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Rabbi Yitzchak Biton, who lost all three of his children in a direct Iranian missile strike near his home in Beit Shemesh, delivered a deeply emotional and faith-filled account in a powerful interview with Kikar HaShabbat, describing the moments of terror, loss, and the strength that has carried him forward. Matzav.com shares portions of the interview, which was conducted in Hebrew.

In the interview, Rabbi Biton recalled the day his world was shattered, when a missile struck near his home and changed everything in an instant. His children—Yaakov, Avigail, and Sarah—were killed, leaving behind a grieving family and a father determined not to fall into despair.

“We continue forward with Hashem’s help. We try to involve ourselves in good deeds, to move ahead, and not to dwell on the past,” Rabbi Biton said at the outset, his voice reflecting both profound pain and remarkable acceptance. Since the tragedy, the family has left their home. “At the moment we are in the Jewish Quarter. We are not returning to Beit Shemesh. We are simply not emotionally capable.”

Despite the devastating loss, Rabbi Biton said he remains committed to continuing his life’s work. “Of course we will continue to deliver Torah classes. I have already returned to the rabbinical court in Beit Shemesh, and it is not easy—not for me and not for my wife—but immediately after the shiva I tried to return to teaching, to giving Gemara shiurim as I have done for decades. My wife also gives classes in seminaries. We must go on—for ourselves, for the Jewish people, and for our remaining daughter. We must accept the Heavenly judgment with love.”

Recounting the moments leading up to the strike, he described a troubling intuition he could not ignore. “I had a difficult feeling in my heart,” he said. “I had just finished giving a Gemara shiur to avreichim, including my son Yaakov. I returned home, and Yaakov was delayed a bit. When he arrived, the siren sounded. At that moment I told him, ‘Yaakov, maybe you should stay here with me?’ But he, Avigail, and Sarah were somewhat afraid and decided to go down to the shelter.”

Moments later, disaster struck. “The house collapsed. Windows flew out. By open miracles I am standing here speaking—I, my wife, and our daughter were literally thrown into the air from the force of the blast. As soon as I stood up, my first thought was of the children. I was afraid to even think that they might have been harmed. My wife urged me to go to the area, and I saw black smoke rising near the shul. I understood that something very serious had happened.”

What he encountered at the scene was unbearable. “I saw complete destruction. The shul was destroyed, everything was on fire, and the shelter took a direct hit. I stood there waiting, trying not to interfere with the rescue forces, but my heart already sensed the worst. Slowly I saw that bodies were being taken out,” he said through tears. “I saw my son Yaakov. They quickly covered the bodies, saying they were being taken for treatment, but late at night, when the notification team arrived, we already understood where things were heading.”

When asked where he finds the strength to go on, Rabbi Biton pointed to a perspective rooted in Torah and faith. “If a person understands that he is in good hands, that Hashem runs the world, he understands that we are all loyal soldiers. The eye cries bitterly, but the heart rejoices in knowing that the children are in a very high place.”

He rejected the notion that the tragedy represents unjust suffering. “This is not ‘the righteous who suffer.’ The moment I understand that my children were chosen to be the most elite unit, in the sense of offerings of Israel, I understand that this has supreme value. We are guests in this world. These children accomplished in a short time what others do not accomplish in a long time. These are special souls who came to sanctify Hashem’s name in their lives and in their deaths.”

Concluding his remarks, Rabbi Biton expressed a message of unwavering belief. “In the end I came to understand the meaning that the passing of the righteous leaves an impact. The children completed their mission in this world, and in their lives and in their deaths they were not separated. They merited to be buried on Har Hazeisim. There is pain that a human being cannot comprehend, a very difficult test, but Hashem did what is best for us and for them. He wants to lead us to a better reality, and we must accept things with faith.”

{Matzav.com}

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sparked a political storm Monday after outlining a series of positions on religion and state that drew strong reactions across Israel’s political spectrum, with left-wing figures welcoming his remarks and chareidi parties responding with sharp criticism.

In what some observers described as an effort to regain political support amid declining poll numbers, Bennett—who currently leads the “Bennett 2026” party and is positioning himself for a potential return to leadership—made comments addressing public transportation on Shabbos and the issue of marriage in Israel.

Speaking in an interview with Army Radio, Bennett said, “It is necessary to allow cities to choose whether they want to operate public transportation on Shabbos.” He also expressed support for broader access to marriage, stating that he supports marriage “for anyone who wants.” He added, “My compass on this issue is common sense and fairness.”

Expanding on his position regarding transportation, Bennett said, “I am in favor of every Israeli being able to get where they need to go. I think we should allow each city to decide its character. For example, in a chareidi city like Bnei Brak there will not be public transportation, and in a city like Tel Aviv it will be decided that there will be public transportation—that is respect.”

His remarks were quickly embraced by Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, who wrote in response: “Bennett, welcome. Civil marriage in a liberal democratic state is something that is required. This is our Judaism, and we will demand it in the guiding principles of the next government. You have come a long way from the Jewish Home to here. It is nice to see that even in politics there are positive surprises and that even on the right they understand that only a strong liberal Israel will prevail.”

Golan added, “I hope Bennett’s journey continues one more step toward the necessary understanding that diplomatic moves, separation from annexation fantasies, and courageous decisions are the right and only path to real security.”

Chareidi parties responded forcefully, accusing Bennett of abandoning core Jewish values for political gain. The Shas party stated: “Someone who, for the sake of politics, is willing to sell the Jewish identity of the state—the holy Shabbos and marriage according to the law of Moshe and Israel—it will not be long before he also sells the Land of Israel and the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria.”

Yitzchak Goldknopf, chairman of United Torah Judaism, also dismissed Bennett’s statements, saying: “I would not be impressed by Bennett’s promises of civil marriage and Shabbos desecration. He also promised not to sit with Mansour Abbas and signed on air that he would not allow Lapid to become prime minister. Even on the left they know that this is someone who misleads the public and votes.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchak Yosef, the former Rishon LeZion, issued a powerful letter to yeshiva bochurim at the opening of the summer zman, urging them to remain strong in their Torah study despite mounting external pressures and internal challenges.

The message comes at a sensitive time, as a ceasefire in the war with Iran holds, tensions continue along Israel’s northern border, and legal battles and government actions affecting yeshiva bochurim remain ongoing.

In his letter, Rav Yosef emphasized the tremendous privilege of being part of the yeshiva world, describing bochurim as soldiers in Hashem’s army who carry the banner of Torah. He stressed that even those who feel they are not succeeding in their studies are still part of this mission and play a vital role.

He warned that the yetzer hara seeks to weaken bochurim, especially during uncertain times, including the current security situation. Nonetheless, he called on them to strengthen themselves and recognize the immense value of every individual who dedicates himself to Torah study, even when progress feels limited.

Addressing the growing criticism directed at yeshiva bochurim, Rav Yosef wrote: “We have many enemies from within and without, and there are those who spread contempt and hatred against yeshiva students out of a lack of understanding of their eternal greatness. Those unfortunate individuals have not merited to see the light, and deep down they know they are in darkness.”

He urged bochurim to appreciate the importance of Torah learning, particularly during difficult times, and called on those studying abroad to return to Israel. “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Torah is the greatest protection,” he wrote, encouraging them to return to the study halls as soon as possible.

Citing the Rambam, Rav Yosef explained that those who dedicate themselves to Torah are comparable to Shevet Levi, who were set apart for spiritual service and exempt from military duty. He quoted: “All the tribe of Levi is warned not to inherit… because they are set aside to serve Hashem… therefore they are separated from the ways of the world; they do not wage war like the rest of Israel.”

He added that this concept extends beyond that tribe, applying to anyone who chooses to devote his life to serving Hashem through Torah study, thereby attaining a uniquely elevated status.

To illustrate the impact of Torah learning, Rav Yosef shared a well-known story about the Chofetz Chaim. At a fundraising event for a hospital, wealthy donors pledged to sponsor beds. When asked how many beds yeshiva bochurim had contributed, the Chofetz Chaim replied that each student had donated fifty beds, explaining that through the merit of their Torah learning, they prevent illness and suffering.

Rav Yosef concluded by encouraging continued support for Torah study and praising the rabbanim who dedicate themselves to guiding bochurim with patience and care, emphasizing that the entire world exists in the merit of those who learn Torah.

Two suspects were arrested Tuesday evening in Beit Shemesh after being caught tearing down Israeli flags that had been placed throughout the city ahead of Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers.

According to a police statement, officers observed the pair in the act of removing and desecrating the flags, disrupting public order. Police units at the scene quickly identified the suspects and apprehended them.

The two were taken to the local police station for questioning, and authorities will later determine whether to request an extension of their detention in court.

Police strongly condemned the incident, describing it as “a disgraceful and despicable act,” and emphasized the severity of the offense given the timing—on the eve of Memorial Day, when citizens across Israel pause to remember those who fell in the country’s wars.

Authorities added that they will continue to act decisively against any harm to state symbols or disturbances of public order, particularly during such sensitive days.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yehoshua Betzalel HaKohen Kaplan zt”l, a longtime menahel at Yeshivas Or Somayach, who was known for his lifelong dedication to Torah, chesed, and his unwavering commitment to Birchas Kohanim. He was 88.

The niftar, who lived on Rechov Panim Meiros in the Matersdorf neighborhood of Yerushalayim, served for decades as one of the מנהלים of Yeshivas Or Somayach, where he played a key role in sustaining the mosad through tireless fundraising and devotion.

Rav Kaplan, a son of Rav Yisroel Isaac HaKohen Kaplan zt”l, was deeply connected to Torah from a young age. In his youth, he learned at Yeshivas Telz in Cleveland. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married the daughter of Rav Tzvi Yaakov HaKohen Isbee zt”l.

Throughout his life, he remained closely connected to his rabbeim from Telz Cleveland, from whom he also received semichah.

He invested tremendous effort in raising funds for Ohr Somayach with true mesirus nefesh. He was known as a rodef tzedakah v’chesed, quietly assisting many and dedicating himself to helping others.

He was particularly meticulous in his עבודת התפילה, ensuring to daven vasikin regularly. Most notably, he was known for never missing an opportunity to participate in Birkas Kohanim, traveling between multiple minyanim in order to both give and receive the brocha. For many years, he was careful that no brachah would leave his lips without others answering amein.

In recent months, his health declined, and he was hospitalized several times due to pneumonia. In his final days, his condition worsened, with increasing weakness and difficulty breathing, until he was niftar Monday morning.

He is survived by a distinguished family of children and sons-in-law who continue in the path of Torah and mitzvos. Among his sons-in-law is the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Keter Torah, Rav Avrohom Moshe Ziskind.

He was also the brother of Rav Shlomo HaKohen Kaplan zt”l, a R”M at Yeshivas Aish HaTorah.

The levayah was held at his home at 5 Rechov Panim Meiros in Matersdorf, proceeding to Har Hazeisim for kevurah.

Tehei nishmaso tzerurah b’tzror hachaim.

{Matzav.com}

An antisemitic sign reportedly posted at a hotel in the city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan, declaring that entry is forbidden to both animals and Jews, has drawn strong condemnation from Israeli officials.

According to a report by Ynet, the sign explicitly stated that “no entry is allowed for animals and Jews,” and included images of a dog and a Star of David crossed out.

Israel’s embassy responsible for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan issued a sharp response, denouncing the display and its offensive message.

In an official statement, the embassy described the sign as a deeply offensive and unacceptable expression that contradicts fundamental principles of human dignity, equality, and tolerance. The statement emphasized that the message contained clear antisemitic content and labeled it “a serious act that harms universal values.” Officials stressed that any form of discrimination—whether based on ethnicity, religion, or any other factor—must be met with a firm and unequivocal response.

The embassy also stated that Israel expects local authorities in Kyrgyzstan to take appropriate action to address the incident and ensure that similar occurrences do not happen again.

Osh, the country’s second-largest city, has a predominantly Muslim population. Israel does not maintain a permanent embassy in Kyrgyzstan, with diplomatic relations handled through its embassy in Kazakhstan.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) delivered an impassioned speech in Detroit over the weekend, warning of what he described as a “storm” facing the nation and calling on supporters to take action ahead of upcoming elections.

Speaking at the Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus Legacy Luncheon, Booker sought to energize Democrats ahead of the midterm cycle, portraying the current moment as a critical test for the country.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there is a storm in our nation!” Booker yelled. “There is darkness and wind! People are getting hurt!”

He then emphasized the need for grassroots political engagement rather than outside intervention. “What we need is not from on high!” the Democrat continued, pointing his finger upward toward the sky. “We need foot soldiers of our democracy, who, in times of trial, are willing to stand up.”

Booker continued by urging the audience to mobilize and take an active role in the political process. “Will you stand for our democracy? Will you stand to get out the vote? Will you stand for our children? Will you stand up for our elders? And will you stand together, unified, strong. Be the hope that people need. We are Democrats. It’s time for a new deal, it’s time to redeem the dream of America.,” he said, adding, “God bless you” after essentially admitting that he believes Democrats do not need God’s help.

Booker, who has served in the U.S. Senate and previously ran for president in 2020, has continued to draw attention with his high-profile appearances and political messaging. Last year, he made headlines for delivering a marathon Senate speech that lasted 25 hours and 5 minutes.

His extended address raised concerns among family members about his health and safety during the ordeal. His wife, Alexis Booker, spoke about the experience in a TikTok video.

“It’s not super safe to stand for 25 hours,” Alexis Booker, whom he wed last year, said in a TikTok video. “Like, your body kind of just like breaks down. And if you fall over, you could hit your head. So those are the things that were going through our head.”

“Like, yes, I wanted him to break the record, but I also wanted him to not die or like get injured,” she continued.

“He wasn’t going to eat for a really long period of time — just being dehydrated alone was worrying me,” she said, explaining that she and Booker’s mother could not be there, so she would call his mother because “everybody was just nervous.”

“At that point, I was living in L.A. and I was preparing to move to live with Cory. And so I didn’t want to bother him, but I would send cute messages or I made a cartoon with my face on it,” she added.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has begun re-evaluating immigration cases approved under President Joe Biden, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services now reviewing individuals who were granted green cards, asylum, and other benefits, according to agency leadership.

USCIS Director Joe Edlow said over the weekend that the agency has significantly ramped up its fraud investigations, focusing in particular on cases processed during the previous administration.

“In terms of the people that are perpetrating fraud: Stop, because we are going to find you,” Edlow said during an interview with One America News, which he later posted on X.

“And even if you’ve already [committed fraud], and you think you’ve gotten away with it, we’re going back,” Edlow said. “As you noted earlier, we are looking at old cases, we are going back and re-vetting cases for people who were granted green cards and granted other benefits during the Biden administration, when there was no vetting. There’s vetting now, and we’re looking at these old cases, so be prepared to face the consequences.”

Edlow had previously told lawmakers in February that investigators were finding high rates of fraud in the cases they reviewed.

“Since January 20, 2025, USCIS officers have made nearly 33,000 fraud referrals to our Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate — a 138% increase compared to the average yearly referrals of the previous administration,” Edlow said.

“Our Fraud Detection and National Security team completed investigations into more than 21,000 cases, identifying fraud in 65% of them,” he revealed. “Our officers conducted over 7,000 site visits and more than 26,000 social media checks to identify national security, public safety, fraud, and anti-American concerns.”

Earlier this year, the agency also launched Operation PARRIS, a targeted effort to reexamine refugee cases in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region, with a particular focus on applicants from Somalia, which officials have identified as a source of widespread immigration fraud.

The Justice Department is demanding all ballots from the 2024 election in the Detroit area, a highly unusual move that comes shortly after prosecutors seized 2020 ballots in Georgia and obtained 2020 election records in Arizona.

The push to collect thousands of election records in swing states is part of a sweeping effort by President Donald Trump and his administration to scrutinize elections that has cast doubt on how they are run. Trump has spent more than five years stating that the 2020 election was rigged against him. In recent months, he has shifted his focus to this fall’s midterm elections by seeking to restrict voting by mail and urging Republicans to “take over” voting in “at least 15 places,” such as Detroit.

The latest demand is for ballots, ballot envelopes and ballot receipts in Wayne County, Michigan, which includes Detroit. It came from Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general who oversees the Civil Rights Division and is widely viewed as auditioning to replace Pam Bondi as attorney general. Dhillon sent her letter Tuesday, and Democratic state officials released a copy of it Sunday.

Those officials – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, state Attorney General Dana Nessel and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson – decried the demand as a baseless attempt to undermine the public’s confidence in elections.

“If this administration wants to bring this circus to our state, my office is prepared to protect the people’s right to vote,” Nessel said in a statement.

Dhillon wrote in her letter to Wayne County that DOJ wants the 2024 ballots so it can determine whether election laws were followed that year in a place with a “history of fraud convictions and other allegations.” She cited three examples of voter fraud in 2020 and a lawsuit alleging election officials did not properly process absentee ballots that year. A judge dismissed that lawsuit, finding the allegations were “not credible.”

Voting fraud is very rare, and Nessel noted it has often been caught in Michigan by election officials. Courts rejected dozens of lawsuits over the 2020 election, and independent reviews have found Trump lost that year to Joe Biden.

Dhillon asked that the ballots be produced within two weeks and said the Justice Department might sue to get them if they are not.

The Justice Department is seeking about 865,000 ballots and hundreds of thousands of other records, according to a letter Nessel sent to the Justice Department on Friday. Dhillon made her demand to the wrong place, Nessel said, because the ballots are held by 43 municipal clerks, not Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett (D).

A spokesperson for Garrett did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday. A Justice Department spokesperson had no comment.

In statements, Benson called the demand the administration’s “latest attempt to interfere in our elections” and Whitmer said it was a “poorly disguised attempt to justify more doubt and misinformation about our elections.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Patrick Marley 

After Henry Stern found swastikas drawn on his backpack and faced threats at his Malibu, Calif., school, the then eighth grader readied for a fight. He asked a Jewish friend, who knew karate, to stand by him and use his martial arts skill if necessary and he intended to run a tape recorder to document the violence.

“We had this whole plan,” the now California state senator, told JNS. “I thought I was going to get beat up that day.”

Stern described his identity as a teen as he “happened to be Jewish.” He told JNS that he is “good at talking my way through things” and is “not a super tough guy, but I at least can joke my way around stuff.” He didn’t need to, though, because the class was learning about the Holocaust at the time, and his teacher stopped the regular schedule to invite survivors to come address students.

“I met all these survivors, and they changed my life,” Stern said. “Not every kid has that magical bullying-into-leadership redemption moment. A lot of other kids have to duck it, take their Magen David off and lay low.”

“Going through all that stuff made me realize it doesn’t really matter if you’re religious or not,” he told JNS. “You’re still vulnerable just being a Jew,” and “someone’s going to come for you.”

The swastikas weren’t a once-off. “There was a whole weird thing that was happening at the school newspaper at the time, and they were embedding swastikas into the school newspaper cartoons,” he said. “We found there was a whole crew of guys who were really getting into neo-Nazi stuff, and we had a whole intervention in my eighth grade social studies class where we basically stopped class for the week.”

“That’s my own personal origin story,” the 44-year-old Democrat, who represents about 1 million people, including in heavily-Jewish parts of Los Angeles and Ventura County, in the state Senate.

The Malibu native, whose father is the actor Daniel Stern, graduated from Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He worked as an environmental lawyer and as a senior adviser on energy policy before being elected to the state Senate in 2016 as the youngest member elected at the time.

In his nine years in the state legislature, Stern has focused on climate policy and Holocaust education. He has also become more religiously observant.

“I wear a kippah now and keep Shabbat much more strictly,” he told JNS.

‘Shabbos island’

The issues of antisemitism and Jewish identity prompted Stern to introduce SB 1387, which would require state agencies to recognize Jewish identity as an ethnicity in demographic data collection, on April 15. If passed, it would help document increasing threats against Jews, he told JNS.

The state senator started observing Shabbos more intentionally in his 30s. “I started sort of experimenting with it on my own, and then I would have these very contemplative, meditative, but somewhat lonely Shabbats by myself,” he said.

He felt at the height of his personal career. “I was a real hot shot. I felt so cool. I’m on TV and all this stuff’s happening,” he told JNS. But observing biblical and rabbinic prohibitions would mean having to “back off” and skip Shabbos events and things like press conferences on Pesach.

“I found a way to be beautifully humbled by it all,” he said. “The world actually goes on without me, even when I step back a little bit.”

He married Alexandra Kaufman, an Israeli-American whose parents were Holocaust survivors, and they have two children, ages 3 and 4, and live in the Jewish community in the Valley where they attend the Orthodox shul Shaarey Zedek.

“Shabbat took on this other dimension,” Stern told JNS. “Everyone’s around. There’s all these people. It wasn’t a lonely experience at all when I integrated into her life.”

“I wasn’t on a lonely Shabbos island by myself,” he added.

Living in the Valley, Stern has befriended “so many types of Jews: Iraqi Jews and Syrian Jews and different types of folks and backgrounds,” he told JNS. “I’m in the Valley cholent.”

‘Great influence’

Jewish lawmakers in California are in a strong position, according to Stern, who is one of 18—a fortuitously Jewish number—members of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus.

“We’re a really diverse group of people,” he told JNS. “We have really great influence.”

That strength has helped the caucus advance legislation, including a major Jew-hatred bill signed into law last year, even amid what Stern described as “very nasty objections and threats.”

“We’re kind of strong right now,” he said. “The governor’s got our back over the last few years in a big way, so we feel we’re in a pretty confident position at the moment.” He’s not sure how long that will last though, so he figures “in a weird way, we gotta get as much done as we can right now.” (The current legislative session ends in September.)

Stern told JNS that he endorsed the billionaire Tom Steyer, a Democrat, for governor.

Steyer described AIPAC as “dark money” recently, and Stern responded on April 5 and told the governor candidate that his rhetoric was “dangerous.”

“We can win Tom Steyer without making Jewish Californians like me feel like we don’t belong just because we believe in Israel’s right to exist and that we can eliminate the leverage of petro-states like Iran through clean energy, not with dog whistles about AIPAC and dark money,” he wrote.

Stern told JNS that Steyer is a “very good guy” who will be an “excellent governor.” He also said that “we’ve had this whole trendy thing of everyone wanting to dog whistle about ‘I don’t take AIPAC money,’ or ‘AIPAC is dark money.’”

“There’s a war going on. There’s a lot of weird trends, and you can get advisors that pull you in a lot of strange directions,” he said. “I’m deeply committed to the team. I’m in there as the religious Jewish guy. There’s got to be room for me, too.” JNS

Tasi Malala was driving with his friend to grab some breakfast outside Scottsdale, Arizona, last month when he noticed that his Toyota pickup was very low on gas and quickly getting lower. He pulled into a station and started to fill up with premium. That’s when he spotted the leak.

“I looked under my truck, and it’s literally gas just pouring out the bottom,” said Malala, 31. “It’s pouring out like crazy. I was freaking out.”

It turned out he had been a target of a newly popular way to steal gas: just drilling a hole. All the thief would have required was a few minutes alone with a handheld electric drill and a gas can – or even some milk jugs. Malala was left with a perfectly round hole in his tank and a nearly $3,000 repair bill. His truck was in the shop for about a week.

This sort of drilling-and-draining thievery appears to be increasingly common as the war with Iran has pushed gasoline prices to their highest level in four years, and as older – and less-destructive – methods of stealing fuel have gotten harder to pull off.

In Los Angeles, where gas prices are among the nation’s highest at about $6 a gallon for regular, service adviser Lupes Armas said his repair shop is fixing a drilled-out gas tank about once a week these days. It used to be a couple times a year at most.

“It’s definitely a problem,” Armas said.

Insurers are starting to see more damage claims, too, although at this point, just weeks into the war and spiking gas prices, the reports are mostly anecdotal, according to the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. It will take time to see how bad it gets.

“Let’s hope this is a short-lived phenomena,” said Brett Odom, policy vice president at the insurance group.

The repairs are covered by comprehensive auto policies, experts say.

The drilled-out gas tanks are similar to the occasional waves of stolen catalytic converters, which can be removed from vehicles with a power saw and then sold for the precious metals inside, said Bob Passmore, vice president of personal lines for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

That, too, is an expensive repair.

The shift to drilling holes in fuel tanks comes as an old method of stealing gas has faded: siphoning.

In the 1970s, the country’s chronic gas shortages led to a surge in people dropping plastic tubing – even garden hoses – into the gas tanks of parked cars to drain their fuel. The image of someone sucking on the end of a hose to initiate the suction (and spitting out the gas when it reached their lips) became a pop culture trope.

The ploy was annoying, but it didn’t cause permanent damage.

Car owners responded by buying locking gas caps and keeping a watchful eye on their parked vehicles.

Malala said he definitely would’ve preferred that the thief who struck his pickup had gone with the older method.

“I wish they would’ve just siphoned it,” he said.

But siphoning today is much harder than it used to be.

Most newer vehicles have narrow, curved filler necks leading to the gas tank, making it difficult to force a tube inside. Some vehicles also have internal flappers or baffles to thwart siphoning. And anti-pollution regulations mean fuel systems are often better sealed.

Gas thefts of all kinds tend to follow pump prices. Filling stations report more drive-offs, although that, too, has gotten harder thanks to prepay pumps. Some people have been caught dropping tubes into the underground storage tanks at service stations to steal gas. Others have used electronic tools to trick pumps into dispensing fuel for pennies on the dollar.

There have been sporadic reports of thieves drilling into car gas tanks going back at least a decade.

But high gas prices spur more incidents, such as when the national average price briefly reached an all-time high of $5 a gallon in mid-2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Now, high gas prices are back – along with the consequences.

One morning this month, workers at the Catholic charity St. Vincent de Paul in St. Louis noticed a dark stain on the ground next to the panel truck they use as a mobile food pantry.

Someone had drilled a hole in the gas tank, draining the pricey diesel.

Michael Meehan, the charity’s executive director, said they lost a full tank of gas. And the damage meant they would be without their truck for a while. They had to find a replacement to use for their mobile food pantry in the meantime.

Meehan said he was sympathetic to whoever did it.

“This is just another indication that these are difficult times for lots of people,” he said.

But he wished they’d chosen a different way to get what they wanted.

“Siphoning probably would’ve saved us some money,” he said.

Federal agents arrested Shamim Mafi at Los Angeles International Airport before the Iranian national boarded a flight out of the country, for allegedly trafficking weapons for the Iranian regime, the Justice Department said.

Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, was charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and faces up to 20 years in federal prison, the department said on Monday.

“This individual came from Iran and gained legal status under the Obama administration,” stated Todd Blanche, acting U.S. attorney general. “While enjoying a life in the United States, this woman was allegedly breaking the law by brokering lethal weapons deals with Iranian adversaries. This will not stand, and anyone who breaks our laws and threatens national security will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

According to the department, Mafi, who owns and runs a company in Oman, became a lawful permanent resident in October 2016.

“In early 2025, Mafi brokered weapons deals on Iran’s behalf through her company,” including a contract worth more than $70 million “for the sale of the Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone from Iran’s defense ministry to Sudan’s military,” the Justice Department alleged. “She coordinated the Sudanese delegation’s travel to Iran and was paid more than $7 million.”

“She also brokered the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses to Sudan and submitted a letter of intent to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to purchase the bomb fuses for Sudan,” per the department. “Mafi also brokered the sale of millions of rounds of ammunition from Iran to Sudan.”

Under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Americans must receive permission from the U.S. Treasury Department to do business with goods or services tied to the Iranian government, and they cannot work with people whom the federal government has blocked, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a U.S.-designated terror group, and the Iranian defense ministry.

“At no time did Mafi apply for or obtain the required licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department to engage in any transactions alleged in the complaint’s affidavit,” the Justice Department stated. “She also never registered with or applied for approval from the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to engage in brokering activities with respect to U.S. or foreign defense articles.”

The Justice Department added that records, which the federal government obtained after executing a search warrant, showed that Mafi and an Iranian intelligence officer contacted one another 62 times between December 2022 and June 2025. JNS

Iran is working to coordinate closely with allied militias as the ceasefire with the United States nears its end, amid growing concern that fighting could resume in the near future.

A political source in Iraq told Kan News that Tehran is actively engaging with Shiite militias in the country in preparation for a possible renewal of hostilities with the United States.

In recent days, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani visited Iraq, in what was described as an effort to preserve Iran’s influence in the neighboring country amid tensions with Washington. Qaani, who survived the war and had not been seen publicly since its outbreak, arrived in Baghdad for a visit that was characterized as an attempt by the Iranian regime to help secure the appointment of a prime minister aligned with Tehran.

However, according to the Iraqi political source who spoke with Kan News correspondent Roi Kais, Qaani’s trip also had a military dimension, aimed at coordinating and “aligning positions” with leaders of pro-Iranian militias.

During the course of the war, these Iran-backed militias carried out attacks on American targets in Iraq and across the region. The Iraqi source said that officers from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards closely supervised their operations throughout the conflict.

Qaani’s visit appears intended to ensure that these forces are prepared for another round of fighting if Pakistan’s mediation efforts fail. At the same time, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have also signaled that they are ready to resume hostilities if the ceasefire collapses.

{Matzav.com}

FBI Director Kash Patel sued the Atlantic and staff writer Sarah Fitzpatrick in federal court, alleging that the magazine ran a “sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece” against him on Friday with the intention of marring his reputation.

In the complaint, filed in federal district court in D.C. on Monday, Patel says he is seeking $250 million in damages plus any proceeds from the article.

The Atlantic’s article contained extensive reporting – attributed to anonymous people – alleging Patel engaged in “excessive drinking” and “unexplained absences” while leading the FBI. The FBI declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The complaint alleges that several incidents detailed in the article are defamatory. These incidents include that Patel was often intoxicated with White House and Trump administration staff, that meetings had to be rescheduled following nights on which he drank, and that staff had to use “breaching equipment” to access rooms when Patel had reportedly been unreachable.

“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our journalists against this meritless lawsuit,” Anna Bross, a spokeswoman for the Atlantic, said in a statement to The Washington Post.

The Post has not independently verified the Atlantic’s reporting.

Under defamation law, Patel – as a public official – would probably have to demonstrate that the Atlantic acted with “actual malice,” a legal standard established in the landmark 1964 Supreme Court decision in New York Times v. Sullivan.

To reach that standard, Patel would have to prove not only that the Atlantic’s claims were false but also that they knew they were false and published with reckless disregard for the truth. “They are so demonstrably and obviously false, or easily refuted,” the complaint said of the allegations, “that it was at best reckless to publish them.”

On Friday, Jesse R. Binnall, an attorney for Patel, posted on social media a letter sent earlier that day to Fitzpatrick and David Baumgarten, the Atlantic’s general counsel. “Should you publish these false allegations, Director Patel will take swift legal action to uphold his reputation,” Binnall wrote in the letter. In his accompanying post on X, Binnall said the Atlantic was “on notice” that its reporting was false and defamatory. “They published anyway,” he wrote. “See you in court.”

“Defamatory speech is not free speech, and it is an honor to represent Kash Patel in this lawsuit seeking accountability for The Atlantic article’s malicious falsehoods,” Binnall said in a statement to The Post on Monday.

Patel, formerly a staunch critic of the FBI, has led the bureau since February 2025.

Since taking the job, Patel has overseen a purge of dozens of career agents, many of whom were involved in investigations of President Donald Trump and his allies, and has shifted bureau resources from intelligence gathering and complex investigations of white-collar fraud toward assisting in Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts and policing violent crime.

Those efforts have at times been overshadowed by public scrutiny of Patel’s personal life. His frequent use of an agency Gulfstream jet for various trips, including to visit his girlfriend, a country music singer, and to see the 2026 Milan Olympics, has drawn public criticism.

During his Olympics trip, a video circulated showing Patel drinking beer with members of the U.S. men’s hockey team during a locker room celebration of their gold medal win.

Federal regulations require the FBI director to use government aircraft for all travel. Patel and his spokespeople have maintained that he uses the jet for personal trips far less than his predecessors. He flew to Milan for official meetings with law enforcement partners in Italy, they said, before he attended the hockey game.

Patel’s boss, Trump, has sued several news outlets following unfavorable coverage.

Trump, who has for years called the media “the enemy of the American people” has sued several news organizations for defamation over critical reporting about him, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the BBC. Some, including ABC and CBS, have settled with Trump out of court.

Trump has long railed against the Atlantic, deriding the publication as a “failing Radical Left Magazine” and its editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, as a “con man.” Last year, Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal group chat where Defense Department officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, detailed military plans for strikes in Yemen.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Scott Nover, Jeremy Roebuck 

Apple has announced a major leadership change, with CEO Tim Cook set to step down and John Ternus taking over the role, marking a significant transition for the company after more than a decade under Cook’s leadership.

The transition has been in progress behind the scenes for some time, but is now entering a public phase. It is expected to be finalized later this year.

As part of the shift, Cook will move into the position of executive chairman of Apple’s board, while Ternus, who currently serves as senior vice president of hardware engineering, will assume the role of chief executive officer. Following Ternus’s move, Johny Srouji will expand his responsibilities, and Tom Marieb will also take on a more direct role within the company.

The leadership change is scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2026, when Ternus officially replaces Cook as CEO. In the interim, Srouji and Marieb are stepping into their expanded roles immediately to support the transition.

Apple confirmed the leadership change in an official Newsroom announcement, stating that the board unanimously approved the move following a long-term succession planning process.

Cook will remain in his position as CEO through the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover. In his new role as executive chairman, Cook is expected to focus on select company matters, including engagement with policymakers around the world—a role that reflects his experience in global relations over the past decade.

In a statement included in the announcement, Cook reflected on his tenure and expressed confidence in his successor.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company. I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world,” said Cook. “John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future. I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman.”

Ternus also issued a statement, expressing gratitude and outlining his vision for the company’s future.

“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” said Ternus. “Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another. I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us. I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.”

Cook has led Apple since 2011, when he succeeded Steve Jobs, who passed away later that year.

During Cook’s leadership, Apple’s market value has grown dramatically, rising from under $350 billion to approximately $4 trillion.

He has overseen every iPhone release since the iPhone 4S, along with the introduction of major products and services including the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Pay, Apple Vision Pro, and the company’s transition from Intel processors to its own Apple silicon in Mac computers.

Cook also expanded Apple’s services division, driving significant growth in the App Store and launching platforms such as Apple Maps, Apple Music, and Apple TV, further reshaping the company’s business model.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli officials are bracing for the possibility that negotiations between the United States and Iran could break down, with preparations underway for a potential return to military confrontation as the ceasefire approaches its end.

The political-security cabinet convened Monday for an urgent session, along with additional smaller consultations, amid growing concern in Jerusalem that talks may fail. While Washington is pushing toward an agreement, Israeli officials believe Iran’s conduct is making meaningful progress increasingly difficult.

A senior Israeli official, speaking to Channel 12 News, described the deep uncertainty surrounding Tehran’s intentions. “We do not have clear and solid information regarding Iran’s responses, but we find it hard to believe that the current regime, with the extremist elements in the Revolutionary Guards, will agree to a complete surrender of enriched uranium and the dismantling of its nuclear project,” the official said.

In recent days, Israel has shared detailed intelligence with U.S. officials indicating that Iran is using the ceasefire period to rebuild its military capabilities. According to Israeli assessments, Tehran is taking advantage of the pause in fighting to reposition and restore critical components. “Every day without an agreement is good in terms of pressure and economic strangulation on Iran, but bad in terms of Iran rebuilding and redeploying its military assets. That is the equation,” the senior official explained.

Israeli officials believe Iran is deliberately pursuing a strategy of delay, confusion, and deception, in part due to internal disagreements over the terms of a deal. As a result, several possible scenarios are being considered, including an extension of negotiations, incremental progress, or a return to limited hostilities.

At the same time, another Israeli source told Kan News that Israel is prepared to resume fighting against Iran “with American approval.”

So far, no agreement has been reached between Washington and Tehran on the nuclear issue. “We are all waiting for Trump, but at this stage the sides are not close to any agreements,” the senior official said.

In contrast, Al Jazeera reported that President Donald Trump indicated a deal with Iran could be signed as early as Monday in Pakistan.

Amid reports that talks could resume in Pakistan, Israeli officials told Channel 13 News that the provisions currently under discussion—and especially those not being addressed—are a major cause for concern. In Jerusalem, officials are particularly troubled that the missile issue is not part of the negotiations, a gap that could allow Iran to continue producing large numbers of ballistic missiles without restriction. The issue of enriched uranium also remains unresolved.

Earlier, Trump said in an interview with the New York Post that he would be willing to meet directly with senior Iranian officials if a breakthrough is achieved in the negotiations. His comments come at a peak moment of tension, just one day before the ceasefire is set to expire, and as Israeli officials assess that the U.S. president is still aiming to secure a deal despite increasingly forceful rhetoric. At the same time, Trump made clear that he would not hesitate to take military action if the talks collapse.

President Donald Trump said he is pressing Pope Leo XIV with pointed questions over the pontiff’s continued opposition to the war with Iran, escalating a growing public disagreement between the two leaders.

In an early morning interview with The New York Post, Trump said he is seeking clarity from the pope regarding his stance on Iran’s actions and nuclear ambitions. “Why does the pope think it is fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon and to kill 42,000 unarmed protesters?” Trump said.

The president voiced frustration with the criticism coming from the American-born pontiff as a two-week ceasefire in the conflict nears its expiration on Wednesday.

“This is one of the most important wars. I said to the pope you can’t allow them to have a nuclear weapon because they will use it and millions of people will be dead, including Italians and Catholics around the world,” Trump said.

“And you can’t allow a country to kill 42,000 unarmed protesters, many of which were young people who they hanged from a crane in a public square.”

The Vatican press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump has argued that his strategy is aimed at securing long-term peace by weakening Iran’s military capabilities and nuclear program, while expressing irritation at repeated rebukes from the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV has called for an end to what he described as the “madness of war” and has criticized leaders who initiate armed conflict, referring to them as “arrogant.”

During a Palm Sunday mass on March 29, the pope said, “God ‘does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.’”

Trump has responded by dismissing the pope’s position as misguided, calling him naive and “terrible for foreign policy.”

The dispute has also intersected with comments from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who publicly invoked Christianity while expressing support for the U.S. military campaign.

As tensions between Trump and the pope intensified, the president also drew attention earlier this month by sharing an image on Truth Social that appeared to depict him as Yoshkah performing a miracle.

The image was later removed, with Trump explaining that he believed it portrayed him as a doctor.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s initiative to declassify government records on unidentified flying objects could bring to light information that even U.S. defense and intelligence agencies are unable to explain, according to Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb.

Trump announced in February that federal agencies would begin identifying and releasing documents related to UFOs—also referred to as unidentified aerial phenomena—pointing to strong public interest and a push for greater transparency.

More recent remarks from the president suggest that the first batch of files could be released “very, very soon,” with officials preparing materials that may include radar readings, satellite images, and military footage.

Loeb, speaking during an appearance on Newsmax TV’s “Wake Up America,” said conversations with lawmakers, along with his own research, indicate that the government is dealing with sightings it cannot fully explain.

“We spoke for about 90 minutes, and it definitely looks like there are objects that either the intelligence agencies or the Pentagon cannot figure out,” Loeb said. “And that’s what makes life interesting.”

The forthcoming release is expected to appear on a government platform—widely believed to be Aliens.gov—as part of a broader effort to consolidate information about UFO encounters and possible extraterrestrial evidence.

Loeb cautioned, however, that not all material will be made available to the public due to national security concerns involving sensitive detection systems and defense capabilities.

“I expect only parts that relate to national security to be redacted or not released at all,” he said. “But it’s really something that all of us should have a look at.”

He stressed that any conclusions drawn from the data must be rooted in scientific analysis rather than speculation.

“It’s all about the data,” Loeb said. “It’s not a matter of belief or conviction or opinion. It’s all about looking at the data and seeing what it means.”

Loeb, who leads Harvard’s Galileo Project, said his team intends to independently examine any released information using advanced observation methods and artificial intelligence.

“We don’t just wait for the government to tell us what is out there in the sky, because we can build telescopes and observe it,” he said.

His research group uses triangulation and machine learning to calculate distances, speeds, and flight paths of unidentified objects, seeking to determine whether any surpass known human technological capabilities.

“We are still searching for something that is not human made,” Loeb said. “Anything human made is boring as far as I’m concerned.”

While speculation has long surrounded government secrecy on UFO sightings, Loeb suggested that the more likely explanation for limited disclosure is uncertainty rather than concealment of extraterrestrial life.

“The most reasonable scenario that I can imagine is there are things that the government cannot figure out,” he said, noting that officials may be reluctant to reveal gaps in knowledge or expose classified technologies.

At a minimum, Loeb argued that increased transparency could enhance national security by improving the ability to detect and analyze unidentified objects, pointing to past incidents such as the Chinese spy balloon that initially went unnoticed.

Still, the potential significance extends beyond defense considerations.

“If we find that we are not alone, that would be the biggest revelation ever made,” Loeb said. “And I think it will bring us to a better place.”

During his current visit to Chicago, Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, created a memorable moment when he signed a baseball for local educator Reb Daniel Harris—the latest addition to an unconventional collection.

Rav Hirsch has been visiting Chicago to garner support for the Olam HaTorah in Eretz Yisroel. Amid the many gatherings and meetings, the brief interaction with Harris stood out, blending warmth, personality, and a touch of creativity.

The baseball that the gadol hador signed joins a growing collection that Harris has been assembling for years—baseballs bearing the signatures of various rabbonim. What began as a simple idea has evolved into a project, with Harris seeking out opportunities to have leading figures in the Torah world sign baseballs.

Those close to the rosh yeshiva noted that the gesture was entirely in character. Rav Hirsch is known for going out of his way to be mesameiach another Yid, even in the midst of a demanding schedule. Signing the baseball, while unconventional, was seen as a simple act of chesed, an opportunity to bring simcha to another person.

Harris’s collection includes signatures from various rabbinic figures, with one notable example being a baseball signed by Rav Aharon Lichtenstein bearing the inscription: “Aharon Lichtenstein, who strives for stardom in another league.”

Other Harris baseballs have been signed by Rav Gedaliah Schwartz and Rav Berel Wein.

President Donald Trump said Monday that a potential agreement now under discussion with Iran would significantly outperform the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), sharply criticizing the earlier deal while outlining expectations for the new negotiations.

“The DEAL that we are making with Iran will be FAR BETTER than the JCPOA,” Trump wrote, describing the 2015 agreement as “one of the Worst Deals ever made” and asserting that it created “a guaranteed Road to a Nuclear Weapon.”

He emphasized that any arrangement currently being pursued would firmly block Iran from acquiring nuclear arms. Trump said the deal currently being worked on “will not, and cannot” allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

In the same message, Trump revisited financial criticisms of the JCPOA, pointing to $1.7 billion in cash transferred to Iran and claiming that the Islamic Republic received hundreds of billions of dollars under the agreement.

He argued that had he not withdrawn from the deal, “Nuclear Weapons would have been used on Israel, and all over the Middle East, including our cherished U.S. Military Bases.”

Trump added that a deal negotiated under his leadership would “guarantee Peace, Security, and Safety, not only for Israel and the Middle East, but for Europe, America, and everywhere else.”

The statement followed comments earlier in the day in which Trump said he still expects planned negotiations with Iran in Pakistan to move ahead, despite public signals from Tehran raising doubts about participation.

“We’re supposed to have the talks,” Trump told the New York Post, expressing confidence that the process remains intact and adding that he assumes “nobody’s playing games.”

He confirmed that Vice President JD Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff, and adviser Jared Kushner have already traveled to Islamabad in preparation for the discussions.

Trump also indicated he would consider direct engagement with top Iranian officials if talks advance, saying, “I have no problem meeting them.”

Reiterating the administration’s central demand, Trump said Iran must fully abandon its nuclear ambitions, declaring there “will be no nuclear weapon.” He added that Iran stands to benefit economically if it complies.

At the same time, Trump declined to elaborate on what actions the United States might take if negotiations collapse or Iran refuses to meet the conditions, saying only that the outcome “wouldn’t be pretty.”

A New York Post report cited earlier Monday indicated that Pakistani officials believe Iran may still join a second round of negotiations, despite earlier claims that it would not participate.

According to the report, Iran’s public position is being interpreted as a negotiating tactic aimed at gaining more favorable terms, while Pakistan is viewed by both sides as a trusted intermediary should talks proceed.

Uncertainty over Iran’s involvement persists as U.S. officials continue organizing for another round of diplomacy ahead of the approaching ceasefire deadline.

Channel 12 reported Sunday that recent discussions have centered on several possible components of a deal, including a 15-year suspension of uranium enrichment, converting existing uranium stockpiles into fuel, and establishing strict oversight of Iran’s nuclear facilities. The reported framework also includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the conflict, withdrawing U.S. forces, and easing economic sanctions.

{Matzav.com}