Exacting swift punishment against those who crossed him, an emboldened President Donald Trump ousted two government officials who had delivered damaging testimony against him during his impeachment hearings. The president took retribution just two days after his acquittal by the Senate. First came news Friday that Trump had ousted Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the decorated soldier and national security aide who played a central role in the Democrats’ impeachment case. Vindman’s lawyer said his client was escorted out of the White House complex Friday, told to leave in retaliation for “telling the truth.” “The truth has cost Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman his job, his career, and his privacy,” attorney David Pressman said in a statement. Vindman’s twin brother, Lt. Col.

Three days before the critical New Hampshire Primary, seven Democratic presidential candidates debated, with many of them fighting to survive in the race to challenge President Donald Trump. Here are some key takeaways. MAYOR PETE MAKES HIS CASE Pete Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend., Ind., was the candidate of the moment Friday. All eyes were on him Friday night to see if he could make his case. And he did – with one significant stumble. Attacked for his thin resume, Buttigieg shot back, “If you’re looking for the person with the most years of Washington, D.C., experience under their belt, that candidate is not me.” He promoted his youth compared with the lawmakers onstage talking their achievements from decades ago.

New York state will file a lawsuit challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to block New Yorkers from participating in “trusted traveler programs” in retribution for a new state law that could hinder federal immigration enforcement, officials said Friday. “It’s an abuse of power. It’s extortion. It is hurting New Yorkers to advance their political agenda. And we’re going to fight back,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said at a news conference in New York. The lawsuit is the latest salvo in an escalating fight over immigration policy between President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders in his home state. In December, a new state law took effect allowing New York residents to apply for driver’s licenses without having to prove they are in the U.S. legally.

Long before Donald Trump’s impeachment landed in the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had one piece of advice for the president: Focus on the House. Gin it up. Use maximum effort. Make sure Republicans are united. And leave the Senate to him. The Republican leader encouraged the president not to turn attention on wayward GOP senators, like Mitt Romney, who were “troubled’’ by Trump’s actions toward Ukraine, but to stir the partisan passions of the House. It was the GOP leader’s central strategy to produce as partisan an impeachment as possible — too polarizing for any centrists to touch — to secure Republican acquittal in the Senate. “He understood right from the start, this was crooked politics,” said Trump, singling McConnell out for praise Thursday at the White House.

The rate of increase in new cases of the virus in China rose again after a brief respite, as the death toll rose to 722 on the mainland and countries around the world enforced stricter measures to contain its spread. A U.S. citizen died of the virus in Wuhan, the city at the center of the outbreak, in what was apparently the first American death. A Japanese being treated in Wuhan who was a suspected case also died. Almost all of the new fatalities were in and around Wuhan in central Hubei province. Another 3,399 cases were reported, bringing the total to 34,546, although some of those have recovered. More than 320 cases have been confirmed outside mainland China, including two deaths in Hong Kong and the Philippines.

The Toms River and greater Lakewood community will iy”H once again welcome the Liska Rebbe Shlita L’ Kavod Tu B’Shvat. In what was a first for the Toms River community the Rebbe, a noted talmid chochom conducted the first “Chasidishe Tisch” at the home of Reb Shloimy Erenthal last year with the participation of prominent rabbonim, roshei yeshivas and members of the community.This year, the community looks forward to once again basking in the spiritual warmth of the auspicious day of tu b’shvat referred to as Rosh HaShanah Lailanos at the Rebbe’s Tisch on Sunday evening, February 9, the night preceding tu b’shvat in the home of Reb Shloimy Erenthal located at 2193 S. Tiiu Ct, Toms River, NJ 08755.

For the first time ever, the two leading choirs in the world of Jewish music – the Malchus and Shira choirs – and the two best orchestras in the world of Jewish music – Hamenagnim and Freiich, with some 50 musicians between them, will appear together on one stage at the Dirshu Siyum Hashas to be held this Sunday. Following an unprecedented wave of requests, an additional hall has been opened close to the original hall in New Jersey. Dirshu opened the chain of siyumim worldwide when it held its siyum event at the Jerusalem International Convention Center on Motzai Shabbos Chanuka – the event which served as the first of all the siyumim in the Jewish world, and it is also the Dirshu organization which is closing the series of siyumim for the 12th Daf Hayomi cycle.

An Israeli man traveled to Hong Kong on Wednesday and reported to B’Chadrei Charedim that everything was empty. In a photo the man took of the inside of the plane, the only people who were on the flight were the staff as hundreds of seats on the jumbo jet lay empty while the staff wore masks over their faces. The man, who was traveling for business, requested to remain anonymous and said: “My wife refused to let me go until she realized that I had to go, otherwise my business would fail. Of course I am afraid, but I have no choice the work needs to get done.” The man added that when he arrived in Hong Kong, he could not see many people at the airport.

One of the contenders for the leadership of Canada’s Conservative party, and former Defense Minister Peter MacKay stated in a personal tweet on Tuesday that: “It has always been my personal view that Jerusalem is the undisputed capital of the State of Israel and that is where Canada’s embassy should be and under my leadership, will be located.” The tweet was reported by Canadian Jewish newspaper the Canadian Jewish News. MacKay further tweeted: The Jewish people of Canada “know that the Conservative Party stands shoulder to shoulder with them. I made it clear (that) a threat to Israel is a threat to Canada.

Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert have announced that they will make a joint statement next week reflecting their opposition to the Trump administration’s peace plan. According to Channel 12 News, which broke the story to the Israeli media, the joint press conference is reported to be held next week. During the press conference, Olmert is expected to say that he was on the cusp of an agreement with the PA towards the end of his term as Prime Minister. Olmert has previously offered Abbas the most generous package that had ever been offered by an Israeli Prime Minister, including a near-total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria, relinquishing control eastern Jerusalem and putting the Old City of Jerusalem under international control.