New York
Torrential rain triggered flash floods across New York City Monday, inundating multiple subway stations and disrupting transit services.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for all five boroughs as over two inches of rain fell in a single hour, overwhelming the city’s drainage systems. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reported suspensions on the 1, 2, and 3 subway lines in Manhattan, with severe delays on the E, F, M, and R lines due to flooding at stations like 28th Street and 34th Street-Penn Station. Videos showed water gushing onto platforms and into train carriages, stranding passengers. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency as flooding also impacted roads and transit in the region.
Waymo, an autonomous vehicle company owned by Alphabet, initiated pilot testing of its self-driving rideshare service in New York City, focusing on mapping streets in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, including Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn, and Boerum Hill. The vehicles, currently operated by human safety drivers due to New York State laws requiring a human behind the wheel, are collecting data to refine the Waymo Driver software. Waymo applied for a permit from the New York City Department of Transportation in June to conduct autonomous testing with a human supervisor. The company aims to introduce fully driverless rides in the future, pending regulatory changes, and is also testing in Jersey City and Hoboken.
A New York state court ordered Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to implement the City Council’s expanded CityFHEPS housing voucher program, rejecting the mayor’s attempt to block the reforms. The changes accelerate aid for tenants facing eviction, increase income eligibility limits, eliminate work requirements, and prohibit landlords from deducting utility costs from vouchers. The council passed the legislation to address rising evictions and homelessness, expanding the program’s reach to more low-income households. Adams argued the plan could cost the city $17 billion over five years, straining the budget. The court ruled that the City Council has the authority to enact such laws, affirming its legislative power over housing policy. The administration must now comply, though it may appeal the decision.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld a New York state law that allows gun manufacturers to be held liable for deaths caused by their firearms in certain circumstances. The decision affirmed a prior ruling by an Albany federal judge, rejecting challenges from gun industry groups who argued the law violated federal protections under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. The New York law, enacted in 2021, permits lawsuits against manufacturers if their weapons are used in shootings deemed to harm public health, such as through negligent marketing practices. The case stemmed from a 2019 Buffalo shooting where a teenager was killed. The ruling strengthens the state’s ability to pursue accountability from gun makers.
NYPD Deputy Chief Richie Taylor marked 20 years of service since joining the force on July 11, 2005, becoming the highest-ranking religious Jewish police officer globally outside Israel and one of the NYPD’s youngest chiefs. Taylor, who wears a kippah on duty, broke barriers in a career defined by leadership and community engagement, particularly in Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods. On 9/11, as a civilian volunteer, he rushed to the World Trade Center before the towers collapsed, earning recognition as a hero by the New York Post for his bravery. Promoted to deputy chief in 2022, Taylor oversees community affairs, fostering trust between the NYPD and diverse communities. His milestone was celebrated by colleagues and city officials.
U.S.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against FCA US, LLC, an automobile manufacturer of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Fiat brands, for terminating a Jewish employee who adhered to his religious practices. The employee, an Orthodox Jew, was initially granted a religious accommodation excusing him from working on the Sabbath, from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. FCA later revoked this accommodation and mandated Saturday work, conflicting with his religious beliefs. The employee faced disciplinary action for absences related to Sabbath observance. Additionally, FCA denied his request for two days of unpaid leave to observe Passover, and he was fired after taking the leave. This conduct allegedly violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
More than 20 states, led by California, filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration over the withholding of approximately $6.8 billion in federal education funding. The funds, approved by Congress for distribution on July 1, support after-school and summer programs, English language instruction, teacher training, and migrant education, serving around 1.4 million students, primarily from low-income families. The administration announced the freeze to review whether the programs align with its priorities, prompting immediate disruptions, including potential closures of 926 Boys & Girls Clubs and scaled-back services in rural and Republican-led districts. The lawsuit alleges the freeze violates the Constitution and federal laws, including the Impoundment Control Act.
The U.S. government recorded a $27 billion budget surplus in June, the first since 2017, driven by a surge in tariff revenue. Customs duties reached $27.2 billion, a 301% increase from June 2024, fueled by President Trump’s 10% import tariffs implemented in April and targeted reciprocal tariffs. Total federal receipts rose 13% to $526 billion, while outlays dropped 7% to $499 billion, partly due to reduced spending through the Department of Government Efficiency. Tariff collections for the fiscal year hit $113 billion, making them the fourth-largest revenue source. The surplus reduced the fiscal year-to-date deficit to $1.34 trillion, a 1% improvement from last year.
The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, lifted a lower court’s injunction, allowing the Trump administration to resume plans to lay off approximately 1,400 Department of Education employees, about one-third of its workforce. The ruling, issued without explanation, enables the administration to advance its goal of downsizing the department, a key campaign promise. U.S. District Judge Myong Joun had previously blocked the layoffs, arguing they would cripple the department’s ability to perform its duties, such as managing federal student aid and enforcing civil rights laws in schools. The administration also plans to transfer the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services. The case continues in lower courts.
The United States opened the Brook Mine in Ranchester, Wyoming, marking the first new rare earth mineral mine in the country in over 70 years. Operated by Ramaco Resources, the mine targets rare earth elements like neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and gallium, found in coal and adjacent clays, critical for technologies such as smartphones, fighter jets, and semiconductors. The project aims to reduce U.S. reliance on China, which dominates global rare earth processing. The mine, also Wyoming’s first new coal mine in over 50 years, is expected to create high-paying jobs and bolster national security.
Microsoft announced it will officially recognize its Jewish employee resource group, “Jews at Microsoft” (JAMS), granting it the same status, benefits, and funding as other ethnic and cultural employee groups within its employee network program. The decision follows a legal warning from the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, which accused Microsoft of violating federal anti-discrimination laws by excluding JAMS from its official program. The Brandeis Center argued that the exclusion constituted discriminatory treatment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Microsoft’s reversal ensures JAMS, formed to support Jewish employees and foster cultural inclusion, receives equal access to resources, events, and leadership opportunities.
Israel
The Israel Defense Forces expanded their ground offensive in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, with the Givati Brigade joining the 99th Division to encircle the area. The operation targets dozens of Hamas operatives estimated to be hiding in underground tunnels. The IDF aims to dismantle terror infrastructure, eliminate militants, and degrade Hamas’s military capabilities. The intensified campaign follows a Hamas ambush that killed five Israeli soldiers and wounded 14 others. The Givati Brigade, under the 162nd Division, is conducting operations to locate and destroy tunnels, weapons caches, and other terrorist assets. Heavy airstrikes have also targeted Hamas infrastructure in the area. The operation reflects ongoing efforts to secure the region near Israel’s border.
The IDF demolished a 3.5-kilometer Hamas tunnel in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, discovered by the Kfir Brigade and Yahalom special forces unit. The tunnel connected to a broader network of underground passages used by Hamas operatives. It contained rooms designed for extended stays, equipped with supplies and infrastructure to support militant activities. The IDF operation aimed to neutralize the tunnel, which was deemed a critical component of Hamas’s subterranean network for planning and executing attacks. The demolition followed thorough searches by the troops to map the tunnel’s layout and ensure no operatives remained inside.
Jerusalem Affairs Minister Meir Porush announced that Agudat Yisrael lawmakers, part of the United Torah Judaism party, will resign from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. The decision follows the Degel HaTorah faction’s exit, driven by disputes over a Haredi conscription bill that failed to meet the expectations of both factions and their rabbinic leadership. The resignations, including those of Porush, Deputy Transportation Minister Uri Maklev, and Deputy Culture and Sports Minister Yaakov Tessler, reduce Netanyahu’s coalition to a 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset. The move, effective after a 48-hour window, leaves Shas as the sole ultra-Orthodox party in the government. The coalition faces potential further instability as Shas considers its position.
A group of 208 family members of 122 victims killed in the October 7 massacre, along with one permanently disabled survivor, filed a lawsuit in Jerusalem’s District Court against the Palestinian Authority, seeking over NIS 1 billion ($270 million) in damages. The plaintiffs accuse the PA of financing and encouraging terrorism through stipends to imprisoned terrorists and families of those killed or injured in attacks. The lawsuit, filed under Israel’s Compensation for Victims of Hostile Action Act and Torts Ordinance, claims the PA’s actions contributed to the attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis, primarily at the Nova music festival, and saw 252 abducted. The court froze NIS 410 million in PA funds to secure potential compensation.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett publicly criticized U.S. commentator Tucker Carlson for claiming that Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted misconduct offender, had ties to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. Bennett, who oversaw Mossad during his tenure as prime minister from 2021 to 2022, posted on X that the allegations were “categorically and totally false,” asserting that Epstein had no connection to the agency. Carlson’s remarks, made during a podcast, suggested Epstein was a Mossad asset, a claim that has circulated in conspiracy theories but lacks credible evidence. Bennett accused Carlson and others of spreading falsehoods without knowledge. The exchange has reignited debates about Epstein’s activities, with no verified links to Mossad reported by Israeli or U.S. authorities.
WORLD
UK police arrested over 70 people at protests against the designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism Act 2000, following a break-in at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where activists caused approximately £7 million ($9.4 million) in damage to two military aircraft. In London, the Metropolitan Police arrested 42 individuals, with 41 detained for showing support for the proscribed group through actions like displaying signs reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,” and one for common assault. Greater Manchester Police arrested 16 in Manchester, while South Wales Police detained 13 in Cardiff. The protests, organized by Defend Our Juries, marked the second consecutive weekend of arrests for supporting Palestine Action.
A far-right group led by nationalist activist Wojciech Sumlinski installed plaques near the Holocaust memorial in Jedwabne, Poland, denying Polish involvement in the 1941 massacre where local residents burned hundreds of Jews alive in a barn. The unauthorized display, funded through crowdfunding, consists of seven boulders with inscriptions in English and Polish, claiming a German pacification unit committed the atrocity. It also accuses Jews of collaborating with Soviet oppressors during the interwar period. The installation, located on private property 100 feet from the official monument, has drawn condemnation from Yad Vashem and Poland’s Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich, who called it a “disgrace.” Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance confirmed in 2002 that Poles carried out the massacre.
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Panama’s Pacific coast near the border with Costa Rica, with its epicenter located approximately 60 miles southwest of David, Panama. The quake occurred at a depth of about 10 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. No immediate reports of damage or injuries emerged, and authorities confirmed no tsunami threat. Panama City, which hosts a significant Orthodox Jewish community, experienced no effects from the tremor. The region’s seismic activity is common due to its position along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Local officials continue to monitor the situation, but no emergency measures were deemed necessary following the event.
