President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he was pulling Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a stunning turnaround for his Cabinet pick after her confirmation had been stalled for months over concerns about Republicans’ tight margins in the House. Trump confirmed he was withdrawing the New York Republican’s nomination in a Truth Social post, saying that it was “essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress.” “We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning. I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress,” the president said. He did not say whom he would nominate to replace her and fill his last remaining Cabinet seat.

I would like to address something that had been keeping me up in the last few nights, which really shook me to my core. I am generally someone who keeps away from politics, especially in the frum world where we are really playing with fire. In that path, I made sure to keep away from the ongoing back and forth about voting in the WZO. I asked my Rav what to do and will following his psak. I avoid coffee clutches or groups in which they are talking about the controversy, as not to involve myself in Lashon Hora or even worse, Bizui Talmidei Chachamim. With that in mind, last night in shul, I couldn’t help but bump into a group of people talking about the merits of yes or not voting. Someone pulled out a video of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, where he allowed voting in the WZO.

British Business and Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds faced a heated disruption at a think tank event in London as pro-Palestinian activists stormed the stage, demanding an end to UK arms sales to Israel. The incident occurred at Chatham House, where Reynolds was set to speak on trade policy before being interrupted by protesters accusing the British government of complicity in war crimes. London for a Free Palestine, one of the groups organizing a demonstration outside the event, claimed responsibility for the on-stage protest, stating it was part of ongoing efforts to pressure the UK government into halting all arms exports to Israel, particularly components for F-35 fighter jets.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the outgoing spokesperson for the IDF, emphasized the critical importance of public trust in the military while making a pointed call for all segments of Israeli society—including Charedim—to enlist. Hagari, who is stepping down after being passed over for promotion by the new IDF chief of staff, delivered his remarks as he officially handed over his role. “Our mission over the past year and a half was rehabilitating public trust in the IDF,” Hagari said, referencing the military’s efforts to restore credibility following the October 7 attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold statement, emphasizing that Ukraine would “never cede” any of its occupied territories to Russia. He also expressed doubts regarding peace initiatives led by former President Trump, suggesting that Trump may be falling victim to Vladimir Putin’s manipulation.
In an interview with Le Figaro, a French newspaper, Zelensky appeared emboldened by the strong backing of European nations, who have adopted a tough stance toward Moscow in the ongoing U.S.-mediated peace discussions. “One thing is certain: we will never cede our occupied territories to Russia. These lands belong to the Ukrainians,” Zelensky declared.

Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and ranking member Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) have formally requested that the Department of Defense investigate a high-profile security breach involving a Signal group chat where top U.S. officials allegedly discussed airstrikes in Yemen. The request follows the bombshell report by The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, who revealed that he was inadvertently added to the chat by Trump National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. According to Goldberg, the group included members of the principals committee—leaders of the nation’s top national security agencies—openly discussing plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Bill Gates, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder, has predicted that in the next decade, artificial intelligence will evolve to the point where many human professionals, including doctors and teachers, will no longer be necessary for most tasks.
In a recent appearance on NBC’s The Tonight Show, Gates discussed the rapid progress of AI and its potential effects on various industries. He anticipates that within the next ten years, AI will advance so much that it will replace human experts in a wide array of fields.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said this week it will retest 4,000 DNA samples and open an internal investigation after learning that it used potentially flawed test kits for eight months. Sheriff’s officials said Wednesday that a test kit manufacturer sent a letter in August warning the department to stop using certain kits that were prone to giving incomplete results. However, the letter was received by a civilian employee who didn’t discard the kits or send them back, according to a department statement. The department used the flawed kits from July through February, testing thousands of samples from criminal investigations. The problem was discovered Monday when a supervisor at the department’s Scientific Services Bureau found the manufacturer’s letter.