New York
A Lakeview man was arrested after allegedly trying to set fire to a Long Island shul, attempting to push a burning lawn sign beneath its door before setting a nearby bush ablaze.
Azzm Khan, 29, was arrested after the incident at Young Israel of West Hempstead, located at 630 Hempstead Ave., at approximately 11:30 p.m. on October 21, according to a police department news release. Officers responding to a report of damage to an auxiliary police vehicle nearby found Khan by the burning bush. Investigators determined he had ignited the lawn sign, tried to shove it under the synagogue entrance, and then placed it in the bush, which caught fire. He also repeatedly kicked the door, causing damage. Khan was charged with third- and fifth-degree arson along with two counts of third-degree criminal mischief. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment, and bail was set at $500,000.
Met Council opened a $25 million warehouse and conference center in Canarsie, expanding its capacity to distribute fresh kosher food to families across New York. More than 200 community leaders and more than 20 elected officials attended the opening of the 22,000-square-foot facility at 5361 Preston Court. The warehouse will serve as the central hub for the organization’s food distribution network, supporting 344 food pantry partners. The facility includes expanded cold storage and modern inventory systems designed to increase distribution of fresh food, including chicken, fish, eggs, produce, and dairy. Artificial intelligence tools will help forecast demand, optimize delivery routes, and reduce food waste. An on-site digital food pantry will allow Canarsie residents to select groceries online and pick up orders. The project received funding from city, state, federal, and private sources.
A suspect wanted in connection with two hate-crime assaults involving syringe attacks in Midtown Manhattan has been arrested, according to Manhattan Shomrim. The arrest followed a coordinated effort involving the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, Crown Heights Shomrim, Queens Shomrim, and members of the public who provided tips through the organization’s hotline. Prosecutors identified the suspect as Anna Mochalova, 32, of Brighton Beach, and charged her with second-degree assault as a hate crime and other offenses. She allegedly followed and jabbed a 26-year-old rabbi in traditional chasidic clothing near West 47th Street and Fifth Avenue, then attacked a second Jewish man minutes later. Mochalova reportedly threatened one victim in Russian, saying she had a gun, and asked a third man if he was Jewish before walking away when he said he was Muslim.
Police reportedly arrested five men in two separate incidents in Upper Manhattan after witnesses spotted people entering manholes late at night. Three were arrested following a September 29 incident near Dyckman Street, while two others were arrested on October 4 near West 218th Street. Two suspects admitted entering the underground system to search for jewelry, while a third said he was paid $200 to drive them. All five were charged with criminal trespassing and released without bail. The arrests follow months of mysterious sightings of people emerging from manholes across New York City. Officials have said similar activity involves individuals looking for valuables and scrap metal that wash into the sewers after storms.
The New York City Council voted 40–7 to pass Romanch’s Law, ending horse-drawn carriage operations in Central Park by June 1, 2028. The legislation follows the death of an 18-year-old tourist thrown from a runaway carriage in June. Carriage drivers and their union strongly oppose the ban and have vowed to challenge it in court. The bill now heads to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has expressed support, for final approval. The measure prohibits the issuance of new licenses and requires a transition plan for workers in the industry. It also bars the sale or transfer of the horses for slaughter or use in other carriage businesses. The vote passed with a veto-proof majority after years of debate over public safety and animal welfare.
Orange County drivers with E-ZPass accounts can now receive a 20% discount when crossing the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, following a provision secured in the state budget. Eligible drivers will pay $5.80 per trip, compared with the standard $7.25 toll. There is no minimum number of trips required to qualify. The New York State Thruway Authority notified residents by email and mail, with automatic enrollment for accounts in good standing. The bridge, formerly known as the Tappan Zee Bridge, already offered the discount to Rockland and Westchester residents.
More than 800 guests gathered at Manhattan’s Waldorf Astoria for the inaugural gala of Robert Kraft’s Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, raising over $32 million to combat antisemitism and discrimination, the organization’s largest single-night fundraising total. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan was honored, while Condoleezza Rice delivered a video message. Kraft urged Americans to speak out against antisemitism and all forms of hatred, declaring, “Silence is hate’s greatest ally.” Former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Cardinal Timothy Dolan joined Kraft onstage. The sold-out event drew figures from sports, business, entertainment, and religious communities. Kraft founded the group in 2019 as the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism before rebranding it to emphasize broader coalitions against hate. The funds will support media campaigns, technology efforts, and programs aimed at inspiring Americans to confront hatred.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul received a failing grade in the Cato Institute’s 2026 Freedom in the 50 States study, which examined how state policies affect economic and personal freedoms. Hochul received an 18.02% score in the study’s first ranking of individual governors, placing her last among the 50 chief executives. New York ranked 49th among the 50 states for overall freedom, with a score of 31.9%. The report evaluated policies in areas such as taxation and spending, housing, occupational licensing, education, firearms, free speech, and medical freedom. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte topped the gubernatorial rankings with a 62.31% score, while Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Texas’s Greg Abbott also placed near the top. The Cato Institute, a libertarian research organization, said the rankings reflect its assessment of how laws and executive actions influence individual liberty.
U.S.
Former FBI Director James Comey has been charged with transmitting national defense information and conspiracy, reportedly involving leaks to a reporter in 2016. This marks his third criminal case brought by the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors filed a two-count criminal information in Washington alleging he knowingly communicated national defense information to an unauthorized person and conspired to do so. Comey denied wrongdoing, calling the charges an “appalling abuse” of the department and stating he remains innocent.
A 37-year-old Illinois man is charged with sending threatening letters containing a white powder to members of Congress, including one with a note reading “HAH enjoy the gift.” The criminal complaint claims the man sent at least four plain white envelopes with a powdery substance to elected officials in Chicago. He faces charges of mailing threatening communications and false information and hoaxes. The man told FBI agents the substance was salt intended to resemble anthrax and that he was joking after hearing about similar incidents. Preliminary testing found no toxins or hazardous materials.
House Republicans, led by Jim Jordan and Jeff Van Drew, have subpoenaed Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration after New Jersey revealed that approximately 6,600 noncitizens were mistakenly registered to vote between 2023 and 2024, with roughly 400 casting ballots. Lawmakers say the state provided just 12 documents despite months of requests and are demanding answers about how the errors occurred. Acting Secretary of State Shirley Emehelu has until November 16 to comply. Sherrill says her administration has taken corrective action and accused Republicans of political theater ahead of the midterm elections. The registrations stemmed from a Motor Vehicle Commission software issue that placed noncitizens on the rolls despite indications they were not U.S. citizens.
Vice President JD Vance announced that a federal anti-fraud task force had identified more than $40 million in alleged welfare fraud involving more than 40 suspects, but officials provided few details about the cases. Speaking in Cincinnati, Ohio, Vance discussed the administration’s efforts to combat fraud involving federal assistance programs. The task force, which Vance leads, has previously reported uncovering more than $641 million in SNAP fraud.
Police arrested a man after finding him smashing a replica of the Iwo Jima memorial near Marine Corps Base Quantico with a sledgehammer. The attack knocked the head off one Marine figure and damaged others, with police estimating damage in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. He is charged with felony destruction of property, trespassing with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument, and is being held without bond. Federal sources told Fox News he is a Mexican national and former DACA recipient whose status lapsed in August. The memorial is a smaller replica of the iconic World War II flag-raising sculpture by Felix de Weldon.
President Donald Trump accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warmups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia’s season opener. “I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump said of James in a social media post sharing the video. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!” Video showed him making motions resembling a golf swing and practice shots.
The growing Orthodox Jewish community near Okeechobee, Florida, is drawing national attention, with the New York Post publishing a prominent report highlighting families who left New York amid concerns about rising antisemitism, political tensions, and the high cost of living. The report focuses on Lakefront Estates, a 550-acre development in Glades County that is attracting frum families seeking to build a new community outside New York. Dozens of families have already relocated, with more than 100 additional families reportedly planning to follow. The development includes a kosher supermarket, shul, and yeshivah. Assemblyman Aron Wieder said approximately 20 families from his Rockland County district had moved there, citing antisemitism and housing costs.
Israel
Israeli security forces detained Brad Lander, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th Congressional District and former city comptroller, after he joined an uncoordinated olive harvest with Palestinian farmers near an Israeli community in the West Bank. Authorities said the activity required advance coordination under longstanding security rules for areas near settlements, and forces presented a closed military zone order after the group had been working for about two hours. Lander posted on X that he and a group of rabbis and volunteers were simply harvesting olives, calling it an occupation and a crime. He was released hours later with a warning that his actions were illegal and wrong and that the group had gone where it was not supposed to go. Most of the other roughly 80 activists were also released, with four remaining in custody.
IDF troops overnight sealed the homes two terrorists who murdered Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem and wounded three other soldiers in the shooting terror attack at a Chevron checkpoint. Both terrorists were eliminated during the attack. The IDF said the sealing is temporary as it moves forward with demolishing their homes. During additional operations in Chevron, troops arrested 12 terror suspects, seized weapons, and confiscated illegal vehicles. The military said approximately 50 suspects have been arrested and more than 500 sites searched during the continuing operation.
The IDF says troops spotted three terrorists emerging from a tunnel shaft in the Khan Younis area, beyond the Yellow Line. An Israeli aircraft struck the terrorists and tunnel entrance, with hits confirmed. Secondary explosions indicated weapons were stored inside the shaft. The military said the shaft was located on the western side of the Yellow Line, in territory held by Hamas. IDF forces under Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat.
Israeli Border Police and IDF troops arrested 32 Palestinians who entered Israel illegally through an underground sewage passage near A-Ram, north of Yerushalayim. The passage, built using existing sewage infrastructure, led into the Beit Hanina area, with its entrance concealed beneath a parked commercial vehicle that allowed access from inside the vehicle itself. Four additional suspects were arrested for assisting the crossings. All 36 individuals were transferred for questioning by Border Police investigators.
Israel will supply Cyprus with a new offshore patrol vessel built by Israel Shipyards and equipped with advanced Rafael defense systems under a signed agreement. The deal also includes upgrading Cyprus’s existing Israeli-built patrol ship. Israel’s Defense Ministry says the agreement will strengthen Cyprus’s maritime security, surveillance, patrol, and search-and-rescue capabilities while deepening defense cooperation between the two countries.
World
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro says Federal Police ordered him to surrender his passports within 24 hours and prohibited him from leaving the country under a ruling by a supreme court justice. The order came just hours after his presidential election defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who won a fourth term with roughly 51.8 percent of the vote to Bolsonaro’s 48.2 percent. Bolsonaro denied any plans to flee, calling the decision an attempt to intimidate him, and vowed to challenge it. He attributed the measure to remarks by his brother Eduardo, who had suggested he leave Brazil if defeated. Bolsonaro said he was served by police after visiting his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who remains under house arrest.
The BBC has agreed to pay £400,000, or about $534,000, to award-winning Jewish filmmaker Lucie Kon, 57, who says she was bullied and forced out after raising concerns about antisemitism following the October 7 Hamas attacks. Kon, who worked at the BBC for more than 20 years, claims colleagues called Zionists “evil,” defended Hamas’s actions, and questioned her impartiality because she was Jewish. She says she was sidelined after filing a complaint and eventually lost her job during a restructuring. The BBC settled her unfair dismissal dispute without admitting wrongdoing, stating that antisemitism is not tolerated and that its processes did not uphold her allegations, though it acknowledged shortcomings in how she was treated that had a personal impact. Kon, an Oscar- and Emmy-winning producer, described becoming “a problem” after speaking up and said she felt she had “Jew stamped on my forehead.”
Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia signed the “Badr Memorandum of Understanding” in Doha, aimed at strengthening military cooperation and defense capabilities among the four countries. The agreement includes joint military exercises, training, research and development, weapons production, and closer cooperation between their defense industries. Officials from the four nations attended the signing. The pact builds on existing bilateral defense projects among the countries and focuses on industrial collaboration rather than a mutual defense commitment.
Masked protesters set fires, burned vehicles, and clashed with police in Bilbao, Spain, after a planned appearance by a right-wing activist near a university was canceled. The activist never traveled to the city, having called off the event after authorities warned of a very high risk of incidents amid mobilizations. The university had already suspended all activity and closed its campus that afternoon in anticipation of trouble. Authorities said 19 people were arrested, including several minors, and officials reported looting at several shops in the area. Protesters burned containers, at least half a dozen cars, and a municipal police motorcycle while throwing objects at officers. Thousands had demonstrated earlier against the activist’s planned visit, which the university said it neither organized nor supported.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the government would announce “concrete measures” to address school students’ demands for more resources and better learning conditions after weeks of class boycotts, blockades, and demonstrations that have grown into nationwide unrest. The protests began in mid-September over teacher shortages, dilapidated buildings, and overcrowded classes, particularly in poorer areas, and have drawn support from unions. Authorities have reported thousands of arrests and hundreds of injuries among students, teachers, and police as some demonstrations turned violent. The government has already pledged additional substitute teachers while facing broader pressure over public spending.