Temple Israel attack in Michigan was Hezbollah-inspired act of terror, FBI says

DETROIT — The attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield Township earlier this month was a Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism in which the assailant "was motivated and inspired by Hezbollah's militant ideology," FBI Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan said in a Monday briefing.

In the days leading up to the March 12 attack, Ayman Ghazali of Dearborn Heights searched terms including Hezbollah and Iran, along with “specific search terms, such as ‘what is the largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan?’ and ‘what time is the Trump rally in Michigan?’” Runyan said. “His last search was: ‘What time is lunch at Temple Israel?’”

Ghazali's Hezbollah-inspired internet searches dated back two months to January 2026, she said, and involved searches for pro-Hezbollah and Iran news channels. The FBI was able to process hundreds of digital and forensic evidence items despite the truck fire and Ghazali's attempt to delete them, Runyan said. The investigation involved more than 100 interviews of witnesses, family members and associates, she added.

The FBI special agent said Ghazali posted several Facebook messages, including one that said “the oppressors will soon know what kind of end they will meet,” and “we will avenge their blood.” He was consuming Hezbollah propaganda before his brother was killed in Lebanon, she said.

Ghazali bought the gun and fireworks used in his March 12 attack after one of his brothers was killed in Lebanon in early March, Runyan said.

The morning of the attack, as Ghazali sat in the Temple Israel parking lot, the 41-year-old man sent 19 photos and messages to his sister overseas that Runyan said “reiterated his intent to commit a mass terrorist attack and his Hezbollah ideology. ... His sister asked him to stop sending these photos, but he continued.”

Runyan later clarified that the sister lived in Lebanon. The agent added that Ghazali called his ex-wife right before the attack, and she called the Dearborn Heights Police Department to seek a welfare check.

“Ten minutes before the attack, he sent two final videos (one of which said) ‘I have booby-trapped my car. God willing, I will kill as many of them as I possibly can,'" the special agent in charge said.

Steven Ingber, Jewish Federation of Detroit's CEO, said in a Monday statement that “it is deeply troubling to learn that the attack on Temple Israel is now a confirmed act of terrorism that targeted our Jewish community, including our children."

—The Detroit News

Scientific review finds e-cigarettes likely cause lung and oral cancer

E-cigarettes are likely to cause cancer, including in the lungs and mouth, according to a sweeping review of scientific evidence that challenges their positioning as a safer alternative to smoking.

Published Monday in the journal Carcinogenesis, the review concludes that nicotine-based vapes are “likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” even though long-term population studies are still lacking.

“Considering all the findings — from clinical monitoring, animal studies and mechanistic data — e-cigarettes are likely to cause lung cancer and oral cancer,” said Bernard Stewart, a cancer researcher at Sydney’s University of New South Wales, who led the study.

The findings add to growing scrutiny of a vaping industry worth about $30 billion to $46 billion globally, with implications for tobacco groups that have invested heavily in e-cigarettes, including Altria Group Inc., British American Tobacco Plc and Imperial Brands Plc. They could also complicate public health strategies that have embraced them as a harm-reduction tool for smokers.

The review also challenges policies that have embraced vaping as a harm-reduction strategy and add to calls from cancer specialists for tighter regulation of e-cigarettes. Countries including New Zealand— and the United Kingdom, which has encouraged smokers to switch — have backed e-cigarettes to help smokers quit, but the new analysis raises questions about whether those approaches underestimate long-term health risks.

—Bloomberg News

Boston to become first major US city public school district to launch AI literacy curriculum

BOSTON — Boston will become the first public school district in the country ensure AI-fluency in schools, Mayor Michelle Wu announced, with high schools developing curriculum to tackle the use and ethics of the emerging technology for the next school year.

“This is a public-private partnership between city government, higher education and industry that will position Boston Public Schools as a leader in AI fluency, as well as the understanding for all of our students to recognize the full context of this world,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “In September, we are bringing AI literacy programming to BPS high schools with the goal for our students to graduate proficient in understanding how to use the tools to leverage it to take them further in school, in their careers and life.”

Boston officials announced a $1 million donation from tech entrepreneur and activist Paul English to launch the new AI-curriculum in September on Thursday.

The initiative aims to “equip students with the skills, curriculum, and real-world opportunities needed to build proficiency with AI and prepare for college, career pathways, and the future workforce,” the city stated. Educators and industry partners will begin developing courses, support for educators and hands-on opportunities in line with the initiative over the summer.

The new initiative follows AI guidance from the state Education Department released ahead of the last school year, including principles for ethical use and a framework for districts’ integrating AI in the classroom.

—Boston Herald

Israel increases budget to fund wars against Iran, Hezbollah

Israel’s parliament approved a state budget that should stabilize the ruling coalition until elections later this year and which will see defense spending increase significantly to cover the wars against Iran and in Lebanon.

The spending plan, set to run for the rest of 2026, will be funded by additional borrowing and cuts in some civilian spending. It marks a setback for Israel’s attempts to improve its fiscal standing and reduce its debt levels following the ceasefire in the war against Hamas in Gaza in October.

The budget, approved by lawmakers early Monday by 62 votes to 55, totals just under 700 billion shekels ($222 billion) and sets a deficit target of 4.9% of gross domestic product. This is likely to push Israel’s ratio of debt to GDP higher the the current level of 68.6%. That figure has risen from 60% since the start of the war in Gaza in late 2023.

While growth for this year was previously forecast to be 5.2%, it will instead be 3.3%-3.5% if the Iran war continues to the end of June and 3.8% if it finishes within a month, the finance ministry’s chief economist said on Monday.

Defense spending will climb to 143 billion shekels, about 120% higher than in 2023, and is the largest item in the budget. Defense spending was boosted by 32 billion shekels with another 13 billion pre-approved to be used if needed.

The extra money is mostly for replenishing Israel’s military arms stockpiles and paying reserve soldiers.

The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is into its second month, with little sign of it easing. Israel has also invaded Lebanon in a parallel conflict against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

—Bloomberg News