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Yom Kippur was marked by an atmosphere of extraordinary awe and emotion in the home of the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Hagaon Rav Dov Landau, where the senior Rosh Yeshiva poured out his heart in tefillah for Klal Yisroel and davened throughout the day surrounded by family members and close talmidim.

Before the Rosh Yeshiva wrapped himself in his tallis for Kol Nidrei, an emotional scene unfolded in his home. Tens of thousands of names of donors to tzedakah funds, representing Yidden seeking yeshuos, had been placed on his table. Rav Landau was visibly moved by the enormous number of names and davened with tears for the klal and for each individual, asking that their judgment be sealed for good and that they be inscribed in the Book of Life and Peace.

At the onset of Yom Kippur, Rav Landau entered the bais medrash of Yeshivas Slabodka. In a stirring scene, he held a Sefer Torah alongside the Rosh Yeshiva, Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, as the many talmidim of the yeshiva looked on with reverence at the two senior gedolei Torah.

Rav Landau subsequently returned to his home, where Maariv was held with a small minyan consisting of family members and close talmidim. His grandson, Rav Menachem Landau, one of the heads of Yeshivas Slabodka L’Tzeirim, served as shliach tzibbur, leading the tefillah with great emotion.

Shacharis on Yom Kippur morning began in Rav Landau’s home at netz hachamah. His talmid, Rav Meir Blum, mashgiach at Yeshivas Mishkan HaTorah L’Tzeirim, led the tefillah.

During Krias HaTorah, Rav Landau received shlishi. Following the aliyah, a special Mi Shebeirach was recited for the success, yeshuah and protection of Klal Yisroel, both in Eretz Yisroel and throughout the world. Mussaf, including the stirring Seder HaAvodah recounting the service of the Kohen Gadol, was led by Rav Landau’s talmid, Rav Moshe Rabinowitz.

The Mincha davening in Rav Landau’s home carried with it a special sense of tradition and remembrance. Rav Eliezer Fisher, son of Rav Shalom Fisher zt”l, the legendary longtime secretary of Yeshivas Slabodka, went to the amud. For those present, the sight was particularly moving, as his father had served as shliach tzibbur for Mincha each Yom Kippur in the yeshiva’s heichal.

As Yom Kippur drew to its climax with Neilah, Rav Landau once again made his way to the bais medrash of Yeshivas Slabodka, where he stood together with hundreds of talmidim during the final moments of the holy day.

The cries of “Shema Yisroel” and “Hashem Hu HaElokim” reverberated through the heichal. Then, following the final blast of the shofar, the assembled talmidim erupted in a powerful rendition of “L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim habenuyah,” bringing an unforgettable Yom Kippur in Slabodka to a close.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and his family spent the opening hours of Yom Kippur davening at a private minyan in the Rechavia home of philanthropist R’ Moti Sonnenfeld, rather than at the nearby Yad Tamar shul, despite reports that security officials had constructed a special passageway between Netanyahu’s residence and the shul.

The Shin Bet and the security division of the Prime Minister’s Office constructed what was described as a “secret tunnel” shortly before Yom Kippur. The secured passage, reportedly between 15 and 20 meters long, connected the prime minister’s residence at 35 Gaza Street in Yerushalayim with the Yad Tamar shul on HaAri Street in Rechavia.

According to sources, the passage was built so that Netanyahu could walk securely from his residence to the shul to participate in the Yom Kippur tefillos. Air conditioning was reportedly installed in the passage as well. In the end, however, Netanyahu did not daven at Yad Tamar.

Matzav learned that Netanyahu instead joined a minyan at the Rechavia home of R’ Moti Sonnenfeld together with his wife, Sara, and their sons, Yair and Avner.

The Netanyahu family attended Kol Nidrei and Maariv.

The private minyan consisted of approximately 30 mispallelim, all of whom had received prior Shin Bet security clearance. Netanyahu davened alongside his sons, Yair and Avner, while Sara Netanyahu sat in the ezras nashim.

At the conclusion of the tefillah, Netanyahu thanked those who had joined the minyan.

{Matzav.com}

Ben Gurion Airport reopened Monday night following its annual Yom Kippur shutdown, bringing Israel’s main international gateway back to life after more than 32 hours without regular arrivals or departures.

Israel’s airspace began reopening after the conclusion of the 25-hour fast Monday evening, with the first international arrival at Ben Gurion scheduled for 10:30 p.m. and the first departing international flight set to take off at 11:30 p.m.

The reopening followed the nearly complete suspension of Israeli aviation for Yom Kippur, an annual occurrence during which commercial air traffic, public transportation and many other services throughout the country come to a halt.

Operations at Ben Gurion had wound down Sunday afternoon ahead of the start of Yom Kippur. At Terminal 1, the final departure took off at 1 p.m., followed by the last domestic arrival at 1:10 p.m.

Terminal 3 remained active for slightly longer. Its final international arrival and departure were scheduled for 1:55 p.m. Sunday, after which regular flight operations ceased for the duration of Yom Kippur.

The airport remained largely silent until Monday night, when international operations began restarting at Terminal 3. The first arriving flight was scheduled for 10:30 p.m., followed one hour later by the first outbound flight at 11:30 p.m.

Terminal 1 is reopening somewhat later. According to the Israel Airports Authority’s Yom Kippur schedule, both its international and domestic operations are set to resume at 2 a.m. Tuesday.

The return of flights at Ben Gurion is part of a broader reopening across Israel following Yom Kippur. Bus service began resuming Monday night, while Israel Railways service is scheduled to restart Tuesday.

Other Israeli airports are following a different timetable. Ramon Airport near Eilat, where aviation activity ended at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, is scheduled to reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday. Haifa Airport, whose last arrival took place at 2 p.m. Sunday, is likewise expected to resume operations at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Israel’s land crossings also shut down or operated on restricted schedules for Yom Kippur. The Begin Crossing at Taba was scheduled to reopen at 10 p.m. Monday, while several other crossings return to their normal schedules Tuesday.

The Yom Kippur shutdown was planned in advance and was not related to a security incident or technical problem. Israel routinely suspends virtually all commercial aviation during the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, leaving the normally bustling Ben Gurion Airport almost completely dormant.

With Yom Kippur now over, passengers are being advised to confirm their flight schedules and terminal information directly with their airlines as the airport moves from the holiday shutdown back to regular operations. The Israel Airports Authority has also reminded travelers that some airlines operate from both Terminals 1 and 3, making it important to verify the correct terminal before traveling to the airport.

The reopening comes during an especially busy period for international travel, with the conclusion of Yom Kippur followed shortly by Sukkos and the heavy passenger traffic traditionally associated with the Yom Tov season.

{Matzav.com}

Matzav.com regrets to inform you of the petirah of Rabbi Yeruchem Septimus z”l, a longtime mechanech who devoted many years to chinuch habanos as principal of Bais Kaila High School in Lakewood, NJ. He was 79 years old.

Rabbi Septimus was niftar on Motzoei Yom Kippur following a prolonged illness.

For many years, Rabbi Septimus served as principal of Bais Kaila, where his life was bound up with the education and development of generations of talmidos. In his role at the school, he carried the responsibility of helping guide young women during some of the most formative years of their lives, working alongside the school’s mechanchos and administration in maintaining the standards and values upon which the mosad was built.

Rabbi Septimus was a dedicated educator who understood that chinuch extends far beyond the classroom. His position placed him at the center of the day-to-day life of the school, where he dealt with the countless details, challenges and responsibilities that accompany the education of bnos Yisroel.

Over the course of his years in chinuch, Rabbi Septimus earned the respect of colleagues, parents and students alike. His many years at Bais Kaila represented a sustained commitment to the community and to the sacred work of educating another generation.

Rabbi Septimus is survived by his family, including his sons, R’ Dov Septimus, R’ Yaakov Eliyahu Septimus, R’ Shmuel Septimus and R’ Chaim Tzvi Septimus, as well as his extended family and the generations of students whose lives he touched during his decades in education.

The levayah will take place Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. at Congregation Sons of Israel Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump formally opened the White House’s new granite helicopter landing pad Monday, cutting a ceremonial ribbon on the South Lawn as the major television networks declined to provide their customary pooled coverage amid an escalating dispute with the administration over press access.

Using oversized golden scissors, Trump sliced through a red, white and blue ribbon to inaugurate the approximately $6 million project, which features the presidential seal. Standing alongside members of the construction crew responsible for the project, Trump called the finished helipad “a work of art.”

The White House carried the ceremony through its own video operation and social-media channels. But with Marine One idling immediately behind Trump, the helicopter’s engines largely drowned out the President’s remarks on the White House feed.

Ordinarily, a network television camera and high-powered microphone assigned to the White House television pool would have provided broadcast-quality video and audio of the ceremony. No such pooled camera was present Monday.

Earlier in the day, the television networks suspended presidential pool coverage after the White House prevented CNN from taking its scheduled turn in the rotation. CNN ordinarily participates with ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC in a five-network system that supplies video from presidential events to other news organizations around the world.

The White House defended its decision to restrict CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds, saying in a statement: “Access changes are nothing new. What is new, however, is the sudden claim that it becomes sacred only when the outlets are friendly to the Radical Left. The rule was never ‘every outlet gets in.’ It was always ‘our side stays in.’”

The suspension of the television pool has implications well beyond the five participating networks. Numerous news organizations rely on the pool to obtain professional video and clear audio of presidential appearances, while wire services distribute the footage to customers around the world.

C-SPAN also normally depends on the television pool to carry many presidential events and said it would therefore not broadcast Monday afternoon’s ceremony.

“Without a pool feed, we will not be showing” the president’s event, the network noted.

After cutting the ribbon, Trump walked along a line of construction workers, shaking hands and thanking them for their work before making his way toward Marine One.

The President then departed aboard the presidential helicopter for Joint Base Andrews, where he was to board Air Force One for New York and events surrounding the United Nations General Assembly.

For the short trip to Andrews, Trump boarded the newer VH-92A Patriot version of Marine One. The new South Lawn landing pad was constructed in part to accommodate the heavier helicopter and protect the lawn from the greater heat generated by the aircraft.

The helipad is one of several construction projects Trump has pursued at the White House and elsewhere in Washington during his second term, alongside plans for a new White House ballroom and a monumental arch.

It was not immediately clear how long the television pool suspension would continue. The dispute comes during a particularly active week for presidential coverage, with Trump scheduled to participate in meetings with foreign leaders and events connected to the United Nations General Assembly.

The five television pool members — ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News Media and NBC News — issued a joint statement objecting to the White House restrictions.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting,” read a joint statement from ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News Media and NBC News, the five White House television pool members.

A roughly 30-foot-long homeless encampment has appeared directly across from an NYU dorm in Manhattan’s East Village, where people living at the site say changes in the city’s approach to street homelessness under Mayor Zohran Mamdani have made remaining outdoors preferable to entering a shelter, the New York Post reports.

The makeshift encampment, located at East Ninth Street and Third Avenue alongside Ukrainian Village Park, includes a large blue tarp stretched over office chairs, suitcases, bicycles and other belongings occupying part of the sidewalk. It sits in full view of pedestrians and NYU students living across the street.

“Some people are nice, some people think we invade their space,” Raymond, 45, who lives in the shelter, said Monday. “I was in a Bowery shelter and they stole my stuff. I’d rather be outside.”

Raymond said conditions for those choosing to sleep outside have become “much better” since Mamdani became mayor.

“The past mayor had the police and they just came through and took stuff,” Raymond said. “Now they ask if we are ok and need help.”

The East Village site is one of several homeless encampments that have emerged around Manhattan during the past year. Other encampments have been reported near the Intrepid Museum on the West Side, beneath the FDR Drive on the East Side and in Greenwich Village.

Under the Mamdani administration’s policy, the Department of Homeless Services rather than the NYPD takes the lead in dealing with homeless encampments. After an encampment is formally notified, outreach workers are supposed to engage those living there each day for seven days, offering shelter, medical care and other services. At the end of that period, the site is cleared. Mamdani has said the approach is intended to connect homeless New Yorkers with services rather than simply move them from one location to another.

Once the seven-day period concludes, city agencies can move ahead with cleaning the site and removing material remaining at the location. The city’s 311 guidance says the Department of Homeless Services works with agencies including the NYPD and Department of Sanitation in addressing encampments.

Raymond and another man, Dave, who were near the NYU encampment Sunday, said the city’s current approach has contributed to their preference for remaining outside rather than entering the shelter system, where they said theft and other problems can occur.

“There are plenty of services out there if you want it,” said Dave, 31. “This is a choice. If you wanted to be inside, you could. I have friends who froze to death over the last two winters just because they wanted to be outside.”

Dave said he previously worked as a waiter on Long Island before becoming homeless after developing a drug addiction.

Police officers responded to the East Ninth Street encampment Sunday following a 311 complaint. According to the report, officers instructed those at the site to “condense and get rid of some stuff,” before leaving. The city’s 311 policy calls for officers to inspect reported encampments and refer confirmed sites to the Department of Homeless Services.

The sprawling collection of tarps and belongings prompted at least one pedestrian to compare the scene to the large homeless population concentrated in downtown Los Angeles.

“It doesn’t look a lot different from Los Angeles,” one passerby said, referring to Skid Row.

[Photo: The New York Post] 

President Donald Trump renewed his call Monday for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, saying the conflict is killing an estimated 25,000 people every month while also pointing to the growing damage inflicted on Russia’s oil-refining industry by Ukrainian attacks.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump connected his latest appeal to Ukraine’s sustained strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, saying that Moscow has “lost control of its Diesel Oil Industry” as a result of the fighting.

“A large number of their Diesel refineries have been blown up and are, at least temporarily, out of commission,” Trump wrote. “This ridiculous and never ending War with Ukraine must be ended.”

“The whole World suffers as 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, are being killed each month,” he added. “What a shame!”

Trump’s figure of 25,000 deaths per month could not immediately be independently confirmed.

Accurately determining military casualties has remained difficult throughout the more than four-year war, with both Russia and Ukraine releasing limited information about their own battlefield losses.

The President’s remarks came a day after Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones and missiles against targets across Russia, including hundreds directed toward Moscow. Russian officials described the barrage against the capital as the largest of the war.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the assault the biggest drone attack on the Russian capital since the fighting began.

The strikes damaged the Moscow Oil Refinery as well as a residential building. Russian authorities said two people were killed and approximately 20 others were injured in the Moscow region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv employed domestically produced missiles and drones in attacks aimed at Russian oil and logistics facilities that Ukraine says are used to support Moscow’s military operations.

Trump’s comments also followed reports that, during a telephone conversation Sunday, he urged Zelenskyy to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, citing concerns that the strikes were contributing to tightening worldwide diesel supplies and higher fuel prices.

According to the Financial Times, which cited officials familiar with the conversation, Trump repeatedly focused on diesel during the call and pressed the Ukrainian leader to stop targeting Russian refining capacity in order to preserve supplies for the international market.

Diesel prices in the United States have climbed to unprecedented levels amid disruptions to Russian refining operations and broader turmoil affecting energy supplies from the Middle East.

The national average price of diesel reached a record $6.51 per gallon on Monday, according to AAA data.

Trump and Zelenskyy are scheduled to meet Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, as the United States continues efforts aimed at reducing the fighting and restarting negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

Following Sunday’s conversation with Trump, Zelenskyy said there was “diplomatic momentum” surrounding the efforts and that their upcoming meeting “could change a lot.”

Iranian airlines could effectively be forced out of international operations beginning Wednesday, September 23, as the Trump administration prepares to use secondary sanctions against airports and companies that continue servicing Iranian carriers, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Monday.

“On September 23, all Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,” Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.

The global restrictions are expected to be enforced through the threat of U.S. secondary sanctions. Bessent warned that airlines, airports and other businesses continuing to provide services to Iranian carriers could face consequences under Washington’s sanctions regime.

The enforcement strategy is designed to make it extremely difficult for Iranian aircraft to operate outside the country. Airports, ground-handling companies, fuel suppliers, ticketing agencies and other service providers that assist sanctioned Iranian carriers could risk losing access to the U.S. dollar financial system. Bessent specifically warned that companies cannot provide Iranian aircraft with fuel or landing services or sell tickets for the carriers without risking such penalties.

The latest move follows the Treasury Department’s expansion of sanctions earlier this month to Iranian airlines that had not previously been designated, as Washington increases economic pressure on Tehran and the infrastructure supporting its aviation industry.

U.S. sanctions have long targeted Iranian aviation companies, including Mahan Air, over allegations that aircraft and aviation networks have been used to transport military personnel, weapons and other equipment. The latest measures broaden the pressure by targeting the foreign companies and facilities Iranian carriers depend upon to continue international operations.

Washington has also accused Iranian aviation networks of supporting Tehran’s military relationships abroad, including the movement of military equipment and weapons to Iranian-aligned groups in the Middle East and assistance connected to Russia. The sanctions are intended to disrupt those transportation channels while also placing additional pressure on Iran’s economy and commercial aviation sector.

The impact is already beginning to be felt. Mahan Air recently suspended international flights to destinations including Istanbul, Ankara and Muscat as U.S. pressure increasingly affected the overseas companies providing services necessary for its operations.

If airports and aviation companies broadly comply with the American sanctions threat, Iranian carriers could find themselves unable to obtain landing permission, fuel, ground services, insurance and other necessities for international flights, effectively isolating much of Iran’s commercial aviation network from the rest of the world.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were welcome to cover his joint appearance with President Donald Trump at Gracie Mansion, days after Trump barred the three news organizations from the White House. The exchange came as the outlets filed suit against the administration seeking restoration of their White House credentials.

Mamdani made the remarks during a press conference at the mayoral residence after a reporter asked whether he had confronted Trump over his decision to exclude CNN, MS NOW and Politico.

“I told the president that we’re going to have all of the members of the press here on the lawn. And that is something that I believe in, as everyone, no matter the opinion or the critique that we engage in,” Mamdani said.

Trump then addressed the controversy himself, defending the White House restrictions while also responding to the decision by the five television networks that make up the presidential TV pool — Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News — to suspend pooled television coverage after CNN was prevented from carrying out its scheduled pool assignment.

“It’s interesting because they said they were going to boycott me, but they never boycott me. So I wasn’t very worried about that. Look at all that press,” Trump said.

The President went on to explain why he was speaking with the assembled journalists at Gracie Mansion despite his objections to the coverage produced by some of the outlets. Trump argued that news organizations have an obligation to cover his administration fairly, pointing to his election victory, his administration’s foreign-policy record and economic figures.

“I’m only doing it because I think the press also has an obligation,” he said.

“We have the best economic numbers for the country in the history of our country. We have $21 trillion pouring in, the biggest number ever… Nobody’s ever done what we’ve done,” he added.

Trump then contended that giving certain news organizations access to the White House could pose national-security concerns, again accusing the outlets of publishing what he calls “fake news.” The three organizations challenging the ban say the decision amounts to unconstitutional retaliation based on their reporting.

“I never get anything positive. It’s always negative, even having to do with the war. We’ve done so well,” he said, referring to Iran.

“You would think that an outlet would write at least reasonably well, but never. If you look at CNN, it’s fake news,” he added.

The dispute has now moved into federal court. CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed suit Monday seeking to regain access to the White House, arguing that revoking their credentials because of coverage the President dislikes violates First Amendment protections. The administration maintains that the outlets remain free to publish and report and that White House physical access is a privilege rather than an automatic entitlement.

“They’re very bad for the country, very bad for national security. So I have that obligation. So we’ll see how it works out,” he said.

A major communications failure snarled air travel across the Northeast on Monday, triggering ground stops and lengthy delays at more than half a dozen airports, including JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, after both a primary circuit and a newly installed backup system failed.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said a circuit failure affecting Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control knocked out radio and radar capabilities serving John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

The disruption also affected Philadelphia International Airport, Teterboro Airport and Westchester County Airport, according to the FAA.

The problems began at approximately 10 a.m. and ultimately contributed to more than 1,000 delayed or canceled flights across one of the nation’s busiest aviation corridors, where officials have already been grappling with aging air traffic control infrastructure.

The timing added to the complications, with approximately 130 world leaders and dozens of government ministers arriving in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly.

Officials then discovered another problem that made the outage significantly worse: a recently constructed fiber-optic backup system in New Jersey had been damaged during nearby construction.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said work being performed along an Amtrak rail line resulted in a fiber-optic cable being cut, severing Verizon communications lines that were supposed to provide backup service.

“This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernize aging infrastructure and prevent disruptions like this in the future,” Duffy added.

Officials did not immediately determine exactly when the backup fiber-optic cable had been damaged.

Bedford said the problem became apparent only when the primary circuit went down and the system attempted to switch over to the backup connection.

“Unfortunately, that circuit failed today,” Bedford said. “And when it went to flip into the backup, we discovered that the backup fiber had a break.”

By approximately 6 p.m., officials said repairs had been completed and airport operations throughout the region were beginning to return to normal, although passengers were cautioned that the effects of the daylong disruption would continue for some time.

“The telecom lines have been repaired, and all airport operations in the Northeast are resuming,” Duffy said in an update posted to X.

“It will take some time to clear all existing delays, so please check with your airline for the latest information.”

Even after service was restored, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Teterboro and Philadelphia were continuing to experience substantial delays of roughly an hour.

Newark and Philadelphia alone recorded more than 600 delayed flights during the disruption, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. The outage had halted or sharply restricted arrivals and departures as aviation officials worked to restore the communications systems.

Boston was also temporarily affected by the cascading problems. A ground stop was imposed there as the airport dealt with additional traffic spilling over from the disruptions elsewhere in the Northeast, but that restriction was subsequently lifted.

Bedford said Monday’s breakdown exposed deeper weaknesses in the architecture supporting the nation’s air traffic control system and warned that simply replacing individual components would not eliminate the underlying vulnerability.

“The network design is terrible. And if we don’t fix the network design, we’re going to continue having these failures,” he said.

The Northeast experienced similar air traffic control problems last year, prompting efforts to replace aging equipment and strengthen the communications infrastructure supporting the region’s airports.

Bedford said that while newer technology is being installed, the basic structure of the system remains largely unchanged from what controllers have relied upon for decades.

“Today, the data architecture is the same,” Bedford said. “We’re pulling copper up and putting fiber down, but it’s the same data architecture that we’ve had for 50 years.”

Congress last year approved $12.5 billion for upgrades to the nation’s air traffic control system and efforts to increase the number of air traffic controllers, part of a broader push to address congestion, staffing shortages and recurring flight disruptions at airports across the country.

The United States has denied visas to several members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation for this week’s United Nations General Assembly, including members of his communications team, as President Donald Trump and Tehran exchange increasingly severe warnings amid the continuing war and possible diplomatic contacts in New York.

The Trump administration has nevertheless authorized Pezeshkian, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and a reduced group of essential Iranian officials to enter the United States for the U.N. gathering. The State Department said last week that allowing the core delegation to attend was consistent with U.S. obligations as host country to the United Nations.

Iranian state media reported Monday that other members of the presidential delegation had been denied visas.

“In an unprecedented hostile move by the US government, Trump has denied US visas to certain members of the president’s high-level delegation, including members of his communications team,” Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported.

The precise number and identities of those denied visas were not immediately disclosed. Iranian media reported that Pezeshkian is expected to travel to New York on Tuesday and address the General Assembly on Wednesday.

The visa restrictions come as Pezeshkian prepares to become the highest-ranking Iranian official to enter the United States since the current conflict began with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran in February.

Those who have received permission to enter the United States will face unusually strict restrictions while in New York. The State Department has limited members of the Iranian delegation largely to the U.N. headquarters area, Iran’s U.N. mission, the Iranian ambassador’s residence and JFK Airport.

The administration is also again restricting the delegation’s ability to purchase luxury goods and other items while in the United States, a measure Washington imposed on Iranian officials during last year’s General Assembly as well.

Araghchi left Iran on Sunday evening for the U.N. gathering, with a stop in Qatar. His trip comes as Qatar continues to serve as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran in efforts to determine whether negotiations can resume.

The diplomatic maneuvering is unfolding alongside a military and economic confrontation that has sharply escalated in recent days. Iran has conveyed a series of conditions through intermediaries for renewed negotiations, including demands related to the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. U.S. naval forces, meanwhile, have continued enforcing restrictions around Iranian maritime traffic.

Trump has said he remains open to speaking directly with Pezeshkian while both leaders are in New York. The President is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Tuesday, with Pezeshkian expected at the podium a day later.

But Trump has simultaneously issued stark warnings about the consequences if Iran rejects an agreement.

Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Trump said the alternatives facing Tehran included “wiping Iran out,” or allowing its economy to “rot” if an agreement cannot be reached.

The President has also described himself as being in a decision-making phase regarding Iran, while signaling that military action, additional economic pressure and diplomacy all remain under consideration. Reuters reported that Trump has coupled his threats with an expressed willingness to meet Pezeshkian.

The prospect of the two presidents being in New York at the same time has consequently fueled speculation about whether the U.N. gathering could produce an opening for negotiations. No Trump-Pezeshkian meeting has been publicly confirmed.

Markets have been closely watching those diplomatic possibilities because the war has severely disrupted shipping and energy flows through the Persian Gulf and surrounding waterways. Oil markets have remained volatile as traders weigh the possibility of negotiations against the danger of further military escalation.

Iran, however, has responded to Washington’s warnings with threats of its own.

“If the US makes any mistake against the Islamic Republic of Iran, all its positions and interests in the region will be targeted by sustained, effective and painful attacks,” Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters said, according to the Tasnim news agency.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has separately warned that further escalation could expand the geographical scope of the conflict and said Iranian forces could employ new weapons and tactics if additional attacks are launched.

The escalating rhetoric follows renewed regional instability involving the Houthis in Yemen. Houthi missile and drone attacks against Saudi targets have increased tensions between Washington and Tehran, with the United States accusing Iran of responsibility for supporting the group. Iran and the United States have also traded warnings over the possibility of a broader confrontation.

The current visa controversy adds another layer to an already unusual U.N. week. Despite the continuing hostilities, Washington announced Thursday that it would issue visas to Pezeshkian, Araghchi and Iran’s essential delegation rather than exclude Iran’s leadership entirely.

The United States has particular responsibilities regarding access to the United Nations because the organization’s headquarters is located in New York. Under the 1947 U.N. Headquarters Agreement, Washington generally must facilitate the entry of representatives traveling to U.N. business, although the United States has long maintained that national-security considerations can justify restrictions in particular circumstances.

Washington therefore appears to be pursuing a two-track approach: allowing Iran’s president, foreign minister and essential officials to attend the General Assembly while limiting the size, movement and activities of the delegation and, according to Iranian officials, refusing visas to some supporting personnel.

Whether the U.N. gathering produces direct diplomacy remains uncertain. For now, Pezeshkian is heading to New York with a reduced delegation, Trump is publicly leaving open the possibility of talks, and both governments are simultaneously warning that failure to reach an agreement could bring substantially greater military escalation.

The warning period is over for motorists caught speeding through construction zones on MTA bridges and tunnels, with automated cameras beginning Tuesday to issue actual tickets to vehicle owners traveling more than 10 mph above posted speed limits.

New York first authorized automated work-zone speed enforcement in 2021 under Gov. Kathy Hochul, initially applying the program to construction areas on state highways. The initiative, intended to improve safety for highway workers and motorists, was expanded last year to include MTA Bridges and Tunnels. Cameras began operating at active MTA construction zones on June 30.

Since enforcement equipment was activated this summer, more than 15,000 warning notices have been mailed to motorists, according to the MTA.

Beginning Sept. 22, however, those warnings will be replaced with fines. A vehicle caught traveling more than 10 mph above the posted limit will trigger a $50 fine for a first violation. A second offense carries a $75 penalty, while subsequent violations within 18 months will cost $100 each.

Before a citation is issued, the MTA says the recorded violation will be reviewed and confirmed by a certified technician. Because offenses recorded through the automated system are classified as non-moving violations, motorists will not receive points on their licenses, and the violations will not be added to their driving records.

The cameras are being deployed at active work zones across all nine bridges and tunnels operated by the MTA in New York City: the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge, Henry Hudson Bridge, Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, Queens Midtown Tunnel, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

Motorists should not necessarily expect to see a traditional fixed speed camera. Unmarked vehicles outfitted with radar and camera equipment may be positioned near active construction zones during working hours to record speeding vehicles.

Drivers who fail to pay their citations by the deadline may also face late fees on top of the original penalty. The MTA says fines can be paid online, through a mobile app, by mail or in person at New York City Department of Finance Business Centers. Individual citations will include additional payment instructions on the reverse side.

The MTA says the enforcement effort is aimed primarily at reducing the dangers faced by people working alongside moving traffic. According to figures cited by the agency, work zones across the United States saw nearly 900 deaths and approximately 40,000 injuries in 2023.

The agency also says most New York State road workers surveyed about the automated enforcement program reported feeling safer in work zones where speed cameras are being used.

The White House has launched its own round-the-clock video stream, dubbed “Trump TV,” creating a government-operated channel devoted to President Donald Trump’s speeches, appearances and administration highlights at the same time that a widening battle over White House press access has prompted a federal lawsuit and the suspension of the traditional television pool covering the President.

The new service, formally titled “TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station,” went live Monday evening on the White House website and its digital platforms. The White House describes it as a continuously updated stream featuring major administration events, presidential remarks and selected video from Trump’s presidency.

The White House began teasing the project earlier Monday without initially explaining what it was. One promotional video showed an old-fashioned television displaying the words “Something’s coming. Stay tuned,” while another depicted what appeared to be an AI-generated satellite television truck driving through the White House gates.

Later, the White House announced on social media that “Trump TV” would be “Streaming 24/7. Live at 7PM.”

On its official livestream page, the administration offered a fuller explanation of what viewers can expect from the channel:

“Watch the Trump Administration’s biggest moments all in one place. Top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights streaming 24/7 and updated in real time. Stay informed and stay up to date!”

The channel is not structured as an independent news network with reporters, correspondents and editorial coverage. Rather, it functions as an official White House video stream, allowing the administration to select and broadcast presidential speeches, events, ceremonies and other material directly to viewers without journalistic commentary or editing. The first programming included previously recorded Trump appearances and administration material.

The timing of the launch immediately attracted attention because it came during one of the most significant confrontations between the Trump administration and major news organizations over access to the White House.

Trump announced Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would no longer be permitted inside the White House, accusing the organizations of reporting “FICTION and LIES.” Their reporters were subsequently prevented from entering the White House grounds and had their credentials disabled.

On Monday, CNN, MS NOW and Politico jointly sued the Trump administration in federal court in Washington, asking a judge to restore their credentials and prevent the White House from continuing to enforce the restrictions while the case is litigated.

The organizations argue that excluding them because the President objects to their coverage constitutes viewpoint discrimination prohibited by the First Amendment. They are also alleging violations of their Fifth Amendment due-process rights because their White House credentials were revoked without notice or an opportunity to contest the decision.

“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment,” the outlets said in their legal filing.

The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee who previously handled CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s 2018 lawsuit over the revocation of his White House credentials. In that case, Kelly temporarily ordered Acosta’s credential restored on due-process grounds.

Trump responded Monday on Truth Social, defending his decision and criticizing Kelly. The President has maintained that the restrictions do not prevent the three organizations from publishing or reporting but instead deny them privileged physical access to the White House.

Trump argued that the White House should not be obligated to provide access to organizations that, in his view, publish inaccurate or defamatory reports based on anonymous sources.

“Why should I have to give ‘access’ to such people?” Trump wrote, calling the Oval Office “the most important Office anywhere in the World” and saying it should be treated with “Decorum, Respect, and Dignity.”

Vice President JD Vance made a similar argument Monday, saying that the administration views White House credentials as special access rather than a constitutional entitlement. The three news organizations dispute that argument and contend that the government cannot selectively deny established news organizations access in retaliation for unfavorable coverage.

The dispute quickly spread beyond the three banned organizations.

CNN had been scheduled Monday to perform its regular rotation as the television pool network responsible for recording presidential events and distributing that video to other news organizations. Because CNN was barred from the White House, it could not fulfill that assignment.

ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC then declined to substitute another crew for CNN. Together with CNN, the five networks announced that they were suspending presidential television pool coverage under the circumstances.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting,” the five networks said in a joint statement.

The move is significant because the television pool ordinarily guarantees that a camera crew is present for presidential events even when there is insufficient room for every television network to attend. The five major networks rotate responsibility for filming the President, with the designated network distributing its footage to the rest of the press.

The suspension does not mean that all independent reporting from the White House has stopped. Print, radio and wire reporters in other portions of the press pool continued covering presidential activities, and news organizations can use their own cameras when independently admitted to events. But the suspension removes the customary shared television feed from events where only the designated pool camera would ordinarily be present.

The consequences were apparent Monday during Trump’s event marking the opening of the new White House helipad. Without the normal television pool production, viewers watching available White House video had difficulty hearing portions of Trump’s remarks over the sound of the helicopter.

It was against that backdrop that “Trump TV” appeared Monday night.

The new service gives the White House its own continuous video outlet at a moment when independent television pool coverage of presidential events has been disrupted. But the two systems are fundamentally different: the television pool is operated by news organizations and produces footage independently for distribution to the media, while Trump TV consists of material selected and distributed by the administration itself.

The White House has not presented Trump TV as a replacement for the independent press pool, and there is no indication that it will operate as a conventional television network with journalists independently reporting on the administration. Its official description instead emphasizes administration “biggest moments,” “Top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights.”

The launch nevertheless creates an unusual new element in the escalating confrontation over who controls the public’s visual access to the presidency. For the moment, viewers have a new 24-hour White House-controlled stream at precisely the same time that the traditional network television pool has stopped covering Trump’s events.

Whether that arrangement lasts could depend partly on the federal court fight now underway. CNN, MS NOW and Politico are seeking expedited judicial intervention restoring their White House access, while the administration is defending its authority to decide which organizations receive credentials and physical access.

Trump TV, meanwhile, is already live and broadcasting around the clock — giving the White House a direct pipeline for delivering its preferred footage of the President and his administration to the public without relying on a television network or independent news organization.

Qatar on Monday forcefully rejected allegations that its financial assistance to Gaza was diverted to Hamas, insisting that the aid was provided for Palestinian civilians through arrangements approved and overseen by Israel. Doha also accused The New Yorker of relying on fabricated documents in a report examining alleged Qatari influence involving advisers close to Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu.

“To be clear, Qatar’s assistance has been directed to Palestinian civilians in Gaza through mechanisms coordinated with the Israeli authorities and international partners,” Qatar’s International Media Office said. “Under previous aid mechanisms, all financial assistance, as well as goods such as food, medicine and fuel, passed through Israel before entering Gaza.”

According to the Qatari government, none of the assistance was permitted into Gaza without Israeli involvement. Doha said the arrangements continued for years under successive Israeli governments and involved Israel’s security establishment as well.

“If any funding reached Hamas, it had nothing to do with Qatar,” the statement said. Qatar argued that any diversion of the assistance would have occurred within a system overseen by Israel during governments headed by Netanyahu as well as Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, with Israeli security agencies, including the Mossad and Shin Bet, involved in the arrangements.

Qatar, a wealthy Gulf state that maintains close relations with the United States and hosts a major American military installation, has occupied a complex position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Doha hosted senior Hamas political officials while simultaneously serving as an intermediary in negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Prior to the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, Qatar transferred hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to Gaza under arrangements authorized by Israel, with Israeli governments viewing the funds as a way to support Gaza’s economy and help preserve stability.

The latest controversy erupted following the publication of a Sept. 19 New Yorker investigation into the affair known in Israel as “Qatargate.” The investigation examined allegations that individuals close to Netanyahu carried out work intended to improve Qatar’s image while employed in or around the Prime Minister’s Office. It also examined documents that purported to detail Qatari payments connected to Hamas.

Doha characterized the allegations as another component of what it says is a broader campaign designed to damage Qatar’s reputation.

“In this instance, The New Yorker has chosen to give credibility to material that forms part of a wider disinformation campaign against Qatar,” the International Media Office said. It alleged that various actors, including elements of Israel’s far right, have spent years producing and circulating fabricated documents intended to implicate the Gulf state.

Qatar said the underlying material was false and maintained that The New Yorker had been presented, before publication, with evidence challenging the authenticity of the documents. According to Doha, other media organizations had previously been offered some of the same material but decided against publishing it after reviewing evidence that called its authenticity into question.

“The piece reads more like an amateur blog than a report from a reputable publication like The New Yorker,” the Qatari statement said. “We reject these allegations in the strongest possible terms.”

Qatar said it is considering possible legal action in response to the allegations. It also charged that the alleged disinformation effort is intended to weaken its position as a mediator in regional conflicts.

The dispute comes as separate reporting in Israel has raised questions about what Israeli leaders and security agencies knew before Oct. 7 regarding the ultimate destination of some of the Qatari-backed funds entering Gaza.

An investigation published by Yedioth Ahronoth and ynet reported that Israeli intelligence officials began warning Netanyahu in 2019 that portions of money entering Gaza through the Qatari-backed system were being diverted toward Hamas’ military buildup. The Prime Minister’s Office has rejected that reporting.

According to the investigation, Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet provided Netanyahu with intelligence indicating that some of the funds were reaching Hamas’ military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. Intelligence assessments cited in the report later estimated that money originating through those channels may have accounted for between 40% and 50% of the military wing’s budget.

The report further alleged that Israeli intelligence eventually identified another covert funding route through which money was reaching Hamas’ military wing, separate from the Israeli-approved assistance mechanism. It also reported that Egypt independently warned Israel about the issue. According to the investigation, the policy permitting Qatari funds to enter Gaza nevertheless continued.

The findings have added another dimension to the longstanding debate in Israel over the policies pursued toward Gaza before Oct. 7. Netanyahu-led governments allowed and supported Qatari assistance to the territory as part of a broader approach intended to bolster economic stability and reduce the likelihood of renewed fighting with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.

A senior intelligence official involved in investigating the alleged diversion told Yedioth Ahronoth and ynet that Military Intelligence obtained evidence indicating that money had reached Hamas’ military wing and transmitted that information to Netanyahu.

“We had evidence of official transfers,” the official said, referring to money reaching the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. “We saw it, documented it and passed it to the prime minister. He did nothing; he continued the policy.”

The Prime Minister’s Office disputed the investigation, describing its allegations as previously debunked claims being revived by Netanyahu’s political opponents ahead of Israel’s elections.

Netanyahu’s office has maintained that Israel’s security establishment supported allowing the Qatari assistance into Gaza and assessed that the money was intended for humanitarian and civilian purposes and could contribute to maintaining quiet along the Gaza border.

The Prime Minister’s Office has also said that after fighting erupted between Israel and Hamas during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021, Netanyahu ordered an immediate end to the mechanism under which Qatari cash was physically brought into Gaza. According to Netanyahu’s office, Qatari assistance was subsequently resumed under the Bennett-Lapid government through a modified system.

The mechanisms used to deliver Qatari assistance did, in fact, change over the years. While earlier arrangements involved cash entering Gaza, later systems relied more heavily on funding fuel and providing assistance to needy families through international organizations. The central dispute now concerns whether funds were diverted to Hamas’ military wing, what Israeli officials knew about any such diversion, and who bears responsibility — issues on which Qatar, Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli investigative reporting offer sharply conflicting accounts.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has dramatically shortened his upcoming trip to New York, planning to spend only several hours in the city before returning to Israel, while his official aircraft will avoid JFK Airport amid Israeli concerns involving Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Netanyahu is expected to use his U.N. General Assembly address to focus heavily on Iran, with aides saying the speech will contain “surprises.”

Netanyahu is scheduled to leave Israel on Wednesday and arrive in the United States on Thursday morning. His address to the General Assembly is set for 2 p.m. New York time, corresponding to 9 p.m. in Israel.

In an unusual departure from his previous U.N. visits, Netanyahu is expected to remain in New York for only a matter of hours. He will not spend the night in the city and plans to depart for Israel Thursday evening. Journalists will also not accompany the prime minister aboard his flight.

Another notable change involves the Wing of Zion, Israel’s official state aircraft. Instead of landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the plane is expected to touch down either at Newark Liberty International Airport or a military airfield in New Jersey.

Israeli officials have attributed the decision partly to logistical difficulties in coordinating with U.S. authorities and partly to concerns involving Mamdani. Israeli security officials have been concerned that the mayor could seek to prevent the Wing of Zion from remaining parked at JFK throughout Netanyahu’s stay, prompting planners to select a New Jersey arrival point instead.

Netanyahu’s visit is also expected to take place amid demonstrations surrounding his appearance at the United Nations. Israeli officials familiar with the planning believe concerns over protests contributed to the decision to eliminate an overnight stay and reduce the trip to its bare essentials. Mamdani said last week that he does not plan to participate personally in anti-Netanyahu protests during the General Assembly.

The prime minister had initially planned a considerably broader American itinerary. One of the stops that has now been eliminated was a visit to Texas, where Netanyahu had planned to meet Elon Musk.

An Israeli official explained the cancellation by saying: “There were coordination challenges, both because of the need for a refueling stop and because the Americans are less keen on last-minute arrangements.”

Netanyahu is also not scheduled to meet President Donald Trump during this visit, and no other meetings in New York have yet been finalized for the prime minister.

Trump, meanwhile, has his own packed schedule surrounding the U.N. gathering, with nearly 130 heads of state arriving in New York. The President is addressing the General Assembly and holding a series of meetings with international leaders during his visit.

Trump has also met with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion during his New York visit. The relationship between Netanyahu and Mamdani has generated considerable attention ahead of the Israeli prime minister’s arrival because of Mamdani’s past statements regarding the International Criminal Court warrant against Netanyahu. Trump said in July that Netanyahu would not be arrested while visiting the United States.

Although a Trump-Netanyahu meeting is not planned, Netanyahu is expected to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio while in the United States.

Israeli officials are additionally trying to arrange meetings between Netanyahu and foreign leaders attending the General Assembly. The prime minister’s extremely compressed timetable, however, has made scheduling additional diplomatic encounters difficult.

A U.S. administration official said Netanyahu’s time in the United States is also being limited with Israel’s approaching elections in mind.

The centerpiece of the visit will therefore be Netanyahu’s address from the U.N. podium. Iran is expected to dominate the speech, and officials close to Netanyahu have said the address will contain “surprises.” The General Assembly is taking place amid continuing regional tensions involving Iran, which are expected to feature prominently in diplomatic discussions in New York.

Netanyahu’s remarks are also expected to be directed heavily toward an Israeli audience. With the speech scheduled for 9 p.m. Israel time, the address will give the prime minister a prominent platform during prime-time viewing hours.

Israel’s U.N. delegation is meanwhile preparing for the possibility of disruptions inside the General Assembly hall while Netanyahu speaks. Officials are anticipating possible heckling as well as the possibility that representatives of multiple countries could stage a coordinated walkout, similar to scenes that occurred during Netanyahu’s address last year.

With the Texas stop canceled, no meeting with Trump scheduled, no overnight stay planned and the Wing of Zion expected to remain outside New York City, Netanyahu’s U.S. trip has effectively been reduced to a tightly controlled visit centered overwhelmingly on his U.N. address — and the still-unspecified “surprises” his aides say it will contain.

Vice President JD Vance defended President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House on Monday, arguing that the administration is not preventing the organizations from covering the presidency but is instead withdrawing what he characterized as privileged access because of their reporting.

“It’s not a ban. It’s the refusal to grant special access to people who are engaged in dishonest reporting,” Vance told “Greg Kelly Reports” while in North Carolina ahead of a rally for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley.

Trump announced Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House “effective immediately,” accusing the three organizations of repeatedly reporting “FICTION and LIES.” Reporters representing each outlet were subsequently denied entry to the White House grounds after their credentials were deactivated.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico responded Monday by filing a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. The organizations contend that excluding their journalists because of the content of their coverage violates the First Amendment. Their complaint also alleges a violation of Fifth Amendment due-process protections, arguing that their credentials were revoked without adequate notice or an opportunity to contest the decision.

During his Newsmax interview, Vance said the country needs an “honest news media,” while accusing some large news organizations of functioning more like partisan political organizations than traditional news outlets.

“The problem with a few of these media outlets — I wouldn’t even say it’s most, but some of the bigger media outlets — is they’re not really news organizations,” Vance said.

“If you’re going to be a propaganda arm of the left, why would Donald Trump give you special access to his White House?” he added.

Vance maintained that the White House action does not prevent CNN, MS NOW or Politico from continuing to report on Trump or his administration. In separate remarks Monday, he similarly said the organizations could continue obtaining public information and communicating with administration officials despite losing physical access to the White House.

“Politico will still write their crazy articles. They will still misrepresent what we say and do,” Vance said. “What’s different is that they don’t have an office in the White House anymore.”

The three news organizations dispute that distinction as a legal matter. Their lawsuit argues that the government may not make White House press access dependent on whether officials approve of a news organization’s coverage. They contend that the Constitution prohibits a president from stripping journalists of constitutional protections “based solely on his dislike of the content of their reporting.”

Vance acknowledged that the competing arguments will now be considered by the federal courts.

“Obviously those organizations are going to sue,” he said. “I’m sure the courts will have their say in this.”

The vice president also dismissed concerns that the administration’s decision could create a precedent that a future Democratic administration might invoke to exclude conservative news organizations.

Vance cited previous disputes involving conservative media and Democratic administrations, while arguing that the Trump White House has sought to include news organizations representing a wide range of political viewpoints.

“We want every bias and every perspective to be present, but there are limited spaces,” Vance said.

“When you go there, there are only so many places, right? You have to choose some standard for how you dole out seats,” he added.

The controversy also affected television coverage of Trump on Monday. CNN had been scheduled to take its turn providing video coverage through the five-network White House television pool. After the White House prevented CNN from performing that role, the other participating networks declined to replace it, temporarily suspending the pool’s presidential television coverage.

Trump separately defended the restrictions Monday, writing on Truth Social that the administration was not targeting press freedom but what he described as “FAKE NEWS.” The White House has likewise argued that the First Amendment protects the organizations’ ability to publish their reporting but does not guarantee a hard pass, a briefing-room seat or participation in the White House press pool. The three outlets are challenging that position in federal court.

Vance concluded by again drawing a distinction between preventing an organization from publishing and denying its journalists physical access to the White House.

“We’re not saying Politico can’t report,” Vance said. “We couldn’t do that even if we wanted to.”

Yom Kippur 5787 was marked by packed batei medrash and yeshivos across Eretz Yisroel, emotional tefillos by Gedolei Yisroel and Admorim, extraordinary sums paid for coveted kibbudim, and moving scenes involving senior rabbonim who participated despite recent illness and medical treatment.

From Gur and Belz to Ponevezh, Mir, Slabodka and the homes of Gedolei Yisroel, tens of thousands spent the holiest day of the year immersed in tefillah and teshuvah. Among the notable moments were the return of Birchas Kohanim at Ne’ilah in Belz for the first time in more than 30 years, Rav Dov Kook’s return from rehabilitation to his bais medrash in Tiveria, and deeply emotional scenes during the Avodah and Ne’ilah tefillos.

Some of the most remarkable reports involved the traditional bidding for Maftir Yonah and other kibbudim.

At the Sassover Bais Medrash, the mispallelim collectively purchased Maftir Yonah for the Rebbe for 353,000 shekels.

At the Maor Chaim shul in Yerushalayim’s Sanhedria neighborhood, led by Rav Zev Ernster, R’ Luzer Fischer purchased Maftir Yonah for $10,000.

At Rav Yigal Cohen’s Yabia Omer shul in Bnei Brak, Maftir Yonah sold for 32,000 shekels. An even larger sum was raised for the Kohen aliyah, which was given to Rav Cohen himself. Two mispallelim jointly acquired the kibbud, each contributing 40,000 shekels, for a total of 80,000 shekels.

At Tiferes Moshe Karlin in Kiryat Sefer, a lengthy bidding battle for Pesichah at Ne’ilah took place between R’ Ahar’le Zaltzman and R’ Yankel Avrahams. Avrahams ultimately secured the kibbud for 38,000 shekels.

In the Tshenger kehillah in Elad, led by Rav Nosson Moskowitz, attorney Moshe Weisel purchased Maftir Yonah for 4,000 shekels and Pesichah for Ne’ilah for another 2,500 shekels.

At Yeshivas Derech Hashem in Yerushalayim, an alumnus purchased Maftir Yonah for 13,000 shekels. Rosh Yeshiva Rav Boruch Tzvi Greenbaum received the aliyah and in turn honored his close associate, mechanech Rav Itamar Taap, one of the yeshiva’s rabbonim.

At Yeshivas Shaarei Daas in Beit Meir, led by Rav Greenwald, one of the prominent bochurim purchased Pesichah for Ne’ilah for more than 10,000 shekels.

In Gur, the Rebbe participated in all of the Yom Kippur tefillos, briefly returning to his private apartment at several points during the day — once during Shacharis, twice during Mussaf and once during Mincha. At 8:15 p.m., tens of thousands of chassidim joined in singing Hamavdil and receiving the Rebbe’s parting “Gut Yom Tov” in the massive bais medrash.

A historic change took place in Belz, where Kohanim went up to duchan during Ne’ilah for the first time in more than three decades.

The Belzer Rebbe entered for Kol Nidrei according to Belzer time, approximately 50 minutes after sunset, and served as shliach tzibbur for Kol Nidrei and Maariv. On Yom Kippur morning, the Rebbe’s son, Rav Aharon Mordechai Rokeach, led Shacharis, while the Rebbe performed the Torah reading. The Rebbe led Mussaf and Ne’ilah.

After Birchas Kohanim at Ne’ilah, the tefillah concluded at sunset. The Rebbe instructed the chassidim to sing several niggunim, and approximately half an hour later he blew the shofar, followed by Maariv. On Motzoei Yom Kippur, the Rebbe entered the Groise Shtib for the traditional Hamavdil tish.

There were also emotional scenes in Vizhnitz, where the Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s voice was noticeably stronger than it had been on Rosh Hashanah following his recent pacemaker surgery. The Rebbe served as shliach tzibbur and, between Kol Nidrei and Maariv, delivered words of hisorerus urging the chassidim to distance themselves from technological devices. Following Maariv and again after Ne’ilah, the bais medrash erupted in an emotional rendition of “Ashrei Adam Oz Lo Bach.”

The Modzhitzer Rebbe, who underwent a cardiac catheterization during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, led Maariv, Mussaf and Ne’ilah. His eldest son, Rav Aharon Taub, led Shacharis. Longer breaks were arranged between the tefillos to allow the Rebbe to rest.

In Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok in Meah Shearim, Maftir Yonah sold for $16,000, while Pesichah for Ne’ilah brought $10,000.

Before Mussaf, several prominent supporters who have been financing the Rebbe’s medical care approached him with a special kvittel written on parchment. The Rebbe warmly bentched them.

At Mishkenos HaRo’im, the gabbai announced in the name of the Rebbe, the senior Admor of the Eidah Hachareidis, immediately before Ne’ilah that every individual should accept upon himself to study Chofetz Chaim according to the current schedule that began on Rosh Hashanah, and that in this zechus they should merit a gmar chasimah tovah.

The Rebbe later led Maariv on Motzoei Yom Kippur for the yahrtzeit of his mother, Rebbetzin Ruchama Leiba a”h.

Posek Hador Rav Moshe Sternbuch spent Yom Kippur at his yeshiva in Beit Shemesh. On Erev Yom Kippur, while traveling along Route 38, Rav Sternbuch stopped at a spring along the route to perform Tashlich.

The yeshiva was filled beyond capacity for Yom Kippur, and because of the shortage of space, only some alumni were able to secure places in the bais medrash.

Rav Sternbuch served as shliach tzibbur for Kol Nidrei and part of Ne’ilah. He also delivered divrei chizuk before Maariv. In the morning, when the Aron Kodesh was opened before Krias HaTorah, Rav Sternbuch said that, according to Kabbalah, reciting the posuk “L’olam Hashem devarcha nitzav bashamayim” is a segulah for stopping harsh decrees. The entire tzibbur then recited the posuk 12 times with great emotion.

Before Ne’ilah, Rav Sternbuch declared that anyone who sincerely accepted Ol Malchus Shamayim and committed to a change for the better could merit having his tefillah accepted and receiving a good year.

When the fast ended, Rav Sternbuch expressed tremendous joy that, despite his advanced age, he had once again been able to complete the Yom Kippur fast properly.

Rav Dov Landau began his Yom Kippur by davening on behalf of donors to various tzedakah funds before Kol Nidrei, becoming visibly emotional upon seeing the names placed before him.

Kol Nidrei was held in the Slabodka Yeshiva bais medrash, where Rav Landau held a Sefer Torah alongside Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch. He subsequently returned home for Maariv with a smaller minyan consisting of talmidim and family members. His grandson Rav Menachem Landau, a ram in Slabodka Yeshiva Ketana, led the tefillah.

Rav Landau davened Shacharis at sunrise with the special minyan in his home. His talmid Rav Meir Blum, mashgiach at Yeshivas Mishkan HaTorah, served as shliach tzibbur. Rav Landau received the third aliyah, followed by a special Mi Shebeirach for the success of Klal Yisroel.

Rav Moshe Rabinowitz led Mussaf, while Rav Eliezer Fischer led Mincha. For Ne’ilah, Rav Landau returned to the main Slabodka bais medrash. Following the shofar and the singing of “L’shanah Haba’ah” together with hundreds of talmidim, he returned home for Maariv.

Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman spent Yom Kippur in the bais medrash of Yeshivas Rashbi in Bnei Brak. Shortly before leaving for Kol Nidrei, he davened for donors to several tzedakah funds.

One of the most emotional moments came during Shehecheyanu on Yom Kippur night, when Rav Bergman’s voice broke as he cried while reciting the bracha over the kedushah of the day.

Before Maariv, Rav Bergman delivered stirring words of hisorerus, urging his talmidim to take advantage of every moment of Yom Kippur. At Mincha, he received the third aliyah for Maftir Yonah.

During Ne’ilah, Rav Bergman served as shliach tzibbur for Avinu Malkeinu and Kabbalas Ol Malchus Shamayim, creating another deeply emotional scene among the mispallelim.

At Ponevezh Yeshiva, thousands of talmidim were joined by hundreds of alumni and visitors from throughout Eretz Yisroel and abroad. The tefillos began at 6:45 a.m. and continued virtually without interruption until nightfall.

During Kol Nidrei, Rav Boruch Dov Povarsky and yeshiva president Rav Eliezer Kahaneman held the Sifrei Torah alongside the chazzan. As he does each year, Rav Povarsky later served as shliach tzibbur for Shir Hakavod following Maariv.

For the morning Krias HaTorah, Rav Kahaneman received Kohen, Rav Asher Friedman, mashgiach of the yeshiva ketana, received Levi, and Rav Povarsky received the third aliyah. Other aliyos were given to yeshiva director R’ Meir Bulak, Rav Yitzchok Meir Yavetz and Rav Meir Ben Shlomo, rosh yeshiva of Orchos Torah’s yeshiva ketana and the Mincha baal tefillah.

Brothers Rav Moshe and Rav Elimelech Tabak of the United States, talmidim of Rav Povarsky who traveled overseas specifically to spend Yom Kippur in the yeshiva, received Hagbah.

At Mincha, Rav Aryeh Leib Shapiro received Kohen, R’ Mordechai Levin received Levi, and Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dovid Miller received Maftir Yonah.

One of the most powerful scenes in Ponevezh came during the Avodah in Mussaf. Rav Povarsky rose from his seat along the eastern wall and faced the chazzan, trembling and weeping throughout the exalted moments of the Avodah.

This year, Rav Povarsky used a specially designed elevated shtender manufactured for him by Lavi Furniture, providing greater comfort and support during the lengthy standing portions of the Yom Kippur tefillos and Avodah.

Following Maariv on Motzoei Yom Kippur, a special bais din was convened according to the well-known practice associated with Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l for shidduchim and yeshuos on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir donors. Rav Moshe Shmuel Edelstein, Rav of the Ne’ot Yosef neighborhood and a baal tefillah in Ponevezh, participated together with Rav Kahaneman and Rav Chaim Peretz Berman.

Havdalah was then conducted publicly in the yeshiva, and refreshments were distributed to the thousands of mispallelim. Rather than immediately leaving, the talmidim sat down for a special learning seder, instituted by Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, which continued until 10 p.m.

The bochurim then gathered outside for Kiddush Levanah with singing and dancing before departing for their homes at the conclusion of the yeshiva’s elevated Elul zman.

Another extraordinary Maftir Yonah purchase took place at the bais medrash of Rav Dan Segal in Yerushalayim. R’ Reuven Wolf, chairman of Keren Olam HaTorah, spent Yom Kippur there and purchased Maftir Yonah for $30,000. Following the aliyah, he asked Rav Segal to make a Mi Shebeirach for all donors to Keren Olam HaTorah.

At the Mir Yeshiva, four separate minyanim were held, each accommodating hundreds of avreichim, bochurim and alumni.

The main bais medrash minyan was headed by Rosh Yeshiva Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, with Mashgiach Rav Binyamin Finkel serving as shliach tzibbur.

During the Avodah in Mussaf, Rav Binyamin Finkel davened with intense emotion and dveikus in the center of the bais medrash as Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel stood opposite him, surrounded by hundreds of mispallelim watching the Avodah. Before Ne’ilah, the mashgiach delivered an emotional shmuess, weeping as he spoke about the needs of both the klal and the individual.

A number of major supporters of the Torah world joined the Mir for Yom Kippur, including Ralph Herzka, Eli Schron, Baruch Gromias, Tzvi Lichtenstein, Ezra David, Yossi Ostreicher and Yossi Stern.

Rav Yitzchok Yosef, the Rishon LeTzion and president of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, spent Yom Kippur at Yeshivas Chazon Ovadia in Yerushalayim, where he davened all the tefillos together with his son, Rosh Yeshiva Rav Rachamim Yosef.

Chacham Nissim Ben Shimon davened in his Ohr Hachaim bais medrash in Bnei Brak. Before Yom Kippur began and again during Kol Nidrei, he davened on behalf of those in need of yeshuos.

Rav Yehuda Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yekirei Yerushalayim and a member of the Moetzet, arrived at the yeshiva as Yom Kippur began and immediately lit yahrtzeit candles near his place in memory of his parents.

Rav Cohen received the honor of opening the Aron Kodesh for the special parnassah tefillah and received Maftir during the morning Torah reading. Several supporters traveled from abroad specifically to spend Yom Kippur with him.

At one point during davening, Rav Cohen stopped the tefillah and asked the bochurim not to shout. He explained that in Shomayim they seek tefillah that comes from the depths of the heart and with proper kavanah, even when it is not accompanied by shouting.

Before Ne’ilah, he described those final moments of Yom Kippur as being, so to speak, in a yichud room with the Ribbono Shel Olam — a uniquely powerful opportunity for hisorerus.

After the fast, at Rabbeinu Tam, Rav Cohen made Havdalah for the bochurim. They then broke into the singing of “Emes Mah Nehedar Hayah Kohen Gadol B’tzeiso B’Shalom Min Hakodesh.”

Rav Chaim Feinstein, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo, spent Yom Kippur at the yeshiva campus in Rishon LeTzion. Following Kol Nidrei, he addressed the thousands of mispallelim about the unique power and holiness of Yom Kippur itself.

At Mincha, Rav Feinstein received Maftir Yonah, which he has personally read for approximately 60 years with his distinctive and emotional nusach. When he reached the words “Ki yode’a ani ki besheli hasa’ar hagadol hazeh,” his voice broke with tears, sending a palpable tremor through the bais medrash.

Following the longstanding practice regarding the special power of the Mi Shebeirach after Maftir Yonah, Rav Feinstein recited a Mi Shebeirach and mentioned hundreds of names that had been submitted for tefillah.

At Yeshivas Hanegev-Schar Sachir in Netivot, the roshei yeshiva, headed by Rav Avraham Levi, spent Yom Kippur with the yeshiva. During Kol Nidrei, Rav Levi, Rav Dovid Lev and Mashgiach Rav Moshe Kuhn held the Sifrei Torah.

In an unusual move during Krias HaTorah, Rav Levi requested a Mi Shebeirach for Rav Bunim Schreiber, Rav Chaim Berman and his relative Rav Dov Kook. Rav Kuhn made a Mi Shebeirach for the rosh yeshiva, Rav Yaakov Yehuda Leib Aryeh ben Heiga Tzipora, who has recently been unwell.

Mussaf concluded at 3:10 p.m., with Mincha beginning just 20 minutes later at 3:30. After Ne’ilah, the yeshiva’s rabbonim and entire tzibbur danced together for approximately half an hour, singing songs of hisorerus.

Rav Shlomo Tzvi Fruchter, one of the roshei yeshiva, attended the Yom Kippur tefillos despite considerable weakness following medical treatment during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah and led Shacharis.

Rav Yitzchok Hacker, rosh yeshiva of Grodno, davened at home with a small minyan of close talmidim and family members. The tefillos followed the traditional Grodno nusach and melodies established by the longtime baal tefillah R’ Ephraim Piontek.

Rav Yechiel Wilansky led Mussaf, while Rav Avraham Yitzchok Shoymer, a grandson of the late baal tefillah Rav Tzvi Eisenstein zt”l, led Ne’ilah.

Rav Hacker held a Sefer Torah for Kol Nidrei alongside his son Rav Yosef Shlomo, who serves as rosh kibbutz in the yeshiva. During Shacharis, Rav Hacker received the third aliyah and requested a special Mi Shebeirach for his longtime colleague in leading the yeshiva, Rav Tzvi Drabkin.

For Maftir Yonah, Rav Hacker honored his close talmid R’ Shmuel Vanderwalde, who has devoted considerable effort in recent years to registering new talmidim for the yeshiva.

Ne’ilah was filled with emotion, with Rav Hacker’s voice heard clearly throughout the home as he davened for yeshuos for Klal Yisroel. At the conclusion, his son Rav Yosef Shlomo blew the shofar.

One of the most emotional developments of Erev Yom Kippur occurred in Tiveria, where Rav Dov Kook returned directly from rehabilitation to his bais medrash so that he could spend Yom Kippur among his talmidim.

A special enclosed room was constructed for Rav Kook inside the bais medrash, enabling him to remain present for the tefillos while receiving the privacy and medical supervision his condition requires. The public was asked to continue davening for the complete recovery of Rav Chizkiyahu Dov HaKohen Kook ben Shoshana.

At Yeshivas Bais Meir in Bnei Brak, a private caravan was brought to the yeshiva for Rosh Yeshiva Rav Tzvi Rotberg, allowing him to rest there during the breaks between tefillos.

At the Rav Mendel Bais Medrash in Bnei Brak, there was a change from longstanding Yom Kippur practice. Rav Yerachmiel Birenzweig was unable to deliver his traditional address following Kol Nidrei because of his health. Although his condition has been improving, he remains in need of tefillos.

In his place, his son Rav Aharon Birenzweig, rosh bais medrash in the Mir Yeshiva and head of Vaad Mevakshei Hashem, delivered the address.

At Yeshivas Be’er HaTalmud in Yerushalayim, the Yom Kippur atmosphere included a newly installed paroches in honor of the Yemei Hadin and an unusually large turnout of alumni.

Five hundred seats were prepared for bochurim and alumni in the main Yerushalayim bais medrash, in addition to the yeshiva’s branches in Ofakim and Chazon Yechezkel.

After davening, the bochurim passed before Rosh Yeshiva Rav Chanoch Cohen and the yeshiva’s rabbonim to receive wishes for a gmar chasimah tovah. Rav Yehuda Batzri and Rav Eliezer Aharoni served as baalei tefillah. Mussaf concluded at 2:10 p.m., and Mincha began at 3 p.m.

For the first time, Rav Cohen received Maftir during the morning Torah reading rather than the Kohen aliyah, allowing him to recite additional brachos on Yom Kippur. Mashgiach Rav Eliyahu Aharon continued his annual practice of receiving Maftir Yonah at Mincha.

During Unesaneh Tokef, alumnus Rav Dovid Attias led the tefillah. When he reached the words “Mi yichyeh umi yamus,” the bochurim broke down in tears as Attias, who has experienced the loss of his father in recent years, delivered the words with exceptional emotion.

Several new melodies were incorporated into the tefillos this year, including tunes associated with Reb Shlomo Carlebach and other familiar niggunim during the Avodah and concluding portions of the tefillah. Before Ne’ilah, Rav Cohen delivered divrei hisorerus concerning the final sealing of the day.

At Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim, headed by Rav Tzemach Mazuz, large numbers of alumni arrived from across Eretz Yisroel to spend Yom Kippur in the yeshiva. Rav Mazuz led Ne’ilah.

For Kol Nidrei, Rav Mazuz stood together with Rav Y. Haddad and Rav M. Sagron, mashgichim of the yeshiva gedolah and yeshiva ketana.

In the yeshiva ketana, Rav Mazuz gave the honor of taking out the Kol Nidrei Sefer Torah to bochurim who committed themselves not to interrupt Sedarim Alef and Bais with idle conversation through the end of the winter zman. In the yeshiva gedolah, the honor went to bochurim who accepted upon themselves to learn a specified number of blatt Gemara.

An especially painful moment came during the memorial tefillos following Kol Nidrei. Rav Mazuz followed the yeshiva’s custom of mentioning departed Gedolei and Chachmei Yisroel, but this year, for the first time, included his brother, the late rosh yeshiva, and Rav Rachamim Mazuz zt”l. His voice broke as he wept.

For the haftoros, Rav Mazuz honored Rav Yair Mazuz, son of Rav Rachamim Mazuz zt”l, one of the roshei yeshiva who was niftar during the past year.

Before Ne’ilah, Rav Mazuz invoked the familiar expression “I missed the train,” telling the bochurim that this was precisely the situation confronting them: the final moments before the chasimah were arriving, and every remaining moment had to be used for regret, teshuvah and accepting at least one meaningful improvement.

At the conclusion of the fast, Rav Mazuz blew the shofar and made Havdalah. The yeshiva’s bochurim and alumni then passed before him to receive the traditional bracha, “Tizku l’shanim rabbos ne’imos v’tovos.” After a light break-fast, the entire yeshiva returned to the bais medrash for an extended learning seder, as is its annual Motzoei Yom Kippur practice.

At Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim, the Yom Kippur tefillos also proceeded as they do each year, with minyanim held both in the hospital shul and on its terrace.

Rav Yosef Sprung, Rav of the medical center, served as shliach tzibbur. Before Ne’ilah, his father, Rav Zechariah Sprung, delivered divrei hisorerus to the patients, family members and other mispallelim as the final moments of Yom Kippur approached.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge on Monday declined to stop the Trump administration from proceeding with a controversial Texas land exchange that would transfer more than 700 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge to SpaceX, rejecting a request from environmental and tribal groups seeking to halt the deal while their lawsuit moves forward.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. denied the groups’ request for a preliminary injunction, finding that they had not presented sufficient evidence that allowing the transaction to proceed during the litigation would cause the environmental damage they predicted.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the proposed exchange in June. Under the final plan, the federal government would transfer approximately 715 acres of refuge property to SpaceX while receiving about 683 acres currently owned by the company. The Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge encompasses roughly 103,000 acres across four South Texas counties and includes important wildlife habitat and historic resources.

Much of the federal property that SpaceX would receive is located close to the company’s Starbase rocket-launch and manufacturing complex near Boca Chica and the U.S.-Mexico border. Federal environmental documents say future residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure development on some of the transferred property is reasonably foreseeable, although SpaceX has not provided the government with specific development plans for the parcels.

Opponents contend that the transaction effectively hands valuable public property to SpaceX and could allow development to encroach further on environmentally and historically sensitive areas.

Laiken Jordahl, a spokesperson for the Center for Biological Diversity, which joined tribal and other groups in challenging the exchange, described the transaction as “clearing the way for bulldozers to tear into this wildlife refuge as soon as next week and turn a public treasure into a private payday.”

Jordahl said the groups intend to continue pursuing the underlying lawsuit despite Monday’s setback.

“This court order is not the final word. These lands hold incredible spiritual, historical and conservation value for the people and wildlife of South Texas. We won’t stop fighting to keep this irreplaceable public wildlife refuge safe from SpaceX bulldozers,” Jordahl said in a statement.

The lawsuit seeks to overturn or block the exchange altogether. Critics of SpaceX’s growing presence around Boca Chica have previously raised concerns about public access to nearby beaches, the environmental effects of rocket launches and explosions, and the continuing expansion of the Starbase complex.

The Fish and Wildlife Service did not provide immediate comment following Monday’s court decision. The agency has previously said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Federal wildlife officials have defended the exchange on conservation grounds. In a final environmental assessment issued in June, the Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that the transaction would not have a significant environmental impact. The agency said receiving SpaceX’s property would provide a “net conservation benefit” and offer “substantial long-term conservation value and improving landscape-scale habitat connectivity across refuges in South Texas.”

According to the agency, the land it would acquire includes tidal marsh, coastal flats, wetlands, thornscrub and other habitat that would become part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Officials have also argued that the exchange would consolidate fragmented refuge holdings and reduce conflicts created by privately owned parcels located among federally protected lands.

Rodriguez concluded that the challengers had provided “relatively weak” evidence demonstrating that environmental damage would occur while the case remained before the court.

“While they rightfully argue that the preservation of wildlife and historical lands furthers the public interest, they present no evidence demonstrating that the Property will suffer aesthetic, environmental, cultural, or historical degradation during the pendency of this lawsuit,” Rodriguez wrote in his ruling.

The judge also considered the potential consequences for SpaceX if he temporarily blocked the transaction. He said an injunction could force changes to the company’s development timetable, “placing additional hardship on the company’s ability to meet milestones and contractual obligations.”

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision.

The company’s presence in the region dates back more than a decade, when it began acquiring property near Boca Chica for what eventually became its Starbase launch and manufacturing operation. The complex has expanded substantially since then and now serves as SpaceX’s headquarters. In 2025, residents — overwhelmingly connected to SpaceX — voted to incorporate the area as the city of Starbase.

Monday’s ruling does not resolve the environmental groups’ lawsuit or determine the ultimate legality of the exchange. It instead allows the transaction to proceed while the broader legal challenge continues, leaving opponents to pursue their effort to overturn the deal after the land has changed hands.

The United States is preparing to dramatically expand its military footprint in Greenland, with plans to establish a presence at two additional locations on the strategically important Arctic island under a new security agreement with Denmark and Greenland, according to people familiar with the arrangement.

The agreement calls for the United States to return to Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland, where American forces operated the Bluie West One installation during the World War II and Cold War eras, while also establishing a presence at Mestersvig on Greenland’s remote eastern coast.

Narsarsuaq, once an important American military facility, now has a population numbering only a few dozen people. The United States closed its military base there in the 1950s as its defense posture in Greenland evolved.

Mestersvig, meanwhile, is currently a Danish military outpost used by the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, an elite Danish unit responsible for conducting long-range patrols and helping enforce Danish sovereignty across Greenland’s vast and sparsely populated Arctic territory. Two people familiar with the planned agreement identified Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig as the locations where the new American presence is expected to be established.

The United States, Denmark and Greenland are scheduled to formally sign the new agreement Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. EDT on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. President Donald Trump is expected to meet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen for the trilateral signing ceremony.

The full text of the agreement has not yet been released publicly. Three people briefed on the arrangement, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cautioned that its provisions will not be considered final until the agreement is formally signed.

The governments of Denmark and Greenland did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the specific plans for the two military sites. The White House likewise did not immediately provide additional details about the planned expansion.

Denmark has characterized the broader agreement as a way of placing Arctic security more firmly within the NATO framework rather than treating the defense of Greenland primarily as a matter between Washington and Copenhagen. Danish officials have said the agreement will respect Greenland’s sovereignty while addressing growing security concerns in the Arctic.

The new arrangement follows months of negotiations that began amid tensions over President Trump’s repeated statements that the United States should control Greenland. Trump had at times declined to rule out the use of economic or military pressure in seeking American control over the semiautonomous Danish territory.

Those statements produced a significant dispute between NATO allies earlier this year, particularly in January, as Danish and Greenlandic leaders insisted that Greenland was not for sale and that decisions about the island’s future belonged to its people. Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk subsequently entered negotiations aimed at addressing American security concerns without transferring sovereignty over the territory.

The resulting agreement is expected to preserve Danish sovereignty over Greenland while substantially increasing the ability of the United States to operate militarily on the island. Denmark has also said the arrangement broadens responsibility for Arctic security by involving NATO more directly.

The expansion would represent a partial return to the much larger American military presence that existed in Greenland during the Cold War.

At its height, the United States operated 17 military installations across Greenland and stationed more than 10,000 personnel on the island. Greenland’s geographic position between North America and Europe made it particularly important for early warning systems and defense planning during the confrontation between the United States and Soviet Union.

Today, the American military presence is concentrated at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, formerly known as Thule Air Base. Approximately 150 U.S. military personnel are currently stationed there. The installation plays an important role in missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance.

With the addition of Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, the United States would once again maintain a military presence at three separate locations across Greenland, significantly extending its reach across the island as Washington and its NATO allies place increasing emphasis on security in the Arctic.

The five major television networks that make up the White House television pool suspended pooled coverage of President Donald Trump on Monday, declining to replace CNN after the White House barred the network — along with MS NOW and Politico — from the presidential complex.

ABC, CBS, Fox News, NBC and CNN jointly halted their participation in television pool duties. Under the longstanding arrangement, the networks rotate responsibility for providing video of presidential events that is then distributed to other news organizations around the world. CNN had been scheduled to handle the assignment Monday during Trump’s trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,” the five networks said in a joint statement. “No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”

The move came the same day CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed suit against the Trump administration over the revocation of their reporters’ White House credentials. The organizations contend that excluding them because of objections to their coverage violates the First Amendment as well as constitutional due-process protections.

Trump defended the administration’s action Monday, saying the restrictions were directed at reporting he considers false rather than at freedom of the press itself.

“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America.”

Trump announced Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be prohibited from accessing the White House “effective immediately,” accusing the three organizations of repeatedly reporting “FICTION and LIES.”

The ban was implemented the following day. CNN reporter Betsy Klein and MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner were denied entry after their credentials were deactivated, while Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also turned away and had her badge confiscated, according to reports.

Trump said Friday that he continues to support the principle of a free press but believes news organizations also have a responsibility to provide accurate coverage.

“You need a free press. You need a fair press and an honest press,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I dislike dishonest press.”

The effects of the dispute extended to Trump’s Monday visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly. Because CNN had been scheduled to serve as the television pool network and the other networks declined to replace it, the normal pooled television operation did not accompany the President. Other forms of press-pool coverage continued.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico are seeking emergency relief from a federal court that would restore their journalists’ access while the broader lawsuit is litigated.

“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” they said. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”

The confrontation is not the first time a dispute over presidential press access has reached federal court.

During Trump’s first term, CNN went to court after the White House suspended correspondent Jim Acosta’s press credential in 2018. A federal judge ordered the administration to restore Acosta’s credential while the case proceeded.

The Associated Press also sued the Trump administration in 2025 after the White House restricted its access to certain presidential events amid a dispute over the news organization’s continued use of the name “Gulf of Mexico” rather than the administration’s preferred “Gulf of America.”

For now, the television networks said there would be no substitute network assigned to take CNN’s place in the presidential television pool. Congressional coverage, coverage of visiting dignitaries and other pool operations outside the specific presidential assignment are continuing normally.