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Elon Musk unleashed harsh criticism on Tuesday against New York City’s mayoral ballot, calling it a “scam” and accusing election officials of stacking the deck. The tech mogul took issue with the way candidates were listed, particularly the placement of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo.

The ballot features both Mamdani and Republican contender Curtis Sliwa twice, while Eric Adams remains on the list even though he withdrew from the race. As a result, Cuomo — who entered as an independent and recently won Musk’s endorsement — was pushed to the second line alongside Jim Walden and Joseph Hernandez.

Under New York’s fusion voting system, candidates can appear more than once if backed by multiple parties. Mamdani is listed on both the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, while Sliwa appears under the Republican and Protect Animals parties. That arrangement forces Cuomo’s name to the bottom right corner, beside a dropout and a little-known candidate.

“The New York City ballot form is a scam! No ID is required. Other mayoral candidates appear twice. Cuomo’s name is last in bottom right,” Musk fumed in a post on X.

Musk added another jab at Mamdani, writing, “Given that he’s on the ballot twice, maybe he can win twice too.”

Both Musk and President Donald Trump have warned that votes for Sliwa would only help Mamdani. They’ve urged conservatives and independents to consolidate behind Cuomo instead.

“Bear in mind that a vote for Curtis is really a vote for Mumdumi or whatever his name is. VOTE CUOMO!” Musk posted Monday.

Trump echoed the same message on Truth Social: “A vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret!) is a vote for Mamdani. Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”

More than eighteen months after disturbing footage from Meron shocked the public, the Border Police reservists who were seen violently clashing with mispa­llelim at the kever of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai will not face any form of punishment, neither criminal nor disciplinary.

According to a report by i24, the disciplinary charges were canceled due to a procedural blunder in the scheduling process by the police’s own disciplinary department.

Videos from that tragic Lag BaOmer pilgrimage captured scenes that left many Yidden deeply pained: officers were seen pushing Rabbi Avraham Kreuzer to the ground, one officer punched a chareidi man and even drew his weapon, firing into the air when there was no clear threat to his life. Another clip showed a female officer striking an elderly woman. All those involved were serving in the reserves at the time.

Although the Police Internal Investigations Department recommended disciplinary proceedings after deciding not to pursue criminal charges, the follow-up collapsed when the disciplinary unit failed to file the indictment within the legally mandated time frame. By law, a reservist can only be brought to a disciplinary hearing within ninety days of the completion of his reserve duty.

The prosecution tried to argue that the ninety-day clock continues to run so long as the individual remains subject to reserve duty. However, the court sided with the defense, ruling that the countdown ends with the conclusion of that specific reserve service during which the alleged offense took place.

In its ruling, the court added that the prosecution’s stance could discourage reservists from volunteering for service in the Border Police. The ruling effectively shuts the case entirely—no criminal record, no disciplinary action, and no further proceedings.

At the time of the incident, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir contacted Border Police Commander Inspector General Yitzchak Brick, and together they agreed that the three officers involved would be suspended until the investigation reached its conclusion.

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Watch NY1 and Fox general election day coverage in New York City here on Matzav.com, including races for mayor, comptroller, public advocate, city council, and more. Coverage includes analysis, results, speeches and updates from around the boroughs.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched a fierce accusation against Israel, alleging that it had violated the Gaza ceasefire. Speaking at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) economic summit in Istanbul, Erdogan insisted that Hamas is “quite determined to adhere to the agreement while Israel’s record is very poor,” according to a report by JNS.

The Turkish leader used the forum to urge Muslim nations to take “a leading role” in rebuilding Gaza, pressing for the immediate adoption of the reconstruction blueprint presented jointly by the Arab League and the OIC at their March 4 summit in Cairo. That proposal, he said, stands as an alternative to President Donald Trump’s “Middle East Riviera” initiative.

Erdogan further declared that his government “cannot allow Israel to annex Judea and Samaria, alter the status of Yerushalayim or attempt to harm the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa mosque.” His remarks came as Ankara continues to intensify its criticism of Israel amid the ongoing conflict.

While Erdogan accused Israel of undermining the ceasefire, Hamas has in fact been responsible for multiple violations of the truce. The terror group has killed three Israeli soldiers and delayed the return of the bodies of hostages that were supposed to be handed over within 72 hours of the agreement.

Last Thursday, Hamas returned the bodies of Sachar Baruch and Amiram Cooper to Israel. The following day, it transferred three additional bodies that were later determined not to belong to any of the 11 remaining captives. On Sunday, Hamas released the bodies of Omer Neutra, Asaf Hamami, and Oz Daniel, but continues to hold the remains of eight hostages.

The terror organization has reportedly demanded heavy construction equipment, claiming it is needed to extract the remaining bodies from rubble.

Over the last decade, relations between Turkey and Israel have plunged, driven largely by Erdogan’s increasingly combative tone and open hostility toward the Jewish state. His rhetoric has repeatedly inflamed tensions between Ankara and Yerushalayim.

Earlier this year, Erdogan called Israel a “terror state” following its airstrikes on terrorist targets in Gaza. A few months later, in June, he asserted that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s administration poses “the most significant threat to Middle East security.”

{Matzav.com}

New York City voters turned out in extraordinary numbers Tuesday, surpassing the total turnout from the last mayoral election before polls even closed — a sign of the intensity surrounding the city’s most closely watched race in years.

By mid-afternoon, the Board of Elections reported that approximately 1.19 million people had already checked in to vote, eclipsing the 1.15 million total ballots cast in 2021. That figure includes both early voting and mail-in ballots, showing the city is on pace to set new records by night’s end.

Polling sites across all five boroughs remained open until 9 p.m., but the energy at the polls was already palpable. By midday, Brooklyn had logged more than 395,000 ballots, with Manhattan following at 328,000. Queens saw 276,000 voters, the Bronx 111,000, and Staten Island 82,000.

Four years ago, only around 462,000 voters had participated by midday on Election Day, with another 900,000 casting ballots before Eric Adams ultimately claimed victory. This time, the surge in participation highlights a dramatically more engaged electorate, drawn in by a fiercely competitive race.

The three leading contenders — Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and independent Andrew Cuomo — all cast their votes early Tuesday morning, setting the tone for a charged final stretch.

“I voted for Cuomo. I like him. He’s trying to follow in his father’s footsteps, keeping the legacy going,” said 46-year-old engineer Omar Edwards at a Brooklyn polling site. “My mother voted for Zohran. I know nothing about the man. You want to defund the police, tax the rich – that’s the Z-man. That’s all I know about him.”

Not everyone shared Edwards’ enthusiasm for Cuomo. In Manhattan, longtime residents Adrian Buckmaster, 70, and his partner Irene Delgado, 56, said they proudly backed Mamdani.

“Zohran is a breath of fresh air,” Buckmaster said. “I think he’s straight and honest. He walks the walk. I hope it works.”

“If he gets in by a good margin, I think it’ll change how people see politics. It’ll give the right a big jolt. It’s telling how they are rallying against him,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cuomo spent Election Day hammering away at Mamdani’s platform and urging conservatives not to split the anti-Mamdani vote — echoing comments from President Trump, who publicly endorsed Cuomo on the eve of the election.

“President Trump saying to the Republicans, ‘Don’t vote for Sliwa, you are wasting your vote,’ that could be very helpful,” Cuomo said on Fox & Friends. “President Trump is pragmatic. He is telling them the reality of the situation, which is if you do not vote, Mamdani is going to win. Republicans, you have to get up and come out and vote. Even if you are not voting Republican, you are voting to save New York City.

“It’s all B.S. It’s all campaign rhetoric,” Cuomo added, dismissing Mamdani’s pledges.

As Election Night progressed, one thing was already clear — New Yorkers were showing up in numbers not seen in decades, determined to make their voices heard in a contest that has captured the city’s full attention.

{Matzav.com}

The passing of former Vice President Dick Cheney was met with near-total silence from the White House on Tuesday, as officials confirmed that the decision to fly flags at half-staff was made only because federal law mandates it.

When questioned by reporters, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that the administration had not made any personal gestures toward Cheney’s family or plans for memorial participation. “I don’t believe the White House is involved in that planning, or at least hasn’t gotten to it yet. I know the president is aware of the former vice president’s passing, and as you saw, flags have been lowered to half staff in according to a statutory law,” she said during her briefing.

Reporters pressed further, asking whether the president would deliver remarks, take part in the funeral, or support calls for Cheney to lie in state at the Capitol. “Last I checked, the president had not commented on the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Is the White House involved in the funeral arrangements in any way?” one journalist asked. “Does the president plan to speak at the funeral? Has he spoken to anyone in the Cheney family today? And does the White House have an opinion on whether or not the former vice president should lie in honor or state in the Capitol?”

The subdued response underscored the deep rift between the Trump administration and the Cheney family. President Trump has repeatedly derided Dick Cheney as a “warmonger” and publicly clashed with his daughter, Liz Cheney, who led the Republican contingent on the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol breach.

The political feud stretched into recent years, when both Dick and Liz Cheney endorsed then–Vice President Kamala Harris during the last presidential race. At the time, the elder Cheney declared, “In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”

He continued, “He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again.”

According to the U.S. Flag Code, the national flag must be lowered following the death of a former vice president “from the day of death until interment.” Cheney, who served two terms under President George W. Bush, died Monday at age 84.

{Matzav.com}

For the first time, gedolim of Eretz Yisroel traveled to Geneva this week as part of the Keren Olam HaTorah mission, a powerful initiative to strengthen Torah learning and support kollelim and yeshivos in the Holy Land.

The visit to Switzerland began Monday morning in Zurich, where the delegation of Gedolim davened Shacharis before departing by air for Geneva. Upon arrival, they embarked on a full day of gatherings, inspiration, and meetings aimed at bolstering support for Torah institutions.

Their first stop was Talmud Torah Sinai, where hundreds of excited children greeted them with singing and joy. The Gedolim addressed the students and faculty, offering heartfelt words of chizuk and encouragement, before meeting privately with numerous philanthropists who came seeking guidance and an opportunity to partner in this sacred cause. Many of the participants pledged substantial contributions to Keren Olam HaTorah.

At 6:00 p.m., a central dinner for Geneva’s benefactors took place at the InterContinental Hotel. The event featured stirring addresses from Rav Yosef Chevroni, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron; Rav Mendel Pevzner, rov of Geneva; and Mr. Reuven Wolf, chairman of Keren Olam HaTorah. Each speaker emphasized the immense merit of supporting Torah scholars in Eretz Yisroel and the vital role of the fund in sustaining Torah learning worldwide.

Following the dinner, the Gedolim entered a neighboring hall filled to capacity with thousands of local residents and guests from surrounding French communities who had arrived by bus to attend the momentous gathering.

A special video message from Rav Dov Landau, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, was screened, as he was unable to attend in person. Rav Yitzchok Toledano read a heartfelt letter from Rav Berel Povarsky, rosh yeshiva of Ponevezh, in which he described the serious challenges facing Torah institutions in Eretz Yisroel and praised the establishment of Keren Olam HaTorah by devoted Jews committed to increasing kavod Shamayim throughout the world.

The keynote address was delivered by Rav Avraham Salim, rosh yeshiva of Maor HaTorah, who spoke passionately about the responsibility to uphold Torah in these trying times. The evening concluded with inspiring words from Rav Shimon Galai, whose fiery message of spiritual upliftment left a deep impression on the audience.

After the gathering, the Gedolim departed for the airport, returning to Eretz Yisroel and concluding a remarkable journey of chizuk and hisorerus for Swiss Jewry, marking another milestone in the global work of Keren Olam HaTorah.

מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק מסע קרן עולם התורה בז’נווהצילום: דניאל נפוסי ומאיר זלזניק ע

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A new storm may be brewing in the chareidi world after the son of a close aide to one of Yerushalayim’s leading Rebbes was arrested Monday night on charges of desertion from the IDF and transferred to a military prison.

The young man, a ben Torah who was planning to travel with his family to the United States for his brother’s wedding, was detained when he arrived at the draft office to handle paperwork ahead of his trip abroad. During the visit, military police reportedly took him into custody and transferred him to a detention facility. Before being taken away, he managed to make a brief phone call to his wife, informing her of his arrest and that he would be held for the coming days.

Within the chassidus, efforts are underway to resolve the matter discreetly. Senior community figures and influential askanim have been mobilized to negotiate behind the scenes and prevent the situation from escalating publicly. For now, the leadership has imposed a media blackout, preferring to deal with the authorities quietly.

However, voices inside the group warned that the restraint might not last if the matter isn’t resolved swiftly. “If we don’t see a change within the next 24 hours, Eretz Yisroel will burn,” one source said. “What happened in Ateres Shlomo will look like child’s play compared to what’s coming.”

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A groundbreaking piece of legislation advanced in the Knesset Monday night could soon give Israelis the option to bring civil and monetary disputes before rabbinical courts — with legal recognition from the state.

The Arbitration Law Amendment, sponsored by MKs Moshe Gafni and Yisrael Eichler along with several other lawmakers, passed its first reading in the Knesset plenum with 63 votes in favor and 43 against.

The proposal seeks to formally enshrine in Israeli law the authority of rabbinical courts to act as arbitrators in civil matters — but only with the consent of both parties. This means that business or financial disputes could be adjudicated by a Beis Din under a din Torah, and the resulting ruling would carry the same binding legal force as any other arbitration award recognized by Israeli courts.

According to the bill’s explanatory notes, “The rabbinical courts have for many years adjudicated civil disputes with the consent of the parties. However, a previous Supreme Court ruling determined that in the absence of a legal basis, the rabbinical courts are not authorized to handle such disputes.”

The new proposal aims “to anchor in law the authority of the rabbinical courts to serve as arbitrators, with the consent of the parties, in civil matters that may be subject to an arbitration agreement between parties, thereby allowing those who wish to resolve their disputes according to Torah law to do so through the rabbinical courts.”

The timing of the vote followed a political arrangement between the chareidi parties and the coalition. The bill was brought to the floor immediately after the chareidi factions voted in support of Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s controversial media reform — in exchange for coalition backing of the arbitration bill.

If passed in its second and third readings, the law would mark a historic shift, granting state-backed recognition to rabbinical courts in handling civil financial cases, so long as both sides agree to the process.

The move has been met with enthusiasm among the chareidi parties, who see it as a long-overdue step toward strengthening the role of Torah-based jurisprudence within Israel’s legal framework.

{Matzav.com}

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Following a year marked by numerous reports of chareidi and Israeli travelers being detained or questioned at Budapest Airport, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has issued a special advisory urging passengers to comply with Hungary’s strict customs regulations to avoid delays and fines.

According to the ministry, hundreds — and possibly thousands — of Israeli travelers, the majority from the chareidi community, have been stopped at the customs checkpoint upon entering Hungary. Many of them were unaware of the country’s strict limits on the import of cigarettes and alcohol, which allow no more than two cartons of cigarettes or a single bottle of liquor per person.

Customs officials reportedly began routinely inspecting ultra-Orthodox travelers, suspecting that many were carrying tobacco or alcohol in excess of the permitted amount. “Almost every chareidi traveler entering Hungary has been delayed,” one local source said, describing the pattern as both frustrating and avoidable with proper awareness.

The Foreign Ministry’s statement, released Monday evening, warned: “Travelers found in possession of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, or cash exceeding the amounts permitted under Hungarian law may be detained at the airport, fined, and have the goods confiscated by the authorities.”

The ministry also drew attention to regulations concerning the importation of medications: “Prescription drugs may only be brought into Hungary together with a doctor’s prescription and proper documentation. Medicines containing controlled substances may require additional permits,” the statement said.

Officials advised Israeli citizens traveling to Hungary “to refrain from carrying prohibited products or quantities that exceed the legal limit and to ensure that each traveler carries only the permitted amount per person according to local law.”

The statement further noted that the Israeli Embassy in Budapest “has no authority to intervene or expedite procedures handled by local authorities.” Travelers were urged to verify updated information before departure “through the Hungarian Embassy in Israel or the Hungarian customs authorities.”

The advisory follows a growing number of complaints from travelers who reported lengthy interrogations, confiscations of goods, and in some cases, financial penalties. The Foreign Ministry’s notice aims to help prevent further incidents and ensure smoother entry for Israeli and chareidi travelers visiting Hungary.

In a powerful handwritten note released this week, Rav Hershel Schachter, rosh yeshiva at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon, issued a clear call for civic responsibility ahead of today’s election, stressing that participation at the ballot box is a halachic and communal obligation.

“According to the media, the election this week is very close and every vote counts,” Rav Schachter wrote. “Everyone who is legally entitled to vote is obligated to do so. Even if need be, one must cut Seder to vote. Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh — all Jews are responsible for one another.”

The message, written in Rav Schachter’s own hand and circulated widely on Monday, highlights the significance of Jewish voter turnout in what is expected to be a tightly contested race in New York.

Nancy Pelosi unleashed a torrent of criticism toward President Donald Trump during a CNN interview released Monday, calling him “a vile creature” and “the worst thing on the face of the earth.”

“He’s just a vile creature. The worst thing on the face of the earth,” she said.

When pressed by interviewer Elex Michaelson — “You think he’s the worst thing on the face of the earth?” — Pelosi did not hesitate. “I do, yeah. I do,” she replied.

The remarks came as California voters cast ballots on Proposition 50, a special-election measure that could reshape the state’s congressional map and potentially tip the balance of power in the House. The proposal has been slammed by Republicans as a partisan “power grab,” but Pelosi insisted that the real danger to American democracy lies with Trump himself.

Michaelson noted that Pelosi has repeatedly linked the redistricting initiative to her broader campaign to counter Trump’s influence. Asked why she chose such severe language, she pointed to what she sees as his violations of core American principles.

“Because he’s the president of the United States, and he does not honor the Constitution of the United States,” Pelosi said. “In fact, he’s turned the Supreme Court into a rogue court. He’s abolished the House of Representatives. He’s chilled the press. He’s scared people who are in our country legally.”

Pelosi sidestepped questions about whether she plans to run for re-election but made clear that she has no concerns about her political standing at home. “I have no doubt that if I decided to run, I would win. That isn’t even a question. It isn’t arrogant, it’s confident,” she said.

She emphasized that her current focus is not on her own seat but on helping Democrats reclaim control of the House — something she argued is vital to protect the nation from what she described as Trump’s “poison.”

“My only reason I’m in Congress this term is to win the House for the Democrats, to protect us from the poison of the Trump administration,” she said.

President Donald Trump issued a blistering statement this morning, targeting Jewish voters who back New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, calling the socialist politician “a proven and self-professed JEW HATER.”

In a post shared on Truth Social at 9:46 a.m., Trump wrote, “Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!”

The Muslim Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has long drawn outrage from the Jewish community for his harsh anti-Israel rhetoric, vocal support for the BDS movement, and refusal to condemn chants such as “globalize the intifada,” a call for violence against Jews.

Mamdani has fostered hostility toward Israel and endangered Jewish New Yorkers through his extreme positions.

{Matzav.com}

The military arm of Hamas announced that it intends to transfer the body of an Israeli hostage this evening at 8 p.m.

According to the statement released by the terror group, the remains were located earlier today during excavation work in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City. Hamas claimed the discovery occurred “inside the Yellow Line,” referring to a zone currently under Israeli control.

No immediate confirmation has been issued from Israeli authorities regarding the alleged recovery or the planned handover.

{Matzav.com}

The ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored’ host joined ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss the New York City mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani’s possible win, his new book, ‘Woke is Dead’ and more.

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A bitter rift within conservative circles deepened Monday as Ben Shapiro launched a blistering attack on Tucker Carlson, denouncing him as “the most virulent super-spreader of vile ideas in America.” The remarks came during an episode of The Ben Shapiro Show, where Shapiro condemned Carlson for platforming Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes without challenging his extremist views.

“The issue here isn’t that Tucker Carlson had Nick Fuentes on his show last week. He has every right to do that, of course,” Shapiro said. “The issue here is that Tucker Carlson decided to normalize and fluff Nick Fuentes and that the Heritage Foundation then decided to robustly defend that performance.”

Carlson’s interview with Fuentes — who lauded Stalin and described “organized Jewry” as America’s “big challenge” — has fractured the right, setting off a fierce debate over the limits of free speech within the conservative movement. Carlson, whose audience remains large even after his exit from Fox News, accused pro-Israel Republicans of having a “brain virus.”

Reaction across the conservative landscape has been starkly divided. The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board condemned the episode as an alarming flirtation with antisemitism, while Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts defended Carlson, railing against a “venomous coalition” trying to “cancel” him. “I disagree with and even abhor things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer, either,” Roberts said, later adding that he explicitly opposed antisemitism and Fuentes’ ideology.

Shapiro rejected that framing, insisting that moral clarity is not “cancellation.” “It is not cancellation to draw moral lines between viewpoints,” he said. “In fact, we used to call that one of the key aspects of conservatism.”

The fallout quickly reached Heritage itself. Ryan Neuhaus, the longtime chief of staff to Roberts, resigned from the organization on Monday after reposting comments defending the think tank’s stance. “NeuhausNeuhausNeuhaus is a good man, we appreciate his service, and we have no doubt he will serve the movement in another capacity,” a Heritage spokesperson confirmed, as first reported by The Hill.

Carlson’s sit-down with Fuentes adds to a string of controversies involving antisemitism on the political right. In recent weeks, a nominee for a top federal watchdog post withdrew after boasting of his “Nazi streak,” a leaked Young Republicans chat revealed members praising Hitler, and a Nazi symbol was discovered in a GOP congressional office.

Shapiro, who has previously hosted fundraisers for Donald Trump and other Republican candidates, accused Carlson of legitimizing extremists who are poisoning the party from within. “The main agent in that normalization is Tucker Carlson, who is an intellectual coward, a dishonest interlocutor, and a terrible friend,” he charged.

At last weekend’s Republican Jewish Coalition summit, GOP leaders tried to separate Carlson’s views from the broader party identity. “Antisemitism is a very small, limited problem in our party,” RJC CEO Matt Brooks told reporters, while attendees waved signs reading, “TUCKER IS NOT MAGA.”

A proud Orthodox Jew himself, Shapiro closed with a grim warning about the GOP’s trajectory. “The left followed its radicals to electoral hell,” he said. “Apparently, many on the right wish to do the same.”

{Matzav.com}

Eight years after the tenure of Rav Yisrael Meir Lau as Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv came to an end, the city is finally moving forward with elections to fill the long-vacant post. The election date has been officially set for Tuesday, 17 Teves 5786 (January 6, 2026).

The decision marks a major step in concluding one of the longest rabbinic vacancies in any major Israeli city. The election committee for the Tel Aviv rabbinate convened this week at the Ministry of Religious Services to advance the process for appointing a new city rabbi.

The committee is chaired by Dayan Emeritus Rav Yaakov Zamir, a former member of the Great Rabbinical Court. During the session, committee members approved the composition of the electoral body that will choose the next Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv.

With both the election date and the voting body now confirmed, officials say it will be nearly impossible to halt the process, even in the event that the Knesset dissolves and Israel heads to general elections.

Two prominent rabbonim are expected to vie for the position. Leading the race is Rav Zevadya Cohen, Av Beis Din of Tel Aviv, who enjoys the backing of the Rishonim L’Tzion, the Shas party, and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai.

Also likely to contend is Rav Tzvi Yehuda Lau, son of Rav Yisrael Meir Lau and the current rav of the Yad Eliyahu neighborhood in Tel Aviv.

{Matzav.com}

Michelle Obama is opening up about the relentless public scrutiny she says she endured during her years in the White House — particularly as a black woman — and how she used her wardrobe as a form of expression under that intense spotlight.

In her new book, The Look, the 61-year-old former first lady reflects on the unique pressures of being part of the country’s first black presidential couple, saying that every decision — including what she wore — carried symbolic weight. “We were all too aware that as a first black couple, we couldn’t afford any missteps. And that as a black woman, I was under a particularly white hot glare,” she wrote.

She added that the Obamas were not given the same leniency as other first families. “We didn’t get the grace that I think some other families have gotten,” she said, noting how political opponents weaponized race against them.

“Making a mistake in a political environment where you’re the first and people are where your opponents are using your race as a fear-based strategy to make you seem like the other, then everything matters,” she told Robin Roberts in an interview with ABC’s 20/20.

Obama explained that she initially avoided talking about fashion because she wanted to be known for her work, not her wardrobe. “I wanted the public to know me by the work that I did and not what I looked like,” she said. But over time, she began to see her fashion choices as “soft power.”

“You know, style and fashion, and how we show up in the world is an important way that we send a message,” she explained. “What you’re wearing says something about what you care about. It speaks to your background, your culture. So, I really thought about what I wanted to say.”

That consciousness extended beyond politics — it was also about representing the women who came before her. She said she often thought about “the mothers and grandmothers out there who I knew would be shaking their head if I didn’t show up right.”

Obama lamented how women, especially those in public life, are frequently judged by their appearance. “We live in a culture, sadly, where, you know, if somebody wants to go after a woman, the first thing they do is go after our looks, our size, our physical being, as a way to, you know, make us feel small, to keep us in place,” she said.

She also criticized the fashion industry for its exclusivity, saying some designers felt possessive of the First Lady role. “There’s a tendency for certain designers to feel like they own the first lady,” she said. “So like anything else, that kind of attitude blocks out opportunities from other designers. So I thought about that.”

Over the past year, Obama skipped two major events — Jimmy Carter’s funeral and President Trump’s inauguration — prompting speculation after she said she didn’t attend Trump’s swearing-in because she “didn’t know what to wear.” The absences fueled rumors about her marriage, which both she and Barack Obama publicly dismissed.

Now, Obama says she’s more at peace than ever. “You know, there’s something about the 60s. It is the best time of my life now that my daughters are launched and doing well,” she said. “My husband’s settled. There’s a certain freedom that I feel I’m at that stage in life where I can say, ‘Yeah, maybe I know a few things.’”

{Matzav.com}

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, an architect of the global war on terrorism and second Iraq war who served for decades in Congress and three Republican administrations, died Monday night of complications from pneumonia and cardio and vascular disease, his family said in a statement. He was 84.

Cheney served as vice president for eight years under President George W. Bush and as defense secretary under his father, President George H.W. Bush. Before that, he served in the U.S. House as a Republican from Wyoming and as White House chief of staff for President Gerald Ford.

“Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,” the family statement, provided by their spokesperson Jeremy Adler, said. “We are grateful beyond measure for all Dick Cheney did for our country. And we are blessed beyond measure to have loved and been loved by this noble giant of a man.”

Cheney, a forceful and polarizing figure in Washington, was a key figure in the defense and foreign policies of the two Bush administrations. A defense hawk, Cheney spearheaded two major U.S. military operations during Bush senior’s tenure, including an invasion of Panama that toppled the country’s leader, General Manuel Noriega, and the first Gulf War, in which a U.S.-led coalition of allied nations liberated Kuwait from Iraq after its leader Saddam Hussein’s brief and widely condemned invasion of the country. Unlike the second war in Iraq, the 1991 conflict did not end in the removal of Hussein and a protracted occupation by U.S. and allied forces.

During the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Cheney was taken to a White House bunker. Reflecting on that day in a 2009 speech, he said, “I’ve heard occasional speculation that I’m a different man after 9/11. I wouldn’t say that. But I’ll freely admit that watching a coordinated, devastating attack on our country from an underground bunker at the White House can affect how you view your responsibilities.”

In the days afterward, Cheney initially told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the U.S. response should be aimed at Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, not Iraq. Bob Woodward later wrote in his book “Bush at War” that while then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld lobbied for military strikes on Iraq, Cheney also “expressed deep concern about Saddam and wouldn’t rule out going after Iraq at some point.”
As vice president under George W. Bush, Cheney fiercely defended the 2003 invasion of Iraq despite the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in the country, which the Bush administration had claimed were a threat given what it alleged were the Hussein government’s links to al Qaeda. Cheney also rebuked Democrats for accusations that the Bush administration manipulated intelligence to invade Iraq, calling the attacks “dishonest and reprehensible.” Cheney said in 2006 that the U.S. invasion of Iraq would have been the right move to safeguard national security even if the intelligence community had determined beforehand that there were no weapons of mass destruction.

Cheney spearheaded the Bush administration’s “war on terror” and argued in favor of warrantless wiretapping efforts domestically and harsh interrogation techniques abroad. Even after the CIA stopped using those tactics and Cheney had left the White House, he continued to maintain that those policies were justified.