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MUST WATCH: Harav Gamliel Rabinowitz meets Jewish activist Shabbos Kestenbaum and gives him brachos in a light and humorous moment.

WATCH: Lakewood Shomrim releases footage from an early-morning break-in at Qualicare Oil & Lube in Lakewood. Its members tracked the suspect until police arrived and placed the thief under arrest.

A massive ground collapse in Pondok Balik, Ketol District, Central Aceh, Indonesia is expanding, endangering nearby communities. Over 30,000 square meters have been swallowed, putting roads and power lines at risk.

President Trump said Monday that anyone responsible for abducting Nancy Guthrie must ensure her safe return or face what he described as the toughest possible federal punishment.

Speaking in a brief phone interview with The NY Post, Trump made clear that if the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie is killed, he would expect the Justice Department to pursue capital punishment.

He stated that those behind the Feb. 1 kidnapping from her home outside Tucson would face “very, very severe — the most severe” federal consequences if she is found dead.

When asked directly whether that meant the Department of Justice would seek the death penalty, Trump responded: “The most, yeah — that’s true.”

On Feb. 4, the president personally called Savannah Guthrie to offer federal support in the investigation. The FBI later obtained disturbing images and video showing a masked individual at the front door of the suburban residence.

Trump has largely refrained from making public comments about the case while authorities continue an intensive search for the elderly mother of three, whom investigators believe could still be alive.

In an effort to locate her, law enforcement officials conducted aerial searches over the desert terrain during the weekend, using specialized Bluetooth technology designed to detect a signal from Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker.

Federal charges are frequently pursued in prominent criminal cases, especially when state lines may be involved or when federal laws are implicated. Although Arizona maintains the death penalty, many of the 109 prisoners currently on the state’s death row have remained there for decades.

Since 2022, Arizona has carried out only two executions, partly due to a nearly two-year suspension ordered by the Democrat-led state government, which was lifted in late 2024.

Separately, the federal government has authority to seek capital punishment and typically reserves it for the most high-profile crimes, including the cases of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Pittsburgh synagogue shooter Robert Bowers, and racist mass murderer Dylann Roof.

Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 inmates on federal death row, leaving Tsarnaev, Bowers, and Roof excluded from that action. Trump officials have indicated they intend to transfer the remaining federal death row inmates to a federal supermax facility, where they would serve their sentences under strict conditions.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will be in an unfamiliar setting Monday night: heading his first campaign rally since the Republican announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate 10 months ago. Paxton’s scheduled appearance is part of his stepped-up campaign to unseat four-term Republican Sen. John Cornyn and add a MAGA devotee to the Senate, a bid that has […]

Israeli state prosecutors on Monday filed an indictment against a 32-year-old northern Israeli man accused of collecting intelligence on former defense minister Yoav Gallant at the direction of an Iranian operative.

According to court documents, Fares Abu al-Hija was detained in late January after he allegedly photographed streets surrounding Gallant’s residence in Amikam and transmitted the images to his handler. Authorities say the surveillance was carried out at the handler’s request.

Police and the Shin Bet security service said in a joint announcement that Abu al-Hija is a resident of the Galilee village of Kaukab Abu al-Hija, located roughly an hour north of Gallant’s home.

Investigators believe the suspect initially connected with the Iranian operative last August through the Telegram messaging platform while seeking employment opportunities. The indictment states that the contact was made under the guise of work.

From October through January, Abu al-Hija is said to have fulfilled a series of assignments from the individual, who identified himself as “Martin,” despite harboring suspicions that he was dealing with a foreign intelligence agent.

Prosecutors allege that the assignments included purchasing mobile phones and chargers, concealing them in various spots around Haifa, activating the devices, installing communication applications, documenting their hiding places, and relaying those details back to his handler. He was also instructed to deliver an envelope containing the password to a cryptocurrency account to a site in Zichron Yaakov and to photograph a cafe in Tel Aviv.

The indictment states that Abu al-Hija received payment in cryptocurrency for carrying out the missions. For capturing photos and videos of the Tel Aviv cafe, he was paid $1,000 in digital currency.

In January, the suspect was reportedly directed to document Gallant’s home. Authorities arrested him at the scene shortly after he transmitted the images.

An indictment was filed in the Haifa District Court charging Abu al-Hija with contact with a foreign agent. Prosecutors have asked the court to keep him in custody through the duration of the proceedings.

Gallant served as defense minister from 2022 to 2024 before being dismissed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid political disagreements. Earlier in his career, he commanded the Israel Defense Forces Southern Command.

In their statement, police and the Shin Bet warned that Iran has stepped up attempts to recruit Israelis to conduct espionage activities within the country.

Law enforcement “takes a very serious view of any involvement in such activities and will continue to bring to justice those involved in harming the country’s security and its citizens,” they said.

Officials noted that over the past two years, dozens of Israelis have faced espionage charges linked to Iran. In many instances, recruitment efforts were carried out through social media platforms, particularly Telegram.

{Matzav.com}

A heated exchange erupted in the Knesset ahead of a no-confidence vote, as Opposition Leader Yair Lapid charged that the assault on two IDF servicewomen in Bnei Brak reflects a broader pattern under the current government, while Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler accused the opposition of fueling dangerous incitement against the chareidi community.

Taking the podium before the vote, Lapid argued that the violence in Bnei Brak was not a one-time occurrence but part of a recurring trend. “What we saw yesterday in Bnei Brak is not an isolated phenomenon. It happens time and time again under this government. You are permitting [the shedding of] the blood of the IDF. You are against the IDF. This isn’t just happening in Bnei Brak,” he says, pointing as well to incidents involving settlers confronting IDF troops in the West Bank.

Lapid dismissed the coalition’s portrayal of itself as staunchly right-wing. “This government keeps saying that it’s completely right-wing. You’re not completely right-wing, you’re not right-wing at all. You’re a government that exists thanks to anti-Zionist parties, who are against conscription into the IDF, whose public is trying to lynch female soldiers and flips over police cars,” Lapid says.

In response to the opposition’s no-confidence motions, Eichler of United Torah Judaism rejected the criticism and instead accused lawmakers on the other side of stoking hostility toward his community. He warned that such rhetoric carries serious consequences.

“The incitement during no-confidence motions on the Knesset stage regarding ‘chareidi draft evasion’ is dangerous and intended to legitimize state violence,” he says.

Eichler further contended that statements urging authorities to confront chareidim as they would terrorists amount to a “license for bloodshed. Recently, two chareidi youths have already been killed by bus strikes during demonstrations.”

He cautioned that failing to push back against such language could escalate tensions even further. “If we do not fight against this incitement, it will continue to get worse, heaven forbid. This is how civil wars begin, and one can never know when or how they will end,” Eichler says.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Supreme Court will convene a panel of justices to consider whether Yoaz Hendel’s political faction may officially register under the name “The Reservists,” after Justice David Mintz agreed to review a petition filed by a group of combat reservists, Arutz Sheva reports.

The case was brought by the Israeli Reservists – Generation of Victory movement, whose members argue that adopting the name “The Reservists” for a political party improperly exploits the Israel Defense Forces and reserve service for electoral gain. They contend that linking the identity of reservists to a specific political list amounts to a misuse of the military’s standing in Israeli society.

In a statement, the movement declared: “Reserve duty is the holy of holies of Israeli society, especially after the events of October 7th. The reservists are not a political brand and not the property of any politician. This name belongs to us all, from the right and from the left, and we can not allow any party paint our uniform with politics.”

The group also welcomed the high court’s involvement, stating: “We commend the Supreme Court’s decision to discuss this fundamental issue that will determine if the IDF remains outside of the political playing field.”

The legal dispute traces back several months, when the movement formally petitioned the Registrar of Political Parties to reject the proposed party name. In its submission, the group argued that “the name of the party constitutes part of the election propaganda in itself, and aims to send a message. The name that was approved for the party misuses the IDF.”

The movement further maintained that “this use harms the IDF’s neutrality and misleads the public. It seems as if reservists have united under his party. The approval of the party under this name violates the public policy, as it is prohibited propaganda.”

The forthcoming hearing will address whether the use of the name “The Reservists” crosses legal boundaries by implying institutional endorsement from members of the reserve forces and whether it undermines the principle that the military must remain outside partisan politics.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF says it struck a Hezbollah terrorist in the southern Lebanon town of Tallouseh a short while ago.

Senator Lindsey Graham on Iran: The bottom line is were weeks, not months, in terms of decision-making.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, is currenly meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi.

PHOTO: Boro Park Chaveirim welcomed eight new volunteers into its ranks last night, further strengthening its ability to serve the community. The new members include B270 Motty Markowitz, B271 Chaim Kahan, B272 Yanky Weiss, B273 Moishy Spitzer, B274 Isaac Krausz, B275 Shia Kaufman, B276 Moshe Ringel, and B277 Shia Kornitzer. The expansion enhances Chaveirim’s capacity […]

A newly signed agreement between the government and the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council in the West Bank could pave the way for what critics and supporters alike describe as the first effective expansion of Yerushalayim beyond its post-1967 boundaries, pending final approvals, Times of Israel reports.

The project, unveiled earlier this month, is formally defined as a westward extension of the Adam settlement, located near Yerushalayim’s northeastern edge. The blueprint calls for approximately 2,780 housing units to be constructed as a new “neighborhood” of Adam.

Despite that designation, the proposed site is geographically detached from Adam itself. Route 437, a major roadway, separates the two areas, as does the security barrier, creating a physical divide between the existing community and the planned development.

By contrast, the new neighborhood would share closer territorial continuity with Neve Yaakov, an East Yerushalayim neighborhood situated within the city’s municipal borders, than with Adam.

Although the project would not officially fall under Yerushalayim’s municipal jurisdiction and would remain administratively tied to Adam, officials from the Peace Now organization contend that the development would likely receive at least some municipal services from Yerushalayim.

The construction is slated for 500 dunams of land positioned between the Palestinian towns of Hizma and Al-Ram. The government is expected to allocate roughly NIS 120 million ($39 million) for infrastructure, public facilities, and communal institutions necessary for the neighborhood’s establishment.

The proposal has not yet been submitted to the Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee, meaning that final authorization could still take up to two years. Nonetheless, the Housing Ministry confirmed that 500 housing units have already been marketed as part of the initial construction phase.

“The agreement constitutes a significant step in continuing the development of the settlement and strengthening the settlement continuity in the area, while providing a response to the demand for housing in and around Yerushalayim, and integrating a phased and balanced planning of new neighborhoods alongside the existing fabric,” the Housing and Construction Ministry said in a statement on February 3 announcing the development.

Peace Now, which opposes settlement expansion, argued that the plan amounts to de facto annexation and represents an unprecedented enlargement of Yerushalayim’s footprint.

After Israel captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 1967 Six Day War, the Knesset and relevant ministries formally redrew the capital’s boundaries to include formerly Jordanian-held East Jerusalem. Since then, neighborhoods built by Israel in East Jerusalem — widely viewed internationally as settlements — have been developed within those expanded municipal lines.

“This is the first time since 1967 that Yerushalayim has been expanded into the West Bank,” asserted Peace Now.

“Under the pretext of a new settlement, the government is carrying out a backdoor annexation here. The new settlement will function for all intents and purposes as a neighborhood of the city of Yerushalayim, and its planning as a ‘neighborhood’ of the Adam settlement is just an excuse and an attempt to conceal the move, the implication of which is the application of Israeli sovereignty to territories in the West Bank,” it said.

MK Gilad Kariv of the Democrats party also criticized the initiative, calling it “another unprecedented act of annexation that draws us closer to an explosion in the West Bank.”

Kariv said he had contacted Housing and Construction Minister Chaim Katz regarding “the plan to expand Yerushalayim over the Green Line and to de facto annex territory,” warning, “Annexation will bring about a security catastrophe.”

In contrast, Mateh Binyamin Regional Council chairman Yisroel Ganz welcomed the agreement, characterizing it as “the realization of the settlement vision” for the area.

“The new plan will allow us to build thousands of housing units, while at the same time dramatically upgrading the quality of life of the residents,” said Ganz, adding that his council is “already working on additional agreements” that will “herald dramatic change on the ground.”

Iran’s top diplomat is set to hold indirect talks with the U.S. in Geneva as the American military reportedly readies for possible weeks-long operations.

Lawmakers and the White House offered no signs of compromise Sunday in their battle over oversight of federal immigration officers that has led to a pause in funding for the Department of Homeland Security. A partial government shutdown began Saturday after congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump’s team failed to reach a deal on legislation […]

All 26 individuals detained following Sunday’s unrest in Bnei Brak have now been released after multiple courts ordered suspects freed to house arrest and attorneys accused police of carrying out unnecessary “show arrests.”

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court ruled that two men taken into custody during the disturbances would be placed under house arrest for five days. Judge Ravit Peleg Bar Dayan found there was reasonable suspicion that one of the suspects had assaulted a police officer, although she noted the level of suspicion was not particularly strong. She also determined there was reasonable suspicion that the second suspect had assaulted an officer and taken part in an unlawful assembly.

In a separate proceeding, the Bat Yam Juvenile Court ordered the release to house arrest of four additional suspects who had been arrested in connection with the clashes. About 20 other detainees were freed last night, meaning that every person apprehended during the protests has since been released.

Attorneys Shlomo Haddad and Itai Cohen, who are representing several of those detained, sharply criticized law enforcement’s actions. “Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, these were show arrests. Minors and adults alike were forcefully pulled into police vehicles, seemingly with the intent of creating a deterrent and awareness effect, not due to real suspicion of a crime.”

They continued, “Most of the detainees are bystanders who did not participate in the events and did not commit any offenses. We strongly condemn the handling of the situation and will assert our clients’ rights fully within the legal proceedings.”

The confrontation began Sunday afternoon when two female soldiers from the Education Corps, stationed at the Havat Shomer base, arrived in the city to visit the home of a young man scheduled to enlist in the coming weeks. Onlookers reportedly assumed the women were military police officers delivering draft papers.

A crowd soon formed around the soldiers, attempting to get close to them. Police units dispatched to the area removed the soldiers from the scene. During the effort to disperse the gathering, three police officers were hurt and required medical treatment.

Even after the soldiers were evacuated, the disorder continued. Demonstrators overturned a police vehicle and set a police motorcycle ablaze.

Police said stones were hurled at officers amid the violence and noted that the torched motorcycle contained tefillin and a prayer book. The Police Commissioner directed officers to respond with zero tolerance and to track down those responsible for the rioting.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Lakewood, NJ – February 15, 2026 – CHEMED Health, the region’s leader in community-based healthcare, hosted its annual Medical and Ethics Conference, drawing more than 1,000 participants, including physicians, nurses, medical students, rabbanim, and healthcare leaders for an intensive, multi-day gathering exploring the intersection of medicine, ethics, and Halacha.

The conference opened Thursday evening with an inspiring keynote lecture by Rav Sholom Kamenetsky, titled “AI, Autonomy, and Halacha: How Jewish Law Approaches the Future of Decision Making.” His address set the tone for a program focused on navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of modern medicine through the lens of timeless ethical and Torah-based principles.

Over the course of the conference, attendees participated in 52 lectures featuring prominent rabbinic authorities, academic leaders, and medical professionals. Notable presenters included Rabbi Doctor Aaron E. Glatt, Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz, Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, Rav Professor Avrohom Steinberg, and Dr. Isaac Schechter, among many others, who addressed a wide range of clinical, ethical, and policy-related topics shaping contemporary healthcare practice.

On Motzei Shabbos, a highlight of the conference was a special question-and-answer session with Rav Asher Weiss שליט״א, who traveled from Eretz Yisroel for the occasion. Rav Weiss opened his remarks with warm and effusive praise for CHEMED and for Dr. Dovid Friedman’s leadership and vision before engaging attendees in an in-depth discussion of complex medical halachic scenarios, offering guidance that reflected both rigorous scholarship and real-world clinical sensitivity.

The conference concluded with a major announcement from Dr. Dovid Friedman, CEO of CHEMED, who, together with the Medical Village development team, presented a comprehensive vision for CHEMED’s next chapter through a special video unveiling of The Medical Village – a transformative outpatient healthcare campus designed to redefine coordinated care for the region.

The Medical Village represents CHEMED’s most ambitious initiative to date – a first-of-its-kind, fully integrated outpatient campus that will bring more than 50 medical specialties together under one coordinated system. The campus will include primary care, pediatric and adult subspecialties, dental services, behavioral health, women’s health, advanced diagnostic radiology, an ambulatory surgery center, and a standalone emergency department, all designed to provide seamless, high-level care within a single environment.

“For nearly two decades, CHEMED has been committed to expanding access to quality care,” said Dr. Friedman. “The Medical Village reflects our next step forward – building a future-ready healthcare model that integrates specialty medicine, academic training, and coordinated care delivery to serve our rapidly growing community.”

Beyond its clinical scope, the campus will also feature dedicated educational space for medical students and residents, strengthening training opportunities and advancing the level of academic medicine in the region.

With record attendance, a robust educational program, and the unveiling of a transformative healthcare initiative, this year’s conference underscored CHEMED’s dual commitment: advancing medical excellence while grounding healthcare delivery in enduring ethical and community-centered values.

Sec. Rubio on Ukraine-Russia: “The United States interest is to see the war end. We’re the only nation on earth that apparently can get both sides to the table to talk. I’m not here to insult anybody, but the United Nations hasn’t been able to do it. And there’s no other country in Europe that’s […]

Sec. Rubio: If I identify a visitor in our country whose presence poses a threat to our foreign policy and national security, we’re going to take their visa away.

Prime Minister Netanyahu held a meeting a short time ago with Senator Lindsey Graham, who is on a visit to Israel.