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FBI director Kash Patel clashes with Senate Democrats over Charlie Kirk and Jeffrey Epstein

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Washington (BN24) – FBI Director Kash Patel erupted in a heated exchange with Democratic senators during his first oversight hearing Tuesday, shouting back at lawmakers as he defended his leadership of the bureau and its handling of politically charged investigations.

Appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patel faced pointed questions over the FBI’s response to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, its handling of matters related to Jeffrey Epstein, and the abrupt firing of senior agents.

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker opened his questioning by accusing Patel of lying about dismissing agents out of retribution for their involvement in political investigations. Booker charged that Patel “pushed out senior FBI agents with decades of knowledge and experience” and shifted the bureau’s priorities toward President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda.

“I believe you have made our country weaker and less safe,” Booker said.

Patel fired back, saying, “You don’t get to say that America is not safer under this leadership. Your rant of false information does not bring this country together.” The clash quickly escalated into shouting, forcing committee chair Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican, to pound his gavel to restore order. Booker stormed out of the hearing, accusing Grassley of failing to hold Patel accountable for repeatedly interrupting Democratic senators.

The hearing also saw Patel sparring with Sen. Adam Schiff, who pressed the director on the Trump administration’s handling of issues linked to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Patel lashed out, calling Schiff “the biggest fraud to ever sit in the United States Senate” and dismissing him as a “political buffoon, at best.”

Patel acknowledged criticism over his social media post regarding the Kirk investigation, in which he initially said “the subject” had been arrested before the individual was later released. “Could I have been more careful in my verbiage and included ‘a’ subject instead of ‘the’ subject? Sure,” he said.

The hearing highlighted the sharp political divisions surrounding Patel, who was nominated as FBI director by Trump last year and confirmed by the Senate in February by the narrowest of margins, 51-49. Two Republicans broke ranks to oppose his appointment amid concerns over his history of promoting conspiracy theories.

The Associated Press has reported that five FBI agents and senior executives were abruptly dismissed last month. Patel has denied the removals were politically motivated.

The confrontational session underscored the growing tensions over the FBI’s role during Trump’s presidency, with Patel’s critics accusing him of politicizing the bureau while his allies insist he is restoring accountability.

Data shows that Amazon forest in Brazil loses area the size of Spain in four decades

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Simeon Bateren
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SAO PAULO (BN24) Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has lost more than 49 million hectares, an area roughly the size of Spain over the past four decades, satellite data released Friday shows, fueling growing concerns that the world’s largest tropical forest is nearing an ecological tipping point.

The findings come from MapBiomas, a Brazilian-based initiative that uses satellite imagery to monitor changes in land use. The data shows that between 1985 and 2024, deforestation in the Amazon has accelerated, with alarming impacts on the region’s ability to regenerate and sustain its unique ecosystem.

Bruno Ferreira, a researcher affiliated with the study, said the rainforest is dangerously close to what scientists call a “point of no return,” where between 20% to 25% of its vegetation would be either degraded or entirely lost. At that stage, the forest would no longer be able to maintain its self-sustaining rain cycle.

“When too much vegetation is lost, the rain cycle is disrupted, and large areas tend to transform into drier savannas,” Ferreira said.

The Amazon stretches across nine countries, with about 60% of its total area lying within Brazilian territory. Brazil is also set to host the COP30 climate summit in November in the Amazonian city of Belem, where leaders are expected to address global climate priorities, including forest conservation.

MapBiomas reported that deforestation has surged hand-in-hand with livestock farming, which has expanded fivefold during the same period. The conversion of forested land into pasture has played a central role in the ecosystem’s ongoing degradation.

While deforestation rates fell after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office in 2023, Brazil faced an extreme drought between August 2024 and July 2025. The dry conditions triggered widespread wildfires across the Amazon, further accelerating tree loss and threatening efforts to reverse the damage.

The MapBiomas report paints a stark picture of what lies ahead if the forest’s current trajectory continues, reinforcing warnings from climate scientists that without urgent action, the Amazon may soon lose its capacity to function as the “lungs of the planet.”

Japanese political party to install AI leader after election defeats

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Simeon Bateren
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TOKYO (BN24) — A minor political party in Japan announced plans to appoint an artificial intelligence system as its new leader after failing to win seats in the country’s most recent elections and following the resignation of its founder, Shinji Ishimaru.

The Path to Rebirth Party, launched in January 2024 by Ishimaru, a former mayor of a small city in western Japan, rose to national attention when he placed second in the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial race. The campaign, mainly powered by online engagement, positioned Ishimaru as a rising figure in Japanese politics.

But the party has struggled since. After failing to secure any seats in the July 2025 upper house elections, Ishimaru stepped down from leadership, triggering a bold and unconventional shift in party strategy.

“The new leader will be AI,” said Koki Okumura, a 25-year-old AI researcher and doctoral student at Kyoto University, who was selected through an internal contest to succeed Ishimaru. Okumura will act as the AI’s human assistant and serve as the public-facing representative of the party.

Details about the artificial intelligence system—such as its development, launch timeline, and operational structure have not been finalized. However, Okumura stated that the AI will not dictate policy stances for party members. Instead, it will help manage internal party affairs, including decision-making on resource allocation and organizational logistics.

The Path to Rebirth Party is known for its decentralised model, where members are encouraged to establish their own platforms without adhering to a unified party policy. Despite the media buzz surrounding its AI experiment, the party has seen little success at the ballot box.

In the June 2025 Tokyo assembly elections, none of its 42 candidates were elected. A similar result followed in the July upper house elections, where all 10 candidates failed to win seats.

While some see the move to AI leadership as a publicity stunt, party officials insist it reflects their broader belief in technology, transparency, and decentralised governance ideas they hope will eventually resonate with voters disillusioned by traditional political institutions.

13 people hurt in two mass shootings at Minneapolis homeless encampments on same day

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Simeon Bateren
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MINNEAPOLIS (BN24) — Thirteen people were injured, including five critically, in two mass shootings that erupted hours apart Monday at homeless encampments in Minneapolis, prompting city officials to raise alarms over growing public safety concerns.

The violence marked the fourth and fifth mass shootings in the city within three weeks, following a high-profile school shooting on Aug. 27 that left two children dead and 21 others wounded.

“This is tragic. It isn’t very good. It’s unacceptable, and, sadly, it’s not surprising,” Mayor Jacob Frey said during a news conference early Tuesday, adding he wouldn’t be surprised if the two incidents were connected.

The most recent shooting unfolded around 10 p.m. Monday at a well-known encampment located near South 28th Avenue and East Lake Street in southeast Minneapolis. Police Chief Brian O’Hara said a Minneapolis officer working security at a nearby Target store was alerted by several people running in panic and reporting gunfire at the encampment.

The officer reportedly heard the shots as he left the store and rushed toward the scene. Responding officers found five victims at the site, including a man and a woman inside tents who had both been shot in the head, O’Hara said. Three additional victims later arrived at area hospitals on their own.

O’Hara confirmed that at least four of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries. Investigators recovered multiple shell casings and believe an exchange of gunfire may have occurred between someone inside the encampment and an unidentified shooter.

While police were still on scene, a fire broke out in one of the tents, requiring fire crews to respond and extinguish the blaze. No arrests have been made, and investigators have not identified any suspects publicly.

Earlier that same day, just after 11 a.m., gunfire erupted at another homeless encampment less than a mile away, near East Lake Street and Stevens Avenue. Five people were injured in that incident, including one person who remained in critical condition.

“While the investigation is still very, very preliminary, that is certainly something that we can’t rule out, and, of course, it’s something that we are considering,” O’Hara said when asked if the two shootings could be connected.

Mayor Frey echoed the concern, pointing out that the site of the second shooting, at South 28th Avenue, had long been a source of tension. He said city officials had made repeated efforts to clear the encampment, which sits on private property, but were met with resistance from the landowner.

“These homeless encampments are not safe either for the people that are in them, nor are they safe for the surrounding neighborhood,” Frey said. “We’ve been saying this for months.”

The twin shootings come as the city continues to reel from a string of violent events. Just days earlier, on Aug. 26, six people were shot—one fatally—at the corner of East 29th Street and Clinton Avenue South when a gunman opened fire with a high-powered rifle. Police said more than 30 rounds were fired, but no arrests have been made in that case either.

In the Annunciation Catholic School shooting on Aug. 27, the 23-year-old suspect, Robin Westman, died by suicide after killing two children and injuring 21 others. Authorities are still investigating the motives behind that attack.

Chief O’Hara said the city continues to face a troubling surge in gun violence and called the recent string of mass shootings “not normal.”

“We are again standing in the aftermath of another mass shooting,” he said. “This cannot become accepted as part of life in Minneapolis.”

Russia’s FSB Arrests Woman Over Alleged Bombing of Trans-Siberian Railway-MT

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Pennsylvania (BN24) – Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced Tuesday that it has arrested a woman accused of detonating a bomb on the Trans-Siberian Railway in what it claims was a Ukrainian intelligence-directed act of sabotage.

The suspect, described only as a Russian woman born in 1974, allegedly carried out the attack in August in the Zabaikalsky region of eastern Siberia, the FSB said. According to the agency, she manufactured a homemade explosive device from readily available materials, placed it on the railway tracks, and triggered it.

“She recorded the moment of the explosion on her mobile phone and sent the footage to her handler in order to receive a reward,” the FSB said in a statement, which accused Ukrainian operatives of directing the sabotage effort.

The agency did not release the woman’s name but stressed that she was acting under instruction from Ukrainian intelligence services. It also warned Russians that it was monitoring platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp for signs of recruitment by Ukrainian networks seeking to enlist citizens in sabotage campaigns.

The FSB also disclosed a separate case in which a man from the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, was sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison for transporting explosives. Authorities allege he was recruited via Telegram by a banned “terrorist organization” sympathetic to Ukraine. Investigators said he retrieved explosives from a hidden cache and was awaiting further orders when he was detained. He was later convicted by a military tribunal.

The alleged sabotage on the Trans-Siberian Railway underscores heightened security concerns in Russia as the war in Ukraine nears its third year. While Moscow has frequently accused Kyiv of orchestrating attacks inside Russian territory, Ukrainian officials rarely comment on such claims.

Bulgaria arrests Russian shipowner linked to 2020 Beirut port blast

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (BN24) — Authorities in Bulgaria have arrested the Russian owner of a cargo ship tied to the ammonium nitrate stockpile that triggered the catastrophic 2020 Beirut port explosion, Lebanese judicial officials said Monday.

The arrest of Igor Grechushkin, who also holds Cypriot nationality, comes nearly five years after Lebanese investigators issued Interpol arrest warrants for him and the ship’s captain, Boris Prokoshev, also a Russian citizen. Both men were linked to the vessel that carried the chemicals into Beirut’s port before they were stored improperly for years, ultimately sparking one of the deadliest non-nuclear explosions in history.

According to Lebanese officials, Grechushkin was taken into custody last week at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport after arriving on a flight from Cyprus. They said Lebanese authorities are preparing extradition papers requesting that Grechushkin be handed over for questioning in Beirut. If extradition is denied, investigators may travel to Bulgaria to question him directly.

The Beirut blast on Aug. 4, 2020, killed at least 218 people, wounded more than 6,000 and flattened entire neighborhoods in the Lebanese capital, leaving billions of dollars in damage. Despite the devastation, no senior Lebanese official has been convicted in connection with the tragedy, fueling public anger and deep mistrust in the state.

Earlier this year, Lebanon swore in President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who promised to revive the stalled probe and pursue accountability as part of a reformist agenda. In July, investigative judge Tarek Bitar summoned senior political, judicial and security officials as part of a renewed push to uncover responsibility for the disaster.

Lebanese officials say Grechushkin’s arrest represents a significant development in the yearslong investigation. Authorities in Bulgaria have not yet publicly commented on the detention.

Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times

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PALM BEACH, Fla. (BN24) — President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists, escalating his ongoing battle with the media as he campaigns for reelection.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Florida, accuses the Times of publishing “false and defamatory” claims in several articles and a book written by two of its reporters in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. According to the filing, the reports were part of “a decades-long pattern by The New York Times of intentional and malicious defamation against President Trump.”

The complaint states that the defendants “published such statements negligently, with knowledge of the falsity of the statements, and/or with reckless disregard of their truth or falsity.”

Trump announced the lawsuit on Truth Social, accusing the Times of acting as “a virtual mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party” and vowing to hold the paper accountable for what he called deliberate lies aimed at damaging his political standing.

The New York Times did not immediately respond to requests for comment early Tuesday.

This legal action marks Trump’s latest high-profile confrontation with major media outlets. In July, he filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch over reporting that linked him to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump has long accused mainstream media organizations of bias and unfair coverage, frequently using lawsuits and public statements to challenge reporting he claims is false or politically motivated. Legal experts say the $15 billion claim faces steep hurdles due to First Amendment protections and the high bar U.S. law sets for proving defamation against public figures.

Still, the case underscores Trump’s determination to take on media institutions he portrays as hostile as he seeks to consolidate political momentum ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and beyond.

Associated Press story

British aristocrat Constance Marten and partner Mark Gordon sentenced to 14 years for killing newborn daughter

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LONDON (BN24) — A British woman from an aristocratic family and her partner, a convicted rapist, were sentenced Monday to 14 years in prison for the death of their newborn daughter, whose body was discovered in a shopping bag on a vegetable patch after the couple fled police and lived off-grid in freezing conditions.

Constance Marten, 38, and Mark Gordon, 51, were convicted of manslaughter at London’s Old Bailey after a retrial that followed a hung jury last year. The pair were also found guilty of child cruelty, concealing the birth of a child, and perverting the course of justice.

Marten, whose family has historic ties to the British royal family, shook her head as the verdicts were read, while Gordon, deported from the United States after serving 22 years in prison for a violent rape and kidnapping, sat motionless with his eyes closed.

The case drew widespread attention across Britain. Authorities launched a seven-week search in January 2023 after a placenta was found in the couple’s burned-out car near Manchester. Despite Marten’s privileged background and access to a trust fund, she and Gordon evaded police by camping in tents, scavenging from trash bins, and moving frequently before they were arrested in Brighton.

Days later, their baby, Victoria, was discovered dead. Marten told investigators that the infant suffocated accidentally while she held her under her jacket to keep her warm in the tent. Prosecutors argued the couple’s decision to remain outdoors in subzero conditions was reckless and directly caused the child’s death.

“Today, the justice we have long fought for has finally been served for baby Victoria,” said Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford of the Metropolitan Police. “The selfish actions of Mark Gordon and Constance Marten resulted in the death of a newborn baby who should have had the rest of her life ahead of her.”

The tragedy underscored years of instability. Marten had been estranged from her wealthy family since beginning a relationship with Gordon in 2016. The couple’s four other children had already been taken into care by authorities, prompting them to go on the run with Victoria shortly after her birth.

Crown prosecutor Samantha Yelland said the couple’s “reckless actions were driven by a selfish desire to keep their baby no matter the cost — resulting in her tragic death.”

The trial also revealed Gordon’s violent past. In 1989, at age 14, he raped a woman at knifepoint in Florida, holding her captive for more than four hours. He later committed another assault involving aggravated battery and was sentenced to 40 years in prison before being released after 22 years. He was deported to the UK following his release.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, who led the investigation, acknowledged the case’s emotional toll. “We know today’s verdict won’t bring Victoria back, but I am pleased our investigation has resulted in the couple who caused her death finally being brought to justice,” she said.

Chief Crown Prosecutor Jaswant Narwal said the 14-year sentence reflected the preventable nature of the baby’s death. “No child should have had its life cut short in this preventable way,” he said. “I hope today’s sentences provide a sense of justice and comfort to all those affected.”

The sentencing closes a harrowing case that highlighted how privilege, violence, and desperation collided in a story that gripped Britain and ended in the avoidable death of a newborn.

Israel launches expanded Gaza City offensive, at least 34 Palestinians killed amid escalating strikes

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Tel Aviv (BN24) – The Israeli military said Tuesday it has launched an expanded ground operation in Gaza City, intensifying the conflict in the densely populated territory and warning civilians to evacuate south as airstrikes and shelling shook the region. The campaign has already left at least 34 Palestinians dead, according to hospital officials.

The operation, described by Israeli defense leaders as a decisive push against Hamas, marks a new stage in the nearly yearlong war. Defense Minister Israel Katz declared “Gaza is burning” as Israeli forces advanced from the city’s outskirts toward its center, demolishing towers and targeting what they said were Hamas tunnels and positions.

Residents described a night and morning of relentless bombardment. Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, reported receiving the bodies of 34 people killed in the strikes, alongside dozens of wounded. Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, the hospital’s director, told The Associated Press that “the bombing did not stop for a single moment.”

The military estimated that 350,000 people have fled Gaza City in recent weeks, though the United Nations said at least 220,000 Palestinians had evacuated from northern Gaza in the past month. Before the latest operation, about 1 million people lived in the Gaza City region. Long convoys of cars, trucks, and families on foot crowded Gaza’s coastal road on Tuesday, carrying mattresses, suitcases, and what little people could salvage.

Israeli officials believe between 2,000 and 3,000 Hamas militants remain in Gaza City, with the group continuing to use tunnels and urban cover to resist advances. The military’s stated goal is to control nearly all of the Gaza Strip except for a stretch along the Mediterranean coast.

The offensive has reignited international tensions. A U.N.-commissioned panel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, claims rejected by Jerusalem as “distorted and false.” Egypt, a longtime mediator and the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, escalated its rhetoric, with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi referring to Israel as an “enemy” for the first time since diplomatic ties were established in 1979.

Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages demonstrated outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, pleading for a halt to the military campaign until their loved ones are released. “If he stops at nothing and sends our precious, brave, heroic soldiers to fight while our hostages are being used as human shields — he is not a worthy prime minister,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son remains captive in Gaza.

The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. Israel’s retaliation has since killed more than 64,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children account for about half of the dead.

Despite U.S. diplomatic efforts, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Israel and Qatar this week, the prospect of a ceasefire appears remote. “The only thing worse than a war is a protracted one that goes on forever and ever,” Rubio said, warning time was running out for negotiations.

Appeals Court blocks Trump effort to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook before rate vote

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WASHINGTON (BN24) — A federal appeals court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to oust Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, allowing her to remain on the central bank’s board just days before a pivotal vote on interest rates.

The decision delivers a setback to Trump’s unprecedented effort to remove a sitting Fed governor — a move that, if successful, would have marked the first dismissal in the central bank’s 112-year history.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-minute attempt to block Cook’s participation in this week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, where policymakers are weighing whether to adjust interest rates.

Cook has separately filed a lawsuit seeking to permanently block her firing, which could extend the legal battle for months.

The White House push to remove Cook has raised alarms among economists and lawmakers, who warn the effort threatens the political independence of the Federal Reserve. Central banks are traditionally shielded from day-to-day politics to ensure they can make unpopular but necessary decisions, such as raising rates to combat inflation.

Trump first moved to fire Cook on Aug. 25, but a federal judge ruled the action unlawful and reinstated her to the Fed board. The appeals court’s ruling on Monday upheld that decision.

At the same time, the Senate has confirmed Trump’s nominee Stephen Miran to an open Fed seat, giving the administration new influence over the seven-member board despite the setback on Cook.

Cook, who was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2022, has faced allegations raised by Trump appointee Bill Pulte, who accused her of mortgage fraud for allegedly claiming two properties as “primary residences” in 2021 before joining the Fed. Such claims can reduce mortgage costs by lowering rates and down payments.

Cook has denied wrongdoing, and the allegations have not resulted in formal charges.

The appeals court’s decision comes as the Fed prepares to begin its two-day policy meeting Tuesday, with investors closely watching whether officials will raise rates again to counter inflation. Cook’s continued presence on the board means she will take part in the vote, keeping Trump from reshaping the Fed as dramatically as he had sought.

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