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Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday blamed what he described as a “miscommunication” after the NYPD publicly contradicted City Hall’s claim that his wife, Rama Duwaji, would be accompanied by a taxpayer-funded police security detail during her upcoming trip to Syria and Lebanon.

The dispute unfolded after City Hall reversed course on the planned security arrangements. Mamdani ultimately stated that Duwaji will travel next month without NYPD protection, despite a senior spokesperson for his administration saying just one day earlier that officers would accompany her.

Addressing the controversy, Mamdani acknowledged that the earlier announcement had been incorrect.

“There was a miscommunication. She has not yet taken that trip and when she takes that trip it will be without any NYPD detail,” Mamdani told PIX11 when asked about the New York Post’s report.

The controversy began after a source familiar with the matter said Duwaji—whom Mamdani has repeatedly described as a “private person”—had requested an NYPD security detail for the trip. City Hall had initially confirmed that request.

“Upon the strong recommendation of the NYPD, the first lady’s security detail will be joining her when she travels to visit family in Syria and Lebanon,” mayoral spokeswoman Dora Pekec said.

That statement was quickly contradicted by the NYPD, which made clear that the department does not assign officers to accompany personal overseas travel to countries under the highest US travel warning.

“The NYPD does not send officers to countries with level four travel advisories for discretionary reasons not linked to investigative work,” a department spokesperson insisted.

“This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it.”

The department’s response directly contradicted City Hall’s earlier announcement and amounted to a rare public disagreement between the mayor’s office and the NYPD.

One source familiar with the episode said the confusion resulted from a breakdown in communication.

“They never checked with the commissioner.”

When questioned about the conflicting statements, Pekec referred reporters to Mamdani’s explanation that the issue stemmed from a “miscommunication” and declined further comment.

City Hall also declined to provide additional information about Duwaji’s Sept. 20 trip or clarify whether the purpose of the visit is limited to seeing family.

A source familiar with the plans said the trip has no official government purpose.

“It’s not official business. It’s not doing anything for the city.”

Both Syria and Lebanon are currently listed by the US State Department under its highest-level “Do Not Travel” advisory because of ongoing security concerns.

Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said deploying city police officers to those countries for a personal trip would have been a poor decision.

He described such an assignment as “ill-advised,” adding that it would be costly and require extensive coordination with federal authorities.

“There would be lots of hoops you’d have to go through for that kind of assignment,” he said.

Bratton also said the public contradiction between City Hall and the Police Department should never have occurred.

“You’re going to have to clear up the confusion,” he said.

David Catalfamo, who served as communications director for former New York Gov. George Pataki, said the mayor’s office should defer to law enforcement on security matters and improve communication with the NYPD.

“I suspect communication between the mayor’s office and the police department will be better in the future,” Catalfamo said. “The political folks want to run ahead of the story. It doesn’t work that way when it comes to security.

“The NYPD wants to be there to protect the mayor and his family — but there are limits. Going to Syria and Lebanon is not like buying a ticket on Amtrak.”

Duwaji, a 29-year-old Syrian-American artist, traveled abroad last month without police protection. During that trip, she co-hosted a pro-Palestinian women’s spiritual retreat in Corsica and later served as the “artist-in-residence” at a sold-out “Plants Of The Quran” workshop in Mallorca, Spain. Both events were organized by Women Sanctuary, a travel organization focused on Muslim women.

The episode also highlighted continuing tensions between Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who has not concealed her policy disagreements with the mayor, particularly regarding Israel and public safety.

Tisch entered the administration while openly acknowledging her differences with Mamdani. Within days of his taking office, she reportedly confronted City Hall over what she viewed as the mayor’s slow response to two police shootings.

The two have also publicly diverged on other issues, including Mamdani’s characterization of an incident in which a crowd pelted police officers with snowballs, describing it as simply a “snowball fight that got out of hand.”

Despite those disagreements, Mamdani and Tisch have continued working together, with the mayor frequently highlighting reductions in crime and appearing alongside the police commissioner at public events.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday renewed his criticism of Iran’s leadership, saying he has no trust in the regime while asserting that the United States currently holds a commanding strategic position over Tehran.

Speaking with reporters after returning from an official trip to Ohio, Trump said he believes the situation involving Iran is unfolding in America’s favor.

“Iran is going fine, going just absolutely fine,” Trump remarked to reporters on the tarmac following an official trip to Ohio.

Trump stressed that he remains deeply skeptical of Iran’s intentions and argued that the United States has complete control over one of the world’s most critical waterways.

“I’m the last person to trust Iran. They’ve lied to me constantly. We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now. They don’t have control. We have total control. We own it. And at some point, maybe they’ll do something, and then they get blown away.”

#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, "I don't trust Iran. I'm the last person who trusts Iran. They've lied to me constantly. We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz right now. They don't have control. We have total control. We own it. And at some point, maybe they'll… pic.twitter.com/gzXOYP9dVj

— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2026

He added that Iran has lost the dominant regional influence it once exercised.

“But we right now, we’re in a very good position. We have a country that has been the bully of the Middle East for 50 years. It’s been saying 47 for four years. And they’re no longer the bully of the Middle East.”

Reporters also asked Trump about a Washington Post report published Monday describing a covert security operation during his departure from Turkey last month. According to the report, Trump secretly switched to a different military aircraft while the White House publicly maintained that he was flying aboard Air Force One because of a reported Iranian threat.

Trump said the decision was made entirely by his security team and that he simply followed their guidance.

“Well, it’s only up to Secret Service. I just follow what they’d like to do, so I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, a different plane … but they wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say,” Trump explained.

He added that while he was aware there had been a threat, he did not seek extensive details.

“I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats. I have a lot of threats that you don’t know about,” he added.

Trump’s latest remarks came one day after he was questioned about his earlier warning that the current negotiations with Iran represented its last opportunity before “decapitation.” Asked what would happen if diplomacy failed, the president declined to elaborate.

“You’ll find out.”

When reporters asked whether a significant military escalation remains an option, Trump again emphasized that the United States has that capability.

“Well, we certainly have that ability if we want to do that. You’ll find out.”

Trump also repeated his rejection of Iranian demands for reparations, arguing that if compensation is owed, it is Tehran—not Washington—that should be paying.

“They ask for reparations, you might say, or they ask for money for the damage that we’ve done. And I said, that’s a good idea. Well, we’re going to ask for money for the damage they’ve done over a 50-year period, whether you go USS Cole or whether you go [to] all of the people that were so badly hurt, so badly wounded or killed – many thousands of people. And maybe damages for the 52,000 protesters over the last four months that were killed in Iran. It was at least 52,000 a month and a half ago. So now what is it? If there are damages to be paid, I think Iran should pay those damages.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said he would welcome the opportunity to seek another term in the White House in 2028, while recognizing that the U.S. Constitution presents a significant legal obstacle to any attempt at a third presidency.

Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked whether he was serious about pursuing another campaign after repeatedly referencing the 2028 election in recent months.

“Everybody asks me that question, and you know that the law is very strong on that,” Trump said, according to IANS.

“I’d love to run, but the law is very strong,” he added.

The question came after Trump was asked about a “Trump 2028” advertisement displayed during a recent dinner event, as well as repeated chants from supporters encouraging him to seek another term.

Trump said the issue is raised with him frequently.

“I get asked by everyone… Even tonight, they’re screaming at the event, ‘2028.’”

Despite his remarks, Trump stopped short of saying he intends to challenge the constitutional prohibition on serving more than two elected terms as president.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1951 following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four presidential victories, bars any individual from being elected president more than twice.

Trump has already been elected president on two occasions, first in 2016 and again in 2024, making him ineligible for another elected term under the current Constitution.

Ukrainian strikes have reportedly crippled the air defense and electronic warfare systems protecting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s lavish Black Sea estate, leaving the sprawling compound vulnerable to additional attacks, according to a new report.

The estate, widely known as “Putin’s Palace,” was recently targeted in separate attacks that damaged both its electronic jamming equipment and nearby anti-aircraft missile systems, The Times of Moscow reported.

Military analyst Yan Matveyev said satellite imagery indicates that key defensive assets have been destroyed.

“Satellite imagery shows the destruction of at least one launcher … Now Putin’s ‘palace’ is left unprotected,” military analyst Yan Matveyev told the outlet.

According to the report, the first significant strike occurred on Aug. 7, when Ukrainian weapons hit a Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system positioned near the Black Sea compound.

The system, which reportedly protects an area of more than seven square miles, is designed to disrupt Starlink satellite communications, which Ukrainian forces rely on to coordinate military operations.

After the jamming system was disabled, Ukrainian drones were able to strike nearby S-400 air defense batteries, according to Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.

The Times of Moscow reported that the attack on the S-400 system took place on Aug. 9. The missile launcher reportedly burned for roughly three hours before being destroyed.

Matveyev said the damage has significantly weakened the defenses surrounding the estate and could leave it exposed to future Ukrainian strikes.

The expansive residence, reportedly spanning approximately 190,000 square feet, sits on Cape Idokopas near the Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik, not far from the Crimean Peninsula.

Public attention was first drawn to the property in 2021 through an investigative documentary released by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a Siberian penal colony in 2024.

According to Navalny’s investigation, the estate includes a casino, theater, hockey rink, vineyard, and even a “hookah lounge” that he alleged functioned as Putin’s private strip club.

Navalny also claimed the compound was protected by extraordinary security measures, including heavily fortified fencing, a private port, its own security force, a no-fly zone, and an independent border checkpoint, effectively making it “a state within a state.”

Putin has consistently denied owning the property. Reports indicate he has rarely visited the estate in recent years as Ukraine has expanded attacks targeting Russian-held Crimea and military assets along the Black Sea coast.

{Matzav.com}

A devastating head-on collision near Beit Shemesh claimed the lives of two men early Wednesday morning, including Rav Meir Turgeman z”l, a 42-year-old father of nine who had celebrated his son’s bar mitzvah just days earlier. A 35-year-old woman was also injured in the crash and was transported to the hospital in moderate condition.

The fatal accident occurred at approximately 2:03 a.m. on Highway 383, south of Zecharyah, when two private vehicles collided head-on. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found extensive destruction, with both vehicles heavily damaged.

Rav Turgeman, a resident of Beit Shemesh, is survived by his wife and nine children. His sudden passing has left family and friends in profound mourning, coming only days after the family’s joyous bar mitzvah celebration.

Large forces from Magen David Adom, United Hatzalah, and ZAKA rushed to the scene, where they encountered two men with no signs of life. One of the victims was trapped inside his vehicle, requiring a lengthy rescue operation.

MDA paramedic Tzuriel Meyers, senior EMT Yehoshua Gottlieb, and EMT Shmuel Arieli described the devastating scene.

“This was a very severe traffic accident involving two vehicles,” they said. “We found a man in his 40s lying on the side of the road unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, suffering from significant injuries. Another man was trapped inside his vehicle, also unconscious.”

The paramedics added, “We conducted medical examinations, but tragically both victims showed no signs of life, and we had no choice but to pronounce them dead at the scene. At the same time, we treated a woman who sustained moderate injuries and evacuated her to the hospital.”

United Hatzalah volunteers Moishy Siruka, Mordechai Dovid Goldman, and Dudi Wertheimer also described the scene.

“This was a difficult accident involving two vehicles,” they said. “We performed resuscitation efforts on two men in their 30s and 40s, but due to the severity of their injuries they were pronounced dead at the scene. We also treated a 35-year-old woman who was moderately injured before she was transported to the hospital for further care.”

Volunteers from ZAKA’s Beit Shemesh unit worked throughout the night to ensure kavod hameis and recover all remains from the scene.

Avremi Kapp, commander of ZAKA Beit Shemesh, together with deputy commander Yosef Chaim Hauzi and volunteers Shlomi Kapp, Shlomi Peretz, and Arel Pintz, said, “This was an extremely difficult accident involving two vehicles. When we arrived, both vehicles were completely wrecked and had come to rest on opposite sides of the roadway.”

They added, “One of the vehicles required a lengthy and complicated extrication by the Fire and Rescue Service. The two men, both around 40 years old, suffered catastrophic multi-system injuries and showed no signs of life. MDA personnel were forced to pronounce them dead at the scene. We are now ensuring kavod hameis and recovering all remaining evidence from the site.”

Israel Police said officers from the Yerushalayim District, Traffic Division, and Border Police responded to the scene near Tel Azekah on Highway 383.

According to the preliminary police investigation, the crash appears to have been a head-on collision between two private vehicles. Authorities confirmed that two people were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third victim was transported to the hospital in moderate condition. Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it will move forward with a new federal rule ending the use of Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funds for gender-transition medical treatments provided to children and adolescents.

President Donald Trump revealed the policy in a Truth Social post, saying he instructed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to halt federal funding for gender-transition hormones and surgeries for minors.

“Today, at my direction, Dr. Mehmet Oz announced that Medicaid will NO LONGER fund gender transition surgeries and hormones for minors,” Trump wrote.

“We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies,” he added.

Trump also said his administration’s efforts over the past year and a half have already prompted numerous hospitals to discontinue what he described as “so-called ‘gender-affirming care'” for minors, adding that he believes additional hospitals will do the same.

“Just think about all of the young, innocent, and perhaps confused children who will be spared!” Trump wrote.

According to CNBC, the regulation is scheduled to take effect on Oct. 13. Under the new rule, federal Medicaid and CHIP dollars could no longer be used to pay for puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or gender-transition surgeries for minors.

Individual states, however, would still have the option of funding such treatments with state money if they choose.

Gender-transition surgeries involving minors remain relatively uncommon.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the new policy follows a review conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services examining both American and international research on medical gender-transition treatments for children.

According to CMS, that review found “significant evidence gaps, documented serious safety concerns, and concluded that the evidence supporting these interventions for children remains insufficient to justify federal taxpayer funding.”

The administration did not release additional details Tuesday regarding the specific studies or evidence underlying those findings.

Gender-transition care may include mental health counseling as well as medical treatments intended to align a person’s physical characteristics with his or her gender identity.

Some of the medications involved in such treatment, including puberty blockers and hormones, are also prescribed to children for unrelated medical conditions.

The new rule does not change federal coverage for mental health services provided to children.

Several major American medical organizations continue to support access to gender-transition treatment when provided in accordance with established clinical guidelines.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has said existing research suggests that access to such care can improve mental health outcomes, including for young people, while denying treatment may worsen mental health symptoms and increase the risk of suicide.

The announcement comes as Republican-led states continue advancing restrictions on gender-transition treatments for minors. According to health policy research organization KFF, 27 states have enacted laws limiting such care for children.

Trump also framed the policy as a key issue ahead of November’s midterm elections, drawing a sharp contrast between Republicans and Democrats.

“While the Dumocrat Party wants your kids to be able to chop off their reproductive organs before they are old enough to vote, President Donald J. Trump (ME!) and the Republican Party say that is ABSURD, and we will protect America’s children,” Trump wrote.

“Please remember this when you are casting your vote in the Midterm Elections in November,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

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A young IDF soldier was injured in a frightening incident in Tiveriah after becoming trapped inside the luggage compartment of an Egged bus when the driver unknowingly drove away with her partially inside the compartment. She was rescued only after bystanders noticed what had happened and stopped the bus before she suffered even more serious injuries.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with HaOlam HaBoker, the soldier described the terrifying moments she endured and said she feared she would lose her leg if the bus continued moving.

The incident occurred after the soldier arrived in Tiveriah on a bus from Hatzor. She asked the driver to open the luggage compartment so she could retrieve her bag, but while she was leaning inside to remove it, the compartment door suddenly closed on her leg, trapping her as the bus pulled away.

“On Thursday I left my base and boarded the bus from Hatzor to Tiveriah. When I got off at the stop, I asked the driver if he could open the luggage compartment, and I saw that my bag was inside. I leaned halfway into the compartment to take out my bag, and he lowered the luggage compartment door.”

She said she immediately realized something had gone terribly wrong.

“When I realized he was closing the luggage compartment, I tried to push it away with my leg, but my leg got stuck. I was sure he had noticed and would stop, but suddenly I realized he was continuing to drive while half of my body was inside and my leg was trapped outside. I realized that if he kept driving, I would lose my leg.”

As the bus continued moving, the soldier called police in an effort to have officers locate and stop the vehicle. At the same time, she repeatedly pounded on the luggage compartment, hoping passengers would hear her and alert the driver.

“I was completely helpless. I watched as my leg started rubbing against the road while the bus was moving,” she recalled.

The bus finally came to a stop after passersby spotted the trapped soldier and alerted the driver. Another soldier at the scene forced open the luggage compartment and freed her.

“I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t breathe. If he had driven another two or three minutes until the central bus station, I truly don’t even want to imagine what would have happened to me.”

The soldier was taken to a hospital for treatment of the injuries she sustained.

In a statement, Egged said: “Egged regrets the incident. An internal review indicates that the driver did not notice the soldier entering the luggage compartment and believed she had already exited the bus and walked away. As soon as he realized what had happened, the driver stopped the bus, rescued her, and asked whether she required medical treatment. Egged wishes her a speedy recovery.”

If it feels like your phone has been ringing nonstop with unfamiliar numbers, you’re far from alone. Americans were bombarded with an estimated 4.4 billion robocalls in July, marking the highest monthly total in a year, according to data compiled by call-blocking service YouMail.

YouMail’s tracking shows that robocall activity had fallen to its lowest level in October 2025 but has steadily climbed in recent months. The company reported that telemarketing pitches and scam calls accounted for the largest share of unwanted calls during July.

Not every automated call is fraudulent. Many are legitimate reminders about appointments, bills, or other services. Still, the sheer number of unknown callers has made it increasingly difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine calls from scams.

According to YouMail, the most common robocall in July involved offers for pre-approved personal loans, often telling recipients they qualified for large loans with affordable monthly payments.

“As with similar campaigns, this appears to be at a minimum, illegal telemarketing at scale. Based on consumer reports and the behavior of the calls, it’s likely to be a scam,” YouMail said in its July report.

Although robocall activity increased across the country, several regions experienced particularly sharp jumps. Data provided to Nexstar showed that phone numbers with area codes in Texas, Georgia, and Indiana saw the largest increases in spam calls.

The area codes recording the biggest month-over-month increases in July were:

• 346 (Houston, Texas): 16.2 million calls, up 19%
• 470 (Atlanta, Georgia): 20.2 million calls, up 13%
• 229 (Albany, Georgia): 32.1 million calls, up 13%
• 765 (Indianapolis, Indiana): 17.3 million calls, up 12%
• 901 (Memphis, Tennessee): 47.4 million calls, up 11%
• 812 (Evansville, Indiana): 25 million calls, up 11%
• 720 (Denver, Colorado): 17.7 million calls, up 11%
• 870 (Jonesboro, Arkansas): 32.2 million calls, up 9%
• 317 (Indianapolis, Indiana): 24.9 million calls, up 9%
• 931 (Clarksville, Tennessee): 22 million calls, up 9%
• 254 (Killeen, Texas): 19.3 million calls, up 9%

YouMail CEO Alex Quilici said that despite new regulations adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in recent years, scammers continue finding ways to place massive numbers of illegal calls.

“We suspect the fraudsters are getting on the telephone networks at scale through a set of carriers that are benefiting from this illegal call traffic,” Quilici told Nexstar. “There are more barriers to that now, but it doesn’t take a lot of bad actors to generate meaningful volumes.”

Lawmakers are also attempting to curb the problem. A bill approved by the Senate would further target robocalls by cracking down on those originating outside the United States.

Promoting the legislation, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said “folks in red and blue states alike are sick and tired of picking up the phone and wondering if they’re being scammed.”

While enrolling your phone number in the National Do Not Call Registry can reduce telemarketing calls, experts caution that it cannot stop every unwanted caller.

Consumer protection specialists recommend ignoring suspicious calls from unfamiliar numbers and allowing them to go to voicemail. If you need to contact your bank, utility provider, health insurer, or another company, they advise calling the official number printed on your card, bill, or account statement rather than returning an unknown call.

MK Avi Maoz, chairman of the Noam L’Yisrael party, says he is committed to remaining in the race through Election Day and is not using his campaign as leverage for political negotiations. In an interview with Kikar HaShabbos, Maoz declared that his goal is to strengthen the right-wing bloc, set his sights on becoming Israel’s next education minister, pledged full and equal funding for chareidi educational institutions regardless of core curriculum studies, and reiterated his position that bnei Torah should not be drafted into the military.

At the outset of the interview, Maoz rejected suggestions that his independent campaign is merely a negotiating tactic designed to secure a merger with another right-wing party before the election.

“No, this time it’s different. Maybe in previous elections people could have viewed our announcement that we were running as part of negotiations to eventually unite with someone else. This time it’s different. We’re raising a great deal of money, we’ve changed our name from ‘Noam’ to ‘Noam L’Yisrael.’ If my goal was simply to unite with another party, I could have kept the name ‘Noam.’ I also wouldn’t have recruited such strong candidates, like Shimon Tobul, deputy mayor of Be’er Sheva, and Eliyahu Libman, a hero of Israel.”

Asked directly whether he intended to stay in the race until the end, Maoz answered unequivocally.

“I am running until the end at the head of the ‘Noam L’Yisrael’ list. There will still be alliances with new and unexpected groups. Just as no one expected me to bring Shimon Tobul, there will be other unexpected figures who will join me on this journey. On a personal note, I’m 70 years old. At 70, you don’t embark on an adventure like this unless you truly believe in it. My entire mission is to save the right-wing bloc.”

When confronted with claims that his party could cost the right-wing bloc seats if it fails to cross the electoral threshold, Maoz dismissed the criticism and argued that his candidacy would actually strengthen the coalition.

“That was the conversation in 1992. It may have been true then, but it’s no longer true today. I want to change the conversation from ‘You’ll waste votes and destroy the right-wing bloc’ to a more accurate one: we’re here to save the right-wing bloc. We’re here to save the right-wing government. Why do I say that? Today the chareidi parties are telling voters, ‘Vote right and you’ll get a left-wing government.’ Netanyahu has declared that he wants a broad unity government. With whom? With the left!”

He continued by explaining why he believes his party fills an important political role.

“The chareidi parties are saying, ‘We’ll be the deciding factor.’ We are saying openly: we are only with the right-wing bloc, because we want to represent the ציבור that places its trust in the right. Right now the bloc is missing several seats. Every poll shows that it still lacks enough mandates to get beyond 60 seats. I’m here so Aryeh Deri can continue serving as a minister. I’m here so Moshe Gafni can continue doing what he’s been doing. I’m here so Smotrich can continue doing what he’s been doing.”

Maoz said his campaign is aimed at three different sectors of Israeli society.

“I’m appealing to three groups that are very dear to me: the chareidi ציבור, the religious Zionist ציבור that I come from, and the traditional ציבור—the people in the periphery, the ordinary people of Israel. I’m speaking to all of you. You love tradition, you love the Torah, you love talmidei chachamim, you love those who learn Torah, and at the same time you deeply appreciate the IDF.”

Asked whether he could work together with groups seeking to represent disillusioned chareidi voters, including parties associated with Moti Leitner, Eli Yishai, or the Achi Party, Maoz said ideological loyalty to the right was his only condition.

“Anyone who joins me must state clearly and unequivocally: we will not be Gadi Eisenkot’s 61st vote. Anyone who joins me—we will be the 61st vote for the right-wing bloc. That’s my condition.”

He said he welcomes support from any group willing to embrace that commitment.

“All of those groups are potential partners as far as I’m concerned. All of them. I invite them to join me on this journey to save the right-wing bloc. And I emphasize this because right now I’m the only one saying openly: I will not be Eisenkot’s 61st vote. I will be the 61st vote of the right-wing bloc, the bloc of faith. And yes, I’m appealing to the chareidi ציבור because I know there is tremendous disappointment there.”

Maoz made no attempt to hide the fact that he hopes to attract voters from Shas and United Torah Judaism.

“I’m here for the ציבור of Shas. I’m here for the ציבור of United Torah Judaism. I’m here for the religious Zionist ציבור, and I’m here for the traditional ציבור that loves Torah, loves IDF soldiers just as much, and loves the Jewish people. We’re here to save the bloc of faith, the right-wing bloc. It’s time that voters on the right vote for the right and actually receive a right-wing government.”

Turning to education policy, Maoz declared that he wants to become Israel’s next education minister and outlined what he said would be one of his signature reforms.

“I want to serve as education minister in the next government, and I will bring full-strength Judaism to the Ministry of Education—for everyone, for every sector. And there will be full funding for every child, equal funding. That means equal opportunity.”

When asked whether that funding would be provided regardless of how much core curriculum a school teaches, Maoz responded without hesitation.

“Without any connection! A religious Zionist child who wants to study according to his worldview should receive exactly what every other child in the education system receives, because we do not play games with children.”

The interviewer noted that even the chareidi parties have generally tied funding levels to the amount of core curriculum instruction.

“Yishai, I once sat in a meeting with the education minister, and his legal adviser said, ‘Listen, we can’t do that because it’s not the ministry’s policy.’ What do you expect an education minister to say? ‘Madam, I determine the ministry’s policy!’ As education minister, I will determine the ministry’s policy: equal funding for every child. Because equal funding means equal opportunity for every child.”

Asked whether such a policy would survive a challenge before Israel’s High Court of Justice, Maoz said he believes it would.

“With G-d’s help, yes, it will stand up in the High Court. Because there is a glaring inequality here. Why are there children today who do not receive equal funding? Why are there children who are being discriminated against?”

Toward the end of the interview, Maoz addressed the ongoing debate over military service and the status of bnei yeshiva, reaffirming his longstanding position on the issue.

“I always tell the truth, and this is my truth: Whoever is learning Torah will not be drafted. Whoever is not learning Torah will receive every possible condition necessary to enlist if he wants to serve. He will enter the army as a chareidi and leave the army as a chareidi. That’s what I fought for, and that’s what I will continue to fight for.”

{Matzav.com}

The Yerushalayim Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday ordered the release of right-wing activist Tal Yinon Dardik after 38 days in detention, rejecting a police request to impose restrictive conditions and criticizing authorities for attempting to link the criminal case against him with a newly issued administrative order.

Judge Amir Shaked ruled that Dardik, who is suspected of involvement in violence against Palestinians, should be released immediately and without restrictions. In his decision, the judge criticized the Judea and Samaria District Police for trying to intertwine the ongoing criminal proceedings with a new administrative order that had recently been issued against him.

Although the court ordered his release, Dardik was informed that a new order signed Monday by the commander of the IDF Central Command remains in force and prohibits him from entering Judea and Samaria.

The criminal case centers on an indictment charging Dardik with violating a lawful military order and interfering with a police officer. According to prosecutors, intelligence information linked him to unlawful and violent activities that endangered lives and property, prompting the commander of IDF forces in Judea and Samaria to issue an order on June 9 barring him from entering the region.

On the same day, military authorities also ordered Dardik to remain at his mother-in-law’s home in the community of Adei Ad in Judea and Samaria. Court documents state that subsequent inspections found he was not staying there and was instead allegedly hiding at the Tirpon Farm outpost.

On July 9, the Magistrate’s Court had previously ruled that Dardik could be released to house arrest at Tirpon Farm under the supervision of his wife, finding that the evidence supporting the charges was relatively weak. The court also pointed out that the indictment was not based on his mere presence in Judea and Samaria and questioned how authorities could simultaneously require him to remain in the area while also prohibiting him from entering it.

The court further found that the allegation Dardik violated the house arrest order was weakened by the fact that his mother-in-law had never agreed to have him confined in her home, despite the order requiring him to remain there.

Prosecutors appealed that decision, and the Jerusalem District Court overturned it. The higher court concluded there was sufficient evidence at this stage to support the charges and found no dispute that Dardik had failed to comply with the military order. However, it ruled that any challenge to the legality of the order itself should be addressed during the criminal proceedings rather than in detention hearings.

An appeals committee later instructed the commander of the Central Command to replace one of the existing conditions with a new one. On Aug. 9, a court upheld that decision, ruling that the committee had acted within its legal authority.

The following day, the commander issued a new administrative order against Dardik. Police then asked the court to release him, but only if his release was made subject to the conditions contained in the new order.

Judge Shaked rejected that request, saying the police had improperly attempted to merge the criminal proceedings with the new administrative restrictions.

“It is impossible to accept such conduct, in which the applicant chose to intertwine the criminal and administrative proceedings. The court cannot make the respondent’s release dependent upon compliance with release conditions whose sole purpose is to prevent a violation that has not yet occurred in light of the issuance of the new order. This is especially so when the respondent is already behind bars. Such a course of action cannot be accepted.”

The judge noted that the new administrative order had been issued while Dardik was already in custody and emphasized that the indictment concerns only the alleged violation of the earlier June 9 order, which has since been replaced.

He further ruled that Dardik could not remain in jail based solely on speculation that he might violate the new order in the future. If such a violation were to occur, authorities could respond at that time, but the possibility alone did not justify keeping him detained.

The court ultimately denied the police request to condition Dardik’s release on compliance with the new administrative order and ordered that he be freed immediately after 38 days in custody. At the same time, the judge made clear that the newly issued order remains legally valid and in force.

Following the ruling, Dardik’s attorney, Nati Rom, welcomed the decision.

“We have now received Judge Amir Shaked’s decision ordering the immediate and unconditional release of Tal Yinon Dardik. We are pleased that the defense’s arguments from the very beginning have been accepted. This order is unenforceable, the military commander issued it without legal authority. The order is therefore effectively void, meaning there was no violation and no justification for his arrest. We are happy that he has been released and hope that this time the judicial decisions will be respected and that he will be able to rebuild his life and support his family.”

After being released, Dardik thanked those who supported him and vowed to continue opposing what he described as government policies targeting settlement activists.

“I want to thank the people of Israel and everyone who worked on my behalf. It is very important for me to say that this struggle is far from over, and we will continue with all our strength to fight the policies of Minister Katz and General Bluth, a policy of persecuting the settlement movement. Administrative orders directed specifically against settlement activists are something that must come to an end.”

Dardik also said he had just completed a lengthy hunger strike while in custody.

“I have now been released after a prolonged 37-day hunger strike. I am physically weak, but my spirit remains strong, and I trust in God to continue this struggle until the very end.”

{Matzav.com}

Shas MK Moshe Abutbul is demanding an explanation from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir after a yeshiva bochur was arrested by Military Police immediately after appearing at Lahav 433 headquarters to give testimony in a fraud investigation. Abutbul warned that the incident could severely damage trust between the chareidi public and law enforcement and even discourage victims from reporting crimes.

In a sharply worded letter sent Tuesday, Abutbul accused police of crossing “a red line” and violating commitments previously made by Police Commissioner Danny Levy to the chareidi community. He cautioned that the incident could deter chareidim from cooperating with police investigations in the future.

Moshe Steiner, a Bnei Brak resident who studies at a yeshiva in Beit Meir, was summoned to Lahav 433 to provide testimony after he himself was allegedly victimized in a fraud case. After investigators completed their questioning, Steiner was informed that he was free to leave. However, as he exited the station and entered the parking lot, Military Police officers who had been waiting outside arrested him on allegations that he was a draft evader.

Following the arrest, Abutbul sent an urgent letter to Ben Gvir under the heading, “Crossing a Red Line and Violating the Police Commissioner’s Commitment.” He wrote that Steiner had come to the police voluntarily and in good faith to assist investigators by providing testimony as the victim of an alleged fraud scheme.

“It is a crossing of a red line and a serious violation of the police commissioner’s commitment to the chareidi public,” Abutbul wrote, warning that the incident would erode confidence between police and the chareidi community. “This is not how you build trust; this is how you destroy it.”

Abutbul suggested the incident may have resulted from confusion among officers on the ground despite directives previously issued by the police commissioner. He called on Ben Gvir to issue an immediate and unequivocal instruction to every police station “to allow chareidi yeshiva bochurim to file complaints at police stations without being arrested.”

In closing, Abutbul warned that the consequences could extend far beyond this individual case. “If this conduct continues, chareidi citizens will completely refrain from turning to the police and reporting crime, something that could, G-d forbid, cost lives.”

Copies of the letter were also sent to Police Commissioner Danny Levy and Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin.

Nearly three years after the October 7 massacre, criminal proceedings against captured Hamas Nukhba terrorists remain stalled, with prosecutors warning that the filing of indictments could be delayed by at least another two years unless responsibility for the case is transferred as planned.

According to an i24 report, Israel’s Military Advocate General’s Corps has warned the Justice Ministry that if the team of prosecutors currently handling the investigation is not formally transferred under its authority, the already lengthy legal process could face an additional delay of at least two years before indictments are filed.

One of the primary obstacles is the enormous volume of investigative material collected since the attack. Prosecutors assigned to the case began gathering and reviewing evidence during the first week after the October 7 massacre, but the transition of responsibility to the military prosecution has not yet been fully completed.

Only recently, government officials and members of the Knesset were told that the first indictments were expected to be filed in January 2027. However, according to the latest report, that timeline is now viewed as virtually impossible to meet.

Meanwhile, the IDF is continuing preparations for the military prosecution unit that will oversee the criminal cases against the captured terrorists. Under legislation passed by the Knesset in May 2026, responsibility for prosecuting those involved in the October 7 massacre was formally transferred to the military prosecution.

Responding to the report, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said: “In May 2026, the Knesset passed the law for the prosecution of those responsible for the October 7 massacre. Under the law, responsibility for prosecuting the terrorists was transferred to the military prosecution. Six officers have been assigned to various positions and are expected to begin serving in their roles in the near future.”

The IDF added: “The employment terms for the remaining personnel assigned to the project, including those that will allow for the hiring of civilian prosecutors, have not yet been finalized. The matter remains under ongoing discussion, in cooperation with all relevant government agencies. Funding for the project was transferred to the IDF in recent weeks.”

{Matzav.com}

New York City officials are exploring a first-of-its-kind project that would cool sweltering subway platforms while recycling excess underground heat to warm nearby buildings during the winter, with one of Manhattan’s hottest stations selected as the potential testing site.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Monday that they are partnering on a feasibility study for a thermal energy network designed to lower temperatures on subway platforms while capturing and repurposing the heat generated underground.

If approved, the pilot project would be installed at the Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall 4/5/6 station and the adjacent Chambers Street J/Z station. Officials said it would be the first transit-based thermal energy network of its kind anywhere in the United States.

The study is being launched as the MTA prepares a major renovation of the aging Chambers Street station. Officials said the planned reconstruction presents an opportunity to evaluate innovative ways of addressing the increasingly severe heat that riders experience throughout the subway system.

According to MTA data, the Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall station was among the hottest in the network during the summer of 2025, with average temperatures reaching 96 degrees.

“There are few feelings worse than escaping the extreme summer heat only to find yourself on a subway platform that is even hotter,” Mayor Mamdani said. “We can make our subway platforms cooler and more comfortable while putting wasted heat to work during the winter.”

Under the proposal, heat generated within the subway system would be collected, stored beneath the ground, and then redirected to nearby municipal buildings for heating during colder months. Officials believe the technology could both improve passenger comfort and reduce energy costs.

“For years, New Yorkers have suffered through sweltering summer heat on subway platforms,” Hochul said. “Working with Mayor Mamdani and the MTA, we are harnessing cutting-edge climate technology for a truly cool purpose: making our subway stations tolerable during the summer and heating critical city buildings during the winter.”

Officials said the feasibility study will cost approximately $800,000, while the larger renovation of the Chambers Street station will be financed through congestion pricing revenue.

MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said the agency is evaluating solutions that have never before been implemented in a U.S. transit system.

“Bringing down the temperature is a real challenge in a century-old system with open entrances and vents everywhere,” Lieber said. “We’re exploring solutions … to make stations more comfortable while helping to reduce energy costs. Everybody wins.”

Officials described the proposal as part of a broader effort by both the city and the MTA to modernize transit infrastructure and better prepare it for rising temperatures linked to climate change.

The announcement also included details of a comprehensive renovation of the Chambers Street J/Z station, which first opened in 1913. Planned improvements include new station structures, replacement of aging tilework, upgraded stairways, and a full restoration of the historic facility.

“Anyone who has stood on a subway platform in August knows that our stations do not just get hot, they turn into underground saunas,” Mamdani said. “And if you, like me, do not know what a summer suit is, and choose instead to commute in a wool one, let me tell you, it’s far from a therapeutic experience.”

The MTA expects to award a contract for the project this fall. If the location is ultimately deemed suitable, design work on the thermal energy system could begin in early 2027.

A recruiting campaign launched by the Federal Aviation Administration to attract video gamers into careers as air traffic controllers has produced record-breaking results, with more than 2,000 candidates entering the hiring pipeline after the agency revamped its recruiting strategy.

The initiative, unveiled by the FAA in April 2026, was designed to bring in the next generation of air traffic controllers by targeting individuals with skills commonly developed through gaming, including rapid decision-making, multitasking, and complex problem-solving.

According to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the effort has exceeded expectations. In a social media post on Sunday, he announced that the campaign has set multiple FAA hiring records, including the largest number of candidates hired in a single year, surpassing 2,000.

“In April, we launched a NEW CAMPAIGN to recruit video gamers as air traffic controllers — and supercharged the entire hiring process to get the BEST & BRIGHTEST in faster. The results are HISTORIC,” Duffy said.

Duffy also said the initiative featured the agency’s fastest and most efficient hiring process to date, noting that more than 2,000 of the nation’s “best & brightest” applicants are now progressing through the employment pipeline.

Although recruiting gamers for one of the nation’s most demanding jobs may seem unconventional, the FAA said the concept was inspired by feedback from experienced air traffic controllers already working in the profession.

“With only about 25 percent of controllers holding a traditional college degree, this effort is focused on reaching talented young people pursuing alternative career paths, many of whom are active in gaming. Feedback from controller exit interviews reinforces this, with several controllers pointing to gaming as an influence on their ability to think quickly, stay focused, and manage complexity,” the FAA said.

When the hiring campaign first opened, applications were limited to 8,000 prospective candidates. As of Aug. 9, Duffy reported that the FAA had already achieved 94% of its hiring target.

{Matzav.com}

The State Department under President Donald Trump has canceled more than 175,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals accused of a wide range of criminal offenses since the beginning of last year, including violent crimes, fraud, theft, drunk driving, immigration violations, and threats to national security.

State Department officials said this week that many of the visa revocations have involved individuals accused of assault, driving under the influence, theft, drug-related offenses, fraud, immigration violations, and activities deemed harmful to U.S. national security.

Officials added that numerous visas have also been revoked from foreign nationals accused of crimes such as child abuse, assault, embezzlement, and reckless driving.

Among the cases cited by the department was a foreign national whose visa was revoked after being charged with rape and battery involving a mentally disabled victim. Another individual lost visa privileges after being charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking, and exploitation of a minor.

Officials also highlighted several other examples of recent visa revocations.

One case involved a foreign national arrested on charges including disorderly conduct, violently resisting arrest, driving under the influence, and domestic violence.

At a U.S. embassy in North Africa, officials revoked more than 100 visas issued to so-called “birth tourists”—parents who allegedly traveled to the United States primarily so their children would be born with American citizenship.

Another foreign national had a visa revoked after being charged with sodomy of a child and aggravated battery.

In another case, authorities revoked the visa of a foreign national charged with more than a dozen counts involving possession of child sexual abuse material.

Another individual lost visa privileges after being arrested while allegedly driving with heroin in the vehicle and a blood alcohol concentration more than three times the legal limit.

The State Department also revoked visas belonging to several foreign nationals who publicly celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, including one who wrote, “when fascists die, democrats don’t complain,” and another who stated that he “died too late.”

Officials also pointed to the case of a foreign national who claimed to run a legitimate business assisting vulnerable patients with healthcare but was allegedly involved in orchestrating a Medicaid fraud scheme that billed more than $5 million for services that were never provided.

In another example, a foreign national allegedly created a business through fraudulent means by fabricating revenue figures and deceiving investors out of millions of dollars. According to officials, the individual also used forged documents and false claims to obtain a U.S. visa.

The department also revoked the visa of a foreign national who entered the United States to teach children but was later arrested for allegedly assaulting one of the students.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has separately revoked visas held by foreign nationals whom the administration considers threats to national security, including a Cuban national with ties to the communist regime.

The crackdown has also included Iranian nationals with alleged ties to the Iranian regime, a Laotian child sex offender who had previously received a pardon from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and a Kuwaiti national accused of expressing support for violence against President Trump while referring to Americans as the “enemy.”

Megan Romer, co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is facing widespread condemnation after saying in a recent interview that Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel was “largely inevitable” and indicating that she likely would have attended a pro-Hamas rally held the day after the attack.

During an interview with The New Yorker‘s David Remnick, Romer was asked about Democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier, who took part in an anti-Israel, pro-Hamas demonstration in New York City on October 8, 2023. Remnick asked whether Romer would have attended the rally herself had she been in New York.

“You would have gone to that rally, had you been able?” Remnick asked.

“That’s a good question. I probably would have,” Romer replied. “Yeah, yeah. I don’t live in New York City, so I wouldn’t have —”

Remnick then questioned whether she was comfortable supporting such a demonstration immediately after Hamas’ attack on Israel.

“One day after the slaughter of 1,200 people and taking of over 200 hostages, you would have come and rallied behind Hamas?”

“I think that Oct. 7 was largely inevitable,” she replied. “If you put people in an open-air concentration camp and you deprive them of rights, of dignity, of food, of the ability to live in safety, you have to expect that they are going to not take that for that long. And that is not defending any harm of civilians or of non-combatants —”

When Remnick suggested that her comments amounted to support for the attack, Romer rejected that characterization.

“I’m saying that I think it was inevitable.”

Her remarks immediately drew condemnation from several pro-Israel organizations.

“I agree with DSA Co-chair Megan Romer that the October 7 attacks were in many ways inevitable — but not for the libelous reasons she cited,” Zionist Organization of America National President Morton A. Klein told Fox News Digital.

“When Gazans elected Hamas – a terror organization whose charter calls for murdering every Jew and destroying Israel, October 7 was the result,” he added. “When Qatar and Iran gave arms and hundreds of millions of dollars to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, gave sanctuary to Hamas leaders, and helped terror groups plan attacks on Israel, October 7 was the result.”

Klein continued by arguing that a number of additional factors contributed to the attack.

“When UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency) teaches children to hate and murder Jews, employs Hamas terrorists as teachers and principals, stores weapons for Hamas, and provides communications centers for Hamas, October 7 is the result. When Israel, under pressure from the Biden administration, issued thousands of work permits to enter Israel to Hamas terrorists and scouts, October 7 was the result,” he continued.

He warned that Israel must take steps to prevent a similar attack from happening again.

“And now, when Hamas is refusing to really disarm, and is vowing to commit more and more October 7ths, we must enable Israel to ensure its safety by retaining a buffer zone in Gaza and insisting on Hamas’ disarmament prior to any other peace plan steps,” he said. “Or else another October 7 will be the result. Regarding Romer’s lies, the parties ‘imprisoning’ Gaza are Hamas, PIJ and other terror groups. By contrast, Israel facilitated tons of food, water, medical and other supplies into Gaza — while Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad launched 30,000 rockets at Israeli civilians.”

The Anti-Defamation League also criticized Romer’s comments, directing Fox News Digital to a series of posts it published on X condemning the interview.

“What she said and doubled down on in this interview should concern every American. Because this kind of hateful and demonizing rhetoric against the only Jewish state in the world goes well beyond criticism of a government or its policies, and it puts every Jewish American at risk,” the ADL tweeted on its official account.

The organization specifically objected to Romer’s remarks about the rally and the October 7 massacre.

“Romer shamelessly said she ‘probably would have’ attended the pro-Hamas rally held in NYC on 10/8/23, just one day after Hamas murdered more than 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages, including babies, children, young women, mothers, and elderly people. She also called the Hamas-led October 7 massacre a mere ‘revolt’ and ‘largely inevitable.’ There is no justification for rape, kidnapping, torture, and slaughter.”

The ADL concluded its statement by linking to an entry in its database about the Democratic Socialists of America, arguing that the organization’s growing influence extends well beyond the political fringe.

“DSA now has over 120,000 members and 250+ elected officials across 40 states in the U.S. Radical groups like DSA are no longer on the fringes of society, they have infiltrated mainstream politics and have the ability to impact laws and policies affecting everyone.”

Rabbi Yaakov Menken, executive vice president of the Coalition for Jewish Values, also sharply criticized Romer’s comments, calling the DSA “objectively antisemitic.”

“She used a mythological inversion of reality to justify both a murderous pogrom and an ongoing plan of starvation, torture, rape, and murder,” Menken said.

{Matzav.com}

New York City prosecutors are urging the court to impose strict controls during the upcoming murder trial of Luigi Mangione, warning that his supporters could attempt to intimidate witnesses and influence jurors in the closely watched case involving the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

In a letter submitted Monday evening to Judge Gregory Carro, Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann argued that the extraordinary public attention surrounding the case has created unusual risks for the judicial process.

“The media attention surrounding this case — and the efforts of some of defendant’s supporters both to intimidate witnesses and to interfere with the functioning of the jury — will place extraordinary pressure on witnesses and potential jurors alike,” Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote in a letter to Judge Gregory Carro Monday evening.

Prosecutors are asking the court to tightly regulate access to the courtroom and ensure that all courtroom rules are rigorously enforced when the trial begins next month.

They also cautioned against creating an overflow room for additional members of the media, arguing that courthouse personnel could have difficulty policing such a space if it is opened to accommodate reporters who cannot fit inside the main courtroom.

“We are particularly concerned about the possibility that a spectator in an overflow courtroom will clandestinely record the proceedings and share any such recordings with others,” prosecutors wrote. “That concern will only be heightened if the overflow room includes a video feed as well as an audio feed.”

Seidemann recommended that, if an overflow room is ultimately approved, it should carry only live audio rather than video in order to reduce the risk of witnesses being identified or harassed.

“it include only an audio feed so as to minimize the potential for witness intimidation and harassment.”

Legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said the defense appears to be pursuing a strategy that differs from what is typically seen in high-profile criminal cases.

“The conventional wisdom is that the defense usually doesn’t want high-profile cases broadcast. It can put implicit pressure on jurors to return a guilty verdict,” Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told Fox News Digital last week.

Rahmani suggested Mangione’s attorneys may believe the widespread publicity could actually work in their client’s favor because of the public support he has attracted.

“There’s upwards of 10 to 20 percent of the people who have been surveyed who believe that even if he did it, it was justified,” Rahmani said. “And I think the defense knows this, and they know that more attention creates the possibility of jury nullification, or maybe even an acquittal.”

Thompson, a 50-year-old Minnesota father of two, was shot from behind while walking to a business conference outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4, 2024. Surveillance footage captured a gunman firing multiple shots before fleeing the scene. Mangione was arrested several days later at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Mangione briefly appeared in court Tuesday for a pretrial conference ahead of next month’s proceedings before Judge Carro.

During the hearing, the issue of cameras in the courtroom was not addressed. Judge Carro did, however, warn that anyone using a cellphone inside either the courtroom or any overflow room would be immediately removed.

“There has never been a decision by this court to exclude or limit,” he said. “There have been discussions on expanding.”

Mangione’s attorneys have asked the court to allow the trial to be televised, even though New York law generally prohibits broadcasting criminal trials.

Earlier this year, the defense announced plans to pursue a psychiatric defense in the state prosecution but withdrew that strategy just one day later.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all eight state charges against him, including second-degree murder, a charge that carries a potential sentence of 25 years to life in prison if he is convicted under New York law.

In addition to the state prosecution, Mangione also faces federal charges stemming from the killing. That separate federal trial is expected to begin early next year.

{Matzav.com}

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has launched an inquiry into The New York Times, demanding internal company records that he argues could reveal whether editorial decisions have created legal and financial risks for shareholders, including Florida’s public retirement system, which holds millions of dollars in the company’s stock.

In a 28-page letter sent Monday, the Republican attorney general requested documents detailing how the newspaper reviewed several controversial stories and what information the company’s board received regarding potential legal exposure and financial liability stemming from those publications.

According to Uthmeier, the probe is “grounded in concrete corporate risk, not generalized dissatisfaction with editorial judgment.”

To support his argument, Uthmeier cited Fox News’ nearly $800 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, saying it demonstrates how editorial choices can have enormous financial consequences for publicly traded media companies and their investors.

“Editorial malpractice does not always kill a media enterprise,” Uthmeier wrote. “But it always sends a bill.”

The New York Times strongly rejected the attorney general’s actions, accusing him of attempting to pressure the newspaper over its reporting.

“We are aware of the demand letter, which, while positioned as a request under corporate law, is a clear attempt to chill First Amendment-protected journalism,” Danielle Rhoades Ha, the Times’ senior vice president for communications, said in a statement obtained by Politico.

“We will respond more fully in due course.”

Uthmeier contends that the newspaper has experienced “publicly documented failures” to adhere to its own editorial guidelines. He also alleges that its opinion section has been used to “publish reported factual assertions outside the newsroom’s verification controls.”

Among the central issues in the investigation is a May opinion column by Nicholas Kristof titled “The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians,” which alleged that Israeli authorities used dogs to rape Palestinian prisoners.

The column drew sharp condemnation from Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, who threatened legal action and described it as “one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel.”

The Times defended the article and its reporting process, stating that Kristof’s work “underwent a rigorous vetting process by Opinion’s fact-checking department to ensure that every testimony and anecdote he personally reported was supported by independent sources, as is the case with all sensitive pieces.”

As part of the inquiry, Uthmeier is seeking records indicating whether The New York Times’ board of directors was informed about the controversy surrounding Kristof’s column and any resulting consequences. He is also requesting documents related to other reporting by the newspaper, including a June article involving former Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.

“The Times tells investors that its brand and reputation are its most important assets, and that if people see its journalism as unreliable or biased, the company can be hurt,” Uthmeier said Monday.

“So, we want to exercise our rights under New York law to review the company’s internal board documents, meeting minutes, reports, and other materials, to see what the directors know.”

The attorney general has given the newspaper two weeks to produce the requested documents.

Florida’s retirement system has a financial stake in the outcome. According to a May filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Florida Retirement System owned 147,831 shares of The New York Times Company, valued at approximately $12.4 million. The pension fund provides benefits to more than 1.2 million current and former public employees and their beneficiaries.

{Matzav.com}