Good morning evening, everyone. Thank you for standing with me through all the craziness. Apologies for the late report this evening, we got in a bit of a fender bender driving so it’s been a bit chaotic, but we are all good, and the news continues!
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With that, here’s the news:
Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is considering resigning after a heated confrontation with Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of the Epstein memo, amid growing tensions between the FBI and DOJ; Bongino was accused of leaking claims that DOJ blocked the release of key Epstein information.
The controversy centers on a DOJ memo denying the existence of an Epstein “client list” or evidence of murder, which enraged many Trump supporters; Bongino had touted surveillance footage as definitive proof Epstein wasn’t murdered, but public scrutiny over a missing minute in the video sparked backlash.
Bondi has faced mounting criticism from Trump allies, including over a White House event featuring already-public documents; despite denials from DOJ and the White House of internal division, Bongino’s absence from work Friday fueled speculation of his departure.
The DOJ released nearly 11 hours of “raw” surveillance footage from outside Jeffrey Epstein’s cell, intended to dispel conspiracy theories about his death — but metadata analysis by Wired and experts revealed the video had been processed using Adobe Premiere Pro, likely stitched from multiple clips and saved repeatedly, raising new questions.
Video experts say the editing doesn’t necessarily indicate manipulation, but the lack of a clear explanation for using professional software to assemble supposedly “raw” footage adds ambiguity and is likely to fuel further speculation.
The release follows a joint DOJ-FBI memo reiterating Epstein’s death was a suicide, despite months of build-up from Attorney General Pam Bondi; the footage, including an “enhanced” version, was used to support that conclusion — though both versions contain signs of post-processing.
Since Kash Patel became FBI director, the FBI has significantly increased the use of lie-detector tests on its own employees — asking senior staff in interviews and polygraphs whether they've said anything negative about Patel.
U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan admitted he doesn’t know the fate of eight men deported to South Sudan, a country most of them have no connection to, under a Trump policy allowing removals to third countries; the men—convicted of violent crimes—include individuals from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico, and were transferred after two Supreme Court rulings upheld such deportations.
Donald Trump visited Kerrville, Texas with Governor Greg Abbott to survey flood damage and receive briefings from first responders; the area is a Republican stronghold hit hard by deadly flooding.
As Trump visits Texas to survey flash flood damage, the White House has quietly backed away from plans to abolish FEMA, according to officials.
Trump praised local and state officials repeatedly, refusing to assign blame or address why residents received no emergency warnings before the floods — drawing comparisons to George W. Bush’s “heck of a job” moment during Hurricane Katrina.
Trump called a reporter “evil” for asking about the lack of warnings, dismissing the question and saying, “Only a very evil person would ask a question like that,” while continuing to praise officials for their response.
Wildfires are raging across 11 western states, forcing evacuations at Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Arizona’s Grand Canyon North Rim, as extreme heat, dry conditions, and wind fuel fast-moving blazes; officials warn the public to exercise caution as over 11,000 firefighters battle 36 uncontained fires nationwide.
Ovidio Guzmán López, son of “El Chapo,” pleaded guilty to U.S. drug trafficking, firearms, and money laundering charges, becoming the first of the "Chapitos" to strike a plea deal; his cooperation may provide U.S. authorities with a rare insider view of the Sinaloa cartel’s operations and impact sentencing, while drawing criticism from Mexico’s president over perceived contradictions in U.S. cartel policy.
India’s preliminary investigation into the fatal Air India crash that killed 260 people found that both fuel switches on the Boeing 787-8’s engines shifted from “run” to “cutoff” within seconds of each other; cockpit audio captured one pilot asking the other why he cut off fuel, with the reply denying doing so — raising serious questions as the probe into the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade continues.
Good News:
A dog named Rocky saved an entire village in northern India, alerting his owner to an impending landslide in the middle of the night on June 26; his warning allowed 22 families in Siyathi, Himachal Pradesh, to flee just before a wave of mud and debris destroyed most of their homes—leaving all 67 residents alive thanks to Rocky’s instincts.
Underwater wind turbines in Scotland's MayGen project have set a new industry record, generating uninterrupted power for over 6 years without maintenance; the success of this 6 MWh tidal energy site—powering 7,000 homes—boosts investor confidence in marine energy, a constant and untapped renewable source now proving its durability in harsh ocean conditions.
Japanese and Taiwanese scientists successfully paddled a replica Paleolithic canoe 140 miles across the East China Sea, navigating powerful currents like the Kuroshio using only ancient tools and natural cues, to test how early humans may have reached Japan's southern islands—offering new insights into Pacific migration through experimental archaeology.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
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