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“Exercise is good for you” is about as groundbreaking as florals for spring. But the flip side of that somewhat obvious health advice is also true: Spending too much time sitting isn’t great for you.

We’ve all read the headlines claiming that “sitting is the new smoking” even if you exercise. It seems as if there’s a regular cadence of research coming out to suggest that anyone with a sedentary lifestyle or occupation is doomed.

So how bad is it, really, to sit all day? And how can you combat the effects – considering that you may not feel like you have much of an alternative if your job requires it of you most days?

We dug into the research and asked experts to explain what sitting all day does to your body and what you can do to counteract the effects.

The health risks of sitting too much
A lot of sedentary time really is bad for you. We’ve known this for more than a decade. “I started talking about this 10 years ago, and it’s only gotten worse,” said Keith Diaz, the Florence Irving Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, who has researched the health effects of sitting too much.

Over the years, various studies have linked too much sitting with shorter lifespans, including higher rates of death from heart disease and from any cause. How much sitting is “too much” can vary by study, but generally it looks like more than eight to 10 hours per day.

Sitting for 10 hours a day once in a while isn’t the end of the world. Rather, researchers look at sedentary behavior over the course of years. When sitting all day becomes a regular habit, it’s also tied to a higher risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and cognitive impairment.

A February 2024 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) of nearly 6,000 older women found that those who spent more than 11 hours sitting per day had a 57 percent higher risk of death from any cause during the 10-year study period and a 78 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease compared with women who sat for fewer than nine hours per day. Women who sat the most during the day and had the longest bouts of uninterrupted sitting had the highest chances of dying.

This study and others point to two main hypotheses underlying this association between sitting and negative health outcomes.

The first is that “when we sit, our muscles are not working and are not taking up glucose, and that can negatively affect our metabolism,” said Steve Nguyen, assistant professor in residence at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California at San Diego and lead author of the JAHA study.

“What we’re learning is that our muscles are really important for regulating blood sugar and triglycerides, or fats in our blood,” Diaz added. “For muscles to do that well, they need regular contraction,” which they don’t get when you’re sedentary.

The second has to do with blood vessels. When we sit, the bend in our legs is like a kink in a hose that can affect blood flow, Diaz said. Over time, that can contribute to blood vessels becoming stiffer, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, Nguyen said.

People who sit a lot are also more likely to report having back and neck pain. While more research is needed, this could be due to how sedentary time affects posture. “Sitting results in muscle inactivation, and that could lead to lower muscle strength,” Nyugen said. Lower muscle strength makes us more likely to slouch, which can, over time, contribute to musculoskeletal imbalances and pain.

The phrase “sitting is the new smoking” is attributed to a Mayo Clinic professor of medicine and the inventor of the treadmill desk. But that’s not actually true.

When one meta-analysis tried to quantify just how bad sitting is compared with smoking, smoking was still worse. Per 100,000 people, 190 might die each year because of the health effects of sitting, while 2,000 would die because of heavy smoking.

How to combat the effects of sitting
So what can you do if you sit too much? The answer is simple in theory and harder in practice for the vast majority of U.S. adults: If you have healthy joints and muscles and no reason you can’t move more, then just don’t sit all day.

Here are some practical tips for incorporating a bit more movement into your life.

If your job is sedentary, make sure your weekend isn’t
Some sitting is probably unavoidable, especially if your work requires it. So look for opportunities to move more when you’re not at your job. That means no matter how tempting it is to spend a lot of your weekend scrolling on social media, try not to spend all of your downtime being sedentary, too.

Start exercising regularly if you don’t already
Exercise alone doesn’t seem to completely negate the harmful effects of sitting, but it can help. “Even if you exercise, how much sitting you do can still influence your disease risk,” Diaz said. “But if you didn’t exercise, you’d be far worse off.”

And a little bit goes a long way. Swapping 30 minutes of sitting for 30 minutes of light activity was associated with a 17 percent lower risk of death in a 2019 study of adults over age 45 that Diaz co-authored. And if those 30 minutes of activity were moderate to vigorous, risk of death decreased by 35 percent.

Change your position frequently
The fix for sitting all day isn’t necessarily standing all day. Standing too long can lead to back pain and still cause blood to pool in your legs, but it can be a helpful way to interrupt longer periods of sitting, Diaz said.

“The goal here is: Don’t sit all day, don’t stand all day, don’t move all day,” Diaz said. “It’s really just about doing everything in moderation and avoiding doing one thing for long periods of time.”

If it’s available and appropriate for you, consider an adjustable standing desk that allows you to sit or stand while you work. These devices reduce sedentary time and have also been linked to improvements in back and neck pain, productivity and feelings of engagement at work, according to a 2021 study. Treadmill and pedaling desks are other options, Nguyen added.

Schedule regular movement breaks
You should also break for movement regularly. In a small 2023 study Diaz co-authored, taking a five-minute activity break every 30 minutes that you’re sitting resulted in improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar management compared with people who didn’t get up and move at all.

Even taking less-frequent breaks is still a good idea. “What we were reassured with is that if you move every hour for five minutes, it didn’t help as much with blood sugar, but it helped with blood pressure, and it helped with people’s mood and their feelings of fatigue, which are two of the hidden costs of our sedentary lives,” Diaz said.

So whenever you can, take a quick walk around your office, do simple exercises like calf raises or squats, climb some stairs or even just march in place until you have to sit again.

To make this easier to actually do, think about where you can add in movement throughout your day tied to habits you already have, Diaz said – a popular concept known as habit-stacking. This might look like taking a short walk after every time you finish a work call, instead of diving into another project or checking your email, he said. You can also try scheduling movement in your calendar, setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to move more, or wearing a fitness tracker that regularly nudges you.

Think about ways in which you can permanently change sedentary habits, too. For example, maybe you make your weekly check-in meeting with your direct report a walking meeting or go for a stroll during your monthly phone call with your long-distance friend. These small changes can add up to decreased total sitting time.

“While it’s very important to move around throughout the day, movement and exercise are not a free pass,” Nguyen said. “We should still work on reducing our sitting where we reasonably can.”

(c) The Washington Post · Sarah Klein 

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the U.S. DOGE Service did not have the authority to cancel National Endowment for the Humanities grants, which made up more than $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon said DOGE selected grants for termination last year in ways that violated the First Amendment and the equal-protection component of the Fifth Amendment, calling the case “a textbook example of unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.”

Citing depositions of two members of DOGE who had directed the grant cuts, McMahon wrote that the cost-cutting group had used ChatGPT to decide which grants would promote diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, but did not tell the AI chatbot how it defined the term.

The decision comes after more than a year of litigation over the grant cuts, which revealed new information about DOGE’s inner workings and influence over key decisions.

Humanities organizations – made up of the American Council of Learned Societies, American Historical Association and Modern Language Association of America – argued the grant cuts were arbitrary and capricious because the funding was terminated en masse without considering the specifics of each grant. In depositions, the DOGE members, Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh, testified they were focused on eliminating grants they viewed as promoting DEI and other grants they believed contributed to debt. (State humanities councils, which receive funding from the NEH, have also sued over the cuts.)

In depositions and government documents made available through discovery, it was revealed Fox and Cavanaugh had directed the NEH’s acting chairman Michael McDonald in the grant cutting. McDonald’s signature appeared on the letter that canceled grants, but it was placed there by DOGE.

The grants DOGE chose to cancel included funding to provide educational programming about the Holocaust at Seton Hall University, a virtual reality demonstration of Indigenous culture at the Mesa Verde National Park and Wupatki National Monument and a book about HIV in prisons.

McMahon said Congress had conferred no authority on DOGE to cut funding it appropriated, and it was President Donald Trump’s “duty to execute the laws Congress has enacted.”

“DOGE had no statutory authority to terminate NEH grants,” McMahon wrote. “And on the undisputed evidence, DOGE – not the NEH Chairperson or anyone else at NEH – effectuated the terminations at issue here.”

Plaintiffs called the decision a “complete victory.”

“We are gratified that justice was done, grateful to our amazing legal team at Fairmark Partners, and we will be watching closely to make sure every one of these grants is restored,” said Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger in a statement.

The White House and NEH did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the decision.

The judge ordered the government to rescind its termination letters to grantees but said the order does not require the government to immediately pay grant funds.

McMahon also highlighted Fox and Cavanaugh’s lack of understanding about the grants and experience in government. The two had come from tech backgrounds and were recruited through Elon Musk’s allies to join DOGE at the beginning of the administration.

They relied heavily on AI to sort the grants into spreadsheets, asking ChatGPT: “Does the following relate at all to DEI? Respond factually in less than 120 characters. Begin with ‘Yes.’ or ‘No.’ followed by a brief explanation.”

While the government suggested that it was ChatGPT’s determinations of what DEI was and not the government’s, McMahon did not accept that reasoning.

“That argument brings to mind, for someone of my generation, the great comedian Flip Wilson, whose character ‘Geraldine Jones’ would excuse her behavior by saying, ‘The devil made me do it,’” McMahon wrote. “That excuse did not work for Geraldine Jones, and it does not work for the Government.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Meryl Kornfield

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President Donald Trump said Thursday night that negotiations with Iran are ongoing, even after a confrontation earlier in the day near the Strait of Hormuz.

He also revealed that Pakistan had urged the United States to hold off on moving forward with his proposed “Project Freedom,” which would involve escorting ships through the strait, while diplomatic discussions are still underway.

“We’re negotiating with the Iranians. We have, you probably heard, we took our three destroyers and we rammed them through some pretty big stuff today, and we knocked the hell out of them,” Trump said, describing the exchange of fire with Iranian forces.

President Trump on Iran:

"We're negotiating with the Iranians.

We took our three destroyers and we rammed them through some pretty big stuff today and we knocked the hell out of them. The destroyers weren't hurt in any way.

The people weren't hurt but they were firing at us… pic.twitter.com/ZMZHn6M1bV

— World Source News (@Worldsource24) May 8, 2026

He added that American vessels and personnel were unharmed despite the incident. “The destroyers weren’t hurt in any way. The people weren’t hurt, but they were firing at us, and we were firing back at them. And our firepower was a hell of a lot stronger than theirs, and they knocked the hell out of them,” he said.

Addressing a proposed agreement to resolve tensions with Iran, Trump said the plan goes far beyond a simple, short document.

“Well, it’s more than a one-page offer. It’s an offer that basically said they will not have nuclear weapons, they are going to hand us the nuclear dust and many other things that we want,” Trump told reporters.

When asked whether Tehran has formally accepted the terms, Trump expressed skepticism about the reliability of any such agreement. “They have agreed. When they agree it doesn’t mean much because the next day they forgot they agreed.”

He noted that shifting leadership within Iran complicates the process. “And you know, we’re dealing with different sets of leaders,” Trump added.

Trump reiterated that the United States will not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons. “We’re not going to give them the right to have a nuclear weapon, there’s zero chance, and they know that, and they’ve agreed to that. Let’s see if they are willing to sign it.”

Earlier in the day, a senior U.S. official told Fox News that American forces carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas.

The official emphasized that the actions were not intended as the start of a broader conflict.

A later update from another U.S. official indicated that additional strikes targeted Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab.

Iranian media, however, offered a different account. The Tasnim news agency reported that Iran’s navy launched missile and drone attacks against three U.S. destroyers operating near the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the Iranian military’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters accused the United States of breaching the ceasefire by targeting Iranian ships.

“We will respond to any attack with force and without any hesitation,” the statement read.

Despite the flare-up, Trump downplayed the significance of the U.S. response in remarks to ABC News, calling the strikes a “love tap.”

Asked whether the ceasefire had collapsed, Trump insisted that it remains in place. “No, no, the ceasefire is going. It’s in effect.”

In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump warned Iran that failure to finalize an agreement could lead to stronger action, writing that “we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”

Earlier in the week, Trump announced that Project Freedom would be paused to give diplomacy a chance, just two days after unveiling the initiative to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Wednesday, he issued a public warning to Iran, writing on Truth Social, “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”

He added that failure to comply would trigger renewed military action: “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Later, speaking at the White House, Trump said recent discussions with Iranian officials have been encouraging, while emphasizing their desire to reach an agreement.

“They want to make a deal badly. And we’ll see if we get there. If we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons. It’s very simple,” Trump stated.

Sen. John Fetterman is rejecting suggestions that he is breaking with the Democratic Party, insisting he remains committed even as his positions continue to draw backlash from progressives over issues like border enforcement, cooperation with Republicans, and his strong backing of Israel.

In an opinion column published Thursday in The Washington Post, Fetterman addressed the criticism head-on, arguing that his principles have remained consistent despite claims that he has shifted politically. The Pennsylvania senator said his willingness to collaborate across party lines and occasionally align with the Trump administration has fueled misplaced concerns.

“Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave — but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first,” Fetterman wrote. “Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.”

The essay, titled “John Fetterman: I haven’t changed. Here’s what has,” was framed as a direct rebuttal to growing talk that he is distancing himself from Democrats as the party moves further left, particularly on immigration and support for Israel.

Fetterman maintained that many of the stances drawing criticism today were once widely accepted within the party.

“My values have not changed, and I have always turned to those kinds of ideals that defined being a Democrat,” he wrote. “I refuse to cave on my conscience because Pennsylvania deserves someone who is honest and can work across the aisle.”

Reflecting on his early political career as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, Fetterman said his focus was always on delivering tangible help to working-class residents, not engaging in partisan maneuvering.

“I wasn’t interested in playing political games. I wanted to help deliver change,” Fetterman wrote, adding that he still believes government should focus on results instead of ideological warfare.

He also criticized what he described as a reflexive tendency among Democrats to oppose President Donald Trump on nearly every issue.

“My party cannot simply be the opposite of whatever President Donald Trump says,” he wrote. “The president could come out for ice cream and lazy Sundays, and my party would suddenly hate them.”

Fetterman defended his stance on immigration, including support for stricter enforcement measures aimed at curbing illegal crossings and deporting violent offenders.

“I strongly believe that someone who comes here illegally and commits a violent crime should be deported. Full stop,” he wrote.

He further justified his votes to avert government shutdowns, arguing that Democrats should not have allowed federal workers or national security operations to be jeopardized over political disputes.

On international matters, Fetterman reiterated his firm support for Israel and voiced approval for efforts targeting Iran and its allied terror organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

“These once-common views have become increasingly toxic in the Democratic Party,” he wrote, blaming “the fringe and agitated parts of our base.”

Despite the pushback he has faced, Fetterman emphasized that he continues to back core liberal priorities, stating that he remains “strongly pro-choice, pro-weed, pro-LGBT, pro-SNAP, pro-labor.”

He also pointed to his bipartisan efforts with Republican colleagues on issues such as infrastructure, mental health services, and nutrition assistance, arguing that constituents expect practical solutions rather than ongoing political conflict.

{Matzav.com}

A political storm is brewing after comments attributed to Ateres Shlomo Rosh Yeshiva Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, with a sitting member of Knesset calling for financial repercussions against the yeshiva he leads.

MK Vladimir Beliak of the Yesh Atid party sent an urgent letter on Thursday to Tax Authority Director Attorney Shay Aharonovitch, urging him to revoke the Section 46 tax-deductible status granted to donations made to Yeshiva Ateres Shlomo in Eretz Yisroel.

The request follows sharp remarks made by the rosh yeshiva, Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, during a recent gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim in the south addressing the issue of drafting bnei yeshiva into chareidi army frameworks.

In his letter, Beliak pointed to statements attributed to Rav Feinstein and cited in Channel 12 News, in which the rosh yeshiva said: “We must understand what we are facing — this is a terrible war, the enemy is not playing games.”

Earlier this week, a major gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim from southern communities took place, at which Rav Feinstein delivered a powerful and uncompromising address warning of the dangers posed by enlistment initiatives targeting the chareidi public. His words generated significant reaction and were widely reported across the general media.

Letters of support for the gathering were also sent by leading gedolei Yisroel, including HaGaon Rav Dov Landau, HaGaon Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman and HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

Senior figures within the chareidi political parties strongly pushed back against the move, declaring: “The attempt to use economic terrorism to silence the cry of Torah emanating from the mouths of gedolei Torah will not succeed. These are Soviet-style tactics imported from the exile, and the gedolei Yisroel will continue to proclaim the daas Torah clearly and without fear.” They added that there had even been “a disgraceful attempt to silence voices” by inserting a provision into proposed draft legislation that would make a yeshiva’s eligibility for arrangements contingent on preventing roshei yeshiva from speaking out against the draft.

{Matzav.com}

Governor Kathy Hochul informed representatives of Agudath Israel of America on Thursday that New York State will take part in the federal Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a sweeping initiative expected to generate $5 billion annually in K-12 scholarships nationwide starting in 2027.

The update was delivered during a closed-door meeting at the Manhattan offices of Outerstuff, hosted by Agudah Chairman of the Board Mr. Shloime Werdyger.

ECCA was enacted earlier this year after President Trump signed it into law as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The framework mirrors tax credit scholarship programs already operating in more than 20 states across the country.

Under the legislation, individuals who contribute to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) will receive a full federal tax credit for their donations. Those organizations will then distribute scholarships that families can apply toward private school tuition and other qualified educational costs.

Beginning next year, residents in participating states will be eligible for the federal credit when donating to approved scholarship funds. These funds will in turn provide K-12 financial assistance to qualifying students. Contributions are capped at $1,700 per individual each year, and the program carries no overall national funding limit, having been written as a permanent part of the federal tax code.

Qualification for scholarships will depend on income thresholds that vary by region. Agudath Israel indicated that, based on current guidelines, a large percentage of frum households are likely to qualify for assistance under the program.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seeing a rise in early indicators for the next presidential race, with both polling trends and prediction market activity pointing to increased momentum for the Florida Republican.

Rubio, who previously ran for president in 2016, has recently moved to the top spot on Kalshi’s market projections, with a 19% probability of winning the presidency, reflecting growing confidence among investors.

For months, expectations have centered on Vice President JD Vance as the leading Republican contender to follow President Donald Trump. Vance remains a strong presence in the market, currently holding 17% odds.

Just behind them is Gavin Newsom, with Kalshi participants assigning him a 16% chance of winning the presidency.

Further down the list are Jon Ossoff at 6%, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 5%, and Kamala Harris, also at 5%.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis currently sits at 2%, though some observers suggest he could still attract interest as an underdog candidate.

Rubio’s improving position has coincided with his expanded role in the administration, where he has taken on a range of responsibilities and drawn attention for his composed and understated style.

Even with his gains in overall presidential projections, Rubio is still viewed as trailing Vance in the Republican primary contest. However, the difference between them has begun to shrink.

Vance continues to lead the GOP field with 38% odds, but Rubio has climbed to 27%, a significant jump from the single-digit range he occupied as recently as December 2025.

DeSantis also remains a distant contender in the primary outlook, holding at 4%.

President Donald Trump had previously signaled confidence in Rubio’s potential, remarking last year that a ticket featuring Vance and Rubio would be “unstoppable,” though he did not specify which of the two should lead it.

{Matzav.com}

Deborah Birx said Thursday that while the threat posed by a recent hantavirus outbreak connected to a cruise ship appears limited, health authorities must remain alert and communicate clearly in order to restore public confidence following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “National Report,” Birx pointed to what she described as a stronger global response compared to the early days of COVID-19, noting that governments are acting more decisively to contain the situation.

“The good news is, as opposed to what happened early on in COVID, countries are responding and governments are responding really well,” Birx said, noting that authorities are “taking precautions of contact tracing, staying in touch with them, monitoring them.”

The outbreak has been tied to the Andes strain of hantavirus and has drawn widespread attention after multiple passengers aboard a cruise ship contracted the illness following a stop in Argentina. The World Health Organization reported that three individuals have died.

Birx explained that hantavirus spreads less easily than COVID-19, stressing that it is not as well adapted for human-to-human transmission. At the same time, she cautioned that the United States has its own dangerous variant of the virus.

“We do have a different strain of hantavirus, but a deadly one in the Southwest,” she said. “Really being careful in the Southwest, when you see deer mice droppings, this can get aerosolized and cause hantavirus, as it has in the U.S. for years.”

She recommended that anyone who traveled on the affected cruise ship get tested, emphasizing the virus’s extended incubation period and the importance of early detection.

“Everyone who was on that ship, they should get tested for hantavirus, just to be reassuring to themselves over the next two to three weeks, because it has a long incubation period,” Birx said.

“We have 21st century testing. We ought to be using it because people need the peace of mind.”

Birx also said the situation underscores the erosion of trust in public health institutions that followed the COVID-19 crisis, and she called for greater openness in addressing past missteps.

“We all need to step back and really be very clear to the public about misstatements that did occur during CV,” she said, criticizing early pandemic guidance that claimed there was “no human-to-human transmission,” “no asymptomatic spread,” and that the virus “wasn’t aerosolized.”

“All of that isn’t true,” Birx said. “Breathing was enough to transmit the virus with COVID.”

She maintained that public health officials must learn from those errors and be better prepared for future outbreaks, including providing clearer guidance for schools and families.

“We have to revise our school closures to make it very clear to parents what we’re going to do when there’s another pandemic,” Birx said.

“All of us need to work with communities to reestablish that trust. It’s critically important.”

Birx concluded by warning that hantavirus infections can sometimes present with only mild symptoms, making testing and monitoring especially important to prevent further spread.

“No one wants to spread a virus,” she said. “So we need to give people the tools that they need.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday directed federal immigration officers operating in the state to refrain from wearing face coverings, a step that is expected to face legal opposition from the Trump administration following similar efforts in California that were struck down in court.

Since President Donald Trump launched a wide-ranging deportation campaign, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have frequently worn masks during operations, citing concerns about being identified and targeted outside of work.

“For ICE, wearing masks without good cause is nothing short of an intimidation tactic, a cowardly attempt to evade responsibility,” Hochul said Thursday.

Images earlier this year showing heavily armed, masked officers in plain clothes conducting enforcement actions in cities such as Minneapolis drew widespread global attention. The scrutiny intensified after a deadly incident in which ICE agents fatally shot two Americans in that Midwestern city.

Alongside the directive on masks, Hochul announced additional limits on ICE activity, stating that agents would be barred from entering certain locations—including schools, libraries, community centers, and polling places—unless they obtain a judicial warrant.

She also instructed local law enforcement agencies not to assist in operations that are based solely on immigration enforcement.

“Our officers, paid for by local taxpayer dollars, were hired to protect their communities … they’re not there to do the federal government’s bidding,” Hochul added.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, recently warned that the federal government would respond forcefully to such measures.

“what’s going to happen with places like New York, and [if] people pass ridiculous legislation not to work with us, we’re going to flood the zone.”

A similar policy enacted by lawmakers in California requiring federal agents to show their faces was blocked earlier this year by a district court, with an appeals court later upholding that decision.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump minimized Iran’s attempted strike on three U.S. Navy destroyers Thursday, even as tensions continued to test a fragile cease-fire and ongoing efforts to lay the groundwork for potential negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire,” he posted to Truth Social. “There was no damage done to the three Destroyers.”

In describing the clash, Trump portrayed it as a decisive setback for Iranian forces, saying the attackers suffered extensive losses during the encounter.

He wrote that the “Iranian attackers” were “completely destroyed along with numerous small boats, which are being used to take the place of their fully decapitated Navy.”

“These boats went to the bottom of the Sea, quickly and efficiently. Missiles were shot at our Destroyers, and were easily knocked down,” he said. “Likewise, drones came, and were incinerated while in the air. They dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!”

According to U.S. Central Command, the confrontation occurred as the USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS Mason moved through the Strait of Hormuz, where they came under attack from what officials described as “multiple missiles, drones and small boats.”

Despite the exchange, the United States has not declared the cease-fire void and continues to treat it as active, with Trump characterizing the American response as limited.

“The ceasefire is going. It’s in effect,” Trump said.

The president also issued a sharp warning about Iran’s leadership, accusing them of being dangerous and willing to escalate to nuclear use if given the chance.

“But they’ll never have that opportunity,” Trump said on social media, “and, just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”

Some analysts and critics pointed out that even though U.S. defenses prevented casualties, the nature of the attack itself raised concerns about Iran’s intentions.

“The U.S. may have been successful in defending against them but Iran fired drones, missiles, and launched small boats at U.S. Navy warships with the intention to kill U.S. service members in direct violation of the ceasefire agreement,” former Pentagon official and Atlantic Council fellow Alex Plitsas posted to X.

Trump has so far avoided outlining a clear threshold for what would constitute a violation severe enough to end the cease-fire, declining to give specifics when pressed by reporters earlier in the week.

For now, the administration has refrained from launching retaliatory strikes, focusing instead on keeping diplomatic efforts alive as negotiations continue behind the scenes.

Officials have been working through a proposed 14-point framework that could open the door to formal talks, with nuclear-related provisions now included in the discussions.

Sources familiar with the process said a preliminary memorandum—reportedly condensed into a single page—would serve as the basis for a broader agreement to be negotiated later.

Among the proposals under consideration are a halt to Iran’s uranium enrichment, partial relief from U.S. sanctions, and steps to ensure the free flow of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been repeatedly threatened during the conflict.

Negotiations could resume as soon as next week in Islamabad, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, though multiple drafts have already been exchanged between the two sides. Pakistan, acting as a mediator, is attempting to consolidate the proposals into a unified framework.

“If the framework of issues for debate is accepted, it would trigger a 30-day window for negotiators to hammer out the details,” a source familiar with mediations said.

Significant obstacles remain, particularly regarding Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium and whether it would be allowed to resume enrichment activities at any point in the future.

“The main hurdle is the duration of enrichment restrictions,” a Pakistani source told The Post on Wednesday. “There’s no final deal yet.”

Trump has insisted that any existing enriched uranium must be handed over to the United States, dismissing alternatives that would place the material under third-party supervision.

Iran, however, is expected to reject that demand and has recently held discussions in Moscow, with officials indicating a preference for transferring such material to Russia if required—an option U.S. officials have already ruled out.

American negotiators may consider allowing a temporary freeze on enrichment if Iran agrees to suspend the activity for 15 to 20 years, though Trump has repeatedly opposed any arrangement that would permit Iran to resume enrichment in the future.

Another proposal would involve gradually easing the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports if Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz during a 30-day negotiation period, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A Pakistani official confirmed that the draft framework includes provisions for “Hormuz de-escalation” and efforts to “restore shipping.”

As of Thursday, Iran continued to assert control over the strategic waterway and has recently pushed measures such as collecting tolls from vessels passing through it.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz accused Tehran of violating international norms through such actions and called on the UN Security Council to intervene.

“Cease attacks on commercial shipping, cease mining and remove its mines from an international waterway. Cease tolling — charging illegal tolls in the Strait of Hormuz — and allow the UN to move forward with humanitarian aid, lifesaving aid through that international corridor,” he demanded of Iran.

“It’s really that simple,” he added.

His comments followed announcements by Iranian state media about the creation of what was described as the “Persian Gulf Straits Authority,” a move that Waltz warned could force international vessels to pay fees for passage.

Iran’s determination to maintain authority over the Strait of Hormuz is expected to complicate any final agreement, according to the Wall Street Journal.

To encourage progress, negotiators have discussed offering Iran economic incentives, including sanctions relief and the release of frozen assets, though specific figures have yet to be finalized. Earlier proposals suggested those benefits would be phased in over time.

The U.S. State Department is moving forward with a plan to cancel the passports of thousands of Americans who owe substantial amounts in unpaid child support, marking a significant step in enforcing longstanding federal policy.

Officials said Thursday that the first wave of revocations will begin Friday, targeting individuals who owe at least $100,000. Based on data provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 2,700 U.S. passport holders fall into that category.

The initiative, which was first detailed earlier this year, is expected to widen considerably in the near future. According to the State Department, enforcement will soon extend to those with unpaid child support exceeding $2,500, the level set by a 1996 law that has historically seen limited enforcement.

Authorities acknowledged that the total number of people owing more than $2,500 remains unclear, as HHS continues gathering information from state agencies responsible for tracking such debts. Officials indicated that the broader enforcement could ultimately affect many thousands more individuals.

Previously, enforcement was limited to people seeking to renew their passports. Under the updated approach, HHS will regularly notify the State Department of anyone with overdue obligations above $2,500, and those individuals who already hold passports will face revocation.

“We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said. “Once these parents resolve their debts, they can once again enjoy the privilege of a U.S. passport.”

Following initial reports in February about the expanded effort, officials said there has already been a noticeable response from affected parents.

“Since the AP reported the expansion of the program on Feb. 10, the department said it had “seen data that hundreds of parents took action and resolved their arrears with state authorities since news broke that the State Department would start proactively revoking passports.””

“While we can’t confirm the causation in all of those cases, we are taking this action precisely to impel these parents to do the right thing by their children and by U.S. law,” the department said.

Even before the latest expansion, the State Department described the policy as highly effective in collecting overdue payments. Since the program began in 1998, states have recovered approximately $657 million in back child support, including more than $156 million in over 24,000 lump-sum payments during the past five years.

Individuals whose passports are canceled under the policy will receive notice that their documents are no longer valid for travel and that they must reapply once their outstanding obligations have been settled.

Those who are overseas at the time their passports are revoked will be required to contact a U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain emergency travel papers allowing them to return home.

{Matzav.com}

A sharp dispute broke out in Albany on Thursday after Kathy Hochul declared that an agreement had been reached on New York’s overdue state budget, only to be publicly contradicted by Carl Heastie, who insisted no such deal exists.

The clash followed Hochul’s early morning announcement, made around 9 a.m., in which she outlined what she described as the framework of a finalized spending plan.

Within roughly two hours, Heastie forcefully pushed back, dismissing the governor’s claim outright.

“There’s no budget deal. There’s no deal,” the Bronx Democrat said.

“I’m not conferencing anything else until I know what the financial picture is.”

Heastie added that he had exited a high-level meeting of legislative leaders the previous evening without any agreement being reached.

Hochul has been under growing pressure to finalize a budget as the state repeatedly missed its statutory deadlines, and had been eager to present a resolution.

She had initially planned to unveil the agreement a day earlier, even arranging for the Red Room at the state Capitol to host the announcement, but scrapped those plans at the last moment.

Her assertion that a deal had been secured — seen by some as an effort to pressure lawmakers — drew pushback from both sides of the aisle.

“I would actually thank the speaker for standing up for the legislature in this process,” Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra told reporters.

“No you didn’t reach an agreement,” state Sen. Jabari Brisport posted to Hochul on X. “You do this every year. Please stop.”

The proposal Hochul presented lacked detailed specifics and comes as New York City’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has been urging Albany for additional funding to address what he says is a $5.4 billion budget gap.

State officials are expected to provide some form of assistance to the mayor, either through direct funding or by postponing requirements to reduce class sizes in city schools — a move insiders say could ease roughly $600 million in costs.

Legislators have also been considering changes to pension fund contributions, which could yield up to $1.5 billion in savings, though negotiations over those details were still ongoing late Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the governor indicated that the city’s financial figures are still being finalized, but confirmed that the state plan is expected to include additional support for New York City.

Hochul has maintained that Mamdani must identify cost-cutting measures within his expanding $127 billion municipal budget, which is approximately half the size of the state’s overall spending plan.

For his part, the first-term mayor has yet to put forward significant proposals to rein in spending and has delayed releasing his executive budget blueprint until next week.

The governor has also sought to hand Mamdani a policy victory by advancing a tax on high-value secondary residences in the city, allowing him to claim progress on his campaign promise to increase taxes on the wealthy.

However, that measure is expected to bring in only about $320 million and is likely to encounter substantial political and legislative challenges.

The state budget had originally been due on April 1, and remains unresolved weeks past the deadline.

{Matzav.com}

Officials in Florida are reportedly engaged in discussions with the Trump administration about the possible shutdown of the immigration detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” as concerns grow over the high cost of maintaining the site.

The detention center, located deep in the Everglades, has emerged as a prominent symbol of strict immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

According to a report by The New York Times, officials within the Department of Homeland Security have privately determined that the facility is too costly to sustain and has fallen short of expectations in terms of effectiveness.

Newsmax reached out to DeSantis’ office for a response to the report.

The state is said to be spending more than $1 million each day to operate the center, which began housing detainees last summer at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, situated between Miami and Naples.

Its isolated swamp location, chosen in part to discourage illegal crossings and limit escape attempts, has significantly driven up operating expenses.

Supplies such as tents, generators, and trailers must be transported into the site, while waste and sewage must be removed, adding to the logistical burden.

Despite the costs, DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier have consistently defended the facility, arguing that it plays a critical role in supporting federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The site marked the first state-operated center to house federal immigration detainees and was hailed by officials in the Trump administration as a model that other states could follow.

President Trump and then–Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the facility shortly after it opened.

Opponents, including environmental advocates and immigration activists, have criticized the center for months, raising concerns about conditions at the site as well as its environmental impact.

Florida officials have rejected those claims, maintaining that the criticism is driven by political motives.

In April, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Florida and the Trump administration, reversing a lower court decision that would have required the facility to be closed and dismantled, according to The Hill.

The appeals court determined that the federal government did not have sufficient direct involvement in the construction of the facility to require an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

At the time, a DHS spokesperson welcomed the decision, saying the lawsuit was driven by “open-borders activists and judges trying to keep law enforcement from removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from our communities.”

Even with that legal victory, uncertainty continues to surround the future of the detention center, as Florida has reportedly yet to receive more than $600 million in federal reimbursements it has requested to cover operating costs.

Data from ICE cited in the Times indicated that the facility was holding close to 1,400 detainees as of last month, with about two-thirds classified as individuals without criminal records.

{Matzav.com}

The White House is set to start making public a trove of long-anticipated UFO-related records on Friday, following President Donald Trump’s directive earlier this year instructing senior officials to initiate the disclosure process, The Post has learned.

Details about the timing emerged during a Thursday meeting in the West Wing that included Tim Burchett, who serves on the House Oversight Committee’s task force focused on declassifying federal secrets.

“It’s going to start tomorrow. It’s going to have some stuff in there from pilots, and maybe one video,” Burchett told independent journalist Jeremy Corbell in remarks shared with The Post.

Sources indicated that the reference to “pilot materials” likely points to documented encounters involving U.S. military aviators who reported sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena during active missions.

The initial batch of records will not feature the 46 UFO-related videos that lawmakers have been pressing the Department of War to make public.

Officials plan to release additional materials in weekly installments, a structured approach that differs sharply from the bulk document dumps seen in past disclosures such as those involving the Assassination of John F. Kennedy and files connected to Jeffrey Epstein.

Burchett acknowledged that resistance remains among some members of Congress regarding the declassification effort, but expressed confidence that the administration will follow through on its commitment.

“I totally support and am grateful to President Trump for keeping his word and being the president of transparency and disclosure,” Burchett said in a statement to The Post.

“I would like to remind people that transparency won’t all happen at once, it will take some time.”

{Matzav.com}

Voters across the United Kingdom headed to the polls Thursday in a wide slate of local and regional elections that are widely expected to deal a significant blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party, raising renewed doubts about his political standing.

Nearly 5,000 council seats in England, along with elections to devolved legislatures in Scotland and Wales, are up for grabs. The results could signal a major shift away from the country’s long-standing two-party system if voters turn instead to nationalist and populist alternatives over Labour and the Conservatives.

Polling indicates that Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, may expand its presence in English councils and could emerge as a leading opposition force in Scotland and Wales, competing against pro-independence parties such as the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.

At the same time, the Green Party is expected to challenge Labour’s traditional support base, particularly in London and other urban centers, presenting a threat from the political left.

The possibility that Labour could lose a substantial number of local council seats, along with its dominant position in the Welsh Senedd and a potential drop to third place in Scotland’s Holyrood parliament, is likely to intensify pressure on Starmer to step down or at least outline a timeline for his departure.

Financial markets have already shown signs of unease, with Britain’s borrowing costs rising in recent weeks amid concerns that a leadership change could bring in a more left-leaning government inclined toward higher public spending.

Starmer, 63, who came to power with a sweeping victory less than two years ago, has insisted he will remain in office, focusing on addressing the country’s cost-of-living crisis, which has been exacerbated by conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

“We can rise to this moment together – become a stronger, more resilient and more united nation with opportunities for all, or we can sink into the politics of grievance and division,” Starmer wrote on Substack at the weekend.

“The answer to this moment, to the world we face today, is not passive government nor is it the populists who look out at the world and offer only easy answers that would make us weaker, or bankrupt. This is a time for patriots.”

Hinting at possible changes after the elections, Starmer pledged to pursue what he described as an “active, interventionist government.” He is seeking an opportunity to reset his leadership after spending weeks dealing with criticism over his appointment of veteran Labour figure Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to the United States.

That appointment has sparked a broader controversy centered on Mandelson’s past connections, including ties to the late convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as business links involving Russia and China. Starmer dismissed Mandelson last September after emails surfaced detailing the extent of those connections.

Mandelson was arrested by British authorities in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, though he has not been formally charged.

Labour campaigners and party activists say they have frequently encountered voter anger on the campaign trail. Any electoral losses are expected to deepen dissatisfaction within the party toward Starmer and his leadership team, with some lawmakers considering a move against him that could include a formal call for him to set a departure timeline.

However, replacing him would not be straightforward.

Potential successors such as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner are not currently positioned to launch leadership bids, while other possible contenders appear reluctant to challenge him at this stage.

Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, who previously supported a push for Tony Blair to announce his resignation date in 2006, cautioned against repeating that approach.

“I would tell them not to be as reckless as we were,” Watson, now a member of the upper house, said in his own Substack column. “Firstly, it will not work,” he said. “Secondly … voters will see a party talking to itself while the country is shouting at it.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he held what he described as a productive conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while warning that the European Union has until July 4 to meet its commitments under a previously agreed trade deal or face significantly higher U.S. tariffs.

“I’ve been waiting patiently ⁠for the EU to fulfill their side of the Historic Trade Deal we agreed in ⁠Turnberry, Scotland, the largest Trade Deal, ever!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump added that the agreement required the EU to follow through on specific tariff reductions, and that he had set a firm deadline tied to a symbolic national date.

“A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO! I agreed to give her until our Country’s 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs ⁠would immediately jump to much higher ⁠levels.”

Earlier in the week, Trump had already signaled his willingness to escalate trade measures, warning that tariffs on European automobiles could rise sharply in response to what he views as noncompliance with the deal reached in Scotland last summer.

The president also noted that his discussion with von der Leyen extended beyond trade, saying the two leaders addressed concerns about Iran and reached a shared position on preventing the country from obtaining nuclear weapons.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Hundreds of young men affiliated with the Peleg Yerushalmi gathered Thursday evening in the heart of Yerushalayim, blocking major roads and shutting down the light rail for hours in protest of the recent arrests of yeshiva bochurim.

The police eventually moved in to disperse the crowd, deploying a water cannon that sprayed blue-colored liquid.

The demonstrators, identified with the kehilla of Rav Tzvi Friedman, assembled at the Sarai Yisroel–Yaffo intersection near the central bus station and the Navon train station, bringing traffic in the area to a standstill. For an extended period, they remained in place, preventing vehicles from passing and halting the train service.

At the conclusion of the protest, police stated that they had been working for two hours to disperse what they described as a disturbance. According to the police, “As part of the incident, a small group of individuals blocking the roads and the light rail route caused disruption, including the involvement of minors.”

During the course of the dispersal, five individuals were taken into custody. Police reported that all roads were reopened shortly afterward and that calm was restored to the area.

The protest led to major disruptions throughout central Yerushalayim, with the light rail service repeatedly suspended and multiple roads closed. Large police forces were dispatched in an effort to remove the demonstrators from both the streets and the train tracks.

As tensions escalated, a police officer officially declared the gathering illegal and instructed the crowd to disperse. According to police accounts, when the protesters refused to comply, officers began crowd-control measures, including the use of a water cannon that sprayed blue-colored water. Footage from the scene showed many demonstrators soaked in blue dye as a result.

Members of the Peleg Yerushalmi say the protest was sparked by the arrest of a yeshiva bochur in Herzliya last week. According to their version of events, the arrest was carried out through deception, claiming that a military police officer posed as a delivery messenger, contacted the bochur, and told him there was a package waiting outside his home, where he was then arrested.

Holding the protest in Yerushalayim marked a departure from the group’s usual demonstrations, which are typically concentrated along Route 4 in central Israel. This time, organizers appear to have deliberately shifted the location to the capital in order to catch authorities off guard.

Earlier, police issued a statement saying: “Yerushalayim District police officers and Border Police forces are working to remove individuals disrupting public order in the Yaffo–Sarai Yisroel area. The demonstrators are blocking roads and the light rail route, thereby disturbing public order. A police officer declared the gathering unlawful and instructed the protesters to clear the roadway. Since they did not comply, forces began dispersing them using force and a water cannon in order to restore order and reopen the roads for public use.”

Police added: “The Israel Police will continue to allow lawful protest and freedom of expression. At the same time, we will not allow a blatant disruption of public order that harms freedom of movement, and we will act decisively to restore order.”