Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — Following a security assessment, the political leadership adopted the recommendation of the defense establishment regarding the framework for the entry of Palestinian worshippers to the Temple Mount during the month of Ramadan, which commences on Wednesday.
Under the agreed framework, 10,000 Palestinian worshipers [from Judea and Samaria, as Israeli Arab worshipers are allowed to enter freely] will be permitted to enter the Temple Mount for Friday prayers throughout Ramadan, subject to obtaining a designated daily permit in advance. Entry will be allowed for men aged 55 and over, women aged 50 and over, and children up to age 12 accompanied by a first-degree relative.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories emphasized that all permits are contingent upon prior security clearance by the relevant authorities. In addition, residents returning to the Judea and Samaria area after prayers will be required to complete digital documentation at the crossings.
Meanwhile, Jerusalem District Police Commander Avshalom Peled decided to extend Jewish visiting hours at the Temple Mount from four to five hours per day, effective during Ramadan.
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MatzavThousands of Yidden streamed to the Kosel Plaza this morning, beginning at the first light of dawn, to mark Rosh Chodesh Adar with special tefillos. Crowds continued to grow throughout the morning as Yidden ushered in the new month with heartfelt davening at the Kosel.
The Kosel Heritage Foundation reported that during the tefillos, activists affiliated with the radical Women of the Wall group obstructed the primary entrance and exit to the Kosel Plaza.
According to the Foundation, members of the group conducted a “Torah reading” while ignoring requests from police officers and Kosel ushers, even as thousands of mispallelim were arriving at the site. The morning also coincided with the start of Ramadan, bringing additional Muslim worshippers to the area.
The Foundation emphasized that the blocked access points led to unusual congestion and created what it described as a significant safety concern for the many people gathered in the Plaza.
A day earlier, representatives of the Foundation appeared before Supreme Court justices to present their position regarding what they termed “repeated provocations” by Women of the Wall on every Rosh Chodesh.
They stated that Wednesday morning’s events exceeded prior incidents and, they stressed, posed “a real danger to human life.”
In response, Women of the Wall issued a statement saying: “The ushers of the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall leave us no choice. We are fed up with the mistreatment and the attempts to harm our prayers. We are fed up with the fact that despite there being no legal or halakhic prohibition, the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall prevents us in every way from reading from the Torah scroll. We will read from the Torah on the first day of the Jewish month, and implement what the court decided a long time ago: Women of the Wall’s prayer with a Torah scroll is a local custom, and we are allowed to read from the Torah at the Western Wall.”
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (VINnews) — A leading online prediction market is signaling that traders see a potential military strike on Iran as more likely later next month rather than in the coming days, diverging from a public warning by former Israeli intelligence chief Amos Yadlin.
Yadlin, a retired major general who once headed Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate, said in a television interview Wednesday that he would reconsider plans to fly abroad over the weekend because of heightened regional tensions. His remarks fueled speculation in Israel that a significant development could be imminent.
But data from Polymarket, a cryptocurrency-based forecasting platform, suggests traders are not pricing in an immediate strike. Instead, the highest concentration of bets has centered on the possibility of military action occurring by the end of March.
As of Wednesday, contracts tied to a strike by March 31 showed sharply increased trading activity and rising implied odds, while markets tied to earlier dates reflected lower probabilities. On prediction platforms, prices fluctuate based on how much participants are willing to wager on a given outcome, often serving as a real-time gauge of collective expectations.
Prediction markets do not guarantee outcomes and can shift quickly in response to new information. Still, they are closely watched by analysts for signals about how informed traders assess geopolitical risks.
Neither U.S. nor Israeli officials have publicly indicated that military action against Iran is imminent. Diplomatic efforts and public messaging have continued alongside persistent tensions over Iran’s nuclear and regional activities.
The divergence between Yadlin’s caution and market pricing underscores the uncertainty surrounding the situation — and the difficulty of forecasting when or whether military escalation might occur.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) The “Women of the Wall” group, known for their repeated provocations at the site of the Western Wall, arrived on Wednesday morning, the second day of Rosh Chodesh, and blocked the main entrance and exit to the Western Wall during a Torah reading ceremony, disregarding instructions from police and Western Wall officials. This occurred despite it being the first day of Ramadan, thereby endangering the thousands present at the site.
During a High Court hearing on Tuesday of petitions regarding the Western Wall, The Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated that the Women of the Wall’s recurring actions each new month constitute ongoing provocations and scenes that, in its view, violate the sanctity of the Western Wall. According to the foundation, this time the actions amounted to a tangible risk to human life, as they blocked the only escape route from the women’s section out of the Kotel plaza.
הפרובקציה השבועית של הנשים הרפורמיות בכותל המערבי. חודש שלם הן לא באירוע, ופתאום בראש חודש מתעוררות להתריס pic.twitter.com/a1DuFMf6Xd
— ישראל כהן (@Israelcohen911) February 18, 2026
On Tuesday evening, the Women of the Wall and the Reform Movement petitions were heard by the Supreme Court of Israel, demanding that women be permitted to bring Torah scrolls into the Western Wall plaza. Seven judges presided over the expanded panel. One of the petitions calls for allowing women to bring Torah scrolls to the Western Wall, or alternatively, granting equal access to Torah scrolls currently held by the Rabbi of the Wall.
The Lakewood ScoopThe fire broke out this morning on Ronald Road.
No injuries are being reported.
The cause is under investigation.
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MatzavThe United States is said to be moving closer to a major military clash in the Middle East, with new reports indicating that such a confrontation could unfold in the near future, Axios reported Wednesday.
According to the report, any American strike on Iran would not be limited in scope. Instead, it is expected to be extensive and sustained, more akin to a full-scale war than a narrow, targeted operation.
Individuals briefed on the matter said that if hostilities erupt, the campaign would likely involve coordinated action by both the United States and Israel. They indicated that the scope would surpass that of Operation Rising Lion in June 2025, when Israel targeted Iran’s underground nuclear installations and was later joined by American forces. A conflict of this magnitude could significantly reshape the region and influence the remainder of US President Donald Trump’s final term in office.
The report further stated that Trump weighed the possibility of striking Iran as far back as January, following Tehran’s harsh crackdown on domestic protests.
After that opportunity passed, the administration reportedly adopted a two-pronged approach: pursuing renewed nuclear negotiations while simultaneously building up a substantial American military presence in the region. Even so, US officials are said to believe that the chances of achieving a meaningful diplomatic agreement remain slim.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasBEIJING (AP) — An explosion at a fireworks’ shop in China’s Hubei province on Wednesday killed 12 people, state media reported, the second such explosion as the country celebrates the Lunar New Year.
Emergency responders put out the blaze at the fireworks shop in the town of Xiangyang, in central Hubei province, on Wednesday afternoon, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Investigators are now looking into the cause of the explosion, the report said without giving further details.
Fireworks are a large part of the Lunar New Year celebration in China, but their use has also been the cause of multiple accidents.
On Sunday, another accident at a fireworks shop in eastern Jiangsu province killed eight people and injured two. Authorities had said a resident had set off fireworks near the shop.
The central government warned of the dangers in a statement Tuesday, saying that “fireworks are still the biggest risks during the Spring Festival period,” according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — BDE: The IDF reported on Wednesday that a soldier was killed overnight in a friendly fire incident in the southern Gaza Strip after being mistakenly identified as a threat during operations near Khan Younis.
The soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Ofri Yafe, 21, from the northern agricultural community of Hayogev. He served in the Paratroopers Brigade.A preliminary investigation found that Yafe was hit by small-arms fire from Israeli troops conducting engineering operations to demolish structures during nighttime activity in eastern Khan Younis, in an area of buffer zone outposts near the border. Paratrooper forces had arrived in the sector about a week earlier.
Yafe is the fifth Israeli service member killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. The others were Maj. Yaniv Kula, 2nd Lt. Itai Yavetz, Master Sgt. (res.) Efi (Yona Ephraim) Feldbaum and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Asael Babad.
Since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, 925 Israeli soldiers have been killed, according to military figures. Overall, 2,013 people have been killed since the start of the war, the military said.
Staff Sergeant Yaffe is survived by his parents, Hadas and Yiftach, his sisters, Noy and Tzuf, and his brother, Itamar. Residents of Hayogev said: “With deep sorrow and a broken heart, we bow our heads following the fall of our beloved community member, Ofri Yaffe. The entire Hayogev community is shocked and grieving this painful loss. We embrace the Yaffe family in their most difficult moments and will stand by them in any way required.”
On October 8, 2023, one day after the massacre near the Gaza border, Staff Sergeant Yaffe wrote on Facebook, attaching his phone number: “My name is Ofri Yaffe. I completed my year of volunteer service at the Ayanot Youth Village a few months ago. Several friends and I are ready to come and help with anything needed, anywhere in the country that is safe to reach.”
MatzavFor nearly two decades, Batya Kahan — the visionary behind the acclaimed Batya’s Kitchen — has transformed the way families experience Pesach. With her signature blend of elevated flavor, meticulous standards, and heartfelt hospitality, Batya has helped thousands of families serve gourmet, homestyle Yom Tov meals with confidence and grace.
Now, for the very first time, she opens her kitchen to the public.
Pesach Secrets from Batya’s Kitchen is Batya Kahan’s highly anticipated debut cookbook — and it is so much more than a collection of recipes. It is a complete Pesach companion, designed to guide you through every stage of Yom Tov preparation with clarity, organization, and calm.
Over 150 Timeless, Gluten-Free, Non-Gebrokts Recipes
Inside this extraordinary volume, you’ll discover more than 150 refined, gluten-free, non-gebrokts recipes — each crafted with care and backed by over 18 years of Pesach expertise. From beloved family classics to fresh, innovative creations, every dish reflects Batya’s elevated style and commitment to foolproof results.
Her recipes are celebrated fortheir:
Whether you’re hosting a small Yom Tov meal or a full Seder for a crowd, these recipes are designed to work, every time.
More Than a Cookbook — A Complete Pesach System
What truly sets Pesach Secrets apart is its practical, make-ahead approach. Batya understands that Pesach is not just about cooking — it’s about managing time, energy, and expectations during one of the busiest weeks of the year.
That’s why this book includes:
Checklists, timelines, and prep plans
Thoughtfully structured to help you stay organized, ahead of schedule, and stress-free.
Throughout the book, Batya’s practical “make-ahead magic” ensures you can focus on what truly matters — meaningful moments around your Yom Tov table.
Bringing Calm and Confidence Back to Pesach
Batya’s Pesach dishes have already earned a treasured place in Jewish homes across the globe. With Pesach Secrets, she shares not only her most beloved recipes, but also the systems, organization, and mindset that allow Pesach to feel doable, stress-free, and absolutely delicious.
Thoughtful, inspiring, and beautifully written, this remarkable guide blends culinary artistry with real-life practicality — empowering every home cook, from beginner to seasoned, to host with serenity and joy.
Whether you’re preparing your first Seder or your thirtieth, Pesach Secrets from Batya’s Kitchen is destined to become a year-after-year staple in Jewish kitchens everywhere.
Available at ArtScroll.com, by calling 718 921-9000 or at your local Jewish bookseller.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel Defense Forces troops demolished the home of a Hamas terrorist responsible for two deadly attacks in Judea-Samaria in 2024, the military said.
Raafat Dawasi, who was killed in an Israeli drone strike on Aug. 17, 2024, was a senior member of a Hamas terror network in the Jenin area.
The IDF said Dawasi was involved in a roadside bombing in Jenin on June 27, 2024, that killed Capt. Alon Sacgiu, 22, and wounded 16 other soldiers. He was also linked to a shooting attack in the Jordan Valley on Aug. 11, 2024, that killed Yonatan Deutsch, 23, and injured another person.
Troops operated in the town of Silat al-Harithiya overnight and carried out the demolition of Dawasi’s home, the army said.
MatzavA group of leading rabbis identified with the Religious Zionist community sent a sharply phrased letter to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu cautioning against proposals to broaden the inclusion of women in frontline combat roles, particularly within the Armored Corps.
In their message, the rabbis warned that transforming the Armored Corps into a mixed-gender framework would place their students in a direct clash between adherence to religious law and participation in military service. They pointed to scenarios such as male and female soldiers sharing the confined space of a tank, writing that such arrangements are irreconcilable with halakha.
The rabbis underscored that many of their students serve in key combat positions in the Israel Defense Forces with deep dedication, regarding their enlistment as both a national duty and a sacred mission. At the same time, they voiced serious concern over what they described as an accelerated effort to integrate female combat soldiers into central fighting units. They stated that the IDF’s power is not derived only from its operational capabilities, but also from its spiritual character, adding that preserving standards of sanctity and modesty in military settings is vital not just for observant soldiers, but for the army’s overall strength and effectiveness.
According to the letter, the rabbis had avoided public criticism throughout long months of warfare out of a sense of collective responsibility. However, they wrote that recent moves left them compelled to object openly to mixed-gender service that, in their view, conflicts with Jewish law, longstanding tradition, and the foundational principles of the state. They further cautioned that advancing such policies would contradict the IDF’s declared objective of increasing enlistment among religious and haredi recruits.
The letter argues that redesignating the Armored Corps as a mixed unit—similar to previous adjustments in the Artillery Corps, where the number of religious soldiers has reportedly declined significantly—would effectively prevent Torah-observant servicemen from serving in major combat roles. The rabbis warned this could diminish the army’s fighting capacity and weaken the idea of a unified “people’s army.” They also took issue with what they characterized as the introduction of outside social agendas that, in their view, are disconnected from operational necessity or security considerations.
Concluding their appeal, the rabbis urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the IDF remains an institution in which soldiers can serve in line with their religious convictions, emphasizing that this is essential for both military victory and national cohesion. They requested an immediate meeting with Netanyahu in hopes of stopping the plan before it develops into what they described as a grave and irreversible crisis.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued on Wednesday morning a scathing critique of the charedi education system Wednesday morning, calling for a “revolution” and an immediate end to state funding for institutions that oppose IDF service and Zionist values, according to a Jfeed report.
The statement, published in a lengthy social media post, has sparked intense backlash within the charedi community, with critics accusing Bennett of “persecution” and “false generalizations” for political gain ahead of the 2026 elections.
In his address, Bennett laid out what he called three fundamental “facts” driving his platform:
1. Anti-Zionist Indoctrination: Bennett claimed that one-third of Jewish first-graders in Israel attend charedi schools that incite against the state and military service, resulting in the “We will die rather than enlist” sentiment.
2. Lack of Core Curriculum: He argued that by not teaching English, Mathematics, and Science, the charedi system denies students the tools to integrate into the 21st-century workforce.
3. Economic Burden: Bennett alleged that the system sanctifies “not working,” leading to a population that lives on state subsidies without paying taxes, which he described as “unsustainable.”
Bennett detailed a radical “day-one” plan should he return to the Prime Minister’s office:
Bennett sharply criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu, accusing him of prioritizing political survival over the country’s future. “Netanyahu is not stupid; he understands the problem perfectly,” Bennett wrote. “But because he is entirely dependent on the charedi parties, he surrenders to them and promotes anti-Zionist policies.”
He warned that Israel is currently on a “suicidal” path, comparing the government’s policy to the Titanic sailing toward an inevitable disaster.
The Lakewood ScoopFor nearly two decades, Batya Kahan — the visionary behind the acclaimed Batya’s Kitchen — has transformed the way families experience Pesach. With her signature blend of elevated flavor, meticulous standards, and heartfelt hospitality, Batya has helped thousands of families serve gourmet, homestyle Yom Tov meals with confidence and grace.
Now, for the very first time, she opens her kitchen to the public.
Pesach Secrets from Batya’s Kitchen is Batya Kahan’s highly anticipated debut cookbook — and it is so much more than a collection of recipes. It is a complete Pesach companion, designed to guide you through every stage of Yom Tov preparation with clarity, organization, and calm.
Over 150 Timeless, Gluten-Free, Non-Gebrokts Recipes
Inside this extraordinary volume, you’ll discover more than 150 refined, gluten-free, non-gebrokts recipes — each crafted with care and backed by over 18 years of Pesach expertise. From beloved family classics to fresh, innovative creations, every dish reflects Batya’s elevated style and commitment to foolproof results.
Her recipes are celebrated for their:
Whether you’re hosting a small Yom Tov meal or a full Seder for a crowd, these recipes are designed to work, every time.
More Than a Cookbook — A Complete Pesach System
What truly sets Pesach Secrets apart is its practical, make-ahead approach. Batya understands that Pesach is not just about cooking — it’s about managing time, energy, and expectations during one of the busiest weeks of the year.
That’s why this book includes:
Checklists, timelines, and prep plans
Thoughtfully structured to help you stay organized, ahead of schedule, and stress-free.
Throughout the book, Batya’s practical “make-ahead magic” ensures you can focus on what truly matters — meaningful moments around your Yom Tov table.
Bringing Calm and Confidence Back to Pesach
Batya’s Pesach dishes have already earned a treasured place in Jewish homes across the globe. With Pesach Secrets, she shares not only her most beloved recipes, but also the systems, organization, and mindset that allow Pesach to feel doable, stress-free, and absolutely delicious.
Thoughtful, inspiring, and beautifully written, this remarkable guide blends culinary artistry with real-life practicality — empowering every home cook, from beginner to seasoned, to host with serenity and joy.
Whether you’re preparing your first Seder or your thirtieth, Pesach Secrets from Batya’s Kitchen is destined to become a year-after-year staple in Jewish kitchens everywhere.
Available at ArtScroll.com, by calling 718 921-9000 or at your local Jewish bookseller.
Yeshiva World NewsThe IDF announced on Wednesday morning that an IDF soldier was killed overnight in a friendly fire incident in the Gaza Strip.
The soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Ofri Yafe, z’l, 21, from HaYogev, a moshav in northern Israel. He served in the Paratrooper Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit.
Army Radio reported that the incident occurred in the Yellow Line area when two paratrooper soldiers were carrying out routine activities in eastern Khan Younis, searching and clearing buildings of terror infrastructure.
At about 2:00 a.m., one soldier mistakenly identified the second soldier as a terrorist and opened fire, critically injuring the soldier. A medical evacuation unit was dispatched to the scene, but sadly, the soldier was pronounced dead even before arriving at the hospital.
Yafe, z’l, is the fifth IDF casualty in Gaza since the ceasefire went into effect on October 10, 2025. The number of IDF soldiers killed in the war with Gaza since October 7, 2023, is now 925.
The IDF launched an investigation into the incident.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
MatzavWFAN host Craig Carton sharply criticized filmmaker Spike Lee this week, accusing him of going too far during the NBA All-Star festivities and urging that he be barred from league arenas.
Speaking on his Monday program, Carton reacted angrily after Lee was seen seated courtside at the All-Star Game with a bag displaying a Palestine Liberation Organization flag, at the same time Israeli-born player Deni Avdija was making history. “Spike Lee should be banned from every basketball game for the rest of his life,” Carton said in a clip shared on social media. “The fact that Spike Lee would protest the fact that an Israeli-born player made it to the All-Star game… The player’s not political, the player’s just playing basketball. There’s no place for this.”
The incident took place during the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Lee, long associated with the New York Knicks as one of their most visible celebrity fans, was photographed sitting near the court carrying the PLO-themed bag. The moment drew heightened attention because Avdija, now a forward for the Portland Trail Blazers, had just become the first Israeli-born athlete ever selected to participate in the league’s All-Star Game.
Carton also faulted the NBA itself for permitting the display, suggesting it detracted from what should have been a milestone celebration for Avdija. “But for the NBA to open up their doors and front-row service to a despicable human being and allow him to make this Israeli-born player feel bad, he shouldn’t be allowed in Madison Square Garden,” Carton stressed. “He shouldn’t be allowed in another NBA arena for a long time.”
While many in Israel viewed Avdija’s selection as a proud achievement, Lee’s choice of attire drew criticism from those who argued that political messaging did not belong at a sporting event. Lee has not publicly commented on the matter.
The controversy extended beyond Lee. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers also faced backlash after remarks he made about Israel during his All-Star media availability.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, James was asked by an Israeli journalist about Avdija. He replied, “I said I believe he was an All-Star. He’s playing exceptional basketball. So that’s that.”
He then addressed Israel more broadly, stating, “If I have fans over there – I’ve never been there – I hope you’ve been following my career. I hope I inspire people over there to not only want to be great at sports but be better in general in life. Hopefully someday I could make it over there. Like I said, I’ve never been over there, but I heard nothing but great things.”
His comments quickly ignited debate online. British-American commentator Mehdi Hasan reacted on Twitter, writing, “What a disgrace LeBron is,” while reposting a message from Laila Al-Arian of Al Jazeera that read, “The entire human rights community: Israel is an apartheid state committing genocide and ethnic cleansing. LeBron James: ‘I’ve heard great things about Israel.’”
Other users on social media accused James of ignoring “Palestinian Arab suffering” and argued that speaking positively about Israel was inappropriate in light of the ongoing conflict.
James has not issued any further response to the criticism.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — Amos Yadlin, a former head of the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate, said about the talks between Iran and the US that he would “think twice”” about flying this weekend, fueling rumors of a possible impending US attack in Iran.
Yadlin clarified that while a superpower does not go to war in a matter of days and diplomatic paths should still be exhausted, the “all options on the table” rhetoric is now backed by a credible and visible military threat.
Contradicting Yadlin’s cautionary tone, Finance Minister Smotrich urged the public to maintain their routine. In an interview on Israel radio, Smotrich remarked that, “I wouldn’t cancel plans for the weekend. We won’t be caught by surprise, but for now, we are waiting to see how things develop.”
Smotrich noted that while Israel fears a “bad deal” regarding Iran’s nuclear program, there is an understanding with the U.S. that any agreement must also address Iran’s missile program and its funding of global terrorism.
Barak Ravid reported on the Axios news site that “The Trump administration is closer to a major war in the Middle East than most Americans realize. It could begin very soon.”
Ravid quoted sources that stated it would likely be a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign that’s much broader in scope and more existential for the regime than the Israeli-led 12-day war last June, which the U.S. eventually joined to take out Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. Such a war would have a dramatic influence on the entire region and major implications for the remaining three years of the Trump presidency.
Ravid added that the Israeli government, which is pushing for a maximalist scenario targeting regime change as well as Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, is preparing for a scenario of war within days, according to two Israeli officials.
Some U.S. sources told Axios that the U.S. might need more time. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said strikes could still be weeks away. But others say the timeline could be shorter.
“The boss is getting fed up. Some people around him warn him against going to war with Iran, but I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks,” one Trump adviser said.
Yeshiva World NewsNegotiations between the United States and Iran are continuing, at least officially, but it appears that a decisive moment is approaching, with Axios reporting on Wednesday that a US strike may be imminent.
A White House source said that the chance of a strike in the coming weeks is 90% and that the operation would likely be carried out together with Israel. Two Israeli sources said that Israel is preparing for a war to begin “within days.”
A Trump adviser was quoted in the report as saying that Trump is growing “fed up.”
“I think there is a ninety percent chance we will see kinetic action in the coming weeks,” the source was quoted as saying. “Some people around him warn him against going to war with Iran, but I think there is a 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks.”
Sources said that the operation would last for weeks, would be broad in scope, and would have dramatic consequences for the entire region and for the continuation of Trump’s presidency.
If in the 12-day war, Israel led the campaign and the United States merely “joined” by bombing the facility in Fordow, this time, according to the report, it will be different.
Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin, the former head of IDF Military Intelligence, warned Israelis to avoid flying in the coming days in an interview with Channel 12 on Wednesday morning, claiming that the US may imminently strike Iran, leading to a regional escalation.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
MatzavThe Israel Defense Forces announced Wednesday morning that Staff Sergeant Ofri Yafe, 21, from Hayogev, was killed during combat operations in Gaza.
Yafe was a member of the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit and was fatally wounded while operating in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Preliminary findings suggest that he was struck by friendly fire amid activity in Khan Yunis.
The incident took place at approximately 2:00 a.m. in the area known as the “yellow line” in southern Gaza. Two separate forces from the Paratroopers Brigade were engaged in a standard mission to search and secure buildings. During the course of the operation, one unit mistakenly believed the other to be a hostile force.
As a result of the misidentification, shots were fired at the second unit, leaving Staff Sergeant Yafe critically injured. Medical personnel were rushed to the scene and began evacuating him, but he was pronounced dead during transport before reaching the hospital. The IDF has opened a comprehensive investigation to determine exactly how the fatal error occurred.
Yafe is the fifth Israeli soldier to lose his life in Gaza since the ceasefire that began on October 10, 2025. The others killed in Gaza during this period were Major Yaniv Kula, Staff Sergeant Itay Yavetz, Master Sergeant (Res.) Yona Efraim Feldbaum, and Sergeant Major (Res.) Asael Babad.
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, 925 IDF soldiers have fallen. In total, 2,013 people have been killed since the outbreak of hostilities.
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsThe latest U.S.-brokered talks between Russian and Ukrainian envoys over Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine ended Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough and with both sides saying the talks were “difficult” as the war’s fourth anniversary approaches next week.
The negotiations in Switzerland were the third round of direct talks organized by the U.S., after meetings earlier this year in Abu Dhabi that officials described as constructive but which also yielded no major progress.
The head of the Russian delegation, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s adviser Vladimir Medinsky, told reporters that the two days of talks in Geneva “were difficult but businesslike.” He said another round of talks will be held “in the near future.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also described the discussions as “difficult,” and accused Russia of “trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage.”
U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on social media that Washington’s push for peace in Ukraine over the past year has “brought about meaningful progress,” without elaborating.
The two armies remain locked in battle on the roughly 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) front line, while Russia bombards civilian areas of Ukraine daily.
Hours after the first day of talks ended on Tuesday, Russian drones killed a woman and injured a 6-year-old girl and 18-month-old toddler in the southern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, officials said.
Overnight, Russia launched one ballistic missile and 126 long-range drones at Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that it’s “too early” to speak about the outcome. Putin has been receiving reports about the talks’ progress, he said.
The head of the Ukrainian delegation in Switzerland, Rustem Umerov, said that officials are trying to bridge their political and military differences.
“Consultations are taking place in working groups by areas within the political and military tracks,” the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, wrote in English on X. “We are working on clarifying the parameters and mechanisms of the decisions discussed yesterday.”
Zelenskyy said the delegations also were to discuss further exchanges of prisoners of war and the release of civilian prisoners.
He revealed that the Ukrainian and American envoys in Geneva met with representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. Europe’s participation in the process is “indispensable,” Zelenskyy said.
European leaders, mindful of Putin’s wider ambitions, say their own security is at stake in Ukraine and have insisted on being consulted in peace efforts.
Russia and Ukraine appear to still be far apart on their demands for a settlement.
Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting with Putin. But Moscow wants a comprehensive agreement before committing to a truce.
Putin’s key goals remain what he declared when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022: Ukraine must renounce joining NATO, sharply reduce the size of its army and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.
Additionally, Putin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow has occupied but doesn’t fully control.
Zelenskyy says Ukraine won’t surrender land to Russia.
(AP)
Yeshiva World NewsFor decades, regulations required citizens of Israel – including those who also held another nationality – to use an Israeli passport when entering or leaving the country.
When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted government services worldwide, passport offices and Israeli missions abroad operated at limited capacity or were closed altogether. This created significant challenges for many citizens who were unable to obtain or renew Israeli travel documents. In response, the Interior Ministry introduced a temporary policy allowing dual citizens to travel using their non-Israeli passports. Since then, the arrangement has been renewed repeatedly due to ongoing demand and practical need, most recently in December 2025.
Chaim V’Chessed has actively lobbied on behalf of the community to help ensure the continuation of this important exception.
The Interior Ministry has now announced that this accommodation will remain in place through September 30, 2026. Dual citizens will therefore continue to be permitted to enter and depart Israel using a valid foreign passport during this period.
Chaim V’Chessed will continue to share updates with the community on travel rules, requirements, and any changes as they occur.
MatzavLISTEN:
https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1711-Semichah-Part-11-Negate.mp3
For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.
Yeshiva World NewsMaj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin, the former head of IDF Military Intelligence, insinuated in an interview with Channel 12 on Wednesday morning that the US may strike Iran in the coming days, leading to a regional escalation.
“Last week I felt comfortable flying to the Munich Security Conference,” Yadlin said. “But I would think twice about flying if it were this weekend.”
“We’re much closer than before to an attack,” he added, “but a superpower doesn’t go to war in a matter of days. There’s a diplomatic path that needs to be exhausted.”
Yadlin added that “many people oppose a strike. Even in the Pentagon, it’s unclear what such an attack would ultimately achieve. The president is very determined, and when he says all options are on the table, that’s backed by a credible military threat—alongside the U.S. deployment off of Iran’s coast and in its airspace.”
In contrast, Finance Minister and security cabinet member Betzalel Smotrich doesn’t seem to believe a US strike is imminent. Asked during an interview on 103FM Radio on Wednesday morning whether Israelis planning to travel in the coming days should reconsider, he responded, “I’m one of those who always prefers to stay in Eretz HaKodesh anyway, but I wouldn’t cancel plans for the weekend.”
Flight tracking data on Tuesday showed that the US flew over 50 advanced fighter jets to the Middle East over 24 hours.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Yeshiva World NewsOne day after the fate of the Kosel’s kedusha was casually tossed around by Supreme Court justices, one of the petitioners, the Women of the Wall organization, escalated its monthly antics on Wednesday morning, Rosh Chodesh Adar.
The members of the group not only violated the law by bringing a Sefer Torah to the Kosel, they blocked the main entrance and exit to the site by holding a “Kriyas HaTorah” ceremony while completely ignoring the instructions of the police and Kosel ushers, endangering the thousands of people who came to daven at the Kosel.
It should be noted that Wednesday is also the first day of Ramadan, which led to an unusually large crowd due to the Muslims who also arrived at the area.
A statement from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation said that the actions of the Women of the Wall group went beyond its usual provocations that disrespect the mispallelim and violate the laws of the site but also posed a “real risk to human life.”
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation submitted a complaint at the Supreme Court hearing about the group’s ongoing provocations at the Kosel every Rosh Chodesh.
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(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)_
Yeshiva World NewsBnos Penina, a girls school in Lakewood, has informed parents that it will no longer be able to operate in its current location after Wednesday, February 18, and instructed families not to send students beginning Thursday, February 19.
According to the letter, administrators said the school has struggled to remain financially viable after parents’ commitments to provide additional support and maintain current tuition payments were not fully met.
“Had tuition obligations been maintained as agreed, we would not be in this position today,” the administration wrote.
The administration said the challenges were compounded by prolonged periods of sub-freezing temperatures earlier this winter, which increased operating and maintenance costs.
The school also disclosed that its landlord had notified administrators that the building would no longer be available for use after this week, leaving the school without a location to continue classes.
Despite efforts over recent months to secure funding and explore alternative solutions, the administration said it was unable to find a sustainable path forward.
“After much effort, many conversations, and every possible attempt to find a sustainable path forward, we have reached the painful conclusion that we will not be able to continue,” the letter stated.
School leaders said the decision followed consultation with Torah authorities and was made after extensive deliberation.
“It is our sincere hope that our wonderful and loyal parents will step forward in a meaningful and immediate way to make continuation possible,” the administration wrote.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Yeshiva World NewsLebanese security authorities have arrested a resident of a southern village on suspicion of spying for Israel. The arrest was first reported by Lebanon Debate, which said the information department of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces carried out a month-long surveillance operation targeting the suspect, identified as Ahmad M.
According to the report, investigators had been monitoring Ahmad M., a resident of the village of Ansar, over suspected contacts with Israeli agents. The operation culminated in a coordinated arrest at a local gas station, where members of the department’s elite “Striking Force” surrounded his vehicle and sealed off the area to prevent bystanders from approaching.
Security officials said the suspect was taken into custody without incident.
During questioning, Ahmad M. allegedly admitted to cooperating with Israel and to providing intelligence that helped guide strikes inside Lebanon, according to the Lebanon Debate report.
The outlet described him as a “senior operative,” citing his direct communication with Israeli handlers and the “quality and sensitivity” of the information he is accused of supplying.
Lebanese security sources said the suspect traveled multiple times to Israel for meetings with intelligence contacts. Additional encounters were allegedly held in Germany and Italy, suggesting a network that extended beyond the Middle East.
Authorities have referred the case to a Lebanese military court for further proceedings.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-House Democrats are pushing for a formal censure of Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) following his controversial social media comments comparing Muslims unfavorably to dogs, which have sparked widespread backlash across party lines.
The controversy erupted after Fine responded on X to a post by Palestinian American activist Nerdeen Kiswani, who sarcastically suggested that with New York “coming to Islam,” dogs might be deemed “unclean” and unsuitable as indoor pets. Fine wrote: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”
He later doubled down in subsequent statements and interviews, including one where he said: “Not only are we supposed to let all these people in, we’re supposed to smile and submit while they redefine what it means to be in America!”
A major Muslim leader in NYC is calling for dogs to be forbidden because they “bother some Muslims.”
If Mainstream Muslims make us choose between keeping our dogs and them going home, the choice is easy. pic.twitter.com/FvaLpYE0oB
— Congressman Randy Fine (@RepFine) February 17, 2026
The remarks, viewed by critics as Islamophobic and bigoted, prompted immediate outrage from Democrats, civil rights groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and even some Jewish and pro-Israel organizations. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) described Fine as “an Islamophobic, disgusting and unrepentant bigot,” while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) called the statement “genuinely one of the most disgusting” from an American official and urged that Fine be censured and stripped of committee assignments.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) told Axios he had raised the issue with Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) leadership, stating: “I have raised with CPC leadership that Fine must be censured. We cannot stand idly by as Muslim Americans are described as less than dogs by a sitting member.” Khanna emphasized that the issue transcends politics and concerns basic morality and decency.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) echoed the sentiment, posting on X that while he usually opposes censure resolutions, “I’ve never seen someone deserve one more.”
According to Axios reporting, House Democrats are actively discussing forcing a censure vote on the floor if Republican Speaker Mike Johnson does not act, with one senior progressive indicating it “could likely happen” as early as when the House returns from recess. Some lawmakers have gone further, calling for Fine’s resignation or removal from committees.
Fine, who has a history of vocal anti-Muslim rhetoric and positions himself as one of Congress’s most outspoken critics on related issues, has not backed down from his comments. The episode has also drawn rebukes from figures like conservative commentator Megyn Kelly, who accused him of going “full bigot.”
Sharia law is a clear and present threat to the United States.
The call to prayer is being blasted in New York City.
Muslim activists are calling for dogs to be killed.
Giant mosques are popping up all over Texas and Florida.
We have to do something about this threat, and… pic.twitter.com/qwHTVlpqPC
— Congressman Randy Fine (@RepFine) February 17, 2026
MatzavThe Stoliner Rebbe sharply denounced the recent unrest in Bnei Brak, expressing deep anguish over the violence and particularly over reports that tefillin and a siddur were burned during the disturbances.
Speaking to his chassidim in a special address marking Rosh Chodesh Adar, the Rebbe addressed the events that took place in the city.
“We all heard with shock what happened two days ago in Bnei Brak. To our shame, these riots have become somewhat of a norm, and this is something terrible,” the Rebbe said.
He acknowledged the strain facing many in the chareidi community but stressed that hardship does not justify lawlessness.
“It is true that we are in a very difficult situation, many in the chareidi public are going through a challenging period and do not know how this will be resolved. But none of this justifies behaving in a wild and reckless manner.”
The Rebbe emphasized that throughout Jewish history, even in times of suffering, there was never any license to violate halacha.
“Throughout the generations we endured troubles and difficult times, and we never found any permission to act against clear halacha, against the Shulchan Aruch. It is forbidden to cause damage, it is forbidden to burn. We have the Torah and we have halacha above all. It is absolutely forbidden to harm others or damage property. Not garbage bins and not other objects — these are clear matters. How did we deteriorate to this point? Who permitted this?”
He also criticized the blocking of roads during the protests, pointing out the potential danger and hardship such actions can cause.
“And it is not only forbidden to cause damage — what permission is there to block roads and prevent the public from reaching their destinations, including cases involving danger to life, and causing distress to many? What has happened to us? Does this help anyone? It certainly does not add to ahavas Yisrael. This only harms and injures our own community. We are the ones who suffer from this without having done anything wrong.”
The Rebbe said the most disturbing aspect of the events was the reported burning of tashmishei kedusha.
“And what should shake all of us is that tefillin and a siddur were burned. Heaven forbid. If this had happened elsewhere, the entire Jewish world would be outraged and horrified. How did we reach such a dreadful situation that tefillin and a holy siddur were burned by Jewish hands? Where is our Jewish feeling? How low have we fallen? Have we completely lost our minds?!”
He concluded by calling for introspection and change.
“This decline must be stopped. We must conduct a serious accounting of the soul, correct what is required of us, and act according to the will of the Creator, may He be blessed — in all your ways know Him.”
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (VINnews) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to reinstate homeless encampment sweeps after previously halting the practice, according to the NY Post.
The decision follows criticism of the administration’s handling of homelessness during a recent stretch of extreme cold, during which 19 people experiencing homelessness died. The reversal marks a shift from Mamdani’s campaign position, when he pledged to end the sweeps, calling them ineffective at moving people into permanent shelter.
The sweeps — carried out under prior administrations, including that of former Mayor Eric Adams — involve city outreach teams notifying individuals living in encampments, returning over several days to offer services and shelter placements before dismantling makeshift structures. Police and sanitation workers are typically present during the operations.
City data show thousands of complaints about street encampments so far this year.
Officials have not formally announced a restart date, but sources indicate the practice could resume this week. The administration has said it remains focused on connecting vulnerable residents with housing and services.
MatzavKnesset Member Michael Malkieli sharply criticized police conduct following the recent riots in Bnei Brak, accusing law enforcement of excessive force and staging what he described as a public relations display.
In an interview on an Israeli news broadcast, Malkieli addressed the violence that erupted in the city, stressing that the position of gedolei Yisrael is unequivocal. “Gedolei Yisrael, the roshei yeshiva, issued very, very clear letters that our path is not one of violence — certainly not to burn things and not to go out to uncontrolled protests — and we condemn every type of violence,” he said. At the same time, he argued that this condemnation does not justify what he characterized as harsh police behavior.
Malkieli recounted that even before police forces entered Bnei Brak, residents had contacted him expressing concern about how officers would act. “People called and said, look, we have experience with the Israel Police, and it’s clear to us that now the police will want to put on a show,” he said. According to Malkieli, the police response was disproportionate. “It cannot be that they come and beat people who are not connected, take people into custody who are not connected to the incident.” He added that he has submitted a parliamentary motion and intends to demand explanations. “I expect the police to restore order, but they behaved there in a brutal manner.”
Addressing claims of selective enforcement, Malkieli reinforced his criticism. “Absolutely. Not only selective enforcement — there is a show here that the Israel Police put on for television to show that it is also doing something.”
Turning to developments surrounding the draft law, Malkieli said that gedolei Yisrael instructed representatives to continue negotiations rather than sever dialogue. “The instruction was unequivocal to do everything,” he said, describing ongoing cooperation with the committee chairman and legal advisers. He maintained that there is no political barrier to passing the legislation if an agreed-upon text is finalized. “The Prime Minister, the coalition chairman, say — when there is a version acceptable to you, it will have 61 fingers in the Knesset.” Still, he acknowledged the process has been marked by frustration and setbacks.
Malkieli also voiced serious concern about High Court involvement in matters relating to the Kosel. He argued that even when the Knesset enacts legislation, judicial intervention remains unpredictable. “We already don’t know, once there is legislation, what the court will do with that legislation. We have already seen very major laws in the Knesset that the court struck and put into storage.” In his view, this reflects a broader pattern of interference in sensitive issues.
As another example, he cited the authority of rabbinical courts. “The court stripped them of the authority, in an arbitrary, crude and inconsiderate manner, to adjudicate monetary cases.” He noted that a bill to expand those powers has advanced in the Constitution Committee but cautioned, “You don’t know what the High Court will do, you have no idea.” He described the situation as marked by “arrogance” and as undermining the dignity of Israel’s dayanim.
On the issue of funding for chareidi educational institutions following a conditional order from the High Court, Malkieli again attacked what he sees as judicial overreach. “The High Court behaves like the last member of the opposition in a Knesset committee,” he said. He emphasized that these schools serve tax-paying citizens. “Are we second-class citizens? Are we residents here? Where did we come from?” He concluded with a broader critique: “We were taught that the people are sovereign. The court was not taught that.”
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsIsraeli security forces have detained four ISIS–affiliated terrorists in a pair of coordinated raids in the West Bank city of Yericho.
In a joint statement, the IDF and Israel Police said troops from the Lions of the Valley Battalion arrested three members of the cell last week. A fourth suspect was captured in a separate operation on Tuesday by Border Police officers.
“The terrorists were advancing terror activity and were suspected of intending to carry out an attack,” the statement said.
All four suspects were transferred for interrogation to the Shin Bet.
The arrests took place in Yericho, an area that has generally seen fewer large-scale terrorist operations than other parts of the West Bank. Israeli officials say the presence of ISIS–linked operatives there reflects ongoing efforts by smaller jihadist factions to establish footholds amid broader regional instability.
While most Israeli counterterrorism operations in the West Bank have focused on Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and local terrorist groups, security officials have increasingly warned about attempts by ISIS supporters to exploit gaps in governance and security.
The raids come as Israeli forces maintain a significant security presence across the West Bank, driven by fears of spillover violence from the war in Gaza and rising tensions along multiple fronts.
Over the past year, Israeli troops and police have carried out near-daily arrest operations, targeting suspected terrorists and weapons caches. Officials say many of those detained were in early stages of planning attacks.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz NeiasSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rescue crews on skis and snowcats battled blizzard conditions in an effort to reach six backcountry skiers trapped after an avalanche high in the rugged Northern California mountains that left 10 other skiers missing as the danger of more slides remained high.
The search and rescue crews were dispatched to Frog Lake in the Castle Peak area, northwest of Lake Tahoe, after someone called 911 at about 11:30 a.m. to report an avalanche with people buried as a powerful winter storm moved through the state.
Hours later, Ashley Quadros, a spokesperson with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, said six skiers had been located and were asked to shelter in place “as best they can” until they can be reached.
Authorities are working to rescue six skiers who survived a backcountry avalanche Feb. 17, 2026 in Northern California, while 10 others remain unaccounted for. The group of 16 total skiers included four ski guides and 12 clients, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in an… pic.twitter.com/xsjDyjAVVY
— The Sacramento Bee (@sacbee_news) February 18, 2026
The group was on the last day of a three-day backcountry skiing trip, said Steve Reynaud, a Tahoe National Forest avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center. Reynaud said his group has had contact with people on the ground in the area. He said the skiers had spent two nights at huts on a trip that required navigating “rugged mountainous terrain” on backcountry skis for up to four miles (6.4 kilometers) and bringing along all food and supplies.
Nevada County Sheriff Capt. Russell Greene said authorities were notified about the avalanche by the ski tour company that took the group to Castle Peak and by emergency beacons the skiers were carrying.
Greene told KCRA-TV that the skiers are in communication with officials through their emergency beacons, which can send texts.
“They are doing the best they can. They have taken refuge in an area, they have made up a makeshift shelter with a tarp and are doing everything they can to survive and wait for rescue,” Greene told the television station.
He said rescue teams are making their way to the group cautiously because the danger of triggering more avalanches remains high.
“We have brought in snowcats, we have snowmobiles on standby. We have individuals on skis. We have several different ways that people are attempting to get there,” he said. “It’s just going to be a slow, tedious process.”
California is being walloped this week by a powerful winter storm bringing treacherous thunderstorms, high winds and heavy snow in mountain areas.
“It’s particularly dangerous in the backcountry right now just because we’re at the height of the storm,” said Brandon Schwartz, Tahoe National Forest lead avalanche forecaster at the Sierra Avalanche Center based in Truckee.
The center issued an avalanche warning for the area in the Central Sierra Nevada, including the Greater Lake Tahoe region, starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday with large slides expected into Wednesday.
The dangerous conditions were caused by rapidly accumulating snowfall piling on fragile snowpack layers coupled with gale-force winds.
Several ski resorts around Lake Tahoe were fully or partially closed due to the extreme weather. The resorts along highways have avalanche mitigation programs and were not expected to be at as high of a risk as the backcountry where travel in, near, or below the avalanche terrain was strongly discouraged, the center said.
Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot (2,777-meter) peak in the Donner Summit area of the Sierra Nevada, is a popular backcountry skiing destination. Donner Summit, which can be perilous in snow, is named for the infamous Donner Party, a group of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism after getting trapped there in the winter of 1846-1847.
Training in avalanche assessment and rescue and safety equipment is highly recommended for backcountry skiing, also known as off-piste skiing, that draws people wanting to glide deep into the wilderness far outside the confines of a resort’s boundaries. Backcountry skis are wider, heavier and have other features to handle going up and down ungroomed terrain, unlike cross-country skis that are narrower and designed for flat, more groomed trails.
In the nearby town of Soda Springs, at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow had fallen in the last 24 hours, according to the Soda Springs Mountain Resort.
Forecasters said the western slope of the Sierra Nevada in northern Shasta County — including portions of Interstate 5 — and parts of the state’s Pacific Coast Range could see up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) of snow before the storm moves through late Wednesday.
The storm wreaked havoc on roadways spanning from Sonoma County to the Sierra Nevada. Traffic was halted temporarily in both directions on I-80 near the Nevada state line due to spinouts and crashes, the California Department of Transportation reported.
In January, an avalanche in the region buried a snowmobiler in snow and killed him, authorities said. Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center.
Vos Iz NeiasMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota and federal authorities are investigating the alleged beating of a Mexican citizen by immigration officers last month, seeking to identify what caused the eight skull fractures that landed the man in the intensive care unit of a Minneapolis hospital.
Investigators from the St. Paul Police Department and FBI last week canvassed the shopping center parking lot where Alberto Castañeda Mondragón says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wrested him from a vehicle, threw him to the ground and repeatedly struck him in the head with a steel baton.
ICE has blamed Castañeda Mondragón for his own injuries, saying he attempted to flee while handcuffed and “fell and hit his head against a concrete wall.”
But hospital staff who treated the man told The Associated Press such a fall could not plausibly account for the man’s brain hemorrhaging and fragmented memory. A CT scan showed fractures to the front, back and both sides of his skull — injuries a doctor told the AP were inconsistent with a fall.
Earlier this month, the AP published an interview with Castañeda Mondragón in which he said the arresting officers had been “racist” and “ started beating me right away when they arrested me.” His lawyers have contended ICE racially profiled him.
In separate visits to the shopping center last week, local and federal investigators requested surveillance footage from at least two businesses, whose employees told the AP their cameras either did not capture the Jan. 8 arrest or the images had been overwritten because more than a month passed before law enforcement asked for the video.
Johnny Ratana, who owns Teepwo Market, an Asian grocery store that faces the parking lot where the arrest occurred, said St. Paul police twice sent investigators to the business in recent days. The second time, he said, a data technician sought to recover images automatically overwritten after 30 days.
Ratana said he also was visited by FBI agents interested in the same footage.
The St. Paul Police Department did not respond to requests for comment. The FBI declined to comment.
The investigations come amid another federal probe into whether two ICE officers lied under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis. Federal prosecutors dropped charges against two Venezuelan men — who had been accused of attacking one of the officers with a snow shovel and broom handle — after video evidence contradicted the officers’ sworn testimony.
The FBI, meanwhile, notified Minnesota authorities last week it would not share any information or evidence it collected in the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers. That killing is the subject of a Justice Department civil rights investigation.
For weeks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security refused to discuss any aspect of Castañeda Mondragón’s injuries. It has not answered detailed questions from the AP, including whether its officers recorded body-worn camera footage of the arrest.
Agency insists man injured himself
But the agency last week doubled down on its claim that Castañeda Mondragón injured himself.
“On January 8, 2026, ICE conducted a targeted enforcement operation to arrest Alberto Castaneda Mondragon, a 31-year-old illegal alien from Mexico who overstayed his visa,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs “While in handcuffs, Castaneda attempted to escape custody and ran toward a main highway. While running, Castaneda fell and hit his head against a concrete wall.”
McLaughlin’s assertion that Castañeda Mondragón had been targeted for removal was contradicted by a Jan. 20 court filing in which ICE said officers only determined the man overstayed his work visa after he was in custody. McLaughlin did not respond to questions about which account was correct.
Castañeda Mondragón’s lawyers declined to comment on ICE’s statement.
Delay could affect investigations
The criminal investigations could be complicated by the amount of time it took law enforcement to look into the arrest, even as several elected officials called for answers.
St. Paul police told the AP on Feb. 5 that it was aware of “the serious allegations” surrounding the arrest but that it could not begin investigating Castañeda Mondragón’s injuries until he filed a police report — a step that was delayed weeks because of the man’s hospitalization and uncertainty over his immigration status. Police finally took his statement a week ago at the Mexican consulate.
By that point, at least one nearby business had overwritten its surveillance footage.
“It is my expectation that we will investigate past and future allegations of criminal conduct by federal agents to seek the truth and hold accountable anyone who has violated Minnesota law,” John Choi, the chief prosecutor of Ramsey County, said in a statement.
Castañeda Mondragón has been summoned to meet with ICE on Feb. 23 at its main detention facility in Minneapolis, raising the potential he could be taken back into custody and deported.
MatzavTaxpayers are seeing larger refunds at the start of this year’s filing season, with early Internal Revenue Service data showing the average refund climbing 10.9 percent compared to the same point last year.
As of Feb. 6, the typical refund stands at $2,290, up from $2,065 during the comparable period in 2025.
The IRS indicated that the average is likely to increase further in the coming weeks because the current totals do not yet reflect millions of refunds connected to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC).
Changes enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Trump, are expected to increase refunds for many Americans this year. An analysis referenced by the Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee projects that some filers could receive as much as $1,000 more.
At this stage, the average refund is $225 higher than it was a year ago, and that difference may expand as additional returns are processed.
The Bipartisan Policy Center cautioned in a January report that early-season figures can be misleading, pointing to past years when refunds initially appeared lower before rising as the filing period progressed.
The 2026 tax season officially began on Jan. 26. By Feb. 6, the IRS had processed roughly 22.3 million returns. That total is 5 percent below last year’s pace but accounts for only 14 percent of the 164 million filings the agency anticipates receiving.
In the previous filing year, the average refund amounted to $3,167, with approximately 63 percent of taxpayers receiving a payment. According to the IRS, most people who file electronically can expect to receive their refund within 21 days.
More than 7.4 million refunds had been distributed as of Feb. 6, compared to 8.1 million at the same point last year — an 8.1 percent decline.
The deadline to file federal income taxes is April 15.
It is typical for the average refund amount to fluctuate early in the season before increasing as more returns are completed.
One reason for that pattern is that the IRS is prohibited from issuing refunds tied to returns claiming the EITC or ACTC until after Feb. 15. In addition, returns filed by higher-income taxpayers, which tend to be more complex, often take longer to prepare and submit.
Data reviewed by the Bipartisan Policy Center shows that in recent years, the average refund has often surged in mid-February before leveling off somewhat as Tax Day approaches.
The IRS publishes the average refund in its weekly statistics rather than the median amount, meaning unusually large refunds can influence the overall figure.
President Trump has described this year’s filing period as potentially “the largest tax refund season of all time,” citing more than 100 revisions to the tax code included in his 2025 legislation.
Individual refund totals will vary widely, however.
Measures such as an increased standard deduction, an expanded Child Tax Credit and a new deduction for seniors are expected to lower tax liabilities by several hundred dollars for tens of millions of households, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Other provisions are forecast to generate savings in the thousands for a narrower segment of taxpayers, including certain employees who earn tips or overtime pay.
Principal Asset Management, an international investment firm, estimates that the average refund could climb by nearly $700 to about $3,800 per filer in 2026.
The firm projects that middle- and higher-income households will benefit the most, potentially receiving around $1,000 more on average. Lower-income households, many of whom already owe little or no federal income tax, may see smaller increases — often less than $100 in additional refunds.
Vos Iz NeiasTHE JEWISH EXPOSITOR, AND FRIEND OF ISRAEL
October, 1824
Letter of the Rev. W. B. Lewis — Reproduced and Annotated by Rabbi Yair Hoffman. I am indepted to a friend, Professor Shaul Stampfer of Jerualem. for sending me a copy of the original article.
The document below comes from The Jewish Expositor and Friend of Israel, a monthly magazine published by the London Society for rachmana litzlan- Promoting Christianity Among the Jews (known as the London Jews’ Society, founded 1809). It includes two parts: a short article about the Callenberg Institution — a German Protestant missionary organization founded in 1727 — and, far more historically important, an eyewitness letter from the Anglican missionary Rev. W. B. Lewis describing the desperate situation of Jews living in Jerusalem under Ottoman Turkish rule in 1824.
Lewis wrote his letter from Aintoura, a village in present-day Lebanon, on February 23, 1824. His account is one of the most detailed non-Jewish eyewitness reports of what life was really like for Jews in the Holy Land at that time.
He describes horrifying extortion, beatings, wrongful imprisonment, forced labor, and stolen property — all suffered by a community with no European diplomatic protection in Jerusalem. The letter also covers the long Jewish struggle to reclaim the ruined Hurva Synagogue, which had been destroyed by Arab creditors a century earlier.
This document is historically valuable precisely because Lewis was a non-Jewish outsider with nothing to gain by exaggerating. His testimony confirms what Jewish sources also describe about life under Ottoman rule in Jerusalem. His letter also mentions several specific rabbis by name — figures who can now be identified and whose stories are told in the research notes below (printed in italics).
Rev. W. B. Lewis was an Anglican clergyman working for the London Jews’ Society in the early 1820s, traveling through Syria and Palestine. The Society’s own centenary history identifies Lewis as one of the first missionaries active in the region, mentioned alongside the more famous traveler Joseph Wolff. Lewis was writing from Aintoura, Lebanon, where he was based.
His letter shows he personally knew many of the Jewish rabbis in Jerusalem, had intervened on their behalf with local Ottoman officials, and felt deep anger at the injustice he witnessed. He is described in some sources as Irish. While his ultimate purpose was missionary, his letter stands as a powerful document of advocacy for Jewish rights.
The Rev. W. B. Lewis in a letter dated Aintoura, February 23d, 1824, gives the following statement of the present condition of the Jews at Jerusalem:
Jerusalem is truly miserable, groaning under the tyranny of the oppressor. Jews as well as Christians, and especially a class of Jews who first began to assemble at Jerusalem about eighteen years ago, from foreign lands, who come to die in the land of their fathers, are subject to daily insults, and are shamefully and inhumanly oppressed. Their firmans are disregarded, and they know not where to apply for relief or protection, for the power of the consul does not extend to Jerusalem, and the European ministers at Constantinople are at too great a distance to protect them; but I will describe some of their grievances more particularly.
The Jews who began arriving in Jerusalem about eighteen years before Lewis wrote this letter — around 1806 onward — were mainly the Perushim, disciples of the Vilna Gaon who began making aliyah in organized waves from 1808 onward. These were Lithuanian Jews who came specifically to settle permanently in Eretz Yisroel. Lewis correctly identifies the central legal problem they faced: European Jews living in Ottoman territory were supposed to have firman-based protections, but European consuls had no power in Jerusalem, so the community had no one to enforce those rights.
Those Jews who endeavour to obtain a livelihood by the work of their hands, are frequently forced to give up their time, and to work for the ungrateful Turk without payment. Sometimes a mere trifle is thrown to the Jew, but in either case if he attempts to reason with the Turk, he is threatened with the bastinado, and I know not what.
Rabbi Solomon P** is an engraver of seals. In the open street he was accosted by a Turk, who produced a large stone, and told him to cut out a seal. Solomon replied it was not in his power, for he only knew how to engrave, not to cut and prepare the stone; the Turk thereupon laid hold of him by his beard, drew his sword, kicked him, and cut and struck him unmercifully.
The poor man cried, but there was no one to assist him. Turks in the street passed by unconcerned, and the wounded Jew afterwards sought redress in vain from the officers of justice.
Rabbi Solomon P** cannot be identified with certainty. Lewis gave only his first initial to protect someone still living under Ottoman rule. The Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem at this time was very small, so this man was almost certainly known personally to the community’s leadership. This incident illustrates the everyday danger faced by Jews simply trying to earn a living — not from criminals or strangers, but from ordinary members of the dominant class who felt entitled to demand services from Jews at will.
Rabbi M. Balter (now dead) with three or four of the Sephardim Jews, was thrown into a dungeon under pretence of their having sold wine to a Turk; for Jews and Christians are not allowed in Jerusalem to make wine for Turks, but only for their own private use. Although the charge could not be proved, instruments to bastinado and to torture him were produced, to force money out of him for the governor; the man in his fright, and not able to speak Arabic, made a sign with three fingers, meaning to signify, as he said afterwards, that he would give three hundred piastres to be released, but the governor [clearly falsely yh] interpreted the sign as a promise to give three burses (or fifteen hundred piastres,) and he demanded that sum accordingly from each of the other Jews in prison for the same pretended crime, and ordered the house of the foreign Jew to be rifled, and himself detained until the sum was paid.
The man was not in possession of half the money, and when he had been in confinement for some time, and dragged about the streets among his brethren as a criminal with a chain round his neck, an order was sent to the chief of the Askenasim Jews to appear before the governor.
The old Rabbi was ill in bed, but this was no excuse, he was compelled to rise, and was placed on the back of an ass, supported by two men; the governor told him that he should be considered responsible for the money due from the Jew in prison, and on the Rabbi’s remonstrating, he told him that he should likewise be sent to prison. The young man who accompanied the Rabbi as interpreter, said, that it was contrary to the Turkish laws, thus to imprison the chief Rabbi, upon which the young man himself was ordered to prison, put in chains, and kept with his brother Jew in a dark, dirty dungeon, until the avarice of the governor was satisfied.
The Jews at Jerusalem, (I speak even of European Jews) are liable to be stopped by the lowest fallaah of the country, who, if he pleases, may demand money of them as a right due to the mussulman; and this extortion may be practised on the same poor Jew over and over again in the space of ten minutes.
Rabbi M. Balter cannot be firmly identified. Lewis notes he was ‘now dead’ at the time of writing in early 1824. The scene Lewis describes — a man making a desperate hand gesture that was deliberately misread to extort five times what he offered — shows how the system worked. The language barrier left the Jewish community helpless. Even a sick, elderly rabbi was not safe from being dragged out of bed and held responsible for another person’s supposed debt.
The Jews are fond of frequenting the tombs of their forefathers, especially on particular days, to read their prayers in remembrance of the dead. Here advantage is taken of them again. They are rudely accosted and pilfered, and if resistance is made, they are beat almost to death, and this not by common highwaymen or Bedouin Arabs, but by men they may have been in the habit of seeing and talking with every day. The Jew is always known by the manner in which he wears his hair.
In my visit to Hebron, I was accompanied by a Jew, the same now with me in Aintoura; I had the utmost difficulty in protecting him on the road, as well as in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem; the Turks would have forced from him the chaphar, though under the wing of an Englishman. This same young Rabbi on his way to me one morning in Jerusalem, was laid hold of by soldiers, who were going to yoke him with another Jew to one of the heavy cannons they were drawing out against Bethlehem. Had he not been fortunate enough to escape, 200 piastres which he was bringing to me for Hebrew Scriptures, would, in all probability, have been seized upon by the soldiers, as well as a gold watch which I had desired him to get repaired for me.
The ‘chaphar’ was an informal cash payment extorted from Jews and other non-Muslims as a kind of on-the-spot tax, distinct from the official poll tax. Even being in the company of a British subject offered no real protection. The threat to yoke Jews to heavy cannon as unpaid forced labor — with no warning and no recourse — illustrates just how vulnerable the community was.
Rabbi Israel, also a foreign Jew, and chief Rabbi of the Parushim in Safet, was setting out for that place from Jerusalem, when the animals he had hired for the journey, and which he had actually paid for, were taken sans ceremonie, for the use of the Cadis of Mecca and Cairo, who were to proceed to Damascus in a few days. This is a common Turkish trick, and it may afford a good picture of despotism, united with fanaticism, and in full exercise. Horses, camels, mules, &c. are considered as made for the exclusive use of the haughty followers of Mahomed, as well as the inferior animals of the man kind, so that he may seize and use or torture them at his will.
But to add to the unpleasantness of the trick in the present instance, the Turkish muleteer refused to return the money paid by the Rabbi for the journey, and in vain the Jew asked for justice, until having applied to me, I interfered and succeeded in obtaining for the Rabbi his money through Omar Effendi.
I formed this man’s acquaintance through the means of Achmet Bey of Damascus, who gave me a letter of introduction to him, and he (Omar Effendi) made high professions of friendship. He desired me to apply to him as often as I stood in need of his services, and I was punctual in doing so as often as I wished to interfere in behalf of the European Jews.
This shews very strongly the necessity of an European resident protector in Jerusalem, and I am more and more confirmed in the persuasion that the residence there or in Damascus, as head quarters, of a person entrusted with the authority of consul, and who could feel for the suffering Jews as well as Gentiles, would be productive of great advantage.
The ‘Rabbi Israel’ mentioned here is almost certainly Rabbi Israel of Shklov (died 1839), one of the two great leaders of the Perushim community in the Land of Israel. He and Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov — who appears later in this letter — were the two central figures of this historic movement.
The two men came from the same town: Shklov, a prosperous Jewish city in what is now Belarus, which was at the time one of the greatest centers of Torah learning in Eastern Europe. Shklov had a famous yeshiva, the first Hebrew printing press in all of Belarus, and was home to some of the most brilliant minds of the Lithuanian Jewish world. Some sources describe Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Rabbi Israel as brothers, though this is debated; what is certain is that they were the closest of colleagues and co-leaders, bound together by their shared devotion to the Vilna Gaon and to the dream of rebuilding Jewish life in the Holy Land.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov (approximately 1740-1827) was one of the Vilna Gaon’s innermost disciples. He himself wrote that he ‘did not withdraw from his teacher’s presence; I held onto him and did not leave him; I remained in his tent day and night; I went where he went, slept where he slept, and my hand never left his hand.’ After the Gaon died in 1797, Rabbi Menachem Mendel spent years editing and publishing the Gaon’s writings. He then led the first organized wave of Perushim to the Land of Israel in 1808, settling first in Safed (Tzfat) in the Galilee. After a devastating plague struck Safed in 1812, he relocated to Jerusalem in 1816, where he made it his life’s mission to reclaim the ruins of the Hurva Synagogue and reestablish Ashkenazi Jewish life in the Holy City.
Rabbi Israel of Shklov (died 1839) led the third wave of Perushim to arrive in Israel in 1809. He remained as the leader of the Safed community while his colleague Menachem Mendel moved to Jerusalem. Rabbi Israel suffered devastating personal losses: during the cholera epidemic that struck Safed, his wife and all his children except one daughter died. That surviving daughter was later killed in an earthquake. Yet Rabbi Israel did not leave. He is best known today as the author of Pe’at HaShulchan, a landmark halachic work on the agricultural laws that apply specifically in the Land of Israel — laws that had been largely neglected for centuries because there were so few Jewish farmers living there. He was also beaten by Arab rioters during the peasant revolt of 1834. In 1837, while visiting Jerusalem, the great Safed earthquake destroyed his city, killing 4,000 Jews. He stayed in Jerusalem for the last two years of his life and died there in 1839.
Together, these two men — Rabbi Menachem Mendel leading Jerusalem, Rabbi Israel leading Safed — laid the groundwork for the entire modern Ashkenazi community in the Land of Israel. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin was among the many notable descendants of this early community. The network of communities they built, the fundraising systems they established in Europe, and the legal battles they fought with Ottoman authorities set the stage for the larger waves of Jewish immigration that would follow in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The facts I have mentioned may be substantiated, if necessary, by documents from the Jews themselves; and to shew more fully the nature of Jewish grievances in Jerusalem, I might accumulate many such instances of barbarity on the part of the Turks of all classes, towards this people. One instance more of shameless barbarity must suffice, and I will state it fully although I may be tedious, as it took place very lately, and will serve to shew how the governors and rulers in this part of the world manage their business without law, judge, or jury, and without respect to age, country, learning, or religion.
The name of Mendel is well known to the Committee through the journals of Mr. Wolf, he is chief Rabbi of the Askenasim Jews in Jerusalem, an European, and an inoffensive old man. He is considered the most learned of the Jews in Syria, and in his religion he lives in the strictest sense a Pharisee; he has a zeal for G-d, we must bear him record, though not according to knowledge.
The ‘Mendel’ referred to here is Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov (approximately 1740-1827). Lewis’s description of him as ‘the most learned of the Jews in Syria’ gives us a sense of how he was regarded even by outsiders. This man, already in his mid-eighties, had given his entire life to rebuilding Jewish presence in Jerusalem. He had walked much of the way from Eastern Europe to the Land of Israel, buried colleagues lost to plague, fought bureaucratic battles with Ottoman officials in Constantinople, and worked for years to secure legal documents proving Jewish ownership of the Hurva ruins. And now, in the middle of the night, soldiers were breaking down his door. The reference to ‘Mr. Wolf’s journals’ is to Joseph Wolff (1795-1862), a well-known traveler and missionary whose published journals were widely read in England.
He was in bed, when, at a late hour of the night, he was disturbed by a loud knocking outside his door; he returned no answer, supposing robbers had entered. In a few moments the door was burst open, and in rushed a large party of soldiers. They approached the Rabbi with drawn swords, and seized and mal-treated the poor old man. His wife screamed, and the other Jews in the house came up.
Young Rabbi Isaac, who speaks Arabic, demanded the cause of their unexpected visit. It is because the street door was found open, replied the soldiers, and one of you must go down to the governor, who is below. The young man accompanied the soldiers to the passage, and the governor asked him why the door was left open. Isaac said that Rabbi Mendel’s daughter was near her confinement, that according to the custom of the country at this particular time, they had received company, and he supposed one of the visitors had forgotten to close the outward door.
This was a simple answer, and the governor affected to be satisfied, and the Rabbi concluded the affair was over, excepting that they might be expected to pay a few paras, (about one penny English money,) usually levied upon houses where the street door is found open at night. In the morning, however, they were surprised by the appearance of soldiers, who informed them that the governor desired to see both the old and young man at the palace: they went accordingly, and on the way were joined by two other Jews, Rabbi Nathan, a native of Austria, and Rabbi Jacob, of Prussia, but of English parentage or connexions, as I understood. These were likewise under an escort, and repairing to the palace, for they were also charged with the crime of leaving the out-door of their house open; but Nathan and others assured me this accusation was unfounded.
Rabbi Nathan (from Austria) and Rabbi Jacob (from Prussia, with English connections) cannot be identified with certainty. They were members of the small European Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem. That Rabbi Jacob had English connections may have been relevant because British subjects theoretically had better legal standing under Ottoman treaty rights — but as Lewis makes clear, even that offered little real protection in Jerusalem.
However, the four-Jews were ushered into the presence of the governor, and of Omar Effendi, &c., and being accused of the crime in question, they attempted to make a defence; but no defence would be taken; the governor said he heard the old Rabbi (Mendel) exclaim that he had a firman, and feared not the governor. It was answered that the Rabbi was unable to speak the Arabic. “Will you say then,” replied the governor, “that I tell you an untruth?” The Jews were therefore obliged to be silent, and after a short time were told to go away.
They thought to direct their steps homewards, but no, they were ordered to walk into another room, and were decoyed under various pretences from one chamber to another, until they found themselves at one of the dungeons. Here they were shut up in darkness, and told they must pay the governor ten burses, and that unless this money was forthcoming, hot irons would be applied to their heads the following day, and sharp nails driven through the palms of their hands, &c., modes of torture, amongst others, used, as I am told, in Jerusalem to extort money from these unhappy people.
I cannot help observing here, that the palace and dungeons of the governor are supposed to be built on the very spot where the palace and judgment seat of Pilate once stood.
The Jews without, soon heard the sentence which had been passed on their afflicted brethren in confinement; they lost no time therefore in doing every thing possible to hasten their deliverance, and though they succeeded with the governor in bargaining to pay four and a half burses instead of ten, still these poor people were obliged to strip even poverty itself to raise the sum required, and were even obliged to pledge their clothes.
This affair may give the Committee an idea of the indigent and oppressed state of the European Jews residing in Jerusalem. For the pretended offence of two doors having been left open at night, a sum little short of £60 sterling was wrung from a few miserable people, whose existence is supported by pittances sent to them chiefly by their brethren in foreign parts: and this is not a story made up by the Jews.
I went to Omar Effendi, and I waited on the governor myself the first opportunity, and I told them what I had heard of this business, and I represented to them the sensation it would excite if known in Europe, as the matter concerned Europeans, whose zeal only for their religion had brought them to Jerusalem. Omar Effendi replied that he thought these Jews were Muscovites, and not Franks, (Europeans).
The distinction between ‘Muscovites’ (Russian subjects) and ‘Franks’ (Western Europeans) was legally important under Ottoman law. Western Europeans had Capitulation rights — treaty protections granted by the Ottoman Empire to citizens of France, Britain, and other powers. Russian Jews had weaker standing. The governor’s claim that he thought the Jews were Russian was almost certainly a convenient excuse invented after the fact.
The governor, however, said that different countries had different laws, and that these Jews must abide the consequences if they did not mind their duty. Their duty was to keep their doors shut at night, for if thieves should enter in, and rob their property, the Jews might come to him the next morning, and annoy him (the governor) with their complaints. Thus did the chief magistrate of Jerusalem defend his conduct towards these unprotected strangers, and this was all I could do; and neither the governor nor Omar Effendi pretended to give any other account of the matter than what I have related.
Before I took my leave, however, they made fair promises for the future, and Omar, in the Arabic style, swore by his head, (he is a head of the green turban,) that for my sake, on account of the great love he felt for me, the like occurrence should not again take place, and that he himself should not forget to speak to every future governor in favour of these Jews, and that if at any time anything unpleasant should happen to this class of the inhabitants, I need only apply to him, and immediate satisfaction will be obtained.
But I trust not the fair speeches or the oath of a Turk — he is faithless as he is proud, mean, and monster-like; and nought, I am persuaded, but an European flag hoisted in Jerusalem, (as in other places of the Turkish empire, for the protection of foreigners,) will ever have the effect of securing travellers and strangers from their wanton insults, exactions, and barbarities.
Alluding to their sufferings and miseries, one of the Rabbis of Jerusalem exclaimed with much feeling, “Oh when will the king of England come and deliver us!”
Three special firmans for the protection of the Jews have been obtained, and this within the space of a very few years. One of these contains an order of the sultan that these foreigners are not to be insulted and ill-treated, &c. &c. The second desires, that no one is to compel these people (as the Turks were doing in spite of the first firman) to answer the demands made on them under pretence of debts said to be owing by the ancient possessors of a piece of ground, and a large building long since in ruins, who were Jews of the German or Askenasim congregation.
The building alluded to, was formerly a college and synagogue, &c., and belonged to some settlers from Germany; but on the death of their chief rabbi, the whole fraternity went away, and the Turks laid hands on the premises, and have ever since kept possession. The building was partly converted into shops, but the synagogue, &c. has remained a ruin for many years. The new settlers in Jerusalem, aware that the property was theirs, wished to regain the inheritance of their ancestors, and to rebuild the waste places.
But the Turks began to trespass further, and to carry off the stones of the fallen synagogue. This roused the rabbis, especially as it was intimated that the Turks intended to erect a mosque where the synagogue stood.
They were obliged, therefore, to apply for a third special firman, in the hope, at least of repurchasing their hereditary property. The sultan at first refused to grant it until it was certified by the great men in Jerusalem, who are in possession of the duplicates of the original papers respecting the same, that these premises belonged to their forefathers. The Jews, consequently, were obliged to pay five or six thousand piastres to induce the mufti, &c. to certify this truth. They have at length gained their object with regard to the firman, but they still anticipate many difficulties before the ground and premises are finally recovered, so that they may commence their building.
The ruined building Lewis describes is the Hurva Synagogue — in Hebrew, simply ‘hurva’ means ‘ruin.’ Its full name was Hurvat Rabbi Yehudah HeHasid, the Ruin of Rabbi Judah the Pious. In 1700, Rabbi Judah HeHasid led roughly 1,500 followers from Europe to Jerusalem in the hope of bringing the Messiah. The community borrowed heavily from Arab creditors. When Rabbi Judah HeHasid died suddenly shortly after arrival, the community fell apart and could not repay its debts. In 1720-1721, the creditors burned the synagogue and expelled every Ashkenazi Jew from Jerusalem. An Ottoman decree then barred all Ashkenazim from living in Jerusalem — the penalty for breaking this ban was death. For nearly a century, any Ashkenazi Jew who entered Jerusalem risked being thrown in prison as a guarantor for those ancient debts.
It was Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov who made the recovery of this property his life’s mission. In 1819 — after years of sending emissaries all the way to Constantinople — his community finally obtained an imperial decree from the Ottoman sultan canceling the century-old debts. They then worked to get additional legal documents proving Jewish ownership of the ruins. Lewis’s letter finds the community at that exact moment: they had won the firman on paper, but Arab squatters refused to leave, and local authorities would not enforce their own decrees.
The Hurva was never rebuilt during this generation’s lifetime. A small prayer house — the Menachem Zion Synagogue — was built on the site in 1837. After Egypt’s Muhammad Ali briefly took control of Palestine in 1831, a new window of opportunity opened, and the community finally secured permission and enough funding to build a grand synagogue. Construction began in 1855, and the new Hurva was dedicated in 1864 — one of the most magnificent synagogues in the entire Jewish world. It stood for eighty-four years. On May 27, 1948, during Israel’s War of Independence, the Jordanian Arab Legion blew it up. The Hurva was rebuilt for the third time and rededicated on March 15, 2010. It stands today.
— End of Document —
Note: Italicized passages throughout this document are historical research notes added to the original text. They identify the individuals mentioned in the letter and provide context drawn from Jewish historical sources. All non-italicized text reproduces the original 1824 document.
MatzavA newly filed bill in Congress is proposing a different solution to the long-running daylight saving time debate, calling for clocks to move ahead by 30 minutes permanently rather than by a full hour.
The Daylight Act of 2026, introduced earlier this month by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), would shift clocks forward by half an hour from their current setting and eliminate the twice-a-year time changes altogether.
Sleep specialists caution that even a 30-minute adjustment could carry health consequences, though they acknowledge it would be less disruptive than a full-hour change. Experts say that any permanent move forward may still negatively affect long-term well-being.
“Medically, a half hour delay would be less harmful than a full hour delay of permanent daylight saving time and would have the benefit of ending the biannual change,” Dr. Karin Johnson, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and co-chair of the Coalition for Permanent Standard Time, told Nexstar via email.
Still, Johnson noted that such a change would reduce exposure to morning sunlight, which researchers generally consider beneficial. She also warned that a half-hour system could complicate daily scheduling. Permanent standard time would prevent “the confusion of trying to sync schedules that are offset by a half hour,” she said.
Jay Pea, president of the nonprofit Save Standard Time, agreed, emphasizing that “the design of Standard Time (when aligned properly to longitude) is to minimize misalignment between clocks and the sun to within 30 minutes or fewer.”
Pea also raised concerns about logistical challenges, pointing to the “unintended complications for technology, transportation, and business.”
Those complications would be particularly significant for international coordination. Time zones function on a global scale, not just within the United States. For instance, when it is 3 p.m. in New York City, it is also 3 p.m. in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and Lima, Peru.
Although regions may use different names for their time zones — Eastern Time in New York and Quebec, Peru Time in Lima — they are structured according to their offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the worldwide 24-hour clock system often referred to as Zulu time, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Eastern Time and Peru Time operate at -5 UTC, meaning they are five hours behind Greenwich, near London, where the modern time zone system was established in the 19th century.
Most time zones differ by whole hours — Central Time is one hour behind Eastern Time, for example — though there are exceptions. Afghanistan follows Afghanistan Time, which is +4.5 UTC. When it is 3 p.m. in New York, it is 12:30 a.m. in Kabul. Iran uses a time zone one hour behind Afghanistan, making it 11:30 p.m. there when it is 3 p.m. in New York.
“I appreciate the congressman’s willingness to explore alternatives to [permanent daylight saving time]. However, [permanent standard time] remains both the simplest solution and the true compromise between ‘fast’ and ‘slow time,’ as supported by health science, historical precedence, and first principles,” Pea said, in part, in a statement to Nexstar.
Other Florida lawmakers are pushing a different approach through the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. If enacted, clocks would move forward in March and remain unchanged throughout the year.
Steube has previously voiced support for permanent daylight saving time. Last year, he wrote on X that “it’s time to end this pointless ritual.” In November, he submitted a discharge petition seeking to bring the House version of the Sunshine Protection Act to the floor for a vote.
The Senate attempted to expedite its own version of the Sunshine Protection Act last October, but the effort ultimately stalled.
Steube’s office did not respond to Nexstar’s inquiry for comment prior to publication.
As of Tuesday, the Daylight Act of 2026 remains under review in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
A separate measure also titled the Daylight Act, introduced by Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT), has likewise been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. That proposal would give individual states the authority to observe daylight saving time year-round.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in multiple states are weighing their own proposals related to daylight saving time during the current legislative session.
Yeshiva World NewsThe Vaad Hakashrus Kehillos Chareidim of Lakewood & Central Jersey (KCL) has issued a public kashrus alert regarding the use of Instacart for grocery shopping at kosher supermarkets.
In a notice released to the community, the KCL expressed concern over the growing use of Instacart’s third-party shoppers to fulfill orders placed at kosher establishments. The Vaad says these shoppers may not necessarily be knowledgeable in matters of kashrus, and in many cases, the kosher supermarket may be unaware that the order is being fulfilled through Instacart.
The alert warns that when such orders include fresh meat, fresh fish, deli items, or prepared foods, there is “no reliable assurance that the required chosamos (halachic seals) will be affixed by the kosher establishment.” As a result, items may be delivered without proper halachic safeguards in place.
The KCL strongly recommends that food items requiring halachic seals not be purchased through Instacart at this time. Instead, consumers are urged to order these items directly from the kosher supermarket, ensuring that the store is aware of the halachic requirements and can properly secure the products prior to delivery.
The KCL noted that it is exploring ways to address the concern. In the interim, members of the community are encouraged to exercise caution and follow the guidance outlined in the alert.
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Yeshiva World NewsThe trial of Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, a college professor accused of killing a 69-year-old Jewish man during dueling Israel-related protests in Southern California, is set to begin Feb. 18, placing renewed focus on the volatile political climate that followed Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Alnaji, 52, has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including involuntary manslaughter by an unlawful act, in the death of Paul Kessler. The case will be heard in Ventura County Superior Court.
Prosecutors allege that a confrontation between Alnaji and Kessler at nearby pro-Israel and anti-Israel rallies in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 5, 2023, escalated into a fatal encounter. Alnaji, a computer science professor at Moorpark College, was among anti-Israel demonstrators, while Kessler stood with a smaller group of pro-Israel supporters.
According to the district attorney’s office, Alnaji struck Kessler with a megaphone during the dispute. The county medical examiner determined that Kessler died from blunt force trauma caused by the blow and from hitting his head on the pavement.
Alnaji was released on $50,000 bail and faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
Defense attorney Ron Bamieh has argued that the incident was accidental and triggered by provocation. In a statement in October 2025, Bamieh said Kessler repeatedly held a cellphone close to his client’s face while shouting “Baby killer.”
“My client, with his left hand, swiped at the cell phone to knock it out of his face,” Bamieh said. “The bullhorn hit Mr. Kessler… and then he collapsed.”
Bamieh has also pointed to Kessler’s medical history, saying the victim had previously suffered from a brain tumor that affected his balance, raising the possibility that he fell independently of the altercation.
Prosecutors dispute that characterization, maintaining that the physical confrontation directly led to Kessler’s death.
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Vos Iz NeiasWashington, D.C. (VINnews)-Senior White House officials, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, are convening a high-level meeting near Capitol Hill to refine President Donald Trump’s messaging strategy. The session focuses on highlighting the administration’s accomplishments and bolstering Republican prospects in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy reported the development live, citing a text message from a senior White House official confirming details that had just appeared in Axios coverage. According to Doocy, the gathering includes Wiles, Blair, multiple chiefs of staff from various departments, and several Cabinet-level secretaries. The group is meeting in private to coordinate how best to “sell” Trump’s record to voters.
Doocy highlighted the upcoming State of the Union (SOTU) address as a key opportunity for the president to deliver this message in primetime. “Next week’s SOTU will be a chance to do that in primetime,” he noted, emphasizing the address’s role in showcasing policy wins and setting the tone for the election cycle.
The meeting is taking place at the Capitol Hill Club, a private venue popular among political insiders. Sources familiar with the plans describe it as a closed-door strategy session aimed at aligning the administration’s top figures. Discussions center on messaging, recent polling data, and the electoral landscape, with an emphasis on key battleground states. White House and political aides are presenting information to encourage Cabinet officials to step up as active surrogates in promoting the agenda on the road.
This effort comes as Republicans seek to maintain and expand their congressional majorities in the 2026 midterms. With Trump in his second term, the administration is prioritizing a unified narrative around economic gains, border security, regulatory rollbacks, and other signature priorities to counter potential Democratic challenges and maintain momentum.
The involvement of Wiles—who has been credited with bringing discipline and organization to Trump’s operations since the 2024 campaign—underscores the White House’s focus on coordinated communication. Blair, one of her key lieutenants, is also playing a central role in the political planning.
As the midterms approach, such sessions signal an early push to frame the narrative around Trump’s achievements, with the State of the Union serving as a major platform to reach a national audience. Further details on the meeting’s outcomes or specific talking points are not yet public, given its private nature.
MatzavNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday rolled out a proposed $127 billion budget, warning state leaders that if they refuse to approve higher taxes on wealthy residents, he will move forward with a significant increase in city property taxes.
The self-described democratic socialist characterized the spending plan as a fallback option to close projected gaps if Gov. Kathy Hochul declines to support raising taxes on high earners. His blueprint would also tap into the city’s $10 billion reserve fund.
“I do not want to raise property taxes,” Mamdani said of his preliminary budget plan, which would hike property taxes 9.5% to raise an additional $3.7 billion in the next fiscal year.
“When faced with this crisis, the question is who should pay these taxes? I believe that it should be the wealthiest New Yorkers, the most profitable corporations. I believe that they can afford to pay a little bit more,” Mamdani said.
The announcement begins what is expected to be months of budget talks with key city officials, including City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who quickly rejected the idea of higher property taxes.
“At a time when New Yorkers are already grappling with an affordability crisis, dipping into rainy day reserves and proposing significant property tax increases should not be on the table whatsoever,” Menin wrote in a statement.
Hochul, who is up for reelection this year and whose approval would be needed for changes to state income tax rates, likewise indicated she does not back a property tax increase, though the mayor would not require Albany’s consent to enact one.
“I’m not supportive of a property tax increase, I don’t know that that’s necessary,” Hochul told reporters Tuesday during an unrelated event.
Additional officials at City Hall also criticized the proposal.
“This is insanity,” one insider told The Post. “Property taxes haven’t been raised since 9/11.”
The same source warned that drawing heavily from city reserves could damage New York’s bond rating, calling the move a “major red flag” that might weaken the city’s ability to borrow.
If adopted, Mamdani’s plan would increase overall spending by roughly $11 billion compared to the current fiscal year, allocating new money for expanded legal services, homeless assistance programs and other initiatives.
The proposal follows Hochul’s announcement a day earlier that the state would provide an additional $1.5 billion in aid to the city, amid Mamdani’s repeated appeals to raise income taxes on affluent New Yorkers.
The mayor is seeking a 2% income tax increase targeting approximately 33,000 residents earning more than $1 million annually.
In recent weeks, Mamdani has repeatedly highlighted what he describes as looming fiscal trouble, using those warnings to press Albany to embrace his push to increase taxes on top earners.
Just three weeks ago, he estimated the city’s deficit at $12 billion. That figure shifted after updated revenue projections showed tax collections — largely fueled by Wall Street bonuses — coming in 24% higher than the previous year.
Last week, Mamdani said his budget team had reduced the shortfall to $7 billion. Then, in a post on X Tuesday morning, he announced the projected gap had fallen further to $5.4 billion.
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsDear Fellow Rabbanim and Askanim,
I write to you with a heavy heart, on behalf of Yidden around the world. As I speak to my tzibur about growth, about drawing closer to Hashem, and about resisting the overwhelming gashmiyus that surrounds us, I feel that I can no longer remain silent.
The extravagance at our simchas has reached a frightening level. Weddings, vorts and vort nachs, brissim, bar mitzvahs — even parties for three-year-olds — have become productions of excess. How low have we fallen? How far have we drifted from where we are meant to be?
Under the chuppah, we sing about the Beis Hamikdash. We break a glass to remember Yerushalayim. And moments later, we spend fortunes to display wealth and status. Do we truly want Mashiach? Are we prepared to surrender our money and our kavod? Or are we fooling ourselves?
Halacha does not justify wastefulness simply because one also gives tzedakah. In our own kehillos are families who cannot pay tuition, who struggle to prepare for Shabbos, who desperately need help. Before justifying another extravagant event, look around at the people sitting beside you in shul.
I beg my fellow Rabbanim: speak up. Call this behavior out. Do not legitimize it with your presence. We must restore dignity, modesty, and proper priorities to our simchas.
We are Hashem’s chosen children. Let us live like it.
A concerned Rav
The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.
Vos Iz NeiasOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Five years after Warren Buffett sold off all of Berkshire Hathaway’s newspapers and predicted unending declines for most of the industry, Berkshire disclosed a new $350 million investment in the New York Times on Tuesday.
The somewhat surprising move highlighted the quarterly update Berkshire filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission about the company’s stock holdings in Buffett’s last quarter as CEO. Berkshire also increased its investment in Chevron just before President Donald Trump ordered the arrest of Venezuela’s president, and the Omaha-based company continued selling off more of its Bank of America and Apple shares.
At the time that Buffett sold off Berkshire’s dozens of newspapers in 2020 he concluded the industry was “toast.” But even then he suggested that newspapers with a national brand like the Times or Wall Street Journal might still do well.
“It’s a full circle moment for Berkshire Hathaway in reinvesting in news and a huge vote of confidence by Berkshire in the business strategy of the New York Times,” said Tim Franklin, a professor and chair of local news at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Franklin said the Times may have its roots in the newspaper business, but today it’s a thriving digital business with popular games like Wordle, a well known sports platform called The Athletic and more than 12 million digital subscribers. He said maybe struggling local newspapers can draw some lessons from the “digital news powerhouse” the Times has become and find ways to offer online games and showcase the local sports coverage that readers can’t get elsewhere.
These quarterly stock portfolio filings don’t make clear whether Buffett made every move or whether one of Berkshire’s other investment managers did. Buffett generally handled any investments worth more than $1 billion, so at the size of this Times investment it’s not certain whether this was one of his bets.
But many investors will still try to copy it because of Buffett’s remarkable track record over the decades before he handed the CEO title over to Greg Abel in January after six decades of leading Berkshire. Shares of the Times jumped nearly 3% in after hours trading after Berkshire disclosed the stake.
Berkshire also picked up about 8 million more Chevron shares in the quarter to give it more than 130 million shares in the oil giant. That was a particularly well-times bet because Chevron’s stock has soared since Trump promised to reinvigorate Venezuela’s oil business, but Buffett has long been bullish about the oil business and Berkshire has been a major investor in Chevron and Occidental Petroleum for several years.
Chevron is the only major American oil company with significant operations in Venezuela, where it produces about 250,000 barrels a day. Chevron, which first invested in Venezuela in the 1920s, does business in the country through joint ventures with the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., commonly known as PDVSA. Chevron’s stock is up nearly 19% since the start of 2026 just before the U.S. captured Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro in a raid
The other notable moves Berkshire made in the last three months of 2025 included selling off roughly 50 million Bank of America shares although it still holds nearly 81 million shares of the bank that he first started buying in 2011 while Bank of America was struggling with the effects of the subprime mortgage crisis. And Berkshire trimmed about 10 million shares off its massive Apple stake but continued to hold nearly 228 million shares at the end of last year.
In addition to stocks, Berkshire owns dozens of companies outright including insurance giants like Geico, a collection of major utilities, BNSF railroad and many manufacturing and retail companies with brands like Dairy Queen and See’s Candy.
The Lakewood ScoopInstead of texting your friend or the neighborhood chat, a new web tool called Where It’s At Now is offering a simple way for Chasunah guests to stay in the loop and know exactly where a wedding is holding.
Designed with convenience in mind, the platform gives guests a clear, easy-to-read snapshot of what stage the simcha has reached.
With a clean, mobile-friendly design, users can search for wedding halls and quickly see what’s going on — whether the oilam is still at the chuppah, enjoying the smorg, or already dancing. The site also allows guests to give a thumbs-up to events they’ve attended, adding a light, interactive touch to the experience.
To keep everything accurate and relevant, guests enable location sharing when using the interactive features. This helps the site confirm that users are actually at the venue, keeping the updates meaningful while maintaining privacy controls.
For many guests, weddings — especially larger ones — can sometimes bring a bit of uncertainty. Is the chuppah starting? Are they already holding by the seudah? Where It’s At Now aims to remove that guesswork by offering real-time awareness without the need for constant texts or phone calls.
While wedding planning tools have long helped couples organize invitations, seating, and schedules, this new platform focuses on something different: helping the oilam stay aligned throughout the day itself.
MatzavA federal judge ruled Tuesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement may not take Kilmar Abrego Garcia back into custody, finding that the legally permitted 90-day detention window has lapsed and that the government lacks a realistic path to deport him.
Abrego Garcia, a citizen of El Salvador, has drawn national attention in the ongoing immigration debate after he was erroneously deported to his native country last year. Following his return to the United States, he has been contesting renewed efforts by the Department of Homeland Security to remove him, this time to several African nations.
In her order issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis of Maryland sharply criticized the government’s handling of the case. The government “made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success,” she wrote. “From this, the Court easily concludes that there is no ‘good reason to believe’ removal is likely in the reasonably foreseeable future.”
Abrego Garcia, who is married to an American citizen and has a child, has lived in Maryland for many years. He entered the United States unlawfully as a teenager. In 2019, an immigration judge determined that he could not be returned to El Salvador due to credible threats from a gang that had targeted his family. Despite that ruling, he was mistakenly deported there last year.
Amid mounting public scrutiny and under court direction, President Donald Trump’s administration arranged for his return in June. His reentry, however, followed a federal indictment in Tennessee accusing him of human smuggling. Abrego Garcia has entered a plea of not guilty. At the same time, administration officials have maintained that he will not be allowed to remain in the United States, stating in court filings that they have sought to deport him to Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana, or Liberia.
Yeshiva World NewsA Hamas-linked advocacy group is training young Palestinians in Gaza to edit and shape Wikipedia entries related to the Israel-Hamas war, launching a new phase of its long-running “WikiRights” initiative.
Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor announced last week the third edition of the project, which will train 12 Palestinian men and women in what it calls “in-depth human rights research and documentation” alongside professional Wikipedia editing in Arabic and English. The program, first launched in 2015, aims to “record victims’ stories alongside official narratives,” according to the organization.
This year’s training focuses specifically on what the group describes as “the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.” Participants are expected to publish what Euro-Med calls “documentation-based articles” rooted in live testimonies, with the goal of amplifying what it claims are underrepresented accounts of the conflict.
In a statement, Anas Jerjawi, the group’s chief operations officer, said the effort is intended to turn “victims of genocide in Gaza from mere statistics into storytellers,” arguing that some online platforms have failed to accurately reflect the scale of events in the territory.
“At a time when online platforms often disseminate false information about victims of armed conflicts, it is crucial for us to empower young people to share accurate facts and document Israeli crimes,” Jerjawi said.
The initiative underscores the increasingly central role that open-source platforms like Wikipedia play in shaping global narratives about ongoing conflicts, particularly as digital spaces become battlegrounds for competing claims and documentation efforts.
Israeli authorities have previously linked senior figures within Euro-Med to Hamas. Its current and former board chairs — Mazen Kahel and Ramy Abdu — appeared on a 2013 Israeli-published list of what it described as Hamas’s “main operatives and institutions” in Europe.
Abdu, the founder of Euro-Med, has also been associated with the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza and the Council for European Palestinian Relations, organizations that Israeli officials have similarly tied to Hamas. In 2020, Israel imposed sanctions on Abdu under its anti-terrorism law.
Separately, watchdog group NGO Monitor has accused Euro-Med of promoting inflammatory rhetoric about Israel, including allegations of apartheid, genocide, and war crimes, and of circulating conspiracy theories.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
MatzavA total of 85 countries have endorsed a Palestinian-initiated declaration criticizing recent decisions by Israel’s security cabinet designed to strengthen Israeli control in the West Bank.
The declaration, coordinated by the Palestinian Mission to the United Nations, states: “We strongly condemn unilateral Israeli decisions and measures aimed at expanding Israel’s unlawful presence in the West Bank.”
It continues, “Such decisions are contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law and must be immediately reversed. We underline in this regard our strong opposition to any form of annexation,” the countries add.
The Israeli security cabinet’s approved steps include policies intended to simplify the process for Israeli settlers to acquire land in the West Bank, alongside measures allowing for the expropriation of property from Palestinians who assert legal ownership.
Support for the statement comes from a broad coalition of nations across multiple regions, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Yeshiva World NewsSenior figures inside Iran’s ruling establishment are maneuvering to secure their influence in a post–Ayatollah era, signaling growing anxiety about the country’s political future and the balance of power after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
According to a new analysis published Monday by the Institute for the Study of War, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani are working to consolidate power and shape the regime’s direction ahead of an eventual leadership transition.
The assessment says rival factions within Tehran’s elite are now positioning themselves to influence future policies, a conclusion concurred on by analyst Hamidreza Azizi of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
The jockeying intensified after last June’s brief but destructive 12-day war with Israel, when the regime created a new Defense Council that operates independently of Iran’s traditional security bodies.
The move, analysts say, was pushed “at the insistence” of Ghalibaf and reflects a broader effort to reshape decision-making inside the government.
Details about the council’s autonomy have largely been suppressed, the report notes, to avoid exposing internal rifts at a time of heightened external pressure and domestic unrest.
“This is a real sign of a break,” said Roger Macmillan, a former director of the diaspora outlet Iran International. “It’s an indication of regime stability — or instability. This is huge.”
Macmillan said much of the information cited in the analysis appears to have originated from officials linked to Shamkhani, long viewed as a behind-the-scenes power broker.
“He’s trying to make himself out as the good guy,” Macmillan said, suggesting the effort may be aimed at protecting assets from Western sanctions. “These guys are survivors. If the regime starts to wobble, they’ll move for personal protection.”
Others see the maneuvering as less about rebellion and more about succession planning.
Annika Ganzeveld of the American Enterprise Institute said senior officials became increasingly uneasy during the June war, when Khamenei withdrew from much of his public role.
“It became clear that people needed to secure their place under future leadership,” Ganzeveld said. “Since then, factions have been vying for influence.”
Ghalibaf’s political trajectory has accelerated in recent months. A former Revolutionary Guards general, he emerged as a central figure after Israeli strikes killed several senior officials during last summer’s conflict.
He was subsequently given a more prominent role in wartime planning and has since adopted an increasingly hard-line posture toward the West.
Earlier this month, Ghalibaf led chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” in parliament while wearing an IRGC uniform — a symbolic display of loyalty to the regime’s security establishment.
Iranian elites have long speculated that Khamenei could elevate Ghalibaf further, viewing him as a potential stabilizing figure in a turbulent transition.
“What we’re seeing is a system preparing for life after Khamenei,” Macmillan said. “And when that happens, loyalties shift, alliances break, and everyone starts protecting their own position.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Yeshiva World NewsU.S. Vice President JD Vance said negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program showed some progress on Tuesday, but warned that Tehran remains unwilling to accept key American red lines.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Vance described the latest round of discussions as mixed, with both sides agreeing to continue meeting even as fundamental disagreements remain unresolved.
“One thing about the negotiations this morning is — in some ways it went well,” Vance said. “They agreed to meet afterward, but in other ways it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”
Vance said the central U.S. demand remains preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, arguing that such a development would destabilize global security and spark a dangerous arms race.
“We will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said, adding that a nuclear-armed Tehran would pose a direct threat to American interests and international stability.
Vance also emphasized that Donald Trump retains broad discretion over the future of the talks, including the option to abandon negotiations if progress stalls.
“We’re going to keep on working it,” Vance said. “But of course, the president reserves the ability to say when he thinks that diplomacy has reached its natural end.”
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Trump has previously warned that military action remains on the table if Iran advances toward nuclear weapons capability, while simultaneously ordering a buildup of U.S. forces in the Middle East. In recent weeks, however, he has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing a negotiated solution.
For now, officials say talks will continue, even as Vance’s remarks signal that major obstacles remain before any breakthrough is possible.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz Neias
The Lakewood Scoopby Rabbi Eliezer Sandler
The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”
It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.)
Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.
Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!
Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!
YES! YOU CAN MAKE
your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE
Shas, Rashi & Tosfos
IN JUST ONE YEAR!
The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha
The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly: It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact.
All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.
Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year
The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own.
Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden.
Official Shtar from Shas Yiden
Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.
All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.
The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!
Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –
Beyond the Grave
The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon.
Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).
One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”
In the words of Gedolei Torah:
Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:
“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).
“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.
“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”
Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:
“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”
Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:
“Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”
Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:
“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”
Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:
“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — An immigration judge has blocked the Trump administration from deporting Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian graduate student who led protests at Columbia University against Israel and the war in Gaza.
In a ruling made public Tuesday, the judge, Nina Froes, said she had terminated the case because of a procedural misstep by government attorneys, who failed to properly certify an official document they intended to use as evidence.
The Trump administration may appeal the decision. But the ruling marked the latest setback for the federal government’s sweeping effort to expel pro-Palestinian campus activists and others who expressed criticism of Israel.
Last month, a separate immigration blocked the government’s attempt to deport a Tufts University graduate student, Rümeysa Öztürk, over an op-ed criticizing the school’s response to the war in Gaza.
Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident of the U.S. for the last decade, was born in a refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He was arrested by immigration agents during a citizenship interview last April, but he was released two weeks later by a federal judge.
In the months since, the government has continued its effort to deport him, citing a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio arguing noncitizens can be expelled from the country if their presence may undermine U.S. foreign policy interests.
Government attorneys submitted a photocopy of the document to the immigration judge, but they failed to certify it as required under federal law, the judge wrote.
“I am grateful to the court for honoring the rule of law and holding the line against the government’s attempts to trample on due process,” Mahdawi said in a statement released by his attorneys. “This decision is an important step towards upholding what fear tried to destroy: the right to speak for peace and justice.”
Mahdawi has also mounted a separate case federal district court arguing that he was unlawfully detained. That case remains ongoing, his lawyers said.
Inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security were not immediately returned.
The Lakewood ScoopWith significant U.S. military movement in the Middle East and rising tensions with Iran, many are wondering what comes next.
Do you believe President Trump will pursue and secure a diplomatic agreement with Tehran, or are we on the brink of a broader military confrontation, and when?
What’s your prediction?
MatzavVice President JD Vance said Tuesday that discussions between the United States and Iran have been productive so far, though he made clear that Tehran has yet to agree to all of President Donald Trump’s core demands regarding its nuclear ambitions.
In an interview with Fox News, Vance emphasized that the current negotiations over Iran’s illegal nuclear weapons efforts differ sharply from the diplomacy that produced the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. That agreement drew widespread criticism for failing to block Iran’s path to a bomb and for provisions that critics argued effectively normalized elements of Tehran’s nuclear program through sunset clauses.
President Trump “has shown very clearly that he is not Barack Obama,” Vance stated. “He takes a much different approach to America’s national security, and he’s much more willing to act aggressively to defend America’s national security.”
Vance stressed that the administration’s priority remains preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, whether through negotiations or other means.
“The President of the United States is very much trying to find a solution here, whether it’s through diplomatic options or through another option, that means that the Iranians cannot have a nuclear weapon. That has always been the main focus,” he said.
The vice president also underscored what he described as the dangers posed by the Iranian government, warning that its leadership cannot be trusted with such destructive capability.
The Iranian regime “is one of the most hostile and also one of the most irrational regimes in the world. You can’t have people like that have the most dangerous weapon known to man. It would be awful for our security. It would be awful for the future of our children. That is the goal of the President of the United States and he’s got a lot of options and a lot of tools to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Yeshiva World NewsAn 18-year-old man carrying a loaded shotgun ran toward the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday before being stopped and arrested without incident, according to the head of the United States Capitol Police.
Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the suspect arrived in a white Mercedes SUV shortly after noon, parked near the Capitol complex, and began running toward the building that houses Congress.
Officers quickly confronted the man and ordered him to drop his weapon, Sullivan told reporters. He complied and was taken into custody without resistance. No injuries were reported.
Police said the man was wearing a tactical vest and tactical gloves at the time of the incident. A search of his vehicle uncovered a Kevlar helmet and a gas mask, raising further questions about his intentions. Authorities said the motive remains unclear and is under investigation.
The episode comes less than three months after two National Guard members were killed in an ambush shooting near the White House.
The timing is also sensitive, with Donald Trump scheduled to deliver the annual State of the Union Address at the Capitol next week, an event that draws thousands of and guests and triggers one of the largest security operations of the year.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
MatzavPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday publicly called on officials in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., to take swift action in response to a major sewage leak that has polluted the Potomac River, as cleanup operations continue and health concerns mount.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump insisted that state and local authorities “must get to work, IMMEDIATELY” and added that if they “can’t do the job,” they should “call me and ask, politely, to get it fixed.”
Trump emphasized that the federal government did not play a role in the incident, stating that “the Federal Government is not at all involved with what has taken place, but we can fix it.” He described the spill as a “Radical Left caused Environmental Hazard” and cautioned that conditions would “only get worse” if immediate steps are not taken.
The environmental crisis began on Jan. 19, when a 72-inch sewer pipe known as the Potomac Interceptor gave way near the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland. The collapse released hundreds of millions of gallons of untreated sewage into the Potomac River, an event that environmental advocates have characterized as among the most severe of its kind in the nation’s history.
Officials estimate that approximately 243 million gallons of wastewater have flowed into the river since the rupture. Authorities have indicated that repairing the damaged infrastructure could take several months.
In his remarks, Trump directly faulted “Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., who are responsible for the massive sewage spill,” urging the governors of the two states and the mayor of the nation’s capital to move without delay.
He also alluded to the ongoing federal funding standoff, arguing that even if assistance from Washington were requested, the effort would depend on “true Patriots … because many are not working right now.”
Meanwhile, public health agencies and environmental officials have advised residents and pet owners to stay away from affected portions of the river. Activities including swimming, fishing, and boating have been limited in impacted areas due to elevated bacteria levels in the water.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has issued new subpoenas in a Florida-based investigation into perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump and the U.S. government response to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.
An initial wave of subpoenas in November asked recipients for documents related to the preparation of a U.S. intelligence community assessment that detailed a sweeping, multi-prong effort by Moscow to help Trump defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.
Though the first subpoenas requested documents from the months surrounding the January 2017 publication of the Obama administration intelligence assessment, the latest subpoenas seek any records from the years since then, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to discuss a non-public demand from investigators.
The Justice Department declined to comment Tuesday.
The subpoenas reflect continued investigative activity in one of several criminal inquiries the Justice Department has undertaken into Trump’s political opponents. An array of former intelligence and law enforcement officials have received subpoenas in the investigation. Lawyers for former CIA Director John Brennan, who helped oversee the drafting of the assessment and who has been called “crooked as hell” by Trump, have said they have been informed he is a target but have not been told of any “legally justifiable basis for undertaking this investigation.”
The intelligence community assessment, published in the final days of the Obama administration, found that Russia had developed a “clear preference” for Trump in the 2016 election and that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered an influence campaign with goals of undermining confidence in American democracy and harming Clinton’s chance for victory.
That conclusion, and a related investigation into whether the 2016 Trump campaign colluded with Russia to sway the outcome of the election, have long been among the Republican president’s chief grievances and he has vowed retribution against the government officials involved in the inquiries. Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted by the Trump administration Justice Department last year on false statement and obstruction charges, but the case was later dismissed.
Multiple government reports, including bipartisan congressional reviews and a criminal investigation by former special counsel Robert Mueller, have found that Russia interfered in Trump’s favor through a hack-and-leak operation of Democratic emails as well as a covert social media campaign aimed at sowing discord and swaying American public opinion. Mueller’s report found that the Trump campaign actively welcomed the Russian help, but it did not establish that Russian operatives and Trump or his associates conspired to tip the election in his favor.
The Trump administration has freshly scrutinized the intelligence community assessment in part because a classified version of it incorporated in its annex a summary of the “Steele dossier,” a compilation of Democratic-funded opposition research that was assembled by former British spy Christopher Steele and was later turned over to the FBI. That research into Trump’s potential links to Russia included uncorroborated rumors and salacious gossip, and Trump has long held up its weaknesses in an effort to discredit the entire Russia investigation.
A declassified CIA tradecraft review ordered by current Director John Ratcliffe and released last July faults Brennan’s oversight of the assessment.
The review does not challenge the conclusion of Russian election interference but chides Brennan for the fact that the classified version referenced the Steele dossier.
Brennan testified to Congress, and also wrote in his memoir, that he was opposed to citing the dossier in the intelligence assessment since neither its substance nor sources had been validated, and he has said the dossier did not inform the judgments of the assessment. He maintains the FBI pushed for its inclusion.
The new CIA review seeks to cast Brennan’s views in a different light, asserting that he “showed a preference for narrative consistency over analytical soundness” and brushed aside concerns over the dossier because he believed it conformed “with existing theories.” It quotes him, without context, as having stated in writing that “my bottomline is that I believe that the information warrants inclusion in the report.”
In a letter last December addressed to the chief judge of the Southern District of Florida, where the investigation is based, Brennan’s lawyers challenged the underpinnings of the investigation, questioning what basis prosecutors had for opening the inquiry in Florida and saying they had received no clarity from prosecutors about what potential crimes were even being investigated.
“While it is mystifying how the prosecutors could possibly believe there is any legally justifiable basis for undertaking this investigation, they have done nothing to explain that mystery,” the lawyers said.
The Lakewood ScoopDuring COVID, a friend of mine was struggling. His business was closed, and collectors kept coming to his home.
I approached him quietly and said, “I plan on giving tzedakah for Purim. Here is $2,000 in donor funds. Please distribute it.”
The relief on his face was unforgettable.
That Purim, I didn’t just give charity. I helped another Yid twice—once with the money, and once by restoring a friend’s dignity and letting him be the giver.
Many of our own family members and neighbors are struggling quietly.
This Purim, consider giving funds to someone who needs the boost and let them distribute the tzedakah.
Give charity. Give dignity.
Double your mitzvah this Purim.
A Lakewood resident
TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via Whatsapp or via email [email protected]
MatzavFollowing the recent unrest in Bnei Brak, the Shevet HaLevi Rebbe addressed his yeshiva bochurim, instructing them that they may only participate in demonstrations explicitly organized or endorsed by leading Torah authorities.
The Rebbe delivered his remarks at the conclusion of his daily halacha shiur after Shacharis, responding to the disturbances that took place in the city on Sunday.
In his comments, he referred to the serious events that unfolded and stressed that every bochur must know a clear and unwavering rule: one may attend protests only when Gedolei Yisroel explicitly direct that participation is warranted, specifically protests initiated by Gedolei Yisroel and no others. He emphasized that no bochur has permission to act based on personal emotions. Even if an incident in the city appears stirring and seems to be a matter of mitzvah, each individual must carefully verify whether it is being conducted under the guidance of Gedolei Yisroel. If it is not, he said, one must distance himself from the area completely.
The Rebbe also warned that such gatherings can pose real physical danger. As was evident this past Sunday, he noted, innocent bystanders and passersby were arrested and injured. These situations constitute a place of danger, and therefore there is certainly no obligation of mesirus nefesh in circumstances of this nature. He added that acts of vandalism are unquestionably forbidden, stating that such behavior has never been the way of Bnei Yisroel.
Concluding his remarks, the Rebbe said that what is truly incumbent upon us is to fulfill the teaching of the Gemara: “If someone rises against you, rise early to the beis medrash and they will fall on their own.” The strength of Klal Yisroel, he said, lies not in force but in tefillah and Torah, for the power of Yisroel is only through the mouth.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Capitol Police in Washington, D.C., arrested an 18-year-old man Tuesday after he ran from his vehicle toward the west side of the Capitol Building armed with a shotgun.
Capital Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the man, identified as Carter Camacho of Smyrna, Georgia, was arrested after he parked a Mercedes SUV near the Capitol, got out and ran “several hundred yards” toward the building with a shotgun before officers intercepted him and ordered him to put down the firearm and get on the ground.
Speaking at a press conference following the arrest, Sullivan said Camacho was wearing a tactical vest and gloves and had a Kevlar helmet and gas mask in the vehicle. The shotgun was loaded and he had additional rounds on him, the chief said.
Sullivan said the motive was under investigation, including whether members of Congress were the target. Congress is not in session.
Sullivan said the department has video footage, but he asked the public for any footage they might have of the incident.
“Who knows what would have happened if we wouldn’t have officers standing here?” the chief said, adding that the department had run active shooter drills in almost the identical spot in recent months.
Sullivan said Camacho was not known to authorities and described him as not being from the area. The chief said the vehicle was not registered to the suspect, who has multiple addresses. He is being held for unlawful activities and carrying a rifle without a license, an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition, the Capitol Police said in a press release.
There have been incidents at the Capitol in recent years, including a Capitol Police arrest in 2023 where an Atlanta man armed with a rifle was spotted in a park near the Senate.
Tuesday’s arrest comes one week before President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address before Congress. Sullivan said the incident does not change the agency’s plans. “We take the State of the Union very, very seriously,” he said.
Crime in Washington is down considerably so far in 2026 from 2025, a year when there was a huge drop-off from the previous year. Trump declared an emergency in the city last August to battle crime, leading to the deployment of more than 2,000 National Guard members as well as thousands of federal law enforcement officers and agents.
The officers and agents are still throughout the city. Last week, a Washington man was killed in an encounter with U.S. Marshals Service members. Authorities said the marshals were responding to a call about a person threatening to kidnap and hurt someone while holding a gun. Washington activists have asked for more transparency in that incident, which is under investigation by the city’s Metropolitan Police.
Vos Iz NeiasPUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — Four people died in crashes involving over 30 vehicles, including six semitrailers, on an interstate in Colorado Tuesday after blowing dirt made it nearly impossible to see, authorities said.
Dirt kicked up by heavy winds blew across Interstate 25 just south of Pueblo around 10 a.m. causing a “brown out,” Maj. Brian Lyons of the Colorado State Patrol said.
“Visibility was next to nothing,” he said.
Twenty-nine people who were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe, Lyons said. There were crashes on either side of the interstate, he said.
The cause of the crashes about two miles (3.2 kilometers) south of Pueblo is still being investigated. The lack of visibility will be considered as one of the factors, but others may also be involved, said Trooper Sherri Mendez, a patrol spokesperson.
The eastern half of Colorado was being hit by strong winds Tuesday, which combined with warm weather and very dry conditions, have raised the risk of wildfires and caused flight delays at Denver’s airport.
Meanwhile, it was snowing in the western part of the state, bringing much needed snow to the mountains.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK — New York City could see a significant property tax increase if state lawmakers decline to approve new taxes on high earners and corporations, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday while outlining his first preliminary budget.
Presenting a $127 billion spending plan, the mayor warned that the city faces a projected $5.4 billion gap over the next two years. To legally balance the budget, his proposal assumes a 9.5% property tax increase unless additional revenue is secured from Albany.
Mamdani described the potential increase as a measure of last resort.
“This is about numbers, not ideology,” he said, calling the city’s fiscal outlook a serious challenge that demands difficult choices.
The proposed tax hike would impact millions of residential property owners as well as commercial landlords. In addition, the budget plan calls for using roughly $1 billion from city reserves and hundreds of millions more from funds designated for retiree health benefits. City reserves reached record levels last year.
The mayor’s comments intensify pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul, who would need to approve any changes to state income tax laws. Hochul has consistently opposed raising taxes and indicated she does not believe higher property taxes are necessary to resolve the city’s shortfall.
The two leaders appeared aligned earlier this week when the state pledged $1.5 billion in additional aid to help stabilize city finances. But differences remain over how to close the remaining gap.
City Council leaders expressed concern about placing additional burdens on homeowners and small businesses during a period when many residents are struggling with housing costs and inflation. Council Speaker Julie Menin said lawmakers would explore spending reductions and alternative revenue sources before considering higher property taxes.
City Comptroller Mark Levine echoed those concerns, cautioning against depleting reserve funds intended to cushion future economic downturns. He also noted longstanding criticism of the city’s property tax system, which many argue disproportionately affects certain homeowners.
The preliminary budget also reflects policy changes. Mamdani is canceling a previously planned expansion of the police force initiated under former Mayor Eric Adams. The plan trims tens of millions of dollars from the police department’s multi-billion-dollar budget next year.
Funding for a proposed Department of Community Safety — a key campaign promise aimed at sending mental health professionals to certain emergency calls — was not included in the initial proposal. The mayor said that initiative would be addressed in a later budget submission.
The City Council must pass a final budget before the start of the next fiscal year on July 1. Public hearings and negotiations are expected in the coming months as city officials debate whether spending cuts, tax increases, or state assistance will ultimately close the gap.
Yeshiva World NewsA bombshell decision by State Attorney Amit Isman to drop the civilian prosecution of October 7 Nukhba terrorists—transferring them entirely to military courts—has ignited an unprecedented uproar in Israel’s justice system, an i24News exposé revealed on Monday evening.
According to the report, Isman made his decision to transfer the matter to the Military Advocate General’s Office despite fierce objections from senior prosecutors. A large team of prosecutors in the Southern District Attorney’s Office had been preparing the legal and investigative material for the terrorists’ prosecution for about two and a half years. The report said that the prosecutors are furious over the decision and frustrated about the countless hours they invested in the cases, including writing dozens of legal opinions on the matter.
Despite the fierce opposition from prosecutors, Isman overruled them and insisted on getting his way—sparking public outcry over future terror trials and how Israel will pursue accountability for the massacre’s perpetrators.
Southern District Attorney Erez Padan, who fiercely opposed the move, slammed Isman for “abdicating responsibility in arguably the state’s most pivotal case since its founding” and warned of lasting damage to public justice.
Padan previously excoriated Isman for including the charge of “aiding the enemy” in the indictments against the 12 suspects in the Gaza smuggling case, arguing that the charge was not sufficiently supported by evidence from a legal standpoint, contradicts common sense, does not align with existing legal precedents, and fails to meet the required principle of proportionality.
However, in that case as well, Isman overruled all objections and insisted on getting his way.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
MatzavA milestone has been reached in Poland with the completion and inauguration of a magnificent, mehudar mikveh at the hachnasas orchim complex adjacent to the tziyun of the Maggid of Kozhnitz zt”l. After intense halachic deliberations and close supervision by leading experts from Eretz Yisroel, the beautifully constructed mikveh has now been finalized, a tremendous besurah to the thousands who travel throughout the year to daven at the kever.
The project was initiated at the personal directive and vision of the Kozhnitzer Rebbe, who recognized in recent years the pressing need for a properly built mikveh at the rapidly expanding hachnasas orchim complex. The site has become a central hub for the many Yidden journeying to kivrei tzaddikim across Poland. Although the mikveh is part of a private compound designated for admorim, it will currently serve the broader public, allowing visitors to prepare in taharah and comfort. Plans are already underway, b’ezras Hashem, to construct an additional large public mikveh in response to the remarkable growth in visitors.
To ensure the highest standards of kashrus and halachic precision, Rav Nosson Winkler, one of the senior members of the renowned kashrus system of the rabbonim of Bnei Brak and son-in-law of Rav Moshe Yehuda Leib Landau zt”l, traveled to the site. Rav Winkler, who is presently in Poland heading a team of shochtim, went out of his way to personally inspect every detail of the mikveh structure and its water systems.
During his thorough visit, Rav Winkler engaged in in-depth and serious halachic discussions regarding the filling of the otzaros with snow, a complex sugya, especially under European winter conditions. For final clarification, he remained in ongoing consultation with Rav Yechiel Yehuda Neustadt, a rov affiliated with Merkaz HaTahara. Rav Neustadt is widely regarded as the foremost authority on mikvaos, continuing the mesorah from the days of Rav Landau, who placed full trust in him regarding the kashrus of Bnei Brak’s mikvaos.
Rav Winkler directed mehudar halachic solutions, provided precise instructions for completing the hamshacha channel, and oversaw the preparation of the otzaros to properly receive rainwater and melted snow. Every detail was arranged so that the mikveh would be kosher lechatchilah according to all opinions.
A particularly uplifting moment took place when Rav Tzvi Yehuda Lau, rov of Kehillas Kahal Chassidim in Kfar Ganim, Petach Tikva, arrived with a group of approximately 150 bochurim on a Torah journey. Under Rav Winkler’s guidance, the bochurim undertook the task of filling the otzaros. Using specially perforated shovels — punctured to avoid the halachic status of a kli kibbul — and sacks with holes, they carefully gathered the pure snow and transported it to the mikveh roof.
Special heating elements, installed in accordance with the psak of the rabbonim overseeing the project, melted the snow so that it flowed into the otzaros in complete taharah. In a remarkable display of hashgachah pratis, the day the otzaros were filled coincided exactly with the yahrtzeit of Rav Shabsai Korech Seforim zt”l, the father of the Maggid of Kozhnitz, a powerful historical closing of the circle between father and son.
The hachnasas orchim complex in Kozhnitz is now preparing with great anticipation for the coming weeks, particularly ahead of the 21st of Adar, the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe, Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk. Thousands of Yidden traveling to Lizhensk customarily stop in Kozhnitz to pour out their hearts at the tziyun and to benefit from the exceptional hospitality provided there.
Askanim note that the inauguration of the mikveh is only the beginning. A broad construction plan is now moving forward, including the building of a magnificent beis medrash, a tish hall, guest rooms, and a professional kitchen designed with meticulous architectural care, in addition to the planned large public mikveh. All of this is intended to accommodate the many requests from across the world by those seeking to bask in the unique hod hakadmonim that envelops the city of Kozhnitz.
{Matzav.com}
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Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — The Trump family company has filed to trademark the use of the president’s name on airports but says it doesn’t plan on charging a fee — at least for a proposed renaming of one near his Florida home.
Applications filed by the Trump Organization with the federal trademark office are seeking exclusive rights to use the president’s name on airports and dozens of related things found there, from buses shuttling passengers to umbrellas and travel bags to flight suits. The filings come amid debate in Florida over a state bill to name the Palm Beach airport after Trump and a dispute over funding of a tunnel between New York and New Jersey that is tied up with proposals that both it and the Dulles International Airport in Virginia bear his name.
The Trump Organization said that the applications were triggered by the Florida bill and that it didn’t seek any profit — only protection against “bad actors” given that the Trump name is the “most infringed trademark in the world.”
“To be clear, the President and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming,” the company said it in a statement, referring to what is now called the Palm Beach International Airport near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
The company didn’t respond immediately when asked if it would charge royalties for the use of the name at other airports in the future, or on merchandise listed for protection in the filings.
Josh Gerben, a trademark lawyer who uncovered the filings over the weekend, said the applications were the first of their kind he’s ever seen.
“While presidents and public officials have had landmarks named in their honor, a sitting president’s private company has never in the history of the United States sought trademark rights in advance of such naming,” Gerben wrote on his blog. “I should be very clear: these are trademark filings that are completely unprecedented.”
The applications filed by a family company unit called DTTM Operations with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are for the use of three names — President Donald J. Trump International Airport, Donald J. Trump International Airport and DJT.
The family has been on a branding spree in the past year, putting its name on towers, golf resorts and residential developments in Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. The company has also been selling Trump branded electric guitars, bibles and sneakers, ventures that also fall under the DTTM unit.
In response to criticism that he and his family are profiting off the presidency, Trump has said that his business is held in trust by his sons and that he has no day-to-day involvement in the company.
MatzavIsrael’s High Court of Justice on Tuesday issued a conditional order requiring the state to explain within two months why it continues to fully fund chareidi schools that do not teach the complete core curriculum as required by law, and why it has not imposed sanctions or taken corrective action, including budget cuts for noncompliant institutions.
The order was issued in response to a petition filed in March 2025 by the Chiddush association, which called on the government to enforce mandatory core studies and apply financial penalties to schools in education networks affiliated with chareidi political parties.
During court hearings on the petition, significant deficiencies were revealed regarding implementation of the core curriculum in the chareidi networks. At a hearing held in January, a state representative acknowledged substantial gaps, including shortcomings in teacher training, institutional reporting, and non-participation in Meitzav standardized testing. It also emerged that the Education Ministry did not attend that hearing and failed to provide requested data.
Subsequently, and following a directive from the court, official data was disclosed for the first time indicating that 92 percent of schools in chareidi networks lack teachers trained to deliver the core curriculum at a level that meets regulatory standards. The findings further showed that the Education Ministry does not require these institutions to provide the full number of core-study hours mandated in state schools, and that most teachers in the networks do not hold academic degrees, despite receiving salaries accordingly.
The panel of justices — Daphne Barak-Erez, David Mintz, and Ruth Ronen — demanded that the Education Ministry clarify why, in light of these findings, it continues to fully fund the institutions; why it does not require the full core curriculum hours; why teacher training has not been properly regulated; why oversight relies largely on self-reporting and pre-coordinated visits; and why most schools do not participate in Meitzav exams or international assessments that evaluate student performance in core subjects.
The case also follows directives issued in September 2024 by Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky, who instructed the Education Ministry to tighten enforcement, strengthen supervision and oversight mechanisms, train teachers, and consider budget reductions where necessary. According to the petitioners, those directives were not implemented, prompting the current petition.
Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni responded sharply to the court’s order, stating: “It is clear to anyone with understanding the hatred of the High Court judges toward the chareidi public and chareidi education. Most of the students in the networks, the majority of whom are girls, study all subjects in the spirit of our forefathers and they are the most outstanding in the exams.”
“There is no logic in issuing orders against the chareidi networks, which as stated are the best in the education system. There is only one professional explanation — hatred and envy. Nothing more!”
{Matzav.com}
MatzavA political uproar erupted after Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) responded to remarks by a New York-based Muslim activist about dogs, prompting sharp denunciations from Democratic lawmakers who accused him of bigotry and Islamophobia.
The controversy began with a February 12 social media post from Nerdeen Kiswani, who referenced the November election of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and wrote, “NYC is coming to Islam.” In the same exchange, she added that while dogs have a role in society, they should not be kept as indoor pets, stating that in Islamic tradition they are considered unclean.
“Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets. Like we [Muslims have] said all along, they are unclean [‘najis’].”
As criticism mounted online, Kiswani responded to detractors, writing: “[Laughing] at the Zionists frothing at the mouth at this, thinking they’re doing something. It’s obviously a joke I don’t care if you have a dog, I do care if your dog is … everywhere and you’re not cleaning it.”
Three days later, on February 15, Fine reacted to the exchange with a post of his own: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”
Democratic lawmakers quickly condemned the Florida congressman. “We must call this what it is. Disgusting bigotry,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) reacted. “Fine must be censured.”
After social media users argued that Khanna had overlooked the broader context of the exchange, he clarified his position: “Taking an alleged comment by one person and attributing it to everyone who shares that person’s faith is the definition of bigotry,” he stated.
Fine responded by mocking Khanna’s use of the phrase “an alleged comment,” noting that the activist’s remarks had been publicly posted. “Perhaps you should have read it before spouting off like an idiot,” the Congressman quipped.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) criticized Fine’s statement as harmful, saying the “Islamophobic” comment is “incredibly damaging to Jews trying to combat antisemitism.”
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) wrote, “America is BETTER because of our Muslim community,” adding, “And we are WORSE when ….like this guy spout hate.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also rebuked Fine, stating, “This is genuinely one of the most disgusting statements I have ever seen issued by an American official. Fine should be censured & stripped of committees.”
Jennifer Jenkins, who previously ran against Fine in November, weighed in as well: “I’m running to kick that bigot out of Washington.”
Rep. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) accused Fine of exploiting controversy for political gain. “This is what it looks like when Islamophobia and outrage are the only two items on your political agenda,” he complained.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom added his voice to the criticism, posting: “Resign now, you racist slob.”
Prominent media figures joined the backlash. CNN’s Jake Tapper described Fine’s remarks as “Disgusting bigotry.” New York Times columnist David French wrote: “Absolutely evil.”
Within Republican circles, reactions were more muted. Some GOP figures, already critical of Fine’s campaign style and political decisions, have avoided publicly defending him, preferring instead to focus attention on advancing President Donald Trump’s populist policy agenda.
“This is a drain-the-swamp presidency,” said Mark Mitchell, polling director at Rasmussen Reports. He noted that swing voters are focused on tangible outcomes, adding that “anything that distracts from it at this point is not helpful,” he told Breitbart News.
At the same time, some conservative activists who view Islam as politically assertive and expansionist have rallied behind Fine’s stance.
Despite the widespread condemnation, Fine has not backed down. In response to critics, he posted “Don’t Tread on Me” posters featuring puppies.
Appearing on Newsmax, Fine defended his comments, arguing that broader cultural issues are at stake. “It’s not enough for Democrats to think anyone who wants to come here illegally should be able to do that. They also think they should be able to get whatever free stuff they want. Now they’re demanding that we change our values and how we live as Americans.”
Many Muslims and commentators have interpreted Fine’s remarks as equating observant Muslims with dogs in a derogatory way.
Kiswani called the statement “genocidal.”
Egyptian-born journalist Mehdi Hassan likewise condemned the post, describing it as “genocidal Rwandan rhetoric” and asserting that it suggested “Muslims are lower than dogs.”
The controversy has also drawn renewed attention to longstanding debates over Islamic teachings regarding dogs. Certain traditional interpretations hold that dogs are ritually impure and should not be kept inside the home except for specific purposes such as guarding property. Some Islamic texts state that the presence of dogs can affect spiritual standing, and historical accounts attributed to Islam’s founder, Mohammed (c. 570–632), include statements discouraging the keeping of dogs as household pets.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasSAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Guatemalan driver fleeing a Georgia traffic stop by federal immigration officers crashed into another vehicle, killing a teacher who was headed to work, authorities and school officials said.
Oscar Vasquez Lopez, the driver accused of causing the Monday crash just outside of Savannah, remained jailed Tuesday on charges including vehicular homicide, reckless driving and driving without a valid license. Lopez, 38, is in the U.S. illegally, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Immigration officers were looking for Lopez to enforce an immigration judge’s 2024 deportation order, ICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams said Tuesday, noting that Lopez has no other criminal history.
Lopez pulled over when ICE officers used sirens and blue lights to initiate a traffic stop, but then drove away when they approached his vehicle, Williams said. Lopez made a U-turn and ran a stop light before he crashed, ICE said in a news release.
Asked if the ICE officers chased Lopez, Williams said: “Chased? I wouldn’t say that. They followed him until he crashed.”
Williams said he didn’t know how far Lopez fled before he crashed.
Savannah-Chatham County school officials identified the woman killed as Linda Davis, a special education teacher at Herman W. Hesse K-8 School.
Davis was beloved by the school community, Principal Alonna McMullen said.
“She dedicated her career to ensuring that every child felt supported, valued, and capable of success,” McMullen said in a news release. “Her kindness, patience, and enthusiasm created a nurturing environment for her students and inspired those around her.”
The crash happened less than a half-mile (0.8 kilometers) from the school. Though students were off Monday for Presidents Day, teachers reported to work. Davis was driving to school when she was killed, school system spokesperson Sheila Blanco said.
Chatham County jail records didn’t list an attorney for Lopez as of Tuesday or show whether he had been granted bond. His case also didn’t appear yet in online court records.
Federal immigration officers have faced increased scrutiny for their aggressive tactics during the Trump administration’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration, especially since they shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, blamed “politicians and the media constantly demonizing ICE officers and encouraging those here illegally to resist arrest.”
Chatham County police said in a statement that they were unaware of the ICE operation and traffic stop before the deadly crash.
Local officials questioned whether Davis’ death might have been prevented.
“I’ve always been and remain very concerned about the activities of ICE in cities, particularly where they’re not coordinating or communicating,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, a former police officer, told reporters Tuesday.
“What this individual was wanted for, did it necessitate the end result?” Johnson said.
Chester Ellis, chairman of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, noted that county police are constrained by a policy that allows vehicle pursuits only when officers believe a suspect has committed or is attempting to commit a violent felony.
“The no-chase policy is to help protect our citizens more than it is anything else,” Ellis told WTOC-TV. “So there may have been a different way to corner the individual so that he could not run, or that he could not cause the accident that took the life of Dr. Davis.”
The Lakewood ScoopLakewood Township officials say the recent winter storm — described as one of the most difficult in decades — tested local resources but was handled effectively by the Lakewood Department of Public Works.
“This has been the most challenging storm I have ever dealt with,” said Mayor Ray Coles, a 25-year member of the Township Committee.
Although snowfall totaled 10.3 inches, officials said the greater challenge was the sleet and freezing rain that followed, combined with more than two weeks of below-freezing temperatures. The conditions created an estimated two-inch layer of hardened ice on roads and sidewalks.
At peak operations, 112 snow-clearing vehicles were deployed, with crews working 12-hour shifts. More than 11,000 tons of snow were removed and transported to ShoreTown Ballpark for disposal. Crews used approximately 2,000 tons of salt and 2,000 gallons of calcium chloride.
In areas blocked by parked vehicles or curbside trash cans, front-end loaders were used. Officials said the township is considering purchasing additional specialized equipment for future storms.
Township leaders credited DPW Director Phil Roux and the department’s 182 employees, along with subcontractors, for planning, pretreatment of roads, and continued snow and ice removal operations. Trash and recycling collection was completed within the week.
How do you think the township handled the storm? Share your thoughts.
MatzavToday, in the court of Vizhnitz, the chassidim mark the yahrzeit of the Rebbetzin, Rebbetzin Leah Esther Hager a”h, first wife of the Rebbe, the Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz zt”l. This year, however, the day carries an especially stirring weight, following the revelation of a heart-rending story that closed a painful circle more than three decades after her passing.
As the chassidim reflect upon the memory of the Rebbetzin, known as an emblem of nobility and refinement, a powerful phone call from overseas came to light — one that reopened the raw emotions of the night of her histalkus 33 years ago and revealed a breathtaking moment of forgiveness by her son, the present Vizhnitzer Rebbe.
It was Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh, the 29th of Shevat, 5753. The corridors of Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer were heavy with grief following the Rebbetzin’s passing on leil Shabbos. In the room, near her bed, ten individuals stood guard to preserve kavod hameis before the levayah. Among them was a young man who, to this day, carries the scar of that night.
“I need to ask mechilah from the Rebbe for something that has troubled me for more than thirty years,” the man, now living in the United States, said in an emotional phone call to the Rebbe’s gabbai. “I was one of the ten who stood by the bed on Motzaei Shabbos. The Rebbe came to part from his mother one final time, but the door had been locked from inside, following instructions given to us by another family member. The Rebbe knocked on the door, identified himself in a broken voice: ‘It’s Yisroel Hager, the son of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe,’ and pleaded that we allow him to enter to bid farewell to his mother.”
The caller continued through tears: “I was the closest one to the door. I felt the pressure around me, heard the warnings not to open it for anyone — and I remained silent. The Rebbe stood outside for long minutes, begging to part from his mother a”h, and we did not open. I have never forgiven myself for that moment.”
The gabbai, shaken by the testimony of those agonizing minutes, entered to relay the request to the Rebbe. The pain of that terrible night — when a son was prevented from paying final respects to his mother — resurfaced. Yet the Rebbe’s response left those present stunned.
Without a trace of resentment, with serene composure and extraordinary calm, the Rebbe replied: “I forgive him with a full heart, and he should be well.”
The gabbaim, who understood how deeply that episode had cut — an open wound for a son denied his final farewell — attempted to press further. “But this is anguish beyond description. A son comes to part from his mother and the door is shut in his face?”
The Rebbe, in his remarkable humility and boundless compassion, looked at them almost in wonder. “But he asked forgiveness… Of course I forgive him!”
The story, revealed on the yahrzeit, has stirred hearts within Vizhnitz and far beyond. It is not merely a tale of a painful episode from years past, but a living testimony to the power of true mechilah and to the greatness of a leader who bears no grudge, even when the hurt touches the most sensitive fibers of the soul.
{Matzav.com}
Vos Iz NeiasJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Agrochemical maker Bayer and attorneys for cancer patients announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement Tuesday to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn people that its popular weedkiller Roundup could cause cancer.
The proposed settlement comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to hear arguments on Bayer’s assertion that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of Roundup without a cancer warning should invalidate claims filed in state courts. That case would not be affected by the proposed settlement.
But the settlement would eliminate some of the risk from an eventual and uncertain Supreme Court ruling — both for Bayer and for patients seeking damages.
Germany-based Bayer, which acquired Roundup maker Monsanto in 2018, disputes the assertion that the weedkiller’s key ingredient, glyphosate, can cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. But the company has warned that mounting legal costs are threatening its ability to continue selling the product in U.S. agricultural markets.
“Litigation uncertainly has plagued the company for years, and this settlement gives the company a road to closure,” Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said Tuesday.
The proposed settlement was filed in St. Louis Circuit Court in Missouri, home to Bayer’s North America crop science division and the state where many of the lawsuits have been brought. The settlement still needs the court’s approval.
MatzavPresident Donald Trump said Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are both “fantastic,” but fell short of saying if he would support either one of them to lead the Republican presidential ticket in the 2028 election.
“It’s something I don’t have to worry about now. I’ve got three years to go,” Trump told reporters Monday when asked if he would support Vance or Rubio in 2028.
“JD is fantastic. And Marco – they’re both fantastic,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “I think Marco did a great job in Munich.”
The president has been coy about who he would like to see lead the Republican Party after his second term in the White House ends. But Trump has repeatedly named both his vice president and his secretary of state when asked who he’d like to succeed him as president.
Trump last year said that Vance is “most likely” the heir-apparent to the Make America Great Again movement, but has also said that Rubio would make a great nominee.
The question comes after Rubio received positive reviews at the Munich Security Conference where he sketched out a shared heritage with Europe and asserted a common path ahead, while still focusing on the Trump administration’s stance on western dominance, immigration and climate skepticism. He struck a markedly softer tone than Vance did at the event a year earlier.
In that speech last year, Vance lambasted European allies and focused on cultural divides in a speech that was widely seen as inflaming rifts between the US and the EU. Rubio, in an interview with Bloomberg News, said he was not turning away from Vance’s speech, but wanted to explain the Trump administration’s reasoning.
Rubio, 54, a longtime anti-communist hawk, has embraced Trump’s aggressive approach while seeking ways to make deals in private. Vance, 41, a relative newcomer to politics best known for a memoir about life in small-town Ohio and Kentucky, embodies the MAGA movement’s anti-elite sensibilities, and Trump’s penchant for disruptive and unpredictable dealmaking.
Trump has spent months privately – and at times publicly – teasing a rivalry between the two, suggesting at turns that one, then the other, is best positioned to take the torch from him.
(c) 2026, Bloomberg
The Lakewood ScoopThe victims of the double fatal accent in Jackson have been identified this afternoon.
Police have identified the driver as Dennis Ricardo Zelaya Zapata, 29, of Toms River, and the passenger as Edwin Ramon Montolla Padilla, 36, of Patterson, NJ.
The accident remains under investigation.
The Lakewood ScoopIn Honor of Parshas Teruma,
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Boropark24By Y.M. Lowy
Firefighters responded to a garbage truck fire on Foster Avenue — directly in front of the FDNY Engine 250 firehouse off McDonald Avenue.
The flames broke out in the rear of the truck, just feet from the station doors. With crews already inside the firehouse, firefighters were able to respond immediately, bringing the situation under control quickly.
It appears the fire may have started after something flammable was thrown out with the trash, igniting inside the truck’s load. As is standard in these situations, firefighters emptied piles of garbage onto the street to fully extinguish the flames and prevent the fire from spreading.
The scene briefly turned messy as debris covered part of the roadway, but crews remained on scene to ensure everything was safely put out and thoroughly cleaned up. No injuries were reported.
photos: Dovid Jaroslawicz
MatzavThe KCL of Lakewood, NJ has issued a public kashrus alert cautioning the community about the growing use of Instacart for purchases from kosher supermarkets.
In a notice obtained by Matzav.com, the KCL says it is calling attention to concerns that have arisen due to the increasing reliance on the Instacart service for grocery shopping at kosher establishments. According to the alert, orders placed through Instacart are fulfilled by third-party shoppers who may not have sufficient knowledge or training in matters of kashrus. In many cases, the kosher supermarket itself may not even be aware that the order is being processed through Instacart.
The KCL explained that this situation creates a particular concern when orders include fresh meat, fresh fish, deli items, or prepared foods. In such cases, there is no reliable assurance that the required chosamos (halachic seals) will be properly affixed by the kosher establishment. As a result, these items could potentially be delivered without the necessary halachic safeguards in place.
The KCL emphasized that it is currently exploring ways to address the issue. However, in the interim, it is strongly recommending that food items requiring chosamos not be purchased through Instacart. Instead, the Vaad advises that such items be ordered directly from the kosher supermarket, which is aware of the relevant halachic requirements and can ensure that appropriate seals are affixed prior to delivery.
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsThe U.S. military has surged more than 50 advanced fighter jets into the Middle East over the past 24 hours, sharply escalating its show of force near Iran even as diplomatic talks continue behind closed doors.
According to a report by Axios, the deployment includes a mix of F-16, F-22, and F-35 aircraft, many of which were tracked in real time by independent flight monitors as they moved toward the region.
The sudden buildup comes amid fragile indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program. A U.S. official told The Jerusalem Post that talks held Tuesday in Geneva produced limited progress but left major issues unresolved.
“There were good meetings, but the gaps are still wide,” the official said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done to reach an agreement.”
U.S. officials said Iran indicated it would return within two weeks with detailed proposals aimed at narrowing differences between the two sides. But even as negotiators work toward a possible framework, the Pentagon appears to be preparing for a far more confrontational scenario.
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Last week, American media outlets reported that the U.S. would deploy its largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Middle East to reinforce its naval presence. The carrier and its escort ships were previously operating in the Caribbean before being redirected to the region, according to multiple U.S. officials.
The USS Abraham Lincoln and additional naval and air assets have already been stationed in the area since January, forming the backbone of a growing U.S. military posture.
Together, the carriers, strike groups, and newly arrived fighter jets represent the most significant American force concentrations in the region in recent years.
Whether the next phase brings compromise or confrontation remains uncertain.
But with fighter jets filling Middle Eastern skies and aircraft carriers converging offshore, the margin for error is narrowing — and the cost of failure is rising.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz NeiasBOONVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — A fiery explosion ripped through a church in upstate New York on Tuesday, injuring five people including a firefighter who was badly burned while responded to reports of a gas odor in the building, officials said.
New York State Police were investigating the cause of the blast, which occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the Abundant Life Fellowship Church in a rural area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Syracuse.
Five people were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Two were listed in critical condition, including a firefighter who responded to the scene. The remaining three people were being treated for injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, police said.
Police said there was no initial indication of criminal activity related to the explosion, which sent thick plumes of black smoke into the air and severely damaged the church.
The church was reportedly heated by propane cylinders, according to state troopers.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Tuesday that it carried out strikes on three boats accused of smuggling drugs in Latin American waters, killing 11 people in one of the deadliest days of the Trump administration’s monthslong campaign against alleged traffickers.
The series of strikes conducted Monday brought the death toll to at least 145 people since the administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in small vessels since early September.
Like most of the military’s statements on the 42 known strikes, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. It said two vessels carrying four people each were struck in the eastern Pacific Ocean, while a third boat with three people was hit in the Caribbean Sea.
The military did not provide evidence that the vessels were ferrying drugs but posted videos on X that showed boats being destroyed.
The videos posted by Southern Command show the boats either moving or bobbing in the water before the explosions engulf them in flames. People can be seen sitting in two of the small, open vessels before they’re destroyed.
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs.
Critics have questioned the overall legality of the strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.
The boat strikes also drew intense criticism following the revelation that the military killed survivors of the very first boat attack with a follow-up strike. The Trump administration and many Republican lawmakers said it was legal and necessary, while Democratic lawmakers and legal experts said the killings were murder, if not a war crime.
The attacks followed the Trump administration beginning one of the largest buildups of U.S. military might in Latin America in generations as part of a pressure campaign that culminated with the capture of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He was brought to the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges after a Jan. 3 raid by American forces.
The world’s largest aircraft carrier was ordered to the Caribbean late last year and told last week to head to the Middle East as tensions between the U.S. and Iran grow.
USS Gerald R. Ford and three accompanying destroyers were in the mid-Atlantic on Tuesday and no longer in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of operations, according to a Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive ship movements.
The Ford will bolster an array of U.S. warships in the Middle East that includes the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
Since Maduro’s capture, the U.S. military has reported several boat strikes, while American forces also have seized oil tankers connected with Venezuela as part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to take control of the South American country’s oil.
Republicans in Congress have defeated Democratic-led efforts to rein in Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks in Venezuela.
Yeshiva World NewsAmerican and Iranian negotiators have agreed on a set of “guiding principles” for a possible nuclear deal, offering a tentative breakthrough in high-stakes talks.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the two sides made progress during a second round of negotiations in Switzerland.
“We were able to reach a general agreement on a set of guiding principles,” Araghchi told Iranian state television. “This does not mean that we can quickly reach a final agreement, but at least the path has begun.”
Details of the principles were not immediately disclosed, and the White House declined to comment.
The talks come as President Donald Trump presses Tehran for broader concessions, insisting that any agreement must also address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its treatment of anti-regime protesters — demands Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected.
“It’s got to be a good deal,” Trump said last week. “No nuclear weapons, no missiles.”
U.S. negotiations have been led in part by Trump allies Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, following earlier indirect talks in Oman that both sides described as constructive.
On the same day talks resumed, Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, openly taunted Washington, warning that U.S. naval forces in the region could be struck.
“The strongest army in the world can sometimes be slapped so hard it cannot get up,” Khamenei said in remarks published by Iranian media.
His office later suggested on social media that U.S. warships could be sunk.
Iran has also conducted military drills in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways, at times claiming to restrict access to the critical shipping route that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil.
In response, Trump has expanded the U.S. military presence in the region, sending additional aircraft carriers and strike groups to the Middle East.
“I think they want to make a deal,” Trump said aboard Air Force One this week. “I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal.”
The negotiations are taking place under the shadow of Trump’s earlier use of force. In June last year, he ordered airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming they were “completely and totally obliterated.”
Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons, though it previously enriched uranium to levels far above what is needed for civilian energy.
Trump has declined to rule out renewed military action.
“If we do it,” he said when asked about future strikes, “that would be the least of the mission.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot re-detain Kilmar Abrego Garcia because a 90-day detention period has expired and the government has no viable plan for deporting him, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.
The Salvadoran national’s case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to his home country last year. Since his return, he has been fighting a second deportation to a series of African countries proposed by Department of Homeland Security officials.
The government “made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success,” U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, in Maryland, wrote in her Tuesday order. “From this, the Court easily concludes that there is no ‘good reason to believe’ removal is likely in the reasonably foreseeable future.”
Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Abrego Garcia has an American wife and child and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager. In 2019, an immigration judge ruled that he could not be deported to El Salvador because he faced danger there from a gang that had threatened his family. By mistake, he was deported there anyway last year.
Facing public pressure and a court order, President Donald Trump’s administration brought him back in June, but only after securing an indictment charging him with human smuggling in Tennessee. He has pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, Trump officials have said he cannot stay in the U.S. In court filings, officials have said they intended to deport him to Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana, and Liberia.
In her Tuesday order, Xinis noted the government has “purposely—and for no reason—ignored the one country that has consistently offered to accept Abrego Garcia as a refugee, and to which he agrees to go.” That country is Costa Rica.
Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, argued in court that immigration detention is not supposed to be a punishment. Immigrants can only be detained as a way to facilitate their deportation and cannot be held indefinitely with no viable deportation plan.
“Since Judge Xinis ordered Mr. Abrego Garcia released in mid-December, the government has tried one trick after another to try to get him re-detained,” Sandoval-Moshenberg wrote in an email on Tuesday. “In her decision today, she recognized that if the government were truly trying to remove Mr. Abrego Garcia from the United States, they would have sent him to Costa Rica long before today.”
The government should now engage in a good-faith effort to work out the details of removal to Costa Rica, Sandoval-Moshenberg wrote.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration is throwing its support behind the prediction market operators Kalshi and Polymarket in a critical legal battle between the growing prediction market industry and states that wish to ban these platforms.
The move by Michael Selig, the recently appointed chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, could have enormous implications for how sports betting is regulated in the country and, if Kalshi and Polymarket were to prevail, could erode the ability for states to effectively regulate gambling.
Any friendly decision the CFTC makes on this industry could end up financially benefiting the president’s family as well. President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., has invested in Polymarket through his venture capital firm and is a strategic advisor for Kalshi.
The CFTC currently regulates prediction markets, and that federal oversight allows Kalshi and others to operate in all 50 states, even those where gambling is illegal. Several states have sued Polymarket and Kalshi, alleging that the companies effectively operate casino or gambling operations in violation of state gambling laws, and have ordered them to shut down or stop operating in their states.
In an opinion piece in the The Wall Street Journal, Selig wrote, “The CFTC will no longer sit idly by while overzealous state governments undermine the agency’s exclusive jurisdiction over these markets by seeking to establish statewide prohibitions on these exciting products.”
Polymarket and Kalshi and other prediction markets allow participants to buy and sell contracts tied to the probable outcome of an event. Customers can wager on everything from whether it will rain in Los Angeles tomorrow to who will in the NBA championship to whether the U.S. and Iran will go to war. The contracts are typically priced between one cent and 99 cents, which roughly translates into what percentage of those customers believe that event will happen.
While customers can bet on anything, roughly 90% of Kalshi’s trading volume goes toward wagers on sports, while roughly half of Polymarket’s trading is tied to sports. Kalshi said it saw more than $1 billion in volume trade on the Superbowl.
The biggest of the lawsuits comes from Nevada, where the Nevada Gaming Control Board sued or issued enforcement actions against Kalshi and Polymarket, saying they are operating unlicensed sports betting operations in the state. A federal judge agreed with the NGCB and issued a temporary restraining order against Kalshi from operating in the state.
In response, Kalshi has appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which is why the CFTC is weighing in through what is known as a “friend of the court” briefing.
As the regulator of commodities, futures and derivatives, the CFTC has historically overseen markets like oil futures, agricultural products, gold, and other financial products. At roughly 700 employees, the CFTC is much smaller than the Securities and Exchange Commission, with roughly 5,000 employees. But as the CFTC has become the favored regulator of cryptocurrency companies and prediction markets proponents, it has taken on a much larger role in financial markets in the last five years.
By stepping into the lawsuit, the Trump administration is taking an unusually broad definition of commodities and futures. Selig has shifted his position from what he told Senators at his confirmation hearing, where he said that it would be best for the CFTC to defer to the courts on the core legal issue facing Kalshi and Polymarket.
Selig now says that prediction markets effectively do the same thing as other futures contracts, where customers can hedge against bad weather or changes in energy prices, and they are not betting against the house, which is what happens with sports book companies. The states that have taken legal action against Kalshi and Polymarket argue that while these companies do offer customers the ability to bet on future events, the vast majority of their business is sports betting. Further, most prediction markets allow customers 18 years or older to use their platforms, while state gambling is limited to those 21 years or older.
Selig now says states cannot preempt federal regulators.
“To those who seek to challenge our authority in this space, let me be clear, we will see you in court,” Selig said in a video statement.
Some members of the GOP pushed back on Selig’s announcement, including the Governor of Utah, which has some of the strictest gambling laws in the country.
“Mike, I appreciate you attempting this with a straight face, but I don’t remember the CFTC having authority over the “derivative market” of LeBron James rebounds,” said Gov. Spencer Cox, in a statement on Twitter. “These prediction markets you are breathlessly defending are gambling — pure and simple.”
MatzavMK Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beiteinu delivered an uncompromising message during an interview in the Kikar HaShabbat studio, making clear she was not seeking compromise over the proposed draft law but instead presenting what she described as an ultimatum. In the wide-ranging interview, she sharply criticized Chareidi leadership, argued that Torah study alone was not sufficient in the face of security threats, and signaled that state funding for the Chareidi sector would be her next target. “We’ve reached the limit — there will no longer be an option of only receiving,” she declared.
Malinovsky, known for her confrontational style, did not soften her tone. Addressing her relationship with the Chareidi community, she said, “My personal relationships with people are excellent, but I know how to distinguish between what is essential and what is secondary.”
Responding to claims that her stance on the draft law is driven by cheap populism, Malinovsky outlined what she called a simple principle — “the family equation.” In her view, the state functions like an extended household in which rights and responsibilities go hand in hand. “In a family there are rights and duties. Like a mother tells her children: ‘Sweetie, if you don’t do A, B, C — you don’t get this.’ You can’t just be on the receiving end. This is all of our home, and everyone has to defend it. There is no other option anymore.”
One of the most contentious points in the conversation centered on the tension between Torah study and military necessity. Malinovsky said she recognizes the historical value of Torah learning but rejects the notion that it conflicts with army service. “On October 7 everyone prayed, including secular people, but in the end what helped was an M16 rifle in someone’s hand,” she said.
She continued, “The Torah says that in wartime ‘a groom leaves his wedding canopy.’ Great rabbis throughout history both worked and served. The mitzvah is to provide for your family, and the concept of ‘Toraso Umnaso’ has become a political tool that keeps the public poor and weak.”
Malinovsky dismissed arguments that the IDF is not prepared to integrate Chareidim or that a gradual process is required. “The stories about ‘gradually’ are over,” she stated. “The IDF needs 13,000 soldiers now. When I see the young men in Bnei Brak — strong and healthy — they’re material for Sayeret Matkal. If they don’t defend the home, then who will?”
At one point, she invoked the historical example of the “Cantonists” under Czarist Russia, when Jewish children were forcibly conscripted. This time, however, she directed her criticism inward. “In 1818 the elite and the wealthy would hide their own children and send the children of the poor and widows to the army. I see that happening today as well. The Chareidi leadership wants to preserve its power and keep the public in yeshivot, while the weaker layers pay the price. I call on the young people: don’t be the Cantonists of the political operatives.”
Her criticism expanded beyond the draft issue to governance and public spending. She linked what she described as weak enforcement in the Negev to broader government conduct. “It’s all a matter of money and enforcement,” she argued. “We have a government of likes on Twitter, but there is no ‘governance’ on the ground. When you distribute 36 billion shekels in ‘extras’ to the sector without conditions — that’s economic suicide. Money leaves a trail, and we will follow it to bring order.”
Malinovsky concluded on a personal note, recalling her own journey as a new immigrant who arrived in Israel with just $200 and worked cleaning jobs before entering politics. She said her experience proves that there are no handouts in life. “No one received anything for free,” she said. “The sky is the limit for those who want to contribute, but the responsibility to defend our home belongs to all of us together. Without that — it’s either partnership or collapse.”
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsNYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday unveiled a staggering $127 billion budget proposal — the largest in city history — igniting an immediate political firestorm over steep tax hikes, deepening deficits, and fears that City Hall is gambling with New York’s financial future.
The preliminary budget, presented from the Blue Room at City Hall, is roughly $11 billion higher than the current spending plan and would be fueled in part by a proposed 9.5 percent property tax increase, along with a $1 billion drawdown from the city’s rainy day fund.
“This is insanity,” an insider told the New York Post. “Property taxes haven’t been raised like this since 9/11.”
Mamdani insisted the tax increase is a “last resort,” blaming Albany for refusing to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers.
“The options of the second path are the options of last resort,” Mamdani said. “We will only employ them if there is no other way to balance the budget.”
The mayor has repeatedly urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to approve higher taxes on millionaires and corporations. While Hochul recently announced $1.6 billion in additional state aid, she has declined to endorse Mamdani’s “tax the rich” agenda, leaving City Hall preparing to shift the burden onto property owners.
Critics warn that draining reserves while raising taxes could rattle bond markets and weaken the city’s borrowing power.
Resistance emerged quickly from the City Council. Speaker Julie Menin, joined by Finance Committee Chair Linda Lee, warned that the mayor’s approach could worsen the affordability crisis.
“At a time when New Yorkers are already struggling, dipping into reserves and proposing major tax hikes should not be on the table,” they said in a joint statement.
Council leaders said they believe additional savings and revenue options remain unexplored and vowed to release their own fiscal projections ahead of budget hearings in March.
The proposal includes another $1.2 billion for migrant services, bringing total spending on asylum seekers to more than $10 billion over the past five years. While shelter populations have dropped significantly, the costs remain a major driver of the city’s fiscal strain.
Mamdani acknowledged that New York faces a $5.4 billion budget gap, down from $12 billion earlier this year after stronger-than-expected Wall Street tax revenue.
“Our deficit is still a significant chasm,” he said.
The mayor said aggressive savings efforts could generate $1.7 billion over two years, but conceded that cuts alone will not close the gap.
“I cannot tell New Yorkers that additional savings are likely in the next few months,” he said.
Business leaders and landlords responded with fury.
Steven Fulop, CEO of Partnerships for New York City, called the tax hike a political pressure tactic and warned it ignores New York’s competitive challenges.
Small property owners were even more blunt.
“Owners are sick and tired of being treated like ATM machines,” said Ann Korchak of Small Property Owners of New York. “This will drive families into foreclosure and bankruptcy.”
She accused Mamdani of “declaring war” on immigrant landlords and pushing policies that could accelerate the conversion of private housing into public control.
Under the proposal, 40 percent of the budget would go to the Department of Education, 26 percent to social services, and 12 percent to uniformed agencies. The remainder would fund other city departments.
Mamdani argued that higher taxes are “structural solutions” needed to preserve his affordability agenda, including universal childcare and free buses.
“These solutions give us the foundation to move forward,” he said.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Yeshiva World NewsNYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday unveiled a staggering $127 billion budget proposal — the largest in city history — igniting an immediate political firestorm over steep tax hikes, deepening deficits, and fears that City Hall is gambling with New York’s financial future.
The preliminary budget, presented from the Blue Room at City Hall, is roughly $11 billion higher than the current spending plan and would be fueled in part by a proposed 9.5 percent property tax increase, along with a $1 billion drawdown from the city’s rainy day fund.
“This is insanity,” an insider told the New York Post. “Property taxes haven’t been raised like this since 9/11.”
Mamdani insisted the tax increase is a “last resort,” blaming Albany for refusing to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers.
“The options of the second path are the options of last resort,” Mamdani said. “We will only employ them if there is no other way to balance the budget.”
The mayor has repeatedly urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to approve higher taxes on millionaires and corporations. While Hochul recently announced $1.6 billion in additional state aid, she has declined to endorse Mamdani’s “tax the rich” agenda, leaving City Hall preparing to shift the burden onto property owners.
Critics warn that draining reserves while raising taxes could rattle bond markets and weaken the city’s borrowing power.
Resistance emerged quickly from the City Council. Speaker Julie Menin, joined by Finance Committee Chair Linda Lee, warned that the mayor’s approach could worsen the affordability crisis.
“At a time when New Yorkers are already struggling, dipping into reserves and proposing major tax hikes should not be on the table,” they said in a joint statement.
Council leaders said they believe additional savings and revenue options remain unexplored and vowed to release their own fiscal projections ahead of budget hearings in March.
The proposal includes another $1.2 billion for migrant services, bringing total spending on asylum seekers to more than $10 billion over the past five years. While shelter populations have dropped significantly, the costs remain a major driver of the city’s fiscal strain.
Mamdani acknowledged that New York faces a $5.4 billion budget gap, down from $12 billion earlier this year after stronger-than-expected Wall Street tax revenue.
“Our deficit is still a significant chasm,” he said.
The mayor said aggressive savings efforts could generate $1.7 billion over two years, but conceded that cuts alone will not close the gap.
“I cannot tell New Yorkers that additional savings are likely in the next few months,” he said.
Business leaders and landlords responded with fury.
Steven Fulop, CEO of Partnerships for New York City, called the tax hike a political pressure tactic and warned it ignores New York’s competitive challenges.
Small property owners were even more blunt.
“Owners are sick and tired of being treated like ATM machines,” said Ann Korchak of Small Property Owners of New York. “This will drive families into foreclosure and bankruptcy.”
She accused Mamdani of “declaring war” on immigrant landlords and pushing policies that could accelerate the conversion of private housing into public control.
Under the proposal, 40 percent of the budget would go to the Department of Education, 26 percent to social services, and 12 percent to uniformed agencies. The remainder would fund other city departments.
Mamdani argued that higher taxes are “structural solutions” needed to preserve his affordability agenda, including universal childcare and free buses.
“These solutions give us the foundation to move forward,” he said.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Boropark24YS GOLD
This week’s captured moment takes us to the center of Boro Park where the Stuchiner Rebbe, zt”l, is seen walking, accompanied by chassidim, against the backdrop of a row of Boro Park homes.
Can any of our readers pinpoint the location where this photograph was taken?
__
Answer to last week’s captured moment:
As our readers have correctly pointed out—In great detail—the Shul in question is Congregation Ohel Abraham Mishkan Joseph which has been located for a century at 49th Street and 18th Avenue.
Vos Iz NeiasKOH SAMUI, THAILAND (VINnews)- Three Israeli tourists were reportedly chased and brutally attacked at a local bar on the popular Thai island of Koh Samui late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, with two of the victims sustaining serious injuries requiring hospitalization.
According to multiple reports from Hebrew media outlets and eyewitness accounts shared on social media, the incident unfolded when a group of tourists—described in some testimonies as French citizens of Arab or North African origin—overheard the three Israelis speaking Hebrew while seated at the venue. The attackers allegedly confronted the group, identifying them as Israelis, before escalating the situation into physical violence.
Witness statements indicate that the Israelis attempted to flee the harassment by retreating to the bar’s restroom. The assailants reportedly forced their way in, dragged at least one victim out, and demanded they empty their pockets in what appeared to be an attempted robbery amid the assault. The violence intensified when venue security personnel allegedly intervened on the side of the attackers, joining in the beating and using batons against the victims.
The three tourists, said to be in their 20s and including a father and his son in some accounts, suffered severe blows to the ribs and body. Two were taken to a local hospital for treatment of significant injuries, while details on the third individual’s condition remain unclear from initial reports.
The attack has been widely described in Israeli and Jewish advocacy circles as having a suspected antisemitic or nationalist motive, given that the victims were targeted after being identified through their use of Hebrew. Organizations such as StandWithUs and the Combat Antisemitism Movement highlighted the incident on social media, expressing alarm over the targeting of individuals based on language and perceived nationality.
Thai police reportedly arrived at the scene following the altercation, but accounts suggest the response focused on advising the victims against publicizing the incident rather than immediate pursuit of the perpetrators. No official statement from Thai authorities has been widely reported as of Tuesday afternoon, and the nationalities or identities of the attackers have not been independently confirmed by law enforcement.
Koh Samui, a renowned tourist destination known for its beaches and nightlife, attracts visitors from around the world, including a notable number of Israeli travelers. Incidents of this nature are rare in Thailand, which generally maintains a reputation for hospitality toward tourists. However, the event has prompted discussions online about rising global tensions spilling over into travel destinations.
This developing story is based on preliminary media reports and social media testimonies. Further details, including any official investigation outcomes or arrests, are awaited as authorities in Thailand review the incident. The victims’ identities have not been publicly released.
MatzavNational Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir launched a forceful attack on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, accusing her of obstructing efforts to combat violent crime in the Arab sector and asserting that her actions have cost lives.
Ben Gvir argued that initiatives he proposed years ago to address organized crime were rejected by the attorney general. “The blood of those murdered in the Arab sector is on the hands of Gali Baharav-Miara. Because when I came to her three years ago and said, ‘Take a list, these are a hundred families, let’s arrest them administratively,’ she told me no,” Ben Gvir claimed.
He said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since come around to his position regarding the attorney general’s removal. “Two and a half years ago, I went to the Prime Minister and told him, ‘Let’s fire her, let’s send her home.’ He said to me, ‘You’re a young minister, you don’t understand, it doesn’t work like that.’ Today, he admits that I was right. She needs to be sent home, and we need a legal reform.”
The national security minister also addressed his broader role within the coalition, saying he and his allies have shaped key policy decisions. “We have influenced many things. There were those who didn’t want to engage in maneuvering, but we were there in the government, and we influenced the maneuver and ensured that we would go in and do a good job.”
Turning to legislation that would impose the death penalty on terrorists, Ben Gvir said he anticipates progress on the measure. “I have a promise from Prime Minister Netanyahu that he will push it forward.”
{Matzav.com}
MatzavA total of 25,274 children have been officially classified as victims of terrorist attacks since October 7, according to figures released Tuesday by the National Insurance Institute. The overwhelming majority—more than 97 percent—received that recognition during the initial months of the war, between October and December 2023.
The data paints a devastating picture of the toll on Israel’s youngest citizens. Sixty-three children have been killed since the outbreak of the war. Thirty-five children were left without either parent, and 316 minors lost brothers or sisters in the violence.
Beyond those fatalities and family losses, 5,659 children have been acknowledged by the National Insurance Institute as suffering from physical injuries or psychological trauma connected to the attacks.
A closer look at the age distribution shows that the largest number of affected children falls within the 5 to 9 age group, totaling 8,123. The next largest group is toddlers and preschoolers between ages 0 and 4, with 7,356 children recognized.
Among older children, 6,532 between the ages of 10 and 14 were listed as victims, along with 3,263 teenagers aged 15 to 17.
In its statement, the National Insurance Institute emphasized that it is focused on safeguarding the rights and long-term welfare of these children. Assistance includes monthly financial benefits, social services, and access to emotional and therapeutic care.
“The National Insurance Institute views the rehabilitation of the future generation impacted by terrorism as a paramount national and moral mission, and it will continue to provide the necessary support to every child, as much as it can, from now and throughout their lives.”
{Matzav.com}
Yeshiva World NewsIsraeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich on Monday said that if his daughter sought his advice, he would urge her not to enlist in the IDF.
Smotrich was asked about the issue at his party’s weekly meeting in the Knesset, and he responded that the position of his Rabbanim and the Rabbanut for generations is that women shouldn’t serve in the IDF.
“I think mixed units aren’t good for professional reasons—they create a negative atmosphere and harm the IDF’s professionalism,” Smotrich said. “That’s undisputed in my opinion. To go and put them now in tanks, to mix the genders, it seems delusional—regardless of the religious aspect. That is my position, but I won’t tell other people what to do. I hope that the big liberals can also respect the values of several thousand years. I respect everyone who thinks differently than me.”
Yesh Atid MK Ram Ben Barak responded angrily on social media, calling on Dati Leumi girls to rebel against their Rabbanim and enlist in the IDF.
“I call on the daughters of Religious Zionism—don’t listen to your Rabbanim, don’t listen to your Knesset members,” he wrote.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Lakewood ScoopIn what officials are calling a “return to our roots, but with better branding,” Lakewood Township announced Tuesday that it will be phasing out all local emergency services and replacing them with seasoned personnel imported directly from Williamsburg.
Township officials, speaking to TLS on condition of anonymity because they were “not authorized to reveal visionary brilliance ahead of schedule,” confirmed that police, fire, EMS, and even certain municipal departments would be replaced by “heritage-certified response units.”
Under the proposal, veteran members of Matzilei Eish, senior coordinators from Hatzolah of Williamsburg, and “several sanitation experts who instinctively know which side of the street the garbage really belongs on” would assume full operational control.
“Lakewood has grown tremendously,” one official told TLS while reviewing what appeared to be a map of Ocean County with arrows drawn exclusively toward Brooklyn. “And with that growth comes the need for emergency services that understand our community’s unique needs — like navigating double-parked minivans on a Friday afternoon without losing composure.”
According to sources who insisted on anonymity but were very eager to elaborate, the transition will occur in phases:
Phase 1: Replace police cruisers with unmarked minivans featuring tasteful emergency lights hidden behind tinted windows.
Phase 2: Introduce a 24-hour hot kugel command center to ensure responders remain adequately fueled.
Phase 3: Replace all sirens with a more culturally resonant system of rapid Yiddish announcements broadcast from rooftop loudspeakers.
Residents reportedly expressed cautious optimism.
“I mean, the response times are already impressive,” said one local man. “But imagine if the dispatcher also reminds you to bench licht on time.”
The imported units bring decades of experience responding to five-alarm structure fires, simultaneous simchas, and “mysterious electrical smells that turn out to be a crockpot,” officials told TLS.
In a particularly controversial move, the plan calls for rebranding the local fire department as “Matzilei Eish South,” with apparatus featuring hand-painted gold lettering and a strictly enforced policy that every emergency must include at least three walkie-talkies per responder, even if none of them are on the same channel.
Meanwhile, longtime members of Lakewood Police Department and Lakewood Fire District 1 were reportedly offered honorary roles as “traffic cone placement consultants.”
When asked whether outsourcing public safety to another state posed any logistical challenges, one township source laughed.
“If we can coordinate 14,000-person weddings with valet, we can coordinate mutual aid across the Hudson,” the official told TLS. “The tunnel is basically a very long driveway.”
At press time, officials were finalizing negotiations to import alternate-side parking enforcement specialists who can parallel park a 15-passenger van in a space legally designated for a bicycle.
A Freilichin Chodesh Adar.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Tuesday with a delegation of U.S. House members at his office in Jerusalem, thanking them for their ongoing support of Israel amid discussions on regional security issues.
The meeting was organized by the U.S. Israel Education Association (USIEA), a nonpartisan group focused on strengthening U.S.-Israel ties through education and congressional engagement.
Netanyahu expressed appreciation for the lawmakers’ “steadfast support of Israel” and addressed broader regional matters during the discussion, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The congressional delegation, consisting of Reps. Tim Walberg, R-Mich.; John Moolenaar, R-Mich.; and Scott Franklin, R-Fla., praised Israel’s “unique contribution to U.S. national security.”
The visit comes as part of ongoing efforts by pro-Israel organizations to facilitate direct dialogue between U.S. lawmakers and Israeli leadership on shared strategic interests.
No further details on specific topics discussed were immediately released.
MatzavIran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly ridiculed President Donald Trump and warned that American military forces could be struck down, escalating rhetoric as U.S. and Iranian representatives met in Geneva to discuss Tehran’s nuclear program and mounting tensions between the two nations.
The 86-year-old cleric’s comments came against the backdrop of an increased U.S. naval presence in the region and renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing Iran’s nuclear activities and broader hostilities.
“The U.S. President says their army is the world’s strongest, but the strongest army in the world can sometimes be slapped so hard it cannot get up,” Khamenei said, according to remarks carried by Iranian media.
Khamenei, whose regime faced widespread condemnation following a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests last month that human rights organizations say left at least 7,000 people dead, also issued a warning about American naval forces through his English-language X account.
“The Americans constantly say that they’ve sent a warship toward Iran,” Khamenei’s team posted on his English X account. “Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”
At the same time, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, underscoring the growing friction with Washington in a region critical to global energy supplies.
Trump has declined to rule out military action against Iran’s ruling establishment, and the recent buildup of American forces in the area mirrors the deployment he assembled near Venezuela prior to the Jan. 3 raid that resulted in the capture of strongman Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
“It seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” Trump told reporters Friday when asked about the prospect of regime change in Iran.
When questioned about whether the United States might once again strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, Trump responded, “If we do it, that would be the least of the mission.”
The exchange of threats and sharp rhetoric highlights the fragile moment between diplomacy and confrontation, as negotiations move forward even while both sides signal their readiness for escalation.
Boropark24By Yisroel R.
A 36-year-old man accused of pretending to be an FBI agent in an attempt to free Luigi Mangione from prison pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Brooklyn federal court to falsely posing as a government officer.
Mangione is the man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024 outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while awaiting trial in both federal and state cases.
According to federal prosecutors, the defendant, identified as Mark Anderson, went to the detention center claiming he was a federal agent and said he had paperwork signed by a judge authorizing the release of someone in custody. Prosecutors say he threw papers at jail staff and told them he had weapons in his bag.
When officers searched the bag, they found a pizza cutter and a barbecue fork. Authorities say the person Anderson was attempting to release was Mangione.
Anderson appeared in court for a brief arraignment, and a judge ordered that he remain in custody pending further proceedings.
Mangione faces federal stalking charges, along with state murder and weapons charges related to the fatal shooting. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases and remains detained as he awaits trial later this year. His case has drawn national attention, with some supporters portraying Mangione as someone who took a stance against corporate insurance greed.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK — A new report is calling on New York City to dramatically expand metered parking across commercial corridors, a move that could bring in as much as $1.3 billion in additional annual revenue, according to coverage by the New York Post.
The study, released by the Center for an Urban Future, argues that the city is underutilizing curb space. While New York has millions of on-street parking spots, only a small percentage are currently metered. Expanding metered zones and introducing more dynamic pricing during peak hours could both increase revenue and reduce congestion caused by drivers searching for open spaces, the group said.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani indicated his administration is open to reviewing parking policies. A City Hall representative said curb space has become more competitive in recent years due to delivery growth, bike infrastructure and outdoor dining setups, adding that reforms may be needed to better manage street use.
However, as reported by the Post, some residents and business owners in neighborhoods such as Bedford-Stuyvesant voiced strong opposition. Critics argue that adding more meters would place additional financial strain on working-class communities and discourage customers from visiting local shops.
The report also recommends revisiting variable or peak pricing — a strategy previously tested during the administration of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, though it was later discontinued.
Metered parking rates currently vary by neighborhood, with the highest fees concentrated in Manhattan’s busiest business districts and lower rates in outer-borough commercial areas.
City officials have not announced any formal proposal, and further analysis would be required before changes are implemented.
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