Matzav

Children in Australia under the age of 16 will be banned from social media as part of a push to protect young people’s mental health, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, with firms involved required to enforce the new regulations or face potential fines.

“Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Albanese told reporters in Canberra on Thursday, pledging to introduce legislation later this month. “The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus won’t be on parents or young people. There’ll be no penalties for users.”

The long-anticipated age limits for social media are part of a suite of measures from Albanese’s center-left Labor government to crack down on technology giants, which the prime minister blames for a surge in misinformation and mental health problems.

Australia has a history of taking on large technology companies that run social media sites, including a push in 2021 to make Facebook and Google pay for news content. More recently, the government took Elon Musk’s X Corp. to court over a failure to remove a video of a terrorist attack in Sydney.

Labor is also weighing new legislation to force social media sites to crack down on misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.

The government said it had consulted with social media companies on the age limits “through a variety of means.” However, officials did not specify which services the changes would apply to, whether they had received assurances that a ban could be put into effect or what the potential size of the penalties for companies could be.

Meta respects “any age limitations the government wants to introduce for social media use,” according to Antigone Davis, the company’s head of safety. Research has shown parents want to be involved in their teens’ online lives and want a say in deciding what’s appropriate for them, she said.

“What’s missing is a deeper discussion on how we implement protections, otherwise we risk making ourselves feel better, like we have taken action, but teens and parents will not find themselves in a better place,” Davis said in a statement.

A spokesperson for TikTok in Australia declined to comment. Google and X didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Albanese said he didn’t believe the laws would be fully effective, or fix the problem immediately, pointing to alcohol restrictions that have failed to prevent underage drinking.

(c) Washington Post

In Amsterdam, Maccabi Tel Aviv fans have faced a series of violent attacks following Thursday evening’s soccer game between Maccabi and Ajax.

On Monday, the Spanish publication AS reported that a pro-Palestinian group was planning a demonstration outside the stadium, intending to target the Israeli team and its supporters. By Tuesday, it was further reported that Mossad agents would be accompanying Maccabi’s standard security team to enhance protection for the fans and players.

Earlier on Thursday, NL Times stated that a number of individuals had been detained due to unrest in the area. However, Amsterdam police have yet to clarify if those arrested were soccer fans or activists from the pro-Palestinian protests.

In response, local authorities provided security for the hundreds of Maccabi fans who attended the match to ensure their safety.

Reports from both Israel and Amsterdam have noted that the Israeli embassy in the Netherlands has become involved, actively assisting in relocating the Israeli supporters to safer areas.

Videos shared across social media platforms reveal scenes of fans being assaulted, pursued by individuals with knives, and narrowly avoiding being struck by passing cars.

Maariv reported that there was an attempt to abduct at least one Israeli, with many others seeking refuge inside shops and buildings to avoid harm.

Numerous videos showed Israelis leaping into Amsterdam’s canals as a desperate measure to escape the demonstrators.

The attacks occurred just hours after the Netherlands marked the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took to X/Twitter to raise awareness of the violent situation.

“At these moments, Arabs are rampaging around and brutally beating Israeli tourists in a way that seems life-threatening,” he wrote.

“I am calling on everyone who can, to act by any means to save their lives. Wake up.”

Bennett made posts in both Hebrew and English, calling for immediate action by authorities.

“What I see seems to be life-threatening: innocent people being run-over, beaten, driven into a river and more,” his English post stated.

“I call on the Dutch authorities to act immediately to prevent injuries and worse. Anybody that can act, please do so now,” he wrote, tagging Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, who has yet to respond.

Israel’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed on X that he is in communication with Dutch authorities and shared a hotline for Israelis and Jews facing danger.

The Israeli Embassy in the USA also shared additional emergency numbers.

“[We are] urging Israelis who are in need of assistance to call one of these numbers: +97225303155, +31634138229.”

“This is what happens when terrorists are allowed into Europe,” wrote Eli Beer, president of United Hatzalah.

“Tonight, in central Amsterdam, young Jews were attacked by Palestinians, facing attempted lynching. The police were absent or arrived too late. This is happening in the heart of Europe, and it’s only the beginning. In Israel, we confront this daily, but now it’s spreading to Europe.”

Some Maccabi Tel Aviv fans told journalist Raz Amir that they suspect the attacks were premeditated.

According to Amir, police failed to provide an escort to the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans once they boarded the trains and headed to their hotels.

“The Dutch police sold us so that the Arabs would lynch us,” one fan remarked after escaping the attack, arriving at Amsterdam airport bloodied and injured.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, also addressed the incident, demanding the UN condemn what he described as a pogrom.

“These are the true faces of the supporters of the radical terrorism we are fighting,” he wrote.

“The western world needs to wake up now!! This is the time when the UN should immediately and clearly condemn the violence of the Palestinians and their supporters. The Dutch authorities must take decisive action against terrorism now.”

{Matzav.com}

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley breaks down the future of lawfare against President-elect Donald Trump on ‘America’s Newsroom.’

WATCH:

The 2024 election is over — and Donald Trump will return to the White House. Trump won in a landslide, taking every battleground state and the popular vote — but just weeks ago, the media mob was filled with such joy for Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris.

The View called her the next President of the United States and predicted she’d win in a landslide.

“I think it’s going to be a blowout, actually” said co-host Sunny Hostin.

 

“I will say take Harris over 270 electoral votes…I think she’s going to win,” Democratic strategist James Carville said.

“The polls will be tied and then he’ll lose,” Bill Maher said.

“Trump is toast,” said Michael Moore.

Well, it didn’t exactly go their way.

Watch the montage above.

{Matzav.com}

On Wednesday, the Kremlin expressed cautious hope for potential improvements in U.S.-Russia relations under a second Trump term, although there was skepticism about Trump’s ability to fulfill his promises regarding peace in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted, “Let’s not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country that is directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state,” referring to U.S. opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

When asked whether relations between the U.S. and Russia could worsen under Trump, Peskov responded, “It is almost impossible to worsen them further, relations are at their historically lowest point. What happens next will depend on the next U.S. leadership.”

Peskov emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin is still open to “constructive dialogue based on fairness and equality.”

“At the moment, the U.S. administration is diametrically opposed, and what will happen in January – we will see,” he said.

Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, commented on Wednesday that it would be logical for the next U.S. president, regardless of who they are, to focus on domestic issues rather than seeking involvement in far-off conflicts.

“It would be logical for the next U.S. president, whoever he or she may be, to focus on solving own country’s problems and not looking for adventures tens of thousands of miles away from the U.S. coast,” she said.

She also remarked that, for Russia, the outcome of the U.S. election didn’t matter much, given the bipartisan consensus in the U.S. on confronting Russia.

“In general, it makes no difference for Russia what the election outcome will be, given the two-party consensus that emerged in the United States regarding the confrontation toward our country,” she added.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, known for his threats to escalate tensions to nuclear war and his prediction that Trump would be assassinated by the Western military-industrial complex if he attempted to end the war in Ukraine, expressed a hope that a second Trump administration might be detrimental to Ukraine.

“Trump has one useful quality for us: as a businessman to the core, he mortally dislikes spending money on various hangers-on and stupid hanger-on allies, on bad charity projects and on voracious international organizations,” Medvedev remarked.

“The question is how much Trump will be forced to give to the war. He’s stubborn, but the system is stronger,” he added.

On a more positive note, Kirill Dmitriev, a powerful businessman and CEO of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, expressed support for Trump’s victory.

Dmitriev congratulated Trump’s campaign for winning “despite a large-scale disinformation campaign directed against them.”

“Their convincing victory shows that ordinary Americans are tired of the unprecedented lies, incompetence, and malice of the Biden administration. This opens up new opportunities for resetting relations between Russia and the United States,” he said.

Dmitriev, a close advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, noted that Putin had not congratulated Trump on his election win.

{Matzav.com}

The liberal late-night hosts put their post-election meltdowns on full display Wednesday evening less than 24 hours after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, the NY Post reports. Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon greeted their shows with similar rehearsed acts — putting on a fake smile and lamenting about the terrible night they had because of Trump’s win.

“I spent a lot of time over the past 17 hours thinking about what I would say tonight, or even if there is anything to say tonight, and there’s nothing, goodnight everybody,” Kimmel said walking off the stage.

The 56-year-old ABC host returned and called election night “the worst taco Tuesday of my whole life” as he said he was figuring out what happened.

“Those of you who are hate watching this show right now wanting to watch me suffer, you will be happy to know that there was no joy in Mudville last night,” he said.

Kimmel became emotional later on when he claimed it was a rough night for several different groups.

“Let’s be honest, it was a terrible night last night,” he said.

“It was a terrible night for women, for children, for the hundreds of thousands of hardworking immigrants who make this country go,” Kimmel said, pausing to fight back tears. “It was a terrible night for everyone who voted against him, and guess what, it was a bad night for everyone who voted for him too, you just don’t realize it yet,” he added.

Kimmel baselessly claimed that Trump’s victory was a good night for Russian President Vladimir Putin, polio, Silicon Valley billionaires and the “wriggling brain worms who sold their souls to bow down to Donald Trump.”

“I’ve been trying to come up with something positive, the best I can come up with is we’ve been through this once before and yes this time it’s probably gonna be worse, maybe a lot worse,” Kimmel said.

“I’m disappointed, I know a lot of you are too. I thought commonsense would prevail. I’m so stupid, I always think it’s gonna but for a lot of people this just isn’t important. It’s not high on their list.”

Late Night with Seth Meyers

NBC’s Meyers revealed that he had voted for Harris, sarcastically quipping that nobody knew which candidate he had supported in the weeks before the election.

“I don’t think Donald Trump’s a good person. I will even go as far as saying he’s a bad person. Now in my defense, I’m only basing that on everything that I’ve ever been taught about what makes someone good or bad,” Meyers said.

“This is real and this is something I accept. Half the country thinks he is a good person or that don’t care that he’s not and thinks he’s a good president. And because of that he’s going to be our president again,” he added.

Meyers calm demeanor didn’t last long as he set up his “A Closer Look” segment into the 2024 Presidential Election.

“Well, Donald Trump has won the 2024 election and will be president again for four more years, or eight or 12 or whatever,” he said maniacally laughing.

“We live in an infinite time-warp where Donald Trump has always been and will always be the center of the universe. There can be no escape, all hail our powerful and benevolent supreme leader,” Meyers said.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

CBS host Colbert’s opening on the “Late Show” began with a more somber approach as he spoke directly into the camera in front of a silent audience.

“Hey there, how are you doing?” Colbert began his show. “If you watch this show regularly I’m guessing you’re not doing great. Yeah, me neither.”

The “Late Show” host retold an encounter where someone apologized to him for having to do a show the day after the election, but Colbert brushed it off saying he “gets to do a show today.”

Colbert focused on telling people to not be alone during “times like this” and that he was glad to be doing a “comedy show.”

“No one gets into this business because everything in their life worked out great,” the 60-year-old said. “So we’re built for rough roads.”

Colbert transitioned into the “cold open” displaying several different broadcasts from election night coverage before mocking the different reactions of Trump’s victory from around the world.

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Fallon, however, relied heavily on cheap one-liners and seemingly forced laughs from the crowd during his opening of “The Tonight Show,” on NBC.

“Well guys last night America decided to get back with a crazy ex and elect Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States,” Fallon said. “No matter who you voted for I think we can all agree that it’s going to be a rough Thanksgiving.”

“It was a tough night for Democrats, today they turned to Elon Musk ‘so tell me more about living on Mars, how close are we,” the 50-year-old quipped. NY Post

{Matzav.com}

U.S. mortgage rates have surged to their highest point in four months this week, and there’s potential for further increases due to concerns that President-elect Donald Trump’s economic policies could fuel inflationary pressures.

The average interest rate on the widely-used 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 6.79% from last week’s 6.72%, marking the highest rate since July, as reported by mortgage finance firm Freddie Mac on Thursday.

This recent increase marks the sixth consecutive weekly rise, adding up to a 71-basis-point increase since the end of September.

With housing supply still below pre-pandemic levels, these elevated mortgage rates, coupled with high home prices, have stifled sales of existing homes, which reached a 14-year low in September.

“Buyers who were waiting until after the election to get into the market may not see rates as low as they had hoped,” stated Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS.

The rate on the 30-year mortgage is influenced by the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which spiked to a four-month high following Trump’s victory in the presidential election. Trump’s platform includes proposed tax cuts, which, according to economists, would likely stimulate the economy, increase the federal budget deficit, and drive up government borrowing.

Additionally, Trump pledged to introduce a 60% tariff on Chinese goods and at least a 10% tax on all other imports, which analysts believe could spark inflation and limit the Federal Reserve’s options to lower interest rates.

A significant portion of current homeowners have mortgage rates below 4%, creating a “rate lock” effect that has restricted the supply of previously owned homes in the market. Bright MLS estimates that the typical monthly mortgage payment for a $400,000 home has surged by nearly $200 over the past six weeks.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog on Thursday congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on his “overwhelming victory,” wishing him and his administration success.

The Israeli head of state “thanked President Trump for his longstanding steadfast friendship and support for Israel,” according to a statement from the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim. Herzog also “expressed his confidence that President Trump would continue to work tirelessly to promote peace and security for Israel and the broader Middle East.”

During their conversation, Trump emphasized his “love and support” for the Jewish state, the Israeli president’s statement noted. The two men were said to have agreed to remain in close contact to strengthen cooperation and deepen “the ironclad alliance between the two nations.”

Herzog stressed to Trump the “urgent need” to secure the return of the 101 hostages still held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza for almost 400 days, including Americans, due to their “unimaginable cruelty and suffering.”

Herzog publicly congratulated Trump on Wednesday morning, calling him “a true and dear friend of Israel, and a champion of peace and cooperation in our region.”

“I look forward to working with you to strengthen the ironclad bond between our peoples, to build a future of peace and security for the Middle East, and to uphold our shared values. On behalf of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, and all our people, I wish you much success,” tweeted Herzog.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his election victory during a phone call on Wednesday.

The conversation, which lasted some 20 minutes, was described by Yerushalayim as “warm and cordial.” The two were said to have “agreed to work together for Israel’s security and discussed the Iranian threat.”

Earlier Wednesday, the Israeli premier hailed Trump’s “historic return” to the White House. The Republican candidate’s landslide win “offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America,” Netanyahu said.

(JNS)

In his final day as Israel’s Defense Minister, just before his official dismissal went into effect, Yoav Gallant approved a project that will add additional roofing at Ma’aras Hamachpeila, which will make the holy site more accessible.  After months of speculation, Gallant was fired by Prime Minister Netanyahu over disagreements regarding the war, hostage negotiations, and Charedi enlistment.

Yisrael Bramson, the head of the Kiryat Arba-Chevron council, who was a major proponent of the project, thanked Gallant for his support: “We thank Minister Galant for listening and for understanding the vital need to promote the roofing of the Cave of the Patriarchs. This is a significant project for the future of Kiryat Arba-Chevron and for all the people of Israel, and we will continue to work to promote our heritage and connection to this holy place.”

The roofing project is designed to bring the site’s thousands of visitors extra relief and shade from the sun in the hot summer months, and shelter from the rain during the rainy season.

Getting any construction off the ground in Chevron is a major process, especially any project involving Ma’aras Hamachpeila.

{Matzav.com} 

Former President George W. Bush released a statement this week on Donald Trump’s landslide win over Democratic Party challenger Kamala Harris.

Bush’s full statement below:

 

CRAWFORD, TEXAS — I congratulate President Trump on his election as 47th President of the United States of America, as well as Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and their families.

I also thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country. The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions. Laura and I are grateful to the election officials, poll workers, and volunteers who oversaw a free, fair, safe, and secure election.

We join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government. May God continue to bless our great country.

Bush’s message below:

 

The United Nations said in a letter Tuesday that finding a replacement for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which Israel banned for its terror ties, was Yerushalayim’s responsibility.

“If UNRWA is no longer able to operate it would be the responsibility of the Israeli authorities to replace its services that it delivers to civilians, in education, in health, and all sorts of other areas,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ chef de cabinet, Courtenay Rattray, wrote to an Israeli foreign affairs official on Tuesday, saying, “I would note, as a general point, that it is not our responsibility to replace UNRWA, nor do we have the capacity to do so.”

Her letter was in reply to one sent by Israel’s Foreign Ministry to the U.N. General Assembly explaining it would no longer work with UNRWA but “will continue to work with international partners, including other United Nations agencies.”

“Israel expects the United Nations to contribute to and cooperate in this effort,” the letter said.

Israel terminated relations with UNRWA a week after the Knesset, by a vote of 92 to 10, passed legislation on Oct. 28 banning the organization’s operations in the Jewish state.

“UNRWA may be defined by a single word—failure,” Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, told a meeting of the General Assembly on UNRWA on Wednesday. “This idea that UNRWA could not be supplemented is absurd.”

Israel has long criticized UNRWA’s operations in Gaza as controlled by Hamas. That criticism sharpened after the Oct. 7 massacre and revelations that UNRWA employees took part in the slaughter.

The curriculum in UNRWA-run schools also has been repeatedly exposed for its glorification of jihad and antisemitism.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz said on Monday, “UNRWA, whose employees took part in the Oct. 7 massacre and many of whose workers are Hamas operatives, is part of the problem in the Gaza Strip, not part of the solution.”

Danon tweeted on Monday, “Despite the overwhelming evidence we submitted to the U.N. that substantiates Hamas’ infiltration of UNRWA, the U.N. did nothing to rectify the situation.”

U.N. officials have painted the banning of its organization in apocalyptic terms.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that the Israeli move would have “disastrous consequences.”

“Millions of Palestine refugees fear that the public services on which their lives depend will soon disappear,” he said. “They fear that their children will be deprived of education; that illnesses will go untreated; and that social support will stop.”

(JNS)

Republican candidate Dave McCormick ousted Democratic Senator Bob Casey, who was running for a fourth term, in Pennsylvania’s highly competitive Senate contest. McCormick’s victory not only ended a longstanding Pennsylvania political legacy but also secured the GOP’s 53rd seat in the Senate for 2025.

McCormick, a former Army officer and hedge-fund executive, narrowly defeated Casey, finishing with 49% of the vote compared to Casey’s 48.5%. With nearly all ballots counted, McCormick led by just over 30,000 votes, according to the Associated Press.

Due to the razor-thin margin, which fell within 0.5 percentage points, Pennsylvania law requires an automatic recount.

McCormick declared his win at 1 p.m. Thursday, a few hours before the Associated Press called the race. His campaign’s communications director, Elizabeth Gregory, shared on Twitter, “Any way you slice it, David McCormick will be the next United States Senator from Pennsylvania.”

Despite McCormick’s announcement, Casey held off on conceding the race, with his campaign still awaiting final counts.

“The count in Pennsylvania is still continuing,” tweeted Casey campaign spokesperson Maddy McDaniel. “Yesterday, the vote margin shrunk by 50,000 votes and this race is now within half a point, the threshold for automatic recounts in Pennsylvania.”

McCormick’s victory caps a determined two-year journey to reach the Senate. After narrowly losing the 2022 Republican primary to Mehmet Oz, who had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, McCormick ran unopposed in this year’s primary. He appeared at campaign events across Pennsylvania with Trump.

Throughout his campaign, the 59-year-old McCormick presented Casey as an ineffective, longtime Washington insider who hadn’t delivered for Pennsylvania. McCormick’s message focused on change and a commitment to conservative principles for the swing state.

He promised to roll back regulations in the energy sector, preserve Trump-era tax cuts, and authorize the use of military force against Mexican drug cartels to address fentanyl trafficking along the southern border.

McCormick also pledged to push back against China and continue support for Ukraine and Israel through military aid.

Casey, 64, countered by targeting corporate greed and painting McCormick as an elitist disconnected from Pennsylvania values, a tactic that had previously helped Sen. John Fetterman defeat Mehmet Oz.

Attempting to separate himself from President Joe Biden’s stance on fracking, Casey sought to appeal to the oil-rich areas of Pennsylvania, despite his longstanding alignment with Biden on other issues over the years.

In a late effort to retain support, Casey’s campaign ads positioned him in agreement with Donald Trump on issues like trade and border security.

However, this approach didn’t prevent Casey from losing ground among Democrats, particularly as Trump carried Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes by a 2-point margin, boosting McCormick’s position on the ballot.

Pennsylvania’s Senate battle ranked as the second-most costly race in the 2024 election cycle, with campaign ad spending totaling $344 million.

{Matzav.com}

A senior leader of Hamas has issued a call for an immediate halt to Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip, along with a roadmap toward Palestinian statehood, in comments shared with Newsweek following former President Donald Trump’s recent election win.

“The election of Trump as the 47th president of the USA is a private matter for the Americans,” said Basem Naim, a spokesperson and member of the Hamas Political Bureau, to Newsweek. “But Palestinians look forward to an immediate cessation of the aggression against our people, especially in Gaza, and look for assistance in achieving their legitimate rights of freedom, independence, and the establishment of their independent self-sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

Naim further emphasized that “the blind support for the Zionist entity ‘Israel’ and its fascist government, at the expense of the future of our people and the security and stability of the region, must stop immediately.”

In his prior time in office, Trump cultivated a strong alliance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Currently, Netanyahu is leading a multi-front military campaign against the Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance, a conflict that escalated significantly following a major Hamas-led assault on Israel in October 2023. Yet, Trump has recently voiced criticism regarding Netanyahu’s leadership in the ongoing war and has advocated for a swift resolution.

When Newsweek reached out, an Israeli representative reaffirmed the enduring bond between the United States and Israel, stating that “maintaining and building upon the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel has been a bipartisan feature of American politics since the founding of the Jewish state.”

The official added, “We have no doubt that this will continue to be the case. Going forward, we look forward to a strong working relationship with his administration to bring about a more peaceful, secure and prosperous Middle East.”

{Matzav.com}

Should have picked Shapiro…

According to a New York Post report, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s own hometown broke for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Trump netted 49.6% of the vote in Minnesota’s Blue Earth County, where Walz’s family lived for 20 years before he was elected governor.

 

Vice President Kamala Harris only managed to lock down 48.3% of the vote.

From The New York Post:

That is a reversal from 2020, when now-President Biden handily won the county with 51% of the vote to Trump’s 46.5%, according to POLITICO.

Walz was born in Nebraska but moved to Blue Earth County as an adult, where he taught social studies and coached football at Mankato West High School.

He flipped the state’s 1st Congressional District for the Democrats in 2006, and represented the area in Congress for 12 years.

Walz then ran for governor, defeating his Republican opponent by double digits in 2018.

Minnesota’s 10 electoral votes ultimately went to Harris early Wednesday – but Trump still beat the Democratic ticket when he was the first to reach 270 electoral nods.

More over at The New York Post:

 

MSDNC has no idea how bad inflation is…

During Thursday’s edition of Morning Joe, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough was shocked to learn that the price of butter is as high as $7 in some places.

 

“I want to talk about the economy for a second,” Scarborough said. “A few weeks ago, somebody who was going to vote for Kamala harris came up to me and said ‘oh my God, Trump is going to win.’ I said, ‘Why is that?’ He said, ‘I just went to the grocery store and butter is $3.’”

Co-host Mika Brzezinski chimed in, correcting Scarborough, saying that butter is actually $7 “depending on where you go.”

“Butter is $7 dollars? Is it framed in gold?” Scarborough asked.

Inflation and the economy was a top issue for voters and one of the primary reasons Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump in a landslide.

Watch the clip below:

{Matzav.com}

On Wednesday, the Iranian government dismissed the significance of the U.S. presidential election outcome, stating that it “has nothing to do with us.” Fatemeh Mohajerani, a spokeswoman for the regime, made these remarks during a press briefing.

“The general policies of the U.S. and Iran are constant,” she asserted, emphasizing that the election results will not change the dynamics between the two nations. She further added, “It doesn’t matter who becomes the president in the United States because all the necessary planning has been made in advance.”

In her statement, Mohajerani indicated that Iran sees no difference between the two main candidates, President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. “We do not see any difference between these two people,” she said.

She also suggested that the sanctions imposed on Iran have only strengthened the country internally. “Sanctions have strengthened Iran’s internal power, and we have the power to deal with new sanctions,” she stated confidently.

Trump is set to return to the U.S. presidency amidst ongoing turmoil and instability in the Middle East. He has made clear his intention to resolve the situation. Throughout his campaign, he promised to bring peace to the region.

“Get it over with and let’s get back to peace and stop killing people,” Trump said during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in April, referring to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

While the Revolutionary Guards did not issue a direct comment on Trump’s election victory, they conveyed their readiness to confront Israel. Tehran and its allied forces in the region are prepared for escalation.

“The Zionists do not have the power to confront us, and they must wait for our response … our depots have enough weapons for that,” said Ali Fadavi, the deputy chief of the Revolutionary Guards, on Wednesday. His statement came as Tehran is expected to retaliate against Israeli airstrikes on its territory on October 25, which resulted in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers.

{Matzav.com}

Sixty Hezbollah terrorists were killed over the past day in Israeli airstrikes on 20 targets north of Lebanon’s Litani River, including in Baalbek, the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday morning.

Among the targets hit was the launcher used in Wednesday’s rocket barrage on central Israel, the largest on the center since the war began over a year ago. Weapons storage facilities and terrorist infrastructure were also destroyed.

By signing up, you agree to receive emails from JNS and allied pro-Israel organizations.

Strikes were also conducted on Hezbollah targets in Nabatieh and the Dahieh area south of Beirut on Wednesday, according to the IDF.

Among the targets hit in Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold, were command centers, weapons storage facilities and terror infrastructure, according to the military.

“All of the targets were embedded in the heart of a civilian area, an additional example of Hezbollah’s cynical exploitation of Lebanese civilians as human shields,” the IDF said.

“Prior to the strikes, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk to civilians, including using precise munitions, surveillance, and issuing advance warnings to the population in the area.”

According to Lebanese media reports, slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s uncle and his family were killed by an Israeli strike in Southern Lebanon on Wednesday. Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike on his bunker in Beirut on Sept. 27.

Israeli ground forces continued to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure in Southern Lebanon on Wednesday, including a weapons storage facility and a rocket launcher.

Israel hits Hezbollah target at Beirut Airport

In the early hours of Thursday morning, Israel conducted an airstrike on a Hezbollah target “within yards” of runways at Beirut-Rafic Hariri Airport, according to The Daily Telegraph.

According to the British newspaper, which published a video of the strike, up to three missiles were fired at a building located between two runways at Lebanon’s only international airport. The IDF had previously issued an evacuation notice for the area.

The Telegraph noted that all scheduled passenger flights had departed or arrived prior to the attack.

One of the 10 rockets launched at central Israel by Hezbollah shortly before noon on Wednesday hit a parking lot at Ben Gurion Airport, temporarily halting flights at the country’s main international airport. There were no injuries reported.

The IDF said on Thursday morning that overnight the Israeli Air Force struck Hezbollah command centers and terrorist infrastructure sites in the Beirut area.

Hezbollah rocket kills Israeli soldier

Hezbollah launched 170 projectiles into Israeli territory in total on Wednesday, one of which killed an IDF soldier in the country’s north.

The soldier was identified on Thursday morning as Sgt. Ariel Sosnov Sasonov, 20, of the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion, from Jerusalem.

Sasonov was killed by one of 50 rockets launched at the moshav of Avivim near the border in the Upper Galilee, with over 10 reportedly scoring direct hits. Three other soldiers were lightly wounded in the attack.

His death brings the IDF’s casualty toll on all fronts since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, to 781.

Hezbollah said on Thursday that the attack on Avivim was carried out using “Noor-1” rockets, which caused widespread property damage, with 12 homes and agricultural facilities hit.

The rocket strikes ignited fires that took 15 crews hours to get under control.

“Large parts of the moshav were destroyed,” Eyal Peretz, a community board member, told Ynet. “Homes, property, packing houses and farmland—the damage is heartbreaking.”

Amid Sofer, head of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council, told Ynet: “I don’t understand how residents are expected to even consider returning when rockets are still falling. Security means no sirens, no rockets.”

On Wednesday evening, Sivan Sadeh, 18, of Kibbutz Kfar Masaryk, south of Acre, was killed by a Hezbollah rocket in the Western Galilee.

Magen David Adom first responders discovered Sadeh’s body in an agricultural field near the kibbutz. He had suffered severe shrapnel wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Initial reports had suggested that the victim was a foreign worker, but local authorities later confirmed his identity. JNS

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Thursday that Sergeant Ariel Sosnov, a 20-year-old from Yerushalayim, was killed in combat operations in northern Israel. Sosnov, who served in the “Barak” Brigade’s 605th Engineer Battalion, is the latest casualty in the ongoing conflict, bringing the number of Israeli soldiers lost since the start of the war to 781.

In addition to this loss, another soldier from the Kfir Brigade’s Nachshon Battalion (90) was critically injured in fighting within the northern Gaza Strip. The injured soldier was quickly transported to a hospital for treatment, and his family has been notified of his condition.

With tensions rising, IDF Chief of Staff General Herzi Halevi carried out a strategic assessment of the northern front. Emphasizing the importance of both military readiness and diplomatic efforts, he stated, “We must continue to develop plans for the continuation of the fighting, including the expansion and deepening of ground maneuvers.” General Halevi added that IDF operations continue to strike Hezbollah targets throughout the region, extending from southern Lebanon to the Bekaa Valley, as well as areas in Beirut and Syria.

The previous weekend saw further losses, as two Givati Brigade soldiers were killed in combat in Jabaliya, located in northern Gaza. Sergeant Itai Parizat, 20, from Petach Tikva, and Sergeant Yair Chanania, 22, from Mitzpe Netofa, were both confirmed dead in action. In a separate incident, Captain Yarden Zakai, 21, from Chadera, passed away from injuries sustained in a weapon explosion in Rafah on September 17.

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset plenum voted 61 to 41 on Wednesday to pass a law allowing the deportation of terrorists’ families. It applies to first-degree family members, including parents, siblings and spouses.

The law empowers Israel’s interior minister to eject from Israel those family members who can be proven to have known of attacks beforehand but who did nothing to warn the authorities.

It also allows the minister to deport family members who expressed support for or incited acts of terrorism.

As the law’s explanatory section notes, since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, cases of incitement by those holding Israeli citizenship or permanent residency have risen, and the law is intended to serve as a deterrent.

Maurice Hirsch, director of the Initiative for Palestinian Authority Accountability and Reform at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, told JNS that the law’s passage provides “another important provision to combat terror.”

the Military Prosecution for Yehuda and Shomron and as head of the Advisory Committee to the interior minister for subjects related to the Law of Citizenship, including the cancellation of citizenship.

“The days in which the terrorists wantonly murder people and by their actions enrich their families and raise their social status within their communities are over,” Hirsch said.

“With the passage of the law, the terrorists and their families are put on notice that the State of Israel will no longer tolerate the widespread support for terror, and that their actions are going to have potentially harsh consequences,” he added.

Terrorists want to “enjoy the fruits” of their violence, he noted.

They receive stipends from the Palestinian Authority’s “Martyrs Fund,” which pays terrorists and their families monthly salaries for carrying out attacks. Arab citizens of Israel who engage in terrorism also receive these payments.

Terrorists’ families also enjoy higher status in Palestinian society, which glorifies terrorism, said Hirsch.

“In most societies, people involved in terrorism are spewed out and condemned. In Palestinian society, it’s a mark of honor, of success, that you are the family member of a terrorist,” he told JNS.

The bill strikes at the heart of these incentives, he added.

“If the family is deported, it can’t enjoy the benefits or the glory,” he said.

Deportation isn’t permanent under the law. For those holding Israeli citizenship, it’s seven to 15 years, while for those with permanent resident status it’s 10 to 20 years.

The law takes into account the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which seeks to prevent people being stripped of citizenship. Even though the convention has a provision for canceling the citizenship of those who engaged in acts of disloyalty to the state, the law allows the deported individuals to retain citizenship.

The law was put forward by Knesset members Hanoch Milwidsky and Eliyahu Revivo of the Likud, and Almog Cohen of Otzma Yehudit, among others.

Oded Forer of Yisrael Beiteinu, an opposition party, also supported the bill.

However, it didn’t enjoy as much support as anticipated. Almog said at an Oct. 29 Knesset House Committee meeting that he expected the bill to garner the support of more than 80 of the 120 MKs.

The reason had nothing to do with the law itself, but rather a decision by the opposition parties on Wednesday to cease all cooperation with the government following the firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday.

The opposition declared that in protest, it would oppose all bills presented by the coalition, even those related to the war effort or benefits for IDF reservists.

Yisrael Beiteinu almost immediately broke with this decision, however. It did not vote against but instead abstained on the deportation law. One of its members, the aforementioned Forer, did vote in favor.

(JNS)

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