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Billionaire Elon Musk is once again emerging as a significant financial force for Republicans as the 2026 midterm elections approach, with reports indicating he has poured tens of millions of dollars into GOP-aligned political groups over the past year.

By the end of 2025, Musk had contributed at least $20 million to leading Republican super PACs, and he followed that with another $10 million donation last month tied to Kentucky’s closely watched Senate contest.

The renewed wave of contributions represents a notable shift from Musk’s public commitment last spring to pull back from political spending after investing an estimated $250 million in President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.

“Musk as a donor is important – money in politics is important – but Musk himself is a politically polarizing figure,” Virginia Tech public relations professor Cayce Myers told The Hill.

“As his money is needed, the fact that he is involved does create a complicated political situation for Republicans.”

Campaign finance disclosures show that Musk has restarted large-scale donations to Republican House and Senate leadership funds, strengthening GOP fundraising efforts as the fight for congressional control heats up, according to The Hill.

The filings also indicate that Musk directed $2.9 million into his America PAC during the final half of 2025, pushing the group’s total fundraising for the year to $48 million.

“It’s a big deal for Trump and for the Republicans to have the world’s richest man on their side,” Republican strategist Brian Seitchik, who served as Trump’s 2016 Arizona state campaign director, told The Hill.

“It certainly feels like the president and Elon Musk are back in a good place. For Republicans running around the country, I hope that holds as long as possible.”

Political analysts say the influx of Musk’s money could significantly aid Republican candidates, even as his controversial public image presents potential challenges in closely contested races.

“It’s no surprise to me that someone like Elon Musk sees a fracturing Republican Party and cannot resist reengaging and trying to make that party his own,” Wisconsin-based Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki told The Hill.

Democrats contend that Musk’s growing involvement could backfire on Republicans, citing criticism surrounding his role in the Department of Government Efficiency and increased regulatory attention on his social media platform, X.

“Especially after DOGE and his reputation, his political salience is probably becoming less positive than it was, but I’m not sure that just giving money necessarily is going to hurt the Republican cause or a particular candidate,” Northwestern University law professor and campaign finance specialist Michael Kang told The Hill.

“I would bet most of the Republican interests are happy to have the money, and maybe a little bit more ambivalent about his heavy and very public involvement.”

Despite those reservations, many Republican operatives view Musk’s financial reentry as a potentially decisive edge in what is expected to be a fiercely competitive election cycle.

{Matzav.com}

Iran sentenced Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi to over seven more years in prison after she began a hunger strike, supporters said Sunday, as Tehran cracks down on all dissent following nationwide protests and the deaths of thousands at the hands of security forces. The new convictions against Mohammadi come as Iran tries to negotiate with the United […]

With measles cases climbing in several parts of the country and concerns growing that the United States could lose its long-standing measles elimination status, a senior federal health official on Sunday called on Americans to get vaccinated against the disease.

“Take the vaccine, please,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, during a public appeal. “We have a solution for our problem.”

Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon by training, used the appearance to defend newly adjusted federal vaccine guidance and to push back against criticism surrounding past remarks by President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding vaccines. He delivered an unambiguous message when it came to measles prevention.

“Not all illnesses are equally dangerous and not all people are equally susceptible to those illnesses,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But measles is one you should get your vaccine.”

Health officials are tracking a significant outbreak in South Carolina involving hundreds of cases, which has now exceeded the size of Texas’ 2025 outbreak. Additional clusters have been identified along the Utah-Arizona border, and several other states have reported confirmed infections this year.

Children have accounted for most of the cases, as public health specialists warn that declining confidence in vaccines may be fueling the return of a disease that had previously been declared eliminated in the United States.

When asked during the interview whether measles should be feared, Oz responded, “Oh, for sure.” He added that coverage for the measles vaccine will remain in place under Medicare and Medicaid.

“There will never be a barrier to Americans get access to the measles vaccine. And it is part of the core schedule,” Oz said.

At the same time, Oz emphasized that federal officials have consistently supported measles vaccination, saying, “we have advocated for measles vaccines all along,” and asserting that Kennedy “has been on the very front of this.”

Vaccines were not addressed later in a Fox News Channel interview with Kennedy on “The Sunday Briefing,” where the health secretary was instead asked about his preferred Super Bowl snacks and eating habits, including yogurt and steak with sauerkraut for breakfast.

Critics of Kennedy argue that his long history of questioning U.S. vaccine policy and his past openness to discredited claims linking vaccines to autism could shape public health decisions in ways that conflict with established medical consensus.

Oz countered that Kennedy has supported measles vaccination even while questioning broader vaccine schedules.

“When the first outbreak happened in Texas, he said, get your vaccines for measles, because that’s an example of an ailment that you should get vaccinated against,” Oz said.

Last month, the Republican administration removed certain childhood vaccine recommendations, a significant change to the traditional immunization schedule. The Department of Health and Human Services said the move followed a request from Trump.

Trump asked the agency to examine how other developed nations approach vaccine guidance and to consider potential changes to U.S. recommendations.

Vaccination mandates for schoolchildren are set by individual states, not the federal government. While federal guidance often shapes those policies, some states have begun forming alliances aimed at countering the administration’s direction on vaccines.

Federal data show that vaccination rates have declined nationwide, while the percentage of children receiving exemptions has reached a record high. At the same time, cases of vaccine-preventable illnesses, including measles and whooping cough, are increasing across the country.

Oz’s remarks reflect a broader pattern within the administration, where officials have issued mixed and sometimes conflicting statements about vaccines amid sweeping changes to national public health policy.

Administration figures have sought to criticize previous vaccine strategies while at times appearing sympathetic to unsupported claims promoted by anti-vaccine activists, even as they avoid fully departing from mainstream scientific conclusions.

At a Senate hearing Tuesday, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya stated that no individual vaccine causes autism, though he said he could not rule out future research identifying harmful effects from certain vaccine combinations.

Kennedy, however, has testified before Congress that a link between vaccines and autism has not been definitively disproven.

He has also previously claimed that vaccine components such as the mercury-based preservative thimerosal may contribute to childhood neurological conditions like autism. Most measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines do not contain thimerosal. A federal vaccine advisory panel restructured by Kennedy last year voted to stop recommending vaccines that include the preservative.

Public health officials within the administration frequently cite the need to rebuild trust in health institutions following the coronavirus pandemic, a period when vaccine policy and the broader response became sharply divisive in American politics.

False information and conspiracy theories about public health spread widely during the pandemic, drawing increased attention to long-established anti-vaccine groups.

Kennedy, who previously led the anti-vaccine organization Children’s Health Defense, has faced criticism for ordering reviews of vaccines and health guidelines that major medical bodies consider settled science.

Public health experts have also faulted the president for promoting unsupported claims on politically sensitive health topics. During an Oval Office event in September, Trump asserted without evidence that Tylenol and vaccines are connected to rising autism rates in the United States.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli defense officials have cautioned their American counterparts that Israel is prepared to carry out military action against Iran independently if Tehran advances beyond an Israeli-defined threshold regarding ballistic missiles.

According to the report, Israeli officials have characterized Iran’s ballistic missile program as a direct existential danger and have recently told U.S. officials that Israel would not hesitate to act on its own should that danger intensify.

One source familiar with the discussions said Israel has not yet determined that Iran has crossed the critical line that would trigger such action.

“We told the Americans we will strike alone if Iran crosses the red line we set on ballistic missiles,” the source was quoted as saying, noting that Israel is closely monitoring developments within Iran on an ongoing basis.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli officials have communicated a clear objective of dismantling Iran’s missile capabilities and its production network through senior-level contacts, including conversations about potential strikes on major manufacturing hubs and other facilities tied to the program.

The report also noted concerns among some Israeli officials that President Donald Trump may favor a more limited military response, similar to recent U.S. actions against the Houthis, warning that such a restrained approach could leave Iran’s central capabilities largely untouched.

These developments come ahead of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s planned visit to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet with Trump on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

Sources said Brig. Gen. Omer Tischler is expected to travel with Netanyahu and serve as the representative of IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir during the meetings.

Israel’s Defense Ministry has publicly identified Zamir as the 24th chief of the general staff, and Israeli media outlets have reported that Tischler is slated to take part in the trip in an official capacity.

The Times of Israel reported that Tischler’s participation is unusual, as Israel currently does not have a permanent defense attaché stationed in the United States, and that Tischler was “appointed as a sort of military envoy to the Pentagon.”

Tischler is also described as the “incoming Israeli Air Force chief,” with the Times reporting that he is expected to formally assume the position in April.

At present, the role of interim Israeli defense attaché in Washington is being filled by Brig. Gen. Arik Ben Dov.

{Matzav.com}

As a new crew prepares to launch to the International Space Station from Florida next week, one small personal item will make the journey alongside the astronauts: a child’s stuffed rabbit belonging to Jewish astronaut Jessica Meir’s young daughter.

Meir, an American Jewish astronaut and one of four crew members assigned to the mission, shared that she plans to bring the toy as a way to stay connected to her three-year-old child during the long stay in orbit.

Astronauts traveling to the space station, which circles Earth at an altitude of about 250 miles (400 kilometers), are traditionally allowed to bring along a few meaningful items from home to accompany them during their months in space.

“I do have a small stuffed rabbit that belongs to my three-year-old daughter, and she actually has two of these because one was given as a gift,” Meir, 48, tells an online news conference.

“So one will stay down here with her, and one will be there with us, having adventures all the time, so that we’ll keep sending those photos back and forth to my family,” she says.

According to NASA, the SpaceX Crew-12 mission is scheduled to depart early Wednesday, launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, bound for the orbiting research facility.

Meir, who is a marine biologist and physiologist, previously served as a flight engineer on a 2019–2020 expedition to the station and took part in the first all-female spacewalks. She is the daughter of an Iraqi-Israeli father and a Swedish mother.

Since her last mission, Meir has become a mother, and she acknowledged the emotional difficulty of preparing for an extended separation that is expected to last about eight months.

“It does make it a lot difficult in preparing to leave and thinking about being away from her for that long, especially when she’s so young; it’s really a large chunk of her life,” Meir says.

“But I hope that one day, she will really realize that this absence was a meaningful one, because it was an adventure that she got to share in and that she’ll have memories about, and hopefully it will inspire her and other people around the world,” Meir adds.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s government is advancing legislation aimed at significantly increasing punishments for dangerous driving, as road fatalities continue to mount early in the year.

Since January 1, 2026, seven children have been killed in traffic accidents across the country, intensifying pressure on officials to act.

In response, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation has signed off on a broad package of measures that would sharply raise fines and penalty points for a range of serious traffic violations, including mobile phone use behind the wheel, speeding, and failure to yield.

The committee’s approval clears a major procedural hurdle and sets the stage for the proposed changes to move forward in the legislative process, with the new penalties expected to take effect once the process is completed.

At the heart of the proposal is a focus on what ministers have labeled the “seven deadly sins” of Israeli drivers: using a mobile phone while driving, running a red light, excessive speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, overtaking another vehicle while crossing a solid dividing line, driving while disqualified, and driving without a valid license. The plan under discussion includes fines reaching as high as NIS 10,000, along with expanded authority for police to administratively seize vehicles on the spot.

According to Channel 12 News, motorists caught using a phone while driving, running a red light, or traveling at extreme speeds would be fined 5,000 shekels and assessed 10 penalty points. A second violation would double the fine to 10,000 shekels, while a third offense would result in vehicle confiscation and a court summons.

Other infractions are also slated for steeper punishment. Drivers who cross a solid dividing line or use the road shoulder would face a 5,000-shekel fine and 10 points. Failing to yield to a pedestrian would carry a 3,000-shekel fine for a first offense and 6,000 shekels for a second, along with mandatory penalty points.

Officials say the proposed crackdown is grounded in accident-risk data that draws a clear connection between these behaviors and deadly crashes. Government figures indicate that excessive speed plays a role in roughly one-third of fatal accidents, failure to yield in 19 percent, and running red lights in another 11 percent.

With the committee’s endorsement secured, the draft amendments are expected to move ahead in the Knesset in the coming weeks. Enforcement agencies are betting that a mix of hefty fines, accumulating penalty points, and the threat of vehicle impoundment will discourage reckless driving and ultimately reduce road accidents and loss of life.

{Matzav.com}

The new mesivta farher process in Lakewood was introduced with lofty goals: restoring order, slowing down a chaotic admissions season, and protecting bochurim from the pressures of early acceptances. On paper, it appears responsible and well-organized. In practice, it has created a rigid, one-sided system that places the full weight of risk on thirteen- and […]

A ben Torah was arrested in the city of Be’er Yaakov on Sunday evening for “draft dodging.” The bochur’s mother told the media that officers knocked on the family’s door. When the door was opened, they presented identification showing that they were military police officers and detained her son. Dozens of protesters called to the […]

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa on Sunday was released after more than eight months in prison, he said in a video posted on social media. Guanipa, one of the closest allies of opposition powerhouse María Corina Machado, had been held at a detention facility in the capital, Caracas. “Today, we are being released,” Guanipa […]

King Charles III sent a letter to HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, extending his wishes to him on the occasion of his 100th birthday. It’s a long-standing royal tradition (started during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II). Anyone in the UK or certain Commonwealth countries who reaches 100 can apply to receive an official congratulatory card […]

i24NEWS reports on the upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump.

Sen. Mark Warner on Iran: What I fear is that we don’t have the ability to bring the full power of pressure against Iran. A few weeks back, when the Iranian people were bravely in the streets, and there might’ve been a moment, we couldn’t strike because the aircraft carrier that was usually in the […]

Savannah Guthrie told the potential kidnappers of her mother Nancy Guthrie on Saturday that the family is prepared to pay for her safe return, as the frantic search for the 84-year-old Arizona resident has entered a seventh day. “We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate […]

Iran’s foreign minister issued a defiant warning on Sunday, declaring that Tehran will never abandon uranium enrichment — even under the threat of war — as tensions with Washington escalate and diplomatic efforts falter. Speaking at a forum in Tehran, Abbas Araghchi said Iran would not yield to foreign pressure over its nuclear program, saying […]

 Rabbah in Parshas Tetzaveh says that we need to Daven ( daven means pray) with a lot of tears for Mashiach. Hashem sent Moshe right after they daven (prayed) with a lot of tears even though they were on 49 sharay tumah. The Chofetz Chaim says this in safer Bais Yisrael. Daven (pray ) Hashem […]

A Colorado funeral home owner who stashed 189 decomposing bodies in a building over four years and gave grieving families fake ashes was sentenced to 40 years in state prison Friday. During the sentencing hearing, family members told Judge Eric Bentley they have had recurring nightmares about decomposing flesh and maggots since learning what happened to their […]

The governing coalition of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is almost certain to win a single-party majority in a key parliamentary election Sunday, NHK public television and other major networks say, citing their exit polls.

WATCH: The moment a child is pulled alive from the rubble of a building in Tripoli, Lebanon, which collapsed earlier today.

Naftali Bennett released a sharp video response in which he derided Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lengthy written effort to shift responsibility for the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, portraying the veteran leader as “the Israeli Forrest Gump, a weak, pitiful, helpless nebach who just happened to stumble into events.”

In the same remarks, Bennett went on to say of Netanyahu: “He is not a leader, but someone who is led. He is not a commander, but a subordinate.”

Bennett’s comments, delivered in a recorded statement, invoked the 1994 film about an unassuming character who inadvertently becomes present at, or influences, major historical moments in postwar America. Bennett, a former prime minister and widely viewed as Netanyahu’s most formidable rival in the current election cycle, used the comparison to underscore what he described as Netanyahu’s absence of leadership.

The remarks were issued in reaction to Netanyahu’s publication last week of a 55-page compilation of responses he submitted to State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman, as part of the comptroller’s investigation into the October 7 attack.

Netanyahu, who had served as prime minister since 2009 with the exception of an 18-month interval in 2021–2022, had faced sustained criticism for attempting to present himself as having pushed for decisive action against Hamas, only to have been blocked by opposition from senior security officials and a lack of public support.

Addressing that argument directly, Bennett said, “Netanyahu has criticism of the security establishment — so do I,” before stressing that Netanyahu was “not a cabinet minister. He was the prime minister of Israel and the supreme commander of the State of Israel for 12.5 out of the 14 years preceding the greatest disaster in Israel’s history.”

Bennett also took aim at what he characterized as Netanyahu’s implication that he was unable to effectively direct Israel’s military and intelligence agencies, mocking the notion that the prime minister had been “incapable” of commanding the very institutions under his authority.

Summarizing his assessment of the document, Bennett said, “What emerges from it is that Netanyahu did not lead, did not manage, and did not govern,” arguing that in trying to clear himself of blame, the prime minister instead authored “the most severe indictment imaginable against a prime minister in Israel.”

Bennett concluded by saying, “In the 55 pages of this document, you see a weak man who allows the Hezbollah monster to grow before his eyes in the north and the Hamas monster to grow in the south to enormous dimensions, and he does nothing.”

{Matzav.com}

The US has told Iran it expects upcoming talks to include “significant content” and substantive nuclear concessions, according to two sources cited by i24NEWS. •⁠ ⁠The initial meeting between the sides was described as “good,” but focused primarily on procedural matters rather than substantive negotiations. •⁠ ⁠Washington now expects Tehran to address its nuclear program […]