A 21-year-old Israel Defense Forces commando left the front line in Gaza to donate life-saving bone marrow to a 5-year-old girl battling leukemia.
The soldier, identified as A., a resident of Kfar Tavor near Mount Tabor in the eastern Lower Galilee serving in the Golani Commando Unit (formerly known as the Golani Reconnaissance Battalion), was contacted by Hadassah University Medical Center in Yerushalayim’s Ein Kerem as he was about to leave the combat zone, Israeli outlet Channel 12 News reported on Thursday.
Years earlier, as he joined the army at the IDF’s induction center, he had submitted a saliva sample to Hadassah’s volunteer bone marrow donor registry. That sample led to his identification as a perfect genetic match for a young patient in need.

President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a long-awaited phone call on Thursday that centered almost exclusively on trade issues. Both sides agreed to arrange meetings between their respective teams, setting the stage for additional negotiations.
“I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal,” Trump shared on Truth Social following the 90-minute discussion.
“There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products,” he continued, characterizing the conversation as ending on a positive note for both the United States and China.

President Biden insists that he was fully in control during his time in office and dismissed any claims that others were acting on his behalf through the use of an autopen. His defense came just hours after President Trump called for an official investigation into the matter.
Trump instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday to initiate a probe into the potential misuse of the autopen by Biden’s aides. He raised the possibility that they had taken advantage of Biden’s mental state to make significant decisions in his name.
“I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” Biden declared in a formal statement.

Condoleezza Rice expressed serious concerns about Vladimir Putin’s escalating conduct, describing him as increasingly “out of control” and driven by a “desperate” desire to wipe out Ukraine.
Her remarks followed reports that Ukraine had struck the Kerch Bridge, a vital connection between Russia and Crimea, using underwater explosive devices in a bold assault.
Appearing on “Fox & Friends,” Rice characterized the strike as “extraordinary,” emphasizing that it reflects Ukraine’s ability to challenge Putin and hold him responsible for his aggressive actions.

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President Donald Trump’s administration is taking aggressive new steps to target foreign nationals who have remained in the United States beyond the expiration of their visas. This action follows a recent terror incident in Boulder, Colorado, in which the alleged perpetrator is an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa.
On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared that the agency would intensify its scrutiny of immigration files to identify individuals who have not exited the country after their visas expired.

The landmark Jewish music event of the year: the first-ever large-scale open-air music festival, headlining Ishay Ribo with guest performances by Chasidic music legend Avraham Fried, as well as Zusha and Shmuel, on August 7th at the iconic Bethel Woods in the heart of the Catskills of upstate New York.

At a press event on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sarcastically renamed the House-passed budget measure pushed by President Donald Trump. Instead of calling it the “big, beautiful bill,” Schumer dubbed it the “Well, We’re All Going to Die Act.”
Flanked by Senators Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Ron Wyden of Oregon, Schumer stood beside a bold sign bearing the mock title. The slogan was a jab at a remark made earlier by Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
“The more you look at the bill, at the House bill, the worse it gets,” Schumer said during the press conference.

The bodies of two Israeli hostages have been recovered from the Gaza Strip in a special operation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday.
Judy Weinstein-Haggai and Gadi Haggai, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, were named as the two deceased captives. The married couple—who were dual Israeli and American citizens—were murdered during the Hamas-led invasion on Oct. 7, 2023, and their bodies were taken to Gaza.

Two figures became the focal point of criticism during the heated two-hour Democratic mayoral debate in New York City: Andrew Cuomo, the dominant frontrunner, and Donald Trump.
Cuomo’s rivals on the debate stage—eight candidates eager to break his lead in the polls—hammered him over controversies that shadowed his resignation four years ago. The accusations ranged from sexual harassment claims to his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which remains under federal scrutiny.
One of the harshest criticisms came from Michael Blake, a former state Assemblymember polling near the bottom of the field. “The people who don’t feel safe are the young women, mothers and grandmothers around Andrew Cuomo — that’s the greatest threat to public safety.”