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View in Browser EFTA00164108 Federal Bureau of Investigation - Seal July 28, 2023 Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. ##
Table of Contents
## IN THE NEWS - Trump Charged With Seeking to Delete Security Footage in Documents Case - Justice Department Investigating Memphis Policing Methods, Months After Tyre Nichols' Death - Trump’s Legal Team Meets With Special Counsel as Federal Indictment in 2020 Election Interference Probe Looms - Senate Passes Defense Bill With Bipartisan Support - Ron DeSantis Vows to Fire Director Wray, Bring ‘Reckoning’ to CDC, NIH ## COUNTERTERRORISM - Judge Orders Release of Three of ‘Newburgh Four,’ Assails FBI’s Role in a Post-9/11 Terror Sting - Niger Coup Widely Condemned, Countries Urge Return to Order - A Staffer Recalls Chaos at Key Sentencing Hearing for a Michigan School Shooter - Former British Rapper Abdel Bary, Accused of Heading a Terror Cell, Is Found Dead in Spanish Prison - FBI Discovers Possible Explosives Material During Search of California Home, Prompting Street Closures - New Jersey Police Find Suspected ‘Pipe Bombs’ After Pulling Over Man for Traffic Stop - Known, Suspected Terrorists Falling Through Cracks at Border - Opinion: Twenty-Five Years Later, What the U.S. Can Learn From the East African Embassy Bombings ## COUNTERINTELLIGENCE - Russian Court Jails Cyber Security Executive for 14 Years in Treason Case - Brazil Denies U.S. Extradition Request for Alleged Russian Spy - Opinion: Why Congress Should Not Exempt Warrantless “Foreign Intelligence” Queries ## CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS - Man Who Killed One Fargo Officer, Hurt Two, Was Interviewed About Guns in 2021 After Tip, FBI Says - Corrections Officer, Two Inmates Charged With Murder in Alabama Prison Killing - FBI, Texas Law Enforcement Raids Target Gangs, Drug Houses EFTA00164109 - FBI Warns of Telephone Scam Where Callers Pose as FBI Special Agents - Florida Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Romance Scam That Stole Holocaust Survivor’s Savings - FBI, Police Searching Home in Georgia Seven Years After 19-Year-Old Woman Vanished - Architect Who Helped FBI Build Case Against Corrupt Building Inspectors Gets Leniency in Federal Court - Woman Vanished After Car Was Stuck on Dirt Road, Cops Say - *Arizona Teen Alicia Navarro Missing Since 2019 Shows up Safe at Montana Police Station* - FBI Searching for Suspect Who Robbed Florida Bank - Serial Bank Robbery Suspect Linked to String of South Florida Hold Ups in Custody ## FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS - Campaign Finance Charge Dropped From Case Against Sam Bankman-Fried ## CYBER DIVISION - Florida Senator Urges FBI to Prioritize Tampa General Cyberattack Investigation - Artificial Intelligence Can Detect ‘Sextortion’ Before It Happens and Help FBI - Analysis: The SEC Has a Big, New Cyber Rule for Public Companies ## CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS - Unanswered Questions About Trump’s Looming Jan. 6 Indictment - Trump Grand Jury Leaves for Day With No Indictment in Sight - In Georgia, Trump Investigation Entangles Allies - The Jan. 6 Committee Previously Recommended Trump Be Criminally Charged. Here's Why - Ryan Kelley, Ex-Candidate for Michigan Governor, Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor in Capitol Riot Case - Flagpole-Wielding Man Convicted in Jan. 6 Capitol Attack - Trump Investigation Puts GOP Rivals on the Spot Over Jan. 6 - Teen Who Stormed Capitol on Jan. 6, Sat in Pence Chair Sentenced to Prison - Jan. 6 Rioter Threw up on the Capitol Building Because He Drank Too Much Peach Schnapps - Timeline: Special Counsel's Probe Into Trump's Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election ## OTHER FBI NEWS - Internal Facebook Emails Reveal White House Pressured Social-Media Platform to Censor Covid 'Misinformation' - Jeffrey Epstein Victims Plan to Sue FBI for $600M for Failing to Investigate Past Reports of Sexual Abuse - How the FBI Helps Middle Tennessee School Districts Increase School Safety ## INTERNATIONAL NEWS - Ukrainian Forces Press Southward, Say Strategic Village Recaptured From Russians - Russia Arrests One of Its Own Sailors Over Alleged Plot to Attack Warship - Russian Attack on U.S. Drone Spurs Fears of Escalation Over Syria - U.S. Sanctions Malian Officials Over Wagner EFTA00164110 - Biden’s New Border Rules Don’t Deter Desperate Venezuelans - Israeli Protesters Pledge to Intensify Civil Unrest - Replaced, Then Erased: Mystery Deepens Around China’s Former Foreign Minister - Sweden’s Quran Burnings Put Freedom of Expression Law to Test - India LGBT Couples: ‘My Parents Were Ready to Kill Me for Their Honor’ - Accused of Bomb Threats They Say They Didn’t Make, Family of Chinese Dissident Detained in Thailand - Japan Raises Alarm Over China’s Military, Its Russia Ties and Taiwan Tensions in New Defense Paper ## OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS - Continued Reporting: Trump Indictment - Continued Reporting: Biden Investigation - Trump's Courtroom Calendar Clashes With 2024 Campaign - An Unlikely Republican Steps up to Undercut GOP’s Trumpian Exploits - GOP Congressman Defends Profanity-Laced Rant at Teens in Capitol - The SEC Wants Publicly Traded Companies to Report Major Cyber Incidents Within Four Days - Biden Acts to Protect Workers as Temperatures Soar in Record-Setting July - U.S. Senate Approves Measure That Pumps $676M Into Financially Troubled Ground Zero Health Fund - Congress Pushes Law to Make It Easier for 9/11 Families Sue Saudi Arabia - CDC Detects Coronavirus, HIV, Hepatitis and Herpes at Unlicensed California Lab - - Warren, Graham Team Up to Take on Tech Giants - Editorial: Government Should Go Back to Work ## BIG PICTURE - New York Times - Wall Street Journal - Washington Post - Financial Times - ABC News - CBS News - NBC News - Fox News ## WASHINGTON SCHEDULE ## IN THE NEWS ## Trump Charged With Seeking to Delete Security Footage in Documents Case The Associated Press (07/27, Tucker, Miller, Richer) and the Wall Street Journal (07/27, Gurman, Wolfe) reported that several new charges were filed Thursday against former President Donald Trump in a case involving illegally possessing classified documents. Prosecutors allege that Trump instructed a staff member to delete camera footage at his Florida estate so that he could obstruct a federal investigation into the records by attempting to conceal the fact that he possessed classified documents. According to EFTA00164111 the documents, the additional charges broaden an indictment brought by a Florida grand jury in June alleging the former president held on to sensitive military secrets he knew he shouldn’t have retained access to, shared them with others, and directed his staff to help him evade authorities’ efforts to get them back. And they come as Trump braces for separate federal charges over efforts to undo his 2020 election loss. The new indictment also charges Carlos de Oliveira, a maintenance worker at Trump’s South Florida resort, the third defendant. The updated indictment from special counsel Jack Smith centers on surveillance footage at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, evidence that has long been vital to the case. Trump allegedly asked for the footage to be deleted after FBI and Justice Department investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents he took with him after leaving the White House. The new indictment also charges him with illegally holding onto a document he allegedly showed off to visitors in New Jersey. A Trump spokesperson dismissed the latest charges as “nothing more than a continued desperate and flailing attempt” by the Biden administration “to harass President Trump and those around him” and to influence the 2024 presidential race. People familiar with the investigation have told The Washington Post (07/27, Barrett, Stein, Hsu) that Smith’s team repeatedly pressed De Oliveira to explain his actions from June to July 2022, when he was recorded helping Nauta move boxes around Mar-a-Lago and allegedly had conversations about security camera footage with others. The people who spoke anonymously to discuss secret grand jury proceedings have said investigators grew increasingly skeptical of De Oliveira’s answers as the investigation proceeded. De Oliveira’s attorney, John Irving, declined to comment Thursday evening. De Oliveira has worked for Trump for nearly 20 years, beginning as a car valet and becoming a property manager in January 2022. As the investigation progressed, he told colleagues that his phone was seized. He has continued to work at Mar-a-Lago since the initial charges against Trump and Nauta were filed. The story was also reported on by the New York Times (07/27, Feuer, Haberman, Thrush), ABC News (07/27, Mallin, Rubin), CBS News (07/27, Lagare, Quinn, Watson), CNBC (07/27, Mangan, Breuninger), CNN (07/27, Staff Writer), Fox News (07/27, Singman, Gibson, Mears), Reuters (07/27, Lynch, Thomsen), NBC News (07/27, Richards), Politico (07/27, Cheney, Gerstein), Axios (07/27, Doherty), BBC News (07/27, Drenon), Bloomberg (07/27, Tillman, Larson, Strohm), NPR (07/27, Johnson), The Guardian (07/27, Pengelly), New York Post (07/27, Chamberlain, Christenson), The Hill (07/27, Beitsch), USA TODAY (07/27, Jackson, Herszenhorn), and the Washington Examiner (07/27, Deese). ## Justice Department Investigating Memphis Policing Methods, Months After Tyre Nichols’ Death The Associated Press (07/27, Sainz, Mattise) and Washington Post (07/27, Nakamura, Berman) reported that the Justice Department on Thursday opened a sweeping civil rights investigation into allegations that the Memphis Police Department systematically used excessive force and discriminated against Black residents, dramatically escalating federal scrutiny seven months after Tyre Nichols' police beating death. According to the articles, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke said the probe is not based on any single instance of misconduct but was launched after the department's broad review of public records and information provided by community members. The reports mention that federal authorities will look collectively at the Memphis Police Department's "pattern or practice" of force and stops, searches, and arrests and whether it engages in discriminatory policing. During a traffic stop on Jan. 7, officers repeatedly struck Nichols, a 29-year-old FedEx employee. As a result, he died three days later at a Memphis hospital. Body-camera footage released by the city showed that the officers repeatedly struck Nichols. Immediately after his death, there was a national call for a review of the department, as the Biden administration prioritized overhauling local law enforcement in its first term. Memphis officials said Thursday that they would fully cooperate with the investigation. Clarke said investigators would ride along with Memphis police and speak with officers during the probe. She said the Justice Department told the police chief and mayor about the investigation, adding that they pledged to cooperate. The story was also reported on by the Wall Street Journal (07/27, Timms), New York Times (07/27, Rojas), CBS EFTA00164112
News(07/27,Tabachnick),CNN(07/27,Sanchez,Gray),Fox News(07/27,Nerozzi),NBC News(07/27,Hampton),Axios(07/27,Knutson),Reuters(07/27,Allen),NPR(07/27,Diaz),Forbes(07/27,Dorn),Al Jazeera(07/27,Staff Writer),HuffPost(07/27,Jackson),USA TODAY(07/27,Yancey-Bragg,Burgess,Finton),and The Guardian(07/27,Salam)。
## Trump’s Legal Team Meets With Special Counsel as Federal Indictment in 2020 Election Interference Probe Looms CNN (07/27, Holmes, Perez, et al.) reported that Donald Trump's defense lawyers met with special counsel Jack Smith in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, seeking clarity on a potential indictment concerning the investigation into election subversion efforts by Trump and his allies. Despite Trump's initial resistance to such a meeting, believing an indictment was inevitable, his lawyers aimed to delay any immediate plans for an indictment. The lawyers also discussed the logistics of a potential indictment and arraignment of the former president. Commenting on the meeting, Trump stated on Truth Social, "My attorneys had a productive meeting with the DOJ this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an Indictment of me would only further destroy our Country." The article noted that this meeting marks the second time Trump faces potential charges brought by Smith's team, having been previously charged in Florida over the mishandling of classified documents from his White House. ABC News (07/27, Faulders, Santucci, Romero, Kim), Politico (07/27, Gerstein, Cheney), Reuters (07/27, Lynch, Thomsen), CBS News (07/27, Gomez, Kates, Watson, Legare, Costa), Axios (07/27, Doherty), Fox News (07/27, Singman, Mears), The Guardian (07/27, Pengelly), Associated Press (07/27, Tucker), Independent (07/27, Marcus), NBC News (07/27, Reiss, Haake), Raw Story (07/27, Rubin), Washington Times (07/27, Mordock), Washington Post (07/27, Dawsey, Hsu, Barrett, Stein), Al Jazeera (07/27, Staff Writer), and BBC News (07/27, Matza) also reported on the story. ## Senate Passes Defense Bill With Bipartisan Support The Associated Press (07/27, Groves, Jalonick) and the Wall Street Journal (07/27, Wise, Levien) reported that the Democratic-led Senate passed its version of the annual defense policy bill with broad bipartisan support, putting the legislation on a collision course with the Republican-controlled House, which narrowly voted earlier this month to add contentious provisions restricting abortion access and transgender healthcare for troops. The vote was 86-11. According to the articles, the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2024, or NDAA, does share some central similarities with the House-passed version: Both would authorize $886 billion in spending on national security, including a 5.2% pay raise for service members and the Defense Department’s civilian workforce, and green light $300 million in security assistance for Ukraine. Now, lawmakers must pass separate spending legislation to allocate the money, but the defense legislation lays out the budget and policy for the Pentagon. The two chambers will have to write a final bill, a test of the deeply divided House as the traditionally bipartisan legislation was swept up in the disputes over race, equity, and women’s health care that have been political priorities for the Republican party. The decisive bipartisan vote for the legislation in the Senate Thursday evening, just before the Senate left for its August recess, could give it momentum as the two chambers next look to settle their differences in the fall. The story was also reported on by the New York Times (07/27, Demirjian), the Washington Post (07/27, Hauslohner), CNN (07/27, Foran, Rimmer, Wilson), Axios (07/27, Sobczyk), Politico (07/27, O’Brien), USA TODAY (07/27, Looker, Herszenhorn), Reuters (07/27, Zengerle), The Hill (07/27, Weaver), the New York Post (07/27, Campanile), and the Washington Examiner (07/27, Brest). ## Ron DeSantis Vows to Fire Director Wray, Bring ‘Reckoning’ to CDC, NIH The New York Post (07/27, King) reported that Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has vowed to bring sweeping changes to the federal government if elected, including a major reshuffle at the Justice Department, CDC, NIH, and the FDA. Criticizing these health agencies for political bias, he expressed particular concern over the approval of emergency MRNA COVID vaccines for EFTA00164113 six-month-old babies, a decision he believes lacks proper data support. Additionally, he highlighted the alleged undue influence of pharmaceutical companies over the FDA, dubbing it unhealthy for society. As part of his proposed overhaul, DeSantis plans to dismiss FBI Director Christopher Wray on his first day in office, citing allegations of the bureau's weaponization against conservatives under Wray's leadership. Finally, DeSantis also emphasized the need for an Attorney General with a strong "backbone" to resist potential criticism from media outlets like CNN, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. The Washington Examiner (07/27, Lim) added that during a town hall event in Ankeny, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) suggested that if he wins the 2024 Republican nomination and subsequent election, he would replace current Director Wray with his "good friend" and former South Carolina Representative, Trey Gowdy. The article noted that this follows previous statements in which Scott has recommended Gowdy for roles such as Supreme Court justice. Scott also expressed the need to dismiss President Joe Biden and Merrick Garland from the Department of Justice. Back to Top ## COUNTERTERRORISM ## Judge Orders Release of Three of ‘Newburgh Four,’ Assails FBI’s Role in a Post-9/11 Terror Sting The Associated Press (07/27, Sisak, Peltz) reported that three men, known as the "Newburgh Four," who were convicted over a decade ago in a terrorism sting involving a plot to attack New York synagogues and shoot down National Guard planes, have been ordered to be released from prison by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, who called their sentences "unduly harsh and unjust" and criticized the FBI's role in the case. According to the article, Judge McMahon accused the government and the FBI of using an informant to instigate the plot, calling the men "hapless, easily manipulated and penurious petty criminals" who had been lured into the plot for money. The U.S. attorney's office declined to comment on the decision, and the FBI has not yet responded to requests for comment. The article noted that defense lawyers had argued that federal informant Shaheed Hussain, who had also worked with the FBI on other stings, had encouraged the men and provided the fake weapons used in the plot. The judge reduced the 25-year mandatory minimum sentence to time served plus 90 days, citing concerns for the men's health and criticisms of the case. The New York Times (07/27, McKinley) and Times Union (07/27, Lyons) also reported on the story. ## Niger Coup Widely Condemned, Countries Urge Return to Order Reuters (07/27, Balima, Aksar) reproted that the military coup in Niger, the seventh such occurrence in West and Central Africa since 2020, raises significant concerns for democratic progress and the fight against jihadist insurgency in the region. According to the article, despite the uncertainty surrounding the situation, with no new leader announced and President Mohamed Bazoum being held, the coup has garnered widespread condemnation, with nations like the U.S., France, and Russia calling for a return to constitutional order. The article noted that the coup could have grave consequences on the efforts to counter terrorism in the region, as Niger is a key Western ally, especially as jihadists have been gaining ground since 2012, causing mass displacement and deaths across the Sahel. The Intercept (07/27, Turse) reported that Brigadier General Moussa Salaou Barmou, the leader of the recent coup in Niger and chief of the country's Special Operations Forces, was trained by the U.S. military, according to a confirmation from The Intercept. According to the article, Barmou, who underwent training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the National Defense University in Washington, is one of many U.S.-trained military officers involved in 11 coups in West Africa since 2008. He recently joined a junta that ousted Niger's democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. The article added that other U.S. government agencies are currently investigating the possible involvement of other U.S.-trained officers in the coup. Despite the EFTA00164114 rising concerns, a U.S. official highlighted that while they train foreign military personnel to laws of war and democratic standards, they cannot control their actions, especially in contexts like Niger where U.S. assistance in countering violent extremism is substantial, with taxpayers contributing over $500 million since 2012. Bloomberg (07/27, Munshi), CNN (07/27, Dean, Kennedy, Madowo), Associated Press (07/27, Anna), BBC News (07/27, Issoufou, Fleming), NBC News (07/27, Gains, Kube, Smith), Politico (07/27, Kayali), Washington Post (07/27, Chason, Suliman), Al Jazeera (07/27, Staff Writer), CBS News (07/27, Staff Writer), Forbes (07/27, Faguy), VOA News (07/27, Diallo), and The Hill (07/27, Nazzaro) also reported on the story. ## A Staffer Recalls Chaos at Key Sentencing Hearing for a Michigan School Shooter The Associated Press (07/27, White) reported that in Michigan, prosecutors have started presenting their case to secure a life sentence for teenager Ethan Crumbley, who pleaded guilty to killing four students in a 2021 school shooting at Oxford High School. According to the article, Crumbley has been charged with murder, terrorism, and other crimes, but due to certain court decisions, a no-parole sentence for minors isn't automatic. The prosecutor, Karen McDonald, described Crumbley as a unique offender who had meticulously planned the shooting. As part of his defense, Crumbley's lawyers intend to show that he had untreated mental health issues and dysfunctional family life, and they argue that he has potential for rehabilitation. The article noted that despite the defense's arguments, the prosecution contends that Crumbley's actions were terroristic, as evidenced by his journal entries and video statements in which he expressed a desire to hear the screams of children as he shot them and his intention to kill. CNN (07/27, Valle, Sanchez, Mascarenhas), New York Times (07/27, Smith), USA TODAY (07/27, Baldas, Thronton, Arshad), Daily Mail (07/27, Griffith), Detroit Free Press (07/27, Baldas, Kaufman, Beck), The Daily Beast (07/27, Ramirez), CBS News (07/27, Staff Writer) and Independent (07/27, Grazisosi) also reported on the story. ## Former British Rapper Abdel Bary, Accused of Heading a Terror Cell, Is Found Dead in Spanish Prison The Associated Press (07/27, Brunat) reported that former British rapper-turned-alleged jihadist, Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary, has been found dead in a Spanish prison while awaiting a verdict on terrorism charges, according to Spain's Interior Ministry. According to the article, Abdel Bary, who had reportedly joined Al Qaeda and later ISIS militias in Syria, was arrested in 2020, accused of leading a jihadist terror cell involved in illegal financing of terrorism, including internet banking scams and cryptocurrency trafficking. The article noted that his father, an Egyptian al-Qaeda operative, was previously convicted in connection with the 1998 bombings at U.S. embassies in Africa. The Guardian (07/27, Staff Writer) and Telegraph (07/27, Keeley) also reported on the story. ## FBI Discovers Possible Explosives Material During Search of California Home, Prompting Street Closures The Los Angeles Times (07/27, Winton) reported that while executing a search warrant at a home in Reseda, Los Angeles, federal investigators, including the FBI, discovered potential explosive-making materials, which resulted in the closure of neighborhood streets and the dispatch of a bomb squad. According to the article, the FBI collaborated with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles police for this investigation, but details of the warrant have not been revealed. The article noted that FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller confirmed the findings and that traffic was diverted for safety while bomb technicians and investigators assessed the potential threat. Later, the FBI issued an "all clear" for the neighborhood and reassured there was "no known threat to public safety," though the investigation is ongoing. KCAL (CBS-9) (07/27, Staff Writer) also reported on the story. ## New Jersey Police Find Suspected ‘Pipe Bombs’ After Pulling Over Man for Traffic Stop EFTA00164115 Fox News (07/27, Norman) reported that police in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, found four devices consistent with pipe bombs in the vehicle of a man pulled over for a traffic stop. According to the article, the suspect, Jeremy Giliberti, was detained and an additional explosive device was found at his residence during subsequent searches. The FBI, along with several other agencies, assisted in the case, and Giliberti has now been charged with possession of a destructive device. ## Known, Suspected Terrorists Falling Through Cracks at Border The Center Square (07/27, Blankley) reported that a report by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that ineffective practices within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have allowed known, suspected terrorists (KSTs) to enter and be released within the U.S., potentially threatening national security. According to the article, one particular case cited involved a KST being released in Yuma, Arizona and subsequently caught by a Transportation Security Administration airport screening in California. The OIG recommended that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) address its inconclusive terrorist watchlist matching process and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) improve mechanisms for more effective implementation of removal and enforcement operations. The article noted that information sharing to and from the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) was also emphasized for improvement. ## Opinion: Twenty-Five Years Later, What the U.S. Can Learn From the East African Embassy Bombings An opinion piece from the Washington Examiner (07/27, Corbett) reflected on the 25th anniversary of al Qaeda's 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, emphasizing how the U.S. responded with valor, justice, and international collaboration, including the FBI dispatching 1,000 agents to East Africa. According to the author, despite setbacks, such as damage to the FBI's reputation due to leadership missteps, it recounts successes like capturing co-conspirators through community assistance and effective investigation. The author expressed concern over changes in American society since the bombings, specifically the rise of censorship, social ostracism, and ideological indoctrination, likening them to the societal conditions that spawn ideological terrorism and questioning their potential future impacts. Back to Top ## COUNTERINTELLIGENCE ## Russian Court Jails Cyber Security Executive for 14 Years in Treason Case Hacker News (07/27, Staff Writer) and Dark Reading(07/27, Staff Writer) reported that Ilya Sachkov, co-founder of Group-IB, one of Russia's leading cybersecurity firms, was convicted of treason and sentenced to 14 years by a Russian court amid allegations of passing classified information to foreign spies. According to the article, the Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested Sachkov, who had criticized Russian authorities and accused a cybersecurity envoy of Putin of making toxic statements, in September 2021, in a case that remains classified. The article noted that the conviction adds to a series of recent treason charges in Russia, targeting various individuals including scientists, soldiers, officials, and a former journalist. ## Brazil Denies U.S. Extradition Request for Alleged Russian Spy The Wall Street Journal (07/27, Magalhaes, Radnosky) reported that the Brazilian government has rejected a U.S. request to extradite Sergey Cherkasov, a Russian alleged spy, who faces U.S. charges including acting as a foreign agent and bank fraud. According to the article, this denial disrupts hopes of a potential prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia, which could free wrongfully detained Americans in Russia. The article explained that Cherkasov, who used false documents to pose as a Brazilian student, is currently under investigation for espionage in Brazil, with the Brazilian Supreme Court EFTA00164116 previously agreeing to conditionally extradite him to Russia after these investigations are completed, demonstrating a complex international counterintelligence scenario. ## Opinion: Why Congress Should Not Exempt Warrantless “Foreign Intelligence” Queries An opinion piece from Just Security (07/27, Goitein) argued that backdoor searches, or warrantless querying of Section 702-acquired data, threaten the privacy rights of Americans and circumvent the legal protections provided by the Fourth Amendment and FISA. The piece strongly critiqued a proposal that requires a warrant only for FBI queries seeking crime evidence unrelated to national security or foreign intelligence, citing the FBI's past abuses, such as targeting racial justice activists under specious claims of foreign influence. The author supported requiring probable-cause orders for all queries of Section 702 data, as proposed in past amendments, to avoid both FBI and other agencies' misuse and violation of Americans' privacy. Back to Top ## CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS ## Man Who Killed One Fargo Officer, Hurt Two, Was Interviewed About Guns in 2021 After Tip, FBI Says The Associated Press (07/27, Dura, Forliti) reported that the heavily armed man who killed one Fargo police officer and wounded two as they were investigating a traffic stop earlier this month had been interviewed about his guns in 2021 after the FBI received a tip, but it was determined he had done nothing illegal and no further action was taken, authorities said Thursday. The article added that the FBI and Fargo Police Department said the FBI received an anonymous tip about Mohamad Barakat in July 2021 in which the tipster expressed concern about Barakat’s mental state, saying he had access to a “significant number of firearms” and had used threatening language. The article noted that the FBI forwarded the information to the Fargo Police Department. The statement says Fargo detectives made three visits to Barakat’s apartment over a two-week period. They didn’t make contact with him until the third visit, in which they observed several firearms in the apartment, but none were illegal, the statement said. WCCO (CBS-4) (07/27, Video) also reported on the story. ## Corrections Officer, Two Inmates Charged With Murder in Alabama Prison Killing UPI (07/27, Hilsman) reported that a corrections officer and two inmates were charged with murder Thursday in the killing of an inmate at an Alabama prison Wednesday. Alabama Department of Corrections Sgt. Demarcus Sanders, 31, was charged with murder along with inmates Stefranio Hampton, 35, and Fredrick Gooden, 60. The article noted that the charges come after the killing of inmate Rubyn James Murray, 38, who was being held on a 20-year sentence for armed robbery. The article stated that the cause of death has yet to be determined pending an autopsy, and the ADOC has reached out to the FBI for assistance in the investigation. ## FBI, Texas Law Enforcement Raids Target Gangs, Drug Houses KDFW (Fox-4) (07/27, Sentendrey) reported that the FBI, Dallas Police Department, and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office are expected to give more details about a series of raids conducted early Thursday morning. Authorities say they were targeting a specific gang and a home they say was used as a base of operation to deal drugs and more. The article added that the FBI says roughly two dozen people are now facing federal charges related to drugs, weapons, and more after the feds hit roughly a dozen locations in collaboration with the Dallas Police Department. The article stated that the FBI, Dallas police and other assisting agencies will take part in a press conference Friday morning to elaborate on these arrests, violent crime associated with it and more. EFTA00164117 ## FBI Warns of Telephone Scam Where Callers Pose as FBI Special Agents CBS News (07/27, Staff Writer) reported that FBI Denver is warning people about a telephone scam where callers pose as FBI special agents, and the phone number is spoofed to show up as an FBI phone number. The callers are "spoofing" or using the FBI Colorado Springs' main phone number. The article noted that so far, the FBI has identified victims with losses from $940 to $13,000. The victims do not live in Colorado or Wyoming but outside of FBI Denver's area of responsibility. Numerous people were contacted by the spoof caller but recognized it as a scam. ## Florida Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Romance Scam That Stole Holocaust Survivor’s Savings NBC News (07/27, Helsel) reported that a Florida woman who swindled the life savings from an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor in a "romance scam" was sentenced to over four years in prison Thursday, federal prosecutors said. Peaches Stergo, 36, stole over $2.8 million in the scam, which lasted years. She was arrested in January and pleaded guilty to wire fraud in April. The article added that Stergo met the victim, whom authorities have never publicly identified, on a dating website and asked for money that she said was needed to help get funds from a legal settlement, according to court documents. The article mentioned that the FBI warns that romance scammers sometimes use fake profiles to gain people’s trust on dating websites, which eventually leads to asking for money. In some cases they ask to invest in cryptocurrency by falsely claiming insider knowledge and using fake websites. Last year there were around 19,000 victims of romance scams in the U.S., with almost $740 million in losses, the FBI said. There were around 24,000 victims in 2021, with losses reported at around $1 billion, it said. ## FBI, Police Searching Home in Georgia Seven Years After 19-Year-Old Woman Vanished WSB (ABC-2) (07/27-Staff Writer) reported that the FBI and several other agencies are currently searching a Newton County property relating to the disappearance of a 19-year-old woman seven years ago. The article noted that Morgan Bauer vanished two weeks after she moved to Atlanta from South Dakota in February 2016. She was last seen near a park in Porterdale before she vanished two weeks later. The article mentioned that police said Thursday afternoon that they have uncovered “items of evidentiary value” on the grounds of a historic mansion known locally as the Porter House. ## Architect Who Helped FBI Build Case Against Corrupt Building Inspectors Gets Leniency in Federal Court Hawaii News Now (07/27, Huff) reported that an architect who paid more than $100,000 in bribes to city building inspectors was sentenced to federal prison Thursday and got a break from the judge. William Wong, 73, helped the FBI in a probe that convicted five inspectors in the Department of Planning and Permitting. The article added that attorney William Harrison said Wong’s success in getting projects through DPP raised suspicions and he confessed when questioned by the FBI. The article noted that in court Thursday, prosecutors said Wong's extensive cooperation led to multiple convictions of DPP employees, but that the corruption he was involved with had a profound impact on the public trust in government. They recommended a sentence of at least 15 months in prison. ## Woman Vanished After Car Was Stuck on Dirt Road, Cops Say The Charlotte Observer (07/27, Segura) reported that the search is on for a woman who vanished after her car got stuck on a rugged Wyoming dirt road, according to a sheriff’s office. Breanna Mitchell, 28, was last heard from when her car got stuck in “rugged terrain near Nowater Trail in Worland,” about 165 miles northwest of Casper, on July 22, according to a missing person’s flier shared by the Washakie County Sheriff’s Office and Worland Police Department on Facebook. The article added that Mitchell’s family has not been able to contact her since, Sheriff Austin T. Brookwell said in a July 24 Facebook post, adding that EFTA00164118 her phone has been shut off. The article mentioned that the FBI has also agreed to help with Mitchell’s case, Brookwell said. ## Arizona Teen Alicia Navarro Missing Since 2019 Shows up Safe at Montana Police Station The Associated Press (07/27, Brown, Yamat) reported that an Arizona teenager who disappeared days before her 15th birthday nearly four years ago is safe after walking into a small-town police station in Montana this week, authorities announced Wednesday. The article added that police in Havre, Montana, said Alicia Navarro, now 18, showed up alone Sunday morning in the town of about 9,200 people near the Canadian border and identified herself as a missing teenager from the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. Navarro’s disappearance on Sept. 15, 2019, sparked a massive search that included the FBI. Glendale police spokesperson Jose Santiago said over the years, police had received thousands of tips. The New York Post (07/27, Guzman), Independent (07/27, Blanco), Washington Post (07/27, Bella), NBC News (07/27, Burke), BBC (07/27, Cabral), and Business Insider (07/27, Hawkinson) also reported on the story. ## FBI Searching for Suspect Who Robbed Florida Bank WTVJ (NBC-6) (07/27, Hamacher) reported that the FBI is searching for a suspect who robbed a bank in Hialeah, Florida Thursday afternoon. The article stated that FBI officials said the robber entered the bank, demanded money from an employee and fled the scene. Serial Bank Robbery Suspect Linked to String of South Florida Hold Ups in Custody WFOR (CBS-4) (07/27, Staff Writer) reported that a serial bank robbery suspect is facing charges in connection with a series of hold-ups and attempts, the FBI said Thursday. The article stated that Kevin Anthony Heslop, 38, of Miami, was arrested by Pembroke Pines police and the FBI in Miami Gardens, authorities said in a written statement. Back to Top ## FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS ## Campaign Finance Charge Dropped From Case Against Sam Bankman-Fried The Associated Press (07/27, Neumeister) reported that FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried will no longer face a campaign finance charge at an October criminal trial, federal prosecutors say, citing a decision by Bahamian authorities to reject a count in the indictment that was not listed on the warrant against him when he was extradited to the United States in December. The article added that prosecutors told U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan in a letter that the government in the Bahamas notified it on Wednesday that authorities there did not consider the charge to be included in Bankman-Fried’s extradition. Thus, prosecutors wrote, they would not pursue it at the trial, in keeping with U.S. treaty obligations to the Bahamas. The article noted that Bankman-Fried, 31, has been confined to his parent’s Palo Alto, California, home as part of a $250 million bail package that prosecutors on Wednesday asked a judge to revoke. Prosecutors say his extensive contact with the news media demonstrates an effort to affect the jury pool. His lawyers deny it. The judge has imposed a gag rule while he decides the issue. The New York Times (07/27, Bellany, Goldstein), Daily Beast (07/27, Uebelacker), CNBC (07/27, Goswami), Forbes (07/27, Ray), and the New York Post (07/27, DeGregory) also reported on the story. Back to Top ## CYBER DIVISION ## Florida Senator Urges FBI to Prioritize Tampa General Cyberattack Investigation EFTA00164119 Health IT Security (07/27, McKeon) reported that following a cyberattack on Tampa General Hospital that impacted 1.2 million people, Florida Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) penned a letter to Director Wray asking the bureau to prioritize investigating the attack. The article noted that TGH detected unusual activity on its systems on May 31, 2023. The hospital later discovered that an unauthorized party had maintained access to its systems for 18 days beginning on May 12. The article mentioned that the impacted data included patient names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, Social Security numbers, health insurance details, medical record numbers, patient account numbers, and dates of service. TGH said that its monitoring systems and experienced team prevented encryption, which would have had significant negative impacts on hospital operations if the threat actors succeeded. The article added that the FBI is frequently involved in healthcare cyberattack investigations. However, Senator Scott urged the bureau to “assign all necessary resources at your disposal to prioritize the investigation of this incident” in particular. ## Artificial Intelligence Can Detect ‘Sextortion’ Before It Happens and Help FBI KMSP (Fox-9) (07/27, Eberhart) reported that sextortion cases increased 322% between February 2022 and February 2023, according to the FBI, which recently said there's been an additional significant uptick since April. The article noted that innocent beach pictures or men's bare-chested gym pictures can be twisted into sexually explicit, AI-generated "deepfakes" that are weaponized against panicked and embarrassed teens and preteens. The article mentioned that Yaron Litwin, executive of Canopy, developed AI software that blocks these types of images – even innocent bathing suit pictures from the beach – from ever being sent out and alerts the parents. The article stated that Litwin said they'll also work with the FBI to filter sexual abuse material and give investigators tools to protect the FBI agent's mental health from having to look at disturbing image/video after disturbing image/video. ## Analysis: The SEC Has a Big, New Cyber Rule for Public Companies An analysis piece published by the Washington Post (07/27, Starks) stated that the Securities and Exchange Commission voted on Wednesday to require publicly traded companies to disclose within four days when they suffer a cyber incident significant enough to weigh into the decisions of prospective investors. The author added that it comes as the Biden administration works on a broader regulatory push to shore up cybersecurity weaknesses. It’s just one of many efforts, including within the SEC, which has several other different cyber rules pending. The author noted that the SEC’s action evokes a familiar pattern of cyber regulations drawing opposition from Republicans and industry. But the changes the SEC adopted before Wednesday’s vote to ease private-sector criticism don’t seem to have taken hold as well as some other Biden administration agency changes to regulations for other segments of the business world. Back to Top ## CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS ## Unanswered Questions About Trump’s Looming Jan. 6 Indictment Two articles from the Independent (07/27, Sommerlad) reported that Donald Trump is likely to face his third indictment of the year over his role in the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, according to Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who sent him a letter informing him of a grand jury investigation. The article explained that this follows Trump's previous indictments in New York on 4 April over alleged concealment of hush money payments during his 2016 campaign, and in Florida on 13 June for alleged mishandling of classified US government documents. The article noted that the House Select Committee has suggested charges against Trump could include inciting or aiding an insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and conspiracy to make a false statement. Additionally, the article noted that there may be another indictment to follow as Fani Willis, the district EFTA00164120 attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, is investigating Trump's attempt to influence state officials following the 2020 election. Despite these legal issues, Trump remains popular among his supporters, with many accepting his narrative of political persecution, and leads the field in the race for the GOP nomination. ## Trump Grand Jury Leaves for Day With No Indictment in Sight CNBC reported that a Washington D.C. grand jury, which has been assessing evidence regarding Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, concluded a session without issuing a criminal indictment of the former president. According to the article, earlier, Trump's lawyers Todd Blanche and John Lauro had a meeting with Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the criminal probe into Trump and his allies for their attempts to prevent President Joe Biden's confirmation as the winner of the 2020 election, tied to the events of the January 6 Capitol riot. Trump, who refused an offer to testify to the grand jury, confirmed that he would testify at any trial if indicted while denying any wrongdoing. Bloomberg (07/27, Tillman, Larson, Strohm), Fox News (07/27, Singman, Mears, Gibson), and The Hill (07/27, Beitsch) also reported on the story. ## In Georgia, Trump Investigation Entangles Allies VOA News (07/27, Farivar reported that a grand jury in Georgia, overseen by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, is examining evidence against Donald Trump and his allies for alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. The article explained that key evidence includes a phone call in which Trump reportedly asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find" votes to overturn Biden's victory. The article added that this case runs parallel to an ongoing federal investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith, who is investigating post-election actions by Trump and others prior to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. ## The Jan. 6 Committee Previously Recommended Trump Be Criminally Charged. Here’s Why ABC News (07/27, Hutzler) reported that Special Counsel Jack Smith has sent a target letter to former President Donald Trump, signaling a possible indictment related to Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. According to the article, the potential indictment follows an 18-month investigation by a House select committee, which identified Trump as the central cause of the attack on the Capitol and concluded that there was enough evidence to make criminal referrals to the Justice Department. The committee recommended four charges: obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to make a false statement, and inciting or assisting an insurrection. The article explained that among the committee's findings were Trump's continued propagation of election fraud allegations despite contrary advice from his inner circle, his involvement in planning an alternate slate of electors, and pressure on former Vice President Mike Pence to reject the certification of electoral votes. The committee also pointed out 187 minutes of inaction by Trump during the Capitol riot, suggesting it was a deliberate choice, not a failure to act. ## Ryan Kelley, Ex-Candidate for Michigan Governor, Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor in Capitol Riot Case Associated Press (07/27, Kunzelman) reported that former Republican candidate for Michigan governor, Ryan Kelley, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for his participation in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. According to court documents, Kelley, an ardent Trump supporter, traveled to Washington to protest the certification of the 2020 election, marched to the Capitol from the "Stop the Steal" rally, and instigated others to move towards the building. The article noted that the FBI mentioned that Kelley had previously urged attendees at a "Stop the Steal" rally in Lansing, Michigan, to "stand and fight", with an aim to prevent Democrats from "stealing" the election. NBC News (07/27, Reilly), The Hill (07/27, Robertson), and Detroit Free Press (07/27, Spangler) also reported on the story. EFTA00164121 ## Flagpole-Wielding Man Convicted in Jan. 6 Capitol Attack The New York Times (07/27, Che) reported that Chad Barrett Jones, a Kentucky man involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, has been found guilty on nine counts, including civil disorder and disruption of an official proceeding, by Judge Richard J. Leon of the Federal District Court in Washington. According to the article, Jones was recorded attacking a door near the House chamber with a flagpole during a standoff that resulted in the death of Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt. The article noted that the verdict comes as part of an extensive federal investigation led by the FBI and Justice Department into the Capitol attack, which has resulted in over 1,000 arrests and several significant sentences, and coincides with prosecutors nearing an indictment against former President Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. ## Trump Investigation Puts GOP Rivals on the Spot Over Jan. 6 The Hill (07/27, Samuels) reported that the Justice Department's investigation into former President Trump's actions related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot is causing turmoil amongst his Republican primary competitors, who are trying to balance between defending Trump and condemning the violence that occurred. According to the article, the potential indictment of Trump has thrown the event back into the political spotlight, complicating the stance of potential candidates such as Sen. Tim Scott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who have tried to separate Trump's actions from those who stormed the Capitol. The article noted that despite these complications and potential legal repercussions, Trump remains unapologetic about the events of Jan. 6, continuing to question the 2020 election results, and expressing a willingness to pardon those convicted over their actions during the Capitol attack. ## Teen Who Stormed Capitol on Jan. 6, Sat in Pence Chair Sentenced to Prison The Hill (07/27, Nazzaro) reported that Bruno Joseph Cua, a Georgia man who participated in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. According to the article, Cua then climbed the scaffolding of the Capitol before going inside to the third floor of the building. Despite blaring alarms and Capitol police in the area, prosecutors said Cua walked through the hallway with a baton in his hands, yelling, “This is what happens when you piss off patriots,” and, “Where are the swamp rats hiding?” The article added that the investigation found Cua posted multiple times on social media, promoting the use of violence to stop the certification of the electoral vote, according to the sentencing memo. Cua posted claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and “made clear that he did not believe that peaceful protesting would be effective and that violence was necessary.” ## Jan. 6 Rioter Threw up on the Capitol Building Because He Drank Too Much Peach Schnapps Business Insider (07/27, Panella) reported that Zachariah Sattler, a Maryland man who participated in the January 6th Capitol riot, has submitted an apology letter to the court for his actions during the insurrection, which include vomiting outside the Capitol due to excessive drinking, being out of shape, and inhaling tear gas, and smoking marijuana inside the building. The article explained that prosecutors, using CCTV footage and Sattler's own admissions, identified him pushing into the building and partaking in unlawful activities. The article noted that Sattler is among over a thousand individuals charged in the ongoing investigation into the riot, with prosecutors requesting a 60-day jail sentence in his case. ## Timeline: Special Counsel’s Probe Into Trump’s Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election According to a timeline posted by ABC News (07/27, Faulders, Mallin, Barr), in November 2022, Jack Smith was appointed as special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee the investigation into attempts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith soon began issuing subpoenas to officials from states targeted in these attempts and to associates of Trump. In December, former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and his deputy Pat Philbin testified, while more EFTA00164122 subpoenas were issued in Georgia and New Mexico. By February 2023, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were subpoenaed, and former Vice President Mike Pence testified in April. In June, Trump was indicted on federal charges related to the mishandling of classified information, to which he pleaded not guilty. Secret Service agents, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Jared Kushner, and former Trump aide Hope Hicks also testified before the grand jury. In mid-July, Smith informed Trump he was a target in the investigation, and his attorneys met with Smith's team as a potential indictment loomed. Back to Top ## OTHER FBI NEWS ## Internal Facebook Emails Reveal White House Pressured Social-Media Platform to Censor Covid ‘Misinformation’ The National Review (07/27, Blaff) reported that a series of internal Facebook emails obtained by the House Judiciary Committee confirms that the Biden White House placed significant pressure on the company to crack down on “misinformation” related to the Covid pandemic in early 2021. The article added that the emails, released publicly by committee chairman Jim Jordan on Thursday, suggest that in some cases Facebook and Instagram complied with the White House’s content-moderation requests in order to avoid public and private backlash. The article noted that Jordan has also invited “Twitter Files” investigative journalist Matt Taibbi to testify before the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government to explain how federal actors had collaborated with social-media companies to stifle conservative ideas and personalities. The article mentioned that in early July, a Louisiana Federal Judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking certain federal agencies and officials, including the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services, from communicating with social-media platforms. ## Jeffrey Epstein Victims Plan to Sue FBI for $600M for Failing to Investigate Past Reports of Sexual Abuse The New York Daily News (07/27, Newman) reported that women abused in their youth by prolific predator Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday demanded $600 million from the FBI for allegedly failing to investigate the now-dead financier in the decades before his arrest. The article noted that and filed a notice of claim to the FBI last week, a prerequisite to suing a federal agency. The article quoted Jennifer Freeman, a lawyer representing Epstein victims, who said, “Had the FBI done its job, hundreds of Epstein’s sex trafficking victims would have been spared, over the course of 25 years, we are seeking answers and accountability about the FBI’s failure to investigate the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking conspiracy for nearly a quarter of a century,”. ## How the FBI Helps Middle Tennessee School Districts Increase School Safety WKRN (ABC-2) (07/27, McCullough) reported that as students head back to school in the coming days, and with the Covenant School shooting only a few months behind, school districts across Tennessee have re-evaluated their safety plans. One resource schools have available to them is the FBI. The article noted that FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeff Pfeiffer said the FBI’s role in increasing school safety is through preventative measures. The article added that some of the training offered by the FBI seeks to standardize responses to mass shooters, which can help when multiple agencies may respond to an emergency at the same time. The article quoted Pfeiffer, who said, “Our Behavioral Analysis Unit back in D.C. has studied a lot of the mass shooters and developed a pattern of behavior for school officials and law enforcement to look for any potential problems with people,” Back to Top ## INTERNATIONAL NEWS EFTA00164123 - Reuters: Ukrainian Forces Press Southward, Say Strategic Village Recaptured From Russians ## Ukrainian Forces Press Southward, Say Strategic Village Recaptured From Russians ## Russia Arrests One of Its Own Sailors Over Alleged Plot to Attack Warship - Reuters: Russia Arrests One of Its Own Sailors Over Alleged Plot to Attack Warship ## Russian Attack on U.S. Drone Spurs Fears of Escalation Over Syria - Wall Street Journal: Russian Attack on U.S. Drone Spurs Fears of Escalation Over Syria ## U.S. Sanctions Malian Officials Over Wagner - VOA News: U.S. Sanctions Malian Officials Over Wagner ## Biden’s New Border Rules Don’t Deter Desperate Venezuelans - Wall Street Journal: Biden’s New Border Rules Don’t Deter Desperate Venezuelans ## Israeli Protesters Pledge to Intensify Civil Unrest - Wall Street Journal: Israeli Protesters Pledge to Intensify Civil Unrest ## Replaced, Then Erased: Mystery Deepens Around China’s Former Foreign Minister - Wall Street Journal: Replaced, Then Erased: Mystery Deepens Around China’s Former Foreign Minister ## Sweden’s Quran Burnings Put Freedom of Expression Law to Test - BBC News: Sweden’s Quran Burnings Put Freedom of Expression Law to Test ## India LGBT Couples: ‘My Parents Were Ready to Kill Me for Their Honor’ - BBC News: India LGBT Couples: 'My Parents Were Ready to Kill Me for Their Honour' ## Accused of Bomb Threats They Say They Didn’t Make, Family of Chinese Dissident ## Detained in Thailand - Associated Press: Accused of Bomb Threats They Say They Didn’t Make, Family of Chinese Dissident Detained in Thailand ## Japan Raises Alarm Over China’s Military, Its Russia Ties and Taiwan Tensions in ## New Defense Paper - Associated Press: Japan Raises Alarm Over China’s Military, Its Russia Ties and Taiwan Tensions in New Defense Paper Back to Top ## OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS ## Continued Reporting: Trump Indictment - New York Times: Donald Trump Faces Several Investigations. Here’s Where They Stand. EFTA00164124 - Independent: What Charges Does Donald Trump Face in the Classified Documents Case? - Washington Post: Half the GOP Doesn’t Think Trump Had Sensitive Documents at Mar-A-Lago - The Hill: Schiff Says Classified Documents Case Against Trump ‘A Lot Stronger’ After New Indictment - Washington Post: Opinion: New Indictment Proves Trump Never Learned the First Lesson of Watergate ## Continued Reporting: Biden Investigation - Washington Examiner: Hunter Biden Investigation: Pros and Cons of a House Impeachment Inquiry - Washington Examiner: Sarah Bedford Claims Trump ‘Couldn’t Ask for a Better Split Screen’ Over DOJ’s Investigation - Politico: No Chance of Biden Pardoning His Son, White House Says* - CNN: Takeaways From the Stunning Hunter Biden Hearing and What Happens Now - New York Post: Opinion: Hunter Biden Plea Deal Wording Proves It: DOJ Sought to Protect Joe ## Trump’s Courtroom Calendar Clashes With 2024 Campaign - Axios: Trump's Courtroom Calendar Clashes With 2024 Campaign ## An Unlikely Republican Steps up to Undercut GOP’s Trumpian Exploits - Washington Post: An Unlikely Republican Steps up to Undercut GOP's Trumpian Exploits ## GOP Congressman Defends Profanity-Laced Rant at Teens in Capitol - Axios: GOP Congressman Defends Profanity-Laced Rant at Teens in Capitol ## The SEC Wants Publicly Traded Companies to Report Major Cyber Incidents Within ## Four Days - Washington Post: The SEC Wants Publicly Traded Companies to Report Major Cyber Incidents Within Four Days ## Biden Acts to Protect Workers as Temperatures Soar in Record-Setting July - Reuters: Biden Acts to Protect Workers as Temperatures Soar in Record-Setting July ## U.S. Senate Approves Measure That Pumps $676M Into Financially Troubled ## Ground Zero Health Fund - New York Post: U.S. Senate Approves Measure That Pumps $676M Into Financially Troubled Ground Zero Health Fund ## Congress Pushes Law to Make It Easier for 9/11 Families Sue Saudi Arabia - New York Post: Congress Pushes Law to Make It Easier for 9/11 Families Sue Saudi Arabia ## CDC Detects Coronavirus, HIV, Hepatitis and Herpes at Unlicensed Califonia Lab - NBC News: CDC Detects Coronavirus, HIV, Hepatitis and Herpes at Unlicensed Califonia Lab ## Warren, Graham Team Up to Take on Tech Giants - The Hill: Warren, Graham Team Up to Take on Tech Giants EFTA00164125 # Editorial: Government Should Go Back to Work - Washington Times: Editorial: Government Should Go Back to Work Back to Top ## BIG PICTURE ## New York Times - Trump Faces Major New Charges in Documents Case - Justice Dept. Opens Civil Rights Investigation of Memphis Police - Study of Elite College Admissions Data Suggests Being Very Rich Is Its Own Qualification - Amid Shared Pain Over Synagogue Massacre, Divisions on Death Penalty - How Supreme Court Justices Make Millions From Book Deals ## Wall Street Journal - Economic Growth Accelerates, Defying Slowdown Expectations' - Locked-In Low Rates Bolster Consumers - Niger Coup Foils U.S. Strategy, Opens Door for Russia in Africa* - Barbie Has a British Rival. Its Fans Are Ready for a Fight. - After 46,000 Years, Worms Live Again ## Washington Post - Recession Fears Ease as GDP Growth Beats Forecast - MDs Who Misguide Are Rarely Punished Misleading Doctors Rarely Punished - Obscure Bank Stepped in When Trump Needed Cash - A Start-up for Struggling Cities Goes Bust - War Spurs AI Revolution in Drones - U.S. Adds to Trump Charges ## Financial Times - Booming Markets Neutralize Impact of Rate Rises on U.S. Corporate Fundraising - Central Banks Leave Investors in the Dark as They Near Peak Rates - U.S. Economic Growth Accelerates to 2.4% In Second Quarter ## ABC News - Trump Lawyers Meet With Special Counsel Over Jan. 6 Probe; Missing Arizona Teen Found Safe After 4 Years; Mitch McConnell Back on Capitol Hill. ## CBS News - Trump Faces New Charges in Classified Docs’ Probe; Katie Spikes, Longtime “60 Minutes” Producer, Dies at 53. ## NBC News - Trump Faces New Charges in Mar-A-Lago Classified Documents Case; Michigan Judge to Decide if Oxford School Shooter Should Get Life in Prison; Allegiant Plane Avoids Mid-Air Collision at 23,000 EFTA00164126 Feet. ## Fox News - Are Additional Charges Against Trump an Attempt to ‘Torpedo’ His Campaign?; Schools Invest in Trade Skills Programs to Keep Up With Demand; Netanyahu Responds to Critics After Israel’s Knesset Passes Judicial Reform. ## Back to Top ## WASHINGTON SCHEDULE ## White House ## President Biden - 9:00 AM: The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing - 10:10 AM: The President departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews - 10:30 AM: The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Brunswick, Maine - 12:05 PM: The President departs Brunswick, Maine en route to Auburn, Maine - 12:20 PM: The President arrives in Auburn, Maine - 1:15 PM: The President discusses how Bidenomics is driving a manufacturing boom and helping workers and innovators invent and make more in America - 2:15 PM: The President departs Auburn, Maine en route to Brunswick, Maine - 2:30 PM: The President arrives at Brunswick, Maine - 4:00 PM: The President participates in a campaign reception - 5:25 PM: The President departs Brunswick, Maine en route to Dover, Delaware - 7:00 PM: The President departs Dover, Delaware en route to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - 7:30 PM: The President arrives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware ## Vice President Harris - No events scheduled. ## US Senate - No events scheduled. ## US House of Representatives - No events scheduled. ## Cabinet Members EFTA00164127 - Secretary of State Blinken delivers remarks at the Gender Equality Symposium in Brisbane, Australia. - Secretary Blinken tours EV-Charger Company Tritium in Brisbane, Australia at 11:35 AM. - Secretary Blinken participates in a working lunch with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in Brisbane, Australia at 1:05 PM. - Secretary Blinken meets with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia at 3:00 PM. - Secretary Blinken attends the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations Dinner in Brisbane, Australia at 7:00 PM. ## Visitors - No events scheduled. ## General Events - Atlantic Council: Breaking the Black Sea blockade: How to counter Russia’s war on Ukraine’s grain – Friday, July 28, 2023. Location: Online Event, 10:00 AM. On July 17, Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in 2022 to allow for the safe navigation of Ukrainian grain exports and fertilizers from Ukraine amid Russia’s full-scale invasion. In leaving the grain deal, Russia is attempting to resume its blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, delivering another blow to the Ukrainian economy and threatening global food supply chains in a new escalation of its war on Ukraine. Russia’s renewed Black Sea blockade is Moscow’s latest vector of aggression against Ukraine. In addition to its blockade, Russian forces have bombed port infrastructure in Odesa, Mykolayiv, and in ports along the Danube River, while threatening to strike commercial ships in the Black Sea headed for Ukrainian waters. With minimal success on the battlefield in 2023, Russian forces appear to be targeting Ukraine’s agricultural exports—a key pillar of the Ukrainian economy—as it seeks advantage in the war. - The Hudson Institute: Fighting into the Bastions: The Future of Undersea Warfare – Friday, July 28, 2023. Location: The Hudson Institute, 2:00 PM. Long considered a sanctuary for high-end naval operations, the undersea domain is growing more crowded for the United States Navy. Communication networks, energy infrastructure, and sensor arrays litter many coastal areas. Meanwhile, uncrewed vehicles routinely survey and monitor everything from pipelines to fish stocks, and tourists and researchers explore previously unknown territory. The undersea domain is also becoming more contested for military operations. US adversaries like China and Russia are fielding increasingly capable submarines, expanding their use of seabed sensors, and mining to counter US submarine operations. After decades of relying on superior submarines as an “ace in the hole” for countering enemy aggression, the US Navy will need new approaches to sustain its undersea advantage. Join Hudson Senior Fellow Bryan Clark for a discussion on the future of undersea warfare with Admiral Jamie Foggo (US Navy, Ret.), dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy; Chuck Fralick, chief technology officer of Leidos Maritime; and Kevin Decker, CEO of Ocean Aero. Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. EFTA00164128