Major international carriers are continuing to halt service to Tel Aviv as the conflict with Iran intensifies, with Delta Air Lines announcing it will pause all flights to Israel through June 1, shortly after United Airlines said it would suspend its service until June 15.

Other airlines have followed suit, with flyDubai confirming that it is canceling all routes to Israel until April 30.

The Lufthansa Group — including Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, and Lufthansa — has also extended its suspension of Tel Aviv flights through April 2. Meanwhile, Hungary’s low-cost carrier Wizz Air stated it will not resume service to Israel until at least April, with reports indicating that some scheduled April flights have already been scrapped.

British budget airline easyJet has taken an even longer view, canceling all flights to Israel for the foreseeable future and not expecting to return to Tel Aviv before October.

Currently, foreign airlines are unable to operate at Ben Gurion Airport due to a NOTAM issued by Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority, which significantly limits activity in the country’s airspace. In addition, both the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have issued advisories cautioning against flights in the region.

flyDubai, in particular, has been affected by the deteriorating security situation in the Gulf. Dubai’s airport has recently come under threat from Iran and has even been targeted by suicide drones.

Although Israel’s Transportation Ministry granted flyDubai special authorization to land and conduct rescue operations to bring Israelis home, the airline ultimately decided not to restart its flights.

{Matzav.com}

By BoroPark24 Staff

A three-vehicle accident at the intersection of 47th Street and Parkville Avenue left two pedestrians injured on Wednesday afternoon.

According to initial reports, one vehicle went out of control near a nearby car wash, triggering the collision involving three cars.

Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene and treated the injured pedestrians. The extent of their injuries has not been disclosed.

The IDF announced Wednesday that it had struck 200 targets in Iran over the past day, continuing in its mission to weaken Iran and degrade its capabilities.

“The IDF continues to degrade the Iranian terror regime ballistic missile array and defense systems in western and central Iran,” the military said in a statement.

“Over the past day, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck over 200 Iranian regime targets in western and central Iran,” the IDF added.

This video published by the IDF shows recent strikes on Iranian targets.

Targets included facilities used to store and launch ballistic missiles and drones, air defense systems, launchers and missile production facilities.

“The Israeli Air Force continues to strike in western and central Iran with the aim to reduce to the full extent possible the scope of fire toward the State of Israel and to expand its aerial superiority in Iran,” the IDF said.

Separately, the IDF said it struck Iranian soldiers in western Iran Tuesday. The soldiers were identified and targeted at a military site. Other soldiers who then fled the site were pursued and struck down by the IDF.

Senior leaders of the American intelligence community, including top officials from the FBI and CIA, testified Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, offering an updated overview of global security threats.

Their assessment indicated that the number of missiles worldwide capable of striking the United States is projected to surge significantly, climbing from roughly 3,000 today to more than 16,000 by 2035.

During the session, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard discussed Iran’s condition following months of conflict, explaining that while the regime remains in place, its military effectiveness has been heavily diminished. “The regime in Iran appears to be intact but largely degraded by Operation Epic Fury. Its regional power projection capabilities have been destroyed, leaving limited options,” Gabbard noted. She added that if the regime survives the current conflict, it will need many years to restore the missile and UAV arrays that have been severely damaged.

Gabbard also addressed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, stating that its uranium enrichment sites were completely wiped out during last June’s war and that there is currently no indication Tehran is working to rebuild them.

Despite these setbacks, U.S. intelligence officials cautioned that Iran and its allied groups still pose an active threat across the region. “Iran and its proxies remain capable of and continue to attack US and allied interests in the Middle East. If a hostile regime survives, it will seek to begin a years long effort to rebuild its missiles and UAV forces.”

{Matzav.com}

New details disclosed Wednesday show that three privately owned passenger planes sustained damage in recent days after missile fragments fell onto Ben Gurion International Airport.

One of the aircraft caught fire following the impact, causing significant destruction, while the other two planes were found with punctures from the debris.

In response to the exposed weaknesses in the airport’s defenses, Israel’s Transportation Ministry is now weighing whether to scale back the number of passengers permitted on departing flights, after having previously raised the limit to 120.

Ira Zlotowitz, founder of GPARENCY and board member of national commercial real estate brokerage Eastern Union, today announced the launch of AveryGPT, a lender intelligence platform designed to help mortgage brokers and in-house finance teams identify and connect with the most active and relevant lenders for any commercial real estate transaction in any geographical location nationwide.

“If there is a commercial real estate loan happening in America, we have the data that helps make that transaction better,” said Zlotowitz. “We’ve essentially built the Bloomberg Terminal for commercial real estate lending.”

Built on nearly three decades of commercial mortgage brokerage experience, AveryGPT focuses on delivering targeted lending data, helping users quickly determine which lenders are actively lending in a given market, for a specific property type, and within a defined loan size.

Solving a Long-Standing Industry Problem

In commercial real estate finance, one of the biggest inefficiencies is identifying the right lender for a deal.

Most participants operate with incomplete information- often missing better lenders, better structures, or better terms simply because they don’t know who is actively lending at any given moment in any given location.

At the same time, lenders receive large volumes of deals that do not match their lending criteria.

“Whether someone works through a broker or runs financing in-house, they need better lender intelligence,” Zlotowitz said. “Brokers need to move faster and cover the market more effectively. In-house teams need to know who to call. And lenders want to see deals that actually fit. AveryGPT solves that problem for everyone.”

Mapping and Matching Lenders Across the U.S.

AveryGPT provides visibility into EVERY commercial real estate lender in the United States, along with detailed profiles and contact information for more than 4,100 loan officers currently mapped within the platform with more officers being added daily.

Users can instantly identify the most active lenders within a 25-mile radius of any property or across national markets, based on real lending activity and defined criteria.

Through an interactive map and search interface, users can identify which lenders are actively closing in a specific area; filter by property type, loan size, and geography; and target lenders most likely to execute.

This allows brokers and in-house teams to target instead of guess, reducing wasted outreach and increasing execution certainty.

Importantly, AveryGPT does not require users to upload deal or client information to access lender data- allowing professionals to maintain full control and confidentiality while still benefiting from the platform’s intelligence.

Over time, AveryGPT aims to map every loan officer nationwide along with their lending profile and contact information, creating a true intelligence layer for commercial real estate lending.

A Continuously Improving Data Network

Unlike static lender lists, AveryGPT is built as a continuously evolving data platform.

The system expands through a combination of ongoing data research, direct lender engagement, and insights contributed by active users.

As more participants use the platform, the data becomes more accurate and more valuable, creating a network effect that improves lender targeting and market transparency over time.

The long-term vision is a data flywheel: more usage leads to better intelligence, which leads to better matches, which drives more successful transactions.

Completing a Broader Industry Vision

The launch of AveryGPT represents the third successful platform created by Zlotowitz to address different segments of the commercial real estate financing market.

Eastern Union operates as a full-service commercial real estate brokerage focused on execution.

GPARENCY provides mortgage assurance and underwriting expertise through a fixed-fee model.

AveryGPT delivers targeted lender intelligence and market data.

Each company operates independently, with its own focus and leadership.

“Over time, I saw that different parts of the market needed different solutions,” Zlotowitz said.
“This is not one platform trying to do everything. These are three distinct companies, each solving a specific problem.”

Launch Access

To mark the launch, AveryGPT is offering complimentary full access through April 15, 2026.

Users can visit www.averygpt.com and enter promo code GPARENCY to activate access.

After the launch period, users will have the option to continue on a monthly subscription at a preferred early-user rate.

About AveryGPT

AveryGPT provides brokers and in-house finance teams with targeted visibility into every commercial real estate lender in the United States, along with detailed profiles and contact information for more than 4,100 loan officers. By combining ongoing data research, lender participation, and user insights, AveryGPT continuously expands its intelligence layer to map lending activity across the market. The long-term vision is to build the data infrastructure that powers commercial real estate lending.

[Press Release]

The strike against the world’s largest gas field in Iran Wednesday was coordinated by the United States and Israel, Israeli officials said. The joint attack signaled a warning to Iran over its threat to the Strait of Hormuz.

The two countries reportedly struck the South Pars gas field Wednesday, the world’s largest gas field. Iran obtains 70% of its gas from South Pars and shares the massive field with Qatar, which condemned the strike. The field, located in the Bushehr Province in southern Iran, houses a facility that processes natural gas. Other facilities associated with the South Pars Offshore Gas Field and Asaluyeh Oil Industry were also struck, with several phases at South Pars now offline.

The attack destroyed only part of the field, so officials estimate that this has decreased the natural gas available to the people of Iran by about 20 percent. This will have enough of an impact, according to one official, to increase internal pressure on the regime.

Credit: Iran International

“The regime will likely reduce gas supply to consumers, increasing internal pressure,” he said. “Shutting off gas to citizens could accelerate unrest.”

The official said that this attack represents the first stage of a strategy meant to force Iran to back off from its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil is shipped. The fear of attack has prevented ships from sailing through, throwing the global economy into a tailspin. Iran’s continued intransigence regarding the vital waterway will trigger the next stage of the plan.

“The gas facility is the first stage,” the official said. “Fuel infrastructure could follow. In such a scenario, Iran risks losing its primary source of revenue.”

An Israeli official said the joint attack was meant to send a united message to Iran that it would not be able to export its own oil through the strait while disrupting the oil exports of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The authoritarian regime vowed to retaliate by attacking oil and gas production facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, singling out Saudi Arabia’s SAMREF Refinery and the Jubail petrochemical complex, the UAE’s Al-Hasan Gas Field, and some of Qatar’s petrochemical plants, as well as a refinery there.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jay Allen is a fan of President Donald Trump, and voted for him on the belief that the Republican would cut taxes and trim regulations, helping his manufacturing business in northeast Arkansas.

But the tariffs at the core of Trump’s economic agenda have wreaked havoc on his company, Allen Engineering Corp., which makes industrial equipment used to install, finish and pave concrete. The import taxes have raised the costs of engines, steel, gearboxes and clutches made abroad that Allen needs to build power trowels that can sell for up to $100,000 each.

Allen’s experience embodies a growing body of evidence that the tariffs that Trump said would help American factories are, in fact, squashing many of them. The problem could get worse as the administration scrambles to craft new tariffs to replace the emergency import taxes that the Supreme Court ruled illegal in February.

Allen said he ran his company at a loss in 2025 because of tariffs. His payroll has fallen to 140 workers from a peak of 205. To get by this year, he has hiked prices by 8% to 10%, even though that might mean fewer sales.

Jay Allen, owner of Allen Engineering Corporation, poses for a portrait Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paragould, Ark. (AP Photo/Kevin Wurm)

“What’s really sad is the unintended consequences of his tariffs are hurting manufacturing in our country,” said Allen. “Unfortunately, the working-class people are getting squeezed.”

Manufacturing jobs have declined during Trump’s first year back
Trump’s core rationale for tariffs has been that they would force more factories to open in the U.S. and would generate enough revenue to close federal budget deficits. But that hasn’t materialized.

Factories continue to shed workers, with 98,000 manufacturing jobs lost during Trump’s first full 12 months back in the White House. American companies that foot the bill for tariffs are now suing the Trump administration for more than $130 billion in tariff refunds. Meanwhile, the federal deficit is projected to climb over the next decade.

The White House maintains that construction spending is high, more workers are being hired to build factories, new investments are being made and labor productivity in manufacturing is increasing — which could eventually fuel a factory revival.

“It takes time to get production online, and therefore it will be some more time before we fully materialize the benefits of the president’s policies,” Pierre Yared, the acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said in an email.

Construction is up — but that’s due to Biden’s bill
Some of the bright spots in construction cited by the White House appear to be the result of programs launched by then-President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

Factory construction spending began to accelerate in 2022 with the anticipation of government support from Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act, which included big subsidies for computer chip plants. The law was a primary contributor to a historic surge in the annualized rate of construction spending on manufacturing facilities, said Skanda Amarnath, executive director of the economic policy group Employ America.

Construction spending on factories has slipped during Trump’s presidency, but the pace remains relatively high largely because of continuing work on Biden-era projects in Arizona, Texas and Idaho, Amarnath said.

The Allen Engineering Corporation plant is seen Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paragould, Ark. (AP Photo/Kevin Wurm)

Amarnath has also gone through the interviews regional Federal Reserve banks have held with businesses. Those comments show some companies might expand by taking advantage of Trump’s tax breaks on investments in equipment and new buildings.

But while the pharmaceutical drug sector might be expanding, the comments show no overall uptick in manufacturing because of Trump’s tariffs.

“You don’t get the sense that there is this new manufacturing renaissance underway,” Amarnath said.

Uncertainty in tariffs has deterred investments
Based on orders, proclamations and other statements, Trump has taken more than 50 actions on tariffs so far — and that tally doesn’t include the tariff threats he regularly makes on social media or in conversations with reporters but hasn’t formally put in place.

The flurry of announcements, reversals, exemptions and legal challenges — as well as Trump’s decision to bypass Congress to impose tariffs — has made it difficult for smaller manufacturing companies to plan.

For example, Allen Engineering imports its 75-horsepower diesel engines from Germany. Building them in the United States would require a $20 million investment — a huge risk if the status of the tariffs is unclear.

Are engine-makers “going to spend that kind of money to move production from Germany to the U.S. when they don’t know what the landscape is going to be in three years?” Allen said. “I don’t know who is going to be in the White House, and what the stance is going to be on these tariffs.”

Joseph Steinberg, an economist at the University of Toronto, said research shows that under the best-case scenario “it would take a decade for manufacturing employment to rise above where it was before tariffs were enacted.”

But Steinberg said “the current situation is nothing like the ‘best case,’” since U.S. trade policy is unsettled and that leaves companies reluctant to expand.

Equipment makers have been hit hard by rising steel costs
About 98% of U.S. manufacturing establishments have fewer than 200 workers, according to Census Bureau data, and don’t have the kind of name-brand recognition or lobbying heft to minimize the damage from tariffs that big players like Apple, General Motors and Ford possess.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers in February reported that America’s share of global manufacturing severely lags China’s. The group has urged tax credits to offset the expense of tariffs, and specifically called for tariff relief on raw materials, parts and components that cannot be acquired domestically at scale.

Steel tariffs have been a particular concern. Trump imposed them last March and hiked them to 50% in June. They were not affected by the Supreme Court decision.

Trump has credited the tariffs with restoring profits at American steel mills. But they have hurt companies that use that steel, like Calder Brothers in South Carolina, which makes equipment to pave asphalt.

“The steel tariffs were the first thing that got my attention,” said Glen Calder, the company’s president. “My steel pricing jumped 25% two weeks before the tariffs went into effect for domestic steel. The market price just jumped. It has stayed elevated.”

Meanwhile, China’s trade surplus has grown
Part of Trump’s push to expand manufacturing was to help American companies compete against China — a country he plans to visit this spring for talks with its leader, Xi Jinping.

But the U.S. manufacturing trade imbalance rose last year under Trump instead of narrowing. Meanwhile, China’s trade surplus with the world climbed to a record $1.2 trillion.

This trend exposes one of the big problems with Trump’s tariff strategy, said Lori Wallach, director of the Rethink Trade program at American Economic Liberties Project. She noted that he largely bypassed Congress and failed to address gaps in the World Trade Organization’s rules for the trade frameworks that he negotiated with other countries.

Instead of working with partners to ensure there were penalties for foreign manufacturers with abusive labor practices and unfair subsidies, Trump chose against rallying partners to counter China as a unified group. American manufacturers are at a disadvantage, Wallach argued, because there is not a coalition of nations that can impose penalties for currency manipulation, subsidies and schemes to evade tariffs.

“The general revulsion of this administration to international cooperation means they’re trying to do it alone,” Wallach said.

JERUSALEM — Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday called attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian civilians and soldiers in the West Bank “morally and ethically unacceptable,” saying they cause “extraordinary strategic damage” to the military.

Speaking during a visit to Central Command, Zamir said nationalist crime incidents have risen recently and stressed that the perpetrators “do not represent the settlements” but instead threaten security, stability, and the values of the state. He urged authorities to act swiftly to end such attacks, warning they undermine the IDF’s efforts during a multi-front war.

At a Council on Foreign Relations event Tuesday, United Arab Emirates presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said that Iran’s incessant attacks on Gulf countries will produce the opposite effect of what Iran had intended. Rather than pushing the Arab states to pressure the United States to back down, the attacks will push them to align with Israel — including countries that do not have diplomatic ties to the Jewish state.

“Iran’s full-throttle attack on the Gulf states will actually strengthen the Israeli role in the Gulf, will not diminish it,” he said.

“For countries that have relations with Israel, this is — you know, this relationship, in my opinion, will be even more strengthened,” he added. “For countries that don’t have, I expect … that more channels will be open.”

The UAE intercepts ballistic missiles launched from Iran targeting the Dubai airport. (From a post on X)

The UAE is one of four countries that entered the Abraham Accords with Israel, joining Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan in signing the 2020 agreement. Since then, other countries like Azerbaijan have signaled their willingness to join the Accords.

While Iran has relentlessly launched missile attacks against Israel since the joint Israeli-U.S. military campaign began on Feb. 28, it has launched more drone and missile attacks against Gulf states than against Israel, targeting oil facilities, airports, diplomatic buildings, and civilian residential and commercial infrastructure. Iran has also taken hostage the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped, throwing the global economy into a tailspin.

This video shows the impact of U.S. Tomahawk missiles on Iran. (From a post on X)

Iran’s fierce and massive bombardment has opened the eyes of its neighbors to the danger of living next door to the authoritarian Islamic regime as long as it remains capable of inflicting harm not only via its weaponry but also through its ability to control the Strait of Hormuz. Nevertheless, out of fear of drawing the region into a raging conflict, they have refrained from retaliating against Iran, content to allow the United States and Israel to do the job for now.

Nevertheless, Gargash, whose country has faced more Iranian attacks than the other Arab states — 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,699 drones have been intercepted, two UAE soldiers and six civilians have been killed, and 158 have been wounded — said that the UAE would consider joining an American effort to secure the vital waterway.

“We’re not seeing 2,000 Israeli missiles and drones targeting us,” Gargash pointed out. “We’re seeing 2,000 Iranian missiles and drones targeting us.”

YS GOLD 

This week’s captured moment brings us to the center of Boro Park and to the shtiebel established by the Lubavitcher chossid, Rav Eliyahu Simpson. 

Can our readers pinpoint the location of this shul? 

___ 

Answer to the previous captured moment:

“The Loft” was a clothing store located at the corner of 44th Street and 13th Avenue, adjacent to the Woolworth’s store.

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — UNICEF on Wednesday said it was launching an investigation into Israel’s allegation that tobacco products were smuggled into Gaza in one of the U.N. agency’s aid shipments heading to the territory.

COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of facilitating aid to Gaza, said Monday it found bottles containing tobacco substances hidden inside cartons of hygiene kits belonging to UNICEF.

It shared photos of several bottles, one with a visible label reading “Nicotine.” It said it had suspended the delivery of UNICEF aid to Gaza.

Israel has barred entry of cigarettes and other nicotine products since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which triggered more than two years of war. The ban has led to a lucrative black market on tobacco products.

In a response to an Associated Press inquiry, UNICEF said the hygiene kits were being transported into Gaza by a commercial carrier, and that an investigation was opened into the claim.

“We take this allegation seriously,” it said.

It said that disruption of its operations risks further exacerbating an already dire situation in Gaza.

Though a shaky ceasefire announced last October has led to more humanitarian aid and other supplies entering Gaza, aid groups still say more of everything — from basic medical supplies to fuel — is needed. Some Palestinians are hoarding food, with reports of prices rising sharply for basic goods such as bags of flour.

The claims about UNICEF come amid accusations that Israeli soldiers are involved in Gaza tobacco smuggling. The brother of the chief of Israel’s internal security service, Bezalel Zini, has been charged with smuggling tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes into Gaza.

The indictment was part of a burgeoning scandal accusing more than a dozen people, many of them Israeli reserve soldiers, of personally profiting from the Israel-Hamas war and delivering goods into Gaza that could potentially benefit the militant group. Israel believes Hamas has cashed in on the illicit cigarette trade.

Even as famine was declared in parts of Gaza in the summer of 2025, Israel’s military was restricting the amount of food and other supplies entering the territory. At the height of the war, an individual cigarette could cost over $80.

NEW YORK (AP) — As the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran continues to upend energy markets and supply chains worldwide, the Trump administration says it will temporarily waive maritime shipping requirements under a more than century-old law known as the Jones Act.

The Jones Act requires that goods hauled between U.S. ports be moved on U.S.-flagged vessels. Passed in 1920, this law aims to protect the American shipping sector — but it’s also faced criticism over the years for slowing the delivery of goods, including critical aid during time of crisis.

On Wednesday, the White House said that it would suspend Jones Act requirements for 60 days, in a measure that arrives amid wider efforts to counter steep oil prices and cargo disruptions due to the war. The Jones Act is often blamed for making gas, in particular, more expensive. Still, some analysts and industry groups say this waiver will do little to ease consumers’ fuel bills today.

Here’s what we know.

What is the Jones Act?
The Jones Act’s official name is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Congress passed the law — sponsored by Sen. Wesley Jones of Washington state — in an effort to rebuild U.S. shipping after German U-boats decimated America’s merchant flee during World War I.

Among other things, the Jones Act mandates that ships carrying cargo and passengers between U.S. ports must be built in the United States and owned by Americans — effectively prohibiting foreign-flagged ships from this domestic trade. The vessels are also required to carry U.S. crews.

The law can be waived in the “interest of national defense,” the U.S. Maritime Administration notes, either through the Homeland Security or Defense Department.

The Jones Act also was intended to ensure that the U.S. had its own merchant fleet in case of war. It’s been strongly supported by some U.S. shipping companies, national security advocates and organized labor. But cutting out foreign competition has also driven up the cost of carrying cargo domestically.

U.S.-flagged ships are generally more expensive to both operate and build than foreign ones. And those costs are especially damaging to states and territories that are supplied by sea, such as Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Why is Trump waiving Jones Act requirements now?
Oil prices have spiked and swung rapidly since the start of the Iran war. Nearly all tanker movement in the key Strait of Hormuzremains at a halt, which has led major oil producers across the Middle East to cut production. Commercial ships — which, beyond fuel, haul cargo from pharmaceuticals to computer chips — have also been stalled at sea or faced attacks themselves.

That’s pushing up prices for businesses and consumers worldwide. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at nearly $109 a barrel on Wednesday, up from roughly $70 before the war began. And U.S. crude is now at about $98 a barrel. U.S. drivers have already seen prices at the pump jump dramatically — with the national average for regular gasoline topping $3.84 a gallon Wednesday, per AAA, up about 86 cents from before the war.

All of this has left countries scrambling for more supply and alternative shipping routes. The White House confirmed last week it was looking into suspending Jones Act requirements, which Trump called “restrictive.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the Jones Act waiver would help “mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market” during the Iran war and would “allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports.”

Meanwhile, the American Maritime Partnership — a coalition that represents vessel owners and operators, unions, equipment yards and vendors — said in a statement that it was “deeply concerned” about the 60-day waiver “being abused and unnecessarily displacing American workers and American companies.”

The group, which has been a longtime supporter of the Jones Act, also reiterated that the action would do little to reduce gas prices for consumers.

How could suspending Jones Act requirements impact gas prices?
A number of factors contribute to prices at the pump. And many note that opening up domestic shipping routes isn’t a sweeping fix.

The Center for American Progress estimated last week that waiving the Jones Act would decrease East Coast gas prices by a modest 3 cents, but potentially raising costs on the Gulf Coast. And the move “would also sideline American shipbuilders and workers and allow the oil industry to continue to profit from high prices while reducing transport costs,” the research and policy think tank said Friday.

The U.S. is looking for additional ways to boost oil supply. Also on Wednesday, the Treasury Department eased sanctions to allow U.S. companies to do business with Venezuela’s state-owned oil and gas company. And the Trump administration has announced it will temporarily free up Russian oil from U.S. sanctions, too.

Last week, the International Energy Agency also pledged to release 400 million barrels of oil available from its member nations’ stockpiles, the largest volume of emergency oil pulled in the organization’s history. Trump, who previously downplayed the need to tap into reserve oil, confirmed that the U.S. would pull 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve over 120 days as part of the IEA’s effort.

Still, analysts maintain this will be a short-term bridge. Refineries also buy crude oil in advance, and it takes time for new supply to trickle down to consumers. And, of course, it’s possible the pain of higher prices could increase further if the war drags on.

The U.S. is a net exporter of oil, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to global spikes. Oil is a commodity traded globally. And most of what the U.S. produces is light, sweet crude, but refineries on the East and West coasts are primarily designed to process heavier, sour product. As a result, it also needs imports.

Submitted: Hi,

I think it might be worth bringing this to people’s attention but it’s your call obviously. I was shopping in (moderated) tonight and as I was going through the Passover section, they had  Gefen Wafers that looked way too familiar. Sure enough, they were regular chometz wafers!

I went over to the manager and let her know and she immediately had them removed from the Passover section. They were nice about it but it’s still pretty scary. I’m attaching some pictures.

If you decide to post it maybe leave out the store name because they weren’t nasty about it.

Thank you

(AP) – Air traffic controllers will use radar, not just visual checks, to ensure that helicopters maintain a safe distance from arriving and departing airplanes in the wake of last year’s fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C., federal officials announced Wednesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration said recent near-misses show that previous guidelines for pilots to maintain visual separation between helicopters and airplanes have failed to provide adequate protection around busy airports.

Under the new guidelines, air traffic controllers must use radar to keep helicopters and airplanes apart by specific lateral or vertical distances. The new requirement applies to more than 150 of the nation’s busiest airports, extending a restriction already put in place at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

“Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a news release. “Following the mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), we looked at similar operations across the national airspace. We identified an overreliance on pilot ‘see and avoid’ operations that contribute to safety events involving helicopters and airplanes.”

Officials also specifically mentioned a Feb. 27 near-miss in which a police helicopter had to turn to avoid an American Airlines flight that was landing at San Antonio International Airport in Texas. A similar close call happened on March 2, when a helicopter had to turn away from a small aircraft that had been cleared to arrive at California’s Hollywood Burbank Airport, officials said.

The January 2025 collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter killed 67 people, making it the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001. Among other factors contributing to the crash, investigators said controllers in the Reagan tower overly relied on asking pilots to spot aircraft and maintain visual separation.

The night of the crash, the controller approved the Black Hawk’s request to do that twice. However, investigators say the helicopter pilots likely never spotted the American Airlines plane as the jet circled to land on the little-used secondary runway.

Many of the people who died were young figure skaters and their parents and coaches who had just attended a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held there.

PALATKA, Fla. (AP) — It was supposed to be Florida’s version of the Panama Canal — a shortcut for boats to pass through the middle of the state from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf instead of navigating around the peninsula. But work on the Cross Florida Barge Canal was stopped in 1971 over environmental concerns.

Since then, a dam and reservoir built for the aborted canal in northeast Florida has drowned a chunk of the Ocala National Forest, put 20 springs underwater and disrupted wildlife crossings, including some used by migrating manatees.

Every couple of years, when state workers empty the reservoir to clean out muck, those lost springs reemerge and cypress saplings begin growing on previously submerged land. For several months, the area returns to its natural state.

The dead trunks of cypress trees, cabbage palms and other wetland plants briefly emerge during a drawdown of the Rodman Reservoir on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Palatka, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The latest drawdown of Rodman Reservoir, the first in six years, started in October and ended in early March. But environmentalists want to permanently open the 7,200-foot (2,200-meter) Kirkpatrick Dam and reunite the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers with Silver Springs, one of the largest spring systems in the U.S.

“By removing the dam, we would reunite the waters,” said Nina Bhattacharyya, executive director of Florida Defenders of the Environment. “We would have springs reemerge. Wildlife would be able to move back and forth — migratory fish, manatees and so much more. Removal of the dam would really fix a wrong that was created decades ago.”

A legislative setback, and vows to keep fighting
The latest effort to make that happen, after decades of trying, failed last week when lawmakers didn’t pass a bill before the legislative session ended that would have supported a $70 million project to restore the Ocklawaha River by opening up the dam over four years.

Advocates for restoring the river said they plan to regroup and identify the best strategy for moving forward, but they remain optimistic given how close they came. The measure had passed the Florida House and was awaiting a Senate vote before the session ended last week.

“While the bill did not receive a final vote in the Senate this session, the strong bipartisan support it earned reflects growing momentum for restoration,” Bhattacharyya said Monday.

During the drawdowns, what used to be on the 9,500 acres (3,844 hectares) of submerged land becomes visible. Bear and deer tracks are spotted. Wild turkeys and sandhill cranes return to the dried-out land. Thousands of drowned and ghostlike cypress, palm and maple tree trunks reveal themselves as the water drops.

“It’s haunting, like a graveyard,” Karen Chadwick, a charter boat captain, said recently as she maneuvered her boat among decayed and graying tree trunks jutting from the water.

There are also concerns about the safety of the dam, which is past its life expectancy. Advocates for opening the dam say a structural collapse could endanger hundreds of nearby homes.

“Something is going to happen, maybe next year, maybe in a couple of years,” Republican state Sen. Jason Brodeur, the legislation’s sponsor, said last month during a committee hearing. “Something has to be done.”

‘This system is a national treasure’
Nature filmmaker Mark Emery told Florida lawmakers recently that the Ocklawaha River was unique as it was historically fed by the extensive Silver Springs system. But huge schools of mullet and catfish have disappeared from Silver Springs since the dam choked the flow of the river and reduced the number of fish getting into the springs, he said.

“This system is a national treasure,” Emery said. “Hundreds of millions of gallons of fresh water feed and cool the river. Before the dam, you had a direct waterway to the ocean with small springs all along the way.”

Some angling groups oppose anything that would permanently empty Rodman Reservoir, saying it has become a world-class fishing spot and supports a local economy of largemouth bass fishing, camping and birdwatching in rural Putnam County, which is among Florida’s poorest counties. Supporters of emptying the reservoir say it will remain an outdoors haven, if not more so.

Plus, the reservoir reduces nutrient levels in the water and could be used as an alternate water supply at a time when Florida’s population is booming, Steve Miller, president of Save Rodman Reservoir, told lawmakers in February.

“There’s a bigger picture than what is being shown,” Miller said during a legislative hearing. “Don’t gamble away on speculative outcomes.”

Fixing misguided projects
While the construction of the dam was a mistake, locals have made the best of the situation by creating businesses geared toward outdoorspeople, said Putnam County Commissioner Joshua Alexander.

“We have created chicken salad out of chicken,” Alexander told lawmakers. “We are not a rich economy, and I believe it would affect our economy.”

A restoration of the Ocklawaha River would be part of a long history in Florida of restoring a natural environment that was upset by a misguided public works project.

The Everglades in South Florida had shrunk to half its size due to water supply and flood control projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before a multibillion-dollar effort was launched at the start of this century to restore the network of wetlands. Similarly, the corps dredged the Kissimmee River and installed canals in the 1960s to reduce flooding in the interior part of the state, but ended up upsetting the floodplain’s ecosystem of birds and fish. Efforts to restore the river were launched two decades ago and completed in 2021.

“Nature is very resilient,” Chadwick said, “if you just get out of the way and let it do its thing.”

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has lashed out after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he can do “whatever he wants” with the island and that the U.S. could take “imminent action” against it.

Writing on the social platform X late Tuesday, Díaz-Canel said the Trump administration “publicly threatens” Cuba’s government almost daily with overthrowing it, and any act of aggression “will clash with an impregnable resistance.”

The comments come after the new threats by Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said the Cuban government’s socialist economic model needs to “change dramatically.”

While the Cuban government places heavy restrictions on the country’s private sector, decades of U.S. sanctions have crippled Cuba’s economy.

The Trump administration is looking for Díaz-Canel to leave as the U.S. continues negotiating with the Cuban government, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of talks between Washington and Havana. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss sensitive talks.

No details have been offered about who the administration might like to see in power.

Trump’s comments on Cuba come after his administration’s military raid that captured then-President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, and the launch of U.S. military strikes against Iran.

The administration has effectively halted vital oil exports to Cuba, pushing the Caribbean nation to the brink.

The Cuban people Trump and Rubio say they want to help have been left reeling.

Overnight, activist groups from various countries delivered five tons of medical equipment and other aid, according to Cuban state television, while crippling blackouts plague the island.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani on Tuesday unveiled a suite of tools designed to make it easier for homeowners to add ancillary dwelling units (ADUs), such as backyard cottages or “in-law units,” to their properties.

The initiative, called “ADU for You,” includes a guidebook, a pre-approved plan library, and digital tools for site feasibility and cost estimation. The city also plans to reopen applications for the Plus One ADU program, which provides up to $395,000 in financial and technical support to eligible homeowners.

“One of the solutions to the housing crisis can be found in our backyards, attics, or basements,” Mamdani said. “By making it easier for New Yorkers to turn their homes into extra space for family or income, we’re allowing our city to grow while keeping the character of our neighborhoods.”

The Plus One ADU program, funded by the city and New York State Homes and Community Renewal, previously received more than 1,300 submissions within two weeks and had been closed to new applicants since February 2024.

City officials emphasized that ADUs could provide additional housing while helping homeowners generate income or accommodate family members. Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said the pre-approved plan library streamlines permitting by providing code-compliant designs that can be adapted to specific properties.

Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg said the tools ensure that homeowners can navigate regulations and financing, whether adding a backyard cottage or converting existing spaces like garages or attics.

Officials from nonprofit and partner organizations, including Restored Homes HDFC, Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County, and AARP New York, praised the program for helping homeowners create flexible, affordable housing while remaining in their communities.

ADUs are expected to help expand housing options in low-density neighborhoods while maintaining existing neighborhood character. The city plans to review and add more pre-approved plans as they are submitted by design professionals.

Online: https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/plus-one-adu.page?utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery
Online: https://housing.hpd.nyc.gov/adu?utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery

In the city of Tuyserkan in western Iran stands a historic mausoleum that, according to longstanding tradition, marks the kever of the novi Chavakuk, one of the Trei Asar.

The site has been revered for generations by both the Jewish community of Persia and local Shiite Muslims, and is officially listed as monument number 969 on Iran’s national heritage registry.

Chavakuk lived during the time of the first Beis Hamikdash, in the days of King Menasheh ben Chizkiyahu of Yehudah. His nevuah grapples with a profound question: how ra and resha can prevail in the world of Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

According to Persian tradition, Chavakuk served as a guardian of the Beis Hamikdash and was taken captive by the Babylonians following the destruction of Yerushalayim. That same tradition maintains that he later passed away in Persia and was buried in Tuyserkan.

The present structure dates back to the Seljuk period in the 13th century. However, local traditions indicate that the site had already been associated with his kever long before the rise of Islam.

The building is constructed of brick in an octagonal shape, standing 12 meters tall, and topped with a distinctive cone-shaped dome rising another seven meters. A striking and unusual feature is the presence of Magen Dovid designs engraved into the exterior walls, incorporated as part of the structure itself. The actual kever is located in an underground crypt beneath the dome.

In 1372, antiquities thieves broke into the compound and dug tunnels in search of valuables. During the investigation that followed, the underground crypt was uncovered. Local accounts relate that the body of the novi was found intact and preserved.

Over the years, the site has undergone multiple restorations, and in the 20th century it was formally designated as a national monument. In 1960, the Iranian government even issued a commemorative postage stamp honoring the site.

The exact location of the kever of Chavakuk remains a matter of dispute. Tanach does not specify where he was buried, and a number of differing traditions have developed. As early as the fourth century, Eusebius of Caesarea recorded that the kever was located 12 mil from Beit Guvrin, south of Beit Shemesh. Professor Zev Vilnai suggested this might refer to the village of Jaba in the Gush Etzion region, near ruins known as Lavik. However, Eusebius himself writes that the site was at a place called Ein Ke’ilah, identified today with Khirbet Qila near the Beit Guvrin–Chevron road.

This may correspond to the biblical Ke’ilah, the city that Dovid Hamelech saved from the Pelishtim, as described in Sefer Shmuel, and listed among the cities of the lowlands of Yehudah in Sefer Yehoshua. In the fifth century, the bishop of Beit Guvrin claimed to have discovered the remains of Chavakuk at that location.

In the 12th century, Peter the Deacon wrote that the kever was located at a place called Jakuk, also near Beit Guvrin.

At the same time, a strong mesorah among the Yidden of Eretz Yisroel places the kever in the Lower Galilee. That site is situated near Route 65, south of the Kadarim junction and west of the modern community of Chukok, whose name itself is derived from the biblical Chukok. The nearby Arab village of Yakuk preserved the ancient name as well.

As early as 1210, Rav Shmuel bar Shimshon wrote during his aliyah l’regel: “We found the kever of Chavakuk in the village of Chukok.” Many other travelers later recorded visiting the site, including Rav Yaakov Hashaliach, Rav Menachem HaChevroni, Rav Ehstori HaParchi in his sefer Kaftor VaFerach, and Rav Yitzchak ben Alfra.

From the 11th century onward, Jewish travelers frequently referenced Chukok in connection with the kever of Chavakuk, and Rav Ehstori HaParchi even identified remains of an ancient beis knesses there.

The current tziyun at that location is a stone structure topped with a blue dome, surrounded by ancient oak trees.

Until today, Iranian Jews  continue to travel to Tuyserkan to daven at the kever. The site stands as a powerful reminder of the long-standing presence of Yidden in Persia—dating back to Golus Bavel—a presence whose traces remain visible in the kivrei nevi’im, ancient batei knesses, and a small but steadfast kehilla holding on to its identity under the Islamic regime.

{Matzav.com}

El Al says that, due to operational restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport and Home Front Command guidelines, it is canceling regular scheduled flights set to depart between March 21 and March 27.

The cancellations apply only to standard scheduled flights and do not include special rescue flights. In total, the move is expected to affect roughly 25,000 tickets.

The canceled routes include Tbilisi, Budapest, Zurich, Barcelona, Belgrade, Berlin, Boston, Batumi, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Heraklion, Krakow, Larnaca, London Luton, Lyon, Marseille, Bucharest, Paphos, Prague, Chisinau, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Salzburg, Podgorica, Tirana, Tivat, Venice and Vienna.

TOPSHOT – Passengers line up to check in at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on August 6, 2024, amid regional tensions during the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip. The United States said it was working “around the clock” to avert an all-out war in the Middle East, as Israel remained on high alert for potential Iranian retaliation for two high-profile killings. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP) (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

El Al says flights to all other destinations not included on the cancellation list are continuing as planned. This also means that US flights are still operating, with the exception of Boston and Fort Lauderdale.

At this stage, because of the current restrictions, the airline says it cannot offer replacement flights to passengers whose trips were canceled. Customers are instead being offered either a full refund or a credit voucher for future El Al flights.

As the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran approaches the three-week mark, polling data continues to show overwhelming support for President Donald Trump’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury among his MAGA base and strong backing among Republicans, with a new survey indicating that most likely voters believe the operation is achieving its goals.

According to a Rasmussen Reports poll released this week, 61 percent of likely voters say the military effort against Iran has been successful so far, including 35 percent who describe it as “very successful.”

The survey also highlighted how closely the public is following developments, with 81 percent of respondents saying they have been paying attention to the situation, including 49 percent who said they have been tracking it “very closely.” Among that group, support rises to 66 percent.

Backing for the operation is especially high among Republicans and supporters of Trump.

Among Republicans, 81 percent say the operation has been successful, compared with 56 percent of independent voters and 45 percent of Democrats.

Among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 election, 83 percent say the operation is succeeding, while just 40 percent of those who supported then-Vice President Kamala Harris say the same.

The results come as critics from across the political spectrum have attempted to portray the operation as divisive or out of alignment with Trump’s supporters, a claim that polling has repeatedly contradicted since the campaign began.

Even CNN acknowledged that reality on Tuesday.

Speaking on CNN News Central, data analyst Harry Enten pointed to multiple surveys showing overwhelming backing within Trump’s base, stating, “Look at this — nearly nine in ten, 89 percent approve of the U.S. military action in Iran. That is the MAGA GOP base.”

“Just nine percent disapprove of it,” Enten added. “This is tremendously popular among the Republican base.”

Referencing recent CNN and NBC polling, Enten said the data indicates Trump’s core supporters remain firmly behind the military campaign, despite a limited number of prominent critics.

Additional polling has shown similar trends across multiple surveys conducted since the operation began.

An Economist/YouGov poll carried out in recent days found that 87 percent of MAGA supporters approve of Trump’s handling of Iran, while other surveys have placed support as high as 91 percent among voters aligned with the MAGA movement.

Polling has also examined public opinion on Trump’s decision to initiate military action following the breakdown of negotiations with Iran.

A McLaughlin & Associates survey released last week found that 51 percent of likely voters support Trump’s use of the U.S. military to dismantle Iran’s nuclear missile program and its backing of terrorism, compared with 41 percent who oppose it.

Support increased further when respondents were reminded of Iran’s long history of hostility toward the United States.

When asked whether military action against Iran and its leadership was necessary to protect American lives now and in the future, 57 percent agreed, while 33 percent disagreed.

Support rose to 87 percent among voters planning to support Republican candidates for Congress, while even among undecided voters, a majority—51 percent to 29 percent—backed the position.

Among independents, 46 percent agreed that the action was necessary, compared with 40 percent who disagreed.

Recent commentary across a range of outlets has pointed to a disconnect between claims of division within Trump’s base and polling that continues to show broad support for the operation.

An opinion piece published Monday by Al Jazeera, titled “No, MAGA is not divided on the Iran war,” argued that Trump’s supporters remain largely unified despite a small number of vocal critics, while noting that polling continues to demonstrate consistent backing.

Similarly, a Wall Street Journal opinion article published Tuesday titled “MAGA Isn’t Really Against the Iran Operation,” by Vandenberg Coalition senior policy director Corban Teague, cited polling conducted with TargetPoint showing that 84 percent of Trump voters overall—and 94 percent of those identifying specifically as MAGA—support U.S. military action against Iran.

Teague argued, based on his own survey data, that claims of a broader split within Trump’s base are not supported by the numbers.

{Matzav.com}

HOLON, Israel (VINnews) — A two-week-old infant has been hospitalized with a severe herpes infection following a bris milah (ritual circumcision), according to The Jerusalem Post.

Doctors at Wolfson Medical Center said the virus spread to the baby’s central nervous system, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition for newborns. The infant was admitted after developing lesions at the circumcision site and rapidly worsening symptoms.

Dr. Diana Tasher, head of the pediatric department and a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases, described the case as deeply troubling. She warned that the infection was linked to a circumcision practice involving direct oral suction, also known as metzitzah b’peh. “It is important to avoid this practice because of the medical risks involved,” Tasher said. “Parents must be aware of the issue and make sure the suction stage is not performed by mouth.”

Testing confirmed the virus in the infant’s cerebrospinal fluid, indicating the infection had reached the central nervous system. Authorities have stressed the use of sterile alternatives to reduce risk and prevent transmission of herpes and other infections.

Doctors said herpes infections can be especially dangerous for newborns, as the virus can quickly spread and lead to severe complications, including neurological damage. The infant is receiving intravenous antiviral treatment and remains under close medical supervision, according to the report.

As the American Jewish community continues to reel from the near massacre of Jewish preschool children last week at Temple Israel, senators will hold a confirmation hearing today for Sen. Markwayne Mullin to be the new secretary of Homeland Security. Our lawmakers must ask Mullin what he will do to keep Jewish and other faith communities safe.

The attempted shooting at Michigan’s Temple Israel ended well — at least, as well as such a story could end. Like so many Jewish institutions in America, Temple Israel invested heavily in private security personnel and systems. According to reports, the largest Reform synagogue in America employs multiple security guards daily and its employees had taken an active shooter training class weeks earlier. When the assailant rammed his car into the synagogue, the guards immediately engaged with and disabled the shooter.

But here’s the bad news. The money needed to keep Jewish communities (and other faith communities) safe is being held hostage by the political showdown over the Department of Homeland Security.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) awards federal funds to religious institutions to bolster their security, like surveillance cameras, access control systems, gates and lighting, alert systems, staff training and security personnel. It’s the largest and most direct way federal or state governments are protecting people in their pews. But, as it is, these funds are woefully inadequate to meet the security needs of the American Jewish community. In 2024, only 43 percent of applicants received NSGP funds out of nearly $1 billion in requests. That’s why we have urged Congress and the Trump administration to increase these funds to $500 million for fiscal 2026.

American Jewish communities are forced to pay what amounts to an antisemitism tax to provide essential, life-saving protection. With antisemitism on the rise, local police don’t have the resources to keep our community safe. Jewish communities pay north of $750 million per year to send their children to Jewish schools, attend synagogue and hold communal events safely.

The story at Temple Israel could have ended very differently if not for the quick thinking of the guards on the scene, as well as county officials and the FBI who work with Jewish institutions to train staff and private security guards.

We don’t have to imagine what that ending looks like. We saw it at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, at California’s Poway Chabad and at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. In recent days, there have also been violent attacks on synagogues in Canada, Norway and Belgium. Jewish communities in America and elsewhere are on their highest alert, doing whatever we can to ensure that our freedom to worship is joined with a freedom from fear.

I wish the same could be said for politicians in Washington.

Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security was beset by funding delays, dysfunction and a high level of partisan gamesmanship — even for Washington. Mullin’s nomination is an opportunity for the administration to start anew, and focus on keeping vulnerable communities safe instead of political theatrics.

As Mullin begins his confirmation process, members of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on both sides of the aisle should press the nominee on his plans for ending the funding standoff, investing in vital security programs like the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and prioritizing safety over politics.

If last week’s shooting isn’t a wake-up call to Congress to get its act together, I don’t know what is. We need Republicans and Democrats in Congress, together with those in the Trump administration who have boldly spoken out against antisemitism, to get together and deliver security and safety to American Jewish communities. Or, to put it another way, deliver the most basic thing citizens expect from our government.

Jewish communities and local police are doing their part. They are doing everything right. The least Congress can do is its job.

As the “Operation Roaring Lion” war continues, thousands of working Israeli women are facing complicated financial and legal questions, particularly those returning from maternity leave. The issue came into focus during a tense exchange between Tzvi Tessler and a caller named Chava on the program “Osim Seder” on Radio Kol Chai.

Chava, who works at a daycare and was scheduled to return from maternity leave just as the fighting began, described her frustration navigating the system. “How do I prove to them that I was supposed to return from maternity leave so they should recognize me for that?” she asked, voicing the concern of many women whose income has been disrupted between the end of maternity leave and the shutdown of workplaces.

During the broadcast, it was explained that eligibility for unemployment benefits under unpaid leave hinges on what is known as the “14-day rule.” According to current guidelines, an employee must be absent from work for at least two consecutive weeks starting from the official date she was meant to return. “You need to complete two weeks from the date you were supposed to return in order to qualify for unemployment benefits,” the experts explained. For mothers returning to closed daycare centers, this creates a race against time in dealing with the National Insurance system.

The discussion outlined two primary options for affected workers. One is to request that the employer formally place them on unpaid leave for at least 14 days. The second, more complex approach, is to ask the employer to continue paying a regular salary, with the expectation that the state may later reimburse the employer for those payments. “Tell the daycare: pay me a regular salary, in the hope that there will be compensation from the state,” was suggested during the program, though it was noted that this depends on the business’s financial status and eligibility for reimbursement.

Chava also recalled financial difficulties from a previous military operation, when confusion over payroll led to demands for repayment. “In the previous war the daycare paid us… and said that once the state reimburses them, we would pay them back,” she said. The overlap between maternity leave and wartime disruptions, combined with unclear eligibility periods, can create salary discrepancies that end up hurting young mothers at a particularly vulnerable time.

Host Tzvi Tessler pledged to continue addressing the issue, including working with the organization Koach LaOvdim to find solutions. For now, many are waiting to see whether the Finance Ministry will introduce a framework that takes into account the unique challenges faced by women returning from maternity leave during an emergency.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on Tuesday offered a limited explanation for his social media post that appeared to connect New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, while also minimizing concerns about whether the remarks were offensive.

During an interview, DC News Now’s Reshad Hudson asked Tuberville to clarify a post he shared last Thursday on X. In that post, Tuberville reposted an image showing the World Trade Center under attack on 9/11 alongside a photo of Mamdani hosting a Ramadan iftar at City Hall, accompanied by the caption, “The enemy is inside the gates.”

Tuberville responded with a laugh before saying, “I just go by his rhetoric.”

“He’s made a lot of statements about his stance with Islam and radical Islam, all the things that go along with what he preaches every day,” he continued. “And I’m just kind of repeating what he’s saying.”

He went on to stress that the country should avoid division, adding, “we don’t need a division in this country. We need everybody to go with the Constitution, understand we have moral values. And if we all stick with those –– I don’t care if you’re Muslim or Catholic or Baptist, it makes no difference.”

“We need to make the country better; we don’t need to divide it. That’s what he’s doing in New York,” he claimed without providing an example.

When asked whether Muslim residents in Alabama might have found the post offensive, Tuberville said he has “got some great Muslim friends” and noted that he had spoken with “two Iranians in Alabama this past week about the war. Obviously, they’re Muslim.”

He then added, “if you teach and preach Sharia law, if you bow down to the Quran, it teaches death to Americans. That don’t fly with me, OK?”

Tuberville reiterated that he is not concerned with individuals’ religious affiliations, emphasizing, “Hey, you come be part of our country [and] don’t try to divide people, don’t try to push your culture — we already have a culture — [then] I’m all for you.”

The post drew significant backlash, coming amid a surge of heated anti-Muslim rhetoric from some Republican lawmakers during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran’s Islamic regime. Comments from figures such as Reps. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Randy Fine (R-Fla.) have sparked calls for formal censure, with a censure motion already filed in Ogles’ case.

Mamdani responded directly to Tuberville’s original post, writing, “Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers.”

Other officials issued even sharper criticism. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) described Tuberville as a “racist piece of [garbage].”

“Blatantly racist. Wildly Islamophobic. Republicans aren’t even trying to hide their true colors,” Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) wrote in a post on X. “Hate against one is hate against all, and we only conquer vile hate [by] uniting together as a nation of and for all people.”

{Matzav.com}

Amid ongoing war, missile fire, and instability, a powerful message of resilience emerged this week as more than 50 new oilm arrived in Israel, refusing to let conflict stand in the way of aliyah.

A special flight brought olim from France, the UK, and the United States, in a coordinated effort by Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency, and Keren Hayesod.

The group included over 20 young families, 11 individuals traveling alone, four infants, including a five month old baby, and even a 92-year-old senior,showing the wide range of people choosing to make Israel their home despite the added difficulties of the war.

To streamline the process during wartime, officials completed all administrative procedures onboard the aircraft, allowing the new arrivals to receive official documentation immediately upon landing.

The new immigrants will settle across the country, in varying cities, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Netanya, Ashkelon, Modiin, Ashdod, and other cities.

Among them was a couple from New York, a teacher and a pediatric specialist, who told YNET that they chose to move to Israel to be closer to their daughter. Despite having previously experienced missile attacks, they were clear: “They will not prevent us from living here. We want to be in Israel more than anywhere else.”

Since the October 7 attacks, more than 60,000 new olim have arrived in Israel, with another roughly 1,000 currently in the process of making aliyah.

At a time when so many are looking to leave, these new arrivals are sending a very different message, one of commitment, identity, and an unshaken connection to the Jewish homeland.

Israel confirmed Wednesday that it carried out a targeted strike in Tehran that resulted in the death of Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, marking another high-level hit against senior figures in the Iranian regime.

An Israeli official said the Israeli Air Force launched the operation Tuesday night in an attempt to assassinate Khatib, which Israeli leaders now say was successful.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the outcome, stating that Khatib had been “in charge of the Iranian regime’s mechanisms for murder and internal repression, and of advancing external threats.”

“Israel’s policy is clear and unambiguous: No one in Iran is immune, and they are all targets.”

The IDF released a statement detailing the operation, saying: “Overnight (Wednesday), the Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF intelligence, eliminated the Iranian terrorist regime Minister of Intelligence, Esmaeil Khatib, in a targeted strike in Tehran.”

“Khatib had been appointed Minister of Intelligence by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2021. In his role, Khatib oversaw the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, the Iranian terrorist regime’s primary intelligence organization, which also played a key role in supporting the regime’s repression and terrorist activities.

“The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence possesses advanced intelligence capabilities, overseeing surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against the State of Israel and Iranian citizens.

“As the Intelligence Minister, Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrest and killing of protestors as well as shaping the regime’s intelligence assessment. Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (2022-2023).”

The military added that Khatib had also been involved in directing operations beyond Iran’s borders, noting, “In addition to his activities targeting the State of Israel, Khatib led the Ministry of Intelligence’s terrorist activities against Israeli and American targets around the world, as well as activities directed against targets within Israel during Operation Roaring Lion.”

The IDF further outlined his background, stating, “Khatib previously held several key roles within the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), primarily holding intelligence positions, where he served as a significant source of knowledge.”

According to the statement, his death is part of a broader campaign targeting senior Iranian leadership. “His elimination joins dozens of other eliminations of senior commanders of the Iranian terrorist regime throughout the operation, including senior figures in the Ministry of Intelligence, and significantly degrades the regime’s command and control structures.

“The IDF will continue to operate against Iranian terror regime commanders.”

{15}

Wellpoint New Jersey will be distributing free diapers and other essential supplies to local families on Thursday, March 19, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at its Lakewood storefront.

The event will take place at the Wellpoint location at 100 Clifton Avenue, where attendees will be able to receive diapers, wipes, and additional baby-related items while supplies last. Organizers say the distribution will also include access to other health necessities, vaccinations, and food assistance.

The initiative is part of a broader national pilot program launched by the National Diaper Bank Network in partnership with Elevance Health, Wellpoint’s parent company. The program aims to provide diapers and essential supplies to thousands of families across the country throughout 2026.

Officials encourage residents in need to arrive early, as supplies will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sicko commentator Candace Owens is facing widespread criticism after a video surfaced in which she refers to Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro using harsh and dehumanizing language, including calling him a “maggot,” a “worm,” and a member of a “different species” that is “not human.”

The comments appear in a video of about 70 seconds that has been widely shared on X, emerging amid a growing public dispute between Owens and Shapiro. The tensions between the two have escalated in recent months, particularly following the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Demonic grifter Candace Owens goes full Neo-Nazi, referring to Ben Shapiro as a "maggot" and a "worm" and saying that he is a different "species" that is not human

She is doing this because she is trying to create a mental justification for one of her lunatic followers to harm… pic.twitter.com/pYjyqqzNbG

— Ian Miles Cheong (@ianmiles) March 17, 2026

Owens has repeatedly accused Shapiro of using Kirk’s legacy for personal or institutional advantage within Turning Point USA (TPUSA), and in prior remarks she has described him as a “maggot rotting on a corpse.”

The clip gained further attention after being highlighted by Ian Miles Cheong, a well-known conservative commentator on X, whose post drew tens of thousands of views. Cheong characterized Owens’ rhetoric as “full Neo-Nazi” and alleged that her statements were aimed at creating a “mental justification” for potential violence against Shapiro by one of her supporters.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF said Wednesday that it thwarted roughly half of a planned Hezbollah rocket barrage overnight, after identifying preparations for a large coordinated attack toward northern Israel. Military officials said the terror group intended to launch around 100 rockets but ultimately fired about 40 short-range rockets along with UAVs and mortars after Israeli forces disrupted several launchers.

According to the IDF’s summary of the attack, most of the fire was directed toward the northern border area. Several surface-to-surface missiles were also launched toward the Samaria region and the Hadera area, while UAVs were sent toward the Western Galilee and the Golan Heights. Israeli officials said many of the rockets were intercepted, fell in open areas, or landed inside Lebanon.

Military officials say Hezbollah has shifted to a new pattern of operations in recent weeks. Instead of constant fire, the organization now prepares a larger barrage every few days in an attempt to pressure Israel’s home front. The IDF estimates that Hezbollah still possesses thousands of short-range rockets but says roughly 60% of launches fall short and land inside Lebanese territory.

Israeli intelligence also says Hezbollah has changed how it deploys its launch systems. Fighters have dismantled mobile launchers and dispersed them across Shiite villages and residential compounds, rather than concentrating weapons in large depots. The change complicates Israeli intelligence tracking but also limits Hezbollah’s ability to produce the large synchronized barrages it previously attempted.

Overnight, the Israeli Air Force also struck dozens of fuel stations in southern Lebanon and near the city of Tyre that the military says are linked to Hezbollah’s financial network. Israeli ground forces continue advancing in southern Lebanon to remove threats to northern communities, and the IDF says more than 500 Hezbollah terrorists have been hit so far in the campaign.

Amazon is once again redefining speed in online shopping, rolling out new 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options across the United States in a major push to dominate the ultra-fast delivery market.

The new service allows customers to receive over 90,000 products, including household essentials, electronics, health items, and toys, within just hours of ordering.

While the 3-hour delivery option is already available in more than 2,000 cities and towns, the even faster 1-hour delivery is currently being offered in hundreds of locations, primarily in major metro areas.

Amazon has also introduced a dedicated “fast delivery” browsing experience, allowing customers to filter for items that can arrive within these ultra-tight windows, making impulse purchases even easier.

But speed will come at a cost.

Prime members can access the service for $9.99 for 1-hour delivery and $4.99 for 3-hour delivery, while non-members face significantly higher fees, like numbers that go up to $19.99 and $14.99, respectively.

Amazon says the move is part of its broader strategy to “make customers’ lives a little easier,” leveraging its massive logistics network and local fulfillment hubs to get products closer to shoppers faster than ever before.

The rollout also marks a direct escalation in the ongoing delivery war with competitors like Walmart, Target, and Instacart, all racing to meet growing consumer expectations for near-instant gratification.

At the same time, the company is continuing to experiment with even faster options, including 30-minute delivery trials in select cities, signaling that this may only be the beginning of a new project designed to get products to customers at lightning speed.

NEW YORk (VINnews) — In recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized the central argument behind his decision to strike Iran: that Tehran was on the verge of obtaining nuclear weapons and planned to use them against Israel and the United States “within an hour or a day.”

However, behind these statements lies a critical dilemma. According to a report and analysis published by The New York Times, the U.S. president is considering ordering a dramatic and highly unusual mission to seize or destroy Iran’s nuclear material, most of which is stored in deep underground facilities in Isfahan.

Such a move would be considered one of the boldest and most dangerous military operations in modern American history, more complex and risky even than the killing of Osama bin Laden. No one knows for certain where all the nuclear fuel is located; some of it may be in damaged facilities in Fordow and Natanz or in tunnel complexes known as “Pickaxe Mountain.” Striking storage containers could release toxic and radioactive gas, while dangerous proximity between materials could potentially trigger a nuclear chain reaction.

Despite this, Trump told reporters he is not afraid of a ground operation: “I’m really not afraid of anything.” His Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has already clarified in Congress that such a mission would require special forces to enter and physically “retrieve it.”

According to United States Intelligence Community, as cited by the New York Times, the initial intelligence picture differed from the president’s claims. Before the outbreak of the war and the joint U.S.-Israel strike on February 28, most senior intelligence officials believed there was no immediate risk of Iran breaking out to a nuclear bomb. However, after 18 days of bombardment that destroyed much of Tehran’s missile capabilities, the nuclear material has become the regime’s last line of defense.

Experts estimate that U.S. special forces, who have trained for years for such a scenario, would face an unprecedented system and thousands of decoy containers designed to confuse them.

The immense complications surrounding a ground operation could ultimately push the Trump administration back to the negotiating table. Just last month, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, proposed diluting all nuclear material to civilian levels under international supervision. However, the U.S. negotiating team, led by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, rejected the proposal and demanded that Iran retain no fuel stockpiles at all.

It now remains to be seen whether Trump will choose the dangerous military option to ensure full denuclearization.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Qatar on Wednesday blamed Israel for an attack on an offshore natural gas field it shares with Iran.

The accusation came from Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry. The Iranian side of the field, the South Pars field, came under attack Wednesday and was burning.

Al-Ansari called the attack “a dangerous & irresponsible step amid the current military escalation in the region.”

“Targeting energy infrastructure constitutes a threat to global energy security, as well as to the peoples of the region & its environment,” he wrote on X.

“We reiterate, as we have repeatedly emphasized, the necessity of avoiding the targeting of vital facilities. We call on all parties to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, & work toward de-escalation in a manner that preserves the security & stability of the region.”

Thousands of participants in the popular Daf Yomi shiur delivered by Reb Eli Stefansky were surprised this week when he introduced a newly published book about the Ribnitzer Rebbe and shared a personal story about himself that had remained unknown for decades.

During the shiur, Eli presented the new Hebrew book, “The Ribnitzer,” which recounts the life and wonders of the revered tzaddik, Rav Chaim Zanvil of Ribnitz. He noted that the book includes a personal account involving him, immediately sparking curiosity among the many listeners.

The story describes how Eli’s father, Rav Yaakov Dovid Stefansky—an accomplished talmid chochom and close talmid of Maran Rav Shach zt”l—would go out of his way to visit the Ribnitzer Rebbe late at night. During those visits, the Rebbe would seat young Eli on his lap while reciting Tehillim.

On one of those late-night visits, the Ribnitzer Rebbe made a striking statement that became well known within the family: “This child will grow to become one of the gedolei hador.” The words, spoken by a tzaddik renowned for his far-reaching vision, accompanied Eli throughout his life.

Addressing the story during this week’s shiur, Eli responded with a sense of humor. He told his audience that, in his view, it would be excessive—and even foolish—to claim that he is a gadol hador.

“The Rebbe knew that one day I would have the zechus to establish the largest Daf Yomi shiur in the world,” said Eli. “Although I am not a gadol hador in any way, every single day I am in contact with thousands of Yidden who are learning Torah from me.”

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the citizens of Iran on Tuesday evening with a special message marking the Iranian holiday of Nowruz, the Persian new years day which falls on Friday, March 20. Despite its Zoroastrian origins, Nowruz is now celebrated by a diverse group of people, including many Persian Jews.

Speaking from the Israeli Air Force command bunker at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said:“I am here with Israel’s Defense Minister, our Chief of Staff, the head of the Mossad, the commander of the Air Force, and our senior commanders.

“In the past 24 hours, we have eliminated two of the heads of terror, senior terrorists of this tyranny.

“Our aircraft are striking terrorist operatives in the field, on the roads, and in public squares. This is intended to allow the brave Iranian people to celebrate the Festival of Fire. So go out and celebrate—and happy Nowruz. We are watching from above.”

Netanyahu’s address comes amid dire warnings from government officials in Iran,  stating that any “noise, commotion or unconventional behaviour” during the festival that disrupts public order could result in punishments including imprisonment and flogging.

The wave of warnings followed messages by Iran’s exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi in recent days addressed to Iranians and the “international community and friends of Iran.”

He urged citizens to celebrate Charshanbeh Suri (the fire festival prior to the new year) in “alleys and neighborhoods across the country” and called on global observers to keep their eyes on Iran and “not to allow the regime to use violence against the people determined to celebrate life, light and hope in the face of darkness.”

In a separate message, he directly urged Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to closely monitor developments on the night of the festival.

In a further video message posted Tuesday, he urged Iranians to avoid confrontation with government forces while warning security personnel to leave people in peace.

“These malevolent agents intend to drag your festival of light, purity and life into darkness, filth and death. Do not give them this opportunity,” he said.

Q: Can a woman wear a custom made sheitel?

A: Let me explain something about this subject of sheitlach. I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings; I want to make everybody happy and wearing a sheitel is certainly a good thing. But you should know that some sheitlach look too natural.

And therefore long-haired sheitlach I think should be avoided. I won’t tell you exactly what to do, but you must know there is a responsibility on women to be able to come before the Beis Din Shel Maalah when the time is up and she should be able to say that she wasn’t the cause of anybody who was looking at her too much.

A woman should never be in a position where she is liable to be blamed for causing men to look at her. It’s not her fault that she is a woman, but she has to be careful not to misuse that privilege. Her husband is the one who has to look at her; others should not look.

And therefore if you are too careful with your appearance, it’s looking for trouble. I don’t say you shouldn’t look good, but to make it your business to look attractive, that’s not right.

At home many people are slovenly, they’re sloppy. The husband sees a sloppy wife at home but on the street she dresses up to kill! It should be the opposite. At home you should dress up and make the best impression on your husband; on the street just be plain.

(Toras Avigdor – August 1998)

A heated controversy has erupted over a private evacuation effort from Israel after a New York mother took to Instagram to expose the rescue organization’s misconduct, claims that are now being forcefully rejected by the group and some eyewitness accounts.

Dr. Lauren Hofstatter, known online as “The Orthodox Therapist,” went viral after alleging that her daughter was effectively stranded during a Grey Bull Rescue mission.

“She’s being held in Jordan,” Hofstatter claimed, describing the situation as “extortion” and alleging that organizers demanded a huge sum of money to secure a flight out.

According to her account, approximately 150 evacuees traveled from Jerusalem to Amman, Jordan, expecting to board a rescue flight. However, after waiting at the airport, “there was no plane,” forcing the group to return to a hotel, only for the effort to fail the following day again. This dragged on for multiple days, with no proper kosher food and what she described as a traumatizing time for her daughter.

But as the story spread, a very different version of events began to emerge.

The Post reviewed video of Hofstatter’s own daughter, who said she “felt so safe the entire time” and described Grey Bull as “taking care of everything and being organized.” She was also seen eating kosher food while under their care.

Grey Bull Rescue founder Bryan Stern sharply rejected the accusations, calling them “wildly inaccurate” and insisting that “no one is being held hostage.”

He explained that the delays were caused by active wartime conditions, including missile threats and shifting airspace restrictions, noting, “We operate in active war zones,” where situations can change “minute by minute.”

Additional accounts from families involved strongly backed that version.

One individual stated, “My brother was on that mission. Brian was in charge of a group of [seminary] girls. He was not asked for any money, he said it was excellent.”

Another parent delivered an especially emotional defense of the operation:

“At the end of the day, they all came back, safe, happy, healthy, and no parent had to spend a penny for it. There is no merit to creating a slap in the face that completely denies the work, networking, and hustling that went into it on behalf of Greybull to make this whole thing work.”

The parent continued, emphasizing the reality of the situation:

“Nobody was happy that it took days, however, our kids escaped a war zone in a way that is almost above nature.”

Rep. Nancy Mace also voiced support for Grey Bull Rescue, praising the group’s efforts to extract Americans from a war zone.

I left Israel last night on a rescue flight full of Americans.

I originally went to the Middle East because there was a South Carolina family who was stranded. And because when your people are stranded in a war zone getting hit with missiles and rockets, the only answer worthy… pic.twitter.com/tBzQvsn3L9

— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) March 12, 2026

They also addressed the controversial fundraising claims, explaining:

“The reason why GreyBull started fundraising was because of the mounting costs of purposely delaying the flight so that the airplane could take off without danger as the airspace opens.”

Grey Bull Rescue explained that any fundraising efforts were optional and intended only to offset the enormous costs of emergency charter flights, not a condition for evacuation.

In a dramatic development, and as a result of the accusations, the organization has now announced it is suspending all rescue operations and returning its teams to the United States, halting further missions from Israel for the time being.

A senior Israeli Home Front Command official warned Tuesday that traditional large gatherings during Pesach, including tishen, may not be permitted if the current security situation continues, as concerns grow over a potential escalation from Hezbollah.

Col. Yehonatan Raz, commander of the Ganim district in the Home Front Command, issued a clear message to residents in central Israel, stressing the need for heightened vigilance.

“The war is not over. We are striking our enemies with chasdei Shamayim, but we must remain alert. As part of the threat, we are likely to face significant rocket fire from Lebanon, and therefore we have instructed local authorities that tonight requires greater caution than usual,” he said.

While attempting to reassure the public, Raz emphasized the importance of preparedness and public cooperation.

“Although the enemy’s capabilities toward central Israel are more limited, it is still important to be prepared. We will do everything possible to respond quickly and handle any incident, but the public must be familiar with the guidelines and follow them,” he said in an interview with Yaakov Grodka on Kol Barama.

Raz also revealed a striking detail about the situation in Bnei Brak, noting that many residents may be unaware of the extent of the danger.

“The public in Bnei Brak may not realize this, but dozens of explosive fragments from missile warheads have already fallen within the city. The great miracle we saw on Rechov Yerushalayim, where an entire family was saved by entering a protected space, proves that the discipline of the tzibbur chareidi saves lives,” he said.

Looking ahead to Pesach, and in light of fears of further escalation on the northern front in addition to the ongoing war with Iran, Raz made clear that the Home Front Command will not take unnecessary risks.

“We are in close contact with the city leadership, as well as with the courts and chassidic communities. If we are placed under ‘Level 3’ restrictions, we will not be able to allow large gatherings and tishen as we have known them. We are working with planning teams to find alternative solutions, similar to what was done during the coronavirus period,” he said.

Raz also praised the preparedness of the Bnei Brak municipality, highlighting significant investments made in recent years.

“The Bnei Brak municipality has invested enormous resources in technology and training since the previous operation. We are prepared for any scenario, including the possibility of increased Hezbollah attacks. Residents need to exercise greater caution tonight than ever, and we will do everything to protect them,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesale prices came in hotter than expected in February.

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it hits consumers — rose 0.7% from January, and 3.4% from February 2025. The year-over-year increase was the most since February 2025.

The gains were bigger than economists had forecast, and they occurred before the war with Iran pushed energy prices sharply higher.

Contributing to the uptick last month were higher prices for hotels and food.

The report comes as Federal Reserve policymakers meet in Washington to decide what to do with their benchmark interest rate. They cut it three times in 2025 but have since held off — and are expected to announce Wednesday that they’ve done so again. The Fed is waiting to see whether inflationary pressures ease and whether the slumping U.S. job market needs help from lower borrowing costs. The war with Iran has clouded the inflation picture by driving up energy prices.

Last week, the government issued two reports showing that inflation at the consumer level remained above the Fed’s 2% target before the U.S. and Israel attacked on Iran.

The Labor Department reported a week ago that consumer prices rose 2.4% last month compared to February 2025. And the Commerce Department said Friday that the Fed’s favored inflation measure — the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index — was up 2.8% in January from a year earlier. Core PCE prices rose 3.1%, biggest increase in nearly two years.

NEW YORK (VINnews) – Monday marked the first time three Israeli players competed in the same NBA game, as rising Trail Blazers star Deni Avdija faced off against Brooklyn Nets rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, according to The New York Post.

The game, hosted by the Nets, highlighted a milestone for Israeli representation in professional basketball. Nets coach Jordi Fernández called the matchup “special,” noting the significance of players from outside the U.S. and Europe competing at the highest level.

Wolf started in place of an injured Michael Porter Jr., averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in the previous ten games, while Saraf returned after a left calf contusion. Portland’s Avdija continues to enjoy a strong season, showing improvement over prior years.

The game underscored the growing presence of international talent in the NBA, offering fans a rare glimpse of three Israeli players on the court simultaneously.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a crazy new traffic policy that will dramatically slow down driving across the five boroughs, lowering speed limits to just 15 miles per hour in school zones citywide.

The plan, enabled by the recently passed “Sammy’s Law,” allows the city to reduce speed limits below the state’s traditional minimum. Under the proposal, the city will expand 15 mph “slow zones” to hundreds more areas this year, eventually covering all roughly 2,300 school locations across New York City.

City Hall says the move is about safety. Officials point to data showing that pedestrians struck at lower speeds are significantly less likely to suffer severe injuries or death, making reduced speed limits a potentially life saving measure for children walking near schools.

The rollout will begin with approximately 800 additional school zones in 2026, bringing the total to around 1,300 before expanding further in the coming years.

However, reading the small print and the details tells a different story.

Critics argue that the policy effectively turns large portions of the city into ultra low speed zones, since school zones are widespread and often overlap. Many warn that this could function as a “de facto citywide slowdown,” significantly impacting daily commutes, especially in outer boroughs where residents rely heavily on cars.

Another major point of controversy is enforcement. Reports indicate that the new limits could be enforced 24 hours a day, not just during school hours, raising questions about whether the policy is truly about safety or something else, like another Mamdani money grab.

We're implementing the largest expansion of Sammy’s Law in city history: lowering speed limits to 15 MPH at every eligible school by the end of our first term.

And we’re not waiting to get started. This year, we’re lowering speed limits at 800 additional locations to 15 MPH,… pic.twitter.com/J8x9uZKe7M

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) March 16, 2026

Round-the-clock enforcement will lead to a surge in automated tickets, placing yet another financial burden on drivers already facing high transportation costs in NYC.

Supporters, however, insist that even one life saved justifies the change, emphasizing that safer streets should take priority over convenience.

WASHINGTON — A Maryland man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for sending threatening communications to Jewish institutions across the United States, federal officials said Monday.

Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $40,000 fine and additional penalties, according to the Justice Department.

Prosecutors said Seferlis pleaded guilty to multiple counts, including mailing threatening communications and interfering with the free exercise of religion. Authorities said he sent dozens of letters over more than a year to synagogues, schools, museums and other Jewish organizations in several states.

Many of the messages included threats of violence against buildings and individuals, and were intended to intimidate recipients and disrupt religious activity, officials said.

Federal authorities said the case underscores the seriousness of threats targeting religious communities and warned that such actions will be prosecuted under federal law.

The investigation involved the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with prosecutors from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office handling the case.

BRUSSELS — Belgium has deployed military personnel to help secure Jewish institutions following a recent synagogue attack and rising antisemitic threats, government officials said.

Defense Minister Theo Francken and Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said soldiers will be stationed at synagogues, schools and other community sites to support police operations.

To protect our Jewish community, we are deploying military personnel to support security on our streets. The safety of every citizen must be guaranteed.

Antisemitism and hatred against Jews will never be tolerated. We will stand firm against it, always.

— Theo Francken (@FranckenTheo) March 16, 2026

The move comes about a week after an explosion struck a synagogue in Liège, in an attack claimed by a group identifying itself as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right. Authorities said the incident heightened concerns over the safety of Jewish communities.

Yesterday, I went to Liège to meet with local Jewish community leaders and to express my solidarity to the Jewish community.
I strongly condemn this antisemitic attack on Belgium’s Jewish community in the strongest possible terms. President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State… pic.twitter.com/jcPq0bl2O1

— U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White (@USAmbToBelgium) March 10, 2026

Officials said the deployment is intended to ease pressure on police and provide an additional layer of protection. The government described the security situation as serious, citing a broader rise in antisemitic incidents.

Jewish organizations in Belgium welcomed the decision, saying it would improve security and provide reassurance to community members. The European Jewish Congress said safeguarding synagogues, schools and communal spaces is essential amid growing threats.

Some political figures, however, questioned the need for military involvement, arguing that policing responsibilities should remain with civilian authorities. Others said the decision reflects the scale of the current security concerns.

Belgium has previously used troops to guard public sites during periods of heightened threat, including after major terrorist attacks in Europe.

A large-scale emergency preparedness drill conducted by the Bnei Brak municipality on Tuesday abruptly became a real-time incident when a live siren was triggered in the city, forcing officials and rescue teams to shift instantly from simulation to actual emergency response, Matzav.com has learned.

The area surrounding Bnei Brak City Hall appeared early in the day like a full-scale disaster scene. Dozens of emergency vehicles, rescue personnel, and municipal security teams were deployed as part of a major exercise simulating a direct missile strike in one of the city’s densely populated areas. Within minutes, however, the planned scenario gave way to a real and tense situation.

In the middle of the drill, as crews were practicing evacuations and treating simulated casualties amid mock destruction, a real siren suddenly sounded across the city. The staged chaos immediately stopped, replaced by focused, operational alertness. Mayor Chanoch Zeibert, together with senior municipal officials and professional teams, quickly moved into a protected municipal shelter and fortified command center.

From the city’s advanced command center, teams managed what effectively became a dual situation—closely monitoring real-time developments following the siren while continuing to oversee the ongoing drill scenario. The rapid transition from routine exercise to live emergency highlighted the city’s high level of preparedness.

During the incident, Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Shay Kalper arrived unexpectedly at the command center and observed operations firsthand. He praised the city’s handling of the situation, telling those present: “In this war, the home front is the frontline. The role of the command center is to take care of the citizens here so that the fighters at the front can operate with peace of mind. Bnei Brak is demonstrating today an exceptionally high level of readiness.”

Mayor Zeibert briefed the general on the city’s unique challenges, emphasizing its dense population and large number of children, and outlined a series of practical solutions aimed at saving lives during real emergencies.

After the situation stabilized and operations returned to routine, Kalper and Zeibert—joined by Acting Mayor Menachem Shapira, Deputy Mayor Elharar, Municipal Director General Ehrenstein, and Emergency and Security Department head Chaim Nogelblat—conducted a field tour along Jerusalem Street, where a previous strike had occurred.

The delegation entered residential buildings, visited damaged apartments, and spoke with residents who had narrowly escaped harm during earlier incidents. The direct interaction between officials and residents underscored the critical importance of preparedness, awareness, and access to protected spaces.

Security officials and Home Front Command representatives expressed strong satisfaction at the conclusion of the drill. “Today we saw that in Bnei Brak, emergency preparedness is not just talk, but a well-oiled system that functions under fire,” professionals involved in the exercise said.

{Matzav.com}

RAMAT GAN, Israel — A couple killed in an Iranian missile strike has been identified as Yaron and Ilana Moshe, as Iran continued firing overnight barrages into central Israel, authorities said Wednesday.

The Moshes, both in their 70s, were killed early Wednesday when a cluster munition struck their apartment in Ramat Gan, just outside Tel Aviv. Police said the couple was attempting to reach a reinforced safe room but did not make it in time, and were found only meters away. A walker discovered near the scene indicated the husband had limited mobility, which may have slowed their escape.

The strike caused severe damage to the home, blowing apart the living room, collapsing sections of the ceiling and scattering debris throughout the apartment. The protected room itself remained largely intact despite the blast.

Emergency officials said the couple was found dead at the scene. Two others were treated for light shrapnel injuries, while additional residents were hurt while rushing to shelters or suffered from shock.

The attack was part of a series of missile barrages launched by Iran between midnight and early morning, with multiple rounds of fire reported across central Israel. Authorities said cluster munitions have been used throughout the conflict, dispersing smaller explosives over residential areas and increasing the risk to civilians.

A neighbor described hearing a loud explosion after sirens sounded and emerging to find heavy smoke, cracked walls and widespread destruction. The entrance to the couple’s apartment was blown open, with a large hole visible in the ceiling and significant damage to the balcony.

The couple is scheduled to be laid to rest later Wednesday.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck early Wednesday morning  a large building in Beirut, in what appears to be another asset belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah.

Civilians in Lebanon documented the dramatic moments as Israeli fighter jets dropped munitions on the building, resulting in a fireball, the immediate collapse of the structure, and a large plume of smoke.

WATCH: Entire structure brought down in central Beirut, Lebanon after Israeli airstrikes pic.twitter.com/qdOzmwkwhx

— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) March 18, 2026

Meanwhile, an IDF spokesperson announced early this morning: “Following the evacuation of residents from the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, and in response to fire toward Israeli territory, the IDF has begun a wave of strikes against infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.”

Last night, the IDF spokesperson also stated:
“The Air Force has, in the past hour, struck launchers and Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon as part of efforts to disrupt and thwart fire toward the State of Israel. In rapid ‘closing-the-loop’ operations, launch squads and launchers were targeted before firing or shortly after launches occurred.”

“Since the beginning of Operation ‘Roaring Lion,’ the IDF has struck hundreds of rocket launchers belonging to Hezbollah across Lebanon in order to remove threats to Israeli civilians.”

In a ruling that could influence how traffic violations are handled during wartime, an Israeli traffic court judge accepted the defense’s argument that security conditions can serve as a mitigating factor, reducing the driver’s license suspension to just 20 days.

The incident took place on Route 1 during the afternoon hours amid “Operation Roaring Lion.” The driver was caught traveling at 157 km/h—approximately 75% above the legal limit of 90 km/h. During the trip, two sirens sounded, and the driver pulled over each time. However, in the intervals between the sirens, while traveling on an open road without access to a protected shelter, he accelerated in an effort to reduce his exposure time.

Attorney Ilon Oron, a former chairman of the National Traffic Committee of the Israel Bar Association and author of a leading traffic law encyclopedia, represented the driver. He argued that during a state of emergency, standard traffic law criteria should not be applied in the usual manner. According to the defense, the repeated sirens created a situation in which the driver, attempting to reach safety quickly, was not fully aware of his speed.

The defense further contended that a distinction must be made between reckless driving stemming from disregard for safety and increased speed driven by a genuine sense of danger, urging the court to take that difference into account.

Prosecutors opposed the argument, maintaining that speed limits must be enforced even during emergencies, particularly in cases involving a driver with a problematic traffic record. Nevertheless, the judge sided with the defense, ruling that the security circumstances warranted consideration and ultimately imposing a 20-day license suspension despite the driver’s prior record.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A fascinating story was reported in recent days in the city of Bnei Brak. It happened this past Monday, when leading halachic authority Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein was returning from his well-known lecture at the “Merkazi” synagogue in the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood. At exactly 9:00 PM, a siren sounded warning of incoming missile fire from Iran expected within minutes. The rabbi, who was on Kahaneman Street on his way home to Ramat Gan, sought a nearby protected space.

The continuation of the story was recounted by his driver, Rabbi David Tzion, one of his close תלמידים, in a recording broadcast on the “Siach Yitzchak” hotline: the nearest shelter was the “Hatzvi” bakery on Kahaneman Street, located opposite the entrance to the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood. The driver immediately stopped the car, and Rabbi Zilberstein entered the bakery, where customers were astonished to see him walk in like any ordinary person, simply to fulfill the commandment of safeguarding one’s life.

When the siren began, everyone entered the safe room. There, Rabbi Zilberstein stood for long minutes reciting the psalm “Yoshev B’seter Elyon” repeatedly, in his unique and moving melody.

Those present said: “There is nothing more calming than being ‘stuck’ during a siren, with frightening missiles overhead, in a safe room together with a great Torah sage, it filled us with calm and peace of mind.”

הפרגוד: מרן הגאון יצחק זילברשטיין הערב בשעת האזעקה במרחב המוגן באמירת פרק “יושב בסתר עליון”

צילום: דודי ברגשטיין pic.twitter.com/oxO3yeZJ2D

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) March 16, 2026

They also recounted that when the shopkeeper offered the nonagenarian rabbi a chair, he firmly refused, pointing instead to women standing nearby with their children, saying they should take precedence. He remained standing throughout the entire alarm.

When the all-clear was given, he exited the bakery, surrounded by many who seized the moment to receive a blessing from him right there in the street, without needing to schedule an appointment at his study hall.

But then, unexpectedly, the rabbi stopped and returned to the bakery. He asked his driver to purchase several baked goods so he could pay for them. When asked if he needed anything specific, Rabbi Zilberstein replied simply:

“I don’t need to buy anything, but out of gratitude I want to make a purchase. After all, we entered this place, and they allowed us to take shelter here during the siren, so it is only right to show appreciation and buy something.”

Rabbi Tzion concluded: “It’s unbelievable, despite all the commotion around him, with people pushing to receive blessings and ask questions, he still noticed these small details of gratitude, even though he didn’t actually need what he bought.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is reportedly considering stepping down from his position in the wake of dramatic assassinations of top regime figures, as internal tensions within the Islamic Republic intensify.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Pezeshkian believes that “the entire system is falling apart” following the killings of senior officials, including the commander of the Basij, Ali Ardeshir Amoli Larijani, and Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

The sources described unusually sharp anger from the president toward the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to those accounts, Pezeshkian views their conduct as reckless and has specifically accused them of failing to adequately protect Ali Larijani.

Some officials have gone further, suggesting that the incident may not have been a failure at all, but rather a deliberate move intended to facilitate Larijani’s elimination.

According to these reports, the slain national security council secretary was seen as the primary rival to Ahmad Vahidi, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, and his removal ultimately served their interests.

The developments come against the backdrop of deepening divisions within Iran’s leadership. Following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week, the regime has reportedly split into two main factions—one aligned with Mojtaba Khamenei, and the other with the Larijani camp, whose leading figure has now been killed.

{Matzav.com}

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By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Recently, this author came across a mechaneches in California with the title of “Director of Student Success.” The benefits of such a position are abundantly clear and every Yeshiva high school and Beis Yaakov should perhaps consider creating such a position — along with clear goals and a metric to analyze its success. When a student is struggling — academically, socially, or emotionally — there should be someone whose entire job is to make sure that that student does not fall through the cracks.

Subsequently, someone sent me a research study on singles in the Chareidi world — conducted by Dr. Sima Zalcberg-Block of Ariel University — and the connection became immediately apparent. We need a Director of Singles Success as well.

In every community.  It is the modern day fulfillment of v’Ahavta l’rayacha kamocha.

The study interviewed thirty Chareidi women between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-six in Israel. What emerged was a portrait of  resilience — and of inadvertent neglect.

These women are navigating crushing loneliness, family pressure, complicated feelings toward the Ribono Shel Olam, a bit of stigma in their communities, and the absence of any institutional support structure designed to address their specific situation.

I once spoke with Rav Yaakov Reisman shlita, the son-in-law of Rav Mordechai Gifterz t”l about an individual in the Far Rockaway community. Rav Reisman remarked that this individual exhibited a remarkable sense of acharayus – responsibility for others. He said that it is a rare midah, sadly, and one that everyone should emulate.  He was absolutely right.

We can do better. And we must. 

The Problem in Our Communities

In Chareidi and broader Orthodox society — both in Israel and in America — marriage is not merely a personal milestone. It is understood as a religious imperative and the foundation of a Torah life. Girls are raised from childhood with the expectation that their primary role will be as a wife and mother. Boys are told that building a bayis ne’eman b’Yisroel is among the highest callings available to them.

This is not wrong. It is, in fact, a beautiful and true reflection of Torah values. But what happens when, despite every effort, a person has not yet found his or her zivug? What systems does our community have in place to support that person?

In many communities, the honest answer is: nada – nothing. Or at best, very little.

The study documents what many of us already know anecdotally. Singles, both men and women, face layered, compounding challenges:

1. loneliness that intensifies as friends marry and drift away;
2. the anguish of watching younger siblings approach marriageable age;
3. the subtle — and sometimes not so subtle — pity of neighbors and relatives;
4. the physical and emotional deprivation that comes from years of enforced isolation
5. and the devastating feeling that the community’s institutions simply were not designed with them in mind.

The researcher coined the term “embodied deprivation” to describe the cumulative effect of years of the isolation. The loneliness seems to reshape or further highlight how a person relates to others, how comfortable she feels in social settings, and even how she behaves on dates — sometimes causing the very awkwardness that leads to a shidduch not working out. It is a cycle, and, sadly, no one in a position of communal authority is taking meaningful steps to break it.

What a Director of Singles Success Should Do

Every Orthodox community of significant size should appoint a Director of Singles Success — a dedicated professional whose sole mandate is the welfare and advancement of unmarried community members.

This is distinct from a shadchan, and the distinction matters.

A shadchan’s job is to make matches. The Director of Singles Success’s job is to make sure that every single person in the community is thriving — supported, informed, dignified, and never invisible.

Here is what that position should encompass:

1. Connecting Singles to Mental Health Support

The study found that therapy was one of the most powerful coping tools available to single women — but that stigma, cost, and lack of information kept many from accessing it. In our community, the same barriers exist. The Director of Singles Success should maintain a vetted list of capable people and or therapists who are both frum and professionally trained, who understand the specific pressures of the shidduch world, and who will not make a single person feel that something is fundamentally broken about them.

The Director should actively and warmly encourage singles to avail themselves of this support — normalizing it, destigmatizing it, and where possible, helping to make it financially accessible.

2. Educating Families on How to Help — and How Not to Hurt

The study found that parents, despite loving their children deeply, were often an unfortunate and inadvertant significant source of pain. Examples abound: The worried look after every failed date. The pressure around a younger sibling’s shidduch. The unspoken message that until marriage, something essential is missing. These communications are of course unintentional — but are devastating nonetheless.

Even the joy that families experience when their married son and dil just got back for Yom Tov travelling 30 hours through Egypt can make the single child feel so judged and rejected.

The Director of Singles Success should offer workshops, shiurim, and one-on-one guidance for families of older singles. The message is how to be a source of chizuk rather than an additional weight to carry. Here is how to be the one place your child can come home to and breathe.

3. Building and Supporting Peer Networks

One of the most striking findings of the study was the organic power of community. The women who fared best were those who had formed close friendships with other singles — whether in shared apartments, through college, or through WhatsApp groups that they themselves created. These networks gave them a sense of belonging, practical information, and the knowledge that they were not alone.  We should perhaps look at WhatsApp groups as a vehicle for v’ahavta laraycha kamocha – rather than an evil scourge of humanity.

The Director of Singles Success should facilitate and support these networks — organizing Shabbos and Yom Tov gatherings so that no single person is sitting alone at a table designed for a family, creating ongoing social programming, and ensuring that the singles of the community see themselves as a kehillah within the kehillah rather than as an afterthought. 

4. Reforming and Supplementing the Shidduch Process

The traditional shadchan system, whatever its merits, is not sufficient. The study documents women who felt entirely dependent on unreliable and sometimes costly middlemen, with no ability to advocate for themselves or access alternatives. In response, many formed their own WhatsApp dating networks — and found them genuinely helpful. The Director of Singles Success should help coordinate and expand such initiatives, bringing them under a more organized communal framework while preserving their grassroots character.

Additionally, the Director should work directly with shadchanim in the community — not to replace them, but to ensure better coordination, accountability, and follow-through. How many shidduchim have fallen apart not because of incompatibility but because of poor communication, lost leads, or a shadchan stretched too thin? A centralized communal resource can help.

5. Providing Critical Information on Fertility Preservation

This is a topic that is almost entirely absent from communal discourse — and the silence is causing real harm. A woman who marries at thirty-four or thirty-eight faces a very different fertility reality than one who marries at twenty-two. She deserves to have this information, to understand her options, and to make informed decisions in accordance with halacha and da’as Torah.

The study found that some women organized their own informational sessions on egg freezing because no one else was doing it. The Director of Singles Success should take ownership of this area — consulting with poskim to ensure that the information provided is halachically grounded, and working with medical professionals to make it accessible and understandable.

A woman should not have to find out about these options on her own, when it may already be too late.

6. Protecting the Dignity of Singles in Communal Life

The language that we use to describe singles in the community must change. The researcher notes that a prominent rabbi referred to unmarried women as “unfortunate ones” who needed to be “rescued.” This kind of language — however well-intentioned — compounds the pain rather than alleviating it. It communicates that the single person’s value is conditional on their marital status.

The Director of Singles Success should work with rabbanim, community leaders, and mechanchim to shift this paradigm. A single person in their late twenties or thirties who is working, growing, contributing to the community, and maintaining their Torah observance under difficult circumstances is not and should not be an object of pity. They are a model of emunah and strength. Our language and communal culture should reflect that. It should be no different than the imahos who were barren precisely because Hashem wanted their closer relationship.  I know a major Talmid Chochom who couldn’t get a deserved position as a Rosh Yeshiva because he was single.

What Success Looks Like: Metrics That Matter

Any serious position requires measurable goals. Here is what the Director of Singles Success chould be tracking:

• Percentage of singles in the community who are connected to at least one form of ongoing support — a therapist, a peer group, or a communal program.
• Number of singles receiving active shidduch assistance — not just names in a database, but meaningful, follow-through engagement.
• Rate of retention of singles within Torah observance and within the community. Yetzias ha-community is a crisis that does not announce itself.
• Number of family education sessions conducted annually.
• Subjective wellbeing data — through annual anonymous surveys — asking singles how supported, seen, and dignified they feel within the community.

A Torah Imperative

The Chofetz Chaim writes that the mitzvah of v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha — loving one’s neighbor as oneself — requires us to feel another’s pain as if it were our own and to act accordingly. This is actually an obligation.

The women described in this study were davening, struggling, growing, and maintaining their emunah under conditions of real suffering. Many of them felt invisible to their community’s institutions. That invisibility is a communal failure — one we have both the ability and the responsibility to correct.

The shidduch crisis is not only a crisis of matches unmade. It is a crisis of people unsupported. Creating a Director of Singles Success does not solve the underlying problem of why so many people are unmarried — that is a larger conversation for another time. But it creates a communal infrastructure that says clearly: you are seen, you matter, and we are not going to leave you to navigate this alone.

Every Yeshiva and Beis Yaakov should have a Director of Student Success. And every Orthodox community should have a Director of Singles Success. The position of the California mechaneches and the suffering of the Chareidi women are telling us the same thing: dedicated, professional, compassionate support structures save people. It is time to build them.

The author can be reached at [email protected].

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MIAMI (VINnews) – Venezuela rallied for its first World Baseball Classic championship Tuesday night, defeating the star-studded United States 3-2 in a thrilling final at loanDepot Park.

Eugenio Suárez delivered the decisive blow with a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning, capping a comeback that saw Venezuela overcome a game-tying home run from Bryce Harper in the eighth. The victory marked the first WBC title for Venezuela after years of strong showings without gold.

The game, played before an electric crowd in Miami on March 17, 2026, featured tense pitching duels and late-inning heroics. Venezuela starter and relievers combined to limit the U.S. to three hits until Harper’s blast knotted the score at 2-2.

Venezuela had advanced to its first championship game by rallying past Italy in the semifinals, with clutch contributions from stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., Luis Arraez and Maikel Garcia throughout the tournament.

The United States, seeking redemption after falling to Japan in 2023, reached the final with a narrow semifinal win over the Dominican Republic. Manager Mark DeRosa’s squad showcased power and pitching depth but couldn’t hold off Venezuela’s late surge.

The 2026 tournament, the sixth edition of the WBC, ran from March 5-17 across venues in Tokyo, San Juan, Houston and Miami. Twenty national teams competed in pool play before the knockout rounds.

Venezuela’s path included come-from-behind victories and strong performances from its Major League talent, culminating in the historic upset of the heavily favored Americans.

The win secures Venezuela’s place among baseball’s elite international programs, following titles by Japan (three times), the Dominican Republic (2013) and the United States (2017).

Final attendance for the tournament exceeded 1.3 million fans across 47 games, highlighting the growing global appeal of the event.

WASHINGTON (VINnews) — A fire aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford last week left more than 600 sailors without their bunks, forcing them to sleep on floors and tables while the blaze raged for over 30 hours, according to officials and sailors cited by The New York Times. The fire, which began in a laundry vent, caused smoke inhalation for dozens of crew members, though only two required treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

The Ford, the Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, is carrying roughly 4,500 sailors and pilots on its 10th month of deployment. Crew members have been told the mission may be extended into May, meaning the ship could remain at sea for nearly a year, double the length of a typical carrier deployment. If the ship stays deployed past mid-April, it would break the post-Vietnam War record of 294 days set by the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020.

The fire comes amid ongoing maintenance challenges aboard the Ford. The ship’s 650 toilets have repeatedly malfunctioned due to design and capacity issues, and a planned refit at Newport News Naval Shipyard in Virginia has been postponed. Despite these problems, Pentagon officials say the Ford remains fully operational and is conducting flight operations around the clock.

Navy experts note that extended deployments strain both the ship and crew. “Ships get tired too, and they get beat up over the course of long deployments,” said Rear Adm. John F. Kirby, a retired naval officer and former Pentagon press secretary. “You can’t run a ship that long and that hard and expect her and her crew to perform at peak capacity.”

The Pentagon plans to relieve the Ford with the USS George H.W. Bush, which is preparing to deploy to the Middle East. Sailors on board have endured months of demanding operations, including prior missions in the Caribbean supporting U.S. pressure on Venezuela and ongoing actions related to U.S.-Israeli operations in the Middle East.

The Lakewood Fire Department is battling a structure fire at the Evergreen Plaza in Lakewood.

The fire, which began at about 10:25pm, is on the River Avenue side of the plaza.

No injuries have been reported.

DEVELOPING: The Lakewood Fire Department is responding to a structure fire at J2 Pizza in Lakewood. pic.twitter.com/adwsb4p0u1

— The Lakewood Scoop (@LakewoodScoop) March 18, 2026

Reb Meir Wolofsky z”l, a longtime resident of Flatbush who later relocated to Toms River to be near his children and grandchildren, has passed away.

R’ Meir was a man who conducted himself with quiet dignity and a steadfast commitment to Torah and Yiddishkeit. Those who knew him speak of his sincerity, his humility, and the consistency with which he lived a life guided by yiras Shamayim and strong middos tovos. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, whose presence brought warmth and strength to his family and all those around him.

He was the father-in-law of noted philanthropist R’ Chuny Herzka and the father of Chavy Herzka, among other distinguished children and descendants who continue in his path.

The levayah was held at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel in Lakewood, NJ, followed by additional hespeidim at the Bostoner Bais Medrash in Flatbush.

The aron will be flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

(AP) – Major U.S. airlines say they are not expecting a significant dent in quarterly profits despite soaring jet fuel costs tied to the war in the Middle East adding hundreds of millions of dollars in expenses.

Executives from Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines told investors Tuesday that strong ticket sales are helping offset those higher costs, with all three carriers reporting record bookings this year.

Jet fuel prices have jumped since the war began on Feb. 28 and strained global oil supplies, particularly around the Straight of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes. The volatile crude oil price that is driving gasoline prices higher has had the same effect on jet fuel, which is one of the airline industry’s biggest expenses, typically making up about a quarter of operating costs.

The price for a gallon of jet fuel rose to $3.93 on Tuesday, up from $2.50 the day before the war broke out, according to Argus Media. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said that amounts to roughly $400 million in additional costs so far. Executives at American and United reported similar figures while speaking Tuesday at the annual J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference.

For now, most major U.S. airlines say strong demand for air travel is helping absorb the additional costs.

“It’s across all segments, covering corporate, covering international, covering premium leisure, covering main cabin, covering our domestic system,” Bastian said. “We’re seeing strength in every market that we look at.”

Bastian noted that eight of Delta’s top 10 days for ticket sales happened this year, five of them since the start of the war.

United CEO Scott Kirby said the first 10 weeks of the year were the carrier’s top 10 weeks for ticket sales, with the past two weeks the strongest on record.

Robert Isom, American’s CEO, said eight of the carrier’s best 10 days and weeks for bookings also happened this year, and he expects high demand to continue through April and May.

The airline leaders’ comments suggest that travelers are buying now to lock in lower airfares before carriers adjust rates further as the busy summer travel season approaches.

Industry analysts say it’s not a question of if airfares will rise because of higher fuel costs, but when, for how long and by how much. The impact may be felt most on long-haul international routes, which burn significantly more fuel than shorter flights.

A number of non-U.S. carriers have already introduced fuel surcharges or raised ticket prices. U.S. airlines, meanwhile, are more likely to build those costs into base fares or adjust fees for add-ons, such as seat upgrades, because they don’t typically have fuel surcharges.

Some airlines are partially protected from sudden price spikes through fuel hedging, a strategy that locks in fuel prices months or even years in advance. But not all airlines hedge, and those that do are usually only protected for a portion of their fuel needs, meaning prolonged price surges may cause more carriers to raise fares.

If fuel prices remain elevated, airlines may also adjust schedules or reduce certain routes to limit costs.

“We’re certainly going to be nimble in terms of capacity to make sure that supply and demand stay in balance,” Isom said.

(AP) – Arizona on Tuesday became the first state to file criminal charges against Kalshi, accusing the prediction market company of operating an illegal gambling business within its borders, a significant escalation in the fight to regulate the popular platform.

The 20-count charging document accuses Kalshi of accepting bets on political outcomes, college sporting competitions and individual player performance in violation of Arizona’s gambling laws. The state prohibits operating an unlicensed wagering business and bans betting on elections.

“Arizona will not be bullied into letting any company place itself above state law,” said Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes.

The criminal case marks a new front in a high-stakes legal battle over whether prediction markets should be subject to the same rules as gambling companies.

President Donald Trump’s administration has thrown its support behind the multibillion-dollar prediction market industry, further amplifying a state-versus-federal fight for regulatory control. The outcome could have sweeping implications for how sports betting — which makes up roughly 90% of Kalshi’s trading volume — is regulated in the U.S.

Kalshi insists it’s a financial marketplace rather than a gambling operation and should only have to answer to federal regulators with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The agency under Trump agrees it has exclusive oversight.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is a strategic adviser for Kalshi. And the Republican president’s social media platform, Truth Social, is launching its own cryptocurrency-based prediction market called Truth Predict.

Elisabeth Diana, a spokesperson for Kalshi, dismissed the Arizona charges as “meritless” and accused the state of trying to circumvent federal court.

Kalshi sued Arizona, Utah and Iowa in attempts to stop anticipated state action against the platform.

But U.S. District Judge Michael Liburdi in Arizona, a Trump appointee, denied Kalshi’s request for a temporary block on Tuesday and ordered the company to demonstrate why the case should be in federal court given the new state charges.

At least nine other states have taken some form of legal action against Kalshi, and Utah’s Republican governor has pledged to sign a bill that could undercut the company’s business in the state.

So far, the outcomes have been mixed. Federal and state judges in Nevada and Massachusetts, respectively, issued early rulings in favor of states looking to ban Kalshi and its competitor Polymarket from offering sports betting in their states, while federal judges in New Jersey and Tennessee have ruled in favor of Kalshi. The Nevada lawsuit was remanded to state court.

CFTC chairman Michael Selig said the legal fight between Arizona and Kalshi is a jurisdictional issue and is “entirely inappropriate as a criminal prosecution.”

The state argues Kalshi is a gambling operation that brands itself as a marketplace. But the company says its product is different because customers engage in “swaps” between one another instead of betting against the “house.”

Kalshi operates by allowing customers to buy and sell “Yes” or “No” contracts tied to the probable outcome of an event. Anyone with a smartphone can wager on everything from whether it will snow in Miami to whether Trump will say a certain buzzword in a speech. Contracts are typically priced between 1 cent and 99 cents, which roughly translates to the percentage of customers who believe that event will happen.

The charges in Arizona were filed just days before the start of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, one of the busiest periods of the year for prediction markets and sportsbooks.

Kalshi announced a $1 billion perfect bracket challenge on Monday without mentioning the NCAA or March Madness, a pair of NCAA trademarks.

An NCAA spokesperson, Saquandra Heath, said Tuesday the organization remains concerned about “unprotected prediction markets that pose a threat to competition integrity and student-athlete safety.”

Sen. John Fetterman sharply criticized Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over her comments on Israel, calling her remarks misguided and historically insensitive, while also predicting she will not run against Sen. Chuck Schumer in a future primary.

In an interview with Sean Hannity, Fetterman took aim at Ocasio-Cortez’s recent statements made during an appearance in Germany, where she accused Israel of genocide.

“To accuse Israel [of] genocide, and you’re sitting in Germany, like, can you talk about tone deaf and just ignorant to the history?” Fetterman told podcast host Sean Hannity, referring to AOC’s disastrous gaffe-prone foreign-policy outing in Munich last month.

He emphasized the historical weight of making such claims in Germany, referencing the Holocaust.

“I mean, more than 6 million Jews [were massacred] — you know the Holocaust — and now to accuse Israel during that just war for genocide,’’ he said in the interview, set to air Tuesday.

Fetterman said his criticism was not rooted in a single misstep, but in what he viewed as a deeper issue with her framing of the conflict.

“That’s my issue, not because her answer wasn’t great,’’ Fetterman told Fox News Media’s “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” in a nod to the Democratic Socialist rep’s bungling of her appearance at the time.

Ocasio-Cortez’s participation at the Munich Security Conference had drawn attention as a potential preview of a broader national campaign, with some observers viewing it as an opportunity to demonstrate her foreign policy credentials ahead of possible 2028 ambitions.

However, her performance was met with criticism, including factual misstatements such as incorrectly placing Venezuela below the equator, which her detractors cited as evidence that she was not prepared for a larger stage.

The 36-year-old congresswoman, who studied international relations, responded to criticism by arguing that her approach highlighted the importance of pausing to think carefully before speaking.

Fetterman, who said Schumer relies on him at times, dismissed the idea that Ocasio-Cortez would mount a primary challenge against the longtime New York senator.

“She would never run,” Fetterman said when Hannity predicted that Ocasio-Cortez would crush Schumer in a 2028 primary.

He suggested instead that her political future lies elsewhere.

“Either she’ll run for president, or she’ll just kind of continue to rise in” the House of Representatives, the Keystone State senator added.

In another part of the discussion, Fetterman also criticized former Vice President Kamala Harris for describing President Trump as a fascist.

“That’s just not true, and … that forces people to [be] like, ‘Hey, you must be a fascist, too, because you want’” him to win,” Fetterman said of Trump supporters.

He argued that such rhetoric only deepens divisions and makes constructive dialogue more difficult.

“That makes it more difficult to have a better way forward.”

“That’s why I always refuse” to go there, Fetterman said.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked backlash Tuesday after invoking Ireland’s history of oppression to draw a comparison to what he described as a “genocide” in Gaza, using a St. Patrick’s Day gathering to criticize what he called widespread silence on the Israel-Hamas war.

Mamdani made the remarks while hosting Ireland’s former president, Mary Robinson, at a breakfast at Gracie Mansion marking the start of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

During his comments, Mamdani reflected on Ireland’s past struggles and framed them as a lens through which to view current global conflicts, praising the Irish tradition of standing in solidarity with oppressed groups. He did not reference conditions inside Iran under its ruling regime.

“Who can better understand those who weep than those who have been made to weep for so long? The story of the Irish, both in Ireland and in New York City, is at one time a story of oppression, of subjugation, and of discrimination,” Mamdani said.

He then commended Robinson, Ireland’s first female president, for her longstanding advocacy on human rights and her vocal support for Palestinians.

“I say this as over the past few years, as we’ve witnessed a genocide unfold before our eyes, there has been deafening silence from so many,” he said.

“For those who have long cared about universal human rights and the extension of them to Palestinians, silence, however, is nothing new, for Palestinians are so often left to weep alone. Yet, former President Robinson has never been silent.”

Mamdani also expressed appreciation to Irish New Yorkers for their role in advancing what he described as a shared pursuit of justice.

The mayor’s comments quickly drew criticism from Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, who accused Mamdani of turning a cultural celebration into a political platform.

“Mamdani is a master of the politics of victimization. He delighted his left-wing Irish friends by saying, ‘The story of the Irish, both in Ireland and in New York City, is at one time a story of oppression, of subjugation, and of discrimination,’” Donohue said in a statement.

“This is the mentality of the Left. He sees oppression everywhere, nicely teeing it up for guys like him to rescue victims from their oppressors.”

Neil Cosgrove, who serves as political education chairman of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, said the holiday should remain focused on Irish-American heritage, even while acknowledging broader global concerns.

“Today is a day to celebrate the Irish-American community. There are 364 other days to go into areas of other politics,” he told The NY Post.

“I think the world needs to hear the message of Saint Patrick — they need to hear it and heed it everyday but certainly we shouldn’t lose that message with other messages on Saint Patrick’s day.”

Robinson, speaking briefly at the event attended by roughly 50 people, highlighted the many ongoing conflicts around the world and suggested that Ireland’s own history shapes how its people view suffering elsewhere.

“We know others are living under the shadow of war and suffering in Iran, in Lebanon, in Palestine, in Ukraine, in Sudan, and Democratic Republic of Congo, and in too many other places,” she said.

“For many Irish people, these realities resonate deeply, as the mayor has said, our own history holds memories of famine, exile, and conflict,” she said.

“Perhaps because of that, many recognize echoes of Ireland’s past within the suffering of others today, in the pain of displacement and the enduring human longing for dignity, justice, and self-determination.”

Mamdani’s remarks came just one day after he met privately with Orthodox Jewish leaders and assured them that combating antisemitism remained a key priority for his administration.

The following morning, before participating in St. Patrick’s Day events, Mamdani again spoke publicly about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He later attended Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he was seen smiling as New York’s newly installed archbishop, Ronald Hicks, walked past at the start of the service.

He then joined the city’s annual parade up Fifth Avenue alongside NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, though he left early to attend a luncheon with Hicks.

After the Mass, Mamdani was asked to clarify his comparison between Irish history and the Palestinian situation. He said his remarks were rooted in admiration for Ireland’s historical stance against injustice.

“What we’ve seen time and time again is that it has been the Irish who have been standing up whenever there’s been a person or people oppressed, whether it has been being the first Western government to ban South African goods during apartheid, or it has been this very former president (Robinson) that we honored today standing up in support of Palestinian freedom,” he said.

Mamdani added that Irish immigrants to the United States often faced discrimination themselves, referencing signs that once read “Irish Need Not Apply.”

“It is truly a testament to the Irish spirit of perseverance, of struggle and solidarity that we are here in the city today,” he told reporters.

“I always take inspiration from the Irish.”

A day earlier, Mamdani appeared uncertain when asked about his position on Irish unification — the proposal to bring all 32 counties of Ireland under one independent government — despite confirming his participation in the parade.

“I gotta be honest, I haven’t thought enough on that question,” he said.

His response contrasted with that of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who offered a clearer position while marching in the parade.

“I believe in unifying the Irish people, of course,” Hochul told The NY Post while marching in the parade.

{Matzav.com}

CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) — A 7-ton meteor that sped across the Cleveland sky at 45,000 miles (72,420 kilometers) per hour on Tuesday before breaking apart in a thunderous boom startled residents who feared an explosion.

People several states away reported seeing the bright fireball even though it was 9 a.m. The American Meteor Society said it received reports from Wisconsin to Maryland. NASA later confirmed that it was a meteor nearly 6 feet (1.83 meters) in diameter.

“This one really does look like it’s a fireball, which means it’s a meteorite — a small asteroid,” said astronomer Carl Hergenrother, the group’s executive director.

“So much stuff is being launched that a lot of times what you see burning up is just reentering satellites. But usually those don’t get especially bright,” he said.

The meteor was first seen about 50 miles above Lake Erie, near Lorain. It traveled more than 34 miles (55 kilometers) through the upper atmosphere before fragmenting over Valley City, north of Medina, NASA said in a statement from Bill Cooke, who leads the agency’s Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Alabama.

It unleashed an energy of 250 tons of TNT when it broke apart, causing the boom. Staff at the National Weather Service in Cleveland also heard it and felt the vibrations. They had no early reports of any debris being found.

“There could be some small fragments, but a lot of it would have burned up in the atmosphere,” NWS meteorologist Brian Mitchell said.

Meteors typically fall somewhere in the U.S. about once a day, while smaller pieces of space dust might fall 10 times an hour, Hergenrother said. Scientists track meteors through a network of special cameras that help capture the night sky, but more members of the public are catching them on cellphones and security cameras of their own.

“Now we’re seeing them, and there’s dozens of videos popping up all the time,” Hergenrother said.

Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said Tuesday that Israel has effectively secured victory in its war against Iran, though he made clear that military operations will continue and declined to offer any timeline for when the conflict might conclude.

At a press briefing, Sa’ar explained that Israel’s goal is to eliminate what he called “existential threats,” but did not spell out how officials would determine when those threats had been fully neutralized.

“One must be patient,” he said, referring to the 18th day of fighting in a war that has left more than 2,000 people dead across multiple countries, including Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, and parts of the Persian Gulf.

Israeli leaders, including Sa’ar, have repeatedly said their broader objective is to significantly degrade Iran’s capacity to strike Israel over time, while also creating internal pressure that could eventually lead to political change within Iran.

At the same time, Sa’ar acknowledged that any effort to bring down Iran’s leadership would ultimately have to come from within the country itself, indicating that such an outcome does not appear imminent.

According to the Israeli military, its forces have been targeting Iran’s ballistic missile systems, including launch sites as well as storage and manufacturing facilities. Strikes have also been carried out against locations tied to Iran’s nuclear program, along with security infrastructure.

“We have already won,” Sa’ar said, asserting that Iran has been severely weakened and is no longer the same power it was before the war began on Feb. 28 with coordinated U.S.-Israeli strikes.

“This is clear for us and for our neighbors, but we will continue until the point that the mission is complete,” he said.

Despite those claims, Iran launched multiple waves of missiles toward Israel on Tuesday, underscoring that it still retains the ability to carry out long-range attacks more than two weeks into the war.

Messages from Washington about the duration of the conflict have varied, with President Donald Trump at times suggesting it could end soon while also indicating that operations remain ongoing. Israeli officials have similarly avoided committing to a timeline, and the military has said it is prepared for several more weeks of fighting and beyond.

“We are doing a very important job,” Sa’ar said, shortly after Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israeli forces had killed senior Iranian security figure Ali Larijani.

The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran has destabilized the broader region, with Israel also engaged in combat with Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, while Iran has launched strikes targeting Gulf Arab states.

Iran has also effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally flows, fueling rising energy prices and concerns about inflation.

Several American allies have declined President Trump’s request to deploy naval forces to help escort commercial tankers through the strait, with some criticizing the U.S. and Israel for initiating the conflict without broader consultation. Sa’ar condemned Iran’s actions in the waterway, calling them “modern piracy” and warning that the issue affects the entire international community.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who appeared alongside Sa’ar, indicated that his country could consider joining a U.S.-led effort to reopen the vital shipping route. However, he said Washington would first need to clearly outline its goals and specify what kind of assistance it is seeking.

{Matzav.com}

(AP) – The Trump administration on Tuesday widened its efforts to stamp out Medicaid fraud, at least in its fifth state this year, calling on Florida officials to share information on how they identify, prevent, and address bad actors in their state program.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz had previously sent similar requests to New York, Minnesota, Maine and California in what has been a growing, Trump administration-wide initiative to crack down on fraud, waste and abuse.

The letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state leaders is the first such request that Oz has announced to a Republican-led state as the administration seeks to convey that fraud won’t be accepted regardless of political leadership.

It comes a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create an anti-fraud task force across federal benefit programs led by Vice President JD Vance. The president has ramped up such efforts as many American voters say they’re concerned about affordability ahead of November’s elections.

Announcing the new probe on social media, Oz wrote that Florida “has been a hotspot for health care fraud for years” and called on state leaders to “step up and work with us to stop it.”

He referenced past examples of high-dollar fraud schemes in Florida’s Medicare and Medicaid programs that resulted in criminal charges and said that “given the widespread scale and nature of these schemes,” CMS needed more details about the state’s program oversight.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier responded to Oz’s post on X and shared an example of a recent Medicaid fraud arrest in the state.

“The Medicaid system is overwhelmed with fraud and abuse, and we look forward to working with Dr. Oz on these issues,” he added.

Spokespeople for the other letter recipients, including DeSantis and Florida Agency for Health Care Administration officials, didn’t immediately respond to emailed inquiries. Oz gave the officials 30 days to respond to a list of detailed questions.

Last month, CMS halted Medicaid payments to Minnesota over fraud concerns, a move the state’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz denounced as a political attack. Oz said the money would be delivered only after Minnesota implements “a comprehensive corrective action plan.”

CMS also has said it is blocking any new Medicare enrollments for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics or other supplies used to treat chronic conditions or assist in injury recovery for six months to mitigate suspected improper billing.

The war with Iran has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, pushing oil prices sharply higher and leaving American drivers paying the most for gasoline in nearly two and a half years.

New data from AAA shows that the national average price for a gallon of regular gas climbed to $3.79 on Tuesday, a steep increase from $2.98 before the United States and Israel began coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. Prices have now reached levels not seen since October 2023.

Consumers across the country are already feeling the impact.

“It’s pretty hard. I mean, times are tough for everybody right now,” Amanda Acosta, a Louisiana resident, told The Associated Press while filling up her car’s tank this week.

“I’m getting way less gas and paying way more money.”

Her frustration reflects a broader trend, as higher fuel costs have become one of the most immediate economic consequences of the conflict. The price of crude oil, which is the key component in gasoline, has jumped and fluctuated significantly in recent weeks due to disrupted supply chains and reduced output from major Middle Eastern producers.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, surpassed $102 per barrel on Tuesday, up sharply from about $70 just weeks earlier. U.S. benchmark crude has also surged, approaching $96 per barrel.

Attention has increasingly turned to Washington. Before the outbreak of the war, President Donald Trump had touted his record of keeping gas prices down. Since then, however, he has shifted his messaging, suggesting that higher oil prices benefit the United States.

In a social media post last week, Trump wrote that because America is now the world’s leading oil producer, “when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.”

While energy companies stand to gain from rising prices, consumers are left shouldering the burden. The latest spike comes at a time when many households are already grappling with elevated living costs.

Economists warn that higher fuel prices could also feed into persistent inflation, at least in the near term, and potentially weigh more heavily on the broader economy if the trend continues. That, in turn, could increase pressure on the Trump administration as voters remain focused on affordability.

“I just want all of it to end. I just want to get out of there, out of Iran,” said Meghan Adamoli, a New Jersey resident who was among customers filling up at a Multani station on Tuesday.

Adamoli added that while she personally can manage the rising costs, she recognizes that many others are struggling far more.

Truck driver Dan Bradley of Pennsylvania said the increases have hit both his business and personal expenses. Alongside gasoline, diesel prices have also climbed significantly, with the national average exceeding $5 per gallon on Tuesday, up from about $3.76 before the war began.

“It sucks when you’re filling up,” said Bradley. “What are you going to do, not get gas?”

Not everyone views the surge negatively. Clay Plant, who lives in Lubbock, Texas, said higher oil prices are boosting economic activity in his area, where drilling has ramped up.

“It’s kind of a good sign for us in west Texas,” Plant said. “I look at it as my friends and family get to eat and they get to go to work.”

Although the United States has become a net exporter of oil, global pricing dynamics still affect domestic costs. Regions that rely heavily on Middle Eastern imports, particularly in Asia, have been hit even harder by the disruption, but Americans are not insulated from rising prices.

Oil is traded on a global market, and much of the crude produced in the U.S. differs from what domestic refineries are optimized to process. As a result, the country continues to rely in part on imports, leaving it exposed to international supply shocks.

The outlook remains uncertain, with the potential for further price increases if the conflict continues. Iran has effectively shut down most tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that normally carries about 20% of the world’s oil supply.

This disruption has forced some regional producers to scale back output, as their oil cannot reach global markets. At the same time, strikes by Iran, Israel, and the United States have targeted key energy infrastructure.

These developments have triggered a scramble among nations to secure alternative supplies.

In response, the International Energy Agency announced plans to release 400 million barrels of oil from member countries’ reserves.

After previously minimizing the need to draw from emergency reserves, Trump confirmed that the U.S. would contribute 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of the coordinated effort.

The administration also said it would temporarily allow Russian oil to re-enter global markets despite existing sanctions tied to the war in Ukraine.

Still, analysts caution that these measures offer only temporary relief. Because refineries purchase crude in advance, it takes time for additional supply to filter through to consumers.

While crude oil prices are the primary driver of current increases, seasonal factors are also playing a role.

Gas prices often rise this time of year as travel increases and refineries switch to producing a more expensive summer fuel blend.

Regional differences also remain significant. On Tuesday, California posted the highest average price at more than $5.54 per gallon, while Kansas had the lowest at around $3.21.

Experts warn that sustained increases in fuel costs could ripple through the broader economy.

As households spend more on essentials like gasoline, many—especially those with lower or middle incomes—will need to cut back in other areas, said Francesco D’Acunto, a finance professor at Georgetown University.

Higher transportation costs also affect the price of goods and services, from food delivery to utility bills.

The combination of inflationary pressure and uncertainty tied to wartime conditions can also dampen consumer confidence.

These conditions, D’Acunto noted, may lead people to delay major financial decisions such as purchasing a home or vehicle.

“So potentially even that will have such an effect on the overall economy.”

{Matzav.com}

SURFSIDE, Fla. — Former Mayor Shlomo Danzinger and Vice Mayor Tina Paul are expected to face a runoff after Tuesday’s municipal election produced no outright winner for mayor.

With the town’s main precinct reporting and partial mail-in results counted, Danzinger had 49.3% of the vote, just below the 50% threshold, while Paul received 36.3%. The runoff is tentatively scheduled for April 7 to determine who will replace outgoing Mayor Charles Burkett. Former commissioner Mark Blumenstein, who earned 14.4% of the vote, was eliminated from contention.

In the race for four at-large Town Commission seats, Donna Benmergui, Dovid Weingot and Andrea Travani appeared to secure three positions. The fourth seat is expected to trigger a recount, with incumbent Gerardo Vildostegui narrowly ahead of challenger Yonathan Berdugo by just 16 votes, a 0.3% margin under Florida law’s recount threshold.

Voters also approved moving Surfside elections from March to November in even-numbered years starting in 2028, aligning with general elections, while rejecting a measure that would have required a supermajority for certain zoning changes.

Additional mail-in ballots are still being counted and could affect the final outcome of both the mayoral runoff and the commission recount.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his country stands ready to assist the United States in countering Iran, pointing to Ukraine’s extensive battlefield experience dealing with Iranian-designed Shahed drones during Russia’s ongoing war.

Speaking in multiple interviews with international outlets, Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine has gained practical knowledge that could be valuable in protecting American forces and allied assets as tensions intensify in the Middle East.

His remarks followed a call by President Donald Trump urging other nations to help safeguard maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for global oil transport, after the U.S. initiated “Operation Epic Fury” targeting Iran.

Iran has since issued warnings toward vessels seeking to navigate the strategic waterway.

“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on March 14.

Despite that appeal, several countries, including Australia, Japan, and Italy, have reportedly opted not to participate in the effort.

In an interview with the New York Post, Zelenskyy said Ukraine responded swiftly when the U.S. began its military action against Iran.

“Whenever it is possible for us to help defending civilians or U.S. nationals, without second thought we sent our teams,” he explained, adding that Ukraine hopes to assist the U.S. military with its experience against Shahed drones.

He added that Ukrainian specialists with expertise in Iranian drone systems have already been deployed to the Middle East.

In a separate message posted on social media, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine should not be seen merely as a recipient of foreign assistance.

“I would like the U.S. not to perceive Ukraine as a country that merely asks for help,” he wrote on X. “That is not the case. Ukraine is defending interests and values.”

“Of course, the U.S. is right when it says it is farther from this war than Europe,” Zelenskyy continued. “That is understandable. But we see U.S. allies in the Middle East, and we see what – and who – threatens them.”

Zelenskyy also proposed a broader partnership, suggesting Ukraine could play a major role in drone production.

“We could build the world’s biggest drone factory,” he suggested. “The United States would provide production and financing. Ukraine would provide the technology and experience.”

“We can use it to defend American soldiers on bases,” the Ukrainian leader offered.

In additional comments to i24NEWS and The Jerusalem Post, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has effectively served as a proving ground for Iran’s drone capabilities.

“Ukraine was kind of an experiment place for these drones in the end,” Zelenskyy told The Jerusalem Post. “You can’t even compare the first class [of] Shahed, what was at the very beginning of the war, and today’s Shahed.”

President Trump, however, brushed aside the proposal from Kyiv.

“We don’t need help,” Trump told NBC News. “The last person we need help from is Zelenskyy.”

{Matzav.com}

As we head into the busy Pesach season, there’s something important our tzibur should keep in mind.

Yes, ordering online is easy. It’s quick and convenient, and often just a click away. But that convenience comes at a cost, and it’s one our local businesses are feeling more and more each year.

Many of the stores we rely on all year long, the groceries, clothing shops, Judaica stores, and small specialty retailers, depend heavily on the weeks leading up to Pesach. For some, this season can make the difference between staying afloat and falling behind.

What often goes unnoticed is the effort these businesses are putting in to serve us better. Extended hours late into the night, extra staff, expanded inventory, and the pressure of trying to meet the community’s needs, all so we can walk in and find what we’re looking for. They’re working hard to compete with the ease of online shopping, even though they don’t have the same resources.

Supporting local doesn’t always mean it’s the cheapest or most convenient option. But it does mean investing back into our own community. These are the same businesses that sponsor local causes, support mosdos, and are there when the tzibur needs them.

No one is suggesting to avoid online shopping entirely. But even making a conscious effort, choosing local when possible, splitting purchases, or thinking twice before automatically ordering online, can go a long way.

TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via  Whatsapp  or via email  [email protected]

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the ongoing war with Iran is progressing successfully, emphasizing that Tehran now recognizes it cannot obtain nuclear weapons.

“We’re doing very well, I will say. We’re knocking them for a loop. They can’t have a nuclear weapon, and they now understand that very strongly,” Trump said during an appearance alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin.

He continued by pointing to American military strength, saying, “But we have a great country, and we have an unbelievable military. We have the most powerful military in the world, and people see that,” he added.

TRUMP COMMENTS ON IRAN

“We're doing very well, I will say. We're knocking them for a loop. They can't have a nuclear weapon, and they now understand that very strongly. But we have a great country, and we have an unbelievable military. We have the most powerful military in the… pic.twitter.com/tIb0cEw6A2

— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) March 17, 2026

Speaking a day earlier, Trump told reporters that the conflict is unlikely to conclude within the week, though he expects it to end in the near future, describing it as something that will be “wrapped up soon”.

Later Monday, NBC News reported that U.S. military planners have already developed a range of options that could allow Trump to bring the war to a close, should he choose to act on them.

The report noted that, as of now, Trump has not made a decision to move forward with any of those plans.

In related developments, the United States over the weekend launched a significant round of airstrikes against Iranian targets on Kharg Island, a key hub for the country’s oil exports. Trump has also indicated that additional strikes could be directed at the island’s energy infrastructure.

A separate report by Axios on Sunday said Trump is considering a more aggressive step—taking control of Iran’s main oil storage facility on Kharg Island—if tankers continue to be stranded in the Persian Gulf.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (AP) — Millions more Americans will likely donate to nonprofits following changes in tax laws passed by Congress last summer, but those changes will also likely reduce the overall amount of money given to charity, according to new research.

The report from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy published Tuesday reflects how “top heavy” charitable giving is, meaning the largest donors and corporations have an outsized impact on overall giving trends, said Jon Bergdoll, interim director of data and research partnerships at the school, who also led the research.

New tax deductions available to most tax filers will encourage between 6 and 8.7 million more Americans to donate to nonprofits over time, the researchers found. However, gifts to nonprofits will likely drop around $5.6 billion annually because of new rules that apply to corporations and to the wealthiest people.

Bergdoll cautioned that these impacts won’t take effect immediately. He said other macroeconomic forces are likely to have a much larger impact on the total amount donated to nonprofits in 2026 than the changes in the new law, called the One Big Beautiful Bill.

“Giving I could imagine going in so many different directions this year,” said Bergdoll. “And so this is not saying, ‘Giving will absolutely go down in 2026.’ It just there’s this little extra weight dragging it down.”

A drop in giving by $5.6 billion would represent less than 1% of the $592.50 billion that was given to nonprofits in 2024, according to Giving USA. The Treasury Department did not immediately return a request for comment on the impact of the new tax law on charitable giving.

Competing incentives impact wealthy and less wealthy donors
The main change that will encourage people to donate is a new charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples that the vast majority of people can claim. It applies to the 87% of people who take the standard deduction and do not itemize their taxes.

Bergdoll said it may take a while for people to learn about the new deduction.

“That behavior will only change based off of households becoming aware,” he said. “And the stakeholders that have the most to gain by those households becoming aware are nonprofits.”

In contrast, two changes in the new law impact the wealthiest donors and are likely to drive down donations. The first is a new, lower cap on the overall deductions that the wealthiest people can claim. Those who itemize their taxes and fall within the highest tax bracket will now be limited to claiming total deductions of 35% of their income, down from 37% previously.

“Because of the nature of giving, because of how much giving is coming from those top marginal income households, this actually has the largest effect of anything we’ve looked at,” Bergdoll said.

A second change applies to everyone who itemizes their taxes, or around 11% of filers, and implements a new floor. Under the new law, these households must give more than 0.5% of their income to nonprofits to claim a tax benefit. If their gifts fall below this threshold, the donor won’t get a tax deduction.

Impact on corporate giving likely less than anticipated
The new law also puts a new floor on corporate charitable donations at 1% of their pre-tax profits. Companies that give less than that now can’t take a charitable deduction for those gifts.

The Lilly School research found this change will likely reduce corporate giving by around $1.5 billion annually, but that is less than what they had expected, Bergdoll said.

There is little comprehensive data about the giving of corporations at the company level, he said. But researchers drew on findings from Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP), which while not representative, indicated that the lion’s share of charitable donations come from companies that are giving over the new threshold.

Sheila Bravo, president and CEO, Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, which supports and advocates for nonprofits in the state, said the large businesses, like banks, that she talks with did not anticipate their giving would be impacted by the new floor for deductions.

“Here in Delaware, the shifts that we’re seeing in corporate giving are not specific to that tax law as much as there’s other factors that are influencing corporate giving,” Bravo said. Those could include rising costs and uncertainty about the business environment as well as changes within corporations about who directs decisions about charitable giving.

Bergdoll said these projections reflect what they see as the most likely outcome of the tax law changes on charitable giving, but don’t represent a precise forecast. However, in all cases they examined, he said overall giving was likely to decline.

“At the very worst of things, we see giving dropping by almost $12 billion,” he said. “And at the lighter end of things, we see giving dropping by about $2.5 billion.”

BROOKLYN (VINnews) – Former Assemblyman Dov Hikind released a video criticizing Jewish leaders who met with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Hikind said that during the meeting, one attendee — whom he did not identify — urged Mamdani to invite a former hostage to an event to help balance what he described as the candidate’s “far-left extremism.” Hikind said Mamdani “smiled with his familiar smirk” but did not respond.

Hikind also criticized the tone of the meeting, saying there was “a lot of hugging, a lot of handshakes” and photo-taking. He described the interaction as “pathetic,” accusing the participants of failing to confront serious issues.

JEWISH BETRAYAL IN NYC

Event- Jewish leaders meet with with @NYCMayor

Taking pictures ✅
Hugs✅
Empty words✅

Mayor asked to host a hostage kidnapped by Hamas – SILENCE pic.twitter.com/MBAp3dhoXV

— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) March 17, 2026

Russia has been providing Iran with satellite intelligence and drone-related technology to help the Islamic Republic strike American military assets, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

The report states that Moscow is interested in extending the conflict and stands to gain from its continuation. As part of its support, Russia has reportedly shared satellite imagery and assisted in enhancing the communications capabilities of Iran’s shaheed suicide drones—technology similar to that used by Russian forces in Ukraine.

According to a diplomat and a military official cited in the report, the intelligence being shared includes detailed information on the locations of U.S. forces stationed throughout the Middle East.

Analysts told the Journal that Iran has demonstrated greater effectiveness in targeting American military positions in the current conflict than it did during the 12-Day War in June 2025, noting that its methods closely resemble tactics employed by Russia in Ukraine.

Earlier in the conflict, The Washington Post reported that Russia was already supplying Iran with intelligence aimed at facilitating attacks on U.S. forces in the region.

That report added that since the outbreak of the war, Russia has transferred information to Iran identifying the positions of American military targets, including naval vessels and aircraft.

{Matzav.com}

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina’s once thriving wine industry is facing its worst crisis in more than 15 years, with record-low domestic consumption, dwindling exports and low-yielding crops.

Against this sobering reality, hundreds of wine enthusiasts still gathered last week in Mendoza, the heart of Argentina’s wine region, to celebrate the annual National Wine Harvest Festival. Attendees watched dance performances, enjoyed live music and voted for the new queen of the Vend Imia festival.

The festival was marking its 90th year as domestic wine consumption in Argentina plummeted to an all-time low of 15.7 liters (4.1 gallons) per person in 2025, according to the National Institute of Viticulture, or INV. Compare that to 1970, when Argentines consumed as much as 90 liters (24 gallons) per person annually.

Furthermore, 1,100 vineyards have shut down across the country and 3,276 hectares (8095 acres) of grape production have vanished.

Fabián Ruggieri, president of the Argentine Wine Corp trade group, attributes the drop largely to a “sharp decline in purchasing power” that began in 2023. This trend, he said, is most acute among middle- and low-income consumers who traditionally consumed wine on a daily basis.

For Federico Gambetta, director of the Altos Las Hormigas winery, a medium-sized winery in Mendoza, the crisis is exacerbated by a shift in consumption patterns.

A dog rests next to wine-shaped structures in the Uco Valley, near Mendoza, Argentina, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

“People no longer consume wine en masse,” said Gambetta, noting that consumers now seek “coherence” and a sense of purpose behind their purchase.

While older generations favored high-alcohol, full-bodied wines, younger consumers prioritize other attributes, such as “approachability, freshness and lightness” — qualities typically found in white wines and rosés.

One of Gambetta’s red wines — Malbec Los Amantes 2022 — was recently ranked 41st among the world’s 100 best wines. Yet, he notes that starting in 2010 his winery began to modify its wine — once defined by a traditional, heavier profile — to appeal to a new generation of consumers seeking lighter styles.

“Everything has mutated,” Gambetta said. “If you’re not dynamic, you’re lost.”

The U.S. is experiencing a similar shift as the older wine-focused demographic ages out and younger adults fail to fill the gap. A report by Silicon Valley Bank found that millennial and Gen Z drinkers are spread across more categories and drinking less overall, particularly those under 29.

The international market offers little relief. As the world’s 11th largest wine exporter, Argentina saw its exports fall to 193 million liters (51 million gallons) in 2025 — a 6.8% year-on-year decline and the lowest volume since 2004, according to INV.

An employee works in an office above the barrel room at Cuvelier Los Andes winery in Vista Flores, Mendoza province, Argentina, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Ruggieri notes that exports are being hampered by financing issues, high logistics costs and a lack of competitiveness resulting from external tariffs. While its neighbor and wine competitor Chile enjoys free trade agreements with over 60 economies — often reaching markets like China with tariff rates close to zero — Argentina faces tariffs between 10% and 20% in most markets.

Local producers like Gabriel Dvoskin, owner of the 10-hectare Canopus winery that produces approximately 50,000 bottles of wine each year, also struggles with inflation.

Dvoskin, who exports to 15 countries, with the U.S. as his main market, acknowledges that Argentina’s high production costs and rampant inflation place his wines at a disadvantage compared with international competitors.

“Our inflation makes us a bit expensive,” Dvoskin said. “My equivalent in France has a much lower cost for dry inputs — bottles, corks, etc. — than I do.”

For Gambetta, the current crisis reinforces a key lesson for the industry: product quality is non-negotiable.

“Right now, everything is very delicate, and one wrong step can bankrupt you,” Gambetta said.

IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said Tuesday evening that Israel is bracing for significant rocket and missile fire from Lebanon, while simultaneously carrying out operations aimed at disrupting and preventing such attacks by striking Hezbollah positions.

Defrin also referenced the targeted killings of senior Iranian figures, including acting leader Ali Larijani and top Basij commanders, describing the developments as part of a broader escalation against Tehran. “We are in the midst of a very significant day in the war. With each passing day, we deepen the damage to the Iranian regime. We will reach all Iranian leaders, anywhere and at any time.”

Addressing speculation surrounding Iran’s newly named supreme leader, Defrin said Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly in recent days and has remained silent. He stressed that Israel intends to track him down regardless of his location. “Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen recently and we have not heard from him. In any case, he is not immune – we will pursue him, find him and eliminate him.”

{Matzav.com}

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian state media confirms the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (VINnews) — The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office filed felony and misdemeanor charges Monday against Bruneil Henry Chamaki, 32, of Morgan Hill, and Roma Akoyans, 20, and Ramon Akoyans, 18, of San Jose, for a March 8 assault on two Israeli‑American men, Lior Zeevi, 47, and Daniel Levy, 48, outside a Santana Row restaurant.

Video footage showed the defendants striking and kicking the victims, who were on the ground during parts of the attack.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen said the charges reflect the seriousness of the assault and stressed public safety, adding that the case is not currently being treated as a hate crime, though the investigation remains active.

They are scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on May 12 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.

President Isaac Herzog met Tuesday with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna during the minister’s visit to Israel, expressing appreciation for Estonia’s show of support during the ongoing war and highlighting the close relationship between the two countries.

Herzog thanked Tsahkna for coming to Israel at a time of conflict, saying the visit reflects the strength of ties between the two nations.

During the meeting, Herzog addressed recent strikes targeting senior Iranian figures, including the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. “It seems that Ali Larijani was removed and incapacitated, and so was the Commander of the Basij. This is a very important step, because the people of Iran need to have the lid open so that they can protest.”

He went on to recount Larijani’s alleged role in past regional conflict, pointing to events surrounding the Second Lebanon War. “I will remind people about Ali Larijani. In 2006 there was the Second Lebanon War. How did it start? By the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers who were doing their patrol on the border. Ali Larijani, that morning took a flight out of Lebanon. He was there as head of the National Security Council of Iran – he came to plan with Nasrallah this operation, give him the okay, because that’s how they operate with proxies. And that was one of the most brutal wars we had. That was the first in a series of wars.

“So, Ali Larijani spread terror and hate in the worst kind of decision making processes throughout the history in the last generation. And so is the head of the Basij. I hope, sincerely, that the Middle East will see a new horizon out of this conflict. And I hope that also the benefit of the world and Europe will be the same,” the President concluded.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK — Agudath Israel of America has made hundreds of documents from its Holocaust collection available online, offering new insight into the impact of the Holocaust on European Orthodox Jewry and global rescue efforts.

Previously accessible only in physical form at Agudah headquarters, the documents are being digitized and organized with support from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and the German Federal Ministry of Finance.

The first three collections now online include over 70 survivor interviews and two periodicals, Jewish Opinion and Orthodox Tribune, published by Zeirei Agudath Israel in the 1940s through 1960s. The materials chronicle war developments, relief efforts, and Orthodox responses to Nazi atrocities. The Adar 1942 issue, for instance, features front-page coverage of Nazi crimes and an op-ed by Jacob Rosenheim titled “The Right Answer to Hitler’s Challenge.”

Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudath Israel’s executive vice president, called the online publication “an important milestone in the area of Holocaust education,” emphasizing the importance of preserving and teaching this history to future generations.

Agudah thanked those involved in the project, including archivists, digitization specialists, family sponsors, the Claims Conference, and the German government. Additional collections are expected to be added in the coming months.

Online: https://agudaharchive.org/holocaust

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that while many U.S. allies support Washington’s actions against Iran, they are unwilling to take part militarily, renewing his criticism of NATO and other partner nations.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that several allied countries have expressed agreement with the U.S. campaign but are declining to join the fighting. “The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon.”

Trump said he was not taken aback by the response, arguing that the alliance has long placed a disproportionate burden on the United States. He pointed to the scale of American defense spending and accused partner nations of failing to reciprocate in moments of crisis. “I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street – We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need. Fortunately, we have decimated Iran’s Military – Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone, never to threaten us, our Middle Eastern Allies, or the World, again!” he stated.

He went on to say that the United States does not require assistance from its allies, citing what he described as significant battlefield gains against Iran. Trump extended that point beyond NATO to include key U.S. partners in Asia as well. “Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance – WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” his Truth Social post concluded.

{Matzav.com}

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official, was widely believed to be running the country as it reeled from the killing of its supreme leader and a widening war. Israel said Tuesday that it killed Larijani in an overnight strike.

Israel’s military also said it killed Iranian Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, who led a powerful internal security force that has crushed waves of mass protests against the Shiite theocracy.

Iranian authorities have confirmed Soleimani’s death but have yet to comment on Larijani. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top security officials were killed in the surprise U.S. and Israeli strikes that started the war. Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, who was appointed to replace him, has not been seen in public, and Israel suspects he was wounded.

The killing of top leaders has so far had little impact on the war itself, as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard continues to fire missiles at Israel and Arab Gulf countries. Iran has also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes, sending prices up and rattling the world economy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were aimed at weakening Iran’s government “to give the Iranian people the opportunity to remove it.” There have been no signs of anti-government protests since the war began, as many Iranians are sheltering from the American and Israeli strikes.

A political veteran with the supreme leader’s ear
Larijani hails from one of Iran’s most famous political families, which many media outlets have compared to the Kennedys in the United States. One brother, Sadeq, served as the head of Iran’s judiciary, while another, Mohammad Javad, was a senior diplomat who closely advised the late Khamenei on foreign affairs.

Larijani has been a conservative force within Iran’s theocracy, issuing increasingly hard-line threats throughout the years. In the 1990s, he served as Iran’s culture minister, tightening censorship. He served as parliament speaker from 2008 to 2020, and most recently as head of the Supreme National Security Council.

Larijani has also written at least six philosophy books, including three exploring the works of German philosopher Immanuel Kant.

He was appointed to advise Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration and traveled to Oman to meet with mediators just two weeks before the war began. Like other top Iranian leaders, he was under heavy U.S. sanctions and implicated in the violent repression of mass protests in January.

He was ineligible to become supreme leader because he is not a Shiite cleric. But he was widely expected to serve as a top adviser, and many believed he was running the country as U.S. and Israeli strikes have driven Iran’s leadership underground.

A week ago, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran “TWENTY TIMES HARDER” if Tehran stopped oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, Larijani responded to him on X.

“The sacrificial nation of Iran doesn’t fear your empty threats. Even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iran,” he wrote. “Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.”

Shadowy leader of the ayatollahs’ shock troops
Less is known about Soleimani, who led Iran’s paramilitary Basij, an all-volunteer force fiercely loyal to the Islamic Republic. He is not related to Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top general who was killed in a U.S. strike in 2020.

An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Soleimani was killed in a combat tent alongside other Basij commanders, who were using it as makeshift headquarters as Israel has targeted several of their bases.

Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani was born in the mid-1960s in the western Iranian city of Farsan. He first joined the Basij as a volunteer in 1984 during the Iran-Iraq war, when it was notorious for launching human wave attacks at fortified Iraqi positions. He became the commander of the Basij in 2019.

The Basij numbers in the hundreds of thousands, and includes military-style brigades, anti-riot police and a vast network of informers who spy on Iranian society. During protests, plainclothes members can often be seen attacking, beating and hauling away demonstrators.

Soleimani had been under U.S. and international sanctions since 2021 connected to his involvement in crushing protests going back to the disputed presidential election of 2009. The U.S. Treasury said the Basij killed “hundreds of Iranian men, women and children” when it cracked down on protests in 2019.

Thousands were killed and tens of thousands detained in January when Iranians again rose up. It was the bloodiest such crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and caught the attention of Trump, who threatened to intervene on the protesters’ behalf before shifting his attention to Iran’s nuclear program.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts warned Tuesday that personal criticism of federal judges is dangerous and “it’s got to stop,” two days after President Donald Trump called a federal judge who ruled against the administration “wacky, nasty, crooked and totally out of control.”

As he has done before, Roberts was careful not to single out Trump or anyone else, insisting that the attacks on judges are not from “just any one political perspective.”

Criticism of judicial opinions “comes with the territory” and can be healthy, Roberts said in remarks at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy in Houston.

But it’s different when the criticism moves away from legal analysis. “Personally directed hostility is dangerous and it’s got to stop,” Roberts said.

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal, who shared the stage with the chief justice, thanked Roberts because “we always know that you have our backs and that means a great deal.”

The U.S. Marshals Service, responsible for protecting judges, reported 564 threats in the government fiscal year that ended in September, up from the year before. Roberts acknowledged the “serious threats” by noting Congress has responded by increasing funding for judges’ security.

Trump’s most recent comments about judges came Sunday in a post on his Truth Social following a ruling by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg quashing subpoenas the Justice Department had issued to the Federal Reserve.

Boasberg, Trump wrote, is “a Wacky, Nasty, Crooked, and totally Out of Control Judge” who “suffers from the highest level of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), and has been ‘after’ my people, and me, for years.”

Last year, Roberts publicly rejected Trump’s call for Boasberg’s impeachment when the judge blocked additional deportations to a notorious prison in El Salvador.

The president also has been highly critical of Roberts and the five other justices who struck down global tariffs he imposed under an emergency powers law. Trump said he was “absolutely ashamed” of the members of the court who ruled against him, questioning their patriotism and singling out two of his own appointees, Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch.

Trump’s allies and administration officials also have joined in the criticism. After U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston on Monday blocked the administration’s effort to reshape vaccines policy, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche noted that other rulings from Murphy had been upended.

“How many times can Judge Murphy get reversed in one year? The same day he is stayed for repeatedly refusing to follow the law, he issues another activist decision. We will keep appealing these lawless decisions, and we will keep winning. The question is, how much embarrassment can this Judge take?” Blanche posted on X.

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA, also known as Shin Bet) announced Tuesday that they eliminated Younes Mohammed Hussein Alian, the commander of Hamas’ Northern Gaza Brigade in the Naval Array, in a targeted strike the previous day.

According to a joint statement, Alian was responsible for operating the brigade’s naval forces, advancing its force buildup, overseeing terrorist training and preparation, and managing the readiness of its weaponry.

In recent weeks, he had been working to rehabilitate the brigade’s capabilities in the Gaza Strip and was planning imminent terror attacks, the IDF said.

“He was targeted due to posing a real threat to IDF troops,” the statement noted. Prior to the strike, measures were taken to mitigate risks to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance.

The IDF emphasized that troops in the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue operations to neutralize any immediate threats.

A federal oversight body in the United States is broadening its inquiry into suspected connections between employees of a United Nations aid organization and Hamas, including potential involvement in the October 7 massacre.

The Office of the Inspector General for the now-closed U.S. Agency for International Development is reviewing more than 100 staff members from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency amid concerns that some may have ties to Hamas or may have taken part in the October 7 attack, according to individuals familiar with the investigation.

According to a report by The New York Post, investigators have already flagged at least 14 UNRWA employees for alleged links to Hamas. Two others have been recommended for debarment, a step that would prevent them from receiving U.S. funds, while one former staffer has already been permanently barred from federal support.

Officials say the probe remains active, with the number of individuals being examined continuing to rise. The deputy inspector general of USAID is expected to brief members of Congress on the findings, emphasizing the continued importance of the oversight office even after the agency’s shutdown and amid discussions about transferring its functions to the State Department.

{Matzav.com}

Currently running loose in Lakewood.