Matzav

In the wake of the deadly incident at a children’s daycare center in Yerushalayim, the Israel Tax Authority is examining the possibility of launching audits and investigations into the financial conduct of daycare centers and toddler frameworks that have been operating without licenses and without being formally registered as businesses, according to a report by Ynet.

Officials stressed that the review is not directed at the specific daycare where the tragedy occurred. However, they emphasized that any suspicion of long-term tax evasion grants the Tax Authority full legal powers to examine the matter, demand the filing of reports, and collect back taxes retroactively, in accordance with the law.

Professional sources noted that there are numerous daycare centers that are not registered with tax authorities and do not submit annual reports, despite operating for extended periods and receiving regular payments from parents. Under Israeli law, even small frameworks or those serving economically disadvantaged populations are required to declare and report income, regardless of the amounts involved.

A tax attorney told Ynet that the Tax Authority has both civil and criminal tools to locate businesses that fail to report income. In cases where there is no cooperation, the Authority is empowered to assess income independently. He added that while many cases initially proceed on the civil level, more serious situations can escalate into criminal proceedings.

The Tax Authority further clarified that statutes of limitation apply only to those who submitted reports as required by law. In cases where no reports were filed at all, authorities may review conduct retroactively, depending on the circumstances and the severity of the findings.

Sources familiar with the matter told Ynet that the Yerushalayim incident is likely to prompt a broader review of unlicensed and unreported educational frameworks, as part of a wider effort to combat the shadow economy and enforce tax laws.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is expected to travel to the United States toward the end of February to take part in the annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington, according to reports in Israeli media. Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the trip is being considered, and there is also a possibility of a meeting with President Donald Trump during the visit.

The AIPAC conference, organized by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is scheduled to take place in Washington from February 22 through February 24 and is regarded as one of the most prominent pro-Israel gatherings in the United States.

According to a report by Ynet, Netanyahu may also meet with President Trump, whom he met last month. Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said discussions are ongoing regarding the logistics and timing of the visit.

The potential trip comes amid heightened tensions with Iran and an ongoing buildup of American forces in the Middle East. Israeli officials continue to closely monitor the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran, with assessments and situation evaluations taking place in recent days. Reports indicate that the United States has been reinforcing its presence in the region while making those moves highly visible.

American officials have also pointed to continued internet shutdowns in Iran as evidence of the regime’s fear of internal unrest. A U.S. official quoted in the reports said that Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign is aimed at the Iranian regime rather than the Iranian people, stressing that the United States will continue to support internet access for Iranians as a means of exposing the reality inside the country.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani deflected criticism Tuesday when pressed about inflammatory social media posts made by two senior aides, choosing instead to pivot to his own priorities during a live television interview.

Appearing on The View, Mamdani avoided directly addressing remarks attributed to his chief equity officer and the city’s tenant advocate, despite a pointed question from co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin about the now-deleted comments.

Griffin cited posts by Chief Equity Officer Afua Atta-Mensah, including the statement “there’s NO moderate way to black liberation,” as well as comments by tenant advocate Cea Weaver calling to “seize private property.”

“Your new chief equity officer made several now deleted comments, disparaging liberal white women,” said Griffin, a former Trump administration staffer. “Your tenant advocate said that home ownership was a weapon of white supremacy and called to elect more communists, among other posts.”

She then asked, “What message do you think this conveys to New Yorkers, and how would you push back on this?”

Rather than responding directly to the substance of the criticism, Mamdani redirected the discussion to his own platform and leadership.

“If you want to know my views or my opinions, you’ll find them in my words,” Mamdani replied. “As the mayor of New York City, and I’m someone who’s looking to make a city that every New Yorker can afford.”

He continued by speaking positively about the work of his administration, praising Weaver’s office without naming her or addressing the specific remarks that had drawn scrutiny.

“And I think, frankly, what New Yorkers are also looking for are the outcomes, and that’s what I care about, the outcomes and the excellence we deliver,” he said.

Mamdani asserted that in the 20 days since Weaver was hired, the city has “taken on a landlord that had more violations than I can count, and we have secured $30 million in guaranteed repairs for thousands of those violations.”

In an apparent effort to calm concerns among property owners, the mayor added that his vision of an affordable city “includes tenants, homeowners, and those who aspire to be homeowners.”

During the same appearance, Mamdani also reiterated his support for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a position he has previously endorsed.

{Matzav.com}

California Republicans turned to the United States Supreme Court on Tuesday, urging the justices to halt a push by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries ahead of the next election cycle.

In an emergency filing, the California Republican Party asked the high court to step in and stop what it says is a gerrymandering effort set in motion by Newsom through Proposition 50, framing the request as a last effort to prevent the new maps from taking effect.

Republicans argue that the revised district lines could flip as many as five seats currently held by the GOP, significantly altering California’s congressional delegation.

The legal fight carries national political consequences, as Democrats are widely viewed as having a strong chance to reclaim control of the House of Representatives amid voter dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.

While polling data and prediction markets suggest Democrats are well positioned to capture the House, Republicans warn that an unfavorable ruling in the Proposition 50 dispute could derail those expectations.

Supporters of Proposition 50 have described it as a response to a similar redistricting push in Texas, where the state’s Republican-led legislature moved to redraw congressional maps in a way that would benefit their party.

Newsom promoted Proposition 50 as a counterweight to what he described as partisan mapmaking in Texas, and voters approved the measure by a wide margin in last November’s election.

According to a report by the Sacramento Bee, Republicans are asking Justice Elena Kagan, who oversees emergency matters from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, to issue an injunction that would temporarily restore California’s current congressional map.

In their challenge, Republicans contend that the boundaries created under Proposition 50 would disproportionately advantage Latino voters at the expense of other racial groups.

Justice Kagan can either reject the emergency request outright, a decision that could come within days, or send the matter to the full Supreme Court for consideration.

If the case is taken up by the full court, the justices are expected to rule on the emergency motion well before California’s candidate filing deadline of March 6.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump reignited debate over Greenland on Tuesday, brushing aside questions about limits to U.S. action and responding with a brief “you’ll see” when asked at the White House how far he is prepared to go to bring the Arctic territory under American control.

He waved off objections that residents of Greenland oppose joining the United States and rejected warnings that any attempt to take the island would fracture the NATO alliance.

Over the past several weeks, Trump has returned to the subject with renewed intensity, focusing attention on Greenland, the largest island on the planet and a pivotal foothold in the Arctic.

Although distant and sparsely populated, the semi-autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty sits at the center of shifting global dynamics. It is part of a NATO ally, hosts a critical U.S. military installation, and lies in an Arctic zone that is becoming increasingly contested as receding ice opens new sea routes and access to valuable natural resources.

Trump has repeatedly cast Greenland as essential to American security interests, contending that failure to secure the island would allow Russia and China to expand their influence across the Arctic.

His latest comments come as he prepares to travel to Davos, Switzerland, where political and economic leaders from around the world are gathering for the World Economic Forum.

Greenland is expected to be a frequent topic in private discussions at the summit, particularly as European officials react to Trump’s new warning that he could impose tariffs on countries that stand in the way of his Greenland ambitions.

Those tariff threats arrive while the administration is still awaiting a Supreme Court decision on whether certain trade duties imposed in 2025 were lawful.

European leaders, speaking over the weekend, indicated they could respond with countermeasures totaling as much as $107.7 billion if the dispute escalates.

Trump originally floated the idea of acquiring Greenland during his previous term in office, a proposal that was quickly rejected by Denmark and met with resistance across Europe—opposition he now appears ready to challenge once again.

It remains uncertain whether the Trump administration will ultimately reach an agreement to take control of Greenland. What is clear is that as climate change reshapes the Arctic and geopolitical competition accelerates, the island’s strategic value is only set to increase.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH (SKIP TO MINUTE 102:00):

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu held a direct and strained conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the makeup of the Gaza Executive Board, despite earlier indications that the issue would be handled through diplomatic channels by Israel’s foreign minister.

An announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu had instructed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to convey Israel’s objections to Rubio following the disclosure of the board’s members. However, a report by Channel 12 said Netanyahu himself took the lead in speaking directly with Rubio, while Sa’ar was publicly presented as managing the dialogue because of the political and public sensitivity surrounding the matter.

According to the report, Netanyahu’s main concern during the discussion was not the specific individuals selected for the board, but the fact that the announcement was made publicly without prior coordination with Israel.

Sources familiar with the conversation told Channel 12 that Rubio made clear the decision would not be rolled back, and that Qatar and Turkey would be involved in post-war “day after” arrangements in Gaza through their participation on the executive board. Netanyahu was said to have voiced objections but also recognized that Israel’s ability to influence the process was limited once the plan had been formally unveiled.

The executive body, also described as an international executive council operating under the Board of Peace, is expected to be made up of senior international figures. The report said its members will be assigned specific areas of responsibility, including stabilizing Gaza, strengthening governance, managing regional ties, overseeing reconstruction efforts, promoting investment, arranging large-scale financing, and mobilizing capital.

In its statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said: “Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed Foreign Minister Sa’ar to address this matter with the US Secretary of State. At the same time, the Prime Minister held a conversation with the Secretary of State, with whom he maintains ongoing contact.”

{Matzav.com}

The criminal case against Chanukah Monsey stabber Grafton Thomas has been put on hold yet again after a Rockland County judge approved a fresh order keeping him in psychiatric custody, following a determination by the state Office of Mental Health that he remains unfit to stand trial.

Evaluators concluded that the 43-year-old still does not understand the nature of the charges against him and is unable to meaningfully participate in his legal defense.

Thomas is charged in both state and federal court in connection with the December 2019 attack in Monsey, where a man armed with a machete burst into a local rov‘s home during a mesibas Chanukah and stabbed five people. One of those injured later died as a result of the wounds he sustained.

Since the attack, Thomas has been held at the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center, where he continues to undergo treatment and periodic evaluations aimed at determining whether he can ever be restored to competency.

Under the most recent court order, the proceedings have been postponed until January 2028, extending the case by another four years. The delay leaves victims’ families and the broader Monsey community in continued uncertainty, as the court remains in a holding pattern, waiting to see whether Thomas will eventually be deemed capable of facing trial.

Several public health groups are suing to reverse a decision from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that narrows the list of vaccines recommended for children, arguing that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other leaders failed to consider how the new policy would endanger families and burden the health care system.

The plaintiffs, which consist of seven public health organizations led by the American Academy of Pediatrics, a physician, and two patients, accused Kennedy of “inappropriately” influencing a key vaccine advisory committee by packing it with unqualified experts who hold anti-vaccine views.

“Defendants have engaged in a pattern and practice of changing U.S. vaccine policy without consideration of the relevant factors or providing any reasoned explanation,” reads the complaint, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.

Spokespeople for the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Health Department’s Jan. 5 decision means the CDC will no longer recommend every child be immunized for rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease and hepatitis A. Instead, the agency will recommend those vaccines only for smaller groups of high-risk children or if a doctor recommends them.

The Washington Post reported Monday that some pediatricians are ignoring the new guidelines, which have caused confusion and anxiety among American families.

In announcing the decision, Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, said the department is aligning U.S. vaccine schedules more closely with “international consensus,” specifically citing Denmark’s more limited set of recommendations. “This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health,” Kennedy said in a statement at the time.

The lawsuit takes issue with recent appointments to a key vaccine advisory committee called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. The Post has reported that the committee itself was not consulted before the decision being made public, and many federal vaccine scientists said they were blindsided.

The plaintiffs asked the court to disallow the committee from meeting any further, citing federal law requiring federal advisory committees to be “fairly balanced” and not “inappropriately influenced.” The lawsuit cites past statements from recently appointed committee members questioning the validity of vaccines, arguing that all but one of the recent appointees don’t have the necessary qualifications.

The complaint also stated, citing unspecified “information and belief,” that only Republicans and Independents were considered for inclusion in the committee. The plaintiffs said in their suit that 10 of its members have publicly stated views that align with secretary’s, and accused the group of spreading misinformation.

“The public meetings of this [advisory board] have served as a megaphone for spreading misinformation about immunization and infectious diseases that is directly harming the Plaintiffs and the American public,” the complaint reads.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Aaron Gregg 

{Matzav.com}

Airlines could ultimately benefit financially from the growing use of weight-loss medications, as lighter passengers would reduce aircraft weight and cut fuel consumption, according to a new analysis by Jefferies Research Services.

As GLP-1 drugs designed for weight loss become more widely available across the United States, analysts expect a gradual reduction in average body weight. That shift, Jefferies says, could translate into meaningful fuel savings for airlines, where fuel remains one of the industry’s largest expenses.

The amount of fuel an aircraft burns is closely tied to how much it weighs, including the combined weight of passengers, their baggage, and onboard cargo. When total weight decreases, fuel requirements decline as well.

Carriers have long sought ways to minimize aircraft weight in order to save fuel, the report notes, citing efforts that range from food choices like serving pit-less olives to the use of thinner or lighter paper products onboard.

Airlines “have a long history of searching for unique methods to reduce the weight of the aircraft, in turn reducing fuel consumption and limiting an airline’s largest cost bucket,” analysts said in the report.

Despite those efforts, airlines have little control over how much their passengers weigh.

Jefferies examined a scenario in which weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy lead to a 10% reduction in average body weight across society. Under that assumption, total passenger weight on flights would fall by about 2%, resulting in roughly 1.5% fuel savings for airlines and an estimated 4% increase in earnings per share.

To illustrate the impact, the analysts modeled a typical Boeing 737 Max 8. The aircraft weighs about 99,000 pounds empty and can hold up to 46,000 pounds of fuel. With 178 passengers averaging 180 pounds each, plus roughly 4,000 pounds of additional cargo, the plane’s takeoff weight reaches approximately 181,200 pounds. If average passenger weight drops by 10% to 162 pounds, the total weight falls to about 177,996 pounds.

Based on that reduction, Jefferies estimates annual fuel savings of roughly $580 million for the four largest U.S. carriers — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. Together, those airlines are projected to spend about $38.6 billion on jet fuel this year.

The research was conducted as pharmaceutical companies continue developing new weight-loss treatments, building on a Jefferies report released in 2023 that examined how reductions in passenger weight could affect fuel costs.

“With the drug now available in pill form and obesity rates falling, broader usage could have further implications for waist lines,” analysts said.

{Matzav.com}

LONDON – The president was fine with it a year ago. Now it’s “GREAT STUPIDITY.”

President Donald Trump told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in February that he was on board with a deal the United Kingdom had reached with the island nation of Mauritius over ownership of the Chagos Archipelago, a remote string of atolls in the Indian Ocean, including Diego Garcia – home to a base for U.S. bomber aircraft.

“I have a feeling it is going to work out very well,” Trump said to cameras in an amicable Oval Office meeting with Starmer. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the “historic” agreement.

On Tuesday, however, Trump seized on the deal to justify his effort to seize Greenland, describing the U.K. agreement as a disqualifying example of international idiocy.

Trump’s quest for Greenland, the vast Arctic territory long controlled by Denmark, a NATO ally, has become a bitter, high-stakes transatlantic contretemps, surging from fringe strategic fancy to a Category 5 geopolitical hurricane.

With Trump displaying aggressive territorial ambitions, he highlighted the Chagos Islands agreement – which grants the nation of Mauritius sovereignty over the contested archipelago but guarantees Britain and the United States a 99-year lock on a joint air base there – as a contemptible example of “total weakness.”

“Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday. “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”

Trump’s sharp reversal and astonishing rebuke of the U.K., which is often described as America’s closest ally, managed to stupefy British officials who are mostly numbed to serial shocks from this White House.

Trump’s expansionist moves – from taking “control” of Venezuela to risking the transatlantic alliance in his grab for Greenland – contrast sharply with Britain’s recent history of unwinding imperial legacies from Hong Kong to Africa.

“The contrast could not be more stark between the United Kingdom negotiating a deal to implement international law and President Trump being unable to understand why any country would comply with the law at the global level when it goes against its immediate interest,” said Marc Weller, a law professor at Cambridge University and head of international law at Chatham House, a foreign policy think tank.

“The United Kingdom has done its very best to absorb the many upsets in the relationship between London and Washington,” Weller said. “Now we have arrived at a breaking point. With the Greenland episode, the British government is slowly realizing that it needs to stand up for principles.”

The whiplash criticism, delivered as Trump prepared to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was all the more shocking given London’s assiduous work to preserve the “special relationship” through the tumultuous first year of Trump’s second presidency. This included inviting Trump for a historic second state visit with royal trappings.

“You can certainly say that no one saw this one coming,” said a person familiar with the deliberations in the Starmer government who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. “Keir spent a lot of time getting buy-in from the Trump team [on the Chagos Islands agreement] and felt it was fairly settled.”

The timing is particularly awkward for Starmer, the Labour Party prime minister, who has made cultivating Trump a centerpiece of his foreign policy despite their ideological differences.

Starmer traveled to meet the president at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland in July, enduring criticism for not forcefully condemning what critics called Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. Since then, Starmer has carefully calibrated his language on contentious issues including tariffs and Venezuela.

The prime minister has been more forceful on Greenland. Starmer’s office also pushed back Tuesday on Trump’s Chagos Islands blast, but cautiously and emphasizing Trump’s U-turn on the issue. Officials pointed out that Britain said publicly it would execute the agreement only with U.S. approval.

“Our position hasn’t changed on Diego Garcia or on the treaty that’s been signed,” a spokesman told the BBC. “The U.S. supports the deal, and the president explicitly recognized its strength last year.”

Privately, British and European diplomats said they hoped this was another example of Trump’s ferocious rhetoric being more spleen venting or negotiation framing than a lasting policy shift. Starmer had no plans to travel to Davos, where heads of state will be lining up to meet Trump, but the two will talk soon, the person familiar with government deliberations said.

“They talk often,” this person said. “That has been invaluable in the last year.”

Trump’s criticism, however, could mark a widening gap between a president eager to change the map in his favor and a weakening onetime colonizer now doubling down on international law.

London’s return of Hong Kong to China in 1997 was in fulfillment of treaty terms between the two countries. Government lawyers advised the past two U.K. governments that they were at risk of losing access to the Chagos Islands entirely by defying a growing international consensus against British control.

The Chagos Islands dispute dates to the final years of Britain’s empire. In 1965, as its colony of Mauritius moved toward independence, the U.K. carved off the Chagos to form the British Indian Ocean Territory, a move later judged unlawful.

Britain forcibly removed more than 1,000 residents to clear the way for a joint U.K.-U.S. military base on the southernmost island, Diego Garcia, which became a key U.S. strategic hub during the Cold War and after.

Mauritius challenged British control for decades. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the U.K.’s continued administration was illegal, and the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly backed Mauritius’s claim. The two countries reached an agreement in 2024 to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while guaranteeing long-term U.K.-U.S. access to Diego Garcia under a lease extending into the next century.

Britain agreed to pay an average of a billion pounds a year for the lease (about $1.35 billion).

The negotiations were launched under then-Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who later served briefly as a Conservative prime minister. But her Tory party, along with hard-liners in Washington, have criticized the deal for possibly giving a foothold in the region to China, a key trading partner of Mauritius.

Many analysts say those fears are overblown, given the remoteness of the islands and the continued presence of the British and American militaries.

“I think it was the most strategically clever agreement Britain could have made,” said Darshana Baruah, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore. “It secures complete operational jurisdiction and continued operations in the same way things have been working for the next 99 years.”

Trump’s sudden fixation on big countries dominating weaker places, such as Greenland, where they have military facilities is a departure from international norms, Baruah said.

“There are many, many countries that have bases in other nations with just agreements in place,” she said. “This argument that you must have sovereignty to protect it is new.”

The immediate future of the Chagos deal remains uncertain. Starmer slowed final negotiations in January 2025 to await the Trump administration’s review, and the agreement still requires final parliamentary ratification. Supporters fear that Trump’s public opposition could provide cover for the British government to abandon the deal.

Doing so would probably expose Britain to international condemnation, undermine its claims to respect international law, and potentially intensify competing claims over other British territories, including with Argentina over the Falkland Islands and with Spain over Gibraltar. Buenos Aires has already cited Britain’s willingness to negotiate over Chagos as precedent for talks on the Falklands.

The Chagos episode also puts pressure on Britain to choose between alignment with the U.S. and closer integration with Europe – a choice Starmer has sought to avoid.

The prime minister has pursued a post-Brexit “reset” with the European Union while maintaining that the U.S. relationship remains paramount. But as Trump’s territorial ambitions grow and his attacks on European allies multiply, that balancing act is growing more precarious.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), visiting London, sought to provide reassurance, telling GB News that the U.S.-U.K. special relationship is “critically important, not just for our countries, but, of course, for the entire world.”

But Johnson, along with the Congress he helps lead, may wield no influence over Trump’s territorial appetites.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post · Steve Hendrix 

{Matzav.com}

Stocks took a beating Tuesday as renewed trade tensions spilled into global markets.

The sell-off accelerated as the day progressed, with the S&P 500 index down 1.9 percent as of midafternoon. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index had shed 2.1 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average had tumbled 830 points, or 1.6 percent.

The trade-induced volatility, following months of relative calm, came after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on countries that oppose U.S. efforts to acquire Greenland. As global leaders met in Davos, Switzerland, Trump unleashed early-morning social media posts and threatened a steep tariff on French wine and champagne, adding to broader concerns about his demand for U.S. control of the Danish territory.

“The fear trade is absolutely on right now,” said D.C.-based investment analyst Michael Farr, calling the White House’s pressure on Greenland “unprecedented.”

The Cboe Volatility Index, known as Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” surged 26 percent. The dollar lost nearly 1 percent, and Treasury bond prices dropped – signs of decreased confidence in U.S. markets.

Meanwhile, investors sought refuge in gold, a safe-haven asset, which jumped 3.6 percent to roughly $4,760 per troy ounce. Meanwhile silver soared 8 percent to a record high, then retreated; as of midafternoon it was trading near $94, up 6.6 percent.

International markets suffered, too. European stocks sank, with indexes tied to Britain, Germany and France each falling between 1 and 2 percent before recovering somewhat.

The downturn in European stocks comes after Trump threatened over the weekend to impose 25 percent tariffs on eight European nations including Denmark, Norway, Germany and Britain unless they acquiesce to his demand that the U.S. acquire Greenland.

On Monday night, Trump sounded off on social media. He bashed Britain for handing over sovereignty of the island of Diego Garcia, the site of a U.S. military base and the largest of the Chagos Islands. Britain in 2024 said it would cede sovereignty over the archipelago to Mauritius, with the U.S. and Britain retaining operational control of the base.

On Monday evening, he also threatened France with 200 percent tariffs on wine and champagne after French President Emmanuel Macron declined to join Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative concerning Israel and Gaza.

Although the timeline for these tariffs is unclear, several European winemakers sold off. LVMH, the Paris-based luxury goods conglomerate that owns Hennessy, Dom Pérignon and Moët & Chandon, sank more than 5 percent Tuesday. The liquor and wine purveyor Rémy Cointreau lost roughly 4 percent.

It remains to be seen how Europe will respond, and what that will mean for U.S. markets and the economy. Chief among investors’ fears is a European Union policy known as the Anti-Coercion Instrument – also called Europe’s “bazooka” – that would impose a 30 percent tariff on exports to the United States.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent brushed off those concerns in a television interview Tuesday.

“Well, having worked with the Europeans, my guess is their next move will be to form a working group. The dreaded European working group,” Bessent said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

Markets were unsettled in Asia, too, as Japan’s Nikkei 225 sank 1.1 percent and bond prices dropped there.

China’s stocks largely held up as trade tensions focused on Europe; Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, which tracks a number of companies on the Chinese mainland, had fallen by a meager 0.3 percent by midmorning Tuesday.

Analysts gave a mixed outlook for markets in 2026, with tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty competing with factors such as lower interest rates that could prop up stocks.

Comerica Wealth Management chief investment officer Eric Teal said he sees more storm clouds on the horizon for U.S. stocks, especially given how high stock valuations were at the end of 2025. Markets in 2026 have already been disrupted by geopolitical disturbances, once again calling into question where the effective tariff rate will fall, while the closely watched midterm elections could also bring uncertainty.

None of those factors “bode particularly well for robust market gains,” Teal said in a note to investors, as he recommended that investors diversify their holdings and “play defense.”

Still others believe that trade tensions could settle down. Trading volatility remains far lower than it was last April, when the Trump administration squared off in a trade dispute with China. And the Supreme Court is still considering whether the administration’s “reciprocal” tariffs are legal, a decision that could refund billions to U.S. companies depending on the outcome.

Some investors have grown accustomed to tariff-related uncertainty over the past year.

“Since April 2025, we have seen repeated tariff threats and counter-threats that ultimately have proven to be the opening bids in negotiations that have brought compromise,” said Paul Christopher, head of global investment strategy at Wells Fargo.

The tech sector, whose speculative investment timelines mean it tends to fare the worst in a sell-off, could also offset losses in other areas. Wedbush managing director Dan Ives, a longtime booster of tech stocks, said he believes last year’s artificial-intelligence-driven rally could continue to buoy markets, with Tuesday’s slump representing a buying opportunity.

“Our view is, just like over the last year, the bark will be worse than the bite on this issue and tariff threats as negotiations take place and tensions ultimately calm down between Trump and EU leaders,” Ives said in an email.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post 

{Matzav.com}

A frightening antisemitic attack nearly ended in tragedy when a group of frum teenage boys in Melbourne were chased by a vehicle whose occupants attempted to ram them, screaming Nazi slurs and threats, in an incident that left the local Jewish community deeply shaken.

The episode unfolded yesterday in the St. Kilda East neighborhood, just a short distance—approximately 100 meters—from the Adas Yisroel shul, a landmark that itself was targeted in a Molotov cocktail arson attack more than a year ago.

Footage from nearby security cameras, later circulated by local media, shows the boys standing at a crosswalk when a white SUV pulled up close to them, drawing their attention.

Sensing danger, the boys immediately fled, sprinting across the street in an effort to get away. Moments later, the video shows the vehicle executing a sudden U-turn and accelerating toward them, narrowly missing one of the teens.

During the chaos, one of the boys succeeded in capturing the vehicle’s license plate. Members of the Jewish community later reported that the SUV had been stolen.

Chaim Klein, whose son was among the teens and who is part of the Adas Yisroel kehillah, recounted what his child told him after the ordeal. He said the attackers yelled “Heil Hitler,” made a Nazi salute, and issued stabbing threats as they pursued the boys for several minutes.

“They were forced to run and hide, while the passengers chased them in the car, searched for them and tried to drive towards them,” Klein told the local Herald Sun. “This was a deliberate and targeted act of intimidation and hatred that put young lives in immediate danger and left the community shaken.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every so often, a familiar wave of anxiety ripples through the community, as it did today. A blogger is coming. An outsider is asking questions. Someone with a camera, a notebook, or a following wants to see Lakewood — and suddenly the instinct is to retreat, to warn, to clamp down, to treat the visit as a threat rather than an opportunity.

Why?

Why are we so frightened of being seen?

If someone wants to come to Lakewood, let them come. And instead of scrambling behind the scenes or whispering about damage control, why don’t we do the most obvious, intelligent, and self-respecting thing possible: show them who we actually are.

Show them Bais Medrash Govoah, not as a buzzword or a caricature, but as the largest Talmudic academy in the country. Let them see thousands of young men learning with seriousness, discipline, and purpose, from early morning until late at night. Let them understand that this is not some fringe phenomenon, but a sustained commitment to Torah that defines an entire town.

Show them the community that exists around it — families raising children with values, schools educating tens of thousands of students, shuls full on weekday mornings. Show them neighborhoods that function, systems that work, and a population that is invested in the future of its children.

Take them down Avenue of the States. Show them the businesses, the commerce, the jobs, the storefronts, the offices, and the economic activity that supports not only our own community but the broader township as well. Let them see that Lakewood is not a burden, but a contributor, socially, economically, and civically.

And then show them what almost never gets photographed.

Show them the chesed. The charities. The volunteer organizations. The endless web of quiet generosity that steps in long before government agencies do — meals delivered without fanfare, funds raised overnight for families in crisis, medical advocacy, Bikur Cholim, gemachs of every kind. Show them the infrastructure of responsibility that exists because we believe in taking care of our own.

What exactly are we afraid they’ll uncover?

If we believe in what we are building here — and we should — then fear is not a strategy. Silence is not strength. And treating every outsider as an enemy only guarantees that the story will be written without us.

There will always be people who come with preconceived notions. There will always be critics who arrive determined to find fault. But hiding doesn’t disarm them. It empowers them. When we refuse to engage, we leave the field open to ignorance, rumor, and narrative-building by those who don’t know us and don’t care to.

We don’t need to posture or perform. We don’t need talking points or defensive statements. We need confidence…calm, intelligent confidence. We need to answer questions honestly, clearly, and like mentchen who are comfortable in their own skin.

Outsiders will talk whether we invite them or not. Bloggers will write whether we cooperate or not. The only choice we have is whether the picture they paint is based on speculation — or reality.

Lakewood is not perfect. No community is. But it is real, vibrant, productive, and deeply rooted in values that have sustained our people for centuries. That is not something to hide from. It is something to stand behind.

Stop being scared. Stop acting as if visibility is a threat. It isn’t.

Open the door. Walk them through. Let them see the truth …. not the version whispered about by people who have never set foot here, but the one lived every day by tens of thousands of families.

If we have nothing to hide, then we have nothing to fear.

Sincerely,

Y. B. H.

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On the eve of the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, new figures spotlight the scale of the administration’s immigration enforcement, even as Trump publicly praised what he described as a year of major accomplishments. An analysis highlighted by The New York Times reports that roughly 540,000 immigrants have been removed during Trump’s first year back in office.

According to the breakdown, about 230,000 individuals were arrested and deported from within the United States, approximately 270,000 were expelled after being caught at the border, and around 40,000 opted to accept financial assistance to leave voluntarily under a self-deportation program.

Taken together, those categories put the total number of removals at an estimated 540,000 since Trump returned to the White House.

“The number of deportations from interior arrests since Mr. Trump took office is already higher than the total during the entire four years of the Biden administration,” the Times analysis read. “It offers the clearest measure of the impact of Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown and expansive efforts to fulfill his campaign promise to deport millions of people.
“At the same time, the number of people trying to cross the Southwest border has fallen to record lows. As a result, far fewer people were arrested and deported from the border than in the preceding few years.”

Separate data released by Department of Homeland Security in December pointed to even larger overall numbers, stating that more than 2.5 million immigrants had departed the country amid the administration’s enforcement push. That total included an estimated 1.9 million self-deportations alongside more than 622,000 formal deportations.

“In less than a year, President Trump has delivered some of the most historic and consequential achievements in presidential history — and this administration is just getting started,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making America safe again and putting the American people first. In record-time we have secured the border, taken the fight to cartels, and arrested thousands upon thousands of criminal illegal aliens. Though 2025 was historic, we won’t rest until the job is done.”

The DHS summary also laid out several headline indicators, including a steep year-over-year drop in border crossings, a sharp decline in daily apprehensions at the Southwest border, seven consecutive months in which Border Patrol released no migrants into the country, and a total number of apprehensions far below averages recorded during the prior administration.

Republican leaders echoed that message. “Just one year into his second term, President Trump has delivered more results for the American people than any president in history,” said Joe Gruters, chair of the Republican National Committee. “He’s reversing the damage of Biden’s far-left agenda by bringing prices down, unleashing American energy, securing the border, and rebuilding our military.
“Families are finally getting relief, our communities are safer, and America is respected again on the world stage. President Trump is putting America first every single day, and this is only the beginning — the best is still ahead.”

Independent analyses have pointed to a concurrent decline in the population living in the country without legal status. A report from the Congressional Budget Office estimated that number fell by roughly 360,000 over the past year, while research from the Brookings Institution suggested the overall foreign-born population may have dropped by as many as 295,000.

These developments come amid demonstrations in Minnesota, where leftist “agitators” have protested Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

“In Minnesota, there is too much media attention on ICE, who have removed some of the worst murderers and criminals in the World, people let into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden’s horrendous Open Border Policy, and not enough attention paid to the staggering sums of money stolen from the State by corrupt Minnesota politicians!” Trump wrote Monday in a Truth Social post.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump this afternoon that U.S. intelligence agencies believe they have identified where the body of Israeli soldier St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili is being held in the Gaza Strip, speaking during a press conference in Washington, DC.

“We got the 28 hostages; they have one left, that we think we know where it is. Amazing,” Trump said.

Gvili is believed to be the final Israeli hostage still in Gaza. He was taken on October 7 during fierce fighting at Kibbutz Alumim, where he was battling Hamas terrorists as part of the IDF’s Golani Brigade.

In a December interview with Ma’ariv, Gvili’s mother, Talik, shared information she said was based on intelligence assessments. “The intelligence is that Ran was not killed on the spot,” she said.

“We know he was wounded in the heroic battle at Kibbutz Alumim, hit by a bullet in his hand and shoulder area. Intelligence believes he didn’t receive medical treatment and therefore didn’t survive,” she added.

{Matzav.com}

Habochur Naftali Tzvi Kramer z”l, an 18-year-old talmid from the Satmar Yeshiva in Komemiyus, was killed in a horrific traffic accident while returning from a protest against post-mortem examinations.

Naftali Tzvi, a resident of Yerushalayim, was struck at the entrance to Moshav Komemiyus as he was making his way back to the yeshiva together with fellow bochurim. He passed away just weeks before his 18th birthday.

According to details released for publication, the accident occurred on Route 3533. Witnesses reported that a Metropoline bus transporting chareidi girls was traveling at high speed. Students walking along the side of the road stated that the bus struck Naftali Tzvias they were proceeding together on the shoulder. However, authorities have not established clear evidence that the driver acted intentionally.

Askani Shimon Shisha, together with ZAKA volunteers, has been working to ensure that the body is released without being transferred to the forensic institute.

Naftali Tzvihad returned from a protest opposing autopsies, which he attended in accordance with the directives of his rabbanim.

Naftali Tzvi was born in Yerushalayim on 27 Shevat 5768 to his father, Reb Yissachar Dov Kramer, a respected Satmar chassid, and his mother, Mrs. Bracha Beila Kramer, daughter of Rav Menashe Gottlieb. He was raised in a home steeped in Torah and chassidus.

He studied at the Satmar Talmud Torah in Yerushalayim, continued on to the Yeitev Lev Satmar Yeshiva L’tzeirim, and later joined the Satmar Yeshiva Gedolah, Yeitev Lev D’Rabbeinu Yoel, in Komemiyus.

Friends described him as an elevated and refined young man, devoted to avodas Hashem and meticulous in his conduct. “He would spend a full hour preparing himself before tefillah, with seriousness and focus,” one friend said. “He was noble, gentle, and always greeted others with a warm smile.”

Just a month ago, Naftali Tzviwas seen davening Shacharis alongside Rav Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, son of the Satmar Rebbe, during a visit to the yeshiva for the inauguration of a new mikvah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Moshe Itach, a father of three who heads an educational framework for children with high-functioning autism, described the terrifying hours he endured after learning that his young son had been present at the Yerushalayim daycare where a fatal incident unfolded. Speaking with Kan Moreshet, he recounted how the family struggled to locate their child amid widespread confusion.

“My wife called me in the middle of the day to say there had been an incident at our son’s nursery and that six children had been taken to hospital. We didn’t know who had taken them, where they were taken, or what condition our child was in,” he said. For roughly two hours, the family went from hospital to hospital across the city, desperate for answers.

“Those were two hours of complete uncertainty. You hear rumors, people are talking about infants in serious condition, and you don’t know where your child is. In the end, we discovered he was at Shaare Zedek. Thank God, he’s fine,” Itach added, expressing visible relief.

Even as he spoke of his own son’s safety, Itach emphasized the broader national grief that followed the incident. “Yesterday, Klal Yisroel lost two children. It’s an unimaginable tragedy. It’s hard even to think about it. There are no words that can comfort parents who have lost an infant,” he said.

Responding to criticism directed at the daycare’s employees, Itach said he felt compelled to speak up on their behalf. “I know the head teacher, the caregivers, and the assistants. These are devoted women who chose this profession out of a sense of mission – not out of necessity. My son was happy to go to the nursery and happy to come home. That is not something to be taken for granted.”

He also pointed to structural problems that place families and caregivers in an untenable position. “The state makes staffing difficult, the pay is low, and parents – especially young couples studying in yeshiva – are often forced to choose between cost and safety. It’s an impossible situation,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Itach called on parents to engage in honest self-examination. “Every father and mother needs to ask themselves: Where am I sending my child in the morning? Is this a place I can truly trust? This isn’t about blame. It’s about responsibility.”

{Matzav.com}

Another Rosh Chodesh morning at the Kosel unfolded amid tension and frustration, as regular mispallelim reported preferential treatment for a Reform women’s group, while hundreds of people were delayed or blocked from entering the plaza.

According to on-site reports, the arrival of the group that identifies itself as Women of the Wall created a charged atmosphere from the early morning hours. Journalist Nati Kalish, reporting live from the scene, said many mispallelim were forced to wait extended periods before being allowed into the plaza.

Kalish described unusually long security checks. “A line of at least an hour, and even more, in the morning cold,” he said, explaining that guards allowed mispallelim through one at a time while carefully inspecting every item. He claimed the delays were intentional, aimed at keeping the plaza relatively empty during the group’s prayer.

Much of the anger, according to the report, stemmed from how the Reform group was brought into the compound. “They go in first, bypass the line and simply enter,” Kalish said, adding, “It’s infuriating to see people in their 60s and 70s standing in the cold and waiting, while they walk straight through as if the place belongs to them.”

Witnesses also reported pushing and confrontations during the prayer itself. Accounts from the Lev Center said the group positioned itself near the partition, used loudspeakers, and prayed loudly. “The goal is one thing—to disrupt and to harm the sanctity of the Kosel,” Kalish said, adding that there were also incidents of violence directed at ushers.

Kalish reported that the group remained at the site for roughly an hour and a half to two hours before leaving under escort. “They’re treated with respect here,” he said, noting that only after their departure did services for regular mispallelim return to normal. Among other things, the coffee stand in the plaza was reportedly shut down while the group was present. “On Rosh Chodesh they don’t serve coffee to mispallelim out of fear of ‘unusual incidents.’ Only after they left did everything reopen.”

He also described the reaction of regular mispallelim . Many, he said, stood davening with their hands over their ears. “Hundreds of people are literally blocking their ears just so they can concentrate on tefillah and not hear the shouting,” Kalish said. He noted that about 100 yeshiva bochurim from abroad arrived later in the morning, singing and davening loudly, which largely drowned out the voices of the radical, controversial group.

The broadcast ended with a public call to attend the Kosel in large numbers next Rosh Chodesh, for the month of Adar. “The more Jews who come to daven, the less chance they’ll be able to get in,” the hosts said, calling the situation “a scandal that repeats itself every month” and urging those responsible for managing the site to intervene and safeguard the sanctity of the holy place.

The mother of Leah Goloventzitz a”h, who died in the tragic incident at a daycare in Romema, issued a public statement distancing her family from violent demonstrations linked to the debate over the proposed autopsy of her daughter’s body.

In a personal message addressed directly to the public, Brocha Goloventzitz wrote that the family is enduring an unbearable loss and, amid their grief, is also being forced to contend with rumors, interpretations, and misinformation circulating online and in public discourse.

She said that over the past 24 hours, the family’s tragedy has been tied to violent protests surrounding the intention to conduct an autopsy, stressing unequivocally that such actions do not reflect the family’s path or beliefs.

The mother emphasized that aside from those directly involved, no one truly knows the facts that led to Leah’s passing. She noted that the family has been exposed to headlines, images, and statements taken out of context, some of which are based on partial or incorrect information that does not represent the full reality.

Addressing the decision to oppose an autopsy, she wrote that the considerations and steps taken by the family after the incident are not known to the public. Those decisions, she said, were made only after thorough consultations and careful deliberation, including receiving information from police and medical professionals. She added that even the family itself does not yet know the complete picture, describing days without sleep or appetite as they struggle to understand what truly happened.

In closing, Leah’s mother appealed to the public to act with ahavas Yisroel, to halt the spread of unverified information, and to allow the family to mourn their devastating loss without the addition of unnecessary pain.

Earlier today, Israel’s High Court ruled that an autopsy would not be performed on the two toddlers who passed away.

{Matzav.com}