New York News
Dov Broyde, a 70-year-old Jewish man, was fatally struck by a vehicle while crossing Avenue I near East 5th Street in Flatbush around 9:45 p.m. on Monday.
He was walking to synagogue at the time of the incident. Hatzolah paramedics responded swiftly, attempting to resuscitate him at the scene, but he was pronounced dead shortly afterward. The driver remained at the scene, and the NYPD’s Highway District Collision Investigation Squad is investigating the circumstances of the crash. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing to determine the cause of the collision. The tragedy has deeply affected the local Orthodox Jewish community.
New York City recorded its lowest number of shootings ever for the July 4th weekend, from July 3 to July 5, with zero shooting incidents or homicides reported on July 4 itself, tying the record for the safest Independence Day in the city’s history. Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch credited the NYPD’s Summer Violence Reduction Plan, which deployed over 2,000 officers across 72 summer zones in 59 communities, focusing on high-priority crimes. The plan, launched on May 5, contributed to a 64% drop in shootings in these zones. Citywide, the NYPD has removed over 2,600 illegal guns in 2025, bolstering efforts to curb gun violence. This milestone marks a significant decline from previous years, enhancing public safety during the holiday.
A 19-year-old woman, Dana Baraket, was arrested in Times Square after pepper-spraying two NYPD officers and attempting to seize one of their firearms around 1:20 a.m. on Wednesday. The officers, patrolling on Broadway near 47th Street, were sprayed in the face, with one hit directly and the other partially affected, and were hospitalized in stable condition. Baraket, who shouted “Kill me!” and “Free Palestine!” during the incident, had previously gained attention in October 2023 for tearing down Israeli hostage posters on the Upper West Side while yelling anti-Israel slurs. Her family, originally from Lebanon, denies accusations of antisemitism, asserting the earlier vandalism was provoked by a confrontation. Baraket faces charges including assault on a police officer, attempted robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon.
New York City recorded 87 traffic fatalities in the first six months of 2025, marking the lowest number in recorded history and a 32% decrease from the 128 deaths reported in the same period of 2024. The decline spans pedestrians, cyclists, e-bike riders, and motor vehicle occupants, with e-bike and motorized two-wheeler fatalities dropping 39% and motor vehicle occupant deaths falling 48%.
US NEWS
President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law following its passage by Congress with a 218-214 House vote and a 51-50 Senate vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. The legislation permanently extends the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s individual tax rates and increases the standard deduction by $750 for individuals and $1,500 for couples. It introduces tax deductions for tips and overtime pay up to $25,000 each, expiring in 2028, and raises the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 for five years. The bill allocates $350 billion for border security, including 10,000 new ICE officers and a border wall, while cutting Medicaid and SNAP funding by nearly $1 trillion.
Catastrophic flash flooding struck Central Texas on July 4, killing at least 104 people, with Kerr County reporting 84 deaths, including 28 children. Heavy rainfall, exceeding 10 inches in some areas, caused the Guadalupe River to surge 26 feet in 45 minutes, devastating communities and Camp Mystic, a girls’ summer camp, where 27 campers and counselors perished. Rescue efforts saved over 850 people, including 167 by helicopter, but 41 remain missing, including 10 campers and a counselor from Camp Mystic. President Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, and search operations continue amid ongoing flood watches. The region, known as “Flash Flood Alley,” faced unprecedented water levels, surpassing a 1987 flood.
The Internal Revenue Service announced that churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates to their congregations without risking tax-exempt status, reversing a decades-long prohibition under the Johnson Amendment. This decision, outlined in a court filing to settle a lawsuit by two Texas churches and a Christian broadcasters’ association, specifies that endorsements made during religious services through usual communication channels are not considered political campaigning. The IRS views such statements as internal matters, akin to private discussions. The change formalizes the agency’s prior reluctance to enforce the ban against religious institutions. Critics, including the National Council of Nonprofits, warn this could blur lines between faith and politics, potentially allowing political operatives to exploit tax-exempt status.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House and presented President Donald Trump with a letter nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize during a dinner meeting. Netanyahu praised Trump’s role in the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab states, and his efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran following a 12-day conflict. The nomination, addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, highlighted Trump’s leadership in promoting peace and security in the Middle East. Trump, who has long expressed a desire for the prize, described the nomination as meaningful. The leaders also discussed ongoing ceasefire talks in Gaza, with Trump pressing for a resolution to the 21-month conflict with Hamas.
The Transportation Security Administration has eliminated the requirement for travelers to remove shoes at U.S. airport security checkpoints, ending a policy implemented after the 2001 shoe bombing attempt by Richard Reid. The change, effective immediately, applies to all passengers at standard screening lanes, though those without a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification may still need to remove shoes for additional screening. TSA’s advanced imaging technology and improved threat detection systems, including enhanced X-ray scanners, prompted the policy shift, as they can now effectively screen shoes without removal. The agency expects this to streamline checkpoint processes, reducing wait times. Travelers with TSA PreCheck already benefit from keeping shoes on, and the change aligns standard lanes closer to that experience.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk announced the formation of the America Party following a public feud with President Donald Trump over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a $3.3 trillion tax and spending law Musk criticized as fiscally irresponsible. The announcement came after a poll on X, where 65.4% of over 1.2 million respondents supported a new party. Musk stated the party aims to challenge the two-party system, focusing on reducing government waste, promoting free speech, and supporting pro-Second Amendment and pro-bitcoin policies. He plans to target 2–3 Senate seats and 8–10 House districts in the 2026 midterms to influence legislation. No formal registration with the Federal Election Commission has been confirmed.
The FBI arrested Yuance Chen, 38, and Liren “Ryan” Lai, 39, on June 27, for allegedly spying in the United States on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security. Chen, a legal permanent resident in Happy Valley, Oregon, and Lai, who entered Houston on a tourist visa, were charged with acting as unregistered foreign agents. They photographed the USS Abraham Lincoln and surveilled a Navy recruiting station in California and a base in Washington state, transmitting images to Chinese intelligence. In January 2022, they coordinated a $10,000 dead-drop payment in Livermore, California, for national security information. Chen gathered personal details on Navy recruits, targeting those with Chinese ties, to recruit for Beijing.
The U.S. economy added 147,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in June, surpassing economists’ expectations of 106,000 to 117,500 new jobs. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, down from 4.2% in May and below forecasts of 4.3%, marking the lowest rate since February. Job gains were led by state government, which added 47,000 positions, and healthcare, contributing 39,000 jobs, while federal government employment dropped by 7,000, continuing a trend of 69,000 losses since January. Private sector growth was modest at 74,000 jobs, the smallest gain since October 2024. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% month-over-month and 3.7% year-over-year, indicating stable wage growth. The labor force participation rate dipped to 62.3%, reflecting a shrinking workforce.
Israel NEWS
The Israel Defense Forces conducted an overnight operation in southern Syria, apprehending four members of an Iranian-operated terror cell in the villages of Umm al-Luqas and Ain al-Basali, approximately eight kilometers from Israel’s border. The operation, executed by the 474th Golan Brigade under the 210th Division with Unit 504 field investigators, was based on intelligence gathered from recent interrogations. The IDF seized several firearms and grenades during the raid. The cell was allegedly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to plan attacks on IDF troops. Syrian media reported that Israeli forces detained three Syrian citizens, including two brothers, in the same villages. The IDF continues operations to prevent terrorist entrenchment in the region.
Amazon resumed delivery services to Israel after suspending operations during the 12-day conflict with Iran that began on June 13. The suspension was triggered by widespread airspace closures, including at Ben Gurion Airport, which halted most commercial and cargo flights. With the ceasefire in effect and flights gradually resuming, Amazon has reinstated partial shipping, offering free delivery on select orders over $49. The company’s Israeli website notes ongoing shipping delays due to limited flight operations, with some deliveries expected to take up to a month. While other retailers like AliExpress and Shein continued shipments during the conflict, Amazon’s pause disrupted orders, though pre-conflict purchases are now being processed.
Nvidia is expanding its operations in Israel by developing a new 30-acre campus near its existing headquarters in Yokneam, south of Haifa, to triple its local workforce from the current 5,000 employees. The company, which operates its largest research and development center outside the U.S. in Israel, is also constructing a $500 million, 10,000-square-meter data center in Ofakim, the largest of its kind in the country. Nvidia’s Israel-1 supercomputer, built in Israel, currently ranks 34th globally and is designed to support the nation’s tech ecosystem, including startups and researchers, once fully operational. The expansion strengthens Nvidia’s role in Israel’s high-tech sector, where it has been a key player since acquiring Mellanox Technologies in 2020.
WORLD NEWS
President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with Vietnam following discussions with General Secretary To Lam. The deal imposes a 20% tariff on all Vietnamese goods imported to the United States, reduced from a previously threatened 46% rate, and a 40% tariff on transshipped goods, primarily targeting Chinese products rerouted through Vietnam to evade U.S. tariffs. In return, Vietnam will allow U.S. goods tariff-free access to its markets, a significant shift from prior trade restrictions. The agreement aims to address the U.S. trade deficit with Vietnam, which reached $123.5 billion in 2024. Details on enforcement and specific product impacts remain unclear, with the White House yet to release a formal document.
Danish police launched an investigation after a suspicious envelope containing white powder was received at the Israeli Embassy in Hellerup, north of Copenhagen. The Copenhagen Police, alerted by embassy staff, deployed officers, a hazmat team, and emergency vehicles, sealing off nearby roads as a precaution. The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident, stating that local security forces were handling the matter. Anders Frederiksen, duty chief of Copenhagen Police, assured the public there was no immediate danger to civilians. The investigation, conducted inside the embassy, has not disclosed the nature of the powder or any suspects. This follows heightened security at Israeli embassies in Europe after recent regional tensions.
Approximately 20 pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the Miznon restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD around 8:30 p.m., smashing a window and terrifying diners. The group, chanting “Death to the IDF,” threw chairs, food, and glassware, causing significant damage to the Israeli-owned eatery. The protesters targeted Miznon due to its co-owner, Shahar Segal, who has served as a spokesperson for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.- and Israel-backed aid group criticized for its role in Gaza food distribution sites. Police arrested one protester for hindering officers, and three others—a 50-year-old man, a 48-year-old woman, and a 28-year-old woman—were later charged with assault, affray, riotous behavior, and criminal damage.
Victorian police charged a 34-year-old man from New South Wales with arson, reckless conduct endangering life, criminal damage by fire, and possession of a controlled weapon following a firebombing at the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue. He allegedly poured flammable liquid on the synagogue’s front door around 8 p.m. and set it alight while 20 worshippers, including children, were inside for Shabbos dinner. The congregation evacuated safely through a rear exit, and firefighters contained the blaze to the entrance. The man was arrested in Melbourne’s CBD at 8:15 p.m. on July 5 and remanded after appearing in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. Detectives are investigating his intent to determine if the incident constitutes terrorism.
