In a stunning move that sent shockwaves through the region, an account on the platform X believed to be linked to Israel’s Mossad issued an unusually direct message to Iran’s leadership Thursday night—written entirely in Persian and tagging the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
The post alleged that two of the most senior commanders in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Amir Ali Hajizadeh and Mohammad Pakpour, have been operating without Khamenei’s knowledge and intentionally keeping him in the dark.
“Our agents on the ground report that Mr. Hajizadeh and Mr. Pakpour are not updating the so-called ‘Leader’ on the details of what is happening, and they are making decisions independently. They understand there is no point in holding conversations with him and have therefore established an alternative leadership,” the message read.
The post went on to mock the internal dysfunction within Iran’s military command, claiming that the leaders of the Revolutionary Guards are deceiving Khamenei about the country’s readiness. “To the ‘Leader’ they say that everything is excellent – that the air defense is active, the launchers are ready, and the country is fully equipped with all capabilities. Meanwhile, Iran’s airspace is wide open and defenseless.”
The message concluded with a pointed jab clearly meant to humiliate Iran’s top ruler: “For the attention of the honorable ‘sleepy gentleman.'”
{Matzav.com}
The Department of Homeland Security under President Donald Trump has officially scrapped a controversial policy that allowed automatic extensions of work permits for millions of migrants living in the United States.
According to Wednesday’s announcement, the updated procedure will require migrants applying for renewals to go through a full “screening and vetting” process before any extension can be approved.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said that the previous administration’s approach had prioritized migrants’ ease over protecting American interests, something the current administration aims to correct. “USCIS is placing a renewed emphasis on robust alien screening and vetting, eliminating policies the former administration implemented that prioritized aliens’ convenience ahead of Americans’ safety and security,” Edlow said.
He explained that the change simply restores a common-sense safeguard to ensure proper review before a permit is extended. “It’s a commonsense measure to ensure appropriate vetting and screening has been completed before an alien’s employment authorization or documentation is extended. All aliens must remember that working in the United States is a privilege, not a right,” he emphasized.
The shift comes after years in which, under Joe Biden and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, newly arrived migrants captured the majority of new jobs, even as millions of American citizens stayed unemployed or left the labor force altogether.
Now, under Trump’s leadership, that trend appears to be reversing. Most new jobs are once again being filled by native-born Americans, while roughly two million migrants have exited the workforce entirely.
{Matzav.com}
Many Orthodox Jewish families benefit from WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), a federal program that provides “wholesome food […] for income eligible women […] infants and children up to five years old.” A challenge many frum families face is obtaining Cholov Yisroel milk through WIC, as each state has its own list of approved foods.
The Agudah has worked and continues to work with appropriate state agencies across the country to ensure that frum families can receive Cholov Yisroel and other Kosher items of foods that they are entitled to.
Recently, Missouri removed Cholov Yisroel milk from their list of approved items. Mrs. Botuck, director of government affairs for Agudath Israel of Missouri, engaged with state officials to ensure that the product was swiftly reinstated.
{Matzav.com}
Two coffins containing the remains of Israeli hostages were returned to Israel on Thursday, following a transfer facilitated by the Red Cross in Gaza. The caskets, guarded by IDF soldiers, were brought across the border and received in a solemn military ceremony before being taken to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir for official identification.
Kibbutz Nir Oz later confirmed that one of the victims was Amiram Cooper. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the second identified hostage was Sahar Baruch. Authorities said that Hamas is still holding the bodies of eleven other hostages inside Gaza.
Earlier in the week, confusion surrounded a separate handover. On Tuesday morning, Hamas publicly reneged on its commitment to return another hostage’s body, claiming the IDF’s retaliatory strike in Rafah had violated their agreement. That strike followed gunfire from Hamas terrorists at Israeli forces performing engineering operations in the area.
Later that day, Israeli officials revealed that the remains delivered the previous night were not those of a newly identified hostage as promised. Instead, they were confirmed to be the remains of Ofir Sarfati — a hostage whose body had already been repatriated nearly two years ago.
A detailed forensic investigation by the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine verified Sarfati’s identity, closing yet another painful chapter in Israel’s ongoing efforts to bring every hostage home.
{Matzav.com}
Newly uncovered footage shows socialist New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani delivering a fiery speech against Israel just months before Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre. The state assemblyman from Queens is seen at a July 2023 rally in Midtown Manhattan, vocally calling to defund what he termed “Israeli settler violence.”
Mamdani repeatedly led the crowd in chants of “not on our dime,” urging New Yorkers to stop supporting Israel. “That’s what we’re calling for. We are calling for it because we know that the days of inconsistency, the days of drawing the lines in Palestine, those days are over,” he told demonstrators. “What we are calling for is the end of our complicity as New Yorkers.”
The rally, organized to promote legislation Mamdani introduced in Albany, aimed to strip nonprofit status from New York charities that raise money for Israeli institutions or the Israeli military. Video of the event has resurfaced and circulated widely on social media this week, reigniting controversy over Mamdani’s anti-Israel record as he leads in the city’s mayoral race.
In his speech, Mamdani reflected on his upbringing in New York and the political double standards he claims to have witnessed. “When I grew up in this city, I grew up hearing a term ‘progressive except Palestine.’ I grew up hearing that it was normal to hold an inconsistency only when it applied to Palestinians,” he declared to cheers from the crowd. “I saw the politicians that I admired speak of universal rights and then draw the line right when it came to Palestinians. I was told that was simply how it is, that is how it has been, and it is how it will be.”
At one point, a heckler shouted at Mamdani, accusing him of hypocrisy for attacking Israel while holding public office. The assemblyman brushed off the criticism by rallying the crowd to chant louder, seemingly to drown out the interruption.
“When I decided to run for office, I was told to keep my thoughts on Palestine to myself if I wanted to win,” Mamdani said defiantly. “I want to make it clear. I spoke every day to my constituents about the need for us to stand up in a consistent manner for justice for every single person — whether they are in Astoria or in Palestine.”
{Matzav.com}The battle for New Jersey’s governorship has become a razor-thin contest, with a new Emerson College/Pix 11/The Hill poll showing Democrat Mikie Sherrill holding 49% support compared to 48% for Republican Jack Ciattarelli. When undecided voters were asked which way they lean, Sherrill’s edge ticked up slightly to 50% against Ciattarelli’s 48%.
The results mark a stunning turnaround for Ciattarelli, who has managed to erase what was once a commanding 20-point lead for Sherrill earlier in the summer. With Election Day rapidly approaching, strategists on both sides say the race could hinge entirely on turnout.
Demographic divides continue to shape the race. Women favor Sherrill by a significant 18-point margin, while men back Ciattarelli by 16 points — a gap that has widened on both sides since September. “Since last month, Ciattarelli’s lead among men increased by four points, and Sherill’s lead among women grew by eight points,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
Economic concerns are dominating voter priorities in the Garden State. A majority — 52% — identified the economy as their top issue, reflecting frustration with New Jersey’s notoriously high taxes and cost of living. Just 14% said “threats to democracy” were their main concern, while 11% cited housing affordability. Only 5% of voters pointed to immigration policy or health care as their biggest issue.
Both candidates appear to be evenly matched not only in polling but also in likability. Sherrill earns a 47% favorable rating among voters, with an identical 47% viewing her unfavorably. Ciattarelli’s numbers are virtually the same, with 48% viewing him positively and 48% negatively.
The poll also painted a grim picture for outgoing Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, whose approval numbers have sunk as he completes his final term. Only 34% of voters approve of his performance, while half disapprove and 16% remain neutral.
President Donald Trump’s ratings in the state are somewhat higher but still underwater. The survey found that 45% of respondents approve of his job performance, while 53% disapprove.
Emerson College conducted the survey between October 25 and 28, polling 1,000 registered voters using text messages, automated calls, and a vetted online panel. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points.
Last month’s Emerson survey also placed the two contenders in a 43% tie, a result that initially stood out from other polls but has since been validated as the race tightened dramatically.
Overall polling averages now show Sherrill holding a slim 3.7-point advantage in the RealClearPolitics aggregate, down sharply from her 9.3-point lead at the start of September. Notably, the same polling averages underestimated Ciattarelli’s strength by roughly five points during his near-upset against Phil Murphy in 2021.
Still, there are warning signs for the GOP challenger. Early voting data compiled by Michael Pruser, Director of Data Science for Decision, indicates that 54% of ballots so far have come from registered Democrats, compared with 28% from Republicans — a turnout imbalance that could prove decisive in the final tally.
{Matzav.com}