Prepared for the Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Editorial Note: The DHS Daily Briefing is a collection of news articles related to Department’s mission. The inclusion of particular stories is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse the political viewpoints or affiliations included in news coverage.

The Hill [8/25/2024 3:20 PM, Lauren Sforza, 18752K, Negative] reports Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said the Secret Service and FBI are “basically dragging their feet” on the Senate bipartisan investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump. “All I can really tell you is the Secret Service, FBI are basically dragging their feet. They’re stonewalling us. And we have gotten some transcribed interviews, but the documents we request are heavily redacted,” he said on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” noting that the documents aren’t delivered until the day of the interview. “So we’re not getting squat, from my standpoint, from the Secret Service or the FBI. We have requested all their 302s, their transcriptions of their interviews with hundreds of individuals. They’re not turning those over to us as well,” he added. Johnson said that he is a part of the Senate bipartisan investigation on the shooting during Trump’s rally last month that left one person and the gunman dead. A bullet grazed the former president’s ear before a counter-sniper took down the gunman. Now, lawmakers have pledged bipartisan probes into the incident. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Gary Peters (D-Mich.) said last month that there would be a bipartisan investigation into the matter spearheaded by his committee. Johnson, the former chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, also joined calls for a congressional probe into security at the Trump rally last month. He criticized the agencies Sunday, saying they have not released all the necessary information. The Washington Examiner [8/25/2024 1:53 PM, Asher Notheis, 3607K, Negative] reports that the task force, established shortly after the assassination attempt, has sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. requesting documents and briefings from the agencies regarding the shooting. Johnson, the leader of the Senate’s bipartisan investigation into the assassination attempt, could not provide much of an update, claiming the Secret Service and FBI are taking their time with it. Johnson also argued that both of these agencies are raising suspicions and conspiracy theories with how they have helped in this investigation, as "this is exactly how you do that." He add that it is "jaw-dropping" how the body of Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was identified as Trump’s would-be assassin, was released for cremation before anyone had seen any autopsy reports.

The AP [8/26/2024 3:50 AM, Staff, 31180K, Neutral] reports one person was killed and three were injured by a landslide that prompted a mandatory evacuation in the Alaska city of Ketchikan, authorities said. Three people were transported to Ketchikan Medical Center following the landslide, which struck around 4 p.m. Sunday and damaged homes and infrastructure, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and City of Ketchikan said in a joint statement Sunday. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy declared an emergency for Ketchikan, while Borough Mayor Rodney Dial and city Mayor Dave Kiffer issued a separate emergency declaration. “Friends, is with a heavy heart we relay that a landslide in the city has taken a life, caused several injuries, damaged homes and impacted our community,” Dial said in the statement. Kiffer said the loss of life was “heartbreaking, and my heart goes out to those who lost their homes.” “In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never seen a slide of this magnitude. With the slides we have seen across the region, there is clearly a region-wide issue that we need to try to understand with the support of our State geologist,” Kiffer said. Two of the victims were admitted to the hospital and one was treated and released. All other individuals have been accounted for, the statement said. CNN [8/26/2024 3:01 AM, Elizabeth Wolfe, 22739K, Neutral] reports multiple homes, businesses and roadways were significantly damaged when the landslide tore down a hillside in the coastal city of Ketchikan, Alaska, around 4 p.m. Sunday, the city said in a release. “In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never seen a slide of this magnitude,” Ketchikan Mayor Dave Kiffer said. “The loss of life that we have encountered is heartbreaking, and my heart goes out to those who lost their homes,” he added. In addition to the person killed, three people were taken to a hospital with injuries, the city said in an update. One was treated and released, while the other two were admitted. All residents have been accounted for, the city noted.

Reported similarly:
Washington Examiner [8/26/2024 3:15 AM, Staff, 3607K, Negative]

The Panama Star [8/25/2024 11:00 PM, Staff] reports Panama’s Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez, along with his Colombian counterpart, Luis Gilberto Murillo, visited yesterday the municipality of Capurganá, in the department of Chocó and bordering Panama, to learn about the reality of the migration crisis. At the end of their tour, they went to Necoclí to install the National Dialogue on the Territory of Darién, which is part of the Third Meeting of the Tripartite Mechanism between Colombia, Panama and the United States, to be held today Monday, in Cartagena de Indias. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has already announced that its secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, will be the one who will participate in the trilateral meeting with Murillo and Martínez-Acha, to address the issue of irregular migration and transnational organized crime. The dialogue between Martínez-Acha and Murillo, which brought together representatives of the Ministry of the Interior, Migration Colombia, the Attorney General’s Office of the Nation of Colombia and other actors, allowed local communities to share their observations on the impact of migration and the functioning of the Comprehensive Plan for the Care and Accompanying of Darién (PIAAD), which seeks to improve migration management in the region and ensure a more effective and humanitarian response. In this regard, Foreign Minister Martínez-Acha said that it is essential to strengthen cooperation in security, intelligence, trade, tourism, cultural and social integration, among others, and said that the two presidents want the area of the region of the common border to develop, and for this it is necessary to enhance cooperation, promoting mutual understanding and joint development. For his part, the Colombian Foreign Minister said that during this visit they went to listen to the people, to know first-hand the situation in the border area, and to be able to establish the impacts of migration in general and the challenging needs of this important region. Collaboration with Panama and the United States will be crucial to developing an early warning system and improving control in cross-border passage, especially protecting minors, pregnant women and victims of trafficking, the Colombian Foreign Ministry reported. Yesterday, the Ministry of Security of Panama reported that so far 231,075 migrants have crossed the Darié jungle, of which 153,226 are Venezuelan nationals and 14,659 Colombians who occupy second place.

Dallas Morning News [8/26/2024 2:30 AM, Suleman Lalani, 4433K, Neutral] reports that, in Texas, we take pride in our diversity and resilience, an attribute that should be reflected in our health care system by fostering compassion and inclusivity for all who choose to call this great state home. Recently, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order directing the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect and report health care costs associated with undocumented immigrants. Although the stated goal is to refute the effects of the Biden-Harris administration’s “open border policies,” this directive presents significant and practical issues that we cannot afford to ignore. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act serves as a reflection of health care providers’ commitment to saving lives without any form of prejudice. The act mandates the right to emergency medical care for anyone in need under all circumstances, regardless of one’s immigration or financial status. The governor’s order threatens to undermine that mandate and erodes the essential trust between health care providers and the communities they serve. Although the executive order states that hospitals are to inform the patients that their immigration status will not affect their patient care, this will only lead to a rise of undocumented individuals deciding against emergency care due to fears of the use of their immigration status. Florida recently passed a bill with similar reporting requirements, the fallout of which has led to many individuals refusing to seek proper, necessary care. Furthermore, it is a common misconception that the undocumented population lacks insurance. The Kaiser Family Foundation asserts that about 46% of undocumented immigrants have health insurance through employer-sponsored plans, the private market, or other means.

FOX News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo [8/25/2024 11:48 AM, Staff, 4201K, Negative] reports Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., discusses the latest news emerging from the FBI’s investigation into Donald Trump’s assassination attempt on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’

CBS’ Face The Nation [8/25/2024 11:48 AM, Staff, 4201K, Negative] reports Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog joins Face the Nation to discuss the latest attack into Israel. Herzog says that, "What happened yesterday is that we identify concrete planning and preparation by Hezbollah to launch a massive missile and drone attack into Israel, and we carried the real time operation in order to degrade those capabilities that were about to be launched at Israel. We were successful. Nevertheless, they launched several hundred rockets into Israel, and also drones that were aimed at central Israel, and we intercepted all of them. One of our soldiers was killed by the debris of Israeli interceptors." Herzog is asked, "Do you assess at this point that we are escalating towards a regional war, or that we are taking a step back? Is there risk of escalation?" He says he believes in the success of their operation yesterday prevented an escalation to a major war. Herzog goes on to say "We still need a settlement with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. They followed Hamas by launching a war with Israel on October 8, and they have been firing thousands of rockets into Israel since then. We give a chance to diplomacy, and we hope it works, but if not, we have nearly 70,000 people in Israel, northern Israel, away from their homes, refugees in their own country, and we have to make sure they can go back safely to their homes."

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [8/25/2024 12:51 PM, Staff, 428K, Neutral] reports Israel’s military said it launched preemptive strikes against the terrorist group Hezbollah and Lebanon has followed launch strikes back towards Israel. This comes as hostage and cease-fire talks are set to resume in Cairo today. How should the U.S. respond to what’s going on in the Middle East? Today Republican Senator Lindsey Graham gives his message to get the cease-fire and hostage release deal across the finish line. "I think we have got to remember that October the 7th attack was generated, in my view, to stop normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. It’s a nightmare for Iran and her proxies for the Arabs and the Israelis to reconcile and make peace and take the region in a different direction. So, as to the hostages, I would hold Iran responsible for their well-being. If I were the state of Israel, I would tell the ayatollah, if these people do not come home alive, the ones that are left alive, and if we don’t get the bodies of the fallen, we’re going to blow up your oil refineries. That’s the only way you’re ever going to get the hostages released is to put pressure on Iran," Graham stated.

New York Times [8/25/2024 11:13 AM, Chelsia Rose Marcius, Maria Cramer and Wesley Parnell, 740K, Negative] reports for 15 months, Daniel Davon-Bonilla sat in the Rikers Island jail complex in New York City, accused of raping a transgender woman in a migrant shelter. Then, on June 24, Mr. Davon-Bonilla stood before a judge in a Brooklyn court. The victim in the case had refused to testify, and now prosecutors were offering him a deal: He could plead guilty to a felony assault charge and be released that day. The judge, Donald Leo, warned Mr. Davon-Bonilla, a 24-year-old from Nicaragua, that he could be deported. “Do you still wish to proceed with your plea of guilty?” asked Justice Leo, according to a transcript of the hearing. “Of course,” Mr. Davon-Bonilla replied. In fact, the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, known as ICE, had informed the city that it intended to deport Mr. Davon-Bonilla when he was first charged with rape, the agency said. But neither the city nor the Brooklyn district attorney notified federal officials when he was released that day in June. Mr. Davon-Bonilla did not show up for his sentencing on Aug. 9. Two days later, the police say, he raped a homeless woman under the Coney Island boardwalk. New York is a so-called sanctuary city, one of several across the United States that try to minimize the deportation of migrants. In practice, this means that local law enforcement officials limit their coordination with federal immigration authorities. Those policies infuriated Donald J. Trump when he was president. He painted sanctuary cities as crime-ridden dystopias and threatened to withhold federal money from them. Now the Coney Island case has renewed attention on those policies and brought a fresh round of criticism — not just from Mr. Trump, who is running for his old office, but also from New York police officials and Mayor Eric Adams. They say the sanctuary system, enshrined in city law, safeguarded the rights of a violent criminal at the expense of a vulnerable woman. The mayor called Mr. Davon-Bonilla “the poster child of what’s wrong with not doing that coordination.” To what extent sanctuary laws enabled Mr. Davon-Bonilla’s release remains unclear. They are meant to protect immigrants from deportation if they are convicted of low-level crimes, but not serious offenses, including the assault charge to which he pleaded guilty.

NPR [8/25/2024 1:53 PM, Juliana Kim, 92K, Negative] reports authorities in upstate New York arrested a border patrol agent for allegedly forcing multiple women to expose their chests during virtual processing to enter the U.S. Shane Millan, 53, was arraigned Thursday in Syracuse on charges that he violated women’s constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches. He faces four counts of a misdemeanor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of New York. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York said that on three separate occasions, Millan ordered women seeking admission into the U.S. to undress and expose their bare chests over webcam while on a fourth occasion, a woman’s bra remained on. Each time, Millan allegedly lied to the women that the strip was part of protocol. "Millan’s demands to see the victims’ breasts were for his own gratification," the U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement. The border patrol agent committed the offenses in Jefferson County, near the Canadian border, and "elsewhere," according to the charging documents.

CNN [8/25/2024 1:27 PM, Ashley R. Williams, 22739K, Negative] reports US Customs and Border Protection officers in southern California discovered that a supposed watermelon shipment wasn’t what it seemed after they uncovered more than $5 million worth of methamphetamine concealed inside, the agency said. A 29-year-old man driving a commercial tractor-trailer attempted to enter the United States from Mexico with a shipment manifested for watermelons, CBP said in a news release Tuesday. Officers at the agency’s Otay Mesa Commercial Facility near San Diego referred the driver, his vehicle and cargo for additional examination, according to the release. The shipment containing what was reported to be watermelons was offloaded and officers discovered 1,220 packages of methamphetamine wrapped in paper and disguised as the fruit, the agency said. The contents weighed nearly 4,600 pounds.

CBS Austin [8/25/2024 7:20 PM, Staff, 897K, Negative] reports the Port of Seattle and the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport confirmed that the internet and web outage impacting the airport is the work of a cyberattack. The outage happened sometime on Saturday and thousands have been impacted. Port teams have continued to make progress on returning systems back to normal operations, but there is not an estimated time for return. Officials said that the impact is especially impacting international travelers as their information has to be entered manually to check them in for their flights. SEA Airport is still encouraging travelers to check in for flights online before leaving, if a checked bag is not needed, stick to a carry-on bag, and plan extra time to get to the airport and the gate. "In terminal screens are experiencing technical issues showing flight information, please check with your airline for the latest gate information," said Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released a statement on the outage: TSA is aware of the outage to the Port of Seattle’s internet service and is working with its partners at the Port. There is no impact to TSA’s operations at the security checkpoint and TSA continues to screen passengers using its robust procedures.

CBS Austin [8/25/2024 4:38 PM, Staff, 897K, Neutral] reports Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has made a post to X stating that the Port of Seattle, including SEA Airport is experiencing an internet and web outage that is impacting some systems at the airport. SEA Airport is encouraging passengers to check with their airlines for the latest information for their flights. The airport said the system outages indicate a possible cyberattack. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released a statement on the outage: TSA is aware of the outage to the Port of Seattle’s internet service and is working with its partners at the Port. There is no impact to TSA’s operations at the security checkpoint and TSA continues to screen passengers using its robust procedures. Passengers should check with their airlines for information on their flights.

CBS New York [8/25/2024 8:04 PM, Katie Houlis, 47221K, Negative]
President Joe Biden has approved a federal emergency declaration in Suffolk County following last week’s devastating flooding, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday. The declaration means Suffolk County will have access to assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for emergency work on critical infrastructure. Hochul’s office said local and federal partners are still working to determine if Suffolk County qualifies for federal funding from a major disaster declaration. Hochul declared a state of emergency in the county on Friday and said the state housing authority will launch an emergency repair program for homeowners on Long Island. Under the program, homeowners may be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 to fund or reimburse certain repairs that are not covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs. The president also approved a federal emergency declaration for parts of Connecticut that were affected by the same storm. Suffolk County was hit hard by heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding on Aug. 18 and 19. The National Weather Service declared the first-ever flash flood emergency in the county during the event. Sound Beach saw the most rain in the county with a total of 10.18 inches recorded. The governor’s office said over 2,000 residents and business owners experienced some kind of flood damage, and Stony Brook University suffered extensive damage, forcing the school to cancel its move-in day and relocate hundreds of students. Hochul’s office said Department of Financial Services staff will be at Stony Brook University’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday to provide insurance help to residents.

Reported similarly:
Yahoo! News [8/25/2024 11:19 PM, Staff, 60154K, Neutral]

Minnesota Public Radio [8/25/2024 2:55 PM, Cari Spencer, 38K, Neutral] reports Minnesotans recovering from major flooding in June have about one month left to apply for federal aid. As of Saturday, $6.8 million had been approved for 1,400 residents, said Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Kim Keblish. Folks have until Sept. 27 to apply for grants, which can help with temporary housing assistance, home repair or replacement and other needs - including vehicle, storage and childcare costs, she said. Applications can be filled out online or at disaster recovery centers in Waterville, Mankato and Virginia. Previous locations in Faribault and Jackson have closed, but more are expected to open in the coming weeks. "They can get their questions answered in person. They can get help uploading documentation, and it’s really just a good way to get your questions answered in person, face to face," Keblish said. "Nothing really beats that." Keblish added another advantage of going in person: Minnesotans can easily learn more about other financial resources beyond FEMA. That includes low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which can cover homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofits. "So you’re hitting a lot of different resources that may be available to you," Keblish said. Recovery centers are open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and will temporarily close for Labor Day on Sept. 2. Second homes and vacation homes do not qualify for assistance.

ABC News [8/26/2024 2:13 AM, Staff, 31180K, Neutral] reports Alaska’s governor declared a disaster following a landslide that prompted an evacuation in the city of Ketchikan. The landslide around 4 p.m. Sunday damaged homes and infrastructure in the city, which was being aided by the State Emergency Operation Center, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement. “I have directed state agencies to make available all resources and staff for the response effort,” Dunleavy said. There was no immediate report of injuries. Multiple homes were impacted by the landslide and a mandatory evacuation was ordered for residents of Third Avenue and nearby streets, while a shelter was set up at Ketchikan High School, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and City of Ketchikan said in a joint statement Sunday. A potential secondary landslide area was identified to the south of the original slide location and crews were standing by, the statement said. Various local and state agencies responded. A Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Response Specialist and federal Department of Transportation personnel are expected to travel to Ketchikan on Monday, Dunleavy said. The Ketchikan police and fire departments did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking additional information.

AP [8/25/2024 5:11 PM, Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Julie Walker, 47701K, Neutral] reports Hurricane Hone passed just south of Hawaii on Sunday, dumping so much rain that the National Weather Service called off its red flag warnings that strong winds could lead to wildfires on the drier sides of the islands. Meanwhile, the eastern Pacific saw a new threat emerge as Tropical Storm Hector formed, packing top sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph). There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect as Hector churned far out at sea, the National Hurricane Center said. Hone (pronounced hoe-NEH) had top winds of 85 mph (140 kph) Sunday morning as it swirled slowly past the Big Island, centered about 45 miles (72 kilometers) off its southernmost point, according to Jon Jelsema, a senior forecaster at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. He said tropical storm force winds were blowing across the island’s southeast-facing slopes, carrying up to a foot (30 centimeters) or more of rain. Floods closed Highway 11 between Kona and Hilo, and a higher-altitude alternative, the Cane Road, was closed by flooding as well, isolating properties like the Aikane Plantation Coffee Co. outside Pahala, where owner Phil Becker said his 10-inch (25-centimeter) rain gauge overflowed in the deluge. “We’ve got quite a lot of flood damage, the gulches are running full speed ahead and they’re overflowing the bridges, so we’re trapped down here, we can’t get in or out,” Becker said Sunday.

Yahoo! News [8/25/2024 5:40 PM, Staff, 60154K, Neutral reports over 5,000 Hawaiian Electric Co. customers on Hawaii island were without power tonight as winds and rains from passing Tropical Storm Hone begin to have an impact on the island. The affected customers are in Haaheo, Hilo, Honokaa, Kalanianaole, Kau Pahala, Kaumana, Keaau, Keonepoko, Kohala, Mountain View, Paauilo, Pahoa, Waiakeawaena, and Waimea. Separately, HECO officials said that a Public Safety Power Shutoff will no longer be needed as a safety measure now that the National Weather Service has canceled the red flag warning for all islands. Increased rain and humidity have lessened the danger of conditions conducive to wildfires, officials said. "The company will continue to evaluate its safety measures, including the potential need for a PSPS, as Hone moves out and a storm system related to Hurricane Gilma moves toward the islands next week, " HECO said in a news release. More than 8, 300 customers on Hawaii island are without power today as Tropical Storm Hone approaches the island from the southeast.

CBS News [8/25/2024 2:49 PM, Kaia Hubbard and Allison Novelo, 47221K, Neutral] reports Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his third-party presidential bid last week and endorsed former President Donald Trump, has lost his Secret Service protection following the decision to leave the race, his campaign said. "Mr. Kennedy no longer has USSS," Stefanie Spear, Kennedy’s press secretary, told CBS News. In remarks in Phoenix on Friday, Kennedy said he was backing Trump because he could see no viable path to the White House. And although he said he wasn’t "terminating" his campaign - remaining on the ballot in some noncompetitive states - he pledged to remove his name from states where he could be a spoiler. Kennedy was on the ballot in more than 20 states when he suspended his White House bid. President Biden directed the Secret Service to afford protection to Kennedy after the assassination attempt against Trump in July. Kennedy’s campaign had long requested the protection for the independent presidential candidate - an issue that was especially acute for Kennedy, whose father and uncle were assassinated in the 1960s. The Secret Service is required by law to protect major presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general election. Other candidates can be designated for protection as needed.

Washington Examiner [8/25/2024 5:20 PM, Zach LaChance, 3607K, Negative] reports a Tennessee man was charged over alleged social media posts threatening President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Barack Obama. Kyl Alton Hall, a 37-year-old male from the Memphis area, allegedly posted several times on X in late July threatening to "kill, assassinate, shoot, and crash the plane" of Biden and assassinate Harris and Obama, according to a release from the Department of Justice. Hall was indicted on Aug. 20 on two counts of threats to a sitting president and vice president and one count of a threat to a former president. He could face up to five years for each charge. The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case, which will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Crow of the local U.S. attorney’s office. Hall’s family says he has had mental health problems his whole life but has recently become "bizarre." He is due in court on Wednesday on charges unrelated to this case, including false pretense and being a fugitive from justice.

Palm Beach Daily News [8/25/2024 11:46 AM, Carol Rose, 115K, Neutral] reports that the stretch of South Ocean Boulevard/State Road A1A near former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club will be closed again starting Monday. The closure of the coastal road between South County Road and Southern Boulevard "will stay in effect until further notice," the town said in a release Sunday. The road reopened to traffic for the first time Thursday after U.S. Secret Service ordered it to close July 20 as part of increased security measures following the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump. Officials initially said the road would be closed 24 hours a day through at least the Nov. 5 election, but last week the town, Secret Service and Mar-a-Lago Club reached an agreement to open the road when Trump is not home. Palm Beach officials had pushed back against the 24-hour closure of the road, citing traffic and other concerns. Town Attorney Joanne O’Connor wrote a July 22 letter to the Secret Service in which she noted that closing that section of South Ocean effectively cut the town in two. On Aug. 13, the issue of closing the Mar-a-Lago Club — which is possible under the declaration-of-use agreement Trump signed with the town — was floated by Mayor Danielle Moore. The Republican nominee for president left Palm Beach on Thursday morning for a campaign event in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Monday’s closing indicates that he will return to Mar-a-Lago then. When the road is closed, residents in the affected area can access their homes only through the north security checkpoint at South County Road. The area is closed to pedestrians and cyclists, and only emergency vehicles can pass through the checkpoint at Southern Boulevard. The U.S. Coast Guard also has implemented temporary security zones around Mar-a-Lago and changes to when the bridges to Palm Beach open whenever the former president is in town. When the security zones are in effect, boaters will be barred from traveling in the Intracoastal waters just west of Mar-a-Lago, with vessels allowed to pass through but not stop in the Intracoastal closer to West Palm Beach and in the Atlantic Ocean just east of the property.

Reported similarly:
WPTV TV Channel 5 [8/25/2024 1:22 PM, Samantha Roesler, 1429K, Neutral]
WPBF [8/25/2024 11:02 AM, Viviana Lopez, 504K, Neutral]

HS Today [8/25/2024 11:00 AM, Staff] reports that the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the selection of Clark Construction to provide general construction for the new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Headquarters at the St. Elizabeths West Campus in Washington, D.C. according to a news release on 16th August. The CISA construction award of approximately $524 million includes an investment of $115,880,000 in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, making it GSA’s largest single IRA project investment to date. “The CISA project is a flagship example of how the Biden-Harris Administration is fulfilling its commitment to invest in America, both here in Washington, D.C., and all across the country,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “St. Elizabeths is a place where thousands of dedicated public servants work to keep America safe and explore new technologies, so construction will support those goals, all while reducing our environmental impact, saving taxpayer dollars through energy efficiency, and creating jobs in the community.” The Biden-Harris Administration is leading by example to tackle the climate crisis through President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan, which establishes an ambitious path to achieve net-zero emissions from federal buildings by 2045. The project consists of the construction of a new 630,000 square foot federal building that will provide space to house CISA in a new sustainable state-of-the-art facility. The investment includes approximately $80 million to purchase low-embodied carbon construction materials including asphalt, concrete, glass and steel, and $35 million to meet high-performance green building standards. These investments aim to promote domestic manufacturing and clean energy industries. “Across DHS, our team works tirelessly to confront and mitigate threats to our critical infrastructure,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Bringing the extraordinary Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to the Department of Homeland Security’s St. Elizabeths Campus will better facilitate collaboration across our components and offices, and inspire cohesive work to ensure our nation’s infrastructure is secure and resilient. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda, and our partners in Congress and at the General Services Administration, today we are taking a big step towards building a more united, more efficient, and more effective DHS.” The CISA headquarters design sets a new standard for the energy performance of federal buildings in the National Capital Region, with an anticipated energy use of intensity of 28.9 thousand Btus per square foot per year. That is a 72% reduction compared to typical office buildings (CBECS 2003 baseline). Additionally, the project includes sustainable design features such as chilled beams, a dedicated outside air system with energy recovery and demand-controlled ventilation, advanced lighting controls, and a high-performance building envelope. Lastly, the project is anticipated to achieve LEED Gold v4 certification using the building design and construction standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council.

AP [8/25/2024 8:20 PM, Staff, 47701K, Neutral] reports White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said the United States and allies are working to prevent an escalating regional conflict in the Middle East. Sullivan was speaking after meeting with Canadian political leaders to reinforce the U.S.-Canada relationship on various security issues. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

The Hill [8/25/2024 4:10 PM, Miranda Nazzaro, 18752K, Neutral] reports White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is expected to travel Sunday to Canada where he will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reinforce the U.S.-Canada relationship on various security issues, the White House announced Sunday. Sullivan’s meeting with Trudeau, along with an address to Canada’s annual Cabinet retreat, will discuss national security priorities including continued defense of Ukraine, the climate crisis and the “advancement of democracy and human rights around the world,” National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement. The Canadian prime minister’s office said Sullivan will take part in the Cabinet retreat Sunday night in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The U.S. and Canada share what officials have touted as one of the closest relationships in the world, underscored by high bilateral trade between the bordering countries. They also have worked together in efforts to combat terrorist financing and money laundering. Trudeau, like President Biden, has been a longtime supporter of Ukraine and has provided the embattled nation with military, economic and humanitarian assistance. The visit comes ahead of a Tuesday trip to China, where Sullivan will discuss key global issues and seek to set up another meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, a senior Biden administration official said.

CBS Los Angeles [8/25/2024 3:50 PM, Staff, 47221K, Negative] Video: HERE reports French police arrested Telegram CEO and founder Pavel Durov on Saturday at an airport near Paris for alleged offenses related to the popular messaging app, French media reported. The French-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital on Saturday evening, one of the officials told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. French television news outlets TF1 TV and BFM TV also reported the arrest, citing unnamed sources, according to Reuters. He had just traveled from Baku, Azerbaijan, another source close to the case told AFP. Durov was expected to appear in court on Sunday. France’s OFMIN, an agency tasked with preventing violence against minors, had issued an arrest warrant for Durov as the coordinating agency in a preliminary investigation into alleged offenses including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promotion of terrorism, one of the sources close to the case told AFP. Durov is suspected of failing to take action to curb the criminal use of his platform. "Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act," the company said in a statement on Sunday, adding, "Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform."

Bloomberg [8/24/2024 3:17 PM, Yi Wei Wong and Galit Altstein, 6212K, Negative] reports Israel declared a 48-hour state of emergency after carrying out a pre-emptive attack on Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon as the Iran-backed militant group began what it said was its initial response to last month’s killing of its military chief by Israel. The Israeli military said it sent 100 warplanes over Lebanon and took out thousands of rocket launchers aimed at targets in northern and central Israel. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesman, said Hezbollah then fired hundreds of missiles and rockets at Israel. He said the damage to Israel from those projectiles appeared to be very limited and that Israel’s operation in Lebanon was essentially over for now, although both sides remain on high alert with occasional firing. Hezbollah also said its operation on Sunday had concluded. Israel’s main airport outside Tel Aviv was shut down for a few hours, with incoming flights directed toward neighboring states. Shoshani said this was because of concern that missiles were aimed at the center of the country, but Israel’s actions ended that risk for now. Although Sunday’s attacks remained within the so-called rules of engagement, they raise concerns that the near-daily trading of fire between Israel and Hezbollah for the past 10 months could at any moment escalate into a wider war. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said that “We continue to closely monitor the situation and have been very clear that the US is postured to support the defense of Israel.” He referred questions about it to the Israelis.

Bloomberg [8/25/2024 6:27 PM, Ethan Bronner, 1985K, Negative] reports hours after 100 Israeli warplanes swooped over southern Lebanon, taking out thousands of Hezbollah missile launchers in what was called a pre-emptive strike, the Middle East braced for an expanded conflagration that could involve Iran and its allied militias. The assault started at 5 a.m. local time and was based, Israeli officials said, on precise intelligence that Hezbollah was about to fire thousands of missiles at northern Israel as well as drones at a key intelligence center just north of Tel Aviv in retaliation for the killing of its commander in July. Israel declared a 48-hour state of emergency and shut its main airport for several hours, with numerous foreign airlines canceling flights. Hezbollah responded by firing more than 200 projectiles, according to Israel, although officials said very limited damage was caused. One Israeli soldier was killed by falling debris, while three deaths were reported in Lebanon. If Hezbollah had successfully executed an attack on targets in central Israel, the tit-for-tat fighting that’s been simmering on the border area for 10 months may have exploded into wider warfare. “Our hope is that the events of last night do not spill out into an escalation that leads to regional war,” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on Sunday evening during a visit to Canada. For the time being, at least, a relative calm held. Israel reopened its airport and eased restrictions on public gatherings imposed earlier in the day. Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said there was no damage to any Israeli military base. The Israeli army didn’t reimpose safety restrictions on the population on Sunday night, indicating it didn’t expect another attack imminently. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a security cabinet meeting on Sunday and said he was "determined to do everything to defend our country, to return the residents of the north securely to their homes, and to continue upholding a simple rule: Whoever harms us - we will harm them." Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, noted that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke by phone over the weekend. He declined to say whether the US was given advance warning of Sunday’s attack, adding, "This was an Israeli operation."

FOX News [8/25/2024 10:37 AM, Danielle Wallace, 48215K, Negative] reports Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed more "surprising blows" against Iran-backed terrorist groups after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly struck launch sites in Lebanon just minutes before Hezbollah was planning to fire thousands of rockets into central Israel. "What happened today is not the end of the story. Hezbollah tried to attack the State of Israel with rockets and drones early in the morning," Netanyahu said at a government meeting in Tel Aviv Sunday morning. "We instructed the IDF to carry out a powerful pre-emptive strike to remove the threat." "The IDF destroyed thousands of short-range rockets, and they were all intended to harm our citizens and our forces in Galilee," he continued. "In addition, the IDF intercepted all the UAVs that Hezbollah launched for a strategic purpose in the center of the country. We are hitting Hezbollah with surprising blows. Three weeks ago, we eliminated his chief of staff, and today, we foiled his attack plan." "Nasrallah in Beirut and Khamenei in Tehranshould know that this is another step on the way to change the situation in the north and return our residents safely to their homes," Netanyahu added. "And I repeat this is not the end of the story." Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant Sunday to discuss the latest developments, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. "The Secretary reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself and the United States’ ironclad resolve to support Israel’s defense against threats from Iran and its regional partners and proxies," Ryder said. "As part of that support, the Secretary has ordered the presence of two Carrier Strike Groups to remain in the region. The Secretary also expressed support for completing negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage-release deal." In an earlier statement, White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said President Biden "is closely monitoring events in Israel and Lebanon."

BNN Bloomberg [8/25/2024 9:06 PM, Staff, 1985K, Neutral] reports China will bring up issues related to Taiwan and “arbitrary measures” like tariffs when US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan visits this week, a trip aimed at maintaining dialogue between the geopolitical rivals. “The Chinese side will focus on raising serious concerns, articulating its position and laying out serious demands on issues related to the Taiwan question, the right to development and China’s strategic security,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday, citing a Foreign Ministry official. Beijing would also broach “tariffs, export control, investment review and unilateral sanctions” during Sullivan’s trip, which is scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday and include a meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Sullivan may also meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Sullivan and Wang have met face-to-face every few months as part of President Joe Biden’s push to keep open lines of communication despite friction with China. The visit will be Sullivan’s first to the Asian nation as the president’s top national security aide. Beijing has long complained about US measures to cut off China from high tech, including semiconductors, and about the White House’s efforts to work with allies on security and economic issues. It has also expressed anger about Washington’s support for Taiwan, the democracy of 23 million people that Beijing has pledged to bring under its control someday. Biden has repeatedly said the US would defend Taiwan if China attacked, and Washington is Taipei’s main military backer. Last year, the US for the first time approved the transfer of weapons to Taiwan under a program usually reserved for sovereign states.

AP [8/25/2024 11:15 AM, Staff, 47701K, Negative] reports Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannons and blocked and rammed a Philippine fisheries vessel Sunday in the disputed South China Sea, where hostilities between the Asian neighbors have flared alarmingly at sea and spread into the air in recent weeks. China and the Philippines blamed each other for the tense confrontations in the high seas off Sabina Shoal, which has become a new flashpoint, where both have deployed coast guard ships on suspicion that either one may take steps to seize the uninhabited atoll. The Chinese coast guard said that it took action against a Philippine vessel, which entered waters in the vicinity of Sabina and ignored warnings, leading to a minor collision. Chinese coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu said that the Philippine ship sailed toward the Chinese coast guard ship “unprofessionally” and “dangerously,” causing the two vessels to brush against each other. The Philippine vessel had journalists onboard to take pictures to “distort facts,” he said

“The responsibility is totally on the Philippines’ side. We sternly warn that the Philippine side must immediately stop the infringement and provocation, otherwise it must bear all consequences,” Gan said without elaborating on the control measures that the Chinese side employed. A Philippine government task force said that a vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the BRP Datu Sanday, “encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers from eight People’s Republic of China maritime vessels” while cruising to Sabina, causing its engine to fail and hampering its effort to provide diesel, food and medical supplies to Filipino fishermen. The Chinese coast guard ships, which were backed by a navy ship, “made close perilous maneuvers that resulted in ramming, blasted horns and deployed water cannons against the BFAR vessel,” endangering its crew, according to the Philippine task force, which oversees the territorial disputes. The United States expressed its support for the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia. U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said in a statement posted on X that China’s actions were “unsafe, unlawful and aggressive” and “disrupted a legal Philippine mission, endangering lives — the latest in multiple dangerous actions.”

Miami Herald [8/26/2024 1:55 AM, Darryl Coote, 6212K, Negative] reports the Philippines and China have again clashed in the South China Sea, with Manila and Beijing trading accusations of responsibility for the latest maritime skirmish between the two neighbors amid their fight over sovereignty of the disputed waters. The incident occurred Sunday within the Spratly Islands, a disputed archipelago that is claimed by the Philippines and China, along with several other Asian nations. The Phillipines accused China of ramming and causing the engine failure of a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel that was on a "humanitarian mission" to resupply Filipino fisherman. It said eight ships of China’s navy and Coast Guard attempted to "encircle and block" the humanitarian mission and conducted "aggressive and dangerous maneuvers." The Chinese vessels blasted horns and deployed water cannons, it said, adding that the clash resulted in the "early termination of the humanitarian operation." "These unprofessional, aggressive and illegal actions posed serious risks to the safety of the Filipino crew and the fishermen they were meant to serve," Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela said in a statement. The Phillipines Coast Guard posted short clips of the incident to its X account, showing Chinese Coast Guard vessels ramming the Manila ship and hitting it with water cannons. In a statement of its own, the Chinese Coast Guard accused the Filipino ship of having "illegally broke into waters" Beijing claims without permission from the Chinese government. It said the Manila vessel ignored China’s "strict warning" and accused it of having crashed into the Chinese Coast Guard vessel.

Newsweek [8/26/2024 5:08 AM, Micah McCartney, 50452K, Negative] reports the Philippines and China have again blamed each other after the second maritime collision in six days as tensions continue to rise in the disputed South China Sea. The most recent collision, which occurred Sunday a few minutes past 2 p.m., involved a Philippine fisheries bureau vessel, the BRP Datu Sanday, as it delivered food, diesel, and medical supplies to local fishermen in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal and Half Moon Shoal, two atolls in the Spratly Islands. Both features are less than 100 miles from the Philippines’ Palawan province and inside the Southeast Asian country’s internationally recognized exclusive economic zone (EEZ). China’s claims over 90 percent of the energy-rich South China Sea, which it alleges are based on historical rights, overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Manila accused China’s maritime forces of ganging up on the fisheries bureau ship with "unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions." "The Datu Sanday was targeted by the People’s Liberation Army Navy ship 626 and multiple China Coast Guard ships, which attempted to encircle and block the humanitarian mission," read a statement released Sunday by the Philippine multi-agency task force responsible for parts of the South China Sea falling within the country’s EEZ. Chinese coast guard ships sounded their horns, rammed, and deployed water cannon at the Philippine ship, the statement said, adding that the water cannon barrages forced an end to the fisheries bureau operation after causing engine failure. The task force called on China to "halt these provocative actions that destabilize regional peace and security."

Reuters [8/25/2024 10:19 PM, Staff, 36419K, Neutral] reports Philippine Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro separately said on Monday that China’s actions were "patently illegal" following the clash near Sabina shoal "We have to expect these kinds of behaviour from China because this is a struggle. We have to be ready to anticipate and to get used to these kinds of acts of China which are patently illegal as we have repeatedly said," Teodoro told reporters. In the incident at Sabina shoal, Manila’s South China Sea task force accused Chinese vessels of ramming and using water canons against a Philippine fisheries vessel transporting food, fuel and medicine for Filipino fishermen. The Chinese coast guard said the Philippine vessel "ignored repeated serious warnings and deliberately approached and rammed" China’s law enforcement boat, resulting in a collision. Asked if the latest incident would trigger treaty obligations between the United States and the Philippines, Teodoro said: "That is putting the cart before the horse. Let us deter an armed attack, that is the more important thing." The Philippines and the United States have a mutual defence treaty and Washington has vowed to aid the Philippines against armed attacks on its vessels and soldiers in the South China Sea. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Monday is a public holiday in the Philippines. China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including areas claimed by the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei.

Business Insider [8/25/2024 8:25 AM, Stavros Atlamazoglou, 59703K, Neutral] reports The Pentagon wants to use special operators in new ways to train Taiwan and others for a different kind of fight. The Pentagon has been seeking more leeway from Congress so that it can better use its special operators to support friendly, US-aligned nations, including preparing Taiwan for Chinese aggression. Today, special operators are limited in the kind of training and equipment that they can provide to partner forces. If a program isn’t fighting terrorism or narcotics or doesn’t ensure border security, there’s not much American commandos can offer. But under the new proposal, US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) would be able to train and equip foreign partners for resistance and extended foreign internal defense (FID) missions focused on combatting potential future threats. A Pentagon proposal to Congress in April mentioned Taiwan and the Baltic nations in particular, highlighting the need for forces there to be ready to "resist an invasion or occupation by an adversarial power" and protect the nation and its people from "acts of subversion sponsored by a foreign country that pose a significant threat to the existing government, "per reporting from Defense News highlighting the challenges posed by China and Russia.

Yahoo! News [8/25/2024 11:43 PM, Staff, 60154K, Negative] reports North Korea has unveiled a new "suicide drone", state media said Monday, with leader Kim Jong Un overseeing a performance test of the weapons, which experts said could have come from Russia. Wearing a cream baker boy hat, Kim was shown beaming as he watched, aided by high-powered binoculars, as the drones blew up targets, images in state media showed. Kim said that "it is necessary to develop and produce more suicide drones", the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, in addition to "strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones". Suicide drones are explosive-carrying unmanned drones designed to be deliberately crashed into enemy targets, effectively acting as guided missiles. The nuclear-armed North’s growing drone fleet will "be used within different striking ranges to attack any enemy targets on the ground and in the sea", KCNA said. All the drones North Korea tested on August 24 "correctly identified and destroyed the designated targets after flying along different preset routes", it added. Kim also said his country would work towards "proactively introducing artificial intelligence technology into the development of drones".

Newsweek [8/25/2024 6:07 PM, Mandy Taheri, 50452K, Negative] reports a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry warned on Saturday that the United States’ update on its nuclear policy will have a "negative impact on the security situation and the nuclear disarmament system," according to Russian state news agency Tass. Tass reported Saturday that a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, cited by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, accused the U.S. of being "obsessed with ensuring unilateral nuclear superiority." The spokesperson added that "the move to update the nuclear policy of the US—a country that has the largest nuclear weapon arsenal in the world—will have a significant negative impact on the security situation and the nuclear disarmament system." The remarks came in response to reports of President Joe Biden’s revisions to a nuclear strategic document that redirects the U.S.’ deterrent strategy to focus on China’s nuclear arsenal expansion. The strategic document, titled "Nuclear Employment Guidance," was reportedly approved by Biden in March and is updated roughly every four years and is highly classified. The White House has not publicly announced that Biden approved the revisions.

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