President-elect Donald Trump unveiled a slate of high-profile nominees for his incoming administration on Wednesday, naming Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of State, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, and Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general. While Rubio’s confirmation is expected to move smoothly, Gabbard and Gaetz face potential hurdles due to their controversial records. Gabbard has previously faced criticism for her past friendly remarks on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Gaetz is under scrutiny over past allegations of misconduct, drug use, and improper gift acceptance. The contentious nominations are already drawing speculation about how Trump might maneuver around expected Senate opposition. According to conservative legal analyst Ed Whelan, Trump could potentially bypass the Senate confirmation process by exploiting a rarely used constitutional clause. Whelan, a former president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, floated the idea that Trump might use Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution, which allows the president to adjourn Congress under specific circumstances. “Hope it’s wrong, but I’m hearing through the grapevine about this bonkers plan: Trump would adjourn both Houses of Congress under Article II, section 3, and then recess-appoint his Cabinet,” Whelan posted on X. He explained that the move would require Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s cooperation to create a “disagreement” between the House and Senate over adjournment timing, thus enabling Trump to adjourn both chambers and make unilateral recess appointments without Congressional confirmation. Whelan called on Johnson to “say NO to this right away,” arguing that such a strategy could undercut the Senate’s constitutional role of advice and consent. This unconventional approach would be grounded in Article II, Section 3, which states, “He [the president] shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
House Speaker Mike Johnson won the House Republican nomination Wednesday to stay on the job, on track to keep the gavel after a morning endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump ahead of a full House vote in the new year. While Johnson has no serious challenger, he faces dissent within his ranks, particularly from hard-right conservatives and the Freedom Caucus withholding their votes as leverage to extract promises ahead. Trump told House Republicans, during the president-elect’s first trip back to Washington since the party swept the 2024 election, that he’s with the speaker all the way, according to a person familiar with the remarks but unauthorized to discuss the private meeting near the Capitol. Johnson heaped praise on Trump, calling him the “comeback king.” It’s been a remarkable political journey for Johnson, the accidental speaker who rose as a last, best choice to replace ousted former speaker Kevin McCarthy more than a year ago and quickly set a course by positioning himself alongside Trump and leading Republicans during this year’s elections. As Johnson tells it, Trump is the “coach” and he is the “quarterback” as they prepare for a unified Republican government in the new year. Johnson has embraced Trump’s priorities on mass deportations, tax cuts, cutting the federal workforce and a more muscular U.S. image abroad. Together they have been working on what the speaker calls an ambitious 100-days agenda hoping to avoid what he called the mistakes of Trump’s first term when Congress was unprepared and wasted “precious time.” Wednesday’s internal GOP vote was by voice rather than roll call or ballots, with no objections to Johnson, according to the same person in the room. The rest of the top GOP leaders were also reelected. But the outcome belies a more difficult road ahead for the speaker. While Johnson expects to lead the House in unified government, with Trump in the White House and Republicans having seized the Senate majority, the House is expected to remain narrowly split, even as House control remains undecided with final races particularly in California still too early to call. But the problems that come with a slim House majority and plagued Johnson’s first year as speaker when his own ranks routinely revolted over his plans are likely to spill into the new year, with a potential fresh round of chaotic governing. Johnson needs just a simple majority in Wednesday’s closed-door voting to win the GOP nomination to become speaker. But he will need majority support of the full House, 218 votes, to actually take hold of the gavel on Jan. 3, when the new Congress convenes and conducts the election for its speaker. It took McCarthy some 15 rounds of voting in a weeklong election to win the gavel in 2023. Trump has made Johnson’s problems more complicated by tapping House Republicans for his administration, reducing the numbers further. Just before voting, Trump tapped Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., as his nominee for attorney general, sending shockwaves through the room over the far-right pick. “Everybody was saying, Oh my God,” said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho. Still, with Trump in the White House, the speaker may enjoy a period of goodwill from his own ranks as Republicans are eager to disrupt the norms of governing and institutionalize Trump’s second-term agenda. “His challenge is what it’s […]
HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shternbuch’s great-grandchild recently got married and one of the Sheva Brachos was held at his home. HaMekubal HaRav Yitzchak Meir Morgenstern attended the simcha and took the opportunity to ask HaRav Shternbuch: “What can we do to sweeten [the din] of the war and other dinim?” HaRav Shternbuch responded that we should increase limmud Torah – and even the addition of a few minutes a day of limmud Torah has the koach to sweeten and even revoke dinim. Rafael Schwartz filmed the encounter: (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The response of Lena Trufanov – whose only child, Sasha, is in captivity in Gaza – to the unimaginable horrors she endured and is still enduring since October 7 is truly inspirational – she became a ba’alas teshuvah and is now Shomer Shabbos and kashrus. On October 7, Lena and her husband were at their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Sasha, who was visiting, was sleeping at the guest house across from her house. By the end of that day, her husband had been murdered and her house burned to the ground. Lena, Sasha, and her mother, who lived in a separate home on the kibbutz, had been taken into Gaza. Lena and her mother were returned to Israel in November but Sasha remains in captivity. Despite these horrors, or as Lena said, because of them, she has embraced emunah and is now Shomer Shabbos and kashrut. Lena told Channel 14 News that she began keeping Shabbos when she returned from captivity “because I saw so many things that I couldn’t describe as just coincidental.” “I mamash saw a hand leading, the hand of Hakadosh Baruch Hu in the incidents I witnessed,” she said. “I began to keep Shabbos and kashrus and I daven – and that’s what gives me strength.” “Because what else do I have? My husband was murdered that day and I still don’t know how he was killed. My house was burned. And my son – my only child – is still in captivity. So what do I have? Only to hope and daven that he’ll return.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
by Rabbi Yair Hoffman As a person whose life was saved by Hatzollah, I can attest to the critiical role these volunteers play in ensuring the continued health of so many members of Klal Yisroel. They come at three in the morning and remain with you to ensure that your needs are met. When it comes to Shabbos, there is a debate that separates the Poskim of one Hatzalah organization from the Poskim of another. Boro Park, Lakewood, Williamsburg and Los Angeles do it one way. In most other communities, it is done another way. One side’s Poskim claim that they are being more careful in their observance of Hilchos Shabbos. The other side’s Poskim claim that they are adhering more stringently to Hilchos Pikuach Nefesh. Each side has its halachic decisor and precedent in earlier Poskim, as it should be. The debate lies around the following issue: Most everyone knows that what the sages tells us regarding the verse (VaYikra 18:5), “v’Chai Bahem” that it means and you shall live by these laws and not die or risk life by them.” The Gemorah in Yuma 85a tells us that these words teach us that the obligation to save human life overrides the other obligations of Judaism. True, there are three exceptions enumerated in Sanhedrin 74a, but saving a life overrides the laws of observing the Shabbos. No one is debating this point. Indeed, even if we are unsure if it is a life-threatening emergency, we must still violate Shabbos. No one is debating this, either. The issue at stake here is when it is a case of Pikuach Nefesh, a life- threatening matter, but it is not exactly an emergency – in other words there is plenty of time to deal with the situation and no one is in a state of panic or chaos. Do we attempt to minimize[1] the Shabbos violation in such a case? Should we try to do it through a gentile, or to perform what needs to be done in a manner that only involves a Rabbinic violation? The answer according to many Poskim is yes. When there is plenty of time, and there is no concern of danger of any sort if there is a delay, the Ramah rules (OC 328:12) that we do attempt to minimize the Shabbos violations. While the other view (that of the Bais Yoseph and the Rambam 2:11[2]) is that no minimization is required, Ashkenazic Jewry has followed the custom that we do minimize Shabbos violation when no delay or confusion will be incurred on account of the minimization. This is the view of the Raavya cited in the Ohr Zaruah, the Shiltei Gibborim, and the Maggid Mishna (Hilchos Shabbos 2:11 citing the Ramban) and is cited by the Ramah as the authoritative halacha[3]. This also seems to be how the Mishna Brurah rules. CONTEMPORARY POSKIM WHO ARE LENIENT But wait. Many Poskim qualify this Sabbath stringency—even for Ashkenazic Jews. They reason that when dealing with numerous people (such as a number of EMT’s), things can sometimes go very, very wrong. An EMT might erroneously think that a matter which is an emergency is really not an emergency. EMTs, despite the heroes that they truly are – are not generally trained to distinguish between time is of the […]
This is a difficult letter to write, but it is even harder to stay silent. I am a bochur in a typical, mainstream yeshiva, and I believe there is a significant crisis quietly affecting many young men like me. The challenges in kedusha that we face daily are overwhelming, yet they remain largely undiscussed and, as a result, unmanaged. Many of us feel alone in this struggle, wondering if we’re the only ones facing these difficulties. I am certain I’m not alone in thinking that something urgently needs to change. As it is, most yeshivos only have a handful of sefarim on the topic of kedusha, and they often lack the openness and guidance needed to address the real struggles contemporary bochurim face. Simply having sefarim and books available isn’t enough. Many young men feel ashamed or isolated, questioning whether they are somehow flawed for experiencing these challenges. Without proper education or someone to talk to, curiosity can drive boys to seek out information from sources that do more harm than good. Without guidance, some might feel lost, powerless, and unsure of where to turn. Speaking as a bochur struggling along with countless others, I believe it is time for yeshivos to take a more active role in addressing these challenges openly and maturely. It’s not enough to hope that we will “figure it out” or to provide general advice without clear, practical guidance. Rebbeim or educators should talk to students about kedusha struggles in a way that acknowledges the normalcy of the struggle while also encouraging responsible and Torah-aligned ways to cope. If rebbeim feel uncomfortable or unprepared for this, perhaps the answer is to bring in professionals who specialize in this area and who can discuss it with sensitivity and understanding. Imagine the impact if bochurim knew that they are not alone, that their struggles are normal, and that there is a healthy, Torah-based way to approach these challenges. Such an approach would empower us to deal with our struggles, reduce the crushing feelings of shame and isolation, and encourage us to build our lives on a foundation of kedusha, confidence, and resilience. This might not be an easy conversation to have, but it is necessary. It’s time for yeshivos to act and acknowledge this pressing issue rather than ignoring it or expecting students to “just manage.” My generation is facing challenges unlike any before, with pressures that are amplified and access to information that can lead in dangerous directions. With hope and encouragement for change, A Concerned Yeshiva Bochur The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.
President-elect Donald Trump is bringing four advisers from his presidential campaign into his new White House as deputy chiefs of staff, including two longtime aides and the political director who played a key role in his victory. Trump announced Wednesday that longtime aide Dan Scavino will serve as a deputy without giving a specific portfolio, campaign political director James Blair as deputy for legislative, political and public affairs, and Taylor Budowich as deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. All will have the rank of assistant to the president. Trump also formally announced Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, will be deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser. That had previously been confirmed by Vice President-elect JD Vance on Monday. Blair was the political director for Trump’s campaign and, once Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee, the political director for the Republican National Committee. He previously worked on Trump’s 2020 campaign in Florida and was a top aide for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Scavino was a senior adviser on Trump’s campaign and, in his first term in the White House, he worked as a social media director. He began working for Trump as a caddy at one of Trump’s golf courses, and was part of the small group of staffers who traveled with the president across the country for the entirety of the campaign. He frequently posts memes and videos of Trump’s campaign travel online, cataloguing the campaign from the inside on social media. Before joining the campaign, Budowich worked for the pro-Trump Super PAC, Maga Inc., and after Trump left office, Budowich served as his spokesman while working for Trump’s political action committee, Save America. “Dan, Stephen, James, and Taylor were ‘best in class’ advisors on my winning campaign, and I know they will honorably serve the American people in the White House,” Trump said in a statement. “They will continue to work hard to Make America Great Again in their respective new roles.” Miller is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, dating back to his first campaign for the White House. He was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, particularly on immigration, including Trump’s move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018. (AP)
Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) are publicly lobbying for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, to fill the Senate seat soon to be vacated by Marco Rubio. Rubio is anticipated to join Trump’s administration as Secretary of State. Following the announcement of Rubio’s cabinet appointment, speculation grew over who might fill his Florida Senate seat. In an interview with Axios, Britt voiced her support for Lara Trump, lauding her recent success as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, a role in which she helped secure Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. “She understands the America First agenda,” Britt said. “For me, she would be a tremendous pick, a voice for hardworking families, and another mom of school-aged kids who understands the battles we face to protect the American dream.” Rep. Luna echoed Britt’s sentiments, taking to social media to endorse Trump as “the best fit” for the role. “.@LaraLeaTrump needs to be the nominated replacement by @GovDeSantis for Rubio,” Luna tweeted. “She will keep the seat and avoid a messy primary for FLORIDA. Well-spoken. Kicked butt on election integrity.” Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch reports that Lara Trump is “very much in the mix” for the appointment. However, Marc Caputo from Bulwark suggested another contender, naming DeSantis’ chief of staff and former campaign manager James Uthmeier as the “likeliest” candidate. Caputo speculated that Uthmeier’s appointment would allow DeSantis to potentially run for the Senate seat in 2026 once his gubernatorial term concludes. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Wow, much bull market. Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency whose mascot is a super-cute dog that muses things like “much wow,” has been surging in value since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week. It’s hitting the afterburners now, after Trump named Tesla’s Elon Musk as one of the heads of a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” which is not a government agency but does have the acronym DOGE. All this makes sense and is maybe humorous for anyone who’s chronically online. For others, here’s some explanation about what’s going on: What is dogecoin? It’s a cryptocurrency, whose value rises and falls against the U.S. dollar based on however much people will pay for it. At first, it was seen as a joke. But over time, dogecoin has amassed a group of fans who have periodically sent its price soaring. Like other cryptocurrencies, supporters say it could be used to buy and sell things on the internet without having to worry about a central bank or government affecting how many are in circulation. How much has dogecoin climbed? One dogecoin — which is pronounced dohj-coin — was worth less than 16 cents just before Election Day. It’s since more than doubled to roughly 41.5 cents, as of midday Wednesday, according to CoinDesk. Why is it climbing so much? Cryptocurrencies have generally been shooting higher since Trump’s election. Bitcoin, which is the most famous digital currency, has set an all-time high above $92,000 after starting the year below $43,000. Excitement is racing because Trump has embraced crypto and said he wants the United States to be the “crypto capital of the planet” and create a bitcoin “strategic reserve.” What does Elon Musk have to do with any of this? Musk has become one of Trump’s close allies. He’s also been one of the most famous fans of dogecoin. In 2021, Musk played a character on “Saturday Night Live” who went by the nickname, the “Dogefather.” In 2022, Musk made more headlines when he suggested Twitter should perhaps accept dogecoin as payment for subscriptions. It all came to a head Tuesday, when Trump announced the “Department of Government Efficiency,” which will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” It has the acronym DOGE, which is also the ticker symbol under which dogecoin trades. Musk will lead it, along with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. This all sounds weird. Dogecoin’s history is interesting. In 2021, on April 20, dogecoin fans tried but failed to get its value above $1 on what they were calling “Doge Day.” April 20 has long been an unofficial holiday for marijuana devotees, and Musk himself has referred to 420 several times in his career, including his tweet in 2018 saying he had secured funding to take Tesla private at a price of $420 per share. Is the Shiba Inu whose picture is in the meme getting special treats because of all this? Sadly, no. The dog, whose real name was Kabosu, passed away in Japan earlier this year at 18 years old. Much rest, may she have. (AP)
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has hinted that annexation of the West Bank, which he refers to as “Judea and Samaria,” could be a possibility during Trump’s upcoming term. In an interview with Army Radio, Huckabee underscored his support for Israel’s sovereignty over the territory, rejecting the term “West Bank” in favor of its Biblical name. “There is no such thing as the West Bank — it’s Judea and Samaria,” Huckabee stated. “I have been a frequent visitor to Judea and Samaria and believe it is part of sovereign Israel,” he added, reiterating his long-standing belief that the area belongs to Israel. When pressed on whether annexation could take place under Trump’s leadership, Huckabee responded, “Well, of course.” He stressed, however, that he is not the one to set policy: “I won’t make the policy; I will carry out the policy of the president.” Huckabee pointed to Trump’s record from his first term as evidence of his strong commitment to Israel, highlighting the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem, recognition of the Golan Heights, and acknowledgment of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “There’s never been an American president more supportive of Israel’s sovereignty,” he remarked. Huckabee has long rejected a Palestinian state in territory previously seized by Israel and has repeatedly signaled his staunch support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Huckabee, a former TV host and Baptist preacher, frequently visits Israel and once said he wanted to buy a holiday home there. He has maintained throughout the years that the West Bank belongs to Israel, and recently said “the title deed was given by God to Abraham and to his heirs.” His argument for a so-called “one-state solution” contradicts longstanding official U.S. support for the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. He has described the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas as “horrific” and ” beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime” and argued that the U.S. needs to stand firmly behind Israel. Here are some things Huckabee has said over the years about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is decisively against a two-state solution Huckabee has never supported a two-state compromise even when Netanyahu endorsed the idea in 2009. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians want those territories for a future state and view them as parts of a single country now under military occupation. The U.S., along with most of the international community, has supported the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines as the cornerstone of a peace agreement. Even Netanyahu once endorsed a two-state solution while rejecting a return to Israel’s pre-1967 lines. Netanyahu now rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. Huckabee has never supported any solution that would require Israeli yishuvim to be uprooted. In an interview with The Associated Press in 2015, Huckabee, then running for the GOP presidential nomination, said recognizing the West Bank as Israeli would be the “formal position” of his administration. He criticized Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza and described settlers evacuated by Israeli forces as having been “marched at gunpoint.” “I feel that we have a responsibility to respect that this is land that has historically belonged to the Jews,” he said. He once compared the Iran nuclear deal to […]
Violent protests erupted in Paris on Wednesday against a gala organized by pro-Israel figures which was intended to raise funds for the IDF, and included Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich among its invited guests. The demonstrations came on the eve of a high-stakes soccer match at France’s national stadium against the Israeli national team, overshadowed by tensions around the wars in the Middle East. Authorities in Paris announced that more than 4,000 police officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for the game. Smotrich, a vocal advocate of Israeli yishuvim, had been expected to attend Wednesday’s gala, dubbed “Israel is Forever,” which was planned by an association of the same name. The group’s stated goal is to “mobilize French-speaking Zionist forces.” On Wednesday night, several hundred protesters marched through central Paris, denouncing the event as a “gala of hatred and shame.” “Imagine if an association were hosting a gala for Hezbollah or Hamas — there’s no way the police would allow that,” said Melkir Saib, a 30-year-old protester. “The situation is just unfair.” Demonstrators broke windows at a McDonald’s along the route. A separate group, including “Jewish” leftist organizations opposed to racism and antisemitism, gathered near the Arc de Triomphe chanting slogans against the gala and Smotrich. French authorities defended the event, with Paris police chief Laurent Nunez claiming that the gala posed “no major threat to public order.” The protests came days after tensions flared in Paris and Amsterdam related to the conflicts in the Mideast. A massive “Free Palestine” banner was displayed during a Paris Saint-Germain Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, while violence broke out in Amsterdam last week targeting fans of an Israeli soccer club. (AP)
The decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths appears to have continued this year, giving experts hope the nation is seeing sustained improvement in the persistent epidemic. There were about 97,000 overdose deaths in the 12-month period that ended June 30, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That’s down 14% from the estimated 113,000 for the previous 12-month period. “This is a pretty stunning and rapid reversal of drug overdose mortality numbers,” said Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher who studies overdose trends. Overdose death rates began steadily climbing in the 1990s because of opioid painkillers, followed by waves of deaths led by other opioids like heroin and — more recently — illicit fentanyl. Provisional data had indicated a slight decline for 2023, and the tally released Wednesday showed that the downward trend has kept going. Of course, there have been moments in the last several years when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again, Marshall noted. “This seems to be substantial and sustained,” Marshall said. “I think there’s real reason for hope here.” Experts aren’t certain about the reasons for the decline, but they cite a combination of possible factors. One is COVID-19. In the worst days of the pandemic, addiction treatment was hard to get and people were socially isolated — with no one around to help if they overdosed. “During the pandemic we saw such a meteoric rise in drug overdose deaths that it’s only natural we would see a decrease,” said Farida Ahmad of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Still, overdose deaths are well above what they were at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent numbers could represent the fruition of years of efforts to increase the availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, and addiction treatments such as buprenorphine, said Erin Winstanley, a University of Pittsburgh professor who researches drug overdose trends. Marshall said such efforts likely are being aided by money from settlements of opioid-related lawsuits, brought by state, local and Native American governments against drugmakers, wholesalers and pharmacies. Settlement funds have been rolling out to small towns and big cities across the U.S., and some have started spending the money on naloxone and other measures. Some experts have wondered about changes in the drug supply. Xylazine, a sedative, has been increasingly detected in illegally manufactured fentanyl, and experts are sorting out exactly how it’s affecting overdoses. In the latest CDC data, overdose death reports are down in 45 states. Increases occurred in Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. The most dramatic decreases were seen in North Carolina and Ohio, but CDC officials voiced a note of caution. Some jurisdictions have had lags in getting death records to federal statisticians — particularly North Carolina, where death investigations have slowed because of understaffing at the state medical examiner’s office. The CDC made estimates to try to account for incomplete death records, but the decline in some places may ultimately turn out not to be as dramatic as initial numbers suggest. Another limitation of the provisional data is that it doesn’t detail what’s happening in different groups of people. Recent research noted the overdose deaths in Black and Native Americans have been growing disproportionately larger. “We really need […]
In the wake of a sweeping Democratic loss on Election Day, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is being touted as a potential future leader for the Democratic Party, with some insiders suggesting he could be a viable candidate for the White House in 2028. Shapiro, who was reportedly on Vice President Kamala Harris’s shortlist for a running mate, has built a reputation as a bipartisan leader popular in Pennsylvania—a critical swing state that played a pivotal role in this year’s election outcome. His history of winning statewide races and his appeal to both Democrats and Republicans have positioned him as a figure to watch. Shapiro, a former state attorney general, won Pennsylvania’s governorship in 2022 by a decisive margin, defeating his opponent by nearly 15 points. While his opponent, Doug Mastriano, was considered a weak candidate, Shapiro’s approval ratings have remained high. Recent polls show his popularity around 49 to 54 percent in Pennsylvania. The Harris campaign took notice of Shapiro’s popularity, with the governor making it to the final round of potential running mates. Although Harris ultimately chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Shapiro continued to campaign for Democrats in Pennsylvania and other key battleground states. Shapiro also played a critical role in helping Pennsylvania Democrats maintain their narrow majority in the state House despite significant statewide losses. According to Democratic consultant Mike Mikus, Shapiro “invested heavily both in terms of his time and support into our legislative races.” Beyond Pennsylvania, Shapiro’s bipartisan efforts have earned him a reputation as a pragmatic politician. He supported a Republican-led school voucher program, backing $100 million in school vouchers for private school tuition before ultimately withdrawing support amid progressive criticism. He has also faced pushback from the left on his stance toward Israel and his response to campus protests following the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. For many Pennsylvania Democrats, Shapiro’s approach offers a blueprint for national Democrats to connect with moderate voters. “Josh Shapiro is not distracted by the loud voices on both extremes,” said T.J. Rooney, former Pennsylvania Democratic Party chair. “He plays his politics with everybody in the middle.” While some Democrats are hesitant to speculate about the 2028 presidential race, focusing instead on the 2026 midterms, Shapiro’s name continues to be floated as the leader of the party. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Mandatory broker fees, an unusual feature of New York City apartment hunting long reviled by renters, will be banned under legislation that passed Wednesday after overcoming fierce backlash from the city’s real estate lobby. Under a system that exists in New York and almost nowhere else in the country, tenants are often forced to pay the commission of a real estate agent before moving into an apartment, even if that agent was hired by the landlord. The fees are steep, typically totaling as much as 15% of the annual rent, about $7,000 for the average-priced New York City apartment. The legislation passed by the City Council aims to stop landlords from saddling tenants with those payments — at least as an up-front fee. Though tenants may hire their own representatives, they will no longer be forced to pay for brokers that solely represent the interests of their landlords. In a city where two-thirds of households are renters, the bill is widely popular, a rare piece of municipal legislation championed by influencers on TikTok. It has also triggered opposition from brokers and their representatives, who warn it could send shockwaves through an industry that employs 25,000 agents. “They spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to lobby our politicians to try to kill this bill and try to force you to pay broker fees,” Councilmember Chi Ossé, a Democrat who sponsored the the FARE Act, said at a rally Wednesday. “But you know what we did: We beat them.” New York’s broker fee arrangement dates back nearly a century to a time when agents played an active role in publishing listings in newspapers and working directly with would-be tenants. The commission structure is also found in Boston, but few other parts of the country. But with most listings now published online, and virtual or self-guided tours gaining popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, many New Yorkers have grown increasingly frustrated by the fees. At a City Council hearing this summer, multiple speakers recalled shelling out thousands of dollars to a broker who seemed to do little more than open a door or text them the code to a lockbox. “In most businesses, the person who hires the person pays the person,” Agustina Velez, a house cleaner from Queens, said at that hearing. She recalled paying $6,000 to switch apartments. “Enough with these injustices. Landlords have to pay for the services they use.” Brokers counter that they do much more than merely holding open doors: conducting background checks, juggling viewings and streamlining communication with landlords in a city where many tenants never meet the owners of their buildings. “This is the start of a top-down, government-controlled housing system,” said Jordan Silver, a broker with the firm Brown Harris Stevens. “The language is so incredibly vague, we actually have no idea what this would look like in the world.” Others opposed to the bill, including the Real Estate Board of New York, say landlords will bake the added costs into monthly rents. But some New Yorkers say that would be preferable to the current system of high up-front costs that make it hard to move. “From the perspective of a tech investor and business owner in New York City, the more we can do to make it cheaper and easier for talented young people to […]
Amazon has launched a low-cost online storefront featuring electronics, apparel and other products priced at under $20, an effort to compete with discount retailers that have increasingly encroached on the e-commerce giant’s turf. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company said the new Amazon Haul storefront will mostly feature products that cost less than $10 and offer free delivery on orders over $25. Amazon plans to ship the products to U.S. customers from a warehouse it operates in China, according to documentation the company provided to sellers. Amazon said Haul orders could arrive within one to two weeks. Many of the available products on the storefront Wednesday resembled the types of items typically found on Shein and Temu, the China-founded e-commerce platforms that have grown in popularity in recent years. Shein’s core customers are young women enticed by the low-cost apparel sold on the site. Temu offers clothing, accessories, kitchen gadgets and a broad array of other products for bargain-hungry shoppers. Temu and Shein often get criticism over the environmental impact of the ultra-fast fashion business model the two companies follow. They have also faced scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators in the U.S. and abroad over other issues, including some of the products on their platforms. Amazon’s new storefront, which is only available on its shopping app and mobile website, features unbranded products, such a phone case and a hairbrush that cost $2.99, and a sleeveless dress that retails for $14.99. The company is seeking to drive home its message on value, with banners on its page advertising “crazy low prices” and activewear “that won’t stretch your budget.” “Finding great products at very low prices is important to customers, and we continue to explore ways that we can work with our selling partners so they can offer products at ultra-low prices,” Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s vice president of Worldwide Selling Partner Services, said in a statement. “It’s early days for this experience, and we’ll continue to listen to customers as we refine and expand it in the weeks and months to come.” To be sure, importing goods out of China could soon become more expensive for Amazon. In September, the Biden administration said it was cracking down on cheap products sold out of China, a move designed to reduce U.S. dependence on Beijing but could also trigger higher prices for the U.S. consumers who have flocked to Shein and Temu. President-elect Donald Trump has also proposed a 60% tariff on goods from China. Amazon announced other news this week. The company said it was shutting down its free, ad-supported streaming service Freevee and consolidating the content under Prime Video, which now also features ads for Prime members who refuse to pay extra to avoid them. The Seattle-based tech company confirmed Wednesday that it will phase out Freevee in the coming weeks, a move that it says is intended to “deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers.” All Freevee content that’s currently streaming on Prime Video will be labeled “Watch for Free” so both Prime and non-Prime members can easily see what’s available for free, the company said. “There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a […]
Special Counsel Jack Smith, who has been at the forefront of two federal cases against President-elect Donald Trump, plans to leave his position before Trump’s upcoming inauguration, sources familiar with the matter told The New York Times on Wednesday. The decision comes amid Trump’s repeated declarations that he would dismiss Smith immediately upon taking office, prompting the special counsel to wrap up his work before the new administration begins. Smith, appointed two years ago, has been aiming to complete his investigations and avoid leaving unfinished business that could be disrupted by a quick dismissal. Last week, Smith’s team requested a deadline extension in Trump’s 2020 election interference case, with the goal of finalizing by December 2. In his court filing, Smith acknowledged the unique challenges he faces, citing the need “to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.” The report says that Smith remains focused on delivering a comprehensive report summarizing his findings. He plans to submit this report to Attorney General Merrick Garland before stepping down, aiming to ensure his investigations reach a formal conclusion on his own terms. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Inflation in the United States ticked up in October, driven by costlier rents, used cars and air fares, a sign that price increases might be leveling off after having slowed in September to their lowest pace since 2021. Consumer prices rose 2.6% from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 2.4% in September. It was the first rise in annual inflation in seven months. From September to October, prices edged up 0.2%, the same as the previous month. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” prices rose 3.3% from a year earlier, the same as in September. From September to October, core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight month. Over the long run, core inflation at that pace would exceed the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Most of the monthly increase in consumer prices reflected an increase in rents and housing costs, a trend that Fed officials expect to fade in the coming months. As a result, Wednesday’s figures could keep the Fed on track to cut its key rate for a third time in December, as its officials have previously indicated they likely would. Most economists think inflation will eventually resume its slowdown. Consumer inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in 2022, has since fallen steadily, though overall prices are still about 20% higher than they were three years ago. The price spike soured Americans on the economy and on the Biden-Harris administration’s economic stewardship and contributed to Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in last week’s presidential election. Yet Donald Trump’s victory has raised uncertainty about where inflation might be headed and how the Fed would react if it reaccelerated. Trump has vowed to reduce inflation, mostly by ramping up oil and gas drilling. But mainstream economists have warned that some of his proposals, notably his plan to substantially increase tariffs on imports and pursue mass deportations of migrants, would worsen inflation if fully implemented. Stock prices surged in the wake of Trump’s election victory, mostly on optimism that his proposed tax cuts and deregulation would boost the economy and corporate profits. But bond yields also moved higher, partly reflecting fear that inflation could accelerate. In addition, the economy is growing faster than many economists had expected earlier this year. It has expanded at nearly a 3% annual rate over the past six months, with consumers, particularly those with higher incomes, spending freely and fueling growth. Gas prices fell 0.9% from September to October, helping to hold down overall inflation. Prices at the pump have since fallen further on average nationwide, to 3.08 a gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s down from $3.20 a month ago. Grocery prices ticked up just 0.1% from September to October and are up just 1.1% over the past year, providing some relief to consumers after food costs surged roughly 23% over the past three years. Egg prices continue to be highly volatile. They fell 6.4% just last month, though they’re up more than 30% from a year earlier. Used car prices jumped 2.7% just from September to October, after having mostly declined for months before that. Auto dealers have mostly rebuilt their inventories after they were depleted during COVID and in some cases have had to offer incentives again to entice buyers. Compared with a year ago, average used car […]
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