Feed aggregator

A controversial bill approved by New York Democrats would remove references to “mother” and “father” from numerous state laws and replace them with gender-neutral language, a move that is already drawing fierce criticism from Republicans and conservatives while supporters argue it reflects modern family structures.

Under the legislation, references to a “mother” would be changed to “gestating parent,” while “father” would be replaced by “non-gestating parent” or simply “parent” in various sections of family, domestic relations, and education law. The measure cleared the Assembly earlier this year and won Senate approval this week.

The legislation would also alter legal terminology used in family court proceedings. Cases traditionally classified as paternity matters would instead be referred to as parentage proceedings.

In addition, the bill would replace the legal designation of a “putative father” with the term “an alleged parent” in official state documents. The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Luis Sepulveda of the Bronx and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin of Westchester and now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochul for consideration.

Opponents blasted the proposal as an example of political correctness overriding common language and practical concerns.

“It’s woke culture run amok. It’s one-upmanship,” said state Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar, a former longtime state Senate and Assembly staffer.

“It’s an example of how out of tune the New York legislature is. It’s an unnecessary and wasteful use of time,” Kassar said.

Kassar argued that the measure could encourage lawmakers to pursue additional language-related legislation while more pressing issues remain unresolved. He pointed to the prolonged budget process as evidence that Albany’s priorities are misplaced.

“Imagine people who are considering moving to New York seeing this and saying, ‘Do I need this silliness?’ This is a really weird group of elected officials. It comes out of left field,” he said.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman also criticized the proposal and linked it to broader Democratic policies.

“Democrats led by Kathy Hochul have continued their declaration of war on New York families by canceling the loving terms of Mom and Dad and replacing them with ‘gestating and non-gestating parent,’” Blakeman said in a statement. “The insanity ends when I’m Governor.”

Republican lawmakers who opposed the measure said it demonstrates how disconnected Albany has become from the concerns of ordinary residents.

“At a time when New Yorkers are being crushed by utility bills, rising costs, and public safety concerns, Albany Democrats have decided one of their final priorities in the last days of session should be replacing mothers and fathers in state law,” said Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R-Nassau). “That is not what families are asking for. I am a mother and proud to be called ‘mother.’”

“New Yorkers are proud to celebrate moms and dads, and they would rather we, as lawmakers, focus on the issues that actually matter,” she said.

The proposal reportedly generated skepticism even among some Democrats. As the legislative session winds down, not all members of the majority party appeared enthusiastic about the wording changes.

“I have a word we can use for this, ‘unnecessary,’” one Democratic lawmaker told The Post.

The debate unfolded shortly after lawmakers finally approved New York’s $268 billion state budget, which had been delayed for nearly two months amid disagreements within the Democratic majority.

Asked Wednesday whether she supports the legislation, Hochul declined to take a position, saying she had not yet reviewed the bill.

“Well, I’m not familiar with what was introduced,” Hochul said at an unrelated event in Brooklyn Wednesday. “I’ll take a look at it. This has been my practice for five years.”

Supporters of the measure argue that the language updates are necessary to reflect existing legal realities and the way family courts already handle certain cases involving surrogacy arrangements and same-sex couples.

According to a memorandum accompanying the bill, the revisions are intended to bring statutory language into line with current legal standards and family court practices.

Attorneys who specialize in adoption law said the traditional terminology no longer reflects the range of family structures recognized under New York law.

“You have adoptive parents who are of the same gender in New York. There are two male parents, two female parents,” said adoption lawyer Leslie Silver-Hoffman.

Sepulveda defended the legislation, saying it simply updates legal terminology to match existing statutes and judicial rulings.

“The bill was needed to be consistent with current statute and case law,” he said.

The proposal also drew criticism from Rep. Claudia Tenney, who argued that lawmakers should be focused on other concerns facing New Yorkers.

“At a time when New Yorkers are struggling with high taxes, rising costs, and public safety concerns, Albany Democrats are focused on redefining motherhood,” Tenney said. “This is yet another example of out-of-touch politicians prioritizing progressive ideology over the issues that actually matter to hardworking New Yorkers.”

The legislation is the latest example of a broader push toward gender-neutral language in New York government.

In recent years, the state has adopted requirements encouraging the use of terms such as “they,” “them,” and “theirs” in official laws, regulations, and resolutions rather than language tied specifically to males or females.

The trend also extends to identity documents. In 2018, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council approved legislation allowing residents to select an “X” designation on birth certificates to identify as non-binary.

{Matzav.com}

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was reached in Washington after two days of intensive talks hosted by the United States, with the deal centered on ending Hezbollah’s military activity in southern Lebanon and advancing broader peace negotiations between the neighboring countries.

A joint statement released at the conclusion of Wednesday’s discussions said the ceasefire would only take effect if Hezbollah completely halts its attacks and removes all of its operatives from the area south of the Litani River. The agreement makes implementation of the truce directly dependent on those requirements being met.

As part of the arrangement, Israel and Lebanon agreed to move forward rapidly with the establishment of pilot security zones in which the Lebanese Armed Forces will exercise exclusive authority, without the presence of any armed non-state groups. Officials said the initiative is intended to create momentum toward a wider peace and security framework between the two nations.

The United States, Israel, and Lebanon also delivered a strong message against outside influence, declaring that they “rejected any attempt, by any state or non-state actor, to hold Lebanon’s future hostage,” while emphasizing that relations between the countries “must be decided by the two sovereign governments”.

Both sides further stated that they “reaffirmed that they have no hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence”.

The latest diplomatic effort follows defense consultations held at the Pentagon on May 29, where officials began formulating a broader strategic vision for the region. According to the statement, the plan seeks to guarantee “ensuring the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Lebanon and Israel,” while requiring the “dismantlement of non-state armed groups, and the prevention of their re-emergence”. Participants also jointly “condemned Iran’s attacks on countries in the region, and ongoing activities that undermine stability throughout the Middle East”.

Washington reiterated its commitment to strengthening the Lebanese military so it can fully enforce government authority throughout the country. American officials also pointed to comments made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on June 2, when he said that “Hezbollah is not just an enemy of Israel and an enemy of America, but that it is an enemy of Lebanon”.

Israel maintained during the negotiations that its long-term security can “only be achieved through the disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantlement of its infrastructure throughout Lebanon”. Lebanon, meanwhile, emphasized “the necessity for mutual respect of internationally recognized borders” and underscored “the urgent need for full implementation of the cessation of hostilities”.

Under the agreement, negotiators are expected to “reconvene the political and security tracks the week of June 22, with a view toward reaching a comprehensive agreement,” while the United States continues to serve as the primary mediator.

The Washington meeting marked the fourth round of American-sponsored negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.

Following the first round of talks on April 23, attended by Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, President Donald Trump voiced optimism that a peace agreement between the two countries could be reached before the end of the year.

Trump also said he would like to host Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington within the coming weeks.

Aoun has made it clear, however, that a meeting with Netanyahu is not currently under consideration, arguing that securing and maintaining the ceasefire must come before any direct political engagement between the two leaders.

The Lebanese president has also recently reiterated that a complete Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon remains a “non-negotiable” condition for any final agreement.

{Matzav.com}

A former NYPD detective was sentenced Wednesday to four years in federal prison after admitting his role in a large-scale fraud operation that helped dozens of people obtain pandemic-relief loans through falsified documents.

John Bolden, 47, of Valley Stream, was also ordered to repay $303,138 and surrender $112,002 in illicit proceeds. Prosecutors said the scheme sought to obtain nearly $3 million from the federal government through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was created to help businesses survive the economic turmoil caused by COVID-19.

Federal prosecutors said Bolden abused both his position in law enforcement and his involvement in the tax-preparation industry to facilitate the fraud.

“Despite being a police officer sworn to uphold the law, the defendant organized a scheme that enabled dozens of individuals, including clients, family members and NYPD co-workers, to obtain millions in federal funds using fictitious tax records,” US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella said in a statement.

“Bolden brazenly took advantage of a COVID relief program created to help struggling businesses survive an unprecedented national crisis.”

According to court records, Bolden used his role as a partner in a tax-preparation business between May 2020 and October 2022 to prepare and submit fraudulent IRS Schedule C forms that were then used to secure PPP loans for clients.

Investigators said Bolden worked closely with the business’s owner, who was identified in court filings as a co-conspirator. Prosecutors alleged that the owner developed the strategy used to generate the fraudulent loan applications.

Court documents indicate that the owner instructed participants to calculate desired loan amounts by taking the target payout, dividing it by 2.5, and then multiplying the result by 12.

Authorities said Bolden’s mother, Jacqueline Johnson, and his cousin, Christian McKenzie, played key roles in recruiting participants. Prosecutors alleged that they connected numerous clients to the operation and received referral payments, typically between $3,000 and $4,000 for each successful application.

The investigation also found that another NYPD detective, Anthony Carreira, fraudulently obtained PPP funds for himself and his wife and later paid kickbacks to Bolden from the money received.

According to prosecutors, the business owner collected his share of the profits in cash in an effort to conceal the financial trail.

Evidence presented in the case included a May 2020 email sent to Bolden by the owner of the tax-preparation franchise. The email allegedly contained an audio recording advising participants to keep requested loans under $20,000 to maximize the likelihood of loan forgiveness.

“we all want the bread, but we also want the loan forgiveness,” according to court documents.

“That’s the big win,” the owner said.

Bolden pleaded guilty to the charges in February, paving the way for Wednesday’s sentencing.

{Matzav.com}

A 23-year-old Orthodox Jewish woman was assaulted aboard a Manhattan subway train Sunday afternoon after an alleged antisemite launched into a stream of hateful remarks before violently attacking her, police said, the New York Post reports.

Authorities identified the suspect as Diana Smith of the Bronx. According to investigators, Smith began shouting antisemitic comments on a crowded C train in Lower Manhattan shortly after 2 p.m. before targeting the young woman and allegedly grabbing, choking, and assaulting her.

“I was a ragdoll and I couldn’t defend myself – there should have been a human barricade around me,” the young Orthodox Jewish victim, who asked her name be withheld, told The NY Post.

“No one stepped up until it was too late.”

The victim, a nurse originally from Montreal, said she boarded the subway at Jay Street and had only been riding for a short distance when Smith entered the train and began making hostile remarks about Jews to other passengers.

According to the victim, Smith first spoke to one couple “about the dangers of Jews stealing wealth” before directing her attention elsewhere in the train car.

She then turned to another couple and wildly said, “You could always see the reflection of a Jew,” said the Jewish woman.

The victim said she soon realized she had become the focus of Smith’s attention.

“And then she turned towards me, like very targeted, stared me down, and smiled with this very eerie smile that I’ll never forget,” the brave nurse said.

Rather than look away, the victim said she chose to confront the hostility directly.

“I decided in that moment I really did not want to show fear in the face of that, so I stared at her right back down, and I said, ‘So you see my reflection?’ and she said, ‘Yeah, and I smell it on you too.’”

Part of the confrontation was recorded on the victim’s cellphone, capturing some of the suspect’s disturbing comments.

“Jews are eating kids,” she shouted.

According to the victim and police, the situation quickly turned physical. Smith allegedly put her hand around the woman’s throat, escalating the encounter from verbal harassment to violence.

Several passengers attempted to intervene, but the suspect continued shouting.

“It’s OK for Jews to eat kids, but I can’t choke her down.”

Moments later, the victim said her phone was knocked from her hand and Smith allegedly wrapped both hands around her neck before kicking and pushing her to the floor.

During the attack, the woman said the suspect yanked her hair so violently that a chunk was torn out.

When the train arrived at Canal Street, the victim ran off the subway car in search of police officers. Another rider activated the emergency alarm, helping authorities quickly respond and take Smith into custody.

The victim said the aftermath of the incident was almost as unsettling as the attack itself, as numerous witnesses approached her only after the suspect had been arrested.

“When I had to identify her, a ton of people were like, ‘Oh, we saw what happened, are you OK?’ And, that was extremely triggering for me, because, of course, I’m not OK. I kept just thinking, I’m not in Nazi Germany,” said the woman, who is only 5-foot-3.

“How is this happening, and how is it that you saw what happened, and just were a bystander?”

In addition to the hair loss and other injuries, the victim said she suffered a concussion during the assault.

Court records show Smith has been charged with hate crime assault, hate crime criminal obstruction of breathing, and aggravated harassment.

The victim said she believes the suspect deliberately singled her out because she was visibly Jewish.

“She’s pure evil, but she was lucid enough to know I was Jewish,” the victim said.

The attack occurred on the same day thousands gathered in Manhattan for the Israel Day Parade along Fifth Avenue. The victim also expressed frustration with city leadership, specifically criticizing Mayor Zohran Mamdani for not attending the event.

“I don’t think New York is protecting Jews. I don’t think Mamdani not going to the Israel Day Parade is helping,” she said.

{Matzav.com}

Human remains discovered Wednesday evening in Kfar Aza have renewed hopes of answering one of the unresolved tragedies of the October 7 massacre, as authorities investigate whether a skull fragment recovered at the scene belongs to the late IDF officer Nirel Zini.

The remains were found in the Dor Tzair section of the kibbutz and transferred to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for examination. Among the items recovered was part of a skull, prompting forensic experts to determine whether it is connected to Zini, whose head was never recovered following his murder during the Hamas attack.

Zini served in the Givati Brigade and spent approximately ten years in military service. In 2015, he suffered severe injuries during an operational mission in Chevron, but after an extensive rehabilitation process, he returned to active duty.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Zini was at his home in Kfar Aza with his partner, Niv Raviv. As terrorists stormed the community, he sent a final message to his family at 10:04 a.m.

“I’ll update you. They’re here. I’m putting down the phone. Pray.”

Relatives later said that Zini attempted to divert the attackers’ attention in an effort to give Raviv an opportunity to hide. Both were ultimately murdered during the assault.

Their bodies were not recovered until six days later. During subsequent meetings with investigators from Lahav 433, family members were informed that Zini had been beheaded during the massacre.

The family has maintained that they were not told about those details before the funeral. They also contend that no government agency undertook a sustained effort to locate the missing remains. According to the family, Amir Zini repeatedly appealed to officials to have his son classified as a fallen soldier whose remains had been taken into Gaza, but those requests were denied.

In the absence of an official search effort, the family launched its own campaign to find answers. Assisted by volunteers and professionals, they conducted extensive searches throughout the devastated kibbutz grounds.

Over time, hundreds of items recovered from the area were sent to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for testing. Family members said many of those findings were ultimately identified as animal bones or materials from which no usable DNA could be extracted.

In correspondence sent to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Amir Zini wrote that the family had been left to carry the burden of the search largely on its own, while also struggling to obtain information from state authorities.

Now, almost three years after the massacre that devastated Kfar Aza and other communities near the Gaza border, the Zini family is once again waiting for answers. The results of forensic testing will determine whether the skull fragment recently uncovered is the final missing piece connected to Nirel Zini’s murder.

{Matzav.com}

In a unanimous ruling issued Wednesday, Israel’s Supreme Court overturned a government policy that barred representatives of the Red Cross from visiting terrorists held in Israeli prisons.

The restriction was implemented following the outbreak of the war and remained in effect until the court’s decision. The justices ruled in favor of a petition challenging the policy, finding that the government had failed to establish a legal foundation for the measure.

Justice Dafna Barak-Erez wrote that the state did not present a valid legal justification for preventing Red Cross officials from meeting with incarcerated terrorists.

Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg concurred, stating that the policy could not remain in force because the government had not identified any legal authority supporting its decision to impose the ban.

Supreme Court President Isaac Amit joined the opinions of his fellow justices, making the decision unanimous.

The ruling sparked an immediate and angry reaction from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who sharply criticized the court and renewed his call for sweeping judicial reforms.

“A shameful ruling by detached judges who sit in their ivory towers and continue to care for terrorists while citizens of Israel pay the price of terrorism. Any such ruling reminds us why the judicial system needs to change. Reform now!”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump expressed growing confidence Wednesday that a breakthrough with Iran could be imminent, suggesting that negotiators are nearing an agreement and that a deal could potentially be finalized within days.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said discussions with Tehran have been progressing favorably and indicated that momentum is building toward a formal agreement.

“I hear the negotiations with Iran are going very well. If a deal happens with Iran it could be done over the weekend,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is “close” to signing the papers.

The president also said one of Washington’s key objectives is securing control of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, a goal he believes could soon be achieved.

When questioned about the status of the ceasefire following Iran’s overnight attack on Kuwait, Trump suggested the incident must be viewed in a broader context and maintained that the situation remains fluid.

“There’s a reason for everything, and we hit them pretty hard”, while also acknowledging that “anything can happen when you are dealing with Iran.”

Trump’s remarks followed his repeated insistence that diplomatic contacts between the United States and Iran have not been interrupted despite reports suggesting otherwise.

On Tuesday, the president rejected claims that discussions over Iran’s nuclear program had been halted.

In a Truth Social post, Trump emphasized that negotiations have continued uninterrupted and said the responsibility now rests with Iran to move toward an agreement.

“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the U.S.A., stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous,” wrote Trump.

He added, “The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today. Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!’”

The president’s comments came after reports from Iranian media outlets claimed that Tehran had suspended indirect talks with Washington due to Israel’s expanding military campaign in Lebanon.

Trump subsequently pushed back against those reports and reiterated that diplomatic engagement remains active.

“Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The president struck a similarly optimistic tone during an interview with ABC News, where he predicted that a broader understanding with Iran could be reached soon.

According to Trump, he expects an agreement to preserve the ceasefire and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz “over the next week.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu broke his silence Wednesday regarding reports of a tense phone conversation with President Donald Trump, insisting that despite occasional disagreements, the two leaders remain aligned on the most important issues, particularly Iran.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Netanyahu downplayed suggestions of a serious rift between Israel and Washington following reports that a heated exchange took place earlier this week over developments in Lebanon.

“President Trump and I agree on the main issues concerning Iran. Sometimes we have tactical disagreements, but we resolve them,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said the central question now is whether Iran intends to resume hostilities or pursue a different course, emphasizing that both Israel and the United States continue to pursue common strategic objectives.

According to him: “The question is whether Iran wants to return to another round of fighting. We’ll wait and see, as they say. The United States and we have shared goals; we will see what we can achieve through an agreement.”

Although Netanyahu was asked about the reported phone call, he stopped short of discussing its details. At the same time, he did not dispute the reports that tensions surfaced during the conversation.

Instead, Netanyahu suggested that disagreements are natural even among close allies.

“There are arguments even in good families,” he emphasized.

The Israeli leader also used the interview to take aim at European governments, accusing many of failing to stand firm against growing radical Islamist influences within their own countries.

Netanyahu argued that Israel’s military and security efforts benefit not only Israelis but also Western nations more broadly, and he criticized European leaders for what he described as a lack of resolve.

“It is shameful how European leaders surrender to radical Islamic minorities in their countries. They know that we are defending them as well, but they do not have the courage to stand with what is right – the side that will save our civilization from the barbarians.”

{Matzav.com}