Already smashing records, this year’s hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season is about to get even nastier, forecasters predict. In the coming months, they expect to run out of traditional hurricane names and see about twice as much storm activity as a normal year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday upped its seasonal forecast, now predicting a far-above-average 19 to 25 named storms — seven to 11 of them to become hurricanes and three to six of those to become major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 mph (178 kph). That’s a few more storms than the agency’s May forecast. The agency increased the chance of an above average hurricane season from 60% to 85%.

Mayor Bill de Blasio told New Yorkers Thursday they don’t need to buy a new car. “The future of New York City is less about the car,” de Blasio said. “I’m never going to own a car again.” De Blasio — who is chauffeured around New York City in a tax dollar-funded SUV — advised New Yorkers Thursday not to fear the subways amid the global novel coronavirus pandemic. “My advice to New Yorkers is, ‘Do not buy a car,” de Blasio said. “Cars are the past, the future is going to be mass transit, biking, walking.” READ MORE: NY1

What better way to celebrate the completion of Maseches Shabbos than by elevating the meaning of Hanhagos, Halachos, and Tefillos of Shabbos?

The U.S. Treasury Department has fined Capital One $80 million for careless network security practices that enabled a hack that accessed the personal information of 106 million of the bank’s credit card holders. The Comptroller of the Currency said in a consent order Thursday that Capital One failed in 2105 to establish effective risk management when it migrated information technology operations to a cloud-based service. It said the bank’s own internal audit failed to identify “numerous weaknesses” in its management the cloud environment and “engaged in unsafe or unsound practices that were part of a pattern of misconduct.” The consent order said Capital One has committed to fixing the problem. Email to Capital One requesting comment wasn’t immediately returned.

A new book by former President George W. Bush will highlight an issue which now sets him apart from many of his fellow Republicans — immigration. Crown announced Thursday that Bush’s “Out Of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants” will be published March 2. The book includes 43 portraits by the 43rd president, four-color paintings of immigrants he has come to know over the years, along with biographical essays he wrote about each of them. Bush, who served as president from 2001-2009, has often praised the contributions of immigrants, a notable contrast to President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and policies. As president, Bush supported a bipartisan immigration reform bill that narrowly failed to pass in 2007, with opposition coming from both liberals and conservatives.

A Democratic senator said Thursday he is launching an investigation into changes at the U.S. Postal Service that are causing delays in mail deliveries across the country just as big volume increases are expected for mail-in election voting. A plan imposed by Louis DeJoy, a Republican fundraiser who took over the top job at the Postal Service in June, eliminates overtime for hundreds of thousands of postal workers and orders that mail be kept until the next day if distribution centers are running late. Michigan Sen.

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States is reinstating a 10% import tax on Canadian aluminum, raising tensions with an American ally just weeks after his trade pact with Canada and Mexico took effect. Canada quickly vowed to respond in kind. Trump originally imposed the tariffs on aluminum imports in 2018. He then lifted them last year on Canadian and Mexican metals to smooth the way for the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement. The USMCA took effect July 1 and was expected to bring stability to North American trade. Instead, Trump declared Thursday that he is reimposing the tariffs on Canada.

  Heeeeees baaack! Gather around boys and girls​!​​ The spy is now headed to the big screen! For the first time ever, the popular ​Moshiach ​Times character​,​ “​The​ Shpy” will now be featured in his very own video.  The ​Shpy is the top secret agent at Tzivos ​Hashem and together with is sidekick ​Feivel do all they can to stop the ​Yetzer ​Horah from his next plan from trying to stop Jewish children from learning Torah and doing mitzvos. The shpy still appears in the children’s ​magezine ​The ​Moshiach ​Times and is always on new adventures. Rabbi Dovid Sholom Pape​, ​Moshiach ​Times​’​ editor in chief says that the Shpy uses humor and fun to teach children timely and timeless lessons in the Torah. Purchase for unlimited 30 day access! CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ACCESS 

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of HaRav Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz ZT”L. He was 83. Rav Steinsaltz had been hospitalized with a lung infection and his condition deteriorated until his passing early Friday morning. The kevura was held on Har HaZeisim. Rabbi Steinsaltz served as the president of Yeshivat Makor Chaim and Yeshivat Tekoa. He has written an easy to understand explanation of the Gemara as well as a host of other sefarim. His lifelong work in Jewish education earned him the Israel Prize, the highest honor in the State of Israel. In all, Rabbi Steinsaltz authored over 60 books and hundreds of articles on a multitude of subjects. Born in Jerusalem in 1937 to secular parents, Rabbi Steinsaltz studied physics and chemistry at the Hebrew University.

Attorney Advertising– NEW YORK— Did you take Elmiron for 6 months or longer for urinary pain from interstitial cystitis and experience maculopathy or any vision loss or eye damage? Investigations have discovered that using Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) for urinary pain, can cause vision loss or blindness, a degenerative eye disorder, pigmentary maculopathy. In 1985 Elmiron was approved as an “orphan drug”, a special status for a drug to treat a rare disease or condition. Elmiron was an approved treatment for interstitial cystitis, a chronic condition that can cause severe bladder and pelvic pain, thought to affect as many as 1 million people (mainly women) in the United States. Studies have found that roughly 25% of long-term Elmiron users may have developed a vision disorder.