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The U.S. government has issued a strong warning to its citizens against traveling to Ukraine for Rosh Hashanah due to the ongoing war with Russia. The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine specifically advised against visiting Uman, where thousands of Jews travel annually to spend Rosh Hashana at the tziyon of Rebbe Nachman. “The U.S. Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens do not travel to Uman, Ukraine, for the annual pilgrimage during Rosh Hashanah,” the embassy said in a statement. This guidance aligns with the current travel advisory, which discourages all travel to Ukraine amid the conflict. The embassy highlighted security concerns, noting that Uman has been targeted by Russian missile strikes since the war began. “Russian airstrikes have hit civilian buildings and critical infrastructure, including houses of worship, often with little or no warning,” the statement read. Local authorities have also warned of insufficient air raid shelters for the anticipated influx of Jews. The embassy further reminded dual U.S.-Ukrainian citizens that Ukraine has removed the “residence abroad” exception, preventing Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country, even if they hold U.S. passports. The U.S. government emphasized the “extremely high risk” that travelers with dual citizenship may not be permitted to depart Ukraine. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The gunman who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump accessed his rooftop vantage point by first climbing onto an air conditioning unit, sources told NBC News.

Matthew Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old shooter, climbed onto the roof of a building at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in July before taking eight shots at the Republican nominee. Crooks managed to graze Trump’s ear while injuring three attendees and killing one man.

However, it remains unclear how Crooks was able to get on the rooftop without alerting security.

According to the sources, Crooks was caught on security footage from a nearby ice cream shop climbing onto the building’s air conditioning unit.

It is unclear if the security footage will ever be released to the public. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after testifying before congress about the security failings, and multiple secret service agents were reportedly put on leave on Friday. Read more at NBC News.

Home improvement chain Lowe’s is scaling back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, joining the ranks of several other companies that altered their programs since the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed affirmative action in college admissions or after facing a conservative backlash online. In an internal memo shared by Lowe’s with The Associated Press, its executive leadership said the retailer began “reviewing” its programs following the court’s July 2023 ruling and the company recently decided to combine its resource groups, which were for “individual groups representing diverse sections of our associate population,” into one umbrella organization. The retailer also will no longer participate in an annual survey by the Human Rights Campaign that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees, and will also stop sponsoring and participating in events, such as festivals and parades, that are outside of its business areas. The changes were made to ensure Lowe’s policies are “lawful” and aligned with its commitment to “include everyone,” the memo states. “We may make additional changes over time,” the company’s leadership team said in the memo. “What will not change, though, is our commitment to our people.” Robby Starbuck, a conservative political commentator who has gone after companies like Tractor Supply and John Deere, took credit for the changes Monday in a post on X, saying he had approached a Lowe’s executive online last week and detailed his plans to “expose” the company over its hiring policies and other topics, such as LGBTQ+ employee resource groups and funding for Pride events. However, Lowe’s spokesperson Steve Salazar pushed back on that claim in an email Tuesday, noting that Starbuck’s outreach came after the company “already announced changes that had long been in process” internally. The company memo did not specify when exactly these changes were implemented but noted that they were discussed at an August 21 meeting. Over the last week, Lowe’s has knocked down a different claim spreading on social media, in which a digitally-altered image quoted Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison as saying that conservatives who didn’t like the company’s values should instead shop at rival Home Depot. “Lowe’s CEO did not make this comment,” the company wrote on X in response to several users who shared the image. “Everyone is welcome at Lowe’s.” For his part, Ellison has diversified the company’s ranks, adding more women and ethnically diverse leaders since taking the helm in 2018. Ellison, who is Black and grew up in segregated rural Tennessee, has also been outspoken about racism since the police killing of George Floyd, which sparked major protests for racial justice in 2020. Criticism of such DEI policies has extended well beyond Lowe’s to companies across all industries. They include boycott calls on social media as well as legal attacks following the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, which many anti-DEI activists want to use to set a similar precedent in the working world. Starbuck, who has a sizable following on X, has used the platform as a mega phone to target DEI policies at Tractor Supply, farm equipment maker John Deere, motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson and whiskey maker Jack Daniels. During an interview with The AP last month, the 35-year-old Cuban American said he has a list of companies he is thinking of posting content about, but was starting with ones that have traditionally conservative customer […]

According to a new bombshell report in the Jewish Chronicle, the IDF believes Hamas is losing control over other terror organizations in the Gaza Strip, and some have been planning a coup against Hamas terror leader Yahya Sinwar for months.

According to the report, terror groups such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Mujahideen Brigades, the al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades no longer listen to instructions from Sinwar, and are ‘cut off’ from Hamas. It is unclear exactly how many hostages these groups are holding, or if any are alive.

The report also states that Hamas is only holding 22 living hostages, and is keeping them handcuffed, around Sinwar at all times, to use as his human shields.

Reportedly, multiple IDF operations to eliminate Sinwar were not carried out due to fear of harming these hostages.

Among the complaints the smaller terror groups have with Sinwar is their desire to have their own terrorists released from Israeli prison in a hostage release / ceasefire deal. Additionally, the terror groups do not support any compromise with Israel, and are demanding Israel release all prisoners. According to the report, these groups have been planning a coup against Sinwar for months.

(JNS)

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, who was rescued from Gaza by Israeli forces on Tuesday after 326 days in Hamas captivity, was released from Beersheva’s Soroka Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, relatives of the 52-year-old Muslim Israeli and father of 11 from the Bedouin city of Rahat in the Negev Desert have begun to share details regarding the brutal conditions he experienced since his abduction on Oct. 7.

“He spoke about the darkness, not being able to see. But, thank God, he’s back with us, alive—it made us all rejoice,” Alkadi’s cousin Fayez al-Sana told the New York Times after visiting him in the hospital.

Ata Abu Medigm, the former mayor of Rahat, told Ynet that Alkadi was held in near total darkness for months: “He told about a very brutal captivity, he hardly saw the sun for eight months. He would check if his eyes were functioning. He said that one of the abductees was with him for two months and died next to him.”

Dr. Mazen Abu Siam, a longtime friend and veterinarian, in a conversation with the Times called Hamas “devils” and said that Alkadi’s family had been in terrible anxiety for 10 months.

He had more harsh words for Hamas, listing the cases in which civilians were murdered on Oct. 7, including over 300 people at the Nova music festival: “They attacked everyone, even people dancing under the trees,” he said.

“I got permission to visit [Alkadi] inside [the hospital], I went in for two or three minutes. He’s fine, he’s healthy, he looks fine. A little pale. Thin compared to Oct. 7,” he said, according to Ynet. “Hope he will be released to the family tomorrow. He mentioned that he was in the tunnel for a long time, cut off from the outside world, was not connected to the Israeli media and did not know what was happening around him. I hope that all the families who have abductees in Gaza will feel what we felt on this day.”

Alkadi’s brother Juma’a told CNN that “he was dead and is now brought back to life,” and that “it was all tears. Tears of joy. What matters is that we saw him.”

Juma’a said that Alkadi was shot in the leg during the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, and the wound was poorly treated during captivity. Alkadi had been operated on without anesthesia, “As one does with animals.”

Ynet quoted his relatives as saying after visiting him in the hospital that Alkadi had “lost a lot of weight,” having eaten “mainly bread” in captivity, and “not every day.”

However, they continued, “he is on his feet and talking about the matter. He was constantly thinking about the family and never stopped believing that he got out of there. We don’t know how he survived, but he survived and he’s alive, and that’s the most important thing.”

Alkadi is the first Israeli Arab and eighth Israeli overall to be rescued alive from Gaza by Israeli forces. He is also the first captive to be reclaimed from the terror group’s vast tunnel network beneath Gaza.

Israeli officials told CNN and the Times that special forces, acting on intelligence, were combing tunnels when they found Alkadi, who was alone in a room roughly 25 yards underground, without Hamas guards. The team, led by Shayetet 13, the Israeli equivalent to the U.S. Navy SEALs, initially thought he was a Hamas operative. He appeared weak and malnourished and was incapable of climbing out of the tunnel on his own, according to the report.

According to Channel 12, the team, which included members of Yahalom, a special unit of the IDF’s Combat Engineering Corps, entered the tunnel after determining that Alkadi was alone. They called to him and he answered: “It’s me, Farhan, don’t shoot.”

The operation was complicated because he was in a complex consisting of several tunnels, in a side room, and forces feared that it could be a Hamas trap.

“The assessment in Israel is that, at least in some cases, Hamas lost contact with the abductees and … is now trying to understand what happened to them,” Channel 12 reported.

Alkadi’s rescue leaves the number of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza at 108, including 104 of the 251 hostages taken on Oct. 7—34 of whom are deceased, according to the military.

At least 17 Bedouins died in the Oct. 7 attacks.

Hatam Kadi, another brother, told Ynet that the message Alkadi wants to convey is that “we must remember that there are other people inside,” and that being a native Arabic speaker did not help him at all: “He was treated as an Israeli.”

(JNS)

New video footage taken from before, during, and after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots sheds new light on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s actions during the crisis that dominated the end of her career as Speaker. The footage, which has so far been obtained by Politico and CNN, shows the then sitting House Speaker evacuating the Capitol on Jan. 6 to Fort McNair in D.C. The footage was shot by Alexandra Pelosi, the former House Speaker’s daughter, and a documentary filmmaker who was by her mother’s side before and after Jan. 6. The House Select Committee previously obtained some of her footage in their initial investigation.

This footage was obtained by the Republican-led House Committee on Administration, which is investigating the investigation. Pelosi reportedly resisted evacuating, telling security guards “I do not support this” and focusing on finishing the Electoral College proceedings.

In one moment, Pelosi told her chief of staff, Terri McCullough, “I feel responsible” for the delayed response from the National Guard, according to CNN.

“We did not have any accountability for what was going on there and we should have. This is ridiculous,” the former speaker reportedly said.

Even more footage was taken from Jan. 7, when Pelosi turned her attention to Donald Trump. Pelosi reportedly asked her staff for a list of Trump’s Cabinet members to call out by name in an upcoming speech, where she also planned to call the then-president “a domestic enemy in the White House.” Pelosi ended up nixing both the call-outs and the phrase “domestic enemy.” Read more at Politico.

Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro took to the streets Wednesday in an attempt to revive protests against him as he tightens his grip on power following last month’s disputed election. The demonstration in the capital, Caracas, comes exactly a month after the fraught July 28 vote in which Maduro was declared the winner despite strong evidence that opposition candidate Edmundo González won by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, which drew international condemnation that the vote lacked transparency. In weeks of on-again, off-again demonstrations, the opposition’s rallying cry has been constant but so far ineffective. Opponents have demanded that officials publish results from each polling station that they say would expose Maduro’s attempts to steal the election. “Voting records kill sentence,” is how the opposition billed the latest protest, referring to the thousands of tally sheets it collected and posted online that contradict a recent sentence written by the loyalist Supreme Court certifying Maduro’s purported victory. Wednesday’s protest was smaller than previous demonstrations. Tiny groups of Venezuelans also gathered in other Latin America capitals. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who along with González went into hiding following the election, re-emerged to attend Wednesday’s rally, waving a Venezuelan flag and hugging small children from the back of a truck as supporters shouted “Freedom!” Banned from running against Maduro, the conservative politician crisscrossed the nation for weeks to help elect González, a previously unknown former diplomat. Acknowledging the steep challenge of forcing Maduro from power, Machado said the movement she leads will be strategic about calling for additional demonstrations. But she said the international pressure on Maduro is unlikely to cease any time soon and pointed out that not a single Western democracy has recognized what she called Maduro’s “fraud.” “Those who say the passage of time favors Maduro are wrong,” Machado said to throngs of supporters who filled an avenue in Caracas. “Every day he’s more isolated, more toxic.” Not to be outdone, Maduro’s supporters also planned to hold rallies Wednesday, vowing to “defend” Maduro’s victory against what they claim is an attempt to sow unrest throughout the South American country. Amid the ongoing crisis, Maduro has leaned heavily on security forces to preserve his power. On Tuesday, he appointed a hard-line ruling party boss as interior minister, with oversight of police forces. Diosdado Cabello has vowed to show no mercy against government opponents. Cabello’s appointment stoked fears that a crackdown that has already led to more than 2,000 arrests — of journalists, politicians and students — is likely to intensify. The arrests featured prominently at a special meeting Wednesday of the Organization of American States in Washington to discuss a report on human rights violations by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. “The commission condemns unequivocally practices of institutional violence in the context of the electoral process in Venezuela,” Roberta Clarke, a lawyer from Barbados and member of the commission, said at the meeting. “Democracy and the rule of law must be restored.” The commission called on Venezuelan authorities to cease all actions that “generate terror” in the population — including arbitrary detentions and the use of violence by non-state actors loyal to Maduro — and respect the popular will of Venezuelans for democratic change. “The Venezuela crisis has reached a new nadir,” Ambassador Frank Mora, the U.S. representative to the […]

A Kentucky man who became the first rioter to enter the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection was sentenced on Tuesday to 53 months behind bars. Michael Sparks, 46, was convicted by a jury in March of six criminal charges, including a felony count of interfering with police during a civil disorder.

Video footage from the day showed him jumping through a broken window and later joining a group of other rioters to chase a police officer up a flight of stairs. “This is our America!” he yelled at one point.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said that Sparks’ entrance had had an “emboldening, encouraging effect” on other rioters, according to the Associated Press. “To say it wasn’t a material, key point in the mob’s taking of the Capitol, I think, is just ignoring the obvious.”

When he addressed the court at his sentencing hearing, Sparks said that he still believes the 2020 presidential election was “completely taken,” and that “to this day [America is] in tyranny.” Read more.

Israel’s Attorney General’s Office has officially classified the murder of Israel Prison Service dog handler , 40-year-old Yochai Avni hy”d, as an act of terrorism. The ruling comes after Hamas member Ibrahim Mansur was accused of breaking into Avni’s home in Givon Hachadasha, northwest of Jerusalem, stabbing him 66 times, and setting the house on fire. The indictment, filed Tuesday morning at the Ofer Military Court, charges Mansur with murder motivated by a nationalist agenda. “The accused did all this due to the fact that the deceased was Jewish, with the intention of causing his death and fleeing the scene,” the Attorney General’s Office stated in its formal indictment. Avni’s sister, Nitzan, expressed the family’s devastation during the court hearing, saying, “We were informed that the killer stabbed the suspect 66 times in all parts of his body. Meaning he not only murdered him but also abused him. He then burned everything.” The military court judge reinforced the severity of the charges, confirming that Mansur, a resident of Biddu near Givon Hahadasha, intentionally targeted the settlement because it was inhabited by Jews. “The indictment charges the defendant with the crime of causing death intentionally,” the judge said, approving the military prosecution’s request to detain Mansur until the end of legal proceedings. Mansur was arrested two days after the brutal July 8 murder, but initial investigations did not immediately conclude terror as the primary motive. However, the latest developments, including the Attorney General’s ruling, have now made it clear that the murder was a terrorist attack with nationalist motivations. In court, Mansur appeared unfazed, smiling and making victory gestures. His demeanor sparked outrage, but the Avni family, represented by attorney Ran Cohen Rockberger, expressed relief that the case was now recognized as a terror attack. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israel confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that it had killed a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist in an airstrike near the Syria-Lebanon border several hours earlier.

The Israel Defense Forces described Faris Qasim as a “significant terrorist in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization’s Operations Division,” who was responsible for developing the terror group’s operational plans in Syria and Lebanon.

“He had a central role in the recruitment of Palestinian terrorists into the Hezbollah terrorist organization responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks from Lebanon against the State of Israel,” the IDF said.

“In recent years, the Hezbollah terrorist organization, with Iranian direction and funding, has been systematically recruiting Palestinian operatives to advance and direct terrorist activity against the State of Israel from Lebanese territory,” the statement continued.

Additional Islamic Jihad terrorists traveling from Syria to Lebanon to carry out terrorist activities for Hezbollah were killed in the strike, according to the IDF.

Earlier reports said that four terror operatives were killed in a drone strike on a vehicle at the Syria-Lebanon border.

Israel, which did not initially comment on the incident, has for years allegedly targeted Tehran’s terror proxies in Syria and combated Iranian entrenchment there, including weapons shipments and military infrastructure.

Islamic Jihad has dispatched its Syrian-based terrorists to Lebanon to join Hezbollah in its fight against Israel, which the Iranian terror proxy has been waging since Oct. 8, a day after the Hamas massacre of 1,200 people in the northwestern Negev.

Wednesday’s drone strike came hours after an Israeli airstrike hit a pickup truck in northeastern Lebanon near the Syrian border. A security source told Reuters that the vehicle was carrying military equipment which was likely a damaged rocket launcher on its way to be repaired.

AFP reported, citing a Lebanese security source, that the attack targeted two Hezbollah trucks around 6.2 miles from Baalbek, Lebanon and that one person was wounded in the strike.

An IDF soldier was lightly wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack on the Galilee Panhandle on Tuesday evening, according to the army.

The explosives-laden drone crossed into Israeli territory, setting off sirens and impacting near Beit Hillel, wounding the soldier.

Hezbollah took responsibility for the attack.

Earlier on Tuesday, the IDF said it carried out an airstrike on a building in Southern Lebanon’s Odaisseh after spotting Hezbollah operatives there.

(JNS)

The IDF has announced the death of Master Sgt. (res.) Yohay Hay Glam, a 32-year-old reserve soldier from Netanya, who was killed during fighting in the central Gaza Strip earlier today. Glam hy”d was part of the Jerusalem Brigade’s 6310th Battalion. His death brings the total number of IDF fatalities in the Gaza conflict to 342 and 704 since October 7. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Vaad Harabonim of Hatzolah of Central Jersey has issued a public warning to the communities of Lakewood, Jackson, Toms River, Howell, Manchester, and Brick regarding a rival organization, Hatzulas Nefashos, promoting unsanctioned emergency services. This group, previously condemned by rabbinical authorities across these towns for offering unnecessary and unapproved services, has ramped up its marketing efforts. Hatzulas Nefashos has been aggressively advertising its hotline number, using attention-grabbing tactics aimed specifically at children. The group has distributed stickers, magnets, and other paraphernalia that are finding their way into homes, raising the possibility of confusion in emergency situations. The Vaad Harabonim expressed serious concerns about the way this organization is branding itself, noting that its visual marketing closely mimics that of Hatzolah of Central Jersey. Such similarities could lead to dangerous confusion in moments of crisis, potentially delaying the appropriate medical response and putting lives at risk. The statement emphasizes that the resources, experience, and medical oversight of the rival organization are unknown, and the Vaad strongly cautions against calling this alternative hotline in emergencies. They reiterated that Hatzolah of Central Jersey has no affiliation with this group and stressed that dialing their number will not connect callers to Hatzolah responders. In light of this, the Vaad Harabonim urged community members to remove any magnets or materials related to the rival organization from their homes. They reminded residents that in an emergency, only Hatzolah’s official 24/7 hotline numbers—732-370-3600 or 732-888-3000—will guarantee fast, professional medical care, including advanced life support services.

Three times in the past four months, William Stein, a technology analyst at Truist Securities, has taken Elon Musk up on his invitation to try the latest versions of Tesla’s vaunted “Full Self-Driving” system. A Tesla equipped with the technology, the company says, can travel from point to point with little human intervention. Yet each time Stein drove one of the cars, he said, the vehicle made unsafe or illegal maneuvers. His most recent test-drive earlier this month, Stein said, left his 16-year-old son, who accompanied him, “terrified.” Stein’s experiences, along with a Seattle-area Tesla crash involving Full Self-Driving that killed a motorcyclist in April, have drawn the attention of federal regulators. They have already been investigating Tesla’s automated driving systems for more than two years because of dozens of crashes that raised safety concerns. The problems have led people who monitor autonomous vehicles to become more skeptical that Tesla’s automated system will ever be able to operate safely on a widespread scale. Stein says he doubts Tesla is even close to deploying a fleet of autonomous robotaxis by next year as Musk has predicted it will. The latest incidents come at a pivotal time for Tesla. Musk has told investors it’s possible that Full Self-Driving will be able to operate more safely than human drivers by the end of this year, if not next year. And in less than two months, the company is scheduled to unveil a vehicle built expressly to be a robotaxi. For Tesla to put robotaxis on the road, Musk has said the company will show regulators that the system can drive more safely than humans. Under federal rules, the Teslas would have to meet national standards for vehicle safety. Musk has released data showing miles driven per crash, but only for Tesla’s less-sophisticated Autopilot system. Safety experts say the data is invalid because it counts only serious crashes with air bag deployment and doesn’t show how often human drivers had to take over to avoid a collision. Full Self-Driving is being used on public roads by roughly 500,000 Tesla owners — slightly more than one in five Teslas in use today. Most of them paid $8,000 or more for the optional system. The company has cautioned that cars equipped with the system cannot actually drive themselves and that motorists must be ready at all times to intervene if necessary. Tesla also says it tracks each driver’s behavior and will suspend their ability to use Full Self-Driving if they don’t properly monitor the system. Recently, the company began calling the system “Full Self-Driving” (Supervised). Musk, who has acknowledged that his past predictions for the use of autonomous driving proved too optimistic, in 2019 promised a fleet of autonomous vehicles by the end of 2020. Five years later, many who follow the technology say they doubt it can work across the U.S. as promised. “It’s not even close, and it’s not going to be next year,” said Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. The car that Stein drove was a Tesla Model 3, which he picked up at a Tesla showroom in Westchester County, north of New York City. The car, Tesla’s lowest-price vehicle, was equipped with the latest Full Self-Driving software. Musk says the software now uses artificial intelligence to help […]

The Hebrew University announced on Tuesday that professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, who denied the Oct. 7 atrocities committed by Hamas, will not return to her teaching position at the school and will instead retire on Oct. 1.

The university suspended Shalhoub-Kevorkian, holder of the Lawrence D. Biele Chair in Law at the main Mount Scopus campus, on March 12 after she accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

The Haifa-born Arab-Israeli has also called the “Zionist entity,” i.e. Israel, “criminal” and a “killing machine” and said Israel lied about rapes and Jewish babies being killed on Oct. 7.

Although the university in the letter announcing her suspension stated that it “rejects all of her distorted statements with disgust,” it nevertheless reinstated her on March 27.

The decision to allow her to resume teaching was taken following a meeting with the rector of the university, professor Tamir Sheafer.

Shalhoub-Kevorkian claimed in the meeting that “as a critical feminist researcher she believes all victims and does not doubt their words, and that she does not deny the fact that on Oct. 7 there were cases of rape in the south [of Israel].”

However, continued protests over Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s reinstatement led the university to plead with her to step down, which she eventually did.

Btsalmo, a pro-Zionist student group, filed a complaint with the university’s disciplinary committee, describing the remarks as particularly outrageous given many students, or their families, were personally affected by Oct. 7.

Although the school rejected the complaint, Btsalmo CEO Shai Glick praised the school for urging Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s departure.

“We congratulate the university for asking her not to continue teaching there. At the same time, we, together with other students, will resubmit the complaint and make sure that it goes up to the disciplinary committee and that all compensatory funds will be taken from her,” he said.

“Whoever harms IDF soldiers and incites against them, whoever harms university students, should not teach in the Israeli academy,” he said. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday blasted Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s suggestion to build a shul on Har Habayis, warning that such a move could dangerously disrupt the fragile status quo. The proposed shul “on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount” would show “blatant disregard for the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. He added that Ben-Gvir’s “reckless statements and actions” were exacerbating tensions during a time when Israel needs unity against external threats from Iran and its proxy groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. “They directly undermine Israel’s security,” Miller warned. “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Office has made clear that the actions and statements of Minister Ben-Gvir are inconsistent with the government of Israel’s policy,” Miller said, calling on the Israeli government to adhere to the longstanding arrangement. The condemnation from the US came after Ben-Gvir said in a Monday interview with Israel’s Army Radio that Jewish prayer is allowed on Har Habayis and affirmed his intention to build a shul there. His remarks prompted a swift rebuttal from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, which emphasized that policy regarding Har Habayis is determined by the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “There is no change to the status quo,” the Prime Minister’s Office reiterated. Under the status quo established after Israel recaptured the Old City of Jerusalem in 1967, Jews are permitted to visit Har Habayis but are not allowed to daven there. Ben-Gvir’s comments also drew condemnation from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim-majority nations. Tuesday’s edition of the Hebrew-language Yated newspaper also called out Ben-Gvir, stating clearly on its front page that it is assur gamur for Jews to go onto Har Habayis, and that Ben-Gvir is putting all Israelis at risk with his inflammatory and anti-halacha statements and demands. Gedolei HaPoskim throughout the ages including Gedolei Hador Shlita today have ruled it is absolutely forbidden to visit Har Habayis, even if one does so in line with Halacha including tevila. This is also the ruling of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. This is an Issur Kares. Fifteen years ago on Sukkos, then President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Sukka of the late Posek Hador, Maran HaGaon Rav Elyashiv ZATZAL, where Rav Elyashiv called on the President to prevent Jews from visiting Har Habayis, stating it is an act that that is viewed as extremely provocative by the goyim. Maran stated everything possible must be done to avoid a religious war, and the provocateurs are playing with fire. Maran is quoted as explaining to the president that Halacha forbids going onto Har Habayis but today, it is more than this, it is an act that may lead to a religious war and bloodshed. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign now claims she “does not support” Electric Vehicle (EV) mandates after years of supporting such mandates as a Senator and in her role in President Joe Biden’s administration, Breitbart reports.

According to The Spectator‘s Amber Duke, Harris’s campaign sent an email to supporters on Tuesday claiming “Vice President Harris does not support an electric vehicle mandate.”

The statement comes after years of Harris campaigning, championing, and supporting EV mandates that require automakers to produce and sell a certain percentage of EVs to American consumers.

Last month, for instance, Breitbart News detailed Harris’s Green New Deal proposal from 2020 when she sought to abolish sales of gas-powered cars by 2035 and ensure that Americans can only purchase EVs when looking for a new car.

“[W]e will ensure that 50 percent of all new passenger vehicles sold are zero-emission by 2030, and 100 percent are zero-emission by 2035,” Harris’s agenda read at the time. Similarly, Harris said she wanted to require “that all new buses be zero-emission by 2030.”

As vice president, Harris has backed Biden’s EV mandate, which will require that a majority of new cars produced and sold in the United States market are EVs or hybrids by 2032.

The U.S. Oil & Gas Association slammed Harris in a post to X:

Last month, a Harvard-Harris poll revealed that 72 percent of registered voters said they oppose the Biden-Harris EV mandate — including 57 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of swing voters, and 83 percent of Republicans.

Both EV mandates run the risk of wiping out millions of American auto jobs, including the jobs of UAW members. EVs, as experts note, require far less manpower to produce than traditional gas-powered cars.

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), have said they will end Biden and Harris’s EV mandate.

“[We will] end the Electric Vehicle mandate on day one — thereby saving the U.S. auto industry from complete obliteration, which is happening right now, and saving U.S. customers thousands and thousands of dollars per car.” Breitbart

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. State Department expressed strong opposition on Tuesday to Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s proposal to construct a synagogue on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, a site of significant religious importance to both Jews and Muslims. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller criticized the plan, stating that the creation of a Jewish house of worship “on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount” would show “blatant disregard for the historic status quo” concerning Jerusalem’s holy sites. Miller further warned that Ben-Gvir’s “reckless statements and actions” could fuel chaos and heighten tensions during a time when Israel must remain united against threats from Iran and its proxy groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. “They directly undermine Israel’s security,” Miller added. Ben-Gvir’s remarks came during an interview with Israel’s Army Radio on Monday, in which he insisted that Jewish prayer is allowed on the Temple Mount. His comments were quickly countered by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, which reaffirmed that the Temple Mount’s policy is determined by the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating, “There is no change to the status quo.” The “status quo,” established after Israel recaptured Jerusalem’s Old City in 1967, allows Jews to visit the Temple Mount but prohibits them from praying there. Despite being repeatedly questioned during the interview about whether he would build a synagogue on the site, Ben-Gvir responded affirmatively, saying, “yes.” Ben-Gvir’s comments have drawn international condemnation from Muslim-majority countries, including Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The Temple Mount, known as the Haram al-Sharif to Muslims, is Islam’s third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina. It is also the holiest site in Judaism, believed to be the location of the two ancient Jewish Temples. Miller reaffirmed the Biden administration’s commitment to maintaining the status quo and urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to ensure the policy remains in place. “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Office has made clear that the actions and statements of Minister Ben-Gvir are inconsistent with the government of Israel’s policy,” Miller said, adding, “It is critical that the government of Israel continue to ensure its policy is adhered to.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fiercely criticized the new indictment filed against him by special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday, labeling it as a “direct assault on democracy.”

The latest indictment streamlines the charges against Trump following a Supreme Court decision that grants presidents broad immunity for their official actions. Despite this, the indictment maintains the four charges related to Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump contends that the entire case should be dismissed in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Trump expressed his outrage over the indictment in several posts on Truth Social, describing it as an attempt to revive a “dead” Witch Hunt and to “save face.”

“[T]he illegally appointed ‘Special Counsel’ Deranged Jack Smith, has brought a ridiculous new Indictment against me, which has all the problems of the old Indictment, and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY,” Trump stated. “This is merely an attempt to INTERFERE WITH THE ELECTION, and distract the American People from the catastrophes Kamala Harris has inflicted on our Nation.”

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on July 1 that Trump, along with other presidents, enjoys certain immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office.

“For them to do this immediately after our Supreme Court Victory on Immunity and more, is shocking,” Trump added. “I’ve also been informed by my attorneys, that you’re not even allowed to bring cases literally right before an Election — A direct assault on Democracy! This is an unprecedented abuse of the Criminal Justice System.”

Trump and his Republican allies have accused the Biden administration of using legal tactics to undermine the former president, who they view as the primary political threat to Democrats. On Tuesday, Trump directed his criticism at President Joe Biden’s potential successor and the new Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“This travesty is now on Comrade Kamala Harris, who is actively pushing it, rather than immediately calling for its dismissal, as should be done,” Trump posted. “… As Jack Smith knows, the whole case should be thrown out and dismissed on Presidential Immunity grounds, as already ruled unequivocally by the U.S. Supreme Court. Smith rewrote the exact same case in an effort to circumvent the Supreme Court Decision.

“The people of our Country will see what is happening with all of these corrupt lawsuits against me, and will REJECT them by giving me an overwhelming Victory on November 5th for President of the United States.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s supreme leader expressed willingness on Tuesday to reinitiate discussions with the United States regarding the nation’s swiftly advancing nuclear program. He informed the civilian government that there would be “no harm” in engaging with its “enemy.”

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s statements set firm boundaries for any potential talks under the administration of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, reiterating his longstanding caution that Washington should not be trusted.

Khamenei’s remarks are reminiscent of the period surrounding Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with global powers, which resulted in significant limitations on Tehran’s nuclear activities in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. However, the extent of Pezeshkian’s ability to negotiate remains uncertain, especially given the heightened tensions in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas conflict and the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November.

“This does not mean that we cannot interact with the same enemy in certain situations,” Khamenei said, as noted on his official website. “There is no harm in that, but do not place your hopes in them.” Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority over state affairs, also cautioned Pezeshkian’s Cabinet, “Do not trust the enemy.”

At 85, Khamenei has periodically advocated for or dismissed the idea of negotiations with Washington, particularly after former President Donald Trump unilaterally exited the nuclear agreement in 2018.

In recent years, there have been indirect talks between Iran and the U.S., facilitated by Oman and Qatar, two of America’s Middle Eastern intermediaries regarding Iran. Khamenei’s comments followed a visit from Qatar’s prime minister to Iran the previous day.

The U.S. State Department, when asked for a response, told The Associated Press: “We will judge Iran’s leadership by their actions, not their words.”

“We have long said that we ultimately view diplomacy as the best way to achieve an effective, sustainable solution with regard to Iran’s nuclear program,” the statement continued. “However, we are far away from anything like that right now given Iran’s escalations across the board, including its nuclear escalations and its failure to cooperate” with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear regulatory body.

“If Iran wants to demonstrate seriousness or a new approach, they should stop nuclear escalations and start meaningfully cooperating with the IAEA,” it said.

Since the agreement fell apart, Iran has discarded all the restrictions it had agreed to under the deal, enriching uranium up to 60% purity, which is close to the 90% needed for weaponization.

Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been tampered with, and Iran has barred some of the agency’s most seasoned inspectors. Iranian officials have increasingly hinted at the possibility of pursuing nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have surged to new heights during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. In April, Tehran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on Israel following years of covert hostilities between the two nations, culminating in what appeared to be an Israeli attack on an Iranian consulate in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and others.

The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran also led to Iranian threats of retaliation against Israel.

Pezeshkian, who previously served as a lawmaker and assumed the presidency following a helicopter crash in May that killed hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, ran on a platform that included a commitment to reengage the West through negotiations. Khamenei’s words, as the supreme leader of Iran, could provide Pezeshkian with the political backing he needs to pursue this course. Pezeshkian’s newly appointed foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, played a significant role in negotiating the 2015 agreement.

“After doing everything we can, a tactical retreat might sometimes be necessary, but we should not abandon our goals or opinions at the first sign of difficulty,” Khamenei also remarked on Tuesday, the second time in recent days that he has mentioned the idea of a “tactical retreat” amid ongoing tensions.

However, it’s not just Iran that is approaching a presidential transition. The United States is set to hold its presidential election on November 5, with Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump as the leading contenders. Iran has expressed concerns about the possibility of Trump returning to power.

While the Biden administration engaged in indirect negotiations with Iran, it remains uncertain how these efforts would continue under a potential Harris administration. Harris, speaking at the Democratic National Convention last week, stated: “I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists.”

The RANE Network, a firm specializing in risk intelligence, noted that if Harris were to win, “the likelihood of a deal will rise as the Israel-Hamas war winds down.”

“Once negotiations begin, Iran will likely demand more protections regarding a potential U.S. withdrawal from a new deal after the United States walked away from the previous deal in 2018,” RANE stated in an analysis on Tuesday.

“Due to concerns about the durability of any new agreement, Iran is also less likely to offer as many nuclear concessions, such as dismantling advanced centrifuges, since Iran would want to be able to quickly ramp up its nuclear program if the U.S. were to exit a new deal,” the analysis continued.

During Tuesday’s meeting between Khamenei and Pezeshkian’s Cabinet, former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was instrumental in securing the 2015 agreement, made an appearance. Following the meeting, Zarif announced online that he would continue to serve as a vice president in Pezeshkian’s administration, despite previously resigning publicly over the composition of the Cabinet.

{Matzav.com}

A Pennsylvania ammunition plant that makes a key artillery shell in Ukraine’s fight against Russia has managed to boost production by 50% to meet surging demand, with more capacity set to come on line. Government officials revealed the increase in production this week as they showcased the historic factory’s ongoing, $400 million modernization. The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant cuts and forges 2,000-pound (907-kilogram) bars of steel into 155 mm howitzer rounds that are then shipped to Iowa to be packed with explosives and fitted with fuses. From there, many of them make their way to the fight in Ukraine, where they are highly sought. The Scranton plant, along with two other ammunition plants in nearby Wilkes-Barre, recently increased production from 24,000 rounds per month to 36,000 rounds per month. Three new production lines are under development that will allow the Scranton facility to churn out even more of the critical munitions, the factory’s top official said. “Right now we’re concentrating on 155. That’s pretty much all we’re concentrating on,” Richard Hansen, the Army commander’s representative at the plant, said Tuesday while giving news outlets a tour of the sprawling factory grounds near downtown Scranton. “We’re working really hard to ensure that we achieve the goal that the Pentagon has established.” The U.S. has sent more than 3 million 155 mm artillery rounds to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in 2022, according to government figures. Earlier this month, the White House announced another $125 million in weapons to assist Ukraine in its military operations against Russia, including 155 mm shells. The Scranton factory began life as a locomotive repair shop at the beginning of the 20th century before the Army bought it and converted it into a production facility for large-caliber artillery for the Korean War. It’s been operated by General Dynamics since 2006 under contract with the U.S. government, which owns the plant. Officials are about halfway through one of the biggest modernization projects in plant history, with about 20 projects underway. Tuesday’s tour included a new production line with a sleek new machine that will do the job of three, helping maximize use of space at the 500,000-square-foot (46,452-square-meter) factory. The plant employs about 300 people, according to a General Dynamics spokesperson. Some of them have been there for decades running the equipment that cuts the steel, heats it to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,093 degrees Celsius), and forges, machines, washes and paints the finished shells. Each round is manually inspected at each step to ensure it meets specifications. “We want it go where we point it,” Hansen said. “We want it to go as far as we need it to go to do its job. Lives depend on it — the lives of the gun crew, the lives of innocent civilians depend on this round doing exactly what we want it to do out in the field.” (AP)