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Britain’s domestic intelligence chief has revealed that more than 50 people have been arrested in Iran-linked security operations over the past year, warning that Jewish communities have been among the principal targets of Tehran’s campaign of terrorism and intimidation on British soil.

Sir Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, disclosed the figures during his annual national security assessment on Tuesday, October 13, describing an increasingly aggressive Iranian effort to carry out attacks through criminal operatives recruited to act on behalf of the regime.

The intelligence chief said British authorities had identified Iranian involvement in a series of attacks and suspected plots directed against Jewish institutions, Israeli interests and Iranian opposition figures. He also warned that Tehran has begun expanding its operations to include more heavily protected targets, including military installations.

Addressing the threats facing Britain’s Jewish population, McCallum expressed solidarity with communities that have endured repeated attacks and security scares.

“Sadly, much of this aggression has been aimed at British Jewish communities, with whom I want to express solidarity,” he said.

The MI5 chief described Iran as a government increasingly willing to arrange violence in Britain through intermediaries rather than relying exclusively on its own intelligence officers.

“The other state keen on subcontracting its UK violence is Iran,” McCallum said, explaining that British security officials have been tracking the practice for several years.

He said the regime has used criminal proxies to intimidate political opponents, Iranian media organizations and Israeli-linked sites, while significantly increasing the scope of its activities during 2026.

“Over the last twelve months, our Iran-linked operations have led to more than fifty arrests in the UK,” McCallum disclosed.

The arrests span multiple investigations and do not all relate specifically to threats against Jewish targets.

Among the most disturbing cases highlighted by the intelligence chief was an alleged terrorist plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community, for which two Iranian nationals were charged earlier this month.

Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool, and Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, were arrested on September 20, shortly before Yom Kippur, and charged on October 2 with preparing acts of terrorism.

British prosecutors allege that the suspects conducted surveillance of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester and the Jewish Museum in the city’s Cheetham Hill neighborhood.

According to allegations presented in court, the men were communicating with a third individual believed to be in Iran, who provided instructions concerning the construction of a homemade chlorine bomb.

The allegations remain before the courts, and neither defendant has been convicted.

The alleged targets were especially sensitive because Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation had already been the scene of a deadly terrorist attack on Yom Kippur in 2025, when two Jewish worshippers were killed and several others were wounded.

The discovery of another suspected plot involving the same shul has heightened concerns over the continuing vulnerability of Jewish institutions in Britain.

McCallum also drew attention to a wave of arson and sabotage attacks earlier this year against Jewish institutions and businesses in Britain and other European countries.

The attacks included incidents involving Jewish ambulances, shuls and commercial properties, with responsibility claimed by a previously obscure organization calling itself the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right.

British intelligence authorities have concluded that the organization functioned as a front for operatives connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

McCallum said the group’s apparent independence concealed its ties to the Iranian regime.

“Behind this front sat members of the IRGC,” he declared.

British authorities have since designated both the organization and the IRGC under the National Security Act, providing additional powers to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of assisting their activities.

The intelligence chief described the attacks on Jewish communities as deeply disturbing and emphasized that the threat extends beyond individual acts of vandalism or intimidation.

His warning comes amid broader concern that Iran has been recruiting criminals and other intermediaries across Europe to conduct attacks that can be difficult to trace directly to Tehran.

Such operations allow hostile governments to attempt acts of violence while maintaining a degree of separation from those physically carrying them out.

Beyond the attacks on Jewish targets, McCallum revealed that British intelligence has detected a significant escalation in Iranian ambitions, including suspected operations against military facilities.

One of the most serious incidents occurred near RAF Fairford, a British air base used by American military aircraft, including bombers involved in operations against Iran.

On September 27, counterterrorism officers intercepted three vans near the base and arrested seven individuals in connection with a suspected plot.

Those detained were subsequently released on bail while the investigation continued.

The incident reportedly prompted the United States to remove B-1 bombers from the installation as a precaution.

British authorities suspect that the operation may have been connected to the IRGC, although the investigation remains ongoing and no final determination of responsibility has been publicly established.

McCallum warned that the Fairford incident should not be viewed as an isolated development.

“The other major shift this year has been Iranian ambitions to come at harder targets, like military sites,” he said.

He declined to disclose certain details because of continuing investigations and the possibility of future criminal proceedings.

Iran has denied involvement in terrorist plots and other hostile operations on British territory, including the suspected activity near RAF Fairford.

The MI5 director general also identified Russia as Britain’s most aggressive state adversary, warning that Moscow has expanded its use of sabotage, cyberattacks and other hostile activities designed to remain below the threshold of open military conflict.

He said both Russia and Iran have increasingly relied on locally recruited individuals and criminal organizations to conduct operations that would previously have required trained intelligence personnel.

The growing threat has forced MI5 to devote substantially more resources to countering hostile foreign governments, with the agency’s work in that area now approaching the scale of its traditional counterterrorism responsibilities.

McCallum additionally warned that artificial intelligence could make it easier for terrorists and hostile governments to develop sophisticated cyberattacks, operate autonomous weapons and obtain dangerous technical knowledge.

MI5 has established a specialized AI Threat Assessment Centre to examine those emerging risks.

The intelligence chief compared the transformation now confronting Britain’s security services to the changes that followed the September 11 attacks, arguing that the country has entered a fundamentally different security environment.

He said the intelligence agency intends to respond aggressively to those who organize or finance violence in Britain, regardless of whether they operate directly or through intermediaries.

“What I can say is that those who seek to cause mayhem on British streets – whether hired thugs here or their paymasters overseas – will meet an unflinching response,” McCallum declared.

Four Jewish schools across the United States were targeted by bomb threats within days of one another, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of students and staff members in Brooklyn and Florida and triggering a frightening lockdown at a Jewish school in Los Angeles. Authorities have since determined that all four threats were hoaxes, although investigations into the incidents remain underway.

The incidents, which occurred between October 9 and October 12, targeted two Brooklyn yeshivos, a Jewish preschool in Boca Raton, Florida, and a Jewish middle and high school in Los Angeles. The threats prompted significant police responses, including searches by specialized emergency units and bomb-sniffing dogs, and renewed concerns about the security of Jewish educational institutions.

The first two threats were reported Friday morning, October 9, when the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School and the United Talmudical Academy of Williamsburg received threatening telephone calls just minutes apart.

According to the NYPD, the initial call came into the Yeshivah of Flatbush, located at 1609 Avenue J, at approximately 9:54 a.m. Six minutes later, a similar threat was received at the United Talmudical Academy, located at 590 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg.

Both schools immediately implemented emergency procedures, evacuating students and faculty while police officers secured the surrounding areas.

NYPD Emergency Service Unit personnel and K-9 teams were dispatched to the buildings to conduct searches for possible explosive devices. Police vehicles and fire trucks surrounded the affected locations, and nearby streets were temporarily restricted as authorities investigated.

Video footage from Flatbush showed students gathered outside near school buses while officers examined the premises. In Williamsburg, emergency vehicles lined the street as police secured the area around the yeshiva.

After completing their searches, authorities determined that neither threat was credible. No explosive devices were discovered, and students and staff were permitted to return to their classrooms.

The NYPD confirmed that no injuries had been reported and that no arrests had been made in connection with the incidents.

The Yeshivah of Flatbush sent a message to parents during the emergency, advising them not to come to the school while police and security personnel handled the situation.

The threats came just two days after the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel, a period of heightened concern among Jewish communities over possible antisemitic incidents.

Three days after the Brooklyn incidents, another Jewish educational institution was forced to evacuate when a bomb threat was received at the Donna Klein Jewish Academy preschool in Boca Raton, Florida.

The threat, reported Monday afternoon, October 12, prompted an emergency response at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County’s campus, which houses several Jewish educational and communal organizations.

The affected preschool is located on the Toby and Leon Cooperman Campus, a large Jewish communal complex that also accommodates the Adolph and Rose Levis Jewish Community Center and other institutions.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and searched the affected facilities while students and staff were evacuated as a precaution.

The incident caused traffic disruptions in the surrounding area, including difficulties for parents attempting to reach nearby schools during dismissal.

A student at the nearby Katz Yeshiva High School described the disruption, explaining that students were informed of the emergency through a school announcement.

“I was in my classroom during English and we just had an announcement on the loudspeaker that there was a bomb threat at the school next door to us. Traffic was blocked, because they weren’t letting any vans or cars in for carpool.”

“They told us we needed to stay inside for a while, and they’d tell us when it was time to come out,” the student added.

Authorities eventually determined that the threat was unfounded, and the Jewish Federation confirmed that the threatening call had been fraudulent.

All students and staff members were reported safe, and children were reunited with their families following the police investigation.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Jewish Democrat representing a Florida congressional district, condemned the incident and expressed relief that no one had been harmed.

“Let’s be clear: there is no cause in the world that’s served by scaring children. If your grievance leads you to a K–12 school, you’re the problem,” Moskowitz wrote on social media.

A similar emergency unfolded Monday at Milken Community School, a private Jewish middle and high school in the Los Angeles area.

Police initially responded to a report of an active shooter at the school, but authorities subsequently clarified that the emergency involved a bomb threat.

The school was placed on lockdown as officers investigated the report, with students instructed to follow emergency security procedures inside their classrooms.

One parent described the frightening experience of a child who was attending class when the threat was received.

“My son was in math class when the bomb threat was called in,” the parent said.

“They had to pull down the shades on the classroom door and windows, lock the door, turn off the lights, and sit under their desks,” the parent explained.

“It sounds pretty intense to have to prepare the classroom like that. He was scared and nervous.”

The Los Angeles Police Department later confirmed that the threat was a hoax and that no actual danger had been discovered at the school. An investigation into the source of the call remains ongoing.

Despite the frightening experience, the parent said the family’s confidence in the school’s security arrangements had not been shaken.

“Jewish schools tend to have higher-caliber security than at non-Jewish schools, so I’m not worried,” the parent said. “I don’t feel like it’s unsafe for my son to go there. He had no problem going to school yesterday or today.”

The series of incidents has renewed attention to the disruption caused by fraudulent emergency threats, which can force schools to suspend classes, evacuate buildings, and mobilize substantial police resources even when no actual explosive device exists.

Security professionals warn that such threats should not be dismissed merely because they are ultimately determined to be false.

Richard Priem, chief executive officer of Community Security Service, said the incidents must be considered against the broader backdrop of threats and attacks targeting Jewish communities in the United States and abroad.

“We should not look at these incidents in isolation and base our assessment on that,” Priem said.

“We’re living in an era where, over the last 18 months, we’ve had a number of serious attacks on the Jewish community in the United States and abroad. That should warrant all of us working and thinking about this to take the threats against our community seriously.”

Priem explained that bomb threats can serve as a means of intimidation even when those responsible have no intention or ability to carry out an actual attack.

“It’s very easy to make a bomb threat, and they don’t necessarily indicate advance preparation,” he said.

“We have seen a lot of bomb threats over the years that were meant to intimidate, harm and dissuade Jewish community members from participating in Jewish life.”

Michael Masters, national director and chief executive officer of the Secure Community Network, similarly emphasized the importance of advance preparation and coordinated emergency procedures.

“We tend to see these bomb threats come in waves,” Masters said.

“The difference in how these threats are responded to usually comes down to the training, the preparation and the plan that the institution puts in place. It’s so important for institutions to have a plan, to review it, and to implement it prior to these calls coming in.”

Masters drew a parallel between school security preparations and the Torah account of Noach, emphasizing the importance of taking precautions before an emergency develops.

“It’s absolutely vital that we work to be prepared,” he said. “This week, we read the parsha of the story of Noah. When did Noah build the ark? Before it began to rain.”

The latest threats recall a widespread campaign of bomb hoaxes targeting Jewish institutions in 2017, when numerous Jewish community centers and schools across the United States and other countries received threatening calls.

That investigation eventually led Israeli authorities to arrest an Israeli-American teenager, who was subsequently sentenced to prison for his involvement in the threats.

Authorities have not established whether the four latest incidents were coordinated or carried out by the same individual or group. Investigations into the threatening calls are continuing.

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[Video below.] United Torah Judaism’s newly released election campaign video, featuring singers Naftali Kempeh and Shmueli Ungar, which can be watched below, is drawing criticism for focusing on music and party representatives while leaving out the images of the gedolei Yisroel who have traditionally occupied a central place in the party’s election campaigns.

In a commentary published by Emess, Eliezer Chassid questioned the direction of the party’s latest campaign, arguing that its polished musical presentation lacks the connection to Torah leadership that has characterized previous efforts to mobilize chareidi voters.

The campaign was launched considerably later than those of competing parties ahead of Israel’s 26th Knesset elections. Shortly before Sukkos, United Torah Judaism introduced its slogan, “The Privilege of Being Chareidi,” but the accompanying musical video did not appear until approximately two weeks before Election Day.

The video brings together several familiar melodies from the contemporary Jewish music world, including the Pittsburgh tune for the Shabbos zemirah “Tzamah Nafshi LeElokim,” the Belzer “Ule’orer Libi,” the Skulener “Al Ta’azveinu,” and the energetic “Ratevet,” composed by Hershy Weinberger and originally performed with Shmueli Ungar.

Kempeh and Ungar deliver the medley with considerable energy and emotion, accompanied by the Malchus Choir under the direction of Pinchos Bichler. Chassid praised the musical arrangement, lyrics and performances, making clear that his criticism was directed at the campaign’s messaging rather than its production.

The central issue, he argued, is the absence of the gedolei Yisroel from a campaign representing a party whose voters have historically been encouraged to follow the guidance of their rabbonim.

For decades, the words “Ve’asisa kechol asher yorucha” — the Torah’s instruction to follow the rulings of Torah authorities — have been closely associated with chareidi election campaigns.

Chassid suggested that archival footage of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and Rav Chaim Kanievsky casting their ballots for United Torah Judaism, together with images of the Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz, the Pnei Menachem of Ger and the Biala Rebbe, would have provided a connection to the party’s spiritual heritage.

Instead, the new video features United Torah Judaism’s candidates for the next Knesset sitting together in the sukkah of party chairman Yaakov Asher.

Another point raised in the commentary concerns the decision to feature Shmueli Ungar, an American Bobover chossid who does not reside in Israel and cannot vote in the upcoming election.

While acknowledging Ungar’s considerable musical talent, Chassid questioned why the campaign did not choose an Israeli performer who would share the electoral experience of the audience being addressed.

He suggested that an Israeli singer could have brought an additional dimension to the presentation through his own participation in the election.

At the same time, Chassid acknowledged the apparent intention behind the production’s musical choices. The combination of Kempeh and Ungar appears designed to represent both Litvishe and chassidishe audiences, with the Malchus Choir adding another element to the arrangement.

The commentary also drew a comparison with Shas, whose election materials prominently feature images of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l. Chassid noted that some polls have shown Shas recovering from six seats to eight, although the commentary did not establish that the campaign’s use of Rav Ovadia’s image was responsible for the reported improvement.

By contrast, United Torah Judaism’s video includes scenes of chareidi demonstrations and yeshiva learning, but does not prominently feature the rabbinic figures traditionally associated with the party’s political direction.

Chassid concluded that while the slogan “The Privilege of Being Chareidi” may resonate with the party’s supporters, the campaign’s emphasis on music, communal identity and political representatives differs from the appeals to rabbinic authority that have defined many of its previous election efforts.

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{Matzav.com}

The Vaad Hayeshivos in Eretz Yisroel has issued an extensive set of instructions to yeshiva bochurim and kollel yungeleit as the winter zeman begins, warning of serious legal complications involving military authorities and border crossings amid the ongoing controversy over the draft status of Torah learners.

The advisory, distributed to yeshivos and kollelim throughout Israel, emphasizes the need for extreme caution when dealing with military and security authorities. It also contains specific instructions for students arriving from overseas, particularly those who hold Israeli citizenship and may be subject to military service requirements.

The letter opens with warm brachos for the thousands of bochurim and yungeleit beginning another zeman of dedicated Torah learning. The Vaad praises their commitment to Torah study and expresses the hope that the sound of Torah learning will continue to grow and flourish without interruption.

However, the letter quickly turns to the increasingly complicated legal situation facing yeshiva students, cautioning that seemingly routine interactions with government authorities could result in unexpected difficulties.

The Vaad strongly warns students against approaching border crossings or military authorities without first obtaining appropriate guidance. Anyone planning to leave Israel or needing to clarify his military status is instructed to contact the Vaad Hayeshivos offices in advance to receive specific instructions regarding his circumstances.

The advisory further cautions that independently submitting documents to military authorities does not necessarily protect a student from legal proceedings or resolve outstanding issues concerning his military status.

Particular attention is devoted to yeshiva bochurim from abroad who possess Israeli citizenship, including children of Israeli emigrants living overseas.

According to the Vaad, these students must ensure that their legal status is properly arranged through the Israeli consulates in their countries of residence before traveling to Israel, or immediately upon arrival if the matter has not yet been addressed.

The organization explains that numerous students have encountered serious complications because they were unaware of the requirements applicable to their citizenship and military status.

In some cases, students arriving in Israel to learn in yeshiva have discovered that their circumstances require additional documentation or formal arrangements with the relevant authorities.

To prevent such situations, the Vaad is urging both yeshiva administrators and individual students to seek assistance as early as possible rather than waiting until a problem develops.

The organization says its offices are available to provide guidance, assistance and ongoing support to students navigating the necessary procedures, with the goal of ensuring that their status is properly regulated and that they can continue learning without unnecessary legal complications.

{Matzav.com}

Kamala Harris is pushing back against years of public criticism and online ridicule of her distinctive laugh, declaring in a new podcast interview that she refuses to allow her detractors to rob her of her happiness or change her personality.

The former vice president and unsuccessful 2024 Democratic presidential nominee addressed the subject during an appearance on the “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” podcast, where host Keke Palmer asked how Harris manages the tension between her personal identity and the public expectations associated with holding high political office.

Harris acknowledged that maintaining that balance can be challenging, particularly when personal characteristics become the subject of widespread commentary and internet memes. She explained that her manner of laughing reflects the influence of the strong women who surrounded her during her upbringing.

Kamala Harris: I'm aware of memes about my laugh. I was raised in a family that included very powerful women who laughed from their bellies. They would sit around the kitchen table with their coffee, laughing loud laughs. And that's how I laugh–and the people that I respected. https://t.co/jhn5KUsRsD pic.twitter.com/MnAAQXppbP

— Ezydu (@ezradulis) October 13, 2026

“It can be difficult. It can be very difficult, Keke. I’m aware of the, whatever the memes are about my laugh,” Harris said. “Well, look. I was raised in a family that included very powerful women, who laughed from their bellies. And, powerful I mean, they were powerful in their space. They were powerful in their family, in their community. Not necessarily titles and money.”

Recalling her childhood, Harris described family gatherings in which the women would sit together over coffee, speaking and laughing without restraint. She said those experiences shaped her understanding of confidence and personal strength.

The former vice president said she views efforts to ridicule her laughter as attempts to undermine her confidence, adding that she has no intention of allowing such criticism to succeed.

“Those who try to take your joy are trying to make you weak, and that’s where my fight comes in,” Harris continued. “I know what you’re trying to do, you’re not going to take my joy. There is nothing you can do to me that will take my joy, you are not that powerful.”

Harris’s laughter became a recurring subject of political commentary during her vice presidency and subsequent presidential campaign. Videos of her laughing during speeches, interviews and exchanges with reporters circulated widely online, with critics questioning the timing of some of those moments and supporters arguing that the attention reflected unfair scrutiny of her personality.

One incident that drew attention occurred in August 2021, when Harris was speaking at a community health center about the Biden administration’s domestic policy agenda, including proposals to expand Medicaid and provide additional health benefits.

During that appearance, Harris encouraged additional states to broaden Medicaid eligibility while discussing the administration’s proposals to extend coverage for dental, vision and hearing services.

“We also must work together to call on Congress to advance other components of our Build Back agenda. To expand Medicaid in every state … people live in every state.”

Harris then repeated the observation, laughing as she emphasized her point.

“People live in every state. That’s the logic,” she said.

Another widely circulated exchange took place later that month, when journalists approached Harris with questions about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the United States completed its military withdrawal.

Before addressing the reporters’ questions, Harris laughed and asked them to “hold on,” a moment that subsequently attracted criticism over the seriousness of the subject being discussed.

The new podcast appearance also addressed Harris’s political future. Asked whether she intends to seek the presidency again in 2028, Harris said she has not yet made a decision, instead emphasizing the importance of the upcoming congressional midterm elections.

“I haven’t decided yet. There are things that are not only about what will be helpful but also about stopping what is harmful that we can do right away with these midterm elections,” Harris said.

Harris also discussed the financial pressures facing American families, including the cost of groceries, gasoline, housing, child care and medical coverage. She argued that economic hardship can make it more difficult for voters to focus on government accountability and broader political issues.

The interview comes as Harris remains active in Democratic politics following her defeat by President Trump in 2024. Although she has left open the possibility of another presidential campaign, she has not formally announced a candidacy for 2028.

{Matzav.com}

A special meeting took place this week in Netanya when the Sanzer Rebbe visited Rav Moshe Sternbuch, who is spending several days resting in the coastal city following the demanding month of Tishrei. The visit, held in an apartment overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, was marked by warm brachos and a memorable exchange about the spiritual significance of a person’s birthday.

Rav Sternbuch traveled to Netanya after an exceptionally busy Yom Tov season, during which he devoted himself to the tefillos and avodah of the Yomim Noraim and Sukkos, culminating in the simcha of Simchas Torah. Throughout the month, he also received tens of thousands of visitors from around the world who came to seek his bracha for the new year.

The senior posek is staying in a residence on the 25th floor of a building along the Netanya shoreline, where he has been able to spend time away from the demands of his regular schedule in Yerushalayim. Despite the change of surroundings, Rav Sternbuch continues to devote much of his day to learning Torah.

From the apartment’s balcony, the Mediterranean Sea stretches into the distance, providing a peaceful setting for the brief period of rest.

A select group of bochurim from the Sanz chassidus has been privileged to participate in the daily tefillos at Rav Sternbuch’s temporary residence, an opportunity that has provided them with an unusual chance to daven in the presence of the revered posek.

During the week, the Sanzer Rebbe arrived for a personal visit with Rav Sternbuch in honor of the Rebbe’s 74th birthday.

The meeting included an uplifting conversation in which Rav Sternbuch recalled the conduct of his own rebbi, Rav Moshe Schneider zt”l, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Emes in London.

When the Sanzer Rebbe requested a bracha for long life and many good years, Rav Sternbuch reflected on the special significance of a birthday and shared a powerful memory from his younger years.

“A birthday is an exalted day. My teacher and rebbi, the gaon Rav Moshe Schneider zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Toras Emes in London, would weep bitterly on his birthday, offering many tefillos before the Creator of the universe. Those tears awakened us,” Rav Sternbuch recalled emotionally.

The Sanzer Rebbe responded with a characteristic chassidishe observation, adding a touch of warmth to the conversation.

“Indeed, those who have nothing to cry about are the ones who cry…” the Rebbe remarked.

Following their exchange, Rav Sternbuch bestowed heartfelt brachos upon the Sanzer Rebbe, wishing him continued hatzlacha and many years of leadership.

The Rebbe reciprocated with warm brachos of his own, wishing Rav Sternbuch many more years of good health and strength to continue guiding Klal Yisroel and leading his holy kehillah.

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{Matzav.com}

The IDF has postponed a major operation to arrest chareidi draft evaders after Israel Police warned that carrying out the arrests next week could trigger widespread demonstrations lasting through Election Day and potentially disrupt voting across the country.

The operation had been scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday of next week, but senior police officials refused to assign the Tel Aviv District police force to provide security for the arrests, effectively preventing the military from proceeding with its plans.

According to a report Wednesday evening by Daniel Grovais on Kan News, police commanders raised serious concerns that an organized campaign to arrest chareidi draft evaders so close to the elections could ignite a wave of protests that would be difficult to contain.

The police assessment was that the arrests could provide demonstrators with a new rallying point, escalating tensions within the chareidi community at a particularly sensitive time.

Officials reportedly described the proposed operation as a potential “reason to celebrate” for protest organizers, who could use the arrests to mobilize large demonstrations in the days leading up to the elections.

During an internal discussion involving senior police commanders, participants expressed concern that the unrest might continue well beyond the initial arrests and spill over into Election Day itself.

The possibility of large-scale protests disrupting voting arrangements was reportedly a central factor in the police decision. Officials feared that simultaneous demonstrations in multiple locations could stretch police resources and interfere with the orderly conduct of the elections.

With the Tel Aviv District police force unavailable to secure the planned operation, the IDF decided to delay the arrests rather than proceed without the necessary coordination and protection.

The military confirmed that the operation had been postponed because of objections raised by Israel Police.

“In light of considerations by Israel Police, the arrest operation planned for next week has been postponed. Operations in civilian areas require coordination and cooperation with Israel Police,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.

Israel Police had not issued an official response to the report as of Wednesday evening.

The decision comes amid continuing confrontations over the military draft of chareidi yeshiva students, with enforcement operations and arrests repeatedly sparking demonstrations in chareidi neighborhoods and at major intersections.

The latest postponement also comes as the government faces mounting legal scrutiny over its efforts to enforce military conscription requirements.

The postponement follows a series of unsuccessful attempts to arrest chareidi draft evaders, including a confrontation in Modiin earlier this month that demonstrated how quickly such operations can draw large crowds.

On October 6, military police attempted to arrest a yeshiva bochur in Modiin, but hundreds of demonstrators descended on the location after alerts were circulated through an emergency notification network operated by anti-draft activists.

According to an initial military investigation, approximately 700 protesters reached the building within just ten minutes. Demonstrators surrounded the premises and confronted security personnel, ultimately preventing the arrest from being completed.

The military subsequently acknowledged that the operation had been called off because of the disturbances. Police and military officials later disputed responsibility for the failure, with police maintaining that military personnel had not removed the suspect from the location quickly enough.

Additional attempted arrests in Bat Yam and Dimona also encountered organized opposition, with anti-draft activists mobilizing demonstrators after receiving alerts about military police activity.

Meanwhile, a separate report Wednesday evening by Channel 13 revealed figures suggesting that enforcement against chareidi draft evaders has been extremely limited in recent months.

According to police data cited in that report, 143 chareidi draft evaders were detained during encounters with police since July but were subsequently released at the scene because military police failed to arrive in time to take custody of them.

During the same period, Channel 13 reported, military police arrested only 15 chareidi draft evaders, compared with 14 non-chareidi draft evaders.

The report also cited an estimate that approximately 50,000 chareidi men in Israel are currently classified as draft evaders.

The IDF disputed the accuracy of the figures presented by Channel 13, insisting that its enforcement operations have continued.

“The figure presented is unfounded and does not correspond to the information in the IDF’s possession. Contrary to the claims, proactive enforcement activity by military police soldiers continues and is carried out routinely through various methods,” the military said.

The controversy comes as the state faces a deadline to update the Supreme Court on the measures being taken to enforce draft requirements among chareidi men.

According to Channel 13, the government is expected to submit its response Thursday, explaining what steps have been implemented to locate and arrest individuals classified as draft evaders.

The latest developments follow an earlier discussion at the Justice Ministry in which military representatives acknowledged that proactive arrests had largely been suspended during the recent Yom Tov period, partly because enforcement resources had been concentrated at border crossings.

Following that discussion, officials instructed the military police to resume proactive enforcement as soon as possible, in coordination with Israel Police. Military prosecutors were also directed to advance changes concerning prosecution thresholds and disciplinary procedures for draft evasion.

The planned operation for next week was expected to form part of that renewed enforcement effort. However, the police decision to withhold security assistance has now delayed the initiative, leaving the military’s next steps uncertain as the Supreme Court awaits the state’s update.

{Matzav.com}

A recording from a private meeting between Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and prominent chassidic community leaders in Williamsburg has ignited a political controversy after Blakeman warned that violent rioters could target yeshivos, shuls and Jewish homes, while questioning whether New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani would intervene to protect the community.

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive who is challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul in November’s election, made the remarks during a closed-door gathering aimed at securing support from Brooklyn’s chassidic communities.

In the recording, Blakeman described a hypothetical outbreak of anti-Jewish violence in New York City, raising the possibility of widespread destruction and attacks against Jewish institutions and residents.

“If there are riots here, if they burn down your yeshivos and shuls, burn down your homes, do you think Zohran Mamdani will stop them?” Blakeman asked those assembled.

The Republican candidate argued that Mamdani could not be relied upon to respond forcefully to such violence, pointing to the mayor’s political positions and statements concerning Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Blakeman also invoked the 1991 Crown Heights riots, during which Yankel Rosenbaum, a Jewish student visiting from Australia, was fatally stabbed amid several days of violent unrest in Brooklyn.

The candidate suggested that a future outbreak of anti-Jewish violence could be even more severe than the Crown Heights disturbances, a comparison that immediately drew criticism from several Jewish community figures.

The meeting was part of Blakeman’s efforts to expand his support among Orthodox Jewish voters, a constituency that has played an important role in New York elections and whose political backing is actively sought by candidates from both parties.

Blakeman faces a difficult statewide contest against Hochul, with polling cited in the report placing the incumbent governor ahead by approximately nine to 19 percentage points.

The release of the recording brought renewed attention to Blakeman’s criticism of Mamdani, who has faced sustained scrutiny from Jewish organizations and political opponents over his positions on Israel and his responses to rhetoric associated with anti-Israel demonstrations.

Blakeman did not dispute the authenticity of the recording or retreat from the substance of his remarks. Instead, he defended his warning by pointing to what he described as Mamdani’s refusal to condemn slogans associated with terrorist organizations.

Mr. Moshe Indig, a prominent Satmar community figure who is a major supporter of the anti-Semitic Mamdani, rejected Blakeman’s comments, characterizing them as irresponsible political fearmongering rather than a realistic assessment of the city’s security situation.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine likewise criticized the remarks, disputing the suggestion that the city would fail to protect Jewish residents and pointing to the work of municipal authorities and law enforcement agencies in addressing antisemitic threats and hate crimes.

Both argued that inflammatory predictions about attacks on Jewish institutions risk generating unnecessary anxiety within communities already concerned about antisemitism.

Other Jewish leaders defended Blakeman’s concerns.

Dovid Katz of the Israel Heritage Foundation expressed support for the Republican candidate, arguing that Mamdani’s positions toward Israel have created legitimate apprehension among Jewish New Yorkers about the city’s political climate and the protection of their communities.

Mamdani’s representatives rejected Blakeman’s accusations, accusing the gubernatorial candidate of exploiting fears about antisemitism for political purposes and encouraging hostility toward Muslims.

The controversy spilled into Tuesday night’s only scheduled gubernatorial debate, when Blakeman was directly questioned about his recorded remarks. He defended his warning and clarified that he was referring to anti-Israel demonstrators who had participated in disruptive protests at universities and elsewhere in New York.

“They are the professional protesters that took over Columbia University, that blocked our bridges and our roadways, and the lawlessness that took place while Kathy Hochul wouldn’t protect Jewish students,” Blakeman said.

He also returned to the 1991 Crown Heights riots, accusing the administration of then-Mayor David Dinkins of failing to intervene quickly enough to halt the violence.

Blakeman argued that elected officials could undermine public safety when they interfere with law enforcement decisions, and he maintained that his concerns about Mamdani stemmed from the mayor’s political positions and his handling of anti-Israel activism.

During the debate, Blakeman explicitly accused Mamdani of antisemitism and anti-Christian bias, accusations that the mayor and his supporters reject.

Hochul challenged Blakeman’s suggestion that Jewish neighborhoods might be left unprotected, arguing that his remarks unfairly questioned the commitment of New York City police officers and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

“He had a secret meeting where he basically said that NYPD, under the leadership of Jessica Tisch, would not respond to this neighborhood if there are women being raped and people being murdered and riots in the street,” Hochul said.

“He would not trust them to show up. I stand with the men and women in blue every day of the week. I know how hard they work. They put their lives on the line. And I support the leadership of Jessica Tisch.”

Blakeman responded that he had confidence in Tisch and praised Mamdani for retaining her as police commissioner despite pressure from some progressive activists to replace her.

“I have a lot of confidence in Jessica Tisch — matter of fact, if there’s a compliment I could give to Zohran Mamdani, it’s in keeping her as the police commissioner,” he said.

The private Williamsburg meeting took place Sunday at the home of prominent Satmar philanthropist Yoely Landau. It was arranged with the involvement of Rav Dovid Katz, executive director of the Israel Heritage Foundation.

Blakeman’s campaign had initially described the gathering as an opportunity to discuss issues affecting Williamsburg families, including housing affordability, the preservation of yeshiva education, school choice and neighborhood safety.

Landau, a well-known supporter of communal institutions and charitable initiatives, has reportedly pledged his support to Blakeman’s gubernatorial campaign.

Mamdani’s administration, meanwhile, has pointed to its own efforts to combat antisemitism, including funding for hate-crime prevention. His supporters argue that political disagreements over Israel should not be treated as evidence that the mayor would tolerate violence against Jewish residents.

The dispute comes shortly after Mamdani faced criticism from Jewish leaders over his statement marking the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre. Although the mayor condemned Hamas’s atrocities, his decision to also accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza drew objections from Jewish organizations and elected officials who believed the statement diminished the significance of the anniversary.

Blakeman has repeatedly made Mamdani’s relationship with Hochul a central issue in his campaign, arguing that the governor’s political alliance with the mayor reflects broader disagreements over public safety and the handling of antisemitism.

Hochul has defended her administration’s record on protecting Jewish communities, while maintaining that political differences over Israel do not justify questioning the city’s commitment to enforcing the law.

With the November 3 election approaching, the dispute has placed divisions within New York’s Jewish leadership into sharp focus, particularly over how best to address antisemitism and public safety concerns while navigating the state’s increasingly contentious political environment.

A Jewish passenger at London’s Farringdon railway station was allegedly threatened with removal from the station after questioning why an employee was wearing a pro-Palestinian political badge, prompting a supervisor to launch into a confrontation in which he accused Israel of responsibility for much of the October 7 massacre.

The incident, which was captured on video by the passenger, has prompted UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) to demand an urgent disciplinary investigation into the conduct of Thameslink railway employees. The organization has written to Thameslink CEO John Whitehurst, raising concerns that the treatment of the passenger may constitute unlawful harassment under Britain’s Equality Act 2010.

The confrontation reportedly occurred over the weekend when the Jewish passenger noticed a station employee wearing a badge expressing solidarity with Palestine alongside an insignia representing the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’ Union (RMT).

WATCH:

The passenger approached railway staff to ask whether employees were permitted to display political symbols while on duty. What began as a question about the company’s uniform and political neutrality policies quickly escalated into a heated exchange.

A station supervisor who identified himself as Simon intervened and defended the employee’s decision to wear the badge, describing it as a “human rights badge” rather than an inappropriate political statement.

During the recorded confrontation, the supervisor allegedly accused Israelis of being “busy massacring civilians” and advanced the claim that most of the Israelis killed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks had actually died at the hands of Israeli forces.

He invoked the Israeli military’s controversial Hannibal Directive, a procedure historically associated with efforts to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers, to support his allegation that Israeli forces were responsible for the deaths of their own citizens.

The claim that the IDF carried out the October 7 massacre is not supported by the established evidence. Hamas terrorists and other Palestinian attackers carried out coordinated assaults on Israeli communities, military installations and a music festival, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages. Investigations have examined individual incidents of Israeli fire during the chaotic response, but those incidents do not substantiate claims that Israeli forces perpetrated the massacre.

The supervisor reportedly challenged the passenger to explain the destruction of vehicles during the attacks, asking, “How do you explain all the cars and vans that exploded?”

When the passenger pointed to the use of rocket-propelled grenades by Hamas terrorists, the supervisor rejected the explanation and continued arguing that Israeli forces were responsible.

He also accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of disregarding an advance warning about the October 7 attack that he claimed had been received approximately one month earlier.

The passenger challenged the supervisor’s allegations, describing them as false conspiracy theories. Rather than ending the exchange, the supervisor allegedly accused the passenger of harassing railway employees and ordered him to leave the station immediately.

The passenger refused to leave and continued recording the confrontation until a more senior member of the station staff intervened.

According to the account provided to UKLFI, the senior employee acknowledged that railway personnel were not permitted to wear political badges while performing their duties. However, he also insisted that passengers were expected to treat employees respectfully.

UKLFI subsequently sent a formal complaint to Thameslink’s chief executive, arguing that Jewish passengers should be able to use the railway network without being subjected to offensive conspiracy theories or threatened with expulsion for raising legitimate concerns about employee conduct.

The organization asked the company to investigate the behavior of the employees involved, determine whether disciplinary action was warranted and ensure that staff members understand their responsibilities toward Jewish passengers under equality legislation.

The legal concern centers on whether the supervisor’s conduct created an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment connected to the passenger’s Jewish identity, a question that would require consideration of the circumstances and applicable legal standards.

Thameslink responded that it was examining the allegations and reviewing the video footage. The company said it regarded the matter seriously and remained committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone traveling on its services.

The incident comes amid continuing concern about antisemitism on Britain’s public transportation network. Campaign Against Antisemitism, which obtained footage of the confrontation, said its polling found that 70% of British Jews would feel uncomfortable openly identifying themselves as Jewish while traveling on public transportation.

The organization criticized the politicization of railway services, arguing that displays of political allegiance by employees can leave Jewish passengers feeling intimidated or unwelcome.

UKLFI has raised similar concerns in previous complaints involving London’s transportation system. In one incident in August 2025, a Transport for London supervisor allegedly defended pro-Palestinian graffiti at a railway station rather than addressing a passenger’s complaint about it.

Following earlier complaints, Transport for London confirmed that uniformed employees were prohibited from wearing unauthorized political badges or other nonuniform insignia, although a single official trade union badge was permitted.

The current Thameslink complaint raises the separate question of whether railway employees are following appropriate standards of conduct when responding to passengers who object to political displays.

As of Wednesday, Thameslink had acknowledged the allegations and confirmed that an investigation was underway. No disciplinary findings or sanctions against the employees involved had been publicly announced.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has unveiled a collection of nuclear-capable missiles and advanced weapons systems, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that Pyongyang claims could strike the American mainland, in a provocative display of military power as President Donald Trump considers renewed diplomatic engagement with the communist regime.

The weapons were exhibited at North Korea’s newly established National Defense Revolution Museum, where Kim personally toured displays highlighting the country’s expanding missile arsenal, attack drones and other military technology.

The exhibition comes at a sensitive moment in relations between Washington and Pyongyang, with Trump having raised the possibility of another meeting with Kim despite North Korea’s continued refusal to negotiate the elimination of its nuclear weapons program.

Among the most prominent weapons on display was the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, a system North Korea has presented as a major advancement in its ability to deliver nuclear warheads over extremely long distances.

Although the missile is believed to have the potential to reach the continental United States, it has not undergone a publicly confirmed flight test, leaving important questions about its operational capabilities unanswered.

The museum also features submarine-launched ballistic missiles, a hypersonic short-range missile and an assortment of smaller cruise missiles, reflecting North Korea’s efforts to develop multiple methods of delivering conventional and nuclear weapons.

Attack drones were also included in the exhibition, demonstrating the regime’s growing interest in unmanned military systems alongside its longstanding investment in ballistic missile technology.

Kim reportedly instructed officials to continue expanding the museum and adding new exhibits documenting the country’s military development, according to North Korean state media.

The precise location of the facility has not been publicly disclosed, and it remains unclear whether ordinary North Korean citizens will be permitted to visit.

The timing of the display has attracted attention because Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in reviving personal diplomacy with Kim, whom he met three times during his first presidential term.

Those meetings included the historic 2018 summit in Singapore, a second summit in Hanoi in 2019 and a subsequent encounter at the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.

Although the meetings marked an unprecedented level of direct engagement between the leaders, they failed to produce an agreement requiring North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arsenal.

Pyongyang has since hardened its position, insisting that its nuclear weapons are essential to national security and rejecting American demands that it abandon them.

North Korean officials have also indicated that they are unwilling to resume negotiations if Washington continues to make denuclearization a prerequisite for improved relations.

The military display also follows renewed diplomatic friction at the United Nations, where the United States, South Korea and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea during last month’s General Assembly.

Pyongyang dismissed that objective as a “daydream,” signaling that it has no intention of surrendering the weapons it considers central to the survival of Kim’s regime.

The museum’s inauguration coincided with celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party. Photographs released by state media showed Kim inspecting the exhibits alongside members of his family, including his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, who has increasingly appeared at major military events.

The Hwasong-20, a solid-fuel intercontinental missile first publicly displayed in 2025, was exhibited alongside its mobile launching vehicle. Solid-fuel missiles can generally be prepared for launch more quickly than liquid-fueled systems, potentially making them more difficult for opposing forces to detect and destroy before firing.

An examination of the museum’s displays identified more than 25 missile-launching vehicles and approximately 15 types of drones and naval weapons, underscoring the breadth of North Korea’s weapons development under Kim’s leadership.

The regime’s military demonstrations have extended well beyond the museum. On Monday, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the waters east of the Korean Peninsula, continuing a series of launches that have alarmed neighboring countries.

South Korea’s military reported detecting the launches at approximately 9:20 a.m. from the Pyongyang area, with at least one missile traveling more than 900 kilometers.

The launches came days after South Korea successfully tested its own domestically developed hypersonic weapon, prompting speculation that Pyongyang was attempting to demonstrate that its missile capabilities remain competitive with those of its southern neighbor.

Earlier this month, North Korea also conducted a test of what it described as an intermediate-range hypersonic missile capable of traveling at least five times the speed of sound and maneuvering in ways that could complicate interception.

North Korean authorities claimed the weapon successfully struck a designated target approximately 1,000 kilometers away, although South Korean and Japanese military assessments reported shorter flight distances.

The conflicting assessments prompted Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, to ridicule the missile-tracking capabilities of the two American allies.

“This just serves as a proof of our perfect missile capability,” she said.

Military analysts caution that North Korea’s claims about its hypersonic technology have not been independently verified. Although such weapons are designed to maneuver at extremely high speeds and potentially evade existing missile defenses, questions remain about whether Pyongyang has mastered the guidance, reliability and operational capabilities required for effective deployment.

The growing confrontation has also accelerated military development in South Korea, where President Lee Jae Myung recently oversaw the country’s first publicly demonstrated test of a domestically developed hypersonic weapon.

Seoul has condemned North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launches as violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions and has strengthened its surveillance and intelligence coordination with Washington and Tokyo.

North Korea’s expanding military relationship with Russia has added another complication to the security situation. Pyongyang has supplied Moscow with large quantities of ammunition and ballistic missiles for its war in Ukraine, strengthening ties between the two governments while drawing international concern about potential military and technological cooperation.

Against that backdrop, Trump’s renewed interest in meeting Kim comes as the North Korean leader appears increasingly determined to negotiate from a position of military strength, with an expanding nuclear arsenal and a growing collection of weapons designed to threaten American forces and allies throughout the Pacific.

Millions of Americans receiving Social Security benefits will see their monthly payments increase by 3.6% beginning in January 2027, federal officials announced Wednesday, providing an average increase of approximately $75 a month as retirees and disabled Americans continue struggling with rising prices for food, healthcare, housing and other necessities.

The Social Security Administration said the annual cost-of-living adjustment, commonly known as COLA, will affect approximately 72 million Social Security recipients and nearly 7.3 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income, although some individuals qualify for both programs.

The increase is intended to help beneficiaries maintain their purchasing power as inflation continues to affect household budgets. However, many older Americans say the additional money will provide little meaningful relief, particularly as Medicare expenses, prescription drug costs and property taxes continue climbing.

The announcement comes just weeks before the November midterm elections, with inflation and the cost of living remaining major concerns for voters across the country.

Under the new adjustment, a beneficiary receiving approximately $2,083 a month would see that payment rise by about $75, bringing the monthly benefit to roughly $2,158. Actual increases will vary depending on each recipient’s existing benefit amount.

Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano welcomed the adjustment, saying it would provide beneficiaries with “greater financial stability.”

The annual increase is calculated using a federal inflation measure designed to reflect changes in consumer prices. The formula automatically adjusts benefits to account for inflation, although critics argue that it does not adequately reflect the spending patterns of retirees, who often devote a larger portion of their income to healthcare and housing.

The adjustment comes amid renewed inflationary pressures, including higher energy costs. Government figures released last month showed that inflation accelerated in August as gasoline prices rose following renewed military conflict involving the United States and Iran.

The Social Security Administration also announced that the maximum amount of annual earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will increase from $184,500 in 2026 to $192,300 in 2027.

The payroll tax, which is paid by workers and their employers, provides the primary funding for Social Security retirement and disability benefits. Earnings above the annual taxable maximum are not subject to the Social Security portion of the payroll tax.

For some retirees, however, the increase in benefits is expected to be largely consumed by higher medical expenses.

Lorrie Ufkin, a 71-year-old retiree living near Rochester, Minnesota, said the additional Social Security income would do little to offset the healthcare costs she and her husband anticipate facing next year.

Ufkin expressed concern about the scheduled expiration of a temporary Medicare Part D subsidy program at the end of 2026, which she expects will result in higher prescription drug and insurance expenses.

Although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has projected relatively modest premium increases for most beneficiaries, Ufkin said her family’s individual circumstances could produce much larger expenses.

The COLA “doesn’t even meet what they’re going to do for changes to Medicare,” she told The Associated Press.

According to Ufkin, a medication taken by both her and her husband is expected to increase in price from $11 per monthly prescription to $200 per prescription.

She described the anticipated increase as “catastrophic.”

Advocates for older Americans say such concerns illustrate why even a relatively substantial annual adjustment may fail to improve the financial circumstances of retirees living on fixed incomes.

AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan warned that many seniors are entering 2027 with limited savings and growing anxiety about their ability to meet everyday expenses.

“There’s a lot on the line financially right now for older Americans — one in five have no retirement savings, and more people feel financially insecure this year than last. That makes Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment critically important,” she said.

Another retiree, 68-year-old Jaime Jakubczak of Buffalo, New York, said he had been forced to return to work after retiring at age 55 because his expenses had become increasingly difficult to manage.

Jakubczak pointed particularly to property taxes, which he said have become a significant burden. His community is considering an additional 3.9% property tax increase, further reducing the benefit of the Social Security adjustment.

He described the 3.6% increase as “a pittance,” arguing that the higher payments would be quickly absorbed by rising prices for groceries, gasoline, healthcare and local taxes.

“We were getting ahead a little bit with the COLA based on inflation, but the inflation is so high that it doesn’t offset what our COLA allowance is,” he said.

A September survey conducted by AARP found widespread skepticism among older Americans about whether the annual Social Security increase would adequately compensate for inflation.

Approximately three-quarters of respondents age 50 and older disagreed with the suggestion that a 3.5% adjustment for 2027 would be enough to keep pace with rising consumer prices.

Beyond the immediate debate over the size of the increase, Social Security faces a much larger financial challenge that Congress has yet to resolve.

According to the program’s June 2026 trustees’ report, Social Security’s combined retirement and disability trust fund reserves are projected to run out in 2034 if lawmakers fail to enact changes.

At that point, continuing payroll tax revenue and other income would be sufficient to pay approximately 83% of scheduled benefits, potentially leaving millions of retirees facing significant reductions in their expected payments.

The outlook is even more pressing for the trust fund specifically responsible for retirement and survivor benefits. That fund is projected to exhaust its reserves in 2032, when incoming revenue would cover approximately 78% of scheduled payments.

Lawmakers from both parties have proposed various measures to strengthen Social Security’s finances, although no comprehensive solution has been enacted.

Among the proposals is legislation supported by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio that would increase the amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes.

The senators argued in a June opinion article that eliminating the existing taxable earnings ceiling and treating higher incomes similarly to other wages “would generate substantial revenue that would extend the solvency of Social Security for another generation.”

The proposal would represent a major change to the current financing system, under which earnings above the annual payroll tax cap are exempt from Social Security taxes.

The Peterson Foundation has estimated that eliminating the ceiling could generate approximately $3 trillion in additional revenue over a decade.

Such proposals remain politically contentious, particularly among Republicans who have traditionally opposed tax increases on higher-income Americans.

Recent administrations have also approved measures intended to provide additional financial relief to retirees, although some of those changes have added to the program’s long-term financial obligations.

Under legislation enacted during Trump’s presidency, Americans age 65 and older became eligible for a temporary additional federal income tax deduction, subject to income limitations.

The deduction applies to eligible taxpayers’ income generally, rather than exclusively to Social Security benefits. As a result, retirees whose incomes are already too low to generate federal income tax liability may receive little or no benefit from the provision.

Americans who begin collecting Social Security before age 65 are also ineligible for the age-based deduction, while higher-income retirees may be excluded because of the provision’s income restrictions.

Separately, legislation signed by President Joe Biden in January 2025 eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, two longstanding federal rules that had reduced Social Security benefits for certain retirees receiving public-sector pensions.

That change increased payments for approximately 2.8 million Americans, including retired teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees whose benefits had previously been reduced.

For recipients preparing for the 2027 increase, the Social Security Administration says personalized notices detailing new benefit amounts will become available online beginning in late November, with mailed notices following in December.

Recipients who maintain a personal my Social Security account can review their adjusted benefits electronically. The agency has also encouraged beneficiaries to enroll in digital notifications by November 18 to receive their information earlier.

The higher payments will begin in January for Social Security beneficiaries, while individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income will receive their first increased payment on December 31, 2026.

The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it has eliminated federally subsidized Obamacare coverage for approximately 189,000 individuals identified as either deceased or already enrolled in other government healthcare programs, a move officials estimate will save American taxpayers roughly $1.5 billion over the coming year.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the latest action is part of a sweeping effort to eliminate improper payments under the Affordable Care Act and ensure that federal subsidies are directed only toward individuals who qualify for assistance.

Federal officials said the affected enrollments included individuals who were simultaneously receiving coverage through Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as people whose records indicated they had died.

The announcement represents another phase of President Donald Trump’s campaign to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in federally funded healthcare programs, with administration officials blaming years of suspended eligibility reviews under President Joe Biden for allowing hundreds of thousands of questionable enrollments to accumulate.

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz sharply criticized the previous administration’s handling of enrollment verification, arguing that the failure to conduct routine checks allowed improper payments to continue at taxpayers’ expense.

“When it comes to program integrity, the Biden Administration was sleeping on the job,” Oz said in a statement released by CMS.

“They paused looking for duplicate Medicaid and Obamacare coverage for four years, creating a backlog of hundreds of thousands of duplicate enrollments.”

According to CMS, the Biden administration suspended periodic reviews designed to identify overlapping Medicaid and Affordable Care Act enrollment between 2021 and 2024, leaving federal officials with a substantial backlog of cases requiring verification.

The Trump administration reinstated those reviews in 2025, when CMS identified approximately 551,000 individuals who were receiving Obamacare subsidies despite already having Medicaid coverage.

Federal officials estimate that terminating those overlapping subsidies produced nearly $4.4 billion in savings during the previous year.

Combined with the projected $1.5 billion in savings from Wednesday’s announcement, the administration says its efforts have already identified almost $6 billion in taxpayer savings across the two rounds of enforcement.

“We’ve already saved nearly $6 billion, and we will continue to work hard to restore taxpayers’ confidence that the programs they fund are spending their hard-earned dollars wisely and efficiently,” Oz said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the crackdown as a necessary step toward preserving federal healthcare assistance for eligible Americans while preventing the government from paying multiple times for overlapping coverage.

“Americans overwhelmingly support protecting access to healthcare for vulnerable Americans, but taxpayers shouldn’t pay twice for the same coverage,” Kennedy said.

The administration says its procedures include safeguards intended to protect eligible Americans from losing assistance because of errors in government records.

Individuals identified as receiving overlapping coverage are notified of the discrepancy and given 30 days to challenge the determination before their Affordable Care Act subsidies are discontinued.

Those who miss the initial deadline may still appeal the decision or demonstrate that their Medicaid or CHIP coverage is ending, potentially allowing them to regain eligibility for subsidized Marketplace insurance.

Similar protections apply when government databases incorrectly list a living individual as deceased. Federal officials contact the person or the individual’s estate and provide an opportunity to correct the record before terminating the subsidy and associated coverage.

Additional details released Wednesday indicate that the latest enforcement effort includes approximately 120,000 people with overlapping Medicaid coverage, 58,000 with Medicare coverage and 11,000 listed as deceased. Federal officials expect to identify approximately 3,500 additional cases before the end of October.

Health officials estimate that the latest actions will prevent approximately $738 million in improper payments during 2026, with annual savings potentially exceeding $1.5 billion thereafter.

The administration emphasized that the savings estimates concern payments to insurance companies for subsidized Marketplace policies. The identification of duplicate coverage does not necessarily mean that the affected individuals personally committed fraud.

Federal authorities have also been investigating improper Obamacare enrollments involving inaccurate income information and allegations that insurance brokers enrolled consumers in health plans without their knowledge or authorization.

The latest announcement follows a separate initiative launched by the White House Fraud Task Force in September, when officials moved to terminate more than 750,000 Affordable Care Act enrollments they identified as potentially fraudulent.

That earlier effort was projected to save approximately $2.2 billion and was presented as another major component of the administration’s campaign to strengthen eligibility verification.

Vice President JD Vance, who helped announce the September initiative, said the government was taking steps to ensure that federal healthcare subsidies were being distributed only to people who qualified for them.

“We’re actually making sure that people receiving Obamacare subsidies are actually entitled to receive them,” Vance said.

“Amazingly, we weren’t doing that before.”

CMS is also preparing additional enrollment-verification measures, including a requirement beginning in January 2027 for states to check Medicaid beneficiaries’ addresses as part of efforts to identify inaccurate or outdated enrollment information.

Violent confrontations broke out near Bnei Brak on Wednesday evening when dozens of extremist anti-draft demonstrators attempted to enter a military facility housing an IDF unit that oversees the integration of chareidi soldiers into the army. Police deployed substantial forces to the location to prevent the protesters from breaching the building, arresting two participants amid the disturbances.

The confrontation unfolded as demonstrators gathered outside the compound and attempted to push their way past security into the facility. Officers were dispatched to secure the premises, disperse the protesters and prevent further attempts to enter the building.

Police remained at the scene throughout the evening, working to restore order as tensions continued around the military installation.

The latest incident follows similar disturbances at the same location last week, when anti-draft activists also attempted to gain entry to the compound. The repeated confrontations have intensified concerns over the increasingly volatile demonstrations surrounding the enlistment of chareidi yeshiva students.

Activists associated with the Jerusalem Faction, which has organized numerous demonstrations against military conscription, have been involved in protests opposing the IDF’s efforts to recruit members of the chareidi community.

The facility targeted Wednesday houses a military unit tasked with facilitating the enlistment and integration of chareidi recruits, making it a focal point for demonstrators opposed to the army’s recruitment initiatives.

The unrest comes against the backdrop of the continuing controversy over the draft of yeshiva students, an issue that has generated widespread protests and political disputes over the status of bnei yeshiva and the government’s efforts to address military manpower requirements.

The attempted intrusion drew sharp criticism from political figures, including Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman, who issued a strongly worded denunciation of the protesters on social media.

“At this very moment, dozens of draft evaders are attempting to force their way into a military base,” Liberman wrote on X.

He called for an aggressive law enforcement response, describing the attempt to enter the military facility as an act warranting immediate arrests and imprisonment.

“Anyone who tries to break into an IDF base is simply a terrorist. They must all be arrested immediately and thrown in jail,” he declared.

The rabbonim of Yeshivas Knesses Yechezkel in Elad have taken the unusual step of vacating their own rooms to make space for bochurim after a significant increase in enrollment left the yeshiva struggling with overcrowded facilities at the beginning of the winter zeman.

The shortage of space developed as the yeshiva welcomed a growing number of talmidim while awaiting the arrival of additional buildings intended to accommodate its expanding student body. Unexpected delays in delivering the new structures have created serious difficulties in providing adequate living and learning accommodations.

Faced with the shortage, members of the yeshiva’s rabbinic staff relinquished their personal rooms so that the available space could be used by the bochurim.

The yeshiva administration is hopeful that the new buildings will arrive within the coming weeks, providing much-needed relief and allowing the talmidim to return to more comfortable living and learning arrangements.

In the meantime, the administration sought to express its appreciation to the bochurim for their patience and dedication to learning despite the difficult conditions.

Each bochur received an individually packaged pastry and a bottle of water, accompanied by a special letter of appreciation and encouragement from the rosh yeshiva, Rav Boruch Mordechai Ettinger.

Rav Ettinger personally signed the letter, praising the talmidim for their commitment to Torah learning despite the cramped conditions and the challenges they have encountered.

The rosh yeshiva emphasized the significance of their continued dedication to learning under difficult circumstances, expressing admiration for the perseverance they have demonstrated during the opening weeks of the winter zeman.

He also expressed hope that the housing shortage would soon be resolved and that the temporary logistical difficulties would not interfere with the continuity or quality of Torah learning in the yeshiva.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that Iran would launch nuclear attacks against countries in the Middle East, Europe and potentially the United States within 24 hours of acquiring a nuclear weapon, while predicting that the ongoing war with Tehran would soon come to an end. The president also left open the possibility of additional American military strikes, despite previously indicating that further action would be delayed until after the November 3 midterm elections.

Addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Arizona, Trump portrayed Iran’s leadership as having been devastated by successive American military operations, claiming that repeated strikes had eliminated multiple tiers of senior Iranian officials.

“Their first level leaders are gone, they picked a second level. Their second level leaders are gone, they picked a third level. Half of them are gone. They made me promise not to take out any more and I did. I promised them. But nobody wants to be the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump asserted.

Trump: "If Iran had a nuclear weapon, within 24 hours they would use it … they'll start hitting us on the west coast … so this is a very small price people pay. I thought it would go up much higher." pic.twitter.com/mfMt1GvxCR

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 14, 2026

Trump suggested that the conflict was approaching its conclusion, although he did not provide a specific timetable or explain what conditions would bring the fighting to an end.

“That’s going to end very soon.”

The president then issued one of his strongest warnings yet about the consequences of allowing Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons, arguing that the Iranian regime would immediately use such weapons against its enemies.

“if [Iran] had a nuclear weapon, within 24 hours they would use it. They’ll knock out the Middle East, then they’ll start hitting us on the West Coast. They’ll hit Europe – because they’re crazy. They’re crazy people,” Trump said.

Trump maintained that preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power remained the central justification for the American military campaign, describing the danger of allowing the regime to possess a weapon capable of causing catastrophic casualties.

He said the United States had intervened “because you don’t want them to have a weapon that can blow up millions of people in one shot.”

The remarks came as uncertainty continued over whether Washington would launch another round of attacks against Iranian targets before Americans head to the polls next month.

Trump had announced last Thursday on Truth Social that the United States would refrain from carrying out additional strikes against Iran until after the November 3 elections. His subsequent statements, however, have suggested that the administration could reconsider that timetable.

Speaking to reporters Monday, the president indicated that military decisions involving Iran would be determined by developments on the ground rather than the American election calendar.

At a campaign appearance in Alaska on Tuesday evening, Trump went further, telling supporters that the Iranian regime could soon face another major American military operation.

“Oh, wait till you see what we do to Iran. We’re going to do a number. Wait till you see,” he told supporters.

“They’re just waiting. They’re waiting. Wait till you see what we do to Iran, because we’ve sort of had it. You know, we’ve had it,” Trump continued.

The president also repeated his insistence that Iran would never be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons, pointing to the destruction of Iranian nuclear infrastructure during previous American strikes.

“But, you know, it doesn’t matter. The big thing is they were not going to have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t. That’s buried under thousands of tons of rock.”

Earlier Tuesday, Trump told reporters outside the White House that his administration was nearing a decision on how to proceed with Iran, emphasizing what he described as the country’s worsening financial and military condition.

“They have no economy. They have 300% inflation. They have no money. They’re not paying their troops. They’re not paying anybody. We’ll make a decision on Iran very soon,” Trump said.

The president characterized Iran as a “failed country,” arguing that the regime’s economic difficulties had further weakened its ability to sustain the conflict.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that preparations are underway for a massive expansion of oil, natural gas and mineral exploration in Greenland, pointing to what he described as extraordinary untapped energy reserves beneath the Arctic island as the United States moves to strengthen both its economic and military presence in the region.

The announcement comes approximately one month after Washington, Denmark and Greenland reached a landmark agreement expanding American military operations on the island while preserving Danish sovereignty and Greenland’s right to determine its own political future.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said that “massive” exploration activities were being prepared and suggested that Greenland could possess some of the world’s most accessible petroleum reserves.

The president offered no specific timetable for the proposed exploration, nor did he identify the companies expected to participate, the locations under consideration or the financial arrangements being developed.

However, he pointed to assessments suggesting that Greenland’s energy potential could be substantially greater than previously recognized.

Trump said “there are experts that are saying that ⁠the amount of easily available oil is ​far greater than that of almost any land, ⁠anywhere in the world.”

The remarks represent another significant development in Trump’s longstanding interest in Greenland, which has emerged as a major focus of his administration’s Arctic strategy because of its geographic location, natural resources and growing importance to American national security.

The island occupies a strategically important position between North America and Europe, making it a critical location for monitoring military activity across the North Atlantic and detecting potential threats approaching the United States from the Arctic.

Trump underscored that importance in his Wednesday statement, linking the expanded American presence in Greenland to his administration’s plans for a more advanced national missile defense system.

“Any future ‌attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense ⁠will routinely knock ‌down drones, missiles, ⁠or any other form of weapon not yet ⁠even conceived,” Trump wrote.

The president’s comments follow the September agreement between the United States, Denmark and Greenland, which was intended to resolve months of diplomatic tensions generated by Trump’s repeated demands for greater American control over the territory.

Under the arrangement, Washington is expected to expand its military footprint in Greenland, including the establishment of two additional American military bases and infrastructure connected to the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system.

At the same time, the agreement reaffirms that Greenland remains under Danish sovereignty and recognizes the right of Greenlanders to determine their own political future.

The agreement builds on decades of American military activity in Greenland, where the United States already operates Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base.

The installation, located in northwestern Greenland, supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations. Approximately 200 American military personnel are currently stationed there, a much smaller presence than the thousands of U.S. troops deployed across numerous installations during the Cold War.

Under the new security arrangement, the United States is preparing to expand its presence beyond Pituffik, with plans for additional facilities at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east.

The September agreement also includes restrictions designed to prevent countries outside NATO and other approved partnerships from gaining sensitive military or strategic economic footholds on the island. Those provisions are particularly relevant as Washington seeks to counter growing Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic.

Greenland’s mineral wealth is another major factor behind American interest. The island contains deposits of rare earth elements and other critical minerals used in military equipment, electronics, batteries and advanced manufacturing.

American policymakers have increasingly sought alternative sources of those materials as the United States attempts to reduce its dependence on China, which dominates important portions of the global rare earth supply chain.

However, the president’s announcement leaves several major questions unresolved.

Greenland’s government halted the issuance of new oil and gas exploration licenses in 2021, citing environmental concerns and the economic risks associated with petroleum development. The September security agreement did not grant the United States new rights to explore or extract Greenland’s natural resources.

Commercial development also presents considerable practical difficulties. Much of Greenland is covered by an enormous ice sheet, while its remote geography, severe weather, limited transportation infrastructure and high operating costs have complicated previous efforts to develop oil fields and mineral deposits.

The U.S. Geological Survey has identified potentially substantial offshore oil and natural gas resources, but those estimates do not establish how much petroleum could be extracted profitably.

One American company has been exploring the possibility of drilling in Greenland under previously issued permits, with activity potentially beginning in 2027. That project, however, is considerably smaller than the large-scale exploration effort described by Trump.

Greenland’s deputy mining minister, Jørgen Hammeken-Holm, indicated Wednesday that although resource development initiatives are being pursued, the territory remains far from the kind of extensive exploration and production envisioned by the president.

Trump’s announcement nevertheless generated immediate interest among investors, with shares of several companies connected to Greenland’s energy and mining industries rising sharply following his statement.

The administration has presented its Greenland strategy as part of a broader effort to strengthen American energy independence, secure critical minerals and establish a more formidable military position in the Arctic.

Whether Wednesday’s announcement leads to new drilling permits, major investments or actual resource production will depend on further negotiations with Greenlandic authorities, commercial feasibility studies and the willingness of private companies to commit substantial capital to projects in one of the world’s most challenging operating environments.

America’s nine largest federally regulated banks maintained policies that restricted financial services based on customers’ political views, religious beliefs or involvement in lawful industries, according to a major federal investigation released Wednesday that uncovered widespread concerns about politically motivated discrimination in the banking system.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency found that all nine institutions had policies in place at various points between 2020 and September 2025 that could prevent individuals, organizations and businesses from obtaining banking services for reasons unrelated to their financial qualifications.

The findings, released as part of an investigation ordered by President Donald Trump, detail instances in which financial institutions closed accounts, rejected credit applications or restricted business relationships involving conservative organizations, religious nonprofits and companies operating in politically controversial industries.

The investigation examined the practices of JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Capital One, PNC, TD Bank and BMO Bank.

Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould sharply criticized the findings, arguing that major financial institutions had improperly used their control over banking services to exclude customers whose beliefs or activities were considered objectionable.

“Today’s report provides irrefutable evidence that the nation’s largest banks have denied, debanked and discriminated against customers and lawful businesses,” Gould said in a statement accompanying the report.

The investigation was conducted under an executive order issued by Trump directing federal regulators to examine whether financial institutions had denied banking services to Americans because of their political affiliations, religious convictions or participation in lawful commercial activities.

Federal investigators reviewed nearly 100,000 complaints and approximately 420,000 pages of internal banking records, providing regulators with an extensive collection of information about how financial institutions evaluated customers and determined which businesses they would serve.

Among the most striking examples involved WePay, a payment-processing company previously owned by JPMorgan Chase, which terminated accounts belonging to merchants selling merchandise supporting Trump and the Make America Great Again movement.

According to the findings, WePay’s screening procedures identified politically associated terms, including “MAGA,” “Make America Great,” and “America First,” as potential grounds for additional scrutiny or account restrictions.

The processor also closed accounts connected to conservative religious organizations, including an organization that had been designated an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Another case involved PNC, where internal communications reportedly showed employees objecting to the political views of a media company’s owners while the bank was considering a request for credit.

The company was ultimately denied a line of credit after employees raised concerns about the owners’ publicly expressed conservative positions.

One PNC employee wrote that the business owners held views “very contrary to PNC’s beliefs/values.”

The report also described allegations involving Wells Fargo, which reportedly pressured a payment-processing company to discontinue its relationship with a religious nonprofit because of the organization’s position on same-sex marriage.

Wells Fargo additionally declined lending opportunities involving firearms-related businesses amid concerns about possible pressure from the Biden administration.

Other institutions imposed restrictions affecting entire categories of otherwise lawful businesses.

Bank of America limited relationships with companies involved in operating private prisons, while various banks maintained restrictions affecting the oil and gas industry, coal companies, firearms businesses and digital-asset firms.

The investigation indicated that political and ideological considerations sometimes became intertwined with financial institutions’ assessments of reputational and regulatory risk, raising questions about whether customers were being evaluated on legitimate banking criteria or on the acceptability of their views and activities.

Although conservative and religious organizations featured prominently in the report, investigators also identified examples involving organizations associated with liberal political causes.

Capital One, for example, declined to provide services to an abortion-rights organization as well as a gun-rights advocacy group, reportedly because of concerns that maintaining those relationships could be interpreted as endorsing the organizations’ positions.

The findings suggest that the issue extended beyond any single political movement, with banks at times avoiding customers whose activities or beliefs were considered controversial.

The OCC acknowledged that its investigation could not establish the complete number of customers affected by discriminatory banking practices or calculate the total financial losses suffered by individuals and businesses denied access to services.

The regulator also distinguished between legitimate financial risk assessments and decisions influenced by subjective judgments about a customer’s reputation, political associations or lawful activities.

JPMorgan Chase responded to the findings by acknowledging problems with WePay’s previous screening practices. The bank said those procedures did not meet its standards and had been corrected before the payment-processing operation was discontinued.

All nine banks informed regulators that they had modified their policies following increased scrutiny of their account restrictions and customer-screening procedures.

Nevertheless, Gould warned that voluntary changes might not be sufficient to prevent similar practices from recurring.

“Notwithstanding certain efforts by the largest banks to rein in these practices, I am not confident that they will be enough,” Gould said, indicating that the OCC would examine further changes to its regulatory and supervisory framework.

The agency has already taken steps to remove broad reputational-risk considerations from certain bank examinations, revise how potentially improper account closures are evaluated during regulatory reviews, and improve the handling of customer complaints.

A separate federal investigation is also being launched by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to determine whether banks violated consumer financial protection laws through their account-closure and lending practices.

Acting CFPB Director Mark Paoletta condemned the conduct described in the report, saying that financial institutions should not be permitted to penalize Americans for their personal convictions.

“It is appalling that these banks targeted American consumers for their political, social, or religious beliefs,” Paoletta said.

The findings could lead to additional regulatory action as the Trump administration seeks to establish stricter protections against politically or religiously motivated banking restrictions.

Gould emphasized that financial institutions must make decisions based on legitimate banking considerations rather than ideological preferences.

“Fair access to financial services is not a mantra — it is a mandate,” he said.