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The U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela raised the American flag for the first time in seven years following the resumption of diplomatic relations.

The Senate is set to vote Wednesday on the SAVE America Act. Majority Leader John Thune said the vote will proceed without a talking filibuster.

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President Trump said Iran must “surrender” to bring an end to the ongoing war, while suggesting the country’s newly installed supreme leader may already be dead. Speaking with NBC News, Trump said he has been hearing reports that Mojtaba Khamenei may no longer be alive. “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he […]

Earlier today, IDF forces demolished in the city of Dura, in the Yehuda Brigade sector, the home of the terrorist Azmi Nader Abu Halil. The terrorist carried out the shooting attack on an Israeli bus at the Al-Khadr junction, in which Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simcha, aged 12, was murdered, and three additional Israeli civilians were […]

CENTCOM: U.S. forces dominate in the skies by launching from the sea.

The Trump administration has turned down efforts by Middle Eastern allies to open diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran, according to Reuters. •⁠ ⁠A senior White House official said President Trump wants military operations to continue in order to further degrade Iran’s capabilities and is not interested in talks at this time. […]

President Donald Trump said Saturday that U.S. military strikes severely damaged Iran’s principal oil export terminal at Kharg Island and suggested that American forces could target the location again.

In an interview with NBC News, Trump described the recent attack as highly destructive and indicated that additional strikes on the island remain possible. “We totally demolished Kharg Island. We may hit it a few more times just for fun,” Trump told NBC News in an interview.

The President also said the operation deliberately avoided critical energy transmission infrastructure. “I didn’t do anything having to do with the energy lines, because having to rebuild that would take years.”

Trump said Iran has shown interest in negotiating a ceasefire but indicated that he is not ready to agree to a deal under the current circumstances. “Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” he explained, adding that any terms will have to be “very solid.”

When asked what conditions might be included in an agreement to end the fighting, Trump declined to outline specifics. “I don’t want to say that to you.” He agreed, however, that a commitment from Iran to completely abandon any nuclear ambitions would be part of it.

The President also questioned whether Iran’s newly installed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive. “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,” said Trump.

Referencing reports about Khamenei’s status, Trump added, “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender.”

Speaking on Friday with Fox News Radio, Trump declined to offer a clear timeline for when the war with Iran might end, saying the decision would depend on his own judgment. He told the outlet the conflict would conclude when he feels it “in my bones.”

Trump also said he does not expect the war to drag on for an extended period but stressed that he alone will determine when it concludes.

During the same interview, Trump expressed confidence that the conflict may end soon but said the United States is prepared to continue operations for as long as necessary. He rejected concerns that the U.S. military could run short of munitions.

“Nobody has the technology or the weapons that we have,” he told Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade in the interview. “We’re way ahead of schedule. Way ahead.” He later assured that the US had “virtually unlimited ammunition. We’re using it, we’re using it. We can go forever.”

On Wednesday night, Trump spoke with reporters after returning from a rally in Kentucky and said Iran’s military capabilities have been severely degraded, describing the country as “pretty much at the end of the line”.

At the same time, Trump made clear that the United States is not prepared to immediately bring the conflict to a close.

“They’ve got no Navy. They’ve got no Air Force. They have no systems of control. We’re just riding free range over that country!” he said.

During his remarks at the Kentucky rally, Trump emphasized that the United States must see the conflict through to completion.

He added that the Iranians “don’t know what the hell hit them. They don’t know. They got hit by the American military – they don’t know. They say, ‘What the hell is happening?’ They didn’t expect anything like this.”

“We don’t want to go back every two years. Because someday there will be a time when you don’t have me as president,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

A newly published study suggests that artificial intelligence chatbots could present psychological dangers for certain users, particularly those who already struggle with mental health conditions such as psychosis.

Dr. Hamilton Morrin, a psychiatrist and researcher at King’s College London, reviewed 20 news reports detailing incidents he describes as “AI-related psychosis.” The reports documented situations in which individuals’ conversations with AI chatbots appeared to strengthen hallucinations or delusional beliefs they were experiencing.

In an article published in the medical journal Lancet Psychiatry, Morrin wrote that preliminary indications suggest AI systems can sometimes echo or affirm grandiose or delusional ideas that users express during conversations. He said this dynamic may be especially troubling for people who already have a predisposition toward psychotic symptoms.

At the same time, Morrin emphasized that there is still no clear evidence that chatbot conversations by themselves can cause psychosis in individuals who do not already possess some underlying susceptibility.

Several of the cases included in the review involved chatbots responding to users with mystical or spiritual phrasing, occasionally suggesting that the person communicating with the system possessed unique or elevated spiritual importance. In some situations, the chatbot even hinted that the user might be interacting with a cosmic or supernatural presence through the platform, something researchers say could further strengthen delusional thinking.

Morrin also cautioned that the concern may become more significant as the use of AI chatbots continues to expand. He pointed out that the first reports began appearing in April of last year, when accounts surfaced describing people whose hallucinations seemed to intensify during conversations with AI systems.

The study’s authors say additional scientific research is needed to better understand the phenomenon. They propose controlled clinical studies in which chatbot use would be observed alongside mental health professionals to determine whether such interactions can contribute to the emergence or worsening of delusional beliefs.

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli fighter jet narrowly avoided being shot down during an Israeli Air Force strike inside Iran this past week, according to Israeli military officials.

During the operation, an attempt was made to bring down the aircraft, and the jet came close to being struck. The effort ultimately failed after the pilot responded quickly and maintained control of the situation, allowing the aircraft to evade the threat and complete its mission successfully.

The incident was later reviewed by the military, and officials said the event has already been examined to draw operational conclusions.

Since the war began, Israeli fighter jets operating over Iranian territory have faced numerous attempts by enemy forces to shoot them down. Despite those threats, Israeli aircrews have repeatedly managed to counter the dangers and carry out their assignments.

“The Israeli Air Force will continue to fly and attack wherever necessary, including over Iranian skies under threat, and will complete its missions during every operational sortie,” stated an IDF spokesperson.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed back Saturday against claims by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Iran’s newly named supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had been wounded and disfigured. “There is no problem with the new supreme leader,” Araghchi said in an interview with MS Now. “He is performing his duties according to the constitution, […]

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Israel is preparing to significantly expand its ground operation in Lebanon, with the goal of taking control of all territory south of the Litani River and destroying Hezbollah’s military capabilities, Axios reported, based on Israeli and U.S. sources. “We are going to do what we did in Gaza,” a senior Israeli official said, referring to […]

An Israeli fighter jet narrowly missed being shot down over the skies of Iran last week, the IDF spokesperson said. The attempt failed thanks to the pilot’s alertness and professionalism, and the mission was completed successfully It was also reported by Channel 12 that footage of the attempted strike on the aircraft was shown to […]

An Iranian cluster missile hit Eilat on Shabbos afternoon, moderately injuring a 12-year-old boy and lightly injuring a 39-year-old man. Another five people were treated for shock. Magen David Adom reported that there were seven separate impact sites in the city. According to the report, the two injured individuals were outside on the street at […]

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Regarding the importance of this shtar in the eyes of the Chasam Sofer, his great disciple, the Maharam Shik, writes: “The shtar is a masterwork; it was composed by Maran HaGaon Maharam Sofer, zt”l. And I know, for when I was a young bochur learning in the beis medrash of Maran zt”l, this shtar was […]

Iran’s senior representative at the United Nations stated that Tehran has no plans to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, comments that appeared to clash with a warning attributed to the country’s newly declared “supreme leader,” Mojtaba Khamenei.

Iranian officials named Mojtaba Khamenei the country’s new ruler earlier this week after his father, longtime strongman Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on the opening day of the American military campaign known as “Operation Epic Fury.” Questions remain about the younger Khamenei’s condition and authority, as he has not appeared publicly or released any video messages since his elevation to the position. At a ceremony where Iranians were asked to pledge “allegiance” to him, organizers displayed a cardboard likeness of Khamenei because he did not attend the gathering.

Iranian state television broadcast what it described as a message from Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday, marking the first statement attributed to him since he was declared leader. However, the broadcast included no images or video showing him alive, fueling speculation that he may have been seriously wounded or even killed during the recent American and Israeli airstrikes. Iranian state media previously reported that Khamenei had been injured, though it provided no further details.

The statement attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei included several threats directed at the United States, Israel, and their allies.

“The demand of the masses of the people is the continuation of effective and regret-inducing defense,” the statement claimed. “The revenge we seek is not only for the martyrdom of the great leader of the revolution. Every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy becomes an independent case for revenge.”

The message also referenced the strategic waterway through which a significant share of the world’s oil shipments passes.

“Certainly, the lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”

Those remarks appeared to conflict with statements made Thursday by Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations. During an interview with the Kurdish news outlet Rudaw, Iravani was asked whether commercial vessels were still able to travel through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are not going to close the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iravani also added a more general caveat about Iran’s position regarding the waterway.

“It is our inherent right to preserve peace and security in this waterway.”

The Iranian government-aligned outlet Mehr News also reported Iravani’s comments.

“Iran will exercise its inherent right to maintain peace and security in the Strait of Hormuz; this is our responsibility,” he said, according to the Mehr translation. “Iran does not intend to close the Strait of Hormuz. However, maintaining peace and security in this lifeline waterway is our inherent right and this is considered our inherent right.”

Despite those assurances, Rudaw reported that the Strait of Hormuz — one of the most critical shipping routes in the world — was already “effectively closed,” as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had designated the area as a restricted combat zone.

“The Strait of Hormuz has been closed,” the head of the IRGC, Ebrahim Jabbari, declared last week. “We will attack and set ablaze any ship attempting to cross.”

“We will not let oil be exported from the region,” he emphasized, issuing a direct warning to the oil-producing Gulf states and their customers, many of whom are located in East Asia.

The reported shutdown of the strait prompted sharp reactions internationally, including from one of Iran’s closest partners, the Chinese Communist Party. China is believed to be the largest buyer of Iranian oil and relies heavily on energy imports from the Middle East to meet its massive demand.

After “Operation Epic Fury” began, videos circulating online showed long lines forming at gas stations across China as residents rushed to fill their tanks amid fears that oil shipments from the Middle East could be disrupted.

“The Strait of Hormuz and its adjacent waters are an important international trade route for goods and energy. To keep the region secure and stable serves the common interests of the international community,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning proclaimed last week.

Chinese officials have repeatedly called on Iran not to interfere with shipping through the strait and have urged all parties involved in the conflict to de-escalate.

Beijing has demanded that all sides “stop military operations at once, avoid further escalation, keep the shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz safe, and prevent further impact on the global economy.”

Following China’s objections, the IRGC appeared to soften its earlier threats, suggesting that vessels belonging to countries friendly with Iran would be permitted to pass.

“We had previously said that, based on international laws and resolutions, in times of war, the Islamic Republic of Iran will have the right to control the passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC said in a follow-up statement. The group added that ships connected to the United States, Israel, or European countries will “certainly be hit.”

Because of the complex system of maritime registration and ship ownership, however, vessels flying the flag of one country may actually be transporting cargo for another nation that is not directly involved in the conflict, such as China or South Korea. Early indications suggested that Chinese shipping companies were hesitant to resume traffic through the strait immediately due to fears their vessels could still be targeted.

On Wednesday, dramatic footage surfaced showing explosions striking three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. One vessel was identified as flying the Thai flag, while another carried the flag of the Marshall Islands — neither country having any direct connection to the conflict involving Iran.

As the coming Shabbos, Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei, approaches amid ongoing security tensions, Israel’s Home Front Command has released special guidance for the Shabbos-observant public, outlining practical steps for remaining informed about emergency alerts while maintaining proper kedushas Shabbos.

In a public information video released ahead of the weekend, officials urged mispallelim to make sure they know where the nearest protected space is located in relation to their shul and along the route leading to it. The Home Front Command also advised that a charged mobile phone be left in the shul so that early warning alerts and the notification permitting people to leave protected spaces can still be received during tefillah.

According to the current policy, gatherings are permitted for up to 50 people, provided that those present are able to reach a proper protected space within the required time if an alert is issued.

During these tense days, the Home Front Command is urging the public to remain alert and attentive to official warnings and instructions distributed through authorized channels.

Regarding mobile devices, officials advised leaving a phone turned on and fully charged throughout Shabbos in order to receive advance alerts as well as notifications allowing people to exit protected spaces. Messages can be received on any fourth-generation cellular device or newer, including kosher phones. Authorities also recommended leaving an additional phone inside the protected area so that the notification permitting people to leave can be heard there as well.

For those using home computers, officials recommended utilizing the National Emergency Portal. Users should activate the audible alert system and configure the settings so that warnings relevant to their community will be received. Before Shabbos, residents are advised to disable sleep mode on both the computer and screen through the device’s settings and keep the alert display open throughout Shabbos.

Another option mentioned is the gal shaket system, which transmits emergency alerts through designated radio frequencies. Households are encouraged to leave a radio on and tuned to one of the participating stations. These include Kol Barama on 105.7, 104.3, 92.1, and 107.6 FM; Kol Chai on 92.8, 93, and 102.5 FM; Radio Darom on 101.5 FM; Galei Yisrael on 106.5, 94, and 89.3 FM; and Kan Moreshet on 90.5, 90.8, 92.5, and 100.7 FM.

Authorities also renewed warnings regarding falling debris and fragments from missile interceptions following the recent barrages. The Home Front Command stressed that interception debris can be extremely dangerous and that approaching such sites poses a serious threat to life.

“It is important for us to emphasize and sharpen this critical point,” said Lt. Col. (Res.) Danny Cohen, a Home Front Command spokesman addressing the religious and chareidi public. “We are seeing various sites where debris has fallen, and gathering at these locations poses a serious danger to life. There may be munitions scattered in the area that have not yet exploded, and approaching the site could, G-d forbid, end in disaster. People must stay away, keep onlookers at a distance, and alert the police.”

Officials also praised the public for carefully following the safety instructions during recent alerts and promptly entering protected areas when sirens sound, emphasizing that such compliance quite literally saves lives.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is backing a proposal that would dramatically tighten the state’s estate tax rules, lowering the exemption threshold from more than $7 million to $750,000 and raising the highest estate tax rate from 16% to 50%.

The plan appeared in a memo circulated by Mamdani’s office to state lawmakers in recent weeks. The document outlined nearly a dozen possible measures to generate additional revenue as officials work through negotiations over the state budget. Mamdani is grappling with a projected $5.4 billion deficit in the city budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and is seeking assistance from Albany to help close the gap.

The likelihood of the proposal being adopted this year appears slim. Neither the State Senate nor the Assembly included the idea in their budget proposals, and Governor Kathy Hochul’s office also left it out of its own spending plan. Both legislative chambers did approve budget recommendations this week that included increases to income and corporate taxes, but the estate tax change was not among them.

Pressure to raise revenue is expected to intensify as state leaders confront growing fiscal challenges. According to New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, the city is projected to face a cumulative deficit of at least $28 billion over the next four fiscal years.

If enacted, the change supported by Mamdani would mark a dramatic shift in the state’s tax structure. New York already stands among roughly a dozen states that levy their own estate tax in addition to the federal tax. Reducing the exemption to $750,000 would give New York the lowest estate tax threshold in the country.

Across the United States, most states do not impose taxes on inherited wealth. Among those that do, exemption levels vary widely, ranging from $1 million in Oregon to nearly $14 million in Connecticut, according to figures compiled by the Tax Foundation.

Mamdani’s push for heavier taxes on large estates is likely to deepen concerns among wealthy residents who have already reacted nervously to his progressive agenda. The democratic socialist stirred debate after saying, “I don’t think that we should have billionaires” in an interview shortly after winning the June 2025 Democratic primary.

At the same time, some business leaders had initially taken encouragement from Mamdani’s tone during the months leading up to the November general election. During that period, he emphasized that he was not firmly committed to income or corporate tax hikes he had previously described as necessary to finance his broader policy platform. His campaign estimated that the agenda — which includes proposals for free universal child care for children ages six weeks through five years, no-cost bus service across the city, and freezing rents in regulated apartments — would require at least $7 billion annually once fully implemented.

Economists have warned that estate taxes can have unintended consequences in jurisdictions where income taxes are already high. A 2023 analysis by economists Enrico Moretti and Daniel Wilson examined state-level data and found that wealthy taxpayers may relocate to lower-tax states, particularly later in life, reducing the tax base in high-tax areas. In states with lower income taxes, estate taxes tend to be more effective at generating revenue, the study concluded.

“What we’re saying is you can either be progressive on income tax or be progressive on adopting an estate tax, but if you do both it’s going to backfire,” Moretti, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said at the time. The richest New York City residents pay some of the highest income tax rates in the nation, with the top rate reaching 14.8% for those earning $25 million or more.

{Matzav.com}