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A new initiative in Queens is set to create a lasting public tribute to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as to the survivors who built new lives in New York. Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams joined Queens Borough President Donovan Richards on Tuesday to unveil plans for the “Queens Holocaust Memorial,” which will rise on the landscaped grounds of Queens Borough Hall.

According to the mayor’s office, the project is intended to function as a year-round space for education, remembrance, and communal reflection. The memorial will be formally sited on Borough Hall property, with the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services handling the official designation process in concert with community and civic partners.

The city and the Queens Borough President’s office have put forward a combined $3 million to move the project from concept to reality. DCAS will coordinate the logistics, while the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ “Percent for Art” program will run the artist selection process, working closely with historians, cultural experts, and survivors to shape the final design.

Plans call for a commemorative garden and a central public artwork that will anchor the memorial. Once in motion, the design phase will invite artists to propose concepts that honor memory while speaking to today’s challenges.

“It is not enough to say ‘never again’ – we have to live it with our actions too. By preserving the stories of both victims and survivors, by creating a permanent space for remembrance and reflection, by promoting understanding and solidarity across generations, this memorial will live out the meaning of ‘never again,’” said Mayor Adams.

He continued by stressing the city’s broader mission. “As our city and our country confront the rising tide of antisemitism, our administration will not remain silent. We will use our office to call out hate wherever we find it, encourage compassion wherever we need it, and create a city where everyone can live side by side in harmony.”

Richards echoed that sentiment, tying the project to the increasing need for vigilance and truth in the face of modern distortions. “No matter how much time passes since the evils of the Holocaust, New York City’s commitment to the pledge of ‘Never Again’ must never waver. That is why, in the face of rising tides of heinous anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial across our society, I could not be prouder to lead this effort alongside the administration and the Queens’ Jewish community in creating this critically important memorial here at Queens Borough Hall,” he said.

He noted that the borough feels a profound responsibility to honor those who settled here after the war. “The Queens Holocaust Memorial will not only pay a touching tribute to the six million innocent Jews murdered by the Nazis and the survivors who settled in our borough afterward, but it will also serve as daily inspiration for our fight to forge a future free of antisemitism. I thank all our city and community partners for their commitment to see this memorial through.”

Moshe Davis of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism underscored the broader context. “When hate crimes, vandalism, and extremist rhetoric targeting Jewish communities are happening both nationally and globally, this memorial will stand not only as a powerful testament to those lost and to those who rebuilt, but also as a rebuke to intolerance and a reminder of our imperative to confront hatred with moral clarity,” he said.

New York remains home to the largest population of Holocaust survivors of any city in the world. After liberation, thousands made their way to the city, and many put down roots in Queens, contributing to the borough’s growth, shaping its institutions, and strengthening Jewish life across the metropolitan area.

The original push for the project came from the Queens Jewish Community Council, which partnered with local rabbonim, civic organizations, and neighborhood leaders to advocate for a dedicated site. The City will issue a DCAS assignment letter to formally designate the space for the memorial, after which the Queens Jewish Community Council will take the lead on further private fundraising to support the artwork and garden.

Once completed, this will stand as the first major Holocaust memorial in Queens. It is expected to host remembrance gatherings, school programs, and educational events that bring together New Yorkers of all backgrounds to learn, reflect, and confront hate with unity and clarity.

{Matzav.com}

The Australian government said young children will be banned from social media next month as scheduled despite a rights advocacy group on Wednesday challenging the world-first legislation in court. The Sydney-based Digital Freedom Project said it had filed a constitutional challenge in the High Court on Wednesday to a law due to take effect on […]

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A Namibia local politician whose name mirrors that of the Nazi dictator is on track to secure another electoral victory — and he maintains that the infamous name was given to him without any understanding of its horrific legacy. Adolf Hitler Uunona, 59, is expected to win reelection on Nov. 26 in the country’s north, where he previously dominated the 2020 vote with an overwhelming 85% share.

Uunona, a member of the left-wing Swapo party, became an international curiosity after his landslide win in the Ompundja constituency four years ago. The renewed spotlight brought questions about his name, prompting him to clarify its origins.

His father “probably didn’t understand what Adolf Hitler stood for. As a child, I saw it as a totally normal name,” he told the German outlet Bild in 2020.

He said that only later in life did he realize the weight attached to the name. “Only as I grew up did I understand this man wanted to conquer the whole world. I have nothing to do with any of these things,” he added.

Though his wife still refers to him as Adolf, Uunona generally avoids using the “Hitler” portion of his name in public settings. Still, he has no intention of altering it.

“It’s in all official documents. It’s too late for that,” he told Bild.

Namibia’s history as a former German colony has left many Germanic names embedded in the country’s geography and culture, and names such as Adolf remain fairly common.

In 2020, a vehicle in Oshana — Uunona’s home region — drew attention when it was photographed with “Adolf Hitler” and a Nazi swastika slapped across its rear window. Uunona distanced himself from the disturbing display, noting that the car was not his and that he had no involvement with the offensive imagery.

{Matzav.com}

A newly surfaced recording has shed light on behind-the-scenes maneuvering between President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, revealing guidance on how Russia could appeal to Trump personally while shaping negotiations over a possible Ukraine settlement. Bloomberg obtained a transcript of the Oct. 14 exchange, in which the two discussed preparations for a potential call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the brief conversation, Witkoff proposed that the Kremlin open with praise for Trump before turning to the substance of the peace framework. He emphasized that the Russian side should kick off any conversation by highlighting Trump’s accomplishments and expressing admiration.

“I would make the call and just reiterate that you congratulate the president on this achievement, that you supported it, supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace, and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen,” Witkoff said.

Ushakov, appearing to embrace the suggestion, responded, “Hey Steve, I agree with you that he will congratulate, he will say that Mr. Trump is a real peace man, and so and so. That he will say.”

Witkoff also walked Ushakov through what he believed would ultimately be required to secure a deal, arguing that some form of territorial compromise was unavoidable. He told the Kremlin adviser, “Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere.”

At the same time, he encouraged Ushakov to keep the tone of their joint messaging more positive, adding, “But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here.”

Witkoff pointed to his prior work on the 20-point Gaza peace proposal and urged Moscow to consider a similar model for the Ukraine negotiations. “We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace, and I’m thinking maybe we do the same thing with you,” he said.

The exchange took place just days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington for talks at the White House. Witkoff urged Ushakov to arrange a conversation between Trump and Putin before that meeting. “I will go to that meeting because they want me there, but I think if possible, we have the call with your boss before that Friday meeting,” he said.

Asked about the leaked audio, Trump said he had not yet heard it, but insisted that the nature of the discussion reflected routine diplomatic work. “That’s a standard thing. He’s got to sell this to Ukraine, he’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia, that’s what a dealmaker does. You got to say, look, you want this, you got to convince them of this,” Trump told reporters.

“That’s a very standard form of negotiation. I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was a standard negotiation, and I would imagine he would say the same thing to Ukraine, cause each party has to give and take,” he continued.

The dynamics hinted at in the call matched the general contours of the 28-point peace plan later advanced by Trump’s team — a proposal widely criticized for provisions heavily favoring Moscow’s interests. Those elements included Ukraine relinquishing the full Donbas region, scaling back its military by one-third, and dropping its pursuit of NATO membership.

However, following pressure from American and Ukrainian officials, the proposal was cut down to 19 points and no longer required Ukraine to surrender parts of the Donbas that Russia has failed to seize in more than 11 years of conflict.

Moscow is expected to reject the revised agreement, making it increasingly likely that the war will continue at least through Dec. 25.

{Matzav.com}

A ben yeshivah who learns in Beit Shemesh was arrested early Wednesday afternoon by the military authorities and taken into custody, Kikar H’Shabbat reported. According to the report, unlike recent arrests, the arrested yeshivah bochur is Ashkenazi. The student learns at Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Beit Shemesh, and he was arrested at the police station. […]

Thirteen people were killed in a fire that spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex, and others were still trapped, the city’s fire services said Wednesday. Nine people were declared dead at the scene and four others who were sent to the hospital were later confirmed dead, authorities told reporters. […]

A major test is already landing on Zohran Mamdani’s doorstep before he even sets foot inside City Hall: whether he’ll sign off on a sweeping salary hike for himself and the City Council. The proposal, driven by Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-Queens), seeks an increase of more than 16% for New York’s elected officials and is positioned to reach Mamdani once he becomes mayor on Jan. 1.

Williams had initially hoped to muscle the bill through before the new administration arrived. But that effort fizzled fast when lawmakers realized they were legally barred from voting on pay raises during the post-election stretch, forcing them to abandon the accelerated timeline.

The scramble raised suspicions across City Hall. Some insiders speculated that council members were trying to either bypass Mamdani entirely or shield him from making an awkward early call on elected officials’ pay.

“The only thing is I think they are worried that the mayor-elect won’t do it,” said Kalman Yeger, a Democratic state Assemblyman and former council member. “They are afraid if they pass it in January and he’d have to veto. How does the mayor-elect justify it, saying the working man can’t afford milk? He can’t sign off to give them a $20,000 raise.”

The legislation Williams unveiled already has a crowded roster of supporters — 32 co-sponsors — including several of Mamdani’s closest political allies: Crystal Hudson, Lincoln Restler and Chi A. Ossé, all Brooklyn Democrats.

But even with that backing, the bill creates an uncomfortable dilemma for the new mayor, who campaigned as a champion of affordability and working-class families. Approving it would signal, critics say, that “making New York more affordable for the political class” is his first priority — as one well-connected source joked.

Under the proposal, the City Council would receive its first salary increase in nearly ten years, lifting its overall payroll from $7.5 million to $8.8 million. Individual members would see their pay rise from $148,500 to $172,500.

And council members wouldn’t be the only ones cashing in. The raises apply across the top ranks of city government, including the mayor, public advocate and borough presidents. For Mamdani, that would mean a jump from $258,750 to $300,500. Comptroller pay would rise from $210,000, the public advocate from $184,000, and borough presidents from $180,000 — each climbing 16% under the bill.

The timing of the push followed growing frustration from several lawmakers who say their salaries have been frozen since 2016 while other city employees have seen steady increases. Williams brought those complaints into the open when she introduced the bill — a move first reported by the New York Daily News.

Her plan to engineer a December vote, however, evaporated when officials noted the city charter blocks any pay decisions between Election Day and January 1. That obstacle forced her to pivot and schedule a hearing instead, which she argued preserves the bill into the next legislative session.

“If we have a hearing on the bill this year, we don’t need a hearing on it next year. It’s pre-considered,” Williams told The NY Post Tuesday.

Asked whether council leadership intended to pass the salary hike early in the new year, Williams was blunt: “That’s the goal.”

Outgoing Speaker Adrienne Adams, who exits office at year’s end, shifted blame toward Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams for letting the pay issue languish. Whether she believes the bill should move forward now, she wouldn’t say, offering only a shrug on her way out the door.

“I’m out of here. I’m out,” she said. “That’s something for the new members.”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF will begin routinely monitoring the social media accounts of all regular-service soldiers as part of a renewed effort to prevent the exposure of sensitive security information to Israel’s enemies. According to a report on Army Radio, the new system—”Morpheus”—is based on artificial intelligence technology and is programmed to scan the public accounts of […]

President Donald Trump’s chief interlocutor with the Russian government last month advised a senior aide to Vladimir Putin on how the Russian leader should go about pitching the U.S. president on a peace plan aimed at bringing an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a transcript of the call published by Bloomberg News […]

New York State officials say the massive rollout of Inflation Refund Checks is now largely complete, with more than 8.2 million payments delivered to residents across the state in an effort to counter rising living costs. Governor Kathy Hochul said the initiative is already putting much-needed cash back into the hands of families feeling the squeeze.

“Today marks the day that over 8.2 million inflation refund checks have been mailed out, putting money back into the pockets of individuals across the state. We followed through on our commitment to deliver meaningful relief to hard-working New Yorkers, and will continue to look for additional opportunities to deal with the nation’s ongoing affordability challenge,” Hochul said.

The administration noted that the Inflation Refund Check program — established as part of the FY 2026 State Budget — stands as the largest direct-aid package ever undertaken by New York State. The effort represents $2.2 billion in unrestricted, household-level relief.

Although most checks have already arrived, state officials say the Tax Department is still processing the eligibility of additional residents, which means more payments will roll out in smaller batches over the next few weeks.

Every corner of the state has now received its share of the funding, according to data provided by the Governor’s Office. That includes 585,000 recipients in Western New York getting $152.7 million; 513,000 in the Finger Lakes drawing $134.3 million; and 251,000 residents in the Southern Tier receiving $66.7 million. Central New York saw 321,000 checks totaling $83.8 million, while the Mohawk Valley’s 198,000 beneficiaries collected $52.4 million.

North Country recipients numbered 156,000, with $42.4 million distributed. The Capital Region saw 475,000 people receive $122.8 million, and Mid-Hudson residents received $234.2 million across 924,000 households. New York City accounted for the largest portion — 3,536,000 recipients and $828.8 million — while Long Island saw 1,251,000 checks totaling $316.4 million. Altogether, more than 8.21 million New Yorkers have received just over $2 billion to date.

State officials emphasized that these refund checks represent just one component of Hochul’s broader Affordability Agenda. That agenda also includes cutting middle-class tax rates to their lowest point in seven decades, expanding the Child Tax Credit to as much as $1,000 per child, and implementing universal free school meals — a move projected to save families about $1,600 per child each year.

{Matzav.com}

Combat forces from the Nachal Brigade are continuing their pursuit of terrorists trapped in tunnels in the eastern Rafah area, within the Yellow Line zone under Israeli control, the IDF spokesperson stated. Dozens of terrorists were trapped underground in Rafah tunnels after the ceasefire went into effect. On Wednesday morning, IDF surveillance soldiers spotted six […]

As a general rule, it’s difficult to sue the U.S. Postal Service for lost, delayed or mishandled mail. But a case before the U.S. Supreme Court involving a Texas landlord who alleges her mail was deliberately withheld for two years is looking to challenge that, in a proceeding the cash-strapped Postal Service says could prompt a deluge of lawsuits over the […]

Senior defense officials presented alarming data to the Cabinet in recent days, revealing that Hamas has resumed almost full control of the Gaza Strip, Channel 13 reported Tuesday evening. Senior IDF officers said, “We cannot ignore the fact that Hamas is strengthening and rebuilding its capabilities in Gaza. Israel must build its own independent operational […]

A driver accused of injuring more than 100 people by ramming his car into a crowd of soccer fans celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League championship dramatically changed his plea to guilty as his trial got underway on Wednesday. Paul Doyle, 54, sobbed as he admitted dangerous driving and multiple counts of attempting or causing grievous bodily […]

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IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police forces launched a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the northern Shomron, a joint IDF-Shin Bet statement said on Wednesday morning. Israeli forces launched the operation overnight Tuesday, surrounding the villages with the support of combat helicopters. Security officials have identified a significant buildup of terrorist activity in the “five-villages” area […]

The Military Police arrived at the home of a ben yeshivah overnight Tuesday, again from the Sephardi community, in Ramat Gan—near Bnei Brak. Hotlines associated with Peleg Yerushalmi alerted hundreds of protesters, who arrived at the scene and confronted the police. Clashes ensued, and the protesters overturned a Miliatry Police car.  Eventually, Border Police forces […]

Israeli officials informed the family of Dror Or late last night that his remains had been brought back to Israel, following forensic verification by specialists. The announcement came nearly 16 months after Or was murdered and abducted by Hamas terrorists from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7, 2023 atrocities.

According to Israeli authorities, Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed it had “found” Or’s body in the Nuseirat area of central Gaza on Monday. On Tuesday afternoon, Islamic Jihad and Hamas transferred the remains to the Red Cross, which subsequently delivered them to the IDF inside Israel.

With Or’s return, only two bodies of murdered hostages are still being held inside Gaza: Master Sgt. Ran Gvili and Thai citizen Sudthisak Rinthalak.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Office expressed solidarity with the bereaved. “The Israeli government shares in the deep sorrow of the Or family and of all the families of the fallen hostages,” the PMO said.

The statement underscored that Israel will continue pressing until the final two victims are recovered. It noted that the state is “determined, committed, and working tirelessly” to retrieve their bodies, adding that Hamas is “required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement.”

{Matzav.com}