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U.S. Coast Guard seizes over $5 million worth of drugs from two boats intercepted in waters off the Florida coast.

Bnei Brak City Council Director-General Yisroel Ehrenstein has sharply criticized police conduct surrounding the unrest in the city, suggesting that the escalation may not have been accidental. In an interview outlining the sequence of events, Ehrenstein argued that the initial confrontation could have been avoided and questioned the manner in which both the military police soldiers and later police reinforcements handled the situation.

According to Ehrenstein, the episode began when two female military police soldiers entered Hagai Street in Bnei Brak. He said the municipality has yet to receive a clear, official explanation regarding the purpose of their visit. “It all starts when two soldiers enter Bnei Brak. We still have not received an orderly briefing explaining why they came and what the objective was,” he said.

He described the initial interaction as verbal provocation involving a small group of youths. “Apparently they encountered a small group of young people — a fringe, as we know there are extremists in Bnei Brak,” he stated. Ehrenstein claimed that local residents attempted to defuse the situation and advised the soldiers to leave the area in order to prevent tensions from rising. “People approached them and said it might be better to leave so there would not be a disturbance,” he said. “They chose to remain and effectively escalate the event. Based on how it later developed, either it was intentional, or there was some process aimed at reaching a certain outcome.”

Ehrenstein maintained that at the outset, the situation was still manageable and had not yet spiraled into violence. Even a motorcyclist who approached the area was reportedly told to leave, and tensions had not yet boiled over. However, he said that within a short time, large numbers of police forces began arriving, which in his view intensified the situation. While emphasizing that the city generally works in close coordination with local policing authorities, he argued that this time outside forces unfamiliar with the city were deployed.

He leveled particularly strong criticism at what he described as the conduct of some of those units. “They brought in forces not connected to the area who behaved in a disgraceful manner,” he asserted. Referring to municipal security camera footage, he claimed to have seen instances in which residents who were not involved in any disturbances were treated harshly. “They take a woman who is simply standing on the side, trembling in fear, and throw her to the ground. It’s horrifying,” he said.

At the same time, Ehrenstein made clear that the municipality condemns any violence by residents. “Of course we condemn any form of violence. It is not our way to set motorcycles on fire or overturn police vehicles,” he stressed, adding that those involved represent only a small minority and not the overwhelming majority of Bnei Brak’s residents.

He also pushed back against public descriptions of the incident as a “lynching,” calling that characterization a gross distortion. “To call this a lynching by the residents of Bnei Brak — that word is so far removed,” he said. He added that he reviewed footage showing what he described as harm to uninvolved individuals, including children and women. “I saw how they acted toward an eight-year-old child when a stun grenade exploded near him, a woman being humiliated, and a young boy wearing tefillin returning from cheder being taken even though he did nothing,” he said.

Ehrenstein emphasized that Bnei Brak is a densely populated city, particularly in the afternoon hours when thousands of children and kollel members fill the streets. “During those hours the streets are packed,” he noted, arguing that forceful policing tactics in such an environment heighten the risk of unnecessary escalation and harm to innocent bystanders.

He concluded by saying that city leadership is working to restore calm and renew coordination with law enforcement. The mayor, he said, has spoken with the district commander to ensure that future sensitive incidents are handled in a manner suited to the city’s unique character. The primary goal, Ehrenstein said, is to prevent further violence, restore residents’ sense of security, and return to responsible, coordinated management of public order.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s upcoming “rental ripoff” hearings are facing backlash after it was revealed that residents of public housing will not be permitted to testify — despite long-standing complaints that the agency overseeing those units is among the city’s most troubled landlords.

The administration is set to hold its first public session on Feb. 26. While promoted as an opportunity for tenants to raise concerns, the hearings will be limited to disputes involving renters and landlords in privately owned buildings. The roughly 500,000 residents living in properties managed by the New York City Housing Authority will not be included in the formal testimony process.

Landlords and housing advocates criticized the city for excluding NYCHA residents while encouraging tenants in private buildings to appear and speak about alleged abuses, including so-called “rental junk fees” tied to amenities such as pet ownership.

“The city’s own tenants—those living in public housing—are demanding a real plan to improve their living conditions,” said Humberto Lopes, CEO of Gotham Housing Alliance. “It appears the Mamdani administration woke up to their own hypocrisy.

“If these hearings were truly about holding bad landlords accountable, the over 500,000 residents in NYCHA would be able to meaningfully participate,” Lopes added. “This is clearly the city trying to distract from its own failures while putting on a show, instead of having a real conversation with property owners, renters, NYCHA residents, and everyone else about how to improve housing for all.”

Following criticism, the mayor’s office revised language on its website, adding a question-and-answer section responding to: “Are these hearings for NYCHA residents too?”

“While these hearings focus on price gouging and living conditions for private-market renters, senior leadership and staff from NYCHA will be on-site to ensure that residents can submit in-apartment repair requests, file heat/hot water complaints, or discuss development-wide issues,” the updated note said.

“In the coming months, our administration will release a housing plan focused on improving housing quality for all New Yorkers, including those in public housing.”

NYCHA has repeatedly been labeled the city’s poorest-performing landlord in annual reports issued by the public advocate’s office.

In 2019, the agency was placed under federal oversight due to dangerous living conditions and controversies that included falsely certifying inspections.

Mamdani pushed back against claims that the hearings should cover public housing, arguing that his administration is pursuing multiple strategies to address housing problems citywide.

“So we are going to be approaching the housing crisis in a wide variety of ways. One of those are these rental rip off hearings,” Mamdani told reporters Sunday at an unrelated event on Coney Island.

The mayor also pointed to what he described as years of inadequate federal funding for NYCHA, noting the authority’s massive capital needs.

“We will also continue to work with NYCHA residents to ensure that they are being delivered the quality of service they’ve long been denied,” Mamdani said. “And while we know that so much of the reason that NYCHA residents are living through a system that requires around $80 billion of capital improvements. By last count, is a lack of commitment from the federal government.”

Still, Lopes and other opponents argue that limiting the hearings to private housing reflects what they see as a flawed housing agenda. Among the policies they criticize is Mamdani’s support for freezing rents on nearly one million regulated apartments through the city’s Rent Guidelines Board.

Attention has also turned to Cea Weaver, director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, who has faced scrutiny over previous remarks criticizing homeownership and advocating aggressive government intervention in the housing market.

“Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist/failed public policy,” she once said.

“Elect more communists,” Weaver also said.

According to the mayor’s website, the hearings will involve the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Department of Buildings, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Other agencies, including NYCHA, will be present solely “to provide resources.”

The International Olympic Committee is facing mounting backlash for selling a limited-edition T-shirt commemorating the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, held under the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. The $42 shirt, which sold out quickly on the official Olympics online store, features artwork based on an original 1936 poster showing the Olympic rings and a […]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump would be willing to meet directly with Iran’s supreme leader if doing so could help resolve disputes between the two countries. In an interview with Bloomberg News while in Munich, Rubio said Trump views high-level engagement as a practical tool rather than a political concession. “I’m […]

The world of halacha is enveloped in deep mourning last week with the passing of Rav Dovid Konigsbuch zt”l at the age of 77. A towering talmid chacham and visionary pioneer, he stood at the forefront of the halachic solutions that made it possible for observant Jews to navigate the complexities of modern electrical and digital technology on Shabbos. Through his groundbreaking work, most notably with the organization Mishmeres HaShabbos, countless potential violations of Shabbos were prevented in hundreds of thousands of homes worldwide.

Rav Dovid was internationally recognized as an expert in both advanced technology and halacha, yet first and foremost he was a gadol baTorah who toiled with extraordinary dedication in learning. Rav Menachem Karelitz testified that the depth and clarity of Rav Dovid’s penetrating questions during the shiurim of Rav Nissim Karelitz zt”l enriched and expanded the discussions that later formed the basis of many sections of the renowned sefer series Chut Shani. Every emerging technological question was carefully analyzed through his profound Torah lens, with one singular goal: to shield Shabbos-observant Jews from even the slightest concern of chillul Shabbos.

More than fifteen years ago, as the world rapidly transitioned to digital “smart” appliances, Rav Dovid immediately recognized the serious halachic implications embedded in the new systems. While many assumed that simple mechanical adjustments would suffice, he understood that digital circuitry records and reacts to each and every action, raising complex issues of melacha. Together with electronics expert Rima Robruto, Rav Dovid labored tirelessly to develop specialized mechanisms that would allow the safe use of modern refrigerators, air conditioners, and other devices without halachic compromise.

Today, hundreds of thousands of Jewish families benefit from these adaptations every single week. A simple calculation reveals that over the years, billions of potential instances of chillul Shabbos have been prevented through these systems, an incalculable zechus now accompanying Rav Dovid to the Olam HaEmes.

At the levayah, which departed from his home on Chazon Ish Street in Bnei Brak, Rav Eliyahu Beifus, chairman of Mishmeres HaShabbos, delivered heartfelt words of tribute. He described how the enormous zechuyos of the organization — which has raised public awareness about Shabbos observance in the technological age and overseen tens of thousands of Shabbos-compliant appliances — are truly recorded in Rav Dovid’s merit.

Rav Beifus spoke of Rav Dovid’s extraordinary vigilance and foresight, noting that he was the first to identify emerging challenges and transform solutions from theory into practical reality. Yet despite his monumental achievements, Rav Dovid conducted himself with absolute humility. Once others began expanding and advancing the work, he quietly stepped back from the spotlight, returning to his beloved Torah and acts of chessed without seeking recognition or acclaim.

Rav Dovid merited to see his spiritual legacy continued through his son, Rav Yaakov Konigsbuch of the Shearis Yisroel kashrus organization, who follows in his father’s path, dedicating his life to strengthening kashrus and safeguarding the sanctity of Shabbos.

With his passing, generations of Shabbos-observant Jews owe him a debt of gratitude for the tranquility and kedusha of their Shabbos observance.

Yehi zichro boruch.

President Donald Trump privately told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December that he would support Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program if diplomatic efforts with Tehran fail, according to a report by CBS News citing two sources familiar with the matter. The report said discussions over a possible military response are continuing, roughly […]

As addiction professionals, we’re starting to feel like it’s Purim all year. The only difference? On Purim, we celebrate it.  Drinking too much? “It’s a mitzvah.”  Edibles, vapes, or pills? “Come on, it’s Purim.”  Waking up sick, ashamed, or triggered? “It happens to everyone.”  But it doesn’t happen to everyone. And for many families, it’s […]

Tom Homan: “We have the most secure border in the history of the nation. We got record numbers of arrests and deportations. That will continue.”

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived in Bnei Brak on Sunday following the violent incident in which IDF female soldiers were attacked, sharply criticizing the government and the chareidi parties. His visit quickly triggered a heated response from Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, who accused Bennett of inflaming tensions and called for his immediate removal from the city.

Speaking in Bnei Brak, Bennett said: “A grave line has been crossed in Israel. Here, in the heart of the country in Bnei Brak — not in Ramallah — a violent mob chased IDF female soldiers, humiliated them and tried to lynch them. Not in Shechem, not in Ramallah — here in Bnei Brak, against our soldiers.”

He continued: “This is what happens when people sense that draft evasion is winning. There is an address for this; it did not happen in a vacuum. Netanyahu and the chareidi parties — what did you think would happen? When you turned a blind eye to the calls of ‘We will die and not enlist,’ what did you think would happen? What did you think would happen when you ignored violence directed at chareidi soldiers who do enlist?”

Bennett added: “Everyone who was involved in this incident will be thrown into jail as quickly as possible. And I say in the clearest terms: under my leadership there will be no place for anarchy or violence. Everyone will serve, everyone will enlist, everyone will uphold the law — and that is how we will unite the State of Israel.”

Deri responded angrily, calling Bennett’s visit a political stunt. In a sharply worded statement, he said: “I call on the Police Commissioner to immediately issue a restraining order barring Naftali Bennett from the streets of Bnei Brak.

“This inciter and agitator came to the city to inflame tensions and exploit a painful situation in order to gather votes for himself. This despicable man, who stops at nothing, is the last person who should be present at this scene.”

Bennett replied to Deri’s demand, stating: “The problem is not Deri, who has grown accustomed to acting as if he owns the country, but Netanyahu, who sold it to him. When Deri calls on healthy young chareidi men not to dare enlist to help IDF soldiers, Netanyahu remains silent, backs him, and advances a draft law that abandons our soldiers.”

Shas officials were quick to counter with a forceful rebuttal: “Bennett, how dare you speak about ‘selling the country,’ after you disgracefully sold it to Mansour Abbas in exchange for the prime minister’s seat? The public has not forgotten. When you disguised yourself as right-wing, you passionately defended Torah scholars, whom Rabbi Deri spoke about, and the merits they bring to the Jewish people. The moment the right expelled you from its ranks, you joined the left and became the fiercest attacker of the Torah world and an agent of national chaos.

“Your cynical use of IDF soldiers and bereaved families is no less severe than your arrival in Bnei Brak to dance on the blood of the divisions you created. It seems there is no depth to which you have not descended.”

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Mullin on the Democrats’ shutdown stunt: “This is nothing but political theater because what they’re saying, they can’t even do… They’re shutting down thousands of workers for nothing but a talking point.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking on a panel at the Munich Security Conference, said unchecked migration had become destabilizing and must be addressed more forcefully. “There is a legitimate reason to have a debate about things like migration,” Clinton said. “It went too far, it’s been disruptive and destabilizing, and it needs to […]

In a major drama and in a display of the latest evidence of the pervasive rot in the judicial system, the members of the government’s investigative committee for examining Israel Police’s use of spyware, including NSO Group’s Pegasus software, announced their resignation from their positions due to the judicial system’s efforts to thwart the investigation […]

Amid the intense clashes that unfolded Sunday in Bnei Brak, fresh controversy erupted after footage surfaced showing a chareidi woman being forcibly arrested by police. While city residents have strongly condemned the earlier assault on two IDF female soldiers, many are now voicing anger over what they describe as excessive force used against uninvolved civilians.

The video, circulated widely over the past hour, appears to show officers detaining a woman on the street. According to eyewitnesses, she was not participating in the disturbances. The footage quickly sparked outrage on social media and among local residents, who claim the arrest involved unnecessary force.

One resident told reporters that “the woman was simply standing off to the side. She didn’t throw anything and didn’t shout. Suddenly officers came, grabbed her, and took her away by force.”

Residents stressed that their criticism of police conduct does not diminish their condemnation of violence against the soldiers. “The people of Bnei Brak do not accept violence against female soldiers — that is not our way,” said a local resident. “But what is happening now feels sweeping, as if anyone standing on the street is automatically a suspect. There’s a feeling they’re showing a heavy hand for the cameras.”

Others warned that such actions risk harming law-abiding members of the community and further fueling negative portrayals of the city. “We see how Bnei Brak is being presented as if everyone here is violent. That is simply not true and not fair. There is a large, law-abiding public here,” another resident said.

{Matzav.com}

In the aftermath of the painful upheaval in Bnei Brak, Gedolei Yisroel have spoken with clarity and firmness, issuing a strong directive to bnei yeshiva not to take part in, or even be present at, any gatherings that involve confrontation with the police.

The roshei yeshiva of Slabodka, Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, addressed a letter to the talmidim of the yeshiva following the disturbances that erupted in the city after two IDF female soldiers entered Bnei Brak for military-related activity. During the unrest, dozens of bochurim were arrested, among them several talmidim of Slabodka.

In their letter, the roshei yeshiva wrote: “To the talmidim of the yeshiva, sheyichyu: It is strictly forbidden under any circumstances to participate or to be present among those who go to places where there is confrontation with the police. One must remain in the yeshiva for learning and for all the sedorim of the yeshiva. Chas v’shalom to be in those places where there are clashes with the police.

“Beyond the sakonoh involved, there is a great chilul Hashem, rachmana litzlan.

“With great tzaar and deep charodah, Dov Landau — and of course I join all the above, Moshe Hillel Hirsch.”

The letter comes on the heels of hours of unrest in the streets of Bnei Brak, which began shortly after two IDF soldiers were reportedly attacked by an extremist crowd on Chagai Street. Large police forces were dispatched to the scene and employed crowd-dispersal measures in an effort to restore order. More than 20 individuals were taken into custody and brought to the police station.

Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy stated that he instructed officers to act with determination against those involved. “I instructed that the lawbreakers be arrested and brought to justice, and so far we have arrested 12 individuals involved in disorderly conduct. We will hold all those involved accountable. We are a state of law and will not permit hooligan behavior in our country,” he said.

Police officials added that forces remain deployed at several locations throughout the city and that additional arrests may follow as efforts continue to restore calm.

{Matzav.com}

The Iranian security agents came at 2 a.m., pulling up in a half-dozen cars outside the home of the Nakhii family. They woke up the sleeping sisters, Nyusha and Mona, and forced them to give the passwords for their phones. Then they took the two away. The women were accused of participating in the nationwide […]

As the fallout from Sunday’s massive unrest in Bnei Brak continues to reverberate across the country, new disturbances broke out in Yerushalayim, where large crowds gathered near Kikar HaShabbos late Sunday evening. According to multiple reports and on-the-ground documentation, police forces moved aggressively to disperse the demonstrators, deploying stun grenades as tensions escalated in the […]

Violent unrest that lasted for hours rocked Bnei Brak late tonight, leaving 26 suspects under arrest and five police officers injured, according to law enforcement officials.

The disturbances centered along Jabotinsky Street, where protesters blocked traffic, set fires, and clashed with police.

The tensions continued well into the evening, hours after an earlier incident involving an alleged assault on female soldiers sparked widespread outrage. Large numbers of police officers, along with Border Police riot control units, were deployed to the scene in an effort to restore order. Authorities said crowd-control measures were used to disperse those involved in the disturbances.

Police reported that dozens of rioters obstructed traffic along the major thoroughfare, ignited garbage bins, and hurled objects at officers. Some individuals also attempted to damage passing vehicles, actions that authorities said posed a significant threat to public safety and severely disrupted public order.

In response, substantial police reinforcements, including Yasam forces, worked for hours to disperse the crowds and reopen the road to traffic. The operation included the use of riot-dispersal measures and the arrest of individuals suspected of participating in the violence.

During the confrontations, five police officers sustained injuries and required medical treatment. Police stated that all injured officers were treated and are reported to be in good condition.

“The police will not allow harm to public safety, freedom of movement, or property, and will continue to act decisively against any display of violence or lawbreaking,” the statement concluded.

{Matzav.com}

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