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.

TERROR ATTACK: Terrorists opened fire on Route 446 between the community of Bruchin and the Peduel Junction in Samaria, severely wounding a woman, approximately 30 years old, and moderately injuring a male victim. MDA teams provided immediate medical care and evacuated both victims to a hospital by ambulance. IDF forces have secured the scene and are actively searching for the terrorists responsible for this developing incident.

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)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has quietly revived and rebranded the Cold War-era KGB, launching a covert intelligence force that experts are calling “KGB 2.0,” according to a report in The Sun. Known as the SSD — short for Department of Special Tasks — the shadowy unit has been tied to a string of covert operations across Europe, including botched assassination attempts, sabotage missions involving explosive-laden aircraft, and sophisticated cyberattacks aimed at destabilizing the West. The SSD reportedly came into existence in 2023, just a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and is believed to be operating as a hybrid force—blending espionage, military tactics, and digital warfare to expand Moscow’s reach and influence.

Fox News host Mark Levin expressed strong disapproval of President Trump’s diplomatic tour of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, a notable shift given Levin’s history of staunch support for Trump. The President addressed the Saudi Royal family and global business leaders at an economic investment conference in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, before traveling to Doha, Qatar, for further meetings aimed at securing Middle Eastern investment in the U.S. economy, despite concerns over human rights abuses by potential investors.

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.

JACKSON, NJ — May 12, 2025 — CHEMED Health Center marked a major milestone today with the grand opening and ribbon cutting of its newest facility at 275 S. Hope Chapel Road in Jackson. Guest of Honor, U.S. Congressman Chris Smith, joined CHEMED leadership, elected officials, and community partners to celebrate the expansion, which will bring much needed specialty services to residents across Ocean County and beyond. “CHEMED’s new Jackson center is a powerful example of the vision and leadership behind community-based healthcare,” said Congressman Smith.

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.

Magen David Adom (MDA) teams have completed final preparations for the comprehensive medical security operation for the Rashbi pilgrimage in Meron. Ahead of the event taking place tomorrow on Lag BaOmer, Israel Police, in cooperation with MDA and Israel Fire and Rescue Services, held large-scale emergency drills simulating mass casualty events on the mountain. As part of the preparations, two drills were conducted by the police at night and in the afternoon, covering a range of scenarios: terrorist incidents, rocket fire, crowd stampedes, road blockades, and more. Dozens of MDA paramedics, doctors, EMTs, and first responders participated. MDA’s emergency medical system is operating in close coordination with all field agencies.

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.