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An appellate court ruled Tuesday that Texas may require that public school classrooms display the Ten Commandments, a significant win for the conservative campaign to break down the legal walls between church and state and inject more religion into the public square.

The 9-8 ruling came from the conservative Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans. The case is widely expected to head next to the Supreme Court, where the conservative majority has been steadily removing restrictions on government support for religion.

Texas passed its Ten Commandments law in 2025, one of several efforts in recent years to infuse religion into public education. The Texas Board of Education, for instance, has also approved Bible-infused teaching materials and the state lets chaplains serve as school counselors.

A similar law requiring display of the Ten Commandments was approved in Louisiana in 2024. Federal judges blocked both statutes from taking effect, and a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals called Louisiana’s law “plainly unconstitutional.” Both states appealed to the full court, and the 17 active judges heard the case in January.

In February, the court ruled that it was too soon to challenge Louisiana’s law because it had not yet taken effect. On Tuesday, the court rendered its narrowly divided decision in the Texas case.

“This is a major victory for Texas and our moral values,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a post on X. “ … The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day.”

The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups representing challengers to the law said they were “extremely disappointed” and anticipate appealing to the Supreme Court.

“The Court’s ruling goes against fundamental First Amendment principles and binding U.S. Supreme Court authority,” the groups said in a statement. “The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights.”

Central to the case is the reach and interpretation of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, where the court allowed a football coach to pray at midfield after a game, calling it a personal religious observance protected by the right of free expression of one’s beliefs. In its decision, the court disavowed a long-standing legal standard known as the Lemon test, which for decades was used to invalidate policies that have a religious purpose or foster excessive government entanglement with religion.

A landmark Supreme Court decision in 1980 had relied at least in part on that test in invalidating a Kentucky law very much like recent laws passed in Texas and Louisiana mandating display of the Ten Commandments. In the Kentucky case, the court ruled that the mandatory displays were unconstitutional because the law had no secular purpose.

The question now is whether the football coach’s case means that other religious expressions are also permissible. In that case, the court endorsed considering “historical practices and understandings” in assessing the constitutionality of religious actions.

In its ruling Tuesday, the appellate court noted that the Lemon test had been jettisoned and said the Kentucky precedent no longer applied. Instead, it said, the court must consider whether the Texas law would have been considered an unconstitutional establishment of religion at the time of the nation’s founding.

Using this lens, the appellate court said Tuesday, displaying the Ten Commandments does not look like the establishment of religion.

“It does not tell churches or synagogues or mosques what to believe or how to worship or whom to employ as priests, rabbis, or imams. It punishes no one who rejects the Ten Commandments, no matter the reason. It levies no taxes to support any clergy. It does not co-opt churches to perform civic functions,” it said.

The court said that students would not be coerced into any religious exercise or observance.

“All the law requires is a poster on a classroom wall. To be sure, Plaintiffs disagree with the poster’s content, but that disagreement alone does not transform S.B. 10 into religious coercion,” the court wrote.

Michael A. Helfand, a law professor at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law who is an expert in church-state law, said the court was right to look to how this practice would have been viewed at the founding of the country but said the court’s answer to that question was wrong.

“The historical record provides evidence that when government acts to manipulate the religious preferences of its citizens, it violates the Establishment Clause. And requiring the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom should have been interpreted as an attempt to do just that,” Helfand said.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Laura Meckler 

The Trump administration is broadening its effort to combat fraud in federal healthcare programs, requiring every state to outline how it will recheck the credentials of certain Medicaid providers, marking a shift from earlier actions that focused on select states.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said Tuesday at a Politico healthcare summit that states will soon be formally asked to take responsibility for addressing fraud. He indicated that each state will be required to submit its plan within 30 days.

“It’s an example of what we’d like them to do to prove that they’re serious about this,” Oz said. “And if you don’t take it seriously, it indicates to us that we might have to take the audits that we’re doing to the different states more aggressively.”

The move is part of a broader initiative aimed at reducing waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicaid and Medicare, efforts that until now have largely concentrated on states governed by Democrats.

Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a government-wide task force focused on fraud in federal benefit programs, led by Vice President JD Vance. It remains unclear whether the latest directive is formally tied to that initiative, although Oz has been coordinating with Vance on related probes. When asked for additional specifics about the audits, a CMS spokesperson said the agency is reviewing questions submitted by the Associated Press.

Oz defended the expanded effort by pointing to concerns that some states have allowed large numbers of providers into federal health programs who may not be delivering legitimate care, instead exploiting the system for financial gain. He said the verification push would concentrate on “high risk areas,” though he did not elaborate on what qualifies as high risk.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat who has faced criticism from the administration and congressional Republicans over alleged fraud in federally funded programs, responded positively to the announcement.

Walz told reporters Tuesday that Minnesota had not yet received the formal request but noted that the state has already begun revalidating providers and has implemented major improvements. Minnesota previously filed a lawsuit against CMS in February after funds were withheld, and that case remains unresolved. The withheld funding has not yet been released, though CMS informed state officials last month that it had accepted Minnesota’s corrective action plan.

During the Politico discussion, Oz was asked whether the administration’s anti-fraud push could unintentionally disrupt or weaken essential healthcare services. He dismissed those concerns, expressing confidence that the effort would strengthen the programs.

“I believe this audit and others like it will save the programs we care most about,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

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President Donald Trump said tonight that Iran’s public stance on the Strait of Hormuz is driven by optics rather than strategy, arguing that Tehran is only calling for its closure to mask the impact of a sweeping U.S. blockade.

In a Truth Social post, Trump framed the situation as one in which Iran is suffering steep financial losses and attempting to manage perceptions. “Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day (which is, therefore, what they are losing if it is closed!).”

He then directly addressed what he sees as the disconnect between Iran’s statements and its true interests. “They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to ‘save face.’”

Trump also said he has received recent indications that Iran is eager to reopen the critical shipping lane. “People approached me four days ago, saying, ‘Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately.’”

At the same time, he warned that removing the blockade would eliminate leverage in any negotiations with Tehran. “But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump unleashed a blistering attack on The Wall Street Journal in a lengthy Truth Social post Tuesday evening, denouncing the paper’s editorial board and forcefully rejecting claims made in a recent opinion piece about his handling of Iran.

Opening with a broadside against the publication itself, Trump declared, “THE WALL STREET JOURNAL HAS LOST ITS WAY!”—setting the tone for a post that mixed personal insults, sweeping geopolitical claims, and a detailed defense of his record.

Trump specifically targeted an editorial board member, writing, “An IDIOT on The Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Board, named Elliot Kaufman, just wrote an Op Ed entitled, ‘The Iranians Take Trump for a Sucker.’ Really?” He then pivoted to a broader argument about his longstanding stance toward Iran, asserting, “For 47 years, they have killed our people, and many others, and taken advantage of every President, except me — And what did I give to them, a Country in tatters!”

The president went on to describe what he portrayed as the current weakened state of Iran’s military and infrastructure, claiming, “Their entire Navy is at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft and Radar is wiped out, their Nuclear Labs and Storage Areas were OBLITERATED late one dark June evening by our Great B-2 Bombers, their leaders are DEAD, including General Soleimani, their evil genius who destroyed the lives of so many with his favored roadside bombs.”

He also pointed to ongoing economic and strategic pressure, adding, “the Strait of Hormuz is BLOCKADED and totally controlled by the U.S., with no Ships allowed to go to Iranian Ports — It is said that they are losing 500 Million Dollars a day because of this — Their Country is an Economic Catastrophe, that is hanging by a thread.”

Trump contrasted his approach with that of previous administrations, singling out President Barack Obama. “Barack Hussein Obama gave them 1.7 Billion Dollars in ‘Green’ Cash, flown in by a Boeing 757 to their leaders, and Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in order to help them on their way to a Nuclear Bomb,” he wrote, adding, “Other Presidents did nothing to stop them, a BLIGHT on the Office of the Presidency!”

Returning to the Journal’s criticism, Trump doubled down on his rejection of the characterization presented in the op-ed. “But despite all of this, I have a MORON on the Editorial Board of The Wall Street Journal writing about me being taken for a ‘sucker.’ Iran certainly doesn’t think so! Neither does anyone else.”

He concluded by turning his ire toward media ownership, suggesting editorial direction from the top. “I guess Rupert Murdoch told him to write it this way, because The Wall Street Journal has lost its way, no longer required reading, just another failing political RAG!”

{Matzav.com}

The United States is preparing to deny entry to certain individuals seeking to attend the upcoming FIFA World Cup if they are accused of promoting antisemitism abroad, according to Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the U.S. special envoy tasked with addressing antisemitism.

Speaking this week, Kaploun said the policy reflects a broader stance by the administration against importing hate into the country. “The president and the secretary of state have made it perfectly clear that people who want to sow discord in this country are not welcome here,” Kaploun told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Friday. “People who want to bring their brand of hate to the United States with antisemitism are not welcome. Coming to this country is a privilege. It’s not a right.”

The possibility of such restrictions was first highlighted in a report by Euractiv, which cited Kaploun’s remarks at a European Jewish Association gathering in Brussels. According to that report, he said the United States was “holding countries accountable for ministers who are saying things, and they are not being allowed into the country.”

Kaploun, however, pushed back on the suggestion that the policy would target European political figures specifically, emphasizing instead that decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis. He underscored that individuals would be assessed individually rather than by nationality or position.

“If there is a minister that is promoting, you know, there are people who are promoting right-wing antisemitism or left-wing antisemitism,” Kaploun said. “Either way, coming to the United States is a privilege, not a right, and everybody is judged on making sure that they’re going to be coming to this country, that they’re going to not ferment hate.”

The next FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11 through July 19 across venues in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and is expected to be the largest tournament in the competition’s history, with 48 teams participating.

Among the nations that have qualified are several that have had direct tensions or conflict with Israel, including Iran, Turkey, and South Africa. Israel will not be part of the tournament after failing to advance through the qualifying rounds last year, following mounting pressure in some quarters to exclude it from European football competition.

Other participating countries include places where antisemitism has reportedly increased or where American officials have recently clashed with local authorities over issues affecting Jewish communities. One example cited is Belgium, where the U.S. ambassador publicly criticized the country’s health minister over the arrest of mohels who performed Jewish circumcisions.

Since taking on his role in December, Kaploun has spoken out repeatedly about antisemitism in Europe, including a dispute earlier this year with the head of the Conference of European Rabbis regarding the underlying causes of the problem.

His remarks come as FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed during CNBC’s Invest in America Forum on Wednesday that Iran would indeed compete in the World Cup, despite the ongoing hostilities and a tenuous ceasefire involving the United States and Israel.

“The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes,” Infantino said. “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”

On Thursday, Andrew Giuliani, who heads the White House task force overseeing World Cup preparations, told Politico that the administration anticipates Iran’s participation.

“I’m not going to speak for the Iranian team, but I will say that the president, when I’ve talked to him, has invited the Iranian team here,” Giuliani said. “The president of FIFA made a statement, I think, yesterday, that they’re going to be coming. So we expect them here.”

Addressing who might fall under potential entry restrictions, Kaploun pointed to individuals connected to incidents involving Israeli soccer fans, including a decision by England’s Aston Villa Football Club to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a match, as well as those linked to violent episodes in Amsterdam last year that left several fans injured.

“Those people who are responsible for what occurred in Amsterdam at the soccer matches, or that are responsible for the lies that ended up resulting in tourists, people, not being allowed to come to a soccer match — those people who do those things will be held accountable and aren’t welcome to come to the United States of America,” Kaploun said.

RICHMOND – Virginia voters approved a referendum to draw new congressional districts that could add as many as four Democratic seats to the House of Representatives, the Associated Press projects, awarding Democrats an advantage in the national redistricting war begun by Republicans.

Democrats and their allies poured at least $64 million into the Virginia campaign in a high-stakes bid to counter President Donald Trump’s push to add Republican seats in other states. Voters rewarded the effort, continuing momentum Democrats built with big wins in Virginia’s statewide elections last fall.

The measure was narrowly passing with the vast majority of ballots counted, according to unofficial returns.

Though voters had said in polls that they generally opposed partisan gerrymandering, many said they were willing to approve it for a limited time to send an extraordinary message to the White House.

“Tonight, Virginians sent a message heard across this country: we will not let Donald Trump or MAGA Republicans rig our democracy,” Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth), one of the leaders of the redistricting campaign, said in a statement.

Republican had countered that the effort was unconstitutional and a naked power grab. They filed a number of lawsuits to block the referendum and its amendment to the state constitution; several of those challenges are set to be heard by the Supreme Court of Virginia later this week.

“While these weren’t the results we were hoping for, they were not unexpected,” Virginia House GOP Leader Terry Kilgore (R-Scott) said in a statement. “From the start, this process was tilted: misleading ballot language and a massive spending advantage made this an uphill climb for voters trying to make sense of a deeply complicated issue.”

If Democrats were able to pick up four extra seats in Virginia, it would give the party a slight edge over Republicans in the national battle for control of the House – though redistricting efforts in Florida and other Southern states could yet change the math.

The high-profile contest drew a strong turnout for an out-of-season ballot measure election. The Associated Press estimated that 3 million Virginians cast ballots, or 48 percent of registered voters, compared with 55 percent of voters in last year’s gubernatorial election.

“I voted yes because we have to be thinking outside the box” to fight Trump’s policies, said Fairfax County voter Sophie Witucki, 34 with a baby boy swaddled around her chest and pushing a stroller with the boy’s brother and sister. “These are unprecedented times so we can’t abide by the same precedents we always have.”

Early voting began March 6 and nearly 1.37 million early ballots had been cast as of Saturday, according to state figures, compared with about 1.5 million early votes in the 2025 election.

At least $93 million – most of it in untraceable “dark money” – financed the contest, with supporters of the measure outspending opponents. National Democrats view the state as the biggest prize still available in the national redistricting arms race ahead of this fall’s midterm congressional elections.

Trump sparked the costly effort last year by pushing Republican-led states to create more GOP-leaning districts to help his party maintain its thin majority in the House. Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and Missouri responded, and then Democrats counterpunched by passing a referendum to create five new blue-leaning districts in California.

“Virginia voters have spoken, and tonight they approved a temporary measure to push back against a President who claims he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress,” Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) said in a statement. “Virginians watched other states go along with those demands without voter input – and we refused to let that stand. We responded the right way: at the ballot box.”

Virginia’s 11 House seats are held by six Democrats and five Republicans, but if voters approved the referendum, Democrats promised to implement a map that gives them an advantage in 10 districts. Five of them would be anchored in deep-blue Northern Virginia and stretch into rural parts of the state. At least two of the new blue districts – one in Hampton Roads and one in the Shenandoah region – would still be close, based on recent election results.

Jeff Ryer, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, said in a statement that the new ballot measure leaves “our Commonwealth the most severely gerrymandered state in the nation.”

Many voters who showed up at the polls early Tuesday said they found the onslaught of ads on the measure confusing and overwhelming.

Erin Frank, a 38-year-old physician assistant who described herself as a moderate Democrat, read an online sample of Virginia’s redistricting measure repeatedly on Monday night to figure out what it would actually change in her state.

She voted for it on Tuesday in Alexandria because it would give the Democratic Party a leg up. “If other states aren’t going to play by the rules, we have to have the option to redistrict so that we can have more seats on our side,” she said. “It just gives us an upper hand, and we need that right now.”

But Julian Burke, a 79-year-old Republican, voted against the measure from the same Alexandria precinct, saying that redistricting would further skew the state’s maps – which already have deep-blue areas such as in Northern Virginia – outside of the normal process, which relies on the census and an independent commission.

“It would’ve made Virginia lopsided all the way through 2030, and the Democrats have crazy policies,” he said. “Absolutely nuts.”

The vote-yes campaign in Virginia has raised far more money than its more fragmented opposition. Virginians for Fair Elections, which supports redistricting, reported raising $64 million as of a campaign finance deadline last week. About $40 million of that was contributed by House Majority Forward, a political nonprofit supporting House Democrats and led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York). The group is not required to report individual donors.

“We’re urging everyone to vote yes to stop the MAGA power grab,” Jeffries said Monday during a news conference. He and Virginia’s top Democrats, who control the state legislature, have held rallies around the state in recent weeks, and former president Barack Obama has appeared in several vote-yes advertisements. Spanberger has also endorsed the campaign, but has not been as gung-ho in support as California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was in that state. She initially argued that Democrats could pick up seats without redrawing the maps.

The vote-no campaign has been led by several smaller groups in different parts of the state. Virginians for Fair Maps, the best-funded, is led by former state attorney general Jason S. Miyares and had raised about $19 million as of the most recent deadline. It has not yet been required to disclose any of its donors.

Former governor Glenn Youngkin (R) has joined Miyares for a handful of public vote-no events, while Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) held a telephone rally for Monday night.

The referendum asks voters whether to amend the Virginia Constitution to temporarily allow partisan redistricting; the state would revert to its existing bipartisan redistricting commission in 2030. The General Assembly preapproved the new map so it would take effect in time to hold primaries Aug. 4 if the measure is approved.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Gregory S. Schneider, Praveena Somasundaram 

Iran pushed back Tuesday night against President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire extension, with state-linked media and senior officials signaling deep skepticism about Washington’s intentions and warning of potential military escalation.

The Iranian news outlet Tasnim reported that Tehran never requested any prolongation of the ceasefire with the United States, contradicting Trump’s earlier statement.

According to that report, Iranian officials are considering the possibility that the entire situation—including talk of extending the ceasefire—could be a strategic ruse by Trump. The outlet suggested that Washington might declare an extension publicly while leaving open the option for the United States or Israel to carry out attacks on Iranian territory afterward.

Tasnim further reported that Iranian leadership is actively tracking such scenarios and taking them seriously, indicating that Tehran is not dismissing the risk of a surprise strike.

At the same time, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told Reuters that Trump’s move to extend the ceasefire is a “ploy to buy time” ahead of a potential unexpected military action.

The adviser added that the ongoing US naval blockade targeting Iranian ports amounts to an act of war, saying it is “no different from bombardment and must be met with a military response.”

Earlier Tuesday, Trump stated that the ceasefire would continue for an unspecified period to give Iran’s leadership additional time to present a unified proposal for a potential agreement.

In a Truth Social post, Trump emphasized that the US naval blockade would remain in effect until Tehran submits such a proposal.

“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” Trump wrote.

“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” he added.

Trump’s statement came after a report in The New York Times indicated that Vice President JD Vance’s anticipated visit to Pakistan for another round of talks with Iranian officials has been delayed.

The delay followed Tehran’s lack of response to the latest US proposals, according to a US official familiar with the matter who spoke to the Times.

Later Tuesday, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Pakistan has not yet succeeded in convincing the United States to remove its naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.

That official reiterated Iran’s position that it will not engage in negotiations conducted under coercion or intended to force Tehran into capitulation.

However, the official left the door open to possible talks in Pakistan, stating that Iran could still participate if the United States steps back from what were described as policies of “pressure and threats.”

{Matzav.com}

A sharp diplomatic clash is unfolding between Russia and Israel, after Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova publicly criticized remarks made by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

The criticism followed a speech Netanyahu delivered at a ceremony at Mount Herzl, where he warned of the threat of “another Holocaust” emerging from Iran. In his address, he stated that “the regime in Iran planned another Holocaust,” cautioning that without decisive intervention, Iran’s nuclear facilities could become symbols akin to extermination camps.

Zakharova responded with an unusually blunt and sarcastic statement, saying, “Did Iran also carry out the first Holocaust?” She said the comparison between Iran and Nazi Germany was, in her view, fundamentally flawed and misleading.

She argued that during World War II, Iran had aligned itself with the Allied powers and formally declared war on Nazi Germany in 1943. She emphasized that responsibility for the Holocaust lies with Nazi Germany and its collaborators across Europe, not Iran.

Zakharova further criticized the use of references to extermination camps such as Auschwitz concentration camp, Majdanek concentration camp, and Sobibor extermination camp in connection with Iran, calling such comparisons “inappropriate” and offensive to the memory of Holocaust victims. She described the remarks as a distortion of historical facts and a misuse of terminology.

Expanding her remarks beyond the immediate dispute, Zakharova also accused Israel of overlooking what she described as the glorification of Nazi collaborators in Ukraine since 2014. She also reiterated controversial claims regarding alleged Western involvement in financing Nazi Germany.

Concluding her statement, Zakharova urged a return to international diplomatic frameworks, specifically calling for renewed adherence to the nuclear agreement with Iran. She cited Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has stressed the importance of coordinated global efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

{Matzav.com}

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has assumed primary responsibility for investigating a series of deaths and disappearances involving personnel connected to sensitive U.S. scientific facilities, amid growing concern over whether the cases are related.

Federal officials are examining at least 10 incidents tied to individuals affiliated with major research institutions, including NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory, to determine if any common thread links the cases.

In a statement cited by CBS News, the FBI said it is “spearheading the effort” alongside the Department of Energy, Department of War, and various state and local law enforcement agencies.

The stepped-up involvement reflects rising alarm among officials, some of whom have described the pattern of incidents as “eyebrow raising.”

President Donald Trump addressed the matter as well, calling the developments “pretty serious stuff” and signaling that the administration is closely tracking the situation.

While expressing hope that the cases may ultimately prove unrelated, Trump underscored the significance of those involved, remarking that “some of them were very important people.”

The cases, spread out over several years, include a range of circumstances, from missing persons to confirmed killings and deaths that remain unexplained.

One of the most prominent cases involves the disappearance of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland in New Mexico earlier this year. McCasland, who once headed the Air Force Research Laboratory, went missing after leaving his residence without his phone or other personal items, prompting widespread speculation.

Additional incidents include a NASA-linked aerospace engineer who vanished during a hike in California, along with several deaths of scientists reported in Massachusetts and California.

Authorities note that some of the cases have been resolved with clear explanations, including criminal activity or personal factors, while others continue to defy resolution.

Investigators and analysts have urged caution in interpreting the situation, warning against drawing premature conclusions based on incomplete information.

Officials familiar with the investigations say no definitive evidence currently connects the cases, with some pointing out the sheer size of the workforce at these facilities as a possible explanation for the number of incidents.

“People do just die,” one former Energy Department official noted, citing health issues, accidents, and other causes.

Even so, concerns have not been fully dismissed about possible foreign involvement. Some Republican lawmakers have raised the possibility that countries such as China, Russia, or Iran could have an interest in targeting U.S. scientific personnel, particularly given current global tensions and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

Rep. Eric Burlison said he would “not be surprised” if foreign actors played a role, noting that several of the affected individuals had been involved in highly sensitive national security work.

The FBI’s expanded role comes as public attention intensifies, driven in part by speculation circulating on social media and demands for greater transparency.

Lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee have also opened their own inquiry, requesting briefings from multiple federal agencies.

At the same time, agencies including NASA have emphasized that there is no indication of a broader national security threat tied to the incidents, highlighting the uncertainty that still surrounds the cases.

As the investigation continues, the Trump administration has pledged a comprehensive review, with officials vowing that “no stone will be unturned” in determining whether the events are isolated or part of a larger pattern.

{Matzav.com}

NASA’s effort to send astronauts back to the Moon is facing new uncertainty after a government audit warned that critical spacesuit development is falling behind schedule, putting the 2028 target in doubt.

A report from the agency’s inspector general found that NASA is struggling to keep its next-generation lunar spacesuits on track. Because the suits are essential for astronauts to safely operate on the Moon’s surface, any delay in their readiness could directly impact the mission timeline.

Officials acknowledged that early development timelines were too optimistic and have already slipped by more than a year. Auditors cautioned that in a worst-case scenario, key testing milestones may not occur until 2031, years after NASA hopes to land astronauts on the Moon.

The issue is compounded by the age of existing equipment. Spacesuits currently used for spacewalks aboard the International Space Station date back decades, with core designs more than 50 years old. Meanwhile, suits from the Apollo era are no longer suitable for modern missions, requiring entirely new systems to be developed.

NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, depends heavily on these upgraded suits. In 2022, the agency awarded contracts to Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to build them, opting to purchase spacesuit services rather than own the hardware outright.

The program encountered a major setback in 2024 when Collins Aerospace withdrew after determining it could not meet NASA’s schedule, leaving Axiom Space as the sole contractor responsible for delivering the suits. Auditors warned that relying on a single provider increases the risk of further delays.

NASA said it agrees with recommendations to improve coordination across its programs and establish compatibility standards between spacesuits and lunar vehicles.

“NASA concurs with this recommendation. Work is already underway to coordinate across relevant programs, and the Agency will develop a plan to establish interoperability standards between Artemis lunar vehicles and spacesuits, the agency said.

“Upon completing the individual Artemis vehicle-to-xEVA System Interface Control Documents (ICDs), NASA will develop a single, consolidated Artemis vehicle-to-xEVA System ICD. Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 2027.”

The report comes as NASA continues making progress on its Artemis missions, including a recent crewed flight that carried astronauts around the Moon.

Still, the audit found that earlier goals for spacesuit demonstrations and testing have already been pushed back significantly, and extensive work remains. That includes environmental testing designed to simulate the harsh conditions astronauts will face on the lunar surface.

If delays continue along the lines seen in past space programs, the suits may not be ready until 2031, potentially affecting other parts of the mission timeline. The agency also faces a narrowing window to test the suits aboard the International Space Station before it is retired around 2030.

Experts say these kinds of delays are not unusual in human spaceflight, but they often become the final obstacle before launch.

“Historically, the space suit has been the last piece of the human spaceflight puzzle,” said Cathleen Lewis of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

Others say the suits are just one of several components that could determine whether NASA meets its deadline.

“This report makes me wonder which will be the critical bottleneck to a crewed lunar landing in 2028, the landing system or the EVA suit,” said University of Chicago historian Jordan Bimm. “Would they do a lunar landing without an EVA? I seriously doubt it.”

{Matzav.com}

A wave of emotion swept through Yeshivas Grodna on Tuesday as the rosh yeshiva, Rav Yitzchok Hacker, returned to the heichal hayeshiva for the first time since the month of Teves, following a prolonged period of serious medical treatment.

The return of the beloved rosh yeshiva was met with visible excitement, as talmidim and rabbeim gathered to welcome him with singing and heartfelt emotion.

For months, the olam haTorah had been davening intensely for his recovery after he underwent a complex and critical medical procedure.

In the early afternoon, Rav Hacker appeared at the entrance to the yeshiva, where he was greeted by the hanhalah and the talmidim with singing and palpable excitement.

Soon after, the rosh yeshiva delivered a shiur to hundreds of bnei hayeshiva, who crowded into the room to hear his words. The shiur took place in the newly renovated shiur room, which is now set to serve as the central cheder chaburos for the roshei yeshiva.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I’m writing this because my heart is heavy, and I suspect I’m not the only one feeling this way.

We just went through another month of Nissan and moved into Iyar. In our circles, this time of year is about Sefirah, about the mourning for the talmidim of Rabbi Akiva who didn’t show enough kavod to one another. We talk about it in every shul, we learn the Gemara in Yevamos, and we warn our children about the dangers of Sinas Chinam.

But then I step outside, or I open a group chat, or I sit at a Shabbos table, and I see a different reality.

I see Yiden—good, erliche Yiden—who can spend three hours debating a Tosafos but can’t spend three minutes acknowledging the neshama of a brother who wears a different colored yarmulke. I see the way we talk about the “other side”—the ones who say Hallel today, or the ones who see the hand of Hashem in the State.

We’ve turned our hashkafic differences into a reason to delegitimize another person’s entire existence. We treat a fellow Jew like a project to be corrected or a threat to be avoided.

I’m not a politician, and I’m not a posek. I’m just a Yid who is tired. I’m tired of the labels. I’m tired of the “Us vs. Them” mentality that has seeped into our kehillos.

How can we look at a fellow Yid—someone who is sincerely expressing Hakaras HaTov to the Ribono Shel Olam, even if it’s in a way our Rabbanim don’t subscribe to—and feel anything but a sense of shared connection? We are so quick to judge the method that we completely ignore the sincerity of the heart. We are so focused on being “correct” that we forget to be “kind.”

The Chofetz Chaim says that the Beis HaMikdash is waiting for one thing: for us to stop being “right” and start being brothers. We are so busy guarding the walls that we’ve forgotten who we’re supposed to be guarding them for.

To my fellow readers who feel this “ache” in the middle: You aren’t alone. It’s okay to love a Jew you don’t agree with. In fact, it might be the only chumra that actually brings Mashiach.

Let’s stop the argument for just a moment. Let’s try to see the Pintele Yid again. Because at the end of the day, when we stand before the Kisei HaKavod, Hashem isn’t going to ask us if we were “right” about the State. He’s going to ask us if we loved His children.

A Pained Reader (Name withheld by request)

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Rav Eliyahu Dermer zt”l, one of the veteran talmidim of Yeshivas Chevron and a central pillar in the kollelim of Meah Shearim and Perushim, has passed away at the age of 93.

Rav Eliyahu was born in Romania on the 13th of Kislev 5693 to his father Rav Mordechai Dermer zt”l and his mother Rebbetzin Rivah a”h. A survivor from the era of the churban in Europe, he came from a lineage tracing back to the Be’er Mayim Chaim.

At the young age of 14, he was deported to a labor camp. After arriving in Eretz Yisroel, he learned in his youth at Yeshivas Knesses Yisroel–Chevron. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married the daughter of Rav Yitzchok Rosenthal zt”l, founder of Kollel Midrash Bnei Tzion and author of the Kerem Tzion on Seder Zeraim.

Throughout his life, he was deeply connected to chinuch and dedicated himself to imparting Toras hamussar with depth and elevated thought. He was known for his unwavering hasmadah in learning, his inner connection to Torah, and his quiet, humble conduct in all his ways.

He was among the longtime members of Kollel Chevron–Bais Medrash Perushim in Givat Shaul, a longstanding pillar in Kollel Meah Shearim, and served as a maggid shiur in the Or HaTorah shul in Maaleh Adumim. He also played a role in establishing Talmud Torah HaMesorah in Yerushalayim and strengthened the field of STa”M together with leading sofrim from the previous dor. Those who knew him describe a person who was maavir al midosav in an exceptional way.

He merited to build a distinguished family.

He was laid to rest on Har HaZeisim.

The family is sitting shivah at his home, 15 Rechov Amos in Yerushalayim.

Tehei nishmaso tzerurah b’tzror hachaim.

Smokers and users of alternative nicotine products in Israel are expected to face higher costs under a proposed tax overhaul that targets vaping devices and tobacco pouches, even as taxes on e-liquid are set to drop significantly.

Under the plan, a new purchase tax will be imposed for the first time on electronic cigarette vaping devices, alongside a levy of roughly 350 shekels per kilogram on tobacco and nicotine pouches. At the same time, the tax on vaping liquid will be sharply reduced to one shekel per milliliter, a move aimed at curbing black market activity while shifting the financial burden toward equipment and newer nicotine products.

According to reports, the draft legislation proposes a one-shekel-per-milliliter tax on vaping liquid, a 10-shekel tax on vaping devices, and a levy of approximately 350 shekels per kilogram on tobacco and nicotine pouches.

The Israel Tax Authority has published the proposal for public comment. Once Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signs the order, it can take effect quickly without requiring full legislative approval in three readings, as the finance minister holds authority to set tax rates. The only requirement for implementation is approval by the Knesset Finance Committee.

If lawmakers oppose the measure, the full Knesset would need to convene and revoke the order by a simple majority. A similar situation occurred with a previous order adjusting the VAT exemption threshold on personal imports, which was initially canceled before being revised and reissued. In that case, the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce petitioned the High Court of Justice, and the Finance Committee also voiced opposition. The Knesset is expected to revisit that issue in the coming weeks. In contrast, widespread opposition to the new vaping tax proposal is not anticipated.

The legislation also includes tighter oversight of taxation on electronic cigarettes. Originally part of broader budget legislation, it was separated because it was not directly tied to the state budget and will now be reviewed independently by the Finance Committee after the minister signs the order.

In addition, the government is advancing a broader restructuring of how electronic cigarettes and emerging smoking products are taxed, following recommendations from a professional committee and a cabinet decision issued in December 2025. The proposal introduces, for the first time, a purchase tax on vaping devices themselves while significantly lowering the tax on the liquid component.

Until now, tax policy on e-cigarettes has focused mainly on the liquid, similar to traditional cigarettes and rolling tobacco. However, the committee concluded that electronic cigarettes should be treated as a distinct product, with the liquid not representing the primary component in terms of either cost or usage.

The panel highlighted two main reasons: first, the liquid cannot be used without the device; second, the production cost of the liquid is minimal compared to that of the device. As a result, it recommended viewing the product as a combined unit — device and liquid — and adjusting taxation accordingly.

A central goal of the reform is to eliminate the black market. Officials say that the previously high tax on vaping liquid encouraged widespread illegal trade. Lowering the tax on liquid while introducing a levy on devices is intended to draw businesses back into the legal market and improve compliance. Over time, policymakers say, tax rates could be gradually increased once the system stabilizes.

The reform extends beyond e-cigarettes. In response to the growing range of smoking alternatives introduced over the past decade, the proposal also seeks to apply purchase taxes to products containing tobacco, tobacco substitutes, and nicotine — including both tobacco and nicotine pouches. Alongside these tax changes, the government is promoting additional legislation to regulate smoking products for taxation purposes, including updated licensing, reporting, and enforcement requirements across the supply chain. That measure has already passed its first reading as part of the 2026 economic program.

{Matzav.com}

Americans could enter the next respiratory illness season without clear federal direction on COVID-19 shots and updated flu vaccines after a recent court decision disrupted the nation’s vaccine advisory system, raising uncertainty about whether some new immunizations will be covered by insurance.

The ruling, issued by Boston-based U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, halted the work of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the panel that provides guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine use.

Murphy determined that most members of a panel appointed last year by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lacked proper qualifications and ordered their decisions suspended, effectively reinstating the prior childhood immunization schedule that Kennedy and his allies had sought to overhaul.

As a result, the CDC is currently without a functioning advisory group to issue recommendations on new vaccines or updated uses for existing ones.

“It’s just uncharted territory,” said Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, who left the agency last year in protest over Kennedy’s moves to rewrite U.S. vaccine policies.

Experts warn that without recommendations from the advisory panel, newly approved vaccines and expanded uses—while still legal—may not be covered by insurers or included in federal programs, according to Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University and a longtime adviser to the panel.

Kennedy has not yet announced whether he will attempt to restructure the advisory committee under its revised charter, appeal the ruling, or pursue both options.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which Kennedy oversees, did not respond to inquiries regarding the future of the advisory panel or vaccine guidance.

Uncertainty is particularly high surrounding updated COVID-19 vaccines.

Typically, the advisory panel reviews and revises recommendations for flu and COVID shots during its June meeting. Seasonal flu vaccines already carry a long-standing universal recommendation for individuals six months and older, meaning they may not require a fresh vote this year, according to former CDC officials speaking to Reuters.

COVID-19 vaccines may be treated differently, however, because they target a newer virus and have a shorter history of use. Their safety profile has been a central focus of the advisory panel under Kennedy, who has long been associated with vaccine skepticism.

“You could argue that it’s recommended because it’s on the (immunization) schedule, or that it’s not because the previous recommendations were for the 2025-26 vaccine,” said one former CDC vaccine official, who requested anonymity, of COVID shots.

The health insurance industry group America’s Health Insurance Plans has said it will continue covering vaccines that had been recommended by the advisory panel as of September 1, 2025, through the end of 2026, before major revisions to the schedule were proposed.

An industry source said insurers will continue to rely on the latest medical evidence and clinical guidance from professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

The court’s order has also created uncertainty around Merck’s Enflonsia, a monoclonal antibody treatment designed to prevent RSV infection in infants. The advisory panel had voted in June to recommend the therapy, though Merck has said the product is not central to the legal dispute.

“We have not ⁠heard of any changes to the availability of Enflonsia,” said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, a national group representing state and local immunization officials.

Several vaccines that have already received approval from the Food and Drug Administration are still awaiting advisory panel recommendations. These include three RSV vaccines for adults ages 18 to 49 at elevated risk: Pfizer’s Abrysvo, Moderna’s mResvia, and GlaxoSmithKline’s Arexvy.

At present, RSV vaccines are recommended only for adults 75 and older, as well as those between 50 and 74 who face higher risk. The advisory panel had also been expected to consider whether seniors who already received an RSV shot should get a booster.

Other ongoing work typically handled by the panel has been stalled as well, including a long-term review examining whether fewer doses of the HPV vaccine could still effectively prevent cervical cancer.

“That’s the type of work the ACIP should be doing,” said Dr. Jose Romero, a former ACIP chair. “They may be derailed from that.”

The disruption could also impact vaccines expected to receive FDA approval later this year.

Under its newly issued charter, the advisory panel is still directed to review vaccines at its first meeting following FDA authorization. Without an active panel, however, newly approved products could remain available without any formal federal recommendation.

That includes Moderna’s experimental mRNA-based flu vaccine, which would be the first of its kind in the United States. A decision from the FDA is anticipated by early August.

Recommendations from the advisory panel would also be necessary if a Lyme disease vaccine being developed by Pfizer and Valneva secures approval. Although the vaccine did not meet its primary endpoint, it demonstrated roughly 70 percent effectiveness in a late-stage trial, and Pfizer has indicated it plans to seek authorization.

“If the vaccine is not fully recommended and it’s a newer vaccine, will the payers pay?” said Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota. “We don’t have any guarantee of that.”

{Matzav.com}

Professor Alan Dershowitz announced that he is switching parties after nearly seven decades as a Democrat, saying he plans to register as a Republican.

The longtime Harvard Law School professor emeritus explained his decision in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, pointing to the Democratic Party’s position on Israel as the decisive factor. While noting that he still disagrees with Republicans on issues such as abortion, immigration, healthcare, taxation, and church-state separation, he said he is nonetheless making a full shift.

“By registering as a Republican rather than an independent, maybe I can have some influence on moving some Republican policies toward the center. I have given up on trying to change the Democratic Party,” he lamented.

Reaction from left-leaning figures was immediate and largely celebratory, with little indication of disappointment over his departure.

“I can’t think of anything better for the Democratic Party than Alan Dershowitz not being a part of it,” former Obama national security adviser Ben Rhodes wrote on X.

Others were even more blunt in their criticism. “Good riddance to bigoted Epstein Air frequent flier and atrocity denier Alan Dershowitz,” wrote Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the Center for International Policy.

Some voices on the right also expressed skepticism about Dershowitz’s move. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo characterized him as part of what he called “the Right is a dumping ground for failed celebrities and MeToo cases.”

{Matzav.com}

A moving memorial ceremony was held Tuesday at the cemetery in Kfar HaRif to honor victims of the October 7 massacre, where former hostage Eli Sharabi visited the graves of his wife and daughters, who were murdered in their home, as well as his brother, who was killed in Hamas captivity.

The event took place as part of Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Sharabi paid tribute at the graves of his wife, Lian, and daughters, Noya and Yahli, who were killed during the attack in Be’eri, and at the grave of his brother Yossi, who was abducted and later murdered in captivity.

“The day you were taken in unimaginable cruelty is the day our lives took a turn with no way back,” Sharabi said in an emotional eulogy, adding, “your light has not gone out. It has become a light that leads me, that gives strength even when it’s hard to rise.”

Reflecting on his life with his wife, he said, “we shared the tasks of the home, which were much more than food. They were the smells and tastes of a home, they were a hug.” Speaking about his daughters, he added, “I miss the sounds of you in the house, the footsteps, the laughter, the cries of ‘Abba’ that fill the space.” He explained that “the longing does not weaken, it only changes form. It is present in the quiet of the house, at the Friday table, in the laughter that is no longer heard.”

Sharabi, a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri, was kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 attack carried out by Hamas terrorists. He was freed in February 2025 after 491 days in captivity. During the massacre, his wife and two daughters were murdered, while his brother Yossi, who was also taken hostage, was killed after 100 days in captivity.

In June of that year, Sharabi published a memoir titled “Chatuf” (“Hostage”), recounting his experiences in Hamas captivity. The book quickly became the fastest-selling title in Hebrew publishing history, with more than 20,000 copies sold within five days, earning it “Gold Book” status.

Two months later, the book reached “Platinum Book” status after surpassing 70,000 copies sold, and in September it achieved “Diamond Book” recognition with more than 100,000 copies sold.

An English edition was released on October 7, 2025, and within a week of its publication in the United States, it climbed to fourth place on the The New York Times bestseller list and was included among the 100 books to read in 2025.

Sen. Chris Murphy is facing sharp backlash after reacting positively to a disputed report claiming that dozens of Iranian vessels slipped past the U.S. naval blockade, a response he later said was meant as sarcasm.

The controversy began when Murphy responded on X to a report by Lloyd’s List, a maritime publication, which claimed that at least 26 Iranian “shadow fleet” ships had evaded U.S. enforcement.

“Awesome,” Murphy (D-Conn.) posted on X in response to a report from the shipping journal Lloyd’s List claiming that at least 26 so-called “shadow fleet” vessels had eluded the American shipping siege.

After drawing widespread criticism, Murphy said his comment was not meant to praise Iran or the situation, but rather to criticize the handling of the conflict.

“Ok Twitter, I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not ‘awesome,’” Murphy posted on X.

“As I have said a million times here, it’s a disaster and he should end the war immediately. My tweet was something called ‘sarcasm.’”

He later acknowledged the confusion his comment caused, telling a reporter, “I just have to be more careful about sarcasm on Twitter” in the future.

The Pentagon also rejected the underlying report. Chief spokesperson Sean Parnell dismissed it as “false” and criticized Murphy’s reaction as “shameful” in a social media response.

Even within Democratic circles, the post drew criticism. One Democratic staffer told The Post that Murphy’s comment was inappropriate given the seriousness of the issue, saying, “Stupid sarcasm over life or death issues is beneath a senator.”

The same staffer added that while Murphy may have intended sarcasm, the political context made the remark problematic: “Was it sarcasm? Certainly,” the staffer insisted. “But when so many on the far-left have been openly cheering for the Iranian regime (see Calla Walsh), and when Murphy has shown a willingness to play to the far-left when it suits him politically, Republicans can hardly be blamed for taking him at his word.

“If a Republican had posted something like this in reverse, you bet … Dems would be hitting them for it.”

Murphy, a vocal critic of the war with Iran, has repeatedly condemned U.S. policy in recent weeks. During a trip to Spain, he warned that the United States is facing “the most significant threat to American democracy since the Civil War.”

“We are not on the verge of a totalitarian takeover, we are in the middle of it,” he fumed, urging global progressives to “beat back the forces of fascism.”

Murphy serves on several key foreign policy panels, including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and had previously been mentioned as a potential secretary of state candidate if Kamala Harris had won the 2024 election.

The initial post triggered a wave of criticism online, with detractors accusing Murphy of appearing to support a hostile regime.

Sen. Rick Scott condemned the remark, calling Murphy an “embarrassment to the Senate” and accusing him of “rooting for enemy terrorists who target and kill Americans.” He added, “He should be stripped of his assignment to the Foreign Relations Committee NOW!”

Republicans echoed that criticism through official channels, writing, “Senate Democrats are expected to disagree with Republicans. But cheering for our enemy, especially for a regime that has killed so many American citizens, is beyond the pale. Democrats in Congress ought to condemn this disgusting remark,” the Senate GOP X account said.

Conservative commentators also piled on. “’Go Iran!’ exclaimed the United States Senator,” wrote pundit Stephen L. Miller. Chaya Raichik added, “You’re a traitor,” while Laura Loomer wrote, “You should be removed from the Senate. You are a national security threat.”

Will Chamberlain commented, “Really is awesome to have an Iranian agent in the United States Senate. Much diversity!” and Ian Miles Cheong added, “I wonder how US troops feel about one of their elected senators actively rooting against them.”

The controversy comes as tensions continue to rise following the U.S. decision to impose a blockade on Iran last week. President Donald Trump ordered the move after Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil chokepoint through which a significant share of the world’s energy supply passes.

{Matzav.com}