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[Video below.] As the United States gears up for nationwide events marking the country’s 250th anniversary, the White House held a special reception Friday honoring Shabbos as part of a broader national emphasis on faith and religion.

The gathering was connected to “Rededicate 250,” a large-scale faith initiative taking place this weekend on the National Mall in conjunction with America’s semiquincentennial celebrations. President Donald Trump had called for Shabbos observance to be included in the wider commemoration of religion’s role in American life.

The event was held shortly before the onset of Shabbos in the historic Indian Treaty Room at the White House, one of the executive mansion’s best-known ceremonial halls. The reception drew senior administration officials and White House staff members and coincided with the return of an official delegation from China.

The program lasted approximately one hour and concluded in time for attendees to return home before Shabbos began. Participants described the atmosphere as respectful and uplifting, noting the appreciation shown for Jewish traditions and observance.

One of the evening’s central features was a display of a traditional Shabbos table showcasing classic Shabbos foods and ritual items. Social media personality and activist Emily Austin participated in a symbolic candle-lighting presentation after being asked by both White House officials and her mother, who, for the first time in 25 years, was unable to light candles herself.

Organizers emphasized that the candle-lighting demonstration took place before Shabbos officially began and was intended solely as a public illustration of the mitzvah. They described the moment as a major Kiddush Hashem.

Attendees received commemorative copies of a special proclamation along with a Shabbos handbook prepared for the event by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. The materials included a specially designed “Shabbat 250” logo incorporating the number 250 into the artwork.

After the White House reception concluded, guests proceeded to nearby Decatur House, the historic White House museum adjacent to the executive complex, where a full Shabbos meal was served. Both events featured glatt kosher cuisine and wine, and attendees were introduced to various Shabbos customs and traditional foods.

Remarks during the evening were delivered by Martin Marks, Special Assistant to the President and White House liaison to the Jewish community, who discussed the significance of recognizing Jewish faith and observance during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), who also organized the Shabbos dinner, addressed the gathering as well.

Those who attended said the event reflected a deep respect for Yiddishkeit during a time when America is spotlighting the importance of faith in public life as part of the country’s milestone anniversary observances.

WATCH:

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of R’ Chaim Yitzchok Dachs z”l, who was niftar on Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar, leaving behind a grieving family and countless friends and admirers who cherished his warmth, kindness, and genuine care for others.

R’ Chaim Yitzchok was the son of Reb and Mrs. Dovid Dachs and was widely known as a wonderful, caring individual whose pleasant demeanor and heartfelt concern for people touched many lives. Whether among family, friends, or acquaintances, he had a unique ability to make others feel valued and welcomed.

He is survived by his children: noted singer Mr. Shloime Dachs, Mrs. Faige Greenberger, and Rabbi Abish Dachs, along with many relatives and friends who are mourning his passing.

The levayah will take place on Sunday, May 17, at 11:00 a.m. at Shomrei Hadas Chapels, located at 3803 14th Avenue in Brooklyn.

The family will be sitting shivah at 971 East 24th Street in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump fueled new speculation about a possible return to military action against Iran after posting a mysterious message on Truth Social Saturday alongside an AI-generated image depicting rising tensions at sea.

The image shared by Trump showed the president standing beside a U.S. Navy admiral against a backdrop of stormy waters and several naval vessels, including one carrying the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Above the image appeared the message: “It was calm before the storm.”

The post quickly sparked fresh discussion about whether the United States could soon resume strikes against Iran amid growing signs of escalating military preparations.

Earlier Saturday, The New York Times reported that both the United States and Israel are actively preparing for the possibility of renewed attacks on Iran as soon as next week.

According to the report, the current military buildup is believed to be the largest since the ceasefire between the sides took effect.

Speaking Friday aboard Air Force One while returning from his trip to China, Trump suggested he could support a 20-year freeze on Iran’s nuclear activities, though he insisted any agreement would require strong and enforceable guarantees from Tehran.

During the exchange with reporters, Trump was asked whether he had rejected Iran’s latest proposal.

“Well, I looked at it, and if I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away,” the President replied, explaining that the first sentence of the Iranian proposal was “an unacceptable sentence because they fully agree, no nuclear, and if they have any nuclear of any form, I don’t read the rest of their letter.

Trump was also asked whether a 20-year moratorium on Iran’s nuclear program would satisfy him.

“No, 20 years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them is not enough. In other words, it’s got to be a real 20 years, not a fake 20.”

In an interview Thursday with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump warned that his patience with Iran was running out and urged Tehran to agree to a deal.

“I’m not going to be much more patient. No, I’m not. They should make a deal. Any sane person would make a deal, but they might be crazy,” Trump clarified.

The Hannity interview aired just hours after Trump hinted in another Truth Social post that military operations against Iran may not be over and that additional strikes against the regime remained possible.

Those remarks came following Trump’s diplomatic visit to China, where Iran reportedly remained one of the central topics under discussion.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Boruch Genuth zt”l, longtime menahel of Yeshivas Tushiyah in Tifrach, who passed away on Motzoei Shabbos at the age of 74 following a serious illness.

Rav Genuth had become ill over the past year and was hospitalized on Wednesday. Tefillos were held in Yeshivas Tifrach for his recovery, but shortly after Shabbos ended, he was niftar.

The levayah was held tonight from the yeshiva campus in Tifrach to the new cemetery in nearby Moshav Gilat, where he was laid to rest.

For decades, Rav Genuth served as the devoted menahel of Yeshivas Tifrach and was considered the trusted right-hand man of the rosh yeshiva, Rav Aviezer Piltz. He was also closely connected to the famed mashgiach, Rav Don Segal.

As a resident of Moshav Tifrach, Rav Genuth was deeply involved in communal affairs on behalf of both individuals and the broader public. He was active in efforts to strengthen kedushas Shabbos throughout southern Israel and was among the veteran representatives of Degel HaTorah in the region. He also served as the southern representative of Asra Kadisha.

Rav Genuth dedicated himself completely to maintaining and sustaining the yeshiva over the course of many years. His commitment to the institution was so intense that at one point he even faced the possibility of imprisonment in matters connected to helping the yeshiva, though he ultimately avoided serving the sentence.

He was widely respected as a tremendous talmid chochom. Those close to him described his tefillos as slow, deliberate and heartfelt. Even during his illness, he would push himself to come to the yeshiva each morning for Shacharis. After davening, he regularly delivered a Mishnayos shiur to a group of bochurim.

Talmidim recalled the extraordinary personal care he showed every bochur, treating each one as though he were his own child. At the beginning of every zeman Elul, he would warmly welcome the incoming first-year bochurim and personally serve them hot chocolate. When boys traveled home for Shabbos breaks, he would send them off with candy to bring back for their younger siblings.

Rav Genuth was known for his constant smile and warm personality, bringing joy to everyone around him. He merited building a distinguished family of talmidei chachomim and marbitzei Torah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

Rudy Giuliani said today that America’s national security weakened significantly after the Obama administration stopped openly referring to threats as “Islamic terrorism,” arguing that the change marked the beginning of a broader decline in counterterrorism efforts.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “Saturday Report,” the former New York City mayor discussed the recent arrest of a suspected Hezbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operative accused of planning attacks in Europe, Canada and New York.

“Starting with Obama where we decided we’re not going to say Islamic terrorism and we literally put it in the back drawer, we’ve been deteriorating terribly,” Giuliani said while discussing the arrest of an alleged Hezbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Card Corp. operative accused of plotting attacks in Europe, Canada, and New York.

Giuliani said the United States experienced its strongest period of security in the years immediately following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

“There was a period after 9/11 where our security was the best in the world,” he said.

“People were always asking me, ‘Are we safer now since 9/11?’ I said, ‘You have no idea how safe we are,’ because they wouldn’t hear about all the attacks. We were sending them off left and right.”

He also credited President Donald Trump with improving security measures during his administration.

“Trump bolstered it for four years,” Giuliani said.

Despite his criticism of recent years, Giuliani argued that current law enforcement and intelligence efforts show signs of progress and improvement.

“It does show how good we are at catching,” he said.

“We’ve improved immensely and I don’t know if we’re back, we’re almost back to where we were in the post-9/11 [era].”

Giuliani described the recent arrest of the alleged terror suspect as an important success, warning that authorities believe the suspect was tied to a major Iranian-backed operation.

“It was a good thing,” Giuliani said, explaining that the suspect “was planning massive attacks.”

“This was not a small-time shadow,” he said. “This is a big-time Iran network.”

Earlier in the interview, Giuliani also addressed his personal health and said he has made a full recovery.

“I’m [in] really, really good shape,” he said while thanking Newsmax hosts and staff for their support during his recovery.

{Matzav.com}

The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived back in Virginia on Saturday following an 11-month deployment that became the longest for an American aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War era, a mission that included involvement in the U.S. conflict with Iran and the operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro while he was serving as Venezuela’s president.

The carrier — regarded as the most advanced warship in the U.S. Navy — returned to Naval Station Norfolk together with two accompanying destroyers. Nearly 5,000 sailors were finally reunited with their families after being away since June. During the deployment, the crew carried out military operations across several regions while also dealing with a serious onboard fire that forced hundreds of sailors from their sleeping quarters and required extensive repairs while docked on the Greek island of Crete.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attended the return ceremony for the strike group, including the destroyer USS Bainbridge.

Hegseth commended the crew of the Bainbridge for a “job well done.”

“You didn’t just accomplish a mission, you made history,” Hegseth said on the destroyer’s deck. “You made a nation proud.”

The Ford spent 326 days deployed at sea, setting the record for the longest aircraft carrier deployment in the post-Vietnam period and the longest in the last half century. Only two deployments during the Vietnam era lasted longer: the USS Midway’s 332-day deployment in 1973 and the USS Coral Sea’s 329-day deployment in 1965.

The unusually lengthy deployment has sparked renewed discussion about the strain placed on sailors who spend extended periods away from home, along with the impact on ships and onboard systems already facing heavy operational demands. Those concerns intensified after the fire aboard the carrier, which began in one of the vessel’s laundry areas.

When the Ford first departed Virginia last June, it was assigned to the Mediterranean Sea before later being redirected to the Caribbean in October as part of one of the largest American naval buildups in that region in decades.

In January, the carrier participated in the military mission tied to Maduro’s capture. It was later redeployed again as tensions with Iran escalated.

The Ford joined operations connected to the Iran conflict while positioned in the Mediterranean before eventually traveling through the Suez Canal and entering the Red Sea in early March.

Although the USS Nimitz technically remained away from home for 341 days during 2020 and 2021, that total included lengthy COVID-era quarantine and isolation periods while still on American soil.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew sharp condemnation Friday after posting a message commemorating “Nakba Day,” with critics accusing him of distorting the history surrounding the establishment of the State of Israel and inflaming tensions against Jews in New York City.

Mamdani, who has frequently criticized Israel, published the post shortly before the start of Shabbos for many Jewish New Yorkers. The message honored the Palestinian observance marking what Palestinians refer to as the “Nakba,” or “catastrophe,” tied to Israel’s declaration of independence on May 14, 1948. The post included a professionally produced interview with New York resident Inea Bushnaq, described as a “Nakba survivor.”

“Today marks Nakba Day, an annual remembrance to commemorate the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians between 1947 and 1949 during the creation of the State of Israel and the year that followed,” Hizzoner wrote in an X post on his official mayoral account.

“Inea is a New Yorker and a Nakba survivor. She shared her story with us – one of home, tradition and memory over generations.”

Today marks Nakba Day, an annual day of remembrance to commemorate the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians between 1947 and 1949 during the creation of the State of Israel and the year that followed.

Inea is a New Yorker and a Nakba survivor. She shared her story with us… pic.twitter.com/z2PBOaJq5Z

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 15, 2026

In the accompanying video, Bushnaq recalled leaving Jerusalem as a child during the 1948 war.

In the video, Bushnaq details fleeing her home at age nine because “the Zionists were coming into Jerusalem.”

The video also asserted that Palestinian displacement remains ongoing today.

Critics reacted furiously to the mayor’s message, accusing him of promoting anti-Israel propaganda while ignoring the broader historical context of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

“Mamdani is dangerous, he’s evil, he is stirring the pot of hate,” Americans Against Antisemitism founder Dov Hikind told The Post, stressing how Jewish communities are being targeted in attacks.

“He is corrupting history. He doesn’t know his f—king history,” he blasted, adding that the United Nations voted to create the State of Israel and a Palestinian state, with Jews accepting the plan while five Arab nations – Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq – “rejected it and went to war with Israel.”

Israel survived the war that followed, while Arab nations later established Nakba commemorations marking the defeat and displacement connected to the conflict.

The mayor’s social media post quickly ignited intense criticism online, with opponents accusing him of selectively presenting history and encouraging hostility toward Jewish residents.

“He ignores that roughly 850,000 Jews were expelled or forced to flee Arab countries in the years that followed,” one digital naysayer raged on X.

“He presents ‘Nakba Day’ as though it is about grief, when in reality it is a movement that rejects Israel’s existence (and along with it millions of Jews). In a city where Jews are already facing rampant harassment and violence, this kind of one-sided historical revisionism fuels hostility toward Jews.”

As anti-Israel demonstrations continue throughout New York City, including protests held outside synagogues, critics pointed out that Mamdani has not publicly condemned the protests and instead has continued voicing support for activists aligned with the movement.

“This video provokes and justifies acts of revenge and hate on Jews and Jewish Synagogues across NYC,” one commenter raged, as another blasted him for “leaving out some key historical facts.”

“Ok!! I’m done being nice… You are putting Jews everywhere at risk by not providing historical context for this,” United Jewish Teachers President Moshe Spern fumed on X.

“You are putting Jews in harms way!! Enough is enough!!”

Mamdani’s relationship with many Jewish leaders has remained tense since his mayoral campaign last year, with opponents criticizing both his rhetoric and his strong anti-Israel positions.

Additional controversy has surrounded the mayor’s refusal to denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which many Jewish groups view as a call for violence against Jews.

His wife, First Lady Rama Duwaji, has also faced criticism over past social media activity praising Palestinian terrorists, attacking Israel, and allegedly liking posts celebrating the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel.

Mamdani defended his wife amid the backlash, while Duwaji issued a statement in April apologizing for the “hurt” caused by the posts, though she stopped short of specifically apologizing for the anti-Israel content itself.

The woman convicted in connection with Minnesota’s massive COVID-era meal fraud scandal claims Rep. Ilhan Omar was aware of key elements of the operation that allegedly siphoned away hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds intended to feed needy children during the pandemic, according to a report by The New York Post.

Aimee Bock, who founded the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, was found guilty in March 2025 on charges including conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud. Prosecutors accused her of helping restaurant operators submit fraudulent or exaggerated reimbursement requests tied to child nutrition programs during the COVID crisis.

Bock spoke to The Post this week by video from Sherburne County Jail, where she remains incarcerated awaiting sentencing.

“I struggle to believe that she wouldn’t have known,” Bock said of Omar.

Authorities say dozens of individuals tied to Minnesota’s Somali community falsely claimed to have served millions of meals to underprivileged children during the pandemic while allegedly diverting large portions of the government money for personal gain.

Throughout the case, Bock has maintained that she did not knowingly participate in any criminal scheme and said she repeatedly warned state authorities about suspicious activity. Feeding Our Future was responsible for reviewing reimbursement submissions from participating meal providers before forwarding the paperwork and distributing federal funds.

“The notion that I’m personally responsible for all of it . . . is so frustrating. I’m the only white person out of 80 or 90 individuals [charged in the fraud]. I’m the only one that doesn’t speak the language,” she added.

Bock alleged that Omar helped create the conditions that enabled the fraud by supporting federal legislation at the beginning of the pandemic that relaxed oversight requirements for school meal programs.

In March 2020, Omar introduced the MEALS Act in Congress, legislation that permitted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to grant emergency waivers to school meal regulations during the pandemic.

Those waivers significantly reduced oversight by allowing restaurants and nontraditional food sites to participate in the federal meal programs without undergoing the standard inspection process.

According to Bock, Omar’s office also became involved whenever those waivers approached expiration dates, helping ensure the programs continued uninterrupted.

“There had been a couple times early on that there were some gaps – a waiver would be set to expire on maybe the 15th of a month, and then the renewal didn’t kick in until the 1st,” Bock claimed. “Because of course this was supposed to be a short-term thing . . . we were supposed to be home for two weeks.”

Omar has also faced scrutiny in recent years after financial disclosures reportedly showed her wealth rising dramatically, which she later attributed to an accounting mistake.

During Bock’s federal trial in 2025, Omar’s name reportedly surfaced multiple times in emails and text exchanges introduced as evidence.

Bock said six separate email chains involving Omar related to assistance with federal waivers after Feeding Our Future contacted the congresswoman’s office.

The relaxed regulations allowed numerous Somali-owned restaurants to participate in the food program, including Safari Restaurant, where Omar filmed a promotional video in May 2020 stating that “every day Safari provides 2,300 meals to children and their families.” Omar also held her 2018 election night celebration at the establishment.

By July of that year, Safari reportedly claimed it was serving 5,000 children daily. One of its co-owners, Salim Said, was later convicted of defrauding the government out of $16 million, the largest amount tied to the broader scheme, and is currently awaiting sentencing.

“A lot of the sites were working directly with her, being that a lot of the operators were from the same Somali community,” Bock said of Somalia-born Omar.

“There were a lot of people that had been reaching out to her office and staff — and I presume her personally — to work through some of those gaps with the waivers.”

Minnesota is home to the nation’s largest Somali population, with more than 108,000 residents, many of whom live in Omar’s Minneapolis-based congressional district.

Bock also claimed she repeatedly alerted Minnesota officials about suspected fraud but said state authorities showed little appetite for aggressively pursuing cases involving the Somali community, which had become politically important after some Muslim leaders began drifting toward the Republican Party over disagreements with progressive positions on transgender issues and abortion.

“I have the emails that show that I told you, so you knew,” she said of the 2021 missives, reviewed by The Post, where she reported fraudulent businesses to the state’s Department of Education

“I struggle to believe that we notified them and they didn’t alert the governor – or our state or federal officials,” Bock added.

One email exchange from August 2021 reviewed by The New York Post showed a Minnesota Department of Education nutrition official telling Bock the agency “takes no position if fraud has taken place” after she reported that House of Refuge in St. Paul was claiming to distribute 21,000 meals per day.

The owner of House of Refuge was later sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for fraudulently obtaining $2.4 million in federal money.

“That’s my biggest regret,” Bock said. “Accepting the answer that the government doesn’t take a position on fraud. . . . I don’t think I comprehended just the magnitude of how important that statement would be.”

Last week, Minnesota’s Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee urged the House Oversight Committee to subpoena Omar after she reportedly declined to provide communications connected to individuals convicted in the fraud case.

A report issued this week by the state oversight panel concluded that Omar, along with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, “played critical roles in creating and enabling” the fraud.

Federal prosecutors are reportedly seeking a 100-year prison sentence for Bock. She continues to insist that authorities unfairly singled her out and used her as a scapegoat in the sprawling case.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen no later than this summer, expressing optimism that an agreement with Iran may be reached within days while cautioning that the United States is prepared to use military force if necessary to restore shipping through the critical waterway.

Wright made the comments during a visit to a liquefied natural gas facility in Cameron, Louisiana, as gasoline prices across the country continued climbing amid uncertainty surrounding the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The national average price for gas rose to $4.53 per gallon as President Donald Trump urged Congress to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax to help relieve pressure on consumers.

Speaking with CNBC’s Brian Sullivan on “Squawk Box,” Wright characterized the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz as temporary and suggested Iran ultimately would not be able to maintain its grip over such a vital global trade route.

According to Wright, the United States is increasing liquefied natural gas exports by approximately 2.5 billion cubic feet per day to help compensate for an estimated 10 billion cubic feet per day in worldwide energy supply disrupted by the Hormuz situation.

“Traffic will be flowing through the Straits [sic] of Hormuz, you know, as soon as we can, but certainly sometime this summer at the latest,” he said, adding that a diplomatic resolution could be reached “in the next few days.”

Wright warned that if negotiations fail, military action remains a possibility.

If Iran “continues to hold the world economy hostage, the United States military will force the reopening of the Straits [sic] of Hormuz, but that’s not trivial to do,” he said, noting that early military steps have been taken, but a negotiated outcome is preferable.

Washington and Tehran entered into a two-week ceasefire agreement on April 8 with Pakistan serving as mediator, and Trump later extended the arrangement on April 21.

Since then, however, both governments have accused one another of violating the truce. Trump recently described the ceasefire as being on “massive life support” after dismissing Iran’s latest counteroffer during negotiations.

When asked about the leadership situation inside Iran, Wright pointed to what he described as instability and uncertainty within the regime itself.

Iran’s newly selected supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen publicly since being chosen on March 9. A diplomatic memorandum cited by The Times of London in April — reportedly based on American and Israeli intelligence assessments — claimed Khamenei had become incapacitated, though Iranian officials denied those reports.

Wright said the uncertainty “could ultimately lead to change in regime in Iran.”

Meanwhile, rising fuel costs continue creating political pressure in the United States.

AAA reported Friday that the national average gasoline price stood at $4.53 per gallon, while California prices climbed to $6.15, with three states recording averages above $5 per gallon.

Earlier this year, Wright predicted gas prices would fall below $3 by summer. He later revised that timeline, suggesting in April that such a benchmark might not be reached until 2027, a projection Trump publicly criticized.

On Monday, Trump called for a temporary suspension of the federal gasoline tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, which finances the Highway Trust Fund and would require congressional approval to pause.

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri introduced legislation seeking a 90-day suspension of the tax, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he would support holding hearings on the proposal.

Democrats in the House and several industry organizations have opposed the idea, arguing that removing the tax would reduce infrastructure funding while providing drivers only limited relief at the pump.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Friday that tariffs never came up during his meetings this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping, despite ongoing trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

“We didn’t discuss tariffs. It wasn’t brought up,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way back to Washington. “I would say we discussed almost everything except the reduction of tariffs.”

The comments followed Trump’s two-day summit in Beijing, which came after months of economic friction between the United States and China stemming from the administration’s “Liberation Day” tariff program announced in April 2025.

As the dispute escalated, American tariffs on Chinese imports climbed as high as 145%, prompting Beijing to retaliate with duties reaching 125% on U.S. products.

China also responded by imposing export restrictions on rare earth minerals and other critical materials used heavily in American technology and defense industries.

Despite those tensions, Trump and Xi ultimately reached a temporary one-year agreement under which China agreed to suspend the rare earth export limitations and strengthen oversight of fentanyl precursor chemicals.

In exchange, the United States agreed to reduce its elevated reciprocal tariffs back down to a baseline 10% rate through November.

Although the summit did not produce any additional tariff reductions, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China has already started carrying out commitments to sharply expand purchases of American farm and energy products.

According to Greer, those agreements include a three-year arrangement for China to buy 25 million metric tons of soybeans annually, along with purchases involving Alaskan energy supplies and American beef exports.

Eric Trump announced Friday that he intends to pursue legal action against MS Now and network host Jen Psaki after she claimed on-air that he serves on the board of a company allegedly pursuing business opportunities in China, the NY Post reports.

The comments came during an episode of “The Briefing with Jen Psaki,” in which the former Biden White House press secretary suggested that President Donald Trump’s son accompanied him on his recent trip to China in connection with possible personal business dealings.

Responding publicly on X, Eric Trump forcefully denied the allegation and accused Psaki of spreading false information.

“Contrary to her monolog[ue] and blatant lies, I have NEVER been on the board of ALT5 — not now, not ever,” Eric Trump wrote on X. “Any person with basic access to Google and willing to open a company’s annual report or proxy statements would know this.”

He also rejected any suggestion that he has financial ties to China or involvement in negotiations involving outside companies.

“I have had zero involvement in any merger discussions involving any public entity I do not run or control. I have zero business interests in China. No properties, no investments, nothing!”

Eric Trump further explained that he traveled to China simply to accompany his father during the high-profile diplomatic visit.

“I joined this trip for one reason: as a loving son who adores my father and wouldn’t miss being by his side for this incredible moment.”

During Wednesday’s broadcast, Psaki acknowledged that Eric Trump’s spokesperson had stated he was attending the trip in a personal capacity, would not participate in official meetings, and had no business interests connected to China.

Despite that, Psaki went on to say, “Eric is on the board of a company called Alt5 Sigma,” while referencing a Financial Times article that claimed the company “has a memorandum of understanding to explore a potential deal with a Chinese computer chip manufacturer to build AI data centers and a whole bunch of other AI related stuff.”

However, according to the Financial Times report itself and SEC documents reviewed by The New York Post, Eric Trump is listed as a board “observer” rather than a formal member of the board.

Psaki’s broader argument was that Eric Trump’s presence during the Beijing trip raised ethical concerns and could create the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Eric Trump pushed back on that narrative, saying that while President Trump and administration officials met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his delegation, he and Lara Trump spent their time sightseeing.

Eric Trump noted that as the president and administration official met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his delegation, he and his wife, Lara Trump, “went to the Great Wall of China.”

“More to come…” he teased.

{Matzav.com}

Long Island commuters faced severe travel headaches today as the first full day of the Long Island Rail Road strike shut down service across the region, leaving hundreds of thousands scrambling for transportation and bracing for major disruptions in the days ahead.

More than 3,500 engineers, conductors, signal workers and other railroad employees from five unions officially walked off the job after contract negotiations with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority broke down completely, triggering the largest commuter transit shutdown the region has seen in decades.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber blamed union leadership for the collapse in talks, insisting the agency had already agreed to the compensation package workers requested.

“For me, it’s become apparent that these unions always intended to strike,” he said. Their strategy is to inconvenience Long Islanders and try to force the MTA and the State to do a bad deal.”

Union representatives argued that they exhausted every effort to avoid a strike and maintained that employees are seeking wage increases necessary to keep pace with rising living costs.

Workers on the picket lines also expressed sympathy for stranded riders while criticizing the MTA’s negotiating tactics.

“For the commuters out there, this is not a fight against them,” Karl Bischoff, a locomotive engineer who has worked 29 years for the LIRR, told The NY Post while picketing outside Penn Station.

“Commuters are our families, our friends, our neighbors,” said the 55-year-old.

“We apologize, but unfortunately, this is what it has come to because the MTA does not want to bargain in good faith,” he claimed.

The shutdown of the nation’s busiest commuter rail system officially began at 12:01 a.m. Friday after talks over salaries and healthcare expenses stalled. At this stage, there is no indication when bargaining sessions will resume.

Transit officials estimate that nearly 300,000 daily riders who depend on the LIRR for transportation between Long Island and New York City will be affected by the strike.

The MTA announced plans to launch complimentary shuttle bus service linking six Long Island locations with two subway stations in Queens. However, the buses are not expected to handle the full commuter load and will not begin operating until Monday, leaving many residents searching for alternatives this weekend, including fans traveling to the Mets-Yankees Subway Series at Citi Field.

The five unions participating in the strike — representing roughly half of the railroad’s workforce — are reportedly seeking a retroactive 9.5% salary increase covering the past three years.

According to the MTA, the agency already offered the same wage package accepted by other labor groups. Union leaders, however, are additionally demanding a 5% raise for the current year. The MTA rejected that proposal and instead countered with a 3% increase along with a lump-sum payment the agency says effectively raises the total compensation increase to 4.5%.

Transit officials also noted that workers represented by the striking unions earned median salaries exceeding $136,000 last year, making them the highest-paid commuter rail employees in the country.

The MTA further stated that when healthcare coverage and additional benefits are included, total average compensation for those employees surpasses $200,000 annually.

Lieber, whose compensation totaled $420,599 last year, joined Gov. Kathy Hochul in urging commuters to work remotely where possible, use shuttle alternatives and prepare for severe traffic delays and parking shortages if driving into New York City.

Sean M. O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, placed full responsibility for the disruption on railroad management.

“Union workers have sacrificed so much for the railroad for years while consistently bargaining in good faith for a fair contract,” said O’Brien, whose powerful bargaining group includes the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen that is striking.

“The LIRR is stranding passengers while denying wages, benefits, and respect to the BLET Teamsters and other hardworking union members.”

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli warned that the strike’s economic consequences could be enormous, estimating losses of as much as $61 million per day in economic activity based on previous data, inflation levels and commuter trends.

{Matzav.com}

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to revive a Democratic-backed congressional map in Virginia that supporters had hoped to implement for this year’s midterm elections, effectively ending the effort after weeks of legal and political battles.

In a short order issued without any noted dissents, the high court allowed a previous ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court to stand. That state ruling determined that the referendum process used to advance the proposed map suffered from legal deficiencies.

The challenge had already been losing momentum earlier in the week after Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger acknowledged on Wednesday that the timeline for adopting a new congressional map before the upcoming elections had already passed.

Democrats had promoted the proposed map as part of a broader national redistricting fight that intensified after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans to pursue congressional boundaries more favorable to the GOP.

While court observers did not expect the Supreme Court to intervene, Friday’s action marked another defeat for Democrats seeking to reshape congressional districts ahead of the midterms, both in Virginia and across the country.

Had the revised map taken effect, Democrats potentially stood to pick up as many as four additional congressional seats in Virginia’s 11-district delegation.

Virginia’s current congressional breakdown consists of six Democratic-held seats and five represented by Republicans.

At the center of the case was a procedural dispute involving Virginia state law. Because the Supreme Court generally cannot review purely state-law matters, the case faced significant hurdles from the outset. However, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones argued in court filings that the state court’s ruling also raised issues connected to federal law, which he said gave the justices grounds to hear the dispute.

President Donald Trump intensified pressure on Iran today by sharing a dramatic video on Truth Social depicting him authorizing an attack on an Iranian aircraft, fueling fresh speculation about a possible renewal of hostilities between Washington and Tehran.

“Okay, we have it in our sight. Fire – boom!” Trump says, as a US-flagged destroyer blows one with the Iranian flag out of the sky.

The video came as Trump sharpened his rhetoric against Iran, rejecting the regime’s latest peace proposal and openly discussing the extensive damage already inflicted by the United States during the conflict, while warning that additional infrastructure could still be targeted.

“We hit them unbelievably hard. Look — we left their bridges. We left their electricity capacity. We can knock that all out in two days. Two days — everything,” Trump told Bret Baier, host of Fox News Special Report in an interview that aired Friday night.

Analysts who follow Iran closely told The New York Post that another round of fighting appears increasingly plausible as tensions continue to rise.

“I’m sure preparations are underway for more escalation,” said Jon Hoffman, a research fellow in defense and foreign policy at the Cato Institute.

“Trump has refused to back down from his maximalist demands in negotiations,” he said, while predicting that “Iran won’t negotiate away its leverage.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told members of Congress this week that the Pentagon already has contingency plans prepared should the situation deteriorate further.

“We have a plan to retrograde if necessary. We have a plan to shift assets,”

A Friday report in The New York Times stated that military officials are engaged in “intense preparations” for the possibility that strikes against Iran could resume soon. According to Middle Eastern officials cited in the report, the plans could involve “aggressive bombing runs” beginning as early as next week.

“We have nothing to provide, we don’t speculate on hypothetical situations,” a Department of War official told The Post. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The footage Trump shared online reportedly originated from a Women’s History Month event held in 2020 and was later repurposed for the Iran-related post.

The United States currently maintains roughly 50,000 troops in the region, alongside major naval and air assets positioned nearby in the event Trump authorizes additional military action. The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George W. Bush carrier strike groups remain deployed in the area following the return of the USS Gerald R. Ford on Saturday.

Trump has continued to speak publicly about eliminating what he has referred to as Iran’s remaining “nuclear dust,” describing enriched uranium buried deep beneath Iranian nuclear facilities that have already been struck multiple times by American forces.

He also revisited the joint American-Israeli offensive that severely damaged Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical hub for the country’s oil exports that was also the site of a recent oil spill.

“We hit Kharg Island, everything but the oil. They wiped out the whole island. Except they left the nozzle, you know that’s where the oil comes out – just in case,” he said.

The War Department deployed 5,000 Marines to the region in March, a move that increased speculation about the possibility of a future ground mission aimed at securing strategic locations.

Trump has shown growing impatience with the ongoing diplomatic negotiations, which have reportedly been conducted in Islamabad and centered around a proposed 14-point framework.

“I am not going to be much more patient. They should make a deal,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview Thursday from Beijing. “Now they can make a deal, or they get annihilated,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Trump also dismissed Tehran’s latest proposal outright, criticizing what he described as unacceptable language regarding nuclear restrictions.

He outright dissed Iran’s latest offer in comments to reporters, ripping its “unacceptable sentence, because they have fully agreed no nuclear, and if they have any nuclear of any form, I don’t read the rest.”

Trump said he did not ask Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meetings this week to pressure Beijing into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, despite China’s heavy reliance on oil shipments passing through the waterway.

“When you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials appeared to threaten tighter control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s parliamentary security chief, Ebrahim Azizi, wrote on X that Tehran had finalized plans to regulate passage through the strait by allowing access to allied nations while permanently barring vessels connected to the United States.

Operation Epic Fury continued for 40 days before a temporary ceasefire was announced on April 8. Trump has said the pause in fighting came after requests from Pakistan, which has served as an intermediary during negotiations.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that American forces destroyed Iran’s naval power and crippled much of its missile-launching capability. During his flight home from China, he lashed out at a reporter over reports suggesting Iran still retains a significant portion of its arsenal.

“You should be ashamed of yourself. I actually think it’s treason,” he said.

US Central Command also pushed back Thursday against reports claiming Iran still possesses 70% of its missiles and 75% of its rocket launchers. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, dismissed those reports outright, calling them “not accurate.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States and Israel are reportedly accelerating military preparations amid growing concerns that fighting with Iran could resume within days, according to a report published today by The New York Times.

The report stated that both countries are engaged in what is being described as the most significant military mobilization since the ceasefire between the sides took effect.

President Donald Trump returned to Washington following his trip to China as his administration weighs major decisions connected to the Iranian front and the possibility of renewed conflict.

At the same time, the report said Pentagon officials are actively reviewing plans for restarting military operations against Iran after the campaign was paused once the ceasefire went into effect.

The IDF announced on Motzoei Shabbos that Capt. Maoz Yisroel Recanati, a Golani Brigade officer from Itamar, was killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon after an explosive drone struck his position.

Recanati, 24, served as a platoon commander in Golani’s 12th Battalion. His death marked the 20th Israeli military fatality in Lebanon since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion in February, and the seventh soldier killed since the ceasefire in Lebanon declared by the United States went into effect.

The Shomron Regional Council released a statement expressing grief over the loss of Recanati, who was killed shortly before the onset of Shabbos on Friday.

“Maoz served as an officer in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion, and previously served as a fighter in the Egoz commando unit,” the Council wrote in its announcement. “He is survived by his parents and six siblings. He was a member of a deeply rooted family in Itamar, one of the families that founded the community.”

The statement also noted that Recanati had recently become engaged and was preparing to begin a new chapter in life.

“Maoz was engaged to Rani, who studied at the seminary in the community, and was set to marry her in about a month and establish a home in Israel.”

Shomron Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan paid tribute to the fallen officer, describing him as an exceptional young man devoted to defending Am Yisroel and the country.

“Maoz was one of the best of our sons, a brave officer and dedicated fighter who devoted his life to the security of the people of Israel. He was the son of a pioneering and deeply rooted family in Itamar, and grew up on values of love for the Land and devotion to the state.”

“Our hearts are broken over a young life cut short just before he was to establish a home in Israel. All of Samaria bows its head and shares the pain of the dear family, embracing them at this difficult hour. His character and heroism will accompany us and give us strength to increase and build life here.”

President Donald Trump’s ally and Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu also issued a message of condolence following the announcement of Recanati’s death.

“The entire people of Israel bows its head in mourning over Captain Maoz Israel Recanati, of blessed memory, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion, who fell in battle in southern Lebanon.”

“My wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to the family of Maoz, of blessed memory, a heroic fighter who courageously led his soldiers against our enemies.

“Maoz was due to marry his fiancée, Rani, in about a month, and we all embrace her and his loved ones during this difficult hour. May his memory be blessed and cherished in our hearts forever.”

{Matzav.com}

A new poll published Friday found that a majority of Israelis believe Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu should step away from political life and not run in the next election, as opposition parties continue to gain strength in the latest surveys.

The poll, published by Maariv and conducted by Lazar Research, comes amid continued uncertainty surrounding the conflict with Iran, growing concerns over Israel becoming increasingly entangled again in Lebanon, and rising public attention to escalating violence inside Israeli society.

According to the survey, both the Likud party and Otzma Yehudit each dropped by one seat this week.

The poll found that 55% of Israelis believe Netanyahu should not seek reelection and should retire from politics altogether. By contrast, 38% said they want him to continue leading Likud into the next election, while 7% said they were undecided.

The survey also showed the coalition bloc slipping to 49 seats, while the Zionist opposition bloc climbed to 61 seats — enough for a governing majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

Despite losses by Likud and Otzma Yehudit, the coalition’s decline was partially offset by Shas gaining one mandate.

Under the poll’s current breakdown, Naftali Bennett’s “Beyachad” party would emerge as the largest faction with 26 seats, followed closely by Likud with 25 seats.

The “Yashar” party led by Gadi Eisenkot received 16 seats, while the Democrats were projected to win 10 mandates. Otzma Yehudit and Yisroel Beiteinu each received 9 seats, as did Shas. Yahadut HaTorah was projected at 7 seats, while Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am each stood at 5.

Within the opposition bloc, Eisenkot’s Yashar party strengthened by an additional seat compared to the previous poll, helping push the opposition camp to the 61-seat threshold. Other opposition parties remained largely unchanged from last week’s numbers, while the Arab parties collectively held steady at 10 seats.

The poll also examined a possible joint political list between Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper. According to the survey, such a slate would narrowly pass the electoral threshold with 3.3% of the vote, translating into four Knesset seats.

However, that scenario would lower the opposition bloc from 61 seats to 58, while the coalition would also weaken slightly, dropping to 48 seats.

The Maariv poll additionally revisited the possibility of a united alliance between Bennett’s Beyachad party, Eisenkot’s Yashar faction, and Yisroel Beiteinu.

In that scenario, the combined list would receive 49 mandates — two more than in last week’s poll.

The Democrats, who previously surged to 14 seats due to voters opposed to such a merger, would decline to 11 seats in the updated scenario, though that would still leave them one seat stronger than in the standard polling model without a united opposition slate.

Even with the three-way alliance, however, the opposition bloc would stand at 60 seats — one short of the 61-seat majority that a similar arrangement achieved in the previous poll. Netanyahu’s coalition, meanwhile, would rise slightly to 50 seats, gaining one mandate compared to last week.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would be open to an agreement freezing Iran’s nuclear program for 20 years, but insisted that any deal would require ironclad assurances from Tehran before the United States would agree to end the war.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from his trip to China, Trump discussed the latest Iranian proposal and indicated he had serious objections to parts of it.

“Well, I looked at it, and if I don’t like the first sentence, I just throw it away,” the President replied, explaining that the first sentence of the Iranian proposal was “an unacceptable sentence because they fully agree, no nuclear, and if they have any nuclear of any form, I don’t read the rest of their letter.”

Asked whether a 20-year moratorium on Iran’s nuclear activity would satisfy him, Trump responded that the issue was not the length of time but whether Iran could be trusted to comply.

“No, 20 years is enough, but the level of guarantee from them is not enough. In other words, it’s got to be a real 20 years, not a fake 20.”

Trump also revealed that Iran was a major topic during his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Trump, Xi strongly opposed Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and discussed the strategic importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open.

Trump said Xi “feels strongly they can’t have a nuclear weapon. He said that very strongly. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. And he wants them to open up the strait. But as he said, ‘they closed it, and then you closed them’. And it’s true. We control the strait. And they’ve done no business, literally they’ve done no business in the last two and a half weeks, which is approximately $500 million a day. So we’re doing very well on all fronts.”

The president said he remains hopeful that Iran will eventually agree to a deal. Trump added that Iranian officials told him that only the United States and China possess the capability to remove the country’s enriched uranium stockpiles, which he referred to as “nuclear dust.”

During an interview Thursday night with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump warned that his patience with Tehran is quickly running out.

“I’m not going to be much more patient. No, I’m not. They should make a deal. Any sane person would make a deal, but they might be crazy,” Trump clarified.

The interview aired shortly after Trump suggested on Truth Social that military operations against Iran may continue.

The remarks came in a broader post reflecting on his recent visit to China and comments made by Xi Jinping about the United States.

“When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct. Our Country suffered immeasurably with open borders, high taxes, transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, DEI, horrible trade deals, rampant crime, and so much more!” wrote Trump.

“President Xi was not referring to the incredible rise that the United States has displayed to the world during the 16 spectacular months of the Trump Administration, which includes all-time high stock markets and 401K’s, military victory and thriving relationship in Venezuela, the military decimation of Iran (to be continued!),” he added.

Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons, and he reiterated that position again Tuesday before departing for China.

Speaking to reporters at the time, Trump warned Tehran that it must accept American conditions for ending the conflict and resolving concerns surrounding its nuclear activities.

“They’ll either do the right thing, or we’ll finish the job,” Trump said, rejecting the idea that rising prices in the US pushed him to seek an end to the war.

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities in the United States have arrested and charged an Iraqi citizen accused of organizing an international terrorism campaign that allegedly targeted Jewish and American institutions across Europe and North America, according to a report Friday by CNN.

Prosecutors say the suspect, identified as Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, was connected to Iran-backed terrorist organizations and helped coordinate numerous planned attacks intended to pressure the West over the ongoing war involving Iran.

According to the federal criminal complaint, investigators believe al-Saadi was involved in planning at least 18 separate terror operations throughout Europe, in addition to alleged plots aimed at targets in the United States and Canada.

Court filings state that al-Saadi acted on behalf of organizations aligned with Iran and pursued antisemitic and anti-American attacks designed to destabilize international security.

The complaint alleges that al-Saadi “directed and urged others to attack US and Israeli interests,” in retaliation for the war and to “further the terrorist goals of Kataib Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and his associated,” according to the complaint.

US officials have not publicly disclosed the precise details surrounding the suspect’s capture. However, flight records reportedly show that a Department of Justice aircraft commonly used for sensitive extradition missions traveled to Turkey earlier this week before returning through Morocco and landing in the New York area late Thursday night.

Al-Saadi has now been charged with multiple serious federal offenses, including conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to support acts of terrorism, and conspiracy to bomb a public location.

Investigators said one of the alleged plots involved plans to bomb a major Jewish synagogue in New York City. According to prosecutors, al-Saadi attempted to hire an individual he believed to be affiliated with a Mexican drug cartel to carry out the attack. Authorities say the supposed cartel operative was actually an undercover federal agent.

The complaint alleges that al-Saadi agreed to transfer $10,000 to finance the synagogue bombing and insisted that the attack be filmed for propaganda purposes. Prosecutors say he instructed that the bombing take place on April 6 and later sent a message demanding answers after the explosion did not occur.

In addition to the alleged network of planned attacks in Europe, prosecutors claim al-Saadi was involved in organizing two separate terror operations inside Canada and was also working to establish additional terrorist cells capable of launching future attacks within the United States.

{Matzav.com}

The United States announced Friday that the ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Lebanon will remain in effect for another 45 days as negotiations between the two countries continue under American mediation.

The extension came after a third round of discussions hosted by the Trump administration in Washington, DC.

“On May 14 and 15, the United States hosted two days of highly-productive talks between Israel and Lebanon. The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Pigott said additional negotiations are already scheduled for the coming weeks, with separate diplomatic and military channels set to move forward.

“The State Department will reconvene the political track of negotiations on June 2 and June 3. In addition, a security track will be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with military delegations from both countries,” he added.

American officials expressed hope that the talks could eventually lead to a broader and more stable agreement between the neighboring countries.

“We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border,” said Pigott.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, also commented on the negotiations following the latest meetings in Washington.

“Concluding 2 days of negotiations with Lebanese and American officials, I’m looking forward to the next steps. The peace talks were frank and constructive, and are set to move forward on two tracks: security and political,” he wrote on social media.

Leiter cautioned that the process could face challenges, while emphasizing that Israeli security would remain the top priority.

“There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great. What will be paramount throughout negotiations is the security of our citizens and our soldiers,” added Leiter.

US officials said Thursday that the first day of discussions had been “productive and positive,” with talks focused on creating a permanent peace arrangement and securing the full disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror organization.

According to Reuters, Thursday’s negotiations lasted approximately eight hours and centered largely on developing a framework for a long-term security agreement. Talks resumed Friday morning.

Even as negotiations continued, Hezbollah reportedly violated the ceasefire Friday by firing mortar shells and launching explosive drones toward Israeli territory.

{Matzav.com}