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WASHINGTON &#8211; The Trump administration announced sanctions Tuesday against International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior ICC lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, citing their roles in investigations involving U.S. and Israeli officials.



Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions, accusing the ICC of being &#8220;corrupt and fatally politicized&#8221; and of engaging in what the administration has repeatedly called illegitimate efforts to target the United States and its ally Israel.



The move is the latest in a series of U.S. sanctions against ICC officials since President Trump signed an executive order back in February authorizing punitive measures against the court. 



Previous rounds of sanctions have targeted ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, several ICC judges, and deputy prosecutors over the court&#8217;s investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. forces in Afghanistan and its arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.



The ICC has consistently condemned the sanctions as attacks on its judicial independence.

U.S. Sanctions ICC President Tomoko Akane Over Israel, U.S. Investigations

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Nassau County Executive and New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman released a video of his recent visit to Camp Simcha, where he cheered on bikers raising funds for children fighting serious illnesses.



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During the visit several weeks ago, Blakeman thanked the camp’s staff for their life-changing work and toured the facilities to see what makes Camp Simcha unique.



“Camp Simcha brings joy to children when they need it most,” Blakeman tells Belaaz. “It turns difficult moments into unforgettable memories and reminds every child and family that they are never alone. Camp Simcha is more than a camp, it’s a place where hope, friendship, and joy come alive.”



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Republican NY Gubernatorial Candidate Bruce Blakeman Visits Camp Simcha to Support Children Battling Illness

Voters in Alaska, Florida and Wyoming head to the polls Tuesday for primaries that could help shape the 2026 midterm elections. Control of Congress is at stake in November, with Democrats hoping to capitalize on President Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings.



“The decline in President Trump’s approval ratings across a range of issues has increased Democratic prospects,” said one recent analysis from TD Cowen. “Divided government could leave policy in a gridlock.”



The three states are highlighting very different issues: taxes in Alaska, data centers in Florida and cryptocurrency in Wyoming.



Alaska



Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces a major challenge from former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola in Alaska’s Senate race. The state’s top four primary finishers will advance to a ranked-choice general election.



The Cook Political Report rates the contest a toss-up. Peltola, who previously won statewide in 2022, is running a centrist campaign focused on energy and tax policy.



She supports targeted tax credits for oil and gas refineries and faster permitting for energy projects. She also wants to eliminate federal income taxes for Alaskans earning less than $92,000, funded through higher taxes on millionaires and billionaires.



Peltola has sought to distance herself from the national Democratic Party, including recently moving away from an endorsement by former Vice President Kamala Harris.



Sullivan, a Marine veteran and longtime senator, has Trump’s endorsement. Another Republican candidate named Daniel Sullivan is also on the ballot, raising concerns that voters could confuse the two candidates.



Florida



Florida’s gubernatorial and Senate primaries are being shaped in part by growing opposition to data centers and concerns about rising electricity costs.



Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds is the leading Republican candidate to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and investor James Fishback are also running.



Donalds says data center developers should pay their own infrastructure costs and has rejected claims that technology-industry donations would influence his position.



Collins has called for a “Florida Strong standard [that] requires operators to fund their own project infrastructure and meet Florida’s water, reliability, and ratepayer terms, so families and seniors are never stuck subsidizing Big Tech’s power demand.”



Fishback has proposed going further, saying he would ban data centers in “all 67 counties by preventing county commissions from approving them in the first place.”



Former Republican-turned-independent Rep. David Jolly is seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Republican Sen. Ashley Moody is also running for a full Senate term and is expected to face the eventual Democratic nominee.



Wyoming



Wyoming voters are choosing candidates to replace Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who is retiring after her current term. Lummis, known as the “crypto queen,” has been a leading congressional advocate for cryptocurrency legislation.



Trump-endorsed Rep. Harriet Hageman is considered the favorite to succeed her. While Hageman has generally supported crypto, she has focused her campaign more heavily on reducing federal regulation and addressing resource issues.



Democrats face a difficult path in Wyoming, where no Democrat has won statewide office since 2006. State Rep. James Byrd is among the Democrats competing for the Senate nomination.

Tuesday Primaries Put Taxes, Data Centers and Crypto in the Spotlight

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that preserving peace remains &#8220;most important&#8221; for the country, while warning that Seoul must also be prepared for the &#8220;worst case scenario.&#8221; His remarks come as the Trump administration moves to significantly scale back joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises.



.S. President Donald Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to &#8220;substantially reduce&#8221; joint military drills with South Korea, arguing that continuing them could &#8220;send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile&#8221; toward North Korea.



In a Truth Social post Sunday, Trump pointed to his &#8220;very good&#8221; relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and characterized North Korea as &#8220;unthreatening and respectful.&#8221;



Lee emphasized Tuesday that the annual exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, are defensive in nature. According to a CNBC translation of the Korean government statement, he said the drills are not designed to attack North Korea or increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula.



The exercises are scheduled to continue through Aug. 27 and involve roughly 18,000 South Korean military personnel.



For Seoul, the situation presents a delicate balance: maintaining stability and avoiding unnecessary escalation while ensuring the country remains prepared for a potential security crisis.



Lee&#8217;s comments underscore the tension between efforts to reduce confrontation with North Korea and the need to preserve military readiness amid uncertainty over the future of U.S.-South Korean defense cooperation.

South Korea Warns of ‘Worst-Case Scenario’ as Trump Orders Major Cut to Joint Military Drills

A growing campaign is pushing New York City to make Citi Bike more affordable, with Transportation Alternatives calling for a $3 price cap on 45-minute electric-bike rides for members, the same amount riders pay for a subway or bus trip.



At present, Citi Bike members can pay $12.15 for a comparable ride, while non-members face even higher costs.



&#8220;My daughter, who recently moved to the city in her early 20s, really wants to use these for transportation,” Citi Bike rider Sarah Max said. “And we were actually just chatting about it the other day, that it’s almost as much as a taxi.&#8221;



Citi Bike’s revenue has climbed sharply since Lyft took over the system. In 2021, about a year after the takeover, the program generated roughly $88 million annually. By 2025, that figure had increased to $229 million, while Citi Bike prices have also risen every year.



Brooklyn City Council Member Lincoln Restler said Citi Bike has become the most expensive bike-share system among major cities.



Restler has introduced legislation aimed at bringing down the cost, though the measure has not yet advanced.



“We are the only major city with a large bike-share program that doesn&#8217;t offer public subsidy for bike-share,” Restler said. “And it’s time that we revisit that.”



“We subsidize every other form of transit, from our ferries, to our express buses, to the subways,” he added. “We should be doing the same for Citi Bike.”



Under the city’s current arrangement, New York shares Citi Bike revenue with Lyft. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has previously expressed support for reducing the cost of the service, but so far has not presented a specific plan to do so.

NYC Riders Demand $3 Citi Bike Cap as Prices and Revenue Soar

A 6-year-old boy and his 4-year-old brother were seriously wounded after being stabbed inside their home in Beit Shemesh. Their father found them and alerted emergency services; the older boy was in critical condition.



Police are investigating the attack as a possible domestic or localized incident, with a neighbor reportedly among the suspects.

Two Brothers Seriously Stabbed in Beit Shemesh

HAMILTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan — A firefighter was seriously injured while battling a fire that broke out on the top floor of a residential building in Hamilton Heights, according to the FDNY.



Firefighters were dispatched to 3657 Broadway shortly after 6:15 p.m. Sunday following reports of a fire on the roof, officials said.



The blaze was quickly elevated to a two-alarm response as crews worked to contain the flames. Firefighters brought the fire under control at approximately 7:45 p.m.



One firefighter suffered serious injuries, while three others sustained minor injuries, officials said. A civilian was also hurt. All of the injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.



Citizen footage showed intense flames engulfing the top floor while firefighters worked from the roof to bring the blaze under control.



Officials had not immediately determined what caused the fire.

Firefighter Seriously Injured in Two-Alarm Hamilton Heights Top-Floor Blaze

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon on Sunday to reduce the scope of planned joint military exercises with South Korea, citing Seoul’s refusal to assist the United States in efforts to denuclearize Iran.



Trump said in a social media post that the exercises, scheduled to start this week, are expensive and “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea. He also said North Korea “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his time in the White House.



“Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” Trump wrote. He also said he had recently asked South Korean President to support U.S. efforts to denuclearize Iran, “and they said, ‘No thanks!’”



The 11-day military exercises, involving 18,000 South Korean troops, were intended to strengthen the allies’ preparedness for potential threats from North Korea.



North Korea issued a warning Friday, threatening unspecified stern measures against the United States and South Korea. Pyongyang described the military exercises as “a rehearsal for an aggressive war” and accused the drills of contributing to heightened instability across the region.



Such warnings are common from North Korea before major U.S.-South Korean military exercises. Experts say Pyongyang has frequently pointed to the drills as justification for expanding its weapons testing, strengthening its military capabilities and rallying domestic support behind leader Kim Jong Un.



Under the original plans, U.S. and South Korean forces were expected to rehearse combined operations under complicated battlefield conditions. The exercises were to include a live-fire drill testing joint precision targeting and maneuver capabilities, a wet-gap crossing operation and the distribution of military equipment that had been positioned in advance, according to the U.S. military.

Trump Orders Pentagon to Scale Back U.S.-South Korea Military Exercises

Hundreds of police officers are set to flood Washington Heights and Inwood on Sunday as city officials take steps to prevent another massive gathering from developing along Dyckman Street following last weekend&#8217;s deadly violence and widespread property damage.



Authorities said approximately 700 officers will be positioned throughout the neighborhoods after a social media post circulated promoting a &#8220;Dominican Dyckman Takeover Part 3&#8221; scheduled to begin at noon Sunday.



The increased police presence comes exactly one week after thousands of young people converged on the Dyckman area following the Dominican Day Parade. Officials said the massive crowd overwhelmed police resources and resulted in damage to vehicles and nearby businesses.



Council Member Carmen De La Rosa said people came from multiple states to participate in last Sunday&#8217;s gathering. According to officials, damage to property and vehicles totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars.



The unrest also turned deadly when a 23-year-old man was fatally stabbed.



&#8220;When these gatherings happen, the toll on the safety of our community is real,&#8221; De La Rosa said. &#8220;We unfortunately have lost a young life based on the violence that ensued after these activities occurred in our community, and we send our deepest condolences to his family.&#8221;



Officials stressed that their intention is not to target or demonize those attending, but rather to stop a repeat of the violence, disorder and destruction seen the previous weekend.



Local business owners, meanwhile, said another early shutdown would come at a significant cost, particularly for those who already lost business after closing their establishments early because of safety concerns.

NYPD Deploys 700 Officers in Washington Heights and Inwood Amid Fears of Another Dyckman Street Takeover

The Trump administration secretly opened a backchannel to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in May after U.S. officials questioned whether Tehran’s formal negotiators had the authority to make a deal, Axios reported Sunday. Washington turned to Iraqi Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani, who maintains ties with both U.S. officials and senior figures in Iran.



Around May 10, then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called Barzani with the approval of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, according to the report. She asked him to determine whether IRGC commander Gen. Ahmad Vahidi supported negotiations being conducted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.



On May 14, an IRGC official reportedly arrived at Barzani’s office in Erbil carrying an encrypted phone for a secure call with Vahidi. Asked whether he backed the Iranian negotiating team, Vahidi replied: “I fully support them and this is also the position of the IRGC. We prefer to solve this crisis through negotiations.” Barzani then immediately briefed Gabbard on the response.



The administration later proposed using Erbil for secret talks between senior American and Iranian negotiators. Iranian officials did not reject the idea, but reportedly feared Israeli intelligence could assassinate them in Iraqi Kurdistan or while traveling there, and the meeting never took place.



Pakistani and Qatari mediators continue passing messages between Washington and Tehran, but the talks have made little progress. Barzani has recently offered the White House his help in restarting negotiations, according to Axios.

Axios: Trump Administration Used Secret Backchannel To Reach Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

Hurricane Lala moved toward Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds while forecasters warned of potentially deadly flooding, mudslides and damaging conditions. Some higher elevations could receive as much as 25 inches of rain.



Hurricane Lala began moving toward the Big Island on Saturday, although forecasters said it remained uncertain whether the storm would make a direct hit, something that has not happened there in 155 years.



In its newest forecast discussion, meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center said Lala appeared to be following a potentially different path, leaving it “unclear if Lala will actually make a landfall on the Big Island.”



The storm was already generating potentially life-threatening rainfall across the Big Island while maintaining sustained winds of 75 mph, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said in a video update at 11 a.m. local time.



“Some locations have already picked up more than a foot of rain,” he said. “We’re also seeing numerous hurricane-level wind gusts, especially at higher elevations.”



Brennan said the island’s windward, or eastern, side was experiencing the heaviest impacts, with elevated areas receiving the most rain while also facing the strongest winds.



Although the hurricane’s forecast cone initially pointed toward a historic direct strike on the Big Island, forecasters said Saturday morning that a developing area of low pressure to the west could steer Lala south of the island instead.



Brennan said Lala could become stronger during the next several hours, with the greatest potential for damaging conditions occurring within the following 6 to 12 hours. Once the storm interacts with the Big Island, however, forecasters expect it to weaken considerably.



Lala was positioned roughly 65 miles south-southeast of South Point on the Big Island and was traveling northwest at about 8 mph, according to the latest National Hurricane Center update.



Earlier forecasts reported that Lala’s maximum sustained winds had reached 75 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane. The latest update maintained that wind speed.



Forecasters expected the hurricane’s eyewall to pass over or close to the island’s southern tip by evening, bringing its strongest winds to volcanic slopes located thousands of feet above sea level.



Higher elevations, particularly around the towering Mauna Kea volcano, could receive as much as 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) of rain, according to forecasters.



Such rainfall could trigger life-threatening mudslides in mountainous communities where some residents live off the grid in improvised homes. Authorities urged those residents to seek secure shelter as quickly as possible.



Gov. Josh Green characterized Lala as an “enormous storm” and cautioned residents about destructive flooding as well as the possibility of strong winds worsening wildfire threats across the islands. Power outages had affected about 10% of Big Island customers, according to poweroutage.us.



A hurricane warning was in effect for the Big Island, while tropical storm warnings covered Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.



Research by a University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist found that a Category 3 hurricane struck the northeastern part of the Big Island in 1871. Vanessa Almanza, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Honolulu, said the latest forecast placed Lala “very close to the southern tip of the Big Island.”



Authorities opened shelters, canceled events and advised ranchers to keep cattle in open pastures instead of buildings that could potentially collapse. Almanza emphasized that “It doesn’t take landfall to create destruction,”



The hurricane center forecast 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.5 centimeters) of rain across Maui and the lower elevations of the Big Island, while other parts of the island chain could receive between 4 and 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 centimeters).



Officials Urge Residents to Take Lala Seriously



State Rep. Jeanné Kapela urged residents to stay vigilant as the storm approached. The southern portion of the Big Island is largely rural and remote, with coffee farms and cattle operations, but its population has grown because housing is relatively affordable. Kapela said she was particularly concerned about people living off the grid.



“If you feel now that your house doesn’t have a great roof or might not be able to withstand hurricane force winds, then first things first you go to a family or friend’s house and you kind of hunker down there,” she said in a text message to The Associated Press.



The state is still recovering from severe flooding that struck in March, leaving many residents and agricultural producers dealing with lingering damage. Hawaii Farm Bureau director Brian Miyamoto said farmers who have not yet recovered are concerned that Lala could cause additional losses.



Strong Winds Could Also Increase Wildfire Threat



As winds strengthened throughout the islands, Almanza warned that dry and breezy areas outside Lala’s core could face elevated wildfire danger.



In 2023, the Maui community of Lahaina was devastated by a wildfire during extreme winds as a hurricane passed well south of the island.



Kauai, located several islands northwest of the Big Island, experienced a direct hurricane strike in 1992 when Hurricane Iniki came ashore as a Category 4 storm. That occurred during an El Nino year, a climate pattern that warms Pacific waters near the equator, increases hurricane activity in the Pacific and influences weather patterns around the world.



“It did $3 billion worth of damage. It destroyed thousands of homes, and it did kill six people,” said Steven Businger, the University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist. “We just can never know if a storm is going to turn.”

Hurricane Lala Bears Down on Hawaii’s Big Island as Forecasters Warn of Dangerous Flooding and Mudslides

ETTRICK, Va. (AP) — Authorities arrested a 19-year-old man Saturday after a shooting near Virginia State University left five people wounded, including one victim who suffered critical injuries.



Chesterfield County police identified the suspect as Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia. Investigators said Harris, who is not enrolled at Virginia State University, was discovered hiding inside a campus closet Saturday afternoon.



Police obtained eight felony warrants against Harris. The charges include malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.



The shooting occurred early Saturday near the university&#8217;s Quad Annexes. Campus police and Chesterfield County officers responded to the area and found five people with gunshot wounds outside campus residence halls.



Authorities said only one of the five victims, a 20-year-old, is a Virginia State University student. The other victims are between 17 and 23 years old.



A 21-year-old man suffered critical injuries, while the other four victims sustained injuries that were considered non-life-threatening. University officials said the injured student has since been released from the hospital.



The incident led officials to place the campus under lockdown while law enforcement investigated. The university initially described the situation as involving &#8220;multiple suspects.&#8221; Authorities later lifted the lockdown after determining that there was no longer an immediate danger to the campus community.



The shooting happened just as students were preparing to begin the new academic year. Residence halls opened one week earlier, and classes are scheduled to resume Monday. Many incoming students had also recently completed the university&#8217;s New Trojans Experience.



A significant law enforcement presence remained on campus Saturday morning. University officials urged students to monitor their email for additional safety updates and information about available support services.



The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff&#8217;s Office are assisting Chesterfield County police with the investigation.



Virginia State University is a historically Black public university located in Ettrick, approximately 24 miles south of Richmond. The institution has about 5,700 students and was the first fully state-supported four-year college established for Black Americans.



The investigation remains active, and authorities have not announced that it is complete.

Suspect Arrested After Five Shot Near Virginia State University Residence Halls

A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s eastern Flores region, leaving at least 47 people dead and triggering tsunami warnings as authorities urged residents to move away from coastal areas and riverbanks.



The United States Geological Survey reported Friday that the earthquake occurred offshore near Flores. Its epicenter was located about 42 miles north-northwest of Ende, in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province.



Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency reported Saturday that the death toll had reached at least 47.



Emergency crews were still unable to reach Nagekeo, the area nearest the earthquake’s epicenter, because landslides had blocked roads and communications had been disrupted, according to officials.



“The quake was massive, the shock was so strong,” Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura, a village in East Nusa Tenggara, told Reuters. “There were 13 of us inside the house and we all ran to save ourselves.”



In the port city of Maumere, rescuers earlier reported finding 20 people dead, six injured and two others trapped beneath debris, according to Fathur Rahman, the head of the local rescue agency. Maumere serves as the principal town of Sikka Regency on Flores Island.



People remained trapped inside several structures in areas hit by the earthquake, while landslides were reported to have cut off multiple roads and complicated rescue operations.



Initial assessments indicated that 157 homes suffered severe damage, while another 41 sustained moderate damage and 148 had minor damage. Officials also reported damage to 87 schools, 18 health facilities, five religious sites and six government or office buildings, in addition to other infrastructure.



Strong shaking was felt across large portions of Flores Island, where significant damage was reported in several locations.



Yohanna Embu, who lives in Sikka Regency, said the earthquake damaged numerous buildings and sent frightened residents scrambling toward higher ground.



“Many buildings here were damaged. &#8230; I saw that the waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere had collapsed,” she said.



Indonesian officials initially issued tsunami warnings covering portions of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi. Authorities advised people to avoid beaches and riverbanks, while residents along the coast were told to seek higher ground. The earthquake occurred beneath the sea near Flores Island at a relatively shallow depth.



The main earthquake was followed by two aftershocks.



At St. Peter Major Seminary in Sikka, students attending morning Mass fled after the roof of an assembly hall collapsed, according to the seminary’s rector, the Rev. Guidelbertus Tanga. The school, known locally as Ritapiret Seminary, is located on the predominantly Catholic island of Flores.



“Our students and nuns ran out in panic beneath a collapsing roof,” Tanga said, “At least one priest suffered a broken leg after jumping from the second floor of a building during the quake.”



Australia’s tsunami warning center separately determined that the undersea earthquake posed “no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories.”



Indonesia is an archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands and frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country lies along the Pacific Basin’s “Ring of Fire,” a region characterized by numerous active volcanoes and major fault lines.



Flores has experienced deadly earthquakes and tsunamis before. In December 1992, a magnitude-7 earthquake generated a tsunami that killed roughly 2,500 people on Flores, in the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago.



The latest disaster follows a magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday, causing extensive damage.



Earlier in June, two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck in succession in Venezuela. More than 6,000 people were killed, according to government figures.

Powerful 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Indonesia, Killing at Least 47

Terry Moran says his 2021 “Nightline” report was substantially altered after a copy of the script was allegedly sent to Dr. Anthony Fauci, leaving him “absolutely livid.”



Former ABC News correspondent Terry Moran is accusing his former employer of significantly changing a report he produced about the origins of COVID-19 after the network allegedly provided a copy of the script to Dr. Anthony Fauci for review.



During an interview released Friday on The Fifth Column podcast, Moran described the episode as an example of what he viewed at the time as the “heavy hand of censorship” within the Disney-owned network.



Moran said that in early 2021, he noticed “smart and serious” discussions online about the possibility that COVID-19 had originated through a laboratory leak. According to Moran, ABC’s Nightline subsequently gave him an opportunity to investigate the theory.



As part of his reporting, Moran said he interviewed scientists as well as officials from the Trump administration. He emphasized that his report did not reach a definitive conclusion about COVID&#8217;s origins but instead presented the competing evidence and arguments.



Moran said his reporting included information about funding connected to the laboratory in Wuhan. He recalled that his team reported that the facility had received funding from the Chinese military, despite statements from Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, sometimes referred to as the “Bat Lady,” denying that connection.



&#8220;We broke a little news that that lab had been funded by the Chinese military, despite the &#8216;Bat Lady&#8217; [Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli] saying no, it hadn&#8217;t&#8230; And we kind of laid it out,&#8221; Moran said. &#8220;And at the end of the day, my own personal feeling was, you know, it&#8217;s probably a little bit more likely it&#8217;s natural. But if you told me it had leaked from the lab, fine. It&#8217;s probably not cooked up. It&#8217;s probably not a ‘Frankenvirus.’&#8221;



Moran said the situation changed dramatically on the day the segment was scheduled to broadcast. After the report went through the review process, he said the version returned to him was so heavily modified that he found it difficult to understand.



&#8220;And the day that it&#8217;s supposed to air, it gets reviewed, and it comes back to me, and it is incomprehensible,&#8221; Moran continued. &#8220;And I had never been angrier. I&#8217;m in the booth–&#8221;



Podcast co-host Michael Moynihan asked Moran whether lawyers were responsible for reviewing the report.



&#8220;Are these lawyers?&#8221; podcast co-host Michael Moynihan asked.



&#8220;Lawyers, standards and, I was told, Fauci,&#8221; Moran responded. &#8220;And I said, &#8216;I can&#8217;t do this.&#8217; And they&#8217;re going to air and it&#8217;s a 15-minute piece or whatever. And I&#8217;m cursing and screaming in the booth.&#8221;



Moran said the changes were made on the very day the segment was scheduled to air, intensifying his frustration with the editorial process.



&#8220;And this is day of?&#8221; co-host Matt Welch followed.



&#8220;Day of air,&#8221; Moran said. &#8220;And I am just absolutely livid, beside myself. And I&#8217;m usually — I try to be a good colleague that way. It&#8217;s important to be respectful of somebody on the other end of that mic taking it in in New York and the editor&#8230; I have never watched that story and never want to, because it wasn&#8217;t mine, I didn&#8217;t think, and most importantly because it was incomprehensible. They had put so many caveats in there, and it was so legalized.&#8221;



Moran was then asked whether ABC had provided Fauci with the report before it was broadcast.



&#8220;So they took the story that you did and either sent a copy of the transcript or a copy of the video to Anthony Fauci?&#8221; Moynihan then asked.



Moran said he understood that the script, rather than the completed video, had been provided, although he acknowledged that he could not personally verify that account.



&#8220;It would&#8217;ve been the script, that&#8217;s what I was told. I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s true personally, but I was told that,&#8221; Moran answered.



The two-part Nightline report ultimately aired in June 2021 and examined competing arguments concerning the origins of COVID-19. Moran interviewed Jamie Metzl, a former member of the World Health Organization&#8217;s committee on human genome editing who had publicly raised questions about a potential laboratory leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.



However, Metzl was one of several experts featured in the report, and other medical specialists interviewed by Moran rejected the laboratory-leak explanation. ABC News medical unit producer Sony Salzman and investigative reporter Sasha Pezenik also appeared in the segment and expressed skepticism toward the theory.



Moran, who left ABC News in 2025, has also pushed back against what he considers excessive criticism of Fauci. Although he described his experience with the report as deeply frustrating, Moran said the “demonization” of Fauci was inappropriate and characterized him as a public servant who was trying to do his best.



Neither Moran, Fauci nor ABC News responded to requests for comment regarding Moran&#8217;s allegations. An inquiry was also sent to the White House.



Fauci has returned to the center of public attention following the release of diary material by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. The material has drawn renewed scrutiny to Fauci&#8217;s private reflections about the pandemic and how they compared with statements and guidance he issued publicly.



The diary material also highlighted Fauci&#8217;s relationships with several prominent media personalities, including CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, NBC&#8217;s Andrea Mitchell and ABC&#8217;s George Stephanopoulos.



Earlier this month, Senate Republicans on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a hearing the previous month. Fauci accused Paul of pursuing a campaign to have him imprisoned, while a criminal referral was subsequently sent to the Department of Justice.



The debate over COVID-19&#8217;s origins has continued to evolve since the early months of the pandemic. Several U.S. government agencies, including the CIA, FBI and Department of Energy, have in recent years assessed a laboratory-related origin as the most likely explanation. At the same time, numerous scientists continue to support a natural-origin explanation, leaving the question unresolved and subject to ongoing debate.

Former ABC Correspondent Alleges Network Reworked COVID Lab-Leak Report After Fauci Review

Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said President Donald Trump helped deliver a major project for her state that she was unable to secure during the Biden administration, highlighting an unusual point of agreement between the two political rivals.



Speaking Thursday during a conversation with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on his podcast, Whitmer discussed how she has approached working with Trump after Michigan backed him in the 2024 presidential election. She said she had to reconsider how she would work with the administration following the election.



Newsom pointed out that Whitmer had visited the White House, with both governors acknowledging that maintaining a functional relationship with the president is &#8220;part of the job.&#8221;



Whitmer said her cooperation with the Trump administration had already produced tangible results for Michigan, specifically citing the fighter aircraft mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.



&#8220;I&#8217;ve gotten some really good stuff done. Honestly,&#8221; she told Newsom. &#8220;I got a fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, and I tried to get that done under the Biden administration, couldn&#8217;t get over the finish line, but I got it done with him. So, that&#8217;s a huge deal to Michigan.&#8221;



The project Whitmer referenced appears to be Mission Next, an initiative that will replace Selfridge&#8217;s aging A-10 Warthog aircraft with 21 new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. The modernization effort also includes infrastructure and construction improvements intended to support additional jobs and training opportunities at the Michigan National Guard installation.



Trump announced the fighter jet mission in April 2025 during remarks to Michigan National Guard personnel at Selfridge, where he marked his 100th day in office.



&#8220;Fresh off the line. That means they are brand new,&#8221; Trump said at the time. &#8220;They&#8217;ve never been anywhere. This is where they&#8217;re going to be for a long time. And I saw one of them, flew over my head, and I said, ‘What the hell is that?’ That plane has serious power. So, this is the best there is anywhere in the world, the F-15EX Eagle II. This will keep Selfridge at the cutting edge of Northern American air power.&#8221;



Biden&#8217;s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Whitmer&#8217;s remarks.



The White House also pointed to the Selfridge decision as evidence of Trump&#8217;s approach to Michigan and national defense.



&#8220;While Joe Biden’s weak policies neglected our military, President Trump saved Selfridge Air National Guard Base, a crucial pillar of North American air defense; rebuilt our military; and restored readiness and lethality to our U.S. Armed Forces,&#8221; White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told Fox News Digital Friday.



&#8220;With President Trump as commander in chief, the United States Military will continue to lead the world in power, prestige, and might,&#8221; Wales continued. &#8220;President Trump proudly won the state of Michigan in 2024, and will continue to deliver on his promises for all Michiganders.&#8221;



Whitmer told Newsom that she has experience working with people who are not necessarily close allies and said she understands the importance of doing so even when she may personally disagree with them.



Her relationship with Trump has drawn attention before. In April 2025, Whitmer attracted widespread attention after appearing to shield her face with a folder during photographs at an Oval Office meeting with Trump.



Whitmer later explained that she simply did not want her photograph taken and acknowledged that the moment had become a source of attention.



&#8220;I don’t want my picture taken, that’s all it was. I kind of wished I hadn’t put my folder up in front of my face, but whatever. You know I was there … I just wrote a book about learning to laugh at yourself, so I’m pretty good at it. We all have our moments,&#8221; Whitmer said.



Trump, for his part, praised Whitmer around that time, describing her as a &#8220;very good person,&#8221; despite the political clashes the two have had over the years.



The White House later criticized Whitmer in April after a Michigan steel manufacturer announced plans to invest $43.4 million in expanding its operations in the state.



&#8220;Democrats like Gretchen Whitmer spent decades talking about fixing broken trade deals and creating manufacturing jobs here in America for American workers,&#8221; Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, told Fox News Digital earlier this year.



Desai was referring to Whitmer, who has frequently been mentioned as a potential Democratic contender for president in 2028.



&#8220;President Trump is actually delivering, and he’s delivering with the same agenda of tariffs, deregulation.&#8221;

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Credits Trump for Securing Major Fighter Jet Mission for Michigan

MIDTOWN, Manhattan — Protesters gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Friday to challenge the venue’s use of facial recognition technology, arguing that the practice raises significant concerns about privacy and how guests’ biometric information is collected and used.



Demonstrators are calling on lawmakers to intervene, saying legislation is needed to prevent entertainment venues and other businesses from deploying facial recognition without sufficient safeguards.



City Council member Shahana Hanif joined privacy advocates who want New York City to prohibit the widespread use of surveillance technology in settings including stores, restaurants and entertainment venues such as Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, both operated by James Dolan.



&#8220;For years, MSG owner James Dolan has doubled down on using facial recognition to scan anyone entering his venues and banning individuals that he dislikes,&#8221; said Michelle Dahl with Surveillance Technology Oversight Project. &#8220;In one widely reported case, a mother was turned away from Radio City Music Hall, simply because she worked at a law firm involved in litigation against Dolan. She was there chaperoning her Girl Scout troop and posed no security threat.&#8221;



Hanif is backing legislation that would prohibit the collection of biometric information through facial recognition technology. A separate proposal would prevent landlords from using similar technology to identify or monitor residents.



The proposals have encountered opposition, particularly from small-business owners who view facial recognition and other surveillance tools as important security measures. Supporters of the technology argue that it can help deter crime, while police agencies frequently use surveillance footage when investigating serious offenses.



Critics of Madison Square Garden’s facial recognition practices, however, contend that the technology can be used selectively and is not always essential for security. They pointed to surveillance cameras reportedly being turned off during Taylor Swift’s wedding as an example.



&#8220;So clearly, this technology is not actually that necessary for security,&#8221; Dahl said.



Supporters of the legislation say the effort is building support at City Hall and argue that New Yorkers should not have to surrender biometric information simply to participate in everyday activities.



&#8220;You should not have to give up your sensitive biometric data to walk into the grocery store, to pick your kids up from school, or to go see an awesome concert at Madison Square Garden,&#8221; said Evan Greer with Fight For the Future.



Advocates also warn that storing biometric information creates another potential vulnerability: hackers could potentially gain access to sensitive data that cannot easily be changed once compromised.



Eyewitness News contacted MSG for a response. The venue replied, &#8220;People have been recognizing each other&#8217;s faces since the beginning of time, we just do it electronically.”

Facial Recognition at Madison Square Garden Sparks Privacy Fight as Protesters Demand: “Ban the Scan”

FREDONIA, N.Y. — New York is investing heavily in a new rural hospital in Western New York, but Gov. Kathy Hochul says changes to federal healthcare policy could put additional financial strain on hospitals throughout the state.



Hochul visited Fredonia Thursday to showcase $124 million in state funding for the new Northern Chautauqua Hospital, a facility scheduled to open in 2029. The state contribution accounts for more than half of the project’s overall price tag.During the visit, however, Hochul broadened the discussion beyond the hospital under construction, warning that the future of healthcare in New York could face significant challenges.



“The state has had to step in after literally one year ago when the big, ugly, horrible bill was passed and withheld $10 billion in health care money from the state of New York,” Hochul said. “That is a big hit.”



According to Hochul, rural hospitals are dealing with a combination of reduced reimbursements, increasing operating expenses, staffing shortages and ongoing challenges in attracting doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.



She said provisions affecting Medicaid and health insurance in the federal legislation frequently called the “One Big Beautiful Bill” by President Donald Trump and his supporters could make those existing problems worse.



Republicans, however, highlight another part of the legislation: the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. The initiative will distribute money to states over five years with the goal of strengthening healthcare systems in rural areas.



New York was awarded more than $212 million through the program during its first year.



State Sen. George Borrello, a Republican whose district includes Fredonia, said that funding should be part of any discussion about how the federal legislation will affect rural healthcare.



“There is $50 billion for rural hospitals in the bill that she was bashing,” Borrello said.



Still, the two amounts serve different purposes and cannot be viewed as a simple dollar for dollar tradeoff.



The federal rural health funding is not intended primarily to compensate for Medicaid reimbursements or replace other healthcare funding that New York officials say could be reduced under different parts of the legislation.



The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services instead describes the Rural Health Transformation Program as an effort to modernize healthcare delivery in rural communities. Its priorities include primary care, technology, workforce development and alternative approaches to delivering care.



That difference has become a key point in the political dispute over the federal healthcare changes and their eventual consequences for rural hospitals.



While Hochul is warning that New York could lose billions through changes involving Medicaid and broader health coverage, the federal government is also providing new funding specifically aimed at reshaping and strengthening rural healthcare systems.



Borrello said New York should also examine issues within its own Medicaid system, particularly the rates providers receive for treating Medicaid patients.



“They all talk about one main thing: Medicaid,” Borrello said of hospitals and other providers in his district. “They all say the same thing, ‘Our Medicaid rates are below the cost of care.’”



The competing arguments point to a larger question for rural communities throughout New York: Can the new federal transformation funding give hospitals enough support to withstand the additional financial challenges that state officials anticipate?



The new hospital planned for Fredonia could provide an early measure of how New York ultimately navigates those competing pressures and approaches rural healthcare in the years ahead.



The 133,000-square-foot facility is planned to include 20 private medical, surgical and observation beds, a 17-bay emergency department, three operating rooms, three procedure rooms and 47 examination rooms serving primary and specialty care patients.



Hochul has said the hospital&#8217;s partnership with Kaleida Health gives her confidence that the facility will be financially sustainable once it begins serving patients.



Northern Chautauqua Hospital remains on track for an expected opening in 2029.

Hochul Sounds Alarm Over New York Healthcare Cuts as $50 Billion Rural Fund Adds Twist to Debate

Phoebe Gates, daughter of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, is facing allegations that she knowingly used improper tracking cookies to claim credit for online sales she didn&#8217;t actually drive.



A new Bloomberg report found the founders knew about the practice since December — contradicting the company&#8217;s earlier claim that it only discovered the issue in July.



“Cookie stuffing” involves placing tracking cookies on users’ devices to make it appear that a company referred a customer to a retailer, potentially generating commissions without actually driving the sale.

Phoebe Gates’ Startup Phia Faces “Cookie Stuffing” Allegations — Founders Knew for Months, Report Says

Democratic lawmakers are pressing the War Department for answers about conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln following reports that the strain of a prolonged deployment has taken a serious mental and physical toll on the roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines serving aboard the vessel.



A report by Navy Times on Tuesday said at least two sailors had to be stopped from going overboard. Other relatives who spoke with the publication described their loved ones as being in a deep emotional slump during the carrier’s extended deployment.



The Lincoln originally set out last November on a planned seven-month mission in the South China Sea. In January, however, the carrier was redirected to the Arabian Sea ahead of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, where it has remained ever since.



More than 200 family members reportedly met with acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao last week to discuss their concerns. One military spouse said her husband sent her a message saying that “he hopes he doesn’t wake up tomorrow,” according to an attendee who spoke with Stars and Stripes.



“When she can email me, she’s definitely down,” Shelby Sanders, whose mother is serving aboard the Lincoln, told Navy Times. “I think they’ve had five weeks of non-stop combat operations or something like that, so that makes it really tough to communicate consistently or even know if we’ll be able to. It sucks.”



Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), whose district includes part of San Diego County, has also raised concerns about conditions aboard the carrier. In an Aug. 7 post on X, Levin said the Lincoln had “[m]oldy showers, broken toilets, no hot water for weeks, meals that came down to half a cup of rice and two tortillas,” along with a “ship’s store out of soap, deodorant, and toothpaste” and “sailors so worn down that, according to one family member, the ship’s own doctor warned they need to reach port soon or people are going to start losing their minds.”Levin escalated his criticism Wednesday, writing on X: “Today would be a great day for [President] Trump to fire [War Secretary] Pete Hegseth and replace him with someone who is actually competent,” he said. “Every American and every soldier deployed abroad would be safer for it.”



Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) separately warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Cao in a Wednesday letter that the Lincoln “has not made a port call in over 200 days, setting a record for consecutive days at sea.”



Blumenthal said the carrier had been the subject of “widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months,” adding that the Navy “must ensure that decisions to extend carrier deployments account not only for immediate operational requirements, but also for their cumulative effects on crew safety, equipment readiness, maintenance schedules, and the ability of the carrier force to meet future contingencies.”



The senator, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, asked the Navy to provide its own assessment of conditions aboard the Lincoln, including the physical and mental readiness of enlisted personnel to carry out their duties. He also sought an explanation of whether keeping the carrier deployed remains necessary to support US military objectives against Iran.



The Navy disputed reports of a rise in suicidal behavior aboard the ship.



“We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship,” the Navy told CNN in a statement Thursday. “We take every service member’s well-being seriously and have religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise.”



Blumenthal concluded his letter by arguing that the sailors and Marines aboard the carrier deserve greater support after such an extended deployment.



“The men and women aboard the Lincoln have answered the call to serve their country. The Department owes them not only adequate supplies, maintenance, and support during this deployment, but a sustainable force-generation model that does not rely on repeatedly extending sailors and ships to meet persistent operational demands,” Blumenthal concluded.



“Our servicemembers deserve nothing less than the full support of their government and the American people deserve a military strategy that is worthy of the sacrifices we ask them to make.”

Pentagon Pressed Over USS Abraham Lincoln Conditions as Reports of Sailors Trying to Go Overboard Raise Alarm

TAIPEI, Aug. 13, 2026 — Taiwan&#8217;s military conducted an exercise designed to prepare for a potential maritime blockade, deploying naval and coast guard forces to practice escorting a merchant vessel during the island&#8217;s annual Han Kuang war games. The Defense Ministry said Thursday that the drill comes as China increases pressure around Taiwan&#8217;s surrounding waters.



Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, while Taipei maintains its own democratically elected government. Taiwanese authorities have repeatedly expressed concern that China could attempt to isolate the island through a blockade or quarantine operation aimed at forcing it to surrender.



Those concerns intensified in June, when China began conducting what it calls &#8220;law enforcement&#8221; patrols off Taiwan&#8217;s eastern coastline. The activity angered Taiwanese officials and raised additional concerns in Washington and other Western capitals.



According to Taiwan&#8217;s Defense Ministry, the anti-blockade exercise incorporated realistic, combat-focused scenarios intended to improve coordination between government agencies and strengthen the island&#8217;s ability to protect its maritime routes during a crisis.



Navy and coast guard vessels jointly practiced escort and protective operations. A minesweeper was also used to clear a navigable route and guide the simulated merchant vessel safely toward port, the ministry said.



Taiwan&#8217;s coast guard, which would provide support to the navy during a wartime situation, said the exercise was held Wednesday and involved two ports along Taiwan&#8217;s eastern coast.



The coast guard said the operation marked the first time it had conducted an anti-blockade exercise jointly with the navy.



The 10-day Han Kuang military exercise began last week and is testing Taiwan&#8217;s response to a range of potential scenarios, including a Chinese attempt to capture the island by force. Taiwan&#8217;s government rejects Beijing&#8217;s claim of sovereignty over the island.



On Thursday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visited an underground parking facility beneath a hospital in New Taipei, the city bordering Taipei, where authorities had established a temporary emergency medical ward as part of the civil-defense preparations.



Lai was joined by senior foreign diplomats stationed in Taiwan, including the de facto ambassadors representing the United States, Israel and Canada. Taiwan has shown particular interest in Israel&#8217;s experience with civil-defense preparedness and emergency response.



Taipei Bridge Defenses Put to the Test



Another portion of the Han Kuang exercise focused Wednesday night on protecting a strategically important bridge leading toward Taipei. Soldiers installed metal barricades, barbed wire and concrete obstacles along roads approaching the bridge, which could become a key target in a potential Chinese assault on the capital.



Chieh Chung, a researcher at Taiwan&#8217;s Institute for National Defense and Security Research who observed the exercise, said Taiwan&#8217;s defensive strategy in wartime could involve creating multiple layers of obstacles stretching from the bridge toward designated areas where attacking forces could be engaged.



The simulated operation was intended to slow or stop Chinese forces from using the bridge as a rapid route into Taipei.



&#8220;I believe the military&#8217;s plans would also include demolishing these bridges, if necessary, ensuring that the People&#8217;s Liberation Army would not be able to use them to cross the river ​quickly and continue its advance,&#8221; Chieh said.



The exercises are part of Taiwan&#8217;s broader effort to strengthen military readiness and civil-defense capabilities amid increasing Chinese military and maritime activity around the island.

Taiwan Steps Up Anti-Blockade Drills as China Intensifies Maritime Pressure

Belaaz is saddened to report on the petirah of the Spinka &#8211; Bais Shmiel Tzvi Rebbe of Williamsburg, Harav Yosef Meir Horowitz ZT&#8221;L, who passed away this evening at the age of 58.



The Rebbe passed away after battling an illness. In recent days he was hospitalized in Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, and sadly he was just niftar.



He was known by his Chasidim as a beloved Rebbe who led his kehillah with warmth, Avodas Hashem and his ahavas Yisroel and dedication to his Chassidim. 



Levaya information will be published as soon as details become available.



Besuros Tovos

BDE: Spinka – Bais Shmiel Tzvi Rebbe, Harav Yosef Meir Horowitz ZT”L

The U.S. Department of State announced Wednesday that it has established a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, saying the initiative has already resulted in hundreds of visa revocations involving foreign nationals suspected of abusing U.S. immigration and visa rules.



The announcement comes after President Donald Trump issued new executive orders aimed at addressing birth tourism. The administration&#8217;s actions follow a June 30 Supreme Court ruling that rejected Trump&#8217;s effort to end automatic U.S. citizenship for children born in the country to parents who are illegal immigrants or temporary visitors.



Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted concerns about visa abuse in a post on X.



“Elaborate birth tourism rings are profiting off the exploitation of America’s laws, coaching foreigners to defraud the U.S. visa system, arranging travel and housing, and even forging documents, all to enable foreign nationals to obtain citizenship for their children,” he said.



The State Department said it is reviewing the activities of visa holders around the world. Under the initiative, officials can revoke visas belonging to people suspected of participating in or helping facilitate birth tourism. The department said the broader objective is to break up organized networks and pursue those responsible.



Drawing on State Department records and information supplied by other federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the task force has revoked more than 600 visas during a single month.



Federal officials and U.S. consular personnel stationed at embassies and consulates worldwide have identified numerous instances in which applicants allegedly provided false or misleading information when seeking visas, according to the State Department.



The department cited the case of a foreign couple who allegedly lied twice on visa applications, first saying they planned to attend a conference and later claiming they were traveling for vacation. The couple subsequently gave birth to two children in the United States during separate trips.



Their visas were revoked.



In another case described by the department, a foreign national obtained a visa after saying she planned to vacation in Orlando. Instead, she traveled to Los Angeles and gave birth just five days after arriving in the United States.



Supreme Court Ruling Puts Birthright Citizenship Back in the Spotlight



The issue of birthright citizenship has taken on renewed significance following one of the most consequential Supreme Court decisions of the 2025–2026 term. The justices voted 6–3 to invalidate Trump&#8217;s executive order seeking to prevent children of illegal immigrants and certain temporary visa holders from automatically receiving U.S. citizenship at birth.



“A child born on American soil and subject to American law was made an American citizen,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.



Trump subsequently said he intended to ask the Supreme Court to reconsider the case, though the high court rarely agrees to rehear cases it has already decided.



“This miscarriage of justice will destroy America if they don’t change their absolutely insane decision,” the president said at the time.



The administration ultimately failed to meet the July 27 deadline for submitting its petition, according to the report.



Trump&#8217;s two executive orders, signed on Aug. 6, seek to restrict birth tourism while also broadening the categories of people who could be considered ineligible for birthright citizenship, according to Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy.



The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations moved the following day to stop the administration from enforcing the new executive orders, asking a federal judge on Aug. 11 to block them.



The dispute now places the State Department&#8217;s visa enforcement efforts alongside the broader administration battle over birth tourism and the constitutional rules governing citizenship for children born in the United States.

State Department Targets Birth Tourism as Visa Task Force Revokes More Than 600 Visas

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York is committing $7.2 million in state funding to maintain legal services for unaccompanied migrant children facing deportation proceedings after a federal contract providing representation expired, state officials announced Wednesday.



At a joint news conference involving state and city officials, Gov. Kathy Hochul said the funding will assist roughly 1,400 children with active removal cases. More than 250 of those children are currently being held in detention.



The New York State Office for New Americans is establishing contracts with a coalition of legal service organizations led by the Hispanic Federation. The effort is intended to provide continued representation to children who had previously received assistance through the now-expired federal program.



No child in our state should ever face the fear and uncertainty of the immigration process without advocates and legal support in their corner,” Hochul said. “While the Trump Administration is walking away from these children, New York is stepping up to help bridge the gap and ensure their continued access to the services they need and deserve.”



Hochul said federal law has required the government to provide legal assistance to migrant children for nearly 20 years, a policy followed by both Democratic and Republican administrations. She emphasized that attorneys are especially important for unaccompanied minors, who can face increased risks of trafficking, exploitation and abuse.



The Trump administration allowed a federal contract for legal representation of unaccompanied children to expire on July 31. The Acacia Center for Justice, through its network of immigration attorneys, had previously overseen legal assistance for approximately 24,000 unaccompanied minors.



“Today, as a result of this decision, children who have fled violence, trafficking, war, and abuse will walk into courtrooms alone,” said Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the press conference Wednesday.



“Many of them had no other option but to travel here by themselves across thousands of miles. When they made it here to our city, they thought that maybe the worst would be behind them, that things would be different, but now they will stand alone again, as they face attacks from a trained government attorney across the aisle, whose sole objective is to deport them back to the place they endured so much to escape.”



According to the Washington Post, the Trump administration has awarded the Houston-based Burke Law Group a new, one-year, $150 million no-bid contract to provide legal services. The selection has drawn criticism from some experts, who have questioned the firm&#8217;s limited experience in immigration and child-advocacy law as well as its financial connections to the administration.



“New York will never stand by while vulnerable children are left to navigate our immigration system alone,” said state Attorney General Letitia James, who previously worked pro bono to represent unaccompanied migrant minors in court. “We will continue fighting to protect immigrant New Yorkers and push back against federal overreach that puts families and communities at risk.”



Earlier this year, Hochul signed legislation aimed at limiting the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New York. The measure bars local governments and law enforcement agencies from entering agreements with the federal government for civil immigration enforcement, restricts officers from wearing face coverings while interacting with the public and creates a state-law pathway for New Yorkers to sue government officials over alleged constitutional-rights violations.



The legislation also restricts immigration enforcement activities at sensitive locations and protects migrant students&#8217; ability to attend school regardless of their immigration status.

Gov. Kathy Hochul Vows to Protect Migrant Children After Federal Legal Aid Contract Ends

Kerestir, Hungary &#8211; Near the Kever of Reb Shayele of Kerestir, was the scene of a rare double simcha today, Wednesday, as a wedding and a Pidyon Haben took place there one after the next &#8211; for the same person.



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The Pidyon Haben that took place is being described to Belaaz by a local as the first held in Kerestir since 1957, adding a layer of historical significance to the simcha — a claim Belaaz has not independently verified.



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 The wedding followed with a full seuda accompanied by live music on site at the Friedlander Achsanya, also known as &#8216;Reb Shayele&#8217;s Gast Hoiz&#8217;



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A Belaaz correspondent was on the ground for the simcha watching the once in a life time event. Footage from the event attached below:



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" data-id="29220" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-12-at-11.47.09-AM.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-29220" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-12-at-11.47.09-AM.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-12-at-11.47.09-AM-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-12-at-11.47.09-AM-768x576.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



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Double Simcha in Kerestir: Pidyon Haben and Wedding for Same Person

An Israeli woman and her daughter have been missing in Vienna since Friday, with Israel’s embassy in Austria appealing Tuesday for urgent help locating the pair.



Mali Yahalomi, 50, and her daughter Liel Yahalomi, 23, were last seen in the Austrian capital, according to the embassy. The two have had no contact with their family since Friday.



The embassy asked anyone with information about their whereabouts to call +43 6763672304 or contact local police. It also urged the public to share the missing persons alert on social media.



Israeli officials, Austrian authorities and representatives of the Jewish community are involved in an intensive effort to locate the mother and daughter.



According to the latest report, both Mali and Liel missed their scheduled flight from Prague and did not arrive before check-in closed, raising further concern as the search for them continues.



An Israeli official described the scale of the search:



“The whole world is on its feet trying to find them.”



The embassy does not believe the disappearance is related to a nationalistic incident, Channel 12 reported.



Neither the Israeli embassy nor the outlet provided further details about the pair’s last known sighting or the nature of their trip.



Austria has been among the European countries friendliest to Israel in recent years, as ties have soured with much of the continent over the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli mother and daughter missing in Vienna since Friday as search intensifies

The IDF has identified the burial place of fallen soldier Shlomo Chaimson nearly 78 years after he was killed while trying to escape a British detention camp in Cyprus, the military announced Wednesday. Investigators determined that Chaimson is buried in grave No. 11, row 2, in the Cyprus immigrants’ section of a Haifa cemetery.



Chaimson was born in Romania in 1930 and lost his father during World War II. He later sailed toward Israel with his mother, Ita, and his partner, Perla, aboard the Pan York–Kibbutz Galuyot, but British forces intercepted the ship and deported its passengers to Cyprus. While detained, Chaimson joined the Haganah-backed Shurot HaMeginim and trained to become an IDF fighter after reaching Israel.



After Israel’s establishment, his mother and partner were released and moved to Israel. In September 1948, Chaimson learned that his daughter, Miriam, had been born and decided to escape. On the night of Sept. 29–30, he and eight others broke through the camp fence but were spotted by guards, who opened fire. Chaimson was killed and buried the following day in the Jewish cemetery in Margo, Cyprus, under a headstone bearing no name.



In 1970, Israel brought 163 people buried in Margo to Israel, around 120 of them unidentified, and reburied them in a special section in Haifa. A renewed identification effort began in 2010, and in 2023 the IDF established a special investigative team that examined archival material from around the world, collected testimony, analyzed period photographs and conducted archaeological surveys.



Chaimson’s daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who live in Rio de Janeiro, were informed Tuesday that the investigation had been completed. Brig. Gen. Edna Ilya said that when Chaimson’s name is placed on his grave, Israel will “restore his identity, his dignity and his rightful place in the heart of the nation.” His descendants are expected to travel to Israel for a military-state ceremony marking the identification.

IDF Identifies Shlomo Chaimson’s Grave Nearly 78 Years After His Death

A young father and husband in Toronto, who got married within the past year, suddenly became completely unconscious on Friday night while in Toronto for a family wedding.



 He remains in critical, unstable condition.



 A name has been added for Tehilim: The community is asked to daven urgently for the speedy recovery of &#8211; Refoel Moshe Nechemia ben Yocheved



Further updates will follow as they become available.

TEHILIM: Urgent Tefillos Requested for Young Father Critical in Toronto

Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman have advanced to a runoff in South Carolina’s Republican special Senate primary, according to the Associated Press, setting up the next stage of the contest to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.



Because no Republican candidate secured more than 50% of Tuesday’s vote, Graham and Norman will compete in a runoff two weeks from now. Rep. Russell Fry, former Gov. and former Rep. Mark Sanford, and several other candidates failed to advance. The primary took place exactly one month after the longtime senator unexpectedly died at age 71.



The runoff represents another important test of President Donald Trump’s influence within the Republican Party, particularly the effectiveness of his endorsements in GOP primary contests. Trump endorsed Darline Graham, the late senator’s younger sister, in the race. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham last month to serve out the remainder of her brother’s current Senate term, which expires at the end of the year.



Graham said after casting her ballot Tuesday that she entered the race to help &#8220;President Trump get his agenda passed.&#8221;



Norman, who earlier this year unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor in the contest to replace term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster, is a strong Trump ally in the House. Fry, a two-term congressman, has likewise positioned himself as a supporter of the president during his Senate campaign.



Sanford entered the race with a different political profile. The former governor and congressman briefly challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2020 but failed to gain traction. Sanford has long been identified with fiscal conservatism and made the country’s growing debt a central reason for seeking a Senate seat.



The Republican field was crowded, also featuring businessman Mark Lynch, who had previously challenged Lindsey Graham and lost to him by nearly 30 percentage points in the June Republican Senate primary.



The outcome underscores that a Trump endorsement is not necessarily a guarantee of victory, even in deeply Republican South Carolina.



Trump had previously endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the Republican gubernatorial primary to determine who would succeed McMaster, who is barred by term limits from seeking another term. The primary was held in early June.



Evette finished as the leading vote-getter in that primary but was decisively defeated by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in the subsequent runoff. Trump had also endorsed Wilson shortly before the runoff, giving him support in addition to his earlier backing of Evette.



The Republican nominee emerging from the Senate runoff in two weeks is expected to enter the general election as the clear favorite against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician.



The race will ultimately determine who completes the next chapter of the Senate seat long held by Lindsey Graham, while also providing another indication of how much weight Trump’s backing carries with Republican voters heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

South Carolina Senate Battle Heads to Runoff as Trump’s GOP Influence Faces Major Test

American citizen and former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman has been released by Russia on humanitarian grounds after more than four years in detention, U.S. officials confirmed Tuesday.



President Trump announced the release on Truth Social. &#8220;I am proud to announce that American Citizen Robert Gilman, a former United States Marine, is coming HOME!&#8221; Trump wrote, adding that Gilman would land at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. Tuesday night, where U.S. representatives, some of whom are traveling with him on the plane, will welcome him back.



Gilman, 32, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was arrested in Voronezh, Russia in January 2022 and later sentenced to prison on charges relating to an altercation with a police officer, allegations his family has disputed. Advocates said Gilman had been subjected to abusive treatment in custody and was recently found to be in a &#8220;dissociative stupor&#8221; — a catatonic, non-responsive state — after being moved to a civilian hospital in June.



A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed the release was carried out purely on humanitarian grounds, &#8220;not part of an exchange,&#8221; with no other concessions provided by the United States. Trump said he had personally discussed the release with Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Gilman is now en route to the U.S. on a State Department plane, escorted by American personnel, and is expected to continue on to a military hospital in Texas for medical evaluation and treatment. A U.S. official said Gilman was walking and talking following his release.

Former Marine Robert Gilman Freed From Russia After More Than Four Years, Headed Home

Qatar has accused Israel of “dragging its feet” over the proposed roadmap for Gaza, arguing that Israel has repeatedly resisted efforts to advance the plan throughout the war in the Strip.



Majed al-Ansari, spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said Doha wants the international community to increase pressure on Israel to move ahead with the second stage of the U.S.-backed 20-point plan for Gaza.



According to Ansari, Hamas has accepted the proposal, leaving Israel responsible for taking the next steps toward implementation.



Ansari also said Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are preparing to announce practical measures aimed at advancing the Gaza plan.



Turning to the ongoing U.S.-Iran discussions, Ansari said ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains the immediate priority. He added that efforts should focus on restoring conditions in the waterway to what they were before the war.



Any future agreement concerning the strategic strait, Ansari said, must be reached through “regional concurrence and full respect for international law.”

Qatar Accuses Israel of Delaying Gaza Plan as Arab States Prepare Coordinated Push

Rabbi Yehuda Gerami visited the New York offices of the Tzedek Association Monday evening, meeting with the organization&#8217;s president, Rabbi Moshe Margaretten.



Speaking with Belaaz, Rabbi Gerami confirmed he is currently in the country for summer vacation.



Gerami&#8217;s visit has drawn attention given his position within Iran&#8217;s Jewish community in Tehran and relationship to the Iranian regime, with many wondering about the circumstances under which he is able to travel freely. 



Belaaz has also learned that despite the IRGC and the Iranian regime historically maintaining relatively cordial relations with the country&#8217;s Jewish community, Iranian state media has recently shifted tone, increasingly characterizing Jews in hostile terms, R&#8221;L.



Belaaz has chosen not to publish additional travel details, given the sensitivities involved.



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Iranian Rabbi Yehuda Gerami Visits Tzedek Association Offices in NY

An off-campus residence housing members of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) at UC San Diego was vandalized overnight with antisemitic graffiti, including swastikas, a Star of David, references to the KKK and the direct threat: “Die AEPi.”



The San Diego Police Department is investigating the incident as a bias-motivated hate crime, while UCSD police and university officials are assisting with the investigation.



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UC San Diego publicly condemned the attack, stating: “UC San Diego condemns an off-campus antisemitic and racist incident targeting students. We stand against hate and support those impacted.”



AEPi said it is working with UCSD administrators, campus partners and local law enforcement as the investigation continues.

Jewish Fraternity House Targeted with Antisemitism

DAMASCUS, Syria.  A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced ousted President Bashar Assad and his younger brother, Maher Assad, to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Syria’s 14-year conflict, a devastating war that claimed roughly half a million lives.



The ruling, issued by Damascus’ Fourth Criminal Court, represents the first criminal sentences against Assad or members of his inner circle since the Assad family’s five decades in power ended 20 months ago.



“Bashar Assad used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity,” judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan said during a court hearing that was broadcast live on Syrian state television.



Assad’s maternal cousin, Atef Najib, was also sentenced to death after being convicted of directing a crackdown in the southern province of Daraa. The campaign helped trigger the uprising that eventually developed into a full-scale civil war. Al-Aryan said Najib has the right to appeal the verdict.



Security was heavy around the courthouse as Najib stood inside a prisoner’s cage wearing a uniform while the judge announced his sentence. Outside the central Damascus courthouse, a crowd gathered to listen to the verdict.



“Today is the day of justice for all the wounded, martyrs, detainees and Syrians who were forced to leave their country,” said attorney Adnan al-Masalmeh, who represented relatives of Najib’s victims. “Today marks a victory of right against injustice, a victory of the Syrian people against the ousted regime.”



Assad and Maher Assad fled to Russia after their government collapsed in December 2024 and were granted political asylum. Syria’s new authorities have since called on Moscow to surrender the two brothers.



Najib, who was placed under U.S. Treasury sanctions in April 2011, was subsequently detained and became one of the most senior Assad-era security officials to face trial.



A former Syrian army brigadier general, Najib headed the Political Security Branch in Daraa province in 2011 under Assad’s government.



During his time in charge, more than a dozen teenagers were arrested and tortured after writing anti-government graffiti on a school wall in Daraa. The incident became one of the sparks that ignited widespread demonstrations against the repression carried out by Assad’s security forces.



The demonstrations were answered with a violent government crackdown, eventually escalating into a 14-year civil war that ended when Assad was removed from power following a rapid rebel offensive.



Several of Najib’s victims attended Tuesday’s court proceedings. Among them were two men who had been teenagers when they were detained in 2011 and who later spoke with The Associated Press.



“Today we reached a point where the blood was not wasted,” said Mouawiya Sayasneh, referring to those killed during the crackdown. Fifteen years later, “there is happiness that Atef Najib was sentenced to death,” he said.



Nayef Abazeid, who was detained when he was just 13 years old in 2011, also welcomed the ruling. He said that “our biggest happiness will be when Bashar Assad is executed.”



Maher Assad previously commanded the Syrian military’s 4th Armored Division, a powerful unit that opposition activists have accused of carrying out killings, torture and extortion, as well as involvement in drug trafficking and operating its own detention facilities.



“Today’s scenes outside the courthouse reflect 15 years of pain and a justice long denied. Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all cases, including this one,” said Hiba Zayadin, Syria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It’s cruel and irreversible, especially when a fair trial isn’t guaranteed.”



Zayadin emphasized that Najib is entitled to appeal and said the appeals process “needs to meet fair trial standards too.” She added that meaningful accountability for crimes committed during the Assad era will ultimately require Syria to establish a durable and credible justice system.

Assad Sentenced to Death in Absentia as Syria Seeks Justice for War Crimes

A Sefer Torah written in memory of Golani Reconnaissance fighters who fell at the Beaufort and in later battles was brought to the fortress in southern Lebanon, where soldiers read from it this week, 44 years after the bloody 1982 battle for the mountain.



The return carried added significance after IDF troops recaptured the Beaufort ridge in late May, 26 years after Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon. Golani Reconnaissance soldiers again reached the fortress and raised the Israeli and Golani flags there as part of a broader operation targeting Hezbollah infrastructure across the Beaufort and Wadi Saluki areas.



The Torah was written years after the original battle as an enduring memorial to members of the Golani Reconnaissance cohorts who were killed over the years, among them Maj. Giora “Guni” Harnik and Brig. Gen. Erez Gerstein. It was completed in 2020 and has since been kept at a Shul in Hoshaya in northern Israel.



Harnik, the former commander of the reconnaissance unit, returned to the force after the First Lebanon War broke out in June 1982. After commander Moshe Kaplinsky was seriously wounded, Harnik took command of the troops advancing toward the northern section of the fortress. His armored personnel carrier overturned on the way, but he continued on foot, reorganized the force and led the assault.



Harnik and several other Golani fighters were killed as the troops battled through fortified positions and trenches before completing the capture of the Beaufort. Forty-four years later, with Israeli soldiers once again positioned on the mountain, the memorial Torah was carried back to the site and opened for a Torah reading.

Torah Honoring Fallen Golani Fighters Returns To Beaufort After 44 Years

Following Monday&#8217;s report by the Washington Post on President Trump&#8217;s secret three plane switch in Turkey amid an Iranian assassination threat, video has surfaced that appears to show the Turkish catering truck described in the report, which was used to transfer Trump from the older Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft in Turkey last month.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="756" style="aspect-ratio: 1230 / 756;" width="1230" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2037231.mp4"></video><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Video Credit: John Hudson/WaPo</figcaption></figure>



 According to the Post&#8217;s reporting, Trump was publicly seen boarding the older Air Force One jumbo jet in full view of television cameras before leaving Turkey, instead of hsing the new Qatari gifted plane. Minutes later, he and several aides reportedly exited through a door on the opposite side of the aircraft and were driven by an airport catering truck normally used to load food and supplies, to a nearby Air Force C-32A, a much smaller modified Boeing 757, and transferred onto that aircraft instead. 



War Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the C-32A separately via external stairs in an effort to make the flight appear routine. Meanwhile, per the report, members of the White House press corps and some staff boarded the &#8220;decoy&#8221; Air Force One believing Trump was traveling with them, and were instructed to close their window shades before takeoff.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The Washington Post credited this great plane tracker account with an import detail in our exclusive tonight. Sharing credit where it&#39;s due: <a href="https://t.co/A5J6ltf8qZ">https://t.co/A5J6ltf8qZ</a>&mdash; Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) <a href="https://x.com/DanLamothe/status/2086998413317402927?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2026</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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 The two aircraft landed minutes apart at RAF Mildenhall in Britain. Trump was then transferred back onto the original Air Force One before appearing on camera descending its external stairs, maintaining the public appearance that he&#8217;d been aboard that plane the entire flight.



 The elaborate operation reportedly stemmed from a credible threat from Iran and allied groups to fire a missile at the presidential aircraft. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Scoop: Trump flew secretly from Turkey on an alternate military aircraft unbeknownst to journalists and some White House staff members who believed they were on the same plane as the president, The Post has learned. w/ <a href="https://x.com/DanLamothe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DanLamothe</a> <a href="https://x.com/abtran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abtran</a> &amp; <a href="https://x.com/joyceslee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@joyceslee</a> <a href="https://t.co/CZqvHnfi44">https://t.co/CZqvHnfi44</a>&mdash; John Hudson (@John_Hudson) <a href="https://x.com/John_Hudson/status/2086949681834168812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2026</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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VIDEO: Footage Possibly Shows Catering Truck Transferring Trump From Air Force One Amid Iran Threat

President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. Navy has cleared mines from the Strait of Hormuz and now maintains “100%” control of the critical waterway, while also escalating his demands that Iran pay reparations. The latest comments add another layer of tension to an already dangerous standoff between Washington and Tehran.



Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump asserted that American forces now exercise complete control over the strait. “It’s open now,” he said, while emphasizing that the United States was “the only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz right now.”



Trump characterized the American military presence as a “steel wall,” arguing that occasional Iranian efforts to lay mines have not undermined U.S. control. “They will, on occasion, drop a mine, and we find the mine,” he said. The United States has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports since mid-April.



Iranian officials, however, have maintained that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed unless Washington meets a series of Iranian demands, including ending its naval blockade. Tehran has also said that its discussions with Oman regarding shipping arrangements would not necessarily result in a complete reopening of the waterway.



Trump escalated the dispute over compensation in a Truth Social post early Tuesday, saying Iran’s demand for reimbursement for war-related damage had given him “an interesting idea.” He argued that Tehran should instead compensate the United States for Americans killed or wounded in roadside bombings and other attacks allegedly connected to Iran, as well as for Iranian protesters whom he said had been killed by the Iranian regime over the past five decades.



The president’s reparations demand has created another obstacle after Iran announced its own requirements Saturday for reopening the strategic waterway. Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz carried approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies, making continued disruption a major concern for global energy markets.



Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Saturday that the strait would remain closed until Washington lifts its naval blockade and sanctions, removes American forces from the region, provides war reparations and unfreezes Iranian assets. The council also demanded an end to U.S. attacks against Iran’s regional allies.



Trump has indicated that he may allow Iran’s worsening economic conditions to increase pressure on Tehran rather than immediately pursue additional military action.



Iranian officials pushed back Tuesday against Washington’s economic pressure campaign. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei responded to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s characterization of U.S. sanctions as “suffocating” Iran.



Baqaei argued that Washington turns to sanctions when diplomatic efforts fail and intensifies them when they do not produce the desired results. He described the approach as having become less a “policy” than a “compulsive addiction.”



The continuing deadlock reflects two sharply different positions. Washington views its naval deployment as a lasting guarantee of access through the waterway, while Tehran regards the American military presence as the principal barrier to restoring normal shipping. Iran has repeatedly said it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz while the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports.



The disruption to energy supplies remains a major concern for financial markets. Tanker traffic through the strait continues to operate at reduced levels, according to Lloyd Chan, senior currency analyst at MUFG Bank in Singapore, who also noted that Brent crude prices remain well above levels seen before the conflict.



Chan said further flare-ups remain possible but added that a wider regional war is still not considered the most likely outcome.



Oil prices surged Monday as tensions and rhetoric intensified, reversing a short-lived decline from the previous week. West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery rose about 5% to settle near $82.13 per barrel, while Brent crude gained roughly the same amount to reach about $87.72. Oil prices were modestly higher in Asian trading Tuesday.



With Washington and Tehran continuing to disagree over control of the Strait of Hormuz, military deployments, sanctions and financial compensation, the strategic waterway remains at the center of an increasingly tense confrontation that could continue to weigh on global energy markets.

Trump Claims ‘100%’ Control of Strait of Hormuz, Demands Iran Pay Reparations as Tensions Escalate

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday announced a sweeping proposal to overhaul a decades-old food policy that has allowed manufacturers to introduce certain new ingredients without direct federal oversight. The Trump administration has also submitted what officials describe as the federal government’s first proposed definition of ultra-processed foods for final review, Kennedy said.



“Parents should not need a chemistry degree to understand what their kids are eating,” Kennedy said during an event in Washington, where he again emphasized his longstanding criticism of the typical American diet and its connection to obesity and chronic disease.



“Nearly 60% of the American diet is made up of ultra-processed foods for our kids &#8230; and more than 70% of American adults are obese or overweight,” he said. “We cannot spend our way out of a chronic disease epidemic while ignoring the things that are making Americans sick. Food is the most powerful weapon that we have in our arsenal.”



Kennedy said the Food and Drug Administration lacks a precise count of the ingredients currently used throughout the nation’s food supply, estimating the total could range from 4,000 to 12,000. He pointed to a 1958 law enacted by Congress that permits manufacturers to use substances considered “generally recognized as safe,” commonly known as GRAS.



Under the GRAS system, companies historically have not been required to conduct extensive safety studies on familiar substances such as salt, vinegar and flour. Kennedy said the policy was intended to provide a limited exemption but gradually evolved into a loophole that allowed companies to independently determine whether newer substances were safe.



“Industry hijacked the loophole and drove a convoy of chemical trucks through it straight into the American food supply,” Kennedy said. “The FDA was left with a major blind spot, and administration after administration allowed that system to persist. And Congress has not fixed it either.”



Under the proposed regulation, food manufacturers would be required to notify the FDA when they determine that substances qualify for GRAS status. The agency would also broaden its publicly accessible database of GRAS notifications. For ingredients already being used in food products, manufacturers would receive a timeline for providing the FDA with information about their existing applications.



FDA officials and public-health advocates also highlighted the administration’s proposed definition of ultra-processed foods during Monday’s events, describing it as a potentially significant development. The Department of Health and Human Services has not yet released the definition publicly, but said Monday that the proposal incorporates input from thousands of stakeholders, including consumer advocates, researchers and representatives of the food industry.



The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health describes ultra-processed foods as products containing at least one ingredient that would not ordinarily be found in a household kitchen, including certain chemical preservatives, hydrogenated oils or artificial colors. Such products undergo processing &#8220;that leave the final products bearing almost no resemblance to the original ingredients.&#8221;



“The agency continues to operate with a lack of comprehensive knowledge of the substances present in the food supply,” acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said Monday.



Diamantas “strongly” urged “all stakeholders” to participate in the public-comment process for the proposal, which was released Monday morning. The FDA will accept public comments for 120 days.



The Consumer Brands Association, a trade organization representing the U.S. consumer packaged-goods industry, said Monday that it has significant concerns about the federal government&#8217;s effort to establish a definition for ultra-processed foods. The group warned that the policy could raise costs for consumers and create additional confusion.



“America’s packaged food supply is safe and has been a staple in American households for decades,&#8221; Consumer Brands Association Executive Vice President Rhonda Bentz said in a statement. “That’s something that a guidance document crafted without credible experts cannot change. Any so-called definition that captures 80% of the nation’s food supply while picking winners and losers is fundamentally flawed, not based on sound science and politically motivated.”



Consumer Brands is also part of Americans for Ingredient Transparency, a coalition advocating for federal legislation that would create nationwide standards governing ingredient-safety regulations, including rules concerning substances classified as generally recognized as safe.



During Monday’s event, Kennedy urged Congress “to give FDA the additional tools it needs to keep pace with the changing food supply” and called for expanded federal oversight of food ingredients.



“AFIT supports meaningful, science-based modernization of the GRAS program and efforts to strengthen consumer confidence in the safety and transparency of our food supply,” AFIT senior adviser Patrice Onwuka said in a statement. “The most durable way to achieve those goals is through bipartisan Congressional action that establishes a transparent, nationally uniform framework for food ingredient oversight.”



AFIT cited a recent analysis from the Policy Navigation Group estimating that grocery prices could rise by 12% if states continue developing separate ingredient regulations rather than adopting a national standard. The coalition also said federal legislation aimed at increasing food transparency has bipartisan backing.



“In attendance today we have left-wing groups who are in bitter disagreement with us on other issues but are joining arms on these initiatives today,” HHS senior adviser Calley Means said Monday. “All of us agree there is a unique political and cultural moment where we can change the incentives of our food system and improve transparency.”

RFK Jr. Unveils Major Plan to Tighten FDA Oversight of Food Ingredients

BOGOTÁ, Colombia. At least 111 people have been killed and 87 injured after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing buildings to collapse, homes to be destroyed and residents to become trapped beneath rubble, officials said.



President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster as emergency crews responded to widespread destruction reported across several cities and communities.



The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered about 5 kilometers east of San José del Palmar, Colombia.



Some of the most severe damage was reported in Cali and Pereira. Officials said dozens of people were killed in the departments surrounding the two cities as rescue teams searched damaged buildings for survivors.



At least 61 buildings have collapsed, while more than 1,600 homes have been damaged or destroyed, according to the president. Health centers, community facilities and roads were also among the infrastructure damaged by the quake.



In Cali, at least 20 buildings collapsed, according to the city’s mayor. Rescue workers were conducting an operation at one damaged building where at least 15 people were believed to be trapped.



Authorities in the department of Chocó also reported injuries and &#8220;severe damage&#8221; to buildings in Quibdó, the department’s capital.



The earthquake also disrupted air travel, with seven airports suspending operations in Armenia, Cali, Manizales, Pereira, Quibdó, Buenaventura and Cartago.



There were no immediate reports of collapsed buildings in Bogotá, officials said.



The earthquake, which struck Monday morning, was the strongest recorded in Colombia in a decade, according to the Colombian Geological Survey. The shaking was felt throughout much of Colombia as well as in neighboring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.



In a video posted on social media, the Colombian president said he was traveling to Bogotá to &#8220;focus on addressing the emergency facing our country&#8221;. He also convened a unified command post to coordinate the government’s response in affected areas, including the region known as the Coffee-Growers&#8217; Axis.



The United States said it was closely watching the situation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration is &#8220;closely monitoring&#8221; the earthquake and stands &#8220;ready&#8221; to support the people of Colombia.

Powerful 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Colombia, Killing at Least 111 and Trapping Survivors

WILLIAMSBURG — The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, strongly condemned the campaign of &#8220;attacks&#8221; against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during his major annual Drasha marking the yahrzeit of the Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum Zatzal, on Sunday.



Speaking to one of the largest annual gatherings of the Satmar community, the Rebbe warned that rhetoric directed against NYC Mayor Mamdani by members of the Jewish community violates the traditional Torah approach to relations with government and risks provoking hostility toward Jews.



&#8220;Recently, we have witnessed a terrible provocation against the nations by heimishe Yidden — through the incitement against the Mayor of New York City,&#8221; the Rebbe said in his speech.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="601" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-10-at-11.17.30-AM.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-29148" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-10-at-11.17.30-AM.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-10-at-11.17.30-AM-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-10-at-11.17.30-AM-768x513.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Satmar Rebbe with NYC Mayor Mamdani.</figcaption></figure>



Citing the Navi Yirmiyahu&#8217;s instruction to the Jewish people to seek the peace of the city in which they live and to Daven on its behalf, the Rebbe said Frum Jews must conduct themselves according to the Torah&#8217;s guidance for Jewish life in Galus.



&#8220;We must remember that we are in Galus,&#8221; the Rebbe said. &#8220;The Navi Yirmiyahu instructed the Yidden: &#8216;Seek the peace of the city to which I have exiled you, and Daven to Hashem on its behalf.&#8217; An observant Jew must follow the Torah&#8217;s path and accept the decree of exile&#8221;, the Rebbe added.



The Rebbe specifically condemned efforts to denounce Mayor Mamdani and brand him as an Antisemite.



He said: &#8220;To denounce the mayor and brand him an antisemite constitutes a true provocation against the nations (Hisgaarus Ba&#8217;umos)&#8221;, &#8220;As though the provocation against the nations taking place in Eretz Yisroel were not enough, they are now bringing it here to the United States as well.&#8221;



The Rebbe concluded by urging Jewish families to guard their homes against publications and messages influenced by &#8220;Zionist ideology.&#8221;



The Drasha was delivered on the 47th yahrzeit of the Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, who reestablished the Satmar community in the United States following the Holocaust and became one of the most influential Jewish leaders of the twentieth century. Opposition to Zionism and adherence to traditional Torah principles governing Jewish life in Galus were central foundations of his teachings.

Satmar Rebbe Condemns Incitement Against Mamdani, Urges Torah-Based Approach to Galus

Oil prices moved higher Monday as prospects for a near-term resolution to the confrontation between the United States and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz continued to fade.



Iran and Oman had recently suggested that the two sides were approaching an arrangement that could reopen the vital waterway to oil shipments and other commercial traffic. However, Tehran has presented an extensive set of conditions that it says Washington must satisfy before vessels can once again travel through the strait without restrictions. The demands have underscored Iran’s intention to retain the waterway as a bargaining tool. President Trump told Axios on Sunday that he expects Iran will ultimately yield as mounting economic pressure and inflation take their toll.



Oil Prices Move Higher



Brent crude, the international benchmark, gained about 1.5 percent, trading between $84 and $85 per barrel. The benchmark remains roughly 16 percent above its level immediately before the war began.



West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, also edged higher, climbing to slightly above $79 per barrel.



Markets continue to closely monitor the disruption affecting ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically important passage between Iran and Oman that normally transports roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies. Traders are also watching activity by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in Yemen, which has sought to limit shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has relied on that route as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.



Shipping Through Hormuz Remains Limited



Only a relatively small number of vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, with traffic continuing at a tiny fraction of normal levels. Maritime data firm Kpler estimates that approximately 12 ships a day have recently made the crossing. Before the war, the waterway handled an average of about 130 vessels each day.



Shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait has remained comparatively steady. Kpler recorded an average of just under 40 vessels per day from Friday through Sunday. Traffic has not experienced a major additional decline following Houthi threats against Saudi vessels in the area. However, shipping activity there had already fallen to its current level in 2023, when the Houthis began attacking commercial vessels in response to Israel’s war in Gaza.



The United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry said Saturday that an Iranian strike had hit a tanker operated by the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company while the vessel was passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The company previously reported that at least 15 of its ships had come under attack in the waterway since the conflict began. Those incidents have resulted in one crew member being killed and 20 others injured.



Global Stocks Show Little Movement



S&amp;P 500 futures indicated that U.S. stocks were headed for a largely unchanged opening Monday. The benchmark index finished Friday’s session at a new record high.



European markets were similarly subdued, with the Stoxx 600, which tracks major companies across the region, showing little movement.



Asian stocks were generally stronger despite the region’s heavy dependence on imported oil and natural gas. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained more than 2 percent, while South Korea’s KOSPI and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index each advanced by roughly 1 percent.



Gasoline Prices Edge Lower



The national average gasoline price slipped slightly Monday to approximately $4.01 per gallon, according to AAA. Although pump prices have fallen by around 10 cents over the past week, motorists are still paying about 35 percent more on average than they were before the war began.



Changes in gasoline prices typically lag movements in crude oil prices by several days rather than immediately matching them.



Diesel prices also declined modestly Monday, reaching an average of approximately $5.30 per gallon. Despite the recent decrease, diesel remains about 41 percent more expensive than it was at the beginning of the war.

Oil Prices Rise as Iran-U.S. Standoff Keeps Strait of Hormuz Traffic Restricted

One Arab country reportedly advised another to reach an agreement with Israel as a tactical move, use it to lull Israel into complacency and prepare in parallel for a larger military confrontation, according to reports published Monday by Kan News and Channel 12. The recommendation was reportedly to later violate the agreement when conditions were more favorable for a confrontation with Israel.



The contacts took place in recent months, according to the reports, but neither country can currently be identified because of Israeli censorship restrictions. Channel 12 reported that the information had been held by the military censor for months before publication was permitted. The identities and seniority of the officials involved also remain unclear.



National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir seized on the revelation to argue against relying on regional agreements. “Behind all these misconception-driven agreements are lies and deception. They are intended to lull us to sleep ahead of the next blow,” he said. Ben-Gvir added that Israel’s response to its enemies should be “force, determination and total victory — without agreements and without mercy.”



Eyal Tsir Cohen, a former head of the Mossad’s Tevel Division, which handles the agency’s international relationships, offered a more cautious warning. “Any agreement with a country in the region must take into account that its internal political reality is fragile,” he said, warning that Israel’s reliance on a neighboring government’s current interests could eventually “turn against you.”

Report: Arab Country Urged Another To ‘Lull Israel To Sleep’ With Agreement

The Torah and rabbinical community in France is mourning the passing of Rabbi Chaim Peretz, zt”l, a respected dayan who served on a rabbinical court in France and was among the rabbis of the Torah V’Rachamim Yeshiva in Paris. He was 80 years old.



Rabbi Peretz’s passing was reported Sunday, August 9, 2026, bringing a wave of mourning to the Torah communities of both France and Tunisia, where his roots and early Torah development were closely connected.



A distinguished Torah scholar, Rabbi Peretz was counted among the prominent students of Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz, hy”d, the renowned Tunisian Torah leader who was murdered in 1971. Over the course of his life, Rabbi Peretz carried forward the traditions of Tunisian Torah scholarship and halachic learning while serving the Jewish community in France.



In Paris, he devoted himself to Torah study and teaching and served as one of the rabbis of the Torah V’Rachamim Yeshiva. His work as a dayan also placed him in a position of responsibility within the French Jewish community, where he was involved in matters of Jewish law and rabbinical leadership.



Despite enduring severe suffering and physical hardship for years, Rabbi Peretz continued his dedication to spreading Torah. Those reports describing his final years emphasized his extraordinary perseverance and self-sacrifice, as he remained committed to teaching and serving others despite his personal difficulties.



His passing marks the loss of a scholar whose life connected generations and communities from the rich Torah heritage of Tunisia to the vibrant Sephardic Torah world of France. Rabbi Chaim Peretz leaves behind decades of Torah teaching, rabbinical service and a legacy of dedication to Jewish learning.



May his memory be a blessing.

A Life of Torah and Devotion: French Rabbi Chaim Peretz, Zt”l, Dies at 80

Wildfires continued to burn across the western United States and Canada on Sunday, leaving many residents anxiously watching for evacuation orders while others who had already escaped their homes waited to learn what damage they might face when they return.



In western Canada, a rapidly spreading wildfire forced more than 20,000 people from communities along British Columbia’s Okanagan Lake over the weekend, destroying homes and requiring dozens of residents to be rescued by aircraft. Meanwhile, in Washington state, firefighters battling three blazes in the Spokane region for more than a week continued cleanup efforts around containment lines.



Laurie Allen fled her Nine Mile Falls home, north of Spokane, last weekend with her husband, dog and two kittens as flames burned nearby. Although roads leading into her neighborhood remained closed Sunday, she said a friend had told her that her ash-covered home, along with others nearby, was still standing.



“I’ve been here 65 years. It’s never happened,” Allen said. “We didn’t think about anything but grabbing our animals and leaving. But now it’s affected so many of our friends and family around. So it’s pretty dang devastating.”



More Than 20,000 Forced From Canadian Communities



In Canada, Anette Boulet was among those who evacuated Summerland, a community of roughly 12,000 residents along Okanagan Lake. When she and her family fled at about 4:30 a.m. Saturday, thick smoke had engulfed the area.



“You couldn’t see barely. It was, it was just dark, and the ridge, the ridge of fire just coming towards you,” said Boulet, who evacuated to a center in Penticton.



“There’s no words to express it,” she said. “The fear.”



The Bald Range fire, which was first reported Friday evening, prompted evacuations not only in Summerland but also for roughly 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. British Columbia declared a state of emergency on Saturday.



Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s minister of emergency management and community resilience, said Sunday on social media that she had authorized federal assistance requested by British Columbia to help provide shelter and accommodations for evacuees.



Spokane-Area Wildfires Keep Communities on Alert



Fire crews battling three major wildfires in the Spokane area continued “mop-up operations” near containment lines Sunday, according to the team overseeing the response. None of the fires were expanding, but the blazes that have burned over the past week have damaged or destroyed about 920 structures.



Earlier in the week, authorities arrested and charged a man with allegedly deliberately starting the largest of the three Spokane-area fires.



Residents of the small rural town of Malden, about 35 miles south of Spokane, were ordered to evacuate immediately on Saturday. By Sunday, officials had lowered the warning level, advising residents to remain prepared to leave quickly if conditions changed.



“The wind is fairly calm. The fire is not progressing,” said John Goyke, whose company operates Malden’s water under contract, “but we’re using social media and Facebook to keep in contact with everyone.”



Goyke, who also serves as mayor of nearby Rosalia, said Malden residents were asked to conserve water so supplies would be available for firefighting if needed. Malden’s fire department has also been receiving trucked-in water from Rosalia.



Malden was largely destroyed by a wildfire in 2020, which wiped out the town’s fire station, post office, city hall and library.



Two Pilots Killed in Utah Firefighting Helicopter Crash



In Utah, two helicopter pilots died after their aircraft crashed Friday morning while battling a wildfire in Fishlake National Forest. Rescue crews were not able to reach the crash site until Saturday, when they confirmed both deaths.



Officials said intense fire activity, combined with steep and rugged terrain, delayed efforts to reach the area.



“When we first got there we could see two different plumes of smoke, one from the crash site, one from an active fire coming towards us,” Sevier County Sheriff Nathan Curtis said.



The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what caused the helicopter crash.











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Wildfires Ravage Western U.S. and Canada, Forcing Tens of Thousands to Evacuate

WASHINGTON ‒ The Trump administration’s sweeping effort to roll back Head Start regulations is drawing resistance from both parties in Congress, 



Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Aug. 5 that his department plans to eliminate or significantly scale back many of the federal regulations governing the multibillion-dollar Head Start program. The current rules span more than 100 pages.



The proposed changes would eliminate requirements for disability screenings, smaller class sizes, daily toothbrushing assistance and bus monitors. Rules requiring comparable pay for staff and prohibiting student expulsions would also be removed.



Several Senate Republicans have voiced concern in recent days about cutting back those standards, which advocates argue are important for protecting children’s health and safety.



Teaching assistant Anna Muniz reads a book with children during a Head Start preschool class in Wisconsin on Thursday, April 4, 2024.



“We’ve been hearing from our Head Start folks back home that are concerned about what they’re seeing,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told USA TODAY. “That’s something that we’re monitoring.”



Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, said he previously examined potential Head Start reforms at the state level while serving as speaker of North Carolina’s legislature. Still, he questioned whether an overly broad rollback of regulations would be beneficial.



“Just walking away and turning a blind eye toward it, I don&#8217;t think that&#8217;d be a good idea,” he told USA TODAY.



The Republican concerns carry considerable weight because opposition from influential GOP senators can provide one of the strongest checks on Trump administration policies. Last year, resistance from lawmakers including Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, to fully eliminating Head Start was widely seen as a key factor in preserving the program.



Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) arrives for votes at the U.S. Capitol on August 7, 2026.



Sen. Jim Justice, R-West Virginia, said he supports efforts to improve Head Start but warned against changes that could undermine a program he said already serves many children successfully.



“When we start tweaking with stuff, a lot of times we can make it better,” he said in a brief interview. “But there are ways we can make it worse, too.”



Cutting Red Tape, or Going Too Far?



U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is interviewed after announcing new nutrition guidelines at the White House in Washington, D.C., on January 7, 2026.



Kennedy maintains that the proposed overhaul would simplify Head Start operations, reduce federal bureaucracy and potentially allow the program to serve more low-income children each year.



Alex Adams, a Kennedy deputy who oversees the Administration for Children and Families, said during a recent call with reporters that Head Start providers would remain subject to applicable state and local rules. He emphasized that reducing federal requirements would give programs more discretion rather than force them to abandon effective practices.



“Flexibility is permission. It’s not a mandate,” he said.



Democrats sharply rejected that argument.



“They’re saying they might be able to serve more children by promising each child less,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said. “President Trump has all but declared war on Head Start.”



Cassidy Reviewing Proposed Head Start Overhaul



Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, walks in the Capitol on August 7, 2026, after announcing his intention to vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general.



Sen. Bill Cassidy, who chairs the Senate committee overseeing health and education issues and has jurisdiction over Head Start, said he and his staff are examining the proposed regulatory overhaul. Speaking Aug. 6 amid the political battle over Todd Blanche’s attorney general confirmation, Cassidy said he had not yet had the opportunity to fully review the changes.



“I’d like to see what they actually put out,” he told USA TODAY.



The 75-page proposed rule, formally published in the Federal Register on Aug. 7, does more than eliminate existing regulations. It would also establish new requirements, including making English the primary language of instruction and requiring children whose first language is different to learn English while enrolled. The proposal also sets new nutrition standards and requires 30 minutes of physical activity for every 3.5 hours of classroom instruction.



The rulemaking process remains at an early stage, and the proposal could also face legal challenges. Khari Garvin, who led the Office of Head Start during the Biden administration, noted that the public will have 60 days to submit comments. He encouraged concerned teachers and families to participate in the process.



“There still is an opportunity for their voices to be heard.”



“No one should surrender and feel like, well, all is done,” he said.

Trump’s Head Start Rollback Sparks Bipartisan Alarm, With Some Republicans Raising Concerns

President Trump’s Board of Peace unveiled an agreement last month calling for Hamas to surrender its weapons as part of a broader arrangement that would also involve an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.



The Israeli government has rejected a 15-point proposal supported by the Trump administration that seeks to strip Hamas of its weapons in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday



The announcement marked an unusually public disagreement between Netanyahu and President Trump, whose political relationship has taken several unexpected turns. The two leaders joined forces in launching the war against Iran in late February, but tensions have since emerged over how that conflict should conclude and over Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.



Trump announced the agreement between Hamas and his Board of Peace late last month, describing it as a significant diplomatic achievement. Netanyahu’s office initially voiced concerns, stating that the framework did “not reflect Israel’s positions,” but at the time stopped short of formally rejecting the proposal.



Under the American-backed framework, Hamas would surrender its weapons through a phased process to a newly established Palestinian governing body in Gaza. In return, Israel would progressively pull its forces out of the portions of Gaza that have remained under its control since the cease-fire reached last October.



Netanyahu rejected that arrangement outright on Sunday, insisting that Israeli forces “would not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed.” He clarified that the requirement covered “heavy weapons, lighter weapons, all weapons,” and added, “We are talking about real disarmament.”



Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu made his position unmistakable, saying, “I want to be clear here: Israel is ruling out the 15-point document.”



The Board of Peace did not immediately issue a response to Netanyahu’s comments. The White House likewise did not immediately respond when asked for comment.



Netanyahu, who is heading into a difficult re-election campaign this fall, has repeatedly pledged “absolute victory” over Hamas following the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Gaza war. Yet almost three years later, Hamas continues to maintain control over parts of the territory it has governed for nearly two decades.



Hamas has publicly endorsed the U.S.-backed framework. Israeli analysts, however, remain doubtful that the group is genuinely prepared to surrender its weapons to a new Palestinian administration, particularly because armed resistance against Israel remains a central principle of Hamas’s ideology.



The proposed agreement emerged following months of sensitive negotiations involving Hamas leaders living outside Gaza and representatives of Trump’s Board of Peace, a newly created organization tasked with overseeing the Gaza cease-fire. The board includes several national leaders, among them Netanyahu, and is chaired by Trump.



Despite the board’s broad membership, the negotiations were largely conducted by a small group of Trump-appointed officials. Among them was Nickolay Mladenov, a former United Nations envoy to the Middle East. American negotiators attempted to develop an arrangement that would result in Hamas surrendering its weapons while still giving the organization enough incentive to accept the deal.



The agreement’s text states that Israel would first need to satisfy several unresolved requirements from the original cease-fire reached with Hamas last October, which brought an end to the two-year war in Gaza. Those requirements include a “cessation of military operations.”



Even after the cease-fire, Israeli forces have continued carrying out attacks across the Gaza Strip on an almost daily basis. Palestinian health officials say more than 1,000 people have been killed since last October, including senior Hamas figures as well as civilians and children.



The Israeli strikes became particularly intense during the weekend following the agreement’s completion. Gaza health officials reported that more than 18 people were killed during the escalation.



The attacks largely subsided after Mladenov met with Netanyahu last Monday. Mladenov had previously condemned the Israeli strikes, saying they had “killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies that people depend on.”



Under the Trump-backed proposal, an international body would be responsible for determining whether Israel was complying with the cease-fire established last October. Hamas would then be required to “decommission and store” its heavy weapons under a process supervised by a group of Palestinian technocrats backed by the United States.



The plan would also require Israel to carry out a gradual withdrawal from Gaza. Palestinian militias that Israel has armed to oppose Hamas would likewise be expected to surrender their weapons.



Many elements of the arrangement, including the precise timetable, remain unresolved. The 15-point agreement calls for those outstanding details to be settled within 14 days, meaning the deadline would arrive later this week. Whether negotiators can meet that target remains uncertain as serious disagreements and doubts continue to threaten the future of the agreement.

Netanyahu Defies Trump, Rejecting U.S.-Backed Plan to Disarm Hamas

A 12-year-old chareidi boy, Elchanan Karni z&#8221;l, was tragically found dead Sunday afternoon after his boat capsized in the Jordan River near Yesod HaMaalah.



 Fire and rescue crews, along with special rescue unit fighters from the Northern District, conducted extensive searches of the river after receiving a report that the boy had capsized from a boat and contact with him was lost.



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 Police said extensive forces, including a police aviation unit helicopter, rescue unit volunteers, and fire and rescue teams, were dispatched to the scene to conduct wide-scale searches. Rescue units from the Golan located the houng boy in the water and transferred him to medical teams on scene, who sadly pronounced his death at the location.



 Rav-Rasaf Dror Buchnik, commander controlling the incident, said firefighters and special rescue unit personnel searched in the water and along the banks, alongside a drone that scanned the length of the stream. 



 ZAKA&#8217;s Northern District unit was dispatched to the scene to ensure proper kavod hameis. His name and Levaya details will be published when available.

12-Year-Old Frum Boy Nifter After Boat Capsizes in Jordan River Near Yesod HaMaalah

Shalom Saginer z&#8221;l, four years old, the grandson of Breslev Mashpia Rabbi Shalom Arush, drowned in a hotel swimming pool in San José del Cabo, Mexico, while on a family vacation. 



The child is the son of Rabbi Assaf and Rivka Saginer, and the grandson of Rabbi Shalom Arush, rosh mosdot of Chut Shel Chessed. Local rescue teams responded to the scene and performed extended resuscitation efforts before pronouncing the child&#8217;s death R&#8221;L.



 Following the tragedy, Mexican authorities sought to perform an autopsy on the child&#8217;s body. Through the intervention of ZAKA&#8217;s international unit, the autopsy was avoided, and the body was released for burial. ZAKA is now working with the relevant authorities in Mexico to complete the necessary procedures and bring the body to Eretz Yisroel for burial as soon as possible.



 Yossi Landau, ZAKA regional commander for Lachish, said his organization has been accompanying the family since the report came in and is now working to finalize arrangements to bring the child to Israel for burial at the earliest opportunity.



 In a statement, the family said: &#8220;Baruch Dayan HaEmes. A grievous tragedy has come upon us with the difficult news of the passing of the pure child Shalom Saginer, son of Rabbi Assaf and Rivka, grandson of Harav Shalom Arush, shlit&#8221;a. Only four years old, he was taken pure and unblemished. May Hashem comfort us and heal our brokenness.&#8221;



 Rabbi Shalom Arush, the child&#8217;s grandfather, is among the leading mezakei harabim and baalei teshuvah movement leaders of this generation, and founder of the Chut Shel Chessed institutions active across Eretz Yisroel.

Grandson of Rabbi Shalom Arush, 4, Drowns in Mexico Hotel Pool; Body Released for Burial in Israel

Betzalel David Giler z&#8221;l, five years old, a member of the Chabad community in Lod, Central Israel, passed Wat Sunday after being accidentally left in the family car for approximately two hours.



 The boy&#8217;s father later discovered him unconscious in the vehicle. Emergency responders performed CPR at the scene, but Betzalel David could not be revived.



 Baruch Dayan HaEmes. 







Yehi zichro baruch.

TRAGIC 5-Year-Old Chabad Boy Dies After Being Accidentally Left in Family Car in Lod

Bchasdei Hashem, the medical condition of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe showed improvement over Shabbos, following several days of weakness, per reports.



On Shabbos morning, at the minyan in Moshav Ora, those davening were honored to hear the Rebbe&#8217;s voice as he recited Birkas HaChodesh for Chodesh Elul.



Over Shabbos, chassidim in Vizhnitz chassidishe batei medrash across Eretz Yisroel and around the world increased their recitation of Tehillim for the refuah sheleimah of the Rebbe Shlit&#8217;a, Rav Yisroel ben Leah Esther

Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s Condition Improves Over Shabbos; Rebbe’s Voice Heard at Birkas HaChodesh

Avishai Levi z&#8221;l, 46, a Sefardi singer and paytan, was sadly killed Friday in a tragic accident on Adoniyahu HaCohen street in Yerushalayim.



According to reports, the fatal accident occurred while Avishai Levi was working as a driver. Witnesses at the scene said he had stepped out of his vehicle to remove suitcases from the trunk when he noticed the car beginning to roll backward. He ran toward the door in an attempt to put the car in park and was tragically crushed against a poll near the door of the vehicle.



 United Hatzalah medical teams responded to the scene and performed resuscitation efforts on the victim, who had sustained severe injuries in the collision. Despite their efforts, he was later pronounced dead at the scene.



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His name was cleared for publication a short time before Shabbos, after he was identified at the hospital by family members.



Avishai z&#8221;l was born in Tverya on 14 Av, 1980, to his father R&#8217; Eliyahu Levi and his mother Mrs. Rut. He grew up in Yerushalayim, where his exceptional musical talent stood out starting from a young age. He began his career at age 7 as the lead soloist of the legendary children&#8217;s choir &#8220;Perachei Yerushalayim&#8221; between 1987–1989.



 Further details, including levaya arrangements, will be published as they become available. 



Yehi Zichro Baruch



 This is a developing story. Belaaz will update as more information is confirmed.

TRAGEDY: Singer and Paytan Avishai Levi z”l, 46, Killed in Horrific Accident

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and AIPAC traded attacks after the pro-Israel group signaled it could work against Democratic Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in November, potentially benefiting Republican candidate Mike Rogers.



The dispute began after AIPAC celebrated 30 pro-Israel candidates who won primaries in five states and said more than 215 of its endorsed candidates had advanced to the general election. Referring to Michigan, the group said: “Our members remain determined to ensure that voters reject Dr. El-Sayed and his radical anti-Israel agenda in November.”



Axios reporter Andrew Solender described the statement as a signal that AIPAC planned to spend in support of Rogers. AIPAC did not formally announce an endorsement or specify planned spending, but its language suggested it could intervene against El-Sayed after heavily backing his Democratic primary opponent, Haley Stevens.



Ocasio-Cortez responded sharply on X. “I appreciate AIPAC proving it doesn’t belong in the Dem Party and especially our primaries,” she wrote. “From endorsing Jan 6th members to ensuring Congress remains in the hands of a 34-count felon, AIPAC is an org committed to undermining democracy at home and abroad. See you in November.”



AIPAC then accused Ocasio-Cortez of demonizing pro-Israel Americans and argued that its nearly seven million members include both Democrats and Republicans. The organization said it would continue supporting candidates who back a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and opposing what it called anti-Israel detractors. The clash comes after AIPAC and allied groups spent heavily to defeat El-Sayed in the Democratic primary, only for him to narrowly win the nomination for one of the country’s most closely watched Senate seats.

AOC, AIPAC Clash Over Possible Republican Support In Michigan Senate Race

The New York Times reports that Yesterday, Marine One, carrying President Trump, came within 0.8 miles laterally and 700 feet vertically of an Envoy Air passenger jet near Reagan National Airport.



The FAA is investigating the incident, which officials say involved communication issues between the helicopter crew and air traffic controllers.

Marine One Close Call With Passenger Jet While Carrying President Trump

Two Israeli soldiers were killed (and others wounded) in an explosion involving an improvised explosive device in a booby-trapped building in the area of Majdal Selem in southern Lebanon. The IDF has responded with strikes.



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 The Gush Etzion Regional Council announced his death of Harel Birenstock hy&#8221;d, 34, with deep sorrow, noting he was the son of Shlomo and Yonat Birenstock of Neve Daniel and the grandson of Nechama Birenstock of Efrat is survived by his wife, brother, and sisters. 



Condolences were extended to his parents, wife, siblings, and family. 



The soldiers were operating when they were struck by an explosive device planted inside the booby trapped building.



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IDF Reservist Harel Birenstock, 34, of Nokdim in Gush Etzion, has been identified as one of the IDF soldiers killed this morning

An IDF investigation released Wednesday detailed how Maj. Yuval Ezra HYD and Capt. (res.) Benyahu Melt HYD rushed toward armed terrorists during a deadly clash near the Palestinian village of Tell in Samaria. Both were killed while fighting at close range and helping protect dozens of Israeli hikers, as the probe also identified serious operational and medical failures.



The hike began at 5:30 a.m. from Har Bracha and passed through Areas B and A without prior coordination with the IDF. The military had received indications that a hike was planned but did not know its route or timing, and said organizers did not cooperate with attempts to obtain details. A lookout identified the group at 7:27 a.m., shortly before clashes broke out between Israelis and Palestinians.



The confrontation escalated when two terrorists seized the rifle of Dvir, the security coordinator of Havat Gilad. A gun battle lasting one minute and 40 seconds followed, involving fire from the stolen weapon, Melt, Ezra, a platoon commander and two soldiers. Four terrorists were killed and two were wounded.



Ezra fired two rounds before he and terrorist Farouk Ramadan shot each other at point-blank range. Ezra was struck in the head and killed, while Ramadan was critically wounded. The IDF concluded that Melt was killed by terrorist fire but could not rule out that he was also struck by Israeli troops, partly because no autopsy was conducted.



The probe also found that Melt was left critically wounded near the terrorists’ bodies while military medics evacuated Ezra and Dvir. An Israeli civilian medic eventually treated him. The IDF described Melt’s actions as “exceptional heroism and conduct worthy of recognition.” Police are examining possible criminal conduct by the hike’s organizers, while IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir ordered new guidance after two off-duty soldiers joined the hike. Zamir also posthumously promoted Melt to captain.

IDF Probe Details Ezra And Melt’s Heroic Charge During Deadly Samaria Attack

Israel&#8217;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview on political commentator Gadi Taub&#8217;s podcast &#8220;Shomer Saf&#8221; that the temporary law freezing arrests of yeshiva Bochrim didn&#8217;t succeed&#8221; and will not be renewed in the next government.



According to Netanyahu, &#8220;After the elections we will establish a broad national government that will immediately pass a full draft law that meets the IDF&#8217;s needs.&#8221; The prime minister added a pointed message regarding those not studying in yeshivas: &#8220;Whoever doesn&#8217;t learn Torah will enlist — or go to jail.&#8221;



The remarks came as Israel&#8217;s Supreme Court, sitting as a panel of nine justices, was hearing petitions against the constitutionality of the arrest-freeze law, which had frozen arrests of Charedi draft evaders until November 30.



Reactions came quickly. United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzhak Goldknopf said the comments &#8220;only confirm what was clear to us from the start — the prime minister has no intention of resolving the status of yeshiva students and does not plan to advance a draft law, which is why we left the government.&#8221; Yisrael party chairman Gadi Eisenkot criticized from the opposite direction: &#8220;Netanyahu continues to disrespect the public. The public won&#8217;t buy the new spin.&#8221;

Netanyahu, in Podcast Interview: “Whoever Doesn’t Learn Torah Will Enlist — Or Go to Jail”

A Chabad Chasid serving in the IDF’s Chashmonaim Brigade was seriously wounded after he was accidentally shot by another soldier during an incident involving his unit.



According to initial reports, the soldier sustained serious injuries after a firearm was discharged unintentionally by a fellow soldier. Military Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident, including suspected mishandling of the weapon.



The injured soldier’s name for Tehillim and Tefillah is Chaim Yisrael ben Yonit Yael. The public is asked to daven for his full recovery and a refuah sheleimah.

Chabad Chasid Serving in in IDF Seriously Wounded in Accidental Shooting Incident

IDF Duvdevan special forces, guided by the Shin Bet, arrested a terror suspect in the Old City area of Shchem (Nablus) overnight Monday going into Tuesday.



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 According to an IDF statement, soldiers from the elite Duvdevan Commando Unit raided the area following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet on the suspect&#8217;s whereabouts.



 The suspect is affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and was acting to advance terror activities, the army said. He was also previously linked to the &#8220;Lions&#8217; Den&#8221; terror network, a Nablus-based cell that Israeli security forces have successfully worked to dismantle in recent years.

FOOTAGE: Duvdevan Forces Arrest Islamic Jihad Terror Suspect in Shchem

Each time U.S. President Donald Trump threatens renewed strikes on Iran and later backs down, Israel has already spent hundreds of millions of shekels preparing for a possible regional war, according to a report published Tuesday by Calcalist. The newspaper described the pattern as Trump’s “TACO”—“Trump Always Chickens Out.”



Israel cannot assume that each threat will end in another reversal. Trump recently said the United States had come close to launching a major operation against Iran. “We were ready to go,” he said. “It was going to be a massive attack.”



Preparations begin within hours of indications that fighting could resume. The IDF urgently calls in Air Force pilots, technicians and ground crews, prepares aircraft, replenishes supplies and raises the readiness of air-defense systems against possible Iranian missile barrages. Intelligence units and Home Front Command search-and-rescue teams are also activated.



Tens of thousands of reservists may be summoned as the military moves troops, weapons and equipment and reinforces the northern front and Israeli positions in Lebanon. Israel must also prepare for the possibility that renewed fighting with Iran could trigger a wider escalation involving Hezbollah.



Calcalist said the latest episode resembled approximately five previous alert cycles since Trump halted the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran on April 8. The estimated military cost of the second Iran war rose from NIS 39 billion in mid-April to NIS 51 billion by early August. Around 65,000 reservists are now serving each day, compared with a planned ceiling of approximately 40,000.



The Defense Ministry is seeking an additional NIS 40 billion and owes Israeli defense companies more than NIS 15 billion. Trump later suspended the planned attack and said Iran was prepared to negotiate, but Tehran denied that direct talks had been scheduled, leaving Israel at risk of paying for another full mobilization even if no strike follows.

Each Trump ‘TACO’ Costs Israel Hundreds of Millions

Belaaz spoke with a crew member involved in evacuating a skilled nursing home in the path of the Spokane wildfires.



 &#8220;In 45 minutes we were able to evacuate 111 residents from a skilled nursing home,&#8221; he told Belaaz. &#8220;The fire was burning homes around the corner and time was of the essence. Many residents were wheelchair-bound and oxygen-dependent. Some of the employees lost their own homes to the fire, yet they stayed throughout the whole evacuation process.&#8221;



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 The three fires burning across Spokane County, together called the Spokane Complex, have so far burned more than 10,000 acres and destroyed an estimated 700 structures, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate as over 900 firefighters battle the flames.



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 As reported earlier, Aaron Farinacci, 37, has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree arson for allegedly starting the Old Trails Fire, the largest of the three blazes at over 3,600 acres. He is being held on $1 million bond and is expected to appear in court Tuesday.



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Belaaz Footage: Spokane Wildfires Rage as Suspect Held on $1M Bond

Menachem Kolodetsky, a frum Israeli journalist, was verbally targeted in an antisemitic confrontation on MonxH while on vacation near the Austria-Germany border, close to Salzburg. 



&#8220;I was on vacation in Austria, near the border with Germany, near Salzburg,&#8221; Kolodetsky told Belaaz. &#8220;I was in a store, buying a Coke there. While I was paying, some antisemite came over and asked me if I was from Israel. I said, &#8216;Yes.'&#8221;



According to Kolodetsky, the man then began shouting &#8220;Free Palestine&#8221; and accused Israelis of supporting Hamas.



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 When Kolodetsky left the store, he said the man approached him again. Kolodetsky recorded a selfie video to document the encounter as the man continued making accusations, telling him Israel &#8220;is not your country&#8221; and accusing Israelis of &#8220;murdering babies in Gaza.&#8221;



 &#8220;I told him that on October 7th, it was Hamas who started it — that on October 7th, you murdered babies,&#8221; Kolodetsky said.



 The man then told him &#8220;Go Israel, get out of here,&#8221; speaking, Kolodetsky said, with visible hatred and apparent agitation.



 Kolodetsky noted the incident occurred just days after a separate antisemitic attack in Schladming, Austria, in which a Jewish man was shot after an argument reportedly broke out over a hotel.

Frum Journalist Targeted in Antisemitic Confrontation Near Austria-Germany Border, Speaks to Belaaz

Bar Asraf hy&#8221;d, 30, was found dead Shabbos evening at the grave of Liron Barda hy&#8221;d, his childhood best friend who was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023.



Asraf was discovered at the cemetery in Elkana, located in the Shomron. His sister Lihi told Israeli news outlet Walla that the family found him after growing concerned when he ran off alone to a place they knew he often visited to feel close to Barda. Magen David Adom responded to the scene.



Barda, 26, worked as bar manager at the Nova festival in Re&#8217;im. According to her father and multiple reports, she had the chance to flee when the attack began but chose to stay and give first aid to the wounded until she was tragically murdered herself.



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Family members describe Asraf and Barda as having been &#8220;soulmates since childhood.&#8221; Asraf reportedly tried to reach Re&#8217;im during the attack to get to her but was turned back before arriving, then spent three days with her family awaiting news of her fate.



In the nearly three years since, Asraf remained close with the Barda family, visiting regularly, bringing her mother flowers.



His family says he had appeared happy in the days before his death, including at his brother&#8217;s wedding just three days earlier, and is asking that his struggle and the broader toll on those close to Nova&#8217;s victims, not only direct survivors be recognized. &#8220;The friends of those who were murdered are also victims of the tragedy,&#8221; his family said. Yehi Zichro Baruch. 



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If you or someone you know is struggling, please call or text the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline at 988. In Israel, ERAN&#8217;s hotline is 1201. Amudim offers confidential crisis support for the Jewish community at: 646-517-0740.

TRAGIC: Nearly Three Years After October 7, Best Friend of Slain Nova Victim Found Dead at Her Grave

On the yahrzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe&#8217;s father, Harav Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, a memorial plaque was unveiled at the Kyiv detention center where he was imprisoned 86 years ago by the Soviet regime solely for serving as a Rav and Jewish leader ● The historic tribute was made possible through the efforts of Chief Rabbi of Kyiv, Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, who also serves as Chief Rabbi of Ukraine&#8217;s Prison Service ● The prison commander participated in the ceremony and expressed regret for the grave injustice inflicted upon him



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A remarkable chapter of Jewish history came full circle on Monday, 20 Menachem Av, the yahrzeit of the renowned gaon and mekubal, Harav Levi Yitzchak Schneerson zt&#8221;l, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, as an official memorial plaque was dedicated at Kyiv&#8217;s Lukyanivka Detention Center — the very prison where he was incarcerated under the Soviet regime for his unwavering commitment to Judaism.



The dedication marks a moving act of historical recognition, taking place exactly 86 years after Harav Levi Yitzchak was arrested and imprisoned simply because he courageously continued to serve as a Rav and strengthen Jewish life despite relentless Communist persecution.



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The memorial became a reality following extensive efforts by Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, Chabad shliach and Chief Rabbi of Kyiv, who also serves as Chief Rabbi of Ukraine&#8217;s Prison Service. Working together with his son, Rabbi Ariel Markovitch, a Chabad shliach in Kyiv who oversees Jewish activities throughout Ukraine&#8217;s prison system, the two spent many months coordinating with prison authorities to ensure that the site where Harav Levi Yitzchak suffered for his faith would receive permanent recognition.



The dedication ceremony was attended by the commander of the detention center and his deputy, who joined Rabbi Markovitch in unveiling the commemorative plaque.



During the ceremony, the prison commander expressed deep regret over the injustice committed against Harav Levi Yitzchak, acknowledging that he had been imprisoned despite having committed no crime other than being a Jewish rabbi and spiritual leader.



He described the imprisonment as a painful chapter in history that deserves to be remembered and preserved for future generations.



The memorial plaque recounts the story of Harav Levi Yitzchak&#8217;s arrest and imprisonment and also features one of his own reflections from that difficult period.



In addition, the prison received a copy of Nitzotzei Levi Yitzchak, a volume based on the Torah teachings of Harav Levi Yitzchak. The book will remain in the prison&#8217;s library, where it will be available for the benefit and use of Jewish inmates.



&#8220;There is profound significance in the fact that specifically on the yahrzeit of Harav Levi Yitzchak we have merited to establish a memorial at the very place where his freedom was taken from him simply because he was a Rav spreading Yiddishkeit,&#8221; Rabbi Markovitch said.



&#8220;This represents a historic rectification and an emotional closing of the circle. At the very place where the Soviet regime sought to silence the voice of Judaism, there now stands a permanent memorial telling the story of the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering mesirus nefesh of Harav Levi Yitzchak Schneerson zt&#8221;l, the father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.&#8221;



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Historic Full Circle: Memorial Plaque Unveiled at Kyiv Prison Where the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Father Was Imprisoned

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing attacks from opposition leaders and figures on the right after reportedly abandoning legislation freezing the arrest of Charedi draft dodgers. Netanyahu said in a closed meeting that the temporary measure had failed to increase enlistment and would not return under the next government, according to N12’s Amit Segal.



The remarks mark a sharp reversal. On July 15, Netanyahu defended the law as harmless and dismissed criticism as “false propaganda.” He now says he wants to form a broad national government after the October election and pass a comprehensive enlistment law meeting the IDF’s needs. “Anyone who is not studying Torah will enlist — or go to prison,” he said.



Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the announcement a “pathetic spin,” accusing Netanyahu of blocking Charedi enlistment while ignoring warnings from the military and reservists. Gadi Eisenkot said, “The public will not buy the new spin, which stems from fear of the polls,” accusing Netanyahu of advancing a “disgraceful draft-evasion law” only two weeks earlier.



Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman said Netanyahu was “continuing to deceive everyone and trying to divert the conversation from his failures.” He added: “One thing is certain — he has no government without the draft dodgers.”



Former Likud MK Dan Illouz, who left the party after opposing the legislation, said Netanyahu “thinks the public is stupid.”



Former minister Gilad Erdan, who is reportedly preparing a new right-wing party, said voters would no longer accept promises on either enlistment or unity. “We will not sit in anyone’s narrow government,” he said. The disputed law passed the Knesset on July 14 but was frozen by the Israeli Supreme Court, which is reviewing claims that its final version improperly bypassed a required first-reading stage.

Netanyahu Faces Backlash After Reversing Course On Charedi Draft Arrest Law

The United States and Israel are preparing for a potential major escalation in the conflict with Iran, with officials considering a joint bombing campaign targeting key Iranian energy infrastructure, according to multiple U.S. sources cited by CBS News.



The possible operation would represent a shift from previous strikes focused primarily on military targets toward direct attacks on economic and operational infrastructure, including refineries, power plants, fuel storage facilities, and parts of Iran’s electricity grid.



The escalation follows the collapse of a previous U.S.-brokered truce and memorandum of understanding. Fighting resumed in early July after Iranian forces carried out attacks targeting maritime shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting President Donald Trump to warn that future attacks on commercial vessels could lead to strikes on major Iranian infrastructure.



U.S. officials have discussed the possibility of carrying out and concluding the strikes over the weekend before global financial and energy markets reopen Monday. The goal, according to sources, is to reduce the potential impact on crude oil prices and limit broader economic disruption.



The proposal reportedly faced internal debate at the White House, with some political advisers expressing concerns about possible consequences, including rising fuel prices and international market instability.



The potential campaign would focus on Iran’s critical energy network, including power plants, oil refineries, fuel storage sites, and electricity infrastructure.



U.S. officials say the strategic goal would be to weaken Iran’s ability to support military operations, disrupt logistics, and reduce financial resources available to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).



A former U.S. military official told CBS News that targeting energy infrastructure could affect Iran’s ability to provide services and maintain government operations.



Israeli and American officials have been coordinating on possible military options. The operation would mark Israel’s return to major offensive operations after it paused attacks during the previous ceasefire period.



However, an Israeli official told CBS News that Israel was not aware of a decision to restart full military operations and had not been asked to join any new U.S. strikes against Iran.



President Donald Trump discussed the strike plans during a cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, but sources said he had not yet issued final authorization.



Trump told reporters: “We’ll be hitting them very hard. At some point, they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.’”



When asked about diplomacy, Trump said: “I think we just want to win.”



Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the department would not comment on specific targets before a final presidential decision but confirmed that U.S. forces were prepared.



“The Department of War is locked and loaded, ready to execute the President’s directives at a moment’s notice,” Parnell said.



The potential strikes come as U.S. forces maintain a heightened posture in the Middle East, with military assets positioned to respond if ordered.



No final decision has been announced, and officials emphasized that plans remain under review.

REPORT: U.S. And Israel Prepare Possible Major Strikes On Iran’s Energy Infrastructure

Reports indicate progress toward implementing the Gaza agreement, with Hamas officials expected to issue an official statement soon. Peace Council officials said the process will take time, with all military activity in Gaza set to halt under the deal.



The plan includes Hamas disarmament, which U.S. officials said could begin within weeks, while Israel remains skeptical that Hamas will abandon its weapons. Police weapons would reportedly be handed over first, followed by the removal of heavy weapons.



A technocratic local government is being prepared as a proposed alternative to both Hamas and the &#8216;Palestinian&#8217; Authority. Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would take place in phases according to a timetable, while the conditions required for implementation are expected to be published within two weeks.

REPORT: Gaza Agreement Implementation Plans Take Shape

President Trump announced that the Board of Peace reached an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, calling it &#8220;a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.&#8221;



 Trump said the agreement is &#8220;a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government,&#8221; while &#8220;Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.&#8221;



 He added that as disarmament is completed, &#8220;Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors.&#8221;



 Trump thanked Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye &#8220;for their important efforts,&#8221; and credited &#8220;my outstanding team, whose tireless work made this historic breakthrough possible.&#8221; He warned: &#8220;The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!&#8221;



 Trump closed: &#8220;CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL ON THIS AMAZING DEVELOPMENT, THAT EVERYBODY SAID COULD NEVER BE ACHIEVED!&#8221;

TRUMP: Historic Gaza Disarmament Agreement Reached

A historic wooden shul has been reconstructed in Siberia, reviving a remarkable chapter of the region&#8217;s Jewish heritage.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="601" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/36447cbd-9416-4bb0-b35c-52ef1fa465a8.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28987" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/36447cbd-9416-4bb0-b35c-52ef1fa465a8.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/36447cbd-9416-4bb0-b35c-52ef1fa465a8-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/36447cbd-9416-4bb0-b35c-52ef1fa465a8-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



The original shul, built in 1905 in the town of Zima, was dismantled in 2016 after falling into disrepair. Using archival photographs and historical records, the Taltsy Museum rebuilt it with funding from the Russian government and in close cooperation with Rabbi Aharon HaKohen Wagner of Irkutsk under the guidance of Russia&#8217;s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Berl Lazar.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="601" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/63c96bd3-f621-4c84-8586-3c7c8588e031.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28985" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/63c96bd3-f621-4c84-8586-3c7c8588e031.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/63c96bd3-f621-4c84-8586-3c7c8588e031-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/63c96bd3-f621-4c84-8586-3c7c8588e031-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



Dedicated on Tu B&#8217;Av, the reconstructed shul now welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, preserving the legacy of Jewish life in Siberia for future generations.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/c85c6e9a-8d11-4098-83cf-7676f8c61346.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28986" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/c85c6e9a-8d11-4098-83cf-7676f8c61346.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/c85c6e9a-8d11-4098-83cf-7676f8c61346-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/c85c6e9a-8d11-4098-83cf-7676f8c61346-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>

Ancient Siberian Shul Rebuilt After More Than a Century

An indictment was filed today in the Lod District Court against the suspect in the murder of Rav Amos Guetta zt&#8221;l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Rebbi Yitzchak Chai Taib in Netanya, who was murdered earlier this month at age 75. 



According to the indictment, the suspect arrived at the Rav&#8217;s home in the early morning hours and asked to pray beside his bed. After being granted access to the room, he drew a knife and stabbed the Rav multiple times as he lay in his bed. The Rav&#8217;s attendant attempted to intervene and was lightly injured in the struggle. The suspect fled the scene, leaving behind the knife used in the attack, and was apprehended a short time later following a police manhunt.



 During interrogation, the suspect showed no remorse for his actions and referred to the Rav as a &#8220;false messiah.&#8221; When asked if he regretted what he had done, he responded: &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry I didn&#8217;t tear out his main artery with my teeth.&#8221; 



The indictment charges the suspect with aggravated murder, causing severe injury under aggravating circumstances, and illegal possession of a knife. The State has requested he remain in custody through the duration of legal proceedings.

Indictment Filed in Murder of Rav Amos Guetta zt”l; Suspect Showed No Remorse in Interrogation

President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated over the failure to end the war with Iran, as senior administration officials remain divided over whether further military escalation would produce a clear strategic outcome, NBC News reported Thursday.



“The president is exasperated. I don’t think he believed it was going to be this difficult to get the Iranians to agree to a deal,” an unnamed Trump ally told NBC. A U.S. official said the administration had achieved “a series of tactical victories” but was now “facing a strategic defeat without clear policy guidance or a decision about where this is going.” Trump reportedly erupted and yelled expletives during a meeting with his national security team last week.



White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that the outburst occurred. “This is false. The president has a great team whom he trusts, and everyone on the team knows he’s the final decision-maker,” she said. Leavitt added that Trump was “locked and loaded to keep punishing Iran” after Tehran allegedly violated the June memorandum of understanding and renewed attacks on U.S. forces and shipping.



NBC reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu support increased military pressure, while Vice President JD Vance and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine have questioned what another major campaign would accomplish. Caine has reportedly warned about the continued depletion of U.S. munitions stockpiles. Netanyahu was not believed to have directly pressed Trump for further escalation during their Washington meeting this week.



Trump maintained a confrontational stance Wednesday after Iran launched missiles toward American forces in Jordan. “We’ll be hitting them hard. They are going to get a beating,” he told Fox News. The prolonged conflict and its impact on gas prices have also increased concern among Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.

Trump Reportedly ‘Exasperated’ As Advisers Split Over Iran War Strategy

Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during a heated Senate hearing Wednesday examining the origins of COVID-19, federal funding for risky coronavirus research and the handling of pandemic-era government records. The former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director refused to answer dozens of questions from Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul.



Paul has spent years investigating whether federal funding passed through EcoHealth Alliance to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and supported research that increased the capabilities of bat coronaviruses. Fauci has consistently denied that the work met the relevant definition of gain-of-function research or that he misled Congress. The precise origin of COVID-19 remains unresolved.



The investigation has increasingly focused on whether officials concealed or destroyed federal records connected to the pandemic and the origins debate. David Morens, a longtime senior adviser in Fauci’s agency, was indicted earlier this year on charges related to allegedly concealing, destroying and falsifying government records. Fauci has not been charged in that case.



Fauci said he believed Paul had called him before the committee to obtain statements that could support a prosecution. He accused the senator of an “obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution” and said Paul wanted him “behind bars.” Fauci then repeatedly responded: “On the advice of counsel, I respectfully declined to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.”



Paul argued that former President Joe Biden’s broad 2025 pardon of Fauci should remove any legal exposure involving his earlier government service. He warned that there would be “repercussions” for Fauci’s refusal to testify. The hearing became more confrontational when Paul ordered security to remove Fauci attorney David Schertler after he repeatedly interrupted the proceedings.

Fauci Pleads Fifth As Senate Probes COVID Origins And Deleted Records

Kotel Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch has demanded that the Israel Museum transfer a rare Second Beis Hamikdash-era stone bearing the inscription “To the Place of Trumpeting” to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. Its return would complete a wider campaign to bring four original Kotel stones back from government institutions and museums.



The stone was discovered near the southwestern corner of the Har HaBayis compound and is believed to have marked the location where a kohen sounded a trumpet to announce the beginning and end of Shabbos and Jewish holidays. The surviving Hebrew inscription reads “לבית התקיעה להב…,” translated as “To the Place of Trumpeting,” with the final word left incomplete.



Three other large stones have already been returned from the Knesset, the Defense Ministry’s Kirya headquarters and the President’s Residence. The stone displayed at the Israel Museum is considered the final and most historically recognizable artifact still awaiting transfer.



Rabinovitch and Israel’s chief rabbis have argued for years that stones originating from the Kotel should not remain on display elsewhere. “A stone from the Western Wall does not belong in the Knesset or anywhere else. Its place is among the stones of the Western Wall, stored beside the Western Wall,” Rabinovitch previously wrote. The Israel Antiquities Authority has also reportedly supported returning the stone to the Kotel area.



The Israel Museum lists the Israel Antiquities Authority as the owner of the artifact, while the museum serves as its custodian and exhibitor.

Kotel Rabbi Demands Return Of Second Beis Hamikdash Trumpeting Stone

On Tuesday, Congressman Mike Lawler joined Camp HASC’s annual bipartisan roundtable alongside Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Tom Engels, highlighting the organization’s more than 50 years of service to children and young adults with special needs and disabilities.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-2.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-28966" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-2.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-2-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-2-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lawler speaking at camp HASC</figcaption></figure>



 In a statement to Belaaz, Lawler praised Camp HASC for providing a life-changing summer experience that combines exceptional medical care, therapy, education, and recreation, allowing campers to thrive in a supportive environment.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="601" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.17-PM-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-28965" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.17-PM-1.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.17-PM-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.17-PM-1-768x513.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



 “I was honored to join Camp HASC today for its annual bipartisan roundtable alongside HRSA Administrator Tom Engels,” Lawler tells Belaaz.



 “For more than 50 years, Camp HASC has provided children and young adults with special needs and disabilities a life-changing summer experience, combining exceptional medical care, therapy, education, and recreation in an environment where every camper can thrive. I also had the opportunity to tour the camp and see firsthand the incredible impact it has on campers and their families. Thank you to everyone at Camp HASC for your hospitality and for the extraordinary work you do each and every day.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="601" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-28967" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-1.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-28-at-3.44.16-PM-1-768x513.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="601" data-id="28972" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sWoAAnJVm.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28972" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sWoAAnJVm.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sWoAAnJVm-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sWoAAnJVm-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="601" data-id="28971" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sW8AAo8sO.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28971" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sW8AAo8sO.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sW8AAo8sO-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/HORRI1sW8AAo8sO-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>
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Lawler Praises Camp HASC’s Decades of Support for Children With Special Needs During Visit

President Donald Trump is meeting separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, before the three leaders attend a memorial service for the late Senator Lindsey Graham in Washington. The meetings come as the United States weighs its next steps in both the Ukraine war and the confrontation with Iran.



Trump’s closed-door meeting with Zelensky is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Zelensky said his “number-one priority” is securing anti-ballistic defenses and strengthening strategic cooperation with Washington. He is expected to seek additional air-defense capabilities as Ukraine continues facing Russian missile attacks.



Trump is scheduled to meet Netanyahu at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. The talks are expected to focus heavily on Iran, with Israeli officials reportedly planning to present new intelligence about Tehran’s military and nuclear recovery efforts, including evidence that centrifuges were recently moved to the secretive Pickaxe Mountain facility.



Netanyahu is expected to argue that the activity shows Iran is using negotiations to buy time rather than seriously abandoning its nuclear ambitions. The leaders may also discuss the broader direction of the Iran conflict, Gaza, regional security arrangements and potential diplomatic agreements with Arab countries.



Trump, Netanyahu and Zelensky will later attend Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, where Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks. Graham, who died on July 11, was one of Washington’s most prominent supporters of both Israel and Ukraine and had recently visited Kyiv to promote tougher sanctions against Russia.

Trump To Hold Netanyahu, Zelensky Meetings Before Graham Memorial

A frum woman was pulled from her car after it overturned on the Belt Parkway on Thursday, Tisha B&#8217;Av, as she drove from the Five Towns to Brooklyn — and her first two requests of the frum boys who rescued her were a tichel to cover her hair and a psak on whether she could drink during the fast, one of the men on scene told Belaaz.



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Pinchas, who runs a Tisha B&#8217;Av program for bochurim, tells Belaaz he was driving into Brooklyn when the vehicle ahead of him flipped. He and the friend traveling with him quickly pulled over, exited and removed the woman from the car, which had begun smoking by the time they reached her.







The woman told them she was frum and FIRST asked whether they had a Tichel to cover her hair.



Pinchas said he was not driving his own car that day. He had taken his mother&#8217;s Tesla and did not know what was inside it.



&#8220;Maybe — it&#8217;s my mother&#8217;s car,&#8221; he told her, according to his account to Belaaz.



But when he checked the back of the Tesla, he found none other than a tichel.



He handed it to her, and after covering her hair, the woman asked her second question: whether she was permitted to drink water on the taanis.



&#8220;Who thinks of that?&#8221; Pinchas said in the conversation with Belaaz. &#8220;Most people get out of a crash and they&#8217;re like, &#8216;Give me a Powerade.&#8217; She goes, &#8216;I need a tichel. Am I allowed to drink?&#8217; I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I could have ever heard.&#8221;



The rescue was recorded in full. Pinchas usually drives his own vehicle, and the footage exists only because he had borrowed his mother&#8217;s car that afternoon. He shared the video exclusively with Belaaz.



Clean — there are no actual typos. Two small edits worth making:



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Pinchas said he was only on the Belt Parkway at that moment because he was running late. He runs a Tisha B&#8217;Av program that encourages bochurim to take on the fast, picking them up for the final hours of the day and spending them together before breaking the taanis as a group. He had delayed his departure that afternoon to sit with one more bochur he was trying to be mekarev to join the program.



That conversation put him on the road later than planned — and directly behind the car that flipped. In the right place at the right time.



The program still went ahead that evening as scheduled. Pinchas rented an escape room for this year&#8217;s event, he said.



Pinchas recounted the incident to Belaaz in a conversation and shared the footage with Belaaz.

FOOTAGE: Woman Rolls Over on the Belt on Tisha B’Av. Her First Request: A Tichel  and a Psak to Drink

A delegation from the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States met on Monday with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at Lusail Palace, where they offered condolences following the passing of the Emir’s father and expressed appreciation for Qatar’s support of the Jewish community and its visitors, Belaaz is told.



Iran&#8217;s Rabbi Yehuda Gerami told Belaaz that he, Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, chairman of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, and Rabbi Eliyahu Chitrik, the son of Mendy, who is the Chabad emissary serving Qatar, visited the Emir to convey their condolences on behalf of the organization.



Speaking with Belaaz, Rabbi Gerami said: “There was a meeting with the Emir of Qatar, and as rabbis of the Union of Rabbis in Islamic States, I and Rabbi Chitrik, and his son, who is a Chabad Shliach in Qatar, went to the Emir to comfort him on the death of his father.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="599" data-id="28977" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1-1-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28977" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1-1-1.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1-1-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1-1-1-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Rabbi Chitrik with the Emir </figcaption></figure>
</figure>



Rabbi Chitrik told Belaaz: &#8220;We have been received very, very warmly by His Highness the Emir. Together with us was Rabbi Eli Chitrik, who is the Rabbi of the Jewish community in Qatar; Rabbi Gerami, the Chief Rabbi of Iran; Rabbi Uzan, the Chief Rabbi of Nigeria. We had discussion about Jewish life in the Muslim world, in Qatar, and how we can live together as human beings in this beautiful stretch of land that we all call home. Rabbi Chitrik added: &#8220;It was very, very encouraging, and we&#8217;re looking forward to continuing this engagement with the government and the authorities to benefit the Jewish community of Qatar, which is a numbers about 300 people or more.&#8221; During the meeting, Rabbi Mendy Chitrik thanked Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for warmly receiving the delegation together with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. He expressed gratitude for the Emir’s support in ensuring that Jewish life can continue to flourish in Qatar and for allowing Rabbi Eliyahu Chitrik to serve the Jewish community and the many Jewish visitors who come to the country.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full text-left"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="599" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28979" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2-1.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2-1-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Rabbis meeting with the Emir and the Prime Minister</figcaption></figure>

Iranian and Turkish Rabbis Lead Delegation to Visit Qatar’s Emir, Offer Condolences on Father’s Death: “Received Very, Very Warmly”

Dutch opposition leader Geert Wilders concluded his visit to Israel on Monday with falafel in Jerusalem alongside Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan. Wilders, the leader of the Party for Freedom and a candidate for prime minister, used the trip to reiterate his support for Israel and Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.



Earlier Monday, Wilders met Defense Minister Israel Katz, with the two discussing Israel’s security challenges, the fight against terrorism and the importance of international alliances. Katz praised Wilders as a longtime supporter of Israel, saying, “Israel cherishes its true friends.” Wilders said Israel “is at the forefront of the free world’s fight against terrorism and radical Islam.”



Wilders also visited the family of Benayahu Melt HY&#8221;D during shiva at Chavat Gilad. Melt, a member of the local emergency response team, was killed in Friday’s shooting attack near the community. “Millions of people in Europe support you and feel your pain. You are not alone. The spirit can never be defeated,” Wilders told the family.



During the Samaria portion of the visit, Wilders toured Sa-Nur, a northern Samaria community evacuated and demolished during Israel’s 2005 disengagement and recently reestablished, alongside Dagan, and voiced strong support for renewed Jewish settlement in the area. “You are returning to resettle all of Samaria. This is the only way,” he said. The visit came shortly after the Dutch government moved against imports from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, placing Wilders in direct opposition to the policy.



Wilders also visited the Kotel, where he described himself as a friend of Israel. “I am proud to be a friend of Israel. Always have been and always will be,” he wrote. “So I come here not only in peacetime but also in times of terror and war.”

Geert Wilders Ends Israel Visit With Falafel After Samaria Tour

After nearly a decade during which EL AL’s safety video starring Lior Suchard accompanied passengers and became one of the airline’s most recognizable brand assets, EL AL is launching a new series of safety videos created using a unique technology being utilized for the first time and featuring Gal Gadot, Rotem Sela, Deni Avdija and Lior Raz, among the most successful Israeli stars worldwide. The videos will be screened on all EL AL flights beginning in August.



In recent years, airline safety videos around the world have evolved into major productions. Rather than relying on standard instructional videos, airlines are incorporating creativity, humor and global celebrities to capture passengers’ attention, increase engagement with safety instructions and encourage them to watch the video from beginning to end. EL AL’s new safety video series was created with the same approach and with the goal of transforming the safety briefing into a modern passenger experience designed for 2026.



In a first-of-its-kind initiative, EL AL integrated advanced AI technology into the production of its new safety video series, creating an innovative and dynamic content platform. As part of the initiative, approximately 10 different videos were produced and tailored to specific destinations. Instead of presenting a single safety video across all flights, passengers will enjoy a changing viewing experience in which visual elements vary according to the destination, while selected flights also include destination-specific recommendations.



The technology enables EL AL to create multiple versions of its safety video, refresh and adapt content over time, incorporate new stories for different destinations and continue enhancing the customer experience in the years ahead while increasing passengers’ attention to critical safety messages.



The initiative was produced in collaboration with Samsung and integrates Samsung Galaxy devices and Galaxy AI technology as an integral part of both the storyline and the visual language of the videos.



Levy Halevy, EL AL CEO: &#8220;We are proud to continue bringing our customers one of the most advanced travel experiences in the world. The new safety video series combines creativity, technology and high-quality content, allowing us to communicate important safety messages in an innovative and relevant way while joining a standard now embraced by the world’s leading airlines. The decision to feature Israeli stars who have achieved success on the international stage reflects EL AL’s values of excellence, innovation and Israeli pride, while adding another layer of connection to Israel and the story we bring to the world.&#8221;



Kenny Rozenberg, one of EL AL’s controlling shareholders: &#8220;EL AL continues to strengthen its position as a global airline that adopts the most advanced standards in the aviation industry and brings them to its customers. This initiative reflects the way we view EL AL: an airline that leads through innovation, remains connected to its roots and proudly represents Israel wherever it flies. As an Israeli airline, it is important for us to continue showcasing the Israeli spirit, innovation and excellence that define who we are.&#8221;

After Nearly a Decade: EL AL Launches New Safety Videos Featuring Advanced, First-of-Its-Kind Technology Starring Gal Gadot, Rotem Sela, Deni Avdija and Lior Raz, Joining the Global Trend That Has Turned Airline Safety Videos Into Flagship Productions

Iran said Monday that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and insisted that Washington cannot dictate when the fighting ends. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said there had been no change in the shipping situation despite a pause in attacks between Iran and the United States.



“We have never allowed, and will not allow, the United States to determine the timing of the war,” Baghaei said. “We will defend ourselves whenever our interests require it, and we will certainly use diplomatic tools whenever we feel it is appropriate.”



Baghaei rejected reports that Tehran had resumed negotiations with Washington. “We currently have no negotiations with the United States,” he said, adding that Iran was instead holding discussions with Oman over arrangements for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. Qatar and Pakistan are also working to revive broader indirect diplomacy between the two sides.&nbsp;



The remarks came after the United States and Iran paused attacks following nearly two weeks of escalating strikes. Washington described the lull as an opportunity for diplomacy, while Tehran said it would suspend retaliatory attacks as long as the U.S. bombing pause remained in place.



Baghaei also threatened a response to a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea. Iran said the strike caused an explosion that killed one sailor and wounded another. Ukraine said it had targeted vessels used to carry military cargo between Iran and Russia.&nbsp;

Iran Says Hormuz Remains Closed, Rejects Direct U.S. Talks

Toronto police are investigating damage at two locations of Kiva’s, a Jewish-owned bakery chain, after one branch was struck by gunfire and another had a window smashed early Sunday. No injuries were reported in either incident.



Officers responded at 8:12 a.m. to the Kiva’s location near Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue West, where investigators found evidence that shots had been fired into a window. Police received a second call around 8:30 a.m. about damage at another Kiva’s location near Bathurst Street and Steeles Avenue West, but found no evidence of gunfire there.



Investigators believe the damage occurred overnight and are examining whether the incidents are connected. Toronto police’s Hate Crime Unit and Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force are involved, though authorities have not formally confirmed an antisemitic motive. Residents were told to expect an increased police presence while the investigation continues.



“We understand that this is concerning for those that work and live in this area, especially members of the Jewish community, and we have all the resources available to thoroughly investigate this matter,” Duty Insp. Scott Bradbury said.



Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said the incidents had “shattered” the community’s sense of security. Adam Minsky, president of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, said residents who frequent the bakeries were “incredibly shaken.” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called the incidents “targeted attacks” that were “vile” and “unacceptable,” adding, “I will always stand with Toronto’s Jewish community against antisemitism.”

Toronto Police Probe Gunfire, Damage At Two Jewish-Owned Bakeries

Former President Joe Biden has sharply reduced his public schedule while undergoing treatment for Stage 4 prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, according to a Washington Post report published Sunday. Eighteen months after leaving the White House, the 83-year-old now spends most of his time with relatives, longtime friends and former aides.



People close to Biden said the treatment appears to be working, but the illness and accompanying procedures have left him visibly frail and frequently exhausted. Biden said earlier this month that his treatment was going “really well,” while his office declined to answer detailed questions about his daily routine, medical care or prognosis.



Unlike several recent former presidents who established large foundations or maintained active public schedules, Biden has kept a limited profile. His foundation expects to raise roughly $11 million by the end of 2027, far below the amounts typically associated with major presidential libraries. His days are reportedly organized around treatment, family and efforts to shape his legacy.



Biden is scheduled to release a memoir, Promise Me, America, on November 17, two weeks after the midterm elections. Some Democratic advisers fear the book tour could revive questions about his age and fitness that dominated the end of his 2024 campaign. Democratic strategist Sawyer Hackett said candidates were still working to overcome “the political damage he left behind.”



The controversy may intensify after Biden dropped his effort to block the release of recordings and transcripts from interviews used in Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified-documents investigation. Hur previously described Biden as “a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” a phrase that became central to Republican attacks and Democratic concerns over his decision to seek a second term.

Biden Keeps Limited Schedule While Undergoing Treatment For Stage 4 Cancer

A lighter moment is surfacing from President Trump&#8217;s Oval Office meeting with five Holocaust survivors two weeks ago.



According to new details shared with Belaaz, Trump turned to one of the survivors, seated in a particular chair, and told her &#8220;You know who sat in that chair you are sitting in? Putin.&#8221;



Without missing a beat, the elderly survivor with young energy, stood up and asked &#8220;which chair did netanyahu sit in? — she wanted to sit there instead. The room, including President Trump and Jared Kushner, broke into laughter.



The funny moment added a warm postscript to the visit, which included a moving, candid discussion where the survivors shared their experiences during the Holocaust, offered Trump a traditional Bracha, and each received a presidential coin from his desk before departing, as reported by Belaaz.

Holocaust Survivor to Trump: “Where’s Netanyahu’s Chair?” — Oval Office Moment Draws Laughter

A massive fire broke out overnight Friday at the Tziyun complex of the Chabad Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Baal HaTanya, in Hadiach, Ukraine, causing extensive damage to the main beis medrash and the hachnasas orchim facilities run by Chabad shliach Rabbi Shneur Deitsch.



 Local firefighters battled the large blaze for hours before bringing it under control, preventing what could have been an even greater tragedy.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="270" style="aspect-ratio: 480 / 270;" width="480" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1660586.mp4"></video></figure>



 B&#8217;chasdei Shomayim, there were no injuries.



 Ukrainian police have opened an investigation into the cause. Two leads are being examined: a possible electrical short in the building&#8217;s wiring, or a possible link to the war and the sensitive security situation in the region amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.



 The Tziyun complex, Kever of the Baal Hatanya, the founder of Chabad Chassidus, serves as a spiritual hub year-round, hosting thousands of mispallelim, visitors, and refugees from across Ukraine and around the world, with a full hachnasas orchim operation providing meals, lodging, and Tfilos.



 Rabbi Deitsch and community leaders have begun assessing the damage as they plan reconstruction, with hopes of restoring the beis medrash and hachnasas orchim as soon as possible.

Fire Destroys Beis Medrash at Baal HaTanya’s Tziyun in Ukraine

Yuval Kogan, the 4-year-old boy who went missing Thursday near Hof Hofit Beach in Ashkelon, was Baruch Hashem located alive and well Friday afternoon after more than a day of intensive searching. 



 The search effort drew hundreds of police officers, volunteers, Border Police fighters, rescue units, and citizens from across the country, with the Shin Bet assisting as well. Police Commissioner Rav-Nitzav Dani Levi ordered police academy cadets deployed to reinforce search teams in the field.



 Yuval was ultimately found by a civilian who had come to the area to join the search. The man said he hadn&#8217;t even intended to reach the spot where the child was found, he had taken a wrong turn en route to Nitzanim Beach when he suddenly noticed the boy standing beneath a tree.



 Overcome with emotion, he said: &#8220;I took a wrong turn, and suddenly I see the boy standing under a tree. Hashem is in this world. Thank G-d. This is a child who brought the whole country to its feet.&#8221; He added a call to the public: &#8220;Everyone should say a perek of Tehillim or Mizmor L&#8217;Todah. We did this together, with unity and ahavat chinam.&#8221;



 The commander of the Southern District said agter the child was located: &#8220;The actual distance was shorter than it seemed. The boy walked toward what he thought was home. During the night he fell asleep, and woke up in the morning. He&#8217;s a smart child who stayed in a shaded spot, which is likely what saved him. When he heard the horses approaching, he went toward them and called out — that&#8217;s how he was found.&#8221;



 Earlier Friday, Yuval&#8217;s mother, Dina Kogan, had appealed to the public to join the search, telling Ynet: &#8220;We&#8217;re in critical hours and my child&#8217;s life is in danger. This may be an abduction. Shin Bet and police alone aren&#8217;t enough — the whole country needs to be on its feet.&#8221;



 According to details released, Yuval was last seen Thursday at 12:50 p.m. near Hof Hofit Beach while walking with his father. His father, Dmitry (Dani) Kogan, said he lost eye contact with him for a few minutes and was unable to locate him afterward. Police launched the search operation shortly after being called, which concluded Friday with the child&#8217;s safe recovery.

After 24 Hours of Searching: 4-Year-Old Yuval Found Alive — Emotional Footage

Early Friday, Ukraine launched a record-setting wave of hundreds of long-range drones targeting Russian territory across multiple regions. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="816" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1626694.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28882" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1626694.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1626694-300x272.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1626694-768x696.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



The strikes hit oil depots, energy infrastructure, military airfields, and logistics hubs deep inside Russia, including areas around Moscow.



The large-scale drone swarms are believed to be aimed at overwhelming Russian air defense systems, causing flight disruptions and forcing temporary airport closures in several regions.

UKRAINE LAUNCHES RECORD DRONE SWARM

Sen. Ted Cruz is predicting that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will run for president in 2028, warning Republicans not to assume her progressive politics make her unelectable. “Some Republicans are cheering that our opponents are crazy. I’m not,” Cruz said.



A recent University of New Hampshire poll placed AOC at 22% among likely Democratic primary voters, narrowly ahead of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 21%. Every other prospective candidate remained in single digits. Her support rose from 14% in October 2025 to 22% in July, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris both lost ground.



AOC is also well positioned to inherit the movement built by Sen. Bernie Sanders, who would be 87 in 2028. She already has national name recognition, a powerful fundraising network, an energized online base and a clear message centered on health care, housing, economic inequality and taxing the wealthy.



Republicans may believe that message is too socialist to win. Cruz’s warning is that voters struggling with housing, medical bills and daily costs may still support her if they believe the political establishment has no better answer. Asked whether democratic socialism could lead toward communism, AOC replied: “We can’t even raise the minimum wage. Do they really think communism is going to happen?”



A crowded Democratic field could also work in her favor. Buttigieg, Newsom, Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly and other mainstream candidates may divide moderate voters while AOC consolidates the progressive left. Democrats united behind Joe Biden to stop Sanders in 2020, but there is no guarantee that one clear establishment alternative will emerge in 2028. Cruz could still be wrong, but dismissing AOC’s chances may prove to be the mistake he is warning against.

Ted Cruz Warns Republicans Not To Dismiss AOC’s 2028 Chances

Large-scale search operations are underway in Ashkelon after a 4-year-old Chareidi boy, Yuval Kogan, went missing Thursday afternoon, on Tisha Bav, near Chof Hofit Beach, in an area just north of the city. 



Father recounted in his police interview: &#8220;I turned my head and I didn&#8217;t see him — he just disappeared.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="526" height="647" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1616058.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28872" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1616058.jpg 526w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1616058-244x300.jpg 244w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 526px) 100vw, 526px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: IL Police Spokesperson</figcaption></figure>



Police say Kogan was last seen around 1:00 p.m. local time, reportedly on a walk with his father, before losing contact. Ashkelon police station commander Superintendent Eldad Eliashiv said the call to police came from the boy&#8217;s father, and that the child had gone missing in an open area north of the city.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="613" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1616071.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28871" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1616071.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1616071-300x204.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1616071-768x523.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: IL Police Spokesperson</figcaption></figure>



The Shin Bet has joined the search effort alongside officers from Israel Police&#8217;s Southern District. Shin Bet&#8217;s involvement is notable, as usually the agency&#8217;s core mandate is counter-terrorism and internal security, and its participation in a missing-child case often signals that authorities have not ruled out abduction or hostile involvement, rather than treating this as a simple case of a toddler wandering off. Police have not publicly specified the reason for Shin Bet&#8217;s involvement.



 Search teams include police aerial units, marine police, volunteers, police diving units, and additional emergency and rescue personnel, conducting extensive sweeps along the coastline and surrounding area in an effort to locate the child and ensure his safety. 



Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam arrived at the search site, and the municipality said its emergency rescue unit &#8220;Magen,&#8221; along with municipal inspection and enforcement teams, are conducting intensive searches alongside police. 



Police describe Kogan as thin-built, with brown hair, last seen wearing a green shirt.



Anyone with information is asked to call Israel Police at 100, or the Ashkelon police station directly at 08-6771440. 



Klal Yisrael is asked to daven for the safe and speedy return of Yuval. 



Belaaz will continue to update as more details emerge.

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