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As the summer session of the Knesset approaches and concerns grow over the ongoing gezeiros affecting the olam haTorah, members of Knesset from Degel HaTorah met last night with Rav Dov Landau, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, at his residence.

The MKs spent approximately twenty minutes in a private audience with the rosh yeshiva, discussing the evolving legislation surrounding the draft law and the status of bnei yeshiva.

During the meeting, Rav Landau expressed appreciation to the representatives for their efforts and dedication in working to secure proper legal standing for lomdei Torah within the proposed law. He indicated that their hishtadlus until now was necessary and encouraged them not to be shaken by criticism from various quarters.

Regarding the advancement of the legislation through the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee ahead of a potential vote, Rav Landau said that he would issue his final position at the beginning of next week, with the opening of the summer session, after reviewing several additional factors.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Washington is looking for an answer from Iran on potential negotiations and made clear that any move by Tehran to assert control over a major international shipping route would not be tolerated.

Speaking in Rome after meeting with Pope Leo, Rubio told reporters that the administration expected to hear from Iran shortly. “We should know something today. I mean, we’re expecting a response from them,” he said.

He indicated that the United States hopes Tehran’s reply will move the situation toward meaningful diplomacy. According to Rubio, the goal is for the response to “put us into a serious process of negotiation.”

Rubio also responded to reports that Iran may be working to create a body that would oversee maritime traffic through a strategic strait. He warned that such a step would raise serious concerns.

“That would be very problematic. That would actually be unacceptable,” Rubio said. “The normalizing of their controlling of international waterways is both illegal and it’s just something that’s unacceptable.”

He broadened the warning, urging the international community to consider how it would react if Iran moved ahead with such plans. “And the world has to start asking itself, what is it willing to do if Iran tries to normalize a control of an international waterway? I think that’s unacceptable,” he added.

While no official reply had yet been received, Rubio suggested that internal challenges within Iran could be delaying a response. “their system is still highly fractured and a bit dysfunctional as well, so that may be serving as an impediment,” he said.

Despite that, Rubio expressed hope that any proposal from Tehran would be substantive. “I hope it’s a serious offer. I really do,” he stated.

Turning to the situation in the Middle East, Rubio said additional discussions involving Israel and Lebanon are anticipated in the near future, though no specific date has been finalized.

“We expect talks. I don’t know if we’ve set the exact date yet, but we expect that there will be additional talks,” he said.

Rubio pointed to Italy as a country that could contribute meaningfully to stabilizing Lebanon and assisting its government.

He said Italy could play “a very productive role and a constructive role” in supporting the Lebanese government.

He emphasized that all sides ultimately seek stronger ties between Israel and Lebanon’s recognized leadership. “In the end, we all share the same goal, and by all I mean, including the Lebanese government and the Israeli government, that we want the relations between Israel and Lebanon, its legitimate government, to be very strong,” Rubio stated.

Rubio also addressed Hezbollah’s influence, describing the group as closely tied to Tehran and blaming it for ongoing unrest in Lebanon.

He called Hezbollah “an Iranian agent” and said the group was responsible for instability in Lebanon.

“The reason why Lebanon faces bombings, the reason why Lebanon faces violence, is because of Hezbollah. It is Hezbollah that’s imposing this on them,” Rubio said.

According to Rubio, the United States is aiming for a Lebanon governed solely by its official authorities, without interference from armed factions.

He said the objective is “a strong Lebanese government that doesn’t have an armed Hezbollah operating within its national territory imposing a threat to any of its neighbors.”

Rubio added that Italy could help curb the financial networks that sustain Hezbollah.

He noted that Italy could assist “in cutting off the illicit financing that supports Hezbollah and the danger they pose.”

Addressing whether resolving tensions with Iran is a prerequisite for progress in Lebanon, Rubio said Hezbollah’s existence is tied directly to Tehran.

“Hezbollah wouldn’t exist without Iran’s support,” he said.

Even so, Rubio maintained that diplomatic progress involving Lebanon remains achievable.

“I think Hezbollah has been both weakened, but still capable of inflicting damage and doing terroristic activities, as we’ve seen,” Rubio stated.

He stressed that the United States would not engage Iran in talks specifically centered on Hezbollah unless Tehran ends its backing of the group. “We’re not going to negotiate with Iran over Hezbollah, because Hezbollah is dangerous other than if they’re willing to stop funding them and supporting them,” he added.

Rubio concluded by underscoring that Lebanon’s sovereignty must be upheld by its own government, not undermined by armed groups operating within its borders.

He said Lebanon “should be governed by the Lebanese government” and not by “a terrorist group operating within its national territory that poses a threat both to its own people, including the Shia population, and to the government, and to Israel, and to its other neighbors.”

{Matzav.com}

MK Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism has appealed to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, asking the American administration to step in and influence Israeli policy regarding the detention of chareidim who avoid military service.

In a letter titled “Urgent Request for the Protection of Yeshiva students in Israel in Honor of ‘Jewish American Heritage Month,’” Porush expressed appreciation for the current U.S. leadership, including President Donald Trump, for what he described as consistent backing of Jewish values and tradition.

“Throughout the generations, the United States has proven itself to be a nation that can be defined as ‘Righteous Among the Nations,’” Porush wrote.

He continued by highlighting what he views as a favorable approach by the current administration, stating, “we see an administration that also honors the Torah of the Jewish people, cherishes its values, and works tirelessly for the security and prosperity of the Jewish people.”

Porush then drew a sharp comparison between the American stance and what he described as Israel’s treatment of yeshiva students who do not enlist.

“While in the US, the government goes out of its way to celebrate and honor the Jewish religion and heritage, in Israel, the military and judicial authorities act in ways of persecution and arrests against yeshiva students whose sole occupation is Torah study,” he wrote.

Expanding on this point, Porush argued that respect shown by American institutions should be mirrored in Israel.

“If the American government, through all its branches, finds it appropriate to honor the Jewish religion and respect its values, it is only fitting that the authorities in the State of Israel act with similar respect toward yeshiva students, who have been the guardians of our people’s eternal flame for thousands of years.”

He concluded by calling on Huckabee to use his position to influence Israeli authorities.

Porush urged that the U.S. should “exercise its moral influence and call upon the judicial authorities in Israel to immediately and completely cease the arrests of Torah scholars and yeshiva students.”

“There is no more fitting time than ‘Jewish Heritage Month’ to clarify that the protection of yeshiva students is a supreme Jewish and democratic value,” he wrote.

[Video below.] Authorities on Thursday evening made public rare video footage from a raid conducted at a residence in the town of Yavne’el, after receiving information that a marriage involving a minor was taking place.

According to officials, when police entered the home, relatives present insisted that the gathering was only a vort, which is permitted under the law and does not constitute a violation.

Despite those claims, a search of the premises revealed items that appeared to contradict that version of events. Officers discovered a kesubah that they believe had been intentionally concealed, along with a glass designated for the customary breaking at a chasunah and a wedding ring.

The released footage shows the kallah, a 16-year-old girl, wearing a white gown, standing near what appeared to be a tefillah for the kallah. Outside the residence, police found a decorated vehicle prepared for the chosson and kallah.

Police said that the chosson is an adult man, and they suspect that the families involved attempted to present the gathering as a simple engagement while in reality conducting an unlawful marriage.

The release of the footage comes as tensions have been rising over a separate incident in the past day, in which a notice circulated announcing a vort between a man said to be around 30 years old and a minor. That situation sparked clashes in the area, as family members confronted local residents and activists who came to protest the planned event.

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They arrive in cheerful bottles with names that sound like promises – Daily Brain Boost, Brain Drive, Brain guard+. And Americans, in turn, spend billions of dollars each year chasing the idea of a sharper mind.

This is the logic of the moment: that the self is something to be tuned and upgraded, its limits negotiable through the right regimen of diets, workouts, injections, pills, powders and gummies. Cognitive health, once the domain of aging and illness, has become another frontier for optimization.

“Is this all real or is it all marketing hype? It’s a combination I think,” said Gary Small, a professor emeritus of psychiatry and former director of the UCLA Longevity Center, now at Hackensack Meridian Health. “The science is changing so fast it’s hard for even experts to sort it out.”

About 1 in 5 adults over age 50 use vitamins or supplements specifically to try to boost brain functions like memory, attention or focus, according to a 2021 AARP survey, the most recent update. The global market for nutritional supplements was estimated at $517.1 billion in 2025 and projected to be $862.5 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research.

Supplements occupy a distinctly permissive corner of American medicine – one where products can be sold without the kind of large, rigorous, double-blind trials federal authorities require for pharmaceuticals, which often involve thousands of people. The Food and Drug Administration provides limited oversight of dietary supplements only after they are on store shelves, largely leaving it to manufacturers to ensure their products are safe and accurately labeled.

Many brain health products are built on how the brain changes in disease – stress that can lead to cell damage, inflammation linked to cognitive decline, amyloid buildup tied to Alzheimer’s.

But showing an effect on those pathways in a lab involving a Petri dish or on animals – or even on patients with illness – doesn’t translate cleanly to improvement in otherwise healthy people’s memory or focus. The industry often blurs that line, marketing disease-adjacent science as everyday enhancement, said Pieter Cohen, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Cohen says the words “brain health” basically mean you “use your imagination and the benefits can be anything you want. … There’s no process by which these claims are vetted, so the consumer can’t rely on anything that is said by the companies or the label itself.”

Jason Wachob, founder and co-CEO of Mindbodygreen, which sells Brain guard+, said skepticism about the supplement category is fair: “The market is noisy and not all products are created equal.”

He asserts his company is built on patented ingredients, clinical doses, and rigorous testing for purity and potency in laboratories certified by the International Organization for Standardization; the company lists relevant studies supporting claims on the product site.

“Our product development starts and ends with science,” Wachob said.

Midi Health Chief Medical Officer Kathleen Jordan said the company selects “our supplements very carefully and only choose to get behind ones we believe in and are the most science supported – and ones we often use ourselves.” Momentous, maker of Brain Drive, declined to comment.

As more interest and money flow into the space, more serious human research is beginning to take shape. The findings, however, remain modest and uneven.

There is some concern that the placebo effect may be doing more of the work in some cases than the pills, powders or gummies. Some research on cognition-enhancing drugs known as nootropics and over-the-counter brain supplements suggests that perceived improvements often track closely with expectation rather than measurable changes. The benefit, in other words, may come from belief, routine or increased self-monitoring rather than the ingredient list.

Even some promising research results have not panned out. In 1997, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested that high doses of vitamin E – 2,000 units – delayed functional deterioration in moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease patients. The findings were compelling enough that many physicians began recommending this dose, but enthusiasm waned after later findings raised concerns about increased bleeding risk.

Mónika Fekete, an assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health at Semmelweis University in Budapest, led a review of nutritional supplements’ impact on cognitive function in the journal Nutrients. Fekete and her colleagues found that vitamins B, C, D and E each contribute uniquely to brain health, but studies about dietary supplements more generally are frequently limited by differences in methods, small sample sizes and a lack of clear goals.

“The strongest and most consistent evidence regarding brain health and prevention of chronic diseases does not support the widespread use of isolated dietary supplements,” she said.

Researchers say the most reliable ways to protect brain health remain decidedly unglamorous: exercise, sleep and social connection.

Here’s how Small, 74, thinks about supplements in his own life:

1. Curcumin A number of years ago, Small came across epidemiological studies noting lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease in parts of Asia where diets are rich in turmeric, the golden-yellow root long used in cooking. Around the same time, laboratory research began to suggest that curcumin, one of turmeric’s active compounds, had anti-inflammatory properties and might reduce tau and amyloid beta – proteins closely associated with neurodegeneration. Intrigued, Small helped conduct a small, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 40 adults and reported improvements in memory and attention in the group that took curcumin.

The study was never expanded, but he found the results suggestive enough to begin taking the supplement himself. He remains uncertain about its effects on the brain, he said, but is comfortable with the possibility that it may offer broader anti-inflammatory benefits.

A 2024 review of published studies on curcumin found a “statistically significant improvement in cognitive performance,” while cautioning about potential gastrointestinal side effects. There have been recent concerns about whether it could cause liver damage as well.

2. Coenzyme Q10 There have been a few studies that suggest Coenzyme Q10, a naturally occurring compound that helps cells produce energy and helps protect them from damage, could aid the brain. But Small mostly takes it because he takes a statin for cholesterol and his doctor told him there is some evidence CoQ10 lowers the risk for side effects such as muscle aches and fatigue.

3. Multivitamin One of the more convincing findings to date about supplements comes from the cognitive substudies of the Harvard-led COSMOS trial, which involved over 2,200 participants followed over roughly two to three years. A paper published in 2024 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adults over 60 who took a daily multivitamin scored modestly better on tests of episodic memory than those given a placebo – a gap researchers say amounts to about two years of cognitive aging.

What he doesn’t take:

1. Vitamin D “Vitamin D is good for the body, definitely, and there are some suggestive evidence it may help with cognitive health,” he said. But Small said he gets plenty of it by being outdoors and does not believe in supplementing unless a person is deficient.

2. B12 Low vitamin B12 levels can lead to “fatigue, numbness, tingling and memory loss,” Small said. “But if your levels are normal, I think the evidence it’s going to help you much is pretty flimsy.”

3. Omega-3 When it comes to taking omega-3 in supplements, Small said, “When benefits are seen, they are small, inconsistent and often not clinically meaningful.” On the other hand, observational studies have consistently shown that people who eat fish regularly have a lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia. “Randomized trials haven’t confirmed a causal effect, but sushi, sashimi, branzino, salmon and other fish are some of my favorite foods, so I enjoy a fish dish twice a week,” he said.

4. Creatine A number of Small’s patients are taking creatine for their physical health, and some randomized controlled trials link it to better working memory and processing speed. Although he doesn’t take it himself, Small said it falls into the category of “if somebody feels very strongly, I won’t argue – as long as I don’t think there are side effects.” He said older adults, as well as athletes, may benefit from creatine supplementation, though some people may experience side effects.

5. Phosphatidylserine This is part of the brain cell membranes and is believed to support cognitive function, memory and nerve health. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition in 2010 of 78 older people in Japan who complained of memory issues found that phosphatidylserine derived from soybean given for six months resulted in improved memory function, especially delayed recall and the ability to remember information after a period of time has passed. But Small is not convinced enough to take it himself, and it can be found naturally in fish, soybeans and eggs.

6. Nicotinamide riboside A form of vitamin B3, this ingredient has been getting a fair amount of attention recently as a popular antiaging supplement. A 2025 clinical study of people with long covid published in eClinicalMedicine found high doses were associated with positive changes in cognition, fatigue and mood. But the research is still in the very early stages.

Ask your doctor. Bring the bottles and canisters of everything you are taking to your doctor to evaluate, because there’s often overlap between different brands and formulations. “You may be wasting money or, at worst, creating a situation of drug interactions you’re not aware of,” Small said.

Vet the companies. There are two main issues with supplements: whether they work or might cause harm, and whether they contain what’s advertised or include dangerous contaminants. Research whether a manufacturer is a reputable company and if there any lawsuits or complaints against it.

Be skeptical. Instead of taking the claims on a label for granted, assume the pills or powders don’t do anything until you’ve done your own research. “With social media and the Internet, supplement marketing is on steroids,” Small said. “Whoever has the loudest voice in the room seems to prevail.”

“Exercise is good for you” is about as groundbreaking as florals for spring. But the flip side of that somewhat obvious health advice is also true: Spending too much time sitting isn’t great for you.

We’ve all read the headlines claiming that “sitting is the new smoking” even if you exercise. It seems as if there’s a regular cadence of research coming out to suggest that anyone with a sedentary lifestyle or occupation is doomed.

So how bad is it, really, to sit all day? And how can you combat the effects – considering that you may not feel like you have much of an alternative if your job requires it of you most days?

We dug into the research and asked experts to explain what sitting all day does to your body and what you can do to counteract the effects.

The health risks of sitting too much
A lot of sedentary time really is bad for you. We’ve known this for more than a decade. “I started talking about this 10 years ago, and it’s only gotten worse,” said Keith Diaz, the Florence Irving Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, who has researched the health effects of sitting too much.

Over the years, various studies have linked too much sitting with shorter lifespans, including higher rates of death from heart disease and from any cause. How much sitting is “too much” can vary by study, but generally it looks like more than eight to 10 hours per day.

Sitting for 10 hours a day once in a while isn’t the end of the world. Rather, researchers look at sedentary behavior over the course of years. When sitting all day becomes a regular habit, it’s also tied to a higher risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and cognitive impairment.

A February 2024 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) of nearly 6,000 older women found that those who spent more than 11 hours sitting per day had a 57 percent higher risk of death from any cause during the 10-year study period and a 78 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease compared with women who sat for fewer than nine hours per day. Women who sat the most during the day and had the longest bouts of uninterrupted sitting had the highest chances of dying.

This study and others point to two main hypotheses underlying this association between sitting and negative health outcomes.

The first is that “when we sit, our muscles are not working and are not taking up glucose, and that can negatively affect our metabolism,” said Steve Nguyen, assistant professor in residence at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California at San Diego and lead author of the JAHA study.

“What we’re learning is that our muscles are really important for regulating blood sugar and triglycerides, or fats in our blood,” Diaz added. “For muscles to do that well, they need regular contraction,” which they don’t get when you’re sedentary.

The second has to do with blood vessels. When we sit, the bend in our legs is like a kink in a hose that can affect blood flow, Diaz said. Over time, that can contribute to blood vessels becoming stiffer, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, Nguyen said.

People who sit a lot are also more likely to report having back and neck pain. While more research is needed, this could be due to how sedentary time affects posture. “Sitting results in muscle inactivation, and that could lead to lower muscle strength,” Nyugen said. Lower muscle strength makes us more likely to slouch, which can, over time, contribute to musculoskeletal imbalances and pain.

The phrase “sitting is the new smoking” is attributed to a Mayo Clinic professor of medicine and the inventor of the treadmill desk. But that’s not actually true.

When one meta-analysis tried to quantify just how bad sitting is compared with smoking, smoking was still worse. Per 100,000 people, 190 might die each year because of the health effects of sitting, while 2,000 would die because of heavy smoking.

How to combat the effects of sitting
So what can you do if you sit too much? The answer is simple in theory and harder in practice for the vast majority of U.S. adults: If you have healthy joints and muscles and no reason you can’t move more, then just don’t sit all day.

Here are some practical tips for incorporating a bit more movement into your life.

If your job is sedentary, make sure your weekend isn’t
Some sitting is probably unavoidable, especially if your work requires it. So look for opportunities to move more when you’re not at your job. That means no matter how tempting it is to spend a lot of your weekend scrolling on social media, try not to spend all of your downtime being sedentary, too.

Start exercising regularly if you don’t already
Exercise alone doesn’t seem to completely negate the harmful effects of sitting, but it can help. “Even if you exercise, how much sitting you do can still influence your disease risk,” Diaz said. “But if you didn’t exercise, you’d be far worse off.”

And a little bit goes a long way. Swapping 30 minutes of sitting for 30 minutes of light activity was associated with a 17 percent lower risk of death in a 2019 study of adults over age 45 that Diaz co-authored. And if those 30 minutes of activity were moderate to vigorous, risk of death decreased by 35 percent.

Change your position frequently
The fix for sitting all day isn’t necessarily standing all day. Standing too long can lead to back pain and still cause blood to pool in your legs, but it can be a helpful way to interrupt longer periods of sitting, Diaz said.

“The goal here is: Don’t sit all day, don’t stand all day, don’t move all day,” Diaz said. “It’s really just about doing everything in moderation and avoiding doing one thing for long periods of time.”

If it’s available and appropriate for you, consider an adjustable standing desk that allows you to sit or stand while you work. These devices reduce sedentary time and have also been linked to improvements in back and neck pain, productivity and feelings of engagement at work, according to a 2021 study. Treadmill and pedaling desks are other options, Nguyen added.

Schedule regular movement breaks
You should also break for movement regularly. In a small 2023 study Diaz co-authored, taking a five-minute activity break every 30 minutes that you’re sitting resulted in improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar management compared with people who didn’t get up and move at all.

Even taking less-frequent breaks is still a good idea. “What we were reassured with is that if you move every hour for five minutes, it didn’t help as much with blood sugar, but it helped with blood pressure, and it helped with people’s mood and their feelings of fatigue, which are two of the hidden costs of our sedentary lives,” Diaz said.

So whenever you can, take a quick walk around your office, do simple exercises like calf raises or squats, climb some stairs or even just march in place until you have to sit again.

To make this easier to actually do, think about where you can add in movement throughout your day tied to habits you already have, Diaz said – a popular concept known as habit-stacking. This might look like taking a short walk after every time you finish a work call, instead of diving into another project or checking your email, he said. You can also try scheduling movement in your calendar, setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to move more, or wearing a fitness tracker that regularly nudges you.

Think about ways in which you can permanently change sedentary habits, too. For example, maybe you make your weekly check-in meeting with your direct report a walking meeting or go for a stroll during your monthly phone call with your long-distance friend. These small changes can add up to decreased total sitting time.

“While it’s very important to move around throughout the day, movement and exercise are not a free pass,” Nguyen said. “We should still work on reducing our sitting where we reasonably can.”

(c) The Washington Post · Sarah Klein 

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the U.S. DOGE Service did not have the authority to cancel National Endowment for the Humanities grants, which made up more than $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds.

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon said DOGE selected grants for termination last year in ways that violated the First Amendment and the equal-protection component of the Fifth Amendment, calling the case “a textbook example of unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.”

Citing depositions of two members of DOGE who had directed the grant cuts, McMahon wrote that the cost-cutting group had used ChatGPT to decide which grants would promote diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, but did not tell the AI chatbot how it defined the term.

The decision comes after more than a year of litigation over the grant cuts, which revealed new information about DOGE’s inner workings and influence over key decisions.

Humanities organizations – made up of the American Council of Learned Societies, American Historical Association and Modern Language Association of America – argued the grant cuts were arbitrary and capricious because the funding was terminated en masse without considering the specifics of each grant. In depositions, the DOGE members, Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh, testified they were focused on eliminating grants they viewed as promoting DEI and other grants they believed contributed to debt. (State humanities councils, which receive funding from the NEH, have also sued over the cuts.)

In depositions and government documents made available through discovery, it was revealed Fox and Cavanaugh had directed the NEH’s acting chairman Michael McDonald in the grant cutting. McDonald’s signature appeared on the letter that canceled grants, but it was placed there by DOGE.

The grants DOGE chose to cancel included funding to provide educational programming about the Holocaust at Seton Hall University, a virtual reality demonstration of Indigenous culture at the Mesa Verde National Park and Wupatki National Monument and a book about HIV in prisons.

McMahon said Congress had conferred no authority on DOGE to cut funding it appropriated, and it was President Donald Trump’s “duty to execute the laws Congress has enacted.”

“DOGE had no statutory authority to terminate NEH grants,” McMahon wrote. “And on the undisputed evidence, DOGE – not the NEH Chairperson or anyone else at NEH – effectuated the terminations at issue here.”

Plaintiffs called the decision a “complete victory.”

“We are gratified that justice was done, grateful to our amazing legal team at Fairmark Partners, and we will be watching closely to make sure every one of these grants is restored,” said Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger in a statement.

The White House and NEH did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the decision.

The judge ordered the government to rescind its termination letters to grantees but said the order does not require the government to immediately pay grant funds.

McMahon also highlighted Fox and Cavanaugh’s lack of understanding about the grants and experience in government. The two had come from tech backgrounds and were recruited through Elon Musk’s allies to join DOGE at the beginning of the administration.

They relied heavily on AI to sort the grants into spreadsheets, asking ChatGPT: “Does the following relate at all to DEI? Respond factually in less than 120 characters. Begin with ‘Yes.’ or ‘No.’ followed by a brief explanation.”

While the government suggested that it was ChatGPT’s determinations of what DEI was and not the government’s, McMahon did not accept that reasoning.

“That argument brings to mind, for someone of my generation, the great comedian Flip Wilson, whose character ‘Geraldine Jones’ would excuse her behavior by saying, ‘The devil made me do it,’” McMahon wrote. “That excuse did not work for Geraldine Jones, and it does not work for the Government.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Meryl Kornfield

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President Donald Trump said Thursday night that negotiations with Iran are ongoing, even after a confrontation earlier in the day near the Strait of Hormuz.

He also revealed that Pakistan had urged the United States to hold off on moving forward with his proposed “Project Freedom,” which would involve escorting ships through the strait, while diplomatic discussions are still underway.

“We’re negotiating with the Iranians. We have, you probably heard, we took our three destroyers and we rammed them through some pretty big stuff today, and we knocked the hell out of them,” Trump said, describing the exchange of fire with Iranian forces.

President Trump on Iran:

"We're negotiating with the Iranians.

We took our three destroyers and we rammed them through some pretty big stuff today and we knocked the hell out of them. The destroyers weren't hurt in any way.

The people weren't hurt but they were firing at us… pic.twitter.com/ZMZHn6M1bV

— World Source News (@Worldsource24) May 8, 2026

He added that American vessels and personnel were unharmed despite the incident. “The destroyers weren’t hurt in any way. The people weren’t hurt, but they were firing at us, and we were firing back at them. And our firepower was a hell of a lot stronger than theirs, and they knocked the hell out of them,” he said.

Addressing a proposed agreement to resolve tensions with Iran, Trump said the plan goes far beyond a simple, short document.

“Well, it’s more than a one-page offer. It’s an offer that basically said they will not have nuclear weapons, they are going to hand us the nuclear dust and many other things that we want,” Trump told reporters.

When asked whether Tehran has formally accepted the terms, Trump expressed skepticism about the reliability of any such agreement. “They have agreed. When they agree it doesn’t mean much because the next day they forgot they agreed.”

He noted that shifting leadership within Iran complicates the process. “And you know, we’re dealing with different sets of leaders,” Trump added.

Trump reiterated that the United States will not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons. “We’re not going to give them the right to have a nuclear weapon, there’s zero chance, and they know that, and they’ve agreed to that. Let’s see if they are willing to sign it.”

Earlier in the day, a senior U.S. official told Fox News that American forces carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas.

The official emphasized that the actions were not intended as the start of a broader conflict.

A later update from another U.S. official indicated that additional strikes targeted Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab.

Iranian media, however, offered a different account. The Tasnim news agency reported that Iran’s navy launched missile and drone attacks against three U.S. destroyers operating near the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the Iranian military’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters accused the United States of breaching the ceasefire by targeting Iranian ships.

“We will respond to any attack with force and without any hesitation,” the statement read.

Despite the flare-up, Trump downplayed the significance of the U.S. response in remarks to ABC News, calling the strikes a “love tap.”

Asked whether the ceasefire had collapsed, Trump insisted that it remains in place. “No, no, the ceasefire is going. It’s in effect.”

In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump warned Iran that failure to finalize an agreement could lead to stronger action, writing that “we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”

Earlier in the week, Trump announced that Project Freedom would be paused to give diplomacy a chance, just two days after unveiling the initiative to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Wednesday, he issued a public warning to Iran, writing on Truth Social, “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”

He added that failure to comply would trigger renewed military action: “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Later, speaking at the White House, Trump said recent discussions with Iranian officials have been encouraging, while emphasizing their desire to reach an agreement.

“They want to make a deal badly. And we’ll see if we get there. If we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons. It’s very simple,” Trump stated.

Sen. John Fetterman is rejecting suggestions that he is breaking with the Democratic Party, insisting he remains committed even as his positions continue to draw backlash from progressives over issues like border enforcement, cooperation with Republicans, and his strong backing of Israel.

In an opinion column published Thursday in The Washington Post, Fetterman addressed the criticism head-on, arguing that his principles have remained consistent despite claims that he has shifted politically. The Pennsylvania senator said his willingness to collaborate across party lines and occasionally align with the Trump administration has fueled misplaced concerns.

“Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave — but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first,” Fetterman wrote. “Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.”

The essay, titled “John Fetterman: I haven’t changed. Here’s what has,” was framed as a direct rebuttal to growing talk that he is distancing himself from Democrats as the party moves further left, particularly on immigration and support for Israel.

Fetterman maintained that many of the stances drawing criticism today were once widely accepted within the party.

“My values have not changed, and I have always turned to those kinds of ideals that defined being a Democrat,” he wrote. “I refuse to cave on my conscience because Pennsylvania deserves someone who is honest and can work across the aisle.”

Reflecting on his early political career as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, Fetterman said his focus was always on delivering tangible help to working-class residents, not engaging in partisan maneuvering.

“I wasn’t interested in playing political games. I wanted to help deliver change,” Fetterman wrote, adding that he still believes government should focus on results instead of ideological warfare.

He also criticized what he described as a reflexive tendency among Democrats to oppose President Donald Trump on nearly every issue.

“My party cannot simply be the opposite of whatever President Donald Trump says,” he wrote. “The president could come out for ice cream and lazy Sundays, and my party would suddenly hate them.”

Fetterman defended his stance on immigration, including support for stricter enforcement measures aimed at curbing illegal crossings and deporting violent offenders.

“I strongly believe that someone who comes here illegally and commits a violent crime should be deported. Full stop,” he wrote.

He further justified his votes to avert government shutdowns, arguing that Democrats should not have allowed federal workers or national security operations to be jeopardized over political disputes.

On international matters, Fetterman reiterated his firm support for Israel and voiced approval for efforts targeting Iran and its allied terror organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

“These once-common views have become increasingly toxic in the Democratic Party,” he wrote, blaming “the fringe and agitated parts of our base.”

Despite the pushback he has faced, Fetterman emphasized that he continues to back core liberal priorities, stating that he remains “strongly pro-choice, pro-weed, pro-LGBT, pro-SNAP, pro-labor.”

He also pointed to his bipartisan efforts with Republican colleagues on issues such as infrastructure, mental health services, and nutrition assistance, arguing that constituents expect practical solutions rather than ongoing political conflict.

{Matzav.com}

A political storm is brewing after comments attributed to Ateres Shlomo Rosh Yeshiva Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, with a sitting member of Knesset calling for financial repercussions against the yeshiva he leads.

MK Vladimir Beliak of the Yesh Atid party sent an urgent letter on Thursday to Tax Authority Director Attorney Shay Aharonovitch, urging him to revoke the Section 46 tax-deductible status granted to donations made to Yeshiva Ateres Shlomo in Eretz Yisroel.

The request follows sharp remarks made by the rosh yeshiva, Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, during a recent gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim in the south addressing the issue of drafting bnei yeshiva into chareidi army frameworks.

In his letter, Beliak pointed to statements attributed to Rav Feinstein and cited in Channel 12 News, in which the rosh yeshiva said: “We must understand what we are facing — this is a terrible war, the enemy is not playing games.”

Earlier this week, a major gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim from southern communities took place, at which Rav Feinstein delivered a powerful and uncompromising address warning of the dangers posed by enlistment initiatives targeting the chareidi public. His words generated significant reaction and were widely reported across the general media.

Letters of support for the gathering were also sent by leading gedolei Yisroel, including HaGaon Rav Dov Landau, HaGaon Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman and HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

Senior figures within the chareidi political parties strongly pushed back against the move, declaring: “The attempt to use economic terrorism to silence the cry of Torah emanating from the mouths of gedolei Torah will not succeed. These are Soviet-style tactics imported from the exile, and the gedolei Yisroel will continue to proclaim the daas Torah clearly and without fear.” They added that there had even been “a disgraceful attempt to silence voices” by inserting a provision into proposed draft legislation that would make a yeshiva’s eligibility for arrangements contingent on preventing roshei yeshiva from speaking out against the draft.

{Matzav.com}

Governor Kathy Hochul informed representatives of Agudath Israel of America on Thursday that New York State will take part in the federal Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a sweeping initiative expected to generate $5 billion annually in K-12 scholarships nationwide starting in 2027.

The update was delivered during a closed-door meeting at the Manhattan offices of Outerstuff, hosted by Agudah Chairman of the Board Mr. Shloime Werdyger.

ECCA was enacted earlier this year after President Trump signed it into law as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The framework mirrors tax credit scholarship programs already operating in more than 20 states across the country.

Under the legislation, individuals who contribute to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) will receive a full federal tax credit for their donations. Those organizations will then distribute scholarships that families can apply toward private school tuition and other qualified educational costs.

Beginning next year, residents in participating states will be eligible for the federal credit when donating to approved scholarship funds. These funds will in turn provide K-12 financial assistance to qualifying students. Contributions are capped at $1,700 per individual each year, and the program carries no overall national funding limit, having been written as a permanent part of the federal tax code.

Qualification for scholarships will depend on income thresholds that vary by region. Agudath Israel indicated that, based on current guidelines, a large percentage of frum households are likely to qualify for assistance under the program.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seeing a rise in early indicators for the next presidential race, with both polling trends and prediction market activity pointing to increased momentum for the Florida Republican.

Rubio, who previously ran for president in 2016, has recently moved to the top spot on Kalshi’s market projections, with a 19% probability of winning the presidency, reflecting growing confidence among investors.

For months, expectations have centered on Vice President JD Vance as the leading Republican contender to follow President Donald Trump. Vance remains a strong presence in the market, currently holding 17% odds.

Just behind them is Gavin Newsom, with Kalshi participants assigning him a 16% chance of winning the presidency.

Further down the list are Jon Ossoff at 6%, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 5%, and Kamala Harris, also at 5%.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis currently sits at 2%, though some observers suggest he could still attract interest as an underdog candidate.

Rubio’s improving position has coincided with his expanded role in the administration, where he has taken on a range of responsibilities and drawn attention for his composed and understated style.

Even with his gains in overall presidential projections, Rubio is still viewed as trailing Vance in the Republican primary contest. However, the difference between them has begun to shrink.

Vance continues to lead the GOP field with 38% odds, but Rubio has climbed to 27%, a significant jump from the single-digit range he occupied as recently as December 2025.

DeSantis also remains a distant contender in the primary outlook, holding at 4%.

President Donald Trump had previously signaled confidence in Rubio’s potential, remarking last year that a ticket featuring Vance and Rubio would be “unstoppable,” though he did not specify which of the two should lead it.

{Matzav.com}

Deborah Birx said Thursday that while the threat posed by a recent hantavirus outbreak connected to a cruise ship appears limited, health authorities must remain alert and communicate clearly in order to restore public confidence following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “National Report,” Birx pointed to what she described as a stronger global response compared to the early days of COVID-19, noting that governments are acting more decisively to contain the situation.

“The good news is, as opposed to what happened early on in COVID, countries are responding and governments are responding really well,” Birx said, noting that authorities are “taking precautions of contact tracing, staying in touch with them, monitoring them.”

The outbreak has been tied to the Andes strain of hantavirus and has drawn widespread attention after multiple passengers aboard a cruise ship contracted the illness following a stop in Argentina. The World Health Organization reported that three individuals have died.

Birx explained that hantavirus spreads less easily than COVID-19, stressing that it is not as well adapted for human-to-human transmission. At the same time, she cautioned that the United States has its own dangerous variant of the virus.

“We do have a different strain of hantavirus, but a deadly one in the Southwest,” she said. “Really being careful in the Southwest, when you see deer mice droppings, this can get aerosolized and cause hantavirus, as it has in the U.S. for years.”

She recommended that anyone who traveled on the affected cruise ship get tested, emphasizing the virus’s extended incubation period and the importance of early detection.

“Everyone who was on that ship, they should get tested for hantavirus, just to be reassuring to themselves over the next two to three weeks, because it has a long incubation period,” Birx said.

“We have 21st century testing. We ought to be using it because people need the peace of mind.”

Birx also said the situation underscores the erosion of trust in public health institutions that followed the COVID-19 crisis, and she called for greater openness in addressing past missteps.

“We all need to step back and really be very clear to the public about misstatements that did occur during CV,” she said, criticizing early pandemic guidance that claimed there was “no human-to-human transmission,” “no asymptomatic spread,” and that the virus “wasn’t aerosolized.”

“All of that isn’t true,” Birx said. “Breathing was enough to transmit the virus with COVID.”

She maintained that public health officials must learn from those errors and be better prepared for future outbreaks, including providing clearer guidance for schools and families.

“We have to revise our school closures to make it very clear to parents what we’re going to do when there’s another pandemic,” Birx said.

“All of us need to work with communities to reestablish that trust. It’s critically important.”

Birx concluded by warning that hantavirus infections can sometimes present with only mild symptoms, making testing and monitoring especially important to prevent further spread.

“No one wants to spread a virus,” she said. “So we need to give people the tools that they need.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday directed federal immigration officers operating in the state to refrain from wearing face coverings, a step that is expected to face legal opposition from the Trump administration following similar efforts in California that were struck down in court.

Since President Donald Trump launched a wide-ranging deportation campaign, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have frequently worn masks during operations, citing concerns about being identified and targeted outside of work.

“For ICE, wearing masks without good cause is nothing short of an intimidation tactic, a cowardly attempt to evade responsibility,” Hochul said Thursday.

Images earlier this year showing heavily armed, masked officers in plain clothes conducting enforcement actions in cities such as Minneapolis drew widespread global attention. The scrutiny intensified after a deadly incident in which ICE agents fatally shot two Americans in that Midwestern city.

Alongside the directive on masks, Hochul announced additional limits on ICE activity, stating that agents would be barred from entering certain locations—including schools, libraries, community centers, and polling places—unless they obtain a judicial warrant.

She also instructed local law enforcement agencies not to assist in operations that are based solely on immigration enforcement.

“Our officers, paid for by local taxpayer dollars, were hired to protect their communities … they’re not there to do the federal government’s bidding,” Hochul added.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, recently warned that the federal government would respond forcefully to such measures.

“what’s going to happen with places like New York, and [if] people pass ridiculous legislation not to work with us, we’re going to flood the zone.”

A similar policy enacted by lawmakers in California requiring federal agents to show their faces was blocked earlier this year by a district court, with an appeals court later upholding that decision.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump minimized Iran’s attempted strike on three U.S. Navy destroyers Thursday, even as tensions continued to test a fragile cease-fire and ongoing efforts to lay the groundwork for potential negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire,” he posted to Truth Social. “There was no damage done to the three Destroyers.”

In describing the clash, Trump portrayed it as a decisive setback for Iranian forces, saying the attackers suffered extensive losses during the encounter.

He wrote that the “Iranian attackers” were “completely destroyed along with numerous small boats, which are being used to take the place of their fully decapitated Navy.”

“These boats went to the bottom of the Sea, quickly and efficiently. Missiles were shot at our Destroyers, and were easily knocked down,” he said. “Likewise, drones came, and were incinerated while in the air. They dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!”

According to U.S. Central Command, the confrontation occurred as the USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS Mason moved through the Strait of Hormuz, where they came under attack from what officials described as “multiple missiles, drones and small boats.”

Despite the exchange, the United States has not declared the cease-fire void and continues to treat it as active, with Trump characterizing the American response as limited.

“The ceasefire is going. It’s in effect,” Trump said.

The president also issued a sharp warning about Iran’s leadership, accusing them of being dangerous and willing to escalate to nuclear use if given the chance.

“But they’ll never have that opportunity,” Trump said on social media, “and, just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”

Some analysts and critics pointed out that even though U.S. defenses prevented casualties, the nature of the attack itself raised concerns about Iran’s intentions.

“The U.S. may have been successful in defending against them but Iran fired drones, missiles, and launched small boats at U.S. Navy warships with the intention to kill U.S. service members in direct violation of the ceasefire agreement,” former Pentagon official and Atlantic Council fellow Alex Plitsas posted to X.

Trump has so far avoided outlining a clear threshold for what would constitute a violation severe enough to end the cease-fire, declining to give specifics when pressed by reporters earlier in the week.

For now, the administration has refrained from launching retaliatory strikes, focusing instead on keeping diplomatic efforts alive as negotiations continue behind the scenes.

Officials have been working through a proposed 14-point framework that could open the door to formal talks, with nuclear-related provisions now included in the discussions.

Sources familiar with the process said a preliminary memorandum—reportedly condensed into a single page—would serve as the basis for a broader agreement to be negotiated later.

Among the proposals under consideration are a halt to Iran’s uranium enrichment, partial relief from U.S. sanctions, and steps to ensure the free flow of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been repeatedly threatened during the conflict.

Negotiations could resume as soon as next week in Islamabad, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, though multiple drafts have already been exchanged between the two sides. Pakistan, acting as a mediator, is attempting to consolidate the proposals into a unified framework.

“If the framework of issues for debate is accepted, it would trigger a 30-day window for negotiators to hammer out the details,” a source familiar with mediations said.

Significant obstacles remain, particularly regarding Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium and whether it would be allowed to resume enrichment activities at any point in the future.

“The main hurdle is the duration of enrichment restrictions,” a Pakistani source told The Post on Wednesday. “There’s no final deal yet.”

Trump has insisted that any existing enriched uranium must be handed over to the United States, dismissing alternatives that would place the material under third-party supervision.

Iran, however, is expected to reject that demand and has recently held discussions in Moscow, with officials indicating a preference for transferring such material to Russia if required—an option U.S. officials have already ruled out.

American negotiators may consider allowing a temporary freeze on enrichment if Iran agrees to suspend the activity for 15 to 20 years, though Trump has repeatedly opposed any arrangement that would permit Iran to resume enrichment in the future.

Another proposal would involve gradually easing the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports if Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz during a 30-day negotiation period, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A Pakistani official confirmed that the draft framework includes provisions for “Hormuz de-escalation” and efforts to “restore shipping.”

As of Thursday, Iran continued to assert control over the strategic waterway and has recently pushed measures such as collecting tolls from vessels passing through it.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz accused Tehran of violating international norms through such actions and called on the UN Security Council to intervene.

“Cease attacks on commercial shipping, cease mining and remove its mines from an international waterway. Cease tolling — charging illegal tolls in the Strait of Hormuz — and allow the UN to move forward with humanitarian aid, lifesaving aid through that international corridor,” he demanded of Iran.

“It’s really that simple,” he added.

His comments followed announcements by Iranian state media about the creation of what was described as the “Persian Gulf Straits Authority,” a move that Waltz warned could force international vessels to pay fees for passage.

Iran’s determination to maintain authority over the Strait of Hormuz is expected to complicate any final agreement, according to the Wall Street Journal.

To encourage progress, negotiators have discussed offering Iran economic incentives, including sanctions relief and the release of frozen assets, though specific figures have yet to be finalized. Earlier proposals suggested those benefits would be phased in over time.

The U.S. State Department is moving forward with a plan to cancel the passports of thousands of Americans who owe substantial amounts in unpaid child support, marking a significant step in enforcing longstanding federal policy.

Officials said Thursday that the first wave of revocations will begin Friday, targeting individuals who owe at least $100,000. Based on data provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 2,700 U.S. passport holders fall into that category.

The initiative, which was first detailed earlier this year, is expected to widen considerably in the near future. According to the State Department, enforcement will soon extend to those with unpaid child support exceeding $2,500, the level set by a 1996 law that has historically seen limited enforcement.

Authorities acknowledged that the total number of people owing more than $2,500 remains unclear, as HHS continues gathering information from state agencies responsible for tracking such debts. Officials indicated that the broader enforcement could ultimately affect many thousands more individuals.

Previously, enforcement was limited to people seeking to renew their passports. Under the updated approach, HHS will regularly notify the State Department of anyone with overdue obligations above $2,500, and those individuals who already hold passports will face revocation.

“We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt,” Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said. “Once these parents resolve their debts, they can once again enjoy the privilege of a U.S. passport.”

Following initial reports in February about the expanded effort, officials said there has already been a noticeable response from affected parents.

“Since the AP reported the expansion of the program on Feb. 10, the department said it had “seen data that hundreds of parents took action and resolved their arrears with state authorities since news broke that the State Department would start proactively revoking passports.””

“While we can’t confirm the causation in all of those cases, we are taking this action precisely to impel these parents to do the right thing by their children and by U.S. law,” the department said.

Even before the latest expansion, the State Department described the policy as highly effective in collecting overdue payments. Since the program began in 1998, states have recovered approximately $657 million in back child support, including more than $156 million in over 24,000 lump-sum payments during the past five years.

Individuals whose passports are canceled under the policy will receive notice that their documents are no longer valid for travel and that they must reapply once their outstanding obligations have been settled.

Those who are overseas at the time their passports are revoked will be required to contact a U.S. embassy or consulate to obtain emergency travel papers allowing them to return home.

{Matzav.com}

A sharp dispute broke out in Albany on Thursday after Kathy Hochul declared that an agreement had been reached on New York’s overdue state budget, only to be publicly contradicted by Carl Heastie, who insisted no such deal exists.

The clash followed Hochul’s early morning announcement, made around 9 a.m., in which she outlined what she described as the framework of a finalized spending plan.

Within roughly two hours, Heastie forcefully pushed back, dismissing the governor’s claim outright.

“There’s no budget deal. There’s no deal,” the Bronx Democrat said.

“I’m not conferencing anything else until I know what the financial picture is.”

Heastie added that he had exited a high-level meeting of legislative leaders the previous evening without any agreement being reached.

Hochul has been under growing pressure to finalize a budget as the state repeatedly missed its statutory deadlines, and had been eager to present a resolution.

She had initially planned to unveil the agreement a day earlier, even arranging for the Red Room at the state Capitol to host the announcement, but scrapped those plans at the last moment.

Her assertion that a deal had been secured — seen by some as an effort to pressure lawmakers — drew pushback from both sides of the aisle.

“I would actually thank the speaker for standing up for the legislature in this process,” Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra told reporters.

“No you didn’t reach an agreement,” state Sen. Jabari Brisport posted to Hochul on X. “You do this every year. Please stop.”

The proposal Hochul presented lacked detailed specifics and comes as New York City’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has been urging Albany for additional funding to address what he says is a $5.4 billion budget gap.

State officials are expected to provide some form of assistance to the mayor, either through direct funding or by postponing requirements to reduce class sizes in city schools — a move insiders say could ease roughly $600 million in costs.

Legislators have also been considering changes to pension fund contributions, which could yield up to $1.5 billion in savings, though negotiations over those details were still ongoing late Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the governor indicated that the city’s financial figures are still being finalized, but confirmed that the state plan is expected to include additional support for New York City.

Hochul has maintained that Mamdani must identify cost-cutting measures within his expanding $127 billion municipal budget, which is approximately half the size of the state’s overall spending plan.

For his part, the first-term mayor has yet to put forward significant proposals to rein in spending and has delayed releasing his executive budget blueprint until next week.

The governor has also sought to hand Mamdani a policy victory by advancing a tax on high-value secondary residences in the city, allowing him to claim progress on his campaign promise to increase taxes on the wealthy.

However, that measure is expected to bring in only about $320 million and is likely to encounter substantial political and legislative challenges.

The state budget had originally been due on April 1, and remains unresolved weeks past the deadline.

{Matzav.com}