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Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed renewed his criticism of Vice President JD Vance and brought Vance’s wife into the dispute over the weekend after the vice president accused El-Sayed of defending Sharia law and portraying its critics as white supremacists.

Vance raised the issue during a recent address to American workers, invoking his grandfather while arguing that El-Sayed’s views were far removed from the Democratic Party his grandfather knew.

“El-Sayed, this guy running for senate in Michigan, he once argued not too long ago that criticisms of Sharia law were rooted in white supremacy. I’d love to go back in time and tell my Papaw that there’s a man who claims to stand for working people who says not only should we have Sharia law, but if you criticize it you’re a white supremacist. That’s not my Papaw’s Democrat Party, my friends,” Vance said.

Vance on El-Sayed: I would love to go back in time and tell my papaw, that there is a man who claims to stand for working people, who says not only should we have sharia law, but if you criticize it, you are a white supremacist. pic.twitter.com/t7RqCCJt5Y

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 21, 2026

El-Sayed responded on social media by turning the reference to Vance’s grandfather toward the vice president’s wife, Usha.

“So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…” El-Sayed wrote.

Usha Vance and her family are Hindu and do not adhere to Islamic Sharia law.

The latest remark follows previous criticism from El-Sayed involving Vance’s wife and family. El-Sayed declined earlier this year to apologize for controversial comments he made about them.

The controversy also comes amid scrutiny of El-Sayed’s own relationship with Sharia law. His campaign has confirmed that he follows Sharia in his personal life, after comments from 2009 resurfaced in which he characterized doing so as a lifelong “obligation.”

El-Sayed subsequently addressed Vance’s remarks during an interview, arguing that the vice president’s comments were intended to portray him as somehow less American because of his background and religious beliefs.

“He’s painting this picture of going back in time to talk to his Papaw, about me. Now why is he pointing to me? Why is Donald Trump pointing to me? They’re pointing to me to try and say somehow I’m less of an American than they are. What does that have to do with? I don’t know, the color of my skin, how I pray? But the confusing thing about it is that he thinks there are some people who are more American than others because they can point to their Papaw who was here earlier.”

El-Sayed: Well, I’ll tell you this. Every time J.D. Vance opens his mouth, the first two things I can think are, man, that guy is boring. And second, Peter Thiel had to spend a ton of money to get that man elected, barely in the state of Ohio. 

But the confusing thing about it… pic.twitter.com/nfpbPRgoN2

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 23, 2026

El-Sayed then again invoked Vance’s family, questioning how the vice president could reconcile that alleged implication with the immigrant background of his in-laws.

“And my question to him is simply why is it… how do you look your parents-in-law in the eye and say that somehow they’re less American than you are. Because that’s what he’s implying there,” he added.

The increasingly heated exchange comes as El-Sayed faces Republican nominee Mike Rogers in what polling indicates could be a highly competitive Michigan Senate contest. A recent AARP survey found Rogers and El-Sayed virtually tied in the general election race.

{Matzav.com}

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a controversial measure dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act” into law yesterday, despite warnings from critics that the legislation could chill investigative reporting by imposing significant penalties for publishing certain information about workers at immigration-related nonprofit organizations.

Newsom, however, will be out of office by the time Assembly Bill 2624 takes effect. The new law is scheduled to become effective on October 1, 2027, nearly 10 months after Newsom leaves the governor’s office because of term limits, meaning any First Amendment challenges arising from its implementation will come under his successor.

The legislation broadens California’s existing “Safe at Home” program to include employees of nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to individuals navigating the U.S. immigration system.

Opponents contend that the expansion could have significant consequences for journalists investigating potential wrongdoing at such organizations, potentially preventing reporters from seeking out and questioning employees of nonprofits suspected of fraud.

Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, the Alameda Democrat who introduced the legislation in February, has disputed that characterization. She maintains that the measure distinguishes legitimate journalism from the type of doxxing and harassment that the Safe at Home program is designed to prevent.

“Our immigrant service providers are living in fear because of extremists looking to demonize the work that they do and the populations they serve,” the assemblywoman said Saturday. “That is an intolerable consequence of the anti-immigrant rhetoric that exists right now.”

Under the new law, individuals who distribute or publish information or “images” involving covered immigration workers in a manner the law says “incites violence or threats” could face substantial criminal and financial penalties. Those punishments range from fines of $10,000 to $50,000 and from one year in jail to possible imprisonment in state prison.

Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio of San Diego is among those who have strongly opposed the measure, arguing that its real effect will be to frighten people away from investigating suspected misconduct. DeMaio said the legislation targets those “trying to shine light on bad behavior.”

It was DeMaio who gave the legislation the politically charged nickname “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” a reference to independent journalist and YouTuber Nick Shirley.

California’s Safe at Home program already extends protections to several categories of people considered vulnerable, including survivors of domestic violence, victims of elder abuse, and workers providing reproductive and gender-affirming health care. The program protects participants in part by “providing substitute mailing addresses for people considered particularly vulnerable to targeted attacks and violent threat,” according to the California Post.

Shirley has attracted millions of views for videos in which he follows and questions immigrant-service workers while alleging fraudulent activity, including investigations involving nonprofit organizations in the Somali community in the Minneapolis metropolitan area.

The young independent journalist has emerged as a vocal opponent of AB 2624, claiming lawmakers pursued the legislation only after he “exposed widespread fraud in immigrant communities” in both California and Minnesota.

Shirley traveled to San Diego after videos he produced about alleged fraud in Minnesota went viral earlier this year, bringing his investigative approach to California.

Newsom responded to Shirley’s presence in February by saying that Somali daycare providers in the area were “under siege.”

Shirley himself became the target of a highly unusual confrontation Wednesday while he was conducting an interview outside the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

During the encounter, Terry Schanz, chief of staff to Democratic Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor, approached while holding a printed flyer and asked: “Did you guys hear that Nick Shirley has a small penis allegedly?”

The incident created an uncomfortable contrast with the stated rationale behind the legislation. “The episode is an awkward backdrop” for the Stop Nick Shirley bill “whose supporters say is designed to combat harassment and doxxing,” the California Post wrote. The outlet also reported that Schanz receives $17,319 per month in taxpayer-funded compensation.

Multiple complaints against Schanz have since been filed with the California Legislature’s human resources department over the incident.

Negotiations with Hamas in Cairo have reached a pivotal stage, with U.S. envoy Jared Kushner reportedly delivering an unusually stark warning to the terror group’s leadership: Any attempt to secretly retain weapons or evade its disarmament commitments will end the diplomatic process and clear the way for Israeli military action.

According to an exclusive Channel 12 News report, Kushner met directly with senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Cairo, where he laid out the consequences Hamas would face if it failed to abide by the emerging agreement.

The meeting reportedly came after intelligence provided to the United States and regional mediators indicated that some elements within Hamas were preparing to circumvent their commitments rather than fully surrender their weapons and dismantle the organization’s military infrastructure.

Two sources who were present during the discussions said Kushner issued the warning to Hamas in front of all the mediators participating in the talks. “The real test will be implementation. If you try to deceive us, the process will stop, and no one will stand in Israel’s way.”

Kushner also reportedly underscored the profound lack of trust between Israel and Hamas. He told the participants that if Israel carries out its responsibilities under the agreement, Hamas will likewise be required to fulfill all of its obligations. Those commitments include complete disarmament, an end to efforts to rebuild its military capabilities, and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.

Channel 12 further reported that officials involved in the negotiations described Kushner as determined to prevent a return to the previous reality in Gaza, in which Hamas was permitted to remain both armed and in control of the territory for years.

Those officials said that should Hamas ultimately renege on the commitments it makes as part of the agreement, Israel would have broad international legitimacy to resume military operations against the terror organization.

Despite the warnings and suspicions surrounding Hamas’ intentions, the terror group’s leaders have reportedly told mediators that they intend to abide by all 20 provisions contained in the proposed framework, including the clauses requiring Hamas to disarm and the Gaza Strip to be demilitarized.

{Matzav.com}

MK Yitzchok Goldknopf is expected to continue serving as the Gerer chassidus’ representative in the next Knesset, according to details emerging from a recent conversation between the Gerer Rebbe and prominent American philanthropist Shlomo Werdiger, although no final, official decision has yet been announced.

Werdiger, a close confidant of the Gerer Rebbe, visited the Rebbe’s residence in recent days and discussed the future of Ger’s representation in Israeli politics.

Sources familiar with the conversation said that the Rebbe indicated to Werdiger that Goldknopf is expected to remain Ger’s representative in the next Knesset. According to those sources, one of the primary considerations cited in Goldknopf’s favor was that he is “obedient” and consistently follows the directives of the chassidus’ leadership.

At the same time, individuals familiar with the matter cautioned that the comments made to Werdiger do not yet constitute a formal or binding decision. They stressed that the question of Ger’s representation has not been definitively settled.

Werdiger, who is currently visiting Eretz Yisroel, also met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday. That meeting came amid ongoing tensions between Netanyahu and the Gerer chassidus.

As matters currently stand, barring an unexpected change, Goldknopf appears positioned to remain Ger’s representative in the political arena during the next Knesset as well.

Nevertheless, given the sensitivity surrounding the decision and the absence of a formal announcement from the Gerer leadership, the matter continues to be treated cautiously within the chassidus.

{Matzav.com}

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries quietly met with Jared Kushner in recent weeks for a private discussion about areas where Democrats and the Trump administration could potentially find common ground, even as Jeffries and President Donald Trump publicly wage an increasingly bitter political battle ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The meeting between Jeffries, who could become House speaker if Democrats capture the chamber, and Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and an informal presidential adviser, included discussions about housing, immigration and the high cost of living, according to The New York Times, which cited five people familiar with the conversation.

Neither Jeffries’ office nor a representative for Kushner had publicly confirmed the meeting as of Sunday. The revelation comes against the backdrop of increasingly personal attacks between Trump and the Democratic leader as both parties fight for control of the House.

According to one person familiar with the gathering, the two met at a private location in New York City that was made available by a mutual friend. The discussion was described as a wide-ranging exchange of ideas rather than an attempt to negotiate a specific agreement.

Jeffries and Kushner have maintained a relationship dating back to Trump’s first term, when they worked together on criminal justice legislation. During their recent conversation, Kushner reportedly suggested that Jeffries also sit down with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

The behind-the-scenes contact presents a striking contrast with the highly confrontational rhetoric being exchanged publicly by Trump and Jeffries.

Trump has repeatedly gone after the Democratic leader, calling Jeffries a “low-IQ thug” and declaring in a May Truth Social post that he is “a danger to our Country.”

Jeffries has leveled his own attacks against Trump, accusing the president of corruption and promising voters that a Democratic House majority will “hold the crooks accountable.” The Washington Post first reported the remark following a Jeffries campaign appearance in Pennsylvania in July.

Despite the private outreach, substantial political and policy differences remain that could make bipartisan cooperation difficult.

Earlier this summer, Trump refused to sign bipartisan housing legislation because the Senate had failed to approve the SAVE America Act. The housing legislation ultimately became law without the president’s signature.

Immigration represents another possible area for negotiations, though previous attempts at bipartisan agreements have repeatedly broken down. Trump has on several occasions indicated that he would consider reaching an immigration deal with Democrats, but no agreement has materialized. During the 2024 campaign, Trump also urged congressional Republicans to walk away from a bipartisan Senate border security proposal.

At other moments, however, Trump has suggested that he could have a productive relationship with Jeffries despite their public clashes.

Asked by Punchbowl News earlier this month about the possibility of Jeffries becoming speaker, Trump said, “I’d probably get along with him very well.” The president pointed to their only face-to-face meeting of his second term, an Oval Office discussion last fall during the government shutdown.

Jeffries, in comments provided to the Times, did not acknowledge that the Kushner meeting had occurred. He instead accused Republicans of governing with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude and said Democrats were seeking sweeping changes aimed at addressing Americans’ cost-of-living concerns.

The Democratic leader has similarly avoided committing himself to another effort to impeach Trump. Asked about the possibility last month, Jeffries told the Times that Democrats have “not ruled anything in and not ruled anything out in terms of accountability.”

Should Democrats win control of the House in November and elevate Jeffries to the speakership, he would face competing pressures: finding ways to work with the Trump administration on government funding and other essential legislation while simultaneously facing demands from Democratic voters and lawmakers for aggressive investigations and confrontation with the president.

A festive pidyon haben was held on Motzoei Shabbos in the Belzer chassidus for Moshe Yehoshua Rokeach, a great-grandson of the Belzer Rebbe and the son of Rav Yisroel Menachem Nochum Rokeach.

Three Kohanim participated in the pidyon haben: the child’s great-uncle, Badatz member Rav Shammai Kehos Gross; his uncle, Rav Shmuel Mordechai Zelfreind of Ashdod, who serves as a dayan; and a relative, Rav Yisroel Dovid Ullman of Ashdod, a dayan and mashpia in the bais medrash where the child’s father davens.

During the maamad, the Belzer Rebbe bestowed a bracha upon his great-grandson, Moshe Yehoshua.

Thousands of Belzer chassidim who participated in the celebration received garlic and sugar, distributed as a segulah in connection with the pidyon haben.

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פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

פדיון הבן בבעלזאצילום: שוקי לרר

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{Matzav.com}

[Video and photos below.] There was tremendous excitement Sunday at Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood, NJ as Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler, the only son of the rosh yeshiva, delivered his first shiur in the yeshiva, marking another chapter in the continuation of the Kotler family’s leadership of the Lakewood yeshiva.

Rav Shneur delivered the shiur in BMG’s Bais Medrash Hayoshon, the Bendheim Bais Medrash, the same room where his grandfather and namesake, Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler zt”l, delivered shiurim decades ago.

Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur is a great-grandson of the yeshiva‘s founder, Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l.

Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur, the only son of his parents alongside three sisters, was regarded from childhood as a unique figure within the Lakewood family. In addition to his exceptional hasmadah and yiras Shomayim, he is known for a refined and gentle demeanor that was evident from a young age.

During his yeshiva years, Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur learned at Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe of South Fallsburg. He later traveled to Eretz Yisroel, where he learned under Rav Yonason David, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Pachad Yitzchok, whom he regards as his rebbi muvhak.

Rav Yosef Chaim Shneur married the daughter of Rav Shmuel Baddoush, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Lev Eliyahu of the Aram Soba community in Mexico City.

His new role follows a series of appointments in recent years involving sons and sons-in-law of BMG’s roshei yeshiva: Rav Dovid Schustal’s son, Rav Aharon Schustal; Rav Yeruchem Olshin’s son, Rav Aharon Olshin; and Rav Yisroel Neuman’ son-in-law, Rav Yehoshua Abba Budel.

On Sunday, Rav Shneur entered the bais medrash accompanied by the roshei yeshiva before delivering his inaugural shiur.

The shiur was given on the masechta currently being learned in the yeshiva, Maseches Bava Kamma, focusing on the sugya of “Toldoseihen kayotzei bahem.”

{Matzav.com}

A 7-year-old boy was critically injured Sunday after being struck by a bus while riding his bicycle in Bnei Brak and becoming trapped beneath the vehicle.

The serious accident occurred on Ezra Street, near the intersection with Rav Kahaneman Street. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found the child unconscious underneath the bus.

Magen David Adom, United Hatzalah and Hatzalah personnel worked to extricate the boy before providing emergency medical treatment. According to MDA, he suffered severe injuries to his abdomen and limbs.

After being freed, the child was rushed to the trauma unit at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in serious condition.

MDA EMTs Yishai Citron and Yehuda Nordman described the difficult scene.

“This was a serious incident. When we arrived at the scene, we saw the child trapped under the bus, unconscious and suffering from severe injuries to his abdomen and limbs. Together with additional EMTs and paramedics, we extricated the child, placed him in the ambulance, and urgently evacuated him to the hospital’s trauma room.”

United Hatzalah said that according to information provided at the scene, the boy had been riding his bicycle when he was struck by the bus and became pinned underneath it. Its volunteers treated him immediately after he was extricated before he was transported to Sheba Medical Center.

United Hatzalah EMTs Akiva Kaufman, Yisrael Slav and Nachman Aharoni said the boy sustained injuries to his head and limbs.

“We were told at the scene that he was struck by the bus while riding and became trapped underneath it. Immediately after he was extricated, we provided him with medical treatment at the scene, and he was evacuated to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer suffering from injuries to his head and limbs, with his condition defined as serious.”