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BREAKING: Wall Collapse at T Fusion Kosher Steakhouse in Flatbush Leaves One in Critical Condition
New York City Democratic Mayoral Rivals Clash In First TV Debate
Two figures became the focal point of criticism during the heated two-hour Democratic mayoral debate in New York City: Andrew Cuomo, the dominant frontrunner, and Donald Trump.
Cuomo’s rivals on the debate stage—eight candidates eager to break his lead in the polls—hammered him over controversies that shadowed his resignation four years ago. The accusations ranged from sexual harassment claims to his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which remains under federal scrutiny.
One of the harshest criticisms came from Michael Blake, a former state Assemblymember polling near the bottom of the field. “The people who don’t feel safe are the young women, mothers and grandmothers around Andrew Cuomo — that’s the greatest threat to public safety.”
With just 10 days left until early voting begins, the televised debate was a make-or-break opportunity for Cuomo’s opponents to land punches. They used the evening to aggressively go after the former governor, hoping to chip away at his commanding lead.
The lineup included Cuomo, Blake, City Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, and businessman Whitney Tilson. The debate was hosted by POLITICO and WNBC.
The event was often chaotic, with candidates talking over each other as they competed to challenge Cuomo, who is seeking a political comeback after stepping down amid scandal.
Beyond Cuomo, the candidates also took aim at Trump’s influence in the city, condemning his immigration policies and his threats toward Columbia University, where he accused the administration of failing to protect Jewish students.
Brad Lander attempted to tie Cuomo to Trump by blasting both figures. “With all the corruption that’s in Washington, we can’t have corruption back here in New York City as well,” he said, referencing Cuomo’s lucrative $5 million book deal from the pandemic.
The attacks on Cuomo were relentless. Although he’s avoided most press and candidate events, Wednesday night marked a rare moment where he stood directly in the crosshairs, especially from Blake, who repeatedly landed pointed jabs.
Mamdani revived a controversial 2008 remark in which Cuomo used the phrase “shuck and jive” to describe then-candidate Barack Obama, accusing him of dodging responsibility. “Allergic to accountability,” Mamdani said, echoing the sentiment of many onstage.
Adrienne Adams was visibly stunned when Cuomo failed to identify a single political regret. She pressed him, saying, “No regrets when it comes to cutting Medicaid or health care? No regrets when it comes to cutting child care? No regrets when it comes to slow walking PPE and vaccinations in the season of Covid in Black and brown communities?”
Scott Stringer criticized Cuomo’s role in advancing a controversial bail reform law, while Cuomo pushed back, accusing his opponents of wanting to defund the police. He targeted Mamdani specifically, dismissing the assemblymember’s qualifications. “Mr. Trump would go through Mr. Mamdani like a hot knife through butter,” Cuomo said. “He would be Trump’s delight.”
Cuomo also turned his fire on Lander, accusing the comptroller of authorizing contracts tied to his wife’s connections. “Mr. Lander knows corruption,” Cuomo said. Lander swiftly responded, calling the allegation “a lie.”
Trump’s shadow loomed large over the debate. Though deeply unpopular in New York, his actions have continued to shape the race. Stringer once branded him “a schmuck,” while Cuomo labeled him “a bully.”
Current Mayor Eric Adams has opted to skip the Democratic primary altogether, announcing in April that he will pursue reelection as an independent. His perceived friendliness with Trump after the DOJ dropped a corruption case against him made remaining in the Democratic field politically risky.
Adams, who ran on a tough-on-crime message during the COVID era, was scarcely mentioned. However, Adrienne Adams expressed regret over having backed him in 2021.
Cuomo, meanwhile, hasn’t escaped the Trump-related fallout. A federal investigation into his handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic was triggered by a House Republican referral accusing him of lying to Congress.
On stage, Cuomo denied the accusation. But when pressed about whether he had personally reviewed or edited the nursing home report, he sidestepped. “I was very aware of the report,” Cuomo said, drawing audible groans. “I stand by the report.”
The controversy over his decision to require nursing homes to admit COVID-positive patients has persisted. Cuomo has argued the policy followed federal guidelines, but the state attorney general and comptroller later reported his administration had undercounted thousands of nursing home fatalities.
Cuomo’s campaign has attempted to use the investigation to its advantage, portraying it as politically motivated. Last month, he released an ad pointing out that others under investigation by Trump’s Department of Justice include fellow Democrats, such as Attorney General Letitia James.
He stepped down in 2021 after a bombshell report from James’ office concluded he had harassed 11 women. Though he initially apologized, he later denied the allegations entirely. “I said at the time it was political and it was false.”
Despite lingering unpopularity and criticism of his past governance—particularly his record on homelessness and the subway—Cuomo remains a top-tier contender thanks to name recognition, union endorsements, and favorable polling. Some of the polling was conducted by a firm providing free services to his campaign.
Cuomo is benefiting from an expensive advertising blitz by a super PAC called Fix the City, which has spent more than $8 million on TV ads. The PAC has drawn financial support from Trump-aligned donors like William Ackman and from companies like DoorDash. The support has raised eyebrows from campaign finance watchdogs, who suspect illegal coordination.
“I work for the people of the state of New York, the people of the city of New York. I don’t care who gave me what,” Cuomo said. “I do what is right.”
His campaign message centers on restoring order to what he portrays as a city plagued by crime and homelessness—challenges he claims only he is capable of resolving.
Cuomo’s base overlaps with that of Eric Adams, drawing from blue-collar communities of color and Jewish neighborhoods, both crucial demographics in a citywide race.
Zohran Mamdani has emerged as Cuomo’s most serious challenger, consistently ranking second in the polls. An Emerson College survey found him trailing Cuomo by single digits in a final ranked-choice round.
Mamdani has grown his profile through polished online videos and bold policy ideas, including government-operated supermarkets, universal child care, and fare-free buses. However, those proposals face steep financial hurdles and would require state approval.
He’s also pushing for a rent freeze and criticized Cuomo during the debate for failing to fully support taxing the wealthy during his time as governor.
Mamdani’s political positions, particularly his support for the BDS movement and criticism of Israel, have become a liability with Jewish voters. Cuomo has leaned into this divide, slamming Mamdani, Lander, and Adrienne Adams for what he calls weak support for Israel.
Outside NBC’s headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, a raucous crowd gathered ahead of the debate. Supporters of various candidates lined the sidewalks, chanting and waving signs.
Mamdani made a flashy entrance, arriving with a brass band called “Horns for Zohran,” playing “This Land is Your Land.”
Cuomo drew the biggest crowd, filled with union members from Laborers Local 79, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, and the carpenters union. But he kept them waiting.
“You sure he’s coming? We’re waiting for him,” one HTC member asked, scanning the crowd.
While other candidates were told to arrive before 5:30 p.m., Cuomo pulled up nearly an hour late in a Dodge Charger, stepping out to greet his cheering supporters.
{Matzav.com}
Rav Yitzchok Yosef to Attias: “Defend Bnei Torah by All Means, with Anyone Willing to Help — This Is Not About Right or Left”
In a sharply worded message on Wednesday evening, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, former chief rabbi of Israel, made it clear that the latest developments surrounding the chareidi draft bill and the position taken by MK Yoel “Yuli” Edelstein could spell the end of the current government’s term.
During a meeting at his home, Rav Yosef received former minister and Shas negotiator Ariel Attias for a detailed update on the discussions within the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the draft legislation and the mounting political crisis threatening to dissolve the Knesset.
Attias informed Rav Yosef that although recent days had seen significant progress and broad agreement on a unified version of the draft law, committee chairman Edelstein suddenly reversed his position. He withdrew support for several key clauses, effectively gutting the agreement reached with chareidi parties and introducing a framework that would subject yeshiva and kollel students to a series of harsh sanctions.
In response, Rav Yosef instructed that a clear message be delivered to Prime Minister Netanyahu at their meeting today: Edelstein’s demands are tantamount to the collapse of the government.
Simultaneously, Rav Yosef emphasized the need to maintain open channels with all factions in the Knesset in preparation for possible future cooperation after elections, with the goal of ensuring legal protections for bnei hayeshivos.
“The primary mission in the Knesset is to strengthen and protect those who learn Torah — without them we have no right to exist,” Rav Yosef said during the meeting. “Therefore, it is imperative to act in every possible way, with anyone willing to help in this matter — this has nothing to do with being right-wing or aligning with any specific camp.”
It was also agreed that following today’s meeting with the prime minister, the matter would be reassessed and final decisions would be made accordingly — including the possibility of convening the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas at the beginning of next week to formally determine the community’s next steps.
In a related development, a list of sanctions proposed against yeshiva and kollel students under the age of 29 who do not enlist and fail to meet government-imposed draft quotas has been revealed:
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Loss of municipal property tax discounts (arnona)
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Revocation of income tax credits for their wives
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Ineligibility for discounted housing programs
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Taxation on first-home purchases
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Loss of academic tuition subsidies
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Inability to obtain a driver’s license
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Restrictions on travel abroad
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Disqualification from daycare subsidies
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Constant threat of arrest
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Removal of public transportation discounts
{Matzav.com Israel}
U.S. Jobless Claims Rise To 8-Month High, But Are Still Historically Low
Trump Orders Investigation Into ‘Increasingly Apparent’ Cover Up of Biden’s Mental Decline and Aides Use of Autopen
President Trump issued a directive on Wednesday tasking his administration with launching an investigation into whether aides to Joe Biden “conspired to deceive the public” about his cognitive state and used an autopen to approve documents without his direct involvement.
“In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that former President Biden’s aides abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority,” Trump stated in a formal memorandum addressed to his legal counsel and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Labeling the situation as a major breach of trust, Trump wrote, “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history,” adding, “The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.”
Trump raised questions about Biden’s actual involvement in executive actions over his term, asserting that “there are serious doubts as to the decision making process and even the degree of Biden’s awareness” related to presidential directives he allegedly signed. These included controversial pardons for members of his own family and commutations for individuals convicted of murder.
In the memo, Trump instructed, “The Counsel to the President, in consultation with the Attorney General and the head of any other relevant executive department or agency (agency), shall investigate, to the extent permitted by law, whether certain individuals conspired to deceive the public about Biden’s mental state and unconstitutionally exercise the authorities and responsibilities of the President.”
The investigation will also examine efforts to “purposefully shield the public from information regarding Biden’s mental and physical health,” as well as the authenticity of executive actions allegedly approved during his final years in office—particularly those bearing autopen signatures.
“Given clear indications that President Biden lacked the capacity to exercise his Presidential authority, if his advisors secretly used the mechanical signature pen to conceal this incapacity, while taking radical executive actions all in his name, that would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of the power of the Presidency, a circumstance that would have implications for the legality and validity of numerous executive actions undertaken in Biden’s name,” Trump wrote in the document.
The inquiry will also aim to uncover any internal agreements among Biden’s team “to cooperatively and falsely deem recorded videos of the President’s cognitive inability as fake” and to pressure individuals into issuing “false, public statements elevating the President’s capabilities.”
In response, Biden issued a statement to multiple press outlets pushing back on the accusations. “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” he stated.
He went on to say, “This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.”
Trump’s memo follows a recent email from Department of Justice pardon attorney Ed Martin, who instructed his team to investigate whether Biden was of sound mind when certain decisions were made, including if autopen use obscured involvement from others.
The probe will specifically review pardons issued to five of Biden’s relatives—his son Hunter, siblings James, Frank, and Valerie, along with their spouses—as well as the 2024 commutations for 37 federal death row inmates.
Martin had previously stated that while the president’s power to grant clemency is broad, the use of an autopen in such circumstances justifies deeper evaluation.
On Capitol Hill, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is spearheading a separate inquiry into Biden’s mental fitness and autopen use. Meanwhile, Senators Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are organizing a Senate hearing next month to examine Biden’s cognitive state more closely.
{Matzav.com}
Aleph’s Compass Workshop Reaches Over 2,500 Yeshiva Students Nationwide
Shas Signals Support for Dissolving Knesset Amid Coalition Turmoil, Private Meeting Held Between Gantz and Rav Reuven Elbaz
As tensions escalate between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the chareidi parties over the draft law crisis, new developments reveal mounting political instability. A private, one-on-one meeting took place on Wednesday between MK Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity Party, and Rav Reuven Elbaz, a senior member of Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah. The meeting was held at Rav Elbaz’s residence.
Simultaneously, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri convened an emergency session with his party’s ministers and Knesset members. During the meeting, Deri announced that Shas would support a motion to dissolve the Knesset next week if Netanyahu fails to persuade Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman MK Yuli Edelstein to soften his demands regarding the draft legislation.
Speaking at the meeting, Deri emphasized that Shas is not seeking new elections but is facing a reality in which there is “no choice.” He made clear that Shas cannot remain part of a government that fails to secure protections for bnei hayeshivos and lomdei Torah.
Meanwhile, the Shas Council of Roshei Yeshiva, led by Rav Shmuel Betzalel, Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef, also convened to deliberate whether to back the move to disband the Knesset over the Edelstein draft bill impasse.
Former Minister Ariel Attias presented the proposed sanctions and legal demands made by MK Edelstein to the rabbanim during the session. The council expressed its support for dissolving the Knesset should no agreement be reached on a mutually acceptable version of the draft law.
Sources in Shas indicate that the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah is expected to formally meet in the coming days to ratify this stance, potentially bringing the coalition to the brink of collapse if a resolution is not found.
{Matzav.com Israel}
BD”E: Petirah Of R’ Ezzy Neuhaus, Longtime Resident Of Lakewood’s Yeshiva Area
REVEALED: This Is How Israel Is Aiding An Armed Clan In Gaza To Fight Hamas
NATO Eyes Billions in New Arms Purchases to Counter Russian Threat
RARE MOVE: Supreme Court To A-G: “Cease All Involvement In Matters Of Ex-Shin Bet Chief”
West Harlem Becomes First Neighborhood In North America To Fully Containerize Trash
West Harlem has taken a bold step in waste management, becoming the first area in both New York City and North America to place all its trash in containers. On Monday, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan announced the launch of full-scale service for the new European-style sidewalk containers—called Empire Bins—in Manhattan’s Community Board 9. This area includes the neighborhoods of Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and Hamilton Heights. Under the pilot initiative, all residential buildings must containerize trash. Those with 31 or more units are mandated to use Empire Bins.
“When we said four years ago that we were going to have cleaner streets and fewer vermin, the cynics rolled their eyes and said, ‘New York City is too big, government moves too slow, and no one will ever beat the rats,’” Adams said in a statement. “But we refused to take no for an answer, and our Empire Bins are striking back at rats and garbage in West Harlem.”
The launch signals major progress in the Adams administration’s campaign to revamp how garbage is handled across the city, with waste containerization at the forefront of this effort.
DSNY distributed roughly 1,100 bins during the past five weeks, assigning each to a specific building instead of using a block-based model. Building owners received special key cards to unlock and use their designated bins.
Each Empire Bin is capable of storing approximately 794 gallons of refuse, which translates to about 25 standard 32-gallon trash bags, according to city officials.
Buildings with between 10 and 30 apartments were given a choice: receive their own Empire Bin or utilize smaller mobile containers known as “wheelie bins.” Following significant outreach, city representatives say about 50 percent of eligible buildings opted for the larger Empire Bins.
Waste from the new containers is collected three times a week by DSNY’s automated side-loading garbage trucks. These vehicles, part of the department’s “Future of Trash” plan, are specially equipped to handle the new on-street bins through side-loading technology.
At present, 16 of these side-loading trucks—engineered in collaboration with teams from Italy, Hicksville, and Brooklyn—are in active rotation throughout West Harlem.
Some locals have expressed concerns about the containers eliminating parking spots. According to Gothamist, DSNY estimates that only about four percent of parking spaces in the area have been repurposed. Still, one significant operational hurdle has been vehicles double-parked in front of the bins, making it difficult for the side-loading trucks to perform their pickups, as noted by the New York Times.
New York City’s waste containerization regulations have expanded steadily. As of March 2024, all businesses must use bins for their garbage. And since November 2024, buildings with up to nine residential units are also required to comply. Combined, these rules now cover 70 percent of all the city’s trash.
Preliminary indicators suggest the approach is yielding results. The city’s 311 hotline has recorded fewer rat complaints in the six months since the regulations began, compared to the same stretch the previous year, according to a recent press release.
DSNY plans to monitor West Harlem’s pilot closely in the months ahead. A decision about scaling the program to other parts of the city will be based on the findings from this evaluation.
“When I started as a sanitation worker in 1999, the idea that we could get where we are today seemed impossible,” DSNY Acting Commissioner Lojan said. “But in the 26 years since then, I’ve seen too many good people get hurt from throwing bags or sick with leptospirosis, and I’ve seen too many neighborhoods asked to live with garbage juice and rats all over their sidewalks.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way and today marks a giant leap forward for our city — the completion of a signature Adams administration initiative, a revolution in how we handle our trash.”
Widening the program will be a massive undertaking, requiring the removal of an estimated 50,000 parking spots and an investment of several hundred million dollars over the coming ten years, the Times reported.
Although the project is showing promise, it is still classified as a pilot. Any decision to make it permanent will rest with future city leaders. Andrew Cuomo, who currently leads in the polls, has publicly supported the concept of containerized waste.
Brad Lander, the city comptroller and a candidate for mayor, has also endorsed the effort and wants to see it expanded more broadly. Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, who is polling in second place, has argued that the initiative should be pushed even further.
{Matzav.com}
Cruz Revives Push To Label Muslim Brotherhood A Terror Group After Boulder Attack
In response to the recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is preparing to reintroduce legislation targeting the Muslim Brotherhood by formally labeling it a terrorist group, according to a report by The Hill on Wednesday.
The attack, which occurred on Sunday, was allegedly carried out by Mohamed Soliman, an Egyptian national. Authorities have pointed to his online activity, where he reportedly expressed support for the Muslim Brotherhood, as part of the investigation.
Senator Cruz revealed that he is working on a “modernized version” of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, which he has championed in the past during prior legislative sessions.
Explaining the urgency of the bill, Cruz remarked, “The Muslim Brotherhood uses political violence to achieve political ends and destabilize American allies, both within countries and across national boundaries. The Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood is Hamas, a terrorist group which on October 7th committed the largest one day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and which included the murder and kidnapping of dozens of Americans.”
He continued, emphasizing the threat he believes the organization poses, stating, “The Brotherhood used the Biden administration to consolidate and deepen their influence, but the Trump administration and Republican Congress can no longer afford to avoid the threat they pose to Americans and American national security.”
A number of other nations, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, have already categorized the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. These designations came after the group’s political ascension in Egypt, which ended with their ouster by the country’s military.
According to The Hill, the push for this renewed legislation has received backing from lawmakers across the political spectrum, several of whom are urging President Donald Trump to take definitive action and formally declare the group a terrorist entity.
Among those expressing support was Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), who wrote on X, “Its history of promoting extremist ideologies and terrorist activities through affiliates like Hamas threatens our national & global security.”
Although President Trump considered making such a designation during his first term, the administration ultimately refrained. At the time, officials reportedly determined that the group did not fully meet the criteria required for classification as a foreign terrorist organization.
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