Vos Iz NeiasHAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.
The announcement came hours after Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-registered speed boat that had entered Cuban waters and opened fire on the soldiers first, injuring one Cuban officer.
Cuba’s government said the majority of the 10 people on the boat “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told reporters earlier that he was made aware of the incident and that the U.S. is now gathering its own information to determine if the victims were American citizens or permanent residents.
“We have various different elements of the U.S. government that are trying to identify elements of the story that may not be provided to us now,” Rubio said while at the airport in Basseterre, St. Kitts, where he was attending a regional summit with Caribbean leaders.
The Cuban government identified two of the boat passengers as Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who are wanted by Cuban authorities “based on their involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of actions carried out in the national territory or in other countries, in connection with acts of terrorism.”
The government said it also had arrested Duniel Hernández Santos, adding that he was “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration, who at this time has confessed to his actions.”
The Associated Press was not immediately able to independently verify that information.
Cuba’s government said it obtained the details about the passengers aboard the boat from the suspects detained following the shootout.
It identified seven of the 10 passengers, including Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Cuba’s government said that one of the four killed was Michel Ortega Casanova. Three others have not yet been identified.
“The investigation process continues until the facts are fully clarified,” the ministry said in a statement.
Misael Ortega Casanova, brother of Michel Ortega Casanova, told The Associated Press late Wednesday that he was mourning his brother’s death but lamented that he fell into what he called an “obsessive and diabolical” quest for Cuba’s freedom.
“Only us Cubans who have lived over there understand,” Misael Ortega Casanova said, referring to the “great suffering” that he and other Cubans on the island have faced.
He noted that his brother, who was a truck driver and an American citizen who lived for more than 20 years in the U.S., leaves behind his wife, his mother, two sisters — one of whom lives in Cuba — and a daughter who is pregnant.
“No one knew,” Misael said of his brother’s plans. “My mother is devastated.”
He added: “They became so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences nor their own lives.”
Misael said that he did not recognize any of the names that the Cuban government released.
He said that while he doesn’t believe in heroes — “because that is ignorance” — he hopes that his brother’s death might be a worthwhile sacrifice: “maybe it will justify that some day Cuba will be free.”
A ‘highly unusual’ shootout
U.S. President Donald Trump’s top diplomat refused to speculate on what happened, saying that it could be a “wide range of things,” and that the U.S. will not solely rely on what the Cuban authorities have provided thus far.
“Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time,” Rubio said.
He said both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the incident and stressed that he wants to verify the facts.
“The majority of the facts being publicly reported are those by the information provided by the Cubans. We will verify that independently as we gather more information, and we’ll be prepared to respond accordingly,” Rubio said. “We’re going to have our own information on this. We’re going to figure out exactly what happened.”
He said it was not a U.S. government operation and that he wasn’t “going to speculate about whose boat it was, what they were doing, why they were there, what actually happened.”
One of the men identified by the Cuban government, Conrado Galindo Sariol, was interviewed in June 2025 by Martí Noticias, a U.S.-based news site that has long called for a change of government in Cuba.
Galindo, whom the host called “a legend,” was quoted as saying that he wants to support the struggles that Cubans face, especially in the eastern part of the island “to achieve the freedom that is needed.”
He said that the protests in Cuba at that time were “not a spark that’s going to be extinguished.”
“The regime’s leaders are crisscrossing Cuba, trying to mitigate what’s coming very soon because … they know they’re out of power, that they can’t do anything about it, and they’re looking for ways to prevent the protests from growing in other parts of the country,” Galindo was quoted as saying.
Fear over increased tensions
Rubio said he found out about the shooting before the Cuban government posted on social media, noting that the U.S. has “constant contact” with the country “at the Coast Guard level.”
Earlier, Cuba’s Interior Ministry issued a statement that provided few details about the shooting, but noted that the boat was roughly 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) northeast of Cayo Falcones, off Cuba’s north coast.
The government provided the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press was unable to readily verify details of the boat because boat registrations are not public in the state of Florida.
It wasn’t immediately known what the boat and its occupants were doing in Cuban waters. In the statement, the ministry said Cuba’s government was “safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.”
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said late Wednesday afternoon that Rubio had briefed him on the incident. He added that the White House was monitoring the situation.
“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be,” Vance said.
The shooting threatens to increase tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. Following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump and top administration officials have taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward Cuba, which had been largely kept economically afloat by Venezuela’s oil.
The energy crisis Cuba has been grappling with in recent years entered new extremes last month when Trump signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The move put pressure on Mexico, which Cuba became largely dependent on for petroleum after Trump halted oil shipments from Venezuela.
Meanwhile, James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said he has ordered prosecutors to work with federal, state and law enforcement partners to start an investigation.
“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he wrote on X.
It’s not unusual for skirmishes to erupt between Cuba’s Coast Guard and U.S.-flagged speedboats in Cuban waters, but there have been no recent reports of passengers opening fire or being killed.
In past years, some of those U.S.-flagged boats were laden with unidentified items headed toward the island or they were going to pick up Cubans and smuggle them into the U.S.
Vos Iz Neiasby Rabbi Yair Hoffman
It is the Shabbos before Purim. The shul is packed. The baal korei steps up to the bimah, and the entire congregation rises to its feet.
There is a hushed silence. Everyone – men, women, and even young children old enough to understand – leans forward to hear every word. The Torah is unrolled to the end of Parshas Ki Seitzei. The baal korei begins: “Zachor eis asher asah lecha Amalek…” – Remember what Amalek did to you…
There is something electric about this moment.
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 685:7) rules that Parshas Zachor is a Torah-level obligation – one of the very few times during the year when listening to the Torah reading is considered a biblical commandment.
The Mishnah Berurah adds that even people in outlying areas who do not have a minyan must travel to a place where Parshas Zachor will be read. This is not just another leining. This is a mitzvah of the Torah itself.
But why?
What is it about these few pesukim that carries such extraordinary weight? What does the Torah want us to do with the memory of Amalek – and isn’t it, at first glance, counter-intuitive to remember something in order to wipe out its memory?
Why did Chazal insist that we fulfill this Torah mitzvah specifically on Shabbos? And perhaps most importantly – how can we use this mitzvah to gain real inspiration in our Avodas Hashem?
To understand the answers, we need to go back to the very beginning – to the dawn of creation and the beginning of time itself.
Long ago, at the very beginning of time, different forces were set loose in the universe. Some were unleashed by Hashem Himself as part of the fabric of creation. Others were unleashed by the actions of mankind. There were forces of goodness and purity, and there were dark, impure forces. The universe was a battleground between these two opposing sides from the very start.
One of the most remarkable forces created at the dawn of time was the Ohr HaGanuz – the Hidden Light.
The Gemara in Chagigah (12a) teaches that the light Hashem created on the first day of creation was not the light of the sun, which was only created on the fourth day. This original light was something far more powerful – a spiritual light so intense that a person could see with it from one end of the world to the other.
Hashem saw that the wicked would one day misuse this light, so He set it aside – ganaz it – for the tzaddikim to enjoy in the World to Come (Rashi, Bereishis 1:4).
But the Ohr HaGanuz is not only a physical phenomenon. The Baal Shem Tov (quoted in Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Bereishis) teaches that the Hidden Light is also accessible in a figurative, spiritual sense: tzaddikim in every generation are able to perceive the hand of Hashem in every event, in every detail of creation.
They see with absolute clarity that Ain Od Milvado – there is nothing other than Him. Through this clarity, they truly see from one end of the universe to the other – not physically, but spiritually. Every event, every challenge, every moment of beauty and every moment of suffering – it all leads back to Hashem.
This vision – this spiritual clarity – is the opposite of what Amalek represents, as we shall soon see.
Mankind was created differently from every other creature. Man was endowed with something called Bechirah – freedom of choice. A pre-frontsl cortex that contains within it – the power of choosing between good or evil.
The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 5:1) writes that this is a fundamental principle of the Torah: every person has the ability to choose good over evil. We are not robots, nor are we AI. We are not pre-programmed. At every moment, we face a fork in the road, and the decision is ours.
A person could take the impure, destructive forces in the world and use them in his choice toward evil. He could spread cruelty, falsehood, and destruction. Or he could harness the pure forces of creation – truth, kindness, justice – and use them to build, to heal, and to elevate the world.
This is the backdrop against which the story of Amalek unfolds.
The Maharal, Rabbi Yehudah Lowe of Prague, was a towering giant in Torah knowledge. He was a master Talmudist and was also fluent in the deep, esoteric wisdom of Kabbalah. In one of his works, Ohr Chadash (Introduction, p. 51), the Maharal explains something profound.
He writes that the snake in Gan Eden – the nachash described in Bereishis – was not merely a talking animal. It represented the dark and impure destructive force that was woven into the fabric of creation. The evil Haman in the story of Purim also represented and tapped into that very same primordial force. The Sages of the Talmud were, of course, well aware of this deep connection.
The Talmud (Chulin 139b) asks a fascinating question: “Haman – from the Torah itself – where can he be found?” The Talmud answers with the verse in Bereishis 3:11, when Hashem turns to Adam after the sin and asks: “Hamin ha’eitz asher tzivischa levilti achol mimenu achalta?” – “Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to partake of?” The word Hamin is spelled with the exact same letters as Haman.
On a surface level, this might seem like a simple play on words – a coincidence of spelling. But the Maharal explains that the Talmud is not merely revealing a clever siman or mnemonic. Rather, it is telling us something deep about the nature of reality: the force that caused the downfall in Gan Eden is the very same force that defined Haman and his ancestor Amalek. \
It is the primordial force of destruction – of pulling human beings away from closeness to Hashem.
Rav Chaim Vital, the primary student of the holy Arizal, adds another layer to this understanding. He explains (Eitz HaDaas Tov, Vol. III, p. 105) that the Hebrew letters of the name Amalek can be rearranged to spell M’ukal – which means “warped” or “distorted.”
Amalek represents the very peak of warped and distorted thinking. It is the force in the world that takes something pure and twists it beyond recognition. It takes justice and makes it into cruelty. It takes faith and replaces it with cold, cynical doubt. Amalek is the anti-thesis of everything that is pure and just.
The Bnei Yissaschar (Chodesh Adar, Maamar 9) brings a well-known and powerful observation: the numerical value (gematria) of Amalek (עמלק) is 240 – which is the exact same gematria as the word Safek (ספק), meaning “doubt.”
This is no mere coincidence. Amalek’s entire strategy, in every generation, is to plant seeds of doubt. Doubt in Hashem. Doubt in the Torah. Doubt in ourselves and in our mission. After Klal Yisroel experienced the miraculous Splitting of the Sea and the most open revelation of Hashem’s power the world had ever seen, Amalek attacked. The Torah says (Devarim 25:18): “Asher karcha baderech” – which Rashi explains (based on the Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Seitzei 9) comes from the word kar, meaning “cold.” Amalek cooled off the burning faith of Klal Yisroel. After the nations of the world stood in awe of Hashem’s people, Amalek came along and said, “It’s not so impressive. Let’s attack.” They were like a person who jumps into a scalding hot bath – even though he gets burned, he cools it off for others.
This internal battle with safek – with doubt – is something that every one of us faces. Every time a person thinks, “Maybe it doesn’t matter,” or “Does Hashem really care about this small mitzvah?” – that is the voice of Amalek whispering inside us. Parshas Zachor calls on us to fight that voice.
If Amalek and Haman represent the dark, destructive force of creation, then Mordechai represents the polar opposite – the primordial force of goodness. He is the cure, the antidote to evil and destruction.
The Gemara points this out as well (Chulin 139b): “Mordechai – from the Torah – where can he be found?” The Gemara answers based on the pasuk in Shemos (30:23): “Kach lecha besamim rosh, mor dror” – “Take for yourself the finest spices, pure myrrh (“mor dror”).” The Targum translates mor dror as “Mordechai.” This refers to the Ketores – the incense offering in the Beis HaMikdash – about which the Gemara in Shabbos (89a) teaches that it has the power to stop death and destruction.
Think about how fitting this is. Haman and Amalek represent the force that brings death and destruction into the world. Mordechai – connected to the Ketores – represents the force that stops death and destruction. These two forces have been battling each other since the beginning of time.
The triumph of good over evil in the Purim story did not happen on its own. It came through the extraordinary actions of two remarkable leaders.
Esther represented self-sacrifice. She gave of herself so that the Jewish people would survive. Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, the author of the Meshech Chochmah, explains that Esther’s original plan was breathtaking in its courage: she intended to give up her own life so that Klal Yisroel would be saved. That is why she never revealed her identity or her background – she was prepared to sacrifice everything. When she said (Esther 4:16), “Ve’ka’asher avadeti, avadeti” – “If I perish, I perish” – she meant it with every fiber of her being.
Mordechai represented chessed – lovingkindness. Rav Yerucham Olshin, shlita, explains that Mordechai’s greatness was rooted in his extraordinary acts of chessed. He looked after Esther – a young orphaned girl who had been taken to the palace against her will. For years, he watched over her, cared about her wellbeing, and never abandoned her. This chessed – this act of pure, selfless caring for another human being – was the merit that helped save Klal Yisroel.
The lesson is powerful: the forces of evil are defeated not through military might alone, but through self-sacrifice and genuine kindness.
With all of this as background, we can now understand Parshas Zachor on a deeper level. The Torah is not simply asking us to remember a historical event. It is asking us to remember our mission – the eternal battle of good against evil, of light against darkness, of truth against the distortions of Amalek.
Haman’s plan was the wholesale murder and destruction of men, women, and children who carry the message of Hashem in this world. That plan was defeated. How? Through the courage, self-sacrifice, and chessed of Mordechai and Esther. Through prayer, fasting, and teshuvah. Through the realization that our connection to Hashem is the most precious thing we have.
Rav Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav, draws an important distinction between the two parts of this mitzvah. The Torah says (Devarim 25:17): “Zachor” – Remember. And then it says (25:19): “Lo tishkach” – Do not forget.
The Brisker Rav explains that these are two separate obligations. “Zachor” is a positive commandment – an asei – to actively remember what Amalek did, through speech. This is fulfilled by hearing Parshas Zachor read aloud from a Torah scroll. “Lo tishkach” is a negative commandment – a lav – that we must never let this memory fade from our hearts. One is about active remembering; the other is about never allowing ourselves to forget.
Together, these two obligations create a powerful message: this is not something we recall once and move on. This is something that must remain with us constantly – shaping how we see the world and how we serve Hashem.
The Rambam codifies the mitzvah of remembering Amalek in Hilchos Melachim (5:5), linking it directly to the mitzvah of destroying Amalek as a nation. But the Rambam also writes (Sefer HaMitzvos, Positive Commandment 189) that the purpose of remembering is “so that the matter will not be forgotten and the hatred of him will not weaken or diminish with the passage of time.”
The Rambam understood that time has a way of dulling our feelings. An event that shook us to our core can slowly fade into a distant memory. The Torah commands us: do not let that happen. The evil that Amalek represents must always feel urgent and present to us. We must never become comfortable with it.
Why did Chazal specifically ordain that Parshas Zachor be read on Shabbos? The answer touches on the very heart of what Shabbos means.
Shabbos represents the mission of Klal Yisroel – to build, to elevate, and to do the will of Hashem. The Sheiltos of Rav Achai Gaon explains that Hashem instructed us to rest on Shabbos just as He rested from all creative activity on the seventh day. By observing Shabbos, we declare our deep belief in Hashem as the Creator of the world.
But Shabbos is more than just rest. Shabbos has always been the symbol – the flag, as it were – of the Jewish nation. Just as a patriot looks at his flag and sees more than colored cloth with fancy designs – he sees the values, the sacrifices, and the dreams of his nation – so too, Shabbos represents everything that Klal Yisroel stands for. Shabbos is our declaration that we are builders and creators, not destroyers. That we follow Hashem’s blueprint for the world.
Reading Parshas Zachor on Shabbos, then, ties together these two ideas beautifully: we recall the forces of destruction that sought to annihilate us, precisely on the day that celebrates our role as builders and partners with Hashem in perfecting the world.
There is a fascinating debate among the Rishonim – as to the underlying reason for the mitzvah of Parshas Zachor.
The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 603) understands this mitzvah as a practical measure: its purpose is to encourage and stir the men of Klal Yisroel to battle and to defend against an implacable enemy. Because the Chinuch sees this as connected to warfare, his position is that women are exempt from this mitzvah.
The Sefer Mitzvos Ketanos (SMaK) – authored by Rav Yitzchok ben Yosef of Corbeil (1210–1280) – disagrees. He holds that the reason is spiritual, not military: we read Parshas Zachor to internalize the awareness that Hashem saved us from the hand of Amalek, and so that we should always be in awe of Him, which will prevent us from sinning against His will. This position can perhaps be traced to the Targum Yonasan on the verse “Lo tishkach” (Devarim 25:19), who writes: “V’afilu l’yoma Malka d’Meshicha lo tisnashi” – that this mitzvah applies even in the times of Moshiach. If the purpose were only about going to war, it would not apply once Moshiach has already come. But if the purpose is about maintaining our awe and gratitude to Hashem, it is eternal.
The Minchas Chinuch (Mitzvah 603) raises an important halachic question that flows from this debate. If we follow the Sefer HaChinuch’s reasoning – that Parshas Zachor is connected to warfare – then women, who are not obligated in military combat, would be exempt. But if we follow the SMaK, who holds that the purpose is spiritual awareness and Yiras Shamayim, then women would be equally obligated.
In practice, many Poskim encourage women to attend the reading of Parshas Zachor. The Mishnah Berurah (685:16) notes that some authorities hold that women are indeed obligated. This is why many shuls today arrange a special second reading of Parshas Zachor specifically so that women who could not attend the main reading can fulfill this mitzvah.
There is a stunning explanation of Yiras Shamayim – fear of Heaven – provided by the Slonimer Rebbe, the author of the Nesivos Shalom. It is different from the explanation that is commonly given, and it has the power to transform the way we think about our relationship with Hashem.
Normally, when we think of “fear of Heaven,” we imagine being afraid of punishment – afraid that Hashem will punish us if we sin. But the Nesivos Shalom offers a completely different picture.
He gives a mashal, a parable: Imagine you are drowning in a vast, dark ocean. The waves crash over your head. You cannot breathe. You are certain that this is the end. And then, out of nowhere, a lifeguard appears. He jumps into the churning water and pulls you to safety. You grab onto him with every ounce of strength you have. Your arms are wrapped around him, and you are shaking, terrified – not of him, but of letting go. You are afraid that if you loosen your grip even slightly, the ocean will swallow you again.
That, says the Nesivos Shalom, is Yiras Shamayim.
We are afraid of losing Hashem. We are afraid of losing the connection, the bond, the relationship that is our very lifeline. Every aveirah, every sin, loosens our grip. And we are terrified of what happens if we let go.
When you love someone deeply – a parent, a spouse, a child – your greatest fear is not that they will hurt you. Your greatest fear is losing them. That is the Yiras Shamayim the Nesivos Shalom is describing.
The holy Arizal takes this even further. He teaches that the battle against Amalek is not only a physical, national battle against an external enemy. It is also an internal, spiritual battle that takes place inside the heart of every Jew.
Every time we experience a moment of spiritual doubt, a moment where we question whether our efforts in Torah and mitzvos really matter, a moment where the voice inside us says, “Why bother?” – that is the voice of Amalek. Every time we feel spiritually “cold” – when davening feels like a chore, when learning feels empty, when Shabbos feels routine – that is the cooling effect of Amalek.
Parshas Zachor is a call to arms against that inner Amalek. It reminds us: do not let the fire go out. Do not let the doubt win. Remember who you are and Whose you are.
We now have several powerful layers of understanding that, when combined, paint a breathtaking picture.
The Maharal teaches us that the battle between Klal Yisroel and Amalek is a cosmic struggle between the primordial forces of good and evil – a struggle that has been raging since the very beginning of creation.
The Bnei Yissaschar and the Arizal teach us that Amalek is not only an external nation – it is an internal force of doubt and spiritual coldness that each of us must fight every single day.
The SMaK tells us that the purpose of Parshas Zachor is to awaken our awareness that Hashem saved us, and to fill us with awe of Him.
The Nesivos Shalom teaches us that this awe is not about fear of punishment – it is about the terror of losing our most precious relationship.
The Brisker Rav teaches us that we must both actively remember and never forget – this consciousness must be with us always.
The Rambam reminds us that time dulls our feelings, and the Torah commands us to never let the urgency of this battle fade.
The Sefer HaChinuch and the Ramban remind us that this remembering is connected to action – we must actively fight against evil in all its forms.
This Shabbos, when we stand in shul and hear Parshas Zachor, let us think about these layers. Let us remember that we are part of an ancient, cosmic battle – a battle between the forces that would destroy and the forces that build. Let us think about the Nesivos Shalom’s mashal and hold on to Hashem a little tighter. Let us think about the gematria of Amalek and safek, and resolve to silence the voice of doubt in our hearts.
Let us think about Esther’s self-sacrifice and Mordechai’s chessed, and commit to acts of courage and kindness in our own lives. Let us think about the Ohr HaGanuz – the Hidden Light – and strive to see Hashem’s hand in everything that happens around us.
And let us walk out of shul that Shabbos morning with a renewed sense of mission: we are Hashem’s people. We carry His light. And no force of destruction – no matter how ancient, how powerful, or how clever – will ever extinguish it.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Newly released police video shows former WWE executive Vince McMahon ram his luxury sportscar into the rear end of another vehicle on a Connecticut highway last summer as he was being followed by a state trooper.
McMahon, now 80, was driving his 2024 Bentley Continental GT at more than 100 mph (160 kph) on the Merritt Parkway when he crashed in the town of Westport, according to state police.
A trooper’s dashcam video shows McMahon accelerating away, then braking too late to avoid crashing into the back of a BMW. The Bentley then swerves into a guardrail and careens back across the highway, creating a cloud of dirt and car parts.
“Why were you driving all over 100 mph?” state police Detective Maxwell Robins asked McMahon after catching up to the wrecked Bentley, which can cost over $300,000.
“I got my granddaughter’s birthday” McMahon replied, explaining he was on his way to see her. The encounter was recorded on police bodycam video.
No one was seriously injured in the July 24 crash, which happened the same day that WWE legend Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack in Florida.
Besides damage to the rear of the BMW, another vehicle driving on the opposite side of the parkway was struck by flying debris. The driver of that third car happened to be wearing a WWE shirt, according to the police video.
McMahon was cited for reckless driving and following too closely. A state judge in October allowed McMahon to enter a pretrial probation program that will result in the charges being erased from his record next October if he successfully completes the program. He was also ordered to make a $1,000 charitable contribution.
McMahon’s lawyer, Mark Sherman, said the crash was just an accident.
“Not every car accident is a crime,” Sherman said. “Vince’s primary concern during this case was for the other drivers and is appreciative that the court saw this more of an accident than a crime that needed to be prosecuted.”
State police said Robins was trying to catch up to McMahon on the parkway and clock his speed before pulling him over. They said the incident was not a pursuit, which happens when police chase someone trying to flee officers. They also said it did not appear McMahon was trying to escape — though in the video the detective suggests otherwise.
“I’m trying to catch up to you and you keep taking off,” Robins says.
“No, no no. I’m not trying to outrun you,” McMahon says.
An accident information summary provided to the media shortly after the crash did not mention that a trooper was following McMahon.
The Associated Press obtained the videos Wednesday through a public records request. They were first obtained by The Sun newspaper.
The trooper’s bodycam video also shows him asking McMahon whether he was looking at his phone when the crash happened. McMahon said he was not and adds that he hadn’t driven his car in a long time.
After Robins tells McMahon that his car is fast, McMahon replies, “Yeah, too (expletive) fast.”
The videos also show McMahon talking to the driver he rear-ended. Barbara Doran, of New York City, told the AP last summer that McMahon expressed his concern for her and was glad she was OK. She said she was heading to a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard at the time of the crash.
After McMahon was given the traffic summons, he shook hands with Robins and another trooper and they wished him well.
McMahon stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. He also resigned as executive chairman of the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, in 2024, a day after a former WWE employee filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against him. McMahon has denied the allegations. The lawsuit remains pending.
McMahon bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1982 and transformed it from a regional wrestling company into a worldwide phenomenon. Besides running the company with his wife, Linda, who is now the U.S. education secretary, he also performed at WWE events as himself.
Vos Iz NeiasSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed his nuclear-armed country could “completely destroy” South Korea if its security were threatened, reiterating his refusal to engage with Seoul, state media said Thursday. However, he left the door open to dialogue with Washington as he concluded a ruling party congress outlining his policy goals for the next five years.
The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim also called for developing new weapons systems to bolster his nuclear-armed military, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that could be launched from underwater and an expanded arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons, such as artillery and short-range missiles, targeting South Korea.
He said the accelerated development of his nuclear and missile program in recent years “permanently cemented” the country’s status as a nuclear weapons state, and called for the United States to discard what he perceives as “hostile” policies toward the North if it wants to resume long-stalled dialogue.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it was regrettable that the North continues to define inter-Korean relations as hostile and that Seoul will “patiently” pursue efforts to stabilize peace.
The Workers’ Party congress, which began last Thursday in Pyongyang, came as Kim carves out a more forceful regional presence, leveraging his expanding military nuclear program and a growing alignment with Moscow that have deepened his standoffs with Washington and Seoul.
KCNA said the North staged a military parade in the capital Wednesday as it wrapped up the congress, previously held in 2016 and 2021.
Watching the parade with his increasingly prominent daughter — believed to be around 13 years old and named Kim Ju Ae — Kim Jong Un in a speech said his forces were capable of “immediately and thoroughly retaliating” against any hostile threat. But the state outlet did not immediately say whether he showcased his largest weapons, including ICBMs potentially capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.
Kim calls for US to discard ‘hostile’ policy
Kim’s comments at the congress were widely anticipated as he has been issuing increasingly hard-line views toward South Korea since 2024, when he discarded the North’s long-standing goal of a peaceful reunification between the war-divided Koreas and declared the South as a permanent enemy. But analysts expected Kim to take a more measured approach toward Washington to preserve the possibility of future dialogue, with the long-term aim of securing U.S. sanctions relief and tacit recognition as a nuclear state.
Kim has recently been prioritizing Russia in his foreign policy, sending thousands of troops and large amounts of military equipment to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for aid and military technology. But it would make sense to keep his options open as the war in Ukraine could wind down, potentially making North Korea less valuable to Moscow, experts say.
In a report wrapping up the congress, Kim said his government was maintaining the “toughest stance” against Washington, but added there was “no reason we cannot get along” with the Americans if they withdrew their supposedly “hostile policy” toward the North. North Korea often uses the term to describe U.S.-led pressure and sanctions over Kim’s nuclear ambitions. His comments aligned with North Korea’s previous position calling for Washington to abandon its demands for the North’s denuclearization as a precondition for reviving talks.
North Korea has repeatedly rejected Washington and Seoul’s calls to resume diplomacy aimed at winding down its nuclear program, which derailed in 2019 following the collapse of Kim’s second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term.
The prospects of U.S.-North Korea relations “depends entirely on the U.S. attitude,” Kim said. “Whether it’s peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation, we are ready for either, and the choice is not ours to make.”
Kim confirms hard-line view of Seoul
Analysts say Kim’s vilification of South Korea reflects his view that Seoul, which helped set up his first meetings with Trump, is no longer a useful intermediary with Washington but an obstacle to his effort to establish a more assertive regional footing.
He has also shown a sensitivity to South Korean soft power, pushing aggressive domestic campaigns to block the influence of South Korean culture and language among his population as he looks to tighten his family’s authoritarian grip.
At the congress, Kim derided liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s calls for engagement as a deception, accusing successive governments in Seoul of seeking the North’s collapse. He said there is “absolutely nothing to discuss” with an enemy state and that the North would “permanently exclude” the South from the notion of a shared nation.
“As long as the Republic of Korea cannot escape its geopolitical condition of sharing a border with us, the only way it can live safely is to abandon all ties with us and refrain from provoking us,” he said, disdainfully referring to South Korea’s formal name.
Tensions could further rise next month when South Korea stages its annual military exercises with the United States. North Korea portrays the allies’ joint exercises as invasion rehearsals and often uses them as a pretext to dial up its own military demonstrations.
Chasing more advanced weapons
North Korea in past years has developed or tested much of the weapons from an extensive wish list Kim issued at the previous congress in 2021, including solid-fuel ICBMs, tactical nuclear systems and purported hypersonic weapons. The country launched its first military satellite in 2023 and has recently claimed progress in building a nuclear-propelled submarine.
At the latest congress, Kim set new goals to advance his nuclear forces in the next five years while calling for faster production of nuclear warheads and a broader range of delivery systems.
Emphasizing naval capabilities, Kim called for ICBMs that could be fired from underwater platforms, indicating potential plans to fit those weapons on the nuclear-propelled submarine being built. He called for developing artificial intelligence-equipped attack drones, stronger electronic warfare capabilities to disable enemy command centers, more advanced reconnaissance satellites and unspecified weapons to strike enemy satellites.
He also said the military will deploy more nuclear-capable artillery systems against South Korea in phases each year while speeding up efforts to “fortify” the inter-Korean border.
Vos Iz NeiasNEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A car chase involving federal immigration enforcement officers led to a muti-vehicle crash Wednesday in Newark, New Jersey, city officials said.
Mayor Ras Baraka said on social media that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents attempted to pull over a van in the state’s largest city when the driver fled. He said the ICE agents gave chase, resulting in an accident involving several vehicles, including one carrying three children.
Baraka said the driver of the van was injured and taken to the hospital.
Mayor Ras J. Baraka Statement on ICE Pursuit Resulting In Car Accident in Newark. pic.twitter.com/RcqImXc7z7
— City of Newark (@CityofNewarkNJ) February 25, 2026
It was not immediately clear the extent of the driver’s injuries or why the person was being pursued by ICE. Baraka said Newark police were not involved with ICE’s investigation and only responded to the crash.
Spokespersons for Baraka, Newark police, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
But the Democratic mayor, in his statement on X, criticized ICE’s actions as reckless and dangerous. He noted that New Jersey state law bans law enforcement officials from chasing vehicles unless a suspect poses an immediate threat.
“Federal authorities should adhere to local laws regarding vehicle pursuits and exercise common sense,” Baraka said. “Based on the damage they are inflicting on our communities, ICE has no business engaging in chases at anytime, anywhere — but especially in densely populated areas, and on roads still being cleared from a significant snowstorm.”
Baraka was arrested and charged with trespassing while protesting last May in front of Delany Hall, a newly opened federal immigration detention center in his city. The charge was later dismissed.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Ornate packaging paired with enticing advertisements that claim expensive shampoos are elixirs to all hair woes can leave one wondering: Are the higher prices really worth it? Should I abandon my $8 drugstore mainstay for a $42 premium brand?
Experts say affordable shampoos and conditioners found in grocery stores and pharmacies can do the job as well as the pricey versions with tempting messaging and testimonials on social media. They advise consumers to evaluate the ingredients in products, their own scalp and hair concerns, and their entire hair care routine — and to check with a doctor when in doubt.
Premium brands can work well, and some have active ingredients that cost more, according to dermatologists. Other factors influencing the price include the size of the company and whether it has invested in organic ingredients, sustainable agriculture and recycled materials.
Tips for your hair type
Dr. Crystal Aguh, dermatologist and director of the Ethnic Skin Program at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said she generally categorizes people into two hair types: damage-prone and damage-resistant.
Damage-prone includes people with very curly hair, people who chemically treat their hair and those who use hot tools to style it. She said damage-resistant attributes include oily hair and straight hair.
People with damage-prone hair should avoid shampoos that have sodium lauryl sulfate as the main ingredient, Aguh said. It removes a lot of sebum, a natural oil that coats and protects hair. Without sebum, hair could feel very dry and break easily.
For curly or dyed hair, Aguh recommends washing less frequently to avoid removing too much sebum. She said people with tightly curled or coily hair should only wash their hair once a week. People with wavy hair that is dyed might find it best to wash every two to three days.
Damage-resistant hair that is oily and straight can be washed every day.
Focus on the process, not the products
Expensive shampoos and conditioners can work well, but there are affordable products that perform just as well, Aguh said. She tells patients that “it’s not the products, it’s the process” that affects hair health the most, including how often hair is washed, dyed or treated with heat.
“Instead of spending hundreds of dollars thinking, ‘If I just find the right shampoo, right conditioner, all of my troubles will go away,’ you also have to just look at what your process looks like … because that will often do the trick,” she said.
She said it is fine to mix high-end and mass market products and that people shouldn’t feel compelled to buy an entire line of expensive products.
Aguh said some common brands are more affordable because they are made by large corporations that can achieve economies of scale. Sometimes expensive brands have a smaller team and lack the workforce and resources to reach those same cost advantages.
When treating dandruff, for example, Aguh often recommends over-the-counter shampoos instead of prescription formulas. But she added people should see a doctor for lingering dandruff problems.
Shampoo is skincare for the scalp
Dr. Joe Tung, a dermatologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said people should think of shampoo as skincare for the scalp, not just a cosmetic product.
“Hair itself is biologically inactive once it grows out, but underneath the surface of the skin on the scalp is a full ecosystem with stem cells, immune cells, oil glands, nerve endings,” he said. “When that ecosystem is balanced, the scalp feels comfortable and hair grows optimally; when it is disrupted, people can experience itching, flaking, excess oil, or hair loss.”
Tung said people should consider what their scalp needs when choosing shampoo, and a conditioner should be chosen based on hair texture and damage level. He said dandruff and itchiness benefit from shampoos that address inflammation and microbial imbalance, whereas dry or chemically treated hair could benefit from a gentle cleanser with a rich conditioner.
Tung said expensive shampoos and conditioners are sometimes worth the price, but a product’s effectiveness is determined by active ingredients and not branding. “An antifungal ingredient works because of its molecular activity, not because it comes in a luxury bottle or from a prestigious brand,” he said.
Expensive shampoos typically rely on more refined conditioning agents and soothing ingredients that may make frequent hair washing more comfortable, Tung said. But some luxury products contain fragrances or botanical extracts that can irritate sensitive skin, he said. Simpler formulas are often better tolerated by people with sensitive skin.
Hair products with a sustainability focus
MOKO Organic Beauty Studio in Philadelphia stocks organic shampoos and conditioners that cost from $24 to $45. Owner Monique Mason said it is the salon’s mission to provide products that are good for scalps and the planet.
Ingredients are the biggest of many factors influencing price, Mason said. Organic products typically avoid inexpensive sulfates, synthetic fragrances and parabens that are widely used in the personal care industry, she said. Mason said she also researches how the brands she sells manufacture their products to ensure their sustainability claims can be verified.
“I get to know them, whether they’re family-owned, how they farm, how they source their ingredients,” she said.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – There are seemingly countless options for a new SUV these days, but less so if you’re looking for one that’s comfortable, roomy, and able to tackle snowy roads in the winter and outdoor adventures in the summer. Thankfully, a pair of SUVs are up for the challenge: the 2026 Honda Passport and 2026 Subaru Outback.
Both SUVs are bigger and roomier than their popular small SUV siblings, the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester. They also have standard all-wheel drive and come in special versions that are more rugged and capable for occasional off-roading. Each SUV has also received a full redesign for 2026, bringing new styling and features. Yet there are still some key differences between the Passport and Outback. Which one is the better buy? Edmunds’ car experts compared them to find out.
Performance and fuel economy
The Subaru Outback offers a choice of four-cylinder engines: a base 180-horsepower one or a turbocharged 260-horsepower one. An Outback with the base engine can feel sluggish when you need a quick burst of speed. Thankfully, the available turbocharged engine is noticeably more robust. If you routinely load your SUV with people and gear, the turbo engine is worth the added cost.
The turbocharged Outback also outsprinted the Honda Passport in our testing. At the Edmunds test track, it needed 6.5 seconds to sprint from zero to 60 mph. The Passport, fitted with its standard 285-horsepower V6, needed 7.9 seconds.
There’s another upside for the Outback: better fuel economy. The base engine gets an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in combined city/highway driving, while the turbocharged Outback gets up to 24 mpg combined. The Passport gets up to an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined.
Advantage: Subaru Outback
Space and utility
The redesigned Outback has more cargo space than before, and its boxier styling better accommodates bulky items. What doesn’t fit inside can go up onto sturdy roof rails, which are easier to reach since the Outback’s height is lower than the Passport’s. Storage for your small personal items is also improved.
Nonetheless, the Passport earns a win here. It’s taller and wider than the Outback, and its roomier back seat is better for fitting three people across and for installing bulky rear-facing child safety seats. The Passport’s boxy cargo area is even more palatial than the Subaru’s, and its small storage areas and cupholders are more useful for holding your stuff and drinks.
Advantage: Honda Passport
Pricing and value
Subaru offers the Outback in more trim levels, specifically on the lower end of the feature content spectrum. The 2026 Subaru Outback lineup starts with the Premium trim that costs $36,445, including destination fees. A base 2026 Honda Passport RTL trim is significantly more expensive at $46,445. The RTL comes with a few extra features that the Outback Premium lacks, however, plus its more powerful engine.
If you compare the starter Passport RTL to the more similarly equipped Outback Limited XT — the least expensive trim level with the turbocharged engine — the pricing gap narrows. Still, the Outback maintains a steady advantage for what you pay and what you get as you move up the trim level ladder. A loaded Outback costs about $50,000, while a loaded Passport is about $55,000.
Advantage: Subaru Outback
In-cabin technology
This used to be a sore spot for both, but no longer. The Outback has Subaru’s all-new 12.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Graphics and response times are greatly improved, and the climate controls are easier to use. We also like the simple touchscreen layout with large, easy-to-press virtual buttons. Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is included.
The Passport has a 12.3-inch touchscreen that comes standard with the Google Built-In suite of features. It allows you to use Google Assistant natural voice commands for some vehicle functions and includes integrated Google Maps. Overall, though, we like both touchscreens pretty much the same. The availability and functionality of the two SUVs’ advanced driver aids, such as traffic-adaptive cruise control, are pretty comparable as well.
Advantage: tie
Edmunds says
Edmunds considers both the Honda Passport and the Subaru Outback to be great choices for a midsize SUV. You won’t go wrong with either one. But head-to-head, the Outback ekes out a victory on the strength of its superior value and performance.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, delivered on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, as transcribed by The Associated Press:
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Speaker Johnson, Vice President Vance, first lady of the United States, second lady of the United States, members of Congress and my fellow Americans, our nation is back: Bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.
Less than five months from now, our country will celebrate an epic milestone in American history, the 250th anniversary of our glorious American independence. This July 4th, we will mark two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph, progress and freedom in the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of the earth. And we’ve seen nothing yet. We’re going to do better and better and better. This is the golden age of America.
When I spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just inherited a nation in crisis, with a stagnant economy, inflation at record levels, a wide-open border, horrendous recruitment for military and police, rampant crime at home and wars and chaos all over the world. But tonight, after just one year, I can say with dignity and pride that we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before and a turnaround for the ages. It is, indeed, a turnaround for the ages. And we will never go back to where we were just a very short time ago. We’re not going back.
Today our border is secure. Today our border is secure, our spirit is restored, inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast, the roaring economy is roaring like never before, our enemies are scared, our military and police are stacked, and America is respected again, perhaps like never before. After four years in which millions and millions of illegal aliens poured across our borders totally unfettered and unchecked, we now have the strongest and most secure border in American history, by far. In the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States. But we will always allow people to come in legally, people that will love our country and will work hard to maintain our country. Deadly fentanyl across our border is down by a record 56% in one year. In the last year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in recorded history. This is the biggest decline, think of it, in recorded history, the lowest number in over 125 years, since 1900. In fact, substantially before my wonderful father — I had a wonderful father, Fred — before he was born, substantially before he was born. That’s a long time ago, he wouldn’t like me to say that, but that’s a long time ago.
The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country. But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years. And in the last three months of 2025, it was down to 1.7%. Gasoline, which reached a peak of over $6 a gallon in some states under my predecessor and was, quite honestly, a disaster, is now below $2.30 a gallon in most states, and in some places $1.99 a gallon. And when I visited the great state of Iowa just a few weeks ago, I even saw $1.85 a gallon for gasoline, the lowest in four years, and falling fast.
And the annual cost of a typical new mortgage is down almost $5,000 just since I took office, one year. And lower interest rates will solve the Biden-created housing problem, while at the same time protecting the values of those people who already own a house that really feel rich for the first time in their lives. We want to protect those values. We want to keep those values up. We’re going to do both — and keep it that way. The stock market has set 53 all-time record highs since the election. Think of that, one year, boosting pensions, 401(k)s and retirement accounts for the millions and the millions of Americans, they’re all gaining. Everybody is up, way up. In four long years, the last administration got less than $1 trillion in new investment in the United States. And when I say less, substantially less. In 12 months, I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion pouring in from all over the globe.
Think of it — much less than $1 trillion for four years, versus much more than $18 trillion for one year. What a difference a president makes. A short time ago, we were a dead country. Now we are the hottest country anywhere in the world. The hottest. As thousands of new businesses are forming and factories, plants and laboratories are being built, we have added 70,000 new construction jobs in just a very short period of time. Getting bigger and bigger and stronger. Nobody can believe what they’re watching. American oil production is up by more than 600,000 barrels a day. And we just received from our new friend and partner, Venezuela, more than 80 million barrels of oil. American natural gas production is at an all-time high. Because I kept my promise to drill, baby, drill.
More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country. Think about that. Any time in the history of our country. More working today, and 100% of all jobs created under my administration have been in the private sector. We ended DEI in America. We cut a record number of job-killing regulations, and in one year we have lifted 2.4 million Americans – a record – off of food stamps. And for all of these reasons, I say tonight, members of Congress, the state of our Union is strong. Our country is winning again. In fact, we’re winning so much that we really don’t know what to do about it. People are asking me, please, please, please, Mr. President, we’re winning too much. We can’t take it anymore. We’re not used to winning in our country until you came along, we’re just always losing. But now we’re winning too much. And I say, no, no, no, you’re going to win again. You’re going to win big. You’re going to win bigger than ever. And to prove that point, to prove that point, here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud. The men’s gold medal Olympic hockey team. Come on in.
Go ahead. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen them get up. And actually, not all of them did get up. But they beat a fantastic Canadian team in overtime, as everybody saw, as did the American women who will soon be coming to the White House. They were in the Oval Office before, and I just want to say a second, very big congratulations to Team USA. But I have to say that – and I told them this and we took a vote of the team. I said, anybody votes no, I’m not doing it.
So they stood there. They weren’t about to say no because I’ve never seen a goaltender play as well as goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Think of it, 46 shots on goal. And I asked him – one shot, the one where you put your stick in the back and it hit the neck of your stick and bounced off – you practice that? Or was that a little lucky? He refused to answer that question. But I just want to tell you that the members of this great hockey squad will be very happy to hear, based on their vote and my vote. And in this case, my vote was more important, that I will soon be presenting Connor with our highest civilian honor, which we will be given and which has been given to many athletes over the years. But when I say many, not too many, like 12, it’s called the highest civilian honor in our country. The Presidential Medal of Freedom. Great athletes have gotten that. Very great, the best. And I thought he deserved it. And I did take a vote. Every single one of them. I said, I’m not giving it if anybody goes no, and every single one of them rapidly put up their hand. So I want to thank you all. What a special job you did. What special champions you are. Thank you very much.
I’m also pleased to say that the next time the Olympic torch is lit, it will be here in America for the 2028 Olympics. And it’s the summer version, right? In Los Angeles. We’re going to do a good job in Los Angeles. And Los Angeles is going to be safe, just like Washington, D.C. is now one of the safest cities in the country. And this year, and I must say, I got them both. I got them in the first term. And I was disappointed because I didn’t think I’d be the president when this happened. But strange things took place, and now I’ve got them because I got the Olympics. And I’ve got the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and I wanted to claim the 250th, but I didn’t get away with that one. I couldn’t claim that one for myself. But we’re getting the World Cup, so we have the World Cup and the Olympics coming and that is exciting news.
So this will be a year to celebrate our country and the heroes who have kept it free. Men like Buddy Taggart. At age 17, Buddy volunteered to defend America in World War II, serving in the Pacific under the great General Douglas MacArthur. He fought bravely in the famous Battle of Manila. He worked so hard he was badly wounded and almost killed by enemy machine guns at Luzon. And 81 years ago this month, he liberated the largest internment camp in the Philippines, one of the largest anywhere in the world. But he earned many honors, including a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, came home, started a family, and tonight he is in the gallery, looking forward to July 4th, 2026, his 100th birthday. So Buddy, you’re a brave man and we salute you.
Even in times of challenge, setback and immense heartache, the spirit of 1776 has always shone through very brightly. It was July 4th of last year when floodwaters tore through a girls summer camp in central Texas. One of the worst things I’ve ever seen. I was there, rising 26 feet in a matter of minutes, tragically claiming many, many lives. You all remember that one. As the waters threatened to sweep her away, 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond closed her eyes and prayed to God. She thought she was going to die. Those prayers were answered when Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan descended from a helicopter above. Nobody knew where he came from. It was Scott’s first ever rescue mission — young guy, but very brave, very, very top. Always top in his class. And he lifted not just Milly Cate, but 164 others to safety.
People watched Scott from a distance and they couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The winds were blowing, the rain was pouring, everything was going. And that rapid water, nobody’s ever seen anything like it. They said, wow, that’s something. Tonight, Scott and Milly Cate are here together, reunited for the very first time. Thank you, Scott, Milly Cate. And Petty Officer Ruskan, I’m pleased to inform you that I am now awarding you the Legion of Merit for extraordinary heroism. Which is what it was, extraordinary heroism. Thank you. And I’d like to have the military aide to please come down and take care of this service. Military aide, thank you very much. Take care of that very important service. Thank you very much.
From 1776 to today, every generation of Americans has step forward to defend life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And they were doing it for the next generation. But now it’s our turn. Together we’re building a nation where every child has the chance to reach higher and go further. Where government answers to the people, not the powerful, and where the interests of hardworking American citizens are always our first and ultimate concern. That is the debt we owe to the heroes who came before us. And that is the promise we must keep to America for our 250th year.
Last year, I urged this Congress to begin the mission by passing the largest tax cuts in American history, and our Republican majorities delivered so beautifully. Thank you Republicans. All Democrats, every single one of them, voted against these really important and very necessary massive tax cuts. They wanted large-scale tax increases to hurt the people, instead. But we held strong. And with the great Big Beautiful Bill, we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors. And we also made interest on auto loans tax deductible. The first time, but only if the car is made in America.
Recently in Pennsylvania, I met Megan Hemhauser, a devoted mom who homeschools her children. Beautiful two children during the day, while waiting tables at night as her husband works overtime operating very heavy equipment. Megan is here this evening and she’s happy to tell you that she is so, so much richer because with no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and our expanded child tax credit done again by Republicans, Megan and her husband will take home more than $5,000 extra just for the year, cutting her tax bill in more than half. Megan, please stand up. We’re fighting for you, Megan. Thank you, Megan. Thank you, Megan, we’re fighting for you Megan.
Under our bill, parents like Megan can also activate their children’s brand new Trump Accounts. And I didn’t name it. I did not. I did not name them. Nobody believes me, but I did not name it. It was named by a very tall man standing right there in the third row. Nice man, a good man. Tax free investment accounts for every American child. This is something that’s so special. Has taken off and gone through the roof. Millions will be refunded courtesy of the U.S. Treasury and private individuals like Michael and Susan Dell, who have donated 6 billion, 250 million dollars to fund the Trump accounts for 25 million American children. They’re great people.
When I asked Michael Dell, “How do you make all that money?” He said, “Well, I just sat in my dorm in school, and I made computers and I’d sell them to people. And I just kept selling and selling and selling and …” Pretty amazing story. That’s called the American Dream. He sold a lot of computers, a lot of those laptops. So I congratulate him on that. But I really thank him and Susan, as well as others like Brad Gerstner, a very tremendous guy. He was behind it right from the beginning. Brad Gerstner. Thank you, Brad.
So with modest additional contributions, these young people’s accounts could grow to over $100,000 or more by the time they turn 18. Think of it. How much money is that for somebody that started with nothing, over $100,000, could be much more than that. To make this investment in our children’s future, go to trumpaccounts.gov, trumpaccounts.gov. And a lot of people are doing it. They’re setting every record in the book. It’s popular. They knew what was going to, what it was going to take. So proud of them. I’m so proud of the people that got it started. And now it’s just taken off.
One of the primary reasons for our country’s stunning economic turnaround, the biggest in history — where the Dow Jones broke 50,000 four years ahead of schedule, and the S&P hit 7,000, where it wasn’t supposed to do it for many years — were tariffs. I used these tariffs, took in hundreds of billions of dollars to make great deals for our country, both economically and on a national security basis. Everything was working well. Countries that were ripping us off for decades are now paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. They were ripping us so badly. You all know that? Everybody knows it. Even the Democrats know it. They just don’t want to say it. And yet these countries are now happy and so are we. We made deals — the deals are all done and they’re happy. They’re not making money like they used to. But we’re making a lot of money. There was no inflation, tremendous growth. And the big story was how Donald Trump called the economy correctly and 22 Nobel Prize winners in economics didn’t. They got it totally wrong. They got it really wrong. And then just four days ago, an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court, it just came down, came down. Very unfortunate ruling.
But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made — right, Scott? — knowing that the legal power that I, as president, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them, and, therefore, they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement. So, despite the disappointing ruling, these powerful countries saving, is saving our country the kind of money we’re taking in, peace protecting — many of the wars I’ve settled was because of the threat of tariffs, I wouldn’t have been able to settle them without — will remain in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes. And they have been tested for a long time. They’re a little more complex, but they’re actually probably better — leading to a solution that will be even stronger than before. Congressional action will not be necessary. It’s already time-tested and approved. And as time goes by, I believe the tariffs, paid for by foreign countries, will, like in the past, substantially replace the modern-day system of income tax, taking a great financial burden off the people that I love.
Moving forward, factories, jobs, investment and trillions and trillions of dollars will continue pouring into the United States of America because we finally have a president who puts America first. I put America first. I love America. For decades before I came along, we had the exact opposite. From trade to health care, from energy to immigration, everything was stolen and rigged in order to drain the wealth out of the productive, hardworking people who make our country great, who make our country run. Under Biden and his corrupt partners in Congress and beyond, it reached a breaking point with the Green New Scam, open borders for everyone — they poured in by the millions and millions from prisons, from mental institutions, they were murderers — 11,888 murders — they came into our country, you allowed that to happen. And record-setting inflation that cost the typical family $34,000 in just a speck of time.
Now, the same people in this chamber who voted for those disasters suddenly used the word affordability, a word, they just used it because somebody gave it to them, knowing full well that they caused and created the increased prices that all of our citizens had to endure. You caused that problem. You caused that problem. They knew their statements were a lie, they knew it, they knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie. Their policies created the high prices. Our policies are rapidly ending them. We are doing really well. Those prices are plummeting downward. The price of eggs is down 60%, Madam Secretary, thank you. The cost of chicken, butter, fruit, hotels, automobiles, rent is lower today than when I took office by a lot. And even beef, which was very high, is starting to come down significantly. Just hold on a little while. We’ll get that down. And soon you will see numbers that few people would think were possible to achieve just a short time ago.
Nobody can believe when they see the kind of numbers, and especially energy, when they see energy going down to numbers like that, they cannot believe it. It’s like another big tax cut. I’m also confronting one of the biggest rip-offs of our times, the crushing cost of health care, caused by you. Since the passage of the “Unaffordable Care Act,” sometimes referred to as Obamacare, big insurance companies have gotten rich. It was meant for the insurance companies, not for the people. With our government giving them hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars a year, as their stock prices soared 1,000, 1,200, 1,400 and even 1,700%, like nothing else. That’s why I introduced the great health care plan. I want to stop all payments to big insurance companies and instead give that money directly to the people, so they can buy their own health care, which will be better health care at a much lower cost. In addition, my plan requires maximum price transparency. That’s a big deal. Sounds so simple, so big. And I did that in my first term and the Democrats immediately terminated it, with the full knowledge that they were doing a very bad thing for the people. Costs were going to go way up and that’s what happened, and now I’m bringing them way down on health care and everything else.
I’m also ending the wildly inflated cost of prescription drugs like has never happened before. Other presidents tried to do it, but they never could. They tried, most didn’t try, actually, but they tried, they said they tried. They couldn’t do it. They didn’t even come close. They were all talk and no action. But I got it done, under my just-enacted most-favored nation agreements, Americans who have for decades paid by far the highest prices of any nation anywhere in the world for prescription drugs will now pay the lowest price anywhere in the world for drugs, anywhere, the lowest price.
So, in my first year of my second term — should be my third term, but strange things happen — I took prescription drugs. a very big part of health care, from the highest price in the entire world to the lowest. That’s a big achievement. The result is price differences of 300, 400, 500, 600% and more, all available right now at a new website called trumprx.gov — and I didn’t name that one, either, by the way. And here tonight is the very first customer ever to get that big discount, and it is big, Catherine Rayner. For five years, she and her husband have struggled with infertility and they turned to IVF. One drug has been costing Catherine $4,000 to purchase, but a few weeks ago she logged onto the TrumpRX website and got that same drug that cost $4,000, got it for under $500, a reduction of much more, actually, than $3,500. Catherine, we are all praying for you and you’re going to be a great mom.
So now I’m calling on Congress to codify my most-favored-nation program into law. Now, the one thing I’m not sure it matters, because it’s going to be very hard for somebody that comes along after me to say, let’s raise drug prices by 700 or 800%. But, John and Mike, if you don’t mind, codify it anyway, they may do it. Codify it anyway. Thank you. And many Americans are also concerned that energy demand from AI data centers could unfairly drive up their electric utility bills. Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that I have negotiated the new ratepayer protection pledge. You know what that is? We’re telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs. They can build their own power plants as part of their factory, so that no one’s prices will go up and in many cases, prices of electricity will go down for the community, and very substantially then.
This is a unique strategy never used in this country before. We have an old grid. It could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that’s needed. So I’m telling them they can build their own plant, they’re going to produce their own electricity. It will ensure the company’s ability to get electricity, while at the same time lowering prices of electricity for you and could be very substantial. For all of these cities and towns, you’re going to see some good things happen over the next number of years.
Another pillar of the American dream that has been under attack has been home ownership. With us tonight is Rachel Wiggins, a mom of two from Houston. She placed bids on 20 homes and lost all of those bids to gigantic investment firms that bypassed inspection, paid all cash and turned all those houses into rentals, stealing away her American dream. She was devastated. Stories like this are why last month I signed executive order to ban large Wall Street investment firms are buying up in the thousands single family homes. And now I’m asking Congress to make that ban permanent, because homes for people, really that’s what we want, we want homes for people, not for corporations. Corporations are doing just fine. Rachel, thank you very much. Good luck with your home. You’ll get one soon.
We’re also working to make it easier for Americans to save for retirement. And under this administration, we will always protect Social Security and Medicare. They are not protecting it for our seniors. We will always protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Since I took office, the typical 401(k) balance is up by at least $30,000. That’s a lot of money. We have millions and millions of people. Because the stock market has done so well, setting all those records. Your 401(k)s are way up. Yet half of all of working Americans still do not have access to a retirement plan with matching contributions from an employer. To remedy this gross disparity, I’m announcing that next year my administration will give these oft-forgotten American workers, great people, the people that built our country, access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker. We will match your contribution with up to $1,000 each year, as we ensure that all Americans can profit from a rising stock market.
Let’s also ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information. They stood up for that. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Did Nancy Pelosi stand up, if she’s here? Doubt it. Pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay. I wasn’t sure if anybody even on this side was going to applaud for that. I’m very impressed. Thank you. I’m very impressed. But when it comes to the corruption that is plundering, really, it’s plundering America, there’s been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion from the American taxpayer. We have all the information. And, in actuality, the number is much higher than that. And California, Massachusetts, Maine and many other states are even worse.
This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a nation, and we are working on it like you wouldn’t believe. So tonight, although started four months ago, I am officially announcing the war on fraud to be led by our great Vice President JD Vance. He’ll get it done. And we’re able to find enough of that fraud, we will actually have a balanced budget overnight. It’ll go very quickly. That’s the kind of money you’re talking about. We’ll balance our budget. The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption, and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception. Importing these cultures through unrestricted immigration and open borders brings us problems right here to the USA. And it is the American people who pay the price in higher medical bills, car insurance rates, rent, taxes, and perhaps most importantly, crime. We will take care of this problem. We’re going to take care of this problem. We are not playing games.
Dalilah. Dalilah Coleman was only five years old in June 2024, when a 18-wheel tractor-trailer plowed into her stopped car, traveling at 60 miles an hour or more. The driver was an illegal alien, let in by Joe Biden and given a commercial driver’s license by open borders, politicians and California. Doctors said Dalilah would never be able to walk or talk, have a good life. She wouldn’t even be able to eat again. But against all odds, she is now in the first grade, learning to walk. And she’s here this evening with her dad, Marcus, a fantastic man. Dalilah, please. You are a great inspiration. Please stand up. Thank you, Dalilah. Many, if not most, illegal aliens do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger or location. That’s why tonight I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Dalilah law – barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.
And yesterday, as you probably saw at the White House, I hosted a ceremony with Americans who lost their treasured loved ones to the scourge of illegal immigration. People came into our country. How we allowed this to happen with our open borders. These are the angel moms and families that for decades our government betrayed and our media totally ignored. Totally. It was terrible. Hard to believe, actually. In 2023, a 16-year-old high school cheerleader named Lizbeth Medina was supposed to perform in her town’s Christmas parade, but she never arrived. Her mother, Jacqueline, went home to look for her, and she found her lying dead in a bathtub, bleeding profusely after being stabbed 25 times. Lizbeth’s killer was a previously arrested illegal alien who had broken in and brutally, just brutally extinguished the brightest light in her family’s life. Violently and viciously. Her heartbroken mother is in the gallery to remind everyone in this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien criminals. Our country had record numbers, and we’re getting them the hell out of here fast. We don’t want ’em. Thank you very much, Jacqueline. Thank you.
We can never forget that many in this room not only allowed the border invasion to happen before I got involved, but indeed, they would do it all over again if they ever had the chance. If they ever got elected, they would open up those borders to some of the worst criminals anywhere in the world. The only thing standing between Americans and a wide-open border right now is President Donald J. Trump and our great Republican patriots in Congress. Thank you. As we speak, Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security. It’s all cut off, all cut off. They have instituted another Democrat shutdown, the first one costing us two points on GDP. Two points we lost on GDP, which probably made them quite happy actually. Now they have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers. Tonight, I’m demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for the border security, homeland security of the United States, and also for helping people clean up their snow. We have no money because of the Democrats, and it would be nice. We’d love to give you a hand at cleaning it up, but you gave no money. Nobody’s getting paid. It’s a shame. So you have to think about it. We have, in case you didn’t know, a pretty large snowstorm out there. One of the great things about the State of the Union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe. So tonight, I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle. If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.
Isn’t that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself. That is why I’m also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens. In many cases, drug lords, murderers all over our country. They’re blocking the removal of these people out of our country. And you should be ashamed of yourself.
And perhaps most importantly, I’m asking you to approve the SAVE America Act, to stop illegal aliens and others who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections, the cheating is rampant in our elections. It’s rampant. It’s very simple. All voters must show voter ID. All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote. And no more crooked mail-in ballots except for illness, disability, military or travel. None. And this should be an easy one and, by the way, is polling at 89%, including Democrats, 89%. And even the new communist mayor of New York City. I think he’s a nice guy, actually speak to him a lot. Bad policy, but nice guy. Just said they want people to shovel snow. They got hit hard. Wants them to shovel snow. But if you apply for that job, you need to show two original forms of ID and a Social Security card.
Yet they don’t want identification for the greatest privilege of them all: voting in America. No, it’s no good, no good. Both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree on the policy that we just enunciated, and Congress should unite and enact this common sense, country saving legislation right now. And it should be before anything else happens.
And the reason they don’t want to do it, why would anybody not want voter ID? One reason, because they want to cheat. There’s only one reason. They make up all excuses. They say it’s racist. They come up with things. You almost say what imagination they have. They want to cheat, they have cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat. And we’re going to stop it. We have to stop it, John.
And here is one more opportunity to show common sense in government.
In the gallery tonight are Sage Blair and her mother, Michele. In 2021, Sage was 14 when school officials in Virginia sought to socially transition her to a new gender, treating her as a boy and hiding it from her parents. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Before long, a confused Sage ran away from home. After she was found in a horrific situation in Maryland, a left-wing judge refused to return Sage to her parents because they did not immediately state that their daughter was their son. Sage was thrown into an all-boys state home and suffered terribly for a long time. But today, all of that is behind them. Because Sage is a proud and wonderful young woman with a full ride scholarship to Liberty University. Sage and Rachelle, please stand up. And thank you for your great bravery.
And who can believe that we’re even speaking about things like this? 15 years ago, if somebody was up here and said that, they’d say, “What’s wrong with him?” But now we have to say it because it’s going on all over numerous states. They’re not even telling the parents. But surely we can all agree no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents’ will. Who would believe that we’re even talking about it? We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately.
Nobody stands up, these people are crazy. I’m telling them they’re crazy. Amazing. Boy, oh boy. We’re lucky we have a country with people like this — Democrats are destroying our country. But we’ve stopped it just in the nick of time, didn’t we?
No one cares more about protecting America’s youth than our wonderful First Lady. Now a movie star, a movie star. Who would have believed that?
Over the past year, she has had an incredible impact championing AI legislation, advancing a landmark executive order on foster care, and helping secure $30 million to launch the Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence Initiative. It’s a tremendous, really a tremendous thing that happened and had a lot of bipartisan support. She gets much better bipartisan support than I do. I get none, she gets a lot. Someday, you’re gonna have to tell me how you did that. And students and educators in every state have joined the First Lady’s efforts in the presidential AI challenge, keeping America’s next generation positioned to succeed and strongly succeed in the future. Tonight, we welcome two young people whose lives reflect the First Lady’s impact: Sierra Burns and Everest Nevraumont. Thank you both. And Melania, thank you. I know how hard you worked on it.
Thank you very. I’m very proud to say that during my time in office, both the first four years and in particular this last year, there has been a tremendous renewal in religion, faith, Christianity and belief in God. This is especially true among young people, and a big part of that had to do with my great friend Charlie Kirk. Great guy. Great guy.
So last year, Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin. And martyred, really, martyred for his beliefs. His wonderful wife, Erika is with us tonight. Erika, please stand. Thank you. Erika, thank you a lot. In Charlie’s memory, we must all come together to reaffirm that America is one nation under God. And we must totally reject political violence of any kind. We love religion, and we love bringing it back. And it’s coming back at levels that nobody actually thought possible. It’s really a beautiful thing to see. Above all, unleashing America’s promise requires keeping our communities safe. We have made incredible strides, yet dangerous repeat offenders continue to be released by pro-crime Democrat politicians again and again.
We are honored to be joined tonight by a woman who’s been through hell, Anna Zarutska. In 2022, she and her beautiful daughter — so beautiful, what a beautiful young woman — Iryna fled war-torn, war-torn Ukraine to live with relatives near Charlotte, North Carolina. And by the way, what’s going on with Charlotte? Last summer, 23-year-old Iryna was riding home on the train when a deranged monster who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body. No one will ever forget. There were people on that train. No one will ever forget the expression of terror on Iryna’s face as she looked up at her attacker in the last seconds of her life. She died instantly. She had escaped a brutal war, only to be slain by a hardened criminal set free to kill in America. Came in through open borders. Mrs. Zarutska, tonight, I promise you, we will ensure justice for your magnificent daughter, Iryna.
How do you not stand, how do you not stand? I’m asking this Congress to pass tough legislation to ensure that violent and dangerous repeat offenders are put behind bars, and, importantly, that they stay there.
Starting last summer, I deployed our National Guard and federal law enforcement to restore law and order to our most dangerous cities, including Memphis, Tennessee — big success. New Orleans, Louisiana. A big success in our nation’s capital itself, Washington, D.C., where we have almost no crime anymore in Washington, D.C. How did that happen? In fact, crime in Washington is now at the lowest level ever recorded, and murders in D.C. this January were down close to 100% from a year ago. They don’t like to hear that.
One of the brave service members who helped achieve this stunning turnaround was 20-year-old West Virginia Army National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom. After a four-month deployment, she voluntarily extended her service. Her rank was going to be lifted and she was doing so well and they were so proud of her. But the very next day, she was on patrol in the White House when she was ambushed and shot in the head by a terrorist monster from Afghanistan. Shouldn’t have been in our country. And all because she wore the uniform of our nation. She was shot. He traveled here because he didn’t like people wearing our uniform. He was sick, and deranged. Shouldn’t have been in our country. Sarah Beckstrom died in order to defend our capital, and we are honored to be joined by her wonderful parents, Gary and Evalea. Your daughter was a true American patriot and she will be greatly missed. She was a great person. I saw reports on her, they’ve never seen anything like it. So sorry. Thank you very much. A great young lady. I saw reports they were like, perfect, she’s perfect.
Serving alongside Sarah that day was Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. The terrorist shot Andrew in the head, and no one thought he could possibly make it. The two of them, Sarah and Andrew, shot violently in the head. Neither was expected to make it. They weren’t even given any chance. Except his wonderful mother, named Melanie, who I spoke to the same night, and she was so positive. The doctors thought that Andrew was gone, but his mother said, “No, no, Mr. President, Andrew will be be fine. He’s going to make it.” I’ve never seen anything like it. I mean, he was given almost no chance. She said, “I have no doubt, Sir, he’s going to be okay.” This was the conversation that I had with her that night, with her son laying in bed, blood all over. Everybody is praying. She said, “Sir, he will be okay.” The doctors didn’t understand what she was saying and after looking at the results of the damage done, neither did I. She was so strong and conclusive that even Andrew’s great father felt she didn’t really understand the gravity of the situation, but she turned out to be right. Right, Melanie? She turned out to be right.
Amazing actually. I said “where does this woman come from, she’s the most positive person I’ve ever met?” With God’s help, Andrew has battled back from the edge of death. And we’re talking about the edge of death, on his way to a miraculous recovery. He’s got a little work to do, but he’s doing great. Nice to see you — he’s a good-looking guy. Nice to see you. Thanks, Andrew. Thank you very much.
So Andrew now you’re up, I’m going to ask a highly respected Gen. James Seward to present Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and the great family of Sarah Beckstrom with the award created by our late, great president, George Washington himself. It’s called the Purple Heart.
We love you all. Love you.
We’re proudly restoring safety for Americans at home, and we are also restoring security for Americans abroad. Our country has never been stronger. My first 10 months, I ended eight wars, including Cambodia.
Isn’t it funny? You sick people.
Cambodia and Thailand. Pakistan and India would have been a nuclear war. 35 million people said the Prime Minister of Pakistan would have died if it were not for my involvement. Kosovo and Serbia, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia. Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Congo and Rwanda. And of course, the war in Gaza, which proceeds at a very low level. It’s just about there. And I want to thank Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for your help. Thank you Steve. Thank you Jared. And I also want to thank the man they report to Secretary of State. Marco Rubio.
Thank you. Thank. People like you. You know, Marco got 100% of the votes when he was in confirmation — I think our next one was about 54%. And some of the Democrats are now saying, I can’t believe we approved that guy. And he said, it’s an honor that they feel that way. Right, Marco? You have done a great job, great Secretary of state. I think he’ll go down as the best ever. Under the cease fire, I negotiated every single hostage, both living and dead, has been returned home. Can you believe that?
Nobody thought it was possible. Nobody thought that was possible.
Both living and dead. And those parents who had a dead son, their boy, they’d always tell me their boy. They wanted him as much as though he were living. That was an amazing period of time. And they came back. And when we got all of the living hostages back and many, many before them. But I always said those last 20 are going to be very tough. But we got many, many more hundreds. But I said those last 20 are going to be tough. We got them back, but we only got back 14 or 15 of the dead of the 28
And believe it or not, Hamas worked along with Israel and they dug and they dug and they dug. It’s a tough — it’s a tough thing to do, going through bodies all over, passing up 100 bodies sometimes for each one that they found.
Tough job and they finally got it back to 27 and then Steve and Jared they got it back to 28. They found all 28 nobody thought that was possible but we did it and I remember the family of the 28th they were so grieved but they were so happy as happy as it’s possible to be they had their boy back. The mother said ‘sir we have our boy back.’ What a period of time that was, but we got them all back, so thank you both very much.
And we’re working very hard to end the ninth war, the killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month — think of that, 25,000 soldiers are dying a month. A war which would have never happened if I were president. Would have never happened.
As president, I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must. That’s why in a breakthrough operation last June, the United States military obliterated Iran’s nuclear weapons program with an attack on Iranian soil known as Operation Midnight Hammer. For decades, it has been the policy of the United States never to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Many decades. Since they seized control of that proud nation 47 years ago, the regime and its murderous proxies have spread nothing but terrorism and death and hate. They’ve killed and maimed thousands of American service members and hundreds of thousands and even millions of people. With what’s called roadside bombs. They were the kings of the roadside bomb. And we took out Soleimani. I did that during my first term. Had a huge impact. He was the father of the roadside bomb. And just over the last couple of months with the protests, they’ve killed at least, it looks like, 32,000 protesters — 32,000 protesters in their own country. They shot them and hung them. We stopped them from hanging a lot of them with the threat of serious violence.
But this is some terrible people. They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America. After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, and in particular nuclear weapons, yet they continue. They’re starting it all over. We wiped it out and they want to start it all over again and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions. We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words, “We will never have a nuclear weapon.” My preference, my preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy. But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s No. 1 sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen.
And no nation should ever doubt America’s resolve. We have the most powerful military on earth. I rebuilt the military in my first term. We’re going to continue to do so also, which is to prove a trillion-dollar budget. We have no choice. We have to be strong, because hopefully we will seldom have to use this great power that we built together. It’s really called peace through strength, that has been very, very effective.
So thanks to Republicans in Congress, we’re investing that record number of dollars — we have no choice — in the United States Armed Forces, also creating a lot of jobs, but we’re not even doing it for that reason. Because as I said, we have more jobs, more people working today than ever before in the history of our country. And NATO countries, our friends and allies — they are, they’re our friends and they’re our allies — have just agreed, at my very strong request, to pay 5% of GDP for military defense rather than the 2%, which they weren’t paying, we were paying for almost all of that. Now they’re paying 5, as opposed to not paying 2. And getting that 5% was something which everyone said would never be done, could not happen. We got it really easily with one meeting. And a big difference between 2% that’s not paid, we were paying the freight of many of them, very few were paid up, now 5% then they’re paid. And everything we send over to Ukraine is sent through NATO and they pay us in full. They pay us totally in full, every branch of our Armed Forces is setting records for recruitment. This is so exciting.
And every service member. And every service member recently received a warrior dividend of $1,776. You know, they cleared up my desk, we got the money from tariffs and other things, a lot of money we have with, much more money than people understand, have to rebuild that program a little bit but it won’t take long. But we got all the money and it was $1,775 and they wanted my approval. And I said, what’s the number? $1,775. I said, wait a minute, for one more dollar, we can have $1,776. I said, we’re going to figure that out. I never asked anybody if we could afford it. One more dollar. I said $1,776. And I said that’s good. And I’ll tell you what, our military, that was four months ago, I never see a person in the military that doesn’t thank me for it. So we’re honored to do it. They deserve it. And we call it “1776.” It was great. And we love our military. We love our law enforcement. We love a fireman. The firemen don’t get mentioned enough. We love firemen.
We’re also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, acting to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism, and foreign interference for years. Large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico, really large parts of Mexico, have been controlled by murderous drug cartels. That’s why I designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and I declared illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. And with our new military campaign, we have stopped record amounts of drugs coming into our country and virtually stopped it completely coming in by water or sea, you probably noticed that. You’ve very seriously damaged their fishing industry, also. Nobody wants to go fishing anymore. We’ve also taken down one of the most sinister cartel kingpins of all. You saw that yesterday.
In January, in January, elite American warriors carried out one of the most complex, spectacular feats of military competence and power in world history. No one’s seen anything like it. Foreign leaders, I won’t tell you who, called me and they said, very impressive, very impressive. They couldn’t believe, they all watched, they saw what happened. This is a different fighting force than we had years ago when we fought to tie. You know, it’s a great fighting force. I’m so proud of it. Look at Space Force. Space Force is my baby. As we did that, my baby is becoming so important. And America’s Armed Forces overwhelmed all defenses and utterly defeated a an enemy — good fighters — to end the reign of outlawed dictator Nicolas Maduro and bring him to face American justice. And this was an absolutely a colossal victory for the security of the United States. A bright new beginning for the people of Venezuela. We’re working closely with the new president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, to unleash extraordinary economic gains for both of our countries and to bring new hope to those who have suffered so terribly. They really did suffer.
With us tonight is Alejandro Gonzalez. She grew up in a tight-knit Venezuelan family and was especially close to her beloved Uncle Enrique. But after Enrique ran for office and opposed Maduro, he was kidnapped by Maduro’s security forces and thrown into the regime’s really infamous prison in Caracas. Alejandro feared she would never see her uncle again. She feared for her own life, also. But since the raid, we have worked with the new leadership, and they have ordered the closure of that vile prison and released hundreds of political prisoners already with more to come.
Alejandro, I’m pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he is here tonight. We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person. Enrique, please come down. Thank you, Enrique. Have a good time. Nice to have you back, Enrique.
There were many heroes on that January raid to capture Maduro. Really great heroes. It was very dangerous. They knew we were coming. They were all set. But the deeds of one warrior that night will live forever in the eternal chronicles of military valor. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover planned the mission and was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter. A big, beautiful, powerful helicopter. Was a massive Chinook carrying, as you can imagine, many, many American warfighters wearing the dog tags his wife Amy had blessed with holy water before he left. She knew it was going to be a rough one. Eric steered the Chinook under the cover of night and descended swiftly upon Maduro’s heavily protected military fortress. This was a major military installation, protected by thousands of soldiers and guarded by Russian and Chinese military technology. How did that work out? Not too good.
While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle. And Eric was hit, very badly, in the leg and hip, one bullet after another. He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces. And yet, despite the fact that the use of his legs was vital to successful helicopter flight, Mike said the most important part of flying a helicopter to deliver the many commanders who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Eric was thinking about. And even as he was gushing blood, which was flowing back down the aisle – helicopter lands at a steep angle. The machine guns stood right in front of him. They were right in front of him. Two machine-gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes. Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy, and let his gunners eliminate the threat, turn the helicopter around so the gunners could take care of business, saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.
Only after safely landing the helicopter with all the warriors aboard in the exact right spot, which was vital to the mission, probably would have happened. Maybe cancel the mission if that didn’t happen. Eric told his copilot, also wounded, but not as gravely, to take over. I’m about ready to pass out. The success of the entire mission, and the lives of his fellow warriors hinge on Eric’s ability to take searing pain. It was unbelievable what’s happened to his legs. Of the bullets and keep on flying and landing. People knew what was happening. Everybody in the back of the helicopter knew because they saw the blood pouring down the aisle. Chief Warrant Officer Slover is still recovering from his serious wounds, but I’m thrilled to say that he is here tonight with his wife, Amy. Eric and Amy, come on in. So we have a surprise, Eric and Amy. In recognition of Eric’s actions above and beyond the call of duty, I would now like to ask General Jonathan Braga to present Chief Warrant Officer Slover with our nation’s highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Well, thank you very much, Eric and Amy. Great to get to know you. I met with them and with a lot of their fellow warriors at Fort Bragg recently. You notice the name Fort Bragg. We have it back. We brought it back. We won the First World War with it, the Second World War with it, and then they decided to change the name. But we changed it back. Everybody wanted it changed back too. And 10 of Eric’s fellow warriors from that incredible night of victory will also be receiving medals at a private ceremony that will soon be held at the White House. And it will be the.
Thank you, Eric. That’s a big one. Tonight we’ve celebrated many truly extraordinary American patriots. But there is one last living legend to honor before we go. He is one more heroic American aviator, Navy fighter pilot Royce Williams served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, flying more than 220 missions in the skies over Korea. In 1952, Royce was in the dogfight of a lifetime. Legendary dogfight. Flying through blizzard conditions, his squadron was ambushed by seven Soviet fighter planes. It was his first aerial combat of the war, and despite being massively outnumbered and outgunned, Royce led the takedown of four enemy jets and almost destroyed the others, vanquishing his adversaries while taking 263 bullets to his own plane and being seriously hurt. His story was secret for over 50 years. He didn’t even want to tell his wife, but the legend grew and grew. But tonight, at 100 years old, his brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He was a legend long before this evening. Royce, please stand up and I will ask the first lady of the United States to present Captain Royce Williams with his Congressional Medal of Honor.
Thank you Eric. I’ve always wanted the Congressional Medal of Honor, but I was informed I’m not allowed to give it to myself, and I wouldn’t know why I’d be taking it. But if they ever opened up that law I will be there with you someday. But you know, that’s our highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor. And that’s a big thing. And it’s an honor to be in the same room with you. Thank you both very much. Thank you.
Thank you. Two-hundred fifty years is a long time in the life of a nation. But in another sense, it’s really a mere moment in the eye of history. Two of the gentlemen we met in the gallery this evening took their first breaths one century ago. One hundred years before that, on July 4th, 1826, the author of the Declaration of Independence, brilliant Thomas Jefferson, drew his last breath. Just a single long human life span separates the giants who declared and won our independence from the heroes who stand among us tonight.
Everything our nation has done, everything we have achieved, has been the work of those few great lifetimes. In those brief chapters, Americans built this nation from 13 humble colonies into the pinnacle of human civilization and human freedom. The strongest, wealthiest, most powerful, most successful nation in all of history. Americans ventured out across the daunting and dangerous continent. We carved pass through an unforgiving wilderness, settled a boundless frontier, and tamed the beautiful but very, very dangerous wild west. From empty marshes and wide-open plains, we raised up the world’s greatest cities. Together we mastered the world’s mightiest industries, shattered history’s monstrous tyrannies. And we liberated millions from the chains of fascism, communism, oppression and terror.
Americans lifted humanity into the skies or the wings of aluminum and steel. And then we launched mankind into the stars on rockets powered by sheer American will and unyielding American pride. We wired the globe with our ingenuity. We captivated the planet with American culture and now we are pioneering the next great American breakthroughs that will change the entire world. All of this, and so much more, is the enduring legacy, unmatched glory of the hard-working patriots who built and defended this country and who still carry the hopes and freedoms on all of humanity’s backs. For years, they were forgotten, betrayed, and cast aside. But that great betrayal is over, and they will never be forgotten again. Because when the world needs courage, daring, vision and inspiration, it is still turning to America.
And when God needs a nation to work his miracles, he knows exactly who to ask. There is no challenge Americans cannot overcome, no frontier too vast for us to conquer, no dream too bold for us to chase, no horizon too distant for us to claim. For our destiny is written by the hand of Providence. And these first 250 years were just the beginning. From the rugged border towns of Texas to the heartland villages of Michigan, from the sun-kissed shores of Florida to the endless hills of the Dakotas, and from the historic streets of Philadelphia to right here in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., the golden age of America is upon us.
The revolution that began in 1776 has not ended. It still continues because the flame of liberty and independence still burns in the heart of every American patriot, and our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder, and more glorious than ever before. Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance announced Wednesday that the Trump administration would “temporarily halt” some Medicaid funding to the state of Minnesota over fraud concerns, as part of what he described as an aggressive crackdown on misuse of public funds.
Medicaid is the U.S. health care safety net for low-income Americans. As of late 2025, nearly 70 million people were enrolled nationwide.
Vance, who made the announcement with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the administration was taking the action “in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligations seriously to be good stewards of the American people’s tax money.”
Wednesday’s move is part of a larger Trump administration effort to spotlight fraud around the country. That effort comes after allegations of fraud involving day care centers run by Somali residents in Minneapolis prompted a massive immigration crackdown in the Midwestern city, resulting in widespread protests.
In January, Oz posted a video on social media alleging billions of dollars in hospice and home care fraud in Los Angeles. He came under fire from California Democrats for the video, in which he stood in front of an Armenian bakery while suggesting without providing evidence that much of the fraud was “run by the Russian Armenian mafia.”
Vance said in an interview on Fox News Channel earlier Wednesday that the Justice Department and Treasury Department would also be involved in the effort, and would be looking at tax records to uncover fraud.
“There’s a whole host of tools that we have never used,” Vance said.”
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — As he watched the Boston Celtics play from the stands of TD Garden, one noise kept catching Adel Djellouli’s ear.
“This squeaking sound when players are sliding on the floor is omnipresent,” he said. “It’s always there, right?”
Squeaky shoes are part of the symphony of a basketball game, when rubber soles rasp against the hardwood floors as players jab step, cut and pivot and defenders move their feet to stay in front of their assignment.
Returning home from the game, Djellouli wondered how that sound was produced. And as a materials scientist at Harvard University, he had a way to find out.
Djellouli and colleagues slid a sneaker against a smooth glass plate over and over. They recorded the squeaks with a microphone and filmed the whole thing with a high speed camera to see what was happening under the shoe.
In a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, they described what they found. As the shoe works hard to keep its grip, tiny sections of the sole change shape as they momentarily lose then regain contact with the floor thousands of times per second — at a frequency that matches the pitch of the loud squeak we hear.
“That squeaking is basically your shoe rippling, or creating wrinkles that travel super fast. They repeat at a high frequency, and this is why you get that squeaky noise,” Djellouli said.
The grip patterns on the soles may also play a role. When researchers slid blocks of flat, featureless rubber against the glass, they saw a series of chaotic, disorganized ripples but didn’t hear squeaks.
The ridge-like designs on the bottom of your shoes may organize the bursts to produce a clear, high-pitched sound.
Other researchers have studied these kinds of bursts before, but this sneaker study examines friction happening at much faster speeds. And for the first time, it links the speedy pulses with the squeaking sound they produce.
These insights don’t just serve to satisfy the curiosity of a basketball fan. They could also help answer important practical questions. “Friction is one of the oldest and most intricate problems in physics,” wrote physicist Bart Weber in an editorial accompanying the new research. Yet, despite its practical importance, he wrote, “it is difficult to predict and control.”
Understanding friction better could help scientists better understand how the Earth’s tectonic plates slide and grind during earthquakes, for example, or to save energy by reducing friction and wear.
It could also help eliminate moments off the court when squeaky shoes can be a little awkward or embarrassing, such as in a quiet office hallway.
This research doesn’t offer a fix, though the internet has plenty of advice that may be risky, including rubbing soap or a dryer sheet on the soles. But some of the insights from the study could help to design squeak-free shoes in the future.
For example, one additional experiment found that changing the thickness of the rubber could make the squeak sound lower or higher in pitch. In the future, could we fine-tune our shoes to squeak in a pitch so high we can’t even hear it?
“We can now start designing for it,” said Weber, who is with the Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography and the University of Amsterdam, in an interview. “We can start making interfaces that either do it if we want to hear this sound, or don’t do it if we don’t want to hear it.”
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Crews in South Florida were trying to contain a wildfire in Big Cypress National Preserve that had burned more than 25,000 acres (100 square kilometers) near the immigration detention facility known as “ Alligator Alcatraz ” as of Wednesday.
A massive wildfire burning in southwestern Florida is sending thick smoke across Alligator Alley.
The National Fire, burning in Big Cypress National Preserve near the Florida Everglades, began on Sunday and has grown to 25,000 acres. The blaze remains uncontrolled.… pic.twitter.com/Ysd3jxfwdZ
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) February 25, 2026
The fire caused periodic lane closures due to smoke and poor visibility on the stretch of Interstate 75 known as Alligator Alley, which connects Florida’s east and west coasts and runs through the vast Everglades wetlands. Wildfires are common the dry winter season.
However, the wildfire posed no threat Wednesday to the state-run “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration jail, said Stephanie Hartman, director of communications for the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
“The fire is situated 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the west of the facility and is burning in the opposite direction. Thanks to the increased humidity levels, we are seeing faster fire recovery and containment,” she said.
“Alligator Alcatraz,” which opened last July on a little-used airfield deep in the Everglades, has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown and holds detainees who the federal government is seeking to deport.
Hartman said the department is in touch with local and state crews regarding the wildfires, who will give them a 24-hour notice if an evacuation at Alligator Alcatraz becomes necessary. She said evacuation procedures are well rehearsed, allowing a quick and efficient response.
She did not immediately respond to a question about the number of detainees at the facility.
When it opened in July 2025, state officials said “Alligator Alcatraz” would have a capacity for 3,000 detainees that could be expanded to 5,000. According to recent reports revealed during a series of court hearings in Fort Myers in late January, there were about 1,500 detainees.
A strong cold front Sunday also brought dry air, which resulted in red flag warning for fire conditions across much of the state, said Anthony Reynes, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.
The relative humidity was increasing on Wednesday, helping ease the conditions that fueled the fire, Reynes said. Still, conditions remain ripe for wildfires due to winds from the south and dry soil and grass, he said.
He said very little rain is in the forecast for the rest of the week, meaning severe drought conditions are continuing across the state.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — A helicopter pilot wounded in the raid that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro received the Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday evening.
Trump said Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, who appeared using a walker, was the pilot of the lead CH-47 Chinook helicopter that descended on the “heavily protected military fortress” where Maduro was staying. The raid, while successful, left seven U.S. service members with gunshot wounds and shrapnel-related injuries.
“While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another,” Trump said, adding that Slover “absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.”
Months of covert planning led to the brazen operation that plunged the South American country’s capital into darkness as troops infiltrated Maduro’s home and whisked him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.
Trump’s description of Slover’s actions that night offer a new, detailed glimpse into the military action that has been largely shrouded in secrecy since it was carried out in the early hours of Jan. 3.
As Slover prepared to land his helicopter, he was confronted with “two machine gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes,” according to Trump.
“Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat,” Trump said, “saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.”
The president said “the success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take searing pain.”
Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of Joint Special Operations Command, presented Slover with the Medal of Honor in the gallery overlooking the House chamber.
Slover, 45, was in his dress uniform and used a walker to steady himself. Trump said the soldier was still recovering from his wounds.
Lt. Col. Allie Scott, a spokeswoman for Army Special Operations Command, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Slover enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 2005 and, after completing basic training, attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and flight school, where he became a Chinook pilot.
Scott would not provide any further details on the units Slover had been assigned to during his Army service.
But, in his career of more than 20 years, Slover was given multiple prestigious awards for his service. They include two Distinguished Flying Crosses — including one with a V Device for valor — two Bronze Stars, two Meritorious Service Medals and two Air Medals, among other awards and decorations, according to records provided by Scott.
Slover was awarded one of his Distinguished Flying Crosses just several years into his service while deployed to Afghanistan, according to a unit magazine available online. Slover, then serving with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, was one of six aviators to receive the prestigious award for “acts of heroism during aviation operations in southern Afghanistan” at Kandahar airfield, according to the January 2010 issue.
Slover’s records also say he has been awarded a Purple Heart.
Trump said 10 other service members who took part in the operation will be receiving medals at a private ceremony soon to be held at the White House.
The military typically shies away from publicly identifying service members who serve in special operations units, often going so far as to blur faces of troops undergoing training for admission into the elite units.
In addition to Slover, Trump also presented the Medal of Honor to retired Capt. E. Royce Williams, a Navy pilot who shot down multiple Soviet jets during the Korean War, upgrading his existing award of a Navy Cross.
Trump called the 100-year-old former fighter pilot “one of the last living legends.”
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – A Rhode Island college football player died from carbon monoxide poisoning after he tried to charge his phone in his car during a massive snow storm in a power outage.
The storm knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of people across the Northeast.
First responders found 21-year-old Salve Regina University student Joseph Boutros unresponsive in his car on Monday in Newport, Rhode Island, where he was parked outside of a university building. Police said the vehicle’s exhaust pipe was obstructed by snow and that his death from carbon monoxide poisoning was accidental.
The area didn’t have power at the time and Boutros told a fellow student that he was using his car to charge his phone, Newport Police Captain Joseph Carroll said. The university’s football team said they were “heartbroken” about Boutros’ death, which they announced in an Instagram post.
Many Rhode Island residents faced a third straight morning stuck in their homes on Wednesday as some residential streets remain unplowed.
Blizzards present a host of hazards, ranging from slippery ice to severe cold. But one of the most lethal risks posed by heavy snowfall is completely undetectable to humans.
Here is what to know about the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning — especially during power outages and cold weather.
Time of year with highest risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is higher in the winter and after heavy snowfall, according to the Centers for Disease Control. During cold weather, people are more likely to use furnaces and heaters that emit the lethal gas.
A number of malfunctions can obstruct proper ventilation, including snowfall that can block exhaust pipes or vents.
How does carbon monoxide affect the body
Carbon monoxide is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide reduces the ability of blood to carry oxygen to the body’s organs.
It can cause throbbing headaches, disorientation and drowsiness, followed by unconsciousness, convulsions and eventually death.
Why people die from exposure in the winter
When people use heating systems without proper air flow or ventilation — such as running their car in a closed garage, bringing grills inside or using gas stoves for personal heat — carbon monoxide can build up and become dangerous. That is especially common in tragic cases like the one that led to Boutros’ death on Monday, where people wait in their cars for long periods of time without realizing that an exhaust pipe is obstructed.
One of the most notable examples happened in 1978, when a snowstorm dropped two feet (0.6 meters) of snow across New England over the course of roughly 30 hours. Snow fell so fast that it trapped roughly 3,000 cars and 500 trucks along eight miles (13km) of one highway in Massachusetts, according to the New England Historical Society.
That year, 14 people died of carbon monoxide poisoning while sitting in their snowbound vehicles.
But the risk is not limited to just cars. More than three dozen people died in a historic 2022 storm, and at least one died from snow covering furnaces and sending carbon monoxide into their New York homes.
How to know whether it’s safe to stay in a car
Sitting in an idling car for a long time is usually safe, according to Jake Fisher, the senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. But drivers should keep an eye out for warning signs and have them inspected annually. Vehicles are more prone to exhaust leaks after a crash and should be inspected before they are put back on the road.
“Engines emit a lot of very dangerous chemicals and gases,” Fisher said. “If your car is not running right and you hear it sounding funny, you really do need to get it checked out.”
Vos Iz NeiasHAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government said Wednesday that its soldiers killed four people aboard a speed boat registered in Florida that opened fire on officers in Cuban waters.
Cuba’s Interior Ministry issued a statement that provided few details about the shooting, but noted that the boat was roughly one mile northeast of Cayo Falcones, off Cuba’s north coast.
It was unclear if any U.S. citizens were aboard.
The government provided the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press was unable to verify details of the boat because boat registrations are not public in the state of Florida.
I agree with @RepCarlos. We need a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation and to determine what happened. The Communist Cuban regime must be held accountable! https://t.co/6S7wBrzlRq
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 25, 2026
Officials said one Cuban officer was injured, four suspects killed and six others injured.
It wasn’t immediately known what the boat and its occupants were doing in Cuban waters.
Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Vos Iz NeiasSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Samsung on Wednesday unveiled its latest Galaxy smartphones, which boast an even bigger toolbox of artificial intelligence technology than the previous two generations and introduce a new privacy shield mode that blocks snoopy bystanders from sneaking a peek at the display screen.
The upgrades on the Galaxy S26 lineup — arriving in stores March 11 — will also include price increases of 10% to 13% on the basic and mid-tier models while the Ultra device will cost the same as last year’s version. The standard Galaxy S26 will sell for $899, while the Plus model will cost $1,099. That’s $100 more than what Samsung charged for the comparable devices released in each of the past two years. The Galaxy S26 Ultra remains at $1,299.
Just revealed at #GalaxyUnpacked: #GalaxyS26 Series and #GalaxyBuds4Pro 👀 Bookmark this megathread for early expert reviews and unboxings! Which #GalaxyS26Ultra feature are you most excited to try? 👇
— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) February 25, 2026
As has become commonplace for all new smartphones, Samsung has improved the camera and battery for the Galaxy S26 because those features weigh so heavily on consumers’ decisions on whether it’s worth upgrading from the devices they already have.
Samsung is also dangling a new reason to pony up for its most expensive Galaxy S26 with a built-in feature called “Privacy Display” that will only be available on the Ultra.
When the privacy protection option is turned on, the pixels on the Ultra change in a way that enables the display screen to only be seen when looking directly down at it. The screen appears off when viewed from the side, preventing “shoulder surfing” from people standing or sitting nearby. The controls can be set up so specific apps, such as those dealing with financial information or other sensitive information, will always open in the Privacy Display mode.
PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore predicts Privacy Display could turn out to be “the sleeper hit, a standout feature in a sea of AI noise.”
But Samsung continues to highlight AI as a marquee attraction on its Galaxy phones, amplifying on a theme that it began harping on two years ago when the company began to embrace the technology as a way to make its devices even more versatile and compelling.
Witness #GalaxyS26Ultra and the latest Galaxy tech live, then experience the world’s first #PrivacyDisplay on mobile in the #GalaxyUnpacked Experience Zone! Comment #GalaxyAI if you don’t want to miss a single moment!
Watch the replay here: https://t.co/CkJl5QfG4l pic.twitter.com/XQDBhGOSM6
— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) February 25, 2026
“AI must become part of our infrastructure,” said TM Roh, Samsung’s CEO of device experience, during a showcase held in San Francisco. “You should be able to enjoy its benefits through the devices you use every day.”
Samsung is promising this year’s Galaxy lineup is loaded with AI that will act as multipurpose agents that fetches information and content so users won’t have to spend time doing it on their own.
“This is the agentic AI phone,” Roh said of the Galaxy S26.
As it has in the previous years, Samsung is leaning heavily on Google’s Gemini technology for its AI, but also is adding another assistant option from Perplexity, a rising star that is best known for running its own “answer engine” for finding online information.
The Galaxy S26 phones will also include more tools that can doctor photos taken on the devices, including one that automatically softens a subject’s skin tone if the selfie is taken with the phone’s front camera.
AI technology is being deployed on many other smart devices, including those made by Apple and Google, but it’s unclear if the strategy is resonating with consumers.
Although Apple has been promoting its own AI suite for nearly two years, the trendsetting company still hasn’t been able to deliver on all the features it has been promising. Apple’s AI shortcomings have become so glaring that it’s depending on Google to help smarten up i ts often bumbling virtual assistant Siri.
Despite all that, Apple’s iPhone has remained the world’s top-selling smartphone for the past three years — a mantle that Samsung last held in 2022, according to the research firm International Data Corp.
“AI is still not a sought-after feature among users,” Pescatore said. “The big opportunity is making AI feel like a daily habit rather than a party trick, with tighter integration across core apps. AI must be boringly useful. Less ‘look what it can do,’ more ‘this saves me time every day.’ ”
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – The Department of Homeland Security would be barred from using a full-body restraint device called the WRAP under a new bill introduced in the House on Wednesday.
The “Full-Body Restraint Prohibition Act,” sponsored by U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., would prohibit future purchases of the device and create oversight and reporting requirements.
In announcing the legislation, Ramirez cited an Associated Press investigation that revealed several examples of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of DHS, using the device on people — sometimes for hours — on deportation flights dating to 2020.
The WRAP “fuels destruction in our communities and human suffering. This legislation is an additional step to end the pain and violence caused by DHS,” Ramirez said in a statement.
Made by California-based Safe Restraints Inc., the WRAP is the subject of several federal lawsuits likening its incorrect usage to punishment and even torture. Advocates have expressed concern that ICE is not tracking the WRAP’s use as required by federal law when officers use force, making it difficult to discern exactly how many people are being subjected to the restraints.
In addition to reporting on ICE’s use of the device, the AP identified a dozen fatal cases in the last decade where local police or jailers around the U.S. used the WRAP and autopsies determined “restraint” played a role in the death.
DHS has not answered detailed questions from the AP about the use of the WRAP and did not respond to a request for comment on the bill.
The AP found that ICE has used the device despite internal concerns voiced in a 2023 report by the civil rights division of DHS, in part due to reports of deaths involving use of the WRAP by local law enforcement. Ramirez also cited reporting by Bloomberg Law on the WRAP.
Federal purchasing records show that DHS paid Safe Restraints Inc. $268,523 since it started purchasing the devices in late 2015, during the Obama administration, through June 2025. Government purchasing records show the two Trump administrations have been responsible for about 91% of that spending.
Charles Hammond, the company’s CEO, said in a statement that the WRAP was designed to provide a “safer, more humane, pain-free alternative to other restraint methods.”
“Eliminating The WRAP from these situations would not lead to safer outcomes; it would force the return to alternative restraints and tactics proven to cause pain, injury and even fatalities,” Hammond said.
The company made a modified version of the device for ICE, Hammond said. The ICE version had changes meant to allow people to be kept in it during flights and long bus trips.
Still, ICE officials have a much lower threshold for deploying the WRAP than the manufacturer advises, the AP found. Detainees interviewed by the AP said ICE officers used the restraints on them after they had already been shackled. They said this was done to intimidate or punish them for asking to speak to their attorneys or expressing fear at being deported, often to places they fled due to violence and torture.
Hammond told the AP that, if true that some people were not being violent and simply protesting verbally, putting them in the WRAP could be improper use.
After AP’s investigation in October, a group of 11 Democratic U.S. senators wrote a letter to top immigration officials citing the AP’s investigation and saying ICE’s use of the full-body restrains onboard deportation flights is raising “serious human rights concerns.”
Vos Iz NeiasDUANE, N.Y. (VINnews) — The New York State Police released body-worn camera footage Tuesday showing the moments a trooper was struck by a vehicle while investigating a crash earlier this month.
According to police, the incident occurred at about 8:07 a.m. on Feb. 13 at the intersection of State Route 458 and State Route 30 in the town of Duane.
Two marked State Police vehicles were positioned on the east shoulder of Route 30 with emergency lights activated as troopers investigated a property damage accident. Trooper Bailey Martin, assigned to State Police in Malone, was outside her patrol vehicle speaking with another trooper when a gray 2016 Dodge Durango approached the intersection traveling eastbound on Route 458.
Police said the driver, identified as Colin M. Wanat, 21, of Eastham, Massachusetts, told investigators he did not see the posted stop sign because sunlight impaired his vision. Wanat attempted to stop and turn onto Route 30 but was unable to do so, striking Martin and then colliding with her unoccupied patrol vehicle.
The Durango also was occupied by Thomas E. Proia, 22, of Sudbury, Massachusetts; Brendan E. Walsh, 21, of Madison, Connecticut; and Ryan E. Surhoff, 21, of Westchester, New York, police said.
Martin and the vehicle’s occupants were evaluated at the scene by emergency medical personnel. The three passengers and Wanat sustained non-life-threatening injuries and declined additional medical treatment, authorities said.
Martin was taken to Alice Hyde Medical Center for further evaluation. Police said she suffered non-life-threatening injuries and has since returned to duty.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – The Trump administration’s latest policy of deporting immigrants to “third countries” to which they have no ties is unlawful and must be set aside, a federal judge ruled Wednesday in a case that already reached the nation’s highest court.
U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy in Massachusetts agreed to suspend his decision for 15 days, giving the government time to appeal his latest ruling in the case. Murphy noted that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the administration’s favor last year, pausing Murphy’s previous decision and clearing the way for a flight carrying several migrants to complete its trip to war-torn South Sudan, where they had no ties.
Murphy said migrants challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s policy have the right to “meaningful notice” and an opportunity to object before they are removed to a third country. The policy “extinguishes valid challenges to third-country removal by effecting removal before those challenges can be raised,” the judge concluded.
“These are our laws, and it is with profound gratitude for the unbelievable luck of being born in the United States of America that this Court affirms these and our nation’s bedrock principle: that no ‘person’ in this country may be ‘deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,’” Murphy wrote.
In June, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority found that immigration officials can quickly deport people to third countries. Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, saying the ruling gives the government special treatment.
Murphy said President Donald Trump’s administration has repeatedly violated — or tried to violate — his orders. Last March, he noted, the Defense Department deported at least six class members to El Salvador and Mexico without providing the process required under a temporary restraining order that Murphy issued.
“The simple reality is that nobody knows the merits of any individual class member’s claim because (administration officials) are withholding the predicate fact: the country of removal,” wrote Murphy, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Joe Biden.
Murphy said the DHS third-country removal policy has targeted immigrants who were granted protection from being sent back to their home countries, where they feared being tortured or persecuted in other ways.
Eight men who were sent to South Sudan in May had been convicted of crimes in the U.S. and had final orders of removal, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — The World Trade Center’s final office tower will start construction as soon as this spring and become American Express ‘ new headquarters, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the company said Wednesday, marking a milestone nearly 25 years after the Sept. 11 attacks destroyed the site.
The 2 World Trade Center building will round out the long, tortuous redevelopment of the original 16-acre trade center property. There remains no construction date for a neighboring apartment building to replace another 9/11-damaged skyscraper.
But the 2 World Trade Center announcement represents a big step, physically and symbolically, in fulfilling a pledge of renewal at ground zero. Hochul and other officials also trumpeted the project as a sign of New York’s continued vitality as a business hub. It comes as Florida and other states have been trying to woo companies from New York.
“Building 2 World Trade Center will bring another iconic skyscraper to Lower Manhattan, create thousands of good-paying union jobs and provide billions in economic benefits to New Yorkers,” Hochul, a Democrat, said in a statement.
American Express CEO Stephen Squeri called the skyscraper “an investment in our company’s future, our colleagues and the Lower Manhattan community,” where the credit card giant has been based for nearly 200 years. Its current headquarters is just west of the trade center.
The trade center was decimated when al-Qaida hijackers crashed jets into its twin towers, part of a coordinated attack that also sent planes into the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed, mainly at the trade center.
Fraught with physical, financial and political complexities and public debate over what to build, redevelopment unfolded gradually and hit numerous roadblocks. But over time, the signature 1 World Trade Center skyscraper, other towers, the Sept. 11 memorial and museum, a transit hub -cum-shopping center and a performing arts center were built on the property, owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The 55-story, roughly two-million-square-foot (186,000-square-meter) 2 World Trade Center building is planned at the site’s northeastern corner. The spot is currently occupied by a low placeholder building, covered with colorful graffiti-style murals, and a beer garden.
American Express declined to discuss the cost of the new building — which the company will own, leasing the underlying land — but said it doesn’t involve any tax incentives. Messages seeking further information about the costs and financing of the project were sent to officials.
Plans once envisioned a skyscraper soaring as high as 80 stories, and News Corp. and the former Twenty-First Century Fox were among companies that at points eyed moving there. Like some other trade center components, the project labored for years to secure financing and an anchor tenant. The task grew tougher when the coronavirus pandemic emptied offices in 2020 and raised questions about companies’ future space needs.
Developer Larry Silverstein always insisted the project would happen, however.
Silverstein Properties CEO Lisa Silverstein, who is the 94-year-old developer’s daughter, hailed American Express as “an iconic institution embodying the strength, resilience, and global significance of the project.”
The company plans to occupy the entire Norman Foster -designed building, a sleek structure of glassy sections interspersed with landscaped terraces and gardens. It’s expected to accommodate up to 10,000 workers; American Express declined to say how that compares to its current headquarters.
Completion is expected in 2031.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rousing welcome from Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday at the start of a two-day visit as he promised “friendship, respect and partnership” with Israel at a time when its world standing has suffered because of the war in Gaza.
“Let us ensure that the friendship between India and Israel remains a source of strength in an uncertain world,” Modi said in an address to the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, where he received a standing ovation from lawmakers after a 30-minute speech.
We feel your pain.
We share your grief. pic.twitter.com/mmYDPjwwP3
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 25, 2026
The enthusiastic greeting underscored how much closer Israel-India relations have grown under Modi, whose embrace of Israel has marked a shift in the foreign policy of India which has historically supported the Palestinians.
India did not establish full diplomatic ties with Israel until 1992 and Modi’s visit aims to strengthen security, economic and technological cooperation between the two countries.
The Indian leader was greeted at the airport with a hug from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who later introduced Modi to the Knesset as “Narendra, my dear friend.”
“I’ve never been more moved than by your visit here with us,” said Netanyahu, calling Modi “a great friend of Israel, a great champion of the Israel-India alliance and a great leader on the world stage.”
The visit is likely to give Israel a boost of international support after seeing relations with many of its allies deteriorate since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.
The Knesset building in Jerusalem had been illuminated in the colors of India’s flag on the eve of Modi’s arrival. Following his speech to lawmakers, Modi was awarded a medal by Speaker Amir Ohana, who said it recognized Modi’s leadership in strengthening relations between India and Israel.
Opposition party lawmakers walked out of the Knesset chamber during speeches by Netanyahu and Ohana, to protest the exclusion from the event of Yitzhak Amit, the chief justice of Israel’s Supreme Court.
Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has sought to overhaul the country’s justice system, and his allies refuse to work with the Supreme Court chief.
The opposition returned for Modi’s address and the opposition leader, Yair Lapid, assured the Indian leader that the walkout had “nothing to do with you.”
On Thursday, Modi will meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial center. Netanyahu’s office said that the two leaders would sign myriad economic, security and political cooperation agreements.
Modi said India is “committed to further consolidating” its relationship with Israel “across many sectors,” including security and the sharing of advances in artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
“We’re committed to expanding trade, strengthening investment flows and promoting joint infrastructure development,” Modi said.
In addition to being a powerful ally, India is also Israel’s second largest trading partner in Asia. Total trade between India and Israel was valued at $3.6 billion in the 2025 fiscal year, according to India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Modi became the first Indian prime minister to travel to Israel in 2017, and Netanyahu reciprocated with a trip to India the following year.
A staunch Hindu nationalist, Modi was one of the first global leaders to swiftly express solidarity with Israel following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian militant Hamas group that triggered the war in Gaza.
Speaking at the Knesset before Modi took the podium, Netanyahu thanked the Indian leader for that support.
“You didn’t flinch. You didn’t waver. You didn’t give excuses,” Netanyahu said. “You stood next to Israel. You stood by Israel.”
In turn, Modi affirmed India’s “strong support” for the U.S. ceasefire plan for Gaza that was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council last year. It lays out plans for ending Hamas’ rule, disarming the militant group, rebuilding the territory and withdrawing Israeli troops with only a vague commitment to possible Palestinian statehood.
“We believe that it holds the promise of a just and durable peace for all the people of the region, including the Palestine issue,” Modi said.
Modi made no mention of Israel’s newly approved measures to deepen its control over the occupied West Bank. India was among more than 100 countries earlier this month to condemn those measures, which weaken the already limited powers of the Palestinian Authority.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Discord, the popular platform for gamers to communicate online, is postponing its controversial age verification policy after receiving swift backlash from users with concerns about their privacy.
The global rollout of the system is now delayed to the second half of 2026, Discord’s Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy wrote in a Tuesday blog post acknowledging that the company “missed the mark.”
“Many of you are worried that this is just another Big Tech company finding new ways to collect your personal data. That we’re creating a problem to justify invasive solutions,” Vishnevskiy wrote. “I get that skepticism. It’s earned, not just toward us, but toward the entire tech industry. But that’s not what we’re doing.”
Discord, which says it has more than 200 million active users, will continue to meet specific legal obligations it has for age verification of users, the company said, but the global expansion of age verification will only come after it makes changes to the initial policy it laid out in early February.
The company announced earlier this month that it would roll out an age verification policy in March that would include face scanning or requests for an ID upload for users it could not determine were adults. This drew swift ire from users. Many pointed to a recent security breach of a third-party provider Discord worked with that exposed government ID photos of up to 70,000 Discord users.
Vishnevskiy referenced the security breach in the blog post, writing that he understood that incident added to users’ skepticism, but he emphasized the company no longer works with that vendor and has rigorous standards for its partners.
“Every vendor we work with goes through a security and privacy review before integration,” he wrote. “That includes contractual limits on data use, and strict retention and deletion requirements. Information submitted for age verification is stored only for the minimum time necessary, which in most cases means it’s deleted immediately. If a vendor doesn’t pass, we don’t work with them.”
One of the vendors that didn’t meet the mark was Persona, an identity verification service. Vishnevskiy said Discord ran a limited test with Persona in the United Kingdom only in January. The company was not able to meet Discord’s standard for facial age estimation, Vishnevskiy wrote, which stipulates that the estimation “must be performed entirely on-device, meaning your biometric data never leaves your phone.”
The company distanced itself from Persona after that relationship also became the subject of online criticism. Persona is backed by the venture capital firm Founders Fund, which is run by Palantir Technologies co-founder Peter Thiel. Thiel and Palantir are often criticized for of the company’s partnerships with the government for surveillance purposes, with Palantir recently inking an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to streamline the process of identifying and deporting people the agency is targeting.
Rick Song, Persona’s co-founder and CEO, wrote in a statement posted to LinkedIn that Discord’s claims about Persona’s capabilities were not accurate, emphasizing that the company does offer on-device age verification.
“I’m fine if they don’t want to use us. I’m not okay with them publicly saying untrue things about our age assurance technologies to try to shift responsibility away from their own decisions,” he wrote. “Doing so further erodes trust.”
The backlash to the original policy and even the revised version came even though Vishnevskiy wrote that for “90%+ of users, nothing changes.”
Discord is able to proactively determine the ages of the vast majority of users by looking at account-level signals. Those include how long the account has existed, whether there is a payment method on file, the types of servers a user is in and general patterns of account activity, Vishnevskiy wrote. He emphasized the company does not read messages, analyze conversations or look at account content to estimate users ages.
For the minority of users whose ages Discord cannot determine, the company is now working to offer more options beyond face scanning and requesting an ID, including credit card verification. The company is going to “complete and expand” alternative options before rolling out the new system.
Users who choose not to verify their age will get to keep their account, servers, friends list, direct messages and voice chat, but will not be able to access age-restricted content or change certain default safety settings designed to protect teens, Vishnevskiy wrote.
Discord promised users it will publish a detailed post explaining how its automatic age determination systems work and will document every verification vendor and their practices on its website.
Vos Iz NeiasDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — As the United States assembles its greatest military firepower in decades in the Middle East, Iranians are warily awaiting the next round of talks with the U.S. in Geneva this week — negotiations that many see as a last chance for their ruling theocracy to strike a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Some say the situation feels hopeless. Battered by decades of sanctions, heightened by Trump’s 2018 decision to withdraw from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers, Iranians also just suffered through the bloodiest crackdown on dissent in the country’s modern history.
Still, Iran heads into the Thursday talks “with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal — in the shortest possible time,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted Tuesday on X.
As Iranians await the outcome of the Geneva negotiations, many fear the outbreak of a war that could surpass Iran’s bloody 1980s conflict with Iraq.
That conflict sparked a patriotic response from Iranian volunteers. But now the prospects of a war with the U.S. have riven a population that includes hard-line supporters of the theocracy and those who feel Iran is splitting at the seams, especially after it is still reeling from a devastating 12-day war with Israel in June and thousands of people killed and arrested during last month’s protests.
Trump said at least 32,000 people were killed in the protests, which is at the further end of estimates over the death toll. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency has so far counted more than 7,000 dead and believes the death toll is far higher. Iran’s government offered its only death toll on Jan. 21, saying 3,117 people were killed.
“Every morning when I get up, my brain is full of chaos,” said Sepideh Bafarani, a 29-year-old woman who works in a women’s clothing store. “It’s a possible war … and an ongoing bad economic situation.”
Rasool Razzaghi, a 54-year-old resident in the capital, Tehran, shared similar concerns ahead of the talks.
“I predict that if both sides really mean what they are saying, a war will start,” he said.
Trump’s ‘armada’ is getting closer
For weeks, Trump has talked about an “armada” now largely in place off the coast of Iran, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. He has also sent the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, from the Caribbean toward the Mideast.
Overall, at least 16 U.S. Navy ships will be assembled, according to a U.S. Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military movements.
That’s comparable to Operation Desert Fox in 1998, when American and British forces bombed Iraq for four days over Saddam Hussein ’s refusal to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions about weapons inspections. There are hundreds of fighter jets and other support aircraft in the region necessary for launching a major attack on Iran.
Adding to that force, the United States also moved 12 F-22 stealth fighter jets to a base in Israel on Tuesday, according to a U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military movements.
Meanwhile, the CIA published instructions in Farsi online on how Iranians can securely contact the spy agency.
Iranians have been watching the buildup with growing concern, some by surreptitiously getting around internet restrictions or watching satellite news channels. Iranian state television has continued showing the country’s military running drills and its leaders threatening massive retaliation against any American assault.
Iranian state TV on Tuesday said the country’s Revolutionary Guard held a drill that included launching missiles, flying drones and firing guns at targets along its coast, without elaborating on the exact time or place of the exercise.
“It’s not an equal situation,” a passerby told The Associated Press on Tuesday in Tehran, declining to give his name for fear of reprisals. “One side has entered the talks with a lot of power, it has lot of equipment. On the other hand, Iran is in a weak position. They want total surrender, but I think that’s not viable.”
Steve Witkoff, the billionaire friend of Trump serving as his special Mideast envoy, has said the president didn’t understand why Iran “hadn’t capitulated” given the forces arrayed against it in the region and beyond in Europe. Iranian Foreign Minister spokesperson Esmail Baghaei dismissed Witkoff’s comments on Monday, saying “the word ‘capitulation’ does not exist in the Iranians’ dictionary.”
In his X posts Tuesday, Araghchi reiterated that Iran had no intention of ever developing a nuclear weapon but said it also would not forgo the “right to harness the dividends of peaceful nuclear technology for our people.”
The Geneva talks, he said, are “a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.”
Iran, he added, would “stop at nothing to guard our sovereignty with courage.”
It remains unclear just what Iran could offer Trump. Tehran has insisted it wants to continue enriching uranium, something Trump has repeatedly said must stop. It also has refused to discuss its ballistic missile arsenal or its support of regional proxy forces, another Trump demand.
‘Everybody is worried’
It remains difficult to speak to people in Iran; internet and telephone lines remain disrupted following last month’s nationwide protests. On the streets of Tehran, many people are suspicious of talking to journalists, assuming reporters work for the government. Iran’s theocracy controls all radio and TV stations in the country.
Those who did talk with the AP repeatedly mentioned the 1980s war with Iraq, a cataclysmic event in the minds of those old enough to remember it.
“I remember many bad situations, but even during Iran-Iraq war in 1980s it was not like this,” said Hassan Mirzaei, a 68-year-old taxi driver. “I am in shock without any hope — especially when there is word about war.”
He added: “I have two orphaned grandchildren, and I need to work to feed.”
The man in Tehran who spoke of an unequal nature of the talks said: “We once fought Iraq for eight years, but it was a country at the same level with us. Going to war with America, Israel and NATO will have very horrible and unpredictable consequences.”
“What can we do,” he added. “We can’t leave our country.”
Ami Mianji, a 33-year-old who runs an auto repair shop, described Iranians as a brave people who aren’t afraid of war.
“I do not care about threats by Trump and others; eventually Iranians will push back any warmonger,” Mianji said.
A student who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals said, “Iran is refusing to back down from its positions for sure, because if it does, it would have officially given up its 40-year-old ideology.”
“I have no hope,” he added. “The leaders of both countries speak often, and none of them is willing to concede to reach a deal. So the likelihood for war is high.”
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Tzohar Rabbinical Organization is urging communities across Israel to forgo loud noisemakers during Purim Megillah readings to protect combat veterans and others affected by trauma. The move is aimed at minimizing triggers for individuals with PTSD and other war-related emotional challenges, which can be set off by sudden loud sounds like firecrackers and rattles traditionally used to blot out Haman’s name.
Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, director of Tzohar’s Center for Jewish Ethics, emphasized the need for “quiet readings” in locations where veterans or trauma-affected individuals may be present. He noted that while Purim is usually a noisy, celebratory holiday, sensitivity toward those who have endured combat or other traumatic experiences should take precedence.
Tzohar’s annual Megillah B’Kehilah program, which draws tens of thousands of participants across more than 600 sites, will incorporate these quieter readings. The program also seeks to educate attendees on the Purim story, its relevance to Jewish tradition, and lessons of community, unity, and mutual responsibility.
Rabbi David Stav, founder and chair of Tzohar, said the initiative reflects the communal spirit of Purim. “This holiday is about coming together, showing care for one another, and celebrating with joy,” he said. “By adjusting our traditions to protect those who have sacrificed for our country, we honor both the holiday and the people who have served.”
Tzohar officials said the initiative is part of a broader effort to make Purim celebrations more inclusive, allowing everyone to participate safely while maintaining the festive and unifying spirit of the holiday.
Vos Iz NeiasLOS ANGELES (AP) — The FBI is serving search warrants at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s headquarters and the superintendent’s home.
Federal officials in Los Angeles were serving the search warrants Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation, according to a person familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the probe. The nature of the investigation and what allegations were being examined was not immediately clear.
Carvalho has been superintendent of the nation’s second largest school district since Feb. 2022. The sprawling district, which covers more than two dozen cities, has more than 500,000 students.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – For some young children in Columbus, Ohio, reading assessments don’t start in the kindergarten classroom — they happen first in the doctor’s office.
With concerns rising about lagging childhood literacy rates across the country, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has begun screening children’s literacy skills starting at age 3 during pediatrician visits. The idea is to catch reading struggles early on and guide parents on how to help their kids.
“They are all doing developmental screenings, they’re all talking to parents repeatedly,” said Sara Bode, the hospital’s medical director of school-based health. “So this is an opportunity.”
The pediatric hospital chose clinics to provide the literacy screenings largely based on their proximity to schools with lower performance scores on kindergarten readiness assessments. Across Columbus City Schools, more than 63% of kindergarteners were behind on language and literacy skills during the 2024-2025 school year, according to state kindergarten readiness assessment, or KRA, data.
Concerns about childhood literacy extend far beyond Columbus. Nationally, the percentage of fourth graders considered proficient in reading sits just above 30%, according to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation’s report card. Reading proficiency has dipped 4 percentage points since 2019 as schools have struggled to make up for pandemic learning losses.
Literacy screenings are not typically conducted in medical settings, but several prominent pediatric care centers, including Boston Children’s Hospital, promote early literacy resources to families in recognition of reading’s importance for a child’s development.
Kids who enter kindergarten with lower reading ability often struggle to catch up in later grades. Almost three-fourths of kindergarteners who test in the bottom 20% of students for readiness exams remain in the bottom 20% of their class by fifth grade, according to The Children’s Reading Foundation, a nonprofit organization.
Development screenings typically focus on other milestones
Physicians’ assessments of childhood development have often focused more on other milestones, such as walking or talking on time. But a child could ace a standard pediatric screening and still be behind in other areas needed to be ready for kindergarten, Bode said.
To address that dilemma, the pediatric hospital implemented literacy screenings in about half of its 13 clinics, assigning a literacy coordinator to each. The program launched in 2022 and has since conducted more than 2,400 screenings. Many of the children come from high-needs populations, as Nationwide serves families that are uninsured or on Medicaid.
Screeners aren’t meant to diagnose learning disabilities like dyslexia, but rather identify areas where kids could use additional support.
Having support outside the education system to flag early reading difficulties is a step in the right direction, but choosing the right screening tool is key, said Devin Kearns, an early literacy professor at North Carolina State University.
Coordinators at Nationwide use a tool that assesses kids as they read through a book during primary care visits — either in English or Spanish. It took some practice to refine the timing — avoiding moments after vaccinations when children were upset, for example — but the reading assessments take only about 10 minutes.
After a child completes a screening, the coordinator can create a personalized literacy plan that highlights the areas that need more practice.
The visit is also an opportunity to model activities that parents can do at home with their kids, such as reading a book aloud, said Carneshia Edwards, who leads the hospital’s kindergarten readiness team.
“When we’re doing the screenings, families are kind of concerned that their kids don’t know certain things and it’s not necessarily about that piece of it,” Edwards said. “It’s just more so exposing them more than anything.”
Giving families tools to improve reading at home
Before Juri Sleet completed her literacy screening at age 3, her grandmother, Quintina Davis, worried Juri didn’t have enough opportunities for early learning. But meeting with the literacy coordinator at her clinic opened Davis’ eyes to all the activities she could do at home with Juri.
“She didn’t know as much, but our coordinator was very patient with her,” Davis said.
After each screening, coordinators put together literacy kits, a medley of tools and activities for at-home practice. Those materials are also influenced by Columbus City Schools teachers’ feedback on what students need help with when they enter kindergarten.
The kits’ contents largely depend on donations the program receives. There are often items such as dry-erase boards for writing letters and books to practice reading. But the kits can also have safety scissors or pencils with rubbery grippers to improve motor skills.
“Parents are the first teachers, so we really try to encourage them to sit down with their child and just kind of work with them before going into kindergarten,” Edwards said.
Coordinators stay in touch with the families they met with in the clinic, sometimes referring children to early education programs such as the federally-funded preschool program Head Start or the SPARK program, which does educational home visits.
Then, when a child returns to the clinic a year later, the coordinator meets with them again. For Juri, now 4, the follow-up visit put into perspective how much she had progressed in a year, her grandmother said.
Over the course of a year, Juri had made strides in recognizing letters, sounds and sight words. Juri also enrolled in preschool at a local YMCA with the help of her literacy coordinator, Davis said. She’s been doing “awesome” there, Davis said, and she can’t wait to watch her grow even more.
“The goal is to make sure by the time she starts kindergarten, that she’s absolutely ready without having a lot of challenges,” Davis said. “So right now, I think she is heading towards that way.”
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — A Hezbollah source who spoke with the French news agency AFP said that the Lebanese terrorist organization would not intervene in the event of a “limited strike” by the United States against Iran. However, according to the source, an attack on Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, would constitute a “red line.”
Israel has already conveyed warnings that in such a scenario it would severely damage civilian infrastructure, including Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport.
At the same time, the Houthi rebels and Iraqi pro-Iranian militias will have no such scruples in attacking Israel in the wake of even a limited strike on Iran. The Houthis, who receive extensive support from the Ayatollah’s regime warned that they are ready to intervene if Iran is attacked.
The signal is unequivocal: if the conflict erupts, it will not be confined to the Persian Gulf or specific nuclear facilities. “The war will not be limited,” spokespeople for the Houthis and Iraqi militias asserted, in a message aimed at deterring any direct offensive against the Iranian regime.
In a potential scenario of open war against Iran, the Houthis could: Intensify attacks against ships linked to Israel or the United States, attempt to block traffic through Bab el-Mandeb, and expand the use of longer-range missiles against regional strategic targets.
The global economic impact would be immediate, especially on energy trade and routes between Asia and Europe.
The Iraqi pro-Iran militias could coordinate attacks against bases with a US troop presence, initiate actions against the “Green Zone” in Baghdad, and organize sabotage operations against energy infrastructure. This could force Washington to disperse military resources and could generate an escalation that would be difficult to contain.
The reports of possible interventions by Iranian proxies come amid concerns that the US cannot maintain a long military campaign in Iran. An Israeli intelligence official told the UK’s Financial Times this week that Israel believes that, despite assembling a massive military force in the region including two aircraft carriers, the US only has the capacity to sustain four or five days of intense aerial assault on Iran.
The official said that the force could maintain at most a week of lower-intensity strikes. Israel is said to be fearful that limited US strikes on Iran could only embolden the regime.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Iran has been loading oil onto tankers at a rapid pace in recent days. According to the report, this may be a possible indication that the Islamic Republic is preparing for the possibility of an American strike.
Vos Iz NeiasSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The U.S. and South Korean militaries said on Wednesday they will conduct their annual springtime exercises next month to bolster their countries’ combined defense capabilities against a backdrop of a deepening diplomatic freeze with nuclear-armed North Korea.
The Freedom Shield drills is set for March 9-19, according to the announcement.
North Korea has long described the allies ’ joint exercises as invasion rehearsals and used them as a pretext to dial up its own military demonstrations and weapons testing activity. The allies say the drills are defensive in nature.
The announcement came as North Korea is holding a major political conference where authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un is expected to outline his key domestic, foreign policy and military goals for the next five years. North Korean state media have not so far reported any direct comments by Kim on relations with Washington and Seoul at the ruling Workers’ Party congress, which began last week.
Based on recent public comments, experts say Kim could use the congress to further entrench his hard-line stance toward South Korea, reiterate calls for Washington to drop its demand for denuclearization as a precondition for renewed talks, and announce steps to simultaneously strengthen and integrate his nuclear and conventional forces.
Freedom Shield is one of two “command post” exercises that the allies conduct each year; the other is Ulchi Freedom Shield, held in August. The drills are largely computer-simulated and designed to test the allies’ joint operational capabilities while incorporating evolving war scenarios and security challenges.
As usual, the March drill will be accompanied by a field training program called Warrior Shield to enhance “training realism and combat readiness,” Col. Ryan Donald, public affairs director of U.S. Forces Korea, told a news conference.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said about 18,000 South Korean troops will participate in Freedom Shield while the U.S. military did not disclose how many American troops will be involved.
There has been speculation that the allies are seeking to tone down the drills to create conditions for dialogue with North Korea.
Liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed a desire for inter-Korean engagement, and some of his top officials have voiced hope that President Donald Trump’s expected visit to China in late March or April could open the door to renewed talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
Col. Jang Do-young, public affairs director of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the March exercises will not involve scenarios of a possible response to a North Korean nuclear attack but will include training aimed at “deterring nuclear threats.” He said the allies were still discussing the specifics of the field training program.
The rapid expansion in recent years of Kim’s nuclear weapons program — now featuring systems capable of threatening U.S. allies in Asia, as well as long-range missiles that could potentially reach the American homeland — has heightened South Korea’s security concerns while its diplomacy with Pyongyang remains stalled.
South Korea is also grappling with intensifying U.S.-China competition in the region, which has prompted Washington to press its ally to assume a greater share of the defense burden against North Korea as it focuses more on China.
North Korea has repeatedly rejected Washington and Seoul’s calls to resume diplomacy aimed at winding down its nuclear program, which derailed in 2019 following the collapse of Kim’s second summit with Trump during the American president’s first term.
Kim has now made Russia the priority of his foreign policy, sending thousands of troops and large amounts of military equipment to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for aid and military technology.
In a separate development, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said a pilot safely evacuated from a South Korean F-16 fighter jet that crashed on Wednesday evening into a mountain in the southeastern city of Yeongju during training.
The ministry said there were no immediate reports of casualties or civilian property damages and that the air force was investigating the crash.
Vos Iz Neias
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews)-Israel Defense Forces troops from the 300th “Baram” Regional Brigade conducted multiple raids in southern Lebanon over recent months, destroying Hezbollah observation and firing posts equipped with anti-tank missile launchers, the military announced.
The operations were part of ongoing efforts to prevent the Iran-backed militant group from re-arming and rebuilding infrastructure south of the Litani River, in violation of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, the IDF said.
During the targeted ground incursions, soldiers located and demolished the sites, which the military described as Hezbollah terror infrastructure used to launch attacks toward Israel.
The raids follow a pattern of similar Israeli actions in border areas, including villages such as Jabal Blat and Ramyeh, where troops have destroyed weapons depots, rocket launchers and underground storage facilities.
Hezbollah has repeatedly accused Israel of ceasefire violations through such incursions and strikes, while Lebanese officials have reported impacts on civilians in the south. The IDF insists its operations are precise and focused on neutralizing imminent threats.
No immediate response was available from Hezbollah or Lebanese authorities regarding the latest claims about the Baram Brigade raids.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has delivered the State of the Union. Now the challenge for him is to make that message stick.
His address on Tuesday was a declaration of pride in the achievements of his still-young second term, as he boasted of an economic renaissance at home while he’s imposed a new world order abroad. Trump is getting his first opportunity to test drive that midterm year message later this week, when he travels to Texas, where the Latino voters whose shift toward Trump in his successful 2024 reelection campaign highlighted how he had reshaped the Republican coalition.
The White House is aiming to promote that message to a broader electorate that is largely disenchanted with Trump’s job performance, while a looming conflict in the Middle East threatens to shift focus away from his domestic priorities. Trump also has a proclivity to go off-script during political rallies, such as during a speech last week in Rome, Georgia, asserting that he’s “solved” affordability when high prices remain a chief concern for voters.
Still, the themes of economic prosperity and a more secure America that Trump emphasized in his 108-minute speech Tuesday night will underpin the broader narrative that he and his fellow Republicans will seek to sell to voters this November.
“This is going to be setting the tone for the following year,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who has close ties with Trump, told The Associated Press.
Trump is known for being a master of the ‘big moments’
Presidents often travel immediately after delivering the State of the Union to amplify their agenda. President Joe Biden, for instance, went to swing states such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania the day after his speech in the last two years of his term.
Trump won’t leave the Washington area until later this week, when he heads to Texas, to talk about the economy and energy policies just days ahead of the state’s March 3 congressional primaries. Rather than hitting the road, the president will spend much of the day after his State of the Union participating in meetings at the White House, including policy sessions and a sit-down with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
But Trump — who wove a series of made-for-social media surprises into his address — is known for being able to command attention in a fractured news environment, and he is likely to find other ways to break through aside from the usual post-State of the Union blitz.
“Donald Trump is a master at the big moments, so he obviously cares a lot about how the speech goes, but what he cares a lot about are the clips that get replayed over and over again from the State of the Union,” said Austin Cantrell, who served as an assistant White House press secretary in Trump’s first term.
Cantrell, who is now with the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based firm Bridge Public Affairs, said: “I don’t expect this to be some Aaron Sorkin-esque, perfectly choreographed post-State of the Union media fan-out.”
Six years ago, it was Trump’s move to award conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, that surprised the audience. Tuesday’s address — record-breaking in its length — included similar attention-grabbing moments. He said he would give the same honor to Connor Hellebuyck, goaltender for the U.S. men’s hockey team, fresh off winning a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy. Trump called Hellebuyck and his teammates into the House chamber, where they were greeted with roaring applause.
White House says Trump will get out on the trail for his party
Trump also used his speech to roll out some new proposals to address affordability concerns, while castigating Democrats for opposing policies that he said have led to a more prosperous, safer America. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, in Democrats’ response, argued that costs remain high for many Americans and that families are still struggling under Trump’s policies.
Trump called on both parties to “protect American citizens, not illegal aliens,” and pushed for measures to limit mail-in ballots and tighten voter identification rules, while warning about the dangers of unchecked, illegal migration.
“I do think a lot of the success outlined in the State of the Union will be a part of the Republican message in the fall,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., another close Trump ally, told the AP, pointing to the GOP’s achievements on tax policy and border security. “As far as the president is concerned, I think he’ll be anxious to get on the road and talk about the success.”
Senior White House officials have promised that Trump will travel the country regularly until the midterms. He so far has hit critical battleground states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina on his economy tour, but he also traveled to reliably conservative Iowa and the congressional district of former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. He has boosted candidates — in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, he bantered with Republican Michael Whatley and promoted his Senate run — while sometimes veering far away from the economic points the trips are meant to emphasize.
Just the optics of leaving Washington can help telegraph to voters that a president cares about connecting with them. Edward Frantz, a historian at the University of Indianapolis, said Herbert Hoover — an engineer, self-made millionaire and technocrat — believed he could solve the nation’s ills by working with his team in isolation and rarely leaving Washington. That led to a perception among voters that Hoover simply didn’t care, because they didn’t see him connecting with Americans.
“If you think about a call and response … the call is the State of the Union, and if you really do care about being in touch with others, then what’s the response?” Frantz said. “The best way to be able to see that is by hitting the road.”
How Americans feel about Trump has remained relatively stable throughout his second term, making it unlikely that one speech will meaningfully shift the way he’s perceived. His approval rating has changed very little during his second term, Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling has found, falling only slightly from 42% in March 2025 to 36% in early February.
Nevertheless, the annual address offers Trump the chance to reframe his message, just as it has for presidents who came before him.
Presidential historian Timothy Naftali pointed out that in 1996, Bill Clinton used his State of the Union to set the themes of his Democratic reelection campaign. After George W. Bush’s midterm drubbing in November 2006, the Republican struck a noticeably more conciliatory tone toward the new Democratic leadership that had just taken charge on Capitol Hill.
“The State of the Union, they’re less important than they once were because with a president like Trump, he’s always available,” said Naftali, a senior research scholar at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. “But the State of the Union is an opportunity to reset the president’s agenda or to reaffirm it, and resetting an agenda in the social media era is different from resetting it in previous times.”
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — A couple arrived at the Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem with an agreement already signed by the Family Court, only to be surprised by the judge’s refusal to grant them a divorce. The reason: the judge did not approve the “nesting” arrangement, an arrangement in which the children remain in their home while the parents rotate in accordance with the custody schedule.
Hagai, one of the spouses, described:
“The judge stepped out for a few minutes and returned saying that he had consulted with 11 rabbinical judges. According to halacha, they do not recognize the ‘nesting’ arrangement, and therefore he would not approve the divorce. He told us we could appeal, but that it would be pointless, as this was a principled decision and we would receive a rejection.”
The “nesting” arrangement has become increasingly common in recent years, and it turns out that Hagai and his former partner are not the only ones to encounter difficulties with the rabbinical court, which effectively turned them into divorce refusers.
“We came to the court with full agreements from start to finish. All he needed to do was approve and allow us to implement our understandings,” Hagai shared. “Suddenly we felt that there was deep interference in the most personal and private decisions about how we should live our lives and raise our children. It was a very difficult and invasive feeling.”
At Itim, an organization that assists the public in navigating bureaucracy related to religious services in Israel, they say this situation is the result of the authority granted to rabbinical courts by the state.
Attorney Ohad Weigler, Director of Public Policy at Itim, explained:
“Nesting arrangements are a precise example of the tragedy faced by divorcing couples. On one hand, parents in a complex situation who want to do the maximum for their children. On the other hand, rabbinical courts that refuse to arrange a divorce due to halachic considerations, considerations that the couple themselves do not even accept.”
“As reflected in a survey we conducted,” Weigler added, “the conduct of rabbinical judges in divorce proceedings leads many couples to develop resentment toward the religious establishment and distance themselves from their Jewish identity. But the truth is that the primary responsibility does not lie with the courts, but with elected officials. They are the ones enabling this difficult reality to persist, even in the State of Israel in 2026.”
The Rabbinical Courts Administration responded:
“As a judicial authority, the rabbinical courts do not have a ‘policy’ regarding nesting arrangements. Each case is examined individually. The court is responsible for creating a framework that enables both parents to maintain contact with their shared children. Various models exist for this purpose, and the court adopts the appropriate model based on the specific circumstances of each case. Any party dissatisfied with a ruling retains the right to appeal to the Great Rabbinical Court of Appeals in Jerusalem.”
Vos Iz NeiasBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Facing tough odds in an upcoming election, Hungary’s pro-Russian prime minister is trying to convince voters that the greatest threat to the country is not economic stagnation — the focus of his top opponent — but neighboring Ukraine.
Viktor Orbán is running an aggressive media campaign replete with disinformation whose central message is that Hungarians should refuse to align with the rest of Europe in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. That path, he argues, risks bankrupting the country and getting its youth killed on the front lines.
Billboards erected across the country show AI-generated images of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flanked by European officials, holding out his hand as if demanding money. It’s a not-so-subtle reference to the European Union’s efforts to help Ukraine financially and bolster its defenses as the war enters its fifth year.
“Our message to Brussels: We won’t pay!” the publicly funded billboards read.
If there had been any doubt, it became clear on Monday why the outcome of Hungary’s upcoming election will reverberate beyond its borders. Hungary blocked a new package of EU sanctions on Russia in response to interruptions in Russian oil supplies that pass through Ukraine, and vowed to veto any further pro-Ukraine policies until oil flows resume.
Orbán is widely seen as the Kremlin’s strongest ally in the EU. While almost all of the bloc’s other 26 nations have distanced themselves from Russia since it launched the war on Feb. 24, 2022, Hungary has deepened cooperation.
The prime minister has cast his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin as pragmatic, stemming from Hungary’s access to reliable supplies of Russian oil and gas. But Orbán’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies, crackdowns on the media and nongovernmental organizations, and his labeling of critics as “foreign agents” have led to accusations that he’s reading from Putin’s authoritarian playbook.
Campaign of fear
Orbán, who retook office in 2010, faces the strongest challenge to his power in an election set for April 12. The EU’s longest-serving leader and his right-wing Fidesz party are trailing in most independent polls to an upstart center-right challenger, Péter Magyar.
A 44-year-old lawyer and former Fidesz insider who broke with the party in 2024, Magyar has focused his campaign on stemming the rising costs of living, improving social services and reining in corruption. He also promises to restore Hungary’s Western orientation and bolster democratic institutions which have eroded during Orbán’s 16 years in power.
His rise was aided by political scandals that have damaged the credibility of Orbán’s party; a presidential pardon given to an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case led to a public outcry, prompting the president and justice minister to resign.
Losing ground to Magyar and his Tisza party, Orbán and Fidesz have sought to change the conversation. They have blanketed the country with taxpayer-funded billboards, as well as advertisements on radio, television and social media. A petition mailed to every Hungarian of voting age claimed the EU’s plans to help Ukraine financially would bring economic ruin.
Other ads, paid for by a shadowy pro-government organization with Fidesz ties, depict Magyar as a puppet of Zelenskyy and the EU who would sell out the country to foreign interests and draw Hungary into the war.
Hungary’s public media, along with many private news outlets loyal to Orbán’s government, faithfully mimic the claims. They say Ukraine wants to prolong the bloody conflict that has killed tens of thousands of its citizens — and is conspiring with the EU to do it.
Disinformation is fueled by artificial intelligence
Orbán has recently claimed that the EU — not Russia — poses the greatest threat to Hungary. He says rising defense spending across Europe — driven by Russia’s war and pressure from the U.S. to increase NATO contributions — is evidence that the EU is preparing for conflict with Moscow and plans to forcibly conscript Hungarians to fight.
In an AI-generated video Fidesz released on social media last week, a little girl asks her forlorn mother in Hungarian: “Mommy, when is daddy coming home?”
In the next frame, the fictional father — bound, blindfolded and kneeling on a muddy battlefield — is approached by a soldier, and shot in the head. “We won’t allow others to decide on the fates of our families,” a narrator says. “Let’s not take a risk. Fidesz is the safe choice.”
Although some EU countries have proposed sending troops to Ukraine to monitor any future ceasefire, they are not intended to engage in combat, and participation would be voluntary, said András Rácz, a Russia expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations.
Rácz notes that, despite the false premise behind many of Orbán’s claims, Fidesz has won two previous elections after raising fears that its political opponent would drag the country into the war.
“They are trying to max this out. They have nothing else,” Rácz said. “Populists often try to define an enemy, often an imaginary one, and then offer protection to the society from that enemy. Ukraine has been ideal from this perspective.”
Escalating tensions
For years, Orbán has sought to stymie EU efforts to provide financial and military support to Ukraine, and he has vigorously opposed sanctions targeting Russian oil and officials.
Tensions with Ukraine grew recently after Russian oil shipments to Hungary were interrupted; Ukraine blamed the disruption on a Russian drone strike in late January that damaged a pipeline. Orbán called it blackmail.
Last week, his government retaliated by halting diesel shipments to Ukraine and threatening to veto a 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) EU loan destined for Kyiv. On Monday, it blocked the 20th round of EU sanctions against Russia.
The anti-Ukraine campaign has resonated with many Hungarians loyal to Fidesz. Despite Tisza’s advantage in the polls, its victory is far from assured.
Still, many Hungarians are dubious of Orban’s anti-Ukraine messaging. On Sunday, hundreds of Hungarians and Ukrainians, many of them refugees, gathered in central Budapest to commemorate the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Marching toward a demonstration outside the Russian embassy, participants held Ukrainian and Hungarian flags, and chanted, “Stop Putin, stop the war!”
Budapest’s liberal mayor, Gergely Karácsony, told The Associated Press that Orbán’s messaging and policies are “a betrayal not only of Ukraine, but of Hungary’s national interest.”
“I hope that this will go into history as a failed policy, but that history will also remember that there were some who stood up for what is right,” he said.
One of the marchers was Ester Zhivatovska, a 19-year-old veterinary medicine student who came from the Ukrainian port city of Odesa to study in Budapest. She said the billboards depicting her country’s president are laughable.
“The main message of these billboards is that Ukraine will steal Hungarian money,” she said. “But come on, you’re using these AI images from the Hungarian budget to do what? To win elections.”
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Knesset on Wednesday approved in a preliminary reading the new Western Wall bill proposed by Noam party chairman MK Avi Maoz, with the support of 56 members of Knesset and 47 opposing.
The proposal stipulates that any conduct at holy sites that contradicts the rulings of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel will be considered desecration of the site, a criminal offense punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment.
The bill will be transferred to committee preparation ahead of its first reading. However, the legislation has sparked controversy, mainly over whether it will also apply to the Temple Mount.
MK Maoz rejected claims that Jewish visits to the Temple Mount would be criminalized, stating that the argument is baseless because the Temple Mount does not appear on the list of holy sites under the Chief Rabbinate’s authority.
In contrast, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told members of his faction that the law would indeed apply to the Mount. “This is a huge law that will enable further dramatic changes on the Temple Mount,” he said.
Ben-Gvir added: “If the Western Wall law passes and the Temple Mount is certainly considered a holy site according to the rulings, this means schools for Arabs on the Mount would automatically be stopped, football games halted, and historic changes made.”
The Beyadenu organization stated: “We call on Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Constitution Committee Chairman MK Rothman to honor their commitment and ensure the law does not harm Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount. Contrary to claims, the High Court of Justice currently includes the Mount on the list of holy places, which could pave the way for halting Jewish visits and defining them as desecration. We will stand firm against any harm to the Jewish people’s right to ascend their holiest site.”
Coalition sources who spoke with Maariv clarified that there is no intention to make Jewish visits to the Temple Mount a criminal offense, and that if necessary, this will be explicitly clarified in the wording of the law.
Among the options being considered: changing the definition so that desecration would be determined according to Orthodox halachic law rather than the rulings of the Chief Rabbinate.
Vos Iz NeiasTEL AVIV (VINnews) — The Israeli Air Force has directed personnel stationed at the Kirya military complex in Tel Aviv to stop receiving food deliveries at the base entrance, citing security considerations.
Under updated guidelines, service members must meet delivery drivers at prearranged locations outside the facility rather than at its gates.
Israeli media reported the move stems from concerns that unusual spikes in food orders — particularly during late-night hours — could be monitored and interpreted as signals of heightened operational activity, including possible action involving Iran.
The concern mirrors the long-discussed “Pizza Meter” theory associated with the Pentagon, which suggests that increased takeout activity near military headquarters may coincide with major geopolitical events. Social media users have previously claimed to track late-night restaurant traffic around the Pentagon as a potential indicator of unfolding operations.
Israeli officials have not publicly elaborated on specific threats but appear to be seeking to reduce patterns that could be exploited through open-source intelligence monitoring.
Vos Iz NeiasDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran pushed back Wednesday against U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure tactics ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program, alternating between calling his remarks “big lies” to saying negotiations may yield an agreement through “honorable diplomacy.”
The remarks by two Iranian officials ahead of Thursday’s talks come as America has assembled its biggest deployment of aircraft and warships to the Middle East in decades, part of Trump’s efforts to get a deal while Iran struggles at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month.
If the negotiations fail, Trump repeatedly has threatened to attack Iran — something Mideast nations fear could spiral into a new regional war as the embers of the yearslong Israel-Hamas war still smolder. Already, Iran has said all U.S. military bases in the Mideast would be considered legitimate targets, putting at risk the tens of thousands of American service members in the region.
Satellite photos shot Tuesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by The Associated Press appeared to show American vessels typically docked in Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, all out at sea. The 5th Fleet referred questions to the U.S. military’s Central Command, which did not immediately respond. Before Iran’s attack on Qatar in June, the 5th Fleet similarly scattered its ships at sea to protect against a potential attack.
Iran responds to Trump’s State of the Union speech
Trump on Tuesday night in the U.S. gave his annual State of the Union speech, touching on Iran and the nuclear negotiations.
“They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” Trump said. “They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, and in particular nuclear weapons, yet they continue. They’re starting it all over.”
Satellite photos earlier analyzed by the AP showed Iran beginning to rebuild its missile production sites and doing some work at the three nuclear sites attacked by the U.S. in June. Iran long has maintained its nuclear program is peaceful. The West and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Iran had a nuclear weapons program until 2003. It had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity before the June attack — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Responding to Trump, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei sought to compare him to Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler’s propaganda minister. He accused Trump and his administration of conducting a “disinformation & misinformation campaign” against Iran.
“Whatever they’re alleging in regards to Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January’s unrest is simply the repetition of ‘big lies,'” Baghaei wrote on X.
Trump said in his speech at least 32,000 people were killed in the protests, which is at the further end of estimates offered by activists for the death toll. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency has so far counted more than 7,000 dead and believes the death toll is far higher. Iran’s government, which long has downplayed death tolls in other unrest, offered its only toll on Jan. 21, saying 3,117 people were killed.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, separately said the U.S. could either try diplomacy or face Iran’s wrath.
“If you choose the table of diplomacy — a diplomacy in which the dignity of the Iranian nation and mutual interests are respected — we will also be at that table,” Qalibaf said, according to the semiofficial Student News Network, a media outlet believed to be close to the all-volunteer Basij force of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
“But if you decide to repeat past experiences through deception, lies, flawed analysis and false information, and launch an attack in the midst of negotiations, you will undoubtedly taste the firm blow of the Iranian nation and the country’s defensive forces.”
Talks hang in balance
Iran and the U.S. are due to meet Thursday in Geneva, their third round of talks under the mediation of Oman, long an interlocutor between Tehran and the West.
If the talks fail, uncertainty hangs over the timing of any possible attack, as well as its mission and goals.
The U.S. has not made clear the aims of possible military action. If the goal is to pressure Iran to make concessions in nuclear negotiations, it’s not clear whether limited strikes will work. If the goal is to remove Iran’s leaders, that will likely commit the U.S. to a more massive, longer military campaign. There has been no public sign of planning for what would come next, including the potential for chaos in Iran.
The status of Iran’s nuclear program is another mystery. Trump earlier said American strikes “obliterated” it. Now, dismantling whatever remains of the program appears to be back on the administration’s agenda. IAEA inspectors have not been allowed to inspect those sites and verify what remains.
There is also uncertainty about what any military action could mean for the wider region. Tehran could retaliate against the American-allied nations of the Persian Gulf or Israel. Oil prices have risen in recent days in part due to those concerns.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Cave of the Seventy Elders, located in the village of Awarta in Samaria, was desecrated on Tuesday night by Arabs. The cave, a significant archaeological site, is believed to be the tomb of the leaders of the Jewish people after the death of Yehoshua, and is adjacent to the tombs of Elazar and Itamar (the name of a neighboring Jewish community). This is the second such incident within six months, following severe damage that occurred at the same site last August.
The current incident, which includes Hamas graffiti and stone smashing, sparked an uproar among heritage organizations and activists for holy sites.
The vandals, who have yet to be identified, carried out vandalism with a clear nationalistic nature: The words “Hamas” and “Al-Quds” were sprayed on the walls of the cave, and stones inside the ancient cave were smashed and thrown around.
It should be noted that the village of Awarta is adjacent to the village of Huwara, where several deadly terrorist attacks took place in recent years, including the murder of two brothers, Hallel and Yagel Yaniv, whose Yahrzeit was marked on Tuesday by a ceremony at the site of the murder attended by hundreds of people from nearby communities.
In response to the incident, the Jews United (JU) organization urgently appealed to Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, demanding the establishment of a permanent protection mechanism for heritage sites in Samaria, with the goal of preventing similar incidents in the future. Arutz Sheva reported that the Minister’s office is handling the matter together with the relevant authorities.
Holy sites activist Shaloma-Rivka Levine responded sharply: “This lawlessness is a wound in the heart of the nation. We can no longer rely on ‘false calm’ when our heritage sites are being erased. We demand sovereignty and governance now.
Vos Iz NeiasMANILA, Philippines (AP) — A United States military plane hit a concrete barrier while attempting to take off from a road during contingency training in the Philippines, injuring all five American personnel aboard, Philippine officials said Wednesday.
The pilot and two other American personnel were brought to a hospital for treatment after Tuesday afternoon’s incident in a concrete bypass road in Laoac town in the northern Pangasinan province. Two other injured personnel were treated at the site and the U.S. Air Force transport plane was damaged, police said in a report.
U.S. military officials did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for more details about the incident, including the condition of the injured personnel.
The training, involving the plane landing on and taking off from an “alternate landing zone,” was planned and fully coordinated with Philippine civilian, police and military authorities, three Philippine officials said. The training was meant to prepare military forces for contingencies, such as when regular airports and runways become inaccessible during typhoons and earthquakes.
The three officials, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the accident publicly, said the cause of the accident was under investigation. The aircraft managed to land during the “supervised activity,” but swerved during takeoff, one of the three officials said.
The U.S. military had deployed aircraft and personnel in the past to help deliver food, medicine and other humanitarian aid to Philippine provinces devastated by typhoons and other natural disasters.
U.S. forces are allowed to conduct training with Filipino counterparts in the Philippines under a 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement. Large-scale joint combat training drills in recent years have focused on helping the Philippines defend its territorial interests and promote freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, which lies west of Pangasinan.
Confrontations between the coast guard and naval forces of China and the Philippines have flared in recent years in the disputed waters, which is claimed largely by Beijing. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are also involved in the long-simmering territorial standoffs.
The U.S. does not lay any claims in the contested waters but has repeatedly warned that it’s obligated to defend the Philippines under a mutual defense treaty if Philippine forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — Light snow moved through parts of the Northeast on Wednesday as people heading to work and school were trying to navigate their way out of a massive storm that dropped piles of powder on streets and sidewalks from Maryland to Maine.
One to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 centimeters) of snow was expected — a far cry from the last storm — but any snow that melted likely froze overnight, resulting in patchy black ice to make for some slippery roads, the National Weather Service said.
The gigantic snowstorm this week left cities scrambling to clear towering heaps that were not showing signs of melting anytime soon.
By Tuesday evening, New York City had spread 143 million pounds (65 million kilograms) of salt, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and signed up at least 3,500 people as emergency shovelers. The $30-per-hour shifts involve clearing snow across public streets and bus stops.
Some sidewalks are impassable for people with disabilities
But there was plenty more work left to do, especially for the many people with disabilities.
Jeff Peters, spokesperson for the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, described parts of the city as impassable islands.
“You’ll find a portion of a sidewalk that is clear, and then there’s maybe a 6-inch (15-centimeter) pathway that can only be walked with one foot in front of the other and no room for a stroller, rollator, walker or crutches,” Peters said. “Then you get to the corner and not only is it unshoveled, but you have basically a glacier at the end of it.”
Tina Guenette, who uses a motorized wheelchair, had to shovel out her yard this week after more than 33 inches (84 centimeters) fell in Harrisville, Rhode Island, a town about 17 miles (27 kilometers) northwest of Providence.
“I really have no choice if my service dog wants to go outside,” Guenette said Tuesday. Harrisville has a volunteer snow-shoveling program, but it hasn’t had volunteers for the last few years, she said.
The storm unleashed massive amounts of snow
Monday’s storm blanketed the region with snow, canceled flights, disrupted transit, downed power lines and killed at least one person. More than 3 feet (0.9 meters) fell in Rhode Island — surpassing snow totals from the historic Blizzard of 1978 that struck the Northeast, the weather service said.
Meteorologist Ryan Maue, former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said if all of the snow that fell from Maryland to Maine fell just on Manhattan, the snow would tower over a mile high.
In Newport, Rhode Island, Joseph Boutros, 21, was found unconscious inside a vehicle covered in snow Monday night, the city’s police department said in a statement. The Salve Regina University student was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning, police said.
Schools are returning to normal after storm-related disruptions
Some large school districts moved back to in-person classes on Wednesday, including Philadelphia, which had switched to online learning during the first two days of the week. Schools reopened in Boston. They had been closed since last week for the winter vacation break.
In New York City, more than 900,000 students in the nation’s largest public school system had a regular day Tuesday. Many students and their caregivers scrambled over mountainous snow banks and dodged salt spreaders during the morning drop-off.
Power had returned for many of the hundreds of thousands who had lost electricity in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware and Rhode Island. But nearly 160,000 customers in Massachusetts were still without power early Wednesday.
Thousands of flights in and out of the U.S. have been canceled in recent days. By Wednesday, the disruptions seemed to be subsiding, with nearly 200 grounded, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport reopened Tuesday. Some flights departed Wednesday, while others were canceled.
When Jamie Meyers’ flight landed in New York from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday evening, the cabin full of relieved passengers burst into applause. The Manhattan resident was supposed to arrive home Sunday but faced a cancellation and significant delay.
The weather service referred to Monday’s storm as a “classic bomb cyclone/nor’easter off the Northeast coast.” A bomb cyclone happens when a storm’s pressure falls by a certain amount within a 24-hour period.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, arrived on Wednesday morning for another historic visit to Israel, following his previous visit in 2017 and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s reciprocal visit to India.
Prime Minister Netanyahu and Prime Minister Modi maintain a close personal relationship, and their long-standing friendship strongly reflects the relations between the two countries. Netanyahu and his wife Sara welcomed the Prime Minister of India at a festive ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport, followed by a private meeting between the leaders.
From there, the Prime Minister and his wife proceeded to the Knesset, which organized an official reception ceremony for the Indian Prime Minister. After speeches in the Knesset plenum, the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of India will visit an innovation event together at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem. At the conclusion of the event, the Prime Minister and his wife will host the Prime Minister of India for a joint dinner.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister and the Indian Prime Minister will visit Yad Vashem together and will subsequently hold an expanded meeting at the King David Hotel. The two leaders will sign a series of agreements between Israel and India in economic, security, and diplomatic fields, which will boost cooperation between the two nations.
Following the signing ceremony, the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of India will deliver joint statements to the media.
Modi wrote in his Twitter account that “I will be undertaking a State Visit to Israel today and tomorrow. Our nations share a robust and multifaceted Strategic Partnership. Ties have significantly strengthened in the last few years. I will be holding talks with PM Netanyahu, in which we will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation across diverse fields. I will also meet President Isaac Herzog, President of Israel.
“This evening, I will be addressing the Israeli Parliament, Knesset. This is a tribute to the strong parliamentary and democratic ties that connect us. I will also interact with the Indian diaspora, who have made a big contribution in strengthening the India-Israel friendship.”
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has instructed its soldiers serving at the HaKiryah base in Tel Aviv to stop ordering food deliveries directly to the base gates. According to the directive, soldiers are required to arrange a meeting point with the delivery driver outside the base.
Ynet reported that the reason for this is not culinary, but security-related: There is concern that an increase in orders during unusual hours could serve as an intelligence indicator of an imminent attack in Iran.
The comparison made is to the “Pizza Meter” theory at the Pentagon. Last June, internet users claimed they identified early signs of an Israeli attack on Iran by tracking the sales data of pizzerias near the Pentagon, signifying intensified activity at the US Defense HQ.
A page on X, called the Pentagon Pizza Report, reported a sharp increase in orders from District Pizza Palace, located about three kilometers from the Pentagon, on the night the attack began. By 7:00 p.m. Washington time, about an hour before the attack started, the page reported “a massive increase in activity.”
This tracking relies on an old theory suggesting that unusual takeout orders for employees staying late at the Pentagon could signal significant international events. The Israeli directive seeks to hide any implication of an impending attack which could be gleaned from the increased food orders to the Hakiryah base.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (VINnews) — Rep. Ilhan Omar, D‑Minn., shouted “you have killed Americans” Tuesday as President Donald Trump criticized Democrats for demanding immigration reforms before funding the Department of Homeland Security.
Omar was referring to a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota in which two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal agents.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, of Minnesota shouted "you have killed Americans" as President Donald Trump slammed Democrats for demanding for reform before funding the Department of Homeland Security.
Omar was referring to the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, where Renee Good and… pic.twitter.com/MRdxgJtdTe
— CNN (@CNN) February 25, 2026
Trump, speaking during his State of the Union address, accused Democrats of blocking funding for the agency and called on lawmakers to affirm that the government’s first duty is protecting American citizens. “If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support. First duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens,” he said. When Democrats remained seated, Trump added, “You should be ashamed of yourself for not standing up.”
The confrontation highlighted the deep partisan divide over immigration enforcement, with Omar and other Democrats condemning federal actions that resulted in the deaths of U.S. citizens and Trump pushing for stricter border and enforcement policies.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump declared during Tuesday’s marathon State of the Union that “we’re winning so much,” saying he’d sparked a jobs and manufacturing boom at home while imposing a new world order abroad — hoping that offering a long list of his accomplishments can counter approval ratings that have been falling.
His main objective was convincing increasingly wary Americans that the economy is stronger than many believe, and that they should vote for more of the same by backing Republicans during November’s midterm elections. In the process, he shattered his own record, going longer than the 100-minute speech he gave before a joint session of Congress last year.
Trump tried at points to appeal to bipartisan patriotic sentiments, introducing a series of surprise guests that included U.S. military heroes; a former political prisoner released after his administration toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Nicolás Maduro; and the Olympic gold-medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team.
“Our country is winning again. In fact, we’re winning so much that we really don’t know what to do about it. People are asking me, ‘Please, please, please, Mister President, we’re winning too much. We can’t take it anymore,'” Trump said before introducing the team.
The hockey players, wearing their medals and sweaters that said “USA” in large letters, drew a bipartisan standing ovation. Trump pointed to the Democratic side of the chamber and quipped, “That’s the first time I ever I’ve ever seen them get up.”
In another made-for-TV moment, Trump announced he would be awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, to the hockey team’s goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. Trump made a similar surprise announcement in 2020, bestowing the award on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh during the speech.
Trump calls tariff decision ‘an unfortunate ruling’ as justices look on
Trump championed his immigration crackdowns and his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down. He drew applause only from Democrats while describing the high court’s overturning his policies, which he called “an unfortunate ruling” while insisting “everything was working well” before it came down.
The president vowed to plow ahead, using “alternative” laws to impose the taxes on imports and telling lawmakers, “Congressional action will not be necessary.” He also made a bold prediction, suggesting that some day tariffs would “substantially replace” the modern income tax system. Trump argued that the tariffs are paid by foreign countries. despite evidence that the costs are borne by American consumers and businesses.
“It’s saving our country,” Trump said of tariffs.
The Supreme Court justices in attendance were the same who came to Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress last March: Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan. Trump greeted the justices after previously slamming Coney Barrett for siding with the majority against his tariffs, despite him appointing her to the high court in his first term.
Democrats also stood for Trump vowing to crackdown on insider trading by lawmakers, prompting Trump to offer, “I’m very impressed.” Not everybody applauded, though. Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat yelled, “How about you first!” Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, called out, “You’re the most corrupt president!”
When some heckling continued, Trump proclaimed, “You should be ashamed of yourselves.” Later he pointed at Democrats and proclaimed, “These people are crazy,” adding, “Democrats are destroying our country.”
Democratic Rep. Al Green was escorted from the chamber after he unfurled a sign of protest that read “Black People Aren’t Apes!” The sign appeared to be a reference to a racist video the president posted that depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama depicted as primates in a jungle. Green was also removed during Trump’s address last year.
Before he began speaking, Senate Democrats blocked a bill to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security, pressing for new limits on immigration enforcement that Republicans have opposed.
In response, Trump invited lawmakers from both parties to “protect American citizens, not illegal aliens” and championed proposals to limit mail-in ballots and tighten voter identification rules. He then devoted large swaths of his speech to warning about the dangers of immigrants and bestowed the Purple Heart on Andrew Wolfe, a National Guard member who was shot while deployed on the streets of the nation’s capital and made his first public appearance since then during the speech.
Affordability gets relatively little speech time
Trump didn’t say that much about efforts to bring down the cost of living — despite polling showing that his handling of the economy and kitchen table issues have increasingly become a liability. Such concerns about the high costs of living helped propel Democratic wins around the country on Election Day last November.
There also are persistent fears that tariffs stoking higher prices could eventually hurt the economy and job creation. Economic growth slowed in the last three months of last year. It is potentially politically perilous ahead of November elections that could deliver congressional wins to Democrats, just as 2018’s blue wave created a strong check to his administration during his first term.
On Tuesday, Trump blamed his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, along with Democratic lawmakers in the chamber, saying they were responsible for rising prices and health care costs, two issues his political opponents have repeatedly raised against him.
“You caused that problem,” Trump said of affordability concerns. He added a moment later, “They knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie.”
As is typical, Trump also had some notable off-script moments. Referencing prescription drug prices, Trump said, “So in my first year of the second term — should be my third term — but strange things happen,” prompting at least one chant in the chamber of “Four more years!”
The president also put forward a new plan to give a modest boost to help some Americans save for retirement if they do not have a retirement account through their workplace in which their employer matches contributions to the fund.
Starting next year, he said, his administration would let those Americans access the same retirement accounts as federal workers and would match their contribution up to $1,000. Trump did not offer details about how he would put the program in place and did not indicate if he would ask Congress to pass the program and fund it.
The president also announced that tech companies involved in artificial intelligence are agreeing to pay higher electricity rates in areas where their data centers are located. Data centers tend to use large volumes of electricity, potentially increasing the cost of power to other consumers in the area.
A warning to Iran
Trump’s address came as two U.S. aircraft carriers have been dispatched to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran. Trump said, “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy.”
“But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror — which they are, by far — to have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
The president also recounted U.S. airstrikes last summer that pounded Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, and lauded the raid that ousted Maduro in Venezuela — as well as his administration’s brokering of a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
Less mentioned was Trump’s having strained U.S. military alliances with NATO, thanks to his push to seize Greenland from Denmark and his failure to take a harder line with Russian President Vladimir Putin in seeking an end to its war in Ukraine. Tuesday marked the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Vos Iz NeiasWatch President Trump’s State of the Union address on VINnews. The speech, set for the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol, offers Trump a high-visibility platform to reach both lawmakers and the broader public.
More than a routine report, this address comes amid heightened political stakes with the 2026 midterm elections approaching and significant national debates over issues like Iran, immigration, tariffs, and congressional priorities.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — The Central Intelligence Agency offered help to potential informants in Iran on Tuesday, providing Farsi-language instructions on ways to safely contact the U.S. spy agency as President Donald Trump mulls possible military strikes.
The post is the latest in a series of recruitment pitches in Farsi, Korean, Russian and Mandarin that offered secure ways to contact the CIA. The Farsi-language message posted Tuesday to X, Instagram and YouTube, however, comes at an especially uneasy time in U.S.-Iran relations and as the Iranian theocracy faces new protests at home.
The U.S. has assembled its largest military force in the Mideast in decades as tensions with Iran have risen. Trump threatened military action in January in response to the government’s fierce crackdown on national protests before shifting his focus to Iran’s disputed nuclear program and warning it to make a deal. Another round of nuclear talks is planned for later this week.
In a sign of new unrest in Iran, students held anti-government protests at universities in Tehran on Monday.
“Hello. The Central Intelligence Agency hears you and wants to help,” the agency wrote in the message, according to an English translation. “Here are some tips on how to make a secure virtual call with us.”
The Farsi-language post racked up millions of views within just a few hours.
The agency won’t say if earlier recruitment videos have resulted in tips or new sources, but Director John Ratcliffe has said the posts are having an impact.
“Last year, CIA’s Mandarin video campaign reached many Chinese citizens, and we know there are many more searching for a way to improve their lives and change their country for the better,” Ratcliffe said earlier this month when a new Mandarin video was posted.
The CIA’s tips include using a virtual private network, or VPN, to circumvent internet restrictions and surveillance, and the use of a disposable device that can’t easily be traced back to the user. The CIA also urged potential informants to use private web browsers and to delete their internet history to cover their tracks.
The instructions include ways to reach the CIA on its public website or on the darknet, a part of the internet that can only be accessed using special tools designed to hide the user’s identity. The CIA has also posted similar instructions in Russian.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the new video.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Since 2002, retirement savers age 50 and over have had the option of making “catch-up” contributions to their 401(k) plans, which stack on top of the regular limits for employee contributions to tax-deferred retirement plans. The amounts were limited to $1,000 per year when they first came out but expanded to $7,500 by 2025.
In addition, contributions to tax-deferred retirement plans are excluded from adjusted gross income, resulting in a lower tax bill on income that would otherwise be taxed. For example, a 50-year-old employee who contributed the $23,500 maximum to her retirement plan in 2025 plus the $7,500 catch-up amount would have effectively shielded $31,000 from current-year taxes, resulting in a tax break of $7,440 for someone in the 24% tax bracket.
New for 2026: One tax break goes away with Secure 2.0
But starting this year, these tax breaks will be off-limits for some retirement savers. That’s because of a new provision from Secure 2.0 that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Individuals who earned more than $145,000 in prior-year wages from their current employer (indexed for inflation) will only be able to make catch-up contributions to a Roth 401(k), meaning the contribution amount will be subject to taxes upfront.
For a higher-earning 50-year-old who contributes the $8,000 maximum catch-up amount to a Roth 401(k) in 2026, those dollars won’t be deducted from adjusted gross income. As a result, taxes paid for this year would be about $1,920 higher (assuming a 24% tax bracket) than they would have been if the catch-up amount had gone to a traditional 401(k). Paying taxes upfront makes these contributions less attractive than they were previously, especially for retirement savers who expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement.
Why you might still want to make catch-up contributions
Even without a tax break, you’ll probably still want to contribute the extra amount if you’re running behind on retirement savings. If you contribute the full catch-up amount (currently $8,000) starting at age 50 and continue doing so through age 65, you could make total contributions of $120,000 or more over that period. If you’re between 60 and 63, you can contribute even more as a “super catch-up” of up to $11,250 per year, with contributions for higher earners subject to the same rules as the regular catch-up contributions.
A 50-year-old who maxes out on catch-up and super catch-up contributions could end up with about $200,000 (assuming a 5% annual return) in the Roth 401(k) by age 65.
The tax advantages of a Roth 401(k)
1. In contrast to a traditional 401(k) or IRA, there’s no tax hit when money is withdrawn to cover spending in retirement, and the account isn’t subject to required minimum distributions. As long as the distribution is “qualified” (taken after age 59½ from an account that has been open for at least five years), the proceeds aren’t subject to ordinary income taxes or capital gains taxes.
2. Roth 401(k)s also allow for tax-free growth; annual distributions from income or capital gains aren’t subject to taxes. As a result, if you’re comparing saving in a taxable account versus contributing to a Roth 401(k), the Roth option would be more tax-efficient.
3. In contrast to a traditional IRA or 401(k), distributions from a Roth account don’t result in other income adjustments, such as the net investment income tax or the income-related monthly adjustment amount that results in surcharges for Medicare premiums.
4. Finally, a workplace Roth 401(k) can later be rolled into a Roth IRA, which can be useful if you’re planning to make Roth conversions after retirement.
Why you might want to skip making catch-up contributions
It’s important to note that funds contributed to a Roth 401(k) may not be eligible for matching contributions from your employer. Employers were previously required to treat matching contributions as pretax contributions, meaning that matching contributions to a Roth 401(k) weren’t allowed. Secure 2.0 loosened up these restrictions, but not all employers have updated their plans.
On balance, though, I’d lean in favor of continuing to make catch-up contributions if you can, even though they no longer help reduce taxable income before retirement.
One final note: If you qualify as a higher earner but your employer’s plan doesn’t offer a Roth 401(k) option, you won’t be able to make these catch-up contributions.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s stunning rebuke of President Donald Trump’s most sweeping tariffs means he can’t conjure up new import taxes on a whim anymore.
But the justices’ ruling on Friday is nonetheless unlikely to ease the uncertainty over Trump’s trade policy that has paralyzed businesses over the past year. “It’s only gotten more complicated for everybody,’’ said trade lawyer Ryan Majerus, partner at King & Spalding and a former U.S. trade official.
Vexing questions remain: How will the president use other laws to reconstruct the tariffs the Supreme Court knocked down, and will those attempts withstand legal challenges? What does the decision mean for the trade deals Trump strong-armed other countries into accepting, using his now-defunct tariffs as leverage? Can importers collect refunds for the tariffs they paid last year, and if so, how?
Then there’s Trump’s own unpredictability. Even though he had weeks to prepare for an unfavorable Supreme Court ruling, his response was still chaotic: On Friday, he said he’d use other legal authority to impose 10% levies on imports from other countries. Saturday, he ratcheted it up to 15%.
Normally, lower tariffs arising from the Supreme Court’s decision might be expected to give the economy a little lift. But “any benefit you would get from that is more than offset to a modest negative from the uncertainty front,” said Mike Skordeles, head of U.S. economics at Truist, a bank.
Trump looks for new import taxes
Gone for good are the sweeping tariffs Trump justified under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), mainly to combat America’s persistent trade deficits. But that doesn’t mean the president can’t invoke other laws to rebuild much of his tariff wall around the U.S. economy.
“Tariff revenues will be unchanged this year and will be unchanged in the future,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a Fox News interview Sunday.
Trump reached for a stop-gap option immediately after his defeat Friday at the Supreme Court: Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 15% for up to 150 days. But any extension beyond 150 days must be approved by a Congress likely to balk at passing a tax increase as November’s midterm elections loom.
Section 122 has never been invoked before, and some critics say the president can’t use it as a stand-in for the IEEPA tariffs to combat the trade deficit.
Bryan Riley of National Taxpayers Union, for example, argues that Section 122 is meant to give the president a tool to fight what it calls “fundamental international payments problems,’’ not the trade deficit.
The provision arose from the financial crises that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s when the U.S. dollar was tied to gold. Other countries were dumping dollars in exchange for gold at a set rate, putting alarming downward pressure on the dollar. But the U.S. currency is no longer linked to gold, so Section 122 has been “effectively rendered obsolete,’’ Riley wrote in a commentary.
“Given the amount of money at issue for U.S. businesses, it is not hard to imagine a new wave of litigation attacking Section 122, and again seeking refunds of Section 122 duties collected,” said trade lawyer Dave Townsend, a partner at Dorsey & Whitney.
A sturdier alternative is Section 301 of the same 1974 trade act, which gives the United States a handy cudgel with which to smack countries it accuses of engaging in “unjustifiable,” “unreasonable” or “discriminatory” trade practices. In a statement Friday, in fact, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the administration was launching a series of 301 investigations after the loss at the Supreme Court.
Trump invoked Section 301 in his first term to impose sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports in a dispute over the sharp-elbowed tactics that Beijing was using to challenge America’s technological dominance. Those tariffs were upheld in court and kept by the Biden administration.
“We’re eight years in, and those China tariffs are still here,” King & Spalding’s Majerus said. “They’re sticky tariffs.’’
Confusion surrounds Trump’s trade deals
The Supreme Court’s decision also raises questions about the lopsided trade agreements Trump negotiated last year, using the threat of potentially unlimited IEEPA tariffs to squeeze concessions out of U.S. trading partners from the European Union to Japan.
Will countries try to back out of their commitments, now that the IEEPA tariff threat is gone?
The European Union’s trade deal with Trump is already on hold amid confusion following the Supreme Court’s ruling — and Trump’s decision to respond to it with the 15% Section 122 global tariff.
European lawmakers on Monday delayed a vote on ratifying the pact to seek clarification. They are worried that Trump’s new import tax will stack on top of the “most favored nation’’ tariffs the United States charges under pre-existing World Trade Organization rules — and lift U.S. tariffs on EU imports above the 15% the Europeans had agreed to last year.
“A deal is a deal,” said commission spokesman Olof Gill. “So now we are simply saying to the US, it is up to you to clearly show to us what path you are taking to honor the agreement.”
Then there’s the United Kingdom, which had reached a deal with Trump last year for 10% tariffs on its exports to the United States. Will they really go to 15%?
Still, trade analysts largely expect U.S. trade partners to stick by the deals they reached with Trump last year. For one thing, the United States could wallop them with hefty Section 301 tariffs, which are potentially unlimited, for violating trade agreements.
“They’re going to pretty leery of rocking the boat on their deals,” Majerus said. “Violations of trade agreements can be a basis for taking 301 action. So you could see Section 301 become an enforcement mechanism’’ for the United States.
“We are confident that all trade agreements negotiated by President Trump will remain in effect,’’ U.S. Trade Representative Greer said in his statement.
A messy refund process
In its ruling, the Supreme Court didn’t bother to say what would happen to all the money collected from the IEEPA tariffs, $133 billion as of mid-December. It left the messy issue of refunds to importers — but likely not to consumers — to lower courts and the Customs and Border Protection agency, which collects import taxes. But they’re likely to be overwhelmed — hundreds of companies are already lined up to get their money back — and the refunds could take months or years to be paid.
“The whole thing’s going to be a mess,’’ Majerus said.
It’s possible that Congress will order Customs to take an “easy ‘one-click’ approach to refunds,’’ wrote strategists Thierry Wizman and Gareth Berry at the investment bank Macquarie. Otherwise, they warned, the Trump administration could “make the refund process as burdensome as possible, requiring every importer to file stacks of paperwork, if not file a lawsuit, to get its money back. That would be costly for businesses.’’
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (VINnews) — A small robot is lending a hand — or wheel — in clearing snow from New York City streets as a powerful blizzard blankets the region.
New York-based company Reflex Robotics shared video of one of its robots plowing snow outside its office, carving a narrow path through thick accumulation as wind and heavy snowfall swept across the city.
The footage comes as New York City faced its first blizzard warning since 2017. The storm coated streets, sidewalks and vehicles in a heavy layer of snow, disrupting travel and daily life across the five boroughs.
City officials also declared the first snow day for public schools since 2019, underscoring the severity of the storm.
While traditional plows and sanitation crews handled the bulk of snow removal, the robot’s appearance offered a glimpse into how emerging technology could assist with urban cleanup during extreme weather events.
Reflex HQ SLAMMED by snow pic.twitter.com/FgdlIkno89
— Reflex Robotics (@ReflexRobot) February 23, 2026
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The United States has deployed a squadron of advanced F-22 Raptor fighter jets to Israel as part of a wider military buildup across the Middle East, according to regional reports.
Roughly a dozen of the stealth aircraft — widely considered among the most sophisticated air-superiority fighters in the U.S. fleet — were positioned in Israel amid escalating concerns over Iran and its nuclear program. U.S. officials have not publicly outlined operational details but have framed recent force movements as part of a broader deterrence effort.
At sea, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has moved through the eastern Mediterranean and is expected to operate alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln, strengthening the American naval presence in the region.
A squadron of 12 U.S. F-22 Raptors has officially landed in southern Israel after departing the UK. This marks a major escalation in regional airpower as the U.S. prepares for "potential offensive action" against Tehran’s regime. #IranRevolution2026 #LionandSunrevolution pic.twitter.com/V72pqDNjUy
— Faryar Firouzi (@faryarfirouzi) February 24, 2026
The deployments come at a time of heightened rhetoric between Washington and Tehran, as well as ongoing international debate over Iran’s nuclear activities.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said his country remains open to negotiations and is prepared to pursue what he described as a fair agreement, while maintaining that Iran will not abandon civilian nuclear technology.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also emphasized diplomacy, warning that further instability in the region would have broad consequences.
The parallel military deployments and diplomatic messaging reflect a period of sharp tension coupled with renewed calls for talks.
Vos Iz NeiasMIAMI (VINnews) — An American Airlines jet arrived in Miami with apparent bullet damage after a flight from Colombia, according to a published report.
Flight AA923 landed Monday at Miami International Airport, where a post-flight inspection identified puncture marks on the right aileron of the aircraft, AirLive reported. The aileron helps control an airplane’s lateral balance during flight.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, completed the trip without incident and landed safely, the report said. The damage was discovered during routine maintenance checks after arrival.
It was not immediately clear when or where the damage occurred. Neither American Airlines nor aviation authorities had publicly detailed the circumstances as of Tuesday afternoon.
There were no reports of injuries among passengers or crew.
Vos Iz Neias(JNS) – Legislation introduced on Monday would set parameters for the United States to ban the use of U.S.-origin weapons in Palestinian-administered territories.
The Ceasefire Compliance Act, led by Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.), would implement a ban if Israel is found to have violated the U.S.-brokered Oct. 10, 2025, ceasefire with Hamas or the 20-point Gaza peace framework proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The measure would also trigger a ban in cases of Israeli application of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria or a failure to address settler violence.
Under the bill, determinations would be made through a monitoring mechanism with congressional oversight.
“As one of the United States’ most important allies, Israel must ensure that its policies and the use of U.S. military assistance align with American values, interests and the law,” Casten stated. “This legislation creates clear enforcement mechanisms, transparency and consequences when those conditions are not met.”
The legislation explicitly exempts defensive missile systems, including Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow 3.
It is backed by organizations heavily critical of the Israeli government and military’s prosecution of the war against Hamas, including J Street and New Jewish Narrative.
“U.S. assistance—whether aid or arms—should never come as a blank check,” stated Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street. “Passing this bill is a critical step to lay the foundation for broader regional peace that creates a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel and guarantees Israel’s long-term security.”
The measure, which has 25 Democratic cosponsors, would not restrict U.S. intelligence sharing with Israel or American support for Israeli defensive activities.
Vos Iz NeiasMOSCOW (AP) — Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, said Tuesday that the Russian government had opened a criminal investigation against him on charges of “aiding terrorism.”
Durov, who was born and began his career in Russia, accused Moscow of fabricating pretexts to restrict access by Russians to the Telegram service as part of an attempt to “suppress the right to privacy and free speech.”
“A sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people,” Durov wrote on social media.
Russian media outlets had begun circulating unconfirmed reports earlier in the day that a criminal investigation had been opened against Durov by Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB.
It comes two weeks after Russia’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said it was restricting the Telegram app, accusing the company of refusing to abide by Russian law.
The move triggered a rare wave of public outcry, including widespread criticism from pro-Kremlin military bloggers, who warned that Telegram was widely used by Russian troops fighting in Ukraine and restricting its service would derail military communications.
However, Russian officials have continued to portray Telegram as a security risk. Digital development minister Maksud Shadayev told Russian news wire Interfax that foreign intelligence agencies could be reading messages sent through Telegram by Russian soldiers on the front line.
When asked about the case, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that the FSB had gathered information on a “large number of violations” by Telegram, as well as content that could “potentially pose a danger to our country.” He said Telegram had been unwilling to cooperate with the authorities.
“Based on this, the relevant agencies are taking measures they deem appropriate,” Peskov said.
Under President Vladimir Putin, the authorities have engaged in multipronged efforts to rein in the internet. They have adopted restrictive laws and banned websites and platforms that don’t comply, and focused on improving technology to monitor and manipulate online traffic.
Russian authorities have targeted YouTube and imposed restrictions on popular messaging platforms, blocking Signal and Viber and banning online calls on WhatsApp and Telegram. In December, restrictions were imposed on Apple’s FaceTime video calling service.
While it’s still possible to circumvent some of the restrictions by using virtual private network services, many of them are routinely blocked too.
At the same time, Russia actively promotes the “national” messaging app known as MAX, which critics say could be used for surveillance. The platform — touted by developers and officials as a one-stop shop for messaging, online government services, making payments and more — openly declares it will share user data with authorities upon request. Experts also say it doesn’t use end-to-end encryption.
Durov has faced criminal investigations elsewhere. In 2024, he was arrested in Paris over allegations that his platform was being used for illicit activity, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images.
Vos Iz NeiasPARIS (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to France sought Tuesday to smooth over a diplomatic spat with Paris, calling up the French foreign minister who had said earlier in the day that the U.S. diplomat would lose access to French government officials after he skipped a meeting.
French authorities had summoned Ambassador Charles Kushner — the father of U.S. President Donald Trump ’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner — over comments from the Trump administration that France objected to. But Kushner did not show up for the Monday night meeting, the foreign ministry said.
After French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Tuesday morning that the no-show would dent the ambassador’s ability to serve in France, Kushner telephoned the minister and they agreed to meet in coming days, his office said.
The U.S. Embassy in Paris said in a statement after the call that Kushner and Barrot “spoke today in a frank and amicable call, reaffirming their shared commitment to working together, along with all other ministers and French officials, on the many issues that impact the United States and France, particularly as the two countries celebrate 250 years of rich diplomatic relations.”
The affair was sparked by Trump administration tweets relating to the beating death in France of a far-right activist, Quentin Deranque. The 23-year-old student, described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten by a group of people earlier this month in the city of Lyon, in fighting that erupted between far-left and far-right activists. He later died of brain injuries.
In a post last week on X, the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau said “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.”
The U.S. Embassy in Paris posted the same statement, in French.
The Paris government bristled at what it regarded as interference in French affairs and summoned Kushner. The ambassador’s subsequent call to Barrot on Tuesday after his no-show appeared to then help turn the page.
Barrot reiterated to the ambassador that France cannot accept foreign interference, the minister’s office said. Kushner “took note, expressed his willingness not to interfere in our public debate, and recalled the friendship that binds France and the United States,” it said. They agreed to meet in coming days, it said.
Before the call, Barrot had described the no-show as “a surprise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol.
“It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” Barrot said, speaking to public broadcaster France Info.
He said that Kushner “is bringing difficulties on himself. Because for an ambassador to be able to do his job he needs access to members of the government. That’s the basics.”
“There is nothing more usual than summoning an ambassador when explanations need to be made,” he said. “When these explanations have taken place, then the U.S. ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government.”
“We don’t accept that foreign countries can come and interfere, invite themselves, into the national political debate,” he said.
Barrot had earlier made clear that the dust-up should not hurt broader U.S.-France relations.
“Not showing up is his personal responsibility,” he said. “It does not affect the relationship between France and the United States in any way.”
Last August, Paris also summoned Kushner over a letter he wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron alleging that France did not do enough to combat antisemitism. The foreign ministry called his allegations “unacceptable.”
At the time, Kushner also did not respond to the summons but sent his No. 2 instead.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (VINnews) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday declined to characterize a snowball-throwing incident involving police officers in Washington Square Park as criminal, saying video of the encounter appeared to show “a snowball fight.”
Clips shared widely on social media show a crowd tossing snow at uniformed officers and a marked police vehicle during a winter storm that covered the city in heavy snowfall. Police had responded to reports of a disorderly gathering in the park.
Asked whether he agreed with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch that the conduct amounted to a crime, Mamdani said the footage he reviewed did not suggest that. He praised officers for working extended hours during the storm and said city employees “deserve respect.”
“If anyone in city government should be hit with a snowball, it’s me,” he added in a lighthearted remark.
When questioned about whether the participants were minors, Mamdani said the video he saw appeared to show young people engaged in what he described as a snowball fight.
Tisch, however, called the behavior “disgraceful” and said it was under criminal investigation. She said detectives were reviewing the footage and seeking to identify those involved.
The head of the city’s largest police union urged authorities to pursue assault charges against anyone responsible.
Gov. Kathy Hochul also weighed in, saying it is never acceptable to throw objects at law enforcement officers.
Police said the matter remains under investigation.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – The House failed to approve a bill Tuesday that was crafted after last year’s tragic midair collision near Washington D.C. to require all aircraft flying around busy airports to have key locator systems to prevent such crashes. The collision of an airliner and an Army helicopter killed 67 people in January 2025.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been recommending such Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast systems to be installed since 2008. The bill that already passed the Senate would have required aircraft to be equipped with a system that can receive data about the locations of other aircraft. The complementary ADS-B Out system that broadcasts an aircraft’s location is already required.
The families of the victims who died when an American Airlines jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter strongly supported the measure. But the Airlines for American trade group, the military and the major general aviation groups that represent business jets and small plane owners backed a competing and more comprehensive House bill that was just introduced last week.
Tim Lilley, whose son Sam was the first officer on the airliner, said he’s really disappointed, but he and the other families will continue to press for meaningful reforms and stronger requirements in the House bill. And he hopes that will happen before the next tragedy.
“We’re going to end up back here having the same conversation because of another midair is what’s going to happen. Hopefully — fingers crossed — that doesn’t,” Lilley said.
Under the special process that was used to fast-track the bill, the ROTOR Act needed to receive more than two-thirds support to pass the House. It received 264 votes, but 133 other representatives voted against it.
House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves pledged to continue working with the families and the Senate to address the aviation safety concerns exposed by last year’s collision. He said that the House bill could be marked up in committee as soon as next week. That bill is designed to address all 50 of the recommendations the NTSB made — not just the locator technology, but NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy has said the House bill falls short of accomplishing that.
Lilley said the bill Graves helped write needs to be improved.
“They’ve had 18 years to get it right. He’s talking about getting it right and he’s not even close on the collision avoidance piece,” he said.
The cost of the ADS-B In mandate has been a concern. It’s not clear exactly how much it would cost partly because the systems haven’t yet been designed for every aircraft, but Homendy testified in Congress that American Airlines was able to equip more than 300 of its Airbus a321s for $50,000 apiece, and general aviation pilots have the option of using a portable receiver that costs about $400 and works with an iPad.
One of the key researchers who helped develop these locator systems, Fabrice Kunzi, said a plane’s dashboard shouldn’t have to be overhauled to add a new display because the system is designed to give pilots an audible warning about nearby traffic with details of their locations if there is a risk of a collision.
House and Senate bills took a different approach
The key difference between the bills is that the House version would not require both kinds of the proven Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast systems to be installed. Instead, the House bill would require the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate what technology might be best as part of a lengthy rulemaking process before requiring a solution. The House bill also covers many more aspects of the systemic failures the NTSB identified as causing the crash last Jan. 29.
The bipartisan group of Senate leaders behind the ROTOR Act — led by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrat Maria Cantwell — had argued their bill would be a good first step before drafting additional legislation.
The main Families of Flight 5342 group had said that while the House bill includes a number of good reforms that should be considered, they can’t support it as written because it doesn’t clearly require ADS-B In equipment. Everyone aboard the helicopter and the American Airlines jet flying from Wichita, Kansas, including the parents of Olympic figure skater Maxim Naumov and 26 other members of the figure skating community, died when the aircraft collided and plummeted into the icy Potomac River.
Doug Lane said that as he learned more about the crash that killed his wife and young figure skating son, he couldn’t understand why airplanes aren’t already equipped with this technology.
“It was inconceivable to me that in the age of GPS-enabled smartphones in every pocket that there was no way for pilots flying aircraft with price tags in the tens of millions of dollars to see visually whether other aircraft in the airspace were on a collision course,” Lane said ahead of the vote on Tuesday..
Improving the collision warning system
Any plane flying around a major airport is already required to have an ADS-B Out system that continually broadcasts an aircraft’s location and speed installed. ADS-B In systems that can receive those signals and be used to create a display showing pilots where all air traffic is located around them are not standard on airliners, though many general aviation pilots already use a portable receiver to display that information on an iPad.
The NTSB investigation showed that system would have provided significantly more warning to the pilots involved in the crash and would have allowed them to avoid the collision. A plane equipped with ADS-B In can give the pilot a detailed description of where other aircraft are whereas the current technology can only warn that traffic is in the area.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Waymo will begin dispatching its robotaxis in four more cities in Texas and Florida, expanding the territory covered by its fleet of self-driving cars to 10 major U.S. metropolitan markets.
The move into Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando, Florida, announced Tuesday, widens Waymo’s early lead in autonomous driving while rival services from Tesla and the Amazon-owned Zoox are still testing their vehicles in only a few U.S. cities.
In contrast, Waymo’s robotaxis already provide more than 400,000 weekly trips in the six metropolitan areas where they have been transporting passengers: Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, and Austin, Texas.
Waymo operates its ride-hailing service through its own app in all the U.S. cities except Atlanta and Austin, where its robotaxis can only be summoned through Uber’s ride-hailing service.
The expansion into four more markets marks a significant step toward Waymo’s goal to surpass 1 million weekly paid trips by the end of 2026. Without identifying where its robotaxis will be available next, Waymo is targeting a list of eight other cities that include Las Vegas, Washington, Detroit and Boston while signaling its first overseas availability is likely to be London.
To help pay for more robotaxis, Waymo recently raised $16 billion as part of the financial infusion that puts the value of the company at $126 billion. The valuation fueled speculation that Waymo may eventually be spun off from its corporate parent Alphabet, where it began as a secret project within Google in 2009.
Although Waymo is opening up in four more cities, its robotaxis initially will only be made available to a limited number of people with its ride-hailing app in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Orlando before the service will be available to all comers in those markets.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK — A group combating antisemitism is running rooftop ads on 4,000 New York City yellow cabs, taking a swipe at Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to eliminate bus fares. The pink-and-white digital ads read, “Not gonna hide my Jewish star for a free bus ride,” and will run through March 10 along Manhattan’s East and West Sides, the NY Post reported.
The campaign, launched by the group JewBelong, also includes a large billboard in the Bronx. Founder Archie Gottesman said the ads highlight the rising threat of antisemitism, noting NYPD data showing a 182% jump in anti-Jewish hate crimes in January compared with last year.
Mamdani has vowed to fight antisemitism, but the group criticized his support for the BDS movement and his statements on Israel. The New York City Human Rights Commission condemned antisemitism in a separate statement, affirming support for the city’s Jewish community and funding local anti-hate initiatives.
Vos Iz Neias(JNS) – The U.S. Coast Guard has launched an internal investigation after a hand-drawn swastika was found at its primary recruit training center in Cape May, N.J., according to The Washington Post.
The symbol was discovered by an instructor on Feb. 19 on a wall inside a men’s restroom. Adm. Kevin Lunday, commandant of the branch, traveled from Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21 to address approximately 900 recruits and staff about the incident.
Confirming the episode, Lunday stated, “Anyone who adheres to or advances hate or extremist ideology—get out. Leave. You don’t belong in the United States Coast Guard and we reject you.”
“We will not allow anyone to put a stain of hate on our United States Coast Guard,” Lunday added.
The drawing was removed, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service was directed to examine the incident.
“Such conduct is a crime, violates our core values, and has absolutely no place within our service,” the Coast Guard stated in a notification to Congress.
Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) condemned the vandalism, urging stronger action against antisemitism. Kim has backed federal legislation to combat antisemitism, but has previously voiced reservations about adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism.
“This is shocking, especially in our own backyard in New Jersey,” Kim stated. “Antisemitism has no place, anywhere. We can’t just call it out; we must work together to put an end to it and protect communities targeted by it.”
The discovery comes months after controversy over revisions to the Coast Guard’s workplace harassment manual, which had described swastikas and nooses as “potentially divisive.” Lunday, who was acting commandant at the time, stated that the language had been “completely removed” from the manual.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — New York City police are investigating after officers were pelted with snowballs while responding to a massive snowball fight at Washington Square Park in Manhattan, as a winter storm blanketed the Northeast in snow.
A video of the fracas shows two uniformed officers pacing a walkway in the park Monday as snowballs fly at them from all directions, hitting the officers and covering them in snow.
The officers, growing visibly frustrated, shoved at least two people to the ground as snowballs continued to whizz by. At one point, a person runs up behind an officer and mushes some snow onto his head. One of the officers can be seen rubbing his eye toward the end of the video.
In a statement Tuesday, the New York Police Department said multiple uniformed officers were struck in the face with snowballs and were “removed by EMS in stable condition” to a nearby hospital, but did not disclose additional information on their injuries. No arrests have been made.
Jessica Tisch, the city’s police commissioner, called the behavior “disgraceful” and “criminal” and said the department is investigating.
Several political figures in the city were quick to denounce the dust up, with many of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s critics seizing on the incident as evidence that respect for law enforcement has declined under the new mayor, who faced attacks during his campaign over criticisms he made of the department in 2020. Mamdani has walked back those past remarks.
Mamdani, in a post on X on Tuesday, wrote “Officers, like all city workers, have been out in a historic blizzard, keeping New Yorkers safe and cars moving. Treat them with respect. If anyone’s catching a snowball, it’s me.”
Vos Iz NeiasPARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday accepted the resignation of the Louvre Museum’s director. She had been under fire in the wake of a stunning and embarrassing heist of the French Crown jewels.
The resignation of Laurence des Cars was announced by the presidential office in a statement.
It said Macron praised des Cars’ resignation decision as “an act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs calm and a strong new impetus to carry out major projects involving security upgrades, modernization” and other initiatives.
Thieves took less than eight minutes in October to steal 88 million euros ($102 million) worth of crown jewels in a weekend heist at the world’s most visited museum, shocking the world.
Vos Iz NeiasTRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The Trump administration is suing New Jersey over a state order that prohibits federal immigration agents from making arrests in nonpublic areas of state property, such as correctional facilities and courthouses.
The Justice Department lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Trenton, challenges Gov. Mikie Sherrill ’s Feb. 11 executive order, which also bars the use of state property as a staging or processing area for immigration enforcement.
Sherrill, a Democrat who took office Jan. 20, “insists on harboring criminal offenders from federal law enforcement,” the lawsuit said, accusing her of attempting to obstruct federal law enforcement and thwart President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Sherrill’s executive order “poses an intolerable obstacle” to immigration enforcement and “directly regulates and discriminates” against the federal government, said the lawsuit, which misspelled her name as “Sherill.”
Asked about the lawsuit Tuesday, Sherrill said: “What I think the federal government needs to be focused on right now, instead of attacking states like New Jersey working to keep people safe, is actually training their ICE agents.”
The state’s acting attorney general, Jennifer Davenport, said the Trump administration was “wasting its resources on a pointless legal challenge.” New Jersey will fight the lawsuit and “continue to ensure the safety of our state’s immigrant communities,” she said.
The lawsuit is the latest in the Trump administration’s fight against state and local level restrictions on immigration enforcement.
Last year, the Justice Department sued Minnesota and Colorado, as well as cities including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Denver over so-called sanctuary laws, which are aimed at prohibiting police from cooperating with immigration agents.
Last May, the Trump administration sued four New Jersey cities — Newark, Jersey City, Paterson and Hoboken — over such policies. That case is pending.
Vos Iz NeiasTUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The disappearance of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother three weeks ago has inspired a small number of volunteers to launch their own searches in the dense desert near her home in hopes of cracking the case.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said while it appreciates the concern for Nancy Guthrie, it asked people inquiring about volunteering to give investigators space to do their jobs.
“We all want to find Nancy, but this work is best left to professionals,” the agency said in a statement over the weekend.
Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her home just outside Tucson on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities believe she was kidnapped, abducted or otherwise taken against her will. Drops of her blood were found on the front porch, but authorities haven’t publicly revealed much evidence.
Despite the sheriff’s request for people not to search on their own, volunteers have continued to look. A small group reported finding a black backpack on Sunday, but it wasn’t the same brand as one identified in video surveillance that the FBI released of a masked person at Guthrie’s home the night she disappeared.
A sheriff’s spokesperson told Tucson television station KOLD that the bag and its contents didn’t appear to be viable leads. The Associated Press reached out to the sheriff’s department for comment on Monday.
Volunteers begin to search
Two women from the group Madres Buscadoras de Sonora, or “Searching Mothers of Sonora,” who were carrying digging tools Sunday outside of Guthrie’s home, said they, too, would join the search. They posted fliers on Guthrie’s mailbox with her picture and their contact information.
Lupita Tello, who joined the group after her son disappeared in Mexico in 2020, said Monday she and two other volunteers will continue to post flyers on bus stops and utility poles near Nancy Guthrie’s home. Members of the group plan to do the same in Nogales, Mexico.
She said the group was contacted by a friend of one of Nancy Guthrie’s daughters who asked them for help because of their experience. The group has found the remains of more than 5,000 people in Mexico since it was started 10 years ago by mothers with missing children.
“We know the soil. We know when someone has dug deep or when there is a shallow grave,” Tello said. “We hope we can help because we understand the pain of having a missing relative.”
She said group members have received training by Mexican forensic experts on how to conduct their searches.
The sheriff’s department said in a statement late Monday that it’s aware of differences in the masked person’s clothing depicted in various images that were released, namely with and without a backpack.
“There is no date or time stamp associated with these images,” the department said. “Therefore, any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative.”
Authorities say search parties need to coordinate
Tony Estrada, the former long-time sheriff in neighboring Santa Cruz County, said volunteer searchers have good intentions in wanting to help and can serve as a force multiplier, but it’s crucial that their efforts be coordinated with law enforcement.
“You can’t have people all over the place looking for something and not reporting to anybody or letting them know that they’re going to be in that area,” Estrada said. “They may be trampling into things that may come out to be helpful in the future.”
Nearly all search operations for U.S. law enforcement agencies are staffed with volunteers, said Chris Boyer, executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue.
Untrained volunteers who show up to help in a search may mean well, but experts say they could end up contaminating a crime scene.
“It’s painful for law enforcement when that happens,” Boyer said.
Volunteers should undergo background checks, be trained in things like administering first aid and preserving crime scenes, and work under the direction of law enforcement authorities, said Boyer, whose group provides education, certification and advocacy for search and rescue efforts across the United States and other countries.
Hundreds are working on the investigation
Several hundred people are working the Guthrie investigation, and more than 20,000 tips have been received, the sheriff’s office has said. The FBI and other agencies are assisting.
The sheriff’s office has watched around the clock lately at Guthrie’s house. It also enacted a temporary one-way flow on the road so that emergency vehicles and trash collection trucks could get through. The constant presence of news crews, bloggers and curious onlookers has drawn mixed reaction from neighbors.
Some appreciated the attention the case has been getting. Others have placed traffic cones and signs on their properties to keep people off.
Meanwhile, the tribute to Nancy Guthrie outside her home keeps growing, with flowers, yellow ribbons, crosses, prayers and patron saints for older adults and in desperate situations.
Aran Aleamoni and his daughter Ariana picked out a bouquet of red, pink and white flowers and placed them at the edge of Guthrie’s yard, alongside a sign that read “Let Nancy Come Home” and a statuette of an angel.
“My heart goes out to the entire family,” said Aran Aleamoni, who has known the Guthrie family for a long time. “We are all pulling for you. We’re with you in your corner.”
Vos Iz NeiasPARIS (VINnews) — A kosher restaurant in Paris’s 17th arrondissement was vandalized with acid for the third time in recent months, in what authorities are investigating as a suspected antisemitic attack.
Employees at Kokoriko discovered Friday morning that a corrosive liquid had been sprayed overnight on tables, walls, floors, and other surfaces inside the establishment. The substance rendered all dishes, cutlery, and glassware unusable and caused significant corrosion, forcing the restaurant to close pending specialized cleaning.
The Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into property damage committed on grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Specialized nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical units were deployed to analyze the liquid.
Damage to the restaurant is estimated at about €150,000 ($176,000), according to French media reports citing the prosecutor’s office.
The same establishment was targeted in two previous suspected acid attacks in October 2025, including one on its facade on Oct. 9. Those cases were closed without identifying the perpetrators.
The latest incident comes amid a reported surge in antisemitism in France and globally, with Jewish communal leaders expressing concern over repeated targeting of Jewish businesses.
The restaurant, located in an upscale district with a significant Jewish population, remains closed as authorities continue their probe. No arrests have been reported.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – FedEx is suing the U.S. government, requesting a full refund on what it paid for tariffs set by President Donald Trump last year after the Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs are illegal.
FedEx said in a filing with the U.S. Court of International Trade that they have “suffered injury” from having to pay the tariffs and that the relief they’re seeking from the court would redress those injuries.
Other companies have already launched efforts to recoup costs from the illegal tariffs, including large U.S. corporations like Costco and Revlon.
The National Retail Federation said in a statement on Friday that the Supreme Court’s ruling provided certainty for U.S. businesses and manufacturers.
“We urge the lower court to ensure a seamless process to refund the tariffs to U.S. importers,” it said. “The refunds will serve as an economic boost and allow companies to reinvest in their operations, their employees and their customers.”
The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs on Friday. Trump said he was “absolutely ashamed” of some justices who ruled 6-3 against him, calling them “disloyal to our Constitution” and “lapdogs.” At one point he even raised the specter of foreign influence without citing any evidence.
The court’s ruling found tariffs that Trump imposed under an emergency powers law were unconstitutional, including the sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs he levied on nearly every other country.
The Treasury had collected more than $133 billion from the import taxes the president has imposed under the emergency powers law as of December, federal data shows. The impact over the next decade has been estimated at some $3 trillion.
Trump has vowed to collect tariffs through other means. He reached for a stopgap option immediately after his defeat Friday at the Supreme Court: Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 15% for up to 150 days. But any extension beyond 150 days must be approved by a Congress likely to balk at passing a tax increase as November’s midterm elections loom.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – The winners of this year’s Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge created innovative projects to improve their cities’ core services – many using some combination of artificial intelligence and the wisdom of their residents.
That’s what South Bend, Indiana, Mayor James Mueller did with his initiative that uses AI to interpret data about residents, like a family falling behind on paying its water bill, and to help offer them services and support that could prevent larger issues.
“Technology is not necessarily good or bad – it’s how it’s used and how you protect against abuses,” said Mueller, a Democrat who has been mayor since 2020. “We’re trying to use cutting edge tools to deliver city services in a proactive way that meets our residents’ needs.”
The twenty-four winners announced Tuesday range from Boise, Idaho, where they are using geothermal energy to lower residents’ heating bills, to Beira, Mozambique, where they are relocating fishermen and their families from flood-prone coastal homes to safer inland houses. Each will receive $1 million to implement the program, as well as support from Bloomberg Philanthropies experts to help the new initiative succeed.
The hope, says former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg L.P., is that successful programs from Mayors Challenge winners can be used in other cities.
“The most effective city halls are bold, creative, and proactive in solving problems and meeting residents’ needs – and we launched the Mayors Challenge to help more of them succeed,” Bloomberg said in a statement.
James Anderson, head of government innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies, said many of this year’s winners are integrating AI technology into their work in sophisticated ways, bringing municipal governments closer to the residents they serve.
“Testing and learning and adapting new ideas don’t generally get funded with public dollars,” Anderson said. “It is up to philanthropy to support experimentation.”
Vico Sotto, mayor of Pasig City in the Philippines, said becoming one of this year’s Mayors Challenge winners will speed up his project to build floating parks in the Pasig River that will become new community space and reduce flooding threats in the area. Without the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Sotto said the initiative wouldn’t be able to start for another year or two.
“The government doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to maintaining infrastructure,” Sotto said. “So we will be creating a governance council, including people who live in the area, so definitely they’re not going to abandon these parks. They’re going to take care of them because they’re using them as well.”
In Lafayette, Louisiana, the city-parish had the opposite problem. Lafayette wanted to update parts of its sewer system, but because some parts were on homeowners’ property the city wasn’t allowed to pay for it.
Mayor-President Monique Blanco Boulet said the Mayors Challenge encouraged her administration to figure out a solution that will now allow Lafayette to make the repairs and, as a result, encourage development in the city. The plan was also named a Mayors Challenge winner.
“Bloomberg Philanthropies, the staff, Michael Bloomberg – all of them – have such a global impact in ways that most people will never know,” said Boulet, a Republican elected in 2023. “They bring in a level of capacity and give you the space to really be creative and to come up with solutions that can change lives.”
South Bend’s Mueller said that the Mayors Challenge comes at a time when more and more global problems need to be solved at a local level.
“Trust in government is at an all-time low, but local governments consistently perform better in surveys about trust from their residents,” Mueller said. “It is critical for us to maintain that level of trust with our residents and build it even further. So that’s why we’re always looking at innovative ways of doing things better and making the city a better place to live.”
The winners of the 2026 Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge are: As-Salt, Jordan; Barcelona, Spain; Beira, Mozambique; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Benin City, Nigeria; Boise, Idaho, United States; Budapest, Hungary; Cape Town, South Africa; Cartagena, Colombia; Fez, Morocco; Fukuoka, Japan; Ghaziabad, India; Ghent, Belgium; Kanifing, The Gambia; Lafayette, Louisiana, United States; Medellín, Colombia; Netanya, Israel; Pasig, Philippines; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; South Bend, Indiana, United States; Surabaya, Indonesia; Toronto, Canada; Turku, Finland; Visakhapatnam, India.
Vos Iz Neias
Vos Iz NeiasBALTIMORE (VINnews)-The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing more than 2,500 traditional Orthodox rabbis engaged in American public policy, has released a new scriptural guide aimed at identifying antisemitism and tracing its historical and biblical roots.
Titled “The Jew-Hatred Mindset: A Scriptural Guide,” the document was authored by CJV Executive Vice President Rabbi Yaakov Menken and Southern Regional Vice President Rabbi Moshe B. Parnes. It draws on biblical narratives and over 3,300 years of Jewish historical experience to explain how antisemitism adapts across generations, often repackaged to seem acceptable, moral or even virtuous in contemporary contexts.
The guide highlights attacks on Israel and Zionism as a modern manifestation of ancient patterns of hostility.
“Rabbis are the natural experts on antisemitism,” Rabbi Parnes, who also serves as dean of the Hollywood Community Kollel in Hollywood, Florida, said in a statement. “They carry generations of cumulative experience guiding Jewish communities through persecution, and they are equipped with Biblical wisdom that identified and explained hatred against Jews long before modern attempts to rationalize it.”
The paper seeks to educate both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences, particularly addressing confusion among some Christian supporters of Israel who encounter misleading narratives about Jews and the Jewish state.
“Many allies of the Jewish community, while harboring no hatred themselves, are mystified by the irrational and transparently bigoted accusations directed at Jews and Israel,” Rabbi Menken said. “Our goal was to clear that confusion and connect today’s rhetoric to its ancient origins.”
The release coincides with the inaugural Judeo-Christian Zionist Congress, held this week in Nashville, Tennessee. The event brought together faith leaders to bolster cooperation between Jewish and Christian communities and combat antisemitism. Organizers noted that the guide’s emphasis on shared biblical foundations makes it especially relevant for Christian participants who revere the Hebrew Bible.
CJV leaders described the publication as an accessible tool offering an objective framework for recognizing antisemitism and its persistent patterns.
The full guide is available on the CJV website.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (VINnews) – A powerful blizzard that battered New York City over the weekend has officially become one of the city’s 10 largest on record, with more snow expected this week.
As of Monday afternoon, Central Park had received 19.7 inches, surpassing the January 2011 storm. Some neighborhoods reported even higher totals: Grasmere, Staten Island, measured 24.1 inches; Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, 22.5 inches; and Babylon, Long Island, 29.5 inches.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – A record-setting snowstorm has prompted managers of The Boston Globe to call off printing their daily newspaper for the first time in its 153-year-old history.
Snow and winds prevented staff from safely getting to the Globe printing plant to print Tuesday’s paper, the newspaper said in an article on its website. Parts of Massachusetts’ Bristol County, where the Globe’s printing press in Taunton is located, recorded 32 inches (81 centimeters) of snow by Monday night, the National Weather Service said.
Readers are much less reliant on newsprint for their news in today’s internet age. A 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center found that only 7% of U.S. adults often got their news from printed newspapers or magazines. That’s compared to 56% who said they often got their news from a smartphone, computer or tablet.
Tuesday marks the first time Globe management has called off the newspaper’s daily production since its 1872 founding. Labor strikes halted printing a few times in the 1950s and ’60s.
The Globe said it went to press during another record-setting blizzard nearly five decades ago, when it printed a few thousands copies of a Feb. 7, 1978, edition. Few papers actually made it to readers, however, because piles of snow prevented delivery trucks from getting farther than a mile or two from its building.
Monday’s blizzard set snowfall records in nearby Rhode Island, where the T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick received nearly 38 inches (96.5 centimeters) to break a 1978 record.
The Globe said print subscribers will get Tuesday’s paper delivered on Wednesday.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) – Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has flagged major kashrut breaches in imported dairy, fish, and meat products, citing misleading labels and false claims of supervision.
Inspectors found long-life whole milk from Belgium, imported by Euro Dairies Europe, labeled Chalav Yisrael under Badatz Beit Yosef, had never been approved by the Rabbinate. Retailers were ordered to remove it immediately.
Smoked cod liver from Iceland, imported by G. Willifood International, carried OU and Rabbinate kosher markings despite approval being denied in January 2025 due to missing supervision details and parasite treatment information.
Frozen beef shank from Argentina, marketed by Tnuva, was labeled kosher-chalak externally but stamped only kosher on the meat itself, prompting the Rabbinate to demand its return.
The Rabbinate urged consumers and kashrut supervisors to remain vigilant when purchasing imported products to avoid halachic violations.
Vos Iz NeiasHIGHLANDVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Two Missouri sheriff’s deputies were fatally shot, one during a traffic stop and the other hours later during a shootout with the suspect, who was also killed, authorities said.
Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole said the initial shooting happened during a traffic stop south of Highlandville on Monday in southwest Missouri, news outlets reported.
About 100 officers, deputies, and state troopers helped with the search for the suspect, Cole said. He says U.S. Marshals and FBI and ATF agents were also involved.
The suspected shooter’s truck was found abandoned several miles south near Reeds Spring and law enforcement officers searched the area nearby, Cole said. Early Tuesday, deputies approached a heat signature detected in the woods. Cole said the suspect opened fire, hitting three deputies.
One Christian County deputy was killed and two other deputies — from Christian and Webster counties — were wounded with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, Cole said. Law enforcement officers shot back, killing the suspect, he said.
Cole identified the deputy killed in the initial shooting as Deputy Gabriel Ramirez.
“Deputy Ramirez was always kind to everybody, Cole said. “He was always a friend, was always there for anybody who needed a shoulder to lean on.”
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON (JNS) – The Board of Peace unveiled its official website Tuesday, giving the public access to information about the organization’s structure, mission, and members. The announcement was made via a post on X.
The Official Board of Peace Website.https://t.co/0IccukrtiD
— Board of Peace (@BoardOfPeace) February 24, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump, who chairs the Board, introduced the body at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January and led its first formal meeting in Washington last week. The United Nations Security Council welcomed the Board in Resolution 2803 last November, describing it as a temporary administrative body to support rebuilding efforts in the Gaza Strip.
The site highlights the Board’s goals, key initiatives, and the flags of its 28 founding members, including Israel. It also lists the Board’s leadership, the Executive and Gaza-focused boards, and High Representative Nickolay Mladenov. Visitors can access governance documents, official statements, presentations, and a blog, with content available in English and Arabic.
Trump is quoted on the site emphasizing the potential impact of the Board, calling it “one of the most consequential bodies ever created.”
Vos Iz Neias(JNS) – Israel is donating 117 generators to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Tuesday, marking the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion. The units will be deployed around Kyiv starting Wednesday.
Sa’ar announced the move in a call with Rabbi Meir Stambler, chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine.
According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, the move came in the wake of a conversation Sa’ar held with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha regarding the difficult power situation in the Kyiv region. During Tuesday’s call with Stambler, Sa’ar asked about the situation of the Jews and wished them a happy Purim.
On Thursday, Jerusalem’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism announced an aid package worth four million shekels ($1.3 million) to assist the Jewish community amid the power cuts.
Due to extensive damage to energy infrastructure during the Russo-Ukrainian war and harsh winter conditions, much of the Jewish population is facing prolonged power cuts, the ministry said.
The Israeli assistance “includes stays in hotels and guesthouses with continuous electricity and heating, as well as hot meals, focusing on cities experiencing extended power cuts,” according to a statement.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk told the Walla outlet on Tuesday that Jerusalem “stands before a clear moral and historic choice” amid the war with the Russian Federation.
“For Ukraine, Russia is what Hamas is for Israel—an aggressive force seeking to undermine the existence of a sovereign state, deliberately targeting civilians and waging a boundless war against a free society,” Korniychuk continued.
“Precisely because Israel has experienced existential terror and threats to its right to exist, there is no country better positioned to understand the reality Ukraine is facing,” he said, urging the government of the Jewish state to stand alongside Kyiv “without hesitation.”
As the war on Ukraine entered its fifth year on Tuesday, Israel’s Interior Ministry decided to extend collective protection so that all Ukrainian refugees can stay until the end of March, the i24News site reported.
About 23,000 Ukrainians—mostly women—are currently living in Israel and are not eligible for citizenship under the Law of Return, which grants citizenship to Jews and some of their descendants.
Around 14,000 have fled to Israel since the war began on Feb. 24, 2022, while roughly 9,000 were already in the country beforehand for various reasons, including as migrant workers, asylum seekers or migrants. All are legal residents of the country and are shielded from deportation.
Vos Iz NeiasBy Rabbi Yair Hoffman
There is a controversy brewing in regard to dishwashers – that can be viewed as a possible divide between the Chareidi community and other religious communities in Eretz Yisroel in. There is also a 50 year old salmon recipe that may possibly help determine which side may be correct.
Just as an aside, before we begin – there is now a trend in many communities to install two dishwashers – both, yes, fleishig and zero milchig! Practitioners explain that it is a huge time and money saver. How so? You fill them both up on a Motzai Shabbos and then put them away Sunday morning. Easy-peezy.
But let’s get back to the halachic discussion
In Igros Moshe Yoreh De’ah (vol. 2, #28, 1964), Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal provides three explanations as to why one could possibly be permitted to get by with a single dishwasher and two separate racks for both milchigs and fleishigs used during separate times.
One of the reasons was that dishwashers do not have an internal heating mechanism and would be considered a Kli Sheini and not a Kli Rishon. This author was once on a plane flight and sat next to his esteemed son-in-law, Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler zt”l on a flight from Los Angeles to New York. Rabbi Tendler, at first, stated that they do not have internal heating mechanisms, and that his shver had consulted with him on this very matter – not once, but twice. I then proceeded to draw the schematic of a few different models. Rabbi Tendler zt”l then responded that if that is the case, then the halacha would need to be re-exaimed.
Rav Feinstein quoted the Rama (YD 95:3) who rules that the very same basin of water could be used for cleaning meat and dairy dishes consecutively. Rav Moshe explained that nosain ta’am bar nosain ta’am, would render it such that the ta’am of the meat and dairy would be lessened – once one type of dish is removed. This Rama, however, is dealing with a kli sheini and not a kli rishon. Also, there is almost always b’en – solid fleishigs in the trap or drain that is fully edible.
Another point Rav Moshe zatzal made was that the huge amount of water would make for bittul b’shishim, a nullification in a 60:1 ratio. This too, does not account for the minimum amount of wather that comes in contact with the meat that is in the trap and would send ta’am upward since it is piping hot.
The modern communities in Eretz Yisroel have extended these arguments even more and do not even require separate racks as Rav Feinstein zatzal had argued.
Rav Moshe continued the discussion a bit eight years later in Teshuvah #29 (1972) as well as in YD #43, YD III #28 and #29. He explains that soap or detergent is considered a davar hapogaim, and while that may be a mitigating factor the soap may not pogaim the meat in the trap, as the soap is often washed away in a manner not too different from strawberries and other vegetables that the Kashrus agencies are now requiring. The mitigating factor of nosain ta’am lifgam after 24 hours does not apply to real b’ain.
Rabbi Yehuda Spitz shlita (an outstanding Talmid Chochom and Posaik) in his Ohr Samayach’s Insights into Halacha, cites a number of Poskim who disagreed with Rav Moshe’s heter and mitigatim factors – for a number of reason. They are: See Shu”t Ba’er Moshe (vol. 7, 60), Shu”t Beis Avi (vol. 2, 93), Shu”t Avnei Yashpei (vol. 3, 71), Yalkut Yosef (IV”H vol. 3 pg. 491, s.v. ulam), Badei Hashulchan (Y”D 95, 81; Biurim pg. 309, s.v. u’linyan), Pischei Halacha (English version ppg. 258 – 262), Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Pfeiffer, on BB”C vol. 2, Kuntress HaBiurim 6), Kovetz M’Beis Levi (vol. 1, HaKashrus HaMitbach pg. 30, 7, footnote 6), HaKashrus (Ch. 1, pg. 75 -76), Kashrus V’Shabbos B’Mitbach HaModerni (pg. 114), Ohel Yaakov (on IV”H 1st edition pg. 296 – 297, 26, footnotes 52 & 53).
Two more thoughts: In the 1960’s and early 1970’s, frum American families were still relatively poor and were not in a position to afford two dishwashers or significant household help. Rav Moshe zatzal looked out for Klal Yisroel as much as possible – something that should be taken more into account even nowadays.
But the second thought goes back to 1975. An actor who played villians went on national television with a recipe as to how to “cook salmon” in, yes, a dishwasher.
What follows is just such a recipe. The purpose of printing it is to show that dishwashers are clearly a kli rishon. There are two main types of the internal heating mechanism: 1]An exposed one – generally a visible coil at the bottom of the tub, similar to an oven element. They are common in many American-brand budget and mid-range models (GE, Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana). These heat up the wash water and also do a “heated dry” by radiating heat after the wash cycle. 2] Those with hidden/concealed heaters — they are built into the base or integrated into the circulation pump. Brands like Bosch, Miele, and many European-style dishwashers use this approach. They heat the water but typically rely on condensation drying rather than a hot exposed element, which is gentler on plastics and are more energy-efficient.
The Recipe
Begin by pulling out two pieces of aluminum foil, each roughly 16 inches long. Lay your salmon fillet in the center of the first sheet and sprinkle it generously with garlic salt and lemon pepper. Once seasoned, place the second sheet of foil directly on top.
Carefully press the edges of the two sheets together and fold them over several times, crimping tightly all the way around. The goal is to create a fully sealed packet that hugs the fish closely and prevents any water from getting inside.
To cook it, position the foil-wrapped salmon on the top rack of your dishwasher and run a standard wash cycle. DO NOT ADD DETERGENT! The heat generated during the normal cycle is intended to cook the fish. When the dishwasher finishes, open the door and take note of the smell. If the foil packet was sealed properly, the interior of the dishwasher should smell as it normally does, without any trace of fish.
Remove the packet, carefully unwrap the salmon, and transfer it to a plate. You may see a bit of liquid inside the foil — that’s simply moisture released during cooking, assuming the seal held. Before serving, check that there is no scent of detergent on the fish. For safety, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet and confirm it has reached an internal temperature of 145°F. If it has, the salmon should be tender, moist, and ready to eat — unconventional method notwithstanding.
Potential Concerns
However, several safety issues should be considered. If the fish fails to reach the USDA-recommended minimum internal temperature of 145°F, there is a risk of foodborne illness. Dishwashers vary widely in temperature output and cycle duration, so results are inconsistent. Additionally, if the foil packet is not perfectly sealed, water and detergent can penetrate the wrapping, contaminating the food. For these reasons, appliance manufacturers strongly advise against using dishwashers for cooking, as they are not engineered for food preparation.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — About 20 lone soldiers (who have no family in Israel during their IDF service) celebrated on Monday their bar or bat mitzvah in uniform at the Western Wall plaza after completing a conversion process during their military service.
The event was held at the initiative of the “Big Brother for Lone Soldiers” association, in cooperation with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, for the fourth consecutive year. It is part of an effort to strengthen the sense of belonging of lone soldiers to the State of Israel, the Jewish people, and Jewish tradition. The soldiers were accompanied by 150 additional soldiers who provide them with personal support throughout their military service.
The event opened with a festive musical procession toward the Western Wall prayer plaza. This was followed by bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies led by instructors from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. Participants included the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz; Big Brother association chairman Nissim Adar; Friends Association president CPA Reuven Shiff; association CEO Daniel Aharon; founder of the Taib Group and the Menomadin Foundation, Haim Taib, and others.
In a moving ceremony, the bar mitzvah celebrants were wrapped in prayer shawls, placed tefillin, and were called up to the Torah. The bat mitzvah celebrants recited the “Shehecheyanu” blessing and received a personal prayer book and a pendant depicting the stones of the Western Wall.
The highlight of the event came when the Big Brother association surprised lone soldier Kidist Mengistu, who was deeply moved to meet her mother, flown in especially from Ethiopia for the occasion after three and a half years not seeing her daughter.
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz blessed the soldiers, stating that “It is moving to see you here at the Western Wall, the holiest place for the Jewish people, which connects us to Jewish tradition and heritage. You are the living example of the eternity of the Jewish people. Especially at this time, when we face enemies who seek to harm us, the connection to our heritage and to the Western Wall serves as an anchor for unity and faith in the justice of our path.”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the soldiers toured various sites in the Western Wall Tunnels and visited the new “Gate of Heaven” exhibit, now open to the public, which tells the historical story of the Jewish people, those who come to the Western Wall to embrace its ancient stones and join the chain of generations.
One of the participants, B., 22, immigrated from Ethiopia about two years ago with the goal of enlisting in the Israel Defense Forces. He serves as a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade and is expected to complete basic training in about a month.
As a child, B. grew up in a village in Ethiopia without internet or cars. He was raised with a Jewish identity, including observing Jewish holidays and maintaining tradition. B. said his military service and life in Israel fulfill a personal and family dream. He said he is happy to live in Israel and serve the country loyally.
“I always dreamed of coming to Israel and being a soldier in the IDF. For me, Israel is the place where I can realize my identity and be part of my people,” he told Ynet. “I grew up in a home that observed Shabbat and celebrated the Jewish holidays, but I did not celebrate a bar mitzvah. I always felt that something was missing, so the moving ceremony at the Western Wall gives me a sense of wholeness and closure.”
His mother died of cancer nine years ago, and his older sister has raised him since then. His brothers now live in Tiberias, while his father remains in Ethiopia. The two last met about two years ago and remain in contact by phone.
B. was accompanied by Uzi Brenner, 35, of the northern community of Hoshaya, through the nonprofit group Big Brother for Lone Soldiers. Brenner himself immigrated to Israel from Buenos Aires in 2010. Like his mentee, he served as a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade, experience he said helps him understand what B. is going through.
Brenner first encountered the organization in 2013, shortly after it was founded, and joined as a volunteer. He met B. when B. enlisted in a Hebrew-language course at Michve Alon, an IDF base that prepares new immigrants and other recruits for service. Since then, Brenner has accompanied him consistently, helping bridge language and cultural gaps, guiding him through military and personal processes and assisting with daily needs.
Brenner now works at an investment firm and serves in the reserves in the casualty unit. “Uzi is like a big brother to me. He not only helps me, he gives me confidence and the feeling that I have someone by my side on my new path here,” B. said.
Brenner said it did not take long to realize his mentee faced language and cultural gaps he would need help closing. “When he received a computer for the first time in his life, I connected him with someone who could teach him how to use it in Amharic — so it would be accessible and help him move forward,” Brenner said. “I was filled with pride seeing B. complete both the Hebrew course and the Nativ conversion course with distinction. As a mentor, it was very meaningful to see his progress along the way.”
Big Brother for Lone Soldiers operates a personal mentoring network for lone soldiers through a community of hundreds of volunteers. Each lone soldier is paired with a “big brother” who accompanies him or her throughout military service, providing daily support and assistance. The mentorship creates a supportive, family-like framework, strengthens the sense of belonging and helps the soldiers integrate into Israeli society.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated that it will continue working to strengthen Jewish identity, national belonging, and a spirit of unity for all people at the holiest site of the Jewish people.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Arizona House of Representatives Monday approved House Resolution 2002 and House Concurrent Resolution 2047, legislation sponsored by State Representative David Livingston which affirms Israel’s sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and directs Arizona to use historically accurate terminology in official state communications.
The resolutions recognize the historical, biblical, and legal legitimacy of Judea and Samaria and formally reject the term “West Bank,” which was imposed during Jordan’s illegal occupation of the territory from 1948 to 1967. The measures advanced with bipartisan support following approval by the House Appropriations Committee last week.
“Today, the Arizona House chose accuracy over polities,” Representative Livingston said. “Judea and Samaria are not invented terms and they are not negotiable facts. They are central to Jewish history, faith, and national identity, and Arizona will not participate in language meant to deny that truth.”
The resolutions also recognize the importance of Judea and Samaria to Israel’s security and to United States interests in preventing terrorist-controlled territory from emerging in the region. Representative Livingston thanked members of the House for supporting the resolutions and for standing firmly against efforts to rewrite the historical and legal record.
“This vote shows that respect for history still matters,” Representative Livingston said. “Arizona stands with Israel, speaks plainly about the facts, and refuses to bend to political pressure.”
Israeli Consul General Yisrael Bachar released a statement applauding the decision.
HR 2002 was adopted upon passage by the House. HCR 2047 now goes to the Arizona Senate for adoption.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism Tuesday after videos showed a crowd attacking NYPD officers with snowballs in Manhattan’s Washington Square Park during Monday’s blizzard.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and ex-Mayor Eric Adams blamed Mamdani’s past anti-police rhetoric for creating a permissive environment. “Words have consequences,” Cuomo said, urging the mayor to denounce the attack. Adams called the behavior “disgusting” and criticized politicians who “constantly bash the police.”
The snowball fight, which began as a large gathering of revelers, quickly turned chaotic, with some participants hurling large chunks of ice at officers. Police vehicles were targeted, forcing officers to retreat.
Snow thrown at an NYPD vehicle near Washington Square Park pic.twitter.com/XJnxgHkHwa
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 23, 2026
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said detectives are investigating the incidents. Cop unions called for arrests, with the Police Benevolent Association describing the attacks as “unacceptable and outrageous” and the Detectives’ Endowment Association labeling them “deliberate, outrageous, and dangerous.”
So far, Mamdani has not publicly commented on the incident.
NYPD officers getting hit with snowballs in Washington Square Park this afternoon pic.twitter.com/uUekDVmIGT
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 23, 2026
This is disgraceful.
But with a mayor who has a history of calling the police “racist, evil, wicked and corrupt,” he set the tone.
Words have consequences. We are seeing that in the growing disrespect for law enforcement — just as we’ve seen it in the rise in antisemitism.… https://t.co/jCGZiK46kI
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) February 24, 2026
Watching officers get pelted with snow while they are out in brutal weather protecting this city should make every New Yorker furious. It is disgusting behavior.
And the politicians who constantly bash the police and refuse to have their backs are setting a terrible example.… https://t.co/JOcBfuGpfK
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) February 24, 2026
Vos Iz Neiasby Rabbi Yair Hoffman
Yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu
Hebrew Text with Linear English Translation Based on Seder Zayin Adar by Rabbi Moshe Cohen English Translation by Rabbi Yair Hoffman. Copy this!
The Significance of the Date
The seventh of Adar — Zayin Adar — marks both the birth and the yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu. The Gemara (Kiddushin 38a, Sotah 12b) establishes that Moshe was born on 7 Adar and died on 7 Adar exactly 120 years later, fulfilling the pasuk: “I will complete the number of your days” (Shemos 23:26). The Gemorah teaches that Hashem completes the years of the righteous “from day to day” — that tzaddikim are born and die on the same date.
***This author tries to support 21 single mothers in the community who do not even have the funds to put food on the table. Anyone who wishes to donate please zelle [email protected]***
Several important minhagim are associated with Zayin Adar:
The Seder Zayin Adar: Origin and Nature
The text known as the “Seder Zayin Adar” is a compilation that was recited on this day as a form of tikkun (spiritual rectification) in honor of Moshe Rabbeinu. The earliest printed edition that has been found so far is likely the Tikkun le-Zayin Adar u-le-Chamisha be-Av (Tikkun for 7 Adar and 5 Av), published in Livorno (Leghorn) in 1874. This indicates the text was already an established tradition by the 19th century in both Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities.
The text draws from multiple earlier sources, including Midrashic material about Moshe’s death (drawing heavily on Devarim Rabbah, Yalkut Shimoni, Midrash Petiras Moshe, and other related aggadata), the Gemorahs on the three gifts given in the merit of Miriam, Aharon, and Moshe, and halachic material on Yom Kippur.
Rabbi Moshe Cohen (whose name appears on the version translated by this author) organized and compiled this version of the Seder. The custom of reciting this text on Zayin Adar is observed both in Eretz Yisrael and in Chutz La’Aretz.
The Seder covers several major ideas: (1) the transfer of leadership from Moshe Rabbeinu to Yehoshua; (2) chronological data about Moshe Rabbeinu’s life and the cessation of the three nissim; (3) a vivid, moving account of Moshe Rabbeinu’s petirah, including the conversation between Hashem and Moshe Rabbeinu’s neshamah; (4) the malachim refusing to take his Neshama and Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s taking of it with a “kiss”; (5) the mourning of all creation; and (6) laws of Yom Kippur, connecting the the idea of kapparah on this day.
מִנְהָג הוּא בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ וּבְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרוֹא קְרִיאָה מְיֻחֶדֶת בְּשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר, יוֹם הִסְתַּלְּקוּת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ.
It is a custom both in the Diaspora and in the Land of Israel to recite a special reading on the 7th of Adar — the day of the passing of Moshe Rabbeinu.
הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה וְתַלְמִידָיו וְעָמְדוּ עַל פֶּתַח בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ.
Moshe and his disciples went and stood at the gate of the study hall.
אָמַר לָהֶם: אֲשַׁנֶּה לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמְרוּ לֹא בֵּאַרְנוּ לָכֶם יָפֶה.
He said to them: “I will teach you the Torah again, so that you should not say: we did not explain it well.”
מַה אָמַר הַתַּלְמִיד לָרַב? וּמַה אָמַר הָרַב לַתַּלְמִיד?
What did the student say to the teacher? What did the teacher say to the student?
וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו לְעֵינֵי כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ (דְּבָרִים ל״א:ז׳–ח׳).
And Moshe called to Yehoshua and said to him before the eyes of all Israel: “Be strong and courageous” (Devarim 31:7–8).
כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע הֹ לַאֲבֹתָם.
For you shall come with this people to the land which Hashem swore to their fathers.
וַהֹ הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ לְפָנֶיךָ, הוּא יִהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶךָּ, לֹא תִירָא וְלֹא תֵחָת.
Hashem goes before you; He will be with you, He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear nor be dismayed.
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה עַצְמוֹ כְּתַלְמִיד וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ כְּרַב.
In that hour, Moshe made himself as a student and Yehoshua as a teacher.
הָלַךְ לִלְמֹד, וְאָמַר הַתַּלְמִיד לָרַב, וְהָרַב לַתַּלְמִיד.
He [Moshe] went to learn; the student said to the teacher, and the teacher to the student.
בְּאוֹתוֹ יוֹם אִישְׁרַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַתּוֹרָה עַל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
On that same day, the Holy One, Blessed be He, confirmed the Torah upon Yehoshua.
מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ מֵת בְּשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר.
Moshe our Teacher died on the seventh of Adar.
וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַהוּא נִסְתַּלְּקוּ הַבְּאֵר וְהַמָּן וְעַמּוּד הֶעָנָן יַחַד עִם מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ.
And in that month, the well, the manna, and the pillar of cloud departed along with Moshe Rabbeinu.
מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ נוֹלַד בְּמִצְרַיִם בִּשְׁנַת בִשֳִע (לַסְּפִירָה הָעִבְרִית) וּמֵת בִּשְׁנַת בִתיִחִ.
Moshe Rabbeinu was born in Egypt in the year 2368 (Hebrew calendar) and died in the year 2488.
הָיָה מֹשֶׁה בְּמִצְרַיִם שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, וְהִנְהִיג אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה.
Moshe was in Egypt for 80 years, and he led Israel in the wilderness for 40 years.
וְחַי קֶׂרֶֹןֹ יוֹם (לאחר מכן).
And he lived an additional 120 days [i.e., the full 120 years to the day].
שְׁלֹשָׁה פַּרְנָסִים טוֹבִים עָמְדוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵלֶּה הֵם: מִרְיָם, אַהֲרֹן, וּמֹשֶׁה.
Three good advocates stood for Israel: Miriam, Aharon, and Moshe.
וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נִתְּנוּ בִּזְכוּתָם: הַבְּאֵר, עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, וְהַמָּן.
And three good gifts were given in their merit: the well, the pillar of cloud, and the manna.
הַבְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם, עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן, הַמָּן בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה.
The well in the merit of Miriam; the pillar of cloud in the merit of Aharon; the manna in the merit of Moshe.
כְּשֶׁמֵּתָה מִרְיָם — נִסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר; כְּשֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן — נִסְתַּלֵּק עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן; כְּשֶׁמֵּת מֹשֶׁה — נִסְתַּלְּקוּ כֻּלָּם.
When Miriam died, the well was taken away; when Aharon died, the pillar of cloud departed; when Moshe died, all three were taken away.
וּבְיוֹם מוֹת מֹשֶׁה פָּסַק הַמָּן.
On the day Moshe died, the manna ceased.
וְיָדַע מֹשֶׁה כִּי יוֹם מִיתָתוֹ הִגִּיעַ. הִשְׁכִּים וְסִדֵּר אֶת עַצְמוֹ.
Moshe knew that the day of his death had come. He rose early and composed himself.
יָרַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, גַּבְרִיאֵל לִימִינוֹ וּמִיכָאֵל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, descended from the highest heavens, with Gavriel at His right and Micha’el at His left.
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מֹשֶׁה, עֲצֹם אֶת עֵינֶיךָ. וְעָצַם.
The Holy One said to him: “Moshe, close your eyes.” And he closed them.
אָמַר לוֹ: שִׂים יָדֶיךָ עַל חָזֶיךָ. וְשָׂם. אָמַר לוֹ: כְּנוֹס רַגְלֶיךָ. וְכָנַס.
He said to him: “Place your hands on your chest.” And he placed them. “Place your feet together.” And he did so.
וְאָז קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַנְּשָׁמָה מִתּוֹךְ הַגּוּף.
Then the Holy One called to the neshamah from within the body.
אָמַר לָהּ: בִּתִּי, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה יִעַדְתִּיךְ לְגוּפוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה. עַתָּה הִגִּיעַ זְמַנֵּךְ לָצֵאת.
He said to it: “My daughter, for 120 years I assigned you to the body of Moshe. Now your time has come to depart.”
אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! יֵשׁ גּוּף בָּעוֹלָם טָהוֹר יוֹתֵר מִגּוּפוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁלֹּא נִרְאָה בוֹ רֵיחַ רַע, תּוֹלָעָה, וְרִמָּה?
The neshamah said: “Master of the Universe! Is there a body in the world purer than the body of Moshe, in which no foul smell, worm, or maggot has ever been found?
לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹהֶבֶת אוֹתוֹ וְאֵינִי רוֹצָה לְצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ.
Therefore I love him and do not wish to leave him.”
אָמַר לָהּ: צְאִי, וַאֲנִי מְמַנָּה אוֹתָךְ לְשָׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים תַּחַת כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי.
He said to her: “Leave, and I will place you in the highest heavens under My throne of glory.”
אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וּמִלִּפְנֵי כְּבוֹדְךָ וּמִכִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדְךָ — עִם מֹשֶׁה אֲנִי רוֹצָה.
The neshamah said: “Master of the Universe! From before You and Your glory, and from before the Throne of Your glory — I wish to remain with Moshe.”
יָרַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים לְהוֹצִיא אֶת נִשְׁמַת מֹשֶׁה.
The Holy One descended from the highest heavens to take the neshamah of Moshe.
שְׁלֹשָׁה לִוּוּ אוֹתוֹ: מִיכָאֵל, גַּבְרִיאֵל, וְזַגְזַגְאֵל.
Three accompanied Him: Micha’el, Gavriel, and Zagzagel.
מִיכָאֵל סִדֵּר אֶת מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, גַּבְרִיאֵל פָּרַשׂ בֶּגֶד פִּשְׁתָּן מִתַּחַת לְרֹאשׁוֹ, זַגְזַגְאֵל מִתַּחַת לְרַגְלָיו.
Micha’el arranged Moshe’s bed; Gavriel spread a fine linen cloth at his head; Zagzagel at his feet.
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: עֲצֹם אֶת עֵינֶיךָ. וְעָצַם. שִׂים יָדֶיךָ עַל חָזֶיךָ. וְשָׂם.
The Holy One said to Moshe: “Close your eyes.” And he closed them. “Place your hands on your chest.” And he placed them.
וְנָטַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת נִשְׁמָתוֹ בְּנְשִׁיקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ‘וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד הֹ עַל פִּי הֹ’.
The Holy One took his neshamah with a kiss, as it is written: “So Moshe the servant of Hashem died there — al pi Hashem — by the mouth/command of Hashem” (Devarim 34:5).
וְכָל הָעוֹלָם יָדַע שֶׁהוּא מִן הַצַּדִּיקִים הַגְּמוּרִים.
All the world knew that he was among the truly righteous.
הָלַךְ וְרָעַשׁ הָעוֹלָם, וְאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אַתָּה מַשְׁפִּיל עַצְמְךָ, וַאֲנִי מְרוֹמֵם אוֹתְךָ עַל כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת.
He walked and the world trembled. The Holy One said to him: “You humble yourself, and I will exalt you above all creatures.”
אָמַר: ‘אֲנִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶר כְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִי’.
He said: “I am dust and ashes, as was Avraham my father.”
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: חַיֶּיךָ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִשְׁפַּלְתָּ עַצְמְךָ, אֲנִי מַעֲמִיד אוֹתְךָ נֶגֶד כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי.
The Holy One replied: “By your life, as you have humbled yourself, I will establish you before My throne of glory.”
קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְגַּבְרִיאֵל וְאָמַר לוֹ: לֵךְ וְהָבֵא לִי אֶת נִשְׁמַת מֹשֶׁה.
The Holy One called to Gavriel and said: “Go and bring me the neshamah of Moshe.”
אָמַר גַּבְרִיאֵל: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! אֵיךְ אֶעֱמֹד בִּפְנֵי אָדָם הַשָּׁוֶה לְשִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל?
Gavriel said: “Master of the Universe! How can I stand before a man who is equal to 600,000 of Israel?
אֵיךְ אֲמִית אָדָם אֲשֶׁר כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד מִלֵּא כָּל הַבַּיִת אוֹר?
How can I cause the death of a man who, when he was born, filled the whole house with light?”
אָז קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִיכָאֵל. אָמַר מִיכָאֵל: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! אֲנִי הָיִיתִי רַבּוֹ וְהוּא הָיָה תַּלְמִידִי. אֵינִי יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל לִרְאוֹת אֶת מוֹתוֹ.
Then the Holy One called to Micha’el. Micha’el said: “Master of the Universe! I was his teacher and he was my student. I cannot bear to see his death.”
כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע מֹשֶׁה שֶׁעֵת מִיתָתוֹ הִגִּיעָה, לָקַח סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה וְחִבְּקוֹ וּבָכָה עִמּוֹ.
Since Moshe knew that his time to die had come, he took the scroll of Torah, embraced it, and wept with it.
יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: מֹשֶׁה, אַל תִּירָא! אֲנִי עַצְמִי אֶעֱסֹק בָּךְ וּבִקְבוּרָתְךָ.
A Heavenly Voice went forth and said to him: “Moshe, do not fear! I Myself will attend to you and your burial.”
יָרַד עֲנַן הַכָּבוֹד וְהִקִּיפוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: סוּר מֵעָלַי מְעַט, עַד שֶׁאֲבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
A cloud of glory descended and enveloped him. He said to it: “Move away from me a little, until I bless the people of Israel.
כִּי כָּל יָמַי צַעֲרַתִּים.
For all my days I troubled them.”
הִתְחִיל מֹשֶׁה לְבָרֵךְ כָּל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ.
Moshe began to bless each tribe individually.
וּכְשֶׁגָּמַר לְבָרֵךְ אֶת כָּל הַשְּׁבָטִים, אָמַר לָהֶם: הִרְבֵּיתִי לְצַעֲרֵיכֶם; עַתָּה מְחוּ לִי.
When he finished blessing all the tribes, he said: “I troubled you greatly; now forgive me.”
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּינוּ מוֹרֵינוּ, מָחוּל לְךָ!
They replied: “Our teacher, our master — you are forgiven!”
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: מֹשֶׁה, זְמַנְּךָ מָצֵר.
The Holy One said to Moshe: “Moshe, your time is short.”
נָשָׂא מֹשֶׁה יָדָיו לַשָּׁמַיִם וְאָמַר: מַעִיד אֲנִי בְּשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁלֹּא הִנַּחְתִּי אֶחָד מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ בְּלֹא בֵיאוּר.
Moshe lifted his hands to heaven and said: “I swear by Your great name that I did not leave a single word of Your Torah unexplained.
יֵיטַב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִרְחַק מֵהֶם הָרָע.
May good come to Israel, and may evil stay far from them.”
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ: רוֹצֶה אַתָּה לָלֶכֶת? קַח אֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה בְּיָדְךָ וָלֵךְ לְפָנַי.
Moshe said to Yehoshua: “Would you go? Take this staff in your hand and walk before me.”
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה תָּפַשׂ מֹשֶׁה בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְקִשֵּׁטוֹ בְּבִגְדָיו וְכִתְּרוֹ בְּכִתְרוֹ וְחָגַר אוֹתוֹ בַּחֲגוֹרָתוֹ.
At that hour, Moshe took hold of Yehoshua and adorned him with his own garments, crowned him with his crown, and girded him with his belt.
עָמַד מֹשֶׁה לִימִינוֹ וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, וְהָלְכוּ לְהוֹשִׁיב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Moshe stood at his right and the Holy One at his left, and they went to address Israel.
נִבְהַל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְלֹא יָכֹל לְדַבֵּר. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לָמָּה אַתָּה שׁוֹתֵק? דַּבֵּר עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Yehoshua trembled and could not speak. The Holy One said to him: “Why are you silent? Speak with the people of Israel!”
הִתְחִיל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְדַבֵּר; וּכְשֶׁרָאָה מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה זִיווֹ כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּדְבָרָיו יוֹצְאִים מִפִּיו כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ, בָּאוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכַבֵּד אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
Yehoshua began to speak. When Moshe saw that his splendor shone like the sun and his words emerged like burning coals, all Israel came to honor Yehoshua.
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לָהֶם: אַתֶּם מַנִּיחִים אֶת הָרַב וְהוֹלְכִים אֶל הַתַּלְמִיד?
Moshe said to them: “You forsake the master and go to the student?”
נָשְׂאוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם וְרָאוּ דְּמוּת מֹשֶׁה עוֹמֶדֶת וּדְמוּת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יוֹשֶׁבֶת וּדְמוּת כְּרוּב בֵּינֵיהֶם.
The entire congregation lifted their eyes and saw the image of Moshe standing and the image of Yehoshua sitting, and the image of a cherub between them.
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יָצָא הַכָּרוֹז וְהִכְרִיז: מֹשֶׁה מָסַר וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ קִבֵּל.
At that hour, a herald went forth and announced: “Moshe has transferred authority and Yehoshua has received it.”
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: מַה זֶּה הָאֵבֶל שֶׁנָּפַל עָלֶיךָ הַיּוֹם?
The Holy One said to Moshe: “What is this grief that has overtaken you today?
הֲלֹא הַיּוֹם הוּא שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ: ‘בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם, לֹא אוּכַל עוֹד לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא’?
Is this not the day when you said: “I am 120 years old today; I can no longer go out and come in”?
שְׂמַח, שֶׁאַף מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שָׂמְחוּ בַּעֲלִיָּתְךָ.
Rejoice, for even the ministering angels have rejoiced at your ascent.
לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֶגָּלֶה עָלֶיךָ עִם הָאָבוֹת וְהַנְּבִיאִים, וְאוֹלִיכְךָ לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֵכַנְתִּי לְךָ.
In the future I will reveal Myself to you together with the Patriarchs and the Prophets, and I will guide you to the place I have prepared for you.
וְאֶתֵּן לְיָדְךָ אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַתָּה תִּמְנֶה אוֹתָם לִדְגָלֵיהֶם, לְאוֹתוֹתֵיהֶם, לְמַחֲנוֹתֵיהֶם, לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם.
I will give all Israel into your hands, and you will count them by their standards, banners, camps, and clans.”
כִּי שֶׁלִּי הוּא, וְאֵין כָּמוֹהוּ בַּנְּבִיאִים.
For he is Mine; there is none like him among the prophets.
אֵין כָּמוֹהוּ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ.
There is none like him in heaven or on earth.
אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ פֶּה אֶל פֶּה.
I speak with him mouth to mouth.
בָּרָאתִי שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ בִּשְׁבִילוֹ.
I created the heavens and the earth for his sake.
נִגְלֵיתִי אֵלָיו בַּסְּנֶה הַבּוֹעֵר. עָשִׂיתִי עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת לְמִצְרָיִם. קָרַעְתִּי לוֹ אֶת הַיָּם.
I revealed Myself to him at the burning bush. I brought ten plagues upon Egypt. I split the sea for him.
הֶעֱלֵיתִיהוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם וְגִלֵּיתִי לוֹ כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת.
I brought him up to heaven and revealed to him My throne of glory and the ministering angels.
וּבְיַד מֹשֶׁה נָתַתִּי תּוֹרָה לְעַמִּי. כָּתַבְתִּי בְּאֶצְבְּעִי עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת וּנְתַתִּים לוֹ.
Through Moshe’s hands I gave the Torah to My people. I wrote with My finger the Ten Commandments and gave them to him.
וַהֲמַלַּכְתִּיהוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And I made him king over Israel.”
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: לָמָּה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לִי כָּךְ? כּוֹנֵס אַתָּה כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְאוֹתִי מְשַׁלֵּחַ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל?
Moshe said: “Why do You treat me this way? You gather all the peoples of the earth and You send me away from the children of Israel?
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲחַיֶּה וְאֶעֱבֹר וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן.
Master of the Universe! Let me live and cross over and see the good land that is across the Jordan.”
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: עַל שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל ‘שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים’ וְלֹא קִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת שְׁמִי.
The Holy One said: “Because you said before Israel: ‘Hear now, you rebels!’ and you did not sanctify My Name.
וְעַתָּה עֲלֵה אֶל רֹאשׁ הָהָר.
And now, go up to the top of the mountain.”
הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה מִיָּד וְהִכִין עַצְמוֹ לָמוּת. בָּכָה וְאָמַר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
Moshe went immediately and prepared himself to die. He wept and said before the Holy One:
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁדִּבַּרְתִּי דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ, עַכְשָׁיו אֶשְׁתֶּה כּוֹס הַמָּוֶת?
“Master of the Universe! With this tongue with which I spoke the words of Your Torah — shall I now drink the cup of death?”
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: חַיֶּיךָ וְחַיֵּי אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶּךָ, אֲנִי עַצְמִי אֶעֱסֹק בָּךְ וְאֶקְבְּרָךְ בְּכָבוֹד גָּדוֹל.
The Holy One replied: “By your life and the lives of your father and mother — I Myself will attend to you and bury you with great honor.”
יָצְאָה הַבַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: הִגִּיעַ זְמַן מִיתָתְךָ.
The Heavenly Voice went forth and said: “The time of your death has come.”
פָּרַשׂ מֹשֶׁה אֶת בִּגְדוֹ וְיָשַׁב עָלָיו, וְכִסָּה פָּנָיו, וְשָׂם יָדָיו עַל חָזֵהוּ.
Moshe spread his garment, sat upon it, covered his face, and placed his hands on his chest.
וְנֶאֱסְפוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָל הָעָם לְלַוּוֹתוֹ.
Yehoshua and all the people gathered to accompany him.
בָּאוּ זְקֵנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל שָׂרָיו בּוֹכִים וּמְיַיְלְלִים.
The elders of Israel and all the officers came crying and wailing.
וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֶסְפוּ אֵלָיו כַּת כַּת.
And all of Israel gathered to him, group by group.
הָיָה מֹשֶׁה אוֹמֵר לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד: לָמָּה אַתֶּם בּוֹכִים?
Moshe said to each one: “Why are you weeping?”
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּינוּ מֹשֶׁה, אֵיךְ לֹא נִבְכֶּה, שֶׁאַתָּה פּוֹרֵשׁ מֵאִתָּנוּ?
They said: “Our teacher Moshe, how can we not weep when you are departing from us?”
אָמַר לָהֶם: אַל תִּבְכּוּ; רַבְּכֶם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יַעֲמֹד בִּמְקוֹמִי. שִׁמְעוּ לוֹ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַבְּלוֹ.
He said to them: “Do not weep. Your teacher Yehoshua will stand in my place. Listen to him, for the Holy One accepts him.”
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: מֹשֶׁה, הִגִּיעַ זְמַנְּךָ לְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הָעוֹלָם.
The Holy One said to Moshe: “Moshe, your time has come to depart from the world.
אֱמֹר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּלְמִידְךָ כֵּיצַד יִתְנַהֵג עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Tell Yehoshua your disciple how to conduct himself with Israel.”
קָרָא מֹשֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְאָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, אֵלֶּה הֵם עַם הֹ שֶׁשִּׁמַּשְׁתִּי אוֹתָם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה.
Moshe called Yehoshua and said: “My son, these are the people of Hashem whom I led for forty years.
עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי מוֹסְרָם לְיָדְךָ. אַל תִּהְיֶה קָשֶׁה עֲלֵיהֶם.
Now I place them in your care. Do not be harsh with them—
שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם לֹא דָּקְדֵּק עִם בְּרִיּוֹתָיו.
For even the Master of the Universe does not deal harshly with His creatures.”
וְעַכְשָׁיו, בְּנִי, עֲלֵה לְרֹאשׁ הָהָר, כִּי כָּךְ גָּזַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמוּת שָׁם.
And now, my son, go up to the top of the mountain, for so has the Holy One decreed that I die there.”
לָקַח הַמַּלְאָךְ אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְהֶרְאָהוּ אֶת מְקוֹם קְבוּרָתוֹ.
An angel took Moshe and showed him his burial place.
אָמַר לוֹ: זֶה מְקוֹמְךָ. אָמַר לוֹ: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, יָרֵא אֲנִי מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.
He said to him: “This is your place.” He said: “Master of the Universe, I am afraid of this place.”
אָמַר לוֹ: לָמָּה אַתָּה יָרֵא? אֲנִי אַשְׁמֹר אוֹתְךָ וְאֶשְׁמְרֶנּוּ.
He said: “Why do you fear? I will protect you and guard you.”
נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ בַּשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עִמּוֹ לְעוֹלָם.
He swore to him by the Great Name that He would be with him forever.
אָמַר לוֹ: מַה יִּהְיֶה זְכוּתִי? אָמַר לוֹ: כָּל פַּעַם שֶׁאָדָם בָּא לְפָנַי בְּלֵב טָהוֹר וְמַזְכִּיר שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת שֶׁלִּי, אֶזְכֹּר זְכוּתְךָ בַּעֲבוּרוֹ וְאֶסְלַח לוֹ.
He asked: “What will be my merit?” He replied: “Every time a person comes before Me with a pure heart and mentions My thirteen attributes of mercy, I will remember your merit for his sake and forgive him — as it is written: ‘And Hashem passed.’”
מֵת מֹשֶׁה בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בְּטָהֳרָה.
Moshe died on the Sabbath day, in purity.
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מִיתַת הַצַּדִּיקִים שְׁקוּלָה כְּשְׂרֵפַת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.
The Holy One said: “The death of the righteous is considered as weighty as the burning of the Temple.”
כְּשֶׁנִּתְקָרַב מֹשֶׁה לְמִיתָתוֹ, זָעַק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם: ‘הַצַּדִּיק אָבַד וְאֵין אִישׁ שָׂם עַל לֵב’ (יְשַׁעְיָה נח:א).
As Moshe drew near to his death, the Holy One cried out from heaven: “The righteous man perishes and no man takes it to heart” (Yeshayahu 57:1).
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת: שַׂר הָעוֹלָם! זֶהוּ שְׂכַר הַתּוֹרָה?
At that moment the ministering angels said: “Sovereign of the Universe! Is this the reward of the Torah?”
אָמַר לָהֶם: יֵשׁ לָהֶם שָׂכָר אַחֵר לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
He said to them: “There is a different reward for them in the World to Come.”
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי אֶתְכֶם בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁלִּמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם — כְּשֶׁתִּזְכְּרוּ אוֹתִי, בְּכוּ וְהִתְאַבְּלוּ עָלַי.
Moshe said to Israel: “I adjure you by the Torah and commandments I taught you — when you remember me, weep and mourn for me.
וְאִמְרוּ: ‘אוֹי לָעָנָו שֶׁאָבַד, אוֹי לַנֶּאֱמָן שֶׁאָבַד’.
And say: “Woe to the humble one who is lost; woe to the faithful one who is lost.’”
עָמְדוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל קִבְרוֹ וְהִתְאַבְּלוּ עַל מֹשֶׁה שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם.
All of Israel stood at his grave and mourned Moshe for thirty days.
כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁלְמוּ שְׁלֹשִׁים יְמֵי הָאֵבֶל אָמְרוּ: אַיֵּה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ? יָצְאָה הַבַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: מֹשֶׁה הָלַךְ.
When the thirty days of mourning were completed, they asked: “Where is Moshe our teacher?” The Heavenly Voice responded: “Moshe has departed.”
בָּכָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָלָיו וְאָמַר: מִי יַעֲמֹד לִי עֵת אַף? מִי יְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל בָּנַי?
The Holy One wept over him and said: “Who will now stand for Me at the time of anger? Who will seek mercy for My children?”
אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת: פָּסְקָה צִדְקַת הֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ.
The ministering angels said: “The righteousness of Hashem has departed from the earth.”
אָמְרוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם: אָבְדוּ חֲסִידִים מִן הָאָרֶץ. אָמְרָה הָאָרֶץ: אֵין יָשָׁר בָּאָדָם.
The heavens said: “The pious ones are gone from the earth.” The earth said: “There is no more uprightness among men.”
הַכּוֹכָבִים וְהַמַּזָּלוֹת בּוֹכִים וּמִתְאַבְּלִים, הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ מְחֻשָּׁכִים.
The stars and constellations weep and mourn; the sun and moon are darkened.
וְהַקְּדוֹשִׁים אוֹמְרִים: לֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה.
And the holy ones say: “There has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moshe.”
This final section of the Seder transitions to laws of Yom Kippur, connecting the themes of Moshe’s death — purity, atonement, and divine forgiveness — with the holiest day of the year:
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אֵלּוּ הֵם הַדְּבָרִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּיוֹם כִּפּוּר: אָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת.
These are the things forbidden on Yom Kippur: it is forbidden to eat or drink.
אָסוּר לִרְחֹץ, לָסוּךְ, לִנְעֹל הַסַּנְדָּל, וְלִשְׁמֵשׁ מִטָּה.
It is forbidden to wash, to anoint oneself, to wear sandals, or to engage in marital relations.
חֲמִשָּׁה עִנּוּיִים אֵלּוּ כְּנֶגֶד חָמֵשׁ ‘וְעִנִּיתֶם’ שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
These five afflictions correspond to the five mentions of ‘ve-inisem’ (you shall afflict yourselves) in the Torah.
וְכֵן כְּנֶגֶד חָמֵשׁ תְּפִלּוֹת שֶׁל יוֹם כִּפּוּר: עַרְבִית, שַׁחֲרִית, מוּסָף, מִנְחָה, וּנְעִילָה.
And they correspond to the five prayer services of Yom Kippur: Ma’ariv, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, and Neilah.
כִּי בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם (וַיִּקְרָא טז:ל).
“For on this day He will atone for you, to purify you” (Vayikra 16:30).
אֵלּוּ הֵם שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ‘וַיַּעֲבֹר הֹ’ (שְׁמוֹת לד:ו).
These are the thirteen attributes of mercy, as it says: “And Hashem passed” (Shemos 34:6).
כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּלָאכָה אֲסוּרָה בְּשַׁבָּת וְבַמּוֹעֲדִים, כָּךְ מְלָאכָה אֲסוּרָה בְּיוֹם כִּפּוּר.
Just as labor is forbidden on Shabbos and Yom Tov, so too labor is forbidden on Yom Kippur.
אֲבָל יֵשׁ הֶבְדֵּל: כָּל מְלָאכָה אֲסוּרָה בּוֹ, אֲבָל לֹא כָּל הָעִנּוּיִים. כִּי עִנּוּיִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם סַכָּנָה לַנֶּפֶשׁ — מֻתָּרִים.
However, there is a difference: all labor is forbidden on it, but not all afflictions. For afflictions that endanger life — are permitted (i.e., one need not afflict oneself to the point of danger).
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Vos Iz Neias(JNS) – The State Memorial Ceremony for Fallen Soldiers Whose Burial Place is Unknown took place at The National Memorial Hall on Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Tuesday in the presence of numerous public officials.
Among those attending were Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy President of the Supreme Court Noam Solberg.
The memorial event takes place every year on the 7th of Adar, which, according to Jewish tradition, is the Hebrew date on which Moses died, but whose place of burial is unknown.
The audience stood as a memorial flame was lit by Dalia Mizrachi, the daughter of First Lieutenant David Mizrahi, who fell during Israel’s War of Independence in an operation across Egypt’s border.
According to the IDF’s website, Mizrahi was captured with fellow soldier Ezra Afgin. They were both fighters in Dawn, Palmach’s undercover unit.
The two were caught and imprisoned in Gaza Prison on May 23, 1948. On Aug, 22, 1948, they were executed on charges of attempting to poison wells. They were killed by a firing squad. The execution took place at a grove north of the al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza, the IDF said.
“Regarding the place where the soldiers’ bodies were buried, the information we have indicates that they were buried in Gaza, apparently where public buildings were later built,” according to the website.
“Their bodies haven’t been found to this day,” said the ceremony’s moderator.
Dalia Mizrahi, l., lit the memorial candle at The State Memorial Ceremony for Fallen Soldiers Whose Burial Place is Unknown in Jerusalem, Feb. 24, 2026. Credit: YouTube/MoD.
Lt. Col. Shlomi Azani, head of the IDF’s branch for locating missing soldiers, said the nation of Israel remembers “its courageous and loyal sons and daughters,” who gave their lives serving in the IDF, in other security services, in the underground fighting to establish the State of Israel and in terrorist attacks abroad.
“There is almost no other country in the world that sanctifies the value of bringing the fallen to burial like the State of Israel,” Herzog told the audience.
“This is a Jewish obligation that is ingrained in our heritage … a sacred Israeli obligation, an unwritten but clear order, not to leave a soldier behind, especially after he’s fallen,” Herzog said.
Katz said the IDF remains obligated to bring certainty to families whose loved ones have been lost in battle and whose whereabouts are unknown; “to dispel the doubts that surround the lives of their families.”
“The entire security establishment has been operating for decades, whether it concerns a fallen soldier from the War of Independence, the Yom Kippur War or any other campaign,” he said.
“We are acting within the borders of Israel and outside them with the required secrecy and the necessary professionalism, in order to follow after the fate of those who fell in battle,” Katz said.
Brig. Gen. Eyal Krim, head of the Military Rabbinate of the Israel Defense Forces, offered a prayer. Wreaths were placed by officials and families to commemorate missing soldiers.
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Facebook owner Meta Platforms will buy artificial intelligence chips from Advanced Micro Devices in a deal that will also give it the opportunity to buy up to a 10% stake of the chip company.
Meta will buy AMD’s latest chips, the MI450, to help power data centers. The 6-gigawatt agreement will see shipments supporting the first gigawatt deployment set to start during the second half of this year. The agreement could potentially be worth more than $100 billion.
Shares of AMD jumped more than 9% before the market open on Tuesday.
The companies said that AMD issued Meta a performance-based warrant for up to 160 million shares of its common stock at $0.01 a piece, structured to vest as long as certain milestones are achieved.
The first tranche vests with the initial 1-gigawatt of shipments, with additional tranches vesting as Meta’s purchases scale to 6 gigawatts.
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — The IDF is already preparing to kasher the kitchens on its bases ahead of Pesach, but a new report is stirring controversy.
According to a report on Tuesday by Daniel Groveis on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio), the Ministry of Defense is employing charedim who are considered “draft evaders,” some of whom reportedly even have outstanding arrest warrants, to carry out the kashering of kitchens for the holiday.
The report states that these are individuals classified as being in a status of failure to report for service, yet they are still being hired for Pesach-related logistical preparations at various IDF bases.
According to Galei Tzahal, the workers are coordinated through civilian companies that work with the IDF. In previous years, no checks were conducted regarding the legal status of the employees, which resulted in yeshiva students classified as draft evaders being hired for pay to work inside IDF bases.
The IDF Spokesperson responded: “The IDF views the matter seriously and it will be examined. We note that no details were provided regarding specific cases; if such cases are identified, they will be addressed.”
The Ministry of Defense stated: “The claims will be reviewed.”
Vos Iz NeiasTEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian military helicopter crashed into a fruit and vegetable market in central Iran on Tuesday, reportedly killing at least four people.
The crash happened in the town of Dorcheh, some 330 kilometers (205 miles) south of Iran’s capital, Tehran, in the country’s Isfahan province, Iranian state television reported. Isfahan is home to a major Iranian air base, as well as a nuclear site struck by the U.S. during the Iran-Israel war in June.
The army helicopter had been on a training flight, state TV said. The pilot and co-pilot died in the crash, it added, showing footage of debris and smoke rising from the market.
Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency said two people on the ground at the market died in the crash.
This is the second crash in less than a week in Iran. An F-4 fighter jet crashed near Iran’s western city of Hamedan, killing one of its pilots.
Iran has a history of fatal crashes. Western sanctions have dried up the supply of parts for aircraft in Iran, which relies on a fleet of aging helicopters and airplanes for both its government and commercial airlines.
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (VINnews) — In recent days, the Trump administration has been forced to engage in diplomatic damage control following remarks by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who allegedly claimed that Israel has the right to rule over large parts of the Middle East, according to a report in Politico.
Senior American officials reached out directly to a number of Arab states to clarify that this was Huckabee’s personal position and did not represent any change in official White House policy.
According to the report, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, and other senior officials held talks with concerned Arab counterparts, stressing that the statement made during Huckabee’s appearance on Tucker Carlson’s program reflected only the ambassador’s personal views. Three sources familiar with the matter said Washington sought to calm tensions and make clear that there had been no deviation from President Donald Trump’s policy line.
The controversial remarks were made during a charged interview conducted by conservative media figure Tucker Carlson with Huckabee, an interview that triggered a wave of condemnations across the Arab and Muslim world. One key moment focused on the issue of the Jews’ “divine right” to Israel. Carlson cited a verse from Genesis describing the promise “from the Nile to the Euphrates,” and asked whether this implied that Israel has a theological right to take over Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
Huckabee initially replied that “it would have been fine if they took it all,” but immediately clarified that this was “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement,” adding that Israel is not seeking to take over other countries but rather “to live securely in a land to which it has a 3,800-year connection.” When asked explicitly whether such a move would be legitimate today, he said: “I’m not sure it would be legitimate.” The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem later stated that the remarks were “taken out of context,” while Huckabee himself criticized the media coverage on X.
Despite this, the comments drew sharp condemnation from more than a dozen Arab countries in a joint statement, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, which described the remarks as “dangerous and inflammatory.” The sensitivity is particularly high given the administration’s efforts to rally Arab and Muslim countries behind a broader plan to stabilize and rebuild Gaza. At the same time, Trump would need cooperation from countries such as Qatar and Jordan, which host American military facilities, should he follow through on threats to strike Iran.
The backdrop to the controversy also includes Trump’s declared policy, under which he reportedly assured Arab and Muslim leaders that he would not allow the annexation of Judea and Samaria. A senior Gulf diplomat argued that the remarks could undermine one of the administration’s central goals: integrating Israel into the Middle East. “The sovereignty of Arab states is not something to be taken lightly, especially when we are trying to build a unified Middle East that includes Israel,” he said. Another State Department official added that Huckabee “does not represent our views and does not represent the best version of the pro-Israel position.”
Vos Iz NeiasJERUSALEM (VINnews) — Thousands of people entered Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem overnight Tuesday and took part in a ceremony marking the Hachnasas Sefer Torah (dedication of a Torah scroll) at the site.
The Torah scroll, donated in memory of the fallen and deceased students of Yeshivat “Od Yosef Chai,” was brought into the compound accompanied by dancing and singing, under heavy security provided by IDF forces.
The event was attended by rabbis, public figures, and bereaved families. Among those present were Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Haim Goren, the heads of Yeshivat “Od Yosef Chai,” Rabbi Yitzchak Shapira and Rabbi Yosef Elitzur, and Homesh Yeshiva head Rabbi Elishama Cohen.
עוד נשוב לשם: אלפים השתתפו הלילה בהכנסת ספר תורה במתחם קבר יוסף שבלב שכם לרגל חודש אדר. ספר התורה נתרם על ידי תורם שביקש להשאר אנונימי, לזכר הנופלים והנפטרים מתלמידי ישיבת עוד יוסף חי.
יוסי דגן, ראש מועצת שומרון אמר בטקס כתיבת האותיות: “אנחנו צועדים https://t.co/g0jKZM9qiR pic.twitter.com/PCD8mTN1oW
— 🇮🇱 baron28 (@Baron28Baron286) February 24, 2026
Before entering Shechem, a ceremony for writing the final letters of the Torah scroll was held at the study hall of Yeshivat “Od Yosef Chai”, the place where the students studied for nearly two decades until the tomb was abandoned during the Second Intifada.
Rabbi Yitzchak Shapira, head of the yeshiva, addressed the gathering and emphasized the connection between Yosef and the Torah: “Joseph was a ‘wise son’ who studied Torah with our forefather Yaakov. Bringing in the Torah scroll today is a declaration that the Torah is returning to Shechem. We hope we will merit returning the yeshiva to its natural place.”
Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Haim Goren added: “Joseph said, ‘It is my brothers that I seek.’ We ask that the power Joseph had to reconcile with his brothers after such great hatred be granted to us, so that we may unite the entire people of Israel, in Tel Aviv, in Samaria, and everywhere.”
MK Zvi Sukkot, who leads the parliamentary lobby advocating a return to Joseph’s Tomb, stated: “The time has come to correct the injustice of Joseph’s sale in our generation and to return permanently to this holy site.”
The Samaria Regional Council head concluded: “We are taking another significant step toward a full return to Jewish presence in Shechem. We say to G-d: we will do our part, You do Yours. This Torah scroll will be placed temporarily at the yeshiva in Yitzhar, because we will return here together with it.”
Vos Iz NeiasTEL AVIV, Israel (VINnews) — An El Al Israel Airlines flight from Ben Gurion Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport turned back Monday after spending about four hours in the air when the New Jersey airport closed amid a powerful snowstorm in the northeastern United States.
The aircraft l, El Al Flight 1027 departed as scheduled and was flying over central Europe, near Corsica, when the crew was informed that Newark had suspended landings because of heavy snowfall, strong winds and poor visibility. After considering alternatives, including diverting to another North American airport, the airline decided to return to Israel.
The plane landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport later Monday night.
Flight boards in Newark showed widespread cancellations and delays as the storm disrupted travel across the region. An El Al official said the flight will be rescheduled once landing clearance is granted at Newark or a nearby airport.
Vos Iz NeiasDETROIT (VINnews) — A Delta Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to New York was diverted to Detroit Metropolitan Airport due to inclement weather, prompting an outpouring of hospitality from the local Jewish community.
Community members quickly mobilized upon learning of the diversion, creating a group chat to coordinate hachnasat orchim — welcoming guests — for the stranded passengers. Local vendors began preparing food, and a collection was launched to cover related costs, ensuring no one would go without a warm meal or bed.
Organizers arranged bus transportation from the airport to the neighborhood to facilitate hospitality efforts.
Delta Airlines, informed of the community’s initiative, stepped in to provide free hotel vouchers for all passengers on the flight.
Despite the airline’s accommodations, many community members still proceeded to the airport, greeting the weary travelers with a full spread of warm food, snacks and heartfelt support.
The episode highlighted the Detroit Jewish community’s commitment to mutual care, embodying the principle of Am Echad, Lev Echad — one people with one heart.
“Mi k’amcha Yisrael!” exclaimed one participant in admiration of the rapid response. “Am Yisrael Chai!”
The incident highlights the enduring tradition of chesed within Jewish communities, turning an unexpected disruption into a display of unity and kindness.
Vos Iz Neiasby Rabbi Yair Hoffman
Yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu
Hebrew Text with Linear English Translation Based on Seder Zayin Adar by Rabbi Moshe Cohen English Translation by Rabbi Yair Hoffman. Copy this!
The Significance of the Date
The seventh of Adar — Zayin Adar — marks both the birth and the yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu. The Gemara (Kiddushin 38a, Sotah 12b) establishes that Moshe was born on 7 Adar and died on 7 Adar exactly 120 years later, fulfilling the pasuk: “I will complete the number of your days” (Shemos 23:26). The Gemorah teaches that Hashem completes the years of the righteous “from day to day” — that tzaddikim are born and die on the same date.
***This author tries to support 21 single mothers in the community who do not even have the funds to put food on the table. Anyone who wishes to donate please zelle [email protected]***
Several important minhagim are associated with Zayin Adar:
The Seder Zayin Adar: Origin and Nature
The text known as the “Seder Zayin Adar” is a compilation that was recited on this day as a form of tikkun (spiritual rectification) in honor of Moshe Rabbeinu. The earliest printed edition that has been found so far is likely the Tikkun le-Zayin Adar u-le-Chamisha be-Av (Tikkun for 7 Adar and 5 Av), published in Livorno (Leghorn) in 1874. This indicates the text was already an established tradition by the 19th century in both Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities.
The text draws from multiple earlier sources, including Midrashic material about Moshe’s death (drawing heavily on Devarim Rabbah, Yalkut Shimoni, Midrash Petiras Moshe, and other related aggadata), the Gemorahs on the three gifts given in the merit of Miriam, Aharon, and Moshe, and halachic material on Yom Kippur.
Rabbi Moshe Cohen (whose name appears on the version translated by this author) organized and compiled this version of the Seder. The custom of reciting this text on Zayin Adar is observed both in Eretz Yisrael and in Chutz La’Aretz.
The Seder covers several major ideas: (1) the transfer of leadership from Moshe Rabbeinu to Yehoshua; (2) chronological data about Moshe Rabbeinu’s life and the cessation of the three nissim; (3) a vivid, moving account of Moshe Rabbeinu’s petirah, including the conversation between Hashem and Moshe Rabbeinu’s neshamah; (4) the malachim refusing to take his Neshama and Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s taking of it with a “kiss”; (5) the mourning of all creation; and (6) laws of Yom Kippur, connecting the the idea of kapparah on this day.
מִנְהָג הוּא בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ וּבְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרוֹא קְרִיאָה מְיֻחֶדֶת בְּשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר, יוֹם הִסְתַּלְּקוּת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ.
It is a custom both in the Diaspora and in the Land of Israel to recite a special reading on the 7th of Adar — the day of the passing of Moshe Rabbeinu.
הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה וְתַלְמִידָיו וְעָמְדוּ עַל פֶּתַח בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ.
Moshe and his disciples went and stood at the gate of the study hall.
אָמַר לָהֶם: אֲשַׁנֶּה לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמְרוּ לֹא בֵּאַרְנוּ לָכֶם יָפֶה.
He said to them: “I will teach you the Torah again, so that you should not say: we did not explain it well.”
מַה אָמַר הַתַּלְמִיד לָרַב? וּמַה אָמַר הָרַב לַתַּלְמִיד?
What did the student say to the teacher? What did the teacher say to the student?
וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו לְעֵינֵי כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ (דְּבָרִים ל״א:ז׳–ח׳).
And Moshe called to Yehoshua and said to him before the eyes of all Israel: “Be strong and courageous” (Devarim 31:7–8).
כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע הֹ לַאֲבֹתָם.
For you shall come with this people to the land which Hashem swore to their fathers.
וַהֹ הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ לְפָנֶיךָ, הוּא יִהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶךָּ, לֹא תִירָא וְלֹא תֵחָת.
Hashem goes before you; He will be with you, He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear nor be dismayed.
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה עַצְמוֹ כְּתַלְמִיד וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ כְּרַב.
In that hour, Moshe made himself as a student and Yehoshua as a teacher.
הָלַךְ לִלְמֹד, וְאָמַר הַתַּלְמִיד לָרַב, וְהָרַב לַתַּלְמִיד.
He [Moshe] went to learn; the student said to the teacher, and the teacher to the student.
בְּאוֹתוֹ יוֹם אִישְׁרַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַתּוֹרָה עַל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
On that same day, the Holy One, Blessed be He, confirmed the Torah upon Yehoshua.
מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ מֵת בְּשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר.
Moshe our Teacher died on the seventh of Adar.
וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַהוּא נִסְתַּלְּקוּ הַבְּאֵר וְהַמָּן וְעַמּוּד הֶעָנָן יַחַד עִם מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ.
And in that month, the well, the manna, and the pillar of cloud departed along with Moshe Rabbeinu.
מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ נוֹלַד בְּמִצְרַיִם בִּשְׁנַת בִשֳִע (לַסְּפִירָה הָעִבְרִית) וּמֵת בִּשְׁנַת בִתיִחִ.
Moshe Rabbeinu was born in Egypt in the year 2368 (Hebrew calendar) and died in the year 2488.
הָיָה מֹשֶׁה בְּמִצְרַיִם שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, וְהִנְהִיג אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה.
Moshe was in Egypt for 80 years, and he led Israel in the wilderness for 40 years.
וְחַי קֶׂרֶֹןֹ יוֹם (לאחר מכן).
And he lived an additional 120 days [i.e., the full 120 years to the day].
שְׁלֹשָׁה פַּרְנָסִים טוֹבִים עָמְדוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵלֶּה הֵם: מִרְיָם, אַהֲרֹן, וּמֹשֶׁה.
Three good advocates stood for Israel: Miriam, Aharon, and Moshe.
וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מַתָּנוֹת טוֹבוֹת נִתְּנוּ בִּזְכוּתָם: הַבְּאֵר, עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, וְהַמָּן.
And three good gifts were given in their merit: the well, the pillar of cloud, and the manna.
הַבְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם, עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן, הַמָּן בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה.
The well in the merit of Miriam; the pillar of cloud in the merit of Aharon; the manna in the merit of Moshe.
כְּשֶׁמֵּתָה מִרְיָם — נִסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר; כְּשֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן — נִסְתַּלֵּק עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן; כְּשֶׁמֵּת מֹשֶׁה — נִסְתַּלְּקוּ כֻּלָּם.
When Miriam died, the well was taken away; when Aharon died, the pillar of cloud departed; when Moshe died, all three were taken away.
וּבְיוֹם מוֹת מֹשֶׁה פָּסַק הַמָּן.
On the day Moshe died, the manna ceased.
וְיָדַע מֹשֶׁה כִּי יוֹם מִיתָתוֹ הִגִּיעַ. הִשְׁכִּים וְסִדֵּר אֶת עַצְמוֹ.
Moshe knew that the day of his death had come. He rose early and composed himself.
יָרַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, גַּבְרִיאֵל לִימִינוֹ וּמִיכָאֵל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, descended from the highest heavens, with Gavriel at His right and Micha’el at His left.
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מֹשֶׁה, עֲצֹם אֶת עֵינֶיךָ. וְעָצַם.
The Holy One said to him: “Moshe, close your eyes.” And he closed them.
אָמַר לוֹ: שִׂים יָדֶיךָ עַל חָזֶיךָ. וְשָׂם. אָמַר לוֹ: כְּנוֹס רַגְלֶיךָ. וְכָנַס.
He said to him: “Place your hands on your chest.” And he placed them. “Place your feet together.” And he did so.
וְאָז קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַנְּשָׁמָה מִתּוֹךְ הַגּוּף.
Then the Holy One called to the neshamah from within the body.
אָמַר לָהּ: בִּתִּי, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה יִעַדְתִּיךְ לְגוּפוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה. עַתָּה הִגִּיעַ זְמַנֵּךְ לָצֵאת.
He said to it: “My daughter, for 120 years I assigned you to the body of Moshe. Now your time has come to depart.”
אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! יֵשׁ גּוּף בָּעוֹלָם טָהוֹר יוֹתֵר מִגּוּפוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁלֹּא נִרְאָה בוֹ רֵיחַ רַע, תּוֹלָעָה, וְרִמָּה?
The neshamah said: “Master of the Universe! Is there a body in the world purer than the body of Moshe, in which no foul smell, worm, or maggot has ever been found?
לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹהֶבֶת אוֹתוֹ וְאֵינִי רוֹצָה לְצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ.
Therefore I love him and do not wish to leave him.”
אָמַר לָהּ: צְאִי, וַאֲנִי מְמַנָּה אוֹתָךְ לְשָׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים תַּחַת כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי.
He said to her: “Leave, and I will place you in the highest heavens under My throne of glory.”
אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וּמִלִּפְנֵי כְּבוֹדְךָ וּמִכִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדְךָ — עִם מֹשֶׁה אֲנִי רוֹצָה.
The neshamah said: “Master of the Universe! From before You and Your glory, and from before the Throne of Your glory — I wish to remain with Moshe.”
יָרַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִשָּׁמַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים לְהוֹצִיא אֶת נִשְׁמַת מֹשֶׁה.
The Holy One descended from the highest heavens to take the neshamah of Moshe.
שְׁלֹשָׁה לִוּוּ אוֹתוֹ: מִיכָאֵל, גַּבְרִיאֵל, וְזַגְזַגְאֵל.
Three accompanied Him: Micha’el, Gavriel, and Zagzagel.
מִיכָאֵל סִדֵּר אֶת מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, גַּבְרִיאֵל פָּרַשׂ בֶּגֶד פִּשְׁתָּן מִתַּחַת לְרֹאשׁוֹ, זַגְזַגְאֵל מִתַּחַת לְרַגְלָיו.
Micha’el arranged Moshe’s bed; Gavriel spread a fine linen cloth at his head; Zagzagel at his feet.
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: עֲצֹם אֶת עֵינֶיךָ. וְעָצַם. שִׂים יָדֶיךָ עַל חָזֶיךָ. וְשָׂם.
The Holy One said to Moshe: “Close your eyes.” And he closed them. “Place your hands on your chest.” And he placed them.
וְנָטַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת נִשְׁמָתוֹ בְּנְשִׁיקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ‘וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד הֹ עַל פִּי הֹ’.
The Holy One took his neshamah with a kiss, as it is written: “So Moshe the servant of Hashem died there — al pi Hashem — by the mouth/command of Hashem” (Devarim 34:5).
וְכָל הָעוֹלָם יָדַע שֶׁהוּא מִן הַצַּדִּיקִים הַגְּמוּרִים.
All the world knew that he was among the truly righteous.
הָלַךְ וְרָעַשׁ הָעוֹלָם, וְאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אַתָּה מַשְׁפִּיל עַצְמְךָ, וַאֲנִי מְרוֹמֵם אוֹתְךָ עַל כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת.
He walked and the world trembled. The Holy One said to him: “You humble yourself, and I will exalt you above all creatures.”
אָמַר: ‘אֲנִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶר כְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִי’.
He said: “I am dust and ashes, as was Avraham my father.”
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: חַיֶּיךָ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִשְׁפַּלְתָּ עַצְמְךָ, אֲנִי מַעֲמִיד אוֹתְךָ נֶגֶד כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי.
The Holy One replied: “By your life, as you have humbled yourself, I will establish you before My throne of glory.”
קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְגַּבְרִיאֵל וְאָמַר לוֹ: לֵךְ וְהָבֵא לִי אֶת נִשְׁמַת מֹשֶׁה.
The Holy One called to Gavriel and said: “Go and bring me the neshamah of Moshe.”
אָמַר גַּבְרִיאֵל: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! אֵיךְ אֶעֱמֹד בִּפְנֵי אָדָם הַשָּׁוֶה לְשִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל?
Gavriel said: “Master of the Universe! How can I stand before a man who is equal to 600,000 of Israel?
אֵיךְ אֲמִית אָדָם אֲשֶׁר כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד מִלֵּא כָּל הַבַּיִת אוֹר?
How can I cause the death of a man who, when he was born, filled the whole house with light?”
אָז קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִיכָאֵל. אָמַר מִיכָאֵל: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! אֲנִי הָיִיתִי רַבּוֹ וְהוּא הָיָה תַּלְמִידִי. אֵינִי יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל לִרְאוֹת אֶת מוֹתוֹ.
Then the Holy One called to Micha’el. Micha’el said: “Master of the Universe! I was his teacher and he was my student. I cannot bear to see his death.”
כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע מֹשֶׁה שֶׁעֵת מִיתָתוֹ הִגִּיעָה, לָקַח סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה וְחִבְּקוֹ וּבָכָה עִמּוֹ.
Since Moshe knew that his time to die had come, he took the scroll of Torah, embraced it, and wept with it.
יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: מֹשֶׁה, אַל תִּירָא! אֲנִי עַצְמִי אֶעֱסֹק בָּךְ וּבִקְבוּרָתְךָ.
A Heavenly Voice went forth and said to him: “Moshe, do not fear! I Myself will attend to you and your burial.”
יָרַד עֲנַן הַכָּבוֹד וְהִקִּיפוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: סוּר מֵעָלַי מְעַט, עַד שֶׁאֲבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
A cloud of glory descended and enveloped him. He said to it: “Move away from me a little, until I bless the people of Israel.
כִּי כָּל יָמַי צַעֲרַתִּים.
For all my days I troubled them.”
הִתְחִיל מֹשֶׁה לְבָרֵךְ כָּל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ.
Moshe began to bless each tribe individually.
וּכְשֶׁגָּמַר לְבָרֵךְ אֶת כָּל הַשְּׁבָטִים, אָמַר לָהֶם: הִרְבֵּיתִי לְצַעֲרֵיכֶם; עַתָּה מְחוּ לִי.
When he finished blessing all the tribes, he said: “I troubled you greatly; now forgive me.”
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּינוּ מוֹרֵינוּ, מָחוּל לְךָ!
They replied: “Our teacher, our master — you are forgiven!”
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: מֹשֶׁה, זְמַנְּךָ מָצֵר.
The Holy One said to Moshe: “Moshe, your time is short.”
נָשָׂא מֹשֶׁה יָדָיו לַשָּׁמַיִם וְאָמַר: מַעִיד אֲנִי בְּשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁלֹּא הִנַּחְתִּי אֶחָד מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ בְּלֹא בֵיאוּר.
Moshe lifted his hands to heaven and said: “I swear by Your great name that I did not leave a single word of Your Torah unexplained.
יֵיטַב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִרְחַק מֵהֶם הָרָע.
May good come to Israel, and may evil stay far from them.”
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ: רוֹצֶה אַתָּה לָלֶכֶת? קַח אֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה בְּיָדְךָ וָלֵךְ לְפָנַי.
Moshe said to Yehoshua: “Would you go? Take this staff in your hand and walk before me.”
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה תָּפַשׂ מֹשֶׁה בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְקִשֵּׁטוֹ בְּבִגְדָיו וְכִתְּרוֹ בְּכִתְרוֹ וְחָגַר אוֹתוֹ בַּחֲגוֹרָתוֹ.
At that hour, Moshe took hold of Yehoshua and adorned him with his own garments, crowned him with his crown, and girded him with his belt.
עָמַד מֹשֶׁה לִימִינוֹ וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, וְהָלְכוּ לְהוֹשִׁיב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Moshe stood at his right and the Holy One at his left, and they went to address Israel.
נִבְהַל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְלֹא יָכֹל לְדַבֵּר. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לָמָּה אַתָּה שׁוֹתֵק? דַּבֵּר עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Yehoshua trembled and could not speak. The Holy One said to him: “Why are you silent? Speak with the people of Israel!”
הִתְחִיל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְדַבֵּר; וּכְשֶׁרָאָה מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה זִיווֹ כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּדְבָרָיו יוֹצְאִים מִפִּיו כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ, בָּאוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכַבֵּד אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
Yehoshua began to speak. When Moshe saw that his splendor shone like the sun and his words emerged like burning coals, all Israel came to honor Yehoshua.
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לָהֶם: אַתֶּם מַנִּיחִים אֶת הָרַב וְהוֹלְכִים אֶל הַתַּלְמִיד?
Moshe said to them: “You forsake the master and go to the student?”
נָשְׂאוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם וְרָאוּ דְּמוּת מֹשֶׁה עוֹמֶדֶת וּדְמוּת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יוֹשֶׁבֶת וּדְמוּת כְּרוּב בֵּינֵיהֶם.
The entire congregation lifted their eyes and saw the image of Moshe standing and the image of Yehoshua sitting, and the image of a cherub between them.
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יָצָא הַכָּרוֹז וְהִכְרִיז: מֹשֶׁה מָסַר וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ קִבֵּל.
At that hour, a herald went forth and announced: “Moshe has transferred authority and Yehoshua has received it.”
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: מַה זֶּה הָאֵבֶל שֶׁנָּפַל עָלֶיךָ הַיּוֹם?
The Holy One said to Moshe: “What is this grief that has overtaken you today?
הֲלֹא הַיּוֹם הוּא שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ: ‘בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם, לֹא אוּכַל עוֹד לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא’?
Is this not the day when you said: “I am 120 years old today; I can no longer go out and come in”?
שְׂמַח, שֶׁאַף מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שָׂמְחוּ בַּעֲלִיָּתְךָ.
Rejoice, for even the ministering angels have rejoiced at your ascent.
לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֶגָּלֶה עָלֶיךָ עִם הָאָבוֹת וְהַנְּבִיאִים, וְאוֹלִיכְךָ לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֵכַנְתִּי לְךָ.
In the future I will reveal Myself to you together with the Patriarchs and the Prophets, and I will guide you to the place I have prepared for you.
וְאֶתֵּן לְיָדְךָ אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַתָּה תִּמְנֶה אוֹתָם לִדְגָלֵיהֶם, לְאוֹתוֹתֵיהֶם, לְמַחֲנוֹתֵיהֶם, לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם.
I will give all Israel into your hands, and you will count them by their standards, banners, camps, and clans.”
כִּי שֶׁלִּי הוּא, וְאֵין כָּמוֹהוּ בַּנְּבִיאִים.
For he is Mine; there is none like him among the prophets.
אֵין כָּמוֹהוּ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ.
There is none like him in heaven or on earth.
אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ פֶּה אֶל פֶּה.
I speak with him mouth to mouth.
בָּרָאתִי שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ בִּשְׁבִילוֹ.
I created the heavens and the earth for his sake.
נִגְלֵיתִי אֵלָיו בַּסְּנֶה הַבּוֹעֵר. עָשִׂיתִי עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת לְמִצְרָיִם. קָרַעְתִּי לוֹ אֶת הַיָּם.
I revealed Myself to him at the burning bush. I brought ten plagues upon Egypt. I split the sea for him.
הֶעֱלֵיתִיהוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם וְגִלֵּיתִי לוֹ כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת.
I brought him up to heaven and revealed to him My throne of glory and the ministering angels.
וּבְיַד מֹשֶׁה נָתַתִּי תּוֹרָה לְעַמִּי. כָּתַבְתִּי בְּאֶצְבְּעִי עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת וּנְתַתִּים לוֹ.
Through Moshe’s hands I gave the Torah to My people. I wrote with My finger the Ten Commandments and gave them to him.
וַהֲמַלַּכְתִּיהוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And I made him king over Israel.”
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: לָמָּה אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לִי כָּךְ? כּוֹנֵס אַתָּה כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְאוֹתִי מְשַׁלֵּחַ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל?
Moshe said: “Why do You treat me this way? You gather all the peoples of the earth and You send me away from the children of Israel?
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲחַיֶּה וְאֶעֱבֹר וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן.
Master of the Universe! Let me live and cross over and see the good land that is across the Jordan.”
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: עַל שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל ‘שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים’ וְלֹא קִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת שְׁמִי.
The Holy One said: “Because you said before Israel: ‘Hear now, you rebels!’ and you did not sanctify My Name.
וְעַתָּה עֲלֵה אֶל רֹאשׁ הָהָר.
And now, go up to the top of the mountain.”
הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה מִיָּד וְהִכִין עַצְמוֹ לָמוּת. בָּכָה וְאָמַר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
Moshe went immediately and prepared himself to die. He wept and said before the Holy One:
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁדִּבַּרְתִּי דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ, עַכְשָׁיו אֶשְׁתֶּה כּוֹס הַמָּוֶת?
“Master of the Universe! With this tongue with which I spoke the words of Your Torah — shall I now drink the cup of death?”
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: חַיֶּיךָ וְחַיֵּי אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶּךָ, אֲנִי עַצְמִי אֶעֱסֹק בָּךְ וְאֶקְבְּרָךְ בְּכָבוֹד גָּדוֹל.
The Holy One replied: “By your life and the lives of your father and mother — I Myself will attend to you and bury you with great honor.”
יָצְאָה הַבַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: הִגִּיעַ זְמַן מִיתָתְךָ.
The Heavenly Voice went forth and said: “The time of your death has come.”
פָּרַשׂ מֹשֶׁה אֶת בִּגְדוֹ וְיָשַׁב עָלָיו, וְכִסָּה פָּנָיו, וְשָׂם יָדָיו עַל חָזֵהוּ.
Moshe spread his garment, sat upon it, covered his face, and placed his hands on his chest.
וְנֶאֱסְפוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָל הָעָם לְלַוּוֹתוֹ.
Yehoshua and all the people gathered to accompany him.
בָּאוּ זְקֵנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל שָׂרָיו בּוֹכִים וּמְיַיְלְלִים.
The elders of Israel and all the officers came crying and wailing.
וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֶסְפוּ אֵלָיו כַּת כַּת.
And all of Israel gathered to him, group by group.
הָיָה מֹשֶׁה אוֹמֵר לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד: לָמָּה אַתֶּם בּוֹכִים?
Moshe said to each one: “Why are you weeping?”
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּינוּ מֹשֶׁה, אֵיךְ לֹא נִבְכֶּה, שֶׁאַתָּה פּוֹרֵשׁ מֵאִתָּנוּ?
They said: “Our teacher Moshe, how can we not weep when you are departing from us?”
אָמַר לָהֶם: אַל תִּבְכּוּ; רַבְּכֶם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יַעֲמֹד בִּמְקוֹמִי. שִׁמְעוּ לוֹ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַבְּלוֹ.
He said to them: “Do not weep. Your teacher Yehoshua will stand in my place. Listen to him, for the Holy One accepts him.”
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: מֹשֶׁה, הִגִּיעַ זְמַנְּךָ לְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הָעוֹלָם.
The Holy One said to Moshe: “Moshe, your time has come to depart from the world.
אֱמֹר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּלְמִידְךָ כֵּיצַד יִתְנַהֵג עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Tell Yehoshua your disciple how to conduct himself with Israel.”
קָרָא מֹשֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְאָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, אֵלֶּה הֵם עַם הֹ שֶׁשִּׁמַּשְׁתִּי אוֹתָם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה.
Moshe called Yehoshua and said: “My son, these are the people of Hashem whom I led for forty years.
עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי מוֹסְרָם לְיָדְךָ. אַל תִּהְיֶה קָשֶׁה עֲלֵיהֶם.
Now I place them in your care. Do not be harsh with them—
שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם לֹא דָּקְדֵּק עִם בְּרִיּוֹתָיו.
For even the Master of the Universe does not deal harshly with His creatures.”
וְעַכְשָׁיו, בְּנִי, עֲלֵה לְרֹאשׁ הָהָר, כִּי כָּךְ גָּזַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמוּת שָׁם.
And now, my son, go up to the top of the mountain, for so has the Holy One decreed that I die there.”
לָקַח הַמַּלְאָךְ אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְהֶרְאָהוּ אֶת מְקוֹם קְבוּרָתוֹ.
An angel took Moshe and showed him his burial place.
אָמַר לוֹ: זֶה מְקוֹמְךָ. אָמַר לוֹ: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, יָרֵא אֲנִי מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.
He said to him: “This is your place.” He said: “Master of the Universe, I am afraid of this place.”
אָמַר לוֹ: לָמָּה אַתָּה יָרֵא? אֲנִי אַשְׁמֹר אוֹתְךָ וְאֶשְׁמְרֶנּוּ.
He said: “Why do you fear? I will protect you and guard you.”
נִשְׁבַּע לוֹ בַּשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עִמּוֹ לְעוֹלָם.
He swore to him by the Great Name that He would be with him forever.
אָמַר לוֹ: מַה יִּהְיֶה זְכוּתִי? אָמַר לוֹ: כָּל פַּעַם שֶׁאָדָם בָּא לְפָנַי בְּלֵב טָהוֹר וְמַזְכִּיר שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת שֶׁלִּי, אֶזְכֹּר זְכוּתְךָ בַּעֲבוּרוֹ וְאֶסְלַח לוֹ.
He asked: “What will be my merit?” He replied: “Every time a person comes before Me with a pure heart and mentions My thirteen attributes of mercy, I will remember your merit for his sake and forgive him — as it is written: ‘And Hashem passed.’”
מֵת מֹשֶׁה בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת בְּטָהֳרָה.
Moshe died on the Sabbath day, in purity.
אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מִיתַת הַצַּדִּיקִים שְׁקוּלָה כְּשְׂרֵפַת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.
The Holy One said: “The death of the righteous is considered as weighty as the burning of the Temple.”
כְּשֶׁנִּתְקָרַב מֹשֶׁה לְמִיתָתוֹ, זָעַק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם: ‘הַצַּדִּיק אָבַד וְאֵין אִישׁ שָׂם עַל לֵב’ (יְשַׁעְיָה נח:א).
As Moshe drew near to his death, the Holy One cried out from heaven: “The righteous man perishes and no man takes it to heart” (Yeshayahu 57:1).
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת: שַׂר הָעוֹלָם! זֶהוּ שְׂכַר הַתּוֹרָה?
At that moment the ministering angels said: “Sovereign of the Universe! Is this the reward of the Torah?”
אָמַר לָהֶם: יֵשׁ לָהֶם שָׂכָר אַחֵר לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
He said to them: “There is a different reward for them in the World to Come.”
אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי אֶתְכֶם בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁלִּמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם — כְּשֶׁתִּזְכְּרוּ אוֹתִי, בְּכוּ וְהִתְאַבְּלוּ עָלַי.
Moshe said to Israel: “I adjure you by the Torah and commandments I taught you — when you remember me, weep and mourn for me.
וְאִמְרוּ: ‘אוֹי לָעָנָו שֶׁאָבַד, אוֹי לַנֶּאֱמָן שֶׁאָבַד’.
And say: “Woe to the humble one who is lost; woe to the faithful one who is lost.’”
עָמְדוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל קִבְרוֹ וְהִתְאַבְּלוּ עַל מֹשֶׁה שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם.
All of Israel stood at his grave and mourned Moshe for thirty days.
כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁלְמוּ שְׁלֹשִׁים יְמֵי הָאֵבֶל אָמְרוּ: אַיֵּה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ? יָצְאָה הַבַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: מֹשֶׁה הָלַךְ.
When the thirty days of mourning were completed, they asked: “Where is Moshe our teacher?” The Heavenly Voice responded: “Moshe has departed.”
בָּכָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָלָיו וְאָמַר: מִי יַעֲמֹד לִי עֵת אַף? מִי יְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל בָּנַי?
The Holy One wept over him and said: “Who will now stand for Me at the time of anger? Who will seek mercy for My children?”
אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת: פָּסְקָה צִדְקַת הֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ.
The ministering angels said: “The righteousness of Hashem has departed from the earth.”
אָמְרוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם: אָבְדוּ חֲסִידִים מִן הָאָרֶץ. אָמְרָה הָאָרֶץ: אֵין יָשָׁר בָּאָדָם.
The heavens said: “The pious ones are gone from the earth.” The earth said: “There is no more uprightness among men.”
הַכּוֹכָבִים וְהַמַּזָּלוֹת בּוֹכִים וּמִתְאַבְּלִים, הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ מְחֻשָּׁכִים.
The stars and constellations weep and mourn; the sun and moon are darkened.
וְהַקְּדוֹשִׁים אוֹמְרִים: לֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה.
And the holy ones say: “There has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moshe.”
This final section of the Seder transitions to laws of Yom Kippur, connecting the themes of Moshe’s death — purity, atonement, and divine forgiveness — with the holiest day of the year:
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אֵלּוּ הֵם הַדְּבָרִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּיוֹם כִּפּוּר: אָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת.
These are the things forbidden on Yom Kippur: it is forbidden to eat or drink.
אָסוּר לִרְחֹץ, לָסוּךְ, לִנְעֹל הַסַּנְדָּל, וְלִשְׁמֵשׁ מִטָּה.
It is forbidden to wash, to anoint oneself, to wear sandals, or to engage in marital relations.
חֲמִשָּׁה עִנּוּיִים אֵלּוּ כְּנֶגֶד חָמֵשׁ ‘וְעִנִּיתֶם’ שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
These five afflictions correspond to the five mentions of ‘ve-inisem’ (you shall afflict yourselves) in the Torah.
וְכֵן כְּנֶגֶד חָמֵשׁ תְּפִלּוֹת שֶׁל יוֹם כִּפּוּר: עַרְבִית, שַׁחֲרִית, מוּסָף, מִנְחָה, וּנְעִילָה.
And they correspond to the five prayer services of Yom Kippur: Ma’ariv, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, and Neilah.
כִּי בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם (וַיִּקְרָא טז:ל).
“For on this day He will atone for you, to purify you” (Vayikra 16:30).
אֵלּוּ הֵם שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ‘וַיַּעֲבֹר הֹ’ (שְׁמוֹת לד:ו).
These are the thirteen attributes of mercy, as it says: “And Hashem passed” (Shemos 34:6).
כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּלָאכָה אֲסוּרָה בְּשַׁבָּת וְבַמּוֹעֲדִים, כָּךְ מְלָאכָה אֲסוּרָה בְּיוֹם כִּפּוּר.
Just as labor is forbidden on Shabbos and Yom Tov, so too labor is forbidden on Yom Kippur.
אֲבָל יֵשׁ הֶבְדֵּל: כָּל מְלָאכָה אֲסוּרָה בּוֹ, אֲבָל לֹא כָּל הָעִנּוּיִים. כִּי עִנּוּיִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם סַכָּנָה לַנֶּפֶשׁ — מֻתָּרִים.
However, there is a difference: all labor is forbidden on it, but not all afflictions. For afflictions that endanger life — are permitted (i.e., one need not afflict oneself to the point of danger).
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This author tries to support 21 single mothers in the community who do not even have the funds to put food on the table. Anyone who wishes to donate please zelle [email protected]
Vos Iz NeiasSYDNEY — Australia’s highest-level public inquiry has opened hearings on Tuesday, into antisemitism following the fatal Hanukkah shooting at Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead and dozens injured.
The royal commission, chaired by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell, is examining the scope and drivers of antisemitism nationwide and will recommend policy responses. It will also review the circumstances surrounding the December attack.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agreed to establish the inquiry after growing public pressure, despite earlier concerns that such a move could deepen social divisions.
Commission officials said they will hear testimony from law enforcement and intelligence agencies, along with victims, families and community representatives. An interim report is expected in April, with a final report due later this year.
One of the alleged attackers was fatally shot by police at the scene. His son survived and has since been charged with multiple offenses, including murder and terrorism-related counts. Court proceedings are ongoing, and the commission has been directed to avoid matters that could interfere with the criminal case.
The attack came amid a broader rise in antisemitic incidents across Australia, including vandalism and arson targeting synagogues and Jewish neighborhoods in Sydney and Melbourne.
Vos Iz NeiasHARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Criminal investigators hoping to develop suspects in difficult cases have been asking Google to reveal who searched for specific information online, seeking “reverse keyword” warrants that critics warn threaten the privacy of innocent people.
Unlike traditional search warrants that target a known suspect or location, keyword warrants work backward by identifying internet addresses where searches were made in a certain window of time for particular terms, such as a street address where a crime occurred or a phrase like “pipe bomb.”
Police have used the method to investigate a series of bombings in Texas, the assassination of a Brazilian politician and a fatal arson in Colorado.
It’s not a wild guess by investigators to conclude that people are using Google searches in all manner of crimes, as the company’s search engine has become the main gateway to the internet and users’ daily lives increasingly leave online traces. The potential value to investigators of the data Google collects is obvious in cases with no suspect, such as the search for Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper.
The legal tension between the need to solve crimes quickly and the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections against overly broad searches was at the heart of a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that upheld the use of a reverse keyword warrant in a rape investigation.
Privacy advocates see it as giving police “unfettered access to the thoughts, feelings, concerns and secrets of countless people,” according to an amicus brief filed in the Pennsylvania appeal by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Internet Archive and several library organizations.
In response to written questions about the warrants, Google provided an emailed statement: “Our processes for handling law enforcement requests are designed to protect users’ privacy while meeting our legal obligations. We review all legal demands for legal validity, and we push back against those that are overbroad or improper, including objecting to some entirely.”
A break in the case
Pennsylvania State Police were stymied in their investigation into the violent rape of a woman in 2016 on a remote cul-de-sac outside Milton, a small community in the center of the state. With no clear leads, police obtained a warrant directing Google to disclose accounts that searched for the victim’s name or address over the week when she was attacked.
More than a year later, Google reported two searches for the woman’s address were made a few hours before the assault from a specific IP address, a numeric designation that lists where a phone or computer lives on the internet.
That led them to the home of a state prison guard named John Edward Kurtz.
Police then conducted surveillance and collected a cigarette butt he discarded that matched DNA recovered from the victim, according to court records. He confessed to the rape and attacks involving four other women over a five-year period, and was convicted in 2020. Now 51, he’s been sentenced to 59 to 280 years.
Kurtz’s attorneys argued police lacked probable cause to obtain the information and impinged on his privacy rights.
The state Supreme Court rejected those claims late last year but split on the reasons why. Three justices said Kurtz should not have expected his Google searches to be private, while three more said police had probable cause to look for anyone who searched the victim’s address before the attack. But a dissenting justice said probable cause requires more than just a “bald hunch” and guessing that a perpetrator would have used Google.
Kurtz lawyer Douglas Taglieri made the same point in a court filing, but conceded, “It was a good guess.”
Julia Skinner, a prosecutor in the case, said reverse keyword searches are much more effective when there are specific and even unusual terms that can narrow results, such as a distinctive name or an address. They are also particularly effective when crimes appear to have been planned out beforehand, she said.
“I don’t think they’re used super frequently, because what you need to target has to be so specific,” she said. There were 57 searches returned in the Kurtz case, but many of them were first responders trying to locate the home in the immediate aftermath of the crime, Skinner said.
Acting in good faith
In the similar case in Colorado, police sought the IP addresses of anyone who searched over a 15-day period for the address of a home where a deadly arson occurred. Authorities got IP addresses for 61 searches made by eight accounts, ultimately helping identify three teenage suspects.
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that although the keyword warrant was constitutionally defective for not specifying an “individualized probable cause,” the evidence could be used because police had acted in good faith about what was known about the law at the time.
“If dystopian problems emerge, as some fear, the courts stand ready to hear argument regarding how we should rein in law enforcement’s use of rapidly advancing technology,” the majority of Colorado justices ruled.
Courts have long permitted investigators to seek things like bank records or phone logs. However, civil liberties groups say extending those powers to online keywords turns every search user into a suspect.
It’s unclear how many keyword warrants are issued every year — Google does not break down the total number of warrants it receives by type, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in a January 2024 brief.
The two groups said police working on the bombings in Austin, Texas, sought anyone who searched for terms such as “low explosives” and “pipe bomb.” And in Brazil, investigators trying to solve the 2018 assassination in Rio de Janeiro of the politician Marielle Franco asked for those who searched for Franco’s name and the street where she lived. A Brazilian high court is expected to decide soon on the legality of those search disclosures.
Reverse keyword warrants are distinct from “geofence” warrants, where criminal investigators seek information about who was in a given area at a particular time. The U.S. Supreme Court said last month it will rule on that method’s constitutionality.
An index of deeply personal matters
For many people, their Google search history contains some of their most personal thoughts, from health issues and political beliefs to financial decisions and spending patterns. Google is introducing more artificial intelligence into its search engine, seemingly a way to learn even more about users.
“What could be more embarrassing,” asked University of Pennsylvania law professor and civil rights lawyer David Rudovsky, if every Google search “was now out there, gone viral?”
Google warns users personal information can be shared outside the company when it has a “good-faith belief that disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary” to respond to applicable laws, regulations, legal processes or an “enforceable government request.”
In the Kurtz case, Pennsylvania Justice David Wecht drew a distinction between Kurtz deciding to search for the victim’s name on Google and a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited the use of broad collections of cellphone location data.
“A user who wants to keep such material private has options,” Wecht wrote. “That user does not have to click on Google.”
Vos Iz NeiasPresident Donald Trump on Monday threatened countries around the world to abide by any tariff deals they agreed to despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down many of his far-reaching taxes on imports. And he said he wants a global tariff of 15%, up from 10% he had announced immediately after the ruling.
The court’s Friday decision struck down tariffs Trump had imposed on nearly every country using an emergency powers law. But the Republican president won’t let go of his favorite tool for rewriting the rules of global commerce and applying international pressure.
“Any Country that wants to “play games” with the ridiculous supreme court decision, especially those that have “Ripped Off” the U.S.A. for years, and even decades, will be met with a much higher Tariff, and worse, than that which they just recently agreed to,” Trump posted Monday on Truth Social.
One of Trump’s executive orders says he can bypass Congress and impose a 10% tax on imports from around the world starting Tuesday, the same day as his State of the Union speech.
Vos Iz Neias
Vos Iz Neias(AP) – Lori Sepich smoked for years and sometimes skipped taking her blood pressure medicine. But she never thought she’d have a heart attack.
The possibility “just wasn’t registering with me,” said the 64-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, who suffered two of them 13 years apart.
She’s far from alone. More than 60 million women in the U.S. live with cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease as well as stroke, heart failure and atrial fibrillation. And despite the myth that heart attacks mostly strike men, women are vulnerable too.
Overall in the U.S., 1 in 5 women dies of cardiovascular disease each year, 37,000 of them from heart attacks.
Cardiovascular disease is “the No. 1 killer of women. It will affect you or someone you know,” said Dr. Sharonne Hayes, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “Knowing what to do if you have symptoms of a heart attack and taking action if you do, that’s really important.”
Do what you can to prevent heart attacks
There are several ways anyone can reduce their risks.
The American Heart Association has created a list called “Life’s Essential 8”: eat better, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, be more active, control cholesterol, and manage weight, blood sugar and blood pressure.
Dr. Stacey Rosen, association president, advises getting regular checkups to talk about these preventive measures, keep tabs on your health and discuss any family history of heart problems.
Doctors also suggest discussing risk factors that uniquely or disproportionately affect women.
Women are more likely to have autoimmune conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, which cause inflammation that can raise heart disease risk. They’re also more likely to suffer from depression, which is associated with inflammation and unhealthy behaviors like staying in bed.
Other conditions associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease are a history of high blood pressure or diabetes while pregnant, miscarriages or stillbirth. Hot flashes and night sweats during menopause have also been linked to a greater risk of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors.
Be aware that heart attacks don’t happen like they do in the movies
When people think about heart attacks, many envision a middle-aged man suddenly clutching his heart and falling to the ground.
But in reality, Hayes said, “it’s not going to probably be one of those Hollywood heart attacks.”
Chest pain or discomfort is a usual symptom, but far from the only one.
“What’s different about women is that they are more likely than men to have other symptoms as well,” Rosen said.
Those include back pain, shortness of breath, cold sweats, tiredness, nausea, lightheadedness, an anxious feeling, jaw pain and finger tingling.
Experts aren’t sure exactly why symptoms differ between men and women, but some research suggests that physiological differences may play a role.
Another difference: Symptoms may come on a bit more subtly for women than men. Hayes hears a common refrain from patients: “I got the symptom and it waxed and waned a little bit over time, but I knew something wasn’t right.”
Take immediate action if you suspect a heart attack
“If you think that there’s even a chance that you’re having a heart attack, that’s when you call 911,” Rosen said, adding that it’s better to “err on the side of over-concern than err on the side of minimizing something that could be quite serious.”
Doctors recommend taking an ambulance to the hospital, which is more equipped to handle emergency situations than urgent care centers or a doctor’s office.
Any delays in getting the right care could be harmful or even deadly.
“If you wait too long,” Rosen said, “the damage can be more significant.”
Don’t be in denial about heart attack symptoms
When Sepich had her first heart attack, she waited too long. She had largely been in denial about her heart problems since being diagnosed with severe, hereditary high blood pressure at 17.
On Easter Sunday 2005, she woke up to extreme chest pressure, nausea and pain radiating down her arms.
“I chose to ignore those signs that day because I was absolutely in shock,” she said. “I was scared.”
She attended Mass and a family lunch and went to work the next day. She eventually went to the ER at her doctor’s urging, where she wound up having six stents placed and spending a week in the hospital.
She acted more quickly when she had her second heart attack, and got another stent placed after her cardiologist found a nearly complete blockage in the heart’s biggest artery.
Sepich now keeps her blood pressure under control, hasn’t smoked in more than two decades and exercises almost every day.
She urges other women to be honest with themselves about heart disease.
“I could justify my actions from denial. I could just be like, ‘Oh, it’s not gonna hurt you,’” Sepich said. “Well, it does hurt you. It can kill you.”
Vos Iz NeiasNEW YORK (AP) — For years as an environmental lawyer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. crusaded against a controversial herbicide ingredient known as glyphosate, even winning a landmark case against chemical giant Monsanto by arguing that its Roundup weedkiller contributed to his client’s cancer.
But now that he’s the nation’s top health official, Kennedy is falling in line with President Donald Trump after he issued an executive order that’s aimed at boosting glyphosate’s production. The order would also grant limited legal immunity to manufacturers if they’re following federal directives.
Kennedy on Sunday evening posted a lengthy statement on social media that calls pesticides “toxic by design” but frames Trump’s move as necessary for agricultural stability and national security.
“President Trump did not build our current system — he inherited it,” Kennedy wrote. “I support President Trump’s Executive Order to bring agricultural chemical production back to the United States and end our near-total reliance on adversarial nations.”
It was a gesture of loyalty to the president who has enabled Kennedy’s overhaul of vaccine policy at the federal government’s highest levels, but it also opens a dangerous fault line in their political coalition ahead of the midterm elections in November.
As Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again supporters become more impatient with a Republican-led administration that’s largely resisted their calls to regulate pesticides, they’re speaking up about what they view as a betrayal of their support.
“It’s been a year. Not a single thing has been done by the EPA to reduce our children’s and families exposure to pesticides,” Moms Across America founder Zen Honeycutt, a prominent MAHA activist, replied to Kennedy’s post. “We love you Bobby but this administration needs to keep their word.”
Critics of the executive order said it is part of a pattern that favors pesticide manufacturers, who defend their products as rigorously reviewed by regulators to ensure they don’t threaten human health if used properly.
For example, a proposal from House Republicans would make it harder to sue pesticide companies for failing to warn about the dangers of their products. The Justice Department in December also backed Monsanto owner Bayer in a Supreme Court case that could limit its future liability for Roundup.
“That is America Last, Anti-MAHA, and unforgivable,” prominent activist Kelly Ryerson wrote on social media.
Kennedy pledges change while some environmentalists say they’re still waiting
Trump’s executive order is intended to protect domestic production of elemental phosphorus, which is used in military devices as well as to make glyphosate-based herbicides. It also seeks to protect the production of glyphosate-based herbicides themselves, which the administration says are critical to agricultural supply chains.
Kennedy has repeatedly said that he believes glyphosate causes cancer, including as recently as January.
While several studies have supported Kennedy’s contention, the Environmental Protection Agency has said the chemical is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans when used as directed. Bayer said in an emailed statement that it “stands behind the safety of our glyphosate-based products which have been tested extensively, approved by regulators and used around the globe for more than 50 years.”
In his social media post, Kennedy said he is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the EPA to expedite a future in which the food supply is not reliant on harmful chemicals. Along those lines, the Trump administration in December launched a $700 million regenerative pilot program aimed at helping farmers adopt practices that boost soil health, water quality and productivity.
Yet some longtime environmental advocates say they haven’t yet seen compelling evidence of any particularly transformative change.
“If there is a big plan, a big MAHA-style plan to move in the direction of detoxifying agriculture from these chemicals, where is it?” said Ken Cook, head of the nonprofit Environmental Working Group, which has fought for raising environmental standards since the 1990s. “What I’m seeing here is a very aggressive effort to try and hang onto MAHA principles even as, at every turn, you betray them.”
Cook said many veteran public health advocates never believed Kennedy would be the force for change that MAHA activists hoped. He said the language of Kennedy’s post matched lines of argument he has seen for years from pesticide makers.
“He’s jumped onto their message square and is dancing on it,” he said of Kennedy.
The EPA has teased a forthcoming MAHA agenda that it says will address issues like, forever chemicals, plastic pollution, food quality, Superfund cleanups and lead pipes. On Friday, for example, federal officials said they would enforce a tough, 10-year deadline for lead pipe removal to make drinking water safer. EPA press secretary Brigit Hirsch said in a statement the agenda is “in the final stages” and will also reaffirm the agency’s commitment to science and transparency when it comes to pesticides.
MAHA’s support hangs in the balance
Kennedy’s MAHA coalition, a passionate and politically diverse group that includes anti-vaccine activists, environmental defenders and healthy food advocates, is seen as a politically important group for Republicans to win to keep their narrow majorities in Congress.
But the movement doesn’t always agree with Republican policies, which in this case has put Kennedy in a “tough spot,” according to Matt Motta, a professor at Boston University School of Public Health.
“He does need to try to please his base of supporters who care a lot about this issue and presumably think that it can cause cancer – while also pleasing the president if he wants to be able to keep this job,” Motta said.
As Democrats watch the growing rupture between MAHA supporters and the Trump administration, some see an opportunity.
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who is up for reelection this fall, called the executive order “a slap in the face to the thousands of Americans who have gotten cancer from glyphosate.” He argued on social media the administration’s message is that “chemical company profits are more important than your health.”
Democratic strategist Anjan Mukherjee said he expects more left-leaning midterm candidates to emphasize to MAHA supporters “how this administration has failed them.”
“What this administration has shown to them over and over again is that they’re only interested in enriching themselves and putting more money into the pockets of the wealthy,” Mukherjee said.
Still, those efforts may not pan out in recruiting MAHA supporters who have seen Kennedy champion many of their other goals, including overhauling childhood vaccine recommendations and reforming the FDA’s approach to artificial food dyes.
Handing Democrats a majority in Congress could invite oversight and budgetary limitations that would slow that momentum, said David Mansdoerfer, a Department of Health and Human Services official during Trump’s first term who now advises several MAHA groups.
“MAHA has a choice this election season,” he said. “Support the Trump administration and continue to have a voice in Washington or stay at home and watch their federal agenda come to a halt.”
Vos Iz NeiasThis past Shabbos, the city of Stamford, Connecticut, was transformed into a migdalor of Torah with the hosting of the 30th annual Dirshu Convention. The massive Maamad was held this year under the banner of three decades of Harbotzas Torah, bringing together thousands of Chavrei Dirshu who traveled from across the United States and North America.
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The town was filled with thousands of Yungeleit, maggidei shiur, members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and prominent Roshei Yeshiva. They gathered for a Shabbos of spiritual elevation at the “Armon” hotel complex, which was entirely dedicated to the convention. To accommodate the overwhelming demand, the Marriott hotel—located a 40-minute walk away—was also chartered for the overflow of attendees. The main tefillos and gatherings took place in a massive, magnificent tent erected in the hotel courtyard to serve as the central Heichal HaTefillah.
The participants were zocheh to bask in the presence of Gedolei U’Meorei HaDor shlit”a, who made the effort to attend and provide chizuk to the lomdei Torah. Among the Gedolim gracing the event were:
Horav Yeruchem Olshin shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Medrash Govoha, Lakewood. Horav Yitzchok Sorotzkin shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe and Mesivta of Lakewood. Horav Dovid Goldberg shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe. Horav Hillel David shlit”a, Rav of Kehal Shaarei Torah. Horav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz shlit”a, Dayan of Skver Boro Park. Horav Chaim Mordechai Ausband shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva of Ateret Shlomo, who traveled from Eretz Yisrael as a special guest.
Dozens of other Rabbonim and Dirshu representatives from across America and Europe also attended the Maamad. Throughout the Shabbos, various Shiurei Iyun and Halacha were delivered, with marei mekomos distributed to the Chavrei Dirshu for in-depth preparation. The Nasi and founder of Dirshu, Horav Dovid Hofstedter shlit”a, also addressed the massive crowd. Additionally, specialized panels and sessions were held for maggidei shiur to discuss methods for deepening Halacha knowledge among bnei Torah.
On Motzei Shabbos, a vital Chinuch panel addressed burning contemporary issues, including maintaining the independence of traditional Chinuch from external interference. The panel featured Rav Ausband, Horav Eitan Feiner shlit”a (Rav of Kehal Tifereth Israel), and Horav Shlomo Cynamon shlit”a (Rav of Kehal Bnei Torah and Rosh Kollel Dirshu of Flatbush)
The convention culminated in a festive Melave Malka open to the wider public, featuring stirring words from the Gedolim. The evening became a powerful display of Kiddush Shem Shamayim, as the throngs of Chavrei Dirshu united in a rikud of simcha and a shared mission to further increase the learning of Torah.
Vos Iz NeiasTAPALPA, Mexico (AP) — A day after the Mexican army killed the country’s most powerful drug lord, the picturesque town where it happened was a study in contrasts.
Tourist shops in Tapalpa were open Monday, and workers were on the job. But gunshots also rang out, and in the street was a dead man lying beside a bullet-pocked vehicle.
Meanwhile, heavily armed Mexican security forces kept up their battle with cartel gunmen following the killing that sparked a surge in violence and put the country on edge. Cartel fighters continued to block roads as smoke rose on the outskirts of the town in the state of Jalisco.
More than 70 people died in the attempt to capture Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes and the aftermath, authorities said Monday. Known as as “El Mencho,” he was the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico.
The body count taken by security officials included security forces, suspected cartel members and others. Officials did not offer details, and the circumstances of most of the deaths were unclear.
Oseguera Cervantes was the boss of one of the fastest-growing criminal networks in Mexico, known for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the United States and staging brazen attacks against Mexican government officials. The organization responded to his death with widespread violence, including erecting more than 250 roadblocks across 20 states and setting fire to vehicles.
Oseguera Cervantes died after a shootout with the Mexican military. Mexican Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said Monday that authorities had followed one of his romantic partners to his hideout in Tapalpa.
The cartel leader and two bodyguards fled into a wooded area where they were seriously wounded in a firefight. They were taken into custody and died on the way to Mexico City, Trevilla said.
In a different location in Jalisco, soldiers killed another high-ranking cartel member who Trevilla said was coordinating violence and offering more than $1,000 for every soldier killed.
The dead included 25 members of the Mexican National Guard who were killed in six separate attacks, Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said.
Harfuch said some 30 criminal suspects were killed in Jalisco, and four others were killed in the neighboring state of Michoacan. Also killed were a prison guard and an agent from the state prosecutor’s office.
As the threat of more violence loomed, several Mexican states canceled school Monday, while local and foreign governments warned their citizens to stay inside.
The White House confirmed that the U.S. provided intelligence support to the operation to capture the cartel leader and applauded Mexico’s army for taking down a man who was one of the most wanted criminals in both countries.
Mexico hoped the death of the world’s biggest fentanyl traffickers would ease Trump administration pressure to do more against the cartels, but many people were anxious as they waited to see the powerful cartel’s reaction.
Many fear more violence
The U.S. Embassy said via X that its personnel in eight cities and in the state of Michoacan would shelter in place and work remotely Monday. It warned U.S. citizens in many parts of Mexico to do the same.
Cars began circulating in Guadalajara before sunrise Monday with the start of the workweek, a notable change from Sunday, when Jalisco’s state capital and Mexico’s second-largest city was almost completely shut down as fearful residents stayed home.
More than 1,000 people were stuck overnight in Guadalajara’s zoo, where they slept in buses.
Luis Soto Rendón, the zoo’s director, said many had been trapped there since Sunday morning, when violence broke out in Jalisco and the surrounding states. Families concluded they could not return home in nearby states like Zacatecas and Michoacan.
“We decided to let people stay inside the zoo for their safety,” Soto said. “There are small children and senior citizens.”
José Luis Ramírez, a 54-year-old therapist, was in a long line of people waiting outside a pharmacy, one of the few businesses that were open Monday in Guadalajara. Families were buying food, medicine, water, diapers and baby formula, from pharmacists through a chained door.
It was Ramírez’s first time leaving the house since the violence erupted, but he struck a hopeful tone, saying that despite the bloodshed, civilians needed to move forward.
“We have to not think scared, but be cool-headed, like they say, and take things as they come,” he said.
Those who had to work carefully made their way across the city.
Irma Hernández, a 43-year-old hotel security guard in Guadalajara, normally takes public transportation to her job, but buses were not running, and she had no way to cross the city. Her bosses organized a private car to pick her up. Her family, she said, was staying at home, too scared to leave.
“I am worried because I don’t know how to get home if something happens,” she said.
Trump has pressed Mexico to fight fentanyl
U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Mexico do more to fight the smuggling of fentanyl, threatening to impose more tariffs or take unilateral military action if the country does not show results.
The operation may also pave the way for more violence as rival criminal groups take advantage of the blow dealt to El Mencho’s organization, said David Mora, Mexico analyst for the International Crisis Group.
“This might be a moment in which those other groups see that the cartel is weakened and want to seize the opportunity for them to expand control and to gain control over Cartel Jalisco in those states,” he said.
Ever since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office, “the army has been way more confrontational, combative against criminal groups in Mexico,” Mora said. “This is signaling to the U.S. that if we keep cooperating, sharing intelligence, Mexico can do it. We don’t need U.S. troops on Mexican soil.”
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel began operating around 2009.
In February 2025, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization. It has been one of the most aggressive cartels in its attacks on the military — including on helicopters — and is a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines.
At a blockade Monday on the outskirts of Tapalpa, 25-year-old Joel Ramírez and two friends were waiting for soldiers to clear a blockade of tree limbs. He hauls things in his pickup for a living and had not been able to get home since Sunday’s violence.
“Everything seems calmer, but we were almost there and got stuck,” he said. “We’re scared.”
Vos Iz NeiasPARIS (AP) — He is known as the French Banksy — or simply JR. Now the artist popular across France for large-scale projects, from photographs to graffiti and street art, wants Parisians to do something unusual on the city’s arguably most famous bridge: stop.
In June, he plans to transform the bustling Pont Neuf that dates back to the 17th century into a walk-through “cave” — a temporary, monumental public artwork that will cover the stone arches with a rocky illusion and invite visitors to cross the River Seine through a tunnel, complete with sound and digitally augmented reality.
He says it’s possibly the “largest immersive installation ever made” and — one that will be accessible around the clock and offer a “totally different approach” to the bridge.
“We’re about to leave something pretty incredible in the middle of Paris,” JR told The Associated Press at his studio in eastern Paris, wearing his trademark hat and shades.
His project, the Pont Neuf Cavern is to run June 6-28, spanning 120 meters (yards) in length and over 17 meters in height.
French artist JR shows his project Pont Neuf Cavern during an interview with The Associated Press in his studio, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
A tribute — and a gambleThe installation is a nod to a Paris legend: the late artistic duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude who in 1985 wrapped Pont Neuf — and its streetlamps — in a pale golden fabric. The project, which took years of negotiations with the authorities, helped define the genre of monumental public art in modern cities across the world.
To JR, the homage is both aesthetic and personal.
“I had the chance to meet Christo along the years,” he said. “We had big respect for each other’s work.”
While walking recently on the street with an AP crew, an older woman stopped JR — now, a household name in his country — to share her memories of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapping. She told him she was excited to see the bridge transformed again.
Still, JR — a pseudonym stemming from first name, Jean-René — acknowledges the weight of following in the iconic pair’s footsteps.
“It’s pretty hard to go after them,” he said, “but I’m doing it in a very different style, in my own way.”
His idea is about “bringing back mineral and nature” to the heart of Paris.
A photomontage shows the project by French artist JR called Pont Neuf Cavern in his studio, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
From the outside, his installation will make Pont Neuf look “as if it has been overtaken by a prehistoric outcrop,” a structure visible along the banks of the Seine — a rocky mass that is “literally going to break the landscape,” he said.
Two experiences: the city, then the cave
JR said there will be two main ways for people to experience his installation. From the outside, those heading to Pont Neuf will see the giant installation hundreds of meters away.
And from the inside, once visitors enter the “cave” on Pont Neuf, they will be able to walk through a long tunnel-like structure, having a feeling of “total immersion,” he said.
The cave will allow no daylight in and once inside, visitors “will lose track of time,” JR said.
A key collaborator on the project is Thomas Bangalter, a former member of French rock band Daft Punk who is creating the sound to accompany the installation — “something you’ll only hear from the inside,” JR said.
Snap’s AR studio in Paris is developing the augmented reality technology. Visitors will be able to use their smartphones to “experience and see things that you can’t see with your eyes,” JR said.
He is intentionally mysterious about what that is — keeping it a surprise until closer to the opening.
French artist JR shows his project Pont Neuf Cavern during an interview with The Associated Press in his studio, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
JR’s team conducted extensive engineering studies, including tests in a hangar at Paris’ Orly airport, to understand how the structure behaves, especially in an emergency when the electricity that fuels the cave’s air supply cuts off. Tests show the structure stays the same. There is also the security question — the bridge is a busy zone, especially during Paris’ tourist-packed early summer.
JR said visitor numbers will be limited at any given time, and that his team is consulting with authorities on that. During the three weeks of the exhibition, the installation will be continuously monitored.
A cave, and a metaphor
JR is best known for his large-scale art — enormous portraits pasted on buildings, border walls and rooftops. Because of his origins in graffiti and street art he has inevitably drawn comparison with Banksy, the elusive U.K.-based artist famous for his huge murals and activism.
JR’s installation will not have any massive faces, but the theme is still human, he says: gathering, connection, and what people project onto a shared space.
A photomontage shows the project by French artist JR called Pont Neuf Cavern in his studio, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
He says his installation is also an allusion to Plato’s allegory of the cave in which chained men interpret shadows on the cave wall as reality, ignorant of the real world outside — and compares that to the fake reality created by the visual world of our social media platforms.
“What are our caves today is our phone,” JR said, “because we … believe that … our algorithm on social media … is the reality.”
During the installation, which will coincide with June’s Paris Fashion Week and World Music Day, the bridge will close to traffic.
Vos Iz NeiasWASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-President Donald Trump on Monday sharply rebutted media reports suggesting that Gen. Daniel Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opposes military action against Iran, calling such stories “100% incorrect” and accusing the press of spreading misinformation.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump dismissed anonymous claims that Caine — sometimes nicknamed “Razin” or “Raizin” — is against going to war with Iran. Trump said the stories lack attribution and are deliberately false.
“General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won,” Trump wrote.
Trump highlighted Caine’s experience, noting that the general oversaw Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 U.S. airstrikes that targeted Iran’s key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan using B-2 stealth bombers and massive ordnance penetrator bombs. Trump described the Iranian nuclear development as having been “blown to smithereens” and no longer existing.
“He knows Iran well in that he was in charge of Midnight Hammer,” Trump said of Caine. “Razin Caine is a Great Fighter, and represents the Most Powerful Military anywhere in the World.”
Trump emphasized that Caine has not advocated against action or suggested only limited strikes, but rather focuses on winning decisively. “He has not spoken of not doing Iran, or even the fake limited strikes that I have been reading about, he only knows one thing, how to WIN and, if he is told to do so, he will be leading the pack,” the president stated.
Trump asserted that he alone makes the final decision on military matters. He expressed a preference for a negotiated deal over conflict but warned that failure to reach one would lead to severe consequences for Iran.
“Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so,” Trump wrote. “I am the one that makes the decision, I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country and, very sadly, its people, because they are great and wonderful, and something like this should never have happened to them.”
The comments come amid heightened tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles, following last year’s U.S. strikes and ongoing diplomatic pressures. Trump has repeatedly called out what he terms “Fake News Media” for what he views as inaccurate reporting on military intentions and capabilities.
No immediate comment was available from the Pentagon or Caine’s office. The administration has not detailed any new military plans regarding Iran
Vos Iz NeiasLONDON (AP) — The Ford Mustang Mach-E cruises down a London road choked with traffic, using its onboard AI system to avoid jaywalkers and cyclists, and navigate roadwork as it drives to its destination.
The autonomous vehicle from British startup Wayve Technologies is on a test run ahead of the U.K. government’s robotaxi trials set to launch in the spring. Tech companies including U.S. company Waymo and China’s Baidu also plan to take part in the pilot program, making London the latest arena in the global robotaxi competition.
While self-driving cabs aren’t new, London’s ancient road layout and busy streetscapes could pose special challenges for the technology.
There’s also skepticism from London’s famed black cab drivers, who must pass a grueling training course known as “The Knowledge,” which requires memorizing hundreds of routes and takes years to complete. They’ve previously opposed technology that’s disrupted their industry, and protested the arrival of Uber.
Self-driving taxis are “a solution looking for a problem,” said Steven McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, which represents black cabbies.
He doubts that robotaxis would have any advantage on London’s road network, which is laid out in a convoluted spiderweb that dates back to Roman times — unlike the grid layout in American cities like San Francisco and Phoenix where Waymo operates.
Britain Robotaxis Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO of Wayve, sits in the autonomous vehicle during an interview in London, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
The British capital is notorious for being one of the world’s most congested cities and its streets are already clogged with other modes of transport, including private cars, buses, motor scooters, bicycles and electric rental bikes.
McNamara and many others have noted that robotaxis face another challenge from pedestrians crossing the streets. While jaywalking is illegal in the United States and many other countries, it’s not an offense in Britain.
“It’s virtually impossible to drive anywhere (in London) without somebody walking in front of you,” McNamara said. In London, with a population of nearly 10 million, he wondered “how these cars are going to deal with those volumes of people?”
The robotaxi companies say there’s room for the new technology.
“I think Londoners are going to love autonomous driving. It’s going to be another choice alongside the Tube, cycling, walking, “said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall in a recent interview at the company’s workshop.
Wayve is teaming up with Uber for the taxi trials, which are part of Britain’s move to adopt national regulations for self-driving vehicles. The nation is seeking to position itself as a world leader in the technology.
Chinese tech company Baidu is also teaming up with Uber, as well as its ride-hailing rival Lyft, to operate its Apollo Go autonomous vehicle service in the London pilot.
Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, will also take part and plans to launch a London passenger service by the third quarter of 2026, company representatives told reporters last month.
Waymo officials sought to ease concerns that the company would suddenly flood London streets with robotaxis, noting that it has operated 1,000 total vehicles in San Francisco since going into full service in 2024.
“We’re not here to replace anyone,” Waymo spokesman Ethan Teicher said. “We’re here to add another option for people who will choose to take black cabs or other modes of transportation when it suits them and choose to take Waymo, when it makes sense.”
Waymo’s self-driving Jaguar I-Pace sedans have been spotted doing test runs around London. Wayve’s Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles have also been doing road tests with human backup drivers sitting behind the wheel, ready to intervene if needed.
On a recent demo ride for The Associated Press, Wayve’s Ford steered automatically through a three-mile (five kilometer) loop in North London without any problems.
Cruising down a straight and open stretch of road, the car maintained a steady pace of 19 miles (30 kilometers) per hour, a tick under the speed limit.
A traffic light changed as the car approached, forcing it to brake firmly and lightly jolting the passengers forward — the only moment that the driving was less than smooth.
Kendall said Wayve takes a different approach from traditional self-driving technology. It doesn’t rely on “high definition” maps and “hand-coded” safety systems rules written by programmers anticipating every scenario.
Instead, it uses an AI trained on millions of hours of data gathered by its cars to learn and understand how the world works.
“This is the key thing for self-driving, because every time you drive on the road, you’re going to experience something different,” Kendall said. “You can’t rely on a self-driving car being told how to behave in every scenario it encounters.”
He said Wayve is positioning itself as a technology company providing hardware and software that can be added to any vehicle to make it autonomous. It signed a deal with Nissan in December to build self-driving cars that will go on sale in Japan and North America by 2027.
Kendall wouldn’t reveal any more specific details about the robotaxi service it will operate in collaboration with Uber, such as pricing.
Waymo, which has its own app to hail rides, will have “competitive” prices and fares will be in line with the market, officials said last month, while adding that it is often able to “demand more premium pricing.”
Experts say there’s a role for robotaxis in Britain, but it might be a niche one.
They’re best poised to fill gaps in Britain’s public transport network, such as serving villages that have lost bus services connecting them to bigger towns and cities because of budget cuts, said Kevin Vincent, director of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research at Coventry University.
There will still be demand for human drivers, especially from out-of-town visitors and tourists, he said.
If you find a “cab driver who knows the area, you can ask him questions. You feel confident and comfortable you’re going where you need to go,” which is a service that won’t be easily replaced in the short term, Vincent said.
Self-driving taxis can’t replicate the human touch, said Frank O’Beirne, who has been driving black cabs for 14 years.
For example, one of his recent fares was a pair of blind passengers going to touristy Leicester Square. He ended up parking at a cab rank and walking them across the street to their destination, a Chinese restaurant that turned out to be in the basement of a casino.
“They would never have found that, ever, (on their own),” said O’Beirne. “There’s nothing like us. I can’t see the space where autonomous taxis can operate, really.”
Vos Iz NeiasGENEVA (AP) — A U.S. official focusing on arms control on Monday provided what he called new, declassified details of a Chinese underground nuclear test nearly six years ago and urged countries to press China and Russia to do more on nuclear disarmament.
Christopher Yeaw, assistant secretary of state for the bureau of arms control and nonproliferation, spoke to a U.N.-backed body after the last nuclear arms pact between the United States and Russia expired this month. That has ended limits on the arsenals of the world’s biggest nuclear powers and raised concerns about a possible new arms race.
Yeaw called for greater transparency from China and pointed to some shortcomings of the New START treaty, such as that it didn’t address Russia’s large arsenal of nonstrategic nuclear weapons — which counts up to 2,000 warheads.
“But perhaps its greatest flaw was that New START did not account for the unprecedented, deliberate, rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup by China,” he told the U.N.-backed Conference on Disarmament.
Yeaw said Beijing “has deliberately, and without constraint, massively expanded its nuclear arsenal” despite its assurances to the contrary. He lamented a lack of transparency about China’s “endpoint” or goals.
“We believe China may achieve parity within the next four or five years,” he said.
Beijing has balked at any restrictions on its smaller but growing nuclear arsenal and denies carrying out such a nuclear test.
Yeaw met Monday with a Russian delegation and was to meet with Chinese and other delegations Tuesday in Geneva. U.S. officials have already held repeated meetings with partners, including nuclear-armed France and Britain.
In his speech, Yeaw cited an explosion detected at the Lop Nur underground site in western China as a magnitude 2.75 seismic event on June 22, 2020, based on information collected from an international monitoring system station in neighboring Kazakhstan.
“It was a probable explosion based upon comparisons between historic explosions and earthquakes,” he said. “The seismic signals were indicative of a single fire explosion, not typical of mining explosions.”
Yeaw said China has made it “difficult” for the international community to monitor its testing activities and that during talks, it rejected allowing seismic testing stations to be put at a comparable distance to Lop Nur that the U.S. allows near its test site in Nevada.
China’s ambassador to the conference said Monday that Beijing “resolutely rejects the unfounded accusations” by the U.S. and lashed out at “continued distortion and smearing of China’s nuclear policy by certain countries.”
“The U.S. accusation that China conducted a nuclear explosion test is completely unfounded and is merely a pretext for resuming its own nuclear testing,” Ambassador Jian Shen said. “The U.S.’s practice of smearing other countries to evade international arms control obligations seriously damages its own international standing.”
President Donald Trump in October pointed to U.S. intentions to resume nuclear tests for the first time since 1992, but Energy Secretary Chris Wright later said such tests would not include nuclear explosions.
In his first term, Trump tried and failed to push for a three-way nuclear pact involving China.
Just after the New START pact expired, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was “pursuing all avenues” to fulfill Trump’s “desire for a world with fewer of these awful weapons,” but insisted Washington would not stand still while Russia and China expand their nuclear forces.
“Since 2020, China has increased its nuclear weapons stockpile from the low 200s to more than 600 and is on pace to have more than 1,000 warheads by 2030,” Rubio wrote on Substack this month.
The U.S. has expressed a willingness to pursue multiple diplomatic avenues over the issue — whether bilateral, in a small group of countries or in broader multilateral talks.
“We are looking to all of you to help encourage nuclear-weapon states like China and Russia to engage meaningfully in a multilateral process,” Yeam told the conference, which brings together some 65 countries on issues like nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
Shen said China has consistently supported the goals of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, “always adhered” to the commitments of the five nuclear weapons states to suspend nuclear testing and “never” engaged in activities that violate the treaty.
He also suggested Beijing, which has been on a vigorous military buildup in recent years, still has fewer nuclear weapons than the U.S. or Russia and said it was “unfair, unreasonable and unfeasible” to demand China engage in three-way nuclear arms control talks.
“China’s nuclear arsenal is not on the same scale as the country with the largest nuclear arsenal, and the strategic security environment faced by China’s nuclear policy is completely different from that of the U.S.,” Shen said.
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