Massive 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Central Turkey, Felt In Beit Shemesh & Yerushalyim

 

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook southeast Turkey early Monday and was followed by another strong temblor. It was felt in several provinces in the region and knocked down a number of buildings, reports said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep, a major city and provincial capital. It was about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from the town of Nurdagi.

It was centered 18 kilometers (11 miles) deep, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A strong 6.7 temblor rumbled about 10 minutes later.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management agency, AFAD, said the quake measured 7.4 and was centered in the town of Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province.

Several buildings tumbled down in the neighboring provinces of Malatya, Diyarbakir and Malatya, HaberTurk television reported. There was no immediate reports on casualties.

Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.

The earthquake was also felt in Lebanon and Syria, and Israel.

Syria’s state media reported that some buildings collapsed in the northern city of Aleppo and the central city of Hama.

In Syria’s rebel-held northwest that borders Turkey several buildings collapsed, according to the opposition’s Syrian civil Defense.

There was no immediate word on casualties.

In Beirut and Damascus, buildings shook and many people went down to the streets in fear.

I just felt a powerful earthquake in Jerusalem, Israel.

The entire building was shaking, chandeliers swinging back and forth.

Seems to be aftershock from a much larger earthquake in Southern Turkey.

— Shloime Zionce | שלומי זייאנץ (@Chusidel) February 6, 2023

Costco in Israel?

 

Israel Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wants to bring the Costco Wholesale chain to Israel, according to a report by Yehuda Shlezinger in Israel Hayom. Costco is the largest wholesale chain in the US, and the ninth largest in the world, and is considered the second largest food chain in the world after Walmart.

In a letter that Smotrich sent to the managers of the chain, he wrote that “the Israeli government has set itself the goal of increasing Israeli competition in the food market in Israel. It would be a great achievement if international players like your company enter. We want to interest you in entering the Israeli market, we have an opportunity and shared goals.”

Smotrich said he hopes to meet with the heads of the company during his next visit to the US.

Costco’s entry into the Israeli market could cause a major shakeup and reduction in prices.

Its entry into Israel would also be one less excuse for not making Aliyah.

Florida community in shock after Jewish Lyft driver Gary Levin kidnapped and murdered

 

The Jewish community of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is in shock after a Jewish Lyft driver was kidnapped and murdered while working.

Police believe that Gary Levin, 74, was kidnapped and murdered by an angry passenger he had picked up. His family reported him missing on Tuesday. He was last seen alive on Monday.

Human remains were found on Saturday in a wooded area Okeechobee County, Florida, near where Levin had dropped off a passenger right before his disappearance. The remains were later identified as Levin.

His daughter, Lindsay DiBetta, told reporters: "There's no way he would pick someone up in Miami and drive all the way to Okeechobee without letting his partner know. They had dinner plans that day, but he never came home."

A suspect, Matthew Scott Flores, was arrested after a police chase in North Carolina while driving Levin's car. Flores is wanted for an unrelated murder in Florida.

Roselee Moskowitz has squatted in 90-year-old Rabbi Meyer Leifer's home for years

 

Rabbi Leifer and Bloomberg 

Roselee Moskowitz 

This couch potato isn’t kosher.

A 90-year-old rabbi’s life has been turned upside down by a brazen squatter who moved into his living room two years ago — and shows no signs of making her exodus any time soon.

Accused agi-tater Roselee Moskowitz, 67, allegedly took advantage of the kindness of Rabbi Meyer Leifer and his family, who gave her a place to stay in his two-bedroom West 28th Street apartment when she had nowhere to go at the dawn of the pandemic, according to his daughter Daniella and court records.

But the mensch’s mitzvah was repaid with unimaginable chutzpah.

Squatter, Roselee Moskowitz crouches down when approached by The Post.

Ben-Gvir will consider resigning if demands are not met

 

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir harshly criticized his government's policies, the response to the attacks from Gaza, which he calls weak, and the postponement of the evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar.

In heated conversations behind closed doors, Ben-Gvir claimed that if within eight months he won't manage to change these issues significantly, he will not hold on to his seat and will consider resigning.

According to a report by Channel 13 News, Ben-Gvir will wait no more than nine months to see if he is receiving support for the changes he wishes to make. Ben-Gvir believes he has partners and that he is not alone. The same sources claim that the Netanyahu government is ready and willing to make changes and that Ben-Gvir is not alone in the fight.

"If they cut me off in the next budget, that means I'm alone. In such a case, if I feel like I don't have an influence, I will return the keys and will go fight in the opposition," Ben-Gvir recently told people in his inner circle, emphasizing that he expects to "fight to the end, even at the cost of a crisis." Yet, Ben-Gvir clarifies that this is not an ultimatum for his partners in the coalition.

On the other hand, Ben-Gvir is indeed happy with the moves and steps being taken, and according to him, they would not have happened in a different government. Among them: sealing the homes of terrorists, closing the prison bakeries, demolishing houses in eastern Jerusalem, and making it easier for citizens to receive weapons permits.

Musk wins Didn't Deceive Tesla Investors with 2018 tweets, jury rules

 

 A jury on Friday decided Elon Musk didn’t deceive investors with his 2018 tweets about electric automaker Tesla in a proposed deal that quickly unraveled and raised questions about whether the billionaire had misled investors.

The nine-member jury reached its verdict after less then two hours of deliberation following a three-week trial. It represents a major vindication for Musk, who spent about eight hours on the witness stand defending his motives for the August 2018 tweets at the center of the trial.

Musk, 51, wasn’t on hand for the brief reading of the verdict but he made a surprise appearance earlier Friday for closing arguments that drew starkly different portraits of him.

Not long after the verdict came down, Musk took to Twitter — the bully pulpit he now owns — to celebrate.

“Thank goodness, the wisdom of the people has prevailed!” Musk tweeted.

BIDEN'S HOT AIR BALLOON

 

Biden administration tried to hide Chinese spy balloon from American public

President Biden and his administration knew for nearly a week that a Chinese spy balloon was hovering in U.S. airspace — but kept the incursion secret, fearing it would derail Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Republicans expressed “outrage” over the president’s refusal to act.

“Communist China’s surveillance balloon violates international law and threatens our homeland,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island) told The Post.

Ezra "the Capo" Friedlander Running for Santos's Congressional Seat?

 So who is the bigger liar?

Announcing my candidacy for Congress....in front of the office.... pic.twitter.com/UJD5uv6hFb

— Ezra Friedlander (@EzraFriedlander) February 1, 2023

Florida Woman Arrested for Ripping Off Holocaust Survivor for 2.8 Million Dollars

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced charges against PEACHES STERGO with engaging in a years-long scheme to defraud an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor of his life savings.  STERGO was arrested and will be presented in the Middle District of Florida.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, for years, Stergo deceived an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, maliciously draining his life savings so she could become a millionaire through fraud.  Stergo forged documents and impersonated a bank employee in exchange for a life of fancy trips, Rolex watches, and luxury purchases.”

Zera Shimshon Paeshas Be'Shalach