Alexander the Great's tomb revealed for first time: ‘unique and magnificent’

 Greek officials have unveiled the interior of a massive ancient tomb linked to Alexander the Great as archaeologists continue excavation and restoration work.

Greece’s Ministry of Culture announced the news in a statement on May 11.

The excavation centers around the Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis, the ruins of an ancient Macedonian city in northern Greece, about 60 miles northeast of Thessaloniki.

Greek officials said restoration work at the Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis has uncovered the site’s full enclosure for the first time, revealing the massive scale of the ancient Macedonian monument.

The enclosure, built in the fourth century B.C., measures roughly 1,630 feet in circumference. It surrounds a burial mound spanning more than 20 acres, as Cover Media reported.

Pictures released by the ministry show marble-lined passageways, elaborate architecture, and fine sculptural details that suggest the structure was built for a member of the Macedonian elite.

Greek officials have unveiled the interior of a massive ancient tomb possibly linked to Alexander the Great as archaeologists continue excavation and restoration work.

The excavation centers around the Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis, the ruins of an ancient Macedonian city in northern Greece, about 60 miles northeast of Thessaloniki.

Officials removed older metal supports to make the monument’s interior fully visible, and future plans include installing the tomb’s monumental double-leaf Macedonian marble door and restoring parts of the sphinx sculptures that once guarded the entrance.

“The Kasta Tomb is a unique and magnificent Macedonian monument, which, through the completion of the work of restoring its geometry, but also revealing the entire enclosure, now clearly highlights its historical importance and its value,” Lina Mendoni, Greek minister of culture, said in a translated statement.

Amphipolis is “associated with major figures of the Kingdom of Macedon, such as the three generals of Alexander the Great, Nearchus, Hephaestion, and Laomedon, who resided in the city,” according to the Ministry of Culture’s website.

People walk along a dirt path next to the Kasta Tumulus in Amphipolis.

The enclosure, built in the fourth century B.C., measures roughly 1,630 feet in circumference.

Kasta Tumulus in Amphipolis with a massive burial mound surrounded by a curved wall.

The excavation centers around the Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis, the ruins of an ancient Macedonian city in northern Greece, about 60 miles northeast of Thessaloniki.

“After Alexander’s death, the city’s garrison remained loyal to his mother Olympias and only agreed to surrender the city to Cassander, one of Alexander’s successors, on her orders,” the website notes.

“Cassander imprisoned Alexander’s wife Roxana and his son Alexander IV in Amphipolis and ordered their murder.”

Alexander the Great, who lived from 356 B.C. to 323 B.C., is known for establishing the vast Macedonian Empire across parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa as a young man.

He defeated the Persian Empire — then the dominant superpower of the ancient world — before dying at age 32 under mysterious circumstances, despite never losing a battle.

Researchers believed Kasta Tomb was “built for someone very close to Alexander the Great,” such as his mother, one of his wives, or one of his friends, National Geographic reported in 2014.

Alexander the Great fighting in the Battle of Issus, ca. 310 B.C., based on The Battle of Issus Roman Mosaic from the House of the Faun, Pompeii, Italy.

The latest excavation isn’t the only recent archaeological project tied to the legendary Macedonian ruler.

Earlier in 2026, Fox News Digital spoke with an archaeologist who helped locate a long-lost city founded by Alexander the Great after centuries of obscurity.

The city, called Alexandria on the Tigris, is located near the Persian Gulf in southern Iraq. It was founded in the fourth century B.C.

Nick Kristof’s Israel abuse claims spark civil war at New York Times: ‘I’m sick of being embarrassed’

 

A civil war has erupted inside the New York Times over Nicholas Kristof’s explosive column alleging widespread sexual abuse of Palestinians by Israeli prison guards.

Staffers at the newspaper are questioning whether some of the most incendiary claims, including an allegation that Israel trains dogs to rape Palestinian detainees, would have ever cleared the paper’s newsroom standards, according to Puck News.

The internal backlash has grown so intense that one Times journalist vented to Puck: “I am sick of being embarrassed by the Opinion section.”

Nicholas Kristof’s controversial column on alleged sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees has sparked backlash inside and outside the New York Times.

Nicholas Kristof’s controversial column on alleged sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees has sparked backlash inside and outside the New York Times.

The controversy centers on Kristof’s May 11 opinion essay, “The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians,” which included graphic allegations from Palestinian detainees who claimed they were sexually assaulted, raped with objects and abused by Israeli prison guards, interrogators and settlers.

The column immediately ignited outrage from pro-Israel critics, sparked denunciations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and triggered threats of a libel suit against the Times.

The Times pushed back forcefully against Netanyahu’s threat to sue the paper, with spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha saying the proposed libel action was “part of a well-worn political playbook that aims to undermine independent reporting and stifle journalism that does not fit a specific narrative.”

She added that “any such legal claim would be without merit.”

Kristof’s column included graphic allegations from Palestinians who claimed they were sexually abused while detained by Israeli authorities.

Kristof’s column included graphic allegations from Palestinians who claimed they were sexually abused while detained by Israeli authorities.

While Times leadership has publicly defended Kristof’s reporting as “rigorously and meticulously fact-checked,” Puck reported that many newsroom journalists remain privately “suspicious” of the sourcing behind some of the column’s most graphic allegations.

Pollard Drops Out Of Politics 'Overwhelmed with death threats

 

Pollard also revealed that he had recently decided against entering politics after briefly announcing plans to run for the Knesset. He said he faced significant backlash and threats from both the political left and right following his announcement.

"I got overwhelmed with death threats," Pollard said, adding that criticism from the left stemmed largely from his position that hostages should be freed "by strength, not by concession."

Addressing criticism from Netanyahu supporters, Pollard said he had repeatedly expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for efforts connected to his release from prison, while emphasizing that others had also played major roles. "There were a host of people who played very important roles in securing my release," he said, mentioning his late wife Esther, Ron Dermer, Miriam and Sheldon Adelson, and Rabbi Pesach Lerner.

Much of the discussion focused on Israel’s security doctrine and regional threats. Pollard warned that Israel faces mounting dangers from Iran, Turkey, and extremist forces operating in Syria, while arguing that the Jewish state must prepare for future large-scale conflicts.

Pollard also expressed concern over growing antisemitism in Western countries, arguing that many Jews abroad still underestimate the dangers they face. He described Aliyah as both inevitable and necessary as hostility toward Jewish communities increases.

"The only safe place for a Jew is right here in the Holy Land," Pollard said, while also criticizing Israeli leaders for failing to prepare adequately for future immigration waves.

The interview also included criticism of Israeli bureaucracy and defense procurement systems, with Pollard arguing that excessive caution and delays have prevented Israel from adopting technologies and policies he believes are necessary to confront modern threats.

Concluding the discussion, Pollard explained why he ultimately decided remaining outside politics would allow him to speak more freely. "When you have this thing called party discipline, you can't speak your mind," he said. "Now it's much more liberating to be able to sit as I am now... and discuss options, to discuss what we're doing right, what we're doing wrong."

Satmerer "Shventz" Continue to Lick the Tuchis of the Mayor and Attend Mamzarani's Shevuois Party after he Posted a Nakba Day video

 

The Ramchal: How a controversial figure was rehabilitated by the Mussar movement

 

When I was about seventeen in yeshiva, I remember being stunned to learn that the Ramchal — the author of Mesilas Yesharim and Derech Hashem — was clean‑shaven. Even more shocking was discovering that he had been placed in cherem by the gedolei hador, largely because some believed he viewed himself as Moshiach. It was only later, so the story goes, that the Vilna Gaon “brought him out of mothballs,” declaring that he would not step outside into the streets of Vilna without first learning through the entire Mesilas Yesharim.

Once the initial shock wore off, my respect for the Ramchal never wavered. I filed the whole episode away in my mind and didn’t think much about it again — until recently, when I came across an article by Binyomin Z. Wolf, who writes a Substack column called Torah V’Apikorsus.

I found the article while looking up information about the Ramchal because I share a birthday — כ"ו אייר, which in the Sefirah cycle corresponds to yesod she’b’yesod — with his yahrzeit. That curiosity led me to Wolf’s piece. And although the author openly describes himself as an “apikores,” the article was surprisingly informative and genuinely fascinating.

Much of it, I knew, I knew about the plays that he wrote, and I knew that he was pariah, but I didn't know the extent of how the Gedoilim of that generation persecuted him! Read it and form your own opinion!

Last Wednesday (כ"ו אייר) was the Yarhtzeit (death anniversary) of Moshe Chaim Luzzato, the Ramchal. While Ramchal has been rehabilitated as a classic Orthodox Jewish pietist with his work, Mesilat Yesharim, read in virtually every yeshiva, he was a complicated figure. He faced bans, wrote Hebrew plays, and was involved in major controversies as a kabbalist. David Sclar, in his PhD dissertation, traces the true life of Ramchal, and uncovers fascinating details left out of Chareidi biographical sketches.

To understand the Ramchal, you have to forget the image of the stoic, elderly sage peering out from the title pages of yeshiva texts. Born in 1707 into a wealthy mercantilist family in Padua, Italy, the young Luzzatto was a brilliant, privileged polymath. Supported entirely by his family's wealth, he spent his days mastering Talmud, Kabbalah, science, and secular literature.

But beneath the surface of his academic brilliance, Luzzatto was orchestrating something much more radical.

Beit Shemesh is Approaching 200,000 Residents Amid Unprecedented Growth!

 

Beit Shemesh continues to grow at a rapid pace and is becoming one of Israel's most prominent cities. During the recent city council meeting, the Mayor said that the city is expected to surpass 200,000 residents in the coming months - a milestone that will officially place it among the largest cities in the country.

According to the data presented, the population of Beit Shemesh has already crossed the 190,000 threshold, boasting an annual growth rate that is among the highest in Israel - at approximately 6% each year. Just this past year, the city overtook Holon in the rankings of Israel's largest cities and currently sits in tenth place.

Israel’s Largest Cities: 2026 Population Estimates

1. Jerusalem: 1,180,000 residents
2. Tel Aviv: 602,000 residents
3. Haifa: 318,000 residents
4. Petah Tikva: 317,000 residents
5. Beer Sheva: 245,000 residents
6. Bnei Brak: 236,000 residents
7. Ashdod: 235,500 residents
8. Rishon LeZion: 234,000 residents
9. Netanya: 223,000 residents
10. Beit Shemesh: 200,000 residents

However, officials in Beit Shemesh emphasize: it’s not just about numbers. Transitioning into a city of over 200,000 residents is expected to impact nearly every aspect of the residents' daily lives.

One of the central focus areas is employment. The municipality is currently promoting the establishment of the new Ma'ar (Main Business District) in the southern (newer) part of the city, aiming to transform Beit Shemesh into a city with more employment centers so fewer residents will have to commute daily to Jerusalem or the Center for work.

Simultaneously, the city continues to expand with new construction plans, including future neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city. Some of these plans are already causing friction with neighboring communities, including Moshav Zanoach, due to concerns over urban sprawl and infrastructure strain.

The city also faces significant internal challenges. The rapid population growth creates traffic congestion and drives the need to expand educational institutions, public transportation, parks, and other municipal services. Plans to build office towers and bus terminals in the heart of residential neighborhoods have already drawn opposition from some residents and rabbis.

Alongside the large Haredi neighborhoods, Beit Shemesh has also been trying in recent years to strengthen its National Religious and traditional populations, with new projects in the main city, Neve Shamir, Givat Sharet, and other neighborhoods.

Beit Shemesh's transformation into a city of over 200,000 residents carries political and economic significance as well: the number of city council seats is set to increase from 27 to 31, the municipality will receive allocations for additional deputy mayor positions, and development budgets as well as senior municipal salaries are expected to grow accordingly.

In recent years, many have dubbed Beit Shemesh "Israel’s Laboratory" - a city trying to integrate diverse populations and build a unique urban model.

The big question now is whether the city will manage to keep pace with this rapid growth in terms of infrastructure and quality of life, or if this expansion will become an overwhelming burden on the municipal system.

Teachings of rabbi killed in Bondi Beach terrorist attack live on with new book: ‘A profound gift’

 

Nikki holding an etrog and lulav inside a sukkah with Rabbi Eli Schlanger

Family crying over they casket of Eli Schlanger, which is draped with a Star of David

Nikki Goldstein

He saved her life — now her mission is to save his legacy. Nikki Goldstein doesn’t remember the first time she met Rabbi Eli Schlanger in September 2022. She was comatose in a Sydney, Australia, ICU, battling pneumonia and failing lungs. Doctors didn’t think the 57-year-old would live to see the next day.

Moments after her husband and daughter lifted their bowed heads resting over wires on her hospital bed, they caught a glimpse of a whirling dervish darting past the room wearing a yarmulke.

Though Goldstein was a secular Jew who never went to synagogue, her desperate husband Rowan asked the rabbi to give his dying wife a blessing.

When Nikki Goldstein’s husband asked Rabbi Eli Schlanger to give her a blessing, he sounded the shofar in her hospital room.

Before reciting ancient prayers over her “near lifeless” body, the bearded, bespeckled young rabbi brandished a ram’s horn known as a shofar, auspiciously blown before the Jewish High Holidays.

He sounded the simple instrument considered a “spiritual wake-­up call” that “pierces the heavens” with its plaintive cry and left Goldstein’s room.  

By the next day her infection retreated as doctors brought Goldstein out of the coma, something the medical team jokingly hailed as a “miracle.”

A few days later while doing his rounds as a hospital chaplain, Schlanger walked through the recovery ward and spotted Goldstein — sitting up, talking on the phone and looking strong.

“You survived,” he said, looking “completely shocked,” Goldstein, whose new book, “Conversations with My Rabbi: Timeless Teachings for a Fractured World” (Harper Influence), comes out May 26, recalled to The Post.

Nikki Goldstein would become known as “Eli’s miracle.”

American Airlines halts New York-Tel Aviv route through early 2027

 American Airlines announced on Sunday that it would be suspending nonstop flight services from New York to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport through January 6, 2027.

“We will proactively reach ​out to ​impacted customers of this schedule adjustment, offering ​options in line with our customer-friendly schedule change policy," the airline said in an e-mailed statement.

The airline suspended operations to Israel immediately after the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023.

American Airlines was to have resumed flights to Israel in March, but has repeatedly extended the suspension of flights amid regional tensions.

The airline had previously extended the suspension of service to Tel Aviv through September 7.

Last week, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announced the extension of its Conflict Zone Advisory for Israeli airspace and several other nations across the Middle East and Persian Gulf, Globes reported.

The updated directive will remain in effect until at least May 27, though the agency has notably adjusted its tone regarding the current security landscape.

Major European carriers such as Wizz Air, KLM, Air France, and Air Europa are reportedly re-evaluating their scheduled resumption dates in light of the continued EASA warning.

Smotrich attacks Attorney General: ‘Very soon we will end the AG's dictatorship’

 

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich today (Monday) attacked the Attorney General and the State Attorney during a discussion on the bill to split the role of the Attorney General at the Constitution Committee, sparking outrage among opposition MKs.

In his remarks, Smotrich referred to the “Sde Teiman" affair and said, 

“Almost 200 days have passed since the great blood libel carried out by Jews against IDF soldiers, and where is the Attorney General? Covering for her former colleague, the former Military Advocate General. There is no justice and no one is taking responsibility. She is sitting at home enjoying a generous pension and the rank of major general in the IDF. Almost 200 days have passed, and the public deserves answers: How is the investigation progressing? Have timelines been set? Who else was involved in this criminal leak and is receiving legal protection from the state?"

Smotrich compared the conduct of the legal system to foreign reports against IDF soldiers and criticized the harm caused to suspects in the affair.

 “Why should we complain about the lies of the New York Times, which publishes a disgraceful fake ‘investigation’ against heroic IDF soldiers, when the legal adviser to the Government of Israel lends a hand to exactly such a false libel. The lives of the heroes of Force 100 were destroyed. Families fell apart, their mental health collapsed. The time has come for everyone involved in the affair to be held accountable."

The Finance Minister went on to accuse the Attorney General of politically persecuting generals appointed to senior security positions. 

“What is the Attorney General occupied with? Persecuting Roman Gofman, a hero and outstanding IDF general appointed head of the Mossad during a critical period for Israel’s security; persecuting David Zini, another outstanding IDF general appointed head of the ISA in order to rehabilitate this extremely important organization after Ronen Bar shattered it."

The minister concluded his speech with criticism of the system’s budgeting and a promise to change the functioning of legal counsel in Israel.

 “At a time when crime and protection rackets are raging in the streets, the Attorney General and the Attorney General's Office, who head the system that was supposed to deal with this and provide us with personal security, are abandoning the citizens of Israel and investing the billions we give them in persecuting the government and the Right, thwarting every step, every plan and every appointment we make, with foolish investigations and abuse of legal process. Very soon we will restore Israel to being a democratic state and put an end to the dictatorship of the Attorney General. A state in which legal counsel advises, the government can govern, and the Knesset succeeds in legislating. That is democracy."

Smotrich sharply criticized the legal advisers in the Justice Ministry and said:

 “You are a total failure. From the Attorney General and the State Attorney down to the department heads, they all need to go home."

During the discussion, a verbal confrontation developed between bereaved brother Danny Elgart, who joined the Democrats party, and Minister Smotrich. The Knesset Guard attempted to prevent the clash and remove Elgart from the minister. Constitution Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman suspended the discussion.

Israel turning back violent flotilla from Turkey

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  held a security discussion Monday regarding the Turkish flotilla making its way to the Gaza Strip.

Following the discussion, Netanyahu is expected to authorize the IDF to take control of the vessels in order to prevent a breach of the naval blockade.

Fifty-seven vessels set sail last week from Marmaris, Turkey, carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists. They are expected to reach the Gaza Strip area Tuesday evening if they are not stopped beforehand.

The defense establishment fears that the current flotilla could be more violent than previous ones, both because of the identity of the activists and due to the involvement of IHH. The organization was behind the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010, during which activists attacked Shayetet 13 commandos with knives and clubs, seized a soldier’s weapon, and opened fire at the force.

Israel has made clear that it will not allow the vessels to breach the naval blockade, and the IDF is preparing for a physical takeover using Shayetet 13 commandos and naval forces. According to a Kan News report, a floating detention cell has been built on one of the ships, to which the activists will be transferred after their arrest if they refuse to heed the forces’ warnings and turn back at sea.

In 2010, the Mavi Marmara defied orders to turn around and dock at the Ashdod port, forcing the IDF to board the vessel - only to be attacked by Islamist extremists on board. The soldiers were pressed to open fire to save their lives.

After an investigation, Israeli authorities discovered the vessel to be carrying no humanitarian aid - in fact, no aid supplies at all - in contrary to the claimed "humanitarian" mission of the flotilla. The incident led to a fallout between Israel and Turkey.