News of the World

[kyonides]

USA

At least 5 airports refuse to air Kristi Noem video blaming Democrats for government shutdown

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s video message for travelers about the government shutdown is not being aired in at least five airports because it blames Democrats for the lapse in federal funding.

Oregon’s Portland International Airport, Washington’s Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and three airports in New York – Niagara Falls International Airport, Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Westchester County Airport – are not broadcasting Noem’s message because it is “political” and “inappropriate,” according to multiple reports.

“It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe. However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government,” Noem says in the video, meant to play at TSA checkpoints in every public airport in the US amid the government shutdown.

“And because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” the DHS secretary adds.

Noem, who oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), sent the video to airports last week.

“We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel,” Noem continues. “And our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”

The partial government shutdown began on Oct. 1, after all-but-three Senate Democrats refused to vote for a continuing resolution that would’ve kept Washington funded through Nov. 21.

A Port of Seattle spokesperson said the “political nature” of Noem’s video is why it won’t be playing for travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

“The Port of Seattle will not play the video on its screens at SEA airport, due to the political nature of the content,” the spokesperson told The Seattle Times, adding, “We continue to urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown and are working to find ways to support federal employees working without pay at SEA during the shutdown.”

A Portland International Airport official argued that the video might violate the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees from engaging in certain political activities.

“We didn’t consent to playing it, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits using public assets for political purposes and messaging,” the official told a local ABC News affiliate.

“Additionally, Oregon law states that no public employee can promote or oppose any political committee, party, or affiliation. We believe consenting to playing this video on Port assets would violate Oregon law,” the official added.

Trump announces Dan Scavino as new head of White House Presidential Personnel Office

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino is poised to play an even larger role in President Donald Trump’s administration, the president announced Sunday.

Trump says Scavino, in addition to his current role, will now lead the White House Presidential Personnel Office. The office was previously held by Sergio Gor, who is now transitioning to become the U.S. Ambassador to India.

“I am pleased to announce that the great Dan Scavino, in addition to remaining Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, will head the White House Presidential Personnel Office, replacing Sergio Gor, who did a wonderful job in that position, and will now become the Ambassador to India,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Dan will be responsible for the selection and appointment of almost all positions in government, a very big and important position. Congratulations Dan, you will do a fantastic job!” he added.

Scavino’s new appointment comes as the Trump administration is in a pitched fight with Democrats to define the cause of the ongoing government shutdown.

Trump allies have pointed to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s refusal to work with Republicans.

The president also sought to mitigate damage on Saturday by ordering War Secretary Pete Hegseth to make sure military service members get paid next week, regardless of the shutdown.

“Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.”

Mitt Romney’s sister-in-law Carrie Elizabeth found dead at 64 on LA suburb street

The sister-in-law of former presidential nominee and ex-Utah senator Mitt Romney was found dead on a street in a Los Angeles suburb Friday evening, according to officials and reports.

Carrie Elizabeth Romney was discovered dead on a street near a shopping mall parking garage in Valencia, Calif. at around 8:30 p.m., TMZ reported.

She was 64 years old. Her death is being investigated, and a cause and manner have not yet been determined, according to records from the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

It’s “unknown at the moment” if Carrie “jumped or fell” from the multi-story parking garage or a nearby building, Los Angeles County Deputy Brenda Serna wrote in an email to The Post.

The medical examiner’s office and Mitt Romney did not immediately return requests for comment.

The Republican senator led a presidential campaign against former President Barack Obama in 2012. He made decent headway countrywide, making for a tight race that he ultimately lost.

He tried to organize a campaign for the 2008 race, but lost the Republican bid to the late Arizona Senator John McCain.

While in the Senate, Romney was the only one in his party who voted to convict President Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2020.

Monk sues DOJ for falsely accusing him of stealing $3.6M in COVID-relief funds to buy Swiss watch, expensive wine

A Massachusetts monk claims “insidious lies” about him being a fake cleric and splurging on luxury items led the feds to bring multimillion-dollar COVID-relief fraud charges against him — which were later dismissed — but his church and reputation never recovered, new court papers show.

Rev. Father Andrew Bushell, an Orthodox Christian monk at St. Nicholas church, sued the Department of Justice, FBI agents and the town of Marblehead, Mass., after arresting him under false pretenses in 2022 for allegedly carrying out a $3.6 million fraud scheme — only to toss out the charges a year later, according to a federal lawsuit filed last Friday.

He and his church’s general counsel Tracey Stockton were accused of blowing the funds on $40,000 in antique furniture, $90,000 in audio video system equipment, a $40,000 Swiss watch, a $7,000 Goyard handbag, expensive wine and $2,400 in Hermes and luxury items.

Bushell told The Post in an exclusive interview that the accused parties to the suit should be “in jail” for what they put him through, which has caused donors to lose faith in his ministry, burdened him with legal fees and kept the construction of the monastic shrine and place of worship from being completed.

“[Former Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael] Rollins weaponized the DOJ, FBI and other federal agents to manufacture a pack of lies to destroy St. Nicholas, me and intimidate God-fearing Orthodox Christians,” he said.

Now, the monk is suing under claims of violation of religious freedom, conspiracy, retaliation and other related allegations — after the Trump administration acknowledged the extent of other anti-Christian discrimination and “weaponized” prosecutions under the Biden DOJ.

“Armed” federal agents “in tactical gear” busted into St. Nicholas church in a “military-style,” “pre-dawn raid,” taking him “away in handcuffs” while he was praying on Oct. 13, 2022, the civil suit claims.

“The timing and manner of the arrest were designed to maximize psychological pressure and public humiliation, not to serve any legitimate law enforcement purpose,” added Stockton in the 20-page filing.

He wasn’t provided with his prayer rope, rosary or Bible while he was locked up and he was forced to eat food that violated his “monastic dietary practices,” the filing alleges.

Rollins — who resigned from office after being faulted for an “extraordinary” abuse of power by federal ethics watchdogs in 2023 — claimed when bringing the case that Bushell’s conduct was “brazen, criminal behavior” that took advantage of taxpayer-funded relief.

Rollins left office on May 19, 2023, and was found the following day in a DOJ inspector general’s report to have improperly meddled in the Suffolk County district attorney’s race. In September 2025, she agreed to a public reprimand for her actions by the Massachusetts Bar.

Former FBI Boston field office special agent in charge Joseph Bonavolonta, who is named in the suit, claimed in a statement at the time of Bushell’s arrest that Bushell was “a purported Orthodox Christian monk” who spent “tens of thousands of dollars on exclusive memberships, expensive wine, property, renovations, and even a $40,000 wristwatch.”

Bushell said the charging documents were full of “defamatory and misleading fictions of misspent church funds that either mischaracterized $18 bottles of wine for church events, misconstrued clerical memberships donors gave to help serve the Church’s mission, or were simply not true.”

Embattled NY AG Letitia James defiant in first appearance since indictment: ‘I will not bow!’

Indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James was defiant Monday in her first public appearance since being hit with federal charges over allegations she committed bank fraud and lied to a financial institution to obtain a lower mortgage rate.

“We see powerful voices trying to silence truth and punish dissent and weaponize justice for political gain,” James told supporters of Zohran Mamdani at a rally for the New York City mayoral frontrunner in Washington Heights.

“We are witnessing the fraying of our democracy, the erosion of our system of government,” the Empire State’s top prosecutor argued, describing the current state of politics as “a defining moment in our history.”

James, who is facing 60 years behind bars if convicted of the two charges against her, called on rally-goers to “stand together to defend our rights.”

“To protect every safeguard, every institution, every immigrant, every norm and every rule of law,” the indicted prosecutor continued.

“I know what it feels like to be attacked for just doing your job,” James said. “But I also know what it feels like to overcome adversity. And so I stand on solid rock.”

“I will not bow! I will not break! I will not bend! I will not capitulate! I will not give in! I will not give up!” she screamed.

“You come for me, you got to come through all of us! Every single –  all of us. We’re all in this together.”

Amid her legal woes, James said that “over the last few days” she’s “summoned” the “strength” and “courage” of her ancestors. 

4 gunmen arrested after Mississippi homecoming football game mass shooting that killed 6, wounded 20

Four people have been arrested in connection with a shooting spree at a Mississippi homecoming football game that killed six and injured more than a dozen, according to authorities.

Teviyon L. Powell, 29; William Bryant, 29; and Morgan Lattimore, 25, have been charged with capital murder, and Latoya A. Powell, 44, has been charged with attempted murder for Friday’s shooting, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Jackson Field Office announced Monday.

Earlier this week, the FBI announced they were seeking the public’s help in locating the whereabouts of four individuals in connection with the shooting.

On Sunday, the agency released photos of one female and three males shown in surveillance video and identified in an FBI poster as “unknown suspects.”

Other arrests are currently pending, authorities added.

The shooting occurred around midnight on Main Street in Leland, Mayor John Lee previously told The Post.

The four victims who died on the scene were identified by the county coroner as Oreshama Johnson, 41; Calvin Plant, 19; Shelbyona Powell, 25; and Kaslyn Johnson, 18, WBLT reported.

Amos Brantley, 18, and JaMichael Jones, 34, later died from their injuries at the hospital, the outlet reported.

Ten others were treated at the hospital. Their identities have not been released.

Several of the victims included recent graduates of Leland High School who returned for a popular annual reunion at the school’s homecoming football game.

The gunfire came out of nowhere, recalled witness Jennifer Buckner, who was enjoying the party with her niece and some friends.

The first round was just a few quick shots that didn’t completely disrupt the party, but it resumed several minutes later and delved into chaos.

“It was maybe 10 minutes of consistent, perpetual, automatic rounds being let off. …It went on for so long. And people just started running,” Buckner told The Post.

The FBI said the gunfire appears to have been “sparked by a disagreement among several individuals,” but has not disclosed an exact motive for the bloodbath.

Two other people were killed in a separate homecoming football game shooting on the east side of the state in Heidelberg Friday night.

Ex-student allegedly stabs 3 staff members, plants bombs near California special needs school: police

A former student allegedly stabbed three staff members at a special needs school in California and planted two bombs in the surrounding area on Monday morning, according to authorities.

The ex-student is accused of knifing the three staffers at Switzer Learning Center, a private school in Torrance for neurodivergent students from kindergarten to 12th grade, at around 8:15 a.m., the Torrance Police Department said in a statement.

He was arrested after attempting to stab a fourth staff member and fleeing the scene, cops said.

While being cuffed, the former student told cops that he had planted two pipe bombs close to the school near 208th Street and Amapola Avenue, according to police.

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department bomb squad responded and located two devices, which were found to be “incendiary,” cops said.

Officials detonated the two devices on the scene, the Los Angeles Times reported. The area was deemed safe after officials had warned residents to stay clear of the immediate vicinity.

Two staff members were brought to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The third staff member was treated on the scene, authorities added.

Additional details about the suspect or a motive in the attack are not yet known.

The knifeman — whose identity hasn’t been released — remains in custody, police said.

Mom Cristina Morales, 54, told the LA Times she had been waiting for hours for her 18-year-old son with autism to be released from the school.

“I’m nervous,” she told the outlet. “My son gets stressed out easily.”

Speaker Johnson tries to court Taylor Greene, invites her to help tackle Obamacare subsidies after shutdown revolt

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson has made overtures to firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she publicly revolted against the GOP’s strategy in the government shutdown fight and called for the enhanced Obamacare subsidies to be extended.

Johnson (R-La.) claims he reached out to Greene (R-Ga.) after she broke ranks and offered to let her sit in on the committee that deals with health care policy.

“I had a thoughtful conversation with my friend Marjorie Taylor Greene on the phone the other night … to inform her that there are many Republicans in Congress that have been working around the clock on this,” the speaker recalled on “Fox News Sunday.”

“They’re on the committees of jurisdiction that deal with this. Marjorie doesn’t serve on those committees, so I offered to have her come into the room and be a part of that discussion, if indeed she wants to.”

Last week, Greene blasted Johnson for not bringing the House back in session amid the partial government shutdown and chided GOP leadership for not nuking the Senate filibuster to reopen the government.

For the past two weeks, Democrats have been blocking a clean GOP spending patch to reopen the government while demanding Republicans cave to their healthcare demands.

Democrats have demanded Republicans reverse their reforms to Medicaid in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (now the Working Families Tax Cut Act) and permanently extend the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire by the end of the year.

While Greene backed the Medicaid changes, the congresswoman declared last week that she wants to extend those enhanced subsidies, which were beefed up under the Biden administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district,” she said.

Scott Bessent says Trump meeting with Chinese prez ‘will still be on’ despite 100% tariff threat

WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that President Trump’s planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is back on — after Trump threatened 100% additional tariffs Friday and said there “seems to be no reason” for a scheduled Oct. 29 summit.

“He will be meeting with party chair Xi in Korea — I believe that meeting will still be on,” Bessent told Fox Business in an interview after Beijing sought to blunt blowback to its new export controls.

Bessent helped broker a May cease-fire in the US-China trade war and said there was “substantial communication” over the weekend — after the Chinese government announced rules Thursday requiring companies to get permission to export products with rare-earth and critical minerals like batteries, magnets and computer chips to power artificial intelligence (AI) products.

Trump sought to thaw tensions some with China on Sunday, saying Xi “doesn’t want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!”

“Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment,” he also claimed in a Truth Social post.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry said Sunday that the new rules are not intended as export bans and that there may be flexibility in enforcement, including “license exemptions to effectively promote legitimate trade.”

“This is China versus the world — they have pointed a bazooka at the supply chains and the industrial base of the entire free world, and we’re not going to have it,” Bessent said on Fox Business. “A group of bureaucrats in China cannot tell us and our allies how to run our supply system.”

Major US stock market indices were up Monday morning after plummeting Friday on fears of a renewed trade war.

Bill and Hillary Clinton delay depositions in House Oversight panel’s Jeffrey Epstein probe

The Clintons have pushed back their deposition dates for the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had been expected to testify before the panel last week on Oct. 9 — but did not appear — and former President Bill Clinton was slated to be grilled on his ties to Epstein on Tuesday.

But an Oversight Committee spokesperson told The Post Monday that the panel is “having conversations with the Clintons’ attorney to accommodate their schedules.”

“The deposition won’t occur tomorrow,” the spokesperson said of Bill’s upcoming testimony.

The Clintons were subpoenaed in early August by Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) as part of the panel’s review of the federal government’s probe into Epstein and his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

“Everybody in America wants to know what went on in Epstein Island, and we’ve all heard reports that Bill Clinton was a frequent visitor there, so he’s a prime suspect to be deposed by the House Oversight Committee,” Comer said of the former president’s subpoena during an interview with Newsmax in August.

The Kentucky Republican, who has led the Oversight panel since January 2023, described the Clinton summons as “the most challenging subpoena I’ve ever issued.”

“ut what makes this subpoena different is that the Democrats voted with Republicans,” Comer added.

Epstein, who died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges, visited the White House at least 17 times — beginning shortly after Bill Clinton was sworn into office in 1993.

The late financier also donated $10,000 to the in 1993 to the White House Historical Association, according to the former first lady’s files.

[b]NJ Gov. Murphy’s camp silent as critics rip his ill-timed Europe jaunt during nor’easter: ‘You seem to disappear a lot’[/b]

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy — who was overseas for a wedding as a powerful nor’easter made its way up the coast to his home state — faced a barrage of criticism for his latest globe-trotting jaunt as his reps remained tight-lipped about whether he planned on cutting his trip short.

Saturday’s state of emergency declaration was made by Lt. Gov Tahesha Way — currently serving as acting governor of the Garden State — while Murphy and his wife, Tammy, were already long gone.

Spokesman Tyler Jones told The Post the state’s first couple were at a friend’s wedding in Europe and not coming home until Tuesday.

Jones declined to elaborate where in Europe the Murphys were traveling, nor whose wedding they were attending. The outgoing term-limited Democrat is known to have a villa in Italy where he takes frequent excursions with his family.

Murphy’s office didn’t return a request for comment Monday.

No public announcement was made prior to Murphy being out of town, although the governor’s office did send out his public schedule to a large number of reporters before the trip.

On Monday, Murphy’s post on X acknowledging Indigenous People’s Day — the woke left’s thumb-in-the-eye answer to Columbus Day — was met with a torrent of jabs over his frequent-flyer ways.

“Today, let us also honor New Jersey’s Indigenous communities – from the Ramapough-Munsee Lenape Nation in Ramapo to the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation in Bridgeton. #IndigenousPeoplesDay,” Murphy wrote.

[b]State of emergency declared in NYC, Long Island and Westchester County as nor’easter slams area[/b]

A state of emergency has been declared in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County in New York as a powerful nor’easter that was tearing up the East Coast slammed portions of the Northeast on Sunday and Monday with powerful winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement on Sunday evening.

“Due to the ongoing nor’easter, I’m declaring a State of Emergency for NYC, Long Island and Westchester,” she said in a post on X. “We’re ready to assist local partners as damaging winds and heavy rain move in, with the potential for flooding and power outages.”

Because of the inclement weather and the state of emergency, New York City’s Columbus Day Parade was forced to be canceled.

“Due to the Governor’s declaration of a State of Emergency on the evening of October 12 in response to the dangerous weather conditions brought on by the nor’easter, including high winds, heavy rain and flooding in surrounding areas, we must cancel the 81st Annual Columbus Day Parade for the safety of all participants and viewers,” officials said in an announcement.

Officials said the parade cannot be rescheduled and will be held again in 2026.

Video recorded in Freeport, New York, on Long Island, showed flooded streets as the nor’easter continued to impact the area Sunday night and into Monday morning.

The nor’easter first slammed areas of the Southeast and Carolinas over the weekend, dumping several inches of rain and producing tropical storm-force wind gusts from an already-battered North Carolina coast up to the Jersey Shore.

[b]Zohran Mamdani runs NYC ‘Gaza 5K’ raising money for UNRWA despite agency’s connections to Hamas[/b]

Mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani fundraised for an infamous United Nations relief agency with well-documented ties to Hamas over the weekend — drawing outrage from Republican North Country Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Stefanik, who has said she’ll run in next year’s gubernatorial election, also tore into Gov. Kathy Hochul over her support for the Democratic mayoral nominee, Mamdani, as she denounced him as an “antisemite.”

“On the eve of all the living hostages held by Hamas terrorists finally returning home, @KathyHochul endorsed Antisemite Communist NYC Mayor candidate is raising funds for an organization that participated in the October 7th terrorist attacks and brutally held hostages captive,” Stefanik raged on X.

“Do not let the pro-Hamas jihadis win and destroy NY! FIRE HOCHUL.”

Mamdani had proudly posted an image of himself running the “New York City Gaza 5K” to raise money for the notorious UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Sunday.

The Big Apple mayoral frontrunner billed UNRWA as a benevolent organization that “delivers critical humanitarian aid and services to Palestinians in Gaza.”
Following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack against Israel, multiple investigations found that several planners and participants in the massacre were on UNRWA’s payroll.

UNRWA later fired 10 of the 12 staff members allegedly involved in the attacks after being informed by Israel. The other two were confirmed to have died.

Over 10% of UNRWA’s main and senior education staff in the Gaza Strip were members of Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to a November 2024 report from the Israeli non-profit organization IMPACT-se.

In 2023, the US sent $154 million to UNRWA. Trump quickly yanked funding for the group after roaring back into the White House in January.

The Post reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment.

His wife, meanwhile, on Sunday publicly mourned the death of Palestinian influencer Saleh al-Jafarawi, who openly glorified the Oct. 7 attacks.

Jafarawi, who documented the war in Gaza, was confirmed killed Sunday in clashes between Hamas and other Palestinian factions, according to reports.

[b]Mamdani’s wife mourns death of Palestinian influencer Saleh al-Jafarawi, who celebrated Oct. 7 attacks[/b]

New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani’s wife publicly mourned the death of a Palestinian influencer who openly glorified the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel.

Rama Duwaji, an animator who tied the knot with the socialist in a February civil ceremony, posted four broken-heart emojis on Instagram Sunday to grieve Palestinian influencer Saleh al-Jafarawi.

“Beloved Jafarawi,” she wrote on her Instagram story.

Jafarawi, who documented the war in Gaza, was confirmed killed Sunday in clashes between Hamas and other Palestinian factions, according to reports.

Jafarawi’s death was cheered by many Israelis, who saw him as a Hamas propagandist, though many pro-Palestinian activists mourned him.

The 27-year-old Palestinian became known as “Mr. FAFO” in Israeli media because he gleefully celebrated the Hamas terror attack.

He then posted a video of himself sobbing when Israel launched strikes on Gaza and began its war on Hamas.

Video posted to Jafarawi’s X account, where he had more than 250,000 followers, showed him dead — wearing a press vest.

MIDDLE EAST, YEAH, THIS REGION COULD NOT BE IGNORED

[b]Trump urges Israeli president to pardon Benjamin Netanyahu in off-script moment: ‘Greatest wartime’ leader[/b]

President Trump publicly urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his bribery charges in a stunning off-script moment during his triumphant speech to the Knesset on Monday.

“Hey, I have an idea. Mr. President, why don’t you give him a pardon? Give him a pardon,” Trump said during his rousing address to the Israeli parliament, triggering big applause.

“By the way, that wasn’t in the speech, as you probably know, but I happen to like this gentleman right over here,” Trump continued.

“It just seems to make so much sense. You know whether we like it or not, this has been one of the greatest wartime [leaders].”

“And cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that?”

Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, had been indicted in 2019 on charges of breach of trust, bribery and fraud.

The charges revolve around three cases and include accusations that the PM and his wife reaped lavish gifts such as champagne and cigars from the wealthy Israeli elite.

Netanyahu is also accused of offering Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper, and telecom giant Bezeq assistance in exchange for more positive coverage of himself.

Prosecutors rested their case last year, and defense attorneys have cross-examined witnesses in a long, drawn-out process.

Netanyahu had been set to testify, but that has been delayed due to scheduling snarls.

The prime minister has vehemently denied the allegations against him. So far, the trial has featured testimony from over 140 witnesses, including once-close allies, and a wide array of evidence such as text messages and recordings.

[b]Trump boasts Gaza peace process could be president’s ‘greatest deal of them all’[/b]

WASHINGTON — President Trump boasted in a speech to world leaders that the Gaza peace agreement could be his “greatest deal” yet — claiming it could end 3,000 years of conflict in the region.

“All I’ve done all my life is deals. The greatest deals just sort of happen,” Trump, 79, said at a celebratory peace-deal signing attended by dozens of nations in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

“And that’s what happened right here. And maybe this is going to be the greatest deal of them all.”

Trump basked in the praise of prominent NATO allies and Muslim world leaders in the Red Sea resort city after Hamas released 20 Israeli hostages held during the two-year war in exchange for a prisoner release and troop pullback by Israel.

The leaders of France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan, Indonesia, Jordan and Egypt attended the celebration in Egypt, which Trump heralded as about much more than Gaza.

The American leader said permanent peace could be achieved for the first time since the days of David and Goliath.

“From ancient times, this region has been extraordinarily mixed with respect to people, culture, religions and all of the different elements of national characters, unlike maybe anywhere else on Earth,” Trump said.

“And for 3,000 years, there’s been conflict. For whatever reason, there’s been tremendous conflict, always conflict. But today, for the first time anyone can remember, we have a once in a lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us.”

With the world’s leaders looking on, Trump signed a document enshrining his 20-point peace plan, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Qatari Emir Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signing as guarantors.

[b]Trump trolls Norway rep over Nobel Peace Prize snub in speech celebrating Israel-Hamas deal[/b]

President Trump joked Monday that the Norwegian representative to the Gaza peace conference was hiding after the five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee snubbed him Friday by giving its prestigious peace prize to a Venezuelan opposition leader.

“We have Norway. Oh, Norway, aye aye aye! Norway, what happened? Norway, what happened?” Trump said during a celebratory speech on the peace agreement he helped broker between Hamas and Israel.

“Where’s Norway? I don’t think he wants to stand. Oh, he’s back there.”

It was not immediately clear who was representing the Nordic kingdom at the peace deal ceremony in Egypt.

Trump, 79, was snubbed three days prior despite a campaign by his US and foreign supporters to win him the honor, which controversially was given to former President Barack Obama during his first year in office.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee is chosen by the country’s parliament and decided to honor Maria Machado, a former member of Venezuela’s National Assembly who was barred last year from running for president against authoritarian socialist incumbent Nicolas Maduro.

Nominations for the Peace Prize technically were due Jan. 31, the same month Trump reclaimed power and before he brokered a growing list of international accords. Some of his advisers believe he stands a better shot next year.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, asked by Trump to address the Egyptian gathering, announced that he’s re-nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in ending four days of fighting in May with neighboring India.

The governments of Israel and Cambodia also nominated Trump for the prize this year, citing his role ending their fighting with Iran and Thailand, respectively.

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, who in August jointly called for Trump to receive the honor for helping end their decades-old conflict, both attended the Gaza ceremony, with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan approaching Trump afterward to thank him.

“Today is one of the greatest days in contemporary history,” Sharif said Monday of the Gaza peace deal.

[b]Trump Reaches Out to Iran[/b]

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Iran is “tired" of war following June’s 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, which included U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities. Speaking at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, on Monday, Trump said Washington is ready for peace, signaling a potential diplomatic shift after years of tensions.

“Iran, we are ready when you are and it will be the best decision Iran has ever made, and it’s gonna happen,” Trump said, emphasizing that peace would benefit both nations.

Newsweek has contacted the State Department and Iran's Foreign Ministry via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Trump’s visit to the Middle East comes at a moment when the region remains fragile amid the Gaza conflict, the release of hostages, and recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. His remarks signal an attempt to convert military pressure into leverage, showing Tehran that continued escalation carries costs, while opening a possible path for diplomacy. The strikes and regional dynamics have left Iran weakened and more isolated, underlining the limits of its influence in the Middle East.

The trip also reinforces U.S. commitment to Israel and regional allies, underscoring Washington’s role in shaping security, deterring aggression, and influencing the balance of power across the region.

What To Know

During the 12-day war, Israel’s surprise airstrikes targeted Iranian positions, while the U.S. struck three major nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Trump described the operation as a decisive move: “We dropped 14 bombs on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which has been confirmed to have obliterated those facilities.” He credited the campaign with preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and reducing the broader threat to Israel and its neighbors.

At the same time, he suggested a potential diplomatic path, saying, “It would be great if we made a peace deal with them, wouldn’t it be nice, I think they want to, I think they’re tired,” signaling that Iran’s weakened position could create openings for negotiation.

Israel's Role

Praising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said: “Great job and my people loved working with you. Many of Iran’s top terrorists, including nuclear scientists and commanders, have been extinguished from this earth.” He credited the coordinated operations for weakening Iran-backed forces across the region and shifting the balance of power in favor of Israel and its allies. Trump also highlighted the release of hostages from Gaza, held by Hamas for two years, as evidence of U.S.-Israeli cooperation and broader regional stabilization.

[b]Trump says ‘we’ll have to see’ on one-state or two-state solution for Gaza: ‘At some point I’ll decide’[/b]

President Trump left the door open Monday for a potential Palestinian state, telling reporters “we’ll have to see” if a one-state or two-state solution would be the better path forward for Gaza.

The president made the remark on the future of the Palestinian enclave as he traveled back to Washington aboard Air Force One, after taking part in the historic signing of the first phase of an Israel-Hamas peace deal in Egypt. 

“Well, we’re going to have to see,” Trump told reporters when asked about how the strip will be governed if the peace deal holds. “A lot of people like the one-state solution, some people like the two-state solution. We’ll have to see.”

Trump noted that he hasn’t publicly commented on the solution he prefers.

The president’s 20-point peace framework calls for Gaza to be governed by a “temporary transitional” Palestinian committee overseen by an international “Board of Peace”—  headed by Trump himself – as the strip is redeveloped.

The framework notes that upon the redevelopment of Gaza, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

“At some point I’ll decide what I think is right,” Trump told reporters. “But it would be in coordination with other states and other countries.”

Trump indicated that he didn’t discuss the political future of Gaza with the world leaders gathered in Egypt for the signing ceremony. 

“I’m not talking about single state or double state … I’m talking about the rebuilding of Gaza,” he said.

“That was a power room,” Trump continued. “Those are the richest countries … really, seriously rich countries, and they can handle it.”

[b]The View’ co-host praises Trump and his team for role in Israeli hostage release deal[/b]

ABC’s “The View” lauded the safe return of Israeli hostages on Monday, with co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin praising her former boss Donald Trump and his administration’s key role in the historic moment.

If this deal holds, Griffin said, it is a “massive diplomatic achievement.”

“The whole world can breathe a sigh of relief,” she said. Earlier, co-host Whoopi Goldberg played clips of celebrations of the current peace in the war-torn area, saying, “we can all pray that it stays that way.”

Griffin said there were no Jews around the world who didn’t feel the impact of Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists went on a horrific rampage, killing more than 1,100 people and kidnapping 250 others, including young children.

“Whether you like Trump or not, I think he, I think [Special Envoy] Steve Witkoff, and I think Jared Kushner do deserve credit for this deal,” Griffin said, noting the direct negotiations between the latter two and Hamas. “I used to be of the mind that we don’t negotiate with terrorists, but sometimes the only way to get peace is to sit down with some of the most evil people and try to come up with what we can do to end the bloodshed. So thank God, I pray that this peace holds.”

Griffin pledged in January to wear a MAGA hat if Trump freed the Israeli hostages.

“If he gets the Israeli hostages out, I promise i will wear a MAGA hat for one day on the show, and say, ‘Thank you for doing it,’” she said on the show.

Co-host Sara Haines noted Monday that the deal had left Hamas, the terrorist group that governs Gaza, in a powerless position. The deal freed 2,000 Palestinian prisoners or detainees of Israel during the conflict as well, and there is a ceasefire as of Monday.

On Monday, Trump addressed the Israeli Knesset, where he celebrated the deal and basked in gushing praise from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his support of Israel and role in getting the surviving hostages home to their families.

Trump called the moment a “historic dawn of a new Middle East” and called on the rebuilding of Gaza from the rubble of the war.

“Donald Trump went on record saying, there are things Israel now needs to do as well, so his deal was a compromise,” Haines said. “Neither side got everything they wanted, but most importantly those hostages are home.”

[b]Freed Israeli hostages recount brutal beatings, starvation and years underground in Hamas captivity[/b]

The mother of freed Israeli soldier Matan Angrest said her son was beaten so savagely by his Hamas captors that he blacked out — in one of many chilling accounts emerging since the release of 20 surviving hostages under the Israel–Hamas peace deal this week.

“He remembers being beaten so badly that he lost consciousness,” Anat Angrest told local media in Israel as she described her son’s ordeal after his abduction on Oct. 7, 2023.

“They covered him with black sacks and dragged him away,” she told Haaretz.

Angrest, an Israel Defense Forces soldier taken from his tank near Gaza, told his family that during airstrikes, tunnel walls collapsed around him.

“Many times they found themselves buried in dust under the rubble, trying to climb out and survive,” his mother said.

She added that for the last four months of captivity, he was confined to a dark tunnel.

Several of the freed hostages — among them Ariel Cunio and Rom Braslavski — were kept in complete isolation, Haaretz reported.

Cunio told Israel’s public broadcaster Kan that he spent his entire captivity alone, unaware for months that his brother David and partner Arbel Yehoud were still alive.

Braslavski, 21, was also held alone and told relatives he was starved, shackled, and forced to sleep barefoot on cold ground.

Survivors said Hamas guards ate in front of them while they went hungry.

“The treatment grew harsher once the IDF resumed ground operations in March,” Kan reported.

Channel 13 News said the hostages were never given shoes and that some were kept chained continuously.

The parents of Alon Ohel said their 24-year-old son was shifted through tunnels in Gaza until several weeks ago, when he was moved to serve as a human shield.

“They suddenly moved him to another tunnel in central Gaza,” his parents told Channel 12.

“The IDF had announced an operation to capture [Gaza] City, and they moved him to use him as a human shield.”

[b]Hamas deploys 7,000 troops to ‘cleanse Gaza’ as Palestinians scramble to fill power vacuum: ‘Perfect recipe for civil war’[/b]

Hamas on Monday said it has recalled 7,000 members of its security forces to “cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators,” including militiamen armed by Israel — sparking fears of a bloody civil war inside the war-torn enclave.

The terror group made the announcement after Israeli Defense Force began pulling back its troops as they fulfill their part of the historic peace deal brokered by President Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

Without the IDF in control and Hamas struggling following two years of war with Israel, some experts caution that a struggle among the Palestinians is now brewing as factions seek to fill the power vacuum left behind.

“Gaza is flooded with arms. Looters have stolen thousands of weapons and rounds of ammunition from Hamas stores during the war, and some groups have even received supplies from Israel,” a former Palestinian Authority security officer told the BBC on Monday.

“This is a perfect recipe for civil war: weapons, frustration, chaos, and a movement desperate to reassert control over a shattered and exhausted population.”

Hamas in a statement claimed that it was “imposing order and restoring security and stability following the cease-fire.”

However, Hamas claims that it is “restoring order” to Gaza, with the terrorist group posting statements to its official media website quoting a group dubbed “The Gaza City Families Gathering” supporting them for “enforcing order and protecting the lives and property of citizens.”

“Gaza will rise again, strong with the will of its people, and capable of restoring life despite all the attempts at confusion and disruption directed by the occupation,” the group said.

Phase two of the peace deal calls for the disarmament of Hamas, but so far, the terrorist group has rejected the idea, seeking further talks before taking next steps.

Thousands of Palestinians have fought against Hamas throughout the war in Gaza, senior Israeli officials have told The Post.

Tensions have also been rising between Hamas and the Al Qaeda-linked Dughmush clan — one of Gaza’s most powerful factions that’s long been at odds with Hamas, the BBC reported.

[b]IDF leaders warn Hamas tunnels in Gaza are still a ‘major weapon’ and need to be destroyed[/b]

GAZA STRIP — Senior Israel Defense Force commanders have warned dismantling Hamas’ terror tunnels under Gaza needs to be a top priority if the ceasefire is to hold.

Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Hamas-Israel war does not include details on how Hamas infrastructure such as its underground tunnels and weapons production facilities will be destroyed.

Israel Defense Forces Res. Brigadier General Danny Van Buren told The Post the eradication of the Hamas tunnels “is a major part of demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.

“In order to keep the ceasefire and put a foundation for peace in place, one necessary part is to eliminate Hamas infrastructure.

“The tunnel system is the major weapon Hamas still has… When I looked at the 20-point Trump plan, the weak part is the way we are going to demilitarize the Gaza Strip.

“I am not sure if there is a good mechanism to destroy the tunnels. They will not give up weapons voluntarily.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has said after the safe return of all 20 remaining living hostages Monday, the next phase is “the destruction of all of Hamas’ terror tunnels in Gaza.”

The “Gaza metro,” as it is known within Israel’s security establishment, contains more than 310 miles of tunnels, half the length of the New York Subway system.

Recently built tunnels were being discovered right up until the ceasefire went into effect on Oct. 10. The tunnels – often built below hospitals and civilian infrastructure – have been used by Hamas terrorists to hide, stockpile weapons, make bombs and get around Gaza unnoticed. The first tunnel networks were first discovered by the IDF in 2013.

The IDF granted The Post rare access to see a freshly discovered Hamas terrorist tunnel under a hospital compound firsthand in the nearly encircled Gaza City on October 3.

Amid the sounds of artillery fire and sporadic rifle shots in a near-gutted apartment building seized from Hamas terrorists in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, a senior IDF identified the newly discovered 1.5-kilometer-long and 18 to 25-meter-deep Hamas tunnel, which ran across the compound of the closed Jordanian Field Hospital.

“Hamas company commanders and fighters were with the Jordanians” in the Field Hospital, the official claimed.

UKRAINE WAR

[b]Indian student detained by Ukrainian troops while fighting for Russia to avoid prison time: family[/b]

An Indian student has become the first known national from his country to be detained in the Ukraine War after he was allegedly strong-armed into fighting for Russia to dodge a prison sentence, according to reports.

Sahil Majothi, a 22-year-old from Gujarat, was captured by Ukrainian forces and featured in a viral video posted to Facebook this week by Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanized Brigade, where he claimed he joined the Russian army in exchange for freedom after he was allegedly framed in a drug case last April, his mother told BBC News.

Majothi reportedly moved to Russia in January 2024, completed a language course in St. Petersburg, and then relocated to Moscow for college, the outlet reported.

While studying, he also worked as a kitchenware courier in Moscow.

In April 2024, his mother, Hasina Majothi, claims someone slipped drugs into a package while he was on a delivery run.

The young student was then arrested and held for six months before being sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison. His family hired a lawyer, but soon lost all contact, the mother recalled.

“The police caught him with it and charged him,” Hasina Majothi told the outlet.

In the clip released by Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanized Brigade, Majothi claimed he was given a choice to fight for Russia or rot in jail.

The exact date or location when the clip was taken cannot be verified.

“I don’t know how he ended up in Ukraine. I only found out through the viral video,” Hasina Majothi said.

Majothi also said he was promised sums ranging from 100,000 to over a million roubles for his military service, but never received a dime.

After just 15 days of basic training in September 2024, he was reportedly tossed into the war zone — and by Oct. 1, one day after being deployed, Majothi claims he split from his Russian unit following an altercation with a commander.

He then stumbled upon a Ukrainian dugout and asked for help, the outlet said.

After the video went viral, Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Squad questioned members of Majothi’s family, the outlet reported.

ATS officials in India confirmed details of his arrest and detention in Russia to the outlet.

His detainment comes amid rising concerns that Indian nationals have been recruited into the Russian military.

[b]Trump invites Zelensky to Washington, Ukraine ambassador confirms[/b]

President Trump has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington for discussions this week, fresh off the high of ending the war in Gaza, The Post can confirm.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Olha Stefanishyna confirmed that Zelensky received an “official invitation for the president of Ukraine to come to the United States for a meeting,” the embassy exclusively told The Post on Monday.

Zelensky later confirmed the White House meeting would happen Friday, when they “will discuss a series of steps that I intend to propose.”

First, a delegation of Ukrainian officials including Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, Zelensky’s chief adviser Andriy Yermak and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov will arrive in the nation’s capital for a series of discussions this week with Washington leaders.

“There will be several other important meetings – with defense companies, and possibly with senators and members of Congress,” Zelensky said in a post to X. “I will also meet with energy companies.”

“This is necessary — it was President Trump’s proposal — and I will meet with these companies because there are pressing needs linked to various formats of attacks, not even the attacks that Russia has already carried out. In any case, we must be prepared. So, it will be helpful,” he added.

It comes after Zelensky and Trump held back-to-back calls on Saturday and Sunday, the Ukrainian president said in a post to X on Monday. The White House invitation was extended after the calls, per the Ukrainian embassy.

“Yesterday, we agreed on a set of topics to discuss today, and we covered all the aspects of the situation: defense of life in our country, strengthening our capabilities — in air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities,” Zelensky said of the conversations.

“We also discussed many details related to the energy sector.”

[b]Trump Ally Orban Deals Blow to Russia’s Gas Profits[/b]

Hungary has dropped its opposition to a proposed European Union-wide ban on liquified natural gas (LNG) from Russia, bringing the bloc's 19th sanctions package one step closer to reality as Brussels seeks a united front on raising the costs of Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Why It Matters

Landlocked Hungary and neighboring Slovakia remain the EU's top destinations for Russian fossil fuel, with imports totaling $450 million and $298 million in August, according to data compiled by the Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Because EU sanctions require the support of all 27 members to proceed, both Budapest and Bratislava have used their leverage to secure an exemption, arguing that switching suppliers too quickly would jeopardize their economies.

The shift comes as Brussels and President Donald Trump—who pledged to end the war in Ukraine within 100 days of beginning his second term—put pressure on Russia as President Vladimir Putin rebuffs calls for a negotiated end to the conflict, now nearing its fourth year.

Newsweek reached out to the Hungarian and Russian foreign ministries and the White House for comment.

What To Know

The latest sanctions package, announced September 19, seeks to further restrict European revenues funding Russia's war chest.

In addition to closing the loophole on Russian LNG, the package would lower the oil price cap on Russian crude oil to $47.60, sanction over 100 additional vessels believed to be in the "shadow" fleet of sanctions-busting vessels, and implement full bans on business with Russian energy giants such as Gazprom and Rosneft.

For Budapest, the shift coincides with new efforts to diversify energy sources.

On October 2, state-owned MVM CEEnergy signed its longest-ever LNG contract—a decade-long deal with France’s Engie—to supply 400 million cubic meters of gas per year between 2028 and 2038, Hungarian media reported.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who announced the Engie deal, called it “a pillar of energy security,” emphasizing that diversification “does not mean closing one route when another opens.” He stressed that energy independence “must remain a matter of national sovereignty.”

Meanwhile, Hungary is courting Turkmenistan as another potential source. Deputy Secretary of State for Eastern Affairs Adam Stifter said in an October 1 statement Turkmenistan is a "reliable partner" that Budapest hopes "will soon become a gas supplier to Europe—and, more precisely, to Hungary.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a right-wing populist and one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe, has long maintained that sanctions risk damaging Europe’s competitiveness more than Russia’s.

The central European country has increased its supply of Russian gas since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and is contracted to receive 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russian majority state-owned gas company Gazprom until 2036.

[b]Putin Ally Issues Warning to Trump Over Tomahawks[/b]

Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has said any U.S. delivery of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles "could end badly" after U.S. President Donald Trump floated sending the missiles to Kyiv.

Why It Matters

Vice President JD Vance suggested last month the U.S. could consent to Ukraine's long-repeated request for Tomahawk sea-launched missiles, which would add significantly to Kyiv's ability to strike deep into Russia. The weapons have a range of roughly 1,550 miles, broadly similar to the Kalibr cruise missiles the Kremlin has frequently used against Ukraine.

Russia has warned it would destroy Washington's relations with Moscow and that the missiles can't be used by Ukraine without U.S. involvement.

What To Know

Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the current deputy chair of Russia's security council, said on Monday the "delivery of these missiles could end badly for everyone," before adding: "Most of all, for Trump himself."

Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment via email.

Trump and Medvedev have previously publicly clashed, including when Medvedev alluded to Russia's "dead hand" mechanism, which is designed to launch nuclear weapons even if Russia's most senior commanders are taken out by an enemy attack.

Trump then deployed two U.S. Navy nuclear submarines after what he called Medvedev's "highly provocative" statements. The Republican has labeled Medvedev, who is well known for his bellicose social media commentary, a "stupid person."

"One can only hope that this is another empty threat," Medvedev said in his Monday post to messaging app Telegram, adding: "Like sending nuclear submarines closer to Russia."

Trump said he "may" send the missiles when fielding questions from journalists on Air Force One, en route to Israel overnight into Monday. "We'll see," the U.S. president added.

"I might say 'Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I'm going to send them Tomahawks,'" Trump said.

Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Sunday he had spoken with Trump twice in two days and discussed "strengthening" Ukraine, including the country's long-range capabilities. The conversations were "productive," Zelensky added.

A spokesperson for Kyiv's foreign ministry had said last week there was a "very detailed and active discussion about the possibility of providing these missiles."