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The contiguous United States experienced its hottest July since recordkeeping began, according to newly released data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with record-breaking overnight temperatures helping push the month past previous highs.

NOAA reported that the average temperature across the lower 48 states and Washington, D.C., reached 76.9 degrees Fahrenheit in July. That edged out the previous record set in July 1936 and matched again in July 2012 by approximately 0.1 to 0.2 degrees. Federal temperature records date back to 1895.

While daytime heat was extreme, it did not set a record. Average daytime highs reached 89.5 degrees Fahrenheit, making this July the sixth-hottest on record for daytime maximum temperatures.

Nighttime temperatures, however, reached unprecedented levels. Overnight lows averaged 64.2 degrees Fahrenheit—3.7 degrees above the historical average and the warmest monthly overnight average ever recorded. The figure also exceeded the previous record, set in July 2022, by 0.7 degrees.

According to an analysis by Climate Central using data collected between 1970 and 2024, climate change has contributed to increasingly warmer summer nights across the United States.

Conditions varied outside the contiguous states. Alaska recorded average temperatures 0.9 degrees below its long-term average from 1925 through 2000, while Hawaii finished the month 0.6 degrees warmer than its 1991-2020 average.

NOAA said temperatures were “much-above-average” across large portions of the country, including the interior West, the Southwest, the Rocky Mountains, the northern Plains, the upper Midwest, and sections of the Gulf Coast and Southeast. Thirteen states experienced one of their five warmest Julys on record, with Wyoming setting an all-time July record, finishing 0.9 degrees above its previous high.

The extreme heat coincided with unusually dry conditions across much of the northern Rockies, northern Plains, upper Midwest, Northeast, southern Plains, Mississippi Valley, central Gulf Coast, and Southeast, according to NOAA.

Other regions experienced the opposite pattern, with above-average rainfall recorded across parts of the West, Southwest, central Plains, and upper Midwest.

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported that approximately 48.5% of the contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., remained in drought conditions. More than two-thirds of Puerto Rico was also experiencing drought.

Since President Donald Trump returned to office, the Environmental Protection Agency has shifted its approach to climate policy. Last month, the agency proposed easing emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, arguing that the change would reduce regulatory compliance costs for manufacturers.

The war of words between Vice President JD Vance and Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed escalated this week, with Vance dismissing the progressive candidate as “crazy” after El-Sayed accused him of abandoning his principles in pursuit of political power.

The latest exchange began Wednesday when El-Sayed criticized Vance during a campaign appearance, referring to him as “Peter Thiel’s boy,” a reference to the billionaire technology investor who employed Vance earlier in his career.

“I think we’ve had enough of him,” El-Sayed said.

Continuing his attack, El-Sayed argued that Vance had abandoned positions he once held.

“The last thing that he said that made any sense was ‘Hillbilly Elegy.’ After he said that Donald Trump had no business being president of anything, that was the last time he made sense, and then he decided to suck up to power,” El-Sayed added.

He went on to accuse Republicans of prioritizing power and financial interests over public service.

“But that’s exactly what this is about. You’ve got Republicans who will do anything for power and money, including corrupt their office.”

Asked later in the week about El-Sayed’s comments, Vance dismissed the Democratic nominee and argued that he would be a poor choice to represent Michigan in the Senate.

“He would be a terrible senator for the people of Michigan.”

Speaking in an interview that aired Saturday on Fox News’s Saturday in America, Vance criticized El-Sayed for attacking him personally instead of focusing on issues affecting Michigan voters.

“He’s just kind of an odd guy, but I think that it’s telling that instead of talking about what he wants to do to make the lives of Michiganders better, he takes personal insults at me. I’m the vice president, it comes with the territory,” Vance said.

Vance concluded his remarks by predicting Michigan voters would reject El-Sayed in November.

“I think the guy’s crazy and would be a terrible senator for the people of Michigan. We’re going to make that case, and obviously the people in Michigan are going to make their vote,” he added.

El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for the Michigan Senate seat last week after narrowly defeating moderate Rep. Haley Stevens in one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries of the election cycle. The race was widely viewed as a test of the ideological direction of the Democratic Party heading into November.

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Police have arrested and charged a third suspect in connection with the March shootings that targeted two shuls in the Greater Toronto Area, completing the roundup of all known suspects. The announcement comes as Jewish community leaders continue urging investigators to determine whether foreign actors played a role in orchestrating the attacks.

York Regional Police announced that a 23-year-old Barrie resident has been charged in connection with a string of shooting incidents that occurred across Toronto and York Region in March, including attacks on two shuls that took place about an hour apart, CityNews Toronto reported.

The first shooting occurred just before midnight on March 6 after residents near York Hill Boulevard and Clark Avenue West in Vaughan reported hearing gunfire. Officers responding to the scene found bullet holes in the front entrance of the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto shul. Two people were inside the building at the time, but neither was injured.

Shortly after midnight on March 7, Toronto police were called to another shooting at the Shaarei Shomayim shul, located near Glencairn Avenue and Bathurst Street. Investigators found damage to the building’s entrance caused by gunfire. No one was inside the shul when the shots were fired.

The two attacks, carried out within roughly an hour of each other, sent shockwaves through Jewish communities across the Greater Toronto Area and prompted a joint investigation by Toronto Police and York Regional Police.

Earlier this year, York Regional Police charged two individuals in connection with the shootings. Continued cooperation between the two police services ultimately led investigators to identify and charge the 23-year-old suspect as an alleged participant in both shul attacks.

Police noted that the suspect had already been facing charges stemming from two additional shooting incidents in Vaughan and Aurora.

Investigators now say there are no remaining outstanding suspects in the shul shooting investigation. The accused faces numerous charges, including two counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offense, four counts of reckless discharge of a firearm, two counts of mischief relating to religious property, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime valued at more than $5,000, as well as several weapons-related offenses.

Authorities emphasized that the joint investigation remains ongoing and encouraged anyone with additional information to come forward.

Following the announcement, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) welcomed the latest arrest while stressing that major questions remain unanswered.

“The laying of charges against the third and final suspect in connection with the March shootings targeting GTA shuls marks an important development in this investigation. With no outstanding suspects, we commend Toronto and York Regional Police for their work to identify and apprehend all those alleged to have carried out these attacks.”

CIJA argued that investigators must now determine who may have orchestrated the attacks from behind the scenes.

“However, the important question remains: who or which ‘foreign entities’ directed those accused of carrying out the shootings? Last week, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw again raised concerns about local youth and criminals being hired to commit acts of violence on Canadian soil.”

The organization pointed to broader national security concerns involving possible Iranian involvement.

“This announcement comes within the broader context of Canada’s Integrated Threat Assessment Centre warning of a ‘realistic possibility’ that Iran’s Islamic regime is directing local criminal elements to target Canadians. As well, the federal government’s Secretary of State for Combatting Crime has acknowledged that a ‘foreign entity’ is behind attacks against shuls in Toronto.”

CIJA also referenced recent developments in the United States, saying they add to those concerns.

“Recent charges brought by US prosecutors add further urgency to these concerns, with prosecutors alleging that an Iranian-proxy Kataib Hezbollah directed attacks in Canada through local criminal networks, including the shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto,” said CIJA.

The organization concluded by urging investigators to continue pursuing anyone who may have planned or financed the attacks.

“With the alleged perpetrators now in custody, investigators must continue working to identify and hold accountable anyone or any foreign actor who may have recruited, directed, or financed these attacks. And governments at all levels must ensure security services and police have the tools they need to confront the dangerous trend of a growing convergence between international terrorism, Iran’s Islamic regime, youth radicalization, and local criminal elements,” the organization concluded.

The arrests come amid a significant increase in antisemitic incidents across Toronto and the surrounding area since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel.

In early March, gunfire struck Temple Emanu-El in North York while congregants were celebrating Purim. Although no one was hurt, the shul sustained damage.

Later, in April, a man allegedly attempted to force his way into an Orthodox shul in Thornhill, just north of Toronto, assaulting one individual before fleeing.

The following day, someone threw a rock through the window of a Judaica store in Toronto, marking the third attack on that business.

More recently, two separate locations of a Jewish-owned bakery in Toronto were targeted in attacks that occurred within an hour of one another.

{Matzav.com}

New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji will travel to Syria and Lebanon next month accompanied by members of her taxpayer-funded NYPD security detail, despite both countries remaining on the US State Department’s “Do Not Travel” list, according to a report by the New York Post.

Sources told the Post that Duwaji is scheduled to depart for the Middle East on Sept. 20, visiting Syria and Lebanon, both of which the State Department warns Americans to avoid because of ongoing security risks.

According to a source familiar with the arrangements, Duwaji—whom Mayor Zohran Mamdani has frequently described as a “private person”—requested police protection for the trip after traveling overseas last month without an NYPD security detail.

Duwaji, a 29-year-old Syrian-American artist, has longstanding family ties to the region. On her personal website, she describes herself as a “Syrian Illustrator,” and her parents are Syrian Muslims originally from Damascus.

The mayor’s office confirmed both the trip and the decision to assign NYPD officers to accompany her.

“Upon the strong recommendation of the NYPD, the First Lady’s security detail will be joining her when she travels to visit family in Syria and Lebanon,” said mayoral spokesperson Dora Pekec.

City Hall declined to provide additional details about the itinerary or say whether the trip has any purpose beyond visiting relatives.

A source familiar with the plans insisted the journey is entirely personal.

“It’s not official business. It’s not doing anything for the city.”

Former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, criticized the decision to send NYPD officers into what he described as dangerous conflict zones, arguing that the officers—not Duwaji—would face the greatest risks.

“We’re putting the police officers in danger. They will be viewed as the bad guys. These are war zones,” said Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism and a former Brooklyn Assemblyman.

Hikind also argued that Duwaji herself would not face threats because of her political positions.

“Duwaji doesn’t need security. She will get a hero’s welcome and be protected by Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis,” Hikind said, referring to Islamic terrorists and militants.

“Duwaji will be fine.”

Duwaji previously participated in a 2019 artist residency at Haven for Artists in Beirut, a feminist cultural organization that describes its mission as operating at “the intersection of art and activism.”

Earlier this summer, she co-hosted an all-female pro-Palestinian spiritual retreat on the French island of Corsica. The event was organized by Women Sanctuary, a travel organization focused on Muslim women and led by Paris-based designer Rym Nur.

She also skipped America’s 250th anniversary celebrations to attend an earlier Women Sanctuary retreat in Mallorca, Spain, where she served as the event’s “artist-in-residence” and led a sold-out workshop titled “Plants Of The Quran.”

At the time, the mayor’s office said no NYPD officers accompanied Duwaji during that overseas trip.

Like her husband, Duwaji has drawn attention for her outspoken pro-Palestinian activism and criticism of Israel.

Following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, reports surfaced that Duwaji had curated Spotify playlists featuring songs with explicit anti-Israel lyrics.

She also came under scrutiny after reportedly liking Instagram posts celebrating Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, as well as a separate post claiming that reports of rapes committed by Hamas terrorists against Israeli victims and hostages were a “mass hoax.”

Weeks before Mamdani assumed office, a profile in New York magazine highlighted a number of Duwaji’s past social media posts. Among them was a 2015 message asserting that Tel Aviv “shouldn’t exist in the first place” and referring to its residents as “occupiers.” Another post from her teenage years included the use of a racial slur.

In April, Duwaji issued an apology for the “hurt” caused by her past online posts, although she stopped short of specifically apologizing for her anti-Israel statements.

Mayor Mamdani has defended his wife throughout the controversy, arguing that she is a “private person” who should not be subjected to intense public scrutiny over old social media activity.

Duwaji has also been active in Democratic Socialist political causes. She produced artwork for the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America during the group’s “PalestineOnTheBallot.com” campaign, which promoted Democratic primary candidates who refused funding from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and pledged support for the Not on Our Dime Act, legislation aimed at penalizing or dissolving registered charities found to support what the bill defines as “Israeli settler violence.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Monday that he has not spoken with Attorney General Todd Blanche or US Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, about the possibility of prosecuting Dr. Anthony Fauci after the former top health official repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during recent Senate testimony.

When asked by reporters whether he had discussed the matter with either Blanche or Pirro, Trump made clear he had not been involved in any conversations regarding potential legal action against Fauci.

“I have not spoken to him about that, no,” Trump told reporters when asked whether he had discussed the matter with either Blanche or Pirro, NBC News reports.

Last week, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-5 along party lines to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress after he declined to answer questions issued under subpoena concerning his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the July 29 hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 100 times rather than respond to lawmakers’ questions.

Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) announced Thursday that the committee had formally referred the contempt citation to both the Justice Department and Jeanine Pirro’s office for possible prosecution. The Justice Department has acknowledged receiving the referral and said it is currently reviewing the matter.

Fauci retired from government service in 2022 after leading the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for decades. Before leaving office in January 2025, President Joe Biden granted Fauci a preemptive presidential pardon.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said Monday that federal immigration authorities have set back-to-back monthly records for arrests of illegal immigrants and predicted those figures will continue rising as the administration hires more agents and broadens enforcement efforts nationwide.

Appearing on Greg Kelly Reports on Newsmax, Homan said Immigration and Customs Enforcement reached an all-time monthly high in June before surpassing that mark again in July.

“June was the highest month in the history of the agency,” Homan said on “Greg Kelly Reports” in reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “July, they broke another record, and I expect to break another record in August.”

According to ICE statistics, agents arrested 43,138 illegal immigrants in June, setting a new record for Trump’s second term. Homan said July’s total exceeded even that milestone.

“We’re removing more people — [a] record number of arrests and deportations,” Homan said.

Homan also dismissed criticism from some Trump supporters who argue the administration has not moved aggressively enough on deportations, saying the removal process involves far more than simply locating someone in the country illegally.

“We’ve got to find the alien who doesn’t want to be found,” Homan said. “We’ve got to take them into detention. Then there’s a process. Get travel documents, get orders of removal to remove them. It’s not just a daily thing. It doesn’t happen that easily.”

He said ICE has continued to post record enforcement numbers despite numerous legal and logistical obstacles, including court rulings, sanctuary jurisdictions, and foreign governments that are slow to cooperate by issuing travel documents.

“Despite all that, despite the injunctions, despite the radical judges, despite the sanctuary cities, despite the difficulty in moving aliens to countries that don’t want to give us travel documents, we’re making record historic number of arrests and deportations,” he said.

Even with the recent gains, Homan said he believes the administration can accomplish much more once additional personnel are deployed.

“Am I happy with the number right now? No, I want more, too,” he said. “And as we bring these thousands of more agents on, we expect those numbers to increase, and we’re going to keep fighting.”

Homan added that one of his priorities is expanding immigration enforcement at workplaces to identify and apprehend more illegal immigrants.

He also linked the administration’s immigration enforcement campaign to President Trump’s broader law-and-order initiative in Washington, D.C., saying federal authorities have removed “thousands of illegal aliens” from the nation’s capital, including individuals he described as threats to public safety.

Police data released through Monday showed overall crime in Washington down 20% compared to the same period last year. Homicides have fallen 31%, robberies are down 15%, and vehicle thefts have dropped 53%. However, overall violent crime has increased 3%, driven by a 41% rise in assaults involving dangerous weapons.

Reflecting on conditions in the capital, Homan said he has seen a dramatic improvement.

“I work in the city every day,” Homan said. “I’ve never seen it so clean and so safe again.”

{Matzav.com}

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A group of New York rabbis met privately with Mayor Zohran Mamdani at City Hall today, urging him to temper his rhetoric about Israel, speak more carefully about the conflict, consistently condemn Hamas, and devote greater attention to combating antisemitism and protecting the city’s shuls and Jewish institutions.

The hour-long meeting, organized Monday by the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, brought together 10 Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative rabbis for what participants described as an open and respectful conversation about the concerns of New York’s Jewish community.

According to The New York Times, the participants did not present a unified position on Israel. While some encouraged the mayor to moderate his criticism of the Jewish state, others said they would rather see him stop commenting on Israel altogether and instead focus on issues that fall within his responsibilities as mayor.

Several rabbis told Mamdani they do not object to criticism of Israel or Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, but urged him to express those views with greater nuance. They also encouraged him to condemn Hamas more consistently and to make clear that American Jews should not be blamed for decisions made by Israel’s government.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said he told Mamdani that the mayor has the ability to significantly improve the current atmosphere.

“I’m happy to work in partnership with your administration, but Mr. Mayor, you are 90 percent of what could be different here,” Jacobs recalled telling him.

“If instead of vilifying Israel, you spoke constructively, in measured tones, that would move the needle more than anything else, and I’m hopeful you’ll use that power.”

Despite representing different religious movements and political viewpoints, those present agreed that Mamdani’s relationship with the city’s Jewish community requires meaningful improvement, one participant told The New York Times on condition of anonymity because the discussion was held behind closed doors.

Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor and a longtime critic of Israel, has faced continued tension with many segments of the city’s Jewish population since taking office.

“There was no tiptoeing around the elephant in the room,” said Rabbi Jonathan Leener, who leads Prospect Heights Shul, a liberal Modern Orthodox congregation in Brooklyn.

“The mayor’s comments have ramifications and he needs to be aware of how in the current climate, that just adds to the temperature and creates an environment that I think a lot of Jews feel vulnerable in,” Leener said.

Two additional rabbis who attended the meeting said concerns about rising antisemitism and the safety of Jewish New Yorkers were echoed by many participants.

The discussion followed Mamdani’s widely publicized speech last month in which he described Netanyahu as a “war criminal.” He later acknowledged that New York law would prevent him from fulfilling a campaign promise to arrest the Israeli prime minister.

Even among Jewish New Yorkers who oppose Netanyahu’s government, some expressed concern that increasingly harsh rhetoric directed at Israel could contribute to greater hostility toward Jews living in the city.

Rabbi Rachel Timoner of Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn said Mamdani should do more to distinguish criticism of Israel from attitudes toward American Jews.

“If he is going to criticize Israel or speak for Palestinian freedom, which I do regularly, then it really matters that there is complexity in his message,” she said.

“We can’t vote there, we don’t have any ability to change what’s happening, yet people are profiling us and spewing hate at us because they’re angry at the Israeli government.”

Timoner said she also encouraged the mayor to speak about antisemitism with the same force and clarity that he has previously used when discussing Islamophobia following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Several attendees said Mamdani listened attentively throughout the meeting and thanked the participants for speaking candidly.

Phylisa Wisdom, executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, described the meeting as “open, positive and constructive.”

“Mayor Mamdani has and will continue to engage with Jewish life in New York City in order to meet the needs of our communities and reaffirm his commitment to the thriving of Jewish communities across the five boroughs,” she said in a statement.

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, built much of his political career through pro-Palestinian activism. While attending Bowdoin College, he founded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and led an unsuccessful effort to persuade the school to join an academic boycott of Israel.

Although the mayor has moderated some of his positions on other political issues since taking office, he has largely maintained his longstanding views regarding Israel.

Leener, who identifies as a Zionist and has family living in Israel, said he never expected the meeting to change Mamdani’s opinions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Instead, he said his priority was urging the mayor to focus on protecting Jewish New Yorkers by increasing police security around synagogues and other Jewish institutions.

“That should be his focus and not making comments unnecessarily about the conflict,” Leener said. “Or having a bit more nuance around it. That it’s not just good versus evil.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump intensified his attacks on Democrats on Monday, declaring that “jihadists” are being elected across the country as Republicans continue to portray the Democratic Party as moving sharply to the left ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump argued that Americans are seeing the rise of extremist ideologies in politics, though he did not identify any specific candidates. “Well, the one thing is, we have jihadists being elected all over the place,” Trump told reporters, according to CNN.

Expanding on his criticism, Trump added, “We have this whether it’s communism, jihadism.”

Throughout the election cycle, Trump has repeatedly accused Democrats and Democratic Socialists of embracing communist ideas. More recently, he has also begun using the term “jihadists” when attacking members of the Democratic Party.

The president said the phrase was suggested to him by a friend.

“A friend of mine called up,” Trump said, recounting that the person told him, “You know, really, you should use the word jihadist because that’s what’s happening.”

Asked to elaborate, Trump pointed to candidates from countries including Somalia as examples of those he was referencing.

Trump has long been a vocal critic of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who was born in Somalia. In the past, he has called on Omar and another Muslim member of Congress to go “back from where they came.”

The president has also focused his criticism on Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who is Muslim.

During a campaign rally in Las Vegas last week, Trump described El-Sayed as a “hater of Jews and hater of Israel.”

El-Sayed has been an outspoken critic of the Israeli government and its policies.

Over the weekend, Trump posted an image on social media comparing a photograph of himself and First Lady Melania Trump with one of El-Sayed and his wife, Sarah Jukaku, who wears a hijab. The accompanying caption read, “Two very different Americas.”

Appearing Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, El-Sayed responded by agreeing that the two images reflected different visions of the country, while offering his own interpretation.

“Yeah, he’s right. One in which your overlords are two people who don’t like each other but join in the interest of making billions of dollars off of you. Or, two people who genuinely love each other, enjoyed some pancakes together, want to come together to build the kind of America where they can raise a family and know that that family is going to have the good thing,” El-Sayed said. “So, yes, you got two different visions of America.”

Since El-Sayed secured the Democratic Senate nomination last week, national Republicans have stepped up their attacks against him, with some choosing to refer to him by his full name, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed.

Trump has repeatedly argued that the Democratic Party has been overtaken by “godless Communists” and has warned that communist ideology poses a growing danger to the United States. Democratic Socialists, while advocating policies well to the left of mainstream Democrats, maintain that their political beliefs are distinct from communism.

{Matzav.com}

Fresh off his Democratic primary victory in Michigan’s Senate race, Abdul El-Sayed reaffirmed his belief that Hamas committed war crimes while also accusing Israel of carrying out war crimes and genocide in Gaza. The remarks, made during a recent interview, come as President Donald Trump intensifies his attacks on the progressive nominee ahead of the general election.

Speaking on The Jim Acosta Show, El-Sayed was asked to clarify his position on the Israel-Hamas war. He began by reiterating that he has consistently denounced Hamas, saying, “I condemned Hamas on day one, right? I think they’re wrong. I think they committed war crimes. That’s not hard to say.”

Abdul El-Sayed on Hamas:

I condemned Hamas on day one, right? I think they’re wrong.

I think they committed war crimes. That’s not hard to say.

I just don’t know why it’s also not hard to say that, in response, the Israeli government also committed war crimes, including… pic.twitter.com/LPMtQpS64f

— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 10, 2026

He then shifted his focus to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, arguing that the same standard should apply to Israel’s conduct. “I just don’t know why it’s also not hard to say that in response, the Israeli government also committed war crimes, including genocide.”

El-Sayed framed the debate as one centered on how American taxpayer dollars should be spent, arguing that Washington should prioritize domestic needs instead of funding overseas conflicts.

“The question for us is ultimately about where we use our tax dollars. That is the political question,” he argued, continuing, “I think people like to get involved in this big, long question of what’s good for Israel or how we ought to be engaged in a conflict. My point is that our job is not to give money to make the conflict worse. Our job is to use our money here. And I believe that it is up to a free Palestinian people and free Jewish Israeli people to decide what the ultimate peace ought to look like.”

Continuing that argument, El-Sayed said he believes federal spending should be directed toward improving life in the United States rather than supporting military operations abroad.

“I just know that right now, our tax dollars are making it far worse. And I don’t want our money that could be used to make education and opportunity better for our people to be used to make life worse for other people.”

El-Sayed captured the Democratic nomination for the Michigan Senate seat last week after narrowly defeating moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, a closely watched contest viewed by many as a test of the Democratic Party’s ideological direction.

Throughout the primary campaign, El-Sayed faced criticism over his positions on Israel. That scrutiny intensified after a terrorist attempted to bomb and open fire on a Jewish preschool located at a Michigan synagogue earlier this year, when El-Sayed responded by saying that “hurt people hurt people.”

His campaign prominently featured opposition to continued US military aid to Israel and harsh criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza. He has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide, called for ending unconditional American assistance, and previously said in an interview that the Israeli government is “as evil as Hamas.”

Following El-Sayed’s primary victory, President Donald Trump launched a series of blistering attacks against the Democratic nominee during an appearance in Nevada.

“When I watch Abdul, he’s full of [garbage],” Trump stated during a Wednesday event in Nevada, describing El-Sayed as a “man of hate” and alleging that he harbors hostility toward Jewish people.

“He’s a communist. And the polls were wrong again last night when they thought it would be a landslide victory for a hater of Jews and a hater of Israel,” Trump declared.

Trump continued his criticism by expanding on those accusations, saying, “This guy hates Jews. Somebody said, ‘Oh, that’s a little strong’. No, he hates Jews and he hates Israel…He’s a man of hate. And now he’s going around saying, ‘No, I love everybody.’ He doesn’t love everybody. Put him in office. You’re going to find out what he loves.”

The president also claimed that El-Sayed’s views toward Israel and the Jewish community were deeply rooted.

Trump further asserted that the primary victor “doesn’t love Israel. He doesn’t love Jewish people. He hates them. He hates them with a passion that burns in his heart.”

Looking ahead to November, Trump predicted that Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers would prevail in the general election, expressing confidence that Rogers would emerge victorious.

“Actually, we do better against the communists, according to every poll. The poll says we do better against the communists. So he won. And so I think I’m happy. I put out a statement: Congratulations to the Republican Party.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Dov Landau declared that the Torah world is facing an unprecedented campaign against Torah learning, calling on bnei yeshiva to respond not with despair but with even greater hasmadah and dedication to Torah. Speaking at a gathering celebrating the expansion of the chareidi community in Rechasim, Rav Landau said every ben Torah is feeling the weight of new gezeiros directed at the Torah world.

The rosh yeshiva delivered the remarks while addressing a special event marking the continued growth of chareidi education and the expanding Rechasim community in northern Eretz Yisroel. Hundreds of residents, rabbonim, and bnei Torah participated in the gathering, which was held in a large tent erected especially for the occasion.

“We are now standing at the threshold of the Days of Mercy and Forgiveness,” Rav Landau said as he reflected on the difficult challenges confronting the chareidi community.

“All of us, all those devoted to Torah, feel the persecution of Torah and the schemes of the wicked among Israel to undermine the honor of the Torah and those who study it,” he said. “We are all experiencing the hardships that continue to multiply as new decrees are imposed. We see the humiliation of Torah and the persecution of its students, and we are powerless.”

Rav Landau also spoke about the remarkable growth taking place in Rechasim, where hundreds of new homes and institutions are being developed to accommodate expanding yeshiva families.

At the same time, he emphasized that despite the physical growth of the community, the spiritual and communal challenges now confronting the chareidi world are more serious than ever.

Rav Landau said the proper response to the current crisis and what he described as the persecution of the Torah world cannot rest solely on ordinary public efforts. Instead, he stressed that the primary answer is a renewed commitment to Torah learning and tefillah.

“Your role, your privilege, and your obligation is to increase more and more in Torah study, in its depth and in the effort you invest in it,” he told the bnei yeshiva and lomdim gathered at the event.

“Be strengthened and courageous in immersing yourselves completely in Torah study. Raise the banner of Torah, elevate the honor of Torah against those plotting to cast it into the dust, and grow ever stronger in the struggle for Torah, because the Torah is truth and the Torah is eternal,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A credible Iranian assassination plot targeting President Donald Trump triggered an extraordinary covert security operation last month, with the president secretly transferred onto a different US military aircraft while reporters and even some White House aides believed he was traveling aboard Air Force One, according to a report published Monday by The Washington Post.

The previously undisclosed mission was carried out under tight secrecy, with embedded journalists and several White House staff members unaware that Trump was no longer on the aircraft they believed was carrying him. The Washington Post said its account was based on operational documents, a US official familiar with the mission, and another source with knowledge of presidential travel procedures.

Publicly, the White House maintained that Trump departed Turkey on July 8 aboard the traditional Air Force One aircraft. Earlier, Trump had posted on social media that he intended to fly on the “former Air Force One” instead of the Boeing 747-8 donated to the United States by Qatar, an aircraft that had drawn public attention over its security capabilities and which Trump said would receive additional defensive upgrades.

Television cameras captured Trump boarding the familiar blue-and-white Air Force One in Ankara. But shortly afterward, officials quietly moved him to a smaller Air Force C-32A aircraft using an airport catering truck normally used to load food onto planes, according to a US official and records reviewed by The Washington Post. The larger aircraft then continued its mission as a decoy, carrying members of the press and White House staff who believed the president was still on board.

Trump was in Ankara for a NATO summit with world leaders. The secret transfer took place one night after he ordered a new round of US airstrikes against Iranian targets following the collapse of negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending months of hostilities.

The operation successfully concealed Trump’s actual location for several hours, not only from the public but also from numerous senior US government officials. Even weeks later, it remains uncertain how many people within the administration were informed about the security measures.

After being presented with details of the operation by The Washington Post, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the Qatari aircraft in a statement.

“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” Cheung stated, adding, “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”

A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment directly, referring all questions to the White House, while the Secret Service did not respond to requests for comment.

Throughout the operation, official White House communications continued to state publicly that Trump had departed Turkey aboard the traditional Air Force One Boeing 747, the aircraft he had used before the Qatari plane entered service.

The Washington Post’s account follows reporting last month by The New York Times, which revealed that US officials abruptly changed Trump’s aircraft after receiving intelligence about a credible assassination threat from Iranian proxy groups targeting both the president and his plane.

As the emergency aircraft transfer unfolded, reports emerged that Israeli intelligence had warned American agencies of Iranian plots to assassinate Trump. Some US officials reportedly viewed the intelligence cautiously, fearing it could be intended to encourage a more forceful American military response against Iran.

According to sources cited by The New York Times, however, the specific threat that prompted the aircraft switch in Turkey was separate from the intelligence Israel had shared with the United States.

While Trump remained in Ankara—roughly 1,000 miles from Tehran—the United States launched renewed strikes against Iranian targets. Speaking to reporters about the decision to change aircraft, Trump acknowledged that Iran has repeatedly sought to target him.

“They want to take out the US leader – me,” he stated, continuing, “I’m on every list. I saw this morning, I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn’t last very long.”

{Matzav.com}

MK Chili Tropper, chairman of the newly formed Bayit Tzioni party, says his party will refuse to join any future coalition that does not enact mandatory national service for every Israeli citizen. In a wide-ranging interview with Kikar HaShabbat‘s Yishai Cohen, Tropper declared that the era of discussing enlistment quotas for the chareidi community is over, rejected proposals to strip voting rights from those who do not serve, advocated economic sanctions instead, and said he would neither help Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu form a government nor support any coalition dependent on chareidi or Arab parties.

Below is the full interview.

Yishai Cohen: Let’s start with the most basic question: Who is your target audience in this election?

MK Chili Tropper: “There is a very large ציבור, according to every poll, somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 Israelis, who look at the current political map and don’t feel comfortable with any of the existing parties. Many of them voted for the current coalition and became disappointed, but they also find it difficult to move to what they identify as the parties of the other bloc. We are their political home.”

Yishai Cohen: What’s the difference between your party and Benny Gantz’s party?

MK Chili Tropper: “First of all, I deeply appreciate, like, and respect Benny, so I’m not going to speak about him. I can speak about us. We’ve defined our mission: first, to establish a government that depends only on Zionist votes. Second, to make that government as broad as possible. I heard Benny say it’s either a unity government or elections, but… you know, I respect Benny מאוד. There really aren’t huge differences between us. In the end we’re operating in the same general political space, although there are certain differences.”

Yishai Cohen: When you say you want the broadest possible government, who from Netanyahu’s current bloc would you bring in?

MK Chili Tropper: “Among the existing parties, I see Religious Zionism. I don’t know what Ofer Winter will do. I don’t know whether Erdan will join forces with anyone. If I had 70 seats of my own, everything would obviously be much easier. Whatever party you mention, I could explain where I disagree with them, but ultimately there is a Zionist foundation—a partnership of people who serve, who love this country—the state, not only the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. That’s why I want to create as many partnerships as possible.”

Yishai Cohen: Some people say you’re really a satellite party for Gadi Eisenkot. Others claim you’re actually a satellite of Netanyahu.

MK Chili Tropper: “I’ll answer very directly: I am not a satellite party of Netanyahu, and I am not a satellite party of Eisenkot. I’ve heard both accusations. Sometimes what you see is exactly what it is: we’re a party made up of good Israelis who want a Zionist government. Many of our supporters come from what today would be described as the center-right of the political map.”

Yishai Cohen: But you say you’ll provide the 61st seat for Gadi Eisenkot, while at the same time saying you won’t provide the 61st seat for Netanyahu.

MK Chili Tropper: “I will provide the votes needed for a Zionist government. We know Netanyahu’s bloc—it depends on parties that are not Zionist.”

Yishai Cohen: What does the term “Zionist” mean to you?

MK Chili Tropper: “Zionism means establishing a national home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel according to international law. I used to teach history, so that’s the basic definition. It means loving the state. It means serving the state, okay? The state—not only the people and the land, but the state itself, our homeland. Military service is perhaps the clearest expression of that, but it’s also about how I relate to the state in general. Even saying a prayer for the state.”

Yishai Cohen: Let’s move to the draft law. Would you support legislation stating that someone who is genuinely learning Torah may continue learning, while someone who is not learning must enlist—with much stricter oversight of the yeshivos?

MK Chili Tropper: “I’ll tell you honestly. I come into this discussion carrying a great deal of pain. Maybe at another time I would have answered differently. But I’m coming after two years and ten months of the ultimate real-life test. There has never been a greater test than this—the longest war we’ve ever experienced, even longer than the War of Independence. The price has been unimaginable. And the chareidi leadership chose to stand on the sidelines. Because of that, I don’t think even the conversation about quotas—which years ago was still something people debated, arguing about what the quota should be—is relevant anymore.”

Yishai Cohen: So what kind of draft law would be your condition—and Yoaz Hendel’s condition—for joining the next government?

MK Chili Tropper: “Every Israeli—Jew or Arab, religious, secular, or chareidi—should serve the country through military service, national service, or civilian service.”

Yishai Cohen: Like Bennett and Lieberman? No exemptions at all?

MK Chili Tropper: “At this point, that’s my starting position.”

Yishai Cohen: So the day after the election you’ll say: “A universal draft law—for everyone, whether they’re learning or not. Without that, we’re not joining any coalition,” even if Gadi Eisenkot is leading it?

MK Chili Tropper: “Correct.”

At that point in the interview, Tropper emphasized that his views are not motivated by hostility toward the chareidi community.

MK Chili Tropper: “I have absolutely no hatred. I truly oppose all incitement, and I also see enormous value in the chareidi ציבור.”

Yishai Cohen: So what do you say to your political partner, Yoaz Hendel, who argues that anyone who doesn’t serve in the IDF shouldn’t have the right to vote?

MK Chili Tropper: “I oppose that proposal. In fact, I voted against it in the Knesset. He ultimately agreed that there are enough other sanctions available. I support sanctions because I believe all chareidim should serve. Sadly, I think the most effective tool is removing economic benefits, and he agreed with me on that point. As for the right to vote and be elected—we put that issue aside.”

Yishai Cohen: Returning to politics—you are saying that your party will not sit in the same government with the chareidi parties?

MK Chili Tropper: “When the government is first formed—definitely not. Again, it’s not because they’re chareidim. I believe in establishing a Zionist government that does not depend on non-Zionist votes. That’s the political principle. If Goldknopf or Deri were to come tomorrow and say, ‘It took us time, but we’ve realized the magnitude of this moment, and from now on we are calling on everyone who is not learning to enlist,’ then great—we can talk. The principle is about positions, not about individuals.”

Yishai Cohen: Let’s talk about the Arab parties, Ra’am and the others. Are you saying today that you will not agree to join any government—even a transitional one—and will not support one if it depends, either through votes or abstentions, on an Arab party?

MK Chili Tropper: “I’m not going to get into every possible political scenario. I’ve already stated the principle, and it applies equally to the chareidi parties and the Arab parties: the next government should be established through the votes of Zionist parties.”

Yishai Cohen: Are you staying in this race until the end? Yesterday, a Kan 11 poll had your party below the electoral threshold.

MK Chili Tropper: “In most polls we’re above the threshold. I have tremendous faith in our path. I see that after just one month—we only launched a month ago—we’ve already become a much stronger and more prominent force within what people call the third bloc. In most surveys we’re already above the threshold. Now I have another two months to work hard so that we’ll achieve a much better result on election day. Am I a responsible person who will try to act responsibly? Absolutely.”

A hidden cache of radioactive material tied to Syria’s long-defunct nuclear program is set to be removed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under a quiet agreement brokered by the Trump administration between Syria and Israel, defusing what officials feared could have become a dangerous regional crisis, according to a report by Axios.

The agreement follows months of behind-the-scenes coordination involving American, Israeli, and Syrian officials. Citing US and Israeli sources, Axios reported Monday that the IAEA will retrieve radioactive materials from a secret Syrian facility whose existence had become a growing security concern. The negotiations were led with the involvement of the Trump administration and senior officials in both Damascus and Yerushalayim.

Officials said the diplomatic effort eliminated a potentially explosive dispute that could have triggered military action involving Israel, Syria, and possibly Turkey over control of the sensitive site.

Under Bashar al-Assad, Syria secretly pursued a nuclear program centered on the Al-Kibar reactor. That reactor was destroyed in a 2007 Israeli airstrike, bringing the country’s nuclear ambitions to an abrupt end. Even so, several research facilities and storage locations connected to the project remained intact after the strike.

After Assad’s government collapsed, Syria’s new leadership reached an agreement with the IAEA permitting inspectors to visit Al-Kibar as well as additional sites associated with the country’s former nuclear activities.

Israeli intelligence has spent the past two years monitoring a location known as “Site 99.” According to two Israeli officials cited by Axios, the Assad regime stored radioactive material there that originated from the Al-Kibar program. A US official confirmed that the stockpile included yellowcake—a processed uranium ore concentrate that can eventually be enriched for use in the nuclear fuel cycle—along with other leftover nuclear-related materials.

Although the material could not be used directly to manufacture a nuclear weapon, specialists warned it could be incorporated into a so-called “dirty bomb,” in which conventional explosives disperse radioactive material over a wide area. Following Assad’s downfall, the IDF struck the entrances to “Site 99” to prevent anyone from reaching the facility.

According to a US official, American and Israeli security officials have spent more than a year developing a plan for handling the site. Senior members of the White House National Security Council worked in close coordination with officials in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office throughout the process.

One Israeli official said Israel made it clear to Washington that it would not allow radioactive materials to remain inside Syria. Israeli officials even indicated they were prepared to carry out additional strikes if the stockpile was not removed or if Syrian personnel attempted to gain access to the site. At the same time, a US official stressed that despite Israel’s concerns, an immediate military operation was not viewed as imminent.

In the end, Washington and Yerushalayim concluded that working directly with Syria’s new government offered the safest and most effective solution. When US officials informed Damascus about the hidden nuclear materials, Syrian authorities reportedly said they had no prior knowledge that the stockpile existed.

“Very few people in the US, Israel and Syria were aware of this,” a US official told Axios, adding that Washington has cultivated an effective relationship with post-Assad authorities. “When we work with the Syrians on things – they are good partners.”

Several weeks ago, Israeli surveillance detected activity near “Site 99,” raising fears that Syria was violating its commitments by attempting to recover the radioactive material. Israeli officials also considered the possibility that Turkey was assisting Damascus in efforts to secure the site.

“The Israelis are always kicking the tires on different things to make sure it looks right and it’s good they do that,” a US official remarked.

Rather than support military action, the Trump administration urged Israel to hold off while it arranged for the IAEA to intervene directly. Those diplomatic efforts resulted three weeks ago in a formal agreement between the agency and the Syrian government to remove the radioactive materials safely from the site.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump issued a pointed warning to Iran on Monday, making clear that the United States still has powerful military options at its disposal if negotiations break down. While refusing to spell out his next move, Trump suggested Tehran would soon discover the consequences, dismissed the regime’s demands for reparations, and declared that the US Navy currently controls access through the Strait of Hormuz.

During a question-and-answer session with reporters, Trump was asked about his earlier statement that the current negotiations represented Iran’s final opportunity before “decapitation.” When pressed on what would follow if diplomacy failed, he replied, “You’ll find out.” Asked whether a large-scale military escalation remained a possibility, Trump responded, “Well, we certainly have that ability if we want to do that. You’ll find out.”

Trump on Iran:

If there are damages to be paid, I think Iran should pay those damages. pic.twitter.com/ZatM7zlLkS

— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 10, 2026

The president also pushed back against Iran’s calls for compensation, expanding on comments he had made earlier on Truth Social. Trump argued that if anyone deserves reparations, it is the United States and the victims of decades of Iranian-backed violence. “They ask for reparations, you might say, or they ask for money for the damage that we’ve done. And I said, that’s a good idea. Well, we’re going to ask for money for the damage they’ve done over a 50-year period, whether you go USS Cole or whether you go [to] all of the people that were so badly hurt, so badly wounded or killed – many thousands of people. And maybe damages for the 52,000 protesters over the last four months that were killed in Iran. It was at least 52,000 a month and a half ago. So now what is it? If there are damages to be paid, I think Iran should pay those damages.”

When asked about the Strait of Hormuz, Trump insisted that the vital shipping lane is already open because it is effectively under American control. “It’s open now. The only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz right now is the United States Navy. We have a blockade that’s been infallible. It’s a steel wall. And we let people in that we want to let in, and those people come in, and they’ve been coming in and going out. So it’s actually open now. We do not let them go into Iran. They’re not admitted into the Strait to go to Iran.”

Trump continued by describing Iran as financially devastated despite its ability to stir unrest. “[Iran] can make trouble, but they are broke. They have no money. Iran is totally broke. They are not paying their soldiers. Their inflation is 309%. So we’ll see what happens.”

Concluding his remarks, Trump said the Iranian regime is finally facing the consequences of decades of aggression across the Middle East. “For 50 years, they’ve been the bully of the Middle East. They’ve killed hundreds of thousands of people. Now they are paying a price,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

One of the most revealing parts of architect Liran Shukrun’s thinking is the way he speaks about the home itself. A frum family does not always live inside the standard Israeli apartment formula. In many Torah homes, the center of gravity is different. It may be the dining room table. It may be the seforim. It may be the constant flow of children, guests, learning, meals, and Shabbos. A home like that needs scale, flexibility, and a different kind of attention.

That understanding shaped the apartments at Givat Hashalvah. The homes are large, open, and planned to adapt over time. Structural elements are kept away from the center of the living space wherever possible, allowing rooms and layouts to remain flexible as family needs change. Liran speaks about this almost as a moral responsibility: if a family is going to live here for many years, the home must be able to grow with them.

The same thinking appears in the windows and balconies. Bedrooms were planned with unusually tall openings so a person standing inside the room meets the landscape at eye level. Living rooms and bedrooms open toward the view, not through small, incidental windows, but through panoramic glass that makes the hills and courtyards part of the home experience. The balconies are large enough to live on, not just step onto, creating real space for hosting, sitting, breathing, and bringing family life outdoors.

That is what makes the planning feel so specific. Givat Hashalvah is not only responding to a market need for larger homes. It is responding to a way of life. The project understands that a home for a frum family carries learning, hosting, children, guests, privacy, flexibility, and daily rhythm all at once. The architecture was asked to respect that. And in the best parts of the plan, it does.

Explore Givat Hashalvah → https://go.lyo.group/3LxM3tz

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has endorsed controversial legislation that would require Amazon and other major delivery companies to hire last-mile delivery workers directly, a proposal supporters say would strengthen worker protections but critics warn could eliminate thousands of jobs, increase delivery costs, and push Amazon to move operations outside the city.

On Monday, Mamdani announced his support for the Delivery Protection Act, a measure backed by the Teamsters union that would prohibit companies from subcontracting key warehouse and last-mile delivery operations. Instead, workers would have to be employed directly by the operators of the delivery facilities.

“Corporations like Amazon build billion-dollar business models by insulating themselves from accountability through a system of exploitative subcontracting,” the mayor said in a statement.

Mamdani described the proposal as “common-sense regulation that protects delivery workers, safeguards the communities where these facilities operate and ensures that the corporations benefiting from workers’ labor are responsible for the consequences of their business practices.”

Opponents argue the legislation would come with significant costs. A study conducted by consulting firm AKRF estimated that the measure would add an average of $664 annually to household delivery expenses for New York City residents.

“This law is just going to raise prices for consumers,” Business Council of New York State spokesperson Steve Smith told The Post on Monday.

Amazon, which partners with more than 40 locally owned Delivery Service Partners employing over 5,000 workers across New York City, has warned that the legislation could force the company to shift its delivery network beyond the five boroughs.

AKRF has previously concluded that relocating those operations would likely result in deliveries that are slower and more expensive for city residents.

“We’re committed to creating good jobs, supporting our thousands of employees and local small business partners in New York City and providing fast, reliable delivery for New Yorkers,” Amazon spokeswoman Kelly A. Nantel told The Post.

“But as written, this legislation would directly undermine that commitment — threatening the small businesses that deliver to customers, putting the jobs of more than 5,000 of their employees at risk and forcing us to consider relocating delivery operations outside of the city.”

Opposition to the proposal continued Monday as delivery workers and small-business owners planned a rally in East Harlem urging city officials to reject the legislation.

The New York Delivers coalition said it organized the event at Thomas Jefferson Park to argue that Intro 518 threatens both delivery jobs and small businesses while driving up costs for consumers.

According to the coalition, as many as 10,000 delivery jobs across the city could ultimately be affected if the legislation becomes law, including roughly 3,500 last-mile delivery positions in Harlem and four neighboring City Council districts.

The coalition also noted that 82% of last-mile delivery workers do not hold college degrees and that 84% of the workforce consists of non-white employees. Organizers planned to feature drivers and business owners who contend the legislation would jeopardize their livelihoods.

The demonstration coincided with renewed lobbying by supporters of the Delivery Protection Act, underscoring the increasingly heated debate over whether New York should dismantle the subcontracting model widely used in the city’s delivery industry.

Among the measure’s critics is Rudy Cazares, a New York City resident who operates both an Amazon Delivery Service Partner business and a FedEx contracting company. He said the legislation would effectively destroy his business.

“I would be shutting my business down. I have no business,” Cazares told The Post.

Cazares said his company currently employs approximately 130 workers, with additional hiring during busy periods such as the holiday season. Drivers begin at $23.75 per hour, while experienced employees can earn approximately $27 per hour.

“All my employees are W2, either full time or part time with benefits, paying payroll taxes,” Cazares said.

He disputed claims that Delivery Service Partners merely serve as intermediaries shielding Amazon from responsibility, explaining that his company independently hires its workforce and manages its own fleet.

“They control the sorting of the packages. They stage them for us. We pick them up and we go deliver them,” Cazares said of Amazon.

While acknowledging that Amazon encourages its delivery partners to improve efficiency through technology and other measures, Cazares argued that policymakers should address any concerns without eliminating locally owned delivery companies.

“There’s been no dialogue that includes the small businesses that are the ones making this happen,” Cazares said.

“This direct hire mandate will eliminate every small business out there that delivers packages for any business,” he added.

Some city officials have also expressed reservations about the proposal.

“We want to make sure we don’t have unintended consequences,” Carlos Ortiz, deputy commissioner of external affairs for the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, said during an April City Council hearing.

A spokesperson for City Council Speaker Julie Menin previously said the Manhattan Democrat intends to allow the legislation to continue through the normal legislative process while gathering additional feedback from affected stakeholders.

The Teamsters union strongly rejected Amazon’s arguments.

“Amazon will say or do whatever it takes to deny workers stronger rights and wages and abdicate its responsibilities for its own employees, which is why journalists are obliged to expose these greedy corporate tactics and not serve as stenographers for the company’s anti-worker propaganda,” Matt McQuaid, a spokesperson for the Teamsters union, told The Post.

FedEx also acknowledged the ongoing debate while referring questions about the legislation to the New York Delivers coalition.

“With the rise of e-commerce, last-mile delivery facilities for shipping and logistics businesses have become an increasingly essential part of the infrastructure that keeps New York City running,” a FedEx spokesperson told The Post.

“FedEx is aware of the proposed bill and is working with the New York Delivers coalition. Any questions on the legislation can be directed to them.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox, 

When rabbanim decided that unrestricted internet posed a serious spiritual danger to our children, they did not shrug their shoulders.

They demanded action.

They held massive asifos. They created standards. They pushed schools to implement rules. Parents were required to sign forms. TAG was created. Filters became expected. Rabbanim spoke about it constantly. Schools educated students and parents. Entire systems were built around confronting the danger head-on.

Nobody said, “What can we do? Technology is here.”

Nobody said, “The kids are going to use it anyway.”

Nobody said, “Parents can’t control everything.”

The message was simple: Our children are in danger, so we are going to do something about it.

Fine.

Now explain the response to electric scooters and e-bikes.

Children are flying through our streets on powerful electric vehicles, weaving through traffic, shooting through intersections, riding against traffic, appearing suddenly between parked cars, and operating machines capable of serious speed without the maturity or judgment to appreciate what can happen in a split second.

Every driver sees it.

Every parent knows about it.

We constantly hear about accidents and near misses.

And now the response is suddenly:

“What do you want us to do?”

“Everyone has one.”

“The parents can’t control them.”

“The schools can’t get involved.”

Really?

When the concern was that a child might be exposed to something spiritually harmful, an entire community mobilized.

But when the concern is that a child might actually get killed, suddenly nobody knows what to do?

I’m sorry. I don’t buy it.

If rabbanim could demand internet policies from every school and every family, they can demand basic standards for children operating electric vehicles.

If schools could tell parents what technology was acceptable in their homes, they can certainly address students recklessly riding high-speed scooters through the streets on their way to and from school.

If an entire infrastructure could be created to protect children from spiritual danger, surely some infrastructure can be created to protect them from getting run over by a car.

This is not about banning every scooter or e-bike. There are responsible ways to use them.

It is about recognizing that what is happening right now is dangerous and that the collective shrug is unacceptable.

Where are the rabbinic statements?

Where are the school policies?

Where are the parent meetings?

Where are the age restrictions, safety standards and consequences?

Where is the urgency?

Because there is something deeply backwards about demonstrating that we will move heaven and earth when we fear for a child’s neshama, but suddenly becoming powerless when we fear for the child’s actual life.

We already proved that when communal leadership believes something is dangerous enough, it knows exactly how to get everyone’s attention.

So let’s stop pretending nobody knows what to do.

God forbid, we should not need a funeral before this issue finally becomes important enough for everyone to act!

Avi Goldstein

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