[COMMUNICATED]

Matt Gaetz withdrew Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal trafficking investigation that cast doubt on the former congressman’s ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. The Florida Republican’s announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz said in a statement announcing his decision.

The United States State Department issued a sharp condemnation after photos emerged of Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, visiting the grave of Rabbi Meir Kahane.
In a strongly worded statement, a State Department spokesperson rebuked the visit, emphasizing the U.S.’s firm stance against the glorification of terrorism.
“As we’ve said in previous and similar occasions, celebrating the legacy of a terrorist and a terrorist organization is abhorrent. We strongly condemn any attempt to whitewash acts of terrorism,” the spokesperson declared.

The leader of Canada’s most populous province said Wednesday that all of the country’s provincial and territorial governments want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico. Ontario Premier Doug Ford chaired a phone call with all 13 provincial and territorial premiers and said they want Trudeau to do a straight bilateral trade deal with the U.S., Canada’s top trading partner. The meeting and Ford’s comments come as provincial and federal governments in Canada prepare for the uncertainty of another Donald Trump presidency. “There’s a clear consensus that everyone agrees that we need a bilateral trade deal with the U.S.

Jessica Tisch, a seasoned public servant in New York City, was officially named the NYPD commissioner on Wednesday.
Tisch, who hails from a well-known Jewish family, is only the second woman to lead the department in its 179-year history.
At 43, Tisch brings over a decade of experience with the NYPD. Previously, she served as the department’s deputy commissioner for information technology and later became the city’s sanitation commissioner in 2022. In the latter role, she made headlines for her bold campaign against the city’s rat infestation.

(JNS) – The Aus

Dearborn, Michigan Mayor Abdullah Hammoud announced on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would face arrest if they enter Dearborn, drawing sharp criticism and accusations of grandstanding. In a social media post, Hammoud declared his city’s intent to enforce the controversial arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) last week. The ICC accused Netanyahu and Gallant of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity,” charges Israel has dismissed as “antisemitic” and “absurd.” Netanyahu’s office blasted the warrants as politically motivated and baseless. Hammoud’s statement goes far beyond the jurisdiction of a local mayor and is an explicit boast to break American law.

Three Palestinian terrorists from Chevron have been charged with plotting to murder Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his son, the Israel Police and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced on Thursday following a joint investigation.
According to the “severe indictment” submitted this week to the military court, the main defendant, Ismail Ibrahim Awadi, contacted several individuals to establish a terror cell, acquire weapons and manufacture explosive devices.
Awadi reached out to the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations in July 2024 for assistance in carrying out a series of planned attacks.