New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said he will pull out of the city’s Democratic primary and instead run for reelection as an independent, arguing that his recently dismissed federal bribery case had made it impossible to mount a primary campaign. In a video, Adams said he will not run in the Democratic primary in June because his criminal case “dragged on too long” while the “false accusations were held over me,” preventing him from campaigning. “I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted,” Adams said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu landed in Hungary early Thursday morning for a four-day visit after receiving an invitation from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban a day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him. Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky greeted Netanyahu and his wife at the airport with full military honors. Shortly after Netanyahu arrived and minutes before he met with the Hungarian Prime Minister, Orban’s office issued a statement announcing Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC.

Israel bombed two military airbases and other targets in Syria on Wednesday night following reports that Turkey is preparing to take over the T4 airfield in Syria, which would harm Israel’s freedom of operation in the country. The IDF spokesperson confirmed the attacks, stating: “In the past few hours, the IDF attacked remaining military capabilities at the Hama and T4 airbases in Syria, along with additional remaining military infrastructure in the Damascus area.” According to Syrian media outlets, the target in Damascus was the Barzeh scientific research center.

Hamas has made a decision not to respond to Israel’s counterproposal for a ceasefire/hostage release deal, an official told Reuters on Wednesday. According to the official, the terror group is “committed” to the mediators’ plan instead. Israel had submitted a counterproposal last week to a new Egyptian proposal for a hostage release/ceasefire deal that would see Hamas releasing US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander along with four other hostages [not all alive] in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire and the start of negotiations on a long-term ceasefire; the opening of Gazan crossings to allow the entry of humanitarian aid; and the re-opening of the Netzarim Corridor. Israel would also release 2,000 Palestinians detained after the October 7 attack and 250 terrorists for each released hostage.

Turkey has significantly increased the flow of weapons and money into Syria since the fall of the Assad regime, Kan News reported on Wednesday morning. According to the report, Turkey has its eyes on several Syrian Air Force bases, some of which were supported by Iran in the past. The most prominent of these is the Tiyas (“T-4″) airfield in central Syria, which the IDF attacked last week. According to Middle Eastern media outlets, Turkey recently initiated efforts to take control of the T-4 airfield and is planning to deploy air defense systems there. According to sources familiar with the matter quoted by the Middle East Eye website, construction is currently taking place to transform the facility into a permanent Turkish military presence.

With the sweet sounds of soaring niggunim, renowned baal menagen and beloved marbitz Torah Rabbi Baruch Levine recently concluded a spiritually uplifting musical journey through Europe that touched the hearts of hundreds of bnei aliyah. Aptly named “Kumzitz Alive,” the tour was a moving tapestry of achdus, chizuk, and the enduring power of heartfelt Yiddishe song. The tour visited three prominent Torah hubs—Zurich, Switzerland; Manchester, UK; and Gateshead, UK—each city home to vibrant kehillos and bnei Torah from around the globe. With bochurim returning from Eretz Yisroel for their well-earned bein hazmanim break, the timing could not have been more perfect.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that Israeli forces are establishing a new security corridor in southern Gaza, aiming to isolate the city of Rafah from the rest of the Strip and increase pressure on Hamas to release remaining hostages. In a video statement, Netanyahu said the IDF is securing the “Morag Corridor” — named after a former Israeli settlement — between Rafah and Khan Younis. He described the effort as creating a “second Philadelphi” route, echoing the corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border. Netanyahu has prioritized Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor in ongoing ceasefire talks, although Israel previously agreed to vacate the area by the 50th day of the January hostage deal — a commitment it has since breached.

A classified intelligence briefing on the situation in Gaza was presented to the members of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday. A senior IDF intelligence official said in the briefing that Israel is continuing efforts to reach a hostage release deal while simultaneously carrying out intense military activity in order to exert pressure on Hamas and bring about the release of additional hostages.

Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party and longtime antagonist of lomdei torah, has openly called on police to prosecute the gedolim for allegedly “encouraging draft evasion.” His accusations, laced with contempt, were directed at none other than the Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka and leader of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, Hagaon HaRav Dov Landau shlit”a, as well as the former Rishon LeTzion, Harav Yitzchak Yosef shlit”a. Lieberman, no stranger to anti-chareidi rhetoric, claimed that Rav Landau had “ordered bochurim not to report to recruitment offices,” and that Rav Yosef had made remarks about discarding draft notices.