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French investigators now believe last week’s audacious theft of royal jewels from the Louvre was orchestrated from within, after uncovering evidence that a security guard allegedly tipped off the masked thieves behind the $100 million robbery.

According to The Telegraph, digital records revealed that one of the museum’s security staff had been in contact with the culprits before the daylight break-in on October 19. “There is digital forensic evidence that shows there was co-operation with one of the museum’s security guards and the thieves,” a source told the paper.

Authorities said the guard provided the criminals with crucial inside knowledge about the museum’s defenses. “Sensitive information was passed on about the museum’s security, which is how they were aware of the breach,” the source explained.

The heist unfolded with cinematic precision. The gang accessed the building via a second-floor balcony that conveniently wasn’t under camera surveillance, seized eight priceless artifacts belonging to France’s historic crown collection, and sped away on scooters before guards could react.

While investigators believe they are closing in on those responsible, hopes of retrieving the stolen gems are slim. Authorities suspect the jewels have already been dismantled and sold on the black market. One prosecutor suggested a wealthy art collector may have masterminded the operation, hiring professionals to carry it out.

“We’re looking at the hypothesis of organized crime,” said Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau on BFM TV, indicating the thieves were likely seasoned operatives working under commission.

Incredibly, the Louvre suffered another blow just hours after the main robbery — 2,000 gold and silver coins valued at over $100,000 were stolen in a separate incident, further exposing lapses in the museum’s security system.

The scandal prompted a swift political fallout. Louvre director Laurence des Cars appeared before the French Senate on Saturday, where she offered her resignation. In the aftermath, French authorities ordered that the nation’s most valuable jewels be transferred from the museum to the secure vaults of the Bank of France.

Among the treasures stolen were a sapphire diadem, a necklace, and a single earring linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense. The thieves also took an emerald necklace and earrings once owned by Empress Marie-Louise, the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Empress Eugenie’s diamond diadem and her elaborate corsage-bow brooch were snatched as well. However, in a small stroke of luck, Eugenie’s emerald-studded imperial crown — containing more than 1,300 diamonds — was later discovered outside the museum grounds, damaged but largely intact.

{Matzav.com}

If elected, Zohran Mamdani’s first immigration battle might be personal. Two Republican lawmakers are urging the Justice Department to investigate how the Democratic socialist — now leading the New York City mayoral race — obtained his U.S. citizenship and to consider deporting him.

Florida Rep. Randy Fine has gone as far as demanding that federal officials “review every naturalization of the past 30 years – starting with Mamdani.” Speaking to the New York Post, he said, “I just think we need to take a hard look at how these folks became citizens, and if there is any fraud or any violation of the rules we need to denaturalize and deport.”

Fine also extended his call for scrutiny to Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress, saying she too should be investigated over her immigration background.

Labeling Mamdani “a threat to the nation,” Fine said, “I know that there’s a lot of us that are very, very concerned about the enemy within – people who have come to this country to become citizens, to destroy it.” He dismissed the notion that removing citizenship from elected officials would be unworkable, asserting, “If they’re not Americans, they can’t be in office.”

Fine’s remarks echo those of Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, who has been pressing the Justice Department since June to launch a formal probe into Mamdani. Ogles contends the candidate lied on his 2018 naturalization application. In a fiery statement, he declared, “Deport Mamdani!” calling him an “antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York.”

Ogles told Newsmax, “In 2018 when he was naturalized, he failed to disclose some of the things that he had been doing, one of which was joining the [Democratic] Socialists of America. That’s a communist organization which, quite frankly, at that time, would have disqualified him from becoming a United States citizen.”

The Tennessee lawmaker also pointed to Mamdani’s public defense of “the Holy Land Five” — leaders of a major Muslim charity convicted in 2008 of funneling millions of dollars to Hamas. Their case remains one of the most high-profile terrorism financing prosecutions in U.S. history.

Under U.S. immigration law, individuals who have “been a member of or affiliated with the Communist or any other totalitarian party” are deemed inadmissible for citizenship. The naturalization application specifically asks whether an applicant has ever been connected “in any way” with such groups. President Trump has slammed Mamdani as a “communist lunatic,” though Mamdani denies identifying as a communist.

The escalating political fight prompted Rep. Shri Thanedar of Michigan, who represents a heavily Muslim district, to demand that Ogles be censured for his rhetoric. Meanwhile, the Justice Department has stayed vague about whether it will take up the case. “Due to the Democrats’ shutdown, congressional correspondence is delayed. The department does not comment on the status of ongoing or potential investigations,” a DOJ spokesperson told The Post.

The uproar surrounding Mamdani intensified recently after he shared a smiling photo with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a Brooklyn cleric once named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed six people.

{Matzav.com}

New York mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani — the progressive Democrat whose photo with an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing sparked widespread outrage — broke down in tears a week after the controversy, vowing that he would never again conceal his Muslim identity if elected. Speaking emotionally outside the Islamic Cultural Center of The Bronx, Mamdani invoked a personal memory to defend his faith and his community against what he described as a smear campaign.

“I want to speak to the memory of my aunt,” he said, struggling to compose himself. “Who stopped taking the subway after Sept. 11th because she did not feel safe in her hijab.”

Jon Gabriel nailed it on X: “2,976 people stopped taking the subway after 9/11 because they were murdered.”

Greg Price’s sarcasm cut deeper: “Yes, she was the real victim of 9/11.”

The Democratic socialist, long criticized for refusing to denounce the antisemitic slogan “globalize the intifada,” accused his political opponents — including Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa — of exploiting Islamophobia to damage his campaign. He charged that their recent comments about his religion were “fueling hatred for political gain.”

“The dream of every Muslim is simply to be treated as any other New Yorker, and yet for too long we have been told to ask for less than that and to be satisfied with whatever little we receive,” Mamdani told the crowd. “No more.”

Choking up as he addressed supporters, the candidate pledged that his administration would champion New York’s Muslim population. “I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own,” he declared. “But there is one thing that I will change. I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.”

His remarks came in direct response to remarks made by rivals during the heated campaign. Mamdani condemned Cuomo for laughing during a radio segment when host Sid Rosenberg joked that he would “be cheering” if “another 9/11” occurred. He also accused Republican contender Curtis Sliwa of “slandering” him at the final debate by claiming that he supports “global jihad.”

“In an era of ever-diminishing bipartisanship, it seems that Islamophobia has emerged as one of the few areas of agreement,” Mamdani said, arguing that attacks on his faith were uniting both sides of the political spectrum.

Notably, Mamdani made no mention of his October 17 visit to Imam Siraj Wahhaj — the same meeting that drew fire after a smiling photo with Wahhaj and City Councilman Yusef Salaam appeared on his social media accounts. The imam has long been a controversial figure for his past rhetoric.

“The same imam met with Mayor Bloomberg, met with Mayor De Blasio, campaigned alongside Eric Adams, and the only time it became an issue of national attention was when I met with him,” Mamdani later remarked. “That’s because of the fact of my faith and because I’m on the precipice of winning this election.”

If he secures victory, Mamdani will make history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. forecasters issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica Saturday as Storm Melissa reached hurricane strength, threatening catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean. A hurricane warning means winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph) are expected in the area within 36 hours. Melissa is ”likely starting to rapidly intensify and expected to become a major hurricane tomorrow,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Saturday afternoon as Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph). The slow-moving storm was expected to drop torrential rain, up to 25 inches (64 centimeters), on Jamaica, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. A similar forecast was issued for the southern regions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Monday. Life-threatening flooding and landslides were possible, with up to 35 inches (89 centimeters) of catastrophic rain across the Tiburon peninsula in southwestern Haiti, the center said. The Cuban government on Saturday afternoon issued a hurricane watch for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Holguin. Storm’s slow progress The erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing. “Unfortunately for places along the projected path of this storm, it is increasingly dire,” Jamie Rhome, the center’s deputy director, said earlier on Saturday. He said the storm will continue to move slowly for up to four days. Melissa was located about 130 miles (210 kilometers) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 250 miles (405 kilometers) west-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It was slowly moving westward at 3 mph (6 kph), according to the hurricane center. A hurricane warning was in effect for Jamaica and a hurricane watch remained in place for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti. The center of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica early next week, forecasters said. Melissa was expected to become a major hurricane by Sunday and possibly reach Category 4 status by early Monday, U.S. forecasters said. It is forecast to hit eastern Cuba early Wednesday, where up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) could fall in some areas. Authorities in Jamaica said on Saturday that the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston will be closed at 8 p.m. local time. It did not say whether it will close the Sangster airport in Montego Bay, on the western side of the island. More than 650 shelters were activated in Jamaica. Officials said warehouses across the island were well-stocked and thousands of food packages prepositioned for quick distribution if needed. “I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously,” said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “Take all measures to protect yourself.” The hurricane center confirmed the risks in a key message Saturday afternoon. “Jamaica prep should be completed today. Melissa’s slow motion brings multi-day damaging winds plus heavy rainfall, catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, damage, long-duration power communication outages, isolation,” the center said. River levels rise Haitian authorities said three people had died as a consequence of the hurricane and another five were injured due to a collapsed wall. There were also reports of rising river levels, flooding and a bridge destroyed due to breached riverbanks in Sainte-Suzanne, in the northeast. “The storm is causing a lot of concern with the way it’s moving,” said Ronald Délice, a Haitian department director of […]

With less than three months left in office, Mayor Eric Adams is preparing to overhaul New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) — a last-minute power play that could complicate socialist front-runner Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promise to freeze rents for the city’s roughly one million rent-stabilized units. According to multiple sources, Adams plans to appoint at least six new members to the nine-person board, a sweeping move that would shift control of one of City Hall’s most influential bodies just as Mamdani appears poised to win the November mayoral election. Among the possible appointees: Adams’ longtime ally and real estate reality TV personality Eleonora Srugo. “It’s not just about freezing the rent,” one source close to the discussions told The New York Post. “It’s about making sure landlords can afford to own and maintain these buildings. You need these buildings standing up.” The maneuver, while legal, would effectively lock in Adams’s influence over rent policy for the first two years of his successor’s term, since most RGB members serve staggered two- to four-year terms. Six of the current members are serving on expired appointments — holdovers from the de Blasio era — and a seventh is set to leave at year’s end, giving Adams near-total power to reset the board before departing. The mayor’s eleventh-hour reshuffle appears aimed squarely at undermining Mamdani’s pledge to impose a citywide rent freeze — a plan that has electrified his progressive base but alarmed real estate interests and moderate Democrats alike. Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democratic Socialist assemblyman from Queens, has made the policy central to his campaign, arguing that landlords’ profits have soared even as tenants struggle with rising costs. Industry leaders, however, warn that a rent freeze could cripple the city’s housing stock, driving buildings into disrepair and deterring new construction. “Freezing rent may sound catchy, but it’s bad policy — short-sighted and harmful to tenants,” Adams said in June, after the RGB voted 5-4 to raise rent-stabilized leases by 3 percent for one-year terms and 4.5 percent for two-year terms. Adams publicly urged restraint during that vote — calling for a smaller 1.75 percent hike — but ultimately defended the increases as necessary to “keep buildings solvent.” The plan was foreshadowed during this week’s final mayoral debate, when Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, jabbed Mamdani for promising a rent freeze he couldn’t deliver. “You don’t control the Rent Guidelines Board,” Cuomo quipped, alluding to Adams’s appointment powers. Mamdani fired back that he would “stack the board” with his own allies, much as former Mayor Bill de Blasio did to secure multiple rent freezes during his tenure. But if Adams fills the six vacant seats before leaving City Hall, Mamdani would be handcuffed from reshaping the board until midway through his first term. Of the eight non-chair members, two serve four-year terms, and the remaining six are split between two- and three-year appointments. The chair serves at the mayor’s discretion. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump intensified his economic standoff with Canada on Friday, declaring a 10% increase in tariffs after accusing Ontario’s government of producing a “fraudulent” anti-tariff ad that distorted Ronald Reagan’s words. Trump charged that the campaign misused the late president’s legacy and aimed to sway an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case regarding his authority to impose tariffs.

In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Canada had been “caught, red handed” using “selective audio and video” from Reagan’s 1987 radio address. He said the misleading ad was meant “to influence the United States Supreme Court on the issue of Presidential Tariff Authority.” He added, “Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.”

The president mocked Canada’s interpretation of Reagan’s stance on tariffs, declaring, “Ronald Reagan LOVED Tariffs for purposes of National Security and the Economy, but Canada said he didn’t!” He blasted Ontario for refusing to remove the ad, writing, “Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD.”

Trump’s decision followed shortly after Ontario Premier Doug Ford met with Prime Minister Mark Carney and agreed to temporarily suspend the province’s $75 million anti-tariff campaign. The ad series, which used Reagan’s 1987 remarks that tariffs “hurt” Americans, had already provoked Trump to terminate trade talks with Canada earlier in the week.

The Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute weighed in, stating that Ontario “did not seek nor receive permission” to use the former president’s words and that it was “reviewing its legal options.” The foundation said the province’s depiction of Reagan’s comments was misleading, echoing Trump’s claim that the campaign was deceitful.

Ontario officials defended the advertisement, arguing that Reagan’s remarks about tariffs “hurting” Americans were used to highlight how protectionist policies can backfire by increasing consumer costs and damaging trade partnerships. The one-minute commercial has aired on multiple major U.S. networks, including Fox, NBC, and CNBC, and was scheduled to run nationally during the World Series.

Premier Ford said the campaign was meant to “initiate a conversation” about the damage caused by trade barriers and proudly noted that it had reached “US audiences at the highest levels.” Posting on X, Ford said the ads would continue through the first two World Series games—featuring the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers—before the temporary suspension begins.

Speaking to reporters before departing for Asia, Trump ridiculed Ford’s explanation and accused Canada of attempting to “illegally influence the United States Supreme Court.” He described the Ontario campaign as “really dishonest” and “crooked.”

Prime Minister Carney, who succeeded Justin Trudeau earlier this year, has been seeking to repair trade relations with Washington since Trump imposed sweeping 35% tariffs on Canadian imports of steel, aluminum, and automobiles. With today’s 10% hike, analysts warn that tensions could escalate into another full-scale trade war between the two countries.

{Matzav.com}

Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday killed at least four people and wounded 20, officials said, and prompted fresh pleas from Ukraine’s president for Western air defense systems. In the capital, Kyiv, two people were killed and 13 were wounded in a ballistic missile attack in the early hours of Saturday, Kyiv’s police said. A fire broke out in a non-residential building in one location, while debris from intercepted missiles fell in an open area at another site, damaging windows in nearby buildings, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service wrote on the message app Telegram. “Explosions in the capital. The city is under ballistic attack,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram during the onslaught. Two killed in Dnipropetrovsk region In the Dnipropetrovsk region, two people were killed and seven wounded, acting regional Gov. Vladyslav Haivanenko said, adding that apartment buildings and private homes were damaged in the strikes. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched nine missiles and 62 drones, of which four missiles and 50 drones were intercepted. In Russia, the Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 121 Ukrainian drones over Russia overnight. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that such attacks intensify Ukraine’s need for Patriot defense systems. “It is precisely because of such attacks that we pay special attention to Patriot systems — to be able to protect our cities from this horror. It is critical that partners who possess relevant capability implement what we have discussed in recent days,” he wrote in English on X. “America, Europe and the G7 countries can help ensure that such attacks no longer threaten lives,” he said. Ukrainians adapt As plumes of smoke from the attack in Kyiv rose in the background, Ukrainians went about their day shopping in a popular nearby farmer’s market unhindered, having become accustomed to frequent Russian air assaults. “We didn’t know the attack was right here, but even when we figured it out we still came. Despite the Russians’ strike, there are still a lot of people here who need to eat. I knew that people would come to shop, ” said Halyna Stetsiura, 54. The fruit and vegetable vendor arrived very early in the morning to prepare her stall, while the attacks were still underway. Serhi Lihus, 53, a beekeeper, said he was driving to the market when he heard the explosions. “It was still dark, approximately 6:30, everything was on fire,” he said. Still he showed up to the market to sell his honey. Svitlana Shyshlovska, 40, a customer, said despite the threat of attacks, “you still need to buy food to have something to eat and such markets are not an everyday occasion.” Push for air defenses Zelenskyy is hoping Ukraine can purchase 25 Patriots from the U.S. to fortify its air defenses, particularly in cities. Zelenskyy on Friday urged the United States to expand its sanctions on Russian oil from two companies to the whole sector, and appealed for long-range missiles to hit back at Russia. Zelenskyy was in London for talks with two dozen European leaders who have pledged military help to shield his country from future Russian aggression if a ceasefire stops the more than three-year war. The meeting hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer aimed to step up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, […]

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich launched a sharp attack against Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Motzaei Shabbos, accusing him of failing to raise the issue of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria with President Donald Trump. Drawing a parallel to the hostage negotiations, Smotrich argued that just as the president was ultimately persuaded to change his position regarding the hostages, he could likewise be convinced to support sovereignty.

In a lengthy post on X in Hebrew, Smotrich wrote that when Trump first took office, “he didn’t understand how important the return of the hostages was to the Israeli public and how deeply it was tied to Israel’s founding ethos.” According to Smotrich, as journalist Amit Segal reported over the weekend, Trump had “spoken harshly against the excessive consideration” given to the hostages, believing it prolonged the war. “But the hostage families, and the prime minister who joined their efforts, persisted,” Smotrich continued. “They explained again and again how crucial the return of the hostages was to the Israeli public and how standing with Israel meant returning the hostages — even more than destroying Hamas. And they succeeded. The president understood, changed his opinion and his policy, and the rest is history. Why is what was permitted to them forbidden to the Right and to the settlers?”

Smotrich argued that it was natural for the government to repeatedly emphasize the “public’s desire to apply sovereignty over the homeland in Judea and Samaria and to eliminate the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state.” He said that after October 7, “an overwhelming majority of the Israeli people support this,” and that the Knesset had already declared its opposition to a Palestinian state and its support for extending sovereignty.

Turning his criticism directly at Netanyahu, Smotrich lamented that “unfortunately and regrettably, the prime minister, who threw himself into the hostage campaign and personally explained to the president the importance of their return, does not do the same for sovereignty and avoids bringing it up in his conversations with the president.”

Smotrich said he had no criticism for Trump himself, explaining that “he easily gave up on sovereignty and ‘sold’ it to the Arab states in exchange for the Gaza deal and perhaps for expanding the Abraham Accords,” adding that “until now, he had no way of knowing how important this matter is to the Israeli people.” Smotrich said he was confident that “just as with the hostages, the president — a true friend of Israel — will change his mind once he understands how vital this is to us, how deeply it touches our roots and our identity, and how determined we are not to give up on it.”

The minister called on supporters of the Land of Israel “not to relent and not to despair,” encouraging them to keep pushing the issue “until our great friends in America understand its importance.” He said that if sovereignty supporters were to hold mass rallies every Motzaei Shabbos, wear symbolic pins, hang banners on bridges, and raise the issue at every Knesset committee discussion, “sovereignty would happen — I have no doubt about that. With Hashem’s help.”

Smotrich further claimed that Trump’s recent comments about the Gaza deal — which returned the hostages and led Arab states to commit to dismantling Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza — were “achieved largely thanks to the sovereignty campaign.” He argued that the campaign had made the Arab states fear that Israel was serious about sovereignty, prompting them “to sacrifice Hamas, compel the return of the hostages, and accept the demilitarization of Gaza.”

Calling it “no small achievement for a campaign with minimal funding,” Smotrich said it had been “far more effective than the well-funded hostage campaign in bringing about Hamas’s capitulation and the return of the captives.”

He concluded his statement by thanking “the Yesha Council, the Knesset’s Land of Israel Caucus, and all supporters of sovereignty,” pledging to “continue, with Hashem’s help, striving to realize our sovereignty over every part of our land and to advance true peace agreements with our neighbors — from a position of national strength, pride, and loyalty to our values, our heritage, our history, and our unequivocal right to our homeland.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced he’s ending “all trade negotiations” with Canada because of a television ad sponsored by one of its provinces that used the words of former President Ronald Reagan to criticize U.S. tariffs — prompting the province’s leader to later pull the ad. The post on Trump’s social media site Thursday night ratcheted up tensions with the U.S.’s northern neighbor after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he plans to double his country’s exports to countries outside the U.S. because of the threat posed by Trump’s tariffs. White House officials said Trump’s reaction was a culmination of the administration’s long, pent-up frustration about Canada’s strategy in trade talks. Later Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, whose province had sponsored the ad, said it would be taken down, though it will still run this weekend. Ford said after talking with Prime Minister Mark Carney he’s decided to pause the advertising campaign effective Monday so that trade talks can resume. Ford said they’ve achieved their goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels. “Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford said. “We’ve achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels.” The U.S. president alleged the ad misrepresented the position of Reagan, a two-term president who remains a beloved figure in the Republican Party, and was aimed at influencing the U.S. Supreme Court ahead of a hearing scheduled for next month that could decide whether Trump has the power to impose his sweeping tariffs, a key part of his economic strategy. Trump is so invested in the case that he has said he’d like to attend oral arguments. “You know, it’s a crooked ad,” Trump said Friday night as he left the White House for a trip to Asia, shortly after the ad aired during the seventh inning of Fox’s national broadcast of Game 1 of the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers. “They could have pulled it tonight,” Trump said. “Well, that’s dirty play — but I can play dirtier than they can, you know.” Canadian premier digs in after Trump ends talks The ad was paid for by Ontario’s government, not the Canadian federal government. Ford, the premier, didn’t initially back down, posting Friday that Canada and the U.S. are allies “and Reagan knew that both are stronger together.” Ford then provided a link to a Reagan speech where the late president voices opposition to tariffs. Ford had said the province plans to pay $54 million (about $75 million Canadian) for the ads to air across multiple American television stations using audio and video of Reagan speaking about tariffs in 1987. Ford is a populist conservative who doesn’t belong to the same party as Carney, a Liberal. For his part, Carney said his government remains ready to continue talks to reduce tariffs in certain sectors. “We can’t control the trade policy of the United States. We recognize that that policy has fundamentally changed from the 1980s,” he said Friday morning before boarding a flight for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia. Trump is also traveling to the summit. But he told reporters on Air Force One that […]

In an unusually forceful public criticism, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, sharply attacked the Shas Party and the Religious Affairs Ministry—a ministry currently headed by a Shas member—accusing them of refusing to allocate any funding to the Maran Heritage Center.

In a newly released recording from Motzaei Shabbos, Rav Yosef can be heard voicing deep frustration over what he described as the ministry’s ongoing refusal to provide financial support for the institution established to preserve and promote the teachings and legacy of his father, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

According to the former Chief Rabbi, the center’s director “did not receive a single shekel” despite repeated appeals. “He doesn’t get help from anywhere,” Rav Yosef said. “He turned several times to the Ministry of Religious Affairs. I personally approached the minister and the director-general and asked them to assist him — this is the Maran Heritage Center. They told me, ‘No, you know how things work.’ I don’t know what they meant. Maybe they think it harms one of the members of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, I don’t know what their intention was. They didn’t give him a penny.”

The former Rishon LeTzion went on to compare the current Shas leadership unfavorably to previous governments. “When the minister of religion was from Mafdal, wearing a small knitted kippah, he helped them; he gave them half a million shekels. And these people (Shas) — nothing, not a single shekel. Everything comes from donations,” he said. “You have no idea how important the Maran Heritage Center is. It spreads the halachic path of Maran.”

Rav Yosef’s comments grew even more pointed as he reflected on the aftermath of his father’s petirah. “Unfortunately, after Maran’s death, he left us — and those who once feared him are gone too. Then some young people began to raise their heads, ‘M’sanecha nas’u rosh’ (‘Your enemies have lifted their heads’).”

{Matzav.com}

In a coordinated show of communal achdus ahead of New Jersey’s 2025 general election, leading community organizations from Lakewood, Jackson, Toms River, Manchester, and Howell have issued joint letters urging residents to vote together in support of gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and key local Republican candidates.

The effort, themed “Voting in Unity – כאיש אחד בלב אחד,” emphasizes the importance of communal solidarity and participation in shaping local and statewide policy, particularly in areas impacting education, yeshivos, and family life.

In a letter written in Lashon Kodesh, the roshei yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah highlighted the responsibility to strengthen candidates who respect the needs and values of the Torah community.

A letter signed by the Igud HaMosdos addressed parents directly, stressing how vital strong relationships with government officials are for the success of chinuch institutions.
“We must offer our dear friends a powerful voice of appreciation and support,” the letter stated, urging parents to back the recommendations of the Vaad and neighboring towns’ askanim “as we have done in the past.” The Igud thanked the community in advance for “helping us help your children.”

The Vaad Harabbonim D’Jackson released a letter calling on members of the Jackson kehillah to turn out and vote, stressing the importance that gedolim have always placed on civic participation. Signed by Rabbi Micha Cohen, Rabbi Eli Friedman, Rabbi Yoel Marton, and Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Schmelczer, the letter highlights the unity among rabbonim and askanim across the region, joining neighboring communities in backing Jack Ciattarelli for Governor of New Jersey. The rabbonim noted that Ciattarelli has “shown a real willingness to listen and work hand in hand with our Kehila to address the needs of our families,” and urged every eligible voter to take part, emphasizing that “even a small number of votes can make all the difference.” The message concludes with a strong reminder that “every vote truly matters for the future of our town and our state.”

The Toms River Jewish Community Council (TRJCC) also released a formal endorsement, describing Ciattarelli as a proven ally who has “demonstrated deep understanding of our community, our families, our values, and our concerns.” The group noted the burdensome 12.9% local tax increase and praised Ciattarelli’s commitment to reforming the state’s school funding formula, which has long disadvantaged the region’s residents.

The TRJCC additionally endorsed Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and Paul Kanitra, Sheriff Mike Mastronardy, and County Commissioner Ray Gormley, calling them “true friends of our community.” The letter encouraged voters to confirm recommended candidates with their local askanim and to “make every effort to come out and vote.”

The rabbonim of Howell have issued a unified letter, endorsing Jack Ciattarelli for Governor alongside neighboring towns. The letter also backs Avi Schnall and Sean Kean for Assembly, Michael Wrubel for Town Council, and Shaun Golden for Sheriff, citing each candidate’s friendship and support for the frum community. The signatories stress that “when we vote, our needs and values are heard and respected,” and urge every eligible voter to take part, concluding with a heartfelt reminder that the community’s strength lies in its unity and civic participation.

The Lakewood Vaad released a message to the community, calling on residents to vote in unity and large numbers. The Vaad emphasized that “your vote is important and essential,” urging the community to ensure that its voice remains clear and united so elected officials can continue to focus on issues vital to Lakewood and its families. The Vaad announced its support for Jack Ciattarelli for Governor of New Jersey, citing his proven understanding of the community’s values and needs. “Mr. Ciattarelli has been clear with our leadership that he understands and shares our community’s values and concerns,” the letter stated, praising his commitment to securing funding for schools, road infrastructure, and essential services. The Vaad also expressed appreciation to President Donald J. Trump for his “extraordinary efforts to free our hostages, defend the rights of Yidden in Eretz Yisroel, and his friendship to our community.” Endorsements were reaffirmed for Assemblyman Avi Schnall, Assemblyman Sean Kean, Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, Committeeman Isaac Akerman, and Board of Education members Meir Grunhut and Shlomie Stern. The Vaad further backed Jack Kelly for County Clerk, as well as Sam Ellenbogen and Ray Gormley for County Commissioner, lauding their “dedicated volunteer hours to public service for the kehillah.”

Together, these coordinated endorsements from Lakewood-area leadership reflect a unified push to bring out a strong, consistent vote across Ocean County.

{Matzav.com}

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, in his first public comments since the arrests of Portland coach Chauncey Billups and Miami guard Terry Rozier on gambling-related charges, said Friday night that he was stunned by the indictments that have rocked the league. “My initial reaction was I was deeply disturbed,” Silver said on Amazon Prime Video, during the streaming service’s first broadcast — Boston at New York. “There’s nothing more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the competition. I had a pit in my stomach. It was very upsetting.” Such was a sentiment shared by many around the league on Friday, one day after the indictments were unsealed and nearly three dozen people — most notably, Billups and Rozier — were arrested by federal officials. Rozier was arrested because federal officials allege he conspired with associates to help them win bets based on his statistical performance. The charges are similar to what former Toronto player Jontay Porter faced before he was banned from the league by Silver in 2024. Billups faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering for participating in what federal officials called Mafia-backed rigged poker games. He also matches the credentials of someone described only as Co-Conspirator 8 in an indictment detailing how some people gave bettors inside information on player health statuses. The arrests have overshadowed the opening week around the league. “I apologize to our fans that we are all dealing with this situation,” Silver said during the in-game interview. The Rozier case has gone on since March 23, 2023. He was with the Charlotte Hornets at that time, and sportsbooks — legal ones — alerted the NBA to irregular patterns involving Rozier’s “prop bets” that day. Rozier went on to play about 9 1/2 minutes, and those who bet that he would underperform the listed stat lines won those wagers. Federal officials said more than $200,000 was bet on those lines alone. The NBA investigated and found no reason to sanction Rozier, Silver said. “We frankly couldn’t find anything,” Silver said. “Terry at the time cooperated. He gave the league office his phone. He sat down for an interview. And we ultimately concluded that there was insufficient evidence despite that aberrational behavior to move forward. “He still hasn’t been convicted of anything, in fairness to Terry. Obviously, it doesn’t look good. But he’s now been put on administrative leave. There’s a balance here of protecting people’s rights and investigating.” Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue calls Billups his best friend and said the news was difficult to take. He said he spoke with Billups on Thursday night and was encouraged by what he heard. “To go through something like this, the allegations, his family, my goddaughters, it was a tough day,” Lue said. “You never want to see your friends go through anything like that.” Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers started in the NBA as a player more than 40 years ago. He’s seen plenty of good and bad. He thought he had heard it all. That is, until now. “It’s really sad,” Rivers said Friday. Along with Billups and Rozier, former NBA player Damon Jones now faces charges because officials said he tipped off bettors about the health status of two Los Angeles Lakers players. The details in […]

Senator Bernie Sanders has ignited controversy with remarks praising President Donald Trump’s border policy, saying during an appearance on The Tim Dillon Show that Trump “did a better job” securing America’s borders than President Biden. Sanders called on Democrats to reembrace an enforcement-centered immigration approach, declaring that “it ain’t that hard to do.”

The comments, released Wednesday in a podcast episode now widely shared on X and YouTube, mark one of Sanders’ most direct challenges to his own party in years. “So long as we have nation-states, you’ve got to have borders,” he said. “If you don’t have any borders, then you don’t have a nation.”

In an unusually candid assessment, the Vermont senator admitted his discomfort while still crediting Trump. “Trump did a better job. I don’t like Trump, you know, but we should have a secure border, and it ain’t that hard to do,” he said, before adding that the current administration had failed to follow through. “Biden didn’t do it.”

The clip quickly gained traction online, with the Republican National Committee’s research division reposting it within hours, highlighting Sanders’ remarks as evidence of what they described as “growing Democratic acknowledgment of Biden’s border failures.”

Sanders, who twice sought the Democratic nomination for president on a populist economic platform, has occasionally split from his party on immigration. Even during his 2020 campaign, he warned against “open borders” messaging and insisted that the United States already possesses “the technology and manpower” necessary to maintain control. He reiterated that sentiment on the podcast, saying bluntly, “I’m not going to sit here and tell you that overall [Biden] did a good job — it was not.”

The senator’s remarks come amid record-breaking numbers at the southern border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 2.47 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2023 — the highest ever — compared to about 458,000 in Trump’s final year in office.

Sanders made the comments while promoting his new book, Fight Oligarchy, and responding to host Tim Dillon’s question about where Democrats have lost touch with working-class voters. His tone represented a notable shift from his earlier stance. During his 2020 run, Sanders accused Trump of “demonizing immigrants” and dismissed talk of a border crisis as “manufactured.”

Back in March 2020, Sanders told a Fox News town hall audience he “would not close the borders” even amid the COVID-19 outbreak, calling such restrictions “xenophobic.” And in January 2019, when Trump delivered a televised address warning of a border emergency, Sanders brushed it off, saying “we don’t need to create artificial crises.”

Now, five years later, the longtime progressive’s rhetoric has taken a striking turn. By insisting that “you’ve got to have borders” and asserting that Trump “did a better job,” Sanders has aligned himself — at least on immigration enforcement — with an argument long championed by conservatives.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump plans to burnish his reputation as an international dealmaker on Sunday by solidifying a trade agreement with Malaysia and overseeing the signing of an expanded ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, two nations that skirmished along their disputed border earlier this year. The two accords could be finalized while Trump attends the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which is being hosted in Kuala Lumpur. It’s the first stop of a three-country swing across the continent, with visits to Japan and South Korea and a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One that he was optimistic his meeting with Xi could yield progress on a range of issues, including fentanyl trafficking and soybean trade. “I think we have a really good chance of making a very comprehensive deal,” Trump said. “I want our farmers to be taken care of. And he wants things also.” Details about Trump’s agreements have been characteristically scarce, even after Trump departed Washington. It remains to be seen whether Trump’s dealmaking addresses longstanding issues or puts them off for another day. The Republican president is scheduled to touch down in Kuala Lumpur around 10 a.m. local time. He will meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim before attending a ceremony featuring Cambodia and Thailand and later joining regional leaders for dinner. U.S. presidents don’t always attend this summit, and Trump went only once during his first term. But he told reporters aboard Air Force One that he wanted to come because Anwar helped resolve the fighting between Cambodia and Thailand. “I told the leader of Malaysia, who is a very good man, ‘I think I owe you a trip,’” Trump said. Dozens of people died and hundreds of thousands were displaced during five days of combat in July. Cambodia and Thailand have competing territorial claims, and violence periodically flares along their border. Trump threatened to withhold trade agreements from the two countries unless they stopped fighting, a display of economic leverage that has been credited with spurring negotiations. A shaky truce has persisted since then. “The fact that Trump was holding the tariff card was actually very, very significant,” said Ou Virak, president of Phnom Penh’s Future Forum think tank. “That’s probably the main reason, if not the only reason, but definitely the main reason why the two sides agreed immediately to the ceasefire.” Now, he said, “there’s a ceremony for Trump to be in front of cameras” so he can be “seen as the champion that brings an end to wars and conflicts,” giving him ”more ammunition for his bid for Nobel Peace Prize.” Trump has explicitly campaigned for the honor, continuously adding to a list of conflicts that he either helped resolve or claims to have ended. Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told reporters on Saturday that the “joint declaration” to be signed on Sunday will state that Thailand and Cambodia “are committed to renew their relations.” He also said there has been an agreement to address Thai concerns about landmines and heavy artillery along the border, as well as other issues. “It’s not an end in itself,” Nikorndej said. “Work has just begun.” Trump expressed confidence about the prospect of finalizing trade agreements during his trip. Negotiations have […]

The New York Knicks have ordered mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani to immediately stop using the team’s logo in his campaign materials, warning that his ad implied a false association with the franchise and violated its intellectual property rights.

The controversy erupted after Mamdani’s campaign aired an ad during the Knicks’ season opener on Wednesday night, featuring the team’s iconic orange-and-blue design but swapping out the word “Knicks” for “Zohran.” The ad carried the tagline, “This is our year. This is our time,” and appeared across the candidate’s social media accounts.

Following The New York Post’s report exposing the unauthorized use, Mamdani’s campaign swiftly removed the online ads by Friday afternoon.

In a letter sent to the campaign, the Knicks’ legal team accused Mamdani of misleading voters by creating the false impression that his candidacy was “affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by, or in some way connected with the Knicks.” The team demanded that all campaign material containing Knicks-related imagery or branding be deleted immediately.

A spokesperson for the franchise confirmed the team’s actions in a statement to The Post: “The NY Knicks have sent NYC Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a cease-and-desist letter for using the NY Knicks logo to promote his candidacy.” The spokesperson added, “The Knicks want to make it clear that we do not endorse Mr. Mamdani for Mayor, and we object to his use of our copyrighted logo. We will pursue all legal remedies to enforce our rights.”

Mamdani, the socialist Democrat leading in early polls, had promoted the ad as a symbol of local pride and energy heading into the race, but the Knicks’ move forced his team to backtrack.

While the organization made its disapproval public, Knicks owner James Dolan has stayed quiet on the mayoral race itself. Still, Dolan has not avoided politics altogether—recently revealing that he quietly supported independent candidate Diana Florence’s campaign for Manhattan district attorney in an effort to unseat incumbent Alvin Bragg.

{Matzav.com}

Senator John Fetterman addresses dysfunction in Washington and the ongoing government shutdown, saying he can’t control the direction of the Democratic Party but will always vote “country over party.”

Curtis Sliwa after casting his vote early in New York City: “We trust people. We don’t trust the billionaires, the insiders or the influencers.”

President Trump is asked if he’d consider meeting Kim Jong Un during his Asia trip: “If he’d like to meet, I’m open to it… They have very little telephonic service, but he knows I’m coming — and, yeah, I’d be open to it, 100%.”