At least 14 states have declared a state of emergency as they brace for snow, record cold, and potentially crippling ice from a winter storm that will stretch from New Mexico to Maine.
Around 172 million people are in the storm&#8217;s path this weekend, with the ice being the biggest threat. Up to an inch of ice is possible in some spots in the Southeast, which is enough to down trees and power lines, potentially knocking out power for days. Some cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., could see up to a foot or more of snow, while Minneapolis and Chicago face extreme cold. A polar vortex is expected to bring in frigid Arctic air to around 35 states following the major storm.
States that have declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also preparing to respond to the storm, setting up staging areas in multiple locations, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/winter-storm-live-updates-tracking-dangerous-ice-snow/?id=129469173">reported</a>. In Louisiana, FEMA is preparing 250,000 meals, 400,000 liters of water, and 30 generators at Camp Minden near Shreveport.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders <a href="https://x.com/arkansasguard/status/2014734071088206232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2014734071088206232%7Ctwgr%5E8379399732f31524804ffc98aa29501a8f40a1f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FvDYMbArB%3F_showcaption%3Dfalseapp%3D1">ordered</a> 168 National Guard troops to active duty on Friday to support state police &#8220;until weather conditions improve.&#8221;
&#8220;Winter weather is headed our way as early as this evening. Stock up on essentials now, stay inside, and follow local and state guidance,&#8221; Sanders said on Friday morning.
In the South, where ice remains the biggest risk, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency <a href="https://x.com/TennesseeEMA/status/2014660446154821724">urged</a> residents to finalize their plans &#8220;and get home or to a safe place&#8221; by Friday night. In Texas, officials have warned residents to prepare for a &#8220;long-duration freeze&#8221; that will likely affect the state Saturday night through Monday night. Public buses and light rail trains will be completely shut down on Saturday afternoon in Austin, where the city&#8217;s mayor urged residents to stay indoors.
&#8220;Travel will become difficult, especially on bridges, overpasses, and untreated roadways,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/winter-weather/live-blog/winter-storm-snow-ice-weather-cold-live-updates-rcna255524/rcrd97174?canonicalCard=true">said</a> National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Runyon.
The storm will <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/winter-weather/live-blog/winter-storm-snow-ice-weather-cold-live-updates-rcna255524/rcrd97153?canonicalCard=true">move</a> across Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on Friday night before ice and snow are expected to reach the Carolinas and Virginia by Saturday and into Sunday. The National Weather Service warned that heavy snow can also &#8220;bring multi-day Power Outages, block emergency routes, and cause Communication Loss from downed lines.&#8221; Cold temperatures are expected to persist throughout the first half of next week, potentially prolonging power outages and travel difficulties in many states that are ill-equipped to clear roads.

Winter Storm

Over A Dozen States Declare Emergencies As Americans Brace For Massive Winter Storm

Over A Dozen States Declare Emergencies As Americans Brace For Massive Winter Storm, Frigid Temps

Arkansas

New York

North Carolina

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Winter storm

A self-described “lefty lesbian lawyer” says she was fired by New York Attorney General Letitia James after months of publicly speaking out against transgender medical procedures for children. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-letitia-james-deputy-breaks-from-dems-to-speak-out-against-gender-affirming-care">Glenna Goldis</a> lost her position in the consumer fraud bureau after warning about the dangers of so-called treatments like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors. In July, Goldis <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Healthcare-Workshop-Speakers-July-9-2025.pdf">participated</a> in a Federal Trade Commission roundtable on transgender procedures in her private capacity. 
“Today I was fired by NY Attorney General Letitia James for speaking out against pediatric gender medicine (PGM),” Goldis posted on X. “I was an attorney in [New York Attorney General&#8217;s] consumer frauds bureau, which did not work on anything related to PGM. Since 2024 I&#8217;d been raising the alarm publicly and within NYAG that PGM providers may be engaged in a dangerous consumer fraud. James&#8217;s officials treated me like a pest.”
Goldis said that James&#8217;s lawyers “struggled” to identify what was problematic about her public statements. 
“When the general counsel finally identified an objectionable line in my blog, it was where I stated the holding of US v. Skrmetti (banning [pediatric gender medicine] isn&#8217;t discriminatory). She wrote that it contradicted James&#8217;s legal position,” Goldis said. 
Goldis said she was told that she was not allowed to &#8220;take public legal positions that conflict” with James under the Rules of Professional Conduct. She said that the claim was inaccurate and accused the attorney of trying to cow her “into silence.”
James has been a vocal supporter of transgender medical procedures for minors and previously sued to block President Donald Trump’s executive order cutting federal funding to institutions that facilitate such interventions. 
A spokesman for James confirmed Goldis&#8217;s firing to The Daily Wire. 
“The Office of the Attorney General has rules and protocols for employees who engage in activities that can impact the work, operations, or integrity of the office,” the spokesman said. “This employee’s flagrant and repeated disregard of these rules and protocols disrupts and undermines our efforts to protect the rights of all New Yorkers.”
Goldis said her social circles are “full of progressive lawyers.” 
“I&#8217;m a lesbian, i.e., a ‘member of the LGBTQ community’ that James purports to champion. I tried to explain to NYAG officials that PGM, by its nature, targets children who defy sexed norms — whom studies show are more likely to be gay when they grow up,” she said Thursday. “If Letitia James actually cared about ‘LGBTQ’ youth then she&#8217;d research ‘gender’ drugs and learn what they do. Instead, she glibly calls the drugs ‘safe’ and fires me for contradicting her.”
Goldis said she hopes Democratic officials will one day move away from the party&#8217;s intolerance of dissent on transgender-related policy.
“In the end, NYAG accused me of engaging in ‘disruptive public speech.’ Unfortunately, that&#8217;s not true. I haven&#8217;t disrupted the Democratic elite&#8217;s zombie-like devotion to PGM providers,” she said. “But I&#8217;m just getting started.”
Ahead of her appearance at the FTC roundtable, Goldis told The Daily Wire she wanted to end what she described as a &#8220;taboo&#8221; on criticizing the transgender medical industry. 
“I want to end that, I want to break the taboo,” she said. “There’s a taboo out there which is just performing so much work for the gender doctors. The healthcare industry is able to make all this money and pass off all these lies because there’s a taboo against criticizing it. And so I want to smash that taboo.”

BAM Celebrates 40th Annual Tribute To Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

‘Lefty Lesbian Lawyer’ Fired By Letitia James After Opposing Transgender Procedures For Kids

Letitia James

Transgender

<div>
In a disturbing incident in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, an Orthodox Jewish family was <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/antisemitic-lunatic-stalks-nyc-family-150847742.html">targeted</a> in a violent, hate-fueled attack while celebrating Shabbat. Isharae Summers, 35, allegedly stalked a 26-year-old father, his wife, and their four young children—ranging in age from six months to six years—near the corner of Nostrand and Willoughby avenues. According to court records, Summers unleashed a torrent of antisemitic threats, screaming, “I’m gonna kill you Jews” and “Your kids are dead tonight,” before sucker punching the father in the chest and head.
</div>
<div>
Despite the severity of the unprovoked attack and the clear presence of hate speech threats, the legal system’s response has sparked outrage. Summers was charged with assault and multiple counts of aggravated harassment as a hate crime. At her arraignment, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office requested $50,000 cash bail to ensure the safety of the community and the victims. However, Judge Margaret Martin rejected this request, allowing Summers to walk free on supervised release.
</div>
<div>
Judge Martin’s decision to release a defendant accused of a violent hate crime could be seen as a direct reflection of her professional background. Before her 2017 appointment to the bench, Martin spent over 21 years with the Legal Aid Society, including a <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Margaret_Martin_(New_York)">tenure</a> as a Senior Staff Attorney in the Capital Division. Critics, such as former Lt. Governor Betsy McCaughey and former Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, <a href="https://amac.us/newsline/politics/newsline/politics/the-illegal-aid-society-is-making-new-york-unsafe/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">argue</a> that the Legal Aid Society functions less as a defense organization and more as a lobbying group dedicated to &#8220;handcuffing the police&#8221; and prioritizing the interests of criminals over victims.
The Legal Aid Society has been instrumental in pushing for the elimination of cash bail and the implementation of discovery reforms that often result in cases being dismissed on technicalities. Ray Kelly noted that such a background creates systemic friction for law enforcement, as officers risk their lives to make arrests only to see suspects released by judges conditioned by a &#8220;pro-crime&#8221; legal philosophy.
In this case, the transition from public defender to judge appears to have significantly influenced the outcome, as Martin’s refusal to set bail allowed a woman accused of terrorizing a Jewish family and their infants to return to the streets, further demoralizing local police and endangering the community.
</div>

Suspects impersonating NYPD officers rob market in Brooklyn

Judge Frees Accused Antisemitic Assailant Who Threatened To Kill Brooklyn Family

antisemitism

Brooklyn

Former Republican George Conway is entering New York’s crowded Democratic primary for its Twelfth Congressional District to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler.
Conway is the ex-husband of Kellyanne Conway, former Senior Counselor to President Donald Trump, but George is a vocal critic of the president. The couple got divorced in early 2023.
“We have a demented, criminal president running the country like a mob operation—government by the boss, for the boss,” he posted to X alongside a campaign video featuring footage from Jan. 6, as it’s been five years since the Capitol riot. “We need Democratic fighters who will defend the rule of law and deliver government by the people. Join us.”
The attorney joins a boisterous field, which includes former President John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg, Parkland activist Cameron Kasky and Assemblyman Alex Bores. The seat is solidly Democratic, but the district’s Manhattan location paired with Nadler’s retirement has given the race a degree of national attention.
Conway was part of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, but supported its closure amid allegations of sexual harassment of minors against co-founder John Weaver, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/02/16/george-conway-calls-for-lincoln-project-to-be-shut-down/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a> reported in 2021.
&nbsp;
“An investigation is necessary. But it has to be thorough, and not a whitewash. And—THE LYING HAS TO STOP. It&#8217;s clear now that, as early last *MARCH*, the people who were in operational control of the Lincoln Project…. were told of Weaver&#8217;s predations,” Conway posted to Twitter in 2021. “Enough is enough. LP needs to waive the NDAs and come clean.”
He left the group in 2020, saying at the time that he needed to focus on his family, but adding he would continue to “passionately” support the group.
<a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/george-conway-donald-trump-house-campaign-democrat-b2894973.html#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Independent</a> reported that Conway now rents an apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood, and he did not mince words in an interview with the British publication.
“Everything is at stake — democracy is at stake, the rule of law is at stake, constitutional government is at stake. And it&#8217;s no longer good enough for me to sit and lob things in from the spectator seats,” Conway told the outlet.
He previously worked in the city, but recently lived in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, according to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-01-06/george-conway-persistent-trump-critic-is-running-for-congress-in-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Times</a>.
In October, a photo of George Conway wearing an “I am Antifa” T-shirt at a “No Kings” rally went viral after social media influencer Benny Johnson posted it, to which the now-Democrat replied, “I love how these people think this is some kind of gotcha. Thanks for posting, Benny!!”
Some conservative commentators pointed out that the race could become a race to the bottom for criticism of the Trump administration.
“Ah, the ‘I am Antifa’ shirt suddenly makes a lot more sense if he has to get out of a Democratic primary. This is going to be the most online primary of all time. Cameron Kasky and Jack Schlossberg also running. ‘I hate Trump more!’ ‘No, I do!’ ‘No, me!’” political columnist Karol Markowicz posted to X.
“When ‘Orange Man Bad’ becomes your entire personality,” political consultant Chapin D. Fay posted.
The primary is scheduled for June.

President Trump And Melania Trump Host White House Easter Egg Roll

Vocal Trump Opponent George Conway Joins Packed New York Congressional Race

Congress

Elections

George Conway

Kellyanne Conway

Politics

White House

The Department of Health and Human Services will freeze $10 billion in funding for multiple welfare programs in five blue states over fraud concerns. 
HHS will pause funding for programs that provide childcare and food assistance in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York as officials probe whether the benefits are being illegally funneled to non-citizens. The specific programs being halted in those states are the Child Care Development Fund, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, and the Social Services Block Grant program.
“Democrat-led states and governors have been complicit in allowing massive amounts of fraud to occur under their watch,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/06/us/politics/child-care-funding-cuts-trump.html">said</a> HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon. “Under the Trump administration, we are ensuring that federal taxpayer dollars are being used for legitimate purposes.”
The states were notified of the pause in letters sent out by HHS on Monday. New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said that the impending freeze was motivated by politics. 
“Trump is threatening to freeze child care funding in New York and targeting our children for political retribution. It’s immoral and indefensible,” she wrote on X. 
The Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) is a partnership program funded by the federal government and the states that provides financial assistance to low-income families to help them care for their children while they work or attend school. 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federally funded, state-administered <a href="https://www.usa.gov/welfare-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">program</a> that provides cash assistance to low-income families for food, housing, home energy, and child care. 
The Social Services Block Grant is a program that provides funds to states, which they then allocate to various welfare programs. 
The freeze was first <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/05/us-news/trump-freezes-10b-in-funding-to-five-blue-states-for-child-care-social-services-over-fraud-fears/">reported</a> by the New York Post, which noted that the pause will impact $7.35 billion in TANF funds, $2.4 billion in CCDF funds, and $869 million in Social Services Block Grant funds. 
The Trump administration has recently increased scrutiny on states like Minnesota and California over alleged widespread fraud. Last week, HHS paused all childcare payments to the state of Minnesota while it investigates allegations that millions of taxpayer dollars have been funneled to fraudulent daycares across the state throughout the past ten years. 
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-fraud-investigation-has-begun-in-newsoms-california-more-corrupt-than-minnesota">said</a> investigations into California were beginning. 
“California, under Governor Gavin Newscum, is more corrupt than Minnesota, if that’s possible??? The Fraud Investigation of California has begun,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-fraud-investigation-has-begun-in-newsoms-california-more-corrupt-than-minnesota?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Says+Fraud+Investigation+%E2%80%98Has+Begun%E2%80%99+In+Newsom%E2%80%99s+California%3A+%E2%80%98More+Corrupt+Than+Minnesota%E2%80%99">Trump Says Fraud Investigation &#8216;Has Begun&#8217; In Newsom&#8217;s California: &#8220;More Corrupt Than Minnesota&#8217;</a>

UK Hosts President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump For State Visit – Day Three

Trump Admin Freezes Welfare Funds To Five Blue States Over Fraud Concerns

California

Colorado

Department of Health and Human Services

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Illinois

Minnesota

Ousted Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife arrived in New York Saturday to face narcoterrorism charges in the United States.
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores landed at Stewart Air National Guard base in Windsor, New York, just after 4:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/03/us-news/nicolas-maduro-and-cilia-flores-land-on-us-soil-to-face-trial-after-capture-in-venezuela/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the New York Post. It was just 14 hours after the United States military arrested the pair at their compound in Caracas,Venezuela, overnight Friday.
Authorities brought the couple down the plane&#8217;s stairs as they were surrounded by dozens of law enforcement officers before they were taken into a building on the airbase, according to video of their arrival.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in New York after he and his wife were captured during a U.S. strike on Venezuela.
Live updates: <a href="https://t.co/5mIIO1Hgjo">https://t.co/5mIIO1Hgjo</a> <a href="https://t.co/g4RIqMBGYS">pic.twitter.com/g4RIqMBGYS</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/2007582742024802315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
Following Maduro&#8217;s capture, he was pictured in dramatic photos blindfolded and handcuffed, donning a Nike tracksuit while aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
Maduro and his wife face narco-terrorism conspiracy-related charges in the Southern District of New York, according to an unsealed federal indictment. The defunct Venezuelan dictator also faces charges for cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.
One of the most shocking allegations made in the indictment is that Maduro trafficked cocaine under the guise of &#8220;diplomatic&#8221; missions abroad and provided diplomatic passports to drug traffickers moving the proceeds of their enterprise.
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During a news conference Saturday morning, President Donald Trump revealed that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will work as a team with the people of Venezuela to &#8220;make sure&#8221; that the country is headed toward a peaceful transition. He said that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is unlikely to be the next president of the country because she lacks the &#8220;respect&#8221; in the South American country.
&#8220;There is nobody to take over,&#8221; Trump explained. &#8220;You have a vice-president appointed by Maduro, right now she’s the vice-president and she’s, I guess, the president, sworn in as president just a little while ago and she had a long conversation with Marco and said we’ll do whatever you need.&#8221;
&#8220;I think she was quite gracious, but she really doesn’t have a choice,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;We’re going to have this done right. We’re not going to just do this with Maduro and leave like everybody else, leave and say let it go to hell. If we just left, it has zero chance of ever coming back.&#8221;
&#8220;We’ll run it properly, we’ll run it professionally. We’ll have the greatest oil companies in the world go in and invest billions and billions of dollars, and use that money in Venezuela and the biggest beneficiary are going to be the people of Venezuela,&#8221; he said.

Untitled design – 2026-01-03T172857.667

Venezuela’s Maduro Lands In New York To Face Justice In Narcoterrorism Case

Global Politics

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

World

Newly inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has moved with immediate and controversial speed to strip away the pro-Israel infrastructure established by his predecessor, Eric Adams. While Mamdani framed his sweeping executive orders as a &#8220;fresh start&#8221; following the Adams&#8217;s indictment, critics and international observers, including Israel’s Foreign Ministry, have <a href="https://www.jns.org/mamdani-axes-all-adams-executive-orders-in-past-15-months-including-those-defending-jews/">characterized</a> the moves as a calculated expression of Mamdani&#8217;s long-standing hostility toward the Jewish state.
Within hours of taking office, Mamdani signed an <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/content/dam/nycgov/mayors-office/downloads/pdf/executive-orders/2026/eo1-prior-executive-orders.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_name=&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">executive order</a> revoking all mayoral directives issued after September 26, 2024. This action effectively axed several key protections for the Jewish community and measures aimed at strengthening ties with Israel:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>IHRA Definition: He scrapped the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) <a href="https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitism">definition of antisemitism</a>, a tool used by more than 30 countries to identify anti-Jewish hate, particularly when it targets Israel&#8217;s right to exist.</li>
<li>Anti-BDS Measures: He <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/zohran-mamdani-nyc-antisemitism/2026/01/02/id/1240493/">lifted</a> Executive Order 60, which barred city entities from boycotting or divesting from Israel.</li>
<li>Safety Buffers: He revoked directives aimed at creating protest-free zones around houses of worship, a move previously intended to protect synagogues from targeted demonstrations.</li>
</ul>
Mamdani’s early actions align with a political history defined by intense opposition to Israel. As a student, he founded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and as a state legislator, he sponsored the &#8220;Not on Our Dime&#8221; Act, which sought to strip New York charities that provide aid to Israeli causes of their tax-exempt status.
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His rhetoric has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leaked-docs-reveal-dsas-anti-israel-strategy-under-mamdanis-watch">equally severe</a>. Mamdani has:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Referred to Israel’s military operations as &#8220;genocide.&#8221;</li>
<li>Refused to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.</li>
<li>Linked the NYPD to the Israel Defense Forces through disparaging metaphors, claiming the &#8220;boot of the NYPD&#8221; is &#8220;laced by the IDF.&#8221;</li>
<li>Publicly praised members of the Holy Land Foundation, who were convicted of funneling millions of dollars to Hamas terrorists.</li>
</ul>
While Mamdani claims he will keep the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, the removal of the IHRA definition and the lifting of anti-boycott rules signal a fundamental shift. Internal documents from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) suggest a broader agenda to use Mamdani’s office to divest city pensions from Israeli bonds and terminate NYPD cooperation with Israeli security forces. For many in New York’s Jewish community, these first 24 hours represent the beginning of an era defined by the institutionalization of anti-Zionism at City Hall.

Democrat Zohran Mamdani becomes the first Muslim mayor of New York City

Mamdani’s First Act As NYC Mayor: Dismantle Pro-Israel Policies

Israel

Jews

New York City

Zohran Mamdani

A 104-year-old WWII Veteran absolutely crushed the National Anthem Saturday on a saxophone before the New York Islanders faced the New York Rangers in the rivalry hockey game, and the crowd went wild!
Staff Sergeant Dominick Critelli was helped onto the ice, where he performed a wonderful rendition of the anthem in a custom Islanders jersey, complete with the number 104.
His century-old lungs carried the anthem as if he were just 20 years old. Islanders and Rangers fans with hands over their hearts and pride in their eyes sang along with Critelli. It was a moving scene—a scene that, unfortunately, has become rare since the Colin Kaepernicks of the world tried to diminish the anthem.
It was nearly 10 years ago in 2016 when Kaepernick first sat out the anthem. Since then, the Star Spangled Banner has sadly often been a point of contention. But thanks to Critelli&#8217;s pipes, it seems as though America is back.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
104 year old World War 2 Veteran Dominick Critelli performed the National Anthem on the saxophone at tonight’s game! <a href="https://t.co/m0v0WT6L2Y">pic.twitter.com/m0v0WT6L2Y</a>
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYIslanders/status/2005107346662436870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
“USA!” chants rang out following his pre-game performance. The Army Veteran gave a strong salute to the crowd following his last note.
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Critelli served as an aircraft mechanic with the 95th Infantry Division Headquarters Battery after immigrating to the United States from Italy. According to the <a href="https://www.nhl.com/news/wwii-veteran-us-national-anthem-new-york-islanders">National Hockey League</a>, Critelli spent 151 days in combat during WWII. He fought at Normandy and in the Battle of the Bulge. Critelli went behind enemy lines during the war to help isolated American troops who needed supplies. His service to our country earned Critelli the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars. As well as the American Theatre Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.
Critelli was honored last summer on the 80th Anniversary of D-Day by French President Emmanuel Macron, who <a href="https://x.com/NLintheUSA/status/1798794940891136143?s=20">awarded</a> Critelli the Legion of Honor, France&#8217;s highest military award.
The highly decorated serviceman&#8217;s performance Saturday in front of 17,000 hockey fans wasn&#8217;t his biggest audience he&#8217;s ever played for.
In an interview with The New York Post prior to Saturday&#8217;s game, Critelli said he’d once performed on the top of a rolling army tank for thousands after helping free the Netherlands from Nazi rule.
“I guess, it must have been 50,000, 60,000 people,” Critelli told The Post.
All these years later, the proud New Yorker can still put on a show.

Credit: Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images

104-Year-Old WWII Veteran Brings House Down With National Anthem

New York Islanders

News

Veterans

WWII

A federal judge appointed by then-President Joe Biden ruled Tuesday that New York can proceed with implementing a law allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver&#8217;s licenses.
U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci determined that the Trump administration, which sued over New York&#8217;s &#8220;Green Light Law&#8221; in February, failed to prove that the law preceded federal authority and that it either illegally discriminates or regulates against the federal government, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-green-lights-new-yorks-drivers-license-law-128667860" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ABC News.
New York Attorney General Letitia James celebrated Tuesday&#8217;s ruling, arguing that the state law promotes safety.
&#8220;As I said from the start, our laws protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I will always stand up for New Yorkers and the rule of law,&#8221; James said of the ruling.
The &#8220;Green Light Law&#8221; allows illegal immigrants to use foreign passports or driver&#8217;s licenses issued in other countries to obtain New York driver&#8217;s licenses, according to ABC.
Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj2WZfv8nIA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the lawsuit in February, slamming Empire State officials for choosing &#8220;to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens.&#8221;
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The first Trump administration tried to pressure New York to change the law, which was introduced in 2020, by preventing New Yorkers from enrolling in the trusted traveler programs that allow for quicker processing at airports, ABC reported.
At the time, then-Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo offered to give the feds limited access to state driving records, but still kept Immigration and Customs Enforcement from seeing records of illegal immigrants who applied for the licenses.
The governor at the time, Andrew Cuomo, offered to restore federal access to driving records on a limited basis, but said he wouldn’t let immigration agents see lists of people who had applied for the special licenses available to immigrants who couldn’t prove legal residency in the U.S. The administration ultimately restored New Yorkers’ access to the trusted traveler program after a brief legal fight.

New York Governor Hochul Joins Catholic Charities Turkey Distribution Ahead Of Thanksgiving

Judge Strikes Down Trump’s Effort To Stop New York From Giving Illegal Immigrants Driver’s Licenses

Donald Trump

Kathy Hochul

Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was seen as a formidable challenger to incumbent New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, abruptly suspended her gubernatorial campaign Friday and is taking a step back from politics.
&#8220;While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress,&#8221; Stefanik <a href="https://x.com/EliseStefanik/status/2002121519342793163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">wrote</a> on X.
Stefanik&#8217;s choice stems from the unexpected entry of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman into the Republican primary for governor, a move Stefanik says would inevitably lead to a costly and ultimately unnecessary primary battle.
Blakeman jumped into the primary despite a phone call from President Trump warning him against challenging Stefanik, whom the president endorsed emphatically earlier this year.
&#8220;[W]hile we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,&#8221; Stefanik said.
With her congressional term ending in 2027, Stefanik hopes to focus her attention on motherhood and other personal goals.
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&#8220;And while many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom. I believe that being a parent is life&#8217;s greatest gift and greatest responsibility,&#8221; Stefanik said. &#8220;I have thought deeply about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don&#8217;t further focus on my young son&#8217;s safety, growth, and happiness &#8211; particularly at his tender age.&#8221;
The Harvard grad was once considered a rising star in the Republican Party and even a potential running mate for President Trump in 2024, but Stefanik has had a challenging year.
Stefanik gave up her leadership position and her spot on the House Intel committee earlier this year to accept the position of U.N. ambassador — only for the offer to be rescinded after Trump feared losing her House seat in the ensuing special election, eating into the Republicans&#8217; razor-thin House majority.
&#8220;I am incredibly grateful to the people of New York&#8217;s 21st District for entrusting me to represent you in the United States Congress. Thank you to my dedicated staff over the past decade. I am proud of the significant results that we successfully delivered for the hardworking families in our district and across America,&#8221; Stefanik concluded. &#8220;It has been a tremendous professional honor to serve as your Congresswoman over the past eleven years.&#8221;

Elise Stefanik

ELECTION SHOCK: Elise Stefanik Drops Out Of New York Governor’s Race

2026 Midterms

An illegal immigrant given a New York commercial driver&#8217;s license allegedly caused a fatal crash while driving behind the wheel of a tour bus.
Chinese illegal immigrant Yisong Huang, 54, allegedly killed a 31-year-old truck driver and injured several others in Tennessee on December 9 while he was distracted by a video on his phone, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/17/us-news/nyc-bus-driver-charged-in-fatal-highway-wreck-entered-us-illegally-but-was-still-issued-license-feds/?utm_social_post_id=625806205&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_social_handle_id=17469289" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the New York Post. The latest collision is part of a recent, larger string of crashes involving illegal immigrants behind the wheel of heavy trucks and buses.
&#8220;Far too many innocent Americans have been killed by illegal aliens driving semi-trucks and big rigs. And yet, sanctuary states around the country have been issuing illegal aliens commercial driver’s licenses. The Trump Administration is ending the chaos,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement regarding the latest crash.
“The brave men and women of ICE are working nonstop to get criminal illegal aliens out of our communities and off our roads.&#8221;
After the crash, Huang failed an English proficiency test, which is required by the federal government in order to obtain a commercial driver&#8217;s license, according to DHS.
Huang crossed the border illegally in 2023, when federal authorities reported a massive surge in Chinese migrants entering through Mexico, DHS said. Border Patrol agents swiftly released him into the country, and he was later granted a work permit and a Social Security card.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed that Huang received the license on April 11, 2025, after he presented federal documents, according to the New York Post. The state agency denied that the license was issued unlawfully.
After a series of recent crashes involving illegal immigrants carrying commercial driver&#8217;s licenses, the Trump administration has commenced a nationwide crackdown on states issuing them. The federal government has also instituted new changes to testing requirements, including enforcing a rule that testing must be conducted in English.
A recent federal audit of New York&#8217;s issuance of commercial driver&#8217;s licenses found that more than half were issued unlawfully, <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-uncovers-latest-bombshell-over-50-nys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Department of Transportation. As a result, the Trump administration has threatened to withhold roughly $73 million in federal funding from the Empire State.
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Experts have told The Daily Wire that the issue metastasized when the Biden administration began handing out work permits &#8220;like candy&#8221; to illegal border crossers while taking a lax approach when it came to commercial driver&#8217;s license testing requirements.
The issue is also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-illegal-immigrant-truck-drivers-ended-up-on-americas-roads?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=32&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Illegal+Immigrant+Truck+Drivers+Ended+Up+On+America%E2%80%99s+Roads">attributed</a> to third-party testing sites, which certify new drivers independently.
“There’s no good checks and balances, to be perfectly honest with you,” Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, previously told The Daily Wire.
“A lot of states allow third party testing to do the CDLs and I would say that’s how most of these people get through,” he said.

Untitled design – 2025-12-18T125543.316

Illegal Immigrant Tour Bus Driver With New York License Accused Of Causing Fatal Wreck

Communist China

Deportations

Illegal Immigration

U.S.

VATICAN CITY, Dec 18 (Reuters) — Pope Leo replaced Cardinal Timothy Dolan as leader of the Catholic Church in New York, the Vatican announced on Thursday, sidelining a prominent American church figure in a major shake-up of the country&#8217;s Catholic leadership.
Leo, the first American pope, appointed a relatively unknown cleric from Illinois, Bishop Ronald Hicks, to replace Dolan as leader of the nation&#8217;s second-largest Catholic diocese, home to some 2.8 million Church members.
&#8220;Hicks represents not just a new chapter for New York but for the American church as a whole,&#8221; said David Gibson, a U.S. church expert.
Dolan, Archbishop of New York since 2009 and a former president of the U.S. Catholic bishops&#8217; conference, offered to resign in February upon turning 75, as required by Church law. Cardinals often serve until 80, the mandatory retirement age.
He is regarded as a leading conservative among the U.S. bishops, who have become increasingly divided in recent years amid deepening political polarization. Cardinal Dolan delivered one of the invocations at Trump&#8217;s second inauguration and praised late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk as a &#8220;modern-day St. Paul,&#8221; sparking online criticism from a range of Catholics. Known for his gregarious personality, Dolan has been a frequent guest on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; and hosts his own weekly program on SiriusXM&#8217;s The Catholic Channel.
NEW ARCHBISHOP HAS &#8216;GREAT HEART&#8217; FOR LATINO COMMUNITY
At a press conference in New York a few hours after the Vatican&#8217;s announcement, Hicks, 58, gave some remarks in Spanish before speaking in English. He said he has a &#8220;great heart&#8221; for the Latino community, citing his experience as a former missionary in Latin America.
Hicks also repeated an earlier endorsement of the U.S. Catholic bishops&#8217; condemnation of President Donald Trump&#8217;s immigration crackdown.
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He said the United States should protect its borders but &#8220;also be a country that upholds human dignity, respect, (and) treating each other well.&#8221;
Hicks, leader of the Church in Joliet, Illinois, since 2020, has several similarities to Pope Leo. They are both originally from south Chicago suburbs but spent years as missionaries — Leo in Peru, while Hicks was in El Salvador.
&#8220;(Leo) is elevating to the most prominent American see an Illinois native very much like himself,&#8221; said Gibson, director of Fordham University&#8217;s Center on Religion and Culture.
Hicks joked at the press conference that he and Leo even have the same favorite pizza restaurant.
The Archdiocese of New York is a sprawling and influential institution, serving Catholics across Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, and in seven counties to the north across 296 parishes and hundreds of Catholic schools and hospitals.
Leo&#8217;s replacement of Dolan comes as the archdiocese is struggling to raise more than $300 million for expected settlements with survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy.
The archdiocese has entered mediation with some 1,300 alleged survivors, with Dolan announcing on December 8 that the archdiocese would cut its operating budget by 10%, lay off staff, and sell properties as it sought to raise funds for payouts.
Hicks will be installed in his new role on February 6, the New York archdiocese said in a statement. Dolan will remain as the temporary leader in the interim.
HICKS SEEN AS SUPPORTER OF POPE FRANCIS&#8217; REFORMS
Gibson said Hicks is &#8220;a soft-spoken Midwesterner who embraces the reformist line of Pope Francis and who is respected by many across the divides in a polarized church.&#8221;
The late Pope Francis, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years until his death in April, pursued a reform agenda and sought to make the Church more inclusive of diverse viewpoints, sometimes drawing pushback from conservative cardinals.
In an October pastoral letter to the roughly 520,000 Catholics in Joliet, Hicks did not address political issues or Church reforms and instead urged his people to focus on their prayer lives and spread their faith to others.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Chizu Nomiyama)
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FILE PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV holds a general audience in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican

Pope Leo Replaces New York’s Cardinal Dolan, A Leading Conservative Voice, In U.S. Church Shake-Up

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