Matzav

Investigators probing the disappearance of Moishi Kleinerman have taken an unusual step, turning to civilian technology based on artificial intelligence to explore new investigative avenues. Analysis of the data has led to the identification of an additional terrain route that, according to assessments, may be the last location where Kleinerman was present.

Moishi Kleinerman has been missing since March 2022, after he was last seen in the Mount Meron area, which he reached without a mobile phone. A new development has now emerged in the case, involving an unconventional move aimed at examining further possibilities.

Police in the Judea and Samaria District decided to utilize civilian AI-based technology capable of analyzing data patterns not detectable to the human eye. The data analysis pointed to a specific terrain route in the Mount Meron area that may be the final place Kleinerman was located, according to a report by i24NEWS.

Police stress that it is still not possible to determine with certainty that this was indeed the teenager’s last location, but preparations are underway to conduct searches in the area. At the same time, new testimonies have been collected. Next week, investigators are expected to deploy an investigative tool known as the “Crystal Ball,” typically used to solve murder cases, which will be employed for the first time in the search for a missing person. The commander of the Judea and Samaria District has updated the family on the latest developments.

{Matzav.com}

Democratic leaders said a White House proposal responding to their demands on immigration enforcement falls far short, calling it “incomplete and insufficient” as they push for tighter limits on President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and warn that funding for the Department of Homeland Security could lapse.

In a statement issued late Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said a counterproposal sent by the White House after the weekend “included neither details nor legislative text” and failed to address “the concerns Americans have about ICE’s lawless conduct.”

The White House has not made its proposal public.

The standoff comes with the clock ticking toward a possible partial government shutdown set to begin Shabbos. Democrats are seeking a range of changes, including a requirement for judicial warrants, clearer identification for DHS officers, revised use-of-force standards, and an end to racial profiling. They argue the measures are needed following the fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents in Minneapolis last month.

Earlier Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota voiced optimism about the unusual talks between Democrats and the White House, saying there had been “forward progress.”

Thune said the exchange of proposals between the two sides was encouraging and that “hopefully they can find some common ground here.”

Reaching a deal on immigration enforcement remains difficult, however, as skepticism runs deep among rank-and-file lawmakers in both parties about the prospects for compromise.

Republicans have pushed back on many of the Democratic demands and some have offered counterconditions, including legislation requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and penalties for cities they argue are not doing enough to combat illegal immigration.

At the same time, many Democrats angered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s aggressive tactics have said they will not support additional DHS funding unless enforcement efforts are significantly curtailed.

“Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a DHS funding bill moves forward,” Jeffries said earlier Monday. “Period. Full stop.”

Congress is now attempting to renegotiate DHS funding after Trump agreed to a Democratic request to pull it out of a broader spending package that became law last week. That legislation temporarily extended Homeland Security funding at current levels only through Feb. 13, creating a narrow window for negotiations over new limits on ICE and other federal agencies.

Democrats escalated their demands for changes to ICE and other federal law enforcement after ICE-watch activist Alex Pretti was fatally shot during a confrontation with U.S. Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis on Jan. 24. Some Republicans also suggested at the time that new restrictions might be warranted. Renee Good was shot by an ICE agent on Jan. 7.

Although Trump agreed to separate the DHS funding, he has not publicly addressed the Democrats’ specific requests.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said late last week that the Trump administration is open to discussing some of the items on the Democratic list, but said “others don’t seem like they are grounded in any common sense, and they are nonstarters for this administration.”

Schumer and Jeffries have called for immigration officers to remove masks, display identification, and better coordinate with local authorities. They are also pressing for tougher use-of-force rules, stronger legal protections at detention centers, and a ban on using body-worn cameras to track protesters.

Among their additional demands, Democrats want Congress to halt indiscriminate arrests, “improve warrant procedures and standards,” make clear that officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant, and require verification that a detainee is not a U.S. citizen before detention.

Republicans have said they support requiring DHS officers to wear body cameras — language that appeared in the original DHS funding bill — but have resisted many of the other proposals.

“Taking the masks off ICE officers and agents, the reason we can’t do that is that it would subject them to great harm, their families at great risk because people are doxing them and targeting them,” House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said Monday. “We’ve got to talk about things that are reasonable and achievable.”

Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee said Sunday that Democrats are “trying to motivate a radical left base.”

“The left has gone completely overboard, and they’re threatening the safety and security of our agents so they cannot do their job,” Hagerty said.

Beyond ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Homeland Security funding bill also covers agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration. Thune warned last week that if DHS shuts down, “there’s a very good chance we could see more travel problems” similar to those during last year’s 43-day government shutdown.

Lawmakers in both parties have floated the idea of separating funding for ICE and Border Patrol and passing the remainder by Friday. Thune has shown little enthusiasm for that approach, instead favoring another short-term extension for all of DHS while talks continue.

“If there’s additional time that’s needed, then hopefully Democrats would be amenable to another extension,” Thune said.

Many Democrats are unlikely to support another temporary extension, though Republicans could still muster enough Democratic votes if lawmakers believe negotiations are making progress.

“The ball is in the Republicans’ court,” Jeffries said Monday.

{Matzav.com}

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday that he believes the federal immigration enforcement surge in the state is nearing its conclusion and could wrap up within “days, not weeks and months,” citing recent discussions with senior officials in the Trump administration.

Speaking at a news conference, the Democratic governor said he held conversations with border czar Tom Homan on Monday and with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles early Tuesday. Homan assumed control of the federal operation in Minnesota in late January, following a second deadly shooting involving federal officers and growing political criticism over how the effort was being carried out.

“We’re very much in a trust but verify mode,” Walz said. He added that he expects additional clarification from the administration “in the next day or so” about the future of what he described as an “occupation” and a “retribution campaign” directed at Minnesota.

Walz said that while he is cautiously optimistic because “every indication I have is that this thing is winding up,” he acknowledged the situation remains fluid and could still change.

“It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they’re bringing her down and they’re bringing her down in days,” Walz said. “That would be my expectation.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the governor’s statements.

Walz said he has no reason to doubt Homan’s assertion last week that 700 federal officers would immediately withdraw from Minnesota, but noted that such a move would still leave roughly 2,300 federal personnel operating in the state.

At the time, Homan pointed to what he called an “increase in unprecedented collaboration” that reduced the need for a larger federal presence, including cooperation from jails holding inmates eligible for deportation.

The governor also said he expects the state to receive “cooperation on joint investigations” into the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers, though he did not elaborate. State officials have said those cases have been a source of tension, arguing they have been excluded from the investigations and denied access to evidence.

Walz convened the news conference largely to highlight what he said has been the economic fallout from the enforcement surge. He spoke at The Market at Malcolm Yards, a local food hall where owner Patty Wall said the broader restaurant industry has become “collateral damage” as a result of the crackdown.

Matt Varilek, the state’s commissioner of employment and economic development, said Malcolm Yards would typically be packed but is now struggling because workers and customers are staying away out of fear tied to the enforcement activity.

“So it is great news, of course, that the posture seems to have changed at the federal level toward their activities here in Minnesota,” Varilek said.

“But, as the governor said, it’s a trust-but-verify situation. And frankly, the fear that has been sown, I haven’t really noticed any reduction in that.”

{Matzav.com}

Federal investigators secured a search warrant to confiscate hundreds of boxes of ballots from Fulton County, Georgia election facilities, launching a criminal probe into possible “deficiencies or defects” in how votes were tallied during the 2020 presidential election won by President Donald Trump’s opponent, according to a court filing made public Tuesday.

The newly unsealed affidavit offers the first official explanation for an FBI operation carried out last month in a jurisdiction that President Trump and his allies have long pointed to as a focal point of their claims that the 2020 vote was mishandled.

According to the affidavit, the inquiry draws heavily on assertions that have circulated for years among individuals who, including the president, maintain that fraud occurred in the 2020 election.

Those assertions have been repeatedly disputed by audits, election officials, the courts, and even President Trump’s former attorney general, prolonging a national dispute that continued through President Biden’s administration and into President Trump’s return to the White House.

Investigators are examining Fulton County’s acknowledgment that it lacks scanned images for all ballots counted in both the initial tally and the subsequent recount, the affidavit states. County officials also confirmed that some ballots were scanned more than once during the recount process.

“If these deficiencies were the result of intentional action, it would be a violation of federal law regardless of whether the failure to retain records or the deprivation of a fair tabulation of a vote was outcome determinative for any particular election or race,” the document says.

The affidavit further explains that the seizure of election materials was required to assess whether records had been destroyed or whether vote totals included “materially false votes.”

Investigators cite potential violations of federal statutes governing the preservation and retention of election records, which carry misdemeanor penalties, as well as a separate law that makes it a felony to “knowingly and willfully” deprive voters of a “fair and impartially conducted election process.”

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”

It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.) 

Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.

Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!

Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!

YES! YOU CAN MAKE

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly:  It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact. 

All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own. 

Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden. 

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.

All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.

The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –

The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon. 

Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).

One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:

“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).

“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.

“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”

Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:

“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

 “Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”

Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory. 

ShasYiden.com

Russia is exploiting negotiations to end the war in Ukraine as a “tool for manipulation” as it aims to restore relations with the US, but has no intention of ending the invasion, according to an assessment by Estonian foreign intelligence.

“Russia is setting long-term operational objectives in its war against Ukraine. This confirms that the recent uptick in peace-talk rhetoric is merely a tactic to buy time,” according to the annual report of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service published on Tuesday.

The assessment casts a shadow over US President Donald Trump’s effort to end the four-year war, as his envoys seek to bring together Russian and Ukrainian negotiators. While Kyiv has secured commitments for guarantees designed to prevent a further Russian attack, talks have stalled over other issues including territory.

The Kremlin has instructed Russia’s state institutions to “project openness” to cooperate with the US, the Estonian report said. The main objective is to restore full relations with Washington, a path that would open the possibility of direct flights and visas for the business elite – as well as easing the path for espionage, influence operations and sanctioned goods, it said.

Sanctions relief is essential for sustaining President Vladimir Putin’s power system as a deteriorating economy stemming from falling oil production sows division among the ruling elite.

“The Kremlin merely feigns interest in peace talks, hoping to restore its bilateral relations with the United States to their previous level and formalize Ukraine’s defeat,” the spy agency said.

Russia is also seeking to collaborate with the US on nuclear arms safety – a process that helps the country retain its great power status. “Presenting itself as a responsible nuclear power” is part of a strategy to open broader security talks, aimed at potentially imposing restrictions on NATO activity, the report said.

According to the Baltic nation’s spy agency, one option for Moscow is to establish a postwar reconstruction fund financed by Russian assets frozen in the West, enabling Moscow to effectively impose its will on Ukraine and pay for propaganda campaigns.

The report from Estonia, a European Union and NATO member state that borders Russia, said that Moscow’s military-industrial complex will continue to be a danger to its neighbors even after a peace deal might be agreed. Moscow still hopes to restrict NATO activity along its border – and “Russia is highly likely preparing for future conflict even as its war against Ukraine continues,” it said.

Military production is expected to stagnate this year as an increasingly dire economic outlook sows division among the ruling elite, the report said, citing higher borrowing costs and low investment as factors driving the economy into recession.

Oil production, a major source of Russian government funding, has steadily declined and is unlikely to rebound in coming years, the report said. Higher taxes and spending cuts to cover the cost of war – combined with Ukrainian drones strikes reaching deeper into Russia – have dampened consumer sentiment. But total economic collapse is unlikely, according to the spy agency.

“Divisions within the ruling elite over economic policy have also sharpened, resulting in disagreements spilling into the public domain over the state of the economy and the central bank’s monetary policy,” the report said.

(c) 2026, Bloomberg 

Staten Island stands apart from the rest of New York City in more ways than one. But its status as a Republican redoubt in a Democratic stronghold is under threat.

In January, a state court judge ruled that New York’s 11th Congressional District, which encompasses Staten Island and a wedge of southwestern Brooklyn, violates the voting rights of minorities who live within it, and must be redrawn.

The judge had given a state panel, the Independent Redistricting Commission, until Feb. 6 to come up with a new map. But the process was paused after Representative Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican who’s held the seat since 2021, launched an effort to overturn the judge’s order. A new deadline of Feb. 23 has been set for the judge to finalize the lines.

“If the people of this district don’t want me to represent them, they can vote me out in the election,” Malliotakis said in an interview with Bloomberg News. She blamed the effort to revise her district’s borders on political operatives in Washington.

“In no way will we allow a Washington law firm to come along and dictate how this community is going to be represented,” she said.

The battle on Staten Island is playing out amid a nationwide campaign to redraw political borders and gain a leg up in the 2026 midterm elections. So far, the parties have largely dueled to a draw. With Congress narrowly divided, control of the House could turn on a small number of skirmishes over district lines.

Some Staten Islanders say the fight reflects deeper anxiety about how the borough is changing. Over the past 25 years, an influx of Latino and Asian residents have moved to the northern section of the island, drawn by the prospect of cheaper housing and a more suburban lifestyle. Meanwhile, its South Shore, with its more spacious homes and strong schools, has remained a Republican bastion.

Paul Alexander Shali-Ogli, an activist and campaign consultant who resides on the island, said the shifting demographics have unsettled parts of its electorate. “There are a lot of people who are hopeful for the future,” said Shali-Ogli. “But then there seem to be a minority who can’t accept that the island has changed since the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.”

Yet Joseph Pidoriano, a local entrepreneur, said reshaping the district would betray Staten Island’s conservative character.

“They’re going to redraw the lines and make this district a destination where our values aren’t represented,” said Pidoriano. “Our values are faith, family, freedom, leadership, and the ability to be successful.”

Malliotakis’s district has been New York City’s most durable Republican perch since the early 1980s, when the Staten Island-anchored seat, then numbered differently and once extending into Lower Manhattan, was redrawn to include a conservative-leaning sliver of Brooklyn. Only two Democrats – Michael McMahon in 2008 and Max Rose in 2018 – have won there since. Neither served more than one term.

Malliotakis, whose mother left Cuba following the rise of Fidel Castro, said that hers is “the only competitive seat” in New York City, and serves as a counterweight to Democratic dominance of local politics. Many Staten Island Republicans reject the idea that the district’s Black and Latino voters have been disenfranchised.

“It’s absurd that a district that elects a Latina would somehow empower minorities by removing the more diverse portion of NY-11 in Brooklyn and replacing it with a lily white district in Lower Manhattan,” said Joe Borelli, a former Republican city and state lawmaker for Staten Island who testified in the January court hearing.

– – –

Conservative Culture

On the Staten Island Ferry, during the free, nearly 30-minute ride across New York Harbor, the Manhattan skyline recedes gradually. At the St. George Ferry Terminal, passengers step off the boat into a borough where most trips continue by car rather than subway, and where the pace and scale feel far removed from the rest of New York City.

Staten Island’s landscape looks less like Midtown than New Jersey, to which it is linked by three bridges. The island’s quiet streets are lined by single-family homes in car-dependent, hilly neighborhoods, where a plethora of American flags snapped in gusting wind on a frigid February morning.

Much of the borough’s commercial activity runs along Hylan Boulevard, a stretch of set-back strip malls and residential areas running from Tottenville at the island’s southern tip toward Fort Wadsworth, just across the water from Brooklyn on the island’s northeast.

For many commuters, getting to the city’s major employment hubs means a drive on the Staten Island Expressway and over the towering Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, through traffic that island residents routinely rank among the worst in the city. Others rely on express buses that charge $7.25 each way.

Staten Island’s physical isolation from the rest of New York City and its status as a haven for blue-collar workers and city employees including police officers and firefighters has long defined its proudly conservative political culture.

Democrats argue that their party would better represent the island’s changing makeup. Assemblymember Charles Fall, chair of Staten Island Democrats, sees it as a question of how effectively the district’s interests are represented in Congress.

“If we had a Democrat in this seat, I think we would see a representative that was much more reflective of what hardworking people need in this area,” Fall said.

With half a million residents, Staten Island is the least populous New York City borough. Its median annual household income of nearly $100,000 is around $20,000 higher than the citywide average. It is majority White, according to the US Census, but its Asian American and Hispanic populations have surged in the past 25 years.

Many of those new residents have clustered on the island’s North Shore, where denser housing, lower incomes and higher shares of Black, Latino and immigrant residents contrast with the predominantly white South Shore. The island is bisected by the Staten Island Expressway, a six-lane artery that residents and planners have long described as a social and economic boundary.

Staten Island Republicans fear that if Democrats prevail in their redistricting push, they would be losing representation, and that has renewed talk of seceding from the city to get out from under Democratic domination.

“It’s a serious conversation, and I feel it’s percolating again,” Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said.

Secession efforts have surfaced before at times when borough leaders felt Staten Island’s needs weren’t being addressed. In 1993, nearly two-thirds of voters approved a referendum to secede from the city, but the movement stalled in the New York State Assembly.

– – –

National Redistricting Push

The legal dispute over the district’s shape will likely turn on the question of whether it is being redrawn to benefit one party or another.

New York passed an amendment to its state constitution in 2014 that prohibits the redrawing of congressional districts to favor candidates or parties.

“Political gerrymandering sets up a system where it’s more like an incumbent protection program,” Malliotakis said. “You eliminate competitive seats like mine, and you make them lopsided where only one party can win, and therefore the voters can’t hold that individual accountable.”

On a national level, the pressure to revise electoral boundaries is likely to persist. The unusual middecade scramble to design new districts – previously, most states only altered their maps after the decennial US census – could become a new norm amid increased polarization and closely divided government. But some onlookers have recoiled at leaving much of the process in the hands of courts.

“You don’t want to see lines drawn by judicial decree,” said Richard Flanagan, a political science professor at the College of Staten Island. “You’d rather have a good state legislative process draw the lines.”

GOP officials have signaled their willingness to take their case to the US Supreme Court, if necessary. In the meantime, Republicans on Staten Island fear that they could lose one their few remaining avenues for exerting national influence.

“One of the few ways in which Republican voters can have a voice, at least on the national stage, is through this seat,” Fossella said. “And to silence it in this way, in this form, just reaffirms people’s cynicism.”

(c) 2026, Bloomberg 

US Attorney General Pam Bondi asked an appeals court to resurrect the scuttled indictments of two of President Donald Trump’s perceived enemies, former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Bondi, joined by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, said in a 56-page court filing Monday that a lower court erred in November when it disqualified the prosecutor who handled the indictments and tossed them out.

The prosecutor was Lindsey Halligan, one of Trump’s former personal attorneys, who he brought in to serve as interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after his first pick for the office declined to bring charges against Comey and James, citing a lack of evidence.

Halligan quickly secured indictments against the two, accusing Comey of lying to Congress and James of committing mortgage fraud – charges they each denied.

US District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie threw out the indictments, ruling that Halligan’s appointment was unlawful because she was the second lawyer in a row to hold the office on an interim basis. Federal law allows presidents to appoint US attorneys for 120 days on an interim basis before they are approved by the US Senate.

In her filing, Bondi accused the judge of infringing on the president’s power to appoint US attorneys. The judge’s ruling, “mistakenly aggrandizes the district court’s appointment authority at the expense of the Executive Branch’s, which is where the Constitution assigns authority to prosecute crime,” the attorney general argued.

Bondi said that even if there was a “paperwork mistake” in the appointment of Halligan, it hasn’t “prejudiced” the rights of Comey and James and has since been “cured several times over” by the attorney general signing onto the indictments.

Bondi is asking the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse the lower court orders.

The case is United States v. Comey, 25-4674, 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

(c) 2026, Bloomberg 

President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of a bridge between Michigan and Ontario, claiming Canada is trying to “take advantage of America” and calling for compensation in the latest flash point in the simmering tensions between the United States and its northern neighbor.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge – a six-lane bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, that has cost about $4.7 billion to build – has been under construction since 2018 and is due to open early this year, according to the organization behind it.

On Monday, Trump said he “will not allow” it to open in a post on Truth Social, saying Canada had treated the U.S. “very unfairly for decades” and that the U.S. would not benefit from the project.

“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,” he said. It was unclear how Trump would be able to delay or block the project from opening.

“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” he said, adding that the revenue generated from the project “will be astronomical.”

The bridge, named after Canadian ice hockey legend Gordie Howe, who played for the Detroit Red Wings, has been labeled a “once-in-a-generation undertaking” by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, the Canadian government entity responsible for delivering it. It is set to have U.S. and Canadian entry ports and an interchange connecting to Michigan’s road network.

The bridge is financed by the Canadian government but is publicly owned by the governments of Canada and Michigan, with terms outlined in a 2012 Crossing Agreement. The agreement stated all iron and steel used in the project must be produced in the U.S. or Canada.

Canada will recoup the costs of funding the bridge from toll revenue, the Canadian government said in 2022.

Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said regardless of whether Trump’s threat is real or an attempt at creating uncertainty, “blocking or barricading bridges is a self-defeating move.”

“The path forward isn’t deconstructing established trade corridors, it’s actually building bridges,” she said in an emailed statement.

The complaint is the latest in a string of blows he has leveled at Canada and Prime Minister Mark Carney, rupturing the traditionally close relationship between the two allies.

Last month, Trump threatened to decertify and impose tariffs on Canadian-built aircraft in a move that sparked fears of wide ramifications for U.S. air travel. He also traded barbs with the Carney on the world stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and later revoked his invitation for Canada to join the Board of Peace, an entity that Trump has claimed will resolve global conflicts.

The latest comments mark a sharp contrast to Trump’s previous support for the project. In a February 2017 statement with then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump highlighted the closeness of the two countries and praised the bridge as a “vital economic link.”

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set to absorb traffic from the nearby Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, which is owned by Detroit’s Moroun family and responsible for about a quarter of all trade between the U.S. and Canada. The owners have appealed to Trump to stop construction of the new bridge and sued the Canadian government for approving it, claiming it will infringe on their right to collect revenue.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that Trump’s post was “insane,” noting that U.S. steel was used in construction on the Michigan side of the bridge.

“I really can’t believe what I’m reading,” Dilkens said. “The faster we can get to the midterms and hopefully see a change, the better for all of us.”

He also mocked Trump’s suggestion – made in the social media post without any supporting evidence – that if Canada makes a trade deal with China, China would “terminate” Canadian ice hockey and eliminate the Stanley Cup.

“Thankfully the bridge was named after Gordie Howe before China terminates hockey and eliminates the Stanley Cup!” Dilkens quipped on X.

U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) said Trump’s threats to tank the bridge project meant he was “punishing Michiganders for a trade war he started.”

“The only reason Canada is on the verge of a trade deal with China is because President Trump has kicked them in the teeth for a year,” she wrote in a post on X.

“The President’s agenda for personal retribution should not come before what’s best for us. Canada is our friend – not our enemy. And I will do everything in my power to get this critical project back on track.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post 

Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd M. Lyons sparred with Democratic lawmakers who accused his agency of functioning like a violent secret police force at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday. He vowed to press forward with Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

Legislators pressed Lyons for over three hours on the detentions of U.S. citizens, the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, and aggressive actions by immigration officers in cities including Minneapolis. Lyons, at times, refused to answer questions, citing ongoing investigations, and complained about comparisons from Democratic lawmakers of ICE to Gestapo – a reference to the police of Nazi Germany, which conducted brutal arrests with no legal oversight.

In one contentious moment, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York) told Lyons that if he and his agents do not want to be referred to as a secret police force, then they should reevaluate their actions.

“I have a simple suggestion: If you don’t want to be called a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one,” Goldman said.

Lyons was joined by Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney S. Scott and Customs and Immigration Services Director Joseph B. Edlow at the bipartisan hearing – the first time the heads of ICE and CBP had appeared before the committee in President Donald Trump’s second term. Although CBP and Border Patrol officers have been at the helm of some of the deportation campaign’s most controversial tactics – including use of force against protesters – much of the scrutiny was focused on ICE.

Republican legislators largely rallied to defend the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and praised the Trump administration for drastically reducing illegal border crossings. But some of the strongest remarks came from House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-New York), who appeared to take a swipe at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem – despite not naming her – by criticizing Department of Homeland Security officials for rushing to conclusions “about law enforcement or their fellow Americans” without the completion of an impartial investigation.

“Officials and elected leaders should not rush to judgment,” Garbarino said. “Public trust and public safety go hand in hand.”

The testimony from Lyons and Scott came as public support for Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda has plummeted in the wake of the fatal shootings in Minneapolis last month. Though the Trump administration has taken some measures to try to tamp down protests in that city, including withdrawing 700 federal officers, tensions have remained between local officials and the federal government about the broad scope of the immigration enforcement operations and the aggressive tactics of officers.

“Some Minnesota officials are finally signaling the willingness to cooperate with ICE,” Lyons said. “Well, let me be clear: Promises are not enough. We need action.”

The hearing also took place as DHS is set to shut down Saturday unless lawmakers strike a last-minute deal to fund the agency.

Democrats have demanded new restrictions on federal immigration agents in exchange for their votes. Their demands include tighter rules around the use of warrants, independent investigations of alleged misconduct, a ban on agents wearing masks, and a mandate for them to wear body cameras. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) have dismissed Republicans’ counteroffer as not detailed enough to negotiate over.

“I think it demonstrates that they want to be seen to be working with us, but they’re clearly sandbagging,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said. Republicans have argued that there is not enough time to hash out a deal and pass it before DHS shuts down. They want Democrats to agree to fund the agency to allow more time for negotiations.

The deaths of Pretti and Good have prompted public backlash and bipartisan calls for an independent investigation. Noem has also faced bipartisan criticism for suggesting after Pretti’s death that he had committed an “act of domestic terrorism” and sought to kill law enforcement, despite video from witnesses contradicting that account.

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (Mississippi), the top Democrat on the panel, directly condemned Noem’s actions in his opening remarks Tuesday, and he demanded that she resign.

“Secretary Noem is a liar with no concern for the lives of Americans killed by the department she runs,” he said. “She must go.”

Democrats also pressed the three officials on the ethics and morals of their actions. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Michigan) asked Scott and Lyons if they expect to get a presidential pardon at the end of their terms. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-New Jersey) was more direct, telling Lyons he has blood on his hands over ICE’s tactics and asking, “Do you think you’re going to hell, Mr. Lyons?” before Garbarino interrupted her questioning.

Lyons said ICE has made 379,000 arrests in the first year of Trump’s administration, a figure that he said included 7,000 suspected gang members and more than 14,000 “known or suspected terrorists” – although he did not define who is given that designation. Federal data has shown that the majority of people who have been arrested do not have criminal convictions.

“The president has tasked us with mass deportation, and we are fulfilling that mandate,” Lyons said.

He said that immigration officers are facing “the deadliest operating environment” in history, including assaults and death threats, and that his family had been targeted. But he said: “Let me send a message to anyone who thinks you can intimidate us: You will fail.”

Noem announced last week that, “effective immediately,” DHS would deploy body cameras “to every officer in the field in Minneapolis” and would expand the body-cam program broadly, “as funding is available.” The Washington Post previously reported that in its initial budget proposal, the department said it planned to cut the staff of ICE’s body-cam program from 22 to three and reduce spending on the initiative from about $20.5 million to $5.5 million.

Lyons told lawmakers Tuesday that about 3,000 of ICE’s 13,000 officers in the field are assigned to wear body cameras, which can record their interactions with the public, and another 6,000 cameras are in the process of being deployed. Scott said that 10,000 of the 20,000 Border Patrol agents in the field have cameras and that the number is going to grow.

Asked about the training regimen of ICE officers, Lyons said the agency has not reduced the “meat of the training” but has sought to shorten amount of time it takes to get officers into the field. He said training used to take place five days a week for eight hours a day but has been changed to six days a week for 12 hours per day.

Scott said Border Patrol agents continue to undergo the standard 117-day training academy, while CBP officers attend for 103 days.

A poll from Quinnipiac University released last week found that 61 percent of voters did not think the Trump administration had provided an honest account of Pretti’s killing and that 58 percent said Noem should be removed. A recent poll from the Economist/YouGov found that 50 percent of U.S. adult citizens said ICE was making Americans less safe.

Under Noem, Border Patrol agents have played a growing role in conducting large-scale immigration enforcement operations in blue cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis. Those operations were led by senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino.

But after Pretti’s death, Bovino, who suggested that Pretti wanted to “massacre law enforcement,” left Minneapolis to return to California, where he was stationed previously. Trump instead dispatched border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis.

Edlow, Scott and Lyons are also set to appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs this week.


(c) 2026, The Washington Post 

{Matzav.com}

New York City is expected to see a noticeable warm-up in the days ahead, following an extended stretch of severe cold weather that has been linked to at least 18 deaths.

For close to three weeks, temperatures across the city have remained well below seasonal norms, with most days failing to rise above the freezing point.

The prolonged cold set in immediately after the major snowstorm on January 25, leaving behind layers of grimy, hardened snow and ice that complicated everyday life, from navigating sidewalks to finding parking and managing trash collection.

According to AccuWeather, a shift in conditions is now underway. High temperatures are forecast to reach 35 degrees on Tuesday, climb to 41 on Wednesday, and hover between 35 and 40 degrees on Thursday and Friday.

After what residents have endured since late January, those readings may feel almost balmy by comparison.

The cold wave began intensifying on January 24, with temperatures staying largely in the teens and 20s through early February. Although daytime highs briefly edged above freezing on several occasions last week, nighttime lows and wind chills continued to plunge.

The most frigid night of the season occurred this past Shabbos, when temperatures dropped to 3 degrees and wind chills sank to nearly minus 20.

The toll of the cold was a major focus Tuesday at a City Council hearing examining City Hall’s handling of the Arctic blast, after at least 18 fatalities were recorded in New York City during the severe weather period.

{Matzav.com}

As he prepared to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, President Donald Trump said he believes the Israeli leader supports reaching an agreement with Iran and expressed optimism that the current round of nuclear negotiations could succeed.

Speaking with Israeli journalist Barak Ravid of Channel 12 and the Axios news site, Trump reflected on past confrontations with Tehran, referencing the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025 following the breakdown of diplomatic efforts. “Last time they didn’t believe I would do it,” Trump said.

According to the president, Iran misjudged Washington’s resolve. “They overplayed their hand,” he said, contrasting that episode with the current talks, which he described as markedly changed. “We can make a great deal with Iran.”

Trump also rejected suggestions that Netanyahu opposes the ongoing dialogue between Washington and Tehran, including a senior-level meeting held over the weekend in Oman. “He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal,” Trump said of the Israeli prime minister.

The president added that Iran, too, is eager to reach an understanding, saying the country “wants to make a deal very badly.”

At the same time, Trump underscored that the United States is prepared to escalate if negotiations fail. “Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” he told Ravid.

Trump further noted the expansion of the US military footprint in the region, saying, “we have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going,” and added that he is “thinking” about deploying an additional aircraft carrier strike group following recent reinforcements.

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli-Russian journalist was removed Tuesday from Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s flight to Washington, just moments before departure, in an incident that raised questions about security vetting and press access ahead of the prime minister’s meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Nick Kolyohin, an independent journalist who was traveling as part of the press group invited to the White House, was already preparing to board the Prime Minister’s aircraft, known as the “Wing of Zion,” when security personnel stopped him and escorted him off the plane shortly before takeoff.

Kolyohin, who moved to Israel as a child and later served in the IDF, said the decision was made exclusively by security officials. He maintained that no explanation was provided to him at the airport, despite the fact that his participation in the flight had received prior authorization.

The Prime Minister’s Office addressed the incident in a brief statement, saying: “The security authorities decided not to approve the journalist’s participation in the flight due to security considerations, but we cannot provide further details at this stage.”

The Shin Bet also commented, emphasizing its statutory responsibilities. In its statement, the agency said: “According to its mandate and duties under the law, the service is responsible, among other things, for securing the Prime Minister. As part of this, decisions are made to minimize risks to the Prime Minister and the information surrounding him. Naturally, it is not possible to address the reasons behind individual decisions.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli officials told CNN ahead of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s expected meeting Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran’s military activity and the dangers it poses will be at the center of the talks.

According to the officials, Netanyahu plans to stress to Trump that Israel must retain the ability to act militarily against Iran, regardless of whether a diplomatic agreement is ultimately reached between Tehran and Washington. “Netanyahu will emphasize to Trump the need for military freedom of action in Iran, even if an agreement is signed between Tehran and Washington,” the officials said.

They added that the prime minister intends to brief Trump on newly obtained intelligence concerning Iran’s military developments, with particular focus on efforts to restore and expand its ballistic missile program.

Israeli assessments indicate that if no steps are taken to stop Iran, the country could amass as many as 2,000 missiles within a matter of weeks or months.

Netanyahu departed for Washington, D.C., earlier today for the diplomatic visit, during which he is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump. This marks Netanyahu’s seventh trip to the United States since Trump’s re-election.

Speaking before leaving Israel, Netanyahu said: “I am now going to the United States for my seventh trip to meet with President Trump since his re-election. This, of course, does not include his unforgettable visit to Israel and his speech in the Knesset.”

He went on to highlight the close ties between the two countries, saying: “I think these things reflect the unique closeness in the exceptional relationship we have with the United States, personally with the president, and with Israel and the United States-a relationship that has never been like this in our history.”

Netanyahu also made clear that Iran will be the primary focus of the discussions, alongside other regional matters. “In this trip, we will discuss a number of issues-Gaza, the region-but of course, first and foremost, the negotiations with Iran. I will present to the president our views on the principles of the negotiations, the important principles, which I believe are important not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East.”

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Missouri Torah Institute is where the next generation of Torah leaders is shaped. Our talmidim immerse themselves in Torah learning, refine their middos, and grow into leaders guided by knowledge grow in character, and prepare to lead with knowledge, integrity, and purpose.

For just 33 powerful hours, our Maalin B’Kodesh campaign is live –  and every donation to MTI is TRIPLED thanks to our generous matchers.

With a $1.5 million goal, your support directly ELEVATES Torah learning, strengthens middos, and fuels genuine aliya biruchniyus for our talmidim.

This is your moment to make a lasting impact

Join our Maalin B’Kodesh campaign today and help shape the future of Torah leadership at the Yeshiva of St. Louis. 

Donate Now charidy.com/mti

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States is prepared to use military force against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail to produce an agreement, signaling that force remains an option if negotiations break down.

Speaking in an interview with Channel 12 News, Trump emphasized that his preference is for a negotiated settlement, but made clear that he would not hesitate to act if talks do not succeed. “The Iranians very much want to reach a deal. Either we make a deal, or we will have to do something very tough – like last time,” he said.

Trump also revealed that he is weighing the possibility of further strengthening the U.S. military presence in the region, including the deployment of another aircraft carrier to the Middle East. “We have an armada there, and maybe another one on the way,” the President added.

The comments were made ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, which is set to take place Wednesday at the White House.

According to Trump, discussions with Netanyahu will center largely on Iran. He added that the Israeli prime minister is not feeling undue pressure from the ongoing negotiations, but is similarly interested in a favorable outcome. “I don’t think Netanyahu is pressured by the talks with Iran. He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration wants tangible returns for the significant resources the United States devotes to protecting Greenland and safeguarding broader Arctic and NATO interests in the region.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday on the airport tarmac while traveling from Armenia to Azerbaijan, Vance underscored Greenland’s strategic value. “It’s just very simple: Greenland is very important to the national security of the United States of America,” he said. He added that U.S. partners have not always carried their share of the burden, noting, “I do think that some of our allies have underinvested in Arctic security.”

Vance argued that Washington’s financial and military commitments should be matched with clear advantages for the United States. “And if we’re going to invest in Arctic security — if we’re going to basically pay a lot of money and be on the hook for protecting this massive landmass — I think it’s only reasonable for the United States to get some benefit out of that,” he said, adding that “And that’s going to be the focus of the negotiations here over the next few months.”

From Greenland’s side, Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt cautioned that discussions remain preliminary and not yet aligned with her government’s goals. While welcoming continued dialogue with Washington, she said expectations should be tempered. “We are not there where we want to be yet,” Motzfeldt said at a joint press conference in Nuuk alongside Danish and Canadian officials. “There is going to be a long track, so where we are going to land at the end, it’s too early to say.”

Vance echoed that assessment, indicating that negotiations are still in their early stages. “It’s very early in the Greenland talks,” he said. “I know that, you know, we’ve been working quite a bit on this over the last few weeks.”

At the same time, NATO is preparing to increase its Arctic footprint. Five sources told Reuters that the alliance is expected to roll out an Arctic Sentry mission in the coming days as part of an effort to strengthen its regional presence and ease tensions between President Donald Trump and European governments.

According to Reuters, the formal decision could be made as soon as this week, when NATO defense ministers gather in Brussels. The report cited three European diplomats, a military official, and another person familiar with the discussions.

The evolving situation prompted sharp comments from French President Emmanuel Macron, who warned Europe to prepare for continued friction with Washington. He described the recent focus on Greenland as a signal that the European Union must accelerate overdue economic reforms and bolster its global influence.

In interviews published Tuesday across several European newspapers, Macron said Europeans should not assume that a temporary easing of disputes with Washington signals a durable change, even if tensions over Greenland, trade, and technology appear to have cooled. “When there’s a clear act of aggression, I think what we should do isn’t bow down or try to reach a settlement,” Macron said in comments to outlets including Le Monde and the Financial Times. “I think we’ve tried that strategy for months.”

“It’s not working,” he added.

Macron went further, accusing the Trump administration of taking a hostile posture toward Europe and aiming for the bloc’s fragmentation. He said the administration was being “openly anti-European” and seeking the EU’s “dismemberment.”

He also warned that new disputes could soon emerge over technology regulation. “The U.S. will, in the coming months — that’s certain — attack us over digital regulation,” Macron said, pointing to the possibility of American tariffs if the EU uses its Digital Services Act to rein in major technology companies.

Renewing his push for joint European borrowing, Macron argued that tools such as eurobonds would allow the EU to invest on a scale large enough to compete globally and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.

European Union leaders are scheduled to convene in Brussels on Thursday, where they are expected to weigh steps aimed at strengthening the EU economy and improving its ability to compete with both the United States and China internationally.

Federal investigators on Tuesday made public the first surveillance images of what they described as a “potential subject” as the investigation intensifies into the disappearance and alleged kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of TODAY show host Savannah Guthrie.

FBI Director Kash Patel released the photographs along with two video clips in a post on X on Tuesday afternoon, as authorities continue to piece together events surrounding Guthrie’s disappearance.

“Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors – including the removal of recording devices,” Patel wrote.

According to Patel, the newly obtained footage was retrieved from residual data stored within backend systems. The images and video depict a person wearing a backpack, long sleeves, and pants approaching the front door, attempting to block the camera with a gloved hand. The individual is then seen turning away, grabbing nearby plants, and placing them in front of the camera.

Investigators had previously hoped that surveillance cameras at the residence would shed light on how Guthrie vanished. However, the doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday, and although movement was logged by software shortly afterward, the footage could not be recovered because Guthrie did not have an active subscription, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said earlier.

Working with additional partners, authorities were later able to retrieve material that had not been accessible before. “Working with our partners – as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance,” Patel said.

Officials urged anyone with information to contact federal authorities by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting tips through http://tips.fbi.gov.

Nancy Guthrie has been missing since Sunday, February 1, after she failed to appear at church services. She was last seen the previous evening at approximately 9:45 p.m., following dinner at the Tucson, Arizona, home of her daughter, Annie Guthrie.

Earlier this week, the FBI said there has been no known communication between Savannah Guthrie and any potential kidnappers more than a week after her mother disappeared. Authorities have also stated that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified. In a video shared on social media Monday afternoon, Savannah Guthrie described the situation as an “hour of desperation.”

“Please. bring her home. we need you. she needs you. all of you,” the caption accompanying the video reads.

Meanwhile, three media outlets reported receiving alleged ransom letters, with at least one including monetary demands and deadlines. One deadline passed Thursday and another on Monday evening, though officials said it remains unclear whether the letters are genuine.

The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to progress in the case.

Sheriff Nanos also disclosed that DNA testing confirmed blood found on Guthrie’s front porch belonged to her. Investigators said there is currently no proof of life, though they remain hopeful she is “still out there.” Authorities noted that Guthrie requires daily medication for reported high blood pressure and heart conditions, including a pacemaker.

Law enforcement personnel continue to maintain a presence at Guthrie’s home and plan to broaden search efforts. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said officers will persist with operations Tuesday, “including the expansion of the search and follow-up on new leads.”

{Matzav.com}

City Hall is facing mounting criticism over its decision to leave homeless individuals outdoors during dangerously cold weather, with opponents accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration of inaction as winter deaths in New York continue to climb, the NY Post reports.

Despite pleas from advocates and former officials, the administration held firm to its current approach even as the city’s winter death toll reached 18. The refusal to intervene has drawn sharper contrast with actions taken in other major cities, where leaders have ordered emergency measures to bring people inside during extreme cold.

“When a person is in imminent danger, there is no debate. Whatever ideological divides we have should not have any impact on these policies during a ‘Code Blue,’” Brian Stettin, a former senior adviser in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, told The Post.

Stettin pointed to the widely publicized case of a homeless woman seen muttering to herself while enduring brutal, subzero conditions, calling the situation “infuriating” and insisting that officials should have acted immediately.

“They should be doing everything they can to get them inside. That is why we need cops out on the streets. We are talking about an imminent threat to life or safety; there shouldn’t be any debate with advocates over that.”

The woman survived the extreme cold spell — which brought temperatures in parts of the city lower than those recorded in Antarctica — but remained on the sidewalk as of Monday. First responders told The Post that under existing city rules, they were unable to compel her to accept help.

Reporters attempted to speak with the woman, who was sheltering in a makeshift structure on East 34th Street across from NYU Langone Hospital, but she did not respond. Workers at nearby businesses said she has stayed in the same spot for “years” and that no effort had been made to move her since Saturday.

Over the weekend, City Hall briefed City Council members, but according to one council source, there was little discussion of involuntary removals of people from the streets.

The mayor’s office has argued that its hands are tied by the current “last resort” standard, which allows officials to force someone indoors only if they are judged to be an immediate danger to themselves or others — a framework critics have long described as vague and unscientific.

In contrast, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, whom Mamdani has previously praised for reducing crime, took a more aggressive stance during a recent cold snap. Scott declared the weather an emergency and directed police to bring people indoors even if they refused assistance.

“That direction order came from me because we cannot allow folks to be out in this kind of weather,” Scott said.

A City Hall spokeswoman dismissed comparisons to Baltimore, citing differences between New York and Maryland law. But former city Comptroller Scott Stringer argued that Baltimore’s response better reflects the urgency of the situation, noting that New York’s policy relies heavily on subjective judgment and that the mayor has broad authority in how it is applied.

“You bring ’em in, and you worry about the court case later,” he said.

“The question is: Is it ideology or incompetence for the lack of action? Saving lives is the most important thing you can do as an elected official. The standard has to be in this extreme weather, ‘Can they survive the night?’ And that’s what Baltimore is saying,” Stringer said.

“It’s just not a tough call when people can die in the night. I don’t understand why it’s so complicated.”

City Hall press secretary Dora Pekec said the Mamdani administration has not altered any policies related to removals that were in place under Adams.

Another source said the Department of Sanitation has been instructed to avoid dismantling homeless encampments, marking a shift from prior practice. Instead of clearing sidewalks, sanitation workers are reportedly told to carefully organize belongings left by people living outdoors, while police are barred from taking steps to remove encampments.

“It’s been essentially confusion across the board. Sanitation is now like maid services for the homeless,” said another council source.

For the first time since its passage, Israel has implemented legislation allowing for the removal of citizenship and deportation of terrorists, applying the law to two individuals convicted of deadly attacks.

The decision targets Mahmoud Ahmed, who received a 23-year prison sentence for a series of shooting assaults on soldiers and civilians, as well as for acquiring weapons and plotting additional attacks. It also applies to Mohammed Ahmed Hussein Alhasi, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a 2016 stabbing attack in which two elderly women were wounded.

The action followed authorization from Israel’s security authorities and the attorney general. The formal order was signed by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, acting in his capacity on behalf of the Interior Ministry.

Announcing the step, Netanyahu said, “This morning, I signed the revocation of the citizenship and expulsion of two Israeli terrorists who carried out stabbing and shooting attacks against Israeli civilians and were rewarded for their criminal actions by the Palestinian Authority.”