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An aggressive and unusually early flu season is sweeping across New York, pushing hospitals and emergency rooms toward levels not seen in years and raising concerns that the worst may still be ahead.

During the week ending December 20, hospitals across New York State recorded 3,666 inpatient admissions tied to influenza, a sharp rise from 2,251 hospitalizations the prior week. Health officials note that most patients requiring hospitalization have preexisting medical conditions, and there is no indication at this point that the circulating strain is inherently more severe than in previous seasons.

Emergency departments, particularly in New York City, are already under significant pressure. City hospitals logged 9,857 emergency room visits for flu-like illness during that same week, marking the highest level reported in at least a decade. Laboratory data underscores the scope of the outbreak: 32,239 confirmed flu cases were identified in the city alone, with children accounting for more than half of those infections.

Statewide figures paint an even starker picture. According to the New York State Department of Health, 71,123 positive flu cases were recorded in the week ending December 20 — the largest single-week total since flu tracking began in 2004. That figure represents a 38 percent increase from the previous week and brings the total number of reported flu cases this season to 189,312.

Health officials say the spike began weeks earlier than is typical and continues to climb as the flu season approaches its usual January peak. While expanded testing may be identifying more cases than in past years, the surge is nonetheless unprecedented in scale.

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said the numbers represent the highest weekly flu totals ever documented, cautioning that broader testing alone does not fully explain the dramatic rise.

Virologists report that the dominant strain circulating this season is H3N2, which contains mutations that may allow it to partially evade immune defenses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early findings suggest that while this year’s flu vaccine may be less effective at preventing infection altogether, it still significantly reduces the risk of severe illness and hospitalization.

Public health experts are urging residents to get vaccinated, monitor symptoms closely, and stay home when sick, warning that case numbers could continue to increase in the coming weeks as flu activity intensifies statewide.

{Matzav.com}

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Traffic on Route 4 was brought to a standstill on Sunday afternoon after demonstrators affiliated with the Peleg Yerushalmi launched a protest near Bnei Brak, as part of a renewed wave of demonstrations over the continued arrests of yeshiva students.

Within a short time of the protest’s start, the highway was fully blocked in both directions between the Aluf Sadeh Interchange and the Em HaMoshavot Interchange. Police declared the demonstration illegal, and heavy traffic congestion quickly built up throughout the area.

As a result of the protest, service on the light rail in Petach Tikva was also disrupted.

Transit officials announced that due to a demonstration near the Shenkar station, the light rail would operate on a shortened route, with Line R2 running only between Kiryat Aryeh in Petach Tikva and the Komemiyut station in Bat Yam, in both directions.

Israel Police said officers from the Dan District and the National Traffic Police were deployed to the scene, working to redirect vehicles to alternate routes.

Traffic heading south from the Em HaMoshavot Interchange was diverted toward Petach Tikva.

Earlier in the day, the Peleg Yerushalmi had announced the resumption of protests nationwide, citing anger over the continued detention of yeshiva students. Protest locations were not disclosed in advance, and police had prepared for possible road blockages and traffic disruptions.

Police emphasized that the right to protest would be upheld as long as demonstrations remain within the bounds of the law, but warned that blocking major roads, disrupting freedom of movement, or engaging in behavior that endangers public safety would not be tolerated.

During the unrest, United Hatzalah medics treated a pedestrian — a 15-year-old boy — who was lightly injured after being struck by a vehicle on Route 4 near the Givat Shmuel Interchange. Paramedics said he suffered injuries to his limbs during the protest and was treated at the scene.

{Matzav.com}

A 15-year-old student at a school in Saint Petersburg was severely assaulted by a classmate and an older student after posting a profile picture featuring the Israeli flag, according to Russian media reports. The incident has prompted Russia’s Investigative Committee to open a formal probe.

Reports indicate that the confrontation began in early December, when another student objected to the Israeli flag appearing in the boy’s online profile photo. The alleged attacker, who reportedly espoused extreme nationalist views, threatened the teenager and hurled verbal abuse at him, including remarks referencing the Holocaust.

According to a report by Ynet, the dispute escalated following a verbal exchange, after which the victim was summoned to what was described as a “conversation” with the aggressor. When he arrived, he encountered both the attacker and an older student who blocked his path. The two demanded that he kneel and apologize. When the boy refused to submit to the humiliation, he was punched repeatedly in the face.

As a result of the assault, the teenager suffered a fracture to the eye socket. He was hospitalized and underwent surgery under full anesthesia to remove bone fragments. He remained in the hospital for more than a week and is now continuing treatment on an outpatient basis.

The boy’s mother has filed a police complaint. Authorities confirmed that the Investigative Committee is examining the circumstances surrounding the attack, while regional education officials said they are also reviewing the incident.

{Matzav.com}

A powerful and uplifting Shabbos experience returns this winter as the 5th Annual Shabbos of Emunah & Bitachon with Rabbi Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin will take place February 6–8, Parshas Yisro, at The Westin in Princeton, New Jersey. Designed to inspire, strengthen, and illuminate, this special Shabbos offers participants the opportunity to step away from daily pressures and reconnect—both spiritually and emotionally—in a warm, elevated environment.

Set in luxury accommodations with a five-star menu, the Shabbos will feature a rich and thoughtfully curated program focused on clarity, inner strength, and living with deeper trust in Hashem. Throughout the Shabbos, participants will enjoy inspiring tefillos, spirited seudos, and a meaningful oneg, all infused with an atmosphere of warmth and purpose.

Rabbi Rubashkin will be joined by an outstanding roster of guest rabbanim and speakers, including Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz, Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, singer Rabbi Shloime Taussig, and Rabbi Getzel Rubashkin. Their divrei chizuk and guidance will address timeless and timely themes, offering insight and inspiration that resonate long after Shabbos ends.

The program has been carefully structured to meet the needs of the entire family. Alongside the main sessions, there will be special talks for women led by Rabbi Rubashkin and Mrs. Rubashkin, as well as dedicated programming for teens. Children will enjoy an exciting kids’ program, and babysitting will be available for infants, allowing parents to fully participate in the Shabbos experience.

Now in its fifth year, the Shabbos of Emunah & Bitachon has become known for its unique ability to combine depth with warmth, inspiration with joy, and personal connection with communal uplift. Attendees consistently describe the Shabbos as transformative—a time of renewed perspective, strengthened faith, and meaningful connection.

Registration is now open, and space is limited. Those seeking a Shabbos of insight, inspiration, and genuine spiritual recharge are encouraged to reserve their place.

For registration or more information, CLICK HERE.

For additional information or to register, interested participants may visit bitachonshabbos.com or alephbeisgimmel.com, email shabbos@alephbeisgimmel.com, or call or text (732) 354-1496.

A Russian ballistic missile struck the Ukrainian city of Uman on Friday, causing dozens of casualties in the surrounding area, though authorities reported no fatalities. The missile landed approximately 50 meters from the Tiferet HaMatzot bakery, where dozens of workers were present at the time of the strike. Despite the proximity of the explosion, no […]

New York Attorney General Letitia James has been the beneficiary of tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from liberal billionaire George Soros and his family members, according to a report published Sunday by the New York Post.

Campaign finance disclosures cited by the Post show that Soros and relatives have sent more than $71,000 to political efforts supporting James since 2019. Included in that sum is $31,000 earmarked for her 2026 reelection campaign.

The records indicate that George Soros himself contributed $18,000 in July 2024, while his daughter-in-law, Jennifer Soros, made a $13,000 donation two months earlier, in May.

When earlier contributions are added in, the Post reported that the Soros family has directed approximately $40,000 more to James over the past several years.

The reported figure does not include indirect political support flowing to James through organizations backed by Soros. Among them is the Working Families Party, which has received millions in funding from Soros-linked entities and continues to support James’ political career.

According to the Post, Soros’ Open Society Foundations have sent more than $865,000 to the New York arm of the Working Families Party since 2018.

James’ relationship with the Working Families Party dates back decades. She first gained statewide attention in 2003 when she won a Brooklyn City Council seat as the first candidate elected in New York under the WFP banner.

Although James ran as a Democrat during her 2018 attorney general campaign alongside then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and avoided running under the WFP label, she has remained aligned with the party’s platform and accepted its endorsement again during her successful 2022 reelection bid, the Post reported.

“George Soros has spent years financing the radical left’s most extreme projects, and the outcome is almost always the same: instability and disorder that is destroying our state,” Michael Henry, a Republican challenger seeking to defeat James in the 2026 election, told the Post.

James has drawn national attention for her aggressive legal actions against President Donald Trump, including civil fraud cases that focused on his business valuations and financial statements.

Opponents of those prosecutions have accused her office of engaging in political lawfare, arguing that the cases relied on novel legal interpretations, selective enforcement, and unusually large financial penalties intended to damage Trump’s business operations and undermine his presidential campaign rather than prosecute clear criminal conduct.

In August, Trump scored a significant victory when a New York appellate court struck down more than $500 million in fines that had previously been levied in the case.

James has also faced scrutiny related to her own conduct. In October, the Department of Justice filed mortgage fraud charges connected to a property she owns in Virginia.

That case, however, did not proceed. A judge ultimately dismissed the charges after ruling that the federal prosecutor who brought them had been improperly appointed.

{Matzav.com}

Two helicopters crashed in New Jersey in what federal authorities say was a midair collision that killed one person and critically injured another. Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m. on Sunday, and police and fire crews subsequently extinguished flames that engulfed one […]

A Palestinian man died overnight after a fall while attempting to cross into Israel without authorization in search of work, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Yerushalayim Governorate.

The governorate identified the man as Jihad Quzmar, a 58-year-old resident of the village of Izbet Salman. It said he was trying to scale the West Bank separation barrier near the Palestinian town of al-Ram when he fell.

According to the statement, Quzmar sustained a serious head injury and was taken to an Israeli hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The governorate added that Israeli authorities are still holding his body. The IDF did not immediately issue a response.

The Yerushalayim Governorate also released video footage it said was filmed at the same location overnight. In the video, an Israeli voice can be heard mocking a Palestinian who is entangled in barbed wire after falling from the barrier in al-Ram. The governorate said the man shown was attempting to enter Israel for employment but did not clarify whether the individual in the video was Quzmar or another person.

The General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions said the incident comes against the backdrop of a severe labor crisis. According to the federation, more than 500,000 Palestinian workers have lost jobs in Israel since Israel sharply curtailed Palestinian work permits following the Hamas-led onslaught of October 7, 2023.

The labor federation further reported that during this period, at least 44 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more injured while attempting to enter Israel illegally for work, either as a result of Israeli gunfire or falls from the separation wall.

{Matzav.com}

For generations, the question of where Noach’s Teiva came to rest after the Mabul has captured the imagination. Now, newly discovered archaeological findings near Turkey’s Mount Ararat are renewing discussion around a site long associated with the Teiva. Researchers in eastern Turkey report that pottery fragments dating back thousands of years have been uncovered near […]

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir came under attack from stone-throwing demonstrators on Sunday while touring the Bedouin village of Tarabin al-Sana, as tensions flared following a wave of police activity in the area.

According to police, unrest had already begun before the minister’s arrival. Young residents hurled stones at officers, prompting police to respond with tear gas. Two suspects were arrested during the clashes, law enforcement officials told The Times of Israel.

Ben Gvir arrived at the village accompanied by Israel Police chief Danny Levy, Southern District commander Haim Boublil, and large contingents of police officers, moving through the area under heavy security.

“These criminals thought that they would send me a message, that they would do a ‘price tag,’” Ben Gvir said while walking with his security detail, using a term commonly associated with retaliatory settler violence.

Footage aired by Channel 12 showed police scuffling with local residents as Ben Gvir spoke with a man dressed in Arab clothing nearby. Despite the confrontation, the minister told reporters that he was undeterred and pledged to continue visiting the village.

In an official statement, Ben Gvir accused Bedouin communities of operating without effective law enforcement. He said the towns had “gotten used to there being no police and no rule of law,” adding that “everyone does as he pleases.”

“That is over. Finally there is a police force here that functions and responds,” he said.

The visit followed police operations over Shabbos, during which officers arrested three Tarabin al-Sana residents suspected of torching and vandalizing vehicles in nearby Jewish communities. Police said the acts were carried out as “revenge” for an earlier overnight raid in the village.

Over the past month, police have intensified their presence across the Negev as part of an initiative aimed at curbing violent crime, weapons trafficking, and traffic violations. The campaign, known as New Order, has included repeated raids in Bedouin localities.

Bedouin leaders and residents have strongly criticized the operation, accusing Ben Gvir of undermining their rights as Israeli citizens. They dispute his claims of improved policing, arguing instead that their communities lack a steady police presence.

Residents say that rather than routine law enforcement, they experience surprise, military-style raids involving counterterror units and Border Police, along with checkpoints at town entrances that affect ordinary civilians as well as criminals.

Ben Gvir, for his part, praised the concrete barriers police have placed at entrances to several Bedouin towns, rejecting accusations of collective punishment.

“This is the State of Israel. Period. Those who don’t like it, fantastic — they can go drink the water in Gaza,” he said.

A Tarabin al-Sana resident identified as Alaa told Ynet that villagers were being unfairly blamed. “It makes no sense to blame us [residents] for everything that goes on in the village,” he said.

“I blame Ben Gvir for this situation. You want to catch criminals? Go in and arrest them. What are these checkpoints for? Where are we, in the territories?” he added, referring to the West Bank.

Addressing the alleged retaliatory vandalism in the nearby Jewish towns of Giv’ot Bar and Mishmar Hanegev, Alaa told Ynet that he maintains friendships in Giv’ot Bar and condemned the attacks.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s High Court on Sunday morning rejected the petitions filed by left-wing organizations against the appointment of David Zini as head of the Shin Bet, after two out of three judges on the panel ruled that there is no ground for judicial intervention in the government’s decision. The opinion of Justice Yitzchak Amit, who sought […]

FBI Director Kash Patel said the massive fraud uncovered in Minnesota represents only a small portion of a much larger criminal web, signaling that further investigations, along with immigration consequences, are still ahead for those involved.

In a detailed statement posted on social media, Patel said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had already redirected significant manpower and investigative assets to Minnesota well before the case drew widespread attention online, allowing agents to aggressively pursue the scheme at an early stage.

“To date, the FBI dismantled a $250 million fraud scheme that stole federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during COVID,” Patel wrote.

He explained that the probe uncovered a complex operation involving fake vendors, shell corporations, and extensive laundering of illicit funds connected to the Feeding Our Future network. “The investigation exposed sham vendors, shell companies, and large-scale money laundering tied to the Feeding Our Future network,” he added.

The sprawling case resulted in dozens of prosecutions, ultimately leading to 78 indictments and 57 convictions.

Detailing the scope of those charged, Patel said, “Defendants included Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud, Ahmed Ali, Hussein Farah, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, Asha Farhan Hassan, Ousman Camara, and Abdirashid Bixi Dool, each charged for roles ranging from wire fraud to money laundering and conspiracy.”

He also highlighted efforts to corrupt the justice system itself. “Abdimajid Mohamed Nur and others were charged for attempting to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash. Those responsible pleaded guilty and were sentenced, including a 10-year prison term and nearly $48 million in restitution in related cases,” Patel said, cautioning that the full scale of the wrongdoing has yet to be uncovered.

Looking ahead, Patel stressed that investigators are far from finished. “The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing,” he said.

He added that criminal penalties may not be the final consequence for many of those involved. “Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigrations officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

During Chanukah, ArtScroll rolled out 8 extraordinary deals at 33% off, one each day. If you didn’t get a chance to take advantage of them, now’s your moment. These are the lowest prices of the year on each of these sets! For 48 HOURS only — from Motzei Shabbos until Monday at midnight — every one of those 8 […]

In a shock to no one, Israel’s High Court has stepped in to block the government’s plan to shut down Army Radio (Galei Tzahal). Justice Yitzhak Amit issued an interim order halting the move, effectively freezing the government’s decision for now.

UPDATE: One person was killed and another critically injured after two helicopters crashed near Basin Road in Hammonton, New Jersey; the FAA and NTSB have been notified and will investigate the incident, police said.

TRUMP BLASTS REPORTER! “What a dumb question! Nobody even knows what the security agreement is going to say!”

After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida on Sunday, President Donald Trump said he sees real potential for a breakthrough in efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, while cautioning that the human toll will continue to rise without an agreement.

Standing beside Zelensky outside the main dining room at Mar-a-Lago, Trump told reporters, “I do believe that we have the makings of a deal. It’s good for Ukraine, good for everybody. It’s very important.”

Trump emphasized the stakes involved if the conflict drags on, warning that failure to reach an accord would cost countless lives. “If the war continues, ‘millions of additional people will be killed, millions, and no one wants that,’” he said.

The president also underscored how challenging the negotiations have been compared to past efforts he has led. “There’s nothing more important,’’ Trump said. “I solved eight wars, and this is the most difficult one.”

Despite expressing confidence in progress, Trump dismissed the idea of locking in a specific deadline for a final agreement. Describing the talks, he said they were “Pretty complex but not that complex,’’ adding, “No deadlines. ‘You know what my deadline is, getting the war ended.’”

Trump nevertheless predicted swift movement following discussions with Zelensky over unresolved elements in a 20-point peace proposal drafted by both sides’ teams. He said the process is likely to “move very rapidly” as those remaining issues are addressed.

As part of advancing the proposal, Trump said he plans to speak directly with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and to consult with senior European officials. He noted that he had already spoken with Putin before sitting down with Zelensky.

Sunday’s meeting marked the first time Trump and Zelensky have met face to face since October 17, following a period of highly publicized disagreements between the two leaders.

Reflecting on Zelensky’s role in the conflict, Trump offered praise for the Ukrainian president and his country. “This gentleman has worked very hard,’’ he said. “He’s very brave, and his people are very brave, but what they’ve gone through, no nation, very rarely, has a nation ever gone through this.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump announces he will immediately call President Putin following his meeting with Zelensky in Florida.

President Trump greets Ukrainian president Zelensky for their meeting on the Ukraine/Russia war.