Russia claimed Thursday that its troops have driven the Ukrainian army out of the biggest town in Russia’s Kursk border region, as a senior Kremlin official said that a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire in the war three years after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine would help Kyiv by giving its weary and short-handed military a break. The Russian Defense Ministry’s claim that it recaptured the town of Sudzha, hours after President Vladimir Putin visited his commanders in Kursk and wore military fatigues, could not be independently verified. Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment on the claim. The renewed Russian military push and Putin’s high-profile visit to his troops came as U.S. President Donald Trump presses for a diplomatic end to the war. The U.S.

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda again called on the United States to deploy nuclear weapons to Poland as a deterrent to Russia, the latest indication that the frontline NATO nation is increasingly considering nuclear protection as fears of Russia grow. Duda made his appeal in an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday, repeating an appeal he made to the Biden administration in 2022. Duda’s adviser for international affairs, Wojciech Kolarski, followed up on Duda’s appeal with an interview on Poland’s RMF FM radio Thursday morning in which he argued that nuclear protection would improve security for Poland, a NATO member along the alliance’s eastern flank that shares borders with Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian territory of Kaliningrad.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman At a recent medical visit, my doctor cited a quote from Alexander Pope, the famous British satirist, that “Mighty

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Face it. Life has its rough patches, days when nothing seems to go as planned and everything you do leaves you feeling frustrated.

Israel’s team negotiating the release of hostages stayed in Doha for the night, as talks continue, according to an Israeli official speaking with The Times of Israel.
There had been some speculation that the team might return home last night.
According to Kan, the public broadcaster, a Palestinian source claims that the United States is advocating for a 60-day ceasefire as part of an agreement for the release of 10 hostages.
If that fails, the US might focus on securing the release of American hostages only. One, Edan Alexander, is still alive, while four others have been confirmed dead.

Hundreds of mispallelim, accompanied by the IDF, entered Kever Yosef in Shechem on Wednesday night, ahead of Taanis Esther and Purim, as part of the regular visits arranged by the Shomron Regional Council and approved by the IDF. Yossi Dagan, the head of the Shomron Council, called for the restoration of full Israeli control over Kever Yosef. “There is no real reason to continue this absurdity, that a site that is supposed to be under full Israeli control, even according to the cursed Oslo Accords, has remained abandoned for over 24 years – one of the most kodesh places for the Jewish nation,” he said. “I call on the government to act to restore the permanent presence at the site, to correct the disgrace and allow every Jew to daven in this kodesh place without fear.

The weather in Israel has been unusually warm this week, with temperatures rising to above seasonal averages on Wednesday. The temperatures are expected to continue to rise on Thursday, with hot and dry conditions. There will be another slight rise on Friday, Purim day, and Shabbos. The temperature will continue to climb on Sunday, Shushan Purim, with heatwave conditions in the mountains and inland areas. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

It was supposed to be a brief and relaxing getaway, a short escape to the sun-drenched shores of the Caribbean. But for two young avreichem from New York, their tropical vacation turned into a terrifying ordeal, as they vanished without a trace, setting off a frantic international rescue effort that ended in nothing short of a neis. The two men had traveled to Aruba with a third avreich, eager to enjoy a few days of rest before returning to their daily routines. While one remained at the hotel, the others ventured out for an afternoon excursion, their spirits high as they embarked on their adventure. Hours passed and the third avreich reached out to see where they were, but his calls and messages went unanswered. Concern gave way to panic.