Zero Hedge

Jewish FDNY Commissioner Resigned Just Hours After Mamdani's Election Victory

Jewish FDNY Commissioner Resigned Just Hours After Mamdani's Election Victory

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker resigned last Wednesday morning, less than 12 hours after Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race over Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, according to the Daily News and Firehouse.

In a letter to Mayor Eric Adams, Tucker said his final day will be Dec. 19. “Between now and then, I will continue to lead the greatest fire department in the world and will ensure an orderly transition,” he wrote.

A department source said Tucker has had no discussions with Mamdani’s team about remaining in his post.

The source added that Tucker, who is Jewish and a Zionist, believed he wouldn’t align well with Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who faced criticism during the campaign for remarks some viewed as anti-Semitic.

The report notes that Tucker, CEO of a private security firm and longtime member of the FDNY Foundation board, was appointed commissioner in August 2024, succeeding Laura Kavanagh, the department’s first female commissioner.

Tucker’s resignation marks another major shift within city leadership following a heated election season that highlighted deep political divides. Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman known for his progressive stances on housing and policing, ran on a platform of redistributing city resources and increasing public investment in social services. His victory signaled a sharp turn from Adams’ more centrist approach to public safety and governance.

During his brief tenure, Tucker focused on strengthening the FDNY’s recruitment pipeline, modernizing training programs, and improving firefighter wellness and mental health resources.

He also oversaw initiatives to expand diversity within the department and enhance coordination during large-scale emergencies, earning praise from union leaders and city officials alike.

On Wednesday, Tucker was traveling to Israel to meet with the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority and is expected to comment on his resignation upon returning.

Mamdani is now set to become New York City’s first Muslim and youngest mayor in a century, having won 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s election.

Tyler Durden Mon, 11/10/2025 - 14:05

Government Shutdown Delayed Some $5BN In Weapons Transfers To Ukraine

Government Shutdown Delayed Some $5BN In Weapons Transfers To Ukraine

Via The Libertarian Institute

The government shutdown has slowed arms transfers to NATO allies and Ukraine. Some State Department officials involved in ensuring weapons sales are completed have been furloughed. 

Axios reports the words of officials who explained AMRAAM and HIMARS missile shipments to Denmark, Croatia, and Poland have been delayed. Many of these arms will then be transferred to Ukraine. 

Via Reuters

"This is actually really harming both our allies and partners and US industry to actually deliver a lot of these critical capabilities overseas," a senior State Department official told Axios.

The White House blamed Democrats for the slowdown in a statement to Axios: "Democrats are holding up critical weapons sales, including to our NATO allies, which harms the U.S. industrial base and puts our and our partners’ security at risk," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said. 

And the Ukrainian publication Kyiv Post noted:

Even as the Senate moved toward reopening the government, the shutdown’s ripple effects continued to reverberate across national security circles.

Alarming reports indicated the funding lapse had frozen more than $5 billion in US weapons exports intended for NATO allies and Ukraine.

After taking office, President Donald Trump canceled Joe Biden’s policy of shipping billions of dollars in weapons every month to Ukraine. Trump has authorized NATO states to buy US weapons for Ukraine. 

While Trump has ended direct weapon transfers to Ukraine, he has continued to fuel the war by providing Kiev with intelligence for long-range strikes inside Russia and ramped up sanctions on Moscow. 

Russian media taking note: "Even routine arms deals are struck."

On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to end the war on his first day in office. Trump has failed to make progress towards that promise as the White House recently called off a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary.

Tyler Durden Mon, 11/10/2025 - 12:20

Supreme Court Rejects Challenge To Its 2015 Gay Marriage Ruling

Supreme Court Rejects Challenge To Its 2015 Gay Marriage Ruling

Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times,

The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 10 rejected a challenge to its landmark 2015 ruling that requires all states to grant licenses for same-sex marriages.

The nation’s highest court declined to grant the petition in Davis v. Ermold in an unsigned order. The court did not explain its decision.

The petition was filed by former Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk Kim Davis, who, a decade ago, would not sign marriage licenses for same-sex couples.

Davis declined to sign the licenses after the Supreme Court ruled 5–4 in June 2015 in a case called Obergefell v. Hodges that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution requires all states to grant licenses for same-sex marriages and recognize same-sex marriages carried out in other states.

Days after the Obergefell decision, David Moore and David Ermold sought a marriage license from Davis. She declined, saying she was acting “under God’s authority” and advised the couple to seek a marriage license in another county.

The men sued for civil rights violations, seeking damages. A federal district court issued an order in a separate case directing Davis to issue marriage licenses.

Not long after the Obergefell decision, Kentucky’s then-governor, Steve Beshear, directed all county clerks, including Davis, to “license and recognize the marriages of same-sex couples,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recounted in its March 6 ruling that upheld a civil judgment against Davis.

Davis took the position at the time that her office would not issue any marriage licenses “until the state passed legislation to grant her an accommodation,” the ruling said.

While Davis’s appeal of the court order was pending, Kentucky enacted a law allowing clerks’ names to be left off marriage licenses. Davis accepted this and asked for her appeal to be dismissed.

The Sixth Circuit declined to dismiss the appeal because the plaintiffs were seeking damages.

The legal proceeding went on for years before a federal jury awarded $100,000 in total compensatory damages to Moore and Ermold.

The Sixth Circuit did not disturb the jury verdict and held that Davis was not entitled to immunity from suit as a government official, the ruling said.

Tyler Durden Mon, 11/10/2025 - 11:40

100 Christian Leaders Urge Trump To Save Syria's Christians As He Hosts President Sharaa

100 Christian Leaders Urge Trump To Save Syria's Christians As He Hosts President Sharaa

Syian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose al-Qaeda name is Abu Mohammad al-Julani, is being welcomed in Washington Monday where he's meeting President Trump at the White House, which is a first for any Syrian head of state in history.

But just before this, some 100 influential Christian leaders sent a letter to President Trump calling on him to raise the issue of minority rights and protection of Syria's ancient Christian community.

Syrian church in the heart of Damascus' walled 'Old City' district.

The letter was led by Dede Laugesen, president of Save the Persecuted Christians. The letter, submitted to the White House Friday, highlighted that Trump has made the protection of persecuted Christians in foreign lands like the Middle East and Africa a priority, and that the issue must be pressed firmly with Sharaa. Former member of Trump's cabinet, Dr. Ben Carson, was among those who signed the urgent letter.

The Syrian leader who overthrew longtime secular Baathist President Bashar al-Assad (who fled to Russia) last December has overseen a campaign of mass killings and kidnappings targeting non-Sunnis, including Druze, Alawites, and Christians - particularly along the Syrian coast and in the south.

Sharaa/Jolani's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, an AQ spin-off) had starting in 2015 cleansed Idlib city of its Christians, and St. Mary Orthodox Church was destroyed and taken over. Chechens and other foreign fighters took over the homes of Christian families as well. It's a disgusting reality that this was all done with the tacit support of the CIA to these radical jihadi groups in the north, for the sake of pursuing regime change in Damascus.

The Christian leaders wrote, "We urge you to address directly the massacre of Christians, Kurds, Druze, and Alawites in Syria, notably in the greater Suwayda area. These religious minorities face ongoing violence, death, displacement, starvation, and water and medical deprivation—all while innocent women and children are held hostage by ISIS terrorists."

Syria Crucified: Stories of Modern Martyrdom in an Ancient Christian Land

"Mr. President, we respectfully request that you secure President al-Sharaa’s commitment to opening a secure humanitarian corridor from Hader to Suwayda in southern Syria. This corridor will enable safe and secure aid delivery and civilian evacuation, signaling the new government’s commitment to minority rights and stability," the letter stated.

Conservative commentator Laura Loomer, who has in the recent past demonstrated a significant degree of influence at the Trump White House, speaks bluntly in a fresh social media post while addressing Trump:

As I have reported, under Julani’s direction as the new President of Syria, he and his militant jihadist forces have been massacring religious minorities and he has blocked a humanitarian corridor from being opened between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights for the sake of delivering emergency and life saving aid to the persecuted religious minorities. Julani is an ISIS terrorist.

If President Trump is going to normalize him on US soil at the White House of all places, he must demand that Julani stop killing religious minorities.

I spent the entire week in Israel and on the Syrian border speaking with members of the Druze community in Majdal Shams, who told me how they and their families have been negatively impacted by Julani’s Islamic terrorism.

It wasn't long ago that Sharaa had a $10 million US bounty on his head, but his terrorism designation has recently been removed, also to facilitate his travel to the United States. This was also the case with his foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani, literally a founder of al-Qaeda in Syria.

Already, since Jolani came to power at least dozens of primarily Orthodox Christians have been slaughtered, including a bombing of a historic Damascus church which killed 25 and wounded over 60 more in June.

The fruits of CIA's Timber Sycamore program:

The U.S. State Dept.’s own numbers: read the full report HERE at STATE.GOV

Another irony is that these "former" terrorists are being hosted in the White House a mere day before Veteran's Day, and Jolani had even been at one point an emissary of the Islamic State's top leader. These are ISI (Islamic State in Iraq) militants who at one point were fighting and killing American soldiers. 

Tyler Durden Mon, 11/10/2025 - 11:20

Key Events This Week: Jobs Report Could Come As Soon As Thursday Once Govt Reopens; Fed Speakers Galore

Key Events This Week: Jobs Report Could Come As Soon As Thursday Once Govt Reopens; Fed Speakers Galore

As DB's Jim Reid puts it poetically, it looks like white smoke is finally emerging from Capitol Hill as late on Sunday night in the Senate there was a 60-40 procedural vote to advance a bill that would end the shutdown as enough moderate Democrats broke ranks with party leadership to progress a bill that would fund Agriculture, Veterans Affairs and the operations of Congress for the full-year, even if other agencies would only be funded through to January 30th. It seems to persuade the moderate Democrats to support the bill, a vote has been promised in December in extending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that run out at year-end. The timetable from here is slightly less clear but we could get a full vote today or tomorrow assuming no procedural delays.

Probability markets are starting to price in the end game with a 88% expectation that the shutdown will be over by November 16th on Polymarket, a contract high.

Once the government reopens, markets will face a surge of delayed data releases. Historical precedent from the 2013 shutdown suggests that September’s employment report could be among the first to hit the wires, potentially within three business days of reopening. DB expects payrolls to rebound sharply, with headline and private payrolls both forecast at +75k, leaving the unemployment rate steady at 4.3%. So we could get this Thursday or Friday. The October CPI print is also scheduled for Thursday although it is likely that that number won't come on time, even if the government reopens before then.

Expanding upon this week, on the policy front, the Federal Reserve calendar is busy but unlikely to deliver major surprises. Today brings remarks from St. Louis Fed’s Musalem, who has maintained a hawkish tone. Wednesday is the most crowded day, featuring speeches from Williams, Waller, Bostic, Miran and Collins across conferences on Treasury markets, fintech and community banking. Later in the week, Musalem and Hammack will join fireside chats, while Schmid and Bostic close out Friday with discussions on energy and economic trends.

Beyond Capitol Hill and the Fed, investors will monitor the Supreme Court following last week’s oral arguments in the IEEPA tariff case. Judging by the tone of questioning, the Court appears skeptical of the Administration’s position, suggesting a likely affirmation of lower court rulings. A decision could potentially come quickly, but history points to a longer timeline— with the average time line around 15 weeks - but it could stretch out to the end of the term in June.

While US politics and data dominate, global developments will also shape sentiment. In Europe, the UK releases third-quarter GDP on Thursday and labour market data on Tuesday, alongside inflation prints in Denmark and Norway (today) and Germany’s ZEW survey (tomorrow). In Asia, China has its monthly economic activity data dump on Friday. Japan will publish the Economy Watchers Survey tomorrow and producer price inflation on Wednesday.

Corporate earnings remain in focus globally. In the United States, results from Cisco, Walt Disney and Applied Materials will be closely watched. European heavyweights reporting include Siemens, Deutsche Telekom and Enel, while Asia sees Tencent, JD.com, SoftBank and Sony. With nearly 90% of S&P 500 companies having reported, the bulk of earnings season is behind us, but these names will still provide important signals on sectoral health and global demand. Of the S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings for the third quarter — about 80% of the index by market cap — have grown the bottom line by 14.6%, effectively doubling what analysts were expecting. 

source: Earnings Whispers

Here is a day-by-day calendar of events

Monday November 10

  • Data: Japan September leading index, coincident index, BoP current account balance, BoP trade balance, October bank lending, Denmark and Norway October CPI
  • Central banks: BoJ’s Nakagawa speaks, BoE’s Lombardelli speaks
  • Earnings: CoreWeave, Barrick Mining, Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, Venture Global, Paramount Skydance, Rigetti Computing, Maplebear
  • Auctions: US 3-yr Notes ($58bn)
  • Other: COP30 starts in Brazil (through Nov 21)

Tuesday November 11

  • Data: UK September average weekly earnings, unemployment rate, October jobless claims change, Japan October Economy Watchers survey, M2, M3, Germany November Zew survey, Eurozone November Zew survey
  • Central banks: ECB’s Vujcic and Kocher speak, BoE’s Greene speaks
  • Earnings: SoftBank, Sony, Sea, Munich Re, Vodafone, Oklo
  • Other: US Veterans Day, G7 foreign ministers meeting (through Nov 12)

Wednesday November 12

  • Data: Japan October PPI, machine tool orders, Germany September current account balance, Italy September industrial production, Canada September building permits
  • Central banks: Fed’s Barr, Williams, Waller, Miran, Paulson and Bostic speak, ECB’s Schnabel and Guindos speak, BoE’s Pill speaks
  • Earnings: Cisco, TransDigm, Infineon, Flutter Entertainment, RWE, Bayer, On Holding
  • Auctions: US 10-yr Notes ($42bn)
  • Other: US Treasury market conference

Thursday November 13

  • Data: UK October RICS house price balance, September monthly GDP, Eurozone September industrial production, Australia October labour force survey
  • Central banks: Fed’s Musalem speaks, ECB’s economic bulletin, ECB’s Villeroy and Elderson speak, BoE’s Greene speaks
  • Earnings: Tencent, Siemens, Walt Disney, Applied Materials, Deutsche Telekom, Enel, Merck KGaA, JD.com, Burberry
  • Auctions: US 30-yr Bonds ($25bn)

Friday November 14

  • Data: China October retail sales, industrial production, investment, home prices, Japan September Tertiary industry index, Italy September trade balance, general government debt, Eurozone September trade balance, Q3 employment, Canada September manufacturing sales
  • Central banks: Fed’s Bostic and Schmid speak, ECB’s Lane, Elderson and Vujcic speak
  • Earnings: Allianz, Cie Financiere Richemont, Siemens Energy
  • Other: EU’s economic and financial affairs council on the EU budget

Turning just to the US, Goldman says that assuming the shutdown ends in mid-November, the bank expects the release of the September employment report a few days after reopening. The statistical agencies will announce new release dates for the other postponed releases in advance. If the BLS decides to release the October employment report, expect its release along with the November report either on schedule on December 5 or delayed by one week.

Monday, November 10 

  • There are no major economic data releases scheduled. 
  • 09:45 AM St. Louis Fed President Musalem (FOMC voter) speaks: St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem will be interviewed on Bloomberg TV. On November 6, Musalem said that the cuts at the September and October FOMC meetings were "appropriate, but we have to be very careful to continue to lean against above-target inflation, while continuing to provide some insurance to the labor market." He also said, "Monetary policy is somewhere between modestly restrictive and neutral, and it's getting close to neutral in terms of financial conditions."

Tuesday, November 11 

  • 06:00 AM NFIB small business optimism, October (consensus 98.2, last 98.8)
  • 10:25 PM Fed Governor Barr speaks: Fed Governor Michael Barr will speak on AI and innovation at the Singapore FinTech Festival. Speech text and moderated Q&A are expected. On October 9, Barr said that “although several data points indicate that the labor market may be roughly in balance, we also know there has been a sharp drop in job creation since May, which suggests risks to the labor market going forward.” However, he also noted that the “Federal Reserve's price stability goal faces significant risks,” adding that he is “skeptical of assurances that we should fully look through higher inflation from import tariffs.”

Wednesday, November 12 

  • There are no major economic data releases scheduled. 
  • 09:20 AM New York Fed President Williams (FOMC voter) speaks: NY Fed President John Williams will deliver the keynote address at the 2025 US Treasury Market Conference. Speech text is expected. On October 9, Williams said that “the risk of a further slowdown in the labor market is something I’m very focused on.” He added that “if anything, the information suggested that the tariffs effects have been a little smaller than I expected,” highlighting that “there are more downside risks to the labor market and employment.”
  • 10:00 AM Philadelphia Fed President Paulson (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson will speak at the Ninth Annual Fintech Conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Speech text is expected. On October 13, President Paulson noted that her “base case is that tariffs will increase the price level, but they won’t leave a lasting imprint on inflation” and that “given this base case, monetary policy should look through tariff effects on prices.” She added that “over the rest of this year, I view easing along the lines of the median Summary of Economic Projections policy path as appropriate.”
  • 10:20 AM Fed Governor Waller speaks: Fed Governor Christopher Waller will speak on payments at the Philadelphia Fed's Ninth Annual Fintech Conference. Q&A is expected. On October 31, Governor Waller said that “the biggest concern we have right now is the labor market.” He added that “we know inflation is going to come back down, so this is why I’m still advocating that we cut policy rates in December, because that’s what all the data is telling me to do.”
  • 12:15 PM Atlanta Fed President Bostic (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will speak about economic trends at the Atlanta Economics Club. Speech text and Q&A are expected. On October 31, Bostic said, "I was able to get behind [the cut at the October meeting] because I still think we're in restrictive territory and that, to me, is the most important thing. We can't really forget that inflation is a significant problem, and we have to get that back down to our 2 percent target. I think we can still do it, but with each step we get closer and closer to neutral in ways that make me uncomfortable."
  • 12:30 PM Fed Governor Miran speaks: Fed Governor Stephen Miran will participate in a fireside chat at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. Q&A is expected. On November 6, Miran said, "I would expect based on current information that we end up cutting in December, but nothing is absolutely guaranteed at the end of the day." 
  • 04:00 PM Boston Fed President Collins (FOMC voter) speaks: Boston Fed President Susan Collins will speak at the Boston Fed's 4th Annual Regional & Community Bankers Conference. Speech text is expected. On October 14, Collins said, "With inflation risks somewhat more contained, but greater downside risks to employment, it seems prudent to normalize policy a bit further this year to support the labor market."

Thursday, November 13 

  • 08:30 AM Initial jobless claims, week ended November 8 (GS 230k, consensus 230k, GS estimate of last 228k); Continuing jobless claims, week ended November 1 (GS estimate of last 1,954k)
  • 12:15 PM St. Louis Fed President Musalem (FOMC voter) speaks: St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem will speak at a fireside chat on the US economy and monetary policy at the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership’s Economic Impact and Policy Forum. Q&A is expected. 
  • 12:20 PM Cleveland Fed President Hammack (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack will speak in a fireside chat at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh. Q&A is expected. On November 6, Hammack said, "After last week’s meeting, I see monetary policy as barely restrictive, if at all, and it’s not obvious to me that monetary policy should do more at this time." 

Friday, November 14 

  • 09:20 AM Atlanta Fed President Bostic (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will participate in a moderated discussion at the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management annual conference.
  • 10:05 AM Kansas City Fed President Schmid (FOMC voter) speaks: Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid will speak on monetary policy and the economic outlook at the Kansas City Fed and Dallas Fed's energy conference. Q&A is expected. In his dissent essay on October 31, Schmid said, "By my assessment, the labor market is largely in balance, the economy shows continued momentum, and inflation remains too high. I view the stance of policy as only modestly restrictive. In this context, I judged it appropriate to maintain the policy rate at this week’s meeting."

Source: DB, Goldman

Tyler Durden Mon, 11/10/2025 - 11:10

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