More than four years after a Florida condominium collapse killed 98 people, federal investigators have yet to make a final determination of the cause — but they do have some leading theories. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, the agency handling the probe, said this week it hopes to conclude the investigation in 2026. “We intend for our investigation of this failure to have a lasting impact, save future lives and ensure this never happens again,” NIST investigator Judith Mitrani-Reiser said in the agency’s latest report. Most residents were asleep in the 12-story Champlain Towers South when the beachfront condo building in Surfside, Florida, collapsed into a huge pile of rubble at 1:22 a.m. on June 24, 2021.

Ticks can be active in any season and it’s important to check for and remove the bloodsuckers as quickly as possible — especially after you’ve been outside hiking, gardening or enjoying nature. “Humans are outside more in summer so we hear about more tick infections,” said Sam Telford, an infectious diseases expert at Tufts University. But he urges caution year-round because “every season is tick season.” While tick populations vary a lot regionally, some Northeastern states including Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are seeing “above average” numbers of American dog ticks this year, said Telford.

The Jerusalem District Court announced that it is canceling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled testimony in his criminal trial this week, following his appearance in a closed-door court session today on the matter. Netanyahu requested in court that his scheduled testimony for the next two weeks be delayed due to diplomatic and national security issues, after two such requests were rejected on Friday. The head of IDF Military Intelligence as well as the head of the Mossad were also present in today’s court hearing, both of whom explained to the judges why it was necessary to postpone the testimony hearings.

The IDF has announced the tragic death of Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld HY”D, a 20-year-old soldier from Ra’anana, who was killed earlier today during active combat operations in the northern Gaza Strip. Sgt. Rosenfeld served in the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion.

Israel and Syria are on track to sign a landmark peace agreement before the end of 2025, according to a Syrian source speaking to i24NEWS. Under the reported framework, Israel would gradually withdraw from all Syrian territory it seized during its incursion into the buffer zone on December 8, including the strategic peak of Mount Hermon. The deal, if finalized, would fully normalize ties between the two longtime adversaries, with one source describing the Golan Heights as being transformed into “a garden for peace.” The potential breakthrough comes as the region experiences a wave of dramatic diplomatic movement. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff revealed Wednesday that additional countries are expected to join the Abraham Accords soon.

A record heat wave that spread across the East Coast of the United States during the first week of summer has child advocates warning parents and caretakers about the risks of heatstroke to children left inside hot vehicles. So far this year, nine children have died after being left unattended in vehicles in California, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, New Jersey and North Carolina, according to Kids and Car Safety, which collects data on hot car deaths. Five died in June. And last year, 39 children in the U.S. died after being left in hot cars. Why hot cars are so dangerous for children Human-caused climate change keeps dialing up temperatures and extreme weather, scientists say.

A bombshell classified assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency stating that Iran’s nuclear program was not majorly affected by U.S. and Israeli bombings, leaked in the chaotic aftermath of U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, is being ripped apart by current and former intelligence officials as a deeply flawed product built on lies peddled by Iran itself. The top-secret report, which claimed the strikes caused only “moderate damage” to Tehran’s nuclear program, triggered headlines in CNN and the New York Times portraying the mission as a half-success.

The Shin Bet has uncovered an extensive Hamas terror infrastructure in Chevron, arresting more than 60 operatives who were allegedly preparing to carry out imminent attacks against Israeli targets. According to officials, the network was divided into approximately ten separate cells, each engaged in advanced planning for shooting and bombing attacks. Many of those arrested were previously convicted terrorists who had been released. The suspects reportedly underwent weapons training, gathered intelligence on Israeli targets, produced explosives, and assembled explosive devices in preparation for coordinated terror operations. During interrogations and subsequent raids, security forces seized 22 firearms of various types, 11 fragmentation grenades, and large amounts of ammunition.

Israeli authorities have revealed that a 24-year-old Israeli man charged with aiding the enemy was directly involved in a plot to assassinate Defense Minister Yisrael Katz. According to explosive new details aired by Channel 12, Roy Mizrachi allegedly planted powerful explosives near Katz’s home in Kfar Achim as part of an Iranian-directed conspiracy. The bombs were reportedly intended to detonate as Katz passed by, with sources suggesting the plot was perilously close to being carried out. Although the report did not specify how near the explosives were to the minister’s home, or whether they were primed to explode, officials confirmed Mizrachi had advanced the scheme well beyond mere surveillance. Prosecutors say Mizrahi acted “knowingly and deliberately” for Iran at a time of war.

An Israeli Air Force husband-and-wife team revealed they took part in high-risk bombing missions over Iranian skies, targeting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear infrastructure and military assets. The wife, known only by the alias “Yud” in accordance with strict security protocols, is the first woman to serve as deputy commander of a fighter squadron in Israel’s history. Her husband, “Bet,” commands an air squadron and is slated to take command of a fighter squadron. The couple, who share two young children, described to Channel 12 how they balanced family life with the pressures of a full-scale air campaign. During the conflict, they did not see their children for two weeks, relying on family and friends to care for them.

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