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On November 8, 2025, The Blaze unleashed what it called a bombshell revelation: that the elusive January 6 pipe bomber had finally been identified as Shauni Rae Kerkhoff, a onetime Capitol Police officer now employed by the CIA. The report raced through right-wing media outlets and online forums, igniting a storm of speculation about a supposed deep-state conspiracy. But before long, even The Blaze itself conceded that the claim does not withstand serious examination.

The central thrust of the article relied on a forensic technique known as gait analysis, which studies a person’s walking patterns. The outlet claimed that an algorithm produced a “94%-98% match” between Kerkhoff and the suspect seen in surveillance footage, supported, it said, by “intelligence sources.” Yet the crucial ingredient—official confirmation—was entirely absent. The FBI, Department of Justice, and Capitol Police declined to comment, and Department of Justice special attorney Ed Martin flatly stated that the agency “has not identified Kerkhoff as the suspect.” That statement, coming from the only office empowered to prosecute the case, directly undercuts the premise of The Blaze’s entire investigation.

Without government validation, the story’s credibility collapses. The Blaze framed its findings as if multiple federal sources had confirmed the match, but Martin’s denial contradicts that portrayal completely. If the DOJ, after years of investigation, says it has not identified the suspect, what does that say about the reliability of a news outlet’s “algorithmic match”?

Adding to the uncertainty is the scientific method at the heart of the claim. Gait analysis, while occasionally used as supporting evidence, is far from conclusive. The American Bar Association itself warns that it “can be compelling, corroborating evidence” only when paired with other proof. The Blaze’s story, however, relies entirely on this single form of analysis. The report even suggests that the FBI might have tampered with the footage—reducing frame rates—while simultaneously asserting that the compromised video still produced a near-perfect match. If the footage was manipulated, how can the result be trusted?

Then there’s the matter of anonymity. The Blaze never identified the gait analyst responsible for the alleged match. Readers were offered no credentials, no peer-reviewed study, and no details of how the conclusion was reached. Instead, the publication leaned on unnamed “intelligence sources” who supposedly agreed with the result. No names. No expertise. No accountability.

What happened next followed a familiar pattern. The moment the story appeared, right-wing commentators and influencers broadcast it as established fact. Within hours, social platforms were awash in claims that the “FBI/CIA coup” had finally been exposed. Other outlets in the same ideological sphere echoed the allegation without vetting it, skipping the caveats and skepticism that responsible reporting demands. Even after Ed Martin’s statement directly refuting the premise, the denial barely registered. The narrative had already taken on a life of its own.

There’s an important distinction to make: the pipe bomber case truly remains unsolved. The lack of progress after nearly five years and a $500,000 reward is troubling and deserves accountability. Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the FBI’s slow pace. But legitimate frustration doesn’t justify embracing sensational, unverified claims. The public deserves facts, not stories tailored to confirm political suspicion.

The Blaze’s theory fits too neatly into a pre-written script: that January 6 was a “false flag” engineered by federal agencies to entrap Trump supporters. To those already inclined to see the day that way, the Kerkhoff allegation was irresistible validation. Yet for anyone demanding verifiable evidence, the story raises far more questions than it answers.

Here’s what can be said definitively: the FBI has not identified the suspect. The DOJ has not confirmed any link between Kerkhoff and the bomber. Ed Martin explicitly denied that his office had made such an identification. And the so-called gait analysis that fueled the story has not undergone independent review or verification. Everything else—claims of a cover-up, of CIA involvement, of a grand internal conspiracy—rests on anonymous sourcing and uncorroborated forensics.

Accusing someone by name of a federal crime as serious as the January 6 bombing demands extraordinary proof. Anonymous insiders and speculative video analysis are not enough. Credible journalism requires corroboration, transparency, and confirmation from official channels. None of that exists here. Instead, we have a viral story crafted to fit a familiar political template—one that thrives on outrage more than accuracy.

The unanswered questions about the pipe bomber deserve real answers. The FBI should indeed be more forthcoming about its investigation. But progress won’t come from amplifying shaky evidence or fueling partisan suspicion. It will come from rigorous reporting and verified facts. Until genuine proof emerges, the Kerkhoff theory remains exactly what it appears to be: an unsubstantiated claim, discredited by the very officials who would be responsible for confirming it.

{Matzav.com}

Federal and local law enforcement are on the hunt for a gunman who opened fire at Border Patrol agents during an operation on Chicago’s Southwest Side today, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Authorities said the shooter, driving a black Jeep, fired multiple rounds near 26th Street and Kedzie Avenue while agents were conducting immigration enforcement in the area. “The shooter and vehicle remain at large, and this is a dynamic situation,” DHS posted on X.

During the same confrontation, agitators pelted agency vehicles with a paint can and bricks, further endangering the agents on scene. Chicago police officers later cleared the area, and no injuries were reported.

“This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of violence and obstruction,” the Department of Homeland Security warned. The agency added, “Over the past two months, we’ve seen an increase in assaults and obstruction targeting federal law enforcement during operations. These confrontations highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalating aggression toward law enforcement. The violence must end.”

The attack marks the latest in a string of violent encounters between federal agents and agitators in Chicago. In early October, Border Patrol agents shot a woman identified as Marimar Martinez after a group attempted to attack the officers. Martinez was accused by the FBI of recklessly driving toward an agent’s vehicle, running red lights, and swerving dangerously close to the officers. She pleaded not guilty, and the case remains ongoing.

Just ten days later, on October 14, two Venezuelan nationals, Yonder Enrique Tenefe-Perez and Luis Gerardo Pirela-Ramirez, allegedly rammed their car into a Border Patrol SUV during another enforcement operation. The collision triggered a chaotic scene as protesters hurled objects at federal agents. Both men were quickly taken into custody following the violent episode.

{Matzav.com}

Air travel across the United States faced major turbulence today as more than a thousand flights were canceled after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a reduction in air traffic because of widespread controller shortages brought on by the government shutdown, according to data from FlightAware.

Despite the sweeping cancellations, officials said the slowdown at roughly 40 of the nation’s busiest airports hadn’t yet spiraled into chaos. Still, the ongoing disruptions underscored the growing strain of what has become the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history.

Passengers found themselves stranded or rerouted as airports struggled to keep up. “We all travel. We all have somewhere to be,” said Emmy Holguin, 36, who was preparing to fly from Miami to the Dominican Republic to visit her family. “I’m hoping that the government can take care of this.”

Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina saw the most cancellations, with 120 arrivals and departures scrapped by midday — an unusual blow for what is normally a quiet travel day. Other major hubs including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and Orlando also saw mounting delays and cancellations.

Airports in Charlotte and Newark reported particularly severe slowdowns due to limited staffing, as the FAA continued grappling with the fallout from a workforce stretched thin by the shutdown’s escalating impact.

{Matzav.com}

The Supreme Court has stepped to pause a lower court’s directive that required the Trump administration to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for November. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued the temporary stay, saying the order will remain in effect until the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals renders its decision. As the justice responsible for emergency applications from that circuit, Jackson acted alone and did not refer the issue to the full Court.

The administration’s emergency appeal to the Supreme Court came only hours after the 1st Circuit had denied its request for a temporary pause of a Rhode Island judge’s ruling mandating full SNAP funding. The Justice Department, facing an end-of-day deadline to allocate billions in benefits, asked the high court to intervene immediately.

In its appeal, Solicitor General John Sauer warned of the severe consequences if the lower court order stood. “Given the imminent, irreparable harms posed by these orders, which require the government to transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight, the Solicitor General respectfully requests an immediate administrative stay of the orders pending the resolution of this application by no later than 9:30pm this evening,” he wrote.

The case revolves around whether a federal judge can compel the administration to use $4 billion from Section 32 of the 1935 Agricultural Adjustment Act Amendment to fund the month’s SNAP payments. Administration officials argued the money was already earmarked for child nutrition programs known as WIC, saying they could not redirect it without jeopardizing that program.

Attorney General Pam Bondi sharply criticized the appeals court’s refusal to issue a stay, calling it “Judicial activism at its worst.” She added, “A single district court in Rhode Island should not be able to seize center stage in the shutdown, seek to upend political negotiations that could produce swift political solutions for SNAP and other programs, and dictate its own preferences for how scarce federal funds should be spent.”

The Trump administration maintained that diverting funds from WIC to SNAP would have devastating consequences, arguing that such actions would create chaos across government budgets. “Indeed, if every beneficiary of a mandatory spending program could run to court and force the agency to transfer funds from elsewhere, the result would be an unworkable and conflicting plethora of injunctions that reduce the federal fisc to a giant shell game,” the government warned.

But the coalition of local governments and nonprofits that brought the lawsuit accused the administration of exaggerating its hardship. “Defendants’ bald assertion that they will face irreparable injury is entirely unsupported, and they callously disregard the grave harm that will befall Plaintiffs and millions of Americans if they succeed,” they wrote. They insisted that the government’s $23 billion in remaining funds was sufficient to pay for both WIC and SNAP, estimating monthly costs of $3 billion and $8.5 billion, respectively.

Even as the legal wrangling continued, multiple states pressed forward with distributing benefits. At least nine states—including California, Wisconsin, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and New York—reported Friday that they had already begun or completed issuing November SNAP payments. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she instructed agencies to release full benefits, while New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared his state “acted immediately” to process them. Vermont’s treasurer, Mike Pieciak, said his state also completed full disbursements.

Kansas reported sending out over $31.6 million in benefits to more than 86,000 households, and Wisconsin confirmed $104.4 million had reached over 337,000 households. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, informed states that it was “working toward paying full November SNAP benefits,” and later told them in writing that “later today, FNS will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor.”

Behind the courtroom tension was a sharp exchange between U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. and administration lawyers. During Thursday’s hearing, McConnell accused the government of “withholding SNAP benefits for political reasons.” He had previously ordered the administration to use emergency funds to cover the November 1 payments, but officials chose to fund the program only in part, citing the need to conserve resources for WIC.

McConnell, in a strongly worded ruling Thursday, demanded the Trump administration provide full funding by Friday and chastised President Donald Trump for comments suggesting he would not comply until the government reopened. He wrote that the President’s statement reflected “his intent to defy” the order. The administration countered in a later filing that Trump was “just stating a fact,” explaining, “The district court also accused the President of bad faith for declaring that full SNAP benefits would not resume until the government reopens. But that was just stating a fact—the appropriation has lapsed, and it is up to Congress to solve this crisis.”

The government has urged the appeals court to allow partial funding to continue while preserving funds for other safety net programs. Judge McConnell rejected a government request to pause his ruling, writing, “The request for a stay of this decision, either a stay or an administration stay, is denied. People have gone without for too long. Not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable.”

As the shutdown dragged on, McConnell’s rebuke captured the urgency of the moment: “People have gone without for too long, not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable.”

{Matzav.com}

As Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prepares to arrive at the White House in ten days, a high-ranking Saudi royal has revealed that normalization with Israel is not officially on the agenda — but Washington is expected to use the meeting to quietly pave the way for renewed engagement.

In an interview with Kan News, the Saudi insider explained that the U.S. intends to leverage the visit to restart diplomatic channels between Riyadh and Israel, similar to those that existed before the October 7 massacre. “The goal is to thaw the ice between the countries,” he said, noting that the American effort is designed to bridge the divide deepened by the Gaza war and encourage gradual rapprochement.

Despite that push, the Saudi source was clear that the kingdom’s stance has not shifted. Riyadh, he said, remains steadfast in its demand that any progress toward normalization must hinge on tangible movement toward a two-state solution. “In our view, that’s what will ensure that wars like this one don’t happen every five years,” the source told Kan News, stressing that Saudi Arabia considers the creation of an independent Palestinian state to be essential for lasting regional stability.

According to the report, bin Salman’s discussions with President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials are expected to focus on regional security, economic cooperation, and the broader question of expanding Arab engagement with Israel — a process the Saudi leadership has approached with heightened caution since the Gaza conflict began.

{Matzav.com}

Trump tells Senate Republicans to send federal health insurance money ‘directly to the people’ • President Trump proposed a compromise on health insurance payments, in a Truth Social post made Saturday morning. • Trump called on Republicans to send federal payments that would go to insurers under the Affordable Care Act directly to Americans. • […]

WATCH: Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the Democrats’ plan to reopen the government is a “non-starter.”

Early this morning, Israeli authorities informed the family of Lior Rudaeff that his body had finally been brought back to Israel. The news came after forensic experts completed the identification process, confirming that the remains transferred by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad late Friday night were indeed those of the beloved Nir Yitzchak defender.

Rudaeff, 61, was killed on the morning of October 7, 2023, while heroically defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak from a brutal onslaught by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists. His body was then seized and taken to Gaza by the attackers. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Lior left behind his wife, Yaffa; their children, Noam, Nadav, Bar, and Ben; grandchildren; his father, Giora; and siblings, Idit and Doron.

In recognition of his bravery during the Hamas-led massacre, Rudaeff was posthumously elevated to the rank of warrant officer in the reserves, as were other members of Israel’s civil defense squads who gave their lives in defense of their communities that day.

“The Israeli government shares in the deep sorrow of the Rudaeff family and of all the families of the fallen hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. The statement further declared that Israel is “determined, committed and working tirelessly” to bring home the remaining five bodies of slain hostages still being held in Gaza, and stressed that Hamas is “required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement.”

On Friday night, Hamas and Islamic Jihad handed Rudaeff’s remains to the Red Cross, which then delivered them to Israeli soldiers operating in Gaza. Following an inspection and a brief ceremony led by a military rabbi, the casket, draped in an Israeli flag, was escorted to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for official identification. Neither terror organization disclosed whose remains had been returned at the time of transfer.

Rudaeff became the 23rd hostage to be returned deceased since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, which paused the fighting that began after Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 invasion that left 1,200 Israelis murdered and 251 taken hostage. When the truce began, Hamas was still holding 48 captives—20 alive and 28 dead—and was obligated to return all within 72 hours. Though the surviving hostages have since been released, Israel continues to accuse Hamas of deliberately delaying the repatriation of the remaining bodies.

In line with the exchange agreement, following the identification of Rudaeff’s body, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital officials in Khan Younis.

On that fateful morning two years ago, Rudaeff was preparing to go on a motorcycle ride to the Ramon Crater when he received an urgent call summoning him to join the kibbutz’s emergency squad. Without hesitation, he geared up and took his position with fellow civil defense members at the entrance of Nir Yitzchak. When terrorists breached the fence, Rudaeff opened fire, preventing further infiltration. Witnesses said he also thwarted an attempt by terrorists to seize the body of a fallen comrade.

In the chaos of battle, Rudaeff radioed that he had been wounded and sent a final message of love to his wife and children. After that, all contact was lost. His death was officially confirmed by the IDF in May 2024.

“After 763 days of nightmare, he came home,” wrote his daughter, Noam, on social media, sharing a photo of her father. “Now you are home, now you are here.” She added, “Thank you to all the good people who stood with us in our uncompromising and humane fight to return him and all the hostages home.”

The Hostage Families Forum issued a statement mourning alongside the Rudaeffs: “The families of the hostages and the returned are embracing the family of Lior Rudaeff at this time, as their beloved Lior of blessed memory was returned to Israel today for proper burial.” The forum added, “Alongside the grief and the understanding that their hearts will never be whole, Lior’s return provides some measure of comfort to a family that has lived with agonizing uncertainty and doubt for over two years. We will not rest until the last hostage is brought home.”

Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak expressed deep sorrow at the closing of this painful chapter, emphasizing how Rudaeff’s bravery saved countless lives that day. “Exactly two years and a month ago, he left his home for the last time to protect his family and the place that had been his home all his life. Thanks to his courage and resourcefulness, a greater disaster was averted – but he paid for it with his life,” the kibbutz wrote. “Lior was a man of the land, family and community. A volunteer, neighbor and true friend who was always there for everyone. The entire Nir Yitzchak community grieves Lior’s passing and lovingly embraces his beautiful wife, his children, his grandchildren and all the family members at this difficult and heartbreaking moment of closing a circle.”

Born in Argentina, Lior was the middle of three children. He immigrated to Israel with his family on his seventh birthday and grew up in Nir Yitzchak, just miles from the Gaza border. He attended local schools and Ma’ale Habesor High School before serving in the IDF’s anti-aircraft unit. After marrying Yaffa in 1985, the couple built their life together in the kibbutz, where they raised their family and later welcomed grandchildren.

Throughout his life, Rudaeff was known for his energy and work ethic. From age 12, he could be found repairing vehicles in the kibbutz workshop. Over time, he earned licenses to operate nearly every kind of vehicle and shared his knowledge by teaching young kibbutz members to drive tractors and forklifts. For nearly two decades, he worked as a traffic safety officer for a transport company. He also dedicated four decades to the kibbutz security team and volunteered as a Magen David Adom ambulance driver for about 25 years.

{Matzav.com}

Despite reports from Hamas claiming to have found the body of IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin in Rafah, there remains no clarity regarding whether, or when, the terror group plans to hand over his remains to Israel. The statement, aired through Al Jazeera, ignited both hope and confusion, as Israeli officials initially anticipated that the transfer might occur Saturday night—but the militant group has since gone silent.

In an apparent act of psychological manipulation, Hamas earlier released footage through Al Jazeera purporting to show its operatives at a tunnel entrance alongside Red Cross representatives. The video depicted them extracting a bag seemingly containing a body, to which they attached a label reading “Hadar Golden” in Hebrew, English, and Arabic before removing it from the site.

As speculation grew, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir personally visited the Goldin family at their home Saturday night to brief them on the situation and share the information available to the army.

“The Chief of Staff met this evening with the Goldin family and updated them on the details known to the IDF at this time. This meeting comes in the context of the close relationship the Chief of Staff has maintained with the family over many years. The Chief of Staff reaffirmed his personal commitment and the IDF’s commitment to bringing Hadar and all fallen hostages home, and emphasized the importance of restraint during these sensitive moments, until his return and the completion of all necessary checks and verifications are completed,” the IDF said in an official statement.

The Goldin family, in turn, expressed both hope and resolve in their public message. “An entire nation is waiting for Hadar to be returned to us. This is a mission that must and can be accomplished, for all of us. The IDF Chief of Staff came after the conclusion of Shabbat to update us on the tremendous efforts underway to secure the release of the hostages, and we salute everyone involved in this national mission. We are awaiting official confirmation that Hadar has returned to Israel. In this country, we never give up on anyone, ever. We ask everyone to remain calm. Until it is final, it is not over.”

For now, uncertainty lingers as Israel continues to verify Hamas’s claim. The long-awaited return of Lt. Goldin—whose body has been held in Gaza since Operation Protective Edge in 2014—remains an unfinished chapter in the painful story of Israel’s missing soldiers.

{Matzav.com}

Trump pardons New York baseball star Darryl Strawberry for tax evasion conviction • President Donald Trump pardoned Major League Baseball legend Darryl Strawberry, who had pleaded guilty to tax evasion three decades earlier, the White House said Friday. • Strawberry, now 63, is an eight-time MLB All-Star who helped take the New York Mets and […]

UPS and FedEx grounded their MD-11 cargo planes after a deadly crash in Louisville left over a dozen people dead

FAA-mandated flight cancellations to worsen next week if shutdown continues • Trump administration officials ordered commercial airlines to cut hundreds of flights, citing strains on air traffic control during the government shutdown. • Air traffic controllers are set to miss their second full paycheck next week because of the shutdown. • Flight cuts could ramp […]

MAMDANI: “This is the first event I’ve done since I won the election last Tuesday” CROWD: “Allah Akbar”

A Hamas source told Al Jazeera on Shabbos that they located the remains of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, H’yd in a tunnel in Rafah. Hours before the Al Jazeera report, Palestinian outlets reported that the Red Cross and Hamas entered Rafah’s Al-Janina neighborhood, where about 200 terrorists are currently trapped in tunnels in an area […]

Airlines cancel more than 700 U.S. flights as FAA-ordered shutdown cuts begin • U.S. airlines canceled hundreds of flights on Friday, hours after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered the cuts amid the government shutdown. • The reduction hit 40 airports, including some of the nation’s largest ones. • The Department of Transportation warned cancellations could […]

Supreme Court pauses order that Trump administration must pay full SNAP benefits • The Supreme Court temporarily paused a federal judge’s order that the Trump administration must pay full SNAP benefits to 42 million Americans for November by the end of the day. • The move came hours after the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of […]

HY’D: The remains returned to Israel on Friday by the Islamic Jihad and Hamas terror groups were identified as belonging to Lior Rudaeff, H’yd, following forensic examinations. Rudaeff was killed battling Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists at Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak during the October 7 massacre, and his body was abducted to Gaza. Rudaeff, a member of […]

UPS and FedEx said they are grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes “out of an abundance of caution” following a deadly crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Kentucky. The crash Tuesday at UPS Worldport in Louisville killed 14 people, including the three pilots on the MD-11 that was headed for Honolulu. […]

U.S. airlines again canceled more than 1,000 flights on Saturday, the second day of the Federal Aviation Administration’s mandate to reduce air traffic because of the government shutdown. So far, the slowdown at many of the nation’s busiest airports hasn’t caused widespread disruptions. But it has deepened the impact felt by the nation’s longest federal […]

Story If you have upcoming travel plans anytime soon, you might notice fewer options on the airport’s departure board. Airlines are scaling back flights at dozens of major U.S. airports to ease the pressure on air traffic controllers, who have been working unpaid and under intense strain during the ongoing government shutdown. The Federal Aviation […]