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The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday afternoon carried out a second precision strike in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district in as many days, killing Ibrahim Qubaisi, who heads Hezbollah’s missile and rocket array.

The strike came less than 24 hours after the attempted assassination of Hezbollah’s No. 3 terrorist commander, Ali Karaki, in the same area.

Qubaisi joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and held a series of key positions in the terror organization, according to the IDF. As part of his role, he “was responsible for the planning and execution of many terrorist actions against the IDF forces and Israeli citizens,” the army said.

“Qubaisi commanded Hezbollah’s various missile units, including the precision missile units. Over the years and during the [current] war, he was responsible for launches towards the Israeli home front. Qubaisi was a central source of knowledge in the field of missiles and was close to the senior military leadership of Hezbollah,” the IDF continued.

The top terrorist also planned the October 2000 kidnapping of IDF Staff Sgts. Benny Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Souad from the Mount Dov border area. The soldiers were killed by their captors either during or shortly after their abduction, and their remains were only returned to Israel four years later as part of a terrorist release deal with Hezbollah.

According to the Israeli military, Qubaisi was surrounded by “other key commanders in Hezbollah’s missile and rocket array” when the attack was launched. At least five other people were killed and several more were injured in the airstrike, according to initial Lebanese reports.

Following the strike in Beirut, Hezbollah launched a massive rocket barrage at Israel’s north, triggering air-raid sirens, including in the Upper Galilee city of Safed. No injuries were reported in the attacks.

Israel’s Channel 12 said that more than 100 projectiles were launched at the Jewish state within one hour, with the Golan Regional Council telling residents to stay near bomb shelters and avoid public gatherings.

Tuesday’s aerial attack marked the fifth time that the Israeli army struck the Lebanese capital since Hezbollah joined the war against the Jewish state in support of Palestinian Hamas in the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre.

On Monday night, Israeli Air Force jets targeted Karaki, Hezbollah’s highest-ranking remaining commander following Friday’s targeted killing of Ibrahim Aqil. Karaki commands Hezbollah’s southern front, which is responsible for the terror army’s cross-border attacks on Israel.

In an official statement issued three hours after the strike, Hezbollah claimed that the top terrorist was still alive and “moved to a safe place.”

Unnamed Israeli officials told Israel Hayom on Tuesday that Karaki survived the strike, saying that the use of smaller bombs with the goal of minimizing civilian casualties contributed to the operation’s failure.

On Friday, the IDF took credit for a targeted airstrike in the Dahiyeh neighborhood that killed more than a dozen senior Hezbollah terrorist officials, including Aqil, who was also wanted by the United States over his involvement in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut.

On July 30, Israeli Air Force fighter jets carried out a targeted killing in south Beirut of Hezbollah’s No. 2 “military” commander, Fuad Shukr.

Hezbollah has attacked Israel nearly daily since Oct. 8, 2023, firing thousands of rockets, missiles and drones. The attacks have killed more than 40 people and caused widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians remain internally displaced due to the violence.

Throughout the day on Tuesday, the Israeli Air Force struck over 1,600 Hezbollah terror targets in Southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley as part of “Operation Northern Arrows,” according to the Israeli military.

Jerusalem has escalated attacks on Hezbollah since adding the return of evacuated Israeli civilians to the north as an official war goal on Sept. 17. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

Recent polling across three key Southern battleground states suggests that Vice President Kamala Harris’ early advantage has eroded as Donald Trump takes the lead, potentially reshaping the 2024 presidential race. According to a New York Times/Siena College survey conducted between September 1 and 21, Trump has gained momentum in Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina—three critical states where Harris had previously held an edge. These latest numbers show Trump not only reversing Harris’ lead in two of the states but also setting himself up for a strong electoral path to the White House. If the former president carries these states in November, he would be within striking distance of the 270 electoral votes needed for victory. With 262 electoral votes in hand, Trump would only need to win one of the traditionally Democratic-leaning “blue wall” states—Michigan, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin—to clinch the presidency. In Arizona, Trump made a significant turnaround among 713 likely voters. He flipped a 5-point deficit in August to a 5-point lead, now sitting at 50% to Harris’ 45%. Trump’s strength lies with older voters, where 58% of those aged 45 to 64 and 53% of seniors back him. His support is also robust among white, non-college-educated voters, who favor him by 63%, with his highest backing—74%—coming from Arizona’s western region. In Georgia, Trump maintained his 4-point advantage from last month among 682 likely voters, leading Harris 49% to 45%. Seventy percent of white voters in the state support Trump, including 78% of those without a college degree. Trump’s stronghold is in North Georgia, where he secures 74% of voters. Trump’s support in North Carolina has also surged. Among 611 likely voters, he reversed Harris’ 2-point lead from August and now holds a narrow 49% to 47% advantage. Trump has solid backing from white voters (60%), the Charlotte suburbs (60%), and western North Carolina (66%). He also leads Harris 49% to 42% among those who did not participate in the 2020 election. With Trump holding steady or gaining in these key states, Harris faces a significant challenge to reclaim her earlier lead as November draws closer. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Take a look inside Chaifa’s Rambam fortified hospital, underground in the hospital’s converted parking garage. The underground hospital is now in use for the first time, after being built following the Second Lebanon War in 2006.

A U.S. Navy replenishment ship operating in the Middle East sustained damage in an incident which is under investigation, officials said Tuesday. The damage to the USNS Big Horn comes after the oiler has supplied the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and remains in the region amid heightened tensions over the Israel-Hamas war and Israel’s ongoing strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon. A U.S. Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss matters yet to be made public, said the damage happened in the Mideast, but declined to elaborate on its location. A photo released by the U.S. military dated Sept. 5 showed sailors aboard the Lincoln receiving supplies from the Big Horn, while another on Sept. 11 showed the Big Horn alongside the Lincoln. The Lincoln is patrolling the Arabian Sea. The official said the Big Horn’s crew was safe and there was no sign of an oil leak from the vessel. Another U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason, said the vessel was being supported by private tugboats and an assessment was still ongoing for the vessel. Rumors about the Big Horn’s condition began circulating early Tuesday after images posted to a website tracking shipping called gCaptain showed flooding purportedly on board the Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler. The website described the Big Horn as having “ran aground … and partially flooded off the coast of Oman.” Though the Lincoln is powered by a nuclear reactor, its strike group has vessels powered by fossil fuel that need to be resupplied at sea. The aircraft aboard the Lincoln also need jet fuel. The Big Horn and other ships like it also provide other supplies. Oilers like the Big Horn typically have around 80 civilians and five military personnel on board. It remains unclear if there are any other replenishment ships like it immediately available in the Mideast. An AP survey of publicly released military images of similar replenishment ships run by the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command showed none in the Mideast in recent months. The command declined to comment. (AP)

An Israeli regulator has cleared an artificial intelligence startup to launch a chatbot that offers stock-picking advice in partnership with a large bank, even as other governments have raised alarms that AI might destabilize financial markets if used widely in investing.

Tel Aviv-based Bridgewise has been given the green light by the Israel Securities Authority (ISA) to release a chatbot called Bridget later this month that can offer recommendations for which stocks to buy and sell in response to user queries. The startup is working with one of the country’s largest banks, Israel Discount Bank, to roll out the product. It plans to expand to a second Israeli bank’s investment platform in the coming months.

The move represents a significant – and controversial – milestone for generative AI. While global financial institutions have increasingly embraced chatbots for research and customer service in the nearly two years since OpenAI launched ChatGPT, regulators have been wary of the risks of deploying this technology for retail investing.

Gary Gensler, chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, warned this month that there could be a financial crisis in the future if too many brokers and money managers relied “on the same model, the same algorithm, the same data.” Similarly, the European Central Bank said that using a handful of AI systems for investing decisions could cause “herding behaviour or bubbles.” As with many AI uses, there are also concerns that artificial intelligence can hallucinate – or make up information – in response to investor queries.

A spokesperson for the Israeli regulator said the approval came with restrictions. The tool cannot include advice “that is specific to the user,” for example, or have a conversation that appears to be “personal advice.”

The spokesperson directed Bloomberg News to correspondences between the agency and Bridgewise. In the exchange, the regulator laid down several other conditions for approval, including that the company offering such an AI tool must have an investment license, be compensated on a fixed rate rather than based on how well the investments do, and abide by basic conflict of interest rules.

Founded in 2019, Bridgewise uses AI trained on historical data combined with real-time news to provide investment analysis to brokerages, wealth advisors and exchanges, including the Nasdaq, the London Stock Exchange and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The company said its new chatbot has taken years of work to develop and has gone through significant testing to ensure the advice is accurate.

“It’s ChatGPT, but with a financial edge,” said Gaby Diamant, chief executive officer of Bridgewise. “We’ve done everything in a calculated way, with the regulators involved end to end. Being the first to launch this has placed a huge burden on us.”

Investors can query the bot for recommendations on thousands of stocks, asking whether to sell Alphabet Inc. shares or find out which semiconductor stocks are its top Buy recommendations. In a test of a beta version of the tool, a Bloomberg reporter asked for the five best stocks to buy that day. The chatbot promptly responded with a list of five companies, including reasons for buying each.

Some popular general-use chatbots like ChatGPT will sum up risks and background information about companies, but stop short of providing investing picks. When asked by a reporter if they should buy or sell Alphabet stock, ChatGPT replied that it could not offer buy and sell recommendations.

Diamant said the risks in using the AI tool for buying and selling stocks are “similar to any investment decisions a trader makes on advice from any bank or trading entity.” When testing the chatbot, its responses included a disclaimer about the service’s limitations. “The information is not tailored to you specifically and is not a substitute for personal investment advice,” the disclaimer said.

Bridgewise is working on updates that include 12-month share price forecasts, earnings call transcripts and helping users build custom themed portfolios based on their preferences. Bridgewise also plans to roll out a service to retail users on a trading platform in Brazil, where it’s also working with local regulators. The startup declined to name the platform.

(c) Washington Post

I write in response to Monday’s incident in Beit Shemesh involving police violence against Charedi protesters, as well as the subsequent investigation. While I unequivocally condemn any form of police brutality, I believe it’s important to understand the context of the event being protested and the community dynamics at play. The protesters were not rallying against some harmful policy or oppressive regime—they were protesting an event designed to help young Charedi men acquire valuable skills for the workforce. The programs highlighted at the event offered education in areas like programming, bookkeeping, engineering, and healthcare—honest professions that enable individuals to support their families with dignity. These protesters are ideologically opposed to any form of secular studies, even if it means blocking others in their community from gaining skills that lead to upstanding, respectable jobs. Imagine for a moment that members of the Brooklyn or Lakewood communities harassed others who had jobs. Imagine if they tormented individuals who took it upon themselves to earn an income for their families. You wouldn’t stand for that, would you? And yet, when it happens here, your focus is on how the police responded to these miscreants, but you say nothing about the damage these extremists are causing. As a local resident, I’ve witnessed firsthand the damage caused by them, who are a small but vocal minority. Many of us in the community, including Charedim such as myself, are deeply frustrated with their disruptive tactics and aggressive behavior. They shout insults, create unnecessary chaos, and degrade anyone who does not align with their narrow viewpoint. Their actions are a source of fear and discomfort for families trying to live in peace, and their behavior reflects poorly on the broader community. It’s important to note that the majority of Charedim in Beit Shemesh do not support these protests. In fact, many religious men attended the event to better themselves and their families through education, distancing themselves from the protestors and demonstrating their commitment to Torah values like Ahavas Yisrael and peaceful coexistence. We need to foster dialogue and understanding, not perpetuate sinas chinam. Our community is diverse, with Jews from across the spectrum striving to live together in harmony. The protesters represent a distortion of values that harms us all. I hope they realize that there are many paths to serving Hashem, and that unity, not division, is what will bring Mashiach closer. Sincerely, Upset in RBS  The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.

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During a phone call with Bank of Israel head Amir Yaron on Monday, U.S. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo conveyed Washington’s concerns over proposals by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to nix ties with Palestinian Authority banks.

Adeyemo voiced the Biden administration’s “concern about threats by some within the Israeli government to sever correspondent banking relationships between Israeli and Palestinian banks and insisted that these should be extended for at least a year,” per a U.S. Treasury readout of the call.

Adeyemo was said to have stressed that extending a waiver that allows Israeli banks to do business with their Arab counterparts is “critical” to preventing an economic crisis in Yehuda and Shomron. He added that it strengthens Israel’s security “by countering financial flows funding terror groups.”

Adeyemo “stressed that an economically stable West Bank strengthens Israel’s own security,” according to the U.S. readout of the conversation.

Five weeks ago, the P.A. claimed that Israeli banks stopped accepting shekel cash deposits from their Palestinian counterparts. The Aug. 21 statement claimed Yehuda and Shomron banks would be unable to finance trade operations between Palestinians and Israelis in a matter of “days.”

In accordance with 1990s accords signed between Israel and P.A. leader Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestine Liberation Organization, the shekel is the primary currency in Yehuda and Shomron, alongside the Jordanian dinar.

The P.A. announcement warned of “imminent consequences on all aspects of life” should Israeli banks continue to decline to accept the Israeli shekel banknotes that have accumulated at Palestinian banks.

At the time, the Bank of Israel and several large financial institutions in the Jewish state declined to comment to JNS on Ramallah’s allegations.

Three months ago, Smotrich extended a waiver shielding major Israeli banks with relations to the P.A. from lawsuits stemming from charges of supporting Palestinian terror.

The waiver, which the finance minister signed for a period of four months, extends the indemnity to Israeli correspondent banks that transfer money to P.A. fiscal institutions throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

The decision to extend the indemnity waiver was reportedly made as a tradeoff for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s approval to retroactively legalize several Jewish outposts in Yehuda and Shomron.

Earlier this year, Smotrich threatened to topple the P.A.’s economy in response to Ramallah’s push for unilateral statehood and support for the International Criminal Court case against the Israeli leaders.

Ramallah is “working against Israel with political terrorism and promoting unilateral measures around the world,” he reportedly told fellow ministers. “If this causes the P.A. to collapse, let it collapse.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen vowed to use “all diplomatic efforts” to thwart Smotrich’s intentions. “I’m particularly concerned by Israel’s threats to take action that would lead to Palestinian banks being cut off from their Israeli correspondent banks,” she stated on May 23.

“These banking channels are critical for processing transactions that enable almost $8 billion a year in imports from Israel, including electricity, water, fuel and food, as well as facilitating almost $2 billion a year in exports on which Palestinian livelihoods depend,” she declared.

(JNS)

U.S. President Joe Biden delivered his final address to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, describing to world leaders the “sweep of history” he has seen over the course of his career as an elected official.

The 81-year-old touted his accomplishments in office while noting that his half-century of involvement in American foreign affairs was drawing to a close.

“I was first elected to office in the United States of America as a U.S. senator in 1972,” Biden said. “Back then, we were living through an inflection point, a moment of tension and uncertainty.”

“I truly believe we’re in another inflection point in world history,” he said.

Biden devoted about three minutes of his nearly 25-minute-long speech to the Middle East, Israel and Gaza.

Speaking just days before the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, he called on world leaders not to “flinch from the horrors” of that day.

“Any country would have the right and responsibility to ensure that such an attack could never happen again,” Biden said. “Thousands of armed Hamas terrorists invaded a sovereign state, slaughtering and massacring more than 1,200 people, including 46 Americans in their home and at a music festival. Despicable acts of sexual violence. Two-hundred and fifty innocents taken hostage.”

“I’ve met with the families of those hostages. I’ve grieved with them. They’re going through hell,” he continued. “Innocent civilians in Gaza are also going through hell. Thousands and thousands killed, including aid workers. Too many families dislocated, crowding in the tents, facing a dire humanitarian situation. They did not ask for this war that Hamas started.”

Biden called on Israel and Hamas to accept the ceasefire-for-hostages that he first outlined in May and that has stalled ever since. He said that the deal would ease suffering in the Gaza Strip and result in greater security for Israel, a Gaza “free from Hamas’s grip” and bring an end to the war.

The terms of the deal that the administration has previously outlined do not include removing Hamas from power.

Biden added that a diplomatic solution was “the only path” to resolve the Israel-Lebanon border crisis, and he also pressed for the creation of a Palestinian state.

“We must also address the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank and set the conditions for a better future, including a two-state solution,” the president said. “Where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalized relations with all its neighbors. Where Palestinians live in security, dignity and self-determination in a state of their own.”

He claimed that progress towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians would make it easier to confront the threat posed by Iran and said that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon.

‘I love my country more’

Most of Biden’s speech, however, was devoted to other conflicts and developments ranging from Ukraine and Sudan to artificial intelligence and the Mpox virus.

In one of the longest sections of the speech about ongoing global crises, Biden quoted William Butler Yeats’ 1919 poem “The Second Coming.”

“‘Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,’” Biden recited. “Some may say those words describe the world, not just in 1919 but in 2024. I see a critical distinction. In our time, the center has held.”

Biden also explained to the 192 other U.N. member states—about half of which are non-democracies—why he decided not to seek another term.

“Being president has been the honor of my life,” Biden said. “There’s so much more I want to get done. As much as I love the job, I love my country more. I decided, after 50 years of public service, it’s time for a new generation of leadership to take my nation forward.”

And he added: “My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

Attention, Kmart shoppers, the end is near! The erstwhile retail giant renowned for its Blue Light Specials — featuring a flashing blue orb affixed to a pole enticing shoppers to a flash sale — is shuttering its last full-scale store in the mainland United States. The store, located in swank Bridgehampton, New York, on Long Island, is slated to close Oct. 20, according to Denise Rivera, an employee who answered the phone at the store late Monday. The manager wasn’t available, she said. That will leave only a small Kmart store in Miami. There also are a handful of stores in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Transformco, the company that in 2019 bought the assets of Sears and Kmart out of the bankruptcy of Sears Holdings, did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. In its heyday, there were more than 2,000 Kmarts in the U.S. Struggling to compete with Walmart’s low prices and Target’s trendier offerings, Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early 2002 — becoming the largest U.S. retailer to take that step — and announced it would close more than 250 stores. A few years later, hedge fund executive Edward Lampert combined Sears and Kmart and pledged to return them to their former greatness. But the 2008 recession and the rising dominance of Amazon contributed in derailing that mission. Sears filed for Chapter 11 in 2018 and now has just a handful of stores left in the U.S., where it once had thousands. (AP)

IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari spoke to the Israeli media Tuesday night with updates regarding the ongoing Operation Northern Arrows.

Hagari spoke about the elimination on Tuesday of the head of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit, Ibrahim Muhammad Kaibisi, saying: “At least two other commanders were eliminated along with Hezbollah’s missile head Kaibisi. In recent days he was responsible for the shooting at Chaifa – including this morning’s shooting.

“Today, about 300 rockets were fired towards the Israeli rear, injuring 6 civilians and soldiers – most of them lightly injured”.

Hinting Israel has been thwarting Hezbollah’s terror plans, Hagari said: “Hezbollah wanted to shoot more today. We are disrupting and thwarting his plan. I will not detail the data on Hezbollah’s shooting reduction – in order not to provide the enemy with a clear picture.”

However, Hagari also emphasized the danger Hezbollah continues to pose, saying: “We still have a way to go. It should be remembered – Hezbollah still has other capabilities of different kinds, our role is to handle each of them, but first and foremost those whose risk to the Israeli rear is greater.”

Speaking about the timeline for the ongoing operation in the north, Hagari said: “We aim for the campaign to be as short as possible, hence we are attacking with intensity. But we must be prepared for it to continue longer.”

He also emphasized that two IDF divisions are still fighting in Gaza.

The IDF has released for publication some data about IAF activities so far in the northern operation. In multiple attack waves targeting Hezbollah, Air Force fighters flew close to 3,000 flight hours, attacking over 1,600 terror targets in over 200 areas.

The attacks included over 250 aircraft, which dropped 2,000 munitions. Hezbollah targets included 400 meduim range rocket launchers, 80 drones and 70 weapons storage locations.

Lebanese Minister Naser Yasin announced a death toll of 564 on Tuesday, without specifying a breakdown between Hezbollah terrorists and civilians.

{Matzav.com}

Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz claims that a whistleblower within the Biden-Harris administration informed him of five known assassination teams hunting Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. According to Gaetz, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is aware of these threats, including three teams allegedly inspired by foreign governments. Gaetz made the explosive assertion during an appearance on the “Human Events Daily” show on Real America’s Voice network, stating that the DHS had knowledge of these assassination squads even before a second attempt on Trump’s life last week in Florida. “I had a senior official from the Department of Homeland Security in my office before the second assassination attempt, saying that what he has assessed is that there are five known assassination teams in the United States, three inspired by other governments, two that are here, that are known domestic assassination teams,” Gaetz said during the interview. The congressman expressed concern over the adequacy of Trump’s security, especially after the federal government reportedly portrayed the two assassination attempts as acts by lone individuals, without ties to broader groups or foreign entities. “And with that, this individual was coming to me, concerned that the force protection around President Trump, even prior to that second assassination attempt, was not sufficient for what it needed to be,” Gaetz added. Two federal officials confirmed to Just the News that U.S. authorities are aware of multiple assassination plots linked to Iran, targeting both current and former U.S. officials, including Trump. However, the government has not officially connected any recent attempts on Trump’s life to these broader threats. Gaetz also questioned decisions by the DHS regarding resource allocation for security details. He raised concerns over teams being reassigned from Trump’s protection to other figures, such as First Lady Jill Biden and former National Security Adviser John Bolton. “Now, we don’t want anything bad to happen to Jill Biden,” Gaetz said, “but at the same time, the threat envelope for her was substantially different than the threat envelope around President Trump.” Gaetz’s remarks come shortly after Pakistani national Asif Merchant, with alleged ties to Iran, pleaded not guilty to charges related to an alleged plot to assassinate U.S. politicians, including Trump. The plot was reportedly connected to retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a voice vote, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 7764, legislation that creates a private committee to advise Congress on potentially transferring the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution.

Following the law’s passage on Monday, Phil Darivoff, trustee and chair emeritus of the Weitzman, praised the bipartisan support with nearly 100 co-sponsors, saying it demonstrated “to all Americans the significant role that Jewish Americans have played in our nation and how critical it is to teach these stories to counter antisemitism, bigotry and hate.”

Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Mike Turner (R-Ohio), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) and Max Miller (R-Ohio) had introduced the bill.

“Educating all Americans, from all over the country, about these amazing Jewish impacts on our nation’s history, not only raises awareness but helps dispel harmful prejudices about our community,” Wasserman Schultz said. “This powerful institutional integration signals a strong commitment to address the dramatic rise in antisemitism.”

Turner said that “by bringing this museum and its collections into the Smithsonian, Congress will ensure that the story of Jewish Americans is shared with the widest possible audience.”

The legislation has authorized the creation of a committee consisting of eight members with appointees selected by each party. They will write a report for Congress with their recommendation on whether to join the institutions. Private donations, and not federal dollars, will fund the group’s work.

Explaining the impact for the Weitzman in joining the Smithsonian, Boyle said the merger would provide the Jewish museum “expanded access to not only artifacts and documents but robust educational resources, expertise and staff training to aid in the ongoing mission to preserve and promote the culture of American Jews. I encourage my Senate colleagues to pass this bill without delay.”

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

(JNS)

Iran said Tuesday it believes the remaining workers trapped by an explosion at a coal mine in the country’s east have died, bringing the death toll in one of its worst industrial disasters to at least 49. A provincial emergency official, Mohammad Ali Akhoundi, gave the death toll in a report carried by Iranian state television from the mine in Tabas. Figures for the numbers of miners inside the mine at the time have fluctuated since a methane gas leak Saturday sparked an explosion at the coal mine in Tabas, about 540 kilometers (335 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran. Around 70 people had been working at the time of the blast. Bodies recovered so far showed no signs of blast injuries, suggesting many of the workers died from the gas before the blast. Such gases are common in mining, though modern safety measures call for ventilation and other measures to protect workers. It wasn’t immediately clear what safety procedures were in place at the privately owned Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co. The firm could not be reached for comment. On Tuesday, a lawmaker and member of parliament’s mine committee said the safety system of the mine was not working and “even the central alarm system was broke or did not exist.” Lawmaker Zahra Saeedi added that workers learned of the safety issue just before the disaster but couldn’t leave in time. Two of the dead were health and safety experts at the mine, she said. Iran’s new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, has said he ordered all efforts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families. He also said an investigation into the explosion was underway. Iran’s mining industry has been struck by disasters before. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people. Then-President Hassan Rouhani, campaigning ahead of winning reelection, visited the site in Iran’s northern Golestan province and angry miners besieged the SUV he rode in, kicking and beating the armored vehicle in a rage. In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed in several incidents. Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas were often blamed for the fatalities. (AP)

💔 After the sudden loss of their young son, Eliyahu Chaim, during the ongoing war in Israel, Bubby & Zaidy are now faced with an unimaginable challenge—caring for their two beautiful granddaughters, Keter and Atara. Their mother is heartbroken, devastated by grief, under the constant threat of danger, and unable to care for them. 😢 Instead of the peaceful retirement they envisioned, Malkie & Shlomo are now raising 2 precious girls without the resources or the ability to work. They are REALLY STRUGGLING to provide basic necessities. 💕 CLICK HERE

Lebanese media are reporting that an Israeli airstrike has targeted an area between the coastal towns of Jiyeh and Saadiyat, located south of Beirut. Local outlets have shared footage that allegedly shows the aftermath of the strike.  

A man who authorities say staked out Donald Trump for 12 hours on his golf course in Florida and wrote of his desire to kill him was indicted Tuesday on charges that he attempted to assassinate a major presidential candidate. Ryan Wesley Routh had been initially charged with two federal firearms offenses. The upgraded charges reflect the Justice Department’s assessment that he methodically plotted to kill the Republican nominee, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery surrounding Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course on an afternoon Trump was playing on it. Routh left behind a note in which he described his intention. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who in July dismissed a separate criminal case charging Trump with illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The indictment had been foreshadowed during a court hearing Monday in which prosecutors successfully argued for the 58-year-old Routh to remain behind bars as a flight risk and a threat to public safety. They alleged that he had written of his plans to kill Trump in a handwritten note months before his Sept. 15 arrest in which he referred to his actions as a failed “assassination attempt on Donald Trump” and offered $150,000 for anyone who could “finish the job.” Prosecutors also said that he kept in his car a handwritten list of venues in August, September and October at which Trump had appeared or was expected to be present. The potential shooting was thwarted when a member of Trump’s Secret Service protective detail spotted a partially obscured face of man and a rifle barrel protruding through the golf course fence line, one hole ahead of where Trump was playing. The agent fired in the direction of Routh, who sped away and was stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county. Routh did not fire any rounds and did not have Trump in his line of sight, officials have said, but left behind a digital camera, a backpack, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food. The arrest came two months after Trump was shot and wounded in the ear in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has acknowledged failings leading up to that shooting but has said that security worked as it should have to thwart a potential attack in Florida. The initial charges Routh faced in a criminal complaint accused him of illegally possessing his gun in spite of multiple felony convictions and with possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. It is common for prosecutors to bring preliminary and easily provable charges upon an arrest and then add more serious offenses later as the investigation develops. The FBI had said at the outset that it was investigating the episode as an apparent assassination attempt, but the absence of an immediate charge to that effect opened the door for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to announce his own state-level investigation that he said could produce more serious charges. Trump complained Monday, before the attempted assassination charges were brought, that the Justice Department was “mishandling and downplaying” the case by bringing charges that were a “slap on the wrist.” The Justice Department also said Monday that authorities who searched his car found six cellphones, including […]

Foreign airlines are continuing to suspend flights to and from Ben-Gurion Airport amid the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Wizz Air, British Airways and Azerbaijan Airlines canceled flights on Tuesday.

The Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, announced on Monday that it was extending its suspension of flights to Ben-Gurion Airport until Oct. 14.

The head of New York City schools, facing increasing challenges, is anticipated to resign as Mayor Eric Adams’ administration grapples with internal shifts amidst ongoing federal probes.

David Banks is set to step down from his role as schools chancellor by the conclusion of this year, according to insiders.

Reports indicate that Banks met with Adams at Gracie Mansion and informed him of his decision to retire, a move later confirmed through a retirement letter obtained by The New York Post.

“During our meeting earlier this year, I advised you that I intend to retire at the end of this calendar year after ensuring the school year got off to a good start,” Banks wrote.

“I have decided to retire effective December 31, 2024, after dedicating nearly 40 years of service to New York City’s public schools.”

This resignation is one of several high-profile exits from the Adams administration. Earlier this week, City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan also announced his upcoming departure at the end of the year.

Banks became entangled in a dramatic federal investigation that culminated in a series of FBI raids on September 4, which targeted several senior officials at City Hall.

Federal agents searched the Harlem residence that Banks shares with his longtime partner, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, seizing their cell phones in the process.

Authorities also confiscated the devices of Banks’ brother, Terence Banks, a former MTA official now working as a consultant, as well as those of Philip Banks, another brother who holds the position of deputy mayor for public safety under Adams.

The Banks brothers have a longstanding relationship with Adams, having grown up as family friends. Their father also served in the NYPD alongside Adams.

Following the raids, David Banks stated that federal agents assured him he wasn’t a primary target. He brushed off questions from The Post about the investigation a week after the raids, maintaining silence on the matter.

Shortly after, during his second State of the School address, Banks made a cryptic reference to his situation by reading the poem “Invictus,” famously recited by Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment.

“It’s the greatest poem that I know of because everybody can relate to it, because everybody goes through something,” Banks remarked.

{Matzav.com}

The United States witnessed a staggering 63 percent rise in antisemitic hate crimes in 2023, with 1,832 recorded incidents, marking the highest number on record, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data released Monday. The figure represents a sharp increase from 1,122 incidents in 2022. Antisemitic hate crimes made up 15 percent of all hate crimes in 2023 and accounted for 68 percent of religion-based hate crimes, despite the Jewish community comprising just 2 percent of the U.S. population. While the data does not clarify how many of the reported incidents occurred after the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which left around 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage, global antisemitic incidents surged following the attack, and have remained at record levels amidst the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. “At a time when the Jewish community is still suffering from the sharp rise in antisemitism following Hamas’s October 7 massacre in Israel, the record-high number of anti-Jewish hate crime incidents is unfortunately entirely consistent with the Jewish community’s experience and ADL’s tracking,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), in a statement. The ADL, which independently tracks both criminal and non-criminal antisemitic incidents, recorded 8,873 antisemitic incidents in 2023, a staggering 140 percent increase from the previous year. This number also represents the highest count since the organization began monitoring such incidents in 1979. Specifically, antisemitic assaults saw a 45 percent jump in 2023, according to the ADL. However, the ADL emphasized that there may still be significant underreporting. The organization urged Congress to pass the Improved Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, which would mandate law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes to the FBI or risk losing federal funding. They also called for the approval of the Countering Antisemitism Act to ensure the policies outlined in the Biden administration’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism become permanent. The FBI report also highlighted a troubling increase in anti-Muslim incidents, which rose 49 percent, totaling 236—the highest number since 2017. In 2016, a record 307 anti-Muslim incidents were reported. The Arab American Institute (AAI) expressed concern over what it called “dramatic underreporting” of hate crimes. In a statement, AAI pointed to discrepancies in the data, noting that the murder of Wadea al-Fayoume, a six-year-old Arab American Muslim child of Palestinian descent, and the attack on his mother in October 2023 were not fully reflected in federal statistics. While the FBI categorized the incident as anti-Muslim, it was not also recorded as an anti-Arab hate crime. The AAI further questioned whether the FBI had classified the shooting of three college students in Vermont, all of Palestinian descent, as a hate crime. The students were shot while speaking in Arabic, with two of them wearing keffiyehs, yet the suspect has not been charged with a hate crime despite facing attempted murder charges. The FBI report also showed that anti-Arab incidents rose 34 percent in 2023, totaling 123—the highest since the bureau began tracking anti-Arab hate crimes in 2015. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)