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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed into law a new congressional voting map designed to help Republicans gain more seats in the 2026 midterm elections, delivering a win for President Donald Trump and his desire to hold on to a slim GOP majority in the U.S. House. The Texas map drafted in rare mid-decade redistricting prompted fierce protests from Democrats and sparked a gerrymandering tug-of-war for voters in states across the country. “Texas is now more red in the United States Congress,” Abbott said in a video he posted on X of him signing the legislation. Before Texas lawmakers passed their new map, California passed a bill asking voters to approve new Democratic-leaning districts to counter any Republican gains in Texas. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has emerged as a leading adversary of Trump on redistricting and other issues, tauntingly labeled Abbott on X as the president’s “#1 lapdog” following the signing. The incumbent president’s party usually loses congressional seats in the midterm election. On a national level, the partisan makeup of existing districts puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Voting rights groups filed a lawsuit this week ahead of Abbott’s signing the bill, saying the new map weakens the electoral influence of Black voters. Texas Democrats have also vowed to challenge the new map in court. They delayed a vote by two weeks by leaving Texas on Aug. 3 in protest and to rally support nationally. Upon their return, they were assigned round-the-clock police monitoring to ensure they showed up for debate. But the large Republican majority in the Texas Legislature made its ultimate passage all but inevitable. The head of Texas’ Democratic Party criticized Abbott, saying he and Republicans “effectively surrendered Texas to Washington” with the new map. “They love to boast about how ‘Texas Tough’ they are, but when Donald Trump made one call, they bent over backwards to prioritize his politics over Texans,” state Democratic Party Chairman Kendall Scudder said in a statement. “Honestly, it’s pathetic.” The Texas map redraw has already reshaped the 2026 race, with Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the dean of the state’s congressional delegation, announcing that he would not seek reelection to his Austin-based seat if the new map takes effect. Under the proposed map, Doggett’s district would overlap with that of another Democratic incumbent, Rep. Greg Casar. Trump has pushed other Republican-controlled states to redraw their maps. Indiana’s Republican legislative leaders privately met with the president in the Oval Office this week to discuss redistricting. The president is also pushing Missouri Republicans to redraw their House maps, while Democrats in Ohio are bracing for Republicans to try and expand their congressional majority when the Legislature takes up redistricting later this year. Trump’s push to redraw House districts to his party’s advantage has drawn a response from other blue states besides California. Democrats in New York have introduced legislation that would allow mid-decade redistricting, but the earliest new maps would be in place in that state would be ahead of the 2028 election. Because the Supreme Court has blessed purely partisan gerrymandering, the only way opponents can stop the new Texas map would be by arguing in court that it violates the Voting Rights Act requirement to keep minority communities together so they can select representatives of their choice. […]

Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay $79 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed in 2020 after one of its airplanes that was experiencing engine trouble dumped its fuel over schoolyards and densely populated neighborhoods near Los Angeles. The Delta jet had departed from Los Angeles to Shanghai on Jan. 14, 2020 when it needed to quickly return to Los Angeles International Airport. The Boeing 777-200 landed safely after circling back over Los Angeles while dumping 15,000 gallons of fuel to reach a safe landing weight. Los Angeles County firefighters were called to schools in the city of Cudahy where nearly 60 schoolchildren and teachers were examined for minor skin and lung irritations. None required hospitalization. Shortly after, teachers from Park Avenue Elementary School in Cudahy filed a lawsuit against the airline, saying they were exposed to jet fuel that drizzled down like raindrops with “overwhelming” fumes. They described feeling the fuel on their clothes, skin and eyes. Later, several Cudahy homeowners filed a class-action suit. The teachers said they sought medical treatment after the incident and experienced physical and emotional pain. Delta said in the lawsuit settlement reached Monday that one of the plane’s two engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff and that the plane, which was carrying enough fuel for the 13-hour flight, exceeded its maximum landing weight by around 160,000 pounds. The weight of a full load of fuel carries a risk of damaging a jetliner during landing — which can be expensive for an airline to fix. Even if there isn’t damage, airlines try to avoid overweight landings because they are required to inspect planes, which puts them out of service. The pilots decided to dump fuel “to reduce the serious risks of flying and landing an overweight airplane on just one engine.” the airline said in court documents. Delta said in court documents that it agreed to the settlement without any admission of liability to avoid the legal expenses of a trial and “to eliminate the distraction and other burdens this litigation has caused to Delta’s business.” (AP)

The Belzer Rebbe has been hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Yerushalayim after suffering a fracture in his leg. He underwent medical tests Thursday night, and doctors are preparing to perform surgery as soon as possible.

Yidden have been urged to daven over Shabbos on behalf of the Rebbe. At the directive of the Belzer Beis Din Tzedek Machzikei HaDas, the community were to recite Shir HaShirim together at the onset of Shabbos, while the women of Belz were to say the fifteen chapters of Shir Hama’alos in Tehillim following candle lighting.

The immediate reason for the hospitalization is to allow surgery, which doctors hope can be performed without delay in order to alleviate the pain the Rebbe is experiencing.

Rabbi Moshe Ringel, the Rebbe’s secretary, informed chassidim that the injury was discovered after medical examinations on Thursday, and that the Rebbe is scheduled to undergo surgery within the next day or so.

All are asked to daven for the complete recovery of Rav Yissachar Dov ben Miriam.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated on Friday morning that legal measures must be applied to those attempting to avoid the draft while traveling to Uman.

“A framework whose purpose is to avoid exercising law enforcement powers against those obligated to enlist, who fail to do so and thereby violate their duty under the Security Service Law, whether at the airport or at border crossings, is contrary to the law,” Baharav-Miara declared.

She further explained, “Such avoidance contradicts the state’s duty to enforce the draft obligation equally. Neither the government nor any of its ministers has the authority to establish a framework whose meaning is intervention in law enforcement activity as described, or to instruct enforcement authorities to refrain from exercising their powers.”

In response, a senior representative of the chareidi parties remarked, “The Attorney General proves she is the source of the problem. She wants to create division and chaos among the people, and unfortunately, that is where things are indeed heading. Netanyahu’s greatest failure is his Attorney General, whom he cannot even manage to push aside.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

This could buy a lot of Labor Day weekend sunblock: Saturday’s Powerball jackpot is estimated at $1 billion, the sixth-largest prize in the game’s history. Powerball, which costs $2 per ticket, is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The jackpot has been growing each week because no one has matched all six numbers since May 31. As ticket sales climbed this week, game officials raised the estimated Saturday night jackpot to $1 billion from $950 million, before taxes. Payments would be spread over 30 years, or a winner can choose an immediate lump sum of $453 million, again before taxes. “We’re bringing extra excitement to Labor Day weekend,” said Matt Strawn, head of the Iowa Lottery and chair of Powerball. The odds of matching all six numbers, of course, are daunting: 1 in 292.2 million. By comparison, the odds of getting a rare shark bite during a last summer dip in the ocean are much lower, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. Angela Schwartz, who sells tickets at City Market in downtown Detroit, said the message Friday was consistent: “Give me a lucky Powerball.” “I don’t know if that’s enough for me,” she said with a laugh, referring to the lump-sum payout a winner could get. “It could pay a few bills.” At a Fuel City in Dallas, Duran Hargest let the lottery machine spit out four tickets with random numbers. “It could be a blessing,” he said of winning the jackpot. “It could also be a curse, depending on how you use it. I just wanted to make sure if I get it, you know, take care of my family and then probably help others that probably need it, too.” Powerball and Mega Millions are lottery games with potentially huge jackpots because they are played in multiple states. The top Powerball jackpot was $2.04 billion on Nov. 7, 2022. The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.6 billion on Aug. 8, 2023. (AP)

The British government has placed restrictions on the formal involvement of Israeli government and military officials in the upcoming Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms exhibition, which is set to take place in London this September.

According to Politico, a spokesperson for the UK government clarified that Israeli defense companies will still be permitted to take part in the event.

In response, Israel’s Defense Ministry condemned the move, calling it an “offensive and shameful act of discrimination” against its representatives. The Ministry further announced that it will pull out of the exhibition entirely and will not set up an official national pavilion.

Despite this, Israeli defense firms that choose to attend will continue to receive backing and assistance from the Ministry.

“At a time when Israel is engaged on multiple fronts against Islamist extremists and terrorist organisations – forces that also threaten the West and international shipping lanes – this decision by Britain plays into the hands of extremists, grants legitimacy to terrorism, and introduces political considerations wholly inappropriate for a professional defence industry exhibition,” the Defense Ministry declared.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the United States is revoking and denying visas for officials from both the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in advance of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session, in accordance with American law.

The New York Post reported that “Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is among those whose visas will be revoked.”

The Trump Administration explained its decision by stating, “protecting US national security requires holding the PLO and PA accountable for violating their commitments and obstructing the prospects for peace.”

The statement added: “For the PLO and PA to be viewed as genuine partners for peace, they must consistently reject terrorism — including the October 7 attacks — and cease promoting incitement to violence within their educational system, as both US law and the PLO’s own commitments require.”

It continued by saying: “The PA must also abandon efforts to circumvent negotiations through legal maneuvers in international courts such as the ICC and ICJ, as well as attempts to gain unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. These actions have directly contributed to Hamas’s refusal to release hostages and the collapse of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.”

Finally, the statement clarified: “The PA Mission to the UN will continue to receive waivers under the UN Headquarters Agreement. However, the United States remains open to renewed engagement — provided that the PLO and PA fulfill their obligations and take verifiable, concrete steps toward compromise and peaceful coexistence with the State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge mostly held steady last month despite President Donald Trump’s broad-based tariffs, but a measure of underlying inflation increased. Prices rose 2.6% in July compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department said Friday, the same annual increase as in June. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, prices rose 2.9% from a year earlier, up from 2.8% in the previous month and the highest since February. The figures illustrate why many officials at the Federal Reserve have been reluctant to cut their key interest rate. While inflation is much lower than the roughly 7% peak it reached three years ago, it is still running noticeably above the Fed’s 2% target. At the same time, the report showed that consumer spending picked up last month and could boost economic growth, which weakened considerably in the first six months of the year. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2% from June to July, down from 0.3% the previous month, while core prices increased 0.3% for the second month in a row. The figures are similar to those reported earlier this month in the more widely-followed consumer price index, which has risen 2.7% from a year ago. The core CPI increased 3.1% in July compared with a year earlier. Separately, the Friday report showed that consumer spending jumped 0.5% in July, the biggest increase since March and a sign that many Americans are still willing to open their wallets despite high interest rates and uncertainty surrounding the direction of the economy. Spending jumped sharply for long-lasting goods such as cars, appliances and furniture, many of which are imported. Incomes rose 0.4% from June to July, boosted by a healthy gain in wages and salaries, the report showed. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has said the central bank will likely cut its key rate at its meeting next month. But policymakers are expected to proceed cautiously and it’s not clear how many more rate cuts will happen this year. When the Fed reduces its key rate, it often — though not always — lowers borrowing costs for things like mortgages, car loans, and business borrowing. Trump has relentlessly pushed Powell and the Fed for lower interest rates since earlier this year, calling Powell “Too Late” and a “moron” and arguing that there is “no inflation.” On Monday he sought to fire Lisa Cook, a member of the Fed’s governing board in an effort to gain greater control over the central bank. (AP)

Vice President JD Vance said he is ready to take charge if “God forbid” something “terrible” were ever to happen to President Trump.

“Yes, things can always happen,” Vance told USA Today when asked whether he was prepared to assume responsibility if something happened to President Trump, who has already survived two assassination attempts.

“Yes, terrible tragedies happen,” he added. “And if, God forbid, there’s a terrible tragedy, I can’t think of better on-the-job training than what I’ve gotten over the last 200 days.”

Still, he emphasized his confidence in Trump’s health and stamina. “I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is gonna serve out the remainder of his term, and do great things for the American people.”

At 79, Trump holds the record as the oldest person to take the oath of office, while Vance is the third youngest vice president in American history. Yet Vance insisted that Trump remains more than capable.

“He’s got incredible energy, and while most of the people that work around the president of the United States are younger than he is, I think that we find that he actually is the last person who goes to sleep, he’s the last person making phone calls at night, and he’s the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning,” Vance said.

The White House revealed last month that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood circulation, after noticing minor swelling in his lower legs.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the announcement while responding to speculation about visible bruising on Trump’s hands. According to the presidential physician, the marks came from “minor soft tissue irritation” caused by frequent handshakes combined with aspirin use.

In a medical memo, the presidential physician explained that Trump underwent extensive testing, which ruled out both blood clot and heart concerns.

“Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease,” Leavitt told the press. “No signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance, in an interview with Fox News host Will Cain, criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom for attempting to copy President Donald Trump’s style, insisting that such an effort was destined to fall flat.

“You can’t mimic the master; you ought to just go and be yourself. And I think the people would like that a lot more than a cheap imitation of the president of the United States,” Vance remarked.

His criticism came after several posts from Newsom’s press team on X in August gained traction online. The posts closely mirrored Trump’s trademark social media voice, featuring capitalized words, mocking nicknames, and even ending with the governor’s initials.

One of those posts read: “WOW! TOMORROW HISTORY WILL BE MADE. KaroLYIN LEAVITT WILL HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR THE SUPPOSED “FAKE MEDIA” ABOUT CALIFORNIA’S BEAUTIFUL MAPS. PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY ARE THE GREATEST MAPS EVER CREATED — EVEN BETTER THAN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’. DONALD “THE FAILURE” TRUMP BE WARNED, TOMORROW MAY BE THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE. ALL BECAUSE YOU “MISSED THE DEADLINE.” LIBERATION DAY FOR AMERICA!!! — GCN”

Cain noted that while Newsom’s approach might seem unusual, it may actually be appealing to some within his base. “His polling numbers have gone way up since he started mimicking President Trump on social media,” Cain observed.

According to data from Morning Consult, Newsom’s backing among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents rose by eight percentage points between June and late August.

Vance argued, however, that voters are unlikely to reward what he considers a lack of sincerity. “When I see Gavin Newsom trying to act like Donald Trump, that’s the opposite of authenticity. He’s not trying to be Gavin Newsom — whoever that is. He’s trying to be a fake carbon copy of Donald Trump,” Vance said. “And it just doesn’t work.”

The vice president also addressed another political figure, New York City Democratic mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani, offering a pointed critique. “I don’t know the guy, but my sense is he’s had a very good life in this country. It would be nice to occasionally show a sense of gratitude instead of just attacking the United States or all its problems,” Vance said.

He contrasted those criticisms with the impact he believes Trump has had on politics more broadly, encouraging Democrats to learn from his example. “The lesson of President Trump in American politics is you’ve got to be authentic to yourself,” Vance emphasized.

“Democrats, the one thing they should learn from President Trump is to laugh at themselves a little bit,” he continued. “They don’t have to be so serious. They don’t have to get offended at everything. Sometimes, it’s actually a good thing to have a sense of humor about our political process.”

Vance concluded with a personal reflection, recalling his grandmother, affectionately known as “Mamaw,” and how she would react to today’s Democratic Party. “I think Mamaw would say ‘this is crazy.’ I think she would say the modern Democratic Party doesn’t represent her at all,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Multiple people have reportedly been hurt after a gas station erupted in Dagestan, Russia.

The Powerball jackpot has hit $1 billion ahead of tomorrow night’s drawing – just the sixth time the lottery game has hit the billion-dollar mark.

ELIMINATED: The IDF has killed Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Abu Zubaida, the highest-ranking ISIS leader in Gaza, who was responsible for setting policy, planning, and overseeing ISIS operations in Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and the Sinai Peninsula.

Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, will not seek reelection in 2026. The two-term senator’s decision opens up a high-stakes Senate race in a key battleground state.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has barred Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas from attending next month’s United Nations General Assembly, suspending visas for Abbas and his delegation. In a statement, the State Department said the move reflects U.S. national security interests and accused the PA and PLO of supporting terrorism and pursuing “lawfare” at international courts rather than engaging in peace efforts.

New Jersey’s governor is asking federal officials to impose restrictions on nonessential helicopter flights in his state after a New York City sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair in April, killing six people. Gov. Phil Murphy, in an Aug. 18 letter, requested the Federal Aviation Administration use its authority to “prohibit or sharply reduce” the number of the aircrafts operating in the state. The Democrat noted that the helicopter involved in the April 10 crash was based at a heliport in Kearny, New Jersey and plummeted into the Hudson River just 75 feet (22 meters) from the Jersey City waterfront. He argued that future crashes could be more devastating if they occurred on land as he called on the FAA to impose more stringent regulations, akin to the cap on tourist helicopter flights over Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park that the agency adopted in 2023. “We must not wait for such a tragedy to occur being taking decisive action,” Murphy wrote. The governor suggested flights from Kearny could be routed over Newark Bay rather than directly over densely populated Jersey City and Hoboken, reducing impacts on residential neighborhoods and enhancing safety by having helicopters fly more over water than land. He also asked the FAA to consider limiting the operating hours for nonessential flights from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The FAA, in a statement Thursday, said it would reach out directly to Murphy. The agency also noted helicopters are not subject to the same minimum altitude restrictions as airplanes, which must fly at least 1,000 feet (300 meters) above the nearest obstacle when over densely populated areas. But, under federal regulations, they must not pose a hazard to people or property on land when operating. Vertical Aviation International, an industry trade group, said Friday that the heliport reached an agreement in June with Hudson County and Kearny officials to cut the number of flights by the thousands. It also has agreed to not bring in a new tour company. “Safety and community compatibility are top industry priorities every day and VAI and our members have for years been working with the communities we live and work in to find balance between our impacts and the vital services and missions our industry provides,” VAI spokesperson Bailey Wood said, noting that Murphy may not be aware of the deal reached between the officials and the heliport. The aircraft operated by New York Helicopter had been giving a typical tour of the Manhattan skyline when it broke apart about 18 minutes into the flight. The crash killed the helicopter pilot and a prominent family from Barcelona. It also revived concerns about the safety of the popular and costly aerial tours over New York City. The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on the doomed flight in May, but is still investigating what caused the helicopter to break apart. (AP)

A federal judge on Thursday denied Saudi Arabia’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit from families of 9/11 victims, clearing the case to proceed to trial. U.S. District Judge George Daniels said evidence suggests Saudi officials Fahad al-Thumairy and Omar al-Bayoumi helped support the hijackers in California, despite Riyadh’s denials. Victims’ families hailed the ruling as a landmark step toward accountability, while Saudi Arabia maintains the men’s actions were innocent. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals, a fact that has fueled suspicions of the kingdom’s involvement for more than two decades.

The Trump administration and House Republicans have opened an investigation into Wikipedia over claims that foreign actors and organizations have manipulated articles to influence U.S. public opinion. Lawmakers said they will scrutinize Wikipedia’s volunteer editors, who shape the site’s articles, and examine what steps the Wikimedia Foundation is taking to block organized bias from being injected into sensitive topics.

New York City health officials have confirmed a seventh death tied to the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Central Harlem, where 114 people have been diagnosed and six remain hospitalized. The cluster has been traced to 12 contaminated cooling towers across 10 buildings, including a city-run hospital and health clinic, though all have since undergone remediation. Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria that spread through building water systems, can trigger cough, fever, muscle aches and shortness of breath within two days to two weeks of exposure.

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge held steady in July at 2.6% despite President Donald Trump’s tariffs, though core inflation — which strips out food and energy — ticked up to 2.9%, its highest level since February. The Commerce Department also reported consumer spending jumped 0.5% last month, the biggest gain since March, while incomes rose 0.4% on higher wages.