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The U.S. government has seized a plane used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro that officials say was illegally purchased through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States, citing violations of sanctions and export control laws. The Dassault Falcon 900EX was seized in the Dominican Republic and transferred to the custody of federal officials in Florida, the Justice Department said Monday. U.S. officials say associates of the Venezuelan leader used a Caribbean-based shell company to hide their involvement in the purchase of the plane, valued at the time at $13 million, from a company in Florida. The plane was exported from the U.S. to Venezuela, through the Caribbean, in April 2023 in a transaction meant to circumvent an executive order that bars U.S. persons from business transactions with the Maduro regime. The plane, registered to San Marino, was widely used by Maduro for foreign travel, including in a trips earlier this year to Guyana and Cuba. “Let this seizure send a clear message: aircraft illegally acquired from the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot just fly off into the sunset,” Matthew Axelrod, an assistant secretary for export enforcement in the Commerce Department, said in a statement. CNN first reported the plane seizure. The seizure announcement comes just over a month after Venezuelans headed to the polls for a highly anticipated presidential election in which ruling party-loyal electoral authorities declared Maduro the victor without showing any detailed results to back up their claim. The lack of transparency has drawn international condemnation against Maduro’s government. Meanwhile, the opposition managed to obtain more than 80% of vote tally sheets – considered the ultimate proof of results – nationwide. The documents, the faction said, show Maduro losing by a wide margin against former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez. It was also the plane that carried several Americans jailed for years in Venezuela to the Caribbean Island of Canouan last December where they were swapped for a close Maduro ally, businessman Alex Saab, imprisoned in the U.S. on money laundering charges. In March, it flew to the Dominican Republic, along with a Venezuelan-registered plane, for what was believed to be maintenance, never to leave again. The U.S. has sanctioned 55 Venezuelan-registered planes belonging to state owned oil giant PDVSA. It’s also offered a $15 million bounty for the arrest of Maduro to face federal drug trafficking charges in New York. The Venezuelan government’s centralized press office did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment Monday. (AP)

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman Their names and holy souls pull at the heart-strings of any feeling Jew. Many of them exemplified remarkable heroism and sacrifice. They went back to save friends and protect others. We all davened and said Tehillim for them for the past eleven months.  And now, sadly, 6 of the 250 kidnapped neshamos have been brutally and depravedly murdered – two point four percent. Ori Danino H’y’d, Carmel Gat H’y’d, Hersh Goldberg-Polin H’y’d, Alex Lubanov H’y’d, Almog Sarusi H’y’d. Eden Yerushalmi H’y’d, The Rambam in his Yesodei HaTorah of his Mishne Torah writes about them.  These six precious souls were murdered solely because they were Jewish and the Rambam writes in Yesodei HaTorah (5:4), “There is no virtue above their virtue.” The Rambam applies to those who are murdered solely because they are Jewish – two verses in Tehillim (44:23), “It is for Your sake that we are killed all the time, that we are considered as sheep for the slaughter; and Tehillim (50:5), “Gather to Me My devoted ones, who made a covenant with Me over a sacrifice.” Let’s focus on two aspects of this Rambam for a moment.  They are called, “Harugei Malchus” and they are also called, “My devoted ones.”  But the Rambam lists among them Chananya, Mishael and Azaryah – and they did not die!  They were ultimately saved!  How could the Rambam refer to them as Harugei? That’s one question.  But let’s also ask a second question – a question that applies to our current situation. Almost every day we cry. We read in the news of remarkable soldiers who were taken in the prime of their lives.   The second question is:  How do we get out of this??  How can we try to ensure that Jewish blood is not spilled? The resolution to the first question is that Chananya, Mishael, and Azaryah were willing to die. The obvious extension is that every fighting soldier involved in the three conflicts currently facing Israel is included in this category as well. THE SHLA HAKADOSH Which brings us to the answer for our second question.  But first a remarkable Shla HaKadosh (found in Shaar HaOsios Brios).  The Shla notes that there are 620 letters in the aseres hadibros – the 10 commandments.  The last 7 of these letters form the two words – asher l’rayacha – a term intimately associated with the Mitzvah of V’ahavta l’raya kamocha – loving our neighbor as ourselves. INCREASE AHAVAS YISROEL So, in order to get out of this we must all markedly increase our observance and appreciation of this Mitzvah of Ahavas Yisroel. And we must daven, pray, search for every means at our disposal to help our brethren out.  At every opportunity we should be melamed zchus on Klal Yisroel and not like those who assume the worst.  We should always practice the notion of “Resha versus Rasha.:   Always remember the following dictum:  “Hate the Resha but love the Rasha.  Hate the notion of evil, but love the Rasha.”  This refers to acheinu bnei Yisroel.    The pasuk in Vayikra (19:17-18) tells us not to hate your brother in your heart but practice v’ahavta laracha kamocha. TO THE POINT WHERE WE BECOME SICK The Gemorah in Brachos (32a) says that our care and concern for others must be to […]

A recently uncovered Hamas handbook from 2019 has shed light on the terrorist organization’s tunnel warfare strategy, which has enabled it to withstand 11 months of conflict against superior Israeli forces, according to a New York Times report. The document details tactics and strategies for utilizing the extensive network of tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip, including the use of blast doors to protect vulnerable sections, approved by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a $225,000 project. Experts suggest that Israel’s focus on border tunnels allowed Hamas to build a vast internal network, facilitating ambushes, secret travel, and hostage concealment. This underground advantage has hindered Israel’s goal of dismantling Hamas, as the group’s forces would be greatly disadvantaged in aboveground combat. The handbook provides instructions on tunnel entrance camouflage, firearm tactics, and night-vision goggle use. To counter this, the IDF has avoided tunnel engagements, resulting in aboveground battles where Israeli forces hold the advantage. The conflict has seen significant losses for Hamas, with approximately 17,000 fighters killed and thousands injured. Key leaders, including Mohammed Deif, have been eliminated, while Yahya Sinwar is believed to be hiding in a tunnel, potentially using Israeli hostages as human shields. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

For the first time on Monday evening, a representative of Hamas openly acknowledged that the group was responsible for executing the six hostages who were killed in a tunnel beneath Rafah last week.

The spokesperson stated, “The instructions for dealing with hostages will be updated when the IDF approaches the scene.”

This admission follows several days of denials from sources close to Hamas, who had claimed that the hostages were not executed by Hamas but were instead killed by Israeli fire or a bomb.

On Motzoei Shabbos, the IDF and ISA discovered and retrieved the bodies of the hostages—Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master Sergeant Ori Danino—from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip and brought them back to Israel.

These six individuals had been abducted on October 7th, 2023, and were killed within the last two days by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. Their bodies were found 20 meters below ground, without prior intelligence. The remains were recovered a kilometer away from the tunnel where the hostage Farhan al-Qadi was located and rescued the previous week.

The six hostages were found with gunshot wounds to the head and other areas. There was no indication of torture.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A Florida man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after earlier pleading no contest to attacking four Jewish teenagers who were walking along a road while dressed for Sukkos in 2022. Noah Amato, 19, of Ponte Vedra, was sentenced Friday for aggravated battery and carrying a concealed firearm in the October 2022 attack. Local news outlets reported his sentence also covers a no contest plea to fleeing police and reckless driving in 2023. Investigators said Amato and a friend were riding a bike in Ponte Vedra Beach in 2022 while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Amato shouted a slur to a group of four Jewish teenagers who were out celebrating Sukkos. Amato then hit one of the teenagers with a handgun in the face, deputies said, and fired the gun near the teenager’s head, leaving burns on the teen’s face. Amato’s attorney disputed parts of the account, saying there was a verbal confrontation between Amato and the Jewish teens. The lawyer said the teen who was targeted by Amato, Zalman Barrocas, had shoved Amato first. “I believe this man should have the maximum punishment,” Barrocas said in testimony during the sentencing hearing. “My life could have been over that day. I believe it’s a miracle from God and I thank him every day. I hope it’s a story that ends with us being safer and we’re able to live in society without being in fear.” Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky, Barrocas’ uncle, had called for hate crime charges against Amato. Prosecutors previously said there were no hate crime charges pending. Amato apologized for the pain he caused the family, saying on the witness stand, “I take 100% responsibility for the heinous crime I committed. I was highly intoxicated on an entire bottle of liquor and some Percocets.” (AP)

A partial photo of a leaked document published by Hebrew newspaper Yediot Acharonot appears to show that hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, and Eden Yerushalmi were listed for release in the first phase of a potential ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas. The seven-page document, finalized on July 27, was conveyed to US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators and includes a list of “humanitarian hostages” held in Gaza, with the three murdered hostages’ names listed under “Annex 2.” The document reveals changes to Israel’s original hostage-ceasefire proposal from May, demanded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Hamas agreed to most terms. Unnamed Israeli sources claim these changes sabotaged the deal’s prospects. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu addressed criticisms from President Joe Biden on Monday, emphasizing that pressuring Israel in response to Hamas’s killing of six hostages would only embolden the terrorist group to continue such actions.

Speaking at a press briefing primarily in Hebrew, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel is engaged in a life-or-death struggle against a ruthless adversary. He once again expressed his sorrow to the families of the six hostages, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who were killed as Israeli forces approached the underground site where they were held: “We were close, but we did not succeed.”

Netanyahu used maps to illustrate the strategic significance of the Philadelphi Corridor, located along the Gaza-Egypt border. He explained that before Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, the country had control over the border. Following the “disengagement,” when Israel relinquished control, Hamas was able to smuggle in weapons used against Israel. Netanyahu stressed the importance of holding the corridor to prevent Hamas from rearming.

Addressing Israeli military leaders and officials who proposed that Israel could temporarily withdraw from the corridor for the first six weeks of a proposed hostage deal, Netanyahu firmly rejected the idea, stating that a “temporary” withdrawal was not feasible. He warned that international pressure would prevent Israel from reasserting control over the corridor once it was relinquished. “This thing [giving up the Philadelphi Corridor] will not bring back the hostages — quite the opposite,” Netanyahu asserted.

Netanyahu criticized those advocating for a reversal of a recent security cabinet decision to maintain control of the Philadelphi Corridor, indirectly referencing Defense Minister Yoav Gallant without naming him. “What message does that send to Hamas? Murder hostages and win victories?” he asked, presenting a Hamas document found by soldiers in Gaza that suggested using psychological tactics to pressure Israel by blaming Netanyahu and targeting Gallant.

Responding to President Biden’s earlier remarks that Netanyahu was not doing enough to secure a deal, Netanyahu avoided addressing Biden directly but instead quoted senior American officials who had stated for months that Israel had agreed to the terms of a proposed deal, while Hamas had not. He emphasized that a deal would only be possible when Hamas recognized Israel’s unity on critical issues like Philadelphi.

Later, when questioned in English, Netanyahu reiterated the American officials’ statements and added:

“What has changed in the last five days? What has changed? One thing: these murderers executed six of our hostages. They shot them in the back of the head. That’s what changed. And now, after this, we’re asked to show seriousness? We’re asked to make concessions? What message does this send Hamas? It says, kill more hostages, murder more hostages, you’ll get more concessions. The pressure, internationally, must be directed at these killers — at Hamas, not at Israel. We say yes, they say no all the time — but they also murdered these people. And now we need maximum pressure on Hamas. I don’t believe that either President Biden or anyone serious about achieving peace, and achieving the release [of the hostages], would seriously ask Israel to make these concessions. We’ve already made them. Hamas has to make the concessions.”

When asked about the possibility of residents of Israel’s northern communities, who were evacuated due to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks from southern Lebanon, returning home, Netanyahu indicated that their return would depend on a change in the security situation, hinting at the potential for war.

Israel has stated that it expects Hezbollah to adhere to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, move north of the Litani River, and cease its attacks on Israel. If diplomatic efforts fail, Israel has expressed its readiness to go to war in Lebanon.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A shooting on a subway train outside Chicago on Labor Day morning left four people dead, police said. Three people were pronounced dead at the Forest Park station, an above-ground stop on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line. The fourth victim died at a hospital. The suspect got away but was subsequently arrested on a train on a different route, Forest Park police said. “A weapon was recovered,” Forest Park Deputy Chief Chris Chin told reporters. “There is no immediate threat. This appears to be an isolated incident on this unfortunate day.” Police were called around 5:30 a.m. Chin said he had no immediate information to disclose about the victims. He called the shooting “shocking” and “horrible.” “This heinous and egregious act of violence should never have occurred, nonetheless on a public transit train,” the Chicago Transit Authority, known as CTA, said. CTA said security camera video “proved to be vital” in helping investigators. Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins said his community, population 14,000, is the only Chicago suburb in Cook County where two major train lines end. “It’s a horrible tragedy that four people are dead on Labor Day weekend,” Hoskins said. “Our police department and our fire department respond to this location probably more than any other location in our jurisdiction.” (AP)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the third-party presidential candidate who suspended his campaign and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump, is suing the North Carolina State Board of Elections to get his name taken off the state’s November ballot.

Kennedy, who fought legal battles to remain on the North Carolina ballot, said last month that he would remove his name from battleground state ballots so as not to swing the election in Vice President Kamala Harris’s favor. But last week, the North Carolina State Board of Elections rejected Kennedy’s request to be taken off the ballot, saying it would “not be practical” to reprint ballots in time for the start of absentee voting on Sept. 6.

Kennedy’s lawsuit, filed Friday in Wake County Superior Court, alleged that the elections board was violating North Carolina law in denying his request. He accused the board of applying a “subjective ‘practicality’ standard” in the decision and added that he had followed the proper protocols in his request to remove his name. Kennedy requested an immediate judgment in the case, citing the November election date and upcoming ballot deadlines.

Kennedy’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday evening. A spokesperson for the North Carolina State Board of Elections directed The Washington Post to the state attorney general’s office, which said it was reviewing the complaint.

On Aug. 23, Kennedy said despite suspending his campaign, he would keep his name on ballots in solidly red and blue states, but would remove it in critical states.

“Our polling consistently showed that by staying on the ballot in the battleground states, I would likely hand the election over to the Democrats, with whom I disagree on the most existential issues – censorship, war and chronic disease,” he said.

On the campaign trail this year, Kennedy – the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy and the son of former attorney general Robert F. Kennedy – positioned himself to voters as a viable third-party option opposed to both Trump and President Joe Biden.

During his remarks to suspend his campaign, just over one month after Biden’s exit and endorsement of Harris, Kennedy urged supporters to vote for him in states where he planned to keep himself on the ballot. He added that he had already started the process of removing his name from the ballots of 10 battleground states, where he did not want to swing the election toward Harris. Polling has shown that a majority of Kennedy’s independent supporters lean Republican.

But Kennedy still remains on three battleground ballots: Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina. In Michigan and Wisconsin, a nominated and qualified candidate cannot be removed from the ballot unless they die.

In North Carolina, Kennedy landed on the ballot in mid-July after the state elections board officially recognized the “We The People” party, which he created for greater ballot access. The North Carolina Democratic Party then sued to block Kennedy’s name on the general election ballot, accusing him of using the We The People party as a vehicle to avoid the ballot requirements for independent candidates. Ultimately, a judge ruled in Kennedy’s favor.

That ruling was a victory for Kennedy until he suspended his campaign and began submitting requests to withdraw his name.

Arizona, which will begin mailing its absentee ballots to voters on Sept. 21, granted Kennedy’s request and Florida, which had an Aug. 24 deadline for minor parties to submit their nominees, granted Kennedy’s requests. Nevada and Pennsylvania, where Kennedy faced legal battles against his candidacy, also took him off the general election ballot.

But on Thursday, the North Carolina elections board denied his request in a 3-2 vote along party lines.

The board said in a news release following the vote that 1,730,000 ballots had already been printed with Kennedy’s name. The board plans to send those ballots to voters, including residents in the military and living overseas, starting Sept. 6. Printing new ballots would “leave most North Carolina counties without ballots until mid-September at the earliest and lead to significant additional costs,” the board said.

North Carolina state law does not stipulate a deadline for presidential nominees to request removal from the ballot, the board said in its release. But a separate state provision allows the elections board to “determine whether it is practical to reprint ballots” after removal requests are received, according to the release.

– – –

(c) Washington Post

Vice President Kamala Harris holds a slight edge over former President Donald Trump, though the Democratic National Convention appears to have done little to bolster her popularity, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by ABC News/Ipsos and released on Sunday, shows Harris leading Trump 50 percent to 46 percent among registered voters nationwide. Among likely voters, Harris’s lead increases slightly to 52 percent to 46 percent. Despite these numbers, the poll indicates that Harris did not experience a significant boost in support following the Democratic Party’s four-day convention in Chicago. This lack of momentum suggests that the convention had little impact on swaying undecided voters or solidifying her base. The poll also highlighted that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent endorsement of Trump, following his departure from the independent presidential race, had no substantial effect on voter opinions. According to the findings, most Americans were unaffected by Kennedy’s endorsement. When it comes to campaign performance, a majority of voters feel that Harris is running her campaign effectively, while fewer express the same confidence in Trump’s efforts. However, the poll reveals that Americans continue to trust Trump more than Harris on key issues such as the economy, inflation, and immigration. Conversely, Harris is viewed as more qualified and physically and mentally fit to serve as president. Looking ahead to the upcoming debate between Harris and Trump, 43 percent of voters expect Harris to emerge as the winner, while 37 percent believe Trump will come out on top. Another 18 percent anticipate a tie or no clear winner. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Watch the full press conference with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu after the murder of 6 hostages by Hamas, and the widespread protests in Israel.

The IDF has confirmed that its fighter jets conducted airstrikes on approximately 10 Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon earlier this evening. The targeted launchers, located in Zibqin and Chihine, were deemed a threat to Israeli civilian populations. In response to the Israeli strike, several rockets were fired from launchers near the border community of Arab al-Aramshe. According to the IDF, some of the incoming rockets were intercepted, while others impacted open areas, causing no injuries. In a separate operation, the IDF also targeted a Hezbollah observation post in southern Lebanon’s Houla region. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A bronze statue from the Titanic — not seen in decades and feared to be lost for good — is among the discoveries made by the company with salvage rights to the wreck site on its first expedition there in many years. RMS Titanic Inc., a Georgia-based company that holds the legal rights to the 112-year-old wreck, has completed its first trip since 2010 and released images from the expedition on Monday. The pictures show a site that continues to change more than a century later. The trip to the remote corner of the North Atlantic Ocean where the Titanic sank happened as the U.S. Coast Guard investigates the June 2023 implosion of the Titan, an experimental submersible owned by a different company. The Titan submersible disaster killed all five people on board, including Paul-Henri Nargeolet, who was director of underwater research for RMS Titanic. The findings from this summer’s trip “showcase a bittersweet mix of preservation and loss,” RMS Titanic said in a statement. A highlight was the rediscovery of the statue “Diana of Versaille,” last seen in 1986, and the statue now has a clear and updated image, the company said. On a sadder note, a significant section of the railing that surrounds the ship bow’s forecastle deck has fallen, RMS Titanic said. The railing still stood as recently as 2022, the company said. “The discovery of the statue of Diana was an exciting moment. But we are saddened by the loss of the iconic Bow railing and other evidence of decay which has only strengthened our commitment to preserving Titanic’s legacy,” said Tomasina Ray, director of collections for RMS Titanic. The crew spent 20 days at the site and returned to Providence, Rhode Island, on Aug. 9. They captured more than 2 million of the highest resolution pictures of the site ever to exist, the company said. The team also fully mapped the wreck and its debris field with equipment that should improve understanding of the site, RMS Titanic said. The next step is to process the data so it can be shared with the scientific community, and so “historically significant and at-risk artifacts can be identified for safe recovery in future expeditions,” the company said in a statement. The company said prior to the expedition that it had an especially important mission in the wake of Nargeolet’s death. The Coast Guard’s investigation will be the subject of a public hearing later in September. Nargeolet’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Titan sub’s operator OceanGate, which suspended operations after the implosion. OceanGate has not commented publicly on the lawsuit, which was filed in a Washington state court. (AP)

In a decisive and precise operation, the IDF, in collaboration with the Shin Bet and the Israel Border Police, have successfully eliminated 14 terrorists and neutralized approximately 30 explosives in Jenin, targeting Hamas and other terror groups operating in the area. The ongoing operation, focused on dismantling the terror infrastructure, has also led to the apprehension of 25 terrorists and the confiscation of around 20 weapons. One of the most alarming discoveries during the operation was an underground weapons cache and explosives strategically buried under roads, posing a significant threat to both Israeli forces and civilians. The operation also exposed the deplorable tactics used by terrorists, including the use of civilian infrastructure, such as mosques, to carry out their deadly missions. In one instance, terrorists were seen hurling explosives at IDF forces from the roof of a mosque, further demonstrating their disregard for civilian life. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Behind closed doors, former president Donald Trump and his advisers have been talking for months about forming a commission led by prominent business executives to comb through the government books to identify thousands of programs to cut.

Lately, one particularly famous candidate has made clear he’d be up for it: Elon Musk. And he may have much to gain personally from the endeavor.

On several occasions, including on X, the social media platform he owns, the Tesla and SpaceX chief executive has expressed interest in being part of a “government efficiency commission” aimed at eliminating wasteful regulations and spending. Musk in August posted an apparently artificial intelligence-generated image of himself behind a lectern labeled “Department of Government Efficiency,” with the acronym DOGE – a meme-based cryptocurrency Musk has previously embraced.

Musk’s potential involvement in a government regulatory and spending commission has sparked concerns from ethics experts who point to conflicts of interest that could emerge between such a post and his business empire. But Trump advisers are eager to bring in prominent corporate leaders to compile a high-profile list of federal excess, reprising efforts similar to those led by President Ronald Reagan and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who once published an annual “Waste Book” on allegedly frivolous spending.

Trump last week downplayed the idea that Musk would join his Cabinet – but also said Musk might be a helpful consultant to the federal government.

“He wants to be involved, but look, he’s running big businesses and all that … so he can’t really” be in the Cabinet, Trump said on the Shawn Ryan Show. “He can sort of, as the expression goes, consult with the country and give you some very good ideas.”

Musk did not respond to a request for comment.

Musk has increasingly used X as a megaphone to support Trump and bash his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. But as the two billionaires have moved into a closer political alliance, scrutiny is mounting over the potential financial benefits a potential second Trump administration could deliver to Musk.

After favoring Joe Biden in 2020, Musk has now fully embraced Trump. He helped create a SuperPAC, America PAC, in support of the Republican candidate, which has raised at least $8.7 million from wealthy donors – including former Tesla board member Antonio Gracias, Palantir co-founder and Austin-based tech investor Joe Lonsdale, and Sequoia Capital investor Shaun Maguire – as of June 30, the most recent date for which public filings are available.

Although Tesla has benefited from Biden’s electric vehicle subsidies, Musk’s companies have also faced greater regulatory scrutiny than they did under Trump’s administration, as the White House has embarked upon more pro-union policies and a crackdown on alleged corporate malfeasance.

Over the past few years, for example, the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission have advanced investigations into Tesla’s marketing of its driver-assistance technologies. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a recall of almost every Tesla after a widespread investigation concluded that the company had done too little to ensure that drivers pay attention to the road while using its Autopilot driver-assistance system.

Meanwhile, the SEC has opened a separate investigation into X, formerly Twitter, which Musk purchased in 2022, and the National Labor Relations Board is investigating allegations of harassment at SpaceX. Both SpaceX and Starlink, Musk’s satellite business, would likely benefit from fresh federal contracts, as the GOP platform calls for increased satellite investment and accelerating space exploration toward Mars.

Musk has also praised Trump’s desire to do away with EV tax credits, even as he acknowledged such a policy could hurt his company in the short term. The billionaire, who has called for the removal of subsidies “from all industries,” said canceling those incentives would be “devastating for our competitors” and only “hurt Tesla slightly.”

Trump has previously railed against electric vehicles, but has been vocal about how Musk’s support has influenced his view: “I’m for electric cars,” Trump said at a rally last month. “I have to be because Elon endorsed me very strongly.”

Some Trump advisers downplayed how much clout Musk would have in a second administration. Among the other names that could be considered for the commission are Fred Smith, the former CEO of FedEx, and Robert Nardelli, the former CEO of Home Depot, said two people familiar with the idea, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Musk’s businesses are closely intertwined with federal spending already.

Tesla has been paid $36 million in federal funds to install at least 328 EV charging plugs, according to policy and data research firm Atlas Public Policy. SpaceX won a NASA contract in 2021 worth up to $4.4 billion to build a human landing system for the Artemis moon missions. The company has already received $2.2 billion under the agreement in taxpayer money.

“It raises questions that the commission’s focus is on saving taxpayer dollars, but you have someone potentially involved whose company is one of the biggest recipients of federal spending,” said Anna Massoglia, a money in politics expert at the nonprofit organization OpenSecrets. “Cracking down on government waste and abuse is important, but we also need to have accountability mechanisms so private sector actors involved in this kind of program can’t manipulate it for personal gain.”

Samuel Hammond, a policy expert at the center-right Foundation for American Innovation, pointed out that Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris also has numerous large Silicon Valley boosters and other donors with extensive business in front of the federal government.

“Do Kamala Harris backers want to get subsidies for clean energy projects?” Hammond said. “In the case of Musk, I think his main demand is to be left alone.”

Trump’s interest in the commission is partly a response to a political and substantive problem facing his campaign – the GOP presidential nominee’s plans might inflate the national debt. He has pushed several trillions of dollars in additional tax cuts for his second term, and proposed nowhere near that amount in new revenue.

Trump has for months expressed interest in establishing a “blue ribbon” commission of top executives to eliminate wasteful federal spending, said Steve Moore, who pitched the former president on the idea. Moore said the plan was modeled after the Grace Commission, a Reagan-era panel that recommended billions of dollars in spending cuts. Most of its recommendations were never implemented, but they helped provide rhetorical fuel to anti-spending arguments by conservatives.

“It should be a high priority. We have a lot of spending and waste to cut if we’re going to extend the Trump tax cuts or do these other things he wants to do,” Moore said. “You’ll have to find redundancies and inefficiencies and obsolescence, but the good news is we haven’t done this in a couple decades.”

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich and Art Laffer – who have sometimes advised Trump on economic policy – strongly favor the plan, they said in interviews. Nonpartisan budget hawks also expressed support for the idea.

Moore said he was unsure if Musk would be interested in chairing the commission, but said he would be “absolutely perfect to run it.”

Some critics, however, say this effort could amount to a mostly symbolic attempt to arrest government spending. Increased costs for Social Security and Medicare are the primary drivers of the nation’s long-term fiscal imbalance, and many budget experts are skeptical that such a commission – which would still need approval in Congress – could translate into meaningful deficit reduction. Trump’s plans are projected to add an additional $2 trillion to the debt at least, although precise estimates are difficult because of the vagueness of his promises.

A commission that involves Musk to identify spending cuts could help distract from Trump’s plans to increase the deficit – but also seal their political alliance.

Toward the end of a meandering, two-hour plus conversation on X between Trump and Musk last month, the Republican candidate fawned over how many people tuned into the conversation and said Musk’s endorsement meant more than most.

“That endorsement meant a lot to me,” Trump said of Musk’s July endorsement. “Not all endorsements mean that much, to be honest. Your endorsement meant a lot.”

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(c) Washington Post

Hamas has issued a stark warning, stating that Israeli hostages held in Gaza will return “inside coffins” if Israel attempts to free them through military action rather than negotiating a deal. In a statement released by the militant group, which controls Gaza, Hamas claimed its fighters guarding the hostages in the Palestinian enclave have received “new instructions” on how to handle the situation if Israeli forces approach. The group also released an illustrated poster apparently depicting hostages being threatened with a gun. “Netanyahu’s insistence on liberating the prisoners through military pressure instead of concluding a deal will mean that they will return to their families inside coffins and their families will have to choose whether they are dead or alive,” said Abu Obaida, spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, on Monday. This warning comes in the wake of Israeli forces recovering the bodies of six hostages from Gaza over the weekend. An Israeli spokesperson stated on Sunday that the hostages had been “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists” shortly before soldiers reached them. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged a “strong reaction” to the deaths of six hostages whose bodies were found in Gaza over the weekend, stating that Israel plans “to hurt Hamas in a way Israel hasn’t done before,” according to an Israeli official. “The intention of the PM now is to hurt Hamas in a way Israel hasn’t done before,” the official told CNN. Meanwhile, at a press conference on Monday evening, Netanyahu said “We’re going to exact a heavy price from Hamas; I’m not going to tell you what the price is going to be and what we’re going to do, there’s going to be an element of surprise here,” Netanyahu said at a news conference on Monday night.” The official also addressed the Israeli cabinet’s decision on Thursday, which mandates that the IDF remain in the Philadelphi corridor – a critical 14-kilometer strip along the Gaza-Egypt border -during the initial phase of a proposed hostage and ceasefire deal. The corridor is currently controlled by the IDF, and its continued presence there has been a significant point of contention between Israel and Hamas, with Hamas demanding the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area. In a cabinet meeting on Monday, Netanyahu emphasized the strategic importance of the Philadelphi corridor, stating, “Everyone who says that we can leave (the) Philadelphi Axis for 42 days knows very well that it will be for 42 years. The world will not allow us to return. Everyone understands the importance of Philadelphi and (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar understands it best. That’s why he insists. All the arms smuggling to Gaza is through the Philadelphi corridor. If we change the cabinet’s decision, it will be a terror award, you will not bring back the hostages.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The British government suspended some arms sales to the Israel Defense Forces on Monday, claiming there is a “clear risk” the weapons could be used by the Jewish state’s military to “commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy informed lawmakers that London would cancel 30 out of 350 licenses, banning the export of aircraft, drones, helicopters and ground targeting equipment.

“It is with regret that I inform the House today the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain U.K. arms exports to Israel,” he told the House of Commons.

“There does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” London’s top diplomat added.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday night he was “deeply disheartened to learn of the sanctions placed by the U.K. Government on export licenses to Israel’s defense establishment.”

“This comes at a time when we fight a war on 7 different fronts—a war that was launched by a savage terrorist organization, unprovoked. At a time when we mourn 6 hostages who were executed in cold blood by Hamas inside tunnels in Gaza. At a time when we fight to bring 101 hostages home,” Gallant wrote in a post on X.

“I stand by our troops and security agencies working with immense courage, professionalism and moral values. We remain committed to defending the State of Israel and her people,” he added.

Last month, the British Department for Business and Trade froze all weapons export licenses to the IDF pending a government review.

Sources in Yerushalayim told Israel Hayom that while officials in the Israeli Foreign Ministry were engaged in behind-the-scenes diplomacy to avert an arms embargo, these efforts had been unsuccessful.

The move is viewed as a direct extension of the Labour government’s reported decision to abandon an effort to challenge the International Criminal Court over attempts to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The previous government, under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, joined Israel in fighting ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan after he applied to have the court issue warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for alleged war crimes.

Lammy said on July 6 that he would seek a “balanced position” on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

“I hope, too, that we see a ceasefire soon, and we bring an alleviation to the suffering and the intolerable loss of life that we’re now seeing also in Gaza,” he said during a visit to Yerushalayim on July 15.

At least 14 British nationals were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 cross-border terrorist attacks, according to the BBC. Several others were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists during the invasion.

(JNS)

An ultra swimmer said he again will try to cross Lake Michigan, from Michigan to Wisconsin, just a few weeks after trouble with a GPS device forced him to give up after 60 miles (96 kilometers). Jim Dreyer said he would set off early Monday evening in Grand Haven. He said the journey to Milwaukee would cover at least 80 miles (128 kilometers) in the water and last 72 hours or more. Dreyer, 61, will also be towing a small inflatable boat with supplies. “Sorry for the last-minute notice, but chaos is often part of this open water swimming game,” he said on Facebook while also posting “Here I Go Again,” a 1987 power ballad video by Whitesnake. His progress can be tracked online. Dreyer, whose calls himself The Shark, crossed Lake Michigan in 1998, starting in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and finishing in Ludington, Michigan. But three attempts to do it again have been unsuccessful since 2023. His last effort began on Aug. 6. The next day, he paused to get fresh AA batteries to keep a GPS device working. But during the process, Dreyer said he somehow lost the bag in the lake. He had only a compass and nature to help him try to keep moving west. But Dreyer ended up swimming north instead, burning precious time and adding more miles as risky weather approached. A support crew pulled him out of Lake Michigan on Aug. 8. “What a blow!” Dreyer said at the time. (AP)

The Israel Defense Forces will stay on Gaza’s border with Egypt to prevent Hamas from rebuilding its strength by smuggling in arms, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said on Monday night. He also vowed to exact a “very heavy price” from the terrorist group for its recent execution of six captives.

“We are in the midst of an existential war against Iran’s axis of evil, and the first condition of victory is unity among us,” the Israeli leader said in an address to the nation. “We must stand united against a brutal enemy seeking to destroy us all—left or right, religious or secular, Jews and non-Jews. We have seen that not only on October 7, but throughout the war.”

Netanyahu said that, in conversations with the families of hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, Carmel Gat and IDF Master Sgt. Ori Danino—who were executed by Hamas terrorists last week and whose bodies were retrieved for burial in the Jewish state over the weekend—he asked for forgiveness that Israel’s government and security forces failed to bring them back home alive.

“We were very close, but we were not able to do so,” Netanyahu said, warning that Hamas “will pay a very heavy price” for the six murders.

The premier continued by saying that all of the government’s war goals in the Gaza Strip, including the return of the 101 remaining hostages, “go through one gate, the Philadelphi Corridor. It’s the oxygen of Hamas.

“The axis of evil needs the Philadelphi Corridor; for this reason, we need the Philadelphi Corridor,” Netanyahu said, using the IDF’s name for the 8.5-mile-long belt of land along Gaza’s border with Sinai. “This corridor determines our entire future.”

If Israel gives up control of the border area, as Hamas has demanded during the ongoing hostages-for-ceasefire talks, the remaining captives could be smuggled out to Egypt and from there to Iran or Yemen, he said.

The premier noted during his address that Israel controlled all other entry points to the Gaza Strip, by land and by sea, and that leaving the Sinai border open since the 2005 disengagement was what had enabled Hamas to arm its forces and fight three previous wars against Israel.

Pivoting to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire negotiations, Netanyahu noted that Hamas did not budge for months. “The first crack came when we went into Rafah and took over the Philadelphi Corridor, when we took over the passage; that’s when they started talking differently,” he said.

“As soon as they think there is weakness on our side, or pressure, they’ll go right back,” warned the premier, adding that he was “absolutely shocked” that some Cabinet members, most notably Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, have suggested that Israel leave the Philadelphi Corridor.

Pointing to a document that was reportedly discovered by forces in a Gaza tunnel earlier this year, he said that shifting all blame towards Netanyahu was a key component of Hamas’s psychological warfare.

“We have agreed to the outline presented by President Biden on May 31; we have agreed to what they called the final bridging proposal on August 18, but Hamas said no to the first and no to the second,” the prime minister noted, in an apparent reference to Monday’s criticism from the American president.

Netanyahu concluded, “Together we stand, together we fight, and together, with God’s help, we will overcome.”

One hundred and one hostages—alive and dead—are still held captive in Gaza after more than 300 days. Off-and-on negotiations have continued for months with the United States, Egypt and Qatar acting as mediators.

(JNS)