International News
Donald Trump Taps Kash Patel To Lead FBI
President-elect Donald Trump has announced Kash Patel as his choice to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation, signaling a potential shake-up in federal law enforcement leadership.
Patel, a former national security advisor and Pentagon chief of staff, would replace Christopher Wray, who has served as FBI director since 2017.
“Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending justice, and protecting the American people,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
READ ALSO: Port Harcourt Refinery Operations Face Challenges Amid Calibration Efforts
Patel is a vocal critic of what he describes as a “deep state” within the federal government, a term used by Trump allies to accuse bureaucrats of working against his administration’s agenda.
He has also authored a book on the subject and is known for his hardline support of Trump’s policies.
The move to replace Wray, who was originally appointed by Trump, reflects the president-elect’s frustration with the FBI under Wray’s leadership.
The agency investigated Trump during Wray’s tenure, including the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate for classified documents.
The FBI has also pursued cases against individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, which Trump has repeatedly criticized.
Wray’s 10-year term is set to expire in 2027, meaning he would need to step down or be removed to make way for Patel.
Despite the mounting tensions, an FBI spokesperson reaffirmed Wray’s commitment to the bureau, stating, “Wray’s focus remains on the men and women of the FBI, the people we do the work with, and the people we do the work for.”
Trump praised Patel’s prior service during his first term, emphasizing his role in national security and defense. “Kash did an incredible job during my First Term,” Trump said.
“He will lead the fight to end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border.”
The announcement of Patel’s nomination came alongside Trump’s selection of Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff, to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In his Truth Social post, Trump outlined Chronister’s priorities, including tackling the fentanyl crisis and strengthening border security.
“Chad will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs, and SAVE LIVES,” Trump wrote.
Trump erroneously referred to the DEA as the “Drug Enforcement Agency” in his announcement.
Bondi, a staunch Trump ally and former Florida attorney general, has been tapped to lead the Department of Justice.
As head of the DOJ, Bondi would oversee both the FBI and DEA, further consolidating the leadership of federal law enforcement under Trump loyalists.
The appointment of Patel and other Trump allies to key positions reflects the president-elect’s intent to align federal agencies with his policy priorities and “America First” agenda.
Patel’s nomination, in particular, marks a departure from the FBI’s tradition of granting directors a 10-year term to ensure independence from political influence.
Trump’s supporters view Patel as a necessary reformer who will address issues like crime and trafficking, but critics have expressed concerns about the potential politicization of the FBI.
Patel’s confirmation, along with those of Bondi and Chronister, is expected to face intense scrutiny in the Senate.
International News
Ferrari’s First Electric Car Makes History With Record $40m Auction Sale
Ferrari’s first fully electric car, the Luce, has made automotive history after a bespoke version of the vehicle sold for a record $40 million at a charity auction in California.
The tailor-made Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” was sold during Monterey Car Week on Saturday, becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, according to collector car auction company RM Sotheby’s.
The winning bid was 36 times the car’s original estimate of $1.1 million.
SEE MORE: Police Arrest Man For Driving Fake Ferrari In Italy
Ferrari USA celebrated the landmark sale in an Instagram post, saying, “The bids kept climbing. Then, history was made,” while describing the transaction as a new record for the highest-priced new car ever sold at auction.
The sale comes months after Ferrari unveiled the Luce in May. The electric model features a distinctive bubble-like design that differs significantly from the Italian automaker’s traditional angular styling and has received mixed reactions from some Ferrari enthusiasts.
Ferrari previously described the Luce as “a different sort of Ferrari for a different sort of Ferrari client.”
The Luce is powered by four electric motors, with one motor driving each of its four wheels.
The exclusive “Chassis 0” features a pearl-like semi-gloss finish with a personalised pigment that produces changing reflections ranging from green to violet when struck by light.
Its interior is equally distinctive, featuring Perla Le Mans metallic leather and black design elements against a predominantly white background.
Ferrari said proceeds from the record-breaking auction will go to The Ferrari Foundation to support educational initiatives.
Following the auction, the vehicle will return to Maranello, northern Italy, where it was built, before being delivered to the unnamed winning bidder in the first quarter of 2027.
Meanwhile, deliveries of the regular Ferrari Luce, priced at about €550,000 ($640,000), are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.
International News
Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman Over Iran Deal
US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if the country obstructs efforts to reach a deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump made the threat on Monday during an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, amid ongoing discussions between Oman and Iran concerning control and navigation through the strategic waterway.
SEE MORE: Trump Decrees Lower Petrol Prices
“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Yingst, referring to the talks between Oman and Iran while the United States pursues its own discussions with Tehran.
Iranian and Omani officials have been negotiating for weeks over future maritime navigation arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that both sides were working towards a joint declaration.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a major flashpoint amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Iran effectively restricted traffic through the waterway at the beginning of the war on February 28, while Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strategic route should be under US control.
On Friday, Trump said he could even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory. Iran rejected the position, insisting that the crucial waterway would “remain Iranian.”
Before the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was regarded as an open international waterway. The route is critical to global energy supplies and carries significant volumes of oil and other commodities.
Iran has used its control over the strait as leverage against US-led efforts to weaken its military capabilities and force Tehran to abandon its controversial nuclear programme.
Trump also called on Iran to surrender, saying Tehran should “put up the white flag of surrender.”
Despite the growing tensions and the political pressure surrounding the conflict ahead of the November midterm elections in the United States, Trump said he was not in a hurry to reach a deal.
He further disclosed that his administration maintains a direct back-channel with officials of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
“They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” Trump was quoted as saying.
International News
Petro Warns Colombia Is Heading Toward Civil War After Alleged Election Fraud
Colombia’s outgoing President, Gustavo Petro, has warned that the country could descend into civil war following what he described as widespread fraud in the recent presidential election.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Petro claimed that the June presidential runoff was tainted by “algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud” involving a massive number of votes, insisting the results were manipulated against his political ally, Ivan Cepeda.
SEE MORE: Osun Election: Gunmen Invade PVC Centre, Cart Away Voter Cards
“We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president,” Petro said.
The outgoing leader alleged that “foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in Colombia’s electoral process, accusing external actors of influencing the outcome of the election.
Petro’s remarks come just days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is due to be sworn into office on Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, a departure from the longstanding tradition of holding presidential inaugurations before Congress in the capital, Bogota.
The Colombian leader also claimed that De la Espriella, who received the endorsement of United States President Donald Trump before the election, plans to extradite him to the United States on what he described as false charges.
Warning of the potential consequences, Petro said, “It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like,” arguing that public resistance to the incoming administration’s actions could trigger widespread unrest.
The political crisis has deepened further after the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott De la Espriella’s inauguration and called for nationwide mobilization against the president-elect.
Observers have also raised concerns that Colombia could witness a return to violent street protests similar to those experienced between 2019 and 2021, which left dozens dead.
Despite having no prior political experience, De la Espriella has pledged to boost private investment, shrink the size of government by 40 percent, and intensify military operations against guerrilla groups and drug cartels as the country battles its worst surge in violence in a decade.
His inauguration is scheduled for Friday amid heightened political tensions and growing uncertainty over Colombia’s future.





