Friday, February 13, 2026
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Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem Resigns as DP World Chief Amid Epstein Fallout

Clyde K. Valle
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Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem Resigns as DP World Chief Amid Epstein Fallout

DUBAI — One of the most powerful architects of modern Dubai has fallen. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the billionaire chairman and CEO of logistics titan DP World, resigned with “immediate effect” on Friday following the release of thousands of unredacted emails linking him to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The departure marks the most significant corporate casualty in the Middle East resulting from the “Epstein Files.” Bin Sulayem’s resignation was announced not by the man himself, but through a government decree from the Dubai Media Office, which moved with clinical speed to replace him as the company’s international partners began to flee.

“DP World has announced Essa Kazim as Chairman of its Board of Directors and the appointment of Yuvraj Narayan as Group Chief Executive Officer,” the statement read. The decree made no mention of bin Sulayem’s four-decade legacy.

The ‘Torture Video’ and Lewd Exchanges

The pressure on bin Sulayem reached a breaking point earlier this week after U.S. Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) reviewed unredacted Department of Justice files. The documents revealed a “deeply intimate and disturbing” correspondence between the ports mogul and Epstein that spanned over 15 years—continuing long after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.

Among the most damaging revelations:

  • The 2009 Email: Epstein reportedly wrote to bin Sulayem, “Where are you? Are you ok? I loved the torture video.” While the context of the video remains unknown, investigators have flagged the exchange as “highly irregular.”
  • Sexual Boasts: In 2015, bin Sulayem allegedly emailed Epstein about a “fresh 100% female Russian” on his yacht and described a sexual encounter with a former student in Dubai as “the best sex I ever had.”
  • Logistical Favors: The files suggest bin Sulayem helped arrange for one of Epstein’s “masseuses” to be trained at a luxury hotel in Turkey to ensure “better experiences” for the financier.

A Multibillion-Dollar Exodus

While Dubai is often resistant to Western social pressure, the economic reality of the scandal became impossible to ignore. This week, two of DP World’s most critical financial lifelines pulled the plug:

  1. British International Investment (BII): The UK government’s development arm suspended all future ventures with the firm, citing “grave concerns” over the leadership’s character.
  2. La Caisse (CDPQ): Canada’s second-largest pension fund, a massive partner in DP World’s global port terminals, followed suit, halting all new investment plans until a leadership change was made.

Following Friday’s resignation, BII issued a terse statement “welcoming” the decision and signaling a willingness to resume African trading port projects under the new leadership of Essa Kazim, the current Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre.

The Architect of the Palms

Bin Sulayem’s fall is particularly jarring given his role in building the very fabric of Dubai. As the former head of Nakheel, he oversaw the creation of the world-famous Palm Jumeirah islands and the “World” archipelago. He transformed DP World from a local port operator into a global behemoth that handles 10% of the world’s container traffic, with operations spanning 80 ports from London Gateway to Vancouver.

In the UK, he was a polarizing but essential figure, famously clashing with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh in 2024 over worker protections at P&O Ferries, a DP World subsidiary. He eventually secured a handshake deal with Prime Minister Keir Starmer after threatening to pull a £1 billion investment.

What Happens Next?

The new leadership team—Kazim as Chairman and Narayan (the long-time CFO) as CEO—faces the monumental task of de-linking the DP World brand from the Epstein shadow.

  • The Audit: Internal compliance teams are expected to review all “consultancy” fees paid out during bin Sulayem’s tenure to ensure no company funds were funneled into Epstein-related entities.
  • The Partners: DP World will spend the coming weeks on a “diplomatic charm offensive” to reassure sovereign wealth funds and Western pension boards that the “Bin Sulayem era” is officially closed.

As the sun sets over the Jebel Ali port, the man who once helped build the future of the Emirates finds himself a ghost in his own city. In the high-stakes world of global logistics, it seems even a “King of the Ports” can be sunk by the weight of a 15-year-old email chain.

Looming DHS Shutdown Threatens Spring Break Air Travel Chaos

Nancy Clayson
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Looming DHS Shutdown Threatens Spring Break Air Travel Chaos

As the clock ticks toward a midnight Friday deadline, the U.S. travel industry is sounding a frantic alarm: a second partial government shutdown in as many months could turn the nation’s airports into a “pressure cooker” just as the busy spring break season begins.

Unlike the four-day broad government freeze that ended on February 3, this looming lapse is targeted squarely at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If Congress remains deadlocked over a bitter partisan dispute regarding federal immigration enforcement, approximately 61,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees and thousands of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will be forced to work without pay starting Saturday.+1

“Travelers and the U.S. economy cannot afford to have essential TSA personnel working without pay,” a coalition of major carriers and travel groups, including Airlines for America and the U.S. Travel Association, warned in a joint statement. “The risk of unscheduled absences and call-outs will lead to higher wait times and missed flights.”+1

The ‘Essential’ Burden

Under federal law, roughly 95% of the TSA workforce is deemed essential. While these officers are legally required to show up at security checkpoints, the “human toll” of working for an IOU has historically led to a spike in “sick-outs” as lower-paid frontline workers struggle to cover commuting costs and childcare without an active paycheck.+1

The acting head of the TSA, Ha Nguyen McNeill, told a House subcommittee this week that the agency “does not have the luxury of time.” She noted that many workers are still reeling from the financial impact of the record 43-day shutdown last fall and the brief four-day lapse earlier this February.+1

The Potential Travel Disruptions:

  • Checkpoint Closures: Major hubs like Philadelphia and Miami saw security lanes shuttered during past protracted shutdowns as staffing levels plummeted.
  • CBP Bottlenecks: International travelers could face multi-hour waits at customs as officers are diverted to border operations or hampered by personnel shortages.
  • Technology Delays: The deployment of new, faster scanners and prep for the June FIFA World Cup are expected to stall without active DHS funding.

A Political Impasse over ‘Alex Pretti’

The current standoff is rooted in a fierce legislative battle over President Trump’s aggressive immigration agenda. Democrats have vowed to block DHS funding until new “code of conduct” restrictions are placed on federal agents, citing the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last month.

Republicans, led by Senate Leader John Thune, have accused Democrats of “playing chicken” with national security and the travel plans of millions of Americans. Thune warned Friday that there is a “very good chance we could see more travel problems” similar to the chaos seen during the 2018-2019 shutdown.+1

What Travelers Need to Know

While air traffic controllers—who are funded under the Department of Transportation—will not be affected by this specific DHS-only lapse, the ground-level experience at the airport will change almost immediately.

  • Immediate Impact: Minimal. TSA screeners will not actually miss a full paycheck until mid-March, meaning the “mood” at checkpoints may sour before the actual lines grow.
  • The Long Tail: If the shutdown drags into its second or third week, travel experts warn that major hubs could see the return of “ghost shifts” and closed terminals.
  • Global Entry/PreCheck: While online applications are still being accepted, Global Entry interviews and background check processing are expected to be suspended indefinitely.

As the midnight hour approaches, the halls of the U.S. Capitol are quiet, but the atmosphere at the nation’s 430 commercial airports is anything but. For a travel industry still recovering from a volatile winter, the message is clear: when the government stops paying its gatekeepers, the whole world slows down.

Six Ways Trump’s ‘Energy Emergency’ is Redrawing the Global Climate Map

James J. Williams
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Six Ways Trump’s ‘Energy Emergency’ is Redrawing the Global Climate Map

In the thirteen months since his second inauguration, President Donald Trump has not just tapped the brakes on American climate policy; he has dismantled the engine.

Under the banner of a “National Energy Emergency,” the administration has moved with a speed that has left both environmentalists and global allies reeling. From the “Holy Grail” repeal of scientific findings to the sudden withdrawal from a half-century of international cooperation, the shifts of 2025 and early 2026 represent the most radical pivot in the history of U.S. environmental law.

Here are the six most consequential effects of the Trump administration’s climate policy overhaul.

1. The Death of the ‘Endangerment Finding’

On February 12, 2026, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin finalized what the White House calls the “single largest deregulatory action in American history.” By rescinding the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the EPA has officially discarded the legal conclusion that greenhouse gases threaten public health.

  • The Fallout: This move strips the federal government of its primary mandate to regulate carbon under the Clean Air Act, effectively placing the “burden of proof” back on scientists to relitigate twenty years of climate data in court.

2. The $1.3 Trillion ‘Consumer Choice’ Dividend

In tandem with the endangerment repeal, the administration has eliminated all federal greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles from model years 2012 through 2027 and beyond.

  • The Fallout: The White House claims this will save Americans $1.3 trillion by lowering the average price of a new car by $2,400. However, it also eliminates the “electric vehicle mandate,” removing the credits and start-stop technology incentives that were pushing the U.S. toward a zero-emission fleet.

3. A ‘Great Global Withdrawal’

In January 2026, the U.S. did the unthinkable: it announced its intent to withdraw not just from the Paris Climate Agreement, but from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the IPCC.

  • The Fallout: This is a step beyond the first term. By leaving the UNFCCC—a Senate-ratified treaty—the U.S. is effectively surrendering its seat at the table of global climate governance, leaving China and the EU to dictate the rules of the green economy.

4. The ‘Unleashing’ of Public Lands

Under the “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, the Department of the Interior has opened nearly 1.3 billion acres of coastal waters and millions of acres of protected national forest to oil and gas drilling.

  • The Fallout: This “drill, baby, drill” resurgence has seen over 470 new permits approved on public land in 2026 alone. While this has bolstered domestic production, conservationists warn it locks in forty years of future carbon emissions that the planet can ill afford.

5. The Methane ‘Stay of Execution’

In a win for the oil and gas lobby, the EPA has delayed the implementation of methane reduction requirements until January 2027.

  • The Fallout: Originally set for March 2026, this 10-month delay is estimated by the EPA’s own previous calculations to be equivalent to adding 25 million gas-powered cars to the atmosphere, significantly slowing the fight against one of the most potent warming gases.

6. The ‘Hushing’ of Federal Science

In what critics call a “scientific purge,” the administration has dismantled the National Center for Atmospheric Research and scrubbed “climate change” and “emissions” from the Department of Energy’s official vocabulary.

  • The Fallout: By firing the scientists responsible for the National Climate Assessment and ending NOAA’s tracking of billion-dollar weather disasters, the administration is effectively “flying blind,” removing the data tools used by businesses and local governments to prepare for extreme weather.

RCMP Names 18-Year-Old Jesse Van Rootselaar in Tumbler Ridge Massacre

Diane A. Wade
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RCMP Names 18-Year-Old Jesse Van Rootselaar in Tumbler Ridge Massacre

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — The chilling silhouette behind Canada’s deadliest school shooting in decades now has a name.

On Wednesday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) identified Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, as the suspect who systematically executed nine people—including her own mother and stepbrother—before turning the gun on herself. The revelation, delivered in a somber afternoon press conference by Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, has provided a name to the horror but left a grieving nation struggling to understand the “why.”

“We believe the suspect acted alone,” McDonald told reporters. “This was a premeditated path of violence that began in a private home and ended in the halls of a secondary school. There are no words for this level of devastation.”

A Premeditated Path of Violence

Investigators have now stitched together the timeline of Van Rootselaar’s final hours. The rampage began at the family’s residence, where police say she shot and killed her 39-year-old mother and her 11-year-old stepbrother.

By the time those bodies were discovered, Van Rootselaar had already traveled to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. At 1:20 p.m., she entered the building armed with two firearms—a long gun and a handgun—despite having no registered weapons and an expired license.

The ensuing minutes were a chaotic blur of “active gunfire.” Police arriving on the scene were met with immediate shots fired in their direction. Inside, they found a massacre concentrated in the library and a stairwell:

  • One adult female educator, 39.
  • Five students: Three girls, aged 12; one boy, aged 12; and one boy, aged 13.
  • The Suspect: Van Rootselaar was found dead from a self-inflicted wound.

A History of Intervention

As the community of 2,400 seeks answers, the RCMP revealed that Van Rootselaar was not a stranger to local law enforcement. Police had attended the family residence “on multiple occasions” over the past several years to deal with the suspect’s deteriorating mental health.

On several instances, she had been apprehended for assessment under the Mental Health Act. Most significantly, Deputy Commissioner McDonald confirmed that two years ago, firearms were seized from the home under the Criminal Code. However, the “lawful owner” of those weapons—whose identity was not disclosed—later petitioned for their return, and they were released back into the household.

“The investigation into how she accessed these weapons today is our highest priority,” McDonald said.

Identity and Ideology

The naming of the suspect has also sparked a sensitive conversation regarding her identity. The RCMP clarified that Van Rootselaar, who dropped out of the school four years ago, was born a biological male but had transitioned and identified as female, both socially and publicly, for approximately six years.

While some online speculation has sought to link the shooting to political or gender-based motives, police emphasized that they have found “no note or other communication” left behind. For now, the motive remains as obscured as the snowy peaks surrounding the town.

A Nation in Mourning

From the House of Commons, Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the tragedy for the second time in 24 hours. “All of Canada stands with Tumbler Ridge,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “We join the entire nation in grieving for these children and their teacher.”

In the foothills of the Rockies, the focus has shifted to the 27 injured survivors and the hundreds of families left to process a trauma that has forever altered their quiet mountain enclave. As the police tape remains stretched across the school doors, Tumbler Ridge is no longer known for its coal mines or its peace, but as the site of an unimaginable American-style tragedy on Canadian soil.

James Van Der Beek, ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Icon, Dies at 48

Sonia Pantiss
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James Van Der Beek, ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Icon, Dies at 48

AUSTIN, Texas — James Van Der Beek, the actor whose sensitive portrayal of an aspiring filmmaker on Dawson’s Creek defined a generation of television and launched the “teen drama” gold rush of the late 1990s, has died. He was 48.

His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, confirmed the news in a heartbreaking social media post on Wednesday morning. The actor had been waging a private and later public battle with Stage 3 colorectal cancer since August 2023.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” the family’s statement read. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

The Face of a Generation

Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek became an overnight sensation in 1998 when he was cast as Dawson Leery. With his signature flannel shirts and oversized vocabulary, Dawson was the heart of a show that treated teenage emotions with a revolutionary level of intellectual gravity.

Alongside co-stars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams, Van Der Beek anchored a cultural phenomenon that ran for six seasons and transformed the fledgling WB Network into a powerhouse. Even decades after the show ended, Van Der Beek remained a staple of internet culture—largely due to the “Crying Dawson” meme, a legacy he famously embraced with good-natured wit.

Beyond the Creek, Van Der Beek proved his range in the 1999 cult classic Varsity Blues, playing the rebellious backup quarterback Mox, and later delivered a darkly comedic performance as a fictionalized version of himself in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.

A ‘Valiant’ Battle

Van Der Beek’s diagnosis came as a shock to fans when he went public with the news in November 2024. Despite the severity of the illness, which had spread to his lymph nodes, he spent his final year channeling his fame into advocacy.

In a final, poignant act of generosity last November, the actor auctioned off some of his most cherished memorabilia—including the prom necklace Dawson gave Joey and his Varsity Blues jersey—to help fund his astronomical medical bills and support colorectal cancer research.

“I thought maybe I needed to stop coffee,” he told People magazine last year, recalling the subtle changes in his health that led to the discovery of the tumor. “I was in amazing cardiovascular shape… it just goes to show this can happen to anyone.”

The Final Reunion

In a moment that fans will now cherish as his final curtain call, Van Der Beek made a surprise virtual appearance at a Dawson’s Creek charity reunion in New York City this past September. Though too ill to attend in person, his image was projected onto the stage of the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where he thanked fans for “every single moment” of a career that spanned nearly 30 years.

The Van Der Beek Legacy:

  • Family First: He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.
  • Advocacy: His public journey has been credited with a surge in “early screening” awareness for colorectal cancer among men under 50.
  • Final Performance: He will appear posthumously in the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle, which he filmed during a period of temporary remission in early 2025.

As news of his passing spread, tributes from Hollywood poured in. Former co-star Joshua Jackson shared a simple photo of a creek at sunset, while Katie Holmes praised his “unwavering kindness.”

In the world of Capeside, the show famously ended with the line, “I’ll see you in my dreams.” For a generation of viewers who grew up alongside him, James Van Der Beek will remain forever young, forever idealistic, and forever the boy by the creek.

FAA Reopens El Paso Skies Following ‘Neutralized’ Cartel Drone Incursion

Clyde K. Valle
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FAA Reopens El Paso Skies Following ‘Neutralized’ Cartel Drone Incursion

EL PASO, Texas — After a night of unprecedented chaos that saw a major American city’s airspace shuttered for the first time since 9/11, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reopened the skies over El Paso.

The U.S. government rescinded a jarring 10-day flight restriction on Wednesday morning, just hours after it was issued. The Trump administration attributed the emergency closure to a “coordinated incursion” of drones operated by Mexican drug cartels, claiming the Department of Defense (DoD) was forced to intervene with electronic warfare and potentially experimental weaponry to “neutralize” the threat.

“The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X.

The Midnight Ground Stop

The crisis began late Tuesday night when the FAA issued a “Special Security Reasons” notice, effectively grounding all commercial, cargo, and general aviation at El Paso International Airport (ELP). The restriction also covered parts of southern New Mexico near Santa Teresa.

The abruptness of the order—which was issued without warning to local officials, hospital emergency flight coordinators, or airlines—triggered what El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson described as “complete chaos.” Medical evacuation flights were forced to divert 40 miles away to Las Cruces, and surgical equipment destined for city hospitals was stranded on grounded planes.

The Fallout on the Ground:

  • Grounded Fleet: Major carriers including Southwest, United, and American were forced to pause all operations, affecting thousands of travelers.
  • Economic Hubris: As a critical gateway for cross-border commerce with Ciudad Juárez, the closure threatened to paralyze billions in trade.
  • Medical Risks: Emergency medevac diversions raised serious concerns about patient safety in the region’s specialized trauma centers.

Lasers, Drones, and the ‘Department of War’

While Secretary Duffy’s public statement focused on the cartel threat, a more complex story of inter-agency friction began to emerge Wednesday afternoon. Sources familiar with the situation indicated the closure was actually sparked by a dispute between the FAA and the Pentagon.

The Pentagon reportedly intended to test a high-powered anti-drone laser to intercept cartel surveillance craft. Fearing the laser’s impact on civilian avionics and pilot vision, the FAA insisted on a total airspace clearing. When the DoD moved forward regardless, the FAA issued the sweeping 10-day ban as a safety precaution before the agencies reached a compromise just hours later.

Secretary Duffy later referred to the “Department of War” (DOW) in a post, a nod to the administration’s recent internal rhetoric regarding the militarization of the border.

Political Crossfire

The “cartel drone” explanation has already met fierce skepticism from local leaders. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-El Paso) contested the administration’s narrative, stating that the information provided to Congress “does not add up” and suggested the community was used as a testing ground for a political show of force.

Conversely, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) called drone incursions a “daily reality” for border residents. “For any of us who live and work here, this is just a Wednesday,” Gonzales said, though he admitted the scale of this particular airspace closure was unprecedented.

The Aftermath

By Wednesday afternoon, El Paso International Airport reported that flights had resumed, though delays continued to ripple through the system. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated she had “no information” regarding the use of drones by cartels in the area, calling for better coordination and transparency from Washington.

As the grey hum of commercial jets returned to the West Texas sky, the “neutralized” drones—and the technology used to bring them down—remain shrouded in secrecy. What is clear is that the border has become a literal “no-fly zone,” where the line between domestic safety and military experimentation is increasingly blurred.

Tumbler Ridge Reeling After Canada’s Deadliest School Shooting in Decades

Diane A. Wade
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Tumbler Ridge Reeling After Canada’s Deadliest School Shooting in Decades

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — In this remote mountain town of 2,400, where the local secondary school is the beating heart of the community, the silence is now deafening.

On Tuesday, February 10, the peace of Tumbler Ridge was shattered by a mass shooting that left nine people dead, dozens injured, and a nation in mourning. What began at a private residence ended in the hallways of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, marking the deadliest school shooting in Canada since the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre.

“I will know every victim,” said a visibly shaken Mayor Darryl Krakowka. “I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”

A Trail of Violence

The tragedy unfolded in two stages. Authorities believe the violence began at a local home, where the suspect—identified by the RCMP as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar—allegedly shot and killed her mother, 39, and her 11-year-old stepbrother.

At approximately 1:20 p.m., the horror moved to the school. As students were settling into afternoon classes, reports of an active shooter triggered a frantic “hold and secure” lockdown. For the 175 students at the secondary school, the next two hours were a nightmare of barricaded doors and whispered prayers.

“We got tables and barricaded the doors,” recalled Darian Quist, a Grade 12 student. “For a while, I didn’t think anything was going on, but once photos started circulating… it definitely set in.”

The Toll on the Innocent

The RCMP confirmed that six people were found dead inside the school, including a 39-year-old female educator and five students—three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 12 and 13. The suspect was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted wound.

The scale of the carnage overwhelmed local resources. Two students were airlifted to hospitals in critical condition, while 25 others were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the local health centre. In a town this small, the grief is universal; nearly every resident is a neighbor, a friend, or a relative of those lost.

The Suspect and the ‘Why’

Investigators are now grappling with the motive behind the rampage. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald noted a history of police calls to the suspect’s home related to mental health issues. Van Rootselaar, a former student who had dropped out, reportedly used a long gun and a modified handgun, despite having an expired firearms license and no registered weapons.

As flags across Canada are lowered to half-mast, Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled an upcoming European summit to address the tragedy. “The world is with you,” he told the people of Tumbler Ridge in an emotional address from Parliament Hill.

A Community in Mourning

The local elementary and secondary schools will remain closed for the rest of the week as counseling services are deployed. For the survivors, the trauma is only beginning. The images of “disturbing” scenes shared on student cellphones during the lockdown have left deep psychological scars on a generation of children who once felt safe in their isolated Rocky Mountain foothills.

“Crime is incredibly low here,” said town councillor Chris Norbury, whose wife and daughter were in lockdown during the attack. “It’s an incredible shock. We just have to think how to come together as a family.”

In the coming days, the vigils will begin. But for now, Tumbler Ridge is a town frozen in the wake of an unimaginable loss, holding its children close and searching for answers in the cold mountain air.

Nancy Guthrie Disappearance: Savannah Guthrie Pledges Ransom for Mother’s Safe Return

Nancy Clayson
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Nancy Guthrie Disappearance: Savannah Guthrie Pledges Ransom for Mother’s Safe Return

TUCSON, AZ — The desperate, week-long search for the mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie has entered a haunting new phase of negotiation.

In a raw video statement released on Saturday, Savannah Guthrie, flanked by her siblings Annie and Camron, addressed the unidentified captors of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie with a direct, unprecedented offer: the family is ready to pay.

“We received your message, and we understand,” a visibly shaken Savannah said into the camera. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

The plea marks a dramatic shift in the investigation, signaling that the Guthrie family has moved beyond public appeals for information and into the high-stakes reality of a ransom negotiation.

The ‘New Message’ and the Bitcoin Deadline

The family’s sudden willingness to meet financial demands follows reports from the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department of a “new, authenticated message” received late Friday.

While authorities have been tight-lipped about the specific contents of the email—which was first reported by Tucson station KOLD-TV—the FBI had previously disclosed the existence of a ransom note that included:

  • The Demands: A “substantial sum” requested in Bitcoin.
  • The Deadlines: An initial deadline of Thursday at 5:00 p.m., followed by a secondary “final” warning for this coming Monday.
  • The Specifics: Details only a captor would know, including the state of a disconnected floodlight at the home and the location of Nancy’s Apple Watch.

A Race Against Biology

For investigators and the Guthrie family, the financial cost is secondary to the biological clock. Nancy Guthrie, described by neighbors as “sharp as a tack” but physically frail, suffers from chronic cardiac issues and requires a daily regimen of vital medication.

“It is now day seven,” Sheriff Chris Nanos stated in a brief update. “We are past the point of caution. Every hour she is without her medicine increases the risk of a fatal event. Our objective is no longer just an arrest; it is a recovery.”

The investigation has transformed the quiet, upscale Catalina Foothills neighborhood into a fortress of federal activity. FBI agents have reportedly removed a rooftop camera from Nancy’s home for forensic analysis, while technical teams continue to attempt to “bypass” the lack of a cloud subscription on her doorbell camera, which was manually disconnected minutes before she was taken.

The National Spotlight

The case has become a national obsession, briefly eclipsing even the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics—which Savannah Guthrie was scheduled to co-host before the abduction.

The political weight of the case has also intensified. President Donald Trump, who spoke with Savannah earlier this week, reiterated on Saturday that he has placed “all federal assets” at the family’s disposal. The White House has characterized the kidnapping not just as a criminal act, but as an “assault on a prominent American family.”

Timeline of a Crisis

  • Jan 31 (9:50 p.m.): Nancy is dropped off at her home after dinner.
  • Feb 1 (1:47 a.m.): Doorbell camera is disconnected.
  • Feb 1 (2:28 a.m.): Nancy’s pacemaker app loses connection, signaling her removal from the house.
  • Feb 5 (5:00 p.m.): First ransom deadline passes without contact.
  • Feb 7: Savannah Guthrie goes public with the “we will pay” pledge.

As the second deadline of Monday morning looms, the Tucson desert remains a landscape of anxious silence. For Savannah Guthrie, the transition from journalist to negotiator is complete. The message to the captors is clear: the family is no longer looking for justice—they are looking for their mother.

PM Sanae Takaichi Stakes Japan’s Future on Snap Election for Absolute Mandate

Clyde K. Valle
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PM Sanae Takaichi Stakes Japan’s Future on Snap Election for Absolute Mandate

TOKYO — As a record-shattering winter chill grips the Japanese archipelago, the nation is heading to the polls today in a snap election that could fundamentally redraw the geopolitical landscape of East Asia.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader and a staunch ultraconservative, has rolled the dice just four months into her premiership. By dissolving the House of Representatives in January, Takaichi effectively transformed today’s vote into a referendum on her “New Independence” agenda—a platform built on massive military expansion, fiscal stimulus, and a “Japan First” approach to national identity.

“The button for growth is in your hands,” Takaichi told a cheering crowd of thousands in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district on Saturday night. “Give me the power to make Japan safer, more prosperous, and finally, a ‘normal’ nation that can defend its own soil without apology.”

The ‘Sana-Mania’ Phenomenon

Despite a grueling campaign period of just 12 days—the shortest in Japan’s postwar history—Takaichi appears to have captured the national imagination. Observers have dubbed the frenzy “Sana-mania,” as the 64-year-old Prime Minister has cultivated a cult of personality among younger voters who are drawn to her “work, work, work” ethos and her direct, often playfully defiant style on social media.

However, beneath the pop-culture appeal lies a steely, right-wing program that has alarmed regional neighbors and thrilled the Trump administration in Washington. Takaichi has pledged to:

  • Scrap Pacifist Constraints: Revise the constitution to bolster offensive military capabilities and lift long-standing bans on weapons exports.
  • Economic ‘Bazooka’: Suspend the 8% consumption tax on food for two years to combat rising inflation.
  • Immigration Hardline: Implement tougher requirements for foreign property ownership and a strict cap on foreign residents.

The Fragmented Resistance

Takaichi’s gamble is timed to exploit a fractured opposition. Last year, the political landscape was rocked when Komeito, the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) long-time centrist partner, walked away from the ruling coalition.

In response, the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito merged to form the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA). While led by seasoned heavyweights like Yoshihiko Noda, the CRA has struggled to articulate a unified vision that can compete with Takaichi’s populist fire. Polls suggest the CRA may fall well below its pre-election total of 167 seats.

The Trump Endorsement

In a move that shattered diplomatic norms, U.S. President Donald Trump took to Truth Social last week to endorse Takaichi, praising her as “strong, powerful, and wise.” It is the first time a sitting U.S. president has openly backed a candidate in a Japanese election, a signal of the deep personal rapport the two leaders have built since Takaichi’s October inauguration.

For Takaichi, the endorsement is a double-edged sword. While it shaves off concerns about her ability to manage the U.S. relationship, it reinforces the narrative from critics that her “New Independence” is actually a pivot toward a more aggressive, unpredictable foreign policy.

Snow, Silence, and the Supermajority

The greatest threat to Takaichi’s “Supermajority” may not be the opposition, but the weather. Record-breaking snowfall in northern Japan has blocked roads and raised fears of low voter turnout in LDP strongholds.

If the LDP and its new partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin), can secure 310 seats—a two-thirds majority—Takaichi will have a clear runway to override the Upper House and initiate constitutional amendments that have been the “holy grail” of Japanese conservatives since 1955.

“I will step down if we fail to win a majority,” Takaichi told reporters as she cast her ballot on Sunday morning. For the woman who has spent her career as a protégé of the late Shinzo Abe, today is about more than just a seat in the Diet. It is about whether Japan is ready to follow her into a new, more assertive, and far more volatile era.

France: Jack Lang Resigns Amid Federal Probe into Epstein Financial Ties

Diane A. Wade
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France: Jack Lang Resigns Amid Federal Probe into Epstein Financial Ties

For decades, he was the flamboyant architect of French “cool,” the man who brought the Louvre Pyramid to Paris and the Fête de la Musique to the world. But on Saturday, the reign of Jack Lang as the grand statesman of French culture came to a sudden, ignominious halt.

The 86-year-old former Culture Minister has officially offered his resignation as President of the Arab World Institute (IMA), succumbing to a tidal wave of pressure following the release of the “Epstein Files.” The move coincides with the opening of a formal investigation by France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) into Lang and his daughter, Caroline Lang, for suspected “aggravated tax fraud laundering.”

“I have decided to submit my resignation to preserve the institution I love from personal attacks,” Lang wrote in a letter to Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. It is a stunning reversal for a man who, just 48 hours earlier, had vowed to “fight to the end” to clear his name.

The ‘Prytanee’ Connection

The judicial probe centers on explosive revelations from the 3-million-page U.S. Department of Justice document dump. According to the filings and investigative reports by Mediapart, the links between the Lang family and the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein were far from casual.

  • The Offshore Entity: In 2016, Caroline Lang co-founded a company called Prytanee LLC with Epstein, registered in the U.S. Virgin Islands. While she claims she was “incredibly naive” and never received funds, prosecutors are investigating whether the entity served as a vehicle for tax evasion.
  • The $5 Million Legacy: Chillingly, Caroline Lang’s name appeared in a financial will signed by Epstein just two days before his 2019 suicide. The document promised her a $5 million inheritance, a sum she maintains she had no knowledge of until the files were unsealed.
  • The Private Plane: Emails from 2017 indicate Epstein provided his private jet for Jack Lang and his family to travel to Morocco, a “favor” that prosecutors say may constitute undeclared benefits.

A Legacy Under the Lens

Jack Lang’s name appears over 670 times in the unredacted Epstein files. The documents paint a picture of a veteran politician who, as late as 2019, was appealing to Epstein for philanthropic support and personal favors.

In a statement to AFP on Saturday, Lang described the investigation with characteristic bravado, claiming he welcomed the probe “with serenity and even relief.” He maintains that he was introduced to Epstein by filmmaker Woody Allen and viewed the financier merely as a “generous patron of the arts.”

“When I meet people, I don’t ask to see their criminal record,” Lang told RTL radio earlier this week, an excuse that has rung hollow with a French public increasingly weary of the “gilded immunity” enjoyed by its political elite.

The Domino Effect in Paris

The scandal has already claimed two high-profile resignations. Before Jack Lang’s exit on Saturday, his daughter Caroline stepped down from her role as head of the Independent Production Union (SPI), France’s largest film producers’ guild.

The political fallout is also hitting the Socialist Party (PS), Lang’s long-time home. Party leader Olivier Faure joined a chorus of voices from across the aisle—including the far-right’s Marion Maréchal—in demanding Lang’s departure to “protect the credibility” of French cultural diplomacy.

The Arab World Institute, a prestigious Left Bank landmark that receives half its €12 million budget from the French state, now faces an uncertain leadership vacuum as the Foreign Ministry moves to appoint an interim president.

As the PNF begins its deep dive into the Langs’ bank accounts and offshore dealings, the man who once famously said “culture is the soul of a nation” finds his own soul, and his legendary career, under the harshest scrutiny of the law. The “Fête” is over; the trial of public and judicial opinion has begun.

FBI Probes New ‘Ransom Message’ as Search for Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Intensifies

Nancy Clayson
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FBI Probes New ‘Ransom Message’ as Search for Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Intensifies

TUCSON, AZ — The desperate hunt for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, took a chilling turn Friday evening as federal agents and local sheriff’s deputies pivoted to investigate a “new piece of correspondence” that may hold the key to her survival.

The high-stakes development comes nearly 24 hours after the expiration of a 5:00 p.m. Thursday deadline set in an earlier, widely publicized ransom note. In a joint statement, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI confirmed they are “actively inspecting the authenticity” of this latest message, which was reportedly received by a local news affiliate and the Guthrie family.

“We are following every digital and physical lead,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters outside the Guthrie residence in the Catalina Foothills. “This new message is being treated with the utmost urgency, but we must verify it. In the world of high-profile abductions, the signal-to-noise ratio is our greatest enemy.”

A Timeline of Shadows

Investigators have meticulously reconstructed the timeline of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, painting a picture of a sophisticated and targeted abduction carried out under the cover of a mandated regional “dark sky” policy.

  • Saturday, Jan 31 (9:48 p.m.): Nancy is dropped off at her home after a dinner with family.
  • Sunday, Feb 1 (1:47 a.m.): The home’s doorbell camera is manually disconnected.
  • Sunday, Feb 1 (2:12 a.m.): Security software detects a person on the property, but no video is stored.
  • Sunday, Feb 1 (2:28 a.m.): Nancy’s pacemaker app disconnects from her phone, a moment investigators believe marks when she was removed from the home.

The discovery of blood on the front porch, which DNA tests have since confirmed belongs to Nancy, has escalated the case from a missing person search to a violent crime investigation.

The ‘Proof of Life’ Standoff

While at least three ransom notes have circulated—demanding “millions” in cryptocurrency—the FBI has expressed cautious skepticism, noting that a “normal” kidnapping usually involves more direct contact by this stage. Savannah Guthrie, who has been in Arizona since Monday, issued a tearful video plea alongside her siblings, demanding a “proof of life” from anyone holding their mother.

“We are ready to talk,” Savannah said, her voice trembling. “But we live in a world where voices and images are manipulated. We need to know, without a doubt, that she is alive and that you have her.”

FBI Special Agent Heith Janke noted that while the initial notes contained “credible details” regarding an Apple Watch and broken floodlights at the home, the family has yet to receive a definitive sign that Nancy is still alive.

A Race Against the Clock

The urgency of the search is compounded by Nancy’s fragile health. At 84, she suffers from high blood pressure and cardiac issues, requiring a strict regimen of daily medication.

On Friday, law enforcement units returned to Nancy’s home, cordoning off the area and removing all media presence. While officials have not explained the sudden return to the primary crime scene, local reports suggest it may be linked to the “new message” and potential evidence discovered within its metadata.

The Current State of the Investigation:

  • The Reward: The FBI has issued a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy’s recovery.
  • The Suspects: Sheriff Nanos maintained on Friday that “everyone is still a suspect,” as no clear person of interest has emerged.
  • The National Reach: President Trump has reportedly placed federal resources at the family’s “complete disposal,” describing the situation as “terrible.”

As the second of two deadlines set in the original notes—scheduled for Monday—approaches, the quiet Catalina Foothills remain a staging ground for one of the most high-profile kidnapping investigations in recent American history. For the Guthrie family, the “new message” represents a sliver of hope in a week defined by silence and shadow.

Milan-Cortina 2026 Ignites with Revolutionary Multi-City Opening Ceremony

Clyde K. Valle
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Milan-Cortina 2026 Ignites with Revolutionary Multi-City Opening Ceremony

MILAN — In a cinematic fusion of urban grit and Alpine grandeur, the XXV Olympic Winter Games roared to life on Friday night with an opening ceremony that rewrote the Olympic playbook.

Under the theme of “Armonia” (Harmony), Italy unveiled a first-of-its-kind “distributed” ceremony that effectively turned Northern Italy into a single, synchronized stage. While the heartbeat of the event pulsed through Milan’s historic San Siro Stadium, simultaneous celebrations erupted in the mountain hub of Cortina d’Ampezzo, as well as in the Olympic villages of Livigno and Predazzo.

The result was a technical marvel that bridged the 250-mile gap between the fashion capital and the Dolomites, signaling a new era of decentralized, sustainable Games.

A Stage of Two Worlds

The spectacle began in Milan with a tribute to Italian ingenuity, featuring a mechanical cauldron at the Arco della Pace inspired by the geometric knots of Leonardo da Vinci. As the sun set, the San Siro was transformed into a kaleidoscopic landscape of light and fashion—a nod to the city’s status as a global style icon—complete with a runway-inspired tribute to the late Giorgio Armani.

But the night’s most poignant moments came from the mountain sites. In a break from a century of tradition, athletes did not gather in a single stadium. Instead, they paraded in their respective clusters:

  • Milan: The ice sports delegations marched through the roar of 80,000 fans at San Siro.
  • Cortina: Alpine skiers and sliders walked through the snow-dusted Piazza Angelo Dibona.
  • Livigno & Predazzo: Freestyle and Nordic athletes celebrated in the heart of their mountain valleys.

Vocal Fire and Cinematic Stars

The evening’s soundtrack was a masterclass in Italian musical exports. Andrea Bocelli delivered a spine-tingling rendition of Nessun Dorma, his voice echoing through the San Siro as the Olympic flag was raised by a group of Italian legends, including footballers Franco Baresi and Beppe Bergomi.

International star power arrived in the form of Mariah Carey, who performed a soaring cover of the Italian classic Nel Blu, dipinto di Blu (Volare), followed by a theatrical sequence led by actors Charlize Theron and Sabrina Impacciatore. The “Dove of Peace” segment featured rapper Ghali, who delivered a multi-lingual message of memorandum in four languages, underscoring the Games’ call for a global Olympic Truce.

The Double Flame

The ceremony reached its crescendo with the lighting of the Olympic cauldrons. In a historic first, two separate flames were ignited simultaneously:

  1. In Milan: Italian Olympic icons Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni ignited the cauldron at the Arco della Pace.
  2. In Cortina: Alpine superstar Sofia Goggia lit the mountain cauldron in the Piazza Dibona.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella officially declared the Games open, marking the third time Italy has hosted the Winter Olympics (1956, 2006, 2026).

Diplomatic Undercurrents

Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the evening was not without political friction. The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was met with a mix of cheers and audible boos from sections of the international crowd—a reflection of the complex global tensions trailing the second Trump administration into the Olympic arena.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian contingent, led by flagbearer Vladyslav Heraskevych, received the loudest ovation of the night, a standing ovation that rolled through the San Siro in a sea of yellow and blue.

The Games Begin

As the fireworks faded over the Duomo and the peaks of the Tofane, the focus shifted from the stage to the snow. With the formal “Harmony” established, the 2026 Winter Games are officially underway, promising 16 days of competition that will span from the skating rinks of Milan to the treacherous downhill slopes of Bormio.

Italy has promised a Games of “beauty and balance.” On opening night, they delivered exactly that.

White House Scrubs Racist ‘Obama Ape’ Clip After GOP Revolt

Diane A. Wade
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White House Scrubs Racist ‘Obama Ape’ Clip After GOP Revolt

In a rare and abrupt backtrack for an administration that prides itself on never apologizing, the White House deleted a video from President Trump’s Truth Social account on Friday that depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.

The removal came exactly 12 hours after the video was posted at 11:44 p.m. Thursday, and only after the President’s most loyal legislative allies broke ranks to condemn the imagery as “blatantly racist.” By noon, the White House shifted from a defiant defense of the “internet meme” to blaming an unnamed subordinate for an “erroneous” post.

“A White House staffer erroneously made the post. It has been taken down,” an official told reporters, an admission of error almost unprecedented in the Trump era.

The ‘King of the Jungle’ Defense Fails

The minute-long video, which largely peddled debunked conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 election, concluded with a two-second clip featuring the Obamas’ faces superimposed onto the bodies of primates bobbing to the tune of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

Before the deletion, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to brush off the brewing storm, characterizing the clip as a harmless homage to a 1994 Disney classic.

“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from The Lion King,” Leavitt said in an initial statement. “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters.”

Critics were quick to point out that The Lion King does not feature the gorillas or apes shown in the video, and that the “Negro-ape” metaphor is one of the oldest and most dehumanizing slanders in American history—historically used to justify violence and systemic oppression against Black Americans.

A Rare Republican Mutiny

The pivot from the White House was likely triggered not by Democratic outcry, but by a sharp rebuke from Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), the Senate’s only Black Republican and a key Trump surrogate.

“Praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House,” Scott wrote on X. “The President should remove it.”

Scott’s condemnation opened the floodgates for other Republicans:

  • Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS): Called the post “totally unacceptable” and urged an apology.
  • Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE): Stated that any “reasonable person sees the racist context” and urged the White House to admit the mistake.
  • Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY): Described the post as “wrong and incredibly offensive” regardless of whether it was intentional.

Black History Month Backlash

The timing of the post—falling in the first week of Black History Month—added a layer of vitriol to the response. NAACP President Derrick Johnson slammed the video as “despicable,” suggesting it was a calculated distraction from the President’s recent legal headlines.

While the White House maintains the President “had not seen the video” before it was posted, the incident underscores a recurring pattern in the “Trump 2.0” digital strategy: the use of AI-generated or hyper-edited “memes” to lampoon enemies. Last year, the account shared a similar AI video showing Barack Obama behind bars in an orange jumpsuit.

As of Friday evening, the President has not personally commented on the video or the “staffer error.” For the Obamas, who have famously maintained a policy of “when they go low, we go high,” the response was a pointed silence. Their spokesperson declined to comment, leaving the deleted Truth Social post to speak for itself.

Norway’s Future Queen Issues Profound Apology as Epstein Emails Shatter Royal Image

Nancy Clayson
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Norway’s Future Queen Issues Profound Apology as Epstein Emails Shatter Royal Image

OSLO, NORWAY — The Norwegian monarchy, long regarded as one of the most stable and “normal” royal houses in Europe, is facing a generational crisis of credibility.

On Friday, Crown Princess Mette-Marit issued a second, far more personal apology within a week, expressing “deep regret” for her years of contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The statement, released by the Royal Palace in Oslo, follows the unsealing of thousands of U.S. Department of Justice documents that revealed the 52-year-old princess had far more extensive and “warm” ties to Epstein than she previously admitted.

“It is important for me to apologize to all of you whom I have disappointed,” the Crown Princess said. “Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be. I also apologize for the situation I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen.”

The ‘Google’ Smoking Gun

The most damaging revelation within the “Epstein Files” is a 2011 email in which Mette-Marit admitted to searching for Epstein’s history online—three years after his first conviction for soliciting a minor.

“Googled u after last email,” she wrote in October 2011. “Agree it didn’t look too good : ).”

Despite this acknowledgment, the correspondence continued for another three years. The files, which mention the princess over 1,000 times, paint a picture of a close, informal friendship:

  • The Palm Beach Stay: In 2013, Mette-Marit borrowed Epstein’s Florida estate for several days.
  • The ‘Wife Hunt’: In 2012, when Epstein told her he was in Paris looking for a wife, she jokingly replied that the French capital was “good for adultery” and suggested “Scandis are better wife material.”
  • The Wallpaper Query: In another message, she asked Epstein if it was “inappropriate” for a mother to suggest a photo of two naked women carrying a surfboard as a digital wallpaper for her then-15-year-old son.

A Monarchy Under Siege

The Epstein scandal has struck at an exceptionally vulnerable time for the House of Glücksburg. This week, the Crown Princess’s eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, went on trial in Oslo facing 38 criminal charges, including the rape of four women and multiple counts of assault.

While Høiby does not hold a royal title, his legal battles and the Crown Princess’s newly exposed ties to a global sex trafficker have cratered public support. A poll released this week showed that for the first time, nearly half of Norwegians believe Mette-Marit should not become queen when her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, eventually ascends the throne.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre added to the pressure on Friday, agreeing with the public sentiment that the princess’s past actions represented “poor judgment” and suggesting that further explanations of the “extent of the contact” are necessary.

The ‘Silent’ Crown Princess

Despite the apology, the palace noted that Mette-Marit is currently “unable” to provide a full, detailed explanation. Officials cited a “very demanding situation” and the princess’s ongoing struggle with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease that may eventually require a transplant.

Her husband, Crown Prince Haakon, stood by her on the sidelines of an official visit on Friday, telling reporters his primary focus was “taking care of the flock” during a difficult time for his family. He confirmed that while his wife wants to speak more fully, he has advised her to wait until she is physically and mentally able to “gather her thoughts.”

As the trial of Marius Borg Høiby continues in Oslo and the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein haunts the halls of Skaugum, the Norwegian people are left with a haunting question: Can an apology suffice for a future queen who joked with a predator while the world was watching him?

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Hails ‘Good Start’ as Iran and U.S. Inch Back from the Brink

Roy Siemens
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Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Hails ‘Good Start’ as Iran and U.S. Inch Back from the Brink

MUSCAT, OMAN — In the gilded silence of a royal palace in Muscat, the first high-stakes diplomatic contact between the United States and Iran in nearly a year has concluded with a rare, if fragile, glimmer of optimism.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described eight hours of indirect talks with a senior U.S. delegation as a “very good start,” signaling that both Tehran and Washington are prepared to maintain a diplomatic path despite a “wall of mistrust” and a backdrop of looming military threats.

The talks, mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, mark the most significant engagement since the collapse of negotiations last year and a subsequent June military escalation that saw U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Negotiating Under the Gun

The atmosphere in Muscat was described as “positive but professional,” yet the stakes could not have been higher. While diplomats exchanged arguments through Omani intermediaries, the U.S. military maintained a massive “armada” in the Arabian Sea, including the nuclear-powered USS Abraham Lincoln.

The presence of Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, alongside the American diplomatic team—led by Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—served as a pointed reminder that the White House is coupling its “Maximum Pressure” diplomacy with the explicit threat of force.

“We did note that nuclear talks must take place in a calm atmosphere, without tension and without threats,” Araghchi told Iranian state television. “The prerequisite for any dialogue is refraining from pressure.”

The Nuclear-Only Narrowing

A critical breakthrough in this round appears to be the scope of the agenda. Despite earlier demands from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to include Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional proxies, the Muscat sessions remained “exclusively focused” on the nuclear issue.

Tehran has remained adamant that its missile defense and regional alliances are non-negotiable. According to regional reports, the U.S. side agreed to this narrow focus—at least for the initial framework—following interventions from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who fear a broader collapse could trigger a regional war.

The ‘Wall of Mistrust’ Remains

While Araghchi’s tone was cautiously optimistic, he was quick to temper expectations. The Foreign Minister noted that “deep mistrust” remains the primary obstacle, exacerbated by recent U.S. sanctions targeting 14 vessels and 15 entities involved in Iran’s oil trade—announced just moments after the talks concluded.

Key Outcomes of the Muscat Round:

  • Consultation Phase: Both delegations have returned to their respective capitals—Tehran and Washington—to brief leadership on the proposed framework.
  • Nuclear Guardrails: Discussions centered on creating “suitable conditions” for technical negotiations and potentially pausing further uranium enrichment in exchange for targeted sanctions relief.
  • Averted Escalation: The mere fact that both sides agreed to “proceed with negotiations” has provided a temporary reprieve from the “Operation Midnight Hammer” style rhetoric that dominated the week.

The Omani Bridge

The Sultanate of Oman once again proved its status as the “Switzerland of the Middle East.” Foreign Minister Albusaidi described the talks as “useful to clarify both Iranian and American thinking,” emphasizing that the goal is not yet a deal, but the “requisite foundations” for a diplomatic process.

As the negotiators brief their capitals, the world watches the Arabian Sea. For the first time in 2026, the language of “good starts” has replaced the language of “total victory,” if only for a moment. But in a region where mistrust is the only abundant resource, the “good start” in Muscat must now survive the hard realities of Washington and Tehran.

Royal Australian Mint Defends ‘Unrecognizable’ New Queen Portrait

James J. Williams
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Royal Australian Mint Defends ‘Unrecognizable’ New Queen Portrait

CANBERRA — The Royal Australian Mint is facing a storm of ridicule and “regal disappointment” following the release of its latest commemorative coins, with critics and collectors alike mocking a new portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II as nearly unrecognizable.

The coins, a $5 silver proof and a 50-cent cupro-nickel piece, were issued this week to mark the upcoming centenary of the late monarch’s birth in 1926. However, instead of a nostalgic tribute, the “front-facing” depiction of the Queen has ignited a firestorm on social media, with many Australians questioning if the engravers used the wrong reference photo—or perhaps none at all.

“There’s a reason most portraits are from the side,” one disgruntled collector wrote in a viral Facebook post. “It looks like she just ran into a wall.” Another commentator was blunter: “If I saw that face without the pearls and the hairdo, I’d never guess who it was meant to be.”

The ‘Uncanny Valley’ of the Crown

Designed by Mint artist A. Stokic, the reverse side of the coin features the Queen’s likeness framed by symbols of her life, including horses, corgis, and representations of her wartime service. While the surrounding iconography has been praised, the central effigy has been described as falling deep into the “uncanny valley.”

The primary criticism centers on the lack of depth and the “flattened” facial features that many argue fail to capture the dignified maturity of the monarch.

The Critics’ Consensus:

  • Lack of Likeness: Comparisons have been drawn to everything from generic “grandmother” figurines to a “badly restored fresco.”
  • Front-Facing Risk: Most coinage historically uses a profile (side) view to emphasize the jawline and nose; the front-facing choice in this Centenary edition has been called “a tactical error in numismatic art.”
  • Price Point: With the $5 silver proof coin retailing for $190 AUD (approx. £100), collectors say the high price tag demands a higher standard of artistic fidelity.

The Mint Strikes Back

In a rare move, the Royal Australian Mint issued a statement on Friday defending the design. A spokesperson noted that the transition from a digital or hand-drawn sketch to an etching in metal often alters the perception of a portrait.

“Our coin images don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal,” the Mint stated. “This design was intended to be a distinctive, symbolic tribute to the Queen’s 100th anniversary, reflecting her many passions and her enduring connection to Australia.”

Despite the backlash, the Mint confirmed that the silver proof version sold out almost instantly via a ballot system, suggesting that for many “royals” enthusiasts, the rarity of the centenary issue outweighs the controversy over the Queen’s cheekbones.

The Royal Context

The 2026 Centenary coins arrive at a sensitive time for Australian currency. As the nation gradually transitions its circulating coins to feature King Charles III (facing left, in accordance with tradition), these commemorative Queen Elizabeth II pieces were meant to be a final, definitive homage to the woman who graced Australian pockets for seven decades.

The “Stokic Portrait” stands in stark contrast to the Jody Clark effigy used since 2019, which was widely praised for its realism and grace.

Coin DetailStatusKey Information
Denominations$5 Silver / 50c Cu-NiCentenary of Birth Commemoratives
Reverse DesignerA. StokicIncludes corgis, horses, and floral symbols
Obverse DesignerDaniel ThorneFeatures King Charles III effigy
MintageLimited30,000 to 40,000 units per release

As the 50-cent coins begin arriving in the hands of the public this week, the “Wall-Queen” remains the talk of the numismatic world. For the Royal Australian Mint, it is a reminder that when it comes to the most photographed woman in history, the public knows every line of her face—and they will notice if even one is out of place.

Newly Released Maxwell Emails Authenticate Infamous Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre Photo

Nancy Clayson
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Newly Released Maxwell Emails Authenticate Infamous Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre Photo

For years, it was dismissed by the man formerly known as Prince Andrew as a “fake,” a “photocopy of a photocopy,” and a digital fabrication. But on Wednesday, the infamous 2001 photograph of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his arm around a 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre was effectively authenticated by the very person standing in the background.

In a staggering revelation from the latest three-million-page “Epstein Files” dump by the U.S. Department of Justice, a 2015 email exchange between Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein appears to confirm the photograph is genuine. The correspondence, which predates the most intense legal scrutiny of the image, features Maxwell explicitly describing the moment the photo was taken at her London home.

“In 2001 I was in London when [redacted] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew,” Maxwell wrote in the email, dated January 2015. “A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.”

The ‘Smoking Gun’ Email

The email is the most definitive evidence to date to puncture Andrew’s 2019 “Newsnight” defense, in which he claimed he had “no recollection” of the photo and suggested it might have been doctored.

While the names in the DOJ-released version of the email are partially redacted, the context leaves little room for interpretation. Maxwell’s description of the subject being “engaged in a campaign of media harassment with the objective of selling her memoirs” and claiming she was a “sex slave” perfectly matches the public profile and posthumous memoir of Virginia Giuffre.

Even more damning is Epstein’s brief response to Maxwell, in which he suggests “amendments” to her narrative to protect their high-profile associate. Epstein advised that her statement should claim the meeting was “neither on her first visit or anytime thereafter,” a tactical attempt to minimize the frequency of the encounters.

A Decades-Long Deception

The authentication of the photo marks the symbolic collapse of the former royal’s credibility. Since the image first surfaced in The Mail on Sunday in 2011, Andrew and his legal team have waged a multi-front war on its validity:

  • 2011: Andrew allegedly asked his Met Police bodyguard to dig up dirt on Giuffre just hours before the photo was published.
  • 2019: Andrew told the BBC the photo couldn’t be real because he was in his “travelling clothes” and the lighting was “unusual.”
  • 2023: Maxwell, speaking from a Florida prison, doubled down on the claim, calling the image a “fake” and insisting no original ever existed.

The 2015 email, however, shows that behind the scenes and years before the settlement, Maxwell was speaking of the photo as a matter of fact.

Political and Legal Aftershocks

The revelation comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly increased pressure on Andrew to testify before the U.S. Congress. With the “doctored photo” defense now shredded by his own associates’ private communications, Andrew’s refusal to speak under oath has become politically untenable.

The Fallout for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor:

  • Congressional Summons: Lawmakers in Washington are now citing the email as proof that Andrew’s previous public statements were “materially misleading.”
  • Palace Distance: King Charles III, who stripped his brother of his remaining titles in late 2025, has reportedly told advisors that there is “no path back” for Andrew following the DOJ disclosures.
  • New Civil Threats: Lawyers for other Epstein victims are using the authenticated photo as a “foundational fact” to argue that Andrew was a frequent and knowing participant in Epstein’s London-based operations.

As the sun sets over a cold and quiet Royal Lodge, the image that Andrew once called a “fabrication” has become his permanent legacy. In the cold light of the Justice Department’s files, the flash from Jeffrey Epstein’s camera in 2001 has finally, decades later, exposed the truth.

Supreme Court Clears California’s Pro-Democrat Map to Counter Texas

Diane A. Wade
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Supreme Court Clears California’s Pro-Democrat Map to Counter Texas

In a move that cements a new era of “tit-for-tat” redistricting, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for California to use a redrawn congressional map specifically designed to flip five seats to the Democratic Party.

In a brief, unsigned order with no noted dissents, the high court rejected an emergency request from California Republicans and the Trump administration to block the map. The decision ensures that the nation’s most populous state will head into the 2026 midterms with boundaries that Governor Gavin Newsom openly admits were drawn to “neutralize” a similar Republican gerrymander in Texas.

“Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more Congressional seats in Texas,” Newsom said in a statement following the ruling. “He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”

A ‘Partisan Advantage, Pure and Simple’

The ruling follows a landmark December decision in which the same conservative-majority court allowed Texas to implement a mid-decade map favoring Republicans. By refusing to block California’s response, the justices have signaled that while racial gerrymandering remains unconstitutional, partisan gerrymandering—no matter how brazen—is a “political thicket” the federal courts will not enter.

Justice Samuel Alito, in a concurring opinion joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, noted that the impetus for the new lines in both states was “partisan advantage pure and simple.” He argued that because the court had already cleared the Texas map, it would be “contrary to fundamental principles of democracy” to deny California the same right to respond in kind.

The California Strategy: Proposition 50

Unlike Texas, where the legislature simply passed new lines, California’s path was more complex. To bypass the state’s independent redistricting commission, Newsom and Democratic leaders put the new map directly to voters via Proposition 50 in November.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure, which amends the state constitution to allow these specific “temporary” lines to remain in place through 2030. Republicans had argued the map was a “racial gerrymander in disguise,” claiming it used Latino voting blocs as a proxy to shore up Democratic incumbents. However, a lower federal court disagreed, finding the motivation was purely political.

The National Seesaw

With both maps now standing, the 2026 battlefield has effectively been reset:

  • Texas: Predicted to net Republicans 5 additional seats.
  • California: Predicted to net Democrats 5 additional seats.
  • Net Result: A wash for the national balance of power, but a tectonic shift for the voters within those 10 districts whose representation has been fundamentally altered.

The ruling comes just days before the February 9 deadline for congressional candidates to file their paperwork in California. Strategists on both sides say the decision provides the “clarity of the cage,” as incumbents and challengers now know exactly which voters they must court in what is shaping up to be the most expensive midterm cycle in American history.

As the “redistricting war” moves from the courtrooms to the ballot boxes, the Supreme Court has made one thing clear: in the modern political arena, the best defense is a aggressive offense.

In a move that cements a new era of “tit-for-tat” redistricting, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for California to use a redrawn congressional map specifically designed to flip five seats to the Democratic Party.

In a brief, unsigned order with no noted dissents, the high court rejected an emergency request from California Republicans and the Trump administration to block the map. The decision ensures that the nation’s most populous state will head into the 2026 midterms with boundaries that Governor Gavin Newsom openly admits were drawn to “neutralize” a similar Republican gerrymander in Texas.

“Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more Congressional seats in Texas,” Newsom said in a statement following the ruling. “He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”

A ‘Partisan Advantage, Pure and Simple’

The ruling follows a landmark December decision in which the same conservative-majority court allowed Texas to implement a mid-decade map favoring Republicans. By refusing to block California’s response, the justices have signaled that while racial gerrymandering remains unconstitutional, partisan gerrymandering—no matter how brazen—is a “political thicket” the federal courts will not enter.

Justice Samuel Alito, in a concurring opinion joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, noted that the impetus for the new lines in both states was “partisan advantage pure and simple.” He argued that because the court had already cleared the Texas map, it would be “contrary to fundamental principles of democracy” to deny California the same right to respond in kind.

The California Strategy: Proposition 50

Unlike Texas, where the legislature simply passed new lines, California’s path was more complex. To bypass the state’s independent redistricting commission, Newsom and Democratic leaders put the new map directly to voters via Proposition 50 in November.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure, which amends the state constitution to allow these specific “temporary” lines to remain in place through 2030. Republicans had argued the map was a “racial gerrymander in disguise,” claiming it used Latino voting blocs as a proxy to shore up Democratic incumbents. However, a lower federal court disagreed, finding the motivation was purely political.

The National Seesaw

With both maps now standing, the 2026 battlefield has effectively been reset:

  • Texas: Predicted to net Republicans 5 additional seats.
  • California: Predicted to net Democrats 5 additional seats.
  • Net Result: A wash for the national balance of power, but a tectonic shift for the voters within those 10 districts whose representation has been fundamentally altered.

The ruling comes just days before the February 9 deadline for congressional candidates to file their paperwork in California. Strategists on both sides say the decision provides the “clarity of the cage,” as incumbents and challengers now know exactly which voters they must court in what is shaping up to be the most expensive midterm cycle in American history.

As the “redistricting war” moves from the courtrooms to the ballot boxes, the Supreme Court has made one thing clear: in the modern political arena, the best defense is a aggressive offense.

The Angel of Lucina Lost: Vatican Orders ‘Meloni Face’ Scrubbed from Rome Fresco

James J. Williams
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The Angel of Lucina Lost: Vatican Orders ‘Meloni Face’ Scrubbed from Rome Fresco

ROME — In the heart of the Eternal City, a heavenly messenger has met a very earthly end.

Early Wednesday morning, visitors to the fifth-century Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina were met with a startling sight: the winged angel that had spent the last four days as Italy’s most famous resident was gone. More accurately, its head was gone. Overnight, the face of a cherub that bore an “astonishing” resemblance to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was painted over, leaving behind a blank, grey blur where a political doppelgänger once stood.

The unceremonious “erasure” concludes a week-long saga that transformed a quiet side chapel into a viral tourist circus, drawing crowds of TikTokers and gawkers who disrupted Mass to snap photos of the “Angel Meloni.”

The ‘Restoration of the Restoration’

The controversy began last Saturday when the newspaper La Repubblica published before-and-after photos of a fresco flanking the monument of Italy’s last king, Umberto II. Following a restoration to fix water damage, what was once a “generic cherub” had suddenly acquired the distinctive hairstyle, jawline, and steady gaze of the 49-year-old Prime Minister.

The artist behind the work, 80-year-old volunteer Bruno Valentinetti, spent days denying the likeness before finally conceding the truth to reporters. While he initially claimed he was simply following the original lines he himself had painted in the year 2000, he eventually admitted he had “styled” the angel after Meloni.

By Wednesday, Valentinetti was back at the church—this time to destroy his own handiwork. He reportedly acted on direct orders from the Vatican and the parish priest, Monsignor Daniele Micheletti, who had become fed up with the “procession of people” treating the basilica like a political rally.

Clerical Outrage and Political Wit

The “Meloni Angel” didn’t just attract tourists; it drew the ire of the Holy See. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the Pope’s vicar for Rome, expressed “bitterness” over the incident, declaring that sacred art must not be “misused or exploited” for contemporary politics.

Opposition parties were even more blunt, with the Five Star Movement condemning the fresco as “unacceptable propaganda” and a violation of the cultural heritage code. They argued that even if the Prime Minister is popular, her face has no place in a chapel dedicated to the “Holy Souls in Purgatory.”

For her part, the Prime Minister took the scandal in stride. Meloni posted a photo of the angel to her Instagram account with a laughing emoji and a self-deprecating caption: “No, I definitely don’t look like an angel.”

A Headless Future

Because the original painting only dates back to 2000, it lacks the strict heritage protections afforded to Rome’s Renaissance masterpieces. However, the Italian Ministry of Culture has still launched an inquiry into whether the unauthorized “update” constitutes a breach of protocol for religious sites.

For now, the angel remains “decapitated.” Any attempt to repaint a face on the figure will now require a bureaucratic mountain of paperwork, including a formal sketch that must be approved by the Interior Ministry, the Diocese of Rome, and the Special Superintendency of Rome.

As the grey paint dries in San Lorenzo in Lucina, the basilica has returned to its usual quiet. The “Angel of Lucina” may have been a viral sensation, but in a city that has seen empires rise and fall, a prime minister’s face lasted only 96 hours before being consigned to the shadows of history.

Ryan Routh Sentenced for ‘Calculated and Evil’ Plot to Kill Trump

Clyde K. Valle
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Ryan Routh Sentenced for ‘Calculated and Evil’ Plot to Kill Trump

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The man who spent weeks stalking Donald Trump before aiming a sniper rifle through the shrubbery of a Florida golf course will never walk free again.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon sentenced Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, to life in prison plus an additional seven years, bringing a definitive end to one of the most chilling chapters of the 2024 presidential campaign. The sentence followed Routh’s conviction last September on five federal counts, including the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and assaulting a federal officer.

“It is clear to me that you engaged in a premeditated, calculated plot to take a human life,” Judge Cannon told a shackled Routh. “Your plot to kill was deliberate and evil. You are not a peaceful man. You are not a good man.”

The Sniper in the Shrubbery

The sentencing marks the final legal reckoning for the events of September 15, 2024. Prosecutors detailed how Routh, a former roofing contractor from North Carolina, traveled to Florida with a “military-grade” Norinco SKS rifle and spent a month conducting surveillance on the then-candidate’s movements.

He had built a “sniper’s nest” near the sixth green of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, complete with steel armor plates and a GoPro camera to record the killing. The plot was only thwarted when a Secret Service agent spotted Routh’s rifle barrel poking through the tree line and opened fire, forcing Routh to flee before he could pull the trigger.

The Evidence of Intent:

  • The “Dear World” Letter: Investigators recovered a handwritten note from Routh that read: “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”
  • The Bounty: In the same note, Routh offered $150,000 to anyone who could “finish the job.”
  • The Arsenal: Along with the scoped rifle, Routh was found with multiple burner phones and stolen license plates used to mask his movements.

A Courtroom in Chaos

The sentencing hearing on Wednesday was nearly as erratic as Routh’s self-represented trial last fall. Routh, who had previously attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen when the guilty verdict was read in September, delivered a rambling, 20-minute statement to the court.

Dressed in beige prison scrubs, Routh ignored the facts of the case, instead lecturing the judge on foreign wars and his desire to be “exchanged” for political prisoners abroad. He lamented that “sadly, execution is not an option” for him, while simultaneously claiming he had lived a life dedicated to the “betterment of the nation.”

Judge Cannon eventually cut him off, noting that his remarks were “entirely irrelevant” to the gravity of his crimes.

The Political Fallout

The sentencing arrives as the now-President Trump continues to use the two 2024 attempts on his life—the Routh plot and the earlier shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania—as a cornerstone of his administration’s rhetoric on “political persecution” and national security.

In a post on Truth Social following the verdict, the President hailed the life sentence:

“This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him. Our Justice System has spoken! NO MORE POLITICAL VIOLENCE!”

ChargeSentence
Attempted AssassinationLife in Prison
Assault of a Federal OfficerLife (Concurrent)
Firearm in Furtherance of Violence84 Months (Consecutive)
Felon in Possession of Firearm15 Years (Concurrent)

‘Unrepentant and Dangerous’

In their sentencing memorandum, federal prosecutors led by Attorney General Pam Bondi argued that Routh’s lack of remorse made him a permanent threat to society. They noted that Routh had never apologized to the Secret Service agents whose lives he endangered or to the President himself.

“American democracy does not work when individuals take it into their own hands to eliminate candidates,” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley told the court.

With the “Life Plus Seven” sentence, the federal government has sent its clearest message yet that the political violence which marred the 2024 election cycle will be met with the full, unyielding weight of the law. Routh will be transferred to a high-security federal facility to serve out his days—a “failed assassin” now relegated to a footnote of history.

Latest Epstein Files Lay Bare Graphic Details of 2019 Post-Mortem

Diane A. Wade
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Latest Epstein Files Lay Bare Graphic Details of 2019 Post-Mortem

Six years after the world’s most infamous financier was found dead in a Manhattan jail cell, the final “shroud of secrecy” has been lifted.

As part of the massive 3-million-page document dump released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) this week, authorities have made public the most granular and graphic details to date regarding the post-mortem examination of Jeffrey Epstein. The files, released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, include unredacted autopsy notes, forensic diagrams, and a series of “scene-of-death” photographs that have reignited the debate over the billionaire’s final moments.

“The public has a right to see what the government saw,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche during a tense press conference Friday. “These files represent the totality of the investigative record regarding the events of August 10, 2019.”

The Three Fractures: A Forensic Flashpoint

While the New York City Medical Examiner’s 2019 ruling of “suicide by hanging” remains the official government position, the newly released files provide a deep dive into the specific injuries that fueled years of skepticism.

The ‘Hyoid’ Evidence:

The post-mortem confirms that Epstein suffered three distinct fractures in his neck: the left and right thyroid cartilage and the left hyoid bone. While the DOJ maintains these are consistent with a “drop-style” hanging in a 66-year-old male, the unredacted notes show that even the initial examining pathologists at the MCC (Metropolitan Correctional Center) marked the manner of death as “pending” for several days due to the unusual nature of the triple break.

“I have never seen three fractures like this in a suicidal hanging,” noted a private pathologist’s report included in the file, echoing concerns that such injuries are statistically more frequent in cases of manual strangulation.

The ‘Noose’ Discrepancy

Among the most discussed items in the latest release are the photographs of the ligature used in the death. The files reveal a significant internal debate over which “noose” was the primary instrument.

  • Two Nooses: Photos show two separate strips of orange bedsheet lying on the floor of Cell 39.
  • The ‘Hemmed’ Mystery: One of the nooses collected as evidence featured two neatly hemmed ends, leading investigators to question how it was “cut down” by guards as reported in the initial incident logs.
  • The CPAP Cord: A previously classified memo reveals that Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, had questioned why Jeffrey did not use the much stronger power cord from his sleep apnea machine, which was found in “perfect condition” on his desk.

The ‘Bait’ Note and Final Scribbles

The DOJ release also includes a high-resolution scan of the “suicide note” found in the cell. While previously described in fragments, the full text reveals a man in a state of deep psychological distress or tactical distraction.

In the note, Epstein complained of:

  • “Giant bugs” crawling on his body and the floor of the cell.
  • “Burnt food” being served by specific guards (naming Tova Noel).
  • “Intentional humiliation” by being locked in a shower cell without clothing.

A Cold Comfort for Skeptics

Despite the wealth of new data, the DOJ’s summary remains firm: Suicide. The files include an FBI analysis of the SHU (Special Housing Unit) common area footage, which confirmed that from 10:40 p.m. on August 9 until 6:30 a.m. the next morning, no one entered the tier where Epstein’s cell was located.

DetailStatus in 2026 FilesOfficial Conclusion
Neck Fractures3 (Hyoid + Thyroid Cartilage)Consistent with hanging in elderly.
DNA Evidence“Inconclusive” on bedsheet ligatureNo third-party DNA found.
SurveillanceTier-entry footage releasedNo unauthorized entry detected.
LividityBlood pooling in legs/feetConfirms body was in vertical position.

For the families of the victims and the millions who have followed the case, the post-mortem files offer a grim closure to a chapter of American history defined by institutional failure. The “Epstein Mystery” may never truly vanish, but with these files, the government has finally put its cards—and its autopsy photos—on the table.

A Community Braces as Search for Nancy Guthrie Enters Second Week

Sonia Pantiss
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A Community Braces as Search for Nancy Guthrie Enters Second Week

HIGHLANDS, NC — The pristine, fog-draped peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains have become the site of a desperate search as authorities, specialized K-9 units, and hundreds of volunteers race to find 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, who vanished from her home more than eight days ago.

What began as a standard welfare check on January 27 has spiraled into a high-stakes mystery that has gripped this close-knit mountain community. Guthrie, a retired educator known for her local philanthropy and daily walks, was last seen by a neighbor tending to her garden. When friends arrived for a scheduled lunch the following afternoon, they found the front door unlocked, her purse and keys on the kitchen counter, and her cell phone charging in its usual cradle.

There was no sign of a struggle, but more chillingly, there was no sign of Nancy.

A Grid Search Through the ‘Vertical Forest’

The search effort, led by the Macon County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with state foresters, has covered more than 5,000 acres of dense, “vertical” terrain. The geography of Highlands—characterized by steep ravines, hidden caves, and the sprawling Nantahala National Forest—presents a logistical nightmare for search teams.

“We are operating on the assumption that every minute counts,” said Sheriff Brent Holbrooks during a Tuesday morning briefing. “We have deployed FLIR-equipped drones (Forward Looking Infrared) and high-altitude helicopters, but the canopy is thick. This is a boots-on-the-ground operation now.”

The Search by the Numbers:

  • Volunteers: 350+ residents and off-duty first responders.
  • Specialized Units: 12 K-9 teams trained in “scent-trailing” and “cadaver detection.”
  • Radius: A 5-mile high-intensity zone surrounding the Guthrie property.
  • Temperature: Nighttime lows have plummeted to 24°F (-4°C), increasing the urgency for rescue.

The ‘Timeline of Silence’

Investigators have spent the last 48 hours meticulously reconstructing Guthrie’s final known hours. While the Sheriff’s Office has not officially declared the case a criminal investigation, they have notably not ruled out “foul play.”

“Nancy is a woman of habit,” said Martha Vance, a lifelong friend. “She doesn’t leave without her phone. She doesn’t leave her door unlocked. She certainly wouldn’t walk into those woods at dusk without a jacket. Something is wrong.”

Key Points of Interest:

  1. The Mailbox: Guthrie’s mail for January 27 was collected, but the January 28 delivery remained in the box, narrowing the window of her disappearance to a 20-hour period.
  2. Digital Footprint: Her last outgoing text message was sent at 4:15 p.m. on Monday—a mundane note about a book club meeting.
  3. The Vehicle: Her SUV remained parked in the garage, ruling out a voluntary departure by car.

Community on Edge

In Highlands, a town where many residents leave their doors unlocked, the disappearance has fractured the sense of seasonal peace. Yard signs featuring Nancy’s face—noted for her bright blue eyes and silver bob—line Main Street. Local businesses have transformed into makeshift supply hubs, providing water and thermal blankets for the search parties.

DateEventStatus
Jan 27Last confirmed sightingNeighbor saw her at 3:00 p.m.
Jan 28Welfare checkHome found empty; purse/keys left behind.
Jan 30Large-scale search beginsState resources deployed.
Feb 3Investigation widensSearch of nearby Mirror Lake concluded with “no results.”

The Call for Footage

Authorities are now urging anyone with “Ring” doorbells, trail cameras, or dashcam footage from the Buck Creek Road or Horse Cove areas to come forward. Investigators are specifically looking for any “unfamiliar or out-of-place” vehicles seen idling near the Guthrie residence on the afternoon of January 27.

As the sun sets behind the Blue Ridge once again, the “Highlands Silence” has taken on a heavy, haunting quality. For the family and friends of Nancy Guthrie, the beauty of the mountains has become a wall—one they are determined to break down until Nancy is brought home.

UK PM Keir Starmer Urges Andrew to Face Congress as ‘Graphic’ Photos Shatter Defenses

Nancy Clayson
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UK PM Keir Starmer Urges Andrew to Face Congress as ‘Graphic’ Photos Shatter Defenses

TOKYO — In a historic departure from the traditional protection afforded to the British monarchy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly called on the man formerly known as Prince Andrew to testify before the U.S. Congress.

Speaking to reporters aboard his flight to Japan on Saturday, Starmer stated that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor must provide evidence to American lawmakers investigating the crimes of the late Jeffrey Epstein. The Prime Minister’s “toughened stance” marks the first time a sitting British leader has explicitly encouraged a member of the Royal Family to submit to a foreign congressional deposition.

“Anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information in whatever form they are asked to do that,” Starmer said, reinforcing his commitment to a “victim-centered” approach. “You can’t be victim-centered if you’re not prepared to do that.”

The Photo That Changed the Narrative

The Prime Minister’s remarks followed the Friday release of a massive, 3-million-page document dump by the U.S. Department of Justice. The files contain what critics are calling “deeply unsavory” new evidence that appears to contradict Andrew’s long-standing claims of having had limited contact with Epstein after 2008.

Key Revelations from the DOJ Files:

  • The ‘Kneeling’ Images: Several redacted photographs appear to show Andrew on all fours, leaning over an unidentified, fully clothed woman lying on a floor. In one image, he appears to be looking directly into the camera.
  • The 2010 Emails: Despite Andrew’s 2019 claim that he met Epstein in 2010 only to “break off” their friendship, new emails show the pair discussing business deals and social invitations well after Epstein’s first sex-offense conviction.
  • The Russian Connection: In August 2010, Epstein emailed Andrew to suggest a dinner with a “clever, beautiful and trustworthy” 26-year-old Russian woman. Andrew reportedly replied he would be “delighted” to meet her.

Congress Turns Up the Heat

The pressure on Andrew is no longer confined to the court of public opinion. In Washington, the House Oversight Committee has intensified its demand for a “transcribed interview” with the 65-year-old former royal.

Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), a leading voice on the committee, accused Andrew of “hiding from meaningful investigations.” With the DOJ files now providing a roadmap of their post-conviction correspondence, lawmakers argue that Andrew’s testimony is vital to understanding how Epstein maintained his network of influence.

“The documents show that they had to do something to separate Andrew from the rest of the family,” noted royal expert Craig Prescott. “The ‘nuclear option’ taken by King Charles last year has been entirely justified by these new disclosures.”

The King’s ‘Nuclear Option’

The escalating scandal has already fundamentally altered the structure of the British monarchy. In late 2025, King Charles III took the unprecedented step of formally stripping his brother of the title of “Prince” and evicting him from his long-time residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

The Current Status of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor:

  • Titles: Stripped of “His Royal Highness” (HRH) and the title of “Prince.”
  • Residence: Evicted from Royal Lodge; currently residing at a smaller cottage on the Sandringham Estate.
  • Legal Shield: No longer benefits from the “sovereign immunity” or diplomatic protections typically afforded to senior working royals.
DevelopmentPrevious DefenseNew Evidence / Context
Contact Post-2008“Only met once in 2010 to end it.”Emails discuss multiple social/business meets.
Physical EvidenceNo recollection of meeting accusers.Redacted photos show him in compromising poses.
Public Position“Victim-centered” empathy.Refusal to testify under oath in the U.S.

A Diplomacy of Accountability

Starmer’s intervention puts the British government in lockstep with U.S. federal investigators, creating a united front that leaves Andrew with few remaining allies. While Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the latest DOJ files, the Prime Minister’s words signal that the “special relationship” between the U.S. and the UK will no longer be used as a shield for private royal scandals.

As the sun sets over Tokyo, the man formerly known as the Duke of York faces a choice: continue his voluntary exile behind the gates of Sandringham, or fulfill the “victim-centered” duty his Prime Minister has now publicly demanded.

Liam Conejo Ramos: Federal Judge Orders Release of 5-Year-Old Used as ‘Bait’ in ICE Surge

Diane A. Wade
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Liam Conejo Ramos: Federal Judge Orders Release of 5-Year-Old Used as ‘Bait’ in ICE Surge

DILLEY, TEXAS — In a stinging judicial rebuke that invoked the Declaration of Independence and the Bible to condemn the “traumatization of children,” a federal judge on Saturday ordered the immediate release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos from an immigration detention center.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Fred Biery brings a temporary end to a two-week saga that has made the young boy the face of the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota. Liam and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were swept up by federal agents in their Minneapolis driveway on January 20—an arrest that local school officials allege involved using the child as “bait” to lure his mother out of their home.

“The case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children,” Judge Biery wrote in a scathing 12-page opinion. Under the signature of his order, the judge included a photo of Liam in his blue bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, alongside the two-word verse from the Gospel of John: “Jesus wept.”

The ‘Bait’ Allegations

The detention of Liam sparked a national outcry after Zena Stenvik, superintendent of the Columbia Heights Public School District, went public with a harrowing account of the arrest. According to Stenvik and witnesses, ICE agents took Liam from a still-running vehicle after arresting his father, then led the crying preschooler to his front door.

Agents reportedly directed the 5-year-old to knock and ask to be let in—an attempt, critics say, to force his mother, Erika Ramos, to open the door so she could also be apprehended.

“They used a child as a human key to a private residence,” said Jennifer Scarborough, an attorney for the family. “It is a level of tactical cruelty that has no place in American law enforcement.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied these claims, asserting instead that the child was “abandoned” by his father during a foot chase—a narrative flatly rejected by the family and bystander video.

A Civics Lesson from the Bench

Judge Biery, a Clinton appointee, did not mince words in his assessment of the administration’s tactics. His ruling criticized the government’s “apparent ignorance” of the Declaration of Independence and the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable seizure.

Key Findings of the Ruling:

  • Immediate Release: The government must release Liam and his father “as soon as practicable,” and no later than Tuesday, Feb. 3.
  • Constitutional Violation: The judge found that the administrative warrants used by the executive branch to bypass judicial oversight “do not pass probable cause muster.”
  • Humane Mandate: Biery cited the “perfidious lust for unbridled power” as a driving force behind the current crackdown, urging a return to “human decency.”

The Minneapolis Pressure Cooker

The order to release Liam comes at a moment of extreme tension in the Twin Cities. While Judge Biery was ruling in Texas, a separate federal judge in Minnesota, Katherine M. Menendez, denied a request from the state to halt the entire “Metro Surge” operation. However, even she noted the “profound and even heartbreaking” effect the surge has had, citing the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents earlier this month.

LocationStatusKey Event
Dilley, TexasRelease OrderedLiam and father to be freed by Tuesday.
Minneapolis, MNSurge ContinuesJudge Menendez denies injunction to stop ICE operations.
Capitol HillFunding DuelSenate Democrats tie DHS funding to “new restrictions” on the surge.

What’s Next for Liam?

Liam’s mother, who has been in hiding since the arrest, spoke through tears following the news of the ruling. “I just want to hold him,” she said in a statement. “He is only five. He doesn’t understand why the men in masks took him away from his school bag.”

The family, originally from Ecuador, entered the U.S. legally in 2024 to seek asylum. While they will now be reunited, their underlying immigration case remains active. For now, the “bunny hat boy” will return to Minnesota, but he returns to a city transformed by a federal presence that shows no sign of a full retreat.

Second Epstein Accuser Claims She Was ‘Trafficked to the UK’ for Andrew

Clyde K. Valle
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Second Epstein Accuser Claims She Was ‘Trafficked to the UK’ for Andrew

LONDON — The wall of silence surrounding the disgraced former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has fractured once again.

On Sunday, as a massive new cache of Department of Justice files continues to circulate, a second victim of the late Jeffrey Epstein has come forward with explosive claims. According to her legal team, the woman—identified only as an anonymous survivor in current filings—alleges she was flown to the United Kingdom specifically for the purpose of having sex with the man formerly known as Prince Andrew.

The claim, made public by lawyers representing several Epstein survivors, mirrors the landmark allegations brought by the late Virginia Giuffre, who settled her own sexual assault lawsuit against the Duke of York in 2022. This new testimony, however, threatens to dismantle the “isolated incident” defense long maintained by the former prince’s legal camp.

The ‘London Pipeline’ Allegations

The accuser’s lawyer, Spencer Kuvin, stated that his client’s testimony provides a “direct link” to Epstein’s habit of using young women as “currency” for his powerful friends.

The new allegations center on a trip to London in the early 2000s, during which the victim claims she was groomed by Ghislaine Maxwell and presented to Andrew at a private residence.

“The recent documents only confirm what the victims have been saying all along,” Kuvin said in a statement on Sunday. “The absence of a formal ‘client list’ is not the same thing as proof that no third parties participated. We have direct testimony of victims being provided as favors.”

A Weekend of Revelations

The new claims are part of a broader “tsunami” of evidence released by the DOJ this weekend. The thousands of pages of unredacted files have already produced several “smoking gun” moments for the former royal:

  • The ‘Kneeling’ Photos: Images purportedly from the DOJ files appear to show Andrew on his hands and knees, leaning over an unidentified woman on a floor.
  • The Russian Invitation: Emails show Epstein offering to set Andrew up on a dinner date with a “trustworthy” 26-year-old Russian woman.
  • The Palace Invite: Documents suggest Andrew invited Epstein to Buckingham Palace in 2010—two years after Epstein’s first conviction for soliciting a minor.
Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein

Prime Ministerial Pressure

The resurgence of the scandal has reached the highest levels of British government. Speaking from Japan on Saturday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer took the rare step of publicly urging Andrew to cooperate with U.S. investigators.

“I have always approached this question with the victims of Epstein in mind,” Starmer told reporters. “In terms of testifying, I’ve always said anybody who’s got information should be prepared to share that information… You can’t be victim-centered if you’re not prepared to do that.”

Key DevelopmentStatus / Detail
New AccuserClaims she was trafficked to the UK specifically for Andrew.
DOJ Files6 million pages released; include photos and emails.
Royal StatusTitles stripped by King Charles III in 2025; now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Legal ThreatU.S. House Oversight Committee requesting a “transcribed interview.”

The Endgame for Andrew?

Following King Charles III’s “nuclear option” of stripping Andrew of his remaining titles and the Duke of York styling late last year, the former prince has been increasingly isolated. He is reportedly facing an imminent eviction from Royal Lodge in Windsor, with plans to relocate to a smaller property on the Sandringham Estate.

While Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing and settled Giuffre’s case without an admission of liability, the emergence of a second witness claiming a similar “trafficking route” to the UK puts his 2019 claim that he “never met” these women under impossible strain.

As lawyers for the survivors prepare to push for unredacted FBI files and further testimony, the “Birthright” Andrew once reportedly believed he possessed is being replaced by a much grimmer reality: the prospect of a forced deposition under the glare of a global stage.

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