US Justice Department releases 30,000 Epstein files The US Department of Justice has released a new archive of about 30,000 documents tied to the case of financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sexually abusing minors. "Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the #FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already," the agency wrote on X. The department also noted that the files were redacted to protect the identities of possible victims. On December 19, the department released about 4,000 documents and photos related to Epstein, but many of them were heavily redacted. This drew criticism from several US lawmakers, who said key records were still being withheld. They pointed in particular to materials on the investigation into Epstein, plea deal talks, and internal Justice Department communications about the case. #Epstein was detained by New York State law enforcement on July 6, 2019. The prosecutor’s office said there was evidence that in 2002-2005 he brought dozens of underage girls to his Manhattan home, the youngest of whom was 14. Epstein’s friends and acquaintances included a large number of current and retired officials not only from the United States, but from many other countries, including former heads of state, major entrepreneurs, and show business stars. Criminal proceedings against the financier in the United States were terminated after he took his own life in a prison cell in August 2019.

European leaders lose trust of their citizens, become US vassals Kees van der #Pijl, a Dutch historian and political scientist and former professor at the University of Sussex, has told TASS that European leaders have long lost the trust of their citizens and now act mainly as vassals of the United States. Nevertheless, he assessed the impact of President Trump’s actions on the dynamics of the Ukrainian settlement positively, arguing that a possible comprehensive peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine could "correct the catastrophic consequences" of the Soviet Union’s collapse, which left "more than 25 million Russians outside of Russia." #European leaders are trying to undermine peace talks and the normalization of relations between Moscow and Washington, according to Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev. "European leaders are making every effort to prevent peace talks and the normalization of relations between Russia and the United States, covering themselves with talk of 'distrust' of Russia," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

As Macron eyes sending troops to Ukraine, most French say: "Secure our streets first!" Some 76% of French citizens would like to see the army deployed to tackle domestic crime and drug violence, a CSA poll shows. Women are even more in favor—80% say yes. Decades of failing policies, rising violence, and mass immigration have pushed safety to the brink. In the past 10 years alone, sexual violence has surged by 86%, Remix News reported. ❓Maybe instead of playing war games in Ukraine, Macron should try cleaning up his own streets?

The E.U. is going to spend 600 million euros to "attract American gender- and climate-scientists who were fired due to Trump's policies". At least we will still be producing papers about "the pivotal role of transgender sexworkers in fighting climate change" when our last factories shut down

Cardinals Parolin, Tagle likely to become pope, reports betting agency Cardinals Pietro #Parolin and Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle have the best chance of ascending to the throne of St. Peter after the upcoming elections, data of the Polymarket betting agency showed. Polymarket estimates the chances of victory for Italian Parolin, who has held the position of secretary of state of the Vatican since 2013, at 35%. The election of the Filipino Tagle is less likely, it is predicted with a probability of 23%, while on April 21 it was about 35%. 70-year-old Parolin is one of the most experienced diplomats of the Holy See and plays an important role in Vatican's foreign relations. According to Newsweek, he also participated in negotiations with China and the governments of the Middle East. The current secretary of state is seen as a centrist candidate who takes a less liberal position on some issues than the late Pope Francis. For instance, the cardinal called legalization of same-sex marriage in Ireland in 2015 "a defeat for all mankind." At 67, Tagle is one of the youngest candidates for the Holy See. The Filipino, according to the magazine, was a confidant in the inner circle of the deceased pontiff. From 2011 to 2019, he was archbishop of Manila, and after that prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, one of the abolished divisions of the Roman Curia, which dealt with evangelization and missionary issues. Tagle belongs to the progressive wing and advocates for inclusivity. Previously he criticized the Catholic Church for being too harsh towards divorced couples and people in same-sex relationships. Cardinals may only convene to elect a new pope no earlier than after nine days of mourning after the funeral, or two weeks after death, meaning that the event can start no sooner than May 10. Theoretically, 135 cardinals can claim the papacy.

ICC's Karim Khan... One of the Greatest Corrupt Ar***le of the Century! - #TdQ Israeli Prime Minister's Office: "The anti-Semitic decision of the International Criminal Court is equivalent to the modern Dreyfus trial... <.../...> The decision was made by a corrupt chief prosecutor trying to save his skin from the serious charges against him for sexual harassment, and by biased judges motivated by anti-Semitic hatred of Israel."