A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen cautioned that it’s not certain that the amount of fluoride typically added to water is causing lower IQ in kids, but he concluded that mounting research points to an unreasonable risk that it could be. He ordered the EPA to take steps to lower that risk, but didn’t say what those measures should be. It’s the first time a federal judge has made a determination about the neurodevelopmental risks to children of the recommended U.S.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week fell to the lowest level in four months. The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for jobless claims fell by 4,000 to 218,000 for the week of Sept. 21. It was the fewest since mid-May and less than the 224,000 analysts were expecting. Last week’s figure was revised up by 3,000. The four-week average of claims, which evens out some of weekly volatility, fell by 3,500 to 224,750. Applications for jobless benefits are widely considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs in a given week. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits have fallen two straight weeks after rising modestly higher starting in late spring.

After several very difficult years and a swath of new programs and enticements, the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force will all meet their recruiting goals by the end of this month and the Navy will come very close, the military services say. The results represent a slight uptick in young people joining the military, reversing a dismal trend as the services struggled to overcome severe restrictions on in-person recruiting mandated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the low unemployment rate and stiff competition from private companies able to pay more and provide similar or better benefits. But Army leaders looking to the future worry that an expected drop in the youth population may signal more difficult times ahead.

A CNN report showcased the political opinions of fourth graders across New Jersey, Texas, and Arizona, as they shared their candid thoughts on Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. The report, introduced by CNN’s Kasie Hunt, was created in partnership with a Stanford political scientist and an Arizona State University psychologist. When asked what came to mind when seeing a picture of Harris, one boy quickly responded, “Liar.” Meanwhile, another girl described Trump as “pure evil” and added, “I feel like all he does is complain and, like, yell.” Despite some of the harsh criticisms, there were also positive comments.

Former President Donald Trump commented Thursday on the historic indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, drawing a parallel to his own legal battles and Adams’ efforts to address the city’s migrant crisis. While Trump admitted he doesn’t know Adams personally, he reflected on the mayor’s stance regarding the federal government’s handling of migrants. “I watched about a year ago when he talked about how the illegal migrants are hurting our city, and the federal government should pay us, and we shouldn’t have to take them,” Trump told reporters. “And I said, ‘You know what? He’ll be indicted within a year.'” Trump suggested that Adams’ indictment was part of a larger trend of political figures facing legal challenges, pointing to what he views as misuse of federal agencies.

Due to the difficult situation in Eretz Yisrael, the gedolei hador gathered for an atzeres tefillah at the holy tziyunim of the Steipler Gaon and the Chazon Ish, zecher tzaddikim livrachah, in Bnei Brak, headed by Harav Shimon Galai, shlita, Harav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, shlita, and the Rav of Bnei Brak Harav Masoud Ben Shimon, shlita. Friday is the yahrtzeit of the Chofetz Chaim, zy”a, and each year, Dirshu arranges a tefillah event in his memory in order to daven for Am Yisrael ahead of the Yom Hadin.

The Shin Bet and Israel Police released for publication on Thursday that an Israeli-Arab resident of the Galil planned to carry out a deadly terror attack against mispallelim at the kever of a tzaddik in the Galil. The suspect, Basel Abuhara, a 23-year-old resident of Arraba, was arrested a little over over month ago. During his interrogation, it emerged that he was planning a combined attack involving the detonation of a bomb and then gunfire at Jews visiting a kever in the Galil. Sources told B’Chadrei Chareidim that he was targeting members of a tzedaka organization who intended to visit the kever of Rebbe Chaninah ben Dosa.

An official from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s team says that there are ongoing efforts to advance negotiations for the release of hostages, with Mossad chief David Barnea frequently traveling to move talks forward. “There are attempts all the time,” the official said, adding that the current focus is on resolving less contentious issues to create momentum, such as exchanging hostages for Palestinian security prisoners. However, communication has hit a significant roadblock, with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar being “out of touch for weeks,” according to the official. Despite Israel requesting assistance from Egypt and Qatar to reach Hamas, there has been no response.

The American economy expanded at a healthy 3% annual pace from April through June, boosted by strong consumer spending and business investment, the government said Thursday, leaving its previous estimate unchanged. The Commerce Department reported that the nation’s gross domestic product — the nation’s total output of goods and services — growth picked up sharply in the second quarter from the tepid 1.6% annual rate in the first three months of the year. Consumer spending, the primary driver of the economy, grew last quarter at a 2.8% pace, down slightly from the 2.9% rate that the government had previously estimated. Business investment was also solid: It increased at a vigorous 8.3% annual pace last quarter, led by a 9.8% rise in investment in equipment. The U.S.

U.K. transport officials and police said Thursday they are investigating a “cyber-security incident” after users of public Wi-Fi networks at the country’s biggest railway stations reported being shown anti-Muslim messages. Passengers trying to log onto the Wi-Fi at 19 stations, including Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street and several London terminuses, on Wednesday evening were met by a page reading “We love you, Europe,” followed by an anti-Islam message listing a series of terror attacks. Network Rail, which manages the stations, said the Wi-Fi had been switched off and no passenger data was taken. “British Transport Police are investigating the incident,” Network Rail said in a statement.