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Holocaust survivor Reb Duvid Einhorn was surprised this afternoon with a warm birthday celebration arranged by his mincha group and the Yizkor Foundation. The event was filled with brachos, singing, and dancing, and Reb Duvid was visibly moved. A long line of well-wishers gathered to receive his bracha and share in the simcha.

The White House is trying to turn the Federal Reserve into a poster child for wasteful spending, criticizing an expensive renovation at the central bank’s headquarters as President Donald Trump pursues an extraordinary pressure campaign to lower interest rates. The latest step came Thursday when Russ Vought, Trump’s top budget adviser, sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell saying the president is “extremely troubled” that plans may have violated government building rules with an “ostentatious overhaul.” Trump also named two close aides — James Blair, a deputy chief of staff, and Will Scharf, the staff secretary who furnishes the president with executive orders for his signature — to the National Capital Planning Commission, an obscure panel that could provide another avenue to increase scrutiny. Blair said he would be “requesting a review of all previous and current building plans” and suggested that Powell wasn’t honest while testifying to Congress about the renovations last month. If Powell isn’t truthful, Blair wrote on social media, “how else is the American Public to maintain confidence that its monetary policy manager is acting in their interests?” Taken together, the latest steps amount to an escalating effort to dislodge Powell from his position as chairman before his term ends next May. It’s an unprecedented attempt to reshape the Federal Reserve’s traditional role as an autonomous arbiter of U.S. monetary policy. If successful, Trump will have expanded his influence to yet another corner of American government that was once seen as beyond the reach of political pressure, but he will have also jeopardized the independence that has made the central bank a foundational player in the U.S. economy. On Wednesday, Trump said Powell “should resign immediately” so “we should get somebody in there that’s going to lower interest rates.” He suggested that he’d rather have Scott Bessent, his Treasury secretary, as a replacement. Powell has resisted Trump’s pressure, largely out of concern that Trump’s tariff plans could increase costs for American consumers. If rates are lowered too aggressively, it could lead to a resurgence of inflation. But Trump insists that inflation is no longer a problem, and a rate cut would help make mortgages, auto loans and other forms of consumer debt cheaper. Trump has also said it would allow the U.S. government to finance its debt more cheaply, a pressing concern as legislation signed by the president is poised to increase the federal deficit by extending tax cuts. “LOWER THE RATE!!!” Trump wrote on social media on Thursday as he continued a near-daily drumbeat of criticism. However, there’s no guarantee that financial markets will reduce rates on government debt even if the Fed bows to Trump’s wishes. Such a situation could lead to higher interest costs for consumers — a reminder of how monetary missteps may backfire. Powell was nominated to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors by President Barack Obama, then made chairman by Trump during his first term. But in his second term, Trump turned Powell — who has sought to avoid politics and refrains from responding directly to the president— into one of his primary antagonists. Trump has said that he wouldn’t directly oust Powell — “I don’t know why it would be so bad, but I’m not going to fire him,” he said last month. The Supreme Court said in May that it could block such a step. However, Trump’s allies have found other […]

Israel believes deeply buried stocks of enriched uranium at one Iranian nuclear facility hit by the U.S. military are potentially retrievable, a senior Israeli official said. And the agency that built the U.S. “bunker buster” bombs dropped on two other nuclear sites said Thursday that it is still waiting for data to be able to determine if those munitions reached their targets. Both developments widen the views on the damage from last month’s strikes, when the United States inserted itself in Israel’s war in a bid to eliminate the threat of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. Iran says its program is peaceful. President Donald Trump is adamant that the U.S. strikes “obliterated” the three Iranian nuclear facilities it targeted. International assessments and an initial U.S. intelligence assessment have been more measured, with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency saying in a preliminary report that the strikes did significant damage to the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites, but did not destroy them. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has since told skeptical U.S. lawmakers that American military strikes destroyed Iran’s lone metal conversion facility, a setback to the nuclear program that would take years to overcome, and that the intelligence community assessed that the vast majority of Iran’s amassed enriched uranium likely remains buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordo. The White House didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment Thursday. Much of Iran’s enriched uranium is believed deeply buried at the third site, Isfahan, the senior Israeli official said. The U.S. used B-2 stealth bombers to target the Fordo and Natanz sites. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to share Israeli assessments that had not been made public. Israel believes Iran’s enriched uranium was distributed in the three sites and had not been moved, the Israeli official said. Nuclear and nonproliferation experts have warned that Iranians could have moved the stockpiles somewhere safer as Israeli strikes pounded Iran last month and expectation grew that the U.S. military might join in. The enriched uranium at Isfahan could potentially be retrieved by Iranians but reaching it would take a very difficult recovery effort, the Israeli official said. Trump and other administration officials have rebuffed suggestions that the June 22 U.S. strikes did anything short of wiping out the nuclear sites. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said they were “destroyed.” Two officials from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which spent decades designing the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs specifically to destroy Iran’s facilities, said they still did not know yet if the munitions had reached the depths the bombs had been engineered for. Those officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details on the bombs that had not been previously announced. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview published Monday said the U.S. airstrikes so badly damaged his country’s nuclear facilities that Iranian authorities still have not been able to access them to survey the destruction. Pezeshkian added in the interview with conservative American broadcaster Tucker Carlson that Iran would be willing to resume cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog but cannot yet commit to allowing its inspectors unfettered access to monitor the sites. “We stand ready to have such supervision,” Pezeshkian said. “Unfortunately, as a result of the United States’ unlawful attacks against our nuclear centers and […]

POTUS: “It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN & MSDNC put together….”

A wave of concern is sweeping through Jewish members of Congress following the Democratic mayoral primary victory of Zohran Mamdani in New York City. Mamdani won the nomination with 56% of the vote in a ranked-choice runoff against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. But his support for the BDS movement and refusal to condemn the controversial slogan “globalize the intifada” has drawn sharp rebukes from Democratic lawmakers, especially in light of the recent surge in violent antisemitic incidents across the country. “To not be willing to condemn the term ‘globalize the intifada’ demonstrates a callous disregard for antisemitism and terrorism,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.). “It’s terribly disturbing and potentially dangerous.” The slogan became a flashpoint during the campaign. Mamdani, while stating he doesn’t personally use the phrase, declined to explicitly denounce it, saying on NBC’s Meet the Press that “the role of the mayor is not to police speech.” Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), who represents a large Jewish community and has spoken openly about his faith, called Mamdani’s win “a huge problem,” citing it as a reflection of growing tolerance for antisemitic rhetoric in progressive circles. “It’s happening in the context of a violent surge in antisemitism,” he told The Hill. That concern is echoed by other Jewish Democrats in Congress, including Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who questioned Mamdani’s judgment and warned that failing to denounce inflammatory language will only inflame tensions further. “Someone who refuses to condemn hate speech is not acceptable,” Gottheimer told CNN. Moskowitz added, “If he can’t say that ‘globalizing the intifada’ is antisemitic, then he’s going to continue to add to the problem.” Despite the uproar, prominent New York Democrats have largely remained muted in their response. House Judiciary Ranking Member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), the longest-serving Jewish member of the New York delegation, endorsed Mamdani prior to the primary. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) issued a congratulatory note but stopped short of endorsing the candidate. Other Democrats representing swing districts, such as Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen of Long Island, have distanced themselves from Mamdani. In a statement following a private meeting with Mamdani, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) said he urged the nominee to take stronger stances against antisemitism. “I explained why Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe in the city,” Goldman said. “As he continues this campaign, he must condemn anti-Jewish hate and calls for violence, and take proactive steps to protect all New Yorkers.” Mamdani’s campaign declined to comment on the recent criticism, but the candidate has repeatedly denied antisemitic intent and pledged to govern inclusively. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hamas has expressed dissatisfaction with Israel’s latest truce proposal, which was delivered to mediators and outlines how the IDF would remain stationed within parts of Gaza during the envisioned 60-day pause in fighting.

The revised plan demonstrates that Israel is willing to show more leeway regarding the army’s positioning during the ceasefire, particularly in the zone stretching from the Morag Corridor down to the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt.

One insider told The Jerusalem Post the situation had reached a “stalemate,” while another source noted, “We thought things would move faster due to American and Qatari pressure. At least a few more days of negotiations will be needed.”

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu sat down with relatives of the hostages and informed them that, given the current reality, there was no possibility of securing a broad agreement. “There was no such option,” Netanyahu said. When asked which hostages might be included in a deal, he added: “All of them are humanitarian cases. It will likely be Hamas that decides who will be released.”

In an official announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu said that once the proposed 60-day truce begins, “we will enter negotiations for a permanent end to the war, meaning a permanent ceasefire.”

He emphasized Israel’s core requirements: Hamas must lay down its weapons, Gaza must no longer be militarized, and the terror group must lose all ability to rule or fight. “If this can be achieved through negotiations, all the better. If not, we will achieve it through other means – by force, through the strength of our heroic army.”

According to a source familiar with the matter, President Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, intends to jumpstart efforts toward a final resolution from day one of the ceasefire. “He’s planning for the talks to begin immediately and intends to travel to Qatar in person to start them,” the source stated.

Hamas announced on Wednesday that it still had unresolved concerns, such as the volume and consistency of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and receiving “genuine guarantees” for a lasting truce. While the organization is prepared to release 10 hostages, it labeled the discussions “tough” and blamed Israeli “intransigence” for the difficulties.

At a demonstration held in Washington, DC, on Monday, families of those still being held captive urged that any agreement must result in the return of all 50 remaining hostages.

“We are here to remind President Trump and PM Netanyahu that there are 50 hostages to be released. We cannot accept a deal for a partial release,” said Ilan Dalal, father of Guy Gilboa-Dalal.

{Matzav.com}

ESCALATING SITUATION: Federal agents & demonstrators clash during ICE raid at Ventura County, Calif. farm.

BREAKING: Biden-appointed judge BLOCKS federal law enforcement from immigration crackdown tactics in Los Angeles.

In response to the lessons learned from the October 7th massacre, the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate is undergoing a significant transformation in its training approach. According to a report by Army Radio, all personnel in the directorate—both soldiers and officers—will now be required to study Arabic and Islam, regardless of whether their positions require knowledge of the language. A new department dedicated to Arabic language and Islamic studies will be established within the training system. This unit will not only train translators and radio operators but also intelligence analysts, with the goal of ensuring that every brigade and division intelligence officer achieves a high level of Arabic proficiency and gains a deep understanding of Islamic culture. The curriculum will begin even before enlistment, with Arabic and Islam integrated into pre-military educational programs. These studies will continue through basic training and into advanced courses for officers and career personnel. The target: within a year, all intelligence personnel will be trained in Islamic studies, and at least 50% will receive Arabic language instruction. As part of this initiative, the IDF is also reopening the Department of Middle Eastern Studies Promotion, which was shut down six years ago due to budget constraints. Operating under Unit 8200, this department will once again support educational outreach in Israeli schools. Specialized courses in regional dialects—including Houthi and Iraqi Arabic—have also been launched. Intelligence officials note that understanding Houthi communications is especially difficult due to their use of the addictive herbal stimulant khat, commonly used in Yemen. Khat use can cause oral inflammation or even cancer [and at times, death via Israeli airstrike,] which distorts speech and complicates audio analysis. A senior intelligence officer told Army Radio, “Until now, we have fallen short when it comes to understanding culture, language, and Islam. We must do better. While we can’t turn intelligence officers into native Arabic speakers who grew up in Arab villages, by immersing them in the language and culture, we can cultivate critical thinking and deeper insight.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump proclaimed on Thursday that the United States has fully rebounded, and he urged the Federal Reserve to respond by slashing interest rates.

Taking to Truth Social, Trump celebrated unprecedented highs across major financial indicators, from tech stocks to cryptocurrencies. He pointed to Bitcoin’s historic surge and the lack of inflationary pressure as proof of the economy’s strength. “Tech Stocks, Industrial Stocks, & NASDAQ, HIT ALL-TIME, RECORD HIGHS! CRYPTO, ‘Through the Roof.’ NVIDIA IS UP 47% SINCE TRUMP TARIFFS. USA is taking in Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs. COUNTRY IS NOW ‘BACK.’ A GREAT CREDIT!” Trump wrote, while pushing the Fed to act.

He continued by stressing that interest rates need to come down immediately. “FED SHOULD RAPIDLY LOWER RATE TO REFLECT THIS STRENGTH. USA SHOULD BE AT THE ‘TOP OF THE LIST.’ NO INFLATION!!!” he said.

The president has not held back in criticizing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for resisting calls to reduce rates. Despite Trump’s persistent pressure, the Fed has opted not to make the move, keeping borrowing costs elevated.

Powell has defended the Fed’s approach by warning that Trump’s trade and tariff strategies might eventually drive inflation—an outcome that has yet to materialize.

In another post on Thursday, Trump again took aim at Powell using a nickname he has often repeated. “‘Too Late’ DEMEANS THE GREAT CREDIT OF THE USA. We are now, again, the Number One Credit in the World! ‘Gigantic Comeback,’” Trump wrote. “The Fed Rate should be reflective of this. We should be at the top of the list!!! LOWER THE RATE!!!”

As of June, the Federal Reserve kept its benchmark rate in the 4.25% to 4.5% range. That came after rate reductions of 50 basis points in September and 25 basis points each in November and December. Breitbart News Economics Editor John Carney reported these figures in a June update.

Even though inflation has dipped below the Fed’s 2% target in recent months, central bank officials have remained cautious. At their most recent meeting, they increased their inflation outlook and reiterated plans for two rate cuts in 2025—unchanged from March’s forecast. Powell said while there had been “modest further progress,” the Fed needs “greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent” before making any further rate reductions.

Carney also noted that inflation eased again in May, as shown in economic data released toward the end of June.

{Matzav.com}

This week in Texas, estimates put the number of people still missing from the Hill Country floods at more than 170, a daunting figure atop at least 120 deaths confirmed by authorities. But that missing person tally might not be as precise as it seems. Confusion and uncertainty can take hold after a shocking disaster and, despite best efforts by local authorities, it can be difficult to pin down how many people reported missing are actually unaccounted for. Some people on a list after California’s Camp Fire wildfire in 2018 were later found to be OK the whole time. The death count in the 2023 Maui fire was 102, far below the 1,100 people initially feared missing. In Texas, several hundred people were reported missing to officials in Kerr County after the Fourth of July floods, said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Investigators whittled that number down by Tuesday after learning that some were counted twice and others were found alive. “There’s nothing to celebrate about how well we’ve done this far, but there’s a lot of work to be done,” Martin said. Authorities announced a phone number and email address for people to report missing friends or family. “We need to keep an accurate count, as accurate as possible,” Jonathan Lamb of the Kerrville Police Department said in a plea to the public Wednesday. “So if you’ve reported somebody missing and they’ve been recovered safely, please let us know.” The flooding sent walls of water through Hill Country in the middle of the night, killing at least 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, a century-old all-girls Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River. More remain missing from that camp and elsewhere. The search in 88-degree Fahrenheit heat (31 degrees Celsius) has been made harder by overturned cars, trees, mud and other debris left in the wake of the ferocious flood. “We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “Know this also: There very likely could be more added to that list.” In 2017, more than 20 people died in the Tubbs fire in northern California. Sgt. Juan Valencia of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office recalled that most of the 100 people initially reported missing to his agency were found safe. Working through a list of names in a disaster is both meticulous and time-consuming work, he said. “Put yourself in a family member’s shoes,” Valencia said. “They’re concerned about their loved one. Are they really the victim of a disaster or did they maybe lose their cellphone? Basically you start calling temporary shelters, check family, friends. You check social media. That’s how we were able to get a lot of those.” And he acknowledged that searching for victims of a water disaster poses distinct challenges. “Sometimes you find them miles away,” Valencia said. The 2018 Camp Fire in California ended up killing nearly 100 people, though Butte County investigators at one point had the names of more than 3,000 people who were not accounted for in the early days of the disaster, Sheriff Kory Honea said. “They were published in our local paper, the Chico Enterprise-Record. Many people didn’t know we were looking for them. That helped us start to whittle that list down,” Honea said. […]

Israel and the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor are locked in an ongoing legal standoff, submitting filings almost weekly in a heated third round of arguments over whether the court has authority to investigate alleged war crimes by Israelis—an issue hinging on the recognition of a “State of Palestine” capable of conferring such jurisdiction, the Jerusalem Post reports.

The ICC Prosecutor’s ability to proceed with arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant hangs in the balance, following a major procedural blow suffered on April 24 when the Appeals Chamber issued a ruling that temporarily halted the case’s momentum.

The arrest warrants, which have drawn international attention, pose a serious challenge to Israel’s global standing and could unleash a wave of diplomatic, legal, and economic fallout.

In a surprising turn for Israel, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber decision on April 24 instructed the lower court to take a more thorough look at Jerusalem’s objections to the court’s authority—a move that temporarily derailed the Prosecutor’s efforts.

This legal fight is not new; it marks the third time the ICC has grappled with whether Palestine meets the criteria to grant jurisdiction. The Palestinians prevailed twice before, in rulings delivered by the lower court in 2021 and again in November 2024.

As of July 3, Israel received permission from the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber to submit further legal arguments by August 1, extending the timeline of this high-stakes legal fight.

This extension followed three separate submissions by the Prosecutor’s Office—on June 18, June 27, and July 2—disputing Israel’s claims, along with additional legal filings from the Palestinian Authority during the same timeframe.

All these filings respond to Israel’s May 26 submission, which sought to build on its partial win at the Appeals Chamber in April by pushing for the case to be thrown out entirely for lack of jurisdiction.

Israel’s main arguments rest on two core positions: first, that there is no sovereign Palestinian state with defined borders; and second, that the Oslo Accords prevent the Palestinian Authority from delegating criminal jurisdiction over Israelis to international bodies like the ICC.

One legal angle Israel is leaning heavily on is the absence of PA governance in Gaza, especially in light of the 21-month war with Hamas. Another key point is that previous ICC dismissals of the Oslo-based argument lacked substantive legal engagement, according to Jerusalem.

Nevertheless, Israel still faces significant legal obstacles.

After its April Appeals Chamber success, Israel attempted another legal maneuver on May 9, asking the same court to halt the implementation of the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. That request was denied.

Amid this contentious legal backdrop, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan went on indefinite leave between May 17–18 following unrelated allegations of sexual misconduct involving an ICC staff member.

Instead of appointing a single interim Prosecutor, the ICC’s Assembly of States Parties chose to place both of Khan’s deputies in charge, creating a somewhat ambiguous leadership structure.

The dual leadership team—Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal and Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji—split their duties, with one focusing on investigations and the other handling legal prosecutions.

When the ICC submitted its May 21 brief responding to Israel, Shameem Khan signed the document, though it bore Karim Khan’s name in print. Since then, she has continued signing the briefs, indicating she is now leading the case during Khan’s absence.

Her continued authorization of the arrest warrants implies that even if Khan’s leave becomes permanent or ends in dismissal, Israel will remain under investigation by the ICC.

A pressing issue is whether the deputy prosecutors have the authority—or political will—to pursue additional Israeli officials, or if they’ll restrict themselves to maintaining the current proceedings against Netanyahu and Gallant.

According to The Wall Street Journal, just before taking his leave, Karim Khan was seriously weighing criminal proceedings against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing their backing of Jewish settlement activity and their alleged incitement of violence in places like Huwara and Jit.

Back in May 2024, there were even discussions within the ICC about whether Khan should begin by targeting Smotrich, Ben-Gvir, and the broader settlement enterprise before shifting his focus to Netanyahu and Gallant in relation to the Gaza conflict.

The reasoning behind this sequence was that there was a broader international consensus condemning settlement policy and its architects at the time. In contrast, Netanyahu and Gallant received a considerable amount of international support.

But now that the deputy prosecutors are at the helm—and with the ICC under pressure due to U.S. sanctions imposed by the Trump administration that have driven out several ICC personnel—Shameem Khan may choose not to broaden the charges at this time.

Unlike earlier rounds of this jurisdictional debate, which dragged on for over a year, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber is expected to issue a ruling relatively quickly, potentially within a few months.

{Matzav.com}

A 37-year-old man has been arrested and charged with making violent threats against President Donald Trump and other high-ranking government officials on the Truth Social platform, according to court records unsealed Wednesday. Carl D. Montague was taken into custody in Providence, Rhode Island, and faces multiple federal charges, including threats against the president, interstate threats, and threats to assault, kidnap, or murder federal officials. The investigation began on June 27 when Trump Media & Technology Group — the parent company of Truth Social — alerted the U.S. Secret Service to a threatening post made by an account using the handle “@tacoustic.” The message included explicit threats to kill Trump, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Though the original post was filled with profanities and violent language, federal officials said it was unequivocally threatening and targeted several named individuals. According to a probable cause affidavit, the user wrote that he intended to fatally shoot Trump and other officials. Using the Truth Social username, investigators linked the account to a Gmail address registered in Providence. A subsequent emergency disclosure request to Google revealed the IP address, which helped agents track down the suspect. On June 29, Secret Service agents visited an apartment complex on Plainfield Street associated with a nonprofit that helps former inmates reintegrate into society. Though the suspect wasn’t immediately located, several individuals identified Montague by name and said he was a known acquaintance of a resident named Joe. Agents returned the following day and, after management conducted a routine apartment check, found Montague hiding in the bathtub. Without prompting, Montague allegedly began to confess to making the threats before agents even identified themselves. According to the affidavit, Montague admitted to posting the message while under the influence of marijuana and claimed he deleted his Truth Social account shortly afterward. He said his threats stemmed from general political frustration and not from any specific grievance against the individuals named. He further stated that he did not possess any firearms, had no plans to travel, and did not intend to carry out violence. Montague also said he could not identify Pam Bondi and had only included her and Miller’s names after seeing them mentioned in other posts on the platform. He appeared in federal court on Wednesday afternoon. The case remains under investigation. Federal law prohibits making threats against current or former presidents and other government officials. Convictions can carry significant prison sentences, depending on the circumstances and perceived credibility of the threat. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A bill designed to prevent terrorists’ relatives from receiving Israeli citizenship or residency cleared its final two hurdles in the Knesset, passing both its second and third readings. The measure passed with widespread support from lawmakers across party lines, including members of both the governing coalition and the opposition.

Under the new law, individuals related to terrorists will no longer be eligible for “family reunification” status, effectively preventing them from being granted permission to live in Israel.

The legislation is the product of an extended effort spearheaded by MK Amit Halevi of the Likud party, working closely with Herzl and Merav Hajaj, the bereaved parents of Lt. Shir Hajaj, who was murdered in a terrorist ramming attack in Jerusalem’s Armon HaNatziv neighborhood in 2017. The new law also gives the state the power to revoke the temporary status of family members of terrorists who are already inside Israel.

MK Halevi declared, “This law will strike at the terrorist pipeline enabled through the family reunification process. For years, Supreme Court rulings have permitted the entry of Palestinians who have become an inseparable part of the terrorist infrastructure. We hope this law will deter future attacks and prevent the next disaster.”

The Hajajs shared their personal motivation, saying, “This law was born from deep pain, but it may save lives and prevent further tragedies. We extend our heartfelt thanks to MK Amit Halevi and MK Yuli Edelstein for their support and unwavering commitment.”

MK Yuli Edelstein underscored the significance of the legislation, asserting, “The days of family reunification for terrorists are over. No more gifts for the families of terrorists. Illegal residents will be deported—plain and simple. We advanced this legislation through the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and I’m proud to announce that it is now part of the State of Israel’s law. We express our deep appreciation to the parents of the late Lt. Shir Hajaj, Merav and Herzl Hajaj, and to MK Amit Halevi for their determination in advancing this vital reform.”

{Matzav.com}

UK and France agreed on a ‘one in, one out’ deal — Britain will return undocumented migrants to France in exchange for taking in an equal number of asylum seekers with UK family ties

The U.S. State Department’s Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs released a blunt and urgent advisory on Thursday, cautioning Americans against setting foot in Iran.

The notice, delivered in both English and Farsi and entirely in capital letters, declared: “AMERICANS, INCLUDING IRANIAN-AMERICANS AND OTHER DUAL-NATIONALS HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY DETAINED—TAKEN HOSTAGE—BY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT FOR MONTHS, AND YEARS. THE THREAT OF DETENTION IS EVEN GREATER TODAY, DO NOT TRAVEL TO IRAN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.”

To drive the point home, the Office shared a video online featuring Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American entrepreneur who was held in Iranian custody for five years beginning in 2018. In the clip, Shargi offers a personal account of his harrowing experience, backing up the government’s stark warning with his own firsthand testimony.

{Matzav.com}

Australia’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has released a sweeping national action plan aimed at rooting out anti-Jewish hatred across every sector of society — from classrooms and courtrooms to social media feeds and the national immigration system. The 20-page report, released Thursday, outlines 49 targeted reforms across 13 key areas, marking the most ambitious government-led initiative ever undertaken in Australia to fight antisemitism. The plan follows a year-long inquiry sparked by a disturbing surge in antisemitic hate crimes, online vitriol, and institutional indifference. “Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem — it’s a threat to democracy, social cohesion, and the values we claim to uphold,” Segal said. “This is a wake-up call.” Among the boldest proposals: a revamp of federal and state hate speech laws to crack down on serious vilification, Nazi symbols, threatening protests, and incitement of violence. The plan also calls for the creation of a national database of antisemitic incidents, providing real-time, publicly available data on threats, assaults, and hate speech. Crucially, Segal recommends that all levels of government formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, establishing a uniform legal and institutional benchmark. Segal’s plan zeroes in on education as a key battleground, noting research that shows younger Australians are more likely to harbor antisemitic views. Mandatory Holocaust and antisemitism education would be embedded in the national school curriculum, and teachers would be given tools to “understand, recognize, and refute antisemitism.” Universities will face a new report card system to measure how effectively they handle antisemitism complaints. Institutions that fail may face cuts to public funding. The report also proposes revoking arts and research grants and tax-deductible status for charities that platform or tolerate antisemitic rhetoric — a move that could shake the academic and cultural sectors. Online platforms are called out directly, with Segal labeling them “major vectors of hate.” The action plan demands increased transparency around social media algorithms, restrictions on bots used to amplify hate, and the establishment of cross-border standards for content moderation. It also flags the risks posed by artificial intelligence in spreading antisemitic content and conspiracy theories. The plan calls for screening visa applicants for antisemitic views or affiliations, warning that extremist ideologies are being imported under the guise of multiculturalism. It also recommends investigations into foreign funding of universities suspected of promoting radical ideologies. The plan also offers renewed government support for Jewish institutions, cultural programs, and security infrastructure, alongside incentives to rebuild interfaith initiatives and reconnect the broader community with Jewish creatives and cultural voices. Segal emphasized that combating antisemitism isn’t just about enforcement. “We must build a society where being openly Jewish is not an act of courage,” she said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Musk, X to face trial in Don Lemon lawsuit alleging breach of contract Broadcast journalist Don Lemon’s lawsuit against Elon Musk and social network X can proceed to trial, a judge ordered this week. Lemon sued Musk and X after the tech billionaire abruptly canceled a partnership with the former CNN anchor. Musk and X have faced a litany of other lawsuits over non-payment to vendors and over failure to provide severance as promised to laid-off employees from Twitter.

WATCH: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signs directive aimed at “U.S. Military Drone Dominance”

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker wishes mazel tov to the daughter of Tzedek’s Moshe Margaretten, just hours before her engagement. Despite the upcoming simcha, R’ Moshe was in Washington for a critical pidyon shvuyim-related meeting.