Matzav

Three 22-year-old yeshiva bochurim were listed in stable condition after being dramatically rescued Friday night from the icy waters of Jamaica Bay in Queens, when the frozen surface beneath them suddenly collapsed in the Bayswater area near Far Rockaway.

The bochurim had traveled to the neighborhood for Shabbos to participate in a friend’s Auf Ruf and were in the area when the ice gave way, sending them plunging into the frigid bay.

Video released by authorities shows an intense, multi-agency rescue operation involving the NYPD Scuba Team, Aviation Unit, and Emergency Service Unit, working in coordination with the FDNY. All three young men were successfully pulled from the water and rushed to nearby hospitals, where officials said they were extremely fortunate to have survived the ordeal.

Additional NYPD footage documented the moment the bochurim broke through the ice covering Jamaica Bay on Friday afternoon, capturing the perilous conditions responders faced during the rescue.

According to police, the three bochurim, all 22 years old, were struggling to stay afloat after crashing through the ice in the Far Rockaway section shortly after 4 p.m.

A separate aerial image taken by a drone showed a diver wearing a black wetsuit and red flotation gear lying atop a fractured sheet of ice amid the bay.

Emergency crews from the NYPD and FDNY rushed to the scene after a 911 call reported the men trapped in the water, with the police scuba unit immediately deploying into the bay.

Footage shared by the NYPD shows rescuers forcing their way through the freezing water and transferring the soaked victims to an aviation team lowering officers from a hovering helicopter.

Police said all three men were transported to hospitals and remained in stable condition.

At the rescue scene, officers were seen laying the bochurim out on unstable ice after pulling them from the water, where they were immediately surrounded by first responders providing emergency care.

The video then shows the bochurim being lifted from the scene by officers suspended from a hovering helicopter and transported to safety.

Authorities said the NYPD continues to look into the circumstances that led the men onto the ice.

Two of the rescued bochurim were taken to Mount Sinai Nassau Hospital, while the third was transported to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. All were reported to be in stable condition.

At the time of the incident, the water temperature in Jamaica Bay was approximately 36 degrees, according to tidal data, with conditions approaching low tide when police received the emergency call.

WATCH:

A report published today by Asharq Al-Awsat outlined new claims regarding how hostages were held and guarded in Gaza during the war.

According to sources within Hamas who spoke to the newspaper, securing the hostages posed significant challenges. Despite the difficulties, senior figures in both the group’s military and political leadership directed that major resources be devoted to protecting the lives of those still alive, as well as preserving the bodies of hostages who were killed.

The report cited information from Kan News indicating that Hamas sources said living hostages were frequently relocated throughout Gaza as circumstances permitted. They were reportedly moved under heavy guard between underground tunnels, above-ground apartments, and other sites, without being detected by the Israel Defense Forces.

The same sources claimed that the bodies of deceased hostages were stored in a variety of locations, including graves inside Hamas tunnels, formal cemeteries, and facilities controlled by different factions that had the infrastructure needed to preserve the remains.

According to the report, numerous hostages were transferred from northern Gaza to the southern part of the Strip. The sources said there were instances when Israeli forces were only meters away from where hostages were being held, but guards succeeded in diverting the troops or moving the captives through alternate routes. In some cases, hostages were reportedly kept in tunnels situated beneath IDF staging or assembly areas.

Hamas sources further claimed that following October 7, the group’s military wing conducted a series of meetings, both directly and through intermediaries, with leaders of other terror organizations that had taken hostages. Those discussions were aimed at coordinating security arrangements, compiling information about the hostages’ identities and numbers, and transferring some captives into the custody of the military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The report added that Hamas’ military leadership exercised oversight over hostages held not only by Hamas itself but also by other factions. After the first ceasefire, senior military representatives from the various groups reportedly held face-to-face meetings to reorganize the guarding system and review updated information on both living and deceased hostages. During that period, additional hostages were transferred into Hamas’ control, based on the assessment that Hamas possessed the strongest capabilities for guarding them.

{Matzav.com}

Yoav Gallant sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu during an interview aired Tuesday night on Channel 12 News, disputing Netanyahu’s account of the events surrounding October 7 as laid out in documents the Prime Minister submitted to the State Comptroller.

“There is a consciousness-engineering effort here. They take fragments of discussions and sentences from long periods of time, put them together, and turn them into a story. I respect the office of the Prime Minister. I never thought I would have to come to the studio and say: our Prime Minister is a liar. The Prime Minister is lying.”

Gallant said Netanyahu has misrepresented his disagreements with the defense establishment, pointing to a statement the Prime Minister made a day earlier. “I want to explain what a lie is. Yesterday, I heard the Prime Minister say on the news, ‘At least 10 times I opposed the positions of the defense establishment.’ He gave three examples. The first was the reserve mobilization on October 7. On October 7 at 9:00 a.m., I finished a situation assessment with the IDF. Netanyahu had not yet arrived at the Kirya.”

According to Gallant, the critical decisions that morning were taken before Netanyahu was present. “There, I said three things: first, ‘We are at war’; second, ‘Mobilize everyone – regular and reserve’; and third, ‘Ensure deployment both to the north and to the south.’ I went out to the public and gave an explanation. When I finished – because I understood the public was waiting for something – the Prime Minister still had not arrived at the Kirya. In the discussions, he says, ‘I made decisions at 8 or 9 in the morning.’ He wasn’t there.”

Gallant said the rupture in his trust did not stem from his own dismissal and later reinstatement, but from what he described as Netanyahu’s conduct toward Israel’s security leadership after the attack. “There was one thing that, for me, crossed the red line. And by the way, it wasn’t the fact that I stood before the public, made my statement, and was fired for it – and later reinstated. That is not what broke my trust. What broke my trust was when I saw that while the IDF was being led by the Chief of Staff with great courage despite the massive failure of October 7, and while the Shin Bet was being led by its director despite the failure…”

He went on to accuse Netanyahu of undermining senior officials during wartime. “While they were on the front lines, Netanyahu was stabbing them in the back, inciting all the government ministers against them, and leaking everything to the media. That does not meet my standards, no matter what happens to me in the future. I have a hierarchy of priorities: the State of Israel, the defense establishment, the IDF and all the agencies, and only after that Yoav Gallant. Netanyahu’s hierarchy of priorities is first Netanyahu, then the coalition that keeps him in power, and only after that the state.”

Netanyahu’s associates pushed back forcefully, rejecting Gallant’s claims and accusing him of repeated falsehoods. “Following Gallant’s lies – even on the issue of eliminating Nasrallah, the entry into Rafah, and additional operations – it will become clear who conditioned actions on prior notification to the Americans, and who, namely the Prime Minister, did not hesitate and issued directives to carry them out.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach an agreement ending their nearly four-year war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as fresh Russian attacks on energy infrastructure forced nuclear power plants to scale back electricity production on Saturday.

Zelenskyy said that if progress is not made by June, the administration of President Donald Trump is expected to increase pressure on both Kyiv and Moscow to comply with that timetable.

“The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule,” Zelenskyy said Friday. His remarks were shared with reporters under embargo until Saturday morning.

“And they say that they want to do everything by June. And they will do everything to end the war. And they want a clear schedule of all events,” he added.

He said Washington has suggested convening the next round of trilateral negotiations next week on U.S. soil for the first time, with Miami cited as the likely venue. “We confirmed our participation,” Zelenskyy said.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia has submitted a sweeping $12 trillion economic proposal to the United States, which he referred to as the “Dmitriev package,” named for Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. He said bilateral economic arrangements with Washington are being discussed as part of the wider negotiating framework.

At the same time, Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system continued. Zelenskyy said in a post on X that more than 400 drones and roughly 40 missiles were launched overnight, striking power grids, generation facilities, and distribution networks.

Ukrenergo, the state electricity transmission operator, said the barrage marked the second large-scale assault on energy infrastructure since the start of the year. Eight sites in eight different regions were hit, according to the company.

“As a result of missile strikes on key high-voltage substations that ensured the output of nuclear power units, all nuclear power plants in the territories under control were forced to reduce their load,” the statement said.

Ukrenergo added that the attacks sharply worsened the country’s electricity shortfall, forcing authorities to extend rolling hourly outages nationwide.

The June deadline follows U.S.-mediated trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi that failed to yield a breakthrough, with both sides maintaining incompatible positions. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas, where fighting remains intense, a condition Kyiv says it will not accept.

“Difficult issues remained difficult. Ukraine once again confirmed its positions on the Donbas issue. ‘We stand where we stand’ is the fairest and most reliable model for a ceasefire today, in our opinion,” Zelenskyy said. He added that the most sensitive questions would be left for a trilateral meeting between national leaders.

Zelenskyy said the sides also failed to find common ground on the future of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and voiced doubt about a U.S. idea to designate the Donbas region, sought by Russia, as a free economic zone as a compromise.

“I do not know whether this can be implemented, because when we talked about a free economic zone, we had different views on it,” he said.

He noted that the most recent talks focused on the technical mechanisms for monitoring a potential ceasefire, adding that the United States reiterated it would take part in overseeing that process.

In recent months, Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid from the air, triggering widespread blackouts and disrupting heating and water supplies during a harsh winter, further straining Kyiv’s resources.

Zelenskyy said the United States has once again proposed a ceasefire that would prohibit attacks on energy infrastructure. Ukraine is prepared to abide by such an arrangement if Russia does the same, he said, but noted that when Moscow previously agreed to a one-week pause proposed by Washington, it was broken after just four days.

{Matzav.com}

The View is under federal scrutiny after an interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico prompted questions about compliance with political “equal time” requirements.

The inquiry is being conducted by the Federal Communications Commission and follows the agency’s recent release of updated guidance on the “statutory equal opportunities requirement” rooted in the Communications Act of 1934. In announcing the guidance, the FCC said the rule applies to “late night and daytime talk shows.”

According to a report by Fox News Digital, the review was triggered by Talarico’s appearance on the program Monday, a source familiar with the matter told the outlet.

Talarico is currently locked in a heated Democratic primary for the US Senate seat from Texas against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, while multiple Republican candidates are simultaneously competing for their party’s nomination.

Crockett herself appeared on “The View” last month, before the FCC issued its announcement clarifying how it intends to enforce the equal-time standard.

On the Republican side, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt are all vying for the GOP nomination. If the FCC ultimately determines that ABC and its parent company The Walt Disney Company violated the rules, those candidates could also be entitled to airtime on the show.

The Texas primary election is scheduled for March 3.

Under FCC regulations, there is a “bona fide” exemption that can shield news programs from the obligation to provide equal time to opposing candidates. However, the agency has said it has not been shown “any evidence that the interview portion of any late-night or daytime television talk show program on the air presently would qualify for the ‘bona fide’ news exemption.”

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized “The View” and several of its left-leaning panelists over the years.

In July, the White House took aim at co-host Joy Behar after she suggested the president was jealous of Barack Obama.

A White House spokesman responded by calling her an “irrelevant loser” and said she should think twice before “her show is the next to be pulled off air.”

Those remarks followed CBS’s decision to cancel “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” another program led by a prominent Trump critic.

The U.S. State Department has issued a stark warning advising American citizens to leave Iran without delay, pointing to a rapidly worsening security environment and severe nationwide disruptions.

In a countrywide alert released on Feb. 6, the Virtual Embassy Tehran said tighter security measures are being imposed across Iran, accompanied by road closures, interruptions to public transportation, and persistent internet shutdowns. The advisory noted that Iranian authorities continue to limit access to mobile and landline communications, while airlines are canceling or restricting flights on short notice.

“U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye,” the alert read.

“Actions to Take:
• Leave Iran now. Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help.
• Flight cancellations and disruptions are possible with little warning. Check directly with your airlines for updates.
• If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building. Have a supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items.
• Avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings.
• Monitor local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans.
• Keep your phone charged and maintain communication with family and friends to inform them of your status.”

U.S. officials emphasized that Washington cannot ensure the safety of those attempting to depart and cautioned Americans not to depend on U.S. government assistance to exit the country. The alert also underscored the elevated danger facing dual U.S.-Iranian nationals, explaining that Iran does not recognize dual citizenship and may detain individuals because of their American connections.

The United States does not maintain diplomatic or consular relations with Iran. Switzerland serves as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Tehran.

{Matzav.com}

Candace Owens, a figure linked to right-wing media in the United States who in recent years has drawn attention for antisemitic rhetoric, has again circulated blood-libel style claims aimed at Jews and the State of Israel.

During one of her regular programs last week, Owens asserted that Israel was responsible for the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, which killed roughly 3,000 civilians.

“Let’s recap the Muggle edition of what we were told,” Owens said, using the term “Muggle” from the Harry Potter book series to suggest that the public had been fed a deliberately misleading explanation of events.

“On September 11th, 2001, some super-duper evil Muslims, known to most of us now as Israelis, hijacked some planes and drove them into the Pentagon, flew them into the Pentagon building, also the Twin Towers, and then building 7 kind of got really emotional seeing his friends get hit and went ahead and just collapsed itself,” she declared.

Owens went on to echo additional conspiracy narratives tied to the attacks, including claims that one hijacker’s passport was planted near the World Trade Center to misdirect investigators and that the aircraft that struck the Pentagon did not have wings.

The September 11 attacks have long been established as the work of al-Qaeda, under the leadership of Osama bin Laden, with the operation planned by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

A total of 19 hijackers carried out the coordinated takeover of four commercial airplanes: 15 were citizens of Saudi Arabia, two were from the United Arab Emirates, one was from Egypt, and one was from Lebanon.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington on Wednesday for talks with US President Donald Trump, with Iran expected to dominate the agenda.

According to Israeli officials, the discussions will center on ongoing negotiations with Tehran and Israel’s insistence that any agreement address more than just nuclear activity.

“The Prime Minister believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis,” his office said tonight.

Against that backdrop, senior US figures Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner toured the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln this morning.

The visit took place at the invitation of United States Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper and was aimed at showing support for American forces deployed in the region. It came shortly after a round of indirect negotiations in Oman, which Trump later praised as “very good talks,” adding that Iran appears eager to reach an understanding.

Meanwhile, Tehran signaled firm opposition to one of Israel’s key demands. Speaking earlier Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the notion that Iran’s missile capabilities could be part of any deal.

“This is a defensive matter. No external country will deal with it,” he said.

Araghchi also ruled out a full suspension of uranium enrichment, saying that issue was not on the table. At the same time, he indicated some flexibility, saying Iran is willing to negotiate an enrichment framework acceptable to all parties. As he put it, “The level of uranium enrichment is based on our needs, and the enriched uranium will not leave Iran.”

{Matzav.com}

A maamad kabbolas ponim will take place this Sunday evening at Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood, NJ to formally welcome the yeshiva’s newly appointed mashgiach, Rav Reuven Hechster. The event is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. in the Beren Dining Hall.

As first reported here on Matzav.com, Rav Hechster was named to the position two weeks ago, marking a significant milestone for the Lakewood yeshiva, the largest in the United States. His appointment comes nearly two years after the passing of the longtime mashgiach, Rav Mattisyahu Salomon zt”l, whose influence left an enduring imprint on generations of talmidim.

In addition to his new role in Lakewood, as first reported here on Matzav.com, Rav Hechster will continue serving as mashgiach of Yeshivas Mir Brachfeld in Modiin Illit. A close talmid of his revered rebbi, Rav Nosson Meir Wachtfogel zt”l, Rav Hechster was originally appointed to his position in Mir Brachfeld by the late rosh yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l.

As first reported here on Matzav.com, Rav Hechster was approached with the proposal to assume the Lakewood post and sought daas Torah from Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch before making a decision. Delegations from Modiin Illit appealed for him to remain in the city, emphasizing the many mussar talks and vaadim he delivers there, while representatives from Lakewood urged him to accept the position and serve the yeshiva.

Following consultations, it was agreed that Rav Hechster would divide his time between the two mosdos. Under the arrangement, he will spend approximately 20 days each month in Modiin Illit at Mir Brachfeld and about 10 days in Lakewood. He is expected to travel to the United States on Sundays following his free Shabbos in Israel to fulfill his responsibilities at Bais Medrash Govoah.

Rav Hechster is widely regarded throughout the Torah world as a central address for guidance and chizuk, with thousands of avreichim seeking his counsel. In Modiin Illit in particular, he is viewed as a trusted source of direction and inspiration.

Alongside his responsibilities as mashgiach of Mir Brachfeld, Rav Hechster delivers a mussar talk every Motzaei Shabbos, gives a weekly Tuesday vaad at Kollel Ateres Shlomo attended by hundreds of avreichim, leads a Thursday night vaad for dozens of talmidim at Mir Brachfeld, hosts a Friday vaad for alumni in his home, and conducts a biweekly Sunday vaad for alumni at the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim.

{Matzav.com}

The 2026 tax filing season is underway, and many taxpayers are watching closely to see whether they will receive larger refunds this year after the White House said Americans could qualify for an increase of $1,000 or more.

The IRS opened the filing window on Jan. 26. Taxpayers who had more withheld from their paychecks than they ultimately owed for the year are eligible to receive a refund.

Even filers who did not overpay during the year may still qualify for money back if they are eligible for credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, or the Additional Child Tax Credit.

According to the IRS, most people who submit their returns electronically should receive their refunds within the standard processing period of 21 days or less.

Refunds issued by mail, as well as returns that require corrections or additional review, may take four weeks or longer to arrive.

While the IRS is gradually reducing its use of paper checks, it will continue issuing mailed refunds in cases where no electronic payment option is available.

The agency said refunds tied to the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit are expected to reach bank accounts or debit cards by March 2 in most cases.

Some taxpayers could encounter slower processing this year due to staffing shortages at the IRS following layoffs that reduced the agency’s workforce by roughly one-quarter, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins wrote in her annual report to Congress last month.

Despite those concerns, the report said most filers should still be able to submit their returns and receive refunds without significant delays.

The White House has said average refunds could rise by $1,000 or more this year as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which extended President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.

The IRS reported that the average refund last year totaled $3,167.

One of the most impactful changes in the legislation is a higher standard deduction, which affects the majority of taxpayers.

Although standard deductions are adjusted annually, they increased twice in 2025 — once at the start of the year and again after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was enacted.

Under the new law, the standard deduction rose to $15,750 for single filers, up from $15,000, and to $31,500 for married couples filing jointly, up from $30,000.

The legislation also introduced an extra $6,000 standard deduction for taxpayers age 65 and older, a group that includes many retirees.

According to the White House, most seniors will owe no tax on their Social Security benefits, stating that 88% of recipients will be exempt, based on an analysis by the Council of Economic Advisers.

The bill also permanently increased the Child Tax Credit to $2,200 per child, up from $2,000, allowing eligible families to receive an additional $200 per child compared with previous years.

If the Child Tax Credit is larger than a taxpayer’s total tax liability, the Additional Child Tax Credit may be claimed for up to $1,700 per child, a provision that particularly benefits lower-income filers who owe little or no tax.

Taxpayers can review eligibility requirements for the Earned Income Tax Credit on the IRS website, where income thresholds and filing status rules are outlined for working individuals and families.

This year, the Earned Income Tax Credit can be worth as much as $7,830, depending on income level, filing status, and number of qualifying children.

Once a return is filed, taxpayers can monitor the progress of their refund using the IRS online tracking tool, “Where’s My Refund?”

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities have taken into custody a suspect accused of taking part in the 2012 terrorist assault on a U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya, an attack that left four Americans dead, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday.

“Today, I’m proud to announce that the FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Benghazi attack,” Bondi said. “You can run, but you cannot hide.”

Bondi identified the suspect as Zubayar al-Bakoush and said he was transported to the United States overnight. The announcement was made alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney in Washington.

The September 11, 2012 attack targeted a U.S. diplomatic compound and a nearby CIA facility. U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens was killed, along with Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty, when militants affiliated with Ansar al-Sharia carried out coordinated assaults. Pirro said family members of the victims were notified of al-Bakoush’s arrest before it was publicly disclosed.

After the arrest was revealed, federal prosecutors unsealed a 13-page indictment in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The charges against al-Bakoush include seven counts, among them murder, attempted murder, providing material support to terrorists, and arson. Authorities said he is scheduled to make his initial court appearance later Friday.

According to the indictment, al-Bakoush lived in Benghazi at the time of the attack and was affiliated with Ansar al-Sharia. Prosecutors allege he was among the armed militants who assaulted the U.S. mission where Ambassador Stevens and his security team were stationed.

Court documents state that roughly 20 attackers forced their way through the compound’s main gate and set fires that ultimately killed Stevens and Smith. Prosecutors said al-Bakoush entered the compound after the fires had begun and “conducted surveillance activity” while attempting to access vehicles inside the secured area.

Later that night, a mortar strike hit a CIA annex located about a mile from the diplomatic mission, killing Woods and Doherty, both of whom were working as CIA contractors.

Bondi said the FBI worked in coordination with the State Department and the CIA to apprehend al-Bakoush. Officials offered limited details about the operation, saying only that he was taken into custody “overseas.” Pirro emphasized that the investigation remains active and that others responsible for the 2012 killings are still being pursued.

“Let me be very clear — there are more of them out there,” Pirro said. “Time will not stop us from going after these predators, no matter how long it takes, in order to fulfill our obligation to those families who suffered horrific pain at the hands of these violent terrorists.”

Al-Bakoush is the latest in a small number of suspects to face prosecution in the United States over the Benghazi attack. In 2014, U.S. Special Forces captured Ahmed Abu Khatallah, a Libyan national described as a leader of the assault. He was acquitted of murder charges in 2017 but convicted on other counts and initially sentenced to 22 years in prison. In 2024, a federal judge increased that sentence to 28 years, ruling the original punishment was insufficient.

Another Libyan suspect, Mustafa al-Imam, was captured in a U.S. operation in 2017 and transferred to the United States to stand trial. He was convicted in 2019 and received a 19-year prison sentence.

{Matzav.com}

Work on a $16 billion Hudson River rail-tunnel project that could ease congestion between New Jersey and Manhattan is set to come to a halt today following the Trump administration’s decision last year to freeze its funding.

The new tunnel, called Gateway, is one of the nation’s most ambitious infrastructure projects — and has been long wished for by commuters stewing on delayed trains. A prolonged shutdown could deal a serious setback to Gateway, which rail advocates say is sorely need to alleviate train delays and allow for maintenance on the current, aging tunnel.

The Trump administration has been in a standoff with state and local officials regarding Gateway since October, when it froze funding for the project over a new rule that bars contracting requirements based on race or sex. Earlier this month, the Gateway Development Commission, which is building the tunnel, sued the federal government in an effort to unlock more than $205 million. New York and New Jersey also sued the administration.

Construction of the tunnel, which Congress agreed to fund during the Biden administration, had been able to continue past the initial shutoff in October as the Gateway commission drew on money it still had in the bank. On Friday, if the flow of federal dollars isn’t restored, that money will be exhausted.

Tom Prendergast, the Gateway commission’s chief executive officer, said at a news conference on Thursday that work will pause on Friday without a funding deal. The project risks losing skilled construction workers who know the development inside and out but will need to seek work elsewhere, he said.

“Tomorrow, work on the largest, most urgent infrastructure project in America will come to a pause,” Prendergast said. “The Gateway Development Commission has expended every resource to prevent any interruption to the construction, but we’ve gone as far as we can go.”

Building a new tunnel under the Hudson River has been a political football for years. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ended a previous tunnel initiative in 2010, irritating many commuters. And President Donald Trump wrangled with state leaders in his first term over the cost of Gateway.

Lengthy and unpredictable commutes have continued to be an emotional, pressing issue for many New Jerseyans. Service disruptions and broken-down trains have caused commuter frustration to boil over, increasing pressure on local leaders to do something to ease the strain.

New York and New Jersey are seeking a temporary restraining order that would force the administration to continue funding the project, with a hearing set for federal court in Manhattan on Friday afternoon.

“This, for our region, is all about jobs, it’s about families, it’s about the economy,” Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey’s current governor, said Wednesday at a news conference in Newark. “Unfortunately for President Trump, it’s just about politics.”

Terminating Gateway or delaying it significantly would create extensive disruption for travelers along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, which runs from Washington through New York and on to Boston. Former Amtrak chief Joseph Boardman warned in 2014 that the existing tunnel, which first opened in 1910, had about 20 years left before it would need to be partially closed for rehabilitation.

Shutting down part of the existing tunnel would slash train service between New York and Washington by half and increase commuting times for 245,000 drivers in the New York City region, according to a 2019 Regional Plan Association report. Nearly 140,000 drivers would see their commutes extended by at least 30 minutes. Only six trains would be able to move through the tunnel every hour, down from 24.

Thousands of regular NJ Transit riders would be forced to turn to cars, buses, ferries or the PATH train, which connects northeastern New Jersey to Manhattan. Anyone trying to cross the Hudson or just get around northern New Jersey would be affected, according to Tom Wright, president and chief executive officer of the RPA, which promotes economic health in the New York City area.

“All of those trips are going to become longer, more difficult, more painful because of the hit to the system” if the existing tunnel wasn’t fully operational, Wright said.

Spending Freeze
While commuters won’t be affected if work stops Friday on the new Gateway tunnel, it would put 1,000 construction employees out of work and threaten 95,000 other jobs linked to the project, while risking almost $20 billion in related economic activity, Gateway has estimated.

“The people that are going to get hurt the most are these families, these union workers and construction workers who are potentially going to lose their jobs in a matter of hours, all the businesses that are going to struggle from this,” New Jersey Democratic Senator Andy Kim said in an interview. “That’s who’s losing if this continues to be a political cudgel that the president’s trying to use.”

Nearly $2 billion has already been spent on the project, according to Gateway’s legal complaint. If work is paused, a custom-built boring machine that arrived last month from Germany and was set to begin digging this spring will start collecting dust.

“You not only lose time, but you are spending money on things you didn’t anticipate to spend money on,” Prendergast told reporters last week.

Overall, the Trump administration halted about $18 billion in payments tied to US transit infrastructure projects in areas with Democratic leaders. Transit officials have said they have shown the federal government that they are compliant with the new rules.

“Gateway is fully funded, fully permitted, and desperately needed to modernize our dilapidated and damaged rail tunnels,” Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat and Senate Minority Leader, said in a statement. “For the good of New York, New Jersey, our economy, and union workers, the only thing to do is for President Trump to release the legally-approved funds now.”

Other major urban transportation projects are also at risk without the funds. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs New York City’s transit system, needs federal money by March for a tunneling contract that will extend the Second Avenue subway to Harlem. The MTA said it has been waiting on $50 million. The Chicago Transit Authority is warning potential investors in its bond sale that the federal pause could result in increased costs or delays on the extension of its Red Line and modernization work on its Red and Purple lines, according to bond documents.

About 450 trains move through the existing Hudson River tunnel each day, with two tracks serving trains going in opposite directions. Shutting down one track for repairs or to remove a disabled train forces all trains to operate on a single track. Major disruptions are common.

Construction of the new two-track Gateway tunnel is expected to be done in 2035, with rehabilitation of the existing tunnel completed by 2038. That would give the region a total of four tracks, increase train capacity and improve on-time performance for 200,000 daily riders, according to Gateway.

Without the new tunnel, Amtrak will be forced to operate on a single track once it begins rehabilitating the other passageway. That could cost the national economy an estimated $16 billion over four years and property values in New Jersey could drop by as much as $22 billion, according to the RPA report.

Added Costs
Public officials, businesses and transit advocates in the region have been looking for ways to increase train capacity between New Jersey and New York since the 1990s.

A work stoppage would mean almost $20 million a month in additional costs for Gateway to demobilize work crews, secure construction sites and move and store heavy equipment, among other expenses, according to the commission’s complaint. Those costs would deplete the project’s remaining reserves, Gateway said.

Even if the US government were to release the money, the withholding of funds and Gateway’s need to seek legal action will cost the project, RPA’s Wright said. Stopping work is an expense for contractors, too, and they will need to factor in the risk of federal money not arriving on time, he said.

“There’s really no argument that we don’t need to build Gateway,” Wright said. “All this is doing is slowing it down and making it cost more.”

{Matzav.com}

The State Department issued an urgent warning advising U.S. citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing heightened security risks as indirect negotiations get underway in Oman between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program.

In a notice released late Thursday, the virtual U.S. Embassy to Iran told Americans to arrange an exit strategy “that does not rely on US government help” and urged those unable to depart to “keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings.”

The advisory follows weeks of unrest in Iran, after the Shiite regime violently suppressed mass protests early last month, killing thousands of demonstrators amid a rapidly deteriorating economy. The United States has repeatedly encouraged its citizens to leave the country since the crackdown.

At the same time, Oman confirmed that a first round of indirect discussions had already taken place. According to Omani officials, the talks involved Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and first son-in-law Jared Kushner. Video later released by the state-run Oman News Agency also showed Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, attending the meeting alongside Oman’s foreign minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi — an unusual development compared with previous rounds of diplomacy.

In a statement, Oman’s Foreign Ministry said, “The consultations focused on preparing the appropriate circumstances for resuming the diplomatic and technical negotiations by ensuring the importance of these negotiations, in light of the parties’ determination to ensure their success in achieving sustainable security and stability.”

Regional tensions have continued to intensify since the protests were crushed, with President Trump deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East and repeatedly warning Tehran that military force remains an option if it refuses to engage seriously.

Asked whether Iran’s supreme leader should fear further action, Trump offered a blunt assessment. “I would say he should be very worried,” he told NBC News in an interview Wednesday, referring to Ayatollah Ali Khameni, following U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025. “Yeah, he should be. As you know, they’re negotiating with us.”

Trump also said he had heard that Iran was attempting to revive its nuclear weapons program, adding that if confirmed, he would be prepared to direct U.S. bombers to “do their job again.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran has conveyed a readiness to accept a long-term halt to its nuclear activities if international sanctions are lifted, while making clear it will not compromise on its ballistic missile program, according to a report published Friday by The New York Times.

Tehran maintains that its missile capabilities are essential for what it describes as defensive purposes, particularly in light of threats it associates with Israel.

In diplomatic contacts, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Omani counterpart that the Islamic Republic’s immediate objective is “to manage the current situation between Iran and the US and to advance negotiations,” according to Iran’s state-run IRNA.

Iranian outlet Nournews offered a more critical assessment of the talks, stating, “The negotiations between Iran and the US in Muscat, with the presence of the commander of CENTCOM, alongside the transfer of equipment and naval movements, is a combination of negotiations and a show of force to increase pressure. Iran will not retreat under threat. The inclusion of the military component raises the risk and cost of negotiations, and the responsibility for this lies with the US.”

Separately, Al-Mayadeen reported that current discussions are focused on procedural matters rather than substantive terms. “What is happening now is negotiations about the negotiation process itself, not about the details of the agreement. We are waiting for the opening of the third phase of the first round of indirect talks. The Iranian side emphasizes the need for seriousness in negotiations. It is claimed that Iran has set a defined ceiling – limiting the talks to the issue of the nuclear program only.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States accused China of secretly carrying out at least one nuclear explosive test, escalating tensions as Washington presses for a new arms control framework that would bring Beijing into negotiations alongside the United States and Russia.

Speaking Friday at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Thomas DiNanno, the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said Washington believes Beijing has conducted prohibited nuclear activity.

“I can reveal that the US government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons,” DiNanno told delegates at the conference.

DiNanno later elaborated on social media, alleging that Beijing had deliberately masked its actions. “China has used decoupling — a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring — to hide its activities from the world,” he wrote on X, adding that one such test took place on June 22, 2020, during the height of global COVID-19 lockdowns.

China rejected the accusations. Shen Jian, Beijing’s ambassador on disarmament, did not directly respond to the specific claim but criticized Washington’s broader narrative, saying “the US continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives … [The US] is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race.”

The allegations surfaced just one day after the expiration of the 2010 New START treaty between the United States and Russia, ending the last remaining agreement that limited the two countries’ strategic nuclear arsenals and leaving them without binding constraints for the first time since the SALT agreements of the early 1970s.

DiNanno argued that the changing global landscape requires a new approach to arms control. “Today, the United States faces threats from multiple nuclear powers. In short, a bilateral treaty with only one nuclear power is simply inappropriate in 2026 and going forward,” he said, warning that China is expected to possess more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.

Beijing, however, ruled out joining trilateral talks for now. Shen said China would not participate in such negotiations at this stage, adding: “In this new era we hope the US will abandon Cold War thinking … and embrace common and cooperative security.”

At the same time, Russian and American officials discussed the issue on the sidelines of broader diplomatic talks in the United Arab Emirates, where Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. delegations held two days of meetings focused on a potential peace settlement in Ukraine.

“There is an understanding, and they talked about it in Abu Dhabi, that both parties will take responsible positions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday. “and both parties realize the need to start talks on the issue as soon as possible.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump drew sharp condemnation after sharing a racist video clip that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, prompting outrage and renewed scrutiny of Mr. Trump’s long record of promoting offensive stereotypes about Black Americans and other groups.

The short clip appeared near the end of a 62-second video that circulated conspiracy theories about supposed irregularities in the 2020 presidential election. The segment was set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and was included as part of a montage posted by Mr. Trump during a late-night burst of activity on social media Thursday.

Depicting the Obamas as apes echoes a deeply racist trope that has long been used to dehumanize Black people and to rationalize violence, including lynchings and other atrocities. A spokeswoman for Mr. Obama declined to comment on the video.

The post fits into a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric by Mr. Trump targeting people of color, women, and immigrants. During his second administration, official government social media accounts, including those of the White House, the Labor Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, have also shared images and slogans that critics say resemble white supremacist messaging.

Asked about the video, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism, calling it “fake outrage.”

“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King,” she said. “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, publicly objected to the post, writing on X that he hoped it was fake “because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.”

The clip appears to have originated from a video shared on X in October by a user who captioned it “President Trump: King of the Jungle,” accompanied by a lion emoji.

That earlier video portrayed several prominent Democrats — including former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York, former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and former vice president Kamala Harris — as various animals, while Mr. Trump was depicted as a lion. In that version as well, the Obamas were shown as apes, and the video concluded with the animals bowing before Mr. Trump.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office issued a statement condemning the post, calling it “disgusting behavior by the President.” Mr. Newsom added, “Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.”

Since returning to office, Mr. Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly mocked Mr. Obama or promoted false claims about him, keeping the former president a frequent target of political attacks.

{Matzav.com}

Administrators at a prominent chareidi seminary have canceled a planned trip to Mount Hermon after a forceful halachic ruling by Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, who ruled that it is forbidden to enter the site due to its public desecration of Shabbos.

The ruling, published this week in the weekly Torah journal Divrei Chemed, prompted the seminary to shelve one of the main attractions planned for a two-day excursion in northern Israel. The expanded issue marked the journal’s 100th edition and included a detailed responsum from Rav Zilberstein addressing the question.

According to the report, the principal of a chareidi seminary approached Rav Zilberstein on behalf of the teaching staff. The educators explained that they were organizing a two-day trip and hoped to surprise and delight the students with a visit to Mount Hermon, particularly appealing during the winter season when the mountain is covered in snow.

The seminary administrators acknowledged that the site operates throughout the week and remains open on Shabbos, involving public chillul Shabbos. They asked whether, despite this, it might still be permissible to visit the area itself—without using the cable cars, sleds, or other attractions—arguing that Mount Hermon is fundamentally a public space, even if the site is managed by an operating authority.

Rav Zilberstein responded at length, ruling unequivocally that entering the site is prohibited. He explained that without the organized site, access to the mountain would not be reasonably possible. The operators paved the roads, leveled the terrain, and invested extensive resources to make the area accessible and enjoyable. As a result, even visiting without using the attractions is forbidden, since the site’s operation is inseparable from ongoing chillul Shabbos.

Beyond the technical prohibition, Rav Zilberstein emphasized the obligation to protest chillul Shabbos. He warned that there is no greater desecration of Hashem’s Name than observant Jews visiting a site that openly violates Shabbos, thereby lending legitimacy to its operation.

He added that if it were clear to the site’s management that chareidi visitors would stay away as long as it remains open on Shabbos, the resulting financial pressure might lead them to close on Shabbos. Anyone who goes there, he argued, indirectly assists the continued chillul Shabbos.

Rav Zilberstein concluded his ruling with an emotional outcry, expressing pain that educators would even feel the need to ask such a question. He drew a stark comparison, saying that had there been a sign at the entrance barring Jews, no one would consider entering such a place. Here too, he said, the large sign advertising that the site is open on Shabbos constitutes a direct affront to Heaven, making it unthinkable to even ask whether a visit could be permitted.

The ruling had an immediate impact. The seminary, heeding the guidance of Rav Zilberstein, canceled the planned visit to Mount Hermon and arranged alternative destinations for the students elsewhere in Israel.

{Matzav.com}

With a 30-day deadline looming to approve Israel’s state budget, political commentators are warning that the coalition is nearing a decisive moment: Either advance a draft law acceptable to the chareidi parties or risk the dissolution of the Knesset. Analysts say the coming weeks will determine whether the crisis ends in compromise or collapse.

The issue was discussed Thursday night on the main news program of Kol Chai Radio, where host Betzalel Kahn spoke with political commentators Avi Grintzeig and Yishai Cohen. The panel examined the growing political and legal knot threatening government stability, focusing on the late-night drama in the Knesset, the chareidi parties’ decision to halt the Economic Arrangements Law as leverage, and the ongoing stalemate over the draft law in light of the legal establishment’s position.

Cohen opened by describing the dramatic chain of events in the Knesset, saying the chareidi factions surprised their coalition partners with a coordinated move. “We all saw the messages and attacks between Aryeh Deri and Gafni over religious services, yet at that very moment they were cooperating and deciding to freeze the budget and block the transfer of the Arrangements Law to committee. They informed no one in the coalition except Inbal Mazolai and Uri Maklev, instructing them to announce after midnight that the chareidim were not on board. When the vote stage arrived, the full implications became clear, and the decision was made to pull the vote and delay it until Monday.”

He went on to explain the legal complications preventing progress on the draft law, despite assurances from Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. “Netanyahu claims there is a majority of 61 for the draft law, but the chareidim respond that there is no bill agreed upon by the legal adviser. The situation has become even more complicated because everything is now frozen for technical reasons as well, since a senior official in the Knesset’s legal advisory department who is handling the issue was forced to step aside due to personal circumstances. Every day is critical because the legislation is tied to the budget, and we could reach a point where the chareidim realize there will be no draft law and vote in favor of the budget simply to protect their funding, while simultaneously demanding a bill to dissolve the Knesset.”

Despite the pessimism, Grintzeig stressed that Israeli politics often remain fluid until the final moment. “In Israel, as in Israel, until the 90th minute things can still go either way. If I had to estimate, both the draft law and the budget will pass in the final days before the deadline. The real question is whether, when the clock is ticking, the laws will actually be there. I cautiously think the chances are still high, because the ultimatum directed at Netanyahu is meant to pressure the legal advisers to show flexibility, and that is the real test of this entire episode.”

In closing, Grintzeig sharply criticized the conduct of the judicial system and the attorney general, particularly regarding judicial appointments. “The justice minister is dealing with a legal adviser who never misses an opportunity for confrontation, and in the end the ones who suffer are the citizens in the magistrate and district courts. The attorney general has become a fully political actor, even drawing rebukes from Supreme Court justices for repeatedly losing her own positions. Even the Supreme Court president is emerging as a political figure acting in full public view, unlike his predecessors who operated with far greater sophistication. This has turned the entire system into a frontal clash with the elected leadership.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

A single, throwaway line from Elon Musk managed to expose a truth many people spend their lives running from.

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness really knew what they were talking about.”

Cue the sarcasm, the mockery, the eye-rolling. “Cry me a river.” “Try being poor.” “I’d rather be miserable and rich than miserable and broke.” Very clever. Very predictable.

But beneath the snark was something raw and uncomfortable, and that’s exactly why people rushed to drown it out.

Here is a man who has more money than kings ever dreamed of, more access than entire countries, more power than most governments, openly admitting that it didn’t deliver what it promised. Not in a philosophical essay. Not in a self-help book. In one blunt sentence and a sad emoji.

And instead of pausing to listen, the world laughed.

Because if he isn’t happy, the fantasy collapses. If money doesn’t fix the emptiness at the very top, then maybe the problem isn’t “not enough.” Maybe the problem is thinking that having more will finally quiet the noise inside.

We’ve trained ourselves to believe that unhappiness is a budgeting issue. That anxiety is a temporary stage before the next raise. That fulfillment is one deal, one upgrade, one win away. And so when someone who has already crossed every imaginable finish line says, “This isn’t it,” we feel threatened. His honesty interferes with our coping mechanism.

So we mock him. We minimize it. We tell ourselves we’d handle the money better. We’d enjoy it more. We’d be grateful. We’d finally be calm.

But deep down, we know that’s not true.

Money solves problems. Real ones. Painful ones. No one is romanticizing poverty. But meaning, contentment, menuchas hanefesh — those don’t scale with net worth. If anything, they’re often buried under pressure, isolation, and expectations that never stop growing.

The saddest part isn’t that a billionaire admitted he isn’t happy. The saddest part is how desperate we are to pretend he’s wrong.

Because if he’s right, then we may have to confront a far harder question than how to make more money. We may have to ask what we’re actually living for.

And that’s a conversation far more uncomfortable than any sad emoji.

Sincerely,
An observer who thinks the joke is on us

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The White House on Thursday pointed to new research indicating that homicide rates in America’s largest cities fell to their lowest level in more than a century, crediting aggressive law enforcement and border policies under President Donald Trump.

During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referenced findings published by the Council on Criminal Justice, describing the decline as unprecedented in modern records.

“A study from the Council on Criminal Justice shows that the murder rate across America’s largest cities plummeted in 2025 to its lowest level since at least 1900,” Leavitt said, noting that it “marks the largest single year drop in murders in recorded history.”

Leavitt attributed the sharp decrease to a broad federal crackdown on crime and illegal immigration. “This dramatic decline is what happens when a president secures the border, fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals, and aggressively deports the worst of the worst illegal aliens from our country,” she said.

She also highlighted law enforcement data comparing recent arrest figures. According to Leavitt, the Federal Bureau of Investigation made twice as many violent-crime arrests in 2025 as it did in 2024, which she described as the final full year of President Joe Biden’s administration. She added that during Trump’s first full year in office, total FBI arrests were nearly 200 percent higher than during the period from January 20, 2024, to January 20, 2025.

“The FBI also disrupted 1,800 gangs and criminal enterprises, a 210 percent increase from the year prior. The FBI has arrested 1,700 child predators and more than 300 human traffickers across the country,” Leavitt said. “Since President Trump took office, six of the FBI’s top 10 Most Wanted fugitives have been captured.”

The White House also pointed to crime trends in Washington, D.C., where Trump federalized local policing last year and authorized the deployment of the National Guard. According to the administration, crime levels in 2026 to date are significantly lower across nearly all categories compared with the same period in 2025. As of Thursday, the city recorded three murders so far this year, an 83 percent decrease from the 18 murders reported between January 1 and February 5 in 2025.

Other crime categories showed similar declines, with sex abuse offenses down 63 percent, robberies reduced by 58 percent, burglaries falling 44 percent, motor vehicle theft dropping 58 percent, and arson reduced by 100 percent.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers echoed the administration’s assessment in comments to Breitbart News earlier this week. “President Trump promised to make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful again — now it is one of the safest cities in the country,” Rogers said. “Thanks to President Trump’s successful federal law enforcement operation, our nation’s capital has seen a dramatic decrease in crime and homicide.”

{Matzav.com}