Tax Day arrived on Tuesday with Americans facing a midnight deadline to file their tax returns. However, if they need more time, they can file an extension and get a reprieve until later this year. Taxpayers have until midnight on Tuesday in their respective time zones to file their returns for the 2024 tax year. Still, if a taxpayer needs more time to file, they can request an extension from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to Oct. 15 by using Form 4868. People can file electronically or they can send the form in the mail postmarked by today, April 15. And it is important to note that people are still on the hook for any taxes owed as of April 15 and should be prepared to pay now to avoid penalties and interest.

Yet another Shin Bet affair was revealed on Tuesday morning when an Israeli court lifted the gag order on the case, which began when the Shin Bet leadership and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara threw a senior Shin Bet agent into jail without access to a lawyer for exposing information that embarrassed them. Several weeks ago, Israeli media outlets reported that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar had launched a probe into the infiltration of Kahanism into the Israel Police against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and senior police officials. According to leaked documents, Bar launched the probe even after he was told by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Attorney General Gali Barahav-Miara that there was no legal basis for the investigation.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a prominent Jew and Democratic leader, narrowly escaped an attempted murder early Sunday morning when an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. The attack, which took place just hours after Shapiro and his family celebrated the first seder of Pesach, has been described by authorities as a “targeted” act of political violence. A suspect, identified as Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, and other serious offenses. The incident unfolded around 2 a.m., when Shapiro, his wife Lori, their four children—Sophia, Jonah, Max, and Reuben—and several guests were sleeping in the historic Georgian-style mansion.

The Hamas terror group published a propaganda video of US-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander on Motzei Shabbos, Leil HaSeder. The family approved the release of a screenshot from the video. “As we begin the holiday evening in the USA, our family in Israel is preparing to sit around the Seder table,” the family said in a statement. “Our Edan, a lone soldier who immigrated to Israel and enlisted in the Golani Brigade to defend the country and its citizens, is still being held captive by Hamas.” “So when you sit down to mark Passover, remember that this is not a holiday of freedom as long as Edan and the other 58 hostages are not home.” Alexander grew up in New Jersey and made aliyah at age 18 to serve in the IDF. He was abducted from his base on October 7.

A man was taken into custody early Friday morning after attempting to rob a deli cashier at machete-point near New Utrecht Avenue and 55th Street. The incident unfolded around 1 a.m. when Boro Park Shomrim received a hotline call about a suspicious individual. Volunteers kept a close watch as the suspect entered a local deli. After being refused by the cashier, the man reportedly pulled out a large machete and demanded money. Shomrim immediately alerted the NYPD and helped guide responding officers, who arrested the suspect moments later on 13th Avenue. The large machete was recovered from the suspect’s pocket, as seen in the video below. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that negotiations are inching closer to securing the release of hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza, suggesting that a breakthrough may be imminent—though he offered few specifics. “We’re getting close to getting them back,” Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting. “We’re making progress. We’re dealing with Israel, we’re dealing with Hamas—and it’s a nasty group.” The president described meeting with previously released hostages, some of whom returned in poor physical condition, and emphasized the psychological toll of their ordeal. “A lot of people are very grateful. Some came back in pretty bad shape. They’re okay, but they’re going to be scarred mentally for a long time,” he said.

The IDF is finalizing plans to evacuate civilians from the city of Rafah and establish a strategic buffer zone along Gaza’s southern border, with Israeli officials saying the move is critical to dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities in the area. At the heart of the plan is the construction of the Morag Corridor, a new security strip that will stretch from the Mediterranean coast through the site of the former Israeli settlement of Morag and connect with the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border, according to multiple Hebrew media reports. The corridor is expected to reach up to five kilometers (about 3.1 miles) into Gaza, effectively encircling Rafah. “Rafah will be evacuated.

Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen from Brooklyn, NY, was sentenced Wednesday to 230 months in federal prison—nearly 19 years—for recruiting people to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), obstructing justice, and failing to appear in court. Ceasar pleaded guilty to the three federal charges in 2017, 2019, and 2022, respectively. ISIS is officially designated as a terrorist organization by the United States government. “Today’s resentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago,” said Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s national security division.

Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, in coordination with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, stated on Thursday that the reservists who signed a letter against the war in Gaza will be dismissed from active reserve duty. About 950 Air Force reservists, mainly retired, signed a letter against the war that was published as a full-page ad on Thursday morning in several leading media outlets. Only 10% of the signatories are active reservists, most of them volunteers. The letter was published despite the fact that the impending publication of the letter was brought to the attention of the Air Force leadership in recent days, and Air Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar convened several meetings with those leading the initiative to try to prevent the letter’s publication.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai stirred up a storm online after he said on Nadav Perry’s podcast that anyone who is religious is opposed to democracy. Perry: “You’re saying something harsh that I don’t accept. Are you saying that anyone who believes in a supreme being cannot accept democracy in the same breath?” Huldai replied without hesitation: “No. Because if you believe in Him, it means He is supreme. It can’t be that the Supreme Court will decide against what is written and what you believe in. Therefore, religion, by its very nature, is anti-democratic.” “Those who are religious go to the Rav for everything. It’s already determined and written and the Rav tells you if something is according to Halacha or not. If Halacha is the law – then we are Iran,” Huldai added.