DHS faces whistleblower claims; new fire at Beirut’s port; second blaze rips through Moria camp
Department of Homeland Security acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli speaks during an event at DHS headquarters in Washington, Sept. 9, 2020.
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An official from the US Department of Homeland Security, Brian Murphy, said in a whistleblower complaint that senior officials pressured him to suppress facts in intelligence reports that President Donald Trump might dislike. The information allegedly included details about possible Russian interference in the upcoming Nov. 3 election and the escalating threat posed by white supremacists in the US.
Murphy accused DHS of forcing him to modify reports to conform to the Trump administration’s political goals, saying he was demoted for not going along with the requested changes and for logging confidential internal complaints about his challenges.
A DHS spokesman denied Murphy’s allegations and said he expected an investigation to “conclude that no retaliatory action was taken.” Rep. Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, described the allegations as “grave and disturbing,” adding that Murphy has been asked to give a deposition to Congress.
Meanwhile, Microsoft recently alerted one of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s main election advisory firms that it had been targeted by Russian state-sponsored hackers. But the attempts reportedly failed to gain access to digital networks for SKDKnickerbocker, the communications outfit advising him.
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Barely a month after a massive blast tore through Beirut’s port, a large fire has engulfed the area once again, sending a huge column of black smoke into the air. The Lebanese army said a storehouse of oil and tires had burst into flames, and a military helicopter was seen on TV dropping water on the fire. There were not yet reports of injuries, except for shortness of breath from smoke inhalation.
And little remained on Thursday of Greece’s overcrowded Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesbos after a second fire overnight destroyed almost everything that had survived the initial blaze. Thousands more people were in need of emergency housing as a result. Smaller fires picked up in the remnants of tents just outside the camp as strong winds blew.
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Listen: Fire destroys Europe’s largest refugee camp on Lesbos
An overnight fire has destroyed the largest refugee camp in Greece — and Europe — displacing more than 12,000 people. And, South African track star Caster Semenya has lost her appeal over a 2018 ruling that would require female athletes with high testosterone levels to medically lower them before competing. Also, a study found that a robot capable of holding basic conversations reduced loneliness and improved mental health for residents at elder care homes in Japan and the UK.
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