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Zohran Mamdani’s landslide election as New York City’s next mayor has sent shockwaves through the city’s real estate establishment, prompting a scramble among developers, landlords, and property organizations who now fear a political landscape they no longer control, Politico reported Sunday.

The incoming administration is preparing to unveil one of the most aggressive housing interventions in city history: a proposed four-year freeze on rents for nearly 1 million rent-stabilized units — homes occupied by roughly 2 million New Yorkers. According to Politico, Mamdani’s camp views the freeze as a lifeline for residents overwhelmed by soaring living costs, while building owners warn it could push thousands of regulated properties into insolvency.

Real estate interests are now bracing for open conflict. Once accustomed to shaping policy in both City Hall and Albany, industry leaders are exploring an array of defensive strategies. They are weighing potential lawsuits, lobbying maneuvers in the state legislature, and even urging outgoing Mayor Eric Adams to make last-minute appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board in an effort to slow Mamdani’s influence, the report said.

Landlords argue that many stabilized buildings are already struggling to stay afloat. They point to stagnant regulated rents paired with skyrocketing taxes, insurance premiums, and maintenance costs — a combination they say has destabilized their financial footing.

This intensifying battle marks the continuation of a political realignment years in the making. For decades, property owners held enormous sway, securing favorable outcomes through alliances with Republican state senators and close ties inside City Hall. That power structure collapsed after Democrats took full control of Albany in 2019 and passed sweeping tenant-rights legislation that closed off major avenues for rent increases or deregulation.

Meanwhile, tenant groups — driven by surging rents and a vacancy rate under 1% for apartments priced below $2,400 — have coalesced around Mamdani as a symbol of their frustration. His tongue-in-cheek shirt mocking Adams for raising his rent went viral, turning him into a champion of tenant activism.

Supporters of a freeze argue it is essential for preserving what remains of the city’s affordable housing stock. But critics say the real battle may be over process rather than ideology. The Rent Guidelines Board, which is required to base its decisions on annual financial data, will publish new findings this spring showing whether landlord incomes or expenses justify a freeze. Owner groups contend Mamdani is staking out a decision before the legally mandated numbers are even available — a move they claim could open the door to litigation.

Mamdani, for his part, has recently suggested that any freeze should be matched with relief on landlords’ most burdensome costs, including property taxes, water charges, and insurance — all of which owners argue have spiraled beyond reason. Even so, the essential divide remains unchanged: tenants are seeking stability, landlords are fighting for survival, and New York’s new left-wing mayor is signaling that renters will take precedence in the coming era.

{Matzav.com}

Argentinian President Javier Milei has formally launched what his government is calling the Isaac Accords, a framework designed to bind Latin American governments more closely to Israel through coordinated political, economic and cultural cooperation. The announcement came during a high-visibility meeting in Buenos Aires with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who is touring the region […]

U.S. and Ukrainian officials completed roughly four hours of talks Sunday aimed at finding an endgame to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters afterward that the session was productive but work remains in the search for a peace deal. “It’s not just about the terms that ends fighting,” […]

President Donald Trump reportedly delivered Nicolás Maduro a blunt ultimatum last week: flee Venezuela at once if you want to survive. According to a Miami Herald account, Trump conveyed the message during a tense private call with the embattled strongman — a conversation that collapsed in minutes after Maduro attempted to negotiate terms the U.S. would not accept.

Sources told the Herald that during their discussion, Maduro insisted he should be allowed to retain command of Venezuela’s armed forces even if he permitted free elections, and he also pushed for sweeping international amnesty for himself and his inner circle. Both requests were quickly dismissed by Trump, who countered with a stark proposal: leave the country now.

The collapse of the talks prompted anxious reactions in Washington, where lawmakers warned that the crisis fueled by Venezuelan-linked narcotics trafficking is already claiming massive American casualties. “We have a war that’s coming through fentanyl, through opioids, through cocaine,” US Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) told “Fox News Sunday,” calling attention to the deadly flow he says is tied to Maduro’s regime. “It killed 100,000 Americans last year,” he added. “That’s twice the number of people that died in eight years of Vietnam — 4,000 Pennsylvanians.”

After the failed call, Trump escalated pressure. He publicly declared Venezuela’s airspace “closed in its entirety” and ordered U.S. naval and Marine forces — including the USS Gerald R. Ford and an amphibious-capable Marine Expeditionary Unit — to maintain a presence offshore. Over the weekend, he cautioned that military operations could begin “very soon.”

Trump confirmed to reporters on Sunday that he had spoken with Maduro, remarking only, “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly.” According to the New York Times, the conversation occurred late in the week of Nov. 16, not long after Trump had signaled a willingness to engage directly with the socialist ruler.

Behind the scenes, U.S. and Venezuelan officials reportedly discussed what a lawful surrender might look like, given that the State Department has posted a $50 million reward for Maduro. Trump told Maduro that he, his wife, and his son could depart without harm — but that the exit needed to be immediate.

A source familiar with the call told the Herald, “First, Maduro asked for global amnesty for any crimes he and his group had committed, and that was rejected.” The source added, “Second, they asked to retain control of the armed forces — similar to what happened in Nicaragua in ’91 with Violeta Chamorro. In return, they would allow free elections.” That, too, was rejected, as the U.S. demanded a prompt resignation. The Herald also noted that amnesty was offered to Maduro’s senior allies if they agreed to step aside.

As diplomacy broke down, Trump vowed to confront Venezuela’s drug-trafficking networks “by land,” further setting the stage for a dangerous escalation. By Saturday, his social media declaration sealing Venezuela’s skies triggered alarm throughout the region. Flight-tracking maps soon reflected the change, with international aircraft avoiding Venezuelan airspace and rerouting flights to Aruba and Curaçao.

Compounding the tensions, major airlines suspended service after the FAA cited “heightened military activity in and around Venezuela.” Caracas retaliated by revoking operating permissions for Iberia, TAP, Avianca, Latam, Colombia, Turkish Airlines, and GOL, deepening the country’s isolation. Maduro and his allies accused Trump of “colonial” aggression and charged that Washington aims to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves through force.

McCormick defended Trump’s posture as a necessary strike against ruthless cartels. “When President Trump was running, he and I both campaigned on the same thing, which was [to] secure the border, designate the cartels as narco-terrorists, and use our military in a strategic-focused way to destroy this cartel infrastructure,” he said. “I think that’s what’s happening with Venezuela.”

The U.S. Secretary of the Navy likewise characterized the struggle as an outright war. “Drugs kill more Americans than we’ve ever lost in wars. So I think at the end of the day, the president has correctly identified this as an attack on the country, which it is,” John Phelan said on “My View with Lara Trump.” The CDC recorded over 105,000 overdose deaths in 2023 — nearly double the American fatalities in Vietnam.

Although the White House has pointed to Venezuelan gangs as key players in narcotics distribution, a 2019 DEA report noted that most fentanyl reaching the U.S. actually originates in Mexico, made with Chinese precursor chemicals. Venezuela was among 23 nations Trump designated in September as “major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries,” a list that also included China, India, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

Despite an expanding U.S. military posture in the Caribbean, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) emphasized that Trump has ruled out inserting U.S. troops into Venezuela. “No, he’s made it very clear we’re not going to put troops into Venezuela. What we’re trying to do is protect our own shores,” Mullin said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

For months, the administration has been carrying out aggressive maritime operations targeting alleged narco-vessels from Venezuela and neighboring states. At least 21 lethal strikes have been conducted so far. One mission has drawn particular scrutiny: a bombing near Trinidad in which survivors of a hit drug boat were allegedly killed in a subsequent “double tap” strike — an order attributed to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to “kill everybody,” which he denies. The operation has sparked congressional investigations and human rights outrage, with critics calling the killings extrajudicial.

{Matzav.com}

US envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow on Monday as part of ongoing efforts to advance Ukraine–Russia peace talks. According to Fox News, this trip comes amid growing momentum in negotiations involving U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, following recent rounds of discussions in Geneva and Florida.

President Donald Trump unleashed a blistering attack on Joe Biden and his top officials on Sunday, using a Truth Social post to charge that the administration’s approach to immigration and asylum has placed Americans in danger.

His comments came in the aftermath of a deadly incident involving two National Guard members—one killed and one critically wounded—in an attack authorities say was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the United States under Biden-era policies. Trump directly tied the tragedy to what he called reckless border management. “Crooked Joe Biden, [Alejandro] Mayorkas, and so-called ‘Border Czar’ Kamala Harris really screwed our Country by letting anyone and everyone come in totally unchecked and unvetted!” Trump posted.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, now faces charges for the killing of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom. Officials report that Lakanwal arrived in America as part of Operation Allies Welcome, the massive relocation effort created after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

On Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the program rushed tens of thousands of Afghans into the country before thorough screening could be completed, a problem she attributed to the rapid collapse of the Afghan government. According to Noem, Lakanwal’s case highlights the dangers created by those gaps, insisting he was allowed into the United States with insufficient vetting.

Mayorkas, whom Trump singled out in his post, served as Biden’s Homeland Security secretary throughout all four years of Biden’s term.

{Matzav.com}

A newly surfaced account from former Gaza hostage Segev Kalfon reveals harrowing details of his two years in Hamas captivity, marked by constant beatings, starvation, psychological torment, and repeated pressure from a Hamas battalion commander to convert to Islam. Kalfon, a 27-year-old baker from Dimona kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, spoke […]

Cat Murphy, a college student, has wanted to be a journalist since she was 11. Many of her friends don’t understand why. When they engage with the news — if they do — they hear a cacophony of voices. They don’t know who to believe. Reporters are biased. They make mistakes. Besides, why would you […]

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BREAKING VIDEO: Surveillance footage shows two possible suspects dumping a firearm, or multiple firearms, in a backyard on East 16th Street. The video appears to show both individuals holding weapons and discarding them as they flee through the property.

Reporter: How long does your admin plan to pause asylum? Trump: A long time. We don’t want them. We don’t want those people. You understand that? You know why? Because many of them are no good.

TRUMP: We’ve got to get BAD PEOPLE out of our Country, and FAST. What the Biden Administration, and a Rigged Election, did to the United States of America must never be forgotten.

The latest round of U.S.–Ukraine discussions stretched across four hours in Florida, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the session as “very productive,” even as he stressed that the path to ending Russia’s assault on Ukraine still requires considerable effort.

Rubio revealed that Steve Witkoff—President Donald Trump’s envoy for the negotiations—will outline the latest developments directly to Vladimir Putin during a trip to Moscow this week. He emphasized to reporters that the talks involve complicated dynamics: “There are a lot of moving parts, and obviously there’s another party involved here that will have to be a part of the equation, and that will continue later this week, when Mr. Witkoff travels to Moscow, although we’ve also been in touch in varying degrees with the Russian side, but we have a pretty good understanding of their views as well.” Rubio then cautioned, “Much work remains.”

According to Rubio, the discussions are not only focused on achieving a cessation of hostilities but also on shaping a lasting economic recovery for Ukraine. He characterized the American outlook as firmly grounded yet hopeful, noting that peace must come with a viable long-term future. “It’s not just about the terms that ends fighting,” he added. “It’s about also the terms that set up Ukraine for long-term prosperity. I think we build on that today, but there’s more work to be done.”

Representing the United States at this delicate moment were Rubio, Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. Their meeting took place as Ukraine simultaneously contends with Russian pressure on the battlefield and internal turmoil fueled by a corruption scandal. Diplomats on both sides have been targeting revisions to a draft plan developed in previous U.S.–Russia exchanges, a proposal that critics have argued leaned too far toward Moscow.

As the Sunday talks opened at the Shell Bay Club—Witkoff’s upscale development in Hallandale Beach—Rubio sought to reassure Kyiv: “The end goal is, obviously, not just the end of the war,” Rubio said. “But it’s also about securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity.” He reminded the participants that “This is not just about peace deals.”

Ukraine’s national security chief, Rustem Umerov, responded by expressing appreciation for American support—remarks clearly intended for Trump, who has sometimes said Ukraine has not shown enough gratitude. “U.S. is hearing us,” Umerov said. “U.S. is supporting us. U.S. is working beside us.” He repeated Ukraine’s thanks in brief comments to reporters afterward, though he offered no specifics regarding what was accomplished during the meeting. “Our objective is a prosperous, strong Ukraine,” Umerov said. “We discussed all the important matters that are important for Ukraine, for Ukrainian people, and U.S. was super supportive.”

Rubio added that U.S. goals extend beyond halting the war. “We also want to help Ukraine be safe forever, so never again will they face another invasion. And equally importantly, we want them to enter an age of true prosperity,” he said, describing a future in which Ukraine is rebuilt stronger than before.

The shake-up in Kyiv’s negotiating team added another layer to the talks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, whose home was searched by anti-corruption authorities investigating a sprawling kickback scheme that siphoned $100 million from the energy sector. Yermak had been Ukraine’s lead negotiator, meeting with Rubio in Geneva just a week earlier.

Ukraine’s delegation in Florida included top military commander Andrii Hnatov and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz, who joined Umerov in attempting to advance a reworked peace proposal. The initial framework—which Trump has more recently downplayed as merely a “concept” or “map” in need of being “fine-tuned”—had envisioned restricting Ukraine’s military, barring NATO entry, and mandating elections within 100 days. It also originally called for surrendering the Donbas region entirely to Russia, something Ukraine has rejected. Negotiators say changes have been made, but details remain scarce.

Trump said Tuesday that Witkoff—and possibly Kushner as well—would travel to Moscow in the coming days for another round of talks with Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Russian state TV that Putin will host Witkoff before departing for India on Thursday. Witkoff and Kushner, both seasoned dealmakers from the real estate world, previously helped craft a 20-point proposal that produced a ceasefire in Gaza.

Zelenskyy posted on X that his delegation intended to “swiftly and substantively work out the steps needed to end the war.” In his Saturday night address, he praised the American team, saying the U.S. side was “demonstrating a constructive approach.” He added: “In the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end.”

Events on the ground underscored the urgency. Missile and drone strikes around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded many more, according to Ukrainian officials. Additional overnight attacks into Sunday left one dead and 19 injured—including children—after a drone slammed into a nine-story apartment building in Vyshhorod. Zelenskyy later reported on Telegram that Russia launched 122 strike drones and ballistic missiles. “Such attacks occur daily. This week alone, Russians have used nearly 1,400 strike drones, 1,100 guided aerial bombs and 66 missiles against our people. That is why we must strengthen Ukraine’s resilience every day. Missiles and air defense systems are necessary, and we must also actively work with our partners for peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We need real, reliable solutions that will help end the war,” he added.

Another flashpoint emerged after Ukraine claimed responsibility for striking a major oil terminal at Novorossiysk, operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Kazakhstan criticized the attack, warning Kyiv that such actions jeopardize bilateral relations. “We view what has occurred as an action harming the bilateral relations of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine, and we expect the Ukrainian side to take effective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said.

The Florida meeting ended without public disclosure of specific breakthroughs, but both sides suggested the pieces are beginning to shift—just as the U.S. envoy prepares to sit down with Putin in Moscow.

{Matzav.com}

Grand Siyum on Seder Moed Held by “Oraysa” at D-City With Participation of Gedolei Yisroel [PHOTOS] A major celebration marking the completion of Seder Moed by the “Oreyta” organization was held at the D-City halls, drawing the participation of leading Gedolei Yisroel and hundreds of participants. The uplifting event, produced by Eliezer Maklev, featured powerful […]

A new NBC News survey reveals a sharp deterioration in the public’s confidence in the value of a bachelor’s degree, with a solid majority now saying the investment simply doesn’t add up. The latest findings show that more than 6 in 10 registered voters believe a four-year college education is no longer worth what students are expected to pay.

Only 33% of respondents still view a degree as a sound investment — a staggering 20-point collapse since June 2013. In that same time span, the proportion who say a college degree has lost its value has soared to 63%, a rise of 23 points over twelve years.

The downward trend spans nearly every demographic category, according to the poll, signaling a broad rethinking of the role — and price — of higher education. What was once a bipartisan belief has fractured dramatically.

Republican voters, once more favorable toward college, have seen the most dramatic reversal. Ten years ago, 55% of Republicans said a four-year degree was worthwhile, compared to 38% who said it wasn’t. Today, that sentiment has flipped entirely: only 22% see the degree as worthwhile, while 74% now say it is not.

Across the full sample, most respondents agreed with the statement that college is “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off,” as the survey phrased it.

One of the clearest drivers of this shift is the relentless rise in tuition. When adjusted for inflation, College Board data shows that in-state tuition at public universities has doubled since 1995, and private college tuition has climbed 75% in that same period, NBC News reported.

Economist Preston Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute attributed the skepticism to outcomes that simply don’t justify the cost for many students. “Some people drop out, or sometimes people end up with a degree that is not worth a whole lot in the labor market, and sometimes people pay way too much for a degree relative to the value of what that credential is,” he told NBC News. He added, “These cases have created enough exceptions to the rule that a bachelor’s degree always pays off, so that people are now more skeptical.”

NBC News polled 1,000 registered voters between Oct. 24 and 28. The margin of error is +/– 3.1 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

The Pentagon’s investigation of Sen. Mark Kelly over a video that urges American troops to defy “illegal orders” has raised a slew of questions, and some criticism, from legal experts. Some say the Pentagon is misreading military law to go after Kelly as a retired Navy fighter pilot. Others say the Arizona Democrat cannot be prosecuted as a member […]

Across our communities, many couples are quietly carrying emotional burdens behind closed doors. Misunderstandings, stress, and distance can build over time—even in good marriages. Many couples have tried different communication tips, books, or programs, yet still feel that something deeper isn’t being reached.   That is why a growing number of Rabbanim and frum mental-health […]

Naftali Bennett declared that he would back a pardon for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, provided it comes as part of a deal removing Netanyahu from the political arena. His announcement appeared on X, where he cast Israel’s current climate as dangerously unstable.

Bennett argued that the country has been pushed to the edge by deep internal fractures. “In recent years, the State of Israel has been led into chaos and to the brink of a civil war that threatens the very existence of the state,” he writes on X. He framed Netanyahu stepping aside as the key to national reset, insisting that Israelis must end the ongoing legal and political battles.

He laid out his proposal plainly. “In order to rescue Israel from the chaos, I will support a binding arrangement that includes a respectful retirement from political life alongside the end of the trial,” he says. “That way, we can let it go, unite, and rebuild the state together.” Bennett portrayed such an agreement as both a practical and moral way to move the country forward.

The context behind Bennett’s stance is rooted in recent political history. He and Yair Lapid headed the short-lived coalition that removed Netanyahu from office for a year and a half beginning in 2021, only for Netanyahu to return after his bloc prevailed in the 2022 vote. Surveys since then have routinely suggested that a new slate led by Bennett could outperform Netanyahu in the next contest, which must take place by next October.

{Matzav.com}

In a wide-ranging conversation with Channel 12, attorney Micha Fettman — who once served on Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s defense team — laid out why President Isaac Herzog is legally barred from granting Netanyahu a pardon unless the prime minister does something he has repeatedly refused to do: admit guilt. As Fettman put it plainly, “A pardon is given to an offender – that’s what the law stipulates.”

Fettman pointed to the 1984 Bus 300 case as the closest historical comparison, noting that it involved one of the only pre-trial pardons in Israeli legal history. But even that exceptional episode, he stressed, required full acknowledgment of responsibility. The Shin Bet agents involved had conceded what they had done before receiving clemency from then-president Chaim Herzog.

That affair centered on two Palestinian terrorists who attempted to hijack an intercity bus carrying dozens of Israelis. After the hijacking was foiled, agents captured the terrorists alive, executed them in custody, and subsequently lied about the incident. When the truth emerged, it triggered a national scandal, senior resignations, and a criminal investigation — ultimately ending with presidential pardons before the trial even began.

Fettman underscored that even in that extraordinary situation, the High Court was emphatic that admitting guilt was a non-negotiable condition. He added that “there’s no way on earth” the attorney general or state prosecution would advise President Herzog to pardon Netanyahu without the same requirement.

He noted that on the rare occasions when presidents issued pardons contrary to the Justice Ministry’s position, it was always for severely ill private citizens — never for a sitting prime minister facing corruption charges.

His remarks surfaced just as Netanyahu submitted a massive 111-page pardon request to the president, accompanied by a personal letter arguing that clemency would enable him to focus exclusively on leading Israel “in these critical times” and “would help mend rifts between different sectors of the public.” Netanyahu did not acknowledge guilt, offer remorse, or retreat from his longstanding claim that the prosecution against him is fundamentally flawed.

Fettman, who stepped down from Netanyahu’s legal defense team five years ago, suggested that by framing the request as one made “for the good of the country,” Netanyahu may have inadvertently opened the door for Herzog to conclude that the national interest could require conditions — including the possibility of Netanyahu stepping down from public life.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu publicly reiterated that he would not consider seeking a pardon if it required admitting guilt.

Netanyahu currently faces charges across three separate cases, including one count of bribery and three counts each of fraud and breach of trust. His trial, which began in 2020, remains far from conclusion, and he continues to adamantly deny every allegation against him.

{Matzav.com}

Newly unsealed intelligence files released by Argentine President Javier Milei have exposed how Josef Mengele Yemach Sehemam— Auschwitz’s “Angel of Death” and one of history’s most reviled Nazi war criminals — lived freely and comfortably in Argentina for nearly a decade after World War II. The documents paint a damning picture of a government that […]