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House Democrats’ campaign arm has broadened its list of competitive congressional districts ahead of the midterm elections, adding eight new seats in its first expansion of the current election cycle.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced Monday that it updated its “Red to Blue” program, bringing in additional candidates from across the country, including a mix of backgrounds such as Grammy-winning performers, law enforcement officials, and first responders.

“As the American people reject House Republicans’ disastrous, cost-spiking agenda, House Democrats have the momentum to take back the majority,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement.

“These latest additions to our Red to Blue program represent the strength of our people-first message and the broad appeal of our top-tier candidates,” DelBene added. “These candidates will win because they are authentic, independent-minded leaders who are rooted in their communities.”

The latest group of candidates added to the program, which was first introduced in February, includes Marlene Galan-Woods (Ariz.-1), Jasmeet Bains (Calif.-22), Jessica Killin (Col-5), Joe Baldacci (Maine-2), Bob Harvie (Pa.-1), Bob Brooks (Pa.-07), Bobby Pulido (Texas-15), and Johnny Garcia (Texas-35).

The update comes shortly after the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) unveiled revisions to its own candidate support initiative, known as the “MAGA Majority” program.

Both parties’ programs focus on a mix of districts considered vulnerable due to retirements as well as seats seen as realistic pickup opportunities.

Among the newly added Democrats is Baldacci, who is running to replace retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.

Despite being held by a Democrat, that district favored President Trump over former Vice President Kamala Harris by a margin of 53.8% to 44.2%, underscoring its Republican-leaning tendencies.

Many of the candidates added to the list are challenging Republican incumbents.

One example is Bob Harvie, who is competing against Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.

Fitzpatrick, who serves as the GOP co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers’ Caucus, is widely viewed as one of the more moderate voices within the House Republican Conference.

With the new additions, the “Red to Blue” program now includes 20 candidates, up from the previous 12.

Candidates selected for the program receive key support from the DCCC, including strategic guidance, fundraising help, and campaign training resources.

Being chosen for the list signals confidence from party leadership in those running in closely contested races.

To qualify, candidates must meet specific benchmarks related to grassroots organizing and fundraising.

Looking ahead to November, historical trends suggest challenges for the party in control of the White House, which has typically lost House seats in nearly every election cycle since 1938, with only two exceptions.

Still, recent polling compiled by RealClearPolitics shows Democrats holding a 5.7-point advantage over Republicans on the generic congressional ballot.

{Matzav.com}

Iran claims on Monday that it opened fire on a US naval vessel as Washington began efforts to ensure the free passage of global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, marking a sharp escalation in the standoff between the two countries.

Iran’s semiofficial Fars News Agency, which is closely aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), initially reported that an unidentified American ship had been struck by two missiles near the port of Jask, located southeast of the strategic waterway, after the vessel allegedly failed to heed orders to stop.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the report, stating on social media platform X: “No US Navy ships have been struck. US forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports.”

A senior Iranian official later told Reuters that the incident involved a warning shot rather than a confirmed strike, adding that it remained uncertain whether any damage had been inflicted on the vessel.

Tehran has repeatedly claimed to have targeted US naval assets since hostilities began on Feb. 28, including an assertion in March that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier had been hit. CENTCOM dismissed that claim at the time, saying “the missiles launched didn’t even come close.”

President Trump said Sunday on Truth Social that the United States would “guide” vessels through the strait as part of an operation dubbed Project Freedom, cautioning that Iranian attempts to obstruct maritime traffic “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”

Iran responded with a warning that all vessels seeking to traverse the strait must first coordinate with its authorities, and vowed to confront any attempt to bypass its control of the waterway.

“We warn that any foreign military force — especially the aggressive US military — that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” Maj. Gen. Pilot Ali Abdollahi told state broadcaster IRIB.

At the same time, the US has cautioned shipping firms that payments to Iran in exchange for passage through the strait could trigger sanctions, while continuing a naval blockade of Iranian ports that has been in place since April 13.

According to CENTCOM, 49 commercial vessels had already been turned back by the restrictions as of Sunday.

US officials have indicated that the blockade is intended to pressure Iran into renewed negotiations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that Tehran was “going to have to start shutting in wells, which we think could be in the next week,” citing concerns that the country’s oil storage capacity is nearing its limit.

With tensions mounting, many ships caught in the region have chosen to remain stationary rather than risk passage through the contested waters.

The International Maritime Organization reported that roughly 2,000 vessels — including oil tankers, cargo ships, and cruise liners — have been immobilized in the strait since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, leaving as many as 20,000 crew members stranded.

“There is no precedent for the stranding of so many seafarers in the modern age,” Damien Chevallier, director of the IMO’s maritime safety division, told reporters March 31.

On Monday, the US-led Joint Maritime Information Center advised ships to travel through Oman’s territorial waters, noting the establishment of an “enhanced security area” to reduce risks.

The center also cautioned that navigating traditional shipping lanes “should be considered extremely hazardous due to the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated.”

US military officials have said the operation could involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft, and approximately 15,000 personnel, though details regarding the exact nature of escorts or support for commercial vessels have not been fully disclosed.

{Matzav.com}

A long-standing historical question surrounding the burial place of the navi Amos may be nearing resolution, as new research indicates that the kever is not located in ancient Tekoa, as traditionally believed, but rather at a nearby site known as “Khirbet Qasr Antar,” approximately two kilometers away.

For generations, it was accepted that the kever of Amos—one of the last nevi’im among Trei Asar—was in Tekoa. However, the new findings suggest that the location may instead be at this alternate site, which for centuries served as a makom aliyah l’regel for Yidden, before its precise location was lost in the 17th century due to instability in the region.

The research, conducted by archaeologist Michael Tchernin together with Shay Halevi of the Israel Antiquities Authority, brings together accounts of early oleh regel, aerial imaging, and physical findings uncovered at the site. Among the key sources are descriptions from 15th-century Jewish travelers, Rav Yitzchak ben Alfra and Yitzchak Latif, who wrote of a structure built above a burial cave—details that closely correspond with what has been found at Khirbet Qasr Antar.

According to the study, the site functioned as a major makom kadosh for visitors from the 4th century until the early 17th century, after which it was abandoned and gradually forgotten. Although the research effort began about a decade ago, it has recently taken on new urgency due to significant destruction caused at the site by antiquities looters.

The full findings, revealing the identification process and supporting evidence, will be presented at the upcoming “Tenth Judean Region Research Conference,” scheduled for Tuesday, the 18th of Iyar, in memory of Dr. David and Chana Amit. The conference is being held in collaboration with the Kfar Etzion Field School, KKL-JNF, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the David Yellin Foundation, the Eastern Regional R&D Center, and Bar-Ilan University.

Following the conference, a special guided visit is planned to the proposed kever of navi Amos, as well as to Tel Tekoa, subject to security clearance, allowing participants to see the intriguing findings firsthand.

A senior Russian government official has reportedly fled the country and made his way to the United States after evading Russian security forces, marking what appears to be the first known case of a high-ranking Kremlin figure escaping the regime, The Sun reports.

Denis Butsaev, 49, who recently served as Russia’s Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, is said to have left the country shortly after being dismissed from his position. According to reports, he was removed from his post on April 22 and went into hiding the same day, though some accounts suggest he may have departed Russia even earlier.

His route out of the country reportedly took him through Minsk, Belarus, then to Tbilisi, Georgia, before ultimately arriving in the United States. During his departure, he is believed to have avoided detection by the FSB, Russia’s powerful internal security service.

Butsaev’s exit comes as authorities are reportedly examining allegations of high-level corruption tied to the Russian Environmental Operator, a state agency he previously headed until 2025. The investigation is said to involve multiple senior figures, though it remains unclear whether formal charges had been filed against him.

His departure is being viewed as a rare and notable development, as officials of his rank have not previously been known to flee Russia under such circumstances.

The reported defection comes at a time of growing internal strain within Russia, as the country continues its war in Ukraine while facing economic challenges and increasing restrictions on information. Internet outages in major cities have fueled frustration, and some figures who once supported the government have begun voicing criticism.

In recent weeks, a pro-government commentator publicly called for President Vladimir Putin to step down and face prosecution over the war. “It’s Vladimir Putin. It’s obvious. Everyone knows it,” he said.

Other voices have also warned of rising tensions between the public and the government. “A wall of mistrust and misunderstanding is growing between the people and the government,” one commentator said.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s former Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar, issued a strong warning urging the public not to travel to Meron this year amid security concerns, stressing that even a possibility of danger is enough to stay away.

Speaking in a special interview on Kol Chai radio’s central news program with Avi Mimran, just one day before the hilula of Rav Shimon bar Yochai, Rav Amar addressed the security restrictions and police calls to avoid the site, making clear that halacha requires extreme caution. “If there is even a doubt, it is not advisable,” the rov said. “Security matters override everything. Preserving life overrides everything.”

Rav Amar emphasized that the public does not have the ability to properly assess the security situation and must rely on those responsible for making such decisions. “There are people appointed over this, who have up-to-date knowledge at every moment. We must listen and not try to outsmart the situation,” he said. He added that those who remain at home will not lose out spiritually. “Rebbi Shimon is present everywhere. His merit is great and reaches the entire world.”

Expanding on the spiritual significance of the day, Rav Amar spoke about the power attributed to Rashbi. “He said that he could exempt the entire world from judgment. We ask that he stand in prayer and not remain silent,” he said, also noting the many miracles that have accompanied Jews throughout the generations through the study of the Zohar.

Regarding his own traditional hadlaka, Rav Amar said it may take place in Yerushalayim instead. “I am not pushing and not insisting. If they say it is possible, I will do it. If not, then not. My satisfaction is that I am not going, because I know I am acting according to Torah law.”

He concluded with a call for the public to follow instructions carefully. “Do not go beyond what is allowed. Listen to the rules. Protect your children and your daughters,” he said, adding a closing tefillah: “A-lmighty G-d should have mercy and redeem the people of Israel with an eternal redemption.”

{Matzav.com}

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John Sterling, whose tenure as the New York Yankees’ radio voice spanned more than three decades and five World Series wins, and whose bombastic delivery and idiosyncratic catchphrases earned him a nomination to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, died Monday at the age of 87.

Sterling’s death was announced by WFAN, which did not say where he died or specify a cause. Sterling had suffered a heart attack in January.

Sterling became the Yankees’ play-by-play announcer in 1989 and spent 36 years in the position, calling 5,060 consecutive games (plus 211 more in the postseason) until he missed his first game in July of 2019. He called 5,631 Yankees games, including eight World Series appearances. By the time he retired in 2024, he was known as “The Voice of the Yankees.”

His run covered one of the Yankees’ greatest eras. He called every single game of Derek Jeter’s 20-year career and every pitch thrown by Mariano Rivera. He emceed the uniform number retirement ceremonies for Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams and Joe Torre, among others. He was there when Aaron Judge crushed his American League single-season record 62nd home run in 2022.

“He’s synonymous with those five championships (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009),” longtime broadcast partner Michael Kay said. “If you’re coming into people’s homes, at the beach, the pool or their car, and you’re constantly telling them good news — it made him part of the Yankee firmament. He became a part of forever, because those championships are never going to go away.”

Sterling was married to Jennifer Sterling for 12 years. They had four children: Abagail and triplets Veronica, Bradford and Derek.

The job was a childhood dream for Sterling, born John Sloss, who grew up on Manhattan’s Upper East Side as a Yankees fan listening to games on the radio and trying to learn from broadcasters of all types.

“I am a very blessed human being,” Sterling said in a statement announcing his retirement. “I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years.”

Sterling, a member of the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame, featured a distinctive baritone and drew adoration and criticism alike for his eccentricities and his unabashed Yankees fandom that resonated in his broadcasts. He marked victories with a thunderous “The Yankees win,” perhaps his most popular line. He personalized home run calls for players, starting with “Burn, Baby, Burn!” for Williams. He eventually had calls for every player, including “An A-bomb from A-Rod” for Alex Rodriguez and “Robbie Cano, don’t you know?” for Robinson Cano.

Though Sterling was almost exclusively on the radio, nearly every day he would dress as if he were going on TV, wearing a tailored suit, tie and dress shoes.

“It’s like he gets in that chair and it shoots life through him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s at home when he’s in his office. It’s a remarkable career, to be able to do it like that and as long as he did it. He’s left quite a mark on this organization and the game of baseball.”

Sterling’s peculiar speech patterns included sing-song inflections and the tendency to exaggerate the word “the.” Before a pitcher delivered the ball, Sterling would say, “Thuuhhh pitch.” After the final out of a victory, it was, “Thuuhhh Yankees win!”

“He was so witty, smart,” Judge said. “As a kid, you always heard it. You watch old Yankees games. You hear the old broadcasts.”

Humble beginnings

Sterling said he grew up playing sports and wasn’t an exceptional student. Much of his free time revolved around listening to the radio, sometimes mimicking different announcers. He knew early on he had an unusually deep voice and, “I learned I could use it to adapt to different radio styles,” he told The New York Times in 2011.

Sterling studied at Moravian College and Boston University, but when his mother died at 47, he returned to New York City and took classes at Columbia University’s School of General Studies. In 1961, he got his first radio job at a small station in Wellsville, N.Y., approximately 60 miles south of Buffalo, and around that time, he changed his name to Sterling. After a stop to work mornings in Providence, R.I., he went to Baltimore, beginning to blend sports talk into his general show, and getting chances to broadcast games for the Baltimore Colts and Bullets.

In 1971, he returned to New York City as a full-timer at WMCA.

“He would hang up on people and berate them: ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about!’” said Jim Rosenhaus, a Cleveland Guardians radio broadcaster. “It was awesome. We’d go to school the next day (and say), ‘Did you hear what John Sterling said last night?’ There was barely any sports talk back then, but he’d get on and just shred people.”

He also began working New Jersey Nets and New York Islanders games and started honing his unique style, giving on-air nicknames to players (Bernard King was “B.B. King”) and creating catchphrases (“Goal! Islanders goal! Islanders goal!”).

“If you didn’t know first names on the team,” Rosenhaus said, “you had no idea what he was talking about. Going back to the ABA days, their teams were phenomenal, led by Dr. J. His play-by-play was, ‘Doc’ has it at the top of the key, down low to ‘The Whopper,’ outside to ‘Super John,’ the ‘BT Express’ has it now.’ … If you didn’t know who these guys were, then you were lost.”

When Sterling moved to Atlanta in 1981, he joined TBS and WSB Radio and began broadcasting for the Atlanta Braves and the Hawks. He became known for punctuating Dominique Wilkins’ dunks with flair: “Dominique is Magnifique!”

The Yankees years

In 1989, Sterling took over as the Yankees’ play-by-play broadcaster for WABC. His stint began auspiciously with an encounter with the late owner George Steinbrenner in a hotel elevator in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Steinbrenner lifted a finger and pointed it at Sterling’s chest.

“It was just the two of us,” Sterling said, “and George said to me, the way he talks, ‘I just want you to know that I always wanted you to do Yankees games.’”

That started Sterling’s streak, which astounded his peers.

“I never once turned on the radio and said, ‘Boy, John sounds tired.’ He always brought his ‘A’ game,” Blue Jays and ESPN broadcaster Dan Shulman told Yankees magazine in 2024.

“Showing up to perform virtually every single day since 1989, he was a pillar for Yankees fans who relied on the comfort and familiarity of his voice to be the soundtrack of their spring, summer and fall,” the Yankees said in a statement upon his retirement. “Given the tremendous care he had for the team and his performance on the air, it’s not a stretch to believe that our fans live and die with every pitch because John Sterling did the same.”

Over that time, Sterling spent 10 seasons in the booth working alongside Kay. In 2005, Suzyn Waldman took over as his color analyst and remains in the position. The best-friends dynamic between Sterling and Waldman became an instant obsession for Yankees fans, who, in addition to hearing details about the game, would get their inside jokes and references to Broadway musicals or old-time movies.

Occasionally, Sterling would draw the ire of listeners and critics for starting home run calls too soon, only for them to become long fly-ball outs or have wrong details due to deteriorating hearing and eyesight.

He was also known for refusing to adapt to the times. He didn’t have a smartphone or use the internet. On the road, he would seek out that city’s newspaper in the morning and travel with books, typically suspense or crime novels. He had several TVs mounted on the walls of his apartment in Edgewater, N.J., and he would sometimes watch several games at a time.

“He’s one of a kind,” Waldman said. “There will never be another person like that, to have that kind of love for a team and that kind of love for his fan base.”

Sterling’s streak ended on July 4, 2019, when he fell ill and missed three games.

“Think about that,” Mets broadcaster Howie Rose said at the time. “Some Yankees fans have never heard anyone but John’s voice for the entirety of their life.”

Even players were astounded by Sterling’s commitment. In 2000, Sterling’s wife gave birth to their triplets before Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. Early in the day, Sterling was at the hospital in New Jersey to witness their birth. Later that night, he called the Yankees’ victory over the Seattle Mariners and boarded the team’s charter to Washington. On the jet, third baseman Scott Brosius saw Sterling. He was baffled.

“John,” Brosius said, “didn’t you just have triplets? Why are you on the flight?”

Sterling shrugged.

“Nothing more I can do,” he said.

Sterling’s health would begin to falter later in his career. In 2020, he missed games while recovering from a blood infection. Soon after, his workload would begin to lighten, and traveling would take a toll on him. In 2023, a foul ball zipped over the netting behind the plate and struck Sterling in the broadcast booth, caroming off his table and leaving a cut over his eyebrow. Sterling continued to call the game.

In 2024, Sterling retired — twice. In early April, Sterling felt run-down after the Yankees opened the season with trips to the Houston Astros and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He abruptly ended his career on April 15 of that year, and the team held an on-field, pregame ceremony in his honor about a week later.

“I hate packing, unpacking, traveling, getting to places, et cetera, et cetera,” he said. “But the games themselves, they’re as easy for me to do as anything I do.”

BUT STERLING RETURNED TO THE YANKEES’ BOOTH FOR THE FINAL WEEK OF THE REGULAR SEASON AND THE PLAYOFFS UNTIL THE YANKEES LOST TO THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS IN GAME 5 OF THE WORLD SERIES AT YANKEE STADIUM. HE THEN HOSTED A WEEKLY RADIO SHOW ON WABC THROUGHOUT MUCH OF 2025.

“How lucky can you be, for people to celebrate what you do for a living?” he said.

(C) The New York Times