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A new video by independent journalist Nick Shirley is drawing fresh attention to allegations of widespread fraud within Minnesota’s Medicaid-funded transportation system, forcing long-ignored concerns into the public eye and prompting renewed scrutiny from both media outlets and federal officials.

In the footage, Shirley visits multiple locations in Minneapolis that he says operate as hubs for taxpayer-funded transportation services intended for low-income or medically vulnerable residents. At several stops, individuals he identifies as ethnic Somalis angrily confront him, but do not, in his account, provide proof that the organizations in question are delivering services to Americans as required under the programs.

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The videos have created enough momentum that some local journalists, long aligned with pro-Democrat narratives, have begun acknowledging allegations of abuse they previously did not pursue. Critics argue that this silence stemmed from political and professional pressure tied to Democratic officials and activists who benefited from the Somali-managed system now under scrutiny.

Shirley’s latest reporting zeroes in on Somali-run transportation companies that receive government payments to shuttle patients and clients to hospitals, government offices, stores, and residences. He argues that these firms are central to a broader web of abuse involving multiple publicly funded services.

“These transportation companies are what hold all the [aid and welfare] fraud together,” Shirley says in the video, adding: “You have the daycare centers working with the transportation companies, the adult daycare centers working with the transportation companies, the healthcare companies working with the transportation companies …. [to] make it look like [services are being provided] here inside of Minnesota.”

According to Shirley and his collaborator, David Hoch, public exposure has left those involved with little response. “We’re shining the light on the fraud, and they have no defense,” Hoch said.

The online attention has also encouraged others to speak publicly about what they say they witnessed. In one TikTok video, a former drug addict claimed he was able to purchase narcotics using cash paid to him by Somali drivers in exchange for signing fraudulent transportation receipts that were later used to obtain government reimbursements.

As Shirley’s video circulated, Minnesota’s largest newspaper began conceding that the Medicaid transportation program has long been vulnerable to abuse. “A transportation service that pays for people’s rides to medical appointments is among the Medicaid-funded programs facing new scrutiny for its vulnerability to fraud,” the Minnesota Star Tribune wrote. The paper quoted industry insiders who said concerns have existed for years.

People working in nonemergency medical transportation “have been ringing the fraud bell for quite some time,” said Scott Isaacson, president of the Minnesota R-80 Transportation Coalition, which represents many providers. He shared a list with the Minnesota Star Tribune of the 10 most prevalent forms of fraud in the program that he and others in the field are aware of.

State data cited by the paper shows that spending on nonemergency medical transportation has risen sharply. Providers billed roughly $80 million in 2018, with the figure climbing to more than $115 million by 2024 before dropping to about $88 million last year.

The Star Tribune also acknowledged that oversight problems predate the current controversy by more than a decade and are linked to other government-funded services, including translation programs. It cited a report from Minnesota’s Office of the Legislative Auditor issued over 15 years ago warning that the Department of Human Services “provides little statewide oversight of the program.”

In another case highlighted by prosecutors, one provider allowed trips of up to 60 miles for specialty care without prior authorization. Interpreters allegedly recruited patients in Faribault and scheduled appointments with providers nearly an hour away in the Twin Cities—despite the existence of closer providers, some of whom spoke the patients’ language.

At the same time, the newspaper pushed back on some of Shirley’s specific claims, noting: “The transportation providers Shirley highlights in his video are not listed as having received reimbursements from the state in Medicaid claims data provided by the Department of Human Services.”

Federal officials under President Donald Trump, however, suggest the investigation may extend far beyond a handful of companies. Trump administration sources indicate preparations are underway for a sweeping case involving fraud, kickbacks, and racketeering that could target figures tied to Minnesota’s Democratic political establishment.

“My personal motto, and the Treasury motto, is move deliberately and fix things,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told conservative activist Christopher Rufo on a podcast on January 12, adding: “You’re not going to see headlines tomorrow. You’re not going to see them next week, but in a month, [or a] quarter, once we get people in the bear trap, they’re not getting out because we will have conclusive evidence to present. I think that they will have to make plea deals … to turn in higher-ups to help us map out how this happened.”

Bessent said the approach used in Minnesota would not be limited to one state. “We’re going to take this Minnesota [strategy] map to the other 49 states,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic story of middah k’neged middah has emerged following the near-drowning of a yeshiva student in the Modiin area earlier this week, a rescue his family believes was foreshadowed by a powerful dream and preceded by a quiet act of kindness.

Search efforts have continued for a third day for Moishe Ludmir, a student at the Boyan yeshiva in Modiin Illit, who was swept away by strong currents. His close friend, Shimi Rosenblatt, attempted to save him and was himself carried into the rushing waters. Shimi survived the ordeal and escaped with his life, which his family describes as nothing short of a miracle.

Speaking about the rescue, Shimi’s father, R’ Binyamin Rosenblatt—an askan from Beit Shemesh and a member of the Boyaner community—shared a remarkable account linking the incident to events that took place just days earlier.

According to R’ Binyamin, last Friday afternoon, as he does every Erev Shabbos, he went to the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok mikveh in Beit Shemesh. Before entering, he stopped briefly at the small shop near the mikveh to purchase something.

At one point, a box of candies accidentally fell from another customer’s hands, spilling across the floor. The man became visibly flustered and embarrassed, unsure how to react as the candies scattered.

R’ Binyamin immediately intervened. “It’s my fault,” he said without hesitation. “I did it, and I’ll pay for everything.” He added with a smile, “These things happen—even to people over fifty.” He then approached the shopkeeper and paid for the spilled candies in full.

The yungerman involved tried to reimburse him, but R’ Binyamin firmly refused. “Absolutely not,” he told him. “I already paid.” The man thanked him warmly and they parted ways.

R’ Binyamin then entered the mikveh, returned home, and lay down to rest before Shabbos. During his sleep, he experienced a disturbing dream. He saw himself trapped in a raging stream, being swept away by powerful waters. Four times he tried to lift his head above the surface, unsuccessfully. In the dream, he began to say Shema Yisroel, and at that moment, he awoke.

Several days later, on Tuesday afternoon, that very image became reality, this time involving his son. Shimi was swept into the waters of the Modiin stream and found himself in grave danger. Through what the family describes as open nissim and tremendous siyata diShmaya, he managed to escape alive.

Reflecting on the events, R’ Binyamin said the story carries a profound lesson about the power of even a small act of chesed, especially when it spares another person from embarrassment. “Helping someone in a moment of busha,” he said, “has a כח far greater than we realize.”

{Matzav.com}

Renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War could cost American taxpayers anywhere from a few million dollars to as much as $125 million, depending on how aggressively the change is carried out, according to a new analysis released Wednesday by the Congressional Budget Office, the AP reports.

President Donald Trump authorized the use of “Department of War” as a secondary title for the Pentagon through an executive order signed in September. At the time, Trump said the move was meant to project American strength abroad and criticized the existing department name as being “woke.”

The executive order was issued as the U.S. military launched a series of lethal airstrikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in South America. In the months that followed, U.S. forces carried out a dramatic operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, while the Trump administration publicly weighed potential military action involving Iran and even Greenland.

Although only Congress has the authority to officially change the department’s name, lawmakers have shown little appetite for taking up the issue. Despite that, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly adopted the new branding following Trump’s order.

Hegseth directed staff to remove the prominent gold lettering reading “Secretary of Defense” outside his office and replaced it with signage identifying him as “Secretary of War.” On the same day the order was signed, the Pentagon’s website was also changed from “defense.gov” to “war.gov.”

At the time, Pentagon officials said they were unable to provide an estimate of how much the rebranding would cost, citing uncertainty and variability in implementation. They indicated a more precise assessment would come later.

That estimate arrived this week. According to the Congressional Budget Office, a limited and gradual rollout of the name change would likely cost at least several million dollars, while a rapid and sweeping implementation across the department could push expenses to as high as $125 million.

The report estimates that a “modest implementation” confined to internal agency use would cost around $10 million and could likely be covered within the Pentagon’s existing budget.

By contrast, the analysis warns that a full statutory renaming approved by Congress could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on how lawmakers and Defense Department officials choose to execute the change.

The Pentagon oversees more than 6.5 million square feet of office space, much of which still displays the existing name, seals, and logos. It remains unclear whether any effort has been made to update signage or branding at U.S. military installations around the world.

Shortly after Trump signed the executive order, Republican lawmakers including Sens. Mike Lee, Rick Scott, and Marsha Blackburn introduced legislation to formally rename the department. That proposal, however, has stalled and has not advanced in Congress.

The executive order also directed Hegseth to develop recommendations for permanently changing the department’s name. Pentagon officials declined to say whether any such recommendations have been completed or submitted.

The CBO analysis was requested by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

The Congressional Budget Office was established more than five decades ago to provide nonpartisan budgetary and economic analysis to assist Congress in its legislative work.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchok Refoel Abuchatzeira was elected on Thursday evening as the new chief rabbi of the city of Ramla, securing an overwhelming majority of 31 votes out of 36 cast by the municipal rabbinical electoral body.

The announcement was made at the conclusion of the official vote count by the election committee responsible for selecting the city’s chief rabbi. The appointment marks the tenth chief rabbi selected during the current term.

Rav Abuchatzeira is the son of Rav Yechiel Abuchatzeira, the outgoing chief rabbi of Ramla, and the grandson of the renowned kabbalist and former chief rabbi of the city, the Baba Chaki zt”l. He is also the nephew of Rav Avraham Abuchatzeira, another prominent rabbinic figure in the city.

Former Minister of Religious Services and current Knesset member Michael Malkieli hailed the result, calling it a rare and meaningful moment. “Not every day does one merit the election of a city rav who represents a third generation on the rabbinic seat,” he said, describing the outcome as a significant achievement for the Shas party.

The election committee was chaired by retired judge Sarah Prisch. Committee members included Rav Yisrael Meir Biton, chief rabbi of Chadeira, Oren Rosenberg, and Michal Shemesh, with attorney Shiri Fogel serving as legal adviser to the committee, and Tzuriel Porat acting as committee secretary.

The election followed a period of legal challenges surrounding Rav Abuchatzeira’s candidacy. Earlier petitions had questioned the validity of his rabbinic certification, leading the High Court of Justice to temporarily freeze the election process. After the matter was resolved, the vote proceeded as scheduled, culminating in Rav Abuchatzeira’s decisive victory.

A lifelong resident of Ramla, Rav Abuchatzeira serves as a rosh kollel and is regarded as a central and unifying figure within the local community. Supporters describe him as a bridge between Ramla’s rich rabbinic heritage and the realities of a complex, multicultural city in 2026.

Israel’s Chief Rav and Rishon LeTzion, Rav Dovid Yosef, personally called Rav Abuchatzeira to congratulate him and wished him success in strengthening Jewish life in the city. He invoked the verse, “In place of your fathers shall be your sons,” expressing hope that the new rav would bring honor to his distinguished lineage.

Moshe Shitrit, chairman of the Ramla Religious Council, called the election “a historic and formative day for religious services in Ramla,” adding that the council would stand alongside the new chief rav to ensure accessible and inspiring religious services for all residents.

Ramla Mayor Michael Vidal also welcomed the result, congratulating Rav Abuchatzeira on his election and praising his father, Rav Yechiel Abuchatzeira, for decades of devoted service to the city.

{Matzav.com}

The commander of the ground unit that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has spoken publicly about the mission for the first time, describing the intelligence trail, the moment of identification, and the emotions that followed the elimination of the October 7 mastermind.

Lt. Col. Ran shared his account during an interview on Shlomi Adler’s All in podcast, explaining that the night before the operation was filled with uncertainty and disbelief. “I was awake all night,” Ran recounted. “I kept telling myself, you’re imagining it. Don’t try to connect the dots. I gathered the company commanders, showed them yesterday’s drone image, and said: tell me, who does this look like?”

After zeroing in on a suspicious structure, the force moved in on foot, entered the building, and conducted a thorough search that led to Sinwar’s identification. Ran described the scene that followed the confirmation. “We’re standing over the body, smiling at each other, and saying: ‘Wow, this is Sinwar.’ It’s an insane closing of the circle.”

He said the recognition of who lay before them brought an intense emotional release, given Sinwar’s role in years of bloodshed and the October 7 attack. “This is the architect, this is the scoundrel, this arch-terrorist-this is the one who caused me, as a battalion commander, to lose so many fighters, who caused so much loss to the IDF, kidnapped people, and committed horrific atrocities against our people. This is him.”

Ran stressed that the killing was not the result of an airstrike or a high-profile special forces raid, but the work of regular ground troops who have carried the burden of the fighting throughout the war. “The one who killed him wasn’t an air force bomb, not a special operation, not Shayetet 13. No-it was infantrymen, it was tank crews, fighters who day in and day out throughout this war worked the hardest, and here-we succeeded.”

The remarks offer a rare, first-hand look at a pivotal moment in the war, underscoring both the operational reality on the ground and the personal toll borne by those leading and fighting in Israel’s ground campaign.

{Matzav.com}

Following the announcement that MK Yisrael Eichler has been appointed Deputy Communications Minister and has rejoined the coalition, a sharp public exchange erupted between senior Agudas Yisroel figure Moti Babchik and media personality Yinon Magal.

As reported earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu succeeded in bringing Eichler, a representative of the Belzer chassidus, back into the government by awarding him the deputy ministerial post, despite opposition within parts of Agudas Yisroel, particularly from the Gerer chassidus. The move effectively returned Agudas Yisroel to the coalition.

Magal quickly mocked the development on social media, posting sarcastically: “Breaking: Babchik’s car has been found abandoned at Tzuk Beach.” The jab alluded to Babchik’s reputation as a dominant power broker within Agudas Yisroel and suggested—tongue in cheek—that he had been outmaneuvered by Belz following Eichler’s return.

The comment drew an immediate and forceful response. Babchik, who serves as chief of staff to the chairman of United Torah Judaism, replied publicly: “I saw your mockery about my having abandoned my car at Tzuk Beach. It is better to abandon a car than to abandon values. I would have expected you—someone who speaks morning and night about his love and affection for yeshiva students—to stand by them and defend them, instead of acting as a spokesman and cheerleader for a government that tramples on them and imprisons them.”

Beyond the personal exchange, the political ramifications are significant. Eichler’s appointment triggered the return of Degel HaTorah MK Yitzchok Pindrus to the Knesset under the Norwegian Law, adding another vote in favor of advancing the draft law. As a result, tensions within the chareidi camp—particularly Lithuanian anger toward Belz for breaking earlier understandings—are expected to subside.

It bears recalling that after Netanyahu previously failed to pass the draft legislation, the chareidi parties—United Torah Judaism and Shas—had withdrawn from the government and relinquished ministerial posts until progress was made. Netanyahu’s decision to bring Eichler back is now seen as having fractured the united front of opposition to the law within Agudas Yisroel. With MK Meir Porush unlikely to oppose the legislation, Bezalel Goldknopf appears increasingly isolated, though representatives from Vizhnitz could still align with him.

A senior political source said that the move involving Eichler “was not improvised; it was carefully planned.” According to the source, the timing may be linked to an anticipated rabbinic arbitration ruling in a dispute between Eichler and Degel HaTorah over demands that Eichler resign to allow Pindrus to enter the Knesset. “The expectation was that the ruling would be unfavorable to Belz,” the source said, “and that is likely why the move was revealed today.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said that while Reza Pahlavi comes across as personable, he is unconvinced that Iranians would embrace the exiled shah’s son as a leader if the current Islamist regime were to collapse, and he suggested the situation has not yet reached the stage where succession planning is appropriate.

Speaking to Reuters, Trump also indicated that the wave of unrest sweeping Iran — now in its second week and marked by heavy-handed repression — has not progressed to the point where discussions about who might replace Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei should take place.

Opposition groups say demonstrations have erupted in as many as 195 cities since late December, with protesters demanding an end to the hardline rulers who have governed since 1979. Authorities have responded with mass detentions and lethal force, mirroring past crackdowns. Some estimates claim up to 20,000 people may have been killed over the past month. Despite the scale of the unrest, there has been no clear emergence of a single opposition figure capable of leading a post-Khamenei transition, leaving the question of future leadership unresolved.

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has lived in the United States since before the 1979 revolution that brought Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power. Although images circulating from recent demonstrations have occasionally shown monarchist symbols, Trump told Reuters he doubts Pahlavi has sufficient domestic backing to step in quickly if the regime were to fall. Pahlavi is also widely viewed as lacking any organized military or paramilitary force that could supplant the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which dominates Iran’s security apparatus.

“He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country, and we really aren’t up to that point yet,” Reuters quoted Trump as saying. “I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me.”

“Whether or not it falls, it’s going to be an interesting period of time,” Trump added, referring to the Iranian regime.

Reuters reported that Trump has previously said he has no intention of meeting with Pahlavi or engaging in talks about a transition. Speculation in Washington suggested that Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, may have spoken with Pahlavi last weekend, though no public confirmation has been made. The news agency also noted that Pahlavi “appears to have little organized presence inside the Islamic Republic.” The Wall Street Journal editorial board recently argued that Pahlavi helped energize some of the demonstrations, pointing out that “the Shah’s son called on Iranians to rally against the regime at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday,” and that crowds responded. However, protests had already been underway in large numbers since December 31, making it difficult to assess the impact of calls issued from abroad.

The current uprising began in the final week of 2025, driven by two immediate triggers: the announcement of a new tax burden and the sharp collapse of Iran’s currency amid surging inflation. Footage from New Year’s Day shows demonstrators blocking roads and attempting to breach government buildings.

The unrest has been compounded by long-simmering crises, including severe repression enforced by morality police, water shortages so acute that “president” Masoud Pezeshkian has floated the idea of relocating Tehran’s roughly 10 million residents, and extreme weather swings. Iran pursued cloud-seeding operations in November to address drought, following destructive floods in western parts of the country.

From exile in the United States, Pahlavi has repeatedly urged President Trump to take “action” in response to events in Iran, without detailing what form such steps should take.

“The best way to ensure that there will be less people killed in Iran is to intervene sooner, so this regime finally collapses and puts an end to all the problems that we are facing,” Pahlavi said in an interview with CBS News on Monday. “The game-changer would be for this regime to know that they cannot rely anymore on a continued campaign of repression without the world reacting to it.”

“When asked whether he was pushing Mr. Trump to initiate regime change, Pahlavi said that the president stands in solidarity with the Iranian people, which means ‘ultimately supporting them in their ask. And their ask is that this regime has to go,’” CBS News reported.

In the same interview, Pahlavi said he was “prepared” to die for a free Iran, though there has been no indication that he plans to return to the country or join the demonstrations in person. Addressing criticism that encouraging protests from abroad could endanger lives, he responded that “this is a war and war has casualties,” while again calling for unspecified “action.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is not currently planning to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, even as the Justice Department conducts a criminal investigation involving the central bank leader, adding that it is still too soon to decide what steps he may ultimately take.

Responding to questions from Reuters about whether he intended to dismiss Powell, Trump said, “I don’t have any plan to do that,” signaling no immediate action against the Fed chair.

Pressed on whether the existence of the investigation could justify Powell’s removal, Trump indicated that the situation remains unresolved. “Right now, we’re (in) a little bit of a holding pattern with him, and we’re going to determine what to do. But I can’t get into it. It’s too soon. Too early.”

Trump also pointed to potential successors should a change occur, naming former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett as leading possibilities. He said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would not be considered, explaining that Bessent prefers to remain in his current role. “The two Kevins are very good,” Trump said. “You have some other good people too, but I’ll be announcing something over the next couple of weeks.”

The Justice Department investigation centers on cost overruns tied to a $2.5 billion renovation of two historic buildings at the Federal Reserve’s headquarters. The probe was opened recently by the Trump administration.

Powell revealed the investigation earlier this week and has denied any misconduct. He has argued that the investigation is being used as leverage in response to his refusal to comply with Trump’s repeated calls for aggressive interest rate cuts.

Criticism of the investigation has emerged from several prominent Republicans in the Senate, whose approval would be required for any new Fed chair nominee. Their concerns have been echoed by foreign economic officials, investors, and former U.S. government officials from both parties, many of whom have warned that the probe risks injecting politics into monetary policy decisions.

Administration officials, however, have defended the investigation, saying the government is obligated to pursue any credible allegations of wrongdoing.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell in public for declining to slash benchmark interest rates as rapidly or as deeply as the president has urged. Powell was originally appointed to lead the Federal Reserve by Trump during his first term.

With November’s midterm congressional elections approaching, surveys show that voters view rising living costs as a major concern, and many give Trump low marks for his handling of the issue.

The president brushed aside objections from critics, including lawmakers whose backing he will need if he nominates a new Fed chair. “I don’t care,” he said. “They should be loyal. That’s what I say.”

He also rejected warnings from economists and financial leaders that undermining the Federal Reserve’s independence could weaken the dollar and fuel inflation. “I don’t care,” he said again.

Over the past year, Trump has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of presidential authority.

In a separate case, Trump has sought to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, who is challenging her dismissal in court. That dispute is scheduled to be argued before the Supreme Court next week.

Defending his involvement in monetary policy debates, Trump said, “A president should have something to say” about Fed policy, adding, “I made a lot of money with business, so I think I have a better understanding of it than Too Late Jerome Powell.”

{Matzav.com}

Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado held talks with President Donald Trump on Thursday in a meeting the White House described as constructive, even as Trump has publicly questioned her political standing at home and mused aloud about whether he, rather than Machado, deserved a Nobel Peace Prize.

Trump has repeatedly said that Machado lacks broad backing among Venezuelans following the removal of longtime leader Nicolas Maduro, and he has instead expressed support for Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, who now serves as interim president.

Seeking to maintain a favorable relationship with Trump, the 58-year-old opposition leader has gone so far as to suggest sharing her Nobel Peace Prize with him. Trump has indicated that such a gesture could occur when the two meet.

After the White House meeting concluded, Machado emerged to greet enthusiastic supporters gathered outside, celebrating her long campaign against Maduro’s leftist government.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been eager for the lunch meeting, their first since the U.S. military operation on January 3 that resulted in Maduro’s capture.

“He’s expecting it to be a good and positive discussion with Ms. Machado, who is really a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela,” Leavitt told reporters as the meeting began.

She added that Trump would also be “talking to her about the realities on the ground in the country and what is taking place.”

Despite the meeting, the president has continued to signal his preference for working with interim president Rodriguez, particularly after announcing that Caracas had granted the United States access to Venezuelan oil.

“The president likes what he’s seeing” from the interim government, Leavitt said. She added that Trump was “committed to hopefully seeing elections in Venezuela one day,” without offering a timeline.

Machado was expected to use the meeting to press Trump to refocus attention on a transition to democratic rule.

Addressing the Nobel Peace Prize she received for her years opposing Maduro, Trump said he understood that she “wants to” give it to him, adding in a Fox News interview that it “would be a great honor.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee responded by making clear that such a transfer is not possible.

“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others. The decision is final and stands for all time,” the committee said in a post on X.

“A medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot.”

Machado traveled to Oslo last month to accept the award after escaping Venezuela by boat, and she has remained outside the country in what amounts to exile.

Venezuela’s opposition maintains that Maduro fraudulently won the 2024 election against Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the candidate backed by Machado’s party, allegations that have been echoed by Washington.

Since Maduro’s arrest, Trump has said the United States would “run” Venezuela, though he has appeared willing to allow Rodriguez to continue leading the country.

On Wednesday, Trump described Rodriguez as a “terrific person”. Rodriguez said the conversation was “productive and courteous,” marked by “mutual respect.”

U.S. policy has largely centered on economic interests, particularly securing access to Venezuela’s oil resources.

American forces this week intercepted a sixth oil tanker as part of efforts to assert control over Venezuelan crude exports.

According to the U.S. military, Marines and sailors boarded the tanker Veronica in the Caribbean during a pre-dawn operation that concluded without resistance. Video released online showed troops descending onto the ship’s deck.

In a separate development, a U.S. official told AFP on Thursday that the first American-arranged sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at roughly $500 million, has been completed, though the buyer was not named.

Washington has also praised the recent release of dozens of political detainees, while acknowledging that hundreds of prisoners remain incarcerated.

The repercussions of the rapid U.S. operation that removed Maduro continue to be felt across the region.

Cuba on Thursday honored 32 soldiers killed during the raid, including members of Maduro’s security detail, at a memorial ceremony attended by revolutionary leader Raul Castro.

{Matzav.com}

The Kremlin said Thursday that it shares President Donald Trump’s view that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rather than Russia, is responsible for the lack of progress toward a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump’s remarks, delivered in an interview with Reuters, diverge from the position of many European governments, which argue that Moscow has little incentive to stop the fighting and is instead seeking to seize additional territory while avoiding harsher Western sanctions.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump expressed confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to reach an agreement. “I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said ⁠of Putin when speaking to Reuters in the Oval Office on Wednesday. “I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.”

When asked why negotiations led by Washington have yet to bring an end to the most significant land war in Europe since World War II, Trump placed the blame squarely on Kyiv. “Zelenskyy.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow agrees with Trump’s assessment, saying Russia remains open to negotiations. “I agree, that is indeed the case. President Putin and the Russian side remain open (to talks). The Russian position is well known. It is well known to the ⁠American negotiators, to President Trump, and to the leadership of the Kyiv regime.”

Russia currently occupies roughly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. Moscow is demanding that Ukraine pull its forces out of portions of the Donetsk region that Russia claims but does not fully control. Ukraine has rejected any proposal to cede land and is calling for a ceasefire along existing front lines. As part of its efforts, the United States has floated the idea of establishing a free economic zone if Ukrainian troops withdraw.

In recent weeks, U.S.-mediated discussions have focused largely on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a postwar settlement, though some European officials have warned that Putin is unlikely to agree to several of the proposed conditions.

Negotiations suffered another setback last month after Russia accused Ukraine of attempting to attack a residence belonging to Putin, a claim that Kyiv dismissed as false.

Peskov also said Russia would be prepared to host further talks, adding that the Kremlin would welcome Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner once a visit date is finalized.

{Matzav.com}

In response to the unique challenges faced by bnei Torah arriving from abroad, Gedolei Yisroel have released a special letter of chizuk directed to yeshiva bochurim from France. The letter was issued by the leader of the Olam HaTorah, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, together with Rav Dovid Cohen, calling on French bochurim to unite under a new initiative of Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos designed to ease their integration into yeshiva life.

The letter publicly endorses the establishment of a dedicated spiritual support framework for bochurim from France, marking the first time that Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos has expanded its activities beyond Israel’s borders into the international arena.

In their message, the roshei yeshiva address the adjustment difficulties commonly experienced by overseas students in Israeli yeshivos, defining the new initiative as a vital necessity for their success in Torah learning. “Having merited that Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos in Eretz Hakodesh, which performs great and wondrous work for bnei Torah here, is now expanding its activity to bnei Torah living abroad, to strengthen and fortify them in all places of Torah,” the letter states.

The roshei yeshiva further describe the structure of the program, noting the collaboration with Ashreinu, led by Rav Yehuda Tolledano. “Under the framework of the Ichud, the precious bnei Torah from France have now joined, and we have merited that the rosh yeshiva, the great gaon Rav Yehuda Tolledano, invests much of his strength to sustain, strengthen, and encourage the activity, and to guide it along the proper path,” they wrote.

At the heart of the letter is an emphasis on individualized guidance. The roshei yeshiva stress the importance of personal accompaniment in order “to strengthen and fortify them, to ease the challenges of absorption into yeshiva life, and to reinforce them through organized vaadim led by marbitzei Torah.”

Concluding the letter, Gedolei Yisroel express hope that the initiative will expand to additional overseas communities and urge bochurim to join the effort. “With siyata diShmaya, additional communities from countries around the world whose sons are learning in the yeshivos of Eretz Hakodesh will join, and soon they too will unite under the Ichud—to increase Torah and glorify it.”

The new program will focus on two primary tracks: ongoing guidance for French yeshiva students both during the academic year in Israel and while they are at home in France, as well as targeted support for bochurim who have recently made aliyah from France with their families and require assistance with absorption, mentorship, and programming tailored to their unique background and mentality.

In preparation for the launch, leaders of the Ichud from France, together with Ashreinu, held a series of meetings at the homes of the organization’s presidents, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch and Rav Dovid Cohen, who also serves as president of Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos for French students and has been closely involved in the initiative since its inception.

A new poll released Thursday evening by Channel 14 presents an updated snapshot of Israel’s political landscape, pointing to a significant internal shakeup within the left-wing bloc, even as the ruling party remains firmly on top.

According to the survey, the Likud continues to lead the field with 35 seats, maintaining its position as the largest party if elections were held today. In contrast, the momentum of Naftali Bennett appears to have stalled, with his party slipping to 11 seats, down from 13 in the previous poll.

At the same time, the biggest gainer of the week is the Democrats party led by Yair Golan, which surged by three seats to reach 11 mandates, signaling a notable shift within the left-wing camp.

The chareidi parties remain stable, with Shas and United Torah Judaism each holding steady at 11 seats, matching Bennett’s current strength.

Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Liberman, rose by one seat to 10. Otzma Yehudit received seven seats, while the party led by Gadi Eisenkot dropped two seats to six.

The Arab party Ra’am also stands at six seats. Hadash–Ta’al and Yesh Atid each received five seats. Religious Zionism barely clears the electoral threshold with four seats, closing out the list of parties entering the Knesset. Blue and White (2.8%) and Balad (2.1%) fall below the threshold and would not enter the Knesset.

When broken down by blocs, the right-wing camp holds a commanding 66 seats. The left-wing bloc drops by one seat to 43, while the Arab parties together account for 11 mandates.

In the question of suitability for prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu leads decisively with 53%. He is followed by Bennett at 19%, Eisenkot at 11%, Yair Lapid at 9%, Liberman at 6%, and Benny Gantz trailing with just 2%.

{Matzav.com}

Apartment seekers in Manhattan saw little relief this winter, with rents remaining near historic highs and competition showing few signs of easing.

Data from appraiser Miller Samuel Inc. and brokerage Douglas Elliman show that the median rent for new leases signed last month reached $4,720, representing an increase of nearly 9% compared with December a year earlier. That figure was only $30 below November’s median rent, which marked the highest level ever recorded by the firms.

Although New York’s rental market usually slows during the holiday season, that pattern failed to materialize. Competition for available apartments stayed strong throughout the year, even as the number of listings shrank. Inventory in December was down 16% from the same month last year, the steepest annual decline since the surge in leasing activity seen during the pandemic-era rush in August 2022.

According to Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Samuel, the sustained appetite for rentals runs counter to what would normally be expected. Home sales in Manhattan have been increasing, a trend that historically draws some demand away from the rental market.

Instead, both the sales and rental markets posted strong performances in December, a combination Miller said points to continued pressure on prices. With limited inventory and few quick solutions in a city where new construction takes time, competition is likely to remain fierce. As Miller put it, “it’s tough to build quickly.”

Miller expressed little optimism that renters will see meaningful relief in the near term. “I’m finding it difficult to come up with a way that affordability will noticeably improve this year,” he said. “The best case is to hope for rents to flatten out, but right now they’re rising at double the rate of inflation.”

Higher costs were not confined to Manhattan. Renters in other parts of the city also faced increases, with the median rent in Brooklyn climbing to $3,850 in December, a 10% jump from a year earlier. In northwest Queens, which includes Astoria and Long Island City, median rents rose nearly 8% year over year to $3,652.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu asked President Donald Trump to hold off on any military action against Iran, according to a report published by The New York Times.

The two leaders spoke by phone around midnight, as protests continued across Iran and U.S. officials weighed whether to move forward with a possible strike.

During the call, Netanyahu conveyed concern that Israel is not fully prepared for an Iranian retaliation if the United States were to launch an attack, and he therefore requested that Trump postpone any military operation.

Trump has said he was informed by what he described as reliable sources inside Iran that the regime had stopped executing protesters and halted violent crackdowns, a development that could suggest efforts to reduce tensions.

U.S. officials, however, emphasized that military action remains a viable option and that any final decision will depend on how events unfold.

The report also cited a diplomatic source in the Gulf who said that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt delivered messages to the Trump administration urging restraint, warning that an attack on Iran could trigger wider regional instability. Those same countries reportedly contacted Tehran, pressing it to avoid a military response if a strike were to occur.

Iran temporarily shut down its airspace to civilian traffic overnight before later reopening it.

Separately, reports indicated that the Pentagon scaled back its alert status at a U.S. Air Force base in Qatar and began returning troops who had previously been relocated amid concerns that a strike was imminent.

{Matzav.com}

The prolonged Verizon service disruption that left large numbers of customers without connectivity was caused by an internal network malfunction linked to servers in New Jersey, not a cyberattack, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

The outage impacted more than 178,000 Verizon users nationwide. In response, the company announced Thursday that it would issue a $20 credit to affected customers in an effort to “provide some relief.”

“Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence our customers expect and that we expect ourselves,” Verizon said in a statement.

“This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging our customers’ time and showing that this matters to us.

“We are sorry for what our customers experienced and will continue to work hard day and night to provide the outstanding network and service that people expect from Verizon,” the company said.

According to outage-monitoring site Downdetector, Verizon subscribers began reporting service problems around noon Eastern Time on Wednesday. Complaints surged in the early afternoon and stayed at elevated levels through the remainder of the day. By 5 p.m. ET, Downdetector said it had logged more than 1.5 million reports.

Customers affected by the outage reported seeing their phones switch into “SOS” mode or display other messages indicating a lack of signal. In some areas, including New York, emergency alerts warned that the disruption could interfere with 911 calls, advising residents to use landlines, phones from other carriers, or to go directly to police or fire stations if emergencies arose.

Downdetector data showed that major metropolitan areas such as Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Miami were among the hardest hit, though reports of service interruptions came in from users across the country.

While a limited number of complaints involving other wireless carriers appeared on Wednesday, companies including T-Mobile and AT&T quickly stated online that their networks were functioning normally. Both indicated that any issues their customers experienced were likely due to difficulty reaching people using Verizon’s network.

New findings from the Institute for Chareidi Strategy and Policy are raising serious questions about many assumptions that have long shaped public discussion of the chareidi community in Israel. The data points to significant demographic, economic, and social shifts that together paint a far more complicated picture than is often assumed.

In an interview on Kikar FM with Eli Gothelf, Dr. Eitan Regev, vice president for research and data at the institute, summed up the situation succinctly. “The picture is complex,” he said. “There are areas where we see improvement, areas that are standing in place, and economic pressures that weigh on everything.”

At the center of the report is a sharp decline in birthrates. According to Regev, the chareidi public in Israel is currently experiencing its lowest fertility levels in nearly forty years. Two decades ago, the average chareidi family had 7.3 children. Today, that number stands at 6.2. Regev explained that the drop reflects a combination of factors, including housing pressures, ongoing financial strain, increased attention to the physical and emotional wellbeing of women, and a steady rise in academic education among chareidi women.

He noted that additional factors further change the overall demographic picture. Various studies show that 13 to 14 percent of those raised within the chareidi world eventually leave it, a figure Regev stressed cannot be ignored. He also said updated population estimates place the current chareidi population at roughly 1.3 million, rather than the 1.4 million cited in earlier projections.

These revisions have led the institute to update long-term forecasts. Contrary to the commonly repeated claim that chareidim will comprise about one-third of Israel’s population by 2065, Regev said the institute’s current projection is significantly lower, at 20 to 22 percent. He explained that older forecasts relied on higher historical birthrates and did not sufficiently account for attrition. As the community grows larger, he said, the absolute number of those leaving becomes more meaningful and no longer balances itself out.

The report also highlights differences within the chareidi public. According to the data presented, the chassidic sector continues to have the highest birthrates, averaging around seven children per family. The steepest decline has been recorded among Sephardic chareidim, where the average is about 5.2 children. The Litvishe sector falls in between, with an average of roughly 6.5 children.

Education trends among women show similarly wide gaps. Overall, about 16 percent of chareidi women hold an academic degree, but the breakdown by group is striking. Among chassidic women, the figure stands at just 5 to 6 percent. Among Sephardic and Litvishe women, it is around 17 to 18 percent, while among Chabad women it approaches 40 percent. Regev added that among women aged 30 to 34, nearly 19 percent already hold academic degrees, meaning close to one out of every five.

On the employment front, Regev said chareidi male employment saw a noticeable rise in 2022, largely driven by rising interest rates and higher mortgage payments. That trend reversed in 2023 and 2024. He attributed the decline to uncertainty surrounding the draft law, particularly among younger men, as well as possible concerns about reporting employment. “The State of Israel keeps making the same mistake by tying employment to the draft issue,” he said, warning that this linkage harms both sides.

Another indicator of longer-term change, Regev suggested, is the rapid growth of state-chareidi education. Within just two years, the share of boys in elementary school enrolled in these frameworks doubled from about 4 percent to 8 percent, and this year has already reached roughly 9 to 10 percent. He described this as a conscious parental decision, reflecting an understanding that children will need broader tools going forward, including core studies.

The most dramatic data, however, emerged in the area of housing. Regev said that in 2023 there was a 30 percent drop in the number of young chareidi couples able to purchase their first apartment. Although 2024 saw some recovery, levels remain well below those of 2019. Survey data collected by the institute shows that about 70 percent of chareidi families now assume they may need to live in rental housing.

According to Regev, this represents a major disruption to the traditional chareidi economic model. For decades, owning an apartment served not only as housing but also as savings and a foundation for helping children later on. In a high-interest-rate environment, fewer couples can take on a mortgage, and those who do pay far more interest and far less principal, weakening the savings element. He noted a growing move toward alternative investments, some safer and some riskier, creating greater variation between families where once there was a fairly uniform model.

Regev concluded that the convergence of declining birthrates, housing challenges, rising female education, shifts in male employment, and the growth of state-chareidi schooling points to a deeper structural change. These trends, he said, do not reflect a passing phase but an ongoing process in which the chareidi public is being forced to rethink and rebuild its economic model while still in motion.

{Matzav.com}

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that a lower court judge lacked the authority to order the release of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil from immigration custody, handing a win to President Donald Trump’s administration as it pursues his deportation.

In a 2–1 decision, a panel of the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the lawsuit Khalil filed challenging his detention should be dismissed, a ruling that leaves him vulnerable to being taken back into custody.

The majority opinion was written by U.S. Circuit Judges Thomas Hardiman and Stephanos Bibas, both appointed by Republican presidents. They concluded that the Immigration and Nationality Act requires Khalil’s arguments to be raised through the standard immigration process, specifically by appealing a final removal order issued by an immigration judge.

“The scheme Congress enacted governing immigration proceedings provides Khalil a meaningful forum in ⁠which to raise his claims later on — in a petition for review of a final order of removal,” the judges wrote in an unsigned opinion.

Khalil, who emerged as a leading figure in pro-Palestinian demonstrations opposing Israel’s war in Gaza, was taken into custody on March 8 when immigration agents arrested him in the lobby of his university residence in Manhattan.

President Donald Trump has described the campus protests as antisemitic and has pledged to remove foreign students who participated in them. Khalil was the first individual targeted under that policy.

Although Khalil was initially held in New York, immigration authorities transferred him to New Jersey before his attorney filed a lawsuit contesting his detention, resulting in the case being reassigned to a judge there.

In June, Khalil was released from a Louisiana immigration detention facility after U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz of Newark, New Jersey, ordered the Department of Homeland Security to free him from custody.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should aggressively remove criminal illegal immigrants, urging agents to take decisive action against those with criminal records.

Speaking on Fox News Channel’s The Will Cain Show, Fetterman addressed a recent Minneapolis incident in which Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Good had “weaponized her vehicle” while agents were attempting to free their own vehicle.

“Round up all the criminals,” Fetterman said. “Deport them. They shouldn’t have ever been here, and they definitely have to go.”

While acknowledging that the shooting was “a tragedy,” Fetterman said it has been “very clear” to him since he entered the Senate in 2023 that the Biden administration was “failing at our border.”

He cited what he described as the “latest statistics” reported by the Washington Post about the criminal backgrounds of immigrants taken into custody by ICE.

“Sixty-seven percent have criminal charges — pending ones … that’s more than two-thirds,” Fetterman said, adding that “two things can be true” and that it is possible to back deportations while opposing “the extreme.”

Fetterman also pointed to data published by the New York Times on the number of monthly encounters at the southern border in recent years.

“When you reach almost 300,000 people, that’s unsustainable,” he said. “As a Democrat, it shouldn’t be unreasonable to want to secure our border and do it in that way.”

The Pennsylvania senator has previously voiced support for ICE, saying the agency “performs an important job,” and has faulted fellow Democrats for not “handle the border appropriately.”

According to Breitbart News, Fetterman said in a 2024 CNN interview that although he wants to “provide the American Dream for any migrant,” doing so becomes untenable when “you have 300,000 people showing up encountered at our border.”

{Matzav.com}