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Iraqi mechanic Hussein Dawood transforms vehicle scrap into artistic creations, using discarded parts to promote environmental awareness.

North Korea says it has tested a new hypersonic system designed to strengthen its nuclear deterrent. The tests came just days before U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping are set to meet in South Korea. Seoul’s military said multiple missiles were fired from near Pyongyang, flying about 350 km before landing on land. The tests mark North Korea’s first since South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, took office, pledging peace — an offer Kim Jong Un has so far rejected.

Dramatic audio recordings broadcast on Channel 12 have exposed sharp criticism by senior members of Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah aimed at party leader Aryeh Deri and at the idea of re-entering the government during what they described as a fraught period for the world of Torah study.

The tapes capture the Rishon Letzion Rav Yitzchok Yosef condemning moves to return Shas ministers to the coalition and voicing fury at Deri’s intentions. “If my father were alive this wouldn’t be happening; he would bang on the table and tell Deri there will be no government in Israel, there will be elections,” Rav Yosef is heard saying in the recording. “If my father were alive he would shout at him.”

Rav Yosef’s remarks went beyond that rebuke. According to the released audio, he argued that the faction should refuse any compromise and instead prepare for elections, asserting that the chareidi parties — Agudas Yisrael, Degel HaTorah and Shas — together form a bloc of 16–17 Knesset seats that no government could be formed without. He also leveled personal criticism at Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, saying, among other things, that Netanyahu “tries to convince people there is no God” and calling him an “atheist to a degree,” while still acknowledging his political acumen.

Other senior rabbonim recorded on the tapes echoed similar alarm. Rav Shmuel Betzalel, who oversees recruitment matters on the Moetzet, was heard calling the proposed conscription legislation “not a good law” and admitting he prays it will not pass. Rav Moshe Maya — the eldest member of the Moetzet — told interlocutors bluntly that he would resign from the Moetzet immediately if the party rejoined the coalition.

The published recordings were presented by Channel 12 as explaining why the Moetzet felt compelled to demand that Shas withdraw from all coalition roles — even at the cost of dissolving the government and prompting new elections — rather than accept legislation perceived as punitive toward yeshiva students and the world of Torah learning. The Moetzet’s stance, as reflected in the tapes, emphasized protecting Torah learners from what they called “humiliating” sanctions and legal measures.

The leak adds fresh fuel to an already tense debate within the right-religious camp over strategy and principles: whether to remain inside the coalition to influence policy from within, or to stand aside in protest and press the issue in the public sphere. Shas has a long history of close ties between its political leadership and its rabbinic council; the recordings lay bare how sharply those relationships can fracture when high-stakes political moves collide with the council’s red lines.

{Matzav.com}

A new controversy has erupted between a Knesset member from Otzma Yehudit and the rov of the Kosel following a personal exchange over the sensitive issue of ascending Har Habayis.

MK Yitzchok Kroizer, from Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, has announced plans to advance legislation redefining the official title and responsibilities of Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rov of the Kosel and the Mekomos Kedoshim, after receiving a sharply worded letter from the rov urging him not to ascend Har Habayis or engage in any form of hishtachavayah there.

According to sources, Rav Rabinowitz wrote to Kroizer requesting that he refrain from going up to Har Habayis, a request rooted in the long-standing psak of the Gedolei Yisroel forbidding entry to the Makom HaMikdash in our times.

In response, Kroizer—who has often described Har Habayis as “the very heart of Jewish sovereignty”—announced that he would work to “update the formal definition of the position of the rov in accordance with the spirit of the time and the current reality.”

Kroizer revealed that he intends to submit a bill changing the official title from “Rav of the Kosel HaMa’aravi and the Mekomos HaKedoshim” to “Rav of Har Habayis, the Beis HaMikdash, and the Mekomos HaKedoshim.” He explained that such a change would “reflect the return and renewed vitality of the Jewish nation in the heart of Yerushalayim.”

“The Har Habayis,” Kroizer stated, “is the core of the sovereignty and national identity of Am Yisroel in Yerushalayim and throughout Eretz Yisroel.” He pointed to what he called “a blessed and meaningful shift” in recent years, as increasing numbers of Jews ascend Har Habayis “b’kedushah u’vetaharah,” engage in tefillah, and learn Torah there—developments he said strengthen the bond between Klal Yisroel and its holiest site.

He described this process as “a return to the Makom HaMikdash,” expressing that it represents both the renewal of Jewish sovereignty and “a kiddush Sheim Yisroel and kiddush Sheim Shamayim.” Kroizer reaffirmed Otzma Yehudit’s commitment to strengthening Jewish control over Har Habayis and to securing freedom of prayer for Jews at the site.

In closing, Kroizer wrote: “The path to the hashra’as haShechinah and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash in the near future runs through the national and practical responsibility of Am Yisroel for the Makom HaMikdash.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. national debt just hit $38 trillion — the highest in history — as the federal government remains shut down. It’s the fastest climb of a trillion dollars in debt outside the pandemic, rising from $37 trillion in just two months, according to new Treasury data. Economists warn that ballooning debt means higher borrowing costs, lower wages, and rising prices that erode Americans’ purchasing power over time.

Candace Owens delivered one of her strangest on-air performances yet, launching into a chaotic rant about Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Peter Thiel — whom she bizarrely labeled “hybrid droids” responsible for bringing about “demonic AI.”

At one point, Owens veered into the surreal, saying, “I’m not saying I’m going to stab Elon, but I’m not sure he would bleed if I did.” The comment sent social media into a frenzy, with many accusing her of crossing into full-blown conspiracy territory.

During her monologue, Owens suggested that these tech figures weren’t entirely human, hinting that they might be “artificial or hybrid entities” working as part of a larger, dark alliance between technology, money, and what she called “soul-selling.” She tied this to her broader rejection of modern science — even calling the moon landing “fake and demonic” — and accused Musk and others of leading humanity to worship the dollar as “the demon’s god.”

The internet erupted after the episode aired, with clips circulating under captions like “Candace’s latest UNHINGED RANT.” Critics mocked her for mixing religious extremism with sci-fi paranoia, while others expressed concern over her increasingly erratic statements.

Owens’s latest claims follow a growing pattern of unsubstantiated theories linking major world events to what she portrays as sinister forces, often invoking Israel, the CIA, or “betrayals of faith.” There is no evidence for any of her allegations about Musk or others, and even many of her supporters appeared confused by the outburst.

Elon Musk has not commented publicly on Owens’s statements, which have only added to the online spectacle surrounding her descent into ever stranger territory.

{Matzav.com}

Gambling dens hidden behind closed doors in New York City saw a staggering $7 million siphoned from unsuspecting high-rollers through a blend of modern gadgets and old-school mob methods, prosecutors revealed in a dramatic indictment Thursday.

The scheme reportedly relied on “advanced wireless technologies,” according to the charges, supported by a network of operators who watched games remotely and coordinated with planted insiders at the tables—all working in tandem to exploit their unsuspecting victims.

At the heart of the scam were card-shuffling machines that had been tampered with. According to the indictment, members of four of New York’s Five Families rigged the machines with card readers and computerized analyzers that relayed the strongest hands to an outside operator.

“At the Rigged Games, the members of the Cheating Teams … used card shuffling machines that were purportedly randomly shuffling the playing cards to ensure fairness,” the indictment read. “However, the Rigged Shuffling Machines were secretly altered to use concealed technology.”

Following that, an operator would dispatch a text or call to a teammate at the poker table, who would employ “secret signaling” to guide their co-conspirators on how to play and how to bet, effectively steering the target into losing.

At times, even the poker table itself played a role: the players allegedly used tables fitted with X-ray cameras capable of reading cards face-down on the felt.

Prosecutors also described the deployment of “decoy cellular telephones” that could read and analyze cards—another means to tilt the game unfairly against the mark.

One of the most audacious features of the racket: the physical playing cards were sometimes marked in a way imperceptible to ordinary players but visible to participants wearing special glasses or contact lenses—allowing the cheaters to dominate the game while victims remained completely unaware, prosecutors say.

As troubling as the illicit tech may sound, much of it is reportedly easy to find online, with websites peddling cheating devices for a few hundred thousand dollars.

Still, the tech was only part of the setup—the con began well before the cards were dealt, and grew darker as the game progressed.

The mobsters lured their “fish”—the high-roller targets—by using former NBA players placed as “face cards” in the scheme. Among the names cited in the indictment: Hall of Famer and head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Chauncey Billups. These players allegedly helped attract targets and received a portion of the ill-gotten gains.

In some games, every participant—save the mark—was in on the scam, winning and losing hands strategically to encourage the target to keep betting more and more until the losses piled up.

After one particularly egregious summer 2023 game, a single victim reportedly lost $1.8 million in one series. Once the chips were down, the mobsters allegedly enforced payment by wielding “threats and intimidation.”

“Through the Rigged Poker Scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators defrauded Victims of millions of dollars,” the indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said.

“Victims of the Rigger Poker Scheme believed they were participating in ‘straight’ illegal poker games and that they were gambling against other participants on equal footing,” it added. “In reality, however, the defendants and their co-conspirators, who constituted the remaining participants purportedly playing in the poker games, worked together on cheating teams.”

Prosecutors allege the scheme dates back to at least 2019, with the illicit games taking place not only in Manhattan but also in the Hamptons, Las Vegas, and Miami, and involving the Lucchese crime family, Genovese crime family, Gambino crime family and Bonanno crime family.

More than 30 people have been charged in connection with this elaborate poker ring, according to the indictment.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich launched a fierce attack on Shas and its leader Aryeh Deri on Thursday, blasting their decision to quit the coalition while continuing to influence government ministries “from afar.” His remarks came just hours after Shas announced it would withdraw from all coalition roles, following weeks of escalating tension over the government’s handling of yeshiva students’ draft status.

Speaking in an interview with Kalman Liebskind at the Makor Rishon and Tzomet Institute conference, Smotrich expressed open frustration with the chareidi factions’ tactics. “I lost patience for these games a long time ago,” he said. “I think we can still complete this coalition’s term, but there’s no such thing as being both in the coalition and not in it. The coalition has to function and pass laws. The country needs to be governed. You can’t keep running ministries by remote control through your associates while pretending to be outside.”

The finance minister revealed that he had discussed the crisis with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, urging him to go to elections if no immediate solution could be reached. “I told the prime minister: either we fix the draft issue with a real law and end this absurd situation where the chareidim don’t participate in army service or we go to elections. This story has to end quickly,” Smotrich declared.

Earlier in the day, Shas officially announced its resignation from all coalition posts, citing the government’s failure to meet the deadline set by the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah to pass legislation regulating the draft status of yeshiva students. “In accordance with the directive of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah from Tammuz 5785… Shas hereby announces its resignation from coalition roles in the Knesset,” the statement read.

The party confirmed that MK Yossi Taieb, chairman of the Education Committee, and MK Yoni Mashriki, chairman of the Health Committee, had submitted their resignation letters to the Knesset speaker. Shas vowed to “continue working with all its strength to secure the status of yeshiva students and Torah learners, who are the spiritual and historical foundation of the Jewish people,” and to “lead the fight against the political and cruel persecution campaign being waged against them.”

According to the statement, Shas will return to the coalition “once the status of yeshiva students is properly established.” Until then, the party said, it will coordinate closely with the other chareidi factions and consult regularly with the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah on all Knesset votes.

{Matzav.com}

New research suggests Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccines could offer an unexpected boost for some cancer patients. A study has found that people with advanced lung or skin cancer lived significantly longer if they received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy. Researchers say it’s not about protection from the virus — it’s about the mRNA molecule itself, which seems to “activate” the immune system and help cancer drugs work better.  

Pakistan on Thursday banned a radical Islamist party behind recent violent protests that left at least one police officer and four civilians dead, the government said. The decision, approved by the federal Cabinet on the recommendation of the Punjab provincial government, came more than a week after thousands of supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party, or TLP, clashed with police on the outskirts of Lahore. The protesters were attempting to march to the capital, Islamabad, to hold a rally in support of Palestinians. More than 100 police officers and dozens of protesters were injured in the clashes. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said in a statement that the Cabinet had agreed to outlaw the hard-line TLP under the country’s anti-terrorism law, accusing it of involvement in violent and extremist activities. It’s the second time in recent years that the TLP has been banned. The party was first outlawed in April 2021 after violent protests over the publication of caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in France. At that time, TLP demanded the expulsion of the French envoy. The ban was lifted in November 2021 after the group reached a deal with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government, a move that drew criticism by many other parties for allowing the group to resume political activities. The statement said TLP did not adhere to the agreement and indulged in violence. However, in its own statement released late Thursday, the TLP rejected the government’s decision to outlaw it, calling the move ”unconstitutional and politically motivated.” The latest ban followed new unrest last week, when security forces dispersed the group’s “long march” near Lahore. Authorities say police are now searching for TLP leader Saad Rizvi, who went into hiding after the clashes erupted on Oct. 13, when protesters tried to remove shipping containers placed by police to block roads to halt their rally. Police suspect Rizvi was hiding somewhere in Pakistan-administered Kashmir after fleeing the outskirts of Lahore, and officers were conducting raids to nab him. However, his party has said it lost contact with Rizvi hours after police launched the operation to disperse the rally near Lahore. Authorities have said that the demonstrators had been determined since Oct. 10 to stage a pro-Palestinian rally outside the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, and police repeatedly came under attack by the demonstrators with batons, rocks and guns. Punjab government spokesperson Uzma Bukhari told reporters earlier Thursday that they have sent a summary to Sharif’s government, suggesting to ban TLP for the recent violence. She said the party’s offices have already been shut by the Punjab government. Police have arrested hundreds of TLP supporters since last week, and Bukhari said the party’s bank accounts have been seized, and terror charges are being filed against those members of the party who were involved in attacks on police during the violence. She said a ban that was imposed on rallies last week is still in place in anticipation of any reaction from TLP. TLP, known for staging violent rallies, gained prominence in Pakistan’s 2018 election by campaigning on the single issue of defending the country’s blasphemy law, which calls for the death penalty for anyone who insults Islam. In the past, it had mainly staged rallies against the desecration abroad of the Quran. (AP)

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As the next Knesset elections draw closer, tensions inside the right-wing bloc are intensifying, particularly between National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich.

The two, who only recently ran together on a joint list, have since clashed over their shared voter base. On Thursday evening, Ben Gvir took a pointed swipe at his former political partner while discussing the coalition’s proposed bill to lower the electoral threshold.

“I’m considering supporting the reduction of the threshold,” Ben Gvir told Kan News. “I want to help him,” he added with a smirk, alluding to polls showing Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party hovering dangerously close to failing to cross the minimum vote percentage needed to enter the next Knesset.

Ben Gvir also criticized Smotrich’s recent remarks about Saudi Arabia, in which the finance minister quipped that the Saudis should “keep riding camels” if they demand a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization.

“I wouldn’t speak that way about camels or the desert,” Ben Gvir said. “We must speak respectfully about every person. I don’t like those kinds of statements about people.”

In the last election, the two right-wing leaders were pressured by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to unite out of fear that separate runs would waste right-wing votes and jeopardize the bloc’s majority. Whether the coalition will now move forward with lowering the electoral threshold — potentially allowing them to part ways without risk — remains to be seen.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas Has Arrived in Monsey to Headline an Event Supporting Congressman Mike Lawler

Shares of American Airlines surged after the airline raised its annual profit forecast, signaling a recovery in pricing power following a challenging few months for the industry.

Alaska Airlines has grounded all flights nationwide tonight due to an IT outage impacting operations.

AG Pam Bondi announces investigations into Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and others for allegedly targeting ICE agents.

China and India have reduced their Russian oil imports to comply with US sanctions targeting Rosneft and Lukoil.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans support US recognition of a Palestinian state, with 59% of respondents in favor, 33% opposed, and the remainder unsure or declining to answer.

It was revealed that Zohran Mamdani attended last night’s debate with a private security detail, highlighting the contrast between his personal protection and his stance on defunding the police.

California, under Governor Gavin Newsom, has issued 62,000 commercial driver’s license permits to illegal aliens and migrants.