates in the Bibiphobic echo chamber that overhangs much of the political debate in Israel is the allegation that “Bibi has ruined the country."

Indeed, the incessant repetition of the charge has given it almost axiomatic status for the anti-Netanyahu crowd- as if it were a self-evident truth requiring little substantiation on the part of its purveyors to establish its veracity.

Indeed, a wideranging array of achievements runs starkly counter to this grave accusation.

Impressive, if still incomplete, security accomplishments

In the realm of security, many of the facts are largely well established in the public domain, so I will not dwell on them in any great detail.

Virtually all of the pre-October enemy leadership, devoted openly to the destruction of the Jewish state, has been “dispatched into the hereafter", sending a clear message that following in their footsteps could be a risky path to tread. The array of those no longer with us includes the bloodthirsty Sinwar brothers, the once elusive Mohamed Deif, the hedonistic plutocrat Ismail Haniya, the boastful Hasan Nasrallah, and the brutal theocrat Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with a long entourage of cronies and henchmen. And the list gets longer daily.

On the battlefield, sustained IDF action has brought Syria to the brink of disintegration, but most importantly, has decoupled it from Hezbollah and Iran, effectively disrupting the longstanding Shi’a arc linking Iran to Lebanon.

In Lebanon itself, Hezbollah, although still a formidable force, is no longer viewed as the protector of Lebanon, but by many as the enemy of Lebanon.

In Gaza, much of the enclave lies in ruins, with 60-70% of it under the control of the IDF, and with the prospect of large-scale emigration of the inhabitants gaining momentum-albeit sluggishly.

In Iran, much of the infrastructure-physical and human-on which its nuclear program was based, has been eliminated and, at the very least, set back for years.

Emphasis on Economics

But a word of caution is called for here.

Initial operational successes, although necessary, can turn out to be fleeting and ephemeral. Perhaps the starkest example of that is the case of Nasrallah's predecessor, Abbas al-Musrawi, who was eliminated by the IDF in Lebanon in 1992, a measure that brought the arguably even more murderous Nasrallah to power, as well as resulting in a series of lethal terror attacks on Israeli personnel and installations - particularly in Buenos Aires.

However, for the remainder of the analysis, the focus will be on the economic performance of the country under the Netanyahu government-particularly in the post-October War period-which has received far less media attention than that allotted the security sphere.

Significantly, Israel’s overall economic performance has outstripped virtually all other leading Western economies across a wide range of major indicators.

GDP per capita:

Indeed, while traditional Western European economies have faced prolonged stagnation, Israel maintained a top-tier global position, with its GDP per capita rising to almost $70,000-surpassing major Western economies such as Germany, France, Japan, Canada and the UK-and even the petro-rich UAE.

The exchange rate:

The country’s economic robustness is reflected in the strength of its currency. Indeed, the demand for the shekel has propelled it to be one of the world’s strongest currencies in recent years. Moreover, despite the war and gloomy prospects that abounded in its immediate wake, the shekel has risen dramatically against the US dollar (around 36%) - from a low of just over 4 to under 3 to the dollar! Likewise. It has appreciated substantially against the Euro (over 18%) and Sterling (over 17%)

Direct foreign investment (FDI)

Direct foreign investment in the country has soared since the post-October War. Indeed, Israel has led the world in attracting foreign investments relative to GDP (which of course also contributed to the demand for the shekel and its high rate of exchange)

Moreover, cross-country comparison of FDI as a percentage of gross fixed capital formation shows that international investors see Israel as a distinctly profitable place in which to invest: Thus, in Israel, the rate of FDI in gross fixed capital formation is 13,7% over twice the overall World rate of 5,3% and three times that of the developed economies (4,7%) and of the US (4.4%).

The growth rate of GDP per capita:

In terms of the growth of GDP per capita (as distinct from the absolute levels discussed above), over the last three decades-for most of which Netanyahu was Prime Minister-in Israel this has been +275%, easily surpassing the US (215%) and almost doubling that of the UK and the EU (147% and 147% respectively)

Flawed but successful

Of course, none of this is to suggest that Netanyahu is above all reproach. Indeed, for all his manifest merits, he is a leader with undeniable faults, who has not done many things that he should have, and done many things that he shouldn’t have.

However, whatever those undeniable shortcomings are, they are apparently far fewer than any of his even remotely relevant rivals.

Accordingly, when coming to decide on how to cast one’s ballot in the upcoming elections, it would seem prudent to heed the well-known dictum: If it works, don’t fix it.

Martin Sherman spent seven years in operational capacities in the Israeli defense establishment. He is the founder of the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a member of the Habithonistim-Israel Defense & Security Forum (IDSF) research team, and a participant in the Israel Victory Project.

The multi-vehicle accident is on Rt. 70 westbound near the GSP.

Avoid the area.

MIAMI (AP) — Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have launched an investigation into a controversial policing tactic that permitted staggering amounts of deadly fentanyl to reach the streets as federal authorities sought to build bigger drug cases.

The committee’s chairman, Rep. James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, sent a letter Monday to Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting records related to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s controversial strategy of monitoring — yet not seizing — major fentanyl shipments.

The request echoes concerns raised by officials in New Mexico, the epicenter of the fentanyl crisis and where DEA whistleblowers recently reported being ordered to stand down rather than seize hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills in possible violation of Justice Department rules intended to safeguard communities. Last week, the state’s attorney general, Raúl Torrez, sued the Justice Department seeking to force it to turn over some of the same records being sought by Republicans on Comer’s committee.

“While DEA agents may not have the resources to intercept every single known shipment, a policy directing them not to intercept significant shipments is unconscionable and undoubtedly resulted in considerable harm and lives lost,” Comer wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

The lawsuit and congressional inquiry come two months after an AP investigation found DEA agents repeatedly monitored major fentanyl shipments in New Mexico between 2023 and 2025 that were allowed to hit the streets as federal authorities built out criminal cases.

The fentanyl went unseized amid the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history and even as DEA led a public awareness campaign — “One Pill Can Kill” — emphasizing that even a few milligrams of the substance can be lethal. Last year, the White House designated the synthetic opioid a “weapon of mass destruction.”

Comer requested records covering only the Biden administration, citing what he described as its “relaxation of fentanyl risk mitigation protocols” developed during President Donald Trump’s first term. The protocols, Comer said, should have prevented the fentanyl from hitting the streets in such large numbers.

The earlier policy, adopted in 2017, called on agents to “seize or otherwise prevent the distribution” of fentanyl “as soon as practicable.” The department rewrote those rules in 2024 to afford law enforcement far more discretion in whether to take action to prevent fentanyl trafficking, citing “the benefits to be achieved through preserving the investigation.”

AP reporting found the investigative strategy — known as allowing drugs to “walk” — continued into Trump’s second administration during the run-up to the largest fentanyl bust in DEA history, a takedown announced in May 2025 by then-Attorney General Pam Bondi.

As part of that investigation, authorities seized some 3 million fentanyl pills. But even larger quantities went unseized as agents in Albuquerque stood by and watched from helicopters and surveillance vehicles as drug couriers entered hotels with backpacks believed to be carrying as many as 100,000 fentanyl pills.

The entire network could have been dismantled six months earlier, according to a former DEA supervisor who worked on the case and is now among three whistleblowers sounding the alarm about the longstanding practice.

The Justice Department’s internal watchdog this month announced a nationwide review of government policies and wiretap investigations to determine whether federal authorities have used the same tactic elsewhere.

“Our investigations are long term and they are complex and they are done under the guidance of the law,” DEA Administrator Terry Cole said in an interview this month with Fox News welcoming the inspector general’s review. “We will continue to do that, but we need to stay 100% focused on the adversary.”

President Donald Trump’s administration announced a “historic” crackdown on trucking fraud during a news conference in Detroit on Monday.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the move alongside Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, saying tens of thousands of illegal drivers’ licenses were issued under former President Joe Biden’s administration. 

Duffy noted that millions of illegal immigrants were allowed into the country under the previous administration and many were granted commercial drivers’ licenses, with many of them not even able to speak English.

The administration is shutting down 110 driving schools that were the “greatest offenders” in granting drivers’ licenses to illegal immigrants, as well as 160 additional schools that Duffy says lacked proper space for driving tests or had unlicensed instructors. 

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged his country’s economic woes amid pressure from the U.S., which is strangling its trade while protecting other countries’ ships carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

Recent weeks have seen Tehran lose leverage over the critical energy chokepoint as traffic picks up, especially via a southern route along Oman’s coast. At the same time, warnings about Iran’s economy from Pezeshkian and the regime’s other relative moderates have been mounting.

In an interview with state media on Friday, he signaled defiance in the face of all the economic pressure and credited Iran’s resilience to its unity.

“We have many problems,” Pezeshkian said, according to a Google translation. “There’s inflation, economic issues, employment and many other problems, but the people are with us.”

Indeed, inflation has soared above 80%, with prices for certain food staples up 100%. The International Monetary Fund said in April Iran’s economy will shrink 6.1% this year, the worst contraction in decades. And a labor ministry official estimated that more than 1 million jobs had been lost by late May.

In an apparent dig at Iranian hardliners who reject negotiations with the U.S. and favor continued war, Pezeshkian added that “we may have many things; we may even have missiles and bombs, but they are of no use.”

He later noted that imports are not coming into the country, including gasoline. The naval blockade has not only prevented Iran from exporting oil via its ports, it has also kept out imports of refined fuels that Iran needs despite being a major oil producer.

That has created shortages and long lines at gas stations, made worse by deep subsidies that encourage excess consumption. In the interview, Pezeshkian described efforts to curb fuel demand and hike prices, but hinted they can’t go too far.

“We shouldn’t make someone whose life revolves around gasoline suffer,” he explained. “We shouldn’t put more pressure on those who are already under pressure. People are on the edge now; if I put more pressure on them, they might fall off the edge. We have to be careful that no one falls off.”

Pezeshkian estimated that Iranian trade has plunged 25%-35%, with imports down significantly more than exports. In fact, trade intelligence firm Kpler said Iran’s August crude export loadings have collapsed more than 80% compared to a year ago.

Since the naval blockade was reimposed, U.S. force have redirected 82 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two to ensure compliance, Central Command said on Friday.

“Some people say that sanctions have no effect at all,” Pezeshkian said. “I really don’t know what to tell these people. I just want to say this, saying that sanctions have no effect is not consistent with these facts.”

While the U.S. military tightens its chokehold, it is simultaneously loosening Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Last week, Central Command said U.S. forces completed clearing sea mines from the strait’s international shipping routes.

Estimates vary on exactly how much oil is leaking through, but the upshot is the volumes are substantial albeit still well short of normal. According to Goldman Sachs, total exports of crude and oil products from the region have risen to 15 million-16 million barrels a day. And Kpler said oil flows from the Persian Gulf have recovered to around 70% of pre-war levels.

U.S. officials told Axios that about 10 million barrels of oil a day are being transported out of the strait through the Omani corridor the U.S. military is defending.

A two-week stretch of U.S. bombing last month degraded Iran’s radar and maritime surveillance systems, the report said, making it easier for tankers to sail through undetected at night with their transponders turned off. This has allowed vessels to make shuttle runs in and out, then unload oil to other tankers that deliver the cargo to customers.

To be sure, Iran is still attacking ships, but that hasn’t been enough to stop traffic. Meanwhile, the U.S. military continues to weaken Iran’s ability to close the strait. On Sunday, U.S. forces struck Iranian rocket launchers that were preparing to deploy sea mines in the strait.

Gregory Brew, an expert on Iran and oil at the Eurasia Group, said on X on Friday that Iran overplayed its hand in July, when it resumed attack on shipping in the strait’s southern route.

“The result: the MOU is dead, the blockade is back in place, and the US is succeeding (to a partial, but notable extent) at reopening the strait without another deal,” he added. “Perhaps the status quo swings back in Iran’s favor, but right now this looks like a miscalculation to me.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Joan Rubinger overcame a catastrophic biking accident that left her paralyzed to become an influential pain-relief specialist helping top-tier athletes get back on the field after acute and chronic injuries.

Her website touts a client list that includes 169 NFL Pro Bowl selections, 29 NBA and WNBA champions and 15 Olympic medalists. Among some of her most notable patients: NBA All Stars Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, as well as MLB All Star Fernando Tatis Jr.

But behind the scenes, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration alleged in court filings, Rubinger doled out thousands of illegal prescriptions for highly addictive painkillers, a “covert and slinking” scheme the nurse practitioner likened to selling hamburgers at a fast-food restaurant. Over a four-year period, federal authorities said, the nurse practitioner prescribed 260,000 pills containing controlled substances to patients in more than 20 states.

Citing what an administrative law judge called egregious conduct, the DEA last month revoked Rubinger’s ability to prescribe opioids. That action followed Rubinger’s agreement in March to pay $1.4 million to settle a parallel Justice Department civil complaint that accused her of dispensing controlled substances like oxycodone, Percocet, and Xanax on hundreds of occasions without any legitimate medical purpose. Rubinger did not admit any wrongdoing as part of that settlement and agreed to never again prescribe controlled substances.

While authorities announced the settlement earlier this year, federal court papers unsealed at the request of The Associated Press provide new details of a medical provider who the DEA says was furtively enriching herself even as she put the health of her patients at risk.

The scheme, the DEA alleged in a seizure warrant, expanded over the years “from professional athletes” to a wide-range of other clients, including members of an Ohio-based street gang, a confessed New Jersey drug trafficker and a New York City model. Along the way, federal authorities alleged, the nurse practitioner took steps to avert DEA suspicion, coaching clients over an encrypted messaging app on ways to avoid having their prescriptions flagged by pharmacies.

The DEA described how two former athletes received illicit prescriptions from Rubinger, including former All-Pro Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis, whose wife alerted the agency to the nurse practitioner’s activities, according to the court records and an interview with the player’s now ex-spouse.

Rubinger started prescribing Davis opioids as he was bouncing between teams before he retired after the 2020 season, according to his wife. In all, authorities alleged, he received more than 13,000 oxycodone and Percocet pills between November 2019 and March 2024.

Davis did not respond to requests for comment and no one answered his door in North Carolina when visited by an AP reporter.

The DEA identified another former reserve NBA guard who, along with his wife, paid Rubinger more than $50,000 for illicit prescriptions well after he left the league. He could not be reached for comment.

Rubinger’s case did not result in criminal charges

A spokesman for Rubinger, Erick Mullen, did not answer questions about the nurse practitioner’s treatment of Davis or any other athlete, citing medical privacy laws.

“Joan’s case was not a criminal matter but a civil action,” he wrote in an email. “No raids with blue windbreakers carrying agency initials, and no loss of liberty at stake.”

He said “no administrative or disciplinary actions” had been taken by nursing boards in California and New York, where she is licensed to practice.

Mullen also did not address AP’s questions about Rubinger’s alleged ties to the Ohio-based Loyal to Brothers street gang but suggested they represented “actual harm” to his client. “You’ll have to imagine what kind of people threatened, intimidated, bullied and cajoled a paraplegic nurse practitioner and single mother into this kind of situation,” he wrote.

Federal prosecutors declined to comment on why they did not pursue criminal charges even as they accused Rubinger in court filings of violating federal drug statutes and regulations 900 times.

James Rafalski, a retired DEA investigator, said he worked many cases that ended in criminal charges and involved far larger volumes of pills. But Rubinger’s conduct stood out as especially flagrant, he said, adding he was surprised it did not result in a criminal prosecution.

“Most doctors who abuse their DEA registration just write scripts without a thorough examination of the patient,” said Rafalski, who reviewed court records in the case. “She knowingly took steps to evade detection by the DEA and instructed her clients to do the same.”

Prosecutors weigh a variety of factors in deciding whether to bring criminal charges, from the strength of the evidence to how a jury is likely to perceive a defendant.

Eric Grant, the U.S. attorney in Sacramento, said in a statement to AP that “the significant financial penalty” and ban on Rubinger prescribing controlled substances “grants the public meaningful protections against the unlawful dispensing of dangerous drugs.”

A nurse practitioner to the stars

Like many of her clients, Rubinger, 49, was once an elite athlete. As a child, she competed internationally in gymnastics. Years later she rowed and pole vaulted at Syracuse University.

After graduating, she coached women’s rowing at Indiana University, worked alongside elite NBA trainers and even assisted China’s Olympic volleyball team.

“My sculpted physique and bronzed, sun kissed skin were fruits of very hard labor,” she boasted in a personal blog. “Earned. Day after pavement-pounding day.”

She started All Pro Sports Medicine around 2010, describing her company as a niche service that offered athletes discrete medical attention at all hours of the day. In 2014, she was licensed as a nurse practitioner in California, which would’ve made it possible for her to prescribe medication.

Justice Department lawyers described her practice as “highly unorthodox” because it often operated out of hotel rooms, devoid of any medical records or a physician’s supervision.

Rubinger filled her website and social media accounts with testimonials from athletes praising her sports medicine practice. Among those she featured in her feeds were the NFL’s Drew Brees and Saquon Barkley, as well as the NBA’s Wade and Bryant. Major League Baseball’s Manny Machado also offered praise. There’s no suggestion in court records that Brees, Barkley, Bryant, Machado or Wade committed any wrongdoing or were even aware of Rubinger’s alleged prescription practices. Their statements of support all predated the Justice Department complaint. Representatives for the athletes did not respond to requests for comment. Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020.

Tatis, a teammate of Machado’s on the San Diego Padres, confirmed he had also been a client of Rubinger but was not aware she had been accused of issuing illicit prescriptions.

“We were always clear on what I wanted,” he told AP. “It was hydration and stuff to keep me on the field, and we were really professional and it was really clear on my side.”

The buzz surrounding Rubinger’s practice stemmed, in part, from “The Goo,” a pain-relieving gel she created. Rubinger marketed “The Goo” as a “wonder cream” and “Pro Athletes’ Best Kept Secret.” It contains the same active ingredients found in over-the-counter pain-relief gels like Bengay.

“I could literally submerge my whole body in a bathtub of Goo, man,” Davis, the linebacker, said in a 2022 video promoting the pain relief treatment.

Recovery from bike accident inspires top athletes

Rubinger’s life took a near tragic turn in 2015 when she plummeted 20 feet over the edge of a cliff while riding a mountain bike. The crash broke more than a dozen ribs, punctured her lungs and left her with spinal cord injuries that left her in a wheelchair.

“I don’t know who I am anymore,” she wrote in the blog chronicling her recovery. “I’ve lost my identity. It terrifies me.”

She initially struggled with simple tasks like brushing her teeth. Nevertheless, she returned to work in just three months. Following Rubinger’s comeback, several NBA players, including Wade, wore orange wristbands in her honor on the court.

“You would look at Joan sitting quietly in her wheelchair and never know that she is the secret weapon behind the best athletes in the world,” Atlanta Hawks guard Buddy Hield wrote in one of several testimonials featured on her company’s website.

Hield did not respond to requests for comment made through the Hawks.

Nurse practitioner allegedly took steps to avert DEA attention

The DEA alleged that Rubinger went to great lengths to conceal her illicit operation.

New clients had to follow specific steps Rubinger outlined in a document she called “THE RULES,” court records show, threatening to cut off anyone who slipped up.

“I put these rules in place for a reason: to minimize the attention we attract from the DEA,” she told one prospective client, according to the seizure affidavit, which allowed agents to confiscate nearly $170,000 in what it deemed “crime proceeds” from her bank account.

Investigators say Rubinger collected hundreds of thousands of dollars through a digital money transfer app to provide clients with prescriptions for painkillers. She made them pay up front, the DEA said, distributing a price list for painkillers.

Getting a prescription, she told clients in “The Rules,” was “like at McDonald’s, you gotta pay for your burger before they hand it to you.”

In early 2024, the DEA said it inspected a Stockton, California, doctor’s office where Rubinger had registered her practice. The office belonged to an orthopedic surgeon Rubinger had shadowed years earlier. The surgeon told authorities he had no role supervising her work nor any knowledge of her prolific prescribing activity, according to the DEA order revoking her prescribing registration.

Many states, including California, require nurse practitioners in most circumstances to work under a physician’s supervision when prescribing opioids.

In social media posts, Rubinger and her athlete clients regularly refer to the nurse practitioner as “Dr. Joan.” Nurse practitioners, however, are not considered doctors.

Her website claims she holds a Ph.D., and her LinkedIn profile lists an unspecified “doctoral degree” from the Ohio State University.

A spokesperson for the university said it has no record of Rubinger attending or working at Ohio State. Mullen, her spokesperson, did not answer questions about her graduate studies.

Rubinger holds master’s degrees in nursing and kinesiology from Indiana University and The George Washington University.

Wife of NFL linebacker tips off DEA

The DEA began investigating Rubinger in 2022 after being tipped off by the wife of Davis, the former NFL linebacker.

Kelly Davis told authorities and the AP that she visited an emergency room in 2022 near her home in Charlotte, North Carolina, complaining of chest pains. As she was being evaluated, a doctor informed her she had been flagged for receiving excessive pain medication prescriptions.

Unbeknownst to her, Rubinger had written 23 oxycodone prescriptions for her husband over a two-year period listing her as the patient, according to the DEA and Kelly Davis.

In court documents, the DEA said Rubinger took such steps with her clients “to obscure her excessive prescribing and avoid law enforcement detection.”

“These individuals are not the intended recipients of the prescriptions, often do not even know they are being prescribed controlled substances,” the DEA wrote, “and have not been examined by Rubinger, much less have an established doctor-patient relationship with her.”

Kelly Davis said she was stunned by the revelation and immediately confronted Rubinger through Instagram.

“This is insane,” the football player’s wife wrote to Rubinger, according to the DEA’s revocation order. “You clearly know he has a problem. Why would you do this?”

Kelly Davis said the nurse practitioner was well liked by players and recalled running into another professional athlete the one time she met Rubinger while accompanying her husband to a 2020 appointment at a Marriott in Charlotte.

NFL has long struggled with painkillers

The NFL has well-documented problems with painkillers. A 2011 study found that 52% of the league’s retired players used opioids during their career. More recently came a 2020 investigation of the head trainer for the Washington Commanders for illegally distributing oxycodone to players. The trainer accepted a $10,000 fine under a deal with the Justice Department to avoid prosecution if he stayed out of trouble. An attorney for the trainer declined to comment.

The NFL has put in place more diligent accounting of drug prescriptions. Players are allowed to go outside their teams for medical care, though since 2019, they’ve been required to report any prescriptions they receive from outside their team.

Shortly after reporting Rubinger to the DEA, Kelly Davis shared her suspicions with the NFL Players Association and the California Board of Registered Nursing. The Players Association declined to comment; the NFL said it had no awareness of Rubinger; and the California nursing board said it does not discuss any disciplinary actions until they are finalized.

Kelly Davis said her husband’s use of opioids contributed to the demise of her marriage. The couple divorced last year.

In a May interview on The Pivot Podcast, Davis blamed his opioid abuse for wrecking his home life.

“There’s a lot of shame and guilt,” he said, holding back tears. “I’ve always been a person and a player that said that I would never allow anything to control me.”

___

Goodman reported from Miami, and Pells from Denver. Associated Press journalists Brett Martel in New Orleans, Rob Maaddi in Tampa and Michael Reo in Washington contributed reporting. Retired AP reporter Bernie Wilson contributed reporting from San Diego.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Canada on Sunday, accusing the country of “ripping” the U.S. off “for decades” as he defended his tariff policies and urged Canadian companies to move their operations south of the border.

In back-to-back Truth Social posts Sunday afternoon, Trump first credited tariffs with strengthening the U.S. auto industry and keeping American manufacturing plants open.

“When I announced that I was running in the 2024 Presidential Election, right at the beginning, Ford was getting ready to close their Big Factory, in Detroit,” Trump wrote. 

Trump claimed the plant is now “running 24/7” and has become “one of the most profitable Car Plants in the World.”

“There are many other examples, for both Ford, General Motors, and others. I’ve revived, and indeed saved, the Automobile Business in our America. That’s because of what I’ve done with TARIFFS,” he said.

Trump then shifted his focus to Canada, describing the longtime U.S. ally as one of the country’s “worst” trade offenders.

“One of the Worst Abusers is Canada. I don’t want Canadian cars, I don’t want Canadian parts, I don’t want Canadian anything. They’ve been ripping us off for decades, and it’s going to stop,” Trump wrote.

“This should have happened long ago with other Presidents, just as stopping Iran should have happened long ago,” he continued. “They want to be treated like a State, but they aren’t one. I deal with the Leadership of many Countries, but I find Canada to be the worst. They are entitled no longer!”

Minutes later, Trump followed up with another post urging Canadian companies that do business with the U.S. to relocate their operations south of the border.

“Let all Canadian Companies that are doing business with America move to the United States, immediately. Many of them are Companies that moved out years ago due to stupid U.S. Leadership. When you move back, there are no TARIFFS!” Trump wrote.

The president’s comments come amid escalating trade tensions between the two longtime allies.

U.S. tariffs of 50% on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods took effect Aug. 22 after trade talks collapsed. Canada retaliated with tariffs on roughly $20 billion in U.S. imports that are set to take effect Sept. 8, according to Reuters.

The White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors did not immediately respond to requests from FOX Business for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Family getting up: Shacharis: 9:00 am Mincha: 8:15 pm Maariv: 8:45 pm

Sources say that some admorim and roshei yeshiva in the United States have been invited to a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House this week, with the future of Orthodox Jewish education and other communal concerns expected to be raised.

Several details now circulating — including the full list of participants — have not been independently confirmed. There has also been no public announcement from the White House confirming the meeting as of today.

The original report said that information had been received in the United States shortly before Shabbos regarding a planned White House meeting between Trump and leading American Torah and Chassidic figures.

Another source subsequently said that information it had received indicated that the meeting was expected to take place this week.

Both sources identify the same core group of invitees: the Satmar Rebbe, the Skverer Rebbe, the Bobover Rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, and Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler. The meeting is reportedly being planned for Thursday.

Sources say that the delegation will use the alleged meeting to express hakaras hatov to Trump for his administration’s support of the Orthodox Jewish community and its institutions.

That stated agenda is consistent with issues that the Trump administration has publicly made a priority. The White House says its religious-liberty agenda specifically includes parental rights in religious education, school choice and institutional autonomy, and Trump established both a White House Faith Office and a Religious Liberty Commission after returning to office.

There is also substantial precedent for contacts between Trump and many of the Chareidi communities whose leaders are reportedly involved.

In April, Trump personally hosted a group of frum communal representatives at the White House for a Pesach gathering. Those present included representatives of Satmar and Skver, Agudath Israel representative Reb Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Yehuda Kaploun, and Tzedek Association founder Reb Moshe Margaretten. New Square Mayor Yisroel Meir Spitzer attended and conveyed greetings to Trump from the Skverer Rebbe.

Trump also sent a personal letter to the Skverer Rebbe in August 2025 on the occasion of the wedding of the Rebbe’s great-grandchild. The letter was presented to the Rebbe by New Square Mayor Spitzer and other Chareidi activists with ties to the administration.

The relationship between the rabbinic leaders named in the current report and Trump goes back considerably further. In 2020, a letter thanking Trump for his defense of religious liberty was signed by an array of leading American admorim and roshei yeshiva, including both Satmar Rebbes, the Skverer Rebbe, the Bobover Rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey and others.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — New details are emerging about the mysterious disappearance of Mali Yahalomi and her 23-year-old daughter, Liel, who were found safe in Argentina after disappearing during a trip to Europe.

The two women were located Aug. 14 aboard a long-distance bus in Argentina, about a week after their family lost contact with them in Vienna. Israeli and international authorities had launched a major search spanning several countries.

Police said the women had left voluntarily and that there was no indication they had been kidnapped or were victims of a crime. They were questioned after being located and released.

Now, new reporting is offering a possible explanation for why the mother and daughter apparently decided to abandon their lives in Israel without telling their family.

According to a Channel 12 report cited by Israel National News, Mali had accumulated more than 200,000 shekels in debt over an extended period. Despite efforts to improve her financial situation, including completing a master’s degree and receiving a promotion at work, the debts reportedly continued to grow.
The report said the financial pressure may have been one of the main factors behind the decision to leave Israel.

But the financial explanation remains disputed. Earlier in the investigation, an Israel Police spokesman said authorities did not yet know why the women disappeared and said that, based on information available at the time, only small financial debts had been identified.

The apparent secrecy of the departure has added to the mystery.

Just days before disappearing, Mali attended a surprise party for her 50th birthday. Family members and close friends reportedly noticed nothing unusual and had no idea that she and Liel were preparing to leave Israel.

Their rented apartment in Modi’in was also left largely intact. Furniture and personal belongings remained inside, with no indication to relatives that the women were preparing for a permanent move.

Mali’s son, a married yeshiva student living in Israel with his young son, was reportedly unaware of the plan. He later helped relatives by providing passwords to a computer and iPad that had been left behind.

The women had initially traveled to Europe as part of what the family understood to be a birthday trip. They went to Prague and then Vienna, where they remained in contact with relatives and shared updates about their travels.

That changed abruptly.

The family eventually realized that the two had stopped communicating and had failed to follow through on plans. Their disappearance triggered an international investigation involving Israeli police, Austrian authorities and international law enforcement.

Police later determined that the women had continued traveling rather than remaining in Vienna. Investigators traced their movements through Europe and eventually to South America.

Authorities have also said the disappearance appeared to have been deliberately planned.

Reports said the women purchased new phones and took steps to make themselves harder to trace. Police reportedly issued a gag order during the investigation in part because they feared that publicizing what investigators knew could cause the women to change their route and make themselves even more difficult to locate.

At one point, investigators reportedly discovered communications indicating that the departure had been planned in advance, although details about the extent of that planning have varied among reports.

When Israeli and Argentine authorities finally located the women, they were traveling on a bus. An Israeli police representative approached them and confirmed that they were safe.

Liel later called family members who had gathered at her grandmother’s home. During the emotional late-night call, made with the assistance of a local police representative, she could be heard crying and told relatives that she and her mother were safe and had left voluntarily. She reportedly apologized for the worry caused by their disappearance and promised to provide further updates.

The family had initially feared the worst.

During the search, speculation ranged from kidnapping and terrorism to other criminal explanations. At one point, rumors surrounding Mali’s employment at the Bank of Jerusalem even caused the bank’s stock to fluctuate sharply, although those claims were not substantiated.

The family’s concern was heightened because Mali and Liel had apparently cut off communication while traveling abroad and had not told relatives where they were going.

After they were found, however, authorities said there was no evidence of a crime.

Another detail that surprised relatives was Mali’s appearance after the women were located. Family members reportedly noticed that she was no longer wearing a head covering, a striking change for someone who had become religious about 20 years earlier. Some relatives viewed the change as another indication that the mother and daughter were attempting to leave their previous lives behind and begin again.

The family has since been left to deal with the practical consequences of the sudden departure, including the apartment, leased vehicles and a dog left behind in Israel. Relatives have also been helping care for Mali’s son and grandson.

Despite the new information, the central question remains unanswered: Why did Mali and Liel decide to disappear?

Financial problems may have played a role, according to the latest report, but police have not publicly confirmed that debt was the reason. Other reports have described the disappearance as a carefully planned attempt to start a new life, while police have said they still do not know the precise motive.

What is clear is that the women appear to have deliberately severed contact with their previous lives, traveled thousands of miles and avoided telling even close family members where they were going.

For now, Israeli police continue to characterize the case as a voluntary disappearance rather than a kidnapping or other criminal incident.

Two people were seriously injured in a motorcycle crash early Sunday morning in Monsey, with a third person also transported to a hospital.

The crash occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m. on College Road near Dolson Road and involved a motorcycle and a taxi.

The two people riding on the motorcycle suffered serious injuries. Hatzoloh EMS paramedics treated them at the scene before transporting both victims to Westchester Medical Center for further treatment.

The driver of the taxi was also injured and was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital.

A major emergency response was launched following the crash, with Hatzoloh EMS, Ramapo Police, Chaverim of Rockland, Spring Hill EMS and Rockland Paramedics all responding to the scene.

College Road was shut down in the area as emergency personnel treated the victims and police investigated the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The public is asked to daven for Pinchas ben Baila Rivka and Yaakov ben Feya Yael, who were seriously injured in the crash.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Yamam counterterrorism officers arrested a wanted terrorist overnight in Shechem who is suspected of advancing terrorist activity and attempting to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians.

According to Palestinian reports, the suspect is Fatah al-Ashqar, who previously served as a commander in the Lions’ Den terrorist organization and as an officer in the Palestinian Authority security forces.

The arrest was carried out near the municipal stadium in Shechem following precise intelligence from the Shin Bet. Undercover Yamam officers covertly approached the wanted man’s home, caught him by surprise and arrested him.

After the undercover Yamam force began its operation and was exposed in the field, large numbers of IDF troops entered the area to secure the operation and enable the terrorist to be safely extracted from the area.

In a joint statement, the Israel Police and IDF said that al-Ashqar had been wanted for arrest since his involvement with Lions’ Den, the terrorist organization that operated in Shechem and was thwarted by Israeli security forces in 2022.

Israeli security officials said that throughout this period, the wanted terrorist continued working to advance terrorist activity and attempted to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians.

At the conclusion of the operation, the suspect was transferred to the Shin Bet for further interrogation.

B’Chasdei Hashem, no Israeli security forces were injured during the operation.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he plans to report NBC News anchor Kristen Welker to the Federal Communications Commission, accusing the “Meet the Press” moderator of deliberately misrepresenting his record of endorsements in Republican primary races and calling for possible disciplinary action.

Trump’s criticism followed comments Welker made during an appearance on NBC4 Washington, where she described the results of candidates backed by the president as mixed. Trump countered that his endorsed candidates have won 100% of the Senate primaries and approximately 98% of the House primaries tracked by Fox News.

“Kristen Welker, the Unpopular ‘Hostess’ of the once great Meet the Press, now considered Meet the Fake Press, just stated that Donald Trump has ‘mixed results’ on his Endorsements of Candidates, when the recent WINS of Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei, stand at 100% for the U.S. Senate, and 98% for the U.S. House, recently and over the longterm,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given Public Airwaves? Results are attached,” Trump continued. “Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment. Unfortunately, she is not the only one.”

NBC News responded to Trump’s announcement Sunday by publicly defending Welker, who serves as moderator of “Meet the Press.”

“Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her,” an NBC News spokesperson said.

Welker did not make the disputed statement during Sunday’s edition of “Meet the Press.” The comment came earlier in the day while she was appearing live on NBC4 Washington to preview the program. During that appearance, she said Trump had backed “a slate of candidates in the primaries” and “had some mixed results.”

Citing NBC’s own reporting, Welker also predicted that Trump would “loom large” over the upcoming midterm elections. She immediately pointed to Darline Graham’s recent primary victory as an example of a Trump-backed candidate prevailing.

“He’s going to loom large over these midterms. There’s no doubt about that. He, of course, has endorsed a slate of candidates in the primaries. He’s had some mixed results, but most recently, his pick of Senator Darline Graham, of course, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was successful in her primary battle, so now she takes on Dr. Annie Andrews in South Carolina,” Welker said.

CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter criticized Trump’s call for FCC action, portraying the president’s demand as an attempt to wield the federal agency against a journalist because of coverage he disliked.

“Trump is getting more explicit about weaponizing the FCC. This morning he said @kwelkernbc will be ‘reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment’ for saying something he didn’t like about his endorsement record. (By law, the FCC can’t punish Welker.) And that’s not all…” Stelter posted to X.

According to a Fox News tracker published Thursday, Trump-endorsed candidates won all 24 Republican Senate primaries in which he made an endorsement and prevailed in 214 of 218 House primaries. Those figures translate to a 100% success rate in Senate contests and approximately 98% in House races.

Two of the victories highlighted by Trump came Tuesday. Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman in the Republican Senate runoff in South Carolina, while former Oklahoma state Sen. Mike Mazzei defeated state Attorney General Gentner Drummond by roughly 2,000 votes to secure the GOP gubernatorial nomination.

Trump’s gubernatorial endorsements produced a somewhat different record, according to the Fox News tracker. Sixteen of the 21 candidates he backed won their races, while five were defeated, including Pamela Evette in South Carolina, Mike Lindell in Minnesota and Megan Degenfelder in Wyoming.

Trump accused media organizations of focusing on those defeats as a way of diminishing what he characterized as an extraordinarily successful overall endorsement record.

“Their new weapon is to say that my 99% SUCCESS Rate on Endorsements, 100% on Senatorial Endorsements (Many of whom were not even given a shot of winning until I Endorsed!), is either a mixed result, or not very good. In actuality, it is, without question, the strongest Endorsement in the History of Politics,” Trump said.

The president concluded by directing his appeal to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and urging the commission to treat the issue seriously.

“The Press is a Disgrace to our Nation, and I hope that Chairman Brendan Carr, and the fine people of his Commission, will take this Threat to our Country very seriously,” Trump said.

Carr has previously warned broadcasters that alleged news distortion could become a consideration during the license-renewal process.

The FCC, however, licenses individual broadcast stations rather than networks such as NBC. Under the commission’s published news-distortion policy, action requires evidence that a report was deliberately intended to mislead an audience, rather than simply involving an error, disputed characterization or difference of opinion.

{Matzav.com}

A new Israeli election poll shows troubling numbers for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, with a record gap emerging on the question of his suitability to continue serving as prime minister just 60 days before Israelis head to the polls.

According to the Channel 12 poll, 59% of respondents said they do not want Netanyahu to continue serving as prime minister following the upcoming election, while only approximately one-third want him to remain in office.

The numbers are even more dramatic when respondents were asked about suitability for the premiership, with Netanyahu trailing by 27 percentage points — the largest gap recorded in the poll on that question.

The survey also paints a difficult picture for Netanyahu when voters are divided into political blocs.

Approximately 50% of respondents said they intend to vote for parties belonging to the anti-Netanyahu bloc, compared to just 31% who said they plan to support parties aligned with Netanyahu.

The poll, conducted by Manu Geva’s Midgam Institute together with iPanel, is the first conducted since former IDF Maj. Gen. Ofer Winter launched his new political party, dramatically shaking up the right-wing political map.

Winter’s new party receives 4% of the vote in the survey, which would translate into approximately six Knesset seats.

Meanwhile, the so-called “third bloc,” consisting of parties headed by Chili Tropper, Gilad Erdan and Benny Gantz, receives a combined 5% but nevertheless fails to cross the electoral threshold. ([bhol.co.il][1])

The survey also asked Israelis whom they would prefer to serve as the country’s next National Security Minister, amid plans for cooperation between former senior police official Yoav Segalovitz and Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas.

On that question, current National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir maintains the advantage, with 29% preferring him for the position compared to 21% who favor Segalovitz — an eight-point lead for Ben Gvir.

The latest numbers come as Israel’s political parties enter the final two months of an increasingly volatile election campaign, with new parties and alliances threatening to dramatically reshape both the right-wing and anti-Netanyahu blocs.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NEW YORK (AP) — The online prediction market platform Kalshi said Monday that it has permanently banned former U.S. Rep. George Santos after concluding the former Republican congressman likely engaged in insider trading when he bet against his attendance at the State of the Union address.

The company announced the ban after saying its compliance department had established reasonable cause to believe Santos engaged in insider trading over his attendance at the address.

The convicted ex-congressman had repeatedly discussed his intention to attend the State of the Union, which came just four months after he was granted clemency by President Donald Trump in a fraud case that led to his expulsion from the U.S. House.

On the eve of Trump’s speech, Kalshi put the odds of Santos attending at close to 75%.

Then, minutes into the speech, Santos posted on X that he had been waylaid at the airport. Immediately, several social media users accused him of running another scheme.

JERUSALEM — Israeli banks are approaching a Sept. 1 deadline that could sharply disrupt financial ties with the Palestinian Authority, threatening billions of shekels in trade and potentially creating economic fallout for businesses on both sides.

Bank Hapoalim and Israel Discount Bank have for decades served as correspondent banks connecting Israel’s financial system with Palestinian banks.

Those relationships allow payments to move between Israeli and Palestinian businesses and support more than NIS 20 billion in annual trade involving goods and services.

But the banking arrangements have become increasingly difficult to maintain because of legal exposure involving money laundering, terrorist financing and other compliance risks.

The Israeli government has provided the banks with indemnity and legal protections allowing them to continue operating, but those protections have repeatedly been temporary.

Without continued protection, the banks have warned they could sever their relationships with Palestinian financial institutions.

The Sept. 1 deadline now brings that question directly into focus.

The Bank of Israel has asked the banks to continue providing services in order to prevent a potentially severe economic disruption, and discussions have been underway over postponing the cutoff.

No final long-term solution had been reached when those discussions were reported.

The economic stakes are significant.

A complete break in correspondent banking ties would make it much more difficult for Palestinian businesses to pay Israeli suppliers and for Israeli companies to collect payments from Palestinian customers.

It could also interfere with salary transfers, commercial transactions and the movement of shekels through the Palestinian banking system.

Israeli officials have previously approved the creation of a government company that could eventually take over the correspondent-banking role from commercial banks and shield them from the legal exposure they say has become increasingly difficult to accept.

That system, however, has not yet become operational because of legislative and bureaucratic delays.

For now, Bank Hapoalim and Israel Discount Bank remain the financial bridge.

The issue has also drawn international attention because of concerns that a sudden banking cutoff could destabilize the Palestinian economy and create wider economic and security consequences in the West Bank.

The Palestinian economy is heavily dependent on the Israeli shekel and on access to Israeli financial institutions.

Any disruption therefore extends well beyond banking.

Israeli manufacturers, wholesalers, food suppliers, construction companies and other businesses that sell into Palestinian markets could also be affected if payments are interrupted.

The Bank of Israel’s intervention reflects those broader concerns.

The immediate question entering Sept. 1 is whether another temporary arrangement will be reached or whether the banking relationship will begin moving toward an actual cutoff.

Either way, the deadline highlights a larger unresolved problem Israel has been trying to address for years: how to maintain necessary commercial activity with Palestinian financial institutions while protecting Israeli banks from legal and regulatory exposure.

Until a permanent mechanism is established, each extension simply pushes that decision further down the road.

JBizNews Desk | Jerusalem

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

Israel’s judicial complaints commissioner has upheld a complaint filed by a man who said a bais din warned him that refusing to sign a proposed divorce agreement could result in NIS 10,000 in legal costs, finding that the warning could have been perceived as improper pressure to accept the bais din’s proposal.

Retired Judge Asher Kula, the Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, released summaries Sunday of several recent decisions involving complaints against judges and batei din, including the case involving the NIS 10,000 warning.

According to the complaint, the man was appearing in proceedings involving a divorce claim filed against him and was not yet represented by an attorney. During the hearing, the head of the bais din allegedly warned him that if he did not sign the divorce agreement, his refusal would “cost” him NIS 10,000 in legal expenses.

The man maintained that, at that stage, he did not understand the implications of the agreement being presented to him. He therefore asked not to sign anything until he could obtain legal advice and have the terms and consequences of the agreement explained to him.

After reviewing the circumstances, Kula determined that the complaint was justified.

According to the commissioner, raising the possibility of imposing NIS 10,000 in costs immediately after the man said that he was unwilling to sign the agreement or proceed with the divorce before obtaining legal counsel could have been understood as pressure to accept the bais din’s proposal.

In a separate decision, the commissioner addressed the handling of a case in small claims court. A complainant said a senior registrar had failed for approximately six months to rule on a municipality’s request to dismiss a lawsuit for lack of jurisdiction.

A decision dismissing the lawsuit was ultimately issued only on the morning the hearing was scheduled to take place, less than four hours before the proceeding was set to begin.

The complainant said that because of the delay, he lost a day of work and was forced to prepare unnecessarily for a hearing that ultimately never took place.

The commissioner acknowledged that on the morning of the scheduled hearing, the registrar acted efficiently in attempting to notify the parties and prevent them from making an unnecessary trip to court. Looking at the case as a whole, however, Kula concluded that greater consideration should have been given to the litigant’s time.

Another complaint involved the issue of equal treatment between the parties during proceedings in a bais din.

A woman complained that the man’s attorney was permitted to question her at length, while her own attorney was not afforded a comparable opportunity to question the man.

The review found that the bais din itself had extensively questioned both parties and concluded that the factual record necessary to decide the case had been sufficiently developed.

Nevertheless, the commissioner observed that once the attorney representing one side had been permitted to question the opposing litigant, the bais din should have considered granting the other side’s attorney a similar opportunity. Doing so, he said, would help preserve procedural equality between the parties as well as the appearance of justice.

Why are the RICH privileged to low mortgage rates while the POOR have to suffer with high rates?

There are three types of home mortgages:

1. A first-time homebuyer mortgage
2. A primary residence mortgage
3. An investor mortgage

The current system design would seem quite simple: We want first-time homebuyers to be able to afford their own home, so they have the greatest advantage of all, with the lowest rates. Someone who has another home but is purchasing a primary residence gets a higher rate, but still not the highest. Someone who is buying a home strictly for business investment purposes gets the highest rate of all.

However, once upon a time, if someone had enough money to afford a down payment on a house, their monthly mortgage payments were either equal to or lower than what they would be paying in rent. This made buying a house a great option, as you could put the money you would otherwise be paying toward rent toward building your own equity.

Today, however, due to the high prices of homes and high interest rates, there is a new category of people: people who can afford a down payment but cannot afford the monthly mortgage payments. However, they can afford to rent out the home and use that rental income to pay their monthly mortgage while remaining in the apartment or home they are currently renting, often for half the cost.

This gives these families the financial stability of owning a home, allows them to buy before prices go up, and gives them the hope of eventually being able to afford the mortgage so they can move into their home.

However, this category of first-time homebuyers, who cannot yet afford to move into their new home, falls into the current category of “investors,” who are subject to the highest mortgage rates. Meanwhile, only first-time homebuyers who can afford to immediately move into and pay the mortgage on their home are eligible for the lowest rates.

Legislation must be passed to differentiate between an investor purchasing a property strictly for business purposes and a first-time homebuyer who can only afford their first home by renting it out temporarily.

Please help your fellow families, friends, and children by reaching out to your local congressmen and government officials to address this issue immediately.

A bitter dispute is erupting ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks, with retired Port Authority police officers and relatives of victims demanding that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul stay away from the annual Ground Zero memorial ceremony.

The Retired Port Authority Police Association says the political actions and positions of both officials have deeply angered members of the 9/11 community and warned that their attendance could distract from honoring the nearly 3,000 people murdered in the attacks.

Association president John McDevitt sent letters to Mamdani and Hochul on August 14 asking both officials not to attend the September 11 ceremony.

McDevitt stressed that the anniversary should remain focused exclusively on those murdered, the first responders who rushed into danger, survivors and families who have carried the loss for 25 years.

The issue is deeply personal for the association. Thirty-seven Port Authority police officers were killed in the attacks, along with 47 civilian employees of the Port Authority.

The association specifically cited Mamdani’s past rhetoric, political associations and public positions, saying they have generated “deep concerns” among members of the 9/11 community.

McDevitt warned Mamdani that his appearance at Ground Zero could cause additional grief to victims’ relatives and urged him to commemorate the anniversary through a written statement or separate event instead.

Opposition to Mamdani’s attendance has also spread beyond the retired officers. More than 95,000 people have signed an online petition launched by Giovanni Galante, whose wife, Grace Catherine Galante, was murdered in the attacks, calling for the mayor to be barred from the ceremony.

Mamdani, however, has said he intends to attend and pay his respects to victims’ families, survivors and first responders.

The association is separately demanding that Hochul stay away, citing her decision to illuminate One World Trade Center in recognition of Muslim American Heritage Month.

The retired officers stressed that they do not oppose celebrating Muslim heritage but objected to using One World Trade Center for the display because of the location’s unique connection to the September 11 attacks.

Hochul has rejected the demand and says she will attend the ceremony. Her office said she has enormous respect for families who lost loved ones on September 11 and defended the lighting decision, noting that Muslim New Yorkers were among the first responders who served following the attacks.

Nearly 3,000 people were murdered on September 11, 2001, when Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing two into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and a fourth into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Rav Elyakim Friedman zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Be’er Hachaim in Modiin Illit and a distinguished talmid of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik of Brisk, was niftar early Sunday morning at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Yerushalayim following a serious illness. He was 64.

Rav Elyakim was an outstanding talmid chochom whose life was marked by extraordinary hasmadah, meticulous adherence to halacha, devotion to his talmidim, and remarkable personal strength through years of profound difficulty.

Even during his final illness, his commitment to Torah remained undiminished. At the beginning of the current Elul zeman, despite being hospitalized and severely weakened, he left the hospital specifically to return to his yeshiva and deliver the opening shiur of the zeman.

Rav Elyakim was born on 6 Tammuz 5722 to Rav Berel Friedman, who for more than 50 years has served as a rov overseeing shochtim at slaughterhouses operating under several kashrus organizations, including Shearis Yisroel. Rav Berel was also close to Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l. His mother, Rebbetzin Ita Henna, is the daughter of the noted Yerushalmi talmid chochom Rav Yeshaya Dvorkes zt”l.

As a young bochur, Rav Elyakim left home to pursue his Torah studies at the Ponovezh yeshiva ketanah in Bnei Brak. He subsequently continued in Yeshivas Ponovezh before going on to Yeshivas Brisk.

It was in Brisk that he became a close talmid of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik, forming a rebbi-talmid relationship that remained a defining influence upon him for the rest of his life. He was counted among Rav Avrohom Yehoshua’s outstanding talmidim and carried the Brisker approach to learning into his own decades of harbotzas haTorah.

Upon reaching marriageable age, Rav Elyakim married a daughter of Rav Alexander Dinkel zt”l, one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Kol Torah’s yeshiva ketanah, who was niftar in 5744.

Following his marriage, Rav Elyakim settled on Rechov Panim Meiros in Yerushalayim, becoming one of the prominent talmidei chachomim of the Mattersdorf neighborhood. Those who knew him recall his exceptional hasmadah, pure yiras Shomayim, and uncompromising attention to every detail of halacha. His radiant personality and example had a powerful influence on those around him, both within the neighborhood and beyond.

Approximately 20 years ago, Rav Elyakim endured a devastating personal tragedy when his wife passed away, leaving him to raise their 12 orphaned children.

It was during that painful period that his emunah and extraordinary dedication to Torah and his family became particularly evident. His children later recalled that after returning from their mother’s kever at the conclusion of the shivah, it was already late at night. Rav Elyakim nevertheless instructed his sons to pack their belongings and return immediately to yeshiva rather than wait until the following morning. Torah, he impressed upon them, was their life and the length of their days, and it was the surest path forward even amid such overwhelming pain.

Rav Elyakim subsequently married Rebbetzin Chaya Dinner, a daughter of Rav Eliezer Dinenr, gaavad of Adas Yisroel. They were blessed with two daughters.

For many years, Rav Elyakim served as a R”M in Yeshivas Maayan HaTalmud, known as the Kreshinsky Yeshiva. He was later appointed rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Be’er Hachaim, a yeshiva ketanah in Modiin Illit under the leadership of Rav Boruch Soloveitchik.

There, Rav Elyakim became renowned for his exceptional devotion to his talmidim. With great insight, he understood how to approach each bochur according to his individual personality and abilities, guiding his talmidim toward clarity in sevara and imparting to them the foundations and methodology of proper learning.

The bond he forged with his talmidim extended well beyond their years in the yeshiva. Former talmidim remained deeply attached to him years after leaving, viewing him as a rebbi whose guidance and influence continued to accompany them throughout their lives.

In recent years, Rav Elyakim became seriously ill. He initially succeeded in overcoming the disease, but it later returned, leaving him increasingly weak. During the recent period, his condition required hospitalization.

Yet as Elul zman arrived, Rav Elyakim was determined to return once more to his talmidim.

Despite his weakened condition, he left the hospital and traveled to the yeshiva specifically to deliver the opening shiur on the masechta being learned. He also joined the bnei yeshiva for the Yom Kippur Katan tefillos, first delivering an emotional shmuess of chizuk that deeply moved those present.

Afterward, he returned to the hospital, where his condition continued to deteriorate.

Early Sunday morning, surrounded by members of his family, Rav Elyakim was niftar.

He leaves behind a large family, including two young daughters at home, as well as generations of talmidim who were shaped by his Torah and personal example. Among his mechutanim are Rav Shimon Galei, Rav Boruch Soloveitchik, Rav Chaim Peretz Berman and Rav Boruch Dov Diskin.

The levayah was held today at Rav Elyakim’s home at 1 Rechov Panim Meiros in Yerushalayim, proceeding to Har Hamenuchos for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Several Canadian websites, including those operated by government-related services, briefly labeled Lake Ontario as “Lake America” on Sunday, even though Google had said its adoption of President Donald Trump’s new name for the lake would be limited to users in the United States, according to CBC News.

The unexpected appearance of the name on Canadian sites came one day after Google Maps said it had changed its designation of the lake in response to an executive order signed by Trump. Google said it acted after the US government’s official geographic names database was updated to reflect the new name.

Despite Google’s assertion that the change would be restricted to US users, maps used by a number of Canadian organizations subsequently began identifying the body of water as “Lake America.” CBC News reported that the affected sites included Hydro One’s power outage map, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s store locator, GO Transit’s station finder, and a Canadian federal government map dealing with housing and infrastructure.

Hydro One confirmed that its map was displaying the wrong name and attributed the problem to a third-party mapping provider.

“We are aware that Lake Ontario is being incorrectly labeled on our outage map,” a spokesperson told CBC News in an email, adding that Hydro One regrets the “error.”

The utility said it was working to have the designation corrected.

“The issue originates from a third-party mapping service,” the utility said. “We are working with our vendor to correct the issue as quickly as possible and restore the proper geographic reference.”

Metrolinx, the Ontario government agency that oversees GO Transit, similarly acknowledged the problem and said it was reviewing its online services to ensure the traditional Canadian name remained in place.

“We are actively reviewing our websites to make sure they all identify Lake Ontario by its correct name: Lake Ontario,” Metrolinx said.

The agency said it was also moving to shut down the particular mapping feature where the new name had appeared.

“We are in the process of disabling the map function on the GO stations’ page where this occurred.”

MapQuest, meanwhile, announced on social media that it does not intend to use Trump’s chosen name for the lake. Apple has yet to publicly indicate whether it plans to make any changes to its own mapping services.

Trump announced Thursday that Lake Ontario would be known as “Lake America” in the United States, making the move as relations between Washington and Ottawa have become increasingly strained over trade.

Sitting at the Resolute Desk, Trump signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the lake’s name within the US geographic naming system. Although the order gives the department 30 days to implement the change, Trump declared that the new designation was “official, effective immediately.”

Trump said he had “notified all of the various people that we have to notify. So, we’ve done everything that you have to do.”

The fight over the lake’s name is unfolding against the backdrop of an escalating trade battle between the United States and Canada, with both governments imposing tariffs on goods from the other country. Washington announced 50% tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian products following the collapse of trade negotiations, while Ottawa retaliated with tariffs covering $20 billion in American goods, including dairy products, steel, appliances and agricultural equipment.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected Trump’s effort to rename the lake, pointing to the centuries-old origins of the Lake Ontario name.

“The name Lake Ontario comes from the Wendat word Ontari’io, which, appropriately, means ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is big”.”

Carney noted that the name existed long before either modern Canada or the United States came into being.

“The name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America,” added Carney.

The Canadian prime minister concluded by portraying the dispute as part of broader changes taking place in the United States while insisting that Canadians would continue referring to the lake by its longstanding name.

“We know that America is changing. Their trading relationships, their foreign policies, their national monuments, their hydronyms. Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always,” concluded the Prime Minister.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly two-thirds of American Jews surveyed believe the war against Iran has been unsuccessful, even as a majority say U.S. military action against Tehran did not go far enough, according to a new survey from the Jewish People Policy Institute.

JPPI’s August 2026 Voice of the Jewish People Index found that 64% of U.S. respondents viewed the campaign against Iran as a failure, while 33% considered it successful and 4% said they did not know.

The numbers represent a significant shift from earlier this year. In March, 66% viewed the campaign as successful. That figure fell to 56% in April, 48% in May, 28% in June, 36% in July and 33% in August.

The results showed a sharp political divide. Among respondents identifying as strongly liberal, 89% considered the campaign a failure, while 80% of strong conservatives viewed it as successful.

The divide was similarly stark along presidential voting lines. Among Trump voters, 73% viewed the campaign as successful, compared with 84% of Harris voters who considered it a failure.

Despite the overall negative assessment of the campaign’s success, 55% of connected U.S. Jews said American military action against Iran did not go far enough. Thirty percent said the U.S. went too far, while just 3% said the level of military action was about right.

Among Trump voters, 94% said U.S. military action did not go far enough. Meanwhile, 45% of Harris voters said it went too far.

The survey also showed declining approval of President Trump’s handling of Iran. Twenty-six percent rated Trump’s leadership on Iran positively in August, down from 46% in March, while 67% gave him a negative rating.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also saw his ratings decline. Thirty-eight percent rated Netanyahu’s leadership on Iran positively, down from 53% in March, while 52% rated it negatively.

JPPI conducted the survey from August 15 through August 20 among 804 respondents in the United States. The organization noted that its sample primarily reflects “connected” Jews with relatively strong ties to the Jewish community, Israel or Jewish identity and is not representative of all American Jews.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Rescuers raced Monday to free hundreds of workers believed to be trapped in tunnels at hydropower sites that were buried in mud by catastrophic flooding on the Nepal-China border, as the death toll climbed and increasingly desperate families searched for missing loved ones.

The combined deaths in Nepal and China surpassed 900, with more than 4,700 people missing. A private-sector association representing power companies said at least 900 workers were unaccounted for at 12 hydropower projects damaged by the flash floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.

About 500 of those workers were believed to be trapped in tunnels. At least one expert said that some workers could have access to oxygen, but others warned that the chances of finding survivors were diminishing.

Some workers managed to call for help when the disaster struck last Wednesday, and others who managed to flee reported to authorities and relatives that many of their colleagues were still in the tunnels, said Mohan Kumar Dangi, president of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal, or IPPAN.

It was unclear whether rescuers have had any contact with the trapped workers since the initial calls for help.

Six days after the disaster, fears were growing that some might have suffocated, Dangi said.

Giant tunnels are built to control water flow
Rescue efforts were focused on people trapped in the gigantic tunnels built for controlling the flow of water.

“These tunnels are big enough to drive trucks through,” said Jakob Steiner, a geoscientist at the University of Graz in Austria based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. “And from what we understand, they have managed to get oxygen to some of those stuck inside and are trying to rescue them now. It’s a race for time, though, as people need food and water.”

In the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project, in the hard-hit Rasuwa district, at least 576 people were missing, Dangi said, adding that around 300 of them were believed to be trapped inside the project’s tunnel.

At the Trishuli-3 Hydropower Project, crews were working to descend about 15 meters (50 feet) into a tunnel in an effort to reach those believed trapped inside, according to Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet, Nepal’s army spokesman.

Workers shoveling mud from a flood-ravaged power station in Dhading, Nepal, told The Associated Press that the station is a key connection for providing power to over 20,000 people in the region.

Chinese media highlight government efforts to rebuild roads
On the Chinese side, rescue and recovery efforts included rebuilding the road leading to the Gyirong Port border crossing that regulated travel between China and Nepal.

This photo provided by the Nepal Army, shows Nepal army soldiers carrying the body of a victim on a stretcher during a rescue operation at the site of a hydropower project in Upper Trishuli, Nepal, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (Nepal Army via AP)

Trucks carried giant rocks as workers tried to repave a portion of the road, state broadcaster CCTV showed Monday, next to rapidly rushing waters, which have been made more powerful by days of rain. The road is now under 2 to 3 meters (6.6 to 9.8 feet) of water. The repaving effort was just a little over a kilometer (0.62 miles) from the border, CCTV said.

Although some rescue teams have managed to reach the border, that represented only a portion of the force.

Chinese state media coverage has focused largely on the official response, highlighting the deployment of firefighters, the People’s Liberation Army and instructions from top leaders. Little is known about victims on the Chinese side.

Families are desperate for information about missing loved ones
Nepal’s disaster agency said Monday that 903 deaths had been counted in that country, with 4,247 people missing, including 592 foreigners. As of Sunday, Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing. Chinese state media said 261 of the missing were foreigners, including over 100 Nepalis.

Two days after the disaster, Maraval Nagappan traveled to Nepal to search for his son, who was among the missing. He visited rescue centers and morgues and went as far as 40 kilometers (25 miles) from where his son was believed to have been, but found no sign of him.

His son, Sathya Narayan, had been leading a group of 49 Indian travelers who were returning from Mount Kailash — a sacred site in southwestern Tibet. The group has been missing since floodwaters swept through a Chinese immigration complex where they were waiting to cross into Nepal.

Nagappan, who owns the Chennai-based travel company that organized the pilgrimage, said the group had been expected to complete immigration formalities and leave for Nepal within about two hours. Instead of making the crossing, they were caught in the flood, Nagappan said.

The pilgrimage began Aug. 14. “I haven’t heard from my son since then. I don’t know whether he is alive or dead,” he told AP.

Surveillance footage showed water surging through the immigration complex at the border as people scrambled to escape. Nagappan said some of those seen fleeing were members of his son’s group and were identified by the clothes they were wearing.

Wednesday’s flash floods started after a glacial collapse high in the Himalayan region. Scientists who studied satellite images said bedrock underneath a glacier high in the Himalayan region had collapsed, taking part of the glacier with it. The rockfall was so extreme that it registered as a magnitude 5.2 seismic event.

The rocks and melted water then swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing a torrent of water that swept buildings, bridges and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.