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Delta Air Lines announced that it will continue to suspend its flights from New York and Atlanta to Tel Aviv through September 5, citing security concerns tied to the ongoing conflict in the region.

The airline said the decision was made as conditions remain unstable. “Delta is extending its pause of service to Tel Aviv (TLV) as we continue to closely monitor conditions in the region and prioritize the safety of our customers and employees,” the company stated.

The routes had already been halted earlier this year after Israel closed its airspace on February 28, when fighting broke out between the United States and Iran. At that time, Delta initially suspended service to Tel Aviv through May 31, while flights connecting Tel Aviv and Atlanta were later postponed until August 4.

Passengers booked on the affected non-stop flights from New York’s JFK Airport and Atlanta will be formally notified of cancellations on March 28, when the airline processes the changes in its system.

In addition, Delta has put plans for a new Boston-to-Tel Aviv route on hold. The service had been scheduled to begin in late October, but the airline said the launch is now delayed indefinitely.

{Matzav.com}

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to appear in a Manhattan courtroom Thursday for the first time since his arrest, as he moves to have the drug-trafficking case against him dismissed.

Maduro, 63, is arguing that U.S. government actions are undermining his defense in the narcoterrorism case, saying sanctions have prevented the Venezuelan government from paying for his legal representation.

His attorney, Barry Pollack, who previously represented Julian Assange, said the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control had initially granted permission for Venezuela to fund the defense, but later withdrew that authorization.

Federal prosecutors counter that Maduro has access to personal resources that could be used to pay legal fees, though he maintains that he lacks the means to do so.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, have remained in custody at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn since their arraignment in January. Flores is also expected to be present at Thursday’s hearing.

During earlier proceedings, Maduro told the court: “I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.”

The couple was charged with narcoterrorism following a dramatic operation in which U.S. forces removed them from their residence in Caracas and transported them to the United States.

According to the indictment, Maduro is accused of leading a “corrupt, illegitimate government,” which “leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.”

A date for the trial has not yet been determined.

[Video below.] Comments by commentator Tucker Carlson comparing Western nations unfavorably to societies governed by Muslim Sharia law have ignited sharp criticism.

The remarks came during a recent episode of The Tucker Carlson Show, where Carlson painted a bleak picture of Western cities. In the segment, he says: “There’s not a single Western city that’s thriving… They’re all in moral and physical decay because of self-hatred and a lost will to live.”

He then drew a direct contrast, stating: “Sharia Law has made Islamic societies more advanced than the West.”

“I think Sharia law is much better than western civilization. But please refer to me as a right-wing American patriot.” https://t.co/tR7Mu4i5N5

— liel leibovitz (@liel) March 23, 2026

Carlson expanded on his views by referencing his travels in the Middle East, describing what he sees as a stronger sense of identity and cohesion in those societies. “I travel a lot in the Middle East. It’s amazing. They’re Muslims. Countries governed by Sharia law.

“And you go there and it’s incredible to be in a place that has pride in itself, that believes in its religion and culture, that thinks ‘we’re on to something.’ That kind of self-confidence is what creates stability… and hospitality.”

The comments quickly drew pushback, including from figures aligned with the MAGA movement. Laura Loomer criticized Carlson, accusing him of “romanticising” jihadist societies and pointing to what she described as a pattern in his views. She also reiterated her claim that Carlson had effectively “converted to Islam” or become a foreign-influenced “Qatarlson” figure.

Carlson’s recent connections to Qatar have also drawn attention. He traveled to Doha several months ago to attend the Doha Forum, where he conducted an interview with the country’s prime minister. While speaking at the event, Carlson said he was considering relocating, noting his appreciation for the city and explaining that he was acting as a “free man” in deciding where he might choose to live.

{Matzav.com}

As the winter zman came to a close, Rav Tzemach Mazuz delivered a forceful address to his talmidim, connecting recent global events to the koach of Torah learning while sharply criticizing Israel’s attorney general over the ongoing draft controversy.

Speaking at Yeshivas Kissei Rachamim ahead of bein hazmanim, Rav Mazuz focused on current developments, pressures facing the עולם התורה, and areas he felt required strengthening.

At the outset, he addressed the reported elimination of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, presenting it as part of a broader spiritual reality and attributing success to Torah study. He illustrated this with a parable.

“Last week, people came to tell me big news. What was the news? That, baruch Hashem, we merited to destroy and eliminate one of the great figures of the Iranians, and there was tremendous celebration. I saw that they wrote that the prime minister made a celebration. Can someone explain to me why he celebrated?”

“I’ll tell you,” he continued. “Because he was the brain behind all the missiles, all the attacks, and all the evil done to the Jewish people. And when that head is cut off, then with Hashem’s help the situation will improve. Just like with Haman—when Haman was killed, the Jewish people celebrated Purim, and we celebrate Purim until today.”

Expanding on the idea, Rav Mazuz compared the situation to a machine, explaining that the visible output depends on a hidden driving force.

“And I say this as a mashal. What is the lesson? Like every year, I went to visit the machine matzah bakery connected to the yeshiva. Someone who stands there sees how the machine works and the matzos come out within minutes. But what drives it all? The engine! Without the engine, there would be no matzos that we eat on Pesach. Everything has a driving force behind it.”

He then identified Torah learners as that driving force. “We are living in a very special time, we are literally seeing miracles and wonders… and who is the engine behind all these successes? You should know the truth—it is you! Israel is saved by Hashem with an eternal salvation. You sit and learn Torah.”

Turning to internal challenges, Rav Mazuz addressed the draft crisis and delivered a sharp critique of the attorney general.

“This legal adviser is constantly working on how to draft yeshiva students. In my humble opinion, she is from the ערב רב, she is not from the Jewish people! She wants to break the Jews by taking yeshiva students into the army—a place filled with very difficult spiritual challenges—and then, chas v’shalom, there is no protection for the Jewish people.”

Despite the challenges, he expressed confidence in the endurance of Torah, drawing from history.

“But with Hashem’s help we will overcome this as well—we have already gone through more difficult things than this. What did the Romans think when they combed the flesh of Rabbi Akiva with iron combs? They thought that would stop Torah learning. But no! The Romans are gone, and the Torah of Rabbi Akiva is alive and enduring. In the merit of the small group of yeshiva students, we are alive and we merit victories.”

As Pesach approached, Rav Mazuz urged his talmidim to remain committed during bein hazmanim.

“When a person is responsible, he does not abandon his role. You are protecting Eretz Yisroel and the entire Jewish people—do not leave your post. Bein hazmanim is meant to rest and regain strength, but one must continue to learn during these days as well. Someone who is careful about this returns to yeshiva with momentum, and the Gemara remains part of his life.”

He concluded by encouraging greater attention to kibbud av v’eim during the break and reminding his audience of the mitzvah of biur maasros and viduy maasros applicable this year, before awarding certificates to students who were tested on the halachos of amira l’nochri.

Iranian officials are pushing back against reports questioning the condition of Mojtaba Khamenei, insisting the country’s supreme leader is healthy and actively leading, despite continued speculation following a deadly Israeli strike.

Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, rejected claims that Mojtaba Khamenei had been killed or was seriously ill. Speaking in an interview with India Today, Baghaei said the Iranian leader is in stable condition and functioning normally.

He added, “We are pleased that the regime is operating efficiently, our armed forces are acting according to Iran’s defense plans, and most importantly, our people are united in the face of these aggressive and brutal actions.”

Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed leadership after his father, was wounded during an Israeli airstrike targeting his father’s compound in February 2026. That attack killed multiple members of his immediate family, including his father, mother, wife, and daughter.

Days earlier, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, also sought to dismiss concerns, stating that Mojtaba Khamenei is “in excellent health,” “fully in control of the situation,” and carrying out his responsibilities as expected. The same assurances were echoed by the state-affiliated Mehr News Agency.

Even so, questions persist. While several official statements have been released in Mojtaba Khamenei’s name since the strike, there has been no recent visual confirmation of his condition, and he has not been heard speaking publicly.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has indicated in recent conversations with close associates that he is aiming to avoid a drawn-out war with Iran and is working toward bringing the conflict to a close in the near future, according to a report published Wednesday.

As the fighting approaches the one-month mark, Trump has privately told advisers that he believes the campaign is nearing its conclusion. He has encouraged them to remain aligned with the four-to-six-week timeframe he has previously outlined publicly, people familiar with the discussions told The Wall Street Journal.

Officials at the White House have also been preparing for a mid-May meeting in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, operating under the assumption that the conflict with Iran will be resolved before that summit takes place, according to individuals briefed on the planning.

One source told The Wall Street Journal that Trump expressed concern that the war is pulling attention away from other key priorities on his agenda.

Another individual who recently spoke with the president said Trump appears eager to move on to his next major initiative, though he has not specified what that will be.

“President Trump is extraordinarily skilled at multi-tasking and works on multiple challenges at the same time,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “The President is laser focused on fully achieving the military objectives against the terrorist Iranian regime. The president’s sole focus is always victory.”

According to the report, one proposal Trump has discussed with advisers involves securing U.S. access to portions of Iran’s oil resources as part of a potential agreement to end the conflict. A senior administration official said, however, that no formal planning is currently underway for such an arrangement.

While Trump has not ruled out deploying U.S. troops on the ground in Iran, he remains hesitant to take that step, in part because it could prolong the war. Officials told The Wall Street Journal that he is also concerned that American casualties could rise if the conflict continues.

Earlier this week, Trump announced a temporary halt of five days on “any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure” in order to allow space for diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran. He added that the United States is in contact with “very solid” figures inside Iran.

Reports that followed suggested that Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was involved in representing Iran in discussions with the U.S., though Ghalibaf publicly denied that any negotiations were taking place.

Speaking Wednesday night in Washington, Trump said he believes Iran is interested in reaching an agreement but is unwilling to acknowledge it openly.

“I’ve never seen anything like we’re doing in the Middle East with Iran. And they are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it, because they figure they’ll be killed by their own people. They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us,” the President stated.

He added a pointed remark about Iran’s leadership, saying, “There’s never been a head of a country that wanted that job less than being the head of Iran. We listen to some of the things they say, we hear them very clearly. They say, ‘I don’t want it, we’d like to make you the next supreme leader. No thank you, I don’t want it.'”

{Matzav.com}