New York
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman was sworn in for his second term during a ceremony at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.
The event, attended by hundreds including elected officials, law enforcement, and clergy, also featured the swearing-in of Comptroller Elaine Phillips and County Clerk Maureen O’Connell. Blakeman, sworn in by his wife, Judge Segal Blakeman, thanked G-d for the strength to serve and highlighted achievements including no tax increases for four years, hiring 600 law enforcement professionals, and seven bond rating upgrades. Immediately after, Blakeman signed legislation establishing 10-foot buffer zones around individuals entering or exiting places of worship and 35-foot zones around entrances one hour before and after services, aiming to protect religious freedom and prevent disruptions at mosques, churches, synagogues, and temples. Blakeman emphasized, “We will protect those institutions and people’s rights to worship freely here in Nassau County.” The bill responds to rising concerns over protests near religious sites.
Nearly 15,000 nurses at 12 New York City hospitals launched a strike Monday after contract negotiations collapsed between the New York State Nurses Association and hospital management. The walkout affects major systems including Mount Sinai, Montefiore, NewYork-Presbyterian, Maimonides, and BronxCare, with nurses demanding better pay, improved staffing ratios, and enhanced workplace safety amid ongoing burnout and shortages. Hospitals have hired temporary replacement nurses and warned that the strike disrupts patient care, insisting the union’s demands would impose unsustainable costs. Governor Kathy Hochul urged both sides to resume talks and activated emergency contingency plans to maintain critical services. Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed strong support for the strikers, stating they seek “fair pay, protected pensions, and safe workplaces—not high salaries,” aligning with his administration’s labor-friendly stance.
A federal bankruptcy judge rejected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s last-minute attempt to delay or intervene in the court-approved sale of more than 5,100 rent-stabilized apartments owned by the Pinnacle Group. The properties span roughly 90–93 buildings in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. The judge ruled that the city’s motion lacked legal standing and would improperly disrupt an already finalized bankruptcy process. Pinnacle’s assets were sold to a private buyer in a court-supervised auction, with proceeds used to satisfy creditors. Mamdani’s administration argued the sale threatened tenant protections, but the court found no basis to override the bankruptcy outcome. The decision preserves the transfer of ownership while leaving tenant rights governed by existing rent-stabilization laws.
Isharae Summers, 35, was arrested and charged with assault and hate-crime harassment after allegedly threatening to kill Jews and physically attacking an Orthodox Jewish father walking with his wife and four young children in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, around 11:20 p.m. Friday. Police say Summers followed the family for several blocks, shouting antisemitic slurs and death threats before striking the father in the face and body. The victim sustained minor injuries but did not require hospitalization. Summers was arraigned Sunday in Brooklyn Criminal Court and released on his own recognizance pending further proceedings. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is leading the ongoing investigation, with surveillance footage and witness statements under review.
New York City will expand dedicated bus lanes along Madison Avenue from 42nd Street to 23rd Street, aiming to improve service for nearly 100,000 daily riders on routes including the M1, M2, M3, and M4. Transportation officials said buses currently crawl at about 4.5 miles per hour in one of Manhattan’s most congested corridors. The redesign adds double bus lanes in both directions, leaving one lane for general traffic and a second lane that will alternate between parking and travel during peak hours to maintain access for deliveries and loading. The project, part of the city’s broader bus priority network, seeks to reduce travel times significantly and encourage greater transit use.
The New York City Department of Transportation announced a rapid expansion of red-light camera$ across the five boroughs, with 450 new cameras set to be activated this year. The rollout will quadruple the network from 150 intersections to 600 by the end of 2026. The expansion follows legislation signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in fall 2024, which lifted the state cap on cameras and extended the program through 2027. Officials say the additional cameras will improve road safety. The program remains self-funded through fines, with revenue supporting traffic enforcement and infrastructure improvements.
U.S.
Arsonists set fire to Beth Israel, the largest synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, early Sunday morning, destroying two Torah scrolls and damaging five others in what authorities are investigating as a hate crime. The blaze heavily damaged the historic building’s interior, though the structure itself remained standing. Jackson police arrested 29-year-old suspect Darius Montgomery shortly after the fire. Surveillance footage and witness statements linked him to the scene. During his arraignment Monday, Montgomery was seen smiling and appeared unrepentant as he faced charges of first-degree arson, hate crime enhancement, and felony malicious mischief. He remains in custody without bond pending trial.
Renee Good, 42, was fatally shot by law enforcement officers in Minneapolis on January 8, after she allegedly used her SUV to ram and attempt to run over an ICE agent during a protest blocking federal immigration enforcement operations near a downtown federal building. According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and ICE, Good had earlier positioned her vehicle to obstruct federal vehicles, then accelerated toward officers on foot, striking one before multiple officers opened fire. She was pronounced dead at the scene; the wounded agent received non-life-threatening injuries. The incident occurred amid heightened protests against ICE raids in the sanctuary city, with Good reportedly identified as one of the lead organizers. No other protesters were injured.
A third-grade student from Yeshivat Noam in Bergen County, New Jersey, suffered a serious head injury when an object thrown from outside shattered a window on the school bus as it exited the New Jersey Turnpike near Teaneck Road. The bus was returning from a field trip to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City with approximately 40 students and chaperones when the incident occurred. School officials said the child was struck in the head by debris from the broken window and was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he underwent emergency treatment and remains in stable but serious condition. The New Jersey State Police are investigating the assault as a potential hate crime, given the bus carried Orthodox Jewish students wearing visible religious attire. Yeshivat Noam leaders condemned the attack as “cowardly and unacceptable,” urging the community to remain vigilant while cooperating fully with law enforcement.
Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins announced that he is running for governor in 2026, seeking to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis. Collins, tapped by DeSantis as lieutenant governor in August 2025, enters a competitive Republican primary against U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, who has secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement. DeSantis has not endorsed in the race, maintaining neutrality despite his close working relationship with Collins. Collins, a former state senator and U.S. Army veteran, emphasized his record on public safety, economic growth, and conservative values in his launch statement. Donalds, representing Florida’s 19th District, has positioned himself as a strong Trump ally and advocate for limited government. The primary is expected to be one of the most watched in 2026, with Florida’s open-seat race drawing national attention.
Federal prosecutors have opened an investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, focusing on potential conflicts of interest and undisclosed financial transactions during his tenure. The probe, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, examines whether Powell violated ethics rules or federal disclosure laws related to personal investments in financial institutions while overseeing monetary policy that directly impacted markets. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters the inquiry was triggered by whistleblower allegations and congressional referrals, though no formal charges have been filed.
The U.S. State Department has revoked more than 100,000 visas in recent months, including approximately 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialized visas (such as H-1B and O-1 categories), targeting individuals with documented encounters with U.S. law enforcement for criminal activity ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the action as part of a broader effort to enforce immigration laws strictly, stating the revocations protect national security and public safety by removing those who have violated terms of entry or committed offenses while in the country. The department has coordinated closely with ICE and DHS to expedite deportations following visa cancellations, emphasizing zero tolerance for criminal behavior among non-citizens. Administration officials note that many revocations involved prior arrests or convictions not fully disclosed during visa applications, aligning with President Trump’s directive to prioritize enforcement against “thugs” and criminal aliens.
Israel
The Israel Defense Forces conducted airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, targeting weapons storage facilities, production sites, rocket launchers, launch positions, and military buildings used to rebuild capabilities and plan attacks against Israel and IDF forces. The operation, executed by fighter jets and drones, aimed to degrade Hezbollah’s offensive potential in violation of the November 2024 ceasefire and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. No civilian casualties were reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the strikes send a clear message that Israel will not tolerate continued rearmament or threats from Hezbollah. The IDF emphasized precision to minimize collateral damage while maintaining operational readiness along the northern border.
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet conducted extensive counterterrorism operations across Judea and Samaria, arresting dozens of suspected terrorists and thwarting imminent attacks planned by Hamas and other groups. Raids targeted terror cells in Hebron, Bani Naim, Silat al-Harithiya, Tulkarm, and Beitunia, resulting in the seizure of an M16 rifle, additional firearms, ammunition, explosive materials, and equipment used for weapons production. Security forces also confiscated funds intended to finance terrorist activities and destroyed makeshift production sites. The operations disrupted active plots aimed at Israeli civilians and soldiers, preventing what officials described as potentially deadly attacks. The IDF emphasized that such actions remain essential to maintain security in the region amid ongoing threats from militant networks.
The Israel Innovation Authority announced a planned government investment of approximately $450 million in Israeli venture capital funds through its revamped Yozma Fund initiative. The program aims to leverage public capital to attract private investment, with the government committing to match every shekel raised by participating funds up to a set cap. Officials project the $450 million seed will enable the selected funds to raise more than $2 billion in total commitments from domestic and international investors. The move seeks to counteract a multi-year slowdown in venture funding, particularly in early-stage and deep-tech sectors, while reinforcing Israel’s position as a global innovation leader despite regional security challenges. The Yozma Fund, originally launched in the 1990s to jump-start Israel’s VC industry, has been restructured to target high-potential areas including AI, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.
Israeli police arrested an Arab resident of Ramallah last week on suspicion of defrauding approximately 100 Israelis out of roughly 3 million shekels (about $950,000) through an online scam. The suspect allegedly purchased goods from Israeli sellers on various platforms, manipulated payment confirmations to make it appear he had paid, and then refused to transfer the actual funds. A Special Operations Unit raided his home and took him into custody. Authorities described the operation as a sophisticated fraud scheme exploiting trust in e-commerce transactions. The case highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in online marketplaces and the challenges of cross-jurisdictional enforcement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
WORLD
Thousands of protesters have reportedly been killed in Iran as demonstrations against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the regime continue to spread across more than 100 cities. Security forces have used live ammunition, tear gas, and mass arrests to suppress the unrest, which erupted in late December 2025 over the rial’s collapse to record lows, inflation exceeding 40%, and widespread economic hardship. Human-rights groups and opposition sources claim the death toll has surpassed several thousand since the protests intensified, with children among the casualties and thousands more detained. The regime has imposed internet blackouts in major cities and cut power to protest hotspots to hinder coordination. President Donald Trump condemned the violence, warning of “very serious retaliation” if lethal force persists, while expressing support for the Iranian people’s desire for freedom.
Argentina has suspended its plans to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to a Channel 12 report citing diplomatic sources. The decision follows recent tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Argentine President Javier Milei, primarily over the Israeli-owned Navitas Petroleum company’s intention to conduct offshore oil drilling near the Falkland Islands beginning in 2028. Milei, who had strongly supported the embassy move as a symbol of alignment with Israel and the United States, reportedly viewed the drilling plans as provocative given Argentina’s longstanding claim to the British-controlled islands. Israeli officials have not commented publicly, while Milei’s administration emphasized the suspension is temporary and tied to ongoing bilateral discussions. The pause marks a setback for Netanyahu’s efforts to expand diplomatic recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital following the Abraham Accords and subsequent normalization agreements.
