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Sparks flew at Wednesday night’s New York City mayoral debate as Andrew Cuomo took aim at Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani, claiming the socialist candidate wouldn’t stand a chance against President Donald Trump.

“He thinks he’s a kid and he’s going to knock him on his tuchus,” Cuomo said, warning that Mamdani’s inexperience would spell disaster for the city when dealing with the president.

The independent candidate and former governor argued that facing Trump requires both strength and savvy. “It is a balance, but you’re going to have to be adversarial when you need to. But you want to cooperate to get good things done in this city, and you need federal help,” Cuomo explained, casting himself as the only contender capable of managing that tightrope.

When asked about Trump’s aggressive governing style, Cuomo insisted the only way to handle him was head-on. Calling the president “hyper-aggressive,” he said New York’s next mayor must be tough enough to push back while knowing when to strike a deal.

Mamdani didn’t let Cuomo’s remarks slide, firing back with biting criticism. “We heard from Donald Trump’s puppet himself, Andrew Cuomo,” Mamdani shot back, accusing his opponent of being too cozy with the president.

“You can turn on TV any day of the week, and you will hear Donald Trump share that his pick for mayor is Andrew Cuomo, and he wants Andrew Cuomo to be the mayor, not because it will be good for New Yorkers, but because it will be good for him,” Mamdani fumed, framing Cuomo as a stooge for Trump’s interests rather than the city’s.

The Queens assemblyman said he would work with Trump where possible — especially on affordability — but vowed to resist him “on immigration crackdowns and other hot-button issues.”

While the two front-runners traded jabs, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa took a different tone, criticizing both opponents for turning their campaigns into contests of toughness against Trump. “My adversaries have decided to bump chests with President Trump to prove who’s more macho,” he quipped.

Sliwa argued that fighting Trump is a losing strategy for the city. “You can’t beat Trump. He holds most of the cards. He has already cut federal funding for Medicaid, for the SNAP program and is threatening cut funds for NYCHA. So if you all of a sudden going to get adversarial, you’re going to lose. And who gets hurt? The people of New York City with Trump, it’s always the ‘art of the deal.’”

The showdown, held at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, marked the final debate before the November 4 general election. Early voting begins this weekend and will run through Sunday, November 2, setting the stage for what could be one of the most unpredictable races in recent New York City history.

{Matzav.com}

General Motors announced Wednesday that it will integrate Google’s Gemini AI into its vehicles and debut a Cadillac Escalade capable of “eyes-off” driving by 2028. At the “GM Forward” event, the automaker said Gemini will let drivers “talk to your car as naturally as a passenger,” while the Escalade will build on GM’s 600,000 miles of hands-free “Super Cruise” roads, which have had no crash reports. The electric SUV will also feature a computing platform updating all major systems, from propulsion to infotainment. GM shares rose 0.5% Wednesday, after a nearly 15% jump Tuesday following strong third-quarter results.

President Donald Trump has unleashed a powerful new round of sanctions targeting Russia’s top two oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, following what he described as Vladimir Putin’s failure to negotiate in “an honest and forthright manner” over Ukraine.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the measures on Wednesday, saying the administration had reached the end of its patience after months of stalled diplomacy. “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine,” Bessent said in a statement, adding that the department stands ready “to take further action if necessary” to back Trump’s efforts to bring the conflict to an end.

The announcement came just a day after the White House canceled a planned Trump-Putin summit in Budapest, a meeting that had been billed as a potential breakthrough but was scrapped due to what U.S. officials called a total lack of progress in ceasefire negotiations.

Bessent, speaking to Fox Business shortly before the sanctions were unveiled, described the move as “one of the largest sanctions that we have done against the Russian Federation.” He explained that while the president had initially pursued diplomacy, his patience had worn thin after seeing no signs of compromise from Moscow.

“President Putin has not come to the table in an honest and forthright manner, as we’d hoped,” Bessent said, revealing that Trump had reached the decision to escalate pressure after their last phone conversation six days earlier.

According to Bessent, Trump’s frustration had been growing since his in-person meeting with Putin in Alaska this past August. “President Trump walked away when he realized that things were not moving forward,” the Treasury chief said. “There have been behind-the-scenes talks, but I believe that the president is disappointed at where we are in these talks.”

The European Union quickly followed Washington’s lead, announcing fresh penalties of its own. The EU’s latest package includes a ban on importing Russian liquefied natural gas by 2027, the blacklisting of oil tankers aiding Moscow’s exports, and travel restrictions on Russian diplomats.

Trump, who returned to the White House in January, had previously held back from new economic measures against Russia, insisting he wanted to give diplomacy a chance. But after three and a half years of bloodshed and no ceasefire in sight, the president shifted gears dramatically.

Only last week, Trump had publicly expressed optimism after speaking with Putin, claiming the two had agreed to meet in Budapest within two weeks to discuss peace. At the same time, he pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider territorial concessions while rejecting Kyiv’s requests for long-range Tomahawk missiles.

By Tuesday, Trump reversed course again, saying he didn’t want to attend a “wasted meeting” — effectively calling off the planned summit and signaling that his approach toward Moscow had hardened.

The financial markets reacted immediately to the news of the sanctions. Oil prices jumped in after-hours trading, with both WTI and Brent crude rising more than 1% as traders braced for potential disruptions to Russian energy exports.

{Matzav.com}

Philanthropist Reb Louis Scheiner with Kevin McCarthy (former Speaker or the House) at the Rechnitz wedding tonight in Los Angeles.

Hagaon HaRav Dov Landau dancing with philanthropist Reb Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz at the Chasunah of his daughter tonight in Los Angeles. Dozens of Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim from around the globe are in attendance.

North Korea said Thursday that its latest missile tests involved a new hypersonic system aimed at strengthening its nuclear war deterrent, as leader Kim Jong Un continues to build up weapons designed to overwhelm South Korea defenses. The report by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected the North firing multiple missiles from an area south of the capital, Pyongyang, and said they flew about 350 kilometers (217 miles) northeast before falling on land. The tests came days before world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, are expected to gather in rival South Korea for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings. The U.S. Forces Korea said in a statement that it was “fully aware” of North Korea’s ballistic launches and also its “relentless pursuit of long-range missile capabilities.” It urged the North to refrain from “unlawful and destabilizing actions” in violation of U.N. Security Council sanctions, adding that the U.S. commitment to its alliance with Seoul remains “ironclad.” KCNA said the launches involved two hypersonic projectiles that accurately struck a land target in the country’s northern region. It described the system as strategic, implying that the missiles were designed to be armed with nuclear warheads. KCNA didn’t specify the name of the missile system it tested. At a military parade earlier this month, Kim unveiled some of his military’s newest weapons, including what appeared to be a short-range ballistic system fitted with hypersonic glide vehicles. North Korea in recent years has been testing various missile systems tipped with hypersonic weapons, which are designed to fly at more than five times the speed of sound. The speed and maneuverability of such weapons are meant to help them evade regional missile defense systems, but experts have questioned whether they have consistently flown at the speeds the North claimed during tests. Pak Jong Chon, one of Kim’s top military officials who attended Wednesday’s tests, lauded the performance of the “new cutting-edge weapon system” and said the North would continue efforts to bolster its war deterrent and defense capabilities. During the Oct. 10 parade, Kim also unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile that state media described as the country’s most powerful nuclear asset, adding to his growing collection of weapons with potential range to reach the U.S. mainland. Experts say the North could be preparing to test the missile in the coming weeks, ahead of a major ruling party conference in early 2026, when Kim is expected to announce key policy directions, potentially including his approach toward the United States. Kim has been sharply accelerating the pace of weapons tests since his high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with Trump fell apart in 2019 due to wrangling over the U.S.-led economic sanctions. Wednesday’s launches were North Korea’s first ballistic missile tests since liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung took office in June, pledging to restore peace on the Korean Peninsula. But Kim has so far rejected Lee’s offer for talks and has said he won’t resume diplomacy with the United States unless Washington abandons its goal of denuclearizing the North. (AP)

Zohran Mamdani, the outspoken anti-Semitic Muslim socialist leading the New York City mayoral race, came under intense fire tonight as his rivals, Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, ripped into him during their final debate. Both opponents mocked his “fantasy” proposals and took aim at his lack of experience, with one quipping that his résumé “could fit on a cocktail napkin.”

The debate quickly devolved into a slugfest, with Cuomo and Sliwa taking turns going after Mamdani’s record and his sweeping promises. Heated exchanges broke out over issues ranging from anti-Semitism and Mamdani’s anti-Israel statements to the question of mayoral authority over the city’s public schools.

President Trump’s name also surfaced repeatedly throughout the night. Mamdani used the opportunity to lash out at Cuomo, branding him the president’s “puppet,” while Cuomo dismissed the claim and accused Mamdani of peddling empty rhetoric and unworkable socialist dreams.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Construction crews began tearing into the East Wing of the White House this week as work officially kicked off on President Donald Trump’s long-anticipated $250 million ballroom project — a massive addition that will nearly double the size of the historic residence.

The new 90,000-square-foot space is expected to host up to 999 guests and, according to Trump, won’t cost the public “a dime.” He said the entire project is being paid for by “many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”

Initially, Trump and his staff had insisted that the existing structure would remain untouched during construction. “It’ll be near it but not touching it,” the president said earlier this year, while his press secretary Karoline Leavitt added, “Nothing will be torn down.” Those statements didn’t hold up — by Monday, bulldozers were dismantling the East Wing’s façade to make room for the enormous expansion.

The White House later clarified that portions of the East Wing — traditionally home to the first lady’s offices and social staff — are being “modernized” as part of the broader renovation. The East Wing, which faces the Treasury Department across East Executive Avenue, serves as the public entrance for most events and tours.

Trump has long complained that the existing East Room is far too small for major state functions, seating only about 200 guests. “We need a real entertaining space,” he told guests at a recent donor dinner. He has also bristled at past presidents hosting elegant events in temporary outdoor tents on the South Lawn, calling the practice “unbefitting the White House.”

According to renderings released by the administration, the ballroom will reflect the lavish style of Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Palm Beach estate. It will feature bulletproof windows, ornate chandeliers, and gilded details reminiscent of European palaces. The president noted that the original design for 650 guests was expanded to fit 999 — “big enough to hold an inauguration if needed,” he said with a grin.

To fund the project, Trump claims no taxpayer money is being used. Donors from across the country have contributed, and the White House held an East Room dinner last week to thank contributors. Among the sources of funding is $22 million from YouTube, part of a settlement from a 2021 lawsuit Trump filed against the company. Officials have yet to disclose exactly how much Trump himself is investing.

While the president is moving full speed ahead, the National Capital Planning Commission — the federal body responsible for approving major building projects in Washington — has not formally signed off. Trump appointed top aide Will Scharf to lead the commission, and Scharf has argued that demolition doesn’t require review, only new construction.

Trump envisions the existing East Room serving as a reception hall once the ballroom opens, where guests will “mingle, sip cocktails, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres before being called into the ballroom for dinner.” A wall of windows will be removed to connect the two spaces.

The White House expects the ballroom to be finished before Trump’s second term ends in January 2029, an ambitious target for such a sweeping project.

The new addition joins a long list of presidential modifications to the mansion. Trump has already redecorated the Oval Office with portraits and gold accents, turned the Rose Garden into a stone patio, and installed new flagpoles on both lawns. He also renovated the Lincoln Bedroom’s bathroom and replaced flooring in the South Lawn hallway with marble.

Trump’s aides argue that his expansion follows in a centuries-old tradition of presidents reshaping the White House. Jefferson added the colonnades, Monroe the South Portico, and Theodore Roosevelt the West Wing. Franklin D. Roosevelt built the East Wing, while Harry Truman oversaw a complete gut renovation when the structure was deemed unsafe in 1948.

{Matzav.com}

After a push from President Donald Trump earlier this year, Coca-Cola has officially begun selling its iconic cola made with real cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup in select parts of the United States.

A company representative confirmed to CNN that the rollout has started in “select” American cities and retailers, marking the fulfillment of an agreement Trump announced over the summer when he said the beverage giant had “agreed” to use cane sugar in its U.S. cola production.

Coca-Cola’s cane sugar formula is hardly new overseas. Many versions sold abroad—such as in Mexico—already use the ingredient, and several other drinks under the company’s umbrella, including Simply lemonade, Gold Peak iced tea, and Costa canned coffee, are already sweetened with cane sugar domestically.

The shift also aligns with the stance of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has repeatedly condemned high-fructose corn syrup as a harmful additive. The ingredient, long a staple in American sodas due to its lower cost, has faced growing criticism over health concerns and its link to obesity.

While some consumers may welcome the nostalgic taste of sugar-based Coke, nutrition experts have long cautioned that both sweeteners carry health risks. As one previous CNN report noted, soda “isn’t healthy, whether it is made with cane sugar or corn syrup.”

The new rollout comes as Coca-Cola leans into a diversified product lineup emphasizing “better-for-you” drinks, including flavored waters, teas, and low- or zero-sugar options. The company recently relaunched its BodyArmor line and continues to see strong sales from its Smartwater brand.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar remains one of its biggest success stories. The company said the product’s global volume surged 14% last quarter, driving stock prices up more than 3% in early Tuesday trading.

{Matzav.com}

Tesla is recalling 13,000 vehicles in the U.S. due to a battery pack defect that could cause a sudden loss of drive power, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday. The issue affects certain 2025 Model 3 and 2026 Model Y cars and could prevent drivers from accelerating, raising the risk of a crash. Tesla will reportedly replace the faulty battery pack contactor free of charge.

New York City’s mayoral candidates clashed bitterly during their final debate Wednesday evening, as Democrat Zohran Mamdani tried to maintain his lead and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa cast him as out of his league. While Mamdani began the debate accusing his rivals of being too consumed by fighting — suggesting he would instead focus on his vision for New Yorkers — the state assemblyman repeatedly ended up in the mud with his rivals. Mamdani’s opponents have spent much of the race criticizing the 34-year-old democratic socialist for his relatively thin political resume, his pro-Palestinian advocacy, and President Donald Trump’s threats to take over the city — and even arrest him — if he wins. Cuomo, who is now running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani, has spent recent days urging Sliwa to drop his bid, and has been courting conservatives and moderates, casting himself as a more viable candidate than Sliwa. But Sliwa, the swaggering creator of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, has forcefully maintained he will not exit the race and has in turn ramped up his criticism of the former governor. Here are some key takeaways from the debate: Barbs all around Mamdani entered the debate saying he would try to stay above the fray and keep his focus on voters and issues — like affordability — that have defined his campaign. But the Democratic nominee landed plenty of digs against his rivals, whom he accused of spending more time calling on each other to drop out “than actually proposing their own policies.” Cuomo and Sliwa, he said, “speak only in the past because that is all they know.” “I am the sole candidate running with a vision for the future of this city,” he went on, calling Cuomo “a desperate man, lashing out because he knows that the one thing he cares about, power, is slipping away from him.” Cuomo, meanwhile, touted his experience, and portrayed Mamdani as out of his league. “It’s Bill de Blasio rehash and we know how that turned out,” he said. “I did things. You have never had a job. You’ve never accomplished anything,” he said, insisting Mamdani lacks the merit and qualifications to run the nation’s biggest city or handle an emergency. “Shame on you!” Sliwa accused both men of “fighting like kids in a school yard,” but piled on as well. “Zorhan, your resume could fit on a cocktail napkin. And, Andrew, your failures could fill a public school library in New York City,” he quipped. He also made frequent references to Cuomo’s decision to resign as governor amid a barrage of sexual harassment allegations, which Cuomo denies. Canal Street raid Candidates were asked within minutes about an immigration enforcement sweep targeting vendors on Manhattan’s famed Canal Street that led to 14 arrests. Cuomo responded by touting his squabbles with Trump during the Republican’s first term. Cuomo said the city does not need Immigration and Customs Enforcement to handle quality-of-life crimes like dealing in counterfeit bags. Mamdani similarly pledged to oppose federal interventions in the city, saying “ICE is a reckless entity that cares little for the law and even less for the people that they’re supposed to serve.” The Trump factor Trump again took center stage, as each of the candidates insisted that they would […]

Just hours before the final mayoral debate, a coalition of over 650 Reform and Conservative “rabbis” from across the United States issued a public letter voicing grave concern about the implications of a Zohran Mamdani victory for New York’s Jewish population.

The letter, distributed by the Jewish Majority, included 121 “rabbis” from New York State, more than half of them based in New York City.

“We are writing in our personal capacities to declare that we cannot remain silent in the face of rising anti-Zionism and its political normalization throughout our nation,” the “rabbis “declared in the statement.

The signatories took aim at Mamdani’s record and rhetoric, charging that his refusal to denounce violent anti-Israel slogans and his repeated delegitimization of the Jewish state have emboldened antisemitism in the public sphere. “When public figures like New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani refuse to condemn violent slogans, deny Israel’s legitimacy, and accuse the Jewish state of genocide, they, in the words of New York Board of Rabbis president Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, ‘Delegitimize the Jewish community and encourage and exacerbate hostility toward Judaism and Jews.’”

Among those who signed the document were Rabbi Joshua Davidson of Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi David Gelfand of Temple Israel, Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Kehilath Jeshurun, Rabbi David Ingber of Romemu and 92NY, and Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, who also serves as president of the New York Board of Rabbis.

The letter also highlighted the words of Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue, who warned that the progressive Democrat represents a clear and present danger. The rabbi had recently stated that Mamdani is a “danger to the security of the New York Jewish community.”

In his sermon, Rabbi Cosgrove underscored that Israel and Jewish self-determination are inseparable from Jewish identity. “Zionism, Israel, Jewish self-determination—these are not political preferences or partisan talking points. They are constituent building blocks and inseparable strands of my Jewish identity,” he said. “To accept me as a Jew but to ask me to check my concern for the people and state of Israel at the door is a nonsensical proposition and an offensive one, no different than asking me to reject God, Torah, mitzvot, or any other pillar of my faith.”

The signatories made clear that Jewish pride and safety are not up for debate. “We will not accept a culture that treats Jewish self-determination as a negotiable ideal or Jewish inclusion as something to be ‘granted.’ The safety and dignity of Jews in every city depend on rejecting that false choice,” the letter stated.

Calling for unity, the rabbis urged voters of all backgrounds to take a stand in the upcoming election. “We call on all Americans who value peace and equality to participate fully in the democratic process in order to stand up for candidates who reject antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric, and who affirm Israel’s right to exist in peace and security,” they wrote.

Their message concluded with a plea for solidarity: “Now is the time for everyone to unite across political and moral divides, and to reject the language that seeks to delegitimize our Jewish identity and our community.”

{Matzav.com}

In an interview with YWN following the shocking arrest of a Ateres Shlomo talmid on Wednesday morning, Harav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlit”a decried the ongoing persecution of bnei Torah in Eretz Yisroel, comparing the situation to the dark days of Soviet oppression. “I came to America to do a job that isn’t easy — to take care of bochurim,” Rav Sorotzkin said. “We have 13,500 talmidim across our mosdos, and every one of them is precious. When I heard this morning that they arrested a choshuve bochur in the yeshiva — an emesdike masmid, whose only ‘crime’ was sitting and learning Torah — I was shaken. We heard such stories from our fathers and grandfathers in Russia, when people were arrested for learning. Now it’s happening again, in Eretz Yisroel.” The bochur, named Ariel Shammai, was sentenced to 20 days in military prison. “He was handed a 20-day prison sentence for one thing,” Rav Sorotzkin said sharply. “For being an oved Hashem and learning Torah.” Following the arrest, a massive atzeres tefillah was held outside the prison Wednesday afternoon. Over 1,200 bnei Torah gathered to show support and solidarity with the imprisoned talmid. The gathering doubled as a psichas zman for the yeshiva, led by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlit”a. “It was a big maamad of kiddush sheim shamayim in a mechubadike way,” said Rav Sorotzkin. “We began Chezkas Habatim there. It gave the bochur chizuk — he saw that Klal Yisroel is with him.” Rav Sorotzkin said that he will be cutting short his trip to America – he had come to fundraise for his massive network of yeshivos – and returning immediately to Eretz Yisroel to take responsibility for the bochur and advocate on his behalf. “I have no breirah,” he said. “I am going straight back to Eretz Yisroel. We have an achrayus for this bochur.” Rav Sorotzkin urged Jews worldwide to be marbitz in tefillah. “We must daven to Hashem: Kra ro’ah gzar dineinu. Klal Yisroel areivim zeh lazeh — we all have an achrayus for one another. The tzarah in Eretz Yisroel is a tzarah for every ben Torah around the world.” He added that fear is spreading among bnei yeshiva. “Many don’t understand that every bochur nowadays is afraid that he could be arrested at any moment. This cannot continue.” The arrest of Ariel Shammai followed a series of shocking overnight raids by military police targeting yeshiva bochurim who have refused army enlistment on religious grounds. In one case, police stormed a home in Ramat Gan at 1:30 a.m. and dragged away a bochur who was in the midst of sitting shiva for his father. The young man’s mother — a disabled almanah — and six orphaned siblings cried out helplessly as he was taken away. After widespread outrage, he was released hours later through the intervention of attorney Shlomo Haddad. Two other bnei yeshiva were arrested the same night — both now facing prison time. Military police also raided homes in Adam, overturning furniture in a failed attempt to arrest two more talmidim, and attempted an arrest in Neve Yaakov, which was thwarted after hundreds of protesters gathered and forced the police to retreat. In response to the arrests, Degel HaTorah convened an emergency meeting of its Knesset members, while Peleg Yerushalmi leaders […]

Several conservative news outlets said Wednesday they had agreed to a new press policy rejected by virtually all legacy media organizations and will take their place in the Pentagon to cover Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the U.S. military. The new Pentagon press corps will include the Gateway Pundit, the National Pulse, Human Events, podcaster Tim Pool, the Just the News website founded by journalist John Solomon, Frontlines by Turning Point USA and LindellTV, run by “MyPillow” CEO Mike Lindell. The Pentagon’s announcement came less than a week after dozens of reporters from outlets like The New York Times, The Associated Press, CNN and the Washington Post turned in their access badges rather than agree to a policy the journalists say will restrict them to covering news approved by Hegseth. Hegseth’s spokesman, Sean Parnell, announced the “next generation” of the Pentagon press corps with more than 60 journalists who had agreed to the new policy. He said 26 journalists who had previously been part of the press corps were among the signees. The department wouldn’t say who any of them were, but several outlets reposted his message on X saying they had signed on. There isn’t even unanimity among organizations that appeal to conservative consumers. Fox News Channel, by far the most popular news source for fans of President Donald Trump, was among the walkouts, as was Newsmax. Accusations of ‘self-righteous media’ In a post on X, Parnell denounced the “self-righteous media who chose to self-deport from the Pentagon.” “Americans have largely abandoned digesting their news through the lens of activists who masquerade as journalists in the mainstream media,” Parnell wrote. “We look forward to beginning a fresh relationship with members of the new Pentagon press corps.” The journalists who left the Pentagon haven’t stopped working covering the U.S. military. Many have been reporting aggressively, for example, on stories about strikes against boats in central America alleged to be part of the drug trade. By not being in the Pentagon, “reporters will have to work harder, there’s no question about it,” said Barbara Starr, a longtime Pentagon reporter retired from CNN. “But the real price is paid by the American people and the American military families,” Starr said. “Military families who have their sons and daughters serving, they want to know everything and they want to know it fast.” Starr wondered about Hegseth: “What is he so afraid of?” New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote a biting piece about the defense secretary over the weekend titled “Fraidy-Cat at the Pentagon.” But Hegseth’s boss, President Trump, has expressed support for the new media policy and Hegseth’s aggressive moves mirror some of those made by the administration. The president has sued outlets like The New York Times and Wall Street Journal for their coverage of him. New outlets must add staff Some of the outlets that accepted Hegseth’s rules will have to staff up for their new roles: Just the News, for example, posted an ad online seeking a Pentagon reporter. The Gateway Pundit’s White House correspondent, Jordan Conradson, posted on Wednesday that he was excited to join the Pentagon press corps “and help restore honest journalism after agreeing to follow basic rules … something the legacy media refuses to do!” Lindell, whose My Pillow ads once blanketed Fox News before he joined the political media, posted a statement that LindellTV was “proud to be part […]

Three months after Israel’s High Court of Justice ordered the Chief Rabbinate to open its rabbinical exams to women, the rabbinate has petitioned the court for a new hearing on the matter, while signaling partial compliance by allowing women to take certain tests, Times of Israel reports.

In a legal document filed Sunday, the rabbinate wrote, “The chief rabbis’ position is that there are relevant differences between men and women regarding the possibility of receiving rabbinical ordination or qualifications, as well as in matters of Torah study.” Still, it acknowledged that “there is no obstacle for women to study certain subjects, including, first and foremost, laws relating to everyday life.” The statement added, “In accordance with this position, the chief rabbis believe that there is also no obstacle for women to be tested by the Chief Rabbinate in some of the aforementioned exams on these laws.”

The rabbinate cited halachic areas such as Shabbos and taharas hamishpachah as examples of topics open to female examinees. It also requested that the court delay implementing the earlier decision until another hearing can be held and new guidelines are established.

That request immediately drew criticism from women’s rights petitioners, who opposed any postponement of the ruling. Such hearings are rarely granted, making the rabbinate’s petition an uphill legal effort.

The Chief Rabbinate’s exams are the gateway to official rabbinic recognition in Israel. Applicants must pass at least six rigorous tests covering the main areas of halacha, including kashrus, Shabbos, and taharas hamishpachah. Those who complete the full series earn the Yoreh Yoreh certification, which can carry economic and professional benefits, including eligibility for certain public-sector jobs and salary enhancements equivalent to an academic degree.

The legal battle over women’s eligibility to take these exams began in 2019, when five female Torah scholars and three advocacy organizations—focused on advancing women’s and religious rights—petitioned the High Court. They argued that the rabbinate’s exams, being publicly funded, must be open to all qualified candidates regardless of gender. Previous attempts to create equivalent state-sanctioned alternatives through the Religious Affairs or Labor ministries had failed.

In July, the High Court ruled in favor of the petitioners, declaring that women must be allowed to register for the rabbinate’s tests. Despite that decision, the rabbinate has not yet opened registration for the next round of exams scheduled for next month and has now asked permission to conduct those tests under the old regulations.

“This is a request that raises shameful arguments regarding the status of women and their ability to study and engage in Torah,” said Rabbi Seth Farber, head of the ITIM religious rights organization, one of the main petitioners. “These claims shame the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and risk setting us back by years, and undermining the revolution in women’s Torah study.”

Among the original petitioners are Farber’s wife, Michelle Cohen Farber; Avital Engelberg, head of Yeshivat Maharat’s Israeli branch; Shlomit Flint, a Talmud teacher at Midreshet Be’er; Rabbanit Sarah Segal-Katz; and two advocacy groups, the Rackman Center for the Advancement of Women’s Status and the Kolech Religious Women Forum.

Segal-Katz told Ynet that the rabbinate’s new request ignores the spirit of the court’s ruling. “The Chief Rabbinate’s request for an additional hearing pushes us backward,” she said. “Even the attempt to present the distinction based on whether women are exempt from some [Torah] commandments does not justify preventing them from learning the subjects or being tested on them.”

The High Court has yet to decide whether to reopen the case, but the rabbinate’s stance has reignited a debate over women’s access to advanced Torah scholarship—and over how far the state’s religious authorities are willing to go in recognizing it.

{Matzav.com}

In a freewheeling Rose Garden speech, President Donald Trump compared his record to that of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, while boasting about his “Walk of Fame” addition outside the White House.

“Hey, they didn’t put out eight wars, nine coming,” he said. “We put out eight wars, and the ninth is coming, believe it or not.”

Trump, gesturing proudly toward the lineup of presidential portraits stretching from Washington to himself, admitted that even he would have to yield first place to the nation’s founding father. Still, the self-congratulation didn’t stop there.

The president then told the audience about a TV commentator who had once ranked him third behind Washington and Lincoln.

“I got extremely angry at this man,” Trump, 79, admitted.

He didn’t clarify who the commentator was, though Trump made a similar claim earlier this year in a Fox interview with Bret Baier, where he said someone told him that even a Washington-Lincoln ticket couldn’t defeat him.

Looking out over the audience, Trump called to Sen. John Thune, joking about his place in presidential history.

“It’s gonna be, it’s gonna be tough to beat—Mr. Senator—it’s gonna be—John—it’s gonna be tough to beat Washington and Lincoln, but we’re gonna give it a try.“

Trump then returned to one of his favorite boasts — claiming credit for having “ended eight wars,” a point he raised to bolster his self-comparison with America’s most revered leaders.

Despite his claims, historians continue to rate Trump near the bottom of presidential rankings. In C-SPAN’s 2021 survey, he placed fourth from last, while Lincoln and Washington took the top two spots. And in 2024, members of the American Political Science Association ranked Trump dead last.

His assertion of “ending eight wars” has also been widely debunked. Analysts note that many of the conflicts he cites, like those in the Congo or between Israel and Hamas, have continued, while others he names — including Serbia and Kosovo or Egypt and Ethiopia — weren’t wars to begin with.

The Rose Garden event had been billed as a celebration of the East Wing’s demolition to make way for Trump’s new $200 million White House ballroom. But the ceremony quickly turned into a mix of grandstanding and score-settling.

At one point, Trump took aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, mocking him for being criticized by “AOC plus 3,” his mocking label for the progressive members of “The Squad.” He then veered into a familiar anecdote about asking Sudan’s president to “take Rep. Ilhan Omar back.”

{Matzav.com}

Amid the government shutdown, TSA workers are turning to part-time jobs and credit cards to cover their expenses.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) delivered a grim warning Tuesday night about what he called a “growing cancer” of antisemitism emerging on the American right — a rare public rebuke from one of the GOP’s most prominent conservatives. Speaking at Hagee Ministries’ 45th annual Night to Honor Israel in San Antonio, Cruz said that while antisemitism had long taken root on the political left, he now sees an alarming rise among conservatives. “In the last six months, I have seen antisemitism rising on the right in a way I have never seen in my entire life,” Cruz said to a packed audience. “This poison of antisemitism on the right — it is spreading with young people. It is gaining traction.” The Texas senator, a longtime ally of Israel, said that when he met recently with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he warned that online hate was no longer just “AstroTurf” from foreign governments but “organic — real people, real voices.” Cruz cited examples of right-wing figures who have downplayed Adolf Hitler’s crimes, calling them “the embodiment of evil,” and denounced the spread of “replacement theology” among some young Christians — the belief that the Christian church has replaced the Jewish people. “They are being taught lies — theological lies,” Cruz said. “The promises God made to Israel are still good. They are still valid.” Cruz’s comments come amid intensifying debates within the Republican Party over support for Israel and rising antisemitic rhetoric online. In recent months, he has clashed with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, both of whom have been criticized for remarks sympathetic to anti-Israel sentiment. “The church is asleep right now,” Cruz told the audience, urging faith leaders to confront the issue directly. “If we don’t root this out, it will rot the moral core of the right — and of America itself.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Led by Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, Democrats seized the Senate floor on Wednesday to protest President Donald Trump’s presidency amid the government shutdown and push for Republicans to negotiate with them on expiring health subsidies. Merkley spoke for more than 22 hours — from 6:21 p.m. Tuesday to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday — pausing for lengthy questions from other Democratic senators. His speech was one of the longest in Senate history, just short of a similar speech in April by Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. Booker, who was also protesting Trump, broke the record for longest continuous Senate speech by going for more than 25 hours, surpassing a 1957 speech by Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Thurmond was filibustering the advance of the Civil Rights Act. The senator’s talk-a-thon came as Democrats have forced the government shutdown over their demands to extend government health care subsidies, and as Republicans have refused to negotiate over the expiring tax credits until Democrats vote to reopen the government. Democrats have voted 12 times to keep it closed — most recently Wednesday evening — and the two sides have made little progress toward a resolution. Merkley said on the Senate floor that Republicans were the ones shutting down the government “to continue the strategy of slashing Americans’ health care” after passing cuts to Medicaid and other programs over the summer. He used several hours of his speech to describe what he said were Trump’s authoritarian moves, including attacks on the press and policies that Democrats say are enriching billionaires at the expense of regular people. He said that Trump’s plan is to replace a government “by and for the people with a government by and for the powerful.” As he wrapped up his speech, Merkley said that authoritarianism “is not around the corner,” but “here right now.” Merkley gave another lengthy floor speech in 2017, speaking for more than 15 hours to protest Trump’s then-nomination of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Like Booker, Merkley’s speech was not a filibuster, which is meant to halt or delay the advance of a specific piece of legislation. By holding the floor open overnight, Merkley forced Senate floor staff, security and other support workers who are currently unpaid to work overtime hours. The government has been shut down since Oct. 1. “The Democrats are going to make Capitol Police and Capitol support staff — who they refuse to pay — work all night so they can give speeches patting themselves on the back for shutting down the government and hurting the American people,” Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, posted on X Tuesday night. “How ridiculous is that?” Immediately after Merkley’s speech, Barrasso mocked the Democratic senator and called his speech “rubbish.” Merkley appeared tired for much of the day, saying in the early afternoon that he was “starting to feel a little dazed” and later that “my stamina is getting a little shaky.” But he kept going until early evening. He said afterward that he was able to keep going, without a bathroom break or any food, because of “dehydration” and not eating beforehand. At around 2:45 a.m., only a few hours in, Merkley paused to untie his shoelace. He said standing in one place had “made my shoes a little tight.” […]

Los Angeles was transformed this week into a vibrant center of Torah activity, as tens of thousands joined together in tefillah, chizuk, and unity on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah. The multi-day event included tefillos in private homes, shiurim delivered by leading roshei yeshiva, a grand community dinner, and a massive public rally attended by multitudes in the city’s Saban Stadium last night.

The mission of Gedolei Yisroel to strengthen Keren Olam HaTorah began Tuesday morning with tefillos in the homes of generous hosts who had the merit of welcoming the visiting gedolim. Prominent philanthropists and members of the Los Angeles community joined in the uplifting tefillos, setting the tone for a day devoted entirely to the honor of Torah.

Throughout the day, shiurim and divrei chizuk were delivered in the city’s yeshivos and kollelim by the roshei yeshiva. Among those who addressed the gatherings were Rav Chaim Peretz Berman, Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh, and Rav Yosef Chevroni, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron, whose words inspired deep reflection and renewed commitment to Torah study and support.

At midday, a major fundraising dinner was hosted at the home of Reb Yitzchok Unger. Dozens of leading members of the community took part in the elegant and spiritually charged event. Throughout the evening, divrei chizuk and heartfelt expressions of gratitude were shared by the visiting rabbonim, who praised the donors for their devotion to sustaining Torah learning. Deeply moved by the call to action, participants pledged substantial contributions to Keren Olam HaTorah, driven by a shared sense of mission and partnership with the lomdei Torah in Eretz Yisroel.

The highlight of the day came that evening, when the grand rally was held at Los Angeles’ Saban Stadium. The massive arena was filled to capacity as thousands gathered to hear words of inspiration from Gedolei Yisroel in a scene of awe and unity rarely witnessed in the city.

Presiding over the gathering was Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, joined by other gedolim including Rav Yaakov Hillel, Rav Yeruchem Olshin, Rav Chaim Peretz Berman, Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, and Rav Yosef Chevroni.

The event left an indelible impression on the city’s Jewish community. As the uplifting evening drew to a close, countless attendees came forward to contribute generously toward the continued growth of Keren Olam HaTorah and the strengthening of Torah study across Eretz Yisroel.

PHOTOS:

{Matzav.com}