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Iran, Russia, and China have signed a joint letter rejecting the EU’s snapback sanctions on Tehran, calling them illegal and politically harmful.

Iranian President Pezeshkian met with Russian President Putin in China.

Trump emphasizes that drug companies need to demonstrate the effectiveness of their COVID-19 treatments.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on the sidelines of a regional summit in China on Monday in a show of deepening ties when New Delhi’s relations with Washington are strained over the purchase of Russian oil. The two leaders held talks after attending the key session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization gathering in the port city of Tianjin, where discussions focused on regional stability, bilateral trade and energy cooperation. In his remarks to open the talks, Modi termed the partnership with Moscow as “special and privileged.” Putin addressed Modi as a “dear friend” and hailed Russia’s ties with India as special, friendly and trusting. “Russia and India have maintained special relations for decades. Friendly, trusting. This is the foundation for the development of our relations in the future,” Putin said. “These relations are absolutely non-partisan in nature, supported by the overwhelming majority of the peoples of our countries.” Putin plans to travel to India in December for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit, according to his foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov. Relationships on display Modi used the SCO meeting to welcome the peace initiatives aimed at halting the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and called on the stakeholders to move forward constructively. “To end the conflict soonest and establish peace permanently, we need to find out a way. It’s a call of the entire humanity,” Modi said. At the talks, Putin was accompanied by a large delegation that included top government officials. Russian state media reported that before sitting down for the formal dialogue, Putin and Modi spoke one-on-one for almost an hour in Aurus, a high-end, Russian-made limousine that Putin regularly brings on foreign trips. Moments before the leaders lined up for a group photo, Modi was seen clasping Putin’s hand with the gusto of an old friend, bursting into his trademark hearty laughter. The moment was infectious as Putin grinned and chuckled, while Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a measured smile. The trio, ringed by watchful interlocuters, chatted animatedly for a few seconds. Modi met Xi ahead of the opening of the summit Sunday and the two leaders pledged to resolve their border differences and bolster cooperation. Washington pushing together China, Russia and India Monday’s bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin carried added significance by coming days after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariffs on Indian imports, raising the total duties to a steep 50%, in retaliation to India’s continued purchases of discounted Russian oil. Washington has repeatedly warned New Delhi against buying Russian crude which it said was partly keeping Moscow’s revenues afloat to fund the Ukraine war. India has defended its imports as essential for meeting its growing energy needs of 1.4 billion people. Analysts said Trump’s steep tariff and a general abrasiveness of the White House have inadvertently recalibrated a process whereby New Delhi is seeking closer cooperation with China and Russia. “While India-China reengagements started much before Trump, his policies are accelerating a process whereby India seems to be working much more closely with China and Russia to push back against economic unilateralism it is witnessing from the U.S.,” said Harsh Pant, vice president of foreign policy at New Delhi based think tank the Observer Research Foundation. Ashok Malik, partner and chair of India practice at U.S. based advisory firm the Asia Group, said a […]

The Trump administration has officially suspended the issuance of visas for Palestinian passport holders, preventing entry even for purposes such as medical care, education, or family visits.

The Houthis published an official list of 12 senior officials killed in Thursday’s Israeli strike on Sanaa, including the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, and several ministers covering economy, foreign affairs, agriculture, tourism, sports, labor, justice, energy, and information. Israel said military leaders were also targeted, though their names have not been released.

IDF and Yahalom engineers destroyed over 8 kilometers of Hamas tunnels, while the Kfir Brigade targeted military sites, captured weapons, and established the “Magen Oz” route separating eastern and western Khan Younis.

At the funeral for the Houthi Prime Minister and Ministers, the crowd erupted in chants: “Death to the USA! Death to Israel! Cursed be the Jews! Victory to Islam!”

The Houthis claimed they struck the Israeli tanker Scarlet Ray in the Red Sea with a missile, calling it a “direct hit,” but the UKMTO reported the missile missed the vessel.

The death toll from the earthquake in Afghanistan has rised to 509, with over 1,000 injured

As thousands of Brelover chassidim prepare to travel to Uman, the IDF is planning to step up enforcement against Chareidi draft-dodgers. The enforcement will not only take place at Ben Gurion Airport but also at various crossing and in Chareidi areas. Channel 12 News reported that in recent days, military police have been stationed in areas where a high concentration of Chareidi travelers is expected, including Elad, Beitar Illit, and the Jerusalem area.

The Houthis in Yemen held a mass funeral in Saana on Monday morning for Prime Minister Ahmed A-Rahawi and almost all the members of the Houthi cabinet who were eliminated in the Israeli airstrike last week. Twelve coffins were seen placed side by side in a row as the masses shouted “Death to Israel!” several times during the funeral.

JEWS CONTROL THE WEATHER? A flotilla headed to Gaza that had departed Barcelona under much fanfare was forced back to port after a storm hit parts of Spain overnight. The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of around 20 boats with participants from 44 countries, chose to return and delay its departure to “prioritize safety,” a statement said Monday. Facing winds of over 56 kilometers per hour (35 miles per hour), some of the smaller boats taking part in the mission would have been at risk, it said. The flotilla is the largest attempt yet to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea.

UPDATE: The Levaya of the Viznitzer Rebbetzin of Kiamesha (Gibbers) A”H will take place at 11:15AM in front of the Viznitzer Shul in Gibbers, followed by a Levaya for women in the parking lot of the Viznitzer Yeshiva Gedola. Afterward, the Mita may go to Boro Park to pass the home of the Rachmistrivka Rebbetzin, the Nifteres’ mother, or it will proceed directly to Monsey, passing the Viznitzer Shul on the way to the Viznitzer Beis HaChaim on Route 306. Further updates to follow.

A confidential army assessment has determined that Operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” the large-scale campaign launched in May against Hamas and concluded last month, fell short of its intended goals, according to a report released Sunday, Times of Israel reports.

Channel 12 news published portions of the internal document, which bluntly states that the mission did not accomplish either of its stated aims — removing Hamas from power or securing the release of hostages. The assessment was circulated last week by the Operational Information Center within the IDF ground forces and has already reached multiple brigades, the network said.

Commanders who went over the material voiced concerns that the findings cast a shadow over the army’s upcoming offensive in Gaza City planned for October, questioning whether the necessary lessons had been absorbed in time.

Although IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top brass have spoken positively about Gideon’s Chariots in public forums, the internal review was far harsher, stating that “Israel made every possible mistake” in carrying out the mission, the report noted.

The document faults the army for acting “contrary to its own military doctrine” by allowing humanitarian supplies to strengthen the enemy, failing to create pressure with time constraints, misallocating resources, and ultimately draining its own troops while diminishing international backing.

It further observes that Hamas continues to benefit from everything it needs to persist and declare victory: access to supplies, safe territory, and a fighting strategy suited to its needs.

The analysis argues that Israel leaned on “deterrence logic rather than decisive victory,” seeking to extend combat until a truce and hostage-release arrangement could be reached — a tactic that Hamas was able to take advantage of in recent months.

The report also highlights what it describes as “incompetence” in handling and delivering aid, claiming that this gave Hamas the ability to mount a successful international narrative portraying Israel as deliberately starving Gaza’s civilians.

Other criticisms in the document point to the army repeatedly maneuvering in the same zones at a sluggish tempo, placing the avoidance of casualties ahead of achieving objectives. It cites factors such as attrition, troop exhaustion, worn-down equipment, and inadequate preparation for guerrilla fighting as major contributors to the shortcomings.

Still, the document concedes that many in uniform credit the campaign with pushing Hamas to lower its demands in negotiations, noting that the military pressure may have increased the number of hostages the group is prepared to release.

The IDF, for its part, rejected the conclusions, asserting that the army did meet the stated goals of the operation and is continuing efforts to fulfill the broader objectives of the war.

In its response, the military also emphasized that the paper in question was “distributed without permission or clearance from the relevant authorities. The issue is being probed.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday it has arrested eight people accused of funneling sensitive information on military leaders and strategic sites to Israel’s Mossad during the June war, Iranian state media reported. According to the IRGC, the suspects allegedly transmitted — or attempted to transmit — coordinates of critical facilities and details on senior commanders to Israeli intelligence. The arrests, carried out in northeastern Iran, reportedly uncovered materials for bombs, launchers, and explosives. Officials claimed the group had undergone specialized online training from Mossad. The accusations tie directly to Israel’s June offensive, which killed top Iranian generals, struck nuclear sites, and marked the heaviest blow to the Islamic Republic since the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. Tehran retaliated with waves of missiles and drones before a U.S. intervention escalated the conflict further; Washington entered the war on June 22 with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Iranian authorities say the espionage arrests are part of a broader crackdown launched during the 12-day war. State media reported that as many as 21,000 “suspects” were detained nationwide, though officials have not specified the charges. Numerous executions have followed in recent months, including that of nuclear scientist Rouzbeh Vadi, hanged on August 9 for allegedly passing intelligence to Israel. Human rights groups say Iran routinely uses espionage charges and expedited executions as instruments of political repression. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire ended the war on June 24, but Tehran has since escalated its internal security operations, underscoring both the vulnerability exposed by Israeli strikes and the regime’s willingness to clamp down hard on suspected dissent. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Dear Matzav Inbox,

It’s very nice that some wonderful, generous people have recently decided to build chesed wedding halls in our various communities. Really, it is. The idea is noble: help struggling families make simchos without drowning in debt. But tell me: Why does “chesed” automatically mean small, squashed, and second-rate?

Why, just because someone is paying a discounted rate, does the hall have to be the size of a large shul simcha hall?

Why does the food have to look like it was thrown together by a camp kitchen on a rainy Thursday night — a few leaves of lettuce, a couple croutons, and two cherry tomatoes pretending to be an appetizer? [Evidence: Real photo above.]

Why does the schedule of the wedding have to unravel into chaos, just because the hall carries the holy label of “chesed”?

Let’s not kid ourselves. Millions were spent on these buildings. Millions. Would it really have killed someone to make them the size of a normal, mainstream hall that could comfortably seat a regular crowd? Just something normal? Something where a chosson and kallah don’t feel like they’re making their simcha in a glorified bar mitzvah hall?

And don’t tell me it’s about saving money. The money was already spent! The walls are already up, the hall is already standing. So why the decision to make them sub-par from the get-go? Who decided that people who need help automatically deserve less? Why do we build for them an experience that feels like a cut-rate version of a real wedding, instead of just giving them what every other family has?

If this is chesed, then it’s a strange kind of chesed. Real chesed is about dignity. Real chesed is about making sure the families don’t feel like second-class citizens on the happiest night of their lives. Real chesed doesn’t embarrass. It uplifts. It doesn’t scream “discount wedding.” It says, “Your simcha matters just as much as anyone else’s.”

But instead, we’ve built halls that practically announce: “This is the budget option. This is the place where you settle for less. This is where you celebrate your wedding like a shalom zachor — squish into the kabbolas ponim if you can, clear all the table and amke room for one big circle during dancing, and leave your dignity at the door.”

Why? Why do we do such dumb things? Why do we pour millions into projects that miss the whole point? If we’re going to do chesed, then do it right. Build normal halls. Serve decent food. Run a wedding like a wedding, not like a communal potluck. Give people pride, not pity.

Because at the end of the day, just because I’m using a discounted wedding hall does not mean my wedding has to look and feel discounted. My simcha should be celebrated like anyone else’s — with kavod, with joy, and with dignity. That’s the kind of chesed our community deserves.

A Frustrated Baal Simcha

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{Matzav.com}

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday appointed economist and former Columbia University president Minouche Shafik as his chief economic adviser. It’s part of a staff shakeup aimed at strengthening the government’s response to a sluggish economy and a heated political debate over immigration. Starmer’s center-left Labour Party government has struggled to boost economic growth and curb inflation, leaving Treasury chief Rachel Reeves facing unpalatable choices about taxes and spending in her budget this fall. Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, has held senior academic and civil service roles in Britain, and served a brief, tempestuous term as Columbia president. The British-U.S. national left her job leading the New York university in August 2024 after just over a year following scrutiny of her handling of protests and campus divisions over the Israel-Hamas war. Like other U.S. university leaders, Shafik faced criticism from many corners: Some students groups blasted her decision to invite police in to arrest protesters. Republicans in Congress and others called on her to do more to call out antisemitism. Starmer spokesman Dave Pares said the prime minister was delighted to have Shafik bring her “exceptional record when it comes to economic expertise” to the government. Starmer also shook up his communications team and appointed Darren Jones, formerly a minister in the Treasury, to the new post of chief secretary to the prime minister, tasked with coordinating work on policy priorities. The moves came as lawmakers returned to Parliament after a summer break that saw dozens of small but heated protests outside hotels housing asylum-seekers. The Labour government, which was elected in July 2024, has struggled to curb unauthorized migration and fulfill its responsibility to accommodate those seeking refuge. The hard-right Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage has sought to capitalize on concern about thousands of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. Painting the asylum-seekers as a threat, Farage has pledged to deport everyone who enters the country without authorization should Reform win power in a future election. Reform has only a handful of lawmakers in the House of Commons but regularly leads both Labour and the main opposition Conservative Party in opinion polls. Starmer’s government says it is fixing an asylum system broken after 14 years of Conservative government and is working with other countries to tackle the people-smuggling gangs that organize the cross-channel journeys. (AP)

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The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is preparing to resume deliberations on the controversial Draft Law as early as this week, with newly appointed chairman MK Boaz Bismuth leading the effort.

Following the parliamentary recess, the committee will reconvene under Bismuth’s leadership to continue discussions surrounding the legislation that has long been at the heart of debate between the chareidi community and government officials.

Ahead of the sessions, Bismuth intends to embark on a marathon of consultations in an attempt to forge broad understandings. According to information obtained by Matzav.com, his schedule includes meetings with Shas representative Ariel Attias, Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, as well as leaders of the IDF reserve organizations.

The government itself is grappling with tensions on the issue. At yesterday’s Cabinet meeting—held at a secure and undisclosed location in light of the recent wave of targeted killings in Yemen and Gaza and heightened threats against ministers—Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivered a pointed message to the chareidi factions. According to political correspondent Amit Segal, Netanyahu said: “I want this government to serve its full term. I am calling on everyone to act responsibly, return to the coalition, and ensure the passage of the 2026 budget.”

Netanyahu’s statement came against the backdrop of a strong warning issued by Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni over the weekend. Gafni declared that he would advise the Gedolei HaTorah to oppose any government budget proposals, citing what he described as violations of previous coalition agreements. Specifically, Gafni was responding to the government’s plan to slash approximately 40 million shekels from the remaining 89 million shekels allocated to the “Ofek Chadash” program.

Meanwhile, discussions between the defense establishment and the committee chair are expected to address not only the Draft Law itself but also broader issues. Reports last week indicated that Chief of Staff Zamir is scheduled to meet with Bismuth to review the army’s manpower needs. Their agenda is also expected to cover the so-called “Chief of Staff’s enhancements” relating to pension benefits, along with other pressing security matters.

That meeting is slated for next Friday, following a classified intelligence briefing Zamir will deliver to the subcommittee on intelligence affairs at the IDF’s Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv. Before then, on Tuesday, the closed-door committee session is set to tackle another urgent subject: the fate of Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

{Matzav.com Israel}