Feed aggregator

Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) are publicly lobbying for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to appoint Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, to fill the Senate seat soon to be vacated by Marco Rubio. Rubio is anticipated to join Trump’s administration as Secretary of State. Following the announcement of Rubio’s cabinet appointment, speculation grew over who might fill his Florida Senate seat. In an interview with Axios, Britt voiced her support for Lara Trump, lauding her recent success as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, a role in which she helped secure Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. “She understands the America First agenda,” Britt said. “For me, she would be a tremendous pick, a voice for hardworking families, and another mom of school-aged kids who understands the battles we face to protect the American dream.” Rep. Luna echoed Britt’s sentiments, taking to social media to endorse Trump as “the best fit” for the role. “.@LaraLeaTrump needs to be the nominated replacement by @GovDeSantis for Rubio,” Luna tweeted. “She will keep the seat and avoid a messy primary for FLORIDA. Well-spoken. Kicked butt on election integrity.” Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch reports that Lara Trump is “very much in the mix” for the appointment. However, Marc Caputo from Bulwark suggested another contender, naming DeSantis’ chief of staff and former campaign manager James Uthmeier as the “likeliest” candidate. Caputo speculated that Uthmeier’s appointment would allow DeSantis to potentially run for the Senate seat in 2026 once his gubernatorial term concludes. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Syrian state media reported on Wednesday evening that Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted aerial raids in the area of Al-Qusayr, near the Arab Republic’s western border with Lebanon.

Damascus state-run SANA news agency claimed that the country’s air defenses “confronted hostile targets in the skies of the western Homs countryside” in response to what it described as “Israeli aggression.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based war monitor with links to the country’s opposition, reported that the IAF strikes targeted bridges and military checkpoints in the border region.

The Israeli Air Force previously carried out raids on Hezbollah targets in Al-Qusayr on Nov. 5, attacking munitions depots used by the Lebanon-based Iranian-backed terrorist army.

“Hezbollah’s Munitions Unit is responsible for storing weapons inside Lebanon and has recently expanded its activities into the area of Al-Qusayr, near the Syria-Lebanon border,” the military confirmed on X.

Israeli jets also struck terrorism-related targets in Al-Qusayr on Oct. 31, including arms-storage facilities, and command and control centers used by Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and its Munitions Unit.

On Sunday, Arab media reported that a Hezbollah terrorist commander convicted for the 2005 murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri was eliminated in one of the IAF airstrikes on Al-Qusayr.

Israel rarely acknowledges attacking Syria; however, in February, Jerusalem revealed that it had struck more than 50 targets belonging to Hezbollah and other Iranian terror proxies in the country since Oct. 7, 2023.

Earlier this week, Israeli jets reportedly attacked Hezbollah targets near Shinshar on the outskirts of Homs, killing nine terrorist operatives. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the IAF strikes targeted an ammunition storage facility on the Homs-Damascus road.

(JNS)

Wow, much bull market. Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency whose mascot is a super-cute dog that muses things like “much wow,” has been surging in value since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week. It’s hitting the afterburners now, after Trump named Tesla’s Elon Musk as one of the heads of a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” which is not a government agency but does have the acronym DOGE. All this makes sense and is maybe humorous for anyone who’s chronically online. For others, here’s some explanation about what’s going on: What is dogecoin? It’s a cryptocurrency, whose value rises and falls against the U.S. dollar based on however much people will pay for it. At first, it was seen as a joke. But over time, dogecoin has amassed a group of fans who have periodically sent its price soaring. Like other cryptocurrencies, supporters say it could be used to buy and sell things on the internet without having to worry about a central bank or government affecting how many are in circulation. How much has dogecoin climbed? One dogecoin — which is pronounced dohj-coin — was worth less than 16 cents just before Election Day. It’s since more than doubled to roughly 41.5 cents, as of midday Wednesday, according to CoinDesk. Why is it climbing so much? Cryptocurrencies have generally been shooting higher since Trump’s election. Bitcoin, which is the most famous digital currency, has set an all-time high above $92,000 after starting the year below $43,000. Excitement is racing because Trump has embraced crypto and said he wants the United States to be the “crypto capital of the planet” and create a bitcoin “strategic reserve.” What does Elon Musk have to do with any of this? Musk has become one of Trump’s close allies. He’s also been one of the most famous fans of dogecoin. In 2021, Musk played a character on “Saturday Night Live” who went by the nickname, the “Dogefather.” In 2022, Musk made more headlines when he suggested Twitter should perhaps accept dogecoin as payment for subscriptions. It all came to a head Tuesday, when Trump announced the “Department of Government Efficiency,” which will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” It has the acronym DOGE, which is also the ticker symbol under which dogecoin trades. Musk will lead it, along with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. This all sounds weird. Dogecoin’s history is interesting. In 2021, on April 20, dogecoin fans tried but failed to get its value above $1 on what they were calling “Doge Day.” April 20 has long been an unofficial holiday for marijuana devotees, and Musk himself has referred to 420 several times in his career, including his tweet in 2018 saying he had secured funding to take Tesla private at a price of $420 per share. Is the Shiba Inu whose picture is in the meme getting special treats because of all this? Sadly, no. The dog, whose real name was Kabosu, passed away in Japan earlier this year at 18 years old. Much rest, may she have. (AP)

Police in Amsterdam released blurred photos on Tuesday evening, purportedly showing five wanted participants from the Amsterdam pogrom which took place following the Ajax-Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer match last Thursday and Friday. While police have 29 wanted suspects, these first five are considered to have “committed the most serious violence.”

In the photo release, police have given the suspects until 8:30 p.m. on Friday, November 15, to turn themselves in. If the suspects do not turn themselves in, the police have threatened to release the un-blurred photos of the suspects.

Additionally, the police are calling on anyone who may recognize the suspects to be in contact. The photos of the remainder of the 29 suspects will be released in the coming days.

The police said: “The investigation team is still busy collecting and analyzing images, so more people may be added.

If you were involved in these violent incidents, please report yourself to prevent it from being made public.”

While the police left open the option of additional suspects, 29 is a obviously way below the number of people who took part in the violent pogrom.

{Matzav.com}

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has hinted that annexation of the West Bank, which he refers to as “Judea and Samaria,” could be a possibility during Trump’s upcoming term. In an interview with Army Radio, Huckabee underscored his support for Israel’s sovereignty over the territory, rejecting the term “West Bank” in favor of its Biblical name. “There is no such thing as the West Bank — it’s Judea and Samaria,” Huckabee stated. “I have been a frequent visitor to Judea and Samaria and believe it is part of sovereign Israel,” he added, reiterating his long-standing belief that the area belongs to Israel. When pressed on whether annexation could take place under Trump’s leadership, Huckabee responded, “Well, of course.” He stressed, however, that he is not the one to set policy: “I won’t make the policy; I will carry out the policy of the president.” Huckabee pointed to Trump’s record from his first term as evidence of his strong commitment to Israel, highlighting the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem, recognition of the Golan Heights, and acknowledgment of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “There’s never been an American president more supportive of Israel’s sovereignty,” he remarked. Huckabee has long rejected a Palestinian state in territory previously seized by Israel and has repeatedly signaled his staunch support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Huckabee, a former TV host and Baptist preacher, frequently visits Israel and once said he wanted to buy a holiday home there. He has maintained throughout the years that the West Bank belongs to Israel, and recently said “the title deed was given by God to Abraham and to his heirs.” His argument for a so-called “one-state solution” contradicts longstanding official U.S. support for the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. He has described the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas as “horrific” and ” beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime” and argued that the U.S. needs to stand firmly behind Israel. Here are some things Huckabee has said over the years about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is decisively against a two-state solution Huckabee has never supported a two-state compromise even when Netanyahu endorsed the idea in 2009. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians want those territories for a future state and view them as parts of a single country now under military occupation. The U.S., along with most of the international community, has supported the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines as the cornerstone of a peace agreement. Even Netanyahu once endorsed a two-state solution while rejecting a return to Israel’s pre-1967 lines. Netanyahu now rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. Huckabee has never supported any solution that would require Israeli yishuvim to be uprooted. In an interview with The Associated Press in 2015, Huckabee, then running for the GOP presidential nomination, said recognizing the West Bank as Israeli would be the “formal position” of his administration. He criticized Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza and described settlers evacuated by Israeli forces as having been “marched at gunpoint.” “I feel that we have a responsibility to respect that this is land that has historically belonged to the Jews,” he said. He once compared the Iran nuclear deal to […]

A look back at the time when Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, got caught in a crossfire between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian rioters.

Violent protests erupted in Paris on Wednesday against a gala organized by pro-Israel figures which was intended to raise funds for the IDF, and included Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich among its invited guests. The demonstrations came on the eve of a high-stakes soccer match at France’s national stadium against the Israeli national team, overshadowed by tensions around the wars in the Middle East. Authorities in Paris announced that more than 4,000 police officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for the game. Smotrich, a vocal advocate of Israeli yishuvim, had been expected to attend Wednesday’s gala, dubbed “Israel is Forever,” which was planned by an association of the same name. The group’s stated goal is to “mobilize French-speaking Zionist forces.” On Wednesday night, several hundred protesters marched through central Paris, denouncing the event as a “gala of hatred and shame.” “Imagine if an association were hosting a gala for Hezbollah or Hamas — there’s no way the police would allow that,” said Melkir Saib, a 30-year-old protester. “The situation is just unfair.” Demonstrators broke windows at a McDonald’s along the route. A separate group, including “Jewish” leftist organizations opposed to racism and antisemitism, gathered near the Arc de Triomphe chanting slogans against the gala and Smotrich. French authorities defended the event, with Paris police chief Laurent Nunez claiming that the gala posed “no major threat to public order.” The protests came days after tensions flared in Paris and Amsterdam related to the conflicts in the Mideast. A massive “Free Palestine” banner was displayed during a Paris Saint-Germain Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, while violence broke out in Amsterdam last week targeting fans of an Israeli soccer club. (AP)

The decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths appears to have continued this year, giving experts hope the nation is seeing sustained improvement in the persistent epidemic. There were about 97,000 overdose deaths in the 12-month period that ended June 30, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That’s down 14% from the estimated 113,000 for the previous 12-month period. “This is a pretty stunning and rapid reversal of drug overdose mortality numbers,” said Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher who studies overdose trends. Overdose death rates began steadily climbing in the 1990s because of opioid painkillers, followed by waves of deaths led by other opioids like heroin and — more recently — illicit fentanyl. Provisional data had indicated a slight decline for 2023, and the tally released Wednesday showed that the downward trend has kept going. Of course, there have been moments in the last several years when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again, Marshall noted. “This seems to be substantial and sustained,” Marshall said. “I think there’s real reason for hope here.” Experts aren’t certain about the reasons for the decline, but they cite a combination of possible factors. One is COVID-19. In the worst days of the pandemic, addiction treatment was hard to get and people were socially isolated — with no one around to help if they overdosed. “During the pandemic we saw such a meteoric rise in drug overdose deaths that it’s only natural we would see a decrease,” said Farida Ahmad of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Still, overdose deaths are well above what they were at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent numbers could represent the fruition of years of efforts to increase the availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, and addiction treatments such as buprenorphine, said Erin Winstanley, a University of Pittsburgh professor who researches drug overdose trends. Marshall said such efforts likely are being aided by money from settlements of opioid-related lawsuits, brought by state, local and Native American governments against drugmakers, wholesalers and pharmacies. Settlement funds have been rolling out to small towns and big cities across the U.S., and some have started spending the money on naloxone and other measures. Some experts have wondered about changes in the drug supply. Xylazine, a sedative, has been increasingly detected in illegally manufactured fentanyl, and experts are sorting out exactly how it’s affecting overdoses. In the latest CDC data, overdose death reports are down in 45 states. Increases occurred in Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. The most dramatic decreases were seen in North Carolina and Ohio, but CDC officials voiced a note of caution. Some jurisdictions have had lags in getting death records to federal statisticians — particularly North Carolina, where death investigations have slowed because of understaffing at the state medical examiner’s office. The CDC made estimates to try to account for incomplete death records, but the decline in some places may ultimately turn out not to be as dramatic as initial numbers suggest. Another limitation of the provisional data is that it doesn’t detail what’s happening in different groups of people. Recent research noted the overdose deaths in Black and Native Americans have been growing disproportionately larger. “We really need […]

Israel’s Foreign Ministry denied a change in its diplomatic relationship with Turkey on Wednesday, just hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that he had cut all ties with Yerushalayim.

The ministry “is not aware of a change in the status of relations with Turkey,” it circulated in a statement cited by local media.

Reports noted that Turkey’s embassy in Israel was functioning as usual, while Yerushalayim’s diplomatic mission in Ankara also remains open.

Earlier on Wednesday, speaking with reporters aboard a plane en route to Ankara after a visit to Azerbaijan, Erdoğan claimed that “we, as the State and Government of the Republic of Turkey, have cut off relations with Israel. We do not have any relationship with Israel at this point.”

The Turkish president also told attendees at the COP29 climate summit in Baku on Wednesday that “coordinated diplomatic efforts must be used” to push the Jewish state “into a corner,” Israel Hayom reported.

Erdoğan has become more hostile towards Israel and closer to Hamas since the terrorist group’s assault in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

In May, Erdoğan called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “vampire who feeds on blood,” urging Muslims to fight the Jewish state.

“The world is watching the barbarity of … a vampire who feeds on blood called Netanyahu, and they are watching it on live broadcast,” he said.

Two months later, Erdoğan told Newsweek that Palestinian terrorists from Gaza were “simply defending their homes, streets and homeland.

“What is between Israel and Gaza is not war,” he continued. “Israel has been treating Gaza as an open-air prison for years. They are usurping Palestinians of their homes, businesses and farmlands throughout Palestinian territory using thieving terrorists they call settlers.”

Over the summer, the Israeli Defense Ministry extended a power supply contract for army bases with Dorad Energy, which is partially owned by a Turkish company whose chairman has received praise from Erdoğan.

The Dorad power station, the Jewish state’s second-largest independent power station, has provided electricity to the Israel Defense Forces and the Defense Ministry since 2004. In July, the firm’s board of directors approved renewing the deal to supply power to IDF military bases.

Zorlu Holding’s chairman, Ahmet Nazif Zorlu, is said to maintain close ties with Erdoğan and his AK Party. In the past, he received multiple awards from Erdoğan, with the Turkish leader praising him as a “hero.”

The contract with Israel’s Defense Ministry was extended two months after Erdoğan declared that he would halt all business with the Jewish state, citing the “humanitarian tragedy” amid the war in Gaza.

Following a public outcry in Turkey, Zorlu Holding said that it intended to sell its shares in Dorad, ending its business ties to the Jewish state.

(JNS)

In the wake of a sweeping Democratic loss on Election Day, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is being touted as a potential future leader for the Democratic Party, with some insiders suggesting he could be a viable candidate for the White House in 2028. Shapiro, who was reportedly on Vice President Kamala Harris’s shortlist for a running mate, has built a reputation as a bipartisan leader popular in Pennsylvania—a critical swing state that played a pivotal role in this year’s election outcome. His history of winning statewide races and his appeal to both Democrats and Republicans have positioned him as a figure to watch. Shapiro, a former state attorney general, won Pennsylvania’s governorship in 2022 by a decisive margin, defeating his opponent by nearly 15 points. While his opponent, Doug Mastriano, was considered a weak candidate, Shapiro’s approval ratings have remained high. Recent polls show his popularity around 49 to 54 percent in Pennsylvania. The Harris campaign took notice of Shapiro’s popularity, with the governor making it to the final round of potential running mates. Although Harris ultimately chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Shapiro continued to campaign for Democrats in Pennsylvania and other key battleground states. Shapiro also played a critical role in helping Pennsylvania Democrats maintain their narrow majority in the state House despite significant statewide losses. According to Democratic consultant Mike Mikus, Shapiro “invested heavily both in terms of his time and support into our legislative races.” Beyond Pennsylvania, Shapiro’s bipartisan efforts have earned him a reputation as a pragmatic politician. He supported a Republican-led school voucher program, backing $100 million in school vouchers for private school tuition before ultimately withdrawing support amid progressive criticism. He has also faced pushback from the left on his stance toward Israel and his response to campus protests following the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. For many Pennsylvania Democrats, Shapiro’s approach offers a blueprint for national Democrats to connect with moderate voters. “Josh Shapiro is not distracted by the loud voices on both extremes,” said T.J. Rooney, former Pennsylvania Democratic Party chair. “He plays his politics with everybody in the middle.” While some Democrats are hesitant to speculate about the 2028 presidential race, focusing instead on the 2026 midterms, Shapiro’s name continues to be floated as the leader of the party. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Mandatory broker fees, an unusual feature of New York City apartment hunting long reviled by renters, will be banned under legislation that passed Wednesday after overcoming fierce backlash from the city’s real estate lobby. Under a system that exists in New York and almost nowhere else in the country, tenants are often forced to pay the commission of a real estate agent before moving into an apartment, even if that agent was hired by the landlord. The fees are steep, typically totaling as much as 15% of the annual rent, about $7,000 for the average-priced New York City apartment. The legislation passed by the City Council aims to stop landlords from saddling tenants with those payments — at least as an up-front fee. Though tenants may hire their own representatives, they will no longer be forced to pay for brokers that solely represent the interests of their landlords. In a city where two-thirds of households are renters, the bill is widely popular, a rare piece of municipal legislation championed by influencers on TikTok. It has also triggered opposition from brokers and their representatives, who warn it could send shockwaves through an industry that employs 25,000 agents. “They spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to lobby our politicians to try to kill this bill and try to force you to pay broker fees,” Councilmember Chi Ossé, a Democrat who sponsored the the FARE Act, said at a rally Wednesday. “But you know what we did: We beat them.” New York’s broker fee arrangement dates back nearly a century to a time when agents played an active role in publishing listings in newspapers and working directly with would-be tenants. The commission structure is also found in Boston, but few other parts of the country. But with most listings now published online, and virtual or self-guided tours gaining popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, many New Yorkers have grown increasingly frustrated by the fees. At a City Council hearing this summer, multiple speakers recalled shelling out thousands of dollars to a broker who seemed to do little more than open a door or text them the code to a lockbox. “In most businesses, the person who hires the person pays the person,” Agustina Velez, a house cleaner from Queens, said at that hearing. She recalled paying $6,000 to switch apartments. “Enough with these injustices. Landlords have to pay for the services they use.” Brokers counter that they do much more than merely holding open doors: conducting background checks, juggling viewings and streamlining communication with landlords in a city where many tenants never meet the owners of their buildings. “This is the start of a top-down, government-controlled housing system,” said Jordan Silver, a broker with the firm Brown Harris Stevens. “The language is so incredibly vague, we actually have no idea what this would look like in the world.” Others opposed to the bill, including the Real Estate Board of New York, say landlords will bake the added costs into monthly rents. But some New Yorkers say that would be preferable to the current system of high up-front costs that make it hard to move. “From the perspective of a tech investor and business owner in New York City, the more we can do to make it cheaper and easier for talented young people to […]

A CIA official has been accused of disclosing highly confidential U.S. documents related to Israel’s possible retaliation against Iran in response to a missile attack.

Asif W. Rahman, who had worked abroad for the CIA and held a top-secret security clearance, was apprehended by the FBI in Cambodia on Tuesday in connection with the leaks, according to a report by The New York Times.

The arrest follows the circulation of highly classified materials online last month, which outlined Israel’s apparent plan to respond after Iran launched a series of missiles on October 1.

The leaked documents, produced by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, included satellite images related to the potential Israeli counterstrike, along with detailed information on the types of missiles available for the operation.

These files were classified as top-secret and were meant to be accessed only by individuals with the appropriate security clearance in the U.S. and among the members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance, which includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

The Middle East Spectator, which had received the documents from an anonymous source, stated that it had no connection to the original leaker and could not confirm the documents’ authenticity.

Last month, the FBI confirmed that it was investigating the origin of the leak, noting that it was “working closely with our partners in the Department of Defense and intelligence community.”

While the indictment does not disclose specific details of the leak, it indicates that the breach occurred on or around October 17.

The intelligence in the documents was based on satellite images captured on October 15-16.

Court filings suggest that investigators believe the leak took place in Cambodia.

As a CIA employee with access to sensitive compartmentalized information, Rahman held a level of clearance typically granted to individuals who manage classified materials.

Following his arrest, Mick Mulroy, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, emphasized the critical importance of protecting such materials, calling it the “highest priority” for any intelligence agency or employee.

“It is very troubling to know that a CIA officer may have been involved in leaking this highly classified information,” Mulroy, who is also a non-Resident Senior Fellow at MEI, told The Post.

“Everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence, but if true, this is a serious security breach and there is no excuse for it.”

“This protection is critical to protecting the sources and methods of our intelligence collection and covert operations rely,” he added.

Data from 2017 reveals that over one million people in the U.S. have access to top-secret information, with an additional 1.6 million having clearance for materials deemed confidential or secret.

Once security clearances are granted, they are subject to continuous review, a process designed to quickly detect any new threats posed by an individual with clearance.

This process, which the Department of Defense revamped approximately two years ago, involves regular background checks to ensure that individuals continue to meet the criteria for holding security clearances.

Rahman, who is set to appear in federal court in Guam to face charges, is accused of two counts of willfully retaining and transmitting national defense information.

Following his initial court appearance, he is expected to be transferred to Virginia’s Eastern District to stand trial.

{Matzav.com}

Amazon has launched a low-cost online storefront featuring electronics, apparel and other products priced at under $20, an effort to compete with discount retailers that have increasingly encroached on the e-commerce giant’s turf. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company said the new Amazon Haul storefront will mostly feature products that cost less than $10 and offer free delivery on orders over $25. Amazon plans to ship the products to U.S. customers from a warehouse it operates in China, according to documentation the company provided to sellers. Amazon said Haul orders could arrive within one to two weeks. Many of the available products on the storefront Wednesday resembled the types of items typically found on Shein and Temu, the China-founded e-commerce platforms that have grown in popularity in recent years. Shein’s core customers are young women enticed by the low-cost apparel sold on the site. Temu offers clothing, accessories, kitchen gadgets and a broad array of other products for bargain-hungry shoppers. Temu and Shein often get criticism over the environmental impact of the ultra-fast fashion business model the two companies follow. They have also faced scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators in the U.S. and abroad over other issues, including some of the products on their platforms. Amazon’s new storefront, which is only available on its shopping app and mobile website, features unbranded products, such a phone case and a hairbrush that cost $2.99, and a sleeveless dress that retails for $14.99. The company is seeking to drive home its message on value, with banners on its page advertising “crazy low prices” and activewear “that won’t stretch your budget.” “Finding great products at very low prices is important to customers, and we continue to explore ways that we can work with our selling partners so they can offer products at ultra-low prices,” Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s vice president of Worldwide Selling Partner Services, said in a statement. “It’s early days for this experience, and we’ll continue to listen to customers as we refine and expand it in the weeks and months to come.” To be sure, importing goods out of China could soon become more expensive for Amazon. In September, the Biden administration said it was cracking down on cheap products sold out of China, a move designed to reduce U.S. dependence on Beijing but could also trigger higher prices for the U.S. consumers who have flocked to Shein and Temu. President-elect Donald Trump has also proposed a 60% tariff on goods from China. Amazon announced other news this week. The company said it was shutting down its free, ad-supported streaming service Freevee and consolidating the content under Prime Video, which now also features ads for Prime members who refuse to pay extra to avoid them. The Seattle-based tech company confirmed Wednesday that it will phase out Freevee in the coming weeks, a move that it says is intended to “deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers.” All Freevee content that’s currently streaming on Prime Video will be labeled “Watch for Free” so both Prime and non-Prime members can easily see what’s available for free, the company said. “There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a […]

Palestinian terrorists in western Shomron for the first time tried to fire a rocket with powerful explosives at Israel’s heavily populated central region.

The terrorist rocket, whose warhead contained high explosives with the potential to cause mass casualties, was discovered in bushes in the village of Budrus near Ramallah, about six miles from Ben-Gurion International Airport, the Israel Hayom daily reported on Wednesday.

Budrus also overlooks the Route 6 main north-south highway as well as Modi’in, a city of 106,000 located between Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv.

Israel Hayom noted that it marked the first time that a “high quality” (e.g., non-improvised) rocket warhead was found in Yehuda and Shomron. It was also the first time a rocket was located outside northern Shomron.

Following the seizure of the rocket, the Israel Defense Forces’ Ephraim Territorial Brigade launched an extensive counterterror raid in Budrus, but no additional high explosives were found.

According to an earlier unconfirmed report by Israel’s Army Radio, the rocket was first discovered by Palestinian Authority police. That report said that the device, which was reportedly found mounted on a launch pad, was expected to be transferred to the Israeli military for inspection.

In June, P.A. security officials told Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster that Iranian-backed terrorist groups might be able to fire advanced rockets toward central Israel from Shomron within a year.

Intelligence gathered by Ramallah indicates ongoing Iranian attempts to smuggle explosives, funds and know-how from Lebanon through Jordan and into Shomron, the report said.

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist cells in the Jenin area have tried to fire at least a dozen rockets across the Shomron security fence. No casualties or damage were recorded in any of these attacks.

Tehran continues to instigate terrorism in Yehuda and Shomron by flooding the area with weapons, The New York Times reported in April, citing American, Israeli and Iranian officials.

The majority of the weapons smuggled into Yehuda and Shomron are small arms and assault rifles, analysts said. However, the U.S. and Israeli officials said that the Islamic Republic is also smuggling in advanced weaponry, including anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.

In the first six months of 2024, Yehuda and Shomron saw more than 500 Arab terrorist attacks each month on average, according to data made public by Rescuers Without Borders.

During that period, first responders recorded 3,272 acts of terrorism in the region, including 1,868 cases of rock-throwing, 456 attacks with Molotov cocktails, 299 explosive charges and 109 shootings.

Terrorists murdered 14 people and wounded more than 155 others in Yehuda and Shomron between January and July, the rescue group said.

(JNS)

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who has been at the forefront of two federal cases against President-elect Donald Trump, plans to leave his position before Trump’s upcoming inauguration, sources familiar with the matter told The New York Times on Wednesday. The decision comes amid Trump’s repeated declarations that he would dismiss Smith immediately upon taking office, prompting the special counsel to wrap up his work before the new administration begins. Smith, appointed two years ago, has been aiming to complete his investigations and avoid leaving unfinished business that could be disrupted by a quick dismissal. Last week, Smith’s team requested a deadline extension in Trump’s 2020 election interference case, with the goal of finalizing by December 2. In his court filing, Smith acknowledged the unique challenges he faces, citing the need “to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.” The report says that Smith remains focused on delivering a comprehensive report summarizing his findings. He plans to submit this report to Attorney General Merrick Garland before stepping down, aiming to ensure his investigations reach a formal conclusion on his own terms. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President-elect Donald Trump made a surprising announcement on Wednesday, naming Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as his choice for Attorney General.

“It is my Great Honor to announce that Congressman Matt Gaetz, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The Attorney General of the United States,” Trump declared in a post on Truth Social.

Trump praised Gaetz’s abilities, calling him “a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law,” and highlighted Gaetz’s achievements in Congress. “He has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice. Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System.”

Trump went on to assert that Gaetz’s leadership would tackle critical issues: “Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department.” The statement also pointed to Gaetz’s efforts on the House Judiciary Committee. “On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization. He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law,” the Truth Social post read.

{Matzav.com}

Inflation in the United States ticked up in October, driven by costlier rents, used cars and air fares, a sign that price increases might be leveling off after having slowed in September to their lowest pace since 2021. Consumer prices rose 2.6% from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 2.4% in September. It was the first rise in annual inflation in seven months. From September to October, prices edged up 0.2%, the same as the previous month. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, “core” prices rose 3.3% from a year earlier, the same as in September. From September to October, core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight month. Over the long run, core inflation at that pace would exceed the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Most of the monthly increase in consumer prices reflected an increase in rents and housing costs, a trend that Fed officials expect to fade in the coming months. As a result, Wednesday’s figures could keep the Fed on track to cut its key rate for a third time in December, as its officials have previously indicated they likely would. Most economists think inflation will eventually resume its slowdown. Consumer inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in 2022, has since fallen steadily, though overall prices are still about 20% higher than they were three years ago. The price spike soured Americans on the economy and on the Biden-Harris administration’s economic stewardship and contributed to Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in last week’s presidential election. Yet Donald Trump’s victory has raised uncertainty about where inflation might be headed and how the Fed would react if it reaccelerated. Trump has vowed to reduce inflation, mostly by ramping up oil and gas drilling. But mainstream economists have warned that some of his proposals, notably his plan to substantially increase tariffs on imports and pursue mass deportations of migrants, would worsen inflation if fully implemented. Stock prices surged in the wake of Trump’s election victory, mostly on optimism that his proposed tax cuts and deregulation would boost the economy and corporate profits. But bond yields also moved higher, partly reflecting fear that inflation could accelerate. In addition, the economy is growing faster than many economists had expected earlier this year. It has expanded at nearly a 3% annual rate over the past six months, with consumers, particularly those with higher incomes, spending freely and fueling growth. Gas prices fell 0.9% from September to October, helping to hold down overall inflation. Prices at the pump have since fallen further on average nationwide, to 3.08 a gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s down from $3.20 a month ago. Grocery prices ticked up just 0.1% from September to October and are up just 1.1% over the past year, providing some relief to consumers after food costs surged roughly 23% over the past three years. Egg prices continue to be highly volatile. They fell 6.4% just last month, though they’re up more than 30% from a year earlier. Used car prices jumped 2.7% just from September to October, after having mostly declined for months before that. Auto dealers have mostly rebuilt their inventories after they were depleted during COVID and in some cases have had to offer incentives again to entice buyers. Compared with a year ago, average used car […]

Dear friends, My name is Adele (Udi), and I am the mother of Yocheved, a five-year-old girl with a huge smile and a heart full of love. But Yocheved is not like other girls her age. Instead of playing, she’s fighting for her life. She just wants to wake up in the morning without pain, without needles, without tests. She dreams of going back to kindergarten, running on the grass, and hugging us, like any regular child. Our Yocheved is sick with leukemia, and this cruel illness has taken away her childhood. Now, we have another chance—a special treatment in Vienna that could save her. But the journey is very expensive—flights, treatments, hospital stays. We can’t do it alone. We need you. Every donation, every bit of help, all of your support and encouragement, give us hope to see her recover. Please, help us save her. Help us heal her. She needs us now more than ever. Udi Click here to Donate