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FBI concerned about possible coordinated attack in US after Russia massacre
By Andrew Goudsward, Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The FBI is concerned about the possibility of an organized attack in the United States similar to the one that killed scores of people at a Russian concert hall last month, the bureau’s director plans to tell a House of Representatives panel on Thursday.
“Looking back over my career in law enforcement, I’d be hard-pressed to think of a time where so many threats to our public safety and national security were so elevated all at once,” Christopher Wray is set to tell lawmakers at budget hearing on Thursday.
“But that is the case as I sit here today.”
The March 22 attack on a concert hall in a Moscow suburb killed at least 144 people, the deadliest in Russia in 20 years. A branch of the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility, but Russian President Vladimir Putin, without citing evidence, has sought to blame Ukraine.
U.S. officials have been worried about the possibility of an attack carried out by an individual or small group inspired by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
But the FBI is growing concerned about a more coordinated attack following the concert massacre in Russia, Wray will say during testimony.
At the end of the 2023 fiscal year, the FBI had 4,000 international terrorism investigations open, according to Wray’s prepared testimony.
Of increasing concern “is the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, akin to the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia Concert Hall a couple weeks ago,” Wray will tell lawmakers.
Wray plans to cite the law enforcement agency’s concerns about terrorism to help persuade lawmakers to boost funding for the FBI, though he is likely to face strong pushback from Republicans on the panel.
The FBI has become a prime target for Republican former President Donald Trump and his allies, with Trump alleging the bureau has unfairly targeted him while going soft on his political enemies.
He has called on Congress to slash the agency’s funding, and he has referred to the Justice Department and its FBI component as “vicious monsters.”
Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017, will ask lawmakers to help get the bureau’s budget “back on track” after its fiscal 2024 budget fell $500 million short of what was needed to sustain its efforts.
Wray also plans to press lawmakers to renew a U.S. surveillance program set to expire this month, calling it an indispensable tool against U.S. adversaries. A modest overhaul of that program was blocked in the House on Wednesday amid concerns from members of both parties that it did not go far enough in curbing the government’s surveillance powers.
“It’s critical in securing our nation, and we’re in crunch time,” Wray plans to tell lawmakers.
Trump and his allies have called for the surveillance program to be shut down, after a different provision of the law – known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA – was used to intercept communications with one of his 2016 campaign advisers.
(Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday said he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban in the United States after he takes office on Monday.
“The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate,” he told NBC in an interview. “If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday.”
By Alexander Cornwell and Nidal al-Mughrabi
TEL AVIV/CAIRO (Reuters) -Israel approved a ceasefire deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday that involves releasing hostages in the Gaza Strip, and Israeli forces carried out new attacks in the enclave before the agreement’s scheduled start on Sunday.
The agreement is set to halt a 15-month-old war between Israel and Gaza’s rulers Hamas that has decimated the Gaza Strip, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and destabilised the Middle East.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. More than 400 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Gaza since.
Early on Saturday, after meeting for more than six hours, the Israeli cabinet ratified the ceasefire deal which is meant to stop fighting and see the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in return for scores of Palestinians jailed in Israel.
Later, Netanyahu said Hamas had yet to provide the list of hostages who will be released and that Israel would not proceed without it.
In Gaza, Israeli warplanes have kept up attacks since the deal was agreed, and pounded the territory on Saturday.
Israeli tanks shelled the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City and airstrikes hit central and southern Gaza, residents said. Medics in Gaza said five people were killed in an airstrike that hit a tent in the Mawasi area, west of the city of Khan Younis.
The Israeli military said that since Friday it had struck Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters who were among 50 “terror targets” it hit across the Gaza Strip.
At least 123 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday, the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said.
Nearly 47,000 have been killed since the start of the war, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
FIRST HOSTAGES TO BE FREED SUNDAY
In Tel Aviv, a large clock at the so-called Hostage Square by Israel’s defence headquarters was still counting the days, hours, minutes and seconds since the hostages were taken. Protests for their release have been held there regularly since.
Standing by the clock, Orly, a lawyer, said that although she was happy that an agreement had been reached, it had taken too long. “It should have been more than a year ago,” she said.
Israelis must keep pressure up on the government until all 98 hostages are back home, she said.
The Gaza ceasefire will come into effect at 0630 GMT on Sunday, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman posted on X. The White House expects three female hostages to be released to Israel in the afternoon through the Red Cross.
Under the deal, the three-stage ceasefire starts with an initial six-week phase when hostages held by Hamas will be exchanged for prisoners and detainees jailed in Israel.
Thirty-three of the 98 remaining Israeli hostages, including women, children, men over 50 and ill and wounded captives, are to be freed in this phase. In return, Israel will release almost 2,000 Palestinians from its jails.
They include 737 male, female and teen-aged prisoners, some of whom are members of militant groups convicted of attacks that killed dozens of Israelis, as well as hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza in detention since the start of the war.
Israel’s Justice Ministry published their details early on Saturday, along with the ceasefire agreement, which said 30 Palestinian prisoners would be released for each female hostage on Sunday.
After Sunday’s hostage release, lead U.S. negotiator Brett McGurk said, the accord calls for four more female hostages to be freed after seven days, followed by the release of three further hostages every seven days thereafter.
SHOCKWAVES
With the accord opposed by some Israeli cabinet hard-liners, media reports said 24 ministers in Netanyahu’s coalition government voted in favour of the deal while eight opposed it. On of them was far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who said his party would had in its resignation letters on Sunday.
The Gaza conflict caused shockwaves across the region, triggering a war with the Lebanese Hezbollah movement and bringing Israel into direct conflict with Iran for the first time.
The Yemeni Houthis, also backed by Iran, have since the start of the Gaza war carried out hundreds of attacks on what they say are Israeli-linked cargo ships travelling via the Red Sea and fired missiles at Israel, which has retaliated with airstrikes in Yemen.
At least two missiles were fired from Yemen on Saturday, the Israeli military said, setting off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the southern resort town of Eilat before they were intercepted.
In Tel Aviv, a Palestinian man stabbed and wounded one person, police said, before he was shot by a passerby. His condition was not immediately clear.
World – U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump is set to sign a crypto executive order that will set the tone for the regulatory landscape of the industry. Crypto assets are predicted to pump, ushering in an altcoin season. For this reason, whales are betting big on PropiChain (PCHAIN) and its AI features.
PropiChain is an AI-powered altcoin transforming the real estate industry. The project has already raised $2 million from smart money and retail investors. At $0.01, PCHAIN is near its all-time low, presenting a perfect entry point for growth investors.
The Trump trade, which began in November, is expected to continue post-inauguration. Analysts claim that the AI altcoin season is around the corner.
Trump Sparks Optimism in the Crypto Sector
Trump is preparing to issue a crypto-related executive order early in his second term. Sources suggest this order is just the beginning of several to come. It aims to bring more structure and clarity to crypto regulations.
Trump is expected to create a presidential crypto council with about 20 key industry leaders. Additionally, the Trump executive order could eliminate a rule that prohibits American banks from holding crypto.
This has brought fresh optimism into the market. K33 predicted that the Trump trade would continue after the inauguration. If Trump keeps his crypto promises, digital assets could be primed for new all-time highs.
PCHAIN: Here is Why the AI Altcoin is Set to Skyrocket
The stage is set for the crypto industry to make 2025 a year for the books. With Trump expected to sign a pro-crypto executive order, investors are already positioning for good days ahead.
The majority of cryptocurrencies have already benefited from the Trump rally that started in November. Investors are not turning their attention to new but promising presale tokens such as PropiChain.
The AI altcoin focuses on real estate tokenization and fractional ownership among other notable features. This model allows retail investors to own portions of property and build generational wealth.
PCHAIN is a real estate central hub where users can buy, sell, invest in, and manage properties in one location. This is convenience at its best.
Its AI features include predictive market analysis, property suggestions, and advanced search. PropiChain uses AI to predict future trends, helping investors make informed decisions.
With its smart contract automation, the project automatically handles transactions such as auto-leasing and lease renewals, making life easier for landlords and tenants. By reducing the need for manual work, PropiChain enhances efficiency while lowering costs.
PCHAIN’s smart contracts have been audited by BlockAudit to keep the platform safe for users.
The platform also offers automated valuation models (AVMs) for precise property valuations to benefit buyers and sellers. This process makes real estate negotiations faster, playing a key role in closing deals faster.
Additionally, the metaverse is used for virtual property viewing. This helps investors scout for international properties without being physically there.
With these features, the AI altcoin is setting a new standard in the real estate sector.
Trump to Kickstart an AI Altcoin Season
Trump is set to deliver on his campaign to enact favorable crypto regulations in his coming administration. This is good for the industry as it has suffered from a lack of clear regulations.
Under the new administration, the SEC will have a pro-crypto chair. This could finally bring a stop to enforcement actions against crypto projects, jumpstarting an AI altcoin season.
Invest in PropiChain for Substantial Gains
PropiChain is undoubtedly the best AI altcoin to invest in right now. Each PCHAIN token is going for only $0.01 and is set to surge by 8,000% from this round. It is already up 200% from the first to the second round.
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