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BREAKING: Governor Mikie Sherrill has just taken the oath of office, making her the 57th governor of the State of New Jersey.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney: Clearly, NATO is experiencing a test right now, and the first response to that test has to be to respond in a way that ensures the security of the Arctic in a robust way for all possibilities.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was questioned about possible ties to China during the vetting process for vice president, according to a report published by CNN, which examined how the Democratic campaign screened potential running mates.

The report follows disclosures by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who wrote in his forthcoming memoir, Where We Keep the Light, that the campaign team of then–Vice President Kamala Harris asked whether he had ever acted as an agent for Israel.

According to four people familiar with the process who spoke to CNN, Harris’ aides closely reviewed Walz’s history of frequent travel to China prior to his entry into public office as part of that vetting.

In his book, Shapiro wrote that he was offended by the question posed by the campaign’s top lawyer and believed it was raised solely because he is Jewish.

Shapiro added that the exchange “said a lot about some of the people around the VP.”

He also disclosed that he was asked directly by attorney Dana Remus, “Have you ever communicated with an undercover agent of Israel?”

Shapiro said he replied sarcastically, “If they were undercover, I responded, ‘How the hell would I know?’”

Four individuals involved in the vetting process told CNN that questions about serving as a foreign agent are routinely included on standard forms completed by politicians being considered for senior roles, including government appointments.

“The crux of vetting is asking uncomfortable and even farfetched questions, especially ones that could be raised by your opponents,” a person close to Remus told CNN.

“Have you ever had an affair? Have you ever embezzled state funds? Have you ever been an agent for another country?” the person added.

“The point isn’t that you believe any of it to be true,” the same source said. “It’s that the subject needs to be on record with definitive answers.”

Another aide involved in the process told CNN that, “Pulling punches would have been a disservice to both the nominee and her potential running mate.”

Harris aides also told CNN that Walz was informed in advance about the nature of the questioning in order to fully explain how the vetting process operated.

According to aides cited in the report, both Shapiro and Walz denied being foreign agents when the questions were put to them.

{Matzav.com}

As the deadly daycare incident in Yerushalayim’s Romema neighborhood continues to send shockwaves through the medical community, Dr. Yechiel Schlesinger offered new insight into the puzzling disparity in outcomes among the infants who were exposed.

Speaking Monday evening with journalist Avi Mimran on Kol Chai’s main news program, Dr. Schlesinger, director of the Wilf Children’s Hospital at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, described the critical moments when two infants were rushed to the hospital in extremely grave condition, undergoing advanced resuscitation efforts upon arrival. Despite prolonged attempts, doctors were unable to save one of the infants, while the second remains in critical condition as medical teams fight to stabilize him in intensive care.

Sharing details from inside the emergency room, Dr. Schlesinger said, “Two infants arrived to us while undergoing resuscitation. One infant, sadly, our efforts were unsuccessful and we were forced to pronounce his death quite quickly.” He added that there was a brief glimmer of hope in the second case, after doctors were able to restore a heartbeat. “He is currently hospitalized in our pediatric intensive care unit, in critical condition and receiving intensive treatment,” Schlesinger said, stressing that the child remains in “very real, immediate life-threatening danger.”

The cause of the sudden system collapse among the infants remains unknown. Dr. Schlesinger explained that in such an unusual and severe incident, doctors’ first suspicion is environmental poisoning, including exposure to toxic gases or pesticides. However, early laboratory findings surprised the medical teams. “We checked carbon monoxide levels and they were normal. That rules out poisoning of that type,” he said, adding that tests for pesticide exposure have also not yielded definitive findings. Physicians are now examining other possibilities, including contamination through food or bottles, though Schlesinger cautioned that “it is still far too early to determine” the cause.

While the battle continues to save the critically ill infant, Shaare Zedek also treated approximately 15 additional children who had been present in the same building in Romema. Dr. Schlesinger sought to reassure the public, saying all of those children are considered to be in mild condition. Some showed very slight respiratory symptoms, while others were brought in mainly for evaluation and monitoring. “At this stage, it does not appear that any of them are in danger,” he said, though he emphasized that doctors are proceeding cautiously. “We will keep them under observation overnight to be one hundred percent certain.”

The stark contrast between the two infants who collapsed suddenly and the rest of the children who were only lightly affected has raised troubling questions among medical staff. Dr. Schlesinger said it is not yet clear whether all of the children were exposed to the same trigger, but he outlined several possible explanations for the dramatic difference in severity. “In the infants who were critically ill, there was a sudden and complete collapse. In the others, it was much milder,” he said, suggesting that the most severely affected infants may have been closer to the source of danger, or that their younger age made them significantly more vulnerable and sensitive to whatever caused the incident.

{Matzav.com}

Sec. Scott Bessent: “The President has said that on February 1 he will implement a 10% tariff if the Danes do not want to give up Greenland. It is on the eight countries that sent troops to Greenland.”

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein responded sharply to claims blaming the Attorney General for the tragedy in a daycare in Jerusalem on Monday, saying that one should avoid blaming others and instead examine their deeds and do teshuvah In a recording published on Monday evening on the Siach Yitzchak hotline, HaRav Zilberstein’s talmid, Rav Yaakov Ben […]

The United Arab Emirates has accepted Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace.

Israel has begun demolishing the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, sending bulldozers into the compound early Tuesday. UNRWA called the move an “unprecedented attack,” while Israel says the site no longer has UN immunity after the agency was banned and ceased operations there. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived at the scene, calling it […]

Clashes with Kurds are continuing near Nusaybin, on the Turkey–Syria border. Footage shows Turkish troops firing into the air as Kurdish protesters tried to move closer to the border.

Sec. Duffy on President Trump moving to upgrade the air traffic control system and cracking down on untrained foreign truckers in his first year: President Trump is not afraid to take on the biggest challenges that most administrations are willing to pass off onto future administrations.

Sec. Scott Bessent: “The NATO alliance is very safe, sound — and thanks to President Trump, it’s never been more secure.” “The Europeans have been spending the money on social welfare, on roads, on education, and it’s time for them to pay more, which they’ve agreed to do.”

Sec. Scott Bessent on Greenland: “This has been in the minds of American presidents for more than 150 years.”

Sec. Scott Bessent at Davos: “There’s rarely been a more compelling case for investing in America, and we invite you all to join in this 250th year — and to be a part of the next 250 years.”

Iranians have been struggling for nearly two weeks with the longest, most comprehensive internet shutdown in the history of the Islamic Republic — one that has not only restricted their access to information and the outside world, but is also throttling many businesses that rely on online advertising. Authorities shut down internet access on Jan. […]

    Yaakov Baruch is 22 years old.   He is fully alert, intelligent, and emotionally present. But his body is extremely weak due to a severe muscle disease.   What gives Yaakov life is leaving his bed. Going to yeshiva. Learning Torah. Being treated like every other young man his age.   Without an […]

President Trump is expected to host a “Board of Peace” signing ceremony with international leaders this week in Davos, as the Gaza ceasefire advances toward its second phase.

Scott Bessent: “The Supreme Court hearing on the Fed is today or tomorrow. Jay Powell has announced he’s going to attend, and I gotta tell you I think that’s a mistake. Because if you’re trying not to politicize the Fed, for the Fed chair to be sitting there trying to put him thumb on the […]

TRUMP: I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back — On that, everyone […]

A terrible tragedy occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a 17-year-old yeshivah bochur was killed after being hit by a bus at the entrance to the Chareidi moshav of Komemiyut. United Hatzalah medical teams carried out resuscitation attempts, but shortly later, they were forced to pronounce his death. The details of the incident are still unclear. […]

Donald Trump says he invited Vladimir Putin to join his proposed Board of Peace and warned he could impose a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne after Emmanuel Macron said France would not participate.