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An analysis finds that a critical group of U.S. employers would face a direct cost of $82.3 billion from President Donald Trump’s current tariff plans, a sum that could be potentially managed through price hikes, layoffs, hiring freezes or lower profit margins. The analysis by the JPMorganChase Institute is among the first to measure the direct costs created by the import taxes on businesses with $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenue, a category that includes roughly a third of private-sector U.S. workers. These companies are more dependent than other businesses on imports from China, India and Thailand — and the retail and wholesale sectors would be especially vulnerable to the import taxes being levied by the Republican president. The findings show clear trade-offs from Trump’s import taxes, contradicting his claims that foreign manufacturers would absorb the costs of the tariffs instead of U.S. companies that rely on imports. While the tariffs launched under Trump have yet to boost overall inflation, large companies such as Amazon, Costco, Walmart and Williams-Sonoma delayed the potential reckoning by building up their inventories before the taxes could be imposed. The analysis comes just ahead of the July 9 deadline by Trump to formally set the tariff rates on goods from dozens of countries. Trump imposed that deadline after the financial markets panicked in response to his April tariff announcements, prompting him to instead schedule a 90-day negotiating period when most imports faced a 10% baseline tariff. China, Mexico and Canada face higher rates, and there are separate 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum. Had the initial April 2 tariffs stayed in place, the companies in the JPMorganChase Institute analysis would have faced additional direct costs of $187.6 billion. Under the current rates, the $82.3 billion would be equivalent on average to $2,080 per employee, or 3.1% of the average annual payroll. Those averages include firms that don’t import goods and those that do. Asked Tuesday how trade talks are faring, Trump said simply: “Everything’s going well.” The president has indicated he will set tariff rates given the logistical challenge of negotiating with so many nations. As the 90-day period comes to a close, only the United Kingdom has signed a trade framework with the Trump administration. Trump announced Wednesday he has reached a deal with Vietnam, with details to follow. India has signaled it is close to agreeing on a trade framework. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that more inflation could surface. The investment bank Goldman Sachs said in a report that it expects companies to pass along 60% of their tariff costs onto consumers. The Atlanta Federal Reserve has used its survey of businesses’ inflation expectations to say that companies could on average pass along roughly half their costs from a 10% tariff or a 25% tariff without reducing consumer demand. The JPMorganChase Institute findings suggest that the tariffs could cause some domestic manufacturers to strengthen their roles as suppliers of goods. But it noted that companies need to plan for a range of possible outcomes and that wholesalers and retailers already operate on such low profit margins that they might need to spread the tariffs costs to their customers. The outlook for tariffs remains highly uncertain. Trump had stopped negotiations with Canada, only to restart them after the […]

Sparks of a Nation began as a WhatsApp Status—sharing powerful stories, uplifting messages, and sparks of Yiddishkeit. *Now, we’re bringing that same inspiration to your Shabbos with Sparks of a Nation: Shabbos Edition—a beautifully curated, bi-weekly print magazine.* Each issue is designed to uplift and enrich your Shabbos, featuring heartwarming stories, Torah insights, stunning visuals, and meaningful content the whole family can enjoy—all in a format you can hold, savor, and share. Read more: https://sparksofanation.com/sparks/introducing-sparks-of-a-nation-shabbos-edition-now-at-your-doorstep/

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee in New York City’s mayoral election, offered an apology for past comments widely criticized as antisemitic, describing his ability to acknowledge mistakes as a personal strength as he seeks support among Jewish voters ahead of the general election. Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and a longtime talk radio personality, has faced renewed scrutiny over remarks in which he portrayed Jews as power-hungry and dependent on public benefits, and claimed antisemitic attitudes were “in his DNA” as a non-Jew. Speaking to The Forward on Tuesday, Sliwa called those statements wrong and said he had apologized before but wanted to restate his regret. “The first person to confront me about that was my wife, who’s a Gentile,” Sliwa said of his 2024 comments about antisemitism running in his DNA. “It was a poor choice of words. What I meant was that these attitudes are absorbed in non-Jewish homes from an early age.” Sliwa, 70, is mounting a second mayoral run after losing to Eric Adams in 2021. Adams, who is seeking reelection as an independent, has made fighting antisemitism a centerpiece of his campaign, while Sliwa is trying to counter Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, whose criticisms of Israel and support for antisemitic protestors have drawn sharp rebukes from Jewish leaders. In the interview, Sliwa criticized efforts to use Mamdani’s anti-Zionist record as a campaign weapon, arguing voters would not be persuaded by what he called “weaponized identity politics.” “Cuomo already dropped B-52 bombs on him that didn’t put a dent in him,” Sliwa said, referring to former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s attacks on Mamdani during the primary campaign. Mamdani, who officially secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday with 56% of the vote, has faced questions over his use of the slogan “globalize the intifada.” Sliwa, while critical of Mamdani’s rhetoric, acknowledged his rival’s strength with younger voters. Sliwa’s own relationship with New York’s Jewish communities is complicated. In past years, he accused Jewish voters of behaving like a bloc that “buys off” politicians and claimed they were “making babies like there’s no tomorrow” to exploit welfare. “I’ve said a lot of things I shouldn’t have,” Sliwa told The Forward. “What I’ve learned in life is the art of apology. You have to understand the hurt that you cause people, and you have to apologize and mean it.” Sliwa pointed to his decades of involvement with Jewish communities, including deploying Guardian Angels to protect Crown Heights during the 1991 riots and again in 2020 after a surge in antisemitic attacks, as evidence of his long-standing commitment to Jewish safety. “When Jews were targeted by hate and people wanted to commit acts of violence, it didn’t matter where they were,” he said. “They could always depend on the Guardian Angels and me.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

That’s one pricey set of toes.

A Bronx jury has ordered the MTA to pay $22.75 million to a bike delivery worker who lost all five toes on his left foot after falling from a deteriorated subway platform, deciding the agency should be held accountable for the life-altering injury, the NY Post reports.

The incident occurred in June 2017, when 24-year-old Maruf Hossain tripped over a damaged section of the Parkchester station platform and tumbled onto the tracks just as a train approached.

The Bangladesh-born courier suffered a catastrophic injury in the fall, losing every toe on his left foot. The impact from the train also caused his hip to become dislocated, broke his pelvis, and left him with injuries to his spine and head, according to the lawsuit he filed.

Hossain testified that he now requires round-the-clock medical attention and assistance at home to manage daily activities.

Although Hossain had initially sought $20 million in damages, the MTA reportedly attempted to resolve the case for a mere $100,000, his attorney told The NY Post.

In the end, the jury awarded him even more than he had requested—$2.75 million above the original amount.

“After years of the Transit Authority trying to bully me into an unfair settlement, the jury saw through their lies and gave me a second chance at living a normal life,” Hossain said in a statement to The Post.

His lawyer, Nick Liakas, said the trial exposed how far the Transit Authority would go to avoid accepting responsibility for a hazardous condition that endangered commuters.

“The client had tripped on a defect on the yellow portion of a very narrow train platform,” Liakas explained.

“The transit authority maintained that the plaintiff tried to commit suicide and jumped and that there was no defect at the area where he claimed to fall.

“They had a teenage witness who testified that she saw him jump in front of the train … along with a transit authority cleaner who testified he heard, ‘Don’t jump, don’t jump,’ ” the lawyer said.

“We showed that the transit authority likely authored the witness statement themselves and passed it off as an independent statement. The jury agreed.”

Three days after the incident, Hossain underwent a psychiatric evaluation at Jacobi Hospital. Early reports by EMS had suggested he may have either slipped or jumped onto the tracks.

“I did not try to kill myself, no, never,” Hossain told the examining psychiatrist, according to the assessment filed in court.

The report stated Hossain recalled it being a busy morning during Ramadan, and that the platform was packed with commuters as he made his way to his job in Lower Manhattan.

“I don’t know how I fell down. I know I did not jump or tried [sic] to kill myself, no, no way,” he said.

According to court records, doctors found no evidence of any psychiatric disorders or substance abuse in Hossain’s history.

He also denied suffering from depression, stating that he had emigrated from Bangladesh five years earlier and had aspirations of becoming an American citizen.

“I am making $1,000 a week. I am happy. Planning to get married next year,” he said in the exam, adding that he had no children.

Psychiatrist Nabil Karroum, who evaluated him, noted that Hossain “seems well adjusted” and displayed no signs of suicidal behavior.

His attorney confirmed to The Post that Hossain is now a U.S. citizen, though he remains unmarried.

Six months after the incident, Hossain filed a negligence lawsuit against the MTA, alleging that the faulty platform caused him to fall onto the tracks.

Emergency responders arriving at the scene found his toes had already been severed, with a medical expert later describing the condition of his foot as “truly mangled,” according to testimony.

Tom Stebbins, head of the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York, pointed to the case as another example of the state’s tendency toward large jury awards.

“While I can’t comment on a specific case without knowing all the facts, we know New York’s civil justice system is ranked as one of the most costly in the nation and is a magnet for nuclear verdicts — runaway verdicts of over $10 million — that drain public budgets and divert funds from government services and infrastructure improvements,” Stebbins said in a statement.

“The City pays out more in settlements and verdicts than the next largest cities combined.”

The jury’s decision may still be appealed or challenged in post-trial motions.

“The MTA is reviewing the verdict while assessing all legal options,” MTA spokesperson Meghan Keegan told The Post.

Though the $22.75 million verdict is significant, it doesn’t top the list of jury awards against the MTA.

In a separate case last year, a man struck by a train received a $90 million jury verdict—though that amount was later reduced to under $40 million through post-trial motions.

Also in 2024, jurors awarded $72.5 million to a cancer patient who had been hit by an MTA bus.

And in 2019, a young man paralyzed by a falling railroad tie secured a jaw-dropping $110 million judgment.

It remains unclear whether the full awards in those two latter cases were ultimately upheld.

{Matzav.com}

PM Bibi Netanyahu visited the Home Front Command today and expressed great appreciation for the soldiers and commanders who protect the home front and save lives in real time.

This pro-Hamas agitator, who ripped down hostage posters in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre, was arrested this morning after pepper-spraying NYPD officers and trying to grab their guns

PM Netanyahu at EAPC Facilities in Ashkelon: “There will be no more Hamas – it’s over. We will free all of our hostages and eliminate Hamas down to its very foundations. Expected revenues from gas in the coming decade will be almost NIS 300 billion.”

Frantic video shows two South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers rescuing a pig from the state’s busiest interstate. After a brief chase, the pig was safely captured and traffic resumed, officials said.

Israeli FM Gideon Saar: “The war would end tomorrow if Hamas releases the hostages and lays down its arms.”

Zohran Mamdani’s unexpected win in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary has sent shockwaves through the city’s elite real estate circles, with many affluent buyers already taking concrete steps toward relocating—particularly to Florida, Newsweek reports.

“Within a day of the primary results, we had serious inquiries from buyers in Manhattan and Connecticut,” Isaac Toledano, CEO & Co-founder of BH Group, told Newsweek. “One asked about the Ritz-Carlton Residences in West Palm Beach, the other about the West Pompano Beach Hotel & Residences,” he said.

For these high-net-worth individuals, the idea of moving out of New York isn’t just a backup plan in case Mamdani becomes mayor—it’s an investment move already underway.

“A few weeks ago, we sold two penthouses at the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Hammock Dunes near St. Augustine for a combined $20 million, which set records for Palm Coast and all of Flagler County,” Toledano noted.

“One of those buyers was from New Jersey. He already had a part-time home in Florida but decided he wanted to be here full-time. I can’t say if that particular transaction was because of everything leading up to the election, but it’s another clear sign that people across the country are choosing to plant roots here,” he continued. “When conversations start moving that fast, it tells you people aren’t just paying attention. They’re preparing to make real decisions.”

The political upheaval has quickened the pace of interest from out-of-state buyers, according to Peggy Olin, CEO of OneWorld Properties, which oversees sales and marketing for many of South Florida’s top-tier developments.

“Mamdani’s victory seems to have accelerated those conversations. People are asking more questions about timing, taxes, and long-term lifestyle changes. It’s less about panic and more about planning. They’re being proactive,” Olin told Newsweek.

Jay Batra, head of Batra Real Estate with offices in both New York and Miami, has also noticed the shift, saying buyers are now hesitating in NYC and redirecting their focus toward Florida.

“We’re seeing a noticeable pause among luxury buyers in New York City, many of whom are redirecting their search to more tax-friendly, lifestyle-driven markets like Miami and South Florida,” Batra said. “With political and economic uncertainty in NYC, high-end clients are increasingly turning to South Florida for both primary and investment properties.”

Batra attributed much of the anxiety among wealthy clients to Mamdani’s proposals on rent regulations, especially the idea of a citywide freeze.

“Our clients who own buildings across NYC are deeply concerned about the rent freeze tied to Mayor Mamdani’s agenda. Landlords are facing mounting pressure—with high taxes and operating costs, it’s becoming unsustainable to hold properties without the ability to adjust rents,” he said. “Many are now evaluating out-of-state investments as a safer, more profitable alternative.”

Mamdani has also raised eyebrows with his pitch to overhaul the city’s tax policies, suggesting wealthier, whiter neighborhoods should bear a heavier tax burden—an idea that’s sparking concern among the investor class.

“High-end buyers value stability above all else,” said Toledano. “The moment politics feel unpredictable, they start exploring other options,” he added.

The results of the primary have made many well-off investors reevaluate their outlook on New York’s future. “Whether it’s taxes, safety, or the overall business climate, uncertainty makes people uneasy. No one wants to wake up one morning and feel their investment or their family’s security is at risk,” said Toledano. “They want peace of mind, and they’re ready to make a change to find it.”

Olin echoed that concern, saying political rhetoric can quickly influence the decision-making process of the affluent. “When political narratives shift, especially around taxes, wealthy buyers take notice. These are people who’ve spent their lives building something, and they want to protect it,” she said. “Mamdani represents a vision for the city that some high-end buyers feel may no longer align with their values or financial goals. It’s not a reaction out of fear but out of wanting more control over their future.”

Florida continues to draw wealthy investors not only for its tax-friendly climate but because of its booming luxury property market and strong lifestyle offerings.

“They’re looking for the best of the best. Buyers at this level don’t want to compromise on location, design, or quality of life. Branded residences are part of the appeal because they offer strong amenities and a lifestyle people can rely on,” Toledano said.

“If you’re spending several million dollars on a home, you expect security, service, and long-term value. That’s why we’re seeing interest not only across South Florida but also in places like Hammock Dunes and on the West Coast in Naples. People feel confident they’re making a solid investment in a place they’ll enjoy living.”

Another big selling point: Florida’s tax code. With no personal income tax and potential reductions in property taxes on the horizon, many are drawn to the state’s financial advantages.

“Florida checks all the boxes. No state income tax, a strong pro-growth economy, top-tier schools and infrastructure, and a lifestyle that’s hard to match. You can live near the beach, raise a family, and still feel like your investment is protected. For many buyers, that combination is powerful,” Toledano said.

He believes what’s happening now is just the beginning of a larger trend—one that could accelerate in the coming months.

“People don’t wait until after an election to make decisions about their families, their finances, or their future. A few calls today can turn into dozens or hundreds of buyers in the months ahead,” he said. “If the uncertainty grows, the migration will only pick up speed.”

And Florida, particularly South Florida, is poised to benefit from that shift.

“It offers a sense of security they’re not feeling in New York right now. That’s why I believe this summer and the rest of the year could be busier than anyone expects,” Toledano said. “The demand is there, and the interest we’re seeing—from Manhattan to New Jersey to Connecticut—is proof that people are ready to move their lives and their capital here.”

If Mamdani is elected and the policies he’s championed come to fruition, Olin believes the current wave of interest could turn into an even larger outflow.

“Should Mamdani be elected mayor of New York City and the policy concerns feared by wealthy buyers materialize, it could push more people to act,” Olin said.

“But again, this isn’t just about leaving, it’s about choosing a place that feels like the right fit for the next chapter. And for many, Florida checks a lot of those boxes.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Federal Housing and the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Chairman Calls on Congress to Investigate Jerome Powell.

The U.S. government is preparing to breed billions of flies and dump them out of airplanes over Mexico and southern Texas to fight a flesh-eating maggot. That sounds like the plot of a horror movie, but it is part of the government’s plans for protecting the U.S. from a bug that could devastate its beef industry, decimate wildlife and even kill household pets. This weird science has worked well before. “It’s an exceptionally good technology,” said Edwin Burgess, an assistant professor at the University of Florida who studies parasites in animals, particularly livestock. “It’s an all-time great in terms of translating science to solve some kind of large problem.” The targeted pest is the flesh-eating larva of the New World Screwworm fly. The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to ramp up the breeding and distribution of adult male flies — sterilizing them with radiation before releasing them. They mate with females in the wild, and the eggs laid by the female aren’t fertilized and don’t hatch. There are fewer larvae, and over time, the fly population dies out. It is more effective and environmentally friendly than spraying the pest into oblivion, and it is how the U.S. and other nations north of Panama eradicated the same pest decades ago. Sterile flies from a factory in Panama kept the flies contained there for years, but the pest appeared in southern Mexico late last year. The USDA expects a new screwworm fly factory to be up and running in southern Mexico by July 2026. It plans to open a fly distribution center in southern Texas by the end of the year so that it can import and distribute flies from Panama if necessary. Fly feeds on live flesh Most fly larvae feed on dead flesh, making the New World screwworm fly and its Old World counterpart in Asia and Africa outliers — and for the American beef industry, a serious threat. Females lay their eggs in wounds and, sometimes, exposed mucus. “A thousand-pound bovine can be dead from this in two weeks,” said Michael Bailey, president elect of the American Veterinary Medicine Association. Veterinarians have effective treatments for infested animals, but an infestation can still be unpleasant — and cripple an animal with pain. Don Hineman, a retired western Kansas rancher, recalled infected cattle as a youngster on his family’s farm. “It smelled nasty,” he said. “Like rotting meat.” How scientists will use the fly’s biology against it The New World screwworm fly is a tropical species, unable to survive Midwestern or Great Plains winters, so it was a seasonal scourge. Still, the U.S. and Mexico bred and released more than 94 billion sterile flies from 1962 through 1975 to eradicate the pest, according to the USDA. The numbers need to be large enough that females in the wild can’t help but hook up with sterile males for mating. One biological trait gives fly fighters a crucial wing up: Females mate only once in their weekslong adult lives. Why the US wants to breed more flies Alarmed about the fly’s migration north, the U.S. temporarily closed its southern border in May to imports of live cattle, horses and bison and it won’t be fully open again at least until mid-September. But female flies can lay their eggs in wounds on any warm-blooded animal, and that includes humans. Decades ago, the […]

Earlier this week, Iran State TV’s New York correspondent, reported from a Times Square pro-Iran rally, noting the event celebrates Iran’s “victory in Operation True Promise III.”

Iran’s president on Wednesday ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency after American and Israeli airstrikes hit its most-important nuclear facilities, likely further limiting inspectors’ ability to track Tehran’s program that had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. The order by President Masoud Pezeshkian included no timetables or details about what that suspension would entail. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signaled in a CBS News interview that Tehran still would be willing to continue negotiations with the United States. “I don’t think negotiations will restart as quickly as that,” Araghchi said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments that talks could start as early as this week. However, he added: “The doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.” Pressure tactic Iran has limited IAEA inspections in the past as a pressure tactic in negotiating with the West — though as of right now Tehran has denied that there’s any immediate plans to resume talks with the United States that had been upended by the 12-day Iran-Israel war. Iranian state television announced Pezeshkian’s order, which followed a law passed by Iran’s parliament to suspend that cooperation. The bill already received the approval of Iran’s constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council, on Thursday, and likely the support of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, which Pezeshkian chairs. “The government is mandated to immediately suspend all cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency under the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its related Safeguards Agreement,” state television quoted the bill as saying. “This suspension will remain in effect until certain conditions are met, including the guaranteed security of nuclear facilities and scientists.” It wasn’t immediately clear what that would mean for the Vienna-based IAEA, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. The agency long has monitored Iran’s nuclear program and said that it was waiting for an official communication from Iran on what the suspension meant. A diplomat with knowledge of IAEA operations, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the situation in Iran, said that IAEA inspectors were still there after the announcement and hadn’t been told by the government to leave. Israel condemns the move Iran’s decision drew an immediate condemnation from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. “Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA,” he said in an X post. “This is a complete renunciation of all its international nuclear obligations and commitments.” Saar urged European nations that were part of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal to implement its so-called snapback clause. That would reimpose all U.N. sanctions on it originally lifted by Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers, if one of its Western parties declares the Islamic Republic is out of compliance with it. Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, and the IAEA doesn’t have access to its weapons-related facilities. Iran’s decision stops short of experts’ worst fears Iran’s move so far stops short of what experts feared the most. They had been concerned that Tehran, in response to the war, could decide to fully end its cooperation with the IAEA, abandon the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and rush toward a bomb. That treaty has countries agree not to build or obtain nuclear weapons and allows the IAEA to conduct inspections to verify that countries […]

President Donald Trump again pledged to stop Zohran Mamdani—whom he labeled a “communist lunatic”—from ruining New York City, reacting to the Democratic Socialist’s surprise win in last week’s mayoral primary.

Taking to Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump declared, “As President of the United States, I’m not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards. I’ll save New York City, and make it ‘Hot’ and ‘Great’ again, just like I did with the Good Ol’ USA!”

Trump has taken repeated aim at Mamdani in recent days. During a press gaggle outside the White House on Tuesday, he said, “I think he’s terrible. He’s a communist. The last thing we need is a communist.” He then added, “I think I’m going to have a lot of fun watching him because he has to come right through this building to get his money.”

He didn’t stop there, continuing, “Frankly, I heard he’s a total nutjob. I think the people of New York are crazy, if they go this route, I think they’re crazy.”

The President also warned about Mamdani’s far-left platform, saying, “We will have a communist, for the first time, a pure, true communist. He wants to operate the grocery stores. What about the people who are there? I think it’s crazy.”

Mayor Eric Adams has also entered the fray, positioning himself as a counterforce to Mamdani. In response to a New York Post headline that read, “NYC SOS: Who will save city after radical socialist batters Cuomo in Dem mayoral primary?”, Adams said: “I’m going to take this SOS. Who will save city … ‘Eric.’”

Mamdani’s win has sparked growing concern among New York’s Jewish residents, particularly in light of his outspoken opposition to Israel. Just 48 hours after the October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas, Mamdani issued statements condemning Israel, even before the Jewish state had launched any counteroffensive. He has also refused to back measures denouncing the Holocaust and has spoken in defense of the slogan “globalize the Intifada,” a phrase widely interpreted as inciting violence against Jews worldwide.

{Matzav.com}

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The Hamas terrorist group has announced that it is giving serious consideration to the latest ceasefire plan presented by international mediators and is currently conducting internal discussions on the matter.

This statement from Hamas comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s declaration on Tuesday that Israel has agreed to the conditions necessary to move forward with a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and a corresponding arrangement for the release of hostages.

Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump called on Hamas to accept the proposed deal, cautioning that the alternative would only lead to more suffering. “My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War,” wrote the President.

Trump credited Qatar and Egypt for their efforts in advancing peace and delivering the proposal to Hamas, expressing hope that the group would make the right decision. “The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.

Earlier Tuesday, reports indicated that Qatar had formally offered a new plan to Israel that included a 60-day pause in fighting. As part of the proposal, eight living hostages would be released immediately, with another two to be freed on the 50th day of the ceasefire.

{Matzav.com Israel}

HY’D: The IDF has cleared for publication the name of the soldier who was killed in combat in northern Gaza. The fallen soldier is Sgt. Yaniv Michalovitch HY”D, a 19-year-old tank crew member from Rechovot, who served in the 82nd Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade (“Saar Migolan”). In the same incident, a tank commander and another soldier from the 82nd Battalion were seriously wounded. Additionally, in a separate battle in northern Gaza, a soldier from the elite Egoz unit of the Commando Brigade was also seriously injured. All wounded soldiers were evacuated to the hospital for treatment, and their families have been notified.

A hacker collective with ties to Iran is asserting that it has obtained a large cache of private emails from individuals close to President Donald Trump and is threatening to release the data, in what U.S. authorities are labeling an orchestrated political attack.

Using the pseudonym “Robert,” the group claims to have gathered over 100 gigabytes of email communications belonging to several prominent Trump associates, including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Roger Stone, attorney Lindsey Halligan, and adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Reuters reported the development on Tuesday after engaging directly with the group, which floated the possibility of monetizing the stolen content but declined to elaborate on how or when such a sale might happen.

The timing of the threat coincides with Trump’s recent decision to abandon a tentative plan to soften sanctions against Iran. That reversal came in the wake of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s dismissive remarks about American and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear assets. A senior Iranian cleric subsequently declared a religious decree—fatwa—against Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, calling them “enemies of God.”

“This so-called cyber ‘attack’ is nothing more than digital propaganda,” said Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) spokesperson Marci McCarthy. She described the effort as a “calculated smear campaign” designed to “damage President Trump and discredit honorable public servants.”

The hackers assert that their actions were triggered by the U.S.’s recent role in the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Trump, who has taken credit for brokering a ceasefire that ended the hostilities, is now being blamed by the group for what they describe as renewed provocation.

Federal officials have already tied the group to Iran. As reported by Axios, an indictment filed in 2024 charged three Iranian operatives associated with the “Robert” hackers in connection with a previous breach involving Trump-related systems. Prosecutors linked their activity directly to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

{Matzav.com}