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As Canadians headed to the voting booths on Monday to select their next leader, President Donald Trump weighed in by implying that the ideal choice was already seated in the Oval Office.

Trump, whose tariffs and proposal to make Canada the 51st U.S. state have sparked significant outrage across the border, posted a message on Truth Social early Monday offering his take on Canada’s Election Day.

“Good luck to the Great people of Canada. Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st State of the United States of America,” Trump posted.

“No more artificially drawn line from many years ago. Look how beautiful this land mass would be. Free access with NO BORDER. ALL POSITIVES WITH NO NEGATIVES. IT WAS MEANT TO BE! America can no longer subsidize Canada with the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year that we have been spending in the past. It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!”

Pierre Poilievre, head of Canada’s Conservative Party and the main challenger to Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, fired back at Trump’s remarks by issuing a pointed reply urging Trump to stay out of Canadian politics.

“The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box. Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent, and we will NEVER be the 51st state,” Poilievre wrote on X. “Today, Canadians can vote for change, so we can strengthen our country, stand on our own two feet and stand up to America from a position of strength.”

Throughout the Canadian election cycle, Trump’s trade policies and his suggestions about annexing Canada dominated political discussions and became a defining theme of the campaign.

In an interview with Time last week, Trump made it clear that his ideas about incorporating Canada into the United States are sincere, stating that he is not “trolling” the neighboring country.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump proposed that his tariffs might eventually make it possible for many Americans to no longer have to pay income taxes.

Despite warnings from Democrats, opponents, and much of the mainstream press that Trump’s tariffs could trigger an economic downturn, Trump continues to insist that his strategy will prove beneficial for the American people.

“When Tariffs cut in, many people’s Income Taxes will be substantially reduced, maybe even completely eliminated. Focus will be on people making less than $200,000 a year,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

He added, “Also, massive numbers of jobs are already being created, with new plants and factories currently being built or planned. It will be a BONANZA FOR AMERICA!!! THE EXTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IS HAPPENING!!!”

Speaking to Time magazine in an interview published Friday, Trump shared that he had completed “200 deals” related to tariffs and expected that the remaining agreements would be “finished” within three to four weeks.

Meanwhile, Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio revealed Monday that the White House distributed a statement of administration policy (SAP) to Senate offices noting Trump “is now in active negotiations with many of these countries” impacted by the tariffs.

The same statement also cautioned that Trump would reject a bipartisan Senate measure that aims to overturn his global tariff policies. Senators Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, and Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, are leading efforts to dismantle Trump’s tariffs.

Additionally on Monday, reports indicated that while Trump has expressed “love” for “the concept” of imposing higher taxes on millionaires, the idea has not gained much support among conservatives and business organizations.

During the Time interview, when questioned about possibly backing a millionaire tax, Trump said: “I’d be raising them on wealthy to take care of middle class. And that’s — I love that. I actually love the concept, but I don’t want it to be used against me politically, because I’ve seen people lose elections for less, especially with the fake news.”

As discussions over the federal budget framework progressed, Trump posted online, “Biggest Tax Cuts in USA History!!! Getting close.”

{Matzav.com}

A 43-year-old man was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Avenue N and East 13th Street. Flatbush Hatzolah transported him to Maimonides Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The tzibur is asked to daven for Yitzchok Ben Sara for a Refuah Sheleima

Israeli forces have deployed the newly developed “Bar” rocket, designed by Elbit Systems, for the first time against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced Monday. According to the IDF, the “Bar” rocket is equipped with an advanced navigation mechanism specifically adapted for challenging combat environments, allowing forces to strike targets with remarkable speed and precision. The 282nd Artillery Brigade, operating under the IDF’s 36th Division, was the first to use the rocket during ongoing operations in Gaza. Artillery troops from the brigade, who have been active in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war, have fired more than 5,000 shells at terror infrastructure along the “Morag” Corridor — a strategic strip separating Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Their operations have included the destruction of weapons depots, launch compounds, and the elimination of terrorists, often under the real-time direction of the brigade’s Fire Control Center. The IDF highlighted the “Bar” rocket’s introduction as part of its broader efforts to enhance operational effectiveness and minimize threats to ground troops. In addition to traditional artillery and precision weaponry, the military has employed an innovative method of neutralizing explosive devices: old armored personnel carriers (APCs) packed with tons of explosives. Remotely detonated ahead of troop movements, these modified APCs create an explosive impact equivalent to four or five JDAM bombs, allowing Israeli forces to preemptively clear combat zones of hidden explosives. Developed internally by the IDF, the method has also been successfully used against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as the conflict expands across multiple fronts. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar formally appealed to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, urging him to convene an immediate meeting to discuss his plan to either invalidate all 200 shekel bills or target certain series of bills that have made their way into the Gaza Strip.

This request comes after Sa’ar had already sent a letter over the weekend to the Governor of the Bank of Israel, and subsequently brought up the matter during a Cabinet session.

In his correspondence with Netanyahu, Sa’ar emphasized, “There is an urgent need to advance an economic war against Hamas. If the Bank of Israel persists in refusing to cooperate, I will propose exploring its advancement through a government decision and legislation if needed.”

He further wrote, “I request an urgent discussion under your leadership, with the participation of relevant parties: the Defense Minister, Finance Minister, Bank of Israel Governor, National Security Council, Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority, and Israel Tax Authority.”

In the letter addressed to the Bank of Israel Governor, Sa’ar laid out that the objective behind canceling these notes is to target Hamas’s financial foundations in Gaza. He explained that the terror group relies extensively on cash flow within the territory, which totals billions of shekels, to pay its personnel and impose taxes on businesses. Volunteer financial experts estimated that approximately 80% of that cash exists in the form of 200 shekel notes.

“Denying the funding capabilities of terrorist organizations in general, and Hamas in particular, is a vital component of the war effort,” Sa’ar stated. He argued that voiding specific series of 200 shekel bills that entered Gaza in recent years could deal a “strategic economic blow” to Hamas, severely impacting its ability to govern and recruit.

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey Democratic candidate for Gov. Josh Gottheimer: “The discrimination against the Jewish community [in Linden, NJ] is outrageous… it has to stop.”

Lubavitcher yeshiva orders its bochurim to stay away from tonight’s protests by anti-Israel and anti-Semitic protestors in front of 770, urging them to stay in the bais medrash and learn instead.  

The Trump administration’s effort to impose new requirements on Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine — the nation’s only traditional protein-based option for the coronavirus — is sowing uncertainty about updates to other vaccines, too. Novavax said Monday that the Food and Drug Administration was asking the company to run a new clinical trial of its vaccine after the agency grants full approval. The company said it had responded and that it believed its shot remains “approvable.” But a weekend post on social media by FDA Commissioner Marty Makary suggested the prospect of needing a new trial before the shots’ yearly strain update — something unlikely to be possible before fall. That’s raised questions about whether other vaccines will be caught in the turmoil. “I don’t think because there’s a strain change that this is a new product,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief. If that’s the new policy, “you’d always be doing clinical trials and you’d never have a vaccine that was up to date.” The unusual move at FDA come shortly after the agency’s longtime vaccine chief was forced out over disagreements with Makary’s boss, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy won Senate confirmation to his job, in part, by promising not to change the nation’s vaccine schedule. Since taking office, he’s promised to “investigate” children’s shots, canceled meetings of expert vaccine advisers and directed officials to look again for connections between vaccines and autism, a link long-ago debunked. The Novavax vaccine, which originally showed effectiveness in a nearly 30,000-person clinical trial, is still being sold under emergency use authorization in the U.S. The nation’s other two options, mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna, have earned full FDA approval for certain age groups. Because the coronavirus continually mutates, manufacturers follow instructions from FDA to make one change each year to their recipe — which strain to target — just like flu vaccines. The FDA was on track to grant Novavax full approval by its April 1 target date, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential agency matters. But Trump appointees directed FDA scientists to pause their decision, according to one of the people. Since that highly unusual move, Novavax and the agency have been discussing additional requirements for approval. In his weekend tweet, FDA’s Makary referred to the Novavax vaccine as “a new product,” presumably because it had been updated to match last year’s common coronavirus strain. “New products require new clinical studies,” Makary added. An administration spokesman didn’t respond to specific questions about Pfizer and Moderna but suggested all COVID-19 vaccines could face stricter requirements. “It’s now been years since COVID has presented the threat it once did, and the urgency to rush approval of boosters without normal oversight no longer exists,” said Andrew Nixon, a Health and Human Services spokesman, in a statement. The FDA had been treating the annual COVID-19 strain updates exactly as it’s done for decades with flu vaccines — not as new products, but existing ones that are merely adjusted to protect against the latest strains, said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Offit said the companies still must perform tests in small numbers of people that show these updated […]

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under President Donald Trump is celebrating what it describes as record-breaking figures in arrests and removals of illegal aliens during the first 100 days of his administration.

According to DHS officials, since President Trump assumed office on January 20, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained over 151,000 illegal aliens across the country. In addition, they report that ICE agents have deported more than 135,000 individuals during the same timeframe.

“This includes 600 members of Tren De Aragua who have been arrested or deported, as well as thousands of MS-13 and 18th Street Gang members who have fled the country,” the DHS statement said.

“These numbers have already surpassed the entirety of Fiscal Year 2024, and we’re just 100 days into this administration,” the news release emphasized.

One of ICE’s recent large-scale enforcement actions was Operation Tidal Wave in Florida, where close to 800 illegal aliens were apprehended. Those arrested included MS-13 members, individuals charged with murder, rape, and drug offenses, among others.

The coordinated effort made extensive use of ICE’s 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with federal agents to transfer criminal illegal aliens into ICE custody more efficiently.

As Breitbart News highlighted, nearly 400 additional local law enforcement agencies have partnered with ICE through the 287(g) program since President Trump took office, significantly boosting ICE’s ability to apprehend criminal illegal aliens.

By the time Joe Biden left the White House, only 134 local agencies had agreements under the 287(g) program. Today, that number has grown to more than 500 law enforcement agencies nationwide.

{Matzav.com}

A crowd is outside 770 holding Moshiach flags as they await Hamas supporters and a group of Neturei Karta animals (Muslims dressed as Chasidic Jews).  

There is a heavy NYPD presence outside 770 in Crown Heights as the protestors are marching towards Crown Heights. They are expected to be there in 45 minutes.

Seven new cases of measles have been identified in Israel over the past week in Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Emek Hefer and Modi’in Ilit, the Health Ministry announced on Monday. A week ago, the Health Ministry announced that a resident of Tel Aviv was diagnosed with measles after returning to Israel on an El Al flight from London on Friday, April 18. The person took the train from the airport to the Tel Aviv University stop and a bus to his/her home. Over the weekend, the patient spent time at an escape room in Petach Tikvah and a restaurant in Herzliya before being diagnosed. A total of eight patients have been diagnosed with measles since April 20, six of whom were unvaccinated. According to the epidemiological investigation, four of the patients were infected abroad or as a result of contact with people who returned from abroad. The epidemiological investigation for the new patients is currently underway. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that manifests as a rash, fever, general malaise, and a runny nose, and can have serious and even life-threatening complications. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The IDF is still holding two containers packed with roughly 350 bags of unidentified human remains — the shattered remnants of lives destroyed in Hamas’s savage Oct. 7 onslaught. The remains, many burned beyond recognition, are being stored at the Shura military base, home to the IDF’s Military Rabbinate. Each bag is believed to hold the remains of a single person. Yet, in the chaos and trauma that followed the massacre, mistakes were inevitable. Some bodies were mistakenly grouped together; some fragments may even belong to the Hamas terrorists themselves, their remains mixed with their victims’. Military Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Krim has pleaded for permission to carry out further forensic testing, convinced that at least 200 of the bags could still yield identifications with more time and resources. The cost is significant, and so is the anguish — each double sample and DNA test costs thousands of shekels, and each day that passes prolongs the agony of not knowing. But powerful voices within the government are pushing back. Yehuda Avidan, director general of the Religious Services Ministry, backed by top forensic experts, has argued for burying the remains anonymously in a mass grave, warning against bizayon hameis through repeated examinations. A final decision will soon be made by a committee drawn from Israel’s ministries of religion, health, and police, along with the Abu Kabir forensic institute. The battle pits supporters of Chief Sephardic Rabbi Dovid Yosef — who paskened in favor of further testing — against figures aligned with his political rivals. Sources accuse Avidan of opposing reexamination not out of concern for the dead, but to avoid reopening wounds among bereaved families, many of whom still hope for answers. Earlier forensic reviews found Israeli victims mistakenly buried among Hamas Nukhba terrorists, raising nightmarish fears that more families could someday discover their loved ones were laid to rest alongside their murderers. The IDF rabbinate, painfully aware of these risks, has adopted strict double-verification protocols using DNA and medical records. Yet funding shortages, political infighting, and the degradation of the remains complicate every step. “There is no greater anguish,” one source told Ynet, “than a family learning their loved one’s remains were buried alongside those who came to destroy them.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Bill Maher took aim at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, slamming him as the “worst thing to hit the Pentagon” since the tragic events of September 11.

During the “New Rule” portion of his HBO show on Friday evening, Maher launched into his criticism of Hegseth.

“New Rule: Pete Hegsteth’s parents have to take away his phone. He can have it back when he’s shown us he’s grown up enough to use it responsibly,” Maher quipped during his monologue.

He continued with a sharp jab, saying, “I’m not saying Pete makes a terrible defense secretary, but he’s the worst thing to hit the Pentagon since Flight 77.”

Maher’s jokes centered around an incident involving National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who mistakenly included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat where top officials in the Trump administration were discussing sensitive operations targeting Yemen. A subsequent story alleged that Hegseth had set up another Signal group, this time adding his wife and brother to conversations involving sensitive military topics.

Despite the controversy, the Trump administration defended Hegseth, according to the Associated Press:
The White House expressed support Monday for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following media reports that he shared sensitive military details in another Signal messaging chat, this time with his wife and brother.

When asked about the incident, both the White House and Hegseth chose not to dispute whether he had shared sensitive information in the second group. Instead, they criticized the sources who leaked the story, accusing them of being disgruntled employees, and emphasized that no classified data had been compromised.

“It’s just fake news. They just bring up stories,” President Donald Trump told reporters. “I guess it sounds like disgruntled employees. You know, he was put there to get rid of a lot of bad people, and that’s what he’s doing. So you don’t always have friends when you do that,” Trump explained.

In an interview with Fox News, Hegseth brushed off the accusations, framing them as politically motivated attacks by those who oppose President Trump’s policies.

“I’m here because President Trump asked me to bring warfighting back to the Pentagon every single day. That is our focus. And if people don’t like it, they can come after me. No worries. I’m standing right here. The warfighters are behind us. Our enemies know they’re on notice. Our allies know we’re behind them. And that, in this dangerous world for the American people, is what it’s all about,” Hegseth said.

{Matzav.com}

4 dead, 6 hospitalized after driver plows car into a daycare in Chatham, Illinois The driver is in police custody at the hospital. It’s unclear if the act was intentional.

A man accused of stealing a purse from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was charged Monday in federal court with aggravated identity theft, robbery and fraud. Video captured Mario Bustamante Leiva taking Noem’s purse while she dined at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., on April 20 under the protection of Secret Service agents, investigators said. He later used Noem’s stolen credit cards to buy over $200 in food and alcohol at a different restaurant, according to a Secret Service agent’s affidavit. Police and federal agents arrested Bustamante Leiva on Saturday. Court records didn’t immediately list an attorney representing him. The agent’s affidavit doesn’t name Noem, but the information in court records matches details of the theft from her. Bustamante Leiva, 49. also is suspected of stealing purses from two other people at other restaurants earlier this month, the affidavit says. He used a credit card stolen from one of the women to buy wine at a grocery store, the agent wrote. Bustamante Leiva appeared to be “acting in concert” with a second suspect during one of the thefts, according to the affidavit, Investigators said they identified Bustamante Leiva as a suspect in the thefts after he used a stolen gift card to make a purchase at a motel. He was shown a photo of Noem and told investigators that he didn’t know who she was, according to the affidavit. Investigators said they recovered Noem’s purse and wallet from his motel room. In a prepared statement, Noem referred to the suspect as a “a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years.” Authorities said there was no evidence Noem was targeted because of her position. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against Bustamante Leiva, a native of Chile, according to U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Jr.’s office. (AP)

After Tnuva revealed that it would be raising the prices of its dairy items that are not subject to government regulation, other major dairy companies, Strauss and Tara, have followed suit and announced their own increases.

Strauss stated that its new pricing will be implemented at the start of June, while Tara plans to adjust its prices earlier, on May 18.

Strauss issued a statement explaining: “Following the government’s announcement of the increase in the cost of price-controlled dairy products, Strauss is announcing an update to the retail price list. The update will apply to price-controlled dairy products and related dairy products, which make up to half of all dairy products, at a rate of up to 1.5%, and an average rate of about 1% on all dairy products. The update will take effect after the Shavuot holiday, on June 3, 2025.”

Meanwhile, Tara’s increase is expected to be more significant, with some items seeing a jump as high as 3.5%, according to reports. Tara’s updated pricing is scheduled to begin on May 18.

Prior to these moves, Unilever had already announced it would be raising prices by an average of 3.5%, with certain products seeing hikes as high as 9%.

“Since November 2022, we have avoided raising prices for the vast majority of our products,” the company stated, emphasizing that there have been “significant and sustained increases in production costs” during that time.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump, in a newly published interview with The Atlantic, reflected on the differences between his two terms in office, saying that this time he views his role as leading both “the country and the world.” “The first time, I had two things to do — run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys,” Trump said in the interview released Monday. “And the second time, I run the country and the world.” Since returning to office in January, President Trump has pursued an aggressive agenda on multiple fronts, with immigration and trade policies drawing both attention and legal challenges. His administration’s move to impose broad tariffs on a wide range of countries — including close U.S. trading partners — has triggered pushback from global leaders and rattled international markets. Some of the new tariffs have been temporarily paused until July. Trump’s foreign policy moves have also generated debate. His comments regarding the potential acquisition of Greenland and remarks suggesting that Canada could become part of the United States have strained relations with longtime American allies. Meanwhile, much of his foreign policy focus has been on attempting to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and ending the war in Gaza. During his conversation with The Atlantic, Trump also addressed speculation about a potential third presidential bid after his current term, a possibility he has previously hinted at, though many Republican lawmakers have dismissed the idea. “It’s not something that I’m looking to do. And I think it would be a very hard thing to do,” Trump said. The president is scheduled to visit Michigan on Tuesday, where he will hold a rally in Macomb County to mark his first 100 days of his second term in office. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

For the first time since the outbreak of the war, the artillery units of the 282nd Artillery Brigade, operating under the 36th Division, have entered into active operations inside the Gaza Strip. This follows a period of intense engagement across multiple fronts.

Up to this point, the artillery forces have been providing critical backing to the ground units moving through the “Morag” Corridor. Their missions have included the destruction of weapons stockpiles and missile launching areas used by terror groups within Gaza, as well as the elimination of enemy fighters, all coordinated through the Brigade’s Fire Control Center.

In a notable development, the troops utilized the “Bar” rocket for the first time, launching it at selected targets inside Gaza. This weapon incorporates a sophisticated navigation system specifically designed to perform effectively in the complex conditions of battlefield operations.

The “Bar” rocket can deliver strikes with remarkable speed, reaching its target in a minimal amount of time.

A spokesperson emphasized that IDF forces will “continue to operate against terror organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.”

WATCH:

Amazon’s first batch of internet satellites rocketed toward orbit Monday, the latest entry in the mega constellation market currently dominated by SpaceX’s thousands of Starlinks. The United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket carried up 27 of Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites, named after the frigid fringes of our solar system beyond Neptune. Once released in orbit, the satellites will eventually reach an altitude of nearly 400 miles (630 kilometers). Two test satellites were launched in 2023, also by an Atlas V. Project officials said major upgrades were made to the newest version. The latest satellites also are coated with a mirror film designed to scatter reflected sunlight in an attempt to accommodate astronomers. Stargazers oppose the fast-growing constellations of low-orbiting satellites, arguing they spoil observations. Others fear more satellite collisions. Founded by Jeff Bezos, who now runs his own rocket company, Blue Origin, Amazon aims to put more than 3,200 of these satellites into orbit to provide fast, affordable broadband service around the globe. Elon Musk’s SpaceX already has launched more than 8,000 Starlinks since 2019. The company marked its 250th Starlink launch Sunday night. More than 7,000 Starlinks are still in orbit some 300-plus miles (550 kilometers) above Earth. The European-based OneWeb satellite constellation numbers in the hundreds in an even higher orbit. Amazon already has purchased dozens of rocket launches from United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin for Project Kuiper, as well as others. “There are some things you can only learn in flight” despite extensive testing on the ground, said Rajeev Badyal, the project’s vice president. “No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey,” he said in a statement ahead of the evening liftoff. The first liftoff attempt earlier this month was nixed by bad weather. It took until now to secure another spot in the launch lineup at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. (AP)