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Police have arrested four Arad residents in connection with the violent clashes that erupted earlier this week against members of the Gerer chassidus, following an incident in which local residents allegedly attempted to prevent chassidim from joining Wednesday’s large vehicle protest in support of imprisoned bnei yeshivah.

According to a statement released by Israel Police, officers from the Arad station took the four suspects into custody Friday on suspicion of involvement in the violent altercation. The suspects were brought in for questioning as investigators continue examining the incident.

Police said the confrontation occurred Wednesday afternoon after authorities received reports of a violent fight in one of the city’s neighborhoods. Officers responded quickly to restore order and immediately launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those involved.

The arrests come amid heightened tensions in Arad, where recent confrontations have broken out between different groups in the city. Wednesday’s violence required the intervention of large numbers of security personnel.

The incident reportedly began when secular residents attempted to block vehicles carrying Gerer chassidim who were planning to join the nationwide convoy traveling toward Military Prison 10 as part of the protest against the arrests of bnei yeshivah.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing and is focused on reconstructing the events and identifying all individuals involved in the violence. Officers continue to gather witness statements and additional evidence as part of the probe.

The four suspects remain under investigation on suspicion of assault, and police said further arrests may follow if additional individuals are identified as having participated in the attack. Authorities stated that they intend to bring all those responsible before the courts.

{Matzav.com}

The Belzer Rebbe convened senior rabbinic leaders and members of the Bnos Melachim committee of Belz to strengthen and expand the organization’s efforts to promote tznius within the Belz community. During the gathering, the Rebbe reflected on the founding of the Beis Malka educational network, emphasized the spiritual purpose behind its establishment, and declared that strengthening tznius among women would serve as a source of salvation for the entire generation.

The meeting, held at the Rebbe’s residence, brought together committee members and dayanim as part of an initiative to broaden and reinforce the activities of the Bnos Melachim committee. The organization was established to support families in upholding the community’s standards of tznius and to deepen women’s connection to the values and traditions of the Belz chassidus.

Addressing the gathering in the presence of the Rebbe, Rav Yehoshua Fink, a member of the committee and dayan who also serves as the spiritual director of Beis Malka, explained that although the committee is expanding, every mother within the Belz community is, in essence, a member of the initiative.

He stressed that the committee’s purpose is not to govern the public but to serve it.

“The committee,” Rav Fink said, “is not here to stand ‘above’ the ציבור, but rather its sole desire is to serve as a shaliach tzibbur, assisting the holy ציבור that wishes to follow the path of Torah and chassidus, the way of our holy fathers and rabbeim.”

Another committee member, Rav Elimelech Gross, spoke about the unique place women have always occupied within Belz.

“In Belz, righteous women have always held a special and honored place,” he said. He noted that the Belzer Rebbes would not enter the beis medrash without a women’s section, emphasizing that righteous women possess the ability to pierce the heavens with their tears, as “the gates of tears are never closed.” He added that this reflects the esteem in which women who faithfully uphold the standards of tznius have always been held, and recalled that the Rebbe has consistently spoken about the importance of the subject during the annual Stei’ige Torah gathering, presenting it as a fundamental pillar of authentic Jewish life.

Rav Aharon Mordechai Rokeach, who heads the committee, then addressed the gathering, praising its members for faithfully carrying out the Rebbe’s guidance.

“It is our sacred and pleasant obligation not to surrender to the temptations of the street,” he said. “‘Zich nisht lozen,’ but rather to continue walking in the path of Belz as it has been throughout the generations. Belz has always served as a model for the broader world of chassidus in matters of ruchniyus, and certainly in this area as well it must remain the standard-bearer.”

The Belzer Rebbe then delivered the keynote address, recounting at length the founding of the Beis Malka school system and the tremendous financial burden and other challenges that accompanied its creation.

“Many years ago, when Beis Malka was established, it involved tremendous financial burdens and many other challenges,” the Rebbe recalled. “People asked me why such an institution was necessary. I answered that the day would come when graduates of girls’ schools would be asked why they dressed a certain way, and their answer would be that they dressed that way simply because that was the custom at their particular school. I said that cannot be. There must be a defined path. Just as there is a proper mode of dress for men, there must likewise be a proper mode of dress for women, with clear boundaries. Beis Malka was not established so that girls could learn mathematics or other academic subjects. It was founded so that they would know how a Jewish daughter is meant to dress.”

The Rebbe also recalled a story about his grandfather, the Maharid of Belz.

“I have related in the past that when one of the young women in my grandfather the Maharid’s family was preparing to travel to another city, he first asked to inspect her suitcase to ensure that every article of clothing she was taking complied with the standards of tznius.”

The Rebbe stressed that every standard accepted within Belz is rooted in the long-established traditions of the chassidus.

“We must understand that everything we undertake to observe is based on the customs practiced in Belz. There must be care taken regarding the dress of both men and women. Everything must be conducted according to Torah and chassidus. We have gathered here today to address this matter. We established Beis Malka so that we would not need to compromise in these areas, as circumstances required during the war years.”

He continued by emphasizing that responsibility begins at home and extends to those in positions of influence.

“Every individual must ensure that these standards are upheld within his own home. Likewise, those who have influence over the ציבור have an obligation to speak about these matters. New fashions and new ‘musters’ are constantly emerging. Those appointed to oversee this issue have the responsibility to ensure that standards of women’s tznius are not weakened beyond what is absolutely necessary.”

Turning to the future of the community, the Rebbe stressed that preserving the next generation depends on parents serving as living examples.

“If we wish to raise chassidishe doros, we must first ensure that parents conduct themselves properly. That is why we have assembled today—to establish clear standards and restore matters to their proper place. We must build a generation of descendants who are deeply attached to the love and fear of Hashem, and therefore parents must lead by example and carefully uphold all the standards of tznius that have always been observed in Belz.”

The Rebbe concluded with a strong appeal to preserve firm boundaries despite changing fashions and social trends.

“If we indeed strengthen ourselves, remain steadfast and resolute, and refuse to yield, recognizing that there are boundaries which must never be crossed, we will merit the continued preservation of Judaism according to our sacred tradition. But if people begin searching for leniencies and creating new standards, no one can know how far that may lead. If we remain faithful to what has been observed until now, and everyone knows that in Belz these standards are carefully maintained, that strengthening will be the salvation of the entire generation.

“There must be a geder that is never crossed. New styles and new ideas appear constantly, and no one knows what the next trend will be. Therefore, we must establish a geder that serves as a firm boundary which is never breached. If we do so, we will succeed in continuing forward.”

Following the Rebbe’s address, members of the committee approached to receive a specially blessed coin from the Rebbe as a token of encouragement for their continued work.

{Matzav.com}

An emotional ceremony honoring 60 newly certified morai tzedek and rabbanim took an unexpected turn Wednesday evening when Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Yosef publicly revealed that legal restrictions prevented him from officially signing their certification documents.

The event, held in honor of the new morai hora’ah, was led by Rav Dovid Yosef together with Rav Gidon Ben Moshe and attended by numerous prominent dayanim and rabbanim. The evening celebrated the successful completion of the rigorous examination process by the new rabbanim.

Despite the festive atmosphere, the ceremony was overshadowed by two unexpected developments: legal limitations that affected the certification process and severe traffic disruptions that prevented several leading gedolei Torah from attending.

During the presentation of the certificates, attendees noticed that although Rav Dovid Yosef had originally been expected to personally sign each semichah certificate, his signature did not appear on the documents.

Addressing the matter directly, the Rishon Letzion explained to those in attendance: “Originally, I was supposed to sign the certificates myself, but this crazy state prohibits me from doing so.”

The event had also been scheduled to include the participation of Chacham Shlomo Machpud, a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, along with several other distinguished rabbanim who had confirmed their attendance in advance.

However, widespread road closures and massive traffic congestion caused by a vehicle protest forced them to turn back before reaching the venue, making it impossible for them to participate in the ceremony.

Despite those setbacks, the evening concluded on an uplifting note as the newly certified morai tzedek formally accepted the responsibility of hora’ah, marking the beginning of their service as rabbanim and halachic authorities in communities across the country.

{Matzav.com}

Dozens of left-wing demonstrators gathered Friday morning at the entrance to Bnei Brak in an attempt to block traffic in protest of this week’s chareidi vehicle demonstrations against the draft law. The protest, held just hours before Shabbos, led to confrontations with local residents, though turnout was far smaller than organizers had promised.

The demonstration took place on Rechov Kahaneman after organizers had vowed to significantly disrupt access to the city. Despite those declarations, only a relatively small number of protesters arrived at the scene.

Residents strongly objected to the protest, particularly because it was held during the busy hours leading up to Shabbos, when thousands of families were making their final preparations. The area quickly became the site of heated confrontations as locals expressed anger over the attempt to block one of the city’s main thoroughfares at such a sensitive time.

The protest was organized following statements by attorney Ayelet Hashachar Seidof, head of the “Mothers on the Front” movement, who announced that activists intended to block Bnei Brak in response to this week’s chareidi vehicle protests against the conscription of bnei yeshivah.

“Road blockages will be met with road blockages,” Seidof said in advance of the demonstration, adding that the goal was “to disrupt the lives” of Bnei Brak residents.

The decision to stage the protest immediately before Shabbos drew sharp criticism throughout the city, as the streets were filled with pedestrians, children, and shoppers completing their last-minute preparations.

Large numbers of local residents gathered opposite the demonstrators, with some chanting, “We will die rather than be drafted.” Tensions escalated into physical confrontations that included pushing between protesters and chareidim. During the disturbance, one female protester removed her shirt as part of the demonstration. Police officers at the scene intervened in an effort to separate the opposing groups and prevent further escalation.

According to the organizers, Friday’s demonstration was intended as retaliation for this week’s vehicle protest, during which chareidi demonstrators blocked major highways across Israel for several hours in protest of the arrests of bnei yeshivah.

{Matzav.com}

As the number of bnei yeshiva currently held in Israel’s military prison reportedly stands at 46, a former inmate has offered a firsthand account of daily life behind bars, describing an environment centered around tefillah and Torah learning and insisting that incarceration is “not scary at all.”

Speaking with Betzalel Kahn on Israel’s Kol Chai Radio, 24-year-old Shmaryahu Greineman, who was imprisoned in the military jail in recent months, shared details about the prison routine and conditions. He said that during his incarceration there were only six bnei yeshiva in the facility.

Greineman explained that inmates are divided among four different companies based on the length of their sentence and the nature of their offense. According to him, bnei yeshiva are generally assigned to Company A, which houses prisoners serving relatively short terms.

He said the spiritual center of prison life is the beis medrash and shul.

“It’s either being inside your cell or being in the shul,” he said.

Greineman noted that the prison provides a wide range of seforim, including Shas, Chumashim, Tanach, Mishnayos, and Mishnah Berurah. Prisoners are also permitted to bring books back to their cells during lockdown periods.

He added that inmates are given opportunities to daven three times each day and that military regulations require prison officials to accommodate regular davening times and the laying of tefillin.

“On Shabbos they give even more time, and the religious needs are respected,” he said.

Discussing contact with family members, Greineman explained that each inmate is allotted seven minutes of telephone time per day.

“After seven minutes, the call disconnects automatically,” he said.

He noted, however, that conversations with attorneys are not subject to any time limit and added that bnei yeshiva entering prison generally receive assistance and guidance from various organizations.

Asked whether imprisonment was frightening, Greineman answered without hesitation.

“Not at all.”

He added that the presence of other bnei yeshiva makes the experience significantly easier, allowing them to learn together throughout the day.

“If I were there today among the 46 bochurim, it would actually be much easier,” he said.

Greineman also described what he called a unique phenomenon within the prison, referring to it as a place “where people learn emunah.”

He said that many secular soldiers begin moving closer to Judaism during their time in prison.

“Suddenly, people with tattoos begin coming to the shul, putting on tefillin, keeping Shabbos, and listening to words of Torah,” he said, describing what he believes is a widespread and meaningful spiritual transformation experienced by many inmates.

President Trump on Friday sharply criticized Iran after acknowledging that the regime launched a drone attack against a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the strike a violation of the ceasefire established under the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump revealed that Iranian forces launched multiple attack drones at ships traveling through the strategic waterway.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran shot at least four One Way Attack Drones at Ships transversing the Strait of Hormuz,” the president wrote. “One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship. Damage was done, but the Ship was able to proceed on its way.”

Trump added that US forces intercepted the remaining drones before they could reach their targets.

“We knocked down three other Drones. Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,” he added.

The president’s remarks came a day after the attack, when the White House initially took a more measured approach, saying only, “We are aware of these reports and looking into them.”

The incident has raised fresh concerns about the stability of the already fragile ceasefire while complicating ongoing efforts to ensure the safe movement of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes.

Reaffirming the administration’s position, the White House stated, “President Trump has been clear that Iran cannot subvert the free flow of traffic in the strait.”

[Video below.] Maran Rav Dov Landau publicly declared Thursday night that street protests are not the proper path in response to the gezeiras hagiyus and the arrests of bnei yeshivah.

Rav Landau’s statement has stirred considerable discussion, coming only days after the large vehicle convoy protest that took place on highways throughout Eretz Yisroel.

The remarks were delivered during a gathering at Rav Landau’s home in Bnei Brak attended by dozens of roshei yeshivah from across the country.

The meeting had originally been convened to review the recent historic Keren Olam HaTorah fundraising mission to the United States, during which leading gedolei Torah sought support to help offset government cuts to yeshivah funding. During the gathering, however, Rav Landau shifted the focus to the growing trend of public demonstrations.

Referring to the recent protests, Rav Landau told the assembled roshei yeshivah, “All kinds of other protests that we did not hear about from our rabbeim in previous generations are not our way.”

He continued by expressing concern over the effect such demonstrations can have on the image of the chareidi community.

“Very often these protests cause serious damage to the chareidi public’s image. We must remember that the most important thing is dedication, toil, and immersion in Torah study. That is the greatest sanctification of Hashem’s Name, and there is no doubt that strengthening Torah study within the botei medrash is what will help counter these decrees and difficulties.”

Rav Landau also spoke about his recent trip to the United States and the ongoing dispute over government funding for yeshivos. He emphasized that Eretz Yisroel has become the world’s central hub of Torah learning and serves as the spiritual heartbeat of the entire Jewish world.

According to Rav Landau, supporters overseas recognize that any weakening of Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel would have consequences for Klal Yisroel worldwide. He said that this understanding has led philanthropists to generously support bnei Torah.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

The man accused of assassinating conservative commentator Charlie Kirk remains eligible for the death penalty after a Utah judge ruled Friday that, although prosecutors violated a court-imposed gag order, the misconduct did not justify removing capital punishment from the case.

Judge Tony Graf found prosecutor Christopher Ballard in civil contempt for making comments to members of the media about the case involving defendant Tyler Robinson. However, the judge declined the defense’s request to strike the death penalty as a sanction.

The dispute stemmed from a defense filing that suggested the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had concluded that the bullet fired from the weapon Robinson allegedly used did not match the projectile recovered from Kirk’s body.

According to Robinson’s attorneys, prosecutors should be penalized for responding publicly to that filing, arguing that their statements violated the court’s gag order.

The defense filing sparked widespread online speculation and conspiracy theories about the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s death.

Judge Graf acknowledged that Robinson’s legal team had effectively “initiated the media frenzy” by filing documents that prompted inaccurate reports suggesting ATF evidence cleared Robinson of responsibility for the killing.

While Graf concluded that Ballard did not improperly discuss the forensic evidence when responding to those reports, he ruled that the prosecutor crossed the line when he told certain media outlets that his office possessed sufficient evidence to secure Robinson’s conviction.

Even so, the judge determined that the defense’s request to eliminate the possibility of capital punishment was “disproportional” to Ballard’s actions and “legally prohibited.”

Instead, Graf ordered the prosecution to reimburse Robinson’s legal team for the attorney’s fees incurred while pursuing the contempt motion.

To safeguard Robinson’s right to a fair trial, Graf also announced additional measures for the jury selection process. The court will summon a larger pool of prospective jurors and expand the screening process by adding more written questionnaire items as well as additional in-court questioning designed to identify potential bias stemming from the prosecutor’s public remarks.

{Matzav.com}

Iran sharply escalated its rhetoric on Friday, warning that it will not tolerate what it described as threatening Israeli military activity in the region, while state media also claimed Iranian forces intercepted foreign tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz without authorization.

In a statement, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters alleged that Israeli military aircraft flying through the airspace of neighboring countries on missions toward Iran represent “a dangerous move and a threat against the Islamic Republic.”

The military command warned that if Washington fails to restrain Israel, Tehran reserves the right to respond.

“We announce that if the United States is unable to restrain and control the Zionist regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not tolerate any threat against it and considers itself entitled to respond to these dangerous actions.”

Separately, Iranian state television reported that three foreign oil tankers attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without obtaining authorization but were halted after receiving warnings from the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The report comes despite repeated statements by President Donald Trump asserting that the IRGC no longer possesses an operational navy.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that damage sustained by the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain during the recent conflict with Iran was significantly greater than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed.

According to the report, U.S. officials are now weighing the possibility of shifting some American military assets from bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to Israel in an effort to make them less vulnerable to potential Iranian attacks in the event of another regional conflict.

{Matzav.com}

A light sport aircraft crashed into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper on Friday, scattering wreckage from the 109-story tower and prompting an emergency evacuation as dramatic videos of the incident rapidly spread across social media.

According to CNN, the crash was particularly striking given Beijing’s strict security environment and tightly controlled airspace. Footage from the scene showed debris strewn around the base of the building, including the rear section of the aircraft.

A CNN reporter at the scene said the skyscraper was evacuated following the impact, with large numbers of occupants gathering outside the building on nearby streets as emergency crews responded.

Photos circulating online, including images showing the aircraft’s registration number, identified the plane as a Chinese-built Sunward SA60L Aurora light sport aircraft operated by a local aviation company.

Flight-tracking information published online by Flightradar24, though not independently verified, indicated that the aircraft veered significantly off its intended route before crashing into the building.

The incident also drew attention to Beijing’s stringent aviation restrictions. Reports noted that since May 1, residents of the Chinese capital have been prohibited from purchasing, renting, or operating drones within the city without prior government authorization.

{Matzav.com}

John Bolton, who served as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, pleaded guilty Friday to one federal charge of unlawfully retaining national defense information while serving in the White House, exposing the 77-year-old to a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Bolton, a longtime Republican foreign policy figure, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and outspoken Iran hawk, entered the guilty plea during a brief appearance in federal court outside Washington, D.C.

The plea resolves a criminal case that began after a federal grand jury indicted Bolton last October on 18 felony counts related to the alleged retention and transmission of classified material. Had he been convicted on all counts, Bolton faced the possibility of spending the remainder of his life behind bars. Federal agents searched both his Maryland residence and his Washington office on Aug. 22, 2025, as part of the investigation.

Authorities said the searches uncovered numerous sensitive government documents, including files concerning weapons of mass destruction, internal strategy discussions, classified travel memoranda, and materials related to the U.S. mission to the United Nations.

Prosecutors alleged that Bolton used email and various messaging applications to transmit documents classified up to the “top secret” level to individuals, exposing intelligence related to prospective U.S. military operations, foreign adversaries, and sensitive diplomatic matters.

Investigators also accused Bolton of sending more than 1,000 pages of personal diary-style notes and policy assessments through his private AOL email account to two people who allegedly lacked the necessary security clearances. Those recipients are widely believed to have been his wife and daughter.

According to investigators, that information was later compromised when Iranian-linked hackers breached Bolton’s AOL account in July 2021.

Bolton has remained a target of Iranian threats since the January 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

Friday’s guilty plea brought to a close an investigation that began during the closing months of President Trump’s first administration. According to FBI sources previously cited by The New York Post, the probe was later mysteriously “shelved” during the administration of President Joe Biden.

Separately, Bolton came under scrutiny in 2020 over his handling of classified information connected to his bestselling White House memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which chronicled his 17 months as national security adviser.

At the time, the Trump administration argued that publication of the manuscript could jeopardize national security. Bolton’s legal team maintained that the book was released only after a White House National Security Council official who had worked extensively with Bolton informed him that the manuscript no longer contained classified material.

Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, also argued that many of the documents seized during the August 2025 searches had previously been reviewed and cleared through the government’s pre-publication process for The Room Where It Happened. He further contended that many of the records were decades old and stemmed from Bolton’s lengthy career in public service.

The Chernobyler Rebbe has issued an emotional appeal to Klal Yisroel, urging Jews around the world to intensify their tefillos for the swift release of the body of R’ Akiva Rand z”l, the yungerman who was tragically killed in a devastating traffic accident in Moldova earlier this week.

Despite ongoing efforts by askanim in both Moldova and Eretz Yisroel, Moldovan authorities have not yet released the body, delaying plans to bring him to kevurah in Eretz Yisroel.

As previously reported, the fatal accident occurred Wednesday near Kishinev, Moldova, as a group of avreichim was traveling to the kever of the tzaddik Rav Yechiel of Krylovitz, zya, together with many Chernobyler chassidim. The pilgrimage had been organized in conjunction with the Chernobyler Rebbe, who ultimately did not make the trip.

R’ Akiva Rand, z”ל, one of the prominent Chernobyler chassidim in Yerushalayim, was killed in the horrific crash. Despite extensive efforts by numerous askanim, both locally in Moldova and in Israel, authorities have yet to authorize the release of his body for burial.

In response, the Chernobyler Rebbe instructed that all chassidim worldwide be asked to storm the heavens in davening on behalf of the departed, R’ Akiva ben yblch”t R’ Mordechai Dovid, beseeching Hashem that the body be released without further delay so that he may be brought to his final resting place in Eretz Hakodesh.

A Honduran illegal alien has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison after admitting his role in an $89 million payroll fraud operation that enabled illegal alien construction workers and their employers to evade payroll taxes and other legal requirements.

Announcing the sentence, Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald said the case exposed a far-reaching scheme that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars while facilitating the employment of illegal aliens.

“Today, we held an illegal alien from Honduras accountable for a brazen scheme that stole more than $38 million from American taxpayers to facilitate the employment of illegal aliens,” Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald said.

“This case exposes how unchecked illegal immigration fuels widespread payroll tax fraud and underground economies that harm American workers and taxpayers,” McDonald said. “This sentence sends a strong message: Those who exploit our open borders, cheat the U.S. Treasury, and violate federal laws will face justice.”

According to the Department of Justice, Mario Flores, an illegal alien from Honduras, conspired with others between 2015 and 2022 to establish a network of shell companies that operated an illegal check-cashing and cash courier business.

Federal prosecutors said the companies processed approximately $89 million in checks for construction subcontractors, charging fees for converting the checks into cash. Authorities said the arrangement allowed contractors and subcontractors to pay workers off the books, avoid withholding payroll taxes, and employ individuals without regard for whether they were legally authorized to work in the United States. Investigators also alleged that Flores caused false tax documents to be filed with the IRS to conceal the operation.

Prosecutors further said Flores and his associates defrauded workers’ compensation insurance carriers by leasing insurance certificates to contractors and providing insurers with false information, including inaccurate figures regarding the number of employees covered and the wages they received.

“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting the integrity of our financial system and enforcing our nation’s laws,” HSI’s John Condon said. “Those who orchestrate large-scale payroll tax fraud and facilitate the illegal employment of unauthorized workers will be held accountable.”

Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business.

Three of Flores’ co-conspirators—Iris Villafranca, Osman Zapata, and Francisco Alvarez—had already been sentenced in the case. Their prison terms ranged from four years to 17 years.

{Matzav.com}

The federal trial over the devastating January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires hit a major obstacle Thursday when jurors informed the court they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict after two days of deliberations.

The deadlocked jury notified U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang that it could not agree on whether Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, is guilty of the three federal arson charges he faces. Those charges include arson involving property used in interstate commerce, destruction of property by fire, and setting timber afire. Rather than declaring a mistrial, Hwang instructed the jurors to return Friday and continue their deliberations.

Defense attorney Steve Haney urged the judge to deliver an Allen charge, a special instruction encouraging jurors to continue discussing the case in an effort to reach a unanimous decision.

Federal prosecutors contend that Rinderknecht deliberately ignited the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Day. According to their theory, the blaze continued to smolder underground for nearly a week before reigniting as the catastrophic Palisades Fire six days later.

Rinderknecht has pleaded not guilty and insists he did not start the fire. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 45 years in federal prison. Prosecutors built their case around surveillance video, cellphone location data, and what they described as incriminating online activity, including ChatGPT searches asking whether a cigarette could ignite a wildfire. They argue the evidence places Rinderknecht at the fire’s point of origin shortly before smoke was first reported.

The government also called witnesses who testified about Rinderknecht’s actions before the fire and introduced recordings of interviews he gave to investigators.

Haney countered that prosecutors failed to produce any physical evidence connecting his client to the fire’s origin. He argued that the Lachman Fire and the later Palisades Fire were unrelated events and maintained that fireworks—not Rinderknecht—were responsible for igniting the blaze.

The defense further argued that Rinderknecht behaved like someone trying to help rather than someone attempting to conceal a crime. Attorneys pointed to the multiple 911 calls he made and emphasized that he remained at the scene instead of fleeing. They also presented a witness who testified that he heard an explosion near the area before observing four men leave the location.

Earlier in the week, Judge Hwang rejected the defense’s request to dismiss the case after prosecutors presented expert testimony supporting their claim that the Palisades Fire originated from the earlier Lachman Fire. The Palisades Fire ultimately claimed 12 lives and destroyed nearly 7,000 homes and other structures.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday unveiled a collection of internal Health and Human Services emails that he says show HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. intervening in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine policies and communications.

According to Sanders, the emails suggest Kennedy directed the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee to limit vaccine availability, authorized researchers to examine confidential information in an effort to support the disputed claim that vaccines cause autism, and altered federal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations without consulting the CDC.

Another set of emails indicates that Kennedy’s then-chief of staff, Matthew Buckham, contacted then-CDC Director Susan Monarez in August 2025, instructing that major agency actions undergo political oversight before being finalized.

The email stated there was a need for a “political review of major decisions at CDC … to ensure that [the Immediate Office of the Secretary] and the CDC political leadership all have eyes on the decisions for approval/changes before they go into effect.”

Sanders said Monarez was dismissed less than a week later after refusing to endorse recommendations issued by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

In a statement, Sanders called Monarez’s termination “outrageous,” arguing that she lost her position “for her commitment to public health and vaccines.” The Vermont senator urged Congress to conduct a bipartisan investigation into the firing and renewed his call for Kennedy to step down.

The emails also appear to show that Kennedy ordered the cancellation of federal influenza vaccine advertising campaigns. In one message, a CDC employee informed her supervisor that Andrew Nixon, HHS communications director, had instructed her to immediately halt all flu vaccine promotional efforts.

“He said this request came directly from the Secretary,” the staffer wrote. “I noted that these have been paid for and are in flight and he acknowledged and asked that we work right away on things that are on social/online, magazines, and then will eventually need to do items that may be on bus stops or benches (if it includes those type of things).”

A separate email from Nixon, which Sanders also released, reiterated that the directive “was a direct ask from Secretary Kennedy.”

Sanders said the emails were provided to the Senate committee by Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s former chief medical officer.

The senator, who serves as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has repeatedly urged Chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to hold hearings examining Kennedy’s statements about vaccines. Kennedy was a longtime vaccine skeptic before being nominated by President Trump to lead HHS, and Sanders has accused him of spreading misinformation while serving as secretary.

In an April letter to Cassidy, Sanders wrote, “The reality is that since Secretary Kennedy has been in office, he has continued his longstanding crusade against vaccines and his advocacy of conspiracy theories that vaccines cause autism — all of which have been repeatedly rejected by scientists,” Sanders wrote in his letter to Cassidy in April.

A federal judge has ordered Tesla CEO Elon Musk to give sworn testimony in two lawsuits accusing him and his political action committee of misleading voters in key battleground states through a high-profile $1 million giveaway ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower of the Western District of Texas ruled Thursday that Musk must appear for a deposition in a lawsuit filed by two Arizona women. The plaintiffs allege that America PAC fraudulently obtained voters’ personal information by promoting a contest that promised to award $1 million each day in the lead-up to Election Day.

The controversy stems from remarks Musk made during an October 2024 town hall event in Pennsylvania, where he announced that participants who signed America PAC’s petition could receive the cash prize.

“The only thing we ask for the million dollars is that you be a spokesperson for the petition,” Musk told a recipient he handpicked from the audience at the time.

According to Reuters, Judge Hightower said there remains a factual question over whether Musk acted recklessly by describing the prize selection as “random.” In her ruling, she cited testimony from America PAC director Christopher Young, who said during a February 2026 deposition that he had been “surprised” by Musk’s characterization of the giveaway.

The plaintiffs, Joy Harvick and Jacqueline McAferty, contend that Musk and America PAC deceived voters in seven battleground states by encouraging them to sign the petition under the impression that winners would be selected at random. They argue that the 19 recipients were instead chosen because, as one of Musk’s attorneys reportedly stated, they would serve as effective spokespeople for the organization.

Musk promoted similar giveaway campaigns in several other states, including Michigan. In October 2025, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed suit against Musk and America PAC, alleging the promotions amounted to “illegal lotteries.” Musk subsequently sought to have that case transferred to federal court.

Rick Hasen, a political science professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, said federal law draws a distinction between paying someone to sign a petition and paying someone in connection with voter registration.

“If all he was doing was paying people to sign the petition, that might be a waste of money. But there’s nothing illegal about it,” Hasen told the Associated Press in October 2024. “The problem is that the only people eligible to participate in this giveaway are the people who are registered to vote. And that makes it illegal.”

{Matzav.com}

New York City’s Rent Guidelines Board voted Thursday to adopt Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to freeze rents for approximately one million rent-stabilized apartments, handing the new mayor one of the most significant policy victories of his administration.

The independent board, whose members are appointed by the mayor, approved the measure by a 7-1 vote. The freeze applies to rent-stabilized units in buildings constructed before 1974, as well as certain properties that receive qualifying tax incentives.

Under the new policy, rents will remain unchanged beginning October 1 and continuing through September 30, 2027.

Rent freezes are not unprecedented in New York City. The board approved similar measures during the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio before later authorizing rent increases under Mayor Eric Adams.

Following Thursday’s vote at El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem, supporters celebrated outside the venue. According to The New York Times, activists marked the occasion with music and pizza, while Queen’s anthem “We Are the Champions” played in the background.

Mamdani hailed the decision as a major milestone in his effort to reduce housing costs across the city.

“I’ll continue working to deliver a more affordable city by building and preserving affordable housing, lowering building operating costs like insurance, and ensuring tenants know their rights,” he said.

Keeping rents frozen was a centerpiece of Mamdani’s mayoral campaign as he sought to address New York City’s escalating housing costs. Throughout the race, he repeatedly criticized Eric Adams for approving annual rent increases during his four years in office.

Research from the nonprofit newsroom Community Service Society found that rent-stabilized tenants experienced a cumulative increase of 12.6 percent during Adams’ tenure—exceeding the total rent hikes approved during Michael Bloomberg’s administration.

The rent freeze has also long been a signature priority of the Democratic Socialists of America, which has argued that preventing rent increases is essential to keeping working-class residents from being priced out of the city.

The board’s vote came just days after a series of candidates endorsed by Mamdani defeated incumbent Democrats in congressional primaries across New York.

Among the victors were Democratic socialist candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, both backed by Mamdani. Avila Chevalier’s victory drew particular attention after she unseated Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.). Former mayoral candidate Brad Lander, another Mamdani ally, also defeated Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) by a comfortable margin.

Despite those political successes, Mamdani continues to face resistance from several prominent Democratic leaders, particularly lawmakers who are strong supporters of Israel.

Speaking Wednesday on MS NOW, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries acknowledged the ideological divisions within the Democratic Party while urging members to unite after the primary season.

“I think for us as House Democrats, we’re just hopeful that everybody recognizes once we get through this primary season, that the enemy is Donald Trump and MAGA extremism,” Jeffries said on MS NOW.

{Matzav.com}

Iran sharply escalated its rhetoric against Israel on Thursday, with a senior military commander warning that Israeli forces must leave Lebanon immediately or face what he described as a humiliating military defeat.

The warning was delivered by Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, in remarks carried by Iranian state media.

“You must leave all of Lebanon,” Qaani said, adding, “This land is a field of steadfastness and resistance, not a playground for occupiers.”

He went on to warn that Israel’s opportunity to withdraw voluntarily is rapidly disappearing.

“If you do not withdraw of your own accord today, tomorrow you will be forced to flee in humiliation and defeat.”

The Quds Force serves as the primary arm of Iran’s efforts to direct and support allied militant organizations throughout the Middle East. Among its most significant partners is Hezbollah, which receives substantial Iranian funding, sophisticated missile and drone technology, as well as strategic guidance from Tehran. Iran considers the Lebanese terrorist organization a central component of its regional deterrence against Israel.

Qaani’s remarks came as Iran continues to press its demands during ongoing diplomatic negotiations with the United States aimed at bringing the conflict to a permanent end.

After Washington and Tehran recently drafted an interim Memorandum of Understanding, Iranian officials insisted that any final ceasefire arrangement must include a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Israeli leaders, however, have resisted that demand, maintaining that a security zone in southern Lebanon remains essential to protect northern Israeli communities.

Qaani assumed command of the Quds Force in 2020 after his predecessor, Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport.

Last June, reports circulated claiming that Qaani had been killed by Israel during Operation Rising Lion inside Iran.

Those reports were later contradicted when Iran’s Tasnim news agency released video footage showing Qaani attending a public celebration in Tehran marking what the Iranian regime described as its “victory” over Israel.

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