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• De Japanse premier Sanae Takaichi streeft naar wetgeving om het eerste gecentraliseerde inlichtingendienst van het land sinds de Tweede Wereldoorlog op te richten, waarbij het Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office (CIRO) wordt omgevormd tot een centrum voor analisten, technologen en agenten te midden van toenemende spionage en cyberdreigingen vanuit China en Rusland. • De FBI heeft het plan gesteund, waarbij functionarissen de Amerikaanse steun voor Tokio signaleerden op het gebied van cybersecurity, counter-intelligence, spionage en terrorismebestrijding, om zo de versnipperde inlichtingenstructuur van Japan aan te pakken. • Het agentschap zou uiterlijk in juli 2026 operationeel kunnen zijn, mits goedgekeurd door de House of Councillors, beginnend met ongeveer 700 medewerkers die naar verwachting snel zullen groeien door de integratie van talent uit zowel de overheid als de private sector.

Agency says FBI director ‘followed all applicable ethical guidelines’ in giving out personalized bourbon bottlesThe FBI said that agency director Kash Patel “followed all applicable ethical guidelines” after a report in the Atlantic alleged that he distributed customized bourbon whiskey bottles as gifts.In an article published on Wednesday, the Atlantic described Patel as travelling with a stock of “personalized branded bourbon” that he allegedly hands out frequently to people around him. Continue reading...

• The FBI searched the office of a top Democratic lawmaker in Virginia as part of an ongoing corruption investigation, according to an AP source. • Agents conducted the raid on the Virginia Senate leader's office, marking a significant escalation in the probe into alleged misconduct. • The action underscores rising scrutiny on state-level political figures amid national concerns over corruption ahead of the 2026 midterms.

• Ex-FBI Director James Comey surrendered to authorities and appeared in court on April 29, 2026, facing DOJ charges for allegedly threatening President Trump's life via a seashell social media post. • Prosecutors claim the post symbolized a threat, leading to swift federal action amid heightened political tensions. • The case underscores escalating rhetoric between Trump allies and former officials, potentially influencing 2026 midterm dynamics.

Claudio Neves Valente, who killed himself after deadly attack, began planning for violence in 2022, authorities sayThe gunman behind a deadly shooting at Brown University in December appeared to have been aggrieved by personal failures and sought retribution against those he deemed responsible, federal authorities said on Wednesday.More than four months after Claudio Manuel Neves Valente opened fire on the Ivy League campus, killing two students and injuring nine others, officials with the FBI’s Boston division announced they had concluded a significant portion of their investigation into the shooter. Continue reading...

Comey, one of Donald Trump’s political enemies, charged with two felonies. Plus, Disneyland introduces facial recognitionGood morning.The justice department filed new criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, on Tuesday.What has he been charged with? Two felonies: making a threat against the president, and transmitting that threat, via social media, across state lines.What does the indictment say? That the seashell numbers were something a reasonable person “would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States”.And how about Comey? He published a video of himself saying: “Well, they’re back. This time, about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won’t be the end of it, but nothing has changed with me. I am still innocent. I am still not afraid. And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So, let’s go.” He continued: “It’s really important that all of us remember – this is not who we are as a country, this is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be, and the good news is we get closer every day to restoring those values. Keep the faith.” Continue reading...

• Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted for a second time on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, over an Instagram post interpreted by the DOJ as a threat against President Donald Trump. • The Justice Department expanded its probe following renewed scrutiny of the post described as a coded message referencing the president. • Comey maintains his innocence, stating the charges stem from misinterpretation of his social media activity amid ongoing political tensions.

Subject of charges remains unclear, after earlier case over congressional testimony was dismissedUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe justice department filed new criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter.The subject of the charges was not immediately clear and the justice department did not immediately return a request for comment. CNN first reported a new indictment had been filed. Continue reading...

Inquiry began in March after report on security arrangements involving FBI director’s girlfriend, NYT saysSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe FBI began investigating a New York Times reporter after the newspaper published a story raising concerns about the security arrangements surrounding the girlfriend of Kash Patel, the FBI director, the Times has reported.According to reporting from the Times on Wednesday, the inquiry into Elizabeth Williamson, the reporter, began in March following an article she reported alleging that Patel used FBI resources to provide protection and transportation for his girlfriend, country singer, Alexis Wilkins. Continue reading...

Amid growing congressional scrutiny of his conduct, Patel has claimed he has ‘never been intoxicated on the job’US politics live – latest updatesHouse judiciary Democrats have launched a formal inquiry into FBI director, Kash Patel’s alleged drinking habits, demanding he complete a standardized alcohol abuse assessment and submit the results to Congress.In a letter sent on Tuesday, led by Jamie Raskin, a Maryland representative, Democrats on the committee called on Patel to take the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit) – a 10-question World Health Organization screening tool used to identify harmful patterns of drinking – along with a sworn statement attesting to his answers. Lawmakers also requested all security clearance questionnaires Patel has completed since taking the role. Continue reading...

DHS accused of false and misleading statements about Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez who was shot in faceFederal officials have arrested a California man who was shot by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and charged him with “assault” on a federal officer.Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, was shot by ICE officers on 7 April in Patterson, a rural town in California’s central valley roughly 80 miles south-east of San Francisco. He was hit by more than six bullets, including in the face, according to his attorney. Continue reading...

Courtney Williams accused of sharing material with reporter examining deaths and drugs at US military baseThe FBI has arrested a former military special operations employee accused of providing classified information to the media, the agency’s director Kash Patel announced on Wednesday.The US Department of Justice said in a press release that the former employee, identified as Courtney Williams, 40, was arrested on Tuesday and indicted on Wednesday for allegedly sharing classified material with a journalist. Continue reading...

• FBI arrested eight individuals, including three nurses, a chiropractor, and a psychologist, in a Los Angeles healthcare fraud operation targeting over $50 million from the US system. • Gladwin and Amelou Gill allegedly created a hospice in their daughter's name, swindling over $7 million from taxpayers. • Six defendants face initial appearances in US District Court in downtown Los Angeles, with one in Idaho; the scheme ties to broader hospice fraud concerns in LA.

• FBI agents have arrived in Cuba to investigate the February fatal shooting of five men aboard a US-flagged speedboat, which Cuban authorities claimed was attempting to infiltrate the island. • The probe occurs amid strained US-Cuba relations, focusing on circumstances surrounding the incident near Cuban waters. • This development underscores ongoing tensions in US-Latin America diplomacy, potentially affecting migration and security cooperation.

Ayman Ghazali, naturalized US citizen from Lebanon, often consumed content linked to Lebanese group onlineThe assailant who attacked a synagogue in Michigan earlier this month was inspired by Hezbollah, the FBI said on Monday.Jennifer Runyan, head of the FBI’s Detroit field office, announced during a press conference that Ayman Ghazali, 41, had frequently consumed Hezbollah-related content online before the attack. In a video recorded before he drove his truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township – a north-western suburb of Detroit – on 12 March, Ghazali said he wanted to “kill as many of them as I possibly can”. Continue reading...

California governor contender not accused of wrongdoing in decade-old inquiry into suspected Chinese agentThe Trump administration has reportedly been pushing to release records from an FBI investigation related to Eric Swalwell and alleged links to a Chinese agent as the Democratic congressman makes gains in the California governor’s race.The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing “three people familiar with the effort”, that the FBI director, Kash Patel, is pushing to release the files, even though there is no public evidence of wrongdoing on Swalwell’s part. The records stem from a decade-old investigation into a suspected spy who had developed relationships with US politicians and assisted Swalwell with fundraising. Continue reading...

• Iran-linked hackers posted private messages and photographs belonging to FBI Director Kash Patel in what appears to be a cyber retaliation operation amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. • The breach represents a significant security incident targeting senior U.S. intelligence leadership during heightened Middle East conflict. • The incident underscores growing cyber threats and Iranian capabilities to penetrate U.S. government security systems.

The Handala Hack Team published more than 300 emails from Kash Patel’s inbox between 2010 and 2019Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxIran-linked hackers have broken into the personal email inbox of Kash Patel, FBI’s director, publishing photographs of him and other documents on the internet, the hackers and the bureau said on Friday.On their website, the hacker group Handala Hack Team said Patel “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims”. The hackers published a series of personal photographs of Patel sniffing and smoking cigars, riding in an antique convertible and making a face while taking a picture of himself in the mirror with a large bottle of rum. Continue reading...

Lawyers say agency made misrepresentations in affidavit to obtain search warrant for January raid of election officesLawyers arguing in federal court for the FBI to return Fulton county’s 2020 election records said the agency’s affidavit to obtain a search warrant relied on misrepresentations that rise to the legal standard of a “callous disregard” for the county’s rights.“The only element that turns the election into a crime is intent, and nothing in the affidavit shows intent,” Abbe Lowell, who is representing Fulton county, said during the Friday hearing at the Richard Russell courthouse in Atlanta. He argued that the FBI is pursuing crimes for which the statute of limitations has expired. Continue reading...

Anthropic fought against the government’s misuse of its technology, but authorities are buying Americans’ data, enabling them to surveil citizens at scaleThe FBI declares it can conduct mass surveillance without AI, despite Anthropic’s protest.A central part of the standoff between Anthropic and the Department of Defense has revolved around the artificial intelligence firm’s refusal to allow its technology to be used for mass domestic surveillance. Yet even without the cooperation of AI firms, remarks this week from Kash Patel, FBI director, show how authorities are by any reasonable measure already operating a system that can surveil citizens at scale. Continue reading...

• The FBI and IRS are initiating a joint investigation into nonprofits over possible ties to domestic terrorism, targeting groups promoting extreme views on immigration, gender ideology, and anti-American sentiment. • The probe follows a memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi last year ordering lists of such organizations. • This initiative raises concerns about free speech and government overreach amid heightened security focus.

• FBI sources report analyzing an apparent improvised explosive device (IED) left outside the visitor center at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, amid heightened security concerns linked to the Iran war. • The device was discovered on March 19, 2026, prompting a federal investigation by the FBI's National Counterterrorism Center, though no group has claimed responsibility. • This incident heightens fears of domestic terror threats tied to escalating Middle East conflicts, potentially straining U.S. military installations.

The reported inquiry predates Joe Kent’s departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counter-terrorism centerThe resignation of Joe Kent, a senior counter-terrorism official who spoke out against the US war in Iran, took a dramatic turn on Wednesday with a report that he is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over an alleged leak of classified information.The inquiry predates Kent’s departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counterterrorism center, where he had overseen the analysis of terrorist threats, according to Semafor and CBS News. The FBI declined to comment on the existence of any such investigation. Continue reading...

• Intelligence officials testified before Congress on March 18 regarding Iran war threats and national security, with National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard deflecting questions about pre-war intelligence she offered Trump, while facing Democratic accusations of misusing national security powers for domestic political interference. • FBI Director Kash Patel made his first Capitol Hill appearance since a viral video showed him celebrating with the U.S. men's hockey team at the Winter Olympics; Patel has fired dozens of FBI agents in his first year, raising concerns about loss of national security expertise during elevated terrorism threats. • Multiple terrorism-related incidents occurred this month, including a gunman inspired by Iranian ideology killing two at a Texas bar, suspects arrested for explosives near New York City, a shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia, and a car attack on a Michigan synagogue.

Admission came during questioning at Senate intelligence committee worldwide threats hearingThe Federal Bureau of Investigation has started buying location data on Americans, FBI director Kash Patel said under oath at the Senate intelligence committee worldwide threats hearing on Wednesday.Patel’s admission came in response to a question from the senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat who is a longtime opponent of the warrantless surveillance of Americans. Wyden told Patel that his predecessor, Christopher Wray, testified in 2023 that the FBI did not at that time purchase location data derived from internet advertising, although he acknowledged that it had done so in the past. Continue reading...

The FBI is probing a targeted act of violence at a US synagogue, with police maintaining presence outside the site as investigations continue into Friday's incident. Officials describe it as an assault on the Jewish community amid heightened global tensions. No arrests reported yet, but authorities heightened security at religious sites nationwide. Community leaders call for swift justice, linking it to rising hate crimes.

A vehicle crashed into a synagogue housing an Early Childhood Learning Center with 140 students on March 13, 2026, bursting into flames but causing no injuries to those inside. The FBI confirmed it is leading the probe as a targeted act of violence, stating, "I can confirm that we are leading the investigation right now as a targeted act of violence." No group has claimed responsibility, heightening concerns over domestic terror amid rising antisemitic incidents. Authorities are examining security footage and vehicle origins to identify the perpetrator.