Elchanan Shkolnik, the grandson of Reb Amram Chai Mizrachi z&#8221;l , who was niftar last Thursday in a fire in his Boro Park apartment, issued a sharply worded statement on Sunday, claiming his grandfather’s death was not an accident.



Shkolnik says his grandfather, who had lived alone in the United States for fifty years, had recently been the target of severe extortion by a criminal organization that repeatedly threatened his life. He alleges the gang stripped his grandfather of hundreds of thousands of dollars saved through years of modest living, eventually forcing him to take out loans once his savings were depleted.



According to Shkolnik, when the niftar sought help from the New York police, the response fell far short of what was needed. Officers allegedly told him merely to change his phone number rather than addressing the threats he reported.



The family forcefully disputes initial reports that the fire in the apartment, located at 12th Avenue and 47th Street, was caused by a lit cigarette. They call the explanation implausible and insist the circumstances suggest a deliberate act that was covered up. Shkolnik stated that his grandfather “was burned to death” while criminals continued to benefit from the money taken from him.



Police told Belaaz on Sunday that the cause of the fire has yet to be determined by the Fire Marshal.



The family remembered Reb Amram as a talmid chacham with refined middos, a fixture in the Boro Park community and an expert Ba&#8217;al Koreh who davened regularly at Tenke and Tiferes Eliezer (Lev). They described him as someone known for his warm smile, his deep Torah knowledge &#8211; videos circulated online after his petirah of him reciting Chumash by heart &#8211; his generosity to tzedaka, and his unwavering support for yeshivos.



Shkolnik urged the public to treat this tragedy as a cautionary tale, encouraging people to stay closely connected to relatives who live alone, especially elderly family members, and to check in regularly to ensure their safety.

Family Alleges Extortion, Arson, and Police Negligence in Death of Reb Amram Mizrachi Z”l

A U.S. Religious Liberty Commission hearing intended to address bigotry in American society devolved into a tense confrontation on Monday, as witnesses and commissioners clashed over the scope of the inquiry and the relevance of the war in Gaza to domestic civil rights.



The hearing, held at the Museum of the Bible, was designed to explore legal and cultural remedies for religious discrimination.



However, proceedings were repeatedly derailed by Commissioner Carrie Prejean Boller, a conservative activist and former model appointed by President Donald Trump. Boller pressed witnesses on their stances regarding Israel and Zionism, drawing sharp rebukes from Jewish leaders and eventually the commission’s own chairman.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="513" height="294" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-125657.png" alt="" class="wp-image-23944" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-125657.png 513w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-125657-300x172.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 513px) 100vw, 513px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Carrie Prejean Boller at the panel</figcaption></figure>



Tensions flared when Boller directed her questioning toward Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Jewish activist and Harvard graduate who sued his alma mater over unchecked antisemitism. The lawsuit was settled last May. Despite Kestenbaum’s testimony focusing on the harassment of students on American campuses, largely related to the Israel/Gaza war, Boller pivoted to foreign policy on the conflict itself.



“Since we’ve mentioned Israel a total of 17 times, are you willing to condemn what Israel has done in Gaza?” Boller asked Kestenbaum.



Kestenbaum rejected the premise of the question, leading to a heated exchange. “I unilaterally reject that,” Kestenbaum responded, dismissing the accusation of genocide in Gaza. “The only genocide ever carried out was on October 7, when Hamas tried killing every man, woman, and child they could possibly find.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="506" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1000346845.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23924" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1000346845.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1000346845-300x169.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1000346845-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shabbos Kestenbaum</figcaption></figure>



When Boller insisted on discussing the foreign conflict, Commission Chairman Dan Patrick, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, intervened. “I’m going to interrupt the discussion,” Patrick said. “This is not a commission on defining religions or calling out any theology&#8230; This could be another discussion on another day.”



Following the hearing, Kestenbaum issued a blistering statement to Belaaz, condemning Boller’s conduct and calling for her removal from the commission.



&#8220;Religious discrimination against Christian Americans and Jewish Americans is a top concern to President Trump,&#8221; Kestenbaum told Belaaz. &#8220;It is therefore unconscionable that an individual who does not share these concerns, would somehow sit on the religious liberties commission. My testimony did not include Israel, did not mention Israel, and is divorced from the situation in Israel and Gaza. To have a commissioner focus exclusively on an issue that does not impact Christian Americans and Jewish Americans, underscores her need to be removed from this commission.&#8221;



He continued, contrasting Boller with her colleagues: &#8220;I applaud all the other Commissioners for their serious devotion and commitment to advancing religious freedom and liberties in America and their good work should not be tarnished by this one inflammatory individual. To be clear, as I mentioned numerous times throughout the hearing, hate speech is free speech. There is no legal distinction. What we concern ourselves with is the violation of law, something the commissioner was not interested in discussing.&#8221;



During the hearing, Kestenbaum outlined a robust defense of free speech, arguing that the crisis on American campuses is not about offensive words, but about conduct and institutional double standards. &#8220;You can hate Jews or not,&#8221; Kestenbaum told the commission. &#8220;Hate Jews. Think they control the banks, think they have horns. Go for it. What I do mind is when people violate the law, and that&#8217;s why this commission is so important.&#8221;



He emphasized that the government&#8217;s role is not to police thought, but to ensure equal protection. &#8220;Whatever the violation of law is &#8211; whether against Jewish students, Muslim students, or Christian students &#8211; that is when it becomes a federal issue,&#8221; he said.



Kestenbaum reserved his harshest criticism for university administrators, specifically citing Harvard University’s record. He pointed to a double standard where universities strictly punish &#8220;microaggressions&#8221; like &#8220;fatphobia&#8221; or &#8220;sizeism&#8221; but permit open antisemitism under the guise of free speech.



&#8220;I find it remarkable that the attacks on American Jews&#8230; have been that we&#8217;re trying to silence free speech,&#8221; Kestenbaum testified. &#8220;I cannot point to a single Jewish student on a single American campus who drew swastikas at the Muslim Student Association, who threw rocks through dorm buildings, who pitched encampments in the middle of the quad and disrupted lectures.&#8221;



He noted that Harvard was ranked dead last in free speech by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). &#8220;This is an institution that when you enroll as a freshman, you have mandatory training where you are told that fatphobia&#8230; and ableism are grounds for discipline,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The only time they suddenly had an interest [in free speech] was when Claudine Gay randomly said that she wished she could protect American Jewish students.&#8221;



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Beyond the legal arguments, Kestenbaum warned of the cultural impact of conspiracy theories on young Americans. He described antisemitism as a &#8220;cancer&#8221; for Gen Z.



&#8220;If young people&#8230; truly believe that &#8216;I will never get ahead in life&#8230; because of the Jews,&#8217; then they will tap out of society,&#8221; Kestenbaum explained. &#8220;They will give up their role in building a better life for themselves and for their community&#8230; That&#8217;s why I care so much about antisemitism. It&#8217;s not merely a Jewish problem. It is a profoundly and uniquely American problem.&#8221;



Other witnesses who testified on antisemitism included Leo Terrell, Chair of the DOJ Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.



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The hearing also saw Boller defend conservative commentators Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, whom she claimed were unfairly labeled as antisemites. When Seth Dillon, CEO of the Babylon Bee, described the pair as &#8220;the two most famous antisemites,&#8221; Boller pushed back, stating, &#8220;She’s not an antisemite. She just doesn’t support Zionism.&#8221;



Other witnesses expressed confusion over Boller’s line of questioning. Rabbi Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, was challenged by Boller on Islamophobia after he argued that denying Israel&#8217;s right to exist as a Jewish state is antisemitic. Berman later told JNS that the exchange was &#8220;silly to focus on&#8221; and distracted from the need to &#8220;incentivize universities to teach American values.&#8221;



As the hearing concluded, a coalition of religious groups filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration and the commission, alleging that the body lacks ideological diversity and excludes non-Christians.



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‘Unconscionable’: Kestenbaum Calls for Removal of Trump Appointee After Heated Clash at Religious Liberty Hearing

Carrie Prejean Boller, a conservative activist and former model, has been fired from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission following a contentious hearing on Monday in which she clashed with witnesses regarding the war in Gaza and defended antisemites.



The decision to remove Boller was announced by the Commission’s Chairman, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who stated on Wednesday that Boller had effectively derailed the proceedings.



“Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from President Trump&#8217;s Religious Liberty Commission,” Patrick said in a statement. “No member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue. This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America.”



The dismissal follows a chaotic session at the Museum of the Bible, intended to address domestic religious discrimination. During the hearing, Boller repeatedly pivoted the questioning away from civil rights issues in the U.S. to focus on the conduct of the State of Israel.



Tensions peaked when Boller interrogated Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Jewish activist and Harvard graduate who had testified about the harassment of Jewish students on American university campuses. Disregarding the topic of domestic civil rights, Boller pressed Kestenbaum on foreign policy.



“Since we’ve mentioned Israel a total of 17 times, are you willing to condemn what Israel has done in Gaza?” Boller asked.



Kestenbaum rejected the premise, replying, “The only genocide ever carried out was on October 7, when Hamas tried killing every man, woman, and child they could possibly find.”



While speaking with Belaaz on Tuesday, Kestenbaum called for Boller&#8217;s removal.



Boller also used her time to defend antisemitic commentators Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson. When Seth Dillon, CEO of the Babylon Bee, referred to the pair as &#8220;the two most famous antisemites,&#8221; Boller pushed back, asserting that Owens, who speaks often about Jews running the world and other classic antisemitic conspiracy theories is, “not an antisemite. She just doesn’t support Zionism.”



Following the hearing, Kestenbaum told Belaaz it was &#8220;unconscionable&#8221; for a commissioner to focus exclusively on foreign grievances rather than the protection of American citizens.



After news of Boller&#8217;s removal was publicized, Kestenbaum, in a statement to Belaaz, reiterated his position that his testimony was not related to the Middle East, and was focused on religious liberty of all Americans, adding &#8220;Any commissioner who does not believe in those values and instead chooses to focus on Middle East is welcomed to start their own commission. 



Kestenbaum quipped: &#8220;And I wish the commissioner much luck as the next guest on Candace Owens&#8217; podcast.&#8221;



Boller took to social media on Tuesday to claim she was being targeted for her religion rather than her conduct. Boller, who converted to Catholicism in April, wrote, “Can you even imagine this? A Religious Liberty Commission prepared to fire a commissioner for her Catholic faith? If that happens, it proves their mission was never religious liberty, but a Zionist agenda.”



However, Catholic leadership firmly rejected her framing. Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League, issued a scathing rebuke of Boller’s behavior and claims to representation.



“The Religious Liberty Commission should have nothing to do with those who are publicly undermining its mission, nor should it become a platform for those who want to exploit it as a vehicle to further their own agenda,” Donohue said. “Trump should kick Carrie Prejean Boller off immediately.”



Chairman Patrick confirmed that the Commission will continue its work without Boller, with two more hearings scheduled before they deliver a comprehensive report to the President in the spring. &#8220;The President respects all faiths,&#8221; Patrick noted. &#8220;Fighting for the Word of God and religious freedom is what this nation was founded upon.&#8221;

Trump Appointee Removed from Religious Liberty Commission Following Clash Over Israel and Antisemitism

Federal investigators have released photos of a masked individual, believed to be armed, as the search intensifies for news anchor Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother.



Authorities are trying to identify the person captured in the images, 10 days after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her residence.



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Speaking Monday, Savannah Guthrie said her family remains convinced her mother is alive, issuing a renewed plea for public assistance.



Nancy Guthrie disappeared overnight from her Tucson, Arizona home and was last seen on 31 January. Investigators believe she was taken by force.



“As of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie&#8217;s front door the morning of her disappearance,&#8221; FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement on X.



He explained that teams had been working to restore surveillance footage from the home that “may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors &#8211; including the removal of recording devices”.



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The images represent the first significant development in a case that has drawn national attention for more than a week.



As of Monday, police reported no identified suspects or vehicles linked to the disappearance, the same day Savannah Guthrie released a new video plea urging anyone with information to come forward.



&#8220;We believe our mum is still out there,&#8221; she said in a video posted to Instagram. &#8220;We need your help.&#8221;



A second supposed ransom deadline expired Monday evening, following claims that the abductors had demanded $6 million in Bitcoin through media channels. The missed deadline has led many to question whether the kidnapping narrative is accurate.



Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino told Fox that the ransom plot remains one possibility but noted there are other plausible scenarios.“The second possibility would be this was just a crime that went awry. Someone is at the house. Maybe it was a burglary,” he said. “Something went bad, and that you’ve got some bad actors committing another crime, unrelated in other words, requesting a ransom for something you didn’t do just to take advantage of a situation like this.”



The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information.



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FBI Releases Intruder Footage as Search for Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Continues Into 2nd Week

Israeli media reported Monday that one of the four terrorists killed earlier in the day after emerging from an underground tunnel shaft in eastern Rafah was Anas Issa a-Nashar, the son of Issa a-Nashar, one of Hamas’ founders.



According to the reports, the man’s mother was a senior figure in Hamas’ women’s movement. One of his brothers was killed in 2006, and another brother &#8211; along with that brother’s entire family &#8211; died during the war. Officials also noted that he was the nephew of Abu Ahmed al-Bawab, the East Rafah Battalion commander who was killed in early 2025.



Earlier today, as part of the IDF’s continued operation to clear Rafah of terrorists and militant infrastructure, troops identified four additional gunmen emerging from a tunnel opening. The terrorists opened fire on forces from Brigade 7, who returned fire and eliminated all four.



B&#8217;chasdei Hashem, there were no IDF casualties.

Son of Hamas Founder Killed After Emerging From Rafah Tunnel Shaft

As Israel continues to reject any Turkish role in Gaza’s reconstruction or administration &#8211; and with US President Donald Trump preparing to set a deadline for Hamas to disarm &#8211; a coordinated diplomatic effort has quietly gathered momentum in recent weeks, according to a Sunday report in the Jerusalem Post. The initiative appears to significantly deepen Turkey’s involvement in Palestinian affairs, directly challenging Israel’s position that denies Hamas any political legitimacy or place in future arrangements.



The first stage of this effort became visible through official announcements from Ankara. On January 25–26, Turkey’s foreign minister and deputy foreign minister held meetings with senior Hamas leaders, including the head of the group’s Shura Council and members of its political bureau. These talks, openly reported by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, were widely seen as a clear policy signal rather than routine diplomatic outreach; especially given the October 7 attacks and the ongoing war in Gaza.



Just days later, on February 6, the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem publicized a series of high-level meetings with Palestinian Authority officials. These included discussions with the PA’s vice president, senior Fatah leaders, and key figures involved in planning Gaza’s postwar governance.



According to statements from the consulate and the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the agenda focused on “intra-Palestinian reconciliation,” “the next stage of the political process,” and “comprehensive political arrangements.”



When these interactions are viewed together, they suggest a cohesive strategy: Turkey is working to promote a framework in which Hamas would be formally recognized and incorporated into future Palestinian political structures, including governing bodies in Gaza. Within this effort, the Turkish consul general in Jerusalem appears to be applying pressure on the Palestinian Authority to accept Hamas as a legitimate partner, using terms like “national unity” and “reconciliation” to obscure Hamas’s continued status as an active terrorist organization.



Turkey’s broader posture fits into a neo-Ottoman vision that sees Jerusalem as a central strategic arena. In practice, the Turkish consulate has taken on a political role that bypasses Israel entirely, effectively operating from within the city while advancing Ankara’s regional agenda.



For Israel, this development is deeply concerning. Any move toward integrating Hamas into Gaza’s governance or into the Palestinian Authority contradicts Israel’s core security policy and its refusal to legitimize a group responsible for massacres, kidnappings, and persistent rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. Turkey’s advancing this agenda from inside Jerusalem only underscores how far Ankara’s approach has diverged from Israel’s security priorities.



Ran Yishai, head of research at the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy, warned that “this is a move of diplomatic subversion and a grave risk to Israel.” He said Turkey is openly engaging Hamas’s leadership and leveraging its presence in Jerusalem to push for Hamas’s inclusion in future arrangements. “This is not diplomacy, but hostile interference aimed at preserving Hamas and the threat to Israel,” he said. He argued that “the obvious Israeli conclusion is clear, there is no place for a Turkish consulate in Jerusalem in its current format.”



Alongside Turkey’s diplomatic maneuvering, a troubling security issue surfaced this week. Israel Police released images of weapons seized from a terror cell in Jerusalem — firearms bearing Turkish manufacturer markings and serial numbers. An open-source analysis of the details visible in the police images suggests the weapons originated in Turkey. Such firearms are not legally sold in Israel and do not appear on the civilian market, strongly indicating they were smuggled into the country.



The presence of Turkish-manufactured weapons in Jerusalem’s terror networks adds a new dimension to Ankara’s political pressure campaign. As Turkey pushes for Hamas’s integration into Palestinian governance, weapons linked to Turkey are showing up in violent activity on the ground.



Yishai, who previously served as director general of the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and as a Foreign Ministry ambassador, concluded that the accumulated diplomatic and security evidence “requires a renewed examination of the activity of the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem and its actual role—not only as a diplomatic mission, but as an active political player shaping reality on the ground, to Israel’s detriment.”

Turkey Expands Push to Shape Gaza’s ‘Day After,’ Pressing for Hamas Role in Future Governance

The IDF has acknowledged that a Charedi detainee held in a military prison was prevented from putting on tefillin. The army apologized, labeling the incident a grave error and emphasizing that it was “a highly unusual case.”



The detainee, Rabbi Avraham Ben Dayan, married only a few months and a talmid of the Maor Talmud yeshiva, was staying in Tifrach for Shabbos when traffic police stopped him. He was then transferred to the Ofakim police station, which handed him over to the Military Police later that night.



His wife, Esti Ben David, recounted the ordeal on Kol Berama: “My husband was traveling with his mother, police officers stopped them for a routine check, and the policewoman told them that he came with them to Sde Teiman (prison). I went there, no one knew what to tell me about him. They told me that he was on his way to Ofakim, and then a soldier called me and told me that he was in the city of the battalion. They lied to us all night. They took him and didn&#8217;t let me talk to him.”



She described being sent from place to place with no answers: “They ran us from place to place all night, as if it were a terrorist. My husband received two warrants in total, he studies Torah day and night… We couldn&#8217;t breathe, we didn&#8217;t have time.”



She said he also told her he had been denied the ability to don tefillin. “At five in the afternoon, before the trial, they let him talk to me for a minute. He was broken and told me that they wouldn&#8217;t let him put on tefillin. He was done for, really broken and shattered. In a Jewish state, not letting him put on tefillin? What is he, a criminal? It&#8217;s shameful and disgraceful.”



In its response, the IDF explained that the detainee had been held overnight after being transferred from police custody. “Upon his arrival at the military prison in the afternoon, he asked the reception staff to put on tefillin and was told that he would be given the opportunity upon his arrival at the detention unit. However, due to an unexpected delay in his reception… the detainee ultimately did not have time to put on tefillin.”



The military admitted the incident should never have occurred: “This is a highly unusual case, which does not conform to army orders.” The IDF expressed regret for the emotional harm caused, announced that prison procedures have been tightened immediately, and said commanders will conduct a full investigation to ensure no similar incidents occur in the future.



They added that the detainee is currently held in a facility the army says is equipped for his religious needs.

IDF Confirms Detainee Was Blocked From Putting On Tefillin, Calls Incident a Serious Breach

New York City plunged into temperatures colder than parts of Antarctica on Sunday as vicious, life-threatening winds battered the Northeast and New England throughout the weekend.



The temperature 3 degrees in NYC, while cutting winds pushed the real-feel freeze to a brutal 14 degrees below zero. In several areas across the Northeast, wind chills sank as low as minus 40.



The National Weather Service issued Rare Extreme Cold Warnings for over 43 million people &#8211; including residents in major cities such as NYC and Philadelphia &#8211; remaining in effect through Sunday evening.



“The last time [New York City] had a warning issued similar to what we have this morning was in 2004,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan said Friday.



Across the globe, Antarctica felt significantly warmer by comparison. McMurdo Station recorded a surprisingly mild 21 degrees, making it 18 degrees warmer than the frozen streets of New York.



This brutal cold snap is being driven by a surge of Arctic air plunging southward from the frigid region north of Hudson Bay, Canada.



AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin described the severity of the cold streak: “In many parts of the Northeast away from the coast, this prolonged stretch of cold is the most extreme in at least the last decade and, in some areas, the last two decades.” He added that “many locations will end up with a streak of days below freezing that falls into the top 10 longest such streaks on record.”



This weekend is expected to mark the coldest point in what has already become the region’s most severe cold spell in more than 20 years.



Even as conditions worsen, the city continues to grapple with rising deaths tied to the cold. At least 17 people have died outdoors in New York City this year, with 13 confirmed to have succumbed to hypothermia.



Yet Mayor Mamdani has remained firm in his refusal to mandate that unhoused individuals be moved off the streets and into city shelters — despite mounting fatalities.



Warming shelters, however, have opened across other major East Coast cities, including Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Boston, where Mayor Michelle Wu declared a cold weather emergency lasting through Monday.



AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter warned that “the deep freeze is returning to the northeastern United States this weekend.” He emphasized that “the combination of Arctic air and gusty winds could make it feel colder than any other point so far this winter for many in the region.”

Brutal Arctic Blast Sends NYC Temperatures Plummeting Below Antarctica

A new Media Research Center (MRC) study shows Apple News has been overwhelmingly promoting articles from left-leaning outlets while largely excluding conservative sources. The watchdog analyzed 620 stories featured during high-traffic morning slots in January 2026, finding 440 came from left-leaning outlets and 180 from centrist sources, while right-leaning outlets, including the New York Post and Fox News, received zero coverage.



MRC noted that in January, Apple News ran 72 Washington Post stories, 54 from the Associated Press, 50 from NBC News, 34 from The Guardian, and 25 from NPR. Fifty-four Wall Street Journal articles were used, but while its editorial board leans conservative, its news coverage varies. No articles from outright conservative media were used. Researchers relied on AllSides’ media bias ratings, which use a multi-partisan panel and surveys of ordinary Americans to assess bias. Julie Mastrine, director of AllSides’ system, told the NY Post she was “not surprised at all” by the findings and warned that Americans relying on Big Tech for news are not getting balanced coverage.



Apple responded to the Post, stating its News app “provides access to news spanning a wide range of topics from more than 3,000 publications including the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Bloomberg, USA Today, Washington Examiner, New York Post, CBS News, local outlets, and more.” The company emphasized that users can customize their feeds by following or blocking publications or topics.



MRC reported Apple News had gone 96 consecutive days without featuring a conservative story in its top stories as of Monday, last running a right-leaning article on Nov. 5, 2025. MRC also claimed the app’s feed focused negatively on President Trump’s foreign and immigration policies, selecting “provocative headlines that raised doubts” about his actions.



Dan Schneider of MRC told the Post, “Swipe right and you’re inundated with Apple’s cherry-picked news stories. Most people don’t even know they are being fed a steady stream of leftist narratives.” The study follows a 2023 AllSides ranking that found Apple News among the most left-leaning news aggregators, surpassed only by Yahoo News and Bing News.



MRC tracked the top stories from AllSides-rated outlets at set morning times, including 30 sports articles from The Athletic and 27 pieces of original Apple content, mostly links to the “Apple News Today” podcast. Schneider called the bias “a subliminal form of propaganda, paid for with corporate dollars but without campaign finance disclosures” and said it “could be illegal.”



The findings come as federal regulators, including FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, review potential media bias and tech censorship, including probes into politically motivated ad practices and fairness requirements for broadcast coverage.

Study Finds Apple News Heavily Promotes Left-Leaning Outlets, Shutting Out Conservatives

Israeli outlets reported that fighter jets were dispatched on Sunday to accompany a Wizz Air flight traveling from London Luton to Ben-Gurion Airport after a suspected security issue emerged mid-flight.



N12 News said the alarm was raised when a passenger onboard received a strange message that sparked fears of a possible attempt to threaten the aircraft.



Authorities later assessed that the same passenger may have renamed a WiFi account to &#8220;terrorist&#8221; and sent threatening messages to others on the plane, according to N12.



The Israel Airports Authority announced that the suspected threat was ultimately dismissed, and the aircraft completed its landing at Ben-Gurion Airport without injuries or damage.



Footage circulating on social media appeared to show Israel Police officers waiting on the tarmac as passengers arrived.

Wizz Air Flight Escorted by Army Jets After Passenger Lists ‘Terrorist’ as WiFi Name

The Big Apple is finally poised to begin thawing; even if only slightly.



Temperatures are expected to start rising on Tuesday, but not before New Yorkers endure one last night of punishing, bone-chilling cold, according to forecasters.



For the first time in weeks, New York City is projected to reach the 40s on Wednesday.



“The next 24 hours is trending to warm temperatures,” Chad Merrill, a meteorologist at AccuWeather, told The Post. “The coldest weather of the season is departing as we speak.”



Wednesday is expected to be the warmest day of the week, topping out at 41 degrees before dipping to 34 on Thursday and 35 on Friday.



Forecasters say the city should see highs in the 40s through much of the following week.



The gradual warmup marks a sharp shift from the paralyzing conditions over the weekend, when temperatures plunged to 3 degrees and fierce winds drove the real-feel reading to 14 below zero.



The outdoor death toll from the historic freeze climbed to 18 after a person was found dead on a Bronx street Saturday morning, City Hall officials said Monday.



Meanwhile, hundreds of Brooklyn residents were left without power until early Monday following a widespread outage that struck at the height of the record-shattering cold snap.

NYC Set for Long-Awaited Warmup After Brutal Deep Freeze

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Friday that the first phase of Operation SafeDRIVE removed nearly 2,000 unqualified commercial truck drivers and vehicles from roads across 26 states and Washington D.C. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration led inspections, a total of 8,215, placed 704 drivers out of service, including 500 for failing English proficiency rules and sidelined 1,231 unsafe vehicles. 56 arrests were carried out for DUI or immigration violations. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hailed it as a safety win under the Trump administration&#8217;s push for qualified drivers.

Nearly 2,000 Unfit Truckers Removed from U.S. Roads

It is with a heavy heart that Belaaz shares the news of the Petirah of&nbsp;Hagon Hatzaddik Rav Aviezer Osher Zelig Shapira Zt&#8221;l, the Mashgiach of Yeshivat&nbsp;Kol Torah L&#8217;Tzeirim&nbsp;in Yerushalayim. He was 81 years old.



The Mashgiach had faced health challenges over the past few months, with his condition seeing various ups and downs. After a period of hospitalization, he had miraculously shown signs of recovery and was even able to return to the Yeshiva to continue his dedicated work for the Talmidim.



Unfortunately, his health took a turn for the worse over the last few days. He was niftar early Wednesday morning at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Yerushalayim, leaving his family and thousands of&nbsp;talmidim&nbsp;in deep mourning.



Harav Aviezer, zt”l, was born in Kfar Chassidim on 2 Adar, to his father, Harav Shlomo Aharon Shapira, zt”l, and his mother, Rebbetzin Rachel, a”h.In his youth, he studied at Yeshivas Kol Torah and later ascended in Torah and yiras Shamayim at the Chevron Yeshivah, where he basked in the presence of its illustrious Roshei Yeshivah.



Upon reaching marriageable age, he established his home with the daughter of Harav Meir Ephraim Winkler, zt”l, who served as the Rav of the Machzikei Hadas community in Copenhagen and later as a Rav in Yeshivas Torah Ohr in Yerushalayim. His father-in-law was the son of Harav Michael Shalom Winkler, zt”l, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Europe. 



In 5713 (1953), the niftar was appointed as Rav of the “Or Chaim” Beis Medrash in the Geulah neighborhood, which had been established by his grandfather’s cousin, the Gaon Harav Avraham Yaakov Shapira, zt”l. He served as the Admor of the Drohovitch Chassidus, continuing the legacy of the dynasty’s founder, Harav Chaim Meir Yechiel Shapira, zt”l.



His grandfather, Harav Aviezer Zelig Shapira, zt”l, was the son of the Rebbe of Gwoździec (Gwadzic), Harav Yitzchak Mordechai Shapira, zt”l, and the son-in-law of the founder of the Drohovitch dynasty. Harav Shapira was a descendant of the Kozhnitz dynasty through his paternal line and the Ruzhin dynasty through his maternal line.



In 5738 (1978), he was appointed Mashgiach of Yeshivas Kol Torah L’Tzeirim. For decades, he served as the spiritual pillar of the Bayit Vegan Yeshivah, renowned as one of the premier Yeshivos Ketanos in Yerushalayim. He guided thousands of bachurim over the years.Harav Aviezer was the living spirit of the Yeshivah, both in welcoming new talmidim and in setting the spiritual tone of the bais medrash. The talmidim felt a deep bond with him, and he reciprocated their love with a glowing countenance.



Known for his fervent avodas Hashem, he would visit the Kosel every night. He was one of the founders of the custom to recite Nishmas Kol Chai at the Kosel at chatzos (midnight), a practice that has since been adopted as a segulah throughout the Jewish world.



Harav Shapira also served as head of the Chevra Kadisha Chassidim in Yerushalayim and was a member of the administration of Kollel Chibas Yerushalayim and Kupas Hadar Esther.



He leaves behind sons, daughters, and descendants following in his path. Among his sons is Harav Menachem Shapira, a prominent askan and Deputy Mayor of Bnei Brak, who was exceptionally devoted to his father.



The levayah will take place today in Yerushalayim.



Yehi zichro baruch.

BDE: Hagon Rav Aviezer Shapira zt”l, Mashgiach of Kol Torah L’Tzeirim

Security forces prevented a car-ramming and stabbing attack near the Hizma checkpoint, located on the outskirts of Jerusalem, authorities said Wednesday. The suspect, a 50-year-old resident of Qalandia, was apprehended as part of an investigation carried out by the Jerusalem District Central Unit.



The man was detained nine days earlier following a collision at an entrance to Jerusalem. When police searched his vehicle, they discovered several knives along with military-style clothing linked to a terrorist organization.



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Investigators say the suspect had spent months preparing a combined attack involving both vehicle-ramming and stabbing at the Hizma checkpoint. According to the probe, he outfitted his vehicle with forged license plates and stocked it with knives on the day he intended to act, but the traffic accident disrupted his plan and led to his capture.



Police also arrested the suspect’s son after officers searching the family home found incitement materials, Hamas flags, headbands associated with terror groups, and photographs of terrorists. The son is now under investigation for holding items intended to facilitate a terror attack, and his detention has been extended.

Terror Plot Foiled at Hizma Checkpoint

After nearly a month on the picket lines, the largest nurse strike New York City has witnessed in decades has reached a turning point. Two of the three major hospital systems involved have negotiated tentative agreements with their nurses.



According to the New York State Nurses Association, roughly 10,500 nurses across Montefiore, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Mount Sinai Morningside and West achieved preliminary contract deals late Sunday and early Monday.



“For four weeks, nearly 15,000 NYSNA members held the line in the cold and in the snow for safe patient care,&#8221; NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN said in a statement. &#8220;Now, nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai systems are heading back to the bedside with our heads held high after winning fair tentative contracts that maintain enforceable safe staffing ratios, improve protections from workplace violence, and maintain health benefits with no additional out-of-pocket costs for frontline nurses.”



A spokesperson for Montefiore confirmed the deal, noting that nurses must vote to ratify it by Wednesday.



The proposed three-year contracts, the union said, include:



Hiring additional nurses to strengthen patient care and uphold enforceable staffing standards



Preserving current health benefits



Strengthened protections against workplace violence



Specific protections for immigrant and patients and staff who identify with the toeva community.



Guardrails against the use of AI in clinical decisions, a first for nurse contracts



Salary increases totaling more than 12% over the contract term



Nurses at the Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospital systems began voting on the agreements today, the union added.



If ratified, nurses are expected to return to their posts on Saturday.



The sole major hospital system still without a tentative agreement is NewYork-Presbyterian.



Despite frigid winter weather, the determination of the 15,000 striking nurses has remained strong as they push for higher pay, improved benefits, enforceable safe staffing, and better protections from workplace violence.



Since the strike began on Jan. 12, union leaders have held repeated bargaining sessions with Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and NewYork-Presbyterian.



Union officials argue the hospitals are trying to reduce nurses’ benefits, while the hospitals contend they’ve offered to maintain employer-funded plans that exceed typical private-sector offerings.



The union also disputed the hospitals’ claim that nurses earn an average of $163,000 annually while seeking a 25% pay raise.



Hospitals have insisted their operations continue largely as usual despite the strike, though some elective procedures have been postponed. Administrators say they have hired thousands of temporary nurses and have committed financial resources to support them.



NewYork-Presbyterian argued that agreeing to the union’s contract demands would be “unreasonable,” citing significant federal cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, along with rising operational costs.



The strike drew notable political support earlier in the week. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Sen. Sen. Bernie Sanders joined nurses at Mount Sinai West, urging hospital executives to return to the negotiating table.



“The people of this country are sick and tired of the greed in this health care industry,&#8221; Sanders said as he criticized the multimillion-dollar pay packages of the CEOs leading the hospital systems.



“Now is your time of need, when we can assure that this is a city you don&#8217;t just work in, but a city you can also live in,&#8221; Mamdani added.

Major Breakthrough: NYC Nurses Secure Tentative Deals at Two Hospital Systems as Strike Partially Ends

Efforts to strip Hamas terrorists of their military capabilities in Gaza are moving forward as planned, despite continued tensions surrounding the ceasefire, a senior figure involved in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative told Ynet Wednesday.



The official emphasized that the truce remains intact and that several major milestones have already been reached, including the release of hostages, the reopening and functioning of the Rafah crossing, and the formation of a technocratic administrative committee expected to enter Gaza soon. The next stage, the official said, is finalizing the framework for disarming Hamas terrorists, with the process slated to begin in March. Once that begins, the international stabilization force (ISF) is expected to expand its deployment.



Addressing a New York Times report suggesting the U.S. may allow Hamas terrorists to retain light weapons, the official clarified that disarmament will occur in phases, with small arms being the final category handled.



According to the official, Hamas terrorists have opposed giving up all weapons immediately, claiming rival clans in Gaza could attack their members if they disarm at once. Under the evolving plan, the sequence would begin with dismantling tunnels, followed by shutting down weapons factories, then eliminating rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, and lastly addressing small arms.



The official said the goal is to pursue a consensus-based approach to ensure the process is durable and efficient, noting that even the Israeli military has not eliminated all tunnels in areas where it has operated and that such work requires time.



Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally joined the Board of Peace during a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ahead of Netanyahu’s discussions with Trump at the White House. Netanyahu is not expected to attend the council’s inaugural session in Washington on February 19. Participating countries will determine their representation levels, and the gathering will include formal statements and fundraising discussions.



Meanwhile, Reuters reported that U.S. security contractor UG Solutions, formerly responsible for managing the American-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, is in talks with the Board of Peace regarding a potential future role in Gaza. The company confirmed it submitted proposals after reports it was recruiting Arabic-speaking security personnel. A source familiar with the initiative confirmed those discussions took place.



UG Solutions has faced criticism from the UN and aid organizations, which accused the group of incidents in which Palestinians were killed while seeking aid at its facilities. The company ended its operations in Gaza when the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas terrorists took effect in October.



Regarding the planned international stabilization force, the official said Indonesia is prepared to contribute up to 8,000 troops, and several other nations have agreed in principle to join. Many governments, however, want clear agreement on Hamas’ disarmament before deployment moves forward.



The official described the current moment as a phase of intensive coordination, with technocratic officials expected to enter Gaza shortly and preparations underway for a gradual, structured dismantling of Hamas’ terrorist military infrastructure.

U.S. Official Says Hamas Disarmament Effort Advancing, Small Arms Unclear

Nurses at three Mount Sinai facilities voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to ratify a new three-year contract, officially bringing an end to a nearly five-week strike that has gripped the city’s healthcare system.



The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced that union members at Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai West, and Mount Sinai Morningside approved the agreement by a wide margin. According to voting results released by the union for the Morningside and West campuses, 1,584 nurses voted in favor of the contract, with only 61 voting against.



Following the ratification, Mount Sinai Health System CEO Dr. Brendan Carr confirmed that the strike has concluded and outlined the timeline for resuming normal operations.



&#8220;I am pleased to share that our nurses&#8230; have voted overwhelmingly to ratify new three-year contracts, ending the nearly five-week strike by NYSNA and beginning the process of bringing our nurses back to work,&#8221; Dr. Carr wrote in a message to staff on Wednesday.



While the agreement signals the end of the work stoppage, the return to full staffing will be gradual. Nurses are scheduled to return to the bedside starting with the morning shift on Saturday, Feb. 14.



&#8220;It is important to understand that the return-to-work process will not be instantaneous and will evolve over the next several days,&#8221; Dr. Carr stated. In a statement to its members, NYSNA celebrated the ratification as a victory for the workforce after weeks on the picket line. &#8220;After all the long hours, the tireless energy you put into your picket line, the courage it took for you to walk out there to fight for what you deserve, we have finally made it to the finish line,&#8221; the union wrote.



The developments at Mount Sinai mark a major shift in the citywide labor dispute, though the situation remains fluid elsewhere. Results are still pending for the ratification vote involving nurses at Montefiore Medical Center. Meanwhile, voting is currently underway for nurses at New York-Presbyterian.



For the nurses at Mount Sinai, however, the focus now shifts to returning to the hospital floors this weekend.



&#8220;We can&#8217;t wait to see everyone back in action and kick off the weekend with great energy,&#8221; the union stated.

Mount Sinai Nurses Ratify Contract, Ending Five-Week Strike; Montefiore Results Pending

This morning, Monday, the IDF confirmed a rare overnight special forces ground raid deep inside southern Lebanon, capturing a senior al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya terrorist and bringing him into Israel for interrogation.



The operation took place overnight in the Mount Dov area, with Israeli forces entering a Lebanese village roughly 6 miles from the border, seizing the suspect alive inside his home and locating weapons at the site before withdrawing around 5 a.m.



Israeli officials said the decision to capture rather than kill the Sunni Islamist operative, linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and active against Israel throughout the war, was driven by his high intelligence value, with questioning expected to expose ongoing terror planning in Lebanon and Syria.



Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the operation, stating: &#8220;The abduction of the Lebanese citizen from his home by Israel constitutes a blatant assault on Lebanon&#8217;s sovereignty, a violation of the declared cessation of hostilities, and a breach of international law. I have instructed the Foreign Minister to take immediate action and address the matter with the United Nations.&#8221;

IDF Special Raid Deep in Lebanon Captures Senior Terrorist  Alive for Intelligence on Attacks in Israel

Two deceased people were found on separate NYC subway trains within hours of each other on Sunday, as the city faces subzero temperatures, according to the NY Post.



A 23-year-old man was discovered on the No. 7 train near 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue around 3:30 a.m. in Manhattan.



Later, a man in his 50s was found on a train at the 36th Street station in Brooklyn, with drug paraphernalia nearby.

Mamdani’s NYC: Double Fatality on Subway Trains During Deadly Winter Cold Snap

Thousands of female Chabad shluchos from 111 countries gathered Erev Shabbos outside the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters at 770 in Crown Heights, marking their annual international convention.



The event highlighted the role these women play in Jewish communal life, representing work in 6,000 communities and across a wide range of populations.



Organizers noted that three new families depart on shlichus each week. “The group photo of the shluchos represents the story of the Jewish people and the secret of our resilience,” said Rabbi Menachem Kotlarsky, director of the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Shluchim. “Each woman here leads her community — and we are speaking about thousands of communities and thousands of points of light touching the lives of countless Jews.”



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">THOUSANDS OF JEWISH WOMEN IN ONE PHOTO <a href="https://t.co/mtfwXHSd98">pic.twitter.com/mtfwXHSd98</a>&mdash; Chabad.org (@Chabad) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chabad/status/2019864815867437149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>

Thousands of Chabad Shluchos from 111 Countries Gather at 770 for Annual Kinnus

President Donald Trump is opposed to Israel annexing the Wesr Bank a White House official confirmed to Axios late Monday, signaling a potential point of friction as the Israeli cabinet moves to expand its authority in the territory.



The administration views the stability of the region as a critical component of Israeli security and broader regional peace efforts, the official says.



&#8220;A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region,&#8221; the White House official said.



The statement comes in response to a recent decision by the Israeli cabinet to expand control over the West Bank, including moves that would extend authority into Areas A and B. Under the Oslo Accords, these areas are designated to be under the full or partial control of the Palestinian Authority.



The White House&#8217;s stance underscores a desire to maintain the status quo in the West Bank to prevent further destabilization, even as the Israeli government pushes for greater jurisdiction over the disputed territories.

Report: Trump Administration Opposes Israeli Annexation of West Bank

President Donald Trump told Channel 12’s Barak Ravid Tuesday night (Israel time) that Iran “very much wants to reach a deal,” adding that the U.S. will either secure an agreement or “do something very tough.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="809" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-10-at-1.11.25-PM.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-23959" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-10-at-1.11.25-PM.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-10-at-1.11.25-PM-300x270.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-10-at-1.11.25-PM-768x690.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">President Trump outside the White House. Photo: White House</figcaption></figure>



The President said he is considering sending another aircraft carrier and additional forces to the region.



Trump also claimed that Prime Minister Netanyahu wants a deal as well, “a good deal.&#8221;

Trump Says Iran ‘Very Much Wants’ Nuclear Deal, Hints at More Forces if Talks Fail

Multiple people, at least three, have been shot and injured at a behavioral health center in Auburn, Washington at around 4:30 PM. 



The shooting suspect remains at large, authorities confirm.

Multiple Shot at Washington Behavioral Health Center

Panda Vegan Products, based in Israel, has issued an immediate recall of its 45g Pistachio Halva Snack after being alerted by a supplier that the pistachio puree used in the product contained unusually high levels of mycotoxins. The affected items include batches 364 and 365, with an expiration date of 08/30/2026, and customers are urged not to consume them.



The company is actively removing the product from store shelves in full coordination with the Ministry of Health, which warns that long-term exposure to elevated mycotoxin levels may pose health risks.

Israeli Vegan Brand Panda Recalls 45g Pistachio Halva Snack Over High Mycotoxin Levels in Pistachio Puree

Iran&#8217;s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani met with Houthi spokesman Mohammad Abdulsalam in Muscat, Oman, during his visit to the country on Tuesday.



The meeting occurred while Larijani held talks with Omani officials amid Oman-mediated indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States.



The meeting took place despite U.S. calls for Iran to halt support for its terror proxies, including the Houthis.

Iran’s SNSC Secretary Ali Larijani Meets Houthi Spokesman in Oman Despite US Calls to End Support for Terror Proxies

At least nine people were killed in a mass shooting at a high school and at a local residence in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed early Wednesday. 



Six victims were found inside the school, two at a nearby home, and one died on the way to hospital.



The person believed to be the shooter is also dead. Authorities have not established a motive at this time.

9 Killed in Canadian Mass Shooting, Gunman Dead

Colombian President Gustavo Petro says he survived an assassination attempt Monday night, stating he spent hours at sea to evade a plot targeting his helicopter.



Petro claimed he was forced to divert from a planned landing on the Caribbean coast due to credible threats of gunfire, noting his children were on board.



The president attributed the attempt to drug traffickers, suggesting the plot aimed to disrupt a meeting with Donald Trump. The incident comes ahead of the 2026 elections. Petro has previously criticized security forces for downplaying past threats, including the discovery of rocket launchers near the presidential palace and surface-to-air missiles intended for his aircraft.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro reports surviving assassination attempt

ARIZONA &#8211; The 5 PM $6 million ransom deadline for Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, has officially passed.



It remains unclear whether any payment has been made, and authorities have not confirmed the note’s authenticity as 100% coming from the actual kidnapper.



FBI in a statement after the ransom deadline: “The FBI is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers, nor have we identified a suspect or person of interest in this case at this time.” The FBI urged the public urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI with tips.



Moments before the deadline, Arizona&#8217;s Pima County Sheriff&#8217;s Department said in a statement that there are no press briefings scheduled at this time regarding Nancy Guthrie &#8211; &#8220;Should a significant development occur, a press conference will be called, &amp; media will be notified via email and our Sheriff.&#8221; In another post, the Department said: &#8220;Investigators have not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to Nancy Guthrie.&#8221; In an interview with Fox News&#8217; Sean Hannity, Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino laid out three concerning possibilities in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case, adding that the lack of early answers suggests either a calculated crime or that the initial story may not be fully true.



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇺🇸📺 &#8211; Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino laid out three possibilities in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case, adding that the lack of early answers suggests either a calculated crime or that the initial story may not be fully true.<a href="https://t.co/4zFBZvvyda">pic.twitter.com/4zFBZvvyda</a>&mdash; Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBelaaz/status/2021057341995835839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>



Bongino told Hannity: “I see three possibilities. The first is that this was obviously a kidnapping—an intended kidnapping for a ransom payment. The second possibility is that this was just a crime that went awry. Someone was at the house, maybe it was a burglary, something went bad, and you have some bad actors committing another crime by requesting a ransom for something they didn’t do, just to take advantage of a situation like this. The third possibility is that there may have been some kind of medical emergency or something, and maybe this was not a kidnapping. When you can’t find someone in a crime scene like this right away, within the first couple of days, you either have really good, surgical-type operators, or the story you’ve been told—or believed—might not be the story.”

BREAKING: $6M Ransom Deadline for Nancy Guthrie Has Officially Passed

Russia moved ahead to fully block WhatsApp in the country, Meta confirmed, aiming to push over 100 million users toward the Kremlin-promoted state-backed app MAX.



WhatsApp said in response: &#8220;Trying to isolate over 100M users from secure communication is a backwards step&#8230; We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.&#8221;



Kremlin’s spokesperson Peskov said: &#8221; Russia is open to dialogue and will unblock WhatsApp if Meta complies with Russian laws.

Russia Fully Blocks WhatsApp – Putin’s Bold Move to Force 97 Million Users Onto State Surveillance App

NEW YORK: Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado has ended his primary challenge against Governor Kathy Hochul, citing no viable path forward. His exit comes a week after naming India Walton as his running mate. 



Hochul’s campaign emphasized party unity, and polling had her leading Delgado by more than 50 points.



Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said ending the campaign was the right move but did not call for Delgado to resign.

Lt. Gov. Delgado Ends N.Y. Democratic Primary Challenge Against Hochul

Air Force One, carrying President Trump to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, safely returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland shortly after takeoff on Tuesday night, due to a &#8220;minor electrical issue,&#8221; the White House confirmed. 



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&#8220;Out of an abundance of caution,&#8221; the aircraft made a U-turn less than an hour into the flight. The President and passengers were seen offloading, with staffers deplaning bags, crew transferring boxes of fruit, wrapped sandwiches, beverages, and a dozen suitcases loaded onto a truck for transfer to another plane.



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MORE FROM BELAAZ

Air Force One Turns Back to Andrews Over Minor Electrical Issue; Trump to Continue Davos Trip on Backup Plane

Three Jewish men were pulled from the icy waters of Jamaica Bay on Friday after falling through thin ice in Far Rockaway, prompting a frantic rescue involving NYPD aviation and FDNY crews.



FDNY officials say the call came in around 4:15 p.m., reporting multiple people in the water near 13-10 Norton Drive.



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Witnesses said the three young men were walking across the frozen bay when the ice suddenly gave way, sending them plunging into the frigid water. &#8220;They&#8217;re all screaming help. They&#8217;re panicking,&#8221; said witness Thomas Castro.



Authorities confirmed the men, all 22 years old, had ventured onto the ice before an NYPD helicopter arrived to hoist them out. &#8220;I started screaming at them… I said listen calm down,&#8221; witness Aiden Gabourel said.



FDNY members reached the scene first, followed closely by the NYPD helicopter overhead.



Witnesses say one FDNY rescuer briefly fell in while trying to reach the victims but was able to climb out. An NYPD scuba team member also slipped into the water during the effort. Castro described the tense moment: &#8220;The first guy that came out of the helicopter actually needed to rescue himself… the line kinda detached itself.&#8221;



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Rescuers lifted the victims out one by one in a race against time. NYPD aviation footage captured the precision and urgency of the operation.



Officials said the third victim had stopped moving after nearly 40 minutes in the water. Gabourel recalled, &#8220;He looked like he was struggling more than the other ones… I just thought about hypothermia.&#8221;



Neighbors said the men had been walking on the ice repeatedly throughout the week, despite warnings. &#8220;All the neighbors tell them to stop. They don&#8217;t listen,&#8221; Castro said. Gabourel added, &#8220;Every day… I say look that&#8217;s not a good idea.&#8221;



Two victims were taken to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital and one to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. All were conscious and alert.



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NYPD Helicopter Saves Three Jewish Men After They Crash Through Jamaica Bay Ice

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed New York&#8217;s Medical Aid in Dying Act into law on Friday, finalizing a greatly contested measure that will allow terminally ill adults to obtain deadly medication despite fierce opposition from religious communities, disability advocates, and medical ethicists who warn the legislation contains dangerous loopholes and will lead to insurance companies refusing to fund life-saving care.



The governor signed the bill on the final day of her 30-day review period, making New York the 13th state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. The law will take effect in August.



The signing represents the culmination of efforts that began just days earlier, when the state legislature rushed through chapter amendments to address some of Governor Hochul&#8217;s concerns. The Assembly voted 83-62 in favor of the amendments on Wednesday, while the Senate approved them 34-28 – margins virtually identical to the original bill&#8217;s passage in June.



Critics argue the fundamental dangers of the legislation remain largely intact, with several provisions they describe as particularly troubling surviving the revision process.



Among the most contentious is a requirement forcing physicians to transfer patient medical records to doctors willing to perform assisted suicide, even when doing so violates their religious beliefs, and would, at a minimum, likely constitute a violation of the halacha of mesaya lidei ovrei aveirah, assisting one in violating the Torah..



Rabbi Dr. Aharon Glatt, a prominent physician in the Jewish community, expressed deep concerns about the bill&#8217;s practical implications in an interview earlier this week.



&#8220;I&#8217;m very concerned that people who might otherwise have had a chance to live will unfortunately select to die,&#8221; Rabbi Glatt said. He emphasized the critical distinction in Jewish law between passive and active interventions at the end of life. &#8220;To do something actively that is extinguishing life – that is not permitted.&#8221;



While Hochul&#8217;s amendments did add new restrictions – including mandating psychiatric evaluations and prohibiting witnesses from having financial interests in the patient&#8217;s death – opponents maintain these changes are woefully inadequate.



The amended legislation still contains numerous gaps that critics say could lead to abuse: witnesses&#8217; signatures are not verified for fraud, no video recording requirement was included despite earlier indications, no oversight process exists for pharmacists dispensing lethal medications, and there are no provisions to remove lethal medication from patients who develop dementia after receiving it.



Another aspect to the bill that legal experts find troubling is a severability clause that would allow courts to strike down individual safeguards while keeping the core assisted suicide provisions intact.



&#8220;Most of the loopholes from the original bill were never corrected,&#8221; one askan said, warning that any protections in the bill are &#8220;worthless in the long term.&#8221;



In a letter signed by prominent rabbis including the Kasho Rav and Rav Hillel Neuberger of Mount Kisco, Jewish leaders cited Torah prohibitions against suicide and invoked a chilling historical parallel.



&#8220;The Nazi Mercy-Killing Aktion T4 program directly led to the gassing of millions of Jews,&#8221; the letter warns. &#8220;Aktion T4 led directly to Operation Reinhard, which was the Nazi extermination camp operation encompassing Treblinka, Bełżec, and Sobibór.&#8221;



The rabbis noted that approximately 92 of 450 identified perpetrators within Operation Reinhard camps had previously been involved in the Aktion T4 euthanasia program. &#8220;Aktion T4 was also sold by &#8216;compassion,&#8217; &#8216;consent,&#8217; and &#8216;safeguards,'&#8221; they wrote.



National Right to Life also strongly condemned Hochul&#8217;s signing, with president Carol Tobias stating: &#8220;New York has chosen to redefine suicide as a medical treatment, sending a chilling message to people who are sick, disabled, or struggling that their lives are less worth protecting.&#8221;



Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox called Hochul&#8217;s decision &#8220;a profound moral failure.&#8221;



Hochul, a self-described practicing Catholic whose mother died from ALS, has described the decision as one of the most difficult of her tenure. In December, she wrote that she had come to see the issue &#8220;as a matter of individual choice that does not have to be about shortening life but rather about shortening dying.&#8221;



At the time, Hochul stated she had to be &#8220;very careful&#8221; not to allow her &#8220;own circumstances and life influences &#8230; to color my decision making when I&#8217;m making a decision not for myself but for 20 million New Yorkers.&#8221;



Under the new law, mentally competent, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live can request life-ending medication. The request must be in writing, signed by two witnesses, and approved by both an attending physician and a consulting physician. The amendments added requirements for psychiatric evaluation in certain cases.



Rabbi Glatt urged community members facing end-of-life decisions to exercise extreme caution and seek proper rabbinic guidance before making any irreversible medical decisions.



&#8220;It may be that sometimes people might be offered by well-meaning and good-intentioned physicians things that are contrary to Jewish law,&#8221; he said. &#8220;People should make sure that they discuss these things with their rabbi before they arrive at any decisions that, unfortunately, are irreversible.&#8221;



The bill&#8217;s sponsor in the Assembly is Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, head of the Codes Committee, also supporting the legislation.

Hochul Signs Assisted Suicide Bill Into Law Despite Religious Opposition and Patient Safety Concerns

Law enforcement officers clashed with hundreds of demonstrators Motzoei Shabbos outside the city of Ofakim. The unrest, which saw police deploy stun grenades and arrest three individuals, was sparked by the earlier detention of an avreich by military authorities.



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The protests were sparked by the arrest of Rabbi Avraham Ben Dayan, a resident of Netivot who got married two months ago. He learns in Yeshivas Maor Talmud, and was initially stopped by traffic police in the town of Tifrach over Shabbos.



According to available details regarding the chain of custody, he was first processed at the Ofakim police station following his traffic stop. He was subsequently transferred to the custody of the Military Police at the Bachdim training complex and is reportedly scheduled for transfer to Prison 10.



As news of the detention spread, a large crowd gathered at the intersection of Highway 241 leading into Ofakim. The situation quickly escalated as protesters barricaded the road, creating severe traffic jams in the surrounding area. Police intervention to clear the blockade involved the use of crowd-control measures, including stun grenades.



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Israeli news outlets reported that three participants were arrested during the dispersal efforts.



A statement from the Southern District Police confirmed that forces were deployed to the junction to reopen the roads and suppress the disturbance.



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Confrontations Erupt Near Ofakim After Military Police Arrest Kollel Yungerman

The United States is preparing to host the inaugural working meeting of the Board of Peace on February 19 in Washington, according to two Arab diplomats who spoke with The Times of Israel.



Invitations were sent Friday afternoon to the 26 countries represented on the panel, the diplomats confirmed, aligning with earlier reporting from Axios.



The planned date coincides with the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a timing that may complicate travel plans for several Muslim leaders.



The Board of Peace was formally introduced last month during a signing event held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.



Despite a broad invitation list, fewer than two dozen countries took part in the ceremony amid concerns over the initiative’s charter, which some view as an attempt to sideline the United Nations, and due to tensions between Washington and several Western capitals over Greenland.



US officials have since worked to reassure allies that the Board’s immediate focus will be limited to Gaza, following a UN Security Council resolution granting the panel authority to oversee postwar administration of the Strip for the next two years.



The February 19 meeting will serve as a fundraising conference for the initiative, which is expected to require several billion dollars to begin operations.



Uncertainty remains over the level of international participation, as many governments doubt whether Hamas will ultimately disarm and whether Israel will commit to further military withdrawal from Gaza.



While mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey have spent months discussing potential disarmament frameworks with Hamas, no official proposal has yet been submitted to the group.



The mediators’ current concept envisions a staged disarmament, beginning with heavier weaponry and offering financial incentives, employment, and amnesty to those who surrender arms; a process that could take months. One Arab diplomat noted that Israel is unlikely to support such a prolonged approach.



Compounding challenges, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza &#8211; the entity meant to assume governance from Hamas &#8211; has still not entered the Strip despite being established last month.



Board of Peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov has been working to assemble a humanitarian relief package that would give the committee the legitimacy and capacity needed to enter Gaza, the diplomats said.



However, he has struggled to gain Israeli cooperation, as Jerusalem insists that only life-saving supplies reach areas where Hamas remains active; regions where nearly all of Gaza’s two million residents currently live.



Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to be in Washington from February 18 to 22, overlapping with the Board of Peace meeting.



Netanyahu missed the Davos signing ceremony due to an outstanding international arrest warrant.



Although he has voiced opposition to the Trump administration’s appointment of Qatar and Turkey to the Board of Peace’s Gaza Executive Board, the diplomats suggested he will likely feel compelled to attend the Washington meeting, as skipping it while already in the city would be perceived as a diplomatic affront to the US president.



US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu are expected to meet at the White House the day before the Board of Peace session, according to one diplomat familiar with the planning.

US to Convene First Board of Peace Session on February 19

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington this Wednesday, the Prime Minister&#8217;s office said Saturday night.



The agenda for their discussions is expected to center on the ongoing negotiations with Iran.



According to a statement from his office, “The Prime Minister believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis.”



Saturday morning saw US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner touring the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.



Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads US Central Command, invited the delegation as a gesture of gratitude toward American forces deployed in the area. The stop came on the heels of indirect negotiations in Oman, which Trump labeled “very good talks,” adding that Iran now seems eager to finalize an agreement.



Earlier that same day, Iran’s foreign minister dismissed Israel’s push to restrict Tehran’s missile program, asserting that the matter is not open for discussion.



He emphasized, “This is a defensive matter. No external country will deal with it.”



Araghchi further noted that Iran will not consider a full halt to uranium enrichment, though he signaled Tehran’s willingness to negotiate terms that could meet mutual expectations. He reiterated that “The level of uranium enrichment is based on our needs, and the enriched uranium will not leave Iran.”

Netanyahu and Trump Set to Meet in Washington on Wednesday

Iran has indicated in its Friday talks with US diplomats it may accept a long-term freeze on its nuclear activities if sanctions are lifted, though it firmly refuses to negotiate over its ballistic missile arsenal, The New York Times reported Friday.



Tehran maintains that its missile capabilities are an essential element of national &#8220;defense,&#8221; particularly against Israel.



According to IRNA, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed his Omani counterpart that Iran’s immediate objective is &#8220;to manage the current situation between Iran and the US and to advance negotiations.&#8221;



Shortly after the discussions in Oman concluded, the United States imposed additional sanctions on people, firms, and vessels connected to Iran’s oil trade. Still, Araghchi said the talks were a &#8220;good start.&#8221;



Iranian media said the meeting ended with a “willingness to continue,” though no next date was set.



The talks unfolded amid a major US military buildup and President Donald Trump’s warnings that Iran would face strikes if it used deadly force on protesters or rejected a nuclear deal. Before arriving, Iran’s foreign minister said the country “enters diplomacy with open eyes and a steady memory of the past year,” adding that “We engage in good faith and stand firm on our rights.”



The negotiations were mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and involved Araghchi, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. Photos also showed CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper present. The format mirrored earlier rounds that ended after Israel and the US struck Iranian sites last June.



Araghchi presented Oman with a “preliminary plan” for managing US-Iran tensions; Oman relayed it to the US team. Iran insisted talks stay limited to the nuclear file, while Washington sought broader discussions on missiles, proxies, and domestic crackdowns. A core dispute remains Iran’s uranium enrichment; Tehran wants sanctions relief in exchange for limits, while the US rejects its enrichment demands.



The stakes are high: the US has deployed major assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group. Trump has said an “armada” is positioned near Iran “just in case.” Regional states fear a wider war, and analysts warn the threat of conflict remains severe. Iran has signaled it will not show the same “restraint” it did after previous strikes, and it could target US bases, regional allies, and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.



Despite the talks, analysts who spoke with CNN note that “the threat of war is very serious.”



Nournews stated, &#8220;The negotiations between Iran and the US in Muscat, with the presence of the commander of CENTCOM, alongside the transfer of equipment and naval movements, is a combination of negotiations and a show of force to increase pressure. Iran will not retreat under threat. The inclusion of the military component raises the risk and cost of negotiations, and the responsibility for this lies with the US.&#8221;



Al-Mayadeen added that current discussions are focused on shaping the structure of the negotiations rather than the agreement’s concrete terms. The outlet claims that Iran has maintained a strict boundary; limiting talks exclusively to its nuclear program.



At around 12:30PM Eastern time, Axios reported that Araghchi has left Oman and will be traveling to Qatar to meet with its Prime Minister.

In Oman, Iran Signals Flexibility on Nuclear Deal but Won’t Budge on Missile Program

One of the leading figures behind the deadly 2012 assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, has been taken into American custody and will now face charges related to arson, murder, and terrorism, the Justice Department announced Friday.



Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters that “Zubayr Al-Bakoush landed at Andrews Air Force Base at 3 a.m. this morning. He is in our custody. He was greeted by [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel and [DC] US Attorney Jeanine Pirro,” speaking from DOJ headquarters.



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Bondi pledged that prosecutors “will prosecute this alleged terrorist to the fullest extent of the law,” while Pirro emphasized that her office “will not stop” pursuing additional suspects who are still on the run.



Pirro described the lasting impact of the Benghazi tragedy, saying, “The Benghazi saga was a painful one for Americans. It has stayed with all of us. And let me be very clear, there are more of them out there.” She noted that she and Patel have remained in contact with relatives of the four Americans killed in the attack.



“Time will not stop us from going after these predators, no matter how long it takes, in order to fulfill our obligation to those families who suffered horrific pain at the hands of these violent terrorists,” she said.



The Sept. 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi &#8211; Libya’s second-largest city &#8211; claimed the lives of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, State Department officer Sean Smith, and CIA contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.



The compound was overrun by Islamic militants who set buildings ablaze and launched mortar fire at a nearby CIA annex as part of a coordinated operation.



Stevens and Smith died after being trapped inside the burning compound, while Doherty and Woods fell while attempting to protect it.



In the immediate aftermath, some Obama administration officials suggested the incident stemmed from spontaneous protests over an anti-Muslim video circulating widely online.



A House select committee later determined that senior administration officials failed to send military support to Libya during the attack.



Then–U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice said on Sept. 16, 2012: “What sparked the recent violence was the airing on the Internet of a very hateful, very offensive video that has offended many people around the world.”



During a 2013 congressional hearing, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) pressed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the government’s response, prompting her now-famous reply: “What difference, at this point, does it make?”



On Friday, Bondi invoked that remark, saying, “Hillary Clinton famously once said about Benghazi, ‘What difference, at this point, does it make?’ Well, it makes a difference to Donald Trump. It makes a difference to those families.”



“And 14 years later, it makes a difference to law enforcement,” she continued.



She added a warning for anyone who targets Americans: “Let this case serve as a reminder. If you commit a crime against the American people anywhere in this world, President Trump’s Justice Department will find you. It might not happen overnight, but it will happen. You can run, but you cannot hide.”



Patel noted that he worked on the case early in his career and said bringing Al-Bakoush into custody marked a significant milestone.



“When an act of terrorism of this magnitude strikes at the heart of our nation, we go to work,” he told reporters.



Recounting the handover, he said, “I was at the airfield with US Attorney Pirro earlier this morning when we did the formal, foreign transfer of custody of Bakoush into US custody to face prosecution. And her office and the Department of Justice are going to execute justice for the fallen.”

Benghazi Attack Mastermind Captured and Returned to U.S. to Face Federal Charges

The New York State Legislature moved with unusual speed Wednesday&nbsp; to approve chapter amendments to the state&#8217;s controversial medical assistance in dying legislation, bringing the assisted suicide bill one step closer to becoming law despite fierce opposition from religious communities and medical ethicists.



The Assembly voted 83-62 in favor of the amendments, while the Senate approved them 34-28 – margins that were about the same as the original bill&#8217;s passage. Governor Kathy Hochul is expected to sign the legislation into law.



The rapid legislative action caught many opponents off guard. The amendments were added to the week&#8217;s committee schedule only Tuesday morning, according to public advocate Yonasan Teleky, who has been closely monitoring the bill&#8217;s progress.



Critics argue that despite Governor Hochul&#8217;s proposed amendments, the fundamental dangers of the legislation remain largely intact.



&#8220;The purpose of these improvements is only to help the governor approve the assisted suicide bill,&#8221; Teleky explained. &#8220;These so-called protections are really just there to endanger people by making the bill passable.&#8221;



Among the most contentious provisions that survived the amendment process is a requirement forcing doctors to transfer patient medical records to physicians willing to perform assisted suicide, even when doing so violates their religious beliefs.



&#8220;This would force religious doctors to have a part in the process, even if they&#8217;re somewhat exempt,&#8221; Teleky noted, describing the provision as a fundamental violation of religious rights.



Rabbi Dr. Aharon Glatt, a prominent physician in the frum community, expressed deep concerns about the bill&#8217;s practical implications. &#8220;I&#8217;m very concerned that people who might otherwise have had a chance to live will unfortunately select to die,&#8221; Rabbi Glatt told Belaaz. He emphasized the critical distinction in Halacha between passive and active interventions at the end of life.



&#8220;There&#8217;s a big difference between actively and passively doing things or not doing things. To do something actively that is extinguishing life – that is not permitted. To sometimes refrain from doing something, that might be permitted,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;Unfortunately, this bill would allow people to do things actively to end life.&#8221;



Rabbi Glatt urged community members to exercise extreme caution when facing end-of-life decisions. &#8220;It may be that sometimes people might be offered by well-meaning and good-intentioned physicians things that are contrary to Jewish law, and they have to be very careful. Even though the physician is a nice person, a trusted person, they&#8217;re not necessarily coming from a firm religious background. They&#8217;re not necessarily coming from a Jewish legal point of view. People should make sure that they discuss these things with their rabbi before they arrive at any decisions that, unfortunately, are irreversible.&#8221;



While Hochul&#8217;s amendments did add some new restrictions – including mandating psychiatric evaluations and prohibiting witnesses from having financial interests in the patient&#8217;s death – opponents maintain these changes are woefully inadequate.



The amended legislation still contains numerous gaps that critics say could lead to abuse: witnesses&#8217; signatures are not checked for fraud, no video recording requirement was included despite earlier indications this might be added, no oversight process exists for pharmacists dispensing lethal medications, and there are no provisions to remove lethal medication from patients who develop dementia after receiving it.



Perhaps most troubling to legal experts is a severability clause in the legislation that would allow courts to strike down individual safeguards while keeping the core assisted suicide provisions intact.



&#8220;Most of the loopholes from the original bill were never corrected,&#8221; Teleky said, warning that any protections in the bill are &#8220;worthless in the long term.&#8221;



In a letter signed by Rabbanim including the Kasho Rav and Rav Hillel Neuberger of Mount Kisco, the Rabbanim provided stark context for their opposition.



The Rabbanim cited the Torah&#8217;s prohibition against suicide, noting that when G-d commanded Noach to relay the prohibition of murder to all humanity in Bereshis 9:5, the pasuk begins: &#8220;For your spilt blood – the taking of your lives – I will demand justice.&#8221;



&#8220;Chazal received a mesorah elucidating this verse as referring to the prohibition of suicide,&#8221; the letter states.



On the pasuk of &#8220;lo sirtzach,&#8221; in the Aseres Hadibros, the rabbis&#8217; letter cited the Targum Yonasan, saying &#8220;You shall not be murderers, nor shall you be friendly acquaintances or partners with murderers, nor shall there appear amongst you those who are associated with murderers &#8211; in order that your children not follow your example and learn to associate with murderers, &#8230;&#8221;



The Rabbanim also invoked a chilling historical parallel, noting that institutionalized &#8220;mercy killing&#8221; programs served as precursors to mass genocide.



&#8220;The Nazi Mercy-Killing Aktion T4 program directly led to the gassing of millions of Jews,&#8221; the letter warns. &#8220;Aktion T4 led directly to Operation Reinhard, which was the Nazi extermination camp operation encompassing Treblinka, Bełżec, and Sobibór.&#8221;



The letter notes that of approximately 450 perpetrators within Operation Reinhard camps, about 92 have been identified as having been previously involved in the Aktion T4 euthanasia program. &#8220;Aktion T4 was also sold by &#8216;compassion,&#8217; &#8216;consent,&#8217; and &#8216;safeguards,'&#8221; the Rabbanim wrote.



A community advocate, speaking on condition of anonymity, offered a scathing assessment of the community&#8217;s response to the bill&#8217;s passage in remarks shared with Belaaz on Thursday.



&#8220;We failed to properly convey that a vote for this legislation is an attack on the Jewish community (as well as on many others), due both to its lethality and its anti-religious nature, including its requirement for doctors to forward medical records to doctors willing to do the killing,&#8221; the askan said.



The askan also criticized past political strategy: &#8220;We failed to demonstrate previously on other issues of moral concern – for example, marriage redefinition – that we&#8217;re communally ready to vote out offending politicians even if they throw wads of taxpayer money at us and at community institutions.&#8221;



The askan also called for electoral consequences: &#8220;We also must never vote for, support, or publicly honor any of the legislative representatives who collaborated in this legislation, under any circumstances.&#8221;



With the amendments now approved and Governor Hochul expected to sign the bill, the legislation known as Assembly Bill A9515 (Senate Bill S8835) appears headed for enactment.



The bill&#8217;s sponsor in the Assembly is Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, head of the Codes Committee, also supporting the legislation.



Rabbi Glatt advised that individuals and families must be prepared to seek proper guidance before making any irreversible medical decisions – particularly in a legal landscape that now permits assisted suicide.

Jewish Community Figures Mourn Passing of Amendments to Assisted Suicide Bill, Clearing Way for Hochul to Sign Into Law

The Trump administration is set to begin rolling out TrumpRX Thursday, a pharmaceutical initiative that advocacy leaders are calling a &#8220;landmark&#8221; achievement in the fight to make infertility treatments affordable for American families.



Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, founder and president of the Tzedek Association, who has been a driving force behind efforts to include fertility treatments in the program, shared his excitement, in an exclusive statement to Belaaz, saying: &#8220;Today is an extraordinarily exciting and meaningful day for countless families across America,&#8221; Margaretten said. &#8220;Three years ago, Tzedek launched a determined effort to confront one of the most painful and overlooked challenges faced by couples, the crushing cost of infertility treatment.&#8221;



The advocacy organization initially pursued legislative solutions through Congress, but pivoted strategy when President Trump secured the Republican nomination. Margaretten explained that the shift reflected confidence in executive action as a faster path to results.



&#8220;From the moment President Trump became the nominee, we recognized that the fastest and most impactful path forward would be through executive action,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Based on everything we witnessed throughout his first term, we believed he could once again be the one to move this issue in a real and historic way.&#8221;



According to Margaretten, Tzedek has been working closely with the White House for the past year on detailed proposals to address infertility treatment costs. &#8220;After sustained engagement, detailed proposals, and many conversations, that belief has now been powerfully validated,&#8221; he stated.



He praised the administration&#8217;s responsiveness to the issue. &#8220;The President, the Chief of Staff, the Domestic Policy Council, and the entire administration are fully tuned in, responsive, and genuinely committed to ensuring that no couple is ever forced to think twice about whether they can afford the treatments needed to bring a child into the world.&#8221;



Margaretten characterized the TrumpRX launch as the first step in a broader effort. &#8220;With the launch of TrumpRX tonight, we are seeing the first major breakthrough of that effort. This is not only progress, it is a landmark on the path toward making fertility treatment accessible at the lowest possible cost, and ultimately fully covered.&#8221;



Margaretten concluded with optimism about future developments: &#8220;This is only the beginning. We are energized, deeply grateful, and looking forward to sharing even more good news very soon bez&#8221;H.&#8221;



Infertility affects approximately one in eight couples in the United States, with treatments often costing tens of thousands of dollars and rarely covered by insurance. The TrumpRX initiative represents a significant policy development in addressing these financial barriers, though specific details about coverage levels and implementation timelines were not immediately available.

INTERVIEW: Rabbi Moshe Margaretten Speaks on TrumpRX Moments Before Rollout

A tragedy occurred Thursday afternoon in Boro Park, where a fire on 12th Avenue claimed the life of a celebrated community member.



Emergency personnel responded to reports of a fire at a residence located at the corner of 12th Avenue and 47th Street. Despite the best efforts of first responders, the victim was unfortunately found deceased.



The niftar has been identified as Reb Amram Mizrachi z”l.



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Neighbors of Reb Amram tell Belaaz that he was a well-known figure in the neighborhood, remembered as a friendly and welcoming personality who always bore a smile. They said he was a major talmid chacham, and that he would daven at the Tenker shul and Tiferes Eliezer (Lev). He was also a dedicated Baal Koreh at the Tenker shul.



Volunteers from Chesed Shel Emes and Misaskim arrived on the scene, working tirelessly to ensure the highest standards of kavod hames.



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BDE: Reb Amram Mizrachi z”l Tragically Niftar in Boro Park Fire

President Donald Trump issued a stern warning regarding the strategic U.S. military base on the island of Diego Garcia, asserting that he will &#8220;NEVER allow&#8221; the site to be undermined.



Following discussions with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding the deal to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands &#8211; located in the Central Indian Ocean, where the base is located &#8211; to Mauritius, President Trump made it clear that American military interests must remain protected.



While Trump acknowledged that the deal Prime Minister Starmer made was likely &#8220;the best he could make,&#8221; he issued a direct warning regarding the 99-year lease agreement that allows the U.S. to maintain its base.



&#8220;If the lease deal, sometime in the future, ever falls apart, or anyone threatens or endangers U.S. operations and forces at our Base, I retain the right to Militarily secure and reinforce the American presence in Diego Garcia,&#8221; Trump declared in a statement.



The President emphasized the &#8220;great importance&#8221; of the base to U.S. National Security, noting its location in the middle of the Indian Ocean is vital for military staging. Reports highlight that Diego Garcia is a crucial outpost for projecting air and naval power into the Middle East and East Africa, as well as for U.S. Space Force operations. Critics of the transfer deal have raised concerns over Mauritius&#8217; growing ties with China, fearing Beijing could gain a foothold in the region.



President Trump concluded his statement by dismissing potential challenges to the base. &#8220;Let it be known that I will never allow our presence on a Base as important as this to ever be undermined or threatened by fake claims or environmental nonsense,&#8221; he stated.

Trump Vows to ‘Militarily Secure’ UK-Owned Diego Garcia Base If Lease Fails

A report circulating Wednesday from the Qatar-based network Al Jazeera alleges that mediators have presented a new framework for upcoming negotiations between the United States and Iran.



The claims, which remain unverified by U.S. official or other news outlets, suggest concessions from Tehran, including a temporary halt to uranium enrichment.



Al Jazeera often spreads misinformation on Middle East news, especially as it relates to Israel and the US, and its editorial department has expressed support for terror groups, including Hamas.



According to the unconfirmed report, mediators from Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt have proposed a framework ahead of talks scheduled for Friday. The report claims the proposal would require Iran to commit to &#8220;zero enrichment&#8221; of uranium for three years and to transfer its current stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third-party country.



Furthermore, the outlet claims the framework includes restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile usage and the transfer of weapons to regional non-state allies. The report also mentions a proposed &#8220;nonaggression agreement&#8221; between Washington and Tehran.



The report emerges amid heightened tensions. The region is currently bracing for potential military escalation following President Donald Trump’s order to amass forces in the Arabian Sea, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group. This military pressure follows a violent crackdown on protesters within Iran last month, in which thousands &#8211; and according to many estimates, tens of thousands &#8211; of protestors were brutally murdered by the Islamix regime.



While the U.S. has maintained that any deal must address Iran’s nuclear program, missiles, and proxy groups, Tehran has publicly maintained a defiant posture. On Wednesday, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the regime would &#8220;exclusively&#8221; discuss the nuclear program and sanctions relief.



As of Wednesday afternoon, it remains unclear if the framework described in the report exists in any official capacity or if it represents a negotiating wish-list from third-party mediators.

Unverified Framework of US-Iran Talk

The Iranian government-aligned news agency Fars claimed Thursday that the Khorramshahr-4 missile has been positioned for the first time inside underground IRGC complexes, known locally as &#8220;missile cities.&#8221; The report describes the system as one of Iran’s most advanced and formidable missiles, and says its relocation to these fortified sites is meant to strengthen both readiness and operational effectiveness of the terror-sponsor state&#8217;s ballistic missile forces.



Tensions between Tehran and Washington have surged in recent weeks amid threats of military action and a major U.S. naval buildup in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly warned Iran that military options remain on the table if Tehran does not curb its nuclear and missile programs and halt the suppression of widespread protests. Iran and US representatives are set to meet in Oman on Friday to begin negotiations.



Iran says that the new missile is capable of reaching speeds up to 16 times the speed of sound, amounting to tens of thousands of kilometers per hour outside the atmosphere, and roughly Mach 8 within it. These speeds, the agency claims, would reduce the time required to strike targets in Israel to approximately 10–12 minutes after launch.



Introduced publicly in May 2023 and referred to as &#8220;Kheiber,&#8221; the Khorramshahr-4 is categorized as a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). Open-source information indicates that it uses a single-stage, liquid-fuel engine and has a stated range of around 2,000 kilometers, placing it within striking distance of locations throughout the Middle East.



Another feature highlighted in the report is the missile’s capacity to carry a warhead estimated at between 1.5 and 1.8 tons.



Positioning the missile within underground shelters is reportedly intended to provide the Revolutionary Guards with a stronger &#8220;second strike&#8221; capability and to increase their resilience should Iran’s nuclear or missile infrastructure come under preemptive attack.

Iran Showcases Underground Missile Deployment, Claims 10-Minute Strike Capability on Israel

U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations set for Friday are back on after urgent lobbying from several Middle Eastern leaders persuaded the Trump administration not to pull out, two U.S. officials told Axios. The talks will now take place in Oman, which Iran insisted on, despite the U.S. initially refusing to move the meeting from Istanbul.



The reversal followed growing regional fears that President Trump might pivot toward military action if the meeting collapsed. At least nine countries in the Middle East contacted the White House at the highest levels, urging Washington to stay the course. &#8220;They asked us to keep the meeting and listen to what the Iranians have to say. We have told the Arabs that we will do the meeting if they insist. But we are very skeptical,&#8221; one U.S. official said. Another official added that the administration agreed to proceed “to be respectful” to regional allies and to maintain a diplomatic path.



The U.S. and Iran had originally agreed to meet in Istanbul with several Middle Eastern nations observing. But on Tuesday, Iran asked to relocate the talks to Oman and hold them bilaterally to ensure the discussions focused solely on nuclear matters instead of additional issues such as missiles, which are key priorities for the U.S. and its regional partners. U.S. officials initially considered the change, then rejected it, before switching course again after Axios reported the meeting was canceled.



Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on X that the talks were “scheduled to be held in Muscat on about 10 am Friday,” thanking Omani officials “for making all necessary arrangements.” Earlier in the day, a senior U.S. official had said, &#8220;We told them it is this or nothing, and they said, &#8216;Ok, then nothing.&#8217;” The official added, “We want to reach a real deal quickly or people will look at other options,&#8221; a reference to Trump’s repeated military threats. Another U.S. official said, &#8220;We didn&#8217;t want to be flexible here because if there is a deal it has to be real. We didn&#8217;t want to go back to the old way of doing things.&#8221;



The original plan in Istanbul involved two tracks: direct U.S.–Iran talks on a potential nuclear deal and a broader multilateral dialogue addressing Iran’s missile program, support for proxy groups, and human rights abuses in its recent crackdown on protesters. For now, only the bilateral nuclear talks will take place in Oman.



On Tuesday, White House envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli defense officials to coordinate positions ahead of the talks. Israeli officials said Witkoff was briefed on updated intelligence about Iran and that Netanyahu emphasized Iran could not be trusted.



Witkoff and Trump adviser Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Qatar on Thursday for additional discussions about Iran before continuing to Oman for the talks. U.S. officials remain doubtful that recent behavior from Iran, combined with a lack of progress in previous rounds, will allow for any meaningful breakthrough.



&#8220;We are not naive about the Iranians. If there is a real conversation to have we will have it but we are not going to waste our time,&#8221; a second U.S. official said. The story continues to develop.

Report: US-Iran Talks Back On

Employees at New York City&#8217;s Department of Health have formed a &#8220;Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group&#8221; centered around accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, The NY Post reported Wednesday.



The group, which somehow manages to link NYC health issues with a conflict 7,000 miles away, held its inaugural meeting Tuesday afternoon during regular work hours, with participants gathering both at the department&#8217;s Long Island City headquarters and via remote connection.



&#8220;We really developed in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine,&#8221; a presenter stated at the meeting&#8217;s outset, according to video footage obtained by The Post. &#8220;And the working group aims to address the growing interests among the health department staff to learn about current and ongoing global oppression in its many forms and how it influences the advancement of health equity.&#8221;



Notably absent from the hour-long presentation was any reference to Hamas&#8217; brutal October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and sparked the current conflict, according to meeting transcripts.



The meeting featured Dr. Weeam Hammoudeh, a Hunter College professor and Palestine Global Mental Health Network committee member, who characterized Israeli policy toward Palestinians as discriminatory.



&#8220;Palestinian citizens of Israel are citizens but they&#8217;re not considered nationals of the state so they&#8217;re more restricted in terms of the areas that they can live in,&#8221; Hammoudeh said during the presentation. She went on to discuss what she termed the &#8220;forced displacements and dispossession&#8221; of Palestinians living in &#8220;occupied territories.&#8221;



The meeting has drawn sharp condemnation from Jewish medical professionals and city employees who view it as inappropriate politicization of a municipal agency.



&#8220;This is a meeting using New York City Department of Health resources that promote libel against the Jewish people,&#8221;&nbsp; Dr. Yael Halaas, president of the American Jewish Medical Association told the Post.



A Jewish DOH employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Post the one-sided political activism is &#8220;causing a rift among employees and sapping morale.&#8221;



&#8220;We just want to do our jobs to help New Yorkers and set the tone for public health,&#8221; the employee said. &#8220;The presentation talks about the suffering of Palestinians. Why? They never mention Hamas.&#8221;



The employee also alleged that colleagues advocating for the group dismiss antisemitism as a form of oppression because they do not consider white Jews to be victims.



Flyers advertising the event were posted near elevator banks in the DOH building, according to department staff.



The controversy comes amid reports of increasing antisemitism and anti-Israel bias affecting Jewish city workers across multiple agencies.



&#8220;Jews across city agencies have seen an uptick in antisemitism and anti-Israel bias in the workplace and have begun to collaborate and support one another,&#8221; said Moshe Spern, head of United Jewish Teachers, in a statement to Belaaz. &#8220;We cannot allow this bias in NYC to continue.&#8221;



Sarah McKenney, director of operations for the DOH&#8217;s rapid response team, organized the meeting and introduced the speakers.



The working group&#8217;s formation is particularly significant given Mayor Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s well-documented history of hostility toward Israel. Mamdani is a longtime supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting the Jewish state and has himself publicly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.



Critics argue that the mayor&#8217;s personal views have created an environment where city agencies feel emboldened to use municipal resources and work time for explicitly anti-Israel political advocacy.

NYC Health Department Staffers Launch ‘Global Oppression Working Group’ Accusing Israel of Genocide

With profound sorrow, we report the petirah of Harav Elyakim Schlesinger zt&#8221;l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Harama in London, who was niftar on Wednesday at the remarkable age of 104. His passing represents the loss of one of the last remaining links to the pre-war Torah world and brings to a close a life that spanned more than a century of unwavering dedication to Torah, mesorah, and Klal Yisroel.



Born in Vienna on 22 Cheshvan 5682 (November 23, 1921) to his father, Rav Dovid Schlesinger zt&#8221;l, and his mother, Baila, daughter of Rav Yaakov Rosenheim, founder and president of the World Agudas Yisrael, Rav Schlesinger came of age during one of the most tumultuous eras in Jewish history. His family&#8217;s prescient decision to leave Europe in 1931, when he was just ten years old, brought them to Eretz Yisroel, where they settled in Tel Aviv.



There, the young Elyakim absorbed the authentic Torah derech of pre-war Yerushalayim. His primary rebbi was the legendary Rav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky zt&#8221;l, under whose guidance he developed the crystal-clear understanding of Torah and profound yiras Shamayim that would characterize his entire life. He continued his learning at Yeshivas Kaminetz in Yerushalayim and Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah, where he became known for his exceptional clarity in learning and fierce adherence to mesorah.



Rav Schlesinger married Dina Yehudis, daughter of Rav Moshe Blau zt&#8221;l, a revered leader of Agudah in Eretz Yisroel. Following his father-in-law&#8217;s petirah, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Pnei Moshe in Yerushalayim, established in Rav Blau&#8217;s memory. Even as a young Rosh Yeshiva, his sense of achrayus extended far beyond his immediate surroundings.



In a decision that would shape the trajectory of his life, Rav Schlesinger undertook a mission at the behest of the Brisker Rov: to return to Europe and help rebuild Torah life on the ravaged continent. This was no small undertaking; returning to Europe in the 1950s meant confronting the ashes of destruction and attempting to nurture Torah growth in a spiritually depleted landscape.



He first served as Rosh Yeshiva in Kapellen, Belgium, for two years, strengthening a fragile post-war kehilla. In 1961, he moved to London, where he founded Yeshivas Harama. The yeshiva&#8217;s name reflected his deep reverence for the Chasam Sofer and his descendants; named after the yeshiva of the Kesav Sofer and later also honoring the Daas Sofer, who had been among Rav Schlesinger&#8217;s own rebbeim. Under his leadership, Yeshivas Harama became a bastion of serious Torah learning in England.



What distinguished Rav Schlesinger was not merely his longevity, but the extraordinary caliber of Torah giants with whom he maintained close relationships. He was inextricably close with the Brisker Rov, the Chazon Ish, Rav Yosef Zvi Dushinsky, Rav Zelig Reuven Bengis, and many others; luminaries whose influence shaped the contours of post-war Torah Jewry.



His sefer Hador Vehatekufah stands as an invaluable testament to that vanished world. In it, Rav Schlesinger recorded his personal recollections and insights into these gedolei Yisroel, offering a rare firsthand window into their Torah leadership, their hashkafos, and their approach to the monumental challenges facing Klal Yisroel, including their response to the buildup that led to the establishment of the State of Israel and its aftermath.



Beyond the walls of his yeshiva, Rav Schlesinger was deeply involved in matters affecting the entire Torah community. For decades, he devoted himself to the avodas hakodesh of protecting kevorim across Europe, serving as chairman of the committee dedicated to safeguarding Jewish cemeteries from desecration.



In 2019, despite his advanced age, he led the charge against governmental attempts to interfere with Jewish education in Britain. He personally met with the British Minister of Education and senior officials at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. His principled stance was uncompromising: he called the proposed interference &#8220;a decree of annihilation&#8221; and ruled that Torah education must be preserved at all costs. His courage and clarity earned him recognition as a fearless voice of daas Torah, someone who could be counted upon to speak truth regardless of external pressure.



Rav Schlesinger&#8217;s written Torah legacy is vast and profound. His multi-volume work Beis Av spans Shas, halacha, machshavah, and drush, reflecting both breadth of knowledge and depth of understanding. He authored additional seforim, including a Haggadah shel Pesach, all characterized by his unique clarity of expression and penetrating insight. These works will continue to illuminate the path for future generations of lomdei Torah.



Remarkably, he remained lucid and actively involved in Torah and communal matters until his final days, teaching and guiding until the age of 104.



For over seven decades, he taught Torah to thousands and raised generations of talmidim in London and beyond. He was not only a transmitter of Torah knowledge but a living embodiment of the derech he received from the gedolim of previous generations; one of clarity in learning, uncompromising commitment to mesorah, and absolute dedication to the needs of Klal Yisroel.



Klal Yisroel has lost a towering figure, one of the ziknei roshei hayeshivos of our generation. We are left bereft, but also enriched; by his Torah, by his example, and by the living mesorah he leaves behind in his talmidim and in his seforim.



Yehi zichro baruch.

BDE: Harav Elyakim Schlesinger zt”l, a Link to the Pre-War Torah World

The New York City Council is preparing to examine Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s handling of a historic and lethal cold snap, according to a new report. The mayor insists his administration acted aggressively as temperatures plunged and deaths mounted.



At least 16 people have died across the city during the extended period of extreme cold, with authorities attributing many of those deaths to the freezing conditions.



Mayor Mamdani has publicly pushed back against criticism, standing by his administration’s approach even as the City Council moves toward formal oversight hearings to review the city’s actions during the crisis.



A Council spokesperson told Politico on Wednesday that the Public Safety and General Welfare committees are expected to convene a hearing on Feb. 10, with a primary focus on the cold-related fatalities. Additional committees, including sanitation, are reportedly coordinating details for a possible joint hearing to follow next week.



The scrutiny comes as forecasters warn that another blast of severe cold could arrive this weekend, bringing even lower temperatures and punishing wind chills.



Mamdani is likely to face questions about the upcoming hearings during his scheduled press conference later Wednesday, which is expected to begin around 11 a.m.



Speaking at a recent briefing, the mayor highlighted the “Code Blue” emergency his administration activated on Jan. 19 and said city agencies have been doing everything possible to bring vulnerable residents indoors.



“This has been a full all-hands-on-deck approach,” he reiterated to New Yorkers.



According to Mamdani, outreach efforts were repeatedly expanded, involving Department of Social Services employees, homeless outreach teams, and NYPD officers. In certain situations, individuals were taken to shelters involuntarily after being deemed a risk to themselves or others.



The mayor said nearly 1,000 people have been placed in shelters as a result of these intensified efforts. When pressed on whether the city would take a more forceful stance if temperatures drop again, Mamdani said involuntary removal would still depend on medical judgment.



“I also rely on a clinician’s determination, whether or not [doctors] deem someone to be a threat to themselves or to others. If they do, then those are New Yorkers that are brought inside. Regardless of their own volition,” said Mamdani. “This is the exact policy the prior administration had on involuntary confinement.”



Under city policy, forcing someone indoors against their will is meant to be used only as a “last resort.”

City Council to Scrutinize Mamdani’s Winter Storm Response

Israeli forces struck two high-ranking terrorists from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in coordinated operations across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, following what the IDF described as a “serious violation” of operational agreements in northern Gaza.



Reports confirmed the killing of Ali al-Rizaina, a senior terrorist who commanded Islamic Jihad’s Northern Gaza Brigade.



Al-Rizaina was eliminated in an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza.



He was considered one of PIJ’s most important terrorist operatives in northern Gaza, responsible for directing attacks against Israeli forces and aiding the organization’s combat infrastructure.



The strike coincided with renewed aggression from terror groups: earlier in the day, Hamas terrorists opened fire on IDF troops in northern Gaza. Israeli fighters returned fire, and no injuries to IDF personnel were reported.



In a separate operation, the IDF and Shin Bet targeted Bilal Abu Atzi, a senior terrorist commander in Hamas’s elite Nukhba force, in the southern Gaza Strip. The army could not yet confirm his elimination.



Abu Atzi is believed to have led the horrific October 7 massacre at Kibbutz Nir Oz, during which dozens of civilians were murdered and kidnapped. The IDF says he was involved in holding hostages throughout the months-long conflict and continued planning terror attacks against Israeli troops.



The strike was carried out in response to the earlier shooting attack by terrorists inside the northern Gaza “Yellow Line,” which the IDF described as a blatant violation of agreements.



The military acknowledged that several uninvolved civilians, including a medical staff member, were reportedly wounded, emphasizing that precision measures were taken to reduce collateral damage.



The dual strikes come amid intensified Israeli efforts to dismantle the remaining leadership of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Israeli officials say both groups continue to attempt attacks against IDF forces despite significant losses.



Earlier this week, the IDF released drone footage showing Hamas terrorists using ambulances to transport operatives and weapons between a hospital and a school in Jabalia; evidence of systematic exploitation of civilian infrastructure.



The IDF spokesperson stated: “The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to act against any attempt by terrorist organizations in Gaza to harm IDF forces and Israeli civilians, while minimizing harm to uninvolved individuals as much as possible.”

Two Senior Terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad Targeted in Separate IDF Strikes

Plans for U.S.–Iran nuclear talks were cancelled after last-minute demands from Tehran led Washington to reject changes to the meeting’s location and format, two U.S. officials told Axios on Wednesday.



The breakdown threatens what may be the last remaining diplomatic off-ramp in the escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran, raising the likelihood that President Trump could pivot toward military action, as he has repeatedly threatened.



Sources in Israeli security tell Belaaz that they are expecting an attack from Iran and its Houthi terrorism proxy in Yenen, which will resul in an all-out war. The IDF is reportedly at full readiness for such a conflict.



The U.S. and Iran had previously agreed to hold talks on Friday in Istanbul, with several Middle Eastern countries participating as observers. But on Tuesday, Iran informed the U.S. that it wanted to shift the meeting to Oman and convert it into a strictly bilateral format.



Iranian negotiators argued that a two-party structure was necessary to ensure the discussions focused solely on nuclear issues, rather than expanding to topics such as ballistic missiles; an American and regional priority.



U.S. officials evaluated the request but decided on Wednesday to reject it outright.&nbsp; “We told them it is this or nothing, and they said, ‘OK, then nothing,’” a senior U.S. official said.



The official added that the U.S. remains ready to meet this week or next if Iran returns to the original arrangement. “We want to reach a real deal quickly or people will look at other options,” the official said, in a thinly veiled reference to Trump’s warnings of potential military strikes.



White House envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Qatar on Thursday for meetings with the Qatari prime minister about Iran. After their visit, officials currently plan for the delegation to return to Miami rather than attempt to meet with Iranian representatives.



The collapse of the planned Istanbul meeting comes amid a tense series of diplomatic maneuvers and rising regional military activity, following recent signals from Tehran that it was ready, under certain conditions, to resume nuclear negotiations.

Report: Plans for Iran Nuclear Talks Cancelled as U.S. Rejects Tehran’s Demands, Officials Say

Latest development: TMZ reports receiving an alleged ransom note Tuesday morning (Feb. 3, 2026), demanding millions in Bitcoin sent to a specific address for the release of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Today&#8221; show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.The outlet said it forwarded the message to authorities.



 The Pima County Sheriff&#8217;s Department and the FBI released a joint statement saying they are aware of the note and are actively investigating its legitimacy (it remains unverified and could be a hoax). They emphasized that they are taking all tips and leads very seriously and urged anyone with information to call 911 immediately.

Ransom Note Demands Millions in Bitcoin for Release of NBC’s ‘Today’ Anchor Savannah Guthrie’s 84-Year-Old Mother

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 83, was hospitalized last night for evaluation after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend.



 His spokesperson stated: &#8220;In an abundance of caution&#8230; His prognosis is positive and he is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving.&#8221; 



The Kentucky Republican former longtime Senate leader and now a senior senator, remains in regular contact with staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business, the statement said.

Senator Mitch McConnell Hospitalized for Flu-Like Symptoms

A 17-year-old student at the Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights was taken into custody for allegedly issuing murderous antisemitic threats to hundreds of classmates, authorities said Tuesday. Police are treating the incident as a hate crime.



Officers from the 115th Precinct responded to a 911 call shortly after 12:30 p.m. about a potential bias-related incident at the school located at 35-59 81st St. When they arrived, school officials informed them that one individual had sent antisemitic emails to more than 300 students.



A law enforcement source told QNS News the message included the statements, “At 2pm we will rise up and kill all the Jews in this school and the city.&#8221; The message appeared to come from a school email address associated with the student.



Police arrested the teen on campus and brought him to the 115th Precinct just before 3:30 p.m. Monday. He faces charges of making a terroristic threat and aggravated harassment as a hate crime. His arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was still pending as of Tuesday.



“I am relieved that no one was harmed and that the student is in custody,” State Sen. Jessica Ramos said in a statement posted to social media. “Our Jewish neighbors, students and families deserve safety, dignity and protection. We will continue working with school leaders and law enforcement to keep our community safe.”

Teen Arrested After Allegedly Threatening to Kill Jews at Queens Charter School

The chosson who collapsed from cardiac arrest during his wedding last night, Monday in central Israel remains in stable but serious condition at Kaplan Hospital in Rechovot.



According to updates reports, he collapsed suddenly on the dance floor right in front of his new kallah, who is still deeply in shock.



Guests quickly performed CPR and used a defibrillator; after prolonged efforts, his pulse returned B&#8221;H.



He was rushed to the hospital sedated and intubated; he is undergoing treatment, including preparations for heart catheterization (or currently in process), with some improvement noted but still critical overall.



Klal Yisroel is asked to continue Davening for a Refuah Sheleimah for Evyatar ben Vivian.

UPDATE: Chosson in Stable but Serious Condition After Wedding Cardiac Arrest

Law enforcement officials confirmed Tuesday that police arrested the former husband of Jill Biden the day before, charging him with the murder of his wife inside their Delaware residence this past December.



The New Castle Police announced that William “Bill” Stevenson, known for his previous marriage to the former first lady, has been indicted on one count of first-degree murder connected to the death of his current spouse, 64-year-old Linda Stevenson, at their home in Elsmere.



Officers arrived at the scene on December 28 following reports of a domestic dispute, where they discovered Linda unresponsive on the floor.



Despite attempts by emergency responders to revive her, she was pronounced dead at the location.



While authorities indicated that an autopsy is forthcoming, the specific cause of death has not yet been released to the public.



Linda leaves behind her sister, her granddaughter, and Christina Vettori, her daughter with Stevenson.



Following his arraignment, the 77-year-old defendant remains in custody at the Howard Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington, Delaware, with bail set at $500,000, the NY Post reported.



Police told the Post that Stevenson has not yet posted bond. The charges are the result of a comprehensive investigation that spanned several weeks.



Now 74, Jill Biden ended her five-year marriage to Stevenson in 1975. The couple originally married when Stevenson, a former college football player, was 23 and Jill was 18 years old.



Stevenson later established The Stone Balloon, a well-known venue near the University of Delaware.



Upon their separation, Jill attempted without success to retain her ownership interest in the popular bar, which eventually closed permanently in 2024.



In 1977, two years after her divorce from Stevenson was finalized, Jill married Joe Biden, who was then a Democratic Senator representing Delaware.



It was not immediately clear who has been retained as criminal defense counsel for Stevenson.

Jill Biden’s Ex-Husband Indicted on First-Degree Murder Charges in Death of Wife

A 26-year-old frum Jewish man was assaulted on Monday evening in Zurich’s District 3, an area with a large Jewish population. The attack, which police are treating as an anti-Semitic incident, occurred shortly after 8:15 p.m. and ended only when bystanders intervened and restrained the assailant until authorities arrived.



According to Zurich municipal police, the attacker, a 40-year-old Kosovar man with no fixed address in Switzerland, approached the victim on Manessestrasse without any prior exchange and struck him repeatedly. Witnesses subdued the man, who continued shouting anti-Jewish insults even after officers reached the scene. Police noted that he is known to them for unrelated offenses. After questioning, he was transferred to the Zurich public prosecutor’s office.



The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities reported that the victim sustained scratches to his neck and other parts of his body and remains in shock. The organization emphasized that Jewish residents have faced a notable rise in hostility over the past two years, stating that people are being targeted “simply because of their appearance and their Jewish identity.”



The Foundation Against Racism and Anti-Semitism echoed these concerns, warning that inflammatory narratives have become more visible in public discourse, social media, and everyday conversation, lowering inhibitions for violent acts.



Switzerland recorded 221 anti-Semitic incidents in 2024, including an attempted arson attack on a Zurich synagogue. Authorities have not yet released figures for 2025, but Jewish institutions say the trend remains deeply troubling. In a separate high-profile case in March 2024, a 15-year-old Swiss teenager wounded a frum man in Zurich in an attack claimed in the name of the Islamic State.



In response to the escalating threat, Zurich city parliament recently doubled funding for the protection of synagogues and community centers from CHF 1 million to CHF 2 million. The canton agreed to match the city’s contribution, and the federal government is also participating in the effort.



Police continue to investigate Monday’s assault. Jewish community leaders are urging authorities to address what they describe as a worsening climate for Swiss Jews and to ensure that visible members of the community can move safely in public spaces.

Frum Jewish Man Assaulted in Zurich Amid Rising Anti-Semitism

In a closely watched vote, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to end the ongoing government shutdown, passing the bill by a razor-thin 217–214 margin.



President Donald Trump signed the order at around 4:30PM. Key economic data &#8211; including non-farm payrolls and the JOLTS report &#8211; had been delayed as a result of the shutdown but are expected to be quickly rescheduled once government agencies resume normal activity.



The agreement itself had been telegraphed over the weekend, muting any immediate market reaction. Former President Trump signaled on Friday that negotiations were underway and that “no one wanted a shutdown,” setting expectations that a short-lived funding lapse would soon be resolved.



Still, the political maneuvering did little to improve public perception of Washington’s ability to govern effectively. Analysts note that voter sentiment in past shutdowns often placed more blame on Republicans than Democrats &#8211; an undercurrent that may have influenced the urgency behind the final deal.



While markets may not see a significant relief rally, the end of the shutdown removes at least one layer of uncertainty. The broader consequence, however, may be another dent in public confidence as partisan brinkmanship again took center stage.

Trump Signs Budget Bill After House Narrowly Passes Vote to End Government Shutdown

The New York State Assembly Health Committee and Codes Committee are scheduled to vote Wednesday on amendments to the assisted suicide bill that passed the legislature last year, with askanim calling on the public to contact their state legislators in opposition, noting that there is still a chance to stop the legislation from passing.



The Health Committee vote is set for 12 p.m., followed by the Codes Committee at 12:30 p.m. The vote comes after Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed chapter amendments to the bill, which she has stated she will only sign if these modifications are approved by the legislature.



If the committees reject the amendments, the bill will automatically expire within a 30-day deadline. However, if the amendments pass committee, a floor vote is expected for Thursday or potentially next week.



Askanim involved in the effort to block the legislation emphasized that despite the proposed amendments, the bill remains fundamentally flawed and dangerous. &#8220;The purpose of these improvements is only to help the governor approve the assisted suicide bill,&#8221; public advocate Yonasan Teleky told Belaaz. &#8220;These so-called protections are really just there to endanger people by making the bill passable.&#8221;



Critics note that many of the most problematic elements of the original bill remain unchanged in the amendments. The legislation still requires doctors to transfer patient records to physicians who would carry out assisted suicide, even if doing so violates their religious beliefs – a provision that was highlighted in a recent letter from Sullivan County Jewish leadership to Assemblywoman Paula Kay. &#8220;This would force religious doctors to have a part in the process, even if they&#8217;re somewhat exempt,&#8221; Teleky noted, describing it as a violation of religious rights.



The bill also lacks what advocates call meaningful long-term protections. A severability clause in the legislation would allow courts to strike down individual safeguards while keeping the core assisted suicide provisions intact, rendering any protections &#8220;worthless in the long term,&#8221; according to Teleky.



Among the issues that remain unaddressed in the amended version: witnesses&#8217; signatures are still not checked for fraud, there is no video requirement despite earlier rumors that this might be included, no oversight process exists for pharmacists, and there are no provisions to remove lethal medication from patients who develop dementia after receiving it.



While Hochul did add some new restrictions &#8211; including mandating psychiatric evaluations and prohibiting witnesses from having financial interests in the patient&#8217;s death &#8211; askanim argue these changes are insufficient, aside from the core idea of assisted suicide being, in itself, deeply wrong. &#8220;Most of the loopholes from the original bill were never corrected,&#8221; Teleky noted.



The bill&#8217;s sponsor in the Assembly is Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, head of the Codes Committee, also supporting the legislation.



The assisted suicide measure, known as Assembly Bill A9515 (Senate Bill S8835), was not initially included on the week&#8217;s committee schedule and was added only Tuesday morning, which Teleky described as unusual.



Askanim are urging community members to contact their state legislators immediately to oppose both the amendments and the underlying bill.



The Assembly floor vote, and likely a Senate vote (where the bill has already passed committees), should the amendments pass the Assembly committee, would likely take place Thursday, though it could potentially be delayed until next week, according to Teleky.

Askanim Urge Action to Stop Assisted Suicide Bill Ahead of NY Assembly Committees Vote on Amendments

The U.S. military intercepted and shot down an Iranian drone on Tuesday. The drone reportedly flew toward the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier positioned in the Arabian Sea.



A U.S. official tells Reuters that the drone was an Iranian Shahed-139 and was downed by an American F-35 fighter jet as it approached the carrier.



The incident comes 50+ hours before the US and Iran are set to meet for nuclear negotiations in Turkey. Earlier in the day, six Iranian gunboats armed with .50-caliber machine guns tried to seize the US-flagged tanker Stena Imperative near the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker sped up and avoided engagement, later meeting a U.S. naval vessel that escorted it safely to port.



Iran is also threatening to leave the Friday talks in Turkey.

U.S. Downs Iranian Drone in Arabian Sea as Nuclear Talks Loom

President Donald Trump announced late Monday that his administration is pursuing $1 billion in damages from Harvard University. In a Truth Social post, he declared, “We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University,” though he did not specify what actions by Harvard prompted the demand.



In December, Trump’s administration appealed a judge’s decision that found it had improperly revoked more than $2 billion in grants previously awarded to Harvard. The ruling also barred the administration from further restricting the university’s access to federal research funding.



Harvard has become a primary target in the administration’s wider effort to use federal dollars as leverage to reshape university policies &#8211; an effort Trump argues is necessary because he believes American campuses are overrun by antisemitic and radical left influences.



Trump has previously claimed that his administration was nearing an agreement with Harvard that included a $500 million payment from the university, following months of back-and-forth over its institutional policies.

Trump Says Administration Pursuing $1 Billion Case Against Harvard

MELANIA, the newly released documentary chronicling the life and tenure of First Lady Melania Trump features a segment that shed light on her quiet but powerful behind-the-scenes efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.



While the film covers Mrs. Trump&#8217;s personal journey leading to the inauguration and her first day in the White House, several minutes of the documentary described her deeply emotional connection to the family of former hostage Keith Siegel.



The documentary describes a private meeting between the First Lady and Kieth&#8217;s wife Aviva Siegel who was released in late 2023, which took place in Trump tower in Manhattan shortly before the 2025 inauguration. At the time of the filming, Keith was still being held in Hamas captivity (he was later released in February 2025).



Aviva Siegel is seen wearing a shirt emblazoned with her husband&#8217;s picture; a sight familiar to many who followed the hostage families&#8217; plight.



In the scene, a tearful Aviva breaks down, confiding in the First Lady that despite her efforts, she feels a crushing sense of guilt.



&#8220;I&#8217;m not really doing much for him,&#8221; Aviva weeps, telling Mrs. Trump that while Keith was &#8220;always there for her,&#8221; she feels she &#8220;can&#8217;t be there for him&#8221; in his darkest hour.



Melania Trump is seen comforting Aviva, firmly rejecting the notion that she is helpless. &#8220;Of course you are there for him,&#8221; Mrs. Trump reassures her. &#8220;It’s not like you’re sitting at home crying, depressed. You are wearing a shirt with his picture. You are actively fighting for his release.&#8221;



The documentary reveals the depth of Aviva&#8217;s pain, including her revelation that when she was released from Gaza back in November 2023, she didn&#8217;t want to leave Keith behind. &#8220;There&#8217;s no way I&#8217;m not going with him,&#8221; she recalls thinking, but she had no choice, fearing they would not come out alive otherwise.



The film asserts that the First Lady was far more involved in the diplomatic and humanitarian push for the hostages than previously known.



While Mrs. Trump is famously private, this documentary peels back the curtain on her genuine warmth toward the Jewish community and her staunch pro-Israel stance.

New Documentary Claims Melania Trump Played Key Role in Release of Hostage Keith Siegel

Rep. Christian Menefee (D-Texas), formerly Harris County’s attorney, was sworn into the House on Monday after winning last week’s special election runoff to fill the Rep. Sylvester Turner’s (D-Texas) seat, after his passing.



“It’s been more than 330 days since the people of the 18th Congressional District had representation, had a voice in Congress,” Menefee said after taking the oath. He noted that during key votes on issues like cutting SNAP benefits or restricting Medicaid access, his district “had no voice in Congress, so this one is for the 18th.”



Turner died last March at age 70, leaving the seat vacant for nearly a year.



Menefee’s arrival tightens the House to a 218–214 split, further constraining Republicans at a moment of internal tension aimed at Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and President Trump. Johnson can now lose only one GOP vote on any measure.



The House remains in a partial government shutdown, though Johnson expressed optimism Monday that lawmakers will approve a funding deal to reopen the government despite conservative pushback. He said he expects the chamber to pass the package by Tuesday.

Texas Democrat Sworn In, Narrowing GOP House Margin To A Single Vote

After the city’s biggest snowstorm in roughly five years, residents across the five boroughs have taken to social media to ask the same question: “Where is the mayor?”



Just days before the storm hit, Mayor Mamdani held a weather briefing assuring New Yorkers that his administration was doing everything possible to stay ahead of the storm. “Across every single level of government, we are working together to ensure that our streets are being kept clear, that New Yorkers are safeguarded, and that the most vulnerable among us are being connected with shelter,” the mayor said. Words that, more than a week later, many feel have fallen short.



With the death count currently at 16, cars still buried, intersections unsafe to cross on foot, and garbage piling up, local politicians have begun weighing in.



Brooklyn City Councilman Simcha Felder is demanding an immediate City Council hearing to review the Sanitation Department’s handling of the snow.



“I cannot recall the last time a quality-of-life issue generated this level of constituent response,” Felder said in remarks shared with Belaaz, further stating, “Seniors, people with disabilities, parents with strollers, and essential workers are being disproportionately affected.”



City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, wrote: “This weekend I walked some of the streets in my district to take a look at the snow and trash issues for myself, and it was concerning.”



Vernikov requested the Sanitation Department’s plan for cleanup and collection. “Sanitation officials told me they are currently removing snow piles from commercial strips and will move into residential areas once that work is completed,” she said.



Republican Congressional Rep. Mike Lawler took to X to voice his criticism of Mamdani’s handling of the storm. “This is what happens when someone who has never had any experience managing anything, let alone the largest city in the world, comes into power.&#8221;



Videos shared on social media show residents struggling to pass through deep, icy snow at intersections and walking through slush—conditions that are nearly impossible to traverse for anyone with a disability.



Midwood resident Dianne Jacobson, a frum senior citizen, told Belaaz: “It&#8217;s extremely difficult to walk outside. I won&#8217;t even try to cross the street because of all the snow, even with my walker. If I need anything, I&#8217;d have to ask my son to pick it up, even though there’s a grocery store three blocks away.”



Though Mamdani has yet to address these issues directly, his social media team posted Monday afternoon that the mayor and his team are doing everything they can to keep New Yorkers safe. “This weekend, we opened up new single-room shelter units to give more homeless New Yorkers a place to sleep and launched more warming units to meet people where they are,” the post said. “Along with outreach teams and warming centers, we are using every tool to get people safely inside. If you see someone who needs help, please call 311.”

A Week Later, Still Waiting: Mamdani’s Snow Response Leaves Residents in the Cold and Disillusioned

Two years after being approved in the United States, a new Alzheimer’s drug is showing remarkable results in Israeli patients, with many reporting halted progression of the disease. 



At Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, about 150 patients, including Meir, 86, and Ofira, 77, are receiving Leqembi, which targets toxic amyloid proteins in the brain.



Meir, a psychiatrist, tells Chanel 12 he has seen no deterioration for a year and a half. &#8220;I haven&#8217;t lost anything, I drive and work. There has been no deterioration for a year and a half,&#8221; he says. Diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s, he describes the treatment as &#8220;like beating the disease.&#8221;



Dr. Tamara Scheiner, director of the Advanced Alzheimer’s Treatment Service, told the newe outlet: &#8220;We definitely see a group for whom it seems that the disease is supposedly not progressing. There are people for whom it really, really stops the disease.&#8221; Dr. Noa Bergman, head of the Cognitive Neurology Unit, calls the past two years &#8220;a revolution,&#8221; noting that the FDA has fully approved the drug, which slows symptom progression.



The treatment, given by infusion every two weeks or month, removes amyloid plaques from the brain, which are believed to play a central role in Alzheimer’s. Patients report maintaining independence and daily activity, including work, social engagements, and hobbies. Ofira says: &#8220;I haven&#8217;t hidden from anyone that I have Alzheimer&#8217;s. There&#8217;s nothing to be ashamed of about an illness&#8230; In short, I am loved.&#8221;



Despite its promise, the treatment carries a high financial cost, often reaching thousands of shekels per month, limiting access for some patients. Dr. Scheiner emphasizes early diagnosis is key, as the drugs are only effective in confirmed early-stage cases.



After decades of limited options, neurologists say this marks a new era in Alzheimer’s care, offering hope that memory loss may no longer be inevitable and quality of life can be preserved.

Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s Care: New Drugs Slow and Sometimes Stop the Disease

The disappearance of NBC News &#8220;Today&#8221; co-anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother is now being treated as a criminal investigation, authorities announced Monday, pointing to troubling evidence found inside the 84-year-old’s Arizona home.



Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday at her house in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills. Sheriff Chris Nanos said during a press briefing that investigators uncovered a “very concerning” situation inside the residence.



“She is very limited in her mobility. We know she didn’t just walk out of there. She did not leave on her own,” Nanos said.



Nanos added that after processing the home, investigators were confident they were dealing with a crime. “We believe now, after we process that crime scene, that we do, in fact, have a crime scene, that we do, in fact, have a crime and we’re asking the community’s help.”



Search efforts began after the family reported Nancy missing late Sunday morning. According to officials, her relatives were alerted when a friend noticed that she hadn&#8217;t appeared at her usual Sunday destination. Concerned, they contacted police.



Her family had dropped her off at home just after 9:30 p.m. the night before she vanished.



Authorities said Nancy was mentally sharp and not suffering from dementia or other cognitive issues, noting that her disappearance is not believed to be the result of confusion or wandering away. “The family wants everybody to know this isn’t somebody who just wandered off. Her physical limits are based on just age,” Nanos explained.



Investigators are reviewing security footage from the property and urged nearby residents to check their doorbell and home surveillance systems for anything unusual.



Nanos confirmed that Savannah has remained in close contact with investigators throughout the search.



The Today co-host said in a statement, “On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support. Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s office at 520-351-4900.”

Police Declare Savannah Guthrie’s Mother’s Disappearance a Criminal Case

An explosive whistleblower complaint involving Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is being withheld from congressional review and is currently “locked in a safe,” according to a report published Monday by The Wall Street Journal.



The Journal describes “A cloak-and-dagger mystery&#8221; around the complaint, which is said to be locked in a safe. The report stated further that &#8220;It also implicates another federal agency beyond Gabbard’s, and raises potential claims of executive privilege that may involve the White House, officials said.”



Submitted last May to the intelligence community’s inspector general, the complaint remains completely undisclosed.



One official, speaking anonymously, warned the outlet that making the complaint public could result in “grave damage to national security.”



Lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees first became aware of the complaint in November, after the whistleblower’s attorney accused Gabbard’s office in a formal letter of obstructing congressional access. The Journal reviewed that letter, which was disclosed for the first time Monday. Democratic committee staff have attempted to obtain the complaint but, according to the report, have met with “little success.”



Whistleblower attorney Andrew Bakaj criticized the delay, saying, “From my experience, it is confounding for [Gabbard’s office] to take weeks &#8211; let alone eight months – to transmit a disclosure to Congress.”



Bakaj, who previously represented the CIA officer whose 2019 whistleblower report led to former President Trump’s first impeachment, said he has likewise been denied access to the document. A representative from the inspector general’s office, speaking anonymously, told the Journal the complaint was placed in a secure safe due to its highly sensitive nature.



“Some complaints involve exceptionally sensitive materials necessitating special handling and storage requirements,” the official said. “This case is one of them.”

Whistleblower Complaint on Tulsi Gabbard Sparks Secrecy Fight in Washington

The Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and Gaza reopened on Monday for the first time in nearly two years, an Israeli security official confirmed; a development widely welcomed by Palestinians and international bodies as a major step in the ongoing ceasefire process.



The key gateway, viewed by many Palestinians as their primary link to the outside world, has remained largely inaccessible since Israel seized control of it in May 2024 due to terrorists smuggling weapons into the Strip. The crossing fully shut again during the collapse of the January 2025 ceasefire the following March. Roughly 20,000 Palestinians in need of medical treatment hope to depart the devastated enclave via Rafah, while thousands more outside Gaza are waiting for the chance to return.



Although the reopening carries mostly symbolic weight at this stage, with only limited movement allowed, small groups of Palestinians and European monitoring teams arrived early Monday as operations resumed.



Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that the crossing is expected to operate roughly six hours per day.



Authorities clarified that only Palestinian pedestrians from Gaza were permitted to pass. Foreign nationals and aid workers seeking entry must continue using Israel’s border crossings, and all goods and humanitarian shipments will also continue to move through Israeli terminals. Israel is still blocking foreign journalists from entering Gaza without supervision.



Israeli officials said only Palestinians who had exited Gaza during the war would be allowed back in. According to Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, about 42,000 Gazans left the Strip during the conflict, predominantly medical patients or dual nationals.



A US official and an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel that members of the Palestinian technocratic committee are also expected to enter Gaza through Rafah later this week.



The 12-member National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), formed to oversee civilian governance in a post-Hamas Gaza, has been meeting in Cairo since being introduced last month. All members originally hail from Gaza, though some have lived abroad in recent years.



It remained unclear how many people crossed in or out on the reopening day, though officials said the initial numbers would be modest.



An Egyptian official had estimated that around 50 Palestinians would pass in each direction on Monday, while Kan reported that as many as 150 Gazans, including 50 medical patients, were slated to depart for Egypt.



A border source told AFP that several dozen travelers reached the Egyptian side Monday morning as they waited to enter Gaza.



Egyptian officials said roughly 150 hospitals across the country are prepared to receive Palestinian medical evacuees. The Egyptian Red Crescent has also established designated “safe spaces” near the border to support patients and families entering from Gaza.



Egypt’s state-affiliated Cairo News reported that the Egyptian side of Rafah would remain open on a 24-hour basis.

Rafah Crossing Reopens for Pedestrian Travel

As we enter the 15th of Shvat, we are presented with an annual paradox. We mark the &#8220;Rosh Hashana for the Trees,&#8221; determining the Ma&#8217;aser status of the new year&#8217;s crop, yet a glance out the window reveals a starkly different reality. The branches are bare, the ground is hard, and the air is biting. There are no blossoms to count, no fruits, and very little visible greenery.



Why did Chazal establish a Yom Tov celebrating the renewal of life during the depth of the winter darkness?



The Gemara explains that by Tu B’Shvat, the majority of the rainy season has passed, and the sap begins to rise in the trees. It is a biological turning point. While the tree looks dormant superficially, deep inside the trunk, amazing processes are unfolding. The process of producing fruit has begun, even if the results are months away from being seen.



It is precisely this duality that offers a profound lesson for our spiritual lives.



Rebbe Umori Rav Yisroel Belsky zt&#8221;l, Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vodaas and senior Posek, offered a powerful perspective on this timing, specifically regarding the development of a Ben Torah.



Rav Belsky noted that the Yom Tov was established in correlation with this very first stage of fruit development. It does not wait for the harvest; it celebrates the initial surge of life that occurs despite the harsh winter cold.



He compared this agricultural reality to the journey of a talmid beginning a life of Torah learning. At the start of this journey, the &#8220;climate&#8221; can feel harsh. The material is difficult, the commitment feels heavy, and the &#8220;fruits&#8221; &#8211; the joy, and the clarity &#8211; seem overwhelmingly distant. It is a period that can feel like a spiritual winter.



However, Rav Belsky taught that it is specifically in this period of darkness that true growth begins. One might look at the vastness of Shas and the depth of Halacha and feel the coldness of their own limitations. Yet, the Rosh Yeshiva taught that just as the little sprout pushes through until it becomes a lush canopy, the struggle of the Ben Torah in the early stages is what generates the momentum for a lifetime of growth.



Rav Belsky would often quote the Gemara about a talmid being compared to a treew. &#8220;Once it blossoms, it keeps going,&#8221; the Gemara says.



The celebration of Tu B’Shvat is a reminder that because of &#8211; not despite of &#8211; the darkness, true greatness is within our grasp.



As a halachik reminder, since many people eat dried fruit on Tu B&#8217;shvat, it is important to check for bugs, especially in dates and figs &#8211; even with the best hecsherim.

Tu B’Shvat: The Power of Hidden Growth

Jewish communities around the world marked the holy day of Tu B’Shvat tonight with Tisch events and gatherings for Chizuk led by Gedolei Yisroel and Admorim.



In a particularly moving event in Bal Harbour Village, Miami Beach, the Tzadik from Monsey, Harav Mordche Steiner Shlita, conducted a special Tu B&#8217;Shvat Tisch. The Rav is currently residing in Florida for a period of rest and recovery to regain his strength following a recent medical procedure. Despite his health challenges, the Tzadik led the event with vigor, offering brachos to the scores of followers and local residents who gathered to participate in the joyous occasion.



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Across the ocean in Eretz Yisroel, hundreds of participants gathered in the city of Ashdod for a massive event led by the Yenuka, Harav Shlomo Yehuda Beeri Shlita. The hall was packed to capacity as the Yenuka delivered divrei Torah and songs in honor of the day.



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In Yerushalayim, the Posek Hador,  Harav Moshe Shternbuch Shlita, was seen making a Bracha on fruit during a special Kinnus Chizuk held for the Avreichim who study in his Kollelim. The gathering served as both a celebration of the holiday and an opportunity for the Avreichim to receive guidance and inspiration from the Rav.



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Also in Ashdod, a large Tisch was held by Harav Refael Abuchatzira Shlita. Images from the event show the Rebbe conducting the proceedings with great kavana, continuing the illustrious traditions of the Abuchatzira dynasty.



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Meanwhile, the Sadigura Rebbe of London conducted his Tu B&#8217;Shvat Tisb, joined by Chassidim who came to witness the avodah of the day.



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Tu B’Shvat Celebrations Span the Globe: Gedolim and Rebbes Lead Events from Ashdod to Miami

Costa Ricans overwhelmingly chose ruling-party nominee Laura Fernández in the first round of their presidential election, as her promise to clamp down aggressively on crime struck a chord with voters troubled by a recent surge in drug-related violence.



With 81 % of ballots counted, Fernández had about 49 % of the vote, surpassing the 40 % threshold needed to avoid a runoff and crushing 19 other contenders. Her nearest rival, Álvaro Ramos, finished on roughly 33 % and conceded defeat.



Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado, 39, is a Costa Rican politician and political scientist who will succeed outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves. Born in Puntarenas on 4 July 1986, she studied public policy and democratic governance at the University of Costa Rica and has spent much of her career in government.



Before her election, Fernández served in President Chaves’s administration as Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy from 2022 to 2025 and later as Minister of the Presidency in 2024–25, resigning to run for president.



A member of the right-wing Sovereign People’s Party (Partido Pueblo Soberano), Fernández has campaigned as a continuation of Chaves’s leadership and hard-line approach to rising crime, proposing measures such as enhanced prison sentences and building high-security detention facilities inspired by models abroad.



Her platform also includes promises to strengthen the economy and reform public policy, drawing on her background in planning and governance. She has described herself as both a public servant and a consultant with experience in executive and legislative roles.



Opponents have raised concerns about Fernández’s emphasis on curbing civil liberties in high-crime areas and what critics see as potential threats to democratic norms; supporters argue her agenda is a necessary response to security challenges that have transformed Costa Rica from a longtime peaceful model into a nation grappling with gang and drug violence.

Millennial Hard-Line Right Wing Candidate Wins Costa Rica Presidency as Crime Fears Drive Voters

The United Arab Emirates is preparing to take control of Gaza’s civilian administration in a move supported by Israel and coordinated with the United States, Channel 12 reported Sunday.



Officials familiar with the discussions said Abu Dhabi has proposed assuming full responsibility for Gaza’s civilian affairs, backed by a multi-billion-dollar investment. Draft agreements have been exchanged among the three parties in recent days.



Under the initiative, the UAE would manage all markets and trade in Gaza, deploy armed security forces to protect logistics centers, and operate alongside U.S. private security firms.



All goods entering Gaza would be purchased from Israel, with Israeli contractors tasked with implementation. Existing distribution points would be reorganized into centralized logistics hubs serving Gaza’s private sector.



Senior Israeli officials described the plan as a “comprehensive Emirati takeover of civilian responsibility,” noting that the UAE is ready to enter Gaza at full scale and act as the territory’s civilian sponsor.

Report: UAE Plans Full Civilian Control of Gaza in Israel-Backed Initiative

A heavy mourning descended in Yerushalayim and the Torah world with the sudden and tragic petirah of the Lelover Rebbe, Rav Yissachar Dov Biderman zt”l. The Rebbe was 84 years old.



The Rebbe passed away under shocking circumstances on Sunday. As was his daily minhag, he arrived to immerse in his private mikvah on Tzefania Street in Yerushalayim. According to rescue personnel, the Rebbe collapsed in the water.



Emergency teams from United Hatzalah and MDA were summoned to the scene after those present noticed the Rebbe was lingering longer than usual. According to Israeli media, paramedics Naftali Sofer, Yosef Harpaz, and Kobi Marder reported finding the Rebbe unconscious and not breathing. Despite prolonged and advanced CPR efforts, the Rebbe returned his pure neshamah to its Creator.



The Rebbe was subsequently moved to the Beis Medrash on Tzefania Street, and then to his central Beis Medrash on Bar Ilan Street, where the paroches was removed and candles were lit in mourning.



The levaya is scheduled to take place Sunday at 10:00 PM from the central Beis Medrash Kedushas Mordechai Lelov at 39 Bar Ilan Street. The late hour was set to allow the Rebbe’s son to arrive via flight from London. Kevurah will be on Har Hazeisim.



Born on 12 Kislev, 5702, in Yerushalayim, the Rebbe was the son of the holy Rav Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zt”l, and Rebbetzin Attil a”h. In his youth, he learned at Belz Cheder in Tel Aviv and later became one of the elite bochurim at Yeshivas Lelov in the Batei Yisrael neighborhood.



Before assuming the mantle of leadership, the Rebbe lived a life of modesty, working as a Sofer Stam and devoting himself to avodas Hashem in seclusion. He was known for his gentle spirit and immense Ahavas Yisrael, continuing the golden tradition of the Lelov dynasty dating back to Rav Dovid of Lelov zt”l.



In later years, he established his Yeshiva and court on Bar Ilan Street. He was beloved by Chassidim worldwide, many of whom would flock to his tishen.



Chassidim have noted with awe the sudden and unique nature of the petirah of the Lelov line of Rebbes. The Rebbe&#8217;s passing comes just two days before the yahrtzeit of his brother, Rav Avraham Shlomo of Lelov zt”l. His other brothers also passed away during significant moments of Kedushah: Rav Shimon Nosson Neta on Yom Kippur night, and Rav Alter Elazar Menachem at the conclusion of a tish. Now, the Rebbe has passed away in the midst of the taharah of the mikvah.



Due to the tragedy, various tishen and celebrations in the Chassidish world were cancelled Sunday, including the Tu Bshvat tish of his nephew, Rav Elimelech Biderman.



The Rebbe leaves behind a generation of children and grandchildren following in his ways. His brothers, yibadlu l&#8217;chaim tovim, serve as the Rebbes of Lelov-Nikolsburg and Lelov-Ezras Torah.



Yehi Zichro Baruch.

BDE: Sudden Petirah of the Lelover Rebbe Zt”l Following Collapse in Mikvah

Once touted as a safer swap for cigarettes, e-cigarettes have surged in popularity among young people, but fresh findings are challenging that perception, thanks to research involving an unlikely test subject: the zebrafish.



Although marketed as a low-risk alternative, vaping has become widespread among teens, with WHO estimating that at least 15 million adolescents between 13 and 15 now use e-cigarettes. Growing data already links vaping to serious health risks on par with traditional smoking.



A newly published study in Science of The Total Environment adds to those warnings, revealing troubling biological effects tied to e-cigarette exposure.



Researchers turned to zebrafish, a cost-efficient, well-established model for studying human diseases, and found that contact with e-cigarette liquid disrupted gut bacteria and altered both brain structure and behavior.



Over the course of a week, the fish were exposed to e-cigarette liquids, with and without nicotine, added directly into their tanks.



The heating process behind e-cigarettes releases toxic, cancer-causing carcinogens such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, chemicals known to irritate the lungs and skin.



The study also showed that the chemical-laden water led to imbalances in gut microbiota. Beneficial bacteria declined, while harmful strains multiplied.



“Some bacteria become dominant and replace others, forming a new microbial community,” study author Thi Ngoc Mai Dong told the NY Post on Sunday. “The changes suggest that the fish, or rather the bacteria, can ‘feel’ the toxic substances in the water and want to adapt to the new environment.”



Because gut bacteria influence the brain, the shift in microbiota also affected the fish’s behavior, including changes in their ability to react to threats.



While results from animal studies cannot be directly applied to humans, the research reinforces concerns about the dangers of vaping.



Past studies have linked e-cigarette use to organ damage, cardiovascular issues, and neurological conditions like dementia.



Vaping also reduces physical performance, even in young users; compromising breathing, accelerating muscle fatigue, and lowering overall fitness compared to non-smokers.



Users have additionally reported conditions such as “vaping illness” and “vape tongue,” and several teens have suffered life-threatening lung collapses tied to heavy vaping.



The American Heart Association has labeled youth vaping a “serious public health threat,” noting that most products still deliver “highly addictive” nicotine that can harm developing brains.

Vaping Study Using Zebrafish Raises New Health Concerns

A major security incident erupted Sunday east of Chomesh in the Shomron, where a violent mob of Palestinian terrorists targeted a local shepherd.



According to reports, four terrorists assaulted the shepherd and simultaneously tried to grab the personal weapon of the owner of the “Shuva Yisrael” farm, which operates in the area.



The farm owner spotted what was happening, fired warning shots into the air to repel the attackers, and immediately notified security forces.



IDF units rushed to the scene, quickly securing the area and restoring order. No injuries were reported.



Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, denounced the attack, telling Arutz 7: “Our answer to terror is to deepen our roots in Homesh and northern Samaria. Anyone who believes that terror, violence, or gunfire will deter us from walking freely in our land is gravely mistaken.&#8221;



He continued, “The clearest and most decisive response to terrorism is a significant strengthening of our presence and a firm establishment of our hold on Homesh and northern Samaria. We demand that the security establishment restore deterrence and act with an iron fist against the attackers.&#8221;

Terrorist Mob Attacks Shepherd Near Chomesh in Foiled Attempt to Steal Firearm

Jewish community leaders in Stamford Hill hosted former Prime Minister and billionaire philanthropist Rishi Sunak on Friday, granting him a special award for his work on behalf of the Jewish community.



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The prize, called the Tree of Life Award, was given &#8220;in recognition for his outstanding service and steadfast support for the Jewish community throughout his years in public office.&#8221;



The high-profile event was organized by the JCC and chaired by veteran askan Levi Schapiro, marking an expression of gratitude from the community to the former Prime Minister.



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Former British PM Rishi Sunak Honored With Prestigious ‘Tree of Life’ Award in Stamford Hill

Gregory Bovino, a top U.S. Border Patrol official overseeing deportation operations in Minnesota, is accused of making antisemitic remarks toward Daniel Rosen, the U.S. attorney in Minneapolis, reportedly targeting Rosen’s observance of Shabbos. The New York Times reported that during a January 12 call with federal prosecutors, Bovino made derisive comments about Rosen’s religious practices.



The report states that Bovino cynically used the phrase “the chosen people” and sarcastically questioned whether Rosen understood that Orthodox Jewish criminals do not take weekends off, referring to the prosecutor’s adherence to avoiding phone and email use during Shabbos.



Bovino, a longtime immigration enforcement official, recently arrived in Minneapolis to lead a task force of 3,000 federal agents. He has faced a wave of criticism for repeatedly appearing in public wearing a green, military-style coat with silver buttons; an officially sanctioned Border Patrol winter uniform, but one that has drawn widespread online comparisons to Nazi-era attire.



Tensions escalated further after Bovino was recorded firing a tear gas canister without warning during a protest in Chicago. He was also admonished by a federal judge in Illinois for allegedly giving false accounts of his officers’ arrest methods.



Scrutiny of Bovino sharpened in the wake of the death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at a Minneapolis veterans’ hospital. Bovino asserted that Pretti carried out an “attempted massacre of law enforcement” and was armed with a handgun and two magazines, but video footage appeared to contradict this, showing agents restraining, disarming, and then shooting Pretti multiple times in the back. The incident marked the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minnesota since the heightened enforcement campaign began following the killing of protester Renee Good.



The remarks about Rosen surfaced during a call in which Bovino pressed the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges against protesters accused of hindering his agents. Rosen was not on the call – his deputy attended instead – leading Bovino to express frustration at not being able to reach him over the weekend and suggesting that Rosen’s religious commitments were getting in the way of law enforcement operations.



The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of a 1972 U.S. Supreme Court decision requiring prosecutors to turn over evidence that could call into question the credibility of government witnesses, including federal officers.

Border Patrol Leader Accused of Mocking Jewish Prosecutor’s Shabbos Observance

A Gaza physician who authored two New York Times opinion pieces criticizing Israel is actually a colonel in Hamas, according to findings from an Israeli watchdog group and the Israel Defense Forces.



Israeli NGO Monitor reported that Hussam Abu Safyia was photographed in Hamas military fatigues during a 2016 event for senior Hamas members celebrating the completion of the Kamal Adwan Hospital.



The picture was posted on the Gaza Medical Services Facebook page, which operates under the Hamas-run health ministry.



The event reportedly included top Hamas officials, such as Gen. Abu Obaida Al-Jarrah, Military Medical Services Director Saeed Saoudi, and National Security Forces commander Col. Naeem Al-Ghoul.



In the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis and the subsequent Gaza war, Safyia authored two New York Times op-eds &#8211; published on Oct. 29, 2023, and Dec. 2, 2024 &#8211; fiercely criticizing Israel.



“We are suffering and paying the price of the genocide that is happening to our people here in the northern Gaza Strip,” Safyia wrote in one of the essays.



Media critics condemned the decision to give a platform to an individual they allege is tied to Hamas.



“Those who platformed Abu Safyia must do some serious soul-searching, and figure out how they ended up promoting the propaganda of a literal Hamas terrorist,” said Vincent Chebat, senior researcher at NGO Monitor.



The Times identified Safyia solely as “a pediatrician and the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza” in both op-eds.



Neither the newspaper nor Safyia acknowledged his alleged Hamas rank, despite Palestinian media referring to him by his military title. A 2020 post on the Gaza Medical Services Facebook page also listed him as a colonel.



An IDF spokesperson stated that Safyia was a senior Hamas figure and that the hospital he oversaw had been heavily used by members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.



Neither the IDF nor NGO Monitor accused Safyia of involvement in any specific acts of terrorism. 



The IDF confirmed it detained Safyia during the conflict on suspicion of “involvement in terrorist activities.” He was released without charges. The Israel Prison Services did not comment on his current location.

Hamas Colonel Exposed Behind NY Times Gaza Op-Eds, Watchdog Claims

Gold and silver prices tumbled sharply early Friday after word spread that President Trump intends to nominate Kevin Warsh as the next head of the Federal Reserve.



Investors swiftly began offloading precious metals, sending gold down as much as 10%, sliding from $5,500 per ounce to roughly $5,136.



Silver saw an even steeper drop, plunging up to 20% from $120 per ounce to near $103.



For more than a year, both metals have rocketed to repeated record highs as investors sought refuge in hard assets amid surging inflation, ballooning national debt, and concerns the Fed might face political interference.



Much of that demand had been driven by fears that the next Fed chief would bow to pressure from Trump to slash interest rates aggressively. News of Warsh’s selection appeared to calm those worries.



Warsh, who previously served as a Fed governor between 2006 and 2011, is seen as a hawkish choice; one likely to preserve the central bank’s independence.



“Warsh came up in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, served as one of the youngest Fed governors in history, and was seriously in the room during the great financial crisis,” Dean Lyulkin, founder of The Dean’s List newsletter, told The NY Post.



“That pedigree is rare. It tends to produce clear signals, few surprises, and a pragmatic approach to the delicate balance between inflation and growth.”



“Businesses and investors should breathe easier,” he added.



Because gold and silver produce no yield, they tend to lose appeal when interest rates remain high, making bonds and cash more attractive by comparison. The expectation that Warsh won’t immediately cut rates helped accelerate the metals’ selloff.



The backdrop to the announcement is extraordinary: federal prosecutors recently launched a criminal probe into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell over his June 2025 congressional testimony regarding a $2.5 billion renovation of the central bank’s headquarters. Investigators have issued grand jury subpoenas to determine whether Powell’s statements were misleading.



Powell publicly revealed the investigation earlier this month, framing it as retaliation for the Fed’s refusal to succumb to pressure from the White House to slash rates. He cautioned that using law enforcement as leverage against the central bank jeopardizes its ability to set policy based on economic fundamentals rather than politics.



The inquiry prompted immediate alarm throughout the global financial community, with banking executives and central bankers warning it could shake confidence in the US financial system.



Several Republican lawmakers — including Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina — have vowed to block Fed nominees until the investigation is resolved. Tillis has repeatedly said he will oppose any new confirmations during the ongoing probe.



On Friday, he called Warsh “a qualified nominee with a deep understanding of monetary policy” but stood firm on his position.



“My position has not changed: I will oppose the confirmation of any Federal Reserve nominee, including for the position of Chairman, until the DOJ’s inquiry into Chairman Powell is fully and transparently resolved,” Tillis wrote on X.

Off Record Highs, Gold and Silver Sink as Trump Set to Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair

New York City remains locked in a dangerous deep freeze, with subzero wind chills gripping the Tri-State region, but the city is expected to escape the worst of the weekend winter storm that threatens to slam the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, where tens of thousands of residents are entering a sixth day without electricity.



The Arctic blast anchoring itself over the Northeast has pushed temperatures well below freezing, with wind chills dipping to 20 below zero in some parts of the region overnight. Despite bright sunshine, Friday’s high temperatures will struggle to reach the upper teens. Officials warn that frostbite can set in within 15 to 30 minutes in these conditions, and an AccuWeather Alert remains in effect through Saturday because of the extreme cold.



Forecasters say the approaching weekend storm will pass largely to the south, sparing most of the Tri-State area from significant snow. Only light, scattered snow showers are possible for much of the region, with the main effects likely confined to eastern Long Island &#8211; where a dusting of snow, gusty winds, rough surf, and pockets of minor coastal flooding may occur. Temperatures may briefly moderate early next week before another surge of Arctic air arrives next weekend.



While New York escapes the core of the storm, the Southeast is bracing for a high-impact winter event as tens of thousands of people continue living without power nearly a week after a crippling system cut electricity across Mississippi, Tennessee, and surrounding states.



The National Weather Service reports that another wave of arctic air will plunge temperatures into the teens (minus 10 degrees Celsius) Friday night in places like Nashville, Tennessee, where many homes remain unheated following last week’s heavy snow and ice.



More than 230,000 homes and businesses were still offline Friday morning, the majority in Mississippi and Tennessee, according to tracking site poweroutage.us.



Forecasters say the relentless cold will persist across the eastern U.S. into February, with a strong chance of heavy snowfall across the Carolinas, Virginia, and northeast Georgia this weekend. Some communities in North Carolina could see up to a foot (30 centimeters) of snow; more than they’ve received in years. Snow is also possible from Maryland through Maine.



Meteorologists expect powerful winds and moderate to heavy snow Saturday night into early Sunday, raising the potential for short-lived blizzard conditions before the system shifts offshore later Sunday morning.



As the Deep South awaits the next punch of winter, health experts warn that prolonged exposure in powerless homes is reaching a critical point.



“The longer you’re exposed to the cold, the worse it is,” Dr. Hans House, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Iowa told the NY Post on Friday. “The body can handle cold temperatures briefly very well, but the prolonged exposure is a problem.”



State leaders in Mississippi say this is the worst winter storm the state has seen since 1994. Roughly 80 warming centers have been opened throughout the state to help residents survive the extended freeze.



Gov. Tate Reeves said National Guard units are transporting blankets, food, and other essential supplies by truck and helicopter.



In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee said emergency crews have provided more than 600 warming-supply kits and over 2,200 gallons (8,328 liters) of gasoline and diesel to residents in need.



At least 85 people have died across areas impacted by the extreme cold from Texas to New Jersey. Around half of the deaths occurred in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana. While many fatalities stemmed from hypothermia, several are suspected to be linked to carbon monoxide exposure.

NYC Freezes but Dodges Major Weekend Storm as Southeast Endures 6 Days of Power Outages

A federal judge on Friday shut down prosecutors’ effort to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, removing capital punishment as a possible sentence in the point-blank Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year.



Prosecutors had warned they would appeal if the death penalty were taken off the table, a move that could have significantly slowed the case. Capital cases require far more preparation, and the next phase would not have begun until January 2027. With that option eliminated, the case is now set to move forward more quickly, with opening statements scheduled for Oct. 13.



Mangione’s defense team argued that the charges used to justify pursuing the death penalty against the 27-year-old were legally defective. They also said the government tainted the case by publicly announcing its intention to seek capital punishment before a grand jury had returned an indictment.



U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett also denied a separate defense request to throw out key evidence, including Mangione’s backpack and what was found inside it at the time of his arrest. Defense lawyers claimed police violated standard procedures during the search and seizure, but the judge declined to suppress the evidence.



Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state murder charges, which still expose him to a possible life sentence. A date for the state trial has not yet been set.



Thompson was shot and killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he walked toward a Manhattan hotel where UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual investor conference. Surveillance footage captured a masked gunman approaching from behind and firing the fatal shots.



Police first searched Mangione’s backpack inside a McDonald’s restaurant, where he was arrested while eating breakfast. Prosecutors said the initial search was lawful because Altoona police policy requires officers to promptly examine a suspect’s belongings at the time of arrest to check for dangerous items. Investigators later obtained a warrant as well.



Among the items recovered at the restaurant was a loaded gun magazine.



Officers continued examining the backpack later at a police station, where they discovered a firearm and a silencer. During what prosecutors described as an “inventory search,” police also found a notebook and additional writings that appeared to include to-do lists and possible escape plans, according to testimony.



That type of search, which involves itemizing every piece of property seized from a suspect, is mandated under Altoona police policy, prosecutors said. Legal battles over search warrants and police procedures are common in criminal cases, given the complexity of the rules involved.



As part of her review, Judge Garnett ordered federal prosecutors to turn over the affidavit used to secure the federal search warrant. During the hearing, Mangione’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, questioned Snyder about a police department general order that took effect Feb. 1, 2016, outlining arrest, search, and seizure practices.



Defense lawyers maintain that searching the backpack before a warrant was issued may have shaped how the affidavit was written. Prosecutors countered that the document did not include specific references to items found in the bag, such as the notebook or its contents.

Judge Bars Death Penalty in Luigi Mangione Case, Clears Way for Faster Trial

WASHINGTON &#8211; President Donald Trump announced this morming, Friday, that he is officially nominating Kevin Warsh to serve as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.



In a detailed statement posted on Truth Social, Trump praised Warsh’s background and expressed strong confidence in his leadership, writing:



“I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best. On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.”



Trump also highlighted Warsh’s resume, noting that he became the youngest Federal Reserve Governor in history at age 35, serving on the Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011. During his tenure, Warsh represented the Federal Reserve at the G-20 and served as the Board’s emissary to emerging and advanced economies in Asia.



 He also held the role of Administrative Governor, overseeing the Board’s operations, personnel, and financial performance.



Before joining the Fed, Warsh served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Executive Secretary of the National Economic Council under President George W. Bush.



Currently, Kevin Warsh is the Shepard Family Distinguished Visiting Fellow in Economics at the Hoover Institution and a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Warsh is also a partner at Duquesne Family Office LLC alongside Stanley Druckenmiller.

Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Next Federal Reserve Chairman: “One of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, Maybe the Best”

A Florida nurse who publicly stated he would not “perform anesthesia” for “MAGA” patients has voluntarily surrendered his nursing license, according to state officials.



“Effective today, Erik Martindale is no longer a registered nurse in Florida,” Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote in a post on X on Thursday.



Uthmeier condemned the remarks, saying, “Healthcare is not contingent on political beliefs, and we have zero tolerance for partisans who put politics above their ethical duty to treat patients with the respect and dignity they deserve.”



Martindale’s original comment appeared in a now-deleted social media post, in which he said, “I will not perform anesthesia for any surgeries or procedures for MAGA. It is my right, it is my ethical oath, and I stand behind my education. I own all of my businesses and I can refuse anyone!” He later claimed his Facebook account had been hacked.



A senior state official confirmed Martindale gave up his license and noted he also violated the nurse licensure compact by relocating to Indiana without notifying the Florida Board of Nursing.



State health department records list his license as voluntarily relinquished. Under Florida regulations, voluntary surrender “does not constitute discipline.”



Officials from the Florida Board of Nursing have been contacted for comment, and attempts were made to reach Martindale directly.



The incident comes on the heels of another controversy involving a Florida nurse. Lexie Lawler, formerly a labor and delivery nurse at Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital, was terminated last week after posting a video expressing explicit wishes of harm toward political spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during childbirth.



Lawler said in the video, “As a labor and delivery nurse, it gives me great joy to wish Karoline Leavitt a fourth degree tear.”

Florida Nurse Gives Up License After Posting Refusal to Treat ‘MAGA’ Patients

At the premiere of the documentary Melania in Washington between Thursday and Friday, President Trump delivered a forceful warning to Tehran, revealing that a fleet of U.S. warships is heading to the region. A New York Times report indicates that the president is weighing military options, including strikes on non-military targets and attacks on security commanders, to support Iranian protesters.



Speaking to reporters on the red carpet, Trump outlined his message to Iran following the violent suppression of nationwide demonstrations. &#8220;I told them two things,&#8221; the president said. &#8220;Number one &#8211; no nukes. And number two &#8211; stop killing protesters. They&#8217;re killing them by the thousands.&#8221;



Trump claimed that his personal involvement had already prevented executions in Iran: &#8220;I stopped 837 hangings two weeks ago, but they&#8217;re going to have to do something. Nobody&#8217;s ever seen anything like this.&#8221; He emphasized the scale of U.S. military power in the region: &#8220;We have a lot of very large, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now. It would be great if we didn&#8217;t have to use them.&#8221;



Behind closed doors at the White House, discussions continue about the potential U.S. response. According to the New York Times, Trump has been briefed on a range of new attack options targeting the Islamic Republic.



Options under consideration include strikes on government institutions in Tehran to undermine the regime’s authority, attacks on commanders responsible for violence against protesters to signal that Iran’s security forces can be challenged, and large-scale operations against the country’s ballistic missile program and uranium enrichment facilities.



U.S. officials involved in planning said Trump aims to create conditions for “regime change.” The goal is to empower the nationwide protest movement, which was violently suppressed earlier this month at the cost of thousands of lives, by weakening the regime’s security apparatus.



According to Israeli officials who spoke with the New York Times, Israel is pressing the United States to join it in striking Iran’s ballistic missile program.



One of Trump’s preferred scenarios is a swift, decisive strike intended to force Iran to agree to stricter nuclear terms, including a complete ban on uranium enrichment and limits on ballistic missiles. The president has repeatedly warned that &#8220;time is running out&#8221; for Tehran, cautioning that any future U.S. attacks would exceed last June’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which he called a &#8220;spectacular military success.&#8221;



Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio barred senior Iranian officials and their family members from entering the United States. &#8220;Those who profit from the Iranian regime&#8217;s brutal oppression are not welcome to benefit from our immigration system,&#8221; he said.



The Iranian foreign minister is expected to travel to Turkey on Friday for a series of diplomatic meetings. Despite this, Iran remains wary of overtures from Washington and questions whether U.S. proposals are sincere, according to several regional diplomats. 



Their doubt stems partly from events last June, when the Trump administration joined Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities even as diplomatic talks were set to begin.



Earlier Thursday, the European Union officially designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization in response to reports of mass killings of protesters during freedom demonstrations.



Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sharply criticized the EU move, stating: &#8220;Europe is now making another serious strategic mistake by designating our national military as a &#8216;terrorist organization.'&#8221;



Russian President Vladimir Putin told UAE leader Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday that Moscow is closely following developments in Iran and wants to discuss the issue during their meeting at the Kremlin. Putin made the remark at the outset of their talks, noting that the UAE recently hosted peace negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine.



Earlier in the day, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that opportunities for dialogue between the United States and Iran still remained, warning that any military action against Tehran could trigger “chaos” across the region and carry serious risks. Peskov’s comments came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump called on Iran to enter negotiations on its nuclear program or potentially face a U.S. military strike.



Two American sources familiar with the discussions told Israel&#8217;s Channel 14 that Trump is exploring ways to reignite public protests against Tehran, aiming to create conditions that could ultimately bring down the regime. It remains unclear whether the EU’s decision was influenced by U.S. pressure.



In recent weeks, President Trump has directed a significant buildup of U.S. military forces in the Middle East. This week, another destroyer and the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group reached the region. The strike group includes the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, its fighter jet squadrons, and three accompanying destroyers. These reinforcements augment the two destroyers and three littoral combat ships already operating in the area under U.S. Central Command.

Trump Issues Stern Ultimatum to Iran as U.S. Warships Head to the Region

Apple officially acquired the Tel Aviv-based Q.ai startup, which was founded in 2022 by Aviad Maizels.



The move comes as Apple, X, Meta, and Google are all battling fiercely for AI dominance.



Apple confirmed the deal for Q.ai, which specializes in imaging and ML to decode whispered or silent speech and clarify audio in noisy settings, building on features like AirPods&#8217; live translation. The tech also senses subtle facial muscle movements, potentially elevating Vision Pro.



This is Apple&#8217;s biggest acquisition since acquiring Beats in 2014 for $3 Billion. This sale is the second time founder Aviad Maizels is selling to Apple,PrimeSense, acquired 2013, which powered the shift to Face ID on iPhones. 



The company’s co-founders Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barliya will join apple too, along with the full 100 employees.

Apple Buys Israeli Q.AI for $2 Billion

A devastating tragedy has struck the New Square Jewish community: 5-year-old Matisyahu Glick a&#8221;h was killed in a fatal accident days after his family welcomed a new baby boy.



Matisyahu, 5, was struck by a vehicle Thursday morning on Ostila Street while on his way to Cheder.



Hatzolah arrived on the scene. Sources tell Belaaz that the child was responsive in the immediate aftermath of the accident, but went into cardiac arrest shortly after. The source stresses that the incident is under investigation, and that widespread reporting about the circumstances is unverified.



Matisyahu was the son of Rabbi Yekusiel Pinchas Glick and the son-in-law of Harav Aharon Goldmintzer, the Rav of the Skverer community in Yerushalayim. The grandfather was originally scheduled to fly to the United States next week for a family simcha. However, following the tragedy, the Rebbe instructed him to arrive early, before Shabbos.



The levaya is expected to take place Thursday in New Square.



Yehi zichro baruch.

Heartbreak in New Square: 5-Year-Old Killed in Accident Days After Brother’s Birth

City Council Speaker Julie Menin unveiled a new City Council–led task force to combat antisemitism on Thursday, a move that establishes a parallel effort to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s still-unrevived Office to Combat Antisemitism and intensifies scrutiny of his handling of the crisis.



The seven-member task force will include council members and senior staff, operating independently of the Mayor’s proposed office. It will be co-chaired by Jewish Caucus members Inna Vernikov (R-48) and Eric Dinowitz (D-11).



Menin emphasized the urgency of the initiative in a statement to The Post, noting that &#8220;Jewish New Yorkers are targeted by hate crimes more than every other group combined.&#8221;



&#8220;The City Council is responding with decisive action by investing in education, community safety, and real resources to confront antisemitism head-on, and by creating this new task force,&#8221; Menin said, stressing that the Council is moving beyond &#8220;statements and symbolism.&#8221;



According to the co-chairs, the task force will conduct hearings, draft policy recommendations, and advance Menin’s recently announced five-point legislative agenda aimed at countering antisemitism citywide. Sources indicate Menin is also weighing whether to grant the panel subpoena power, which would allow it to compel testimony and documents.



Vernikov told Belaaz that earlier reporting in the NY Post which stated she had raised the concept with Menin shortly after the Speaker assumed her role earlier this month was not accurate.



In a statement to Belaaz, a spokesperson for Vernikov drew a sharp distinction between this new legislative body and the Mayor’s stalled executive office. &#8220;This task force will be different because it will not be about photo-ops and rhetoric,&#8221; the spokesperson told Belaaz. &#8220;It will look to affect meaningful change and bring about consequences for anyone who perpetuates, emboldens and allows antisemitism to fester under their watch. The Councilmember is looking forward to working with her co-chair Eric Dinowitz and members of the task force to find meaningful solutions including legislative recommendations, investigations &amp; oversight hearings.&#8221;



Vernikov added her own statement to Belaaz, declaring, &#8220;This is a fight for the Civil rights of the Jewish people, and there must be accountability for hate crimes and a hostile environment that has infested our society.&#8221;



The formation of the Council task force comes amid growing frustration with Mayor Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel and supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. His proposed Office to Combat Antisemitism has yet to begin functioning. Adding to the controversy, Politico recently reported that Mayor Mamdani is interviewing Elad Nehorai, a vocal critic of Orthodox Judaism, for the top position in his office. Other candidates include anti-Yeshiva education activist Phylisa Wisdom.



Dinowitz noted that while the Council is prepared to coordinate with the Mayor&#8217;s initiative once it becomes operational, the government cannot wait to act. &#8220;I’m willing to work with anyone who wants to confront this crisis head on,&#8221; Dinowitz said. &#8220;It’s not enough to verbally condemn antisemitism. It’s a critical component&#8230; but we have to take action as a government to confront the crisis.&#8221;

City Council Speaker Launches Antisemitism Task Force as Mamdani Considers Anti-Orthodox Activist for Mayoral Office Counterpart

An IDF drone struck a group of terrorists in central Gaza&#8217;s Al-Maghazi refugee camp on Thursday afternoon.



According to reports from the Gaza strip, at least two of the terrorists were killed at the scene.

Israeli Drone Precision Strike Eliminates 2 Terrorists in Gaza

Jewish and pro-Israel organizations have been invited to a meeting Friday afternoon in Washington with Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, according to four sources familiar with the outreach who spoke with Jewish Insider on Thursday.



Those invited include the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Republican Jewish Coalition. As of Thursday morning, however, it remained unclear which of the organizations planned to attend.



Khalid bin Salman, the younger brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is in Washington this week for meetings with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, scheduled for Thursday and Friday.



The invitation comes amid unease among Jewish organizations over a recent uptick in antisemitic and Islamist rhetoric emerging from Saudi Arabia. At the same time, many groups have been careful in their public criticism as they continue to back the long-standing &#8211; and increasingly uncertain &#8211; effort to bring Riyadh into the Abraham Accords.



“This meeting will be complete window dressing,” one Middle East analyst familiar with the invitation and Saudi Arabia’s broader regional realignment told Jewish Insider. “The Saudis may try and rationalize their way out of their new alignment with Pakistan, Qatar and Turkey and say everything is fine with the UAE when evidence says otherwise.”



The analyst suggested the outreach may also be intended to manage expectations ahead of a potential diplomatic moment. “They may also want to send a message to Jewish organizations with absolute clarity that they will not be joining the Abraham Accords until there’s a Palestinian state, especially ahead of a rumored visit by [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to Washington in the next 30 days,” the analyst added.



“If these Jewish organizations do attend the meeting, they should give a stern message to Saudi leadership that their new strategic alliances and promoting antisemitism and being destructive in the region regarding Israel are not helpful.”

US Jewish Groups Invited To Meet Saudi Defense Minister In Washington As Riyadh Embraces Anti-Israel States

The European Union has formally designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, citing Tehran’s lethal suppression of mass protests in recent weeks.



EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc’s foreign ministers took what she called a “decisive step,” stressing that “repression cannot go unanswered.”



Speaking ahead of the decision, Kallas said the move places the IRGC &#8211; a powerful military, economic, and political pillar of the Iranian regime &#8211; in the same category as jihadist organizations such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.



Human rights organizations estimate that thousands of demonstrators were killed by Iranian security forces, including the IRGC, during weeks of unrest in December and January.



Addressing reporters in Brussels on Thursday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the crackdown as “the most violent repression in Iran&#8217;s modern history,” adding that there could be “no impunity for the crimes committed.”



France had previously been viewed as reluctant to support blacklisting the IRGC, amid concerns that such a move could sever remaining diplomatic ties with Tehran.



That position shifted on Wednesday, when Paris openly backed an Italian-led push to add the IRGC to the EU’s terror list.



“Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise,” Kallas said in a brief statement on social media.



Kallas added that she anticipated diplomatic engagement with Iran would continue, even after the IRGC’s designation as a terrorist organization.



Groups placed on the EU’s terror list face sweeping sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, aimed at dismantling their financial and logistical support networks.



Alongside the designation, the EU imposed additional sanctions on six entities and 15 Iranian individuals, among them Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi Azad, and Judge Iman Afshari.



“They were all involved in the violent repression of peaceful protests and the arbitrary arrest of political activists and human rights defenders,” the EU said in a statement.



Australia, Canada, and the United States have already classified the IRGC as a terrorist group, though the organization has not been formally proscribed in the United Kingdom.



On Wednesday, UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy condemned Iran’s “brutal oppression of peaceful protesters,” but reiterated longstanding government policy “not to comment on whether a specific organisation is being considered for proscription.”



The EU’s announcement comes amid escalating tensions with Washington, after U.S. President Donald Trump said a “massive Armada” was moving rapidly toward Iran “with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose.”



Trump said the fleet, led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, was intended as a warning, adding that “time was running out” for Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program and urging Tehran to “come to the table.”



He warned that failure to reach a deal would trigger an attack “far worse” than U.S. strikes carried out against Iran last year.



Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded that the country’s armed forces were ready “with their fingers on the trigger” to “immediately and powerfully respond” to any aggression.



Iran’s army chief, Amir Hatami, also threatened a “crushing response” to any U.S. attack, saying multiple military units had received 1,000 new drones, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.



Araghchi is scheduled to visit Turkey on Friday, where his counterpart, Hakan Fidan, said: “Turkey is ready to contribute to resolving the current tensions through dialogue.”



Trump’s latest warning followed his pledge that Washington would intervene on behalf of those targeted in Iran’s violent crackdown earlier this month.



A sweeping internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities has complicated efforts to independently verify the scope of the violence.



The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said it had confirmed the deaths of more than 6,301 people, including 5,925 protesters, while the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said the final toll could exceed 25,000.



Iranian officials, by contrast, claim more than 3,100 people were killed, asserting that most were security personnel or bystanders attacked by what they described as “rioters.”



International media outlets are barred from operating inside Iran, though videos showing security forces firing live ammunition into crowds have been independently verified by journalists.

EU Blacklists Iran’s IRGC As Terror Group After Deadly Crackdown On Protesters

A chaotic scene unfolded Wednesday night at the Chabad World Headquarters, as a vehicle rammed twice into the back entrance of 770 Eastern Parkway.



Baruch Hashem no injuries were reported.



Police were on the scene almost immediately after the ramming, which occured at 8:46PM, and have taken a suspect into custody.



Sources familiar with the situation tell Belaaz that the individual arrested is emotionally disturbed, but the NYPD is investigating it as a hate crime, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a news conference late Wednesday night.



&#8220;In response to the incident, the NYPD has significantly increased security around houses of worship,&#8221; Tisch added.



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Thousands of Chabad chasidim were at 770 to mark both the yahrtzeit of the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Rayatz zt&#8221;l, and the beginning of the leadership of his successor, the last Lubavitcher Rebbe zt&#8221;l.



As part of strict safety protocols, the 770 building was evacuated. The NYPD Bomb Squad has been requested to the scene to sweep the vehicle and the surrounding area strictly as a precautionary measure.



City and State officials condemned the attack as antisemitic.



Mayor Zohran Mamdani, standing alongside community leaders and police officials, expressed relief that no one was hurt but condemned the violence as &#8220;horrifying.&#8221;



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&#8220;This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and the history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world,&#8221;Mamdani said. &#8220;Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously,&#8221; the Mayor added, emphasizing that &#8220;antisemitism has no place in our city.&#8221;



New York Attorney General Letitia James, a former City Council member for the district, spoke of her personal connection to the community, calling them &#8220;part of my family.&#8221;



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&#8220;This was a holiday, and there were thousands of individuals who came to 770 Eastern Parkway&#8230; I am blessed, and this community is blessed, that no one was injured,&#8221; James said. She vowed that her office would work closely with the NYPD on the investigation.



Governor Kathy Hochul wrote: &#8220;For the second day in a row, Jewish New Yorkers were the targets of antisemitic violence. Thankfully, there appear to be no injuries &#8211; but an attack against the Jewish community is an attack against all New Yorkers.&#8221;



&#8220;My team is coordinating with the NYPD and have offered any assistance we can provide in their investigation.



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Car Repeatedly Rams Rear Entrance of 770; Suspect in Custody

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday the nomination of federal prosecutor Colin McDonald to serve as the nation’s first &#8220;fraud czar,&#8221; heading a newly established division at the Department of Justice dedicated to rooting out large-scale theft of taxpayer funds.



McDonald, currently a senior official in the Deputy Attorney General’s office, has been tapped to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement. The new division aims to centralize and aggressively pursue complex fraud schemes targeting federal programs, a central pillar of the President’s second-term agenda.



&#8220;I am pleased to nominate Colin McDonald to serve as the first ever Assistant Attorney General for National FRAUD Enforcement,&#8221; President Trump said in a statement released Wednesday. &#8220;My Administration has uncovered Fraud schemes in States like Minnesota and California, where these thieves have stolen Hundreds of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars.&#8221;



McDonald is a career federal prosecutor with a reputation for handling high-profile and complex cases. Before joining the leadership team in Washington, he served for roughly a decade as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of California. Most recently, he has served as an associate deputy attorney general under Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, overseeing law enforcement components including the FBI and DEA.



In his announcement, the President praised McDonald’s track record, describing him as a &#8220;very Smart, Tough, and Highly Respected AMERICA FIRST Federal Prosecutor who has successfully delivered Justice in some of the most difficult and high stakes cases our Country has ever seen.&#8221;



The nomination signals a shift toward a more aggressive, centralized approach to federal fraud enforcement. While the DOJ has long maintained fraud sections within its Criminal and Civil divisions, the creation of a standalone &#8220;National Fraud Enforcement&#8221; division suggests an elevation of the issue to a top priority for the administration.



The creation of the new post comes amid intensified scrutiny of pandemic-era spending and federal benefit programs. President Trump specifically cited Minnesota and California as epicenters of the alleged theft, referencing schemes he claims have cost taxpayers &#8220;Hundreds of billions.&#8221;



The reference to Minnesota likely points to the sprawling scandal involving the nonprofit &#8220;Feeding Our Future,&#8221; where dozens of defendants were charged with stealing hundreds of millions of dollars intended for child nutrition during the pandemic &#8211; a case that prosecutors have recently suggested could involve significantly larger sums than initially thought. Similarly, California has faced investigations into massive unemployment insurance fraud estimated to have cost the state tens of billions of dollars during the COVID-19 crisis.



&#8220;Together, we will END THE FRAUD, and RESTORE INTEGRITY to our Federal Programs,&#8221; President Trump stated, signing off with a directive to &#8220;STOP THE SCAMS!&#8221;



McDonald’s nomination will require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. If confirmed, he will be tasked with building the new division from the ground up and delivering on the President&#8217;s promise to recover stolen funds and prosecute those responsible for defrauding the government.

Trump Taps Federal Prosecutor Colin McDonald as Nation’s First ‘Fraud Czar’ to Lead New DOJ Division

A Fox News survey released Wednesday finds a growing share of American voters view Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as overly aggressive, even as a majority continue to approve of President Trump’s handling of border security.



According to the poll, 59% of voters now say ICE is too aggressive, a 10-point increase since July. The rise reflects a notable shift among voters in the political center and within several traditionally right-leaning groups.



The change is especially pronounced among white people without a college degree, where the perception that ICE is too aggressive has risen by 14 points. Among moderates, the figure has climbed 19 points, while independents show a 22-point increase.



Similar movement is evident among voters typically aligned with Republicans. The share describing ICE as too aggressive is up 9 points among Trump voters, 14 points among Republican women, and 23 points among non-MAGA Republicans.



When respondents who view ICE as too aggressive were asked to explain their concerns, most pointed to the agency’s methods rather than its mission. Forty-four percent cited the use of excessive force, while 23% said ICE is targeting the wrong people. An additional 29% said both factors were responsible.

Poll Shows Growing Concern Over ICE Tactics Despite Approval of Trump’s Border Policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin, hosted today, Wednesdasy Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, for a detailed discussion on the state of Jewish communities in Russia and future projects for Russian Jewry in the many cities throughout the country. 



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At the opening of the meeting, while in the presence of the media, the President said: &#8220;I am very happy to see you; we meet regularly. During these days, the world marks Holocaust Remembrance Day, in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. I would like to note that in Russia, this day is particularly significant because we remember the disasters that Nazism brought to our country. More than a million Soviet and Russian Jews fell victim to these crimes. I think it is no coincidence that this day, in accordance with the well-known decision of the United Nations General Assembly, coincides with the day of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the blockade. After all, these were crimes involving the destruction of an entire, vast population center, and above all, the victims were civilians—of all nationalities—but they were civilians, not combatants, as they say in such cases, not soldiers. The Nazis simply set themselves the goal of destroying an entire city. Of course, this too is a crime against humanity. This is absolutely clear. I know that at this time, during these days, the Jewish community in Russia is holding a whole series of events dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, and many people, including people of various nationalities, are participating in these events.&#8221; In response, the 



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 Chief Rabbi Lazar replied: &#8220;Indeed, we marked this important day with the participation of representatives of all traditional religions and people of various nationalities. Because, I think, in today&#8217;s Russia we feel it—not just a dialogue, but mutual respect with everyone around us. We want people not only to remember—this is truly a holy memory—but also for the lessons of the Holocaust to reach everyone, so they know what people suffered. It was rightly said that these were civilians, people who had nothing to do with it and suffered only because of their nationality or religious affiliation. When we look and see that, unfortunately, this continues today in various countries around the world, above all, we are proud to live here, because here, Baruch Hashem, we truly feel comfortable and secure. Today, when I speak with my colleagues in the West, they ask if it is possible to sit next to a Mufti or leaders of other religions; I tell them, we don&#8217;t just sit next to each other, we work on various projects together. We live in peace. The level of antisemitism seen in the world today—I am sure you have heard about what happened in Australia, in Manchester, England, and elsewhere—here, B’chasdei Shamayim, we do not feel it. But to understand why people act this way, what is happening in their heads, why they cultivate such jealousy and hatred, I don’t even understand where it comes from or how to fight it. All of this is thanks to you. Because I remember well what happened here 30 years ago, in the early 90s: synagogues were burned, there were many cases of antisemitism, it was truly difficult, and Thank G-d, today we see even the younger generation befriending one another and returning to Eternal Values.&#8221; 



 Rabbi Lazar added: &#8220;Thank G-d. And we are very grateful to you for everything you do every day. I know this is an important moment for you. You mentioned that we are marking these events during these days. For us, the Chassidim, today is a special day: exactly 75 years ago, the Lubavitcher Rebbe accepted the Nesiut (leadership). He is a leader of the highest stature, who always said that unity is the strongest weapon. When people respect one another, it is stronger than anything else in the world. And this is what we must constantly tell and show. Then, B’ezrat Hashem, we will see the world we all long for. That the world has become not just a farce and chaos, but a garden. As he himself says in the first Ma’amar, ‘Bati L’Gani’—the world is a most beautiful garden; we only need to release the potential inherent within it.&#8221; Putin responded: &#8220;You have just mentioned the peace and harmony between the representatives of Russia&#8217;s various religions, and I must say that this stems primarily from the shared religious culture of the peoples of Russia. This is the basis for the relations that have developed between representatives of different religions. And every nation, every faith, makes its contribution, because it understands that the stability and resilience of Russia depend on the interaction between representatives of different ethnic groups, peoples, and faiths. And every nation in Russia contributes to this stability and to creating the conditions for future development and our victories in all fields. This is very important, and we will certainly support it.&#8221; 



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The Chief Rabbi: &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to argue with you, but you are too modest. Because without you, this would not have happened. I remember well the moment you brought everyone together. And for you, it was an important moment, so that we could find a way to be friends. So, thank you very much.&#8221; Putin: &#8220;But you just mentioned, as you said, Eternal Values—they are, in general, universal. And in many countries, I think, many people have reflected on this and now realize that it is easy to destroy this, but difficult to restore and preserve it. We have worked on this together—yes, together—and we will continue to do so for the interests of the entire country.&#8221; The President of the Federation of Communities, Rabbi Alexander Boroda, who also participated in the meeting, said to President Putin: &#8220;The idea of patriotism, the idea of love for the Motherland, which all religions promote and which serves as an example of how one should love the country, the Motherland—this is what underlies the unity of Russia today, what unites us all. All religions in Russia are united by this common content, this common meaning, and the state&#8217;s emphasis on traditional religious values as the basis for spiritual and moral education is incredible support for us and truly a stronghold and foundation of the united values of the state. The Rabbi just spoke about the West, with its complex system of values, if one can put it that way. Russia, in this sense, serves as an incredible example of what a family is, what raising children is, and what respect for parents is. All rational people, and generally all religions in the world, should look at Russia as a model for development. And may G-d grant that this awareness arrives.&#8221; 



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The office of Rabbi Lazar said in a statement following the meeting: &#8220;More than once, the Russian President has shared stories of the Jewish neighbor he had in his childhood, whom he would see Davening and learning Torah, and who would even treat him to Jewish foods like &#8216;Gefilte Fish&#8217;. Now, in the meeting which later continued without the presence of the media, the Chief Rabbi brought this up, noting that as he recently discovered, the family were Chassidish Jews from Leningrad. They maintained their observance with complete Mesirat Nefesh (self-sacrifice), down to the finest detail. One can see the wondrous Hashgacha Pratit (Divine Providence) that arranged for the future President of Russia to grow up alongside a Chassidic family whose conduct left a lasting impression on his life. The President was deeply moved and shared additional memories from those wonderful years alongside the family, expressing his joy that the Jewish communities continue exactly like that Chassidic neighbor—to learn and to teach, to observe and to do.&#8221;

Putin Holds Another Meeting with Russian Chief Rabbi Lazar

Following hours of discussion, the Knesset plenum approved the 2026 state budget on its first reading Wednesday might.



The Members of Knesset of the Degel Hatorah party voted in favor of the bill, while MK&#8217;s of the Agudah party opposed it.



The measure passed with 62 votes in support and 55 against.

Knesset Passes 2026 Budget in First Reading

LAKEWOOD, NJ &#8211; Tonight, Wednesday, Yeshivah Beis Medrash Govoha (BMG) will hold a special kinus of chizuk to encourage Kollel yungerlite to leave Lakewood and join kollelim in other cities.



South Fallsberg Rosh Yeshivah, Hagaon Reb Elya Ber Vachtfoigel Shlita, sent this letter of encouragement ahead of the event.



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In his letter, Reb Elya Ber emphasized the value and merit in Avreichim who will go out to learn in other cities: &#8220;כי העמידה של התורה בעולם תלויה בזה&#8221; (the standing of Torah in the world depends on this), and praised those who are Moser Nefesh to build and sustain Torah in new places, who will be Zocheh to bring bracha to themselves and the entire generation.

BMG to Hold Kinus to Encourage Avreichim to Join Kollelim in Other Cities

The deputy commander of the IDF Rabbinate’s combat unit has revealed new details about Operation Courageous Heart, the mission to recover the body of Ran Gvili Hy’d from the Gaza Strip. Speaking in an interview with Arutz Sheva, the officer, identified as Maj. A., described the complex planning, coordination, and emotional weight behind the operation.



According to Maj. A., preparations for the mission had begun well in advance but were repeatedly delayed due to operational constraints. He said the unit remained on standby for an extended period until “last week they were notified of a window of opportunity to execute the mission.” At that point, soldiers were called in from their homes three days before the operation, issued specialized equipment, and conducted rehearsals using dummies.



Maj. A. explained that multiple specialized units operated under his command during the mission. These included forensic dentists responsible for identification, an explosives ordnance unit tasked with securing the area, terrain experts, an IDF anthropologist, members of the Captives and Missing Persons Unit, and combat soldiers from the Military Rabbinate who carried out the recovery itself.



Describing the operation on the ground, Maj. A. said his unit worked alongside an engineering corps team that excavated the burial site. “We joined an engineering unit that dug in the dirt with the excavators and pulled out the remains. This is very precise work; it demands great concentration by the troops,” he said. He added that navigation and signage teams had first analyzed aerial imagery and marked areas where there was a possibility of locating Ran’s body.



He stressed that despite the use of heavy machinery, the work was conducted with exceptional care. According to Maj. A., this was “the most gentle work done by the heaviest tools.” Prior to the mission, he briefed his soldiers on the sensitivity of the task, and during the operation there was strict coordination between the on-site director and the excavator operator.



The excavation process included carefully arranging what was recovered to allow for an initial forensic examination by dental experts. Maj. A. said the work involved meticulous documentation and marking, ensuring that everything intended to be removed from the grave was successfully retrieved.



Reflecting on the moment the body was found, Maj. A. said the forces had begun work on Sunday afternoon and were prepared to remain in the area for several days. “We were prepared for a few more days. For this, we called up a few more soldiers to allow for the constant execution of the operation, but we found Ran even before the next group of soldiers,” he said. He described a profound sense of pride and closure, calling it “the feeling of coming full circle on a biblical level.”



Maj. A. recalled that before the mission he spoke to his soldiers about the story of Samson, noting how Scripture recounts that Samson’s family recovered his body after his death. “We have the same spirit and the same heritage,” he said.



Asked about the dangers involved, Maj. (Res.) A. said the operation took place in an active combat zone and included risks that could not be detailed. He emphasized the security protection provided by the Alexandroni Brigade, while making clear that the threat level remained high throughout the mission.



Describing the makeup of the Military Rabbinate’s combat unit, Maj. A. said it includes fighters from across the IDF. “These are infantry fighters from all IDF units, religious and secular alike, who are willing to carry out the mission that the people of Israel need,” he said.



Maj. A. also spoke about the sense of historical closure felt by his soldiers following the recovery of Ran Gvili. He recalled that before the war, the unit had operated in Yehudah and Shomron and had held a formation commemorating the Lamed-Heh convoy, whose fallen soldiers were initially left behind until their bodies were brought for burial. “We pledged that we would not leave a fallen soldier behind. As a unit, we swore to bring everyone back,” he said. He noted that the recovery of Ran on the Hebrew date of the 8th of Shevat, close to the anniversary of Lamed-Heh, carried deep symbolic meaning for the unit.



Toward the end of the interview, Maj. A. addressed the findings at the burial site. He said the items recovered matched intelligence assessments, including dental identification and elements of Ran’s uniform. He explained that this information had been obtained through a combination of human intelligence and advanced technological means.

IDF Reveals How Ran Gvili Hy’d Was Recovered From Gaza In Operation Courageous Heart

In a historic first, the US Embassy in Riyadh marked Holocaust Remembrance Day this week, hosting what is believed to be not only the embassy’s first such memorial but also the first Holocaust remembrance event ever held in Saudi Arabia. The embassy shared images from the ceremony along with a statement stressing that accurate Holocaust education “remains essential to countering antisemitism and advancing religious freedom.”



The statement added, “As part of #Freedom250 initiatives, we reaffirm our commitment to a more just, inclusive, and tolerant future, engaging with partners to encourage greater tolerance.”



At least two frum Jews were seen in attendance.



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Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Ellen Germain delivered a virtual address during the event, commending Saudi Arabia for what she described as its “transformative journey” under Vision 2030. She said the commemoration provided an important opportunity for education and dialogue about the Holocaust and the devastating consequences of antisemitism.



“The Holocaust teaches us how indifference and inaction in the face of evil can lead to catastrophe, a fundamental reason why Holocaust remembrance and education remain a priority for the Trump administration,” Germain said.



She also urged participants to deepen their knowledge of the Holocaust, to speak out against distortion and denial, and to take a firm stand against antisemitism.



Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia’s long-term development plan aimed at diversifying the economy, empowering citizens, and positioning the kingdom as a global leader. The initiative also includes efforts to modernize attitudes toward religion and expand women’s rights.



Freedom 250 is a US initiative focused on strengthening America’s global standing and advancing national priorities as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding.

US Embassy In Saudi Arabia Holds First-Ever Holocaust Remembrance Day Event

President Donald Trump suggested federal law enforcement could ease its posture in Minnesota after two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, telling ABC News that agents may adopt a “more relaxed” approach while continuing their work.



In an interview with ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott, Trump said the federal presence in Minnesota would remain but hinted at a shift in tone following weeks of backlash.



The president has tapped White House “border czar” Tom Homan to oversee the Minnesota operation after intense criticism from state officials, local leaders and national civil rights groups over violent encounters involving federal agents.



When asked what would change with Homan in charge, Trump said, “we can start doing maybe a little bit more relaxed” and added, “we&#8217;d like to finish the job and finish it well, and I think we can do it in a de-escalated form.”



Those comments mark a notable contrast from Trump’s stance just months ago, when he argued that Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids “haven&#8217;t gone far enough.” Trump and senior administration officials had also sharply criticized both protesters who were killed in the recent incidents with the White House describing one as a “‘would-be assassin” while simultaneously offering condolences to their families.



The shootings occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a federal initiative that has brought thousands of agents into Minneapolis, in part to detain undocumented immigrants. The operation has drawn condemnation from Minnesota’s governor and the city’s mayor, who say it has inflamed tensions rather than improved safety.



“Minnesota is a state that believes in the rule of law and in the dignity of all people,” Gov. Tim Walz wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed this week. “We know that true public safety comes from trust, respect and shared purpose, not from intimidation or political theater.”



As state officials seek to temporarily halt the operation, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Monday to explain the rationale behind ICE’s enforcement actions in Minnesota. The judge directed the government to submit a supplemental legal brief by Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET.



Despite repeatedly attacking Walz’s leadership in public, Trump said his recent discussions with the governor were “very well,” and praised Homan as “a great guy. He&#8217;s a different type. He&#8217;s a strong guy, but he gets along with people.”



Walz confirmed Monday that he spoke with Trump by phone and described the conversation as “productive.” The governor said he urged the president to support impartial investigations into the Minneapolis shootings and to scale back the federal presence. According to Walz, Trump “agreed to look into” reducing the number of agents in the state.



Pressed on what de-escalation would actually entail, Trump said he wanted Minnesotans to recognize “the fact that we&#8217;ve taken thousands of criminals out, and because of that, their crime rate has gone down, which is a great thing.”



“A lot of the hardest work is already done,” Trump continued. “You know, we&#8217;ve taken out thousands of stone-cold criminals, including murderers. And I think that&#8217;s what the people of Minnesota want. That&#8217;s what the people of the country want. That&#8217;s why I got elected.”



Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has consistently called for federal agents to withdraw from the city.



“Minneapolis will continue to cooperate with state and federal law enforcement on real criminal investigations, but we will not participate in unconstitutional arrests of our neighbors or enforce federal immigration law,” Frey said Monday after speaking with Trump.



Homan met separately on Tuesday with both Walz and Frey. The mayor said he told Homan about “the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers.”



Asked when federal agents might depart Minnesota, Trump said, “I don&#8217;t know about soon but at some point, when we have all the criminals out, they&#8217;re going to leave. It&#8217;s a positive thing, not a negative thing.”



Referring to what he called “very bad and dangerous people” in the state, Trump added, “We know where a lot of them are. And what we&#8217;re asking the governor to do is hand over the criminals that they have. It&#8217;ll make the job much easier and faster.”



Trump also suggested similar federal efforts could expand elsewhere. “There will be a time coming in the not too distant future, then we go on to something else,” he said, pointing to what he described as successes in Memphis, Chicago, Louisiana and Washington, D.C.



“We always continue,” Trump said. “I don&#8217;t think you can just go cold turkey and go out. I think there&#8217;s a continuation.”



“We have a lot of cities and areas that want us very badly,” he added. “So we&#8217;re going to be choosing some new ones. We have a very &#8212; we have an unlimited appetite for fixing crime in cities. They seem to be all Democrat-run.”



Trump’s emphasis on what he calls a “migrant crime epidemic” has largely targeted Democratic-led cities, though local and state officials have rejected his claim that federal agents or National Guard deployments are necessary to address crime.



The president brushed aside criticism related to Saturday’s fatal shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, which sparked protests nationwide and renewed calls for an independent investigation. Pretti was carrying a pistol in a waist-level holster, was disarmed by federal agents and then shot multiple times.



Several gun-rights organizations, including the National Rifle Association, criticized statements by officials &#8211; including Trump &#8211; following the shooting. After the second deadly incident in Minnesota, Trump called it an “unfortunate incident” but added, “You can&#8217;t have guns. You can&#8217;t walk in with guns.” The NRA responded that it “unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be.”



Minnesota officials confirmed Pretti had a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm, and available video footage has not shown him drawing or reaching for his weapon during the encounter.



Asked about criticism from gun-rights advocates, Trump said, “Well, I haven&#8217;t seen the statements but I think when you have a fully loaded gun and two magazines, that&#8217;s not great.”



Gun Owners of America pushed back, saying, “Peaceful protests while armed isn’t radical, it’s American. The First and Second Amendments protect those rights, and they always have.”



Trump also defended Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who faces mounting calls to resign after multiple violent incidents involving DHS personnel. “I think she&#8217;s done a fantastic job, she&#8217;s strong,” Trump said.



Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska became the first Republicans on Tuesday to publicly call for Noem’s removal.



Trump responded by labeling both senators “losers.”



“They&#8217;re terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone,” Trump said. “What Murkowski says she&#8217;s always against the Republicans anyway. And Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.”



One of Trump’s most outspoken critics in Minnesota, Rep. Ilhan Omar, has repeatedly been targeted by the president since she began representing a Minneapolis district in 2019.



During a Tuesday town hall in Minneapolis, a man rushed the stage as Omar spoke, appeared to spray a liquid in her direction and was subdued by security after a brief struggle.



Police identified the suspect as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, who was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault.



Commenting on the incident, Trump told ABC News’ Scott, “I don&#8217;t think about her. I think she&#8217;s a fraud. I really don&#8217;t think about that.”



Without offering evidence, Trump went on to allege Omar staged the attack, saying, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”



When asked whether he had watched the video of the incident, Trump replied, “I haven&#8217;t seen it. No, no. I hope I don&#8217;t have to bother.”

Trump Signals Pullback in Minnesota Crackdown

U.S. intelligence assessments have raised doubts about whether Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, is prepared to fully cooperate with the Trump administration by formally severing ties with U.S. adversaries, according to four people familiar with the reports who spoke with Reuters late Tuesday.



U.S. officials have publicly pressed Rodriguez to cut relations with close partners such as Iran, China, and Russia, including expelling their diplomats and advisers from Venezuela.



Rodriguez, however, has not publicly committed to such steps. Representatives from those same countries attended her swearing-in ceremony earlier this month. She assumed the presidency after the United States captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3.



According to the intelligence reports, it remains unclear whether Rodriguez is fully aligned with Washington’s strategy for Venezuela, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Caracas on January 15 and held talks with Rodriguez about Venezuela’s political future. Reuters was unable to determine whether those discussions altered the intelligence community’s assessment.



Washington is seeking to curb the influence of its adversaries in the Western Hemisphere, including in Venezuela, where President Trump aims to capitalize on the OPEC member’s vast oil reserves.



If Rodriguez were to cut ties with U.S. rivals, it could open the door to increased American investment in Venezuela’s energy sector. A failure to secure her cooperation, however, could undermine Washington’s efforts to steer the country’s interim leadership from a distance and avoid a deeper U.S. military involvement.



Neither the Central Intelligence Agency nor the Venezuelan government responded to requests for comment.



Asked about the intelligence concerns, a senior Trump administration official, who declined to be identified, said President Donald Trump “continues to exert maximum leverage” over Venezuela’s leaders and “expects this cooperation to continue.”



The CIA previously assessed that figures loyal to Maduro, including Rodriguez, were best positioned to govern Venezuela following his ouster.



Critics of Trump’s Venezuela policy have questioned the wisdom of leaving Maduro loyalists in charge during the interim period. Two sources said doubts about Rodriguez’s reliability existed even before the U.S. military operation.



For Venezuela, Washington’s demands would mean abandoning its closest partners outside the region. Iran has assisted in repairing Venezuelan oil refineries, China has taken oil shipments as repayment for debt, and Russia has supplied weapons, including missiles, to the Venezuelan military.



Trump has also identified communist-led Cuba as another adversary he wants Venezuela to distance itself from. Havana has provided security and intelligence assistance in exchange for discounted Venezuelan oil.



Since Maduro’s removal, Rodriguez &#8211; whose ties to the oil sector are seen as vital to maintaining stability &#8211; has taken steps aimed at appeasing Washington, including freeing political prisoners and authorizing the sale of 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States.



In a speech on Sunday, Rodriguez said she has had “enough” of U.S. intervention. At the same time, U.S. officials have held what they described as positive calls with her in recent days, according to two sources.



Despite the misgivings, U.S. officials see no immediate alternative to working with Rodriguez, given the strong public backing Washington has given her, two of the sources said.



Still, U.S. officials are quietly developing contacts with senior military and security figures in Venezuela should they decide to shift their approach, according to a source briefed on policy discussions.



The intelligence reports also concluded that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is not currently positioned to govern effectively, partly because she lacks strong ties to Venezuela’s security services and oil industry, the sources said.



Supporters of Machado say her movement won the 2024 election by a wide margin, though the state declared Maduro the victor. She continues to enjoy significant popular support.



Trump said last week that he wanted Machado “involved” in Venezuela’s leadership, without elaborating.



One person familiar with the administration’s discussions said Machado is well regarded in the White House and is viewed as a longer-term leadership option.



Another source briefed on Venezuela policy said Machado could, for now, be considered for an advisory role, though no final decisions have been made.

US Intelligence Questions Venezuela’s Interim Leader’s Willingness To Break With US Rivals

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has deported three Iranian nationals who were former members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the agency said late Tuesday.



The individuals &#8211; Ehsan Khaledi, Mohammad Mehrani and Morteza Nasirikakolaki &#8211; entered the United States illegally in late 2024, according to DHS. Khaledi and Mehrani crossed into the U.S. through Southern California, while Nasirikakolaki was encountered by Border Patrol near San Luis, Arizona, in November 2024, the department said.



Homeland Security identified the three as former members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a branch of Iran’s military that the United States has designated a terrorist organization. They were among 14 Iranians on a deportation flight that returned to Tehran — the first such flight since protests in Iran prompted a large government crackdown.



DHS said that all who were removed had “Executable Final Orders,” meaning a federal judge had ordered their deportation. The department stated the action reflects broader enforcement efforts targeting individuals it considers national security risks

Air Force One Turns Back to Andrews Over Minor Electrical Issue; Trump to Continue Davos Trip on Backup Plane

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