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When the NBA Finals come back to New York for the first time in nearly three decades, President Trump is expected to be among the spectators inside Madison Square Garden.

Sources told The Post that Trump is planning to attend Game 3 of the championship series between the Knicks and Spurs on June 8. While the visit is expected to take place, officials noted that schedules can always change.

In preparation for the possible presidential appearance, Madison Square Garden has already conducted security inspections and planning exercises, according to sources familiar with the arrangements.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also expected to be in attendance for Game 3. However, sources indicated that the mayor and the president are not expected to sit together during the game.

Trump had previously stated that he intended to attend one of the Finals games held in New York. Game 3 is scheduled for June 8, followed by Game 4 on June 10 and, if necessary, Game 6 on June 16.

The president had originally hoped to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Those plans became unnecessary after the Knicks clinched their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 by eliminating the Cavaliers in a four-game sweep.

“I was invited to. I was going to go on Wednesday [Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals], but they closed it out very quickly. They’re great, and Jim Dolan’s a great guy — he’s, as you know, owns and in charge of Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year,” Trump told The Post’s Emily Goodin on May 27.

Trump also praised the Knicks’ remarkable postseason run and said he was eager to see the team play on basketball’s biggest stage.

“Boy, what a team! They win all their games. They really have some great players. I think I’ll be going to one of the games, yeah. I was invited by numerous people, and Jim, and I think it’s great. Great to see it. The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years and they’re doing right now very well.”

Trump has become a regular presence at major sporting events during his presidency. Among the high-profile contests he has attended were the Eagles’ victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl 2025 in New Orleans and the men’s championship match at the 2025 U.S. Open in Queens.

A group accused of orchestrating a sophisticated cargo theft operation that netted roughly $4.5 million in cigarettes, meat, cheese, copper, and other products was taken down Wednesday, according to authorities who say the suspects carried out a series of warehouse thefts across the Northeast using fraud rather than force.

Investigators allege that Murodullo “Murad” Khasanov headed the operation, which relied on cyber intrusions, forged shipping documents, and false identities to gain access to valuable cargo shipments. Rather than carrying out traditional armed robberies, the suspects allegedly tricked warehouse personnel into releasing merchandise by posing as legitimate trucking companies.

Authorities say the group enjoyed the proceeds of the scheme while living in upscale apartments overlooking the ocean in Brooklyn neighborhoods such as Brighton Beach and Coney Island. They allegedly spent lavishly on luxury vehicles and flaunted large amounts of cash at local nightspots.

“These guys acted like they watched every mob movie ever made and emulated American gangsters – the Hollywood version,” one law enforcement source said. “The great American dream, Cosa Nostra style.”

Khasanov was arrested during a pre-dawn raid at his apartment on Surf Avenue, according to law enforcement sources. Investigators reportedly seized computers, mobile phones, and boxes of records from the residence, which overlooks the Coney Island boardwalk.

Authorities also arrested two additional suspects as part of the operation. The arrests stem from a wide-ranging indictment filed in Manhattan that names eight alleged participants in the scheme.

Prosecutors said the three defendants taken into custody will face charges that include first-degree grand larceny and conspiracy. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the Port Authority Police Department, and the NYPD.

According to court filings, the theft ring carried out at least six separate cargo thefts between October 2025 and April.

Investigators allege the group stole approximately $165,000 worth of lamb, $266,000 in copper, $295,000 in beef, $432,000 in cheese, and an estimated $3.3 million worth of cigarettes.

One law enforcement source claimed that Khasanov and his associates entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration and do not speak English.

“These guys can’t speak English. Who knows how they got their [commercial driving] license, but they are right out of central casting,” the source said.

Court records allege that the crew worked alongside an unnamed organized crime group that helped penetrate the commercial shipping industry by masquerading as legitimate freight carriers and securing shipping contracts under false pretenses.

According to prosecutors, members of the criminal organization obtained shipment information through fraudulent means, while Khasanov allegedly supplied drivers with forged paperwork necessary to claim the cargo.

Authorities contend that the drivers traveled to pickup locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, where they posed as authorized transport companies before taking possession of the shipments.

The stolen merchandise was then allegedly transported to New York City and sold through underground channels, generating substantial profits for the group.

Investigators say they assembled a significant body of evidence linking the defendants to the thefts, including WhatsApp communications, shipping records, photographs, and other documentation.

Among the evidence cited in court papers are photographs that allegedly show Khasanov loading stolen lamb into a Range Rover, arranging the sale of stolen copper at a Brooklyn scrap facility, and standing outside a warehouse containing stolen cigarettes.

Authorities are now examining whether the Brooklyn-based operation may have ties to a larger nationwide network involved in similar cargo theft schemes, according to law enforcement sources.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and other officials were expected to provide additional details about the investigation during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

Khasanov and his co-defendants were also scheduled to appear in Manhattan Supreme Court later in the day. Court records did not immediately indicate who would be representing the defendants.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Bernie Sanders is preparing legislation that would require some of America’s largest artificial intelligence firms to hand over 50% ownership to the federal government, with the value placed into a national investment fund designed to provide financial benefits directly to Americans.

The Vermont senator has named the proposal the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act. Under the plan, companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI would be required to transfer a substantial portion of their equity into a government-controlled fund, with future proceeds used for public benefit programs and direct payments to citizens.

Rather than imposing a conventional tax, Sanders is proposing a one-time transfer of company stock. The affected firms would surrender half of their outstanding shares, making the federal government a major owner in each company.

Under the legislation, Washington would gain significant influence over the companies’ operations. In addition to ownership rights, the government would receive voting power and board representation.

The federal government would then receive voting rights and “an equal representation on each company’s board,” which Sanders said would allow it to “block decisions that hurt our citizens and to push for policies that help them.”

Sanders argued that the extraordinary wealth being generated by artificial intelligence should be shared more broadly because the technology itself was developed using knowledge and content created by society as a whole.

“Since AI is built on the collective knowledge of humanity, the wealth it generates must benefit humanity,” he said in a video posted to X, naming Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Ellison as beneficiaries of what he called a wealth-extracting machine.

“The time has come to reclaim what was stolen from us.”

The senator portrayed the debate over artificial intelligence as a defining choice about who will shape and profit from the technology’s future.

“The question is not whether AI will change the world. It will,” Sanders said. “The question is, who will own and control that future?”

According to Sanders, the proposed fund could eventually accumulate enormous resources that could be used to support a variety of social programs.

The fund’s proceeds, which Sanders said could reach “billions, if not trillions,” would finance direct cash payments and help guarantee healthcare, education, and housing “as human rights.”

To support his argument, Sanders pointed to existing sovereign wealth funds around the world that use public assets to generate long-term returns for citizens.

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, financed by oil revenues, now manages assets exceeding $2 trillion. Alaska has also distributed annual payments to residents for decades through a state fund supported by energy revenues.

The proposal comes as President Trump has already instructed federal officials to explore the creation of a national sovereign wealth fund through an executive order.

Sanders also noted that some major AI firms have floated similar concepts. He pointed to OpenAI’s discussion of a “public wealth fund” and Anthropic’s support for sovereign wealth fund structures tied to artificial intelligence investments.

Despite the attention the proposal is likely to generate, its path through Congress appears difficult. Democrats remain in the minority in both the House and Senate, and Sanders has recently struggled to attract support for other AI-related legislation.

His Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, introduced earlier this year, has yet to gain any Senate cosponsors.

Sanders acknowledged that implementing government ownership in companies whose AI divisions represent only part of their overall business operations would present challenges. He said additional details regarding governance, spending priorities, and implementation would be outlined when the legislation is formally introduced.

Industry observers noted that the proposal could have an immediate impact beyond Capitol Hill. OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI are currently pursuing major fundraising efforts, and analysts said public calls from a sitting U.S. senator to transfer half of their ownership to the government could create uncertainty among investors.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said he believes a face-to-face meeting with Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei could eventually take place, signaling optimism about ongoing diplomatic contacts despite the continuing conflict and the slow pace of negotiations.

During an appearance on Miranda Devine’s “Pod Force One” podcast, released Wednesday, Trump said Khamenei continues to play a central role in Iran’s decision-making process, even though he has remained out of public view since the war erupted on Feb. 28 following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was reportedly wounded during those attacks. Reports have also claimed that the strikes killed his father, Ali Khamenei, who had served as Iran’s supreme leader, along with other members of the family.

“He’s involved, absolutely,” Trump said. “Yeah, I think they have a lot of respect for him.”

Trump explained that Khamenei’s absence from public appearances has added complications to diplomatic efforts, requiring messages to be passed indirectly through intermediaries rather than through direct contact.

“I haven’t had the privilege of meeting him … If you believe the stories, he’s missing a lot of different parts,” Trump told Devine.

Even so, the president indicated that discussions between the two sides have continued to move forward and suggested that communication channels remain effective.

“They say he is giving approval because that’s the way it has been for a long, long time,” Trump said. “His father and then him, I guess it’s a succession. But we seem to be getting along quite well.”

When asked whether he would welcome a personal meeting with the Iranian leader, Trump responded positively and left open the possibility that such a meeting could occur in the future.

“Yeah, I’d like to meet him. I’d love to meet everybody. I would like to meet him, and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.”

Trump has long favored direct diplomacy with foreign leaders, including figures regarded as hostile to the United States, arguing that personal engagement can help reduce tensions and advance negotiations.

During his first term in office, he held three meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in an effort to address concerns over North Korea’s nuclear program. He also pursued plans to bring Taliban leaders to Camp David for peace talks, although that initiative was ultimately canceled.

The president’s latest remarks mark a notable change in tone from comments he made earlier about Mojtaba Khamenei. In the past, Trump criticized him sharply, referring to the Iranian leader as a “lightweight” and an “unacceptable” choice to lead Iran.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Ben Tzion Mutzapi, one of the leading Sephardic gedolei Torah, has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Israel’s draft law, the status of bnei yeshivah, and the arrests of Torah students, declaring that efforts to weaken Torah learning will ultimately fail.

In a letter sent to avreichim learning in a kollel in Ofakim, Rav Mutzapi sharply criticized those he believes are targeting the Torah world and expressed confidence that the Torah community will remain steadfast despite mounting pressures.

“My beloved friends, for 70 years the Erev Rav have exerted all their strength and burst with anger when they see Torah-observant Jews sitting and learning Torah. They do not need us in the army at all because they have additional soldiers and even surpluses.”

The senior posek argued that opponents of Torah study have repeatedly attempted to curtail the growth of the Torah world through a variety of measures, yet have consistently failed to achieve their goals.

“What have they not done? Four times every year, corresponding to the seasons of the year, through various regulations, difficulties, decrees, sanctions, temptations, threats, and incitement against Torah learners—and they have accomplished nothing.”

Rav Mutzapi went on to cite promises from Tanach, emphasizing that the Jewish people have been assured that Torah will never be forgotten or abandoned.

“Hashem promised us through Moshe, His faithful servant, ‘For it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of his descendants,’” he wrote. “And through Shmuel Hanovi, ‘For Hashem will not forsake His people, nor abandon His inheritance.’”

Rav Mutzapi stressed that those seeking to diminish Torah observance would not succeed and accused them of attempting to uproot Torah through cultural and social influences.

“They will not overcome us, they will not subdue us, because their goal is to cause Torah to be forgotten. All of the entertainment programs, the permissiveness disguised as freedom, the parades of donkeys, only add to their shame and disgrace.”

Concluding his message, Rav Mutzapi urged Torah students to remain committed to their learning and to draw strength from Hashem’s enduring love for His people.

“We will not abandon the Torah, and it will never abandon us. Remember, my friend, that every night we bless, ‘And Your love shall never depart from us forever.’ Hashem declares, ‘I love you.’”

Rabbi Dovid Boaron, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Kibbutz Givat Ze’ev, says one of his talmidim is still struggling to recover after spending five days in military detention following his arrest as a draft evader.

Speaking in an interview with Kol Chai, Rabbi Boaron recounted the recent arrest of Reuven Lamenatzeach, a student at the yeshiva who was detained while returning from a family event.

According to the rosh yeshiva, undercover officers stopped the bochur on Highway 1 and quickly discovered that he had been classified as a draft evader.

“When they saw that he was a draft evader, they immediately identified him. Unfortunately, they did not even allow him to make a phone call to his parents. They immediately took him away in handcuffs,” Rabbi Boaron said.

Although Lamenatzeach was released after only five days—a relatively short period compared to some similar cases—Rabbi Boaron said the experience left a deep impact on the young man.

“He came out broken. There is a lot of humiliation that people go through there,” the rosh yeshiva said.

Relaying what the bochur told him after his release, Rabbi Boaron described difficult conditions in both detention and military prison. He said the student slept on a thin mattress placed on the floor, had limited opportunities for tefillah, and faced challenging living conditions.

“The hardest part, he said, was the humiliation. If a shirt was slightly out, there were immediate punishments. These are things a ben Torah is not accustomed to.”

Rabbi Boaron added that the bochur was housed together with Bedouin detainees and encountered circumstances that were entirely unfamiliar to him.

“He told me, ‘I would not wish this on anyone.’”

The rosh yeshiva said that although the detention lasted less than a week, its effects remain evident.

“Today he has already returned to the yeshiva, but I see that the bochur is still not fully here. It will take time for him to recover from the experience.”

Following his release, Lamenatzeach visited several gedolim to receive encouragement and guidance.

Rabbi Boaron said that during a visit with Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, the message was simple and repeated several times.

“Do not be afraid, do not be afraid.”

According to the rosh yeshiva, Rav Bergman emphasized those words repeatedly in an effort to strengthen the young man’s spirits.

The bochur later visited Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, where the conversation turned to a friend who had been with him during the incident but was not arrested.

“He asked whether the friend was Ashkenazi, and when they answered that he only looked Ashkenazi, he replied with a smile, ‘No, it is important that he is Ashkenazi.’”

Rabbi Boaron also shared details about how that friend managed to avoid arrest.

“He started talking with the officers about the draft, chatted with them for a bit, and then simply took off and left,” the rosh yeshiva said, describing the escape as another miracle that occurred that night.

During the interview, Rabbi Boaron also discussed the growth of the institutions under his leadership in Givat Ze’ev. He said the local cheder now serves nearly 300 students and that the yeshiva, founded approximately two years ago, operates three daily learning sessions with a strong emphasis on intensive Torah study.

Concluding the interview, Rabbi Boaron expressed concern that additional arrests of yeshiva students may lie ahead.

“This is only the beginning,” he said. “If there is no Torah, there is no derech eretz and there is no state.”

{Matzav.com}