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An Afghan national was arrested Tuesday after posting a video on Tick Tock indicating he was building a bomb with the intent to detonate it in the Fort Worth, Texas area.

Iranian Hackers Target Israeli Nuclear Scientist: An Iranian-backed hacker group known as Handala released video claiming they broke into the car of a senior Israeli nuclear scientist. The footage shows someone approaching the vehicle, opening the door, and leaving what they called a “heavy bouquet” inside as a threat. The group also published personal data […]

Recently released footage shows an Iranian Hafez acquisition radar from the Bavar-373 surface-to-air missile system being struck by Israel during the 12-Day War.

The man accused of unleashing gunfire on two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House is expected to pull through his own injuries, even as one of his alleged victims remains in a critical and fragile state.

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said the suspected gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is likely to recover. “I think the guy’s going to live. Nobody’s going to be able to say anything and he’s going to stand trial,” the official told The NY Post. The source added, “I know that he underwent surgery the night it happened,” while explaining that the DC court process limits what prosecutors can disclose about Lakanwal, who allegedly opened fire on the Guardsmen on Nov. 26.

One of the ambushed soldiers, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries the following day, passing away on Thanksgiving.

A representative for Joint Task Force — DC, which oversees the mission in the capital, said Saturday there were no new details regarding the condition of the second Guardsman, Andrew Wolfe. He remains hospitalized in critical condition after the attack.

“Andrew is fighting for his life right now,” West Virginia Gov. Patrick James Morrisey said in an interview on Fox & Friends.

On Friday, US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced that prosecutors will pursue upgraded charges. “There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree,” she said after Beckstrom’s death.

Reports indicate that a fellow National Guard member—armed only with a pocket knife—managed to subdue the attacker during the chaos, preventing further harm.

Authorities say Lakanwal left his home in Bellingham, Washington, roughly two weeks before the shooting and traveled across the country. Neighbors reported that he had “disappeared” shortly before the ambush. Investigators believe he used a .357 Magnum-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver to shoot both Guardsmen, striking Beckstrom in the head and chest.

According to lawyer and strategist Mike Davis, who said he spoke with law enforcement immediately after the attack, one Guardsman “stabbed the suspect in the head multiple times,” while another “shot him in the leg and buttocks.” Lakanwal was nearly unclothed when first responders transported him to a hospital.

Officials have not yet disclosed what procedures doctors performed on him, nor have they provided updated details on his medical status or potential motive.

In the aftermath of the shooting, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that Lakanwal previously worked with the agency in Afghanistan. He entered the United States in 2021 following the US withdrawal from the region, and investigators are now examining when and where radicalization may have taken place.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggested today that Lakanwal may have received training on American soil, pointing to the specifics of his immigration documentation. Mullin noted that the suspect’s Special Immigrant Visa “had a special number below it because he was trained and worked with the CIA. There’s actually … a good possibility that he came in and was here and trained on US soil. We don’t know that for a fact but there’s a good possibility,” he told Fox News.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH: The moment Ukrainian USVs struck Russian tankers KAIROS and VIRAT in the Black Sea, just north of the Bosphorus. Both tankers have suffered critical damage, putting them out of future use. The Turkish Coast Guard rescued the crews of both tankers.

The administration has widened its running catalog of so-called “media offenders,” adding CBS News, The Boston Globe, and The Independent to a list it claims documents distorted or inaccurate coverage.

Officials accuse the three outlets of misleading the public in their reporting on a recently circulated video in which several members of Congress encouraged military personnel to resist what they termed “illegal” directives from President Donald Trump. The White House insists the coverage falsely implied that Trump had issued unlawful instructions.

In a statement posted online, the administration asserted, “The media misrepresented President Trump’s call for Members of Congress to be held accountable for inciting sedition by saying that he called for their ‘execution.'” It followed with another clarification emphasizing that, “Media Misrepresents and Exaggerates President Trump’s Calls for Democrat Accountability.”

The breakdown provided by the White House further argues that, “The Democrats and Fake News Media subversively implied that President Trump had issued illegal orders to service members. Every order President Trump has issued has been lawful. It is dangerous for sitting Members of Congress to incite insubordination in the United States’ military, and President Trump called for them to be held accountable.”

A growing portion of the White House tracker is devoted to what it calls the “Offender Hall of Shame,” described as “A record of the media’s false and misleading stories flagged by The White House.” At the top of that list are The Washington Post, CBS News, CNN, and MSNBC (MS NOW).

Another section, labeled “Repeat Offenders,” highlights outlets the administration accuses of multiple violations. The Washington Post currently leads with five entries, identified as involving “Bias, Lie, Malpractice.” CBS and MSNBC follow with four alleged offenses apiece.

Newsmax remains absent from the registry, while Fox News briefly appeared before an error surfaced regarding the attribution of a press-conference question. Fox objected, leading to an update noted by Washington Post media reporter Scott Nover, who wrote on X, “Update: The White House media tracker — intended to name and shame journalists for bias and errors — incorrectly attributed questions in a press conference to a Fox News reporter. Fox News asked the White House to correct it and now there’s a 404 error where the page once was.”

Outside critics have condemned the administration’s approach, including the American Civil Liberties Union, which frames Trump’s pushback against inaccurate reporting as an attack on fundamental freedoms. The ACLU argues that his strategy represents an effort to “dismantle our free press and violate the Constitution.”

Still, the ACLU’s own “Press in Peril” report acknowledges Trump’s legal victories against major media outlets. As the report notes, “He recently settled for $16 million in a lawsuit against Paramount and CBS News for the ’60 Minutes’ coverage of former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential race. In December, he reached a $15 million settlement with ABC News over a misquotation by host George Stephanopoulos.”

{Matzav.com}

Adolf Hitler Uunona — a Namibian regional politician whose name inevitably ricochets around the world every election cycle — has secured another term in office, marking his fifth consecutive victory in the country’s far-north Ompundja constituency. Uunona, 59, a veteran member of Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party, coasted to re-election, continuing a political run that has […]

Two Jewish boys were chased through the streets of Montevideo, Uruguay, and threatened with chunks of pavement. The victims, ages 13 and 14, were walking home Tuesday in the Punta Carretas neighborhood, wearing school uniforms from a local Jewish high school. According to police reports and community statements, two young men in their early twenties […]

A surge of more than 150 demonstrators gathered outside a federal building in lower Manhattan today, igniting a chaotic confrontation with police during a protest fueled by reports of immigration enforcement activity in the neighborhood.

The scene unfolded near the U.S. General Service Administration building on Centre Street, where officers rushed in after a 911 call reported that protesters were blocking the entrance to a garage that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had entered, according to the NYPD.

Police repeatedly ordered the crowd to disperse, but several participants refused, leading to multiple arrests on charges that included disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration.

At the height of the tension, some individuals attempted to scale the metal-grated windows of the garage, only to be pulled down by responding officers. Others remained on the ground chanting, “ICE out of New York! ICE out now!”

“There were people climbing up trying to see who ICE had inside,” one participant recalled after the standoff. “They were arresting people for no reason.”

According to sources at the scene, a handful of highly agitated protestors hurled planters and police barricades toward officers as tempers flared.

The shouting intensified when demonstrators unleashed expletives and accusations, yelling “you are corrupt!” while officers continued pleading with them to “back up” behind the barricades.

Some protestors shoved and repositioned the metal barriers toward police, while others stepped into Centre Street in an effort to disrupt traffic.

Among onlookers, reactions were mixed. A New Jersey visitor, Peter Suh, criticized the police response, saying, “It’s not right what they’re doing. People should be left alone to protest.”

An Australian tourist watching the turmoil described a hostile atmosphere on both sides. “A lot of people were shoved to the ground,” she said.

This flare-up followed a recent incident in which ICE agents arrested an illegal immigrant accused of selling counterfeit goods on Canal Street — part of what officials say may be a series of upcoming enforcement operations along the well-known strip.

{Matzav.com}

A sudden wave of optimism swept through the chareidi political parties this week as discussions on the latest draft of the conscription law began. After months of tension, harsh rhetoric, and political pressure, senior leaders Aryeh Deri and Moshe Gafni were seen moving through the Knesset noticeably relaxed and smiling — a stark contrast to their somber demeanor in recent months.

Deri appeared especially confident. After successfully neutralizing the campaign accusing him of caving on the draft issue — and pulling Degel HaTorah deep into the negotiations so he would not be left alone bearing the political cost — he projected certainty at every turn. Anyone who hinted that elections were looming received the same crisp response: there are no elections on the horizon. From Deri’s perspective, the conscription bill is back on track, and the coalition is stable enough to run its full course. Even issues long stuck in limbo, such as funding for food vouchers, have returned to his desk.

At the same time, Gafni has allowed himself to quietly envision a return to his longtime power base — the chairmanship of the Knesset Finance Committee — the position from which he has effectively shaped major parts of Israeli governance for nearly 30 years. The two leaders, once cornered by public backlash, are now walking through the building with the buoyancy of politicians who believe the tide has turned in their favor.

Within the chareidi factions, plans for a structured return to the coalition are already taking shape. Step one: lifting their voting boycott in the plenum, potentially as early as next week. Step two: reclaiming parliamentary posts — particularly committee chairmanships — perhaps within two weeks. Step three: once the law is formally passed, a full return to the ministries and the coalition leadership table.

The breakthrough came with the draft law published yesterday, which ended months of internal chareidi debate. The core dispute centered on whether to accept, for the first time, legislation that includes enlistment targets and sanctions. One camp argued this was the lesser of evils — a way to secure the status of the yeshiva world for the foreseeable future. The opposing camp warned that once the chareidi parties agree to any form of benchmarks, it would set a dangerous and irreversible precedent.

But the political reality played out differently. As one insider put it, “the genie went back into the bottle.” The Bismuth draft — unveiled this week — marks a dramatic retreat from the far tougher “pre-Iran war” outline. Although the chareidi parties had previously agreed to a certain threshold, they nevertheless succeeded in rolling back the framework significantly, and did so in a period of intense public scrutiny. The lesson was clear: in Israeli politics, strength is everything. If the coalition needs you badly enough, previous agreements can be undone. You simply say: Yes, we agreed — but we are withdrawing that agreement. If that is unacceptable, deal with the fallout.

This is essentially what happened once Boaz Bismuth was appointed chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The chareidi parties promptly demanded that the “Iran outline” be reopened. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office attempted to stop it — explaining, persuading, calming — but ultimately failed. In the power struggle between the Prime Minister’s Office and Shas and Degel HaTorah, the PMO lost. The outline was reopened, softened, and pushed several steps backward.

Still, it must be noted: for the first time in chareidi political history, at the instruction of the gedolei hador, Maran Rav Dov Landau and Maran Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, the community has agreed to legislation that includes enlistment targets and related enforcement mechanisms — provisions that would have been considered unthinkable only a short time ago. However, most understand that this is likely just to kick the can down the road, as most of these targets and quotas will likely never come to fruition.

For chareidi politicians who spent months on the defensive, this week felt like a turning point — one that brought with it something they haven’t experienced in quite some time: smiles.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Mishkovsky zt”l, a towering talmid chacham who spent decades strengthening Torah in Rechasim. He was 75.

Rav Mishkovsky, who once served as deputy head of the local council and long held a position as maggid shiur in the Makova Yeshiva in Kiryat Ata, was regarded as one of the central figures shaping the spiritual life of Rechasim.

Rav Mishkovsky was born in Haifa on 8 Cheshvan 5711 to his father, Rav Shlomo Mishkovsky, and his mother, Mrs. Penina, daughter of Rav Yehoshua Meir Schwartz. His mother tragically passed away in a car accident during his youth.

As a young man, Rav Mishkovsky learned in Yeshivas Knesses Chizkiyahu in Rechasim, where he forged a deep bond with his rabbeim, led by the rosh yeshiva, Rav Eliyahu Mishkovsky, and the mashgiach, Rav Elya Lopian. Those years shaped his path of avodas Hashem and unwavering dedication to Torah.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he wed his wife, Bruria, daughter of Rav Uri Shraga Halevi Klerman, rosh yeshiva of Knesses Chizkiyahu in Rechasim.

For decades, Rav Mishkovsky was known as a man of expansive chesed, deep yiras Shamayim, and quiet leadership. He built Torah within the community of Rechasim and became one of its foundational pillars.

“He was the first to step forward for anything connected to kedushah,” residents said. “He was a marbitz Torah, one of the key pillars of the community, and among the builders of Rechasim from its earliest growth. He carried the burden of the public tirelessly for many years. He served as deputy head of the council and as a council member for many years, taking part in numerous committees. He did everything with devotion, humility, and complete modesty, greeting every person with warmth.”

Rav Mishkovsky taught as a maggid shiur at the Makova Yeshiva in Kiryat Ata for two decades.

Today, the levayah set out from his home, passed through the Shivtai Yisroel beis medrash, and proceeded to the local cemetery, where he was laid to rest.

The niftar is survived by twelve children and many grandchildren.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Arab affairs analyst Ohad Hemo is raising sharp questions about Hamas’ sudden willingness to comply with President Donald Trump’s Gaza framework, suggesting that the terror group must have received significant guarantees that have not been publicly revealed. In a Hebrew-language video, Hemo stressed that Hamas’ behavior is wildly inconsistent with its usual strategic playbook, especially its decision to release every living hostage and only hold back the bodies of two victims.

Hemo underscored how unusual the organization’s actions have been over the past week. “Hamas gave up the only card it had,” he said. “The question is, why did they do this? It goes against their DNA. There are various assessments, both in Israel and in the territories, that there is a secret clause — some guarantees or assurances that Hamas received from the mediators, maybe from the Americans, maybe from others.” He argued that the return of nearly all hostages simply does not align with Hamas’ long-standing doctrine unless there is an unseen incentive woven into the agreement.

According to Hemo, a widely discussed theory in Gaza connects Hamas’ cooperation to the demilitarization demands being pushed by Israel and the United States. He explained that Hamas views the threat of being stripped of its weaponry as an existential red line, prompting speculation that the group may have secured promises ensuring that its fighters will not be fully disarmed. “Yes, they will give up the tunnels, yes, they will give up the rockets,” he said, “but at least personal weapons, Kalashnikovs, they will continue to hold on to.”

Hemo added that some voices inside Gaza believe the organization may even be positioning itself to retain influence within future security structures. He noted reports circulating in the Strip that Hamas operatives could ultimately be folded into official Gaza security institutions as part of the broader understandings. “The American mediator, Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American, said that they will also be integrated into the Palestinian security mechanisms. That is, it’s not that Hamas militants will be disarmed or expelled, but some of them, at least, will be integrated into the security mechanisms in the Gaza Strip.”

Hemo concluded that this theory — that Hamas is negotiating for its survival, its weapons, and its role in Gaza’s future — is the prevailing explanation among residents and observers in the region. “And that’s the explanation in Gaza for why Hamas is cooperating and returning our deceased hostages,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

The anguished parents of Ran Gvili, Talik and Itzik Gvili, spent part of their day in a deeply emotional conversation with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, seeking strength as their ordeal drags on.

Ran Gvili remains the final Israeli still held captive in Gaza, with Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak—who has been declared dead—also still in Hamas’ hands.

The couple described a meeting filled with genuine warmth from the ambassador. “Ambassador Huckabee was warm and heartfelt. We felt he genuinely cares about Ran, Sudthisak, and all of our families,” they conveyed, noting that his empathy offered them a brief respite from the constant pain.

According to the family, Huckabee emphasized America’s steadfast commitment, telling them the administration intends to remain at Israel’s side “until the last hostage comes home.” His reassurance highlighted the deep alignment between Washington and Jerusalem during this ongoing crisis.

The Gvili family left the meeting buoyed by the ambassador’s words, clinging to the hope that global pressure will not ease until every captive—Israeli or foreign—is returned safely.

{Matzav.com}

At the opening session of the Fatah Youth Conference on Thursday, Mahmoud Abbas used the stage to celebrate what he called the origins of the “Palestinian revolution,” invoking Fatah’s first attack in 1965 and lauding figures such as Abu Jihad and Abu Iyad as “heroes.” He connected their actions to the Intifada, portraying them as central pillars in the campaign against Israel.

Rather than acknowledge — or condemn — Hamas’ atrocities on October 7, 2023, Abbas shifted attention entirely to the ongoing fighting in Gaza, which he characterized as a “barbaric war of annihilation” and a “new Nakba.” He claimed that more than seventy thousand Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began.

Throughout his address, Abbas vowed to press on with what he described as the Palestinian quest for freedom and statehood. He offered prayers for the “heroic martyrs” and publicly praised the Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, referring to them as “heroic prisoners.”

Turning to political matters, Abu Mazen stressed that Gaza remains an indivisible part of the Palestinian homeland and insisted that any future Palestinian state must include both the Strip and Jerusalem. As he put it, “There can be no peace without a just solution to the Palestinian refugee issue in accordance with Resolution 194.”

{Matzav.com}

In the zchus of the Bas Ayin’s Yortzeit, Lev Rochel Bikur Cholim of Lakewood invites the community to join a meaningful initiative, providing meals to cholim who need support during this special time.

The Bas Ayin, whose kever in Tzfas draws thousands seeking yeshuos and brachos, taught us that true chesed transforms both giver and receiver.

When you donate to support Bikur Cholim meals, R’i Meyer Brull and R’ Yehuda Kaszirer  will daven for you at the Bas Ayin’s kever in Tzfas. All meals provided on the day of the yortzeit will be l’iluy nishmaso.

Every contribution ensures that cholim in our community receive nourishing meals prepared with heart and soul.

Join this powerful initiative at HERE and become part of a legacy of chesed that honors both the Bas Ayin’s zechus and serves those who are in any kind of medical crisis.

Political winds appear to be shifting for Vice President JD Vance as new polling suggests his once-comfortable path toward the 2028 Republican nomination is narrowing. Fresh survey data shows a steady erosion in support, particularly in matchups against Donald Trump Jr., raising questions about whether the vice president’s presumed frontrunner status is weakening.

Under the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment, added in 1951, a president is limited to two terms, meaning Donald Trump will not be eligible to run again in 2028. That has turned the GOP’s attention to the next generation of contenders, even though none have formally entered the race.

For much of the past two years, Vance has been widely seen as the natural inheritor of Trump’s agenda. Yet the latest numbers imply that frustration with the current administration may be rubbing off on him. Some analysts interpret the vice president’s slippage as a reflection of broader dissatisfaction that has surfaced in national polling.

McLaughlin & Associates’ trendlines illustrate the story. Back in August, Vance held a commanding edge over Trump Jr. in a hypothetical GOP primary, with 36 percent to Trump Jr.’s 16 percent—a 20-point advantage. That margin ballooned to 28 points in September.

But by October, the picture had changed. Vance registered 38 percent while Trump Jr. climbed to 20 percent, shrinking the lead to 18 points. The November numbers tightened the race further: Vance dropped to 34 percent, Trump Jr. rose to 24 percent, and the gap closed to just 10 points. The most recent survey sampled 439 likely voters between November 17 and 24.

These intraparty dynamics are unfolding at the same time Donald Trump himself is taking hits in national polling. A recent Economist/YouGov poll recorded his weakest approval rating since returning to office: 39 percent approval and 58 percent disapproval, leaving him at -19 net approval.

Mark Shanahan, a lecturer in American politics at the University of Surrey, told Newsweek that Vance’s fortunes are closely tied to the president’s. He explained: “Polls are pretty meaningless this far out from the election, but the issue for Vance is that he’s so closely tied to this Administration. For the moment, he has to be in lockstep with the president. If he’s not, he simply isn’t doing the job he has been elected to fulfill. So, while Trump’s polling is languishing, Vance suffers.”

Not all surveys paint the same bleak picture for the vice president. A YouGov poll taken November 6–9 placed Vance at 42 percent among GOP voters, leaving Trump Jr. far behind at 13 percent. This larger survey included 2,172 U.S. adults and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

Another set of data from Echelon Insights, collected October 16–20, had Vance even stronger at 46 percent in a field of likely voters. That poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, again put him in the top position.

Speculation surrounding 2028 contenders extends well beyond the Trump orbit. Axios recently floated the possibility of Texas Senator Ted Cruz entering the race. Cruz swatted away the chatter in an interview with Fox News, saying: “Reporters are going to write headlines that get clicks and get eyeballs. I got a job. It’s representing 31 million Texans and it’s fighting every day for 31 million Texans.”

Shanahan noted that the early calendar offers opportunities for lesser-known potential contenders to distinguish themselves. He observed: “Other potential candidates—even those only under consideration because of their name, not their skill set—can start to build their individual political and policy identity. A year before the midterms, this may give an advantage. But that may well disappear as the presidential primaries get closer.”

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Nancy Mace unleashed a fierce response following the shocking ambush of two National Guard service members in Washington, D.C., using a Fox News appearance to argue that the attack was the direct result of President Joe Biden’s “disastrous” approach to Afghanistan and immigration. Her comments marked one of the sharpest condemnations yet from Capitol Hill in the wake of the shooting.

During the interview, Mace aimed her anger squarely at the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, declaring, “I hope that the [Justice Department] and the judge in this case will put this terrorist down. He doesn’t deserve to live!”

Lakanwal’s arrival in the U.S. has quickly become a central political flashpoint. He came to America in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, the program created during the Biden administration to evacuate Afghans following the U.S. military withdrawal. Reports indicate he previously served in the CIA-backed Zero Unit before being transported out of Afghanistan, and he was granted asylum earlier this year.

Mace argued that the events in Washington were symptomatic of wider failures tied to the 2021 pullout from Afghanistan, saying, “What we’re learning now is that the devastating withdrawal from Afghanistan has had devastating consequences.” She asserted that the evacuation effort lacked proper controls, adding, “We’ve learned after the withdrawal that the Biden administration didn’t fully vet the individuals that were coming from Afghanistan over here to the United States.”

She expanded her criticism, contending that the problem extended far beyond a single case. Pointing to broader immigration concerns, Mace insisted, “I believe that the vetting was very loose. We know on our southern border during the Biden administration, we had a number – hundreds – of potential terrorists that came across the southern border into the United States.” She capped her warning with a stark prediction: “We know that there are terrorist cells all across the country waiting to act, we don’t know when.”

{Matzav.com}

Fox: Are we going to see an escalation in charges? Jeanine Pirro: Oh, there’s no question… (Rahmanullah Lakanwal) will now be charged with murder in the first degree.

Jeanine Pirro: If you saw the chaos that was going on at that airport in Kabul, in Afghanistan, it was typical of what was going on in the Biden administration.

At least 174 people have died as a result of massive flooding and landslides across Sumatra, Indonesia. Days of torrential rain intensified by Cyclone Senyar caused rivers to overflow, destroying homes, sweeping away roads, and cutting off entire communities. Rescuers are searching for the missing, but damage and continuing rain are slowing efforts.