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Justice Department Removes 16 Epstein Files Including Trump Photos Within 24 Hours, Sparking Transparency Questions

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WASHINGTON — At least 16 files vanished from the Justice Department’s public repository of Jeffrey Epstein documents within 24 hours of their release, including photographs depicting President Donald Trump, triggering bipartisan demands for transparency and raising fresh questions about government accountability in one of the most scrutinized criminal cases in recent history.

The files, accessible Friday and removed by Saturday without government explanation or public notification, included images of paintings showing nude women and a photograph displaying Trump alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, the Associated Press confirmed. Sky News first drew attention to the disappearance after House Oversight Committee Democrats flagged the missing materials.

Among the deleted images was a photograph showing printed pictures inside a desk drawer, with one frame containing Trump surrounded by women in swimsuits and another showing what appears to be a previously known image of Trump, his wife, Maxwell and Epstein, Sky News stated. The news organization verified the files were missing Saturday after downloading them during Friday’s initial release.

The Justice Department declined to explain the removals Saturday but posted on X that “photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.” The statement provided no timeline for restoration or clarification about which materials might return to public view.

The unexplained deletions intensified long-standing intrigue surrounding Epstein and the powerful figures in his orbit, fueling online speculation about what was removed and why the public received no advance notice. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee highlighted the missing Trump photograph in a social media post, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”

The episode deepens concerns that emerged from the Justice Department’s highly anticipated document release, which spans tens of thousands of pages yet offers limited fresh insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to evade serious federal charges for years. The disclosure omits some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memoranda examining charging decisions.

Trump has not commented on the file release and has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s case. Similarly, former President Bill Clinton, whose never-before-seen photographs appear throughout the released documents, has not faced accusations related to Epstein’s criminal conduct. Both presidents have publicly distanced themselves from their past associations with the convicted sex offender.

The broader document release reveals troubling gaps in accountability. Missing entirely are FBI interviews with survivors and internal Justice Department analyses that could illuminate how investigators assessed the case and why Epstein was permitted in 2008 to plead guilty to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge rather than face federal sex trafficking prosecution.

The records, mandated for release under recent congressional legislation, barely reference several prominent figures long connected to Epstein, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew. This absence renews questions about who faced scrutiny, who escaped examination, and whether the disclosures genuinely advance public accountability or merely create an illusion of transparency.

What the releases do contain offers troubling glimpses into prosecutorial failures. Transcripts of grand jury proceedings, made public for the first time, include FBI agent testimony describing interviews with multiple girls and young women who reported being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein. The youngest was 14 and in ninth grade, according to the documents.

One victim told investigators about sexual assault by Epstein when she initially resisted his advances during a massage. Another, then 21, testified before the grand jury about Epstein hiring her at 16 to perform sexual massages and subsequently recruiting other girls for similar purposes.

“For every girl that I brought to the table he would give me $200,” she testified. They were mostly acquaintances from high school, she said. “I also told them that if they are under age, just lie about it and tell him that you are 18.”

The documents reveal that federal prosecutors possessed what appeared to be a compelling case against Epstein in 2007 yet declined to pursue charges. Interview transcripts show Justice Department lawyers questioning then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, who oversaw the case, about his decision not to bring federal charges more than a decade after that determination.

Acosta, who served as labor secretary during Trump’s first term, cited concerns about whether jurors would believe Epstein’s accusers. He also suggested the Justice Department might have been reluctant to pursue federal prosecution in a case straddling the legal boundary between sex trafficking and soliciting prostitution, typically handled by state prosecutors.

“I’m not saying it was the right view,” Acosta acknowledged, adding that contemporary society would likely view the survivors differently. “There’s been a lot of changes in victim shaming,” he said in the interview.

Among potentially significant revelations: insight into the Justice Department’s decision to abandon an investigation into Epstein in the 2000s, which enabled his state-level guilty plea, and a previously unseen 1996 complaint accusing Epstein of stealing photographs of children.

The releases have emphasized images of Epstein’s properties in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands, alongside photographs of celebrities and politicians. Trump’s Republican allies focused on Clinton images, including photos of the Democrat with singers Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, as well as pictures of Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey, and television newscaster Walter Cronkite. The photographs lacked captions and contained no explanation for the documented associations.

Despite a Friday congressional deadline to make all materials public, the Justice Department announced it would release records on a rolling basis, attributing delays to the time-intensive process of obscuring survivors’ names and other identifying information. The department has not specified when additional records might become available.

This approach angered Epstein accusers and congressional members who championed the legislation compelling departmental action. Rather than concluding a years-long transparency battle, Friday’s document release marked the beginning of an indefinite wait for a comprehensive picture of Epstein’s crimes and investigative responses.

“I feel like again the DOJ, the justice system is failing us,” said Marina Lacerda, who alleges Epstein began sexually abusing her at his New York City mansion when she was 14.

Federal prosecutors in New York brought sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he died by suicide in jail following his arrest. The recently released documents represent a fraction of potentially millions of pages in departmental possession. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that Manhattan federal prosecutors held more than 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, though many duplicate material already provided by the FBI.

Many released records had appeared previously in court filings, congressional releases or Freedom of Information Act requests, though they were now centralized in one searchable repository for the first time. New materials often lacked necessary context or were heavily redacted. A 119-page document marked “Grand Jury-NY,” likely from federal sex trafficking investigations leading to charges against Epstein in 2019 or Maxwell in 2021, was entirely blacked out.

Jennifer Freeman, an attorney representing Epstein accuser Maria Farmer and other survivors, said Saturday that her client feels vindicated after the document release. Farmer sought for years documentation supporting her claim that Epstein and Maxwell possessed child sexual abuse images.

“It’s a triumph and a tragedy,” Freeman said. “It looks like the government did absolutely nothing. Horrible things have happened and if they investigated in even the smallest way, they could have stopped him.”

The file removals compound what survivors’ advocates describe as a pattern of institutional failure extending across multiple administrations and Justice Department leadership teams. The question now confronting lawmakers and the public is whether the department’s rolling release strategy represents a genuine commitment to transparency or a mechanism for controlling damaging information about investigative shortcomings and connections to powerful figures.

Sky News stated it has contacted the Justice Department for comment on the file removals. As of publication, the department had not provided additional clarification beyond its social media statement about ongoing review processes.

Skynews/AP

Gunmen Kill 9, Wound 10 in Deadly South Africa Tavern Attack

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Gunmen unleashed a barrage of gunfire at a crowded township tavern west of Johannesburg, South Africa, early Sunday, killing nine people and injuring at least 10 others, police said, in the country’s second mass shooting in less than three weeks.

The attack erupted just before 1 a.m. in Bekkersdal, a township about 46 kilometers (28 miles) west of Johannesburg, when multiple assailants arrived at the KwaNoxolo tavern in the Tambo section of the community, authorities said. Police said the attackers arrived in a white minibus and a silver sedan and opened fire on patrons inside the venue before continuing to shoot indiscriminately as they escaped.

Police said several victims were struck outside the tavern as the gunmen fled. “Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen,” police said in a statement describing the aftermath of the attack.

Africanews said police had not immediately released details about the identities of the victims. Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili later confirmed that one of those killed was an e-hailing driver who had just dropped off a passenger near the tavern and was caught in the gunfire.

“He was shot and killed,” Muridili told The Associated Press.

Provincial police commissioner Fred Kekana separately confirmed that the driver had been outside the tavern at the time of the shooting, Sky News said. Authorities said investigators believe about 12 suspects were involved in the coordinated attack.

A wide-ranging manhunt was launched by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations, working alongside the Crime Detection Tracing Unit, as officers sought to identify the suspects and trace the vehicles used in the assault.

The Bekkersdal shooting adds to a growing pattern of deadly attacks at bars and taverns—often known locally as shebeens—that have unsettled communities across South Africa. Earlier this month, gunmen stormed an unlicensed bar near the capital, killing at least 12 people and wounding 13 others. In 2022, 16 people were killed in a single tavern attack in Soweto, while four more died in a separate bar shooting in another province on the same day.

Security experts say taverns have increasingly become flashpoints for extreme violence because they operate late into the night, draw large crowds and often lack formal security. Investigators have not yet disclosed a motive for the Bekkersdal attack, and police have not said whether it was linked to organized crime, gang activity or targeted retaliation.

South Africa continues to grapple with persistently high levels of violent crime. Police data show nearly 26,000 homicides were recorded nationwide in 2024—more than 70 killings a day on average—placing the country among those with the highest homicide rates globally. Firearms remain the leading cause of death in homicides, and officials say many shootings involve illegally obtained weapons despite strict gun control laws.

Authorities said patrols were stepped up in Bekkersdal following the attack, while community leaders renewed calls for intelligence-driven policing and tougher action against illegal firearms to stem the tide of violence targeting public gathering places.

Substation Fire Plunges One-Third of San Francisco Into Darkness, Disrupting Transit and Holiday Season

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SAN FRANCISCO — A fire at a Pacific Gas and Electric substation knocked out electricity to approximately 130,000 customers Saturday, plunging nearly one-third of San Francisco into darkness and triggering widespread transit disruptions during the busy holiday season.

The cascading outages began at 9:40 a.m. in the Richmond and Presidio neighborhoods before spreading throughout the western portions of the city. By mid-afternoon, the blackout had engulfed The Presidio, Seacliff, Outer and Inner Richmond, Golden Gate Park, the Panhandle, Inner and Outer Sunset, and part of West of Twin Peaks, the utility’s outage map showed. Portions of the Western Addition and Downtown also lost service.

San Francisco Fire Department crews responded to a one-alarm blaze at PG&E’s substation at 8th and Mission streets at approximately 3:15 p.m. Firefighters worked to deenergize equipment and suppress flames using carbon dioxide, though the utility has not disclosed what triggered either the fire or the broader power failures.

The outage represents a significant infrastructure failure for a major American city, exposing vulnerabilities in aging electrical systems that serve dense urban populations. San Francisco’s grid relies heavily on strategically placed substations, and the failure of a single facility demonstrated how quickly localized equipment problems can cascade into citywide emergencies.

PG&E stabilized the power grid by 4 p.m., preventing additional customer outages, the company stated on X. By 11 p.m. local time, the utility had restored service to approximately 100,000 customers, with the remaining 30,000 expected to regain power overnight. The company confirmed no injuries resulted from the incidents.

The blackout paralyzed San Francisco’s public transportation network during peak weekend travel hours. Bay Area Rapid Transit closed Powell Street and Civic Center stations due to the power failure, while San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency suspended Muni Metro and Central Subway operations, according to transit officials.

Mayor Daniel Lurie announced at 9 p.m. that the two BART stations were reopening and Muni services were resuming, though he cautioned that lingering effects would continue impacting operations. “If you don’t need to travel tonight, please stay off the roads and stay inside,” Lurie said, noting that additional officers would be deployed at intersections and corridors to maintain safety.

The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management warned that traffic signals might be affected by the outage and instructed drivers to treat intersections as four-way stops. Waymo temporarily suspended its autonomous vehicle services in the city due to the disruption.

The timing could not have been worse for San Francisco’s retail sector. Social media posts and local media documented mass closures of restaurants and shops, while darkened street lights and Christmas decorations left commercial corridors unusually dim during what should be one of the busiest shopping weekends before the holidays. The Associated Press reported widespread business disruptions across affected neighborhoods.

The emergency management department advised residents to avoid nonessential travel as “significant transit disruptions” unfolded citywide. Transportation agencies rerouted some Muni bus lines and bypassed several BART train stations to work around the power failures.

The incident raises questions about infrastructure resilience in California’s second-largest city, particularly as PG&E continues grappling with its role in previous disasters, including devastating wildfires sparked by equipment failures. While Saturday’s outage caused no reported injuries, it underscored the fragility of urban power systems and the ripple effects when critical infrastructure fails during high-demand periods.

The scale of the blackout—affecting roughly one-third of PG&E’s San Francisco customer base—highlights the concentration of load on individual substations and the potential for single points of failure to create widespread disruption. Urban planners and utility regulators may need to reassess grid redundancy as cities grow denser and more dependent on reliable electricity for everything from transit to holiday commerce.

PG&E has faced mounting scrutiny over equipment reliability following its bankruptcy related to wildfire liability and subsequent efforts to modernize infrastructure. Saturday’s episode, while contained to a single day, reinforced concerns about whether California’s largest utility has adequately invested in preventing equipment failures that can cripple major population centers.

CBS/AP

US Freezes Green Card and Citizenship Applications for Nigerians, 19 Other Nations Under Travel Ban

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WASHINGTON — The United States has temporarily frozen green card and citizenship applications for Nigerians and nationals from 19 other countries recently added to an expanded travel ban, halting legal immigration pathways for thousands already living in America.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services stopped processing the applications in December, primarily affecting immigrants from selected African and Asian nations who were seeking to adjust their immigration status or obtain American citizenship, CBS News reported Friday.

A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News on condition of anonymity that USCIS extended the suspension to nationals of countries added to the travel ban this week when President Donald Trump expanded restrictions to cover 20 additional nations.

The administration directed USCIS to freeze all immigration petitions, including permanent residency and citizenship applications, from nationals of 19 countries covered by a travel ban announced in June. That directive came after a Thanksgiving week shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., allegedly carried out by an Afghan national.

Following that incident, the administration suspended asylum case decisions handled by USCIS and halted processing of all immigration and visa applications from Afghan nationals.

Trump announced Tuesday he was expanding the travel ban to include 20 additional countries—fully barring entry from five nations and partially restricting travel from 15 others.

The complete travel ban applies to Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria.

Fifteen countries face partial restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The suspension affects individuals already living legally in the United States who filed applications to change their immigration status or pursue citizenship. Many had established lives in America, working legally while awaiting decisions on their petitions for permanent residency or naturalization.

The freeze applies to cases handled by USCIS, the federal agency responsible for administering the country’s lawful immigration system, including processing applications for green cards, citizenship, work permits and asylum.

The timing and scope of the suspension remain unclear, as does whether USCIS will continue accepting new applications from affected countries or merely halt decisions on pending cases.

The Trump administration has not publicly announced the processing freeze, and USCIS has not issued formal guidance to applicants from the newly restricted countries.

The expansion of travel restrictions and accompanying immigration processing freeze represents one of the most significant policy shifts affecting legal immigration since Trump returned to office, impacting thousands of people who followed legal pathways to seek permanent residence or citizenship in the United States.

Punchng

Africa Cup of Nations Shifts to 4-Year Cycle Starting 2028, Launches Annual Nations League

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RABAT, Morocco — The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will transition to a four-year cycle beginning in 2028, ending more than six decades of biennial competition, African football chief Patrice Motsepe announced Saturday.

The Confederation of African Football president unveiled the dramatic change as part of a comprehensive restructuring of continental football designed to better align African competitions with the crowded global calendar and ease conflicts with European club seasons.

The shift marks a significant departure from tradition. AFCON has been held at two-year intervals since its inaugural edition in 1957, providing crucial revenue streams for African national associations.

To offset lost income from less frequent Cup of Nations tournaments, CAF will launch an annual African Nations League competition modeled after UEFA’s format, Motsepe said in Rabat on the eve of Morocco’s tournament opener.

“Our focus now is on this AFCON, but in 2027 we will be going to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, and the AFCON after that will be in 2028,” Motsepe told reporters. “Then, after the FIFA Club World Cup in 2029, we will have the first African Nations League… with more prize money, more resources, more competition.”

CAF will open bidding for nations interested in hosting the 2028 Cup of Nations.

Nations League to Replace Biennial Revenue

The new annual Nations League will feature regional divisions, with 16 teams each in eastern, western and central-southern zones, and six teams in the northern zone. Matches will take place in September and October, with top teams from each zone advancing to November finals held at a single location.

Motsepe said the restructuring ensures “the football calendar worldwide is more in harmony” while addressing the persistent challenge of releasing African players from European clubs mid-season.

“Of course, our primary duty is to African football, but we also have a duty to the players from Africa playing for the best clubs in Europe,” he said. “We want to make sure that there is more synchronization and that the global calendar allows the best African players every year to be in Africa.”

Scheduling Conflicts Drive Change

For 15 years, AFCON has struggled to find a suitable calendar slot that satisfies both African football needs and European club interests.

The tournament traditionally took place in January and February, forcing major European clubs to release African stars during the heart of their seasons. The 2019 edition in Egypt shifted to June and July to accommodate European club concerns, but subsequent tournaments in Cameroon (2022) and Ivory Coast (2024) reverted to early-year dates to avoid rainy seasons in those regions.

This year’s Morocco-hosted tournament was originally scheduled for June and July but moved when FIFA introduced its expanded Club World Cup in the United States for those months. CAF could not postpone until June 2026 because of the World Cup, and January-February dates no longer work due to the new UEFA Champions League format.

The solution: start in December and extend into the New Year, when some European leagues break but England’s Premier League maintains a packed schedule.

“I can’t have players leaving their clubs in Europe in the mid-season. It’s wrong,” Motsepe said. “We’ve got a duty to the players. We know how frustrating it is for the players when their club says they are needed but they are also needed for the country.”

Previous Proposals Rejected

FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously proposed moving AFCON to a four-year cycle, but CAF rejected the idea because of heavy reliance on tournament revenues.

The timing controversy has persisted for years as African players face conflicting loyalties between national teams and European clubs that pay their salaries. Moving the tournament to mid-year in 2019 was supposed to resolve the tension, but practical concerns about weather and infrastructure repeatedly pushed competitions back to traditional early-year slots.

“It’s unfair for us to the players,” Motsepe said. “We are solving this problem for us in Africa and for our African players.”

Prize Money Increased

Winners of the current Morocco tournament will receive $10 million, up from $7 million awarded to Ivory Coast when they captured the 2024 title.

The prize money increase represents CAF’s effort to maintain competitive incentives despite reducing tournament frequency.

This year’s Morocco competition will be the eighth AFCON held since the 2012 edition in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, reflecting the tournament’s recent struggles with calendar placement.

The 2027 tournament will be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda before the new four-year cycle takes effect with the 2028 edition.

The restructuring represents CAF’s most significant reform in decades, acknowledging the reality that African football must adapt to global commercial pressures while preserving competitive opportunities and revenue streams for the continent’s national associations and players.

Punchng/Reuters

US Seizes Second Venezuelan Oil Tanker in Two Weeks as Trump Enforces Maritime Blockade

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WASHINGTON — U.S. military forces intercepted and boarded an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast early Saturday, marking the second such seizure in less than two weeks as President Donald Trump escalates pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The pre-dawn operation involved Coast Guard personnel and Defense Department assets stopping the Panama-flagged vessel Centuries, which had last docked in Venezuela. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted unclassified video on social media showing a U.S. helicopter landing personnel on the tanker’s deck.

“The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region,” Noem wrote on X. “We will find you, and we will stop you.”

The boarding was consensual, with the tanker stopping voluntarily and allowing U.S. forces aboard, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly. Whether the vessel faced U.S. sanctions remained unclear Saturday.

The Pentagon and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Venezuela Denounces Action as ‘Criminal’

Venezuela’s government issued a sharp rebuke Saturday, characterizing the U.S. military action as theft and vowing legal retaliation through multiple channels, including complaints to the United Nations Security Council.

“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically denounces and rejects the theft and hijacking of another private vessel transporting Venezuelan oil, as well as the enforced disappearance of its crew, perpetrated by United States military personnel in international waters,” the government statement said.

Maduro has maintained that U.S. military operations in the region aim to force him from power rather than combat drug trafficking as Washington claims.

Blockade Follows Earlier Seizure

The Saturday action came days after Trump announced a total blockade of sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela. U.S. forces seized the tanker Skipper off Venezuela’s coast on Dec. 10, an unusual operation that preceded Trump’s blockade declaration.

Trump has intensified his rhetoric toward Maduro in recent weeks, warning the longtime Venezuelan leader that his days in power are numbered. Earlier this week, the president demanded Venezuela return assets seized from U.S. oil companies years ago, citing those losses to justify the maritime blockade.

“We’re not going to be letting anybody going through who shouldn’t be going through,” Trump told reporters. “You remember they took all of our energy rights. They took all of our oil not that long ago. And we want it back. They took it — they illegally took it.”

Some sanctioned tankers have already begun diverting away from Venezuelan ports.

Oil Disputes Date to Nationalization

U.S. oil companies dominated Venezuela’s petroleum industry until the country nationalized the sector—first in the 1970s and again under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez. Venezuela’s compensation offers were deemed insufficient, and in 2014, an international arbitration panel ordered the socialist government to pay ExxonMobil $1.6 billion.

Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces roughly 1 million barrels daily. Since the Trump administration imposed oil sanctions in 2017, Maduro’s government has relied on a shadowy fleet of unflagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains.

The state-owned oil company PDVSA, locked out of global markets by U.S. sanctions, sells most exports at steep discounts on China’s black market. Francisco Monaldi, a Venezuelan oil expert at Rice University, estimates that of the nation’s 850,000 barrels in daily exports, 80% goes to China, 15% to 17% reaches the U.S. through Chevron Corp., and the remainder goes to Cuba.

Military Buildup Accompanies Naval Operations

The tanker seizures coincide with Trump’s orders for Defense Department strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that his administration claims smuggle fentanyl and other drugs into the United States.

At least 104 people have died in 28 known strikes since early September, drawing scrutiny from lawmakers and human rights activists who say the administration has provided insufficient evidence that targets are drug smugglers. Critics characterize the fatal strikes as extrajudicial killings.

The Coast Guard, sometimes with Navy assistance, traditionally interdicted suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, searched for illicit cargo, and arrested crew members for prosecution—not destroyed vessels at sea.

The administration defends the strikes as necessary responses to what it characterizes as “armed conflict” with drug cartels. Maduro faces federal narcoterrorism charges in the United States.

The U.S. has deployed a fleet of warships to the region—the largest military buildup in generations. Trump has stated repeatedly that land attacks are imminent.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair this week that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle.”

Blockade Details Remain Unclear

Trump announced the blockade Tuesday night on his social media platform, alleging Venezuela uses oil revenue to fund drug trafficking and other crimes.

“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump wrote. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”

Venezuela’s government released a statement accusing Trump of “violating international law, free trade, and the principle of free navigation” with “a reckless and grave threat.”

“On his social media, he assumes that Venezuela’s oil, land, and mineral wealth are his property,” the Venezuelan statement said. “Consequently, he demands that Venezuela immediately hand over all its riches.”

How the U.S. plans to enforce what Trump called a “TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE” remained unclear, though the Navy has 11 ships in the region, including an aircraft carrier and several amphibious assault ships carrying helicopters and V-22 Ospreys. The Navy also operates P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in the area, providing significant capability to monitor marine traffic.

Terrorist Designation Questions

Trump claimed in his post that “the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” though the reference remained unclear.

The foreign terrorist organization designation historically has been reserved for non-state actors without sovereign immunities conferred by treaties or United Nations membership. Governments that U.S. administrations seek to sanction for financing or tolerating extremist violence typically receive “state sponsor of terrorism” designations—a list that does not include Venezuela.

In November, the Trump administration designated the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. The term originally referred to Venezuelan military officers involved in drug trafficking but does not represent a cartel in the traditional sense.

In rare instances, the U.S. has designated government elements as foreign terrorist organizations. The Trump administration’s first term applied such designation to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, an arm of the Iranian government already designated a state sponsor of terrorism.

In October, Trump appeared to confirm that Maduro has offered stakes in Venezuela’s oil and mineral wealth to relieve mounting U.S. pressure.

“He’s offered everything,” Trump said at the time. “You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f— around with the United States.”

The Associated Press story

Gospel Singer Mary Adenike Debuts New Singles in Pennsylvania, One Year After Surviving Severe Crash

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INDIANA, Pa. — Gospel minister Mary Adenike released four new singles during a worship concert at Redeemed Christian Church of God’s Living Spring Community Church, her second major album launch since surviving a life-threatening automobile accident in 2024.

Heavy snowfall nearly disrupted Saturday’s event, forcing organizers to limit the performance to two of the four announced tracks. Mary, backed by her MA’Rock Praise choir, performed “Iba re Olorun Iyanu” and “Am gonna praise” before the congregation. Two additional singles—”There’s no one like Jehovah” and “Hallelujah sound of victory”—were introduced but not performed due to time constraints.

The musical presentation, which Mary calls “The Sound of Hallelujah,” marks a significant personal milestone. The minister survived a severe car crash in late 2024, just weeks after her October 12 debut concert at the same Indiana, Pennsylvania venue.

That first performance showcased five original tracks including “Iba re” (Your Reference), “You are an awesome God,” and “The King of Glory,” establishing Mary’s presence in the American gospel music scene.

“The purpose of the concert is to create an atmosphere where people can genuinely encounter God through music,” Mary told Bobnews24. “The goal is to inspire worship, strengthen faith, and remind listeners of the power and beauty of praise. I want attendees to leave refreshed, hopeful, and spiritually strengthened.”

The minister, known to her followers as Pastor Mary, characterized the event as an unforgettable worship experience that unites people through spiritual connection and collective praise.

Pastor Mary’s ministry has grown steadily since her arrival in the United States. When asked about her progress and future vision, she emphasized divine guidance. “By God’s grace, I’ve grown from a place of obedience and consistency, and every step has been God-led,” she said. “Looking ahead, my expectation is to reach more lives through gospel music, raise true worshippers, and use this ministry to bring healing, hope, and revival.”

Balancing motherhood with her expanding ministry requires spiritual discipline, Mary Adenike explained. “I cope by God’s grace. I draw strength from prayer, discipline, and divine help,” she said. “Being a mother keeps me grounded, and ministry keeps me aligned. God orders my seasons, and with His wisdom, I balance purpose, family, and calling.”

Saturday’s concert drew several RCCG pastors, including the host, Yomi Fajebe, Nathaniel Oyedele, Bello Afegbua, and Ayo Ajetomobi, who were accompanied by their wives.

The Living Spring Community Church in Indiana, Pennsylvania, serves as Pastor Mary Adenike’s primary performance venue and has become central to her musical ministry in the United States.

3 Killed in Taipei Knife and Smoke Attack; Suspect Dies After Falling From Department Store

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A man armed with knives and smoke grenades launched a series of attacks in central Taipei on Friday evening, killing at least three people and injuring nine others before falling to his death from a department store, authorities said.

The suspect, identified by police as 27-year-old Chang Wen, was pronounced dead at a hospital after he jumped from the sixth floor of a commercial building, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported.

The violence began near an underground exit of Taipei Main Station, one of the city’s busiest transit hubs, where Chang threw smoke grenades that sent commuters fleeing before attacking passersby with a sharp object, the news agency said, citing police. Surveillance footage aired by local television networks showed a man dressed in black and wearing a gas mask deploying smoke devices amid evening crowds.

After fleeing the station area, Chang traveled north through underground passages and briefly stopped at a hotel, where police said he retrieved additional edged weapons. He later resurfaced near Zhongshan metro station and entered the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi department store, a popular shopping destination, where he continued the assault on multiple floors.

Police said Chang stabbed victims primarily in the neck on the first and fourth floors of the store. Officers later recovered weapons at both his rental residence in Taipei and the hotel room where he had stayed for several nights, according to Central News Agency.

Local hospitals confirmed three deaths resulting from the attacks. Taipei city officials said nine other people were hospitalized, including one in serious condition.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an told local media that a 57-year-old man attempted to stop the suspect at the metro station exit and was fatally wounded. National Taiwan University Hospital said the man suffered a penetrating injury approximately five centimeters long that pierced the right lung and reached the heart’s left atrium.

Taipei Metro said one of its staff members was hospitalized after inhaling heavy smoke while responding to the incident.

Another man died after being attacked near the department store, EBC News reported. A woman injured outside the shopping complex told the broadcaster she was struck while waiting to meet her daughter for dinner.

“It didn’t feel like a slash at first — more like being hit,” she said. “Then the pain came, and I saw people on the ground bleeding and needing help.”

Police said they are still examining Chang’s motive and have found no indication of accomplices. Authorities disclosed that Chang had failed to report for mandatory reserve military training in November 2024 and was wanted for violating Taiwan’s military service laws after failing to update his household registration, preventing delivery of his summons, Central News Agency reported, citing prosecutors.

The attack rattled a city known for low violent crime rates and highlighted vulnerabilities in crowded transit and commercial spaces during peak hours. Security analysts say the use of smoke grenades to create confusion mirrors tactics seen in other lone-actor attacks globally, complicating rapid identification and response.

Taipei officials said security patrols were increased around major transportation hubs and shopping districts following the incident as investigators continue to piece together Chang’s movements and actions.

NBC

Justice Department Releases 300,000 Pages of Jeffrey Epstein Investigation Records Under Congressional Pressure

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WASHINGTON — The Justice Department released more than 300,000 pages of investigative records Friday related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, succumbing to congressional demands after months of resistance that divided President Donald Trump’s political base.

The disclosure represents one of the largest document dumps in the sprawling Epstein case, though officials acknowledged the release remains incomplete. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said hundreds of thousands of additional pages require further review, with the remaining material expected within two weeks.

Among the newly public files are several photographs showing former President Bill Clinton with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s partner and co-defendant, including one image of Clinton in a swimming pool with Maxwell and an unidentified third person whose face was redacted. Clinton, who has not commented on the latest release, previously acknowledged socializing with Epstein while maintaining he had no knowledge of criminal conduct.

The document release may conflict with Justice Department protocols that typically shield material related to active investigations. Trump recently ordered federal prosecutors to examine Clinton’s connections to Epstein—a directive critics characterize as an attempt to deflect attention from the president’s own past association with the disgraced financier.

The files identify more than 1,200 individuals as victims or their relatives, Blanche noted in correspondence with Congress. Justice Department officials cautioned that despite efforts to protect victims’ identities, some personal information may have been inadvertently disclosed.

Political Pressure Forces Disclosure

The release follows a rare bipartisan congressional action that overcame initial White House opposition. Lawmakers passed legislation in November mandating the disclosure after Trump supporters accused his administration of concealing information about Epstein’s relationships with influential figures and circumstances surrounding his 2019 death in a Manhattan federal jail.

Trump initially opposed the measure, warning that releasing sensitive investigative materials could establish a problematic precedent. However, mounting pressure from his voter base—coupled with widespread conspiracy theories about government protection of powerful individuals—forced a reversal.

Recent polling shows just 44% of Republican voters approve of Trump’s handling of the Epstein matter, compared to his 82% overall approval rating within the party.

“By releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena request, and President Trump recently calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends, the Trump Administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have,” the White House said in a statement Friday.

The legislation Trump signed allows redactions protecting victim privacy and ongoing investigations but explicitly prohibits withholding material due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”

Dueling Political Narratives

Last month, House Democrats released thousands of emails from Epstein’s estate, including one in which Epstein wrote that Trump “knew about the girls”—a phrase left unexplained in the correspondence. Trump dismissed the disclosure as the “Epstein Hoax” designed to distract from other issues.

House Republicans countered the same day with additional emails suggesting Trump visited Epstein’s residence multiple times but “never got a massage.”

Two days after those competing releases, Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton and JPMorgan Chase. The following week, despite administration pressure to postpone the vote, Congress overwhelmingly passed the mandatory disclosure bill.

Long History of Investigations

Authorities first investigated Epstein in 2005 after a Palm Beach, Florida family reported he had molested their 14-year-old daughter at his mansion. FBI agents and local police gathered testimony from multiple underage girls who described being hired to provide sexual massages to Epstein.

Federal prosecutors controversially allowed Epstein to avoid national charges through a 2008 plea agreement on state prostitution charges involving a minor. He served 18 months in jail.

Epstein’s accusers spent years in civil litigation challenging that arrangement. Virginia Giuffre claimed Epstein facilitated sexual encounters for her, beginning at age 17, with numerous prominent men including billionaires, academics, U.S. politicians and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew.

All accused individuals denied the allegations. Prosecutors never filed charges related to Giuffre’s claims, though her account fueled widespread speculation about government protection of powerful figures. Giuffre died by suicide at age 41 in April at her farm in Western Australia.

Federal prosecutors in New York brought new sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he died by suicide in jail one month after his arrest. Authorities subsequently charged Maxwell with recruiting underage girls for abuse. She was convicted in late 2021 and is serving a 20-year sentence.

Maxwell was transferred from a low-security Florida facility to a minimum-security Texas prison camp after summer interviews with Deputy Attorney General Blanche. Her attorneys maintain she should never have faced trial or conviction.

The Justice Department said in July it found no evidence supporting additional prosecutions.

Public Records Already Extensive

Nearly two decades of litigation and investigative reporting have already made public substantial Epstein-related materials, including flight logs, address books, email correspondence, police reports, grand jury records, courtroom testimony and deposition transcripts from accusers, staff members and associates.

Previous disclosures revealed Epstein maintained contact with high-profile figures even after his 2008 conviction, including former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, Clinton’s former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, PayPal founder Peter Thiel and Mountbatten-Windsor.

Summers resigned from positions at Harvard University, OpenAI and other institutions, saying he felt deeply ashamed after November documents showed he corresponded with Epstein through 2019, even seeking relationship advice from the convicted offender.

JPMorgan Chase paid Epstein’s victims $290 million in 2023 to settle claims the bank overlooked his sex trafficking. The financial institution maintained Epstein as a client for five years following his 2008 conviction.

Trump maintained a friendship with Epstein for years before a mid-2000s falling out, prior to Epstein’s first conviction. Trump has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s sex trafficking activities and has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the case.

Neither Trump nor Clinton has faced accusations of misconduct related to Epstein. The presence of an individual’s name in investigative files does not imply wrongdoing.

King Charles III stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his royal titles this year following publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir detailing her allegations. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied having sexual contact with Giuffre.

Despite the extensive public record, demand for additional documents remains intense, particularly regarding Epstein’s associations with prominent political and business figures.

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Nov. 14 ordered a federal prosecutor to investigate Epstein’s connections to Trump’s political opponents, following the president’s request. Trump has not specified what alleged crimes he wants examined. None of the individuals Trump mentioned in social media posts demanding the investigation has been accused of sexual misconduct by Epstein’s victims.

The administration has characterized the file release as necessary to move past the controversy and refocus on economic concerns ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.

Delaware Court Restores Musk’s Tesla Pay Package, Now Worth $155 Billion

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WILMINGTON, Del. — Elon Musk’s 2018 pay package from Tesla, originally valued at $56 billion, was restored Friday by the Delaware Supreme Court, overturning a lower court ruling that had struck down the compensation deal as “unfathomable” and sparked a fierce backlash that threatened Delaware’s status as America’s premier corporate legal jurisdiction.

The five-judge panel said in a 49-page ruling that rescission was “an improper remedy” and that a judge’s cancellation of the pay package in 2024 had been “inequitable.” The remedy of total rescission “leaves Musk uncompensated for his time and efforts over a period of six years,” the court said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Musk posted on X that he was “vindicated.”

The pay package represented by far the largest executive compensation plan ever approved until Tesla shareholders voted for an even larger deal in November. The ruling means Musk can finally receive payment for his work since 2018, when he transformed Tesla from a struggling startup into one of the world’s most valuable companies.

If Tesla’s appeal had failed, the company could have faced a $26 billion profit hit over two years to account for a replacement stock-compensation package it had promised Musk at today’s substantially higher stock price.

The 2018 compensation deal provided Musk with options to acquire approximately 304 million Tesla shares at deeply discounted prices if the company achieved various milestones, which it did. Tesla estimated in 2018 that the plan was potentially worth $56 billion, though it is now valued at about $155 billion due to continued increases in the electric vehicle maker’s stock price. The options represent around 9 percent of Tesla’s outstanding stock.

Musk never collected his stock options because shortly after shareholders approved the 2018 compensation, the board was sued by Richard Tornetta, an investor holding just nine Tesla shares.

In 2024, following a five-day trial, Delaware Judge Kathaleen McCormick concluded that Tesla’s directors were conflicted and key facts were concealed from shareholders when they voted to approve the plan. She ordered the 2018 plan rescinded.

Musk accused Delaware judges of being activists hostile to technology founders and urged businesses to follow Tesla in reincorporating elsewhere. Dropbox, Roblox, Trade Desk, and Coinbase were among a handful of large companies that relocated their legal domiciles to Nevada or Texas. However, Delaware remains by far the most popular legal home for U.S. public companies.

Tesla’s board warned that Musk, the world’s richest person who also leads the SpaceX rocket venture and artificial intelligence startup xAI, could leave the electric car company if he did not receive the compensation he wanted and an increase in his voting power.

In November, shareholders approved a new pay package that could be worth $878 billion if Tesla meets targets for self-driving vehicles, a robotaxi network, and sales of humanoid robots.

Tesla has taken steps to reduce the risk that shareholders could tie up the 2025 package in courts. The Austin-based company is now incorporated in Texas, which allows Tesla to require that any investor or group of investors must own 3 percent of company stock before suing for alleged corporate law violations. A stake of that size would be worth around $30 billion, and Musk is the only individual with that much stock.

The ruling represents a dramatic vindication for Musk and a significant setback for shareholder advocates who had successfully challenged the compensation plan as excessive and improperly approved. The case had become a flashpoint in debates about executive compensation, corporate governance, and Delaware’s role as the nation’s dominant corporate law jurisdiction.

McCormick’s 2024 decision striking down the pay package had sent shockwaves through corporate America. Her ruling suggested that even compensation plans approved by shareholders could be invalidated if directors failed to disclose material conflicts of interest or if the negotiating process was flawed. The decision raised concerns among companies and executives about the stability of approved compensation agreements.

The Delaware Supreme Court’s reversal provides clarity that rescission—completely unwinding a deal—represents an extreme remedy that may not be appropriate even when procedural defects exist in approval processes. The court’s emphasis on Musk remaining “uncompensated for six years” of work transforming Tesla suggests judges weighed the practical consequences of rescission against the procedural violations McCormick identified.

The $155 billion current value represents nearly triple the $56 billion initial estimate, reflecting Tesla’s extraordinary stock price appreciation since 2018. That appreciation occurred precisely because Musk achieved the ambitious targets the compensation plan established, creating a paradox where his success in meeting goals made the reward appear even more excessive to critics.

Tornetta’s lawsuit, filed by an investor with just nine shares, illustrates how Delaware law allows minority shareholders to challenge corporate actions on behalf of all stockholders. This derivative lawsuit mechanism provides checks on management and boards but also enables small investors to second-guess decisions approved by overwhelming shareholder majorities.

The case highlighted tensions inherent in Musk’s dual role as both CEO and Tesla’s largest individual shareholder. Directors approving compensation for someone who controlled roughly 20 percent of company stock and served as public face of the brand faced inherent conflicts between their fiduciary duties to all shareholders and the practical reality that alienating Musk could devastate company value.

Musk’s public attacks on Delaware following McCormick’s ruling represented an unprecedented assault on the state’s judiciary from one of the world’s most prominent businessmen. His characterization of Delaware judges as “activists” hostile to founders challenged the state’s carefully cultivated reputation for expertise and fairness in corporate law matters.

The handful of companies following Tesla’s reincorporation to Texas or Nevada represents a tiny fraction of the thousands of corporations domiciled in Delaware, suggesting Musk’s campaign had limited practical impact. However, the controversy forced Delaware to defend its corporate law system in ways it rarely has needed to, potentially planting seeds of doubt about whether the state’s courts favor shareholders over management.

The November approval of an even larger $878 billion potential pay package demonstrates Tesla shareholders’ continued willingness to offer Musk extraordinary compensation tied to ambitious goals. The new plan’s astronomical potential value—nearly six times the restored 2018 package—reflects Musk’s successful framing that his leadership is irreplaceable and that failing to provide proper incentives risks his departure.

Tesla’s Texas reincorporation and the new 3 percent ownership threshold for shareholder lawsuits represent explicit efforts to prevent repeat litigation over the 2025 compensation plan. Requiring $30 billion in stock ownership to sue creates a virtually insurmountable barrier for individual shareholders, ensuring only Musk himself or major institutional investors could challenge corporate actions in court.

This barrier to litigation raises governance concerns about whether management becomes effectively insulated from shareholder accountability when only the CEO and largest institutions can sue. Corporate law traditionally balanced management authority against shareholder rights to challenge self-dealing or conflicts of interest. Texas law allowing such high ownership thresholds shifts that balance dramatically toward management.

As Musk prepares to finally collect stock options earned over six years, the case’s broader implications for executive compensation and corporate governance will continue reverberating. The ruling suggests that once shareholders approve compensation plans, courts will hesitate to unwind them completely even when procedural defects exist, potentially emboldening boards to pursue aggressive executive pay packages knowing that rescission represents an unlikely remedy.

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