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A widespread outage has disrupted Verizon’s wireless network this afternoon, leaving tens of thousands of customers without voice, text, or data service and causing many phones to display an “SOS” indicator instead of normal signal bars.

Reports of service failures began climbing shortly before 12:30 p.m. ET, according to outage tracking site Down Detector, with complaints quickly surging into the tens of thousands. Affected users across multiple states reported losing cellular connectivity entirely, with iPhones and other devices defaulting to emergency or satellite-based modes.

Verizon confirmed the issue shortly after 1 p.m. ET, acknowledging that its network was experiencing a significant disruption. In a statement, the company said, “We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience.” The carrier did not provide an estimated time for full service restoration or disclose the cause of the outage.

The disruption appeared to affect major regions including New York and New Jersey, the Carolinas, Texas, Florida, Nevada, and parts of the Midwest and Southeast. Customers reported that phones showed an SOS icon even in areas with normally strong coverage, indicating an inability to connect to Verizon’s core network despite being within range of cell towers.

New York City officials warned that the outage could interfere with emergency calls for customers on Verizon. The city’s emergency notification system advised residents experiencing difficulties dialing 911 to use a landline, another mobile carrier, or go directly to a police precinct if urgent assistance is needed.

Some customers reported brief signs of recovery, with service intermittently returning before dropping again. In New York City, a small number of users saw limited bars and 5G service after restarting their phones, though connections were described as unstable and short-lived.

The outage did not appear to impact other major carriers. T-Mobile said its network was operating normally but cautioned that customers might have trouble reaching Verizon subscribers. In a post on social media, the carrier said its systems were functioning as expected despite the reported Verizon disruption.

Verizon-owned Visible, a mobile virtual network operator that uses Verizon’s infrastructure, continued to show service for some users, adding to confusion about the scope and technical nature of the outage.

Down Detector reports peaked at nearly 180,000 complaints before gradually declining, though numbers remained far above normal levels as of mid-afternoon. Verizon’s own network status checker did not initially reflect widespread issues, and some users reported difficulty accessing the tool.

As of the latest update, Verizon said its engineers were still investigating and working to restore full service. Customers continued to report inconsistent connectivity, with many phones remaining stuck in SOS mode hours after the outage began.

{Matzav.com}

With just days remaining before leaving office, the Murphy administration is moving to place the troubled Lakewood, NJ public school district under state control, a sweeping intervention that would remove authority from the elected local school board and place the system under a state-appointed Superintendent with broad governing powers, according to a report in the New Jersey Globe.

State officials point to long-standing financial instability as the driving force behind the action, citing persistent budget shortfalls, soaring transportation and special-education expenses, and a cycle of state financial assistance that the district has been unable to pay back. They argue that the district’s underlying financial structure has deteriorated to the point where the existing leadership framework can no longer function.

Lakewood’s political makeup contrasts sharply with the statewide picture. In the 2024 general election, Republican Jack Ciattarelli won roughly 90% of the vote in the township, carrying it by nearly 33,000 votes. That overwhelming local support, however, did little to affect Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s decisive fourteen-point victory across New Jersey.

The formal process is expected to begin today, when New Jersey Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer is anticipated to file an Order to Show Cause. With only six days remaining in Governor Phil Murphy’s term, the timing appears designed to spare Sherrill from having to initiate the takeover herself once she assumes office.

Lakewood’s educational landscape is unique within the state. More than 40,000 students attend over 180 private schools, the vast majority of them frum institutions, while the public school system serves approximately 5,000 students. No other district in New Jersey comes close to that imbalance, as the statewide average for private-school enrollment is about 14%.

The local Board of Education allocates more funding to transporting private-school students than it does to instruction within public school classrooms. Critics argue that this arrangement has left public school students—largely from communities of color—at a disadvantage, pointing to overcrowded classrooms and weaker academic performance as symptoms of a system misaligned with their needs.

For more than ten years, Lakewood’s district has posted annual deficits running into the millions. Each year, continued operation depends on repeated state “loan” bailouts, many of which officials acknowledge are unlikely ever to be repaid.

Opponents of the current structure describe the district as effectively insolvent, contending that there is no viable long-term solution under existing governance and that the financial model is destined to fail under the burden of legally mandated private-school transportation.

Compounding the problem, Lakewood places a significant number of special-education students in private programs, including many outside the district and at substantial expense. A state investigation conducted in 2014 flagged concerns over weak oversight of special-education contractors, questionable approval practices for private providers, and possible conflicts of interest. At that time, Governor Chris Christie opted against a state takeover.

Governor-elect Sherrill has previously expressed support for state oversight measures, including the appointment of a state monitor in Montclair, her hometown, where officials are dealing with severe fiscal challenges.

New Jersey has a history of state takeovers of school districts. Camden was placed under state control in 2013 during Christie’s administration, while Newark and Paterson underwent similar interventions in the 1990s, and Jersey City did so in 1989. In each case, restoring full local governance took more than a decade.

Should the Murphy administration’s effort succeed, Lakewood could be headed for a similarly extended period of state supervision.

{Matzav.com}

Some personnel stationed at a major U.S. military installation in Qatar have been told to leave the base by Wednesday evening, according to a U.S. official, as tensions rise following renewed Iranian threats referencing a past missile strike on the facility.

Speaking to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, the official said the guidance issued at Al Udeid Air Base was meant as a precaution.

The official declined to provide specifics, including whether the departure was mandatory or voluntary, whether it applied to military members or civilian staff, or how many people were affected, citing operational security concerns.

Qatar acknowledged the development later Wednesday, saying the steps were being taken “undertaken in response to the current regional tensions.”

“The IMO reaffirms that the State of Qatar continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority, including actions related to the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities,” Qatar’s media office said in a post on X.

U.S. Central Command declined to answer questions about the situation or the advisory at the base.

The move comes as anti-government demonstrations continue across Iran and as President Donald Trump has publicly warned that he is prepared to carry out military action if Iranian authorities persist in violently suppressing protesters.

Al Udeid Air Base, which houses thousands of U.S. troops, was struck by Iranian missiles in June in response to U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Referencing that strike, Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wrote on X, “the #US President, who repeatedly talks about the futile aggression against #Iran’s nuclear facilities, would do well to also mention the destruction of the US base in #Al-Udeid by Iranian missiles.”

“It would certainly help create a real understanding of Iran’s will and ability to respond to any aggression,” he added.

Against this backdrop, Iranian and Qatari officials were in contact Tuesday as Tehran’s crackdown intensified and U.S. warnings of possible intervention escalated.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, spoke by phone with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister.

Following the call, Al Thani said in a statement on X that he “reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s backing of all de-escalation efforts, as well as peaceful solutions to enhance security and stability in the region.”

Iran’s decision in June to retaliate against U.S. strikes by launching missiles at the large desert base outside Doha briefly strained relations between Iran and Qatar, rare friction between the two neighboring states. Qatari officials said at the time that the attack caught them off guard.

No U.S. or Qatari personnel were injured in the strike, according to U.S. Central Command, which said American and Qatari forces jointly defended the installation. A Qatari military official said one of the 19 missiles fired by Iran was not intercepted and struck the base, though Trump wrote in a social media post at the time that “hardly any damage was done.”

{Matzav.com}

An investigative report claims that the Dar Al-Salam Center, based in the village of Kafr Qara, pursued a coordinated effort to promote Islamic proselytizing among Jews and shape Israeli public perception by presenting a façade of Muslim moderation, including through organized activity on Wikipedia. The findings were published by Hakol Hayehudi.

According to the investigation, a substantial portion of the funding behind Dar Al-Salam’s initiatives originated with the Zakat Al-Quds Foundation, an organization identified in a 2022 indictment as Hamas’ financial arm in Yerushalayim. Additional financial backing reportedly came from Muslim Hands, an entity that has been banned over alleged links to Hamas.

The report further alleges that the group organized a training program for converts in Turkey, where participants were instructed by internationally known antisemites on how to conduct dawah—Islamic missionary outreach—specifically aimed at Jews.

As part of these activities, members of the Muslim center took part in a 2018 course organized by Wikimedia Israel. During three workshops held at the Dar Al-Salam facility in Kafr Qara, participants created 42 new Wikipedia entries dealing with Islamic subjects.

The Wikipedia page describing the course highlights the scope of the project, noting the volume of articles produced in a single month and stating that participants also made edits to more than 100 existing entries.

On the course page itself, the “Dar Al-Salam Center” is presented in benign terms, described as “a center for understanding the religion of Islam, for Muslims and members of other religions. Its purpose is to teach the scriptures of Islam and its true principles, according to the understanding of the local people, which include: tolerance, moderation, openness, modest and spiritual living, exploring the surrounding world, developing curiosity and intellectual talent. Another goal is mutual acquaintance among the various cultures living in Israel, to promote peaceful coexistence and mutual respect for each other’s culture.”

The investigation, however, points to internal correspondence that paints a different picture. In a document sent by Dar Al-Salam to Ali Arbash, head of Turkey’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and a figure known for anti-Israel positions, the organization explicitly labeled its online efforts as “electronic dawah.”

The letter, which details the group’s activities and seeks Arbash’s assistance in establishing a dawah center in the Old City of Yerushalayim, states: “Electronic dawah via Facebook and Hebrew Wikipedia: Praise and thanks to God, a contract was signed with the Israeli Wikipedia in Hebrew to add and edit content on Islam in this encyclopedia, which serves as the main source of information on Islam in Hebrew. 58 new entries were added, and 500 entries were edited. The views of the new and edited entries exceed 82,000.”

Wikimedia Israel responded to the findings by clarifying its role, saying: “In the past, Wikimedia Israel held editing workshops upon request by various organizations, but currently, the organization focuses on initiatives for training editors in educational and academic settings. It is important to emphasize that the training activities of the organization are entirely separate from Wikipedia’s content control mechanisms: every article is reviewed by the editing community according to uniform standards, regardless of whether the writer is a volunteer or a graduate of the organization’s training. The organization’s training has no effect on editorial judgment or preferential treatment in the community.”

{Matzav.com}

Itzik Bonzel, whose son Sgt. Amit Bonzel Hy”d was killed in combat, spoke at the Arutz Sheva studio inside the Knesset during the “Gaza – The Day After” conference, where he voiced grave concern about Israel’s current security posture, Arutz Sheva reports.

Bonzel said the present reality echoes the period preceding the IDF’s entry into Rafah, warning that Hamas is regaining strength. “Hamas is strengthening, recruiting masses into its ranks, rebuilding the tunnels, preparing for the days ahead. We will pay a very heavy price in human lives for this,” he said, adding that Israel has no alternative but to resume fighting “in order to disarm Hamas.”

Responding to claims that the Israeli public is growing weary of the war, Bonzel dismissed the idea, saying, “You don’t want another October 7. I am not threatening or intimidating anyone. We know there will be another war someday. The Gaza issue must be resolved militarily. There is no other way.”

Turning to the situation in Gaza’s education system, he warned of long-term consequences. “Every child growing up today in Gaza is part of a generation that is still being brainwashed with the idea that Israel is the enemy and that Israelis are occupiers who want to kill us,” he said.

Asked about US President Donald Trump, Bonzel cautioned against overreliance on external leadership. “I do not see him as a great savior. We need to rely only on ourselves,” he said, while noting that coordination may still be possible. “The message is that we must rely on ourselves, only on ourselves.”

Bonzel was also asked whether Prime Minister Netanyahu has lived up to expectations. “Unequivocally. The Prime Minister has stood by all the commitments he made to us as the ‘Gvura Forum.’ We need patience. I absolutely trust him as the leader of the state,” he said, stressing that Netanyahu remains committed to the war’s goals. “He has not started wavering, he is not telling stories.”

On the question of establishing a commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks, Bonzel said the structure of such a body is secondary to accountability. “The debate is not about which committee will be established. My mission is to bring to criminal justice anyone who is found responsible and guilty in this failed event of October 7,” he said.

He emphasized that his primary focus is on the military leadership. “There was a failure here in the IDF and Shin Bet, first and foremost,” Bonzel said. Addressing the public directly, he added, “I say to the people of Israel: I am not acting out of revenge, but if there are no personal conclusions and punishment for those responsible – you are next.”

Bonzel closed with a blunt warning, saying, “If they are not punished – you are next. You will lose your loved ones just as I lost my son Amit. There is no way this will not happen.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran delivered a stark and disturbing warning aimed at President Trump on Wednesday, airing an image of the commander in chief taken during the 2024 assassination attempt at the Butler campaign rally, accompanied by the message, “This time it will not miss the target.”

According to a report by Agence France Presse, the broadcast appeared on Iran’s state-controlled television network, underscoring the seriousness of the message and the regime’s willingness to publicly escalate its rhetoric.

The broadcast represents Tehran’s most explicit threat to date against President Trump and comes amid heightened tensions after his repeated warnings that the United States would take military action if Iran continues its violent suppression of anti-government protests.

{Matzav.com}

BREAKING: Lufthansa Group has cancelled overnight crew stays in Israel and all night flights. Austrian Airlines has also cancelled its flights to Tel Aviv tonight and tomorrow.

The U.S. is freezing visa processing for 75 countries – including Somalia, Iran and Russia – starting Jan. 21.

The United States announced on Wednesday that it is proceeding with the next stage of the Trump Administration’s Gaza peace initiative, formally launching the plan’s second phase, according to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

“Today, on behalf of President Trump, we are announcing the launch of Phase Two of the President’s 20-Point Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, moving from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction,” Witkoff said in a public statement.

He explained that the new phase calls for the establishment of an interim governing body and a comprehensive security overhaul. “Phase Two establishes a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), and begins the full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorized personnel. The US expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage. Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Witkoff warned.

Reflecting on the achievements of the earlier stage of the agreement, Witkoff said the initial phase produced unprecedented humanitarian and diplomatic outcomes. “Importantly, Phase One delivered historic humanitarian aid, maintained the ceasefire, returned all living hostages and the remains of twenty-seven of the twenty-eight deceased hostages. We are deeply grateful to Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar for their indispensable mediation efforts that made all progress to date possible,” he said.

The announcement comes as the remains of Ran Gvili, the final hostage, are still being held in Gaza, despite provisions in the agreement requiring that all hostages be returned during the first phase. Israeli officials have continued to object to advancing to the second phase before Hamas fulfills every obligation from the initial stage, including the return of Gvili.

{Matzav.com}

In one of its final and most consequential actions before leaving office, the administration of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is moving to place the Lakewood public school system under full state control, a step that would remove authority from the locally elected school board and install a state-appointed monitor with sweeping powers. An Order […]

An anti-regime protester at the Iranian embassy in Madrid replaced the current flag with Iran’s historic Lion and Sun banner, a symbol from before the 1979 revolution.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday voiced criticism of Iran’s leadership over its violent response to anti-government demonstrations, addressing the issue after days of mounting pressure and accusations that he had avoided commenting as the unrest escalated.

The remarks came amid growing criticism from observers who said the mayor had remained conspicuously quiet while protests spread across Iran and reports of deadly force by the regime multiplied.

Mamdani raised the issue only after fielding an unrelated question during a Tuesday night press conference, stating, “I absolutely do not support the way the Iranian government has responded to that.”

He went on to say that Iran’s authorities should “respect the right of people to express their political opinions” without fear of harm.

The timing of the statement drew heightened attention because Mamdani has frequently spoken out on Middle East matters, particularly when Israel is involved.

The New York Post reported that critics pointed to a stark contrast between his delayed response to Iran and his earlier, forceful commentary on the Israel-Hamas war, including rhetoric sharply critical of Israeli leadership.

Online reaction was swift, with critics using social media to deride the mayor’s hesitation and accuse him of selective indignation, arguing that he is quick to denounce U.S. allies but reluctant to challenge a radical Islamist government accused of violently suppressing dissent.

The demonstrations in Iran are being characterized as some of the most significant in years.

According to Reuters, the crackdown has been brutal, with an Iranian official estimating that about 2,000 people have been killed, including members of the country’s security forces.

The crisis has also spilled onto the global stage, with President Donald Trump publicly urging demonstrators to continue and declaring that “help is on its way,” though he offered no details on what form that assistance might take.

Trump has simultaneously pushed to intensify economic pressure on Tehran, including threatening new tariffs on countries that maintain trade ties with Iran.

Mamdani’s comments on Iran surfaced as his initial actions at City Hall continue to provoke controversy.

Within his first days in office, he defended his decision to rescind several executive orders enacted by former Mayor Eric Adams.

Those orders included measures Adams had promoted as tools to combat antisemitism, as well as directives connected to Israel-related divestment policies.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry publicly rebuked Mamdani over the reversal of an International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance-linked definition of antisemitism, describing the move as inflammatory.

At the same time, Mamdani’s swearing-in ceremony highlighted the cultural and political symbolism surrounding his ascent.

He took the oath of office using multiple Qurans, among them a centuries-old volume associated with the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center collection.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump will sign bipartisan legislation today at 2PM, allowing schools nationwide to serve whole and 2% milk, overturning Obama-era rules that restricted students to fat-free or low-fat options.

President Trump escalated his push for U.S. control of Greenland on Wednesday, arguing that acquiring the Arctic island is essential to American national security and setting a confrontational tone ahead of high-level meetings with Danish and Greenlandic leaders.

In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said the United States “needs” Greenland “for the purpose of National Security,” adding that “[a]nything less than that is unacceptable.” He warned that failure to act would open the door to rival powers.

“NATO should be leading the way for us to get it,” Trump wrote, referring to Greenland. “IF WE DON’T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

“Militarily, without the vast power of the United States, much of which I built during my first term, and am now bringing to a new and even higher level, NATO would not be an effective force or deterrent – Not even close! They know that, and so do I. NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES.”

The comments came just hours before Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were scheduled to sit down with Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt. The talks are aimed at defusing tensions sparked by the White House’s renewed insistence that the United States should annex Greenland, a territory governed by Denmark for centuries.

On Tuesday, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen publicly rejected the idea during a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, drawing a clear line on Greenland’s loyalties. “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU.”

Nielsen’s office went further, stating that Greenland would not agree to a U.S. takeover under “any circumstance” and calling on NATO to ensure the island’s defense if it were threatened.

The United States already maintains a military footprint on Greenland, and Danish officials have said Washington is free to expand that presence if needed to counter potential moves by Russia or China. Still, Greenland’s leadership has stressed that cooperation does not equate to surrendering sovereignty.

“Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States,” Nielsen said Tuesday.

The administration has not backed away from its hard line. Last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “utilizing the US military is always an option,” while Trump declared separately that “we are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not.”

After Nielsen’s remarks, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The NY Post that the president “believes that Greenland is a strategically important location that is critical from the standpoint of national security.”

“He is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region,” Kelly said. “The President is committed to establishing long-term peace at home and abroad.”

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Defense Forces overnight on Tuesday demolished the northern Samaria home of Ahmad al-Rub, the Palestinian terrorist who murdered two Israelis on Dec. 26.

Al-Rub, from Qabatiya near Jenin, killed Shimshon Mordechai, 68, and Aviv Maor, 19, while injuring two others, in a series of terror attacks in and around the northern Israeli city of Beit She’an late last month.

The military said on Wednesday that it demolished the Qabatiya home “after an immediate sealing of the terrorist’s house was done some 2.5 weeks ago, during IDF soldiers’ activity in the village after the attack.”

The security establishment believes that the demolition of Palestinian terrorists’ homes bolsters deterrence and reduces further terrorism.

In 2023, the demolitions all but stopped, according to an Yisroel Hayom probe carried out with Israeli NGO Im Tirtzu. However, following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the army has picked up the pace, issuing orders for the demolition of a significant number of homes.

{Matzav.com}

Officials from Denmark and Greenland have arrived at the White House to meet with JD Vance and Secretary Marco Rubio.

A mass funeral took place today in Tehran for the Iranian regime members killed in the wave of protests. During the ceremony, chants of “Death to America” were heard.

Iranian demonstrators’ ability to get details of bloody nationwide protests out to the world has been given a strong boost, with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service dropping its fees to allow more people to circumvent the Tehran government’s strongest attempt ever to prevent information from spilling outside its borders, activists said Wednesday. The move by […]

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