Raskin said a document in the files also undermines Trump's claim that he kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago. Support justice-driven, accurate and transparent news — make a quick donation to Truthout today! President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that he had “nothing to do with” Jeffrey Epstein. But his name reportedly appears in the unredacted files at least a million times, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) said on Tuesday after being granted access to the documents. Raskin told Axios that he searched Trump's name in the files on Monday, and it came up “more than a million times.” This is a clear contradiction to what Trump has claimed about his involvement with the child sex trafficker. Raskin has also told the press that he has found direct evidence undermining Trump's claim that he barred Epstein from staying at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Trump has maintained that he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago when he was continually poaching staff from the spa, including 16-year-old Virginia Giuffre, and exposing himself to employees. However, Raskin said that there is a document within the files saying that Trump never banned him, according to a 2009 email exchange between Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. “Trump is paraphrased and quoted as saying, ‘No, Jeffrey Epstein was not a member of Mar-a-Lago, but he was a guest at Mar-a-Lago, and no, we never asked him to leave,'” Raskin said of the exchange to Axios. Working 40 hours a week on nothing else but this, it would take more than seven years for the 217 Members who signed the House discharge petition to read just the documents they've decided to release (and there are 3 million still being withheld),” said Raskin in a post on X. Those people were Les Wexner, a prolific Ohio billionaire, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, an influential Emirati businessman, and four others whose identities are still relatively unknown: Nicola Caputo, Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze and Leonic Leonov. In the midst of a nationwide attack on civil liberties, Truthout urgently needs your help. Journalism is a critical tool in the fight against Trump and his extremist agenda. The right wing knows this — that's why they've taken over many legacy media publications. As the Trump administration works to silence dissent, please support nonprofit independent journalism. Sharon Zhang is a news writer at Truthout covering politics, climate and labor. Before coming to Truthout, Sharon had written stories for Pacific Standard, The New Republic, and more. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. As we rise to meet this wave of authoritarianism, Truthout appeals for your support.
If you think our work is valuable, support us with a donation of any size. The changes would undo the legal basis of the fight against global warming, as well as remove industrial reporting obligations and roll back emissions standards for cars and trucks. Environmental engineer Gretchen Goldman helped author those emission standards while working for the Department of Transportation under the Biden administration. “We're really seeing the abdication of U.S. leadership on climate, and that has huge implications, both for our immediate ability to reduce heat-trapping emissions globally … but also in terms of our standing and contribution in the world.” Copy may not be in its final form. We turn now to the Trump administration's sweeping rollback of climate change policy. On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to overturn its own conclusion that greenhouse gases endanger public health and cause global warming. In a post on X on Tuesday, the EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin wrote, quote, “This week, we make history. For more, we go to Washington, D.C., where we're joined by Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO of the Union of Concerned Scientists, also an environmental engineer, formerly worked on environmental policy in the Biden White House and at the Department of Transportation. Gretchen, thanks so much for being with us. Talk about the significance of what's happening now. GRETCHEN GOLDMAN: It's quite significant, and it was quite devastating to see, even though we expected that this was coming. The impacts of this action will be vast, both in terms of our immediate ability to protect people from the harms of climate change, economic harms, health harms, and also in terms of our ability to meet U.S. climate goals, to meet global climate goals. And this is all happening with time that we don't have. And this is now something we really need to take action on, and so it's quite devastating to see this week. And again, for people to understand, explain exactly what that is and what that report was, based at the Department of Energy. GRETCHEN GOLDMAN: As part of their broader attacks on climate science and climate action, the Trump administration secretly convened a group of climate contrarians under the Department of Energy to produce a report that reiterated many of the long-debunked climate denial talking points and tried to pass it off as a science-based report. We won, and the administration disbanded that group of climate contrarians and have had to turn over more than 100,000 pages of documents related to that. We're seeing that they are being slowed down by these efforts and our ability to push back. AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about President Trump's personal connections to fossil fuel executives and how exactly that is affecting what is expected to be announced on Thursday, again, what many are calling the single — including Zeldin, the single biggest attack in U.S. history on federal authority to tackle the climate crisis? He calls it the single largest deregulation act in U.S. history. They've been focused on this for a long time, because the reality of climate change and its impacts are very inconvenient if you're someone who wants to give handouts to the fossil fuel industry and wants to ensure that these industries can continue polluting communities across the country. — the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Talk about the significance of these two acts together. GRETCHEN GOLDMAN: We're really seeing the abdication of U.S. leadership on climate, and that has huge implications, both for our immediate ability to reduce heat-trapping emissions globally, as we know is desperately needed, but also in terms of our standing and contribution in the world. And this, unfortunately, is going to set us back a long time in terms of that diplomacy, those international relationships and the U.S.'s ability to help lead the world in taking action on climate change. AMY GOODMAN: Karoline Leavitt, the White House press spokesperson, emphasized auto standards being an area where regulation will be rolled back. You used to work, Gretchen Goldman, at the Department of Transportation. Can you talk about emissions standards and what's been achieved by these standards, and the incredible effect of a rollback? GRETCHEN GOLDMAN: I was at the Department of Transportation working on climate and transportation issues, and so this is very devastating to me personally, as well. It was one of the strongest climate actions that this nation has taken. But now, tomorrow, it's expected to be announced that they're repealing those standards, and that's going to set us back. AMY GOODMAN: Well, I want to thank you very much for being with us, Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO of the Union of Concerned Scientists, speaking to us from Washington, D.C. will be celebrating our 30th anniversary at the historic Riverside Church here in New York City. It's great to be back in cold New York. In the midst of a nationwide attack on civil liberties, Truthout urgently needs your help. Journalism is a critical tool in the fight against Trump and his extremist agenda. The right wing knows this — that's why they've taken over many legacy media publications. But we won't let truth be replaced by propaganda. As the Trump administration works to silence dissent, please support nonprofit independent journalism. Truthout is almost entirely funded by individual giving, so a one-time or monthly donation goes a long way. Amy Goodman is the host and executive producer of Democracy Now!, a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on more than 1,100 public television and radio stations worldwide. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. As we rise to meet this wave of authoritarianism, Truthout appeals for your support. Please make a one-time or monthly donation today.
• Key hearing: Attorney General Pam Bondi is testifying at a heated House Judiciary Committee amid ongoing controversies related to the Jeffrey Epstein files release, investigation into President Donald Trump's political foes and the handling of the fatal shootings of two US citizens in Minnesota by immigration enforcement officers. • Clashes with lawmakers: Bondi called Rep. Jamie Raskin – a former constitutional law professor and the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee – a “washed up loser lawyer,” as the clash between her and committee Democrats escalated over her approach to their questions. Among the legislation being weighed by House members today is a push to curb Trump's authority on tariffs and stricter voting rules. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday touted the Justice Department's efforts to “protect” protesters advocating on behalf of conservative causes as a “Weaponization Working Group” intended to focus on the issue is expected to ramp up its work. We will protect everyone who wants to freely protest. If Christians want to protest in front of an abortion clinic without being arrested, they will do so.” CNN reported earlier this month that the working group established by Bondi last year is now expected to meet daily in an effort to produce results in coming months. Among the group's priorities are probing allegations that the department, under former President Joe Biden, discriminated against religious adherents, and a memo meant to protect school board members against threats from parents. Rep. Thomas Massie, one of the only Republicans to address Jeffrey Epstein and the redacted files released by the Justice Department during Wednesday's hearing, pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi on why names were redacted in an FBI document listing potential co-conspirators of Epstein. “Are you able to track who it was that obscured Les Wexner's name as a co-conspirator in an FBI document?” Massie asked in regard to the billionaire business magnate. “Within 40 minutes, Wexner's name was added back,” Bondi said of the FBI document, which was partially unredacted after Massie noted the issue when he reviewed unredacted versions of DOJ documents earlier this week. “In 40 minutes of me catching you red handed,” Massie shot back. Massie also noted that in several documents he was able to review without redactions, redactions still existed — including large white-blocks in FBI files. “This guy has Trump derangement syndrome,” Bondi said after Massie's time to question her expired. Lieu then accused Bondi of lying under oath, saying that a witness reported they talked to a woman who said she was raped by Trump. “Don't you ever accuse me” of committing a crime, Bondi snapped back. Trump has never been charged with an Epstein-related crime and has denied any wrongdoing tied to his relationship with the accused sex trafficker. Lawmakers have repeatedly asked Attorney General Pam Bondi about men who appeared in the Epstein files, questioning why additional people are not facing charges for his alleged sex trafficking operation. Democrats have also mentioned President Donald Trump's appearance in some of the documents. In a memo from last summer, the Justice Department and FBI said that investigators “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.” An attorney for Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, one of the Democrats targeted by the Justice Department over their “illegal orders” video, went on offense in a letter to US attorney Jeanine Pirro, saying he will take legal action if prosecutors try again to indict him. “The baseless and absurd allegations by Donald Trump, followed by your carrying out of the President's political retribution campaign has already gone too far, and are evidence of yet another abuse of power directed at those who dare speak out and criticize this Administration,” wrote Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Crow. “Not only does Congressman Crow have a constitutional right to free speech, but he also has the right and duty to speak, debate, and inform the public as an elected Member of Congress. The reports that your,” he wrote, adding later: “Accordingly, this letter is a demand that you take no further action against Congressman Crow and puts you and those pursuing any further charges on notice of the legal ramification if you do so.” Crow's lawyer said potential legal action could include claims that the lawmaker's rights were violated, including his First Amendment protections and Speech or Debate Clause protections, among others. Wednesday's hearing has featured tense exchanges between Bondi and Democrats on the panel, with the attorney general hurling insults at several of them and repeatedly refusing to engage on topics concerning Jeffrey Epstein and the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, among others. Republicans, meanwhile, have seen no such tension as they've lobbed largely softball questions at Bondi and praised her leadership at the Justice Department. During Bondi's testimony, Democrats and Republicans found a rare spot of agreement: Threats to lawmakers are bad. Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell highlighted several threatening messages and calls he has received, including against his family, and pressed Bondi on why some have not yet faced charges. “We never expected that the Department of Justice would not seek to prosecute and investigate those who are making threats against us, and that would include those on that side of the aisle,” Swalwell said. On those threat, Bondi said several direct investigations “are very active.” “They are being looked into, and I can give you more details on those. None of your families should be threatened, and I will work with you.” Chairman Jim Jordan followed up, saying he was “sorry for what the gentleman and his family have had to go had to go through.” Bondi's first hour of testimony was combative, devolving into personal attacks on Democrats and screaming matches over whose turn it is to speak. The strategy lines up with Bondi's testimony several months ago in front of the Senate: Engage on questions about cartels, immigration and alleged weaponization of justice, launch ad hominem criticisms of democrats, and laud President Donald Trump. When Rep. Jamie Raskin jumped into the exchange to criticize what he said was an effort to avoid the question, Bondi shouted that he was a “washed up loser lawyer.” Bondi also caught Democrats off guard with some of her answers, pivoting to the Dow numbers and ominously telling two of them, “you're a great stock trader.” “I think it's pathetic that she can't answer the questions,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren said. Attorney General Pam Bondi called Rep. Jamie Raskin — a former constitutional law professor and the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee — a “washed up loser lawyer,” as a clash between her and committee Democrats escalated over her approach to their questions. The jabs came after fellow committee Democrat, New York Rep. Jerry Nadler asked Bondi how many of Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirators were being indicted or investigated. She did not immediately answer directly, prompting Democrats' accusations of evading their questions. Raskin jumped in to warn her against filibustering, adding “I told you about that Attorney General before we started.” During her testimony, Justice Department Attorney General Pam Bondi was seen with a document listing out Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal's “search history” of Jeffrey Epstein documents held by the DOJ. Bondi also had a version of a graph, apparently from law enforcement, connecting Epstein with other potential co-conspirators, including his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and his longtime assistant Lesley Groff (whose first name is misspelled as “Leslie”). Groff's lawyer told CNN his client had no comment on the chart. CNN has previously reported on a more heavily redacted version of the chart that did not include as many names and connections to Epstein as Bondi's version. Attorney General Pam Bondi directly addressed Epstein survivors sitting behind her as she testified to Congress, telling them that she is “deeply sorry” for the abuse they suffered at the hands of “that monster.” The Justice Department has for months been under fire over its handling of the so-called Epstein files, both for their resistance to produce every document that was part the investigation into accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and mistakes in redactions when those documents were ultimately released. The interaction devolved when Jayapal asked Bondi to “apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through,” citing mistakes in redactions that publicly released their information or picture. Bondi said that she would not be thrown into “the gutter” for Jayapal's ‘theatrics.' Attorney General Pam Bondi used part of her opening statements Wednesday to criticize Democratic leaders who did not support the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, blaming them for “avoidable clashes on the streets.” “A few elected officials have declared that they are ‘at war with the federal government' and encouraged widespread obstruction of law enforcement,” Bondi said. CNN has reported that the Justice Department issued subpoenas to several state and local democratic lawmakers in Minnesota as part of an investigation into potential obstruction of federal law enforcement, saying that “citizens and law enforcement officers have both been endangered by reckless rhetoric” by those leaders. “Public Safety does not have a party registration,” she said. “When your constituents call 911, they don't ask for political views of the responding officer. In his opening remarks, Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin lambasted the Justice Department for opening an investigation into the partner of Renee Good, the woman who was killed by a Department of Homeland Security officer in Minnesota last month. Officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, have called Good a domestic terrorist. “Those are just some of the hundreds of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's global sex trafficking ring who are demanding that the truth be told and are demanding accountability for the abusers who trafficked and raped them.” He continued: “You still haven't met with these survivors, so with their permission, let me introduce to you the survivors and late survivors' family members who are present today: There's Theresa Helm, there's Jess Michaels, Lara Blume McGee, Dani Bensky, Liz Stein, Marina Lacerda, Sky and Amanda Roberts, who are the family of the late Virginia Giuffre, Sharlene Rochard and Lisa Phillips.” The women did not stand up as Raskin introduced them, and Bondi did not appear to react as their names were called out one-by-one. “That will be your legacy unless you act quickly to change course. Jeffrey Epstein survivors and family members of Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre are expected to be seated in the hearing room when Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies in front of the House Judiciary Committee this morning, according to a committee source. The group in the audience is expected to include Theresa Helm, Jess Michaels, Lara Blume McGee, Dani Bensky, Liz Stein, Marina Lacerda, Sky and Amanda Roberts, Sharlene Rochard, Rachel B., and Lisa Phillips, they said, The way this administration, and you specifically have handled survivors, has been nothing short of a failure,” Sky Roberts, brother of Epstein survivor Virginia Guiffre said, “Pam Bondi and the Justice Department failed us repeatedly, across administrations, across political lines, across decades and the people who had the authority to intervene.” Survivor Jess Michaels had a message for Republican lawmakers: “Are you going to have courage, or are you going to be complicit?” Michaels also suggested that GOP members give a minute of their allotted question time to Rep. Thomas Massie so he could ask further about the files. “Every credible allegation must be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly no matter who the person is, how wealthy they are or how well connected they are,” Epstein survivor Marina Lacerda said. GOP Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who has been outspoken in her support of survivors spoke. Among the questions are whether the Justice Department had any quality control or review procedures for redactions, whether it will provide a timeline for releasing any remaining documents and whether it will release files on any men who were investigated. CNN previously reported the Justice Department failed to redact identifying information about many victims while it redacted the details of people who may have helped Epstein. Attorney General Pam Bondi's last appearance on Capitol Hill, before the Senate Judiciary Committee last fall, was a partisan slugfest over weaponization, national guard troops and the Jeffrey Epstein files. For instance, when Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal questioned Bondi over her connections to a law firm involved in a merger scrutinized by the Justice Department, Bondi went after Blumenthal for decade-old allegations he lied about military service in Vietnam. And when Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin pushed Bondi on the legal rationale for sending National Guard troops to Durbin's state against the governor's wishes, the attorney general shot back: “I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump.” Justice Department officials met last week to discuss how to reenergize probes that are considered a top priority for President Donald Trump — reviewing the actions of officials who investigated him, according to a source familiar with the plan. Almost immediately after Pam Bondi stepped into her role as attorney general last year, she established a “Weaponization Working Group” to review law enforcement actions taken under the Biden administration for any examples of what she described as “politicized justice.” She said the group would focus on investigations into Trump conducted by former special counsel Jack Smith and his staff; Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York Attorney General Letitia James; and any “improper” investigations into the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. But after a year, the group has not produced anything publicly. In recent weeks, Trump has been pressuring Justice Department officials for results in these and other investigations, recently admonishing a group of US attorneys for failing to deliver on cases he wants brought.
Newly released government evidence from last year's Border Patrol shooting of a Chicago woman revealed body camera footage from the shooting, previously unseen text messages from the agent who shot her and praise from the then-top Border Patrol official just hours after the incident. Charges have been dropped against the woman, but she and her attorney argue the footage would have public value in the wake of a pair of deadly shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. Marimar Martinez, a 30-year-old American citizen, was shot multiple times by a Customs and Border Protection agent after her vehicle and a CBP vehicle collided amidst the immigration crackdown in Chicago – named Operation Midway Blitz – on October 4. “Do something, b*tch,” one agent is heard saying, over the sound of repeated honking from outside the vehicle. Before the footage was released, Martinez's attorney, Christopher Parente, lamented that while CBP agent Charles Exum had a body camera, he was not wearing it at the time of the shooting. Among the evidence is an email from top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who emailed Exum hours after the shooting, offering to delay his retirement beyond the agency's customary 57-year-old retirement age “in light of your excellent service in Chicago.” “You have much yet left to do! Bovino has since left his post as head of the federal immigration operation in Minnesota after President Donald Trump announced he was dispatching White House border czar Tom Homan in his stead last month. Exum exchanged messages in other chats saying, “Awe, I cry,” and “That hurt my feeling,” in response to a text that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker “is saying bad things about you this morning.” In one picture, Exum receives messages of support, calling him a “legend among agents.” “Beers on me when I see you at training,” one message said. Martinez's request to put all of the government's evidence into the public eye comes as the Trump administration faces intense criticism for rushing out narratives in the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis that appeared to be contradicted by video. Martinez believes certain information disclosed in her case, and currently subject to the Protective Order, would be useful for both the public and elected officials to know regarding how DHS responds in cases where their agents use deadly force against US citizens,” wrote Parente, who also said he plans to announce a civil lawsuit arising from the shooting. Woman shot by border patrol five times speaks out DHS initially said Martinez deliberately rammed her car into an unmarked CBP vehicle, prompting Exum to exit his vehicle and open fire defensively. Martinez alleges the CBP vehicle sideswiped her car, and Exum opened fire even though she deliberately turned to avoid him once he got out of his vehicle. Martinez “was armed with a semi-automatic weapon,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin posted October 4 on X. But Parente told CNN the weapon was a licensed handgun Martinez kept in her purse and did not touch during the incident; an account never disputed by government attorneys in court. FBI Director Kash Patel retweeted a video claiming to show the encounter between Martinez and the CBP, but it actually showed a different Chicago-area incident that had no connection to Martinez. The DHS focus on Martinez being an armed protester was mirrored controversially in the fatal shooting of Pretti, with administration officials repeatedly suggesting his possession of a gun while protesting made him inherently dangerous to officers. Put that in your book boys,” Exum wrote to colleagues. In court, Exum tried to explain the text messages, “I take pride in my shooting skills,” he said. Border Patrol agent appeared to brag about his accuracy after shooting Chicago woman five times, messages in court reveal Judge Alexakis was infuriated by the government's decision to release the agent's damaged car from impound days after the shooting, allowing Exum to drive it home to Maine – more than 1,000 miles from the scene – before defense attorneys could examine it. The judge declined to order the release of Flock camera footage – outdoor cameras that can read license plates and identify other details about vehicles as they drive by. That footage, Parente said, is less paramount than an admission from the US Attorney's Office and DHS saying Martinez is not a domestic terrorist and that they made a mistake. Although McLaughlin acknowledged the video publicized by Patel was incorrect, she again in January described Martinez and co-defendant Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, who was driving a different vehicle, as “domestic terrorists,” CBS News reported. Martinez will attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on February 24 as a guest of Illinois Democratic Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, Parente said in a court filing last week. McLaughlin told CNN in a statement it is “shameful” García plans to bring Martinez to the State of the Union, again accusing her of being “a known doxxer who attacked law enforcement,” and calling Martinez and Ruiz “rioters.” “It's unfortunate to see someone who has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution demonize federal law enforcement and prioritize politics over public safety with his guest decision,” said McLaughlin. CNN's Omar Jimenez, Kara Devlin, Elizabeth Wolfe, Nicquel Terry Ellis, Dalia Faheid and Matthew Rehbein contributed to this report.
Arianna Bazinet was driving home after having lunch when she saw police cars speeding into town. Moments later, the emergency alert came over her phone. “I immediately sent it to my mom and said, ‘Hey, stay in the house, don't go anywhere,'” Ms. Bazinet said. She said one of her friends' little brothers was in the school at the time, but wasn't injured. Another friend's sister was still missing on Tuesday evening. “They can't find her, and it's just horrible,” said Ms. Bazinet, who previously attended school there herself. Police said Tuesday that the shooter died from what appeared to be a self‑inflicted injury. They did not believe there were any other suspects. Governor-General Mary Simon said in a statement that she and her husband Whit Fraser send their deepest condolences to the community. “Let us stay united in our compassion and reach out to one another with love and tenderness today, as we join the entire nation in grieving.” NDP interim leader Don Davies expressed his condolences to residents of Tumbler Ridge while appearing with other MPs to hold a news conference ahead of national Kindness Week, which occurs from Feb. 15 to 21. He said there was a “cruel irony” to being at such an event, but also a profound symmetry given a gathering of MPs across party lines to focus on the opposite of what has happened in British Columbia. Responding to questions from journalists, Mr. Davies said there will be time in coming days to learn more about what has happened. “Right now, we have to come together as a country and express our deep condolences and grief to all those who are suffering and offer whatever help might be needed in this community at this time,” he said. At the same event, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said she expected first responders are going to need a lot of emotional support after what they witnessed inside the school doors in Tumbler Ridge. It's a terrible tragedy and we mourn with those who have lost so much,” she said. Here is a look at some other school shootings in Canada: On Jan. 22, 2016, Randan Dakota Fontaine shot two of his cousins dead, then killed a teacher and a teacher's aide at the La Loche high school. On April 5, 2013, two men were killed during a shooting at the school's daycare. Thirty-eight-year-old Neil Galliou was killed before Charron took his own life. On May, 23, 2007, 15-year-old Jordan Manners was found in a hallway with single gunshot wound to the chest. On Sept. 13, 2006, 18-year-old Anastasia De Sousa was killed and 20 others were hurt when gunman Kimveer Gill, 25, opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon. The school has since been renamed to Polytechnique Montréal. On Aug. 24, 1992, Valery Fabrikant, a mechanical engineering professor, shot four other Concordia University professors on the ninth floor of the Henry F. Hall Building, and wounded a secretary. Matthew McCartney Douglass and Michael Gorden Hogben died that day. Fabrikant was convicted for the murders and remains in prison. “There is no timeline for how each of us will process this grief and immense loss, both individually and as a community,” School District 59 said in a statement posted on its website. “While words often feel inadequate in the face of such loss, coming together can help reduce isolation and remind us that we are not alone.” The school district says it has created a space at the Tumbler Ridge Community Centre where mental health professionals will be present to provide support as needed. Flags on federal buildings will be flown at half-mast for seven days to honour the victims of Tuesday's deadly shooting in B.C., Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday. Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon's office confirmed that the House of Commons will have a shortened sitting today due to the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. There will be a moment of silence at 2 p.m. From there, the House of Commons will rise. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the incident was devastating and called on Canadians to unite in support of the families and larger community of Tumbler Ridge. “As a father, I can't even imagine the phone calls that parents might have received.” “I can't imagine the heartache and hell that they're living through.” Liberal MP Zoe Royer offered condolences at a news conference in Ottawa. Chris Norbury is a local district councillor whose wife works at the high school and whose five-year-old daughter attends the nearby elementary school. “It's an unbelievable tragedy that our community has to live through, that'll take a very long time for us to heal,” he said. After the elementary school called to tell him his daughter was safe, he watched as emergency services gathered around the high school, blocking an access road. Mr. Norbury's family emerged safe, but grief has touched everyone. The shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., is hitting close to home for some Canadian Olympians competing at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. As Team Canada athletes and coaches carried out their sports duties across Italy on the sixth day of the Olympics, they were also confronted with tragedy back on their home soil. Sam Reinhart, a forward on the Canadian men's hockey team, said was devastated to hear the news when he woke up Wednesday morning. “We are all talking about it,” said Reinhart, who is from West Vancouver. “You feel it all the way over here. We are here to do what we can to represent the country and take some minds off it for an hour or two.” Jon Cooper, the head coach of the men's hockey team, grew up about four hours away in nearby Prince George, B.C. In Milan on Wednesday, he said it was hard to get his head around what happened. “You think about tragedies that happen, usually they happen somewhere else, so you never really feel the effect of it touching close to home,” Cooper said. Many world leaders including French President Emanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky have reached out to Prime Minister Mark Carney to express their condolences after the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. “In such a closely connected town, every child's name will be known and every family will be a neighbour. We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence,” he wrote. A group of parents gather outside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday as RCMP investigate inside.Trent Ernst/Supplied At first, a teacher told her not to worry, suggesting it may have been a loud sound produced by the school shop. Moments later, she was told to take cover. “I was just thinking about all of my friends, if they were okay. Thinking about my family,” said Quinn, a student in Grade Seven. They stayed inside for several hours, joined by a teacher. Inside the equipment room, older students attempted to keep up spirits. Her father, Dennis Campbell, gave credit to teachers who “went and protected the kids in that equipment room.” Mr. Campbell is president of the local minor hockey association, which includes 104 players. “Every one of them were in that school,” he said. He believes three of the dead are among his daughter's friends. “I can't even express how we all feel about what just went on. I don't know how we're going to get over it right away,” he said. Prime Minister Mark Carney says it's a difficult day for Canada and the nation is mourning after a mass shooting that has left 10 people dead in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. Premier David Eby, and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree is en route to the province. “This morning, parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love,” said Mr. Carney, who was visibly emotional. “That fast response time meant what was already a devastating tragedy was prevented from being significantly worse,” he told reporters in Vancouver on Tuesday night. He said the RCMP have not finished notifying next of kin so he could say how many victims were students at the school. “We can't imagine what the community is going through, but I know it's causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight.” Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was devastated by the shootings and sent his prayers and condolences to those affected. “I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens,” he said in a statement. Residents of the community were ordered to shelter in place for most of Tuesday afternoon as parents waited in fear for their children. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd, North District Commander, said Tumbler Ridge RCMP received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, which has a student population of 150, at about 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday. An alert was broadcast to mobile phones in the area just after 2 p.m., warning residents and directing them to shelter in place, lock their doors and refrain from going outside. A text alert is seen telling residents of Tumbler Ridge to shelter in place on Tuesday.HO/The Canadian Press Parents received notice shortly after 3 p.m. that the community's schools had been placed on lockdown. The Tumbler Ridge Health Centre was put on Code Orange, signifying a mass casualty incident or large-scale emergency response, with restricted access protocols in place. Schools began releasing students around 5 p.m., and the RCMP alert was officially lifted 45 minutes later. Around 6 p.m., police confirmed that six people had been found dead inside the high school, as well as the suspected shooter, with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Floyd said, though he would not provide details on that connection. 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Prime Minister Mark Carney says it's a difficult day for Canada and the nation is mourning after a mass shooting that has left 10 people dead in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. Premier David Eby and that all assistance will be offered. “This morning, parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love,” said Mr. Carney, who was visibly emotional. The office also postponed a previously scheduled announcement that was expected to be about Canada's new defence industrial strategy. The PMO said Mr. Carney remains in the national capital region at this time, while Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree is joining Mr. Eby in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., later today. Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, who is from B.C., will also be there, as will Nina Krieger, province's Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor-General. Mr. Carney said he has asked for the flags on Parliament Hill to be lowered to half-mast for the next week. He will also be delivering a statement in the House of Commons Wednesday afternoon. He thanked first responders, teachers, staff and residents for their response to the shooting, as well as the world leaders who have reached out to express condolences. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the incident was devastating and called on Canadians to unite in support of the families and larger community. ‘It's just horrible': Tumbler Ridge reeling after deadly school shooting “As a father, I can't even imagine the phone calls that parents might have received.” “I can't imagine the heartache and hell that they're living through.” Liberal MP Zoe Royer offered condolences at a news conference in Ottawa. Governor-General Mary Simon said in a statement that she and her husband Whit Fraser send their deepest condolences to the community. “Let us stay united in our compassion and reach out to one another with love and tenderness today, as we join the entire nation in grieving.” ET, before speeches from Mr. Carney and the opposition leaders. NDP interim leader Don Davies expressed his condolences to residents of Tumbler Ridge while appearing with other MPs to hold a news conference ahead of national Kindness Week, which occurs from Feb. 15 to 21. Tumbler Ridge shooting hits close to home for some Team Canada athletes, coaches He said there was a “cruel irony” to being at such an event, but also a profound symmetry given the gathering of MPs across party lines to focus on the opposite of what has happened in British Columbia. Responding to questions from journalists, Mr. Davies said there will be time in coming days to learn more about what has happened. “Right now, we have to come together as a country and express our deep condolences and grief to all those who are suffering and offer whatever help might be needed in this community at this time,” he said. At the same event, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said she expected first responders are going to need a lot of emotional support after what they witnessed inside the school doors in Tumbler Ridge. It's a terrible tragedy and we mourn with those who have lost so much,” she said. Stephen Fuhr, a Liberal MP from British Columbia, told journalists that troubled people do unthinkable things from time to time. It will be very difficult to deal with this. Who do you lean on when your entire community is affected by tragedies of this magnitude that you don't see in our country very often?” Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly said Prime Minister Mark Carney would deliver a statement in the House of Commons Tuesday afternoon. Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.
Masoud Pezeshkian tries to convey message of national unity as negotiations with US hang in balance Iran's president insisted his country was not seeking a nuclear weapon as he acknowledged “great sorrow” after the authorities' recent crackdown on protesters. On Tuesday, Donald Trump said he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to prepare for military action if talks with Tehran failed. However, the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has been unable for months to inspect and verify Iran's nuclear stockpile. Pezeshkian said: “The high wall of mistrust that the United States and Europe have created through their past statements and actions does not allow these talks to reach a conclusion. “At the same time, we are engaging with full determination in dialogue aimed at peace and stability in the region alongside our neighbouring countries.” We are obliged to serve all those who were harmed in this process. However, Pezeshkian spurned an appeal from leaders of reformist parties to speak out against the mass arrest of their leadership in recent days. A teachers' union said it believed 213 children were killed. Brig gen Aziz Nasirzadeh, the defence minister, hailed the crowds as unique and claimed: “I have never seen such a passionate attendance in any year.” He added: “They have participated in this march with full awareness, and this presence is more powerful than any bomb or missile.” Away from the demonstrations, Iranian diplomats were trying to head off an attempt by Benjamin Netanyahu to toughen Trump's negotiating stance with Iran before the Israeli leader's meeting in the White House with him on Wednesday. Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's supreme national security council, visited Qatar after holding three hours of talks with mediators in Oman on Tuesday. Larijani is trying to craft a response to US demands that will keep within Iran's red lines but still make the US believe talks are worth continuing. Larijani kept open the possibility of wider talks with US, so long as next week's talks are confined to guarantees about Iran's civil nuclear programme. Larijani said: “If the current negotiations with the United States are successful, they can be expanded and extended to other areas as well. However, at the moment, I cannot say definitively whether this path will lead to talks about other disputes with the United States or not.”
Kyiv Independent reporters on the ground reported hearing two explosions around 2:50 p.m. local time. Ukraine's Air Force earlier reported that missiles were heading toward the city. He added that two Kinzhal missiles were heading at around 2:40 p.m. in the direction of Lviv. Governor Maksym Kozytsky said that debris from the missiles was found in the Zolochiv and Lviv districts of Lviv Oblast. There were no reports of damage or casualties. Yuliia Taradiuk is a Ukrainian reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She has been working with Lutsk-based misto.media, telling stories of Ukrainian fighters for the "All are gone to the front" project. She has experience as a freelance culture reporter, and a background in urbanism and activism, working for multiple Ukrainian NGOs. A Russian strike on Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv Oblast, killed four people, including three toddlers, and injured two others, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported overnight Feb. 11. The messages come a week after Ukraine's defense ministry agreed with Starlink's parent company, SpaceX, to introduce mandatory registration for the internet terminals in Ukraine, a move meant to prevent their use by Russian forces. Kyiv Independent reporters on the ground reported hearing two explosions around 2:50 p.m. local time. "We have been discussing the training of Ukrainian soldiers, also on the soil of Ukraine," Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, said in Brussels on Feb. 11 before a meeting of EU defense ministers. Ukrainian drones targeted Russia's Volgograd oil refinery overnight Feb. 11, setting the site ablaze, local media reported. Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 1,000 supports us financially. One membership might not seem like much, but to us, it makes a real difference. If you value our reporting, consider becoming a member — your support makes us stronger.
Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie reveal names they say DoJ redacted ‘for no apparent reason'. Plus, at least 10 dead, including suspect, after school shooting in Canada Don't already get First Thing in your inbox? In other news, Epstein, the convicted sex offender, appeared to engineer an intimate relationship between a woman in his orbit and Kimbal Musk, brother of Elon and a Tesla board of directors member, according to emails released by the DOJ. Congressman Ro Khanna named: Leslie Wexner, the Victoria's Secret founder; Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO of DP World and an Emirati billionaire businessman; and four others identified as Nicola Caputo, Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze and Leonic Leonov. If we found six men they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those 3m files,” he said. At least nine people have been killed and dozens injured after an assailant opened fire at a school in western Canada, in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the country's history. The suspect was later found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Because of Canada's strict gun laws, which make it difficult to own handguns or assault-style weapons, the country has experienced far fewer instances of mass violence compared with the US. What has the prime minister, Mark Carney, said? Carney said he was “devastated” by the shootings. “I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens,” he said. A Washington DC grand jury declined to indict six Democratic lawmakers who were denounced by Donald Trump after they made a video urging troops to refuse illegal orders. Federal prosecutors had sought an indictment against the Democrats who participated in the video, including Elissa Slotkin, Mark Kelly, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, who all have military and intelligence backgrounds. Kelly filed a lawsuit against Hegseth last month arguing the video he and other Democrats made was protected free speech, and that the secretary had undertaken an “unconstitutional crusade” against him. How did Kelly react to the administration's failed indictment against him? He described it as an “outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackies”. “It wasn't enough for Pete Hegseth to censure me and threaten to demote me, now it appears they tried to have me charged with a crime – all because of something I said that they didn't like,” Kelly said. An Israeli court rejected an appeal to allow a five-year-old Palestinian boy with an aggressive form of cancer to enter Israel for life-saving treatment, citing a government policy that bars residents registered in Gaza from crossing the border. Online prediction market Kalshi hit a daily record on Super Bowl Sunday, surpassing $1bn in trading volume, the company announced. Prediction markets such as Kalshi allow users to trade on the outcomes of virtually anything. In recent months, critics have raised concerns about potential market manipulation and insider trading on prediction market sites like Polymarket and Kalshi. In the US, gray-market injectable peptides – a category of substances with obscure, alphanumeric names like BPC-157, GHK-Cu, or TB-500 – have developed a devoted following among biohackers and health optimizers. Adrienne Matei speaks to experts on what it's all about. Amid gentrification and a lack of affordable housing, creatives are increasingly leaving New York City, a report from the Center for an Urban Future finds. “This will be the largest deregulatory action in American history,” Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. During Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show, a wedding officiant declared Tommy Wolter and Elli Aparicio married. A representative of Bad Bunny confirmed later that the wedding was authentic. First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday.
Russia is set to take its relations with India as far as the South Asian republic is ready, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told The Indian Express in an interview. "Ties depend on both sides. We are prepared to go as far as India will. "We have several projects in the pipeline, many of them with no parallel that others might have. But in India, with its 1.5 billion people and exponential growth rates, there should be a place for everyone here. I'm hopeful that we take further steps in terms of numbers of our trade, investment and projects when our leaders once again see each other this year," Ryabkov maintained. On December 4-5, New Delhi hosted a Russian-Indian summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a series of bilateral talks and attended a business forum in India. Following his state visit, a number of bilateral agreements were signed. The two leaders are expected to meet again this year on the sidelines of a BRICS summit to be hosted by India.
Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Volgograd oil refinery overnight Feb. 11, Ukraine's General Staff reported. Russia's Defense Ministry earlier claimed that it had shot down 48 Ukrainian drones in several regions, not including over Volgograd Oblast itself. Volgograd Oblast Governor Andrey Bocharov said damage was reported in a facility in the South Volgograd, referring to the oil refinery. Bocharov also claimed that an apartment building and a kindergarten were damaged, with no casualties. The refinery, operated by Russian oil giant Lukoil, was struck by drones for the first time this year, Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported. Volgograd is located about 354 kilometers (220 miles) from Ukraine's eastern border with Russia and approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory near Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast. Previously, on Jan. 10, Russian authorities in Volgograd Oblast reported a drone attack overnight that sparked a fire at an oil facility in the region's Oktyabrsky district. Kyiv regularly strikes deep within Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine in an effort to diminish the Kremlin's fighting power. On Feb. 7, Ukraine attacked Russia's Bryansk Oblast with Neptune missiles and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), targeting energy infrastructure and disrupting the power supply, Governor Alexander Bogomaz claimed. "An agent of our movement set fire to a hardware module at the base of a communication tower. The messages come a week after Ukraine's defense ministry agreed with Starlink's parent company, SpaceX, to introduce mandatory registration for the internet terminals in Ukraine, a move meant to prevent their use by Russian forces. Kyiv Independent reporters on the ground reported hearing two explosions around 2:50 p.m. local time. "We have been discussing the training of Ukrainian soldiers, also on the soil of Ukraine," Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, said in Brussels on Feb. 11 before a meeting of EU defense ministers. The talks, however, depend on Russia's agreement to take part, something that Ukraine and the U.S. have not yet received. Ukrainian drones targeted Russia's Volgograd oil refinery overnight Feb. 11, setting the site ablaze, local media reported. "Learn from us and don't underestimate the threat coming from Russia," Maksym Timchenko, the head of DTEK, said. Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 1,000 supports us financially. One membership might not seem like much, but to us, it makes a real difference. If you value our reporting, consider becoming a member — your support makes us stronger.
In an interview with the Empatia Manuchi online project, the top diplomat pointed out that Russia is always ready to search for a balance of interests but will never sacrifice its own security. Russia is always ready to search for a balance of interests but will never sacrifice its own security: "We are always prepared to compromise, or more simply, to balance interests. Like any normal country, we are concerned that our history should continue, that our people should develop under the most favorable external conditions possible, and that we secure economic growth, resolve social issues, and improve the population's well-being." When talking about security guarantees, Europe and the Kiev regime "mean guarantees not with Russia, but against Russia." The goals of the special military operation are not subject to opportunism: "Hope comes only from your own truth and from the actions you take in real life to ensure that truth prevails. Our position is not subject to opportunism, twists, or contortions." "These goals remain unchanged and are not open to opportunistic compromise." The Ukrainian armed forces will certainly be "forced out" of the part of Donbass that they still occupy. Those commenting on the Abu Dhabi talks either want to thwart them or shift the blame for their lack of flexibility elsewhere: "Public commentary at every turn serves only to sabotage discussions or, which amounts to the same, to shift blame for intransigence onto one's counterpart." Talks aimed at achieving results do not lend themselves to publicity; that's why Moscow "maintains a diplomatic silence" on the results of the Abu Dhabi contacts. The key principles on which the existence of a state and the lives of millions depend cannot be a subject of compromises on Ukraine: "Listen: compromise cannot extend to fundamental principles upon which a state's existence depends - least of all when the lives of millions hang in the balance." During an Anchorage summit, the leaders of Russia and the US, as well as delegations from both countries, managed to find approaches that paved the way to peace in Ukraine and the corresponding treaty's coordination: "In Anchorage, we developed approaches building upon the American initiative and proposals, which charted a viable path to peace. That framework made it entirely feasible to swiftly finalize a comprehensive settlement agreement." Now, however, Vladimir Zelensky and his European allies are trying to change everything to suit their own agenda: "Very few measured voices in Europe are calling for a serious approach to resolving the conflict." Europe and Kiev "undermined" the US initiative on the Ukrainian conflict settlement: "All subsequent versions reflected attempts by Vladimir Zelensky and, principally, his patrons in Britain, Germany, France, and the Baltic states to undermine this American initiative." Russia has not yet received any 20-point documents on Ukraine: "This document has already gone through several rounds of review. At present, however, they are referring to a twenty-point ‘document' that has never been officially or unofficially shared with us. Only fragments of it have appeared in the media." Under its provisions, he is obliged to repeal all these Neanderthal laws annihilating the Russian language and the canonical Orthodox Church." Instead of human rights protection, Europe and Kiev are proposing a "tolerance accord": "In the final versions leaked to the press after intensive negotiations between American, European, and Ukrainian representatives post-Alaska, all such references had vanished. The European-staged provocations at sea will soon halt: "They did provoke us, indeed. Currently, we are observing a significant number of such provocations at sea as well. However, I am confident that these will soon abate, as those orchestrating them will come to realize the seriousness of the consequences for themselves." Now the European Union wishes to involve itself as well - ever eager to insert its services wherever possible. Reports indicate the original annexation plan has been shelved in favor of a quasi-lease or quasi-purchase agreement. Debates over Greenland's territorial affiliation are hardly likely to change the Arctic situation: "It is unlikely to change anything." The Board of Peace proposed by US President Donald Trump cannot replace the UN: "That is an entirely different matter."
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem is among six powerful men whose names have been unredacted in the Epstein files Now that man can be identified as one of the Middle East's most powerful businessmen. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman and chief executive of DP World, which owns a vast global network of ports and shipping and logistics companies, was one of the “six wealthy, powerful men” who initially had their names redacted in the files but were unmasked on Tuesday. Mr Sulayem's name appears extensively in the files, alongside photos of him and Epstein together. In April 2009, while he was still serving his 18-month sentence in a Palm Beach jail but allowed work release, Epstein emailed Mr Sulayem. are you ok , I loved the torture video,” he wrote. Born into an influential Emirati family, Mr Sulayem has risen to become one of the region's most influential figures. His father was an adviser to Dubai's royal family and his brother is the president of the governing body of Formula One and other motorsports. In a letter included in the DoJ files, Epstein suggested that he had known Mr Sulayem since 2002 and described him as a “close personal friend”. “Sultan Bin Sulayem has a net worth of well over $100 Million Dollars. I have known him for more than 8 years and will personally vouch for him and any information he provides in connection with this application,” Epstein wrote in 2010, in what appears to be a reference letter for Mr Sulayem's attempts to lease an undisclosed property. DP World also owns British shipping company P&O Ferries, which fired 800 seafarers in 2022, giving them just 30 minutes' notice. In a letter addressed to Mr Sulayem, the workers' union said the dismissals were “callous and beneath contempt”. “This behaviour not only lacks any form of basic decency, but appears to be a flagrant violation of UK labour law,” the letter added. Michael Wolff, the biographer who spoke to Epstein for more than 100 hours before his death, previously said Mr Trump and Epstein shared an “abiding obsession” of chasing supermodels. In 2007, Mr Sulayem had emailed Epstein about his own attempts to meet a supermodel, according to a separate cache of emails obtained by Bloomberg. “Praise Allah, there are still people like you,” Epstein wrote back. Even after Epstein's conviction in 2008, Mr Sulayem continued his correspondence. In 2015, he described one encounter to Epstein as “the best sex I ever had”. Among the other redacted names revealed by Mr Khanna on Tuesday were Les Wexner, the billionaire retail mogul. Mr Wexner's ties to Epstein have been extensively reported, including that Epstein used to tell women he was a recruiter for lingerie brand Victoria's Secret, which is owned by Mr Wexner. Neither Mr Wexner nor Mr Sulayem have been accused of wrongdoing or have been convicted of any crimes in connection to Epstein. Mr Khanna suggested there are probably more names in the files that should be unredacted. “If we found six men that they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those three million files,” Mr Khanna said on Tuesday. He noted that the FBI had scrubbed the files before handing them over to the DoJ, including files “naming rich and powerful men who went to Epstein's island, who went to his ranch, who went to his home and raped and abused underage girls”. It asks a fundamental question: ‘Who are they protecting?'