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Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Friday struck down a government initiative that would have allowed bochurim and yungeleit who did not serve in the army to travel freely to Uman for Rosh Hashanah without fear of arrest at airports or border crossings. In a sharply worded ruling, Baharav-Miara declared that the arrangement was “contrary to the law” and undermined what she called the state’s obligation to enforce the draft equally. She insisted that the government and its ministers “have no authority” to instruct security agencies to look the other way. Her announcement sparked fierce criticism from chareidi leaders and askanim. One senior political figure accused the attorney general of “seeking to sow division and chaos.” Rabbi Natan Ben Nun, head of Ichud Breslov in Uman, said the decision unfairly tramples on the religious obligations of those who travel to the kever of Rav Nachman of Breslov for Rosh Hashanah. “We hope a solution is found quickly so that talmidei hayeshivos can travel without fear,” he said. The plan, championed by Shas leader Aryeh Deri, had been linked to a funding package of 10 million shekels from several ministries to bolster infrastructure and security in Moldova, the transit point for most travelers to Uman. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu personally raised the matter with the Moldovan prime minister, officials said. But opposition figures pounced. Yair Lapid urged Baharav-Miara to block the plan, calling it “illegal,” and warned he would petition the High Court if the government attempted to move forward. Secular advocacy groups also demanded its cancellation. On the chareidi side, fears of mass arrests have fueled talk of protests. Former Elad mayor Yisrael Porush, head of the advocacy group Magen U’Moshia, warned that if talmidei hayeshivos are barred from flying, “no one will fly.” He said as many as 20,000 could gather at Ben Gurion Airport if the government does not find a solution. Transportation officials condemned the comments as “dangerous rhetoric.” Even within the coalition, not all ministers support the plan. Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer of the Religious Zionist Party said he was troubled that the government was prioritizing funding for travel to Uman “in complete detachment from the difficult situation the nation is facing.” For now, with Rosh Hashanah just weeks away, the fate of thousands of Breslov chassidim hoping to spend Yom Tov in Uman remains in limbo — caught between legal rulings, political fights, and their yearning to be mispallel at the tziyun of Rav Nachman. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump said in an interview with the Daily Caller that he does not expect Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet in the near future, suggesting the war may “have to fight a little longer.”

“A trilateral meeting would happen. A bilateral, I don’t know about, but a tri will happen. But, you know, sometimes people aren’t ready for it,” Trump told White House correspondent Reagan Reese in the interview, which was published on Saturday.

“I say, I use the analogy. I’ve used it a couple of times. You have a child, and there’s another child in the lot, in the playground, and they hate each other, and they start swinging, swinging, and swinging, and you want them to stop, and they keep going.

“After a little while, they’re very happy to stop. Do you understand that? It’s almost that way. Sometimes they have to fight for a little bit before you can get them to stop,” he explained.

“But this has been going on for a long time. A lot of people are dead.”

Earlier this month, Trump and Putin held a summit in Alaska, but the meeting concluded without any clear steps toward peace. Trump has since expressed frustration that Putin is unwilling to hold direct talks that would involve conceding territory captured by Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the chances of a broader peace conference happening in the future, saying Putin’s agreement to participate was only to “raise the level of its representation at talks with Ukraine.”

Trump has said he would be prepared to use American airpower in support of European forces in Ukraine, but he has also pledged not to send U.S. ground troops.

“Maybe we’ll do something. Look, I’d like to see something get solved. They’re not our soldiers, but there are, 5 to 7,000, mostly young people being killed every single week,” Trump told Reese.

“If I could stop that and have a plane flying around the air every once in a while, it’s going to be mostly the Europeans, but we, we’d help them.

“They, you know, they sort of need it, and we’d help them if we could get something done,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Defense Forces said on Saturday that it had killed the Houthi prime minister and several other senior officials in a strike in Yemen. “Houthi Prime Minister, Ahmed Al-Rahawi, along with additional senior officials of the Houthi terrorist regime were eliminated during an IDF strike in Sanaa, Yemen,” the IDF said in a social media post. The IDF said it had targeted a Houthi site where officials responsible “for the use of force, the military buildup of the Houthi terror regime, and the advancement of terror actions against Israel. The IDF will continue to target all threats against Israeli civilians.” The airstrike was conducted by the Israeli Air Force Thursday using intelligence gathered by the IDF. “The strike was made possible by seizing an intelligence opportunity and completing a rapid operational cycle, which took place within a few hours,” the IDF said. A Houthi statement confirmed Al-Rahawi’s death. It was Israel’s second strike against the Houthis in Yemen in a week. On Sunday, Israel hit Yemen’s capital in response to missiles fired by the Houthis. The attack killed six people and wounded 86 others, according to Reuters, which cited a Houthi Health Ministry spokesperson. “As we warned the Houthis in Yemen: ‘After the plague of darkness comes the plague of the death,’” said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who was in the IDF central command during the attack. “Whoever raises a hand against Israel, their hand will be cut off.”

The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to secure an immediate ruling from a federal court in New York that would block the state from enforcing billions of dollars in liability claims against energy companies under its newly enacted “Climate Change Superfund Act.”

The DOJ first challenged New York in May as part of a larger effort opposing similar climate-related liability actions being pursued by Vermont, Hawaii, and Michigan.

Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed the legislation in December 2024, calling it a “landmark” measure. The law holds energy producers financially responsible for billions in damages that state legislators argue are the result of their industry practices.

State Senator Liz Krueger celebrated the move, declaring that New York “has fired a shot that will be heard round the world: the companies most responsible for the climate crisis will be held accountable.”

In its filing, the DOJ cited an executive order issued by President Donald Trump that specifically pushed back against such state-level initiatives. It referred to New York’s statute as “a climate change extortion law that seeks to retroactively impose billions in fines (erroneously labelled ‘compensatory payments’) on traditional energy producers for their purported past contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.”

Trump’s directive stated that such policies “weaken our national security and devastate Americans by driving up energy costs for families coast-to-coast.”

The Justice Department is now asking the federal court in New York to immediately halt all attempts by the state to enforce the superfund law.

Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson argued in a statement that the judiciary “must put a stop to New York’s brazen disregard of federal law, the Constitution, and binding precedent, not to mention our Nation’s energy needs.”

{Matzav.com}

Senator Bernie Sanders has called on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step down, accusing him of spreading conspiracy theories, promoting vaccine skepticism, and pursuing health policies that Sanders says put millions of Americans at risk.

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of health and human services, is endangering the health of the American people now and into the future. He must resign,” Sanders, the Vermont independent who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, wrote in a New York Times opinion piece published Saturday.

Sanders highlighted a recent leadership shake-up at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as proof, in his view, of Kennedy’s disregard for science.

According to Sanders, Kennedy forced CDC Director Susan Monarez to step down less than a month into her role after she resisted his directives, leading to the resignations of four senior officials. One of them said Kennedy’s staff tried to pressure him to “change studies that have been settled in the past” to reflect Kennedy’s anti-vaccine agenda, Sanders added.

“This is not Making America Healthy Again,” Sanders said, directly referencing the Trump administration’s slogan.

Sanders contrasted Kennedy’s claims with the position of mainstream medicine.

“It is absurd to have to say this in 2025, but vaccines are safe and effective,” he wrote, pointing to the support of leading professional organizations.

He noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics has described immunizations as “one of the greatest public health achievements,” while the American Medical Association stated that vaccines for flu, RSV, and COVID-19 are “the best tools to protect the public against these illnesses.”

Sanders further cited the World Health Organization, which recently estimated that vaccines have prevented 154 million deaths over the past half-century and reduced infant mortality worldwide by 40 percent.

He sharply criticized Kennedy’s repeated claims that vaccines are dangerous, pointing to Kennedy’s suggestion that COVID-19 vaccines were the “deadliest ever made” and his claim that the polio vaccine killed more people than the illness itself. Sanders rejected these statements as “absurd.”

“Who supports Secretary Kennedy’s views? Not credible scientists and doctors,” Sanders said. Instead, he argued, Kennedy is backed mainly by activists from Children’s Health Defense — the anti-vaccine organization Kennedy created — along with a small group of close allies who have consistently spread misinformation.

Sanders warned that Kennedy’s influence is already making vaccines harder to access. He said the administration has pulled back COVID-19 vaccine availability, particularly for young and healthy people, creating higher costs and new barriers for families.

“This means more doctors’ visits, more bureaucracy, and more people paying higher out-of-pocket costs — if they can manage to get a vaccine at all,” Sanders wrote.

The senator also expressed fears that Kennedy could move to change the childhood vaccine schedule, which could reintroduce once-eradicated illnesses such as polio and measles. Sanders noted Kennedy’s decision to cancel nearly $500 million in vaccine research projects and reduce state-level funding for pandemic readiness as further alarming moves.

“Unfortunately, Secretary Kennedy’s actions are making a worrisome situation even worse,” Sanders said.

Sanders linked Kennedy’s policies to the broader health agenda of the Trump administration, which has proposed more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

He cautioned that such cuts would leave an estimated 15 million Americans uninsured, raise premiums for millions of others, and force nursing homes, hospitals, and community health centers to close or reduce services.

“Secretary Kennedy is putting Americans’ lives in danger, and he must resign,” Sanders concluded, calling on President Donald Trump to replace him with leaders who follow scientific expertise rather than advance conspiracy theories.

{Matzav.com}

Over the past day, social media has been flooded with posts carrying the hashtag “Trump Is Dead,” even though the claim has no basis in fact. White House representatives confirmed that President Donald Trump is alive, well, and continuing with his usual schedule.

A senior American official told Channel 12 that Trump was in good health and preparing for a round of golf. Reporters stationed at the White House noted that he was spotted entering his motorcade on the way to a golf course.

The wave of speculation seems to have been triggered by Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent conversation with USA Today. In that interview, he was asked whether he was ready to step into the presidency should Trump pass away unexpectedly. Although Vance stressed that the 79-year-old president is vigorous and constantly active, his comment that “terrible tragedies happen” was enough to set off rumors online.

Adding to the chatter are past revelations about Trump’s health and his security risks. In July, the White House disclosed that he suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, which leads to swelling in the legs. He has also survived two assassination attempts during his most recent campaign, incidents that have heightened public concern.

This is not the first instance of such false reports spreading. Back in September 2023, Donald Trump Jr.’s X account was hacked, and the hacker falsely declared Trump had died. Trump quickly posted on Truth Social to reassure the public that he was alive and in good health.

{Matzav.com}

Yerushalayim’s light rail will return to full service on Sunday, once again operating between Neve Yaakov in the north of the city and Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in the south.

Since May, service had been interrupted due to extensive construction designed to link the upcoming “Green Line” with the current “Red Line.” Officials have described the project as one of the most technically challenging engineering undertakings ever attempted in Israel.

Work took place at six central sites throughout Yerushalayim, involving infrastructure integration, laying of new tracks, installation of power and control systems, and the building of an additional “island” station. Despite the difficulties, including the period of Operation Rising Lion, the project was finished on schedule and secured the required safety approvals from the Transportation Ministry for passenger service to resume.

In the coming days, the Neve Yaakov depot is also slated to begin operations, providing greater flexibility for scheduling and improving the reliability of the system for daily riders. As part of the changes, shuttle bus lines 500 through 503 will cease running beginning Tuesday, September 2, 2025, while southwestern bus routes will revert to their original paths. Line 27 will remain an exception, continuing to serve the Central Station.

Haturim Station will remain closed for now, as additional infrastructure and safety upgrades are still in progress. The city has said a reopening date will be shared once the work is complete. Development projects along the Red Line will continue during nighttime hours only, allowing trains to run normally during the day.

Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion commented, “The return of the Red Line to full operation is significant news for the residents of Yerushalayim. We successfully completed a complex task while remaining on schedule, restoring essential light rail service to tens of thousands of passengers. This is a significant step on the path towards an outstanding transportation revolution, at the end of which Jerusalem will become the first city in Israel with a modern, comfortable, light rail network connecting all parts of the city.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Supreme Court could be forced to prevent Democrat Fed Governor Lisa Cook from attending the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting on interest rates due to allegations of mortgage fraud and a potential firing by President Trump.

Fresh reports from Yemen reveal that following an Israeli airstrike in Sana’a earlier this week, only four ministers from the Houthi government remain alive.

Those killed in the Thursday strike reportedly included Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, the Ministers of Economy, Industry and Investment, the Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security, the Deputy Prime Minister who also served as Minister of Local Administration, and the Deputy Interior Minister.

The attack also claimed the lives of the Prime Minister’s office director, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Justice Minister Majahad, and the Minister of Youth and Sports.

Additional accounts indicate that the Transportation Minister was among the casualties as well.

Reports further state that Houthi Defense Minister Mohammad Nasser Al-Aatfi sustained serious injuries, while the group’s Chief of Staff, Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, was also hurt in separate strikes near Sana’a.

An IDF spokesperson explained that the target was “a facility that hosted dozens of senior officials of the Houthi terrorist regime.” The airstrike was carried out by Israeli Air Force planes, acting on intelligence provided by the military’s Intelligence Directorate.

“At the facility were senior officials responsible for the use of force, the military buildup of the Houthi terror regime, and the advancement of terror actions against Israel, along with other key Senior Houthi officials,” the spokesperson said.

“The strike was made possible by seizing an intelligence opportunity and completing a rapid operational cycle, which took place within a few hours.”

The IDF added that assessments are still underway to determine the full extent of the strike, including whether more high-ranking Houthi commanders were eliminated.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump’s HUD Secretary, Scott Turner, is beginning the process of removing illegal immigrants from Section 8 housing, requiring all tenants to provide proof of citizenship.

More than three months after an Israeli strike, Hamas officially acknowledged this morning that Mohammed Sinwar, a senior operative in the group and the brother of Hamas Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, was killed.

The confirmation was issued through a statement that included an image of Mohammed Sinwar together with other top Hamas figures who had been killed during the war, labeled with the word “shaheeds.”

Sinwar was killed in mid-May in a combined operation carried out by the IDF and the Shin Bet that struck a subterranean Hamas command and control hub located beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

His brother, Yahya Sinwar, had been killed seven months earlier.

Although the IDF publicly declared Mohammed Sinwar’s death at the end of May, Hamas had refrained from commenting until now and provided no further information beyond the photo it released.

Alongside this announcement, Hamas also distributed video footage of Mohammed Deif, its former military chief, who was killed in July of the previous year.

At the same time, Israeli officials said they believe Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for Hamas’s military wing, was killed Saturday night in an airstrike in Gaza City.

A senior Israeli official commented, “If he was there, there’s no chance he survived this elimination attempt.” The official explained that intelligence on his whereabouts was obtained Friday night, with a strike opportunity opening at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. “If there were hostages in the area, the strike would not have taken place,” the official added.

Only a day before, Abu Ubaida had warned that Israeli military efforts to retake Gaza City would jeopardize hostages. He declared that both the IDF and the Israeli government would be accountable for what happened to them, threatening that “every hostage killed in strikes will be announced by name and with their picture.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The IDF announced this evening that Sergeant First Class (Res.) Ariel Lubliner was killed while serving in Gaza.

Lubliner, 34 years old and a resident of Kiryat Bialik, was part of the Logistics Regiment 6036 in the 36th Division. He lost his life during fighting in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

According to an initial probe, his death was the result of a friendly fire incident that occurred late Friday night at approximately 10:00 p.m. During the movement of a logistics convoy in Khan Yunis, IDF soldiers mistakenly exchanged gunfire.

Preliminary conclusions point to Lubliner being struck by a stray round, with no evidence of intentional targeting of the convoy. The matter is still under review by the military.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, 900 IDF servicemen have been killed, with 456 of them falling since the military campaign in Gaza began.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Trump sends a direct message to JB Pritzker in regards to the out of control crime in Chicago: “Straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming.”

The IDF announced that the second hostage whose remains were recently recovered is Idan Shtivi, who was kidnapped from the Tel Gama area.

“In a complex IDF operation conducted this week, and directed by the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters in the Intelligence Directorate, and the ISA, the body of the deceased hostage Idan Shtivi was recovered from the Gaza Strip, along with the body of the deceased hostage Ilan Weiss,” the IDF confirmed.

Weiss, age 55, was killed on October 7, 2023, when he attempted to reach the weapons storage facility in his home community of Kibbutz Be’eri. His body was then taken into Gaza by terrorists.

“The complex rescue operation was carried out by IDF troops of the Southern Command, in coordination with the IDF Intelligence Directorate and other special forces. The operation was made possible due to precise intelligence from the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters in the Intelligence Directorate, the Intelligence Directorate, and the ISA.

“Idan Shtivi was abducted from the Tel Gama area and brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists after acting to rescue and evacuate others from the Nova music festival on October 7th, 2023. He was 28 years old at the time of his death.

“Following an identification process conducted at the National Center for Forensic Medicine, along with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters notified his family.

“The IDF and ISA extend their condolences to the families and will continue every effort possible to bring all the hostages home.”

The Hostages Families Forum described Idan as someone who cared deeply for animals, especially dogs, and noted that he was preparing to begin his second year of studies in sustainability and government at Reichman University. They added that “Idan always put others first and made sacrifices for those around him.”

“On October 7th, Idan arrived early in the morning at the Nova Festival to photograph his friends who were performing and leading workshops, but never made it inside. When the attack began, Idan helped a young man and woman he had just met escape from the site — a selfless act that ultimately led to his abduction.”

He leaves behind his parents, Eli and Dalit, his siblings Omri, Hila, and Ilin, as well as his partner Stav.

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was the first to announce his return, stating, “In a special operation carried out by the IDF and the ISA in the Gaza Strip, the body of Idan Shtivi was returned. Following the completion of the identification process at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, his return to Israel was permitted for publication.”

“Idan was a student in sustainability and government and a brave person: On 7 October 2023, he participated in the Nova festival. When the terrorist attack began, he acted to save many fellow participants and help them escape, and was murdered in the process. His body was abducted to Gaza by the Hamas terrorist organization.

“Together with the entire people of Israel, my wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to the Shtivi family.”

President Isaac Herzog also commented, saying, “Idan Shtivi came to celebrate at the Nova Festival on October 7. He was murdered while helping others fleeing the terrorist onslaught, and his body was held hostage in Gaza. In a joint IDF-ISA operation, he has now been brought home for a dignified burial.”

“I hope this will bring a measure of comfort to his beloved parents, Eli and Dalit, and to his siblings, who have shown remarkable strength in their determined struggle for his return.

“These moments of deep sorrow remind us of one truth: Hamas’ crimes are crimes against humanity. The world must act with moral clarity and press for the release of all the hostages. Every last one.”

He continued, “I reiterate my appreciation for the IDF and ISA for their determined and daring action. As of now, 207 hostages – 148 of them alive – have been returned to Israel.”

“We will continue to take relentless and determined action, in various ways, to bring back all of our hostages, the living and the deceased.”

The Hostages Families Forum issued a statement as well: “Our hearts are with the Shtivi family today. Alongside the grief and pain, his return provides some sense of closure for the family and comfort after 694 agonizing days of waiting for his return.”

“We wish to express our deepest gratitude to the IDF and security forces who have worked tirelessly with dedication and courage to make Idan’s return possible. We also thank the various professionals who participated in the identification process. The complex identification process that took several days serves as a harsh and painful reminder of the real danger that the remains of those lost may vanish beneath the ruins of Gaza.

“Bringing home the hostages is the only path to national healing and recovery. The people of Israel want to see all hostages returned home: some for rescue and rehabilitation, others for proper burial, through a comprehensive agreement.

“The family requests that their privacy be respected at this time.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The death toll from Israeli strikes on Houthi government officials in Sana’a on Thursday could surpass 50 killed, Saudi Al-Hadath reports.

Around 20 senior Houthi military and political officials were reportedly killed in Israeli strikes on Sana’a Thursday, according to Houthi spokesperson Osama al-Sharmi. Among the dead are Prime Minister Ahmed Al-Rahawi, his two deputies, the director of his office, the head of military operations, and several ministers including those of information, education, justice, social affairs and labor, and youth and sports, along with the deputy interior minister.

Anti-government protests over water shortages in Iran continue to spread, as demonstrators in Lowshan City block the entrance to Gilan province with burning tires.

The IDF confirmed that a strike in Sanaa, Yemen, killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed Al-Rahawi along with other senior leaders of the Houthi terrorist regime.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker states that Trump’s plan to send troops to U.S. cities is aimed at stopping the 2026 election and staying in power, suggesting Trump will claim the election is flawed while already having forces on the ground.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to resist Trump’s plan to deploy troops to combat crime, declaring that the city does not want tanks on its streets, families torn apart, or residents “disappeared.”