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Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith said he was astonished by the amount of time President Donald Trump spent entertaining him, comedian Bill Maher and musician Kid Rock at the White House on Thursday evening, revealing that the unusual gathering lasted more than four hours and included candid exchanges about the economy, the upcoming midterm elections and several contentious political issues.

Smith, an ESPN personality who has increasingly weighed in on national politics, described the dinner as an unexpectedly lengthy and open conversation with a president who was willing to engage with guests holding sharply different political views.

During an appearance Friday evening on CNN with Laura Coates, Smith said Trump made no effort to avoid difficult questions, even when the discussion turned to subjects on which his guests disagreed with him.

“It was shocking. I certainly didn’t expect that amount of time,” Smith told CNN’s Laura Coates Friday night. “I give him all the credit in the world because he didn’t run from any questions. Anything we asked him, he kept coming back at us with the things that he had to say.”

The gathering brought together an unusual combination of public figures. Smith has described himself as politically independent, Maher is known for his criticism of both political parties and particularly his opposition to Trump on numerous issues, and Kid Rock has been one of the president’s most outspoken celebrity supporters.

Kid Rock, whose legal name is Robert Ritchie, discussed the dinner during an appearance Friday on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.” He said he had previously shared a meal with Trump and Maher, although he did not explain how the latest gathering of guests with such different political outlooks had been arranged.

Smith said his primary motivation for accepting the White House invitation was to raise concerns about federal financial support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, commonly known as HBCUs.

The conversation, however, extended well beyond education funding. According to Smith, the guests discussed the political environment heading into November’s congressional elections, the condition of the American economy and individual candidates facing competitive races.

Kid Rock offered a similar account of the evening, acknowledging that the participants did not agree on everything but saying they found common ground on certain political and economic principles.

According to the musician, those at the table agreed that “socialism and communism have no place to have a foothold in our government.”

The dinner took place at a politically sensitive moment for Trump and congressional Republicans, who are preparing for the midterm elections amid voter dissatisfaction over several major issues, particularly economic conditions and the cost of living.

Recent polling has reflected challenges for the administration, including concerns among voters about whether Trump has delivered the economic improvements he promised during his 2024 presidential campaign.

Smith said he confronted the president about those concerns and pressed him on the Republican Party’s political difficulties. Trump, he recalled, remained confident that the economic situation would improve and that his administration’s policies would ultimately produce favorable results.

“As it pertains to the economy, no, he says what he always says, and he firmly believes in himself,” Smith said. “Obviously everything gets better. That’s his mentality.”

Smith also told Trump that public opinion surveys showed his popularity had declined. The president, according to Smith, responded by emphasizing that he continued to enjoy strong support among Republican voters.

The discussion also turned to the closely watched U.S. Senate race in Texas, where Republican nominee and state Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing Democrat James Talarico.

Trump supported Paxton during the Republican primary, but the attorney general has encountered difficulties in the general election campaign, with several surveys showing a close contest and Talarico holding a narrow advantage in some polls.

Smith said he directly criticized Paxton’s unwillingness to participate in a debate with his Democratic opponent, arguing that a candidate seeking a seat in the United States Senate should be prepared to defend his positions publicly.

“I said to him, the real problem is Ken Paxton. It’s a damn shame that [Paxton] … is sitting around scared to debate,” Smith said. “That is a disgrace to me. He should be unqualified for the job.”

Paxton has declined invitations from Talarico to participate in a debate, despite calls from some fellow Republicans for him to agree to a public confrontation with his opponent.

Among those urging Paxton to debate has been Republican Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, who has argued that voters deserve an opportunity to hear directly from both candidates.

According to Smith, Trump appeared receptive to his criticism of Paxton’s refusal to debate, telling him he had “a good point.”

Smith said the evening was particularly meaningful because it marked his first face-to-face encounter with Trump in more than 15 years, despite their longstanding acquaintance.

He explained that although the two men had known each other for many years, they had communicated only sparingly since Trump first entered the White House. Smith viewed the dinner as an opportunity to present his concerns directly rather than simply discuss them through television appearances.

“This is the first time I’ve seen him face to face in over a decade and a half, and I saw it as an opportunity to make my case,” Smith said. “Obviously we’ve known each other for many, many years, even though we’ve never spoken outside of one interview since he became president of the United States.”

Trump also addressed the gathering when speaking with reporters outside the White House on Friday, describing the evening as “great” and saying that “they had a good time.”

The president praised the guests and spoke warmly about Maher, whose political commentary has frequently included sharp criticism of Trump.

“It was a very informative dinner,” the president added. “Smart people. Stephen A. is great. Bill Maher — I will tell you what. He likes me a lot more than people understand, and I actually like him. It was a good dinner.”

Additional accounts of the dinner revealed that the four men discussed an even wider range of subjects than Smith initially described, including the war in Iran, the treatment of Afghans who assisted American forces and the impact of the administration’s diversity policies on financial support for historically Black colleges.

Kid Rock said Smith was particularly concerned that the administration’s opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives could discourage corporations from contributing to HBCUs, even if the federal government continued supporting those institutions.

The musician said he believed the administration wanted private companies to continue providing financial assistance to historically Black colleges and universities, despite its broader opposition to DEI programs.

Kid Rock also said Maher raised the situation of Afghan interpreters and other individuals who assisted American forces during the war in Afghanistan, bringing another foreign policy issue into the discussion.

According to Smith’s more detailed account on CNN, the evening included a tour of several areas of the White House, including the West Wing, the Rose Garden and the presidential portrait display.

Smith said he noticed that the display featured an image of an autopen in place of a conventional portrait of Joe Biden. When Smith objected to the joke at Biden’s expense, Trump defended it and laughed, according to the commentator.

The gathering also included a visit to the White House ballroom construction project, where Trump showed his guests the ongoing work.

The meeting marked another chapter in the unusual relationship between Trump and Maher, who previously attended a White House dinner with the president and Kid Rock in 2025. Despite their longstanding political disagreements, Maher has defended his willingness to speak directly with Trump rather than avoid contact because of their differences.

Maher had publicly disclosed plans for another White House dinner earlier in the week, explaining that Trump had unexpectedly invited him back after their previous meeting.

Kid Rock described Thursday’s gathering as “epic,” saying the participants were able to share a meal, laugh together and debate difficult political questions despite their differing views.

For Smith, the most surprising aspect remained the president’s willingness to devote more than four hours to the gathering and personally engage with the concerns raised by his guests.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Saturday that President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend major sanctions against Russia could embolden Vladimir Putin and lead to further concessions to Moscow, even as Russian forces intensify attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

Zelensky expressed concern that the administration’s decision to relax restrictions targeting Russian energy revenues represents the beginning of a broader rollback of American economic pressure on the Kremlin. He argued that easing sanctions while Russian attacks continue would weaken efforts to bring the war to an end.

The dispute escalated Friday when Trump signed an executive order temporarily waiving extensive American sanctions affecting Russia’s energy industry. The move followed an agreement between Washington and Moscow allowing Russian diesel exports in exchange for sanctions relief.

The decision comes during the fifth year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions of people from their homes. Russian forces have continued launching strikes across Ukraine despite diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the fighting.

Zelensky said he feared the diesel arrangement would be followed by additional American concessions to Russia.

“Unfortunately, the lifting of sanctions will continue. I believe the ‘diesel deal’ is just the first step,” Zelensky told reporters.

The Ukrainian president emphasized that he still hoped Trump would use American influence to compel Putin to end the war. However, he insisted that reducing economic pressure on Russia while limiting Ukraine’s ability to retaliate would make a negotiated settlement more difficult.

Zelensky said he still “personally” hoped that Trump will do “everything in his power” to make Putin end the war but added: “You cannot achieve this by limiting Ukraine’s responses to Russia for killing our people. And certainly not by lifting sanctions.”

His remarks followed another wave of Russian airstrikes that Ukrainian officials said killed at least two people Saturday and injured numerous others.

Authorities in the southern city of Kherson reported that one person was killed and 22 others wounded, including two children, in a Russian attack. A separate strike in the northeastern city of Sumy killed another person, according to local officials.

Zelensky said the timing of Washington’s sanctions decision was especially troubling because it coincided with a major Russian assault on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure.

According to the Ukrainian president, Russian forces targeted 15 critical power-generation facilities Friday in what he described as “one of the largest” attacks on the country’s energy network.

The strikes heightened concerns about Ukraine’s ability to maintain electricity and heating supplies as colder weather approaches, particularly after repeated Russian attacks on power stations and other essential infrastructure during previous winters.

Zelensky argued that the United States should be increasing economic pressure on Moscow rather than offering relief while Russia continues attacking Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure.

The suspended sanctions were imposed under the Lindsey Graham Act, legislation named for the late American senator who sponsored the measure. The law targeted important sectors of the Russian economy, including energy and defense, as well as Putin personally and the network of vessels used to transport Russian oil and other products despite Western restrictions.

That network, commonly known as Russia’s “shadow fleet,” has played a significant role in Moscow’s efforts to maintain energy exports and generate revenue despite international sanctions.

Zelensky maintained that the legislation had the potential to significantly weaken Russia’s ability to finance its military campaign and pressure Putin into meaningful negotiations.

“It is important that everyone in America also sees what is really happening,” Zelensky wrote on social media.

Referring to the sanctions legislation, he said it was “supposed to impose truly effective pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end” and argued that the measure “could have helped enormously — and still can!”.

The Ukrainian leader warned that relaxing sanctions would send the wrong message to Moscow by reducing the economic consequences of continuing the war.

“A U.S. sanctions blackout, easing pressure on the aggressor, financial rewards for Putin — all of this only encourages him to keep attacking,” he warned.

Zelensky also accused Russia of deliberately attempting to cripple Ukraine’s electricity supply before winter, warning that continued attacks could leave large numbers of civilians without basic utilities.

He said Moscow was seeking to produce a nationwide “blackout” by systematically striking the infrastructure needed to generate and distribute electricity.

“Russia is trying to leave millions of our people without electricity and heating,” Zelensky said.

He urged Ukraine’s international partners to intensify pressure on Russia to halt its attacks, particularly those targeting facilities essential to civilian life.

Ukraine has already experienced severe energy shortages during previous winters, when Russian bombardments damaged power plants and transmission systems, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without reliable heating or electricity during periods of freezing weather.

The latest strikes have renewed fears that Moscow intends to repeat that strategy as temperatures fall, increasing the humanitarian pressure on Ukraine while the war continues.

Russian officials, meanwhile, welcomed the Trump administration’s decision as a significant diplomatic and economic development.

Although neither Putin nor the Kremlin had issued an official response to the sanctions suspension, several prominent Russian figures publicly celebrated the announcement.

Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian presidential envoy who has been involved in diplomatic contacts with Washington, described the move as a major achievement.

“The Trump administration’s suspension of the Graham Act is an important and truly historic moment,” Dmitriev wrote on social media.

The sanctions package had been signed into law by Trump on September 18 and was scheduled to take effect Sunday, October 18. His executive order suspending the measures came just two days before their implementation deadline, with the president informing Congress that the waiver was justified by American national interests.

The legislation authorized penalties against Russian government officials, financial institutions and energy companies, along with tariffs of up to 100 percent on major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. The restrictions were designed to reduce the revenues available to Moscow for financing its military operations in Ukraine.

Trump’s decision followed mounting concerns about rising fuel prices in the United States, particularly diesel costs, which have become a major economic issue ahead of the November midterm elections.

Earlier this month, Trump announced that he had reached an arrangement with Putin under which Russia would release substantial additional quantities of diesel onto international markets. The administration has presented the agreement as a means of increasing fuel supplies and easing pressure on American consumers and businesses.

Under the arrangement described by Trump, Russia would initially supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and an additional 1 million tons shortly afterward. The president also indicated that Russia could provide another 3 million tons once refinery conditions permitted.

The agreement has drawn criticism from American lawmakers who argue that purchasing Russian fuel or relaxing sanctions could provide Moscow with additional financial resources while its military campaign against Ukraine continues.

The sanctions suspension has generated objections from members of both parties in Congress, including lawmakers who supported the original legislation.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who worked with the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on the sanctions measure, criticized the administration’s decision, arguing that it undermined the legislation’s central purpose of increasing economic pressure on Russia.

Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia also condemned the waiver, contending that it weakened Washington’s position toward Moscow at a time when Russian forces were continuing their attacks.

Other lawmakers have questioned whether the administration should suspend sanctions approved by Congress without first demonstrating that Russia has taken meaningful steps toward ending the war.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the administration will review the broader economic implications of the sanctions over a 60-day period before determining whether additional measures should be implemented.

The decision has also complicated Washington’s relationship with Kyiv. Zelensky has been meeting with European leaders in Brussels to seek additional financial and military assistance as Ukraine faces continued Russian bombardment and uncertainty about future American support.

European governments have been discussing how to sustain Ukraine’s military and civilian needs during the coming year, including the substantial costs of defending the country and repairing infrastructure repeatedly damaged by Russian attacks.

For Ukraine, the immediate concern remains the destruction of its energy facilities. Russian strikes have repeatedly damaged power stations, substations and transmission equipment, forcing emergency repairs and electricity restrictions in affected areas.

Zelensky has warned that Ukraine’s air defenses are under increasing strain because of the frequency and scale of Russian drone and missile attacks. He has urged allied governments to provide additional defensive systems and ammunition to protect civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Dmitriev argued that suspending the American sanctions would help avert serious economic consequences for both the United States and international markets. The Russian envoy has portrayed the administration’s decision as an opportunity to move toward improved economic relations between Washington and Moscow.

Trump has maintained that his approach is intended to advance American economic interests while seeking an end to the war, but negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have yet to produce a lasting agreement.

{Matzav.com}

Four yeshiva bochurim have been taken into military custody in separate incidents in Israel, with two already sentenced to 20 days in military prison, triggering a major protest Sunday morning that brought traffic on Highway 4 to a standstill and led to confrontations between demonstrators, motorists and police.

The latest arrests took place over the weekend near Eilat, where two bochurim were stopped by civilian police on suspicion of traffic violations. According to sources, the officers initially detained the pair over allegations of speeding, running a red light and driving without a license. However, a subsequent examination of their records revealed that they were classified by the military as draft evaders, prompting police to transfer them to military authorities.

The incident followed the arrests of two other bochurim, Yedidya Mizrachi and Yonatan Mostakis, students at Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim, headed by Rav Reuven Elbaz. The two were detained Thursday at a beach in Rishon Letzion and subsequently handed over to military police.

According to reports in the Israeli chareidi media, the bochurim had been in an area where several youths were burning a small fire. Police officers who arrived at the location requested identification from those present. Upon discovering the bochurim’s military status, officers transferred them to military custody.

Both were subsequently sentenced to 20 days in military prison for failing to report for military service.

Their imprisonment sparked outrage among activists opposed to the drafting of yeshiva students, particularly followers of Rav Tzvi Friedman, a faction associated with the Peleg Yerushalmi movement.

On Sunday morning, dozens of protesters unexpectedly converged on Highway 4 near the Yavne interchange, blocking traffic in both directions during the busy morning commute.

The demonstration had initially been planned for the Bnei Brak area, but organizers reportedly changed the location at the last moment in an effort to prevent police from preparing for the blockade.

The protest quickly caused extensive traffic disruptions, with motorists finding themselves trapped as demonstrators occupied the roadway. Confrontations erupted between some drivers and protesters, with footage from the scene showing physical altercations as motorists attempted to clear a path for their vehicles.

Police dispatched substantial forces to the area, including a water-cannon vehicle, and used stun grenades and other crowd-control measures to disperse the demonstrators.

According to reports from the scene, some motorists became involved in efforts to remove protesters from the road, resulting in additional confrontations. Chareidi media reports accused police of failing to intervene adequately when demonstrators were attacked by members of the public.

Police Commissioner Danny Levy instructed officers to take firm action against road blockades and disturbances that interfere with public safety and daily life.

“Anyone who chooses to disrupt public order and block roads will face a firm response and zero tolerance from the Israel Police,” Levy declared.

In a statement issued during the demonstration, police confirmed that Highway 4 had been closed in both directions near the Yavne interchange and urged motorists to avoid the area, use alternative routes and follow officers’ instructions.

Authorities emphasized that while the right to demonstrate is protected, protesters would not be permitted to obstruct major transportation arteries or endanger the public.

After approximately 90 minutes, police succeeded in dispersing the demonstrators and reopening the highway to traffic.

The arrests and subsequent protest come amid growing tensions surrounding the Israeli government’s enforcement of military enlistment requirements against chareidi yeshiva students.

Although military police have reportedly conducted relatively few proactive arrests of chareidi draft evaders in recent weeks, bochurim whose military status is flagged during routine police encounters continue to face the possibility of being transferred into military custody.

The latest incidents illustrate how even an ordinary encounter with civilian police can lead to imprisonment for a yeshiva student whose military status remains unresolved.

The confrontation also comes against the backdrop of reports that the IDF had planned a broader operation to arrest chareidi draft evaders, only for the initiative to be postponed following disagreements with civilian police over the manpower and security arrangements necessary to carry it out.

Sunday’s demonstration drew criticism from opposition politicians, including Yair Lapid and Gadi Eisenkot, who used the highway blockade to attack the chareidi community and the government’s handling of the draft controversy.

Lapid accused the demonstrators of refusing to serve while disrupting the lives of working Israelis and criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his coalition partners for what he characterized as their failure to confront the protesters.

Eisenkot similarly condemned the blockade and accused the government of enabling the ongoing confrontation over military service.

{Matzav.com}

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence could soon make it virtually impossible to determine whether photographs and videos are genuine or computer-generated, representatives of OpenAI and Meta warned federal judges Thursday, raising serious questions about the future reliability of visual evidence in American courtrooms.

The warnings were delivered during a meeting in Boston of the U.S. Judicial Conference’s Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules, which is examining whether existing courtroom procedures are sufficient to address increasingly sophisticated AI-generated fabrications, commonly known as deepfakes.

The committee has been studying the issue since 2023, amid growing concern that artificial intelligence could allow litigants, witnesses or other individuals to introduce fabricated photographs, recordings and videos that appear authentic. The technology is advancing so quickly that even experts may struggle to distinguish genuine material from convincing digital imitations.

Shira Anderson, policy counsel for OpenAI, told the judges that advances in image-generation technology could eventually eliminate the possibility of reliably identifying AI-created content through scientific analysis alone.

“AI images are only getting better, and I do not think that there will be a scientific way going forward to detect them,” Anderson said.

Meta offered a similarly troubling assessment, warning that the newest artificial intelligence systems can already produce visual material that ordinary viewers cannot distinguish from authentic photographs or recordings.

Devin Norder, Meta’s director of product management, said the sophistication of the technology has reached a point where human observation can no longer be counted on to establish whether a piece of media is genuine.

“Media generated from frontier models, at least in the last few generations, are indistinguishable by humans from authentic or AI-generated media,” Norder said.

The ease with which such material can now be manufactured makes the problem even more significant. Creating realistic fake images and videos once required specialized technical expertise and substantial resources, but modern AI systems have dramatically reduced those barriers.

“And the cost and the time it takes to create this media really are quite trivial at this point,” Norder added.

Both OpenAI and Meta have developed technologies intended to help identify or authenticate digital material. Such systems can include embedded information indicating how an image was produced, where it originated or whether artificial intelligence was involved in its creation.

Governments have also begun responding to the problem. California and the European Union have adopted requirements involving the labeling or watermarking of certain AI-generated content, reflecting growing concern that fabricated digital media could be used to mislead the public or interfere with legal proceedings.

However, Anderson cautioned that authentication systems have significant limitations, particularly because different technology companies use different methods that may not be compatible with one another.

Even as detection and verification tools improve, she suggested, no available approach is likely to provide an absolute guarantee that fabricated content will always be identified.

“My guess is that this absolutely will continue to get better. I do not think it’ll ever be bulletproof,” Anderson said.

The warnings have created a difficult question for federal judges: Should the courts establish special evidentiary rules for artificial intelligence before deepfakes become a widespread problem, or should they continue relying on existing procedures for challenging questionable evidence?

Despite the alarming predictions from technology companies, the committee has found relatively few documented instances in which deepfake allegations have become an issue in federal court proceedings.

A survey released in March by the Federal Judicial Center, the research and education arm of the federal judiciary, questioned 931 judges about their experiences with potentially fabricated AI evidence.

Only 15 respondents reported having presided over a case in which a party challenged evidence on the grounds that it was a deepfake.

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman of Manhattan, who chairs the advisory committee, pointed to the difference between the widespread concern surrounding the technology and the limited number of cases in which the issue has actually arisen.

“There’s a lot of academic commentary and other commentary predicting that courts will be dealing with deepfakes, but we haven’t actually seen a whole lot of that yet,” Furman said.

The relatively small number of reported cases has contributed to disagreement among committee members about whether a new rule specifically addressing AI-generated evidence is necessary.

Some participants believe the technology presents sufficiently unusual challenges to justify additional protections, particularly because highly realistic fabrications could be difficult for judges, jurors and attorneys to recognize.

Others maintain that courts already possess procedures for evaluating authenticity, examining witnesses, challenging unreliable evidence and imposing penalties when parties attempt to deceive the judicial system.

U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni of Manhattan argued that the fundamental problem of fabricated evidence is hardly new and that existing legal safeguards may be capable of addressing AI-generated material without creating an entirely separate set of rules.

“We’ve dealt with bad actors presenting fake evidence since Cain and Abel. That’s a longstanding problem,” Caproni said.

The issue extends far beyond courtrooms. Artificial intelligence is also providing criminals with increasingly powerful tools for impersonation, deception and financial fraud, allowing scammers to create convincing simulations of real people using photographs, videos and recordings obtained online.

Wynton Hall, author of the book Code Red: The Left, the Right, China, and the Race to Control AI, has warned that fraudsters can exploit information available on social media to build detailed profiles of potential victims before using AI to impersonate people they know and trust.

During an appearance on Newsmax, Hall described how criminals can combine personal information with sophisticated voice and image-generation technology to create highly persuasive scams.

“They can now mine your social media and then they build a detailed dossier on your life, and then they use the AI to mimic a loved one so convincingly that your instincts will tell you that it’s real,” the author said.

The growing availability of these capabilities means that criminals no longer need substantial financial resources or advanced programming skills to deploy them.

“These tools are now becoming democratized so that they’re cheap, they’re easy to use, and that means they’re accessible at a mass scale,” Hall added.

Federal law enforcement statistics illustrate the financial consequences of AI-assisted fraud. According to the FBI, scams involving artificial intelligence generated more than 22,000 complaints during 2025, with reported losses approaching $893 million.

The committee has also considered a possible amendment to Federal Rule of Evidence 901, which governs how parties establish that evidence is authentic before it can be admitted in court.

Under a proposal discussed by the judiciary, a party challenging a photograph, video or recording as an AI-generated fabrication would first need to present a credible basis for suspecting that the material was falsified. If that threshold were met, the party seeking to introduce the evidence could face a greater burden of demonstrating its authenticity.

The proposal remains under consideration, and the committee has not reached a final decision on whether an AI-specific rule should be adopted.

The Federal Judicial Center’s research also illustrates the difficulty facing judges. Although only 15 of the 931 surveyed judges reported encountering challenges involving alleged deepfakes, the survey was designed to assess both their experiences and their views on whether existing evidentiary standards are adequate.

The judiciary has acknowledged that the speed of AI development creates an additional complication: A rule designed to address the technology as it exists today could become outdated before the lengthy federal rulemaking process is completed.

For now, federal courts continue to rely on existing authentication requirements while the advisory committee examines whether additional protections are necessary. The committee has assigned further study of the issue as judges weigh the risk of increasingly convincing fabricated evidence against the limited number of documented courtroom incidents.

The White House has formally launched a 120-day review of advanced artificial intelligence, establishing a timetable for recommendations on federal oversight of increasingly powerful AI systems as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to preserve America’s technological advantage over China while addressing emerging national security and public safety concerns.

The administration’s artificial intelligence task force approved its governing charter Thursday following its inaugural official meeting, setting in motion a broad examination of how Washington should regulate, monitor and coordinate with companies developing the most sophisticated AI technology.

Among its first decisions, the panel authorized the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology to prepare an assessment of the potential dangers associated with advanced AI. The report will examine cybersecurity vulnerabilities, threats to essential infrastructure, biological security risks, technologies with both civilian and military applications, and questions surrounding the ability to control and hold AI systems accountable.

The task force is expected to consult extensively with technology companies, government agencies and outside organizations before developing its recommendations. A White House official said the process would incorporate perspectives from developers of cutting-edge AI models, consumer advocates, civil liberties organizations, industry representatives and law enforcement authorities at both the state and federal levels.

The panel also established a separate working group responsible for carrying out the White House Accord on Super Intelligence, a voluntary agreement signed earlier this month by executives from several leading AI companies.

That effort will be directed by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, who chairs the task force, together with National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross. Their responsibilities include coordinating the administration’s approach to implementing commitments made under the agreement.

Clayton, who previously served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was appointed to lead the initiative as the administration increased its focus on the national security implications of advanced AI development.

Defense Undersecretary Emil Michael, one of the task force’s vice chairs, has been assigned responsibility for establishing procedures through which AI laboratories would report security breaches, hacking incidents and other cybersecurity threats to federal authorities.

Michael will also serve as a principal liaison between the Pentagon and companies developing frontier AI models, with an emphasis on building longer-term cooperation across federal agencies.

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson will oversee a committee focused on law enforcement and consumer protection. The Justice Department will participate in that group, which is expected to examine legal and regulatory concerns arising from the deployment of increasingly capable AI systems.

Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor will lead efforts involving critical infrastructure and the potential consequences of artificial intelligence for American workers. His work will include coordination with the Labor Department to assess how the technology could affect employment and the broader workforce.

The task force includes several of the administration’s most senior officials, reflecting the importance the White House has attached to the initiative.

Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios are among its members. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Walters are also participating.

The administration is considering a range of possible tools for addressing AI-related concerns, including restrictions on the export of advanced technology.

A White House official identified export controls as one potential mechanism available to the government, pointing to temporary restrictions imposed by the Commerce Department on AI developer Anthropic after the company declined to provide federal authorities with unrestricted access to its models.

The episode illustrates the potential tensions between the administration’s national security objectives and technology companies seeking to retain control over access to their proprietary systems.

The new task force follows a September 29 executive order in which Trump directed federal agencies to adopt the term “super intelligence” in place of “artificial intelligence,” reflecting the administration’s emphasis on the rapidly advancing capabilities of the technology.

That same day, approximately two dozen technology executives attended a White House luncheon, while six companies developing advanced AI models signed the voluntary White House Accord on Super Intelligence.

Trump described the agreement as “morally binding,” underscoring the administration’s expectation that participating companies would adhere to its commitments even though the accord was not presented as a conventional federal regulation.

The initiative comes as American technology companies compete to develop increasingly sophisticated AI systems capable of performing complex tasks, conducting research and assisting with work that previously required substantial human expertise.

For the administration, that technological race carries significant economic and national security implications, particularly as China invests heavily in its own artificial intelligence capabilities.

Clayton, who was confirmed to his intelligence position during the summer, has identified maintaining American leadership over China as a central objective of the White House effort.

“The risk of not being first is high,” Clayton told the Wall Street Journal.

The White House initiative is also drawing attention from lawmakers and researchers who want stronger safeguards for advanced AI systems. Ahead of the task force’s first meeting, Senators Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Maria Cantwell of Washington urged the administration to strengthen federal AI testing capabilities, including work conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Energy Department’s national laboratories.

Americans for Responsible Innovation, an organization advocating greater AI safety oversight, has likewise pressed the panel to consider recommending enforceable federal safety standards and greater public transparency. The group argues that voluntary commitments from technology companies may be insufficient to address the risks posed by increasingly capable systems.

The White House Accord signed September 29 outlines several responsibilities for participating companies, including internal monitoring of AI models for cybersecurity, biological and chemical risks, as well as independent evaluations and procedures for identifying and addressing dangerous capabilities. Those commitments will now form part of the task force’s implementation work.

The administration’s September executive order also requires the White House science and technology adviser to submit proposed legislative language within 60 days establishing a federal definition of “Super Intelligence.” The proposal is supposed to examine whether existing legal references to artificial intelligence should be updated and whether additional presidential action is necessary.

The task force’s work is taking place amid growing public concern over the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence. A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey found substantial concern among American voters about whether the federal government is doing enough to address the technology’s risks, with many respondents favoring additional regulatory safeguards.

For now, the task force has established its initial assignments and review process, but the precise enforcement mechanisms it may ultimately recommend remain undecided. Its findings, expected within 120 days of the charter’s adoption, will help determine how the Trump administration intends to balance technological innovation, national security, consumer protection and federal oversight.

President Donald Trump has warned California election officials that they could face lengthy prison sentences if they knowingly count ballots cast by noncitizens in the upcoming midterm elections, escalating a confrontation between his administration and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom over voter eligibility and election integrity.

The warning followed a Justice Department demand that California authorities examine federal data identifying thousands of registered voters as potential noncitizens and prevent ballots from ineligible individuals from being included in the November election results. California officials have challenged the administration’s actions, accusing the federal government of attempting to interfere with voting just weeks before Election Day.

“They will all go to jail for a long period of time!!!” Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social.

The president accompanied his warning with a Justice Department letter addressed to the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office. Federal officials cautioned that election administrators could face “significant” consequences if they were found to be “facilitating or ignoring” the “federal crime” of unlawful voting in a federal election.

The dispute intensified Thursday when the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against California after giving state and local election authorities a USB drive containing federal citizenship information. The material reportedly included approximately 20,000 names identified by the Department of Homeland Security as belonging to people who were not United States citizens.

Federal officials gave California 48 hours to compare those names against its voter registration records. The administration sought to determine whether individuals identified in the federal data remained registered to vote and whether any ballots submitted by those individuals should be withheld pending verification of their eligibility.

Earlier in the week, the Justice Department had separately provided election administrators with a letter containing the password needed to access the information stored on the drive.

The lawsuit described the federal government’s request as a measure intended to prevent potentially unlawful votes from being counted while allowing individuals whose citizenship could be verified to have their ballots included.

“If California was unable to independently confirm the citizenship of people on that list, the Federal Government asked that California set aside ballots received from them until the person’s citizenship was confirmed,” the lawsuit stated.

The Justice Department made its legal filing publicly available, describing the release as a “courtesy to the public.”

Newsom responded angrily to the lawsuit, rejecting the administration’s allegations and portraying the federal action as an effort to intimidate California election officials ahead of the midterms.

In a written statement Thursday, the governor described the lawsuit as a “sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day.”

Newsom also argued that the federal government was overstepping its authority by attempting to direct how California conducts its elections.

“The courts have made clear that the federal government has no role in how a state carries out its election process, and now, in the middle of Californians voting, they have asked local officials — who do a damn good job defending democracy — to violate federal law,” Newsom also said in the statement.

The administration’s voter registration initiative has already generated separate legal challenges from voting rights organizations questioning both the reliability of the federal citizenship data and the legality of using that information to alter voter rolls so close to an election.

In September, the UCLA Voting Rights Project filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security, challenging the methodology used to identify registered voters as noncitizens. The organization questioned whether the government had adequately established that the individuals flagged in its records were actually ineligible to vote.

Attorneys representing the group subsequently warned that they could seek an emergency court order if the administration continued pursuing criminal enforcement measures against California election officials.

The group has argued that federal election laws prohibit certain systematic efforts to remove voters from registration lists shortly before an election, and that the administration’s proposed procedures could improperly affect eligible voters.

“Your clients’ actions in compiling the list violates established law; your efforts to employ this list to systematically purge voters, less than a month before the election, further violates the National Voter Registration Act, among other laws,” attorneys for the group wrote in its most recent letter to the DOJ.

The confrontation is part of a broader disagreement over the accuracy of state voter registration records and the federal government’s role in ensuring that only eligible citizens participate in national elections.

Earlier this year, Trump alleged that California and three other states had a combined 250,000 noncitizens listed on their voter rolls. His political opponents disputed the figure, questioning the evidence underlying the administration’s claims.

The latest dispute has also produced differing figures in public accounts. The Justice Department’s immediate request reportedly involved approximately 20,000 individuals identified in federal citizenship data, while broader allegations concerning potentially ineligible registrations have referenced much larger numbers. Those figures do not, by themselves, establish that the individuals involved cast ballots illegally.

Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, but the central disagreement in California concerns how the government determines citizenship status, whether its records are sufficiently accurate to justify withholding ballots, and what authority federal officials have to compel state election administrators to act on that information.

With voting already underway in California and the November midterms approaching, the dispute has placed state election officials between competing legal demands from Washington and Sacramento, raising the prospect of further emergency litigation over which ballots can be counted.

In announcing the lawsuit, Attorney General Todd Blanche accused California of undermining the safeguards intended to protect federal elections and said the Justice Department would continue pursuing suspected violations.

“State-facilitated voter fraud is unacceptable in the United States of America,” Blanche said. “If found responsible in a court of law, the State of California will have seriously undermined confidence in our electoral system and violated laws that protect our nation’s representative system of government. The Department of Justice will continue working to uncover cases of voter fraud, hold fraudsters accountable, and restore trust in American elections.”

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, whose office is involved in the litigation, said California had been offered an opportunity to investigate the flagged registrations before the government went to court.

“California election officials were given an opportunity to remove noncitizens from their voter rolls and to sequester ballots returned from suspected ineligible voters. They refused,” Essayli said. “We are taking California to federal court to demand that the votes of American citizens not be diluted by noncitizens.”

According to the Justice Department, investigators from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Homeland Security Investigations examined voter registration information alongside federal citizenship records. The government maintains that the resulting review identified approximately 20,000 people whose records suggested they were likely noncitizens registered to participate in California’s federal election.

California election officials have challenged the reliability of those findings. They argue that federal databases can contain outdated or incomplete information, potentially causing naturalized American citizens to be incorrectly classified as noncitizens.

The dispute has also raised concerns about the handling of sensitive voter information. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan objected to the method used to transmit the federal list, including security concerns surrounding the USB drive provided to election administrators.

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber has separately disputed the administration’s allegations, maintaining that the federal government has not produced adequate evidence establishing that the individuals identified are ineligible to vote.

The administration’s legal complaint seeks to require California to separate ballots associated with the disputed registrations and verify the voters’ citizenship before including those ballots in the election totals. It does not establish that all individuals on the federal list are noncitizens or that any particular number of illegal votes has already been cast.

The larger figure referenced in some reports stems from separate allegations about California’s voter rolls. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has suggested that more than 190,000 noncitizens may be registered in the state, but that broader estimate is distinct from the approximately 20,000 registrations at issue in the current lawsuit.

The Justice Department’s action comes as California has already begun distributing mail-in ballots for the November 3 election. Under state law, registered voters automatically receive ballots by mail, making the timing of any court-ordered review especially significant.

The federal lawsuit asks the court to intervene before those ballots are tabulated. California officials and voting rights advocates maintain that the administration has not demonstrated that its citizenship data are sufficiently reliable to justify withholding votes from registered individuals.

The escalating dispute now places the administration’s allegations of widespread voter registration irregularities before a federal judge, with the election approaching and the question of how California must handle the disputed ballots still unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has announced that he will leave office in 2030 after 16 years as the country’s leader, declaring that his decision is final and that Egypt’s constitution will not be amended to allow him to remain in power for another term.

The announcement, delivered during a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, comes amid growing speculation about the country’s political future and a campaign by Sisi supporters urging him to extend his presidency beyond the constitutional deadline.

Sisi, 71, sought to put those rumors to rest, insisting that he intends to relinquish the presidency when his current six-year term expires. At the same time, he unveiled an ambitious initiative to prepare a new generation of Egyptian leaders, including potential candidates to succeed him.

“In 2030, my term as president will end. This matter has been decided. We will live and see,” Sisi declared, according to the Hebrew-language account of his remarks.

The Egyptian leader emphasized that he would not support changes to the constitution designed to prolong his presidency, despite calls from political allies for him to remain in office.

His announcement represents a significant development for Egypt, where Sisi has dominated the political landscape since the military removed President Mohamed Morsi from power in July 2013.

Sisi, then Egypt’s defense minister and military chief, emerged as the country’s dominant political figure following Morsi’s removal and formally assumed the presidency in 2014.

He has since consolidated authority over Egypt’s political and security institutions, overseeing a government in which the military plays a major role in economic development, public administration and national security.

If Sisi follows through on his announcement, his departure in 2030 would conclude a 16-year presidency and open the way for Egypt’s first leadership transition in more than a decade and a half.

The president coupled his retirement announcement with a proposal that would give the Egyptian Military Academy a central role in identifying and training future government officials.

Under the initiative, individuals holding doctoral degrees from leading universities in Egypt and abroad would undergo an intensive 30-month training program designed to prepare them for senior positions in government.

Participants would study the structure and operation of the Egyptian state, the management of national resources, the responsibilities of public officials and the challenges involved in governing a country of more than 100 million people.

Sisi said the program would seek to develop individuals capable of assuming some of the country’s most important leadership positions, potentially including the presidency itself.

Other positions identified as possible destinations for graduates include cabinet ministries, provincial governorships, parliament and senior administrative posts throughout the government.

The president proposed establishing a committee to determine admission requirements and develop the legislation necessary to implement the program.

The committee would include the speaker of Egypt’s parliament, government ministers, political figures, academics and other public representatives.

Although Sisi outlined the broad objectives of the initiative, he did not explain precisely how graduates would subsequently be selected for government appointments or placed on the ballot for elected positions.

That uncertainty has raised questions about whether the proposed system would simply provide professional training for future leaders or become an important mechanism through which the Egyptian political establishment influences the selection of the country’s next president.

The announcement also drew attention to Egypt’s existing constitutional framework, which has already been revised during Sisi’s presidency.

In 2019, Egyptian voters approved constitutional amendments extending presidential terms from four years to six and allowing Sisi to seek an additional term.

Those changes enabled him to remain president until 2030, despite earlier constitutional restrictions that would otherwise have limited his time in office.

Sisi secured another six-year term in the December 2023 presidential election, officially winning an overwhelming majority of the vote.

His reelection came amid criticism from opposition groups and international rights organizations concerning restrictions on political competition and the limited space available for dissent.

The Egyptian government has maintained that its policies are necessary to preserve national stability and prevent a return to the political turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising against longtime President Hosni Mubarak.

Despite Sisi’s latest assurances, speculation about another extension of his presidency has intensified in recent weeks.

Supporters of the president have reportedly been promoting a campaign calling for him to seek a fourth term after 2030, arguing that Egypt requires continuity of leadership as it confronts major economic and regional challenges.

The campaign has been advanced by pro-government political figures and social media accounts associated with Sisi’s supporters, prompting renewed discussion about whether another constitutional amendment could be proposed.

Sisi’s declaration Saturday appeared intended to bring that debate to an end, although questions remain about how Egypt will manage the transition and who might emerge as his eventual successor.

Additional details emerging from Sisi’s speech indicate that the proposed leadership program would be considerably more extensive than an ordinary government training course.

The president said the initiative could accommodate as many as 1,000 participants, with candidates generally expected to be between 40 and 50 years old and to possess doctoral qualifications from recognized Egyptian or international universities.

The 30-month course would involve more than 7,500 hours of instruction, with the armed forces sponsoring the program. Participants would undergo interviews and screening before admission, although the precise eligibility requirements have not yet been finalized.

Sisi argued that Egypt must begin preparing capable leaders well before the next presidential election rather than wait until his departure becomes imminent.

He expressed confidence that the country could produce leaders more capable than himself and urged Egyptians to support the effort to develop a new generation of public officials.

The president also indicated that he wanted to ensure Egypt possessed a sufficiently qualified pool of potential successors before he left office, emphasizing the importance of protecting the country’s institutions and maintaining stability during the transition.

His proposal nevertheless raises broader questions about the military’s influence over Egypt’s political future.

Under Sisi, the Egyptian Military Academy has increasingly assumed responsibilities extending beyond the training of military officers. Civilian government employees, including diplomats, teachers and religious officials, have been required to undergo training at the institution as part of their professional preparation.

Critics have argued that this arrangement further strengthens the military’s influence over civilian institutions, while the government presents it as a means of improving administrative standards and reinforcing national unity.

The proposed leadership program could extend that model to the country’s highest political offices, although it remains unclear whether participation would eventually become a prerequisite for presidential candidates.

Sisi also called for legislation reinforcing the constitutional responsibility of Egypt’s armed forces to protect the state, its democratic institutions and its territorial integrity.

The president dismissed speculation that he was preparing a member of his family to inherit the presidency, rejecting suggestions that Egypt’s leadership would be transferred through a family succession arrangement.

The succession discussion comes at a difficult time for Egypt’s economy. The country continues to face pressure from elevated living costs, substantial public debt, expensive energy imports and reduced revenues from the Suez Canal, which has been affected by regional security disruptions.

Those economic challenges have increased public concern about the government’s ability to maintain subsidies, finance essential services and generate employment for Egypt’s growing population.

Sisi has defended his administration’s extensive infrastructure investments and economic reforms as necessary for the country’s long-term development, while critics have questioned the costs and priorities of some major government projects.

The president’s remarks Saturday also addressed Egypt’s regional security responsibilities, particularly its relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Amid escalating tensions involving the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, Sisi declared that Egypt would be prepared to take necessary measures to defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested assistance.

He indicated that any such military action would require parliamentary authorization and said he would seek an emergency session of the legislature if circumstances demanded it.

The statement underscored the importance Cairo attaches to its relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has provided Egypt with substantial financial support and remains a central partner in regional security affairs.

{Matzav.com}

Illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have fallen to their lowest annual level in nearly six decades, with Border Patrol agents recording fewer than 100,000 apprehensions during the 2026 fiscal year, according to Department of Homeland Security figures released Friday. The dramatic decline comes amid President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration enforcement measures, which have sharply reduced the number of migrants attempting to enter the United States illegally.

Border Patrol agents apprehended 98,708 individuals crossing the southern border between official ports of entry during the fiscal year that ended September 30. The figure represents an extraordinary reversal from 2022 and 2023, when annual apprehensions surpassed 2 million.

The latest total marks the lowest annual number since 1968, when Border Patrol agents reported 96,641 apprehensions. The figures underscore how substantially migration patterns have changed following successive restrictions imposed by the Biden and Trump administrations.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin pointed to the new statistics as evidence that the administration’s immigration policies are producing results.

“The results could not be clearer: strong enforcement works,” Mullin said.

Although the decline began during the final months of Joe Biden’s presidency, when Washington imposed tougher asylum rules and Mexican authorities stepped up efforts to intercept migrants, the numbers continued falling after Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.

Trump substantially curtailed the ability of migrants to seek asylum at the southern border while simultaneously intensifying immigration arrests, detention operations and deportations throughout the country. Together, those measures have changed the calculations facing people considering an unauthorized journey into the United States.

Adam Isacson, a senior associate at the Washington Office on Latin America, attributed much of the decline to the administration’s restrictions on asylum applications.

“The overwhelming reason for the drop in migration is the disappearance of the right to apply for asylum at the border,” Isacson said.

The restrictions have also influenced where migrants choose to go. Some have abandoned plans to travel north and remained in their countries of origin, while others have established themselves in Mexico rather than attempting to cross into the United States.

Mexico has maintained strict policies toward migrants traveling primarily for economic reasons, but its asylum system continues to offer protection to certain people fleeing persecution and other dangers. That distinction has made Mexico an alternative destination for some migrants who previously intended to seek asylum in the United States.

The contrast with the height of the Biden-era border crisis is striking. During that administration, monthly apprehensions at the southern border repeatedly climbed above 200,000, placing enormous pressure on federal immigration authorities and communities receiving newly arrived migrants.

Many of those making the journey came from countries experiencing severe economic distress, political upheaval or widespread violence, including Haiti and Venezuela. Migrants and immigration specialists said the perception that Biden’s policies were more accommodating contributed to the willingness of large numbers of people to undertake the trip.

The unprecedented influx became a major vulnerability for Democrats during the 2024 presidential campaign. Trump repeatedly emphasized the need to restore control over the southern border and made tougher immigration enforcement one of the defining promises of his successful bid to return to the White House.

Since taking office, Trump has extended his enforcement strategy beyond the border itself. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations inside the United States have increased concerns among undocumented immigrants that they could face arrest and removal even after successfully entering the country.

Isacson said that prospect has become an additional deterrent for people who might otherwise attempt to evade Border Patrol agents and enter the country without requesting asylum.

“Even if you’re thinking of becoming a traditional non-asylum-seeking migrant who wants to evade apprehension, you’re probably not going to risk all of that just to have to dodge ICE raids once you arrive here,” Isacson said.

Federal figures released in July showed that 65,765 individuals were being held in ICE detention facilities, illustrating the scale of the administration’s detention and deportation efforts.

The makeup of the migrant population encountered along the southern border has also shifted. Mexican men traveling without accompanying family members now constitute the largest group apprehended by Border Patrol agents, replacing the broader mix of nationalities and family groups that characterized much of the earlier migration surge.

According to Isacson, some of those apprehended may be Mexican nationals who were previously deported and are attempting to return to relatives, employment or communities they left behind in the United States.

Mexican government figures indicate that more than 271,000 Mexican nationals were deported from the United States between Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 and the middle of August 2026. Most were returned across the land border.

The sharp reduction in border crossings has also changed the political conversation as Americans prepare for the November midterm elections. Immigration, which dominated national debate during the 2024 presidential contest, has receded as an immediate concern for many voters, according to recent polling.

Economic issues, particularly household expenses and the rising cost of living, have increasingly moved to the forefront of voters’ concerns, even as the administration points to the historically low border apprehension figures as a major accomplishment of Trump’s immigration agenda.

Additional federal statistics released with the annual report show that the drop extended beyond apprehensions along the Mexican border. Customs and Border Protection recorded 379,243 encounters nationwide during fiscal 2026, the lowest annual total in the agency’s history, according to preliminary government figures.

The Department of Homeland Security said southwest border apprehensions were approximately 95 percent below the annual average recorded during the Biden administration. The entire fiscal year’s total of 98,708 was also roughly 60 percent lower than the 249,740 apprehensions recorded during the single busiest month of the previous administration.

Federal officials reported another milestone: Border Patrol completed the entire fiscal year without releasing any apprehended migrants into the United States. September marked the seventeenth consecutive month of zero such releases, according to the department.

The administration has also committed substantial resources to physical border security. Customs and Border Protection reported obligating $34.3 billion between September 2025 and September 2026 toward Smart Wall projects spanning the southwestern border states, including additional barriers and surveillance infrastructure.

Beyond immigration enforcement, the agency reported increased drug interdictions during the fiscal year. Preliminary figures showed nearly 1 million pounds of narcotics seized, approximately 63 percent above the average annual amount confiscated during the preceding four years.

Customs officials also reported intercepting more than 4,000 shipments valued at over $325 million because of suspected links to forced labor. Separately, agents confiscated approximately 55.5 million counterfeit items with an estimated value exceeding $12.6 billion, according to the agency’s figures.

{Matzav.com}

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Major traffic disruptions are expected across central Israel on Sunday morning as members of the chareidi faction known as the Ratzpanikim prepare to stage demonstrations and block major highways in protest of the arrest and imprisonment of two yeshiva bochurim.

The demonstrations were called at the direction of Rav Tzvi Friedman amid growing anger over the Israeli military’s continued arrest of yeshiva students who have not reported for army service.

The protests are expected to focus on the Gush Dan metropolitan area and surrounding communities, where demonstrators intend to disrupt traffic on several heavily traveled roads.

The immediate trigger for the demonstrations was the arrest of two yeshiva bochurim in Rishon Lezion who were subsequently sentenced to 20 days in military prison.

One of those arrested has been identified as Yedidya Mizrachi, a talmid of Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim.

Members of the Ratzpanikim faction view the arrests as part of what they describe as an escalating campaign against the yeshiva world, arguing that the imprisonment of bochurim for refusing military service represents an attack on their ability to continue learning Torah.

The demonstrations are intended to express opposition to the arrests and demand an end to the imprisonment of yeshiva students over their military enlistment status.

Among the locations identified as potential protest sites are Highway 4 in both directions near Bnei Brak, Geha Junction, Ganot Interchange and the entrances and exits of Givat Shmuel.

These roads are among the principal transportation arteries serving central Israel, and blockages could cause significant delays for motorists traveling through the Bnei Brak area and the greater Tel Aviv region.

Drivers planning to travel through the affected areas are being advised to anticipate heavy congestion, consider alternate routes and follow police announcements regarding road closures and traffic arrangements.

The two arrests took place Thursday night into Friday, October 16, when Israeli police detained the bochurim in Rishon Lezion and transferred them to military police custody. Both are students at Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of Yerushalayim, according to additional reporting.

The two were subsequently sentenced to 20 days of confinement in military prison, renewing protests over the enforcement of enlistment requirements against yeshiva students.

The latest planned demonstrations follow a series of similar protests organized by followers of Rav Friedman in recent months. The group, which broke away from the broader Peleg Yerushalmi movement, has repeatedly organized road blockages in response to the arrest of bochurim who did not report to military induction centers.

On October 8, hundreds of demonstrators blocked Highway 4 near Bnei Brak, bringing traffic to a standstill in both directions. Police deployed mounted officers and stun grenades during efforts to disperse protesters, while separate demonstrations in Yerushalayim disrupted traffic near the entrance to the city and affected light rail service.

Similar confrontations occurred in August, when followers of Rav Friedman blocked Geha Junction following the arrest of another yeshiva student and his transfer to military authorities.

{Matzav.com}

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In a significant development in Israel’s chareidi political landscape, Rav Shaul Alter has instructed members of his kehillah to vote for United Torah Judaism in the upcoming Knesset elections, marking a dramatic departure from years in which the community refrained from endorsing the party.

The announcement was delivered on Motzoei Shabbos, October 17, at the conclusion of Seudah Shlishis in the community’s bais medrash on Yosef Ziv Street in Yerushalayim. Rav Yechezkel Halperin, a gabbai of the kehillah, read the directive in Yiddish in the presence of Rav Alter, making clear that the instruction was being issued on the Rosh Yeshiva’s behalf.

The decision is particularly noteworthy because it comes while the main Gur chassidus, headed by the Gerrer Rebbe, has yet to issue a public endorsement of United Torah Judaism, despite the approaching October 27 election and the prominent position of Gur representative Yitzchok Goldknopf on the party’s Knesset list.

The directive from Rav Alter’s community emphasized the serious challenges currently confronting chareidi Jewry in Eretz Yisroel, particularly those studying Torah, and declared that the circumstances require both tefillah and practical political involvement.

In the announcement, delivered in Rav Alter’s name, Rav Halperin stated:

“The chareidi Jewish community in Eretz Yisroel is facing a difficult situation, particularly those who study Torah. Certainly, according to the Jewish outlook, the appropriate response is prayer and supplication before the Creator. However, we are not exempt from making our own efforts. Therefore, following the path of our holy rabbeim, we will participate in the upcoming elections and vote for United Torah Judaism, the letter Gimmel. Those who are suited to doing so should also make efforts, according to their abilities, to help the list succeed. Salvation comes from Hashem.”

The declaration was an English translation of the Yiddish announcement, which was also circulated in Hebrew following Shabbos.

Beyond instructing members to cast their ballots for United Torah Judaism, the message encouraged those capable of assisting the party’s election campaign to become involved in efforts to secure its success.

The announcement represents a notable change in the political position of Rav Alter’s kehillah, commonly known as Kehillas Pnei Menachem, which emerged following the well-publicized split within Gur several years ago.

Since its establishment as a separate community, Rav Alter’s followers have generally avoided formally supporting United Torah Judaism, a party in which the main Gur chassidus has traditionally exercised considerable influence through its representation in Agudas Yisroel.

The decision to openly endorse the party is therefore being viewed as a significant political development, particularly given the complicated relationships among the various factions within the chassidishe political establishment.

The timing has added to its importance.

With approximately ten days remaining until the election, the main Gur leadership has not yet publicly instructed its chassidim to support United Torah Judaism, creating uncertainty over the party’s ability to mobilize one of its traditional voting blocs.

The situation is especially striking because Goldknopf, who represents Gur in the Knesset, occupies the second position on the United Torah Judaism slate.

The absence of an endorsement from the main Gur leadership comes amid internal disagreements within Agudas Yisroel concerning political representation, the distribution of positions and the arrangements involving Shlomei Emunim and Belz.

Recent understandings between the Shlomei Emunim faction and Belz have complicated the political picture, while questions remain about the future relationship between Gur and the other components of United Torah Judaism.

According to reports in the Israeli chareidi media, the Gerrer Rebbe has kept his intentions regarding the election closely guarded, with Goldknopf among the few individuals involved in discussions on the matter.

One report indicated that Goldknopf had been instructed to maintain discretion regarding those conversations, although no official explanation has been issued by the Gur leadership.

At the same time, observers have cautioned that the absence of an endorsement at this stage does not necessarily mean that Gur intends to withhold support from the party.

An examination of previous election campaigns found that Gur has often issued its voting instructions approximately one week to ten days before an election. An announcement in the coming days would therefore still fall within the general timetable followed in previous campaigns.

Nevertheless, the contrast between the two communities has attracted considerable attention.

At the bais medrash of Rav Shaul Alter, a clear and public directive has now been issued to vote for United Torah Judaism. At the main Gur bais medrash on Yirmiyahu Street, no corresponding instruction has yet been announced.

The development is also unfolding against the backdrop of the continuing controversy surrounding military conscription of bnei yeshivos and the broader political challenges facing the chareidi community.

The status of yeshiva students, efforts to advance legislation addressing their military exemptions and the possibility of additional enforcement measures have become central issues in the election campaign.

Rav Alter’s directive specifically referred to the difficult circumstances facing Torah learners, presenting electoral participation as a necessary form of hishtadlus alongside tefillah.

The announcement did not address the internal disagreements within United Torah Judaism or offer an explanation for the community’s departure from its previous electoral position.

It also did not indicate whether Rav Alter’s endorsement reflected any agreement with party representatives or other political figures.

Rather, the message focused on the broader circumstances facing chareidi Jewry and the obligation, in the Rosh Yeshiva’s view, to participate in the electoral process.

The announcement was documented on video and quickly circulated throughout the Israeli chareidi community on Motzoei Shabbos, drawing attention to the unusual political alignment.

For United Torah Judaism, the endorsement provides an additional source of support at a time when the party is navigating internal tensions and uncertainty surrounding its traditional chassidishe constituencies.

For Rav Alter’s kehillah, it marks a departure from the political distance the community has maintained from the party since separating from the main Gur chassidus.

As the October 27 election approaches, attention now turns to whether the Gerrer Rebbe will issue an endorsement of United Torah Judaism and how the unresolved disagreements within Agudas Yisroel will affect the party’s campaign.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the sudden petirah of Mrs. Goldy Kenigsberg a”h, a longtime and beloved morah who devoted approximately 30 years to teaching and educating children in Lakewood, NJ.

Her sudden passing has brought sadness to the community in which she spent so many years dedicated to the sacred work of chinuch.

A daughter of Rav Ephraim Greenblatt of Memphis, Tennessee, Morah Kenigsberg came from a family with deep Torah roots. Her father was a renowned talmid chacham and posek, widely known as the author of the Rivevos Ephraim, whose Torah scholarship and halachic writings earned him recognition throughout the Torah world. Rav Greenblatt was a close talmid of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l and maintained a longstanding relationship with his rebbi. He served the Memphis Jewish community for decades, becoming a respected address for halachic questions and Torah guidance.

Mrs. Kenigsberg continued her family’s connection to Torah and chinuch through her own decades of work in Lakewood. For approximately 30 years, she served as a morah, participating in the education of children during their formative years.

She was the wife of R’ Mordechai Mayer Kenigsberg and the mother of Nachman Kenigsberg, Shimon Tzvi Kenigsberg, Shaya Kenigsberg, Pinchos (PK) Kenigsberg, Rivky Cohen, and Chana Devorah Friedman.

The levayah is scheduled to take place Sunday, October 18, at 2:30 p.m. at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, NJ, followed by kevurah at the adjacent Mt. Sinai Cemetery.

A livestream of the levayah will be available via Zoom, meeting ID 892 6887 2065, passcode 231003.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Federal investigators secretly searched discarded garbage for DNA belonging to Rep. Ilhan Omar and members of her family before conducting a raid on the Minnesota Democrat’s Washington, D.C., residence, according to an explosive new report suggesting that the criminal investigation surrounding the congresswoman may be considerably broader than previously understood.

NewsNation’s Leland Vittert reported Friday that multiple sources confirmed investigators had collected trash in an effort to obtain genetic evidence before federal agents descended on Omar’s home Monday morning. The reported operation was part of an expanding federal investigation involving allegations of immigration fraud and possible misrepresentations concerning the congresswoman’s family history.

The DNA collection is particularly significant because investigators reportedly consider the genetic evidence important to their case. Vittert indicated that the investigation extends beyond longstanding allegations involving Omar’s marriage history and the circumstances under which she obtained American citizenship.

“Multiple sources have confirmed to me that federal agents went dumpster diving to get DNA from Minnesota Congresswoman [Omar] and her family before that blockbuster raid on her D.C. home earlier this week. I’m told this investigation extends far beyond the most familiar case and accusation against Omar that she married her brother to help him gain citizenship or that she falsified her birth year to immigrate as a minor,” Vittert reported.

According to NewsNation, the reported DNA evidence was included in a search warrant application involving more than a dozen locations. Federal authorities reportedly conducted multiple searches around the same time as the operation at Omar’s Washington residence, suggesting that investigators are examining the activities of several individuals rather than focusing exclusively on the congresswoman.

Vittert also reported that sources familiar with the investigation anticipate potentially significant criminal charges, although no indictments have been publicly announced.

He said the “likely coming indictments will be stunning in nature and far beyond anything the public has understood the case to be about.”

The claim about possible indictments remains a prediction attributed to NewsNation’s sources. Federal prosecutors have not publicly identified prospective defendants or announced charges.

The reported collection of DNA from household garbage introduces a new dimension to the investigation. Federal agents sometimes obtain genetic material from items discarded in publicly accessible trash containers, a technique that can allow investigators to collect potential evidence without alerting the subjects of an inquiry.

Former FBI special agent Tracy Walder, discussing the reported operation with NewsNation, explained that discarded items can provide investigators with a relatively straightforward means of obtaining DNA.

“To me, if they are obviously trying to obtain DNA, then, yes, that is a very easy get, especially if it was discarded even in a trash can,” Walder said.

“You don’t need a warrant to really do any of that, as long as it’s in a public place,” she added.

The method has been used in other major criminal investigations, where investigators have recovered genetic material from objects such as discarded food containers and other household waste.

Authorities have not disclosed what specific items were recovered in Omar’s case, whether usable DNA profiles were obtained, or how any genetic evidence might relate to the allegations being examined.

The new revelations follow Monday’s search of Omar’s Washington home by agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. During the operation, agents reportedly seized the congresswoman’s cellphone, passport, personal computers and notebooks.

The search was authorized by a federal judge after investigators presented evidence that reportedly included messages recovered from the cellphone of Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor.

According to reporting about the investigation, federal authorities seized Noor’s phone earlier this year while examining whether Omar and members of her family provided inaccurate information in immigration documents dating back to their arrival in the United States during the 1990s.

Investigators reportedly discovered communications that became important in obtaining judicial authorization for the search of Omar’s residence. The precise contents of those messages have not been made public.

Noor, a healthcare executive and author who currently resides in Kenya, also reportedly canceled a scheduled appearance in Rochester, Minnesota, on Thursday to promote her book, Salt in the Snow: A Somali Immigrant Story, citing a family emergency.

The investigation is reportedly being coordinated by the Minneapolis office of Homeland Security Investigations, with evidence expected to be presented to a federal grand jury in Minnesota. Subpoenas have reportedly been issued to several members of Omar’s family.

At the center of the inquiry are questions about the immigration documents submitted when Omar and her relatives entered the United States as refugees following Somalia’s civil war.

Omar, who was born in Somalia and has represented Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District since 2019, has maintained that she became an American citizen in 2000, when she was 17, through her father’s naturalization.

Investigators are reportedly examining whether information concerning her age or family circumstances was inaccurately represented during that process.

Her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, has also come under scrutiny over allegations that he misrepresented aspects of his background when the family entered the United States. Reports have identified him as a former colonel under Somalia’s dictatorship, raising additional questions about information provided to immigration authorities.

Another longstanding allegation involves Omar’s 2009 marriage to Ahmed Elmi, whom critics have claimed was her brother and whom they allege she married to facilitate immigration benefits. Omar has repeatedly denied that accusation, and it has not been established in court.

NewsNation’s latest reporting suggests that federal investigators may be pursuing additional matters beyond those familiar allegations. However, authorities have not publicly explained the full scope of the investigation or established how the reported DNA evidence relates to any particular suspected offense.

The inquiry reportedly has roots in an investigation opened during President Joe Biden’s administration that was subsequently closed. Portions of the case were later reopened and expanded under President Trump’s administration.

The decision to search the home of a sitting member of Congress has triggered a political confrontation, with Omar and her supporters accusing the administration of using federal law enforcement against a prominent political opponent.

In a statement issued after the raid, Omar’s office condemned the operation and denied wrongdoing.

“This raid by Trump’s DHS is an outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies.”

The statement continued: “For a decade, Donald Trump has relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with inflammatory rhetoric, repeatedly putting a target on her back. Now, those attacks have escalated to a pointless federal raid. The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong. No president should be able to use the power of the federal government to intimidate his political enemies.”

Omar herself has similarly accused Trump of pursuing a longstanding personal campaign against her.

“This is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced.”

The Trump administration has rejected the suggestion that the investigation is politically motivated.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the federal operation during an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show, saying investigators would not have proceeded without confidence that the case rested on legitimate law enforcement grounds.

“I will tell you, we wouldn’t move forward, and President Trump didn’t want to move forward either, unless we knew that it couldn’t be politically driven,” Mullin said.

“This was about enforcing, once again, our nation’s laws. And it’s a strong case,” he added.

Trump has also denied directing the investigation, saying decisions concerning Omar belong to federal law enforcement officials.

“Well, I understand they’re looking at her very carefully. I’ve always found her to be totally crooked, personally, but that has nothing to do with me,” Trump said when questioned about the raid.

“I think she’s a terrible person, but that’s really up to the DOJ. I have nothing to do with it,” the president added.

The timing of the operation has also drawn attention because Omar is seeking reelection in November. Federal investigators conducted the search approximately three weeks before voters are scheduled to go to the polls, a period during which Justice Department officials traditionally exercise particular caution regarding investigative steps that could affect elections.

The reported DNA collection and simultaneous searches have intensified speculation about the direction of the investigation. Still, neither the Justice Department nor Homeland Security Investigations has publicly confirmed the reported genetic findings, identified the additional suspected offenses described by NewsNation’s sources, or announced criminal charges against Omar.

The investigation remains ongoing, with federal prosecutors reportedly preparing to present evidence to a grand jury that will determine whether the material gathered supports criminal indictments.

An extensive investigation by NPR has raised serious questions about a network of skincare kiosks and retail stores associated with an Israeli-American-owned cosmetics business, uncovering allegations that hundreds of customers were subjected to unauthorized credit card charges, deceptive sales practices and extraordinary product markups. The investigation also examined the treatment of elderly and disabled shoppers, the accuracy of product advertising and possible immigration violations involving sales employees.

The investigation, based on court records, consumer complaints, online reviews and interviews with more than 50 customers, focused on Mazal Group, a network connected to dozens of skincare brands sold through shopping mall kiosks, retail stores and spas across the United States and internationally.

The business has been associated with Eli and Daphna Oded Weingarten, an Israeli-American couple living in the Los Angeles area. According to the investigation, the network encompasses numerous cosmetics brands that are marketed as luxury skincare products, often through salespeople who approach shoppers in mall corridors and offer free samples or demonstrations.

While such kiosks have become a familiar feature of American shopping malls, NPR found allegations that some customers who accepted demonstrations subsequently discovered credit card charges far exceeding what they believed they had authorized.

The reported incidents involved amounts ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, with some customers saying they had been pressured into purchases, misled about prices or charged for products they had not knowingly agreed to buy.

The investigation also documented complaints involving customers who were particularly vulnerable because of age, disability or medical conditions.

In one case, an elderly Michigan man suffering from dementia was reportedly charged approximately $42,000 without his knowledge. The incident raised questions about how such a substantial transaction could have occurred and what safeguards were in place to protect a customer whose ability to understand or authorize purchases was impaired.

Another case involved a disabled woman in Hawaii who alleged that a salesperson took possession of her walker and kept her at a spa for several hours while pressuring her to make purchases. According to her account, she eventually agreed to spend $2,600.

These accounts formed part of a broader pattern of consumer allegations examined by NPR. The investigation did not establish that every retailer associated with the brands engaged in improper conduct, but it raised questions about the business practices of some operators within the network.

The NPR investigation also uncovered a history of federal law enforcement activity involving businesses operating within the same industry.

Approximately a decade ago, the FBI investigated what agents described as a “credit card overcharge scheme” involving skincare kiosks connected to Mazal. The investigation ultimately resulted in more than a dozen guilty pleas involving visa fraud and money laundering, with store operators Shai Cohen and Omer Gur receiving prison sentences.

Those prosecutions involved individual operators and did not establish that every business selling Mazal products participated in criminal activity.

NPR found that allegations of aggressive and unauthorized sales practices continued years after the earlier federal investigation.

The scale of the operation is difficult to determine because individual stores frequently open, close or change names. However, one former Mazal employee estimated that the company maintained relationships with approximately 2,000 retail locations worldwide.

The investigation identified numerous skincare brands connected to the same family-owned business, including Voupre, Avinichi, Introstem, CbGäRDN, Venofye, Lionesse and Orogold Cosmetics.

Although the brands are marketed under different names, NPR found that several sell substantially similar products, sometimes with nearly identical formulations and comparable retail prices.

Former employees alleged that the proliferation of brand names helped the business obtain mall leases and continue operating when particular products or retailers accumulated negative consumer reviews.

One former employee told NPR, “The reason why they have so many brands is because they had to keep remaking brands with different names to sell it a different way to the malls so that they could get a lease.”

Another former worker said complaints about individual brands sometimes led to the introduction of new names and product lines.

“People would complain about a line, about a brand being destroyed and having a bad reputation,” the employee said. “So they would constantly come out with something fresh, something new.”

NPR also examined internal pricing documents that raised questions about the relationship between the wholesale cost of the products and the prices recommended to consumers.

According to order forms obtained by the news organization, some products carried suggested retail prices exceeding their wholesale cost by more than 100 times.

One example was Voupre’s Cannabis Caviar Transforming Mask, which reportedly cost retailers $23 per unit but carried a suggested retail price of $3,000.

Another product, Voupre Anti-Aging Rescue Solution, had a wholesale price of $19.50 and a suggested retail price of $1,300.

Joe Rowett, chief executive of VELOX, a marketing agency specializing in skincare and beauty products, described such markups as unusual even by luxury cosmetics industry standards.

“Pricing at that level typically raises red flags,” Rowett said.

The investigation found that the substantial difference between wholesale and suggested retail prices gave salespeople considerable flexibility to negotiate prices while potentially earning large commissions.

Former employees and customers also described products being displayed without clearly visible price tags, making it more difficult for shoppers to determine their actual cost before entering sales discussions.

NPR commissioned laboratory testing of one Voupre product to examine whether its ingredients matched its advertised claims.

The news organization obtained an unopened box of Voupre Anti-Aging Rescue Solution purchased by 90-year-old Suzann Roberts of Ann Arbor, Michigan, who said she had been unable to return the product.

The sample was sent to Founders Science Group, a Massachusetts laboratory specializing in chemical and pharmaceutical analysis.

Researchers examined the product for ingredients associated with anti-aging benefits, including vitamins A and E and a peptide known as acetyl hexapeptide-8.

The laboratory detected the peptide but reported that neither vitamin A nor vitamin E could be identified in the tested sample.

Robert Munroe, the laboratory’s chief executive and an experienced pharmaceutical scientist, called the findings “surprising and definitely suspicious.”

He explained that while vitamin A can deteriorate over time, vitamin E should not disappear entirely from a properly formulated product.

If a manufacturer had failed to include ingredients listed on a product’s packaging, Munroe said, “that would be misbranding.”

The laboratory’s findings were based on a single sample and did not establish that every batch of the product lacked the advertised ingredients.

Munroe also questioned whether the product’s price was justified by its formulation, comparing its principal detected active ingredient to a much less expensive skincare product.

“As far as getting peptide on the skin, you don’t need to spend $1,300 to do it,” he said.

The investigation further examined the company’s relationship with independently operated stores and the extent to which Mazal influenced their business practices.

Mazal maintained that it did not own or directly operate the retail locations selling its products and therefore was not responsible for individual sales transactions.

However, documents reviewed by NPR indicated that the company provided services extending beyond product distribution, including assistance with store design, marketing, leasing arrangements, customer relations and refund policies.

A class-action lawsuit filed in Hawaii in 2022 accused Mazal Group, members of the Weingarten and Oded families and local store operators of violating consumer protection laws through what the plaintiffs described as a “predatory and systematically unfair and deceptive enterprise.”

The case proceeded for several years before the parties reached a settlement in June 2026.

Under the agreement, Mazal Group, members of the family and two Hawaii licensees agreed to provide $950,000 in restitution, with Mazal and the family responsible for $650,000 of that amount.

The settlement was intended to compensate 110 consumers who had filed complaints with Hawaii authorities, after legal expenses and other deductions.

Mazal Group and the individual defendants denied wrongdoing, and the settlement did not constitute an admission of liability.

NPR also investigated allegations that some skincare stores employed Israeli salespeople who entered the United States on tourist visas, which generally do not authorize employment.

Former employees described the practice as longstanding within parts of the industry. The investigation also identified online communications and recruitment material suggesting that some operators continued accepting workers without appropriate employment authorization.

In one exchange, a reporter posing as a prospective employee asked a recruiter whether working on a tourist visa would be acceptable and reportedly received an affirmative response.

The earlier federal prosecutions had included immigration-related offenses, but NPR reported that comparable criminal charges had not been brought against operators in the industry for approximately a decade.

Israel’s admission to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program in 2023 has made short-term travel to the United States easier for eligible Israeli citizens, although participation in the program does not authorize ordinary paid employment.

As NPR prepared to publish its findings, Mazal Group terminated its business license in September 2026.

The company’s headquarters in Chatsworth, California, subsequently displayed the name Innovation Brands Inc., a business established by the Weingartens in 2024.

Former employees told NPR that the family had previously reorganized or discontinued businesses when particular brands encountered reputational problems.

Through its attorneys, Mazal Group disputed the investigation’s characterization of its operations and maintained that responsibility for retail sales rested with independently owned stores.

“Mazal Group does not own or operate any retail locations that sell cosmetic products or any other products for that matter. Nor does Mazal Group manufacture any products,” attorney Brian Tilker said on the company’s behalf.

The company’s lawyers also characterized NPR’s reporting as inaccurate, although they did not publicly provide a detailed response to the individual allegations.

The investigation leaves unresolved questions about the extent of the company’s responsibility for misconduct alleged at independently operated locations, the effectiveness of consumer protections governing high-pressure skincare sales and whether the business practices identified by NPR will prompt additional scrutiny from regulators or law enforcement agencies.

President Donald Trump has ordered a suspension of sweeping new sanctions against Russia, invoking national security and economic considerations to delay penalties approved by Congress that were scheduled to take effect Sunday. The decision, announced Friday, drew immediate criticism from Republican and Democratic lawmakers who accused the president of weakening pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The executive order temporarily blocks implementation of major provisions of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, legislation Trump signed into law in September following overwhelming bipartisan approval in the House and Senate. The measure was named in honor of the late South Carolina Republican senator, who had spent months advocating tougher economic penalties against Moscow.

Trump exercised a waiver provision included in the legislation, arguing that immediately enforcing the sanctions would conflict with American interests.

“I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” Trump’s order stated. “I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States.”

The law was designed to increase economic pressure on Russia by targeting government officials, financial institutions and the country’s energy industry, whose oil and natural gas exports have continued generating revenue during the war in Ukraine.

Among its most aggressive provisions were tariffs of up to 100% on major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, a measure intended to discourage foreign countries from maintaining energy trade with Moscow. The legislation also authorized tariffs reaching 500% on Russian imports.

Rather than allow those penalties to begin taking effect, Trump chose to suspend their implementation under the discretionary authority Congress had granted him.

The executive order leaves open the possibility that the administration could activate the sanctions at a later date, depending on developments in the war, diplomatic negotiations or other considerations.

According to the order, the waivers “shall remain in effect until such time as the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Trade Representative, as appropriate, determine that further action is appropriate.”

The decision immediately provoked objections on Capitol Hill, including from members of Trump’s own party who have advocated a tougher approach toward Russia.

Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican and outspoken supporter of Ukraine, accused the president of undermining efforts to bring the fighting to an end.

“The President is prolonging the war, not ending it,” Bacon wrote on X.

Democratic Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia delivered an even sharper rebuke, describing the suspension as “Trump’s latest surrender to Putin” and arguing that it “betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression.”

Beyer also expressed concern about the broad trade powers contained in the legislation, warning that the president could eventually use those authorities against countries other than Russia.

“Trump has proven he will twist this law and abuse the powers it conferred on him, and while he has let the tariff powers lie for the moment, the law as written also empowers Trump to weaponize new trade authorities against our allies and trading partners,” Beyer warned on X. “Congress must fix this flawed law to stop Trump from capitulating to Putin and ensure that it truly supports Ukraine.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, likewise rejected the administration’s national-interest justification, alleging that the decision was motivated by Trump’s relationship with the Russian president.

Blumenthal claimed the waivers “have nothing to do with our national security, & everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin.”

“I hope my Republican colleagues will join me in condemning this craven, cowardly action,” Blumenthal posted on X.

The suspension comes amid a broader shift in the administration’s approach to Russian energy, driven in part by mounting pressure to bring down fuel prices in the United States.

Just one week earlier, Trump announced an agreement with Putin that would allow Russian diesel to enter the American market after sanctions restrictions were relaxed. The arrangement was presented as an effort to increase available supplies and relieve pressure on consumers facing sharply higher prices at the pump.

Under the agreement described by Trump, Russia would immediately provide more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tons in November. The president said deliveries would subsequently increase by an additional 1 million tons “immediately thereafter,” with a further 3 million tons arriving “within a short period of time.”

The diesel agreement had already generated bipartisan concern before Friday’s executive order. A group of 12 senators, including six Republicans, urged the administration to reverse the arrangement, warning that renewed purchases of Russian energy could provide Moscow with additional revenue to finance its military operations.

Energy analysts have also questioned whether the quantities involved would be sufficient to produce a meaningful reduction in American fuel prices, particularly given transportation constraints and the broader disruptions affecting international energy markets.

The latest sanctions waiver has added to tensions between Washington and Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the administration’s relaxation of economic pressure on Moscow, warning that such decisions could strengthen Russia’s position while its invasion of Ukraine continues.

Additional criticism came from Republican senators Rick Scott and Thom Tillis, as well as Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, reflecting the unusually broad political opposition to Trump’s decision.

Despite the backlash, congressional efforts to overturn the waiver face significant obstacles. Lawmakers are currently away from Washington ahead of the November midterm elections, limiting the possibility of an immediate legislative response.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the administration will conduct a 60-day review of the economic implications before determining whether additional sanctions should be implemented.

The executive order also directs the United States Trade Representative, working with senior administration officials, to continue monitoring countries purchasing Russian oil and natural gas, as well as governments involved in facilitating sanctions evasion. The administration will retain the ability to reconsider the suspended penalties if circumstances change.

Importantly, the order does not eliminate all existing American sanctions against Russia. Measures previously imposed under separate executive authorities remain in place, while the new penalties established by the Graham Act have been waived.

The legislation originated with Lindsey Graham, a longtime advocate of stronger American support for Ukraine who pushed for economic measures aimed at reducing Moscow’s ability to finance the war. Following his death in July, his sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to fill his South Carolina Senate seat and continued advocating passage of the legislation.

During a debate earlier this week, Sen. Darline Graham acknowledged that the measure gave the president broad discretion over whether to deploy its sanctions authorities.

“It gives the president tools that he can use if he so chooses, to end the war through economic sanctions,” Graham said Sunday.

“So that’s up to him as to whether or not he wants to use it, or whether he wants to use something else, but I think the purpose of it is to bring down the gas prices and ultimately end the war. And when the war ends, gas prices will fall.”

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned that Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles poses a direct threat to the United States and Europe, arguing that the Iranian regime’s ambitions extend far beyond its longstanding confrontation with Israel. In an interview with Fox News host Mark Levin that aired Saturday night, Netanyahu praised President Donald Trump’s approach to Tehran and said the two leaders share an understanding of the dangers posed by the Islamic Republic.

Appearing on Fox News’ “Life, Liberty & Levin,” Netanyahu discussed Iran’s nuclear program, its network of terrorist proxies, his relationship with Trump, Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza and the approaching Israeli election scheduled for October 27.

Netanyahu:

Iranians are building intercontinental ballistic missiles to reach the U.S., and they want those missiles to carry nuclear warheads.

Every single city in the U.S. will be held hostage. pic.twitter.com/qPgZkt0BYO

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 18, 2026

Netanyahu described Iran as the central force behind several terrorist organizations that have attacked Israel, portraying Hamas, Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis as extensions of the regime in Tehran rather than independent threats.

“Because Hamas, the three H’s as I call them, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis in Yemen, they’re basically arms of this toxic octopus, you know, and it’s the Ayatollahs in Iran. It’s not the Iranian people. The Iranian people are great people.”

The prime minister stressed that his criticism was directed at Iran’s ruling establishment rather than its population, speaking favorably of the Iranian people’s history and culture while accusing the country’s leadership of pursuing an aggressive regional and international agenda.

According to Netanyahu, Iran’s objectives include establishing dominance across the Middle East, gaining leverage over vital shipping routes and energy supplies, and eventually extending its influence and military reach toward Western countries.

He said the regime regards Israel as an immediate target but views the United States as its ultimate enemy, with Europe also falling within its ideological hostility.

“You’re the great Satan. We’re the little Satan. I say to my European friends, I hope you’re not offended. You’re a middle-sized Satan.”

Netanyahu expressed particular concern about Iran’s efforts to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, warning that such weapons could eventually allow Tehran to threaten American population centers directly if equipped with nuclear warheads.

“And they want them to have nuclear warheads. And then every single city in the United States, every single city, will be held hostage to the blackmail of these fanatics. So the only way you can deal with it is to basically to get rid of this regime.”

The prime minister argued that preventing Iran from acquiring the ability to threaten other countries with nuclear weapons requires a sustained strategy involving both military pressure and economic measures.

He recalled a conversation with Trump at Mar-a-Lago before the most recent American presidential election, saying Trump had independently raised the importance of stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Netanyahu presented that exchange as evidence that Trump understood the implications of Iran’s nuclear ambitions for American national security, rather than viewing the issue solely through the lens of Israel’s security concerns.

“And that’s a long process. It’s both military and economic, and I think President Trump is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.”

Netanyahu also warned that Iran’s leadership could be more dangerous than other nuclear-armed governments because, in his assessment, its ideological commitments could outweigh the conventional calculations of deterrence that have historically shaped relations between nuclear powers.

“Iran would be a nuclear power unlike any other that we see in the world, because they don’t have this careful calculus of cost and benefit, because it’s so fanatic.”

The Israeli leader expressed deep skepticism about the value of negotiating with Tehran, contending that the regime has repeatedly demonstrated an unwillingness to honor agreements and cannot be persuaded to abandon its ambitions through diplomatic or financial incentives alone.

“So you can’t win them over. You can’t buy them out. You can’t, you know, and no deal holds more than two seconds, because they do one thing consistently and reliably. They lie.”

The interview also offered Netanyahu an opportunity to discuss his working relationship with Trump, which he characterized as a partnership built on mutual respect and an understanding that each leader must place his own country’s interests first.

Netanyahu said that although the two men frequently agree on major security issues, their cooperation does not mean that either automatically accepts the other’s position.

“I always recognize he’s the president of the United States, he does what he thinks is good for the United States. And that’s exactly what he does. I do the same for Israel,” Netanyahu said. “And I’m glad that it often, very often, this meshes.”

The remarks come during a particularly sensitive period in U.S.-Israeli relations, with the two governments continuing to coordinate their responses to Iran’s military activities and nuclear ambitions.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu said he was not seeking to initiate another military confrontation with Iran before Israel’s election, rejecting suggestions that he might pursue military action for political advantage. At the same time, he warned that Israel would respond forcefully to any attacks by Iran or its regional proxies.

The prime minister’s appearance on Fox News also comes just days before Israelis are scheduled to vote in their first national election since the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, and the prolonged military conflicts that followed.

Asked about his political future, Netanyahu said he was focused on winning another term and refused to take the election outcome for granted.

“First, I have to get elected,” Netanyahu said. “And by the way, I fight every campaign as though I’m [going to] lose, and that’s the only reason I win. But I have to fight it in the coming week, and I will.”

He expressed hope that another election victory would allow him to continue working closely with Trump on regional security and diplomatic initiatives.

“But God willing, if I’m elected, then this partnership will continue to bring security and bring peace,” he added.

The October 27 election is expected to center heavily on national security, the consequences of the Gaza war, Israel’s confrontation with Iran and Netanyahu’s handling of the crises that have dominated the country since October 7.

Netanyahu also addressed international criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, rejecting allegations that the IDF had acted without sufficient regard for Palestinian civilians.

He argued that Israel had a responsibility to defend its citizens against Hamas while attempting to limit civilian casualties during combat operations.

“The moral high ground is when you defend your people against monsters, and when you do so, try to minimize civilian casualties.”

Netanyahu maintained that the Israeli military had undertaken extensive efforts to notify Gaza residents before attacks and encourage them to evacuate areas where Hamas fighters were operating.

“We send thousands, no, millions of flyers, millions of phone calls, millions of text messages to the Palestinian civilians saying, get out of harm’s way.”

The prime minister accused Hamas of deliberately embedding its military infrastructure within heavily populated neighborhoods and civilian facilities, including hospitals, while obstructing residents seeking to escape combat areas.

According to Netanyahu, those tactics contributed to civilian deaths and complicated Israeli military operations, even as Israel faced international condemnation over the humanitarian consequences of the fighting.

“That’s how we got the civilian casualties. So who’s being accused? Israel. That’s crazy.”

Beneath the streets and buildings of New York City, remnants of the city’s earliest Jewish communities may still be waiting to be discovered, including long-forgotten mikvaos that once served generations of Jewish families.

A researcher at the City University of New York is attempting to locate these historic ritual baths, using archival records, old maps and archaeological evidence to reconstruct a largely overlooked chapter of Jewish life in America.

Miriam Entin, a doctoral researcher specializing in the archaeology of Jewish New York, is examining the locations of mikvaos established by Jewish communities dating back centuries, many of which disappeared as neighborhoods were demolished, rebuilt and transformed.

Despite nearly 400 years of Jewish settlement in New York, archaeologists have identified only three historic mikvaos in the city, a remarkably small number considering the central role of the mikvah in traditional Jewish communal life.

Entin believes that additional sites may remain beneath existing buildings, sidewalks and streets, preserved by the successive layers of construction that have reshaped Manhattan and other parts of the city.

Her research seeks to identify where these facilities once stood and determine whether any physical evidence has survived.

One of the most striking discoveries occurred in 2003, when construction workers preparing a residential development on Manhattan’s Lower East Side uncovered a tiled structure beneath an asphalt lot.

A backhoe exposed a white-tiled wall, prompting archaeologists to investigate the site more carefully. As they excavated, they uncovered marble steps descending into a rectangular pool, with a Magen Dovid formed from blue hexagonal tiles at the center of its floor.

Historical research established that Congregation Moshcisker Chevrah Gur Arye had occupied the property on East Third Street. Investigators concluded that the structure was likely a mikvah associated with the congregation.

The discovery offered a rare physical glimpse into the religious life of Jewish immigrants who had lived in the neighborhood more than a century earlier.

At the height of Jewish immigration to the Lower East Side, the neighborhood was home to hundreds of shuls and an enormous population of Jews, many of whom had fled poverty, persecution and pogroms in Eastern Europe.

One archaeological report noted that more than 500 congregations operated within an area covering less than one square mile during the early twentieth century. Some congregations rented rooms in tenement buildings, sharing space with other communal institutions.

For observant Jewish families, access to a kosher mikvah was an essential part of maintaining Jewish life in their new surroundings. Yet establishing and operating such facilities in overcrowded urban neighborhoods presented significant practical challenges.

Water supplies, sanitation, limited space and the expense of maintaining buildings all affected how mikvaos were constructed and operated.

Entin’s research concentrates particularly on the period between 1880 and 1920, when Jewish immigration transformed the Lower East Side and other neighborhoods throughout New York.

Rather than relying exclusively on archaeological excavations, she has been studying old Yiddish newspaper advertisements, historical property records and fire insurance maps.

The advertisements frequently identified the addresses of mikvaos and sometimes named the rabbonim responsible for supervising them. Other notices advertised their facilities or announced that properties were being offered for sale.

Fire insurance maps provide another source of evidence, recording the layout and uses of buildings during different periods.

By comparing maps published years apart, Entin can sometimes determine approximately when a mikvah opened, closed or disappeared.

“You can see, ‘Oh, in 1903 it says baths, but then in 1920 it doesn’t,’ so you know the mikveh was probably sold or demolished in between,” she explained.

In a report on her research published earlier this year, Entin said she had identified 38 historical mikvaos in New York City using advertisements and archaeological documentation. Her continuing research has expanded the picture considerably, identifying dozens of additional sites across the metropolitan area.

The locations extend beyond Manhattan to Brooklyn and the Bronx, with other historical mikvaos identified in Newark, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.

Entin is developing what she hopes will become the first comprehensive database of historic mikvaos in New York City, documenting their locations and the communities they served.

She has not yet publicly released the complete list of sites, explaining that the findings form part of her doctoral dissertation.

The researcher believes that some of the structures were destroyed during redevelopment projects, while others may remain intact beneath buildings that have undergone repeated renovations.

“Some of them were definitely destroyed. We know that a mikveh existed in a certain building, and now that building is a hotel, so there’s probably nothing there anymore,” she said.

“But there are almost certainly ones that exist intact in certain tenement basements and the landlord’s kind of waiting for somebody to knock on the door and ask about it.”

The difficulty of finding such sites reflects the realities of archaeology in a densely developed city.

Unlike archaeological excavations in open areas, researchers in New York generally have limited opportunities to investigate underground structures. Excavations frequently occur only when construction or renovation projects expose previously hidden remains.

Even when significant artifacts are discovered, archaeologists often face pressure to complete their work quickly so construction can resume.

Entin’s research therefore offers a way to reconstruct historical Jewish life even when the physical remains of a mikvah have disappeared.

The three sites identified through archaeological work were all located in or near Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

One was uncovered in 2001 beneath a vacant lot on Allen Street, near the historic Eldridge Street Synagogue. Another was discovered during renovations in a building on East Seventh Street. The third was the East Third Street mikvah uncovered in 2003.

The Allen Street discovery was particularly significant because researchers found a ritual bath associated with a former Russian bathhouse dating to the nineteenth century.

That mikvah had been buried beneath debris and construction material, preserving portions of the structure long after its original use had ended.

Entin’s research has also revealed how mikvaos changed along with the neighborhoods surrounding them.

As Jewish families gradually moved from the Lower East Side to other parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx, communal institutions followed.

Some mikvaos closed because their congregations relocated. Others disappeared when buildings were demolished to accommodate new streets, housing developments or public works projects.

The expansion of Allen Street, for example, resulted in the destruction of numerous properties, including sites associated with historical Jewish communal facilities.

Entin has also traced advertisements for a mikvah associated with Park East Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Later notices indicated that the facility was offered for sale, suggesting that its operation eventually ended.

Her work draws attention to an aspect of American Jewish history that has received relatively little archaeological attention.

While historians have extensively documented New York’s old shuls, cemeteries, schools and Jewish neighborhoods, the physical infrastructure supporting the observance of taharas hamishpachah has been studied far less.

Entin said the mikvaos offer insight into the everyday experiences of Jewish immigrants, including how they maintained religious observance under difficult living conditions.

Her research, she explained, “comments on the social world, the experience of these immigrants.”

The findings may eventually help archaeologists identify promising locations for future excavations and encourage property owners to recognize historically significant structures that might remain in their basements.

For now, Entin continues examining archival records and matching old addresses with modern properties, searching for traces of the mikvaos that served New York’s earlier Jewish communities.

She expects to complete her doctoral studies later this year, with her dissertation providing a more extensive record of the ritual baths that once stood throughout the city.

New York City lawmakers are demanding that Amazon remove a Halloween decoration featuring a symbol resembling a Magen Dovid on a witch’s spell book, following complaints that the display associates a recognizable Jewish religious symbol with witchcraft and sinister imagery.

The controversy involves a six-foot-tall animated witch decoration sold online by Collective Home for approximately $219. The figure holds an open spell book bearing a six-pointed star, prompting objections from Jewish residents and elected officials who say the imagery is offensive.

Members of the New York City Council’s bipartisan Antisemitism Task Force formally raised the issue with Amazon in a letter dated October 14, calling on the company to address the product and prevent similar controversies involving religious symbols.

The complaint was signed by eight council members, including Council Speaker Julie Menin, Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov and Councilman Eric Dinowitz.

The lawmakers argued that placing a symbol closely associated with Judaism on a witch’s spell book was particularly troubling at a time of heightened concern about antisemitism in New York City.

The controversy first emerged after a Brooklyn resident noticed the symbol on a Halloween decoration displayed outside her home. The discovery prompted complaints and brought the product to the attention of local elected officials.

The dispute has since expanded beyond the individual decoration, raising questions about how retailers review seasonal merchandise that incorporates religious imagery.

In their letter, the council members acknowledged that the six-pointed design might have been intended as a generic occult symbol rather than a deliberate reference to Judaism. Nevertheless, they said its recognizable resemblance to the Magen Dovid made its placement on the decoration objectionable.

“While it is unclear if this symbol was an attempt to depict a hexagram or another occult symbol, the Star of David is the most widely recognizable symbol of the Jewish people,” the lawmakers wrote.

They warned that the image could reinforce longstanding antisemitic stereotypes associating Jews with sorcery and supernatural wrongdoing.

“Such imagery can reasonably be perceived as demeaning to Jewish people and hurtful to members of the Jewish community. It may also incite violence against the Jewish community,” the letter stated.

The lawmakers called on Amazon to act under its policies governing hateful, discriminatory and offensive merchandise.

“We urge Amazon to immediately remove this product considering its policies concerning hateful, discriminatory, and offensive content and to consider the broader implications of making such merchandise available to the public,” they wrote.

The Brooklyn homeowner whose decoration helped bring attention to the controversy said she had not noticed the symbol when the item was installed. Her handyman had unpacked and assembled the witch, and she had not examined the spell book.

“I’m very upset, this is horrible,” the woman said, explaining that she had never intended to display anything offensive.

“I don’t want to insult any religion. I’m sensitive about these things. I’m a big supporter of Israel and the Jewish people,” she said.

She added that she intended to raise the issue with Amazon.

The controversy had already drawn criticism earlier in the week from Jewish advocates, including Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers, who argued that the decoration evoked an old antisemitic accusation portraying Jews as practitioners of witchcraft.

The organization StopAntisemitism also criticized the merchandise, pointing to a separate costume sold through Amazon depicting the fictional character Dr. Evil with a Jewish star on his ring, although the character’s original ring featured different markings.

The group’s founder, Liora Rez, called for the products to be removed, warning that the imagery could normalize harmful stereotypes.

The council members’ intervention marks an escalation from complaints by individual consumers and advocacy organizations to a formal demand from elected officials.

As of the October 16 reporting, Amazon had not responded to requests for comment, and there was no confirmed announcement that the decoration had been removed from sale.