Feed aggregator

Palestinians report five Israeli airstrikes target buildings on Al-Nafaq Street, north of Gaza City.

A federal court handed the Justice Department a major win in its years-long antitrust battle with Google on Tuesday, finding that the tech giant unlawfully protected its dominance in internet search. However, the ruling did not go so far as to break up the company’s Chrome browser or search division.

Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court determined that Google engaged in anticompetitive practices to shut out competition and safeguard its leading position. He ordered Google to end its exclusive arrangements that guarantee its search engine is the default on phones and browsers and directed the company to provide competitors with access to valuable search data.

The Justice Department hailed the decision as a landmark, but some consumer advocates expressed frustration that the court did not impose the harshest possible remedy: forcing Google to divest parts of its business.

In its response, the Justice Department called the case “the most significant antitrust victory against a technology company in more than two decades.”

“Today’s decision ensures that American consumers will finally see the benefits of competition in online search,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, who leads the Antitrust Division. “Google will no longer be able to lock up distribution channels and suffocate rivals.”

Abigail Slater, another assistant attorney general who oversaw the case, said the measures were designed to reshape the digital marketplace. “This is about more than one company — it’s about ensuring that the digital economy works for everyone,” she explained in a post on X.

“Google abused its gatekeeper role for years. Now, by forcing open the default settings market and requiring data sharing, we are putting choice and fairness back into the hands of users and developers. We will be vigilant in monitoring compliance.”

The 276-page order lays out several obligations for Google, including: ending its exclusive agreements with Apple, Mozilla, and Android phone makers; giving users a clear way to select other search engines; sharing anonymized search data with competitors; and operating under the supervision of an independent monitor who will regularly update the court.

Judge Mehta wrote that these steps are “narrowly tailored to restore competitive conditions in search without unduly penalizing innovation.”

He rejected demands from state officials and consumer advocates to split off Chrome from Google, arguing such a move was “not justified by the record” and would cause “unnecessary disruption” to the technology industry.

Google said it was reviewing the order but insisted its products have always been chosen voluntarily. “People choose Google because it is helpful, not because they are forced to,” said Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs. “We remain committed to building products that provide value and innovation.”

The company confirmed it would comply but suggested it may appeal elements of the ruling.

Some consumer organizations and lawmakers said they were disappointed the judgment stopped short of breaking up the business. The New York Post described it as a “slap on the wrist,” noting the company avoided the forced sale of Chrome.

The Justice Department, meanwhile, emphasized in its press release that the remedies will “directly benefit consumers, advertisers, and emerging competitors.”

Legal experts noted that the court adopted a restrained approach, addressing anti-competitive conduct without dismantling one of the most widely used tech platforms. “This is a major legal defeat for Google, but it is not the corporate breakup some were expecting,” said Eleanor Fox, professor emeritus at New York University School of Law. “The court has chosen conduct remedies over structural ones.”

Filed in 2020, the case was the largest antitrust challenge to a technology company since the government took on Microsoft in the late 1990s.

Prosecutors argued that Google paid billions to companies like Apple to keep its search engine as the default, blocking rivals such as Bing and DuckDuckGo from gaining traction.

Evidence presented during the trial included internal Google communications describing default placements as “must-have” to maintain market control.

Mehta concluded that these agreements “substantially foreclosed” competition, violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act.

The ruling could set a precedent for other cases targeting major tech firms like Amazon and Meta. It highlights a growing focus by regulators on issues like default settings, access to data, and control over distribution channels rather than traditional pricing concerns.

Slater called the decision “a down payment on restoring competition in digital markets” and promised more aggressive action from the department. “Make no mistake, this is a warning shot to dominant platforms across the tech sector,” she said. “The message is clear: the era of unchecked gatekeeping is over.”

Google has six months to comply with the new requirements, with an independent monitor to be installed soon afterward.

Although appeals are possible, antitrust scholars believe the remedies will likely remain in place due to the judge’s extensive findings.

For everyday users, the biggest change may come when setting up new devices, where they will be prompted to choose from a wider range of search engines. Competitors will also gain more data to improve their services.

Whether those changes will significantly alter market dynamics is uncertain. Google currently commands over 85 percent of search activity in the United States, according to the court’s findings.

{Matzav.com}

Scientists revealed Wednesday that Mars’ innermost core appears to be a solid hunk of metal just like Earth’s. The Chinese-led research team based their findings on seismic readings from NASA’s InSight lander on Mars, which recorded more than 1,300 marsquakes before shutting down in 2022. The spacecraft landed on a broad plain near Mars’ equator in 2018. Previous studies pointed to liquid at the heart of the red planet. The latest findings indicate the inner core, while small, is indeed solid and surrounded by molten metal — a liquid outer core. The Martian inner core extends from the planet’s center out to a radius of approximately 380 miles (613 kilometers), according to the scientists whose findings appeared in the journal Nature. It’s likely composed of iron and nickel, the same ingredients as Earth’s core, but quite possibly also enriched with lighter elements like oxygen. Mars’ liquid outer core is bigger, stretching from 380 miles (613 kilometers) to as much as 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometers) from the planet’s center. Crystallization of Mars’ inner core may have occurred in the past and still be occurring today, one of the lead investigators, Daoyuan Sun of the University of Science and Technology of China, said in an email. Mars’ core initially would have been entirely liquid. It’s unclear whether the liquid outer core contains any solid material like droplets or whether there might be “a mushy zone” near the boundary between the inner and outer cores, he added. For their study, Sun and his team relied primarily on 23 marsquakes recorded by InSight, all of them relatively weak. The epicenters were 740 miles to 1,465 miles (1,200 kilometers to 2,360 kilometers) away from the lander. “Our results suggest that Mars has a solid inner core making up about one-fifth of the planet’s radius — roughly the same proportion as Earth’s inner core. However, this similarity may be just coincidental,” Sun said. While praising the results, the University of Maryland’s Nicholas Schmerr, who was not involved in the study, said questions regarding Mars’ core are far from settled. With InSight out of action, there will be no new recordings of marsquakes to further reveal the red planet’s insides, he noted. “There are a lot of details about the exact shape of the inner core and composition of the inner and outer core of Mars that will require a network of InSight like seismometer stations to resolve,” Schmerr said in an email. More detailed modeling is necessary to develop a clearer picture of how the inner core formed and “what it reveals about the history of Mars’ magnetic field,” said Sun. At present, Mars lacks a magnetic field, possibly because of the slow crystallization of the planet’s solid core, Schmerr added. (AP)

CVS and Walgreens are adjusting their approach to distributing COVID-19 vaccines this season in order to stay in line with federal health guidelines and individual state laws.

According to the companies, vaccine access will no longer be uniform nationwide but will depend on state-specific regulations. CVS stated that it will only be able to provide COVID-19 vaccinations in certain states, including Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

In 16 other states, CVS explained that people may need a prescription to receive the vaccine, depending on their age and health condition. In a few states, such as Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Mexico, CVS will not be allowed to provide COVID-19 shots at all, even if a prescription is obtained, according to CBS News.

Walgreens said it will also abide by local restrictions, emphasizing that it is “prepared to offer the vaccine in states where we are able to do so.”

These changes come after recent actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agency has approved updated doses from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax for senior citizens as well as for younger individuals with underlying health concerns.

For the youngest children, though, choices are now more limited. The FDA has ended emergency authorization for Pfizer’s vaccine for children under five, leaving Moderna’s shot as the only option for kids aged six months through four years who have at least one medical condition that qualifies them for vaccination.

The landscape has grown even more complicated with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) breaking with the CDC for the first time in three decades. The AAP recommends vaccinating children between six months and two years old, while the CDC does not call for universal COVID-19 shots for healthy children. Instead, the CDC advises parents to consult with their child’s physician before making a decision.

{Matzav.com}

The “Perlina–Or Avner” Jewish school in Kyiv opened its doors this week to a new class of first graders for the 26th year in a row — despite the ongoing war and even a Russian drone strike that fell near the school building during the conflict. The school, founded and directed by Rabbi Yonason and Rebbetzin Elka Ina Markovitch, has remained open throughout the Russian invasion, serving as both an educational and spiritual refuge for Jewish children in Ukraine’s capital. Since the war broke out in February 2022, classes have continued under constant missile threats, air raid sirens, and blackouts. Many of the school’s students come from families directly impacted by the fighting. Some children have parents currently serving in the Ukrainian army; others are themselves refugees from cities in eastern Ukraine now under Russian occupation. For these children, the school is not only a place of learning but also a true home, providing warmth, stability, and Yiddishkeit during times of fear and uncertainty. The impact of the school reaches well beyond its classrooms. Graduates of “Perlina–Or Avner” are today serving in both the Ukrainian military and the IDF. Despite the immense challenges, the administration has refused to allow the war to halt Jewish chinuch. When a Russian drone strike damaged parts of the area near the school, the trauma and danger were real. Yet the decision was made to push forward, to continue teaching Torah and strengthening Jewish life in Kyiv. “The continuation of educational activities at our school is an expression of the Jewish spirit, which does not surrender even under the most difficult conditions,” said Rabbi Markovitch, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv, at the opening of the new school year. “Every child sitting in a classroom is a victory over darkness and evil. We continue to educate the next generation with the values of Torah and the mesorah of Klal Yisroel, even as missiles fall around us.” Rebbetzin Elka Ina Markovitch, who serves as the school’s principal, emphasized that the mission of the school extends far beyond textbooks. “We are building neshamas,” she said. “For children whose lives have been uprooted, the Jewish classroom becomes a place of hope and strength.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared side by side in Beijing for the first time during China’s grand military parade highlighting its nuclear arsenal.

The three leaders stood smiling together in Tiananmen Square on Wednesday as China marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. The gathering underscored a united front of authoritarian powers and sent a direct warning to the United States and its allies.

China used the event to unveil its complete nuclear triad, showcasing weapons capable of being launched from land, sea, and air. Among the highlights was a newly upgraded intercontinental ballistic missile with an extended range of 12,400 miles, alongside other cutting-edge military technologies.

“The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable,” Xi declared, calling for the development of a “world-class” military, according to CNN.

Earlier in the week, Xi outlined his aspirations for a restructured global order at a regional security summit. He urged nations to unite against “hegemonism and power politics,” in what was widely seen as criticism of the United States and President Trump’s tariff policies that have strained international partnerships.

Trump responded on Tuesday with a pointed remark directed at Xi: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”

Military experts noted that the unveiling of China’s torpedo-shaped drones and hypersonic weaponry represents a significant threat to regional stability, particularly as China seeks to expand its dominance over surrounding waters.

“The combination of the (sea) … drones they have and also the missiles, it will create an area that external navies couldn’t even enter to intervene,” explained James Char, a China defense analyst at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

The display also introduced China’s newest armored vehicle, the Type-100 tank, fitted with advanced defensive systems and reconnaissance drones.

Additional demonstrations featured new aerospace, cyber, and information warfare units, underscoring China’s push to become a leading force in space and electronic combat.

The parade drew leaders from around two dozen countries, almost all from outside the Western bloc.

Following the event, Putin and Kim held a private meeting lasting more than two hours. During their discussion, Putin extended an invitation for Kim to visit Russia and expressed appreciation for North Korean troops who have joined Russia’s war in Ukraine.

{Matzav.com}

The Shin Bet and IDF thwarted a Hamas plot to assassinate National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Shin Bet revealed on Wednesday. The terror suspects, who were being directed by Hamas terrorists in Turkey, planned on carrying out the assassination via explosive drones. The operation was carried out by the Shin Bet and IDF over the past few weeks in the Chevron area. Ben-Gvir stated, “I thank the acting head of the Shin Bet and its investigators and operatives, Israel Prison Service intelligence officers, the Magen unit personnel, IDF soldiers, Israel Police officers, and everyone acting to protect my life.” “I will not be deterred, and I won’t be afraid! Hamas has already tried to assassinate me five times, and they failed every time. “The terrorists should know: instead of them harming me, we will harm them, anywhere and anytime.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump attributed a widely circulated video of a black garbage bag being tossed from a White House window to artificial intelligence manipulation.

His remarks came even though American outlets had already cited a White House representative who explained that a contractor was simply discarding waste as part of ongoing renovation work.

“No, that’s probably AI-generated,” Trump remarked to reporters in the Oval Office when questioned about the clip. “Actually, you can’t open the windows. You know why, they’re all heavily armored and bulletproof.”

He then asked Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy to bring the video over so he could see it himself.

The short recording, which gained traction online over the weekend, appears to depict a black trash bag being dropped from an open window on the White House’s second floor — the area that contains the president’s private residence.

After watching, the 79-year-old commented that it was a “little bit scary” how convincing artificial intelligence–produced content can look.

However, before Trump was ever asked about it, outlets such as the New York Times had already quoted the White House press team saying the video was authentic but entirely harmless.

The press office clarified that it showed a worker engaged in “regular maintenance” at a time when Trump was not inside the building.

This online speculation was not the only rumor Trump tackled that day. He also brushed aside as “fake news” a string of social-media fueled stories about his health — including wild claims suggesting he might even have passed away.

{Matzav.com}

A federal appeals court panel ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump cannot use an 18th-century wartime law to speed the deportations of people his administration accuses of membership in a Venezuelan gang, blocking a signature administration push that is destined for a final showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative federal appeals courts in the country, agreed with immigrant rights lawyers and lower court judges who argued the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was not intended to be used against gangs like Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan group Trump targeted in his March invocation. Lee Gelernt, who argued the case for the ACLU, said Tuesday: “The Trump administration’s use of a wartime statute during peacetime to regulate immigration was rightly shut down by the court. This is a critically important decision reining in the administration’s view that it can simply declare an emergency without any oversight by the courts.” The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The administration deported people designated as Tren de Aragua members to a notorious prison in El Salvador where, it argued, U.S. courts could not order them freed. In a deal announced in July, more than 250 of the deported migrants returned to Venezuela. The Alien Enemies Act was only used three times before in U.S. history, all during declared wars — in the War of 1812 and the two World Wars. The Trump administration unsuccessfully argued that courts cannot second-guess the president’s determination that Tren de Aragua was connected to Venezuela’s government and represented a danger to the United States, meriting use of the act. In a 2-1 ruling, the judges said they granted the preliminary injunction sought by the plaintiffs because they “found no invasion or predatory incursion” in this case. The decision bars deportations from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. In the majority were U.S. Circuit Judges Leslie Southwick, a George W. Bush appointee, and Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Joe Biden appointee. Andrew Oldham, a Trump appointee, dissented. The majority opinion said Trump’s allegations about Tren de Aragua do not meet the historical levels of national conflict that Congress intended for the act. “A country’s encouraging its residents and citizens to enter this country illegally is not the modern-day equivalent of sending an armed, organized force to occupy, to disrupt, or to otherwise harm the United States,” the judges wrote. In a lengthy dissent, Oldham complained his two colleagues were second-guessing Trump’s conduct of foreign affairs and national security, realms where courts usually give the president great deference. “The majority’s approach to this case is not only unprecedented—it is contrary to more than 200 years of precedent,” Oldham wrote. The panel did grant the Trump administration one legal victory, finding the procedures it uses to advise detainees under the Alien Enemies Act of their legal rights is appropriate. The ruling can be appealed to the full 5th Circuit or directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is likely to make the ultimate decision on the issue. Indeed, the ruling and dissent both seemed to acknowledge the judges were weighing in on issues destined to be settled only by the nation’s highest court, repeatedly noting the unprecedented nature of the case and […]

[COMMUNICATED]

Is pain hijacking your Yom Tov joy?
You’re not alone. Many struggle with how chronic pain casts a shadow over special times, keeping them from being fully present and enjoying joyful yom tov  time with family.

But this time, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Discover a revolutionary mind-body approach that has already helped hundreds find lasting relief. Learn how to walk into Yom Tov – and every day – feeling calm, present, and pain-free. 

Introducing: The Science Behind Sarno – Free Workshop!
Join certified Sarno coach Miriam Brieger for an eye-opening workshop

• Discover the underlying theory of how and why Sarno works.

• Learn which symptoms the Sarno method can alleviate.

• Understand why perhaps Sarno has not gotten you complete & lasting results previously.

• Master one concrete step during the wrokshop towards a symptom free and calmer you. 

Workshop Details:

• Presenter: Miriam Brieger, Certified in Mindbody/Sarno & Somatic Healing.

• Dates & Times:

• Motzei Shabbos, September 6 – 9:45 PM EST

• Sunday, September 7 – 12:00 PM EST

• Location: Online. Join via Zoom or phone. (Once you register you will get the info to join.)

Spots are Limited – Register Today!

Don’t let pain/itching/indigestion  hijack your life any longer! This free workshop is your first step towards a Yom Tov & future filled with joy, presence, and freedom I”YH.

Click here to register now!

Take control. Reclaim your Yom Tov. Reclaim your life.

Can’t make it live? Register and you will receive the recording to your inbox.

But live attendees get an exclusive $100 coupon code for the full Women’s course, or $50 off the Men’s or Teen Girls course!  

Virtual Judaica is proud to present another diverse auction of rare Jewish seforim, posters, photos, and manuscripts. In our 25 years of business, we have successfully auctioned over 50,000 items to thousands of satisfied clients. Begin your collection today with as little as $10 and own a piece of Jewish history.  This auction has an item of Jewish history for every budget and all denominations of Judaism. Among the items are a large number of early Zionist materials from pre-State Israel, a rare sefer with the signature of the founder of the chasidic dynasty of Gur, a talmud volume from the synagogue of the Gaon of Vilna, rare Italian community posters, Cuban Judaica, a gold pin of the wife of R. Chaim Kanievsky, all year and holiday prayer books, a Tehillim signed by 7 chasidic rebbes, Jewish works in Italian, Ladino, Spanish, Latin, German, French, Dutch, and English. Books, Manuscripts, objects, poters, periodicals etc. PLACE YOUR BIDS EARLY!!! Auction Ends September 9th – BID NOW View our rare Judaica items in our online auctions by CLICKING HEREHaggadah, Kibbutz Be’eri, 1950 הגדה של פסח – קבוץ בארי – Haggadah – Non-traditional Letter by R. Hayyim Kanievsky, Bnai Berak 1990 כתב מה”ר חיים קניבסקי – Manuscript

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping were overheard having an unusual exchange about medical technology and human longevity as they walked side by side on Wednesday. A live microphone caught them discussing organ transplants and the idea that people might one day live to 150 years.

The exchange happened as Putin and Xi, along with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, led a delegation of more than 20 foreign dignitaries through Beijing for a massive military parade marking 80 years since the conclusion of World War II.

The conversation was inadvertently broadcast by China’s state television outlet CCTV, whose feed was also carried by CGTN, the Associated Press, and Reuters. China’s media regulator later reported that the broadcast was watched nearly 1.9 billion times online, in addition to an estimated 400 million viewers on television.

As the two leaders walked toward the Tiananmen platform to join Kim in watching the parade, Putin’s translator could be heard remarking in Chinese, “Biotechnology is continuously developing.”

The translator went on, after an indistinct passage, “human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and (you can) even achieve immortality.”

Xi, speaking off camera, then responded in Chinese: “Some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.”

Kim appeared amused, smiling in their direction, though it was unclear whether he had been provided a translation of the discussion. Putin himself was not audibly clear in Russian on the CCTV recording.

Requests for comment from the Kremlin went unanswered, and both China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and CCTV declined to immediately respond to Reuters.

As Xi began his remarks, the broadcast shifted to a wide-angle view of Tiananmen Square and the audio was lowered.

Roughly half a minute later, cameras again focused on Xi, Putin, and Kim as they approached the parade viewing platform together.

At the celebration, Xi addressed more than 50,000 attendees, declaring that the global community faced a defining choice of “peace or war” as he reviewed military units and advanced weaponry, including hypersonic missiles and naval drones.

Putin had traveled to China days earlier to take part in a Beijing-led summit that gathered over 20 leaders from nations outside the Western alliance, among them Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his stay, Putin and Xi signed over 20 agreements covering areas such as energy cooperation and artificial intelligence. They also committed to constructing a major new gas pipeline, though details regarding pricing and financing were not released.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Denmark to meet with the leaders of the Nordic-Baltic Eight—Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden—today.

Lebanese media report further Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, saying that the IDF fired artillery shells at a building on the outskirts of the town of Shebaa.

Following his meeting with Russian President Putin, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s team is seen thoroughly wiping down his seat, presumably to get rid of any DNA that a spy agency could pick up.

The IDF confirms it struck a Hezbollah site “used to manufacture equipment intended to support the rehabilitation” of the terror group’s military capabilities in southern Lebanon.

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller: “We need to start cutting rates at the next meeting… Over the next 3-6 months, we could see multiple cuts coming in.”

Sec. Def. Pete Hegseth: “I don’t feel bad for Governor Pritzker; he should be welcoming support and outside efforts to come alongside him just as the mayor of Washington has…

Overnight, IDF forces dismantled several former Hezbollah outposts in the Mount Dov region of southern Lebanon.

WATCH: Footage from Israel’s Ministry of Defense showing the launch of the Ofek 19 satellite.