New Jersey’s attorney general said Tuesday chemical manufacturer 3M agreed to pay up $450 million to resolve lawsuits over natural resource contamination stemming from PFAS — commonly referred to as “forever chemicals.” The settlement is subject to court approval and a public comment period, Attorney General Matt Platkin’s office said. St. Paul, Minnesota-based 3M is expected to pay $285 million this year, with additional amounts payable over the next 25 years. The total amount could reach $450 million, Platkin’s office said. “Corporate polluters must be held accountable when they contaminate our state’s water supply,” Platkin said in a statement.

The dispute surrounding the drafting of yeshiva students is intensifying, as the chareidi factions in the Knesset have escalated their protest by continuing to abstain from all votes on Wednesday.
In a demonstration of their opposition, chareidi lawmakers also opted out of the preliminary readings of private legislation introduced by members of the ruling coalition.
A senior figure in United Torah Judaism confirmed on Wednesday morning that “the boycott will continue as long as no solution is found regarding the draft issue.” He went on to say, “We are facing a severe crisis of faith. Unilateral actions are being taken against the Torah world, and the government is doing nothing to stop it.”

A terror attack struck Route 446 between the community of Bruchin and the Peduel Junction in the Shomron on Wednesday night, when terrorists opened fire, critically wounding a woman, approximately 30 years old, and seriously injuring a male victim. MDA teams quickly provided medical care and evacuated both victims to a hospital by ambulance. IDF forces have secured the area and are conducting an active search for the terrorists responsible for the attack. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Naftali Bennett issued a forceful denunciation of Hamas, accusing the group of deliberately embedding itself within civilian infrastructure and relying on innocent people to shield its fighters.
Sharing his perspective on social media, Bennett stated plainly, “Hamas’ use of human shields is not just a tactic. It’s the very basis of Hamas’ existence.”
He expanded on that point by describing how widespread the group’s entrenchment is in civilian areas. “Almost every home, school and hospital in Gaza is part of Hamas’ terror apparatus. HAMAS TURNED GAZA INTO ONE HUGE TERROR MACHINE,” he wrote.

Federal safety regulators have asked Elon Musk’s car company to explain how its driverless taxis will avoid causing accidents when they hit the road in Texas next month before a national “robotaxi” launch that is key to keeping its stock price aloft. Tesla has been told to provide information on how its taxis will operate safely in Austin, Texas, when there is fog, sun glare, rain and other low-visibility conditions that have been tied to accidents involving the company’s driver-assistance software. Those accidents, including one that killed a pedestrian, triggered the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to launch an investigation in October of 2.4 million of Musk’s vehicles.

The urgency couldn’t be greater  The groundwork is laid.  The city is ready.  The time is now.  And what’s unfolding here will change the future of Meron—and Klal Yisroel.  Right now, as Lag Baomer fires light up the sky and music fills the air, something is taking place beneath the surface.  In the city of Reb Shimon, the only mikvah taharah is being completely rebuilt—from the ground up. Yes, Meron—the most visited Jewish site in the world, drawing over a million people each year—has only one mikvah. And for years, it stood in disrepair, barely usable. Thousands of local residents had nowhere to turn. Tens of thousands more—from Chassidish to Litvish, Sefardic to secular—come wishing to fulfill one of the holiest mitzvos… and need to leave to another city.

Hagaon HaRav David Yosef, Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi, visited Ayalon Prison today in cooperation with the Rabbinical Department of the Israel Prison Service. During the visit, Rav Yosef delivered a Shiur to the inmates and met with get-refusers – some of whom expressed for the first time a willingness to discuss their cases, which may lead to a breakthrough in the issue of many Agunos.

RFK Jr. appears startled as demonstrators suddenly shout behind him, before being removed by security.

Hagaon HaRav Yaakov Moshe Schecter of Breslov putting Tzitzis on a grandson of Askan Avrohom Yaakov (Abe) Friedman from NY, who is in Eretz Yisroel to celebrate his “Chalakah” at Kever Rashbi on Lag BaOmer.