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Israel will ban mobile phone use by children on elementary school grounds starting on Feb. 2, Education Minister Yoav Kish announced on Thursday.

The policy expands a 2019 ban that prohibited phones during classes. Under the new rules, students cannot use devices during breaks or before lessons. Phones will be allowed only in designated classes with staff approval for educational purposes.

The Education Ministry said the ban aims to help pupils develop social and emotional skills, improve school climate and enable better focus on learning. Officials cited studies on mobile phone impacts and global trends, including Australia’s recent ban on social media for users under 16.

The ministry will implement educational programs and work with parents to promote balanced phone use and reduce exposure to inappropriate content. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that negotiators are wrestling with the question of territorial possession in U.S.-led peace talks on ending the war with Russia, including the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the world’s 10 biggest atomic plants. Zelenskyy revealed details of the ongoing discussions before he […]

Israeli security services have uncovered new intelligence that may shed light on the burial site of Ran Gvili, according to a Channel 12 News report aired Thursday night. Officials have launched initial on-the-ground examinations over the past several days to assess the credibility of the information.

Investigators are now concentrating on a location associated with operatives from the Islamic Jihad terror organization, whose members carried out Ran Gvili’s abduction during the October 7 attack. In contrast to earlier assessments, Israeli officials now believe that the militants believed to have taken part in his burial are still alive.

Defense sources say that if Hamas demonstrates willingness, interrogating Islamic Jihad operatives could enable Israel to pinpoint the precise site where Gvili was buried. They note that cooperation on this matter is essential for any further progress in negotiations.

Channel 12 also reported that Israel has delivered a clear message in diplomatic channels: it will not advance to Phase 2 of the Trump ceasefire agreement until a resolution is reached regarding the repatriation of Ran Gvili’s body for burial in Israel.

{Matzav.com}

China would likely defeat U.S. forces in a war over Taiwan, according to a top-secret Pentagon assessment that has rattled senior national security officials and raised urgent questions about Washington’s ability to deter Beijing in the Western Pacific. The highly classified “Overmatch Brief,” first reported by The New York Times, warns that America’s reliance on […]

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is standing firmly behind a video he released over the weekend instructing immigrants on how to assert their rights if confronted by federal immigration officers. The clip, posted on X, portrayed the city as a haven for the more than 3 million immigrants who call it home and emphasized their need for protection.

Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist, said the video was prompted by what he described as an attempted ICE raid near Canal Street. He told viewers that New Yorkers should understand exactly what they can do when approached by immigration agents. In the video, he reminded residents that ICE “cannot enter private spaces without a judicial warrant signed by a judge.”

He cautioned that officers may present documents that appear official but do not grant legal authority to enter a home, stressing that individuals have the absolute right to refuse consent and to remain silent. Mamdani also pointed out that New Yorkers may legally record ICE activity as long as they do not interfere with law enforcement. He urged people to stay composed and invoked their constitutional right to protest peacefully.

Following backlash from federal officials, Mamdani defended the guidance during a Wednesday interview with MS Now. He insisted that his administration will push back against President Donald Trump’s expanded enforcement efforts and emphasized that “any ICE officer who violates city law” will be held to account. He reiterated that New York’s sanctuary laws will remain fully in place and that the NYPD will not assist federal agents with immigration enforcement.

According to Mamdani, the city’s own police force is entirely capable of maintaining safety without federal involvement. He added that he told Trump during a November meeting in the Oval Office that the recent ICE raids in New York were “cruel and inhumane.” Mamdani argued that the city neither needs nor wants ICE or National Guard deployments to keep residents secure.

The clash intensified after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemned Mamdani’s video on Fox News, suggesting that some of his statements might violate the Constitution. She said federal officials were examining the matter with the Department of Justice.

When asked by MS Now whether he is prepared to face potential arrest for refusing to cooperate with the crackdown, Mamdani did not back down. The mayor-elect said he is fully ready to accept “any consequence” that comes with defending the people of New York.

{Matzav.com}

Senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration have held advanced internal discussions about imposing terrorism-related sanctions on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), according to two sources with direct knowledge of the talks. UNRWA operates in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, running schools, clinics, food distribution centers, and emergency shelters. […]

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged higher this week, though it remains relatively near its low point so far this year. The uptick brings the average long-term mortgage rate to 6.22% from 6.19% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.6%. Borrowing costs on 15-year […]

Likud MK Tally Gotliv, a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, announced on Thursday that a senior Shin Bet official sent an officer to meet with a senior Hamas figure on October 6, 2023, about eight hours before the October 7 massacre began. Her statement follows reports about two senior Shin Bet […]

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivered a stark warning in Berlin on Thursday, urging European nations to ready themselves for the possibility of a major global conflict. Rutte told attendees at a security forum that Europe is “Russia’s next target,” and cautioned that Moscow could be capable of striking NATO “within five years.”

Rutte said the alliance can no longer think in peacetime terms, declaring that Europe must “shift to a wartime mindset.” He evoked the scale of suffering endured by earlier generations, warning that modern Europeans may need to prepare for hardships akin to what their “grandparents or great-grandparents endured,” including mass mobilization and destruction on a scale unseen in decades.

The secretary general argued that Russia’s assault on Ukraine — supported by Chinese technology along with Iranian and North Korean weaponry — demonstrates the Kremlin’s ambition to rebuild an “empire” and its perception of open Western societies as existential threats. He said that if Vladimir Putin subdues Ukraine and reaches NATO territory, alliance countries could face “a truly gargantuan” spike in defense costs along with a sharply elevated risk of direct confrontation.

Rutte celebrated commitments made at this year’s NATO summit in The Hague, where member states agreed to ramp up total defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. That includes 3.5% specifically dedicated to core military funding, far above the long-standing 2% minimum guideline. He pointed to Germany’s own pledge to reach 3.5% by 2029, calling the figure “staggering,” and pressed other nations to match the effort.

New initiatives are also coming online to harden NATO’s eastern defenses. Rutte highlighted “Eastern Sentry” and “Baltic Sentry,” operations aimed at safeguarding critical infrastructure following incidents such as Russian drones entering Polish airspace and disruptions to Baltic undersea cables.

The secretary general further promoted the alliance’s PURL program — the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List — which channels allied financing into American-made Patriot systems and other air-defense equipment for Kyiv. More than two-thirds of NATO members have joined the effort, pledging roughly $4 billion so far.

Even as he underscored the urgency of NATO’s response, Rutte acknowledged that his call for rapid expansion of defense budgets will test European publics already strained by inflation and taxes. He admitted that the shift toward what he described as “emergency budgets” will require politically painful sacrifices in domestic spending.

Rutte also made a point of crediting President Donald Trump during his Berlin remarks. He told the audience it was Trump, “when he was Trump 45 and now Trump 47,” who persistently demanded that Europe and Canada increase defense spending, and argued that the newly agreed-upon 5% target aligns directly with what Trump had pushed for during his first term.

In a separate comment, Rutte agreed that solving the war in Ukraine inevitably depends on Washington’s leadership and Trump’s influence. He stated plainly that “President Trump wants to end the bloodshed now, and he’s the only one who can get Putin to the negotiating table,” underscoring that any viable peace initiative will run through the White House.

{Matzav.com}

Growing Trend – Spike in Aliyah Interest Among Frum Families Scores of Families Turn Out for Naava Kodesh’s East Coast Aliyah Events

This past week, Naava Kodesh hosted a series of open houses and events across the U.S., including in Monsey, N.Y., Toms River, N.J., and Baltimore, M.D., reflecting a growing interest in Aliyah among Yeshivish families and communities.

The events featured Naava Kodesh staff from both Israel and the U.S., who shared updates on Anglo-friendly schools, welcoming communities, and realistic employment pathways for frum families considering Aliyah in the coming years. Attendees also engaged in a robust and honest Q&A on how to practically prepare, plan, and make the move successfully.

The gatherings were made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Dream Raffle, whose partnership enabled Naava Kodesh to bring these resources and conversations directly to families exploring their future in Eretz Yisroel.

Chairing the Toms River open house was R’ Yisroel Rosenberg, Head of the Naava Kodesh Lakewood Division. “The engagement, thoughtful questions, and sincere interest were remarkable. Many expressed appreciation for hearing directly from Naava Kodesh and have already reached out to continue the conversation, some in person at our Lakewood office. I am grateful for this great opportunity,” shared R’ Rosenberg.

In Baltimore, the event was hosted by Bnos Yisroel of Baltimore and saw an unprecedented turnout of nearly 100 participants, including local Rabbanim, mechanchim, and askanim. Rabbi Daniel Rose, shlit”a, Rav of Congregation BJSZ, addressed the audience about the importance of “keeping Eretz Yisroel on our minds even if we are not picking up and moving tomorrow morning. We can’t forget — we can plan and daven to be zocheh to live in Eretz Yisroel.” Rabbi Rose concluded, “Our children should grow up with the clear message that ארץ ישראל is our future.”

Joining the events from Israel was Rabbi Hillel Waxman, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivah of Nachlas Yisroel Yitzchok in Ramat Beit Shemesh, who spoke about the tremendous strides made in the chinuch landscape for families making Aliyah. “The times have significantly changed from the days when I made Aliyah in 1999,” shared Rabbi Waxman. “There are more opportunities, and we are seeing much hatzlacha.”

Also in attendance from Israel was Rabbi Shimon Kronenberg, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Yesodei Yisroel in Ramat Beit Shemesh. “We understand that our community and our children have a unique opportunity to excel and take a leadership role in the future of Eretz Yisroel,” reflected Rabbi Kronenberg. “For their success, we are building a chinuch system that guides our children by accentuating and building upon their unique background and life experience.”

“When we founded Naava Kodesh over a decade ago, the idea that mainstream yeshiva communities across America would seriously explore Aliyah felt almost unthinkable,” shared Tzvi Arnstein, Founder and Executive Director of Naava Kodesh. “Seeing hundreds of families now engaging, learning, and taking real steps toward building their future in Eretz Yisroel is nothing short of historic. This is exactly the shift we believed would one day come, and it’s unfolding in front of our eyes.”

About Naava Kodesh

Naava Kodesh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping English-speaking families build successful, lasting Torah lives in Eretz Yisrael. Through personalized guidance on community and school placement, fully coordinated pilot trips, and a vast network of volunteer mentors across the country, Naava Kodesh has helped countless families navigate their Aliyah journey with clarity and confidence.

Federal health authorities have begun a broad reassessment of whether any deaths may be connected to COVID-19 vaccinations, marking a major shift in the government’s handling of vaccine safety concerns. Officials revealed this week that the Food and Drug Administration has opened an expansive inquiry spanning multiple demographics.

According to Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency is “doing a thorough investigation, across multiple age groups, of deaths potentially related to COVID vaccines.” Vaccine makers have also been notified that regulators are reexamining data on RSV immunizations as part of a larger review of post-market safety.

The COVID-19 vaccines were introduced at the end of 2020 under emergency-use authorization, and by the middle of the following year the Pfizer-BioNTech shot became the first to obtain full FDA approval. Public guidance has since tightened, with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. openly criticizing the vaccines and significantly reducing federal recommendations for who should receive them.

Amid that backdrop, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced last month that 10 children had died following COVID-19 vaccination. He told NBC News last week that the Biden administration withheld information about the risk of myocarditis — a heart inflammation condition — from public release. “We have done more to study myocarditis and to go back and look at deaths of people, of children from the COVID vaccine,” Makary said. He added, “Internal data submitted on myocarditis, we found that the Biden administration was sitting on data on myocarditis in young people, and it was not made public.”

In response to the accumulating findings, FDA official Vinay Prasad circulated a memo to agency staff, saying the revelations would trigger a revision of how the FDA evaluates immunizations, including flu shots, placing heightened requirements on manufacturers to demonstrate safety and efficacy. “This is a profound revelation,” Prasad wrote in the memo, which The New York Times first disclosed. “For the first time, the U.S. F.D.A. will acknowledge that COVID-19 vaccines have killed American children.”

{Matzav.com}

The White House is preparing to launch the last phase of interviews for the next Federal Reserve chair, a process that had been delayed after plans for meetings last week were abruptly scrapped. The decision comes as attention intensifies over who will guide U.S. monetary policy deep into President Donald Trump’s second term.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Tuesday night, Trump confirmed that the field has narrowed. He noted that his team is “going to be looking at a couple different people” to replace Jerome Powell and added, “I have a pretty good idea of who I want.”

Powell’s four-year tenure as chair expires in May 2026, making this appointment one of the most consequential economic decisions of the administration. The next chair will shape interest rate strategy, the federal response to inflation pressures, and the balance of independence between the central bank and the White House.

Because the chair serves as the central public figure for U.S. monetary policy and presides over the Federal Open Market Committee — the group that determines interest rates — any hint of a shift in leadership direction can jolt financial markets. Borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, business credit lines, and consumer financing all move in response to the Fed’s signals.

Investors have been parsing Trump’s comment that he already has a strong sense of whom he intends to choose, interpreting it as a sign that policy direction under the next chair could become clearer sooner rather than later.

Although Powell’s chairmanship ends in 2026, his underlying term on the Federal Reserve Board extends beyond that date. He could theoretically remain as a governor after stepping down as chair, though historically many outgoing chairs have opted to leave the board entirely once their leadership role concludes.

In recent months, various names have surfaced as plausible successors. Reports have frequently pointed to White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett as a top prospect, along with several other policymakers and market-connected figures who have either served in government or influenced financial regulation.

Reuters has indicated that Hassett is on a short list as Trump’s selection process accelerates into early 2026. As the interview round now restarts, markets will be watching closely for any clue about how the president intends to steer the country’s economic future.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is proposing to overhaul a regulatory panel that monitors the nation’s financial stability, by advocating for looser regulations. The Financial Stability Oversight Council, a U.S. body created in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, monitors risks to the financial system and coordinates regulators’ approaches to overseeing the U.S. […]

A sweeping ruling from a federal bench has upended the government’s handling of the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case, with U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordering his prompt release from immigration custody. In her decision on Thursday, she sharply criticized the chain of events that kept him behind bars. As she wrote, “since Abrego Garcia’s wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been re-detained, again without lawful authority.”

According to the order, the government cannot deport him anywhere because no lawful removal order exists. Xinis underscored that this procedural void alone blocks officials from expelling him from the United States.

The case involves a Salvadoran man who had been living in Maryland with his wife and children before being forcibly removed in March and sent to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT mega-prison. That deportation flew in the face of a 2019 court ruling forbidding his removal to El Salvador due to his documented fear of persecution. The administration at the time justified the move by alleging ties to MS-13, an accusation he firmly rejects.

Months later, authorities transported him back to the U.S. to stand trial in Tennessee on human smuggling charges — allegations to which he has pleaded not guilty. After his release into his brother’s custody in Maryland while awaiting trial, immigration officers arrested him again. Since then, he has been held in a Pennsylvania detention center.

Following Thursday’s ruling, the Department of Homeland Security lashed out publicly. Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin condemned the decision online, declaring, “This is naked judicial activism by an Obama appointed judge. This order lacks any valid legal basis and we will continue to fight this tooth and nail in the courts.”

The ruling also comes after the government recently attempted to clear the way to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia. Officials petitioned Judge Xinis to lift a removal ban, arguing they had secured assurances from Liberian authorities that he would not face harm there.

Instead, Xinis directed federal officials to inform Abrego Garcia when and where he would be released, and to report back to the court by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.

The 31-page opinion traces each dramatic turn: his deportation to El Salvador, his return to the U.S. to face charges, and the subsequent immigration detention that followed. Xinis found that none of it aligned with the stated purpose of immigration custody. “The circumstances of Abrego Garcia’s detention since he was released from criminal custody cannot be squared with the ‘basic purpose’ of holding him to effectuate removal,” she wrote.

Her order also criticized the government’s handling of alternative removal options. Citing ABC News reporting, she noted that officials could have sent him to Costa Rica — the destination he preferred. “Respondents’ calculated effort to take Costa Rica ‘off the table’ backfired,” Xinis wrote. She pointed out that the Costa Rican government swiftly asserted that “its offer to grant Abrego Garcia residence and refugee status is, and always has been, firm, unwavering, and unconditional.”

The judge further recounted a series of notices sent to Abrego Garcia while he sat in ICE custody. “Respondents serially ‘notified’ Abrego Garcia — while he sat in ICE custody — of his expulsion to Uganda, then Eswatini, then Ghana; but none of these countries were ever viable options,” she wrote.

Upon release, Abrego Garcia is expected to receive updated instructions from the U.S. Pretrial Services Office regarding the conditions tied to his ongoing criminal case.

Back in August, Xinis had already frozen any attempt to remove him from the U.S. until the court resolved the habeas petition. Her latest ruling offered a pointed reflection on the saga: “The history of Abrego Garcia’s case is as well known as it is extraordinary,” she wrote.

The order now places the federal government under renewed scrutiny, while opening a new chapter in one of the most convoluted immigration cases to emerge in recent years.

{Matzav.com}

Tensions inside the administration’s immigration apparatus have grown so sharp that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the president’s border chief, Tom Homan, now communicate only when absolutely necessary. Yet, despite the frayed relationship, a report from Axios on Thursday emphasized that neither is on the verge of being pushed out.

In private, the president has waved off concerns about their mutual hostility. “Kristi’s doing a great job,” he reportedly told an adviser, who then described the conversation to Axios. “Her and Tom don’t get along, but they’re doing great.”

Those familiar with the dynamics say this is exactly how the president operates. “Trump is like that,” one source explained. “He kind of likes people competing against each other. He thinks it makes the product better.”

Not everyone inside the West Wing is as charitable. Another adviser — openly disdainful of Noem — acknowledged that the president is satisfied with his team even if others aren’t. “He’s happy with his cabinet. Do I wish Kristi was gone? Absolutely. But that ain’t happening. At least, not that he’ll tell me.”

The exact catalyst of the Noem–Homan split remains murky. What is clear, according to Axios, is that longtime immigration officials have grown irritated with Noem’s management style and her prominence in promotional campaigns such as the CBP Home self-deportation app. Many career staffers have also been unsettled by the outsized role of her closest adviser, Corey Lewandowski — classified as a special government employee and therefore limited to 130 working days inside the administration.

Backers of Noem have their own grievances, accusing Homan of positioning himself as the public face of the crackdown through frequent Fox News hits and his habit of briefing reporters just outside the West Wing.

The internal clash intensified this fall when Fox News revealed a strategic divide within DHS. According to the outlet, Noem, Lewandowski, and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino were advocating large-scale sweeps of illegal aliens to increase deportation totals. By contrast, Homan and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons urged a more targeted mission aimed at offenders with criminal histories.

“ICE started off with the worst of the worst, knowing every target they are hitting, but since Border Patrol came to LA in June, we’ve lost our focus, going too hard, too fast, with limited prioritization,” a senior DHS official told Fox. “It’s getting numbers, but at what cost?”

Another official described the dueling strategies in stark terms: “ICE is arresting criminal aliens. They [Border Patrol] are hitting Home Depots and car washes.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly surfaced video evidence has revealed a haunting glimpse of the final days of several hostages held by Hamas, showing American Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg Polin and others attempting to mark Chanukah deep beneath the ground where they were imprisoned.

The recording captures the group fashioning a makeshift menorah in the dimness of the tunnel. Despite the unbearable conditions, they join together in singing Maoz Tzur, their voices strained with emotion.

In the background, one hostage can be heard remarking, “Chanukah is awesome, isn’t it?”—a line that, in the context of the setting, sounds drenched in painful irony.

Another voice comments, “It’s strange to see the menorah next to this flag,” seemingly pointing to a Palestinian flag visible beside them.

Among those shown in the clip are Hersh Goldberg Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lubanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino, all taken captive during the October 7 attacks.

Investigators believe the grim footage was recorded shortly before the captives were murdered.

IDF officials say the group was killed inside the very tunnels in which they appeared in the video. Their remains were later located and retrieved during military operations after intelligence pinpointed the site.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivered an unusually blunt warning Wednesday: America’s job market may be far weaker than the official numbers suggest. In his post-meeting press conference, Powell said Fed staff believe government data may be overstating monthly job creation by as many as 60,000 jobs. Since published figures show the economy adding roughly […]

The Senate on Thursday rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year. Senators rejected a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for three years and a Republican alternative that would have created new health savings accounts — an unceremonious end […]

The 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk made his first in-person court appearance Thursday as his attorneys push to further limit media access in the high-profile criminal case. A Utah judge is weighing the public’s right to know details in the prosecution of Tyler Robinson against his attorneys’ concerns that the swarm of […]

Police in Goodyear, Arizona, are using artificial intelligence to help create realistic images of suspects in lieu of traditional sketches. They say the AI-generated images are based on victim and witness statements and don’t depict a real person.