Iran’s nuclear chief acknowledged Tuesday that the country’s nuclear infrastructure sustained major damage in the wake of a punishing 12-day Israeli-led military campaign, with U.S. forces joining in the final stage of the strikes. Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said Tehran had anticipated damage to its nuclear sites and is already taking steps to restore operations. “The plan is to prevent interruptions in the process of production and services,” Eslami told the state-run Mehr News Agency. American and Israeli officials believe the bombardment set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions by years. However, it remains unclear how the international community intends to prevent Iran from rebuilding and reactivating its nuclear sites in the wake of Tuesday’s ceasefire announcement by President Trump. Trump urged both sides to observe the truce, declaring that “now is the time to stand down.” Iran and Israel each confirmed the ceasefire shortly afterward—but within hours, Iran violated it by launching two missiles at northern Israel. Iran’s ISNA news agency denied the missile launches took place, calling such reports “fabricated.” Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he reached out to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to propose talks and restore cooperation. “This is the time for diplomacy,” Grossi posted on X, urging Iran to reengage with inspectors and allow renewed oversight of its nuclear activities. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent on Capitol Hill: “I had a very successful lunch meeting with the Senators…President Trump is doing peace deals, tax deals, trade deals. He’s done a peace deal, I think we’ll have the tax deal done by July 4th, and then we can finish with the trade deals.”
At a trucking school in New Jersey, students are maneuvering 18-wheelers around traffic cones. Other future drivers look under hoods to perform safety checks, narrating as they examine steering hoses for cracks and leaks. An instructor glides between speaking Spanish and English as he teaches Manuel Castillo, a native Spanish speaker, how to inspect a school bus. They’re using a printed script of English phrases to practice what Castillo would say during a roadside inspection. Brushing up on English has taken on new urgency for future and current truck drivers after President Donald Trump issued an executive order saying truckers who don’t read and speak the language proficiently would be considered unfit for service. “A driver who can’t understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said last month while announcing enforcement guidelines that take effect on Wednesday. Updated U.S. Department of Transportation procedures call for enhanced inspections to determine if commercial motor vehicle operators can reply to questions and directions in English, as well as understand highway traffic signs and electronic message boards. Truckers who learned English as a second language are concerned they may lose their jobs if they make a mistake or speak with a heavy accent while under questioning. Some have worked to improve their English fluency by taking classes, reciting scripts and watching instructional videos. “If it’s not the language that you prefer to use daily, you may get a little nervous and you may feel, ‘What if I say the wrong thing?’” said Jerry Maldonado, chairman of the board of the Laredo Motor Carriers Association, a trade association in Laredo, Texas, that represents approximately 200 trucking companies. “It’s going to be, at the end of the day, the interpretation of the officer, so that makes people nervous.” The guidance applies to truck and bus drivers engaged in interstate commerce. It aims to improve road safety following incidents in which truck drivers’ inability to read signs or speak English may have contributed to traffic deaths, the Transportation Department said. English requirement isn’t new Requiring truck drivers to speak and read English isn’t new, but the penalty for not meeting the proficiency standard is becoming more severe. To get a commercial driver’s license, applicants must pass a written test and be able to name the parts of a bus or truck in English as they check tire inflation, tread depth, lug nuts and coolants. The revised policy reverses guidance issued nine years ago, near the end of then-President Barack Obama’s final term, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In 2016, the agency said drivers whose English skills were found lacking could receive a citation but not be prohibited from working. Before that, the penalty was getting placed on “out-of-service status.” “We have bridges that get hit because drivers don’t understand the signs on the bridges for things like height clearance,” Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer said. Practicing English phrases In Laredo, a border city where many residents speak a mix of English and Spanish, Maldonado’s association is offering free English classes on weekends to help truckers feel more confident in their ability to communicate. “Everybody knows what a stop sign looks like,” Maldonado said. “But if there’s construction or if there is an accident five miles down the road, and they have to put up a sign — ‘Caution, must exit now, […]
We would like to take this opportunity to publicly commend our team for their exceptional work and dedication over the past few weeks. Over the past 13 days, the YWN Live Blog consistently maintained an audience of over 10,000 concurrent viewers – 24 hours a day! During this period, our dedicated team published an impressive total of 1,100 articles in live time, keeping you all informed with the most accurate and important updates. Simultaneously, more than 1,300 posts were shared via the YWN WhatsApp status, which is followed by nearly 94,000 individuals, along with over 1,000 posts on the YWN WhatsApp Communities, which has nearly 50,000 participants. Additionally, the YWN homepage had record traffic, with hundreds of thousands of readers visiting multiple times each day. The YWN homepage was continuously updated with comprehensive, in-depth articles covering the latest developments in the conflict, as well as other major global news. In total, hundreds of articles were published to keep our readership well-informed. This incredible team around the globe, worked around the clock to bring our readers the latest news in a very worrisome time for our nation. May we soon report on the coming of Moshiach. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
“Jihad in NYC is Electing One of Our Own”: Queens Imam Sparks Outrage with Political Call Queens, NY — A fiery statement from Imam Ali of Queens is drawing sharp reactions after he declared during a recent speech that “Jihad in NYC is electing one of our own — Zohran Mamdani — for mayor.” The imam emphasized that “Jihad is not only fighting in Palestine; they need it to defend themselves. Jihad here is different.” He explained that in the local context, it means political engagement and Muslim unity, highlighting a larger strategy to increase Muslim political power in New York. Ali praised the community’s growing cohesion: “If London made it, why can’t NYC make it?” — a reference to London’s Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan. The comments have sparked backlash online, with many questioning the use of religiously charged language like “jihad” in American political discourse. Others see it as a call to civic participation within the Muslim community. Zohran Mamdani, currently a New York State Assemblymember, has not publicly commented on the imam’s remarks.
The Federal Reserve will continue to wait and see how the economy evolves before deciding whether to reduce its key interest rate, Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday, a stance directly at odds with President Donald Trump’s calls for immediate cuts. “For the time being, we are well positioned to wait to learn more about the likely course of the economy before considering any adjustments to our policy stance,” Powell said in testimony Tuesday before the House Financial Services Committee. Powell is facing two days of what could be tough grilling on Capitol Hill, as Trump has repeatedly urged the Fed to reduce borrowing costs. Powell has often received a positive reception before House and Senate committees that oversee the Fed, or at least muted criticism. Powell has also often cited his support in Congress as a bulwark against Trump’s attacks. Trump lashed out again early Tuesday, posting on his social media site: “I hope Congress really works this very dumb, hardheaded person, over. We will be paying for his incompetence for many years to come.” Several Republicans did question Powell about why the central bank hasn’t yet moved to lower borrowing costs. Powell responded that most economists, inside and outside the Fed, still expect tariffs to push inflation higher, and Fed policymakers want to see what happens over the next couple of months before making any changes. “We really don’t know how much of that’s going to be passed through the consumer,” Powell said, referring to the duties. “We have to wait and see.” Some Republicans also praised Powell for remaining focused on the Fed’s mission to lower prices and support maximum employment. Rep. French Hill, the Arkansas Republican who chairs the committee, thanked Powell for keeping “politics out of the Fed” by disbanding several committees that focused on finance and climate change. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, asked Powell whether Trump’s “bullying” would impact the Fed’s decision-making. Powell said the Fed wants to “deliver a good economy for the benefit of the American people, and that’s it.” “Anything else is kind of a distraction,” Powell added. “We always do what we think is the right thing to do, and we live with the consequences. I don’t know how else to do the job.” Powell also told the committee that “ increases in tariffs this year are likely to push up prices and weigh on economic activity.” He said the bump to inflation from tariffs could be temporary, or it could lead to a more persistent bout of inflation. The Fed’s “obligation,” Powell said, “is … to prevent a one-time increase in the price level from becoming an ongoing inflation problem.” The Fed’s 19-member interest rate setting committee, led by the chair, decides whether to cut or raise borrowing costs. They typically increase rates to cool the economy to fight or prevent inflation, and lower rates when the economy is weak to boost borrowing and spending. The Fed’s committee voted unanimously last week to keep its key rate unchanged, though the Fed also released forecasts of future rate cuts that revealed emerging divisions among the policymakers. Seven projected no rate cuts at all this year, two just one, while 10 forecast at least two reductions. Powell said Tuesday that “a significant majority” of the committee supports cutting […]
New York City Democrats will decide Tuesday whether to reboot Andrew Cuomo’s political career, elevate liberal upstart Zohran Mamdani, or turn to a crowded field of lesser-known but maybe less-polarizing candidates in the party’s mayoral primary. Their choice could say something about what kind of leader Democrats are looking for during President Donald Trump’s second term. The vote takes place on a sweltering day about four years after Cuomo resigned as governor following a harassment scandal. Yet the 67-year-old has been the favorite throughout the race, with his deep experience, nearly universal name recognition, strong political connections and juggernaut fundraising apparatus. The party’s progressive wing, meanwhile, has coalesced behind Mamdani, a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist. A relatively unknown state legislator when the contest began, Mamdani gained momentum by running a sharp campaign laser-focused on the city’s high cost of living and secured endorsements from two of the country’s foremost progressives, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders. While preliminary returns will be released after the polls close at 9 p.m. Tuesday, a winner might not emerge for a week because of the city’s ranked choice voting system, which allows voters to list up to five candidates in order of preference. If a candidate is the first choice of a majority of voters, they win outright. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the tabulation of the rankings wouldn’t begin until July 1. The primary winner will go on to face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who decided to run as an independent amid a public uproar over his indictment on corruption charges and the subsequent abandonment of the case by Trump’s Justice Department. Republican Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, will be on the ballot in the fall’s general election. The mayoral primary’s two leading candidates — one a fresh-faced progressive and the other an older moderate — could be stand-ins for the larger Democratic Party’s ideological divide, though Cuomo’s scandal-scarred past adds a unique tinge to the narrative. The rest of the pack has struggled to gain recognition in a race where nearly every candidate has cast themselves as the person best positioned to challenge Trump’s Republican agenda. Comptroller Brad Lander, a liberal city government stalwart, made a splash last week when he was arrested after linking arms with a man federal agents were trying to detain at an immigration court in Manhattan. It was unclear if that episode was enough to jump-start a campaign that had been failing to pick up speed behind Lander’s wonkish vibe. Among the other candidates are City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson and former city Comptroller Scott Stringer. Mamdani’s energetic run has been hard not to notice. His army of young hipster canvassers relentlessly knocked on doors throughout the city seeking support. Posters of his grinning mug were up on shop windows. You couldn’t get on social media without seeing one of his well-produced videos pitching his vision — free buses, free child care, new apartments, a higher minimum wage and more, paid for by new taxes on the rich. He would be the city’s first Indian-American and first Muslim mayor. Cuomo and some other Democrats have cast Mamdani as unqualified. They say he doesn’t have the management chops to wrangle the city’s […]
The IDF announced on Tuesday that, following a new situational assessment and with the approval of Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, most of Israel will return to full civilian activity starting tonight. According to the official statement, the Home Front Command’s updated defensive guidelines will take effect Tuesday, June 24th, at 8:00 PM, and remain in place until Thursday, June 26th at 8:00 PM. “All areas of the country will shift to full activity without restriction,” the IDF stated. The only exception is the area surrounding the Gaza Strip, where communities will remain under the Southern Command’s specific guidelines due to ongoing security concerns. The IDF emphasized that the public must continue to follow official instructions from the Home Front Command. Residents are urged to remain alert and follow any future updates as the security situation continues to evolve. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Hakeem Jeffries on delayed Iran briefing: “Why are Republicans hiding facts and the the truth from America with respect to the possibility that their actions will drive us into another catastrophic war in the Middle East.”
GOOD NEWS! The IDF Home Front Command has lifted all restrictions on gatherings, schools, and workplaces, as the ceasefire with Iran appears to hold. There will be no restrictions ons on gatherings in most areas of the country, workplaces can open, and schools may resume.
A historic maamad shook the city of Passaic, New Jersey, on Sunday, as a wave of kavod haTorah swept through both private and public asifos in support of Keren Olam HaTorah, the movement that has become the lifeline of the Torah world in Eretz Yisroel. The day began with an intimate gathering at the home of R’ Barry Lebovits, a well-known supporter of Torah. There, Gedolei Yisroel—Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlit”a, Harav Dovid Cohen shlit”a, Harav Meir Stern Shlit”a and many local rabbanim—were welcomed to the city. R’ Menachem Rokowsky addressed the guests, quoting the Gemara: “One who hosts a talmid chacham in his home and supports him with his assets, it is as if he has brought the korban tamid.” He continued with a powerful insight from Rabbeinu Yonah: “It’s true the Mishnah says im ein kemach ein Torah, but it also says im ein Torah ein kemach — if one doesn’t use their kemach (resources) for Torah, they won’t have it. Not as a punishment, but because that’s the purpose for which Hashem gave it in the first place.” The private gathering served as a prelude to the main event later that day — a public maamad attended by thousands of yeshiva bochurim, baalei batim, roshei yeshiva, and rabbanim from across Passaic and beyond. It was led by Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlit”a and Harav Dovid Cohen shlit”a, with the participation of Harav Yosef Chevroni shlit”a and the leading rabbanim of Passaic’s Torah institutions. The event opened with heartfelt Tehillim led by Harav Nosson Weissman shlit”a, mashgiach of the Passaic yeshiva, for the safety and success of acheinu Bnei Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel. Opening remarks were delivered by the evening’s emcee, who exclaimed: “Gedolei Yisroel—many of them elderly—have been traveling nonstop for over a week. Why? Because they have hefkered themselves for Torah. They’re not doing this for the few major yeshivos that might survive without help. They’re thinking about the majority of mosdos such kollel in Ashdod with 11 avreichim that would have no way to continue without the Keren. They’re thinking about Klal Yisroel. And now, we have the zechus to stand with them.” Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlit”a said that supporting Keren Olam HaTorah is not merely tzedakah. “It is a declaration!” the revered gadol explained. “We’re saying: We want Torah! We want Hashem! And when we show Him that, He returns to us — with bracha, with hatzlacha, with yeshuos.” He added: “The Torah in Eretz Yisroel isn’t just sustaining Klal Yisroel there — it determines the vitality of Torah in America as well. Anyone who joins Keren Olam HaTorah will see bracha in their homes: shalom bayis, parnassah, nachas, and spiritual success. This is what will bring the geulah.” Thousands erupted in spontaneous dancing at the conclusion of the maamad—rikudim l’kavod haTorah, as they all committed themselves to supporting the unparalleled limud hatorah of Eretz Yisroel.
WATCH: IDF Home Front Command personnel continue to clear debris from the site of last night’s devastating ballistic missile impact on an apartment building in Be’er Sheva
Amid the ceasefire with Iran, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says that “despite the phenomenal achievement, we must keep our feet on the ground. Many challenges lie ahead. We must remain focused; there is no time to rest on our laurels.”
SENATOR BLACKBURN: President Trump “achieved a great victory for the American people; for all people around the globe; for peace in the Middle East. Taking out the nuclear complex in Iran was the right thing to do and he did it.”
