Iran official calls tanker seizure ‘reciprocal’; FM: Vessel broke maritime rules By TOI staff and Agencies Tehran appears to speak in two voices while explaining confiscation of British-flagged ship, as furious European powers urge the country to reverse its ‘dangerous’ course

British FM warns Iran of ‘serious consequences’ if UK-flagged tanker not freed By TOI staff and Agencies   Britain says Iran has seized two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz By Agencies and TOI staff   A timeline of the escalation in the Gulf By AFP

moon landing half-century Israeli Harvard astronomer has an inalienable gravitation to interstellar study By Rich Tenorio On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Prof. Avi Loeb defiantly holds out hope that humanity will encounter other forms of life in the universe

The Jewish reporter who brought the 1969 moon landing into US living rooms By Josefin Dolsten   Wernher Von Braun: From rocket builder for Hitler to Apollo hero By Ivan Couronne

Netanyahu officially makes Israeli history as longest-serving prime minister By Agencies and TOI staff As of Saturday, 69-year-old premier has served as nation’s leader for a total of 4,876 days, overtaking founding father David Ben-Gurion

Trump falsely claims Democratic congresswomen spoke of ‘evil Jews’ By TOI staff and Agencies The president also misrepresents comments by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to assert four women of color called ‘our country and our people ‘garbage”

Most Jews want no part of Trump’s feud with Democratic congresswomen By Ron Kampeas   US Orthodox rabbis condemn racism at ‘highest levels of government’ By Ron Kampeas

Israel will allow BDS-backing congresswomen Omar, Tlaib to enter country By Eric Cortellessa Envoy to US Ron Dermer tells ToI that waiver will be granted under controversial 2017 law allowing the lawmakers to visit the Jewish state

In reversal, Trump disavows criticism of ‘send her back’ chants By Alan Fram, DARLENE SUPERVILLE and Jonathan Lemire   Netanyahu brushes off concerns that Israel is becoming a partisan issue in US By TOI staff   Congress tackles the anti-Israel boycott, but bipartisanship is fleeting By Ron Kampeas

Bahraini FM: If not for Iran’s support of Hamas, we’d be closer to Mideast peace By Adam Rasgon and TOI staff Official in Palestinian terror group lambastes Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa for photo with Israeli counterpart, says it shows ‘just how pro-Zionist some Arab officials have become’

Thousands protest at Gaza border, over 100 said injured amid riots By AFP and TOI staff

Norway’s state broadcaster airs ‘Jewish swine’ cartoon By JTA and TOI staff TV official defends the clip, in which a man playing Scrabble with a Haredi Jew is frustrated that he cannot use the derogatory term to score points

In North Macedonia, unearthed headstones shed new light on Nazi-razed community By Cnaan Liphshiz

Cyprus police say they found videos of alleged rape on Israeli suspects’ phones By TOI staff Local official says nine of the 12 suspects accused of assaulting UK tourist are minors

Top Ops

Sue Fishkoff 25 years after his death, the Rebbe’s army marches on Chabad continues to teach cherished Jewish principles to the non-observant, chief among them: Jews help others   Andrew Silow-Carroll The kid in me wants another shot at the moon Imagine what it means for our federal government to set an audacious goal of an unachievable task and succeed! Now join me in my nostalgia

Roots trip: A forager plumbs the coast for edible greens and authenticity By Jessica Steinberg

More Headlines

US sanctions suspected Hezbollah mastermind behind 1994 attack in Argentina By TOI staff and Agencies   Israeli spyware firm NSO said to tell clients it can mine data from social media By AFP   Senator’s speech an anti-Semitic dog whistle or poli-sci speak? By Ben Sales   Florida sheriff to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s work release arrangement By Curt Anderson and ALI SWENSON   Police investigating employee at president’s residence for possible wrongdoing By TOI staff   Jewish man sues Florida McDonald’s for not hiring him due to his beard By JTA   Amid Gulf tensions, US to send troops to Saudi Arabia By Robert Burns   Ohio man accused of abusing minors sues rabbis and synagogues for defamation By Ed Carroll   Sanders campaign workers say they earn ‘poverty wages’ By Cnaan Liphshiz   Drone bombs base used by pro-Iranian militia in Iraq By TOI staff and AFP