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RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Committee to Vote on COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Chickenpox Shots
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisory panel will hold its first major meeting this week, where members are expected to vote on recommendations for shots against COVID-19, hepatitis B, and chickenpox, the AP reports.
The agenda for Thursday and Friday’s sessions in Atlanta offers little detail, and the Department of Health and Human Services has not clarified exactly what questions will be put to a vote. That lack of transparency has fueled concern among public health experts, who worry the discussions could introduce unnecessary doubts about vaccines in the minds of parents.
Even more troubling to some observers is the possibility that the committee could vote to restrict federal funding for certain vaccines, potentially preventing low-income families from accessing them. “I’m tightening my seat belt,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a vaccines specialist at Vanderbilt University.
Known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the group provides guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how approved vaccines should be used. Traditionally, CDC directors have followed ACIP’s recommendations closely, and those decisions shape doctors’ practices and national immunization programs.
Kennedy, once a high-profile critic of vaccines before assuming leadership at HHS, dismissed the 17-member panel earlier this year and replaced it with new members, some of whom have histories of skepticism toward vaccines.
Historically, ACIP has reaffirmed recommendations each June for shots against respiratory viruses ahead of the fall and winter season. But this past June, the committee recommended flu shots while avoiding any stance on COVID-19 vaccines.
Before that meeting, Kennedy announced he was removing COVID-19 vaccines from CDC recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women, sparking backlash from doctors’ groups and public health leaders. The American Academy of Pediatrics and others quickly filed a lawsuit in response.
The CDC later clarified that families could still access the 2024–2025 COVID-19 shots for children after consultation with their physicians, meaning they would remain eligible for coverage under the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. That program provides shots at no cost for children in families lacking adequate health insurance and accounts for about half of all pediatric immunizations in the country.
As with influenza vaccines, new COVID-19 formulations are produced annually to match circulating variants. The committee has yet to decide whether to recommend this year’s version or whether the shots will remain covered by the VFC program.
Complicating matters further, when the FDA authorized this season’s COVID-19 vaccines last month, the agency restricted their use for healthy younger children and adults. Without additional clarification from the CDC, that move could effectively block millions of children from coverage. “That would take away access for roughly half of America’s kids,” warned Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has called for continued vaccination for all children ages six months to two years.
Hepatitis B, another focus of the meeting, is a virus that causes severe liver infections. In adults it spreads through sexual contact or sharing contaminated needles, but it can also pass from mother to child at birth. Up to 90% of infants infected this way develop chronic disease.
The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in the U.S. in 1981, and in 1991, ACIP recommended newborns receive a dose within 24 hours of birth. The early shots are particularly important for babies whose mothers are infected or not tested, with studies showing an 85–95% effectiveness in preventing chronic disease.
The practice of vaccinating newborns has been considered a major public health success, with no credible safety concerns identified in decades of research. Nonetheless, Kennedy’s newly appointed ACIP members indicated in June they want to revisit the policy. Schaffner pointed out that screening mothers alone once proved inadequate. “There were lots of failures,” he said. “And so there were continuing transmissions from mother to child.”
Chickenpox, once a nearly universal childhood illness, also remains on the agenda. The virus causes an itchy rash and fever, and though usually mild, it can sometimes lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and skin infections. Adults and teens who contract it for the first time are more likely to face severe illness. The virus can also reactivate later in life as shingles.
The government first endorsed universal chickenpox vaccination for children in 1995, leading to steep declines in both cases and deaths. In 2006, the MMRV combination shot—covering measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella—was approved, and initially recommended over separate doses.
But later studies showed that young children receiving the combined MMRV shot were more likely to experience rash, fever, and rare post-vaccine seizures than those who received the shots separately. In 2009, ACIP revised its guidance to say either approach was acceptable.
Today, many pediatricians recommend separate shots for the first dose while using the combined vaccine for the second, striking a balance between effectiveness and safety.
{Matzav.com}
Putin Appears in Military Uniform at Zapad-2025 War Games in Belarus
Netanyahu at IDF Command Center as Forces Operate Across Multiple Fronts
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{Matzav.com}
Tesla Under Investigation After Parents Say Faulty Door Handles Trapped Their Kids In The Back
IDF Prepares New Religious Directives Covering Davening, Kashrus, and Shabbos for All Soldiers
The Israel Defense Forces is finalizing a new, comprehensive order that will govern religious practices, kashrus, and the rights of observant soldiers across every unit of the military.
According to a report in Yediot Achronot today, the initiative is separate from the new regulations being drafted specifically for chareidi units. Instead, it aims to establish uniform rules that will apply to the entire army.
Under the new guidelines, all food donations or gifts brought into bases will require approval from the Chief Military Rabbi—unlike the current system, which does not address the issue. In addition, every kitchen, dining hall, and vending machine will need formal kashrus certification from the Military Rabbinate, whereas today only notification is required. Another provision states that kashrus supervisors will no longer be permitted to assist with kitchen labor and must focus exclusively on kashrus oversight.
Significant changes are also planned for Pesach. Instead of the present practice, which bars chametz from entering bases several weeks before the Yom Tov, the restriction will now begin only on the morning before the Seder night.
The new order extends weekday Shacharis time from 40 minutes to 45 minutes.
Regarding Shabbos, soldiers will be released up to two hours before shkiah, compared to the current one-hour standard.
For religious soldiers remaining on base over Shabbos, an additional 30 minutes will be granted after nightfall for personal preparations. Likewise, soldiers returning from home will only be required to report back to their unit a half-hour after Shabbos ends.
The regulations also address several other issues, including observance of Shemittah on all IDF bases, prohibiting the mandatory entry of kohanim into cemeteries, and allowing soldiers to refrain from entering the Har HaBayis or houses of worship of other religions, except when operational needs require it, and then only with the appropriate authorization.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Virginia Imam: ‘World a Better Place’ Without Charlie Kirk Who ‘Died Disrespecting Black People’
Virginia Imam Ismail Saleem declared during a Friday sermon that the world is “a better place” without Charlie Kirk, claiming the slain conservative activist had died “disrespecting black people” and was undeserving of compassion. He said that the Turning Point USA founder is “getting what he deserves” and admitted that the sorrow of Kirk’s supporters “makes me smile.”
Speaking before worshippers in Norfolk, Virginia, Saleem sharply criticized both Kirk and those mourning his passing, accusing them of misplaced sympathies. “You see, the problem today is with empathy. And the problem that we see currently in these last couple of days is the empathy is for the family and friends of the racist person [Charlie Kirk],” he told the congregation. “Does anybody hope that this man’s children grow up to be like him or continue his legacy and his work?”
“Some people empathize because they are not good people themselves,” Saleem added.
The remarks, documented in a video released by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), escalated as Saleem continued. “He died disrespecting black people, so I don’t care about him at all,” he said. “The world is a better place without him.”
Saleem did not soften his message, going further to emphasize his reaction to the murder. “He gets what he deserves — he’s getting what he deserves — right now,” he said. “And it makes me smile. Their tears make me smile. Their anger makes me smile.”
The imam also condemned the public expressions of empathy toward Kirk’s loved ones, insisting that other tragedies were being ignored. “They weren’t crying when they see Palestinian children dying every single day, when they lose their parents… so why would I cry? Let them see how we feel. See how it feels for people to not care about you at all,” he said.
“If they want to help — tell their friends and family to stop being racist, then we’ll stop being indifferent to whatever happens to them,” he concluded in the sermon.
The address came just two days after Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University and added to a series of inflammatory remarks made in the wake of his death.
On Sunday, Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley also spoke critically about Kirk, rejecting efforts to celebrate him as a hero. Wesley argued that the Turning Point USA leader was an “unapologetic racist” and that death did not rewrite his record. “You do not become a hero in death when you were a weapon of the enemy in your life,” Wesley said in a widely shared message.
{Matzav.com}
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro Says US Must ‘Turn The Tide’ Against Political Violence, Reject Vengeance
Tyler Robinson’s Ominous Texts About Charlie Kirk Assassination Could Reveal His Alleged Motive
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed on Monday that investigators discovered a disturbing text message sent by Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, which could reveal his motive in last week’s deadly attack.
“[W]hat was found, in terms of information, a text message exchange where the suspect [Robinson], specifically stated that he had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and he was going to do that,” Patel explained during an interview on Fox News’ Hannity.
“And when [Robinson] was asked why, he said, ‘Some hatred cannot be negotiated with,’” Patel continued.
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Robinson, 22, is accused of fatally shooting Kirk from a rooftop more than 150 yards away during a packed event at Utah Valley University, where the 31-year-old conservative figure was addressing supporters.
Patel said investigators have additional evidence obtained “through witness interviews” indicating that Robinson “essentially admitted” to carrying out the killing after the September 10 attack.
“The suspect admitted to it,” Patel confirmed, though he declined to elaborate further, stressing that he would not “stylize the evidence.”
When asked if the investigation had uncovered possible involvement from others, Patel said the FBI is actively examining that angle.
“We’re dedicating every asset we have to run the reverse daisy chain analysis of anyone that was in contact with the suspect that’s currently in custody and anyone he contacted, called and text-messaged and had chats on online social media platforms with,” Patel said.
The director explained that agents are preparing to “interview scores of people” with whom Robinson interacted on Discord and other online platforms, and that federal agents are pursuing warrants to examine those conversations.
“We seized multiple electronic devices from the home of the suspect and his romantic partner,” Patel noted. “We’ve got computers, we’ve got laptops, gaming systems, we’ve got cellphones.”
“All of that is being triaged by the FBI, because that’s what we do,” he continued. “And the resources that the attorney general has dedicated to this mission is allowing us to move at the speed we have.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi, also speaking on Hannity, applauded Patel and the bureau for their work.
“The FBI worked long and hard from Day One,” Bondi said.
“It was great police work,” she added. “They worked hand in hand with the local agencies, and then they gave the gun to [the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives], ATF got the DNA off the firearm, and the DNA matched the defendant in this case.”
Bondi said Utah prosecutors plan to charge Robinson with first-degree murder “most likely tomorrow or this week.”
She further suggested the death penalty would be pursued. “Very real in Utah,” she remarked, pointing out that the state allows firing squads as a method of execution.
“Then we as federal prosecutors will look to see if we have federal charges as well … and of course, if we do, we will also indict and work hand in hand with the state to ensure that this horrible human being faces the maximum extent of the law,” Bondi stated.
Robinson is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday afternoon.
{Matzav.com}
‘Israel Committing Genocide In Gaza,’ UN Inquiry Concludes
The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has released a new report asserting that Israel has carried out genocide against Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip.
The document is the result of nearly two years of work looking into the actions of Israeli officials and security forces, though the commission itself was first created in 2021 with a mandate to investigate alleged crimes by all sides in the conflict.
According to the findings, Israel is accused of four out of the five genocidal acts defined in the 1948 Genocide Convention. These include killing members of the group, inflicting severe physical or mental harm, creating living conditions designed to bring about destruction in whole or in part, and imposing measures intended to prevent births.
The conclusions are rooted in an analysis of both the acts themselves (actus reus) and the intent to destroy (dolus specialis).
“The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” said Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission. “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.” The report pointed to remarks made by Israeli political and military leaders as evidence of genocidal intent toward Palestinians in Gaza.
“The responsibility for these atrocity crimes lies with Israeli authorities at the highest echelons who have orchestrated a genocidal campaign for almost two years now with the specific intent to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza,” Pillay added. “The Commission also finds that Israel has failed to prevent and punish the commission of genocide, through failure to investigate genocidal acts and to prosecute alleged perpetrators.”
The commission has in past reports accused Israel of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, such as extermination, torture, rape, sexual abuse, starvation as a weapon of war, and persecution on gender grounds.
This is the first time the body has formally determined both the underlying acts of genocide and the intent required to prove the crime. Still, the report does not assign criminal responsibility to individual defendants under the Rome Statute.
The findings argue that both general intent (dolus generalis) and specific intent (dolus specialis) for genocide exist.
Among the evidence cited are “dehumanizing” comments from Israeli leaders, along with statements calling for destruction, revenge, and annihilation.
The report also said it was not persuaded by Israel’s repeated justification that its military actions in Gaza are a matter of “self-defence” in response to the October 7 assault, which leaders described as an “existential threat.”
“The attacks in southern Israel on 7 October 2023 were brutal war crimes but they did not pose an existential threat to the State of Israel,” the commission concluded. “Israel was and is responsible for the protection of its population but the means of doing that must take account of the fact that it has taken by force and is unlawfully occupying and settling Palestinian territory by continuing violence, denying the rights of the Palestinian people to self determination.”
The report further contends that the intent for genocide can be tied to “decades of unlawful occupation and unlawful settlement, with racial segregation or apartheid” against Palestinians.
The commission stated it has “reasonable grounds that the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have committed and are continuing to commit the following actus reus of genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
It named President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as figures who have incited genocide.
The State of Israel itself, according to the report, is responsible for failing to prevent genocide, for its commission, and for failing to punish perpetrators.
The commission called on Israel to end what it described as genocidal actions in Gaza and to comply with provisional orders from the International Court of Justice issued in January, March, and May of 2024. It demanded that Israel restore UN humanitarian access, “end its policy on starvation,” and “investigate and punish the commission of genocide and incitement to genocide against the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip.”
The report also urged UN member states to take steps to prevent genocide in Gaza, to halt arms transfers, and to pursue legal action against individuals and companies aiding genocide or incitement.
Israeli leaders sharply rejected the UN report. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana denounced it at The Jerusalem Post’s Diplomatic Conference, saying: “The UN has become a despicable institution where truth is a lie and a lie is truth. This is a modern blood libel, much like those spread by the Nazis.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused the commission’s authors of bias, calling them “Hamas proxies” who are “notorious for their openly antisemitic positions.”
“The report relies entirely on Hamas falsehoods, laundered and repeated by others,” Sa’ar said. “These fabrications have already been thoroughly debunked, including in an independent, in-depth academic study by BESA, which refuted every single false claim regarding genocide.”
“Israel categorically rejects this distorted and false report and calls for the immediate abolition of this Commission of Inquiry.”
{Matzav.com}
We are Live – Help Us Reach Our Goal
The Agudah is running its once-a-year Charidy campaign over the next 48 hours. We need everyone who supports our mission to help us reach our goal so that we can continue to serve Klal Yisroel, day in and day out.
Stand with us and support the Agudah today, ensuring that Klal Yisroel always has a voice tuned in to the details that matter most.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN CAMPAIGNBehind every headline are months, sometimes years, of relentless effort.
Behind every “overnight victory” are dedicated askonim and a full team, pouring in sweat and tears.
For them, to do or not to do is never a question.
Because standing up for our people is simply what Agudah does.
This is what we do.
We safeguard our freedoms.
We uphold Torah values.
We support our schools, our shuls, our communities.
And it happens everywhere, every single day. From bussing in Florida to special-ed funding in New York; from end-of-life care in Iowa to security in California; from zoning challenges in Blooming Grove to combating antisemitism in D.C. Whatever Klal Yisroel needs, Agudah is there.
Day in, day out, Agudah is there, working for Klal Yisroel.
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CLICK HERE TO JOIN CAMPAIGN!DA Fani Willis Loses Bid To Appeal Trump’s Georgia Election Interference Case
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis suffered another major setback on Tuesday when she failed in her attempt to rejoin the Georgia election interference case against President Trump — who reacted by blasting her as a “disaster.”
The prosecutor, already facing criticism, was removed from the case last December by the Georgia Court of Appeals because of concerns over her romantic involvement with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor leading the investigation. The court cited an “appearance of impropriety” in its ruling.
On Tuesday, Georgia’s Supreme Court announced that it would not overturn the lower court’s decision to disqualify her.
President Trump welcomed the ruling while speaking from the White House lawn before leaving for the UK, declaring that Willis should herself be investigated.
“Well, that was a great decision. It was a rigged case to start off with. It’s great. The court just ruled that she is a disaster. She’s a disaster with her boyfriend,” he said, referring to Wade.
“She should be prosecuted,” Trump insisted, though Willis has not been charged with any crimes.
“What she did to people, forget about me, what Fani Willis did to innocent people, to patriots, what she did to them by indicting them and destroying them, she should be put in jail,” he continued. “She’s a criminal. Fani Willis is a criminal.”
Trump’s attorney Steve Sadow released a statement with a more restrained tone, saying the Supreme Court had come to the correct conclusion.
“Willis’ misconduct during the investigation and prosecution of President Trump was egregious and she deserved nothing less than disqualification,” Sadow said. “This proper decision should bring an end to the wrongful political, lawfare persecutions of the President.”
The decision by Georgia’s highest court came in a close 4-3 vote. One justice did not participate, and another was recused.
The next move falls to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, which must decide who will take over the case. How that plays out remains uncertain.
The new prosecutor could follow the same legal path Willis pursued, scale back the charges, or possibly drop the case altogether.
Because Trump now holds the presidency, the likelihood of him being tried is virtually nonexistent. However, other co-defendants remain exposed to ongoing legal battles.
In 2023, Trump and 18 allies were indicted under Georgia’s racketeering laws, accused of trying to unlawfully reverse his narrow 2020 defeat in the state to Joe Biden.
“While I disagree with the decision of the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court’s divided decision not to review it, I respect the legal process and the courts,” Willis told The Post in a statement.
“Accordingly, my office will make the case file and evidence available to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council for use in the ongoing litigation. I hope that whoever is assigned to handle the case will have the courage to do what the evidence and the law demand.”
Justice Andrew Pinson, writing for the majority, explained that the circumstances of Willis’ removal were unusual and limited, and that the court should not intervene in a way that would create new precedent.
“Appellate decisions addressing attempts to disqualify prosecutors are few and far between, and only a handful of those addressed a claim that a prosecutor must be disqualified based even in part on conduct that created an appearance of impropriety,” Pinson wrote.
The ruling nonetheless suggested that prosecutors may be expected to meet stricter ethical obligations than private attorneys.
In a strongly worded dissent, Justice Carla Wong McMillian countered that whether a prosecutor can be removed purely because of an appearance of impropriety is an issue that “affects every single active lawyer in the State of Georgia.”
The controversy surrounding Willis and Wade upended the case last year.
Wade earned an eye-popping $654,000 from his role as special prosecutor, and was accused of spending portions of his earnings on expensive trips and gifts for Willis.
A lower court judge later ruled that either Willis or Wade had to withdraw if the case was to move forward, prompting Wade to resign.
Trump, in the meantime, had been facing four criminal cases while out of office, including two federal prosecutions overseen by special counsel Jack Smith. Both of those federal cases collapsed after Trump secured victory in the 2024 election.
Separately, Trump was found guilty on 34 counts in the hush money case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, though he did not receive any sentencing.
{Matzav.com}
Trump Hits The New York Times With $15B Libel Lawsuit
President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit in Florida against The New York Times, four of its journalists, and the publishing company Penguin Random House, seeking at least $15 billion in damages. The case accuses them of defamation and libel, alleging that their reporting and publications caused serious harm to his reputation.
The complaint highlights a number of New York Times pieces, including an editorial before the 2024 presidential race that declared him unfit for office, as well as a Penguin-published book from 2024 titled Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success.
“Defendants maliciously published the Book and the Articles knowing that these publications were filled with repugnant distortions and fabrications about President Trump,” the filing states, according to the submission made Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Requests for comment sent to both Penguin Random House and The New York Times outside normal business hours went unanswered.
According to the legal team representing Trump, the articles and the book inflicted major financial harm by damaging both his personal standing and business reputation. They claimed the impact included losses to brand value and potential earnings.
“The harm to the value of TMTG (Trump Media and Technology Group) stock is one example of how the Defendants’ defamation has injured President Trump,” his attorneys wrote, pointing to “a precipitous decline in the stock price.”
Shares of Trump Media and Technology Group have faced pressure in recent months, partly due to concerns tied to the expiration of a lock-up period following the company’s public listing in March.
“Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times,” Trump posted on Truth Social earlier Monday.
In the same post, he accused the paper of spreading lies not only about himself, but also about his family, businesses, and Republican-aligned movements such as America First and Make America Great Again.
This legal action is part of a larger offensive against media outlets during Trump’s second term. Earlier this year, he filed a $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company, including Rupert Murdoch, over an article alleging his name appeared on a 2003 birthday message for Jeffrey Epstein.
In July, Paramount, the parent company of CBS, agreed to settle a case after Trump accused 60 Minutes of misleadingly editing an interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris that aired in October.
“Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times, one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country, becoming a virtual “mouthpiece” for the Radical Left Democrat Party. I view it as the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER. Their Endorsement of Kamala Harris was actually put dead center on the front page of The New York Times, something heretofore UNHEARD OF! The “Times” has engaged in a decades long method of lying about your Favorite President (ME!), my family, business, the America First Movement, MAGA, and our Nation as a whole. I am PROUD to hold this once respected “rag” responsible, as we are doing with the Fake News Networks such as our successful litigation against George Slopadopoulos/ABC/Disney, and 60 Minutes/CBS/Paramount, who knew that they were falsely “smearing” me through a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration, which was, in effect, a malicious form of defamation, and thus, settled for record amounts. They practiced this longterm INTENT and pattern of abuse, which is both unacceptable and illegal. The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW! The suit is being brought in the Great State of Florida. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
{Matzav.com}
U.S. Retail Sales Rise 0.6% in August on Back-to-School Spending
Agudah Never Stops working for Klal Yisroel—Day in, Day out, In Every Corner of America. Now Let’s Reach This Goal Together!
NYPD Chief Chell: If Mamdani Wins, Defunds NYPD, Expect Spike in City Crime
NYPD Chief of Department John Chell warned during an interview on Newsmax that New York City is already struggling with crime tied to repeat offenders, and he cautioned that the situation would worsen if Democrat mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is elected and cuts funding for law enforcement. “Our staffing is already down tremendously, and we got to fund our police officers,” Chell said Monday on Wake Up America. “We have to pay them, we have to make sure the quality of life in their precincts are proper. We cannot go backwards. We really can’t. We’ve worked so hard post 2020 to get to a little light, if you will, to turn this thing around, to go backwards is not an option.”
Chell stressed that funding is essential not just for maintaining staff levels but also for recruiting. “If you don’t fund us, then people aren’t going to join the police department,” he said. “If you don’t give them a good contract, people are not going to join, and we’re going to have issues. But, at the end of the day, the cops in New York City, like everywhere else, took an oath. We will do our job to the best of our ability. We just need the tools to do it to keep the city safe.”
He pointed to a particularly brutal case in Queens last week, where an elderly couple was allegedly tortured, murdered, and their home set on fire by a repeat offender. According to Chell, the suspect had recently finished a 16-year prison sentence for robbery and sexual assault and was still on parole when the killings occurred. “The problem we spoke about for years now is repeat offenders and consequences for those people,” Chell explained. “In terms of this brutal murder in Queens last Monday, this person just got jailed for doing 16 years for robbery and sexual assault and was also on parole last Monday. So we know where they are, we know how to apprehend them — we just need to keep them in jail.”
Chell underscored that the issue revolves around a relatively small group of criminals who are responsible for a disproportionate amount of violence. “And we’re talking about a small minority. We’re not talking about everybody here. We all know the repeat offenders that affect crime in New York City and nationwide,” he said.
When asked about the morale of officers who see suspects released shortly after being arrested, Chell acknowledged the frustration. “When we talk about repeat offenders, the crimes they commit, we often talk numbers, but these are people, these are victims,” he said. “These are our families. So when the cops do a good job in making a good arrest for a really bad person, they don’t want to see him on the street the next day. They figure, ‘What’s the point here?’ But we’re professionals, and we’ll keep doing it until someone fixes the issue.”
{Matzav.com}
Trump and Melania Depart for United Kingdom
Israeli Military Hits Houthi Targets in Yemen, Says Port Used for Iranian Weapons Transfers
December-Release Charlie Kirk Book on “Sabbath” Already No. 1
Erika Kirk, widow of slain conservative leader Charlie Kirk, said Friday evening that her husband’s murder has “ignited” a flame in countless Americans to stand against political violence—and the impact is being felt nationwide.
Turning Point USA has seen an unprecedented wave of interest since the assassination, with more than 32,000 new requests for chapters, according to CNN’s Brian Stelter. At the same time, Kirk’s soon-to-be-released book has soared to the top spot in pre-orders.
The book, Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life, will be published on December 9. Its meteoric rise in pre-sales, surpassing titles by Kamala Harris and others, reflects both outrage over Kirk’s killing and a broader call for renewed faith across America.
Kirk’s reach in the digital space has also expanded dramatically. CNN’s Yashar Ali reported that Turning Point USA and Kirk-affiliated accounts have drawn more than 20 million new followers on social media platforms in the days since the tragedy.
The description of the book highlights its message: “‘Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life’ will help you discover how observing the Sabbath isn’t a rejection of modern life but a rebellion against busyness and a pathway to genuine connection, peace, and presence. Through ‘Stop in the Name of God,’ bestselling author Charlie Kirk guides you on how to unplug, recharge, and reconnect with God, family, and yourself in a way that nurtures your soul. In a world dominated by screens and constant noise, ‘Stop in the Name of God’ presents the Sabbath as a radical act of resistance. Packed with practical insights and spiritual wisdom, Charlie Kirk demonstrates how honoring the Sabbath restores balance, reduces anxiety, and nourishes your soul. It’s not just a day of rest – it’s a lifeline to reclaiming what truly matters.”
Kirk’s book is not the only title drawing attention. Pastor Lucas Miles’ Pagan Threat: Confronting America’s Godless Uprising has also experienced a sharp rise in sales. It features a foreword written by Kirk, his final published words: “Because in today’s America, the Christian faithful are faced with a terrifying and broad array of dangers and threats. We are menaced not by new false gods, but by the return of demons from long ago. In the Pagan world, the individual human life was of no importance.”
A memorial service honoring Kirk will be held on Sunday, September 21, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
In a moving national address broadcast Friday night, Erika Kirk delivered an emotional vow: “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry. To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die. It won’t. I refuse to let that happen. It will not die. All of us will refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it. It will become stronger, bolder, louder, and greater than ever. My husband’s mission will not end. Not even for a moment.”
{Matzav.com}
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