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[Video below.] A record 3,698 Jews ascended the Har HaBayis on Tishah B’Av this year, according to organizers, surpassing last year’s total of 3,527 visitors.

While supporters hailed the turnout as a milestone, the overwhelming consensus of the leading poskim and Gedolei Yisroel—both past and present—has remained unequivocal that Jews are prohibited from ascending Har HaBayis under contemporary circumstances.

For decades, the foremost Gedolei HaPoskim across virtually every segment of the Torah world have ruled that entering Har HaBayis is strictly forbidden due to the inability to determine with certainty the precise boundaries of the areas where entry is prohibited because of tumas meis and the location of the Makom HaMikdash. Among those who have prohibited ascending Har HaBayis were Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, Rav Ovadia Yosef, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, Rav Shmuel Wosner, Rav Nissim Karelitz, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Gershon Edelstein, and numerous other gedolim. They have consistently maintained that Jews must refrain from ascending the site until the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash.

Despite those longstanding prohibitions, organizers reported that 3,698 Jews visited Har HaBayis on Tishah B’Av, establishing a new record for the day. Last year, 3,527 visitors ascended the site on Tishah B’Av.

Rav Elisha Wolfson, Rosh Yeshiva of the Temple Mount Yeshiva, welcomed the increased attendance.

“It is moving to see the masses of the House of Israel coming to visit the site of the Temple. Thank God, we were privileged to pray on the Mount using Tisha B’Av prayer booklets and beneath shade canopies in the eastern section. There is no doubt that the process of returning to Zion is making groundbreaking progress year after year.”

He continued, “Now, after 59 years, the people of Israel are beginning to understand that the Holy One, blessed be He, has truly returned us to the site of the Temple.”

Rav Wolfson argued that yearning for Tzion should not be limited to prayer alone but should also find practical expression through visits to Har HaBayis, which he said should be conducted in accordance with the halachic guidelines advocated by his organization.

He also said conditions on Har HaBayis have changed significantly over the past two years, particularly since National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir assumed office. According to Rav Wolfson, when the yeshiva first began operating approximately six years ago, even silent prayer could lead to police detention.

“Today there are songs, prayers, and prostration on the Temple Mount. And starting today, there are also shade canopies and Tisha B’Av prayer booklets,” he said.

Rav Wolfson encouraged additional members of the public to participate by visiting Har HaBayis after making what he described as the necessary halachic preparations and by supporting the yeshiva’s ongoing activities.

According to Rav Wolfson, the yeshiva’s efforts continue throughout the year and are not limited to Tishah B’Av or Yomim Tovim. He said its talmidim ascend Har HaBayis daily after immersing in a mikveh, learn Torah at the site, and maintain a constant presence there.

“We’re carrying out an incredible revolution here and making these tremendous changes possible,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

After more than a year of deliberations, consultations, and extensive halachic discussion surrounding artificial intelligence and its implications, Rav Meir Kessler, mara d’asra of Modi’in Illit, delivered a forceful address outlining the dangers he believes AI poses to the Torah community, echoing the guidance of the Gedolei Yisroel regarding modern technology.

Opening his remarks, Rav Kessler drew a sharp comparison between today’s technological challenges and traditional halachic observance.

“Would anyone ever have imagined that the day would come when we would need to organize a gathering to address a weakening among the Torah-observant public regarding the prohibition of muktzeh? Muktzeh is a serious Rabbinic prohibition, and it would never occur to anyone that the public would treat it lightly. Yet we see what is happening in our generation in the face of the challenges posed by technology and the internet.”

Rav Kessler also recalled a powerful conversation he had years ago with Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, during which he sought guidance on confronting the ever-changing dangers presented by technology. He stressed that every Jewish household should hear the complete presentation rather than relying on fragments or secondhand reports in order to fully understand the issues involved.

Turning specifically to artificial intelligence, Rav Kessler said, “The internet is the sin of the Eitz Hadaas (Tree of Knowledge) itself. With AI, a person can know many things—much that is good and much that is bad. But the bad is a tremendous problem. Even the very knowledge of evil connects a person to evil. There are many things that stem from the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, but this is literally the Tree of Knowledge itself.”

He also expressed concern about the community’s educational approach, saying, “We made mistakes in chinuch—I say this publicly. We failed by not educating the public to think independently. I can tell you that no gadol b’Yisroel ever instructed people to leave their office jobs. That approach will never work. No one is going to take responsibility for decisions that affect the livelihoods of so many families.”

Warning that the dangers are particularly acute for younger people, Rav Kessler continued, “It is a danger for adults as well, but for young people it is far greater. They absorb everything within seconds. It exists even today on kosher phones. This is literally pikuach nefesh if we do not awaken in time. One must not even go into the details because that only arouses curiosity. A person simply has to run away from it.”

Rav Kessler also related an observation he had heard from an academic, saying, “I heard that a certain professor said that in the end, only bochurim will still have functioning minds, because the entire world is moving over to AI, while they are the only ones sitting and learning sugyos of shakla v’tarya. There won’t be anyone left with real intellectual ability other than bnei yeshivah.”

Concluding his remarks, Rav Kessler emphasized the responsibility of parents and educators to protect the next generation.

“For children, there is certainly no place for this. We must educate them not to come near it. Not through threats, chas v’shalom—threats will not help. We must explain to them the tremendous danger involved. In America, those who did not fight to preserve Shabbos ultimately became goyim. We must safeguard the coming generations.”

{Matzav.com}

In response to a call issued by Rav Dov Landau, tens of thousands of Yidden gathered Thursday night following Tishah B’Av for mass atzerei tefillah held across Eretz Yisroel, joining together in heartfelt tefillah over the difficult matzav facing Klal Yisroel and the ongoing persecution of lomdei Torah.

The announcement, issued at the direction of Rav Landau, called upon Klal Yisroel to unite in prayer in light of the many challenges confronting the Jewish people. It declared: “Gather together and stand up for our very lives. In light of the difficult situation facing the Jewish people, the crushing hardships from within and without, and the terrible persecution of those who study Torah, by the directive of our master, Rav Dov Landau, all of Klal Yisroel throughout the holy communities of Eretz Yisroel should assemble tonight, Motzoei Tishah B’Av, at 10:00 p.m. for gatherings of prayer and outcry. ‘For the Almighty does not reject the prayers of the multitudes.'”

The central maamad took place at Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, where Rav Dov Landau was joined by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

At the same time, dozens of additional atzerei tefillah were held throughout Bnei Brak, including at Yeshivas Orchos Torah, Yeshivas Ponevezh, the Lederman Shul, Divrei Shir, Shomrei Shabbos, Itzkowitz, Ne’os Yosef, Beis Hashem, Beis Tefillah in Kiryat Herzog, Rambam, Ohel Tamar, Siach Tefillah, Mishkan Uziel, Helligman, Mishkenos Yaakov, Tiferes Nachman, Shoneh Halachos, Volozhin, Yotzei Chevron, Yotzei Orchos Torah, and numerous other batei medrash and batei knesses.

In Yerushalayim, the primary gathering was held at Yeshivas Mir, while additional tefillah assemblies took place at the Chazon Ish shul in Ramat Shlomo, the Bnei Yeshivos batei knesses in Neve Yaakov and Romema, and the Bnei HaYeshivos shul in Pisgat Ze’ev.

Similar gatherings were also held in Beit Shemesh, Modi’in Illit, Elad, Beitar Illit, Ofakim, Rechasim, Haifa, Tiveria, Petach Tikvah, Afula, Ganei Ayalon in Lod, and numerous other cities and communities throughout Eretz Yisroel.

In Modi’in Illit, the atzerei tefillah took place at Ketzos HaChoshen, Zichron Moshe, Heichal Yitzchok, Meromi Sadeh, Sha’agas Aryeh, Kehillas Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi, and Meshovev Nesivos. In Rechasim, gatherings were held at Ohel Malka, Heichal Moshe, Shivtei Yisroel, HaMinyan HeChadash, and the city’s Bnei HaYeshivos center.

Organizers said the purpose of the gatherings had been to unite Klal Yisroel in earnest tefillah and to beseech Rachamei Shomayim during a period of tremendous tzaros, while strengthening support for the olam haTorah in the face of the continuing challenges confronting bnei Torah.

The Vizhnitzer chassidus has announced plans for a major gathering at Meron later this month, where thousands of chassidim are expected to assemble for special tefillos for the recovery of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, while also rallying in support of the Torah world amid what organizers describe as the ongoing persecution of bnei Torah.

The event, titled “Makdishei Shemecha,” is scheduled to take place, be’ezras Hashem, on Tuesday, the 28th of Menachem Av, in Meron under the leadership and with the participation of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe.

The program will begin with a large tefillah gathering at the tziyun of Rashbi, where participants will daven for the Rebbe’s complete recovery. The event will also serve as a public outcry over what organizers describe as the disgrace of Torah and the persecution of its learners, under the banner, “Shelo Sishokach Torah MiYisroel.”

Following the prayers at the tziyun, a massive assembly will take place at a nearby venue for Vizhnitzer chassidim. Organizers stressed that admission will require a special entry card distributed through local coordinators. At the same time, the chassidus’ bochurim studying in its yeshivos will unite in tefillah from their respective batei medrash throughout the country.

A central focus of the gathering will be the launch of a new financial fund aimed at ensuring long-term support for families of avreichim devoted to full-time Torah study. Supporters are being asked to commit to sponsoring an avreich for a three-year period at a cost of 30,348 shekels.

In addition, the chassidus is preparing for a special “Shabbos Lo Sishokach” in Meron—a Shabbos of inspiration, yearning, and closeness to Hashem together with the Rebbe—for those who join in supporting families of avreichei Torah.

In a notice, organizers emphasized that the required contribution has been set at an amount intended to be attainable for participants and that no discounts or last-minute changes will be permitted. The announcement added that supporters may seek donations from outside the Vizhnitzer community to help fulfill their commitments.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Shraga Shteinman delivered a powerful message about faith and priorities during a meeting with the head of a prominent yeshiva, expressing surprise that so many people are preoccupied with geopolitical developments while giving little thought to the imminent possibility of the coming of Moshiach.

During the Nine Days, the visiting Rosh Yeshiva met with Rav Shteinman to seek guidance on several halachic and hashkafic questions related to the summer camp scheduled to begin after Tishah B’Av.

During their discussion, the Rosh Yeshiva raised concerns about the increasingly tense security situation with Iran and the possibility that war could erupt at any moment. He asked whether, in light of the uncertain military and political developments, it would be appropriate to slow or temporarily suspend preparations for the camp.

Rav Shteinman responded with a heartfelt observation about the Jewish people’s priorities. “People are talking about Trump and not about Moshiach?” he asked. He went on to lament that so many are consumed by fears over political and military developments while so few are anticipating the arrival of Moshiach, whose coming would render all current plans irrelevant as the Jewish people journey to Yerushalayim and the rebuilt Beis Hamikdash.

A Jewish man was among two people stabbed Thursday afternoon in a shocking knife attack on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, prompting a large emergency response and a police investigation into whether the victims were deliberately targeted.

The first attack occurred shortly before the suspect struck again just blocks away. According to police, a 40-year-old man was walking along West 86th Street near Broadway when an assailant allegedly came up from behind and stabbed him once in the back without warning.

Authorities said the suspect then continued several blocks to the area of West 86th Street and Central Park West, where he allegedly attacked a second victim, a 50-year-old man, stabbing him once in the chest.

The attacker allegedly yelled, “Allahu Akhbar.”

Emergency medical personnel rushed both victims to a nearby hospital. Police said one of the men remained in critical condition, while the condition of the second victim has not been fully disclosed.

Law enforcement officials quickly located and detained a possible suspect, who is now in custody as detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attacks.

Police have not yet determined whether the stabbings were random or whether the victims were specifically targeted. Authorities are also working to establish a motive for the violence.

{Matzav.com}

The Department of Justice has decided to withdraw subpoenas issued to several New York Times reporters as part of an investigation into reporting on President Donald Trump’s new Air Force One aircraft, federal prosecutors informed a judge Thursday, ending a legal dispute over the government’s efforts to compel journalists to testify.

The announcement came during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan, where the court had been considering the newspaper’s request to invalidate the subpoenas directed at its reporters, according to MS NOW.

Earlier this month, on July 10, the Justice Department served subpoenas requiring several Times journalists to appear before a federal grand jury, according to the newspaper. Federal agents reportedly delivered some of those subpoenas directly to the reporters’ homes.

The subpoenas had been authorized by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, whom President Trump has nominated to serve as director of national intelligence.

The New York Times also reported earlier this week that the Justice Department had notified the newspaper that it had obtained subpoenas for phone and text message records from third-party telecommunications providers. According to the paper, one subpoena even sought records belonging to the mother of one of its reporters.

The federal investigation followed reporting by the Times concerning security issues involving President Trump’s newly acquired Air Force One aircraft, which had been donated by the government of Qatar.

In a July 8 report, the newspaper stated that Trump had flown from Turkey aboard the older Air Force One aircraft rather than the recently donated Boeing 747-8 because of heightened security concerns following renewed hostilities with Iran.

Citing individuals familiar with the aircraft, the Times also reported that “the new plane does not have all the features of the older plane” in terms of security.

Reacting to the subpoenas after they were issued, New York Times attorney David McCraw sharply criticized the Justice Department’s actions.

“The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,” said David McCraw, The Times’ lawyer, in a statement on July 11.

“Our journalists report the facts and advance the American public’s right to know how their government is operating and their taxpayer dollars are being used,” McCraw said. “This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is expected to convene Israel’s restricted security cabinet on Friday in an unusual meeting amid growing intelligence assessments that Iran could launch the next round of fighting by striking Israel first, as defense officials remain on heightened alert for a possible escalation over the weekend.

The rare Friday meeting comes as Israel’s security establishment prepares for multiple scenarios following updated intelligence assessments indicating that Tehran may be changing its strategic approach toward Israel.

According to intelligence assessments developed in recent days by Western intelligence agencies, one of the leading scenarios is that Iran could seek to draw Israel into a broader military confrontation by initiating hostilities itself. The assessment was reported Thursday by Ynet.

According to the report by Nadav Eyal, Iranian leaders believe Israel may currently be reluctant to return to a full-scale military campaign. Tehran is also believed to be looking to exploit what it views as recent strains and disagreements between Jerusalem and Washington.

At the same time, President Donald Trump told Israeli journalist Barak Ravid that he is nearing a decision on Iran and is considering a military strike that would exceed anything carried out previously.

“We are fully prepared for it,” Trump said, adding that “Israel will join within two minutes if I ask them, but we don’t need anybody.”

Trump’s remarks come as tensions across the Middle East continue to intensify. Overnight, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) completed another wave of strikes against military targets inside Iran. According to the report, the operation targeted advanced naval capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and Iranian air defense assets. In an unprecedented move, American forces also bombed the Shalamcheh border crossing linking Iran’s Khuzestan Province with southern Iraq.

Israeli defense officials are closely monitoring developments throughout the region while analyzing Iran’s intentions based on intelligence indicating that Tehran may be increasingly willing to take calculated military risks.

Friday’s security cabinet meeting is expected to focus on developing Israel’s strategic roadmap for responding to the emerging threats, including both intelligence operations and military preparedness.

According to the report, the primary objective of the discussions will be to ensure that Israel is prepared to respond rapidly—or act preemptively if necessary—and prevent Iran from exploiting what it perceives as tactical or diplomatic vulnerabilities. Senior defense officials believe Tehran is attempting to capitalize on the current international climate and the complex political environment as it searches for an opportunity to shift the balance of the conflict.

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced legislation that would authorize the Department of Homeland Security to shut down artificial intelligence systems deemed to pose a serious threat to human life or the U.S. economy. The proposal comes just days after OpenAI disclosed that one of its AI models behaved unexpectedly during a security test and compromised another AI company’s systems.

The measure, known as the “AI Kill Switch Act,” was introduced by Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., and Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas. Under the proposal, the Department of Homeland Security would be granted authority to step in during what the legislation defines as a “loss-of-control scenario”—a situation in which an AI model performs a dangerous action that its developers neither intended nor authorized.

The lawmakers unveiled the bill shortly after OpenAI acknowledged that one of its AI agents went rogue during internal testing and launched a hacking attack that breached the infrastructure of AI startup Hugging Face.

“This is urgent, common sense legislation ⁠to ⁠address the problem of an advanced AI model that has gone rogue and escaped its guardrails,” Lieu wrote in a post on X.

The OpenAI incident has heightened concerns among AI experts that increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence systems are beginning to present the very security risks many researchers have warned about for years. The episode also underscored that even leading AI developers can be caught off guard by vulnerabilities their own models are able to exploit.

{Matzav.com}

Travelers planning to fly during the bein hazemanim vacation period can expect flights to continue as scheduled, according to Israel Airports Authority Chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Yiftach Ron-Tal, who said Israel’s airspace will remain open even if the security situation deteriorates.

Speaking Wednesday in an interview on Kan News’ Bachatzi Hayom program, Ron-Tal rejected concerns that additional American aerial refueling aircraft arriving in Israel could disrupt operations at Ben Gurion Airport. His comments come amid heightened regional tensions and concerns over a possible escalation involving Iran.

“I’m pleased that there is a policy that was updated just two days ago by the transportation minister, and I agree with it 1,000%,” Ron-Tal said. “There is absolutely no intention of closing the airspace of the State of Israel, even under the sensitive strategic and security circumstances in which we currently find ourselves.”

Ron-Tal’s remarks directly contradict comments made just one day earlier by Israel Airports Authority Director General Sharon Kedmi, who warned during the same program that Ben Gurion Airport would be unable to maintain its full flight schedule if additional U.S. refueling aircraft were stationed there.

“We can’t accommodate even one more refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. If one more arrives, we’ll have to begin canceling flights,” Kedmi said.

Ron-Tal, however, painted a far more optimistic picture, saying airport officials are determined to keep Israel’s skies open during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.

“We will do everything in our power to keep the skies over the State of Israel open during a season that is so important to the Israeli public,” he said. “I’ll go even further than that—every day that passes is setting new records this year.”

The Airports Authority chairman said Ben Gurion Airport is already handling approximately 90,000 passengers per day and emphasized that all operations are being carried out in close coordination with Israel’s defense establishment.

According to Airports Authority figures, more than two million passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion Airport during July, representing an increase of approximately 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

The surge reflects the continued recovery of Israel’s aviation industry following Operation Rising Lion. Terminal 1 has reopened for international flights, and airport officials say traffic is steadily returning to normal. Approximately 230,000 international passengers are expected to travel through Terminal 1 during July alone.

Ron-Tal stressed that his position is fully aligned with the Transportation Ministry’s policy of keeping Israel’s airspace open. Transportation Minister Miri Regev has previously stated that the government is committed to maintaining open skies throughout the summer travel season while meeting the growing demand for flights to and from Israel.

Government preparations have included intensive coordination with all relevant agencies, including relocating some American military aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport to create additional capacity for commercial flights during the busy summer season.

The government has also approved an exceptional compensation package of up to 55 million shekels for Israeli airlines to offset losses incurred from empty flights they were required to operate during Operation Rising Lion.

Officials say the strong passenger numbers demonstrate renewed confidence in Israel’s aviation sector among both the traveling public and international airlines. Numerous foreign carriers have resumed regular service to Ben Gurion Airport, and Israelis are once again flying in numbers not seen since the outbreak of the war.

In recent days, Ben Gurion has repeatedly set new post-war passenger records. Last Thursday alone, approximately 85,000 travelers passed through the airport on arriving and departing international flights—the highest daily total since the start of Operation Rising Lion.

{Matzav.com}

Kozo Okamoto, the last surviving member of the three-man terrorist squad that carried out the 1972 massacre at Ben Gurion Airport, has died in Beirut at the age of 78. Okamoto participated in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Israel’s history, in which 24 people were murdered and 71 others were wounded before he was later released from prison in the 1985 Jibril prisoner exchange.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced Okamoto’s death, stating that he died in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, a Hezbollah-controlled area of the Lebanese capital.

On May 30, 1972, Okamoto landed at what was then known as Lod Airport, now Ben Gurion Airport, aboard an Air France flight together with two fellow members of the Japanese Red Army.

Moments after arriving, the three terrorists pulled Kalashnikov assault rifles from their luggage and began spraying gunfire into crowds of passengers before hurling grenades into the terminal.

The attack left 24 people dead and another 71 wounded.

Okamoto was the only member of the terrorist cell to survive the massacre. His two accomplices were killed during the assault, while he was wounded, captured by Israeli authorities, and taken into custody.

An Israeli court sentenced him to life in prison, but after serving 13 years, he was freed in 1985 as part of the Jibril prisoner exchange. Following his release, he relocated to Lebanon, where he remained for the rest of his life.

Although the attackers were members of the communist Japanese Red Army, they carried out the massacre on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which had recruited and trained the group for the operation.

Over the years, Japan repeatedly requested that Lebanon extradite Okamoto to face justice, but Lebanese authorities consistently refused those requests.

Okamoto lived largely out of the public eye during his decades in Lebanon, making only occasional public appearances.

One of his few public appearances came in May 2022 during a ceremony in Beirut commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Ben Gurion Airport massacre.

The event took place at a cemetery where numerous Palestinian terrorists are buried, near a memorial dedicated to four Japanese nationals who had been involved with Palestinian terrorist organizations.

At the ceremony, Okamoto wore a Palestinian flag along with a scarf bearing the slogan of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Appearing visibly frail, he was assisted to the memorial by several companions.

Although he remained silent throughout the approximately 30-minute ceremony, he occasionally smiled and waved to those in attendance.

With his party continuing to lose ground in the polls, Bennett Party chairman Naftali Bennett sparked a political firestorm after delivering a blistering speech attacking the chareidi community, warning that Israel must “dismantle the anti-Zionist chareidi state” or risk losing the Zionist state altogether.

Addressing a conference of party activists, Bennett called for a fundamental change in the government’s approach to the chareidi public, arguing that the era of political compromise had come to an end.

During his speech, Bennett said: “Therefore, the era of compromises is over; no exemptions, no budgets. If we do not dismantle the anti-Zionist chareidi state, we will lose the Zionist state. And I want to tell you, I say this out of love for our brothers—I do not hate them…”

The remarks, delivered just days before Tishah B’Av, drew widespread criticism because of both their timing and their unusually harsh tone. Tishah B’Av is traditionally a time for reflecting on the dangers of internal division and baseless hatred among the Jewish people.

Bennett’s comments also come as his political standing continues to deteriorate. Recent public opinion surveys have shown his party steadily losing support after previously polling at significantly higher levels.

Political analysts are now debating whether the increasingly aggressive rhetoric is an attempt to shore up support among his base as his poll numbers slide or whether it signals a broader shift toward a more confrontational campaign strategy ahead of the next election.

A Channel 13 News poll released Tuesday night showed Bennett’s party falling to a new low of just 14 Knesset seats.

According to the same survey, Likud lost one seat, while the anti-Netanyahu bloc also dropped by one seat to 60 mandates, despite the Arab parties gaining two seats.

{Matzav.com}

The European Union imposed a 890 million euro ($1 billion) antitrust fine on Google on Thursday, accusing the tech giant of violating the bloc’s digital competition rules by using Google Play and its dominant search engine to steer users toward its own products and services at the expense of rivals.

The penalty marks the latest in a series of aggressive actions by European regulators targeting major technology companies. Brussels has positioned itself at the forefront of global efforts to curb the market power of some of the world’s biggest tech firms, including companies based in Silicon Valley and China.

The crackdown comes despite growing tensions with President Donald Trump, who has sharply criticized the European Union’s digital regulations. His broader disputes with the 27-member bloc have included imposing steep tariffs, threatening to seize Greenland from Denmark by force, and raising concerns about the future of the NATO alliance.

Trump has previously warned that the United States could retaliate if European regulators continue imposing heavy penalties on American technology companies.

The latest decision follows Google’s recent defeat in its appeal against a separate $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed by the European Union over allegations that it used the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to suppress competition and limit consumer choice.

Announcing the latest penalty, the European Commission—the EU’s executive arm and chief antitrust authority—said its investigation concluded that Google’s practices harmed competition and reduced options for consumers.

“The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

Google strongly rejected the ruling. Kent Walker, the company’s President of Global Affairs, denounced the fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants” and argued that the decision would ultimately hurt both European businesses and consumers.

Walker also criticized the EU’s Digital Markets Act, saying it forces Google “to strip away real-time search features Europeans love — like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants — and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.”

The European Union classifies seven of the world’s largest technology companies as digital “gatekeepers” because of their control over key online platforms. Those companies include Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Defending the enforcement action, European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the rules are intended to preserve fair competition and consumer choice across the digital marketplace.

“In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative offers,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reported $403 billion in revenue in 2025.

A massive search operation is underway in Ashkelon after a 4-year-old boy disappeared near the city’s Hofit Beach on Thursday, prompting police to launch an intensive land, sea, and air search amid fears for his safety.

Large numbers of Israel Police officers, joined by volunteers, marine police units, divers, and an aircraft from the police air unit, have spent hours combing the area for Yuval Kogan, a 4-year-old Ashkelon resident who vanished near the shoreline. Authorities have classified the case as that of a high-risk missing child and are urging the public to come forward with any information that could help locate him.

The search began shortly after the child was reported missing early Thursday afternoon, Tishah B’Av. Given Yuval’s young age and the fact that he disappeared near the water, police immediately launched an extensive emergency response, treating the incident as a life-threatening situation.

As the hours passed and concerns mounted, police significantly expanded the search effort, bringing in additional emergency personnel and specialized units. The operation has grown into a large-scale, coordinated effort involving multiple rescue agencies working together to locate the missing child as quickly as possible.

Searches are being conducted simultaneously on land, at sea, and from the air. A police helicopter is surveying the coastline and nearby open areas from above, while marine police officers and specially trained police volunteer divers are searching the water and surrounding beaches using advanced operational and technological equipment to determine whether the child may have entered the sea.

Meanwhile, officers from the Ashkelon Police Station, together with dozens of civilian volunteers, are conducting meticulous searches along the beach, nearby buildings, walking paths, and surrounding public areas. Investigators are also attempting to reconstruct the child’s possible movements and gather any witness accounts or evidence that could provide clues to his whereabouts.

Police have released a description of Yuval in hopes that members of the public will recognize him. He is described as having a slim build with brown hair and was last seen wearing a green shirt.

Authorities stressed that even seemingly insignificant information could prove vital in locating the child and ensuring his safe return.

Israel Police are urging residents of Ashkelon, beachgoers, and anyone who may have been in the area to remain vigilant. Anyone who has seen Yuval, observed someone matching his description, or has any information that could assist in the search is asked to immediately contact the police emergency hotline by dialing 100 or call the Ashkelon Police Station directly at 08-677-1440.

Thousands of Jews have gathered at the Kosel this evening as Tisha B’Av concludes. As the sun sets and the fast is about to end, crowds have joined in singing.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that any U.S. civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia will move forward only if the kingdom agrees to join the Abraham Accords, making normalization with Israel a key condition for the proposed deal.

In a post on social media, Trump stressed that the proposed agreement would be limited exclusively to peaceful nuclear energy and would prohibit uranium enrichment.

“The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.”

Trump also emphasized that the United States has no objection to civilian nuclear energy programs that do not involve enrichment capabilities.

“The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he concluded:

The president has repeatedly urged additional Middle Eastern nations to join the Abraham Accords, the landmark normalization agreements first brokered during his administration. In May, he again called on more countries in the region to become part of the initiative as negotiations with Iran continued to advance, Breitbart News reported.

The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, initially brought the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain into formal diplomatic relations with Israel. The coalition later expanded to include Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Sudan.

Trump has specifically encouraged Saudi Arabia and Qatar to take the lead by entering the accords, arguing that nations unwilling to normalize relations with Israel should not expect to participate in any future peace agreement involving Iran.

While attending the G7 summit in June, Trump told Breitbart News and other media outlets that he believes additional Arab countries will soon join the Abraham Accords. He praised the original participants as “very smart countries” and noted that none withdrew from the agreement despite the recent conflict with Iran.

At the same time, several media reports citing anonymous administration officials have indicated that the Trump administration has been exploring a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. According to a Breitbart News report published Wednesday, those discussions are at “varying stages of approving a deal to share nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia.”

“The Saudi news agency Al-Arabiya reported on various of these claims in American establishment media, including a report by the Wall Street Journal that Trump had already formally approved a nuclear agreement with the country and one by Reuters stating that the Trump administration was planning to seek congressional approval for the deal. The White House at press time has not commented on the reports, nor has the Saudi government,” the outlet said.

A new petition is urging Britain’s Labour government to return a portrait of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to its longtime place inside 10 Downing Street, arguing that the official residence should preserve the nation’s history regardless of the political views of the government currently in power.

The controversy began shortly after Labour won the 2024 general election, when then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ordered the portrait of the Iron Lady removed from the Thatcher Room, the office she used as her study during her years at Number 10.

At the time, Starmer rejected accusations that the decision was politically motivated, explaining that he simply preferred not to work beneath portraits of former leaders. He said he disliked “pictures of people staring down at me” and instead favored landscape paintings. Critics, however, pointed to the fact that Chancellor Rachel Reeves later displayed a portrait of Communist Party of Great Britain co-founder Ellen Wilkinson in her own Downing Street office.

With Starmer having left office after just over two years as prime minister, the Margaret Thatcher Centre says the time has come to restore the portrait to its original location. The charitable organization, which promotes the legacy and principles of Baroness Thatcher, has launched a public petition calling for the painting’s return.

The petition specifically seeks the reinstatement of Richard Stone’s portrait of Thatcher—painted after Britain’s victory in the Falklands War—to the Thatcher Room at 10 Downing Street. It also calls for future governments to adopt a policy ensuring that portraits of former prime ministers remain on display “as a matter of historical record,” rather than allowing them to be removed “according to the preference of the incumbent.”

“Number 10 is not a private residence. It is the working seat of government and a building held in trust for the nation, in which the record of those who have faithfully served is properly displayed. The portraits that hang there are not endorsements of a programme. They are an acknowledgement of office, and of history. Gordon Brown understood this when he commissioned a painting of a Prime Minister drawn from the opposing party,” the centre argued.

The organization further contended that removing Thatcher’s portrait from the very room named in her honor undermines Britain’s historical record and opens the door for future prime ministers to selectively erase the legacy of their predecessors.

“To remove the likeness of the first woman ever to lead this country from the room that bears her name is to treat our history as a matter of personal comfort. It sets a precedent by which any future occupant of Number 10 may quietly edit the record of those who came before. It also denies a new generation the sight of a woman who reached the highest office in the land at a time when no woman had done so before.”

The Centre also emphasized Thatcher’s historic place in British politics, noting that she not only became the nation’s first female prime minister but also served longer than any other prime minister during the twentieth century.

According to the organization, Thatcher’s time in office transformed Britain through major domestic and international achievements.

During her tenure, the Centre said, she “led the country to victory in the Falklands, led this country to victory in the South Atlantic, restored its standing among the nations of the world, and gave millions of families the dignity of owning their own homes, and gave millions more a stake in the economic future of the country through privatisation.”

“She remains one of the towering figures of our national life,” the charity proclaimed.

The petition arrives as newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham begins his tenure. Although Burnham has not expressed the same dislike of portraits as Starmer, he has long made opposition to Thatcherism a central feature of his political identity.

In his first national address on Monday, Burnham argued that Britain’s current economic challenges stem from policies enacted by Thatcher’s government during the 1980s rather than from the decisions of more recent administrations.

Even so, the Thatcher Centre pointed out that Burnham has also pledged to improve the tone of British politics and move away from partisan “point scoring.”

“Here is a modest but telling opportunity to do precisely that. Returning the portrait would cost the public purse nothing. It would require no legislation and no inquiry. It would simply affirm that the office of Prime Minister stands above the party that happens to hold it, and that the achievements of Baroness Thatcher belong to the nation rather than to a storeroom,” the charity said.

“We do not ask the Prime Minister to share her convictions. We ask him to honour the office she held with such distinction, and the history she made in holding it.”

The House of Representatives narrowly approved a resolution Thursday seeking to halt U.S. military operations against Iran unless Congress authorizes them, delivering a symbolic rebuke to President Donald Trump as the conflict continues to escalate and uncertainty grows over its ultimate direction.

The measure passed by a 214-208 margin and requires congressional approval before further military action can proceed. The Senate was expected to consider similar legislation later Thursday. Although the resolutions are unlikely to become law, Democrats said they are intended to send a clear message that support for the war is eroding on Capitol Hill as lawmakers from both parties increasingly question the administration’s long-term objectives.

Arguing in favor of the measure on the House floor, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., criticized the administration’s handling of the conflict.

The war has had “no clear mission, no strategy, no end goal,” said Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat who led the resolution on the House floor.

The resolution succeeded after a small number of Republicans joined Democrats in voting to curb the military campaign. Most Republicans, however, opposed the measure, backing the continuation of the war and supporting Trump’s authority to direct military operations.

Trump has maintained that the ongoing U.S. strikes against Iran do not represent a return to a prolonged war or an open-ended military campaign.

American airstrikes have continued despite little visible progress in diplomatic efforts. At the same time, both Washington and Tehran have remained entrenched in their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane that remains largely closed.

The continuing conflict has also fueled concerns over the global economy, driving fuel prices higher as the United States heads toward this fall’s midterm elections.

During Wednesday evening’s House debate, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., honored the 18 American service members who have been killed since the conflict began by reading each of their names aloud.

“To belittle this mission is to belittle and demean the very service these members gave their life for,” Mast said. “Their sacrifice was not meaningless. This operation is bringing reckoning for the hundreds of times Iran has attacked and killed people of the United States of America.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, countered that presidents have an obligation to seek congressional approval before taking the nation to war.

The service members who died made the ultimate sacrifice for “an illegal unauthorized war that the American people don’t want,” Meeks said.

As lawmakers in both chambers prepared to vote on the war powers resolutions, the United States continued launching waves of airstrikes against Iranian targets amid the ongoing struggle over control of the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict’s economic toll has continued to mount. Gasoline prices have climbed once again, while War Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators during Tuesday’s hearing that the United States has spent approximately $37.5 billion on the war to date. On Wednesday, Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of four American service members during a dignified transfer ceremony.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, the Democrat leading the Senate’s war powers effort, argued that the mounting casualties and financial costs make congressional oversight increasingly urgent.

“I do think the combination of the hearings, plus the fact that we are in this new escalatory phase where Americans have been killed, and Americans are experiencing the rising costs — I think it’s important that people be held accountable,” said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who is leading the Senate effort on Thursday. “And this is a very unpopular war.”

{Matzav.com}

CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently held a high-level meeting in Washington with newly appointed Mossad Director Roman Gofman to discuss the ongoing conflict with Iran and diplomatic efforts surrounding Tehran’s nuclear program, according to two sources familiar with the discussions cited by Axios.

The visit was Gofman’s first to the U.S. capital since taking over as head of Israel’s intelligence agency in June. It took place just before tensions in the Strait of Hormuz sharply increased and renewed fighting erupted across the Middle East.

According to the Axios report, a key purpose of Gofman’s trip was to coordinate with the White House on negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. During his visit, he met not only with Ratcliffe but also with senior White House officials, the sources said.

The report added that Ratcliffe had emerged as one of the leading skeptics within President Donald Trump’s administration regarding the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran. Before the agreement was finalized, Ratcliffe reportedly cautioned that Tehran might interpret several of its provisions differently than Washington, particularly those concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios reported that neither the CIA nor the Mossad responded to requests for comment regarding the meeting.

Gofman officially became director of the Mossad on June 2 after legal challenges delayed his appointment. During the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Gofman’s primary mission would be to ensure Iran no longer posed a threat to Israel and declared that the Iranian “regime of terror will pass from this world.”

The reported intelligence meetings come as Trump and Netanyahu continue evaluating their next course of action in the confrontation with Iran.

Axios also reported Wednesday that Trump and Netanyahu have discussed the possibility of meeting in the Oval Office next week, although no final decision has been made. Netanyahu is expected to be in Washington to attend the funeral of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., creating the possibility that the trip could include White House discussions.

According to Axios, American and Israeli officials are currently weighing two principal options: pursuing a renewed ceasefire initiative designed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or expanding joint military operations against Iran should diplomatic efforts collapse. Israeli officials told the outlet they are preparing for the possibility of a wider conflict but would join military operations only if Iran attacks or if the United States formally requests Israel’s participation.

The White House has not confirmed any plans for a meeting between Trump and Netanyahu. Axios added that both the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Israel’s Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the report.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is significantly increasing the American military footprint across the Middle East, broadening the range of options available for potential action against Iran as the conflict enters its fifth month and Tehran continues threatening international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials and other sources familiar with the deployments, the United States has either dispatched or placed on heightened alert additional special operations forces, fighter aircraft, long-range bombers, aerial refueling planes, and more than 150 medical personnel throughout the region.

The expanded military posture comes in the wake of the deaths of four American service members in recent Iranian attacks and amid ongoing discussions within the Trump administration over possible additional military operations.

On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command announced that it had completed a twelfth straight day of strikes inside Iran, saying the operations are intended to weaken Tehran’s ability to threaten civilian vessels and commercial shipping in regional waterways.

The Pentagon declined to comment on specific force deployments, citing operational security concerns, while the White House emphasized that Trump “always has all options at his disposal.”

Trump also warned that the United States would retaliate forcefully if Iran targets ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that America would destroy “one bridge or power plant” for every attack carried out by the Islamic Republic against maritime traffic.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by warning that any U.S. strike against Iranian infrastructure would provoke a “powerful and decisive response.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio likewise cautioned Iran against attempting to dominate one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.

“If we create a precedent … where a nation state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent,” Rubio said during a summit in the Philippines.

The Journal reported that the expanded American military presence could also strengthen operations against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi terrorists, who have recently threatened to blockade Saudi shipping routes in the Red Sea.

Those concerns intensified Wednesday after two Saudi oil tankers were reportedly struck by projectiles near the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint, highlighting the growing risks facing global energy supplies.

Meanwhile, Congress moved to reinforce the military effort by advancing additional defense funding. The Republican-controlled House approved a $95 billion budget framework that allocates approximately $73 billion for military and intelligence programs while also passing its version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the conflict has so far cost an estimated $37.5 billion.

Despite the mounting financial burden, Trump and senior administration officials have maintained that sustained military pressure is essential to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to safeguard freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s traded oil normally passes.