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President Donald Trump will make his long-awaited return to 60 Minutes this Sunday — his first sit-down with the program since reaching a multimillion-dollar settlement with CBS News earlier this year over its controversial interview with Kamala Harris. The network confirmed that CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell interviewed Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday for the broadcast.

The president’s relationship with the storied newsmagazine has been volatile, marked by clashes and walkouts. However, with the recent leadership overhaul at CBS’s parent company, Paramount, Trump appears to be testing a new chapter of détente. The company is now led by David Ellison — son of billionaire Larry Ellison, a longtime Trump ally — who took control following a summer merger that reshaped the network’s corporate hierarchy.

CBS News declined to reveal much about how the interview came about or whether Trump or his team imposed any conditions. O’Donnell, a veteran journalist and former CBS Evening News anchor, was tapped specifically for this segment even though she is not part of the regular 60 Minutes roster.

Trump’s prior history with 60 Minutes is fraught. Just before the 2020 election, he famously ended an interview with correspondent Lesley Stahl, accusing her of unfairness. His campaign later published the unedited footage in protest. During the 2024 campaign, Trump refused to appear on the show altogether, blasting its treatment of Harris, claiming her interview was manipulated “to make her look good.”

CBS rejected Trump’s accusation, but the dispute escalated into a lawsuit. This summer, Paramount settled the case for $16 million — a deal reached weeks before federal regulators approved its merger with Ellison’s Skydance Media. Following the settlement, 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens resigned, citing pressure and “a loss of independence” over editorial decisions.

Since assuming control, Ellison has moved to mend ties with Trump and his supporters. He brought on Kenneth Weinstein, previously the head of a conservative policy institute and a donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign, to review concerns of bias in CBS’s coverage. In a separate move, Paramount bought the Free Press platform in October and installed its founder, Bari Weiss, as editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss reportedly facilitated a recent 60 Minutes segment featuring Jared Kushner and adviser Steve Witkoff, discussing the new peace deal in Gaza.

During his return flight from the Middle East on October 12, Trump spoke warmly of the Ellison family’s involvement in the network’s leadership shift. “Larry Ellison is great, and his son David is great. They’re friends of mine. They’re big supporters of mine, and they’ll do the right thing,” he told reporters.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge on Friday rejected an effort by New York Attorney General Letitia James to require prosecutors to document all their communications with reporters in her ongoing mortgage fraud case.

Judge Jamar Walker ruled against the motion submitted by defense attorney Abbe Lowell, who had filed the request last week following revelations that U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan exchanged encrypted Signal messages with a journalist about the case. “The defendant does not demonstrate that it is necessary for the Court to order the government to track communications with the media in any particular form,” Walker wrote in his decision. He added plainly, “The defendant’s request that the government be required to keep a communication log is DENIED.”

Walker acknowledged that Halligan’s Signal conversation with Lawfare senior editor Anna Bower earlier this month was “unusual,” though he stopped short of labeling it inappropriate, saying he would not comment “on whether they were improper in any sense, either legal or ethical.” Despite declining to impose a log, the judge emphasized that prosecutors must follow all court procedures.

In a related directive, Walker issued a “litigation hold preventing the deletion or destruction of any records or communications having to do with the investigation or prosecution of this case.” Halligan’s messages with the reporter were reportedly configured to vanish after eight hours, raising questions about transparency and evidence preservation.

The judge also declined to decide whether Halligan’s disputed message—which reportedly contradicted a New York Times story about testimony from James’ grandniece before a grand jury—should be treated as discoverable material. “[T]he Court is not persuaded that preservation of evidence related to the government’s communications requires such evidence be maintained in any particular form,” he wrote. “The defendant does not demonstrate that a communication log is necessary, so the Court will not order the government to maintain one.” He added a note of finality: “The Court trusts that counsel on both sides will comply with this Order without further handholding.”

Federal prosecutors, in turn, had urged Walker to issue a gag order against James, but he refused that request as well.

James entered a not guilty plea last week to charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. Prosecutors allege she secured a mortgage under false pretenses when she purchased a three-bedroom home on Peronne Avenue in Norfolk, Virginia, on August 17, 2020, for $109,600. The mortgage documents, they say, listed her as the “sole borrower to occupy and use the property,” which earned her about $19,000 in more favorable loan terms.

Authorities contend, however, that the property “was not occupied or used” by James, but “was instead used as a rental investment property” for her grandniece, Nakia Thompson. If convicted on both counts, James could face up to 60 years in prison and fines totaling as much as $2 million.

{Matzav.com}

In a surprise move just days before voters head to the polls, Mayor Eric Adams announced a sweeping plan to expand the NYPD to 40,000 uniformed officers by 2029 — the largest police force New York has seen in two decades. The timing of the announcement, dubbed a “pre-emptive strike” by some insiders, was widely seen as a political maneuver to box in socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The mayor’s proposal would require future administrations’ approval and the cooperation of a progressive City Council that’s unlikely to do him any favors. Even so, Adams framed the move as essential to his public safety legacy. “Now, New York City will be on a path to reach 40,000 police officers in the next three years — the highest number of police officers in 20 years,” he declared.

City Hall said the initiative would inject $17.8 million into the NYPD in the next fiscal year and climb to $315.8 million by 2029, funding 5,000 new hires phased in through 2028. Ken Frydman, a longtime political operative, described the mayor’s timing bluntly: “Eric Adams invested in his legacy as a law-and-order mayor and launched a pre-emptive strike against a Mayor Mamdani defunding the police.”

But Mamdani refused to be drawn into Adams’ frame. Speaking while doing tai chi with seniors on the Lower East Side, he dismissed the plan as financially unrealistic. “Eric Adams cannot actually hire enough officers that he actually has the money to do so,” Mamdani said. He added, “It’s not a question of headcount. It’s a question of safety.”

The two-term assemblyman from Queens, who gained notoriety for promoting “defund the police” messaging during his 2020 run, has since walked back the rhetoric. Still, his critics — including GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa and independent contender Andrew Cuomo — warn that his policies would “handcuff” the NYPD and undo hard-won crime reductions.

Adams’ own numbers have been unimpressive: despite a budget allowing for 35,000 officers, the department’s staffing has stayed below 34,000 throughout his tenure. Former Commissioner Bill Bratton scoffed at the notion that the Council would back the expansion. “You think the City Council will support more police?” he said, warning that the body would hardly want to gift Adams a final victory or alienate the likely next mayor.

Even as he insists he won’t slash the police budget, Mamdani continues to promote his vision for a $1.1 billion Department of Community Safety — an agency meant to handle mental health emergencies without police involvement. Law enforcement experts have called the idea unrealistic, but Mamdani has stuck to it.

He’s also pledged to keep current NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch in her role. Tisch has not confirmed whether she’d stay, but she praised Adams’ move to boost staffing. “Every new officer means safer streets, stronger communities, and a thriving city,” she said. “This commitment allows us to keep recruiting, training, and deploying the next generation of women and men to build on our success.”

When asked about her statement, Mamdani stumbled slightly before reaffirming his stance: “I continue to have made my decision to retain police commissioner Tisch.” He then reiterated his broader vision. “In retaining Commissioner Tisch, in creating a Department of Community Safety, and finally, ensuring that we live up to the words that Eric Adams has himself said four years ago: that New Yorkers need not choose between safety and justice.”

Experts argue that while more police don’t solve every problem, visibility matters. “More cops is going to help with the perception of public safety,” said John Jay College Professor Maria Haberfeld. “Not everything can be solved with more cops but it’s about perception. The public likes to see cops out on the street.” She added that expanding the force must come with high hiring standards: “It’s not just numbers, you need to get good ones.”

Cuomo, who recently received Adams’ endorsement, has proposed his own version of a hiring surge — adding 5,000 officers, increasing morale, and offering bonuses and higher pay to attract recruits.

Attrition remains the biggest obstacle. The NYPD has already lost 2,800 officers this year, nearly canceling out the 2,900 recruits added over the summer. Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said Adams’ plan won’t work without addressing retention. “Saying numbers is one thing, keeping police officers on the job is another thing,” he warned. “It comes with salary, benefits, better quality of life for our police officers.”

{Matzav.com}

A massive avalanche roared down Mount Annapurna, engulfing a trekkers’ camp in a cloud of snow and wind as the terrifying moment was caught on video. No injuries were reported.

WATCH: D.C. police reportedly made multiple arrests after a chaotic scene unfolded on Halloween night in Washington’s Navy Yard. National Guard members were seen chasing several people after police responded to reports of “disorderly behavior.”

Aerial footage shows extensive damage along Jamaica’s coast caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Mamdani is now airing ads in Arabic. The fact that he is even airing ads in Arabic is a sign of a failed city.

The race for New York City mayor has tightened dramatically, with a new poll showing radical socialist Zohran Mamdani’s once-comfortable advantage over Andrew Cuomo dwindling to single digits just days before voters head to the polls.

According to the latest AtlasIntel survey, Mamdani sits at 40.6% support, while Cuomo — the former New York governor now running as an independent — has surged to 34%. Republican contender Curtis Sliwa has also gained traction, polling at 24.1%, his strongest showing since midsummer.

“The gap is closing fast — we can feel it on the ground everywhere from the Bronx to Staten Island. At this rate, we win the race. Keep going strong,” Cuomo declared as his campaign gained momentum heading into the final weekend.

Speaking to reporters while campaigning in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Cuomo brushed off the poll’s narrow margin, saying, “Six points in this election is nothing.”

Cuomo attributed his recent momentum to voters growing skeptical of Mamdani’s sweeping promises — such as free public transit and city-run grocery stores — ideas Cuomo says the Democratic candidate has no power to implement.

“What has happened is, in the primary, Zohran got away with his TikTok band, and a smile, whatever he said, he smiled, and he had his slogans, ‘freeze the rent,’ ‘free buses,’ ‘free food,’ and that was enough,” Cuomo said. “What has happened since is people have [found] out what he’s about, and there is no free food, and there are no free buses, and he can’t raise corporate taxes statewide and dedicate it to New York [City]. That can’t happen.”

Andrei Roman, the CEO of AtlasIntel, suggested that while Cuomo’s controversial gubernatorial record may have capped his appeal among some voters, Mamdani’s extremist rhetoric and anti-Israel positions have alienated many others.

“From not being inspirational to being really hated and terrifying people – that’s a major difference. That’s what’s happening with Mamdani,” Roman said.

He added, “I think Cuomo’s chance in this election is to mobilize an anti-Mamdani vote within mostly the moderate Democratic base that voted for him in the primary but also with independents and Republicans and also mobilize a strategic vote by some of Sliwa’s voters.”

The new poll comes just days after surveys from Fox News and Emerson College showed Mamdani comfortably ahead — by margins of 16 and 25 points respectively. The Real Clear Politics polling average still puts Mamdani in the lead with 45%, trailed by Cuomo at 31% and Sliwa at 17%.

But AtlasIntel’s findings show a shifting landscape. In a hypothetical two-way matchup between Mamdani and Cuomo, the poll projects Cuomo leading 50% to 42%, underscoring how Sliwa’s presence may be splitting the anti-Mamdani vote.

Cuomo, campaigning Friday in Brighton Beach, dismissed Sliwa’s prospects entirely, telling supporters there was “no way” Sliwa could win, warning that he “can only make Zohran Mamdani win.”

Mamdani, meanwhile, remained unruffled during a stop at Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network in Harlem. “I’m not worried at all,” he said confidently. “I continue to be confident, but I never let that confidence become complacency.”

The poll — which carries a 3-point margin of error — was released as early voting numbers continue to surge, with nearly half a million New Yorkers already having cast ballots, signaling high interest in a mayoral race that has become one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump took fresh aim at Rep. Ilhan Omar today, criticizing the Minnesota Democrat after she declared “Somalia is our home” during a public appearance.

“She should go back!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, sharing a clip of Omar addressing a crowd in Minnesota and referring to the Somali president as “our President.”

The remarks rekindled Trump’s long-standing feud with Omar, a member of the progressive group of lawmakers known as “The Squad.” Trump has repeatedly questioned her allegiance to the United States and has suggested on several occasions that she should be removed from the country.

In a September exchange with reporters at the White House, Trump recounted meeting the Somali leader and said, “You know I met the head of Somalia, did you know that? And I suggested that maybe he’d like to take her back. He said ‘I don’t want her.’”

Trump’s clashes with Omar date back to his first term, when he regularly called her out at rallies and accused her of “telling us how to run our country.”

Omar’s outspoken criticism of Israel has drawn controversy for years. In 2019, she sparked bipartisan backlash after implying that Republican support for Israel was driven by the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC. She later issued a limited apology before deleting the tweets that triggered the uproar.

She again faced condemnation after posting a video of her exchange with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in which she appeared to equate the actions of Israel and the United States with those of Hamas and the Taliban.

In October 2023, Omar ignited outrage after she retweeted an image of dead children, claiming they were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. It was later discovered that the photo depicted victims of a Syrian regime nerve gas attack.

Just days later, she falsely blamed Israel for a deadly hospital explosion in Gaza, which was later determined to have been caused by a misfired rocket launched by Islamic Jihad.

Tensions flared again last November when Omar lashed out at pro-Israel demonstrators on Capitol Hill who confronted her for refusing to denounce Hamas.

Footage from X captured the moment protesters carrying Israeli flags shouted, “Why do you stand with Hamas? Why don’t you condemn Hamas? Do you like Hamas and Hezbollah?” as Omar headed toward an elevator with her aides.

Ignoring the initial taunts, Omar reacted only when one of the protesters told her to “go to Gaza” and mockingly called her “sweetheart.” As the elevator doors closed, she snapped back, “[Profanity] you!”

{Matzav.com}

The New Jersey governor’s race has turned into a statistical toss-up, with Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill virtually tied as Election Day nears.

A new Atlas Intel poll released today shows Sherrill ahead by the slimmest of margins—50.2% to 49.3%—placing Ciattarelli well within the margin of error and signaling a dramatic final stretch in one of the nation’s most closely watched races.

The latest numbers mark a sharp tightening from earlier in the campaign. An Emerson College poll earlier this week showed Sherrill at 50% to Ciattarelli’s 48%, while an InsiderAdvantage/Trafalgar Group poll conducted last month also found Sherrill ahead by just one point.

“It’s just the latest survey to show a nail-biter in the most-watched statewide election this year,” one political analyst noted, as both candidates scramble to energize their bases before the polls close.

For Ciattarelli, the numbers represent a dramatic rebound from his narrow 2021 loss to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, when he came up short 51% to 48%. This time, the Republican contender is seeing overwhelming enthusiasm among men and Trump loyalists, with the survey showing he has secured a remarkable 99 percent of voters who supported Donald Trump.

Despite that near-total consolidation of the GOP base, Ciattarelli still trails among women voters—a demographic that continues to lean toward Sherrill.

On the other side, Sherrill retains dominant support among Kamala Harris voters, leading that bloc 96% to 3%. Still, Ciattarelli’s small inroads there underscore the shifting dynamics of a race that now appears destined to come down to the wire.

{Matzav.com}

New York Attorney General Letitia James is challenging the legitimacy of the acting U.S. attorney in Albany as she pushes back against the Trump administration’s investigation of cases she brought against the president and the National Rifle Association, according to court documents unsealed Friday. James in August filed a motion to block subpoenas issued by […]

A tense exchange unfolded at George Mason University on Thursday night when John Brennan was confronted by a national security expert demanding to know why he once helped brand reports about Hunter Biden’s laptop as having “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”

The confrontation came from Thomas Speciale, a counterintelligence specialist and former senior advisor to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. He challenged Brennan over his decision to co-sign a public letter, along with fifty other intelligence officials, that cast doubt on the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s emails first reported by the New York Post shortly before the 2020 election.

“Why sign that?” Speciale asked, according to a video that surfaced on X over the weekend. The footage shows Brennan approaching him, appearing to jab a finger toward his chest.

“We never said it was disinformation. We said it was Russian influence operations, which is what they do. There’s a big difference,” Brennan replied sharply.

Speciale said the letter — issued just before Americans headed to the polls — represented a coordinated attempt from the highest levels of the intelligence world to shape the election narrative in favor of Joe Biden and against Donald Trump. He accused the signatories of engaging in offensive counterintelligence under the guise of national security.

, Thomas Speciale pressed John Brennan for clarity on a controversial intelligence report, citing documents declassified by Tulsi Gabbard. Those records showed that James Clapper had urged then–National Security Adviser Mike Rogers—who had questioned the reliability of the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA)—to abandon “normal modalities” and treat the report as a “team sport.”

Brennan refused to respond to Speciale’s challenge, according to video footage of the event. As tension rose, Michael Hayden cut in, chanting, “next, next, next.”

Speaking afterward to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Speciale explained his motivation for confronting the former intelligence chiefs. “I wanted answers to basic questions for my own personal interest. These are the people that as career intelligence people we looked up to. Why would you do these things?” he said.

Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has referred Brennan to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution. In an October 21 referral, Jordan accused Brennan of lying to Congress about the ICA, pointing to declassified evidence from Gabbard that revealed Brennan and then–FBI Director James Comey had personally decided to insert material from the infamous dossier—overruling senior CIA officials who had objected to its inclusion.

{Matzav.com}

J.D. Vance leaned into the internet’s humor, donning a wig and recreating the viral meme that has long poked fun at him. The vice president posted a close-up photo on X showing himself with fluffy brown curls and an exaggerated wide-eyed expression — a look instantly familiar to anyone who has seen the “fat JD” meme circulating online.

On Instagram, Vance took the joke further. In a short Halloween clip, he opens a door and cheerfully greets viewers, saying, “Happy Halloween. And remember to say thank you.” The video ends on a surreal note — Vance spinning around as a purple tint washes over the screen.

The original meme took off after a February exchange during a tense meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During the meeting, Vance famously asked, “Have you ever said ‘thank you’ once?” The viral image that followed depicted Vance with longer brown curls, puffed cheeks, and a comically swollen face — a caricature that quickly became internet shorthand for mocking him.

Before Vance unveiled his costume, conservative commentator Benny Johnson had teased it on Facebook. “Yesterday I asked JD Vance point blank what his Halloween costume was going to be because I’ve seen the speculation online and, well, we all want this to happen,” Johnson said, as the meme image flashed beside him.

“And JD Vance told me this,” Johnson added. “‘Stay tuned. The internet is going to love this. The internet is going to love this.’ Ladies and gentlemen, your first meme lord vice president. Get ready.”

{Matzav.com}

Travel delays were adding up at airports across the U.S. on Friday as the government shutdown drags on, putting even more pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for a month. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers will start to see more flight disruptions the longer controllers […]

For more than two weeks now during the government shutdown, Imelda Avila-Thomas has been trying in vain to get approved for unemployment compensation to help cover essentials such as food and mortgage payments for her family while she’s on unpaid furlough from her federal government job. She kept asking questions and was ultimately sent a […]

Is pain hijacking your life? You’re not alone. Many struggle with how chronic pain and other symtoms casts a shadow over special times, keeping them from being fully present and enjoying joyful times with family and friends. But this time, it doesn’t have to be that way.Discover a revolutionary mind-body approach that has already helped […]

Former President Barack Obama is encouraging voters to elect Democrats as governor in Virginia and New Jersey in elections this Tuesday that could signal the national mood 10 months into Donald Trump’s second presidency and a year ahead of midterm elections that could reshape it. Obama’s Saturday appearances for Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill contrast […]

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has released surveillance footage from an MQ-9 drone that appears to show Hamas operatives seizing control of a humanitarian aid truck in northern Khan Yunis, Gaza.

The truck, part of an international convoy transporting vital supplies to civilians, was operating during the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas when it came under attack.

According to a statement from CENTCOM, the suspects intercepted the vehicle, “assaulted the driver, and moved him to a central traffic island.” The statement continued, “They then boarded the truck and stole both its contents and the vehicle itself.”

The U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) was immediately engaged after the incident was detected from the air to investigate and monitor the situation on the ground.

As of now, the fate of the driver remains unknown, and officials are continuing to gather information about the perpetrators and the stolen aid shipment.

{Matzav.com}

A pivotal new proposal known as the “Basic Law: Torah Study” is slated to come before the Knesset’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday, potentially reshaping how Israel legally recognizes yeshiva students.

The bill, introduced by MK Avi Maoz of the Noam party, seeks to codify that those who dedicate their lives to learning Torah are providing “meaningful service to the State and the Jewish people.”

At the same time, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has ordered the cancellation of Monday’s scheduled debate on the separate Draft Law, signaling that the government may first address the broader principle of Torah study before revisiting the specifics of military conscription.

Though Maoz’s proposal has circulated since the formation of the current coalition, it has repeatedly been pushed off the agenda due to shifting political priorities and ongoing national security crises.

The legislation rests on two central pillars. The first would formally recognize Torah learning as a “foundational value in the heritage of the Jewish people,” placing it on par with other principles enshrined in Israel’s Basic Laws. The second—and far more consequential—element would define full-time Torah study as a legitimate form of “meaningful service,” granting it official standing under Israeli law.

Should the measure pass, it would create a clear legal framework acknowledging yeshiva students not as draft evaders but as individuals engaged in an alternative form of national contribution through lifelong Torah study.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack sounded an alarm over Hezbollah’s entrenched power and vast weaponry, warning that the terror organization continues to dominate Lebanon both militarily and politically.

Speaking during a conference in Bahrain, Barrack revealed that Hezbollah controls an army-sized force of roughly 40,000 terrorists and maintains an arsenal of between 15,000 and 20,000 rockets and missiles.

The ambassador painted a bleak picture of Lebanon’s collapse, describing a nation that has lost the ability to function as a state. He said that Lebanon is “a failed state and has no central bank, its banking system has collapsed. There is no electricity; people depend on private generators. Even water and education are provided by private suppliers. The state is Hezbollah, which in the south provides water and education.”

Barrack emphasized that Gulf nations are ready to extend a helping hand—but only under strict conditions. He noted that Arab Gulf states have expressed willingness to inject as much as $10 billion into rebuilding southern Lebanon, provided Hezbollah disarms and the country cuts ties with Iranian influence.

While acknowledging that pressuring Hezbollah to surrender its weapons could inflame Lebanon’s internal tensions, Barrack said the process must be handled with care and strategic incentives. He cautioned, however, that doing nothing is no longer an option.

He urged a shift from coercion to persuasion, suggesting that economic opportunities might achieve what threats cannot—but reiterated that the current balance of power cannot remain unchanged.

Barrack made clear that no investment would be forthcoming as long as Hezbollah remains armed. Should the group relinquish its weapons, he said, development would immediately begin in southern Lebanon, including plans for an industrial hub and a major tourist attraction along the Lebanon-Israel border.

{Matzav.com}