Epstein survivors urge justice department to ‘do the right thing’ and release complete files
Several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have urged the justice department to “do the right thing” and “not withhold information” when it comes to the complete release of files related to the late sex offender. Attorney general Pam Bondi has said she will comply with the legislation and release all records within 30 days. However, the ongoing probes into several Democrats’ ties to Epstein, at the behest of Donald Trump, could limit what the DoJ is able to release, on the argument that releasing them would affect active investigations.
“Do not use pretexts to evade accountability. Do not rely on loopholes. Release the truth,” the survivors wrote in a joint statement today. “Until the truth is revealed in full, every criminal in Epstein and Maxwell’s deeply perverted orbit is held accountable, as well as the government for its negligence, justice will not have been served.”
Without fanfare, Trump signed the bill on Wednesday, which received near-unanimous consent in Congress.
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Updated at 15.53 CET
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Covered in the American flag, Cheney’s casket was just carried into the National Cathedral by the military honor guard. Walking behind were members of his family, including his widow Lynne and elder daughter Liz Cheney.
Lynne Cheney, in wheelchair, along with daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, preside over the arrival of the casket of former vice-president Dick Cheney. Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/APShare
In the first row at Dick Cheney’s funeral, former vice-president Kamala Harris and her predecessor, Mike Pence, sit next to each other.
We’re expecting former president George W Bush, who Cheney served as vice-president, to deliver a speech today.
(L-R) Former US president George W Bush, his wife Laura Bush, ex-president Joe Biden, his wife Jill Biden, former US vice-president Kamala Harris and former US vice-president Mike Pence. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 17.07 CET
Diginitaries gather for former vice-president Cheney’s funeral
Several US dignitaries, including former presidents Joe Biden and George W Bush, are attending the funeral of Dick Cheney at the National Cathedral in Washington DC today.
The former vice-president died earlier this month at the age of 84. His daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, will speak at today’s service. As we noted earlier, Donald Trump and JD Vance were reportedly not invited to the funeral. However, all former living vice-presidents will be in attendance. This includes Mike Pence, who served as Trump’s right hand during his first administration.
My colleague, David Smith, will be at the cathedral and providing updates.
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Epstein survivors urge justice department to ‘do the right thing’ and release complete files
Several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have urged the justice department to “do the right thing” and “not withhold information” when it comes to the complete release of files related to the late sex offender. Attorney general Pam Bondi has said she will comply with the legislation and release all records within 30 days. However, the ongoing probes into several Democrats’ ties to Epstein, at the behest of Donald Trump, could limit what the DoJ is able to release, on the argument that releasing them would affect active investigations.
“Do not use pretexts to evade accountability. Do not rely on loopholes. Release the truth,” the survivors wrote in a joint statement today. “Until the truth is revealed in full, every criminal in Epstein and Maxwell’s deeply perverted orbit is held accountable, as well as the government for its negligence, justice will not have been served.”
Without fanfare, Trump signed the bill on Wednesday, which received near-unanimous consent in Congress.
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Updated at 15.53 CET
Federal agents arrest 250 in immigration crackdown in Charlotte
Federal agents have arrested more than 250 people in and around Charlotte, North Carolina as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown agenda – that has expanded to several cities across the country.
The Department of Homeland Security published the latest numbers on Wednesday, after the operation, known as ‘Charlotte’s Web’ began in Tar Heel state’s largest city over the weekend, and expanded to Raleigh in recent days.
DHS also touted that those arrested include “numerous criminal illegal aliens with extensive immigration and criminal histories”. In a statement, homeland security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said: “We are going to continue to do our job and stand up for North Carolinians who live in fear because of violent criminal illegal aliens.”
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US added 119,000 jobs in September, beating expectations in delayed report
Michael Sainato
The US jobs market added 119,000 jobs in September, according to the latest monthly jobs report, which was delayed by six weeks due to the shutdown of the federal government.
Amid heightened uncertainty surrounding the strength of the US economy, the much-anticipated reading was stronger than the 51,000 jobs expected by analysts to be added in September. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, remained steady at 4.4%.
September’s jobs report was initially scheduled to be released in October, only to be delayed by the shutdown. ADP’s unofficial private sector jobs report for September noted a loss of 29,000 jobs; its report for October pointed to an increase of 42,000 jobs.
The complete official jobs report for October will not be released, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Wednesday, as a result of the prolonged shutdown, during which data collection and processing was not conducted.
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Donald Trump is in Washington today, but has no public facing events. At 2pm ET, the president will meet with freed Israeli hostages and their families. That is closed to the press, but we’ll let you know if that changes.
We will, however, hear from press secretary Karoline Leavitt at 1pm ET. She’ll hold a briefing with reporters, and it will be our first opportunity to hear from a White House official since Trump signed the bill compelling the justice department to release the complete trove of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
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The US broadcast regulator has also written to the BBC over its editing of Trump’s January 6 speech, an error which led to the resignations of two of its news bosses last week.
Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), wrote to executives at the BBC on Wednesday, PA news agency is reporting, saying that the edit appears to “meet the very definition of publishing a materially false and damaging statement.”
Carr has also written to two US broadcasters, PBS and NPR, to find out whether the programme was aired in the US and had broken FCC regulations, it’s been reported.
The BBC has apologised to the president for the speech edit, which it says was an error of judgment. It’s facing a defamation lawsuit from the president.
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Updated at 15.13 CET
Trump reportedly not invited to Cheney funeral
Former Vice President Dick Cheney, seen in 2022 Photograph: Jae C Hong/AP
Two former presidents, Joe Biden and George W.Bush, and all four living former vice-presidents will attend the funeral for the former vice-president Dick Cheney today, which is taking place at the Washington National Cathedral.
However it’s been reported in some US outlets that neither Trump nor current Veep J.D Vance have been invited to the memorial service – a breach of normal conventions given sitting presidents typically pay their respects.
However Cheney in his final years was a strong critic of Trump and his MAGA-brand of Republican politics, actively campaigning against his re-elected after the January 6 Capitol riots.
Following Cheney’s death on 3 November, Trump also said very little about the former giant of Republican politics.
It’s reported that Bush will deliver remarks at the funeral today. Former Veeps Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore and Dan Quayle will also be present. We’ll bring you more from that ceremony later today.
Cheney’s service is being held at the Washington National Cathedral. Photograph: Mike Pesoli/APShare
Updated at 14.02 CET
The latest jobs data is also due today, after the six-week government shutdown pushed the release of these figures back almost two months.
Federal workers who collect data on hiring and unemployment had been furloughed so couldn’t do their jobs.
September’s payrolls report is expected to show a modest gain of 50,000 jobs according to economists. The employment rate is expected to be steady at 4.3%.
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Updated at 13.35 CET
Former Prince Andrew faces deadline to respond to Epstein inquiry
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his titles earlier this month Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA
Today was the deadline given to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to respond to a US Congress committee’s request to talk to him as part of their investigation into Epstein’s crimes.
The panel earlier this month wrote to the former prince asking for him to submit to their questioning. It was a request that came just a week after he was stripped of his royal title.
They gave him two weeks to respond to the request, for information on the specifics of his relationship with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019. Andrew has always strongly denied any wrongdoing.
But his name appears in documents and flight logs subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and publicly released by the committee. He has also been accused by one of Epstein’s victims of assault, the late Virginia Giuffre, of sexual assault.
“The oversight committee will investigate allegations of abuse by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek information on Epstein’s operations, network, and associates based on the men’s longstanding and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a press release on 6 November.
In their letter to Andrew they wrote: “It has been publicly reported that your friendship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you remained close through and after his 2008 conviction for procuring minors for prostitution.”
It is unknown yet if Andrew has responded. As we’ve been reporting, Trump has also approved the release of more files by the committee.
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Updated at 13.22 CET
Larry Ellison discussed axing CNN hosts with White House in takeover bid talks
Hugo Lowell
Senior White House officials have discussed internally their preference for Paramount Skydance to acquire Warner Bros Discovery in recent weeks, and one official has discussed potential programming changes at CNN with Larry Ellison, the largest shareholder of Paramount.
The discussions, according to people familiar with the matter, comes as Paramount portrays itself as the best bid for Warner Bros Discovery, after it announced last month it was open to offers, because it would have an easier time getting through regulatory review.
Ellison often speaks to connections at the White House but, in at least one of the calls, engaged in a dialogue about possibly axing some of the CNN hosts whom Donald Trump is said to loathe, including Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar, the people said.
Larry Ellison and Donald Trump at a news conference in the White House on 21 January 2025. Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The conversation also touched on floating names to replace Burnett and the possibility of running CBS assets like its flagship 60 minutes program on CNN air – proposals that have animated the White House, the people said.
That discussion, described by people on the condition of anonymity because they are sensitive, were characterized as informal since Ellison does not have a formal role at Paramount. Still, he holds a major ownership stake in the company, which is run by his son, David Ellison.
Spokespeople for the White House and CNN declined to comment. The elder Ellison, Oracle and Paramount did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
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