Firing continues: Ex-FBI deputy chief McCabe fired jsut before two days of retirement
Washington: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has fired former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, less than two days before his retirement, ending the career of an official who had risen to serve as second-in-command at the bureau, the media reported.
McCabe had more recently been regularly taunted by President Donald Trump and besieged by accusations that he had misled internal investigators at the Justice Department, reports CNN.
In a blistering statement after the announcement late Friday night, McCabe said his firing is part of a larger effort to discredit the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
"This attack on my credibility is one part of a larger effort not just to slander me personally, but to taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more generally.
"It is part of this administration's ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the Special Counsel investigation, which continue to this day. Their persistence in this campaign only highlights the importance of the Special Counsel's work," McCabe said in the statement.
He was expected to retire on Sunday, on his 50th birthday, when he would have become eligible to receive early retirement benefits.
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Saudi Arabia announces first day of Eid-ul-Fitr; Details here
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has announced that Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed on March 20 after the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted.
The moon-sighting committee met and confirmed that the new moon was not visible, leading to the completion of 30 days of Ramzan before the festival. The announcement follows the traditional practice of determining Islamic months based on lunar sighting.
Earlier, the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development had declared that Eid holidays for employees in the private and non-profit sectors would begin from the evening of March 18 and continue for four days, in line with labour regulations.
Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Al Ruzaiqi had said the early announcement was made to help organisations plan work schedules while ensuring employees are able to observe the festival break.
