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When Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) assumed his post as House Speaker, the first speech he gave was at last year’s RJC Annual Leadership Summit.

This year, he again addressed the convention, though via satellite, as he is currently in Italy attending a G7 Speakers summit.

Johnson began his 10-minute speech on Thursday by calling out Iran and bashing the Biden administration for even considering resuming talks on the 2015 nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA), which the Trump administration broke away from in 2018. Negotiations with Iran through European countries marked the first 18 months of the Biden administration until Tehran walked away from and renewed its efforts for a nuclear weapon.

“Iran must be dealt with forcefully,” he said.

He also criticized the Biden administration for delaying arms shipments to Israel during its now 11-month-old war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip and for withholding certain ones—namely, 2,000-pound bombs.

He then addressed rising antisemitism in the United States, highlighting the increase of Jew-hatred on college campuses. He said that the House is “rolling up their sleeves” to combat such hate.

Johnson concluded his speech by calling out members of the Biden administration, specifically Kamala Harris, for not attending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress in July.

He reassured the audience of hundreds that whatever happens come November, “you will always have a strong ally in this speaker,” he said. JNS

{Matzav.com}

On Thursday evening, Hamas released a video showing Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the six hostages who were murdered while in captivity, whose remains were recently recovered from Gaza.

In the footage, Hersh is seen as a captive, stating: “I’m Hersh Goldberg-Polin. I was born in Berkeley, California and I live in Jerusalem. I celebrated my 23rd birthday, four days before I was kidnapped on October 7 from the party in Re’im. Since I arrived in Gaza I have been living without medical help, almost without food and water. I don’t remember when I last saw the sun or breathed fresh air.”

Following Hamas’ instructions, Hersh addresses the President of the United States, urging him to take steps to secure the release of hostages.

He then sends a heartfelt message to his family: “Mom, Dad, Libi and Orly. I love you and miss you and think about you every day. I know you are doing everything to bring me back. Stay strong and do everything. I hope I will come home soon. Don’t stop.”

At the end of the video, Hamas added a message designed for psychological manipulation, reading: “Prisoner deal – freedom and life, military pressure – death and failure.”

In response, Hersh’s parents, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, released a statement: “We are in the midst of the seven day Jewish mourning period after burying our son Hersh (of blessed memory) on Monday. Earlier tonight, Hamas released a new video of him, taken while he was being held hostage in the tunnels underneath Gaza. This must serve as an immediate wake-up call to the world to take action today to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages before it is too late. No other family should go through what our family (and the families of the other recently executed hostages) have endured.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Hamas has released another propaganda video featuring American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin HY’D, who was executed last week. The video was made public with the permission of his family. In a statement, the family said the video “must serve as an immediate wakeup call to the world to act today to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages before it is too late.” “No other family should endure what we went through,” the family added. They are still observing the seven-day Jewish mourning period, having buried Hersh on Monday after his body, along with those of five other murdered hostages, was recovered by the IDF on Saturday. In the video, Goldberg-Polin speaks in English, a departure from a previous video released by Hamas in April, where he spoke in Hebrew. He introduces himself, noting that he was born in Berkeley, California, and now lives in Jerusalem. “I turned 23 four days before I was kidnapped at the party in the Re’im Forest on the seventh of October,” he says, referencing his abduction from the Nova music festival. Goldberg-Polin describes his dire conditions in Gaza, saying he has survived with “almost no medical care, little food and little water.” He speaks of ongoing Israeli airstrikes and criticizes the Israeli government. He then issues a direct plea to U.S. President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and all Americans: “Do everything you can to stop the war, stop this madness and to bring me home.” The video concludes with a heartfelt message to his family: “Mama, Dada, Leebie, and Orly, I love you. I miss you, and I’m thinking about you every single day.” Echoing a phrase his mother, Rachel, has used in public speeches, Goldberg-Polin tells his family to “stay strong for me.” His final words in the clip are, “Keep on fighting, and hopefully, I believe I’ll be home soon. Don’t stop. I love you.” Israeli authorities and human rights groups assert that hostages are coerced into making such videos, and most Israeli media outlets only publish them with family consent. The exact timing of when this video was filmed remains unclear, but the family’s hope is that it will prompt urgent global efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages before more lives are lost. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Federal agents executed raids targeting NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and several high-ranking members of the nation’s largest police force, sources reported Thursday. This comes as part of a series of surprising law enforcement actions also involving close allies of Mayor Eric Adams.

On Wednesday morning, agents arrived at the residences of Caban, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, and the shared townhouse of Schools Chancellor David Banks and First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. They carried search warrants and confiscated electronic devices, law enforcement sources revealed.

Additionally, sources stated that the actions included Terence Banks, a former MTA official who has moved into consulting and is the brother of Phil and David Banks.

Another key figure in Mayor Adams’ circle, retired NYPD inspector Timothy Pearson, was also affected by the investigation, with his phones being subpoenaed, according to sources.

At this time, it remains unclear if the raid on the Harlem home shared by David Banks and Sheena Wright was directed at one or both of them.

The connections between the various raids, subpoenas, and other investigative actions aimed at Caban, members of the NYPD, and City Hall remained ambiguous on Thursday. However, sources suggested that these individuals might be part of a broader corruption probe centered on influence peddling.

James Caban, Edward Caban’s twin brother and a former NYPD sergeant, was also served with a search warrant and subpoena. Investigators are reportedly examining his involvement in the nightlife enforcement sector, sources said.

Additional law enforcement officials under scrutiny include NYPD Chief of Staff Raul Pintos and two precinct commanders from Manhattan and Queens, both of whom were asked to surrender their phones.

Sources noted that the investigation extends to rank-and-file officers from precincts, particularly in Midtown South, which is known for its active nightlife scene. None of those involved have been formally accused of any crimes as of yet.

This wide-reaching probe is being overseen by federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York. The same office is also examining Adams’ 2021 campaign as part of another high-profile investigation.

Mayor Adams addressed the raids publicly for the first time on Thursday afternoon as he left City Hall.

“As you’ve heard me say over and over again, as a former law enforcement person, we will always follow the law, and that is what this administration always stood for and will continue to stand for,” Adams said. “Whatever information is needed, we will turn over.”

City Hall’s Chief Counsel, Lisa Zornberg, suggested in a subsequent statement that the mayor and his team might not be the primary targets of the investigation.

“Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation,” Zornberg said in the statement. “As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.”

An NYPD spokesperson also confirmed that the investigation is focused on police officials and noted that the department is fully cooperating with federal authorities.

“The Department is aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service. The Department is fully cooperating in the investigation,” the spokesperson said Thursday, directing further questions to federal prosecutors.

Commissioner Caban, who was appointed in July 2023 after former Commissioner Keechant Sewell’s unexpected resignation, could not be reached for comment. His close relationship with the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office, now involved in probing him and his officers, adds an additional layer of complexity to the situation.

Attempts by The Post to reach Chief of Patrol John Chell for comment were met with strong resistance. NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Tarik Sheppard, in a conversation with a reporter, labeled the reporter a “f—ing scumbag.”

Investigators are reportedly looking into Terence Banks for allegedly acting as an unregistered lobbyist, leveraging his connections with his brothers to bring business into City Hall, sources suggested.

Pearson, another key figure in Adams’ administration, has faced criticism in the past. He was recently the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit and has long attracted attention for his role in overseeing contracts for security at migrant shelters.

The simultaneous raids targeting the homes of Wright and Phil Banks occurred around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, as first reported by The City. Wright’s home is located on West 143rd Street in Harlem, while Phil Banks resides in Queens.

While the FBI declined to provide further details on Thursday, they did not refute the fact that both homes were visited by federal agents.

Benjamin Brafman, Phil Banks’ attorney, confirmed the search of Banks’ home but chose not to comment further. Phil Banks had previously been named an unindicted co-conspirator in a broader police corruption case that resulted in the discovery of $300,000 in questionable transactions in his accounts.

Wright, a former CEO of United Way of NYC, has been a visible figure in the Adams administration since she was appointed as First Deputy Mayor in 2022. She has played a critical role in overseeing the NYPD as part of her responsibilities.

Rumors have circulated about Wright and David Banks’ personal relationship, including claims that the couple may have secretly married last year.

When David Banks was seen leaving the couple’s Harlem home on Thursday, he avoided addressing questions from The Post about the raid. He appeared visibly annoyed when approached later by a FOX 5 reporter and offered only a brief statement.

“Today is the first day of school, it is all about the kids, if there’s any other comments to be made it will be tomorrow,” he said.

These latest raids follow a string of actions targeting Adams’ inner circle. Federal agents have now sought information on at least eight of his top aides, beginning with a raid on his fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, in November 2023. That investigation focused on a kickback scheme allegedly involving City Hall and the Turkish government.

Additional raids followed, targeting City Hall staffers like Rana Abbasova and Cenk Ocal, both connected to Adams’ transition team and the Turkey investigation.

Earlier in 2024, the FBI raided the home of Winnie Greco, who had served as the city’s director of Asian affairs, in connection with another fundraising investigation.

The mayor himself has not been immune from scrutiny. He was issued a grand jury subpoena in July 2024, along with other City Hall officials, as part of an ongoing probe into his 2021 campaign fundraising. Federal agents also seized his electronic devices during the investigation.

Despite the mounting legal challenges, Adams has consistently maintained his innocence and denied any involvement in illegal activities.

{Matzav.com}

Chaverim of Rockland successfully intervened live as a scammer targeted a Monsey-area woman, Monsey Scoop reported Thursday. The victim received a phone call from an individual posing as a detective, claiming there was suspicious activity on her bank account. To make the scam appear legitimate, the scammers spoofed the Ramapo Police Department’s phone number and warned her that failure to comply would result in her arrest and frozen accounts. In a state of panic, the woman took a taxi to the M&T Bank on Route 59, where she withdrew $5,000 from her account. Following the scammer’s instructions, she then proceeded to CVS at the corner of Grandview Avenue and Route 306 to purchase gift cards. However, the CVS teller, recognizing something was off, refused to sell her the gift cards as she did not have her ID. The woman called her husband to bring her ID and informed him she would return home to retrieve it. After this conversation, her husband lost contact with her and, growing increasingly concerned, reached out to Chaverim for assistance. Simultaneously, the scammer, who was still on the phone with her, instructed her to cancel her taxi ride home, promising to send a new one to take her to a different store where she could buy the gift cards without needing an ID. Upon receiving the call from the woman’s husband, Chaverim quickly dispatched its members, initiating a search across local stores known for selling gift cards. They also coordinated with Arrive Taxi Company to track her movements and deployed drones and camera units to review surveillance footage. One of Chaverim’s members eventually spotted the woman exiting Sephora at the Nanuet Mall with a stack of gift cards in hand. By this time, she had already given the scammers $2,000 worth of card numbers. The member immediately approached her, explained that she was being scammed, and managed to recover the remaining $3,000 in gift cards before any further loss occurred. Though initially resistant over fear she would be arrested, the woman was reassured and convinced of her safety. Meanwhile, Chaverim’s Coordinator Yossi Margeratten had been working with the Ramapo Police Department to have Verizon ping her phone. However, because the woman was not considered in immediate danger, Verizon declined the request without a court order. Fortunately, before the court order could be obtained, the woman was successfully located. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defense dissented from the suggestion that Israel had broken international law, prompted by the decision by the United Kingdom to suspend arms export licenses to Israel for 30 days.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the DOD press secretary at the Pentagon, spoke at a briefing discussing the steps used to ensure compliance with human rights.

“Those processes are ongoing. As of now, we have not determined at this point that Israel has violated international humanitarian law, but those assessments, to include those of the State Department looking at allegations, are still ongoing,” Ryder said.

The press secretary reported that on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had spoken with Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant to express condolences for the six hostages murdered by Hamas.

“The secretary affirmed that Hamas leaders must be held accountable for the murder of these innocent civilians,” Ryder said. “And Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant once again reaffirmed their mutual commitment to swiftly reaching a ceasefire deal to secure the release of all the remaining hostages.”

The Pentagon spokesman also addressed discussions about the role in hostage negotiations for control of the Philadelphi corridor and its strategic importance in preventing future terrorist attacks.

Ryder stated that he would not provide “my personal tactical assessment of the battlefield” and that “I’ll leave it up to the Israelis to talk about how best to do that.”

The possibility of another Iran attack against Israel also arose as a question.

“Iran has indicated that it intends to retaliate, so we will continue to take that threat seriously, and I’ll just leave it there,” Ryder said. “I’m not going to speculate or get into potential or hypotheticals, rather, in terms of when and if they may attack other than the fact that they’ve said publicly that they intend to retaliate.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

Former President Donald Trump suggested to business leaders Thursday that his plans to increase tariffs on foreign imports would solve seemingly unrelated challenges such as the rising cost of child care in the U.S. The GOP presidential nominee promised to lead what he called a “national economic renaissance” by increasing tariffs, slashing regulations to boost energy production and drastically cutting government spending as well as corporate taxes for companies that produce in the U.S. Trump was asked at his appearance before the Economic Club of New York about his plans to drive down child care costs to help more women join the workforce. “Child care is child care, it’s something you have to have in this country. You have to have it,” he said. Then, he said his plans to tax imports from foreign nations at higher levels would “take care” of such problems. “We’re going to be taking in trillions of dollars, and as much as child care is talked about as being expensive, it’s — relatively speaking — not very expensive, compared to the kind of numbers we’ll be taking in,” he said. Trump has embraced tariffs as he appeals to working-class voters who oppose free-trade deals and the outsourcing of factories and jobs. But in his speech Thursday and his economic plans as a whole, Trump made what a broader — to some, implausible — promise on tariffs: that they can raise trillions of dollars to fund his agenda without those costs being passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices. His campaign attacks Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ proposals to increase corporate tax rates by saying they would ultimately be borne by workers in the form of fewer jobs and lower incomes. Yet taxes on foreign imports would have a similar effect with businesses and consumers having to absorb those costs in the form of higher prices. The United States had $3.8 trillion worth of imports last year, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Trump in the past has talked about universal tariffs of at least 10%, if not higher, though he has not spelled out details about how these taxes would be implemented. Kimberly Clausing, an economist at the University of California, Los Angeles, has repeatedly warned in economic analyses about the likely damage to people’s finances from Trump’s tariffs. She noted that Trump wants tariffs to pay for everything, even though they can’t. “I believe Trump has already spent this revenue, to pay for his tax cuts (which it doesn’t), or to perhaps end the income tax (which it cannot),” she said in an email. ” “It is unclear how there would be any revenues left over to fund child care.” Trump was asked to talk about child care Child care is unaffordable for many Americans and financially precarious for many day care operators and their employees. Democrats in Congress have long argued the child care industry is in crisis and requires a drastic increase in federal aid — and some Republicans have joined them. Trump pointed to his tariff ideas as well as efforts he announced to reduce what he described as “waste and fraud.” “I want to stay with child care, but those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that I’m talking about, including growth, but growth also […]

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Putin has made his preference known…

According to an Axios report, Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia would prefer Kamala Harris win the 2024 election over former President Donald Trump.

 

From Axios:

Driving the news: Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Putin reiterated his previous remarks that President Biden had been Russia’s preferred candidate in the race.

Since Biden recommended his supporters back Harris, Russia would do the same, Putin said, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

“Ultimately, the choice is up to the American people, and we will respect that choice,” he added.

A Kremlin spokesperson had said in an interview that aired last weekend that Russia preferred Harris over Trump because she was a more predictable opponent, Reuters reported.

Zoom in: Putin also joked that Harris “laughs so expressively and infectiously” and that perhaps this indication of her good humor would mean she wouldn’t impose sanctions on Russia, per TASS.

Trump commented on Putin’s endorsement during remarks at the Economic Club in New York City on Thursday; “Putin came out today. He endorsed Kamala. Was I supposed to call him up and say thank you very much?!”

Watch the clip below:

 

According to former DIA intelligence officer and author of “Putin’s Playbook,” Rebekah Koffler, “The Russians don’t really endorse anyone, in the traditional sense.

“When it comes to preference, Putin and his regime prefer Kamala to deal with as a future U.S. president,” Koffler told Fox News Digital. “Putin believes that he can manipulate Harris easily, unlike Trump, whom the Russians profiled as unpredictable and difficult to read.

“By issuing these statements, the Russians are just messing with us, specifically with the Harris Team,” Koffler added. “It’s a classic influence operation to unbalance your adversary by mocking, teasing, and pleasing them, or rather appearing to please.”

More over at Axios:

{Matzav.com}

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Sefas Tamim Foundation QUESTION: A friend of mine has a moral dilemma. Before I present my dilemma, permit me to provide some necessary background. My friend’s parents are successful business owners. They have mostly retired and have hired my friend, their son, to run certain aspects of the business. They pay him well, but he still struggles to make ends meet. Now, his child is dating seriously and is about to get engaged. Generally, his parents will help him with his family Simchas (e.g. weddings, Bar Mitzvahs) and so my friend will be looking to them to help pay for the upcoming wedding. Sometimes they give him a few thousand dollars, sometimes they pay for half of the affair and sometimes they even pay for all of it. It generally depends upon how the family business is doing. If the business hits a rough patch, they generally provide less support for the family Simchas. The reality is though, that his parents have plenty of money and can easily pay for the Simcha regardless of how the business is doing at any particular time. And now for the dilemma. Recently, the business did take a bit of a hit as some of the business’s pricey equipment has malfunctioned, and now new equipment must be purchased. My friend is concerned that if he tells his father now about this rough patch that the business is going through, his father will reduce the amount of money he will give for the wedding. Can my friend delay telling his father about this new business expense until after the wedding in the hopes that he will give more money for the wedding, than he otherwise would have, if he had heard about the bad news before the wedding? ANSWER: Recently a prominent Rav addressed a similar issue and permitted it, but with due respect, we suggest here otherwise.  The Gemorah in Makkos 24a calls Abba Chilkiyah a “Righteous Worker” because he would not pause to greet people while he was working (i.e. he would not permit himself to spend time greeting people because he was on, “Company Time.”) The Mesilas Yesharim (Chapter 11) understands this Gemorah to mean that Abba Chilkiyah did the right and Halachically required thing in this case, because if he would have stopped to greet people while he was working, that would have been full-fledged theft from his employer, since he was on Company Time. Other Mefarshim (commentaries) learn this Gemorah to mean that Abba Chilkiyah did an act of righteousness – above and beyond what is called for. We suggest that this is only because he would have been allowed to greet people when he was working as that is the Minhag HaSochrim / Minhag HaMedina (the customs and the norms of the land). The fact that Abba Chilkiyah would not even permit himself to do that, was “above and beyond” what the Halacha required and was therefore an act of righteousness. In your case, however, it is the norm of the land to fulfill one’s fiduciary responsibility to one’s boss and not to let a conflict of interest get in the way. Accordingly, your friend should tell his father about the new equipment expense as soon as possible as the delay could handcuff […]

The U.S. Justice Department has widened its indictment of Russians in the so-called WhisperGate malware attacks aimed at destroying computer systems in Ukraine and 26 NATO allies including the United States. A superseding indictment announced Thursday names five Russian military intelligence officers in a conspiracy to demoralize the Ukrainian people on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The WhisperGate attacks in January 2022 could be considered Russia’s first shot in the war, said William DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office. The cyberattacks penetrated U.S. companies and targeted Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and computer systems unrelated to defense, including the judiciary, emergency services, food safety and education, officials said. “Seeking to sap the morale of the Ukrainian public, the defendants also stole and leaked the personal data of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including by posting patient health information and other sensitive private data for sale online and then taunting those victims,” said Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security. The attacks weren’t limited to Ukraine, Olsen said at the news conference in Baltimore, which also included Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek Barron. Olsen said. “They went on to target computer systems in other nations supporting Ukraine in its fight for survival. Ultimately, their targets included computer systems in 26 NATO partners, including the United States.” A federal grand jury in Baltimore indicted military intelligence officers Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Yury Denisov, Dmitry Goloshubov and Nikolai Korchagin along with Amin Timovich Stigal, a 22-year-old Russian civilian indicted in June. It accuses them of conspiring to gain unauthorized access to computers associated with the governments of Ukraine and its allies. Combined, the U.S. government is offering $60 million in rewards for help leading to their locations or malicious cyberactivity. All six are most likely in Russia, but federal officials said the indictment is useful anyway, to prevent them from traveling and to show that the U.S. has exposed their conspiracy. The U.S. investigation, Operation Toy Soldier, found the accused committed fraud in the U.S. by illegally accessing bank accounts and using a U.S. company to unwittingly carry out their crimes, DelBagno said. “Adding insult to injury these individuals not only used tools to scan for vulnerabilities 63 times on a Maryland U.S.-based government agency, but they also scanned our allies throughout the world, including Ukrainian servers and servers in various other countries,” Barron said. The FBI and government partners in other countries are issuing a joint cybersecurity advisory that details how the attacks were carried out and what can be done to prevent them, officials said. Countering Russia’s cyber threat demands constant efforts, they said. In January, the Justice Department also disrupted a botnet controlled by Russian military intelligence that officials say was used to enable crimes and espionage, and in May, officials announced charges against the alleged developer of a prolific ransomware variant known as LockBit. Other Russia-related prosecutions announced just this week include indictments unsealed Wednesday charging two employees of RT, a Russia state media company, with covertly funneling millions of dollars to a Tennessee-based content creation firm that paid social media influencers to publish videos in line with Russia’s interests, such as on topics like the war with Ukraine. DelBagno said the indictments are the result of years of collaboration with partners and law […]

American University professor Dr. Allan Lichtman, who has accurately forecasted nine out of the last ten presidential elections, offered his final prediction on Thursday for the 2024 presidential race. In a video shared by the New York Times, Lichtman predicted that Vice President Kamala Harris would triumph over former President Donald Trump on November 5, thus maintaining Democratic control of the White House.

Lichtman, who has gained notoriety and stirred debate every four years through his “Keys to the White House” method—a system of 13 criteria to evaluate each major party candidate’s chances—asserted that Harris holds the upper hand in eight of these “keys” while Trump is ahead in three. Nonetheless, Lichtman emphasized in the Thursday video, “the outcome is up to you, so get out and vote.”

Lichtman asserts that he has accurately forecasted the outcome of every presidential election since 1984, although this claim involves a bit of interpretative flexibility. For instance, in 2000, he predicted an Al Gore victory. While Gore did win the popular vote, he ultimately lost the Electoral College to George W. Bush. Two decades later, Lichtman correctly anticipated that Trump would defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, despite Trump losing the popular vote. Critics such as Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito of the Postrider have challenged Lichtman’s reputation, arguing that his streak of accurate predictions either ended in 2000 or 2016, depending on whether one views the “Keys” as forecasting the popular vote or the Electoral College. The 13 “Keys” are:

• Whether the sitting president’s party gained seats in the House during the midterms (Trump)
• Whether the incumbent is seeking re-election (Trump)
• Whether the party in the White House is facing a primary (Harris)
• Whether there is a third-party candidate (Harris)
• The condition of the short-term economy (Harris)
• The condition of the long-term economy (Harris)
• Whether the sitting president’s party has made changes to national policy (Harris)
• Whether there is social unrest (Harris)
• Whether the president faced major scandals (Harris)
• The appeal of the challenger (Harris)
• The appeal of the incumbent (Trump)
• Whether there have been major foreign policy disasters (N/A)
• Whether the sitting president has had successes in foreign affairs (N/A)

Lichtman, who is 77, suggested, somewhat contentiously, that President Biden had not encountered a major scandal during his tenure because issues surrounding his age and his son Hunter’s controversies did not create significant partisan divides. In the Times video, Lichtman also remarked, “Foreign policy is tricky, and these keys could flip.” He noted, “The Biden administration is deeply invested in the war in Gaza, which is a humanitarian disaster with no end in sight.” However, Lichtman argued that even if both foreign policy “keys” were to become unfavorable, there would still only be five negative “keys,” which would not be sufficient for Trump to reclaim the White House. Lichtman, a registered Democrat, had previously warned his party against removing Biden from the presidential ticket after Biden’s poor performance in the June 27 debate with Trump, citing the strength of incumbency in his “13 keys” and cautioning that it could be a “tragic mistake.”

Currently, Harris has a 2.4 percentage-point lead over Trump in national multi-candidate polls, according to the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate. Nate Silver’s latest forecast gives Trump a 58.2% chance of winning in the Electoral College. Trump and Harris are scheduled to debate in Philadelphia on September 10, with the event hosted by ABC News. Despite the tumultuous nature of the 2024 election cycle, Lichtman remained firm in his prediction, asserting that “the keys absolutely will work — they are the constant northern star of political prediction.”

{Matzav.com}

The Jewish Chronicle reported on Thursday, citing intelligence sources, that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had devised a scheme to escape Gaza. His plan involved smuggling himself, other Hamas officials, and the remaining Israeli hostages through the Philadelphi Corridor to Sinai and then onward to Iran. This information came to light through the interrogation of a high-ranking Hamas member by Israeli security forces and through documents seized on the same day the six bodies of the slain hostages were recovered.

According to the report, Sinwar is acutely aware that his group’s time is running out, and his only option for evasion is to make a clandestine exit from Gaza and seek refuge in Iran. Consequently, Hamas is demanding that Israel withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, which lies along the Egyptian border.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister addressed the situation in an interview with Fox News, refuting claims of a potential agreement between Israel and Hamas. “It’s exactly inaccurate,” Netanyahu told Fox & Friends. “There’s a story, a narrative out there that there’s a deal out there … that’s just a false narrative.”

The Prime Minister elaborated on his reasons for not ceding control of the Philadelphi Corridor: “It prevents Gaza from becoming this Iranian terror enclave again, which can threaten our existence, but it’s also the way to prevent them from smuggling hostages that they keep through the cease-fire into Egypt, into the Sinai, where they could disappear, and then they’ll end up in Iran or in Yemen, and they’re lost forever.”

He continued, “So if you want to release the hostages and you want to make sure that Gaza doesn’t pose a threat to Israel again, you’ve got to keep the Philadelphia corridor … and that’s what we’re really doing right now.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Thursday vowed to keep the pressure on President Nicolás Maduro to leave office in January. She also urged the international community to rise to the occasion by immediately recognizing her faction’s presidential candidate as the winner of the election in July, and implement measures to hold government officials accountable for abuses unleashed after the vote. Machado, speaking to reporters online from an undisclosed location in Venezuela, reaffirmed her commitment to negotiate incentives and guarantees that could lead to a peaceful transition of power. “We, the Venezuelan people, have done everything,” she said. “We competed with the rules of tyranny … and we won, and we proved it. So, if the world or some government is thinking of looking the other way, imagine where sovereign will and popular sovereignty end up in the Western world. It would mean that elections are worthless.” Her comments came three days after the country’s justice system, which is loyal to the ruling party, issued an arrest warrant for former diplomat Edmundo González, who represented the main opposition coalition in the July 28 election. While the National Electoral Council — stacked with ruling party supporters — declared Maduro the winner, it never released vote tallies backing their claim. However, the opposition coalition claimed that González defeated Maduro by a 2-to-1 margin and offered as proof vote tallies from more than 80% of the electronic voting machines used in the election. Thousands of people, including minors, took to the streets across Venezuela hours after the electoral council’s announcement. The protests were largely peaceful, but demonstrators also toppled statues of Maduro’s predecessor, the late leader Hugo Chávez, threw rocks at law enforcement officers and buildings, and burned police motorcycles and government propaganda. Maduro’s government responded to the demonstrations with full force. A Wednesday report from Human Rights Watch implicated state security forces and gangs aligned with the ruling party in some of the 24 deaths that occurred during the protests. “They have no limits in their cruelty,” Machado told reporters Thursday. White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday condemned the “unjustified arrest warrant” of González, characterizing it as “another example of Mr. Maduro’s efforts to maintain power by force.” Kirby said the U.S. is considering a range of options to show Maduro and his allies that “their actions in Venezuela will have consequences.” Under the Biden administration, Venezuela’s government has been granted various forms of economic relief from economic sanctions the U.S. imposed over the years to try to topple Maduro. Earlier this year, it ended some of the relief when the government increased repression efforts against members of the opposition, civil society and others it considers as adversaries. Attorney General Tarek William Saab, a staunch Maduro ally, on Thursday insisted his office had sought the warrant because González, 75, failed to appear three times to answer questions in a criminal investigation focused on the publication online of the tally sheets obtained by the opposition. Saab told reporters that the publication constitutes an usurpation of powers exclusive of the National Electoral Council and claimed that the opposition’s vote records are false. “You shared the website on your (social media) networks,” Saab said, referring to González. “Explain why you shared it if it is false.” Saab’s claim contradicts experts from […]

Retired four-star general Jack Keane (ret.,) reacts to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu saying that Hamas is refusing to make a deal and weighs in on former President Trump’s warning that the U.S. is ‘heading into World War III territory.’

WATCH:

CNN political director David Chalian said that Kamala Harris is running way behind former President Donald Trump when it comes to polling among white voters without college degrees.

Harris is also underperforming with white college-educated voters in some crucial battleground states.

 

From The Daily Caller:

Trump is leading Harris among white likely voters without college degrees in Pennsylvania by 32 points and in Georgia by 44 points, according to a chart displayed behind Chalian based on CNN’s late August polling in six battleground states. Chalian, on “CNN News Central,” labeled this as “a trouble sign for Harris,” adding that Trump’s 33-point lead among “white college-educated voters” in Georgia also poses a substantial challenge for the vice president.

“If you look at the white voters without college degrees, this is a Trump base constituency, obviously. You see his huge numbers with this group. You see that this is a trouble sign for Harris,” Chalian said. “She also, in places like Georgia, is not doing well with white college-educated voters. She probably wants to make up some ground with white college-educated voters across these battlegrounds as well.”

Watch the clip below:

 

{Matzav.com}

As Israel mourns the discovery of six murdered hostages in Gaza, new details have surfaced that underscore the grim realities faced by those still in captivity. According to a report from Channel 12 News, the body of Eden Yerushalmi, one of the hostages recently repatriated, weighed a mere 79 pounds (36 kilograms) — a stark 22-pound drop from her pre-abduction weight. Yerushalmi was kidnapped on October 7 from the Nova music festival, along with others, and taken into Gaza. Her body, along with the remains of five other hostages, was returned to Israel four days ago. This extreme weight loss is a distressing indication of the conditions that the 101 hostages still held in Gaza may be facing. In a video released by Hamas just before her death, Yerushalmi was seen speaking to her family, delivering a heartbreaking message: “I want to speak to my dear family, whom I love so much and miss – Mom, Dad, Shani, and May. I love you so much and I miss you.” Her family authorized the release of part of this footage, offering a glimpse into her final moments. On Wednesday, the IDF released footage of the tunnel shaft where the bodies of Yerushalmi, along with Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Staff Sergeant Ori Danino, were found. Disturbingly, nearby murals of cartoon characters and dolls were discovered, suggesting the proximity of a children’s play area, adding another layer of horror to the already harrowing scene. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

It is with tremendous sadness that Matzav.com reports the sudden and shocking petirah of Hagaon Rav Avrohom Ausband zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva of Telshe Alumni in Riverdale. He was 76 years old.

Rav Ausband collapsed at his yeshiva today and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Rav Ausband was one of America’s gedolei roshei yeshiva, a towering figure in the world of Torah, known for his unwavering dedication to his talmidim and the preservation of the mesorah of Telz.

Born into a family of giants of Torah, Rav Avrohom was a son of Rav Eizik Ausband zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Telz Cleveland, and a grandson of Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Bloch, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Telz in Lita. He was a son-in-law of Rav Binyomin Zeilberger, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Bais Hatalmud.

Rav Avrohom learned in the Yeshiva of Telshe in Cleveland, where he absorbed the unique Telshe derech halimud. Under the tutelage of the roshei yeshiva, he became a talmid muvhak and a rising star in the world of Torah.

Rav Avrohom’s journey led him to Riverdale, where he established the Yeshiva of Telshe Alumni in the early 1980s. For decades, he infused the yeshiva with the spirit of Telshe, creating an atmosphere of serious learning and meticulous attention to the development of each talmid, both in their Torah learning and as bnei Torah. His shiurim were known for their brilliance, depth and clarity, and his ability to inspire his talmidim to reach new heights in avodas Hashem left a lasting impact.

He was a pillar of strength for his talmidim, who knew they could turn to him not only for Torah guidance but for personal advice and support. His devotion to his family, his yeshiva, and Klal Yisroel was unwavering, and his legacy will continue to live on through the thousands of talmidim he shaped, many of whom have gone on to become roshei yeshiva, rabbanim, and marbitzei Torah around the world.

Rav Ausband’s petirah leaves an irreplaceable void in the Torah world, but his teachings and the yeshiva he nurtured will remain a lasting testament to his greatness.

Levayah details will be posted once they are finalized.

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