Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee released a report accusing federal law enforcement agencies of failing to properly analyze intelligence that showed the potential for violence on January 6, 2021. The report found that the agencies had misjudged or misread the risks, and had issued warnings too slowly and passively, leading to a failure of imagination similar to the one described by the 9/11 Commission. The report also highlighted specific threats of violence and accused the FBI and DHS intelligence analysts of “finger pointing” in the aftermath of the tragedy.
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CDC Warns of Risk of Locally Acquired Malaria in the U.S. After Documenting Five Cases in Two Months
CDC Warns of Risk of Locally Acquired Malaria in the U.S. After Documenting Five Cases in Two Months
The CDC issued a health alert after documenting five cases of malaria acquired within the United States over the last two months, the first locally acquired cases in 20 years. The agency warned that the risk of malaria throughout the country remains extremely low, but urged those suspected of having the disease to be urgently evaluated. They are also reminding people to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.
President Biden and U.S. allies have coordinated a response to the brief uprising in Russia led by the Wagner mercenary group, making clear that they were not involved. The Wagner fighters had seized control of a Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, but were ordered back to their camps when a truce was announced. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner group's leader, has not yet been seen to retreat into obscurity, and the consequences of the incident remain to be seen.
On Monday, the ruble reached a 14-month low after an aborted weekend mutiny in Russia led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Russia's Wagner mercenary group. The rebellion was ended after the Kremlin made an agreement to send Prigozhin to Belarus, and pardon him and his soldiers, brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Former U.S. director of national intelligence James Clapper said the deal appears "fishy," raising concerns about stability in the nuclear-armed country.
Tensions in Russia remain high as Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, threatened to march to Moscow in a challenge to President Vladimir Putin's authority. Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd criticized the Biden administration's response of "actively monitoring" the situation, calling for more proactive measures. Intelligence reports suggest that the mutiny was going forward, but ultimately failed, leaving the future of the region uncertain.
The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a Marine Board of Investigation into the implosion of the Titan submersible, which resulted in the loss of five lives onboard. The investigation will look into the cause of the implosion and any potential misconduct, and can make recommendations to pursue civil or criminal sanctions. The Titan submersible was attempting a dive to the wreckage of the Titanic when it experienced a catastrophic failure, and the Coast Guard declared a major marine casualty.
U.S. intelligence officials released a report on Friday rejecting some points raised by those who argue COVID-19 leaked from a Chinese lab. The report has angered some Republicans, who argue the Biden administration is withholding information, while intelligence officials argue China's obstruction has made it impossible to determine the origin. U.S. Rep. Mike Turner has noted that U.S. intelligence had "extraordinary detail" about the risk posed by the Wagner group, and that top congressional leaders had been briefed multiple times by the administration.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the situation between Russia and the Wagner mercenary group is far from over, after the two sides reached a truce following a revolt from the private army led by Yevgeny Prigozhin. Blinken noted that the revolt posed a "direct challenge to Putin's authority" and that the U.S. has seen "more cracks emerge in the Russian facade." He added that the U.S. will continue to monitor the situation closely and stand up for its allies and partners in the region.