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Jewish businessman Jona Rechnitz was reportedly assaulted Monday morning near Beverly Hills in what witnesses described as a violent attack carried out by two men armed with baseball bats.

Authorities have launched an investigation and are searching for the suspects.

According to eyewitnesses, Rechnitz and his son, both of whom were wearing yarmulkas, were approached after two hooded men exited a black Hyundai Elantra near the intersection of Clark Drive and Whitworth Drive. The assailants allegedly attacked Rechnitz with bats before fleeing the area.

Emergency medical personnel treated Rechnitz at the scene. He was later seen with a bandage wrapped around his left hand following the attack.

A community safety alert said that the suspects exited a black Hyundai Elantra near the intersection of Clark Drive and Whitworth Drive, assaulted the adult victim, and then escaped.

{Matzav.com}

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg is calling on the United States to dramatically escalate its strategy in Iran, arguing that American ground forces should be deployed to seize key strategic locations and that the current U.S. negotiating team should be replaced with tougher, more experienced wartime negotiators.

Appearing Monday on Fox News’s “America Reports,” Kellogg said the conflict has entered a new phase and requires an entirely different American approach, beginning with the officials handling diplomacy.

“Look, there’s about five things we ought to be doing right now, because the war has changed right now in Iran. One on negotiations, I would change out our negotiations team,” Kellogg said on Fox News’s “America Reports.”

Kellogg argued that negotiations conducted during an active war should be led by seasoned professionals rather than individuals whose backgrounds are outside the national security arena.

“You do not — have — or need real estate guys to be talking about negotiation during the middle of a war, and when you do bring a negotiations team back, it ought to be a real hardcore son …. that is just sitting on the ground and can really do it well,” he added.

He also maintained that air power by itself will not be enough to secure victory, despite recent surveys indicating that the prolonged conflict has lost favor with many Americans.

“You’re going to need ground troops to do something. That doesn’t mean they go all the way to Tehran,” Kellogg added. “Then I’m not advocating that at all. But you could take a couple key strategic targets, that gives the president leverage and controls their economy.”

The war is now nearing the five-month mark, bringing with it growing diplomatic fallout for the United States. The fighting has strained ties with longtime allies, rattled global markets, and fueled rising oil and gasoline prices.

Military operations also intensified over the past week. American forces completed a nine-day series of strikes against Iranian targets on Sunday, marking the latest escalation in the conflict.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Monday that two oil tankers it labeled as “deviant” exploded while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency, the IRGC said the vessels had attempted to enter and leave the strategic waterway using what it described as an “unsafe route.”

Separately, the Pentagon on Monday identified two U.S. troops killed in last week’s Iranian attack in Jordan. The service members were named as 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales. Officials said Gonzales was killed in action on Friday, while Feehan was killed the following day.

{Matzav.com}

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, the longtime Sinaloa cartel leader who helped found the criminal empire alongside Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was sentenced Monday to life in federal prison after expressing remorse for the violence and destruction tied to his decades at the helm of one of the world’s most notorious drug trafficking organizations.

Before U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan imposed the mandatory sentence in Brooklyn federal court, the 76-year-old cartel boss addressed the courtroom, acknowledging the suffering caused by his criminal career.

“I am here to say I’m sorry for the harm I caused, and the example I set,” the elderly kingpin said before learning his fate in Brooklyn federal court. “I accept my punishment. I am not here to ask for compassion.”

In addition to the life sentence, Judge Cogan ordered Zambada to surrender $15 billion in criminal proceeds, one of the largest forfeiture judgments ever imposed in a narcotics case.

Federal prosecutors, however, acknowledged during the proceedings that none of the cartel leader’s vast fortune has yet been recovered.

Zambada admitted his role in directing the Sinaloa cartel for more than three decades, pleading guilty last August to operating the criminal enterprise from 1989 until his dramatic capture on July 24, 2024. Prosecutors have said he was lured aboard an aircraft by Joaquin Guzmán Lopez, a son of El Chapo, who allegedly deceived him before the plane landed in Texas, where he was arrested.

Authorities said the cartel flooded the United States with enormous quantities of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl over the years. During Zambada’s leadership—first as El Chapo’s chief lieutenant and later as the cartel’s top leader—more than one million Americans died from drug overdoses, according to federal prosecutors.

Investigators also accused Zambada of maintaining his grip on power through corruption and violence, alleging that he bribed public officials throughout Mexico while commanding a heavily armed criminal organization complete with its own security force and teams of assassins responsible for murders, kidnappings, and torture.

Because Zambada pleaded guilty to participating in a continuing criminal enterprise and racketeering conspiracy, federal law required a life sentence. Judge Cogan said he fully agreed with that outcome regardless of the statutory mandate.

“The law says it’s gotta be life… I have no problem with that,” the judge said as Zambada, with slicked-back white hair, sat solemnly at the defense table in a tan jail outfit and listened to the proceeding through a Spanish interpreter.

When invited to speak, Zambada read a prepared statement in which he reflected on the consequences of his actions and accepted responsibility for the devastation they caused.

“my actions caused harm—real harm—to individuals, families and communities.”

He went on to describe the environment in which he was raised, while insisting that it could not excuse the choices he ultimately made.

“I grew up in an environment where violence and crime seemed normal, but now I know that’s no excuse,” the septuagenarian drug baron added. “If there’s one thing I can say that has value today, it’s this: the violence must end. In Mexico and elsewhere affected by this type of crime, too many lives are lost, too many families are destroyed, and too many young people are trapped in a cycle that leads only to prison or death. No one wins in a war like this.”

Prosecutors noted that Zambada’s decision to plead guilty spared him from facing a capital trial. The Justice Department had previously warned that it would seek the death penalty if the case proceeded before a jury.

Following the sentencing, Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the punishment brought an end to one of the most notorious criminal careers in modern history.

“Ismael Zambada Garcia spent nearly four decades poisoning American communities to make billions of dollars in profit and ordering the murders of anyone who stood in his way. Today, that chapter closes for good,” said Joseph Nocella, Jr, the head of the Brooklyn US Attorney’s Office, in a statement.

Zambada’s longtime partner, El Chapo, is also serving a life sentence in federal prison after his 2019 conviction for leading the Sinaloa cartel and overseeing a massive drug trafficking network that shipped billions of dollars’ worth of narcotics into the United States.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration announced Monday that it will levy a 50% tariff on selected Canadian imports, saying the move is necessary to counter what it described as discriminatory trade policies that disadvantage American businesses and workers.

The new duties will apply to certain products imported from Canada and are scheduled to take effect on Aug. 19 under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930.

Administration officials contend that Canada’s existing tax structure unfairly penalizes U.S. automakers, resulting in a sharp drop in American vehicle exports while providing an edge to competing foreign manufacturers.

“I find that it is necessary and appropriate and in the public interest to impose an additional ad valorem duty of 50 percent on certain products of Canada,” the order said.

“The United States, U.S. businesses and workers, and U.S. commerce suffer from Canada’s discriminatory, unequal, and unreasonable tariff scheme.”

{Matzav.com}

Large-scale demonstrations broke out Monday evening in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh as hundreds of protesters rallied against the arrest of yeshivah bochurim accused of draft evasion. Protesters blocked major roads, set fires on the Yerushalayim light rail tracks, and disrupted traffic throughout several key areas, prompting a large police response.

The protests, led by members of extremist chareidi factions, centered on Bar-Ilan Street and Chaim Bar-Lev Boulevard in Yerushalayim, as well as Yehuda HaNasi Boulevard in Beit Shemesh. The road closures caused significant traffic congestion, forcing many motorists to seek alternate routes.

According to Israel Police, demonstrators threw objects at security forces, blocked roadways, and refused repeated orders to disperse. After a police commander issued formal warnings instructing the crowds to leave and the protesters failed to comply, officers began using crowd-control measures to disperse the demonstrations.

Police officers from the Yerushalayim District, together with Border Police personnel, continued operating at multiple locations throughout the evening in an effort to clear the protesters, reopen the blocked roads, and restore public order.

Authorities urged the public to avoid the affected areas until the demonstrations conclude and advised drivers to use alternate routes due to the ongoing road closures and traffic disruptions.

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli government has decided not to appear independently before the High Court of Justice to defend the recently enacted law freezing the arrests of chareidi draft evaders, a move that leaves the state’s position to be represented solely by the attorney general, who is expected to oppose the legislation.

According to the report, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri decided that the government would not seek separate legal representation during the High Court proceedings challenging the law. As a result, the government’s own position will not be presented independently before the justices.

The attorney general is widely expected to align with the petitioners challenging the law and argue against the legislation, meaning the law’s supporters will not have a separate government advocate presenting their case before the court.

A similar decision was reportedly made by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi regarding petitions challenging the Communications Reform Law. Although Karhi declined to request independent legal representation, the deputy attorney general reportedly offered, on his own initiative, to allow the government separate representation. Karhi ultimately rejected the proposal.

The government is taking a different approach, however, in the legal battle over legislation significantly limiting the authority of the attorney general. In that case, the government is expected to request separate legal representation and actively defend the law before the High Court. The details were first reported by i24NEWS correspondent Avishai Grinzaig.

The developments come after the High Court issued a temporary injunction blocking implementation of the law freezing the arrests of chareidi draft evaders. As a result, the legislation has not yet taken effect, and arrests of draft evaders are continuing under the existing legal framework.

The court also issued an order to show cause, requiring those defending the legislation to explain why the law should not be struck down.

In separate proceedings, the High Court likewise issued a temporary injunction suspending provisions of the Communications Reform Law that had been scheduled to take effect immediately.

By contrast, Supreme Court Justice Ofer Grosskopf declined to freeze the law concerning the attorney general’s status, noting that the legislation is not scheduled to take effect until January 2027.

{Matzav.com}

Khalil al-Hayya, the newly installed leader of Hamas and longtime deputy to Yahya Sinwar, has made clear that the terrorist organization’s objectives remain unchanged, openly calling on the Arab world to arm Hamas so it can carry out the destruction of Israel.

While some diplomatic circles have attempted to portray al-Hayya as a potential intermediary, his own public statements paint a vastly different picture. His rhetoric underscores his longstanding commitment to Hamas’ military campaign against Israel and his close ties to Iran.

Al-Hayya is one of Hamas’ most senior veteran leaders. For years he served as the right-hand man to Yahya Sinwar and played a central role in strengthening the organization’s strategic alliance with Tehran. His ideology is rooted in Hamas’ Islamist doctrine, viewing the group as the operational arm of those seeking Israel’s destruction.

In a recently circulated video, al-Hayya appealed directly to the Arab world, declaring: “Give us money, weapons and airplanes, and we will save you the trouble and eliminate the Zionist entity. We swear to the nation: We will eliminate the occupation from the land of Palestine.”

His remarks have drawn renewed attention in Israel to concerns that Hamas has not moderated its goals despite months of war and international diplomatic efforts.

For many in Israel, al-Hayya’s rise to the top of Hamas is viewed as further evidence that hopes of a postwar arrangement with the terrorist group remain unrealistic. Rather than signaling any shift in policy, his statements reinforce Hamas’ continued commitment to armed conflict and the destruction of Israel.

His appeal effectively calls on the broader Arab world to finance and equip Hamas while the organization carries out the fighting itself. To many Israeli observers, the speech serves as another reminder that Hamas’ leadership continues to openly embrace violence as its primary strategy and has given no indication of abandoning its longstanding objective of eliminating the Jewish state.

{Matzav.com}

A newly released State Department report contends that the Cuban government has spent years developing relationships with American activist organizations that can be mobilized to oppose U.S. policy, pointing to a recently published protest blueprint as evidence of what it describes as Havana’s growing influence inside the United States.

At the center of the report is the “National Rapid Response Plan,” issued in June by the National Network on Cuba, a coalition of more than 60 U.S.-based organizations. According to the State Department, the coalition maintains close ties to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), a Cuban government agency sanctioned in June over allegations that it supports Cuban intelligence operations.

The plan outlines a strategy for launching “coordinated nationwide actions” within 24 hours of either a U.S. military strike against Cuba or the “imminent threat” of such an attack. It states that its objective is to make it “politically and materially costly for the U.S. government to wage war on Cuba.”

Because the document has been publicly posted online, the State Department cites it as an example of what it says is Cuba’s broader effort to organize and activate sympathetic groups operating within the United States.

“The National Network on Cuba’s “materials reveal the continuing reach, coordination and sophistication of Cuba’s subversive capabilities on American territory,” the State Department report claims.

The report places particular emphasis on six organizations: ICAP, the National Network on Cuba, Code Pink, the People’s Forum, the Democratic Socialists of America, and the National Lawyers Guild.

Under the rapid-response plan, demonstrations would begin at 6 p.m. local time on the same day if U.S. military action occurred before 3 p.m. Eastern. If military action began after that time, protests would instead be held at 6 p.m. local time the following day.

Participants are instructed to gather at locations including federal buildings, courthouses, post offices, military installations, recruiting centers, ICE detention facilities, and ICE field offices. The plan also suggests major sporting venues hosting high-profile events as optional protest sites.

The report comes as the Trump administration continues to increase pressure on Cuba amid discussions about possible military intervention or regime change. President Trump has previously suggested a “friendly takeover” of Cuba and said in May that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it” when asked about intervention. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the administration favors diplomacy while continuing to leave military options available.

According to the protest plan, demonstrations outside immigration facilities would “connect Cuba solidarity to anti-ICE/immigrant defense work happening nationwide.”

The document also directs activists to a database maintained by Black Alliance for Peace that, according to the State Department, identifies 1,335 military and law enforcement sites throughout the Western Hemisphere. The organization describes the map as a resource to help activists “strategize how and where to organize and agitate.”

The National Network on Cuba prominently features the plan on its website as part of its “No War on Cuba” campaign, alongside calls for rallies, banner drops, caravans, teach-ins, and additional protest activities.

State Department officials characterize the plan as a contemporary example of Cuba’s longstanding effort to cultivate American organizations sympathetic to Havana’s interests.

According to the report, the National Network on Cuba represents more than 60 organizations and works closely with ICAP. The Cuban government agency is headed by Fernando González Llort, a former member of Cuba’s Wasp spy network, which infiltrated exile organizations and gathered intelligence on U.S. military facilities in South Florida during the 1990s. González served 15 years in a U.S. prison before returning to Cuba.

The report identifies ICAP as the centerpiece of Cuba’s international influence campaign, alleging that it coordinates more than 2,000 solidarity organizations across over 150 countries.

Officials at the Cuban Embassy in Washington were not immediately available to comment on the report.

The report highlights six organizations it says illustrate the overlap between Cuba’s international outreach and American activist movements. While ICAP is a Cuban government entity, the National Network on Cuba is a U.S.-based coalition advocating closer relations with Havana.

The remaining organizations are all based in the United States. Code Pink is identified as an anti-war activist group, the People’s Forum as a New York political education and organizing center, the Democratic Socialists of America as a socialist political organization, and the National Lawyers Guild as a progressive legal association.

Code Pink, the Democratic Socialists of America, and the National Lawyers Guild’s Cuba Committee are all listed as members of the National Network on Cuba, along with the Communist Party USA and numerous other organizations.

The report does not specify the precise role each organization played in drafting or implementing the rapid-response plan. Instead, it argues that their interconnected relationships, joint campaigns, and delegations provide Cuba with access to an extensive activist network in the United States.

State Department officials note that the Democratic Socialists of America has organized several trips to Cuba, including a 2023 delegation whose members met privately with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and sought to establish formal communication with Cuban government ministries. At the same time, the report acknowledges that the Democratic Socialists of America was neither created nor directed by Cuban intelligence, stating that its support for Cuba is rooted primarily in ideology.

The report also describes the People’s Forum as a key organizing hub linking advocacy for Cuba with anti-ICE and pro-Palestinian activism. According to the report, the organization has served as the fiscal sponsor of the Venceremos Brigade, which has brought American activists to Cuba for decades, and has organized delegations that met with senior Cuban officials.

The report further states that both Code Pink and the National Lawyers Guild have participated in Cuba-related delegations and campaigns opposing the U.S. embargo. It also notes that the National Lawyers Guild adopted a 2026 resolution committing to work alongside the National Network on Cuba and the broader Cuba solidarity movement.

Although the report levels significant allegations, it does not announce sanctions or legal action against any of the U.S.-based organizations. Much of the report relies on publicly available documents, organizational materials, and previously published reporting. Its overarching conclusion is that Cuba views espionage, political advocacy, and ideological influence as interconnected elements of a long-term strategy directed against the United States.

The administration has significantly expanded economic pressure on Cuba throughout 2026. In January, President Trump signed an executive order authorizing tariffs on imports from countries supplying oil to Cuba, and in May imposed additional sanctions targeting foreign entities involved in key sectors of the Cuban economy, supplementing the longstanding U.S. trade embargo.

Separately, Code Pink has come under federal scrutiny through an investigation involving Neville Roy Singham, the husband of Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans and a major financial supporter of the organization. A federal grand jury in Manhattan is reportedly examining potential foreign-agent registration and tax violations connected to Singham’s network.

Code Pink itself has not been publicly identified as a target of that investigation, and no criminal charges have been announced.

The Treasury Department has also requested information from Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin concerning a March humanitarian convoy to Cuba as officials review possible sanctions violations. Code Pink has denied any wrongdoing, saying the delegation delivered humanitarian aid to the island amid worsening shortages.

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of Gerer chassidim gathered Monday evening outside the gates of Israel’s Military Prison 10 for a mass tefillah rally and protest led by the Gerer Rebbe, following the arrest of a talmid of Yeshivas Sefas Emes. The demonstration was held in protest of what organizers described as an affront to Torah and a desecration of Heaven’s honor. United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf was also in attendance.

Ahead of the rally, Rabbi Itche Meir Tauman, director of the Gerer beis medrash, circulated a recorded message urging members of the kehilla to participate. He said, “With Hashem’s help, all those who fear the word of Hashem are called to a gathering of prayer and outcry on Monday night, Parshas Va’eschanan, at 9:30 p.m. outside Military Prison 10, to protest the humiliation of Torah and the desecration of Heaven’s honor.”

The protest was organized following the arrest of Yeshivas Sefas Emes student Yisrael Reuven Fine, who was jailed after appearing at the military draft office on three consecutive days in an effort to resolve his draft status.

According to sources within the Gerer kehilla, Fine’s original draft appointment was scheduled for last Monday. He reported as instructed but mistakenly arrived at the Yerushalayim draft office instead of the Haifa office where he had been directed to appear.

Officials in Jerusalem redirected him to Haifa, but by the time he arrived there, the office had already closed for the day. He was instructed to return the following morning.

Fine returned to the Haifa draft office on Tuesday as directed. According to those close to him, however, his paperwork was not processed, and he was once again sent home with instructions to return on Wednesday.

When he appeared for the third consecutive day, military officials informed him that because two days had elapsed since his original draft date, he had been classified as a draft evader and was immediately arrested.

The rally marked the second major demonstration organized by the Gerer kehilla outside Military Prison 10 in approximately one month to protest the arrests of bnei yeshivah. The previous gathering was also led by the Gerer Rebbe and drew thousands of participants, who davened Minchah, recited Tehillim, and cried out over the continued imprisonment of yeshivah bochurim.

{Matzav.com}

Lawmakers from Degel Hatorah, the Knesset faction within the United Torah Judaism party, sharply rebuked Israel Tax Authority Director Shay Aharonovich on Monday after he halted the processing of war compensation claims submitted by residents of Bnei Brak, calling the move an unjust act of collective punishment against an entire city.

The dispute erupted after Aharonovich informed Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert that the Tax Authority’s Compensation Fund would suspend services for local residents until the municipality publicly condemned the recent attack in the chareidi media.

In a strongly worded letter, the MKs wrote, “We were shocked to see your decision to stop handling the claims of families who lost their homes or whose property was damaged during the Swords of Iron war as a form of collective punishment just because of a single incident that occurred in their city.”

They continued, “Is there any other city in Israel where you would dare issue such a decision? All the more so when it is directed at a specific community, raising serious concerns of collective blame.”

The lawmakers further argued that complaints from Bnei Brak residents about lengthy delays in receiving compensation had been mounting even before the recent attack. They accused the Tax Authority of using the assault on its employees as a pretext to deflect attention from what they described as longstanding administrative failures.

The letter concluded with a demand that Aharonovich immediately rescind the decision, keep political considerations out of the Compensation Fund’s work, and promptly resume services for Bnei Brak residents whose homes and property were damaged during the war.

Despite the escalating public confrontation, the standoff appeared to ease Sunday night when senior officials from the Israel Tax Authority met with representatives at Bnei Brak City Hall, where both sides reached an understanding.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, delivered a scathing rebuke of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday after the mayor suggested he would seek the arrest of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during his planned September visit to New York. Danon addressed the issue during a special session of the UN General Assembly commemorating Nelson Mandela International Day, accusing Mamdani of aligning himself with those who defend terrorism rather than those battling it.

During his address, Danon condemned Mamdani for what he described as a pattern of anti-Israel conduct, pointing to efforts by a New York City official to meet with Iran’s UN delegation, Mamdani’s public comments concerning the Hamas terrorist organization, and his repeated criticism of Israel. Danon stressed that the mayor’s threats against Netanyahu are entirely without legal foundation.

Ambassador Danon said: “Mr. Mamdani, you have chosen collaboration with terror. I have news for you: Your threat has no legal basis. It’s only a political theatre designed to excite your radical base and distract from your failures in running this city. The person who should be arrested is you, Mr. Mamdani, for siding with terrorists.”

The latest confrontation follows an interview published by The New York Times, in which Mamdani reiterated his belief that Netanyahu should face prosecution before the International Criminal Court.

In that interview, Mamdani said, “I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.”

Mamdani also revealed that he has been consulting with New York City legal officials about whether a municipal government has the authority to detain a visiting foreign leader. He added, “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday forcefully criticized comments made by Maran Rav Dov Landau regarding IDF soldiers, particularly members of the Religious Zionist community who wear knitted yarmulkas.

Netanyahu praised the dedication of all Israeli soldiers and rejected the remarks as unacceptable.

“I strongly reject the shocking statements made against IDF soldiers from the Religious Zionist community. IDF soldiers – religious, secular, and charedi – leave their homes, their jobs, and their families, and risk their lives to defend the State of Israel, its citizens, and the entire Jewish people.

“They deserve profound appreciation, gratitude, and full support from every segment of the public, and certainly also from the Torah world,” Netanyahu said.

Standing firmly behind Rav Landau, the Degel HaTorah faction issued a statement Monday defending his comments. “The words of the great Torah sages are the holiest of holies for the Jewish people, and we live by their guidance.” The party also called on the public to refrain from hastily interpreting or criticizing the statements of the gedolim.

The controversy erupted after remarks by Rav Landau, released Sunday night, in which he voiced an unusually sharp criticism of government officials and Religious Zionist leaders advocating that bnei yeshivah enlist in the IDF.

“Will it not be so? The decrees come from another source. There are wicked people here – what can be done? There are wicked people, including among those who wear knitted kippot. I am referring to those Religious Zionists who insist that people must enlist. I would ask them, according to their own way of thinking – though they have no consistent position at all – if the state sends people, soldiers, for the sake of the country’s honor, and they are killed, is that also permissible? That is outright murder. Therefore, they are inciting murder – that is what they are doing.”

Rav Landau further argued that Religious Zionist leaders who encourage military service are promoting what he described as “actual murder,” asserting that soldiers are dispatched into battle “not only for the sake of saving lives, but also for the honor of the state.”

{Matzav.com}

A former U.S. Army soldier has been taken into custody after authorities say he set off fireworks and ignited a fire Monday morning outside a Lower Manhattan federal building that houses an immigration court and several government agencies. Federal investigators say the suspect arrived heavily armed and are treating the case as an act of anti-government extremism.

The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca, previously served as a mechanic responsible for maintaining Patriot missile systems in the U.S. Army. He is currently in custody and has already been questioned by investigators, according to James Barnacle, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office.

Speaking at a news conference, Barnacle said Arrabaca “came armed with bad intentions” and was carrying multiple weapons, including a pellet gun, knives, a hammer, and a machete. Investigators also said he fired between five and seven pellets from an airsoft rifle in the direction of the building.

“He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist,” Barnacle said.

Security footage showed the suspect being tackled by a security officer moments after flames erupted outside one of the entrances to the federal complex at 26 Federal Plaza. He was immediately taken into custody at the scene.

The federal building at 26 Federal Plaza has become a frequent site of demonstrations targeting the immigration policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.

According to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation, the suspect was carrying anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) materials at the time of his arrest. The individual spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation remains ongoing.

The Department of Homeland Security said the suspect was an “anti-ICE rioter” and alleged that the incident unfolded at approximately 8:20 a.m., when he launched fireworks outside the building before pouring what investigators believe was gasoline on the entrance steps and setting them ablaze.

DHS also reported that officers recovered what appeared to be two pellet guns from the suspect’s bag.

Authorities said one bystander was struck by debris from the fireworks, suffering a minor graze, while the security officer who subdued the suspect sustained minor injuries during the arrest. The New York City Fire Department reported that one person was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

“What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a social media post. “I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody.”

Mamdani added that his administration is coordinating with law enforcement and will assist the federal investigation. The FBI said the case is being handled by its New York Joint Terrorism Task Force.

The federal complex houses several government offices, including the FBI’s New York field office, as well as the immigration court where federal agents have conducted numerous high-profile arrests of migrants immediately after their court appearances.

Images and video from the scene showed flames and heavy smoke rising from the sidewalk outside the building, while law enforcement officers restrained the suspect before leading him away in handcuffs.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump forcefully dismissed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s suggestion that Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu could be arrested if he visits New York, declaring that such a scenario will never happen while he is president.

“Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” the President stated in a post on Truth Social.

Trump defended Netanyahu’s actions on the world stage, arguing that the Israeli leader is confronting one of America’s greatest adversaries.

According to Trump, Netanyahu is “fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which recently killed 52,000 innocent protestors, and has spent the last 47 years killing American Soldiers, and others.”

The president also shifted the focus toward Iran’s leadership, saying they—not Netanyahu—should be facing criminal consequences.

He further insisted that “the only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented SPIRAL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, something that should have been dealt with years ago, by previous Presidents!”

The controversy erupted after Mamdani, in an interview with The New York Times published Saturday, argued that Netanyahu should stand trial before the International Criminal Court.

“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague. He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.”

Mamdani added that his administration has already begun examining what legal authority the city might have if Netanyahu were to arrive in New York.

Mamdani also said that he is in “active conversation” with NYC’s legal officials on whether he may arrest a foreign leader, adding, “Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that’s what we will do, but we won’t be writing our own laws to that end.”

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office swiftly condemned Mamdani’s remarks, rejecting both the legitimacy of the ICC and the warrant issued against Netanyahu.

“The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public. It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny.”

The Prime Minister’s Office also defended Israel’s military conduct during the war against Hamas, saying the government has gone to extraordinary lengths to protect civilians despite the terrorist group’s tactics.

“Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians,” the office clarified.

The statement concluded by accusing Mamdani of using attacks on Israel’s prime minister to distract from problems closer to home.

“Instead of backing Khan’s criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York. Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East,” the tweet concluded.

{Matzav.com}

A devastating structural collapse in Yerushalayim claimed the life of an elderly man Monday morning after a second-floor balcony gave way and crashed onto a restaurant below in the Shaarei Chesed-Rehavia neighborhood. Emergency crews continue searching the wreckage amid fears that additional victims may still be trapped.

The collapse occurred on Keren Kayemet L’Yisroel Street, at the corner of Even Shaprut Street, near the historic Shaarei Chesed neighborhood, close to the Gra shul and the former site of Yeshivas Maalos HaTorah, headed by Rav Shmuel Auerbach zt”l.

According to ZAKA, emergency dispatchers received reports that a balcony had collapsed onto a restaurant. Firefighters working through the debris located an approximately 80-year-old man trapped beneath the rubble. Magen David Adom (MDA) personnel were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene. ZAKA volunteers from the Yerushalayim District are assisting emergency responders while ensuring the deceased is treated with dignity and collecting remains from the disaster site.

United Hatzalah medical teams treated several conscious victims at the scene, while early reports indicated that additional people may still be trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Dr. Aryeh Yaffe of United Hatzalah, together with EMTs Nachman Tubul, Yosef Gabai, and Ariel Deri, who were among the first responders, said they were told that the glass roof of the restaurant suddenly collapsed after being struck by the falling balcony, trapping patrons underneath.

“We provided medical treatment to three people who sustained light injuries and were evacuated from the scene,” the responders said. “Firefighters are continuing rescue operations to locate those still trapped. United Hatzalah’s trauma and crisis response unit is also providing emotional support due to the traumatic nature of the incident.”

Israel Fire and Rescue Services said the collapse involved a three-story residential building, where a second-floor balcony crashed onto the restaurant located on the first floor, causing extensive destruction to both the building and the business.

Officials said that at the beginning of the incident, two people were pulled from the debris by civilians before emergency crews arrived. Firefighters then focused their efforts on locating additional victims, including two people believed to be trapped inside the restaurant and another victim reportedly buried beneath the rubble and believed to be unconscious.

In a later update, firefighters confirmed that they had extricated the elderly man from beneath the debris and immediately transferred him to waiting medical teams. Although his condition was initially described as critical, he was later pronounced dead. Fire officials stressed that rescue operations remain ongoing as crews continue conducting extensive searches to ensure no additional victims remain trapped.

Jerusalem police said officers are assisting rescue, medical, and firefighting personnel while securing the area and closing surrounding roads. Authorities urged the public to stay away from the scene to allow emergency crews to continue life-saving operations safely.

Magen David Adom reported that in addition to the elderly man found unconscious beneath the rubble, paramedics treated three lightly injured victims.

Senior MDA medic Shlomo Margaliot, who happened to be nearby when the collapse occurred, described the dramatic moments.

“I was on a nearby street when I suddenly heard a loud crash,” he said. “I ran toward the source of the noise and saw from a distance that a balcony had collapsed onto a business. There was widespread destruction and frightened people calling for help. I immediately notified the MDA dispatch center and rushed to the scene in my emergency response vehicle.”

“With the assistance of bystanders, we rescued three injured people—an approximately 80-year-old woman and two 16-year-olds, a boy and a girl—who suffered minor injuries and abrasions. After receiving treatment, they were transported to hospitals in stable condition. Inside the rubble I found an approximately 80-year-old man unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, suffering from severe multi-system trauma. Sadly, after the complex rescue operation, we were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene.”

Shaare Zedek Medical Center said one woman with minor injuries was transported to its trauma unit, where she underwent an initial evaluation and remains under medical care.

The Jerusalem Municipality announced that its dangerous structures unit, along with the city engineer, responded to the site to assess the building’s stability, identify structural hazards, and determine what additional safety measures may be required.

Municipal officials said that once the engineering assessment is complete, the city will act in accordance with the professional recommendations. Residents were again urged to avoid the area until rescue operations and safety inspections are finished.

Rescue efforts continued Monday as emergency crews painstakingly searched through the collapsed debris to ensure no additional victims remained trapped. Authorities said further updates would be released as more information becomes available.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump issued a forceful warning to Iran on Monday, vowing overwhelming retaliation for every American service member killed as the conflict between the United States and Iran continues to intensify.

The war, which began on Feb. 28, has now claimed the lives of at least 17 U.S. soldiers. Four American casualties have occurred since Friday, including three confirmed deaths and one service member who remains missing and is presumed dead.

“Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president said he has already instructed the nation’s top military leadership to carry out that policy.

“This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military,” he added.

Fighting continued unabated on Monday, with both sides launching fresh military operations. U.S. forces conducted a ninth straight day of strikes against Iranian targets, while Iran responded by firing missiles at Kuwait and Bahrain, both of which host American military personnel.

{Matzav.com}

Federal health officials have dramatically reversed an earlier conclusion about the source of a nationwide parasite outbreak that has sickened at least 1,600 people, acknowledging that a key piece of evidence linking the illnesses to a major lettuce supplier was incorrect.

On Shabbos, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it had traced the cyclospora outbreak to contaminated iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, a company that provides produce to Taco Bell. Just one day later, however, the agency withdrew that finding after determining its original analysis had produced a false positive.

The FDA said it reexamined the testing results and concluded that Taylor Farms’ iceberg lettuce should not have been identified as the source of the contamination.

Taylor Farms confirmed that the FDA had apologized for the mistake. In a statement, the company said its “thoughts remain with everyone who has fallen ill” in the outbreak.

Although no fatalities have been reported, the outbreak has led to nearly 100 hospitalizations and has infected at least 1,600 people nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified the incident as a major outbreak.

Cyclospora infections often do not become apparent immediately, with symptoms sometimes taking up to two weeks to develop. Those infected can experience severe bouts of sudden, watery diarrhea that may continue for several days, along with a sharp loss of appetite and significant weight loss.

{Matzav.com}

Hunter Biden sharply criticized former Attorney General Merrick Garland during a podcast interview released Sunday, calling Garland’s appointment the biggest mistake of President Joe Biden’s time in office. Hunter argued that Garland failed to aggressively pursue President Donald Trump while simultaneously overseeing the investigation into him.

Appearing on the “I’ve Had It” podcast, host Jennifer Welch blasted Garland and the Justice Department for what she said was its failure to prosecute Trump while pursuing charges against Hunter Biden. She asked Hunter for his thoughts on what she characterized as Democrats surrendering to Republican pressure by backing Garland’s nomination.

“One of the things that pisses me off is the Merrick Garland DOJ and the not prosecuting of Trump. And that they prosecuted you,” Welch said in part when teeing up her question.

Hunter Biden responded that, putting aside his own legal troubles, he believes Garland’s leadership proved to be his father’s greatest error in office.

“My take is this, and removing myself from it as much as I can, my personal feelings, is the single greatest mistake of my father’s administration was the leadership of Merrick Garland,” Hunter Biden said.

He went on to argue that Garland bears much of the responsibility for the nation’s current political climate, while acknowledging that the ultimate decision rested with his father, who selected Garland for the job.

“The reason that we are in the situation that we’re in right now can almost… by the way, the buck has to stop with my dad. He was the president and he chose him. Now, once he chose him, he played by the, you know, a higher standard than the Marquess of Queensberry rules. He played by the Constitution and the tradition that the president will never, you know, particularly since Nixon, involve himself in any decision-making as relates to anything at the Department of Justice. So, I guarantee you there was a division between church and state there.”

Hunter Biden also faulted Garland for not launching what he believed should have been an immediate and forceful criminal investigation into Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He alleged that the events surrounding the attack amounted to a coordinated effort to overturn the 2020 election.

“[I]f Merrick Garland had started a completely 100% legitimate investigation rather than thinking like let’s not fan the flames… did you not watch what I watched? Did you not see the people storming the Capitol of the United States of America, beating cops and running congressmen and senators literally out of the building? You didn’t see that? You didn’t see a president and know that it was a concerted and planned effort on their part beginning all the way back from the day before the election when they knew they were going,” Hunter Biden said.

Throughout the discussion, both Hunter Biden and Welch portrayed Garland as a political moderate whose appointment was intended to attract bipartisan support. They suggested that President Biden selected him in part because Garland had previously been nominated to the Supreme Court by President Barack Obama but was never confirmed.

“Obama picks this milquetoast candidate. Your dad is a decent man, felt bad about what happened to Merrick Garland. And he played integrity politics. Like, well, ‘I’m going to make him whole and make him attorney general.’ And then Merrick Garland gets there, and he’s like, ‘Well, we can’t upset these crusty White Republicans,’” Welch said.

“Massive mistake,” Hunter Biden said.

Hunter Biden had been under federal investigation since 2018, during President Trump’s first administration. In the closing weeks of his presidency, Joe Biden issued his son a sweeping pardon covering any federal offenses he “has committed or may have committed” between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024.

{Matzav.com}

Andy Burnham officially became Britain’s new prime minister on Monday, completing the formal transfer of power after taking over as leader of the governing Labour Party. During a ceremonial audience with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, Burnham was invited to form a new government, bringing Keir Starmer’s premiership to an end and marking another leadership transition in Britain’s often-turbulent political landscape.

Buckingham Palace released an official photograph showing Burnham and King Charles III shaking hands during the constitutional ceremony traditionally known as “kissing hands,” the formal process that signifies the appointment of a new prime minister.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace announced that the king “received in audience the Rt. Hon. Andrew Burnham MP and requested him to form a new Administration. The Rt. Hon Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.”

Burnham assumes office as Britain’s seventh prime minister since 2016, following his victory Friday in the race to replace Starmer as leader of the center-left Labour Party.

Before leaving Downing Street for the last time, Starmer delivered a brief farewell address outside the prime minister’s official residence, declaring, “my work is done.”

The departing Labour leader, whose resignation followed mounting pressure from within his own party, maintained that Britain had become “stronger and fairer than it was two years ago,” when he first entered office.

“I go with good grace, I go with a smile and I go proud of everything that we have achieved,” Starmer said before traveling to Buckingham Palace to formally submit his resignation to the king. Buckingham Palace later confirmed that it was an offer “His Majesty was graciously pleased to accept,” the palace said in a statement.

Following Starmer’s departure, Burnham traveled to Buckingham Palace, where King Charles formally invited him to establish a new administration, officially making him prime minister through the long-standing constitutional tradition known as “kissing hands.”

Although the ceremony reflects Britain’s centuries-old monarchical traditions, the king no longer plays a political role in selecting the nation’s leader. Instead, the monarch formally appoints the individual who leads the political party capable of commanding a majority in the House of Commons. Despite the ceremonial name, no actual hand-kissing takes place.

Britain’s parliamentary system allows a governing party to replace its leader—and therefore the prime minister—without holding a nationwide election. While the next general election is not required until 2029, Burnham has the authority to call one earlier if he chooses.

After leaving Buckingham Palace, Burnham was scheduled to return to 10 Downing Street to deliver his first address as Britain’s new prime minister.

According to a spokesperson, Burnham plans to acknowledge that the country has experienced repeated leadership changes over the past decade and will promise to bring greater stability to British politics.

Ironically, Starmer delivered a nearly identical message when he entered office two years ago. However, after a series of political setbacks and controversial decisions weakened his standing among both Labour lawmakers and the public, he announced last month that he would step aside.

Burnham faced no opposition in Labour’s leadership contest, winning overwhelming backing from 379 of the party’s 403 members in the House of Commons.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester has promised to lower the temperature in British politics, raise living standards nationwide, and “bring back the hope we have all been missing.”

“I will work to build a new politics,” he said after becoming Labour leader on Friday. “The country is crying out for it.”

With Burnham now in office, both allies and political opponents are expected to press for specifics on how he intends to turn those campaign promises into government policy.

“Fundamentally, it only will work if you can generate significant economic growth, because it’s the lack of growth that’s really holding the country back,” said Joshi Herrmann, who has followed Burnham’s career as founder of Manchester news site The Mill.

One of Burnham’s first major decisions will be assembling his Cabinet. Observers expect him to reshuffle Starmer’s senior ministers, particularly in key positions such as chancellor, foreign secretary, and home secretary.

When he accepted Labour’s leadership, Burnham praised Starmer’s accomplishments and pledged that he would “build on the foundation laid” by his predecessor.

Starmer first became Labour leader in 2020 following one of the party’s worst electoral defeats and later guided Labour to a commanding general election victory in 2024. Yet once in government, his administration struggled to overcome the demands and political pressures of governing.

During his final appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions last Wednesday, Starmer pointed to what he viewed as the successes of his administration, highlighting Britain’s continued backing of Ukraine as well as several domestic accomplishments.

He cited expanded workplace protections, declining child poverty, legislation aimed at preventing official cover-ups after national tragedies, and increased defense spending as major achievements of his government.

“In six and a half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country and won a landslide general election victory in 2024,” Starmer said in his final remarks before leaving Downing St, hand-in-hand with his wife Victoria.

“Since then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as prime minister. I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.”

{Matzav.com}

Political strategist Roni Rimon says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knowingly accepted a potential political cost among moderate Likud voters by backing a series of chareidi-backed bills, calculating that preserving his alliance with the chareidi parties is more important for the coalition battles that may follow the next election.

Writing after the Knesset passed several measures sought by the chareidi parties—including the Basic Law recognizing Torah study, legislation halting the arrests of bnei yeshiva classified as draft evaders, a law permitting gender-separate higher education programs, and legislation restoring the Chief Rabbinate’s exclusive authority over kashrus certification—Rimon argued that the legislation should be viewed through both political and substantive lenses.

According to Rimon, the legislation was driven primarily by political considerations and the need for the chareidi parties to demonstrate to their constituents that they are delivering tangible results, particularly on the highly sensitive issue of military conscription.

He said the two most significant measures—the Basic Law on Torah study and the law freezing the arrests of draft-eligible bnei yeshiva—were intended to send a clear message to chareidi voters that their representatives had succeeded in addressing their community’s greatest concern.

Rimon argued that Netanyahu played a central role in advancing the legislation because he views maintaining his partnership with the chareidi parties as essential to any future governing coalition.

According to Rimon, Netanyahu wants to prevent the chareidi parties from eventually aligning themselves with opposition leaders such as Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, or others after the next election.

At the same time, Rimon believes Netanyahu’s support for the legislation could come at a political price within his own party.

He identified moderate and liberal Likud supporters—often described as the party’s “soft Likud” voters—as the constituency most likely to object. Many of those voters, he said, have drifted toward opposition parties in recent polling because of dissatisfaction with aspects of Likud’s conduct in recent years.

Rimon suggested that Netanyahu recognizes this trend and has therefore sought to refresh the Likud slate with new outside candidates who could present the party as more moderate and liberal.

Even so, he believes the passage of the chareidi-backed legislation may make it more difficult for those former Likud voters to return.

“In my assessment,” Rimon wrote, “this week’s votes will cost Likud several seats, and Netanyahu nevertheless decided to stand with the chareidim in order to preserve the alliance.”

Rimon also discussed the High Court’s decision to suspend implementation of the law freezing the arrests of draft evaders.

He said he had predicted throughout the week that the law would quickly be blocked because it applied only to chareidim and therefore failed to meet the principle of equality.

According to Rimon, lawmakers could have avoided that outcome by drafting the legislation differently.

He suggested passing a temporary law suspending the arrests of all draft evaders, regardless of sector, until after the election.

“In that case,” he argued, “the High Court would have found it much more difficult to block the law because it would have applied equally to both chareidim and secular Israelis.”

Why lawmakers chose not to pursue that approach, he wrote, “only Hashem knows.”

Looking ahead, Rimon predicted that if Israel’s security situation remains relatively calm, the issue of chareidi enlistment will become one of the central themes of the next election campaign.

He believes opposition parties will make the issue a focal point of their campaigns, targeting what he described as one of Likud’s political vulnerabilities.

{Matzav.com}