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There is a growing chorus inside both Congress and the Trump administration demanding that Cindy McCain, widow of late Arizona Senator John McCain, either step aside or be removed from her United Nations role directing food aid distribution in Gaza. The calls come after repeated failures in deliveries and widespread seizure of supplies by Hamas.

McCain, who heads the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), is under fire from colleagues, lawmakers, and former officials who accuse her of not coordinating with Israel’s military or with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to ensure food, water, and other essentials are properly delivered.

“If WFP was doing its job,” a senior US official told The Post, “Hamas wouldn’t be enriched and able to continue to prolong the war.”

“It’s wild incompetence,” the official added. “She’s either a useful idiot or she’s an active accomplice in what is ultimately an enormous, fraudulent use of taxpayer dollars.”

A different ex-staffer at WFP described McCain as “a disaster,” claiming she was known to be doing much of the job remotely from Arizona, while others in New York effectively ran the organization in her place.

“She’s treating this like it’s some kind of a board chairmanship that you don’t really have to show up for, and it’s not that,” the official complained. “It’s a highly operational job.”

Figures from a UN tracking system show that in August, all but two of 2,309 aid trucks entering Gaza were overrun, either by desperate civilians or by “forcefully armed actors.”

Since May, close to 33 tons of aid have been looted off trucks heading into the enclave.

“If we learned anything from the reveal of USAID, it’s that billions of American tax dollars were misspent in every corner of the globe — and the public was kept in the dark,” said Jonathan Wilcox, deputy chief of staff to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.).

“The US invests billions every year in the World Food Programme, and we have a right to expect the kind of transparency, efficiency and cooperation that reports indicate isn’t happening. It’s ‘trust, but verify’ time.”

President Trump on Monday issued what he described as a “last warning” to Hamas to accept a US- and Israel-backed cease-fire deal. Some allies believe the effort could be aided by humanitarian channels, if used strategically.

“It’s the easiest tool to help end wars and increase US national security around the world,” the former WFP official said. “Trump needs to understand how big of a tool this is.”

McCain was placed at the helm of WFP in April 2023 by appointment of President Joe Biden, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres signing off on the five-year term.

The organization’s aid budget last year neared $10 billion, of which US taxpayers supplied around $4.5 billion.

Yet in Gaza, much of the food is being snatched by young men who then resell it on the black market — a process believed to funnel cash into Hamas’ coffers.

“McCain is in a position right now to turn the tide in Gaza against Hamas by fully integrating with GHF and coordinating security for her own food trucks but she refuses to do that,” said a former Trump national security adviser.

“She claims any attempt to secure aid convoys to prevent Hamas’ diversion or looting would be ‘militarizing’ international aid — but that defies logic and past precedent of doing whatever it is necessary to prevent armed actors from stealing the aid America is paying for,” the ex-official said.

“This is our taxpayer money McCain is controlling and if we think the best way to dislodge the terrorists and help the people is for WFP to work with and through GHF. That’s what McCain should be doing. Otherwise she should resign and let someone else take the job.”

In a private meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office this summer, McCain reportedly expressed satisfaction with the flow of supplies from Israel into Gaza — but then later shifted her tone.

“She said that during her recent visit to Gaza, she saw a dramatic improvement: food was available, prices had dropped, and markets showed goods in sufficient supply and at affordable prices,” Netanyahu’s office posted on X on Aug. 29.

“It is regrettable that Mrs. McCain has since issued statements contradicting what she told us in Jerusalem,” the statement continued. “That is a misrepresentation. Israel is enabling a steady flow of aid in sufficient quantities.”

“I stand by what I’ve said,” McCain replied on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” two days later. “There’s not enough food getting in.”

“We have in recent weeks been able to get a little more food in. But it’s not enough,” she added, calling for a full cease-fire to increase aid.

“Any cease-fire that they would initiate would just allow for the expansion of Hamas and have greater control and we’re going through this whole drill again,” countered a US-based source with direct knowledge.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who visited the Kerem Shalom crossing on Aug. 28, also weighed in.

“I want to make it clear I have never bought into the narrative that Israel is intentionally starving the people of Gaza as a tool of war,” he said.

“I blame Hamas for all the problems associated with the attack of October 7 [2023] and its aftermath. I do expect Israel to work with international organizations and I believe that they are.”

Despite criticism, McCain, age 71, still has backing from some in Washington, including certain Republicans and State Department officials, who point out she is finishing the term of a difficult assignment. Critics also accuse her of mishandling crises in Sudan and Ukraine.

“She hasn’t been ‘Loomered’ yet — she should be ‘Loomered,’” one US official quipped, referring to activist Laura Loomer’s pressure campaigns against Trump administration members thought to be disloyal, which led to some NSC firings earlier this year.

Behind the scenes, conversations are already happening about potential replacements if McCain exits. Among the names under discussion is Kip Tom, who served as US Ambassador to UN food and agriculture agencies from May 2019 until January 2021, according to several sources familiar with the talks.

{Matzav.com}

The NYPD is monitoring a possible terror threat against East River bridges and tunnels linking Manhattan and Queens days before Sept. 11, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Tisch said that threat reporting typically increases this time of year as Sept. 11, the UN General Assembly and Jewish High Holidays approach, and the department is “monitoring threats against New York City critical infrastructure, including bridges and tunnels connection Queens and Manhattan.” Police will ramp up security even more than normal as the city prepares for the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, according to the commissioner. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Supreme Court granted an unusually quick hearing on President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Tuesday, putting a policy at the center of his economic agenda squarely before the nation’s highest court. The justices will hear the case in November, a lightning-fast timetable by the Supreme Court’s typical standards, and rule at some point after that. The tariffs will stay in place in the meantime. The court agreed to take up an appeal from the Trump administration after lower courts found most of his tariffs illegal. The small businesses and states that challenged them also agreed to the accelerated timetable. They say Trump’s import taxes on goods from almost every country in the world have nearly driven their businesses to bankruptcy. “Congress, not the President alone, has the power to impose tariffs,” attorney Jeffrey Schwab with the Liberty Justice Center said. Two lower courts have agreed that Trump didn’t have the power to impose all the tariffs under an emergency powers law, though a divided appeals court left them in place. The Trump administration asked the justices to intervene quickly, arguing the law gives him the power to regulate imports and striking down the tariffs would put the country on “the brink of economic catastrophe.” The case will come before a court that has been reluctant to check Trump’s extraordinary flex of executive power. One big question is whether the justices’ own expansive view of presidential authority allows for Trump’s tariffs without the explicit approval of Congress, which the Constitution endows with the power to levy tariffs. Three of the justices on the conservative-majority court were nominated by Trump in his first term. While the tariffs and their erratic rollout have raised fears of higher prices and slower economic growth, Trump has also used them to pressure other countries into accepting new trade deals. Revenue from tariffs totaled $159 billion by late August, more than double what it was at the same point a year earlier. Solicitor General D. John Sauer has argued that the lower court rulings are already affecting those trade negotiations. If the tariffs are struck down, the U.S. Treasury might take a hit by having to refund some of the import taxes it’s collected, Trump administration officials have said. A ruling against them could even the nation’s ability to reduce the flow of fentanyl and efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, Sauer argued. The administration did win over four appeals court judges who found the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, lets the president regulate importation during emergencies without explicit limitations. In recent decades, Congress has ceded some tariff authority to the president and Trump has made the most of the power vacuum. The case involves two sets of import taxes, both of which Trump justified by declaring a national emergency: the tariffs first announced in April and the ones from February on imports from Canada, China and Mexico. It doesn’t include his levies on foreign steel, aluminum and autos, or the tariffs Trump imposed on China in his first term that were kept by Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump can impose tariffs under other laws, but those have more limitations on the speed and severity with which he could act. (AP)

Qatar’s prime minister issued a sharp warning following Israel’s strike on Hamas figures in Doha, declaring that his nation “reserves the right to respond” to what he described as a grave assault, while also stressing that mediation initiatives would go forward.

“Qatar… reserves the right to respond to this blatant attack,” Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said during a press briefing.

“We believe that today we have reached a pivotal moment. There must be a response from the entire region to such barbaric actions,” he continued.

Despite the severity of the incident, Al-Thani pledged that his country would not abandon its role in trying to secure both a ceasefire and an agreement on the release of hostages between Israel and Hamas.

“Nothing will deter us from continuing this mediation in the region,” Al-Thani affirmed.

Earlier reports from diplomatic officials indicated that Qatar was preparing to temporarily pause its mediation role, though the prime minister’s comments pointed in the opposite direction.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump issued a response Tuesday regarding Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar.

Writing on his Truth Social account, Trump emphasized that the decision to launch the operation was made by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and did not come from him.

“This morning, the Trump Administration was notified by the United States Military that Israel was attacking Hamas which, very unfortunately, was located in a section of Doha, the Capital of Qatar. This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” wrote Trump.

He continued, “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”

Trump explained, “I immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did, however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack. I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack.”

He added, “I want ALL of the Hostages, and bodies of the dead, released, and this War to END, NOW! I also spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu after the attack. The Prime Minister told me that he wants to make Peace. I believe this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for PEACE. I also spoke to the Emir and Prime Minister of Qatar, and thanked them for their support and friendship to our Country. I assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil. I have directed Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to finalize the Defense Cooperation Agreement with Qatar. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Earlier in the day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Qatar had been warned by the U.S. before the strike took place.

{Matzav.com}

California Gov. Gavin Newsom used his State of the State address Tuesday to blast President Donald Trump administration for a “relentless, unhinged California obsession” while also touting the state’s achievements on its 175th anniversary of statehood. The Democratic governor opted to send the letter to the state Legislature instead of delivering it publicly. Newsom, who’s seen as a potential presidential contender for 2028, also released a shortened version of the annual report on his social media channels. The letter criticized the president and his policies for bringing chaos and disruption to California, without mentioning Trump by name. “We are now nine months into a battle to protect the values we hold most dear and to preserve the economic and social foundation we built for California,” Newsom wrote. “We are facing a federal administration built on incompetence and malicious ignorance, one that seeks the death of independent thinking.” Newsom hasn’t done a formal address in a few years, a departure from decades of tradition. The state has been a battleground for the Trump administration after its hardline immigration strategy spurred protests, and the deployment of the National Guard and the Marines. The federal government has also cut funding to the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project, rolled back the state’s first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars and sued the state over its law that allows transgender girls to compete on girls sports teams. California responded by suing the administration 41 times. Lawmakers earlier this year authorized giving $50 million to California’s Department of Justice and other legal groups to help protect the state’s progressive policies. California is also fighting back against Trump’s move to suspend funding to University of California, Los Angeles, over allegations of civil rights violations related to antisemitism and affirmative action, Newsom said. “It would be a mistake to think California is cowering in the face of this onslaught,” Newsom said. The letter also outlines what Newsom described as California’s achievements — highlighting the state’s resiliency and quick recovery effort to the devasting wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year as well as other advancements in tech, green energy and education in an economy that exceeds $4.1 trillion. He also highlighted the state’s volunteer force of tens of thousands of young people and a tax credit program to bring back Hollywood productions. State Republicans said Newsom is prioritizing building his national profile instead of working on issues in California. James Gallagher, the Republican leader of the state Assembly, pointed to the state’s ongoing budget deficits, homelessness crisis and sky-high costs of living in a social media post responding to Newsom’s letter. Gallagher also criticized Newsom’s push for a new U.S. House congressional map to help Democrats win more seats and potentially gain control of the House ahead of the 2026 midterms. California’s move was to counter a similar effort led by GOP lawmakers at Trump’s urging in Texas. “Stop refusing to show up and actually do the work of being a governor,” he said in the video. (AP)

At the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem, a special gathering was held to celebrate America’s 249th Independence Day. The occasion, attended by Israeli and American leaders, featured Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivering a strong message about the unshakable friendship between the two countries while pledging that Israel would continue its fight against Hamas following the latest wave of bloodshed.

The commemoration had been postponed from the Fourth of July due to heightened security risks during Operation Rising Lion.

Netanyahu opened his address with a wry remark that he had been “otherwise engaged” earlier that day, a thinly veiled reference to the strikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar. “I sent a video address that they’re going to show, in which I said that Israel has no greater ally than the USA, and the USA has no greater ally than Israel. I meant it, from the heart.”

“Yesterday, four of our soldiers were killed by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, and six Israeli civilians were brutally murdered at a bus stop in Jerusalem,” Netanyahu stated. “This morning, Hamas proudly took credit for both of these actions.”

He went on to explain that “At noon today, I convened the heads of Israel’s security organizations and authorized a surgical precision strike on the terrorist chiefs of Hamas.” Delivering part of his remarks in Hebrew, he said, “The strike was prepared by all the security forces in the best possible manner, and executed in a manner that impressed the entire world.”

Netanyahu described those targeted as “the same terrorists who planned, launched and celebrated the horrific massacres of October 7th, the savage murder of more than a thousand people, the beheading of men, the rape and murder of women, the burning of babies, the taking of over 250 hostages, innocent hostages, grandmothers, grandchildren, Holocaust survivors, They perpetrated the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Now, they were meeting in the same place, exactly the same place, where they celebrated this savagery almost two years ago.”

Reflecting on his earlier vows, he reminded the audience: “At the beginning of the war, I promised that Israel would reach those who perpetrated this horror. I promised that none of them would escape, and we are systematically eliminating them.” Netanyahu added, “Today, Israel and I have kept that promise. There was a time when Jews could be murdered with impunity. But since the founding of the state of Israel, those days are over. On this day, as in previous days, Israel acted wholly independently. Wholly independently. And we take full responsibility for this action.”

He stressed that Israel had already inflicted major damage on its enemies. “We have delivered massive blows to the axis of evil, including the removal of the threat of nuclear weapons. We continue to strike them, but the war must end where it started – Gaza.”

Netanyahu also emphasized the possibility of moving toward a resolution. “This action can open the door to an end of the war in Gaza. Israel has accepted the principles proposal put forward by President Trump to end the war, beginning with the immediate release of all our hostages which have been held in the dungeons of Gaza for 700 days. If President Trump’s proposal is accepted, the war can end immediately. We can begin once again to pursue the expansion of peace in our region for the benefit of all.”

Turning his attention directly to Gaza’s residents, he urged them to break free from Hamas. “Don’t be derailed by these murderous terrorists, by these killers. They don’t care a hoot about you. They live in sumptuous villas. You can’t imagine how sumptuous. Their partners in Gaza don’t worry about you. They go to the underground tunnels, and they keep you above ground so you serve as human shields for them. Don’t be derailed by these killers. Stand up for your rights and for your future. Make peace with us. Accept President Trump’s proposal. Don’t worry. You can do it, and we can promise you a different future. But you’ve got to take these people out of the way. If you do, there is no limit to our common future.”

He concluded by acknowledging the organizers and extending gratitude to friends of Israel for their steadfast backing.

“If we had five or six more Mike Huckabees,” Netanyahu joked, “Israel wouldn’t have a problem.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, kidnapped in Baghdad last year by the Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, has been freed and is now at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday on Truth Social. “I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton student, whose sister is an American citizen, was just released … and is now safely in the American Embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months,” Trump wrote. He used the announcement to renew pressure on Hamas, demanding: “HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!” Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani confirmed the release, crediting Iraqi security services and stressing that Baghdad “will not allow anyone to harm the reputation of Iraq and the Iraqis.” Tsurkov, 38, holds both Israeli and Russian citizenship and was in Iraq for her doctoral research at Princeton when she was abducted in March 2023. Nearly a year later, a video surfaced of her speaking in Hebrew under duress, reciting confessions to working for the CIA and Mossad. A vocal critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she had previously warned against trading concessions for her release. Her family said Tuesday they were “overjoyed.” In a statement, her sister Emma thanked Trump, U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler, and embassy staff in Baghdad: “If Adam hadn’t made my sister’s return a personal mission, I don’t know where we would be today.” Tsurkov, the daughter of Soviet Jewish dissidents who immigrated to Israel in the 1980s, has spent much of her academic career researching conflict in the Middle East. She previously conducted fieldwork in Syria, Jordan, and Turkey, and was pursuing a Princeton Ph.D. when she traveled to Iraq. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday on his Truth Social page that Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian academic who was abducted in Iraq, has been freed.

“I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton Student, whose sister is an American Citizen, was just released by Kata’ib Hezbollah (MILITANT Hezbollah), and is now safely in the American Embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months,” wrote Trump.

“I will always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up. HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!” he added.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani also confirmed her release, saying, “As a culmination of extensive efforts exerted by our security services over the course of many months, we announce the release of the Russian citizen, Elizabeth Tsurkov. We reaffirm, once again, that we will not tolerate any compromise in enforcing the law and upholding the authority of the state, nor will we allow anyone to undermine the reputation of Iraq and its people.”

Her sister, Emma Tsurkov, expressed her relief and joy on X, writing, “My entire family is incredibly happy. We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days.”

“We are so thankful to President Trump and his Special Envoy, Adam Boehler. If Adam had not made my sister’s return his personal mission, I do not know where we would be. We also want to thank Josh Harris and his team at the US Embassy in Baghdad for the support they provided to our sister and the team at the nonprofit Global Reach who advocated relentlessly for my sister’s safe return,” she continued.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a PhD candidate at Princeton University and a fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, had vanished in March 2023. In July, Israeli officials confirmed she was being held by Kata’ib Hezbollah, a Shiite militia with Iranian backing.

Earlier this year, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated that Tsurkov was alive and assured that Prime Minister al-Sudani was working to secure her freedom.

Later reports indicated that her release was being considered in connection with an arrangement involving the possible freeing of eight Hezbollah operatives by Israel.

{Matzav.com}

A 13-year-old boy described by police as obsessed with school shooters was arrested on multiple firearms possession charges and causing a threat after they say they found social media posts about intentions to kill and seized 23 guns and ammunition from his home. The boy pleaded not guilty to a total of five charges, four of them felonies, in juvenile court on Monday. He was arrested over the weekend in Washington’s Pierce County. The boy’s name has not been released. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer. Juvenile court records are generally confidential. Firearms were mounted on walls and handguns were found unsecured throughout the home, sheriff’s Deputy Carly Cappetto said in a news release Monday. “Several pieces of evidence from the suspect’s bedroom indicated he was obsessed with past school shooters and imitated similar behaviors with photos and inscriptions throughout his room,” she said. Loaded magazines with school shooter writings on them were removed. “It appeared the suspect had everything ready to go to commit a mass shooting type of incident. It is unknown who or what the intended target was going to be, but it’s clear it was a matter of time before a tragic incident occurred,” Cappetto said. The boy’s parents said their son had no intention of harming anyone. His mother, who attended the court hearing, suggested in an interview afterward that the social media posts were an attempt to “be cool” among peers, KOMO-TV reported. Cappetto said the boy was last enrolled in the Franklin Pierce School District in 2021. He was currently unenrolled and was not currently an active student in any school district. (AP)

Nuclear weapons analysts have concluded that, for the first time in a decade and a half, Iran lacks any clear pathway to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels after coordinated American and Israeli strikes severely damaged its nuclear program, according to the New York Post.

The findings come from a paper authored by David Albright, a leading expert on nuclear proliferation and founder of the Institute for Science and International Security, together with a research team. Their analysis drew heavily on monitoring data provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The report states: “With the massive destruction of its gas centrifuge program and installed centrifuge cascades, for the first time in over 15 years, Iran has no identifiable route to produce weapon-grade uranium (WGU) in its centrifuge plants. In addition, the attacks caused immense destruction to Iran’s ability to make the nuclear weapon itself.”

Even so, the authors were careful to note that they cannot determine whether some centrifuges may have withstood the aerial bombardments, since there is no reliable information on equipment that might have survived the assault.

The United States targeted Iran’s nuclear installations during Operation Midnight Hammer, a strike carried out on June 21, 2025, just days before the conclusion of the 12-Day War between Israel and Iran.

US President Donald Trump later declared that Iran’s most sensitive nuclear facilities were “obliterated” as a result of the campaign.

In July, over a month after those raids, Albright disclosed that his institute had reviewed satellite photographs revealing renewed activity at the Isfahan nuclear compound in Iran.

Posting on X, Albright wrote, “we at the Institute found new activity at one of the Isfahan tunnel entrances that occurred during the last few days.” He explained that vehicles were spotted near the northern entrance to the tunnels, and that “access to the tunnel portal, which was previously blocked by backfilled dirt, has been gained within the last week.”

He also mentioned that the central tunnel entrance displayed evidence of movement in mid-July, with heavy equipment visible, but “no significant progress appears to have been made towards establishing tunnel portal access as of the end of July.” Meanwhile, barriers blocking the southern entrance were still in place, with “no activity is visible there,” he wrote.

At the primary Isfahan facility, the imagery revealed very little going on. “Some roads have been cleared of debris but there is minimal vehicle presence,” Albright explained. He added that multiple access routes surrounding the damaged aboveground sections are still obstructed, with checkpoints left intact.

{Matzav.com}

R’ Yisrael Elias, a yungerman from Neve Yaakov, was spared from tragedy in the horrific shooting yesterday at Ramat Junction in Yerushalayim, where six Yidden were niftar.

Speaking on Kol Chai radio, Yisrael recalled the terrifying scene when a bullet pierced his vehicle, missing his head by a hair’s breadth.

“Hashem protected me with miracles,” he said. Yisrael was driving his regular route from home to his Yeshiva in Givat Shaul along Begin Road, when he suddenly hit an unusually heavy backup at the junction. “It took me an hour and twenty minutes to get there; it was unusually long.”

Just after he passed the busy bus stop, gunfire rang out. “I instinctively stopped the car; I don’t know why, instead of running,” he remembered. As he stepped out, he spotted a terrorist—bald, in jeans—about 15 meters away, firing at innocent people.

“He just shot one person, then another, moving between people as if it were a game,” Yisrael described, still shaken. Realizing the danger, he rushed back to his car, but the terrorist had noticed him and aimed directly at him.

“I sat in the seat and heard a boom. The bullet went through the rear windshield, passing right above my head,” Yisrael recounted. “If I had turned my head to look back, the bullet would have hit me directly. It was a matter of centimeters.”

He suggested that perhaps the attacker thought he was armed, or simply wanted to take him out. “I was right in front of the bus, two cars away from the massacre.”

Yisrael, who still vividly remembers the Neve Yaakov attack from a few years back, expressed his sense of helplessness. “I tried twice to get a gun license, but it didn’t work because of bureaucracy,” he said. “I saw a 15-year-old boy shot beside me when he tried to hitchhike. I hesitated to pick him up but didn’t.”

“Seeing people fall, their lives ending, and you can do nothing—it’s terribly frustrating,” he added.

Overcome with emotion, Yisrael voiced his gratitude to the Ribbono Shel Olam: “Hashem didn’t want seven more orphans and a widow.” He pointed out that the attack, carried out in a crowded area, could have been far worse. “Two terrorists with Carlo rifles shot continuously for three minutes. It’s a miracle there weren’t more victims.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Trump administration is imploring the nation’s public health agencies to prioritize investigations of vaccine injuries, prescription drug use, and the cause of autism in a new “Make America Healthy Again” report focused on children released on Tuesday. The 20-page report, overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., promises to put an end to childhood diseases in the U.S. by refocusing the nation’s public health agencies on the topics that those in Kennedy’s wide-ranging and politically diverse “MAHA” movement have demanded the government prioritize. His renewed push to investigate vaccine injuries could deepen a clash between Kennedy and the public health agencies he oversees, which have been upended by mass layoffs and disagreements over his controversial policies. Kennedy is releasing his blueprint for healthy children after weeks of tumult prompted by disagreements over vaccine policy at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that resulted in the director’s firing and other top leaders walking out on the job. Just last week, senators grilled Kennedy over his anti-vaccine agenda and his leadership of the public health agencies. Kennedy’s latest report, released on Tuesday, does not make regulatory changes. Instead, it calls for the government agencies to further research a wide range of issues related to Americans’ health, though it lays out no plans for funding that research. The National Institutes of Health, which is facing a 40% cut to its budget, is tasked with undertaking much of the MAHA-related research in the report. Under Kennedy’s plan, the government would ramp up investigations of vaccine injuries and develop a framework to ensure “America has the best childhood vaccine schedule” that is simultaneously “addressing vaccine injuries.” The nation’s health agencies already investigate vaccine injuries that are reported by individuals or providers, but Kennedy has repeatedly criticized the current process. An earlier version of the report was first leaked and publicized in August. Slight changes have been made to the final draft, which was developed by a “MAHA” commission that included Kennedy and other members of the president’s cabinet. Despite pledging “radical transparency,” the commission never held a public meeting ahead of the report’s release. Among the differences in the final version of the report released on Tuesday is a call for the National Institutes of Health to use personal medical records and health insurance claims data to investigate the cause of diseases and disorders, including autism. “The NIH will link multiple datasets, such as claims information, electronic health records, and wearables data, into a single integrated dataset for researchers studying the causes of, and developing treatments for, the chronic disease crisis,” the report says. Kennedy has vowed for months that he would unveil the cause of autism, a complex developmental disorder that impacts the brain, by September. He has promised to execute a massive research effort to identify the disorder’s causes, but has stayed mum on details regarding who is conducting that research and when it will be released. Last month, President Donald Trump pressed Kennedy for his findings during a cabinet meeting. Those who have spent decades researching autism have found no single cause. Besides genetics, scientists have identified various possible factors, including the age of a child’s father, the mother’s weight, and whether she had diabetes or was exposed to certain chemicals. The “MAHA” report addressed a […]

Chareidim are currently protesting outside Prison 10 against the arrests of two Chareidim over the IDF draft.

Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney puts out a statement condemning the Israeli strikes on Hamas targets in Qatar.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi and IAEA Director Rafael Grossi have officially signed the finalized cooperation framework between Tehran and the agency.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters at today’s press briefing that President Donald Trump had a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Israel’s airstrikes in Doha, Qatar, which were aimed at Hamas leadership based there.

“Netanyahu told Trump that he wanted to make peace quickly, and that the President believes that this unfortunate incident can be used as an opportunity for peace,” Leavitt stated.

She went on to say, “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and ally… does not advance Israel’s or America’s goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”

Leavitt also noted that Trump spoke with Qatar’s Emir, giving assurances that “Nothing like this will happen again on your soil.” She explained further that “President Trump immediately instructed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to notify the Qataris of the impending attack, and he did. The President considers Qatar a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack.”

She concluded by emphasizing Trump’s position: “President Trump wants all the hostages in Gaza and the bodies returned and for this war to end now. To be clear, the President disagrees with the location of the attack, and he did convey that to the Prime Minister.”

{Matzav.com}

A kol koreh signed by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel, the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, and the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah has called upon Klal Yisroel to rise in protest against the renewed gezeirah of forced conscription. The letter, issued Tuesday, describes the situation facing Am Yisroel as “a sha’ah kashe — from within and without.” It warns that the threat of drafting bnei Torah into the army is an existential assault on the very kiyum of Torah and mitzvos. “Our strength and our protection has always been the Torah ha’kedoshah,” the gedolim wrote, declaring that “the Torah is what has sustained us through all generations of galus.” The gedolim decry the government’s insistence on pushing forward its conscription agenda despite the grave spiritual danger it poses. “They are seeking to tear bnei Torah away from the daled amos shel halacha, to uproot lomdei Torah from the yeshivos and kollelim, and to endanger the existence of the Torah world.” In response, Chareidi leaders have announced massive protests for this Thursday. Police have already approved demonstrations in Yerushalayim, Beitar, Tzefas, Haifa, and Kiryat Gat, with coordination underway for additional cities. “This is the time to cry out in tefillah and rachamim, to show before Hashem that the Torah world stands together in defense of Torah and lomdei Torah,” the gedolim wrote. They urge every member of Klal Yisroel to participate in these demonstrations as an expression of kavod haTorah and hiskashrus to daas Torah. The gedolim further urged bnei Torah and yeshiva families to strengthen themselves in limud haTorah and tefillah during this eis tzarah. “With the zechus of Torah, we will continue to exist and endure against the nations of the world and against all who seek to weaken us.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup is here. The tech giant on Tuesday unveiled four new models that mark the latest editions to its marquee product. That includes the introduction of the iPhone Air, which Apple says is its thinnest smartphone yet. And, as seen in years past, its newest phones boast better cameras, longer lasting batteries and a handful of other upgrades across the board. The latest devices come with a new a A19 chip, which will particularly help power Apple’s artificial intelligence features. Tuesday’s lineup mark the first phones Apple has released since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and unleased a barrage of tariffs impacting goods that businesses sell and consumers buy every day. Some analysts speculated that California-based Apple may raise iPhone prices leading up to Tuesday’s announcement. But for the most part, Apple is sticking with the same price tags it’s slapped on its newest iPhones over recent years, just weeks after Google also held steady on prices for its new Pixel smartphones. Here’s what to know about the iPhone 17, which officially hits stores Sept. 19 — and other gadget updates. iPhone 17 prices Apple’s going price for the iPhone 17 begins at about $800 — compared to $1,100 and $1,200 for its iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. The iPhone Air will start at $1,000. Most of that aligns with the pricing Apple has rolled out with its new iPhones over the last five years — with the exception of the Pro, which is $100 more expensive this year. But that still falls within the $800 to $1,200 range that the company has outlined between its most basic and top offerings since 2020. Apple’s latest iPhone lineup arrives as companies across industries face rising costs from Trump’s new punishing tariffs on imports from around the world. And the Trump administration has also repeatedly insisted that iPhones should be made in the U.S., rather than in the company’s current manufacturing hubs overseas. But analysts stress that this is an unrealistic demand that would take years to pull off — and could result in doubling, or event tripling, iPhone’s current average price of $1,000. A camera revamp and longer battery life In addition to better camera quality on its front and back facing lenses, iPhone 17’s front camera has been upgraded across its lineup to have a wider field of view and new sensor, allowing you to take landscape photos and other selfie orientations without having to rotate your phone. iPhone’s new Air offering also gives users the option to record videos using the front and back cameras simultaneously. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max added a more powerful telephoto lens, among other improvements. Apple also boasted longer battery life across its iPhone 17 lineup. It said that its new iPhone Air, in particular, would be the tech giant’s most power-efficient iPhone yet. What about AI? The iPhones Apple rolled out last year were the first the company designed with a wide range of new AI features. The iPhone 17 lineup announced Tuesday doesn’t make as many leaps as its predecessor — but each phone will come with Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 26, which will feature incremental AI advances. Previewed at its developers conference in June and set to also launch next week, iOS 26 will include capabilities like allowing you to take a screenshot and […]

According to reports from the Saudi network Al Hadath, five of Hamas’s most senior operatives, including the group’s head Khaled Mashal, had gathered in Doha on Tuesday afternoon when the IDF struck the location. Early accounts indicated that Mashal and at least three others were killed in the blast.

This strike in the heart of Qatar’s capital marks the first time Israel has gone after Hamas’s leadership on Qatari soil. For nearly two years since the October 7 massacre, Israel had avoided directly targeting the top figures who lived in comfort there.

Among those said to have been present at the meeting were Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, along with veteran Hamas figure Nizar Awadallah. Arabic media outlets claim that all three, in addition to Mashal, were eliminated in the operation.

Al Jazeera, however, cited a Hamas representative who insisted the leaders survived. For now, Hamas has issued no official confirmation or denial about their status, and Qatari authorities have not clarified whether the intended targets were killed.

The IDF disclosed that the mission was given the name “Summit of Fire.”

It was further reported that President Donald Trump authorized the strike in advance, with the attack carried out in coordination with the United States.

{Matzav.com}