Jooish News

A massive global study has found that nearly 40% of all new cancer cases worldwide are linked to modifiable risk factors and are therefore potentially preventable.

This comprehensive investigation, which analyzed data across 185 countries, reveals that in 2022, approximately 7.1 million of the 18.7 million new cancer diagnoses were attributable to avoidable causes.

The findings pinpoint two habits as major drivers: tobacco smoking was the single leading contributor, followed by infections and alcohol consumption.

“This landmark study provides staggering evidence for what we in the oncology community have long advocated: a significant portion of the cancer burden is preventable,” said Dr. Rosario Ligresti, Chief of Gastroenterology at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center. “While we are equipped with cutting-edge treatments for patients, this research powerfully reinforces that the first line of defense against cancer often begins with personal choices. It’s a crucial message of empowerment—that quitting smoking and moderating alcohol use are not just healthy habits, but life-saving actions that can dramatically reduce one’s risk of ever needing our services.”

A dramatic halachic ruling issued this week by HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein, has led a prominent chareidi seminary to cancel a planned trip to the Mount Hermon site.

The ruling was published in the weekly Torah publication Divrei Chemed, which features the teachings of Rav Zilberstein. In a particularly forceful response, Rav Zilberstein ruled that there is an absolute prohibition to enter the Mount Hermon site, since it operates publicly on Shabbos, even if visitors do not use the ski lift or snow attractions.

“It is painful to the heart that such a question is even being asked,” HaRav Zilberstein wrote. “How can one even consider going to a place that publicly in Michalel Shabbos and is Michalel Shem Shomayim?”

The Psak came after administrators from a well-known chareidi seminary approached HaRav Zilberstein with a question. The school was planning a two-day trip in northern Israel and wanted to surprise the students with a visit to Mount Hermon.

They noted that while the site operates on Shabbos, it is technically a public area, and wondered whether simply entering the site, without using any paid attractions, might be permissible.

HaRav Zilberstein rejected this argument entirely. He explained that without the site’s infrastructure, including roads, construction and maintenance, it would not be possible to access or enjoy the area in its current form.

Since the entire operation is maintained by an organization that is openly Michalel Shabbos, even benefiting from the site without using the attractions is forbidden.

He added that beyond the technical halachic issues, there is also a serious concern of chilul Hashem, when Torah-observant Jews are seen frequenting such a place.

Furthermore, HaRav Zilberstein pointed out that if it were clear that chareidim would not visit as long as the site operates on Shabbos, financial pressure might force the operators to close on Shabbos. Anyone who goes there, he said, is indirectly enabling continued Chilul Shabbos.

In especially emotional words, Rav Zilberstein concluded that it is painful that educators are even asking such questions. He compared the situation to a sign barring Jews in Nazi Germany, saying that just as no one would consider entering such a place, it is incomprehensible that people would question entering a site that openly desecrates Shabbos.

Following the ruling, the seminary immediately canceled its planned visit to Mount Hermon. The students will now be traveling to alternative destinations that align with the values of the Torah.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NEW YORK (AP) — As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the battle off the field for advertisers to win over 120 million-plus viewers will be just as heated as the rivalry between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

Dozens of advertisers are pulling out all the stops for Super Bowl 60, airing Sunday on NBC. They’re hoping that audiences tuning in will remember their brand names as they stuff their ads with celebrities ranging from Kendall Jenner (Fanatics Sportsbook) to George Clooney (Grubhub), tried-and-true ad icons like the Budweiser Clydesdales, and nostalgia for well-known movie properties such as “Jurassic Park” (Comcast Xfinity).

Each year Super Bowl ads offer a snapshot of the American mood — as well as which industries are flush with cash that particular year: from the “Dot-Com Bowl” of 2000 to the “Crypto Bowl” of 2022.

This year’s trends include health and telehealth companies advertising weight loss drugs and medical tests, tech companies showing off their latest gadgets and apps and advertisers showcasing AI in their ads.

Villanova University marketing professor Charles Taylor said because of the heavy headlines in the news lately — from the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota to conflicts abroad — he expects advertisers to stick to a light and silly tone.

“Because of the Super Bowl’s status as a pop culture event with a fun party atmosphere, the vast majority of brands will avoid any dark or divisive tone and instead allow consumers to escape from thinking about these troubled times,” he said.

Record-breaking prices
Advertisers flock to the Super Bowl each year because so many people watch the big game. In 2025, a record 127.7 million U.S. viewers watched the game across television and streaming platforms.

Demand is higher than ever, since live sporting events are one of the few remaining places in the fractured media landscape where advertisers can reach a large audience. NBC sold out of ad space in September.

Space sold for an average of $8 million per 30-second unit, but a handful of spots sold for $10 million-plus, a record, said Peter Lazarus, executive vice president, sports & Olympics, advertising and partnerships for NBCUniversal. He said he was calling February, with the Super Bowl, Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game, “legendary February.”

Lazarus said 40% of advertisers bought across all of NBC’s major sports properties, and 70% of Super Bowl advertisers bought the Olympics as well.

Celebrities galore
Featuring celebrities is a tried-and-true way advertisers can get goodwill from viewers. This year, Fanatics Sportsbook enlists Kendall Jenner to talk about the “Kardashian Kurse,” in which bad things happen to basketball players she dates.

George Clooney appears in a Grubhub add to promote a deal that the delivery app offers to “Eat the Fees” on orders of $50 or more.

Several ads feature more than one celebrity or sports star. Michelob Ultra shows Kurt Russell training actor Lewis Pullman, as Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and hockey player T.J. Oshie watch on a ski slope.

Xfinity reunites Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in a tongue-in-cheek reimagining of “Jurassic Park” that shows an Xfinity tech bringing power back to the island so nothing goes awry.

And Uber Eats enlists Matthew McConaughey for the second year in a row to convince celebrities — this year it is Bradley Cooper and Parker Posey — that football is a conspiracy to make people hungry so they order food.

AI takes the stage
For the second year in a row, AI is making waves in Super Bowl ads.

Oakley Meta touts their AI-enabled glasses in two action-packed spots showing Spike Lee, Marshawn Lynch and others using the glasses to film video and answer questions.

Wix debuted an ad for Wix Harmony that features its web design software that uses AI tools. Wix is also airing an add for Base44, an AI app builder. And OpenAI will advertise during the game with a yet-to-be revealed ad.

Svedka Vodka enlisted Silverside AI, an AI studio, to help create their ad, which features their robot mascot FemBot along with a male counterpart, BroBot. They took that approach because of Svedka’s positioning as the “vodka of the future,” said Sara Saunders, chief marketing officer at Sazerac, which bought the Svedka brand in 2025.

“We reimagined the robot via AI,” Saunders said. “It took us many, many months to rebuild her, to give her functionality, to give her that human spirit that we wanted to show up on behalf of the brand.”

Health and telehealth
Health and telehealth providers are everywhere during Super Bowl 60. Two pharma companies are advertising tests: Novartis touts a blood test to screen for prostate cancer with the tagline “Relax your tight end,” featuring football tight ends relaxing. Boehringer Ingelheim’s ad stars Octavia Spencer and Sofia Vergara, who encourage people to screen for kidney disease.

Liquid I.V., which makes an electrolyte drink mix, has teased an ad about staying hydrated.

Telehealth firm Ro is using Serena Williams in their ad for GLP-1 weigh loss drugs. Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy and Ozempic, has teased that it will have a spot as well.

Hims & Hers — another company that offers GLP-1 weight loss drugs — has an ad that says the company gives people better access to health care that usually only rich people get.

“You could call this the GLP-1 Super Bowl,” said Tim Calkins, a clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University. “Often you don’t see a lot from pharmaceutical companies on the Super Bowl, but this year we’re going to see quite a few showing up.”

Tried-and-true themes
Some advertisers are sticking to the tried and true. Budweiser’s heartwarming ad shows a Clydesdale foal growing up with a bald eagle to the tune of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” The ad celebrates Budweiser’s 150th anniversary.

And Pepsi tries to reignite the Cola wars with their ad showing polar bears — Coca-Cola’s famous mascots — picking Pepsi Zero Sugar over Coke Zero in a blind taste test. The ad ends with the bears being caught on a “kiss cam.”

Surprises
While the majority of Super Bowl advertisers release their ad early to try to capitalize on buzz, some hold back until game day to reveal their ad.

Pepsi-owned soft drink Poppi teased that pop star Charli XCX and actress Rachel Sennott will star in their ad.

Ben Affleck is back in an ad for Dunkin’ Donuts. A teaser spot showed him with ’90s sitcom legends Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc of “Friends” and Jason Alexander from “Seinfeld.”

And there are fewer car advertisers this year, but Cadillac is hinting that it will show off its new Formula 1 car in an ad.

NEW YORK — A powerful blast of Arctic air tied to the polar vortex is expected to bring the coldest temperatures of the winter to the Northeast this weekend, with dangerous wind chills that could become life-threatening, forecasters said.

Strong northwest winds will usher frigid air into major metropolitan areas including Boston, New York and Philadelphia, with wind chill temperatures forecast to plunge well below zero. In some locations, wind chills could approach minus 25 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Weather officials said frostbite on exposed skin could occur within minutes, and prolonged exposure to the cold could pose serious health risks. National Weather Service offices across the region are monitoring conditions and said extreme cold warnings — rarely issued in the Northeast — may be needed.

A cold front is expected to move across New England and the Interstate 95 corridor by Saturday morning, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 30 mph. The front will follow a fast-moving clipper system that could bring light snow and brief periods of reduced visibility on Friday.

The cold is expected to intensify into Sunday morning, when wind chills in Philadelphia, New York City and Boston could fall into the negative teens. Conditions will be even harsher in interior areas, including New York’s Capital Region, where Albany could see wind chills colder than minus 20 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to remain bitter through Monday, with little daytime warming, before gradually moderating by the middle of next week, forecasters said.

The extended stretch of Arctic air this winter has kept many residents indoors and left large snow accumulations in place across parts of the region following January’s severe winter storms.

Meteorologists said some relief is expected later this month as a shift in the jet stream allows the polar vortex to retreat northward, reducing the intensity of cold air outbreaks in the East.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Bodycam footage shows the moment an NYPD officer shot and wounded 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, a man with a history of mental illness, after he lunged with a knife inside a Queens home on Jan. 26. The shooting has intensified calls from Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a new approach to mental health crises in the city.

The incident began when a relative called 911 requesting an “involuntary transport” for Chakraborty, who officials said had been hurling glass and acting erratically. The NYPD said officers must respond alongside EMS, which cannot perform involuntary transports. Footage shows officers arriving at the home, where a relative attempted to block Chakraborty with her body as he advanced with a knife.

Officer Tyree White fired four shots after Chakraborty pushed through a door and continued toward him. He was taken to Jamaica University Hospital Medical Center and listed in stable condition. Police union leaders defended the officers, saying they acted professionally in a fast-moving, dangerous situation.

The family criticized the response, arguing the officers escalated the situation and called for mental health professionals rather than police to respond to such crises. “Within a minute of NYPD’s arrival, Jabez was shot multiple times and almost killed, while he was calmly eating food just minutes earlier,” the family said in a statement. They also urged the Queens district attorney to drop charges against their son.

Mayor Mamdani said Chakraborty should not face criminal charges, calling the incident an example of the urgent need for a different mental health response system. “What Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution from a district attorney,” Mamdani said at a press conference. He highlighted his plan to create a Department of Community Safety, aimed at building a mental health system rooted in prevention, sustained care, and real-time crisis response so officers are not left to handle these situations alone.

The shooting comes amid growing concern over how law enforcement handles mental health emergencies. Advocates have repeatedly called for alternative response teams staffed by trained clinicians, citing repeated incidents in which police involvement escalates crises.

“This case underscores the gaps in our current system,” Mamdani said. “Too often, families are forced to call law enforcement when what they really need is medical care. We need a citywide system where no one is left at risk because the right professionals weren’t available.”

The NYPD has launched an internal review of the shooting. Meanwhile, the bodycam footage has sparked renewed debate over the city’s approach to mental health calls, as well as broader discussions about police reform and community safety.

NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani is preparing to appoint Phylisa Wisdom, a liberal Jewish leader who has criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza but supports its right to exist as a Jewish state, to lead New York City’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, according to The New York Times.

Wisdom is the executive director of the New York Jewish Agenda, a progressive organization that has taken a critical view of Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza. Unlike Mamdani, however, Wisdom believes Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state — a worldview people who know her describe as liberal Zionism, the newspaper reported.

Mamdani pledged to keep the antisemitism office after taking office, despite skepticism from some Jewish leaders given his long-standing support for Palestinian causes. The office was created by his predecessor, former Mayor Eric Adams, amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents following the outbreak of the Gaza war.

The office is currently led by Moshe Davis, a holdover from the Adams administration, according to the Times.

Wisdom confirmed her pending appointment to the newspaper but declined to comment further.

She previously served as a senior official at YAFFED, an advocacy group that has pushed for stronger oversight of educational standards in some Hasidic yeshivas. A New York Times investigation found that dozens of Hasidic boys’ schools across Brooklyn and the lower Hudson Valley failed to provide basic instruction in English and math. YAFFED has long been viewed with suspicion by Hasidic leaders, who accuse the group of undermining their education system and sowing internal discord.

Wisdom’s appointment could complicate Mamdani’s relationship with segments of the Hasidic community, including the Satmar sect, which has prioritized resisting government oversight of yeshivas that receive hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding each year. Mamdani previously pledged not to interfere with yeshiva education, saying he would defer to community leadership.

In creating the Office to Combat Antisemitism in May 2025, Adams cited police data showing that 54 percent of reported hate crimes in New York City targeted Jews the prior year, a figure that rose to 62 percent in the first quarter of 2025, according to the Times.

Combating antisemitism was also a political issue during Adams’ unsuccessful re-election campaign and for former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo during his mayoral bid against Mamdani.

Since becoming mayor, Mamdani has sought to ease concerns about his views on Israel. He retained the antisemitism office but rescinded two executive orders issued by Adams — one adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which equates some criticism of Israel with hatred of Jews, and another barring city agencies from boycotting Israel, a practice Mamdani has long supported.

Amy Spitalnick, chief executive of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, praised the selection, saying Wisdom brings “deep Jewish values” and strong relationships across the Jewish community to the role, according to the Times.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump on Wednesday met with a freed American-Israeli hostage whose plight she featured in her new film, which includes footage from a meeting last year with the man’s wife.

Keith and Aviva Siegel were among some 251 people taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people.

Keith Siegel was held for 484 days until he was released in February 2025 under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel shortly after Donald Trump began his second term as president. His wife was held for 51 days before she was freed in November 2023 under a previous ceasefire.

Melania Trump on Wednesday recounted the “emotional meeting” she had with Aviva Siegel in New York in January 2025, just before Trump took office again.

“After Aviva was freed, she called me, wanted to see me and we set up a meeting in New York,” the first lady said as she sat between the Siegels in the White House Blue Room. “It was emotional meeting, and it is captured on camera and available to see in my film, ‘Melania.’”

She said Aviva Siegel gave her two of Keith Siegel’s books and she gave them to Donald Trump when she got home and told him about the situation. “I know he was fighting for all of the hostages and, as we know now, all of the hostages are free and home with the families.”

“Aviva was a warrior. She is a warrior. She was fighting very hard for Keith, and I know he suffered a lot,” Melania Trump said before she turned to address him. “I’m happy to see you healthy and home with your children, your grandchildren, with your family.”

Asked by a reporter if it was appropriate for her to use an official White House event to promote the reported $40 million, Amazon-funded documentary, the first lady said she wasn’t doing that.

First lady Melania Trump listens as Aviva Siegel, wife of freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, speaks at the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“This is not promotion,” Melania Trump said. “We are here celebrating the release of the hostages, of Aviva and Keith. They were in Washington, D.C., and they called me. They said they would like to come over to thank me and to give hugs, and that’s why we are here. It’s nothing to do with promotion.”

Keith Siegel thanked the president and first lady, and he and his wife complimented Melania Trump on the documentary, which was released last week. It chronicles her life in the 20 days leading up to Trump’s second inauguration.

“I want to thank you for being a caring, compassionate person and for supporting and helping Aviva during those difficult days, and you helped her enormously, in many ways,” he said. “I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to say that to you in person, sitting next to you.”

Aviva Siegel told the first lady their meeting “gave me so much hope, and I could feel your heart with me.”

First lady Melania Trump meets with freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel at the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Melania Trump had not publicly disclosed the meeting with Aviva Siegel until the documentary opened in theaters last Friday. It includes scenes of the first lady comforting Aviva Siegel as she expresses concern for her husband and starts to cry.

Melania Trump promised to pray for Keith and said in the film, “I will always use my influence and power to fight for those in need.” She takes credit for helping earn his release.

At the end of the film, a series of title cards lists the accomplishments from her first year back as first lady, and says: “Melania Trump played a key role in securing the release of Keith Siegel after 484 days as a hostage in Gaza, just 12 days after the inauguration.”

Dearest Greater Lakewood Community,

Today is a very significant and emotional day for the Klal.

With siyata d’shmaya, and thanks to the tireless efforts of our Rosh Yeshivos, Gedolim, Rabbanim, askanim, menahelim, and dedicated rabbeim, the Lakewood community has worked incredibly hard to ensure that every eighth-grade bochur is given the opportunity to be placed in a mesivta where he can truly thrive.

Today alone, there are over 2,000 bochurim scheduled for farhers.

For many families, this process has been months in the making — filled with hope, anxiety, tefillah, and sometimes real fear. Parents have done everything they can to advocate for what they believe is the best place for their child. Some feel confident. Others are unsure. And for some, this period is genuinely a nightmare: sleepless nights, endless phone calls, uncertainty, and emotional strain.

We all know the reality.

Some families have connections. Some do not.

Some have financial means. Some do not.

But every child deserves the same thing: to be seen for who he is, with his own strengths, challenges, and potential — and to be given a fair chance to succeed.

No bochur should have to wait weeks or months, only to be forced into a place that is not right for him simply because options ran out.

This is a moment for us as a tzibur.

A time for every individual in our community to take a few extra moments today — and in the coming days — to daven for the bochurim, for their parents, for the Rabbanim and askanim involved, and for the Klal as a whole.

May we merit true siyata d’shmaya, that each child finds the right mesivta, the right environment, and the right path forward — b’kavod, b’nachas, and b’hatzlacha.

Sincerely,
A Yid who truly cares about the Klal

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

A Rosh Yeshivah from the community of Shilo in the Binyamin region and three of his talmidim were arrested on Wednesday by police in northern Israel.

According to a report by the Honenu legal aid organization, the arrests were carried out shortly after the group was attacked by Arabs from the area.

The incident took place during a trip by the yeshiva students, most of whom are minors. According to the organization, at a certain point a group of Arab students arrived and began attacking the talmidim and a violent brawl ensued.

However, when police forces arrived at the scene, the officers chose to arrest three of the talmidim who had been attacked.

Attorney Nati Rom is providing legal assistance to the detainees on behalf of the Honenu organization.

Rom said, “These are minor yeshiva students who were on a school trip in the north. At some point, a group of Arabs attacked the students. The police officers who arrived at the scene chose to violently arrest three of the students. When the Rosh Yeshiva protested to them about the violence against his students, he, too, was arrested.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Two days after collapsing during his chasunah, the 35-year-old chosson has regained consciousness and is no longer in immediate danger, Kaplan Medical Center reported on Wednesday.

According to the hospital, the chosson, who collapsed Monday evening during the Chasunah, woke up earlier today and is now communicating with those around him. Doctors say his condition has shown significant improvement, though he remains under close supervision in the cardiac intensive care unit.

The first person to begin CPR and summon emergency services was a family member who is a certified MDA medic. Paramedics and emergency responders who arrived at the event hall continued resuscitation efforts and called for additional assistance.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., sharply criticized House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and fellow Democrats on Wednesday for opposing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, suggesting their stance raises questions about their intentions regarding election integrity.

In remarks highlighted on social media, McDowell stated: “I cannot imagine why Hakeem Jeffries doesn’t want voter ID, why Hakeem Jeffries doesn’t want to kick illegals off of our voter rolls. There’s only one explanation for that, and the Democrats need to answer that.”

McDowell, who represents North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District and serves on committees including Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and the Budget, made the comments in reference to the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), a Republican-backed measure that requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for individuals registering to vote in federal elections. The bill, which has passed the House in previous sessions with largely partisan support, aims to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to prohibit states from processing federal voter registration applications without such proof.

Proponents of the legislation argue it is necessary to ensure only U.S. citizens participate in federal elections and to remove noncitizens from voter rolls, describing it as common-sense protection for electoral integrity amid concerns over border security and immigration.

Democrats, including Jeffries, have strongly opposed the bill, labeling it a form of voter suppression. Jeffries has previously called the SAVE Act a “nonstarter” in funding negotiations and a “voter suppression bill,” arguing that federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting and that the requirement would impose unnecessary burdens on eligible voters. Critics of the measure contend it could disenfranchise millions of Americans who lack easy access to documents like passports or birth certificates, particularly affecting people of color, the elderly, young voters, and those who have changed names.

The SAVE Act has been a recurring point of contention in Congress, often attached to broader spending or funding bills, though it has faced resistance from Democrats who view it as redundant given existing prohibitions on noncitizen voting and state-level safeguards.

McDowell’s remarks, amplified through conservative media outlets including Newsmax, reflect ongoing Republican efforts to pressure Democrats on election security issues. No immediate response from Jeffries’ office was available regarding the specific comments.

The debate over the SAVE Act continues amid broader partisan divides on voting rights, immigration enforcement, and federal election administration.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on former prime minister Ehud Barak over what he described as severe racist statements revealed in a recently aired recording, accusing Israel’s media and political establishment of turning a blind eye to remarks that demean Jews of Eastern origin and challenge the Jewish identity of the state.

Deri was responding to an audio recording broadcast by journalist Yishai Friedman on Channel 14, in which Barak is heard allegedly outlining a worldview aimed at engineering demographic change through control of the Chief Rabbinate and conversion systems, while openly favoring immigration from Europe over aliyah from Eastern countries.

According to Deri, the comments expose hostility toward traditional and religious Jews and reflect an attempt to marginalize communities deeply connected to Jewish faith and heritage. He described the remarks as “horrific and racist statements,” and said Barak himself understands that Jews of Eastern descent, who are rooted in tradition and belief, do not fit into a vision of a secular state cut off from its foundations. “With this public, they cannot win,” Deri said.

Deri also condemned what he called selective enforcement by the media, arguing that similar remarks from other political leaders would have ignited immediate outrage. “Imagine if Benjamin Netanyahu had said things like this — the news broadcasts would have opened with it. Naftali Bennett, Gadi Eisenkot, and the mainstream channels would have jumped on it instantly,” he said.

He added that if he himself had spoken in a comparable way about immigration from the former Soviet Union, the reaction would have been explosive, including attacks from Avigdor Lieberman and prominent journalists. “But when it’s Ehud Barak — everyone maintains a deafening silence,” Deri said.

Deri concluded with a broader ideological message to the right-wing camp, urging confidence and resolve. “Do not be afraid of them. We will continue to safeguard the Land of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the People of Israel — and with God’s help, we will prevail,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

FBI Director Kash Patel was grilled Tuesday over the government’s lingering silence about the man who shot Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign. Appearing on Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News, Patel faced questions about why the FBI has released so little public information about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old Pennsylvania man who opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Baier opened the segment by replaying a clip from an interview in which Patel promised a “more robust picture” of the shooting, telling viewers that investigators were still combing through files to better explain how the attack unfolded.

Nearly a year later, Baier said, little appears to have changed.

“I don’t think we, the public, have a more robust picture,” Baier told Patel. “I feel like we haven’t gotten the whole story.”

Patel pushed back, calling that assessment “unfair” and defending the bureau’s handling of the case.

“We, the FBI, have put out all the information that we possibly and legally can,” Patel said.

“He’s dead,” Baier noted.

“Yes,” Patel replied, “he’s very much dead,” but insisted the bureau still must adhere to investigative and disclosure rules.

The exchange turned to one of the central questions that has fueled skepticism among Trump allies and conservative lawmakers: what the bureau knows about Crooks’ communications and potential contacts.

“Where were the cell phones? Why don’t we know who he was talking to?” Baier asked. “What exactly happened?”

Patel countered by pointing to the FBI’s cooperation with Congress, saying the agency has turned over roughly 40,000 pages of documents — a level of disclosure he said far exceeds that of previous administrations.

“That’s a 400 percent increase from the prior two directors,” Patel said. “We will continue to provide this information … when we’re legally able. It’s never going to be enough for everyone.”

The FBI director emphasized that investigative findings were shared with the Justice Department, which ultimately decided what could be made public.

“We’re not saying ‘trust us,’” Patel said. “We did an exhaustive search.”

Still, Baier continued to press.

“Do you think everything has been put out about the shooter in Butler?” he asked.

“Everything,” Patel replied.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A $12 million transportation project is set to improve safety and mobility along Cedar Bridge Avenue (County Route 528) in Lakewood Township, spanning from South Clifton Avenue to Airport Road.

The county-led project, funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, targets one of Ocean County’s busiest and most critical roadways. Cedar Bridge Avenue serves major commercial areas, community facilities, and key regional travel connections, and has long been the focus of serious safety concerns.

According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s 2023 network screening list, the corridor ranked highest in Ocean County for pedestrian and bicycle safety concerns and second overall for corridor safety concerns.

“This project addresses longstanding safety issues along a vital corridor for our residents and visitors,” said Ocean County Board of Commissioners Director Frank Sadeghi, co-liaison to the Ocean County Engineering Department. “These improvements will help reduce crashes and create safer options for people walking and biking throughout Lakewood Township.”

Planned improvements include upgraded traffic signals at six intersections and the construction of a shared-use path to better accommodate pedestrians and cyclists. Additional enhancements will include widened shoulders, high-visibility crosswalks, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, and improved roadway lighting.

“The project builds on safety improvements completed along other portions of Cedar Bridge Avenue in 2015 and 2017 and will allow the county to fully implement recommendations from a 2014 road safety audit,” said Ocean County Commissioner Ray Gormley, also a co-liaison to the Ocean County Engineering Department. “Upgrading Cedar Bridge Avenue will benefit everyone who lives, works, and travels through Ocean County.”

Preliminary design work is expected to begin in summer 2026. Ocean County will oversee the project in cooperation with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and Lakewood Township officials.

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners said the project reflects the county’s continued commitment to improving roadway safety while planning for future growth, emphasizing that investments in proven safety improvements and modern infrastructure are essential to protecting residents, supporting local communities, and ensuring the county’s transportation network meets the needs of all users.

The Trump administration is considering a policy change that could effectively bar large cities from operating fare-free bus programs if they rely on federal transit funding, a move that could directly clash with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pledge to eliminate bus fares citywide, Newsmax reports.

According to a draft proposal from the Department of Transportation obtained by Politico, the idea is being floated for inclusion in the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, which would require approval from Congress before taking effect.

The proposal would apply to transit agencies serving populations of more than 200,000 people and operating bus fleets larger than 100 vehicles.

Those thresholds could affect jurisdictions that currently offer free bus service, including parts of the Kansas City metropolitan area, Richmond, Virginia, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kansas City, however, is reportedly planning to bring fares back in the near future.

In New York City, the issue has taken on added political weight, as Mamdani made affordability a central theme of his campaign and vowed to “permanently eliminate the fare on every city bus.” On Tuesday, however, Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber dismissed that promise as a “campaign bumper sticker” while testifying at a budget hearing in Albany.

Under the draft language, transit agencies that receive funding from the Federal Transit Administration would be required to charge passengers. Jurisdictions that decline to comply could risk losing federal support.

“This policy would help ensure the largest federally supported systems are safer and more adequately funded by users,” the document says.

The proposal would still permit free rides for certain populations, including seniors, people with disabilities, children, students, and veterans.

It would also allow exceptions for special circumstances, such as major international events like the World Cup or the Olympics. That provision is notable given that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place across several U.S. cities with large transit systems, including Kansas City, Philadelphia, and the New York–New Jersey region.

Even so, Politico reported that the surface transportation legislation is unlikely to be completed before the World Cup begins. The next Summer Olympics are slated for Los Angeles in 2028.

The DOT’s argument centers largely on funding stability and safety concerns. The draft warns that fare-free transit “can result in unsustainable finances for the agency and potential safety issues,” and notes that some systems that eliminated fares experienced an increase in disruptive behavior.

Advocates of fare-free transit counter that eliminating fares boosts ridership and lowers barriers for working families trying to reach jobs and essential services.

Joel Mendez, an assistant professor of transportation planning at the University of Kansas who researched Kansas City’s experiment with free bus service, said the data points to wider mobility benefits.

“If more people are using the bus, which the evidence suggests across a broad range of demographics, we could be significantly improving their mobility and enhancing access to services and resources throughout the region, including jobs, and that can have a positive impact on their quality of life,” Mendez told Politico.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats sharply criticized the proposal from the Trump administration’s Transportation Department.

“This proposal makes no sense,” Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Transportation Committee, said in a statement. “Transit agencies are pretty good at making their own decisions about how to operate to meet local needs.”

“The FTA should be in a position to support them, not undermine them,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

A structure fire that tore through a multifamily building under construction in Jackson Township last night has been ruled accidental.

As first reported by TLS, the blaze was reported at approximately 7:05 p.m. Police and fire crews arriving found heavy fire engulfing the end unit of the unfinished structure, which did not yet have utilities connected.

A thorough investigation was conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit–Arson Squad, the Jackson Township Police Department Detective Bureau, the Jackson Township Fire Bureau, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit.

Investigators determined that the fire originated in the center hallway of the first floor. Officials concluded that the blaze was likely caused by a propane convection heater that had been placed too close to combustible materials.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer acknowledged the cooperative efforts of all agencies involved in the investigation.

A man found guilty of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during a 2024 incident at a Florida golf course was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence to Ryan Routh in a Fort Pierce courtroom that was the same venue where proceedings descended into chaos last September, when Routh attempted to stab himself shortly after a jury convicted him on all charges.

Federal prosecutors sought a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, arguing that Routh has shown no remorse and has never expressed regret for his actions. A lawyer representing Routh at sentencing urged the court to impose a 27-year term, pointing out that Routh is approaching his 60th birthday.

In addition to the life sentence, Routh was also given a consecutive seven-year prison term tied to one of his firearms convictions.

Sentencing was originally set for December, but Judge Cannon agreed to postpone it after Routh chose to retain legal counsel for this phase of the case, rather than continue representing himself as he had throughout much of the trial.

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors wrote that Routh has refused to accept responsibility for his actions and argued that federal guidelines support keeping him incarcerated for the rest of his life. The convictions included attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm to further a crime, assaulting a federal officer, illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, and using a gun with a defaced serial number.

“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” the memo said.

Routh’s newly retained attorney, Martin L. Roth, requested that the court depart from the sentencing guidelines and impose 20 years in prison in addition to the mandatory seven-year sentence for the gun charge.

“The defendant is two weeks short of being sixty years old,” Roth wrote in a filing. “A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison.”

Prosecutors detailed that Routh spent weeks planning an attack on Trump before positioning himself in shrubbery and aiming a rifle toward the Republican presidential candidate as he played golf on September 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.

During the trial, a Secret Service agent assigned to Trump’s protection testified that he noticed Routh before Trump came into the agent’s line of sight. According to the testimony, Routh pointed his rifle at the agent, who then fired his weapon, prompting Routh to drop the gun and flee the scene without firing a shot.

In a motion seeking legal representation, Routh proposed exchanging his life in a prisoner swap for individuals he claimed were unjustly detained abroad and said the offer remained open for Trump to “take out his frustrations on my face.”

“Just a quarter of an inch further back and we all would not have to deal with all of this mess forwards, but I always fail at everything (par for the course),” Routh wrote.

When granting Routh’s request for an attorney, Judge Cannon sharply criticized what she called the “disrespectful charade” reflected in his filing, saying it undermined the seriousness of the proceedings. Still, she said she preferred to err in favor of ensuring legal representation.

Cannon had approved Routh’s request last summer to represent himself at trial. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that defendants may do so, provided they demonstrate to a judge that they are competent to waive their right to counsel.

Routh’s former federal public defenders remained involved as standby counsel and attended the trial.

Court records showed that Routh had multiple prior felony convictions, including possession of stolen property, and maintained an extensive online presence expressing hostility toward Trump. In a self-published book, he urged Iran to assassinate Trump and at another point wrote that, as a Trump voter, he bore some responsibility for helping elect him.

{Matzav.com}

US President Trump said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “should be very worried,” amid growing concerns that diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran are collapsing, raising the possibility of renewed military conflict.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with NBC News, when asked whether Khamenei should be concerned about the current situation.

“He should be very worried,” Trump said.

The comments come as reports indicate that attempts to establish a diplomatic off-ramp between the United States and Iran are falling apart, even as Trump insisted that talks are still ongoing.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

“They’re negotiating with us,” Trump said.

During the interview, NBC reporter Tom Llamas pressed Trump about Iranian anti-regime protesters, who have repeatedly called for US intervention as the regime continues a violent crackdown in an attempt to suppress unrest.

Llamas noted that many Iranian protesters feel betrayed by Trump, who had previously encouraged them to take to the streets and voiced support for their cause. According to reports, thousands were killed in subsequent crackdowns, and Trump later claimed he had intervened to prevent the execution of another 800 protesters.

“We do have their back,” Trump said. “That country is a mess right now because of us. We went in, and we wiped out their nuclear program,” Trump claimed, referring to US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel last June.

Trump added that Iran’s military and defense capabilities are currently “a mess” due to US intervention.

After again claiming that Iran’s entire nuclear program had been obliterated, Trump was asked why nuclear talks are even necessary if there is nothing left to negotiate over.

Trump responded that Iran has since attempted to rebuild its nuclear program at other locations, and warned that this would prompt another US strike.

“I want peace in the Middle East,” Trump said. “If we didn’t take out that nuclear, we wouldn’t have peace in the Middle East.”

Trump has avoided addressing reports that some Iranian nuclear sites were not targeted in the US strikes and that the location of already-enriched uranium stockpiles remains unknown — points that undermine his repeated claim that Iran’s nuclear program was fully destroyed.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul has selected Adrienne Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council, as her running mate in her re-election campaign, creating the first all-woman major-party ticket in New York State history.
Hochul announced the decision Wednesday, choosing Adams, 65, a Queens Democrat who recently completed two terms on the City Council and previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor. The selection adds geographic balance and a well-known figure from New York City to Hochul’s statewide ticket, the newspaper reported.

Both Hochul, 67, and Adams are considered moderates within the Democratic Party and have resisted efforts by left-leaning colleagues to raise taxes or make sweeping changes to policing policy, according to the Times. Hochul is the first woman to serve as governor of New York, while Adams was the first Black speaker of the City Council.

“As Donald Trump attacks this state relentlessly and Bruce Blakeman bends the knee before him, I need a fighter in my corner,” Hochul said in a statement cited by the Times. “Adrienne Adams is that fighter.”

Exciting announcement: I have a running mate.

I picked a New Yorker from Southeast Queens. Someone who grew up in a union household, just like I did. A fighter who knows how to deliver for New York.

Welcome to the team my friend – and our next Lieutenant Governor –… pic.twitter.com/Lqv51fRm9d

— Kathy Hochul (@KathyHochul) February 4, 2026

The current lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, is challenging Hochul in the Democratic primary and will not be on her ticket. A Siena University poll released Tuesday showed Delgado trailing Hochul by more than 50 percentage points, according to the newspaper.

Delgado has named India Walton, a democratic socialist, as his running mate. The competing selections underscore the ideological divide within the Democratic Party, with Walton expected to appeal to progressive voters, including supporters of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the Times reported.

Adams and Hochul have both clashed at times with Mamdani, particularly over issues including taxation, policing and Israel. While Hochul ultimately endorsed Mamdani in the mayoral race, she has publicly disagreed with him on several policy matters, the newspaper reported.

Hochul’s announcement comes ahead of the Democratic Party’s statewide endorsement convention in Syracuse. Republicans are expected to hold their convention next week on Long Island. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, has not yet named a running mate.

Blakeman criticized the selection, calling Adams a “radical” and accusing her of mishandling issues related to migration and economic growth, according to the Times.

Four women have previously served as lieutenant governor in New York, including Hochul, but the state has never had women simultaneously holding both top executive offices, the newspaper reported.

President Donald Trump on Thursday released a new architectural rendering of a proposed White House ballroom, a project estimated to cost $400 million that would significantly expand the East Wing’s capacity to host foreign leaders and official guests.

The image, which Trump posted on Truth Social, presents an east-facing view of the planned structure, appearing to look across the South Lawn from the direction of the Treasury Building.

“This beautiful building will be, when complete, the much-anticipated White House Ballroom — The Greatest of its kind ever built!” Trump wrote.

“It is a rendering from the Treasury Building, directly across the street, and it replaces the very small, dilapidated East Wing, which has been rebuilt many times, with a magnificent new East Wing consisting of a glorious ballroom that has been asked for by presidents for over 150 years.”

The illustration shows a substantial neoclassical extension connected to the White House, marked by a long row of tall columns, ornate arches, and a large triangular pediment dominating the front of the structure.

According to the rendering, the design is intended to complement the existing look of the executive mansion while giving the new wing a more imposing and ceremonial presence.

In the foreground, a black iron security fence and stone wall frame the view from outside the White House grounds, while a portion of the current White House complex is visible on the right side of the image.

Trump said the proposal respects the proportions of the historic residence.

“Being an identical height and scale, it is totally in keeping with our historic White House,” Trump wrote.

“This is the first rendering shown to the Public.

“If you notice, the North Wall is a replica of the North Facade of the White House, shown at the right-hand side of the picture.

“This space will serve our Country well for, hopefully, Centuries into the future!” he wrote.

The ballroom project has sparked opposition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop construction until additional reviews are conducted.

In its filing, the organization alleges that the Trump administration demolished the East Wing in late October to clear space for a ballroom spanning roughly 90,000 square feet, contending that the work proceeded without congressional approval or required historic preservation and environmental reviews.

The complaint states that the area is already an active construction site, citing the presence of heavy equipment, pile driving operations, and cranes.

The National Trust argues that the administration was obligated to submit detailed plans to federal oversight bodies and provide an opportunity for public comment before beginning construction.

The group is asking the court to halt further progress on the project until those procedures are completed.

The Trump administration has responded that changes and expansions to the White House have been carried out by presidents throughout history.

The following is an ‘Ask The Mayor’ question submitted to TLS, and the Mayor’s response. Email your questions for the Mayor to [email protected].

Question:

Dear Mayor,

I’m writing to express my concern about the traffic situation at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Pine Street. The conditions there have become increasingly dangerous, and it feels like an accident is just waiting to happen.

I drive through that area several times a day, and making a left turn from either direction—whether from Washington onto Pine or from Pine onto Washington—is extremely difficult and often unsafe. Cars come quickly, visibility is limited, and it’s nearly impossible to turn without feeling like another vehicle might hit you.

I hope that a traffic light or another safety measure can be installed soon. The current setup puts drivers at real risk, and improving it would make a meaningful difference for everyone who uses those roads.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts to keep our community safe.

Sincerely,

Sara G

Response from Mayor Coles:

Good morning

We are widening that stretch of Pine and will be adding traffic lights. I’m hoping most of the work will be done this coming spring and summer.

Thanks for reaching out

Ray

Question:

Dear Mayor,

I am writing to request the installation of a street light at the corner of Sunset and James.

This intersection sees a high volume of pedestrian traffic and is currently very dark at night, which poses a significant safety concern for the community.

Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

Best regards,

Moshe
Response from Mayor Coles:

Thanks Moshe

I’ll ask the engineers to contact the county, as this is their road and requires their buy in

Stay warm

Ray

—————–

Have a question for the Mayor? Send it to [email protected]

Have a question for the Chief? Send it to [email protected]

Israel’s cost-of-living squeeze continues to hit households hard, and a new price comparison shows just how steep the gaps can be between supermarket chains—even for identical items. A recent survey aired on the consumer-affairs program Ossim Seder examined a focused basket of dairy products and uncovered a price difference of more than 25 percent between retailers.

The comparison, presented by journalist Tzvi Tessler, analyzed a standardized basket of basic dairy staples commonly found in Israeli refrigerators. The findings paint a stark picture of competition in the retail market and reveal just how much shoppers can save—or overspend—depending on where they buy.

Among large-format supermarkets typically located in industrial zones and requiring a dedicated trip, the race at the top was exceptionally tight. Osher Ad narrowly edged out rival Rami Levy by just a few shekels, with both chains significantly undercutting the rest of the field. By contrast, other retailers often marketed as “discount” options posted considerably higher prices, with a gap of nearly NIS 100 between the cheapest and most expensive stores in this category.

Dairy Basket Prices at Large Chains:

• Osher Ad – NIS 370.50

• Rami Levy – NIS 372.90

• Netto Savings – NIS 416.60

• Yesh Chesed – NIS 418.40

• Shefa Birkas Hashem – NIS 420.80

• Shuk Ha’ir – NIS 461.90

The picture changes—but not necessarily for the better—when shoppers opt for convenience and buy close to home. The data show that neighborhood shopping often comes at a premium, though there are notable exceptions. Some local groceries manage to stay competitive with the big chains, while others charge significantly more for the same products. At the bottom of the list this week was Maayan 2000, which recorded the highest price for the basket.

Dairy Basket Prices at Neighborhood and Small Stores:

• KT Market (Mishnas Yosef) – NIS 416.20

• Machsaney Hashuk Mehadrin – NIS 430.50

• Netto Savings (Neighborhood) – NIS 439.30

• Yesh Bashchuna – NIS 444.50

• Shira Market – NIS 446.70

• Good Market – NIS 451.50

• Carrefour Market (Mehadrin certifications) – NIS 453.00

• Shefa Birkas Hashem – Near Home – NIS 454.30

• Zol U’Begadol – NIS 456.40

• Maayan 2000 – NIS 464.80

What the Gaps Mean

The data reveal a striking difference of NIS 94.30—about 25.5 percent—between the cheapest basket at Osher Ad (NIS 370.50) and the most expensive at Maayan 2000 (NIS 464.80). In practical terms, a shopper who doesn’t compare prices could pay nearly NIS 100 extra for the exact same dairy items simply by choosing the wrong store. Over the course of a year, that gap can add up to thousands of shekels for an average family.

Another takeaway is that “neighborhood” does not automatically mean overpriced. The fact that KT Market’s basket (NIS 416.20) came in cheaper than some large discount chains demonstrates that reasonable prices are possible without a long drive, provided consumers stay vigilant, compare options, and shop strategically.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Elyakim Schlesinger zt”l, one of the ziknei roshei yeshivos, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Harama and author of Bais Av. He was 104 years old.

Rav Schlesinger was born on 22 Cheshvan 5682 (November 23, 1921) in Vienna to Rav Dovid Schlesinger and his mother, Baila. In 1931, as a young child, he moved with his family to Eretz Yisroel, where they settled in Tel Aviv. His formative Torah education began under the guidance of Rav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, and he later continued his learning at Yeshivas Kaminetz and at Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah.

Rav Schlesinger married his wife, Dina Yehudis, daughter of Rav Moshe Blau. Following the passing of his father-in-law, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Pnei Moshe in Yerushalayim, a mosad established in Rav Blau’s memory. At the recommendation of the Brisker Rov, Rav Schlesinger later relocated to Europe. He first served as Rosh Yeshiva in the city of Kapellen, Belgium, for two years, before moving to London, where he founded Yeshivas Harama. The yeshiva was named in honor of the Chasam Sofer’s son, the Kesav Sofer, and later also in recognition of the Daas Sofer, who had been one of Rav Schlesinger’s rabbeim.

Over the decades, Rav Schlesinger became one of the central figures of the chareidi community in England, maintaining close relationships with many of the gedolei Yisroel of his generation, including the Brisker Rov and the Chazon Ish. His personal recollections and insights into those figures were later recorded in his sefer Hador Vehatekufah, which offers a rare first-hand window into the Torah leadership of the previous generation.

Beyond his role as Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Schlesinger was deeply involved in communal matters. He was long active in the protection of kevorim across Europe and served as chairman of the committee dedicated to safeguarding Jewish cemeteries on the continent. His principled stance on a range of public issues, particularly matters affecting Torah education and religious autonomy, made him a prominent voice of daas Torah and the preservation of authentic Yiddishkeit.

Rav Schlesinger was the author of numerous Torah works, including multiple volumes of Bais Av on Shas, halacha, machshavah, and drush, as well as a Haggadah shel Pesach and other seforim that reflect his breadth in both learning and hashkafah.

He is survived by a family of noted rabbonim and marbitzei Torah.

Yehi zichro boruch. 

{Matzav.com}

The United States announced this afternoon that it has agreed to proceed with talks with Iran in Oman on Friday, reversing an earlier decision to cancel the discussions following a request from Arab countries.

The change came after reports that Washington had sent a firm message to Tehran rejecting Iranian demands to alter both the venue and structure of the talks. The discussions were initially set to take place Friday in Istanbul and to include representatives from additional countries. According to a senior American official, the U.S. made clear there was no flexibility. “We told them: ‘It’s either this or nothing.’ They said, ‘Okay, then nothing,'” the official said, adding, “We want to achieve a real deal quickly, or people will look for other options.”

Speaking earlier at a press conference, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the broader approach to the negotiations. “We do not view these meetings as a concession or legitimization. We are ready to talk to any adversary or ally of ours,” Rubio said.

Rubio also outlined what Washington believes must be addressed for the discussions to be productive. “I think for the talks to bring something meaningful, they must include several issues – including ballistic missile ranges, the nuclear program, support for terrorist organizations in the region, and their treatment of their people,” he said.

An Iranian official responded by narrowing expectations for the agenda, stating: “The talks with the U.S. in Oman will focus solely on the nuclear program. Ballistic missiles are not on the table.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States has rejected Iran’s demand to change the location and format of high-stakes nuclear talks planned for Friday, resulting in the reported cancelation of the talks.

Two U.S. officials told Axios that Washington informed Tehran on Wednesday it would not agree to moving the talks from Istanbul or limiting their scope to nuclear issues alone.

The talks were originally scheduled to take place in Istanbul, with several Middle Eastern countries participating as observers. But Iranian officials said Tuesday they wanted to relocate the meeting to Oman and shift to a bilateral format. U.S. officials saw the demand as an attempt to sideline discussions on missiles, regional proxies and human rights.

After briefly weighing the proposal, the administration decided to reject it.

“We told them it is this or nothing, and they said, ‘Ok, then nothing,’” a senior U.S. official said.

The standoff follows public remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said that any meaningful talks with Iran must extend far beyond its nuclear program.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Rubio acknowledged that plans for the Istanbul meeting had faltered after Iranian officials signaled they had not agreed to the format.

“We thought we had an established forum that had been agreed to in Turkey,” Rubio said. “I saw conflicting reports yesterday from the Iranian side saying that they had not agreed to that, so that’s still being worked through.”

Rubio said the administration remains willing to engage, but only under terms that reflect Washington’s broader security concerns.

“For talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things,” he said. “That includes the range of their ballistic missiles. That includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region. That includes the nuclear program. And that includes the treatment of their own people.”

Iran has indicated it is prepared to discuss its nuclear activities, but not on U.S. terms. Washington has demanded that Tehran halt domestic uranium enrichment and ship its existing stockpiles out of the country — conditions the Islamic Republic has repeatedly rejected.

U.S. officials say Tehran’s effort to narrow the agenda reflects resistance to what the administration sees as a comprehensive deal aimed at curbing Iran’s regional influence and military capabilities.

“If the Iranians are willing to go back to the original format, we’re ready to meet this week or next week,” the senior official said.

But the official added that patience inside the White House is wearing thin.

“We want to reach a real deal quickly or people will look at other options,” the official said, referring to Trump’s repeated warnings that military force remains on the table.

Rubio framed Iran’s reluctance to broaden the talks as tied to deeper economic and political problems inside the country.

“The fundamental problem Iran faces is that what people are on the streets complaining about, this regime cannot address, because it’s economic,” he said. “One of the reasons why the Iranian regime cannot provide the people of Iran the quality of life that they deserve is because they’re spending all their money and resources sponsoring terrorism.”

Despite his skepticism about Tehran’s intentions, Rubio emphasized that Trump remains committed to testing whether diplomacy can still produce results.

“President Donald Trump is willing to talk to and meet with and engage with anyone in the world,” Rubio said. “We don’t view meetings as a concession or a legitimization.”

“If the Iranians want to meet, we’re ready,” he added. “I’m not sure you can reach a deal with these guys, but we’re going to try to find out.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Diplomatic discussions scheduled for Friday between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will not take place, Axios reported, after the two sides failed to agree on how and where the meeting would be held.

According to the report, Washington informed Tehran that it would not accept Iran’s requests to alter either the venue or the structure of the talks. The meeting had been set for Istanbul and was expected to include representatives from other countries, but Iran pushed for changes that the U.S. ultimately refused.

While U.S. officials reviewed the proposal to move the talks, they decided against it and delivered a firm response. “We told them: ‘It’s either this or nothing.’ They said, ‘Okay, then nothing,’” a senior American official said. The official added, “We want to reach a real deal quickly, or people will look for other options.”

After news broke that the discussions had been called off, U.S. officials told Reuters that President Donald Trump is now increasingly inclined toward the use of military force against Iran.

Speaking earlier at a press conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to frame the negotiations as pragmatic rather than symbolic. “We do not view these meetings as concessions or legitimization. We are ready to talk to any adversary or ally of ours,” Rubio said.

Rubio also outlined what Washington believes must be addressed for any negotiations to have substance. “I think for the talks to bring something meaningful, they must include several issues – including ballistic missile ranges, the nuclear program, support for terrorist organizations in the region, and their treatment of their people,” he said.

An Iranian official rejected that broader scope, making clear that Tehran would not expand the agenda. “The talks with the US in Oman will only focus on the nuclear program. Ballistic missiles are not on the table,” the official said.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-In a swift development highlighting tensions within the Federal Bureau of Investigation under new leadership, an FBI security specialist was escorted out of FBI headquarters this morning and handed a termination letter. The action came hours after undercover footage released by the O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) captured the official making disparaging remarks about FBI Director Kash Patel and expressing skepticism about potential prosecutions in ongoing fraud investigations.

The individual, identified in reports as Justin Devine, a security specialist with the Bureau, was recorded in conversation with an undercover OMG operative. In the hidden-camera video, Devine allegedly referred to Director Patel—a recent appointee under the Trump administration—as a “diva” and claimed he was “not good at his job” and “just wasn’t ready.” He further expressed doubt regarding accountability in high-profile fraud cases, specifically referencing investigative reporting by journalist Nick Shirley on alleged widespread fraud involving daycare centers in Minnesota.

“I don’t think anybody is going to prison,” Devine reportedly said in relation to the daycare fraud allegations. He suggested that such financial crime investigations often drag on for years, potentially outlasting the current administration, and that authorities might ultimately “point somebody” as a fall guy rather than pursue broad prosecutions. The comments appeared to downplay the prospects of arrests stemming from Shirley’s exposés, which have spotlighted claims of massive misuse of federal funds in Somali-run childcare programs in Minneapolis.

The sting operation is part of a series by O’Keefe Media Group, which has previously released similar undercover recordings purporting to show FBI and DOJ officials expressing doubts about pursuing certain cases aggressively. James O’Keefe announced the termination update on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “FBI security official was escorted out of the building this morning and handed his termination letter after we recorded him calling Kash Patel a ‘diva,’ and saying ‘I don’t think anybody is going to prison’ in regards to @nickshirleyy daycare reporting.”

Shirley’s reporting, which gained significant attention in late 2025, involved on-the-ground visits to daycare facilities and claims of irregularities in federal reimbursements. The allegations prompted increased federal scrutiny, including from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, amid broader concerns over fraud in Minnesota’s child care and nutrition programs.

The rapid termination underscores the incoming FBI leadership’s apparent zero-tolerance approach to perceived disloyalty or undermining of priorities. Director Patel, known for his focus on rooting out internal resistance and prioritizing high-impact investigations, has overseen personnel changes aimed at addressing what supporters call “deep state” holdovers.

Critics of the sting operation have questioned the context of the recorded conversation, noting that Devine’s role as a security specialist may not position him to speak authoritatively on investigative outcomes. The FBI has not issued a detailed public statement on the termination at the time of this report, though sources indicate the decision followed internal review of the video.

This incident adds to the ongoing narrative of transition and reform at the FBI, as Director Patel works to implement changes amid high-profile cases and public scrutiny. O’Keefe Media Group described the event as evidence of systemic issues, stating it marks the seventh such admission captured in their recent efforts.

Further developments in the Minnesota fraud probes and any additional personnel actions will likely continue to draw attention as the administration advances its agenda on government accountability.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin launched a fierce attack on the Supreme Court on Wednesday, accusing it of exceeding its authority and calling on the government to rally behind Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the face of its unauthorized interference in government decisions.

Levin’s statement followed the Court’s decision to issue a conditional order instructing Netanyahu to explain why he hasn’t dismissed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

“The arsonists in the Supreme Court have long been behaving as if they were the government, the Knesset, and now they even think they can replace the people,” Levin said. “Without even the slightest authority in law and in complete contradiction to the most basic principles of any democracy, they are creating an unprecedented constitutional crisis with their own hands.”

Levin continued, “The entire government must stand behind the prime minister and say, ‘Enough is enough. The power to dismiss ministers belongs to the prime minister, and to him alone.”

Levin’s remarks came amid a wave of sharp reactions from ministers and coalition members condemning the Supreme Court’s order. Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs issued an unusual warning, declaring that the government will not comply with a ruling ordering Netanyahu to fire Ben-Gvir.

Speaking at a conference in Eilat, Fuchs said, “There will come a point, just as in the IDF there is something called a ‘blatantly illegal order’—if the Supreme Court issues a ruling obligating the prime minister to fire a minister against whom there is no investigation nor indictment, that ruling itself will be a blatantly illegal order.”

Fuchs continued. “The Court issued a conditional order instructing the prime minister to justify why he hasn’t dismissed a serving minister elected by hundreds of thousands of voters. There is no criminal investigation against the minister. In my opinion, the Supreme Court will not cross such a red line.”

Earlier, Ben Gvir responded to the Court’s decision, saying, “The Supreme Court doesn’t only want to fire me—it wants to fire the people. It wants to fire millions of voters and deny them their right to vote. That will not happen. They have no authority. There will be no coup.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I watched the Let’s Talk Kashrus episode about party planners, and honestly, I walked away boiling.

I’m a party planner. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I’m not here to argue. I’m not here to defend myself or dodge questions. There is always room to improve. Fine. But if we’re finally talking about kashrus, then let’s actually talk about it — not dance around the elephant in the room.

Because here’s the reality everyone seems very comfortable ignoring.

There is a non-Jewish party planner operating openly in Lakewood, and Lakewood is giving it a blind eye. This isn’t a rumor. This isn’t new. This has been going on for years. I personally have raised this issue with people again and again. And again. And again. Nothing.

Let’s be clear about what this means.

She comes on Shabbos.
We don’t know who is putting the food into the warmers.
We don’t know where the knives come from.
We don’t know where the food is ordered from.
We don’t know what standards — if any — are being followed.

And everyone is just… eating.

People like to whisper, “Oh, she’s cheaper.” She’s not. Anyone who actually knows the industry knows that. Put that aside anyway. Even if she were cheaper, is that now the new bar for kashrus?

Why do we always wait for the explosion?

Why do we wait until there’s a massive scandal, headlines screaming, people discovering they’ve been eating non-kosher, and suddenly everyone clutching their pearls saying, “How could this have happened?”

How could it have happened?
Because it was happening in plain sight, and nobody wanted to deal with it.

Before we start lecturing Jewish party planners about certifications and requirements — a conversation I’m not running from — maybe someone should explain why half of Lakewood is perfectly comfortable trusting a non-Jew with kashrus with no transparency, no accountability, and no oversight.

Before you point fingers at us, answer that.

The rest of the party planners know about this. We’re not quiet about it. We’re raising the roof. And still — silence.

Personally? Before I go to a party, I ask who the planner is. I ask about the kashrus. I don’t just walk in and eat. Do other people do that? Or do they assume that if it looks nice and smells good, it must be fine?

That’s not kashrus.

If we’re serious about standards, then let’s be serious across the board — not selectively, not conveniently, and not only when it’s uncomfortable for the people actually trying to do things right.

We don’t need another scandal to wake up.
We need honesty.
And we need courage.

A Very Frustrated Party Planner
Lakewood, NJ

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

DON’T MISS OUT! Join the Matzav Status by . Join the Matzav WhatsApp Groups by .

The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.

Lawmakers from Yisrael Beytenu have submitted new legislation that would overhaul Israel’s Chief Rabbinate by replacing the current system of two Chief Rabbis with a single officeholder, Arutz Sheva reports. The bill was introduced by MKs Avigdor Lieberman, Oded Forer, Evgeny Sova, Sharon Nir, and Hamad Amar.

Under the proposal, multiple sections of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Law would be revised. Among the key changes are redefining the position from “the Chief Rabbis of Israel” to “the Chief Rabbi of Israel,” eliminating the provision that permits two candidates to be elected simultaneously, and formally assigning the Chief Rabbi to serve both as head of the Chief Rabbinate Council and as president of the Great Rabbinical Court.

In the explanatory notes attached to the bill, its backers contend that maintaining two Chief Rabbis is no longer justified and stems from an approach that no longer reflects Israeli reality.

“In recent years, a public debate has arisen regarding the need for dual Chief Rabbis in Israel. In the view of many, this duplication is superfluous and expresses anachronistic concepts of separate representation for ‘Ashkenazim’ and ‘Sephardim,’” the sponsors wrote.

They further argued that demographic and social changes in the country warrant a structural update to the institution. “Now, after decades of the ingathering of exiles in the State of Israel, the time has come to adapt the institution of the Chief Rabbinate as well to Israeli society. Since there is no longer any substantive justification for maintaining two Chief Rabbis, the economic and bureaucratic savings resulting from abolishing the dual roles become an additional and significant justification.”

The legislation mirrors an earlier proposal submitted by MK Lieberman and closely resembles a bill advanced by MK Elazar Stern during the 23rd Knesset.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Deep in the Ben Shemen pine forest near the towns of Modiin and Modiin Illit lies an ancient structure with a dome. The structure was named in Arabic Hirbet Al-Arbawi and in Hebrew Hurvat Ha’Gardi, named for one of the Hasmonean sons, Yochanan Ha’Gardi. The imposing structure and its location led scholars to wonder whether it had any connection to the Maccabees.

About 25 years ago, four yeshiva students from the Tshibin yeshiva and other chasidic yeshivos visited the structure and decided as a practical joke to set up a matzevah (headstone) and write that this is the tomb of Matityahu ben Yochanan Kohen Gadol. The four headed to Har Hamenuchos, purchased a headstone and engraved the words: Tomb of Matisyahu ben Yochanan. They added cement and a logo of the Aguda Le’Ma’an Kivrei Tzadikim (Association for preserving tombs of the righteous), a fictitious organization, and left the site.

Little did they know that people would begin to take their actions seriously. Numerous rabbis and public figures came to pray at the site, candles were lit, pictures were placed and especially on Chanukah every year, streams of people come to dance and pray at what they believe to be the tomb of the father of the Maccabees. People even began to believe that they had experienced miraculous salvations there.

Recently Mishpacha magazine decided to burst the balloon, revealing that the tomb is a fictitious creation of four young boys and has no credibility as the tomb of Matisyahu. One of the original Bochurim, Rav Shmuel Frankel, who is now in his 40s, said that “We wanted to make a tomb for tourists to com. Had we known how this would develop, its obvious we wouldn’t have done it.”

President Donald Trump said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had reason for serious concern, as signs mounted that diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran were breaking down.

Asked in an interview with NBC News whether Khamenei should be worried, Trump replied, “He should be very worried.” The remark came as reports indicated that attempts to create a diplomatic off-ramp between the United States and Iran were faltering, increasing fears of a potential military confrontation.

Trump insisted that dialogue had not fully collapsed, saying, “They’re negotiating with us,” even as uncertainty surrounded the future of the talks.

During the interview, the reporter noted that Iranian protesters opposed to the regime felt abandoned by Trump, who had previously voiced support for them and encouraged public demonstrations. Those protests were followed by reports that thousands of demonstrators were killed, while Trump later said he had intervened to stop the planned executions of another 800 protesters.

Trump rejected the notion that the protesters had been abandoned. “We do have their back,” he said. He then asserted that U.S. actions had significantly weakened Iran, adding, “That country is a mess right now because of us. We went in, [and] we wiped out their nuclear [program],” referring to U.S. strikes on two Iranian nuclear facilities last June during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

After Trump again stated that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been completely eliminated, he was questioned about the purpose of ongoing nuclear talks if the program had truly been destroyed.

In response, Trump claimed that Iran had attempted to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure at other locations, warning that such efforts would prompt further U.S. military action.

At the same time, Trump did not address reports that some nuclear sites were not hit in the June strikes or that the whereabouts of previously enriched uranium stockpiles remained unknown—issues that cast doubt on his assertion that Iran’s nuclear program had been entirely wiped out.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voter-approved congressional map that is favorable to Democrats in this year’s elections, rejecting a last-ditch plea from state Republicans and the Trump administration.

No justices dissented from the brief order.

The justices had previously allowed Texas’ Republican-friendly map to be used in 2026, despite a lower court ruling that it likely discriminates on the basis of race.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in December that it appeared both states had adopted new maps for political advantage, which the high court has previously ruled cannot be a basis for a federal lawsuit.

Republicans, joined by the administration, claimed the California map improperly relied on race, as well. But a lower court disagreed by a 2-1 vote.

The justices’ unsigned order keeps in place districts that are designed to flip up to five seats now held by Republicans, part of a tit-for-tat nationwide redistricting battle spurred by President Donald Trump, with control of Congress on the line in midterm elections.

Last year, at Trump’s behest, Texas Republicans redid the state’s congressional districts with an eye on gaining five seats.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is eying a 2028 presidential run, vowed to respond in kind, though he had to win over voters, not just lawmakers, to do so.

Filing for congressional primaries in California begins Feb. 9.

Attention Menahels, Rebbeim, Moros, Kriah Specialists and anyone who is or has a child suffering with Kriah issues:

Rabbi Dovid Ehrman from the Zobin Method in Yerushalayim [son-in-law of Rav Zobin] will be in Lakewood from February 10–22.

With more than four decades of experience and thousands of documented successes, helping students overcome reading challenges by diagnosing and addressing the exact root causes, providing a clear, structured path to success in Kriah and solving them in an average of 16 sessions, the Zobin Method remains a leading system in the field of reading remediation.

Do you have a student or child who is struggling with Kriah? Are you frustrated with lack of progress (and time and money)? Then this is for you!

During his visit, Rabbi Ehrman will present an overview of the Zobin Method through an exclusive masterclass offering professional clarity on the subject of Kriah with a focus on the main causes why Kriah can be so difficult for some people. The classes will discuss Lashon Hakodesh, vision and other areas of development which affect Kriah. Along with practical instructional tools for immediate use

Masterclass Schedule:
• Men
 February 12 |  8:30–10:00 PM
• Women
 February 16 |  8:30–10:00 PM

Advance registration is required.

💠 Rabbi Ehrman will be available to give a presentation to schools as well.

💠 In addition, Rabbi Ehrman will also be available to evaluate and provide a framework for a limited number of those who need Kriah help during his stay.

You can leave your info here Please contact me!

Or contact now: 718-841-9696 [email protected]

Sign Up HERE!

Testimonials:

“How did you do it? I paid out $40,000 during the past three years in attempts to improve my son’s reading skills, with no success. And in only six sessions with you he’s already correcting my reading.”

• Yisrael C, Beit Shemesh, Israel

“…has already assisted many students who would never have been able to achieve their full potential…”

– Rabbi Mattisyahu Salomon zt”l (Mashgiach, Bais Medrash Govoha, Lakewood)

Sign Up HERE!

“I know personally of many who have been helped and therefore laud the time, effort, and system which Rabbi Zobin has established. May his efforts lead to success for many.”

– Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Horowitz zt”l (The Bostoner Rebbe)

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that Israel will resume full-scale military operations in Gaza to eradicate Hamas if the terror group is not neutralized through other means, signaling that a renewed offensive could be imminent.

Speaking at a conference of Religious Zionism school principals in Eilat, Smotrich said an ultimatum would soon be issued to Hamas and warned that failure to comply would lead to intensified fighting. “Hamas must be completely destroyed. You will see in the coming days that a time limited ultimatum will be issued. When it expires, we will have to return to fighting, to destroy, to kill and eliminate these terrorists, and there are additional arenas where we have not yet said the final word,” he said.

Smotrich also pointed to what he described as a shift within the Israel Defense Forces, crediting increased participation by soldiers from religious backgrounds. “The army today is completely different because our people are serving in it, coming from a world of Torah. Our influence across the country is very great, and it has also increased behind closed doors and in decision making centers,” he said.

He concluded by asserting that Israel has emerged stronger in recent years, both militarily and economically. “Bottom line, after these two years our security and economic situation is better,” Smotrich said.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) – Employees at New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene have formed a new internal working group that accuses Israel of committing genocide, according to a report published Wednesday by the New York Post.

The group, called the Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group, held its first meeting Tuesday afternoon during work hours, with staff gathering at the department’s headquarters in Long Island City and remotely, the newspaper reported.

Video obtained by the Post shows a presenter saying the group was created “in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine.” The meeting focused on what organizers described as global oppression and its impact on public health and health equity.

Among the speakers was Dr. Weeam Hammoudeh, a Hunter College professor and committee member of the Palestine Global Mental Health Network, who accused Israel of treating Palestinians as second-class citizens, according to a transcript reviewed by the newspaper.

The more than hour-long presentation did not include any reference to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel or the events that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, according to a department employee who attended the meeting and spoke to the Post on condition of anonymity.

A flyer promoting the meeting was circulated inside the health department building, the employee said.

“This is a meeting using New York City Department of Health resources that promote libel against the Jewish people,” Yael Halaas, president of the American Jewish Medical Association, told the newspaper.

A Jewish employee of the department told the Post that the event had caused internal divisions and hurt morale, saying staff members want to focus on public health rather than international political disputes.

Sarah McKenney, a director of operations for the department’s rapid response team, was identified by the Post as one of the organizers. Another organizer listed was Umaima Abbasi, a project coordinator at the department.

The Post reported that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has previously accused Israel of genocide and supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against the Jewish state.

The Department of Health and the mayor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the newspaper.

A man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024 was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon pronounced Ryan Routh’s fate in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that erupted into chaos in September when he tried to stab himself shortly after jurors found him guilty on all counts.

Prosecutors had asked for life without parole, saying Routh is unrepentant and has never apologized. A defense attorney brought in for his sentencing asked for 27 years, noting that Routh is already turning 60.

Routh also received a consecutive seven-year sentence for one of his gun convictions.

Routh’s sentencing had initially been scheduled for December, but Cannon agreed to move the date back after Routh decided to use an attorney during the sentencing phase instead of representing himself as he did for most of the trial.

Prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum that Routh has yet to accept any responsibility and should spend the rest of his life in prison, in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines. He was convicted of trying to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm in furtherance of a crime, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm as a felon and using a gun with a defaced serial number.

“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” the memo said.

Routh’s new defense attorney, Martin L. Roth, asked for a variance from sentencing guidelines: 20 years in prison on top of a seven-year, mandatory sentence for one of the gun convictions.

“The defendant is two weeks short of being sixty years old,” Roth wrote in a filing. “A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison.”

Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the Republican presidential candidate played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.

At Routh’s trial, a Secret Service agent helping protect Trump on the golf course testified that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and run away without firing a shot.

In the motion requesting an attorney, Routh offered to trade his life in a prisoner swap with people unjustly held in other countries, and said an offer still stood for Trump to “take out his frustrations on my face.”

“Just a quarter of an inch further back and we all would not have to deal with all of this mess forwards, but I always fail at everything (par for the course),” Routh wrote.

In her decision granting Routh an attorney, Cannon chastised the “disrespectful charade” of Routh’s motion, saying it made a mockery of the proceedings. But the judge, nominated by Trump in 2020, said she wanted to err on the side of legal representation.

Cannon signed off last summer on Routh’s request to represent himself at trial. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have the right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney.

Routh’s former federal public defenders served as standby counsel and were present during the trial.

Routh had multiple previous felony convictions including possession of stolen goods, and a large online footprint demonstrating his disdain for Trump. In a self-published book, he encouraged Iran to assassinate him, and at one point wrote that as a Trump voter, he must take part of the blame for electing him.

(AP)

Hatzolah of Central Jersey announced that Yaakov Taub of Toms River has joined the organization’s Vaad, adding new representation from the township to its leadership structure.

Taub, a healthcare owner and operator, brings professional experience in patient care and operations, along with long-standing involvement in community initiatives. Hatzolah officials said his background provides insight into the needs of patients and families served by the organization.

The appointment comes as Hatzolah of Central Jersey continues to expand in response to sustained population growth and increased demand for emergency medical services across its service area. Over the past decade, the organization has broadened recruitment and training efforts, supported members in obtaining paramedic certification, expanded and upgraded its ambulance and response vehicle fleet, and advanced plans for additional garages to improve regional coverage.

Alongside operational growth, Hatzolah has been expanding its leadership structure to reflect its wider geographic footprint. Officials said recent steps have included strengthening town-level coordination, onboarding a new captain from Jackson, and now adding Vaad representation from Toms River through Taub’s appointment.

According to the organization, these changes are intended to ensure that leadership, oversight, and community engagement keep pace with where members live and respond.

Hatzolah officials said Taub’s addition is expected to strengthen the Vaad’s role in guiding the organization’s operational, administrative, and strategic development as it continues to scale its emergency response capabilities.

The organization welcomed Taub and said it looks forward to his contributions as Hatzolah of Central Jersey continues its growth and service to the region.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Trump administration is reducing the number of immigration officers in Minnesota but will continue its enforcement operation that has sparked weeks of tensions and deadly confrontations, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday.

About 700 federal officers — roughly a quarter of the total deployed to Minnesota — will be withdrawn immediately after state and local officials agreed over the past week to cooperate by turning over arrested immigrants, Homan said.

But he did not provide a timeline for when the administration might end the operation that has become a flashpoint in the debate over President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts since the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said the surge in Minnesota that ramped up dramatically in early January is its “largest immigration operation ever.” Masked, heavily armed officers have been met by resistance from residents who are upset with their aggressive tactics.

A widespread pullout, Homan said, will only occur after protesters stop interfering with federal agents carrying out arrests and setting up roadblocks to impede the operations. About 2,000 officers will remain in the state after this week’s drawdown, he said.

“Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of the need for less public safety officers to do this work and a safer environment, I am announcing, effective immediately, we’ll draw down 700 people effective today — 700 law enforcement personnel,” Homan said during a news conference.

He didn’t say which jurisdictions have been cooperating with the Department of Homeland Security.

Trump administration pushed for cooperation in Minnesota
Trump’s border czar took over the Minnesota operation in late January after the second fatal shooting by federal officers and amid growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was being run.

Homan said right away that federal officials could reduce the number of agents in Minnesota, but only if more state and local officials cooperate. He pushed for jails to alert ICE to inmates who could be deported, saying transferring such inmates to ICE is safer because it means fewer officers have to be out looking for people in the country illegally.

The Trump administration has long complained that places known as sanctuary jurisdictions — a term generally applied to local governments that limit law enforcement cooperation with DHS — hinder the arrest of criminal immigrants.

Minnesota officials say its state prisons and nearly all of the county sheriffs already cooperate with immigration authorities.

But the county jails that serve Minneapolis and St. Paul and take in the most inmates had not previously met ICE’s idea of full cooperation, although they both hand over inmates to federal authorities if an arrest warrant has been signed by a judge. It wasn’t immediately clear after Homan’s remarks whether those jails have since changed their policies.

Border czar calls Minnesota operation a success
Homan said he thinks the ICE operation in Minnesota has been a success, checking off a list of people wanted for violent crimes who were taken off the streets.

“I think it’s very effective as far as public safety goes,” he said Wednesday. “Was it a perfect operation? No.”

He also made clear that pulling a chunk of federal officers out of Minnesota isn’t a sign that the administration is backing down. “We are not surrendering the president’s mission on a mass deportation operation,” Homan said.

“You’re not going to stop ICE. You’re not going to stop Border Patrol,” Homan said about the ongoing protests. “The only thing you’re doing is irritating your community”

NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York City’s chronic congestion and lack of curbside access are creating a new problem for shoppers: higher grocery prices.

Independent supermarkets across the city are bracing for price increases on popular snack brands after Mondelez International, one of the world’s largest food companies, said it will scale back direct deliveries to roughly 1,000 smaller grocery stores in New York, the NY Post reports.

The change is expected to affect well-known products such as Oreos, Ritz crackers, Triscuits and Chips Ahoy, according to grocery industry representatives. Store operators say prices on some items could rise by as much as $1 per package in the coming weeks as retailers shift to third-party wholesalers.

Mondelez, which also produces Philadelphia cream cheese, Clif Bars and Halls cough drops, informed grocers in a January letter that it is moving to a new distribution model and will no longer deliver directly to many independent stores. The company cited parking shortages and accessibility challenges for delivery trucks, industry officials said.

Large supermarket chains are expected to continue receiving direct deliveries, while smaller neighborhood grocers — including many in upper Manhattan and the outer boroughs — will need to rely on outside distributors. Those distributors typically charge higher fees and do not handle in-store stocking, increasing labor costs for retailers.

Trade groups representing independent supermarkets warned that the shift will likely be passed on to consumers already struggling with rising food prices.

The issue has drawn political attention in Albany and City Hall. The National Supermarket Association sent letters this week to Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani urging intervention, arguing that the policy could undermine competition and disproportionately harm smaller stores that serve working-class neighborhoods.

Mondelez did not respond to requests for comment.

The development comes as state lawmakers consider new legislation aimed at strengthening oversight of grocery pricing practices, amid growing concerns about food affordability across New York.

Federal authorities say a man living in the United States illegally, who was already under a standing deportation order, was hired by the New Orleans Police Department and issued a firearm while training to become an officer.

The individual, Larry Temah, 46, a migrant from Cameroon, was arrested by ICE at his residence on January 26, just days before he was scheduled to complete police academy training.

“This illegal alien from Cameroon, Larry Temah, is not only breaking the law with every step he takes in this country illegally, but the New Orleans Police Department hired him and issued him in a firearm — what kind of law enforcement department gives criminal illegal aliens guns and badges?” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

“It’s a felony for illegal aliens to even possess a firearm.”

According to ICE, Temah initially entered the United States lawfully in 2015 on a visitor visa. The following year, he received conditional permanent residency after marrying a U.S. citizen.

Federal officials say that arrangement later came under scrutiny. In 2022, Temah’s green card application was denied after authorities raised concerns that the marriage was not legitimate.

ICE said Temah was ordered to appear in immigration court but failed to attend hearings on three separate occasions.

An immigration judge later issued a formal deportation order against him.

The Trump administration has accused the New Orleans Police Department of recruiting Temah and providing him with a firearm despite his immigration status and the active removal order.

Police department officials strongly rejected those allegations, saying the claims mischaracterize the facts.

“The New Orleans Police Department verified Mr. Temah’s employment eligibility through ICE’s E-Verify system prior to hiring and was never notified of any ICE detainer,” a department spokesperson said.

“New Orleans is not a sanctuary city, and NOPD does not control jail operations or detainer decisions, which fall under the Sheriff’s Office.”

“Any claim that NOPD knowingly violated the law is false,” the spokesperson added.

{Matzav.com}

A 34-year-old chosson collapsed Monday night during his wedding at an event hall in a kibbutz within the Gezer Regional Council and was evacuated to the hospital in serious condition following prolonged efforts to revive him.

According to a statement from United Hatzalah, medical teams from the organization were called to the scene after reports that a man had suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness in the midst of the simcha.

Ben Sinai, a United Hatzalah volunteer who was present at the wedding as one of the guests, described the dramatic moments inside the hall. “I was in the hall as one of the guests when I suddenly noticed a commotion and calls for help. I saw the chosson unconscious and without a pulse. I immediately called for assistance and began performing resuscitation together with other medics, including the use of the hall’s defibrillator. After prolonged resuscitation efforts, boruch Hashem, his heart began beating again,” he said.

The chosson was then transported by a mobile intensive care unit to the hospital, where his condition is currently described as serious.

The tzibbur is asked to be mispallel for hachosson Evyatar ben Vivian.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Shmaryahu Meltzer zt”l, one of the outstanding talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah of our generation, who devoted his entire life to Torah, avodah, and raising generations of bnei Torah. Rav Meltzer, Rosh Kollel of Beis Moshe and one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Simcha in Yerushalayim, was niftar today at the age of 90.

Rav Meltzer was born in the month of Sivan 5695 to his father, Rav Shmuel Avraham Meltzer, mechaber of Ashdos HaPisgah. His father was among the prominent talmidim of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz zt”l in Kamenitz, and later relocated to the United States, where he was moser nefesh to uphold Torah and shechitah during a turbulent period, standing firm against the pressures of the time.

Shortly after his marriage in Chicago to the daughter of Rav Chaim Zalman Frank zt”l, Rav Shmaryahu was appointed as a rebbi in a yeshiva ketanah. Even at a young age, his gadlus baTorah was already evident, and he received semichah lehoraah.

In later years, Rav Meltzer served for an extended period as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Itri, together with Rav Mordechai Elefant. He subsequently stood at the helm of Yeshivas Mishkan HaTorah on Rechov Sorotzkin for many years. At the direction of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, and with the support of the philanthropist Morris Esformes, he founded Kollel Beis Moshe.

Many of his talmidim attributed their entire ruchniyus to the foundations he laid. Despite his stature, he walked humbly, learning with constant hasmadah and never holding himself above others.

Rav Meltzer was deeply connected to his rabbeim and would often recount what he heard from his father in the name of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz. He would repeat the teaching Rav Baruch Ber said in the name of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zt”l that one who educates his children merely to be an ehrlicher Yid is removing Torah from future generations; rather, a father must be mechanech his children to gadlus baTorah. Rav Meltzer lived this yesod, constantly instilling a drive for gadlus and ahavas Torah in all his talmidim.

He frequently spoke of his rabbeim in Eretz Yisroel and shared memories of his visits to Rav Shach and the Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky. His hasmadah was legendary. Those who entered his home would find him immersed in learning deep into the night, and at times until morning, with remarkable diligence and sweetness. His shiurim were clear and illuminating, opening the eyes of talmidim to true understanding and depth in the sugya.

Last Nissan, Rav Meltzer suffered a devastating personal loss with the petirah of his son, Rav Hillel Yosef Meltzer zt”l, one of the prominent talmidei chachamim of Petach Tikva and among the city’s rabbanim, who was niftar at the age of 57.

Rav Shmaryahu leaves behind sons and sons-in-law who are all talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah, among them Rav Yeshayah Nosson Meltzer, mechaber of numerous seforim in halachah; Rav Dov Gershon Meltzer, a marbitz Torah in the Mir; and his sons-in-law Rav Daniel Spetner, a talmid muvhak of Rav Nochum Pertzovitz zt”l; Rav Yitzchak Eizik Silver, a dayan, moreh tzedek, and mechaber of seforim, widely known for Mishpetei HaShalom; Rav Yaakov Yerucham Katzenelbogen of Neve Yaakov; and Rav Eliezer Yehuda Shmulevitz, among the chashuvei avreichim of Kiryas Mattersdorf.

The levayah took place today at Yeshivas Toras Simcha on Rechov Sorotzkin in Yerushalayim and proceeding to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF on Tuesday released drone footage it says shows armed members of Hamas using ambulances to transport weapons and fighters in northern Gaza, accusing the terrorist group of systematically exploiting civilian infrastructure during the current ceasefire.

According to the military, the footage was captured during what it described as “routine drone operations” in the Jabalia area, near the ceasefire line in the Gaza Strip. The IDF said the surveillance exposed Hamas operatives repeatedly using ambulances to move personnel and weapons from a hospital to a nearby school.

The clips released by the military show armed men gathered around an ambulance at two separate locations, with what Israeli officials say are weapons visible near the vehicle.

“This is further proof of the cynical exploitation carried out by Hamas on a regular basis,” the IDF said in a statement, accusing the group of violating international law by operating “under the cover of the civilian population for terrorist purposes.”

Israeli officials said the alleged activity reflects a broader pattern since the ceasefire took effect. The military said Hamas has continued to breach the agreement while working to rebuild its operational capacity.

“Since the beginning of the ceasefire, Hamas has violated the agreement and focused its efforts on restoring its military capabilities,” the IDF said.

The military also sought to preempt criticism over operations near sensitive civilian sites, including hospitals and schools, emphasizing that it considers such locations protected under international law.

“The IDF will continue to operate in accordance with international law with regard to medical facilities and educational institutions,” the statement said, adding that Hamas had deliberately embedded its infrastructure in those areas in a “blatant violation” of legal norms.

Hamas did not immediately respond to the allegations or comment on the footage.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Nuclear talks between Iran and the United States will take place Friday in Oman, the Iranian foreign minister said, as tensions between the countries remain high following Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month.

The announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday came after hours of indications that the anticipated talks were faltering over changes in the format and content of the talks.

”I’m grateful to our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements,” Araghchi wrote on X on Wednesday evening.

Earlier Wednesday, a regional official said Iran was seeking a “different” type of meeting than that what had been proposed by Turkey, one focused exclusively on the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, with participation limited to Iran and the United States. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The Trump administration confirmed the U.S. will take part in high-level talks with Iran in Oman instead of Turkey as originally planned, according to a White House official.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that several Arab and Muslim leaders urged the Trump administration on Wednesday not to walk away from talks even as Iranian officials pressed to narrow the scope of talks and change the venue for the negotiations.

The official added that the White House remains “very skeptical” that the talks will be successful but have agreed to go along with the change in plans out of respect for allies in the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. hoped to discuss a number of concerns beyond the nuclear issue, including discussions on Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for proxy networks across the region and the “treatment of their own people.”

Tensions between the countries spiked after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. might use force against Iran in response to the crackdown on protesters. Trump also has been pushing Tehran for a deal to constrain its nuclear program.

Rubio hopes talks will go beyond nuclear ones

Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday said he had instructed the foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the U.S., in the first clear sign from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate. That signaled the move is supported by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state and previously dismissed any negotiations.

Rubio said the U.S. hoped to discuss a number of concerns beyond the nuclear issue, including discussions on Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for proxy networks across the region and the “treatment of their own people.”

“The leadership of Iran at the clerical level does not reflect the people of Iran. I know of no other country where there’s a bigger difference between the people who lead the country and the people who live there,” he told reporters.

Vice President JD Vance told “The Megyn Kelly Show” that diplomatic talks with Iran are challenging because of Tehran’s political system, overseen by Khamenei.

“It’s a very weird country to conduct diplomacy with when you can’t even talk to the person who’s in charge of the country. That makes all of this much more complicated, and it makes the whole situation much more absurd,” Vance said, noting that Trump could speak directly by phone with the leaders of Russia, China or North Korea.

Vance said Trump’s bottom line is that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, asserting that other states in the region would quickly do the same.

Iran long has insisted its nuclear program is peaceful. However, Iranian officials in recent years have increasingly threatened to pursue the bomb.

Vance said he believed Trump would work to “accomplish what he can through non-military means. And if he feels like the military is the only option, then he’s ultimately going to choose that option.”

Talks expected even after U.S. shot down Iranian drone

On Tuesday, a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached an American aircraft carrier. Iranian fast boats from its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also tried to stop a U.S.-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, the Navy said.

Iran did not immediately acknowledge either incident, which strained but apparently did not derail hopes for talks with the U.S.

On Wednesday, Iranian military chiefs visited a missile base in an attempt to highlight its military readiness after a 12-day war with Israel in June devastated Iran’s air defenses. The base holds the Khorramshahr missile, which has a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and was launched towards Israel during the war last year.

Turkey urges diplomacy

Also Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s opposition to foreign intervention in neighboring Iran, calling for the resolution of issues through dialogue.

Turkey has been urgently working for the past week to bring the U.S. and Iran to the negotiating table, and was previously expected to host the talks.

“We believe that external interventions involving our neighbor Iran would pose significant risks for the entire region,” Erdogan said during a visit to Cairo. “Resolving issues with Iran, including the nuclear file, through diplomatic means is the most appropriate approach.”

(AP)

A 17-year-old student at Renaissance Charter School in Queens, NY, was arrested Monday after allegedly sending emails referencing “killing Jews” to multiple people connected to the school’s campus.

Police said the teen sent the messages around 12:30 p.m. to recipients linked to the Jackson Heights school, which serves students from pre-K through 12th grade. He was taken into custody about three hours later and charged with making terroristic threats and aggravated harassment as a hate crime.

Officials have not said whether the emails were directed specifically at students, faculty, or both. The school, located on 81st Street near 37th Avenue, has been operating since 1993, according to its website.

The arrest comes as city officials warn of a surge in antisemitic crimes. The New York City Police Department reported last week that anti-Jewish hate crimes jumped 182 percent in January compared with the same month last year, accounting for more than half of all reported bias incidents.

According to NYPD data, 31 anti-Jewish crimes were reported in January, up from 11 in January 2025.

The Queens case is the latest in a string of high-profile incidents that have raised concern among Jews across New York City.

Last week, authorities charged a New Jersey man after he repeatedly rammed his vehicle into the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights. The suspect faces multiple hate crime charges and is being held on $500,000 bond.

Days earlier, a 32-year-old man attacked a rabbi in Queens while shouting antisemitic slurs as the victim walked to shul. The suspect was charged with assault and aggravated harassment, including one count as a hate crime, and was released under supervision despite prosecutors’ objections.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that he has no intention of apologizing to the family of Alex Pretti, the anti-ICE protester who was killed in Minneapolis, after Vance amplified a claim labeling Pretti an “assassin.”

Asked by The Daily Mail whether he would retract the description, Vance brushed aside the suggestion.

“For what?” Vance retorted.

He said the facts still need to be established and warned against drawing conclusions before investigators finish their work. “If something is determined, that the guy who shot Alex Pretti did something bad, then a lot of consequences are going to flow from that,” he added. “We’ll let that happen. I don’t think it’s smart to prejudge the investigation.”

Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse, was fatally shot on January 24 during a confrontation with a Border Patrol agent and a Customs and Border Protection agent in Minneapolis. In the hours following the shooting, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut criticized federal immigration enforcement, writing on X that “ICE must leave Minneapolis” and that “Congress should not fund this version of ICE.”

Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, responded sharply to Murphy’s post.

“An assassin tried to murder federal agents,” Miller fired back at Murphy, “and this is your response.”

Vance shared Miller’s message on his personal social media account, where it remains visible even after video footage surfaced showing Pretti had been disarmed before the shooting.

Three days later, on January 27, President Trump declined to repeat Miller’s characterization when questioned by reporters outside the White House.

“I haven’t heard that. But he shouldn’t have been carrying a gun,” Trump said.

“Bottom line, everybody in this room, we view that as a very unfortunate incident, OK?” the president added. “Everyone, unless you’re a stupid person. Very, very unfortunate … I don’t like that he had a gun, I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines. That’s a lot of bad stuff.”

In the aftermath of the killing, Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis in an effort to ease tensions. The two agents involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave, and the Justice Department opened a probe into whether Pretti’s civil rights were violated.

Vance again emphasized the need to wait for the investigative process to play out.

“Let’s do the investigation,” he said Tuesday. “Let’s figure out, did these officers have a reasonable fear of Alex Pretti given what happened? Did they engage in lawful conduct or unlawful conduct? Let’s let the investigation determine those things.”

{Matzav.com}

Talks between Iran and the United States will be held Friday in Oman, Iranian media reported as tensions between the countries remain high following Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month.

The semiofficial ISNA and Tasnim news agencies and the Student News Network reported on Wednesday that the talks would take place in Oman, though the sultanate did not immediately confirm this. Oman has hosted multiple rounds of earlier nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. in the past.

The U.S. has not acknowledged the talks would take place in Oman, though the White House said it anticipated the negotiations would take place even after the U.S. shot down an Iranian drone Tuesday and Iran attempted to stop a U.S.-flagged ship.

Also on Wednesday, activists said the number of arrests topped 50,000 in the government crackdown, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in other rounds of unrest in Iran.

At least 50,834 people have been arrested in connection with the Iranian government’s crackdown on protests, the activists said. The crackdown on the demonstrations has also killed at least 6,876 people, though there are fears many more may be dead.

The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll due to the sweeping internet shutdown in Iran.

On Tuesday, Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the U.S. in what was the first clear sign from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate.

The announcement came as a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached an American aircraft carrier early on Tuesday morning. Iranian fast boats from its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also tried to stop a U.S.-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, the Navy said. Iran did not immediately acknowledge either incident.

The incidents strained but apparently did not totally derail hopes for talks between Iran and the U.S. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff has been planning to hold talks with Iranian officials in Turkey later this week.

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested the US might use force against Iran in response to its deadly crackdown on protesters, and also is pushing Tehran for a deal to constrain its nuclear program.

Trump ”is always wanting to pursue diplomacy first, but obviously it takes two to tango,” Leavitt said. “You need a willing partner to achieve diplomacy and that’s something that special envoy Witkoff is intent on exploring and discussing.”

The shift toward negotiations marked a major turn for Iran, and it also signals that the move is supported by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state. The 86-year-old cleric previously had dismissed any negotiations.

Also on Wednesday, Iranian military chiefs visited a missile base of the country in attempt to highlight its military readiness after a 12-day war with Israel in June devastated Iran’s air defenses. The footage of the visit to a base holding the Khorramshahr missile, which has a range of more than 2,000 kilomters (1,250 miles) and was launched towards Israel during the war, will be broadcast on Iranian state television Wednesday evening.

(AP)

Israeli police have begun testing a new crowd-control method that mixes pepper spray into water cannons, replacing the controversial “skunk” liquid that has drawn years of public criticism and legal challenges. The move is being examined as a possible permanent policy change, according to a report by Ynet.

In recent weeks, police have conducted trials of the new measure at several hafganah events. Police sources say the pepper-spray-infused water has proven more effective at dispersing gatherings and that there is growing momentum within the force to adopt it as a standard alternative. The tests are part of a broader reassessment of crowd-control tactics.

Internal discussions were prompted by sustained criticism of the skunk liquid—a foul-smelling substance sprayed from water cannons that leaves an intense odor lingering for days. The skunk agent was first introduced in 2008 by the Border Police to address violent disturbances, but opposition to its use has mounted over time.

In recent months, dozens of chareidi residents of Yerushalayim, together with Deputy Mayor Tzachi Berr, petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice against the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and the Israel Police, demanding an end to the use of the skunk liquid. The petition argued that the substance poses health and environmental risks, has never undergone a formal safety review, and lacks approval from the Health Ministry.

Petitioners further claimed that the liquid has been deployed during hafganah activity in densely populated areas and narrow streets, causing respiratory and skin irritation, endangering children, the elderly, and pregnant women, and resulting in property damage and persistent odors that can linger for days.

At the time, police responded that their contract with the skunk liquid’s manufacturer was nearing its end and that alternative methods for dispersing hafganah events were under review. The current trials involving pepper spray mixed into water cannons now appear to be the first concrete step in that transition.

{Matzav.com}

Firefighters responded Tuesday night to a fire at Shiras Devorah Girls High School on Oak Street in Lakewood, where hundreds of students were inside the building preparing for a school expo, LAKEWOOD ALERTS REPORTED.

The girls were safely evacuated to the Bais Tova gym after flames were reported inside Shiras Devorah’s walls and smoke was detected in the basement. Emergency crews arrived quickly and began investigating the source of the fire.

All students are safe and have been accounted for. No injuries were reported.

Hatzolah was dispatched as a precaution.

It remains unclear whether the fire was connected in any way to the planned student-led expo, which had been scheduled to take place at the school.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE LAKEWOOD ALERTS STATUS 

CLICK HERE TO JOIN LAKEWOOD ALERTS ON WHATSAPP STATUS

CLICK HERE TO JOIN A LAKEWOOD ALERTS GROUP

Your browser does not support the video tag.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Public Notice - Sale of 133 MLK Drive

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The first husband of former first lady Jill Biden has been charged with killing his wife at their Delaware home in late December, authorities announced in a news release Tuesday.

William Stevenson, 77, of Wilmington was married to Jill Biden from 1970 to 1975. Caroline Harrison, the Delaware Attorney General’s spokesperson, confirmed in a phone call that Stevenson is the former husband of Jill Biden.

Stevenson remains in jail after failing to post $500,000 bail after his arrest Monday on first-degree murder charges. He is charged with killing Linda Stevenson, 64, on Dec. 28.

Police were called to the home for a reported domestic dispute after 11 p.m. and found a woman unresponsive in the living room, according to a prior news release. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful.

She ran a bookkeeping business and was described as a family-oriented mother and grandmother and a Philadelphia Eagles fan, according to her obituary, which does not mention her husband.

Stevenson was charged in a grand jury indictment after a weekslong investigation by detectives in the Delaware Department of Justice.

It was not immediately clear if Stevenson has a lawyer. He founded a popular music venue in Newark called the Stone Balloon in the early 1970s.

Jill Biden married U.S. Sen. Joe Biden in 1977. He served as U.S. president from January 2021 to January 2025.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will immediately reduce its on-the-ground presence by 700 agents and place Customs and Border Protection officers under a single command structure led by ICE, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday, describing the move as a shift toward a more efficient and safer enforcement model.

“I have announced, effective immediately, we will draw down 700 people — effective today — 700 law enforcement personnel,” Homan said during a press conference broadcast live on Newsmax and Newsmax2.

He said the reorganization also folds CBP personnel directly into ICE’s operational framework. “We have also fully integrated CBP personnel into the ICE team structure under one unified chain of command, not two chains of command. There’ll be one chain of command here.”

According to Homan, the reduction is possible because local and county jails in Minnesota have dramatically increased their cooperation with federal immigration authorities, routinely alerting ICE before inmates are released.

With advance notice, federal agents can assume custody inside secure jail facilities instead of making arrests in neighborhoods, a change Homan said cuts down on manpower needs and risk.

“That requires one or two officers instead of eight or 10 going into neighborhoods,” he said, calling the method safer and more efficient for civilians, officers, and detainees alike.

After the drawdown, Homan said roughly 2,000 agents will remain assigned, compared with a much smaller footprint before the current operation began. He estimated that initial staffing levels were around 150 people.

He also clarified that agents temporarily assigned to conduct fraud investigations are not part of the reduction. “We’ve got to remember that we’ve got special agents on detail here doing the fraud investigation,” he said. “They’re not going anywhere. They’re going to finish their job.”

Personnel responsible for officer protection and security will also remain in place, Homan said, stressing that safety considerations will determine whether any additional reductions occur. He cited ongoing threats and confrontations targeting federal agents.

“We will not draw down on personnel providing security for our officers,” Homan said, adding that authorities would continue to respond forcefully to hostile incidents.

Homan attributed the operational shift to growing cooperation from state and local officials, including sheriffs and jail administrators, saying that coordination has expanded rapidly in recent weeks.

“We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets,” he said.

He underscored that local agencies are not being asked to detain inmates beyond their scheduled release times or to carry out immigration enforcement themselves.

“We are not requiring jails to hold people past their normal release time,” he said, adding, “We’re not asking anyone to be an immigration officer.”

Under the new system, ICE agents take custody immediately upon an inmate’s release, a process Homan said lowers public safety risks while allowing federal officers to concentrate on higher-priority cases.

Homan said the changes fit within the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement approach, which he said focuses on public safety and national security while continuing to enforce immigration law nationwide.

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport told state senators during her confirmation hearing on Monday that she will take a “fresh” look at the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), the state’s anti-corruption division that has been at the center of bi-partisan criticism in recent years, TLS has learned.

Davenport, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee was asked about the division’s work, including its prosecution of SCHI founder Rabbi Osher Eisemann, whose indictment was dismissed in 2024 after years of litigation and findings that prosecutors failed to disclose evidence to the defense.

“The OPIA’s work has been extremely flawed. In addition to the case against a South Jersey power broker and others, such as a Lakewood Rabbi … There have been serious and credible allegations of abuse of tactics and even the destruction of evidence,” Republican state Senator Mike Testa noted during his questioning of Davenport.

“I’m obviously aware of the scrutiny and the media reports that have been out there,” Davenport said in response to earlier questions from Senator Paul Sarlo about the office. “I’m also aware that there are really dedicated career professionals looking to do and doing the right thing, day in and day out, and making sure that those cases are done properly. But we have to take a look, as you said, and I’ve already started to dive in on that and made it a priority.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced Davenport’s nomination, marking a key step toward her confirmation as New Jersey’s next attorney general.

Created in 2018, the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability is charged with prosecuting public officials, law enforcement officers and others accused of misconduct. However, the office has faced increased criticism, particularly after a series of high-profile setbacks.

In the Eisemann case, a judge dismissed the indictment, a ruling that followed earlier retrials and years of litigation stemming from violations of prosecutors’ obligations to disclose potentially exculpatory evidence.

Legislators and advocacy groups have debated reforms to increase oversight of the office. In 2023, state Senator Joe Cryan proposed legislation that would require the office to adopt the same internal affairs guidelines as other law enforcement divisions and to report to the Legislature on investigations that extend beyond 180 days.

Critics have also called for broader changes, including an independent monitor to oversee the office’s work, citing additional cases in which charges brought by the unit were dismissed or withdrawn by prosecutors.

Davenport did not outline specific reforms Monday but indicated she intends to review the office’s operations as she prepares to lead the state’s Department of Law and Public Safety.

“If confirmed, I will always seek to lead the Department of Law and Public Safety by bringing people together and listening to them, whether that’s within our divisions or with local, county, state, and federal law enforcement, with religious leaders from across states, or with other leaders and stakeholders from the communities we serve,” Davenport said

If confirmed by the full Senate, Davenport would succeed Acting Attorney General Matt Platkin.

In a major legal reversal, the Supreme Court ruled in a majority opinion on Tuesday that the government is not required to hold a competitive selection process for the appointment of the Civil Service Commissioner.

The renewed hearing was held before a five-judge panel. Three justices, Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, David Mintz, and Yael Willner, considered the court’s conservative wing, ruled that there was no basis for judicial interference in the government’s decision to appoint the commissioner through a special appointments committee, as has been customary for the past three decades, prevailing over the positions of left-wing justices Yitzchak Amit and Daphne Barak-Erez.

The ruling overturned the Court’s ruling in August 2024 by a smaller three-judge panel, which had ordered the government to justify why the commissioner’s appointment should not follow a competitive process such as a search committee, a position that aligned with the demand of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The government refused to accept the intervention in its authorities and demanded a further hearing in an expanded panel, arguing that the requirement was an unprecedented infringement on its constitutional authority.

Sohlberg leveled direct criticism at both Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Justice Amit for their effort to intervene in the government’s authorities, stating, “The manner in which this process concluded demonstrates the need for caution when pursuing sharp policy changes. Great effort was invested from many directions; prices were paid—among them, the prolonged vacancy in the Civil Service Commission—and yet, ultimately, we have returned to our starting point: the appointment method used here for over 30 years. Looking ahead, this outcome—and the long journey that led to it—should be considered by all involved before attempting to change what is established and proven. Changes, even dramatic ones, can be necessary and welcome, but moderation and caution are equally vital.”

Justice David Mintz also sharply criticized the very notion of judicial intervention in the case, stating that the Supreme Court must exercise restraint, stressing that the petition attempted to impose a “desired” legal outcome rather than one grounded in existing law. He stressed that the petitioners failed to identify — even marginally — any legal basis that could justify overturning the government’s decision.

Mintz emphasized that the separation of powers requires judicial restraint and that the Court must not substitute its own judgment for that of the government as long as no clear legal rule has been breached.

By contrast, Amit warned of the “destructive consequences” of the ruling. Amit argued that allowing the prime minister to directly choose the Civil Service Commissioner would inevitably lead to a political appointment of someone who is supposed to serve as a gatekeeper. “When the prime minister, who is a political figure, himself chooses the Civil Service Commissioner… the result is one: a political appointment,” Amit wrote, adding that “those who will pay the price for this are all of us.”

Amit responded to his fellow justices in harsh tones, accusing them of ignoring a changing reality and deteriorating norms of governance. He described the situation as an existential danger to the public system: “Turning a blind eye to changes in reality undermines the very core of the Court’s role—whose task is to guard, and to guard itself, against a reef or an iceberg that could send the ship down to the depths,” he stated.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

An Ocean County Superior Court judge has denied a lawsuit seeking to halt a Jackson Township Planning Board approval for a proposed yeshiva, ruling that the challenge was premature and failed to meet the legal standard for emergency relief, TLS has learned.

Judge Francis R. Hodgson Jr. rejected an application by Jackson resident Chris Podolski that sought to block the project pending further environmental review by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Podolski, who lives near the proposed campus planned for Frank Applegate Road, had argued that the planning board acted improperly by approving the development before DEP jurisdictional determinations regarding wetlands, flood hazards and water quality were finalized.

In his ruling, Hodgson found that the plaintiff did not demonstrate irreparable harm or a likelihood of success on the merits, both of which are key requirements for the issuance of temporary restraints under New Jersey law.

The lawsuit challenged the planning board’s approval, contending that the board relied on incomplete or speculative environmental information and should have delayed action until DEP reviews were complete. Podolski further alleged that the approval created a misleading public record suggesting that no flood hazard or Category One waterway issues were present.

Attorneys for the township, the planning board and the property owner countered that environmental permitting falls squarely within the DEP’s jurisdiction and that local land use boards are permitted to grant approvals conditioned on obtaining outside agency permits. They also argued that objections related to DEP determinations must be raised through the state’s administrative appeals process, not through an emergency court application.

Hodgson agreed, noting that municipal planning boards have long been authorized to approve applications subject to conditions, including future compliance with state and federal agency requirements. He further found that the plaintiff retained an adequate legal remedy through a traditional prerogative writ challenge once a final resolution is adopted by the board.

The judge emphasized that no memorializing resolution had yet been issued by the planning board, undercutting the request for immediate judicial intervention. While acknowledging the plaintiff’s concerns, Hodgson ruled that the case did not warrant extraordinary relief at this stage.

The order denying the application leaves the planning board’s approval vote intact, subject to required environmental permits and future legal challenges through established appeal channels.

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024 was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon pronounced Ryan Routh’s fate in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that erupted into chaos in September when he tried to stab himself shortly after jurors found him guilty on all counts.

Prosecutors had asked for life without parole, saying Routh is unrepentant and has never apologized. A defense attorney brought in for his sentencing asked for 27 years, noting that Routh is already turning 60.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting them split the bill — for a price.

So-called “rent now, pay later” services have emerged over the past few years as housing costs climb and paychecks grow less predictable, particularly for lower-income and gig-economy workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rents have jumped nearly 28% in past five years.

Companies such as Flex, Livble and, more recently, Affirm, say breaking rent into multiple payments can help renters manage cash flow. But consumer advocates warn the products typically function like short-term loans, layering fees onto already strained budgets and, in some cases, carrying triple-digit effective interest rates — raising questions about whether they ease financial pressure or deepen it.

Kellen Johnson, 44, started using Flex to split up his rent payments about two years ago. Instead of paying the whole $1,850 of his rent on the first of the month, Johnson would pay $1,350 on that date, and $500 on the 15th. For the service, Flex collected a $14.99 monthly subscription fee, as well as 1% of the total rent, which for Johnson was $18.50, bringing his monthly charges for the app to more than $33.

Johnson said he was willing to pay the extra costs in part because he worked as an independently contracted delivery person for Amazon at the time, and his paychecks could vary.

“It was an expense that I was incurring, but I went ahead as it was more convenient,” said Johnson, who now works as a driver for senior citizens in Sacramento, California.

Roughly 109 million Americans, or about 42.5 million households, are renters in the United States. The Census Bureau estimated in 2024 that a large share of those households pay 30% or more of their monthly income on rent. The bureau considers such households to be “cost burdened,” meaning rent consumes so much of their income that they have less ability to plan for future expenses or build wealth.

Rent now, pay later services generally operate the same way: The company pays the landlord the full rent when due, and the renter repays the company in two or more installments over the course of the month. Because rent can be such a large expense, the companies argue that spreading payments out can give renters more cash on hand.

Many of these services come with fees. The fees can be structured differently but should be generally thought of as cost of credit, consumer advocates warn. In Johnson’s case, he was paying $33.49 for a two-week loan of $500, for an effective annual percentage rate of 172%, when expressed using standard consumer-lending calculations.

“Renters should be skeptical of any financing providers that have partnered with a landlord and be skeptical of anything that sells itself as no fees or no interest,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of Protect Borrowers. Pierce previously worked at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Launched in 2019, Flex is one of the largest companies focused on splitting rent payments. The company says its 1.5 million customers now send about $2 billion a month in rent through its system, and several of the country’s largest landlords accept Flex as a payment option.

Flex says most of its customers are lower-income renters with weaker credit profiles. The company reports a median credit score of 604 among its users and says about one in three customers works more than one job to make ends meet. A Flex spokesman says the average customer uses the service three to four times a year. Johnson used it every month.

Livble does not charge a subscription, but charges renters a fee ranging from $30 to $40, according to the company’s help page. Depending on how long the renter defers part of the payment, Livble’s fees can translate into effective annual percentage rates of roughly 104% to 139%.

The buy now, pay later company Affirm said this month that it is piloting a program allowing some customers to split rent into two payments. The program is being tested in partnership with Esusu, a company that reports rent payments to credit bureaus to help consumers build credit. An Affirm spokesman said the company is not charging renters interest or fees to use the product, but may charge landlords fees.

As another financing option, landlords are increasingly accepting credit cards for rent payments. Bilt, a credit card startup, built its brand around targeting renters when it launched, and some tenants also use credit cards to accumulate rewards or points.

But paying rent by credit card can also be costly. Landlords typically pass the processing fees on to tenants. Depending on the card issuer and payment network, these fees can range from about 2.5% to 3.5% of the rent. For a renter paying $1,500 a month, that translates to roughly $37.50 to $52.50 in fees — a monthly cost comparable to what services like Livble and Flex charge.

Economists and renters’ advocates argue that none of these financing options address the fundamental issue of affordability in the rental market. If credit cards, or flexible rent payment options become more widely used, they worry rents could rise further as landlords start factoring in a potential renters’ weekly cash flow as opposed to the rental market in the area the building is located in.

Merchants already pass along credit card processing costs to customers in the form of higher prices, and advocates worry that the rental market could adopt similar patterns. For example, Livble is owned by RealPage, which last year settled allegations that its algorithm allowed landlords to collude and push rents higher.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A man of about 30 years old was pulled on Monday morning from a Mikveh in Jerusalem while unconscious. Magen David Adom medics and paramedics who were called to the scene found the man with no signs of life.

Medical teams provided intensive treatment, including advanced resuscitation efforts, and urgently evacuated him to Shaare Zedek Medical Center while continuing attempts to stabilize his condition.

MDA paramedic Moshe Benita, who treated the man at the scene, described the dramatic moments: “We saw the man lying unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing. Bystanders told us they had pulled him from the water in that condition. We immediately began medical treatment including chest compressions, ventilation, and administering medication, and evacuated him to the hospital while performing resuscitation. His condition was described as critical.”

This is unfortunately the second such case this week in Jerusalem. On Sunday, the Lelov Rebbe, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Biderman, of blessed memory, drowned at the age of 84. The Rebbe had arrived in the afternoon to immerse in a mikveh at his study hall, where he apparently lost consciousness. His Gabbaim pulled him out the water but medics failed to resuscitate him and he passed away.

Elazar Vigdorovitz, an Israeli chareidi man suspected of serious fraud and scam offenses, has managed to escape law enforcement for the second time — most recently during his deportation from the United States to Israel.

According to a report by Avishai Grintzayg on i24NEWS, Vigdorovitz was deported from New York to Israel under escort by U.S. federal officers after being caught attempting to illegally enter the United States from Canada.

During the overnight flight, Vigdorovitz allegedly faked a heart attack, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Dublin, Ireland — where he managed to escape from the airport. Israeli police officers, who had been waiting for him at Ben Gurion Airport with an arrest warrant, were left empty-handed.

Hidden In A Trunk

The affair began after Vigdorovitz and his associate, Yisrael Anden, were caught at border control in New York. According to investigators, Anden attempted to smuggle Vigdorovitz from Canada into the United States by hiding him in the trunk of a vehicle, underneath suitcases.

The two were arrested while trying to cross into the U.S. via the Rainbow Bridge, which connects Niagara Falls in Canada to Niagara Falls in the United States, about 30 kilometers north of Buffalo.

The U.S. Department of Justice stated that the arrest took place in the early morning hours of January 8. Inside the vehicle were suitcases belonging to both suspects, as well as luggage belonging to another chassid who had flown with them from Poland to Canada and had rented the car for Anden.

Multiple Charges And Visa Denials

According to the report, Vigdorovitz told border officials that he did not know his actions constituted a criminal offense, and claimed he was unsure whether Anden even knew he was hiding in the trunk.

Anden remains in custody in the United States and is expected to stand trial there before eventually being extradited to Israel.

Vigdorovitz has been barred from entering the United States after his visa application was denied in 2023. Just days before the smuggling attempt, on January 5, 2026, he tried applying for entry via the ESTA online system — but that request was also denied.

He currently faces additional charges in the U.S., including fraud, conspiracy, forgery, use of forged documents, fabrication of evidence, and obstruction of justice.

Negligence Allegations And Interpol Failure

After his arrest, Vigdorovitz was deported. Israeli police informed American authorities that an active arrest warrant existed against him, and U.S. officers escorted him to the aircraft and ensured he boarded.

Despite this, he managed to escape during the emergency landing in Dublin.

Sources now claim that negligence by Israel’s international prosecution department played a role, as no Interpol Red Notice was issued against him — a move that could have enabled his arrest abroad. Police are now attempting to trace his whereabouts after his second escape.

Not His First Major Case

This is not Vigdorovitz’s first serious run-in with the law.

Approximately eight years ago, he was involved in a major criminal case in Ukraine, where he paid criminals to plant cannabis in the luggage of a chassidic couple, in order to have them arrested in Israel as revenge over a personal dispute.

The couple was fully cleared of all charges. Vigdorovitz admitted his actions as part of a plea deal and served four years in prison. In sentencing, the judge emphasized the severity of the crimes, stating that the defendant “made worldwide efforts to carry out his actions.”

Additional Fraud Investigations

At the same time, Mako reported that Vigdorovitz is also wanted in Israel in connection with a sophisticated real estate scam, involving the sale of an apartment belonging to two elderly, isolated women and the takeover of another property in Tel Aviv.

If he is eventually extradited to Israel following the conclusion of U.S. proceedings, he is expected to be interrogated in these cases and face the serious charges against him.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Please help stop the “Woke Cure” that offers death to the depressed, the disabled, the elderly, and the lonely, treating the extinguishing of a human soul as just another medical “option” on a menu of treatments.

A truly compassionate society does not hand a poisoned cup to one crying out in pain. It sits at the bedside. It invests in palliative care. It fights for better mental health treatment. It lovingly tells the patient with every fiber of its collective will, “Y_our life matters too much for us to help you end it.”_

The so-called “final cure” is no cure at all — it is a final failure of morality. It is WOKE.

Psak Halacha – This was published 12 years ago, and applies even more nowadays

Regarding attempts to pass “Death with Dignity” legislation:

The chiyuv (Torah injunction) of “Lo sa’amod al dam re’echa”, obligates everyone to do what he or she can, to help prevent assisted suicide and/or euthanasia.

Allowing the legalization of “assisted suicide”, even if this particular law in practice would only result in assisting a suicide and not euthanasia, is to allow shefichas-domim (bloodshed). Furthermore even rendering such actions not being subject to prosecution, is allowing shefichas-domim (bloodshed), al achas kama vekama (how much more so), in cases of assisted suicide leading to euthanasia.

Voting on the basis of this issue. This obligation would include:

1)  Thus, when voting for any public official, this issue must be considered as top priority, certainly overriding financial considerations, government programs, etc. By voting for people who support these laws, we become accountable for their actions. This ruling would still apply even if these laws were to be passed, we would still be forbidden to vote for legislators who voted for these laws. This is the most important way to fulfill our obligation.

2)  Urging one’s legislators to vote against these bills, if and when they arise[1] and to urge the governor to veto such bill, were it to pass the legislature.

3)  Helping in efforts to repeal such laws, in areas[2] where such legislation was already passed.

Even a few votes can make a major difference, both by legislators and the public—sometimes the vote of a single legislator can decide the fate of these laws—as is evidenced by the recent vote in the New Jersey State Assembly (in November 2014), where an assisted suicide bill was passed by just one vote. We have seen in several recent races in Jewish neighborhoods, that even a handful of votes can make the difference in the outcome of the election[3]. Furthermore, some legislators keep track of the calls that are made to their offices on particular controversial issues, and vote according to their results.

May the Creator of all life grace us with the merit to save innocent lives, fulfilling our role as an or legoyim (light unto the nations). In that merit, may we help usher in the Final Redemption by Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

Rabbonim are listed alphabetically.

Mordechai Chaim Auerbach

Monsey

Boruch Hirschfeld

Ahavas Yisroel, Cleveland

Avrohom Reich

Hatzolas Yisroel

Eliyahu Ben-Haim

RIETS/Kehillah Yotzei Mashad

Zalman Leib Hollander

Khal Nachlas Moshe, Spring Valley, NY

Dovid Ribiat

mechaber “The 39 Melochos”

Haim Benoliel

Bnai Yosef/Mikdash Melech

Shmuel Kamenetsky

Talmudical Academy of Philadelphia

Yosef Yitzchok Rosenfeld

Monsey Dometz

Gad Bouskila

Netivot Israel

Yosef Meir Kantor

Cong. Agudath Israel of Monsey

Chaim Schabes

Knesses Yisroel

Yitzchok M. Braun

Shaaray Zion

Elya Nota Katz

Stamford Yeshiva

Dovid Schustal

Bais Medrash Govoha, Lakewood

Shlomo Breslauer

Bais Tefiloh

Eliezer Langer

Cong. Israel, Poughkeepsie, NY

Yaakov Shulman

Talmud Torah of Flatbush

Eliyahu Brog

Bais Yisroel

Yeshaye Gedalye Kaufman

Hisachdus Moetz, Kruleh Dometz

Moshe Silberberg

Shuvu/mechaber “Zichron Tzvi Meir”

Simcha Bunim Cohen

Khal Ateres Yeshaya

Amram Klein

Ungvar

Moshe Soloveitchik

Chicago

Yitzchok Cohen

Yeshiva University RIETS

Shloime Ben Zion Kokis

Zichron Mordechai

Yitzchok Sorotzkin

Mesivta of Lakewood

Moshe Donnebaum

Hechel Hatorah/Adas Yisroel/Melbourne

Grainom Lazewnik

Khal Adar Gbir

Tzvi Steinberg

Kahal Zera Avraham, Denver

Michoel Elias

Kehilas Yisroel, Spring Valley

Philip Lefkowitz

Jackson, NJ; mult. congregations in US, UK & Canada

Shlomo Stern

Debreciner Rov

Eytan Feiner

Kneseth Israel, (The White Shul) Far Rockaway

Moshe Tuvia Lieff

Agudath Israel Bais Binyomin

Elazar Mayer Teitz

Chief Rabbi of Elizabeth, NJ

Menachem Fisher

Vien Monsey

Shmuel Miller

Yeshiva Bais Yisroel

Elya Ber Wachtfogel

Yeshiva of South Fallsburg

Noson Yermia Goldstein

mechaber of “Migdalos Noson”

Avrohom Yaakov Nelkenbaum

Mirrer Yeshiva

Boruch Hersh Waldman

Siach Yitzchok, Suffern

Avrohom Gordimer

Coalition for Jewish Values

Yechiel Perr

Yeshiva of Far Rockaway

Moshe Weissman

Ohel Moshe

Shmuel Gorelick

Mesivta Ohel Torah

Steven Pruzansky

Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck

Benjamin Yudin

Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, NJ

Moshe Green

Yeshivah D’Monsey

Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff

YU Gruss Kollel

Yeruchum Zeilberger

Stamford Yeshiva

Yisroel Dovid Harfenes

Yisroel Vehazmanim

Gavriel Zinner

Nitei Gavriel

Institutions are listed for identification purposes only.

[1] as is currently in New Jersey   [2] such as Washington state and Oregon

[3] most noticeably (demonstrated) in the Senate election between David Storobin and Lew Fidler, where Storobin won by less than 20 votes.

Sponsored by Jews for Torah Values  [email protected]

A major new study suggests that when you drink your coffee may be just as important as how much you drink it — and that an evening cup could erase many of coffee’s health benefits.

Research published in the prestigious European Heart Journal followed more than 40,000 participants over nearly two decades as part of the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The findings indicate that coffee consumption in the morning is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of death from heart disease, while drinking coffee later in the day appears to eliminate those advantages entirely.

According to the researchers, people who primarily drank coffee in the morning experienced an approximate 31 percent reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease. By contrast, among those who consumed coffee in the afternoon or evening, the protective effect disappeared, leaving their risk levels similar to people who did not drink coffee at all.

The researchers emphasized that the difference was not related to the amount of caffeine consumed, but rather to the timing of coffee intake in relation to the body’s biological clock. Even though evening coffee drinkers consumed the same powerful antioxidants, their bodies did not translate those compounds into cardiovascular protection.

Surprisingly, the pattern held true across all types of coffee, including filter coffee, espresso, instant coffee, and even decaffeinated varieties. The scientists explained that late-day coffee consumption may disrupt the body’s internal circadian rhythm, interfering with metabolic processes that are meant to slow down during periods of rest. This physiological disruption appears to negate the beneficial effects of coffee’s active components.

The study concludes that coffee remains an important ally in reducing the risk of chronic disease, but only when consumed in harmony with the body’s natural rest cycle. To maximize heart health benefits, researchers recommend sticking to morning coffee and avoiding late-day consumption. A simple change in daily timing, they suggest, could determine whether coffee truly works in your favor.

The information provided in this Matzav.com report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It should not be considered a recommendation for treatment or disease prevention. For any medical concerns, consult a qualified healthcare professional.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump briefly contemplated stepping away from diplomatic talks with Iran after a series of confrontations in the Persian Gulf that U.S. officials characterized as “aggressive,” according to a report published Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal citing senior American officials.

Despite the tensions, the discussions planned for later this week are still expected to move forward. The report did not specify what factors ultimately led Trump to allow the negotiations to continue.

Among the incidents cited was an episode in which Iran launched a drone that was intercepted and destroyed by a U.S. Navy fighter jet as it neared the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.

That encounter took place just hours after Iranian forces allegedly harassed a U.S.-flagged merchant ship crewed by Americans as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the report, the drone involved was a Shahed-139, which was downed by an F-35C fighter launched from the Lincoln while the carrier was operating roughly 500 miles off Iran’s southern coastline. No U.S. service members were injured, and American military hardware was not damaged.

Even with those developments, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration still intends to proceed with talks between special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian representatives. “President Trump is always wanting to pursue diplomacy first, but obviously it takes two to tango,” she said. “As always, though, of course, the president has a range of options on the table with respect to Iran.”

Trump also addressed the matter directly on Tuesday, confirming that negotiations with Iran are underway while declining to disclose the location of the talks.

“They are negotiating. They’d like to do something, and we’ll see if something is going to be done,” Trump said.

Reflecting on earlier dealings with Tehran, he added, “They had a chance to do something a while ago, and it didn’t work out. And we did Midnight Hammer. I don’t think they want that happening again,” referring to U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last June. “But they would like to negotiate. We are negotiating with them right now, yes.”

When pressed on where the upcoming meeting would take place, Trump responded simply, “I can’t tell you that.”

{Matzav.com}

A fire has ripped through homes under construction in Jackson this evening, as first reported on TLS Communities.

The fire broke out at the Jackson 21 community shortly after 7:00 PM, and quickly spread throughout the structure.

Firefighters are attempting to contain the blaze.

Videos on TLS Communities. 

Developing. 

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_7503-W.mp4

Rav Yitzchok Yosef, the former Rishon LeTzion, delivered sharp criticism on Motzaei Shabbos of Sephardim who adopt Ashkenazi customs out of what he described as a sense of inferiority, saying such behavior reflects disrespect toward their own rabbinic tradition.

Speaking during his weekly shiur at the Yazdim Shul, Rav Yosef said, “The problem in our generation is that people imitate Ashkenazi customs in everything, as if we have no customs at all and only Ashkenazim have good ones.” While acknowledging the strengths of the Ashkenazi Torah world, he stressed that imitation should be selective. “Imitate them in the good things they have — establishing yeshivos, building kollelim, burning enthusiasm in learning, deep analysis and iyun. But do you have to do everything they do?”

Rav Yosef addressed specific wedding-related practices, including fasting on the wedding day and immersing in a mikveh before the chuppah, rejecting these customs for Sephardim. “They fast on their wedding day — let them fast. It’s the custom of their forefathers. We follow the customs of our forefathers. Maran does not write in the Shulchan Aruch that a chassan must fast on the day of his wedding. The Rav, zichrono livrachah — Rav Ovadia — was opposed to chassanim fasting.” He added that priorities had been distorted: “They took what is secondary and made it primary.” Instead, he advised that a chassan should spend the day learning or reciting Tehillim. “Today they copy everything from Ashkenazim, even going to the mikveh. We never heard of such a thing. In our times, this didn’t exist.”

During the shiur, Rav Yosef also related that Ashkenazim sometimes approach him privately seeking to adopt Sephardic practice for the sake of leniency. “Sometimes Ashkenazim come to me quietly and say, ‘Rav, your halachos are easier. Look, on Pesach I have what to eat: rice, everything, legumes. Ashkenazim have nothing — only potatoes.’”

He distinguished between people raised in religious homes and baalei teshuvah. “I ask him, ‘Was your father religious or not? If you’re the son of Lapid and you grew up on Bialik, then yes, be Sephardi, completely. But if you’re the son of a religious father, don’t abandon the Torah of your mother. Your father followed the opinion of the Rema — continue as your father did.’”

Addressing baalei teshuvah from secular families who insist on adopting Ashkenazi stringencies, Rav Yosef said, “If he’s a baal teshuvah and his father was secular, what is ‘the Torah of your mother’? The Torah of Bialik? What Torah is that? Therefore, someone whose father was secular and wants to be Sephardi should follow Sephardic practice here in Eretz Yisroel, because this is asra d’mara.” He cited the kabbalist Rav Yaakov Pragi, who served as rav and av beis din in Alexandria, Egypt, and condemned adopting Ashkenazi stringencies such as wearing tzitzis out and conducting a yichud room. “Is this not disrespecting your rabbanim? As if your rabbis aren’t important? Rav Ezra Attiya? Rav Ben Tzion? Maran? Rav Tzadkah? They’re not important? Only Ashkenazim matter?”

Rav Yosef further criticized changes in dress, particularly the practice of wearing tzitzis outside one’s clothing. “If they take out their tzitzis, then I also need to take out my tzitzis. But did Rav Ezra Attiya do that? Did the Kaf HaChaim do that? Did the Ben Ish Chai do that? When Maran wore a cloak, fine. When he wore a frock coat, were his tzitzis outside? No. They were always inside. So why imitate Ashkenazim?”

He contrasted this with Ashkenazi pride in their own customs. “They wear a gartel. It’s not required by halachah, but it’s their custom. No one would dare tell an Ashkenazi to change his minhag, and rightly so. Kol hakavod to them. So why shouldn’t it be the same for us?”

Rav Yosef concluded with a pointed message: “Why constantly imitate them? As if your rabbis aren’t important enough. Every community should hold fast to its own customs.” He ended with a stern warning, again quoting Rav Pragi: “One who adopts stringencies against his rabbis, against the Shulchan Aruch, is showing contempt for the honor of his rabbis.”

{Matzav.com}

A central segment of the long-awaited upgrade to Route 60, the main artery linking Gush Etzion with Yerushalayim, has opened to traffic eight months earlier than planned, a move expected to significantly ease chronic congestion along the heavily traveled corridor.

The project, led by Israel’s Ministry of Transport and carried out by the state infrastructure company Moriah, is advancing at an accelerated pace. Additional sections of the road are scheduled to open over the coming weeks, further improving traffic flow and driving safety in the area.

Route 60, which serves as a sensitive and vital gateway into and out of Yerushalayim, is undergoing a comprehensive overhaul as part of the project. The road is being expanded from a single lane in each direction into a divided highway with two lanes each way. The upgrade is designed to accommodate growing traffic volumes, enhance safety standards, and substantially reduce travel times for commuters and residents.

At this stage, the stretch between Husan and the Shayarot Junction has been completed and opened to traffic, featuring two lanes in each direction. Officials say the opening of this segment has already led to noticeable improvements, including smoother traffic flow, reduced bottlenecks, and a higher level of road safety. Remaining segments of the project are expected to be opened gradually over the next two weeks.

Later this year, an interchange at the Shayarot Junction area is slated to open, including new underground passages. This phase is expected to complete the transportation upgrade along the route and allow for continuous, safer, and more convenient travel.

Once the project is fully completed, residents of Gush Etzion and surrounding communities—including Efrat, Kiryat Arba, and nearby localities—are expected to benefit from a modernized and safer roadway, offering a faster and more reliable connection to Yerushalayim and better suited to the region’s growing transportation needs.

{Matzav.com}

TUCSON, ARIZONA (VINnews)- Authorities in Pima County are investigating a ransom note received by a local news station as part of the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC’s “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed to CBS News that the note was sent to an Arizona television station on Monday. The station reportedly agreed not to publicize it initially. According to the sheriff, the note included specific details about Nancy Guthrie’s home and what she was wearing on the night she disappeared, though officials have not verified the accuracy of those details or the note’s legitimacy.

Investigators are taking the communication seriously, with the FBI reviewing the note and sharing it with Savannah Guthrie, Nanos said. The sheriff emphasized that detectives are coordinating closely with federal authorities and pursuing all leads in what they believe is an abduction.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson on Saturday night, around 9:30 p.m. She was reported missing on Sunday after failing to attend her regular church service, prompting family members to search the property before contacting authorities.

Sheriff Nanos has described the home as a crime scene, citing signs of forced entry and other concerning evidence indicating that the 84-year-old did not leave voluntarily. Blood was reportedly found at the scene, and Nancy Guthrie requires daily medication for her health—authorities have warned that her condition could become critical without it. She is described as sharp-minded with no cognitive issues, and her disappearance is not believed to be related to wandering or dementia.

Multiple media outlets, including TMZ, have reported receiving alleged ransom demands, some reportedly seeking millions in Bitcoin cryptocurrency with a deadline for payment. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has acknowledged awareness of circulating reports about possible ransom notes and reiterated that they are “taking all tips and leads very seriously.”

Savannah Guthrie has publicly appealed for prayers on social media, describing her mother as “a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” and urging supporters to join in praying for her safe return.

A reward of up to $2,500 has been offered by 88-Crime, a nonprofit partnering with local law enforcement, for information leading to an arrest in the case. The FBI and other agencies are assisting in the investigation, which includes searches by drones, helicopters, search-and-rescue dogs, and volunteers.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department or submit tips anonymously through available channels. Authorities continue to stress the urgency of locating Nancy Guthrie as soon as possible.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Online prediction-market rivals Kalshi and Polymarket are using free groceries as a high-profile marketing stunt in New York City this week, turning supermarket aisles into the latest battleground for attention in the fast-growing industry, according to Business Insider.

On Monday, Feb. 2, Kalshi reimbursed shoppers up to $50 for grocery purchases at a Manhattan supermarket, drawing long lines and a flurry of social media posts. The company said the promotion was aimed at introducing New Yorkers to its federally regulated prediction markets at a time when food prices remain a daily concern for many households.

After months of planning, we're excited to announce 'The Polymarket' is coming to New York City.

New York's first free grocery store.

We signed the lease. And we donated $1 million to Food Bank For NYC — an organization that changes how our city responds to hunger. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/BGMCWUMz8n

— Polymarket (@Polymarket) February 3, 2026

Polymarket, an offshore-based competitor popular for political betting, said it will escalate the gimmick later this week with a temporary “free grocery store” pop-up in the city, where shoppers will be able to take food at no cost. The company also said it plans to pair the promotion with a donation to a New York City food bank, Business Insider reported.

Thousands have already picked up their free Kalshi groceries!

We are being told we've already inspired other companies to keep up the initiative!

2 more hours to get yours

Westside Market | 84 3rd Ave. NYC pic.twitter.com/8R11OGODLu

— Kalshi (@Kalshi) February 3, 2026

The grocery giveaways come as Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration faces growing debate over affordability, cost-of-living pressures and the role of private actors stepping into gaps traditionally addressed by government. While City Hall has not commented on the stunts, the optics of free food arriving via tech startups — rather than public policy — have not gone unnoticed in a city where economic inequality remains a central political issue.

Both Kalshi and Polymarket allow users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events, including elections, economic data and geopolitical developments. The grocery-store stunts highlight how fiercely the companies are competing for visibility as prediction markets push further into the mainstream, Business Insider said.

Dozens of Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshivos of Dati Leumi yeshivos convened this week for an emergency discussion in wake of the IDF’s intention to advance a pilot program to integrate women into the front-line combat units of the Armored Corps’s tank crews, Arutz Sheva reported.

During the meeting, testimonies were presented by religious soldiers who fought in Gaza, saying that female paramedics and combat soldiers were assigned to work and stay with them for prolonged periods in cramped conditions inside Namer armored personnel carriers and buildings—in violation of the army’s own mixed-service regulations. The Rabbanim warned of halachic dilemmas, declining morale, and even combat performance issues.

Other representatives noted that a similar process had previously taken place in the Artillery Corps, where “a norm of mixed-gender integration was introduced,” resulting in the effective exclusion of talmidei yeshivos from the corps. In one testimony, a Rosh Mesivta serving in the Artillery Corps described problems of inappropriate dress and shared spaces inside an APC, which, he said, impaired combat readiness.

Rabbi Dovid Fendel warned that if the pilot proceeds, the talmidim may “vote with their feet” and avoid enlisting in the Armored Corps. He called for the Rabbanim to issue an urgent letter to the Defense Ministry demanding that the plan be halted, which he described as causing serious harm to the IDF.

“The army violated its own orders,” said Rabbi Dror Aryeh of Sderot Yeshiva. “Now, in the days after a round of combat, our task is to roll back norms introduced under the pretext of wartime necessity and pikuach nefesh. Thousands of soldiers loyal to halacha remained silent and cooperated b’di’eved during the war, but it is forbidden to entrench these violations of orders for the future.”

Attorney Tzafnat Nordman presented an analysis indicating that similar integration pilots in elite units such as 669, Sayeret Matkal, and logistics convoy units ended in professional and medical failures. According to her, the IDF’s senior command is aware of these results, but IDF spokespeople continue to portray them publicly as successes due to political and legal pressure from women’s advocacy organizations.

Nordman noted that Chief Armored Officer Brig. Gen. Ohad Maor now faces a strategic decision regarding another tank pilot program scheduled for November. She emphasized the importance of Rabbanim and talmidim voicing their position amid growing external pressure and petitions to the Supreme Court.

It should be noted that last month, in an interview with Orna Yashar on the program “Zavit Yeshara” produced by the Mida website, Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, the Rosh Yeshivah of the Ateret Yerushalayim Yeshiva, addressed the issue of integrating women into the IDF and into the Armored Corps in particular. Rabbi Aviner presented a firm position that women’s service in the IDF in itself is a fundamental mistake but emphasized that placing women inside tanks is a violation of halacha and constitutes a red line for the Religious Zionist public.

Rabbi Aviner stated that if the army proceeds with the plan to integrate women into tanks, he will instruct his students not to enlist in the Armored Corps. “The army is not a place for girls,” he said, adding that having men and women confined together in a tank for long periods creates an immodest situation that contradicts what he called “true integration.” He added that under such circumstances, “religious young men will choose other combat units instead of the Armored Corps.”

The discussion also touched on the physical toll experienced by female combat soldiers. Rabbi Aviner said that women are not physically suited for such strenuous loads and face serious risks of long-term injuries. The interviewer, Orna Yashar, shared her own experience as a former officer, explaining that she had carried heavy equipment in service and only began suffering medical problems years later.

Beyond the health aspect, Rabbi Aviner said that mixed-gender integration weakens the IDF’s military effectiveness. “It lowers the level of the unit,” he said, adding that many officers have decried the fact that the integration of women into such roles undermines the overall strength and cohesion of their teams.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

It is with deep pain and regret that YWN shares the petirah of HaRav Elyakim Schlesinger zt”l, who was niftar at the age of 104, concluding a life that spanned more than a century of Torah, mesorah, and an unwavering commitment to Klal Yisroel.

Born in Vienna on 22 Cheshvan 5682 (1921) to his parents, Rav Dovid and Baila, Rav Schlesinger zt”l came of age during a turbulent era for European Jewry. He was able to leave Europe at the age of 10, in 1931, when his family relocated to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Tel Aviv. There, the foundations of his lifelong avodas haTorah were laid.

His early Torah development took place under the influence of Gedolei Hatorah from the prewar years. Among his primary rebbeim was Rav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky zt”l, under whose guidance Rav Schlesinger absorbed the derech of authentic Yerushalmi Torah. He later learned in Yeshivas Kaminetz and in Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah, becoming known for his crystal-clear havana, yiras Shamayim, and fealty to mesorah.

He married his wife, Dina Yehudis, the daughter of Rav Moshe Blau zt”l, and following the petirah of his father-in-law, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Pnei Moshe in Yerushalayim. Even then, at such a young age, his sense of achrayus extended beyond his immediate surroundings.

At the behest of the Brisker Rov, Rav Schlesinger undertook the difficult mission of returning to Europe in order to rebuild Torah life on the continent. He first served as Rosh Yeshiva in Kapellen, Belgium, where he spent two years strengthening a fragile postwar kehilla. He later settled in London, where he founded Yeshivas Harama, a mosad that would become one of the pillars of serious lomdus in England. The yeshiva’s name reflected his reverence for the Chasam Sofer and his descendants, including the Kesav Sofer and the Daas Sofer, who had been among his rabbeim.

Over the ensuing decades, Rav Schlesinger zt”l became one of the most influential and respected Gedolei Torah in England’s frum community. He maintained close and enduring relationships with leading gedolei Yisroel, including the Chazon Ish, and was widely sought after for hadracha on both hashkafic and communal matters. His rare firsthand knowledge of earlier gedolim, and his ability to convey their derech with clarity and fidelity, were preserved in his sefer Hador Vehatekufah, which stands as an invaluable historical and Torah record.

In addition to his role as Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Schlesinger was deeply involved in public affairs affecting Torah Jewry. For many years, he devoted himself to the protection of kevorim across Europe, even serving as chairman of a committee dedicated to safeguarding cemeteries from desecration. He was also known for his firm and uncompromising positions on issues relating to chinuch and religious independence, earning a reputation as a courageous and consistent voice of daas Torah.

Rav Schlesinger zt”l was also a prolific mechaber, whose seforim reflect both breadth and depth. His multi-volume Beis Av spans Shas, halacha, machshavah, and drush, and he authored additional seforim, including a Haggadah shel Pesach, all characterized by his unique clarity.

The petirah of HaRav Elyakim Schlesinger zt”l is the loss of a living bridge to a vanished world—a talmid of prewar Europe, a builder of postwar Torah, and a guardian of mesorah well into the modern era.

Yehi zichro baruch.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A frozen pipe burst at the headquarters of Misaskim of Central Jersey, causing thousands of dollars in damage, the organization tells TLS.

The pipe burst due to the ongoing weather freeze, sending gallons of water into their facility and soaking shelves of Sefarim and Siddurim, as well as cushions Aveilim use for seating. Many of the items were rendered unusable and will need to be replaced.

Misaskim is a volunteer-based organization that provides support and assistance to individuals experiencing crisis or tragedy by providing them with vital bereavement services, all-the-while safeguarding the dignity of the deceased. Volunteers and staff worked to remove water, dry the affected areas and salvage what they could, but much of the damage was irreversible.

The organization is assessing repair costs and determining how long it will take to fully restore the space.

(To help with some of the costs, a tax deductible donation can be made here.)

Israel’s dairy farmers announced on Monday that they will stop supplying milk to dairies beginning this morning, stepping up their protest against a dairy industry reform promoted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The farmers argue that the reform is “destructive,” warning that it could cause severe damage to local producers and jeopardize the long-term stability of Israel’s dairy sector.

The issue was addressed earlier Monday at a farm conference organized by the Binyamin Region, the Farm Alliance, and Arutz Sheva, where Smotrich was questioned about the possibility that farmers would suspend milk production.

Smotrich sharply criticized the move, saying it would only strengthen the case for reform. “If they stop milk production, they would play into my hands since they would explain to the citizens of Israel what happens when an industry is managed in such a communist, centralized manner where whoever wants can flip the switch.”

He went on to compare the farmers’ threat to actions taken by other sectors in the past. “Once it’s the electric company employees, after that it’s the ports, and now it’s the growers. This won’t happen. The citizens of Israel will not be hostages of any monopoly or any pressure group.”

The standoff comes after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation unanimously approved the dairy reform last month. According to estimates from the Finance Ministry, the changes are expected to save the public between one and two billion shekels annually.

The ministry said the reform is intended to open the dairy market to competition, reduce consumer prices, and dismantle the centralized planning system that has governed the industry for decades.

The legislation calls for the cancellation of the production quota system, a transition to an open market, and the removal of all tariffs on dairy products. It also includes a safety net for producers aimed at ensuring a consistent supply of fresh milk to consumers at affordable prices.

In addition, the reform establishes a new legal mechanism to regulate protected milk procurement, alongside a gradual program to buy back existing quotas as the market shifts to the new framework.

{Matzav.com}

 For many residents of Bnei Brak and the wider chareidi public who use kosher phones, a routine task—adding credit to a Rav-Kav public transportation card—has become a daily frustration. Speaking on the radio program Osim Seder BaMoked HaTziburi, hosted by Tzvi Tessler, a caller described how the lack of accessible charging options has turned simple bus travel into a logistical ordeal.

Leah, a Bnei Brak resident and computer teacher, told the program that she is routinely forced to walk significant distances just to reload her card. “I go specifically to the light rail, a ten-minute walk each way, just to top it up,” she said on air. According to Leah, neighborhood stores and groceries that once offered Rav-Kav charging services have shut down their terminals due to technical problems and a lack of financial viability.

The difficulty becomes even more acute when children are involved. Without access to smartphone apps on kosher phones, parents have no way of checking the remaining balance on their children’s cards. “Kids come to me and ask, ‘Mom, is there money?’ and I have to rack my brain every time,” Leah said, describing the constant uncertainty. The current system, in which no receipt is issued on the bus, leaves parents in the dark and forces them to physically visit distant service points just to find out whether a card still has credit.

In response to inquiries, Israel’s Ministry of Transport Israel said it is aware of the difficulties and is working on alternative solutions. The ministry said there are more than 150 dedicated service stations nationwide, along with thousands of charging points in retail stores and ATMs. It also pointed to a telephone service center at 03-7207406 that allows credit-card top-ups by phone.

However, that option has its own limitation: phone recharging still requires users to physically visit a service terminal to “activate” the credit on the card, effectively sending them back to square one.

Drawing on her technological background, Leah suggested what she described as a straightforward fix—direct charging by entering a Rav-Kav card number and credit-card details, similar to other bill-payment systems. Tessler explained that this is technically complex because the Rav-Kav is a physical card that does not transmit data. He did note, however, that a proposal raised in the past with then–Deputy Minister Maklev, involving a monthly direct-debit system, has yet to be implemented.

Leah concluded by arguing that the current situation ultimately hurts state revenues. “It’s in their interest that there should be money,” she said, explaining that many children board buses unable to pay because their cards are empty, forcing parents into complicated tracking and double payments after the fact. “There need to be more logical solutions,” Tessler said, promising to continue following the issue.

In a formal response, the Ministry of Transport said: “The Ministry of Transport and the National Public Transportation Authority are aware of the difficulties raised by passengers who do not have smartphones, and are working to provide a range of alternative and accessible solutions for topping up and checking Rav-Kav balances. Today, Rav-Kav cards can be charged at dedicated stations deployed across the country (more than 150 stations), as well as at thousands of retail outlets and ATMs that provide charging and balance-inquiry services.

“In addition, a telephone service center is available at 03-7207406, through which passengers can receive information, assistance in locating charging points, and even perform Rav-Kav top-ups by phone, with activation completed at service stations.

“There is also an option to top up Rav-Kav cards through the ‘Nedarim Plus’ system, available in synagogues and other community centers. The ministry continues to examine additional ways to improve accessibility and service for all passengers, with the goal of ensuring public transportation that is available, simple, and equitable for the entire population.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Finance Ministry Minister and member of the Security Cabinet Ze’ev Elkin warned on Tuesday night that continued opposition by chareidi parties to the draft law could lead to harsher outcomes for the chareidi public and destabilize the coalition, including the risk of elections without an approved state budget. Speaking in an interview on the HaMahadura HaMerkazit program, Elkin argued that internal resistance—particularly by the Chassidishe Agudas Yisroel faction—could make passage of the legislation impossible and ultimately harm the very communities seeking to block it.

Addressing reports of quiet contacts between Naftali Bennett and chareidi figures, Elkin said such maneuvering was unsurprising but misguided. “In politics, anything can happen,” he said, adding that some in the chareidi street are misreading the situation. “There are elements in the chareidi public who oppose the current version of the law and are hoping that maybe they’ll get more from Bennett. I think they are deluding themselves. As someone who has been following the draft law for a long time, I see the same pattern repeat itself: a proposal is put on the table, certain factions reject it in the hope of something better, time passes, and then they say, ‘Too bad we didn’t agree back then,’ because the new proposals are worse. This is a cycle that has been repeating itself since 2012.”

Elkin directed pointed criticism at the Chassidishe Agudas Yisroel faction, warning that its stance could stall the process entirely. “I’m afraid that this time as well Agudas Yisroel is making the same mistake,” he said. “Its opposition makes it impossible to pass the law, because no one in the coalition wants to be someone else’s Shabbos goy.”

Turning to the prospect of the government collapsing before the state budget is approved, Elkin issued a stark warning to chareidi representatives. “Let’s say the draft law isn’t passed and we go to elections—does it make sense to go to elections without a budget?” he asked. “I think that would be a very big mistake. It would be an economically ‘dead year.’ The first to be hurt by that would be the chareidi public, because a large portion of its funding is not in the base budget. Under a continuing budget of one-twelfth, that money won’t be transferred. It would be a kind of ‘self-inflicted punishment.’ If I were advising them, I would recommend: first approve a budget, and then go to elections.”

On security matters, Elkin addressed American demands to disarm Hamas as part of President Donald Trump’s plan, expressing doubt that diplomatic avenues alone would succeed. “Trump said it correctly: either it happens the easy way, or the hard way,” Elkin said. “The hard and bad way is clearly only the IDF, because no one else will do this job for us. I’m skeptical that diplomatic moves will help, and therefore the ball will return to the IDF.”

At the same time, Elkin pointed to what he described as significant achievements on the ground. “We defeated Hamas militarily,” he said. “They no longer have a shared border with Egypt, we have control over the Philadelphi Corridor, and therefore their ability to rebuild their strength is very limited.”

In closing, Elkin also touched on the brewing coalition crisis surrounding the dairy reform, urging all sides to reach a compromise that balances lowering the cost of living with protecting farmers in Israel’s periphery and safeguarding the country’s food security.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Democratic Socialist Diana Moreno won a special election Tuesday to represent Queens’ 36th District in the New York State Assembly, filling the seat vacated by Mayor Zohran Mamdani after his election last fall.

Moreno, a 38-year-old community organizer backed by Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America, won by a wide margin, capturing roughly three-quarters of the vote, according to election results reported by the Associated Press. She defeated two candidates aligned with the same political movement in a low-turnout contest.

The Assembly seat had been held by Mamdani since 2021 and became vacant following his victory in the mayoral race. Moreno’s decisive win cements continued DSA representation in the district.

The race also highlighted growing strains within New York City’s progressive political circles. U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez endorsed one of Moreno’s opponents, Rana Abdelhamid, a move widely seen as part of a broader disagreement with Mamdani over endorsements in other races. Velázquez has publicly criticized the mayor for backing candidates opposed by her political allies.

Elsewhere in the city, voters filled two additional legislative vacancies. Manhattan City Council Member Erik Bottcher won a special election for a state Senate seat, while former City Council Majority Leader Keith Powers secured a decisive victory for an Assembly seat on the Lower East Side.

Both men defeated Republican opponents by large margins. Bottcher’s move to the Senate is expected to trigger another special election later this year to fill his City Council seat.

By Y.M. Lowy

A new pedestrian plaza is being planned for 10th Avenue between 48th and 49th Streets, and Maimonides Health is inviting Boro Park residents to help shape what it will look like and how it will work.

The proposed plaza would convert part of the street space into a pedestrian-focused area designed for safer walking, easier access, and more usable public space near the hospital corridor. 

To gather community input, Maimonides Health, together with engineering firm TYLin and the NYC Department of Transportation, will host a public open house next Tuesday, Feb 10, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the main lobby of Maimonides Medical Center at 4802 10th Avenue. Attendees can drop in at any time during those hours, review design concepts, and speak directly with project staff.

Neighbors, local business owners, and community members are encouraged to attend and share feedback before plans move forward. No RSVP is needed.

Questions can be directed to the Maimonides Health Community Relations Department at (718) 283-7412.

Iran has demanded last-minute changes to the venue and format of planned negotiations with the United States, a move that could derail talks scheduled for Friday and sharply raise the risk of military escalation at a moment when U.S. forces are already massed across the Gulf.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions told Axios that Tehran is retreating from understandings reached only days ago—after several countries had already been invited to participate—injecting new uncertainty into a diplomatic effort President Donald Trump has publicly described as preferable to war, but only up to a point.

According to the sources, Iran now wants to shift the talks from Istanbul to Oman, and insists the discussions be strictly bilateral with Washington, abandoning a format that would have included several Arab and Muslim countries as observers.

U.S. and regional officials warn that if the new demands scupper Friday’s meeting, they could push Trump off the diplomatic track and toward the military option—one he has repeatedly said he hopes to avoid, even as he assembles what he has called an “armada” of U.S. naval power in the region.

Behind the scenes, the reversal has triggered a flurry of calls and consultations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke Tuesday with his counterparts in Oman and Turkey, as well as with the prime minister of Qatar, according to officials familiar with the outreach.

On the American side, White House envoy Steve Witkoff met in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, underscoring how closely the diplomatic maneuvering is being watched by U.S. allies who fear a weak deal—or no deal at all.

Israeli officials said the meeting focused squarely on Iran. Netanyahu was joined by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Mossad Director David Barnea, and military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, a lineup signaling that Israel is preparing for outcomes well beyond diplomacy.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Democratic Party is getting a blunt reminder that the math underneath American politic is not looking good for them.

The reminder came from Harry Enten, CNN’s chief data analyst, who used an upset Democratic special-election win as a jumping-off point to deliver a stark message about population trends that he said favor Republicans over the long haul.

“We often lose sight of the long term because we’re so focused on the short term,” Enten said Sunday on CNN Newsroom, speaking with anchor Jessica Dean. “So today I wanted to take a look at some long-term population trends.”

Those trends, Enten argued, “really should set off a flashing red siren to Democrats nationwide, while bringing a big smile to the faces of Republicans nationwide.”

The immediate backdrop was Saturday’s special election in a deep-red Texas state Senate district. Democrat Taylor Rehmet, a first-time candidate and local union leader, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss — who had been endorsed by Donald Trump — by a decisive 57 percent to 43 percent. Trump had carried the district by more than 17 points in the 2024 presidential race, making Rehmet’s win a rare Democratic breakthrough.

But Enten cautioned against reading the result as a broader realignment. Since the 2020 Census, the five states with the biggest population gains — Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona — all voted for Trump in 2024.

“This is not just a red-state boom,” Enten said. “We’re also looking at what I would dare call a blue-state depression.”

The states with the lowest domestic net migration this decade, he noted, were California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Massachusetts — all states won by Kamala Harris in 2024.

If those shifts persist through the 2030 Census, Enten said, the consequences could be significant. Based on current estimates, Democrats could lose seven seats in the U.S. House through reapportionment, with those seats moving to Republican-leaning states.

“That’s not just about the House,” Enten said. “It’s also about the Electoral College.”

Under the existing map, a Democrat winning the traditional blue states plus the “blue wall” of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin could scrape together 270 electoral votes — the bare minimum to win. Applying today’s population estimates, Enten said, that same coalition would fall short.

“You’d only get to 263 electoral votes,” he said. “Which would mean a Republican victory.”

The Census is still years away, and Enten stressed that population trends can change. But his conclusion was that even as Democrats notch headline-grabbing wins like the one in Texas, the demographic shifts reshaping political power may be quietly tilting the battlefield against them.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

HONG KONG (AP) — China will ban hidden door handles on cars, commonly used on Tesla’s electric vehicles and many other EV models, starting next year.

All car doors must include a mechanical release function for handles, except for the tailgate, according to details released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday.

Officials said the policy aims to address safety concerns after fatal EV accidents where electronic doors reportedly failed to operate and trapped passengers inside vehicles.

The new requirement will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. For car models that were already approved, carmakers will have until Jan. 1, 2029, to make design changes to match the regulations.

Vehicles including Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3, BMW’s iX3, and other models by many Chinese brands feature retractable car door handles that could be subject to the new rules.

Chris Liu, a Shanghai-based senior analyst at technology research and advisory group Omdia, said the global impact of China’s new rules could be substantial and other jurisdictions may follow suit on retractable door handles. Carmakers will be facing potentially costly redesigns or retrofits.

“China is the first major automotive market to explicitly ban electrical pop-out and press-to-release hidden door handles,” he said. “While other regions have flagged safety concerns, China is the first to formalize this into a national safety standard.”

It’s likely that regulators in Europe and elsewhere will reference or align with China’s approach, Liu said. The new requirements would impact premium EVs more as retractable door handles “are treated as a design and aerodynamic statement,” he added.

A draft of the proposed rules was published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in September for public comment.

Last year, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into cases where Tesla’s electronic door handles reportedly failed to work.

BEIT SHE’AN (VINnews) — The Israel Defense Forces’ Hasmonean Brigade, a dedicated infantry unit for ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) soldiers, held a handover ceremony in Beit She’an as Col. Shemer Raviv assumed command, replacing Col. Avinoam Emunah.

Raviv, who previously commanded the Paran Regional Brigade along Israel’s southern border with Egypt, takes the helm of the Hasmonean Brigade amid efforts to expand Haredi enlistment in the military. The unit, established in late 2024, is designed to accommodate ultra-Orthodox troops while preserving their religious lifestyle, including provisions for daily Torah study.

Emunah, the brigade’s inaugural commander since its founding, is set to be promoted to brigadier general. He will transition to a new advisory role as the chief of staff’s adviser on ultra-Orthodox affairs, the IDF announced.

The leadership change coincides with preparations for a forthcoming General Staff order that will formalize arrangements to facilitate service for ultra-Orthodox soldiers. The move comes as the military continues to address challenges in recruiting and integrating Haredi men into the IDF ranks, following broader policy shifts on conscription.

The Hasmonean Brigade operates under the IDF’s Education and Training Command and is intended to combine combat readiness with religious observance for Haredi enlistees.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The condition of Hamas terrorists is far worse than previously believed, according to a new report by “Gaza Report,” a collation on X of news and analysis from Gaza. According to the report, some terrorists have sold the military equipment in their possession in order to survive.

The report states that, according to security sources, dozens of fighters are selling their weapons, ammunition, communication equipment, and explosives to arms dealers, gangs, and crime groups. What began as isolated incidents has now become a widespread trend throughout the Gaza Strip, especially in areas such as Tel al-Sultan, Shuja’iyya, and eastern Khan Younis.

The main reasons for the distress reportedly include the halt in salary payments, lack of operational leadership, reduction in military activity, and a severe sense of abandonment. According to the report, the terrorists feel they have been deserted by the terror organization’s leadership and are instead taking care of their families on their own.

The large quantities of weapons being sold are reaching various actors such as gangs, criminal groups, and even organized crime networks, fueling looting, extortion, and violence against residents. It is also noted that Hamas leadership in Gaza is aware of the development but has so far refrained from acting openly on the issue, fearing an even more severe internal deterioration from their perspective.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories believes that ahead of the second stage of the ceasefire agreement with Gaza, Israel should demand that the United States halt and reduce the number of aid trucks entering Gaza from 600 per day to no more than 200, and that their contents should also be inspected. Israeli officials reportedly believe that food trucks entering Gaza should not exceed 120 per day.

Officials in the Coordination of Government Activities unit argue that allowing trucks in at this scale effectively finances Hamas. According to Israeli calculations, the value of each truck is estimated at about half a million shekels. Hamas reportedly collects a 15% tax on each truck — about 75,000 shekels per truck. Based on this calculation, Hamas is said to be generating roughly 45 million shekels per day solely from the entry of these trucks.

The Civil Administration also claims that warehouses in Gaza are currently full, and due to Hamas’s taxation, food and goods brought in large quantities are still sold at inflated prices in Gaza’s markets. According to assessments by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, there is currently a cash shortage inside Gaza. However, recent market demands have led to creative solutions, from the use of cash-transfer apps in Gaza’s commerce to offsetting balances between bank accounts and money changers.

JERUSALEM — Lawmakers from Yisrael Beytenu have put forward a bill that would change Israel’s current Chief Rabbinate structure, replacing the longstanding system of separate Ashkenazi and Sephardic Chief Rabbis with a single national Chief Rabbi.

The legislation, submitted by MKs Avigdor Liberman, Oded Forer, Evgeny Sova, Sharon Nir, and Hamad Amar, would amend key sections of the Chief Rabbinate Law. Among the proposed changes are removing references to “Chief Rabbis of Israel,” eliminating the ability to run dual candidacies, and making the Chief Rabbi the head of both the Chief Rabbinate Council and the Great Rabbinical Court.

The lawmakers said the dual system no longer reflects contemporary Israeli society, which has become far more integrated since the country’s founding. They also highlighted practical benefits, noting that combining the two positions could streamline operations and reduce administrative costs.

“This change is designed to modernize the office and better reflect the realities of Israeli life today,” the bill states, emphasizing that the distinction between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Chief Rabbis is largely symbolic in the current era.

The proposal echoes a similar bill submitted previously by Liberman and is comparable to a measure introduced by MK Elazar Stern in Israel’s previous Knesset session, showing ongoing interest in reforming the Chief Rabbinate.