A Welcome FDA Walkback on a Flu Vaccine

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/fda-vinay-prasad-moderna-flu-vaccine-marty-makary-44f9fb31?mod=hp_opin_pos_2

The agency overrules Vinay Prasad’s refusal to consider Moderna’s shot.

Is the White House putting a leash on Food and Drug Administration vaccine chief Vinay Prasad? Americans can hope so after the agency on Wednesday walked back Dr. Prasad’s startling summary refusal last week to review Moderna’s new flu vaccine.

The FDA rarely refuses to consider an application for a new drug or vaccine, but that’s what Dr. Prasad did last week in a move that shocked the industry. He said Moderna’s late-stage trial wasn’t “adequate and well-controlled” because the control arm did not reflect the “best-available standard of care,” which he deemed a high-dose flu vaccine.

Tucker Carlson claims he was 'detained' at Ben-Gurion over standard pre-flight questioning

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-887171

Tucker Carlson claimed on Wednesday that he was detained during his visit to Israel, according to a statement he provided to The Daily Mail.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Israel told The Daily Mail that Carlson's claims were inaccurate and clarified that he only received the same passport-control questions that many visitors to Israel encounter.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Carlson did not leave Ben-Gurion Airport during his visit and conducted the interview with Huckabee while still at the airport.

Tzadik Decrees and G-d fulfills

 Tanchumin (Vayera 19) Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing. What is meant by this verse? Whatsoever G-d desires to do, He may do, and none may stay His hand. What then can be the meaning of And who may say unto Him: “What doest Thou?” whoso keepeth the commandment, etc.? These words whoso keepeth the commandment allude to the righteous men who perform the commandments of the G-d. And it is their decree that He fulfills, as it is written: Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy ways. An example of this is what occurred after they made the golden calf. Though G-d desired to destroy them, our master, Moses, restrained G-d as though that were possible, just as a man restrains his companion. Hence G-d said to him: And now let Me be.

Bamidbar Rabbah (14:4) When the tzaddikim decree, Hashem fulfills their words.

Orthodox Response to Same-Sex Marriage

 https://advocacy.ou.org/ou_resp_same_sex_marriage/

It is high time for a statement asserting and explaining the traditional Jewish position on homosexuality. Various Jewish groups have left the impression with the public at large that Judaism is supportive of homosexual behavior to the extent of endorsing same sex marriage. Thus it is imperative for the Orthodox world to make our position clear once more.

The position of traditional Judaism on homosexual behavior is clear and unambiguous, terse and absolute. Homosexual behavior between males or between females is absolutely forbidden by Jewish law, beginning with the biblical imperative, alluded to numerous times in the Talmud and codified in the Shulchan Aruch.

The position of Judaism on marriage is equally clear. Judaism recognizes marriage as a fundamental human institution, and affirms marriage only between a man and woman.

Palestine Action activists to face retrial over raid on UK Elbit factory, alleged sledgehammer attack on cop

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/palestine-action-activists-to-face-retrial-over-raid-on-uk-elbit-factory-alleged-sledgehammer-attack-on-cop/

Six British anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian activists will face a retrial on a number of charges relating to a 2024 raid on Israeli defense firm Elbit’s UK factory, in which a police officer’s spine was allegedly fractured in a filmed sledgehammer attack.

Last month, a jury failed to reach verdicts on criminal damage charges. Rajwani, Rogers and Devlin were found not guilty of violent disorder, with verdicts not reached for the three others.

The jury additionally did not reach a verdict against Corner for the charge of causing grievous bodily harm, despite him being filmed striking a policewoman with a sledgehammer and fracturing her lumbar spine.

Prosecutors say there will be a retrial for all charges which had not ended in verdicts. The trial is expected to take place next February.

The Muslim Brotherhood is a stealth threat to European societies

 https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-886847

In the heart of Europe, a subtle yet insidious force is at work, eroding the foundations of our democratic society. The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, has grown into a global network that poses a profound challenge to our precious Western values.

In Europe, the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates employ sophisticated strategies to do this. Through organizations like the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (now the Council of European Muslims) and youth groups such as FEMYSO, they position themselves as representatives of Muslim communities. They secure EU funding – apparently over €23 million to linked entities – for “anti-Islamophobia” initiatives that sneakily shield their activities from scrutiny, operating under the radar and thus difficult to identify.

By framing any criticism as racism, they exploit “woke” narratives, forming “Red-Green alliances” with left-wing groups to amplify their influence. This infiltration undermines pluralism and integration. Muslim Brotherhood-linked schools and mosques are fostering parallel societies, promoting gender hierarchies and intolerance. Their ideology has inspired terrorist offshoots like Hamas, which the Muslim Brotherhood supports, linking it to broader extremism. A US congressional hearing highlighted the Muslim Brotherhood as a “gateway to terrorism,” providing ideological justification for violence.

In Europe, this manifests in radicalization, antisemitism, and threats to security, for example, through increased monitoring by services in Austria, Germany, and France. The human cost is devastating. Consider the case of a young Yezidi woman, one of over 7,000 kidnapped by ISIS at age 11 in 2014 during the Sinjar genocide. Sold into slavery and trafficked to Gaza, she endured a decade of captivity under a Hamas-linked captor until his death in an Israeli strike enabled her rescue in a joint operation by Israel, the US, Jordan, and Iraq. She now lives in the EU.

Zelensky says Trump ‘Not Fair’ on Ukraine

 https://www.newsweek.com/zelensky-says-trump-not-fair-on-ukraine-11539833

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is unfair of President Donald Trump to publicly call on Ukraine to make concessions in peace talks with Russia as a second day of trilateral negotiations gets underway.

Zelensky told the Axios website on Tuesday it was "not fair" Ukraine faced pressure to compromise on the terms of a future deal and that peace isn't within reach if "victory is handed to Russia."

Zelensky then told reporters and world leaders on Saturday that American officials "often return to the topic of concessions" before adding: "Too often those concessions are discussed in the context only of Ukraine, not Russia."

Crucially, Russia has said it wants control of all of the Donbas, the part of eastern Ukraine made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. This includes a chunk of Donetsk still under Ukrainian control that is key for Kyiv's defenses in the east.

Agudath Israel 'deeply disappointed' in passage of euthanasia law

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/422542

Kathy Hochul has signed into law the measure known as “medical aid in dying," (MAID), making New York the 13th U.S. state to permit physicians to prescribe life-ending medication to terminally ill patients.

The legislation triggered intense opposition from Orthodox Jewish communities across the state, which had campaigned against it for nearly ten years. Religious leaders and organizations argued that the law undermines the sanctity of life and crosses fundamental moral boundaries.

Agudath Israel of America, which spearheaded opposition to the legislation, issued a statement expressing deep regret over the decision. The group emphasized its belief that human life is sacred, that every person is created in the divine image, and that each moment of life holds inherent value.

Randy Fine faces censure and resignation calls over post on Muslims and dogs

 https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5742244-randy-fine-censure-calls-muslims-dogs-post/?tbref=hp

In response to the criticism, a defiant Fine on Monday and Tuesday repeatedly posted a Gadsden flag — which normally features a snake and the words “Don’t tread on me” — with a puppy in place of a snake.

Fine is no stranger to sparking controversy or showing hostility toward Palestinian activists. Last year, when commenting on reported starvation in Gaza, Fine posted:  “Release the hostages. Until then, starve away. (This is all a lie anyway. It amazes me that the media continues to regurgitate Muslim terror propaganda.)”

When Fine responded to Kelly’s post by asking “figured it out yet?” she retorted, “What I figured out, you pathetic sweaty man, is when an idiot Muslim says ‘no dogs in NYC,’ instead of attacking the person or the policy, you went full bigot. F— off.”

Conservative provocateur Laura Loomer, on the other hand, praised Fine for taking a “patriotic stand against Muslims trying to BAN DOGS.”

GOP congressman who says he supports dogs over Muslims faces calls to resign

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/17/randy-fine-muslims-dogs-resign/

“If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one,” Fine said in a post Sunday on X, which he wrote in response to comments by a leader of a pro-Palestinian group about dog owners not cleaning up after their pets on New York City streets. Fine defended his comments during a television interview Tuesday.

Fine made his initial post in response to a comment made by activist Nerdeen Kiswani, who on Feb. 12 said on X that New York City was “coming to Islam” because many New Yorkers were complaining about how dog owners in the city were not cleaning after their pets and leaving behind dog poop all over the sidewalks.

Kiswani’s explanation on X appeared not to sway Fine, who said in an interview with Newsmax that his post “was in response to a major Muslim leader saying dogs should be forbidden from New York City because to some Muslims, it bothers them.”

“Well, if they’re going to make us choose between our dogs and them going home, the choice is easy,” Fine said, doubling down.

"Corrupt," "cruel": Americans send Trump, GOP a midterm warning

 https://www.axios.com/2026/02/17/trump-disapproval-gop-midterms-poll

Nearly half of Americans would describe President Trump as "corrupt," "racist" and "cruel" in new polling full of midterm warning signs for Republicans.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, US civil rights icon with rocky ties to Jews, dies at 84

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/rev-jesse-jackson-us-civil-rights-icon-with-rocky-ties-to-jews-dies-at-81/

The African-American leader had rocky relations with the American Jewish community for much of his career, due to his 1980s friendship with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and his description of New York City as “Hymietown,” for which he later apologized. His support for the Palestinian Liberation Organization also strained the relationship, though it improved over time.

In January of 1984, in what he thought were private remarks to a journalist, he referred to New York City as “Hymietown,” a derogatory reference to its large Jewish population.

When the remarks were published in The Washington Post, the civil rights leader denied having made them, and blamed a Jewish conspiracy for the controversy. He ultimately acknowledged the remarks and apologized in a New Hampshire synagogue. In later years, he attempted to mend the relationship, and met with Jewish leaders and organizations.

Another sore spot was his relationship to the Nation of Islam’s Farrakhan, though the reverend condemned the latter’s antisemitic statements as “reprehensible” during his 1984 campaign, which he said Farrakhan was “not a part of.

Grieving parents demand changes after son, 26, euthanized under controversial law

 https://nypost.com/2026/02/17/world-news/grieving-parents-demand-changes-after-son-26-euthanized-under-controversial-law/

The grieving parents of a 26-year-old man are speaking out against Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) laws, arguing the system failed to protect their “vulnerable” son from being euthanized, despite a history of mental illness.

Kiano Vafaeian was euthanized on Dec. 30, 2025, in British Columbia.

“He kept on emphasizing about how he could get approved,” Marsilla told Fox News Digital. “We never thought there would be a chance that any doctor would approve a 22- or 23-year-old at that time for MAID because of diabetes or blindness.”

In 2022, after a Toronto doctor initially approved Vafaeian’s request, the family launched a public pressure campaign on social media to voice their opposition.

The outcry led the doctor to withdraw approval. While Vafaeian was initially angry, his family said he showed signs of improvement over the following year, even moving in with them in 2024.

Noncitizen voting is rare. Why is Washington so focused on it?

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/17/save-act-election-security-noncitizen-voting-00782470

A flood of Republican-backed efforts to tighten voter ID laws is serving as a distraction from more serious threats to the American voting system, according to top election security experts.

“[Washington] is chasing false narratives and leaving open all the vulnerabilities that are only worse now,” said Michael McNulty, policy director at Issue One, a bipartisan organization that tracks election issues.

While Hill Republicans and members of the Trump administration have framed these bills as much-needed reform for pressing election security issues, data collected by state election offices suggests that the threat being targeted is largely overblown.

Noncitizen voting in the U.S. is extremely rare, and state election offices conduct regular assessments of their voter rolls to curb risks of voter fraud. A recent report from the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research found that many claims of noncitizen voting stem from “misunderstandings, mischaracterizations, or outright fabrications about complex voter data.”

The report highlighted a 2025 voter roll audit by Michigan’s Department of State, which found that of the 7.2 million active registered voters on the state’s rolls, there were only 16 instances of suspected noncitizens who cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election. Other states, including Louisiana and Utah, recently conducted audits of their voter rolls and found few incidents of noncitizen voting or voter registration.