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The newly appointed leader of the agency overseeing Social Security and Medicare says he is committed to preserving the programs well into the next century.

In an interview broadcast Sunday, Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano said the Trump administration, together with lawmakers, is preparing to implement significant reforms aimed at eliminating inefficiencies and abuse in order to protect the long-term viability of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds.

“We have no intent to break a system that can be improved,” Bisignano said during an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“That team will get together, along with Senate and Congress, will ensure that this is here for the next 90 years, at least,” he said.

Bisignano was confirmed by the Senate on May 6 to head the SSA. Prior to his appointment, he spent decades in high-level roles on Wall Street, including serving as CEO of Fiserv and holding senior executive positions at several major American banks.

His nomination drew sharp criticism from Senate Democrats, who voiced deep concerns over the Trump administration’s intentions regarding Social Security and Medicare.

President Trump, along with senior administration officials like Elon Musk, has emphasized the need to root out waste, fraud, and abuse that they say is widespread within the Social Security Administration.

Many Democrats, however, are worried that these initiatives are a cover for attempts to slash benefits, either through legislative action or by leveraging administrative control over the SSA.

Earlier this year, Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency stirred controversy by publicly criticizing the federal system responsible for processing trillions of dollars in government disbursements, including Social Security payments.

{Matzav.com}

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged Monday to cut immigration numbers and make it harder to settle in the U.K., confronting an issue that has bedeviled successive governments and fueled the rise of a new anti-immigrant party that could threaten the country’s political establishment. Starmer, whose center-left Labour Party won a landslide victory last July, is facing pressure from voters who are increasingly frustrated by high levels of immigration that many believe have strained public services and inflamed ethnic tensions in some parts of the country. Starmer said he would end “Britain’s failed experiment in open borders,’’ less than two weeks after Reform UK, the hard-right party led by Nigel Farage, scored big victories in local elections. Labour and the center-right Conservatives, long the dominant parties in British politics, both saw their support crater in the contests for local government councils and mayors. “Every area of the immigration system — work, family, and study — will be tightened up so we have more control,’’ Starmer said during a speech in Downing Street. “We will create a system that is controlled, selective and fair.’’ Immigration has been a potent issue in Britain for decades — especially since 2004, when the European Union expanded to Eastern Europe. While most EU countries restricted immigration from the new member states for a period of years, the U.K. immediately opened its labor market, attracting a flood of new arrivals. By 2010, then-Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to cut annual net immigration to less than 100,000, a target four Conservative governments failed to meet. In 2016, anger over the government’s inability to control immigration from the EU was a big factor in Britain’s vote to leave the bloc. But Brexit did nothing to reduce the number of people entering the country on visas for work, education and family reunification. Net migration — the number of people entering the U.K. minus those who left — reached more than 900,000 in the year to June 2023, according to official figures, almost four times the pre-Brexit level. It fell to 728,000 in the year to June 2024. In recent years, concerns that the government has lost control of Britain’s borders have been fueled by the sight of thousands of migrants entering the U.K. on leaky, inflatable boats operated by people smugglers. Some 37,000 people crossed the English Channel on small boats last year, down from 45,755 in 2022, government statistics show. Starmer has vowed to cut that number by tackling the criminal people-smuggling gangs that organize the journeys. Now he has also vowed to reduce legal migration “significantly” by cutting the number of visas granted for low-skilled work, raising salary thresholds for employment-related visas and raising English proficiency standards for migrants. He declined to set a target for the reduction. Starmer adopted the language of the pro-Brexit campaign he once opposed, saying his government would “take back control” of Britain’s borders. He said previous Conservatiive governments had overseen “a one-nation experiment in open borders, conducted on a country that voted for control. Well, no more.” Government plans published Monday pledge to slash the number of visas for low-skilled jobs and end overseas recruitment for care homes — essential but usually low-paid work. The government said it would improve the terms of employment in order to attract British workers to […]

Admor Harav Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov (1908-2000) was the son of Harav Bentzion the Kedushas Tzion of Bobov — son of Harav Shlomo of Bobov

[COMMUNICATED]

Admor Harav Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov (1908-2000) was the son of Harav Bentzion the Kedushas Tzion of Bobov — son of Harav Shlomo of Bobov

[COMMUNICATED]

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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, gave his approval to chants of “Death to America” during a speech he delivered to a group of workers in Tehran on Saturday, as reported by Iran International, an opposition media outlet.

“Your judgment is right,” Khamenei told the local workers as they chanted “Death to America,” shortly before the fourth round of nuclear talks with the U.S. was to commence on Sunday.

Khamenei justified the regime’s animosity toward the U.S. by pointing to American support for Israel, declaring, “Americans fully support Israel – in the true sense of the word.”

The Iranian regime often brands the U.S. as the “Great Satan” and labels Israel as the “Little Satan.” These slogans are a staple of official gatherings, where chants like “Death to America” are typically followed by calls for “Death to Israel.” The Iranian government has been open in its calls for the elimination of the Jewish state.

During his address, Khamenei also accused both the United States and the United Kingdom of direct involvement in the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which is backed by Iran.

“The people of Gaza are not facing Israel alone – they are facing America and Britain,” the Iranian leader told the crowd.

Iran’s state-run newspaper Kayhan echoed Khamenei’s remarks, using President Donald Trump as a symbol of what it described as Western arrogance and manipulation.

“Trump is not a passing phenomenon,” the news outlet wrote. “He is a framework based on narcissism, superiority delusions, and threat-based tactics,” it continued, claiming that Washington’s diplomatic moves constitute “a tool for deception, not an indication of true boundaries.”

Khamenei’s remarks come at a pivotal moment, as the Trump administration is actively pursuing a nuclear agreement with Tehran. The fourth phase of the negotiations is expected to resume in Vienna on Sunday, according to Iran International.

President Donald Trump has made clear that Iran will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, although he has left the door open for a civilian nuclear program under strict conditions.

Speaking to Breitbart on Thursday, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that the U.S. will not accept any uranium enrichment activity by Iran.

“They cannot have centrifuges. They have to downblend all of their fuel that they have there and send it to a far-away place,” Witkoff told the U.S. news outlet Breitbart.

“An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line,” he continued.

“Obviously, they can say no, and they can test President Trump, but I think that would be an unwise thing to do,” Witkoff concluded as a barely veiled warning to the Iranian regime.

Despite its public insistence that it is not pursuing nuclear arms, Tehran has refused to dismantle its centrifuges—key devices in the production of weapons-grade material—according to Western experts.

Iran continues to enrich uranium up to 60%, far beyond what is required for peaceful energy use, raising serious international concern.

Israel, meanwhile, is demanding the complete removal of all aspects of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including programs meant for civilian purposes. Some Israeli officials worry that Trump’s diplomatic overtures may result in a deal resembling the 2015 nuclear accord negotiated by Barack Obama.

While Trump has stated his preference for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, he has also made it clear that military action remains on the table if needed to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

“If there’s a second option,” Trump assessed, “I think it would be very bad for Iran, and I think Iran is wanting to talk. I hope they’re wanting to talk. It’s going to be very good for them if they do… Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon. It’s pretty simple.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel is still holding firm to its ultimatum to Hamas, warning that a full-scale military operation in Gaza will proceed unless the terror group agrees to a ceasefire proposal that includes the immediate release of ten hostages. This remains the case even after news emerged on Sunday night that Edan Alexander is expected to be freed, according to a source who spoke with The Jerusalem Post.

The source clarified that unless Hamas formally accepts the terms of the truce — which involve releasing the hostages — the Israeli army will move ahead with its planned ground campaign to take over areas of Gaza and retain control. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu emphasized the importance of this strategy shift, stating that the new approach moves the IDF “from targeted raids to seizing territory and maintaining control over it.”

Israel’s leadership also revealed that the United States believes Alexander’s anticipated release could be a catalyst for renewed discussions around the broader hostage agreement and ceasefire plan. According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday, “The United States has informed Israel that this move is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of hostages under the original Witkoff framework, which Israel has already accepted.”

The statement continued, explaining that Israeli officials are bracing for this scenario to unfold. “According to Israel’s policy, the negotiations will take place under fire, with a commitment to achieving all the war’s objectives,” the Prime Minister’s Office noted.

A source in Egypt, speaking to the Associated Press, said that Hamas’s move to release Alexander — who holds both American and Israeli citizenship — is intended as a sign of goodwill toward Trump.

“Direct contacts between Hamas and the US began five days ago,” the Egyptian official disclosed.

Reports cited by the Arabic newspaper Asharq al-Awsat indicated that Hamas plans to release Alexander around midday Monday. According to the report, “Alexander’s release is a gesture of goodwill toward Trump. Hamas was told, ‘Give [US President Donald] Trump a gift and he will repay you with a bigger gift.’”

Special envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler are expected to accompany Alexander’s family to Israel to help facilitate the release.

Trump, who also plans to travel to the Middle East, announced that Israel is not on his itinerary. Israeli officials confirmed that the military campaign would be launched only after Trump concludes his trip to the region.

Earlier on Sunday, Steve Witkoff expressed frustration with the Israeli government’s handling of the war, suggesting they were unnecessarily dragging it out.

“We want to bring the hostages home, but Israel is not willing to end the war. Israel is prolonging it despite the fact that we don’t see where else we can go and that an agreement must be reached,” Witkoff said in a conversation with families of the hostages.

“There is currently an opportunity window that we hope Israel and all the mediators will take advantage of. We are putting pressure on all the mediators and doing everything we can to bring the hostages home.”

{Matzav.com}

Russia launched more than 100 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime attacks, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, after the Kremlin rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the more than 3-year war. There was no response from the Kremlin, meanwhile, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s challenge for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to meet him for face-to-face peace talks in Turkey this week. The United States and European governments have made a concerted push to stop the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides as well as more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia’s invading forces have taken around one-fifth of Ukraine. In a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the U.S. and European leaders but offered direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday. Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept a ceasefire starting Monday before holding peace talks. Moscow effectively rejected that proposal and instead called for direct negotiations in Istanbul. U.S. President Donald Trump insisted Ukraine accept the Russian offer. Zelenskyy went a step further Sunday and put the pressure on Putin by offering a personal meeting between the leaders. France added its voice to that offer Monday, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot urging Putin to accept — though he repeated the European position that a truce must be in place before the talks. Russia’s failure to join the ceasefire offered by Ukraine would bring further sanctions on Moscow, European leaders say. In Kyiv, local people expressed a mixture of hope and despondency amid the latest peace efforts. Putin doesn’t want a truce to halt the war because “it will mean that he has lost,” Antonina Metko, 43, told The Associated Press. “That is why they are postponing it. And everything will continue in the same way. Unfortunately,” she said. Vladyslav Nehrybetskyi, 72, was more upbeat, saying “the seeds” of a peace agreement are being sown even though “a difficult process” lies ahead. “So let’s hope,” he said. The Ukrainian government has tried to keep up the momentum for a peace deal started by the Trump administration. “Ukraine wants to end this war and is doing everything for this,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram Monday. “We expect appropriate steps from Russia.” The Ukrainian leader said he told Pope Leo XIV about peace efforts during his first phone conversation with the new pontiff. Ukraine is counting on the Vatican’s help in securing the return of thousands of children that the Kyiv government says have been deported by Russia, Zelenskyy said, adding that he had invited the pope to visit Ukraine. In his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff, Leo called for a genuine and just peace in Ukraine. “I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,” he said. In 2022, in the war’s early months, Zelenskyy repeatedly called for a personal meeting with the Russian president but was rebuffed, and eventually enacted a decree declaring that holding negotiations with Putin had become impossible. Putin and Zelenskyy have only met once, in 2019. Trump says “deep hatred” between the sides has made it difficult to push peace efforts forward. (AP)

INSANE: Two young boys – just 7 and 9 years old – captured on drone footage in an armed standoff with police in New Mexico. The boys were eventually detained without hurting anyone.

Plans are underway to fly Edan Alexander to Qatar on Wednesday for a meeting with President Trump – dependent on whether he is in good enough physical and mental condition.

Edan Alexander’s mother aboard an IDF helicopter, traveling to the Re’im Airbase, where she will be reunited with her son.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy appeared on MSNBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, where he stressed the urgent need to modernize the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure.

During the interview, host Kristen Welker pressed Duffy on whether the problem extended beyond Newark. “You talked about the fact that this might not be confined to Newark. Are there other airports that you are concerned about?” she asked.

Duffy responded by expressing concerns about the condition of the entire aviation system. “I’m concerned about the whole airspace. The equipment that we use, much of it we can’t buy parts for new. We have to go on eBay and buy parts if one part goes down. You’re dealing with really old equipment. We are dealing with copper wire, not high-speed fiber. This is a concern. Is it safe? Yes. We have redundancies in place to keep you safe when you fly, but we should also recognize that we’re seeing stress on an old network, and it’s time to fix it.”

Welker followed up with a more direct question about public safety: “Bottom line, is it safe to fly in the United States right now?”

Duffy reassured viewers about the overall safety of flying, while reiterating the need for action. “Listen, we are the safest airspace for sure, and traveling by air is way safer than any other mode of transportation, which is why I take it, my family takes it. But again, that doesn’t mean you look over the horizon and say, hey, if there is a major outage, could that be a risk to life? Of course, it could be, which is why we fix it. Someone should have seen that there were 80 near-misses at the DCA airspace, right? Someone should have seen it and stopped that cross traffic. I have to look and see what is the other risk that exists in the airspace and I should see it and fix it before you lose life. I want to fix it so we preserve life and underscore safety.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: “President Trump is signing an executive order today that is going to … reduce the cost of drugs in this country by more than half at least.”

US hostage envoy Adam Boehler, while heading to Israel for Edan Alexander’s release from Hamas captivity: “We are going after every single hostage that there exists in all of Israel. We’re coming for them all.”

WH PRESS SECRETARY: “Thanks to the strength of President Trump, Scott Bessent and Ambassador Greer were able to cut this initial deal with China. China agreed to reduce their tariffs on the United States by 115%.”

In Edan Alexander’s hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, residents came together at dawn to view the live broadcast of his release.

WATCH: Several israelis were arrested after attempting to smuggle goats onto Har Habayis. Their plan was to sacrifice the animals for Pesach Sheini…

SEC. SCOTT BESSENT: “What we have is a 90 day pause on the reciprocal tariffs. Both sides de-escalated by 115%… Over the next 90 days, we have a mechanism to meet with the Chinese trade delegation again.”

BREAKING: The U.S. and China will slash their tariffs on each other for 90 days — U.S. tariffs will drop to 30%, Chinese tariffs cut to 10%.

A Democratic lawmaker is raising objections over a temporary aircraft deal involving President Donald Trump and the government of Qatar, prompting Trump to lash out at what he described as political grandstanding that will ultimately waste taxpayer money.

“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump said in a Sunday night post on Truth Social.
“Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA”

Trump’s response followed reports that Rep. Ritchie Torres is calling for an investigation into the Trump administration’s acceptance of a luxury aircraft from Qatar. According to Axios, the plane in question is believed to be a Boeing 747-8, a model with an estimated value of around $400 million.

In an official letter, Torres requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Department of Defense’s acting inspector general, and the Office of Government Ethics look into whether accepting the aircraft violated any legal or ethical boundaries.

As criticism mounted, the Qatari government released a clarification, acknowledging that talks are underway regarding “the possible transfer” of the aircraft for limited use by Trump as Air Force One, but emphasizing that nothing has been finalized and denying that it was a gift.

ABC News reported that Trump is expected to use the plane throughout the remainder of his presidency, with the aircraft being transferred later to the foundation in charge of developing his presidential library, which is still in the planning phase.

Plans for a public announcement about the arrangement were reportedly being coordinated with Trump’s upcoming diplomatic trip to the Middle East, which includes visits to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This marks his first extended international tour since the start of his second term.

However, just hours after the story broke, Qatar’s media attaché, Ali Al-Ansari, issued a statement pushing back against the coverage.

“Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate.

“The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense,” the statement said. “But the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made.”

{Matzav.com}