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The Knesset’s Health Committee has sounded the alarm over fruits and vegetables brought into Israel from the Palestinian Authority, citing data showing that a significant portion of tested produce contains prohibited pesticides associated with severe health risks, including cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

At a recent session led by MK Limor Sohn Har-Melech, committee members reviewed figures indicating that approximately 15,000 tons of agricultural goods from the Palestinian Authority enter Israel annually. Testing conducted between 2015 and 2022 revealed that between 27% and 40% of sampled produce exceeded permitted pesticide thresholds, with contamination rates increasing over time.

Dr. Ziva Hamma of the Ministry of Health outlined the findings in detail. According to the data presented, 50% of cucumber samples, 49% of tomato samples, and 66% of hot pepper samples were found to be contaminated. Particularly troubling was the discovery that 14% of samples contained neurotoxic organic phosphorus compounds, substances known to endanger fetal and infant development and to elevate the likelihood of Parkinson’s disease. In addition, 13% of the produce tested contained a combination of more than five different pesticides in a single item, creating potential harm to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.

Although existing rules mandate that imported produce be held until laboratory results confirm compliance with safety standards, the committee heard that contaminated goods were frequently released to the market before testing was completed. Amos Zuarets, the Health Coordinator for the West Bank, acknowledged that the Civil Administration had placed greater emphasis on preserving shelf life and supporting the Palestinian economy than on health protections — a policy he said shifted only after the events of October 7. He indicated that within eight months, a new policy will ensure that all produce is withheld from sale until it receives confirmed clearance from safety tests.

MK Amit Levi sharply rebuked both government ministries and the Civil Administration, arguing that lenient enforcement over the years contributed to avoidable illnesses. He called on members of the public who believe they were harmed to seek accountability and cautioned that the problem may be compounded by an increase in unsupervised smuggling of agricultural products.

In response to the concerns, the Ministry of Health and the Civil Administration outlined a series of corrective steps. These include establishing a digital registry of authorized farmers, conducting inspections in the fields before goods cross into Israel, expanding sampling at border crossings, and imposing substantial fines on those who violate regulations.

Concluding the session, Sohn Har-Melech issued a direct appeal to consumers: “Nearly half of imported produce is contaminated with substances that threaten health, yet some prioritize profit over the safety of Israeli citizens. Check carefully where your fruits and vegetables come from and choose supervised Israeli produce.”

{Matzav.com}

YS GOLD 

The streets of Boro Park are filled with a palpable sense of excitement as the community prepares for a historic event: the first wedding celebrated by the Amshinover Rebbe of the United States since he assumed leadership of the Chassidus. 

This evening, the Rebbe will lead his daughter to the chuppah, marking a significant milestone for his chassidim and the neighborhood alike.

The chassan is the son of Hagaon Rabbi Meir Yisrael Brandwein, a scion of the Stretin dynasty and son-in-law of the Drohobycher Rav. 

This union brings together distinguished Rabbinic lineages, drawing guests from across the tri-state area and beyond to witness the joyful occasion.

For many local residents, this chasunah is particularly moving. Since the Rebbe moved to Boro Park to fill the void left by his father’s passing in 2020, his previous family celebrations were held in Eretz Yisrael. Now, for the first time, the "Amshinover Court" will host its own grand simcha in its home city. 

The chasunah will be held at the Tiferes Rivka hall, and the simcha will continue throughout the week, culminating in a magnificent Shabbos Sheva Brachos where hundreds are expected to gather to share in the spiritual uplift and joy.

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GENEVA (AP) — A U.S. official focusing on arms control on Monday provided what he called new, declassified details of a Chinese underground nuclear test nearly six years ago and urged countries to press China and Russia to do more on nuclear disarmament.

Christopher Yeaw, assistant secretary of state for the bureau of arms control and nonproliferation, spoke to a U.N.-backed body after the last nuclear arms pact between the United States and Russia expired this month. That has ended limits on the arsenals of the world’s biggest nuclear powers and raised concerns about a possible new arms race.

Yeaw called for greater transparency from China and pointed to some shortcomings of the New START treaty, such as that it didn’t address Russia’s large arsenal of nonstrategic nuclear weapons — which counts up to 2,000 warheads.

“But perhaps its greatest flaw was that New START did not account for the unprecedented, deliberate, rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup by China,” he told the U.N.-backed Conference on Disarmament.

Yeaw said Beijing “has deliberately, and without constraint, massively expanded its nuclear arsenal” despite its assurances to the contrary. He lamented a lack of transparency about China’s “endpoint” or goals.

“We believe China may achieve parity within the next four or five years,” he said.

Beijing has balked at any restrictions on its smaller but growing nuclear arsenal and denies carrying out such a nuclear test.

Yeaw met Monday with a Russian delegation and was to meet with Chinese and other delegations Tuesday in Geneva. U.S. officials have already held repeated meetings with partners, including nuclear-armed France and Britain.

In his speech, Yeaw cited an explosion detected at the Lop Nur underground site in western China as a magnitude 2.75 seismic event on June 22, 2020, based on information collected from an international monitoring system station in neighboring Kazakhstan.

“It was a probable explosion based upon comparisons between historic explosions and earthquakes,” he said. “The seismic signals were indicative of a single fire explosion, not typical of mining explosions.”

Yeaw said China has made it “difficult” for the international community to monitor its testing activities and that during talks, it rejected allowing seismic testing stations to be put at a comparable distance to Lop Nur that the U.S. allows near its test site in Nevada.

China’s ambassador to the conference said Monday that Beijing “resolutely rejects the unfounded accusations” by the U.S. and lashed out at “continued distortion and smearing of China’s nuclear policy by certain countries.”

“The U.S. accusation that China conducted a nuclear explosion test is completely unfounded and is merely a pretext for resuming its own nuclear testing,” Ambassador Jian Shen said. “The U.S.’s practice of smearing other countries to evade international arms control obligations seriously damages its own international standing.”

President Donald Trump in October pointed to U.S. intentions to resume nuclear tests for the first time since 1992, but Energy Secretary Chris Wright later said such tests would not include nuclear explosions.

In his first term, Trump tried and failed to push for a three-way nuclear pact involving China.

Just after the New START pact expired, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was “pursuing all avenues” to fulfill Trump’s “desire for a world with fewer of these awful weapons,” but insisted Washington would not stand still while Russia and China expand their nuclear forces.

“Since 2020, China has increased its nuclear weapons stockpile from the low 200s to more than 600 and is on pace to have more than 1,000 warheads by 2030,” Rubio wrote on Substack this month.

The U.S. has expressed a willingness to pursue multiple diplomatic avenues over the issue — whether bilateral, in a small group of countries or in broader multilateral talks.

“We are looking to all of you to help encourage nuclear-weapon states like China and Russia to engage meaningfully in a multilateral process,” Yeam told the conference, which brings together some 65 countries on issues like nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

Shen said China has consistently supported the goals of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, “always adhered” to the commitments of the five nuclear weapons states to suspend nuclear testing and “never” engaged in activities that violate the treaty.

He also suggested Beijing, which has been on a vigorous military buildup in recent years, still has fewer nuclear weapons than the U.S. or Russia and said it was “unfair, unreasonable and unfeasible” to demand China engage in three-way nuclear arms control talks.

“China’s nuclear arsenal is not on the same scale as the country with the largest nuclear arsenal, and the strategic security environment faced by China’s nuclear policy is completely different from that of the U.S.,” Shen said.

Photos by: Motti K.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio may postpone a planned visit to Israel as Washington weighs its next steps on potential military action against Iran, according to a U.S. official.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Rubio still intends to travel to Israel, but acknowledged that his schedule remains fluid.

“Secretary Rubio is still planning to travel to Israel, but the schedule remains subject to change,” the official told AFP.

Rubio had been expected to arrive over the coming weekend for high-level talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including discussions on possible strikes against Iran and the broader regional security picture.

However, Israeli media reports indicate that the visit has likely been pushed to Monday, suggesting last-minute adjustments amid heightened diplomatic and military uncertainty.

The potential delay comes as tensions continue to rise over Iran’s nuclear program and as the United States increases its military presence in the Middle East. Washington has warned repeatedly that Tehran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, while Israel has signaled it is prepared to act independently if diplomacy fails.

A meeting between Rubio and Netanyahu is expected to focus on coordination between the U.S. and Israel, including contingency planning and diplomatic options.

The shifting timeline underscores the delicate balance facing the Trump administration as it attempts to maintain close alignment with Israel while keeping open the possibility of negotiations with Tehran.

Officials have not provided a revised itinerary or confirmed whether additional regional stops could be added to Rubio’s trip.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

PARIS (AP) — France’s top diplomat Monday requested that U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government after he skipped a meeting to discuss comments by the Trump administration over the beating death of a far-right activist.

French authorities had summoned Kushner to the Quai d’Orsay, which houses the Foreign Affairs Ministry, on Monday evening but he did not show up, according to diplomatic sources.

Jean-Noel Barrot, the foreign affairs minister, moved to restrict Kushner’s access “in light of this apparent misunderstanding of the basic expectations of the mission of an ambassador, who has the honor of representing his country.”

The ministry, however, left the door open for reconciliation.

“It remains, of course, possible for Ambassador Charles Kushner to carry out his duties and present himself at the Quai d’Orsay, so that we may hold the diplomatic discussions needed to smooth over the irritants that can inevitably arise in a friendship spanning 250 years,” it said.

Kushner had been summoned following 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.” The U.S. Embassy had posted that statement on social media.

Deranque, a far-right activist, died of brain injuries this month 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 was a keynote speaker.

His killing highlighted a climate of deep political tension ahead of next year’s presidential vote.

“We reject any instrumentalization of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political ends,” Barrot said over the weekend. “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.”

Kushner was summoned in August over his letter to French President Emmanuel 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.

The White House seized on Team USA’s dramatic Olympic hockey victory over Canada to take a swipe at former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reviving a past social media post after the Americans captured gold.

In a thrilling overtime finish at the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Sunday, the United States defeated Canada 2-1 to claim its first men’s Olympic hockey gold medal in 46 years. The winning goal came off the stick of Jack Hughes, who sealed the victory in overtime and ended the decades-long championship drought.

Following the triumph, President Donald Trump placed a congratulatory call to the team to mark the achievement.

The celebration extended beyond the ice. The official White House X account resurfaced a message Trudeau had posted last year after Canada defeated the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off. At the time, Trudeau had written, “You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.”

On Sunday, the White House reposted that statement and paired it with an image of a bald eagle standing atop a Canadian goose, signaling a pointed response to the earlier remark.

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III also weighed in, sharing Trudeau’s previous message alongside a photo of himself holding an American flag and adding the caption, “We took your game.”

Hughes scored the decisive goal after receiving a cross-ice pass from Zach Werenski, sending the crowd in Milan into a frenzy and thrilling viewers across the United States who tuned in early Sunday morning.

Speaking after netting the game-winner, Hughes expressed pride in representing the country. “This is all about our country right now.”

“I love the USA,” he said. “I’m so proud to be American today.”

“I love my country; I love my teammates,” he added.

“That’s American hockey right there,” said Hughes.

“That’s a great Canadian team, but this means so much. We are such a team.”

Among those in attendance was FBI Director Kash Patel, who watched the game from the stands in Milan and later joined the team in its postgame celebration. Patel, an avid hockey enthusiast and amateur player himself, took part in the locker room festivities.

Video circulating online shows Patel celebrating with the players, drinking and spraying beer before pounding on a table and having a gold medal placed around his neck.

Patel later addressed media attention over his presence in the locker room, posting on X: “For the very concerned media — yes, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys — Greatest country on earth and greatest sport on earth,” Patel wrote.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York City public schools will reopen for in-person instruction Tuesday after a traditional snow day Monday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

Speaking at a Monday afternoon briefing, Mamdani said the worst of the winter storm had passed, allowing students to safely return to classrooms.

“I hope our students enjoy their snow day today and stay warm and safe, but I do have some tough news to share: School will be in person tomorrow,” he said, joking that students could “pelt me with snowballs” when they see him.

State law requires 180 instructional days each school year. Mamdani said the city received a waiver from the state education commissioner permitting Monday to count as a traditional snow day.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The current U.S. ambassador to Israel and his predecessor took the stage together Monday night at a Jerusalem hotel, performing a parody song that one of them said was aimed at conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and former Ambassador David Friedman played guitars at the The David Citadel Hotel while welcoming a visiting group from the United States.

During the informal performance, the two men sang a rendition of the song Hound Dog. Friedman indicated the performance was dedicated to Carlson, with the adapted lyric: “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog cryin’ all the time.”

Video of the event circulated on social media, drawing mixed reactions. Carlson has frequently commented on U.S. foreign policy, including American support for Israel.

Neither ambassador immediately issued a formal statement about the performance.

Back in Jerusalem for another gig with ⁦@USAmbIsrael⁩ Mike Huckabee. Our first song dedicated to ⁦@TuckerCarlson⁩ . Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/BZrTUMtkLi

— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) February 23, 2026

(AP) – When sifting through the seemingly endless collection of documents in the Epstein files gets to be too much and Ellie Leonard needs a break, she takes a walk outside. Then it’s back to the computer.

The New Jersey mother of four is among hundreds of citizen-journalists, or sleuths, absorbed by the material connected to the late Jeffrey Epstein. She’s determined to learn the stories behind his illicit sex ring and relationships with some of the world’s most powerful people, and publish what she finds on Substack.

“I like a good puzzle,” Leonard said. “I like an investigation. I like things that we have to solve and looking for clues.”

Professional news outlets immediately went to work, sometimes in tandem, when the Justice Department released over three million pages of documents and tens of thousands of visual images on Jan. 30. Hundreds of journalists at The Associated Press, CBS, NBC, MS NOW and CNBC are collaborating to examine the files and share what they find.

Dozens of journalists at The New York Times alone are assigned to examine the documents, using artificial intelligence to speed the process along. Still, the newspaper said last week it had examined only a small percentage of what is there.

That’s where people like Ellie Leonard come in.

There’s plenty of material for the professionals — and amateurs
A steady stream of news stories has emerged as more is found and people and institutions react. Some result in resignations or job losses — the chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs, executive chairman at Hyatt Hotel, chairman of the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, government officials in Slovakia and Norway.

SmartNews is one of the independent places selling itself as a reliable source to sum up the reports. “CNN is focused on one angle, Fox is pushing another, Twitter is a mess,” a narrator said in one of its social media ads. “I’m seeing the same story with completely different narratives … Who do I trust?”

With all that, there’s plenty of room for people like Leonard. She’s been journalism-adjacent for much of her career, running a business that offered transcription services until AI rendered it largely obsolete. She worked briefly in education and wrote about politics and social issues on her Substack, The Panicked Writer.

But after seeing the interest generated when she started looking at Epstein documents a few months ago, she began devoting all of her professional time to it.

She describes her glee in spotting, at 1 a.m. after an evening of scrolling, a document involving lawyer Alan Dershowitz and Virginia Giuffre, who alleged sex abuse by several men who knew Epstein. In recent Substack postings, she wrote about what was in a young victim’s journal and email conversations between Epstein and Sarah Ferguson.

Leonard said she looks for nuggets of information others may not be talking about and likes to show how things within Epstein’s wide circle tie together. “I’m putting four kids into the world,” she said, “and I don’t want to see something like this happen again.”

Journalist Wajahat Ali, who runs the Left Hook Substack, said he admires Leonard’s work and often features her on his site. Some of the Epstein citizen journalists gather on livestreams to talk about what they’ve found.

Over the past decade, Ali has watched the growth of a subculture of people obsessed about true crime stories who love to comb through evidence and advance their own theories. Authorities involved in the Arizona search for the missing mother of NBC’s Savannah Guthrie have complained about distractions caused by amateur sleuths.

The Epstein files are “the mother lode,” he said. “If you love conspiracy theories, if you love true crime, this is the ‘Citizen Kane’ of true crime. It is the unfortunately sordid gift that will keep on giving.”

A story that fascinates and repulses
Like Leonard, Anne P. Mitchell and Kassandra Mable Costa have professional backgrounds that have helped them with the Epstein files. Costa, from North Carolina, is accustomed to research in her marketing job. Mitchell is a former law professor from Colorado with an expertise in hunting down legal documents and explaining what they mean in plain language.

Fascinated and repulsed by the story, Costa was drawn to the source material. She doesn’t write about what she’s found. Instead, she uses her skills to help others, collecting evidence for a friend who is trying to get the name of former Maine Sen. George Mitchell removed from an elementary school. The former politician has denied wrongdoing, but the files show he maintained a relationship with the sex offender.

“I am not really politically active,” Costa said. “There are ways that I try to help and ways that I try to create a better world. But I’m not overly political. I’m not looking for conflict, I’m not looking for controversy.”

Anne P. Mitchell’s “Notes From the Front” Substack serves as a connector for Epstein sleuths; she holds chat groups and offers access to a multitude of documents to the few thousand followers who have a paid subscription. “We may have just found a smoking gun,” she writes of a file she’s offering of images that appear to show men with victims. Both Mitchell and Leonard offer some material to followers for free, and sell some to the more obsessed.

Mitchell applauds people who are working through the Epstein files. “The more people who are doing it, the more that is going to come to light,” she said. “But I’m guessing that the more people who are doing it, the more it’s not going to be good for their mental health.”

Unproven accusations emphasize the need to verify facts
Matthew LaPlante, a journalism professor at Utah State University, said having more citizens using reportorial skills — whether they know it not — can benefit society. He cited Minneapolis residents who used phones to document immigration enforcement efforts.

The downside, he says, is that few of these people are trained in the painstaking task of verifying facts — or, for that matter, who understand the legal implications of publishing rumors. The New York Times, in a story that explained to readers how it is examining the material, stressed this need for care. “We don’t publish anonymous information that we can’t verify ourselves,” the newspaper said.

LaPlante pointed to one Substack post last week with more than a dozen videos from the file, most partly redacted and making little sense without any context — like one of two unidentified men writing on a sex doll.

Many unproven accusations, some outlandish, are included in the Epstein files. How much of that unvetted material will find its way into the public discourse — to say nothing of false or doctored information created by the unscrupulous?

“What is in the files is damaging enough,” Ali said. “You don’t need to indulge in conspiracy theories. It would be a disservice to the survivors and would hurt the credibility of what is already there.”

There’s enough to keep the curious occupied — professional and amateur alike. Potentially, there’s more new or unredacted material to come.

“I hope I’m around for 15 or 20 years,” said Mitchell, who is largely confined to her home due to health issues. “Because I really think it’s going to take that long for the full extent of this to be exposed.”

The Israeli Competition Authority announced Monday that it plans, pending a formal hearing, to levy a financial penalty of NIS 109,623,501 against El Al over alleged violations of competition law.

In addition to the corporate fine, the authority is weighing personal sanctions ranging from NIS 449,000 to NIS 548,000 against two senior executives at the airline.

According to the regulator, El Al declined to allow Arkia to use its aircraft maintenance hangars, despite a long-term agreement under which Arkia leases those facilities from El Al. Beginning in August 2024, amid the “Iron Swords” war, El Al repeatedly rejected Arkia’s requests for access. The authority said the justifications provided were inadequate and that the airline conveyed the impression that the existing agreement remained in effect, even as access was denied.

El Al holds a dominant position in Israel’s passenger aircraft hangar sector and competes directly with Arkia on numerous international routes. During the war, as many foreign carriers curtailed flights to and from Israel, domestic airlines became the primary players in the market. The authority noted that blocking Arkia’s access to hangars could have led to flight delays or cancellations, forced the leasing of replacement aircraft, and exposed the company to financial losses and reputational damage — expenses that might ultimately have been passed on to travelers.

The regulator stated that El Al’s conduct amounted to an unreasonable refusal to provide a service within a market in which it holds monopoly power, constituting an abuse of that status in breach of the Economic Competition Law. Before any final determination is made, El Al and the two executives will be given the opportunity to present their case at a hearing.

El Al pushed back against the allegations in a statement, saying: “We disagree with the claims in the authority’s letter. El Al always acts according to the law, including competition law. We are convinced no wrongdoing occurred. Throughout the war, El Al assisted other Israeli airlines far beyond legal requirements, out of solidarity and commitment to passengers, and continues to provide services-including hangars-to Arkia wherever possible.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police have dismantled a suspected drug laboratory in Bnei Brak, arresting two young men and seizing dozens of cannabis plants. Police said detectives from the Bnei Brak–Ramat Gan station, operating under the Israel Police, raided an apartment on Dangur Street on Sunday after obtaining a court-issued search warrant.

Inside the residence, officers discovered what they believe was a fully functioning drug-growing facility. Police said the lab contained 156 cannabis plants weighing a combined 31 kilograms.

In addition to the plants, investigators found approximately 10 grams of a substance suspected to be cocaine inside a vehicle parked near the apartment.

Two suspects were taken into custody at the scene: a 25-year-old resident of Bnei Brak and a 24-year-old man from Rechovot.

Both men were transferred for questioning and later remanded into custody. A court has extended their detention until Thursday as the investigation continues.

Police officials have not yet said whether additional suspects are being sought or whether the operation is linked to wider drug distribution networks.

Following the raid, Tel Aviv District Commander Haim Sargrof signed an administrative order mandating the closure of the apartment for one month, through March 23.

Authorities said the measure is intended to prevent further illegal activity at the site and to deter similar operations in residential areas.

The bust comes amid stepped-up efforts by Israeli law enforcement to crack down on domestic drug production, which has increasingly shifted from rural greenhouses to hidden urban apartments.

Police officials say such operations pose risks not only due to illegal drug activity but also because of fire hazards, electrical tampering, and public safety concerns.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

MELBOURNE, Australia (VINnews) — Authorities in the Australian state of Victoria are investigating after an 18-year-old Jewish man was allegedly assaulted at a scout camp in what police are treating as a suspected antisemitic attack, Australia’s 9News reported on Monday.

Police said the teen was at Lardner Park in West Gippsland on Saturday afternoon when an unidentified man allegedly confronted him and made abusive remarks about his religious attire and the Israeli flag he was carrying.

Later that evening, the same individual allegedly approached him again in a large crowd and punched him several times in the face.

The teenager sustained minor injuries, including bruising and facial swelling, and reported the incident to police the following day. Investigators said the assault appears to have been targeted.

In a statement, Victoria Police said hate-based conduct would not be tolerated and acknowledged that such incidents can leave communities feeling vulnerable.

The Anti-Defamation Commission condemned the attack, with its chair calling for a thorough investigation and stronger action against antisemitism.

No arrests have been announced. Police said inquiries remain ongoing and urged anyone with information to come forward.

TEL AVIV (AP) — Assuta Medical Center in Tel Aviv has opened a fortified underground hospital complex capable of accommodating about 200 patients, aiming to ensure continuity of care during missile attacks or other national emergencies.

The new facility, located beneath Assuta’s Ramat HaHayal campus, is intended to receive patients transferred from public hospitals that lack sufficient protection. Health officials say the move reflects lessons learned from recent conflicts, including the Swords of Iron war and Operation Rising Lion, which exposed gaps in hospital fortification and emergency coordination.

In past emergencies, Israel’s Health Ministry typically ordered private hospitals to suspend operations. But a revised approach now integrates private medical centers into the national emergency response framework.

Over the last two months, workers installed medical gas systems, electricity and communications infrastructure in the underground space, enabling a rapid shift to full inpatient hospitalization if required.

Dr. Shani Brosh, head of the medical division at Assuta Medical Centers, said the infrastructure allows the complex to be activated immediately upon government order and to house approximately 200 patients from other facilities.

Assuta CEO Gidi Leshet said the project is part of a broader national resilience strategy, calling the preservation of uninterrupted medical care during crises a national mission.

In addition to the underground facility, Assuta has operated fortified above-ground operating rooms during prior security escalations, allowing complex surgeries to continue despite missile threats.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — The Orthodox Union on Monday launched OHRBIT, an AI-driven app designed to personalize Torah study for users of all ages. The app uses artificial intelligence to tailor lessons to individual interests and skill levels, providing text, audio, and video content, scheduling tools, and gamified features to encourage consistent learning.

Rabbi Simon Taylor, OU national director of community engagement, said the name combines “ohr” (light) and “bit” (technology) to reflect its mission of bringing Torah directly to users. He emphasized that OHRBIT is meant to supplement, not replace, in-person study.

The app draws on OU content and materials from partner organizations including The Rabbi Sacks Legacy Trust and OpenDor Media. It also features safeguards for mental health and safe AI use.

Funded by an anonymous donor, OHRBIT is available for download on smartphones or at www.OHRBIT.ai
.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the American men’s hockey team retreated to their locker room to celebrate their Winter Olympics gold medal win, they were joined by a special guest from the United States: FBI Director Kash Patel.

For some supporters of the embattled law enforcement official, it was a patriotic, good-natured show of support for a team bringing home the first gold in the sport since 1980. But for Patel’s critics, it was yet another questionable use of government resources by an FBI chief already facing scrutiny over his personal travels aboard a government plane.

An FBI spokesman had said in the days leading up to the game that Patel’s trip to Milan during the Olympics was primarily for professional purposes, with the director posting on social media work-related photographs of his meetings with European security officials.

The trip took a more jocular turn Sunday when videos circulating online showed a pumped-up Patel, a hockey fan, drinking beer from a bottle and spraying the rest around the locker room. After one of the players draped his gold medal around Patel’s neck, he joined the players as they jumped up and down in celebration.

The episode deepened questions about Patel’s personal travels, a persistent storyline of his one-year tenure not only because of their frequency but also because he had chastised his predecessor, Chris Wray, for his use of the FBI plane. In this instance, the Olympics celebration took place as FBI officials were investigating a man who was shot and killed by the U.S. Secret Service after he breached the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with a shotgun.

“The grift & corruption is unreal,” Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado posted on X. “Your taxpayer dollars funding the FBI Director’s Italian vacation.”

Patel responded to the criticism by posting on his personal X account that “yes, I love American and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic moment with the boys.”

The White House signaled its backing for Patel, with communications director Steven Cheung writing on X that “Kash was also in Italy meeting with regional partners and security teams” and telling a reporter “don’t be mad because America won.”

An ongoing source of criticism
Patel is not the only Trump administration figure to face questions about his use of government resources, with congressional Democrats also demanding answers from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about her department’s contract for upgraded jets.

But the FBI in particular has struggled to shake questions about Patel’s travels on the government Gulfstream G550 for flights around the country that have no known or apparent law enforcement purpose. One example came in October when it emerged that Patel had traveled to State College, Pennsylvania, for a pro wrestling event, where his longtime girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins had performed the national anthem. Photos posted to social media by Wilkins show the couple side-by-side and smiling for the camera and her holding an oversized golden championship belt.

During the Biden administration, Patel, a bombastic podcaster, had repeatedly lambasted Wray for using the FBI plane for personal travels and even suggested that the jet be grounded.

“I’m just saying Chris Wray doesn’t need a government-funded G5 jet to go to vacations. Maybe we ground that plane. $15,000 every time it takes off. Just a thought,” Patel said in one podcast interview.

FBI spokesman Ben Williamson has defended Patel, noting that he is required for security purposes to use the bureau jet even for personal trips and consistently reimburses the government.

“Kash himself has significantly limited personal travel — but he’s allowed to take personal time on occasion to see family, friends or his longtime girlfriend. He doesn’t do it often,” Williamson posted on X in November. “He works far more full weekends than he does otherwise. And maybe most importantly — ask anyone who works for him, he’s on duty 24/7 regardless.”

Even so, it’s long been a sensitive issue for the FBI and Justice Department. The department’s inspector general, for instance, last year faulted a since-retired FBI assistant director for taking government-paid trips to the official’s “bucket list” — travel that the watchdog said did include some professional meetings but mostly consisted of beach resort stays.

And in 1993, President Bill Clinton fired then-FBI Director William Sessions after a harshly critical report alleged that he had “abused government travel for personal purposes.”

Patel, for his part, has said he complies with all policies, saying in a podcast interview in December that he travels “under the rules that have been established by the prior 20 years of Congress, DOJ and FBI.”

A raucous celebration
The latest kerfuffle started last week with media reports indicating that Patel would be in Italy for the final days of the Olympics.

Williamson said on social media that the trip was not personal in nature, had been planned months ago, would include meetings with a cross-section of officials and was consistent with the FBI’s “major role” in Olympics security.

While in Italy, he posted pictures this week of his visit to the Milan Joint Operations Center, which he said was charged with protecting the security of American athletes and all those who traveled to Milan for the Winter Games. He also posted a photo of his meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Italy.

In the United States on Sunday, the FBI was investigating the intrusion at Mar-a-Lago and continuing its search for Nancy Guthrie, kidnapped from her Arizona home weeks ago. Other concerns confronting American officials included an eruption of violence in Mexico and the potential of a Trump administration attack on Iran.

Patel posted on X that the FBI was dedicating all necessary resources to the Mar-a-Lago investigation.

Soon after, videos surfaced showing Patel, in a long-sleeve white USA shirt, partaking in the festive locker room celebration. Patel posted pictures of himself with the team, including one showing him holding an unfurled American flag and another in the locker room.

By BoroPark24 Staff

The historic blizzard of 2026 turned the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into a ghostly span of white, effectively cutting off Staten Island from the rest of the city. While most of New York retreated behind locked doors, Dr. Joseph Felicia, an esteemed orthopedic surgeon at Maimonides, faced a harrowing reality: patients were prepped for surgery at Maimonides Medical Center, and the specialized expertise required for their procedures was currently trapped behind three feet of snow.

The commute, which usually takes thirty minutes, had become an impossible feat for a standard vehicle. Recognizing the urgency, Chaveirim of Boro Park dispatched a heavy-duty, four-wheel-drive SUV to the doctor’s home.

The journey was a slow-motion battle against nature. Visibility was near zero, with the SUV’s wipers struggling against the relentless accumulation of ice. The Chaveirim driver navigated through unplowed side streets and drifted highways, guided by a singular mission to get the surgeon to the operating theater to perform surgery on three patients. 

By the time the SUV pulled up to the Maimonides entrance in Brooklyn, the city was at a total standstill. Dr. Felicia stepped out of the vehicle and directly into the hospital. Without a moment’s hesitation, he transitioned from the chaos of the storm to the calculated precision of the OR. 

Because of a dedicated team of volunteers and a surgeon’s refusal to let a historic weather event dictate patient outcomes, the scheduled surgeries proceeded successfully. It was a morning defined not by the height of the snow, but by the depth of a community’s commitment to its neighbors.

TORONTO (AP) — The leader of Canada’s most populous province said Monday “the walls are closing in” on President Donald Trump after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many of Trump’s tariffs and said he’s also looking forward to the U.S. midterm elections in November which could further constrain Trump.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Canada is in an “economic war” right now and said no deal is better than a bad deal with Trump.

“It’s very challenging right now. I just sit back some days, and I am not the only one. Everyone in the world sits back. How can one person, one man, create so much turmoil around the world? Not just here in Canada but around the world. It is pretty staggering. So I can’t wait for the midterms,” Ford said.
IMG_0542
The court’s decision Friday struck down tariffs Trump had imposed on nearly every country in the world using an emergency powers law. Trump now says he will use a different, albeit more limited, legal authority.

“It was a positive message from the Supreme Court,” Ford said.

Most of Canada’s exports to the U.S. are covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact , or USMCA, but some tariffs are taking a toll on certain sectors of Canada’s economy, particularly aluminum, steel, autos and lumber.

Ford warned Trump could scrap the free trade deal that is under review this year.

Ford said other countries like Japan and the U.K. “rushed in to get a deal and all of a sudden, he turned on them like a rattle snake. We’re going to be cautious.”

Ford noted many Republican seats will be up for grabs in November’s elections for control of the House and the Senate, including a number of them next door in Michigan.

The premier also noted the House voted earlier this month to slap back Trump’s tariffs on Canada, a rare if largely symbolic rebuke of the White House agenda as Republicans joined Democrats over the objections of GOP leadership. The resolution seeks to end the national emergency Trump declared to impose the tariffs, though actually undoing the policy would require support from the president, which is highly unlikely. It next goes to the Senate.

“The walls are closing in on President Trump,” Ford said. “You saw him lose the vote and six Republicans crossed the floor with Congress and then you saw the Supreme Court.”

Ford said the tariffs are causing inflation.

“Down in the U.S. people are feeling the crunch. They don’t see the prices going down with food and other goods. That all has come down to the uncertainty that he’s put around the world and his number one customer in the world,” Ford said.

Trump recently threatened to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada over that country’s proposed China trade deal, intensifying a feud with the longtime U.S. ally and its Prime Minister Mark Carney.

LONDON (AP) — British police on Monday arrested Peter Mandelson, a former U.K. ambassador to the United States, in a misconduct probe stemming from his ties with Jeffrey Epstein.

London’s Metropolitan Police force said “officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office” at an address in north London.

It did not name Mandelson, in keeping with British police practice, but the suspect in the case has previously been identified as Mandelson.

Police are investigating Mandelson over documents suggesting he passed sensitive government information to Epstein a decade and a half ago. He does not face any allegations of sexual misconduct.

His arrest comes four days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicion of a similar offense related to his friendship with Epstein.

Mandelson was fired from his diplomatic post in September after emails were published showing that he maintained a friendship with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor. When more details emerged in documents released by the U.S. Justice Department last month, police opened a criminal probe.

President Donald Trump sharply criticized the Supreme Court on Monday following its 6-3 decision last week invalidating his broad tariff program, ruling that he did not have authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the sweeping trade measures.

In its Friday opinion, the high court overturned lower court decisions and concluded that IEEPA does not grant the president the power to enact tariffs, delivering a significant blow to a central element of Trump’s trade strategy.

Responding in a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump contended that the ruling could ultimately strengthen his hand in dealing with foreign governments, even as he denounced both the logic and tone of the majority opinion.

Trump wrote: “The supreme court (will be using lower case letters for a while based on a complete lack of respect!) of the United States accidentally and unwittingly gave me, as President of the United States, far more powers and strength than I had prior to their ridiculous, dumb, and very internationally divisive ruling.”

He maintained that the decision highlighted other authorities he believes he can still use, stating, “For one thing, I can use Licenses to do absolutely ‘terrible’ things to foreign countries, especially those countries that have been RIPPING US OFF for many decades, but incomprehensibly, according to the ruling, can’t charge them a License fee – BUT ALL LICENSES CHARGE FEES, why can’t the United States do so?”

Trump continued, “You do a license to get a fee! The opinion doesn’t explain that, but I know the answer!”

Addressing tariffs again, Trump argued that the ruling leaves intact other forms of trade penalties and enforcement tools. He wrote, “The court has also approved all other Tariffs, of which there are many, and they can all be used in a much more powerful and obnoxious way, with legal certainty, than the Tariffs as initially used.”

He directed sharp criticism at the majority of the justices while praising three members of the court, declaring, “Our incompetent supreme court did a great job for the wrong people, and for that they should be ashamed of themselves (but not the Great Three!).”

Trump broadened his critique beyond trade policy, suggesting the court could rule in ways he believes would benefit foreign nations. He claimed, “The next thing you know they will rule in favor of China and others, who are making an absolute fortune on Birthright Citizenship, by saying the 14th Amendment was NOT written to take care of the ‘babies of slaves,’ which it was as proven by the EXACT TIMING of its construction, filing, and ratification, which perfectly coincided with the END OF THE CIVIL WAR.”

He added, “How much better can you do than that? But this supreme court will find a way to come to the wrong conclusion, one that again will make China, and various other Nations, happy and rich.”

Despite the legal setback, Trump signaled he intends to continue pursuing his trade agenda, concluding, “Let our supreme court keep making decisions that are so bad and deleterious to the future of our Nation – I have a job to do.”

The court’s ruling on tariffs triggered fresh volatility in global markets and left U.S. trading partners seeking answers about the administration’s next move.

{Matzav.com}

The historic bomb cyclone has triggered massive air travel disruptions nationwide, with more than 22,000 total flight disruptions reported through Tuesday.

• 10,700+ cancellations
• 9,300+ delays
• Major Northeast hubs effectively shut down
• Orlando, Tampa, and Atlanta also seeing hundreds of cancellations as ripple effects spread

Planes and crews remain stranded, creating what experts describe as a temporary “no-fly zone” across parts of the Northeast.

Delta, United, JetBlue, and American have issued broad travel waivers, allowing passengers to rebook without penalty as airlines brace for a multi-day recovery.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hamas will be given an ultimatum to disarm “in the coming days,” and if it refuses, Israel will receive international legitimacy and U.S. backing to act on its own, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday.

The Israel Defense Forces “is already preparing for this and drawing up plans,” Smotrich told the Kan Reshet Bet radio station. He added: “At the political level, we have held several discussions to refine those plans.”

Smotrich said that if Hamas fails to accept the ultimatum, the IDF would reconquer Gaza beyond the ceasefire-instituted Yellow Line, under which the Israeli military already controls around half of the Strip.

“There are currently two or three alternatives that we are examining to determine which is the most appropriate,” the Cabinet minister said.

Israel has “not given up on destroying Hamas,” he said, explaining that Israel is merely giving U.S. President Donald Trump “a chance to do it his way” before returning to fighting in the enclave.

Asked about Trump’s intention to deploy an International Stabilization Force to Gaza, Smotrich said the foreign troops would if necessary leave “very quickly and allow the IDF to enter,” adding that the move would only be taken in full coordination with the Trump administration.

However, the minister emphasized, the Jewish state is not expecting foreign soldiers to be deployed to the Gaza Strip anytime soon.

“In the end,” Smotrich predicted, the Israel Defense Forces “will conquer the Gaza Strip and establish Jewish settlement there.”

Trump told the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday he believes Hamas will lay down its weapons under his plan, warning that the terrorist organization will be “very harshly met” if it refuses to do so.

Several senior Hamas leaders, including Khaled Mashaal and Musa Abu Marzouk, have rejected key parts of Trump’s peace plan in recent weeks, including disarmament, despite having agreed to the terms in October.

“The war in Gaza is over,” the U.S. president said. “Hamas has been, I think, they’re going to give up their weapons, which is what they promised. If they don’t, it’ll be, you know, they’ll be harshly met, very harshly met.”

A new Palestinian police force

The Board of Peace’s high representative for the Gaza Strip, Nickolay Mladenov, told the meeting that a new Palestinian police force will “ensure that all [terrorist] factions in Gaza are dismantled and all weapons are put under the control of one civilian authority.”

Mladenov, who is set to meet with the European Union’s top diplomats on Monday, stressed that reconstruction would only begin after the “demilitarization and decommissioning of all weapons in Gaza.”

Under Trump’s plan, reconstruction is envisioned to start in the Strip’s southernmost city of Rafah, where 100,000 homes are to be built for 500,000 people, in addition to $5 billion in infrastructure.

Soldiers from the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade completed operations to secure the area along the Yellow Line in Rafah following some three months of continuous counter-terror raids in the area, the army said on Monday.

The troops, working with the Yahalom elite combat engineering unit, killed “dozens” of terrorists hiding underground while dismantling “hundreds” of infrastructure sites, including a terror tunnel complex approximately 0.6 miles long that contained hideouts and weapons.

The IDF is “operating in the area in accordance with the ceasefire framework and will continue to operate to secure the area along the Yellow Line and remove any immediate threat,” the military added.

On Sunday, the 188th Armored Brigade’s combat team killed a terrorist who crossed the Yellow Line in southern Gaza and approached them “in a manner that posed an immediate threat,” the IDF said on Monday.

“Immediately after the identification, the soldiers eliminated the terrorist in order to remove the threat,” according to the army, which described the attempt to cross the truce line as “yet another violation.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News on Dec. 30 that a different future for the Gaza Strip was still possible “if we disarm Hamas, whether with an international force or by any other means, adding, “If it can be done the easy way, fine. And if not, it’ll be done another way.”

The Palestinian terrorist organization, which murdered some 1,200 people, primarily Jewish civilians, during its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border assault, still has around 20,000 operatives and 60,000 rifles, Netanyahu revealed.

“That’s what disarmament means—got to take all these rifles, take them away from them, and break up those terror tunnels that they have, still hundreds of kilometers of terror tunnels,” the premier told Fox News.

Mashaal, during a speech at an anti-Israel conference in Istanbul on Dec. 6, said that Hamas would not lay down arms, declaring that “a thousand statements are not worth a single projectile of iron.” JNS

As if heavy snow and fierce winds weren’t enough, a new hazard is developing across New York City: falling ice and snow from skyscrapers.

With up to 15 inches recorded in Central Park and wind gusts reaching 55 mph, ice is forming and clinging to high-rise ledges and facades — especially on modern, energy-efficient buildings that keep exterior surfaces colder.

As temperatures shift and winds whip through the city, large chunks of ice can break free without warning, posing a serious risk of head injuries and other life-threatening harm.

Residents are urged to stay alert, avoid walking directly beneath building overhangs, and use caution when navigating city streets.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

We regret to inform you of the Petirah of R’ Meir Oiknine Z”L (Waknin), who was Niftar today.

He is the father of R’ Moshe, a longtime Chaveirim member and renowned photographer.

The Levaya is scheduled to take place at 2:00 PM at the Chapel in Lakewood, with Kevurah in Lakewood.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

While the historic blizzard is still pounding the Northeast, forecasters are already tracking a potential second system for Thursday–Friday.

• Long-range models show possible accumulating snow for NYC and Boston
• Some projections suggest up to an additional half foot in parts of the region
• Other models indicate a weaker storm with limited impacts
• Significant uncertainty remains this far out

Forecasters caution it’s too early to determine exact totals, especially while the current bomb cyclone is still influencing conditions.

Stay with YWN for updates as the forecast evolves.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A major development has shaken the Sephardic Torah world: the historic Yeshivas Reishis Chochmah in Yerushalayim, founded nearly six decades ago, will close its bochurim division at the end of the current zman. The decision was made following consultations with rabbanim, and the yeshiva’s building is expected to operate exclusively as a kollel for married avreichim going forward.

In an official statement released Sunday, the yeshiva’s administration announced: “After careful consideration and consultation with rabbanim, it was decided that the yeshiva will continue in its current format only for kollel avreichim, and the bochurim division will conclude at the end of the present term.”

The dramatic move marks the end of a significant chapter in the history of the Sephardic Torah world, after decades of harbotzas haTorah.

Yeshivas Reishis Chochmah is among the most veteran institutions in the yeshiva landscape and has long been regarded as a cornerstone in the building of the Sephardic Torah world in Eretz Yisroel. It was founded approximately 60 years ago by Rav Shabtai Aton zt”l, a member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, and is remembered as one of the first Sephardic yeshivos established aside from Porat Yosef. Over the decades, it produced thousands of talmidim who today serve with distinction as rabbanim, dayanim, and marbitzei Torah throughout the country.

Despite its distinguished reputation, recent years have presented serious challenges. Considerable efforts were made to preserve the honor of the Yerushalayim institution and to breathe new life into it. In recent years, the rabbanim, together with the rosh yeshiva, attempted to restore the yeshiva to its earlier stature, but the complex reality ultimately proved decisive.

In the end, Rosh Yeshiva Rav Ben Zion Aton decided that the yeshiva would close its bochurim division at the end of the current zman, with the intention of continuing its Torah legacy on the premises through a kollel for avreichim alone.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller said Monday that solid job gains in January could mean the central bank can skip a rate cut at its next meeting in March, a decision that would likely spur further attacks by President Donald Trump.

At the same time, Waller said last month’s pickup in hiring, when employers added a more-than-expected 130,000 jobs, could have been a one-time gain. He said he would need to see a similarly positive report next month to conclude the job market, which he noted was very weak in 2025, is improving.

Waller’s hedging is a notable shift from January, when he was one of the two Fed governors to dissent against the central bank’s decision to hold its key rate steady after three rate cuts at the end of last year. The decision left the Fed’s short-term rate at about 3.6%.

When the Fed reduces its rate, over time it can lead to cheaper borrowing for mortgages, auto loans, and business loans, though those rates are also influenced by financial markets.

Waller also said that the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down many of Trump’s tariffs would likely have only a limited impact on the economy and inflation, and therefore wouldn’t affect his view on rates.

The ruling could have “a positive impact on spending and investment,” he said, but “how large the impact may be and how long it could last is unclear.”

Waller also noted that the White House is seeking to reimpose the tariffs using other laws, creating “considerable uncertainty over to what extent tariffs will continue.”

If February’s jobs report is similar to last month’s, “indicating that downside risks to the labor market have diminished, it may be appropriate” to keep the Fed’s short-term rate “at current levels and watch for continued progress on inflation and strength in the labor market,” Waller said in remarks to a conference held by the National Association for Business Economists.

“But if the good labor market news of January is revised away or evaporates in February,” he continued, “a cut should be made at the March meeting.”

“As things stand today, I rate these two possible outcomes as close to a coin flip,” Waller added.

The Fed governor also addressed a conundrum many economists have identified about the current economy: Growth is relatively solid, yet employers added few, if any, jobs last year. Waller said he thinks even the meager gains reported earlier this month for last year will be eventually revised to below zero.

“This would be the first time in my career, my life, that I saw an economy growing like this, and zero job growth,” Waller said. “I don’t even know quite how to think about this.” He added that hiring could pick up this year and largely resolve the contradiction.

Another explanation could be higher productivity, stemming from the pandemic, as companies learned to produce more with fewer workers.

Trump attacked the Fed on Friday after the government reported that the economy grew more slowly in the final three months of last year than in the summer and fall. Growth slowed to an annual rate of 1.4%, down from 4.4% in the fall.

“LOWER INTEREST RATES,” Trump posted. “’Two Late’ Powell is the WORST!!” he added, misspelling his usual nickname for Chair Jerome Powell, who he has referred to previously as “Too Late.”

NEW YORK (VINnews) — The head of the federal agency overseeing Medicaid said Sunday that New York’s $124 billion program is burdened by fraud and waste, with investigators reviewing parts of the system.

Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said in a radio interview that questionable providers are costing taxpayers significant sums and undermining care for vulnerable residents.

He said fraudulent activity “strips resources” from the system and ultimately harms those who depend on it.

New York’s Medicaid program covers more than 6.8 million residents and funds services including hospital care, nursing homes and home-based assistance.

Past federal reviews have identified concerns in specific programs, including transportation services and consumer-directed home care, where auditors cited substantial improper payments.

Programs expanded during the administration of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo have continued under Gov. Kathy Hochul.

A spokesperson for Hochul said the state has enacted reforms aimed at eliminating waste and improving oversight, adding that officials remain focused on safeguarding healthcare access while addressing fraud and abuse.

No formal enforcement actions were announced in connection with the latest comments.

During her confirmation hearing before the New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee, Acting Education Commissioner Lily Laux faced questions from legislators on how she would address chronic financial distress and governance problems in districts such as Lakewood, where years of budget troubles have brought the township’s public schools to the brink of a possible state takeover.

During the hearing, Senator Paul Sarlo, who also chairs the Senate Budget Committee, asked Laux how she would approach districts, such as Montclair, Hackensack, Perth Amboy, Lakewood and Toms River who are all experiencing “these massive issues” and whether the chronic shortfalls stemmed from mismanagement, neglect or incompetence.

In her response, Laux, who was careful to note that she was not referring to any specific district, emphasized her commitment to understanding the underlying causes in each troubled district, saying better data and early warning systems would be key to prevention and support. “We need to know… what is that and that being able to have that conversation,” she told senators. “We’re not ending up in this situation that you just referenced.”

Lakewood, which is likely the most unique school district in the country has become a flashpoint in the debate over school funding and oversight.

Its public school district serves approximately 4,300 students but has been responsible for transporting and providing special education services to tens of thousands of children attending private schools, a burden that has strained its budget and contributed to repeated requests for state loans. State records show the district has borrowed more than $230 million from the state since 2014 to fill gaps and stay solvent.

The financial stress has drawn legal and political scrutiny. In September, a state appeals court rejected a constitutional challenge from parents who argued the state’s school funding formula starved Lakewood of necessary aid, instead blaming years of fiscal mismanagement, low local tax rates and outsized transportation and special education costs. The ruling described a “consistent pattern of neglect and misfeasance” by district leaders, leading the state to install several monitors.

Local officials in Lakewood have pushed back, contending that deep structural problems in the state’s funding formula, rather than local mismanagement, have created a budget imbalance that disproportionately burdens the district. They argue that mandatory transportation obligations to private school students and outdated funding mechanisms leave their public schools underfunded.

The Lakewood public school district has pushed back, and has a March 5 deadline to make a legal argument to stay independent.

Laux, if confirmed, would inherit these challenges at a time when lawmakers and advocates in districts across the state are also wrestling with broader questions about school finance equity, accountability and the role of state intervention.

In his questioning, Sarlo underscored to Laux that a purely reactive approach, such as seeking extra financial aid from Trenton, would not be sufficient. Instead, they signaled a desire for proactive analysis and tailored solutions that get at the root causes of fiscal distress in districts like Lakewood.

Governor Sherrill is expected to release her budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year on March 10.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri is estimating that elections for the 26th Knesset will take place around mid-Elul, close to their originally scheduled date, despite the escalating political crisis surrounding the draft law and the status of yeshiva students.

During a conversation with rabbanim in Tiveriah, where Deri spent this past Shabbos, the Shas leader said he believes the elections will be held in the middle of the month of Elul, meaning they would be advanced by only about one month.

In the Knesset, coalition officials are reportedly inclined to set the elections at least a week before Rosh Hashanah, in order to allow the tens of thousands of people who travel to the kever of Rav Nachman in Uman to vote before departing.

The date currently being discussed within the coalition — and the one Deri himself is said to favor — is Tuesday, September 1, approximately a week and a half before Rosh Hashanah.

It was also noted that Deri returned to Yerushalayim together with the Rishon Letzion, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, who traveled back by helicopter in order to arrive in time at the Yazdim shul to deliver his weekly shiur.

During Shabbos, in remarks before dozens of leading halachic authorities, Deri said: “In this generation we have merited the leadership of the Rishon Letzion. May it be the will of Heaven that we continue to merit his leadership, along with the important Torah works that have been accepted throughout the Jewish world.”

{Matzav.com}

Orthodox executive members of the World Zionist Organization published a statement denouncing an earlier statement that was published by Reform members “in the name of all executive members” without their consent and against their position.

Last week, Executive member Tami Gottleib, who also serves as the vice-chairman of the Women of the Wall organization, was arrested at the Kosel after she disturbed public order on Rosh Chodesh Adar. The police also issued a restraining order against her, banning her from the Kosel.

Following the incident, some members of the Zionist Organization’s board published a statement of support for Gottleib “in the name of all the board members.”

Rabbi Pesach Lerner from the Eretz HaKodesh faction told Kikar HaShabbat, “In all the big countries around the world—except for one or two—there is a solid and clear majority of religious Orthodox voters who voted for religious slates over Reform ones. Despite this, the representatives of the Reform and Conservative movements have the chutzpah to issue statements ‘in the name of world Jewry,’ even though it has been clearly proven that the majority is Orthodox.”

“The time has come for us to stand our ground and say clearly: the majority of world Jewry supports the Orthodox position and wants to preserve the voice of Torah and halacha in Eretz Yisrael. The Reform movement has no right to speak in the name of world Jewry.”

The statement issued by the Orthodox executive members stated: “We, members of the Zionist Executive representing the religious-Orthodox bloc, hereby express our protest and deep sorrow regarding the statement that was published – contrary to our position – and purportedly issued in the name of all Executive members, following the provocation carried out in the Western Wall plaza by Executive member Tami Gottlieb.”

“The Western Wall is one of the most important Jewish symbols, and we respect the right of every Jew to pray there in accordance with Jewish law and tradition, while preserving the status quo that has been maintained there for decades and in accordance with the directives of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, founded by the eminent Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook, of blessed memory. This is the position of millions of Jews in Israel and around the world, and we seek to express it clearly and unequivocally.”

“We express our pain over the unnecessary provocation that harmed the sanctity of the site, and that bears no connection to the compromise framework proposed by Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. We stand with and support the Israel Police and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, who are entrusted with preserving the sanctity of the site and maintaining law and order in accordance with the directives of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Thousands of bnei Torah packed the Armonot Chen halls in Bnei Brak last night for the major “Romamtnu L’Dorot” gathering,  an event marked by a powerful display of kavod haTorah. Yet the most moving moment of the evening did not take place on the main stage, but rather behind the scenes — in the kitchen.

A photograph obtained this morning captured Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, seated quietly in a corner of the Armonot Chen kitchen. There was no seat of honor and no prepared table, just a simple plastic chair positioned near beverage carts and stacks of dishes. Amid the bustle of preparations, the rosh yeshiva was seen deeply immersed in learning, completely detached from the surrounding commotion.

Sources told Matzav that his presence in the kitchen was not due to a lack of space, but rather reflected a deliberate act of humility and sensitivity. When Rav Cohen arrived at the entrance to the hall, he was informed that three prominent rabbanim were in the midst of delivering a central Torah panel.

In his characteristic modesty, the rosh yeshiva was concerned that his entrance into the main hall would prompt the audience to rise in his honor and applaud, thereby interrupting the speakers and diverting attention from the rabbanim currently addressing the crowd. To avoid diminishing their kavod, he asked to enter through a side kitchen door instead.

For nearly half an hour, Rav Cohen remained in the kitchen, waiting until the panel concluded. Sitting on a simple chair, he utilized the moments to learn with the diligence for which he is well known.

{Matzav.com}

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Thousands of teenagers from more than a dozen countries, many standing on their chairs in a cavernous convention hall, screamed and cheered as Josh Shapiro took the stage.

Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor still may be unknown among many Americans outside his home state, but here at BBYO, the world’s largest conference of young Jewish leaders, Shapiro is a rock star.

“We’re facing some challenges out there,” he said. He didn’t mention the arson attack his family escaped in the middle of the night last year, or the antisemitism that he says he faces regularly.

“And this is a moment,” he went on as the crowd waved Israeli flags, “where I lean on my faith. I am proud of my faith.”

Shapiro may be the nation’s most prominent Jewish politician as antisemitism surges across America, and he’s made his religion central to his political identity — what he calls living his faith “out loud.” At this pivotal moment, as he marches toward a dominant reelection this fall that is expected to propel him into the next presidential campaign, the 52-year-old governor is attempting to straddle an almost impossible chasm as both a Jewish progressive and a Zionist.

Perhaps more than any other issue, Shapiro’s ability to navigate personal and political risks related to his faith will ultimately determine how far he can rise in an evolving Democratic Party.

He is already among his party’s top White House prospects, powered by a broad political coalition he’s assembled in one of the nation’s most important swing states. He’s also one of the leaders most vilified by progressive activists, largely because of his staunch support for Israel.

Leaning on his faith
Shapiro has defended Israel’s right to defend itself after Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, while also voicing concern for Palestinian civilians and criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “dangerous and destructive force.” At home, the governor was critical of pro-Palestinian campus protests that he said were hostile toward Jewish students.

His positioning did not sit well among some critics, who still refer to him as “Genocide Josh.” Tensions were reopened with Shapiro’s recent book, in which he recalled a senior aide to Kamala Harris asking if Shapiro had ever been an agent of the Israeli government while he was being vetted as a potential vice president.

There’s never been a Jewish president or vice president, and few leading Democrats lean into their faith as openly as Shapiro. He observes Shabbat every Friday night with his family. He keeps Kosher. His kids go to Jewish day school. And on the campaign trail, he speaks openly about his spiritual values and quotes the Bible at virtually every stop.

Shapiro’s allies acknowledge the risks, but they ultimately believe his faith will help him connect with more Americans as he takes the next step in his political career.

“He is intentionally choosing to go a different route and to be a different person, and it’s authentic to who he is and also what he believes,” said Baptist Pastor Marshall Mitchell, a close friend and spiritual adviser to Shapiro. “Great elected officials, great Americans, great thinkers, never discount the influence and impact of faith.”

‘A very real problem’ with antisemitism
Shapiro said in an interview with The Associated Press that antisemitism is “a very real problem” among both Democrats and Republicans.

“I think anyone who’s trying to lead this country, anyone who’s trying to lead a state, lead a community, has a responsibility to call it out no matter which side of the aisle it’s on,” he said.

The governor said he and his family face new incidents of antisemitism on a regular basis, citing most recently the February arrest of a man near Harrisburg charged with making terroristic threats and stalking.

Anti-Defamation League leader Jonathan Greenblatt, a Shapiro ally, said he’s currently seeing the highest levels of antisemitic hate crimes and harassment nationwide since his organization began tracking such data more than a half century ago.

Greenblatt criticized extremists and leaders from both political parties, but he was quick to praise President Donald Trump for opposing anti-Israel protests on college campuses, even if the president’s approach was “heavy handed.”

“I think we need to recognize that on the far left, in progressive circles, being anti-Zionist has become very permissible,” Greenblatt said.

Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have a right to establish a Jewish nation-state in their ancestral homeland in the Middle East.

Divisions over war in Gaza
Hamas’ attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza became a dividing line in American politics as Shapiro’s clout was rising.

As protests against Israel spread, Shapiro said universities should not tolerate antisemitic intimidation any more than they would allow white supremacy, a comparison that inflamed critics on the left.

“Gov. Shapiro has a damning history regarding U.S. policy toward Israel, including his failure to call for an end to U.S. complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and his smearing and attacks against those speaking out for Palestinian rights,” said Beth Miller, the political director for the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace Action.

Shapiro’s leadership, Miller said, “is sharply out of line with his constituency — including American Jews.”

Polling shows that views on Israel are complex. About six in 10 American Jews said Israel has committed war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, according to a Washington Post survey conducted in September. About four in 10 described Israel’s actions as genocide.

However, about three-quarters said Israel’s existence is vital for the long-term future of the Jewish people.

In his new book “Where We Keep the Light,” which was released last month, Shapiro opened up about the vetting process as Harris considered the governor as her running mate two years ago.

He wrote that one of Harris’ advisers asked, “Have you ever been an agent of the Israeli government?”

“Had I been a double agent for Israel? Was she kidding? I told her how offensive the question was,” Shapiro wrote. He added that the episode “said a lot about some of the people around the VP.”

In his interview with the AP, Shapiro declined to expand on what the question said about Harris’ team, and he declined to say whether it was an example of antisemitism.

He said “we should all be able to agree that antisemitism is wrong” while having “honest disagreements” about U.S. foreign policy.

“When I analyze Middle East policy, I’m focused on what is in the best interest of the United States of America, what advances our national security, what advances our economic interests, what creates more stability in the globe,” he said. “And in my opinion, that’s having a safe and secure Israel, side by side with a safe and secure Palestinian state, where Palestinian leadership recognizes Israel’s right to exist, and where kids growing up on both sides of the border have an opportunity to grow up with promise and prosperity in their future.”

An attack while they slept
Shapiro, his children and some extended family were sleeping inside the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion after celebrating Passover on April 13, 2025, when a stranger broke into the house and exploded multiple Molotov cocktails.

Cody Allen Balmer, 38, then called 911 and denounced what Shapiro “wants to do to the Palestinian people.” He later told police he would have beaten the governor with a hammer if he had found him.

Balmer pleaded guilty to attempted murder, terrorism and 22 counts of arson, among other charges.

Shapiro said the incident still haunts him today.

“I’m one of the fortunate ones in that I wasn’t killed the way Melissa Hortman was or Charlie Kirk was. I wasn’t injured the way Gabby Giffords or Steve Scalise were physically,” he told AP, referring to Democratic and Republican leaders who suffered political attacks. “But I think we also walk around with the emotional scars of it.”

Shapiro said he struggles with the idea that “this work that I love” has also “brought my family close to death.”

“That’s a hard thing to work through as a as a dad,” he added. “I’m still working through it candidly.”

Rev. Jerome Fordham, who leads the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Action Network, said Shapiro’s challenges have allowed him to relate to people on a deeper level.

“He’s doing a fantastic job despite the fact that they tried to kill him and his family,” said Fordham, who was in the audience at a recent NAACP gala where Shapiro spoke. ”As a Jew, he can connect with everybody. He understands struggle, just as the Black community understands struggle.”

Shapiro told the AP that he would not back away from his faith.

“I refuse to live in fear, I refuse to back down,” Shapiro said. “Even though the threats are increasing, the light I see and the joy I find in others is also increasing. And that allows me to frankly ignore the noise and ignore the hate and focus on the goodness in people.”

YS GOLD 

We regret to inform you of the passing of Reb Shulem Oberlander, a longtime Boro Park resident who was renowned for his piety and ehrlichkeit.  He was 69 years of age and had battened a terrible illness. 

The niftar was among the esteemed viznitzer chassidim in Boro Park, and despite his terrible suffering went on with a life of Torah and avodas Hashem. 

An acquaintance described Reb Shulem as “ah tzaddik fin ah Yid.” 

Together with his eishes chayil, he established a beautiful Torah family, with a number of askonim among them. 

He was sadly stricken with a terrible illness and suffered through it with great Emunah. 

The levaya will take place at 10:30 in the Viznitzer Beis Medrash in Boro Park and at 12:30 in Monsey. 

Yehi zichro baruch.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A leading figure in Israel’s ultra-Orthodox matchmaking world says thousands of men and women over age 28 remain unmarried, calling the situation a “hidden epidemic” with broad social consequences.

On the program “Dvar HaShavua” with Moshe Manes, Rabbi Yitzhak Perahim, head of the national matchmaking organization Lev Echad, said an estimated 16,000 singles — roughly 8,000 men and 8,000 women — in Israel’s Haredi community are currently without prospects.

“This is not only a personal tragedy,” he said. “It’s like losing an entire city.”

Perahim described what he called a growing “vacuum,” with some singles reporting they have not received a single call from a matchmaker for two or three years. Families, he said, often blame themselves or others, unaware that the problem is systemic.

He attributed part of the crisis to a shortage of professional matchmakers, saying the work requires extensive time and effort with relatively modest pay. Without strong motivation or financial sustainability, many leave the field, he said.

Perahim also pointed to what he described as market dynamics within the community. Once men reach their mid-20s, he said, matchmakers may focus instead on younger candidates, leaving older singles with fewer opportunities. At the same time, he said, older singles can become more selective over time, complicating efforts to find matches.

His organization has introduced counseling programs aimed at helping singles reassess expectations and navigate what he described as emotional and psychological barriers to marriage.

Perahim also urged families to value and support matchmakers, including through financial compensation, arguing that the role is comparable in importance to other professional services.

He called on community members to become more proactive in suggesting potential matches and supporting older singles.

“Everyone can take part,” he said. “One suggestion can bring light into an entire home.”

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A packed bus on its way to Nepal’s capital drove off a mountain highway in Nepal early Monday, killing 19 people including a British national and leaving another 25 wounded.

There were dozens of people on board the bus, which was heading from the resort city of Pokhara to Kathmandu when it drove off the Prithvi highway after midnight, police said. The bus rolled down a mountain slope and landed on the banks of Trishuli river near Benighat, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu.

Among those who died was a 24-year-old British national, according to a statement from the Dhading district police office. Only nine bodies have been identified.

The injured included a Chinese national, who is being treated at the National Trauma Center in Kathmandu, and a 27-year-old woman from New Zealand who received minor injuries and was being treated at a local hospital. China’s official Xinhua News Agency, citing the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, reported earlier that one other Chinese national was missing.

Rescuers reached the accident site soon after the accident, and the injured were pulled out of the wreckage and driven to hospitals for treatment, according to government administrator Mohan Prasad Neupane.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

Bus accidents in Nepal are common, mostly due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles. Much of the Himalayan country is covered by mountains and connected only by narrow roads.

The bus landed on the banks of the fast flowing mountain river. Two buses with 65 people on board fell into the same river in 2024 and were lost, with most aboard either killed or still missing. Wreckage of one of the buses was found only this year, buried deep in sand.

Rav Ben Zion Mutzafi was asked about the issue of vaccinations and about those who claim that it is forbidden to vaccinate. He responded firmly: “Vaccinate — do not play with the lives of infants.”

Rav Mutzafi, one of the leading Sephardic halachic authorities, called on the public not to pay attention to rumor-mongers and to make sure their children are vaccinated. He made these remarks in response to questions sent to him about vaccinations, against the backdrop of the deaths of several unvaccinated children from the chareidi community due to measles.

The Question: “Hello, honorable rabbi, may he live long. There are many opinions regarding vaccinations for children. Some Torah scholars and some doctors say to vaccinate and bring sources, and some say not to vaccinate and also bring sources. What does the rabbi say?”

The Response: “Many idle words have been written. The danger is great and one must vaccinate. Do not play with the lives of infants.”

The Question: “Hello to the honorable rabbi. I stopped taking my one-year-old son to the well-baby clinic to receive vaccinations because I am concerned. I have heard that there are negative effects from vaccines.”

The Response: “When you withhold vaccinations from him, you are endangering his life. Everyone does this, and that is how epidemics are prevented.”

As previously reported, a six-year-old child who had not been vaccinated against measles passed away last night at a hospital, the Health Ministry announced.

According to the ministry, the child was brought to the hospital in critical condition, and doctors were forced to declare his death after prolonged resuscitation efforts. The Health Ministry stated in this context that “Vaccination and arriving in time to receive medical treatment can save lives.”

This case joins reports of 15 additional deaths from the disease, the overwhelming majority of them children and infants who had been healthy and had no prior underlying medical conditions but had not been vaccinated against the virus.

The Health Ministry reiterated that “Measles can be prevented through an effective and safe vaccine — one that saves lives.”

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Senior Democrats reviewing the party’s 2024 election losses concluded that the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza contributed to former Vice President Kamala Harris’ defeat, according to a report by Axios.

The report, citing people familiar with the findings, said Democratic National Committee officials determined the issue was a “net negative” for the party, particularly among young voters and progressives divided over U.S. support for Israel.

According to Axios, aides compiling the internal review held a private meeting with the IMEU Policy Project, a pro-Palestinian advocacy group, which argued that U.S. backing of Israel hurt Democratic turnout. Axios reported that multiple people familiar with the discussions said party data similarly found the Gaza policy damaged Harris politically.

A DNC spokesperson confirmed to Axios that officials met with advocacy groups as part of the review but denied allegations that the report was being withheld because of its findings on Israel. Party leaders previously said the analysis would remain private to avoid distracting from future elections.

Harris, who sought to balance support for Israel with calls for a ceasefire during her abbreviated 2024 campaign, has since acknowledged that the administration could have expressed more public criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. In her recent memoir, she wrote that President Joe Biden’s perceived “blank check” to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed on her candidacy.

The internal review has not been publicly released.

A fresh round of negotiations between the United States and Iran is scheduled for Thursday in Geneva, Oman’s foreign minister announced Sunday, shortly after Iran’s chief diplomat indicated he anticipated meeting U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff at that time.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed the development in a social media post, saying he was pleased to announce it was moving ahead “with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal.” Oman has played a mediating role in the indirect discussions over Iran’s nuclear program and helped facilitate the most recent session held in Geneva last week.

The White House did not immediately respond to the announcement.

In an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was still a “good chance” of reaching a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear dispute and emphasized that the talks are focused solely on that issue.

The Trump administration has sought significant concessions from Tehran and has expanded the American military footprint in the Middle East to levels not seen in decades.

President Donald Trump cautioned Friday that limited military action against Iran remains an option, even as Araghchi said at the time that Tehran expected to present a draft agreement within days.

Speaking to CBS, Araghchi stated that Iran was continuing to prepare its proposal and reiterated that the country maintains a right to enrich uranium. He also noted that during the latest talks on Friday, U.S. representatives had not demanded zero enrichment, a position that differs from statements American officials have made publicly.

Both sides have indicated they are ready for military confrontation should diplomacy collapse over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Shortly after Oman confirmed the upcoming talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on social media that “recent negotiations involved the exchange of practical proposals and yielded encouraging signals. However, we continue to closely monitor U.S. actions and have made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario.”

Washington has maintained that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons or even retain the capacity to produce them, and has insisted that uranium enrichment cannot continue. Iranian officials have consistently argued that negotiations should address only the nuclear file and have claimed that enrichment activities ceased following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.

Although Tehran asserts that its nuclear efforts are for civilian purposes, the United States and other governments believe the program could ultimately be directed toward weapons development.

Diplomatic efforts have remained stalled for years after Trump withdrew the United States in 2018 from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Since that withdrawal, Tehran has declined to engage on broader American and Israeli demands that it curb its missile program and end support for armed proxy groups.

News of the renewed talks comes amid fresh unrest inside Iran. Witnesses reported new anti-government demonstrations as university students in Tehran and another city gathered near memorials honoring thousands killed during a crackdown on nationwide protests roughly six weeks ago.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence tools is expected to significantly curb the pace of wage growth in Israel over the coming decade, according to a study by the Taub Center For Social Policy, published on Channel 12.

According to the forecast, the average real wage will rise at an annual rate of only about 1.6%, a sharp decline compared to the previous decade, which saw an average yearly increase of 2.7%. The researchers emphasize that the impact will not be evenly distributed and will primarily affect specific groups within the labor market.

The study was conducted by Michael Dabay, Prof. Gil Epstein, and Prof. Avi Weiss. It is based on a methodology developed by Daron Acemoglu of MIT, the 2024 Nobel laureate in economics. This marks the first application of the model to Israeli labor market data. The research relies on data from 2018 to 2022, before generative AI tools such as ChatGPT became widespread among the general public.

According to the study’s findings, high school graduates and holders of bachelor’s degrees are expected to experience wage erosion, as many of them work in office-based and cognitive professions that AI can perform or replace. These include document analysis, writing, accounting, marketing, and basic programming. Young workers entering the labor market, particularly junior programmers, are already encountering difficulties in securing jobs, a phenomenon that may intensify as smart tools make experienced workers more efficient while reducing demand for entry-level roles.

By contrast, other groups are expected to be more protected and may even benefit from the shift. Manual laborers and skilled tradespeople, such as plumbers, electricians, and technicians, are expected to maintain strong demand. Dabay noted: “Demand in skilled trades is not expected to decline and may even increase.” He added: “Even when the technology matures, a physical robot costs far more than a ChatGPT subscription. Therefore, I don’t think the technology poses as immediate a threat to manual workers as generative AI poses to knowledge workers.”

Israel’s Arab population may also narrow the wage gap relative to the Jewish population by approximately 1% to 2.5%, due to lower representation in occupations most vulnerable to AI disruption. Haredi workers are likewise expected to be less affected than the overall average. Meanwhile, individuals with advanced degrees (MA and PhDs) are projected to enjoy wage increases, owing to the importance of judgment, creativity, and specialized expertise, qualities that are harder to automate.

The researchers caution that these forecasts are conservative. Faster and broader AI adoption could deepen disparities between different groups in the labor market. Since the data predates the public breakthrough of generative AI tools, the real-world impact may already be unfolding more rapidly and more intensely than the model assumes.

The implication is clear: without investment in training, professional retraining, and adaptation of the education system to the evolving labor market, large segments of the workforce risk being left behind.

Iran has quietly finalized a €500 million weapons agreement with Russia to obtain thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles, part of a broader push to restore its air-defense network after it was badly damaged during last June’s war with Israel, The Financial Times reported Sunday.

According to the report, the deal was concluded in Moscow in December and calls for Russia to supply 500 Verba launchers along with 2,500 9M336 missiles over a three-year period. The Verba platform is considered one of Russia’s more sophisticated short-range air-defense systems and is designed to intercept cruise missiles, low-altitude aircraft, and drones.

The Verba is a portable, infrared-guided missile system that can be operated by small, mobile units, enabling forces to deploy scattered defensive positions without depending on fixed radar sites that could be targeted. Leaked documents cited in the report indicate that deliveries are expected to begin in 2027, though some units may arrive earlier.

Tehran reportedly sought the systems in July, shortly after the 12-day confrontation with Israel, during which Iran’s integrated air-defense array was significantly weakened. The damage allowed Israel’s air force to achieve air superiority across wide areas of Iranian territory. Efforts to restore that infrastructure have faced difficulties, leading Iran to turn to Moscow for support.

Analysts view the agreement as an attempt by Russia to reinforce its relationship with Iran following criticism that Moscow did little to assist Tehran during the conflict. A former senior US official suggested that Russia could be looking to repair ties in order to preserve Iran as an important regional partner, despite its inaction during the fighting.

Military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran has deepened in recent years as both governments contend with mounting Western pressure tied to their regional policies and broader geopolitical positions.

In April, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the visit, Araghchi delivered a message from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei emphasizing the importance of closer ties between the two countries.

Shortly afterward, Putin signed legislation passed by Russia’s parliament aimed at expanding cooperation between Moscow and Tehran in multiple areas, including security and defense.

Iran has also been pursuing the purchase of advanced Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, though Iranian officials have expressed dissatisfaction with delays in completing that transaction.

{Matzav.com}

In an escalation in the struggle against Israel’s corrupt judicial system, Prof. Moshe Cohen-Eliya, one of Israel’s leading critics of what he calls the “judicial system’s tyranny,” has launched an initiative to ask U.S. President Donald Trump to impose personal sanctions on Supreme Court Justice Yitzchak Amit and the dismissed Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara.

Cohen-Eliya is working to collect 100,000 Israeli signatures on an open letter to President Trump urging him to use his authority ” to help rescue Israeli democracy from what we view as an institutional revolt against the sovereignty of the people.”

The letter draws a direct comparison between Trump’s own experiences and the situation in Israel: “As someone who has personally experienced political prosecution by a legal establishment captured by political rivals, you understand that one effective way to curb abuses of prosecutorial power is through targeted sanctions.”

“As you know, Israel’s Prime Minister has been persecuted by the state prosecution in a case that many believe is politically motivated and lacking solid legal foundation, as developments during the trial have exposed. The judges themselves suggested that the prosecution withdraw the bribery charge, while the remaining allegations largely concern claims regarding cigars and champagne allegedly received from friends in limited quantities.”

“Israel’s Supreme Court has assumed authority to invalidate constitutional amendments without explicit constitutional authorization. It intervenes extensively in public appointments based on what it terms the ‘reasonableness’ doctrine. At the same time, Attorney General Baharav-Miara is, in the view of many, engaged in politically driven actions against right-wing leadership. Over several years, law enforcement authorities also deployed intrusive surveillance tools, which in some cases were reportedly used in matters connected to the Prime Minister. When a governmental commission of inquiry was established to investigate this affair, actions by the Attorney General and the Court effectively led to the resignation of the commission’s distinguished members.

“We are fully aware that our request as citizens of Israel is unusual and may be perceived as implicating issues of sovereignty. However, many Israelis believe that democratic sovereignty has been significantly eroded. A government enjoying a clear public mandate is struggling to function in the face of what many view as the most activist high court in the democratic world — one that intervenes deeply in security, political, and appointment matters.

“Israel is unraveling, and Israel’s deep state is acting in ways that undermine American interests. It weakens the United States’ central ally in the Middle East and obstructs the critical cooperation between Israel’s Prime Minister and you in advancing the shared objectives of our two free peoples.

“Accordingly, we call upon you to impose sanctions on Gali Baharav-Miara and Yitzchak Amit, similar to measures previously directed at judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague and its chief prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan.

“We believe such action would make a meaningful contribution to strengthening Israeli democracy.

“We thank you for your attention and for your continued leadership in support of the free world and the people of Israel,” the letter concludes.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party has reaffirmed Kim Jong Un as its general secretary during a party congress session on Sunday, according to state media, reinforcing his unchallenged authority and signaling what observers describe as heightened confidence in the country’s internal stability.

The Korean Central News Agency reported Monday that Kim was credited with elevating the nation’s standing and strengthening its global position in pursuit of what it described as a revolutionary mission. The state outlet also praised his efforts to transform the armed forces “into an elite and powerful army.”

State media further emphasized advances in Pyongyang’s military capabilities, declaring that under Kim’s leadership, “the war deterrence of the country with the nuclear forces as its pivot has been radically improved,” KCNA said in the laudatory report of the fourth day of the congress’ proceedings.

Outside analysts interpreted the move as a signal that Kim views his grip on power as secure. “The reaffirmation of his authority amounts to a declaration that Kim Jong Un has ended the regime’s ‘crisis management mode’ and entered a phase of confident, stable long term rule,” Lim Eul-chul, an expert on North Korea at Kyungnam University, said.

In addition to confirming Kim’s position, delegates selected members of the party’s Central Committee and approved amendments to party regulations, KCNA reported. While the agency did not outline the substance of the rule changes, it noted shifts in committee membership that appeared to sideline several veteran figures.

Among those reportedly removed from key roles were former Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong, Supreme People’s Assembly Standing Committee Chairman Choe Ryong Hae, and senior military official Ri Pyong Chol, a development analysts described as a possible reshuffling of longstanding leadership figures.

Kim’s teenage daughter, Ju Ae, who has appeared alongside him at public events in recent years and has been the subject of succession speculation, has not been seen at the congress thus far.

The ninth party congress, which typically convenes every five years and runs for several days, began Thursday with approximately 5,000 delegates in attendance. South Korean officials are closely monitoring the gathering for signs of shifts in domestic or foreign policy.

So far, however, the sessions have centered largely on claims of economic recovery and achievements attributed to party leadership, with no major new policy initiatives publicly unveiled.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — President Trump gave a hint about his current approach to the Iran issue when he retweeted conservative talk show host Mark Levin, who is calling to topple the Iranian regime and rejects the idea of a deal with them.

Levin wrote “What if we got the greatest deal ever from Iran? They’re gonna give up their nukes. They’re gonna give up their ballistic missiles. They’re gonna become boy scouts and girl scouts. No more terrorism.

That’s right. They’re gonna reject their own Islamist ideology of the seventh century that they’ve used to indoctrinate others, that they preach every single day. That’s right. Khomeini’s going to become Mahatma Gandhi and the world is gonna have peace forever. Yeah. We’ll sign that deal. Sure. We’ll sign it.

Now, why would they sign such a deal? What if it’s the greatest deal of all deals ever? Why would they sign it? You see, the problem is, ladies and gentlemen, it’s not a matter of a deal, a negotiation, or diplomacy, or playing this thing out.

Khomeini, the Islamist Nazis, have told us what they’re going to do, and they believe this is directed by God. And they have slaughtered tens of thousands of their own people in the last few weeks, over the years, in order to advance this agenda. Do you think signing a deal is going to stop anything? Do you think they’re going to honor the deal? The issue isn’t whether we negotiate. The question is why do we negotiate? The question is why do we think some deal is going to keep these people under control? It’s not.

Now it might temporarily they may pull back temporarily, exactly what North Korea did. Oh, they pulled back. They pulled back for a few years and all of a sudden, hey. Guess what? We have a few nukes. They will play this game. They look at long ball. And even if they were to pull back during the Trump presidency, that’s three more years. What about after that? What if we get a Biden or an Obama? Or what if we get some weak Republican? The only president that actually takes forceful action against Iran is President today, Donald Trump. What happens when he leaves?

Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot, as our generation, leave it to the next generation, our children and grandchildren, to deal with this. We must deal with this. Or they’ll have tens of thousands of ballistic missiles. They’ll have scores of nuclear warheads, and they will be able to reach our country. And since they’ve been willing to slaughter their own people by the tens of thousands, you better believe that they will use those nuclear warheads against our children and grandchildren. They’re weaker than ever before. They’re not gonna be this weak ever again, and they do not follow agreements.

When we pulled out of that Obama deal in 2018, they immediately began violating the deal that was still in place with Europe. Systematic breaches. Iran intentionally reduced its compliance with the agreement in a phased manner, leading to multiple ongoing violations rather than a single event. Enrichment levels. Iran increased its uranium enrichment to 60%, significantly higher than the 3.67% limit set by the agreement. Stockpile limits. By late 2019, Iran breached the 300 kilogram limit on enriched uranium, later exceeding permitted stockpiles by 30 times. Centrifuge use. Iran installed and operated advanced centrifuges prohibited by the deal. Monitoring suspensions. Since February 2021, Iran restricted the International Atomic Energy Agency of the UN from fully monitoring its nuclear facilities. Formal termination. They announced it in October 2025.

You think our envoys or somebody else’s envoys or signing an agreement is gonna change the mindset of a terrorist regime that is slaughtering its people as I speak, that is already trying to build new nukes? We signed a paper, peace in our time? No. The problem isn’t negotiations.

The problem isn’t they won’t agree to this or that, or that we can get the best deal in world history. The problem is them. The West needs to understand what we’re dealing with. For forty-seven years. I don’t know what it’s gonna take, but we need to comprehend what we’re dealing with. That regime needs to be eliminated to save our children and grandchildren from having to deal.”

In response to American calls for a strike to topple the regime, Iran announced on Monday that any attack by the United States, including limited strikes, would be considered an “act of aggression” that would trigger a response.

Iran’s Army Chief of Staff, General Amir Hatami, declared that “the enemy” is working to implement a plan described as “strategic attrition” against Iran. Speaking at a graduation ceremony for doctoral and master’s students in defense management at the army’s Command and Staff University (DAFOS), Hatami explained that the U.S. objective is to gradually weaken the Islamic regime and cause fatigue and erosion among the Iranian people, according to the Iranian news agency ISNA.

Hatami stressed that in light of current changes and developments, the responsibility placed on Iran’s military is critical. He said that over the past month the United States had attempted several times to harm the Iranian nation and regime but had failed. According to him, these failures only increase the burden now resting on the army’s shoulders.

Hatami rejected what he called the “enemies’ claims” of being invincible, describing them as “false and futile.” He cited American involvement in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq as examples of places where the enemy entered with threats but left in disgrace. In his view, modern warfare is more complex than in the past, involving “hybrid warfare” conducted across political, economic, social, military, psychological, and cognitive arenas. He warned that such warfare exposes not only the military but also families and children to threats.

Referring to internal events, Hatami claimed that the United States was attempting to carry out a kind of “coup” through unrest, based on what he described as miscalculations. He said that although the events had caused sorrow, the plot was suppressed by the Iranian people thanks to their “deep insight.” He pledged that any future conspiracy would be met with a strong and crushing response.

Hatami added that the United States is mistaken if it believes Iran is in a position of weakness. He declared that Iran has millions of soldiers prepared to sacrifice their lives, stating that the greatest honor is “falling in sanctification of God.” He said that despite the deployment of warships and threats, Iran responded with strength due to faith and the leadership of the Supreme Leader.

Hatami warned that the United States seeks to exact a price from Iran by undermining its territorial integrity, similar to other countries in the region, but said that “the Iranian people will stand firm and will not allow this plan to succeed.” He vowed that the army would defend Iran’s independence, territorial integrity, and regime “until the last breath,” expressing belief in divine victory.

During a briefing in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei addressed the possibility of American military action. Baghaei stated that from Iran’s perspective, “there is no such thing as a limited strike.” He said any act of aggression would be defined as such regardless of scope, and that every country has a natural right to self-defense.

The spokesperson emphasized that Iran would respond to any act of aggression in a “forceful” manner as part of exercising its right to defend itself. These statements reflect Tehran’s firm position that any violation of its sovereignty, even if described by the U.S. administration as limited, would lead to a decisive military response. Baghaei concluded by asserting that an act of aggression is an act of aggression, and that Iran would act resolutely against any attempt to harm its territory.

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Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps military commanders have been holding meetings in hospitals in recent days, a medical staff member in a hospital in Tehran told Iran International.

“The presence of these individuals, along with their protection units, has alarmed staff because the meetings had nothing to do with medical matters,” a hospital employee said.

Similar accounts from Shiraz, Gorgan, and Tehran describe armed personnel deployed in medical centers and, in some cases, gunfire from hospital rooftops toward protesters.

In recent days, security forces have also assembled at certain stadiums and sports arenas, which sources say is intended to protect personnel and equipment from possible U.S. or Israeli strikes by positioning them within densely populated civilian areas.

During the January 8–9 demonstrations and the days that followed, multiple testimonies described security activity conducted from inside public buildings. Witnesses and local media reported gunfire at protesters from within a governor’s office and from the roof of a hospital in Gorgan. In Arak and Sari, schools were reportedly used to house forces and detain suspects.

Political analyst and journalist Jamshid Barzegar said that the use of hospitals fro military activity reflects a pattern long observed in the Islamic Republic’s proxies.

“The Islamic Republic has once again brought inside the country a criminal pattern it has tested for years through its proxy forces in the region: militarizing civilian spaces and using civilians as human shields,” he said.

“Now that the Islamic Republic has cast the shadow of war over Iran, we are seeing the same methods being applied domestically. In the bloodiest and largest crackdown on public protests in Iran’s history during January 8 and 9 and the days after, the presence of security forces resembled the conduct of terror groups.”

“This is not only a sign of strategic weakness, but a message that the lives of ordinary Iranians carry little weight in the government’s calculations. When commanders enter hospitals with protection teams and hold non-medical meetings, they are effectively taking patients and medical staff hostage to their own security considerations,” Barzegar said. “There is no justification for using civilians as human shields.”

Not just hospitals. Iranian Security forces gather in a school courtyard during the January protests in Iran.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Nissim Vaturi made unusually sharp remarks Sunday evening regarding Iran, suggesting that Israel could use weapons it has never previously deployed if it faces an existential threat.

Vaturi, who serves on the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, spoke in an interview with the chareidi news hotline “Zirat HaNews,” where he hinted at additional Israeli capabilities that have not yet been utilized.

“We also have tools that we haven’t used. No one wants to test us — not the Iranians and not anyone else. I don’t want to elaborate too much,” Vaturi said.

He then issued a pointed metaphor that was widely interpreted as a reference to unconventional weapons.

“They have Persian carpets, we have the textile factory. I don’t think one stands against the other, and if Israel uses that weapon on Judgment Day, then no one should bring us to a situation of Judgment Day.”

Vaturi’s remarks appear to stray from Israel’s long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity and carefully calibrated language regarding its defense capabilities. His statements included direct hints at the possible use of extraordinary measures, though he stopped short of specifying exactly what he meant.

{Matzav.com}

MEXICO CITY (VINnews) —Jewish community centers in Mexico’s Jalisco state suspended activities and advised members to remain indoors Sunday after a wave of violence erupted following a reported security operation against a senior cartel figure.

Local reports said clashes broke out after authorities targeted a leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the mountain town of Tapalpa. The unrest spread to Guadalajara and the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, with vehicles set ablaze, roads blocked and security forces deployed across key highways.

A Chabad center in Puerto Vallarta, led by Rabbi Shneur and Mushkie Hecht, reported an explosion in the vicinity of its building and said its staff were sheltering at home while checking on community members.

In the Lake Chapala area, Rabbi Abraham and Elisheva Srugo were traveling to officiate a wedding when they encountered multiple roadblocks and burned vehicles along the highway. They later returned home safely, and the ceremony was postponed.

Several airlines canceled flights to Puerto Vallarta as a precaution. The U.S. State Department advised Americans in affected areas to shelter in place because of security operations and blocked roads, and Canadian officials issued similar guidance.

Authorities said the violence appeared aimed largely at government forces and infrastructure, though it disrupted travel and daily life across the region. Community leaders said they were monitoring developments while awaiting a return to calm.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (VINnews) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday claimed a major policy win over New York, spotlighting what he called taxpayer-unfriendly choices in New York state and New York City as Mayor Zohran Mamdani pushes for significant tax increases to address budget shortfalls.

DeSantis highlighted Florida’s population edge and leaner spending, noting the state now has nearly 4 million more residents than New York while maintaining a smaller budget.

“Florida now has almost 4 million more residents than NY, yet their budget is over TWICE AS LARGE as Florida’s!” DeSantis said in remarks that gained traction among conservative commentators and Florida Republicans.

He pointed out that New York City, with roughly 8 million residents, operates a budget larger than Florida’s entire state allocation, despite Florida delivering what he described as superior infrastructure, roads and services.

“New York City with 8 million people has a larger budget than the entire state of Florida and yet our infrastructure is better, our roads are better, services are better,” DeSantis stated.

“These are CHOICES,” he added. “They don’t respect the taxpayers in these places and people have rebelled now.”

The comments come amid Mamdani’s recent preliminary budget proposal for fiscal year 2027, which totals around $127 billion — a figure that has drawn sharp comparisons to Florida’s approximately $117 billion state budget despite the vast population difference (Florida at over 23 million residents versus New York City’s 8 million-plus).

DeSantis linked the criticism to broader New York issues, including ongoing homelessness and crime challenges in certain areas.

“It’s not just taxes. You have homeless problem. You obviously have had crime problem in some of these areas for a number of years,” he said.

The governor defended Florida’s no-state-income-tax policy, which he pledged to preserve, while noting sales tax exemptions on essentials.

“We have no state income tax in Florida, which we’re gonna keep. We have a sales tax, but the necessities of life are actually exempt,” DeSantis explained. “So food, medication, baby items, you don’t even pay sales tax on that.”

“And so if somebody is struggling trying to make ends meet, we’ve done a lot to reduce the burdens on them,” he continued. “We’ve stood for people that are working hard. We respect the taxpayers and the proof’s in the pudding!”

DeSantis questioned the justification for New York’s larger spending given perceived inferior outcomes.

“How can you possibly argue that it would be OK to have a budget TWICE as large like New York State? Given the substandard results that they have, it’s a choice of how they’re treating taxpayers,” he concluded.

Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has proposed raising taxes on high earners and corporations as a primary solution to fiscal gaps, framing a potential 9.5% property tax hike as a “last resort” if state leaders in Albany reject his plans.

DeSantis’ remarks align with ongoing narratives of migration from high-tax states like New York to Florida, with recent population estimates showing Florida surpassing 23 million residents compared to New York’s roughly 20 million.

A major fire broke out in Lizhensk, Poland, as large-scale preparations were underway for the annual yahrtzeit of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk on 21 Adar. The blaze completely destroyed the well-known hachnosas orchim tent that serves thousands of visitors each year, though, remarkably, one pot of kugel was left untouched.

The fire erupted in one of the massive tents erected at the site, which operates year-round to accommodate the steady stream of visitors to the tziyun and houses valuable heating equipment, air conditioning units, and lighting systems. The structure was a central hub for the hachnasas orchim efforts that intensify ahead of the annual hilula, when tens of thousands are expected to arrive.

Local police have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire and are examining all possible factors. At this stage, authorities believe the blaze was likely the result of a technical malfunction.

Despite the heavy financial losses and the urgent need to replace the destroyed equipment in time for the influx of visitors, the leadership of Hachnosas Orchim Lizhensk, headed by the devoted askan and baal chesed Rabbi Simcha Krakowski, said they remain undeterred.

“We are emissaries of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech, and Klal Yisroel will arrive again this year and merit to accomplish salvations with expanded hearts and minds,” organizers said.

One witness described the dramatic scene: “The flames took hold of the tent. The fire climbed, spread, and consumed everything. People stood there stunned — everything burned, the tent, the tables, the utensils. Everything turned to smoke.”

“But when the smoke cleared, one thing remained,” he recounted. “The kugel was left whole, standing there, steaming. As if the fire had never touched it.”

He added, recalling a remark once made by the Lelover Rebbe during a visit to the Lizhensk kitchen: “In the kitchen, the greatest salvations are achieved.” And, he noted, “that holy kugel was not touched by the flames.”

{Matzav.com}

Please take a moment to be Mispallel for 13-year old Mayer Yitzchok Zelig ben Malka, the boy who was pulled out from underneath a car this evening.

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The Shas party announced Sunday night that it will support the so-called “Ben Gvir Law,” a renewed version of legislation previously known as “Deri Law 2,” aimed at preventing the High Court of Justice from intervening in the appointment or dismissal of government ministers. At the same time, the party made clear that its chairman, Aryeh Deri, does not intend to return to the cabinet, though a caveat remains.

In a statement issued by the office of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, the party confirmed its backing for the bill. The statement emphasized that the sole authority to appoint and remove ministers rests with the prime minister, “and that is how it should be in a democratic state.” It added that Aryeh Deri does not require such legislation and has no interest in serving as a minister in the current government.

The announcement came amid reports in several media outlets Sunday evening that the coalition has decided to resume advancing the legislation, which would allow ministers who are under indictment or have been convicted to serve at the government table. According to a report by Dafna Liel, the special committee handling the bill is expected to convene this week for a technical discussion, with a final vote in its second and third readings — already prepared — anticipated in the week following Purim.

Under the plan, the coalition will reestablish the committee that previously debated the proposal, which is designed to bar the High Court from reviewing ministerial appointments and dismissals. If enacted, the law would permit ministers to continue serving even while facing a pending indictment. The legislative process had previously been halted after committee deliberations ahead of its second and third readings. A renewed discussion is now required following guidance from legal advisers before the bill can be brought back for a vote.

The legislation passed its first reading in the Knesset in March 2023 by a vote of 63 in favor and 55 opposed. According to the bill’s language, the court would be barred from exercising judicial review over ministerial appointments and their identities, on the grounds that such decisions constitute the “core of democratic activity” and that disqualifying an appointment undermines the will of the voter.

The renewed push comes as a petition is currently pending seeking the dismissal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The bill, initially promoted at the beginning of the government’s term and later stalled at Deri’s request, was originally intended to facilitate his return to the cabinet table. It is now being reconsidered in connection with Minister Ben Gvir. Should the coalition decide to proceed, the measure could receive final approval within days.

Meanwhile, Shas is expected to regain the chairmanship of the Knesset Health Committee as part of a coordinated role swap with the Otzma Yehudit party, set to take effect as early as Monday. Party officials have indicated that Shas intends to lead deliberations on the Arrangements Law directly.

{Matzav.com}

Yediot Achranot journalist Ben-Dror Yemini wrote an article excoriating Keir Starmer, the leftist prime minister of the UK, for citing “international law” as an excuse to “embolden the axis of evil.”

“You can never know where help for a repressive regime of terror will come from,” he wrote. “But it always comes. Even when the assistance is not massive but merely symbolic, it emboldens the axis of evil. It signals weakness in the democratic camp. The tragedy is that it is the ostensibly enlightened politicians, along with their supporters and those who fear harming international law, who time and again cause far greater damage, not only to fundamental rights but also to human life.”

“This time it is Britain, once again Britain, which informed the United States that it opposes the use of its military bases in the region for a strike on Iran. The reference is mainly to Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, which under a May 2025 agreement is set to pass largely to the sovereignty of Mauritius. The International Court of Justice ruled in 2019 that sovereignty over the entire archipelago should be transferred to Mauritius and that the military base on Diego Garcia should be dismantled and evacuated. For years Britain has not complied. But when it comes to saving the Iranian people from a murderous regime of terror, Britain suddenly expresses concern for international law.”

“This is not the 1930s. Iran is not Germany. In Germany at the time there were no masses chanting “Death to Britain,” and barely, if at all, “Death to the Jews.” Nazism’s genocidal character was revealed later. Iran and its proxies, by contrast, openly espouse an ideology of genocidal racism. Hassan Nasrallah, until his assassination the most prominent protégé of the Iranian regime, once declared that Jews should be concentrated in one place so they could be eliminated more easily.”

“The Houthi flag bears the words ‘Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse upon the Jews, Victory to Islam.’ Hamas, backed by Iran, indoctrinates Palestinians, including children, to destroy Jews and conquer the entire world. Iran itself recently demonstrated its nature when it killed tens of thousands of its own citizens only weeks ago. It bankrolls the coalition of evil. It spreads destruction wherever it extends its reach. Alongside Qatar, it is a leading destabilizing force in the Middle East.”

“But Britain’s Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, neither hears nor sees nor understands. It seeks refuge in international law while refusing to comply with international legal rulings itself. This is not enlightenment. It is not respect for the law. It is weakness and appeasement gripping parts of the West like a disease that refuses to heal.”

“It is also striking that one of the Starmer government’s justifications for aiding Iran is the fear of Iranian retaliation against British bases in the region. According to the man in 10 Downing Street, the Iranians are apparently known for their gratitude, and in the Labour government’s imagined world the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will target only Zionists and Americans. That, it seems, is acceptable. No need for alarm,” he ominously concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Retired Gen. David Petraeus said that even if the Trump administration proceeds with military strikes against Iran amid growing tensions between President Donald Trump and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, such action would not succeed in removing the Iranian regime.

Speaking in an interview broadcast Sunday on the “Cats Roundtable” radio program with host John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM, the former CIA director described Khamenei as deeply entrenched in his views and unlikely to compromise on key issues. He said the Iranian leader is “such an ideologue, he’s so hard-lined, that it appears that he may not budge on the issues that really matter,” a posture that could lead Trump to authorize force.

“Look, candidly, I’m all for taking the missile program down further or [bringing] damage to the security forces, but we should be very clear-eyed,” Petraeus said. “This will not bring about a regime change, sadly.”

Petraeus argued that Iran’s supreme leader has shown little capacity to engage meaningfully in nuclear negotiations. American and Iranian officials met Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss Tehran’s nuclear activities, but as of early Sunday no agreement had been reached.

He described Iran’s nuclear program as a serious threat to U.S. allies in the region. According to Petraeus, Iran’s capabilities are “so threatening to our partners and allies in the region, including Israel, and the support that [Iran] provide to these murderous proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and Shia militia in Iraq.”

“So, unless he demonstrates some flexibility, I think they’re going to be at the receiving end of a very, very substantial demonstration of American military power,” he added.

Petraeus also referenced Trump’s 10-day deadline for Tehran to reach an agreement and offer “some serious concessions, which they have not been willing to do before.”

On Thursday, Trump cautioned that Iran would face “steep consequences” if talks collapse. He had said the previous week that failure to reach a deal would be “a bad day for Iran, very bad.”

The current diplomatic window mirrors the timeline seen last June, when U.S. stealth bombers struck three Iranian uranium enrichment facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer. U.S. officials said the operation severely impaired Iran’s nuclear program, though Iranian authorities disputed that assessment.

On Friday, Trump indicated he was weighing the possibility of a limited military strike.

The United States has since reinforced its military posture in the region, sending two aircraft carrier groups while flight tracking data showed numerous American fighter jets and refueling aircraft moving toward Europe and the Middle East.

The prospect of escalation has drawn resistance on Capitol Hill. Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced plans to force a House vote this week on a war powers resolution that would require Trump to obtain congressional approval before launching an attack.

“Trump officials say there’s a 90% chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress,” Khanna said Wednesday in a post on the social platform X. “@RepThomasMassie & I have a War Powers Resolution to debate & vote on war before putting U.S. troops in harm’s way.”

Not all lawmakers support that effort. Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) said Friday they oppose advancing a war powers resolution.

“We respect and defend Congress’s constitutional role in matters of war,” they said in a joint statement. “Oversight and debate are absolutely vital. However, this resolution would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”

{Matzav.com}

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President Donald Trump said he is dispatching a U.S. hospital ship to Greenland, the Danish territory he has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring, stating that the vessel will provide medical care to residents in need.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “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!!! President DJT.” Landry is serving as the president’s special envoy to Greenland.

Earlier in the day, Danish military officials disclosed in a Facebook statement that they had assisted with a medical emergency involving U.S. personnel. In a post translated into English, Danish forces said they had “evacuated a crew member from an American submarine.”

“The crew member needed urgent medical treatment and has been transferred to the Greenlandic health authorities and the hospital in Nuuk,” the statement added.

The Hill sought comment from both the White House and the office of Denmark’s prime minister regarding the developments.

In recent months, Trump has intensified his calls for the United States to acquire Greenland, a stance that has created friction with allied nations such as Denmark, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Trump has argued that control of Greenland would be strategically important, citing its relevance to his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system and contending that American ownership would counter Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen appeared to allude to the medical evacuation in her own Facebook message on Sunday, while also drawing a contrast with the American healthcare model.

“Am 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 in a translated post, according to Facebook.

{Matzav.com}