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The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on more than 140 targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day, hitting terror operatives, tunnels, buildings used by terror groups, and other infrastructure, the IDF said.

The White House is working on a proposal for Gaza’s administration after the war, which would place Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, at the head of an interim international body, according to a senior Israeli political figure who spoke to Haaretz on Thursday. The plan would initially bypass the Palestinian Authority (PA).

An Arab source confirmed the outlines of the arrangement, which envisions an international organization managing Gaza for several years. This entity would be responsible for rebuilding the territory and running day-to-day affairs. Security on the ground would be handled by a foreign force tasked with controlling the borders and blocking Hamas from reestablishing its military presence. The Israeli source emphasized that the plan is “taking shape” and has the full backing of President Donald Trump. Haaretz reported that Israeli officials have not dismissed the proposal.

According to the Arab source, the UN Security Council would provide the authority with its mandate. Over time, it would be expected to work alongside the PA and ultimately hand over authority to it, though there is no set timeline for when this transition would take place. “There is concern that Netanyahu will take advantage of this ambiguity to sabotage the PA’s involvement in Gaza,” the source cautioned.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, together with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, remain strongly against the PA assuming power in Gaza. The Israeli political source described the PA as “a complex entity,” adding, “I don’t see it taking any official responsibility.”

The source further noted that while Israel’s position regarding Hamas’s role is unresolved, it does not oppose “the involvement of an international force with Blair.”

Blair recently participated in a high-level policy meeting on Gaza that President Trump convened late last month.

The upcoming meeting between Netanyahu and Trump in Washington on Monday will include discussion of the proposal, which the Israeli source called “important.”

On Thursday, speaking at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump confirmed that an international initiative is underway to bring the Gaza fighting to an end and to arrange for the release of hostages.

“I had a great meeting with [Middle East] leaders… at UNGA – and I think we’re close to getting some kind of a deal done. We want to get the hostages back. I have to get the hostages back,” Trump said.

When a reporter asked if he and Erdogan were aligned on the Gaza conflict, Trump replied, “Well, I don’t know his stance, I can’t tell you about that.”

On Wednesday, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism that progress would be achieved in the near future, though he did not disclose specific details.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Friday amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Despite international pressure for a ceasefire and calls for a two-state solution, Netanyahu has stuck behind his mission of eradicating Hamas and bringing back hostages taken captive during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. His speech comes after several European nations and U.S. allies agreed to recognize a Palestinian state. President Trump has largely stuck behind Israel, and the administration revoked visas for Palestinian leaders ahead of the assembly. On Thursday, the president took a step back and vowed to block Netanyahu from annexing the West Bank. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Kamala Harris sought to calm the fears of a pregnant woman who worried about raising a baby boy in what she described as the Trump era, once again leaning on her oft-used line about the “children of the community,” Fox News reports.

“Part of how I was raised to think about things was that the children of the community are our children of the community. And we all have some, I think, responsibility — you can call it a moral responsibility, you can think of it in different ways — but to be invested in their well-being and success,” Harris remarked Wednesday night at The Town Hall theater in Midtown Manhattan.

Her appearance in New York marked the official launch of her book tour for 107 Days, a memoir reflecting on her 2024 presidential campaign after Joe Biden exited the race amid intensifying doubts over his cognitive health.

During the program, Harris fielded just a small number of audience questions. One came from a mother, nine months pregnant, who said she was worried about how to raise her son with integrity and a “moral compass” in “this current political climate.”

In her reply, Harris told the woman that she would guide her child to be “strong” and that this strength would one day help him grow into a “role model.”

“To teach that our own children, that that is the way that we expect that they will live, which is to see the connection between themselves and others, to see the interdependence between themselves and others, and to have a sense of understanding that it’s a sign of strength to lift other people up,” Harris elaborated.

She then contrasted that philosophy with President Donald Trump’s approach, criticizing his idea of power.

“I used to talk about it a lot in those 107 days, which is this perverse notion that is absolutely being pushed by this guy in the White House, which is to suggest that the measure of strength is based on who you beat down,” she said. “Instead, what I think everyone here understands, which is the true measure of strength, is based on who you lift up.”

Harris expressed optimism for the future of the unborn child, praising the mother’s values.

“You’re going to teach him to be strong in every way that is important, and he will be a role model,” she added. “And we are very, very excited for the future of that child.”

The phrase “the children of the community are the children of the community” has been a recurring theme in Harris’ speeches, both during her vice presidency and her presidential run.

That wording has drawn ridicule from conservatives and commentators, many of whom derided it as another of her “word salads.” In September 2024, critics mocked her for linking the line to the issue of inflation.

“I grew up understanding the children of the community are the children of the community, and we should all have a vested interest in ensuring that children can go grow up with the resources that they need to achieve their God-given potential,” Harris said at the time, pledging to bring down grocery prices and to hold corporations accountable for gouging consumers.

Her new book was released Tuesday, and the New York event was the first stop on a cross-country tour promoting it. The evening’s hourlong conversation also featured digs at Trump and praise for Hillary Clinton, whom Harris credited as a mentor and guiding force throughout her 2024 campaign.

{Matzav.com}

Since Rosh Hashanah, severe delays have been reported at all border crossings out of Ukraine, leaving thousands of Yidden stuck for long hours on buses, at airports, and at border stations across Eastern Europe. The situation has already caused widespread missed flights, canceled tickets, and great hardship for many returning from Uman. Frustrated travelers shared photos and firsthand accounts with B’Chadrei Chareidim, describing the exhaustion and confusion they endured. Some voiced sharp criticism of chareidi representatives in the Knesset, claiming: “They don’t care because we are Breslovers.” The bottlenecks have led to the cancellation of at least four flights scheduled to depart from Tulcea and Iasi in Romania. Airline officials explained that crews had exceeded their maximum permitted work hours, known as “crew burnout regulations,” which legally bar them from flying once they cross a certain threshold. Major travel agencies serving the Uman crowds, including Netivim Tours and Derech Tzaddikim, said they made every effort to arrange additional flights, but were unsuccessful. In a statement, the companies announced: “Since this afternoon, we have been working tirelessly to arrange lodging and Shabbos meals for our clients who are unable to return before Shabbos. Buses are being dispatched to pick up passengers from Tulcea Airport, from the waiting halls, from the Orlivka border, and from Iasi, and bring them to designated Shabbos accommodations where we will, b’ezras Hashem, provide full seudos Shabbos.” They added that passengers who arranged their own accommodations should continue monitoring agency updates for details about the new flights. Photos show makeshift tents being set up in Romania to house travelers caught mid-journey. The agencies confirmed that return flights to Eretz Yisroel will begin Motzaei Shabbos and continue Sunday morning, departing from several airports in parallel. Earlier reports described the entire journey back from Uman as “days of endless upheaval,” with groups of Yidden scattered across Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Moldova — each trying to find a path back to Eretz Yisroel. Out of concern for becoming stranded on the road as Shabbos approached, many decided to halt their travels and wait until after Shabbos to resume their journey. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump made it clear to reporters on Thursday that he would block any move by Israel to declare sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. No, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” Trump said firmly when asked about the matter.

When pressed on whether he had discussed the subject with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump replied, “Yeah, but I’m not going to allow it, whether I spoke to him or not. I did, but I’m not allowing Israel to annex the West Bank. There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.”

Trump also shared that he had a positive conversation with Netanyahu earlier in the day, expressing optimism that progress could soon be made toward a hostage release agreement.

“I had some very, really good talks today on Gaza, with both the Middle East representatives and kings and all of the top leaders in the Middle East,” Trump told reporters.

“And we had also a very good conversation with Bibi Netanyahu, trying to get the hostages back, and we’re trying to get the end of the Gaza situation. It’s really bad, very bad,” he added.

Earlier Thursday, Trump appeared at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where he announced that international coordination is underway to halt the fighting in Gaza and to push forward a deal on hostages.

“I had a great meeting with [Middle East] leaders… at UNGA – and I think we’re close to getting some kind of a deal done. We want to get the hostages back. I have to get the hostages back,” President Trump stated.

When asked if he and Erdogan held the same position on Gaza, Trump responded, “Well, I don’t know his stance, I can’t tell you about that.”

On Wednesday, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff voiced optimism that a major development could be imminent, though he declined to go into specifics.

{Matzav.com}

Two leading computer scientists are sounding a dire warning: the rise of artificial superintelligence could spell the end of the human race — not in centuries, but potentially within our lifetimes. Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, researchers at the Berkeley-based Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), argue in a new book that humanity’s flirtation with advanced AI is a fatal gamble. Their work, titled If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All, makes the case that any attempt to construct a machine more intelligent than humans will end in global annihilation. “If any company or group, anywhere on the planet, builds an artificial superintelligence using anything remotely like current techniques, based on anything remotely like the present understanding of AI, then everyone, everywhere on Earth, will die,” the pair warn in the book’s introduction. The authors argue that AI, already woven into daily life, will eventually evolve to the point of deciding that humanity itself is unnecessary. Once machines control critical infrastructure — power plants, factories, weapons systems — humans could be deemed expendable. “Humanity needs to back off,” said Yudkowsky, who has spent years raising alarms about what he calls “techsistential risk.” The danger, he insists, lies in the fact that it only takes one successful effort to build superintelligence for extinction to follow. The threat, experts say, is compounded by the possibility that AI could disguise its true capabilities until it is too late to act. “A superintelligent adversary will not reveal its full capabilities and telegraph its intentions,” the authors write. Even if there were warning signs, they argue, human cognition may be too limited to recognize or counter them in time. The scientists go so far as to suggest that the only effective safeguard would be preemptive action: destroying any data centers suspected of pursuing artificial superintelligence before such systems come online. The probability of this outcome, according to Yudkowsky and Soares, is chillingly high. They estimate the odds of AI wiping out humanity at between 95% and 99.5% — essentially a near certainty. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump revealed on Thursday a new round of tariffs set to begin on October 1, which include penalties on pharmaceutical products manufactured by companies without production facilities in the United States.

These tariffs come in addition to the broad reciprocal duties his administration has already enacted against multiple countries. Analysts warn that the inclusion of pharmaceuticals could create disruptions in supply chains and make some medications harder to obtain and more costly.

“Starting October 1st, 2025, we will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product, unless a Company IS BUILDING their Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He explained that any company that has already started construction or is in the process of building a facility in the U.S. will not be subject to the tariffs.

Back in July, Trump previewed his intention to target pharmaceutical imports, originally suggesting a phased approach with smaller tariffs that would gradually increase. At one point, he even warned that duties could go as high as 250 percent on certain products.

In a separate announcement, Trump said that beginning October 1, his administration will also place a 50 percent tariff on imports of kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and related items, along with a 30 percent tariff on upholstered furniture.

“The reason for this is the large scale ‘FLOODING’ of these products into the United States by other outside Countries,” Trump posted. “It is a very unfair practice, but we must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process.”

Additionally, Trump said there will be a 25 percent tariff on “Heavy (Big!) Trucks” produced abroad starting October 1.

“We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!” Trump stated.

The president has previously enacted tariffs on industries including steel, aluminum, copper, and automobiles.

At the same time, the Supreme Court is scheduled next month to hear arguments on whether Trump has the authority to rely on emergency powers to justify his wide-ranging tariff program.

{Matzav.com}

Iran is pressing ahead with major underground construction at a little-known mountain site, raising fresh alarms just months after U.S. and Israeli forces devastated its main nuclear facilities. Satellite images reviewed by the Washington Post, alongside independent analysis, show accelerated activity at Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La—known as Pickaxe Mountain—suggesting Tehran has not abandoned its suspected nuclear ambitions and may be cautiously rebuilding. Engineers first began tunneling into the Zagros mountains in 2020, roughly a mile south of the Natanz complex, which U.S. warplanes struck with earth-penetrating bombs on June 22. While Iran has described the project as a centrifuge production plant to replace one lost to sabotage, analysts say the dimensions and depth of the facility—an estimated 260 to 330 feet underground, even deeper than Fordow—suggest it could serve more secretive purposes, such as uranium enrichment or the storage of near-weapons grade material. The purpose remains unclear. International inspectors have never been allowed inside, and IAEA director Rafael Mariano Grossi has said his questions about the site were rebuffed earlier this year. U.S. officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that intelligence agencies are monitoring the facility, though the CIA declined public comment. Satellite imagery shows significant changes since the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign: new perimeter walls, reinforced tunnel entrances, and expanding spoil piles from excavation. Heavy equipment, dump trucks, and trailers are now clustered around both eastern and western entrances, underscoring the ongoing tunneling work. Experts say efforts to bury the tunnels under dirt and rock point to attempts to harden the site against future airstrikes. The activity comes as Iran continues to withhold full cooperation from international inspectors. The IAEA struck a deal with Tehran on September 9 that was supposed to allow access to all nuclear sites, but Iranian officials have since cast doubt on the agreement. President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that rebuilding nuclear sites would only invite more U.S. strikes, while hard-liners have attacked him for weakness. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei retains ultimate authority over the nuclear program. Meanwhile, the fate of Iran’s most concerning nuclear material—nearly 900 pounds of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity before the June strikes—remains unclear. U.S. intelligence believes much of it may be buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordow. Without clear accounting, analysts warn, Tehran could still attempt to covertly fashion a nuclear device if it decided to move forward. Israel and the United States unleashed the most devastating strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure in 15 years, destroying nearly all of its centrifuges at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. President Trump declared the program “totally obliterated,” but subsequent intelligence reports have been less definitive. Analysts say Tehran may now be trading speed for secrecy, focusing on hardened sites like Pickaxe Mountain to shield any future nuclear activity from outside attack. Analysts note that Iran has also begun rebuilding missile production plants targeted during the June war. While Tehran’s path back to nuclear weapons capability has been badly disrupted, experts warn it retains the capacity to reconstitute its program quickly if it makes the decision to do so. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Prime Minister’s Office announced Friday that Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly will be blasted into Gaza through loudspeakers placed along the border — an unusual move that is provoking criticism from the military, families of hostages, and soldier advocacy groups. In a statement, the PMO said civilian agencies were instructed, “in cooperation with the IDF,” to mount loudspeakers on trucks “on the Israeli side of the Gaza border only,” so as not to expose soldiers to danger. The broadcast, described as part of a “public diplomacy effort,” is set to air at 4 p.m. Israeli time, when Netanyahu is expected to rail against Western recognition of a Palestinian state. The clarification came after morning reports claimed the IDF had been told to disperse trucks with sound systems inside Gaza itself — an idea that drew internal opposition. According to Channel 12, senior officers argued the plan would endanger troops by sending them into areas vulnerable to Hamas fire. “It’s an insane idea,” one officer told Haaretz. “No one understands what military benefit there is here.” Still, the paper reported, the army is preparing to carry out the directive and sees the initiative as psychological warfare. Photos shared on social media by Kan’s military correspondent showed loudspeakers mounted on military vehicles, with the 99th Division reportedly preparing to transmit Netanyahu’s speech. The move ignited immediate backlash from soldier advocacy groups. “How long will you use our sons for your personal campaign?” declared Ima Era, a protest group representing mothers of combat soldiers. “They are not just extras in your war movie frame. The responsibility for their lives is in your hands. You must not give in to this madness.” Families of hostages also condemned the plan. Lishay Miran-Lavi, whose husband Omri remains in Hamas captivity, challenged Netanyahu directly on social media: “Instead of to Gazans, I’d like you to speak to those who crave a voice of hope — the hostages, and the soldiers.” She pleaded for her message to be relayed to captives: “We have no intention of giving up. Will you agree?” Anat Angrest, whose son Matan is among those still held in Gaza, accused the prime minister of inflicting “psychological abuse” on the captives. “Every sentence other than ‘I came to the U.S. to sign a deal that will return everyone home’ shatters their hope,” she wrote. The controversy comes as hostage relatives and survivors gather in New York to protest Netanyahu’s address, demanding a deal to secure the release of 48 people still held in Gaza. Israeli authorities have declared 26 of them dead, including a soldier killed in 2014. The rest were abducted during the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023, which set off the current war. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

James Comey, the onetime FBI director, said on Thursday that his heart was “broken” for the Department of Justice following his indictment on two counts by the Trump Justice Department. At the same time, he maintained his innocence and insisted he felt no fear.

Comey addressed the news in a brief Instagram video shortly after the indictment became public.

“My family and I have known for years there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump. But we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either,” Comey said.

“Somebody that I love dearly recently said that fear is the tool of a tyrant. And she’s right,” he continued, quoting words from his daughter, who lost her position as a federal prosecutor in July.

“But I’m not afraid, and I hope you’re not either. I hope instead you are engaged. You are paying attention, and you will vote like your beloved country depends upon it, which it does,” Comey added.

“My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system,” he said. “And I’m innocent. So, let’s have a trial. And keep the faith.”

The charges stem from a federal grand jury indictment accusing Comey of lying in testimony and obstructing a congressional proceeding tied to his 2020 Senate appearance.

The case marks the first time that one of President Trump’s most outspoken rivals has been formally charged.

Trump has repeatedly demanded prosecutions of Comey, holding him responsible for the FBI’s probe into possible connections between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia—an investigation Trump has consistently branded a “witch hunt.” Just last weekend, Trump appeared to directly urge his attorney general to target Comey and other critics.

Trump dismissed Comey from the FBI in 2017, while the bureau’s Russia investigation was still underway, a move that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Since then, Trump has routinely lashed out at Comey, labeling him a “dirty cop” and hurling other insults.

Comey also angered Democrats in 2016 when he oversaw the inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s private email server during her presidential campaign. In subsequent years, he endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election and supported Kamala Harris in her 2024 contest against Trump.

The indictment quickly sparked outrage among Democrats and critics of Trump, many of whom denounced it as a politically motivated attempt to target the president’s adversaries.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that he says will allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States in a way that meets national security concerns. Trump’s order will enable an American-led of group of investors to buy the app from China’s ByteDance, though the deal is not yet finalized and also requires China’s approval. Much is still unknown about the actual deal in the works, but Trump said at a White House signing ceremony Thursday that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has agreed to move forward with it. Vice President JD Vance added that “there was some resistance on the Chinese side, but the fundamental thing that we wanted to accomplish is that we wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans’ data privacy as required by law.” The Chinese embassy in Washington didn’t immediately respond to an Associated Press inquiry seeking confirmation of China’s approval. President Joe Biden signed legislation passed by Congress last year that would ban TikTok unless ByteDance sold its U.S. assets to an American company by early this year. Trump has repeatedly signed orders that have allowed TikTok to keep operating in the U.S. as his administration tries to reach an agreement for the sale of the company. The executive order itself is a declaration by the president that the proposed deal meets the security concerns laid out in that law. And it gives all negotiating parties an additional 120-day reprieve in order to finalize it. Young people especially “really wanted this to happen,” Trump said. Any major change to the popular video platform could have a huge impact on how Americans — particularly young adults and teenagers — consume information online. About 43% of U.S. adults under the age of 30 say they regularly get news from TikTok, higher than any other social media app including YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, according to a Pew Research Center report published Thursday. Asked if he’d want a U.S.-owned TikTok algorithm to suggest more content promoting his Make America Great Again movement, Trump said he’d make it “100% MAGA” if he felt he could, but he intends for “every philosophy, every policy” to be “treated right.” Vance said the deal ensures that “American investors will actually control the algorithm” that determines the content seen on the social media app. He said more information about the deal will be revealed in the coming weeks. Who will control the new TikTok venture? Under the terms of the deal that have so far been revealed by the White House, the app will be spun off into a new U.S. joint venture owned by a consortium of American investors — including tech giant Oracle and investment firm Silver Lake Partners. Though the details have yet to be finalized, the investment group’s controlling stake in the new venture would be around 80%. While ByteDance is expected to have a stake in the new venture, it would be less than 20% — a portion of the ownership reserved for foreign investors. The board running the new platform would be controlled by U.S. investors. ByteDance will be represented by one person on the board, but that individual will be excluded from any security-related matters. TikTok’s new owners include many whose business or political interests are tied to Trump, including […]

Fox News host Sean Hannity weighs in on the indictment of former FBI director James Comey on ‘Hannity.’

WATCH:

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will put import taxes of 100% on pharmaceutical drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30% on upholstered furniture and 25% on heavy trucks starting on Oct. 1. The posts on his social media site showed that Trump’s devotion to tariffs did not end with the trade frameworks and import taxes that were launched in August, a reflection of the president’s confidence that taxes will help to reduce the government’s budget deficit while increasing domestic manufacturing. But the additional tariffs risk intensifying inflation that is already elevated, as well as slowing economic growth, as employers getting acclimated to Trump’s previous import taxes grapple with new levels of uncertainty. “We have begun to see goods prices showing through into higher inflation,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned in a recent news conference, adding that higher costs for goods account for “most” or potentially “all” of the increase in inflation levels this year. Trump said on Truth Social that the pharmaceutical tariffs would not apply to companies that are building manufacturing plants in the United States, which he defined as either “breaking ground” or being “under construction.” It was unclear how the tariffs would apply to companies that already have factories in the U.S. In 2024, America imported nearly $233 billion in pharmaceutical and medicinal products, according to the Census Bureau. The prospect of prices doubling for some medicines could send shock waves to voters as health care expenses, as well as the costs of Medicare and Medicaid, potentially increase. Trump said that foreign manufacturers of furniture and cabinetry were flooding the United States with their products and that tariffs must be applied “for National Security and other reasons.” The new tariffs on cabinetry could further increase the costs for homebuilders at a time when many people seeking to buy a house feel priced out by the mix of housing shortages and high mortgage rates. Trump said that foreign-made heavy trucks and parts are hurting domestic producers. “Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interruptions,” Trump posted. Trump has long maintained that tariffs are the key to forcing companies to invest more in domestic factories. He has dismissed fears that importers would simply pass along much of the cost of the taxes to consumers and businesses in the form of higher prices. The president continues to claim that inflation is no longer a challenge for the U.S. economy, despite evidence to the contrary. The consumer price index has increased 2.9% over the past 12 months, up from an annual pace of 2.3% in April, when Trump first launched a sweeping set of import taxes. Nor is there evidence that the tariffs are creating factory jobs or more construction of manufacturing facilities. Since April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that manufacturers cut 42,000 jobs and builders have downsized by 8,000. “There’s no inflation,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “We’re having unbelievable success.” (AP)

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For the first time, the city of Lod has issued a special order prohibiting the use of electric scooters, e-bikes, and motorized or electric ATVs during Yom Kippur. The directive, signed by Mayor Yair Revivo, is intended to safeguard the sanctity of the holiest day of the Jewish calendar and to prevent disturbances, noise, and disruptions for the tens of thousands of residents who fast and daven in more than 100 shuls throughout the city.

The order applies citywide and will remain in force for the full 25 hours of Yom Kippur, from the beginning of the Yom Tov until it ends. Under the directive, only traditional bicycles will be permitted, and even then, they may not be equipped with speakers or any type of sound system, so as not to disturb mispallelim or detract from the solemnity of the day.

According to the municipality, anyone caught violating the order will face fines, and their vehicle may be confiscated. Mayor Revivo appealed to residents, saying, “Let us together preserve the sanctity of the chag,” while also extending his wishes for a good inscription and sealing for the year ahead.

In recent years, complaints from Lod residents have risen significantly, with many citing noise, disturbances, and tensions near shuls and in public areas on Yom Kippur. City officials hope that this new order will substantially reduce such conflicts and allow the holiness of the day to be properly observed.

Mayor Revivo noted that in previous years, the rides caused serious confrontations and disrespect among residents. “In recent years, these rides led to severe friction and a lack of respect between residents – and now we will preserve the Yom Kippur status quo in the city,” he said.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Starbucks said Thursday it’s closing hundreds of U.S. and Canadian stores and laying off 900 nonretail employees as it focuses more of its resources on a turnaround. The Seattle coffee giant said store closures would start immediately. The company wouldn’t give a number of stores that are closing, but it said it expects to have 18,300 North American locations when its fiscal year ends on Sunday, which is 124 fewer than it had at the end of its 2024 fiscal year. As of June 29, the company had 18,734 locations. Starbucks said workers in its stores will be offered transfers to other locations where possible and severance packages. Starbucks said it will notify nonretail employees whose positions are being eliminated early Friday. Starbucks asked employees who can work from home to do so on Thursday and Friday. In a letter sent to employees Thursday, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said a review of the company’s stores identified locations where the company doesn’t see a path to financial stability or isn’t able to create the physical environment customers expect. Those stores are being closed. “Each year, we open and close coffeehouses for a variety of reasons, from financial performance to lease expirations,” Niccol wrote. “This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers. Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult.” Starbucks said it expects to spend $1 billion on the restructuring, including $150 million on employee separation benefits and $850 million related to the physical store closing and the cost of exiting leases. Starbucks shares were down less than 1% in morning trading Thursday. It was not immediately clear how many of the stores that are closing are unionized. Workers at 650 company-owned U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since 2021, but they have yet to reach a contract agreement with the company. Starbucks Workers United, the labor group organizing workers, said Thursday that the closures were made without input from Starbucks’ baristas. The union said it intends to engage in bargaining at every union-represented store that is closing to ensure workers can be placed at another store they prefer. “Fixing what’s broken at Starbucks isn’t possible without centering the people who engage with the company’s customers day in and day out,” the union said. News of the store closures came just over a week after unionized employees in three states sued Starbucks over its new dress code, saying the company refused to reimburse workers who had to buy new clothes. Starbucks said it used a consistent set of criteria to determine the stores that are closing and union representation wasn’t a factor. It’s rare for Starbucks to shrink its store count during a fiscal year. Niccol said Starbucks plans to increase its North American store count in its next fiscal year. The company said it also plans to redesign more than 1,000 locations in the next 12 months to give them a warmer, more welcoming feel. This is the second big round of layoffs at Starbucks this year. In February, Niccol announced the layoffs of 1,100 corporate employees globally and eliminated several hundred open positions. At the time, Niccol said Starbucks needed to operate more efficiently and increase accountability for decisions. Niccol is a turnaround specialist who […]

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, in an exclusive conversation with Breitbart News during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said that the Arab world views President Donald Trump as the “only one” who can bring peace to Gaza.

“I believe that the meeting with the Arab and Muslim leaders that took place with President Trump was a very important meeting,” Al Thani told Breitbart News. “It was a very important event during the UNGA. Basically, the main purpose of that is to highlight for the president the danger for the region and that we need to put a stop to what Israel is doing. Basically, it’s not only jeopardizing the security of the region, it’s jeopardizing even the U.S. interests in the region and jeopardizing the partnerships that the U.S. has built throughout decades in that region. The president was very receptive. He listened to all the leaders and he wants to work together with them to find a solution to this and put an end to it. We believe that everything should start with Gaza — stopping the war in Gaza and build out from there — because if you look at it today Israel and Netanyahu, it’s not the entire country but it’s Netanyahu, is setting the stage for the region that he has no boundaries and no red lines. He will do whatever he wants wherever he wants.”

Al Thani spoke at length with Breitbart News at Qatar’s UN mission on Thursday, just days after Trump met with Arab leaders following his UNGA speech, and shortly after Israel launched a military strike on Doha, apparently aiming to target Hamas negotiators. The attack left many wounded, killed a Qatari security official, and triggered outrage throughout the Arab world. Trump responded publicly, criticizing the move.

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Trump wrote on Truth Social immediately following the incident.

Some reports suggested Netanyahu gave Trump advance notice of the attack, but Trump rejected those claims. Instead, he convened talks with Al Thani at Trump Tower and met with other Arab leaders in New York. He also hosted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the White House, where the subject was expected to come up.

According to Al Thani, Trump personally confirmed in their meeting that he intends to pursue peace in Gaza. “The president reiterated his commitment to put an end for the war in Gaza,” Al Thani said. “He mentioned that he is working with his team on a plan for peace in Gaza and we are trying to help and assist his team in making the plan more acceptable and supported by the region as well.”

The Israeli strike on Doha drew sharp condemnation across the Arab world, with leaders — including Jordan’s King Abdullah II in his UN address — openly rebuking Netanyahu. Al Thani stressed to Breitbart News that Trump is “the only one” capable of stopping Netanyahu and preventing further escalation.

“We’ve been working with the president and the administration on multiple conflicts not just in the Middle East but even outside the Middle East and we see that President Trump, his policies since he came to office, is about how to end wars and how to start a new era of prosperity and development,” Al Thani said. “Basically, when we are working together with him on these files, it is basically to help and to bring peace and stability to — our region is of course our priority — but also beyond that. I believe, watching the president’s commitment to bring peace in the Middle East is very important. It’s very important also to highlight for the president that it’s not necessarily everything that Netanyahu is doing now is helping the U.S. interest. For example, the attack that happened that took place in Doha while negotiating teams were discussing a proposal submitted by President Trump was a total undermining of the U.S. and its efforts. We know that President Trump is the only one who can stop him from acting this way, because this is putting everything that the U.S. has done in the region in jeopardy. The president himself said what happened in Doha is against U.S. interests.”

Al Thani added that Arab leaders remain optimistic about Trump’s potential to achieve progress. He recalled Trump’s earlier visit to the Middle East at the start of his second term — including stops in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar — as a moment that inspired confidence. Asked whether that hope still exists, Al Thani was emphatic.

“We are still hopeful,” Al Thani said. “What we heard from the president two days ago was very encouraging, on Tuesday in the meeting with the Arab leaders was very encouraging, and we hope to get back on the right track and we hope that Netanyahu at the end listens and stops what he’s doing. All the energy of the visits and the deals that are being signed are now put into question after what he did with Qatar, striking a strong U.S. ally in the region. Basically, this has raised a lot of questions not among the Qataris only but among others and other partners in the region.”

He reiterated that only Trump has the influence to resolve the situation. “We are hopeful that if there is someone who can bring the stability to the Middle East, they need to restore order,” Al Thani told Breitbart News. “What’s happening right now is disorder by Netanyahu and the way he is conducting himself in the Middle East. Someone needs to stop him, and we don’t see anyone as able to stop him except President Trump.”

When asked directly if he believed Trump has the unique ability to succeed in this effort, Al Thani gave a simple reply: “Yes. He’s the President of the United States.”

{Matzav.com}