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From 01:00 last night until now, after the shooting towards northern Israel, Magen David Adom teams have been called to treat 4 injured individuals due to shrapnel injuries, including: a 76-year-old male in moderate condition from a shrapnel wound to the upper body, a 70-year-old male, a 60-year-old male, and a 16-year-old female in mild condition, along with several mildly injured patients who were hurt while heading to a safe area, and those suffering from anxiety. At 01:20, a report was received at Magen David Adom’s 101 Emergency Call Center in the Gilboa region about a man who sustained a very minor scratch, apparently from a small intercept missile shrapnel near a village in the Lower Galilee. MDA EMTs and paramedics transported a 60-year-old male in very mild condition with a head injury to the English hospital in Nazareth. Additionally, MDA teams treated several anxiety victims and individuals who were lightly injured while heading to a safe area, including: a one-month-old baby, two women in their thirties, and men and women in their seventies and eighties. The injured were taken to the Emek Hospital in Afula, the Italian hospital, and the English hospital in Nazareth. This morning at 06:36, a call was received at the 101 Emergency Call Center in the Carmel region regarding an injury near a building in the Krayot region. MDA EMTs and paramedics provided medical treatment to a 76-year-old man in moderate condition with a shrapnel injury to his eye, a 70-year-old man, and a 16-year-old girl in light condition with shrapnel wounds and evacuated them to Rambam Hospital. Additionally, MDA teams are treating lightly injured individuals who were hurt while heading to safe areas and anxiety victims in the Golan Heights, Lower Galilee, Acre, and Krayot regions. MDA teams are on high alert and urge the public to call the emergency 101 number for any medical needs. They also call on the public, especially O and RH- blood type donors, to come and donate blood at the donation sites published on the MDA website. Pre-registration is recommended.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that between 6:24 and 7:00 AM, approximately 85 rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, setting off sirens in several regions. Some of the rockets were intercepted, while others landed in areas such as Kiryat Bialik, Tsur Shalom, and Moreshet. These rocket impacts ignited multiple fires, and Israel Fire and Rescue Services are currently working to extinguish them. Earlier, between 4:48 and 5:10 AM, an additional 20 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward the Jezreel Valley. Most of these projectiles were intercepted, with the remainder landing in open areas. Magen David Adom reports that three people were injured by shrapnel after a rocket hit Kiryat Bialik, near Haifa. A man in his 70s is in moderate condition, while another man in his 70s and a 16-year-old girl sustained minor injuries. All victims are being transported to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Magen David Adom reports that three people were injured by shrapnel after a rocket hit Kiryat Bialik, near Haifa. A man in his 70s is in moderate condition, while another man in his 70s and a 16-year-old girl sustained minor injuries. All victims are being transported to Rambam Hospital in Haifa.

A dairy farm in the Jezreel Valley suffered significant damage earlier this morning when it was struck during a rocket barrage from Lebanon, according to a statement by Israeli Police. Several cows were killed or injured in the attack. Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for the barrage, stating that its target was the Ramat David Airbase. The IDF reported that around 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon overnight, with most being intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems. Despite this, some rockets managed to hit targets in the area, including the dairy farm.

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor Dr. Marty Makary reacts to a new report revealing that cancer deaths in the U.S. fell by 33% in 30 years.

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In his remarks to the IAC, former President Trump invited former Hamas hostage Andrey Kozlov to the stage.

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At his campaign event in Wilmington, North Carolina, former President Trump played a clip reel of Vice President Kamala Harris, including moments from her interview with Oprah Winfrey.

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Stuart and Tonya Junker loved their quiet neighborhood near South Dakota’s Black Hills — until the earth began collapsing around them, leaving them wondering if their home could tumble into a gaping hole. They blame the state for selling land that became the Hideaway Hills subdivision despite knowing it was perched above an old mine. Since the sinkholes began opening up, they and about 150 of their neighbors sued the state for $45 million to cover the value of their homes and legal costs. “Let’s just say it’s really changed our lives a lot,” Tonya Junker said. “The worry, the not sleeping, the ‘what if’ something happens. It’s all of it, all of the above.” Sinkholes are fairly common, due to collapsed caves, old mines or dissolving material, but the circumstances in South Dakota stand out, said Paul Santi, a professor of geological engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. The combination of such large sinkholes endangering so many homes makes the Hideaway Hills situation one to remember. “I can say just from having taught classes about case histories with geologic problems that this would be a case that will end up in textbooks,” Santi said. Crews built Hideaway Hills, located a few miles northwest of Rapid City, from 2002 to 2004 in an area previously owned by the state where the mineral gypsum was mined for use at a nearby state-owned cement plant. Attorney Kathy Barrow, who represents residents who live in 94 subdivision homes, said the state sold the surface but held on to the subsurface, and it did not disclose it had removed the soil’s natural ability to hold up the surface. Some of the land slightly sunk over time after the subdivision was built, and a hole opened up beneath a back porch, but the situation escalated after a large sinkhole opened up in 2020 near where a man was mowing his lawn. That prompted residents to connect with Barrow and testing revealed a large, improperly sealed mine beneath the northeastern part of the subdivision, and a 40-foot-deep (12-meter-deep) pit mine in another corner of the neighborhood, Barrow said. Since that first giant collapse, more holes and sinkings have appeared and there are now “too many to count,” Barrow said. The unstable ground has affected 158 homes plus destabilized roads and utilities. In one spot, an old truck can be seen in a hole beneath a house porch, still resting where a landowner pushed it into a mine cavern in the 1940s, Barrow said. The area near the 2020 collapse has been vacated and gated off, but people still live in many of the other homes, usually because they can’t afford to leave. Residents are panicked but stuck, Barrow said. “They’re worried about school buses falling into a hole. They worry about their houses collapsing on their children in their beds at night,” Barrow said. “I mean, you spend your whole life putting money and building equity in your home. It’s your most prized asset, and these people’s asset had become not only worthless but almost a negative because they’re dangerous to live in.” An attorney for the state declined to comment, but the state has asked a judge to dismiss the case. In court documents, the state entities being sued said they “would like to […]

Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen reacts to the Teamsters not endorsing a presidential candidate and weighs in on the backlash over First Lady Jill Biden’s appearance at a cabinet meeting.

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On Friday, the United Nations expressed serious concern regarding the recent Israeli airstrikes in Beirut, which resulted in the deaths of prominent Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil and other key figures from Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.

“We are, of course, very concerned about the heightened escalation… including the deadly strikes we saw in Beirut today. We urge all parties to deescalate immediately. All must exercise maximum restraint,” stated Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as reported by AFP.

IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari remarked that Aqil and other senior members of the Radwan Force were sheltering “underground, beneath a residential building in the heart of the Dahieh neighborhood, using civilians as human shields. They had gathered to coordinate terrorist activities against the citizens of Israel.”

“Aqil and the Radwan Force commanders we struck were the masterminds of and the force behind Hezbollah’s plan to execute an attack on Northern Israel on what they referred to as the ‘Plan to Conquer the Galilee.’ As part of this plan, Hezbollah intended to infiltrate Israel, seize control of the communities in the Galilee, and to kill and kidnap Israeli civilians, much like Hamas did on October 7th. Since October 8th, these commanders led attacks against Israel’s citizens and were planning further operations,” Hagari added.

Following the airstrikes, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated, “The Hezbollah commanders we eliminated today had been planning their ‘October 7th’ on the northern border for years. We reached them, and we will reach anyone who threatens the security of Israel’s citizens.”

Guterres has been vocal in his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza against Hamas militants.

In late October, the UN Secretary-General remarked that Hamas’ assault on Israel on October 7 “did not happen in a vacuum” and seemed to implicate Israel in the circumstances surrounding the attack.

After facing widespread backlash, the UN chief clarified that his remarks had been misinterpreted and asserted that he had indeed condemned Hamas.

He later noted the sexual violence committed by Hamas during its October 7 assault on Israel, mentioning it alongside “reports of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees.”

Earlier this week, Guterres accused Israel of enacting “collective punishment” on the residents of Gaza.

“It is unimaginable, the level of suffering in Gaza, the level of deaths and destruction have no parallel in everything I’ve witnessed since (becoming) Secretary-General,” Guterres told AFP.

“We all condemn the terror attacks made by Hamas, as well as the taking of the hostages, that is an absolute violation of international humanitarian law,” he continued.

“But the truth is that nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and that is what we are witnessing in a dramatic way in Gaza,” Guterres stated.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The IDF reports that *multiple suspicious aerial targets approached Israel from the direction of Iraq*, triggering sirens in the southern Golan Heights. The targets were intercepted before entering Israeli airspace, and no injuries were reported.

MK Gideon Sa’ar, the Chairman of the National Right, announced on Saturday evening that he would not accept the position of Defense Minister in the current government. “I decided to inform the Prime Minister that given the situation, I am giving up his offer to be Defense Minister. I don’t want those carrying the burden of managing the campaign at this time to be distracted by concerns about their position. It is not appropriate for there to be a ‘shelf’ Defense Minister alongside the serving Defense Minister, even for an unknown period,” he stated.

Sa’ar raised concerns that the indefinite nature of the current situation could lead to unchecked campaigns of incitement and delegitimization that would be difficult to counter. “As we saw in the past week – this undefined time was and will be used for an unrestrained campaign of incitement and delegitimization, which cannot be practically answered under the circumstances. I will continue to work for the promotion of a decisive approach, instead of attrition and erosion, on all fronts,” he remarked.

He also confirmed the discussions he had with Netanyahu, sharing that he initially agreed to take on this challenging role. “About a week ago, I agreed to take upon myself that heavy responsibility under the most difficult conditions. I did this based on a profound understanding of Israel’s national security challenges and its struggle and based on the clear views I presented in the security cabinet, the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and to the public on how to conduct the war on various fronts and achieve its goals. I was and remain convinced of my ability to successfully fill the role of Defense Minister, as I have excelled in all my ministerial roles,” he explained.

Sa’ar asserted that the political and security strategy he has promoted over the last two decades has proven effective, contrasting his views with those of less successful elements. “The political and security path I presented to the public for over twenty years has proven accurate, in contrast to all the unsuccessful and obstructive elements. Alongside determination and wisdom in managing the campaign – today Israel needs an updated security concept. This includes building the IDF as an army ready for future challenges after years in which a significant part of its systems were atrophied or corrupted. In my opinion, the person who serves in this role should not be a man of the security establishment, tainted by collapsed concepts, systemic failures, and systemic commitments and accounts. A Defense Minister is not simply a super-Chief of Staff,” he elaborated.

He referenced the Winograd Committee’s findings regarding the Second Lebanon War, emphasizing the advantages of having a civilian Defense Minister. “The Winograd Committee’s conclusions on the Second Lebanon War determined that there are significant advantages to having a Defense Minister who is not from the security establishment. According to the committee, ‘He may strengthen the guiding and supervising authority and emphasize the fact that civilian oversight is not military management.’ A Defense Minister does not need to be a former military officer or security system member. He needs to have a deep knowledge of political and security issues and experience as a member of the government. As the Committee also noted, the issue of excessive dependence on military recommendations has been (and still is) a well-known problem in Israel for many years.”

Sa’ar emphasized his extensive experience and understanding in security matters, gained through years of involvement in various government roles. “I have such experience. I have such understanding. I gained them, among other things, in five security cabinets I participated in – three as a minister and two as Cabinet Secretary, who also serves as Secretary of the Security Cabinet. In additional years as a member of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and its subcommittee on intelligence and secret services, including currently. Even during my break from public life, I spent part of my time as a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies. In fact, all my adult life, I have dealt with Israel’s national security issues and studied them,” he added.

He reflected on Israel’s notable Defense Ministers, highlighting that most were civilians with a strategic grasp of national security challenges. “Let’s remember: Who were our great Defense Ministers? Almost all were civilians with a strategic understanding and deep comprehension of national security challenges. Conversely, during the tenure of Defense Ministers from the military, the greatest security and strategic failures occurred. Civilian David Ben-Gurion, not any general, shaped Israel’s security concept during the years he held (in addition to the Prime Minister’s office) the defense portfolio. I am not sure if the nuclear reactor in Iraq would have been destroyed if a security establishment figure had served as Defense Minister on June 7, 1981. After the resignation of Ezer Weizman, who opposed the strike, in May 1980 – luckily for us, Prime Minister Menachem Begin also held the defense portfolio. By the way: even the former Chief of Staff Yigal Yadin, who was the Deputy Prime Minister in Begin’s first government, opposed the daring strike. So did the US administration,” Sa’ar emphasized.

He elaborated further, noting the appointment of civilian Moshe Arens as a successful Defense Minister during the First Lebanon War, despite his lack of military or ministerial experience. “Civilian Moshe Arens was appointed as Defense Minister in the midst of the First Lebanon War after the removal of Ariel Sharon following the Kahan Committee’s findings. Arens, when appointed, had no ministerial or cabinet experience. He also had no military experience. Before that, he served as Chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and as Israel’s Ambassador to Washington. Arens was one of Israel’s best Defense Ministers. It’s a pity Israel did not act according to his strategic wisdom (even when he was not Defense Minister), for instance in the ‘Lavi’ project issue, which led to his resignation from the unity government. Civilian Shimon Peres was appointed as Defense Minister immediately after the trauma of the Yom Kippur War, and he was the one who dealt with the army’s rehabilitation. He was then a security hawk. Fortunately, his advice to launch the Entebbe raid instead of negotiating with the terrorists who hijacked the Air France plane was accepted.”

Sa’ar concluded by expressing his concern over the tragic military failures attributed to Defense Ministers from the IDF. “The greatest military and strategic disasters in the history of the State of Israel occurred during the tenure of Defense Ministers from the IDF: the October 7 massacre, the Yom Kippur War, the hasty unilateral withdrawals from Gaza and Lebanon, the Oslo Accords. Events that led to the greatest bloodshed in Israel’s history.”

He ended with a heartfelt prayer for the welfare of hostages and the healing of those affected by the conflict. “I pray for the return of all the hostages to their families, for the recovery of the physically and mentally wounded, and for the return of the displaced to their homes. I will always support Israel. I will never be among its weakeners. The Eternal One of Israel will not lie,” Sa’ar said.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms asserted on Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris’ limited number of media interviews can be attributed to her being “very busy.”

At 59, Harris is on track to have the lowest interview count of any major party presidential nominee in history. She has faced criticism from both supporters and opponents for conducting only six in-depth interviews since President Biden announced he would not seek re-election on July 21.

In response to questions regarding Harris’ hesitance to engage with the press, Bottoms, who serves as a senior adviser for the Harris-Walz campaign, emphasized the vice president’s packed schedule during her appearance on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper.”

“She’s a very busy person,” Bottoms stated. “She’s the vice president as well as a candidate.”

The Harris advisor maintained that the Democratic nominee is already effectively communicating her policy views to the electorate through her organized campaign events.

“We heard her today talk about her views on these policies,” Bottoms noted. “It may not be in the format that the media would like. It may not be that she’s sitting down doing a one-on-one interview, but we heard her today in Georgia talk about her stance on reproductive freedom.”

Harris conducted her first formal interview since being chosen to replace Biden on the Democratic ticket nearly a month after the 81-year-old president endorsed her candidacy.

For the Aug. 29 conversation with CNN’s Dana Bash, she was joined by her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is 60.

In addition to this, Harris has participated in interviews with Philadelphia’s ABC station, Spanish-language radio host Chiquibaby, and a panel at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) event.

In contrast, former President Donald Trump, at 78, has managed to conduct at least three times the number of interviews within the same timeframe, including some that have extended beyond an hour, like his recent discussion on X Spaces with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Meanwhile, Ohio Senator JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, has frequently appeared on various Sunday morning public affairs shows.

{Matzav.com}

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the Israeli-American Council (IAC) Summit in Washington, DC, where he strongly criticized the Democratic Party for its stance on Israel.

“It is pathetic that our nation’s oldest and largest political party feels the need to cater to its very own pro-Hamas pockets. If they were in my party, I’d want them to be kicked out of our Republican Party,” DeSantis declared.

Speaking about the wave of anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses, DeSantis commented, “What you’re seeing on these college campuses, no question, is a lot of virulent antisemitism, a lot of hate. When you say ‘from the river to the sea,’ you are chanting in favor of a second Holocaust. That’s what that means.”

He added that some of the students involved may not even understand the implications of their statements. “I do think some of these students are just ignorant. I don’t think they understand even what they’re talking about. You hear some of them talking about ‘end the occupation of Palestine’. And I just think they need a little history lesson: There has never been a Palestinian Arab state!”

DeSantis then provided a brief historical overview to support his point. “Prior to the first World War, you had hundreds of years of occupation under the Ottoman Empire. It was not a Palestinian Arab state. Then you had the British Mandate for Palestine. Then you had a Partition Plan from the UN – Jewish state and Arab state. The Jews accepted the state and founded Israel. The Arabs rejected the state and they went to war to try to eradicate Israel, and they lost. And they went to war again and they lost in 1967 and 1973 and throughout the intifadas, and so no! That land historically has no stronger connection than any group of people except the Jewish people. It goes about thousands of years. Read your Bible!”

He also underscored the significance of America’s support for Israel. “It’s important for us in the United States to be very clear-eyed about what it means to be a strong ally of the State of Israel, and that means we should not embrace the canard of a two-state solution. That is not seeking to have peace. They are seeking that as a stepping stone to the destruction of the Jewish state and that is not acceptable!”

DeSantis referenced former U.S. President Harry Truman, saying, “The US President that recognized the modern Jewish state, Harry Truman, once remarked that he had faith in Israel before it was established. He knew it was based on the love of freedom, which has been the guiding star of the Jewish people since the days of Moses. He went on to note that Israel had a glorious future before it, not just as a sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization, and you can’t find a sharper contrast in any region of the world than you do between the lightness the light that’s reflected by Israeli democracy and the darkness that’s reflected by so many of the pathologies that run rampant throughout the Middle East.”

Finally, DeSantis reflected on the events of October 7th, asserting, “October 7th revealed that evil exists in this world, but I’ll tell you this: Ultimately the truth will prevail, ultimately good will triumph over evil.”

{Matzav.com}

Retired Air Force Brigadier General Blaine Holt told Newsmax on Friday that Israel’s recent operations against Iranian-supported Hezbollah forces in Beirut might indicate that a ground invasion into Lebanon is approaching.

Earlier this week, Israel targeted Hezbollah members by rigging pagers and walkie-talkies to detonate, resulting in the deaths of dozens and injuries to thousands. On Friday, reports surfaced that Israel Defense Forces had eliminated Hezbollah’s top military leader, Ibrahim Aqil, along with at least 10 other high-ranking commanders in an airstrike in Beirut. Aqil had been wanted by U.S. authorities, with a $7 million reward for his role in orchestrating the 1983 bombings of a U.S. Marine barracks and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.

This marked the second instance in under two months that Israel successfully eliminated a senior Hezbollah military leader in Beirut. Back in July, an Israeli airstrike had taken out Fuad Shukr, whom Aqil succeeded as Hezbollah’s top commander.

“The strike was a precise strike,” Holt commented on “The Record With Greta Van Susteren” while speaking with guest host John Bachman. “It was in the Dahiya district of Beirut, the enclave that is all Hezbollah. That’s where Hezbollah lives. And they got their target [Aqil] going into a very important meeting down in a bunker, time sensitive, high-value target. They took that shot. Now, this is the gentleman who replaced the last terrorist killed, Fuad Shukr, about three or four weeks ago, and so what they’re doing is they’re effectively shaping everything just the way they want it before they escalate this war greatly. And with what we see the Israeli Air Force doing, in addition to the electronic strikes, I think it’s imminent that we’re going to see Israeli tanks roll very soon. In fact, the 36th and the 98th Division are in place to do just that.”

Hezbollah has continued its barrage of rockets and missiles into northern Israel since Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip, which followed the October 7 attack by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.

{Matzav.com}

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier unveiled the country’s new government today, seeking to end months of political uncertainty, if not the accompanying acrimony.

Barnier’s newly named cabinet marks a tilt to the right and will need to maintain enough support across France’s National Assembly to avoid being dissolved with a no-confidence vote. Members of the left-wing alliance that won the most seats in July’s legislative elections – and led the effort to keep the far right out of power – objected that the slate of ministers was undemocratic, representing the election’s losers.

France has had only an acting government since July’s snap elections concluded with no bloc of parties securing a governing majority of seats. The prolonged uncertainty left France rudderless. The country has been unable to advance a 2025 budget or move to address a ballooning budget deficit. The interregnum has also allowed animosities to fester.

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Barnier this month, saying the veteran French politician – who was also the European Union’s Brexit negotiator – had the best chance to reestablish political stability.

“A team! And now, to work!” Barnier posted Saturday after the French president appointed the new cabinet.

Two weeks of talks with the various blocs have resulted in the naming of 39 ministers. At the core are 17 senior cabinet members, who together form a predominantly center-right government: Seven cabinet ministers are from Macron’s centrist movement, which finished second in the election, and three are from Barnier’s right-wing Republicans, which finished a distant fourth.

None of the ministers represent Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party, which placed third. But also excluded are representatives of the left-wing alliance New Popular Front, which placed first.

Deep divisions could jeopardize the government’s survival on the long run, analysts said, as officials from the far left and the far right threaten to topple it.

With Macron allies in key posts and making up the fundamental part of the cabinet, “Macron’s influence will certainly still be felt across this government,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group consultancy.

Left-wing parties, along with student and activist groups, protested ahead of the announcement today in several French cities against the direction of the new cabinet.

Socialist lawmakers described the appointment as a “reshuffle” rather than a new government, saying it ignored voter preferences for the left.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of the far-left La France Insoumise which is the biggest party in the broad-ranging alliance, said the cabinet has “no legitimacy and no future.”

Barnier’s efforts to form a coalition that included alliance figures were rebuffed by the left, which argued that the election results should translate to more power than was offered, and by the far right, which also threatened to bring down the government.

Barnier could get by without the support of lawmakers on the left. He has backing from the centrist and conservative camps. But to make the math work, and avoid a censure vote that would topple the government before it even got started, Barnier needed at least the tacit approval of National Rally.

On Saturday, the party’s president and Le Pen’s young protégé, Jordan Bardella, was quick to say the new government would have “no future,” calling it a “return to Macronism through a back door.”

Le Pen told Le Parisien this week that she was confident Barnier would respect her party’s criteria and leave out certain politicians, but added a forward-looking warning. “The fact that we didn’t put forward a prior vote of censure does not deprive us of the possibility,” she said.

This is the first time Le Pen’s party has held so much sway over government talks, analysts say.

The threats from her party highlighted the vulnerability of the new government. “It can be brought down at any moment depending on the winds of Marine Le Pen,” Rahman said.

With the left opposed to the new cabinet, Barnier’s government could fall if the far-right party chooses to add its votes to a no-confidence motion.

“For now, I suspect they’ll let the government run,” Rahman said, adding that “at some point, Le Pen’s calculations may change.” He said the threats from her camp appeared intended “to keep Barnier’s government on its toes and to extract concessions in the coming fight over the budget for 2025, which will be critical to whether his government survives.”

Barnier has said its first priority is to address France’s “very serious” budget situation.

The country is trying to rebalance after spending generously to shield the economy during the pandemic and to protect households from soaring energy prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It has also increased defense spending in the face of the Russian threat.

France is on notice for violating E.U. budget rules. Its deficit last year amounted to 154 billion euros ($172 billion), which was 5.5 percent of gross domestic product – above the E.U.’s 3 percent guideline and the second highest in the bloc, after Italy.

Tens of billions of euros from the annual budget go to paying interest on the country’s debt, which stands at about 3 trillion euros. France’s debt to GDP ratio is more than 110 percent – the third-highest ratio in Europe after Greece and Italy.

Saturday’s announcement brings new faces to key posts such as the economy and foreign ministries, while Sébastien LeCornu – the defense minister and a Macron ally – remains in the new government.

In what was seen as a win for the right, Bruno Retailleau, a staunch conservative and immigration hard-liner from Barnier’s party, becomes interior minister, overseeing law enforcement and security.

A lawmaker from Macron’s party, Antoine Armand, takes the job of economy and finance minister, and Jean-Noël Barrot, a centrist politician who was previously junior minister for European affairs, is now foreign minister.

(c) Washington Post

Former President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on his Truth Social platform Friday, cautioning those intending to vote illegally in this year’s election that they would face significant repercussions.

“IF YOU VOTE ILLEGALLY, YOU’RE GOING TO JAIL,” Trump declared in his brief but pointed post.

The topic of illegal voting has been a recurring theme for Trump in recent days. Earlier this week, he used Truth Social to assert that those who commit voter fraud “will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law” once he is back in the Oval Office. “CEASE & DESIST: I, together with many Attorneys and Legal Scholars, am watching the Sanctity of the 2024 Presidential Election very closely because I know, better than most, the rampant Cheating and Skullduggery that has taken place by the Democrats in the 2020 Presidential Election,” Trump posted on Tuesday.

“It was a Disgrace to our Nation!” he added. “Therefore, the 2024 Election, where Votes have just started being cast, will be under the closest professional scrutiny and, WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long term prison sentences so that this Depravity of Justice does not happen again.”

Trump went on to warn: “We cannot let our Country further devolve into a Third World Nation, AND WE WON’T! Please beware that this legal exposure extends to Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials. Those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country.”

During a recent speech at the Economic Club of New York in Manhattan, Trump also touched on the issue of illegal immigration and its impact on housing costs, announcing that he would prevent illegal immigrants from accessing home mortgages. He said the U.S. “cannot ignore the impact that the flood of 21 million illegal aliens has had on driving up housing costs.”

“That’s why my plan will ban mortgages for illegal aliens,” Trump stated. “In California, they’re passing a law where they’re going to give illegal aliens money to buy a house.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., echoed concerns about illegal immigrants potentially becoming voters during a June interview with Newsmax. He emphasized that this is “true, not a conspiracy theory.” Johnson explained how current laws make it easy for illegal immigrants to register to vote under motor voter laws from the early ’90s, which require minimal documentation.

“There’s a separate form that they get because of the motor voter registration laws passed in the early ’90s, it’s very easy to sign up to vote: All you have to do is fill out a one-and-a-half-page form and check a box that says, ‘I’m a U.S. citizen,'” Johnson said. “Here’s the great outrage under current federal law: States are prohibited from requiring proof of citizenship.

“This is a serious threat to us.”

{Matzav.com}