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The disruption to genizah collection services in Bnei Brak came to an end Tuesday after the financial dispute that had halted operations was resolved, allowing collection crews to return to work and preventing what officials feared could have become both a serious sanitation problem and a ruchniyus concern.

Collection teams from the city’s Vaad HaGenizah resumed removing genizah bags and emptying collection stations throughout Bnei Brak with reinforced crews, restoring the system to normal operation after several days of inactivity.

The shutdown began after municipal inspectors issued substantial parking fines to the collection trucks. According to reports, the penalties led to liens being placed on the operating organization’s bank accounts, forcing it to suspend collection services.

According to information obtained by Matzav.com, the outstanding debt stemming from the parking tickets was ultimately paid in full. Once payment was received, the lien on the Vaad HaGenizah‘s account was lifted, enabling the trucks to resume their regular routes.

Representatives of the Vaad HaGenizah, however, continue to maintain that the matter had been handled through direct understandings with the mayor’s office in an effort to prevent the collapse of the city’s genizah collection system.

Whatever the precise resolution, the immediate impact for Bnei Brak residents is that the crisis has been resolved. Collection trucks are now working to clear the backlog that accumulated during the shutdown, restoring proper disposal of genizah materials and helping preserve both the cleanliness of the city and the kavod due to sifrei kodesh.

{Matzav.com}

Preparations are intensifying in Vizhnitzer Center for the upcoming atzeres of protest known as Za’akas HaTorah, with organizers planning to transform the area near the home of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara into a functioning bais medrash filled with avreichim engaged in uninterrupted Torah study.

According to organizers, the initiative was ordered directly by the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, who instructed that hundreds of avreichim and bnei Torah arrive carrying gemaros and standers. The goal is to establish a vibrant outdoor bais medrash, conveying the message that the proper response to what participants describe as persecution of Torah is more Torah, more learning, and the powerful sound of kol Torah.

Organizers said the Za’akas HaTorah protest will take on a distinctly Torah-centered character. Rather than a conventional demonstration, participants intend to continue their regular seder halimud throughout the gathering. Leaders in Vizhnitz say the event is meant to give voice to the anguish felt by lomdei Torah, their wives, and their families over what they describe as the imprisonment of bnei Torah solely because of their dedication to learning.

At the same time, organizers say police have raised objections to holding the protest at the planned location near the attorney general’s residence. Sources within the chassidus said a final decision on the venue is expected Wednesday morning following additional consultations with law enforcement authorities.

{Matzav.com}

The Justice Department, joined by attorneys general from 17 states, filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit Tuesday accusing three of the country’s largest egg producers of conspiring to artificially drive up egg prices over a three-year period, while simultaneously announcing proposed settlements designed to prevent similar conduct in the future.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, alleges that Cal-Maine Foods, Hickman’s Egg Ranch, and Versova worked together between 2022 and 2025 to manipulate the benchmark prices published by Urner Barry, a market reporting company whose daily quotations help determine egg prices across the United States.

“No product more quintessentially represents affordability than the price Americans pay for eggs,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said.

“These actions prove this Department’s continued commitment to protecting competition and providing real relief for everyday Americans’ pocketbooks,” he added.

According to the complaint, company executives regularly communicated by phone and text message, encouraging one another to submit aggressive bids in order to drive benchmark prices higher. Prosecutors allege the effort was coordinated rather than competitive.

One executive at an egg cooperative allegedly remarked that the companies should “bid like they vote in Chicago, early and often.”

Federal investigators contend the companies agreed on both the timing and volume of their bids and carried out transactions at inflated prices in an effort to influence Urner Barry’s benchmark figures. Those benchmarks are widely used to set wholesale egg prices paid by grocery stores, restaurants, and other major buyers nationwide.

The complaint further alleges that benchmark egg prices “dropped significantly” after the companies were notified in March 2025 that the Justice Department had opened an investigation and ordered them to preserve relevant records.

“Food affordability is a top priority of the Antitrust Division,” former Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi said.

“These settlements resolve years of conduct that dragged on Americans’ finances and their everyday lives,” said Assefi.

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine said the department remains committed to pursuing companies that unlawfully increase the cost of basic necessities.

“The Antitrust Division is steadfast in our work to protect our nation’s citizens from illegal conduct that makes daily life less affordable,” she said, adding, “We are proud that these settlements will keep egg prices competitive and keep money in the hands of consumers across the country.”

If approved by the court, the proposed settlements would prohibit the companies from sharing information with competitors regarding bidding strategies, pricing decisions, or supply-and-demand data intended to influence benchmark price publications. The agreements would also ban coordinated bidding and trading practices.

The settlements further require each company to establish formal antitrust compliance programs, appoint compliance officers, and strengthen oversight of meetings involving industry cooperatives.

Cal-Maine Foods, the nation’s largest egg producer, denied the allegations.

The company said the communications cited by federal prosecutors involved a former employee, had no impact on egg prices, and were entirely lawful and appropriate under market conditions.

“The period reviewed by the DOJ was a particularly challenging time,” Cal-Maine CEO Sherman Miller said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal.

[COMMUNICATED]

When architect Liran Shukrun, Partner and CEO of Primovitz-Bas, first encountered Givat Hashalvah nearly four years ago, the plan on paper did not yet reveal what the place could become. It looked familiar: another residential plan near Yerushalayim, another hillside with buildings arranged across it. But the land itself was saying something larger. The site sat on a high ridge, facing south, with rare topography, open views toward Yerushalayim, and on clear days, even the sea. The opportunity was not in the drawing. It was in the place.

For Liran, that is where architecture begins. A skilled architect can design a building. The harder work is understanding the story of a place: what belongs here, specifically here, and nowhere else. In Givat Hashalvah, that story began to emerge when the team understood the families this project was being created for: frum families, many from the Anglo world, looking to build a meaningful life in Eretz Yisroel with community, quality, and shared values around them.

That insight changed the master plan. The goal became to make community visible in the architecture itself. Cars, access roads, and technical systems were placed underground so the surface could belong to people. In their place came courtyards, paths, schools, shuls, parks, and shared spaces connected along an east-to-west axis that stitches the neighborhood together. Instead of life being pushed around the buildings, the buildings began to revolve around the life between them.

That is the story inside the plan. Givat Hashalvah is not arranged as a collection of homes with amenities attached. It is shaped as a neighborhood where walking, meeting, davening, hosting, learning, and raising children can happen naturally. The question was never only what could be built on the hill. It was what kind of life the hill was asking to hold.

Explore Givat Hashalvah → https://go.lyo.group/3LxM3tz

The Trump administration has suspended federal funding for New York’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, accusing the state of failing to aggressively investigate and prosecute Medicaid fraud and warning that the funding freeze will remain in place unless significant improvements are made.

In a letter sent Tuesday to New York officials, Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General Thomas March Bell informed the state that millions of dollars in federal funding would be withheld through at least September. Bell argued that New York’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has not produced enough criminal indictments or convictions to justify continued federal support.

The action marks the second time this year that the administration has suspended funding for a state Medicaid fraud unit. It is part of a broader anti-fraud campaign that has included the creation of a federal task force, expanded investigations, delayed funding, stricter oversight of healthcare providers, and new compliance requirements. While the initiatives have affected every state, they have focused heavily on states led by Democrats.

The latest move also follows the administration’s earlier acknowledgment that it had relied on inaccurate figures when launching a Medicaid fraud inquiry involving New York.

New York Attorney General Letitia James immediately denounced the decision and pledged to challenge it in court.

“During my time as Attorney General, my office has recovered over $627 million for Medicaid and was recognized by this very administration for leading the nation in anti-fraud efforts,” she wrote. “We are considering all legal options to stop this outrageous action.”

Bell’s letter, addressed to James and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Director Amy Held, contends that New York has allowed investigations to move too slowly and has failed to obtain enough criminal convictions. It notes that among five comparably sized state Medicaid fraud units, New York recorded the fewest criminal fraud convictions between 2023 and 2025.

Although Bell acknowledged that New York deliberately chose to prioritize “high impact, complex fraud cases” instead of pursuing a larger number of smaller prosecutions, he argued that the strategy failed to deliver adequate results.

“Enough is enough,” Bell wrote. “The New York MFCU has failed to comply with the terms and conditions of its MFCU grant award.”

According to Bell, the funding suspension could be lifted before Sept. 30 if state officials take corrective action and demonstrate that they have addressed the deficiencies identified by the federal government. Otherwise, he warned, the freeze will remain in effect.

New York’s attorney general’s office defended its record, saying the unit has “long been recognized as a national leader in effectively investigating and prosecuting Medicaid fraud schemes,” including by the HHS inspector general itself. Officials also pointed to a 2025 federal report showing that New York was one of only four states responsible for half of all civil Medicaid fraud recoveries nationwide that year.

A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office added that the unit focuses its criminal prosecutions on business owners, corporate executives, and companies whose misconduct results in substantial financial recoveries for the Medicaid program.

The New York State Health Department also criticized the administration’s action.

“Under the leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State has taken concrete steps to root out waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid,” said Cadence Acquaviva, New York State Health Department spokesperson, in a statement. “We look forward to the day when these disingenuous attacks end.”

The funding suspension follows a similar decision involving Hawaii. Earlier this month, Bell informed Hawaii officials that federal support for the state’s Medicaid fraud unit would be cut after it went three years without securing a single Medicaid fraud indictment or conviction.

Joan Alker, executive director and co-founder of Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, questioned the logic behind the administration’s approach.

“If you want to fight fraud, don’t take away money from states’ fraud control units,” she said. “I chalk this up to more political theater to distract voters from historic Medicaid cuts before the midterms.”

For months, the Trump administration has argued that states—particularly those led by Democrats—have not done enough to combat fraud in public assistance programs such as Medicaid.

Federal officials have also required at least five states, four of them governed by Democrats, to provide detailed information explaining how they detect, prevent, and investigate Medicaid fraud.

In addition to New York and Hawaii, the administration has withheld certain Medicaid funds from Minnesota and California over fraud-related concerns. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024, accused President Trump of using the funding cuts as political retaliation.

The administration’s anti-fraud campaign has also expanded into Medicare. Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, recently announced a nationwide six-month moratorium on enrolling new hospice and home healthcare providers as part of the broader effort to combat fraud and abuse.

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli court has rejected a petition filed by the intelligence chief of the Gaza Division during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, paving the way for the IDF to continue proceedings to end his military service.

The ruling, issued Tuesday by the Administrative Court, dismissed the petition filed by Lt. Col. A., who served as the Gaza Division’s intelligence officer on the morning of the attack. The court also lifted a gag order that had prevented publication of details surrounding the case, at the request of the IDF.

The proceedings against the officer stem from the IDF’s internal investigations into the failures surrounding the October 7 massacre and the findings of a panel headed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman, which reviewed those investigations.

Based on the panel’s conclusions, the IDF Chief of Staff decided on November 23, 2025, that several senior commanders bore command responsibility for the failures leading up to and during the attack and should face disciplinary action. Lt. Col. A., who was serving as the Gaza Division’s intelligence chief at the time, was among those identified.

After the deputy chief of staff recommended terminating the officer’s career service commitment, the IDF began formal proceedings to consider his dismissal. Meetings of the review committee were scheduled several times but were postponed following requests submitted by the officer.

On March 23, 2026, Lt. Col. A. petitioned the court to prevent the committee from convening. A day later, the court temporarily halted the proceedings and imposed a publication ban while it considered the case.

In its ruling Tuesday, the court found that the IDF had acted lawfully and within its authority in initiating the dismissal process. The judges also ruled that the proceedings were properly based on the deputy chief of staff’s opinion and on findings attributing professional errors, operational failures, and command responsibility to the officer.

The court further held that IDF regulations permit the termination of career military service in cases involving professional or command failures and determined that the officer’s right to present his arguments had been fully protected throughout the process.

Following the ruling, the IDF announced that it will immediately resume the administrative proceedings to determine whether to terminate the military service of the officer who served as the Gaza Division’s intelligence chief during the October 7 attack.

A new international initiative aimed at weakening Hamas’ grip on Gaza is expected to begin within weeks, with the launch of humanitarian zones in areas outside the terrorist group’s control. The pilot program will reportedly start in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood near Rafah and is intended to separate Gaza’s civilian population from Hamas while expanding humanitarian assistance.

According to a report in Yisroel Hayom, preparations for the project are already underway. Under the plan, a multinational force operating under the Peace Council will deploy to Israel in the coming weeks and establish itself at a newly constructed base near the Gaza Strip. Those personnel are expected to be equipped with non-firearm weapons for maintaining public order while securing the humanitarian compounds.

At the same time, the Peace Council is reportedly identifying sites in communities bordering Gaza where large logistical warehouses will be established. These facilities are expected to serve as supply hubs for food, medicine, and other essential goods destined for the humanitarian shelters, with the goal of reducing Gaza civilians’ dependence on Hamas.

The initiative is based on Article 17 of the Trump agreement, which provides for temporary rehabilitation in areas cleared of Hamas control. According to officials involved in the plan, permanent reconstruction materials such as concrete will not be introduced at this stage. Instead, temporary housing units and essential public services will be provided.

The broader strategy envisions a two-pronged campaign. While the IDF continues expanding its operational presence beyond the so-called Yellow Line and further reducing Hamas-controlled territory, the Peace Council will seek to draw civilians into the new humanitarian zones, gradually depriving Hamas of its population base, territory, and resources.

The proposal has generated significant debate. Some residents of communities near Gaza argue that the plan should not proceed as long as Hamas remains armed and refuses to disarm. Others, including senior government officials and former high-ranking IDF officers, contend that isolating Hamas from the civilian population offers the best chance of dismantling the organization.

Security experts have nevertheless warned of potential risks. Although the plan provides for freedom of movement into and out of the humanitarian zones, critics caution that Hamas could exploit that freedom to maintain influence over civilian movement, similar to what they say occurred around previous aid distribution sites.

The Peace Council has also reportedly adopted a firm position regarding Gaza’s future governance. According to officials familiar with the discussions, neither the proposed technocratic committee nor the Palestinian Authority will be permitted to assume responsibility in Gaza while Hamas remains armed.

Those officials said that under the framework of the U.N. Security Council resolution and President Trump’s 20-point plan, the Palestinian Authority would not return to Gaza without major reforms, while the technocratic committee would not administer Hamas-controlled areas in order to avoid creating what they described as a “Lebanon model,” in which an armed group effectively dominates the state. Instead, the Peace Council and the committee would oversee only limited areas brought under the new framework. As one official put it, “No one intends to wait for Hamas.”

Meanwhile, the report says the U.S. administration continues to oppose a return to large-scale Israeli military operations in Gaza. In response, the IDF has reportedly intensified its campaign of targeted eliminations aimed at weakening Hamas. Israeli officials also insist that, despite residents’ concerns, the military will not withdraw from the Yellow Line and instead intends to deepen its operational hold in those areas.

Summarizing the government’s approach, one senior official said, “We are maneuvering within the American restrictions, increasing the pace of targeted eliminations while remaining below the threshold of international criticism—and that will continue as long as Hamas is unwilling to disarm.”

{Matzav.com}

A maggid shiur was rescued Monday evening after becoming lost and suffering minor injuries during a hike with his talmidim in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, California. The dramatic rescue followed more than four hours of searching and ended with an airlift just before sunset.

According to those who took part in the outing, the group had been hiking together when the maggid shiur began feeling unwell. He told the bochurim that he would remain near the trailhead while they continued the hike.

When the group returned to the agreed-upon meeting point, however, the maggid shiur was nowhere to be found.

Because the remote area had little or no cellphone reception, the bochurim were unable to contact him or immediately call for help. Once authorities were notified, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department launched a large-scale search involving ground search-and-rescue teams as well as aerial units.

After searching for more than four hours, rescue crews located the missing maggid shiur shortly before sunset.

Authorities determined that he had fallen while walking and sustained only minor injuries, including scrapes and other superficial wounds.

Given the rugged terrain, sheriff’s officials concluded that the safest way to evacuate him was by helicopter. He was airlifted from the mountains while conscious and listed in stable condition with minor injuries.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of renewed Jewish communities in Gaza, escalating threats from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Israel’s security coordination with Egypt during a wide-ranging interview Tuesday evening on Channel 14’s The Patriots.

Asked about Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s recent assertion that preparations are underway to establish three Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu declined to confirm or deny the claim, saying it is not always wise to publicly discuss sensitive strategic matters.

“The big question is, do you need to act or to speak? First and foremost, you need to be prepared to act and to speak, and sometimes it is best to separate the two. Therefore, I will not add anything further on this matter.”

The prime minister said Israel’s leaders must carefully weigh international considerations alongside domestic concerns when making major policy decisions.

“The art of diplomatic navigation is not confined to the domestic arena. We are a nation challenged by an international community facing terrible waves of antisemitism, and we must act prudently,” he said.

Reflecting on his approach to foreign policy, Netanyahu argued that effective diplomacy requires knowing when to compromise and when to stand firm.

“I think I bring a great deal of proven experience to this field. That means choosing precisely the areas where you must stand your ground against the world. Where you can say yes to friends, say yes. Where you need to say no, stand up for your interests. I believe we proved this just now in Lebanon. I do not have to defy the entire world at all times and at every single moment.”

Turning to Turkey, Netanyahu said he believes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s increasingly hostile rhetoric is tied to broader regional developments, particularly the weakening of Iran’s influence.

“I think what is happening in Turkey is a byproduct of Iran’s declining power,” he remarked.

Responding to Erdogan’s recent threats against Israel and his statements about Jerusalem, Netanyahu dismissed the Turkish leader’s aspirations.

“As for the things Erdogan is saying about wanting to destroy Israel and take back control of Jerusalem – I think he has forgotten that the 400 years of Ottoman Empire rule have ended.”

Netanyahu stressed that Israel is fully capable of defending itself against any external threat.

“Today, there is a strong nation here called Israel. There are the Israel Defense Forces, there is a people of Israel, and there is a government of Israel, and he would do well to calm down. We will not allow anyone to threaten our existence or jeopardize our security, and I think we have proven what we are capable of.”

When asked whether Erdogan’s statements worried him, Netanyahu responded succinctly: “Certainly.”

Addressing relations with Egypt, Netanyahu revealed that he has recently held discussions with Egyptian officials regarding security issues and implementation of existing agreements.

“I held discussions with the Egyptians and told them what I expect to be done, and some of it is already being carried out. These are matters that simply amount to fulfilling the agreement between us,” he said.

Netanyahu added that safeguarding Israel’s borders remains a top priority while noting that shifts in regional influence are constantly reshaping the Middle East.

“I believe we must secure our borders, but it must be understood: as one power declines, another rises. It has always been this way,” he added.

Closing the interview, the prime minister expressed confidence in Israel’s future and emphasized that the country must continue strengthening its position in the region.

“And do you know which power must continue to rise even faster? The State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly released government documents show that Israel has spent hundreds of millions of shekels on the prime minister’s official aircraft, Wing of Zion, while continuing to withhold key financial details—including the cost of individual flights—on national security grounds.

The figures, released by the Prime Minister’s Office in response to a request by the Movement for Freedom of Information and published by Ynet, indicate that the aircraft’s development and conversion cost 364.91 million shekels by the time the project was completed in December 2021.

It remains unclear, however, whether that figure includes the 76 million shekels paid to Australia’s Qantas airline to purchase the aircraft.

The newly disclosed total differs sharply from estimates previously published by Israel’s State Comptroller, which placed the overall cost of the project—including the purchase of the aircraft, its conversion into a state plane, installation of advanced communications and defense systems, and construction of supporting infrastructure—at approximately 729 million shekels.

After construction was completed, the aircraft remained in active preservation until August 2023, costing an additional 17.5 million shekels before entering operational service the following month. From 2023 through 2025, operating expenses totaled roughly 60 million shekels.

Operating costs in 2023 amounted to 6.27 million shekels. Those expenses climbed dramatically in 2024 to 34.18 million shekels, including 18.28 million shekels in fixed costs, 8.55 million shekels in variable expenses, and 7.35 million shekels in one-time expenditures for upgrades and equipment purchases.

Expenses declined in 2025 to 18.67 million shekels. According to the published figures, that amount included 13.17 million shekels in fixed costs and 5.5 million shekels in variable costs. The report also referenced an additional one-time expense of 9 million shekels but did not explain how that figure fit into the overall total.

Despite releasing some financial data, the Prime Minister’s Office declined to disclose the cost of individual flights, including expenditures for flight crews, security, fuel, catering, communications, and insurance.

The office said the information could not be released because “it is information whose detailed disclosure would harm state security or the security or safety of a person.”

Officials also refused to reveal the aircraft’s ongoing maintenance expenses, including repairs, interior upkeep, design modifications, and protective upgrades, citing the same security concerns.

Attorney Hidi Negev, executive director of the Movement for Freedom of Information, criticized the lack of transparency, saying, “From the disclosure of the operating costs of ‘Wing of Zion,’ we know that it is a far more expensive alternative than leasing an aircraft for the prime minister’s use.”

He added, “It is infuriating that the Prime Minister’s Office is still concealing essential information about the costs, from the one-time upgrades to ‘Wing of Zion’ totaling 7.35 million shekels to the breakdown of the fixed annual payments, all under the pretext of ‘harm to state security.’ We will continue fighting to demand full transparency.”

{Matzav.com}

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Israel following the Israeli government’s official recognition of the Armenian Genocide, accusing Israel of hypocrisy and rejecting the decision outright.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting at the presidential complex, Erdogan responded publicly for the first time to Sunday’s Israeli cabinet decision recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

“We do not take the slander against our country by a criminal network seriously in the slightest. Israel’s hands are stained with the blood of 73,000 innocent Gazans, most of them women and children,” Erdogan said. “There is no oppression, massacre, colonialism, or genocide in our history. Our glorious history is one of mercy.”

Erdogan continued by defending Turkey’s historical legacy, insisting that the Ottoman and Turkish record was marked by justice rather than persecution.

“In our glorious history, spanning thousands of years, there has only been justice and compassion,” he said. “A helping hand was always extended to the oppressed, regardless of their religion, origin, or identity.”

The Turkish president further praised his country’s historical role as a refuge for the persecuted.

“We are members of a great nation with a rich history,” Erdogan said. “For centuries, we have helped the fallen, rushed to the aid of those in distress, and opened our doors to those seeking refuge in our country. We gave shelter to those fleeing the Inquisition and Nazi persecution.”

The Armenian Genocide began in April 1915, when Ottoman authorities arrested, deported, and killed hundreds of Armenian intellectuals, community leaders, and public figures in Constantinople. After eliminating the community’s leadership, the Ottoman government carried out a systematic campaign against the Armenian population. Armenian men were conscripted into forced labor and later executed, while women, children, and the elderly were deported from their homes and forced on death marches toward the Syrian desert. During those marches, countless Armenians died from mass killings, starvation, and deliberate deprivation of food and water. Historians estimate that approximately 1.5 million Armenians were killed, while an ancient cultural and historical presence in Anatolia was largely destroyed.

Despite extensive historical documentation, Turkey has consistently rejected the characterization of the events as genocide and has been accused by critics of promoting decades of official denial and historical revisionism. To date, 32 countries have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide through parliamentary resolutions, legislation, or official government declarations.

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that no agreement was ever reached with President Trump to end the war in Ukraine, contradicting months of Kremlin claims that last August’s summit in Alaska produced a framework for peace.

Speaking to Russian state television on Sunday, Putin conceded that the meeting in Anchorage did not result in any signed accord.

“There were indeed no agreements reached in Anchorage,” Putin told a state television reporter on Sunday.

“Nobody signed anything, but we discussed certain possibilities for ending the conflict in Ukraine, and the compromises that were discussed were precisely those proposals that were put forward by the American side to us,” the Russian leader added.

Putin’s remarks marked a sharp departure from the Kremlin’s longstanding narrative. For months, Russian officials portrayed the Alaska summit as a major diplomatic breakthrough, insisting that a roadmap to end the conflict had been established but later stalled because of Ukraine’s refusal to move forward.

Following the summit, Putin publicly declared that the proposed arrangement would “pave the path toward peace in Ukraine.” President Trump, while describing the discussions as “extremely productive,” cautioned at the time that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

Despite that, senior Russian officials continued to insist an agreement had effectively been reached. Last week, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the Trump administration of abandoning what he described as the understanding reached in Alaska, calling the summit a “U.S. ploy to buy time to rearm the Kyiv regime.”

Lavrov also maintained that Putin had accepted a peace proposal put forward by the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected those assertions, saying there was never a finalized agreement between the two sides.

“If there had been an agreement, we would have had an end of the war,” Rubio told reporters.

Rubio also argued that Moscow’s demands have remained a major obstacle to any settlement, noting, “Russia wants the entirety of Donetsk to be turned over to them, among some other things.”

French President Emmanuel Macron likewise said earlier this month that President Trump acknowledged during the G-7 summit that Russia was not genuinely interested in ending the war.

Putin’s comments come as Russia faces mounting military pressure. Ukrainian forces have recently reclaimed territory for the first time in years, aided largely by increasingly effective drone operations that have challenged Russian battlefield tactics.

Ukraine has also expanded its long-range drone campaign inside Russia. On Tuesday, Kyiv announced that it had successfully struck one of Russia’s largest satellite communications facilities.

Even so, Putin signaled that Moscow is not ready to end the fighting. He said Sunday that Russia expects U.S.-mediated peace negotiations to resume only after the “hot phase” of the conflict with Iran has passed.

Putin also disclosed that Ukraine recently presented “new proposals” regarding a possible settlement involving the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions, but dismissed the initiative as an attempt by Kyiv to buy time to rebuild and reinforce its military.

{Matzav.com}

Justice Samuel Alito sharply criticized the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Trump’s effort to limit birthright citizenship, calling the ruling one of the court’s most consequential decisions while warning that it will have profound consequences for the nation’s future.

In a 6-3 decision issued Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump’s executive order, signed on the first day of his second term, violated the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which grants automatic U.S. citizenship to nearly every child born on American soil regardless of the immigration status of the child’s parents.

The administration had argued that automatic citizenship should apply only to children born to at least one U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, saying the Constitution does not require broader eligibility.

Writing in dissent, Alito argued that the majority’s decision could produce what he described as “grotesque results,” warning that it would encourage “birth tourism” and create potential national security concerns.

“If the Fourteenth Amendment required these results, the country would have to live with them or amend the Constitution,” he wrote. “But the Fourteenth Amendment does not include the rule the Court now imposes on the country.

“In my judgment, the Court has made a mistake that will seriously affect the country’s future,” he continued.

Alito also faulted the majority for, in his view, relying “on precedent that glosses the text” of the Citizenship Clause, arguing that the court’s reasoning “fails on textualist grounds.”

He focused in particular on the constitutional phrase “subject to the jurisdiction of,” contending that the majority overlooked the implications of dual nationality for children born to illegal immigrants.

“A great many persons who are born here to illegal immigrant parents fail this test because at birth they are automatically made nationals of their parents’ native country and, as a result, incur duties to that country,” Alito wrote. “This means that they are ‘subject to a foreign power’ and are thus not ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States within the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment.”

The justice also pointed to the issue of “birth tourism,” in which pregnant foreign nationals travel to the United States so their children will automatically receive American citizenship. The practice has been cited by Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, as a reason to tighten the nation’s birthright citizenship laws.

“Careful analysis of the text of the Fourteenth Amendment and the process that led to its adoption shows that it does not degrade the concept of United States citizenship in this way,” Alito wrote. “Instead, the Fourteenth Amendment confers citizenship on only those children who, at birth, owe allegiance solely to this country.”

Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, joined by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the court’s three liberal justices. Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Alito dissented.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that President Trump’s executive order should not take effect, but he disagreed with the majority’s legal reasoning and voted separately to block the administration’s policy.

{Matzav.com}

A dangerous heat wave sweeping across the East Coast and Midwest is expected to drive electricity demand to unprecedented levels this week, pushing major U.S. power grids close to their limits as soaring temperatures combine with rapidly growing energy consumption from data centers and electric vehicles.

PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest regional grid operator, is forecasting electricity demand to reach 166.3 gigawatts Thursday evening—surpassing the previous summer record of 165.6 gigawatts that was set in 2006. The grid serves approximately 67 million customers across the Mid-Atlantic, parts of the South, and Washington, D.C.

Officials at PJM have also prepared for what they describe as the “unlikely but plausible scenarios of up to 169 GW of demand,” reflecting concerns that electricity use could climb even higher if temperatures or other conditions worsen.

To meet expected demand, PJM said it has roughly 180.2 gigawatts of available generating capacity. In addition, it can draw on programs capable of reducing demand by another 8 gigawatts by compensating customers who voluntarily cut back on electricity use during emergency conditions.

Forecasters expect temperatures to climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit from Boston through Washington, D.C., including Northern Virginia, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of data centers. The extreme heat is expected to send air-conditioning use soaring, placing additional stress on the electric grid just before the July 4 holiday.

“When temperatures and humidity spike, increased demand for air conditioning can strain generation and transmission resources,” warned New York ISO, the grid operator for New York state. Peak demand in New York is expected to approach 32 GW on Thursday, just shy of the record of nearly 34 GW, according to NYISO’s forecast on Monday.

Similar concerns are emerging farther west. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), which oversees the power grid across 15 states in the Midwest and South, expects electricity demand to come close to its all-time record of 127.1 gigawatts.

To help satisfy that demand, MISO is expected to rely in part on electricity imported from PJM. However, PJM officials have repeatedly cautioned that the grid is facing “a ⁠fundamental mismatch between how fast demand is growing and how quickly new supply can be built and connected to the grid.”

In a report released in May, PJM outlined the mounting pressures facing the system, stating, “The region simultaneously faces hyperscale data centers adding load at an unprecedented pace, accelerated policy- and economically-driven retirements of generation, and new power plants that now take roughly twice as long to build and cost twice as much as they did a decade ago.”

As a result, the grid is operating with relatively little margin for error should major power plants unexpectedly go offline or transmission bottlenecks worsen during periods of peak demand.

Those concerns were reflected Monday evening, when wholesale electricity prices on the PJM system briefly skyrocketed above $1,600 per megawatt-hour after spending much of the day below $40 per megawatt-hour. Grid officials said the dramatic spike was driven by severe congestion on high-voltage transmission lines during the evening’s peak electricity usage.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF and the ISA announced that they have eliminated several senior terrorists in a series of targeted operations across the Gaza Strip, including the commander of Hamas’ Yibna Battalion in Rafah and two Islamic Jihad operatives who participated in the October 7 massacre and continued directing terrorist activity during the war.

Among those killed was Mohammad Fathi Abd al-Hay Abu Fakher, commander of the Yibna Battalion in Hamas’ Rafah Brigade. According to the IDF, he had recently been working to rebuild the battalion by recruiting new terrorists, overseeing their training, and restoring its operational capabilities for future attacks against Israeli forces.

The military said Abu Fakher was a longtime Hamas commander who also served as one of the senior figures in the military wing’s Supply Department. For roughly two decades, he played a major role in Hamas’ weapons-smuggling network, helping bring arms into the Gaza Strip and ensuring the organization received the equipment and resources needed to sustain its terrorist operations.

In a separate strike carried out Sunday in southern Gaza, the IDF and ISA eliminated Talal Jaber Mohammad Abd al-Aal, an Islamic Jihad terrorist who held several positions within the organization.

According to the military, Abd al-Aal led a terrorist cell that crossed into Israel during the October 7 massacre. During the ongoing war, he was also involved in holding Israeli hostages who were being held by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in southern Gaza.

The IDF said the operation was carefully planned to reduce the risk of civilian casualties, employing precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance before carrying out the strike.

On Monday, Israeli forces conducted another targeted strike in central Gaza, killing Ali Qaid Mohammed Stitan, a Nukhba platoon commander in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.

The military said Ali Qaid infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre and had continued throughout the war, including in recent days, to plan and promote terrorist attacks against both IDF troops and Israeli civilians. Officials said he posed an immediate operational threat and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike.

The IDF said that, as with the previous operations, extensive precautions were taken before the strike to minimize harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial intelligence.

The military added that IDF troops operating under the Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue acting against any immediate threats to Israeli forces or civilians.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every morning, the same scene plays out, and it’s enough to drive anyone crazy.

Parents walk their children to the school or camp bus as though the rest of the world has all day to wait. They stroll across the street at a snail’s pace, stop to chat, give one more hug, adjust a backpack, wave goodbye for the tenth time, and meanwhile a line of cars stretches farther and farther down the block.

What is so hard about crossing the street briskly, getting your child onto the bus, and moving out of the way?

Why does it have to mean moving in slow motion? Why does a process that should take 20 seconds somehow stretch into two or three minutes?

Have a little consideration for everyone else who is trying to get to work, make appointments, drop off their own children, or simply continue driving. Believe it or not, other people have schedules too.

The street is not your front yard. It is not a social gathering. It is certainly not a fashion runway.

And once your child is already on the bus, why are some of you still standing in the middle of the road chatting with neighbors as if there isn’t a line of cars waiting? Save the conversation for the sidewalk.

The rest of us should not have to sit there while you take your sweet time because, apparently, everyone else’s schedule matters less than yours.

Here’s a novel idea: When the bus arrives, be ready. Walk with a purpose. Get your child on the bus. Wave goodbye. Then get out of the street. It really is that simple.

Your child is the center of your world, and that’s wonderful. But to everyone else, he’s just another kid getting on a bus. Get him on, wish him a good day, and clear the road. No one else is interested in watching a five-minute farewell every morning.

A little courtesy goes a long way. Unfortunately, it seems to be in very short supply these days.

Sincerely,

A Frustrated Driver

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

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New York City is preparing to begin enforcing its newly approved pied-à-terre tax, with thousands of owners of luxury second homes expected to receive official notices in the coming weeks informing them that their properties may be subject to the new surcharge.

Under proposed regulations released by the Mamdani administration, the city’s Department of Finance plans to notify affected property owners by Aug. 30 if their homes have been identified as qualifying for the tax.

The regulations also give the Department of Finance broad investigative authority. The agency will be able to issue subpoenas and examine records dating back six years to determine whether a property qualifies for the surcharge or should be exempt.

The tax applies to one-, two-, and three-family homes valued at $5 million or more, as well as co-ops and condominiums assessed at $1 million or higher, provided they are not used as the owner’s primary residence and remain unoccupied. The surcharge was authorized by the New York State Legislature.

To discourage attempts to avoid the tax, the proposed rules authorize the city to impose penalties equal to 50% of the tax owed on owners who submit false, inaccurate, or misleading information.

City officials specifically cited as an example “a condominium property [that] has been divided into more than three units to avoid application of the surcharge and such division was made in bad faith.”

The regulations explain the reasoning behind the penalty, stating, “This provision would promote compliance with the surcharge by increasing the potential cost of evasion by property owners while ensuring that such property owners are afforded an opportunity to challenge the imposition of such penalties.”

Owners who receive surcharge notices will have 30 days to dispute the assessment. Appeals may be filed with the city’s Tax Commission or, in certain cases, directly with the Department of Finance.

The tax is a centerpiece of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s effort to increase taxes on wealthy property owners who maintain luxury residences in New York City without living in them full time.

City officials estimate the measure will generate between $340 million and $500 million annually from roughly 10,000 high-end second homes across the five boroughs.

For qualifying one- to three-family homes, the surcharge will range from 0.8% to 1.3%, depending on the property’s value. Co-ops and condominiums will face higher rates beginning at 4% and rising to 6.5% for units valued above $5 million.

Real estate professionals say the higher rates on co-ops and condos reflect the city’s belief that its current property assessment system undervalues those properties, allowing the new tax to generate greater revenue.

The Department of Finance is expected to reassess the value of co-ops and condominiums in approximately two years as part of the tax’s planned second phase. Unless renewed by the state Legislature, the program is scheduled to expire in 2031.

The real estate industry has long opposed the tax, arguing that determining which properties qualify will be complicated and that implementation will almost certainly trigger legal challenges.

Industry representatives have also warned that cooperative apartment boards could face additional administrative burdens because they will be responsible for helping collect the surcharge from shareholders who own affected apartments.

“The Department of Finance’s proposed rules highlight the serious challenges of implementing the second-home tax fairly,” said Zachary Steinberg, executive vice president of external relations and advocacy at the Real Estate Board of New York.

He added, “As the City rushes to roll out this new tax, many New Yorkers—particularly cooperative apartment owners who were never intended to be affected—may be hit with unexpected tax bills and little time to appeal.”

The proposed regulations will take effect after the public comment period concludes on July 9.

Most of the public comments submitted so far have supported the new tax, although critics have also voiced strong objections.

One anonymous commenter wrote, “Communism at its finest. This law will ensure that anyone with a second home here will be driven out of NYC if they have not already left. You are chasing your tax bases away.”

Others disagreed. Licensed real estate agent Mohamed Fathelbab argued, “I’m telling you all, this tax will not chase a single multimillionaire or billionaire away from the city. And the revenue that’ll come in will be of great benefit.”

Among those expected to be affected is billionaire Citadel founder Ken Griffin, whose annual New York City property tax bill is reportedly projected to increase by approximately $1.3 million to $1.4 million under the new surcharge. The tax was approved by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature at the request of Mayor Mamdani as part of an effort to boost city revenues.

Mamdani drew national attention earlier this year after releasing a viral video outside Griffin’s penthouse, pointing to the luxury residence as an example of the type of property the new pied-à-terre tax is designed to target.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz strongly condemned remarks made by Rav Aryeh Yazdi during the mass protest against the arrest of bnei yeshivah in Bnei Brak, after the rov harshly criticized IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir in comments that drew loud applause from the crowd.

Speaking at the rally, Rav Yazdi referred to a recent incident in which a soldier was reportedly sentenced to military detention after wearing a “Moshiach” patch on his uniform, blaming the decision on the chief of staff.

“The accursed chief of staff, may his name and memory be blotted out, sent a soldier to prison because he put on a Moshiach note. In the army they educate people toward the gravest transgressions in the Torah, in this impure state,” Rav Yazdi declared, prompting enthusiastic cheers from attendees.

In response, Katz issued a sharply worded statement condemning the remarks.

“I strongly condemn the severe inciting remarks that were made against the chief of staff at the rally in Bnei Brak,” Katz said.

He continued, “The chief of staff and the commanders of the IDF are leading our soldiers on every front in the campaign to defend the State of Israel and ensure the security of its citizens. Any incitement against them is unacceptable, dangerous, and deserves unequivocal condemnation.”

Katz added that while public disagreements are legitimate, attacks of this nature cross a red line.

“Even when there are public disagreements, it is forbidden to cross the red lines of incitement and attacks against those who bear the heavy responsibility of safeguarding the security of the state,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Senior Trump administration representatives have held direct meetings with Hamas officials in recent months as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate the terrorist group’s disarmament, according to a report by Kan News. The report comes as Hamas is said to be taking a significantly tougher position in the negotiations, complicating efforts to reach an agreement.

According to the report, Aryeh Lightstone, who serves both as an adviser to President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and as an adviser to Trump’s Peace Council, met directly with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya during the discussions.

Witkoff himself also previously held direct talks with al-Hayya, though those meetings reportedly focused on efforts to end the war and secure the release of all remaining hostages.

Israeli officials were aware of Lightstone’s meetings with the Hamas leader. According to a source familiar with the discussions, the meetings were part of the broader diplomatic initiative being led by former United Nations envoy Nickolay Mladenov aimed at securing Hamas’ disarmament.

Israeli sources told Kan News that Hamas has recently adopted a more rigid negotiating position. The talks have reportedly regressed considerably and are now centered on disagreements over what types of weapons would be classified as “heavy” or “light” arms under any future disarmament agreement.

Responding to the report, a spokesman for the Peace Council confirmed that negotiations have been ongoing in recent months.

“It is well known that in recent months, the Peace Council and its mediators have conducted several rounds of negotiations aimed at agreeing on a roadmap for disarmament in Gaza. We continue our diplomatic efforts to secure this objective while finalizing measures related to advancing governance, the rule of law, security, reconstruction, and economic development in Gaza,” the spokesman said.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday after a four-month absence, revealing for the first time that he had been hospitalized and treated for depression. His explanation ended months of speculation surrounding his disappearance from Congress, during which he missed more than 100 House votes.

Addressing fellow lawmakers from the House floor, Kean said he felt an obligation to explain what had kept him away from Washington and why his return had taken far longer than anyone expected.

“Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay,” Kean said. “I was given the diagnosis of depression.”

He explained that physicians urged him to remain hospitalized so he could receive intensive treatment, even though he initially struggled to accept that recommendation.

“The doctors recommended that I remain in the hospital to address my illness,” Kean said. “They explained to me that this would be the fastest way to recovery, and to be honest, I was hesitant. I didn’t think that I had time for it …. Like many people, I believed that I could simply push through.”

“But I agreed to follow my doctor’s recommendations again, not believing that it would result in a long-term stay,” Kean said.

Until Tuesday’s remarks, the congressman had disclosed almost nothing about his condition. In April, he issued only a brief statement saying he was dealing with a “personal medical issue,” offering no additional details.

Looking back on that announcement, Kean said he himself did not yet fully understand what he was facing.

“When I first informed the public that I was dealing with a medical issue, I was still trying to understand what was happening myself, when I said I hoped to return in a matter of weeks, I believed it,” Kean said on the House floor on Tuesday.

He noted that recovery from depression does not follow a predictable schedule.

“But as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better one day at a time,” Kean said.

Kean said his treatment has been successful and that he is ready to resume serving his district, telling colleagues he is now “healthier, stronger, and excited to return to the work that I love.”

At the beginning of his speech, Kean acknowledged that speaking about his personal life did not come easily, but said he believed he owed “an explanation to the people of New Jersey’s seventh district, the colleagues in this chamber, and to the American people for my absence.”

His extended disappearance from Washington had prompted widespread questions about his health and when—or whether—he would return. At one point, when questioned by The New York Times, his chief of staff replied, “There’s no cameras where Tom is.”

The prolonged absence also became a political issue as Kean prepares to seek another term representing New Jersey’s competitive 7th Congressional District, a seat widely viewed as one of the nation’s key battlegrounds.

During his remarks, Kean expressed gratitude to the residents of his district for standing by him, thanking them for their patience, understanding, and prayers throughout his recovery.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday that he had encouraged Kean to be more forthcoming about his condition.

“If it were me I would have been more specific about that. … It’s not an uncommon kind of condition and ailment that he’s been fighting, and I think people resonate with that. I think he’ll get a lot of empathy, because it’s something that’s very, very common,” he said.

Kean’s absence also complicated Republican leadership’s efforts in the narrowly divided House, where even a handful of missing GOP votes can determine the fate of party-line legislation.

Earlier this month, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) publicly criticized Kean’s absence.

“Where is he? No, seriously. It’s embarrassing,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) told TMZ earlier this month. “We’re supposed to be the party that is against campaigning from the basement.”

Despite his extended leave, President Trump endorsed Kean’s reelection campaign. Kean also told the New Jersey Globe that his illness has not affected his cognitive abilities.

Concluding his remarks, Kean said the experience gave him a greater understanding of the millions of Americans living with depression and encouraged others not to suffer in silence.

“This experience has given me a deeper appreciation for the millions of Americans who face these challenges each and every day. Many do so quietly. Many do so alone. Many do so like carrying burdens that the rest of us never see,” Kean said in his speech. “To them, I would say asking for help is not a weakness, it is a strength.”

{Matzav.com}