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As Shabbos Parshas Pinchas approaches, organizations assisting imprisoned yeshiva students are urging the public to daven for the 41 bnei yeshivah and avreichim who will remain behind bars in Israel’s military prison throughout the coming Shabbos.

According to sources, dozens of Torah students will spend the day in Military Prison 10 after refusing to report to military induction centers in accordance with the directives of their rabbonim. The report describes their imprisonment as a consequence of their commitment to Torah study.

Sources state that yungerman Nehorai ben Chaya Michal and bochur Gavriel Rachamim ben Mazal Tov are expected to be released on Friday. Following their release, 41 bochurim and avreichim will remain incarcerated over Shabbos.

The sources also highlight the many organizations that continue to work around the clock on behalf of the detainees and their families, providing assistance and support throughout the ongoing crisis.

Askanim recall Monday night’s large protest gathering in the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood of Bnei Brak, where members of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, roshei yeshiva, kollel leaders, and community rabbonim, led by Rishon LeTzion Harav Yitzchak Yosef, addressed thousands of participants.

During the gathering, speakers sharply criticized the government’s policies while offering words of encouragement and support for the imprisoned Torah students, whom they described as being persecuted solely because of their dedication to Torah learning.

According to sources, the following individuals remain incarcerated in Military Prison 10:

• Yonatan ben Yaffa
• Menachem Zev ben Bracha
• Evyatar ben Anat
• Yair ben Roten
• Yosef ben Rivka
• Asher Aryeh ben Efrat
• Nehorai ben Tirtzah Avigail
• Meir ben Hadassah
• Shmuel ben Yocheved Yaffa
• Avraham Yoel ben Orit
• Yitzchak ben Ahuvah
• Shalev ben Nella
• Eliyahu ben Yael
• Netanel M.
• Binyamin ben Yael
• Yosef ben Reina
• Natan Yehudah ben Hindel
• Yitzchak ben Devorah Rochel
• Menachem ben Sarah Bracha
• Alter Menachem Mendel ben Rivah Adelle
• Amram ben Rivah Adelle
• Moshe Chaim ben Rochel
• Avraham Mordechai ben Dava Mindel
• Moshe Shmuel ben Chaya Bracha
• Moshe Mordechai ben Bracha
• Moshe ben Rochel
• Yaakov Zev ben Hendel
• Shlomo Zalman ben Rivka Chana Gittel
• Tahar Yitzchak ben Timor
• Neriya Yehonasan ben Sarah Nurit
• Shalom ben Kasa
• Osher ben Gavia
• Moshe Mordechai ben Leiba Bracha
• Shimon ben Nira
• Ofir B.
• Oded ben Avital
• Moshe ben Basya
• Nehorai ben Leah
• Harav Yisrael ben Feiga
• Yair ben Aviva
• Elchanan ben Aliza

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) intensified his warnings about gain-of-function research on Thursday, arguing that the controversial experiments pose a grave danger to humanity and serve no legitimate scientific purpose. Comparing the practice to “Dr. Frankenstein,” Paul said scientists are recklessly manipulating viruses in ways that could unleash catastrophic global consequences.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “The Record With Greta Van Susteren,” Paul discussed his decision, as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to subpoena former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci to testify later this month regarding the origins of COVID-19.

Paul said the upcoming hearing will focus on the type of research that many Republicans believe played a role in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Describing how gain-of-function research works, Paul explained that scientists combine genetic material from different viruses and then grow the modified viruses in human cells to determine whether they become more infectious.

“Gain of function just describes a type of experiment where what happens is you take one known virus and maybe one unknown virus,” he said. “You take parts of them, put them together, and then grow them in human cells to see if they gain in function.”

The Kentucky senator also renewed his criticism of Fauci’s longstanding position that an experiment cannot be classified as gain-of-function unless researchers know beforehand that it will create a more dangerous virus.

“Anthony Fauci has argued, well, if you don’t know in advance they’re going to gain in function, then you can’t really call it gain of function,” he said. “But they did know, and they continued to do these experiments in Wuhan, even when the evidence from the experiments was showing that it was gaining in function.”

When host Greta Van Susteren asked whether such research has any valid scientific justification, Paul rejected the premise outright.

“I don’t think there is,” he said.

Paul noted that Fauci wrote in a 2011 opinion article that “even if a pandemic should occur from gain-of-function research, that the knowledge is worth the risk,” but argued that numerous scientists strongly disagree with that assessment.

“They’ve done things like take the avian flu, which doesn’t go human to human well or at all, and they’ve put in eight mutations to make it transmissible, not only human to human, but through the air,” he said.

“It’s sort of like being Dr. Frankenstein and doing these kind of things. There is no good purpose for this. It’s incredibly dangerous,” he continued.

Paul cautioned that the risks are not limited to coronaviruses, pointing to Ebola as another example of a deadly pathogen that could become far more dangerous if deliberately altered.

“We have things like Ebola that aren’t readily transmitted by aerosol,” Paul said. “If you change it and mutate it on purpose to make it aerosolized … you would risk 50% of the planet dying.”

He concluded by warning that the fallout from such an event would extend well beyond the virus itself, overwhelming healthcare systems and basic infrastructure worldwide.

“You would have people dying by the tens of thousands just from lack of doctors, lack of sanitation, lack of clean water,” he added. “I mean, you would devastate the planet. So, we shouldn’t be doing these experiments.”

{Matzav.com}

A federal lawsuit brought by current and former members of Congress could result in lawmakers receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars each in back pay, along with significant future salary increases, if they ultimately prevail in court. The case could leave taxpayers responsible for at least $69 million in retroactive compensation, with even greater long-term costs if congressional pensions are also increased.

The lawsuit gained significant momentum last month after a federal judge ruled that the case may proceed, marking a major legal victory for the lawmakers seeking higher compensation.

The plaintiffs argue that Congress violated the 27th Amendment by repeatedly blocking automatic cost-of-living adjustments established under a 1989 law. According to their claim, lawmakers unlawfully prevented salary increases that were intended to keep congressional pay aligned with inflation.

If the courts ultimately agree with that argument, the National Taxpayers Union estimates that taxpayers would be responsible for paying at least $69 million in retroactive compensation to current and former members of Congress.

For nearly two decades, members of Congress have left their annual salary unchanged at $174,000, largely to avoid criticism over voting themselves raises. Privately, however, many lawmakers have expressed frustration that congressional pay has remained frozen while inflation has continued to rise.

“Seventeen years, I have gotten people from my side and people from the other side saying, ‘Can’t we fix this?’” Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), a former House majority leader and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said during an appropriations hearing last month.

“Our goal is to stop the continual violations of the Constitution as it relates to Congressional pay,” Ken Cuccinelli, the attorney for the suing lawmakers, told The Post in an email. “As a policy matter, I would note that Congressional pay on an inflation-adjusted basis is the lowest it has been since 1954.”

Cuccinelli, who previously served as Virginia’s attorney general and later as acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security during President Donald Trump’s first administration, assembled the class-action lawsuit on behalf of a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The named plaintiffs include Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), James Clyburn (D-S.C.), and former Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.).

Exactly how many current and former lawmakers could ultimately qualify for back pay remains unresolved. Federal Claims Court Judge Eric Bruggink has instructed both sides to address that issue in additional filings due later this summer.

Another unresolved question is the amount of damages that individual lawmakers could receive. Current estimates place potential awards at between $225,000 and $420,000 per member.

Beyond retroactive payments, a favorable court ruling could also restore automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments for members of Congress.

Under current estimates, congressional salaries could eventually climb to more than $253,000 annually—roughly 45% higher than today’s pay.

The financial impact could extend even further. Former members of Congress who receive higher salary calculations could seek increased pension benefits from the Office of Personnel Management, adding additional costs for taxpayers.

Demian Brady, vice president of research at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, argued that if lawmakers believe they deserve higher salaries, they should pursue them through legislation rather than litigation.

“Because of all these perplexing questions, and because the damages will fall on taxpayers through higher deficit spending and potentially higher long-term liabilities, and also because of the reputational harm this will do to Congress as an institution, I’ve urged the lawmakers to drop their case,” he said.

“They should seek higher pay by convincing their colleagues to vote for higher pay instead of suing taxpayers.”

Those who support higher congressional salaries argue that members face substantial financial demands while serving in office, including maintaining one residence in their home district and another in Washington, D.C., one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets.

Congress last received a salary adjustment in 2009, when lawmakers’ annual pay increased 2.8%, from $169,300 to the current $174,000.

Since the ratification of the 27th Amendment in 1992, Congress has voted 21 times to reject automatic pay increases that otherwise would have taken effect.

The plaintiffs contend those repeated votes violate the Constitution’s 27th Amendment, which provides that no law “varying” congressional compensation “shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”

In allowing the case to move forward, Judge Bruggink wrote, “Laws varying congressional compensation are ineffective to the extent they seek to effectuate a change in congressional compensation before an election intervenes.”

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism after temperature readings inside New York City Hall appeared to contradict his public request that residents keep their air conditioners set to 78 degrees during this week’s heat wave to ease pressure on the electric grid.

According to measurements taken by the New York Post using an infrared thermometer, temperatures in City Hall and several municipal buildings were frequently well below the 78-degree level Mamdani urged New Yorkers to maintain. Reporters said they tested 20 different locations they were able to access, with only five registering at or above 78 degrees.

The findings surfaced one day after Mamdani encouraged residents to conserve electricity by raising their thermostat settings in an effort to help prevent widespread Con Edison outages during the extreme heat.

“Maybe the mayor shouldn’t tell New Yorkers to sacrifice their comfort if he isn’t willing to do the same,” scoffed David Carr (R-Staten Island), the City Council’s minority leader.

Around noon, when temperatures in Central Park were climbing toward 100 degrees, most of the locations tested inside City Hall were reportedly within a degree or two of the mayor’s recommended setting.

Later in the afternoon, however, the readings dropped considerably. By approximately 4:30 p.m., one room inside the building housing the mayor’s office measured just 54 degrees.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, drew widespread attention online after recommending that New Yorkers set their air conditioners to 78 degrees or higher. Critics mocked the advice, though similar recommendations had also been issued during previous administrations, including those of Mayors Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio.

The U.S. Department of Energy likewise recommends thermostat settings between 75 and 78 degrees during the summer months to reduce electricity consumption.

When issuing his recommendation, Mamdani also said City Hall would follow the same conservation practices.

“Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment,” he posted on X.

The temperature measurements reported by the newspaper, however, painted a more varied picture.

At approximately noon, areas near the mayor’s second-floor office, the Rotunda, the Governor’s Room, and the City Council chambers each registered about 77 degrees, while the mayor’s first-floor press office measured 78 degrees.

Later in the day, temperatures reportedly fell further. Outside the mayor’s office, the thermometer registered 74 degrees.

The Governor’s Room, where staff members were preparing teleprompters, cameras, and lighting equipment for Mamdani’s Independence Day address, also measured 74 degrees.

The Rotunda reportedly cooled to 64 degrees.

One of the coldest readings—62 degrees—was recorded near the mayor’s first-floor press office, where communications staff and other employees were gathered.

Air flowing directly from an air-conditioning unit inside the press radio room, where reporters have long complained about frigid conditions, registered 54 degrees.

The CityStore inside the Manhattan Municipal Building also measured approximately 64 degrees, according to the newspaper’s testing.

Reporters also said employees at several municipal offices, including sanitation and health department facilities, declined to allow them inside after learning they intended to measure indoor temperatures.

The newspaper further reported that while many city employees worked in air-conditioned offices, police officers and security personnel stationed in hallways remained in temperatures exceeding 80 degrees and had not been provided with fans. Hallways and lobbies inside the David Dinkins Municipal Building reportedly measured around 80 degrees, while elevator temperatures reached 89 degrees.

The Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, which reporters said was unoccupied at the time, measured 81 degrees.

“The Mayor set the temperature at Gracie Mansion to 78 degrees yesterday afternoon,” said Mamdani spokesman Jeremy Edwards.

Edwards also confirmed that City Hall’s thermostat settings were adjusted to the recommended level later Thursday after the newspaper questioned the administration about its findings.

Meanwhile, Mamdani’s chief spokesman, Joe Calvello, spent much of Thursday defending the mayor’s recommendation on social media, arguing that the guidance was hardly unprecedented.

“This practice of asking New Yorkers to set their AC to 78 degrees dates back to Dear Communist Leader Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani,” he replied to Barstool Sports founder and Mamdani critic Dave Portnoy.

The debate unfolded as approximately 5,000 Con Edison customers in the Bronx temporarily lost electrical service.

“Due to an electric problem in Riverdale, we had to shut off power to some customers temporarily to prevent more extended outages,” the utility said in a statement. “We’re completing repairs as quickly as possible.”

A newly released Department of Homeland Security inspector general’s report has uncovered a series of major Secret Service failures that allowed President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin to reach a rooftop overlooking his Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally before opening fire. Among the most striking revelations is that, as local police urgently reported the gunman’s location, a Secret Service counter-drone operator was searching the internet to determine where the rooftop was instead of immediately obtaining the information from officers on the scene.

The 64-page report concludes that the Secret Service “missed multiple opportunities to detect, prevent, and disrupt” Thomas Crooks’ assassination attempt. Investigators found repeated breakdowns in communication that prevented the agents assigned to protect Trump from ever learning that an armed suspect had climbed onto the roof of the American Glass Research International (AGR) complex, located just 155 yards from the stage.

According to the report, local law enforcement contacted the Secret Service and Pennsylvania State Police communications center at 6:09 p.m., warning that a suspicious individual had been spotted on the roof of the AGR building.

Investigators found that neither the Secret Service communications supervisor nor the agency’s counter-drone operator requested the location of the AGR complex after receiving the warning. The report states they “did not ask for the AGR complex’s location …. did not immediately identify it as a risk.” It further notes that the communications supervisor “did not even ‘recall learning that the suspicious person was on the roof'” because he had “delegated communications about the suspicious person to the counter drone operator because it was a ‘busy time’ on Secret Service radios and the counter drone operator was sitting near him and offered to help.”

Rather than immediately asking local officers where the building was located in relation to the rally site, the counter-drone operator instead attempted to locate it online.

“Instead of asking local law enforcement personnel for the AGR complex’s location, the counter drone operator searched online for it, and was still searching when Crooks fired his first shots,” the report determined.

Just two minutes after the initial warning—at approximately 6:11 p.m.—Crooks fired eight rounds toward the stage, grazing President Trump’s ear, killing one rally attendee, and wounding several others.

Investigators concluded that despite mounting concern among local officers beginning well before the shooting, the Secret Service failed to recognize the urgency of the threat.

“Ultimately, although members of the local law enforcement communications room were increasingly concerned by the presence of a suspicious individual as early as 5:42 p.m.,” the report continued, “Secret Service communications room personnel did not identify Crooks as an urgent threat before he fired shots.

“Moreover, Secret Service decision-makers responsible for protecting President Trump while on stage at the Butler event were not made aware of Crooks’ presence at any time.”

The report also faults the Secret Service for failing to establish a joint communications center with local law enforcement. Because of that decision, 102 radio transmissions concerning the suspicious individual never reached Secret Service personnel.

Among the messages that went unheard was a 5:42 p.m. transmission from local officers reporting, “we had a younger white male long hair lurking around the AGR building, he was viewed with a rangefinder sighting the stage … we lost sight of him.”

As the situation intensified, local officers continued broadcasting increasingly urgent warnings that likewise never reached the agents protecting the president.

“I have someone on the roof with white shorts,” one officer radioed at 6:08 p.m.

Moments later, another transmission warned, “He’s armed, I saw him. He’s laying down,” followed immediately by, “You need to deploy to the AGR building … male on the roof with a long gun. Shots fired!”

Instead of receiving those radio alerts, the Secret Service was informed about Crooks through only five telephone calls and three text messages, according to investigators.

“As a result, Secret Service members did not alert President Trump’s protective detail about concerns of a suspicious person,” the report concluded.

The investigation also revealed that Trump’s campaign staff rejected an earlier Secret Service proposal to position large trucks between the AGR building and the rally stage because the vehicles would interfere with television camera angles.

“On July 12, 2024 … the site agent counterpart told us she proposed placing the trucks between the AGR complex and the stage, but protectee staff denied the request because the trucks would be ‘too close to [President Trump’s] press shot,’” the DHS report found.

“The site agent counterpart then proposed moving the trucks to a nearby location instead, which would block line of sight from a different area; protectee staff agreed.”

Crooks was ultimately shot and killed by law enforcement officers moments after opening fire on President Trump and the crowd.

{Matzav.com}

Mir Yeshiva has issued a sharp response following widespread reports identifying the American bochur indicted on espionage charges as a talmid of the famed yeshiva, insisting that the claims are entirely false.

In a statement released Friday, the yeshiva said the accused was never enrolled as a talmid at Mir and had no connection whatsoever to the institution.

“The bochur against whom the indictment was filed was not registered as a talmid in Mir Yeshiva, never studied there, and has no connection to the yeshiva,” the statement read.

The yeshiva further criticized media outlets for continuing to associate its name with the case, saying such reports are inaccurate and mislead the public.

“Any publication or claim linking his name to Mir Yeshiva is false and does not reflect the facts,” the statement added.

The clarification came after news outlets reported that a 21-year-old American bochur studying in Yerushalayim had been indicted for allegedly carrying out assignments on behalf of Iranian operatives. According to prosecutors, the suspect allegedly photographed various locations, carried out dead-drop missions, and was asked to recruit additional yeshiva bochurim, receiving payments in cryptocurrency for the tasks.

{Matzav.com}

After weeks of heartfelt tefillos throughout the Torah world, uplifting news arrived Friday from Hadassah Medical Center: Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik, rosh yeshiva of Brisk, has been discharged from the hospital following a significant improvement in his condition.

The revered rosh yeshiva, whose hospitalization prompted an outpouring of tefillah across yeshivos and kehillos around the world, is now recovering at home after doctors determined that his condition had improved sufficiently to allow his release from the hospital.

During the rosh yeshiva‘s illness, special Tehillim gatherings and tefillah vigils were held in numerous communities, with thousands of bnei Torah fervently davening for his complete recovery.

Although his condition has, b’chasdei Hashem, improved dramatically, the public is continuing to daven for his complete refuah.

Klal Yisroel is asked to continue davening for Rav Avraham Yehoshua ben Ettil.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump defended his financial holdings Thursday, insisting that he has no direct role in managing his investments while serving in office and saying his sons oversee his business interests. Responding to questions about the billions of dollars disclosed in his latest financial report—including more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency holdings—Trump said he was unaware of the investments and rejected suggestions that they posed a conflict of interest.

Speaking during a CNBC interview from the Oval Office, Trump emphasized that building wealth has long been part of his professional career.

“I’ve always made money,” he said. “I’m a business person. I’m a really good business person. I made money. I made a tremendous amount of money.”

Trump said his personal investments are managed by others and that he is not involved in the day-to-day decisions.

“I let people invest it. I don’t even speak to – I don’t even know who they are,” he said. “My son Eric handles it. I don’t talk to him about things such as this.”

He explained that his assets are placed with major investment firms that manage them through what he described as “semi-blind trusts or blind trusts.” Although he did not identify the firms involved, Trump suggested that part of the increase in his wealth was attributable to the strong performance of the stock market.

His comments came after his latest financial disclosure revealed approximately $1.2 billion in income tied to various cryptocurrency investments over the past year. During the interview, Trump maintained that he was unaware of those specific holdings.

He added that even if he had known about the investments, no law would have prohibited him from continuing to carry out his presidential duties, noting that presidents and vice presidents are not legally required to step aside from policy decisions that could affect their personal financial interests.

“I didn’t. There’s nothing illegal with that. I could know,” he said, pointing out there is no legal requirement “to recuse yourself on every decision running the country that could have anything to do with you. It just isn’t feasible to do it.”

Trump also reflected on the business career he built before entering public office, noting that his wealth was accumulated through decades in real estate, casinos, and television, including his long-running role on NBC’s The Apprentice.

He also noted that he does not accept the presidential salary.

“This is the Oval Office,” he added. “It’s a much bigger purpose than whether or not I make money. As an example, the president’s the highest paid person in government, and you know, by some standards it gets a lot of money. … I gave up my salary. I don’t get a salary.”

The salary for the president of the United States is $400,000 per year.

Trump noted that the Trump Organization had been operating long before he entered politics, with his children—Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump—playing significant roles in the business. Although Ivanka has since stepped away from the company, Trump argued that his family’s long-standing business activities make it impossible to completely separate them from public scrutiny.

“Almost anything my kids do — if they buy a truck — they have inside information,” he said, arguing that his children are being unfairly criticized simply for continuing their professional careers while he serves as president.

“I feel badly in a way for my kids,” he said, adding that “anything they do, because the presidency is so powerful … if they buy a cupcake company, well, the energy to make the cupcakes, is you know, sort of like, how’s my energy policy?”

“So it’s pretty tough in that sense. I tell my kids, ‘stay away,’” Trump said. “But they also have a life. You know, they were doing business long before I ever thought of … running for president.”

Asked specifically whether his cryptocurrency holdings created a conflict of interest, Trump dismissed the concern and instead framed digital assets as an area of strategic competition with China.

“The way I view crypto is a little differently. We have to be at the top, otherwise China is going to take it over,” he said.

Since returning to office, Trump has aggressively promoted cryptocurrency, calling for the United States to become the world’s “crypto capital.” His administration has pursued policies aimed at reducing regulatory barriers, establishing a national Bitcoin reserve, and encouraging the growth of a dollar-backed stablecoin market.

{Matzav.com}

An American yeshiva bochur studying in Yerushalayim has been indicted on charges of spying for Iran after allegedly carrying out a series of intelligence-gathering missions in exchange for cryptocurrency payments. According to the indictment, the 21-year-old was also instructed by his Iranian handlers to recruit additional bochurim.

The defendant, Eli L., allegedly made contact with Iranian intelligence operatives after responding to a job advertisement posted in a Telegram group called “Yeshivos Telegram” while visiting his family in the United States during the war. According to the indictment, the communication began while he was in America and continued after he returned to Israel.

Shortly after arriving back in Israel, two Iranian agents allegedly contacted Eli through Telegram and assigned him various missions, paying him in digital currency for completing them.

Among the assignments, prosecutors say, were photographing Yerushalayim’s Central Bus Station, documenting an abandoned building in the Bucharim neighborhood, photographing a grocery store, and scouting several locations along Rechov Yaffo to identify potential hiding places for objects.

According to the indictment, Eli also purchased and concealed a USB device, hid a cigarette pack containing a note reading, “The job is complete,” and sent his handlers photographs of himself holding his passport.

While continuing his studies in yeshiva, Eli also worked at the Mishartecha Machmetzes bakery in Meah Shearim. Prosecutors allege that he sent the Iranian agents a video from his workplace to strengthen their relationship. At one point, he was allegedly instructed to provide the names of fellow bochurim in his yeshiva and to recruit additional bochurim to work for the Iranian operatives.

Authorities say Eli received approximately 4,225 shekels (about $1,250) from the Iranian agents for completing the various assignments. Following a joint investigation by the Yerushalayim District Police’s Major Crimes Unit and the Shin Bet, an indictment was filed against him on Friday.

Chief Inspector Amichai Penta of the Yerushalayim District’s interrogation unit said, “In recent months, several defendants have been exposed for spying on behalf of the enemy. Some carried out these acts during wartime, thereby assisting the enemy in carrying out its plans within the State of Israel. We will continue, together with the Shin Bet, to locate and expose offenses of this kind, arrest anyone who endangers the security of the state and its citizens, and bring them to justice.”

Yerushalayim District Prosecutor Ronit Shentzer Yaakobi warned that seemingly harmless online job offers can quickly become something far more dangerous.

“Sometimes all it takes is a single Telegram message offering easy money. What begins as a task that appears minor or innocent can quickly turn into cooperation with a hostile foreign entity operating against the State of Israel. This indictment illustrates how foreign intelligence agencies attempt to exploit the digital sphere to identify, recruit, and activate people inside Israel, and how important it is to remain vigilant and immediately cut off contact with such approaches. Such contact poses a real threat to the security of the state.”

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Yerushalayim District Police’s Major Crimes Unit and the Shin Bet. Eli has been charged with unlawful contact with a foreign agent and providing information to an enemy that could be of benefit to it.

As his campaign struggles to gain momentum in recent polls, Naftali Bennett has taken another step in preparing for Israel’s upcoming election by formally requesting approval to change the official name of his political party.

The request was submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties at the Justice Ministry by Bruria Naim Arman, the party’s director-general and a member of its executive leadership. The filing seeks to update the official registration of Bennett’s political platform to reflect its new campaign branding.

According to the application, the party has until now been officially registered as “Bennett 2026.” Bennett’s team is asking that the name be changed to “Together Led by Bennett – Restoring Hope.”

The move follows Bennett’s announcement that he will run under the “Together” banner alongside Opposition Leader and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid.

The name change is a procedural step required under Israel’s Political Parties Law. Existing parties seeking to adopt a new official name must submit supporting documentation demonstrating that the decision was properly approved through the party’s internal governing bodies.

Using an already registered political party—commonly referred to in Israeli politics as a “shelf party”—is a widely accepted practice. Rather than establishing a new party from scratch, politicians often acquire or utilize an existing registered entity, allowing them to avoid the lengthy legal process involved in creating a new party. Updating the official name is one of the final bureaucratic steps before campaigning under a new political brand.

The filing comes as Bennett continues to lose ground in public opinion surveys. In most recent polls, his party has fallen behind the political faction led by Gadi Eisenkot, which now outpaces Bennett’s list in the majority of surveys.

Earlier this week, political strategist and campaign consultant Nevo Cohen suggested during an interview on the Galei Israel Radio program Pitachi V’Zimri Ba’am that Bennett could ultimately decide to withdraw from the race altogether.

“The likely scenario is that we’ll continue to see Bennett and Lapid collapse, and then the discussion will begin about when they fall into the single digits,” Cohen said, describing what he viewed as an increasingly difficult political outlook for the two leaders.

He went on to argue that their current standing is already weaker than many realize.

“By the way, they’re already in the single digits. Each one of them separately is already in the single digits.”

Program host Yotam Zimri observed that the trend appeared especially troubling for Bennett, noting, “This is Bennett’s decline, because Lapid was already in the single digits.”

Cohen agreed and predicted that the political and media pressure on both leaders would continue to intensify.

“That’s true,” Cohen replied. “Over the next two weeks, people will begin talking about when the two of them together reach the single digits.”

His assessment was based on a series of recently published polls showing continued erosion in support for Bennett and Lapid’s “Together” alliance, while support for Eisenkot’s party has continued to rise.

{Matzav.com}

The Yenuka delivered an emotional message about the ongoing arrests of bnei yeshivah during a recent meeting with a group of avreichim from the Old Yishuv community in Beit Shemesh, drawing parallels to historic decrees against Torah scholars and urging greater unity and respect within the Torah world as the proper response to the current crisis.

The discussion took place after the group visited the Yenuka to present him with a copy of a sefer they had published. During the meeting, the avreichim asked him to address the growing controversy surrounding the drafting of bnei yeshivah and the difficult situation confronting many lomdei Torah.

Video from the gathering shows the Yenuka speaking with visible pain about recent events. One of the avreichim told him, “In Beit Shemesh alone, we’ve heard of 16 avreichim sitting in prison. What can be done?”

In response, the Yenuka compared today’s efforts to draft bnei yeshivah and restrict the Torah world to earlier attempts by foreign governments, including the forced conscription of yeshivah students into the Russian army.

He cited the teaching of the Vilna Gaon, who explained that the Cantonist decrees came about because of lashon hara and the bizui of talmidei chachamim and lomdei Torah.

The Yenuka then quoted numerous Torah sources that, he said, point to the same underlying cause for decrees against Torah scholars throughout Jewish history. He stressed that especially during a period when the Torah world is under such intense pressure, Jews must avoid internal disputes and divisions.

Instead, he said, the proper response to the current challenges is to strengthen ahavas Yisroel, promote unity, and ensure that the honor of those who dedicate themselves to Torah learning is protected.

During the conversation, the Yenuka also referred to a well-known account involving Rav Amram Blau zt”l, who warned that the struggle with the Zionist movement was not merely ideological and could ultimately lead to bloodshed.

The avreichim noted that they had received a different version of the story through their own tradition. The Yenuka responded that there are, in fact, two different versions of the incident.

{Matzav.com}

Two unusual incidents occurred Thursday evening in Bnei Brak, both ending without injuries b’chasdei Shamayim. A partially renovated residential building collapsed, prompting an emergency response, while in a separate incident, a private vehicle rolled out of a parking area and fell onto the roadway below.

Rescue and firefighting crews from the Bnei Brak station were dispatched to Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev Street after receiving reports that part of a building had collapsed. Authorities said a section of the first floor of a three-story building that was undergoing renovations gave way.

Firefighters immediately began extensive searches to ensure that no one had been trapped beneath the debris. At the same time, crews secured the scene and took steps to prevent additional hazards to nearby residents and pedestrians.

Following an inspection, the city’s chief engineer declared the structure unsafe for occupancy.

Later that evening, emergency responders were called to another incident on Abarbanel Street in the Kiryat Herzog neighborhood after a private vehicle apparently rolled out of a parking space and plunged onto the street below, reportedly after the driver lost control.

The father and daughter who were inside the vehicle at the time escaped unharmed, and no injuries were reported in the incident.

{Matzav.com}

Representatives of Iran’s Jewish community announced that Jews and members of other recognized religious minorities will participate in the funeral and memorial ceremonies for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during Operation Roaring Lion. A leading representative of the community also praised the Iranian regime’s treatment of religious minorities and revealed that he recently wrote to Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, over concerns about renewed anti-Jewish rhetoric in the country.

Homayoun Sameh, the official representative of Iran’s Jewish community, addressed the issue on Friday, confirming that the Jewish community would join other minority groups in mourning ceremonies for Khamenei.

Sameh, who is known for expressing loyalty to the Iranian regime and frequently criticizing Israel, said, “In coordination with officials from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and representatives of the country’s religious minority communities, we will make every effort to attend all events related to the funeral and memorial ceremonies for the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.”

He added that foreign diplomats, representatives of religious minorities, political and religious leaders, and delegates from abroad had also been invited to various events.

“We have received official invitations to additional ceremonies, and we hope to be there alongside the rest of the Iranian people,” he said.

Sameh also praised Khamenei’s relationship with Iran’s Jewish community and other religious minorities.

“The attitude, support, and fatherly concern that the late leader showed toward all religious minorities, especially the Jewish community, were always deeply valued and gave us hope,” he said.

Addressing concerns within the Jewish community following the 12-day war, Sameh acknowledged that “some misconceptions” had emerged among segments of the population. However, he said Khamenei consistently emphasized the importance of safeguarding the civil rights and dignity of religious minorities.

According to Sameh, just as Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini distinguished between Iran’s Jewish citizens and Zionism, Khamenei continued that same policy. He said that during the years immediately following the Islamic Revolution, many Iranians failed to distinguish between Jews and Zionists, creating significant challenges for the country’s Jewish community.

Sameh recounted that about 12 years ago, while serving as head of Iran’s Jewish Association, he wrote a letter to Khamenei after media outlets published reports that blurred the distinction between Judaism and Zionism.

He said that roughly two weeks later, Khamenei addressed organizers of the annual Jerusalem Day events and instructed them: “Shout against the Zionists, not against the Jews.”

Sameh said the Jewish community regarded those remarks as “a position of great value and significance.”

He added that in recent days, certain public statements and media broadcasts once again raised concerns within the Jewish community about anti-Jewish incitement. As a result, he said, he sent a letter to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has assumed leadership following his father’s death.

According to Sameh, anti-Jewish rhetoric declined noticeably afterward, while the distinction between Jews and Zionists became more clearly reflected in official media coverage and government slogans.

“The Jewish community in Iran has always regarded itself as part of the Iranian nation,” Sameh said. “The level of satisfaction within the Jewish community is very high, and we all share in mourning the loss of the late leader. We hope that under the leadership of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the path of respect, peace, and mutual understanding among all sectors and religions in the country will continue to grow stronger.”

{Matzav.com}

A report has ignited fierce criticism after claiming that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz granted a pardon to an illegal immigrant convicted of first-degree abuse of a 10-year-old girl, a move that reportedly eliminated the conviction that had served as the basis for the man’s planned deportation, John Nolte reports at Breitbart.

According to the report, the pardon halted deportation proceedings for four years.

The article argues that the decision represents a glaring example of political hypocrisy.

“Minnesota officials, including Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, last month pardoned an illegal immigrant who was previously convicted of assaulting a 10-year-old girl and who was slated to be deported,” reports Fox News. Tou Lue Vang, a 42-year-old Laos national, “was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal conduct. Between 2002 and 2006, he repeatedly ly assaulted the girl.”

According to the report, Vang pleaded guilty but did not receive a jail sentence. Although the conviction resulted in the loss of the legal immigration status he had obtained under the Clinton administration in 1994, he nonetheless remained in the United States rather than being removed.

The report further contends that Walz’s pardon erased the abuse conviction, effectively eliminating the legal basis for Vang’s deportation and making it unlikely that immigration authorities will now be able to remove him from the country.

Based on Vang’s reported current age of 42, the article notes that he would have been approximately 22 years old at the time of his 2006 conviction, alleging that the abuse occurred when he was between the ages of 18 and 22 while the victim was a young girl.

A new Economist/YouGov survey suggests that a majority of Democratic voters are open to supporting candidates who identify as “Democratic Socialists,” underscoring the growing influence of the ideology within the party as socialist-backed candidates continue to notch victories in key elections.

Survey participants were asked a straightforward question: “Would you ever vote for a candidate who identified as a “Democratic Socialist?”

Among all respondents, the largest share—45 percent—said they would not support such a candidate. Another 29 percent said they would, while 26 percent indicated they were uncertain.

The partisan divide was especially pronounced. Eighty-five percent of Republicans said they would not vote for a “Democratic Socialist.” Democrats, however, took the opposite view, with 62 percent saying they would support such a candidate. Only 11 percent of Democrats said they would not, while 27 percent remained undecided.

Independent voters were more skeptical. Forty percent said they would not vote for a Democratic Socialist, compared with 24 percent who said they would.

Support was even stronger among ideological liberals, 73 percent of whom said they would back a Democratic Socialist. Likewise, 64 percent of people who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election said they would support such a candidate. By contrast, only five percent of President Trump’s 2024 voters gave the same response.

The poll also found that more Democrats now view socialism more favorably than capitalism. Thirty-four percent selected socialism, compared with 22 percent who chose capitalism, while 58 percent of Democrats said they hold a favorable opinion of socialism overall.

The survey was conducted from June 26 through June 29, 2026, among 1,606 respondents and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

The findings come as socialist candidates continue to gain ground within the Democratic Party. The movement drew increased national attention after New York City elected Zohran Mamdani as mayor. Since then, several candidates endorsed by Mamdani have defeated establishment Democrats in primary contests across New York.

Sen. Rand Paul said the polling reflects a trend he finds troubling.

“…But still alarming that a majority of people are voting for socialists,” Paul said during a recent appearance on Breitbart News Daily. “I wrote a book a few years ago, The Case Against Socialism, and in it we talked about some of the polls where, you know, majority of young people are thinking, hey, socialism sounds good, why don’t we try it.”

Paul argued that many younger Americans fail to appreciate socialism’s historical record.

“They don’t understand … the disaster that is Venezuela, the disaster that is Cuba, the disaster that was China, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, all these places,” the senator said. “What they understand it to be is fairness, and they’re like, well, it’s just not fair that you make twice as much money as me, and we’re just going to make it fair.”

He added that many young people equate the concept of fairness with socialism without recognizing, in his view, that “equal outcome leads to a disaster” marked by food shortages, diminished prosperity, “and all the things that we have” with capitalism.

“It’s ignorance, but it is alarming, and then the other, the other possibility, though, is [the] left goes so far left that maybe they can’t win general elections, but in New York, all these people will win,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s latest annual financial disclosure has revealed that investment accounts in his name purchased more than 300 different stocks on April 8, 2025—just one day before he unexpectedly suspended key “Liberation Day” tariffs—bringing renewed attention to the president’s financial holdings and prompting fresh calls for greater scrutiny.

The disclosure report shows that 327 separate stock purchases were executed on April 8. Although federal rules generally require such transactions to be reported within 45 days, none of those trades had been publicly disclosed until Tuesday. Instead, they appeared within a sprawling financial filing exceeding 900 pages, making it substantially larger than the disclosure reports filed by previous presidents.

The April 8 purchases represented only a portion of the stock activity conducted through accounts owned by Trump since returning to office.

The newly revealed transactions, which surfaced more than a year after they occurred, add to a growing series of disclosures involving Trump’s personal finances. Together, they have intensified bipartisan calls for closer examination of the president’s financial interests.

When NBC News asked the White House who oversees Trump’s investments, officials pointed to a statement posted by Eric Trump on X.

“Neither President Trump, his family, nor The Trump Organization has any role in selecting, directing, approving, influencing or soliciting specific investments. They receive no advance notice of trades, cannot alter or override the managers’ strategies or models, and provide no input regarding investment decisions or portfolio operations.”

Eric Trump added, “This structure was intentionally designed to maintain a clear separation between President Trump and the independent third-party investment managers overseeing the accounts and avoid even the appearance of any conflict of interest.”

President Trump has repeatedly rejected allegations that his private business interests create conflicts with his responsibilities as president, even as he and members of his family have expanded into numerous business ventures that have generated billions of dollars in returns.

Trading by elected officials has become an increasingly debated issue in Washington, with lawmakers from both parties expressing support in recent years for legislation that would prohibit or restrict stock trading by public officeholders. The disclosure involving Trump’s investment accounts has renewed attention to that broader debate.

Don Fox, the former acting director and general counsel of the Office of Government Ethics, described the newly disclosed transactions as “completely unprecedented.”

The filing released Tuesday included numerous previously unreported trades, along with a footnote stating: “The filer paid late filing fees related to transactions not previously reported on 278-Ts.”

According to the Office of Government Ethics, Form 278-T “is used by employees within the executive branch who must file public periodic transaction reports.”

Among the newly disclosed activity were the hundreds of stock purchases made on April 8, just one day before President Trump announced a 90-day suspension of portions of his tariff program. His original tariff announcement had triggered a sharp market selloff as investors worried that an escalating global trade dispute could weigh heavily on economic growth.

Following Trump’s announcement pausing the tariffs, U.S. stocks surged. On April 9, 2025, the S&P 500 posted its eighth-largest single-day gain on record, rising 9.5%.

Responding to questions about the disclosures, the White House told NBC News on Tuesday, “Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged — or will ever engage — in conflicts of interest.”

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly added, “All actions by President Trump and his administration are taken in the best interest of the American people — and any so-called ‘reporters’ pushing otherwise are recycling the same, tired, false narrative that Democrats and the legacy media have been pushing for a decade.”

The filing shows purchases of shares in a wide range of companies, including Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s; defense contractor Kratos Defense; consulting firm Korn Ferry; financial services company Axos; Madison Square Garden Sports, which owns the New York Knicks and New York Rangers; and the parent company of The Cheesecake Factory.

The disclosure also revealed the purchase of between $100,001 and $250,000 worth of Apple stock on April 8. Apple was considered one of the companies most exposed to Trump’s tariff policy because much of its manufacturing in 2025 was concentrated in China, Vietnam, Thailand, and India.

Apple shares climbed more than 15% the following day after Trump announced the tariff pause, marking the company’s strongest one-day gain since 1998.

A spokesperson for the Trump Organization defended the filing, saying, “the breadth and depth of this filing further underscores our commitment to transparency. At nearly 1,000 pages, it represents one of the most comprehensive financial disclosure reports ever submitted and demonstrates a level of financial transparency unmatched in presidential history.”

Federal ethics rules require the president, vice president, Cabinet secretaries, and numerous other senior executive branch officials to submit annual financial disclosure reports listing their income, assets, liabilities, outside positions, spousal income, travel reimbursements, and other financial interests.

The stock purchases disclosed Tuesday had not appeared in any of Trump’s periodic transaction reports filed during 2025.

The only previously reported transactions from April 8 were eight relatively small bond purchases that appeared in a filing released by the Office of Government Ethics on Aug. 19, 2025. That earlier filing contained no stock purchases.

The latest disclosure does not explain why the trades were omitted from earlier reports, and it provides no additional details regarding the delay.

The White House did not immediately respond Thursday to additional requests for comment.

Under federal ethics regulations, officials who are required to disclose investment transactions generally must do so within 45 days. Failure to meet that deadline typically results in a $200 late filing fee, although the penalty may be waived in certain circumstances.

The filing again notes on its opening page: “The filer paid late filing fees related to transactions not previously reported on 278-Ts,” referring to the executive branch transaction reporting form.

The Office of Government Ethics states that Form 278-T “is used by employees within the executive branch who must file public periodic transaction reports.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that one of his top priorities during the conflict with Iran was preventing an economic catastrophe, revealing that the U.S. military quietly escorted oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to keep global energy markets stable and avoid what he warned could have become a worldwide depression.

Speaking during an extensive interview in the Oval Office with CNBC, Trump said he has long been determined to avoid presiding over an economic collapse like the one he associates with President Herbert Hoover.

“I’ve always said, I don’t want to be a president with a depression on his resume,” Trump said during a wide-ranging Oval Office interview on CNBC.

“I don’t want to be Herbert Hoover. Of almost all presidents, some have been bad, some have been good, very few have been great.

“But I never want to be Herbert Hoover because Herbert Hoover was the president that probably took us into the Great Depression, the greatest depression, led the whole world there.

“He raised interest rates and he raised taxes simultaneously. I guess he was trying to do something, but that didn’t work out too well.”

Turning to the recent war with Iran, Trump argued that allowing Tehran to shut down the Strait of Hormuz would have sent oil prices skyrocketing and devastated the global economy.

According to Trump, the United States carried out a previously undisclosed naval operation in which American warships escorted commercial oil tankers through the southern portion of the strategic waterway under the cover of darkness. He said the effort lasted for weeks and was instrumental in preventing crude oil prices from spiraling beyond roughly $115 per barrel.

“One of the reasons it only went up to like $115, if you remember, and I’ve seen guests on your show where they go oil will be $350 a barrel, and there’ll be a depression because at $350 there’s a depression. It’s automatic. It goes with it,” Trump said.

“I said, well, we’ve got to do something. We did something nobody knew,” he said.

“Every night, we were taking ships out through the south, which is the furthest point from where they have their little weapons.

“And they were going along the coast with no lights for a month and a half. A lot of ships came out.

“We had one night where we took 22 ships out. That’s a lot of oil. Those are big ships. Some of them are really big ships.

“And in a way, they had courage going out. But our Navy took them out. We escorted them out, and nobody knew. The lights were off. Everything was off. Everything was silent,” Trump explained.

Trump said that had oil reached $300 a barrel, the resulting economic fallout would have been severe enough to define his presidency.

The president remarked, “then I become Herbert Hoover. I don’t want to be Herbert Hoover.”

Trump also reflected on the Great Depression itself, arguing that the economic crisis lingered for years despite the leadership of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

“FDR didn’t get us out of it. There’s a picture right there, FDR,” Trump said, pointing to a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

“Nice picture. It took us years to get out of it. I don’t ever want to be in a depression. I don’t want to be a president that oversees the great worldwide depression. That was Herbert Hoover. And it was a terrible thing,” Trump said.

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Conservative broadcaster Tucker Carlson says he is committed to helping launch a new political party in the United States, declaring that the Republican and Democratic parties have become indistinguishable on the issues he believes matter most and promising to work toward breaking what he called a one-party political system.

In an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review, the former Fox News host and podcast personality said he has no desire to seek elected office himself, despite his plans to become actively involved in creating an alternative political movement.

“I don’t want to be a candidate,” Carlson stated.

Carlson explained that his decision was largely driven by his fierce opposition to the Trump administration’s military campaign against Iran. Once one of President Donald Trump’s most prominent supporters and an outspoken advocate against U.S. military intervention overseas, Carlson said the conflict ended his relationship with the president.

“I haven’t spoken to him since the regime-change war began. I’m not interested in talking to him,” he remarked.

Looking ahead to this November’s midterm elections, Carlson said he no longer supports either of the nation’s two major political parties, arguing that Washington is controlled by a political establishment that presents voters with the illusion of meaningful choice.

Throughout the interview, Carlson sharply criticized what he described as the forces shaping American foreign policy. He argued that pro-Israel donors and interests successfully influenced President Trump to confront Iran, contending that both Republicans and Democrats have aligned themselves against the interests of ordinary Americans.

“I do know what really matters is war and finance,” Carlson said, adding, “And on those questions, the parties are in lockstep solidarity with each other. That’s not a democracy. That’s a one-party state posing as a democracy, and it needs to be broken, and there’s going to be a third party, and I’m going to do everything I can to bring that about.”

Carlson also said his political focus is centered on domestic concerns rather than overseas conflicts, arguing that Washington should prioritize the economic well-being of American citizens above international affairs.

“I’m going to help build a third party. There should be a good-faith effort to figure out what benefits the country. I mean, if you make $60,000 a year, you’re degraded. Your life expectancy has gone down, and the promise of your children’s lives is likely gone. […] I officially don’t care about Hamas. The US government should have, as its first priority, the welfare of its own people.”

His latest remarks are consistent with previous criticism he has directed at Israel. During an interview in May with Israel’s Channel 13 News, Carlson accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of drawing the United States into war with Iran.

He argued that “because of this war…America’s relationship with Israel, while it may be based on good intentions, is hurting the United States very badly” and urged Washington to end all assistance to Israel, saying, “I don’t think the United States owes Israel anything. I don’t think the United States should give Israel anything. I think we should stop all aid to Israel, all special deals for Israel.”

Discussing the conflict with Iran, Carlson also criticized President Trump’s handling of the situation, claiming the president “turned out to be far weaker than I understood” and alleging that he had been pushed by Netanyahu “into a war that hurts the United States.”

Earlier this year, Carlson attracted widespread attention after claiming he had been detained upon arriving at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.

However, video shared on social media appeared to contradict that account, showing Carlson signing paperwork, smiling, embracing an Israeli security officer, posing for a photograph with him, and then departing the airport without incident.

{Matzav.com}