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The White House is set to start making public a trove of long-anticipated UFO-related records on Friday, following President Donald Trump’s directive earlier this year instructing senior officials to initiate the disclosure process, The Post has learned.

Details about the timing emerged during a Thursday meeting in the West Wing that included Tim Burchett, who serves on the House Oversight Committee’s task force focused on declassifying federal secrets.

“It’s going to start tomorrow. It’s going to have some stuff in there from pilots, and maybe one video,” Burchett told independent journalist Jeremy Corbell in remarks shared with The Post.

Sources indicated that the reference to “pilot materials” likely points to documented encounters involving U.S. military aviators who reported sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena during active missions.

The initial batch of records will not feature the 46 UFO-related videos that lawmakers have been pressing the Department of War to make public.

Officials plan to release additional materials in weekly installments, a structured approach that differs sharply from the bulk document dumps seen in past disclosures such as those involving the Assassination of John F. Kennedy and files connected to Jeffrey Epstein.

Burchett acknowledged that resistance remains among some members of Congress regarding the declassification effort, but expressed confidence that the administration will follow through on its commitment.

“I totally support and am grateful to President Trump for keeping his word and being the president of transparency and disclosure,” Burchett said in a statement to The Post.

“I would like to remind people that transparency won’t all happen at once, it will take some time.”

{Matzav.com}

Voters across the United Kingdom headed to the polls Thursday in a wide slate of local and regional elections that are widely expected to deal a significant blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party, raising renewed doubts about his political standing.

Nearly 5,000 council seats in England, along with elections to devolved legislatures in Scotland and Wales, are up for grabs. The results could signal a major shift away from the country’s long-standing two-party system if voters turn instead to nationalist and populist alternatives over Labour and the Conservatives.

Polling indicates that Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, may expand its presence in English councils and could emerge as a leading opposition force in Scotland and Wales, competing against pro-independence parties such as the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.

At the same time, the Green Party is expected to challenge Labour’s traditional support base, particularly in London and other urban centers, presenting a threat from the political left.

The possibility that Labour could lose a substantial number of local council seats, along with its dominant position in the Welsh Senedd and a potential drop to third place in Scotland’s Holyrood parliament, is likely to intensify pressure on Starmer to step down or at least outline a timeline for his departure.

Financial markets have already shown signs of unease, with Britain’s borrowing costs rising in recent weeks amid concerns that a leadership change could bring in a more left-leaning government inclined toward higher public spending.

Starmer, 63, who came to power with a sweeping victory less than two years ago, has insisted he will remain in office, focusing on addressing the country’s cost-of-living crisis, which has been exacerbated by conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

“We can rise to this moment together – become a stronger, more resilient and more united nation with opportunities for all, or we can sink into the politics of grievance and division,” Starmer wrote on Substack at the weekend.

“The answer to this moment, to the world we face today, is not passive government nor is it the populists who look out at the world and offer only easy answers that would make us weaker, or bankrupt. This is a time for patriots.”

Hinting at possible changes after the elections, Starmer pledged to pursue what he described as an “active, interventionist government.” He is seeking an opportunity to reset his leadership after spending weeks dealing with criticism over his appointment of veteran Labour figure Peter Mandelson as British ambassador to the United States.

That appointment has sparked a broader controversy centered on Mandelson’s past connections, including ties to the late convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as business links involving Russia and China. Starmer dismissed Mandelson last September after emails surfaced detailing the extent of those connections.

Mandelson was arrested by British authorities in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, though he has not been formally charged.

Labour campaigners and party activists say they have frequently encountered voter anger on the campaign trail. Any electoral losses are expected to deepen dissatisfaction within the party toward Starmer and his leadership team, with some lawmakers considering a move against him that could include a formal call for him to set a departure timeline.

However, replacing him would not be straightforward.

Potential successors such as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner are not currently positioned to launch leadership bids, while other possible contenders appear reluctant to challenge him at this stage.

Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, who previously supported a push for Tony Blair to announce his resignation date in 2006, cautioned against repeating that approach.

“I would tell them not to be as reckless as we were,” Watson, now a member of the upper house, said in his own Substack column. “Firstly, it will not work,” he said. “Secondly … voters will see a party talking to itself while the country is shouting at it.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he held what he described as a productive conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while warning that the European Union has until July 4 to meet its commitments under a previously agreed trade deal or face significantly higher U.S. tariffs.

“I’ve been waiting patiently ⁠for the EU to fulfill their side of the Historic Trade Deal we agreed in ⁠Turnberry, Scotland, the largest Trade Deal, ever!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump added that the agreement required the EU to follow through on specific tariff reductions, and that he had set a firm deadline tied to a symbolic national date.

“A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO! I agreed to give her until our Country’s 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs ⁠would immediately jump to much higher ⁠levels.”

Earlier in the week, Trump had already signaled his willingness to escalate trade measures, warning that tariffs on European automobiles could rise sharply in response to what he views as noncompliance with the deal reached in Scotland last summer.

The president also noted that his discussion with von der Leyen extended beyond trade, saying the two leaders addressed concerns about Iran and reached a shared position on preventing the country from obtaining nuclear weapons.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Hundreds of young men affiliated with the Peleg Yerushalmi gathered Thursday evening in the heart of Yerushalayim, blocking major roads and shutting down the light rail for hours in protest of the recent arrests of yeshiva bochurim.

The police eventually moved in to disperse the crowd, deploying a water cannon that sprayed blue-colored liquid.

The demonstrators, identified with the kehilla of Rav Tzvi Friedman, assembled at the Sarai Yisroel–Yaffo intersection near the central bus station and the Navon train station, bringing traffic in the area to a standstill. For an extended period, they remained in place, preventing vehicles from passing and halting the train service.

At the conclusion of the protest, police stated that they had been working for two hours to disperse what they described as a disturbance. According to the police, “As part of the incident, a small group of individuals blocking the roads and the light rail route caused disruption, including the involvement of minors.”

During the course of the dispersal, five individuals were taken into custody. Police reported that all roads were reopened shortly afterward and that calm was restored to the area.

The protest led to major disruptions throughout central Yerushalayim, with the light rail service repeatedly suspended and multiple roads closed. Large police forces were dispatched in an effort to remove the demonstrators from both the streets and the train tracks.

As tensions escalated, a police officer officially declared the gathering illegal and instructed the crowd to disperse. According to police accounts, when the protesters refused to comply, officers began crowd-control measures, including the use of a water cannon that sprayed blue-colored water. Footage from the scene showed many demonstrators soaked in blue dye as a result.

Members of the Peleg Yerushalmi say the protest was sparked by the arrest of a yeshiva bochur in Herzliya last week. According to their version of events, the arrest was carried out through deception, claiming that a military police officer posed as a delivery messenger, contacted the bochur, and told him there was a package waiting outside his home, where he was then arrested.

Holding the protest in Yerushalayim marked a departure from the group’s usual demonstrations, which are typically concentrated along Route 4 in central Israel. This time, organizers appear to have deliberately shifted the location to the capital in order to catch authorities off guard.

Earlier, police issued a statement saying: “Yerushalayim District police officers and Border Police forces are working to remove individuals disrupting public order in the Yaffo–Sarai Yisroel area. The demonstrators are blocking roads and the light rail route, thereby disturbing public order. A police officer declared the gathering unlawful and instructed the protesters to clear the roadway. Since they did not comply, forces began dispersing them using force and a water cannon in order to restore order and reopen the roads for public use.”

Police added: “The Israel Police will continue to allow lawful protest and freedom of expression. At the same time, we will not allow a blatant disruption of public order that harms freedom of movement, and we will act decisively to restore order.”

Senior legal officials are warning that Israel’s High Court of Justice is likely to invalidate the proposed draft law outright, even if the coalition revises its language and advances the framework led by MK Boaz Bismuth.

According to a report citing conversations with legal sources, the expectation is that the court will not allow the legislation to stand due to concerns that it fails to meet equality standards. The assessment is based on recent rulings and statements made by justices during hearings, which indicate that the law does not satisfy constitutional requirements. Officials said that “an order to halt the law will be issued immediately — since it does not align with the requirements of equality.”

The situation is further complicated by the position of the Knesset’s legal advisory body, which has raised “several significant comments” regarding the current wording of the bill. Despite the lack of legal approval, Bismuth, who chairs the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, appears determined to continue advancing the legislation.

Legal experts cautioned that the effort is unlikely to succeed in its present form, stating that “there is no chance of passing the draft law in its current version” without the backing of professional and legal authorities.

At the same time, leading rabbinic authorities have not yet issued a final ruling on the matter. Reports indicate that while Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch has expressed reservations about the proposed law, a final decision from Rav Dov Landau has not yet been handed down.

Sources in Bnei Brak suggest that given the intensifying situation on the ground, including arrests of yeshiva students, Rav Landau could ultimately support the legislation in an effort to halt sanctions and detentions.

However, the latest legal assessments cast doubt on whether any political or rabbinic decision would ultimately matter. If the High Court issues an immediate injunction against the bill, even full backing from chareidi parties would not be enough to bring the law into effect.

This leaves the yeshiva community in a state of uncertainty, as the proposed legislation faces the prospect of being struck down immediately and outright, by High Court order.

The conduct of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee has also raised questions within legal circles. The fact that its chairman has continued to move forward in recent discussions without the approval of the Knesset’s legal advisers is seen by some as an attempt to bypass fundamental legal obstacles.

Legal analysts say the High Court is closely monitoring the legislative process, and any attempt to pass a version of the law that does not meet equality standards is expected to face firm judicial opposition.

{Matzav.com}

The man responsible for a firebombing attack targeting a pro-Israel march in Boulder, Colorado, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison after admitting guilt to every state charge filed against him.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman entered guilty pleas to 101 counts, including a murder charge in connection with the death of 82-year-old Karen Diamond. The attack, which took place last June, targeted participants in a demonstration calling for the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 2023 assault on Israel.

More than a dozen others were injured in the assault, which shook Boulder’s Jewish community and heightened concern over growing antisemitic violence across the United States.

Addressing the court, Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty said the attack spread “terror, fear and death.”

During Thursday’s hearing, victims and relatives rose one after another to describe the lasting trauma they have endured in the months since the attack.

They recounted scenes of chaos as Molotov cocktails exploded around them, forcing them to flee in panic while others tried desperately to put out flames that engulfed clothing and burned fellow participants.

“When I’m alone and close my eyes I can vividly see Karen’s body in flames,” Orrie Gartner testified in court.

Several victims spoke of lingering psychological scars, describing how memories of screams, fire, and the smell of gasoline and burning hair continue to haunt them. Some said they now remain constantly on alert, scanning their surroundings for danger, while others fear they could be targeted again.

One man said he now checks for escape routes wherever he goes. Another said he has begun concealing his Star of David necklace, while a woman said she chooses to wear hers openly despite the hatred. Others reflected that the attack shattered their sense of security in what they once believed was a safe and peaceful college town.

“We learned the full meaning of the expression ‘Living Hell,’” Ms. Diamond’s sons, Ethan and Andrew, said in a statement read aloud in court.

Karen Diamond’s husband, Lou, suffered severe burns in the attack and endured a month of intense suffering in a hospital burn unit, located near his wife’s room, their sons said. She succumbed to her injuries three weeks after the incident.

According to their sons, the attack abruptly ended a life filled with activity and purpose. The couple had recently participated in the Bolder Boulder 10K race, where Ms. Diamond placed fourth in her age category and her husband, then 84, finished seventh in his. They frequently hiked, worked in their garden, attended concerts, and had been planning a trip to France.

“Now, none of those things will happen,” their sons said.

Inside the courtroom, victims and family members were visibly emotional, many wiping away tears as they listened to the statements.

After the testimonies concluded, Soliman, an Egyptian national who arrived in the United States in 2022, addressed the court for the first time. Speaking in Arabic, he expressed regret and said he believed he deserved the death penalty.

“I find that to be the justice for Ms. Diamond,” he said while seated beside his attorneys.

He rejected the claim that his actions were motivated by antisemitism, but then launched into an extended criticism of Zionism, calling it “the enemy,” and spoke about civilian deaths in Gaza.

“Yes, I am against Israel, and I can’t deny that,” he said. “And that’s my right.”

Chief District Judge Nancy W. Salomone dismissed his arguments, stating that his actions constituted terrorism and had impacted an entire community.

“Your choices were acts of terror, and they victimized an entire community,” she said.

“You chose to victimize these people because they were members of the Jewish community,” the judge added.

Soliman also told the court that his wife and five children had no knowledge of his plans and would have tried to stop him had they known.

Following the attack, his family was taken into federal custody and held for several months in an immigration detention facility in Texas before being released earlier this year. His legal team is currently fighting efforts by the Trump administration to deport them.

At the start of the hearing, Judge Salomone reviewed each of the charges individually, naming each victim as she confirmed Soliman’s pleas.

He responded briefly in Arabic, confirming that he understood he was giving up his right to trial and appeal, and stated he had no questions.

“Guilty,” he repeated multiple times as the charges—ranging from murder to attempted murder and assault—were read out.

Because Colorado law does not allow for the death penalty, the life sentence without the possibility of parole represents the most severe punishment available at the state level. However, Soliman could still face capital punishment in a separate federal case involving hate crime charges.

Prosecutors said Soliman spent approximately a year preparing for the attack, which targeted a group known as Run for Their Lives, whose members gather weekly in downtown Boulder to advocate for hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Many participants in the march were members of Boulder’s Jewish community, including elderly individuals, at least one child, and a person using a wheelchair.

“They were completely defenseless,” Mr. Dougherty said in court. “To show up and attack people who were standing outside the Boulder courthouse in a peaceful gathering, walking in the middle of the day? That is, beyond anything, cowardly.”

Authorities said Soliman approached the group disguised as a gardener before launching the attack, throwing homemade Molotov cocktails and shouting “Free Palestine.” According to an FBI affidavit, he had intended to “kill all Zionist people.”

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Eyal Tzionov is facing a potential defamation lawsuit demanding 200,000 shekels after publishing a video urging the public to boycott a Tel Aviv nightclub, which he described as a “place of drug users,” just days after drawing attention for his appearance at the state Independence Day ceremony.

Tzionov, who sparked widespread public controversy after managing to enter the VIP section at the official torch-lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl while dressed in the attire associated with the Rishon Letzion, has now become embroiled in another legal dispute—this time with one of Israel’s nightlife venues.

According to a report on N12, the latest episode began when Tzionov was seen at a nightclub at the Tel Aviv Port just days after the state event. Footage circulating on social media showed him dancing near the DJ booth, surrounded by large crowds who filmed the unusual sight.

However, the visit quickly turned into a public attack against the venue. In a video he later released, Tzionov called on his followers to boycott the club entirely, claiming that his visit had been intentional and aimed solely at raising awareness and persuading the public to avoid the location.

He described the venue as a “place of drug users” and called for the closure of nightclubs across Israel, arguing that such environments represent a corrupt culture incompatible with the values of the Jewish people. His remarks went beyond general criticism of nightlife and included serious allegations of criminal activity and violence.

In the video, he claimed that stabbings occur at the club and alleged that the venue is saturated with drugs and alcohol, stating that he is working “to eliminate the phenomenon at its root.” These statements, which gained wide exposure on social media, angered the club’s owners, who contend that the accusations are baseless and intended to damage their reputation and livelihood.

Following the publication of the video, attorney Oren Ben Yair, representing the club’s owners, sent a formal warning letter ahead of legal action for defamation. The letter demands that Tzionov pay substantial compensation totaling 200,000 shekels.

The attorney emphasized that the claims were false and misleading, designed to portray the establishment in a negative light and deter customers from visiting. It remains to be seen whether the matter will be resolved through a settlement or proceed to court, adding to the broader legal complications surrounding Tzionov in the wake of the Independence Day incident.

This is not the only issue Tzionov has faced in recent days. As previously reported, the Sephardic Community Committee sent him a formal warning letter demanding that he stop wearing the robe and turban associated with the Rishon Letzion. The letter stated that doing so constitutes “deception and misleading the public” and amounts to a “desecration of God’s name and a desecration of the honor of the former Rishon Letzion sages.”

Following public and legal pressure, Tzionov contacted the chairman of the Sephardic Community Committee, Avraham Doron, and agreed to stop appearing in that attire. During the conversation, he requested permission to continue wearing a robe without gold or silver embroidery and a turban without the diagonal marking associated with the Rishon Letzion, and the committee chairman agreed.

In an earlier interview prior to reaching that agreement, Tzionov explained how he began wearing the robe. “My students bought me this robe as a gift, I started wearing it on Purim and saw that the public really enjoyed it and connected to it,” he said. He added, “My goal is to bring peace and love, and everywhere I go people stop and ask, and I tell them explicitly: this is Rabbi Eyal Tzionov, I am not the Rishon Letzion.”

In recent days, Tzionov has been seen in the streets of Bnei Brak wearing Bukharian-style clothing, with the turban replaced by a regular hat.

{Matzav.com}