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Cuban-Guatemalan Deported as Cuban Intelligence Asset Made Electoral Donations to U.S. Republican Lawmakers

Cuban-Guatemalan Deported as Cuban Intelligence Asset Made Electoral Donations to U.S. Republican Lawmakers

Fernando Armando Valdés Pérez, a Cuban-Guatemalan recently deported by the United States after being identified as an active Cuban intelligence asset, made electoral donations to Republican Congress members María Elvira Salazar and Mario Díaz-Balart. These contributions, totaling $6,900, were made over several years and are documented in Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, as reported by the Miami Herald. Valdés Pérez contributed $2,900 to Salazar's re-election campaign in 2022 and an additional $1,000 in 2024 through his company, Sr. Valdes Cigars. He also donated $1,000 to Díaz-Balart's campaigns in 2018 and $2,000 in 2024. U.S. authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), identified Valdés Pérez as a Cuban intelligence asset tasked with infiltrating exile organizations since at least the 1990s. He was arrested on July 10 at Miami International Airport and deported to Guatemala on August 7, after authorities determined he fraud...
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Key Figure in $250 Million Elder Fraud Scheme Arrested at JFK Airport

Key Figure in $250 Million Elder Fraud Scheme Arrested at JFK Airport

Muzamil Ahmed, 35, described by prosecutors as a central figure in an international fraud network that defrauded older Americans of over $250 million, was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Ahmed was attempting to board a flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, when he was detained on outstanding Tarrant County warrants. The scheme involved scammers contacting older victims, claiming their bank accounts or personal information were compromised, and pressuring them to withdraw savings. Victims were then instructed to buy gold or Bitcoin, or prepare cash for couriers posing as federal agents. Prosecutors allege Ahmed's role was in laundering the stolen proceeds through shell corporations, funneling money via a gold refinery, converting assets into cryptocurrency, and moving the funds out of the United States. The investigation has identified over 200 victims and resulted in more than 40 indictments.
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Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese village kill 12, plus other key Mideast developments

Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese village kill 12, plus other key Mideast developments

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli airstrikes on a southern Lebanese village have killed 12 people including two children
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Mohammed Al Turki Makes Acting Debut Alongside Henry Cavill in Guy Ritchie Film

Mohammed Al Turki Makes Acting Debut Alongside Henry Cavill in Guy Ritchie Film

Mohammed Al Turki Makes Acting Debut Alongside Henry Cavill in Guy Ritchie Film
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Israeli airstrikes hit a Lebanese village, killing 9, and other Mideast developments

Israeli airstrikes hit a Lebanese village, killing 9, and other Mideast developments

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli airstrikes on a southern Lebanese village have killed nine people including a child
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Oil prices hold near six-week highs on US-Iran attacks

Oil prices hold near six-week highs on US-Iran attacks

By Shadia Nasralla LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Oil prices were near six-week highs on Monday, creeping closer to $100 a barrel, as tit-for-tat strikes between the U.S. and Iran on vessels sailing in the Strait of Hormuz and other areas kept crude oil flows in the Middle East low.
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John McGuire Placed Undercover to Expose CIA Mole James Nicholson

John McGuire Placed Undercover to Expose CIA Mole James Nicholson

In 1995, a Russian source informed the CIA that a mole was leaking classified U.S. operations details. The FBI, in collaboration with the CIA, initiated an urgent internal investigation. The search was narrowed to a few officers with access to the compromised information, with James Nicholson emerging as the prime suspect. Nicholson, a 45-year-old intelligence officer and instructor at the CIA's training academy, was polygraphed multiple times. The polygraph examiner noted signs of deception and attempts to cheat the test, solidifying Nicholson's status as the primary target. To catch Nicholson, the FBI devised a plan to place an undercover agent directly in his path. John McGuire, a field officer who had been sidelined to an administrative post, was strategically positioned to become Nicholson's deputy. McGuire's placement was a deliberate move by the FBI to have him spy on Nicholson from within the agency. This marked the beginning of a unique 'spy versus spy' operation within the CIA, aiming to gather i...
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FBI Investigates Potential Dark Web Sale of Millions of U.S. Drivers' Licenses

FBI Investigates Potential Dark Web Sale of Millions of U.S. Drivers' Licenses

The FBI is currently investigating the potential theft and sale of over 153 million digital scans of drivers' licenses from individuals in the United States and Canada on the dark web. This incident was initially reported by cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs through his blog, Krebs on Security. Krebs stated that he was able to verify the authenticity of at least nine drivers' licenses advertised for sale on a site called Nexus. Following Krebs' report on September 2, the Nexus site reportedly disappeared from the dark web. The source of this significant data breach remains unclear, but Krebs has indicated that Louisiana-based ID-verification company idscan.net could be a potential origin. Idscan.net provides services to various large organizations, including Hertz, Target, FedEx, and the United States Coast Guard. A spokesperson for idscan.net has confirmed that the company is investigating the issue. USA TODAY has not independently verified Krebs' assertions and has reached out to idscan.net for further co...
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Eight Nations Condemn Israeli Officials' Statements on Forced Displacement of Palestinians from Gaza

Eight Nations Condemn Israeli Officials' Statements on Forced Displacement of Palestinians from Gaza

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt have issued a joint statement condemning recent remarks by Israeli officials concerning the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, these statements, described as 'incitement,' are considered a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and pose a threat to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The condemnation follows a presentation by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz of a seven-year plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, which they termed 'voluntary emigration.' The eight nations explicitly rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians, whether within or outside the occupied Palestinian territories, regardless of the justification, and warned against such actions becoming official policy. They emphasized that the Gaza Strip is a...
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Spanish Government Assumes Control of Ceuta Port to House Migrants After Local Refusal

Spanish Government Assumes Control of Ceuta Port to House Migrants After Local Refusal

The Spanish Government, through a resolution from the Ministry of Transport, has taken control of the port of Ceuta to establish temporary facilities for approximately 1,000 migrants. This decision follows the Ceuta Executive's refusal to cede the requested 16,000 square meters of port service area. The State Secretariat for Migrations had initially requested the space until December 2026 for humanitarian aid purposes, including the installation of tents, medical facilities, and social intervention areas. The local Port Authority's Administrative Council rejected this request, citing incompatibility with normal port operations. However, the Ministry of Transport invoked Article 73.3 of the State Ports and Merchant Marine Law, citing 'exceptional circumstances' and 'reasons of general interest linked to national security' to authorize the temporary use of the area. The Ceuta government, led by Juan Jesús Vivas, has criticized this move as a 'grave error,' arguing that the port is a critical infrastructure a...
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Equinox Resort Opens First International Location in Saudi Arabia's AMAALA Destination

Equinox Resort Opens First International Location in Saudi Arabia's AMAALA Destination

Equinox Resort Opens First International Location in Saudi Arabia's AMAALA Destination
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Local Water Providers Respond to Nationwide Cybersecurity Threats Targeting Water Systems

Local Water Providers Respond to Nationwide Cybersecurity Threats Targeting Water Systems

Water providers across Tennessee are enhancing their cybersecurity measures in response to a series of nationwide threats targeting water entities in at least 12 states. The FBI and Environmental Protection Agency issued a public service announcement on July 30, warning the Water and Wastewater System sector about 'malicious cyber actors.' Incidents reported in Minnesota and other states between July 26-27 involved hackers targeting publicly exposed programmable logic controllers (PLCs), modifying passwords, and changing IP addresses to disconnect equipment, leading to loss of monitoring and control. Some facilities reported modified PLC project files, and operational effects included loss of pressure and flooding. While agencies have not officially attributed these attacks to ongoing conflicts, similar cyberattacks in 2023 and 2024 were linked to the CyberAv3ngers, a group associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.