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Hagaon HaRav Shaul Alter, the Pnei Menachem Rosh Yeshiva, with a short message about the Nisyonos today.

Last night’s Chazaq Florida Gala had over 1000 participants. The keynote address was delivered by the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, HaRav David Yosef.

A federal bankruptcy judge has dealt an early blow to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s tenant-first agenda, rejecting the city’s attempt to block a massive $451 million real estate transaction involving the U.S. arm of Israeli firm Summit Properties. The deal covers more than 5,000 apartments spread across roughly 90 buildings in Brooklyn, most […]

President Trump announced a sweeping trade embargo against Iran on Monday, acting as lawmakers from both parties urged him to respond forcefully to the deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters across the country.

“Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“This Order is final and conclusive. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The announcement comes as Trump weighs a range of possible responses to the unrest in Iran, including both diplomatic engagement and military action. According to a source familiar with internal discussions, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and senior National Security Council officials met Friday to assemble a “suite of options” for the president, with potential airstrikes among them.

“One thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table and airstrikes would be one of the many, many options on the table for the commander in chief,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday.

Although Iran is already subject to extensive U.S. sanctions, the newly announced tariffs could significantly deepen its economic strain, particularly as unrest has intensified following the collapse of the local currency.

China remains Iran’s largest trading partner, accounting for more than a quarter of its total trade, according to World Bank data.

Other key commercial partners include Iraq, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and India.

Questions remain about how rigorously the new policy will be enforced.

Trump has previously moved to penalize countries purchasing Russian oil in an effort to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine, but that policy has been unevenly implemented.

At least 544 people have been killed during Iran’s protests, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Of those deaths, 496 were protesters and 48 were members of security forces.

At the same time, Trump is considering diplomatic overtures from Tehran, Leavitt said, as he decides whether to authorize military strikes.

Trump has repeatedly warned that he may step in to protect demonstrators. Speaking to reporters Sunday, he said that “Iran called to negotiate yesterday” and that “a meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”

Leavitt said the outreach was directed to special envoy Steve Witkoff and described it as markedly different from Iran’s public posture.

“There was an official from the Iranian government… that reached out to a member of the president’s very close team, special envoy Witkoff, expressing a far different tone than what you’re seeing publicly,” she said.

Publicly, Iranian leaders have struck a confrontational tone. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said “we are completely prepared” for war, while parliament speaker Baqer Qalibaf warned that Iran would “discipline” Trump.

“Diplomacy is always the first option for the president… What you’re hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite different from the messages the administration is receiving privately. I think the president has an interest in exploring those messages,” Leavitt said.

She added that Trump “has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary and nobody knows that better than Iran,” pointing to the June 22 U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“He certainly doesn’t want to see people being killed in the streets of Tehran. And unfortunately that’s something we are seeing right now,” Leavitt said.

Trump’s warnings of possible military intervention drew growing support on Capitol Hill Monday, even as an internet shutdown in Iran made it difficult to assess the latest developments on the ground.

“The reports coming out of Iran are horrific and absolutely unacceptable,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told The Post. “Yet many people don’t seem to care unless it involves Israel.

“I urge the Trump Administration to take immediate action to stop the killing of innocent civilians who are demanding freedom and liberty.”

Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) voiced confidence in the administration’s approach, saying Trump “has made clear that America stands with the Iranian people and I trust him and Secretary Rubio to take the proper actions to support freedom.”

“After last year’s decisive strike and our recent actions in Venezuela, the Ayatollah should have learned Donald J. Trump doesn’t play games. Together, we will Make Persia Great Again.”

Some Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, have cautioned against escalation, but support for intervention appears stronger than during last year’s crisis in Venezuela.

“If it continues to make more sense, absolutely,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) told CNN on Monday when asked whether Trump should intervene. “Iran is one of the world’s top terrorist underwriters. You now have that poisonous regime in a spiral, so why wouldn’t we want to support that and those brave protesters?”

One of the most vocal advocates for decisive action has been Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close Trump ally, who argues the moment presents a rare chance to reshape the Middle East and back Iranians who have lived under repression for decades.

“It is not enough to say we stand with the people of Iran,” Graham wrote on X. “The only right answer here is that we act decisively to protect protestors in the street—and that we’re not Obama—proving to them we will not tolerate their slaughter without action.”

“President Trump has been the first president to openly side with the people against the regime. That will be seen in history as the ultimate game changer,” Graham continued. “This is the best chance since 1979 to change the course of the Middle East. It is about acting decisively on their behalf.”

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met earlier today with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, underscoring the importance of the U.S.–Germany partnership in addressing shared global challenges.

SEC. KENNEDY: “If you look at the studies of the Pfizer vaccine — the people who got the vaccine had a 23% percent higher death rate from all causes.” MAHER: “But that could be the disease itself…” KENNEDY: “Then the vaccine doesn’t work, does it?”

NYT: Civilian-Looking U.S. Plane Used in Deadly Boat Strike * A secret U.S. aircraft painted to look civilian was used in a Sept. 2 strike on a boat the Trump administration said was smuggling drugs, killing 11 people. * The plane flew low enough to be seen, the boat turned back toward Venezuela, and two […]

MN AG ELLISON: “Enforcing federal immigration law and fighting fraud are just pretexts for this surge. The real reason is no secret. Donald Trump and his administration have been targeting people, cities, and states that don’t agree with them politically.”

Absolute chaos in Minneapolis as protesters harass federal agents outside a Somali-owned business

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured a stunning aurora on Sunday.

Tensions erupted Monday morning within the opposition, as Blue and White leader Benny Gantz and Democrats chairman Yair Golan traded public barbs following a Channel 12 report that Gantz is considering the formation of a unity government led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. According to the report, a senior Blue and White official said that […]

The Senate advanced a $174 billion, three-bill funding package in an 81–14 vote as lawmakers try to avoid a government shutdown. * The package does not include funding for the Department of Homeland Security, leaving a significant part of the government unfunded. * Sen. Chris Murphy says the recent ICE shooting has raised concerns about […]

Republican Rep. Randy Fine has introduced legislation calling for the annexation of Greenland and its admission as a U.S. state, arguing it is a vital national security asset for countering China and Russia in the Arctic. In a statement, Fine said the bill, called the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act, would allow the president to […]

Meta plans to cut approx 10% of employees in its Reality Labs division, which focuses on metaverse & virtual-reality products, as the company reallocates more resources toward AI. * The unit has 15,000 workers, and the layoffs could be announced as soon as Tuesday, with cuts possibly exceeding 10% of the division. * Mark Zuckerberg […]

⚠️ NYC NURSES STRIKE – PATIENTS URGED TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS As the massive nursing strike continues across multiple New York City hospitals, involving nearly 15,000 nurses, patient advocacy group Padvocate says it remains fully available to assist patients and families during and after the strike. Padvocate says it can help with care delays, communication […]

President Trump announces that all new AI data centers will get dedicated power from the tech companies, preventing higher electricity bills for Americans.

The Wall Street Journal reports President Trump has repeatedly complained to aides that Attorney General Pam Bondi is weak and ineffective, including over her handling of the Epstein files, which have kept Trump’s past relationship with Epstein in the spotlight. * Trump pushed Bondi to prosecute James Comey and Letitia James, but a judge dismissed […]

A large section of wall fell onto scaffolding and the street on East Burnside Avenue in Fordham Heights in the Bronx earlier today.

Wisconsin teenager admits to killing his parents in plan to assassinate President Trump and flee to Ukraine

Minnesota and Illinois filed federal lawsuits on Monday aimed at stopping an influx of immigration enforcement officers into their states, following the fatal shooting of a Minnesota woman by an ICE officer last week. The states argue the deployment violates constitutional limits and has endangered residents.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison brought the action in federal court against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other senior immigration officials, asking a judge to rule that the enforcement surge is unlawful and to block it from continuing.

State officials said the administration is singling out Minnesota for political reasons and engaging in racial profiling. They said they plan to seek an emergency order as early as Tuesday, when a court hearing is scheduled.
“The deployment of thousands of armed, masked DHS agents to Minnesota has done our state serious harm. This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities and Minnesota and it must stop,” Ellison said at a press conference, referencing Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Illinois launched a parallel lawsuit the same day, with Democratic Governor JB Pritzker accusing DHS of a “dangerous use of force.” The Illinois filing asks a judge to bar U.S. Customs and Border Protection from carrying out civil immigration enforcement in the state and to restrict practices such as deploying tear gas, entering private property without permission, and hiding license plates to obscure official activity.

Minnesota’s complaint also seeks specific limits on federal conduct, including prohibiting officers from threatening or displaying weapons toward individuals not subject to immigration arrest. It further asks the court to require visible identification, use of body cameras, and removal of face coverings that conceal officers’ identities.

The Department of Homeland Security rejected the lawsuit, accusing Ellison of putting politics ahead of safety. DHS pointed to Minnesota’s inclusion on a Justice Department list of jurisdictions it says obstruct enforcement of federal immigration laws.

“For years, these corrupt, activist politicians have refused to protect Minnesotans and are now proposing illegal actions to keep their stranglehold on control and continue stealing from American citizens. We will root out this rampant fraud, we will arrest the criminal illegal aliens hurting Americans with impunity, and we will hold those who aid and abetted this criminality accountable,” Noem wrote on X.

The administration has sent federal law enforcement personnel into several cities and states led by Democrats, a move President Donald Trump says is intended to combat illegal immigration and other crimes, including corruption. Democratic officials have countered that the deployments amount to a partisan misuse of federal power.

The dispute intensified last week after federal officers fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, during an enforcement operation in Minnesota. Noem labeled Good a domestic terrorist, alleging she tried to ram an officer with her vehicle, while opponents of the administration have organized protests condemning the shooting as unjustified.

Tensions flared again on Monday when roughly three dozen ICE agents confronted a crowd that gathered around officers questioning a Latino motorist, according to a Reuters reporter at the scene. After some in the crowd threw snowballs, agents fired tear gas, pepper balls, and chemical spray before withdrawing as onlookers cheered.

The motorist, Christian Molina, told Reuters the encounter began after an ICE vehicle struck his car from behind. He said officers then questioned him and his companion about their immigration status and called for reinforcements as the crowd grew upset.

In the months leading up to the shooting, Trump had repeatedly criticized Minnesota, targeting its Democratic leadership and large Somali-American population. He referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage,” highlighted a major welfare-fraud case in which at least 56 defendants have pleaded guilty, and mocked Walz, who ran on the Democratic ticket against him in the 2024 presidential race.

{Matzav.com}