The FBI is investigating reports about several mysterious nighttime drone flights that have recently occurred across central New Jersey and has asked the public for help. Witnesses have spotted a cluster of what appears to be drones — larger than those typically used by hobbyists — as well as a possible fixed-wing aircraft flying in several areas along the Raritan River since Nov. 18. It’s not clear why the flights happened or who was flying the devices, but federal and state officials stress that there currently is no known threat to public safety. The flights have raised questions in part because they took place near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.

Many moms-to-be opt for blood tests during pregnancy to check for fetal disorders such as Down syndrome. In rare instances, these tests can reveal something unexpected — hints of a hidden cancer in the woman. In a study of 107 pregnant women whose test results were unusual, 52 were ultimately diagnosed with cancer. Most of them were treated and are now in remission, although seven with advanced cancers died. “They looked like healthy, young women and they reported themselves as being healthy,” said Dr. Diana Bianchi, the senior author of the government study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Of the discovered cancers, lymphoma blood cancers were the most common, followed by colon and breast cancers. The blood test is called cell-free DNA sequencing.

An Israeli official has stated that the country views the resurgence of conflict in Syria as an opportunity for mutual weakening between the opposing factions. Speaking to The Times of Israel, the official commented on recent rebel advances against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. “Our interest in the renewed fighting is that they continue fighting one another,” the official said. “It’s entirely clear to us that one side consists of Salafi jihadists, and the other includes Iran and Hezbollah. We want them to weaken one another.” The official emphasized that Israel is not intervening in the conflict but remains vigilant. “We are prepared for any scenario, and we will act accordingly,” they added. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Digging crews resumed work early Thursday in the effort to locate a woman who authorities fear died after falling into a sinkhole above an abandoned Pennsylvania coal mine. Fewer than a dozen searchers, including state police and excavator operators, have returned to the spot where 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard is thought to have plummeted through a freshly opened sinkhole about three days ago. Authorities said late Wednesday they no longer think they will find Pollard alive. She was last seen Monday evening, searching for her lost cat, Pepper. Her car was discovered some 10 hours later, not far from her house in the village of Marguerite, with her 5-year-old granddaughter inside, unharmed.

The acting director of the Secret Service is promising accountability for what he called the agency’s “abject failure” to secure the rally where a gunman opened fire on Donald Trump last summer during his presidential campaign. Ronald Rowe is set to testify Thursday in front of a bipartisan House task force investigating how the Secret Service, which protects the highest echelon of American leaders, performed during two assassination attempts against Trump in two months. A portion of Rowe’s remarks was released before the hearing. The task force’s inquiry is one of a series of investigations and reports into the July shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, that have faulted the troubled agency for planning and communications failures.

Tension boiled over between Rep. Pat Fallon and acting Service Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. during an otherwise cordial hearing on Thursday. The high-drama moment came as Fallon (R-Texas) used a photo of a 9/11 remembrance event to ask Rowe Jr. about his role at the event. Fallon accused him of putting other Secret Service agents out of their usual positions so he could be more visible at the event. He is visible in the photo standing near President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, JD Vance and congressional leaders. “Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes,” Rowe Jr. yelled. “You are out of line.” As Rowe Jr.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez hosted a magnificent pre-Chanukah celebration at Brooklyn Law School, attended by over 200 members of the Jewish community across New York City. NYPD Deputy Chief Richie Taylor introduced the DA, calling him a unifier, and a strong partner in fighting anti-Semitism and hate crimes. DA Gonzalez spoke about his appreciation to the community for their support and reiterated his perpetual commitment in protecting the Jewish community and all communities. DA Gonzalez awarded Rabbi Eli Mansour, Mark Treyger and Chief Richie Taylor with Proclamations, honoring each of them for their leadership and service.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman The American legal system is an adversarial system – where opposing sides fight vigorously before an impartial judge or jury in order to best discover truth.  From a Torah perspective, since it is very hard to find qualified people with a high moral compass, this is probably good for the country and also an effective means to get to the truth. The problem is that there is another area that also has an adversarial system, and this is probably not good for the country and not an effective means of improving quality. What is that other area?  It could be that I do not know what I am talking about, but I would like to share a story that could give us some insight into the tragic murder of the United Healthcare CEO.

President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on the promise that his policies would reduce high borrowing costs and lighten the financial burden on American households. But what if, as many economists expect, interest rates remain elevated, well above their pre-pandemic lows? Trump could point a finger at the Federal Reserve, and in particular at its chair, Jerome Powell, whom Trump himself nominated to lead the Fed. During his first term, Trump repeatedly and publicly ridiculed the Powell Fed, complaining that it kept interest rates too high. Trump’s attacks on the Fed raised widespread concern about political interference in the Fed’s policymaking.

The head of Britain’s armed forces has warned that the world stands at the cusp of a “third nuclear age,’’ defined by multiple simultaneous challenges and weakened safeguards that kept previous threats in check. Admiral Tony Radakin, chief of the defense staff, said Britain needs to recognize the seriousness of the threats it faces, even if there is only a remote chance of Russia launching a direct nuclear attack on the U.K. or its NATO allies. While the Cold War saw two superpowers held at bay by nuclear deterrence and the past three decades were characterized by international efforts to restrict the spread of nuclear weapons, the current era is “altogether more complex,” Radakin said Wednesday in a speech to the Royal United Services Institute.