NEW YORK (AP) — The bust was a bust, and it could end up costing New York City some serious green. A day after prosecutors dropped criminal charges in a case spotlighting confusion over hemp, marijuana and conflicting laws, the Brooklyn brothers caught in the chaos took the first step toward suing the city and […]

Greta Thunberg has rejected accolades for her activism, saying awards are not what the environmental movement needs.
But on Wednesday, the Swedish 16-year-old, who has mobilized millions of people to fight climate change and condemned leaders’ inaction, was awarded the honor of Time’s Person of the Year – the magazine’s youngest ever.
“She became the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet this year, coming from essentially nowhere to lead a worldwide movement,” Time Editor in Chief Edward Felsenthal said on NBC’s “Today” show.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is delaying the elimination of the carpool discount program, just weeks before the agency had planned to end it and as backlash grew in recent weeks from New Jersey commuters and a U.S. congressman.
“The Port Authority believes, for safety, efficiency, and environmental reasons, transitioning to cashless tolling will have a positive impact on our customers, our facilities and the region. But we’re also listening when our customers speak up,” the Port Authority said in a statement Wednesday morning. “That’s why this week we are bringing before our board a proposal to phase out the carpool discount at the Hudson River crossings only as each facility actually implements cashless, all-electronic tolling.”

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
We live in historic times. Our period will be studied by history students for many years to come. They will study the rebirth of Torah and its proliferation on these shores and around the world, in numbers and ways never known to mankind. In less than a month, masses of people will gather to celebrate the Siyum Hashas of Daf Yomi, proving that netzach Yisroel lo yishaker.
Historians will study the phenomena of Binyomin Netanyahu, the longest serving prime minister in Israel’s brief history, along with the allegations of corruption, his coalition deals with the religious parties, and the upcoming second do-over election.
These are historic things. They don’t happen too often.

An infant girl about a year old, lost consciousness while being supervised by a daycare worker in Bnei Brak.

United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Aharon Lehrer, who was one of the first responders at the scene relayed: “We performed CPR on the infant who lost consciousness while she was at her daycare located in the home of the daycare worker. She was transported by an intensive care unit ambulance to the hospital while still undergoing CPR efforts to resuscitate her.”

{Matzav.com}

A few weeks ago, Ayelet Wasserman, a 17-year-old girl originally from Los Angeles who now lives with her family in Jerusalem, visited the Jerusalem headquarters of United Hatzalah of Israel to donate an emergency ambucycle. Ayelet started raising money for United Hatzalah four years ago when, after a series of terror attacks in Jerusalem, she decided to do something to help protect the people in Israel. She had always had a dream of learning the entire bible and so she committed to learning two chapters a day – every day and to review the weekly portion every Shabbat (Saturday) with the goal of finishing the entire Bible within the year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday targeting what his administration describes as a growing problem with anti-Semitic harassment on college campuses. Trump has sought to closely align himself with Israel, a move that appeals to many evangelical voters, too. He said Wednesday that the order sends a message to universities: […]

Reuven ben Yaakov Avinu (1567 BCE-1442 BCE)
Rav Menashe ben Yisrael of Amsterdam, author of Nishmas Odom. He was as friend of Rembrandt van Rijn, who apart from making an etching of the Rabbi also illustrated his books. It was Rabbi Menashe, whom together with Rabbi Jacob Sasportas, pleaded with Oliver Cromwell to allow the Jews to settle in England on philosophical and theological grounds.
Rav Menachem Nachum of Shtefanesht, Romania, one of the 5 sons of Rav Yisrael of Ruzhin (1823-1869). He was succeeded by his son, Rav Avraham Matisyahu, when the latter was 21 years old.
Rav Dovid Abuchatzeira (1919)

Israel is set to hold a third round of elections within 12 months, after a deadline to form a government passed with no politician able to bring together the disparate parties, The Guardian reports.
A time limit to forge a majority coalition in the country’s parliament, the Knesset, expired at midnight on Wednesday, automatically triggering a fresh national ballot.
By law, the poll cannot be held for three months, extending a political deadlock that has paralysed the country deep into next year. Lawmakers were debating late into the night on holding the vote on 2 March.

The 22nd Knesset officially dissolved at midnight on Wednesday, after no MK was able to secure 61 signatures to form a government in the 21-day time period allotted for this.