Trump taps Kash Patel for FBI director, a loyalist who would aid effort to upend law enforcement

Former Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Defense Kash Patel speaks during a Turning Point Action 'United for Change' campaign rally for former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 24, 2024. (AFP)
Former Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Defense Kash Patel speaks during a Turning Point Action 'United for Change' campaign rally for former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 24, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 01 December 2024
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Trump taps Kash Patel for FBI director, a loyalist who would aid effort to upend law enforcement

Trump taps Kash Patel for FBI director, a loyalist who would aid effort to upend law enforcement
  • Patel, the child of Indian immigrants and a former public defender, spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Kash Patel to serve as FBI director, turning to a fierce ally to upend America’s premier law enforcement agency and rid the government of perceived “conspirators.” It’s the latest bombshell Trump has thrown at the Washington establishment and a test for how far Senate Republicans will go in confirming his nominees.
“I am proud to announce that Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Trump posted Saturday night on Truth Social. “Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People.”
The selection is in keeping with Trump’s view that the government’s law enforcement and intelligence agencies require a radical transformation and his stated desire for retribution against supposed adversaries. It shows how Trump, still fuming over years of federal investigations that shadowed his first administration and later led to his indictment, is moving to place atop the FBI and Justice Department close allies he believes will protect rather than scrutinize him.
Patel “played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution,” Trump wrote Saturday night.
It remains unclear whether Patel could be confirmed, even by a Republican-led Senate, though Trump has also raised the prospect of using recess appointments to push his selections through.
Patel would replace Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 but quickly fell out of favor with the president and his allies. Though the position carries a 10-year term, Wray’s removal was not unexpected given Trump’s long-running public criticism of him and the FBI, including after a search of his Florida’s property for classified documents and two investigations that resulted in his indictment.
Patel’s past proposals, if carried out, would lead to convulsive change for an agency tasked not only with investigating violations of federal law but also protecting the country from terrorist attacks, foreign espionage and other threats.
He’s called for dramatically reducing the FBI’s footprint, a perspective that dramatically sets him apart from earlier directors who have sought additional resources for the bureau, and has suggested closing down the bureau’s headquarters in Washington and “reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state” — Trump’s pejorative catch-all for the federal bureaucracy.
And though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigation, Patel has said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters and change the law to make it easier to sue journalists.
During an interview with Steve Bannon last December, Patel said he and others “will go out and find the conspirators not just in government but in the media.”
“We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections,” Patel said, referring to the 2020 presidential election in which Biden, the Democratic challenger, defeated Trump. “We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly. We’ll figure that out. But yeah, we’re putting you all on notice.”
Trump also announced Saturday that he would nominate Sheriff Chad Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, to serve as the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Chronister is another Florida Republican named to Trump’s administration. He has worked for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office since 1992 and became the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County 2017. He also worked closely with Trump’s choice for attorney general, Pam Bondi.
Patel, the child of Indian immigrants and a former public defender, spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
The panel’s then-chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., was a strong Trump ally who tasked Patel with running the committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign. Patel ultimately helped author what became known as the “Nunes Memo,” a four-page report that detailed how it said the Justice Department had erred in obtaining a warrant to surveil a former Trump campaign volunteer. The memo’s release faced vehement opposition from Wray and the Justice Department, who warned that it would be reckless to disclose sensitive information.
A subsequent inspector general report identified significant problems with FBI surveillance during the Russia investigation, but also found no evidence that the FBI had acted with partisan motives in conducting the probe and said there had been a legitimate basis to open the inquiry.
The Russia investigation fueled Patel’s suspicions of the FBI, the intelligence community and also the media, which he has called “the most powerful enemy the United States has ever seen.” Seizing on compliance errors in the FBI’s use of a spy program that officials say is vital for national security, Patel has accused the FBI of having “weaponized” its surveillance powers against innocent Americans.
Patel parlayed that work into influential administration roles on the National Security Council and later as chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller.
He continued as a loyal Trump lieutenant even after he left office, accompanying the president-elect into court during his criminal trial in New York and asserting to reporters that Trump was the victim of a “constitutional circus.”
In addition to his 2023 memoir, “Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy,” Patel has published two children’s books that lionize Trump. “The Plot Against the King” features a thinly veiled Hillary Clinton as the villain going after “King Donald,” while Kash, a wizard called the Distinguished Discoverer, exposes a nefarious plot.

 


UN says it has no information over Gaza aid group deliveries

UN says it has no information over Gaza aid group deliveries
Updated 27 May 2025
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UN says it has no information over Gaza aid group deliveries

UN says it has no information over Gaza aid group deliveries

GENEVA: The United Nations said on Tuesday it had no information on whether the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed aid group, had actually delivered any supplies inside the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

The little-known group, which has stirred controversy since surfacing in early May, announced on Monday it had begun distributing truckloads of food in the Gaza Strip.

But officials from the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, and UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said they were unaware whether any aid had actually been distributed.

The UN and international aid agencies have said they will not cooperate with the GHF, amid accusations it is working with Israel without any Palestinian involvement.

“It is a distraction from what is actually needed, which is a reopening of all the crossings in to Gaza; a secure environment within Gaza; and faster facilitation of permissions and final approvals of all the emergency supplies that we have just outside the border that need to get in,” OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke told a press briefing in Geneva.

UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma told journalists aid to Gaza was still “very, very far” from what was needed: a minimum of 500 to 600 trucks per day loaded with food, medical aid, fuel, water and other basic supplies, she said, speaking via video-link from Amman.

Israel, which recently stepped up its offensive against militant group Hamas, drew international condemnation after implementing a blockade on March 2 that has sparked severe food and medical shortages.

Humanitarian aid has begun trickling back into Gaza in recent days after Israel lifted the 11-week blockade.

Touma said no UNRWA supplies had gone in since March 2, while Laerke said he had no information on how many UN trucks had passed through the Kerem Shalom crossing in the last 24 hours, partly because Israel does not allow them to have a fixed presence there.


17 bodies found in abandoned house in Mexico

17 bodies found in abandoned house in Mexico
Updated 57 min 3 sec ago
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17 bodies found in abandoned house in Mexico

17 bodies found in abandoned house in Mexico
  • Ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs were used to locate the bodies last week in Irapuato
  • Knives, machetes, pickaxes, and shovels were also found

MEXICO: Missing persons investigators found 17 bodies in an abandoned house in a central Mexican region plagued by criminal violence, the state prosecutor’s office said.

Ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs were used to locate the bodies last week in Irapuato in Guanajuato state, according to a statement released late Monday.

Knives, machetes, pickaxes, and shovels were also found.

Five of the victims — four men and one woman --- have been identified as missing persons, according to prosecutors.

“Their families are being informed,” a Guanajuato state official, Jorge Jimenez, told reporters.

Guanajuato is a thriving industrial hub and home to several popular tourist destinations, but it is also Mexico’s deadliest state due to gang turf wars, according to official homicide statistics.

Criminal violence, most of it linked to drug trafficking, has claimed around 480,000 lives in Mexico since 2006 and left more than 120,000 people missing.

Civil society groups formed by relatives who denounce government inaction risk their own lives searching for remains in unmarked graves, often in areas where cartel gunmen are active.

Much of the violence in Guanajuato is linked to conflict between the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the Jalisco New Generation cartel, one of the most powerful in the Latin American nation.

Guanajuato recorded more than 3,000 murders last year, the most of any Mexican state, according to official figures.

That was equivalent to just over 10 percent of the nationwide total.


German army must use new funds responsibly, auditors say

German army must use new funds responsibly, auditors say
Updated 27 May 2025
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German army must use new funds responsibly, auditors say

German army must use new funds responsibly, auditors say
  • In March, Germany’s parliament approved plans for a massive spending surge
  • Key recommendations include a thorough review of tasks, prioritization of defense-critical duties

BERLIN: The German army must undergo significant organizational and personnel reforms to effectively utilize increased defense spending, the country’s federal audit institute said on Tuesday in a special report.

In March, Germany’s parliament approved plans for a massive spending surge, largely removing defense investment from the rules that cap borrowing.

The Bundesrechnungshof report highlights that despite relaxed debt rules, the Bundeswehr must prioritize its core mission of national and alliance defense while reducing administrative processes.

“’Whatever it takes’ must not become ‘money doesn’t matter!’” said Kay Scheller, president of the institute, emphasising the need for responsible financial management and increased efficiency in defense spending.

Key recommendations include a thorough review of tasks, prioritization of defense-critical duties, and restructuring the Bundeswehr to focus on “more troops, less administration.”

The Bundesrechnungshof recommends careful justification of financial needs, conducting efficiency analyzes, as well as maintaining a balance between time, cost and quality.

“It is crucial that these funds are used responsibly to significantly increase the effectiveness of defense spending,” Scheller said.


GCC, ASEAN leaders hold first trilateral summit with China

GCC, ASEAN leaders hold first trilateral summit with China
Updated 27 May 2025
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GCC, ASEAN leaders hold first trilateral summit with China

GCC, ASEAN leaders hold first trilateral summit with China
  • GCC, ASEAN leaders agree to increase trade volume to $180 billion, engage in FTA negotiations
  • Strategic cooperation between the regional blocs was established during their 2023 Riyadh summit 

KUALA LUMPUR/DUBAI: Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Association of Southeast Asian Nations convened in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday for the second ASEAN-GCC Summit and a historic three-way meeting with China.

The ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Trilateral Summit were held alongside the 46th ASEAN Summit, which Malaysia is hosting as the Southeast Asian bloc’s chair this year.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who opened the sessions, said the ASEAN-GCC relationship would be “key in enhancing inter-regional collaboration, building resilience and securing sustainable prosperity for all.”

Strategic cooperation between the 10-member grouping of Southeast Asian nations and the alliance of six Gulf states was established in October 2023, when they held their first summit hosted by Saudi Arabia.

Their meeting in Kuala Lumpur — and the inclusion of China in the talks — comes against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, recently heightened by global tariffs imposed last month by US President Donald Trump.

While most countries were granted a 90-day reprieve from the measures, Southeast Asia’s major economies have since been engaged in efforts to diversify their trading networks.

ASEAN and GCC representatives — including Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani, the crown princes of Bahrain and Kuwait, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan — have agreed to increase bilateral trade and engage in free trade negotiations.

The GCC is now ASEAN’s seventh-largest trading partner, with total trade reaching $130.7 billion in 2023.

“We aim to increase this figure to $180 billion by 2032, as there remains substantial untapped potential in bilateral trade and investment,” Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid, who is also the president of the current session of the Supreme Council of the GCC, said during the summit.

“We would like to underscore the importance of continuing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment and the arts, and we look forward to the positive outcomes of free trade agreement negotiations between both sides, which will open up investment opportunities and support regional development.”

As the Southeast Asian and Gulf leaders were joined by Beijing’s delegation, led by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Anwar welcomed the tripartite meeting as a “landmark moment” in international cooperation.

“I am confident that ASEAN, the GCC and China can draw upon our unique strengths to shape a future that is more connected, more resilient and more prosperous for generations to come,” he said.

“ASEAN has long demonstrated that regionalism, anchored in consensus, respect and openness, can succeed. We have thrived in our longstanding partnerships with the GCC and China. Today, we have the opportunity to elevate these ties.”

The combined economies of the GCC, ASEAN, and China now total nearly $25 trillion, with a combined population exceeding 2 billion.

“China has long been a very strategic partner with ASEAN, being the largest trading partner of all ASEAN countries, and it has long taken part in ASEAN-related meetings ranging from ASEAN Plus to ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum),” Dr. Oh Ei Sun, principal advisor at the Pacific Research Center in Kuala Lumpur, told Arab News.

“China has the technology, GCC the money, and ASEAN the market ... As protectionism and unilateralism are on the rise globally, these groupings see the need to strengthen multilateralism, not the least with bringing themselves closer together.”

Amid global turbulence, economic fragmentation and shifting power dynamics, the Kuala Lumpur summits showed the growing ambitions of Southeast Asia and the Gulf region to play a more influential role in international markets and geopolitical affairs.

“This isn’t just another summit, it signals that these regions want a bigger say in how the global economy is run and despite the external factors,” said Kamles Kumar, associate director at Asia Group Advisors in Kuala Lumpur.

“The Global South is no longer content to be on the sidelines.”

China’s participation could be seen as Beijing’s intent to stay close to rising regional alliances, especially in the face of US policies.

“It’s about influence with securing energy links with the Gulf and reinforcing trade ties with ASEAN, while positioning itself as an indispensable partner in South-South cooperation,” Kumar said.

“There is a recognition that momentum is shifting. The quiet push for deeper ASEAN economic cooperation, including conversations around regional supply chains, green infrastructure, and trade integration, is drawing attention. China’s presence underscores that no major player wants to be left out of what comes next.”


Ukrainian climber released from detention days after record-breaking Everest ascent

Ukrainian climber released from detention days after record-breaking Everest ascent
Updated 27 May 2025
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Ukrainian climber released from detention days after record-breaking Everest ascent

Ukrainian climber released from detention days after record-breaking Everest ascent
  • “Andrew is now out of custody after a misunderstanding,” said Ushakov’s public relations team
  • “He is currently working to clarify all matters with the relevant authorities“

KATMANDU: Ukrainian climber Andrew Ushakov, who completed a journey from sea level to the summit of Mount Everest in a record four days, has been released on bail following his arrest for carrying undeclared foreign currency, a Nepali official told Reuters on Tuesday.

“He has to face the charges in court,” said Chandi Prasad Ghimire, director general of the Department of Revenue Investigation. “If he chooses to raise hands (not fight the case in court) he forfeits the bail money.”

Ghimire had previously said that the bail was set at $60,000 — three times the amount allegedly carried by Ushakov, 40, when he was taken into custody on Sunday.

“Andrew is now out of custody after a misunderstanding,” Ushakov’s public relations team told Reuters on Tuesday. “He is grateful for the support he has received and is currently working to clarify all matters with the relevant authorities.”

Ushakov, a structural engineer who lives in the United States, flew from New York to Nepal on May 15 before scaling Everest without the usual period of several weeks of acclimatization.

He said he did not use Xenon, the gas inhaled by four British former special forces soldiers who scaled Earth’s highest mountain last week, in five days, after leaving London. The climbers used Xenon to pre-acclimatize themselves to the low-oxygen environment they would encounter as they journeyed toward the 8,849-meter summit.

Police official Nakul Pokhrel said that the undeclared foreign currency was detected during baggage screening as Ushakov readied to board a plane leaving Katmandu, Nepal’s capital city.

Anyone carrying foreign currency worth more than $5,000 is required to declare it to the authorities in Nepal.