Latest news with #FBIAcademy
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New head of Salt Lake FBI office made dramatic career shift to be part of the ‘solution'
Mehtab Syed has an impressive resume that includes working for the FBI in some of the nation's biggest cities and the department's most important divisions. That's not bad for a woman who was born in Pakistan, moved to the United States when she was 17 and was working as a financial analyst for a restaurant chain. 'Never in a million years did I ever plan to be an FBI agent,' she told this week. In February, Syed was named as the new head of the FBI's Salt Lake City field office, which also includes Idaho and Montana. Syed's unexpected career change and rapid rise within the FBI began in 2001 after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. 'I was perfectly fine with my degree in finance and doing financial work. But after 9/11, I just wanted to do something different and wanted to be part of a solution instead of part of a problem,' she said. Syed, who is Muslim, was living in New York at the time of the attack. 'You feel shame first because you're Muslim, (and) you see someone doing something so bad, and it kind of reflects who you are. But then I got angry, and I was like, 'Uh-uh, that's not happening.'' She decided to start applying for jobs at FBI field agencies. 'I just wanted to do something,' Syed recalled. But after initially not getting any return calls, Syed actually forgot about her application to the FBI. It wasn't until she came home one day and her son told her the FBI had called. Syed called the number they had left. 'They said, 'Hello, FBI.' I hung up,' she recalled, with a laugh. Syed initially didn't believe the FBI had actually called her about her application. But after talking to her son again, she called them back a second time and before she knew it, she was entering the FBI Academy at age 35. She began working as an agent in the New York field office in 2005 and worked on counterterrorism investigations, was a member of the crisis negotiation team and the rapid deployment team. In 2008, Syed was sent to Islamabad, Pakistan, as acting assistant legal attaché. 'She was responsible for conducting extensive coordination between law enforcement, intelligence, and security services of multiple governments,' according to her bio. In 2015, she was assigned to a similar position in Amman, Jordan, as assistant legal attaché. After Pakistan, she returned to New York, where she was the supervisor of a counterterrorism task force that investigated such groups as Al-Qaeda and ISIS, she said. Then, in 2012, she was asked by her supervisors to work at the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. 'I really didn't want to. But I was being pushed and was told that I need to go and do something different,' she said. Syed continued her counterterrorism work in Washington, but on a more global basis. By 2020, she was working in the Newark, New Jersey, field office as the assistant special agent-in-charge of cyber and counterintelligence. In 2022, she was promoted to section chief of the China Operations II Branch of the Counterintelligence Division at the FBI's headquarters in Washington. By 2023, she was moved to the Los Angeles field office to once again oversee cyber and counterintelligence. Syed also spent some time in Utah for 'survival training' in 2013, she said. And after working for years in some of the nation's biggest cities, she recently requested to return to the Beehive State to fill the job as the special agent-in-charge at the Salt Lake office. 'I like change. I like (a) challenge. I'd never been to Montana before. I'd never been to Idaho, so I came here. And I'm so glad that I did because I'm really enjoying my time here,' she said. She describes her job now as making phone calls to headquarters to make sure her agents in Utah, Idaho and Montana get the resources they need. But she admits that the job in Utah is much different than working in New York or Los Angeles. 'Until I came to Utah, I had no idea how different the Utah territory is than being in New York, LA (and) Newark, because we cover here three different states,' she said. 'So, just the time to go from one resident agency to another takes hours and hours. And don't get me wrong, I'm used to driving for hours. Only 30 miles can take two hours in New York. But it's a different kind of traveling. I have a whole new appreciation for my agents here in Utah and Montana and Idaho. It's different challenges here. 'I think what we need here is more resources, more agents, more professional staff, more intel analysts,' she continued. 'My goal is to bring more resources back to Utah … and Billings and Idaho. We need more agents here.' Rather than counterterrorism, she said some of the main priorities in Utah are going after gangs, cartels and drug traffickers and protecting citizens, while also lending technical support and intel to other federal and local agencies to assist with their investigations. 'Whatever the priority is do, that's what we do,' she said.
Boston Globe
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
J.J. Abrams returns to TV with ‘Duster,' a fun, '70s-set crime thriller
Nina Hayes (Rachel Hilson) is barely out of the FBI Academy when she pleads with her supervisors to be transferred to the Phoenix field office, so that she can head up the investigation into local crime boss Ezra Saxton (Keith David). She has more than a professional interest in Saxton, since she holds him responsible for the murder of her father, a onetime Saxton employee. Nina uses a similar personal connection to rope in Saxton's courier Jim Ellis (Josh Holloway), offering him evidence that the death of his brother while working for Saxton years earlier was no accident. Advertisement Keith David in "Duster." James Van Evers/Max Advertisement It's a classic buddy-cop setup, with the wary partners who grow to respect each other drawn, in this case, from opposite sides of the law, and Abrams and Morgan don't try to reinvent the formula. Unlike past Abrams shows that were focused on delivering consistent shocking reveals, 'Duster' proceeds in familiar fashion, although that doesn't make it less compelling. Abrams and Morgan populate Phoenix's underworld with a variety of appealingly offbeat characters, and they incorporate their 1970s pop-culture influences without turning the show into an empty pastiche. From her very first scene, Nina is fighting an uphill battle against both racism and sexism in the FBI, and the show never pretends that being such a pioneering agent would be easy. At the same time, Nina's confidence in her own abilities rarely wavers, and she doesn't back down when faced with dismissals and refusals from her bosses and colleagues. 'Pam Grier, eat your [expletive] heart out,' goes a typical response to Nina's swagger, and 'Duster' pays homage to Blaxploitation in its fashion and music choices, and by placing Black characters front and center among both cops and criminals. David brings his signature suave presence to Saxton, who never draws attention to his race but also revels in beating down a bunch of redneck bikers who hassle him when he and Jim stop at a roadside bar. 'Duster' isn't interested in grand social commentary, but these characters make a statement simply by existing in their specific time and place. Advertisement Mostly, though, 'Duster' (named after Jim's bright red muscle car) is just high-octane fun, with plenty of car chases, shootouts, and dangerous dudes with names like Mad Raoul, Sunglasses, and Enrique the Blade. Holloway, who's struggled to find the right role since his time as resident antihero Sawyer on 'Lost,' fits perfectly into the part of the tough but kind-hearted Jim, who accepts the brutal violence that goes along with Saxton's operation but is more focused on creating a brighter future for his young daughter. Even with Nina, his bluster is clearly a cover for his compassion and eventual affection. Hilson and Holloway have great banter-filled chemistry, but it's a relief that they're never forced into a hook-up. The same goes for Nina's relationship with her eager young partner Awan (Asivak Koostachin), whose half-Navajo heritage brands him as another FBI outsider. 'Duster' is full of camaraderie but light on romance, although Jim frequently wakes up next to anonymous women before making a discreet exit. The early humor fades a bit as the eight-episode season progresses, and Nina and Jim get deeper into their operation, but 'Duster' remains fast-paced and clever. Three separate episodes rely on Abrams's frequent 'Alias' narrative device of in medias res openings that then double back to several hours earlier, and the motivations of all the competing factions get a little muddled by the end of the season. Still, with its choice needle drops, vibrant desert setting, and charming characters, 'Duster' is breezy, low-impact entertainment. Abrams's name-brand value holds up. DUSTER Starring: Josh Holloway, Rachel Hilson, Keith David. On Max Advertisement
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Photo appears to show 'core values' mural painted over at FBI Academy. Here's what we know
A rumor circulating online in late January and early February 2025 claimed a photograph authentically captured a person painting over a "core values" mural at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Its destruction was linked to President Donald Trump's executive orders in January 2025 that reversed years of work to increase diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the federal government. On X, a user posted a photograph of the wall, which featured words such as "diversity," "fairness," and "compassion." The post's caption reads: "This photograph was taken two days ago at the FBI Academy in Quantico and submitted to the NYT under the condition of anonymity. If a picture is usually worth a thousand words, this one is worth millions." The photograph was also posted on TikTok and Reddit, and Snopes readers sent us an example with an alternative caption claiming it was "from a friend" who worked in government. (Snopes reader) The New York Times published the photograph on Jan. 30, 2025, saying it had been given to the newspaper as a "glimpse of some of the changes underway at the F.B.I., specifically the F.B.I. Academy at Quantico." The Daily Beast also reported the story, as did LGBTQ+ news site PinkNews, and websites for TV stations such as FOX 12 Oregon and WNEM in Saginaw, Michigan. However, the FBI told Snopes via email that it could not authenticate that the photograph was taken at the federal agency's academy in Quantico where special agents, intelligence analysts and law enforcement partners train. The FBI spokesperson said the agency was "fully complying" with Trump's executive order regarding DEI programs, stating: As a result, Diversity has been removed from the FBI's list of organizational Core Values. Visual and informational materials promoting Diversity as a Core Value are being removed from FBI space. The removal of non-record visual and informational materials regarding the FBI's Core Values is indicative of a need to update these materials and in no way violates our lawful records retention obligations under the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Furthermore, while Diversity is no longer an organizational Core Value for our employees, the FBI continues its work to serve and protect all Americans. We have reached out to The New York Times to ask how they were able to publish that the photograph was taken in the training academy in Quantico and will update this story if we get a response. Alvarado, Amanda. "FBI Paints over Core Values Wall to Comply with Trump Administration DEI Rollback." Fox 12 Oregon, 3 Feb. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. ---. "FBI Paints over Core Values Wall to Comply with Trump Administration DEI Rollback." WNEM, 3 Feb. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. Archacki, Liam. "Trump Admin Paints over FBI's DEI Values in Viral Photo." The Daily Beast, 1 Feb. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. dreamforamerica. "Conservatives Are Coming after Fairness, Freedom, Compassion, Diversity, Integrity, Leadership, & Respect in Our Nations Top Law Enforcement Agency." 1 Feb. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing – the White House." The White House, 20 Jan. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. "FBI Paints over Wall Listing Core Values Including "Diversity" Following Trump's DEI Crackdown." PinkNews, 4 Feb. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. Goldman, Adam, et al. "Hearing Highlights: Kash Patel Joins Republicans in Attacking the F.B.I. He Seeks to Lead." The New York Times, 30 Jan. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. Lambert, Zach W. "This Photograph Was Taken Two Days Ago at the FBI Academy in Quantico and Submitted to the NYT under the Condition of Anonymity. If a Picture Is Usually Worth a Thousand Words, This One Is Worth Millions." X (Formerly Twitter), 31 Jan. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025. "Painting over Core Values at the FBI." 31 Jan. 2025, Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Five Ridiculously Petty Things That Have Happened Since Trump Took Office
Donald Trump has been in the White House for two weeks and all hell has broken loose, especially when it comes to his administration's attacks on all things diversity, equity and inclusion. It's caused a spiraling effect in which his own administration — as well as several companies public and private — have felt inclined to alter their branding or language in the interest of keeping Trump and his people happy. Here are five of the smaller, and seemingly very petty, effects of Trump's second term on businesses and agencies. For the first time since February 2021, 'End Racism' will be absent in the end zone during a Super Bowl on Sunday (Feb. 9). The NFL plans to replace it with a couple of different phrases. This news was announced less than a week before the event is held in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome. Just hours after Trump's inauguration, the new administration took down the Spanish-language version of the official White House website. The site, whose former address was , now gives users an 'Error 404' message. Hispanic advocacy groups and others were shocked by the abrupt change. An image obtained by CNN has revealed that the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va. has painted over its core values wall. Once a mural that highlighted values including 'diversity,' 'compassion' and 'integrity,' the wall is now painted gunmetal gray. Just two weeks after President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders with the intent to denigrate trans people, the websites of several government agencies have gotten rid of half of the abbreviation or completely removing web pages that mention LGBTQ people. The State Department is no longer distributing U.S. passports with 'X' gender markers. It also has suspended processing all applications from Americans seeking to update their passports with a new gender marker. This serves as a response to President Donald Trump targeting transgender and nonbinary Americans, including those currently traveling or overseas. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
