Feed aggregator

Police arrested several suspects, including minors, during a major anti-crime operation in Beitar Illit targeting juvenile delinquency over the summer vacation. The suspects are under investigation for a range of alleged offenses, including illegal possession of a knife, making threats against a public official, property damage, diesel fuel theft, and drug trafficking.

The operation, dubbed “Breaking the Waves,” was carried out by detectives from the Etzion Police Station in the Judea and Samaria District. As part of the initiative, officers increased patrols and inspections throughout the city in an effort to identify and apprehend young suspects allegedly involved in criminal activity.

During the operation, detectives stopped a 16-year-old Beitar Illit resident who was allegedly carrying a knife in violation of the law. After being taken to the police station for questioning, the teenager allegedly damaged chairs in the station’s waiting area by scratching anti-police graffiti into them with his fingernails while a police officer was present. He was subsequently arrested on additional suspicion of causing damage to public property.

In a separate case, police arrested two suspects, including a minor, following an investigation launched earlier this week into alleged threatening harassment directed at a public official. The investigation also involved suspected property damage after a garbage dumpster near the official’s home was set on fire. Police said the suspects were located with the assistance of station intelligence personnel.

Authorities also reported progress in an ongoing investigation into the theft of diesel fuel from buses and suspected drug trafficking. During an earlier phase of the investigation, detectives seized jerry cans, hoses allegedly used to siphon diesel fuel, and discovered a concealed location containing a large quantity of illegal drugs.

Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, police identified one of the suspects and arrested the minor during Thursday night’s operation. A search of his home allegedly uncovered a quantity of hard drugs that police said was inconsistent with personal use.

Police said all of the investigations remain ongoing at the Etzion Police Station and indicated that additional arrests are expected as the investigations progress.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced a sweeping new consumer protection initiative aimed at eliminating subscription traps and hidden fees, introducing what he called the nation’s first municipal “Click to Cancel” rule.

The new regulation will require businesses to make canceling a subscription just as simple as signing up for one. Under the policy, companies will no longer be permitted to bury consumers in lengthy cancellation processes after allowing them to enroll with only a single click.

Mamdani unveiled the proposal alongside New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine and other city officials.

“I think many of us have come to feel this is inevitable,” Levine said. “The feeling like we’re navigating a minefield when we’re shopping is simply the price of modern convenience.”

The regulations are scheduled to take effect in October and are intended to protect consumers from recurring subscription charges—such as those associated with gyms and hotels—as well as so-called junk fees that are not disclosed until the final stages of a purchase.

City officials estimate that the Click-to-Cancel rule alone could save New Yorkers as much as $162.5 million annually.

“For years, companies have built their business model around making it harder for working people to hold onto their money,” Mayor Mamdani said. “Whether it’s hidden fees that suddenly appear at checkout or subscriptions that take one click to sign up for and a dozen steps to cancel, the result is the same: working people pay more while corporations profit. That ends now. If you can sign up with one click, you can cancel with one click.”

Many city residents welcomed the proposal, saying subscription services have become an expensive burden that is often difficult to escape.

“Like we have so many subscriptions that we barely even use or like family plans,” said Financial District resident Paige Southworth.

“I would say Netflix, or honestly all of the above. They definitely never give you a chance, I guess, to catch a break,” said Lower East Side resident Ike Sanchez.

The city initiative mirrors a similar nationwide rule introduced by Lina Khan while serving as chair of the Federal Trade Commission during the Biden administration. That federal regulation was later blocked by the courts during the Trump administration.

Khan now serves as an adviser to Mamdani and has played a leading role in bringing a comparable policy to New York City.

“The Mamdani administration’s work to tackle the affordability crisis and promote economic fairness continues to set a new standard nationwide, modeling effective governance and a relentless focus on using all of the city’s levers to improve life for New Yorkers,” she said.

Businesses found violating the rule could face consumer restitution orders as well as civil penalties beginning at $525 for each violation.

Questions remain, however, about how aggressively the city will enforce the new regulations and what the overall cost of implementing and policing the program will be.

{Matzav.com}

Mr. Sol Werdiger, CEO of Outerstuff and Chairman of Agudath Israel of America, speaks to Lara Trump on Fox News in honor of the USA’s 250th anniversary.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu on Sunday expressed profound sorrow over the sudden death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, hailing him as one of Israel’s strongest allies and describing his passing as a tremendous loss for both Israel and the United States.

In a statement, Netanyahu said he and his wife, Sara, were mourning alongside the American people.

“Sara and I grieve with the American people over the loss of our dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Netanyahu said.

Recalling their most recent meeting, Netanyahu reflected on the close bond they shared and the senator’s unwavering commitment to Israel.

“In our recent meeting, I said, ‘Lindsey is a great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine. We have no better friend than Lindsey.'”

The prime minister praised Graham for recognizing the close strategic partnership between the two nations and for dedicating his public life to strengthening that alliance.

“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world.”

Netanyahu concluded by emphasizing the magnitude of the loss on both a national and personal level.

“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”

Offering condolences to Graham’s loved ones and to the American people, Netanyahu added, “Our hearts are with Lindsey’s family and with the American people at this difficult time. May his values and initiatives continue to guide us toward victory and peace, and may his memory forever be a blessing. “

{Matzav.com}

Israeli President Isaac Herzog paid tribute Sunday to the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, remembering him as one of Israel’s most loyal allies and a lifelong friend whose unwavering support for the Jewish state never faltered.

In a video message delivered from the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim, Herzog expressed deep sorrow over Graham’s sudden passing.

“I was deeply shocked and heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of a great American patriot, a true friend of Israel, and a dear friend of mine, US Senator Lindsey Graham,” Herzog said.

Herzog praised the longtime South Carolina senator as “a beacon of moral clarity” who brought “an exceptional sense of justice, truth, and loyalty to his decades of public service.”

Reflecting on Graham’s role in international affairs, Herzog said the senator stood out as “a maverick in world affairs, and one of Israel’s greatest friends and allies in the United States of America, who maintained his steadfast and unwavering support for the people of Israel, especially at our most difficult and painful moments.”

The president said Graham possessed a deep appreciation for the unique relationship between the United States and Israel, noting that he understood “the profound importance of the US-Israel partnership” and “tirelessly advocated for our shared values and shared interests.”

Herzog also spoke of his personal relationship with Graham, emphasizing the senator’s lasting impact on both Israel and those who knew him.

“The people of Israel will always remember, and always cherish, his exceptional friendship,” Herzog continued. “On a personal note, Lindsey was a dear friend, whom I met with many times, and I will miss him dearly.”

Concluding his remarks, Herzog extended condolences on behalf of the State of Israel to Graham’s loved ones.

“On behalf of the State of Israel, I send my deepest condolences to Senator Graham’s family and friends at this devastating moment. May he rest in peace, and may his memory be a blessing.”

{Matzav.com}

A Beis Din in Beit Shemesh has issued a unique compromise ruling to resolve a prolonged dispute between residents of an eight-story apartment building over the operation of a Shabbos elevator, balancing the needs of elderly and upper-floor residents with concerns about preserving the building’s Shabbos atmosphere.

The ruling follows lengthy deliberations over a dispute that erupted in a residential building in the city’s Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled neighborhood, highlighting an issue that has become increasingly common as high-rise construction expands within the chareidi community.

According to sources, the building was originally equipped by the developer with a Shabbos elevator control system, which was included as part of the apartments’ specifications when the units were sold. However, after residents moved in, disagreements emerged over whether the system should actually be operated on Shabbos and Yom Tov.

Residents supporting the elevator’s operation argued that the feature was purchased as part of their homes and that they were entitled to use it. They noted that an elderly resident living on the seventh floor, as well as a family residing on the top floor, face significant hardship without a functioning Shabbos elevator, at times making it difficult even to attend tefillos on Shabbos.

Opponents countered that operating a Shabbos elevator would undermine the atmosphere and sanctity of Shabbos within the building. They also argued that it could negatively affect the chinuch of children and alter the building’s unique character, which is home primarily to bnei Torah families.

Both sides ultimately agreed to submit the matter to a Beis Din composed of Rav Naftali Tzvi Hirsch Rotenberg, one of Beit Shemesh’s rabbanim, together with Rav Yitzchak Lezenovsky, a dayan at the Nesivos Chaim Beis Din in Yerushalayim and the Ashkenazi Beis Din in Beitar Illit.

During the proceedings, the dayanim heard extensive arguments from both sides. In their written ruling, they discussed at length the sanctity of Shabbos, the unique religious character of Beit Shemesh, and the sensitivity within the chareidi community regarding the operation of electrical systems on Shabbos. At the same time, they also took into account the residents’ property rights and the fact that the Shabbos elevator system had been installed by the developer as part of the original building plans.

Rather than adopting either side’s position in full, the Beis Din fashioned a detailed compromise. Under the ruling, the Shabbos elevator will operate only during designated hours, its operation will be limited in scope, and additional measures will be implemented to minimize any perceived impact on the building’s Shabbos atmosphere while still accommodating residents who require its use.

{Matzav.com}