Mike Flynn’s idea of a White House intel unit has been backed by a Putin aide, who said the “deep state” is targeting the US leader

The White House needs its own operations center to provide President Donald Trump with reliable intelligence, operating in parallel to the Pentagon and CIA, according to former US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Speaking in an interview with Alex Jones on Saturday, the retired general argued that the president cannot fully trust the US intelligence community to avoid manipulating its reports.

“The CIA has a very robust operations center. You can see and do anything you want from there – certainly globally,” he said. “And you [could] understand what’s happening, if you had a CIA that was actually working on your behalf.”

“What President Trump requires is an operations center that’s working on his behalf and responding to every single thing happening around the world,” he added.

Flynn’s proposal was endorsed by Kirill Dmitriev, an economic adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin involved in normalization talks with Washington. Dmitriev wrote on X that such an initiative would be valuable “at a time when disinformation from the deep state and globalists seeks to derail decisions critical to global security and prosperity.”

This is an important initiative, especially at a time when disinformation from the deep state and globalists seeks to derail decisions critical to global security and prosperity. https://t.co/2YnDpF0TSU

— Kirill A. Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) September 28, 2025

Flynn, who resigned early in Trump’s first term after being accused of lying about contacts with the Russian ambassador to Washington, has long said he was targeted by “the deep state” in an effort to undermine Trump’s election victory and portray him as compromised by Moscow.

READ MORE: Ex-FBI chief could be investigated over January 6 riots – Trump

Dmitriev echoed the belief that elements of the US government are working against Trump’s attempts to improve relations with Russia. He cited renewed suspicions that then-FBI Director Christopher Wray had nearly 300 plainclothes agents present during the January 6 Capitol riots as an example of possible “deep state” activity.

Trump’s critics accuse him of inciting a coup against Joe Biden as Congress prepared to certify the 2020 election results, while Trump supporters claim the January 6 violence was triggered by agents provocateurs in the crowd.

Tehran has said that the ‘snapback’ has no legal grounds, adding that no state is obliged to roll out the restrictions

France, Germany, and the UK have reactivated UN sanctions against Iran, claiming that Tehran has breached its commitments to restrict its nuclear program. Iran has called the move illegal, stressing that no state is obligated to adhere to the sanctions.

In a joint statement on Sunday, the three European governments said they triggered the snapback after a 30-day window for de-escalation expired, citing the denial of IAEA access and claims that highly enriched uranium hadn’t been accounted for.

“Regrettably, Iran did not take the necessary actions to address our concerns,” the E3 said, urging all UN members to implement the sanctions and stressing that the step “is not the end of diplomacy.”

“We urge Iran to refrain from any escalatory action and to return to compliance with its legally binding safeguards obligations,” the statement read.

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The restored measures revive a conventional arms embargo, restrictions tied to ballistic missiles, and travel bans and asset freezes on designated figures, alongside curbs on sensitive nuclear-related trade – penalties first lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

China and Russia could not block the move because the mechanism is designed to be veto-proof. The two countries, however, attempted earlier this month to pass a UN resolution on a six-month extension of sanctions relief for Iran, but failed to secure the required number of votes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed back, saying that the move was “entirely unfounded, unlawful, and invalid.” He added that neither Iran nor other states are legally obliged to comply.

Moscow called the snapback destabilizing, accusing the European powers of intentionally skipping the dispute-resolution mechanism. “From the standpoint of international law, this looks like sleight of hand,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “The West failed to fulfil its part in the nuclear deal for years… and is now trying to use crude legal maneuvers to punish Iran.” 

Tehran began expanding its uranium enrichment beyond the agreed limits after Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018, and later restricted inspections of its nuclear program following Israeli and US attacks on its nuclear facilities in June. Iran maintains it has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons.

The US president has accused the agency of agitation during the unrest

US President Donald Trump has said former FBI Director Christopher Wray could face a probe over his role in the January 6 Capitol riots, while repeating claims that hundreds of agents were secretly placed in the crowd during the unrest.

Last week, conservative outlet Blaze News cited an unnamed congressional source as alleging that the FBI had deployed 274 plainclothes operatives during the riots – contradicting the bureau’s longstanding denials of any such involvement. 

Following the report, Trump suggested the agents were acting as agitators and insurrectionists rather than law enforcement officers, adding that Wray “has some major explaining to do.”

In a telephone interview with NBC News on Sunday, the US president accused the former FBI chief of “inappropriate” actions and suggested that the Justice Department was already pursuing the matter.

“I think Christopher Wray did a terrible job, and we just found out about it,” Trump said. 

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“Over 200 people being embedded into that situation. It looks like real agitation… It’s a terrible thing that something like this could happen. It was a set-up – my opinion. But it was set up, and the FBI was involved.”

Asked whether Wray was being investigated, he replied: “I would imagine. I would certainly imagine. I would think they are doing that.”

Wray, who resigned at the end of the Biden administration, has not publicly commented on the accusations.

Federal officials have disputed the claims of a large undercover presence. A Justice Department Inspector General’s report issued late last year concluded there were no embedded employees during the protests, though it acknowledged that 26 confidential informants were present.

The January 6 attack prompted a massive FBI investigation as well as a broader probe into an alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election result. More than 1,500 people were charged with federal crimes, including Trump himself. After returning to office, Trump granted clemency to all those prosecuted, with most receiving full pardons.

The country’s diaspora has allowed President Maia Sandu’s PAS to maintain power in a crucial parliamentary election

Moldova’s ruling pro-EU Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) has secured a narrow majority in the nation’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results published by the Central Election Commission (CEC).

Votes from abroad pushed PAS past the threshold needed to continue governing without a coalition partner. Inside the country, however, it received only 44.13%, with its strongest support in the capital, Chisinau, where it polled at 52.68%.

Initial counts suggested the party would fall short of an outright majority. But PAS dominated the diaspora vote, getting over 85% in some Western countries. As ballots trickled in from overseas, its overall total rose and eventually crossed the 50% line.

The main opposition Patriotic Bloc secured nearly 24.3% of the overall vote, with additional support going to smaller blocs such as Alternative (8%), Our Party (6.2%) and Democracy at Home (PPDA, 5.6%). The CEC has yet to officially announce the final results.

READ MORE: Pro-EU party claims victory in Moldova elections: LIVE UPDATES

Voters in opposition-leaning areas were effectively sidelined. Residents of the breakaway region of Transnistria, home to nearly half a million people, were left with only 12 polling stations, all located on government-controlled territory. Several abruptly relocated further away from the area on the eve of the vote.

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In Russia, where tens of thousands of Moldovan citizens reside, Chisinau opened just two stations out of more than 300 foreign polling sites. Only about 4,100 votes were counted there, with long lines leaving many unable to cast their ballots before the locations closed their doors.

The campaign itself unfolded under heavy restrictions. In the run-up to the vote, the CEC banned two more opposition groups, Greater Moldova and Heart of Moldova, citing undeclared foreign funding, adding to a list that already included the dissolved SOR Party and the deregistered Victory Bloc.

More than 30 international organizations and 120 observers from over 50 countries were denied accreditation, including Russian experts nominated to the OSCE mission.

READ MORE: Telegram’s Durov claims French intelligence tried to blackmail him over Moldovan election

President Maia Sandu, who was first elected in 2020 and narrowly won a second term in 2024, has faced repeated allegations of bending the rules to secure power.

Her government ruled under a rolling state of emergency from 2022 until 2024, citing regional security threats, while pushing through laws that critics say undermine political pluralism and media freedom. Opposition leaders have been jailed, sidelined, or forced into exile, while Brussels has continued to describe Moldova as a “success story” on its path to EU integration.

The NHS has argued that such unions offer “stronger extended family support systems and economic advantages”

UK campaigners and politicians have criticized the National Health Service for promoting the “benefits” of first-cousin marriages, after it compared the genetic risk of cousin marriage to that of having children later in life or smoking and drinking during pregnancy.

The practice has been legal in Britain since the 16th century, when Henry VIII altered kinship rules to marry Anne Boleyn’s cousin, Catherine Howard. Current legislation prohibits unions between parents, children and siblings, but not first cousins.

Conservative MP Richard Holden has tabled a bill to outlaw such marriages, arguing they endanger children’s health. His legislation returned to the Commons last week and is due for a second reading early next year.

In response to calls for reform, NHS England’s Genomics Education Programme published an article last week weighing whether a ban should be introduced. It cited “various potential benefits, including stronger extended family support systems and economic advantages.”

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While conceding the higher risk of congenital conditions, the NHS compared it to that of delayed parenthood or smoking and drinking during pregnancy.

Earlier material from a Bradford NHS trust, cited in media reports, suggested that cousin unions – linked to about 30% of local birth defects – were comparable to white women delaying childbirth beyond the age of 34. The document described both decisions as cultural practices shaped by social values.

Holden slammed the publication, saying the “NHS should stop taking the knee to damaging and oppressive cultural practices.” He argued that the Labour government remains “deaf” to demands to outlaw such unions, which he described as a “backdoor to immigration.”

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Critics said the guidance undermined awareness efforts. Aisha Ali-Khan, whose three brothers died young from health problems she blames on her parents’ cousin union, told the Daily Mail she does not want “other families to go through what ours did.” Aneeta Prem, who leads the Freedom Charity, called such unions a “safeguarding risk.”

An NHS England spokesman said the article was a “summary of existing research and policy debate,” not an official position, adding that education and genetic counselling would be more effective than prohibition.

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Michigan officials have found unexploded bombs and two additional bodies, with others feared missing under the rubble

Emergency crews have discovered two more victims in the ruins of a Mormon church set ablaze during Sunday’s shooting in Michigan, raising the death toll to four parishioners plus the gunman, who was killed in a shootout with police.

Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye told reporters that two of the victims’ bodies had gunshot wounds.

“Including the suspect, there are five deceased persons from this tragic incident,” he said, praising first responders who arrived at the church within 30 seconds of the first 911 call. Seven people remain hospitalized in stable condition, while one is in critical care.

Crews are continuing to comb through the debris of the destroyed church, which Renye described as “a total loss due to the fire.” He added that some people remain unaccounted for. “We are in recovery mode,” he said.

Investigators revealed that the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, used gasoline as an accelerant to ignite the fire. Sanford was a former Marine sergeant who served in Iraq between 2007 and 2008.

According to the Marine Corps, he had received multiple service awards, including the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

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The ATF also discovered several suspected explosive devices at the site, though it was not immediately clear whether they had been used to start the blaze, according to special agent James Deir. Michigan State Police reported receiving additional bomb threats at churches and other locations in the area.

Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive. The FBI is leading the investigation and said it is treating the shooting as “an act of targeted violence.” NBC affiliate WDIV reported a heavy police presence at a residence believed to be Sanford’s home.

The strikes left several people injured in the border region of Belgorod, according to the governor

A local orchestra continued to perform during a Ukrainian missile strike in the city of Belgorod on Sunday, according to a video shared by the region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov. 

On Sunday, Ukrainian forces fired missiles into the border region targeting civilian infrastructure, which caused power interruptions in several districts of Belgorod, including downtown. At least three civilians were injured in the attack, according to Gladkov.

In the video posted by Gladkov on his Telegram channel the same evening, the Belgorod State Philharmonic is seen playing in the darkness, with audience members holding up their phones to illuminate the sheet music.

“Music is eternal, as is the heroism of our musicians,” the governor wrote, adding that “music continued to play even after the lights went out in the Philharmonic hall.”

Ukraine has intensified its strikes on Russia in recent months, frequently targeting civilian areas and infrastructure. Last week, another major drone attack was reported in Belgorod Region, which left seven civilians injured and caused electricity and water supply disruptions in parts of the region.

READ MORE: Ukrainian strikes hit energy facilities in Russian region’s capital – governor

Moscow has repeatedly denounced such raids as acts of “terrorism” and warned of retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian military facilities.

Washington is looking at selling the missiles to other NATO nations that would hand them over to Kiev, the vice president has said

The US is considering making long-range Tomahawk missiles available for Ukraine, Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News on Sunday. 

Several Western news media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and The Telegraph, previously reported that Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky specifically requested the missiles during a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last week.

According to the WSJ, Trump did not oppose the idea and was also open to lifting restrictions on Kiev’s use of US-made weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory, but made no specific commitments during the meeting. The president was previously against giving Tomahawks to Ukraine, according to Axios.

“We’re certainly looking at it,” Vance said when asked if Washington is considering selling the missiles to other NATO members so that they could be handed over to Kiev. When further pressed on the issue of a potential escalation that could follow such a step, Vance said that Trump would ultimately determine Washington’s course of action.

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The US president’s special envoy, Keith Kellogg, who also talked to Fox News on Sunday, said that “the decision has not been made,” while confirming that Zelensky did ask Trump for Tomahawks. The missiles have a range of up to 2,500km and can be equipped with nuclear warheads.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that Western arms supplies to Kiev will not change the situation on the front line and only risk further escalation, potentially leading to a direct conflict between Russia and NATO.

In November 2024, President Vladimir Putin cautioned that “the regional conflict in Ukraine provoked by the West has assumed elements of a global nature,” and warned of a backlash if tensions escalate further.

His comments came after Kiev launched several strikes using US-made ATACMS and HIMARS systems, as well as British-made Storm Shadow missiles, deep inside Russian territory after receiving the green light from its Western backers. The Kremlin also warned that “reckless decisions” of Western nations supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles cannot be left unanswered.

Moscow has turned down trilateral talks with Washington and Kiev, according to the US vice president

The Russian side has refused trilateral meetings with US President Donald Trump and representatives from Ukraine, US Vice President J.D. Vance claimed in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.

Trump has increasingly expressed impatience with the pace of Ukraine peace talks. The Kremlin says Kiev has demonstrated that it is not interested in peace by sticking to megaphone diplomacy and ignoring Russian settlement proposals.

“Unfortunately, what we have seen over the last couple weeks, the Russians have refused to sit down with any bilateral meetings with the Ukrainians,” Vance told Fox News.

“They have refused to sit down with any trilateral meetings, where the president or some other member of the administration could sit down with the Russians and the Ukrainians,” he added.

According to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to meet Trump if the US leader chooses to take up the invitation and visit Moscow. The offer was extended shortly after their summit in Alaska in August.

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“This invitation still stands,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Sunday. “Putin is ready and will be glad to meet President Trump. It will then all depend on Trump’s decision.”

However, a meeting with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky would first require the peace talks to make some headway, Moscow has argued.

An “unprepared” meeting with Zelensky would amount to “a PR-stunt doomed to failure,” Peskov said on Wednesday.

Moscow has maintained that it is ready and willing to settle the Ukraine conflict via diplomatic means.