ISRAEL CONTROLS THE US ..... IT MUST BE TRUE BECAUSE TUCKER SAID SO

In Huckabee clash, Carlson alleges Israel shields pedophiles, seeks war, controls US

Tucker Carlson claimed that the US fought the 2003 Iraq War for Israel and that Israel was pushing the US into another war with Iran.

 

By David Isaac

 

Israel Today

Feb 23, 2026

 

 

Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, long accused of engaging in antisemitic tropes, attempted to paint Israel in the worst possible light during last week’s interview with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, which premiered online on Feb. 20.

Carlson, who was voted 2025’s “Antisemite of the Year” by civil rights group StopAntisemitism.org, titled the interview: “Tucker Confronts Mike Huckabee on America’s Toxic Relationship With Israel.” The one-sentence description read: “The Mike Huckabee interview, and the truth about America’s deeply unhealthy relationship with Israel.”

During the interview, which premiered on Feb. 20, Carlson accused Israel’s government of shielding dozens of child molesters charged with crimes in the United States, claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu punished members of Carlson’s family because he “believes in blood guilt,” suggested Israel’s leadership sought to commit genocide in Gaza, and stated that Israeli President Isaac Herzog had visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.

While Carlson pressed Huckabee during the interview about the alleged connections of Herzog and other high-level Israeli officials to Epstein, he effectively retracted the accusation on Saturday, apologizing in a video post after receiving a letter from Herzog’s office denying the Israeli president ever knew Epstein.

Carlson uploaded an edited version of the video with the Herzog segment deleted. Huckabee tweeted: “Tucker caught in an outrageous libel & outright lie against Israeli President @Isaac_Herzog & so he edited his show (something he promised me he WOULDN’T do).”

Carlson retained a section where he said “everybody believes” Epstein was a Mossad agent. “I don’t believe everybody does,” replied Huckabee.

At a Turning Point USA Student Action Summit in Florida on July 11, 2025, Carlson had suggested Epstein worked for Mossad and that even his great wealth was a result of his foreign intelligence work.

The Huckabee interview, which took place at the diplomatic terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport, had already made headlines when Carlson claimed his team had been harassed by Israeli security. Britain’s The Daily Mail ran the story under the sensationalist headline: “Tucker Carlson ‘DETAINED’ in Israel: Journalist ‘dragged into interrogation room’ as explosive interview sparks diplomatic firestorm.”

The Israeli Airports Authority categorically denied the claim. Huckabee told American cable network NewsNation on Sunday that Carlson’s accusations were a fabrication, noting that security footage showed him hugging airplane employees and taking pictures. “He told a reporter who used to work for him, so he knew he’d get the story out the way he wanted to,” Huckabee said.

Huckabee likened Carlson’s allegations to those of Greta Thunberg, who after being deported as part of the Gaza flotilla in June of last year falsely claimed she had been “kidnapped” by Israeli soldiers and treated in a “dehumanizing way.”

Carlson prefaced the interview with a roughly 25-minute prologue, in which he said he had agreed to Huckabee’s invitation to interview him because the United States was heading toward a war with Iran, “the biggest war we’ve had since the invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003.”

He accused Israel of driving the United States toward that war; “that we are doing this at the behest, of the demand of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.”

Carlson also held Netanyahu responsible for the Iraq war. “We had the Iraq War, which was for Israel,” Carlson said. Just as Israel pushed the US to fight the war in Iraq, it was pushing the US toward war with Iran, he asserted. “Netanyahu has been in the White House seven times in one year pushing for regime change in Iran. I think they’re on the verge of convincing this administration to affect regime change,” he said.

Huckabee questioned why it should be a shock that Netanyahu had seven meetings with US President Donald Trump given the two countries’ strong ties. “Israel is not just a friend or an ally. It is a real partner,” Huckabee said.

Huckabee asked Carlson: “Do you think President Trump is weak enough to let Bibi Netanyahu push him into doing something that he doesn’t want to do?” He added that he was in the meetings last week and last summer between the two leaders and could assure Carlson that Trump was not being led by Netanyahu.

Carlson also accused Netanyahu of wanting to commit genocide, presenting as evidence Netanyahu’s references to Amalek, a people mentioned in the Bible who attacked Israel and which God ordered to be utterly destroyed.

“To say that Israel was attempting to commit genocide—first of all, that’s simply not true,” Huckabee said. “If they’d have wanted to kill all their children, Tucker, they’ve got the military capacity. They could have done it in less than a day.”

The conversation took a strange turn during a discussion of the biblical promise that God gave the Land of Israel to the Jewish people. Carlson attempted to throw doubt on the idea that modern-day Jews have any connection to Abraham or the ancient Israelites.

“Who are [Abraham’s] descendants now? And how do we know who they are?” Carlson asked. “Because what you’re saying is that certain people have a title to a highly contested region. They own it in some deep sense. So I think it’s fair to ask: who are they and how do we know?”

Huckabee said that if people worship the same God and follow the Bible, pray toward Jerusalem and to return there, “does that not give you a little bit of a clue as to who they are?”

Carlson insisted, “There’s no genealogy linking their families to the people of this land 3,000 years ago.”

“They were scattered all over the world. There were many in Ethiopia. They were in Russia. They were in Poland. They were throughout Asia. Jews were all over the place, but they were still Jews,” Huckabee said.

Huckabee sparked outrage from Muslim states when he said, “It would be fine if they [Israel] took it all,” referring to the entirety of the biblically promised land, which today includes several Islamic states.

Huckabee immediately qualified his remarks, saying, “But I don’t think that’s what we’re talking about here today … They don’t want to take it over, they’re not asking to take it over.” The US Embassy in Israel later said the comments were taken out of context.

Nevertheless, 14 Arab and Muslim states signed a joint statement condemning the ambassador’s remarks.

They expressed “profound concern regarding the statements made by the United States Ambassador to Israel, in which he indicated that it would be acceptable for Israel to exercise control over territories belonging to Arab states, including the occupied West Bank.”

The statement was signed by the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and the “State of Palestine,” along with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

At one point during the interview, Carlson said, “I’m not against Israel,” to which Huckabee replied, “You hide that very well.”

SOUTH AMERICAN THEFT RING TARGETS WEALTHY HOUSTONIANS

Organized South American crime group burglarizes over 60 high-end Houston-area homes targeting designer goods

Crime network targets second-story windows and repositions security cameras

 

By Greg Wehner  

 

Fox News

Feb 19, 2026 

 

 

A Houston burglary spree was found to be tied to a South American theft ring, according to officials. 

 

More than 60 high-end homes across the Houston area have been hit in a sweeping burglary spree tied to a South American theft ring using signal jammers and counter-surveillance tactics to evade detection, West University Place Police Chief Gary Ratliff confirmed to Fox News Digital.

The organized crime network, known as the South American Theft Group, has been linked to numerous break-ins in West University Place, surrounding counties and across the country, authorities said.

Residents packed a public safety meeting Wednesday night in West University Place, where Ratliff warned that the group’s footprint is expanding beyond Houston.

"It was shocking," resident Bill Jones told FOX 26 in Houston. "People from South America terrorizing Americans. That’s pretty scary and unfortunate. I’m really surprised no one has gotten hurt."

Seven of the burglaries occurred in West University Place alone, and police say the cases follow a consistent playbook.

Investigators said suspects target second-story windows at the rear of homes between 7 and 9 p.m., climbing ladders or patio furniture before breaking glass or prying windows open with screwdrivers. The burglars allegedly reposition security cameras, deploy signal jammers to disrupt alarm and Wi-Fi systems, and carry stolen property away in pillowcases and backpacks.

The suspects primarily steal high-value items, including designer purses and jewelry. In one case, residents were home when burglars entered, though they did not encounter the suspects.

According to Ratliff’s presentation, four break-ins and three attempted break-ins have been reported since January 2025, and all seven appear consistent with the group’s methods.

Authorities said the organization is also under investigation in California, Florida, Wisconsin and New York, suggesting the Houston cases may be part of a broader nationwide operation.

 

Ignacio Castillo Contreras was arrested in February 2025 for alleged forced entry into a home, and the West University Police said he was in possession of jewelry and a radio frequency jammer. 

 

"Most of these folks, they're pretty intelligent," Ratliff said. "They're using burner phones, they're using other information that makes it very difficult to follow."

Last year, officers arrested Chilean national Ignacio Castillo Contreras in connection with one of the burglaries in which jewelry was stolen. Police have also identified Christian Mauricio Rubio Pizarro as a person of interest, though no charges have been filed against him. He is currently facing unrelated charges in Houston and remains jailed on an immigration hold.

Investigators say the case remains active as authorities work to prevent additional burglaries in the community. 

BECAUSE OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT, HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DIATRICT IS CLOSING 12 SCHOOLS

Texas parents rush to enroll their kids into state's school choice program

Texas Education Freedom Accounts received $1B state investment and opened applications Feb 4

 

By Joshua Q. Nelson  

 

Fox News

Feb 23, 2026 

 

 

Over 118,000 applications have been filed for Texas' school choice program since its launch.

 

Texas saw the largest school choice rollout in U.S. history, with over 118,000 applications filed as of Friday.

"This has been the largest rollout of a school program in the nation and there is still about a month left—application deadline on March 17," Abbott administration spokesperson Eduardo Leal told Fox News Digital.

The Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) is a state-created education savings account program, backed by an initial $1 billion investment. The legislation introduced new competition into the education landscape, giving parents options outside the neighborhood school their child is zoned for — posing challenges for districts struggling to retain students. 

Over 42,000 applications were submitted on the first day the portal opened, which Leal said made it "the largest day one school choice program in the nation." 

School choice group, The American Federation for Children Growth Fund, spent nearly $2 million overall on enrollment marketing efforts in Texas to make families aware of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts.

"Every family wants their children to have access to the best education possible. An education system controlled by the unions that forces kids to go to a school that isn’t serving their needs is a moral failure in our country," American Federation for Children President Tommy Schultz told Fox News Digital.

"School choice policies state-by-state have been wildly oversubscribed because the demand is overwhelming from parents," Schultz added. "Now that more than 100,000 families have applied in Texas in this short period of time, it’s a clear indication that this is one of the most popular public policy initiatives of our time that can actually fix a broken K-12 system."

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas Education Freedom Act in May 2025. The journey leading to signing the legislation was turbulent for Abbott and state Republicans as he struggled to unify members of his party on his school choice agenda.

In the past, rural Republicans in the state rejected school choice policies, arguing, along with Democrats, that vouchers, or education savings accounts, would negatively impact public school funding. 

In order to garner more support for his school choice agenda, the governor announced that he would get involved in the party's primaries to oust any candidates opposing school choice. With the aid of the American Federation for Children’s Victory Fund, the governor endorsed and helped raise money for pro-school choice candidates in 2024.

The historic rollout of the program comes amid major city school districts struggling to retain students since the coronavirus pandemic. Among them is Houston Independent School District (HISD), whose superintendent spoke with Fox News Digital in January, about its enrollment decline, citing nationwide enrollment trends, and efforts to appeal to parents as competition with charter schools ramps up. 

HISD Superintendent Mike Miles last week recommended the district close 12 schools for the 2026-27 school year. 

HISD sent Fox News Digital a press release published on Feb. 12 that the district "is taking necessary steps to ensure the long-term strength, sustainability, and quality of education for all students." 

"This includes a recommendation to the Board of Managers for the closure of 12 schools (11 facilities) beginning 2026-27," the district announced. 

The press release continued, "Like school districts across the region and the nation, HISD is navigating significant demographic and population shifts. As the District enters the annual budgeting and planning process for the upcoming school year, the impact of declining enrollment and compounding repair and maintenance costs has made it clear that maintaining certain campuses is no longer financially responsible or educationally sound."

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS WELCOME TO LOW TAX TEXAS

New York report declares Texas the new leader in finance jobs

Instead of Texas becoming New York or California, corporate America is adapting to Texas.

 

By Ahmed Humble

 

Chron

Feb 22, 2026

 

 

Austin -  Dallas - Houston ... New York report says Texas is gaining ground in jobs, finance and HQ relocations.

 

 

For years, Texas leaders have warned against becoming more like New York or California. Now, a new report from a New York think tank suggests it may be the other way around, with Texas emerging as the model for economic competitiveness.

 

In its report, titled "Texas' Competitive Edge," Partnership for New York City (PFNYC) argues the shift is not just symbolic; it's years in the making. 

The business group argues New York is already losing thousands of jobs to pro-business Texas—and warns that New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's push to raise corporate taxes would only accelerate the exodus. Mamdani has proposed increasing the state’s corporate rate from 7.25 percent to 11.5 percent, a move that would push New York City's top combined marginal corporate tax rate to 22.48 percent if approved by the governor and state lawmakers.

"New York is already ranked last nationally for tax competitiveness and is consistently ranked among the bottom states for starting a small business and for small business growth," the report states.

Since 2015, more than 300 companies have relocated their headquarters to Texas, many from higher-cost coastal states. The state's lack of a personal income tax, combined with incentive programs like the Texas Enterprise Fund and the creation of a specialized business court system, has strengthened its appeal to corporate leaders weighing expansion or relocation.

PFNYC backed up its arguments with a series of data points highlighting Texas' momentum: 

• Texas surpassed New York in 2024 as the state with the most financial services employees, excluding insurance and real estate
• 314 companies relocated their headquarters to Texas between 2015 and 2024, according to the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office.
• Nearly half of the relocations (156 companies) one of them moved from California, while 23 moved from New York. 
• Financial services recruitment in Texas outpaced New York by nine percent in job postings in 2025.
• While New York's financial sector remains larger—generating $330 billion in gross regional product in 2024, about 71 percent more than Texas—
• Texas' sector grew faster over the past decade, with GRP rising 121 percent compared to New York's 72 percent.

PFNYC also highlighted high-profile corporate expansions, such as Wells Fargo opening a new Dallas campus in 2025,  and JP Morgan Chase announced in 2024 it employed more people in Texas than any other state, prompting them to open a Fort Worth office that will double the city's employee capacity by 2027.  

The report also points to structural shifts in finance and capital markets. A planned Texas Stock Exchange, backed by major institutional investors, is positioning Dallas as a potential alternative hub for trading and listings—a development that underscores what the report describes as a broader decentralization of traditional financial power.

For New York, the findings amount to a competitive warning that the state risks ceding ground in key sectors. For Texas, they reinforce a long-held claim: that its economic model—lower taxes, lighter regulation and aggressive recruitment—is translating into measurable gains in jobs and investment.

Still, the report raises a broader question about how much of Texas’s advantage is sustainable. While corporate relocations and financial sector growth have accelerated, companies often maintain a dual presence in both Texas and legacy hubs like New York. And critics argue that infrastructure strain, property tax burdens and workforce challenges could complicate long-term growth.

For Houston, the implications are just as significant; as Texas attracts more financial services firms and corporate headquarters, the state's largest city—already a powerhouse in energy, health care and logistics—stands to gain from the flow of capital and executive decision-making moving south. The question is whether Houston can convert that statewide momentum into local headquarters wins, or whether Dallas and Austin will continue to capture the lion's share.

The PFNYC report ultimately frames Texas not as an up-and-coming challenger, but as an established competitor reshaping the national economic map—one that even traditional power centers are now studying.

THINGS GETTING FRISKY IN MEXICO

By Bob Walsh

 

Thee is widespread violence going on in Mexico right now.  Major highways were closed down.  Air lines quit flying into Mexico.  The violence seems to be largely between the cartels and the government, with bystanders getting caught in the middle now and again.

The mess seems to have been triggered by an action against the cartels by the government, supported by U S intelligence.  

It remains to see if the elected government or if the cartels are the real, functional government in Mexico.  I strongly suspect that in much of the country it is the cartels. 

NO UNIFIED OUTCOME REACHED

By Bob Walsh

 

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan

 

 

The CA Democrat Party was unable to get behind any single candidate this weekend.  No great surprise.  Every one of these (mostly) midgets seems to think that ONLY THEY can oppose the horrible orange man successfully.  The fact that Trump isn't on the CA ballot and isn't running for anything means nothing to them.  Erik Swalwell, that well-known fucker of Chinese spys, is at the lead of the pack of 3-legged blind incontinent Chihuahuas who are desperate to hold on to some level of personal power.  Tom Steyr, gazillionaire tech guy and Matt Mahan, San Jose mayor and tech guy, don't fit that mold but seem to be unable to gain any traction within the party.  There is actually a semi-official slogan out there already for Mahan.  SUPPORT MAHAN.  HE IS THE LEAST CRAZY OF ALL THE DEMOCRATS.  Really.

Of course a Republican govern can stop some of the crazy, but can not compel a heavily Democrat state legislature to actively do anything.  Stopping the crazy is not nothing.  It is not as positive as doing something right, but stopping the crazy, or at least slowing it down, is at least a start.  

LIKE THE WOMEN, US MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM BEATS CANADA TO WIN OLYMPIC GOLD

USA finally wins Olympic gold 46 years after ‘Miracle’ with breathtaking overtime win over rival Canada

By Ethan Sears

 

New York Post

Feb 22, 2026

 

USA’s Jack Hughes celebrates after scoring the overtime winning goal over Canada in the Olympic gold-medal game on Feb. 22, 2026. 

  

MILAN — They came to Italy knowing that for the first time in the history of American hockey, nothing less than gold would suffice. 

They left reeking of cigars and champagne, having taken a phone call from the president and having brought the sport of hockey to its greatest height south of the Canadian border in 46 years.

These 25 men, for the rest of their lives, will be telling the story of what played out on Sunday afternoon.

So too will the rest of us.

Team USA is atop the hockey world, owners of its third-ever gold medal in men’s hockey just days after the American women took gold on the same ice.

It took a gut-wrenching, heart-pounding and forever-memorable final that ended 2-1 in overtime over the mighty Canadians, and tears hit the floor the second the goal-horn sounded.

At 1:41 of overtime, Zach Werenski fed Jack Hughes on the break, and Hughes authored a moment that will live on in American sports lore forever, lashing a shot past Jordan Binnington for the golden goal.

“He’s a freaking gamer,” Quinn Hughes said of his younger brother. “He’s always been a bigger gamer. Just mentally tough. Been through a lot, loves the game.

“American hero.”

Team USA poured onto the ice in hugs and tears. 

 

Team USA celebrates after Jack Hughes’ overtime winner in the Olympic gold-medal game on Feb. 22, 2026. 

 

Matthew Tkachuk and Charlie McAvoy leaped into each other’s arms.

Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey was brought out for the team photo.

Then the young children of the late Blue Jackets superstar brought out, too.

 

A bloodied Jack Hughes celebrates Team USA’s Olympic gold-medal win over Canada on Feb. 22, 2026. 

 

“I think there’s so much to be proud of, being from the United States,” defenseman Brock Faber said. “A win like this, hopefully it brings a whole lot of people together.”

For much of the afternoon, the outcome looked tenuous at best.

Canada dominated the run of play up until the game’s decisive moments began to play out with 6 ½ minutes left in regulation.

Sam Bennett caught Jack Hughes with a high stick and drew blood, handing the United States a four-minute power play when it desperately needed some kind of offensive momentum.

Instead of getting any, the U.S. did little at 5-on-4, then negated the last minute-plus of the power play when Jack Hughes was called for a high stick on Bo Horvat.

“I pictured myself on Barstool,” Hughes said, “being the guy America hates ’cause Canada scored on the power play.”

 

USA’s Matt Boldy (r.) celebrates after scoring during the first period of the Olympic gold-medal game against Canada on Feb. 22, 2026

 

The U.S. killed off the penalty and trudged into the first overtime in a gold medal game since Canada and Sidney Crosby beat the U.S. in 2010.

Then Hughes delivered America a forever highlight.

“I can’t wait to see the footage of what happened after we scored,” Charlie McAvoy said, “because it was a complete blackout. Who I was hugging, where I was going, I don’t even know what happened. I got cut [on my face]. It was just euphoria, man. I can’t even explain what I was feeling. Just pure joy.”

 

USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) saves a shot by Canada’s Macklin Celebrini (17) during the third period of the Olympic gold-medal game on Feb. 22, 2026. Hellebuyck made 41 saves to seal the victory for Tram USA

 

Twice in the first 10 minutes of the third, Canada had an open net from Connor Hellebuyck’s left post.

The first time, Devon Toews’ shot went through the crease, but not into the goal thanks to an otherworldly stick save from Hellebuyck; the second time, Nathan MacKinnon hit the post.

Those were the moments that will play out in Canadian nightmares.

Team USA leaned heavily on Auston Matthews’ line to match with Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon. 

 

Canada’s Cale Makar (8) celebrates after tying the game in the second period against the US in the Olympic final on Feb. 22, 2026. 

 

That decision paid off early for coach Mike Sullivan, as a Matthews backcheck broke up a prime Celebrini scoring chance off the rush, and as Matt Boldy stamped himself onto highlight reels by skating through Toews for a backhand finish that gave the Americans a 1-0 lead — on their first shot of the game — 6:00 in.

The pace was frenetic, the physicality bruising, right from Tom Wilson attempting to take Dylan Larkin’s head off in the opening minutes.

For those who watched the 4 Nations Face-Off final a year ago, the tone of the game felt similar but exaggerated.

Team USA leaned heavily on its defensive structure and ceded the majority of possession, opting instead to try to lean on its structure.

 

Feb 23, 1980 New York Post cover.

 

Hellebuyck, all game long, kept the U.S. in it.

He turned aside McDavid and Celebrini on breakaways in the second and third periods, respectively.

He helped the Americans kill off a 93-second 5-on-3 in the second to keep intact a perfect penalty kill at the Olympics.

He finished with an outrageous 41 saves, putting to permanent rest any questions about his ability in big games, with Cale Makar’s tying goal from the right circle at 18:16 the only blemish.

“The second I woke up this morning,” Hellebuyck said, “I felt I was doing everything right. I was stepping in the right spot. Every step I took it felt right. It kinda translated.”

The gold medal was around Hellebuyck’s neck.

He said he might not take it off.

You wouldn’t blame him.

You wouldn’t blame any of them.

“My god,” Dylan Larkin said. “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had.”

A SAD TALE WITH A FEEL GOOD ENDING

Tide turns for little abandoned monkey Punch who had no one to love but his stuffed toy... as he's finally accepted into family

 

By Anna Wright 

 

Daily Mail

Feb 22, 2-026

 

 

Punch the monkey with his sole companion after he was rejected by other monkeys 

 

A sweet baby monkey, who found comfort in an orangutan toy after his mother abandoned him, was finally welcomed into a family of monkeys inside his zoo. 

Punch, a six-month-old macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, became an internet sensation after videos showed the lonely little primate finding comfort and companionship in his stuffed toy. 

After being constantly rejected by the other macaques, Punch finally found a forever friend named Onsing.

The baby's bumpy ride is finally over, as social media videos on Friday showed the adult troop member wrapping him in a tight embrace. 

One video showed the pair in their concrete enclosure, with Punch completely wrapped in Onsing's arms as they climbed the rock wall together. 

Onsing followed closely, grabbing Punch's side to help hoist him up the incline. 

The adult monkey never left his side. In the video, the chain fences clanged, startling Punch, who nuzzled into his new bodyguard for comfort. 

Another adorable video showed two monkeys resting against the stone wall, with Onsing on the left sitting next to another adult, holding little Punch close. 

 

Six-month-old Punch the monkey, he was finally accepted into the troop. His new 'bodyguard' Onsinger is seen hugging him

The two are practically inseparable, with Onsinger even helping Punch climb up the rocky incline

Onsinger sitting to the left of another adult macaque, he is gripping Punch in a comforting tight embrace

 

The sweet pair is seen rocking back-and-forth slightly, in a comforting snuggle of love. 

Punch initially melted hearts worldwide when footage of him clinging forlornly to zookeepers and his stuffed orangutan toy was shared.

Because infant monkeys instinctively cling to their mothers from birth and he was rejected from his mother, staff offered Punch blankets and soft toys to ease his anxiety. 

He quickly chose the plush orangutan and has barely let go since. 

Viral videos showed Punch hugging the toy as he sleeps, wrapping his arms around it and burying his face into the fabric. 

In other clips, he can be seen clutching it protectively while cautiously approaching other young macaques.

The baby monkey was raised in an artificial environment after being born in July, and began training to rejoin his troop last month.

But videos circulated showing Punch being bullied by other monkeys at the zoo, with one adult scolding and dragging him. 

 

Other clips show Punch clinging tightly to the stuffed orangutan for comfort, as he used the stuffed today for companionship

The baby monkey became an internet sensation, and has attracted hundreds of visitors to the Ichikawa City Zoo, in Ichikawa Japan

Punch drags a stuffed orangutan across the enclosure, he struggled to jive with the troop, but now has found a forever friend

 

The zoo issued a statement asking fans to 'support Punch's efforts' to socialize, noting that his troop has not shown any serious aggression. 

'While Punch is scolded [by other monkeys], he shows mental strength and resilience,' it said. 

The trending hashtag #HangInTherePunch exploded, drawing hundreds of visitors to the zoo. 

More than 100 visitors have gathered around the zoo's monkey enclosure, straining to take photos and shouting 'hang in there!' as Punch tried to approach others in the troop. 

Now Punch has a fairy-tale ending with a forever friend by his side, letting fans breathe a sigh of relief for the once-lonely little macaque. 

HERZOG SHOULD SUE THE SUPREME SHIT OUT OF ASSHOLE TUCKER CARLSON, HIS LAME EXCUSE NOTWITHSTANDING

Tucker Carlson forced to apologize to Israel's president for implying he went to Epstein's pedo island

 

By Eliot Force 

 

Daily Mail

Feb 22, 2026

 

 

Celebrity journalist Tucker Carlson apologized for implying that Israel's president visited Jeffrey Epstein's island during an interview. Carlson is pictured in his apology video

 

Tucker Carlson apologized for implying that Israel's president visited Jeffrey Epstein's 'pedo island' in a video posted to X on Saturday.

Carlson, the former FOX News host and celebrity journalist, made the suggestion during an interview with US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, which was released on Friday.

In a two-minute video that has received 1.5 million views in less than 24 hours, Carlson said that he received a 'long letter' from Israeli President Isaac Herzog's office, 'denying unequivocally that he had any contact with Epstein, ever.'

'I've gotten a lot of letters like this over the years from people alleging, "oh you got it wrong," but rarely do you get a denial this unequivocal,' Carlson said. 

'So for that reason, we are taking it seriously. There's nothing worse than impugning the reputation of an innocent man,' the journalist continued. 'So I just want to say, clearly, I'm sorry to imply that I knew something I didn't know.'

The Israeli president's office sent the letter after Carlson had asked Huckabee about an email in the Epstein files that said someone named 'Herzog' was going to Epstein's infamous island, Little Saint James. 

'The current president of Israel, whom I know you know, apparently was at "pedo island." That’s what it says,' Carlson told Huckabee during the two-hour interview. 

'Still-living, high-level Israeli officials are directly implicated in Epstein’s life, if not his crimes, so I think you’d be following this.'

 

Carlson said he asked about Israeli President Isaac Herzog (pictured) visiting Epstein's island, because an email in the Epstein files suggested he did so

Carlson referred to Epstein's pictured, infamous island of Little Saint James as 'pedo island' during the interview

 

The ambassador to Israel immediately replied that the claim was untrue. 

Carlson also referred to a false report made by The Times reporter Gabrielle Weiniger, who had recently posted a doctored photo of Herzog with Epstein. The reporter later corrected her mistake and said the photo was an 'AI fake.'

In his apology video, Carlson explained that the email he had asked Huckabee about was dated to 2014, and it was sent by Epstein to his friend Leon Black, the former CEO of Apollo Global Management.

In that email, Carlson said, Black was invited to Little Saint James and was told that other people, including someone named Herzog, would be there. 

Carlson said he asked Huckabee about the email twice, but the ambassador denied knowledge of it.

The celebrity journalist said: 'At the time I said that, there had been news items about this. In fact, there was a protest against Herzog on the basis of this email when he went to Australia recently, and he hadn't responded to any of that.'

Carlson concluded his apology video by saying: 'I also wanted to air his side of this. Again, President Herzog says he's never had any contact with Epstein, ever, and so I just want to say that in the interest of honesty and transparency.' 

Although Carlson was forced to apologize for some of his questions during the interview with Huckabee, the ambassador to Israel was criticized for comments he made as well. 

 

Carlson's interview was with the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee (pictured). The interview was published on Friday, and Huckabee denied Carlson's suggestion

In his apology video, Carlson said he regularly receives letters alleging that he got something wrong, but 'but rarely do you get a denial this unequivocal'

Herzog's office sent Carlson a letter that claimed the Israeli president did not know Epstein at all and that they never even spoke. Epstein is pictured in a photo released by the Justice Department in December

Carlson explained that he asked about the email suggesting Herzog had visited Little Saint James because it was in the news and had even sparked a protest in Australia. A moment from that protest is pictured

 

Carlson stated that, according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham are entitled to land that today encompasses much of the Middle East.

In response to whether Israel had a right to that land, Huckabee said: 'It would be fine if they took it all'.

He added that Israel was not seeking to expand its territory and has a right to maintain security on the land it legitimately holds.

'We're talking about this land that Israel, the state of Israel, now lives in and wants to have peace in. They're not trying to take over Jordan. They're not trying to take over Syria,' Huckabee said. 

Despite that clarification, the ambassador's words drew rebukes from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States.

The interview came amidst rising tensions between the US and Iran, with the two countries now on a war footing. 

The US has sent more than 60 attack aircraft to a military base in Jordan, satellite images showed on Friday. The fleet is triple the size that is normally stationed there.

Another US fleet was also seen at a Portuguese air base on Saturday.

 

Carlson's interview with Huckabee came amidst rising tensions between the US, Israel and Iran. The US has sent more than 60 attack aircraft to a military base in Jordan. Military aircraft at a Jordan airbase from an earlier date are pictured

Satellite images from January revealed the large buildup of aircraft at the Jordanian air base. President Trump has threatened to strike Iran in the coming days 

 

The US, Israel and Iran have been at odds before, including last year's 12-day war, when the US and Israel bombed key nuclear and military sites in Iran.

Donald Trump has alluded to striking Iran again in the coming days, telling reporters on Friday that he was considering military action to pressure Iranian officials to negotiate the terms of the country's nuclear program.

TRUMP'S IRAN WAR DILEMMA

Iran strike or electoral survival: the political clock pressing down on Trump

From a Supreme Court tariff blow to Epstein anger among young voters, a convergence of domestic pressures is forcing the White House to weigh military action against the political cost of getting it wrong.

 

by Or Shaked 

 

Israel Hayom

Feb 22, 2026

 

 

        

Washington's political establishment has been tracking every hint from the White House about a possible strike on Iran. President Donald Trump has signaled he is weighing further military steps, but behind the scenes, pressure has been building – both from within the administration and from his own electorate – to avoid sliding into a broad war that could shake the political landscape eight months before the November midterms.

 

The fear of losing Congress

President Donald Trump is at a particularly delicate juncture vis-à-vis Congress, because Republican control of it hinges on a slim margin of seats to begin with. As of now, Republicans hold a relatively narrow majority of 218 seats against 214 Democrats, with three vacant seats set to be filled in special elections in 2026 – a dynamic that could narrow their advantage even further. On top of that, three Republican members occasionally vote against Trump's agenda on certain issues, which tightens the margin still more.

Historically, the president's party almost always loses seats in the midterms, and sometimes even control of one of the two chambers – a pattern that has recurred in recent decades and made it harder for presidents to advance their agenda in the final years of their term.

For Trump, the risk is not only legislative but personal: losing Republican control of the House could reopen the door to impeachment proceedings. Trump himself had warned previously that Democrats "are just waiting to return to power to launch another witch hunt" against him, following the two impeachment attempts he faced during his first term.

According to a Pew Research Center poll conducted at the end of January, the approval rating among Republicans and Republican-leaning voters stands at 73%. That represents a notable drop from the start of his second term, when the figure was around 84%, though it still reflects a clear majority within the Republican camp.

By comparison, the same poll found that among the general public the approval rating stands at 37%, and among Democrats and their supporters at just 5% – figures that illustrate how Trump's support base has remained almost exclusively Republican, amid deep partisan polarization.

Fox News cited Republican strategists as noting that a decision to strike Iran "carries domestic political risks heading into the midterms, where voters are far more concerned about the economy than about foreign conflicts" – precisely against this backdrop.

 

Congress 

 

The cost of living front and center

Growth figures for 2025 showed a 2.2% expansion in GDP – a respectable pace, though slightly slower than the previous year. Yet according to recent YouGov data, 24% of Republicans and 23% of all respondents identify inflation and prices as the most important issue facing the US today, placing it at the top of the national priority list.

According to a USA Today report, Republican members of Congress have been urging Trump to convey empathy for "grocery bills, rent, and prescription drugs." Fox News warned that a prolonged confrontation and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz could spike energy prices and hurt consumers already anxious about inflation.

The tariff crisis and the Supreme Court shock

The political backdrop grew more complicated still following the Supreme Court ruling on Friday, which struck down most of the tariffs Trump had imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, known as IEEPA.

The ruling, led by Chief Justice Roberts, determined that tariff authority rests with Congress – and dealt a blow to a central tool Trump had sought to use to fund his economic agenda. Against this backdrop, opening a new military front could be perceived as a dangerous distraction.

The Epstein affair and anger among younger voters

Adding to the equation is the Jeffrey Epstein affair. A New York Times report described how young Republicans are frustrated with the administration's handling of the document release, viewing it as a "betrayal."

The poll cited in the article found that more than a third of young Republican men consider the opposition to full disclosure of the files to be "very concerning." When that anger intersects with the cost of living, it creates a sense of disconnect between the populist base and the leadership.

In the middle of an election cycle, the White House can ill afford yet another source of erosion among a young audience that turned out in force in 2024.

 

US President Donald Trump (L), First Lady Melania Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and 

Ghislaine Maxwell (R), at a party at Mar-a-Lago, 2000 

 

Trump voters and the aversion to "endless wars"

Trump was re-elected in 2024 on a promise to avoid "endless wars." The Washington Post reported that last year prominent figures in the MAGA camp warned against sliding into a broad war with Iran, arguing that the base has no interest in further military entanglements. While some of those voices quieted after the limited strikes in the summer, the fear of a prolonged campaign has remained.

At the same time, Reuters reported that Trump's advisers have been pushing him to train his attention on voters' economic worries ahead of November's midterms. A senior White House official acknowledged that despite the president's combative rhetoric, the administration has reached no consensus on military action against Iran. At a closed-door briefing last week attended by several senior administration members, those present were told that the economy is the central election issue – according to a source in the room. Trump himself was absent.

Republican strategist Rob Godfrey was unsparing in his assessment. A prolonged standoff with Iran, he said, would pose a real political threat to Trump and the party. "The president must remember that the base that carried him through three consecutive campaigns is deeply wary of military involvement abroad – ending the era of 'endless wars' was an explicit campaign promise of his," Godfrey said. For all the internal dissent, many in Trump's MAGA movement backed the operation that pushed Venezuela's president out of power last month.

Iran, however, is a far harder problem than Venezuela – militarily and diplomatically – and a war could generate real resistance from the very base Trump needs to hold together.

Republican strategist Lauren Cooley offered a narrower opening. Trump supporters could back military action against Iran, she said, but only if it were swift and decisive. "The White House will need to link any action directly to defending America's security and economic stability," she said. A White House official added that Trump "has made clear he always prefers diplomacy, and that Iran must close a deal before it is too late," and that the president has repeatedly stressed that Iran "cannot possess nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them, and must not enrich uranium."

A late-January Politico poll put support for US military action against Iran at 50% among Trump's 2024 voters – the highest figure for any target covered in the survey. Among self-identified Trump supporters and MAGA Republicans, that number climbs to 61%. But Amy Walter, editor of the Cook Political Report, drew a critical distinction: Trump's supporters differentiate sharply between targeted strikes and open-ended wars of the Iraq-and-Afghanistan kind. A limited operation, in their framing, is not a "war" – it is a contained military action. "If he were to say tomorrow that we're sending troops to the Middle East or putting boots on the ground in Venezuela, that's the kind of thing that could blow apart the coalition," she said.

 
         

The USS Gerald R. Ford 

 

The internal Republican rift over Israel

Running alongside all of this is a fracture inside the Republican tent over Israel. The New York Times described how "a rift over Israel is tearing MAGA apart," with prominent voices including Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens mounting sharp attacks on unconditional support for the Jewish state.

A December 2025 poll from the Manhattan Institute laid bare the divide. A solid majority of longtime Republican voters still regard Israel as a key US ally. But among "new Republicans" – younger or more recently registered party members – the picture is considerably more complicated. Roughly 24% of this group view Israel as a burden on the United States. Only about 39% call it an important ally. The poll also found that roughly 17% of Republicans overall hold a cluster of views classified as "antisemitic," including conspiracy theories and the belief that Israel pulls America into wars that do not serve American interests.

The State of the Union: the moment of reckoning

All of these pressures converge Tuesday evening – Wednesday morning, Israel time – when Trump delivers the State of the Union before a joint session of Congress. It will be the first formal State of the Union of his second term. The address he gave in March 2025, just weeks into the new administration, was a joint session speech rather than a formal State of the Union.

That speech ran for one hour and forty minutes. Trump declared that "America's golden age has only just begun," promising economic relief for working families, lower energy prices, and a tariff policy to power his economic vision. Nearly a year later, the picture looks different. The Supreme Court has struck down that tariff policy. Inflation remains the issue voters rank highest. His overall approval rating has hit a low.

Congressional Republicans are watching closely to see which version of Trump takes the podium – the one who tells the country everything is on track, or the one who shows he understands the real pressures bearing down on ordinary voters. An address that leans into further military confrontation risks reading as a leader out of touch with everyday anxieties. A balanced message – one that sidesteps any commitment to a prolonged war and keeps the emphasis squarely on American interests – could go a long way toward steadying the base.

ISRAEL IS PREPARING FOR A US WAR WITH IRAN

Israel’s courage between normal life and a looming war

Jerusalem continues its daily routine while preparing quietly for a possible confrontation with Iran. 

 

By Fiamma Nirenstein  

 

JNS

Feb 21, 2026

 

 

Trump is amassing a huge military strike force in the Middle East for an attack on Iran

 

Everyone in Israel asks the same question. Not analysts or generals, but friends, relatives, colleagues and interviewers—anyone who cares enough to ask honestly: when will the war with Iran begin?

The only truthful answer is that no one knows. Yet almost everyone in Israel believes it will happen.

This is not prophecy; it is deduction. The United States does not reposition major naval strike groups, rare reconnaissance aircraft, refueling fleets and thousands of troops across the globe for diplomatic theater alone. Nor does Iran continue arming proxies, rebuilding missile arsenals and advancing its nuclear program to pave the way for a compromise at the final moment.

The decision point is approaching.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who signalled that he would decide on whether to pursue diplomacy or war in 10 to 15 days, has begun framing the confrontation not only strategically, but morally. On Friday, he stated for the first time that 32,000 people were killed by the Iranian regime during a recent crackdown on anti-government protests, calling it “very, very, very sad,” and indicating that failure to reach a fair agreement could justify military action. 

If diplomacy collapses, Iran will strike where it believes deterrence is most sensitive: Israel, together with American bases in the region.

Israelis understand this equation without drama. Eight months ago, in June 2025, ballistic missiles already demonstrated the scenario. Not theory—memory.

The next round would likely be broader.

And yet Israel is not frozen in anticipation. It is functioning in routine. Families prepare quietly before sleep—water near the door, jackets for shelters, radios on. Children ask whether the night will be quiet, and parents answer with the only honest word available: hopefully.

The army repeats readiness without extraordinary instructions. Schools open, restaurants fill, airports operate normally and supermarkets remain stocked. Television discusses weddings, small businesses started by reservists returning from service, ordinary life continuing under extraordinary circumstances.

This is not denial. It is experience.

For centuries, Jews faced destruction without the capacity to prevent it. Today they possess layered defenses—Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow, Patriot and soon laser interception—a shield that changes not fear but expectation.

Israel’s leadership, therefore, confronts a familiar but existential calculation. If Iran launches an attack, Israel absorbs and responds. If intelligence reveals an imminent strategic attack, Israel may have to strike first. A regime built on apocalyptic ideology may gamble everything when threatened; hesitation could be fatal.

What is remarkable is not only military preparedness but civilian resilience. Any other country expecting heavy missile fire would empty markets and halt daily life. In Israel, people postpone trips, not existence.

The Jewish people reacts to danger as it has for millennia: living, studying, arguing, building families—but now with sovereignty and an army capable of defense. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, the Israeli military is ready for any scenario.

Israel may soon face the most dangerous confrontation in decades. Yet it will face it not as a society paralyzed by fear, but as one that continues to function while waiting with courage.

For most of Jewish history, threat meant helplessness. Today, any threat against the Jewish state meets readiness—and that alone marks a revolution in history.