New York
President Donald Trump commuted the seven-year prison sentence of former Rep. George Santos on Friday, immediately releasing the disgraced New York Republican from the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey, where he had been held since July.
Santos, expelled from Congress in December 2023 amid scandals, pleaded guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people, including family members, to fund his campaign. Trump announced the decision in a Truth Social post, describing Santos as “somewhat of a ‘rogue’” but asserting he had been “badly mistreated” through solitary confinement and a disproportionate penalty. “There are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison,” Trump wrote, emphasizing Santos’ consistent Republican voting record. The commutation followed appeals from allies. Santos’ lawyer confirmed his release around 11 p.m., greeted by family, though he faces ongoing restitution and supervised release.
A box truck collided with a parked work van on Eighth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan around 4 p.m. on Monday, propelling the van onto the sidewalk and striking pedestrians before crashing into a building at West 30th Street. The incident injured at least 10 people, including one in critical condition, though FDNY officials confirmed all injuries were non-life-threatening and no one was trapped. Emergency responders transported the victims to Bellevue and Mount Sinai hospitals for treatment, with no structural damage reported to the building. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated the driver lost control of the vehicle while heading north, but preliminary investigations found no evidence of intentional misconduct or terrorism.
New York City Republican billionaire John Catsimatidis, CEO of WABC Radio and a former mayoral candidate, publicly urged GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa to withdraw from the mayoral race and endorse independent Andrew Cuomo in a last-ditch effort to consolidate opposition against Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. Speaking on WABC’s Sid Rosenberg show on Monday, Catsimatidis praised Sliwa as the strongest candidate but argued his continued run risks splitting the anti-Mamdani vote, potentially handing the socialist a victory with just over two weeks until Election Day. “Curtis has to realize that he should love New York more than anything else, and it certainly looks like Curtis should pull out right now,” Catsimatidis said, adding that such a move would position Sliwa as a “hero” for prioritizing the city’s future over personal ambition. Sliwa, polling at 14 percent behind Mamdani’s 42 percent and Cuomo’s 28 percent, firmly rejected the plea, insisting in a Fox News interview that he represents working-class voters and will not bow to billionaire pressure. Cuomo, who successfully pressured Mayor Eric Adams to exit last month, dismissed Sliwa as a “shock jock” unlikely to win and predicted his support would naturally shift. The appeal joins calls from figures like Bill Ackman and Joe Lhota, highlighting GOP desperation to block Mamdani’s progressive agenda on housing and policing. Early voting begins Saturday, with analysts noting a tight Cuomo-Mamdani race if Sliwa drops out.
A newborn baby girl was found abandoned at the bottom of a staircase in Penn Station during Monday morning rush hour, wrapped in a blanket and alert, prompting NYPD to launch an immediate investigation into the parents’ identity. The infant, discovered around 9:30 a.m. by a passerby near the southbound 1/2/3 platform at West 34th Street and Seventh Avenue, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital by FDNY paramedics and listed in stable condition with no apparent injuries. Police Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny described the discovery as a “miracle on 34th Street,” noting the umbilical cord was still attached, indicating she was hours old.
Thousands of Satmar chasidim from rival factions led by Rabbis Aaron and Zalman Teitelbaum converged on Second Avenue outside the Israeli Consulate in Manhattan on Sunday evening, staging a massive rally against Israel’s proposed military draft law targeting yeshiva students. The demonstration, dubbed the “Cry of the Exile,” drew an estimated 10,000 to 30,000 participants in a rare show of unity, organized by the Central Rabbinical Congress amid the recent ceasefire in Gaza. Protesters waved signs reading “We would rather die as Jews than live as Zionist soldiers” and “Stop terrorizing religious Jews,” condemning the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling to end longstanding exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men. Rabbis addressed the crowd from atop cranes, decrying the arrest of students “for the crime of studying Torah” and accusing authorities of abducting youth into the army.
A federal magistrate judge in New York lifted travel restrictions on Mahmoud Khalil, enabling the pro-Palestinian activist and green card holder to attend rallies and events nationwide as he challenges the Trump administration’s deportation efforts. Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and prominent figure in 2024 campus protests against the Gaza war, was arrested by ICE agents on March 8 as the first such detainee in Trump’s crackdown on activists. An immigration judge in Louisiana ruled last month that Khalil could be deported for omitting details on his green card application about past associations, including work with a UN agency aiding Palestinians and employment at the British Embassy in Lebanon. His attorney, Alina Das, argued during a virtual hearing that unrestricted travel supports First Amendment rights to address public concerns. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hammer granted the request, noting Khalil’s full compliance with release conditions and low flight risk, while requiring 48-hour notice to ICE for interstate trips. The government opposed the motion, suggesting telephonic participation instead. Khalil, released from Louisiana detention in June after missing his first child’s birth, remains protected from removal pending his habeas corpus petition in New Jersey.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation on October 16 prohibiting New York landlords and property managers from using algorithm-based software to set rental prices, addressing concerns over collusion that artificially inflates housing costs amid a severe affordability crisis. The bill deems such practices unlawful price-fixing, treating users as colluding even without explicit agreement, and aligns with a 2024 U.S. Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit against RealPage for enabling rent hikes. New York joins California and Connecticut as states banning these tools, with Jersey City implementing a municipal prohibition earlier this year.
U.S.
Four yeshiva students were killed early Sunday morning in a head-on collision on the New Jersey Turnpike near Exit 1 in Carneys Point Township, when a pickup truck driven by Christopher Neff of Colorado entered the southbound lanes traveling northbound and struck their Mazda SUV. The victims, all around 18 to 19 years old, included Yaakov Kilberg, the 19-year-old driver from Lakewood, New Jersey, and passengers Aharon Nosson Lebovitz, 18, Shlomo Abba Cohen, 18, also from Lakewood, and Chaim Simcha Grossman, 18, from South Fallsburg, New York. The group, students at local yeshivas including Kerem Shlomo and Rabbi Feigenbaum’s institutions, was returning from a short vacation in Tennessee ahead of resuming classes. Neff, suspected of driving under the influence, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and faces charges including vehicular homicide and DWI. Levayos took place Sunday afternoon in Lakewood, drawing thousands in mourning. The New Jersey State Police are investigating.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 on Monday that President Donald Trump can federalize and deploy Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, overturning a lower court order that had blocked the action amid ongoing protests near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. The decision, authored by Trump appointees Judges Ryan Nelson and Bridget Bade, emphasized judicial deference to the president’s military judgments, which permits federalization to suppress rebellion or execute federal laws when regular forces prove insufficient. The panel acknowledged Trump’s social media descriptions of Portland as “war-ravaged” may exaggerate unrest but noted evidence of persistent demonstrations requiring federal intervention, including surges in law enforcement support. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Portland officials immediately sought a rehearing, with a vote pending by Wednesday. The ruling applies only to Oregon troops for now, as a separate injunction on out-of-state units remains, though the administration expects its dissolution.
A federal grand jury in Maryland indicted former national security adviser John Bolton on October 16 on 18 counts related to the mishandling of classified documents, including eight for unauthorized transmission of national defense information and ten for unlawful retention. The charges stem from allegations that Bolton shared over 1,000 pages of sensitive notes from his White House tenure—classified up to TOP SECRET/SCI level—with two unauthorized relatives via personal email and messaging apps, and retained the materials at his Bethesda home. FBI Director Kash Patel stated the probe revealed Bolton’s actions violated federal law, potentially endangering national security. Bolton, 76, pleaded not guilty on October 17 before Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan, with his attorney Abbe Lowell calling the case politically motivated retribution tied to Bolton’s 2020 memoir criticizing Trump.
The FBI arrested Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, a 33-year-old Gazan resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, on October 16, for his alleged role in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. Court documents accuse Al-Muhtadi of being a senior operative in the National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which coordinated with Hamas during the invasion. Investigators state he learned of the assault at 6:34 a.m. via social media, armed himself with a rifle and ammunition, recruited fighters, and crossed into Israel, where his phone pinged a cell tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza—site of a massacre killing 60 residents, including four Americans. Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg described Al-Muhtadi as a “monster hiding out in the U.S.,” emphasizing his coordination of attacks on civilians.
The U.S. Secret Service discovered an elevated hunting stand with a direct line of sight to the Air Force One landing zone at Palm Beach International Airport during advance security sweeps on Thursday, prompting an FBI investigation into potential threats ahead of President Donald Trump’s arrival. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed no individuals were present at the site. The structure led to a temporary road closure for forensic processing by federal and local authorities. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi emphasized the agency’s layered security measures prevented any disruption to Trump’s movements, underscoring the vigilance required in high-threat environments. The probe builds on recent convictions for assassination plots against Trump, including a September 2024 attempt at his West Palm Beach golf course.
A private defense contractor revealed in August that its 20-foot, four-winged manned aircraft was responsible for the mysterious aerial sightings triggering a nationwide “drone panic” across New Jersey in November 2024. An employee demonstrated the vehicle to attendees and stated, “You remember that big UFO scare in New Jersey last year? Well, that was us,” confirming test flights over the Garden State under a classified government contract that exempted public disclosure. The aircraft’s design, capable of low-altitude maneuvers just above treetops, created an “uncanny valley” effect, appearing and vanishing abruptly—aligning with eyewitness reports of large objects near Picatinny Arsenal and other sites. The FAA had previously attributed most incidents to hobbyist drones and legal operations, dismissing threats.
President Donald Trump announced the groundbreaking for a new 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom on Monday, with demolition crews beginning work on the East Wing facade to accommodate the $200 million to $250 million project. The privately funded addition, supported by contributions from companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Coinbase, will feature arched windows overlooking the south grounds, coffered ceilings, and chandeliers in a neoclassical style matching the executive mansion. Trump described it as a long-overdue enhancement, stating, “They wanted a ballroom for 150 years, and I’m giving that honor to this wonderful place.” The ballroom will seat up to 650 guests, more than triple the East Room’s capacity, for state dinners and large gatherings.
Israel
The Israel Defense Forces conducted a targeted airstrike in Jabaliya, northern Gaza, on Sunday, eliminating at least six Hamas operatives, including Yahya al-Mabhouh, the commander of the group’s Jabaliya battalion. Al-Mabhouh led a cell that infiltrated an IDF outpost during the October 7, 2023, attack, killing and abducting soldiers. The IDF confirmed the strike hit a Hamas command center where al-Mabhouh and his associates were planning ambushes against Israeli forces. This operation aligns with intensified efforts to dismantle remaining militant infrastructure following the recent ceasefire under President Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Gaza health authorities reported no civilian casualties from the precise hit.
Hamas transferred the remains of four deceased Israeli hostages to Red Cross mediators on Tuesday, facilitating their handover to Israeli authorities at the Kerem Shalom crossing as part of phase one of President Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. The bodies, identified as those of victims from the October 7, 2023, attacks, arrived at the Abu Kabir forensic center in Tel Aviv for DNA verification and burial preparations. This delivery follows the release of the 20 surviving hostages on October 13 in exchange for over 1,800 Palestinian detainees, marking initial progress in the ceasefire agreement. However, 24 additional bodies remain unaccounted for in Gaza’s rubble, with the 72-hour deadline from October 13 having expired, prompting accusations from hostage families that Hamas is delaying fulfillment. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanded immediate compliance, stating, “We will not rest until all return to their families.”
WORLD
French authorities confirmed a brazen daylight heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday, where four suspects disguised as construction workers stole eight pieces of priceless 19th-century jewelry from the Napoleon and French crown collections housed in the Apollo Gallery. The thieves used a powered ladder to access the second-floor window, which they cut open with an angle grinder, triggering alarms before smashing two display cases in under seven minutes. Stolen items included a sapphire diadem, necklace, and earrings from Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense; an emerald necklace and matching earrings gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise; and a tiara and bow brooch from Empress Eugénie’s collection, valued at inestimable worth due to their historical significance. Two pieces, including Eugénie’s pearl and diamond tiara comprising 212 pearls and nearly 2,000 diamonds, were recovered damaged near the museum, suggesting a hasty escape.
The Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF), scheduled for November 29 through December 2 in Malmö, Sweden, has been postponed indefinitely after all local cinemas refused to host screenings, citing safety and security concerns amid rising antisemitism. Organizers stated that both commercial chains like Filmstaden and the non-profit Panora cinema declined participation, despite police offers to provide guards. The event aimed to showcase new Jewish films celebrating 250 years of Jewish life in Sweden, a nation with a small Jewish community of about 15,000. Sweden’s Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand called the situation “an absolute disaster for society,” highlighting the vulnerability of a national minority. Liberal Party leader Simona Mohamsson urged ending a culture where Jews must “step aside for their attackers.”
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to begin serving a five-year prison sentence in Paris on October 21, following his conviction for criminal conspiracy related to illicit Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign. The Paris court sentenced the 70-year-old last month, ruling he orchestrated a scheme with aides to secure funds from Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, though he was acquitted of direct corruption charges. Sarkozy, who maintains his innocence and has appealed, faces immediate incarceration under provisional execution rules, marking the first time a modern French head of state will be imprisoned. He will likely be housed in solitary confinement or a vulnerable inmates’ wing for security, equipped with individual showers, landline phones, and optional paid television.
