President Donald Trump intensified his assertions that officials using an autopen undermined the actions of his predecessor, Joe Biden, even suggesting Thursday that “essentially whoever used the autopen was president.” “I happen to think I know” who was using a tool that allows for auto signatures, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, while saying it was the “biggest scandal” in years. The Justice Department under Democratic and Republican administrations has recognized the use of an autopen to sign legislation and issue pardons for decades. Trump presented no evidence that Biden was unaware of the actions taken in his name, and the president’s absolute pardon power is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked a $10 billion lawsuit Mexico filed against top firearm manufacturers in the U.S. alleging the companies’ business practices have fueled tremendous cartel violence and bloodshed. The unanimous ruling tossed out the case under U.S. laws that largely shield gunmakers from liability when their firearms are used in crime. Big-name manufacturers like Smith & Wesson had appealed to the justices after a lower court let the suit go forward under an exception for situations in which the companies themselves are accused of violating the law. Mexico had asked the justices to let the case play out, saying it was still in its early stages.

Iran is racing to fortify its battered air defense systems around key nuclear facilities, preparing for what intelligence analysts say could be an imminent Israeli or American strike. According to satellite imagery and Western intelligence cited by the Financial Times, Tehran has been quietly relocating and restoring some of its most advanced air defense assets, including Russian-made S-300 launchers, to shield uranium enrichment sites in Natanz and Fordo. The urgent military buildup follows two high-profile Israeli strikes inside Iran in response to mass missile attacks by the Islamic Republic last year.

Zohran Mamdani, the far-left Assemblyman from Queens and a leading candidate in the NYC mayoral race, dropped jaws at Wednesday night’s debate when he flat-out refused to say he supports Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. “I believe Israel has the right to exist, as a state with equal rights,” Mamdani said, sidestepping a direct yes-or-no question about Israel’s Jewish identity — a dodge he’s pulled before. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, leading in the polls, wasn’t having it. “Not as a Jewish state,” Cuomo shot back. “And his answer was no, he won’t visit Israel.” The exchange lit a fire under what had been a sleepy debate — and put Mamdani’s long history of anti-Israel activism front and center just weeks before the crucial June 24 primary.

Let’s stop dancing around the truth. The Jewish community in New York—particularly the frum community—faces a political crisis of historic proportions. This isn’t about whether Andrew Cuomo apologized or whether he was a perfect governor. This is about whether our children and grandchildren will be able to live as Torah Jews in New York a decade from now. We still feel the pain of the unfair red zones imposed by Cuomo in 2020, which targeted our communities and restricted our way of life with heavy-handed measures. That wound lingers, a reminder of how quickly our freedoms can be curtailed. Yet, despite this pain, we must look forward and consider our future as Jews in New York City, where new threats loom larger than past grievances.

A former Republican congressman and vocal critic of Donald Trump says he wants to become governor in the president’s adopted home state of Florida, and that he’s running as a Democrat. David Jolly formally announced his bid Thursday, becoming the latest party convert hoping to wrest back control of what had been the country’s premier swing state that in recent years has made a hard shift to the right. Under state law, term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis can’t run for reelection in 2026. Even as Florida serves as a place for the Trump administration to poach staff and test policies, Jolly says he’s confident that issues such as affordability, funding public schools, and strengthening campaign finance and ethics laws will resonate with all voters in 2026.

The landmark Jewish music event of the year: the first-ever large-scale open-air music festival, headlining Ishay Ribo with guest performances by Chasidic music legend Avraham Fried, as well as Zusha and Shmuel, on August 7th at the iconic Bethel Woods in the heart of the Catskills of upstate New York. ————————————————————————— Set at the historic Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – one of the most iconic open-air venues in America – Yamim Ba’im, “New Days are Coming,” marks the dawn of a new era in Jewish music and unity. Nestled in the scenic Catskills and known for its sweeping hillside and world-class acoustics, Bethel Woods has hosted some of the most legendary performances in American music history.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke on Thursday at a time when stalled tariff negotiations between their two countries have roiled global trade. The conversation was reported by Xinhua, a Chinese state media outlet. The White House did not immediately comment. Trump had declared one day earlier that it was difficult to reach a deal with Xi. “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!,” Trump posted Wednesday on his social media site. Trade negotiations between the United States and China stalled shortly after a May 12 agreement between the two countries to reduce their tariff rates while talks played out.

A person was critically injured Thursday morning when a wall collapsed at the shuttered T Fusion Kosher Steakhouse, located at the corner of East 33rd Street and Quentin Road in Flatbush. FDNY firefighters and emergency personnel rushed to the scene, with EMS transporting the victim to a nearby hospital while performing CPR. The individual was reportedly in traumatic arrest at the time of transport. Sources tell YWN that the steakhouse has been closed for several months. The building was apparently in the process of being sold, and possible construction work may have been underway when the collapse occurred. The NYC Department of Buildings is investigating the incident alongside emergency crews. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits rose to their highest level in eight months last week but remain historically low despite growing uncertainty about how tariffs could impact the broader economy. New applications for jobless benefits rose by 8,000 to 247,000 for the week ending May 31, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s the most since early October. Analysts had forecast 237,000 new applications. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and have mostly bounced around a historically healthy range between 200,000 and 250,000 since COVID-19 throttled the economy five years ago, wiping out millions of jobs.