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California Governor Gavin Newsom appeared to distance himself from the language used by his own communications staff during a contentious interview Thursday with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, signaling internal disagreement over recent political messaging.

Newsom sat down with Ben Shapiro on Shapiro’s podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” where the two sparred over immigration enforcement, political discourse, education policy, and gender identity in a wide-ranging and often combative exchange.

A central moment of tension arose when Shapiro challenged the governor about statements issued by Newsom’s office following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, language that described the incident as “state-sponsored terrorism.”

The shooting has ignited a nationwide debate, fueling sharp disagreements over federal immigration enforcement, police conduct, and the rhetoric used by elected officials when discussing actions by law enforcement agencies.

“Your press office tweeted out that it was state-sponsored terrorism,” Shapiro said, before pushing back on the characterization of federal agents.

“Our ICE officers obviously are not terrorists,” Shapiro added.

“Yeah, I think that’s fair,” Newsom agreed. The governor also said he “disagreed” that ICE should be abolished.

Clips of the exchange quickly circulated online, with critics pointing to the moment as proof that Newsom was walking back statements made by his own press team.

Later in the interview, the conversation shifted to public education and gender identity, with Shapiro repeatedly pressing Newsom on whether biological sex can be changed and how the topic should be addressed in schools.

“There are certainly cases in which kids are being socially transitioned at school without parents knowing about it,” Shapiro said. “The fundamental question… is whether boys can become girls.”

Newsom appeared uncomfortable and failed to offer a clear response, saying, “Yeah… well, I think… for the grace of God… yeah.”

Shapiro questioned why the governor seemed unable to answer directly.

“We’re talking about so few people,” Newsom said, adding that the issue was surrounded by “so much hate, and bigotry, so much condemnation.”

Shapiro rejected that characterization outright, insisting his position was rooted in biology rather than animus.

“It is not an act of bigotry to say that a boy cannot become a girl, nor should my children be taught in K-12 public schools that a boy can become a girl,” he said. “That’s not an act of bigotry; that’s an act of rationality and biological simplicity.”

Even after multiple follow-up questions, Newsom declined to give a definitive answer, instead returning to broad and noncommittal language.

The governor also appeared uneasy when Shapiro praised Donald Trump as the most effective foreign policy president of his lifetime and challenged Newsom on why he would not “radically” cut California income taxes.

Shapiro further criticized Newsom’s repeated warnings that Trump might attempt another presidential run in 2028, calling the claim reckless and suggesting the governor did not truly believe it. Newsom, however, insisted that he did.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has weighed into a volatile immigration and free-speech fight, voicing public support for pro-Hamas activist Mahmoud Khalil after a federal judge cleared the way for the Trump administration to resume efforts to deport him. “Last year’s arrest of Mahmoud Khalil was more than just a chilling act of political […]

An Israeli Air Force Black Hawk helicopter crashed Friday morning during a recovery operation after it was forced to make an emergency landing earlier this week because of severe weather, the IDF said. According to the military, the helicopter landed Tuesday in an open area in Gush Etzion after encountering difficult weather conditions. The aircraft […]

A hardline cleric leading Friday prayers in Iran’s capital publicly demanded the execution of protesters swept up in the regime’s nationwide crackdown, as Tehran weighs its next steps amid mounting domestic unrest and international pressure. Speaking at Tehran’s main weekly prayers, Ahmad Khatam called for the death penalty for detainees accused of involvement in the […]

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said Thursday that she handed President Trump her Nobel Peace Prize during a meeting at the White House, confirming a highly symbolic gesture that followed weeks of public discussion about the award.

“I presented the president of the United States the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize,” Machado told reporters on Capitol Hill.

An image obtained by The Post showed Trump standing in the Oval Office with the framed medal, while Machado stood beside him during the meeting.

The inscription on the medal read: “To President Donald J. Trump. In gratitude for your extraordinary leadership in promoting peace through strength, advancing diplomacy, and defending liberty and prosperity.”

It continued, “Presented as a personal symbol of gratitude on behalf of the Venezuelan people in recognition of President Trump’s principled and decisive action to secure a free Venezuela.”

“The courage of America, and its President Donald J. Trump, will never be forgotten by the Venezuelan people. “

Trump publicly acknowledged the gift shortly afterward, thanking Machado in a post on social media.

“It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much.

“María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!”

Machado, who received the Nobel Peace Prize last October for her campaign to restore democracy in Venezuela and challenge the authoritarian rule of Nicolás Maduro, said the presentation of the medal was accompanied by a message rooted in shared history.

“I told him this: 200 years ago, Gen. [Marquis de] Lafayette gave Simon Bolivar a medal with George Washington’s face on it. Bolivar kept that medal the rest of his life,” Machado said.

“It was given by Gen. Lafayette as a sign of the brotherhood between the people of the US and the people of Venezuela in their fight against tyranny. 200 years on in history, the people of Bolivar are giving back to the heir of George Washington a medal, in this case a medal of the Nobel Peace Prize,” she continued.

Known among supporters as Venezuela’s “Iron Lady,” Machado said she offered Trump the prize “in recognition of his unique place with our freedom.”

Earlier Thursday, Trump hosted Machado for a private lunch at the White House, marking the first time the two had met in person.

Machado remained at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for approximately two and a half hours during the visit.

Trump, who has spoken openly about his interest in the Nobel Peace Prize and has received multiple nominations, told Fox News host Sean Hannity last week that it would be a “great honor” to receive the medal from Machado.

In previous remarks, Machado had indicated she was prepared to give the prize to Trump or share it with him.

“I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe — the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people — certainly want to, to give it to him and share it with him,” Machado said Monday.

“What he has done is historic. It’s a huge step towards a democratic transition.”

Before the White House meeting took place, the Nobel Prize Committee weighed in on the discussion surrounding the medal, stating: “A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”

Despite the cordial meeting, Trump has previously expressed skepticism about Machado’s ability to govern Venezuela following the capture of Maduro and has instead voiced support for interim president Delcy Rodríguez. He referred to Maduro’s former vice president as a “terrific person” after speaking with Rodriguez by phone on Wednesday.

{Matzav.com}

Mossad Director David Barnea has arrived in the United States for a series of consultations focused on Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests and the possibility of an American military response, according to a report by Axios. The senior Israeli intelligence official is expected to meet with White House envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami. Witkoff […]

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A new video by independent journalist Nick Shirley is drawing fresh attention to allegations of widespread fraud within Minnesota’s Medicaid-funded transportation system, forcing long-ignored concerns into the public eye and prompting renewed scrutiny from both media outlets and federal officials.

In the footage, Shirley visits multiple locations in Minneapolis that he says operate as hubs for taxpayer-funded transportation services intended for low-income or medically vulnerable residents. At several stops, individuals he identifies as ethnic Somalis angrily confront him, but do not, in his account, provide proof that the organizations in question are delivering services to Americans as required under the programs.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2011567958754013343

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The videos have created enough momentum that some local journalists, long aligned with pro-Democrat narratives, have begun acknowledging allegations of abuse they previously did not pursue. Critics argue that this silence stemmed from political and professional pressure tied to Democratic officials and activists who benefited from the Somali-managed system now under scrutiny.

Shirley’s latest reporting zeroes in on Somali-run transportation companies that receive government payments to shuttle patients and clients to hospitals, government offices, stores, and residences. He argues that these firms are central to a broader web of abuse involving multiple publicly funded services.

“These transportation companies are what hold all the [aid and welfare] fraud together,” Shirley says in the video, adding: “You have the daycare centers working with the transportation companies, the adult daycare centers working with the transportation companies, the healthcare companies working with the transportation companies …. [to] make it look like [services are being provided] here inside of Minnesota.”

According to Shirley and his collaborator, David Hoch, public exposure has left those involved with little response. “We’re shining the light on the fraud, and they have no defense,” Hoch said.

The online attention has also encouraged others to speak publicly about what they say they witnessed. In one TikTok video, a former drug addict claimed he was able to purchase narcotics using cash paid to him by Somali drivers in exchange for signing fraudulent transportation receipts that were later used to obtain government reimbursements.

As Shirley’s video circulated, Minnesota’s largest newspaper began conceding that the Medicaid transportation program has long been vulnerable to abuse. “A transportation service that pays for people’s rides to medical appointments is among the Medicaid-funded programs facing new scrutiny for its vulnerability to fraud,” the Minnesota Star Tribune wrote. The paper quoted industry insiders who said concerns have existed for years.

People working in nonemergency medical transportation “have been ringing the fraud bell for quite some time,” said Scott Isaacson, president of the Minnesota R-80 Transportation Coalition, which represents many providers. He shared a list with the Minnesota Star Tribune of the 10 most prevalent forms of fraud in the program that he and others in the field are aware of.

State data cited by the paper shows that spending on nonemergency medical transportation has risen sharply. Providers billed roughly $80 million in 2018, with the figure climbing to more than $115 million by 2024 before dropping to about $88 million last year.

The Star Tribune also acknowledged that oversight problems predate the current controversy by more than a decade and are linked to other government-funded services, including translation programs. It cited a report from Minnesota’s Office of the Legislative Auditor issued over 15 years ago warning that the Department of Human Services “provides little statewide oversight of the program.”

In another case highlighted by prosecutors, one provider allowed trips of up to 60 miles for specialty care without prior authorization. Interpreters allegedly recruited patients in Faribault and scheduled appointments with providers nearly an hour away in the Twin Cities—despite the existence of closer providers, some of whom spoke the patients’ language.

At the same time, the newspaper pushed back on some of Shirley’s specific claims, noting: “The transportation providers Shirley highlights in his video are not listed as having received reimbursements from the state in Medicaid claims data provided by the Department of Human Services.”

Federal officials under President Donald Trump, however, suggest the investigation may extend far beyond a handful of companies. Trump administration sources indicate preparations are underway for a sweeping case involving fraud, kickbacks, and racketeering that could target figures tied to Minnesota’s Democratic political establishment.

“My personal motto, and the Treasury motto, is move deliberately and fix things,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told conservative activist Christopher Rufo on a podcast on January 12, adding: “You’re not going to see headlines tomorrow. You’re not going to see them next week, but in a month, [or a] quarter, once we get people in the bear trap, they’re not getting out because we will have conclusive evidence to present. I think that they will have to make plea deals … to turn in higher-ups to help us map out how this happened.”

Bessent said the approach used in Minnesota would not be limited to one state. “We’re going to take this Minnesota [strategy] map to the other 49 states,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic story of middah k’neged middah has emerged following the near-drowning of a yeshiva student in the Modiin area earlier this week, a rescue his family believes was foreshadowed by a powerful dream and preceded by a quiet act of kindness.

Search efforts have continued for a third day for Moishe Ludmir, a student at the Boyan yeshiva in Modiin Illit, who was swept away by strong currents. His close friend, Shimi Rosenblatt, attempted to save him and was himself carried into the rushing waters. Shimi survived the ordeal and escaped with his life, which his family describes as nothing short of a miracle.

Speaking about the rescue, Shimi’s father, R’ Binyamin Rosenblatt—an askan from Beit Shemesh and a member of the Boyaner community—shared a remarkable account linking the incident to events that took place just days earlier.

According to R’ Binyamin, last Friday afternoon, as he does every Erev Shabbos, he went to the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok mikveh in Beit Shemesh. Before entering, he stopped briefly at the small shop near the mikveh to purchase something.

At one point, a box of candies accidentally fell from another customer’s hands, spilling across the floor. The man became visibly flustered and embarrassed, unsure how to react as the candies scattered.

R’ Binyamin immediately intervened. “It’s my fault,” he said without hesitation. “I did it, and I’ll pay for everything.” He added with a smile, “These things happen—even to people over fifty.” He then approached the shopkeeper and paid for the spilled candies in full.

The yungerman involved tried to reimburse him, but R’ Binyamin firmly refused. “Absolutely not,” he told him. “I already paid.” The man thanked him warmly and they parted ways.

R’ Binyamin then entered the mikveh, returned home, and lay down to rest before Shabbos. During his sleep, he experienced a disturbing dream. He saw himself trapped in a raging stream, being swept away by powerful waters. Four times he tried to lift his head above the surface, unsuccessfully. In the dream, he began to say Shema Yisroel, and at that moment, he awoke.

Several days later, on Tuesday afternoon, that very image became reality, this time involving his son. Shimi was swept into the waters of the Modiin stream and found himself in grave danger. Through what the family describes as open nissim and tremendous siyata diShmaya, he managed to escape alive.

Reflecting on the events, R’ Binyamin said the story carries a profound lesson about the power of even a small act of chesed, especially when it spares another person from embarrassment. “Helping someone in a moment of busha,” he said, “has a כח far greater than we realize.”

{Matzav.com}

Renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War could cost American taxpayers anywhere from a few million dollars to as much as $125 million, depending on how aggressively the change is carried out, according to a new analysis released Wednesday by the Congressional Budget Office, the AP reports.

President Donald Trump authorized the use of “Department of War” as a secondary title for the Pentagon through an executive order signed in September. At the time, Trump said the move was meant to project American strength abroad and criticized the existing department name as being “woke.”

The executive order was issued as the U.S. military launched a series of lethal airstrikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in South America. In the months that followed, U.S. forces carried out a dramatic operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, while the Trump administration publicly weighed potential military action involving Iran and even Greenland.

Although only Congress has the authority to officially change the department’s name, lawmakers have shown little appetite for taking up the issue. Despite that, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly adopted the new branding following Trump’s order.

Hegseth directed staff to remove the prominent gold lettering reading “Secretary of Defense” outside his office and replaced it with signage identifying him as “Secretary of War.” On the same day the order was signed, the Pentagon’s website was also changed from “defense.gov” to “war.gov.”

At the time, Pentagon officials said they were unable to provide an estimate of how much the rebranding would cost, citing uncertainty and variability in implementation. They indicated a more precise assessment would come later.

That estimate arrived this week. According to the Congressional Budget Office, a limited and gradual rollout of the name change would likely cost at least several million dollars, while a rapid and sweeping implementation across the department could push expenses to as high as $125 million.

The report estimates that a “modest implementation” confined to internal agency use would cost around $10 million and could likely be covered within the Pentagon’s existing budget.

By contrast, the analysis warns that a full statutory renaming approved by Congress could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on how lawmakers and Defense Department officials choose to execute the change.

The Pentagon oversees more than 6.5 million square feet of office space, much of which still displays the existing name, seals, and logos. It remains unclear whether any effort has been made to update signage or branding at U.S. military installations around the world.

Shortly after Trump signed the executive order, Republican lawmakers including Sens. Mike Lee, Rick Scott, and Marsha Blackburn introduced legislation to formally rename the department. That proposal, however, has stalled and has not advanced in Congress.

The executive order also directed Hegseth to develop recommendations for permanently changing the department’s name. Pentagon officials declined to say whether any such recommendations have been completed or submitted.

The CBO analysis was requested by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

The Congressional Budget Office was established more than five decades ago to provide nonpartisan budgetary and economic analysis to assist Congress in its legislative work.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchok Refoel Abuchatzeira was elected on Thursday evening as the new chief rabbi of the city of Ramla, securing an overwhelming majority of 31 votes out of 36 cast by the municipal rabbinical electoral body.

The announcement was made at the conclusion of the official vote count by the election committee responsible for selecting the city’s chief rabbi. The appointment marks the tenth chief rabbi selected during the current term.

Rav Abuchatzeira is the son of Rav Yechiel Abuchatzeira, the outgoing chief rabbi of Ramla, and the grandson of the renowned kabbalist and former chief rabbi of the city, the Baba Chaki zt”l. He is also the nephew of Rav Avraham Abuchatzeira, another prominent rabbinic figure in the city.

Former Minister of Religious Services and current Knesset member Michael Malkieli hailed the result, calling it a rare and meaningful moment. “Not every day does one merit the election of a city rav who represents a third generation on the rabbinic seat,” he said, describing the outcome as a significant achievement for the Shas party.

The election committee was chaired by retired judge Sarah Prisch. Committee members included Rav Yisrael Meir Biton, chief rabbi of Chadeira, Oren Rosenberg, and Michal Shemesh, with attorney Shiri Fogel serving as legal adviser to the committee, and Tzuriel Porat acting as committee secretary.

The election followed a period of legal challenges surrounding Rav Abuchatzeira’s candidacy. Earlier petitions had questioned the validity of his rabbinic certification, leading the High Court of Justice to temporarily freeze the election process. After the matter was resolved, the vote proceeded as scheduled, culminating in Rav Abuchatzeira’s decisive victory.

A lifelong resident of Ramla, Rav Abuchatzeira serves as a rosh kollel and is regarded as a central and unifying figure within the local community. Supporters describe him as a bridge between Ramla’s rich rabbinic heritage and the realities of a complex, multicultural city in 2026.

Israel’s Chief Rav and Rishon LeTzion, Rav Dovid Yosef, personally called Rav Abuchatzeira to congratulate him and wished him success in strengthening Jewish life in the city. He invoked the verse, “In place of your fathers shall be your sons,” expressing hope that the new rav would bring honor to his distinguished lineage.

Moshe Shitrit, chairman of the Ramla Religious Council, called the election “a historic and formative day for religious services in Ramla,” adding that the council would stand alongside the new chief rav to ensure accessible and inspiring religious services for all residents.

Ramla Mayor Michael Vidal also welcomed the result, congratulating Rav Abuchatzeira on his election and praising his father, Rav Yechiel Abuchatzeira, for decades of devoted service to the city.

{Matzav.com}

The White House says that Iran halted hundreds of planned executions after President Donald Trump warned Tehran against killing protesters, marking a dramatic — and unverified — pause amid a brutal crackdown by the Islamic Republic. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that as many as 800 executions scheduled to take place the […]

After weeks of escalating tension, U.S. and Iranian officials faced each other Thursday at the U.N. Security Council, where America’s envoy renewed threats against the Islamic Republic despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to lower the temperature between the two adversaries. The U.S. was joined by Iranian dissidents in rebuking the government’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that activists say have […]

A U.S. Jewish legal organization is urging New York’s attorney general to widen her scrutiny of political activism, two days after her office announced a settlement with the far-right Jewish group Betar. Attorney General Letitia James said Tuesday that Betar had harassed individuals based on Arab, Muslim and Jewish identities, agreed to halt those activities, […]

The commander of the ground unit that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has spoken publicly about the mission for the first time, describing the intelligence trail, the moment of identification, and the emotions that followed the elimination of the October 7 mastermind.

Lt. Col. Ran shared his account during an interview on Shlomi Adler’s All in podcast, explaining that the night before the operation was filled with uncertainty and disbelief. “I was awake all night,” Ran recounted. “I kept telling myself, you’re imagining it. Don’t try to connect the dots. I gathered the company commanders, showed them yesterday’s drone image, and said: tell me, who does this look like?”

After zeroing in on a suspicious structure, the force moved in on foot, entered the building, and conducted a thorough search that led to Sinwar’s identification. Ran described the scene that followed the confirmation. “We’re standing over the body, smiling at each other, and saying: ‘Wow, this is Sinwar.’ It’s an insane closing of the circle.”

He said the recognition of who lay before them brought an intense emotional release, given Sinwar’s role in years of bloodshed and the October 7 attack. “This is the architect, this is the scoundrel, this arch-terrorist-this is the one who caused me, as a battalion commander, to lose so many fighters, who caused so much loss to the IDF, kidnapped people, and committed horrific atrocities against our people. This is him.”

Ran stressed that the killing was not the result of an airstrike or a high-profile special forces raid, but the work of regular ground troops who have carried the burden of the fighting throughout the war. “The one who killed him wasn’t an air force bomb, not a special operation, not Shayetet 13. No-it was infantrymen, it was tank crews, fighters who day in and day out throughout this war worked the hardest, and here-we succeeded.”

The remarks offer a rare, first-hand look at a pivotal moment in the war, underscoring both the operational reality on the ground and the personal toll borne by those leading and fighting in Israel’s ground campaign.

{Matzav.com}

A senior Hamas official said Wednesday that an Israeli strike in central Gaza killed a top commander in the group’s armed wing, calling the attack a major escalation that threatens to unravel the ceasefire. Hamas official Osama Hamdan confirmed the killing of Muhammad al-Hawli, a commander in the al-Qassam Brigades, during an attack in the […]

In China, the names of things are often either ornately poetic or jarringly direct. A new, wildly popular app among young Chinese people is definitively the latter. It’s called, simply, “Are You Dead?” In a vast country whose young people are increasingly on the move, the new, one-button app — which has taken the country […]

In every industry- nonprofit, retail, real estate, healthcare, education- brands are fighting for one thing: attention. But attention alone has never built a business. It’s the brands people remember, the ones that stay in their minds long after the scroll, swipe, or click, that truly grow. This is exactly what Jewish Ad Group (JAG) focuses […]

Lebanese authorities have charged four people accused of carrying out a kidnapping on behalf of Israel’s intelligence service, deepening a sensitive case that touches on decades-old mysteries and the shadow war between Beirut and Jerusalem. A Lebanese judicial official said the suspects are accused of abducting retired security officer Ahmad Shukr last month in eastern […]