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With Washington escalating its pressure campaign on Caracas, President Donald Trump suggested Monday that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro should consider stepping aside, even as Moscow publicly lined up behind the embattled government.

Speaking to reporters at his Florida residence, Trump was asked whether the administration’s warnings and military moves were meant to push Maduro out after more than a decade in power. “That’s up to him, what he wants to do. I think it would be smart for him to do that,” Trump said.

He followed with a sharper note of caution, adding: “If he wants to do something — if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’s ever able to play tough.”

The comments came as U.S. naval forces enforced a blockade targeting Venezuelan oil shipments, a move Trump announced last week against what he described as “sanctioned oil vessels” traveling to and from the country.

Russia, one of Caracas’ closest allies, responded by voicing firm backing for Maduro’s government, even as the crisis moved onto the agenda of the United Nations. Moscow’s statement was issued ahead of a UN Security Council meeting requested by Venezuela, with support from Russia and China, to address what Caracas calls escalating U.S. aggression.

In a phone conversation between the two countries’ foreign ministers, Washington’s recent actions — including strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats and the seizure of oil tankers — were sharply criticized. A U.S. official told AFP on Sunday that American forces were pursuing a third vessel.

“The ministers expressed their deep concern over the escalation of Washington’s actions in the Caribbean Sea, which could have serious consequences for the region and threaten international shipping,” Russia’s foreign ministry said. It added that Moscow had reiterated “its full support for and solidarity with the Venezuelan leadership and people in the current context.”

According to U.S. officials, naval strikes against boats alleged to be involved in narcotics trafficking have been underway since September under Trump’s orders, targeting vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The operations have reportedly resulted in more than 100 deaths, with families and some governments saying fishermen were among those killed.

Trump has repeatedly argued that Venezuela’s oil revenues are fueling criminal activity, accusing the Maduro government of financing “drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping.” He has also claimed Venezuela took “all of our oil” — a reference to the nationalization of its petroleum industry — saying “we want it back.”

Caracas has rejected those accusations, insisting Washington is pursuing regime change and branding the naval actions “international piracy.”

Russian officials said their foreign minister and his Venezuelan counterpart agreed to “coordinate their actions on the international stage, particularly at the UN.” In a Telegram post, Venezuela’s foreign minister said the two discussed “the aggressions and flagrant violations of international law being perpetrated in the Caribbean: attacks on vessels, extrajudicial executions, and illicit acts of piracy carried out by the United States government.” He added that Moscow had pledged its “full support in the face of hostilities against our country.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed Russia’s stance last week, saying Washington was “not concerned about an escalation with Russia with regards to Venezuela” because “they have their hands full in Ukraine.”

Relations between Washington and Moscow have grown more strained in recent weeks, with Trump expressing frustration over the lack of progress toward ending the war in Ukraine.

Adding to the diplomatic pushback, Venezuela’s foreign minister read a letter from Maduro on state television Monday addressed to UN member states, warning that the U.S. blockade “will affect the supply of oil and energy” worldwide.

{Matzav.com}

Eli Feldstein, a former spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, on Monday evening publicly presented his version of events for the first time in the case involving the alleged leak of classified documents, in which he is charged, as well as in the so-called “Qatargate” affair. Feldstein made the claims during an interview with Kan News.

According to Feldstein, the episode began with a late-night meeting in an underground parking garage at the Kirya military complex in Tel Aviv, where he was summoned by the prime minister’s chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman. Feldstein said Braverman contacted him after learning that a sensitive investigation was underway within the IDF’s Information Security Department—an investigation that, he claimed, could reach the Prime Minister’s Office.

During that conversation, Feldstein alleged, Braverman told him he could “shut it down” and even interfere with the investigation. Feldstein further claimed that Braverman asked whether he knew individuals connected to the affair, mentioned names of future suspects, and sought to determine whether they had ties to Feldstein or to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Feldstein said he shared the details of the encounter with Yonatan Urich, a senior adviser to Netanyahu whom Feldstein described as “my boss,” adding that he routinely updated him on all such matters. “I told him that the chief of staff said there was an investigation by the Information Security Department,” Feldstein said. “Tzachi knew there was an investigation inside the IDF that was reaching the Prime Minister’s Office, and he chose to meet me in the middle of the night, in parking level minus four at the Kirya.”

Feldstein said that only later, when he was arrested in connection with the classified document allegedly sent to the German newspaper Bild, did he fully understand the significance of that nighttime meeting and its connection to the investigation.

Addressing the Qatargate affair, Feldstein said that Srulik Einhorn, a former adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, asked him to issue an invoice to Gil Birger, a person Feldstein said he did not previously know. Feldstein claimed he was unaware at the time that Birger was acting on behalf of Jay Footlik, who operates for Qatar. “I didn’t know I was receiving money from the Qataris… I was stupid and naïve,” Feldstein said, adding that he avoided asking questions out of fear of losing what he viewed as the pinnacle of his career.

Feldstein also described his role following the October 7 Hamas attack, saying that his primary task was to remove the issue of responsibility from public discourse surrounding the prime minister. He recounted Netanyahu asking him what was being discussed in the news and whether responsibility was still being mentioned. “He gives me a mission—think about what to do with it,” Feldstein said. “They told me to remove the word ‘responsibility’ from the lexicon and to draft something without the word responsibility. It would not appear.”

He further described Netanyahu’s reaction upon being shown the first hostage video released by Hamas early in the war, featuring wounded hostage Mia Schem. Feldstein said the prime minister threw the phone away and refused to watch the footage. “I felt awful,” he said. Regarding Netanyahu’s position on hostage releases, Feldstein asserted that the prime minister’s drive to defeat Hamas and win the war outweighed other considerations.

Feldstein also claimed that Netanyahu held a dismissive attitude toward National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, saying the prime minister often believed they were “talking nonsense” and that parallel discussions were held merely to give them the feeling of involvement.

In response, the Prime Minister’s Office rejected Feldstein’s claims, calling them “a long series of false and recycled allegations” made by someone with clear personal interests. The statement said Netanyahu never instructed Feldstein to leak classified material, did not approve bypassing censorship, was not aware of any external payment mechanisms, and was not involved in any illegal actions. “The content of the conversations attributed to the prime minister is completely fabricated,” the statement said, adding that the court had already ruled that “Qatarfake” was a baseless allegation.

Braverman also denied the accusations, stating that Feldstein “is lying and inventing stories that never happened,” and stressing that the chief of staff has no authority to interfere with investigations. He added that Feldstein was once considered for a spokesman role but failed a security suitability check and was immediately disqualified.

Through his attorney, Lior Epstein, Einhorn likewise rejected Feldstein’s claims, saying that Feldstein worked as an independent consultant and that allegations regarding payment arrangements, invoicing, or mediation of employment within the Prime Minister’s Office were false.

{Matzav.com}

Naftali Bennett escalated his attacks on Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Monday, urging him to resign amid mounting allegations tied to the so-called Qatargate affair, which Bennett described as “the most serious act of treason in Israeli history.”

Bennett’s remarks came after fresh media reports detailed communications among suspects in the case, as well as alleged coordination with a journalist from a pro-Netanyahu outlet. The revelations concern claims that senior aides in the Prime Minister’s Office were simultaneously employed as paid lobbyists for Qatar — home to Hamas’s leadership — while continuing to work for Netanyahu.

According to a report aired Sunday by i24 News, correspondence between the suspects indicates they shared fabricated material attributed to “senior security officials” and “senior American officials.” The messages reportedly portrayed Qatar as central to negotiations with Hamas while attempting to marginalize Egypt, another key mediator in ceasefire efforts during the Gaza war.

The same report said the aides collaborated with a reporter from Channel 14, a pro-Netanyahu network, to “refine” an article so that it aligned with their preferred messaging.

“Netanyahu’s office betrayed the State of Israel and IDF soldiers during wartime and acted on behalf of Qatar for financial gain, and Netanyahu himself is covering it up,” Bennett said following the broadcast. “Whether Netanyahu knew or did not know that his office was working for the enemy in a time of war, both possibilities require his immediate resignation.”

Bennett, who is preparing a political comeback and plans to challenge Netanyahu in the next election, said that if he returns to power he will establish a state commission of inquiry “that will also investigate aid to an enemy state in a time of war.”

The investigation centers on close Netanyahu aide Jonatan Urich and former spokesman Eli Feldstein. Prosecutors allege the two worked for a pro-Qatar lobbying firm, maintained contact with a foreign agent, and engaged in multiple corruption offenses involving lobbyists and businessmen while employed by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Previously revealed WhatsApp messages, published by Ynet in August, showed that former Netanyahu campaign adviser Yisrael Einhorn drafted pro-Qatar talking points and sent them to Feldstein. Feldstein then passed the material to Urich, who distributed the messaging to journalists in an effort to improve Qatar’s standing in Israel.

Bennett argued that the alleged conduct offers insight into what he views as the government’s wartime failures. “Three of Netanyahu’s closest advisers were in effect paid agents of Qatar and Hamas at the height of the war, while our soldiers were fighting and being killed by Hamas bullets purchased with Qatari money,” he said. He added that this “can certainly explain why the Israeli government failed in the ultimate goal it set for itself in the war: the destruction of Hamas.”

Continuing his critique, Bennett accused the Prime Minister’s Office of actively assisting Israel’s adversaries. “Qatar’s declared goal is Hamas’s survival. Israel’s declared war goal is the destruction of Hamas. They chose sides. Instead of acting for Israel, they acted for Israel’s enemies,” he said, asserting that Netanyahu’s staff worked “tirelessly to malign Egypt, which is anti-Hamas, and whitewash Qatar, which is pro-Hamas.”

Bennett said the damage extended beyond any eventual legal determination. Even if criminal guilt is not established, he argued, “from a security and ethical perspective,” the actions constituted “a betrayal of our soldiers.”

Calls for broader accountability have intensified across the opposition. Bennett, like other Netanyahu critics, has long demanded a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack. Netanyahu has resisted those demands, despite polls showing broad public support, and has instead advanced an unusual plan for a politically appointed investigative body.

Other opposition leaders echoed Bennett’s language. Avigdor Liberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, said any commission examining October 7 must also investigate Qatargate. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid labeled the affair “the most serious treason affair in the history of the country,” while Democrats chairman Yair Golan wrote on X that “Netanyahu’s office betrayed the country’s security in the Qatar affair, and Netanyahu must be fully investigated over it.”

Netanyahu, who has already testified as part of the Qatargate probe, has dismissed the investigation as a “witch hunt.”

{Matzav.com}

New information has surfaced about the deadly terrorist attack that struck Sydney during the lighting of the first Hanukkah candle, where 15 members of the Jewish community were murdered. Australia’s ABC network disclosed additional findings that shed light on how the assault was planned and executed.

Court records indicate that the perpetrators conducted reconnaissance at Bondi Beach on December 12, two days before the massacre. Australian authorities described this surveillance as the final step in their preparations ahead of the attack.

According to the report, the two terrorists had trained in advance and even filmed themselves before the assault. In the recording, they appeared alongside ISIS flags, carrying multiple weapons and offering what was described as a video in which they “justified” the attack.

Investigators further revealed that during the assault, the attackers hurled four explosive devices into the crowd — three pipe bombs and an additional object shaped like a tennis ball. None of the devices detonated.

One of the attackers, Sajid Akram, was shot and killed at the scene. His son, Navid, survived the attack, was later released from the hospital, and taken into custody. Prosecutors have since filed an indictment against him listing 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder.

One week after the massacre, thousands gathered at Bondi Beach for a memorial vigil and the lighting of the eighth Hanukkah candle. The ceremony took place amid extensive security measures, with hundreds of police officers deployed, along with mounted units and snipers.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the vigil but was greeted with loud boos from the crowd. Protesters shouted accusations at him, including, “Shame, supporter of jihad-you do not represent Australia.”

During the gathering, leaders and members of the Jewish community publicly called for the creation of a formal commission of inquiry into the attack. They pointed to a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents in recent years and emphasized the need for a federal-level investigation to examine the circumstances surrounding the massacre.

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities are rolling out a $3,000 “Holiday Stipend” aimed at persuading illegal immigrants to leave the United States voluntarily during the X-mas season. Officials argue the incentive is a modest outlay compared with the expense of locating, detaining, and deporting migrants.

The initiative comes as illegal immigrants face mounting financial strain, including job losses and housing pressures, linked to President Donald Trump’s stepped-up enforcement of the country’s widely supported immigration laws.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the temporary increase in incentives, warning that the offer expires at year’s end. “During the X-mas Season, the U.S. taxpayer is so generously TRIPLING the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally — offering a $3,000 exit bonus, but just until the end of the year,” she said. “Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”

According to the Department of Homeland Security, voluntary departures have already reached significant levels this year. “Since January 2025, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported, and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home program,” the agency said.

DHS officials also promoted the CBP Home app as the preferred method for leaving the country. The agency stated: “Self-deportation through the CBP Home app is the best gift that an illegal alien can give themselves and their families this holiday season. It’s a fast, free, and easy process: Just download the app, fill out your information, and DHS will take care of the rest — including arranging and paying for your travel back home. The government added that migrants who ignore the temporary incentive face severe consequences. Those illegal aliens who don’t take advantage of this special offer today have only one alternative: They will be arrested, deported, and they will never be able to return to the United States.”

Supporters of the policy argue that fewer migrants in the labor and housing markets could benefit American workers by boosting wages, easing rent pressures, and encouraging people who have left the workforce to seek jobs. They also say the shift would compel political, media, and business leaders to refocus attention on Americans dealing with crime, discrimination, and poverty.

Despite widespread anecdotal reports of migrants leaving on their own, critics note that there is still no hard data confirming that voluntary departures exceed one million people.

Some migration trends offer partial insight. Large numbers of Haitian and other migrants have reportedly crossed into Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency “says it processed 31,977 total asylum claims through November, a 42% decline from the same period last year,” according to a December 22 report in the Detroit News.

Individual cases have also drawn attention. In December, KOLD.com reported on a Colombian family that chose to leave the United States after the father was deported from Tucson, Arizona. Yarlidis Goez-Santos, the mother of four, previously told 13 News that self-deportation was the right choice after her husband was removed in January 2025.

She reiterated that view this week. “I don’t have the words to express just how grateful I am,” Goez-Santos said. “I want to thank all the people that we met while we stayed here.”

Backers of the administration’s approach contend that as economic migrants depart, pressure will mount on political and corporate leaders to prioritize helping displaced Americans regain jobs, stability, and long-term prosperity.

Man films himself self deporting to avoid being picked up and deported by ICE.

“They make us feel unwelcome here.” pic.twitter.com/sIQt42oaRY

— ICE of TikTok (@ICEofTikTok) November 25, 2025

Self-deport or be deported: the choice is yours!
https://t.co/Ci1fP6L2T9 pic.twitter.com/fEVNSwVumG

— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) December 2, 2025

“It feels like the system isn’t broken — it’s working AGAINST us.”

A young American with $10 left shares a home with 4 roommates, lives off granola bars, drives a car she can’t afford to fix, and watches rent, bills, and basic necessities wipe out every paycheck. pic.twitter.com/2CLWv0r3PZ

— MatrixMysteries (@MatrixMysteries) December 17, 2025

https://twitter.com/i/status/1986183229154455805

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent remarks about her were rooted in racial stereotyping and political fear, arguing that Republicans are alarmed by her potential to flip Texas by winning a U.S. Senate seat.

Appearing Sunday on MS NOW’s “The Weekend,” Crockett responded to comments Vance made at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference, where he mocked her candidacy and background. Vance told the crowd, “Jasmine Crockett, oh, Jasmine Crockett, the record speaks for itself. She wants to be a senator, though her street-girl persona is about as real as her nails.”

During the segment, co-host Antonia Hylton reacted sharply to the remark, saying, “I think every Black woman heard what he was trying to say there. What do you think he’s trying to signal at a conference like this to an audience like this?”

Crockett said Vance’s comments were aimed at energizing his supporters while avoiding substantive debate. “Well, first of all, he’s trying to rile up his base, because right now we know that no matter if we’re looking in deep red Tennessee, Mississippi or Georgia, we know that we’re swinging no less than ten points. And unlike what we’ve had historically in Texas, because I know that you talked about the Texas dream of turning us blue, is that we have a candidate in me who absolutely plans to talk to any and everybody, and that is why they are afraid,” she said.

She pushed back strongly against Vance’s characterization of her, emphasizing her background and qualifications. “The fact that he said, I have a quote-unquote’ street-girl persona,’ I’m sorry, but anybody that you talk to knows my credentials. They know that I’ve gone to school. They know that I’m educated. I never tried to put on some random story about where I came from. But at the end of the day, I am who I am and I am authentic,” Crockett said.

Crockett argued that authenticity, not rhetoric, is what resonates with voters and unsettles her critics. “And that is actually what they are fearful of is my authenticity. Because it rings true with every single American, whether they’re Texan or not. It rings true that I am fighting for real, everyday people,” she said.

Turning the focus back on Vance, Crockett challenged his record and standing. “And instead of talking about policy, when you’re talking about, ‘The record speaks for itself’ — baby, let’s talk about your record, because the only reason you’re the vice president is because the current president tried to have his last vice president killed. Lets talk about qualifications,” she said.

She concluded by saying attacks will not deter her and that she is ready to debate policy at any time. “When they can tell me about their policies that are helping Texans, then we can have a conversation. Until then. take whatever shots you want to take at me. Because I have been a Black woman my entire life. I promise you, there are other people just like J.D. Vance, who have tried to do the same racist tropes my entire life, and somehow I ascended and became a U.S. congresswoman. It will not be different when I become a U.S. senator, and we can have a conversation when I get to the Senate floor if he wants to talk.”

{Matzav.com}

Powerball will be drawing its winning lottery numbers Monday night for a record 46th time since its last jackpot was claimed, as a string of failed sweepstakes ballooned the top prize to $1.6 billion. So far, it’s the 5th-largest jackpot in U.S. history after more than three months without a Powerball winner. The game’s long odds created a […]

President Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as his special envoy to Greenland, drawing renewed criticism from Denmark and Greenland over Washington’s interest in the mineral-rich Arctic island

BREAKING: Trump admin. says it will investigate security failures at Brown University after deadly mass shooting

President Donald Trump’s job approval has climbed back to the 50% level, according to a new InsiderAdvantage survey released Monday, marking his strongest showing in nearly three months.

The poll, conducted among likely voters, asked participants, “What is your opinion of the job performance of President Donald Trump?” The responses showed 50% approving of Trump’s performance, 41% disapproving, and 9% saying they were undecided.

That result represents a notable rebound from InsiderAdvantage’s November survey, which recorded Trump’s approval at 44%. It also gives Trump a nine-point net approval margin, his widest positive spread in the firm’s polling since mid-August, when approval stood at 54% with 44% disapproval.

Pollster Matt Towery, who supervised the survey, attributed the shift to a combination of recent developments, including Trump’s Dec. 17 address to the nation and newly released inflation data. “After months of Trump hovering at or above 50% approval, our November survey showed a dip to 44%. But in recent days, his approval has moved back into the 50% range,” Towery said.

Trump’s prime-time White House speech came at a moment when economic issues, particularly inflation and the cost of living, have remained a consistent concern for voters. The address was widely seen as an attempt to recalibrate his domestic agenda and steady public opinion following several weeks of weaker polling.

Towery also pointed to fresh economic figures released Dec. 18 by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the agency, the Chained Consumer Price Index rose 2.6% over the past year, though officials cautioned that some of the most recent monthly readings may still be revised.

The pollster said the improvement in Trump’s numbers was fueled by gains among several demographic groups, including independents, younger voters, and women. At the same time, he warned that a relatively large share of respondents — especially independents — remain undecided, underscoring the potential for shifts as the 2026 midterm elections approach.

“Interestingly, our recent job performance surveys have shown the number of undecided respondents at an unusually high number,” Towery said. “This tells us that some voters, particularly independents, remain unsure as to his accomplishments so far. This suggests he has work to do as he and the GOP enter the midterm season.”

InsiderAdvantage said the survey was conducted Dec. 19–20 among 800 likely voters using cellphone calls and text messages. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

As millions of Americans hit the road to spend time with family and friends, drivers are getting some financial relief at the pump, with gas prices expected to remain lower and more stable than in recent years. GasBuddy projects that the national average gas price this week will be about $2.79 per gallon, down from […]

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of Sam Levine as head of NYC’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.

A Turning Point USA (TPUSA) AmFest straw poll found that 53.4% of respondents say Israel is a U.S. ally, 33.3% consider it America’s top ally, and 13.3% say Israel is not a U.S. ally.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to submit plans to return or provide hearings for more than 200 migrants deported to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said the migrants were deported in March without meaningful notice or a chance to contest being labeled members of Tren de […]

Reports of at least three people killed after a Mexican military medical aircraft crashed into the water near Galveston, according to authorities.

The US Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a daily pill version of Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy, introducing a new option for how patients can take medicines in a class of drugs that has revolutionized obesity treatment. The drug, which Novo Nordisk calls simply the Wegovy pill, uses the same active ingredient – […]

A wave of shootings over the weekend left at least 11 people wounded across Chicago, with one of the victims later dying from her injuries, according to multiple reports.

CBS News said those struck by gunfire ranged in age from “18 to 55,” underscoring the broad impact of the violence across the city.

Details of the fatal incident were reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which said the shooting took place around 8:20 a.m. Shabbos. A gunman in another vehicle opened fire on a car driven by a 22-year-old woman “in the 200 block of East 103rd Street.” As she attempted to flee, her vehicle crashed into a tree. She was transported to a hospital, where she later died.

Police said the shooter was able to escape the scene and has not been taken into custody.

The latest violence follows a deadly pattern seen in recent weeks. Breitbart News reported that the previous weekend saw nine people shot across Chicago from Friday into Sunday morning, with one of those victims dying from gunshot wounds.

Citywide homicide figures remain high. Crain’s Chicago Business reported that Chicago recorded 395 murders from January 1, 2025, through December 9, 2025, highlighting the continued toll of violent crime in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Monday delivered a new warning to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as the U.S. Coast Guard steps up efforts to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea as part of the Republican administration’s escalating pressure campaign on the government in Caracas. Trump was surrounded by his top national security aides, Secretary of State Marco Rubio […]

The U.S. government has signed health deals with at least nine African countries, part of its new approach to global health funding, with agreements that reflect the Trump administration’s interests and priorities and are geared toward providing less aid and more mutual benefits. The agreements signed so far, with Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda among others, are the […]