New York
Three people were found dead in separate locations across New York City during a period of extreme cold, with authorities indicating the deaths were likely weather-related.
The NYPD said two bodies were discovered in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan during the early morning hours, all found outdoors and showing no visible signs of trauma. A 67-year-old man was located first on a sidewalk along Third Avenue in Brooklyn. The other two individuals were found roughly two hours later in different areas of the city. Investigators stated there was “no indication of criminality” at the scenes. Temperatures had dropped into the teens overnight, conditions officials have repeatedly warned can be life-threatening, particularly for homeless individuals.
Gravesend Park in Brooklyn was vandalized with extensive antisemitic graffiti, including 57 swastikas painted across walkways and playground equipment, according to police and community officials. The graffiti was discovered multiple times over the week, prompting Community Board 12 to return to the park alongside the NYPD’s 66th Precinct and Boro Park Shomrim. Authorities confirmed the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is leading the investigation. Police said two suspects were taken into custody in connection with a series of related vandalism incidents at the playground. Officials described the acts as deliberate and targeted, noting the location’s proximity to the Borough Park community. Law enforcement stated those responsible will be held accountable under hate crime statutes as the investigation continues.
New York City drivers received a record number of summonses for illegally reserving parking spaces with traffic cones and other objects, according to city data cited by the New York Post. The Department of Sanitation issued 533 tickets for traffic-cone obstructions after more than 7,200 complaints were filed through the city’s 311 system. That total exceeded the 470 summonses issued the previous year and reflected a sharp increase compared with earlier years. Queens accounted for the majority of the violations, consistent with complaint patterns tracked by the city. Officials reiterated that placing objects to block public parking spaces is illegal and subject to enforcement.
New York state utility regulators approved a multiyear rate increase for Con Edison customers, authorizing higher electric and gas bills across New York City and Westchester County. The Public Service Commission approved a cumulative 10.4% increase in electric rates spread over three years. Electric bills will rise 3.9% in the first year, adding about $4 per month for the average city customer, followed by increases of 3.3% and 3.2% in subsequent years. Westchester electric customers are expected to see comparable adjustments. Gas rates were approved for a steeper cumulative increase of 15.8%, including hikes of 2.4%, 7.8%, and 5.6% over the same period.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani clarified that the city’s taxpayer-funded universal childcare programs will be open to all children in the city without asking about immigration status, reinforcing NYC’s sanctuary city policy. He said the universal pre-K, 3-K, and newly launched “2-Care” programs are available to “every single New Yorker” regardless of where they or their parents were born, and that immigration status will not be checked during enrollment. Mamdani added that sanctuary city protections mean federal agents such as ICE generally cannot enter schools, hospitals, or city properties without a judicial warrant. His remarks came amid broader efforts to expand early childhood education access, including free care for two-year-olds as part of a city-state initiative.
U.S.
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old registered nurse from Minneapolis, was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent during a federal immigration enforcement operation on January 24, amid protests linked to “Operation Metro Surge.” Federal officials said Pretti approached officers with a handgun during what they characterized as a targeted operation and that an agent fired defensive shots; he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Bystander video and local authorities dispute this account, showing Pretti holding a phone and attempting to assist others before being pepper-sprayed and tackled, with several shots fired while he was subdued. Pretti had no criminal record beyond minor traffic violations and was a licensed gun owner. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and others have criticized the federal response and handling of investigations, with bipartisan concern growing over the use of force and transparency. Federal agents involved were placed on administrative duty or relocated, and protests erupted in Minneapolis following the shooting.
The United States has officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), ending nearly 80 years of participation in the U.N. global health agency, the Trump administration announced through the Department of Health and Human Services and the State Department. The withdrawal follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office in January 2025 directing the U.S. to leave the WHO after a yearlong notice period, citing concerns that the organization “strayed from its core mission” and failed to enact meaningful reforms in transparency and accountability. The U.S. stopped funding the WHO and recalled personnel during the process, though it still owes the agency outstanding dues from prior years.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faced backlash after likening the fear experienced by some children amid federal immigration enforcement to the circumstances faced by Anne Frank during the Holocaust. Walz said some children are “hiding in their houses, afraid to go outside,” a comparison that quickly drew criticism from Jewish organizations and historians. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum responded by stressing that Anne Frank was murdered solely for being Jewish and warned that drawing political analogies to the Holocaust is “inappropriate and offensive.” The museum added that such comparisons are particularly harmful amid rising antisemitism. Critics argued the remarks minimized the historical reality of the Holocaust, while Walz later emphasized his intent was to describe fear, not equate circumstances.
The man charged with setting fire to a Mississippi synagogue pleaded not guilty to a federal arson charge. The fire caused significant damage to Beth Israel Congregation, a historic synagogue previously targeted by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 due to its involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Authorities reported that the blaze occurred shortly after 3 a.m. and that no injuries were reported. Federal prosecutors filed the arson charge under statutes covering religious property and hate crimes. Law enforcement officials emphasized the seriousness of the offense given the congregation’s history and the symbolic nature of the building. Investigators continue to gather evidence, and the suspect remains in custody pending further court proceedings.
Former President Donald Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon, alleging the bank unlawfully terminated its relationship with him for political reasons. The lawsuit claims that JPMorgan and its executives discriminated against Trump by closing his accounts and denying services because of his political views, violating federal and state banking laws. Trump’s legal team argues the decision to “debank” him harmed his business reputation and financial operations. JPMorgan has not publicly detailed its response but has historically stated that it reserves the right to manage client relationships. The suit seeks substantial damages and could set a precedent regarding banks’ discretion in choosing customers, particularly in politically sensitive contexts.
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will face off in Super Bowl LX following Championship Sunday victories in their respective conferences. New England secured the AFC title with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks captured the NFC title with a decisive victory, advancing to the league’s championship game for the first time in several seasons. The matchup sets up a Super Bowl featuring two experienced franchises with multiple past appearances, renewing a historic rivalry narrative.
Israel
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that they have located and identified the body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili Z”L, the last remaining Israeli hostage in Gaza. The discovery was made following searches at a cemetery in eastern Gaza City. Gvili’s family was informed that his remains are being returned to Israel for burial. The IDF described the operation as part of ongoing efforts to recover hostages and provide closure for families affected by abductions during the conflict. Officials emphasized that the identification process involved careful coordination and forensic verification to ensure proper handling and repatriation.
The IDF announced it demolished a roughly 1-kilometer-long Hamas attack tunnel on the Israeli side of the Gaza ceasefire line in the Strip’s central area. The tunnel reportedly contained weapons caches and three rooms used by Hamas operatives for planning and storage. The operation was part of ongoing efforts to neutralize cross-border threats and prevent attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel. Military officials emphasized that tunnel detection and destruction remain a core component of Israel’s defensive strategy in the Gaza region. The IDF described the tunnel as a tactical threat, noting that its removal disrupts Hamas’s operational capabilities along the ceasefire line.
IDF reservists from Battalion 74 demolished a Hamas monument in Gaza that commemorated the 2018 Khan Younis ambush, in which Lt. Col. Mahmoud Kheir el-Din was killed after a covert Israeli operation was exposed. The site had been constructed by Hamas as a shrine glorifying the attack and its operatives. Israeli military officials described the demolition as a symbolic measure to prevent the veneration of terrorism and to counter propaganda efforts. The operation was carried out under controlled conditions, with reservists emphasizing the tactical and psychological objectives of removing structures that honor attacks against Israeli forces. Hamas has historically used such monuments to boost morale and publicize past operations.
WORLD
A Jewish cemetery in Derna, eastern Libya, was demolished amid construction work, according to Pedhazur Benattia, chairman of the Or Shalom organization in Bat Yam, Israel. Benattia said that over the past several weeks, scores of graves believed to have been at the site were destroyed, erasing a historic part of Libya’s Jewish heritage. Or Shalom, which focuses on preserving Libyan Jewish history, noted that the cemetery had been largely neglected for decades following the exodus of the local Jewish community. Officials and preservationists expressed concern that the demolition represents a significant loss of cultural and religious history, highlighting the challenges of protecting Jewish heritage sites in areas affected by political instability and development.
A 12-year-old boy from Buenos Aires’ Jewish community, Michael Mordechai Haboba, was killed when a tree branch collapsed on him at a community recreational site in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Haboba was the son of Rabbi David Haboba, head of the Chafetz Chaim kollel, and the family is prominent within the city’s religious community. Community members described the tragedy as a profound loss, noting the child’s active involvement in local educational and religious programs.
Activists report that Iran’s nationwide protests have resulted in at least 5,002 deaths amid the government’s ongoing crackdown. The unrest, which began over political and social grievances, has been met with widespread use of force by security personnel. Observers note that many additional fatalities are feared but remain unconfirmed due to limited access and the government’s two-week-long internet blackout, described as the most comprehensive in Iranian history. Human rights groups have condemned the crackdown, citing reports of arbitrary arrests, targeted killings, and restrictions on independent reporting.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reportedly been relocated to a fortified underground bunker complex in Tehran, featuring interconnected tunnels, following assessments by senior military and security officials of an elevated risk of a potential U.S. strike, according to Iran International. The move reflects heightened security measures amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, with officials reportedly reviewing both conventional and strategic threat scenarios. The bunker is said to be part of a broader network designed to protect key leadership figures and maintain command continuity during crises. Sources indicate the relocation is precautionary, intended to ensure survivability and operational readiness in the event of military action.
American rock climber Alex Honnold scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes or protective gear, completing the 1,667-foot ascent in roughly 90 minutes. As he reached the spire, a crowd at street level erupted in cheers, witnessing the climber’s feat. Honnold, wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, waved his arms over his head in celebration at the summit. Authorities noted the climb was conducted without prior approval, raising concerns over safety and security, though no injuries occurred. Honnold’s ascent adds to his reputation for high-risk, free-solo climbs, previously including iconic natural rock formations.
