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Zohran Mamdani, the leading contender in New York City’s mayoral race, has thrown down a challenge to President Trump, daring him to go head-to-head in a live debate. His callout came in response to the White House’s reported involvement in the contentious campaign.

The outspoken move followed ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s demand that Mamdani square off with him five times — staging one debate in each borough — which Cuomo proposed at a Thursday press event.

“Let’s cut out the middle man,” Mamdani told The NY Post. “Why should I debate Donald Trump’s puppet when I could debate Donald Trump himself?”

Mamdani, who defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary back in June, accused Trump of interfering in the election. He reiterated claims that he and Trump had spoken by phone about the mayoral race.

On Wednesday, insiders revealed that White House officials were weighing potential administration roles for both Mayor Eric Adams and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in hopes of persuading them to exit the contest.

Such maneuvering would leave Cuomo as Mamdani’s chief rival, potentially bolstering his chances against the progressive candidate in what is shaping up to be a crowded November election.

“If Donald Trump is serious about intervening in the mayoral race, he should come to New York City and debate me directly about why he’s cutting SNAP benefits for hungry New Yorkers to give tax breaks to his wealthy donors,” said the DSA-backed lawmaker.

Cuomo earlier in the day criticized Mamdani for declining to participate in debates being planned by PIX11 and CBS News.

“New Yorkers deserve answers. I challenge him to five debates, one in every borough where we speak about the issues in that borough,” Cuomo declared.

But Mamdani countered on Wednesday with a video message to supporters, saying he would only appear at the two debates mandated by the city’s Campaign Finance Board this October.

“In the meantime, I won’t be at this televised circus,” Mamdani said.

{Matzav.com}

The Torah community has been struck by devastating news with the passing of habochur Yosef Shia Friedman z”l, the cherished son of the well-known event planner R’ Eli Friedman.

Just three weeks ago, Yosef Shia suffered a horrific accident when he was electrocuted at his summer camp, sustaining critical injuries just days before his sister’s wedding.

In the aftermath, Yidden around the world joined together in tefillah and heartfelt kabbalos, pouring out their hearts in countless kappitlach Tehillim, adding in Torah and mitzvos.

Today, the crushing news came that Yosef Shia has passed away, leaving his family shattered and the entire community reeling from the loss.

Information regarding the levaya will be released as soon as it becomes available.

Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.

{Matzav.com}

Northwestern University President Michael Schill said Thursday that he will resign, ending a three-year tenure marked by the freeze of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding by the Trump administration and heated criticism from House Republicans over the university’s response to campus protests. The funding freeze and uncertainty over its finances contributed to Northwestern’s decision to lay off around 200 people over the summer. In a statement announcing his resignation, Schill acknowledged the pressure from the White House. “It is critical that we continue to protect the University’s research mission and excellence while preserving academic freedom, integrity, and independence,” he said. Northwestern emerged as a prominent target of President Donald Trump’s campaign to reshape elite colleges he has derided as hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism. In April, the administration froze $790 million in federal funding for the private school in Evanston, Illinois, one of dozens of colleges under investigation over claims they did not do enough to protect Jewish students. During the wave of pro-Palestinian protests in spring 2024, Northwestern drew ire from conservatives over an agreement it struck with demonstrators to take down their encampment. In exchange, Northwestern pledged to reestablish an advisory committee on university investments and made other commitments. Schill defended the arrangement during an appearance in May 2024 before a House committee investigating campus antisemitism. “We had to get the encampment down,” Schill said. “The police solution was not going to be available to us to keep people safe, and also may not be the wisest solution as we’ve seen at other campuses across the country.” Supporters of Israel and the administration officials have framed the protests at Northwestern and other schools as antisemitic and “pro-Hamas.” But people involved in the demonstrations reject that characterization. They say advocating for Palestinian human rights and territorial claims, or criticizing Israeli military action, is not antisemitic. Schill also navigated the fallout from a hazing scandal that broke not long after he was named Northwestern’s president in August 2022. Former football players filed lawsuits in 2023 alleging sexual abuse and racial discrimination on the team, and similar allegations then spread across several sports. Northwestern’s football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, was initially suspended then later fired after an investigation. The school concluded he had a responsibility to know that hazing was occurring and should have stopped it. Fitzgerald denied wrongdoing and filed a lawsuit that ended with a settlement last month. Schill will continue as president until an interim leader is chosen and will return from a sabbatical as a faculty member at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, the school said. He also will work with the Board of Trustees on efforts to restore the university’s frozen federal funding, Northwestern said. (AP)

Critics are casting doubt on the validity of a new resolution by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) that accuses Israel of committing genocide, after it was revealed that membership in the organization could be purchased for as little as $30. The revelation coincides with a notable surge in membership following October 2023.

Until this past Wednesday, anyone could sign up for IAGS by paying an annual fee that varied according to income.

The cost ranged between $30 and $125, granting participants access to the group’s activities, including the ability to vote electronically on resolutions—such as the one passed on Monday concerning Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Honest Reporting board member Salo Aizenberg and Middle East analyst Eitan Fischberger showcased on social media just how simple it was to become a member, sparking a flood of new sign-ups. Applicants even used names like Adolf Hitler and Star Wars’ Emperor Palpatine to mock the system.

“It turns out literally anyone can join this body and vote on matters that make international headlines – like the resolution claiming Israel is committing genocide,” Aizenberg wrote on X/Twitter.

He went on to say, “Yes, there are some legitimate academics who are members. But when an organization with no standards, no transparency, and no accountability makes sweeping pronouncements about ‘genocide,’ it isn’t scholarship – it’s politics masquerading as scholarship. And everyone deserves to know the difference.”

By Wednesday night, the group disabled its online membership application form. Those who had recently signed up, including Fischberger, were quickly placed into “inactive” status.

“I want my $30 back,” Fischberger told The Jerusalem Post.

While IAGS did not issue an immediate response regarding the controversy, critics pointed out that the ease of entry coincided with a dramatic jump in membership numbers since October 2023.

Internet archives showed that on October 2, 2023, the association’s roster contained around 150 members. By April 2024, that figure had grown to 280, and by the time of the latest resolution, it had climbed to 440.

Aizenberg raised questions online about how the vote was conducted. A press release dated September 1 stated that 28% of members participated in the ballot, with 86% voting in favor.

The resolution that passed declared that “Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide and constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The IDF on Wednesday disclosed that suicide drones have become the dominant weapon killing Hamas fighters in Gaza, marking a revolution in modern warfare. According to the IDF, the “Atalef” (bat) drone is now widely available across ground forces and no longer requires special air force support to deploy against Hamas. Military officials said the system has become central to combat operations, allowing small infantry units to carry out precision strikes that once required airpower. The military said each platoon — typically a couple dozen soldiers — now has its own surveillance and intelligence drones, a major shift from prewar doctrine when drones were controlled almost exclusively at the battalion level and above. Before the conflict, drones were primarily an air force capability, often reserved for missions involving 250 or more troops. Today, IDF platoons use small reconnaissance drones to enter buildings and search for booby traps or hidden tunnels, while others scan over hills or urban blocks to detect potential ambushes before soldiers advance. The IDF said it has established 14 dedicated drone schools and is training some 20,000 soldiers to operate the systems, reflecting the rapid expansion of drone warfare in the military’s ground operations. Officials said the development marks a turning point in how Israel fights Hamas, with lethal drones now as integral to small-unit tactics as rifles and armored vehicles. “The presence of suicide drones in the hands of ground forces is changing the battlefield in real time,” one officer said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF released images on Thursday of Hamas Rafah Brigade commander Muhammad Shabana sharing a meal underground with other operatives in March, just weeks before he was killed in an Israeli strike in Khan Yunis.

According to the military, the photographs were discovered at the site of the May 13 airstrike that eliminated both Shabana and senior Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar beneath Gaza’s European Hospital. The pictures show Shabana and fellow operatives partaking in a Ramadan iftar banquet inside a tunnel, surrounded by dishes of falafel, meats, fish, vegetables, flatbreads, and fried foods. Other images depict him dining with his family earlier in the year.

“Luxurious breakfast and lavish meals during the war: This is what the life of the terrorist commander of Hamas’ Rafah Brigade looked like over the past year,” wrote Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, on X.

He further remarked that while “residents of the sector were forced to break their Ramadan fast with the scraps left by Hamas, the organization’s leaders were celebrating in the tunnels with a grand feast.”

Adraee also accused Hamas of spreading lies to the world. “With one hand, Hamas runs a media campaign about ‘starvation’ in the sector, and with the other, it plunders food to feed its leaders and their families. Time and again—the images, unlike Hamas and its mouthpieces in the media, do not lie,” he said.

Shabana assumed command of the Rafah Brigade in the 2014 Gaza war after three of its senior leaders were eliminated. He controlled four battalions, among them the elite Nukhba force that spearheaded the October 7 atrocities in southern Israel. He had survived several assassination attempts in the past, including during Israel’s ground incursion in Rafah.

His end came through a complex strike in which the air force dropped more than 50 precision bombs in under half a minute, engineered to demolish Hamas’s subterranean headquarters without harming the European Hospital above. Israel confirmed the elimination of Shabana and Sinwar three weeks later.

The IDF’s release of these photographs coincided with the publication of a study by Israeli scholars arguing that allegations of genocide against Israel are based on distorted data and weaken international law.

The paper, published by Bar-Ilan University’s Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, stated: “Those who accuse Israel of genocide erroneously suggest that most civilian casualties in Gaza were entirely unjustified from a military standpoint, portraying those cases in which deaths do seem unjustified not as outliers but as part of a broader, systematic, and deliberate policy of extermination by the IDF. The small number of instances involving persuasive supportive evidence of intentional killings by military personnel does not support this accusation.”

The authors also highlighted Hamas’s battlefield methods, contending that the group “consistently employs Gazan civilians as ‘human shields’ to deliberately increase casualties and, in turn, amplify international pressure on Israel.” They described Hamas’s underground system as “over 500 kilometers” long with “5,700 connective shafts, all integrated into the civilian infrastructure of the Gaza Strip.”

Reports have further indicated that Hamas and allied gangs seized control of about 85% of the aid trucks entering Gaza, which carried food, water, medicine, and other supplies. According to TPS-IL, Hamas distributed access to these convoys to gangs in exchange for cash, provisions, and vouchers. These gangs were paid $10,000 monthly to run checkpoints and secure Hamas’s control of aid.

On October 7, Hamas killed around 1,200 people and abducted 252 Israelis and foreigners from communities near the Gaza border. Of the 48 hostages still unaccounted for, it is believed that roughly 20 remain alive.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The federal government filed two lawsuits Thursday against Southern California Edison, alleging the utility’s equipment sparked fires including January’s Eaton Fire in the Los Angeles area, which destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed 17 people. “The lawsuits filed today allege a troubling pattern of negligence resulting in death, destruction, and tens of millions of federal taxpayer dollars spent to clean up one utility company’s mistakes,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said at a news conference Thursday. The filings allege that Edison failed to properly maintain its power and transmission infrastructure in the area where the Eaton Fire ignited on Jan. 7. It asks for more than $40 million in damages to the federal, state and local governments. Edison spokesperson Jeff Monford said the utility is reviewing the lawsuits. “We continue our work to reduce the likelihood of our equipment starting a wildfire,” Monford said. “Southern California Edison is committed to wildfire mitigation through grid hardening, situational awareness and enhanced operational practices.” The company has stated it operates three transmission towers in the Eaton Canyon area overlooking the unincorporated area of Altadena, which was ravaged by the fire. In early reports to the California Public Utility Commission, Edison has said it detected a “fault” on one of its transmission lines around the time that the Eaton Fire started. In a July 31 report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the utility said while it has “not conclusively determined” its equipment was responsible for the fire, there was “concerning circumstantial evidence” that suggests its transmission facilities in the area could have been associated with the starting of the fire. It also said it was “not aware of evidence pointing to another possible source of ignition,” according to the report cited in the lawsuit. Though the investigation into the fire is still ongoing, Essayli said the government is confident moving forward with the lawsuit, especially with fire season quickly approaching. “There’s no reason to wait,” Essayli said. “We believe that the evidence is clear that Edison is at fault, and by their own admissions, no one else is at fault.” A second lawsuit filed Thursday alleges that Edison’s negligence led to the sparking of the Fairview Fire in September 2022, which scorched the San Bernardino National Forest in Riverside County. According to the filing, a sagging power line in Hemet, California, operated by Edison came into contact with a Frontier Communications messenger cable, which created sparks and ignited the vegetation below. That fire burned more than 21 square miles (54 square kilometers) of forest, killing two people and destroying 44 structures. The government is seeking $37 million in damages incurred by the U.S. Forest Service. Essayli said he will seek terms that prevent Edison from paying for the lawsuits by raising their utility rates. Several Altadena residents who lost their homes sued Edison in January, days after the fire broke out. Their attorneys said at the time they believed Edison’s equipment caused it, pointing to video taken during the fire’s early minutes that showed a large blaze directly beneath electrical towers. Los Angeles County sued Edison in March, seeking hundreds of millions of dollars for costs and damages sustained from the blaze. (AP)

A Palestinian-American activist who has acted as an informal go-between for the Trump administration and Hamas said Wednesday that Washington has now put forward a final American framework aimed at both halting the fighting and securing the release of the hostages in Gaza.

Speaking to the Saudi broadcaster al-Arabiya, Bishara Bahbah explained, “There was a meeting in Washington that, according to what I know, lasted six hours, and it was decided that there would be one final proposal on the table: the release of all the [hostages] and an end to the war.”

Although Bahbah does not hold an official position in the U.S. delegation, he has been functioning as a messenger between Trump’s team and the Hamas leadership.

Earlier in the day, Hamas signaled it was prepared to consider a sweeping arrangement, but Israeli officials quickly dismissed that as a public relations maneuver.

In his remarks to al-Arabiya, Bahbah said he had “contacted Hamas about the matter [of a comprehensive deal], and they were skeptical — they didn’t know if it was something official.”

According to him, once Hamas leaders saw U.S. President Donald Trump post publicly about ending the conflict, they “were convinced it was official, and immediately responded that they agree to this deal.”

On Wednesday, Hamas issued a statement declaring its readiness “to enter into a comprehensive deal in which all enemy prisoners held by the resistance will be freed in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners held by the occupation.” In its own terminology, Hamas labels the hostages it abducted as prisoners.

The organization also said it would support the creation of “an independent national administration of technocrats” to govern Gaza.

Israel, meanwhile, has reiterated that five conditions must be satisfied for the war to be concluded: the liberation of all captives, Hamas’s disarmament, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, continued Israeli security oversight there, and “the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that does not indoctrinate for terror, does not dispatch terror, and does not threaten Israel.”

Hamas’s announcement followed a direct demand by Trump on his Truth Social platform: “Tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY give back all 20 Hostages (Not 2 or 5 or 7!), and things will change rapidly. IT WILL END!”

Trump’s post appeared to reference the figure Israel believes represents the number of living captives still held. Of the 48 total hostages, Israel has formally confirmed 26 deaths and expressed deep concerns about two others. Families of those confirmed dead have voiced anguish that any deal might abandon the remains of their loved ones in Gaza.

Bahbah stated that Trump is applying intense pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the U.S.-backed arrangement and terminate the conflict, a message he relayed directly to Hamas.

He argued that the war “could be ended in two weeks” if the parties engaged sincerely in the talks, adding that there are more “positive signs” now than at any previous stage.

Despite those comments, Israeli officials on Wednesday night dismissed Hamas’s declaration, with the IDF pressing forward with its operations in Gaza City.

“This is more spin by Hamas, containing nothing new,” the Prime Minister’s Office asserted.

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a similar response, urging Hamas to comply with Israel’s terms — chiefly the release of all hostages and disarmament — or else see Gaza City “become like Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” accusing the group of spreading “deceive and utter empty words.”

Reacting to Netanyahu and Katz, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid argued that while Israel need not yield to Hamas’s stipulations, it could not remain idle. “You can’t not even try to return our hostages home,” demanded Lapid, calling for immediate renewal of negotiations.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Shin Bet has privately warned top political leaders that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is unraveling, creating a volatile situation that could ignite a new wave of unrest in the West Bank, according to a Channel 12 report. In a series of recent closed-door briefings, senior Shin Bet officials sounded the alarm over the PA’s worsening financial and institutional crisis. “Unemployment is rising, security personnel are receiving little or no pay, and core functions are eroding,” one security source said. “These factors could trigger chaos and a flare-up.” The warning underscores growing fears within Israel’s security establishment that the fragile relative calm maintained in the West Bank over the past two years could be upended if the PA collapses. Despite political divisions, the Shin Bet has reportedly made clear that the PA’s survival is in Israel’s own interest. Agency officials have pressed the government to take steps to shore up the Palestinian governing body—including restoring tax revenues and funds that the Israeli cabinet decided to withhold earlier this year. “The collapse of the PA is not just their problem—it will quickly become ours,” one official was quoted as warning. Any move to channel funds back to the PA faces fierce opposition inside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has vowed to block efforts to ease the Authority’s crisis, arguing that the PA is corrupt, hostile to Israel, and undeserving of financial lifelines. While international allies strongly support stabilizing the PA, the government remains split, leaving Israel’s leadership caught between security imperatives and political ideology. The Shin Bet declined to comment on the Channel 12 report, saying only that it does not discuss internal deliberations. But the leaks point to a widening gap between Israel’s professional security establishment, which sees a functional PA as a strategic necessity, and hardline political leaders, who view any aid as a betrayal of principle. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Boro Park Jewish Community Council (BPJCC) has introduced a new financial literacy initiative designed to help local families build stronger financial futures. This free program responds to a growing need in the community, offering accessible tools and guidance to navigate everyday expenses with greater confidence. Nationwide, households now carry an unprecedented $18.39 trillion in total debt, including $1.21 trillion in credit card balances, according to the Federal Reserve. These challenges are sharply felt in Boro Park, where 57% of families are considered low-income and must manage tuition, simchas, and household expenses under mounting financial pressure. BPJCC’s program directly addresses these concerns, offering one-on-one coaching and practical workshops tailored to young couples and growing families. Financial coaches work to reduce intergenerational debt and equip households with the tools to achieve financial security. “This program isn’t only for families already seeking food assistance or other services,” explains Avi Greenstein, BPJCC CEO. “It’s designed to benefit everyone in our community — from struggling households to high earners. Every family deserves the peace of mind that comes with financial stability.” The program includes a six-session Financial Literacy Series that teaches couples how to manage budgets, plan for tuition and simchas, and develop long-term strategies for financial wellness. Sessions are offered in-person or virtually. A refundable deposit ensures commitment while keeping the program fully accessible. Senior Coach Shlomo Weiss, a Licensed Financial Advisor and Coach with more than 20 years of business experience, adds: “Our goal is to make financial literacy second nature in Boro Park, so families can manage their homes like small corporations and pass that knowledge down to the next generation.” This initiative is offered in partnership with the Orthodox Union’s Living Smarter Jewish program and is uniquely tailored to the needs of Boro Park families. Couples interested in joining the BPJCC’s Financial Literacy Program can sign up here or email sweiss@BPJCC.org with questions. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog traveled to the Vatican on Thursday, where he held an audience with Pope Leo XIV. During his visit, Herzog also sat down with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States.

Herzog used the meetings to emphasize Israel’s ongoing efforts to secure the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for nearly 700 days. He reminded the Vatican leaders that 48 hostages remain in captivity, underscoring the urgent danger to their lives and the deep suffering endured by their families. He urged stronger international involvement to expedite their release and appealed to the Pope to personally meet with the families of those still imprisoned.

The conversations also focused on the alarming rise in antisemitism around the world, as well as the need to safeguard minority populations in the Middle East. Herzog highlighted the vulnerabilities of Christian communities and the Druze population in Syria, while also affirming Israel’s commitment to the welfare of Christians living in Israel, Judea and Samaria, and Gaza. Vatican officials raised the issue of humanitarian concerns in Gaza, and both sides exchanged views on interfaith dialogue and a range of bilateral and regional issues.

As part of his visit, Herzog toured the Vatican Archives and Library, continuing the longstanding tradition of cultural and historical exchange between Israel and the Holy See.

At the conclusion of the visit, Herzog expressed his gratitude to the pontiff. “I am deeply thankful to Pope Leo XIV for the warm welcome today at the Vatican,” he said.

Turning to the ongoing war with Hamas, Herzog restated Israel’s determination to bring the hostages home. “Above all else, Israel is striving in every possible way to bring home the hostages held in brutal captivity by Hamas. Israel yearns for a day when the peoples of the Middle East – the Children of Abraham – will live together in peace, partnership, and hope.”

Appealing to religious leaders worldwide, Herzog urged collective action. “All leaders of faith and goodwill must stand united in calling for the immediate release of the hostages as the first and essential step toward a better future for the entire region.”

He also reaffirmed Israel’s unwavering commitment to religious freedom and the protection of Christians across the region. “The State of Israel is committed to freedom of religion for all faiths and determined to continue working for peace, tranquility, and stability throughout the region. Israel is proud of its Christian community and dedicated to ensuring the security and well-being of Christian communities in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East.”

Herzog concluded with praise for the Pope’s global influence in advancing peace. “The Pope’s inspiration and leadership in the struggle against hatred and violence, and in promoting peace around the world, is valued and vital. I look forward to deepening our cooperation for a better future of justice and compassion.”

{Matzav.com}

The Chords Bridge in Jerusalem lit up to honor the hostages still remaining in Gaza, as their 700th day in captivity will be marked this Shabbos.

Police say the suspect who triggered UMass Lowell lockdown Wednesday was a juvenile with a airsoft rifle.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during his visit to Ecuador, announced that the United States will designate the gangs Los Choneros and Los Lobos as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a move welcomed by President Daniel Noboa, who has also requested U.S. troops to help fight the gangs that have troubled the country since 2019.

New York’s attorney general moved Thursday to have the state’s highest court reinstate President Donald Trump’s staggering civil fraud penalty, appealing a lower-court decision that slashed the potential half-billion-dollar fine to $0. Attorney General Letitia James’ office filed a notice of appeal with the state’s Court of Appeals, seeking to reverse the mid-level Appellate Division’s ruling last month that the penalty violated the U.S. Constitution’s ban on excessive fines. James, a Democrat, had previously said she would appeal. Trump declared “TOTAL VICTORY” after the Appellate Division wiped away his fine, but the five-judge panel left other punishments in place and narrowly endorsed a trial court’s finding that he committed fraud by padding his wealth on financial paperwork given to banks and insurers. Trump, a Republican, filed his own appeal last week, asking the Court of Appeals to throw out those other punishments, which include a multiyear ban on him and his two eldest sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., from holding corporate leadership positions in New York. Those measures have been on hold during the appellate process and the Appellate Division judges said Trump can seek a court order to extend the pause pending further appeals. James’ appeal is the latest twist in a lawsuit she filed against Trump in 2022, which alleged that he inflated his net worth by billions of dollars on his financial statements and habitually misled banks and others about the value of prized assets, including golf courses, hotels, Trump Tower, and his Mar-a-Lago estate. After a trial that saw a sometimes testy Trump take the witness stand, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled last year that James had proven he engaged in a yearslong conspiracy with executives at his company to deceive banks and insurers about his wealth and assets. Engoron ordered Trump to pay $355 million — payback of what the judge deemed “ill-gotten gains” from his puffed-up financial statements. That amount soared to more than $515 million, including interest, by the time the Appellate Division ruled. The five-judge Appellate Division panel was sharply divided on many issues in Trump’s appeal, but a majority said the monetary penalty was “excessive.” “While harm certainly occurred, it was not the cataclysmic harm that can justify a nearly half billion-dollar award,” two of the judges wrote. (AP)

The wave of arrests targeting yeshiva students who have not reported to army induction centers continues. In the early hours of Thursday morning, military police arrived at the Bat Yam home of Neaanel Maor Yitzchak, a student of Yeshiva Hameyashar led by Rav Binayahu Shmueli, and took him into custody.

According to details that surfaced only later, the 2:30 a.m. arrest was connected to new draft orders issued after the expiration of Israel’s previous conscription law. The student had regularly filed deferments while the law was in effect. After its cancellation, he was summoned this past January but did not appear, following the guidance of leading rabbinic authorities.

Following his detention, Yitzchak was brought to the Tel Hashomer holding facility, where he faced a disciplinary hearing before a military officer and was sentenced to 20 days in prison. He was subsequently transferred to Prison 10 in Kfar Yona.

For more than a day after his arrest, no contact was possible. It then emerged that he had already been tried without legal representation. Under current procedures, detainees may only communicate with a lawyer before trial, or afterward if they themselves initiate contact from prison.

After receiving instructions through his family, Yitzchak finally made contact Thursday morning with his attorney, Shlomo Hadad. “This morning the young man reached out for the first time,” Hadad said. “We will pursue every legal avenue to shorten his detention.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

At least 19 U.N. employees were detained by the Iranian-backed Houthis during raids on U.N. offices in Yemen’s capital, the United Nations said Tuesday, a higher number than originally reported. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said 18 of those being held are Yemeni staffers and one is an international employee. He called for all to be released immediately. The raids were the latest in a long-running Houthi crackdown on the U.N. and other international organizations as well as diplomats working in rebel-held areas. Dujarric said the Houthis previously had detained 23 U.N. employees, holding some since 2021. U.N. special envoy Hans Grundberg just ended a visit to Oman’s capital, Muscat, where he met Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam and representatives of the diplomatic community, the U.N. spokesman said. Dujarric said the envoy reiterated the U.N.’s strong condemnation of the detentions and forced entry into its offices, warning that the Houthi action seriously endangers the U.N.’s ability to deliver aid to the people of Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country. (AP)

Israel issued a sharp warning to Paris on Thursday, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar telling his French counterpart that President Emmanuel Macron will not be welcome in Israel if France proceeds with its plan to unilaterally recognize Palestinian statehood this month. In a phone call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Sa’ar urged France to abandon the initiative, arguing that recognition of a Palestinian state outside of negotiations would destabilize the region and directly threaten Israel’s security interests. “Israel seeks good relations with France, but France must respect Israel’s position when it comes to matters essential to its security and future,” Sa’ar said, according to a statement from his office. He added that any Macron visit “has no place” while France continues to advance recognition. The warning follows a Kan report that Prime Minister Netanyahu had already conditioned a requested Macron visit on France shelving the recognition move — a demand the French leader reportedly rejected. France is one of several European powers considering unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood, a step Israel has long opposed, insisting statehood must come through direct negotiations. In addition to the dispute over Palestinian recognition, the two foreign ministers discussed the war in Gaza, the European snapback mechanism against Iran, developments in Lebanon, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, Sa’ar’s office said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An eight-year-old Gaza boy once claimed to have been killed by Israeli forces has been found alive, safe, and under protection after a weeks-long search led by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The boy, Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamde, known by his nickname Abboud, had been at the center of an explosive claim by former GHF contractor Tony Aguilar. Aguilar alleged Abboud—whom he mistakenly called “Amir”—was shot dead by the IDF outside a GHF aid site on May 28. His dramatic account, complete with bodycam footage and emotional testimony, spread rapidly across social media and even drew attention from U.S. lawmakers. But after a covert operation spanning months, GHF confirmed Abboud is very much alive. The boy and his mother, Najlaa, resurfaced at a GHF secure distribution site on August 23 before being quietly extracted from Gaza to an undisclosed location. GHF used facial recognition software, biometric scans, and eyewitness verification to confirm Abboud’s identity. Additional footage obtained by Fox News Digital shows the boy smiling and interacting with relief workers. “Outside the Gaza Strip is nice,” Abboud said in a translated interview verified by Fox News. According to The Daily Wire, Abboud had left his stepmother’s home in July and gone into hiding with Najlaa. GHF staff, including U.S. veterans and local operatives, tracked them down and secured their extraction. Rev. Johnnie Moore, GHF’s Executive Chair, called the outcome “a miracle of persistence.” “We are overjoyed and deeply relieved that Aboud is safe, and that this story ends in hope,” Moore said. “That outcome was never guaranteed, and it’s thanks to the courage of our team of American heroes. This could easily have ended in tragedy.” Moore also slammed the rush to judgment. “Too many people—including in the press—spread unverified claims without asking the most basic questions. When a child’s life is at stake, facts must matter more than headlines.” GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay confirmed Abboud and his mother remain in a secure, undisclosed location. “We will not be disclosing their whereabouts for their safety. We believe they are on their way to a new life,” Fay said. Aguilar’s original story unraveled under scrutiny. He offered contradictory versions of where the alleged shooting occurred—naming three separate aid distribution centers. GHF further noted that Aguilar’s job role and site restrictions would have made it impossible for him to witness the incident as described. The foundation also confirmed no record exists of IDF fire on civilians at any secure site on May 28. Aguilar, who was fired in June for poor performance and erratic behavior, has continued repeating his version despite mounting evidence it was false. The saga has underscored how unchecked narratives can spread misinformation globally, even reaching the halls of Congress, before facts catch up. GHF warned that reckless reporting can jeopardize not only its workers but also the civilians it serves. Despite the controversy, the foundation said it remains committed to its mission in Gaza. “Our priority,” Moore said, “is ensuring aid reaches those in need—and making sure truth cuts through the noise.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)