The go-broke dates for Medicare and Social Security ‘s trust funds have moved up as rising health care costs and new legislation affecting Social Security benefits have contributed to earlier projected depletion dates, according to an annual report released Wednesday. The go-broke date — or the date at which the programs will no longer have enough funds to pay full benefits — was pushed up to 2033 for Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund, according to the new report from the programs’ trustees. Last year’s report put the go-broke date at 2036. Meanwhile, Social Security’s trust funds — which cover old age and disability recipients — will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2034, instead of last year’s estimate of 2035.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Wednesday to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting Moscow could help negotiate a settlement that could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic program while assuaging Israeli security concerns. Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies, Putin noted that “it’s a delicate issue,” but added that “in my view, a solution could be found.” Asked how Russia would react if Israel kills Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Putin refused to answer, saying that “I don’t even want to discuss such a possibility.” Khamenei has rejected U.S.

HaGaon HaRav Zilberstein delivered his regular shiur Monday night in his shul in the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood of Bnei Brak and expounded on several wartime shailos. At the end of the shiur, there was a warning from the Home Front Command to stay near bomb shelters as a siren would soon be sounded. HaRav Zilberstein immediately instructed all those present to move to the bomb shelter, where he continued the shiur. One of the participants asked the Rav whether to recite the bracha of Hamapil before going to sleep since there would likely be sirens in the middle of the night. HaRav Zilberstein responded, “Say Hamapil because the bracha can be their downfall (להפיל). You’re stronger than them, you said Hamapil.

On the first night of Iran’s launch of airstrikes against Iran, mere minutes after dozens of Israeli fighter jets crossed the Iranian border, an F-15 pilot spotted a lone Iranian fighter plane taking off from a base in the west of the country. Within minutes, the enemy aircraft reversed course and landed. “The pilot probably realized what was coming,” speculates Maj. N., a combat navigator in Squadron 133, who spotted the plane. “He certainly didn’t want anything to do with the event and ran to hide. For me, that moment, more than anything else, illustrates the air superiority we brought with us all the way to Iran,” he said in an interview with Ynet. N. said that he and his fellow pilots were shocked by the lack of resistance from the Iranian pilots.

Summer will make a dramatic entrance in the U.S. this week with a heat dome that will bring stifling temperatures and uncomfortable humidity to millions. The heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts. This will be the first stretch of true summertime weather for many from Midwest to the East Coast, said Tom Kines, a meteorologist at the private weather company AccuWeather. “A lot of those folks have been saying, where’s summer? Well, buckle up, because it’s coming,” said Kines. The humid conditions will make places that exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) feel as much as 20 degrees hotter, said Kines.

Two major food producers say that they will be pulling artificial dyes from their U.S. products starting in 2027. The shift comes nearly two months after U.S. health officials said that they would urge foodmakers to phase out petroleum-based artificial colors. Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that it will be removing artificial dyes from its U.S. products beginning in 2027 and will no longer roll out new products with the dyes. Hours later, General Mills announced that it plans to remove artificial dyes from all of its U.S. cereals and all foods served in K-12 schools by the summer of 2026. It is also looking to eliminate the dyes from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027. Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that almost 90% of its U.S.

Amazon is gearing up to make as many as 10,000 robotaxis annually at a sprawling plant near Silicon Valley as it prepares to challenge self-driving cab leader Waymo. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also vying to join the autonomous race. The 220,000-square-foot (20,440-square-meter) robotaxi factory announced Wednesday heralds a new phase in Amazon’s push into a technological frontier that began taking shape in 2009, when Waymo was launched as a secret project within Google. Amazon began eyeing the market five years ago when it shelled out $1.2 billion for self-driving startup Zoox, which will be the brand behind a robotaxi service that plans to begin transporting customers in Las Vegas late this year before expanding into San Francisco next year.

The American flag has long flown from a pole on the White House roof, but that’s always been too small for President Donald Trump, who wants everything to be bigger and more beautiful. On Wednesday, massive new flagpoles were erected on the North and South Lawns of the White House. “It’s such a beautiful pole,” Trump said as workers used a crane to install the latest addition to the South Lawn. He returned to the same spot later in the day, saluting as the stars and stripes were hoisted for the first time. The second pole, on the North Lawn, is close to Pennsylvania Avenue. The two poles are the most notable exterior modification to the White House since Trump returned to the presidency with grand ideas for remaking the building.

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday it is restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review. The department said consular officers will be on the lookout for posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the United States, its government, culture, institutions or founding principles. In a notice made public Wednesday, the department said it had rescinded its May suspension of student visa processing but said new applicants who refuse to set their social media accounts to “public” and allow them to be reviewed may be rejected. It said a refusal to do so could be a sign they are trying to evade the requirement or hide their online activity.

The State Department has begun evacuating nonessential diplomats and their families from the U.S. embassy in Israel as hostilities between Israel and Iran intensify and President Donald Trump warns of the possibility of getting directly involved in the conflict. A government plane evacuated a number of diplomats and family members who had asked to leave the country Wednesday, two U.S. officials said. That came shortly before U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced on X that the embassy was making plans for evacuation flights and ships for private American citizens. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive diplomatic movements.