How much are talmidim capable of? A group of young bochurim had the privilege of meeting this week with two esteemed Roshei Yeshiva, where they demonstrated their astounding accomplishments in Torah learning. The 13-14 year old boys had just completed two years of learning in Mechina L’Mesivta of Crown Heights, under the leadership of Rabbi Yitzchok Wolf. Geared toward advanced learners, the small 7th and 8th program offers students an opportunity to learn on a much higher level than usual, quantitatively and qualitatively.

The Knesset’s Labor and Welfare Committee held a discussion on Monday on denying the National Insurance budgets to a child who is in prison for a terror offense. During the discussion, the members of the committee were amazed to hear that, absurdly, the Supreme Court overruled a similar law because the judges refused to deprive the budget of a child accused of terrorism and even serving in prison. Chairman of the committee, MK Israel Eichler, sardonically stated: “For now, the Knesset has the right to enact laws as it sees fit, as the messengers of the public. It is true that the Supreme Court later invalidates the laws of the Knesset members but in the meantime, it doesn’t prevent them from enacting laws.

The U.S. military has raised the security protection measures it is taking at its bases throughout Europe, asking service members to be more vigilant and keep a lower profile due to a combination of threats it is seeing across the region. U.S. European Command said in a statement Sunday that a “variety of factors play into the safety of U.S. military community abroad.” Increasing the threat level to Charlie, the second-highest of five levels for service members, is the result of a combination of events occurring across Europe, including elections in France and the U.K., the upcoming Olympics and other major sporting events, and the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details.

The Supreme Court on Monday kept a hold on efforts in Texas and Florida to limit how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The justices returned the cases to lower courts in challenges from trade associations for the companies. While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right. The cases are among several this term in which the justices are wrestling with standards for free speech in the digital age.

Tens of thousands of people attended the Levaya of the Kossover Rebbe ZT”L, who was Niftar on Shabbos morning. A levaya was first held in Boro Park on Sunday afternoon, followed by a massive Levaya at the Vishnitzer Bais Hamedrash in Monsey. The following videos and photos are via YWN affiliate Monsey Scoop, which was covering the Levaya in live time.

In a scathing editorial, The Chicago Tribune has urged President Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, citing his struggling performance in the first debate. The editorial board described Biden as “a man now struggling to maintain a line of thought and keep track of complex facts, a man who gets flustered under deadline pressure, a man who has become vulnerable and yet, at the same time, far less self-aware.” The Tribune questioned the loyalty of Democrats who continue to support Biden despite his debate performance, asking why they would pretend he is the party’s best choice for four more years. “For a party that loves to accuse Republicans of mendacity, it’s pretty rich,” they wrote.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared on Sunday that Hamas is on the brink of collapse, unable to recover from the pressure of Israeli operations and cut off from its weapons supply. During a visit to southern Gaza’s Rafah, Gallant asserted that the Palestinian terror group is “a broken force running out of time.” The Israel Defense Forces have returned to areas where they previously operated to confront a re-emergence of Hamas forces, nine months into the war. According to Israeli officials, the army has defeated all but four Hamas battalions in the Gaza Strip, with two in Rafah and two in central Gaza. Gallant emphasized the significance of the Rafah offensive, stating, “The fighting here in Rafah signifies a very important thing.

Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon was taken into custody Monday after surrendering at a federal prison to begin a four-month sentence on contempt charges for defying a subpoena in the congressional investigation into the U.S. Capitol attack. Bannon arrived at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, around noon and was formally taken into federal custody, the Bureau of Prisons said. Speaking to reporters, Bannon called himself a “political prisoner,” said former President Donald Trump was “very supportive” of him and slammed Democrats, including Attorney General Merrick Garland. “I am proud of going to prison,” Bannon said, adding he was “standing up to the Garland corrupt DOJ.” Shortly before he arrived to surrender, a small group of supporters, including Rep.

A heart-wrenching phone call between a mother and her son ended in tragedy last week when Sgt. Eyal Shynes, 19, was shot and killed while serving in the southern Gaza Strip. His mother, Meirav Shynes, was on the phone with him when he was hit by a sniper, leaving her helpless as she listened to his cries for help before succumbing to his wounds. Meirav recalled the conversation, saying, “We spoke for a few minutes… And then suddenly I hear that they are shooting him, and that’s how the conversation ended. But we still heard everything, and it was terrible.” She immediately understood that her son was wounded but didn’t think he had been killed. As she and her husband drove to the Tel Aviv area, they began to suspect the worst when they didn’t receive any updates from the army.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday insisted that President Joe Biden can still win her state, a key battleground in the 2024 election, even as many national Democrats question whether Biden should move forward after his shaky debate performance. Whitmer’s statement comes as many in her party question whether she could step in for Biden and run against Republican Donald Trump this fall. Whitmer and several other top national Democrats have publicly backed Biden since Thursday’s debate. “I am proud to support Joe Biden as our nominee and I am behind him 100 percent in the fight to defeat Donald Trump,” she said in her statement.