International

Three empty buses exploded in Bat Yam, on the southern edge of Tel Aviv, in what Israeli police have called a "suspected terror attack." The blasts occurred in parking lots on Thursday night, with no reported casualties. Police also discovered devices on two other buses that failed to detonate. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the military to launch "an intensive operation against centres of terrorism" in the occupied West Bank.

New FBI director Kash Patel has vowed to "rebuild" trust in the bureau as he becomes the first Indian-American to lead the country’s premier law enforcement agency after being confirmed by the US Senate.

The Republican-led Senate narrowly voted to confirm 44-year-old Patel on Thursday. 

The Senate voted 51 to 49 to confirm Patel. Two Republicans, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voted against his confirmation. The nomination faced intense scrutiny from Democrats on Capitol Hill who have warned that Patel is poised to use the position to seek retribution against Donald Trump’s perceived political enemies.

In his confirmation hearings, Patel also denied keeping a list of "deep state" enemies, while playing down controversial past remarks he had made such as referring to law enforcement officials who investigated Trump as "criminal gangsters".

Patel takes the helm of an FBI in flux after the justice department forced out some of its top officials and demanded the names of agents who investigated the 2021 riot by Trump supporters at the US Capitol.