Emails released by the House Oversight Committee reveal how Jeffrey Epstein maintained connections with influential figures despite his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. The documents, spanning at least a decade, show Epstein's interactions with business executives, reporters, academics, and political players. Some supported him during legal troubles, while others sought introductions or advice. The emails do not implicate his contacts in crimes but illustrate his influence. Epstein was charged with sex trafficking in 2019 and died in jail a month later.
From
To
The leader of a nonpartisan organization has announced that he will take over the Georgia election interference case against President Donald Trump and others. This follows the removal of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the case. The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia was tasked with finding a new leader after Willis was disqualified due to an “appearance of impropriety.” The organization’s executive director, Pete Skandalakis, said Friday that he would handle the case himself. While action against Trump is unlikely while he is president, 14 others, including Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani, still face charges.
Thousands of documents released by the House Oversight Committee offer a new glimpse into what Jeffery Epstein’s relationships with business executives, reporters, academics and political players looked like over a decade. They start with messages he sent and received around the time he finished serving his Florida sentence in 2009 and continue until the months before his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019. During that time, Epstein’s network was eclectic, spanning the globe and political affiliations: from the liberal academic Noam Chomsky to Steve Bannon, the longtime ally of President Donald Trump. The emails don’t implicate his contacts in those alleged crimes.
New prosecutor to take on Georgia election case against Trump and others after courts removed DA Fani Willis.
Pakistan's government says it has arrested four militants over their alleged involvement in a deadly suicide bombing outside a district court in the capital. Friday's announcement is a breakthrough in an investigation launched after the attack killed 12 people and wounded 28 others Tuesday. The government says the men were Pakistani Taliban members. They were detained in a joint operation by the Intelligence Bureau and the Counter-Terrorism Department. The government alleges one of the suspects handled the suicide bomber. The arrests came a day after Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Afghan nationals carried out suicide bombings in Islamabad and northwest Pakistan earlier this week.
AP Wire
The United States’ most advanced aircraft carrier is expected to reach the waters off Venezuela in days. It's a stark flex of American military power not seen in Latin America for generations. Some experts foresee warplanes catapulting off the USS Gerald R Ford to strike targets in Venezuela unless authoritarian President Nicholas Maduro resigns. But whatever happens, experts say the Trump administration is sending a message to the Western Hemisphere. The Ford is being deployed after the Trump administration said the U.S. is an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. Since September, the U.S. has killed 76 people in 19 strikes against alleged drug boats.
Gaza health officials say they have received the bodies of 15 Palestinians returned by Israel.
AP Wire
Paris is marking the 10th anniversary of terrorist attacks that killed 132 people and injured hundreds. The attacks on November 13, 2015, included gunfire at cafés, explosions at a stadium, and a massacre at the Bataclan concert hall. The events reshaped France’s sense of safety, leading to both hardened security and a deeper sense of solidarity. Thursday’s commemorations included tributes led by President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo at each attack site. A new memorial garden was inaugurated. The bells of Notre Dame Cathedral and other Paris churches rang out in remembrance.
AP Wire
The company that makes OxyContin, members of the Sackler family who own it and many groups that sued over its role in the opioid crisis are asking a judge to approve a settlement plan. Some individuals are objecting, but opposition to the plan has been mostly subdued. Under the deal, members of the wealthy family will pay up to $7 billion. State and local governments will receive most of it to address addiction. But thousands are expected to be available for victims who can show they were prescribed the powerful painkiller. An approval could end years of legal battles.
AP Wire
Charlotte, North Carolina, is the latest U.S. city preparing for a potential immigration crackdown by the Trump administration. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said Thursday that federal officials plan to deploy U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents as early as this weekend. Details of the operation remain undisclosed, and local authorities have not been asked to assist. President Donald Trump has defended sending federal agents and the military into Democratic-run cities to combat crime and enforce deportation policies. Local activists and officials say they are preparing the immigrant community by sharing resources and trying to calm fears.