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New York City Mayor Eric Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced that Waymo has received its first permit to test autonomous vehicles in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, requiring a trained safety specialist behind the wheel at all times under the city’s strict AV safety rules.

President Trump makes a surprise stop at “The People’s House” gift shop across from the White House, sporting a “45-47” hat.

WATCH: Footage captures the Israeli Air Force shooting down a Houthi drone launched from Yemen over southern Israel.

A federal judge ruled on Thursday that Alina Habba, who previously served as one of President Trump’s personal attorneys, has been serving unlawfully as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann stated in his decision that the Trump administration placed Habba in the role of U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey using “a novel series of legal and personnel moves,” which clashed with the views of district court judges and criminal defendants over who had the authority to lead the office.

“Faced with the question of whether Ms. Habba is lawfully performing the functions and duties of the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, I conclude that she is not,” Brann wrote in a 77-page opinion.

The issue was raised after two New Jersey defendants facing federal drug trafficking charges argued that Habba lacked authority to prosecute them because her 120-day interim appointment expired last month.

Brann determined that Habba has been serving unlawfully since July 24 but delayed the implementation of his ruling to allow time for an appeal.

When Habba’s interim term ended, federal judges in New Jersey declined to reappoint her and instead exercised a rarely used authority to select their own choice for the position: attorney Desiree Leigh Grace, who had been Habba’s first assistant.

Shortly afterward, Attorney General Pam Bondi stepped in, dismissing Grace and accusing the judges of being “politically minded” for refusing to extend Habba’s tenure.

Grace, however, asserted that she intended to continue as U.S. attorney and wrote on LinkedIn that she has worked under both Republican and Democratic administrations, insisting that politics “never impacted” her approach to the job.

Following the dispute, Trump withdrew Habba’s nomination for U.S. attorney but appointed her as first assistant U.S. attorney instead, effectively making her the acting U.S. attorney in what was widely seen as an attempt to keep her in charge.

Judge Brann rejected the strategy in his decision. “I conclude that Ms. Habba was ineligible to assume the functions and duties of the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey on July 24, 2025, because she was not the first assistant when the vacancy occurred upon Mr. [former U.S. Attorney Philip] Sellinger’s resignation on January 8, 2025,” he wrote. “Therefore, Ms. Habba may not participate in the defendants’ prosecutions going forward as the ‘Acting United States Attorney.’”

During her brief time leading the office, Habba drew attention as two Democratic officials faced criminal charges related to an incident at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility under her oversight.

Her nomination also faced strong opposition from New Jersey Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, casting serious doubt on the likelihood of her confirmation.

Attorneys for one of the defendants, Cesar Pina, issued a statement explaining that they challenged Habba’s authority because her appointment disregarded established rules that “give legitimacy” to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

“Prosecutors wield enormous power, and with that comes the responsibility to ensure they are qualified and properly appointed,” lawyers Abbe Lowell and Gerald Krovatin said.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF says a drone launched from Yemen by the Houthis was intercepted over southern Israel after triggering sirens in several communities near the Gaza and Egyptian borders; multiple interception attempts were made before it was downed, with no damage or injuries reported.

Sec. Doug Burgum says the officers of the U.S. Park Police in Washington, D.C. have “been re-empowered by President Trump… Crime is WAY DOWN, but morale is WAY UP across the over dozen federal agencies that are all deployed working on this.”

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday opened the door ever so slightly to lowering a key interest rate in the coming months but gave no hint on the timing of a move and suggested the central bank will proceed cautiously as it continues to evaluate the impact of tariffs and other policies on the economy. In a high-profile speech that will be closely watched at the White House and on Wall Street, Powell said that there are risks of both rising unemployment and stubbornly higher inflation. That puts the Fed in a tough spot, because it would typically cut its short-term rate to boost hiring, while keeping it high — or raising it — to fight inflation. “The stability of the unemployment rate and other labor market measures allows us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance,” Powell said in prepared remarks. That suggests the Fed will continue to evaluate jobs and inflation data as it decides whether to cut rates, including at its next meeting Sept. 16-17. “Nonetheless, with policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” he added, a more direct sign that Powell is considering a rate cut than he has made in previous comments. (AP)

Russian FM Lavrov: “There is no meeting planned. And I’m not challenging this, but you — you cannot, cannot, I think, understand what I am saying. Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda would be ready for a summit. And this agenda is not ready at all.”

BREAKING: FBI agents have now swarmed John Bolton’s Washington, DC office following the earlier raid on his home.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino both tweet while raid was going down at home of Former National Security Advisor John Bolton.

The Israeli military says its air force struck a primed Hamas rocket launcher in Deir al-Balah on Thursday and that a drone also targeted a Hamas mortar site used in Wednesday’s attack on an army encampment in Khan Younis.

BREAKING – NYPD OFFICER SHOT IN QUEENS: 22nd Road and Whitestone Expressway, in the 109 Precinct. The officer has been rushed to Jamaica Hospital.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Tzipi Hotovely, forcefully rejected criticism from British officials after being summoned regarding the newly approved housing project in the E1 area, which connects Ma’ale Adumim with Yerushalayim.

“I wouldn’t tell the British where to build in London,” Hotovely told the Daily Mail on Thursday night. “We see E1 as part of greater Jerusalem.”

Her summons came after UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy denounced Israel’s decision to advance plans for 3,400 housing units in the E1 region.

In a statement released Wednesday, Lammy warned that implementing the project “would divide a Palestinian state in two, mark a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution.”

“The Israeli government must reverse this decision,” he added.

The Civil Administration granted its approval for the project to move forward on Wednesday, nearly a week after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich officially announced the plan during a press briefing.

Although several European nations have condemned the initiative, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee countered by stating that “this is not a violation of international law.”

“We will not dictate to Israel what to do, we will not interfere in the running of the country. It would be very strange to say that others can live in this area but Israelis cannot,” Huckabee said in an interview with Galei Tzahal (IDF Radio).

The U.S. State Department also expressed support for the project, emphasizing that the construction of Jewish homes in E1 contributes to Israel’s security and aligns with the administration’s objectives.

{Matzav.com}

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in an interview with Al Arabiya English on Thursday that establishing a Palestinian state is not among the Trump administration’s main objectives.

“I certainly haven’t heard the president say that this is one of the most important things we’ve got to look for,” Huckabee stated. He also criticized both the Palestinian Authority and several European governments, saying their actions “completely disrupt” efforts to achieve peace.

Huckabee pointed out that Gaza once operated as a “100 percent” Palestinian entity and argued that the outcome there has shaken faith in the two-state concept. “People see how that turned out,” he remarked.

In a pointed message directed at European leaders, Huckabee called on them to “reassess their actions” and focus on holding Hamas accountable rather than targeting Israel.

“Stop putting so much pressure on how Israel is defending itself against Hamas,” he said, “and start putting the pressure on radical military actions that were intended to kill Jewish people.”

Huckabee also backed Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza, explaining that the decision ultimately belongs to Israel. “The president’s made it very clear that this is a decision the Israelis have to make. It’s their future on the line,” he said.

He stressed that “Hamas can’t stay, they have no role in the future of Gaza, and they need to let all of the hostages go.”

Addressing the humanitarian impact of the conflict, Huckabee placed the blame squarely on Hamas. He expressed doubts about the group’s reliability in negotiating ceasefires, adding, “They start demanding more things, and it blows up the deal.” He concluded by asserting that Hamas will have to “recognize their future is over in Gaza. They don’t have one there.”

When discussing the hostages, Huckabee acknowledged differences among families over potential strategies but emphasized, “The unanimity is that everybody wants the hostages home.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s administration is faltering in its aggressive pursuit of the death penalty as it revisits cases in which predecessors explicitly decided against seeking capital punishment. Since taking office in February, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has authorized prosecutors to seek the death penalty against 19 people, including nine defendants in cases in which President Joe Biden’s administration had sought lesser sentences. But judges have blocked those reversal attempts for all but two defendants, most recently on Monday in a pair of cases in the U.S. Virgin Islands, showing the limits of the Trump administration’s power to undo decisions in cases already well underway. In pursuing capital punishment, the Justice Department is seeking to follow through on a Trump campaign promise to resume federal executions after they were halted by Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland. The Republican president’s Justice Department has accused the previous Democratic administration of supplanting “the will of the people with their own personal beliefs” in failing to seek death sentences in many cases involving horrific crimes. Detailed opinions haven’t been issued in the most recent two cases, which involve a man accused of killing a police officer in 2022 and two men accused of armed robbery and murder in 2018. But other judges who have rejected reversal attempts on constitutional and procedural grounds were blunt in their assessment of the Trump administration’s approach. “The government has proceeded hastily in this case, and in doing so has leapfrogged important constitutional and statutory rights,” Trump appointee U.S. Judge Stephanie Gallagher in Maryland wrote in June, striking the notice of intent to seek the death penalty against three alleged MS-13 gang members accused of killing two teenage girls in 2020. “That is unacceptable.” ‘Willful blindness’ vs. ‘basic management’ Authorization of capital prosecution typically occurs years before trial, but in the Maryland case, prosecutors filed the death penalty notice less than four months before the trial was scheduled to start. None of the defendants were represented by attorneys who specialize in death penalty litigation, which they would have been entitled to under federal law due to the complexity of capital cases and the potential consequences. “The government does not hide the ball here — the only reason for its flip-flop on the death penalty was the change in administration,” wrote Gallagher, who called the government’s “willful blindness” to the differences between capital and non-capital trials “startling.” “This court will not cast aside decades of law, professional standards, and norms to accommodate the government’s pursuit of its agenda,” she wrote. “Of course, elections have consequences, and this administration is entitled to pursue the death penalty in cases where it can do so in accordance with constitutional and statutory requirements. But this is not one of them.” Prosecutors in Maryland and in a Nevada case declined to comment, but in court documents they argued that the Justice Department has an “inherent power” to reconsider previous decisions and that the timing of the death notice was “objectively reasonable” given that the defendants had years to prepare for trial. “The Attorney General has simply reconsidered an earlier decision, which it is her prerogative to do so, and exercising that inherent authority is not misconduct but basic management and governance,” wrote Maryland’s U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes. “At no point did the Government make an enforceable promise. Deciding not to seek certain charges […]

In a discussion convened on Thursday by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in preparation for the tens of thousands of chassidim flying to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri raised the issue that about 10,000 Breslovers are now considered “draft dodgers” and face arrest for this reason at the airport, i24NEWS reported. According to the report, Deri also brought the issue to the attention of Defense Minister Yisrael Katz’s office, but no solution has been found. During the meeting, Netanyahu said, “They are traveling for tefillah and not for a trip; a solution must be found for them.” He later instructed the Director-General of his office to examine possibilities for a solution to the issue. In response to an inquiry, a spokesperson from Deri’s office said. “Rabbi Deri has been engaged in discussions with the prime minister for weeks in order to enable the travel of about 50,000 Israelis, from all walks of life, who have a minhag to daven every year on Rosh Hashanah at the tzion of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman—in light of the lack of direct flights.” “As part of this, and due to the lack of a conscription law, Rabbi Deri drew attention to the problem that may arise with regard to about 10,000 bnei yeshivos who are considered eligible for the draft, which may create serious problems at the airport. Therefore, he suggested considering an organized outline to distinguish between travel for tefillah and travel for leisure purposes. Rabbi Deri will continue to work for all Breslov chassidim to allow them to observe their minhag and daven on Rosh Hashanah in Uman.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The Saudi-owned newspaper Independent Arabia reported early Friday that, according to “senior Syrian sources,” Israel and Syria are expected to finalize a security agreement on September 25 under American sponsorship. The signing is scheduled to take place one day after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa delivers his inaugural address at the United Nations General Assembly.

The sources indicated that the arrangement will focus on security cooperation intended to ease tensions between Jerusalem and Damascus. However, they clarified that a full peace treaty between the two nations is not expected “in the near future.”

Additionally, Sky News Arabia reported that the United States is working to organize a high-level meeting next month between President al-Sharaa and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with President Donald Trump also anticipated to take part. The outlet noted that Syria’s recent appointment of a new UN representative authorized to negotiate was made “in this context.”

The report further stated that progress was achieved this week during discussions in Paris between Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani. However, a central sticking point remains Israel’s insistence on retaining an IDF presence at key strategic positions inside Syria, including the radar installation on the Syrian Hermon and Tel al-Hara in the Quneitra province.

So far, neither the Israeli nor Syrian governments have officially confirmed the reports.

Syria’s state-run news agency reported late Tuesday that al-Shibani met in Paris with an Israeli delegation but did not specify that Dermer led the Israeli side.

According to the Syrian account, the talks were mediated by the United States and focused on initiatives aimed at bolstering stability in southern Syria and the broader region.

Topics discussed reportedly included: reducing tensions along the border, honoring the principle of non-interference in Syria’s domestic affairs, ensuring regional stability, maintaining the ceasefire in the Druze Mountain area, and renewing the 1974 disengagement agreement.

The Syrian report highlighted that these talks are part of a broader international diplomatic effort intended to protect Syria’s security and preserve its territorial integrity.

Notably, this report marks an extraordinary development, as it represents the first time in over 25 years that an official Syrian media outlet has publicly acknowledged direct engagement between the Syrian government and Israel.

{Matzav.com}

A Georgia health care entrepreneur was ousted from the company he co-founded after a viral video showed him defending his wife’s anti-Jewish slurs against their grieving neighbor — whose daughter, an Israeli soldier, was killed in a terror attack in Jerusalem in 2023. Mark Bouyzk was terminated from AllaiHealth, an AI-powered health care startup he helped launch, after footage captured his wife, Anna, berating neighbor David Lubin with antisemitic insults. In the video, Anna called Lubin a “kike” and claimed his daughter, Sgt. Rose Lubin — who was fatally stabbed by a Palestinian teenager while patrolling in Jerusalem in November 2023 — “deserved” her fate. “You know what you are,” Anna shouted, before suggesting the IDF routinely kills its own soldiers. Mark backed up his wife’s tirade, telling Lubin that Rose’s killing was justified because “she was fighting.” AllaiHealth announced Bouyzk’s dismissal on LinkedIn Monday. “The behavior displayed in that footage is reprehensible, completely inconsistent with our values, and has no place in our organization or society,” CEO Robert Boisjoli wrote. “We hold ourselves and all those who represent AllaiHealth to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.” Bouyzk, a biotech veteran whose previous company, AKESOgen, was acquired by Chicago-based Tempus Laboratories, co-founded AllaiHealth with Boisjoli. The confrontation with Lubin began when he posted memorial signs for his daughter opposite the Bouyzks’ property, where the couple had displayed pro-Palestinian messages, some bearing crude slurs. Lubin recorded the encounter, which quickly circulated online. Even after the shouting match ended, Anna reportedly phoned Lubin and told him he was responsible for his daughter’s death. Lubin told local media he had never interfered with the couple’s signage and that the viral exchange was their first direct confrontation. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli authorities on Thursday ordered medical facilities and international aid organizations in northern Gaza to prepare for mass evacuations ahead of a sweeping military offensive aimed at conquering Gaza City. The warning came as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened top military officials and senior ministers to finalize plans for the offensive. At the same time, Netanyahu said he had instructed officials to begin “immediate negotiations” for the release of all hostages in Hamas captivity — though his office confirmed no Israeli delegation was being dispatched to mediating countries Egypt or Qatar. Visiting Khan Younis, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told troops that operations on Gaza City’s outskirts were already underway, with additional forces set to join soon. “Our missions remain the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas; we will not rest and will not stop until we complete them,” Zamir said, describing Hamas as reduced from a “terror army” to a guerrilla force. The campaign — which will likely displace up to a million civilians — has drawn criticsm from international organizations. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the pro-Hamas  UNRWA, said children already weakened by hunger “will simply not have the strength to undergo a new displacement,” warning many would not survive. The Red Cross called the planned assault “intolerable,” predicting “more killing, more displacement, more destruction and more panic.” Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) confirmed officers had begun issuing “initial warnings” to Gaza health and aid officials, advising them to transfer medical equipment south and prepare hospitals in Deir al-Balah and Rafah for an influx of evacuees. “There will be a full evacuation from Gaza City,” an officer told one official in a recorded call released by the IDF. The military said hospital capacity in southern Gaza was being expanded with international support, alongside an increased flow of supplies. The army has already called up 60,000 reservists under emergency orders and begun positioning five divisions around Gaza City. Netanyahu, backed by Defense Minister Israel Katz, has authority to greenlight operational stages without cabinet approval after ministers earlier this month endorsed a broad plan to seize the city. But hostage families warned the offensive would destroy chances of a deal to save their loved ones. Bar Goddard, whose father was killed on October 7 and whose body remains in Gaza, accused the government of “sacrificing the hostages” by refusing to respond to Hamas’s acceptance of a ceasefire proposal earlier this week. That plan would pause fighting for 60 days and see roughly half the hostages freed, with talks to follow on the rest. Netanyahu has publicly rejected the outline, insisting only a comprehensive deal to release all captives would be acceptable. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Texas state representative Nicole Collier drew sharp criticism this week after likening herself and her Democratic colleagues to runaway slaves and Jews fleeing Nazi persecution during a heated debate in the state capitol. Collier, one of the Democrats who fled Texas to block Republicans from advancing redistricting legislation, made the comments while confronting a Republican lawmaker on the House floor. “Chairman, are you aware that during slavery, Blacks fled? They ran away,” Collier said. After her colleague replied that he couldn’t hear her clearly, she pressed on: “During the Nazi times, Jewish people fled. They fled their oppressor.” The remarks immediately sparked backlash from Republicans and Jewish leaders who called the comparisons historically inappropriate and offensive, and that equating the political maneuvering of Texas Democrats with the life-and-death struggles of slavery and the Holocaust trivialized two of history’s greatest atrocities. This was not the first time Collier had made headlines in recent days. On Monday night, she staged an unusual protest by sleeping on the floor of the statehouse after House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) ordered state troopers to accompany Democrats around the clock to prevent them from leaving and breaking quorum again. “I will not agree to be in DPS custody. I am not a criminal,” Collier told Fox 4 News, insisting that she was “exercising my right to resist and oppose the decisions of our government.” Collier, who leads the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, defended her comments as a way of framing Democrats’ actions as civil disobedience in the face of what they see as partisan overreach. But opponents called her rhetoric an insult to the memory of those who endured slavery and the Holocaust. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)