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President Donald Trump sharply criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a newly unveiled tax proposal targeting high-value second homes, calling the plan harmful to the city’s future and escalating tensions between the two leaders.

The comments came in response to a proposal announced Thursday by Mamdani and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that would impose a tax on secondary residences in the city valued at more than $5 million, with the goal of generating significant new revenue.

Trump weighed in on the plan in a post on Truth Social, warning that the policy would accelerate the city’s decline.

“Sadly, Mayor Mamdani is DESTROYING New York! It has no chance! The United States of America should not contribute to its failure,” Trump wrote on the social platform.

“It will only get WORSE. The TAX, TAX, TAX Policies are SO WRONG,” he continued. “People are fleeing. They must change their ways, AND FAST. History has proven, THIS ‘STUFF’ JUST DOESN’T WORK.”

The proposed measure, introduced jointly by Mamdani and Hochul, would apply to high-end second homes across New York City and is projected by its backers to bring in approximately $500 million.

State officials framed the plan as a fairness measure aimed at wealthier property owners who maintain largely unoccupied residences in the city.

“If you can afford a $5 million second home that sits empty most of the year, you can afford to contribute like every other New Yorker,” Hochul said in a statement.

Mamdani, speaking to reporters on Thursday, said the tax is part of a broader effort to address the city’s mounting fiscal challenges, including a projected $5.4 billion budget gap in the upcoming fiscal year.

“We’re talking about the levels of wealth that are storing themselves here in New York City all at the time at which our city is facing a generational fiscal crisis, so I think that this is something worthy of celebration as part of the work that we are doing with the governor,” the mayor told reporters.

Relations between Trump and Mamdani have been marked by sharp rhetoric in the past, with Mamdani referring to Trump as a “despot” during his mayoral campaign and Trump describing the mayor, a democratic socialist, as a “communist.”

Despite those clashes, the two have also held cordial discussions at the White House, including meetings in November and February, where both sides described the conversations as constructive, particularly on issues related to affordability.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Yitzchok Mitnick zt”l of Brooklyn, NY, a distinguished talmid of Rav Yitzchak Hutner and a trailblazing mechanech whose impact on generations of talmidim continues to resonate. He was 89 years old.

Rabbi Mitnick was formed in the illustrious halls of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, where he became closely attached to his revered rebbi, Rav Hutner. Under Rav Hutner’s guidance, he developed into a deeply thoughtful and principled ben Torah, absorbing not only the depth of Torah learning but also the broader vision of what it means to educate and inspire.

At the specific request of Rav Hutner, Rabbi Mitnick went on to found Mesivta Gur Aryeh, a bold and visionary undertaking at the time. With clarity of purpose and unwavering dedication, he built the yeshiva into a makom Torah that nurtured countless bochurim, instilling within them a lifelong connection to Torah, growth, and yiras Shamayim. His approach combined warmth and understanding with high expectations, allowing each talmid to feel seen while being challenged to reach his full potential.

As a mechanech, Rabbi Mitnick was widely regarded as a pioneer. He possessed a rare ability to connect to talmidim on their level while gently guiding them upward. His hanhagah was marked by patience, insight, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every individual. Many of his talmidim went on to become bnei Torah, marbitzei Torah, and devoted members of the Torah community, carrying with them the values and lessons they absorbed from their beloved rebbi.

He is survived by his sons: Rav Elimelech Mitnick, rosh chaburah at Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood; Rav Yaakov Mitnick, rebbi at The Cheder in Brooklyn; Rav Simcha Mitnick, rebbi at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin; and Rav Mordechai Mitnick, along with many grandchildren who continue in his path.

The levayah was held today at JFK International Airport, and the kevurah will take place on  Erev Shabbos on Har Hamenuchos in Yerushalayim.

The family will be sitting shivah at 1212 Avenue L in Brooklyn, NY.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Spirit Airlines may be nearing a complete shutdown, with a new report indicating the carrier could move toward liquidation within days as it struggles to emerge from bankruptcy amid sharply rising fuel expenses.

According to Bloomberg, the ultra-low-cost airline is at risk of ceasing operations as soon as this week, with escalating fuel prices tied to the ongoing conflict involving Iran placing additional pressure on the already struggling company.

Spirit, widely recognized for its bright yellow aircraft and budget-friendly, no-frills model, is the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in the United States. The airline operates flights from several hubs, including Terminal A at LaGuardia Airport, a smaller but historically significant facility.

The Florida-based airline is currently navigating its second bankruptcy process. Just last month, Spirit outlined plans to reorganize its business, including upgrading its fleet, introducing more premium fare options, and concentrating service on key markets such as Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, LaGuardia, and Newark.

Aviation analyst Zach Griff, who writes the From the Tray Table newsletter, warned that the airline’s potential collapse could have far-reaching consequences across the industry, particularly when it comes to pricing.

“Fuel costs could be the dagger to Spirit, right? I would be incredibly sad to see the loss of Spirit, and not even because I like to fly Spirit and, you know, it has- they’ve rebranded. It’s much better. But Spirit’s existence keeps every other airline in check,” Griff said.

Industry observers note that when an airline liquidates, flights typically stop immediately, leaving passengers stranded and uncertain about how to recover their money.

Griff said travelers may still have options if that scenario unfolds, particularly through financial institutions.

“The credit card companies will end up being the ones who foot the bill or kind of help you out with getting that refund if Spirit were to liquidate, you know, through chargebacks and things like that,” Griff said.

{Matzav.com}

Two separate emergency incidents in Bnei Brak on Thursday left a young child hospitalized and an elderly bus driver injured after losing consciousness behind the wheel.

Panic broke out at a local kindergarten during the afternoon hours when staff realized that a four-year-old girl had accidentally ingested rat poison. Emergency teams from United Hatzalah were quickly dispatched to the scene following the alert. Medics provided initial treatment at the site, and the child’s condition was reported as mild.

In a separate incident in the city, emergency responders were called to Rechov Abuchatzeira following reports of a traffic accident. A 76-year-old bus driver lost consciousness, apparently due to heatstroke, and collided with two private vehicles. Paramedics treated him at the scene before transporting him in stable condition to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer for further care.

Hatzalah medics Ephraim Weinberger and Shmuel Nechemias described the scene: “When we arrived at the scene, we found a bus driver, a 76-year-old man, suffering from signs of heatstroke, which caused him to crash into two private vehicles. Together with medics and paramedics from Hatzalah and MDA, we immediately began life-saving procedures, including cooling his body, and he was evacuated in stable condition for further treatment in the shock room at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. Thankfully, there were no additional injuries among the occupants of the private vehicles.”

Korrie Stevenson had been feeling off for months. She would look at a gorgeous birthday cake or walk outside to a pink-and-purple streaked sunset, but not really enjoy them. The 51-year-old mother of two had similar feelings about sports, something she had loved since she was a child.

But it wasn’t depression, she said. Everything was just “meh.”

“Like you’re trying to be excited about a moment but can’t fully connect to it,” she said.

Then one day, she was driving near her home in Winter Park, Florida, when the thought came to her: Was it a side effect of her GLP-1 medication?

Doctors say they’ve begun hearing similar accounts: a kind of emotional flattening, a dulled response not just to food but to other sources of joy such as reading, listening to music, dancing, and gardening. Online, the phenomenon has taken on a name – anhedonia – and, more colloquially, “Ozempic personality.”

There is, for now, more observation than explanation.

The new class of GLP-1 drugs – built around compounds that mimic hormones involved in appetite and blood-sugar regulation – are generally considered safe. Their metabolic effects have been scrutinized in studies, but their psychological impact is far less understood.

Anecdotally, physicians describe meaningful mental health gains – greater self-esteem, less shame over eating and an overall lift in mood – among their patients. Earlier concerns that GLP-1 drugs might elevate the risk of suicidal ideation have not held up under further study, and the newest studies seem to indicate the drugs could benefit some with severe psychological conditions.

A study published this month in The Lancet involving about 95,000 people found that among those with diabetes or obesity who also have depression or anxiety, semaglutide (the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy) was linked to a lower risk of worsening depression, anxiety, substance use disorder and self-harm – though the results show correlation, not causation. In March, researchers reported in the BMJ that a wide range of GLP-1s, including semaglutide and tirzepatide (in Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound), were associated with a lower risk of substance-related deaths, as well as fewer overdoses and drug-related hospitalizations, based on an analysis of Veterans Affairs data involving about 606,000 people.

But as the use of GLP-1s has expanded, a subtler set of experiences has come into view.

Reports of anhedonia are not widespread, doctors emphasize. But they are appearing with enough frequency – and consistency – to warrant closer scrutiny.

Liz Skrbkova, who leads the U.S. media team for Novo Nordisk, said in a statement that safety is the company’s top priority. The drug has been studied in more than 54,000 participants, Skrbkova said, and “anhedonia is not currently listed as an adverse drug reaction or warning.” Eli Lilly expressed similar sentiments about its commitment to safety and encouraged anyone experiencing side effects to speak with their health care provider or call the company. However, it added, “we do not have any data to share on anhedonia.”

Weight loss at this scale doesn’t just change the body – it can reshape identity, habits and social feedback, making it hard to disentangle the drug’s direct effects from everything that follows.

One place researchers are looking is dopamine – the brain’s reward system.

“One simple explanation is that GLP-1s tone down regions of the brain associated with pleasure,” said Daniel Drucker, an obesity researcher with the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. This may be why the drugs appear to quiet “food noise,” the persistent pull toward eating, and may also dampen cravings for alcohol, nicotine and other substances, he said.

But Drucker, a pioneer in the research of the new drugs who advises companies that make them, said it’s possible the effect in some people at some dosages “could go to an extreme,” thereby blunting other reward pathways.

How this might work remains unsettled among researchers.

Zak Krumm, a researcher at the University of Florida, studies how GLP-1 drugs shape dopamine signaling in animals. Lately, his work has centered on rats – running repeated variations of experiments in which rewards are offered, responses measured and shifts in motivation traced.

Rat brains don’t exactly translate to human brains, but Krumm’s work suggests that responses to even high-value rewards are chronically muted. So, he explained, a person offered a chocolate milkshake might not crave it as much.

But in a separate set of animal experiments, at a lab in Michigan, researchers found what appears to be the opposite: a more responsive, or “turbocharged,” dopamine signal. In that case, Krumm explained, the milkshake may still feel rewarding – but the brain registers satisfaction more quickly, so less is needed.

Different mechanisms, in other words, that may lead to a similar result: reduced desire for more.

“There’s a tendency to think dopamine just drives us to seek pleasure,” he said. “But it’s really about how valuable a reward feels.”

Physician Spencer Nadolsky, an obesity specialist whose large online following gives him an unusually broad window into patient experience, said he began hearing reports from patients on GLP-1s of a subtle loss of motivation about a year and a half ago. “It stopped feeling like coincidence,” he said.

Most cases, he noted, appeared to resolve when someone’s dose is reduced, often as quickly as within a few weeks. For more persistent symptoms, he turns to bupropion (Wellbutrin), an antidepressant that enhances dopamine activity and may counterbalance the effect.

Nadolsky and Krumm are now compiling case studies – roughly 100 patients, drawn from thousands treated – to better characterize the phenomenon. The work is preliminary, and both emphasize how much remains unknown: whether the effect is pharmacological, psychological or some shifting combination of the two.

The aim, ultimately, is calibration.

“We want enough dopamine to still enjoy the things we enjoy,” Nadolsky said.

Summer Kessel, a registered dietitian who works with Nadolsky, first heard about the issue of feeling off from her clients who were on GLP-1s: “They would just report – and this is so juvenile – that they’d just want to ‘bed rot.’ And that’s not them.”

At first, she suspected they weren’t eating enough or eating appropriately. But when she analyzed their nutritional intake, it appeared adequate. One thing that struck her: a number of them started gravitating toward intensely flavored, high-reward foods – specifically sour gummy candies – that they had never previously liked.

Then, late last year, she started having similar feelings after being on GLP-1s herself for 3⅓ years.

In early January, the 39-year-old sat down to put on her shoes for a workout, which was typically the highlight of her day. But she had trouble getting motivated to get up. An hour later, she was alarmed to find herself still on the floor, still scrolling on her phone.

Kessel dropped her GLP-1 dosage from 15 milligrams a week – the highest dose of Zepbound – to 10. She lasted only three weeks before going back up to 15. “I was so hungry,” she explained.

Still, something shifted. Her motivation came back. She’s now training for a Hyrox race (a high-intensity competition that blends distance running with strength and endurance challenges) in Miami in the coming weeks, she and feels largely like herself again. Looking back, she isn’t sure what to credit: the brief change in dosage, the transition from winter to spring, a new gym or some combination.

“Many people don’t know it’s a thing until they hear somebody else’s experience, and then they say, ‘OMG this might be me,’” she said.

Stevenson said she began to notice shifts in her emotional state within months of starting GLP-1 drugs in 2023.

She didn’t realize how bad things had gotten until 2025, when a police officer pulled her over to let her know her registration was expired – six months earlier. On the drive home, she burst into tears. The emotional flatness she had been feeling had deepened into something closer to apathy, and she feared she was at a crisis point.

“I love being organized and people to count on me, and nothing ever went by the wayside. I couldn’t even relate to what I had become,” she said.

She was taking the highest dose, 15 milligrams of Zepbound – but felt stuck because her insurance would not cover a lower one. Unexpectedly, her insurer announced it would stop covering the drug altogether. What seemed like a setback became a turning point.

On Jan. 1, she began paying out of pocket and reduced her dose to 12½ milligrams a week. Within two weeks, she said, she had started clearing through the foot-and-a-half stack of bills that had piled up – and more importantly started feeling joy again. She is convinced the change was tied to the drug.

While Stevenson said GLP-1s have been “modern-day miraculous for her” – before starting it, she struggled with high blood pressure, sleep apnea and weight – she said people should be aware of possible emotional changes and address them early.

“It’s a serious side effect,” she said, “and a lot of people just think they became lazy people, but that’s just not true.”

President Donald Trump sharply criticized both a private plaintiff and a federal judge after a court ruling halted key portions of construction on a proposed White House ballroom.

The dispute centers on a legal challenge brought by architectural historian Alison K. Hoagland, which resulted in a decision blocking above-ground work on the project. The ruling has drawn a forceful response from Trump, who insists the ballroom is essential and unfairly targeted.

In a decision issued Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon, appointed by President George W. Bush, ordered that federal officials may not proceed with building the above-ground elements of the ballroom at the White House while the case continues.

Trump initially reacted to the ruling by arguing that the absence of a ballroom poses a security concern, stating that no president “can ever be safe” without such a facility.

Later, the president took to Truth Social to directly criticize Hoagland and the legal challenge she filed.

“The person who filed the meritless and lawless suit on the desperately needed White House Ballroom, being built as a GIFT to America (without Tax Dollars!), a woman walking her dog, has absolutely NO STANDING to bring such a monumentally important case against our Country,” he claimed. “The Trump Hating Judge’s opinion is radically different from his first opinion, that was issued weeks ago, while still being unlawful and ambiguous, which never even addressed her COMPLETE lack of Standing.”

Trump continued by dismissing the broader legal case as baseless and politically motivated, while emphasizing the effort and resources already committed to the project.

“Every Political’ Pundit’ has said this case is meritless, even a JOKE, but it’s not a joke to me, or the people of America. Too much hard work, time, and money spent in order that a Judge can claim that he ruled against ‘DONALD TRUMP,’ something which I have gotten very used to, BUT WILL NOT ACCEPT!” he added.

{Matzav.com}

A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in Beit Shemesh on Thursday when five-year-old Shmuel Shachori z”l was struck and killed by a vehicle while walking to cheder. The young boy, part of the Gerer community there, died after extensive efforts to save his life.

The accident took place on Rechov Chazon Ish as he was on his way to his cheder. Emergency personnel transported him to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, where doctors continued resuscitation attempts that had begun at the scene. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead.

The levayah was held at Shamgar Funeral Home, proceeding to Har HaZeisim.

Shmuel was born on the 10th of Teves, 5781, to his father, Rabbi Yisroel Shachori, a respected mechanech in the Gur community who serves as a mashgiach in the Gur yeshiva, and to his mother, Sheina Malka, of the Arara family from the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

He was a talmid at the Beis Yisroel chederof the Gur community, located on Rechov Ohr Sameach in Beit Shemesh.

Chanoch Dranger, chairman of Agudas Yisroel in Beit Shemesh and the city’s deputy mayor, expressed the community’s shock and sorrow: “The Gur chassidic community in Beit Shemesh is stunned and shaken by the tragic passing, at such a young age, of the dear child Shmuel, of blessed memory, son of Rabbi Yisroel Shachori, one of the city’s distinguished educators, who passed away this morning on his way to school. In these difficult hours, the community sends its condolences to the entire family, with a prayer to Hashem that we should no longer hear of devastation and tragedy within our borders, and that from now on we should receive only good news.”

{Matzav.com}

The Republican-led House narrowly rejected a Democratic push Thursday to block President Donald Trump from ordering further strikes on Iran, a day after the Senate turned back a similar measure seeking to rein in the president as the unpopular war approaches the two-month mark.

The measure was defeated 214-213 on a largely party-line vote, with one lawmaker voting present.

Only one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (Maine), voted against the resolution.

The resolution sought to direct Trump to “remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran” except as necessary to defend against an imminent attack. It was a test of lawmakers’ support for the conflict since Trump threatened last week to destroy Iran’s “whole civilization” and then hours later agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (New York), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during debate on the measure that Trump had “dragged the American people into a war of choice launched without congressional authorization.”

“No matter whether you agree with the war or not … the Constitution grants the Congress, not the president, the power to declare the war,” Meeks said. “Don’t take my word for it. Even Donald Trump acknowledged this, saying, and I quote: ‘As a war, you’re supposed to get approval from Congress.’”

Rep. Brian Mast (R-Florida), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said during the debate that Meeks was being “hypocritical” and argued that President Joe Biden had been “engaged against Iran” because of an “imminent threat” of attacks – the same reason the Trump White House has given for military action.

Trump, Mast said, is “defending against an imminent threat” of nuclear warfare from Iran. He accused his Democratic colleagues of “not paying attention to national security at all.”

After the vote, Mast suggested that more House Republicans could support the next push for a war powers resolution if Trump doesn’t formally seek congressional authorization for the war after its 60-day mark.

“My speculation is you would have a different vote count after 60 days,” Mast said.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 – the law Democrats used to force the votes – requires presidents to remove U.S. forces from any conflict that Congress has not authorized within 60 days. Trump can obtain a 30-day extension if he certifies that it is an “unavoidable military necessity.”

Trump predicted shortly after the war started that it would be over within four or five weeks, but the 60-day deadline, which arrives May 1, is rapidly approaching. Meeks on Tuesday noted that the White House is also going to “have to come to Congress for the money” soon – a reference to an expected request from the White House for additional funding to continue military action against Iran.

A procedural vote on a war powers resolution in the Republican-led Senate failed 52-47 on Wednesday in a vote that broke largely along party lines.

An earlier attempt at a war powers resolution failed narrowly in the House last month, with two House Republicans voting for it and four Democrats opposing it.

Meeks told reporters earlier this week that some Republican members had been contemplating backing the resolution. But ultimately not enough support materialized. Meeks said it was important regardless to get lawmakers on the record about the war.

Trump could also face more difficult war powers votes in the Senate if the war stretches past 60 days.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) did not say Wednesday whether he wants Trump to seek authorization from Congress before the 60-day mark, but he has called for the administration to articulate how it plans to end the war as the deadline approaches.

“They need a plan for how to wind this down and how to get an outcome that actually leads to a safer, more secure Middle East,” Thune told reporters.

Some Senate Republicans have gone further. Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) has said he will not support more funding for military operations against Iran unless Congress declares war. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Congress needs to authorize the conflict if it exceeds 60 days or if the U.S. deploys ground troops, which Trump has not ruled out.

“I have been clear from the beginning of this military operation that the President’s power is not unlimited as Commander in Chief, as the Constitution gives Congress an essential role in matters of war and peace,” Collins said in a statement.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Mariana Alfaro, Noah Robertson 

The stadium in East Rutherford that normally carries the MetLife name will undergo a temporary rebranding during this summer’s World Cup, meaning millions of viewers—and even local commuters—will not see its familiar corporate signage during the tournament.

Drivers along Route 3 in northern New Jersey have already begun noticing the shift. A banner reading “We Are New York New Jersey” has appeared at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, signaling that the venue will not be identified by its usual name while it hosts matches. Despite its location in New Jersey, the temporary designation will not include the state name in front.

FIFA officials explained that the change stems from strict policies that prohibit corporate naming rights at World Cup venues. The stadium will instead be referred to as New York New Jersey Stadium throughout the competition.

“In line with its brand protection policy, FIFA protects its brands and the exclusive rights of its sponsors, including clean zones around FIFA World Cup stadiums and other event sites,” a FIFA spokesperson told NJ.com in an email.

“FIFA is working closely with stadium authorities and host cities to implement these requirements in a manner consistent with previous editions of the tournament, while taking into account the unique infrastructure and operational considerations at each venue.”

The renaming was first reported by NorthJersey.com.

The venue, best known as MetLife Stadium, is scheduled to host eight matches during the World Cup, beginning June 13 with a game between Brazil and Morocco and concluding with the championship match on July 19.

MetLife, formally known as the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, secured naming rights to the stadium in 2011 through a long-term agreement with the New York Jets and New York Giants, who jointly own the facility. The deal is estimated to bring in between $17 million and $20 million annually over a 25-year period.

With the MetLife branding removed for the duration of the tournament, the company will lose a significant amount of global exposure. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has projected that roughly six billion people worldwide will watch some portion of the competition, with over 1.5 billion expected to tune in for the final alone.

Infantino contrasted the tournament’s reach with that of American football’s championship game, which was held at the same stadium in 2014.

“The Super Bowl, which is fantastic, has what, 120-130 million viewers?” Infantino told Fox. “A World Cup is 104 Super Bowls in one month. That’s three Super Bowls a day.”

The 82,500-seat stadium opened in 2010 under the name New Meadowlands Stadium before adopting its current corporate title a year later. It replaced the original Giants Stadium, which hosted matches during the 1994 World Cup, including a semifinal between Italy and Bulgaria.

{Matzav.com}

A new set of Israeli polls indicates a shift in the political landscape, with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot gaining ground, while opposition leader Yair Lapid drops below the electoral threshold. The data also shows a majority of the public opposing a ceasefire with Hezbollah during ongoing negotiations.

According to a Channel 12 News poll, if elections were held today, neither bloc would be able to form a government. The opposition would reach 59 seats without support from Arab parties, while the coalition would fall short of a majority.

The survey shows Likud gaining two seats compared to the previous poll, rising to 25 mandates. Naftali Bennett’s party weakens, dropping to 20 seats—two fewer than before. Eisenkot’s “Yashar” party emerges as the third-largest faction, increasing to 14 seats, up by one.

Additional results indicate that Yair Golan’s Democrats would maintain their strength with 10 seats, while Otzma Yehudit would also rise to 10. Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu would each hold steady at 9 seats, and United Torah Judaism would remain at 7. Yesh Atid would receive 6 seats, while Ra’am under Mansour Abbas and Hadash-Ta’al would each secure 5.

Several parties fall below the electoral threshold, including Religious Zionism led by Bezalel Smotrich (2.8%), Blue and White under Benny Gantz (2%), Balad led by Sami Abu Shehadeh (1.4%), and the Reservists party led by Yoaz Hendel (2.8%).

In terms of bloc alignment, the coalition would hold 51 seats, while the opposition would control 69, including 10 seats held by Arab parties and 59 by the rest of the opposition.

The poll also examined a scenario in which Bennett and Eisenkot run together on a joint list. In that case, the combined party would receive 33 seats. Likud would remain at 25 seats, while the Democrats and Otzma Yehudit would each receive 10. Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu would hold 9 seats each.

Further down the list in that scenario, Yesh Atid and United Torah Judaism would each win 7 seats, while Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am would receive 5 apiece. Parties failing to cross the threshold would again include Religious Zionism, Blue and White, the Reservists, and Balad. Bloc totals would remain unchanged, with the opposition at 69 seats and the coalition at 51.

On the question of suitability for prime minister, Netanyahu leads Lapid by a wide margin, with 42% support compared to Lapid’s 27%. Against Bennett, Netanyahu receives 41% to Bennett’s 34%. In a matchup with Eisenkot, Netanyahu leads 42% to 36%. Against Avigdor Liberman, Netanyahu holds 42% support versus Liberman’s 24%.

Respondents were also asked whether they support a ceasefire with Hezbollah while direct negotiations with Lebanon are ongoing. A majority, 51%, oppose such a ceasefire, while 29% support it. Among coalition voters, 18% support a ceasefire compared to 64% who oppose it. Among opposition voters, 33% support it, while 49% oppose.

Another question addressed whether the government has done enough to support those economically affected by the war. A strong majority, 72%, believe the government has not done enough, while 12% say it has, and 16% are unsure. Among coalition voters, 50% say the government has not done enough, compared to 24% who believe it has. Among opposition voters, only 4% say the government has done enough, while 89% say it has not.

When asked whether they trust U.S. President Donald Trump to safeguard Israel’s interests in a potential agreement with Iran, 33% said they trust him, 48% said they do not, and 19% were unsure. Among coalition voters, 59% expressed trust, compared to 24% who did not. Among opposition voters, 21% said they trust him, while 63% said they do not.

A separate Channel 14 poll presents a different picture, showing the right-wing bloc maintaining a solid majority of 65 seats, with Likud as the largest party at 35 seats. Eisenkot’s “Yashar” party follows with 13 seats, up by one from the previous week. The Joint List rises to 12 seats.

Shas and Bennett each gain a seat, reaching 11 mandates apiece. Yair Golan’s Democrats remain at 10 seats.

Further results show Yisrael Beiteinu with 9 seats, while United Torah Judaism drops one seat to 8. Otzma Yehudit remains at 7 seats.

At the bottom of the list, Religious Zionism receives 4 seats. For the first time, Yesh Atid fails to cross the electoral threshold, polling at just 2.9%. Blue and White under Benny Gantz also remains below the threshold at 1.2%. Bloc distribution in this poll gives 65 seats to the right-wing bloc, 43 to the left, and 12 to Arab parties.

Regarding suitability for prime minister in the Channel 14 poll, Netanyahu leads with 52% support. Eisenkot follows with 21%, while Bennett ranks third with 18%. Other candidates trail significantly: Avigdor Lieberman receives 5%, Yair Lapid 3%, and Benny Gantz just 1%.

This evening, President Donald Trump posted an extended and sharply worded message on Truth Social in which he said, “I hear Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, and Candace Owens are dying fast,” while also launching a broader attack on media figures and touting his own political standing.

The post began with Trump describing his travel plans and policy messaging, writing, “I’m on Air Force One heading to Las Vegas and Arizona for Greetings and Speeches on NO TAX ON TIPS, a WINDFALL for our Great American Citizens.”

He then pivoted to criticism of television commentator Jessica Tarlov, stating, “I am watching one of the Least Attractive and Talented People on all of Television, Jessica Tarlov.” Trump continued, “Her voice is so grating and terrible, I had to ‘turn her off!’”

Expanding on that critique, Trump accused her of dishonesty, writing, “Her Democrat soundbites are FAKE. She makes up ‘Poll Numbers,’ and nobody challenges her, because she is so boring.”

The president contrasted those claims with his own standing, adding, “I have among the best Poll Numbers I have ever had, and why shouldn’t I, ALL THE COUNTRY DOES IS WIN.” He went on to cite a specific example, writing, “CNN had me at 100%, saying they never saw that before.”

Trump then escalated his criticism of Tarlov with a direct call for her removal from television, declaring, “GET HER OFF THE AIR, SHE IS BAD FOR OUR COUNTRY!”

He followed that statement with the line that drew the most immediate attention: “I hear Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, and Candace Owens are dying fast.” He added, “Their numbers are terrible. Nobody believes them anymore.”

Trump concluded the post by questioning their alignment with his political movement, writing, “They were FAKE MAGA, and now they’ve been exposed! President DJT.”

{Matzav.com}

Europe could face major disruptions to air travel within weeks if energy supplies remain constrained, with as little as six weeks of jet fuel left, according to the head of the International Energy Agency, who warned that the ongoing Iran conflict is creating an unprecedented global energy emergency, the AP reports.

Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director, described the situation as deeply alarming in an interview Thursday, pointing to the severe impact of restricted oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz. He characterized the situation as “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” with far-reaching consequences.

“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he told The Associated Press.

Birol said the fallout will be felt through rising energy costs across the board. “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” he said, speaking from his office in Paris overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

He warned that while all nations will be affected, the burden will fall most heavily on less-developed economies. “the countries who will suffer the most will not be those whose voice are heard a lot. It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America,” said the Turkish economist who has led the IEA since 2015.

Without a resolution that reopens the Strait of Hormuz, Birol said the consequences will extend to every nation. “Everybody is going to suffer,” he added.

He stressed that no country will be insulated from the impact. “Some countries may be richer than the others. Some countries may have more energy than the others, but no country, no country is immune to this crisis,” he said.

With nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil passing through the strait under normal conditions, Birol warned that prolonged disruption could deepen the crisis. “In Europe, we have maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” he said. “If we are not able to open the Strait of Hormuz … I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”

Airlines have not yet reported immediate shortages. Dutch carrier KLM and UK-based easyJet both said Thursday they are not currently facing fuel supply problems, though they declined to elaborate on the IEA’s warning. However, both companies have already been dealing with increased fuel costs.

KLM has announced it will reduce 160 flights to and from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport next month—about one percent of its European schedule—citing “rising kerosene costs” and noting that some routes are “no longer financially viable to operate.”

Passengers are already beginning to feel the impact, as airlines raise fares and add fees even before widespread cancellations have begun.

Birol said government leaders have warned him that the situation could deteriorate rapidly if the strait remains closed. “Many government leaders tell me that if Hormuz is not open until (the) end of May, many countries — starting from the weaker economies — are going to face huge challenges, and this will go from the high inflation numbers to coming close to slow growth or even to recession in some cases.”

He also criticized Iran’s practice of charging certain vessels to pass through the waterway, warning that such a system could spread to other key global shipping routes. “If we change it once, it may be difficult to get it back,” he said. “It will be difficult to have a toll system here, applied here, but not there.”

“I would like to see that the oil flows unconditionally from the point A to point B,” he said.

Birol noted that more than 110 oil tankers and over 15 liquefied natural gas carriers are currently stuck in the Persian Gulf and could help ease shortages if allowed to pass, but cautioned that even this would not fully resolve the crisis. “But it is not enough.”

He added that damage to regional energy infrastructure will slow any recovery even if fighting ends. “Over 80 key assets in the region have been damaged. And out of these 80, more than one third are severely or very severely damaged,” he said.

“It will be extremely optimistic to believe that it will very quick,” Birol said. “It will take gradually, gradually, up to two years to come back where we were before the war.”

Birol also expressed frustration that a relatively small force has been able to disrupt global markets. He said it is difficult to comprehend how “a couple of hundred men with guns” could hold the world economy at risk, noting that the IEA has long warned about the vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz.

Looking ahead, he suggested the crisis may accelerate investment in alternative energy sources, including nuclear power, and could permanently alter global energy dynamics. “will reshape the global energy map for the next years to come,” he said.

Reflecting on the broader implications, Birol pointed to the deep connection between energy and global conflict. “Energy and geopolitics have been always interwoven,” he said. “But I have never, ever seen … such a dark and long shadow of geopolitics.”

He concluded on a somber note, saying: “Unfortunately, energy is at the heart of many conflicts which, again, makes me, as an energy person, rather sad, to be honest.”

President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran could resume as early as this weekend and indicated he is not certain the current temporary ceasefire will need to be extended, even as key issues between the sides remain unresolved.

“We’re very close to making a deal,” Trump said outside the White House, according to The Wall Street Journal, adding he was unsure the current two-week ceasefire would need to be prolonged.

According to Reuters, Trump also suggested that a meeting with Iranian representatives could take place in the coming days, pointing to what he described as growing momentum in the talks, even as discussions appear to be narrowing toward a more limited interim agreement.

Reuters reported that significant gaps remain between Washington and Tehran on major points, including the level of uranium enrichment Iran would be permitted, the duration of any restrictions, and the timing and extent of sanctions relief. Iran is said to be pushing for faster and broader easing, while the U.S. is seeking longer-lasting constraints.

Further reporting from Reuters indicated that proposals under consideration include limits on Iran’s nuclear program and options for removing, exporting, or diluting highly enriched uranium. However, disagreements continue over how any agreement would be verified and whether it would eliminate Iran’s capabilities or simply place caps on them.

The New York Times similarly reported that U.S. officials are advocating for a longer freeze on enrichment and tighter oversight, while Iranian negotiators have pushed back, arguing that such measures would harm their civilian nuclear efforts, leaving a wide divide between the sides.

At the same time, Reuters and other outlets noted that the lack of consensus has led negotiators to shift focus toward a temporary arrangement rather than a comprehensive deal.

The uncertainty has fueled questions about whether the ceasefire—originally intended to create room for diplomacy—will need to be extended.

The Associated Press reported that the fragile ceasefire has already come under strain due to continued military pressure, including an expanded U.S. blockade, raising concerns about its durability without further agreements.

Other reports have pointed to ongoing behind-the-scenes efforts to keep negotiations alive.

Time reported that officials are considering additional rounds of talks after earlier meetings failed to yield a breakthrough, with diplomats acknowledging privately that major issues remain unsettled.

Regional reporting has also underscored the lack of progress, with The Jerusalem Post noting that no agreement has yet been reached on extending the ceasefire despite intensified backchannel discussions.

Despite these challenges, Trump has publicly expressed confidence, suggesting that a deal could be reached quickly if talks resume in the coming days.

Earlier Thursday, Trump also announced a separate 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and invited Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House for further discussions, according to Reuters and other outlets.

He said Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been tasked with advancing a broader agreement.

These diplomatic efforts have coincided with increased military pressure.

At a Pentagon briefing, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said the U.S. had widened its blockade to target “all ships, regardless of nationality,” while War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation would continue for as long as necessary.

A federal judge set new limits on President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom, saying construction could proceed only on an underground portion of the project deemed necessary by the military, and not on the 90,000-square-foot aboveground addition that Trump has eyed to entertain VIP guests.

“National security is not a blank check to proceed with otherwise unlawful activity,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon wrote Thursday. He said the Trump administration could also take steps to secure the construction site to make it safe for people on the White House grounds, to protect the structural integrity of the building and to shield the underground work.

Leon chastised the Trump administration for its “incredible, if not disingenuous” interpretation of his order last month to halt work on Trump’s planned $400 million project until the president obtains authorization from Congress.

The judge’s original order allowed the White House to do further construction to ensure “the safety and security of the White House” after officials said work on an underground emergency bunker was necessary to protect the president, his family and his staff.

Trump, who had mischaracterized Leon’s earlier rulings as victories for the White House, attacked the judge Thursday on social media, calling him “a man who has gone out of his way to undermine National Security, and to make sure that this Great Gift to America gets delayed.”

“No Judge can be allowed to stop this Historic and Militarily Imperative Project,” the president wrote in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.

The president had previously argued that Leon’s order allowed him to keep building the ballroom, citing his plans to add bulletproof glass, bomb shelters and other security features to the building.

“This is positive for us,” Trump told reporters last month, insisting that work could continue – a claim echoed by Justice Department lawyers who swiftly appealed Leon’s ruling. A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit last week asked Leon to clarify what parts of the project were paused before it rules on the case.

Leon, an appointee of President George W. Bush, rebuffed Trump’s argument, saying administration lawyers until recently had repeatedly told the court that the “above-ground and below-ground portions of the project were ‘independent of’ one another.”

“The fact that the ballroom is planned to include security features such as bulletproof windows and a drone-proof roof … may well be beneficial,” the judge wrote. But the administration has “not provided any national security justification for why these features must be installed immediately.”

The judge also wrote that he does not want to be continually consulted on whether aspects of the project can proceed.

“I have no desire or intention to be dragooned into the role of construction manager,” he wrote in his opinion.

He gave the Trump administration until April 23 to wrap up work before his pause takes effect. The administration has said it may appeal to the Supreme Court in a bid to continue construction.

Trump has said that the military is building a “massive complex” under the ballroom, but the administration has declined to offer details about the work. It has long been known that the area underneath the former East Wing contained secure facilities that the president and staff members could use in an emergency.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the organization that sued to block the ballroom construction last year, disputed Trump’s interpretation and asked Leon to explicitly bar any aboveground construction on the ballroom until it received authorization from federal panels and Congress. It also questioned the administration’s claim that pausing the project puts the president at risk.

“No matter how much the Defendants insist otherwise, the lack of a massive ballroom on the White House grounds is not a national-security emergency,” lawyers for the National Trust wrote in a filing Tuesday. They noted that Trump continues to live at the White House and entertain foreign dignitaries, despite the administration’s claim that the current situation poses a security risk.

The National Trust’s lawyers also called attention to the Justice Department’s shifting arguments over the project’s scope.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Dan Diamond, Jonathan Edwards 

Senator Lindsey Graham voiced reservations Thursday following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, cautioning that any agreement must address the long-term threat posed by the terror group.

“Like everyone, I yearn for peace in the Middle East. But we have to be smart. Hezbollah and peace don’t fit in the same sentence,” Graham wrote on X.

The South Carolina Republican argued that any truce must go beyond a temporary halt in fighting and include concrete steps to dismantle Hezbollah’s capabilities. “Any ceasefire in Lebanon must include a credible path to disarm Hezbollah – one of the largest terrorist organizations in the world, aligned with Iran that is dripping with American blood. If, at the end of the day, the severely degraded Iranian regime survives and receives sanctions relief, and Hezbollah is still left standing in Lebanon, it will only be a matter of time until both groups regenerate.”

He warned against agreements that could allow hostile actors to regain strength, stressing that recent gains should not be squandered. “No ceasefires or peace deals that create pathways that allow the reemergence of terrorist states like Iran or terrorist organizations like Hezbollah. We’ve accomplished too much to allow this to be the end state.”

Despite his concerns, Graham expressed confidence in the administration’s leadership, concluding, “I trust President Trump and his team, not only to find peace, but make it real and sustainable.”

President Donald Trump said his administration expects to determine within days whether there is any connection between a series of deaths and disappearances involving 10 scientists over the past three years.

Speculation surrounding the cases has circulated widely online, though officials have not identified any concrete evidence linking the incidents to one another.

“Well, I hope it’s random, but we’re going to know in the next week and a half,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn before jetting off to Las Vegas, noting he was just in a meeting on that subject. “Pretty serious stuff … hopefully a coincidence, or whatever you want to call it.”

He added that several of the individuals involved were highly significant figures and said the administration would be reviewing the matter closely in the near term. “Some of them were very important people, and we’re going to look at it over the next short period,” he went on.

{Matzav.com}

Federal investigators are turning to newly enhanced DNA analysis techniques as they continue searching for answers in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old woman who vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home.

According to a report, a Florida-based laboratory that works with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department forwarded previously collected DNA evidence to the FBI. The bureau is now applying updated technology to reexamine the sample, even though it is not newly obtained, ABC News reported.

Authorities have indicated that the genetic material recovered from Guthrie’s residence does not belong to a single individual. The PCSD has said the DNA recovered from Guthrie’s home came from more than one person, according to the outlet.

The sheriff added that several additional laboratories across the country—up to five—are also contributing to the investigation, though it remains unclear whether any new DNA evidence is currently under review.

Roughly two dozen investigators from both the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are still actively working the case, but meaningful breakthroughs have been slow since Guthrie, the mother of NBC News co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared on February 1.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran appears to be nearing acceptance of key U.S. demands, pointing to what he described as significant progress in ongoing discussions.

He praised the current blockade on Iran, calling it “amazing,” and said it “is holding up very strong, and I think we’re making a lot of progress.”

Trump indicated he does not see a need to prolong the ceasefire, adding: “Iran wants to make a deal and we’re dealing very nicely with them. They’re willing to do things today that they weren’t willing to do two months ago.”

He added that another round of talks between the sides is likely to take place over the weekend.

Addressing reports that any agreement might limit Iran’s uranium enrichment for a defined period, Trump said no such arrangement has been finalized. “What we have is a statement that goes beyond 20 years, that they will not have nuclear weapons. There’s no 20-year limit.”

At the same time, he cautioned that if negotiations collapse, hostilities could restart.

Trump also asserted that Iran has agreed to transfer its enriched uranium, saying: “They agreed to hand over the nuclear dust. It’s way underground because of the attack with the B-2 bombers. We have a lot of agreement with Iran, and I think that something very positive is going to happen.”

Turning to the ceasefire he recently announced between Israel and Lebanon, Trump said he expects Hezbollah to comply. “It’s quite exciting, we’re going to meet with Bibi Netanyahu and the President of Lebanon. I had a great talk with both of them today. They’re going to have a ceasefire, and that will include Hezbollah.”

Responding to criticism from Pope Leo XIV regarding the conflict with Iran, Trump said: “It’s important that the Pope understands that Iran killed 42,000 people who were totally unarmed. They were protesters. Iran can not have a nuclear weapon. If they did, every country, including Italy, where he’s stationed, would be in trouble. So we’re doing very well in respect to that.”

{Matzav.com}