Investigators believe a landslide brought on by heavy rainfall likely caused a regional train to derail in southern Germany, killing three people and injuring 41 more. More than 100 people were aboard the Deutsche Bahn train when at least two carriages derailed Sunday evening in a forested area near Riedlingen, about 158 kilometers (98 miles) west of Munich. The train’s 32-year-old driver, a 36-year-old apprentice and a 70-year-old passenger were killed, police said Monday. Some of the 41 injured were seriously hurt. Police said the downpours in the area caused a sewage shaft to overflow, likely triggering the landslide of an embankment where the derailment occurred. There was no evidence of an external influence that could have caused the derailment, police said. Photos from the scene showed parts of the train on its side as rescuers climbed atop the carriages. “Such pictures shake us to the core,” Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz said Monday, offering his condolences to the victims’ families. He pledged full support for the effort to clear up the cause. (AP)
Chinese online retailer Temu was accused by European Union watchdogs on Monday of failing to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform. The preliminary findings follow an investigation opened last year under the bloc’s Digital Services Act. It’s a wide-ranging rulebook that requires online platforms to do more to keep internet users safe, with the threat of hefty fines. The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s executive branch, said its investigation found “a high risk for consumers in the EU to encounter illegal products” on Temu’s site. Investigators carried out a “mystery shopping exercise” that found “non-compliant” products on Temu, including baby toys and small electronics, it said. Temu said in a brief statement that it “will continue to cooperate fully with the Commission.” The commission didn’t specify why exactly the products were illegal, but noted that a surge in online sales in the bloc also came with a parallel rise in unsafe or counterfeit goods. EU regulators said when they opened the investigation that they would look into whether Temu was doing enough to crack down on “rogue traders” selling “non-compliant goods” amid concerns that they are able to swiftly reappear after being suspended. In its preliminary findings, the Commission found that Temu could have had “inadequate mitigation measures” because the company was using an “inaccurate” risk assessment that relied on general industry information, rather than specifics about its own marketplace. “We shop online because we trust that products sold in our Single Market are safe and comply with our rules,” Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a news release. “In our preliminary view, Temu is far from assessing risks for its users at the standards required by the Digital Services Act. Temu has grown in popularity by offering cheap goods – from clothing to home products — shipped from sellers in China. The company, owned by Pinduoduo Inc., a popular e-commerce site in China, has 92 million users in the EU. The company will have the chance to examine the Commission’s investigation files and respond to the accusations before the EU watchdogs make a final decision. Violations of the DSA could result in fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global revenue and an order to fix the problems. (AP)
Likud MK Moshe Saada slammed the government’s decision over the weekend to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza and suspend military activity every day from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. “for humanitarian needs.” It should be noted that this is the first time in history that a country is providing aid to its enemy during a war. Additionally, implementing a siege against an enemy is legal under international law as a method of warfare. Speaking in an interview on Monday with 103FM, Saada said, “This is an immoral, unethical policy. This policy funds, arms, and recruits fighters for Hamas to fight our children. We need to tell the truth: Israel is transferring humanitarian aid that ultimately reaches Hamas—funding, arming, and recruiting Hamas fighters.” “What needs to be done is to establish a humanitarian zone and say to the citizens, ‘Whoever wants to separate themselves from Hamas, go out to a humanitarian zone.’ There, under complete IDF control, there is water, energy, food, and health, and the world will see that, and whoever remains and shelters Hamas has one fate. A siege will be imposed there.” “I searched in history; there is no place in the world where, during a war, a country fighting an enemy supplies food to it. Such a thing has not occurred in history, not in ancient times and not in modern times. It’s incomprehensible. We’re a nation with a disorder that distributes food to its enemy in order to fund and arm it.” “Israel should have conquered the Strip from one end to the other a long time ago and imposed military rule. The IDF needs to distribute the food because whoever distributes the bread is the sovereign in the territory.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “unconditional” ceasefire starting at midnight, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Monday, a significant breakthrough to resolve five days of deadly border clashes that have killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands of people. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai hailed the outcome of the meeting and shook hands along with Anwar at the conclusion of the brief press conference in Malaysia. The fighting began Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, that have killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000 people on both sides. Hun Manet and Phumtham have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” with effect from midnight local time, Anwar said as he read out a joint statement. Anwar, who hosted the talks as annual chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, said both sides have reached a common understanding to take steps to return to normalcy following what he called frank discussions. “This is a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security,” Anwar said. As part of the ceasefire deal, military commanders from both sides will begin to hold talks Tuesday to defuse tensions while Cambodia will host a border committee meeting on Aug. 4. he said. The foreign and defense ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand have also been instructed to “develop a detailed mechanism” to implement and monitor the ceasefire to ensure sustained peace, he added. Hun Manet said he hoped that bilateral ties could return to normal soon so that some 300,000 villagers evacuated on both sides could return home. It is “time to start rebuilding trust, confidence and cooperation going forward between Thailand and Cambodia,” he said. Phumtham said the outcome reflected “Thailand’s desire for a peaceful resolution.” The Malaysian meeting followed direct pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has warned that the United States may not proceed with trade deals with either country if hostilities continue. The joint statement said that the U.S. is a co-organizer of the talks, with participation from China. The Chinese and American ambassadors to Malaysia attended the meeting that lasted over two hours. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted news of the ceasefire on X and wrote: “President Trump made this happen. Give him the Nobel Peace Prize!” The violence marks a rare instance of open military confrontation between ASEAN member states, a 10-nation regional bloc that has prided itself on non-aggression, peaceful dialogue and economic cooperation. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand shut all border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home. News of the ceasefire brought relief and hope to evacuees from both sides. Some women at a crowded evacuation shelter in Surin, Thailand, shouted for joy. “I’m happy about that, and feeling a bit relieved,” said Usa Dasri, a vendor and farmer. “We miss our home. There are many small things I’m worried about, livestock and rice fields. I don’t know what might’ve happened to them. I want to go home, so I’m happy. I also think about our soldiers at the frontline. I want them to be safe and have a good sleep like […]
The Houthi terror group in Yemen has said it will target merchant ships belonging to any company that does business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality, as part of what it described as the next phase of its operations against Israel. The Iran-backed Houthis launched a campaign targeting merchant vessels in response to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, saying they were doing so in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Their attacks over the past two years have upended shipping in the Red Sea, through which $1 trillion of goods usually passes each year. In an announcement late Sunday night, the Houthis said they had “decided to escalate their military support operations and begin implementing the fourth phase of the naval blockade” against Israel. They warned that they would target “all ships belonging to any company that deals with the ports of the Israeli enemy, regardless of the nationality of that company, and in any location within the reach of our armed forces.” The vessels would be targeted regardless of their destination, they added. The group said countries should pressure Israel to stop the war in Gaza and lift its blockade on the Palestinian territory “if they want to avoid this escalation.” Earlier this month, the Houthis attacked and sank two Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carriers – the Magic Seas and the Eternity C. The attack on the latter left four crew members dead and 11 more were taken captive, while all 22 crew members of the Magic Seas were rescued before the ship sank. From November 2023 to December 2024, the Houthis targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones. The rebels stopped their attacks during a brief ceasefire in the war and later became the target of an intense, weekslong airstrike campaign ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump. In May, the U.S. announced a deal with the Houthis to end the airstrikes in return for an end to shipping attacks, although the rebel group said the agreement did not include halting attacks on targets it believed were aligned with Israel. (AP)
The US used up a quarter of its supply of high-end THAAD missile interceptors during the 12-day war with Iran in June, CNN reported on Monday, citing two sources familiar with the operation. According to the report, U.S. forces defended Israel against the Iranian barrage of ballistic missiles by firing over 100 THAADS (short for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), a significant amount of the U.S.’s stockpile. The US has seven THAAD systems, and two were used in the war. The large amount of THAAD receptors used in such a short period “exposed a gap in the US missile defense network,” the report said. Former US defense officials and missile experts told CNN that the rapid depletion has brought up concerns about “America’s global security posture and ability to regenerate supplies at speed.” The US produced only 11 new THAAD interceptors last year and is expected to receive just 12 more in this fiscal year. However, according to the 2026 Department of Defense budget, it plans to acquire 37 THAAD interceptors next year. Nevertheless, CNN quoted experts who warn that supplies need to be further increased. “It is important to recognize the level of commitment and the level of expenditure here in defense of Israel is significant,” said a missile defense expert who has been tracking the US government’s expenditure. “The reports about THAAD expenditure are concerning. This is not the sort of thing that the US can afford to continue to do on and on,” he added. “It was a major commitment to our Israeli ally, but missile defense interceptor capacity is definitely a concern, and THAAD is a very scarce resource.” A senior retired US army officer who asked not to be named said around 25% of THAAD’s total inventory was used by US forces in Israel participating in the war effort. “The (Department of Defense) is looking at wartime stockage levels of critical munitions and attempting to significantly increase annual production capacity, an effort that is long overdue,” the source said. Concerns about the US interceptor stockpile preceded the Israel-Iran conflict, four former senior US defense officials told CNN, especially stockpiles of high-end interceptors intended to be used as deterrence against China. “What I can say without giving any numbers is I was surprised at how low some of the levels of readiness were,” said one former defense official who left his post in the last year. “Stockpiles are dropping. We need more. We need them faster than they are being built,” said the same ex-official. “This is a concern. It was a concern during the Biden administration. I’m sure it’s a concern now during the Trump administration,” one former senior Biden defense official said. “Air defense is relevant in all of the major theaters right now. And there are not enough systems. There are not enough interceptors. There’s not enough production, and there are not enough people working on it,” said Mara Karlin, former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities under Biden. “You have the challenge of something being both incredibly relevant and also there’s a dearth of them,” she added. The report quoted an analysis by the DC-based think tank Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), which estimated that the US’s THAAD system intercepted about half of all interceptions […]
The Iranian regime detained 35 Jews for alleged collaboration with Israel in the wake of Operation Rising Lion, including two Jews from the U.S., Kan News reported on Monday morning. Five Jews are still in custody, including one of the American Jews, an Iranian who moved to New York 30 years ago and traveled to Iran to visit relatives. The second U.S. Jew, a Jew of Iranian descent who lives in Los Angeles and also came to Iran to visit relatives, was released on bail in recent days along with 10 local Jews. “The two Americans came to the wrong place at the wrong time,” a source familiar with the efforts to release them said. The regime’s wave of arrests of Jews belies the image that Iran has tried to cultivate for years, according to which it grants equal rights and security to its Jewish citizens. After the war ended, sources in the community said that they were under unprecedented pressure, and the fear of surveillance, investigations, and arrests had become a daily reality. Iran carried out a mass arrest operation of all minorities following the war, including Afghans, Azeris, Kurds, and members of the Baha’i religion. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Women of the Wall members clashed with security guards at the Kosel plaza on Monday morning after they defied the law and brought a Sefer Torah hidden inside a baby carrier to the Kosel. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated, “On Monday morning, a small group from the Women of the Wall organization acted in blatant violation of the regulations in place at the Kosel plaza when they brought a Sefer Torah into the tefillah plaza against the rules and in a degrading manner—hidden inside a baby carrier.” “During the event, some members of the group violently attacked the employees of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, who sought to maintain order and kedushas hamakom. One of the Foundation’s employees required medical evacuation to the hospital following the attack.” The foundation stated, “We view with severity any attempt to harm the mesorah of the Kosel and its kedusha. The foundation will continue to work to maintain order at the Kosel plaza in accordance with the instructions of the Chief Rabbinate and the established mesorah.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump took aim Sunday at what he called the “shameful” lack of recognition for American aid efforts, pointing out that while the U.S. sent $60 million in food assistance to the Palestinian territory, the gesture has gone largely ignored—by Gazan leadership and the international community alike. “We gave $60 million two weeks ago, and nobody even acknowledged it,” Trump told reporters in Scotland. “Nobody talks about it. It makes you feel a little bad when you do that… None of the European countries gave. Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, ‘Gee, thank you very much.’” The president’s remarks came in response to a reporter’s question about whether Israel should allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Trump chose instead to spotlight what he sees as a glaring imbalance: the United States footing the bill for food while the rest of the world criticizes Israel and remains largely absent when it comes to actual contributions. Trump’s frustration comes amid a crisis that has increasingly turned political. Since the war in Gaza began last October following Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel, the U.S. has played a key role in supporting its ally militarily and diplomatically. But at the same time, it has also stepped up to deliver humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza—even as many Arab and European countries, often vocal in their condemnation of Israel, have failed to meaningfully contribute. While Israel has imposed strict controls on aid entry over concerns that it could be diverted by Hamas, the United States has quietly moved to provide life-saving assistance through vetted channels. The $60 million that Trump referred to was allocated by Congress during his tenure, and has been used to deliver food, formula, and basic supplies. Despite these efforts, Trump noted, there has been little gratitude—and even less honesty about who is actually doing the heavy lifting. “You want to help people,” he said. “But it would be nice if someone at least said, ‘Thank you.’” Reports from Gaza paint a dire picture: civilians caught in the crossfire, babies suffering from malnutrition, and distribution centers overwhelmed. But Trump’s remarks underscore that while the suffering is real, the international narrative has become dangerously lopsided—placing the blame almost exclusively on Israel and turning a blind eye to the role of Hamas and the indifference of many countries who claim to care. Meanwhile, Trump has made no secret of his position on Hamas. He reiterated that Israel should “finish the job” and eliminate the terror threat in Gaza once and for. “No other country gave anything,” Trump said. “None of the European countries. Nobody gave but us.” Fact-checkers have pointed out that some nations have contributed aid, but Trump’s core point—that the U.S. provides the lion’s share of funding and receives little thanks—is hard to refute. In 2023 alone, the U.S. gave hundreds of millions in humanitarian support to the Palestinians, dwarfing other nations’ contributions. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rebuffed overtures by South Korea’s new liberal government, saying Monday that North Korea has no interests in talks with South Korea no matter what proposal its rival offers. Kim Yo Jong’s comments suggest again that North Korea, now preoccupied with its expanding cooperation with Russia, has no intentions of returning to diplomacy with South Korea and the U.S. anytime soon. But experts said North Korea could change its course if it thinks it cannot maintain the same booming ties with Russia when the Russia-Ukraine war nears an end. “We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither a reason to meet nor an issue to be discussed with” South Korea, Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media. It’s North Korea’s first official statement on the government of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, which took office in early June. In an effort to improve badly frayed ties with North Korea, Lee’s government has halted anti-Pyongyang frontline loudspeaker broadcasts, taken steps to ban activists from flying balloons with propaganda leaflets across the border and repatriated North Koreans who were drifted south in wooden boats months earlier. Kim Yo Jong called such steps “sincere efforts” by Lee’s government to develop ties. But she said the Lee government won’t be much different from its predecessors, citing what it calls “their blind trust” to the military alliance with the U.S. and attempt to “stand in confrontation” with North Korea. She mentioned the upcoming summertime South Korea-U.S. military drills, which North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. North Korea has been shunning talks with South Korea and the U.S. since leader Kim Jong Un’s high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019 due to wrangling over international sanctions. North Korea has since focused on building more powerful nuclear weapons targeting its rivals. North Korea now prioritizes cooperation with Russia by sending troops and conventional weapons to support its war against Ukraine, likely in return for economic and military assistance. South Korea, the U.S. and others say Russia may even give North Korea sensitive technologies that can enhance its nuclear and missile programs. Since beginning his second term in January, Trump has repeatedly boasted of his personal ties with Kim Jong Un and expressed intent to resume diplomacy with him. But North Korea hasn’t publicly responded to Trump’s overture. In early 2024, Kim Jong Un ordered the rewriting of the constitution to remove the long-running state goal of a peaceful Korean unification and cement South Korea as an “invariable principal enemy.” That caught many foreign experts by surprise because it was seen as eliminating the idea of shared statehood between the war-divided Koreas and breaking away with his predecessors’ long-cherished dreams of peacefully achieving a unified Korea on the North’s terms. Many experts say Kim likely aims to guard against South Korean cultural influence and bolster his family’s dynastic rule. Others say Kim wants legal room to use his nuclear weapons against South Korea by making it as a foreign enemy state, not a partner for potential unification which shares a sense of national homogeneity. (AP)
Eric Hildenbrand has noticed prices continue to rise this year, even with President Donald Trump in the White House. He doesn’t blame Trump, his choice for president in 2024, but says Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats who control his home state, California, are at fault. “You can’t compare California with the rest of the country,” said Hildenbrand, who is 76 and lives in San Diego. “I don’t know what’s going on in the rest of the country. It seems like prices are dropping. Things are getting better, but I don’t necessarily see it here.” Voters like Hildenbrand, whose support of the Republican president is unwavering, help explain Trump’s polling numbers and how they have differed from other presidents’ polling trajectory in significant ways. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted in March found that 42% of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s job performance. That is a lower rating than those of other recent presidents at the beginning of their second terms, including Democrat Barack Obama and Republican George W. Bush. The most recent AP-NORC poll, from July, puts Trump at 40% approval. While that is not a meaningful change from March, there is some evidence that Trump’s support may be softening, at least on the margins. The July poll showed a slight decrease in approval of his handling of immigration since earlier in the year. Some other pollsters, such as Gallup, show a downward slide in overall approval since slightly earlier in his term, in January. But even those shifts are within a relatively narrow range, which is typical for Trump. The new AP-NORC polling tracker shows that Trump’s favorability rating has remained largely steady since the end of his first term, with between 33% and 43% of U.S. adults saying they viewed him favorably across more than five years. Those long-term trends underscore that Trump has many steadfast opponents. But loyal supporters also help explain why views of the president are hard to change even as he pursues policies that most Americans do not support, using an approach that many find abrasive. Persistently low approval of Trump’s job performance Trump has not had a traditional honeymoon period in his second term. He did not in his first, either. An AP-NORC poll conducted in March 2017, two months into his first term, showed that 42% of Americans “somewhat” or “strongly” approved of his performance. That is largely where his approval rating stayed over the course of the next four years. The recent slippage on immigration is particularly significant because that issue was a major strength for Trump in the 2024 election. Earlier in his second term, it was also one of the few areas where he was outperforming his overall approval. In March, about half of U.S. adults approved of his handling of immigration. But the July AP-NORC poll found his approval on immigration at 43%, in line with his overall approval rating. Other recent polls show growing discontent with Trump’s approach on immigration. A CNN/SSRS poll found that 55% of U.S. adults say the president has gone too far when it comes to deporting immigrants who are living in the United States illegally, an increase of 10 percentage points since February. “I understand wanting to get rid of illegal immigrants, but the way that’s being done is very aggressive,” said Donovan Baldwin, 18, of Asheboro, North Carolina, who did not vote in the 2024 election. […]
Wildfires that have engulfed Turkey for weeks threatened the country’s fourth-largest city on Sunday, forcing more than 3,500 people to flee their homes and leaving two people dead. Greece, Bulgaria and Montenegro are also battling blazes fed by unusually high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds. Overnight fires in the forested mountains surrounding Bursa, in northwest Turkey, spread rapidly, tinting the night sky over the city’s eastern suburbs with a red glow. Dozens of severe wildfires have hit the country daily since late June, with the government declaring the two western provinces of Izmir and Bilecik as disaster areas on Friday. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters late Sunday that 3,515 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast of Bursa as more than 1,900 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed as surrounding forests burned. A firefighter died from a heart attack while on the job, the city’s mayor, Mustafa Bozbey, said, adding that the flames had scorched 3,000 hectares (7,413 acres) around the city. One person was killed and two seriously injured when a water tanker fell into a ravine outside Bursa, local media reported. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, described the scene as “an apocalypse.” By morning, lessening winds brought some respite to firefighters, who continued efforts to battle the flames. However, TV footage revealed an ashen landscape where farms and pine forests had earlier stood. Yumakli said fire crews across the country confronted 84 separate blazes Saturday. The country’s northwest was under the greatest threat, including Karabuk, where wildfires have burned since Tuesday and 1,839 people have been evacuated from 19 villages. Aside from Bursa and Karabuk, a major fire was raging in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, the minister said, warning that growing winds could suddenly reignite fires not properly watered down after being extinguished. Beleagured firefighters and rescue workers saved thousands of livestock and pets that had been left behind in the rush to evacuate threatened areas. Local media also showed images of workers assisting wildlife caught among the fires. Unseasonably high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds have been fueling the wildfires. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The highest temperatures for July were seen in 132 other locations, it said. Fifteen people have died in recent weeks, including 10 rescue volunteers and forestry workers killed Wednesday in a fire in Eskisehir in western Turkey. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Saturday that prosecutors had investigated fires in 33 provinces since June 26, and that legal action had been taken against 97 suspects. Overnight evacuations In Greece, firefighters battled active wildfires in the country’s southwest and on the island of Kythera on Sunday, following a blaze that scorched the northern Athens suburb of Kryoneri on Saturday. High temperatures, reaching 38 C (100 F) or more, persist across much of the country, though winds have eased slightly. In Kryoneri, 27 residents were evacuated overnight with police assistance after some initially ignored warnings. Authorities urged the public to comply with evacuation orders, warning that resistance puts both civilians and rescuers in danger. The fire service reported three people hospitalized with breathing issues and one firefighter treated for burns at a military hospital. On […]
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The detention of the three avreichim who were arrested at a protest against chillul kevarim last week and transferred to the military police was extended on Sunday for several days, until Thursday of this week. The arrest of the three avreichim, who belong to the Eida HaChareidit, including the grandson of the Mishkenot HaRoim Rebbe, ignited a wave of protests. Although there was talk about the possibility of renewing the protests following the arrest, sources from the Peleg Yerushalmi estimate that no protest will take place at this stage. According to estimates, there is a concern that protests may complicate the legal proceedings of the detainees and harm their chances of being released quickly. “As of now, there is no intention of going out into the streets,” a source close to one of the detainees said. “We will wait to see what happens at the next hearing in the military court.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Sunday slammed those who bullied Israel into letting the UN get reinvolved in the distribution of aid in Gaza. Attaching a video of a truck being looted, Huckabee wrote, “Are the UN, NY Times, and Hamas all happy now? I’m sure Hamas is. Their lies and propaganda destroyed the ceasefire deal, tried to discredit the safe and functioning GHF effort, emboldened Hamas, and will result in this complete balagan! Most sad for hostage families—grief prolonged.” Huckabee retweeted a video posted by Israel News Pulse, which stated, “The aid trucks entering Gaza using the UN’s method.” “This is how Gazans get killed.” “And afterward, the UN dares to claim that the aid distribution method at the American GHF aid distribution centers is what endangers Gazans, even calling them (together with journalist Muhammad Majadleh, for example) ‘death traps.'” “What you see here in the video is the method that the UN and Western European countries are pushing for.” Earlier on Sunday, Huckabee retweeted statements from international lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky, who wrote, “According to a U.S. official quoted by the Wall Street Journal, shutting down the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was the no. 2 item on Hamas’s list of demands in cease-fire negotiations.” “”Another U.S. official adds that the GHF has ’caused Hamas more fear than anything else has in the past two years.'” “That is why Hamas is trying to sabotage the GHF. Because it works. It gets aid directly to those who need it and not into the hands of Hamas. For the first time, it removes Hamas’ greatest source of leverage: using hunger as a threat and a weapon of war. “Don’t fall for the lies. Don’t believe the Hamas propaganda. If you want to meaningfully help the people of Gaza, those who need aid the most, then support the efforts of GHF!” Huckabee added, “Why would Hamas demand that the GHF method stop? Because suddenly Hamas is promoting humanitarianism and efficiency for food delivery that Hamas couldn’t loot? Right! And Jeffrey Dahmer was a master chef and should have had a cooking show.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have announced a sweeping trade deal that imposes 15% tariffs on most European goods, warding off Trump’s threat of a 30% rate if no deal had been reached by Aug. 1. The tariffs, or import taxes, paid when Americans buy European products could raise prices for U.S. consumers and dent profits for European companies and their partners who bring goods into the country. Here are some things to know about the trade deal between the United States and the European Union: What’s in the agreement? Trump and von der Leyen’s announcement, made during Trump’s visit to one of his golf courses in Scotland, leaves many details to be filled in. The headline figure is a 15% tariff rate on “the vast majority” of European goods brought into the U.S., including cars, computer chips and pharmaceuticals. It’s lower than the 20% Trump initially proposed, and lower than his threats of 50% and then 30%. Von der Leyen said the two sides agreed on zero tariffs on both sides for a range of “strategic” goods: Aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural products, and some natural resources and critical raw materials. Specifics were lacking. She said the two sides “would keep working” to add more products to the list. Additionally, the EU side would purchase what Trump said was $750 billion (638 billion euros) worth of natural gas, oil and nuclear fuel to replace Russian energy supplies, and Europeans would invest an additional $600 billion (511 billion euros) in the U.S. What’s not in the deal? Trump said the 50% U.S. tariff on imported steel would remain; von der Leyen said the two sides agreed to further negotiations to fight a global steel glut, reduce tariffs and establish import quotas — that is, set amounts that can be imported, often at a lower rate. Trump said pharmaceuticals were not included in the deal. Von der Leyen said the pharmaceuticals issue was “on a separate sheet of paper” from Sunday’s deal. Where the $600 billion for additional investment would come from was not specified. And von der Leyen said that when it came to farm products, the EU side made clear that “there were tariffs that could not be lowered,” without specifying which products. What’s the impact? The 15% rate removes Trump’s threat of a 30% tariff. It’s still much higher than the average tariff before Trump came into office of around 1%, and higher than Trump’s minimum 10% baseline tariff. Higher tariffs, or import taxes, on European goods mean sellers in the U.S. would have to either increase prices for consumers — risking loss of market share — or swallow the added cost in terms of lower profits. The higher tariffs are expected to hurt export earnings for European firms and slow the economy. The 10% baseline applied while the deal was negotiated was already sufficiently high to make the European Union’s executive commission cut its growth forecast for this year from 1.3% to 0.9%. Von der Leyen said the 15% rate was “the best we could do” and credited the deal with maintaining access to the U.S. market and providing “stability and predictability for companies on both sides.” What is some of the reaction to the deal? German Chancellor Friedrich […]
A trio of researchers has proposed that a newly discovered interstellar object might not be just another comet, but potentially a hostile alien spacecraft on a covert mission through our solar system. Dubbed 3I/ATLAS, the object was spotted on July 1, tearing through space at over 130,000 miles per hour — a speed that outpaces previous interstellar visitors like ʻOumuamua. Within a day, astronomers confirmed it came from beyond our solar system. Preliminary analysis suggested it was likely a massive comet, up to 15 miles wide, larger than Manhattan. But in a provocative new paper published, scientists Avi Loeb, Adam Hibberd, and Adam Crowl suggest something far more unsettling: 3I/ATLAS could be extraterrestrial technology in disguise — a potential surveillance device, or worse, a harbinger of alien aggression. “The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity,” the paper warns. Loeb, a Harvard astrophysicist known for controversial theories on alien intelligence, gained notoriety in 2017 for suggesting that ʻOumuamua — the first confirmed interstellar object — may have been an artificial probe. Now, he and his co-authors argue that 3I/ATLAS’s unusual speed, entry angle, and projected path all raise red flags. In particular, Loeb points out that 3I/ATLAS will make close approaches to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus — planets that could, in theory, be ideal drop-off points for alien surveillance devices. And when it reaches its perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) in late November, it will be hidden from Earth-based telescopes by the Sun’s glare — a position Loeb speculates may be ideal for discreet activity. “This could be intentional,” he wrote in a blog post, “to avoid detailed observations when the object is brightest — or when gadgets are sent to Earth from that hidden vantage point.” The implications, if true, go well beyond spy gear. Loeb suggests the object may lend credibility to the “dark forest hypothesis” — the idea that intelligent alien civilizations are silent or hidden to avoid drawing attention from potential cosmic predators. If 3I/ATLAS is indeed a probe, it might signal that Earth has been noticed. The object’s high velocity makes any Earth-based interception impossible, Loeb adds. “Our best rockets reach at most a third of its speed,” he notes, meaning humanity is effectively helpless to approach or study it up-close before it vanishes back into deep space. The claim has ignited fierce debate among astronomers. Many in the scientific community view the paper as speculative at best — and sensationalist at worst. “There is no evidence that this object is anything but a comet,” said Dr. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at Canada’s University of Regina. “Billions of comets have been ejected from solar systems like ours — it’s not rare, and it’s certainly not alien.” Even Loeb himself admitted in his blog post that the odds are slim: “By far, the most likely outcome will be that 3I/ATLAS is a completely natural interstellar object, probably a comet.” The authors emphasized that the paper is an exploratory thought experiment, not a definitive claim. “The hypothesis is an interesting exercise in its own right,” they wrote. “It is fun to pursue, irrespective of its likely validity.” Still, not everyone is amused. “This is nonsense on stilts,” said Dr. Chris Lintott, an Oxford astrophysicist who helped simulate 3I/ATLAS’s […]
Syria will hold parliamentary elections in September, the head of a body tasked with organizing the election process told state media Sunday. Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, chairman of the Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections, told state news agency SANA that elections will take place between Sept. 15 and 20. They will be the first to take place under the country’s new authorities after the fall of former President Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December. One third of the 210 seats will the appointed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, with the rest to be elected. In a recent interview with the Erem News site, another member of the elections committee, Hassan al-Daghim, said an electoral college will be set up in each of Syria’s provinces to vote for the elected seats. A temporary constitution signed by al-Sharaa in March called for a People’s Committee to be set up to serve as an interim parliament until a permanent constitution is adopted and general elections held, a process that could take years. The announcement of impending elections comes at a time when the country is increasingly divided in its views of the new authorities in Damascus after sectarian violence broke out in the southern province of Sweida earlier this month. The fighting killed hundreds of people and threatened to unravel Syria’s fragile postwar transition. The violent clashes, which broke out two weeks ago, were sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings between armed Bedouin clans and fighters from the Druze religious minority. Syrian government forces intervened, ostensibly to end the fighting, but effectively sided with the clans. Some government fighters reportedly executed Druze civilians and burned and looted houses. Israel intervened, launching airstrikes on government forces and on the Defense Ministry headquarters. Israel said it was acting to defend the Druze minority. (AP)
In a fiery exchange on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) defended President Donald Trump and pushed back against claims that his recent comments about Barack Obama amount to baseless conspiracy theories—accusing the mainstream media of ignoring disturbing new details about intelligence manipulation during the 2016 election. NBC host Kristen Welker repeatedly pressed Graham about Trump’s assertion that former President Obama may have committed treason. But the senator dismissed the characterization, instead zeroing in on what he called a “deeply troubling” narrative shift inside the intelligence community that occurred during the heat of the 2016 election. “I’m not alleging [Obama] committed treason,” Graham clarified. “But I am saying it bothers me. It’s disturbing that this is new information, and we deserve to know who changed the narrative and why.” Graham’s comments referred to newly declassified documents that suggest U.S. intelligence officials, under the Obama administration, may have deliberately altered or downplayed earlier assessments that found no evidence of Russian attempts to alter the election outcome—only to later reverse course and launch a full-scale investigation into the Trump campaign. Welker attempted to redirect the conversation, citing the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report—led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio—that confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 election. But Graham fired back, pointing to what he called a major media failure to update the public in light of revelations from the Durham report and other newly disclosed findings. “At the time, I didn’t know any of that,” Graham said, referencing his own prior statements about Russian interference. “I didn’t know the FBI was using fabricated information to obtain FISA warrants. I didn’t know the Clinton campaign had funded the Steele dossier. I didn’t know the investigation was biased from the start.” The Durham Report, released after a years-long investigation into the origins of the Russia probe, concluded that federal officials exhibited a clear confirmation bias and failed to vet politically motivated intelligence from the Clinton campaign. While it did not explicitly recommend prosecutions, the report outlined a pattern of improper conduct and manipulation that Graham argued “would never have been tolerated if the target had been Hillary Clinton.” The tension escalated when Welker accused Graham of raising the Obama matter to distract from recent developments in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. “Are you trying to rewrite history to distract from the Epstein matter, Senator?” she asked. “No!” Graham shot back. “I’m trying to let you and the media know that we found something we didn’t know before. This isn’t about distraction—this is about truth.” Welker downplayed the relevance of the new information, noting that much of it dates back to 2020. Graham responded that the findings were “new to me” and emphasized that the American public has been misled for years about the true origins and motivations behind the Russia probe. “You’re trying to sweep this stuff under the rug,” he said. “And that’s not right.” “For years people had their lives turned upside down chasing the Mueller narrative,” he said. “The only real collusion was between the Clinton campaign and foreign operatives like Christopher Steele to fabricate a dossier full of lies—and the FBI used it anyway.” While Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge Trump with conspiracy, the media—and much of the political establishment—relentlessly pushed the collusion theory […]
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