Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the outgoing spokesperson for the IDF, emphasized the critical importance of public trust in the military while making a pointed call for all segments of Israeli society—including Charedim—to enlist. Hagari, who is stepping down after being passed over for promotion by the new IDF chief of staff, delivered his remarks as he officially handed over his role. “Our mission over the past year and a half was rehabilitating public trust in the IDF,” Hagari said, referencing the military’s efforts to restore credibility following the October 7 attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold statement, emphasizing that Ukraine would “never cede” any of its occupied territories to Russia. He also expressed doubts regarding peace initiatives led by former President Trump, suggesting that Trump may be falling victim to Vladimir Putin’s manipulation.
In an interview with Le Figaro, a French newspaper, Zelensky appeared emboldened by the strong backing of European nations, who have adopted a tough stance toward Moscow in the ongoing U.S.-mediated peace discussions. “One thing is certain: we will never cede our occupied territories to Russia. These lands belong to the Ukrainians,” Zelensky declared.

Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and ranking member Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) have formally requested that the Department of Defense investigate a high-profile security breach involving a Signal group chat where top U.S. officials allegedly discussed airstrikes in Yemen. The request follows the bombshell report by The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, who revealed that he was inadvertently added to the chat by Trump National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. According to Goldberg, the group included members of the principals committee—leaders of the nation’s top national security agencies—openly discussing plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Bill Gates, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder, has predicted that in the next decade, artificial intelligence will evolve to the point where many human professionals, including doctors and teachers, will no longer be necessary for most tasks.
In a recent appearance on NBC’s The Tonight Show, Gates discussed the rapid progress of AI and its potential effects on various industries. He anticipates that within the next ten years, AI will advance so much that it will replace human experts in a wide array of fields.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said this week it will retest 4,000 DNA samples and open an internal investigation after learning that it used potentially flawed test kits for eight months. Sheriff’s officials said Wednesday that a test kit manufacturer sent a letter in August warning the department to stop using certain kits that were prone to giving incomplete results. However, the letter was received by a civilian employee who didn’t discard the kits or send them back, according to a department statement. The department used the flawed kits from July through February, testing thousands of samples from criminal investigations. The problem was discovered Monday when a supervisor at the department’s Scientific Services Bureau found the manufacturer’s letter.

SAN SALVADOR – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s visit to El Salvador’s no

Israeli Ambassador to the US, Dr. Yechiel Leiter, revealed this week that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s unusual flight path during his visit to Washington last month stemmed from fears of delay or arrest following the international arrest warrant issued against him by The Hague. Leiter explained that Netanyahu had to avoid flying over Europe, which significantly lengthened the flight time. “When Netanyahu came here last month, he flew 13 and a half hours – instead of 12,” Leiter said in an interview published on Ynet.

The Interior Ministry in Jerusalem has announced a significant change in the student visa application process, moving almost all applications to be handled via email. Until now, family applications for student visas with four or more members were processed through email, while others could be submitted in person at the Interior Ministry. Under the new policy, the vast majority of student visa applications and renewals will now be accepted exclusively by email, eliminating the need for applicants to visit the office in person. In-person applications will only be accepted in urgent cases, and applicants must provide proof of the urgency. To accommodate the increased volume of email applications, the Interior Ministry is adding more staff to ensure efficient processing.