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A group of Iranian hackers is claiming responsibility for a cyber intrusion targeting the cellphone of Naftali Bennett, according to reports in Hebrew-language media.

The allegation surfaced after the hackers, identifying themselves as “Handala,” announced what they described as a successful breach of Bennett’s device, an operation they named “Operation Octopus,” Ynet reported.

In a statement cited by Ynet, the group mocked Bennett’s professional background in the cyber field. “You once prided yourself on being a leading light of cybersecurity, and displayed your expertise to the world,” the hackers said, referring to Bennett’s role as a co-founder of a cybersecurity company.

The message continued with further derision. “And even so, how ironic that your iPhone 13 fell so easily into the hands of Handala,” the statement said. “Despite all of your pride and boasting, your digital fortress is nothing more than a paper wall waiting to be broken.”

Bennett has previously used the phrase “the head of the octopus” when describing Iran’s role in orchestrating threats against Israel throughout the region.

The incident comes as Bennett, who previously served as Israel’s prime minister, is widely viewed as the most serious political rival to Prime Minister Bibi Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of elections expected next year.

{Matzav.com}

A Queens Republican councilwoman is facing intense political backlash after posting — and later deleting — remarks calling for the “expulsion of Muslims” from Western countries in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack at a Chanukah celebration in Sydney. Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, who represents parts of northeastern Queens, wrote on social media following the […]

BRENDAN CARR: If you want to talk about weaponization, we saw that for 4 years under the Biden administration. SEN. KLOBUCHAR: Know what? Joe Biden is no longer president.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: You’ve launched investigations into every major broadcast network except Fox. Is that correct? FCC CHAIR BRENDAN CARR: I don’t know if that’s true or not. We do have investigations going on NPR and PBS. We have a number of investigations.

Second near midair collision with US military aircraft reported near Venezuela.

Four House Republicans joined Democrats to force a vote on a three-year extension of enhanced Obamacare tax credits, which are set to expire Dec. 31. * The Republicans are Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Mike Lawler (NY), Rob Bresnahan (PA), and Ryan Mackenzie (PA), who signed a discharge petition filed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. * […]

An Ashdod Small Claims Court ruled that airlines must cover basic passenger expenses after war-related flight cancellations, even when exempt from additional compensation due to security circumstances. * The ruling states this includes lodging, food, transportation, and alternative flights. * The case involved passengers stranded abroad after an Israir flight was canceled at the outbreak […]

Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026. Newhouse was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump following the January 6, 2021 events at the U.S. Capitol. In a statement, he said the decision comes with gratitude for the opportunity to serve and without […]

An AI video has gone viral showing a person in the Old City of Yerushalyim running around taking selfie with Gedolim who are no longer alive. Some who were Niftar more than 100 years ago. The creator of the video seems to be making fun of how pathetic people have become taking selfies with Gedolim.

Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons has flatly denied allegations circulating online that ICE officers stopped Rep. Ilhan Omar’s son after a routine shopping trip, saying the agency has no record of such an encounter.

According to Lyons, ICE databases show no instance in which officers or agents detained or questioned the Minnesota congresswoman’s son. “ICE has absolutely zero record of its officers or agents pulling over Congresswoman Omar’s son,” Lyons told Fox News Digital. He added that the accusation was made without any substantiating evidence. “It speaks volumes that Congresswoman Omar is leveling this accusation with absolutely zero proof,” Lyons said, arguing that the claim fits a broader effort to portray ICE negatively.

The controversy began after Omar described the alleged incident during a media interview, asserting that her son was stopped by ICE agents and released only after producing identification. “He did get pulled over by ICE agents and once he was able to produce his passport ID they did let him go,” she said.

During the exchange, the interviewer sought clarification about the unusual circumstance. “So your son went to Target last night with his passport,” the WCCO interviewer asked. Omar responded, “He always carries it with him.” The interviewer pressed further, saying, “In case he gets pulled over,” and added, “which he did by ICE.” Omar replied, “Yes.”

Despite ICE’s denial, Omar’s office has stood by her account. Spokesperson Jacklyn Rogers said the congresswoman maintains that the stop took place and characterized it as discriminatory. Rogers said in part, “The congresswoman’s son and others were pulled over by ICE, racially profiled, and forced to prove their citizenship with a passport.”

Rogers went on to sharply criticize the agency, accusing it of misconduct and poor recordkeeping. “ICE has long operated as a rogue agency beyond reform. It’s no surprise that an agency known for disappearing people also can’t keep its records straight. ICE now claims it has records of all the stops, and our office would welcome the opportunity to review them,” she added.

The dispute comes amid ongoing criticism of Omar over her views on immigration enforcement and her defense of Somali migrants in Minnesota who have been implicated in large-scale fraud cases, as previously reported by Breitbart News. One of the most prominent cases involved “Feeding Our Future,” an organization run by Minneapolis-area Somali migrants that prosecutors say fraudulently obtained $250 million in state child nutrition funds.

Additional cases cited by prosecutors include tens of millions of dollars allegedly stolen from Minnesota’s autism treatment program, as well as more than $550 million taken from pandemic-era coronavirus relief funds, with Somali migrants again at the center of the investigations.

Omar has dismissed scrutiny of these cases as politically motivated. She has described such criticism as nothing more than “hate and fearmongering.”

Republican lawmakers, however, have continued to publicly challenge Omar over both her rhetoric and her record. Speaking on Breitbart News Daily, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer accused her of fostering hostility on campus. “Oh, this gal is an anti-Semite. She’s hateful. She’s a racist. She goes to the University of Minnesota campus and essentially encourages violence against Jewish students,” Emmer said.

Emmer also tied Omar to the Feeding Our Future scandal, disputing her distance from the matter. “Ilhan Omar, she is not — she doesn’t have clean hands on this at all,” he said, asserting that she was responsible for creating the program, which he described as “the largest Somali fraud case in a pandemic case in the country.”

He continued by highlighting the scope of the indictments. “Ninety percent of the people — there’s over 80 people, were indicted in that $250 million fraud scheme — 90 percent of those indicted were from her Somali community,” Emmer said.

Emmer concluded with a blistering assessment of the congresswoman and the media’s treatment of her. “So she’s she’s as dirty as they come, and she is a con artist. But the national news media will not hold that gal accountable for anything. Who knows why? But the American public are smarter than that, and they agree with Donald Trump,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A former leading scientist at the National Institutes of Health sued the Trump administration Tuesday, saying she was illegally fired for warning that abrupt research cuts were endangering patients and public health. The NIH has cut billions of dollars in research projects since President Donald Trump took office in January, bypassing the usual scientific funding […]

An unusual security failure was revealed at Ben Gurion Airport after an 18-year-old passenger managed to board an international flight without a boarding pass and flew to Vienna, where authorities only discovered the problem upon his arrival. The young man was subsequently returned to Israel.

According to the report, the passenger succeeded in boarding the aircraft despite not having a valid boarding pass. Austrian officials uncovered the irregularity only after the plane landed in Vienna, when it became clear that he was not listed as a ticketed passenger.

The incident comes just two months after another serious breach at Ben Gurion Airport, in which a 13-year-old boy managed to board an El Al flight to the United States without a ticket or passport. In that case, the cabin crew identified the boy moments before takeoff, preventing what officials later described as a potentially dangerous situation.

In light of the recent series of incidents, Transportation Minister Miri Regev instructed the director general of the Ministry of Transportation to convene an urgent discussion with all relevant authorities, including the head of the Population and Immigration Authority and other aviation and security officials.

The Israel Airports Authority said in a statement that after receiving information from the airline about the exceptional incident involving an Israeli passenger who boarded a flight without a boarding pass, an internal review was conducted. The authority confirmed that the passenger underwent security screening but did not complete the border control process. An immediate examination was carried out with the responsible bodies, including the Population and Immigration Authority and the airline. The Airports Authority added that the airline and the Population Authority will conduct a full investigation and debrief in order to strengthen oversight and control mechanisms throughout the process.

Austrian Airlines said in Vienna that an internal investigation into the incident is underway and that, at this stage, no further details can be provided. The airline also noted that the aircraft underwent a comprehensive safety inspection after the flight.

The earlier incident involving the 13-year-old boy raised significant concern among authorities. Initial questioning at the time indicated that the boy entered the airport’s secured area by accompanying another passenger, bypassing security screening, passport control, and boarding supervision. He was immediately transferred for further questioning by security forces and police, while El Al and the Israel Airports Authority launched an urgent investigation into the circumstances of the breach.

{Matzav.com}

UTJ chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf issued some of his sharpest criticism yet of proposed draft legislation in Israel, warning in a radio interview that the bill would severely damage the Torah world and place tens of thousands of yeshiva students at immediate risk.

Speaking Tuesday evening with Avi Mimran on Kol Chai’s flagship program, Goldknopf broke a lengthy public silence and framed the debate in the context of Chanukah. He said that current efforts in Israel to undermine Torah learning were having repercussions far beyond the country’s borders. “Today they are trying to ‘make us forget Your Torah’ in Eretz Yisroel, and this affects the entire world and causes harm to Jews. We need unity,” he said, adding that former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak himself had recently stated that those for whom Torah learning is their profession must be allowed to continue without limitation.

Goldknopf made clear that he would not support the draft bill being advanced by MK Boaz Bismuth, arguing that it fundamentally redefines the status of Torah learners. “The proposal that Bismuth is bringing to the table harms existing Torah learners. Someone who says he wants to learn Torah is harmed in at least eight areas — no travel abroad, no eligibility for housing programs, no daycare subsidies. He becomes a third-class citizen, worse than terrorists,” he said.

Addressing enforcement concerns, Goldknopf warned of a dramatic escalation if the law is passed. “If the law passes, the situation will be much worse than it is today. How many arrests are there now? Thirty? Here we are talking about tens of thousands of Torah learners who will be harmed severely and immediately,” he said.

Goldknopf continued his criticism without restraint, calling on the entire chareidi public to stand united against the legislation. “We must insist that Torah learners cannot be harmed — the entire chareidi community with one voice. The current law is a disaster. A rav is supposed to be placed in the mizrach, and here they are harming Torah learners in the most severe way,” he said.

Toward the end of the interview, Goldknopf also addressed other issues he has been involved with in recent years. He praised Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu for intervening to prevent road construction on Shabbos, saying the prime minister deserved recognition for that step. At the same time, he said attention was now turning to air travel. “Many people from abroad want to come to Israel on flights that do not desecrate Shabbos, and therefore we want to summon the CEOs of Arkia and Israir for clarification. We are not talking about a boycott, only about clarification,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Maryland will create a commission to study potential reparations for slavery after lawmakers voted Tuesday to override a veto by Gov. Wes Moore — currently the nation’s only Black governor — that disappointed many fellow Democrats. Moore said in his veto letter in May that it was a difficult decision to veto the bill, which […]

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BROOKLYN: A police officer was injured during a traffic stop in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn early Tuesday morning. Officers had pulled over a vehicle at West 8th Street and Quentin Road just before 4:40 a.m. When they exited their cruiser, the driver suddenly reversed and struck one of the officers. The driver then fled […]

The Moscow Times reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law permitting the seizure of homes in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories if their owners fled during the war. Under the new legislation, houses, apartments, and rooms “showing signs of being ownerless property” can be declared the property of local municipalities or regional authorities.

A prominent Jewish bakery in Sydney has closed its doors, citing years of antisemitic harassment and a deteriorating security environment in the aftermath of the deadly Bondi Beach terror attack that killed 15 people. Patrons arriving Tuesday morning at Avner’s Bakery in Surry Hills were met with the shop’s small blue door firmly shut and […]

In remarks following Sunday’s deadly attack on a Jewish Hanukkah gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Vice President-elect JD Vance addressed the broader debate over antisemitism, particularly among younger generations and within American politics.

Vance has rejected claims that antisemitism is surging within Republican circles, saying he has not witnessed such attitudes in his own interactions. Speaking last week to NBC News, he stated: “Judging anybody based on their skin color or immutable characteristics, I think, is fundamentally anti-American and anti-Christian.”

He said he does not hesitate to confront bigotry when it appears, but stressed that his experience tells a different story. “I do think it’s important to call this stuff out when I see it,” Vance said, adding that in his conversations with young conservatives, “I don’t see some simmering antisemitism that’s exploding.”

The vice president-elect also weighed in online late Monday, responding to excerpts from an Atlantic article that examined what it described as rising antisemitism among younger demographics. Vance dismissed the framing of the piece, arguing that it missed critical context.

“Mainstream journalism is just profoundly uninteresting and lame, consumed by its own pieties,” he wrote, criticizing what he described as shallow analysis.

He took particular issue with how generational trends were discussed, saying: “To write an article about the ‘generational divide’ in anti-semitism without discussing the demographics of the various generations is mind boggling.”

Vance went on to argue that public policy plays a central role in addressing ethnic hatred more broadly. “The most significant single thing you could do to eliminate anti-semitism and any other kind of ethnic hatred is to support our efforts to lower immigration and promote assimilation,” he said. “But these guys won’t do that, because they all lack curiosity and introspection.”

As part of his argument, Vance shared an analysis cited by Manhattan Institute fellow Charles Fain Lehman, which concluded that “foreign-origin is a much better predictor of antisemitism than ideology or age.”

At the core of Vance’s comments was a distinction he said is often ignored in public discourse — the difference between criticism of Israeli government actions and animus toward Jews. “I would say there’s a difference between not liking Israel (or disagreeing with a given Israeli policy) and anti-semitism,” Vance said in a reply to his post on the US social media company X.

{Matzav.com}