Gov. Andrew Cuomo defended his decision not to wear a mask at an indoor press conference held Monday in New York City where he called for tougher enforcement of state rules requiring masks and social distancing. The governor and five Cuomo aides didn’t wear masks while addressing reporters in a conference room at his Manhattan office, though they wore masks as they entered the room. Pictures posted on social media showed journalists wearing masks sitting close to one another in the relatively tight space. The briefing was held in a room considerably smaller than the more spacious Executive Chamber in Albany, where Cuomo often held his televised coronavirus briefings throughout the spring.

The nation’s top military leaders were under self-quarantine Tuesday after a senior Coast Guard official tested positive for the coronavirus, the Pentagon said. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, and the vice chairman, Gen. John Hyten, were among those affected, U.S. officials said. Military leaders who were in contact with Adm. Charles W. Ray, the vice commandant of the Coast Guard, were told Monday evening that he had tested positive, and they were all tested Tuesday morning, according to several U.S. officials. Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement that none have exhibited symptoms or have so far tested positive.

Germany’s leading Jewish group said Monday an attack on a Jewish student outside a synagogue “can only be classified as anti-Semitic” — an assessment that was later confirmed by the authorities. “The situation that Jews have increasingly become a target of hatred must not leave anybody cold in a state of law like Germany,” said Josef Schuster, the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. The 26-year-old man, who was wearing a skullcap, was about to enter the synagogue grounds in the northern city of Hamburg on Sunday when he was hit on the head with what appeared to be a folding spade, police said. He was taken to the hospital with head injuries.

Reb Chaim has given a Priceless promise to his daughter Rebbetzin Leah. For those who are מוסר נפש to help ! CLICK. DONATE. SAVE A LIFE ! RECEIVE REB CHAIMS PROMISE ON HOSHANA RABA FOR THOSE WHO DONATE $250. CLICK HERE TO DONATE REB CHAIM SHLITA HAS PROMISED HIS DAUGHTER: “WHOEVER IS MOSER NEFESH AND GIVES $250, TO SAVE THE LIFE AND FUTURE OF THIS PRECIOUS GIRL, WILL HAVE A ישועה והצלה ESPECIALLY IN SHIDDUCHIM !! DO NOT LOSE OUT ON THIS PRICELESS OPPURTUNITY ! ADDITIONALLY Rebbetzin Kolodetzky will PERSONALLY bring your name to her father מרן רבינו חיים קנייבסקי שליטא on ליל הושענא רבה !! NAMES CAN BE SUBMITTED UNTIL 5 PM THIS FRIDAY EREV SUKKOS !

A U.S. judge has ordered Iran to pay $1.45 billion to the family of a former FBI agent believed to have been kidnapped by the Islamic Republic while on an unauthorized CIA mission to an Iranian island in 2007. The judgment this month comes after Robert Levinson’s family and the U.S. government now believe he died in the Iranian government’s custody, something long denied by Tehran, though officials over time have offered contradictory accounts about what happened to him on Kish Island. Tensions remain high between the U.S. and Iran amid President Donald Trump’s maximalist pressure campaign over Tehran’s nuclear program. And though the U.S. and Iran haven’t had diplomatic relations since the aftermath of the 1979 U.S.

Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah of Teaneck, NJ began the Heichal HaTorah Bais Medrash program with only 20 talmidim for the 19-20 school year. Designed for young men returning from yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel, HBM boasts world-class rebbeim, new facilities, serious and friendly chaveirim and an opportunity to earn a convenient and affordable college degree. With 55 talmidim in attendance this Elul zman, this fast growing yeshiva expects more than 60 talmidim for the winter Zman! Current talmidim of HBM, hailing from yeshivas such as Kerem B’Yavneh, the Mir, Toras Chaim, Merkaz HaTorah and Netiv Aryeh, form a small student body. In the warm and friendly atmosphere, the talmidim enjoy spending Shabbosim together, learning and playing basketball.

President Donald Trump’s son Eric answered questions Monday from New York state investigators looking into his family’s business practices. The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed that the video deposition took place as scheduled, though no further information was provided as to how long it lasted or what kinds of questions were posed. Messages seeking comment were left with attorneys for Eric Trump. The deposition came as Trump’s father and stepmother battle the coronavirus. James is seeking information in a probe of whether the Trump Organization lied about the worth of its assets to secure loans or tax benefits.

Dear YWN, I am very disturbed by what happened last night in Boro park. As much as Cuomo is discriminating against the Jewish community, why are we stooping to the levels of BLM to disrupt traffic and make fires in the middle of the road. Here are a couple of reasons why this behavior is counter-productive to what we need to achieve: 1. With all the crowding and non mask wearing, the virus can spread quickly through our community and harm those elderly and immuno-compromised Rachmana L’itzlan. 2. When the governor sees that no one is complying with basic rules such as wearing masks, why does that make him more comfortable lifting the restrictions?

Eli Rozenberg was officially granted a permit allowing him to control El Al on Friday, Globes reported. The decision, made by Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and Cyber and National Digital Matters Minister Dudi Amsalem, came despite the efforts of the El Al Board and the Borovitz group, the previous controlling shareholder, to prevent it. The permit was granted on the condition that Rozenberg, who lacks business experience, appoint a board of directors and a CEO who has at least five years of management experience in the aviation sector or has been a senior executive of publicly traded companies.

Shares in major U.S. airlines jumped at the opening bell, pulling the broader market along, after President Donald Trump signaled a willingness to help the decimated carriers in seemingly contradictory tweets. “The House & Senate should IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support,” Trump tweeted late Tuesday night. “I will sign now!” However, that message followed tweets earlier Tuesday in which Trump said he had told his representatives to end negotiations on a broader relief package until after the election next month. Wall Street focused on the latter, sending shares of United Airlines up 6%, American Airlines up 4% and Delta Air Lines up 3.6%. JetBlue jumped almost 6% and Southwest rose as well.