The Lakewood Scoop
MatzavSpeaking in the broadcast interview, Araghchi acknowledged that Iran encountered weaknesses in its air defense systems during the war but argued that Israel experienced similar difficulties. “Yes, we had problem with our air defense, but Israelis had also problem with their air defense and our missiles were able to hit targets inside Israel,” he said.
Araghchi placed responsibility for the outbreak of hostilities on Israel and maintained that the Jewish state ultimately sought to halt the fighting. “They started the war, but after 12 days, they asked for a ceasefire, unconditional ceasefire,” he claims. “Why? Because they couldn’t defend themselves against our missiles. So we have a very good capability of missiles, and now we are even in a better situation than previous war.”
He further asserted that Iran’s missile force demonstrated precision during the conflict and remains capable of doing so in the future. According to Araghchi, Iran’s missiles “hit their targets in a very exact way, and they can do it again.”
The June confrontation lasted nearly two weeks and involved sustained missile exchanges. Reports indicate that six Iranian missiles struck Israeli military installations, while 36 others landed in different areas across the country after penetrating Israeli and US air defense systems. The attacks killed 28 people and caused widespread property damage.
In total, 2,305 housing units in 240 buildings were reported damaged. Two universities and a hospital were also affected, and more than 13,000 Israelis were forced to leave their homes as a result of the strikes.
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The Lakewood ScoopWith a winter storm forecasted for this weekend, the Howell Township Police Department wants to ensure all residents are prepared and informed. Our Department of Public Works (DPW) will be working around the clock to keep our 573 lane miles of roadway safe, and we need your help to make their job easier!
Please keep the following Township Ordinances in mind as the snow begins to fall:
❄️ NO PARKING ON ROADS (Ordinance § 265-1) Once snow covers the street, an emergency exists. No vehicles, equipment, or personal property may be parked on any public street or right-of-way. This is critical for our plow drivers, especially in cul-de-sacs. This remains in effect until the snow has ceased and the roads are plowed curb-to-curb. Vehicles in violation are subject to summons and/or towing at the owner’s expense.
❄️ DO NOT PUSH SNOW INTO STREETS (Ordinance § 265-13) It is against the law to shovel, blow, or plow snow from your driveway or sidewalk back into the public roadway. This creates hazardous “frozen humps” and undoes the work our crews have already completed.
❄️ SIDEWALK CLEARING (Ordinance § 265-11) Property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from abutting sidewalks within 12 daylight hours after the snow has stopped. Let’s keep Howell walkable and safe for our neighbors and emergency responders!
❄️ BASKETBALL HOOPS & EQUIPMENT All portable sports equipment must be removed from the public right-of-way. These are a major hazard for plow blades.
⚠️ SAFETY TIPS:
Stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
Give snowplows plenty of room to work.
For emergencies, dial 9-1-1. For non-emergency police matters, call 732-938-4575.
Stay warm and stay safe, Howell!
**STAY UP TO DATE WITH STORM UPDATES BY FOLLOWING TLS STATUS HERE**
Yeshiva World NewsFormer Israeli Air Force chief Eitan Ben Eliyahu says he believes the Iranian regime is approaching collapse, even as he cautions against assuming that war is imminent.
“The regime in Iran has finished its career,” he said in an interview. “It will happen soon — in two, three, or four years — it’s finished.”
According to Ben Eliyahu, signs of internal erosion are already visible, with protests likely to intensify rather than fade.
“The protests will escalate,” he warned. “In a large and divided nation, change takes time — but this unrest won’t end.”
Despite his bleak outlook for Iran’s leadership, Ben Eliyahu pushed back against claims that a military confrontation is imminent, as U.S.-Iran talks continue amid rising tensions.
“I never said that diplomacy would win,” he said. “I said that for now, what’s happening is negotiations.”
He acknowledged growing calls in Israel and abroad for immediate military action but stressed that current developments point more to diplomatic pressure than to an impending strike.
“The signs did not necessarily indicate that there would be an attack tomorrow morning,” Ben Eliyahu explained. “They were part of the negotiations. But by default, if it fails, everything is prepared and ready for an attack.”
Recent U.S. military movements in the region, he added, should be viewed as leverage in talks rather than proof that war is around the corner.
Addressing Iran’s expanding ballistic missile arsenal, Ben Eliyahu sought to calm public fears, arguing that the threat does not pose an existential danger to Israel.
“The missile threat cannot be considered an existential threat — it’s not an atomic bomb,” he said, citing Israel’s “exceptional defense system” and the preparedness of the Home Front Command.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz Neias((JNS) – Israel will not contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip through U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, Ze’ev Elkin, who serves as a second minister in the Finance Ministry, told local radio on Sunday.
“We will not fund the Board of Peace; there is no reason to,” Elkin, who sits in Jerusalem’s Security Cabinet, told state channel Kan Reshet Bet.
“We were attacked,” Elkin noted, referencing the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led cross-border terrorist invasion from the Gaza Strip. The minister concluded: “There is no reason for us to pay for the reconstruction.”
According to Kan News, the Trump administration allowed the Jewish state to join the Board of Peace without contributing to reconstruction efforts or the international organization’s operating expenses. Other members, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have each contributed more than $1 billion to the board, Kan News noted.
The report cited an unnamed Israeli government source as claiming that the payment exemption helped alleviate domestic political pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faced criticism for agreeing to join the Board of Peace alongside hostile countries such as Qatar and Turkey.
Trump’s peace plan will get Gaza “ready for a renaissance,” U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News’ My View with Lara Trump on Thursday.
The $17 billion (including $10 billion from the U.S.) raised by the Board of Peace “is going to jump-start us,” Witkoff told Trump’s daughter-in-law. He added, “We’re going to have housing, and mass transportation, and we’re going to be able to clear and demolish all the areas there and get it ready for a renaissance.”
The president told the Board of Peace’s inaugural meeting on Thursday he believes Hamas will lay down its weapons under his plan, warning that the terrorist group will be “very harshly met” if it refuses to do so.
Several top Hamas leaders, including Khaled Mashaal and Musa Abu Marzouk, have rejected key parts of the peace plan in recent weeks, including disarmament, despite having agreed to it in October.
Board of Peace officials have repeatedly stressed that reconstruction would only commence after Gaza’s demilitarization, including Hamas’s full disarmament, so that the Strip no longer poses a threat to Israel.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration said Friday it backs a 10-year deadline for most cities and towns to replace their harmful lead pipes, giving notice that it will support a tough rule approved under the Biden administration to reduce lead in drinking water.
The Environmental Protection Agency told a federal appeals court in Washington that it would defend the strongest overhaul of lead-in-water standards in three decades against a court challenge by a utility industry association.
The Trump administration has typically favored rapid deregulation, including reducing or killing rules on air and water pollution. On Friday, for example, it repealed tight limits on mercury and other toxic emissions from coal plants. But the agency has taken a different approach to drinking water.
“After intensive stakeholder involvement, EPA concluded that the only way to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act’s mandate to prevent anticipated adverse health effects ‘to the extent feasible’ is to require replacement of lead service lines,” the agency’s court filing said.
Doing so by a 10-year deadline is feasible, the agency added, supporting a rule that was based in part of the finding that old rules that relied on chemical treatment and monitoring to reduce lead “failed to prevent system-wide lead contamination and widespread adverse health effects.”
The EPA said in August it planned to defend the Biden administration’s aggressive rule, but added that it would also “develop new tools and information to support practical implementation flexibilities and regulatory clarity.” Some environmental activists worried that that meant the EPA was looking to create loopholes.
Lead, a heavy metal once common in products like pipes and paints, is a neurotoxin that can stunt children’s development, lower IQ scores and increase blood pressure in adults. Lead pipes can corrode and contaminate drinking water. The previous Trump administration’s rule had looser standards and did not mandate the replacement of all pipes.
Standards aimed at protecting kids
The Biden administration finalized its lead-in-water overhaul in 2024. It mandated that utilities act to combat lead in water at lower concentrations, with just 10 parts per billion as a trigger, down from 15. If higher levels were found, water systems had to inform their consumers, take immediate action to reduce lead and work to replace lead pipes that are commonly the main source of lead in drinking water.
The Biden administration at the time estimated the stricter standards would protect up to 900,000 infants from having low birth weight and avoid up to 1,500 premature deaths a year from heart disease.
“People power and years of lead-contaminated communities fighting to clean up tap water have made it a third rail to oppose rules to protect our health from the scourge of toxic lead. Maybe only a hidebound water utility trade group is willing to attack this basic public health measure,” said Erik Olson, senior director at the Natural Resource Defense Council, an environmental nonprofit.
The American Water Works Association, a utility industry association, had challenged the rule in court, arguing the EPA lacks authority to regulate the portion of the pipe that’s on private property and therefore cannot require water systems to replace them.
The agency countered on Friday that utilities can be required to replace the entire lead pipe because they have sufficient control over them.
The AWWA also said the 10-year deadline wasn’t feasible, noting it’s hard to find enough labor to do the work and water utilities face other significant infrastructure challenges simultaneously. Water utilities were given three years to prepare before the 10-year timeframe starts and some cities with a lot of lead were given longer.
The agency said they looked closely at data from dozens of water utilities and concluded that the vast majority could replace their lead pipes in 10 years or less.
Replacing decades-old standards
The original lead and copper rule for drinking water was enacted by the EPA more than 30 years ago. The rules have significantly reduced lead in water but have been criticized for letting cities move too slowly when levels rose too high.
Lead pipes are most commonly found in older, industrial parts of the country, including major cities such as Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee. The rule also revises the way lead amounts are measured, which could significantly expand the number of communities found violating the rules.
The EPA under President Donald Trump has celebrated deregulation. Officials have sought to slash climate change programs and promote fossil fuel development. On drinking water issues, however, their initial actions have been more nuanced.
In March, for example, the EPA announced plans to partially roll back rules to reduce so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water — the other major Biden-era tap water protection. That change sought to keep tough limits for some common PFAS, but also proposed scrapping and reconsidering standards for other types and extending deadlines.
PFAS and lead pipes are both costly threats to safe water. There are some federal funds to help communities.
The Biden administration estimated about 9 million lead pipes provide water to homes and businesses in the United States. The Trump administration updated the analysis and now projects there are roughly 4 million lead pipes. Changes in methodology, including assuming that communities that did not submit data did not have lead pipes, resulted in the significant shift. The new estimate does correct odd results from some states — activists said that the agency’s initial assumptions for Florida, for example, seemed far too high.
The EPA declined to comment on pending litigation. The AWWA pointed to their previous court filing when asked for comment.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he would deploy a hospital ship to Greenland, alleging that many people there are sick and not receiving care, even though both of the U.S. Navy’s hospital ships are currently docked at a shipyard in Alabama.
Trump’s announcement prompted a defense of Denmark and Greenland’s health care system from their leaders, and it was the latest point of friction with the American leader who has frequently talked about seizing the massive Arctic territory.
“It’s a no thank you from here,” said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Trump’s reference to a hospital ship came after Denmark’s military said its arctic command forces on Saturday evacuated a crew member of a U.S. submarine off the coast of Greenland for urgent medical treatment.
The Danish Joint Arctic Command, on its Facebook page, said the crew member was evacuated some 7 nautical miles (8 miles; 13 kilometers) off Nuuk — the capital of the vast, ice-covered territory — and transferred to a hospital in the city. The crew member was retrieved by a Danish Seahawk helicopter that had been deployed on an inspection ship.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday night, referred to his special envoy for Greenland and said, “Working with the fantastic Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, we are going to send a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there. It’s on the way!!!”
Nielsen said it wasn’t necessary.
“We have a public health care system where treatment is free for citizens. That is a deliberate choice — and a fundamental part of our society,” Nielsen said. “That is not how it works in the USA, where it costs money to see a doctor.”
He added, in a note of exasperation, that Greenland is always open to dialogue and cooperation. “But please talk to us instead of just making more or less random statements on social media,” he said.
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, speaking to public broadcaster DR, said Danish authorities had not been informed that the U.S. ship was on its way.
The Pentagon referred questions about the status of the U.S. Navy’s two hospital ships, the USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort, to the White House. The White House did not immediately respond to repeated requests for more information.
Both ships are currently at a shipyard in Mobile, Ala., according to social media posts from the shipyard, which also posted photos of them next to each other.
When asked about the status of the ships and the president’s post, the Navy referred questions to the White House.
The historically strong bilateral ties after World War II between NATO allies Denmark and the United States have come under severe strain in recent months as Trump ratcheted up talk of a possible U.S. takeover of the mineral-rich and strategically located Arctic island.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen defended Denmark’s health care system on Sunday, writing on Facebook that she was “happy to live in a country where there is free and equal access to health for all. Where it’s not insurances and wealth that determine whether you get proper treatment.”
“You have the same approach in Greenland,” she said, before adding: “Happy Sunday to you all” in front of a blushing, smiling emoji.
Aaja Chemnitz, one of the two Greenlandic politicians in the Danish parliament, wrote on Facebook that “Donald Trump wants to send a poorly maintained hospital ship to Greenland. It seems rather desperate and does not contribute to the permanent and sustainable strengthening of the health care system that we need.”
“Another day. Another crazy news story,” she wrote in front of a smiley face emoji.
MatzavIsrael’s Ministry of Health announced Sunday that a six-year-old boy who had not been vaccinated died overnight after contracting measles, underscoring renewed concerns about the dangers of the highly contagious disease.
According to the ministry, the child was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Medical teams attempted life-saving measures, but despite their efforts, doctors were forced to declare him dead.
Health officials further reported that of the 15 additional measles-related deaths recorded, the majority involved otherwise healthy babies and children who had no underlying medical issues and had not received the measles vaccine.
The ministry stressed the urgent need for parents to ensure their children are vaccinated and warned that anyone experiencing symptoms or suspecting exposure should seek medical care without delay. Prompt treatment, officials said, can be lifesaving.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasSALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A year after her husband died, a mother of three in Utah self-published a children’s book that she said helped her sons cope with the sudden loss. Kouri Richins promoted her book “Are You With Me?” on a local TV station and drew praise for helping young children process the death of a parent.
Weeks after the book’s publication in 2023, she was arrested in her husband’s death and charged with murder.
The arrest sent shock waves through her small mountain town just outside Park City, where a 12-person jury is set to decide her fate in a monthlong trial that starts Monday.
Richins, 35, faces nearly three dozen counts in connection with her husband’s death, including aggravated murder, attempted murder, forgery, mortgage fraud and insurance fraud. She has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say she killed her husband, Eric Richins, at their home in March 2022 by slipping fentanyl into a cocktail that he drank. They say she was deep in debt and killed him for financial gain while planning a future with another man she was seeing on the side.
The chilling case of a once-respected local author accused of profiting off her own violent crime has captivated true-crime enthusiasts in the years since her arrest. Once lauded as a touching read, her book has since become a tool for prosecutors in arguing that she carried out a calculated killing.
Her defense attorneys, Wendy Lewis, Kathy Nester and Alex Ramos, said they are confident the jury will rule in Richins’ favor after hearing her side of the story.
“Kouri has waited nearly three years for this moment: the opportunity to have the facts of this case heard by a jury, free from the prosecution’s narrative that has dominated headlines since her arrest,” her legal team said in a statement. “What the public has been told bears little resemblance to the truth.”
Documents allege two poisonings
On the night of her husband’s death, Richins called 911 to report that she had found him “cold to the touch” at the foot of their bed, according to the police report. He was pronounced dead, and a medical examiner later found five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system.
That was not her first attempt on his life, charging documents allege.
A month earlier, on Valentine’s Day, Eric Richins told friends he broke out in hives and blacked out after taking one bite of a sandwich that Richins had left for him. She had bought the sandwich the same week police say she also purchased fentanyl pills from the family’s housekeeper. Opioids, including fentanyl, can cause severe allergic reactions.
After injecting himself with his son’s EpiPen and chugging the allergy medication Benadryl, Eric Richins woke from a deep sleep and called a friend to say, “I think my wife tried to poison me,” the friend said in a written testimony.
A day after Valentine’s Day, Kouri Richins texted her alleged lover, “If he could just go away … life would be so perfect.”
Key witnesses
The friend Eric Richins called that night and the housekeeper who claims to have sold his wife the drugs could be key witnesses in the upcoming trial. Others may include family members and the man with whom Kouri Richins was allegedly having an affair.
The prosecution’s star witness, housekeeper Carmen Lauber, told police she gave Richins fentanyl pills she bought from a dealer a couple of days before Valentine’s Day. Later that month, Richins allegedly told the housekeeper that the pills she provided were not strong enough and asked her to procure stronger fentanyl, according to charging documents.
Defense attorneys are expected to argue that Lauber did not actually give Richins fentanyl and was motivated to lie for legal protection. Lauber is not charged in connection with the case, and detectives said at an earlier hearing that she had been granted immunity.
No fentanyl pills were ever found in Richins’ home, and the housekeeper’s dealer said he was in jail and detoxing from drug use when he told detectives in 2023 that he had sold Lauber fentanyl. He later said in a sworn affidavit that he only sold her the opioid OxyContin.
Money as motivation
Charging documents indicate Eric Richins met with a divorce attorney and an estate planner in October 2020, a month after he discovered that his wife made some major financial decisions without his knowledge. She had a negative bank account balance, owed lenders more than $1.8 million and was being sued by a creditor, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say Kouri Richins mistakenly believed she would inherit her husband’s estate under terms of their prenuptial agreement. She had also opened numerous life insurance policies on her husband without his knowledge, with benefits totaling nearly $2 million, prosecutors allege.
She is also accused of forging loan applications and fraudulently claiming insurance benefits after her husband’s death.
The Lakewood Scoop
The Lakewood ScoopA local business owner has chosen to allocate corporate funds toward a meaningful cause, opting to sponsor Purim meals for almanos and yesomim rather than invest in traditional corporate gifts.
Representatives from Misaskim Central Jersey told TLS they were deeply moved by the outreach from the business owner, who shared that after sponsoring meals in previous years, he experienced a significant increase in business. This year, he decided to expand his support on an even larger scale.
“This business owner recognizes that investing in the simcha of almanos and yesomim yields far greater returns than another conventional Purim gift,” a Misaskim CJ coordinator said. “When you take care of Hashem’s children, you can be sure you won’t be let down.”
MatzavPresident Donald Trump is on track for a strong showing in the upcoming midterm elections, with Republicans likely to capture both the House and the Senate, according to political adviser Dick Morris.
Speaking on Newsmax’s “The Count,” Morris dismissed negative projections from Democrats and argued that Trump has positioned himself and his party for significant gains in November.
“[It’s] time to correct the Democratic doom and gloom about the upcoming elections,” Morris told Newsmax’s “The Count.” “I think Trump is going to win the House and win the Senate.”
Morris attributed his confidence largely to what he described as a marked economic rebound under Trump’s leadership. He said the president has steered key economic indicators in a direction that could resonate strongly with voters.
“I think that he’s got the economy just where he needs it,” he said. “It’s creating jobs. He’s got inflation well under control. He’s reducing affordability costs that have plagued New Yorkers.”
Describing the economic shift as dramatic, Morris emphasized what he views as historically strong performance figures.
Calling the turnaround “so profound and so deep,” Morris added, “We have almost 0% inflation and about 4% growth, and nobody possibly could have done that before. And it’s just an incredible tribute.”
On border security, Morris credited Trump with decisive action to curb illegal crossings, arguing that immigration policy will also be a key factor in the election outcome.
On immigration, Morris said Trump “sealed the border” and “stopped illegal immigrants from coming in,” adding, “I think that he is set for a big win on Election Day of this year.”
Although Democrats have recently secured victories in several contests, Morris maintained that Trump remains competitive nationwide, including in states that traditionally favor Democrats.
Asked about recent Democrat victories in several races, Morris predicted Trump would remain competitive even in traditionally blue states.
“He’ll carry New York like one and, but he’ll carry swing states throughout the country,” Morris said. “People have always underestimated Trump’s ability to win, his ability to rally the average voter. And I think they’re doing it again.”
Morris also suggested that a forthcoming Supreme Court decision could significantly alter the political landscape by reshaping congressional districts across the country.
Morris also pointed to a potential Supreme Court ruling that he said could reshape the congressional map. “The Supreme Court, I think, is likely to throw out majority-minority districts,” he said.
He argued that districts designed to ensure minority representation unfairly favor Democrats and predicted the Court would invalidate such maps.
“Those seats that are Democrat only because they gerrymander the laws and the lines to make sure only Democrats and only liberal and Black Democrats can win,” Morris continued. “And the Supreme Court is about to throw that out and say that’s unconstitutional, race-based districting.”
According to Morris, a ruling along those lines would dramatically change the makeup of Congress.
Morris added that such a decision would have sweeping effects in Congress, saying it “is going to obliterate plenty of Black congressmen and Hispanic congressmen who were elected from districts that they shouldn’t be elected from.”
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsIran’s leadership is quietly preparing for a scenario they once considered unthinkable: the possible assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
According to a report by The New York Times, Khamenei has instructed senior associates on how to act if he is killed in potential U.S. or Israeli strikes, laying out detailed contingency plans that include layered succession orders and emergency chains of command.
The report, based on interviews with senior Iranian officials, Revolutionary Guards members, and former diplomats, says Khamenei moved decisively during last month’s nationwide protests and rising military tensions. At the height of the unrest, he elevated longtime loyalist Ali Larijani to a central governing role, effectively placing him in charge of day-to-day state affairs.
Larijani, a former Revolutionary Guards commander and veteran political figure, has since overseen the crackdown on protesters, managed sensitive nuclear diplomacy with Washington, and coordinated with regional allies, including Russia, Qatar, and Oman. He is also reportedly leading wartime planning as Iran braces for the possibility of U.S. strikes.
While Larijani is not viewed as a likely successor to Khamenei—largely because he is not a senior Shiite cleric—officials describe him as one of the supreme leader’s most trusted crisis managers, relied upon in moments of extreme danger.
The report says Khamenei has established multiple layers of successors for key military and political positions and has delegated sweeping authority to a tight inner circle in case communications are cut or leadership is disrupted by an attack.
At the same time, Iran has moved its armed forces to high alert. Missile systems have reportedly been positioned near Iraq and along the Persian Gulf, and large-scale military drills have been conducted in preparation for potential conflict.
Publicly, Khamenei has maintained a defiant tone, warning that any attack on Iran would be met with a powerful response. Privately, however, the reported preparations suggest deep concern within the regime about its own vulnerability.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz NeiasBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s executive arm requested “full clarity” from the United States and asked its trade partner to fulfill its commitments after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down some of President Donald Trump’s most sweeping tariffs.
Trump has lashed out at the court decision and said on Saturday that he wants a global tariff of 15%, up from 10% he had announced a day earlier.
The European Commission said the current situation is not conducive to delivering “fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial” trans-Atlantic trade and investment, as agreed to by both sides and spelled out in the EU-U.S. Joint Statement of August 2025.
American and EU officials sealed a trade deal last year that imposes a 15% import tax on 70% of European goods exported to the United States. The European Commission handles trade for the 27 EU member countries.
A top EU lawmaker said on Sunday he will propose to the European Parliament negotiating team to put the ratifying process of the deal on pause.
“Pure tariff chaos on the part of the U.S. administration,” Bernd Lange, the chair of Parliament’s international trade committee, wrote on social media. “No one can make sense of it anymore — only open questions and growing uncertainty for the EU and other U.S. trading partners.”
The value of EU-U.S. trade in goods and services amounted to 1.7 trillion euros ($2 trillion) in 2024, or an average of 4.6 billion euros a day, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat.
“A deal is a deal,” the European Commission said. “As the United States’ largest trading partner, the EU expects the U.S. to honor its commitments set out in the Joint Statement — just as the EU stands by its commitments. EU products must continue to benefit from the most competitive treatment, with no increases in tariffs beyond the clear and all-inclusive ceiling previously agreed.”
Europe’s biggest exports to the U.S. are pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments, and wine and spirits. Among the biggest U.S. exports to the bloc are professional and scientific services like payment systems and cloud infrastructure, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, aerospace products and cars.
“When applied unpredictably, tariffs are inherently disruptive, undermining confidence and stability across global markets and creating further uncertainty across international supply chains,” the commission added.
As primarily a trading bloc, the EU has a powerful tool at its disposal to retaliate — the bloc’s Anti-Coercion Instrument. It includes a raft of measures for blocking or restricting trade and investment from countries found to be putting undue pressure on EU member nations or corporations.
The measures could include curtailing the export and import of goods and services, barring countries or companies from EU public tenders, or limiting foreign direct investment. In its most severe form, it would essentially close off access to the EU’s 450-million customer market and inflict billions of dollars of losses on U.S. companies and the American economy.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (VINnews) — Thousands of Jewish teens from around the world are set to gather Sunday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum for the closing ceremony of the CTeen International Summit, the largest global assembly of Jewish youth.
The event, called “The Live the Life Event,” is expected to begin at 12:15 p.m. and will bring together 8,000 attendees, highlighting teens who publicly embrace their Jewish identity amid rising antisemitism and social pressures to hide or soften their faith. The ceremony will be broadcast worldwide.
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, chairman of Chabad’s Global Networks, said the gathering will showcase the “strength and hope” of Jewish youth and inspire communities worldwide.
Participants include UCLA student Eli Tsives, viral Jewish content creators Mendel Richter, Miriam Ezagui, and Raizel Namdar, sports entrepreneur Marcus Sharf and Jewish athletes Michael Shapira, Justin Schoen, and Scarlet Gurevich, as well as Black Jewish rapper Nissim Black.
With nearly 900 chapters in more than 60 countries, CTeen promotes public Jewish pride and leadership. This year’s theme, “Live the Life,” encourages teens to respond to hate with visibility and positivity.
Vos Iz NeiasTORONTO (AP) — ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said Friday it considered last year alerting Canadian police about the activities of a person who months later committed one of the worst school shootings in the country’s history.
OpenAI said last June the company identified the account of Jesse Van Rootselaar via abuse detection efforts for “furtherance of violent activities.”
The San Francisco tech company said it considered whether to refer the account the Royal Canadian Mounted Police but determined at the time that the account activity did not meet a threshold for referral to law enforcement. OpenAI banned the account in June 2025 for violating its usage policy.
The 18-year-old killed eight people in a remote part of British Columbia last week and died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound.
OpenAI said the threshold for referring a user to law enforcement is whether the case involves an imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm to others. The company said it did not identify credible or imminent planning. The Wall Street Journal first reported OpenAI’s revelation.
OpenAI said that, after learning of the school shooting, employees reached out to the RCMP with information on the individual and their use of ChatGPT.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy. We proactively reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with information on the individual and their use of ChatGPT, and we’ll continue to support their investigation,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark confirmed in an e-mailed statement Friday that OpenAI contacted police after the shootings.
Clark said a “thorough review of the content on electronic devices, as well as social media and online activities” of Van Rootselaar is taking place. He said “digital and physical evidence is being collected, prioritized, and methodically processed.”
The RCMP said Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at the family home before attacking the nearby school. Van Rootselaar had a history of mental health contacts with police.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
The town of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. Police said the victims included a 39-year-old teaching assistant and five students, ages 12 to 13.
The attack was Canada’s deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.
MatzavThe head of Uganda’s military said on Thursday that his country is set to unveil a statue of IDF Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, the older brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was killed in action in Uganda during a counter-terrorism operation that rescued more than 100 hostages almost 50 years ago.
“In order to strengthen our close blood relations with Israel, we shall soon unveil a statue to Yoni Netanyahu at the exact spot he was killed at Entebbe Airport,” tweeted Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) and the son of the country’s President Yoweri Museveni.
“Yoni was the big brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Godbless Uganda and Israel,” he added.
Yonatan Netanyahu died while commanding soldiers in a raid to free 102 hostages at Entebbe airport in Uganda on July 4, 1976.
On June 27, 1976, Palestinian and German terrorists hijacked an Air France plane en route from Israel to Paris with 248 passengers onboard and forced it to fly to Uganda’s main airport in Entebbe. Uganda’s government provided cover for the hijackers, who were welcomed personally by dictator Idi Amin.
The terrorists separated the Israelis and Jews from the larger group of hostages and forced them into another room. On the first day, 47 non-Israeli hostages were released. The next day, 101 more non-Israeli hostages were allowed to leave.
More than 100 Israeli and Jewish passengers remained as the hijackers threatened to kill them if their demands were not met.
Israel’s response was “Operation Thunderbolt,” led by Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu. His 29-man General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal) was given the primary task of attacking the airport terminal and rescuing the hostages.
The operation took place under cover of night and rescued 102 hostages. Yoni Netanyahu was killed and five Israeli commandos were wounded.
“Operation Thunderbolt” was renamed “Operation Yonatan” in his memory. JNS
Yeshiva World NewsSenator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Axios on Saturday that several people close to President Trump are advising him not to strike Iran.
Graham, who heads the pro-strike camp, added that he is urging Trump to ignore the naysayers.
“I understand concerns about major military operations in the Middle East given past entanglements,” Graham explained. “However, the voices who counsel against getting entangled seem to ignore the consequences of letting evil go unchecked.”
Graham added that after his recent trip to the Middle East, he feels that there is currently an opportunity to bring about historic change in Iran.
“But it’s increasingly clear to me that voices opposing entanglement and the risk associated with decisive action are getting louder,” Grahama added. “Time will tell as to how this plays out.”
“I have a lot of respect for President Trump. He is his own man. And as with all presidents, he will be held responsible for his decisions on such weighty matters. As to me, history will be very clear as to where I stood, for better or worse.”
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
MatzavA jury in England this week convicted a woman from Brighton of stealing the poster of an Israeli man whom Hamas had murdered on Oct. 7, 2023, before she threw it in a trash can.
The judge at Lewes Crown Court in East Sussex handed Fiona Monro, 58, a prosecution expenses bill of £1,200 ($1,614) and an 18-month suspended sentence for binning the poster of Tsachi Idan in February 2024, the Brighton and Hove News reported.
A cousin of Idan, Adam Ma’anit, lives in Hove and had placed a poster of his slain relative on a square in Brighton. It had been removed or vandalized dozens of times, according to the report.
Monro confessed to removing the poster but argued it was not placed on the square with a license and therefore was not under the protection of laws against theft. She also used a black marker in February 2024 to scrawl slogans about Palestinians slain in Gaza and was charged with vandalism, but the jury acquitted her of those charges, the paper reported.
Steve Winston, managing director of the National Jewish Assembly, a British-Jewish advocacy group, said it “welcomes the fact that this individual was found guilty and held accountable, but tearing down a hostage poster and defacing a memorial is not protest, it is the erasure of Jewish grief in a climate where antisemitism is increasingly normalized.”
Monro’s husband is Tony Greenstein, an anti-Israel activist who is Jewish and was expelled from the Labour Party in 2016 for antisemitism. He has called Israel “Hitler’s … offspring” and helped mainstream the antisemitic pejorative “Zio.”
Monro cited her marriage to Greenstein in defending against the charges in court, the Brighton and Hove News reported. She claimed that Zionists had “exaggerated evidence” against her, the paper reported. She had also said she objected to the poster because it was “Zionist propaganda.”
Brighton is an affluent coastal city where Labour and the Green Party received more votes in the 2024 election than all other parties combined.
Posters of missing or dead Israelis, killed in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, have been removed, defaced or stolen across the West, British public intellectual Douglas Murray noted in his latest book, On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel and the Future of Civilization, which was published last year.
In Western cities, “people, often young women, jubilantly and exultantly ripped away at the posters,” Murray noted. In Dublin, relatives of Kfir Bibas, a boy who died as a captive in Gaza after Hamas kidnapped him at the age of 8 months along with his brother and parents, encountered a ripped-out poster of the toddler, Murray added.
“While Israelis protested daily for the return of the hostages, Western populations seemed to consider even recognizing the plight of these people as an affront, a terrible provocation, that must be repelled,” he wrote. JNS
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s government approved a decision Sunday to accelerate the construction of AI server farms and data centers, a move Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “major breakthrough” essential for the country’s military strength, global influence and future security.
Netanyahu, speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, emphasized that leadership in artificial intelligence — and potentially quantum computing — will determine national power in the coming era.
“There is great news here and a major move: A major move because, ultimately, leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI), and in my opinion, in quantum as well, will be a decisive factor in the continued cultivation of our power,” Netanyahu said. “This is a small country; it needs to possess immense power. This applies both militarily and in the ability to project power.”
He noted Israel’s small size in population and territory but highlighted its “huge” spirit and action, adding that the initiative forms part of a broader vision. Netanyahu thanked Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen and other ministers for advancing the plan. He indicated a separate discussion on a new security concept would follow soon.
Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen presented the decision as a key step toward positioning Israel as a global AI superpower. He said it removes regulatory barriers and speeds up planning and construction for data centers.
“Today, we are introducing a decision that will remove barriers and accelerate the processes for building data centers, which is a vital step on Israel’s path to becoming a global AI superpower,” Cohen said.
He pointed to Israel’s advantages: strong human capital, hundreds of international companies, strategic location at international communications crossroads and competitive energy prices.
“In the last three months alone, planning and establishment procedures have begun for data centers with a capacity of 1 Giga,” Cohen noted. “Just to give some perspective, this represents more than 5% of the State of Israel’s energy consumption initiated in just the last three months, and there is more to come.”
The minister projected that the centers will generate thousands of jobs and bring billions of dollars into state coffers. He pledged government assistance for rapid establishment.
Cohen also announced plans to expand energy infrastructure, doubling the number of power plants under construction by the end of the decade to include both gas-based and renewable sources.
The decision aligns with Israel’s efforts to leverage its tech ecosystem amid rising global demand for AI infrastructure, while addressing energy needs and regulatory hurdles.
The Lakewood ScoopHatzolah of Central Jersey is several million dollars in debt, multiple insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity told TLS.
According to the multiple sources familiar with the operations, the non-for-profit organization is currently between $3,000,000-$4,000,000 in debt.
The sources told TLS the situation is so dire, that several programs within the volunteer department have been cut due to funding issues, and vehicles and expensive equipment needed to be financed.
“It’s a disaster,” said one insider.
It’s unclear if it’s a spending issue, an income issue, or they just simply can’t keep up with the growth.
According to the organization in a recent release, the organization has experienced tremendous growth due to the fact that it now services not just Lakewood, but also multiple surrounding communities.
Despite the financial deficit, the organization continues to add new members and add to its infrastructure to ensure sufficient coverage and response times.
Vos Iz NeiasKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia attacked Ukraine with a barrage of missiles and drones, killing one person in the Kyiv region, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said on Sunday.
Another eight people, including a child, were rescued from under the rubble of destroyed buildings, the service said.
The attack caused damage and fires to erupt in five districts in the suburbs of Kyiv. In the village of Putrivka in the Fastiv district, emergency first responders worked on saving people buried under debris.
Russia also struck energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region, resulting in significant fires, which were later extinguished, the emergency service said.
During the four years since Russia launched an all-out war on its neighbor, and despite a new push over the past year in U.S.-led peace efforts, Ukrainian civilians have endured constant aerial attacks. Russia has also ramped up attacks targeting the country’s energy grid, leaving Ukrainian civilians without electricity and heating amid harsh winter conditions.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Sunday that Russia’s overnight barrage had included 297 drones and 50 missiles of various types, of which 274 drones and 33 missiles were shot down or neutralized. Of those remaining, 14 missiles and 23 drones struck 14 locations, it said. Three missiles were unaccounted for.
Separately, an explosion in Ukraine’s western city of Lviv killed one person and injured 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post on Sunday. One person has been arrested over the incident, which is unrelated to Russia’s aerial attack on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russian air defenses destroyed 86 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Sunday.
A security guard was injured and a fuel tank set alight when two Ukrainian drones hit an oil depot in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Luhansk, Moscow-installed leader Leonid Pasechnik said.
The Lakewood ScoopAhead of the expected storm – which is expected to bring extremely heavy snowfall to the region through Monday – Lakewood Township officials issued the following advisory:
Township officials will provide additional updates as necessary.
**STAY UP TO DATE WITH STORM UPDATES BY FOLLOWING TLS STATUS HERE**
Yeshiva World NewsA massive fire tore through a central hospitality tent in Lizhensk during the height of preparations for the annual yahrtzeit of the heilige Rebbe Reb Elimelech זי״ע, causing extensive damage and threatening to disrupt arrangements for the tens of thousands of mispallelim expected to arrive.
The blaze erupted in one of the primary large tents used year-round to serve visitors traveling to daven at the tziyun hakadosh. The structure housed valuable equipment, including industrial heating systems, air conditioning units, and extensive lighting installations — all of which were reportedly destroyed in the inferno.
Local authorities are investigating all possible causes of the fire. At this stage, initial assessments indicate that the incident may have been the result of a technical malfunction.
Despite the heavy financial losses and the urgent need to replace critical infrastructure in time for the upcoming hilula, the leadership of Hachnasas Orchim Lizhensk, under the direction of Rabbi Simcha Krakowski, made clear that the preparations will continue without pause.
“We are shluchim of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech,” organizers emphasized, expressing unwavering determination that Klal Yisroel will once again gather in Lizhensk and merit yeshuos in an atmosphere of comfort and proper accommodation.
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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz NeiasKABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Islamabad said it carried out strikes along the border with Afghanistan early Sunday, targeting what it called hideouts of Pakistani militants it blamed for recent attacks inside Pakistan. The Afghan Red Crescent Society said more than a dozen people were killed.
Pakistan didn’t specify the locations targeted, but the Afghan defense ministry said in a statement “various civilian areas” in the provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika in eastern Afghanistan were hit, including a religious madrassa and multiple civilian homes.
The statement called the strikes a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and sovereignty.
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid earlier on X said the attacks “killed and wounded dozens, including women and children.”
Mawlawi Fazl Rahman Fayyaz, the provincial director of the Afghan Red Crescent Society in Nangarhar province, said 18 people were killed and several others wounded.
Clearing rubble and burying the dead
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul and handed him a note of protest over Pakistani strikes. In a statement, the ministry said protecting Afghanistan’s territory is the Islamic Emirate’s “Sharia responsibility” and warned that Pakistan would be responsible for the consequences of such attacks.
On Sunday, villagers were seen clearing rubble in Nangarhar following airstrikes, while mourners were preparing for funerals of those killed. Habib Ullah, a local tribal elder, said those killed in the strikes were not militants. “They were poor people who suffered greatly. Those killed were neither Taliban, nor military personnel, nor members of the former government. They lived simple village lives,” he told The Associated Press.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X that the military conducted “intelligence-based, selective operations” against seven camps belonging to the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and its affiliates. He said an affiliate of the Islamic State group was also targeted.
Tarar said Pakistan “has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region,” but added that the safety and security of Pakistani citizens remained a top priority.
Pakistan blames Afghans for suicide bombings
Militant violence has surged in Pakistan in recent years, much of it blamed on the TTP and outlawed Baloch separatist groups. The TTP is separate from but closely allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban. Islamabad accuses the TTP of operating from inside Afghanistan, a charge both the group and Kabul deny.
Hours before the Pakistani strikes, a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in the border district of Bannu in Pakistan’s northwest, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel. Pakistan’s military warned after the attack that it would not “exercise any restraint” and that operations against those responsible would press on.
Another suicide bomber, backed by gunmen, rammed an explosives-laden vehicle last week into the wall of a security post in Bajaur district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Pakistani authorities later said the attacker was an Afghan national.
Tarar said Pakistan had “conclusive evidence” that the recent attacks, including a suicide bombing that targeted a Shiite mosque in Islamabad and killed 31 worshippers earlier this month, were carried out by militants acting on the “behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.”
He said Pakistan had repeatedly urged Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to take verifiable steps to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks in Pakistan, but alleged that no substantive action had been taken. Tarar also asked the international community to press Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to uphold their commitments under the Doha agreement not to allow their soil to be used against other countries.
In Islamabad, security analyst Abdullah Khan said the Pakistani strikes suggest that Qatari, Turkish and even Saudi-led mediations have failed to resolve tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “These strikes are likely to further escalate the situation,” he said.
The Qatari-mediated ceasefire between the two countries came about after deadly border clashes in October, killing dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants. The violence followed explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad, at the time, conducted strikes deep inside Afghanistan to target militant hideouts.
The truce between Islamabad and Kabul has largely held, but several rounds of talks in Istanbul in November failed to produce a formal agreement, and relations remain strained.
Vos Iz NeiasPARIS (AP) — France will summon U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner to protest comments by the Trump administration over the beating death of a far-right activist, the foreign affairs minister said.
Jean-Noel Barrot was reacting to a statement by the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau, which posted on X that “reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all.”
Deranque, a far-right activist, died of brain injuries last week from a beating in the French city of Lyon. He was attacked during a fight on the margins of a student meeting where a far-left lawmaker, Rima Hassan, was a keynote speaker.
His killing highlighted a climate of deep political tensions ahead of next year’s presidential vote. French President Emmanuel Macron called for calm on Saturday as some 3,000 people joined a march in Lyon organized by far-right groups to pay tribute to Deranque.
“We reject any instrumentalization of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political ends,” Barrot said. “We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”
The State Department said in its post that “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety. We will continue to monitor the situation and expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”
Seven people have been handed preliminary charges. The Lyon public prosecutor’s office requested that each of them be charged with intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy. Six of the accused were charged on all three counts. The seventh was charged with complicity in intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy.
Barrot said he has other topics to discuss with Kushner, including U.S. decisions to impose sanctions on Thierry Breton, a former EU commissioner responsible for supervising social media rules, and Nicolas Guillou, a French judge at the International Criminal Court.
Barrot said both are targeted by “unjustified and unjustifiable” sanctions.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry did not say when the meeting will take place.
Kushner had already been summoned in August last year over his letter to Macron alleging the country did not do enough to combat antisemitism. France’s foreign officials met with a representative of the U.S. ambassador since the diplomat did not show up.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday described Israel’s relationship with India as “unique and historic,” highlighting deepening personal and strategic bonds with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Indian leader prepares to arrive for a high-profile visit.
Speaking at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said Modi would land in Israel on Wednesday for talks focused on bolstering economic, diplomatic, and security cooperation. The visit marks Modi’s second trip to Israel since 2017 and comes amid growing bilateral ties in defense, technology, and innovation.
“We have a unique and, in my opinion, historic alliance with the United States, both nation-to-nation and through my personal relationship with President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “This alliance does not mean that we are not seeking additional alliances; on the contrary, we are cultivating them constantly.”
He emphasized the personal friendship with Modi, noting frequent phone calls, mutual visits, and shared experiences, including wading together in the Mediterranean Sea during a previous encounter.
“This week, expression will be given to the special relationship that has been forged over recent years between Israel and the global power that is India, and between myself and its leader, Prime Minister Modi,” Netanyahu added. “We are personal friends; we speak frequently on the phone and visit one another.”
The prime minister framed the visit within a broader geopolitical strategy, envisioning a “hexagon” of alliances involving India, Arab nations, African countries, Mediterranean partners like Greece and Cyprus, and other Asian states. He said the network aims to counter “radical axes,” including the “radical Shia axis, which we have struck very hard, and the emerging radical Sunni axis.”
“All of these nations share a different perception, and our cooperation can yield great results and, of course, ensure our resilience and our future,” he said.
During the visit, Modi is scheduled to address the Knesset, join Netanyahu at an innovation event in Jerusalem focused on high-tech, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, and visit Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial together.
Netanyahu stressed that AI and quantum technologies represent “the present,” not just the future, and Israel aims to lead globally in these fields.
The cabinet also advanced domestic development initiatives. Netanyahu noted a recent decision to establish an alternate international airport at Ziklag in the northern Negev, near Rahat and Netivot, to complement Ben Gurion Airport. He said bureaucratic hurdles have been cut, allowing planning to advance rapidly—potentially in just half a year—before issuing tenders. Parallel efforts will accelerate development at Ramat David in the north, with long-term plans for a third, seaborne airfield.
“We are going to make history,” Netanyahu said of the dual-airport push. “We want both of these airfields.”
Additionally, the government is set to approve planning for a new community in the Negev and another near Kiryat Gat targeted at the growing Haredi population to address housing needs. Netanyahu described these as part of an “immense development momentum in the Negev.”
The announcements come as Israel continues to navigate regional security challenges while expanding international partnerships beyond traditional allies.
The Lakewood ScoopOcean County Chief Fire Marshal Dennis Allen is urging residents and property managers to take immediate steps to maintain safe access around their properties.
Allen tells TLS that all property owners and managers should ensure that snow, ice, and debris are promptly cleared from all means of egress, including exit doors of structures. Additionally, fire hydrants and designated fire lanes must remain fully accessible.
Officials stress that blocked exits or obstructed emergency access points can significantly hinder first responders during critical situations.
Yeshiva World NewsEarly Friday morning, two suspects were arrested by the NYPD with the assistance of Boro Park Shomrim volunteers following a series of car break-ins in the Boro Park.
Sources tell YWN that the suspects smashed car windows and broke into multiple vehicles before being arrested at Fort Hamilton Parkway and 41st Street after a coordinated response between Boro Park Shomrim volunteers and NYPD officers. During the arrest, officers recovered a loaded .22 caliber firearm, window-breaking tools believed to have been used in the incidents, and a stolen moped.
Fernando Garcia, 21, of 1550 East 13th Street in Brooklyn, was charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Loaded Firearm), one count of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, one count of Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree for property damage over $250, one count of Criminal Mischief in the Fifth Degree, and one count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree.
Jason Ayala, 19, of 111 East 21st Street in Brooklyn, was charged with one count of Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree, two counts of Possession of Burglar’s Tools, one count of Criminal Mischief in the Fifth Degree, and four counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree.
THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE BORO PARK SCOOP WHATSAPP
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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) The rabbis of the city of Bnei Brak issued a special letter to Roshei Yeshiva and Mashgichim, urging them to warn yeshiva students not to participate in demonstrations.
The letter was signed by the rabbis Rabbi Chaim Yitzchak Isaac Landau, Rabbi Shevach Tzvi Rosenblatt, and Rabbi Masoud Ben Shimon.
In their letter they wrote:
“We come with a request and heartfelt plea to protect the souls of our young ones, who are being harmed in the streets of our holy city. In this difficult period, when even the smallest spark can ignite a consuming fire that does not distinguish, Heaven forbid, for destructive forces have been unleashed causing damage to the education of our sons and yeshiva students, to the refinement of conduct, and to the gentle spirit in which the words of our sages are meant to be heard, leading, G-d forbid, to moral corruption.”
“Especially in this time, it is necessary to strengthen the ‘voice of Jacob’ and to remain within the tents of Shem and Ever, the synagogues and study halls, the tents of Torah. All the more so regarding confrontations with police and security forces, and acts of property damage, from which the young flock must completely distance themselves.”
“We must channel, with all our strength, the boiling emotions of the youth so dear to us into the fervor of Torah, the fire of prayer, and the battle against the evil inclination, cultivating proper character traits. Heaven forbid, ‘where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint.’ If the youth are not guided and do not heed the roshei yeshiva and educators, Heaven forbid, disorder will prevail, people losing control, damaging property, becoming liable under the laws of damages, and uttering statements that cause terrible desecration of God’s name, which could, God forbid, set ablaze the vineyard of Israel.
“This concerns our very lives!”
“The educators must forbid leaving the yeshivot for the city streets, repeatedly warn against lingering outside study halls and educational institutions, and ensure that movement through the streets be only when absolutely necessary, as one fleeing danger. Students must be warned to avoid areas of friction and rising tensions, and to flee from them as one flees a fire, for it is truly a consuming blaze.”
“May the Merciful One see our efforts for these children and hasten our redemption, sending Eliyahu Hanavi, the herald of salvation, as our sages taught that he comes only to bring peace to the world, to reconcile fathers and sons.”
Signed in pain, prayer, and supplication.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews)— Israeli Thai boxing fighter Ahavat Hashem Gordon beat his Turkish opponent on Saturday evening in an international competition in Kaunas, Lithuania, according to a Jerusalem Post report. The two had a tense altercation the day before.
On Friday after the weigh-in, Gordon, who wore an Israeli flag over his shoulders, faced Ali Konyuncu, and the two exchanged the customary threats before high-profile boxing matches.
During the heated exchange, Konyuncu lunged at Gordon’s neck, and the two were both immediately restrained. Both tried to break free of the men holding them back, according to video of the event which circulated on social media. Despite the restraints, Konyuncu managed to kick Gordon in the midsection before the two were effectively separated.
The fight on Saturday night lasted only two rounds. The first round was inconclusive, with neither side able to gain a clear advantage.
In the second round, Konyuncu socked Gordon with an uppercut before Gordon knocked him to the floor with a blow to the head. When the two were pulled apart, Konyuncu was seen bleeding profusely from a wound on the side of his head, and the judges made the call to end the fight there, awarding the victory to Gordon.
אהבת השם גורדון הביס בקרב את יריבו הטורקי עלי קויונצ’ו.
💙🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/8qpnbMATGo— 🟢or keren (@Wq0oQJmUSfZunt5) February 21, 2026
After the fight, the 17-year-old Ahavat Hashem, who was the world kickboxing champion at age 16 and has yet to be defeated in Thai boxing, dedicated the bout to his friend who had passed away, and then called for a title fight from the organization’s leaders:
“I want to dedicate this fight to my friend David, who passed away a few months ago. I need to be the champion of this organization. Last time I said: give me the best, call the best in the world to fight me. Thank you to the entire crowd in Lithuania; I feel like I’m part of this country. People of Israel, I love you, this is for you!”
Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar (Likud) responded to Gordon’s win in a Twitter/X post late on Saturday night, saying: “Another brilliant victory for our Israeli fighter.”
Ahavat Hashem is the youngest of seven children, many of whom also excelled in the martial arts. His older brother Ruach Hashem B’Chayenu was a world champion Thai boxer at the age of 19.
MatzavJPMorgan Chase disclosed that it terminated more than 50 bank accounts connected to President Donald Trump shortly after he left office following his first term.
The bank confirmed Friday that “more than 50 Trump accounts” were shut down in February 2021, just weeks after the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, according to The New York Times.
The disclosure came after Trump “and the Trump Organization” filed a lawsuit in January against JPMorgan Chase and its chief executive, Jamie Dimon, alleging that the bank had improperly cut off the president’s access to financial services, the newspaper reported.
According to the report, the accounts JPMorgan allegedly “debanked” included those tied to “for Trump hotels, housing developments and retail shops” across multiple states, in addition to “Trump’s personal private banking relationship that handled his inheritance:”
The accounts included those for Trump hotels, housing developments and retail shops in Illinois, Florida and New York, as well as Mr. Trump’s personal private banking relationship that handled his inheritance from his father, according to letter filed to the court.
In correspondence submitted to the court, JPMorgan did not provide a detailed explanation for the widespread closures. In one unsigned note to Mr. Trump, dated Feb. 19, 2021, the bank wrote that he would need to “find a more suitable institution with which to conduct business.”
Breitbart News’s John Nolte reported, Trump’s attorneys filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan and Dimon, claiming that the institution debanked several of his accounts:
The lawsuit says that on February 19, 2021, Trump received notice, “without warning or provocation,” that several of his and his company’s bank accounts would be closed “just two months later, on April 19, 2021.
“In essence, JPMC debanked plaintiff’s accounts because it believed that the political tide at the moment favored doing so,” the lawsuit claims.
Before JPMorgan publicly acknowledged the account closures, the bank had sought to shift “the case be moved from Florida state court… to a federal court in New York,” according to the NYT.
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsA grave incident occurred in the Chevron Hills area on Friday when a Jewish farm owner was violently attacked by Arabs from the village of Bani Na’im.
The incident—which appeared to be a planned ambush in the farm’s grazing areas—began when the Arabs arrived and tried to drive away the farm’s shepherd. The shepherd alerted the farm owner, Tzur Natan Durani, who rushed to the scene while reporting the incident to security forces.
When Durani arrived at the area, the Arabs initially feigned an interest in a discussion, but only moments later, more Arabs snuck behind Durani and violently attacked, throwing him to the ground.
As he was being beaten, Durani attempted to draw his personal handgun for self-defense, but the Arabs snatched the gun from him and pointed it at him.
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Just then, the IDF soldiers arrived at the scene, and the Arabs threw the gun on the ground.
At the end of the incident, the IDF arrested five of the Arabs, and they were transferred to the police for questioning.
“We must treat this incident as a full-fledged terror attack,” Durani said on Sunday. “They came with a clear goal—to carry out a terror act. There were moments I was sure I was about to die. Baruch Hashem, the IDF stopped most of the rioters who attacked me, but this is not a one-off event but a new peak in terror against shepherds in Yehuda and Shomron that has seen a worrying surge in recent weeks.”
“This terror ultimately has one goal—to cause us to retreat and abandon the area. It won’t happen. Already on Shabbat, we went out to graze in the same area to send a clear message: no terror will break us, and the more you try to harm and attack us, we will only expand b’ezrat Hashem and return our territorial lands to Jewish hands.”
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Vos Iz NeiasBy Rabbi Yair Hoffman
It is the month of Adar, and the arena was Kaunas, Lithuania. The same city once known to every Jew in the world as Kovno.
Between the two World Wars, Kovno was the capital of Lithuania and one of the great jewels of European Jewish civilization. The Jewish community numbered between 35,000 and 40,000 souls — roughly one-fourth of the city’s entire population — with tens of Jewish institutions, forty synagogues, institutions of higher Jewish learning, Yiddish and Hebrew schools, and a Jewish hospital. Most famously, it’s suburb across the bridge was home to the legendary Slobodka Yeshiva, one of the crown jewels of Lithuanian Torah scholarship, which sent its light across the entire Jewish world.
Kovno was alive. Kovno was learning. Kovno was singing. And then, in the summer of 1941, the sky fell.
On June 24, 1941, German forces occupied Kovno. Lithuanian nationals welcomed the German occupiers, seeing them as liberators from Soviet occupation. Local paramilitary groups — permeated with vicious antisemitism — blamed Jews for the Soviet repression of their country.
And the massacres began almost instantly.
Between June 24 and July 6, 1941, Nazis and Lithuanian partisans killed 7,800 Jews in Kovno alone. Jewish men were publicly tortured and beaten to death with iron bars in front of crowds that, witnesses reported, cheered. They cheered and the world had blackened part of its soul.
In early July 1941, German Einsatzgruppen detachments and their Lithuanian auxiliaries began systematic massacres of Jews in several of the forts around Kovno — fortifications that had been constructed under the Russian Empire in the late nineteenth century. They shot thousands of Jewish men, women, and children, primarily at the infamous Ninth Fort.
Some 30,000 Jews were then herded into a sealed ghetto. What followed was a prolonged, methodical annihilation.
Then came the unspeakable. On March 27–28, 1944, some 1,600 children aged twelve or under — alongside many of their parents who attempted to intervene, and elderly people — approximately 2,500 people in total — were rounded up and murdered in the Kinder Aktion. Police cars roamed the ghetto streets and music was blared over loudspeakers to mute the terrified screams of families.
The final act came that summer. Three weeks before the Soviet army arrived in Kaunas, the Germans razed the ghetto to the ground with grenades and dynamite. As many as 2,000 people burned to death or were shot while trying to escape the burning ghetto.
This was where the famed Rav Elchonon Wasserman was brutally murdered. He was one of the leading Torah scholars of pre-war Europe, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ohel Torah in Baranowitz, and a leading disciple of the Chofetz Chaim. His murder represented an incalculable loss to the Torah world.
Some forty odd years ago, I had heard what had happened first-hand from a Rav Gantzfry who lived in Kew Gardens. His son was, or still is a Rebbe in the Chasan Sofer Yeshiva. Before they were taken to the Seventh Fort to be killed, Rav Elchonon zt”l addressed those with him, telling them that they should consider themselves as korbanos (sacrifices) before the Ribbono Shel Olam, and that their deaths would be a kapparah (atonement) for Klal Yisrael. He urged them to have pure thoughts and to do teshuvah, so that they would be fitting sacrifices. He specifically said they should not think any improper thoughts that would render them “blemished” offerings.
He was shot at the Seventh Fort, one of a series of 19th-century military fortifications surrounding Kaunas that the Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators used as mass execution sites during the early days of the German occupation of Lithuania in the summer of 1941.
His yahrtzeit is observed on the 11th of Tammuz.
And when the Red Army finally liberated the city, survivors returned to find a wasteland. Of forty thousand Jews, fewer than two thousand had survived. The Slobodka Yeshiva was gone. The forty synagogues were gone. A world of Torah, of learning, of life — erased.
The murderers believed it was over. They believed history had rendered its verdict on the Jews of Kovno.
They were wrong.
A Brief Digression
Muay Thai — “Thai Boxing,” the national sport of Thailand — is known as the Art of Eight Limbs, because its practitioners wield fists, elbows, knees, and shins as simultaneous weapons, combining them with clinching techniques that make the human body a complete fighting instrument. In the early kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, soldiers turned to their own bodies when weapons failed — fists, elbows, knees, and shins became their armor. This art of “fighting with many limbs,” known as Pahuyuth, laid the foundation for Muaythai
Today Muay Thai is practiced in 158 countries. And in Israel, it has produced warriors of extraordinary caliber — none more remarkable, at this moment, than a nineteen-year-old young man who carries the Name of Hashem into the ring.
His name alone is a statement of faith. Ahavat Hashem — Love of G-d — and he carries it not as a burden but as a banner. Growing up in the West Bank, the youngest of fighting brothers, Ahavat Hashem Gordon began training in Israel, where he followed his brothers into combat sports, starting with kickboxing under family influence, with his brother Amon serving as a Muay Thai coach.
He was a prodigy from the start. At age twelve, he claimed the gold medal in the youth category at the European Cup 2017 in Muay Thai, representing Israel. A year later, he was the reigning Israeli national youth champion. At the 2019 championships in Belarus, he and his brothers combined to bring home 14 medals.
His professional record reflects this philosophy. He holds a record of 10–0, with multiple wins by knockout and TKO. His professional debut in ONE Championship came on March 21, 2025, at ONE Friday Fights 101, and he has since gone undefeated in the world’s most prestigious Muay Thai organization, including victories over Seksan Fairtex and Eh Mwi. He trains at the elite Silapa Thai Gym in Thailand, sharpening himself against the world’s best.
Saturday Night in Kaunas — The Showdown
The week leading up to the fight at Kaunas’s Žalgiris Arena was unlike anything Gordon had faced before. His Turkish opponent, Ali Konyuncu — a seasoned veteran with a 15-4 record — did not come merely to fight. He came to wage war.
In the lead-up to the match, Konyuncu posted a series of pro-Palestinian messages on social media alongside harsh statements and antisemitic threats directed at Gordon. In videos shared to his personal accounts, Konyuncu appeared alongside a countdown clock to the fight, using inflammatory language and speaking of the “bloodshed” he expected his Israeli opponent to suffer. In one post, he wrote that on February 21 he would face an Israeli fighter and called on the entire Turkish nation to support him.
The situation grew serious enough that the Israeli Embassy in Lithuania requested reinforced security around Gordon ahead of the fight.
At the pre-fight weigh-in on Friday, Gordon walked out draped in the Israeli flag. What happened next was caught on camera and went viral around the world. During the face-off, Konyuncu lunged at Gordon’s neck, and the two had to be immediately restrained. Even while being held back, Konyuncu managed to kick Gordon in the midsection.
Gordon did not flinch. He stood his ground, with Israel’s flag on his shoulders, his eyes steady.
He had come to Kaunas — to Kovno — not to be provoked. He had come to fight.
Motzaei Shabbos, the lights came on. The arena filled. And Ahavat Hashem Gordon, the boy from the West Bank, walked out once more.
The first round was contested, with neither fighter able to establish clear dominance. But Gordon was composed — reading his opponent, absorbing information, waiting.
In the second round, the moment came. Konyuncu landed an uppercut, looking to seize momentum. Gordon answered with a blow to the head that sent his opponent to the floor. When the fighters were separated, Konyuncu was bleeding profusely from a wound on the side of his head. The judges saw enough. The fight was stopped. The victory was awarded to the Israeli.
After sustaining heavy punishment, Konyuncu withdrew, claiming he could no longer stand on his foot.
It would be easy to see this as simply a sports story. A young Israeli beats a provocative Turkish opponent.
Let us, in our mind’s eye, stand in Kaunas for a moment. Let us stand in what was once Kovno. Let us think of the forty shuls, the Slobodka Yeshiva, Rav Elchonon hy”d, his Kovetz shiurim, his Kovetz Ha’aros, the thirty thousand Jews herded into a ghetto, the children murdered while loudspeakers blared music to drown out their screams. Think of those who believed they had extinguished this people forever.
And then think of a nineteen-year-old Israeli boy — unbeaten, unbroken, 10 and 0 — standing in that same city, answering hatred with discipline and answering violence with a knockout.
The Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators dynamited the Kovno Ghetto three weeks before the Soviets arrived. They wanted no trace left. They thought they had won. But – Ki lo yitosh Hashem amo — “For Hashem will not abandon His people” (Tehillim 94:14). They were wrong.
History has a way of answering back. There is a pasuk in Tehillim (118:17) that the survivors of Kovno knew by heart: Lo amus ki echyeh, v’asaper ma’asei Kah — “I shall not die, but I shall live, and I shall declare the works of G-d.” The murderers wrote the obituary of Kovno’s Jews. They were wrong about who would have the last word.
And on Motzaei Shabbos, in the city that the world once watched consume its Jews in fire, a young man wearing tzitzis raised his hand in victory.
The Golden Boy came to Kovno — not Kaunas. With Tzitzis a-flyin. He came out to the song of Hashem Yimloch l’Olam Va’ed.
And the Golden Boy won. But it was not just a win for him. It was a win for Rav Elchonon zatzal and ultimately for the world. True, our way is the way of Torah – ki heim chayeinu, but when a supporter of Hamas who represents a nation that supports Hamas is trounced with somone named Ahavat Hashem – in a place that destroyed our Torah and to the words of Hashem melech hashem malach Hashem yimloch l’olam va’ed it may be some sort of Siman, some portent of what is to come..
Some will disagree, but the vast majority of the frum holocaust survivors who are left and their families would probably agree with the sentiment here..
The author can be reached at [email protected]
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MatzavIt is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rebbetzin Rochel Zuckerman a”h, the devoted wife of Rav Aharon Zuckerman, rov of Khal Zichron Pinchos in Lakewood, NJ.
Rebbetzin Zuckerman was known to all who merited to know her as a woman of deep kindness, refinement, and strength. She embodied warmth and sincerity, greeting each person with a gentle smile and a listening ear. Her life was defined by chesed, compassion, and an unwavering dedication to Torah and to Klal Yisroel.
As a rebbetzin, she stood steadfastly at her husband’s side, supporting his harbotzas haTorah and rabbonus with devotion. Whether during their years in Brooklyn or later in Lakewood, she played an essential role in supporting her husband. Her home was open to all, a place of comfort, guidance, and encouragement. With dignity and humility, she carried the responsibilities of a rebbetzin, always seeking to uplift others.
She is survived by her husband, Rav Aharon Zuckerman; her children, Rabbi Yitzchok Zuckerman (Monsey), Rabbi Pinchos Zuckerman (Detroit), Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Zuckerman (Brooklyn), Rabbi Mayer Zuckerman (Jackson), Rabbi Eli Zuckerman (Passaic), Mrs. Roizy Nadoff (Lakewood), Rabbi Baruch Zuckerman (Lakewood), Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Zuckerman (Lakewood), Mrs. Shaindy Trenk (Lakewood), and Mrs. Yenta Chaya Moldaver (Lakewood); and many grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Mrs. Sarah Bleich (Brooklyn), Mrs. Itty Mendelson (Brooklyn), Rabbi Shmuel Lew (London), and Rabbi Luzzy Lew (Lakewood).
The levayah will be held Sunday morning at 9 a.m. at Khal Zichron Pinchos, located at 145 Flintlock Drive in Lakewood, NJ.
Yehi zichrah boruch.
{Matzav.com}
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The Lakewood ScoopWe regret to inform you of the Petirah of R’ Hershel Klainberg Z”L of Detroit. He is the father of Mrs. Bayla Tyk of Lakewood.
The Levaya is scheduled to take place on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM at Hebrew Memorial Chapel, 26640 Greenfield Rd, Oak Park, MI 48237.
Shiva information will be published when available.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Matzavit is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the the passing of renowned philanthropist and devoted patron of Torah and chessed Rabbi Yehuda Friedlander z”l, who was niftar over Shabbos at the age of 90.
Rabbi Friedlander, widely respected as one of the foremost benefactors of the Vizhnitzer and Sadigura courts, was known for his vast charitable contributions.
Throughout his life, Rabbi Friedlander divided his time between the Jewish community in Brazil — which he helped build and strengthen — and Yerushalayim, where he settled in his later years. His reputation as a generous supporter of thousands of Torah and charitable institutions preceded him, yet his heart was especially bound to the holy courts of Vizhnitz and Sadigura.
Within Vizhnitz, he was regarded as a central member of the chassidus’ board of trustees. His name is prominently associated with the grand and majestic Vizhnitz beis medrash in Beitar Illit, which he funded and dedicated from his personal wealth out of deep attachment to his rebbe, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe.
Rabbi Friedlander also maintained a profound and enduring relationship with the Sadigura court. He enjoyed close ties with the previous Sadigura Rebbe, and that connection continued with even greater strength with the current Sadigura Rebbe.
Beyond his financial generosity and acts of righteousness, Rabbi Friedlander was known for his rare diligence in limud haTorah. Just a month ago, an acquaintance recounted a moving example that illustrated his character. During a flight to the United States lasting more than ten hours, the 90-year-old philanthropist sat with a sefer open before him, immersed in learning without interruption or rest for the duration of the journey, like a young man in the prime of his strength.
The levayah was held at the main beis medrash in Kiryat Vizhnitz and proceeded to the Kfar Nachman cemetery in Ra’anana for kevurah.
Shivah will be observed at the home of his daughter, the Shargovitz family, at 2 HaHagana Street in Ra’anana.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}
MatzavPeak excitement has gripped Toldos Aharon. With the arrival of the month of Adar, the dam has burst in the chassidus. Eighty-three couples celebrated their engagements over the past week, with nearly every home in the neighborhood marking a family simchah. And behind it all lies a closely guarded secret that the mechutanim kept in their hearts throughout the winter so as not to disturb the shteiging in the Toldos Aharon yeshiva.
In recent years, the chassidus instituted a well-known rule that second-year talmidim in the Toldos Aharon yeshiva gedolah do not enter the shidduch world before the month of Adar. As a result, the end of this past week saw an extraordinary outpouring of simcha.
A fascinating detail reveals the depth of discipline: in some cases, even when a shidduch was finalized during the winter months, the matter was kept strictly confidential. The mechutanim, the chosson, and the kallah guarded the secret carefully and did not reveal it to anyone, not even to their closest family members.
All of this was done to preserve the concentration of the chosson’s fellow talmidim in yeshiva and to prevent any disruption to the learning. Only with the arrival of Adar was the news made public. Then, all at once, families learned of the joyous occasions.
In the official community bulletin released ahead of Shabbos, chassidim were informed of the staggering figure: No fewer than 83 shidduchim were completed in a single week among members of the community, bli ayin hara. (See the listings below.)
The reality on the ground is remarkable. There is hardly a family in the chassidus that does not have a first-degree relative, brother-in-law, or cousin who celebrated a l’chaim this week. The streets of Meah Shearim and its alleyways have turned into one continuous parade of mazel tov platters, flowers, and the sounds of singing emanating from homes.
The focal point of the celebrations is, of course, the residence of the Rebbe of Toldos Aharon, where the mechutanim hold their l’chaim gatherings.
The successful model of Toldos Aharon has, in recent years, spread to additional chassidishe yeshivos. At the Rachmastrivka yeshiva and other prominent chassidic institutions, roshei yeshiva have likewise implemented the rule that the winter term is dedicated solely to limud haTorah.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (VINnews) — The CEO of a drone manufacturing company that supplies surveillance equipment to the Israeli military said New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani pressured the Brooklyn Navy Yard to terminate his firm’s lease due to the mayor’s pro-Palestinian views.
The NY Post reports that, Shahar Abuhazira, head of Easy Aerial, said he was told in private conversations that “pressure” from the mayor’s office influenced the decision not to renew the company’s lease at the city-owned industrial park. The company must vacate by the end of June, ending a seven-year tenancy.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation denied the claim, saying the decision was made in December 2025 — before Mamdani took office — and cited repeated compliance issues, including unauthorized drone flights and improper utility use.
Easy Aerial provides surveillance drones to the Israeli military but does most of its business with U.S. federal agencies, including the Air Force. The company has faced protests at the Navy Yard since the start of the Gaza war.
Abuhazira said the 100-employee company is considering legal action but hopes to remain in New York.
Vos Iz NeiasANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Military jets were launched to intercept five Russian aircraft that were flying in international airspace off Alaska’s western coast, but military officials said Friday the Russian aircraft were not seen as provocative.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it detected and tracked two Russian Tu-95s, two Su-35s and one A-50 operating near the Bering Strait on Thursday.
In response, NORAD launched two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3 and four KC-135 refueling tankers to intercept, identify and escort the Russian aircraft until they departed the area, according to a release from the command.
“The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” according to the NORAD statement. It also noted this kind of activity “occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.”
The Russian aircraft were operating in an area near the Bering Strait, a narrow body of water about 50 miles (80 kilometers) wide separating the Pacific and Arctic oceans, called the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.
Such zones begin where sovereign airspace ends. While it’s international airspace, all aircraft are required to identify themselves when entering zones in the interest of national security, NORAD said.
The command used satellites, ground and airborne radars and aircraft to detect and track aircraft
NORAD is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, but has its Alaska operations based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
Matzav“Conservative” commentator Tucker Carlson is facing sharp criticism following remarks he made during his interview this week with Mike Huckabee in which he floated the idea of conducting widespread DNA testing in Israel to determine biblical lineage connected to land claims.
During a podcast episode titled “Tucker Confronts Mike Huckabee on America’s Toxic Relationship With Israel,” Carlson suggested using genetic analysis to identify “who Abram’s [Abraham’s] descendants are,” citing the promises described in the Book of Genesis. “Why don’t we do genetic testing on everybody in the land and find out who Abram’s descendants are? … We’ve cracked the human genome. We can do that,” Carlson said.
The comments arose in the context of a larger exchange about Jewish identity, ancestral claims to the land and comparisons to Palestinian heritage. Carlson maintained that some Palestinians could potentially trace deeper genetic roots in the region than certain Jewish immigrants from Europe. He questioned how theological arguments about ancestry align with Israel’s demographic framework if lineage is central to the claim.
Huckabee rejected the premise, voicing discomfort with grounding national or civil rights in biological lineage. “I have no idea what that would prove… I’m comfortable with secular nation states where it’s none of this is done on the basis of blood. I’m uncomfortable with that,” he said. Huckabee instead pointed to archaeology, religious tradition and longstanding historical continuity as the foundation for Jewish ties to the land, distancing himself from Carlson’s proposal for genetic screening.
The reaction was swift. Among those criticizing Carlson was pro-Israel activist Laura Loomer, who accused him of advancing ideas reminiscent of eugenics and antisemitism. She argued that the suggestion would effectively require “every single Jew to take a DNA test.”
In a series of social media posts, Loomer labeled Carlson a “rabid Jew hater.” Other critics connected the controversy to earlier remarks Carlson made in a December 2025 interview, when he discussed regulations on commercial DNA testing in Israel related to privacy and identity issues. While such testing is regulated in the country, it is not banned.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasLAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police say they’re investigating a car that rammed into a power substation Thursday as a ” terrorism-related event.”
There’s no ongoing threat to the public, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news conference Friday.
Police received a 911 call at 10 a.m. Thursday reporting a vehicle crash through a secured gate at the substation in Boulder City, located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Las Vegas, McMahill said.
The driver of the vehicle was 23-year-old Dawson Maloney from Albany, New York, who was reported missing and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, McMahill said.
The man had communicated with family before the crash, referencing self-harm, and said he was going to commit an act that would place him on the news. He referred to himself as a terrorist in a message sent to his mother, according to police.
Authorities found explosive materials and multiple books “related to extremist ideologies” in Maloney’s hotel room, McMahill said. The books included ones about right- and left-wing extremism, environmental extremism, white supremacism and anti-government ideology, he said.
“These findings significantly elevate the seriousness of this incident,” McMahill said.
Maloney is listed as a student at Albany Law School in the class of 2027. He was also an honors student for multiple semesters at Siena University, located in New York.
Two shotguns, an assault rifle-style pistol, and flame throwers were found in his rental car, McMahill said. Maloney was wearing what police described as “soft-body armor.”
Authorities recovered a 3D printer and several gun components needed to assemble a firearm from an Albany residence. Maloney had driven a rental car from Albany to Boulder City, according to Christopher Delzano, the FBI’s Las Vegas special agent-in-charge.
Boulder City is a historic town and home to the Hoover Dam, which is considered one of the country’s modern civil engineering wonders. The dam provides water to millions of people and generates an average of 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each year for Nevada, Arizona and California.
The power substation that was rammed is owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The facility works closely with Hoover Dam and transfers power to the Los Angeles basin, McMahill said. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said in a statement to The Associated Press that it is aware of the incident, and there were no impacts or disruptions to its operations.
Boulder City Police Chief Timothy Shea said there is no evidence of major damage to critical infrastructure and no service disruptions.
A similar incident occurred in 2023 when a man rammed a car through a fence at a solar power facility in the desert northeast of Las Vegas, setting the car on fire. The solar power facility served Las Vegas Strip casinos. He was declared unfit for trial. That attack followed several incidents and arrests involving electrical substations in states including Washington, Oregon and North Carolina and concerns expressed by federal officials about the security of the nation’s electricity transmission network.
“We are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of one of our law students, Dawson Maloney, in an off-campus incident,” said Tom Torello, director of communications and marketing at Albany Law School, in a statement.
Vos Iz NeiasRAYAK, Lebanon (AP) — Israeli airstrikes on eastern Lebanon have killed eight members of the militant Hezbollah group, including several local officials, two officials with the group said Saturday.
The Lebanese Health Ministry put the death toll at 10, but did not distinguish between militants and civilians.
The Hezbollah officials told The Associated Press that the eight militants were killed in strikes near the village of Rayak in northeast Lebanon late Friday. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about such details.
An Associated Press team that visited the scene of the strike Saturday morning saw that the top floor of a three-story building was knocked out.
The Israeli military said Saturday that several members of Hezbollah’s missile unit, in three different command centers in the Baalbek area in Lebanon, were “eliminated.”
The Israeli army added that the Hezbollah members killed were identified “as operating to accelerate readiness and force build-up processes, while planning fire attacks toward Israel.”
One of the Hezbollah officials said that three of the dead were local commanders and identified them as Ali al-Moussawi, Mohammed al-Moussawi and Hussein Yaghi.
Yaghi was the son of prominent Hezbollah official and one of its founders, Mohammed Yaghi, who died in 2023. Mohammed Yaghi was also a close aide to late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in September 2024.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Saturday that Israeli strikes on eastern Lebanon killed 10 people and wounded 24, including three children.
Ali Abdullah, executive director of Rayak Hospital, told the AP that the strike occurred after sunset, adding that they have received 10 bodies and 21 wounded. He added that the dead included two non-Lebanese — a Syrian man and an Ethiopian woman. The wounded included five Syrians and three Ethiopians.
Ethiopians often come to Lebanon as migrant domestic workers.
A funeral was held Saturday afternoon in the eastern village of Nabi Chit for two Hezbollah members who were killed in the strikes.
After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza, Hezbollah began firing rockets from Lebanon into Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians.
Israel responded with airstrikes and shelling. The low-level conflict escalated into full-scale war in September 2024, later reined in but not fully stopped by a U.S.-brokered ceasefire two months later.
Since then, Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rebuild and has carried out near-daily strikes in Lebanon that it says target Hezbollah militants and facilities. Hezbollah has claimed one strike against Israel since the ceasefire.
The death toll from Friday’s strikes was unusually high and comes at a moment of intensified tensions in the region as the United States has threatened to strike Iran — a backer of both Hezbollah and Hamas — if negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program fail to produce a deal.
Vos Iz NeiasBy Rabbi Yair Hoffman
When U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Tucker Carlson last Friday that it would be “fine” if Israel “took it all” — referring to the vast biblical territory stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates — the Arab world erupted. Saudi Arabia called it “extremist rhetoric.” Egypt termed it a “blatant violation of international law.” The League of Arab States accused him of inflaming religious and national sentiments.
But here is the question that the outrage machine does not want to ask: Is Huckabee legally wrong?
A careful examination of international law — not theology, not sentiment, but cold, hard, binding international legal precedent — suggests the answer is that he is correct. And when one focuses specifically on the heartland of the controversy — Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria — the legal case for Jewish rights is not merely plausible. It is, arguably, overwhelming.
The Accusation That International Law Is Being Violated
The reflexive response from Arab governments was to invoke “international law” as though it were a trump card that self-evidently settles the matter against Israel. Egypt’s foreign ministry declared that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory.” The League of Arab States thundered about violations of “sound legal basis.”
But which international law, exactly? Because a serious reading of the actual treaties, resolutions, and legal doctrines that govern territorial claims tells a far different story.
One Thousand Years of Sovereign Possession
International law recognizes a doctrine known as uti possidetis juris — the last lawful sovereign retains legal title unless that title is legitimately transferred through a recognized legal mechanism. The Jewish people exercised continuous sovereignty over Jerusalem and the Land of Israel for approximately one thousand years — from King David’s establishment of Jerusalem as the national capital around 1000 BCE through the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. This included every attribute of statehood: centralized government, a functioning legal system through the Sanhedrin, minting of currency, foreign relations, and two national Temples.
No subsequent power — Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, Mamluk, Ottoman, or British — ever acquired the land through any legitimate legal mechanism. They took it by force. And that brings us to the second pillar.
Conquest Does Not Confer Title
This is not a controversial legal proposition. It is a jus cogens norm — a peremptory principle from which no derogation is permitted — codified in Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter and repeatedly affirmed by the International Court of Justice. Territorial acquisition by force does not create legitimate sovereignty. The Roman conquest of Jerusalem was an act of military aggression. Every subsequent ruler inherited a chain of title rooted in that original illegitimate seizure.
As the foundational maxim of property law states: nemo dat quod non habet — no one can give what they do not have.
This principle, applied consistently, cuts entirely against those who argue that centuries of Arab or Ottoman control extinguished Jewish claims. Those centuries of control were themselves built on illegal conquest.
The San Remo Resolution and the League of Nations Mandate: Binding International Law That Has Never Been Revoked
Here is where the legal argument becomes particularly powerful — and particularly ignored by those quick to cite “international law.”
In April 1920, the San Remo Conference — the supreme international legal authority of its time, comprising the Allied Powers that won World War I — incorporated the Balfour Declaration into binding international law. The resolution provided that Palestine would be placed under a Mandate explicitly for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” This resolution encompassed all of what is today Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. It contained no reservations, no carve-outs, no exceptions.
Two years later, the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine formally recognized “the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and the grounds for reconstituting their national home in that country.” The word “reconstituting” is legally critical. It acknowledged that the Jewish national home was being restored — not invented from nothing. The world’s nations, acting through their authoritative international body, confirmed the continuity of the Jewish legal claim.
These documents have never been legally superseded, revoked, or annulled. They remain on the books of international law.
The United Nations Itself Preserved These Rights
When the United Nations succeeded the League of Nations, Article 80(1) of the UN Charter — sometimes called “the Palestine Clause” — expressly preserved all rights recognized under existing League of Nations Mandates. The rights established at San Remo and codified in the 1922 Mandate were explicitly carried forward into the UN framework. Overriding them would require a Charter amendment approved by two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratified by two-thirds of Member States, including all five permanent Security Council members.
No such amendment has ever been proposed. The rights stand.
Jordan’s Occupation Was Itself Illegal
Critics of Israel point to the 1967 war as the original sin. But this framing conveniently erases the 19 years before it. Jordan’s seizure of the Old City and the West Bank in 1948 was an act of illegal military aggression. The international community — including the Arab League itself — refused to recognize Jordanian sovereignty over these territories. During those 19 years, every Jewish resident was expelled, 58 synagogues were systematically destroyed, and Jewish gravestones from the Mount of Olives were repurposed as paving stones and latrine floors. Jewish access to the Western Wall was denied in direct violation of the 1949 Armistice Agreement.
Because Jordan never held legitimate sovereignty, it could not legally transfer sovereignty to anyone else. The 1967 Israeli recapture of Jerusalem and the West Bank was, under international law, a recovery of territory from an illegal occupier — not a conquest.
The Right of Self-Determination
The Jewish people constitute a “people” under international law by every accepted criterion — common history, language, culture, religion, and continuous national consciousness across millennia. Their right to self-determination is not a political preference. It is a legal right enshrined in the UN Charter itself.
For Islam, Mecca and Medina are holier than Jerusalem. For Christianity, the primary sacred site is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For the Jewish people, Jerusalem and the Land of Israel are not one option among several. They are the singular, irreplaceable center of national and religious identity — referenced three times daily in prayer for two thousand years.
What About the “Occupied Territory” Argument?
Critics will note that UN Security Council Resolution 242, passed after the 1967 war, called for Israeli withdrawal from “territories” captured in that conflict. Several points bear emphasis here. First, Resolution 242 was deliberately worded without the definite article — it did not call for withdrawal from “the territories,” a formulation that was specifically rejected during drafting. Second, Resolution 242 itself called for “secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force” — explicitly acknowledging that the pre-1967 armistice lines were not those boundaries. Third, a Security Council resolution cannot override the prior binding legal framework established at San Remo and codified in Article 80 of the UN Charter itself.
The Bottom Line
Ambassador Huckabee’s rhetorical flourish may have been diplomatically incendiary. Reasonable people can debate the wisdom of a sitting ambassador making such statements publicly. And a distinction must certainly be drawn between the full biblical promise — which encompasses vast territories far beyond anything contemplated in current Israeli policy — and the specific legal claims to Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem, which rest on solid, binding, never-revoked international legal instruments.
But the critics who respond to Huckabee by simply invoking “international law” are not engaging with international law. They are invoking a selective, politically convenient version of it — one that cites UN resolutions when they are useful and ignores binding treaties, League of Nations Mandates, and UN Charter provisions when they are not.
The complete legal argument — built on one thousand years of prior sovereignty, the prohibition on acquisition of territory by force, the San Remo Resolution, the League of Nations Mandate, Article 80 of the UN Charter, the illegality of Jordan’s occupation, the right of self-determination, and the lawful recovery of territory in a defensive war — does not merely offer a colorable counterargument to the critics.
It is, on its merits, a stronger legal case than anything his critics have put forward.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
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Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — Businesses face a new wave of uncertainty after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under an emergency powers law and Trump vowed to work around the ruling to keep his tariffs in place.
The Trump administration says its tariffs help boost American manufacturers and reduce the trade gap. But many U.S. businesses have had to raise prices and adjust in other ways to offset higher costs spurred by the tariffs.
It remains to be seen how much relief businesses and consumers will actually get from Friday’s ruling. Within hours of the court’s decision, Trump pledged to use a different law to impose a 10% tariff on all imports that would last 150 days, and to explore other ways to impose additional tariffs on countries he says engage in unfair trade practices.
“Any boost to the economy from lowering tariffs in the near-term is likely to be partly offset by a prolonged period of uncertainty,” said Michael Pearce, an economist at Oxford Economics. “With the administration likely to rebuild tariffs through other, more durable, means, the overall tariffs rate may yet end up settling close to current levels.”
Efforts to claw back the estimated $133 billion to $175 billion of previously collected tariffs now deemed illegal are bound to be complicated, and will likely favor larger companies with more resources. Consumers hoping for a refund are unlikely to be compensated.
The fight against tariffs continues
With Trump’s unyielding position on tariffs, many businesses are braced for years of court battles.
Basic Fun, a Florida-based maker of toys such as Lincoln Logs and Tonka trucks, last week joined a slew of other businesses in a lawsuit seeking to claw back tariffs paid to the government.
While company CEO Jay Foreman is concerned about any new tariffs Trump may impose, he doesn’t think they will affect toys. Still, he said, “I do worry about some type of perpetual fight over this, at least for the next three years.”
The new 10% tariff Trump announced Friday immediately raised questions for Daniel Posner, the owner of Grapes The Wine Co., in White Plains, New York. Since wine shipments take about two weeks to cross the Atlantic, he wonders if he had a shipment arriving Monday, would it be subject to a 10% tariff?
“We’re reactive to what’s become a very unstable situation,” Posner said.
Ron Kurnik owns Superior Coffee Roasting Co. in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, across the border from Canada. In addition to U.S. tariffs, Kurnik faced retaliatory tariffs from Canada for much of last year when he exported his coffee.
“It’s like a nightmare we just want to wake up from,” said Kurnik, whose company has raised prices by 6% twice since the tariffs went into effect. While he’s pleased with the Supreme Court’s ruling, he doesn’t think he will ever see a refund.
Industries pine for more stability
A wide array of industries, including retail, tech and the agricultural sector, used the Supreme Court ruling as an opportunity to remind Trump of how his trade policies have affected their businesses.
The Business Roundtable, a group that lobbies on behalf of more than 200 U.S. companies, released a statement encouraging the administration to limit the focus of tariffs going forward to specific unfair trade practices and national security concerns.
In the retail industry, stores of all stripes have embraced different ways to offset the effects of tariffs — from absorbing some of the costs themselves, to cutting expenses and diversifying their supply network. Still, they have had to pass on some price increases at a time when shoppers have been particularly sensitive to inflationary pressures.
Dave French, executive vice president of government relations for The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail industry trade group, said he hoped lower courts would ensure “a seamless process” to refund tariffs. That issue wasn’t addressed in Friday’s ruling.
For the technology sector, Trump’s tariffs caused major headaches. Many of its products are either built overseas or depend on imports of key components. The Computer & Communications Industry Association, which represents a spectrum of technology companies employing more than 1.6 million people, expressed hope that the decision will ease the trade tensions.
“With this decision behind us, we look forward to bringing more stability to trade policy,” said Jonathan McHale, the association’s vice president for digital trade.
Farmers, who have been stung by higher prices for equipment and fertilizer since the tariffs went into effect, and reduced demand for their exports, also spoke out.
“We strongly encourage the president to avoid using any other available authorities to impose tariffs on agricultural inputs that would further increase costs,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.
Industries that aren’t feeling any relief
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not give the president authority to tax imports, a power that belongs to Congress. But the decision only affects tariffs imposed under that law, so some industries will see no relief at all.
The decision leaves in effect tariffs on steel, upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, according to the Home Furnishings Association, which represents 15,000 furniture stores in North America.
At Revolution Brewing in Chicago, the aluminum they use for cans costs as much as the ingredients that go inside them because of tariffs Trump has placed on metals that are not affected by the Supreme Court ruling. While the cans are made in Chicago, the aluminum comes from Canada, said Josh Deth, managing partner at the brewery.
Tariffs have been just one challenge for his business, which is also affected by volatile barley prices and a slowdown in demand for craft beer.
“Everything kind of adds up,” he said. “The beverage industry needs relief here. We’re getting crushed by the prices of aluminum.”
Reaction overseas
Italian winemakers hard-hit by the tariffs greeted the Supreme Court decision with skepticism, warning that the decision may just deepen uncertainty around trade with the U.S.
The U.S. is Italy’s largest wine market, with sales having tripled in value over the past 20 years. New tariffs on the EU, which the Trump administration initially threatened would be 200%, had sent fear throughout the industry, which remained even after the U.S. reduced, delayed and negotiated down.
“There is a more than likely risk that tariffs will be reimposed through alternative legal channels, compounded by the uncertainty this ruling may generate in commercial relations between Europe and the United States,” said Lamberto Frescobaldi, president of UIV, a trade association that represents more than 800 winemakers.
Elsewhere in Europe, initial reaction focused on renewed upheaval and confusion regarding costs facing businesses exporting to the US.
Trump’s tariffs could hit pharmaceuticals, chemicals and auto parts, said Carsten Brzeski, an economist at ING bank. “Europe should not be mistaken, this ruling will not bring relief,” he said. “The legal authority may be different, but the economic impact could be identical or worse.”
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MatzavFrom this past week’s Agudah Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah 5786, a Q & A Panel on Contemporary Hashkafah Issues with Rav Yosef Elefant and Rav Uri Deutsch, moderated by Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger.
WATCH:
The Lakewood Scoop**Understanding how domestic violence affects divorce proceedings in NJ is important for anyone facing both issues at once.
**
By Jeff J. Horn – Divorce Attorney
Divorce is already complex, but when abuse is involved, it changes the way courts decide custody, support, and property matters.
Victims of domestic violence should know how these factors can shape the outcome of their case.
Custody and Parenting Time in Domestic Violence Cases
In New Jersey, courts make custody decisions based on the child’s best interests. When domestic violence is proven, judges often limit the abusive parent’s access to children.
This can include supervised visitation or, in severe cases, denying visitation entirely. By focusing on child safety, the court ensures that children are not placed at risk.
Restraining Orders and Their Role in Divorce
Restraining orders, whether temporary or final, directly affect divorce proceedings.
They can determine who remains in the marital home, who has temporary custody of children, and how finances are handled while the case is pending.
Because a restraining order creates clear boundaries, it often sets the tone for the rest of the divorce process.
Financial Support and Domestic Violence
Domestic violence can also influence financial decisions in divorce. Judges may award alimony if abuse caused one spouse to leave work, lose income, or face long-term financial hardship.
Child support orders are also shaped by the safety needs of children, especially if one parent has limited contact due to abuse.
Property Division in Divorce
New Jersey uses equitable distribution to divide marital property. While abuse alone does not automatically reduce an abuser’s share, it can matter if violence caused financial harm.
For example, if an abusive spouse damaged property or wasted joint funds, the court may consider that when dividing assets.
Why Legal Representation Matters
Because domestic violence affects divorce proceedings in NJ across custody, finances, and property division, it is essential to have legal guidance. An experienced attorney can present evidence, ensure your rights are protected, and help you work toward a safe and fair resolution.
Final Thoughts
Domestic violence adds serious challenges to the divorce process. Whether the issues involve custody, support, or protection, the courts will carefully weigh safety and fairness.
If you are facing this situation, you do not have to navigate it alone.
The Lakewood ScoopMultiple weddings scheduled for Sunday in Lakewood have been pushed up earlier in the day due to the impending storm, wedding hall managers tell TLS.
Guests are urged to stay in touch with family members of the Baalei Simcha to check the schedules.
Attention Baalei Simcha: If you would like TLS to share an update on your behalf with our tens of thousands of followers, you are welcome to submit the details to [email protected]
You can also post it in the comments section below – please only post with family’s permission.
NOTE: Multiple wedding updates have already been published on TLS STATUS.
**STAY UP TO DATE WITH STORM UPDATES BY FOLLOWING TLS STATUS HERE**
Boropark24Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that New York City is preparing for its first blizzard since 2016, with forecasters predicting 13 to 17 inches of snow, and a possibility of up to 20 inches, beginning early tomorrow morning.
See below for Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani’s prepared remarks on today’s weather update:
Good afternoon, New York.
Tomorrow, our city will face its second snowstorm in less than a month and our first blizzard since 2016. Right now, forecasts predict light snow will begin to fall tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM.
Over the course of the day, it will grow heavier, with intense snowfall beginning at 6:00 PM and dangerous winds increasing overnight, conditions that will persist through Monday morning and into the evening.
We are now expecting between 13 and 17 inches of snow. But there is a slight chance we may see up to 20 inches, or even more. This means we are forecasted to receive up to 6 inches more than fell a few weeks ago.
New Yorkers can expect that the Monday morning commute will be extremely hazardous, with heavy snowfall and peak winds coinciding to create slippery conditions and greatly reduced visibility.
Combined with daytime temperatures slipping above freezing, and overnight lows dropping to the low 20s, this snowfall will melt, then refreeze, resulting in dangerously icy sidewalks and streets.
I am asking all New Yorkers to stay inside and stay off the roads for your safety. These have the potential to be even more hazardous conditions than we faced in the last storm.
To protect our homeless and most vulnerable New Yorkers, Code Blue operations will take effect once again, starting at 4:00 PM this afternoon. That means our dedicated outreach teams will intensify their operations, traversing all five boroughs 24/7 to bring those most at risk inside.
Let me be clear: no one will be denied shelter.
We want every New Yorker who needs help seeking warmth to be able to find it.
We will have 18 warming buses, 11 Health + Hospitals warming spaces, 13 school warming centers open across the city—and we are redeploying H+H mobile warming units to provide clinical support, socks, gloves and warm food. We are also keeping our on-point overdose prevention centers open overnight through the blizzard.
You will be able to find the locations of all our warming centers on a LinkNYC kiosk by 6:00 AM tomorrow morning.
Once again, I am asking that New Yorkers continue looking out for their neighbors. If you see someone in need, please call 311 immediately so our outreach workers and first responders at FDNY and NYPD can provide assistance. For those who may not have easy access to a phone, you can call 311 directly from our LinkNYC kiosks to seek help.
If you are having issues with the heat and hot water in your apartments, call your landlord first. If you don’t hear back quickly, call 311. We have inspectors and staff working overtime this weekend at HPD.
NYCHA residents in need of non-emergency assistance should call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or submit work tickets through the MyNYCHA application.
DSNY has already begun pre-snow operations, preparing equipment, mounting plows and chains on over 2,200 vehicles, and loading up more than 700 salt-spreaders.
When more than two inches of snow have fallen, plows will be dispatched across our city. New Yorkers will be able to monitor their work in real time via our plow tracker at https://plownyc.cityofnewyork.us/plownyc/.
Tomorrow morning, this fleet will roll into action with over 2,600 sanitation workers beginning 12-hour shifts, salting as the first snow begins to fall, before commencing plowing operations once snow has reached a plowable depth.
While DSNY focuses on snow clearing in response to this blizzard, they will be running at least one day behind on garbage and recycling collection.
DOT crews have already begun pre-treating road surfaces on Sunday and will follow an extended schedule on Monday to ensure our bridges and highways are treated and cleared throughout the storm.
The Parks Department will also mobilize their own fleet to clear over 2,000 miles of pathways in parks across the city.
We are currently anticipating some level of flooding in Jamaica Bay, Staten Island and the Battery. If that occurs, the city will deploy field response teams and determine further interagency actions from DEP, DOT and FDNY.
We are always seeking ways to improve our efforts to support New Yorkers.
That's why ahead of this storm our agencies have made several changes to enhance our storm preparedness and service citywide.
Here’s what we’re doing differently:
We’ve brought in outside mechanical snow-clearing equipment ahead of the snowfall—an unprecedented early activation of this resource.
We are expanding geocoded tracking of bus stops, unsheltered stops, crosswalks, and pedestrian ramps to improve the rate at which they’re cleared.
We are also mandating that a path of at least 4 feet must be cleared across all sidewalks to accommodate wheelchairs.
All operational agencies will be paying increased attention to clearing fire hydrants, crosswalks, and bus stops around their property as part of our primary snow-clearing operation.
Lyft has committed to greatly expand the number of CitiBike station snow-clearing crews, expediting their snow removal efforts. DOT will remain in contact with Lyft throughout the storm.
DSNY will deploy over 1,000 Emergency Snow Shovelers beginning Sunday night—another early activation.
To aid this effort, we’ve added an additional evening shift with 300 shovelers in advance of the height of the storm, and we’re utilizing 33 DSNY vans and 2 DSNY buses to transport shovelers where they’re needed, faster.
And for those who want to do more to help your neighbors and earn some extra cash, you too can become an Emergency Snow Shoveler.
Just show up to your local Sanitation Garage between 8am and 1pm tomorrow with your paperwork—accessible online at NYC-dot-gov-slash-snow—and you can get started right away.
While we have not yet made a final decision regarding in-person school for Monday, we are monitoring conditions and will communicate a decision to students, teachers and parents by noon tomorrow. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority.
Alternate side parking will be suspended for Monday.
I urge all New Yorkers to sign up for NotifyNYC by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 to stay informed on the latest forecast and conditions. You can also visit NYC.gov/BeReady for more information.
As always New York—stay warm, stay inside, stay prepared, stay safe.
Thank you.
Yeshiva World News
