Matzav

Shortly after the dramatic elimination of Hamas’s second-in-command on Shabbos afternoon in Gaza City, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz issued a joint statement outlining the reasoning behind the targeted strike.

The announcement was released minutes after Shabbos ended, following confirmation that Raed Saad — one of the chief planners of Hamas’s “Jericho Wall” invasion strategy and a key architect of the October 7 massacre — had been killed earlier in the day.

According to the joint statement, the decision to carry out the strike came in direct response to a Hamas explosive device that wounded Israeli forces earlier on Shabbos inside the “yellow zone” of the Gaza Strip. The statement said: “The strike was carried out in response to the activation of a Hamas explosive device that injured our forces today in the yellow zone of the Gaza Strip, and therefore Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed that the terrorist Raed Saad, head of Hamas’s force-buildup headquarters, be neutralized.”

The statement continued, describing Saad as a central figure in Hamas’s ongoing military planning: “Saad was one of the architects of the October 7 massacre, and in recent days was engaged in rebuilding the terror organization, planning and executing attacks against Israel, and reconstructing an assault force — in blatant violation of the ceasefire and of Hamas’s commitments to uphold President Trump’s framework.”

Officials stressed that instead of implementing demilitarization as required under the ceasefire terms, Saad had been actively working to rearm Hamas and prepare new attacks.

The statement concluded with a warning and a message of solidarity: “Instead of moving toward demilitarization, he was engaged in rearming for acts of terror. Whoever raises a hand against Israel and harms IDF soldiers — his hand will be cut off in Gaza and everywhere. On behalf of all citizens of Israel, the prime minister and the defense minister wish a speedy recovery to the soldiers who were wounded.”

{Matzav.com}

A sweeping data-sharing system between the Transportation Security Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has become a central tool in President Donald Trump’s effort to execute a large-scale deportation operation, according to a report in The New York Times. The arrangement, carried out quietly and repeatedly throughout the week, supplies immigration agents with information on air travelers across the country.

A former ICE official told the outlet that people later cross-referenced in ICE databases were frequently detained and deported, reflecting how effective the shared data has been for immigration enforcement.

One such case, detailed by The NYT, involved 19-year-old Honduran national Any Lucía López Belloza, who was detained at Boston Logan Airport last month and removed to Honduras—despite having left that country as a young child.

The Trump administration did not dispute the existence of the initiative. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNBC, “This is nothing new,” asserting that the administration is simply correcting what it views as damaging policies inherited from earlier leadership. The spokesperson continued, “Back in February, Secretary [Kristi] Noem reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country and do so without identification. Under President Trump, TSA and DHS will no longer tolerate this. This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport.”

The fallout from these policies has drawn attention abroad as well. U.K. commentator Sami Hamdi, known for his pro-Palestinian activism, spent more than two weeks in ICE custody after being stopped at the San Francisco airport. His family insists he was targeted for expressing unpopular political views and says he voluntarily returned to London without any deportation order after being held in substandard conditions. Whether TSA data played a role in his detention remains unconfirmed.

Behind the scenes, the Trump administration has reportedly urged immigration officers to meet an ambitious—so far unattained—goal of 3,000 arrests each day in pursuit of the president’s pledge to deport millions. Central to that push has been the aggressive use of federal databases.

The Department of Homeland Security now holds personal information on nearly the entire U.S. population, a scope of access that the administration has leveraged while pressuring states—particularly those governed by Democrats—to surrender immigration-related data tied to SNAP food assistance recipients or risk losing the funds altogether.

White House strategists have also explored tapping into tax records and Veterans Affairs databases as part of the broader deportation effort, further expanding the digital architecture behind the president’s immigration agenda.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli negotiators have intensified pressure in the ongoing hostage-related talks by supplying mediators with a roster of Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives believed to have firsthand information about where Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is buried, Channel 12 reported Friday. The list was accompanied by precise maps outlining zones that Israeli officials say are linked to the slain officer’s presumed resting place.

Those involved in the process say the material was conveyed in a direct, unmistakable manner. With the recent Storm Byron clearing and conditions improving, Israel expects militant factions in Gaza to accelerate their own searches. Officials told Channel 12 they believe that if Islamic Jihad chooses to cooperate sincerely, Gvili’s remains could be recovered “within a short time.”

Jerusalem has underscored that no progress will be made on the next phase of the ceasefire arrangement until Gvili is brought home. He is the only remaining hostage still held in Gaza, and his return has become the determining factor for any diplomatic movement.

Security sources confirmed that Israel has recently developed several new leads regarding the possible burial site and has initiated preliminary checks. The area of interest is associated with Islamic Jihad, whose operatives seized Gvili during the Hamas-driven massacre on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel.

Reports indicate that Islamic Jihad has been conducting its own searches throughout various sectors of the Gaza Strip, apparently attempting to locate the officer’s remains.

Gvili served in the Yasam counter-terror police unit and had been recuperating from a shoulder injury at the time of the assault. Despite being on medical leave, he donned his uniform and raced to the battlefield as soon as he heard what was unfolding.

The IDF announced in January 2024 that Gvili had been killed in the fighting at Kibbutz Alumim on October 7 and that his body had been taken into Gaza. His family, unwilling to accept closure without physical proof, continues to insist on the return of his remains.

The Prime Minister’s Office revealed last week that an Israeli team traveled to Cairo for another round of negotiations. The group, headed by government hostage envoy Gal Hirsch, included senior representatives from the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet.

Channel 12 reported that these discussions ended with a commitment to accelerate the mission of retrieving Gvili. During the talks, Israeli officials told mediators that certain Islamic Jihad figures know exactly where he is buried. They also used the opportunity to reiterate Israel’s stance that the next phase of any ceasefire must incorporate Hamas’s disarmament and a fully demilitarized Gaza Strip.

According to Channel 12, mediators informed Israel that Hamas is signaling openness to continuing the negotiations. “Either they agree to disarm and demilitarize Gaza, or we will do it ourselves,” one Israeli official said. “Israel will not leave a threat to the State of Israel in Gaza.”

{Matzav.com}

With anticipation building nationwide, Powerball players are gearing up for tonight’s drawing, for which the prize pool has rocketed to an extraordinary estimated $1 billion. The jackpot ballooned once again after the Dec. 10 numbers failed to produce a winner, leaving the top prize at a staggering $1 billion with a cash payout of $457.7 million.

This marks the second time in 2025 that Powerball has reached the billion-dollar threshold. Earlier this year, on Sept. 6, a massive $1.79 billion jackpot was claimed by ticket holders in Missouri and Texas, setting a high bar for the excitement now gripping players once again.

Tonight’s drawing is scheduled for 10:59 p.m. — the standard time for Powerball results every Monday, Wednesday, and Motzoei Shabbos. As always, each attempt at the jackpot costs $2, and adding the Power Play option for an extra $1 gives players the ability to multiply non-jackpot winnings by factors ranging from two to ten.

Anyone chasing the jackpot should remember the long odds: the chances of hitting all six numbers stand at 1 in 292.2 million.

Drawings take place at the Florida Lottery studio in Tallahassee and are carried live on Powerball.com.

Players purchasing tickets at retail locations have the option to boost their chances through Double Play, a separate draw held immediately after the main event. For an extra $1 per play, the same set of numbers is entered into a second drawing where prizes can reach as high as $10,000,000. The Double Play results are announced between 11:30 and 11:40 p.m., though winnings from this round cannot be increased using the Power Play multiplier.

{Matzav.com}

In the days leading up to the October 7 atrocities, Hamas’s Nukhba force staged a final run-through of an operation that included penetrating far into Israel and staging the mock capture of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The rehearsal, carried out just before the onslaught, appears to have been designed as a full simulation of an abduction mission.

Channel 13 obtained body-camera recordings that reveal a startling scene: a terrorist dressed up to resemble Ben-Gvir—wearing a suit, a mask modeled after his face, and matching hair—being marched at gunpoint toward a waiting vehicle. The video later shows that “Ben-Gvir” was transferred into another car, mirroring the kind of transfer Hamas uses when spiriting captives into Gaza.

The recordings also expose preparations by Hamas’s aerial division. On the eve of the attack, terrorists can be seen assembling drones with hot glue sticks while following online tutorials. They were equipped with precise maps charting Israel’s air-defense layout, and the footage captures commanders briefing their men ahead of the invasion.

Ben-Gvir responded sharply to the revelations, declaring, “This astonishing exposure of Hamas’s plans before October 7th joins six other times in which those cursed ones tried to harm my family and me. I will not be deterred, I will continue to make changes in the prisons and will continue to carry out the reform in the distribution of weapons and civilian security squads. I will continue to demolish illegal houses in the Negev, I will continue to promote sovereignty on the Temple Mount, I will continue to do everything I have done, and I demand that the Prime Minister pass a death penalty law for terrorists. This is our chance to hurt and break their motivation, I am not afraid!”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli forces carried out an airstrike in Gaza City today targeting a vehicle believed to be transporting senior Hamas commander Raed Saad, a central planner behind the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, according to Israeli media reports and an Israeli defense official.

Gaza health authorities stated that four individuals were killed in the strike. Initial reports did not clarify whether Saad was among the dead, and Hamas officials did not provide immediate confirmation. Hours later, an IDF spokesman ended the uncertainty with a social media announcement confirming Saad’s death.

The announcement declared, “Every place where we identify that Hamas is trying to regroup, we act. Earlier today, the IDF eliminated Raad Saad, whose elimination constitutes a blow to Hamas’s attempts at regrouping and strengthening. We will not allow our enemies to regroup and rebuild their strength. We will continue to be committed to continuing the ceasefire agreement.”

The killing represents the most prominent assassination of a Hamas military leader since the ceasefire went into effect on Oct. 10.

Israeli defense officials identified Saad as the head of Hamas’ weapons production division, a key role in the group’s operational infrastructure. Hamas-linked sources have described him as effectively serving as deputy commander of the organization’s armed wing, ranking immediately below Izz al-Din al-Haddad.

Those same sources noted that Saad previously commanded Hamas’ Gaza City battalion, one of the movement’s most formidable and well-resourced units.

{Matzav.com}

Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem launched a fierce broadside at the United States over the weekend, declaring that American attempts to push Lebanese leaders toward disarming the movement are doomed to fail. He insisted that no amount of external coercion will convince Hezbollah to relinquish its arsenal.

Speaking on Saturday, Qassem warned that Washington must grasp a simple truth: Hezbollah will confront any threat and will not bow to international forces seeking to strip it of its weapons. He said that even a global coalition arrayed in battle against Lebanon would not compel the organization to disarm.

Expanding on this point, he argued that Hezbollah’s territory, its weapons, and its ideological drive are inseparable, describing them as one unified whole. In his words, forcing the group to give up its firepower would be tantamount to “execution,” and thus entirely out of the question.

Qassem also revisited Israel’s campaign following the killing of longtime late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and other senior figures. He asserted that Israel’s intention was nothing less than the total dismantling of Hezbollah. According to Qassem, that effort fell short because “Hezbollah fought a war against Israel and prevented it from achieving that goal.”

He maintained that Israel is now coming to terms with the fact that its own battlefield successes are slipping away. Qassem characterized this as an inevitable outcome of what he views as Israel’s strategic failure: it did not secure what it set out to accomplish, while Hezbollah remains operational and intact.

Turning to Beirut, Qassem said Hezbollah is prepared to work in full partnership with the Lebanese Army under a national defense framework that integrates the capabilities of both Lebanon’s military and Hezbollah’s forces. Still, he drew a red line, stating that the organization will never agree to any measure that resembles capitulation to Israel or the United States.

{Matzav.com}

A deadly attack in Syria claimed the lives of two American soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter after their unit was ambushed near Palmyra, according to U.S. officials. The assault, believed to have been carried out by an ISIS-linked gunman, erupted during what was supposed to be a routine engagement with local leaders.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reported that the attacker was ultimately shot and killed by partnered forces in the area. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell later confirmed that three additional service members were hurt during the encounter, and two U.S. officials stated that all three of the injured were American.

In a formal statement, Parnell explained, “The attack occurred as the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement. Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region.”

The incident comes at a significant moment, marking the first combat fatalities since President Donald Trump returned to office. He reacted publicly within hours, posting condolences and condemning the killers. In his message, Trump wrote, “The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Trump also insisted that the ambush was an act of terrorism, stating that it was an “ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them.” He later reinforced his stance in brief comments to reporters, reminding them as he walked off, “We will retaliate.”

Officials have not yet released the names of the fallen as families are still being notified. The tragedy stands as the deadliest U.S. event in Syria in years, representing the first American combat deaths there since 2019, when a suicide bombing in Manbij killed four Americans. Until now, ten U.S. service members had died in Syria over the years, from both hostile and accidental causes, with the most recent non-hostile loss occurring in February 2022.

{Matzav.com}

A disturbing confrontation erupted on a Melbourne train earlier this week when a Rabbi traveling with his children was met with an appalling antisemitic slur from a fellow passenger. According to footage released by the Australian Jewish Association on Friday, the woman hurled the words “Go to the gas chambers” at the family during the ride.

The recording, posted to the association’s Instagram page, shows the woman holding a bag decorated with a Palestinian flag motif. After the Rabbi calmly confronted her about what she had said, she immediately hid her face and insisted, “He’s picking on me. Why would I say something like that?”

Robert Gregory, chief executive of the Australian Jewish Association, condemned the episode with force. “This is another shocking case of antisemitism in Melbourne. It is hard to believe someone would address children with such a call,” he said, noting that the encounter is part of a troubling pattern the community has been facing.

Gregory also remarked that her use of pro-Palestinian imagery was, unfortunately, not unexpected. He went on to commend the Rabbi’s composure and refusal to let such behavior go unchallenged, emphasizing, “It is important that people do not remain indifferent to such shocking incidents.”

{Matzav.com}

A sweeping redesign of America’s currency for the nation’s 250th anniversary has ignited fresh controversy, with a proposal now circulating that places President Donald Trump at the center of a commemorative $1 coin.

According to the online materials tied to the Mint’s semiquincentennial planning, new illustrations of Trump have been drafted for the obverse of a potential 2026 dollar coin. At the same time, concept art for earlier “America 250” quarters—once built around themes such as abolition, women’s suffrage, and civil rights—has reportedly been shelved in favor of a return to more traditional, founding-era motifs.

The Mint’s broader 2026 redesign calls for all coins to bear dual dates honoring both the birth of the nation and its 250-year milestone. As part of this shift, officials have previewed imagery steeped in Revolutionary-era symbolism, including iconic documents and scenes tied to America’s founding. These new directions come after the abandonment of concepts initiated during the Biden years that placed greater emphasis on later chapters of American social progress.

A series of five quarters is expected for 2026, each tied to a pivotal historical text or event: the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the U.S. Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address.

Treasurer Brandon Beach has acknowledged that a Trump-themed dollar is being weighed, and several reports describe mock-ups portraying Trump’s profile on one side and, on the other, an image of him thrusting his fist upward following the 2024 assassination attempt, accompanied by the words “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT.”

The idea, however, runs directly into federal restrictions prohibiting living presidents—current or past—from appearing on U.S. coinage. Advocates of the new coin insist that special semiquincentennial authorities could offer legal leeway, while opponents argue it would violate long-established practice and risk politicizing the nation’s money.

Within conservative circles, the controversy is framed as part of a larger cultural battle over how America’s 250th birthday should be told: whether through the nation’s founding ideals and foundational texts or through what they see as the left’s negative reinterpretations of American history.

Alongside these debates, the Mint is also preparing updates to long-standing circulating coins for 2026. Even the dime—whose appearance has been unchanged for eight decades—is scheduled for a refresh. And although the penny exited daily circulation in 2025, collectors will still be able to obtain it in annual Mint sets, complete with the commemorative “1776 ~ 2026” dual date.

{Matzav.com}

The man accused in the killing of Charlie Kirk returned to court this week, and a newly analyzed off-mic exchange revealed disturbing remarks that shed light on his mindset in the months since the shooting, the NY Post report. A professional lip-reading review of the courtroom footage suggests that Tyler Robinson repeatedly referenced the attack and even brought up Kirk’s widow, Erika, in a chilling aside to his attorney.

As Robinson entered the Provo, Utah, courtroom on Thursday—his first in-person appearance more than three months after the shooting—he appeared composed, even sharing a quiet laugh with his lawyer. Yet the lip-reading analysis captured a far darker tone beneath the surface. One portion of the footage shows him saying, “I think about the shooting daily,” a remark attributed to a private moment before the hearing began. He went on to add, “Every morning … all the time.”

The analysis indicates that Robinson then shifted to the subject of Kirk’s family, referencing the activist’s widow, who is raising their two young children alone. At one point, the lip reader caught him saying, “So, he had a wife….”

Other snippets appeared to show Robinson speaking about his own state of mind. According to the review, he confessed privately to his lawyer that he’s been “smoking a lot … Not sleeping at night … it’s driving me mental.” He continued with, “Unfortunately, it’s doing my head in. I’m not good for anything.”

Despite those alleged comments, Robinson displayed little visible distress while standing before the judge, wearing a plain blue button-down shirt paired with an argyle tie. Prosecutors say he opened fire on the 31-year-old conservative activist on September 10 during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, attacking in front of thousands of attendees.

Thursday’s proceedings were expected to address two issues: whether cameras would be permitted in the courtroom and whether portions of an earlier October phone-hearing transcript—regarding Robinson’s right to appear in street clothes—would be released to the public. Robinson’s defense opposed both. Judge Tony Graf spent more than two hours behind closed doors considering arguments, ultimately postponing any decision.

A new hearing was set for December 29, when the judge is scheduled to issue rulings on the outstanding matters.

Robinson remains held on multiple serious charges, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child.

{Matzav.com}

A moving memorial ceremony was held this morning at the Herzliya cemetery marking two years since the death of Gal Eisenkot, the son of former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who was killed in Gaza during an operation to recover the bodies of kidnapped Israelis.

Standing before family, friends, and soldiers, Eisenkot spoke with raw emotion about the profound void left by his son’s loss. “Gal is missing from every second of my day, and he walks with me always,” he said. “What defined Gal more than anything was his deep friendship.”

He reflected on the bond between Gal and his close friend Eyal, who fell alongside him during the same mission. “They shared an enormous love for the country, a sense of camaraderie and commitment,” Eisenkot said. “In their deaths—like so many young men and women whose lives have been cut short—there remains a duty and a command: to advance the State of Israel with a spirit of responsibility, mutual responsibility, excellence as a way of life, and the principle of ‘Ve’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha,’ not in words, but in actions.”

Eisenkot continued by describing the spirit in which his son and his comrades went to battle: “Gal and his friends went out to a just and difficult war, after a very serious national failure, and they demonstrated remarkable resilience that teaches us something about Israeli solidarity and the strength found within Israeli society.”

In his closing words, the former chief of staff emphasized what he sees as the essential message of his son’s legacy. “The final point, which in my eyes is the central one, is mutual responsibility and solidarity. If there is something that defined Gal from childhood—and this was echoed by his friends who spoke here—it is mutual responsibility. And if something is deeply troubling today, it is the enormous gap between the talk of solidarity, unity, and shared purpose, and the practical reality.”

{Matzav.com}

A deep pall of grief has fallen over Yerushalayim after the passing of 13-year-old Nosson Tzvi Reizfeld z”l, a child with special needs who succumbed to injuries sustained in a catastrophic fire last week. He died at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, despite a week of intensive medical efforts. His levayah was held at midnight at the Shamgar Funeral Home, followed by burial at Har Hamenuchos.

The heartbreaking incident occurred last Wednesday. According to initial reports, the boy left a therapeutic program in the Ramat Shlomo area and made his way to a residential building on Yaakov Elazar Street in the Ramot neighborhood. There, he accidentally ignited a blaze that quickly engulfed two floors of the building, posing a grave risk to the residents inside.

Fire and rescue teams rushed to the scene within minutes, battling the flames and evacuating residents from the smoke-filled building. Firefighters found Nosson Tzvi unconscious, suffering from severe smoke inhalation and extensive burns.

The drama intensified during the emergency transport to the hospital. Shuki Baker, a United Hatzalah paramedic, described the life-or-death struggle inside the ambulance. According to Baker, the child’s heart stopped en route, forcing the medical crew to initiate advanced resuscitation.

“After administering an electric shock from the defibrillator, his heart began beating again, and we transported him to the hospital in critical condition,” Baker said.

For a full week, hospital teams fought tirelessly to stabilize him. Tragically, his condition deteriorated and doctors were ultimately forced to declare his passing.

{Matzav.com}

A major search effort intensified along the Yarkon River on Friday as rescue teams scoured the area from both air and water in an urgent attempt to find 19-year-old Eliyahu Abba Shaul of Bnei Brak, who has been missing since Wednesday. Helicopters, drones, rescue boats, and dozens of volunteers joined the operation as fears for his safety increased.

While the teams were searching for the young man, police received a second report: another resident of Bnei Brak had disappeared. Rescue crews immediately divided into separate units to search two areas simultaneously.

After roughly two hours of parallel searches, the missing woman was found alive.

According to ZAKA, police alerted them around midday about the additional missing person. Divers and rescue boats were deployed along the river, carrying out extensive sweeps of the water and surrounding terrain. During the search, ZAKA’s diving team discovered the woman exhausted and exhibiting signs of severe hypothermia as she called out for help.

She was brought onto a rescue boat and transferred for medical treatment.

The search for the 19-year-old, however, remains unresolved. His clothing and electric bicycle were found near the river, raising growing concern for his well-being. Police and numerous volunteers continue to search on foot, by boat, and in kayaks, covering significant stretches of the Yarkon as daylight hours pass.

Yisroel Chossid, spokesperson for ZAKA, said: “The search for the young man was underway at the same time that we received a report about another missing person in the river. ZAKA divers, together with the rescue boat, located her while our teams worked quickly and professionally to save her life. We are continuing the search for the missing young man using every operational resource available to us.”

Rescue teams say the operation will continue nonstop until he is found.

{Matzav.com}

Federal officials sharply escalated their criticism of New York’s commercial driver licensing system on Friday, with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning that the state could lose $73 million in highway funding unless it overhauls how it handles licenses issued to immigrants. Duffy said the problem stems from licenses remaining valid well beyond the period an immigrant is authorized to live or work in the country.

State officials pushed back, insisting that their procedures comply fully with federal rules and that they have been properly checking lawful status before issuing any commercial driver’s license. They rejected any suggestion that New York was ignoring regulations or failing to verify documents.

Duffy’s scrutiny of New York is part of his broader national campaign to tighten oversight of truck and bus driver qualifications. He launched that push after a tragic Florida crash in which a truck driver — who was not permitted to be in the country — made an illegal U-turn that led to three fatalities. Although the regulations governing these licenses have been on the books for years, Duffy has begun leaning heavily on states he says are falling short.

While the Transportation Department has emphasized that it is reviewing these “non-domiciled” commercial licenses nationwide, only states with Democratic governors have been threatened with the loss of federal highway money. Still, Duffy insisted politics has nothing to do with it, saying the goal is simply to ensure that anyone operating a massive tractor-trailer is properly vetted and legally authorized.

According to Duffy, federal investigators examined roughly 200 commercial licenses in New York and concluded that more than half were issued incorrectly. Many defaulted to eight-year validity even when an immigrant’s work authorization would expire much sooner. Investigators also reported that New York could not demonstrate proof of lawful-status checks for the 32,000 active non-domiciled commercial licenses currently on the books, and that in some cases the state granted licenses even though the applicant’s work permit had already lapsed.

“When more than half of the licenses reviewed were issued illegally, it isn’t just a mistake — it is a dereliction of duty by state leadership. Gov. (Kathy) Hochul must immediately revoke these illegally issued licenses,” Duffy said.

New York now has a 30-day window to submit its formal response. The DMV, meanwhile, flatly rejected Duffy’s accusations, with spokesperson Walter McClure issuing a pointed rebuttal.

“Secretary Duffy is lying about New York State once again in a desperate attempt to distract from the failing, chaotic administration he represents. Here is the truth: Commercial Drivers Licenses are regulated by the Federal Government, and New York State DMV has, and will continue to, comply with federal rules,” McClure said.

“Every CDL we issue is subject to verification of an applicant’s lawful status through federally-issued documents reviewed in accordance with federal regulations. This is just another stunt from Secretary Duffy, and it does nothing to keep our roads safer. We will review USDOT’s letter and respond accordingly,” the statement continued.

Although immigrants constitute about one-fifth of the nation’s truck-driving workforce, these non-domiciled licenses make up only about 5% of total commercial licenses nationwide. At the same time, the Transportation Department has attempted to impose stricter rules limiting which noncitizens can qualify for commercial licensing, but those regulations are currently paused due to a court ruling.

New York is not the only state facing threats of financial penalties. Duffy has issued similar warnings to California, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota after federal audits flagged significant compliance issues, including licenses remaining valid long after a driver’s work authorization had expired. Under that pressure, California ultimately revoked 17,000 licenses.

{Matzav.com}

A major shift in how COVID-19 vaccines are presented to the public may be on the horizon, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is preparing to add a stringent “black box” warning to the shots, according to a CNN report citing individuals familiar with the internal discussions. A black box warning is the FDA’s strongest caution, reserved for highlighting potentially serious risks or important limitations on use.

CNN reported that the effort to implement the enhanced warnings is being directed by Vinay Prasad, who serves as the FDA’s chief medical and scientific officer as well as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. His office is reportedly coordinating the review and the proposed language of the label changes.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, did not immediately respond to Reuters when asked for comment about the developing plan.

According to CNN, the proposal remains fluid. Officials have not yet finalized the policy, and the contours of the warning could still be revised before anything is made public.

The report said it is still uncertain whether the warning—expected to be announced before the end of the year—would apply only to mRNA-based vaccines or to all COVID vaccines on the market. It also remains unclear whether the warning would be uniform across all age groups.

Moderna and Pfizer both rely on messenger RNA technology for their shots, while Novavax offers a protein-based vaccine built on a more traditional platform.

Border czar Tom Homan issued a direct challenge to Catholic leadership on Thursday, inviting bishops and pastoral figures to accompany him and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement teams in the field so they can witness, as he put it, “why illegal immigration is not a victimless crime.” His outreach followed repeated criticism from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has warned about fear spreading in immigrant communities and raised concerns about “conditions in detention centers” and “lack of access to pastoral care.”

Pope Leo XIV has also spoken about the emotional toll on longtime residents caught up in enforcement activity, urging that pastoral staff be allowed into detention facilities and noting that people who spent years in the country “never causing problems” have been “deeply affected” by recent policies.

Appearing on “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” Homan—who emphasized his identity as a practicing Catholic—pushed back against the suggestion that immigration enforcement violates human dignity. He insisted that abandoning enforcement empowers cartels, increases human trafficking, and leads to more migrant deaths on the journey into the United States.

Homan also argued that border security measures, including stronger physical barriers, directly protect vulnerable populations. In his telling, heightened security “save lives” because fewer migrants are forced onto perilous routes dominated by traffickers.

The tensions around enforcement erupted into national debate when a parish near Boston transformed its Nativity scene to protest ICE. According to the National Catholic Reporter, the traditional Holy Family was removed and replaced with a sign that read “ICE was here.” The Archdiocese of Boston denounced the modified display and asked that it be taken down, saying sacred items should not be turned into political props.

Homan said gestures like that inflame resentment toward front-line officers and contribute to what he described as increasingly dangerous rhetoric directed at ICE personnel. He cast the current immigration strategy under President Donald Trump as unprecedented in its scale and discipline, asserting that the system prioritizes “public safety threats” and “national security threats” while ensuring that all immigration laws are enforced.

He claimed the pace of removals is already surpassing historical markers, saying the government is approaching “around 600,000” removals in under a year. According to Homan, those numbers will rise further as the administration aims to hire 10,000 additional agents and is “tripling the size of the ICE enforcement branch.”

A significant component of the renewed effort, he said, involves tracking down migrant children who were released into the United States during the Biden administration and subsequently disappeared. Homan estimated that roughly half a million minors were smuggled into the country and that federal authorities “lost track” of about 300,000 of them.

He reported that the Trump administration has already identified 62,456 of those children. Some, he said, were safely living with relatives, while others had been forced into “forced labor” or “forced sexual slavery.” Homan added that minors who have reached adulthood will not be removed from the search lists, as exploitation “does not end at adulthood.”

{Matzav.com}

With recent polling showing his party losing momentum, MK Gadi Eisenkot is sharpening his criticism of the government’s proposed draft legislation, sending a pointed letter to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu urging him to halt the process.

Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, has been struggling to regain ground after earlier surveys projected a double-digit showing. The latest polling places him at just eight seats, down from a peak of twelve, a decline that political observers say is prompting him to intensify his attacks on the draft bill, which he and others in his political bloc label “the draft-dodging law.”

The letter follows his appearance earlier this week before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, where he issued vocal warnings about what he described as dangerous flaws in the legislation.

Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff, wrote that he attended the hearing “out of a sense of urgency and the magnitude of the moment,” but left convinced that the government is intent on advancing the law “at any cost.”

He argued that the current version of the security service bill represents a fundamental threat to Israel’s defense structure. “The Security Service Law being rushed forward these days in a feverish blitz in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is a law that endangers the security of the State of Israel. The law dismantles the framework of the people’s army, for which and through which the IDF exists,” he wrote.

Drawing on his decades in senior military leadership, Eisenkot declared, “As a military man most of my life, as chief of staff under your government, and as someone who sat at the junctions of security decision-making for years, I state unequivocally that the draft law now under discussion harms the IDF’s sole mission: defending the State of Israel, ensuring its existence, and winning wars.”

He insisted that the law would fail to supply the IDF with the manpower it requires. “There is no doubt that the law in its current form will not bring the IDF the number of soldiers and fighters it needs, certainly not in wartime, and it does not address the IDF’s needs at all.”

Eisenkot warned against compounding what he called past mistakes. “We must not fix a historic mistake with another historic mistake that may not be reversible, and which will be a calamity for generations — both security-wise and socially.”

He emphasized that the burden carried by IDF soldiers and reservists cannot continue as it has. “IDF soldiers, regular and reserve, who always bear the security burden — and in the past two years more than ever — cannot carry it alone any longer. It is not possible militarily, and it is not legal, equal, or proper personally or socially.”

Eisenkot urged Netanyahu to halt the legislation and bring forward a different version. “In the current situation I call on you personally — stop before destruction. Bring to the Knesset a law that will draft everyone: whether to military, national, or civilian service; return the authority of granting exemptions from rabbis to the state; reward those who serve; punish draft evaders; and allow a deferral of up to 3 percent per draft cycle (about 4,500 students a year). This is possible, and this is the right thing to do.”

He concluded with a stark warning, invoking his earlier caution ahead of October 7. “I view the current proposal as one over which a black flag flies, and therefore I present to you this severe strategic warning for Israel’s security and the values of Israeli society, similar to the one I sent you in August 2023, nearly two months before the failure of the seventh of October.”

{Matzav.com}

An iconic Lakewood, NJ property with deep communal significance has quietly entered the real estate market: The longtime residence of Rav Matisyahu Salomon zt”l, mashgiach of Beth Medrash Govoah, has been listed for sale.

The home, located at 637 6th Street, down the block from Beth Medrash Govoah, is being offered for $1,799,000.

Situated on one of the most sought-after blocks in Lakewood, the listing highlights the rare opportunity to purchase a large residence on an oversized lot in a prime location just steps from the heart of the yeshiva community.

According to the listing, the property features ten bedrooms and five full bathrooms, along with a large amount of living space totaling 6,656 square feet. The entryway includes a vestibule-style front door opening into a foyer, with a study to the right and a newer, spacious kitchen leading into a comfortable family room and an extra-large dining room. The home also includes a large enclosed porch, a main-floor suite with two bedrooms and two full bathrooms, and its own private exterior entrance.

The basement is fully finished and offers extensive additional space. The house sits further back on the lot, allowing for a sizeable side and backyard area. The listing describes the property as particularly well suited for a large family or multigenerational living.

The home served for years as the residence of Rav Salomon, who became one of the most influential mashgichim of the contemporary Torah world after joining Beth Medrash Govoah in 1998. Thousands of talmidim and visitors passed through its doors over the years, seeking guidance, chizuk, and direction from the mashgiach and his rebbetzin.

{Matzav.com}