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WATCH: An overflow crowd tonight in Chicago for a Lev L’Achim event hosted by Reb Mordy Kaplan, highlighted by the presence of HaRav Elya Brudny, shlita.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio has endorsed Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid, praising his progressive platform in a New York Daily News op-ed as the bold, sweeping agenda needed to confront inequality and keep New York City livable for working-class residents.

MAMDANI: “I will freeze the rent for more than 250,000 rent-stabilized apartments!”

This morning, JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger celebrated Governor Hochul’s signing of a new law that will foster safer and more inclusive learning environments for marginalized college students in New York, including Jewish students facing rising antisemitism. Nearly one in three Jewish college students reported experiencing antisemitism on campus last year, underscoring the urgency of this legislation. Under the law, every college and university in New York will be required to designate a Title VI Coordinator to enforce the federal Civil Rights Act, which now includes protections against antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of ancestry-based religious discrimination. Title VI Coordinators will take the lead in ensuring discrimination complaints are addressed swiftly and openly. Schools will also be required to support students who report incidents, implement fair and consistent investigative procedures, and provide annual campus-wide trainings to promote safety and inclusion. The creation of Title VI Coordinators has been a central priority for JCRC-NY, which, together with UJA-Federation of New York, has consistently emphasized the urgent need for these positions on college campuses. Earlier this year, Mark Treyger called for such reforms, urging institutions of higher education to designate TItle VI Coordinators on campus as a vital safeguard for students. NYU has already taken this step, paving the way for other colleges and universities in the state. “This law is a game-changer for students across New York. For too long, Jewish students and other marginalized groups have endured harassment and discrimination without adequate protections or accountability from their institutions. By requiring every college to appoint a Title VI Coordinator, New York is making it clear that bias and hate will not be tolerated on our campuses,” said JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger. “This law represents a big step forward in our ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, but it’s only one piece of our comprehensive approach. We must ensure that Title VI Coordinators are equipped to provide quality, effective training to combat antisemitism and all forms of hate. We must also continue our efforts to provide Jewish identity educational resources to K–12 students-an evidence-based way to combat antisemitism before it takes root. Together, these measures strengthen safety and help advance a more informed and inclusive learning environment for all students.” “UJA-Federation of New York thanks Governor Hochul for signing, and Senator Stavisky and Assemblymember Rozic for championing this critical legislation. Amid a surge in antisemitism, Jewish students have faced unacceptable discrimination and hate on campuses throughout New York. With this new law, students across the state will experience a safer and more inclusive learning environment,” said Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York. The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D–Queens) and Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D–Queens), passed both houses during the last legislative session with unanimous, bipartisan support. “I am delighted that the Governor is signing landmark legislation that we have passed to protect students from discrimination on our campuses. At a time when we see a troubling rise in hate crimes, New York is taking a clear stand. Too many students experiencing discrimination do not know where to go for help or what protections they are entitled to, and everyone has a right to feel safe when they step onto college campuses. Dignity, safety and equal opportunity are not negotiable. I thank Governor Hochul and her staff, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, and […]

Just one day before the Knesset resumes key discussions on the controversial draft law, deep frustration has erupted within the chareidi political parties. For the first time, senior party members are publicly admitting they see no clear solution to the crisis, while launching sharp attacks on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth, accusing them of deliberately stalling progress.

The tension follows Bismuth’s recent proposal to pass a temporary one-year draft law to ease the pressure and buy time, citing the lack of a Knesset majority for the broader legislation demanded by the chareidi parties. However, insiders report that all chareidi representatives are unified in firmly rejecting Bismuth’s offer, dismissing it as “irrelevant” and “destined to fail.” One senior source explained, “We need a proper law — or at least a principles framework — to secure the status of yeshiva students. Another temporary compromise achieves nothing.”

Party officials expressed deep disappointment over Netanyahu’s handling of the situation, accusing him of failing to show even minimal seriousness in resolving the growing crisis. “Netanyahu is acting as if everything is fine,” one senior chareidi representative said. “He hasn’t convened a single discussion in his office on the draft law. It looks like he’s searching for excuses not to pass the law and just wants to drag things out until elections on a timeline that suits him.”

Despite Netanyahu’s assurances that he intends to stabilize the government and pass the 2026 budget, trust between the chareidi factions and the prime minister appears to be rapidly eroding. Insiders say coordination between the chareidi MKs and the coalition leadership — including their participation in committee hearings — is now mostly symbolic, intended to demonstrate effort rather than genuine belief in a breakthrough.

Adding to the pressure, Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni issued a statement over the weekend warning that he will advise gedolei Yisroel to oppose all government budget proposals unless coalition agreements are upheld. At the heart of the dispute is the government’s plan to slash roughly 40 million shekels from the remaining 89 million allocated under the “New Horizon” education framework, a move Gafni views as a breach of commitments.

Meanwhile, Bismuth plans to hold a marathon of meetings this week with all stakeholders, including Shas representative Ariel Attias, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi’s replacement Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, reservist organizations, and others, in a bid to find a compromise. Zamir and Bismuth are also scheduled to meet separately to discuss broader security needs, pension structures, and the army’s manpower challenges.

Behind the scenes, however, many chareidi leaders believe Netanyahu is intentionally postponing a resolution until after possible early elections. With public protests growing and negotiations deadlocked, the coalition faces mounting pressure to provide clarity on the future of the draft law — or risk a full-blown political standoff.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Amazon is ending a program that allows members of its Prime membership subscription program to share their free shipping benefits with people who don’t have the same primary address. In an update to the customer service section of its website, the online behemoth says it will eliminate the sharing on Oct. 1 and is encouraging users outside the household of the account holder to sign up for their own Prime subscription. Amazon is encouraging users who don’t live with the account holder to subscribe to their own membership at a discounted rate of $14.99 for one year. After that, it’s $14.99 per month or $139 annually. The offer starts this Friday and is valid until Dec. 31, 2025. Amazon is replacing the so-called Prime Invitee program with Amazon Family, which lets account holders share the free two-day shipping perk as well as a broad range of other perks like exclusive deals and movies with only one other adult in their household, up to four teens (who were added before April 7) and up to four profiles for children, according to Amazon’s website. Amazon said that the adult could be a spouse, family member or roommate. The news comes as the Seattle-based company is making big investments in expanding its network to bring faster delivery to customers in less densely populated areas across the U.S. The service is available in 1,000 of the more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns and rural communities targeted by year-end, the company said in late July. (AP)

I am a balebos who lives out of town and comes into Lakewood periodically for work. On a recent occasion, I had to leave my home town without catching a minyan for Shacharis first. I figured that I could easily daven in Lakewood, and so I keyed the address of a well-known chassidishe beis medrash off of Rt. 70 into my Google Maps. The office is right near Rt. 70, and I was very pleased with how seamless my experience promised to be. Unfortunately, I was about to meet with disappointment. I am no longer a kollel yungerman, and during the summer months I frequently do not wear a hat and jacket to davening. I recognize that many rabbanim hold that a hat and suit jacket is required for davening; doubtless, YWN’s worldly readers are aware that many other rabbanim do not hold these to be a requirement. It is not my business to tell anyone what to do, and I applaud each individual’s choice to respectfully adhere to the standard he holds for himself. However, I quickly learned that my sentiment is not shared by others. Upon arrival to the shul, I was greeted by a sign which made clear that without a suit jacket, I was not welcome to daven at that beis medrash. I had very little time to change my plans and had to determine what to do quickly. Usually, I stash a jacket in my car in case of emergency, but I did not have one on this occasion. With little other choice, I shamefacedly turned around and left the shul, choosing instead to hurriedly daven beyechidus before my first meeting of the day. The thought crossed my mind that perhaps this rule was not really enforced, but I was too embarrassed and uncomfortable to risk the awkwardness of finding out. It was a real disappointment. I recognize that surely some readers will think: after all, there are many batei medrash in Lakewood in which to daven. This chassidus is certainly entitled to the post and enforce whatever rules they choose in the shul that they have built. And I absolutely agree! We live in a free country. However, it is one thing to stipulate that certain extra standards must be upheld by chazzonim, or even local community members. But to exclude another Yid from davening? Over a disagreement about personal sartorial conduct? As a contrast, let me provide two examples. I travel often and have had many occasions to participate in davening, meals or the like at Chabad houses. At Chabad, no one is turned away, most certainly not over wearing a jacket. That is not to say that Chabad doesn’t have its own standards! Chabad chassidim may not cut their beards. They are expected to wear a hat and a gartel at davening. But no Chabad shliach has ever made me feel unwelcome because of my closely trimmed facial hair or lack of hat. The very opposite is the case. And of course, even though my own outlook differs from that of Chabad, there is never any need for us to lock horns on hashkafa. It’s just Mincha. Perhaps Chabad is too strange and alien for Lakewood readers to relate to. Here is another example. At the Young Israel I am a member […]

A growing controversy has erupted in Yerushalayim amid claims of severe discrimination in admissions to girls’ high schools, with some institutions allegedly refusing entry to Sephardic students based on their family background.

In an interview aired on Channel 13, L., a 13-year-old student who has been at home for six months after failing to secure a placement, recounted her painful experience: “I’ve been home since the exams, just waiting for something to happen.”

L. said she was subjected to invasive questions during the admissions process, including where her father davens and whether her brothers attend Sephardic or Ashkenazi yeshivas. Despite excelling academically, she was rejected after being told her family was “not suitable.” One high school even suggested she change her last name to sound “less Sephardic.”

In a shocking statement, L. recalled: “The principal told me I’m a ‘berachah levatalah’ and said that even if Rav Ovadia himself came, she still wouldn’t accept me.”

L.’s mother, Michal, confirmed that several schools pressured her to change her children’s surname to improve their chances of acceptance. “I changed the last name for two of my kids, and it worked,” she said tearfully. “They’re accepted, they’re happy — but it hurts me deeply that some of my children live with one last name and others with another. We’re the same family.”

Yael, another mother of two daughters left without placements, described the toll on her children: “The worst pain I’ve ever experienced is watching my daughter sit at home in silence. My older daughter has been without a school for six months, and because of that, I wasn’t even allowed to register my younger one. She got accepted to four excellent schools in Yerushalayim, but the Chareidi Education Department decided no.”

Yael criticized the broader system: “If someone wants to open an Ashkenazi-only school, they should make it private. As long as it’s funded by taxpayer money, there cannot be admissions based on ethnicity. Opening separate schools for Sephardim isn’t a solution — it just cements the discrimination.”

Another Sephardic mother shared her devastation: “My daughter is an outstanding student. I never imagined she wouldn’t be accepted. At the last minute, they told us she was rejected. We realized it’s because we’re Sephardic. Now my daughter refuses to leave the house. She cries constantly.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio has thrown his political weight behind Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, endorsing the Queens assemblyman’s insurgent bid for City Hall with a sweeping declaration that his progressive agenda is the only way to rescue New York City from spiraling inequality. In a New York Daily News op-ed published Tuesday, de Blasio — who helmed the city for two terms from 2014 to 2021 — hailed Mamdani’s platform as “bold” and “sweeping,” arguing it represents the city’s best hope to remain livable for working-class New Yorkers. “We don’t just need Zohran Mamdani to be our mayor because he has the right ideas, or because they can be achieved,” de Blasio wrote. “We need him because in his heart and in his bones he cannot accept a city that prices out the people who built it and keep it running.” Mamdani, who stunned the city’s political establishment by clinching the Democratic primary in June, has campaigned on an ambitious – and entirely unrealistic – platform: freezing rents, providing free child care, and making city buses fare-free. De Blasio credited those promises for Mamdani’s primary victory, saying they address the city’s deepest anxieties over affordability. “Many New Yorkers agree with him — many others are skeptical,” de Blasio admitted. “Still others have lost faith in the city government’s ability to not only talk, but deliver. They want to know one fundamental truth: can it be done? I can say definitely — and I know better than anyone — that the answer is yes.” The former mayor, who weathered years of criticism over his own progressive policies, compared Mamdani’s agenda to initiatives he championed — from pre-K for all to paid sick leave — that were initially dismissed as “recklessly idealistic.” “Often, these critiques were lodged by politicians and special interest groups who had a vested interest in maintaining the broken status quo,” de Blasio argued. “In short, labeling my agenda as infeasible masked their true problem with it: an unwillingness to cede power and opportunity to working people.” He insisted that, just as his administration delivered on programs once deemed impossible, Mamdani’s vision is not only viable but urgently necessary. De Blasio’s endorsement represents a sharp rebuke to Mayor Eric Adams, whom he backed in 2021. Adams, now seeking re-election as an independent, has centered his campaign on public safety and fiscal restraint. Mamdani, meanwhile, is positioning himself as the polar opposite: a champion for renters, working families, and social justice causes. He faces a crowded November ballot that includes Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and attorney Jim Walden. The former mayor also invoked national politics, blasting President Donald Trump’s administration for slashing federal safety-net programs. “At a time when Donald Trump is cutting SNAP benefits, gutting Medicaid, and once again leaving working people out to dry, the need for an unwavering fighter in City Hall has never been higher,” de Blasio wrote. The endorsement is one of the most high-profile boosts Mamdani has received, underscoring how seriously New York’s progressive wing is rallying behind him. But it also carries political risk: de Blasio left office with sagging approval ratings, and critics may seize on his backing as a liability. “In 2025, the same overheated condemnations yield the same result as in 2013,” de Blasio […]

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a frequent critic of Israel and one of Congress’s most controversial figures, is facing sharp scrutiny after new financial disclosures revealed she and her husband have amassed millions of dollars in assets — despite her repeated insistence that she was “barely worth thousands.” In a February 10 post on social media, Omar claimed her annual congressional salary of $174,000 was her sole significant income. “I don’t have stock or own a home and am still paying off my student debt,” she wrote. “Maybe try checking my public financial statements and you will see I barely have thousands let alone millions.” But her latest filing — first reported by the Washington Free Beacon — tells a different story. Omar disclosed a net worth ranging between $6 million and $30 million, fueled largely by partnership income from her husband Tim Mynett’s businesses: Rose Lake Capital, a venture capital firm valued at $5 million to $25 million, and a winery worth $1 million to $5 million. The couple’s wealth marks a staggering 3,500% increase from 2023, when their assets were reported at just $65,000. At the end of that year, court documents showed the winery had just $650 in its bank account. The disclosure also lists modest liabilities — $15,001 to $50,000 in long-standing student debt and a similar amount in credit card debt — but they are dwarfed by the sudden surge in assets. Omar has previously dismissed reports of her growing fortune as “right-wing disinformation,” telling Business Insider last year: “I am a working mom with student loan debt. Unlike some of my colleagues, I am not a millionaire.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Mossad Director David Barnea on Tuesday night credited the spy agency’s “cunning, courage, and cutting-edge technology” for the stunning September 2024 operations that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and paralyzed the terror group’s command structure. Barnea spoke at a rare public ceremony where dozens of Mossad operatives — their backs turned to cameras to conceal their identities — were awarded the Israel Defense Prize alongside elite IDF and Shin Bet teams. President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, and other top security officials attended. A Mossad case officer, identified only as “Agent G,” described the danger operatives faced in Beirut: “During the operation to assassinate Nasrallah, our Mossad agents acted with courage and determination, under fire, in order to provide precise intelligence.” G acknowledged that when the agency first conceived the plan, many thought it was “so ambitious it bordered on fantasy.” The September 17 beeper explosions — coordinated blasts that killed 3,500 Hezbollah terrorists and officials simultaneously — shattered the group’s internal networks. Ten days later, a precision strike eliminated Nasrallah, effectively dismantling Hezbollah’s command-and-control and gutting its will to fight. Although the Israel–Hezbollah war dragged on until November 27, Hezbollah inflicted little strategic damage after September. Israeli forces destroyed 70–80 percent of the group’s missile arsenal and dismantled its positions in southern Lebanon during a multi-month invasion. Herzog used the ceremony to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to turn military victories into a coherent “Day After” political strategy for Gaza, warning that endless fighting could weaken Israel diplomatically and leave the government hostage to extremist coalition partners. Other honorees received awards for projects that proved decisive during the Swords of Iron War, including: The Eitan APC, developed by the Defense Ministry and IDF, credited with rescuing hundreds of soldiers under fire in Gaza; The Shavit, Eitam, and Oron mission aircraft, built by IAI and the IAF, which provided long-range intelligence and airspace defense; A Shin Bet breakthrough technology enabling deep penetration of enemy infrastructure; Elbit Systems’ classified innovations and the IDF Medical Corps’ pioneering use of whole-blood transfusions, which saved dozens of lives on the battlefield. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In his newly released book, Ben Shapiro claims that Western civilization is being systematically dismantled by what he describes as “scavengers.”

As a prime example, Shapiro points to Zohran Mamdani, a progressive Democratic politician whose platform he sees as emblematic of the problem.

“Mamdani is sort of a platonic example of a scavenger instinct at work — his entire campaign is rooted in envy,” Shapiro told The New York Post. “It’s rooted in the idea that everyone is a victim of systems.”

In his book “Lions and Scavengers: The True Story of America (and Her Critics),” which hit shelves Tuesday, Shapiro argues that society is divided between “lions,” who defend the principles that uphold freedom, and “scavengers,” who seek to dismantle those very foundations.

“The Scavengers are those who produce nothing, and demand everything,” Shapiro writes. “The Scavengers are those … who blame their own miseries, in free societies, on ‘systems of power’ that supposedly rob them of autonomy; who claim that failure is a virtue and success a sin.”

He singles out Mamdani, the Democratic contender in New York City’s mayoral race, and his supporters as embodying this destructive mindset.

“The Mamdani campaign is a great example of this — the sort of unification of disparate factions that really have very little in common with one another other than hatred of the system and desire to tear it down,” Shapiro explained.

According to Shapiro, defending freedom depends on the “lions” — those willing to preserve the values that sustain a healthy society.

He writes that the worldview of these lions is grounded in three biblical principles: belief in a divine plan guiding the universe, recognition that every individual is created in the image of God, and acceptance of genuine moral responsibility in life.

By contrast, Shapiro argues, scavengers see life as meaningless, viewing personal failures as inevitable results of corrupt systems and often embracing violence as a justified response.

“You can see that over and over and over, from the BLM riots to the campus protests-slash-riots,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro also identifies another “scavenger” figure: alleged United Healthcare CEO shooter Luigi Mangione.

“He grew up rich,” Shapiro said. “And then he basically decided that he was a victim of the system and that, because the system itself was deeply flawed, that gave him the excuse to commit murder of a person he had never met.”

One of the greatest ironies, Shapiro notes, is that many scavengers come from privileged backgrounds, often the children of the very “lions” who helped build and sustain prosperous societies.

“So many people build community, build family, make the systems that make the West great stronger, and then they don’t pass that on to their kids in any way, shape or form,” he lamented. “They seem to think that … their kids will somehow imbibe the correct values from the water or from the air.”

He points to the student protests at Columbia University last year, where wealthy students camped out in solidarity with Palestine, as a perfect example of this generational shift.

“They’re being told by people online, by their friends, that their parents did something wrong, and that the system that they grew up in is deeply flawed,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro warns that the danger posed by scavengers is far-reaching and potentially catastrophic.

“It does not require a majority of a population of Scavengers for the Scavengers to take control,” he writes. “It requires only a dedicated core group and a large majority of vacillating Lions unwilling to stand up and roar. All too often, the conditions for such coups are ripe.”

Still, Shapiro expresses optimism that resistance is growing.

“In the aftermath of BLM and October 7th and the riots on campus,” Shapiro said, “I do think that the Trump victory was a manifestation of the American people basically saying, ‘We’re done with this sort of envious view of how the world works.’”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will direct federal law enforcement intervention to combat crime in Chicago and Baltimore, despite staunch opposition from state and local officials in both cities. Asked by reporters in the Oval Office about sending National Guard troops to Chicago, Trump said, “We’re going in,” but added, “I didn’t say when.” “I have an obligation, the president said. ”This isn’t a political thing.” Trump has already sent National Guard troops into Washington and federalized the police force in the nation’s capital. More recently, he has said he plans similar moves in other cities, particularly those run by Democratic officials. Trump said his efforts in Washington have ensured it “is now a safe zone. We have no crime.” The White House announced separately Tuesday that more than 1,650 people have been arrested since the Trump administration first mobilized federal officials on Aug. 7. “And this city was really bad,” Trump said. He said, “we’re really proud of” federal efforts to curb crime in Washington. The president also used his Oval Office comments to praise Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser for working with federal forces, but criticized Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has said crime in Chicago doesn’t require federal intervention. Trump said he’d love to have Pritzker call and say, “Send in the troops” — even though the governor has repeatedly said he won’t be doing that. “If the governor of Illinois would call up, call me up, I would love to do it,” Trump said. “Now, we’re going to do it anyway. We have the right to do it.” Trump also said he has an “obligation to protect this country, and that includes Baltimore.” Local officials there have joined Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in similarly opposing federal law enforcement intervention. (AP)

On Tuesday, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio officially endorsed socialist Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in the upcoming mayoral race, praising the candidate’s “bold, sweeping” vision and asserting that his platform could transform the city’s future.

“We don’t just need Zohran Mamdani to be our mayor because he has the right ideas, or because they can be achieved,” de Blasio wrote in an op-ed for the New York Daily News, formally backing the progressive front-runner.

“We need him because in his heart and in his bones he cannot accept a city that prices out the people who built it and keep it running.”

De Blasio, who led the city from 2014 through 2021, said Mamdani’s focus on making New York more affordable — including proposals like rent freezes, free childcare, and fare-free city buses — was a key reason for his decisive win in the June Democratic primary.

“Yet, though many New Yorkers agree with him — many others are skeptical. Still others have lost faith in the city government’s ability to not only talk, but deliver. They want to know one fundamental truth: can it be done?” he wrote.

“I can say definitely — and I know better than anyone — that the answer is yes.”

The former mayor also reflected on his own administration’s policies, recalling how critics had labeled initiatives like affordable housing expansion, universal pre-K, and paid sick leave as “recklessly idealistic.”

“Often, these critiques were lodged by politicians and special interest groups who had a vested interest in maintaining the broken status quo. In short, labeling my agenda as infeasible masked their true problem with it: an unwillingness to cede power and opportunity to working people,” de Blasio said.

“In 2025, the same overheated condemnations yield the same result as in 2013: not only does the public want what Mamdani is proposing, it actually all can be done.”

De Blasio, who endorsed Eric Adams in the 2021 mayoral race, argued that President Trump’s budget cuts make it even more critical to elect a progressive like Mamdani in November.

“At a time when Donald Trump is cutting SNAP benefits, gutting Medicaid, and once again leaving working people out to dry, the need for an unwavering fighter in City Hall has never been higher,” he wrote.

“It’s not enough to have a ‘leader’ unwilling to be bold in their pursuit for economic opportunity, or hiding behind this so-called question of feasibility.”

Mamdani is set to face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is seeking re-election as an independent, along with former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and attorney Jim Walden on the November ballot.

{Matzav.com}

One lucky Powerball participant came painfully close to making history, missing out on the record-breaking jackpot by a single number, as the grand prize has now climbed to an incredible $1.3 billion following Monday night’s drawing with no top winner.

Despite missing the jackpot, the player still walked away with a hefty $2 million payout after opting to spend an extra dollar for the Power Play feature, which doubled their prize amount.

According to the NC Education Lottery, the winning ticket — which was purchased online — was sold to a player based in Clayton, North Carolina.

Monday’s winning numbers for what was then a staggering $1.2 billion jackpot were 9, 23, 25, 40, and 53, with the red Powerball number 5.

By Tuesday morning, officials confirmed that no one had yet stepped forward to claim the $2 million prize. Under state regulations, Powerball winners in North Carolina have 180 days from the drawing date to collect their winnings.

The spotlight now shifts to the upcoming drawing scheduled for Wednesday at 10:59 p.m. ET, which will be broadcast live and streamed online.

To win the jackpot, a ticket must correctly match all five white balls plus the red Powerball — odds that stand at a staggering one in over 290 million.

Powerball is available in 45 states as well as Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, with Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah being the only states where the game isn’t offered.

While tickets can be purchased on the day of the drawing, sales cutoff times vary by state and local regulations.

{Matzav.com}

A federal grand jury has refused to indict an Indiana woman accused of threatening to kill President Donald Trump, another sign of a growing backlash against Trump’s law enforcement crackdown in the nation’s capital. Nathalie Rose Jones was arrested on Aug. 16 in Washington, D.C., on charges that she made death threats against Trump on social media and during an interview with Secret Service agents. But a grand jury composed of Washington residents refused to indict her based on evidence presented by Justice Department prosecutors, according to her attorney, assistant federal public defender Mary Manning Petras. “Given that finding, the weight of the evidence is weak,” Petras wrote in a court filing. “The government may intend to try again to obtain an indictment, but the evidence has not changed and no indictment is likely.” It is extraordinarily rare for a grand jury to refuse to return an indictment, but that has happened in other cases prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office since Trump ordered a surge in patrols by federal agents and troops in the District of Columbia. A grand jury refused to indict a government attorney who was facing a felony assault charge for throwing a “sub-style” sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent — a confrontation captured on a viral video. Three grand juries voted separately against indicting a woman accused of assaulting an FBI agent outside the city’s jail in July, where she was recording video of the transfer of inmates into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. A grand jury also rejected an indictment against a man who was arrested on an assault charge by a U.S. Park Police officer with the assistance of National Guard members. Grand jury proceedings are secret, so the reasons for their decisions don’t become public. But the string of rebukes has fueled speculation that residents serving on grand juries are using their votes to protest against the White House’s surge. “Grand juries, judges, we will not simply go along with the flow,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui said during a hearing last week for a surge-related criminal case. A spokesperson for Pirro’s office didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Pirro posted a comment on Jones’ case two days after her arrest. “Threatening the life of the President is one of the most serious crimes and one that will be met with swift and unwavering prosecution. Make no mistake — justice will be served,” Pirro wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Prosecutors said Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, posted a Aug. 6 message on Facebook that she was “willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea.” When Secret Service agents questioned her on Aug. 15, Jones said she hoped to peacefully remove Trump from office but “will kill him out at the compound if I have to,” according to prosecutors. Jones was arrested a day later in Washington, where she joined a protest near the White House. Petras said Jones repeatedly told Secret Service agents that she had no intent to harm anyone, didn’t own any weapons and went to Washington to peacefully protest. (AP)

President Trump dismissed bizarre online claims about his supposed death on Tuesday, telling reporters in the Oval Office that he was “very active” over the Labor Day weekend and calling the morbid chatter “fake news.”

The rumors began circulating after the White House released a schedule showing that Trump had no public appearances planned over the holiday weekend, causing hashtags like “#TrumpIsDead” and “#WhereIsTrump” to trend on X.

The speculation intensified because the president hadn’t made a public appearance since a cabinet meeting the previous Tuesday, four days before the holiday.

“I didn’t do anything for two days, and they said ‘there must be something wrong with him,’” Trump said with a laugh, responding to a question from reporters about the conspiracy theories.

“I was very active over the weekend. I went out to visit some people at the club that I own pretty nearby on the Potomac River. No — I’ve been very active, actually,” he added, dismissing the speculation.

A photograph taken Saturday showed Trump in golf attire, sporting his trademark red MAGA hat, as he headed to Trump National Golf Club in Virginia with his granddaughter, Kai Trump, 18.

During his remarks, the 79-year-old president also used the moment to criticize his 82-year-old rival, Joe Biden.

“You wouldn’t see [Biden] and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him,” Trump remarked while standing alongside Vice President JD Vance and Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), both of whom chuckled.

“And we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape,” he added.

Speculation about Trump’s health has been fueled in recent months by photos showing what appeared to be bruises on his hands and swelling in his legs.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the concerns, explaining that Trump has a “benign and common condition” known as chronic vascular insufficiency (CVI), which occurs when the veins in the legs have difficulty returning blood to the heart.

She also clarified that the bruising on his hands was caused by “frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Tuesday the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela and was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang. The president said in a social media posting that 11 people were killed in the military operation and he posted a video of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames. “The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” Trump said in the post. “No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America.” The video appears to show a long, multi-engine speedboat traveling at sea when a bright flash of light busts over the craft. The boat is then briefly seen covered in flames. The video, which is largely in black and white, is not clear enough to see if the craft is carrying as many as 11 people. The video also did not show any large or clear stashes of drugs inside the boat. Tren de Aragua originated more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in Venezuela’s central state of Aragua. The gang has expanded in recent years as more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fled economic turmoil and migrated to other Latin American countries or the U.S. Trump and administration officials have repeatedly blamed the gang for being at the root of the violence and illicit drug dealing that plague some cities. The White House did not immediately explain how the military determined that those aboard the vessel were Tren de Aragua members. The size of the gang is unclear, as is the extent to which its actions are coordinated across state lines and national borders. After Trump announced the strike, Venezuelan state television showed President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores walking the streets of his childhood neighborhood. A television presenter said Maduro was “bathing in patriotic love” as he interacted with supporters. “In the face of imperialist threats, God (is) with us,” Maduro told supporters. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had first announced the strike earlier Tuesday, shortly before Rubio left on a trip to Mexico and Ecuador for talks on drug cartels, security, tariffs and more. In a brief exchange with reporters before departing Miami for Mexico City, Rubio deferred questions about the specifics of the strike to the Pentagon. He said the drugs on the vessel were likely headed to Trinidad or elsewhere in the Caribbean. The U.S. recently announced plans to boost its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels. The U.S. has not signaled any planned land incursion by the thousands of personnel being deployed. Still, Maduro’s government has responded by deploying troops along Venezuela’s coast and border with neighboring Colombia, as well as by urging Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia. Maduro has insisted that the U.S. is building a false drug-trafficking narrative to try to force him out of office. He and other government officials have repeatedly cited a United Nations report that they say shows traffickers attempt to move only 5% of the cocaine produced in Colombia through Venezuela. […]

After a recent U.S. military strike on a Venezuelan drug trafficking ship operated by the “Cartel de los Soles,” the Dominican Republic has officially labeled the cartel as an international terrorist organization.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

This week on Matzav, we all read with heavy hearts how Rav Dov Landau shlita announced that schools in Yerushalayim cannot open because not every single girl has a place. His words were a cry from the depths — a demand that Klal Yisroel pause everything until every bas Yisroel has a desk, a chair, a classroom, and a place where she belongs.

And yet, in Lakewood, NJ, we march forward. Schools are scheduled to open as if nothing is wrong. The buses will roll, the classrooms will buzz, the lessons will begin — while there are girls sitting at home, crushed, confused, and broken, with no idea where they will be learning this year.

How can this be? How can we, a community built on Torah, achdus, and areivus, allow the year to begin when our own daughters, our sisters, our Bnos Yisroel, our neshamos are left out in the cold?

Every day, parents are pleading, fighting, crying with roshei mosdos, making phone call after phone call, begging for a yes. Behind every spreadsheet of “available slots” is a shattered girl and a desperate mother davening for salvation. Behind every rejected application is a home full of tears. These are not statistics. These are neshamos.

Do we understand what message we send when schools open their doors knowing there are girls still on the outside? What are we saying to them? To their families? To ourselves? How can we allow the buses to pull away while some girls stand at the window, watching them leave, knowing they are unwanted, uncounted, unseen?

Is our system so broken, so complacent, that we have stopped feeling? That we accept this as “the way it is”? If Rav Dov Landau shlita can demand that an entire city halt until every girl is placed, how can Lakewood — a city built on Torah and chessed — do less?

Do we have leadership anymore?

This is not just logistics. This is not just policy.

This is the heart of our future.

I beg that our leaders, our rabbonim, our roshei mosdos, our askanim, rise to the moment. Do not allow a single school to open its doors until every bas Yisroel has one. Stop everything. Solve this. Make it happen. Because anything less is unthinkable.

If we can’t unite for this, what are we doing? If we can’t feel the pain of our sisters and daughters, what does that say about us?

Bnos Yisroel are waiting.
Neshamos are waiting.
And Hashem is watching.

With a broken heart,

A Concerned and Pained Yid

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