Washington DC: US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Kash Patel, a former defence department chief of staff and a staunch ally, to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Patel, who has often criticised the agency, would replace Christopher Wray if confirmed.

Trump praised Patel, calling him a defender of justice and an advocate for accountability and the US Constitution. Patel, a former prosecutor and national security aide, has previously proposed limiting the FBI’s powers and criticised what he refers to as “government tyranny” within the bureau.

The announcement also included nominations for other key positions. Trump named Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff with over 30 years of experience, as the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Additionally, Charles Kushner, a real estate developer and father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was nominated as the ambassador to France.

All three nominations require Senate confirmation.

Patel’s nomination signals Trump's focus on reforming federal agencies. His history with Trump dates back to his role as senior counsel to the House Intelligence Committee during the 2017 investigations into Russian election interference.

The FBI has yet to comment on Patel’s nomination. Current director Wray, appointed by Trump in 2017, has faced criticism from the president-elect over the FBI's handling of investigations related to Trump.

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Lucknow (PTI): Adverse weather forced an IndiGo Kolkata-Patna flight to make an emergency landing at Lucknow airport on Friday, airport sources said.

According to airport officials, weather conditions in Patna deteriorated suddenly on Friday afternoon, affecting flight operations.

IndiGo flight 6E 6917 from Kolkata, which was scheduled to land in Patna at 3.50 pm, could not land due to bad weather and kept circling in the air after failing to get clearance from air traffic control, they said.

The flight was later diverted to Lucknow and landed safely at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport at around 5.15 pm. There were 180 passengers and six crew members on board, officials said.

The aircraft was later allowed to depart for Patna after weather conditions improved.