Epstein emails: key takeaways from 20,000 pages of newly released files

Convicted sex offender said Trump ‘knew about the girls’ and called president a ‘maniac’ The public disclosure of more than 20,000 pages of newly released documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has reignited a long-running scandal over his relationship with the rich and powerful. Democratic politicians released three emails obtained from Epstein’s estate, … Read more

National parks facing ‘nightmare’ under Trump, warns ex-director of service

Jonathan Jarvis, who led the agency from 2009 to 2017, laid out the dire consequences of not closing parks in shutdown Americans should “raise hell” to protect US national parks through the “nightmare” of Donald Trump’s presidency, according to a former National Park Service director, amid alarm over the impact of the federal government shutdown. … Read more

Epstein sought to restore his reputation after guilty plea, documents reveal

Documents include emails depicting coordinated effort to influence online search results and journalists Jeffrey Epstein and his associates worked to suppress negative press and rebuild his image in the years after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges in Florida of solicitation of prostitution and of solicitation of prostitution with a minor, newly released … Read more

Jeffrey Epstein advised Steve Bannon during 2018 pro-Trump media campaign

Text messages released by US House show convicted sex offender coaching Maga influencer on political messaging The convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein apparently served as a behind-the-scenes adviser to the former Trump official and Maga influencer Steve Bannon during an August 2018 media campaign to defend Trump and his agenda, and to promote Bannon’s media … Read more

Bondi announces investigation into Epstein ties to Trump’s Democratic adversaries

Move diverges from July memo negating need for further inquiries, and comes amid intense Trump campaign to block files Pam Bondi announced on Friday afternoon that she had assigned Jay Clayton, the interim US attorney for the southern district of New York, to lead the investigation into Donald Trump’s political adversaries and their ties to … Read more

Lies, damned lies and AI: the newest way to influence elections may be here to stay

The use of AI-generated campaign videos – labeled or unlabeled – is likely to permeate future US elections The New York City mayoral election may be remembered for the remarkable win of a young democratic socialist, but it was also marked by something that is likely to permeate future elections: the use of AI-generated campaign … Read more

This Palestinian human rights group was sanctioned by Trump. Its chief wishes US allies would take a stand

Shawan Jabarin says US colleagues and funders have distanced themselves from West Bank-based Al-Haq over the sanctions Al-Haq, a leading Palestinian human rights organization based in the West Bank, is not new to adversity. But since the group was sanctioned by the Trump administration in September, its world has shrunk. Today, staff work without pay … Read more

Georgia prosecutor to take over last remaining criminal case against Trump

Pete Skandalakis appointed himself to take over 2020 election interference case from district attorney Fani Willis The only remaining criminal case against Donald Trump has been revived after the head of Georgia’s prosecutor’s council appointed himself to replace Fani Willis, the Fulton county district attorney, who was removed from the election interference case in September. … Read more

AfD hails US ban on European leftwing groups as historians fear crackdown on anti-fascists

German far-right party urges Berlin and other European nations to also designate ‘antifa’ groups as terrorist organisations Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland party has welcomed the US government’s decision to classify a prominent German anti-fascist group and three other European networks as terrorist organisations, calling on Berlin and other European governments to follow the example. … Read more

Jeffrey Epstein and Larry Summers’s exchanges depict relationship as confidants, emails reveal

The child sex offender and the former US treasury secretary shared personal views about politics and relationships A series of exchanges between child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Larry Summers, the former US treasury secretary, showing a relationship as confidants emerged among the emails released by Republican legislators this week in the continuing political turmoil … Read more