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Nearly every Windows user has had a run in with the infamous “Blue Screen of Death” at some point in their computing life. Now, after more than 40-years of being set against a very recognizable blue, the updated error message will soon be displayed across a black background. The changes to the notorious error screen come as part of broader efforts by Microsoft to improve the resiliency of the Windows operating system in the wake of last year’s CrowdStrike incident, which crashed millions of Windows machines worldwide. “Now it’s easier than ever to navigate unexpected restarts and recover faster,” Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft wrote in a Wednesday announcement. As part of that effort, Microsoft says it’s “streamlining” what users experience when encountering “unexpected restarts” that cause disruptions. And that means a makeover to the infamous error screen. Beyond the now-black background, Windows’ new “screen of death” has a slightly shorter message. It’s also no longer accompanied by a frowning face — and instead shows a percentage completed for the restart process. Microsoft says this “simplified” user interface for unexpected restarts will be available later this summer on all of its Windows 11 (version 24H2) devices. And for PCs that may not restart successfully, Microsoft on Wednesday also said it’s adding a “quick machine recovery” mechanism. The will be particularly useful for during a widespread outage, the tech giant noted, as Microsoft “can broadly deploy targeted remediations” and automate fixes with this new mechanism “without requiring complex manual intervention from IT.” Microsoft said this quick machine recovery will also be “generally available” later this summer on Window 11 — with additional capabilities set to launch later in the year. (AP)

The Trump administration is quietly floating a sweeping new proposal to Tehran that could unlock up to $30 billion in funding for a civilian nuclear energy program, according to CNN — a dramatic shift in strategy aimed at luring Iran back to the negotiating table just days after a military confrontation threatened to spiral into all-out war. The plan, which has not been previously disclosed, is part of an intensifying diplomatic push led by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and backed by Gulf allies, according to four sources familiar with the discussions. At the heart of the evolving proposal: a non-enrichment nuclear energy program for Iran, modeled after the UAE’s, that would include foreign investment, partial sanctions relief, and access to billions of dollars in previously frozen Iranian assets. Behind closed doors, senior Trump officials have discussed allowing Tehran to use the $6 billion currently locked in foreign bank accounts, lifting select sanctions, and replacing the recently bombed Fordow enrichment site with a civilian facility — all while maintaining Washington’s red line: zero domestic uranium enrichment. The Trump administration’s diplomatic offensive comes on the heels of bunker-buster bombings that targeted Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz nuclear facilities. But rather than close the door on diplomacy, officials have used the show of force as leverage — pushing Tehran to accept terms for a deal that would roll back its nuclear ambitions while offering the regime a new path forward. In a secret White House meeting last Friday, the day before U.S. strikes, Witkoff and Gulf partners hashed out the outlines of the offer, two sources said. That meeting laid the groundwork for a term sheet that could be presented to Iran as soon as next week — though no date has been finalized, and Iranian officials have publicly denied plans for immediate talks. Multiple proposals are still in flux, officials said, but all revolve around the same core principle: Iran may have nuclear power — but not the ability to enrich uranium itself. The proposal marks a sharp pivot for the Trump administration, which until now had taken a hardline “maximum pressure” stance on Iran. President Trump has publicly downplayed the urgency of a deal — telling reporters in The Hague this week, “I don’t care if I have an agreement or not” — even as his top advisers quietly accelerate efforts to lock in a comprehensive framework. But that calculus may now be complicated by shifting currents inside Iran. Just days ago, the Iranian parliament approved legislation to sever cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog — a move seen by analysts as Tehran preparing to harden its nuclear posture. “There is a real risk here that Tehran, after seeing Fordow bombed and trust eroded, will decide its only insurance policy is a nuclear weapon,” said a former senior intelligence official briefed on the discussions. Still, U.S. officials are betting that the cost of escalation — and the promise of economic relief — could bring Iran to the table. Talks have continued in recent days through regional intermediaries, primarily Qatar, which played a central role in brokering the fragile Israel-Iran ceasefire. According to multiple sources, Doha is now working closely with Witkoff to maintain diplomatic momentum and prevent backsliding into armed conflict. “There are a lot of ideas being thrown around […]

This summer, those heading upstate on Thursday evenings can now daven Mincha in comfort, thanks to the relocation of a popular minyan site to an air-conditioned indoor facility.

For the first time, the well-known Tefilas Mordche Mincha Area will be operating inside the Marketplace shopping center in Spring Valley, just moments from exit 14 on the New York State Thruway. Starting today, June 26, and continuing weekly through August 28, minyanim will be held every Thursday in a newly designated area within the mall. Visitors can use the mall’s first entrance for quickest access, with clear signage directing them to the minyan.

The Marketplace offers more than just a convenient minyan location. With retailers such as Target and Bingo, a variety of dining options, and several clothing stores, it’s an ideal stopover. Tesla drivers will also benefit from new superchargers currently being installed in the center’s lot.

Originally founded over three decades ago to give drivers a safe and respectful alternative to pulling over at the side of the Thruway near the Harriman tolls, the Mincha Area has become a fixture for thousands of frum travelers each summer. In 2010, the site was renamed in memory of Rabbi Mordche Friedman z”l, who spent countless Thursday evenings overseeing operations and ensuring smooth minyanim for the public.

“We’re incredibly thankful to all those who made this new arrangement possible,” said Rabbi Abe Friedman, liaison to law enforcement. “Providing a secure and comfortable space to daven is a real zechus, and we’re proud to continue this important initiative.”

Tens of thousands are expected to benefit from the upgraded minyan location throughout the summer season.

{Matzav.com}

Georgia has become the latest state where a federal judge has blocked a law requiring age verification for social media accounts. Like in seven other states where such laws have been blocked, a federal judge ruled Thursday that the Georgia law infringes on free speech rights. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg means that the Georgia measure, which passed in 2024, won’t take effect next week as scheduled. Instead, Totenberg granted a preliminary injunction blocking the law until there’s a full ruling on the issue. Georgia’s law would require some social media providers to take “commercially reasonable” steps to verify a user’s age and require children younger than 16 to get parental permission for accounts. It was challenged by NetChoice, a trade group representing online businesses. “The state seeks to erect barriers to speech that cannot withstand the rigorous scrutiny that the Constitution requires,” Totenberg wrote, finding the law restricts the rights of minors, chills the right to anonymous speech online and restricts the ability of people to receive speech from social media platforms. Georgia will appeal, a spokesperson for Attorney General Chris Carr said Thursday. “We will continue to defend commonsense measures that empower parents and protect our children online,” spokesperson Kara Murray said in a statement. Parents — and even some teens themselves — are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media use on young people. Supporters of the laws have said they are needed to help curb the explosive use of social media among young people, and what researchers say is an associated increase in depression and anxiety. Totenberg said concerns about social media harming children are legitimate, but don’t outweigh the constitutional violation. Totenberg wrote that NetChoice’s members would be irreparably harmed by the law. She rejected arguments from the state that the group shouldn’t get temporary relief because it had delayed filing its lawsuit by a year and because the state would be required to give 90 days’ notice before enforcing the law. “Free expression doesn’t end where government anxiety begins,” NetChoice Director of Litigation Chris Marchese said in a statement. “Parents— not politicians — should guide their children’s lives online and offline— and no one should have to hand over a government ID to speak in digital spaces.” It’s the ninth state where NetChoice has blocked a law over children’s use of social media. In Arkansas and Ohio, federal judges have permanently overturned the laws. Besides Georgia, measures are also on hold in California, Florida, Mississippi, Texas and Utah. Louisiana agreed to not enforce its law while litigation proceeds. Only in Tennessee did a federal judge decline to temporarily block a law, finding NetChoice hadn’t proved that people would be irreparably harmed if the law wasn’t blocked before trial. Georgia had argued the law was meant to protect children in a dangerous place, likening it to banning them from bars serving alcohol instead of restricting their speech. (AP)

A widely accepted assumption in recent years has been that any child diagnosed by medical professionals as a “special needs” child is automatically considered a shoteh (halachically exempt from mitzvos). That belief has now been directly challenged by a significant new ruling from one of the leading poskim, Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein.

In a detailed conversation with Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Goldknopf, director of the P’tachiyah organization, who sought halachic guidance on various matters related to children with special needs, Rav Zilberstein addressed a critical question: Who is truly considered a shoteh according to halacha?

Rav Zilberstein clarified that medical labels, often assigned by health clinics or social services, do not automatically determine halachic status. Many children, despite developmental challenges, possess intelligence and understanding sufficient to obligate them in mitzvos.

He warned that modern definitions—shaped by foreign psychological and educational systems in countries such as England, Romania, and Hungary—can misrepresent a child’s actual abilities. According to halacha, what matters is not a medical diagnosis, but a clear assessment of the child’s comprehension.

Rav Zilberstein then shared a specific case brought before him: A father approached with concerns about his 13-year-old son, who had been labeled as developmentally limited. The father asked whether the boy was halachically obligated in mitzvos. Rav Zilberstein decided to evaluate the boy himself with a few straightforward but telling questions.

First, he asked the child about shofar—did he know when it is blown? The boy replied that it is blown on Rosh Hashanah and described the Yom Tov. Then the rav asked about money: Could the boy buy ice cream and understand receiving change? The boy demonstrated that he grasped the concept of buying and giving change.

Based on this, Rav Zilberstein ruled that according to Torah law, a child who understands such basic matters is considered a bar daas, someone with halachic awareness. He is obligated in mitzvos and is even halachically eligible to perform kiddushin. “Anyone who rules otherwise based solely on foreign criteria is mistaken—not the child,” Rav Zilberstein emphasized.

He strongly stated that each case must be evaluated individually, using halachic standards—not secular medical definitions. Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l, he said, had supported this method of evaluation and had encouraged that the Torah’s true view be publicized to counter the secular influences affecting the religious community.

Rav Zilberstein declared that it is halacha—not medicine or secular psychology—that determines a person’s status. Parents who are unsure whether their child meets the halachic definition of a shoteh, he said, must seek guidance from their rabbonim or consult with a gadol b’Yisroel for a proper ruling.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Having just recently read some gender-based letters (that is, letters from women complaining about men) in a Jewish publication, I was confronted with a mailbag letter from a female high school student complaining about the dress code of the seminary she will be attending next year. Besides saying that the code would stifle her self-expression, the student alleged that parallel standards are not applied to yeshiva bochurim, in that rules against “hoodies” and guidelines about haircuts are allegedly not being enforced in men’s yeshivas. Excuse me??? Last time I checked, Yeshiva boys have the most restrictive dress code of all, being required to wear black suits/pants and white shirts. The focus of this letter is not on the merits of dress codes, although I would think that seminary is more a time for introspection and self-examination than outward expression. After all, isn’t the point of seminary to find your best self before expressing it to the world? Nevertheless, my focus is on this student’s seeming need to point fingers at how the boys are being treated and to claim that that treatment is unequal. For the record, I am a woman. That fact, rather than leading me to agree with the student, makes me ashamed of how so many frum women appear to be following secular “woke” women’s lead in blaming men for their problems, crying victimization and unfair treatment. I beseech all frum girls and women to remember that humility is a key midah for all of klal Yisroel, male and female, and that we need to take responsibility for our thoughts and behaviors. We are living in a very dangerous time with anti-semitism growing daily. What we need now is to be humble before Hashem and grateful to Him for all that he gives us. We should also be dan l’kaf zchus of other yidden and to take all setbacks or difficulties as a kappara and an opportunity to see what we need to do teshuva for or improve upon. While the current world situation is stressful, we must find a way to deal with that constructively rather than following the terrible example of the secular world and turning on each other. Signed, A concerned reader The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review. 

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz shared in a conversation with Channel 13 that Israel was prepared to carry out an assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but circumstances never allowed it.

“If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out,” Katz said, continuing, “We wanted to eliminate Khamenei, but there was no operational opportunity.”

When pressed on whether Israel had coordinated with the United States in seeking approval for such a strike, Katz made it clear: “We don’t need permission for these things.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

During a speech delivered Thursday at the White House, President Donald Trump unleashed pointed criticism at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, accusing him of turning his back on the Jewish community.

Trump’s comments were made at an event promoting the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping Republican-backed tax and spending measure that GOP lawmakers are aiming to pass and send to Trump’s desk by Independence Day.

While discussing his broader grievances with the Democratic Party, Trump singled out Schumer—who is himself Jewish—as an example of what he sees as the party’s abandonment of traditional values, especially in its embrace of transgender rights.

“It’s crazy, and it’s so demeaning, and they don’t want to change. I saw it the other day, guys like Chuck Schumer, our great Palestinian senator,” Trump said, drawing a mix of uneasy laughter from attendees. “He’s changed. He used to like Jewish people. Now he’s totally against Jewish people. It’s the most incredible transformation I think I’ve ever seen.”

WATCH:

Earlier in the week, Trump had already used the same jab in a post targeting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, following her renewed call for his impeachment.

“Stupid AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the ‘dumbest’ people in Congress, is now calling for my Impeachment, despite the fact that the Crooked and Corrupt Democrats have already done that twice before,” Trump wrote, before referencing speculation that she might launch a primary campaign against Schumer.

“Instead of her constant complaining, Alexandria should go back home to Queens, where I was also brought up, and straighten out her filthy, disgusting, crime ridden streets, in the District she ‘represents,’ and which she never goes to anymore,” Trump concluded. “She better start worrying about her own Primary, before she thinks about beating our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, whose career is definitely on very thin ice!”

{Matzav.com}

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena Thursday to Anthony Bernal, a senior aide to former first lady Jill Biden, as part of their rapidly expanding investigation into former President Joe Biden’s mental fitness while in office. The subpoena signed by Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the Republican Oversight chairman, requires Bernal to appear for a deposition on July 16. It came after several weeks of back-and-forth with Bernal’s lawyer over the timing of a voluntary interview. “Given your close connection with both former President Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden, the Committee sought to understand if you contributed to an effort to hide former President Biden’s fitness to serve from the American people,” the subpoena reads. “To avoid any further delays, your appearance before the Committee is now compelled.” Bernal is the second former Biden staffer to be subpoenaed by the committee and unlikely to be the last. The committee this week heard voluntary testimony from Neera Tanden, a former director of Biden’s domestic policy counsel, and is intent on securing interviews with several other members of Biden’s inner circle as part of its investigation. Bernal did not respond Thursday to a message seeking comment. Comer has also subpoenaed Kevin O’Connor, who served as Biden’s physician at the White House. O’Connor will testify before the committee on July 9. It’s all part of a remarkable Republican effort, supported by President Donald Trump, to investigate the last occupant of the Oval Office six months after he left office. Trump himself has ordered White House lawyers and the Justice Department to investigate Biden, questioning the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents. Boosting the GOP investigation, Trump has waived executive privilege for eight former Biden administration officials to testify to Congress, including Bernal, according to a White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and insisted on anonymity. With the privilege lifted, former staffers are free to discuss their interactions with Biden while he was president. In addition to Bernal, executive privilege has been waived for Biden White House senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed, former counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti, former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini and a former assistant to the president, Ashley Williams. Comer is seeking interviews with all of them. Democrats have dismissed the inquiry into Biden’s mental state as a partisan exercise that distracts from other pressing issues. Rep. Wesley Bell, a Missouri Democrat who sits on the Oversight committee, said after the interview with Tanden that it “was an extraordinary waste of time” and produced “no new evidence.” Bell said lawmakers should focus on issues like the costs of food, housing and potential changes to healthcare policy rather than “dig up some kind of post-impeachment, or whatever we’re doing here.” The unfolding investigation has significant implications for politics and policy. Republican lawmakers have argued that any executive actions or policies enacted through the autopen procedure could be found invalid if Biden were somehow incapacitated or not of a sound state of mind while in office. Trump and his allies have claimed, without evidence, that Biden was not aware of the actions his administration had taken on […]

Conagra Brands, the parent company of Duncan Hines, Slim Jim and other brands, is the latest big food company to say it’s discontinuing the use of artificial dyes. In a statement released Wednesday – the same day as a similar statement from Nestle – Chicago-based Conagra said it will remove artificial colors from its frozen foods by the end of this year. Conagra’s frozen brands include Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice and Birds Eye. Conagra said it won’t offer products containing artificial colors to K-12 schools by the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year, and it will work to discontinue artificial dyes across its entire portfolio by the end of 2027. Kraft Heinz and General Mills made similar pledges earlier this month. The federal government has stepped up its scrutiny of artificial colors in recent months. In January, days before President Donald Trump took office, the U.S. regulators banned the dye called Red 3 from the nation’s food supply, nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk. In April, Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency would take steps to eliminate synthetic dyes by the end of 2026, largely by relying on voluntary efforts from the food industry. Many of Conagra’s products already make a point of using natural dyes. On a jar of Vlasic kosher pickle spears, Conagra notes that they’re colored with turmeric, not the synthetic Yellow 5. For the cheesy color in its frozen vegetable sides or its Orville Redenbacher popcorn, Conagra uses annatto, a plant extract. But some of Conagra’s products still rely on synthetic colors. Duncan Hines’ Comstock County Cherry pie filling uses Red 40, for example, while its Creamy Strawberries n’ Cream Frosting uses both Red 40 and Yellow 5. Conagra’s Swiss Miss Butterscotch pudding contains Yellow 6, Red 40 and Blue 1. (AP)

Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) delivered a combative and unfiltered monologue on CNN Wednesday night, accusing systemic racism — and the psychological toll of being “called the N-word directly or indirectly every day” — of driving chronic health disparities in the Black community. The ex-congressman, who lost his seat last year in a bruising primary challenge, took center stage during a panel discussion on CNN NewsNight, blasting Republicans, invoking slavery, and tying health outcomes to racism in a performance that quickly veered into territory more suited for a protest podium than a policy roundtable. “You can’t be calm about this!” Bowman shouted at former Trump adviser Marc Short, barely allowing him to speak. “I’m a Black man in America! The reason why heart disease and cancer and obesity and diabetes are bigger in the Black community is because of the stress we carry from having to deal with being called the N-word directly or indirectly every day.” Bowman, a former member of the far-left “Squad,” accused the GOP of enabling racism and failing to hold its members accountable. “Your colleagues in the Republican Party do not hold each other accountable when it comes to the racism that comes from the party on a consistent basis,” he said, voice rising, finger wagging. It was classic Bowman — righteous, indignant, and utterly unconcerned with sounding sane. It was also a reminder of why the former lawmaker alienated moderates in his Westchester-based district and ultimately lost his seat to centrist Democrat George Latimer in 2024. Bowman’s tenure was marked by controversy and theatricality. He infamously pulled a Capitol fire alarm during a government funding vote, later claiming he was confused about how the doors worked. He drew headlines again when he led a profanity-laced rally in the Bronx against AIPAC, shouting “We’re gonna show them who the [expletive] we are!” before slamming a stool on stage to punctuate his fury. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a moment reminiscent of the aftermath of the Gulf War, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, together with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, will hold a festive Rosh Chodesh ateres tefillah at the Kosel tomorrow, Friday, Rosh Chodesh Tamuz, June 27, 2025, at 8:00 a.m.

The event is being organized as an expression of gratitude to Hashem following the miraculous outcomes of Operation Am KeLavi, Israel’s recent military campaign. In addition to the standard Rosh Chodesh tefillos, the gathering will include special kappitlach of Tehillim to acknowledge the Divine kindnesses experienced during the war.

The ateres tefillah will take place in the presence of Israel’s Chief Rabbis, the rov of the Kosel and holy sites, members of the Chief Rabbinate Council, city rabbanim, dayanim, roshei yeshiva, public figures, and a large crowd of participants from across the country.

In preparation for the ateres tefillah, the Chief Rabbis of Israel and the rov of the Kosel issued a heartfelt call to all sectors of Israeli society to join together in unity and gratitude at the holy site: “We are called upon to fulfill the words, ‘U’vemacha’los revavos amcha beis Yisrael… lehodos u’lehallel, leshabe’ach ulefa’er, leha’dar ulevarech, le’aleh ulekales – latzur tehilaseinu for all the goodness He has bestowed upon us.”

In their message, the rabbanim recalled a similar ateres tefillah held at the Kosel after the conclusion of the Gulf War in 1991, organized by the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, and attended by leading gedolim and thousands of Jews.

{Matzav.com}

The victory of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday sparked an immediate and intense reaction from conservative figures across the country.

Outside of the five boroughs, many on the political right reacted with fury, with some commentators zeroing in on Mamdani’s Muslim faith as a central theme in their criticism.

“New York City has fallen,” wrote Donald Trump Jr., quoting another post that said, “I’m old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.”

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shared an AI-generated image that portrayed the Statue of Liberty cloaked in a black burka, adding the caption: “This hits hard.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina posted an image of Mamdani in a traditional kurta, attending Eid prayers at the Parkchester Islamic Center in the Bronx. She wrote: “After 9/11 we said ‘Never Forget.’ I think we sadly have forgotten.”

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, chimed in shortly after the primary results. “24 years ago a group of Muslims killed 2,753 people on 9/11. Now a Muslim Socialist is on pace to run New York City,” he wrote. In a follow-up post, he warned, “time for the west to wake up,” referencing claims that Mamdani’s political rise could lead to the imposition of “Sharia Law” in the U.S.

Activist Laura Loomer launched into a lengthy tirade over social media. In one post, she claimed the Trump administration could “literally bar Zohran from running for office and criminally charge him.” Loomer accused Mamdani of being financed by the Muslim Brotherhood and compared his religious views to those of Iranian Ayatollahs, citing his adherence to Shi’a Islam.

In another message, Loomer pointed to a tweet from Bill Clinton congratulating Mamdani and used it to assert, “The Democrat Party is undeniably pro-Islamic terror.”

Benny Johnson, a staunch Trump supporter, posted a haunting photo of the Twin Towers engulfed in smoke on 9/11, writing: “NYC in 2001: We will never forget! NYC in 2025: elects Muslim jihadist.”

Dinesh D’Souza also weighed in, dubbing Mamdani the “Muslim Obama. Don’t Say I didn’t warn you.”

{Matzav.com}

As historic events indicate, we are approaching the days of Moshiach, stage by stage. The Toldos Aharon Rebbe has decided to begin preparing for the days after Moshiach’s arrival. Under the Rebbe’s initiative, the chassidus recently established a kollel exclusively for Kohanim, where Bnei Aharon will study all the halachos pertaining to Avodas HaKohanim in the Beis Hamikdash, Kikar H’Shabbat reported. The initiative of the Rebbe, who is himself a Kohen and known for his longing for the speedy rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdah, recently expressed that—’כי הנה ימים באים—we clearly see that we’re at the time of Ikvesa d’Meshicha and the third Beis Hamikdash will be built soon in our days. “What will the Moshiach think when he appears to redeem Am Yisrael and he won’t have a team of Kohanim ready for their service in the Beis Hamikdash?” the Rebbe asked Therefore, the Rebbe took action to establish a kollel for Kohanim to become conversant in the necessary halachos before Moshiach’s arrival. The avreichim will learn from 4:40 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. and receive a stipend of $500 per month until bias HaMoshiach, may it be soon in our days, Amen. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The State Prosecutor’s Office filed a formal indictment today (Thursday) in the Yerushalayim District Court against a 23-year-old resident of Beitar Illit who is accused of deliberately setting two separate fires, one of which targeted the shul where the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, regularly davens. The acts resulted in property damage and posed a serious risk to human life.

According to the indictment, submitted by Attorney Ariel Elouz of the State Prosecutor’s Office, the accused allegedly planned and carried out an arson attack on the door of a residential apartment in the Sanhedria neighborhood of Yerushalayim. He also set fire to the chair and shtender used by Rav Yitzchak Yosef at the Or Chaviv shul, which is located nearby.

To carry out the attacks, the defendant reportedly armed himself in advance with acetone, black spray paint, and a lighter. Late at night on June 8, 2025, he arrived at the apartment building, sprayed graffiti on residents’ doors, poured acetone on a door and the elevator, and set them ablaze. The fire reached the floor of the apartment, but residents managed to extinguish it before it spread further.

Later that same night, the suspect made his way to the nearby shul. There, he poured acetone on the chair used by the Rishon LeTzion and ignited it. The flames quickly spread, causing significant damage: the chair was completely destroyed, the shtender was badly burned, sifrei kodesh were harmed, and the air conditioning and electrical system of the shul sustained major damage.

In its statement, the Prosecutor’s Office announced that it is requesting the court to hold the accused in custody until the conclusion of the legal proceedings. The statement also emphasized that a court-issued gag order remains in effect prohibiting the publication of the defendant’s name.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s attorney, Amit Hadad, conducted secret negotiations with retired Supreme Court President Aharon Barak to end Netanyahu’s Case 4000 trial, Channel 12 News reported on Thursday evening. A secret meeting took place at retired President Barak’s home in Tel Aviv regarding mediation between the prosecution and the defense to bring the Netanyahu trial to an end. “I offered my services again,” Barak told Channel 12, referring to his support for a plea deal in 2022, which also began with secret contacts between him and Netanyahu. This time, Aharon Barak himself was intended to be the mediator. According to the law, a retired judge who has been trained to do so can mediate between the parties in a criminal trial. But Barak had two caveats: First, why are you turning to me? he said to the attorney. Obtain Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s consent, and I would be happy to be the mediator. The Attorney General has so far refused all the judges’ entreaties to open such mediation. Hadad clarified that Netanyahu has a condition: no retirement and no moral turpitude charge This is the second round of talks on ending the trial, and even if it ends without an agreement, it is quite clear that it will not be the last. In response to the report, attorney Hadad stated, “First, contrary to the claim, the meeting with Aharon Barak did not take place before the cross-examination but about six months ago—in January.” “Second, contrary to the claim, the meeting was not at the initiative of the Prime Minister or Adv. Hadad. On the contrary, Adv. Hadad responded to an invitation to attend.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Andrew Cuomo will remain in the New York City mayoral race beyond Friday’s deadline to withdraw from the general election, according to sources who spoke with CNN. His continued presence on the ballot means the strategic groundwork he laid before the Democratic primary — anticipating a potential face-off against both Zohran Mamdani and current Mayor Eric Adams — remains in play for the fall.

Although Cuomo acknowledged defeat on Tuesday night and conceded to Mamdani, insiders say he hasn’t made a definitive commitment to campaign actively in the coming months. Nonetheless, the former governor will retain his place on the “Fight & Deliver” party line for the November election, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Cuomo and his advisors are banking on the broader general election electorate diverging substantially from the more progressive-leaning primary voters who backed Mamdani, whose candidacy centered on aggressive affordability proposals and a savvy social media presence. They anticipate that as Mamdani moves closer to clinching the Democratic nomination — pending the final ranked-choice tabulation — his platform, including proposals such as rent freezes and publicly run supermarkets, will be placed under more critical examination.

“Ultimately Andrew’s decision and my decision matters less than the decision that voters already took on Tuesday night,” Mamdani told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Thursday.

When asked about a potential general election showdown with Cuomo, Mamdani said on OutFront, “We did it once and it turned out pretty well.”

Despite Mamdani’s primary night victory, notable Democratic leaders have withheld official endorsements. While Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have all expressed praise for Mamdani, none have offered formal backing. Meanwhile, two House Democrats representing competitive districts outside New York City voiced concerns over Mamdani’s ascendancy, and Republicans have taken the opportunity to portray Mamdani as emblematic of the Democratic Party’s leftward shift.

The general election is shaping up to be a three-way contest, with Mamdani expected to be joined by Adams, who bypassed the Democratic primary to pursue an independent candidacy, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

By choosing to remain on the ballot, Cuomo preserves the possibility of re-entering the race in earnest, potentially staging a return to public life four years after stepping down amid sexual harassment allegations, which he continues to deny. Once seen as the leading candidate, Cuomo has faced intense backlash from progressives not just for those allegations, but also for his pandemic-era leadership while serving as governor — backlash that helped fuel Mamdani’s grassroots surge.

Cuomo’s campaign team is evaluating whether he could emerge as a consensus alternative for voters disillusioned with the two other major contenders: Mamdani, a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist, and Adams, who was previously indicted on federal bribery charges that were later dropped under President Donald Trump’s administration in exchange for his cooperation on immigration enforcement.

Cuomo could also choose to maintain his ballot status without running an active campaign — a strategy he employed back in 2002, when he dropped his bid for the Democratic nomination for governor but remained on the ballot under the Liberal Party line.

As of now, Cuomo hasn’t announced when, or if, he’ll launch an official campaign for the general election.

“There’s no clock ticking,” one source remarked.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian forces have halted Russia’s recent advance into the northern Sumy region and have stabilized the front line near the border with Russia, Ukraine’s top military commander said Thursday. Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, said that Ukrainian successes in Sumy have prevented Russia from deploying about 50,000 Russian troops, including elite airborne and marine brigades, to other areas of the front line. His claim couldn’t be independently verified, and Russian officials made no immediate comment. Russian forces have been slowly grinding forward at some points on the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, though their incremental gains have been costly in terms of troop casualties and damaged armor. The outnumbered Ukrainian army has relied heavily on drones to keep the Russians back. Months of U.S.-led international efforts to stop the more than three years of war have failed. Amid the hostilities, the two sides have continued swaps of prisoners of war agreed on during recent talks between their delegations in Istanbul. Russia’s Defense Ministry and Ukrainian authorities said another exchange took place on Thursday. Ukraine’s coordination headquarters for POWs said the swap included injured soldiers and those with health complaints. The youngest is 24 and the oldest is 62, it said, adding that more exchanges are expected soon. Sumy, the city which is the capital of the Ukrainian region of the same name, had a prewar population of around 250,000. It lies about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the front line. Russia’s push into the region earlier this year compelled Ukraine to strengthen its defenses there. A special defense group has been formed to improve security in Sumy and surrounding communities, Syrskyi said, with a focus on improving fortifications and accelerating construction of defensive barriers. In March, Ukrainian forces withdrew from much of Russia’s neighboring Kursk region, parts of which they had controlled after a surprise cross-border attack in August. That retreat enabled Russia to launch a counteroffensive that advanced between 2-12 kilometers (1-7 miles) into Ukrainian territory, according to different estimates. Ukrainian officials say fierce fighting is also taking place in the eastern Donetsk region. The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that its forces have captured two villages, Novoserhiivka and Shevchenko, in Donetsk. Capturing Shevchenko marked an important stage in Russia’s ongoing offensive that is trying to break into Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, which borders Donetsk and is a major industrial center, according to the ministry. Meanwhile, the two sides continued to launch long-range strikes. The Russian ministry said 50 Ukrainian drones were downed over nine regions overnight, including three over the Moscow region. Ukraine’s air force said that Russia deployed 41 Shahed and decoy drones across the country overnight, wounding five people. It said that 24 drones were either intercepted or jammed. (AP)