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DEVELOPING: Emergency alert issued for ‘reported weapons incident’ at University of Massachusetts – Lowell campus.

Renewed Israeli airstrikes targeting areas along the southern Lebanese coast between Tyre and Sidon.

Pessimism about the U.S. economy has reached historic levels, with most Americans declaring that the American dream is no longer within reach, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NORC poll. The survey found that only one in four U.S. adults believes they have a good chance of improving their standard of living — a striking collapse of confidence in a country long defined by economic mobility. Nearly half of respondents said they expect the economy to get worse over the next year, compared with just a quarter who anticipate improvement, while the rest expect little change. Perceptions of the economy remain overwhelmingly negative. A majority of Americans, 56 percent, described the economy as either “poor” or “not so good.” Even though that number has eased slightly from last year, the outlook remains grim. Equally stark was the finding that 69 percent of Americans believe the American dream — the belief that hard work leads to a better life — is no longer true or never was. The survey also underscored deep financial unease. Nearly half of respondents described themselves as only “more or less satisfied” with their current financial situation, while 30 percent admitted to being outright dissatisfied. Just 22 percent expressed satisfaction. Inflation remains a central strain: nearly a third of Americans reported major financial hardship from rising prices, and another third said inflation is at least a minor burden. Even among those not yet hit hard, many warned they will feel the squeeze if prices keep climbing. Housing affordability stood out as another major concern. Fewer than a quarter of Americans said they were very confident they could buy a home if they wanted to, while more than half said they had little or no confidence in their ability to do so. Despite a modest uptick in optimism — with 44 percent rating the economy as “excellent” or “good,” six points higher than last year — the poll confirms a bleak national mood. At its core, the findings suggest a public increasingly resigned to economic stagnation and doubtful that the path to prosperity is still open. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The United States will continue to keep its military presence in the Caribbean and will target anyone “trafficking in those waters who we know is a designated narco terrorist,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday morning. His remarks followed President Donald Trump’s announcement a day earlier that U.S. forces had destroyed a drug-laden vessel in the region.

On Tuesday, President Trump revealed that American forces had carried out the strike in international waters after the craft departed Venezuela. He later wrote on Truth Social that 11 people were killed in the operation. Trump said the mission was directed at members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan crime syndicate classified by his administration as a foreign terrorist organization.

Trump also shared footage that appeared to capture the moment a small vessel was destroyed by military firepower in the open sea.

Hegseth, speaking on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday, said he had observed the attack as it unfolded. He rejected claims from Venezuela’s Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez, who alleged on social media that the clip was fabricated. The defense chief stressed that the footage was authentic and called the mission a “precision” strike, though he declined to discuss operational specifics.

“We knew exactly who was in that boat, we knew exactly what they were doing, and we knew exactly who they represented, and that was Tren de Aragua … trying to poison our country with illicit drugs,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth did not explain how U.S. forces identified the craft or its occupants. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Tuesday that he believed the narcotics were destined for Trinidad and Tobago or another Caribbean nation. Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, welcomed the strike in a statement later that evening, according to the Associated Press.

The defense secretary emphasized that the action demonstrated “President Trump is willing to go on offense in ways that others have not been” when it comes to combating international drug smuggling.

“You want to try to traffic drugs, it’s a new day,” Hegseth said. “It’s a different day, and so those 11 drug traffickers are no longer with us, sending a very clear signal that this is an activity the United States is not going to tolerate in our hemisphere.”

He added that American forces would remain stationed in the area and that similar missions could follow.

“This is a deadly, serious mission for us and it won’t stop with just this strike,” Hegseth said. “Anyone else trafficking in those waters who we know is a designated narco-terrorist will face the same fate.”

Last month, President Trump ordered the military to intensify operations against Latin American cartels. In August, U.S. officials announced that additional Navy vessels would patrol waters near Venezuela as part of the effort. Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro denounced the American moves as an “extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat,” and in response dispatched warships and drones along his nation’s shores.

So far, the United States has not suggested it will attack Venezuela directly. When asked Wednesday on Fox News about whether regime change in Caracas was being considered, Hegseth replied that it was a “presidential decision.” The Trump administration has accused Maduro’s regime of aiding drug networks, including Tren de Aragua, in funneling narcotics into the U.S.

In 2020, a federal court in the United States indicted Maduro on narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges, which he has denied. Washington has put forward a $50 million bounty for his capture.

“What we have, there in the Caribbean, is clear demonstration of military might,” Hegseth said during his television appearance. “President Trump has shown whether it is southwest border, Houthis, (Operation) Midnight Hammer in Iran, precise power could impact and reshape dynamics around the world and in the region. Nicolas Maduro, as he considers whether to be a narco-trafficker, has decisions to make.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that New Orleans could be his next target for deploying the National Guard to fight crime, potentially expanding the number of cities around the nation where he may send federal law enforcement. Trump has already said he plans to send the National Guard into Chicago and Baltimore following his administration deploying troops and federal agents to patrol the streets of Washington, D.C., last month. “So we’re making a determination now,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. “Do we go to Chicago? Do we go to a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that’s become quite, you know, quite tough, quite bad.” Trump now frequently boasts about turning Washington into a “safe zone.” The White House reports more than 1,760 arrests citywide since the president first announced he was mobilizing federal forces on Aug. 7. But Washington is a federal district subject to laws giving Trump power to take over the local police force for up to 30 days. The decision to use troops to attempt to quell crime in other Democratic-controlled cities around the country would represent an important escalation. Trump’s latest comments came a day after he declared “We’re going in” and suggested that the National Guard might soon be headed for Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, and Baltimore. That’s despite state and local officials, as well as many residents, both places staunchly opposing the idea. New Orleans, however, is a Democrat-controlled in a red state run by Landry. “So we’re going to be going to maybe Louisiana, and you have New Orleans, which has a crime problem. We’ll straighten that out in about two weeks,” Trump said. “It’ll take us two weeks, easier than D.C.” City leaders immediately balked at the idea. “Crime is down in New Orleans,” City Councilmember Oliver Thomas, who is also a mayoral candidate, said via text message. “That would seem to be very political or a major overreaction!” Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly railed against Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for not requesting that the National Guard be deployed. “We could straighten out Chicago. All they have to do is ask us to go into Chicago. If we don’t have the support of some of these politicians, but I’ll tell you who is supporting us, the people of Chicago,” Trump said Wednesday. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have been adamant in saying Chicago doesn’t need or want military intervention. In Baltimore, Mayor Brandon Scott and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore have remained similarly opposed. In Washington, Mayor Muriel Bowser has said Trump’s decision to take over her city’s police force and flood streets with hundreds of federal law enforcement agents and National Guard troops has succeeded in reducing violent crime — but she’s also argued that similar results could have been achieved simply by having more city police officers in service. (AP)

Several people are dead after an iconic cable car in Lisbon, Portugal, derailed.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that drug cartels face a “rude awakening,” declaring that the President plans to go on the offensive after the U.S. military destroyed a Venezuela-linked drug boat.

A plane has crashed through a fence at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, Illinois. No injuries reported.

A confidential report from the United Nations’ nuclear monitoring body shows that Iran sharply expanded its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in the days leading up to Israel’s military strike on June 13, according to a Wednesday report from the Associated Press.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), headquartered in Vienna, wrote in its most recent update that Iran had accumulated 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity as of June 13. That amount represents an increase of 32.3 kilograms since the agency’s last update in May and places Iran just one technical step below weapons-grade capability.

The findings draw on disclosures made by Iran, on-the-ground verification work carried out from May 17 through June 12, and projections based on earlier monitoring. Uranium at 60% purity is widely recognized as alarmingly close to the 90% level necessary for use in nuclear arms.

The IAEA also confirmed it has not been able to reach any deal with Tehran to restart inspections at facilities hit by U.S. and Israeli strikes in June. Since the outbreak of the conflict, inspectors have only been granted access to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, where Russian experts are assisting with operations.

Rafael Grossi, the agency’s director general, urged Iran to restore full cooperation quickly, stressing that its scaled-back compliance after the fighting began was “deeply regrettable.”

The report further disclosed that Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile had reached 9,874.9 kilograms by June 13—an increase of 627.3 kilograms compared with May. Since then, the agency has been unable to track developments because of Tehran’s restrictions, which it flagged as a “serious concern.”

IAEA experts noted that only 42 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% would be enough for a single nuclear device if it were taken to the 90% weapons threshold.

{Matzav.com}

Israel is continuing to concentrate its forces and equipment for what could be a full-scale military control of Gaza, with the stated goal of eliminating Hamas in order to bring the conflict to an end. At the same time, President Donald Trump issued another strong call for Hamas to release the hostages still in captivity.

“Tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY give back all 20 Hostages (Not 2 or 5 or 7!), and things will change rapidly,” Trump posted Wednesday morning on Truth Social.

“IT WILL END!”

Since the war against Hamas erupted on October 7, 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the situation as a battle being waged on seven different fronts, involving Iran and its network of proxies. From the start, the objectives for Israel’s campaign have been clear: bring back every hostage, dismantle Hamas, and remove both the weapons and the radical ideology entrenched in Gaza.

Trump’s message emphasized that the 20 hostages thought to still be alive should be returned at once. Overall, roughly 50 people taken on October 7 remain missing, but Israeli officials fear that around 30 of them have already been killed, in which case their remains would have to be returned.

Despite mounting global criticism and accusations of “genocide,” Israel argues that civilian deaths are a tragic consequence of Hamas’s deliberate use of innocent people as shields. Officials insist that military strikes are aimed at terrorist infrastructure but that Hamas ensures these targets are placed among civilians to manipulate world opinion.

Reports have long indicated that Hamas has exploited humanitarian supplies to build its network of tunnels beneath Gaza. Israeli officials also stress that many of these underground operations are run directly under or inside hospitals. That, they say, causes the world to misinterpret legitimate strikes on terrorists as deliberate attacks on noncombatants.

{Matzav.com}

As YWN reported on Tuesday, Sara Brown, a genocide scholar and a member of the International Association of “Genocide Scholars” (IAGS) for over 10 years, accused the organization’s leadership of pushing through a resolution labeling Israel’s actions as “genocide” without holding the group’s customary debate and using unreliable data. Additionally, only 129 of the association’s roughly 500 members voted, and the association recently expanded its membership, with almost no qualifications to become a member. According to Brown, the association, formerly comprised of mainly scholars, now includes activists and artists. As it turned out, “almost no qualifications” is actually “no qualifications.” The only credential that “scholars” need to join the association is $30! This fact was revealed on Tuesday by author Salo Aizenberg, who is on the board of the Honest Reporting media watchdog group and is now a newly minted member of IAGS! (Of course, he was only accepted to the prestigious group after submitting his stellar credentials—30 bucks.) Aizenberg wrote, “I’ve been getting to know some of my fellow ‘genocide scholars.’ It seems that Iraq is a center of knowledge in this field, with 80 listed scholars of ~600 (13%). Remarkable, especially the Mahmood family with 5 scholars in the field. I wonder who voted for the Gaza resolution.” “I have been asked by other scholars about the necessary credentials to join this esteemed group of ‘genocide scholars’ that generated worldwide headlines because 24% of members voted that Gaza was a genocide. There are 2 key criteria:(1) be alive (2) have a valid credit card.”   (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The conservative news network Newsmax filed an antitrust lawsuit against Fox News on Wednesday, saying Fox has sought to maintain its market dominance through intimidation and exclusionary business practices designed to stifle competition. Fox has sought to block television distributors from carrying Newsmax or minimize its exposure, pressured guests not to appear on the rival network and hired private detectives to investigate Newsmax executives, said the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in south Florida. Newsmax seeks a jury trial. Fox, in a statement, said “Newsmax cannot sue their way out of their own competitive failures in the marketplace to chase headlines simply because they can’t attract viewers.” (AP)

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un brought along his own portable toilet on his trip to China, a measure meant to ensure no biological traces of his health could be collected, according to intelligence assessments from Japan and South Korea. Observers also noted that his entourage went to unusual lengths to sanitize the meeting space where he conferred with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The customized bathroom was installed on his signature green bulletproof train, which carried him to Beijing on Tuesday to attend China’s largest-ever military parade, an event marking 80 years since Japan’s defeat in World War II.

“The physical condition of the supreme leader has a major impact on the North Korean regime,” a South Korean intelligence official familiar with Pyongyang’s practices told Nikkei Asia, a prominent English-language news outlet based in Japan.

“North Korea makes a particular effort to seal off anything related to that, such as hair and excrement.”

Meanwhile, Kremlin journalist Alexander Yunashev posted footage that appeared to show Kim’s aides diligently tidying up the meeting space following a two-and-a-half-hour conversation between the North Korean leader and Putin.

Yunashev observed that Kim’s team “took away the glass from which he drank, wiped the upholstery of the chair and those parts of the furniture that the Korean leader touched.”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced it eliminated Hezbollah operative Al-Munim Musa Sweidan in Yater, southern Lebanon, where he served as the group’s local representative and managed its financial and military ties with village residents.

Iran further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels before Israel launched its military attack on June 13, a confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog seen by The Associated Press said Wednesday. The report also said that Iran and the IAEA have not reached an agreement on resuming inspections of sites affected by Israeli and U.S. bombing in June. The director general of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, said that “technical modalities to enable the full resumption of Agency inspection should be concluded without delay,” the report stated. The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of June 13, Iran had 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60%, an increase of 32.3 kilograms since the IAEA’s last report in May. The report stated that this figure is “based on the information provide by Iran, agency verification activities between 17 May 2025 and 12 June 2025 (the day preceding the start of the military attacks), and estimates based on the past operation of the relevant facilities.” That material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. The confidential report also stated that as of June 13, Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile was 9874.9 kilograms, which represents an increase of 627.3 kilograms since the last repot in May. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said that since June 13, it has “not been able to conduct the in-field activities required to collect and verify Iran’s declarations used to estimate the changes to the previously reported stockpile.” According to the IAEA, approximately 42 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is theoretically enough to produce one atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90%. (AP)

Senior aides in the White House are quietly considering bringing Eric Adams into President Trump’s administration, sources revealed, while political insiders push struggling mayoral hopefuls to exit the race in order to consolidate opposition against socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani.

Discussions about Adams potentially receiving a coveted position have been happening among senior Trump officials, though it is not known whether the president himself has been directly involved yet, according to people familiar with the matter.

“I think Adams would be able to craft a position and a portfolio that’s to his liking,” one source connected to Trump’s team said.

“I’ve heard the Adams team wants it,” added another person familiar with White House deliberations.

A political insider close to Adams acknowledged that members of his circle are encouraging him to accept the federal lifeline, but Adams himself has not appeared fully convinced.

“I have a job. I’m running for re-election, I’m still doing that and I’m looking forward to getting re-elected,” Adams told reporters during a press event Wednesday, brushing aside the chatter.

These behind-the-scenes maneuvers come at a time when Adams’ scandal-plagued independent re-election effort looks all but doomed, and his continued candidacy is seen as making Mamdani’s road to City Hall easier with four names still in the running.

Mamdani vaulted into the lead after unexpectedly defeating ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.

But Cuomo, refusing to bow out, launched an independent campaign of his own.

With both men still running and others lingering in the race, Mamdani’s advantage has only grown stronger. Surveys show his dominance would only be seriously tested in a direct head-to-head battle with Cuomo.

For months, Trump’s allies have tried persuading long-shot candidates like independent Jim Walden and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa to stand down, according to insiders. Walden formally ended his far-fetched campaign on Tuesday.

Adams did not seek the Democratic nomination after the Trump Justice Department controversially decided to drop a corruption case against him.

Instead, he pursued an independent path, after he and his donors unsuccessfully lobbied for Sliwa to be offered a role in Trump’s administration, a deal that would have paved Adams’ way to secure the Republican line in November, sources have said.

Sliwa, however, turned down the administration’s job offer, one insider confirmed.

“Now, they are seeing if Adams would be interested in working for the administration,” a source explained. “Adams is in a unique position in the sense of he does share a lot of the administration’s goals especially on crime and immigration, so he could likely make a real impact whether at home or abroad.”

An ambassadorship is seen as the most attractive possibility for Adams, considering his long-held ambition to do international consulting work once his time as mayor ends, another insider noted.

“He can have any ambassadorship he wants,” someone close to Adams claimed.

“Mayor Adams has made it clear he will not respond to every rumor that comes up. He will remain focus , not be distracted and Grind for New Yorkers,” Adams campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro said in a statement.

According to Shapiro, Adams has not had any conversations with Trump nor sat down with him about the mayoral race.

“The Mayor is fully committed to winning this election, with millions of New Yorkers preparing to cast their votes. His record is clear: crime is down, jobs are up, and he has consistently stood up for working families. Mayor Adams is focused on building on that progress and earning four more years to continue delivering for the people of New York.”

Still, Adams and his advisers had a private strategy session scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to determine whether to continue his struggling re-election campaign, sources said.

Although Adams has repeatedly insisted he intends to fight until the end, he appeared to shift slightly in tone after spending his birthday week in Florida on Tuesday.

When a Fox5 reporter pressed him Wednesday morning about speculation he might leave the race, Adams offered a response that was notably less emphatic than usual.

“Whenever I make a move, I’ll make an announcement. I’m in this race to win and if anything changes, trust me, I’ll be on Channel 5,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump affirmed that the United States will keep a robust military presence in Poland as he had a warm meeting Wednesday with Karol Nawrocki, the new president of the American ally in Europe. Trump had taken the unusual step of endorsing Nawrocki in the Polish elections earlier this year, and as the leaders sat side by side in the White House, Trump said the U.S.-Polish relationship has always been strong but “now it’s better than ever.” When asked by a reporter whether the U.S. planned to continue placing troops in Poland, Trump said the U.S. would and that “we’ll put more there if they want.” “We’ll be staying in Poland. We’re very much aligned with Poland,” Trump said. The visit to Washington is Nawrocki’s first overseas trip since taking office last month. The former amateur boxer and historian, who was backed by the conservative Law and Justice party, was hoping to deepen his relationship with Trump at a fraught moment for Warsaw. Nawrocki thanked Trump for his support and in a nod to the bonds between their countries, gave a particular hello to the millions of Polish Americans in the U.S. “Those relations for me, for Poland, for Poles, are very important,” Nawrocki said. He added that those bonds are based on shared values of independence and democracy. Trump said he was proud to have endorsed Nawrocki and lauded him for winning his election. “It was a pretty tough race, pretty nasty race, and he beat them all. And he beat them all very easily, and now he’s become even more popular as they got to know him and know him better,” Trump said. Trump is increasingly frustrated by his inability to get Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sit down for direct talks aimed at ending the war between Poland’s neighbors. Trump last month met with Putin in Alaska and then with Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House. The Republican president emerged from those engagements confident that he would be able to quickly arrange direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy and perhaps three-way talks in which he would participate. But his optimism in hatching an agreement to end the war has dimmed as Putin has yet to signal an interest in sitting down with Zelenskyy. “Maybe they have to fight a little longer,” Trump said in an interview with the conservative Daily Caller published over the weekend. “You know, just keep fighting — stupidly, keep fighting.” There is also heightened anxiety in Poland, and across Europe, about Trump’s long-term commitment to a strong U.S. force posture on the continent — an essential deterrent to Russia. Some key advisers in his administration have advocated for shifting U.S. troops and military from Europe to the Indo-Pacific with China’s lock as the United States’ most significant strategic and economic competitor. Currently, there are about 8,200 American troops stationed in Poland, but the force level regularly fluctuates, according to the Pentagon. “The stakes are very high for President Nawrocki’s visit,” said Peter Doran, an analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “Trump will have an opportunity to size up Poland’s new president, and Nawrocki also will have the chance to do the same. Failure in this meeting would mean a pullback of […]

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu delivered a harsh rebuke of the ongoing demonstrations against his government, charging that they have gone far beyond acceptable limits of civic protest.

“In a democracy, demonstrations are legitimate. However, what is happening in the financed, organized, and political protests against the Government, which have crossed every line, is that they are vandalizing property, blocking roads, making millions of citizens miserable, and chasing after elected officials and their children, on their way to kindergarten and school,” Netanyahu stated.

The Prime Minister alleged that those taking part in the demonstrations “threaten to murder me, the Prime Minister, and my family on a daily basis, and they deal in arson. They said that they would surround my house, the Prime Minister’s Residence, with a ring of fire, literally like fascist gangs.”

Referring to a fire set close to his residence in Yerushalayim, Netanyahu described: “They lit a fire on Charlap Street, right next to my home, and this fire also ignited a car. The car belongs to Captain (Res.) Yoav Bar Yishai. He is the grandson of Yaakov Neeman, who was an amazing Finance and Justice Minister.

“This year, Yoav has served around 260 days, in three rounds, in both Gaza and Lebanon. He serves as an officer in an elite Armored Corps unit. He has three daughters. They burned his car. His wife cannot take the kids. Then they volunteered to finance the purchase of a new car. Don’t do any favors. Don’t make us laugh. You talk about democracy? You talk and behave just like fascists.”

Later, Netanyahu turned his criticism toward the law enforcement authorities. “What’s happening here is simple – there is no enforcement, when there is no enforcement, there is escalation. And indeed, they began by breaking through roadblocks, after that, they tried to break through fences, and after that, they fired flares, which nearly burned a security guard to death next to my house, and now they are making a ring of fire.

“Where is the enforcement? It doesn’t exist. This isn’t selective enforcement; there isn’t enforcement at all, and this must change. This is what I demand for the enforcement bodies. This is what the people demand to uphold democracy.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. has sanctioned Chinese company Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Co., Ltd. and individuals Huang Xiaoqun and Huang Zhangpeng for producing and distributing illegal opioids and chemicals fueling the U.S. fentanyl crisis.

Senate Intel Chair Tom Cotton is calling on FBI Director Kash to investigate a Palestinian Youth Movement member who, at a pro-Hamas conference, reportedly encouraged disrupting the F-35 supply chain.