Legislators from New York’s Assembly and state Senate struck a deal Tuesday to strip Gov. Andrew Cuomo of his pandemic-linked emergency powers and return matters like lockdowns to local control. The deal would reverse emergency powers granted to Cuomo exactly a year ago, in the early days of the COVID pandemic, that gave him free rein to order measures like quarantines. BREAKING: Cuomo to be stripped of pandemic emergency powers in legislative deal (NBC NY) — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 2, 2021 (Source: NBC News)

At least 15 people were killed Tuesday morning when an SUV collided with a semi-truck in Southern California, authorities have announced. The crash occurred on State Route 115 in the area of El Centro, 10 miles north of the US-Mexico border, at around 6:15am this morning. A Ford Expedition SUV reported to be carrying 27 passengers on board had been driving westbound on Norrish Road when it traveled ‘in the direct path’ of a gravel truck heading northbound on 115. Fourteen people were found dead at the scene, Judy Cruz, the managing director of the emergency department at the El Centro Regional Medical Center said at a news conference. Several others were also injured. Seven people were taken to El Centro Regional Medical Center, where one person has since died.

Shortly before the Syrian civil war began in March 2011, the Obama administration offered an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights to the Assad regime in exchange for cutting ties with Iran and Hezbollah, the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported on Sunday. The report, based on senior US and Syrian officials who were involved in the negotiations, said that the talks had proceeded to advanced stages and a document had already been prepared for signing. The final meeting between Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hof took place on February 28, 2011, when the Arab Spring had just started to spread to Damascus. Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Special Envoy to Syria and Lebanon Frederic Hof were involved in the talks.

Calls for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation intensified late Monday after a third woman accused him of offensive behavior. Anna Ruch told The New York Times late Monday about the incident involving inappropriate behavior. The account from Ruch, who worked as a photographer at the White House during President Barack Obama’s second term, made her the third woman to accuse Cuomo, and fueled broader calls for Cuomo to step down, including from some in his own party. “The pattern of harassment and predatory behavior by Governor Cuomo is unacceptable, and I believe the women coming forward,” New York City Councilman Antonio Reynoso tweeted in comments echoed elsewhere.

The NAACP Chapter in NJ is alleging that Orthodox Jewish children in Lakewood, NJ were seen in racist costumes this past Purim. They alleged that the children were seen photographed wearing Afro wigs, blackface, and wearing shirts that said “Black Lives Matter” on them. Fred Rush, local president of the NAACP, says he witnessed the children on Ponderosa Drive near Pine Street on Purim, and says he went over to two adults to tell them that this was racist and unacceptable. Rush also says he also witnessed people hanging an effigy – which some do to commemorate the hanging of Haman. He did not say if the effigy was pained as blackface, but still finds it offensive. He says he contacted police who responded and asked the homeowner to remove the effigy, who refused.

A 23-year-old avreich was hospitalized in critical condition after being found unconscious on Friday night shortly after becoming drunk earlier in the day due to Purim and a few weeks after recovering from the coronavirus. The avreich, who got married less than a year ago, is hospitalized in Shaarei Tzedek Hospital, sedated and ventilated. A relative told Kikar H’Shabbos that the hospital has already declared him brain dead and he is in need of much rachamei Shamayim. Doctors believe he may have suffered a post-coronavirus heart attack, exacerbated by his drinking. The avreich spent Purim in Bnei Brak, where he lives, and then traveled to his parents’ home in Ramot before Shabbos, when the incident occurred.

The driver who fatally rammed his minibus into an unruly crowd of drunken fringe youth who were attacking him on the corner of Shivtei Yisrael in Jerusalem, killing a Chareidi man, was identified on Monday as Ibrahim Hamed, a resident of east Jerusalem. Hamed, who was hospitalized following the incident, which killed Itamar Ben Abu, z’l, 47, of Mevaseret Tzion, was released from the hospital on Monday morning and brought to Jerusalem’s Magistrate’s Court, where his detention was extended by three days. He is suspected of reckless manslaughter.

Once again, another incident took place involving Jews on an airplane and mask compliance. The latest incident occurred on Sunday evening, on Frontier Airline flight F9 2878 from Miami International to La Guardia Airport. An eye-witness tells YWN that the flight attendants made an issue over an 15-month old toddler that was not wearing a mask, despite airline regulations that clearly state that “Face coverings are not required for children under the age of 2.” They threatened to remove the Jewish family, and many other passengers, both Jewish and non-Jewish began sticking up for them. The incident turned ugly, as people began screaming and protesting as they deplaned all passengers. One passenger began screaming that this was like “Nazi Germany”.

Former President Trump will deliver remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday afternoon. The former president is scheduled to take the stage at 3:40 p.m. Sunday. According to early reports, Trump will look ahead to the midterm elections in 2022 and the presidential election in 2024. “I stand before you today to declare that the incredible journey we began together four years ago is far from over. We are gathered this afternoon to talk about the future — the future of our movement, the future of our party, and the future of our beloved country,” he is expected to say, according to pre-released excerpts. The former president is also expected to lay the groundwork for how Republicans could regain majorities in the House and Senate.

The end of a joyous Purim Meshulash in Yerushalayim ended in tragedy, as a 47-year-old man was struck and killed by a vehicle, Sunday night. According to the latest information, it appears that a group of youngsters had blocked Shivtei Yisroel Street, and were harassing cars and blocking the road. Sources tell YWN that the group were specifically targeting Arab drivers, and were captured on video throwing bottles and stones at their vehicles. Eventually, the group attacked an Arab driving a shuttle bus. Viral video footage shows the crowd broke his mirror and were attacking his vehicle. A crowd eventually surrounded his vehicle, and eye witnesses say they attempted to light his car on fire and smash a bottle on the drivers head.