Hackers backing Tehran have targeted U.S. banks, defense contractors and oil industry companies following American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — but so far have not caused widespread disruptions to critical infrastructure or the economy. But that could change if the ceasefire between Iran and Israel collapses or if independent hacking groups supporting Iran make good on promises to wage their own digital conflict against the U.S., analysts and cyber experts say. The U.S. strikes could even prompt Iran, Russia, China and North Korea to double down on investments in cyberwarfare, according to Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and investor. Bellini noted that hacking operations are much cheaper than bullets, planes or nuclear arms — what defense analysts call kinetic warfare. America may be militarily dominant, he said, but its reliance on digital technology poses a vulnerability. “We just showed the world: You don’t want to mess with us kinetically,” said Bellini, CEO of Bellini Capital. “But we are wide open digitally. We are like Swiss cheese.” Hackers have hit banks and defense contractors Two pro-Palestinian hacking groups claimed they targeted more than a dozen aviation firms, banks and oil companies following the U.S. strikes over the weekend. The hackers detailed their work in a post on the Telegram messaging service and urged other hackers to follow their lead, according to researchers at the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks the groups’ activity. The attacks were denial-of-service attacks, in which a hacker tries to disrupt a website or online network. “We increase attacks from today,” one of the hacker groups, known as Mysterious Team, posted Monday. Federal authorities say they are on guard for additional attempts by hackers to penetrate U.S. networks. The Department of Homeland Security issued a public bulletin Sunday warning of increased Iranian cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a statement Tuesday urging organizations that operate critical infrastructure like water systems, pipelines or power plants to stay vigilant. While it lacks the technical abilities of China or Russia, Iran has long been known as a “chaos agent” when it comes to using cyberattacks to steal secrets, score political points or frighten opponents. Cyberattacks mounted by Iran’s government may end if the ceasefire holds and Tehran looks to avoid another confrontation with the U.S. But hacker groups could still retaliate on Iran’s behalf. In some cases, these groups have ties to military or intelligence agencies. In other cases, they act entirely independently. More than 60 such groups have been identified by researchers at the security firm Trustwave. These hackers can inflict significant economic and psychological blows. Following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, for instance, hackers penetrated an emergency alert app used by some Israelis and directed it to inform users that a nuclear missile was incoming. “It causes an immediate psychological impact,” said Ziv Mador, vice president of security research at Trustwave’s SpiderLabs, which tracks cyberthreats. Economic disruption, confusion and fear are all the goals of such operations, said Mador, who is based in Israel. “We saw the same thing in Russia-Ukraine.” Collecting intelligence is another aim for hackers While Iran lacks the cyberwarfare capabilities of China or Russia, it has repeatedly tried to use its more modest operations to try to spy on foreign leaders — something national security experts predict Tehran is […]
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir in a video statement says that “after twelve days of unprecedented fighting, the IDF operated at its best and fully achieved the aims and objectives of the operation… “According to the assessment of senior officials in the IDF Intelligence Directorate, the damage to the nuclear program is not a localized blow, but a systemic one,” he says.
Sparks of a Nation began as a WhatsApp Status—sharing powerful stories, uplifting messages, and sparks of Yiddishkeit. *Now, we’re bringing that same inspiration to your Shabbos with Sparks of a Nation: Shabbos Edition—a beautifully curated, bi-weekly print magazine.* Each issue is designed to uplift and enrich your Shabbos, featuring heartwarming stories, Torah insights, stunning visuals, and meaningful content the whole family can enjoy—all in a format you can hold, savor, and share. Read more: https://sparksofanation.com/sparks/introducing-sparks-of-a-nation-shabbos-edition-now-at-your-doorstep/
Federal traffic safety regulators are looking into suspected problems with Elon Musk’s test run of self-driving “robotaxis” in Texas after videos surfaced showing them braking suddenly or going straight through an intersection from a turning lane and driving down the wrong side of the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday that it has asked Tesla for information about the apparent errors. Though many other videos show robotaxis driving perfectly, if regulators find any major issues, that would likely raise questions about Musk’s repeated statements that the robotaxis are safe and his claim that Tesla will dominate a future in which nearly all cars on road will have no one behind the wheel — or even need a steering wheel at all. “NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information,” the agency said in a statement. Passengers in Tesla robotaxis on the road in Austin, Texas, have generally been impressed, and the stock rose 8% Monday. Investors grew more cautious Tuesday after news of NHTSA’s inquiry, and the stock fell more than 2%. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A bullish Tesla financial analyst who was driven around in a robotaxi on Sunday when the test runs began said his ride was perfect and suggested the videos on X and YouTube showing errors were no big deal. “Any issues they encounter will be fixed,” said Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives, calling the test a “huge success” in the past three days “despite the skeptics.” One of those skeptics, a Telemetry Insight expert in car technology, said the videos were alarming enough that the tests as currently run should be halted. “The system has always had highly erratic performance, working really well a lot of the time but frequently making random and inconsistent but dangerous errors,” said Sam Abuelsamid in a text, referring to Tesla’s self-driving software. “This is not a system that should be carrying members of the public or being tested on public roads without trained test drivers behind the wheel.” In one video, a Tesla moves into a lane with a big yellow arrow indicating it is for left turns only but then goes straight through the intersection instead, entering an opposing lane on the other side. The car seems to realize it made some mistake and begins to swerve several times, with the steering wheel jerking back and forth, before eventually settling down. But the Tesla proceeds in the opposing lane for 10 seconds. At the time, there was no oncoming traffic. The passenger in the car who posted the video, money manager Rob Maurer, shrugged off the incident. “There are no vehicles anywhere in sight, so this wasn’t a safety issue,” Maurer said in commentary accompanying his video. “I didn’t feel uncomfortable in the situation.” Another video shows a Tesla stopping twice suddenly in the middle of the road, possibly responding to the flashing lights of police cars. But the police are obviously not interested in the Tesla or traffic in front or behind it because they have parked on side roads not near it, apparently responding to an unrelated event. Federal regulators opened an investigation last year into how Teslas with what Musk calls Full Self-Driving have responded in low-visibility […]
Democrat Nominee for NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani vows to obstruct ICE Arrests: “It’s where the mayor will use their power to reject Donald Trump’s fascism, to stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors.”
Two Florida men have been indicted in what prosecutors describe as a scheme to steal more than $100 million from a nonprofit that managed funds for people with disabilities and special needs. Federal authorities this week unsealed an indictment charging Leo J. Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, and John Witeck, 60, of Tampa, with multiple counts including mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, they face decades in prison. The case involves one of the nation’s largest administrators of special needs trusts, which are designed to manage funds for people with special needs. The Center for Special Needs Trust Administration in Clearwater, which Govoni cofounded 25 years ago, managed more than 2,000 accounts containing about $200 million for people in Florida and around the nation. Clients were promised that the nonprofit would protect and invest their money, prosecutors say. But Govoni and Witeck, an accountant who worked with Govoni, used the nonprofit as a “slush fund” to enrich themselves, court papers state. Govoni is accused of using money from the nonprofit to travel on private jets, pay living expenses for his friends and family and live a lavish lifestyle “complete with luxury boxes at Tampa Bay Buccaneers games and the Kentucky Derby,” prosecutors said in court records. No lawyers for Govoni or Witeck are listed in court files of the current case. Paul Sisco, a Tampa lawyer who has represented Govoni in the past, said “there is a presumption of innocence which none of us should ever lose sight of here.” “In nearly two decades of knowing Mr. Govoni, I have never sensed any inkling of guile,” Sisco said. Sisco is handling some issues regarding Govoni’s bond and detention. He declined to discuss details of that ahead of a Thursday hearing, when those issues are expected to be addressed in court. Prosecutors accuse the men of concealing the fraud through complex financial transactions, and sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to people with special needs and their families. The nonprofit filed for bankruptcy in 2024 and “disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds was missing from its trust accounts,” federal prosecutors said in a statement announcing the indictment. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable,” U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said in the statement. The case was investigated by numerous federal agencies, including the FBI, the IRS and the Social Security Administration. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families,” said Jose Perez, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. (AP)
A former top aide to President Joe Biden testified under oath Tuesday that she was authorized to direct the use of an autopen to sign critical presidential documents — but claimed she had no knowledge of who in Biden’s inner circle was giving final clearance for the signatures. Neera Tanden, the former White House Domestic Policy Council director and one of Biden’s most senior advisors during the early years of his presidency, appeared for a closed-door, five-hour interview before the House Oversight Committee. The panel is investigating concerns over Biden’s mental fitness and the extent to which he personally executed the duties of his office. According to sources familiar with the testimony, Tanden told lawmakers that while she directed autopen signatures for official documents — including pardons and memos — she was largely in the dark about who ultimately approved their use. She testified that the approval system was inherited from previous administrations but acknowledged she did not know who made the final decisions to affix the president’s signature in his absence. “She described a shadowy process,” one source told Fox News. “Memos were sent up the chain, approvals came back — but she didn’t know who was pulling the trigger.” Tanden, who served as both senior advisor and staff secretary between 2021 and 2023, admitted to having limited interaction with Biden himself and said she never personally discussed his mental or physical health with anyone — even in the wake of his heavily criticized debate performance last summer. Pressed by lawmakers to name any officials she may have discussed Biden’s capacity with, Tanden responded “no” to each, including when presented with a list of top aides and confidants, according to a source in the room. Tanden declined to answer questions from reporters upon arriving at the Capitol but made a brief statement after her interview concluded. “I answered every question, was pleased to discuss my public service, and it was a thorough process,” she said. “I’m glad I answered everyone’s questions.” When asked if there had been any coordinated effort to conceal Biden’s condition from the public, Tanden said firmly, “Absolutely not.” Her testimony comes as the Oversight Committee prepares to interview several additional key figures from Biden’s inner circle, including former White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who has been subpoenaed. Also expected to appear: Anthony Bernal, senior advisor to former First Lady Jill Biden; Annie Tomasini, Biden’s former deputy chief of staff; and Ashley Williams, former deputy director of Oval Office operations. Republicans on the committee are also pushing to question former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and longtime communications advisor Anita Dunn. The inquiry centers on growing concerns — from both lawmakers and the public — about whether President Biden had full control over his office or if a network of aides has assumed de facto authority in critical matters. With the investigation intensifying, GOP leaders say the testimony so far points to a troubling lack of transparency inside the Biden White House. “This isn’t just about the autopen,” one senior Oversight member said. “It’s about whether the President of the United States is actually the one calling the shots.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
“They came as orphans. They left as Bnei Torah-with a stage, a siyum, and a future.” A New Chapter for 56 Young Men: Zeh Lazeh’s Bar Mitzvah Gala Transforms Mourning into Momentum Fifty-six boys. Missing a father or mother, to guide them. One night to tell them: You are not broken. You are not forgotten. You are kings. That was the unspoken message echoing through the halls of Binyanei Ha’uma last Thursday, as Zeh Lazeh hosted its annual Bar Mitzvah Gala for boys in its Bnei Melachim program. But this wasn’t a display of pity. Rather, it was a declaration of strength. A Program That Restores Dignity Under the leadership of Rebbetzin Rothenberg—wife of Harav Naftali Hersh Rothenberg and daughter of the Toldos Aharon Rebbe zy”a, Zeh Lazeh has become a national lifeline for widows and orphans across Eretz Yisrael. Its signature Bnei Melachim program pairs these yesomim with hand-picked yungerleit who learn with them, mentor them, and often become their closest role models. These aren’t just chavrusas. They’re anchors. They turn loss into resilience, confusion into growth, and on this night, they stood proudly at the side of their talmidim, celebrating a milestone that every boy deserves. The Hall Was Not Just Full—It Was Full of Purpose This year’s Bar Mitzvah was intentionally public. Families and organizers agreed: these boys deserve a night not of survival, but of celebration. They wore their finest. They stood tall. And they were met with overflowing kavod. Hundreds filled the room. Family, mentors, community supporters, joined by many gedolim from across Eretz Yisrael, Sephardi and Ashkenazi, Litvish and Chassidish, came to honor the occasion, including the Biala, Nadvorna, Dorog, and Pittsburgher Rebbes, and Harav Dovid Cohen of Yeshivas Chevron. There was a full orchestra, the Neshama Choir, and heartfelt niggunim led by R’ Yaakov Yehuda Daskal. It wasn’t just a simcha. It was a statement. More Than Speeches; Moments That Mattered There were powerful divrei chizuk, but the night’s most moving moments weren’t scripted. Musical genius R’ Meir Adler, himself having lost his own father at a young age, offered a hauntingly personal musical presentation that truly captured the emotions of these young men. A Bnei Melachim alumnus who is today a respected yungerman, spoke quietly about what it meant to feel seen again after his father’s passing. Their words weren’t about loss. They were about what came after: growth, healing, connection. Then came the siyum. Each boy completed a Mesechta. As the Kaddish rose, all in unison and in a beautiful achdus of varied accents and voices, there was no feeling of absence. Only presence. The presence of Torah. Of continuity. Of Klal Yisrael refusing to let go. Dancing into the Future And then the music exploded. The boys were lifted onto shoulders as simcha shel mitzvah filled the room. The Pittsburgher Rebbe led a spirited niggun; Harav Shimon Galai shlit”a danced with the boys with a lively and inspirational dance that was extremely lebedig and spirited. For a full hour, the distinction between child and adult, mentor and mentee, was replaced by something higher: Jewish joy. They weren’t being comforted. They were being celebrated. More Than a Gift Each boy went home that night with a silver kiddush becher, which came with a special bracha from Hagaon Harav Moshe Sternbuch shlit”a. […]
President Trump on the Israel-Iran ceasefire: “I dealt with both, and they’re both tired, exhausted. They fought very, very hard and very viciously… and they were both satisfied to go home and get out… Israel had 52 planes going out that morning, I told them to turn back, and they did.”
President Trump on the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities: “We’ve collected additional intelligence and we’ve also spoken to people who have seen the site — and the site is obliterated.”
POTUS: “Last weekend, the United States successfully carried out a massive precision strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities… this incredible exercise of American strength has paved the way for peace, with a historic ceasefire agreement.”
A cargo ship that had been delivering new vehicles to Mexico sank in the North Pacific Ocean, weeks after crew members abandoned ship when they couldn’t extinguish an onboard fire that left the carrier dead in the water. The Morning Midas sank Monday in international water off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands chain, the ship’s management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime, said in a statement. “There is no visible pollution,” said Petty Officer Cameron Snell, an Alaska-based U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson. “Right now we also have vessels on scene to respond to any pollution.” Fire damage compounded by bad weather and water seepage caused the carrier to sink in waters about 16,404 feet (5,000 meters) deep and about 415 miles (770 kilometers) from land, the statement said. The ship was loaded with about 3,000 new vehicles intended for a major Pacific port in Mexico. It was not immediately clear if any of the cars were removed before it sank, and Zodiac Maritime did not immediately respond to messages Tuesday. A salvage crew arrived days after the fire disabled the vehicle. Two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment will remain on scene to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris, the company said. The crew members of those two ships were not injured when the Morning Midas sank. Zodiac Maritime said it is also sending another specialized pollution response vessel to the location as an added precaution. The Coast Guard said it received a distress alert June 3 about a fire aboard the Morning Midas, which then was roughly 300 miles (490 kilometers) southwest of Adak Island. There were 22 crew members onboard the Morning Midas. All evacuated to a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby merchant marine vessel. There were no injuries. Among the cars were about 70 fully electric and about 680 hybrid vehicles. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship’s stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles, the Coast Guard and Zodiac Maritime said at the time. Adak is about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) west of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. The 600-foot (183-meter) Morning Midas was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. The car and truck carrier left Yantai, China, on May 26 en route to Mexico, according to the industry site marinetraffic.com. A Dutch safety board in a recent report called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire aboard a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. One person was killed and others injured in the fire, which burned out of control for a week. That ship was eventually towed to a Netherlands port for salvage. (AP)
POTUS: “Last weekend, the United States successfully carried out a massive precision strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities… this incredible exercise of American strength has paved the way for peace, with a historic ceasefire agreement.”
Attorneys general from more than 20 states and Washington, D.C. filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging billions of dollars in funding cuts made by the Trump administration that would fund everything from crime prevention to food security to scientific research. The lawsuit filed in Boston is asking a judge to limit the Trump administration from relying on an obscure clause in the federal regulation to cut grants that don’t align with its priorities. Since January, the lawsuit argues that the administration has used that clause to cancel entire programs and thousands of grants that had been previously awarded to states and grantees. “Defendants’ decision to invoke the Clause to terminate grants based on changed agency priorities is unlawful several times over,” the plaintiffs argued. “The rulemaking history of the Clause makes plain that the (Office of Management and Budget) intended for the Clause to permit terminations in only limited circumstances and provides no support for a broad power to terminate grants on a whim based on newly identified agency priorities.” The lawsuit argues the Trump administration has used the clause for the basis of a “slash-and-burn campaign” to cut federal grants. “Defendants have terminated thousands of grant awards made to Plaintiffs, pulling the rug out from under the States, and taking away critical federal funding on which States and their residents rely for essential programs,” the lawsuit added. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to a request made Tuesday afternoon for comment. Rhode Island Attorney General Neronha said this lawsuit was just one of several the coalition of mostly Democratic states have filed over funding cuts. For the most part, they have largely succeeded in a string of legal victories to temporarily halt cuts. This one, though, may be the broadest challenge to those funding cuts. “It’s no secret that this President has gone to great lengths to intercept federal funding to the states, but what may be lesser known is how the Trump Administration is attempting to justify their unlawful actions,” Neronha said in a statement. “Nearly every lawsuit this coalition of Democratic attorneys general has filed against the Administration is related to its unlawful and flagrant attempts to rob Americans of basic programs and services upon which they rely. Most often, this comes in the form of illegal federal funding cuts, which the Administration attempts to justify via a so-called ‘agency priorities clause.” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the lawsuit aimed to stop funding cuts he described as indiscriminate and illegal. “There is no ‘because I don’t like you’ or ‘because I don’t feel like it anymore’ defunding clause in federal law that allows the President to bypass Congress on a whim,” Tong said in a statement. “Since his first minutes in office, Trump has unilaterally defunded our police, our schools, our healthcare, and more. He can’t do that, and that’s why over and over again we have blocked him in court and won back our funding.” In Massachusetts, Attorney General Andrea Campbell said the U.S. Department of Agriculture terminated a $11 million agreement with the state Department of Agricultural Resources connecting hundreds of farmers to hundreds of food distribution sites while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency terminated a $1 million grant to the state Department of Public Health to reduce […]
