Bill Gates Tells Congress His Relationship w/ Jeffrey Epstein Was an ‘Error’

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Bill Gates Tells Congress His Relationship w/ Jeffrey Epstein Was an ‘Error’

(Headline USA) Bill Gates said Wednesday that he made a “grave error in judgment” by meeting with Jeffrey Epstein but denied any wrongdoing as the Microsoft co-founder faced hours of questioning from lawmakers about his relationship with the disgraced financier.

In an opening statement provided to The Associated Press, Gates said he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” but that he “never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct.”

The tech billionaire became the latest powerful figure linked to Epstein to testify before the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door deposition. The committee chairman, Republican Rep. James Comer, formally requested that Gates testify after he appeared multiple times in a trove of documents released by the Justice Department as part of its Epstein probe.

As Gates arrived at the Capitol, he noted that his appearance was voluntary and said he hoped his testimony would help lawmakers “find justice for the victims.” Gates did not take questions from reporters at the conclusion of the interview late Wednesday afternoon.

Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, has not been accused in connection with Epstein’s crimes and has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of girls. He has said the two met only to discuss philanthropy and previously described the relationship as “a huge mistake.”

Most Democratic members who participated in Wednesday’s questioning described Gates as cooperative. They said some of the most useful information he provided involved other influential people in Epstein’s orbit. Lawmakers also said they pressed Gates on why he continued interacting with Epstein after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Gates was aware that Epstein had been convicted of “a horrific crime and continued to interact with him to seek money for his foundation,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the top-ranking Democrat on the committee, who described Gates’ actions as “a horrific judgment call.”

Before the interview began, Comer told reporters that the committee’s effort was “about trying to figure out how the government failed.”

Lawmakers scrutinize Gates’ relationship with Epstein

Gates said he was introduced to Epstein through people involved in his professional and philanthropic work and was drawn in by Epstein’s claims that he could help raise billions of dollars for global health initiatives.

Their relationship began in 2011, three years after Epstein’s guilty plea in Florida, according to the Justice Department files. Gates said he cut ties in 2014 after concluding Epstein could not deliver on those promises.

Included in the files are calendar entries for meetings between Gates and Epstein, email correspondence between the two about philanthropic projects and photos of Gates at events that Epstein also attended.

Gates added that he never went to Epstein’s island or his other infamous properties.

“I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated,” Gates said.

Lawmakers offered differing accounts of the interview as they exited the room throughout the day.

GOP Rep. Tim Burchett described the questioning as “intense,” while Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said Gates was “combative” and “not terribly forthcoming or candid.” Garcia, by contrast, said that while Gates pushed back on some inquiries, “he’s answering the questions.”

Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury said Gates acknowledged maintaining contact with Epstein because he believed the “narrow relationship” was “an acceptable means to access wealthy donors.”

The Gates Foundation said in February that a small number of employees had met with Epstein based on his “claims that he could mobilize significant philanthropic resources” for global health. They never created a charitable fund together, and the foundation made no payments to Epstein.

Both Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, have said his association with Epstein created tension in their marriage.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Minnesota Assassin Changes Plea after Death Penalty Rescinded

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Minnesota Assassin Changes Plea after Death Penalty Rescinded

(Headline USA) The man charged in the political assassinations of the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and her husband, as well as the attempted murders of a state senator and his wife, is due to appear in federal court Thursday to change his not-guilty plea, after federal prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty against him.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Minneapolis notified the court Wednesday that the Justice Department would not seek the death penalty against Vance Boelter in accordance with a proposed plea agreement. Boelter’s attorneys did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The court filing did not detail the terms of the plea agreement.

Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were shot by a man who came to their doors in the early hours of June 14, 2025, disguised as a police officer and driving a fake squad car. The Hortmans’ golden retriever was so gravely injured that he had to be euthanized.

Boelter, 58, was captured near his home in rural Green Isle late the next day after what prosecutors have called the largest search for a suspect in Minnesota history. He faces federal and state murder, attempted murder and other charges. His state case has been on hold pending the resolution of his federal charges.

Minnesota abolished capital punishment in 1911 and has never had a federal death penalty case. Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, said the federal plea deal would not affect Boelter’s state charges.

While the Trump administration has pushed for greater use of capital punishment, there were questions about whether Boelter’s case would qualify for the death penalty under federal law.

Prosecutors have called the shootings political. When they announced the federal indictment in July, they released a rambling handwritten letter they say Boelter wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel in which he confessed to the attacks. However, the letter didn’t make clear why he targeted the Hortmans or the Hoffmans.

In some messages to media, Boelter referenced a vague and cryptic “investigation” he had been carrying out, sometimes suggesting it was about the COVID-19 vaccine. He also said Gov. Tim Walz had hired him.

Friends described Boelter as an evangelical Christian and occasional preacher and missionary, who held politically conservative views and had been struggling to find work.

John Hoffman said in a lawsuit filed against Boelter in April that his left arm and hand likely would never fully recover, and that he also had permanent injuries to his digestive and urinary systems.

Yvette Hoffman was left with permanent physical weakness, the lawsuit said, while their adult daughter, Hope Hoffman, who was there and called 911 but was not shot, suffered severe psychological trauma.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Karmelo Anthony’s Family Can No Longer Fundraise Off Austin Metcalf’s Death

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Karmelo Anthony’s Family Can No Longer Fundraise Off Austin Metcalf’s Death

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The family of Karmelo Anthony can no longer raise money from supporters through GiveSendGo following the conclusion of his criminal case.

The Anthonys were able to raise more than $600,000 in the wake of the then-17-year-old’s prosecution in connection with the fatal stabbing of track star Austin Metcalf during an altercation on April 2, 2025.

The controversial fundraiser was hosted by GiveSendGo, which attracted thousands of donors who bizarrely viewed Anthony’s prosecution as the product of racial injustice. Evidence shown at trial proved otherwise.

In a June 9 statement posted on its website, GiveSendGo said that the fundraiser has been closed because Anthony’s trial was over.

“This fundraiser was created to support pre-trial needs, and those funds were disbursed over the past year for lawful purposes including legal defense and family relocation,” GiveSendGo stated.

“With that stated purpose now complete, the fundraiser has been closed and the funds will be paid out. Our policy is that a fundraiser’s stated purpose stays accurate so givers always know what they are supporting,” the platform added.

The fundraiser drew scrutiny because Anthony’s family resided in a highly exclusive gated community in a home reportedly valued at roughly $900,000.

A neighbor in the community told the Daily Mail that Anthony might have bought a brand-new vehicle during the trial. But a defense attorney told reporters that the family used part of the funds to relocate and hire security.

By contrast, supporters and friends of the Metcalf family raised nearly $700,000 through two separate GoFundMe campaigns to help cover funeral costs and other expenses stemming from the teen’s death.

Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in state prison after a jury found him guilty of murder.

As revealed during the trial, Anthony fatally stabbed Metcalf in the chest. The wound was so severe that the knife penetrated into Metcalf’s lung.

The single stab wound was not survivable, according to Collin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Ventura.

Karen Bass’ Brother Sues Karen Bass over LA Wildfires

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Karen Bass’ Brother Sues Karen Bass over LA Wildfires

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The brother of embattled Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has sued the very city government his sister leads, alleging officials failed to protect homeowners and business owners during the destructive Palisades Fire.

Kenneth Bass and his wife Cindy joined a class-action lawsuit in May against the City of Los Angeles, alleging the city failed to fill the Santa Ynez Reservoir when the wildfire broke out in June 2025, according to multiple reports.

The lawsuit, filed on May 18, was first reported by L.A. Material.

It includes more than 180 plaintiffs and names multiple defendants, including the Bass-run Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

In the lawsuit, Kenneth Bass alleged he and his wife suffered smoke inhalation injuries, as well as emotional distress stemming from the destruction of their home.

The couple previously owned a property with a pool and panoramic views of the Malibu Pier, according to L.A. Material.

Mayor Bass has publicly referenced her family’s loss, telling reporters in 2025: “The loss that you’re going through, I share indirectly. It’s hit my family too.”

Bass adviser Yusef Robb dismissed questions about the lawsuit, telling reporters that there was “nothing new here.”

“Thousands of people are plaintiffs in this action, which names 18 public and private sector defendants,” Robb added.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office downplayed the lawsuit, saying the city is confident it is not liable for the wildfires.

Meanwhile, a Frantz Law Group attorney representing Kenneth Bass told the California Post the lawsuit is part of a broader mass tort process and said his family ties are “irrelevant” to his claims.

“As part of the mass tort legal process, Mr. and Mrs. Bass’ names were formally added as some of the nearly 40,000 victims who suffered losses,” the attorney stated. “Their family connections are irrelevant, and as non-public citizens they are entitled to respectful privacy as they pursue their legal rights along with all represented victims.”

Bass was elected mayor in 2021, after serving for over a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is facing a tough re-election campaign amid criticism over her administration’s handling of the wildfire response.

Ex-Taliban Commander Sentenced for Kidnapping and Killing Soldiers, Journalists

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Ex-Taliban Commander Sentenced for Kidnapping and Killing Soldiers, Journalists

(Headline USA) A former Taliban commander was sentenced to 42 years in prison on Tuesday for crimes including kidnapping a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and providing support that led to the deaths of three American soldiers.

Haji Najibullah’s sentencing capped a daylong proceeding in Manhattan federal court that featured a dramatic few moments when the reporter, David Rohde, faced Najibullah and described how Najibullah took part in the abduction of him and two other men in 2008 in Afghanistan but was now “refusing to take responsibility as I look at him today.”

Rohde, who is MSNOW’s national security reporter and previously worked for The New York Times and other publications, told Judge Katherine Polk Failla that he was “surprised and disappointed” that Najibullah was trying to blame others and circumstances for his role in the kidnapping of Rohde, another journalist and a driver.

The men were held for more than seven months before making a dramatic escape from a Taliban-controlled compound in Pakistan’s tribal areas.

In April 2025, Najibullah pleaded guilty to providing material support for acts of terrorism and conspiring to take hostages.

The bearded Najibullah, 50, who wore a black skull cap in court Tuesday, admitted that he provided material support including weapons to the Taliban from 2007 to 2009, knowing it would be used to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

Speaking through an interpreter, Najibullah apologized to Rohde and his family, saying “what happened to him was terrible, and I deeply regret my role in it.”

Standing at a lectern just feet from Najibullah, Rohde said it was Najibullah’s lies that led him to go to what he thought was an interview but what turned into an ambush.

“Hostage taking is a cruel and cowardly crime. Family members spend weeks and months thinking they have the power to save their loved one’s life,” Rohde said, noting it’s “an illusion” because families lack the leverage and vast sums needed to meet ransom demands.

Still, Rohde said, the pain he and those who know him have suffered is dwarfed by the deaths of three U.S. soldiers who were killed by Najibullah’s cohorts in a separate operation.

Three times, he named the soldiers as he spoke, becoming emotional about their deaths, the pain his family endured and his love for journalism.

In a statement afterward, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case proves that “those who harm Americans and engage in acts of terrorism will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how long it takes.”

As she announced the sentence, the judge praised Rohde for the work that he and his wife have done on behalf of the families of others who were kidnapped.

She said she stopped short of giving Najibullah the life prison sentence that federal sentencing guidelines called for because he had pleaded guilty, sparing more trauma for his victims, and because he was subjected to harsh prison conditions for six years, including during the pandemic.

But she rejected most of the arguments for leniency made by his defense lawyer, who requested an 18-year prison term for his client as he portrayed him as doing what was necessary to protect his homeland during war.

She said fighters under his control attacked a convoy of soldiers, killing three of them.

“I don’t think he needed to pull the trigger, to decapitate a body, to be responsible for what happened,” Failla said.

Rohde called it the “biggest mistake of my life” to set up an interview with Najibullah that resulted in the kidnapping and said he would not have done it if he knew Najibullah was behind the killing of American soldiers.

He noted during his statement in court that the hostage takers had claimed he was a spy “when in fact I was a journalist” who was trying to get the viewpoint of a Taliban commander “to understand their hopes, their lives and their worldview.”

Then, he repeated that he remains “a journalist and I could not be prouder of being part of this profession,” a statement that briefly caused him to get choked up.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Trump Threatens More Attacks on Iran After Exchange of Heavy Strikes

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Trump Threatens More Attacks on Iran After Exchange of Heavy Strikes

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump has issued a series of threats vowing to launch more attacks on Iran after the Iranian military targeted US bases in the region in response to US strikes across Iran’s southern Hormozgan province.

On Wednesday morning, the president said on Truth Social that Iran has “taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price.” He also claimed in the post that Iran had been “completely defeated” despite its ability to launch missile and drone attacks across the Middle East.

In comments to reporters in the Oval Office later in the day, Trump was more explicit in his threat. “We hit them hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit them again hard today,” he said.

President Trump in the Oval Office on June 4, 2026 (White House photo)

Trump also told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst that he may “keep going” with his attacks on Iran and that he is “getting closer to the targeting of Iranian power plants and bridges.”

During the US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran, Trump repeatedly threatened to launch massive attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure and bridges, part of his threats to turn the country into “hell” and end a “whole civilization.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday that its forces targeted the US military in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, and vowed it would launch stronger strikes if the US attacked again.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that Iran’s military dealt a heavy blow to the US following its “savage attacks” on Iran that were launched under the pretext of Iran allegedly downing a US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz as it was enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports. “With these aggressive actions, the US ruling administration once again demonstrated its criminal and warmongering nature,” the ministry said.

US officials said the US strikes on Iran targeted air defense and radar systems, while Iranian media also reported that strikes hit two water reservoirs, cutting off drinking water to thousands of Iranians.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

FBI Seizes 13 Websites Allegedly Used by China to Recruit Americans

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FBI Seizes 13 Websites Allegedly Used by China to Recruit Americans

(Headline USA) The FBI has seized more than a dozen websites that officials say were part of a Chinese effort to target American workers who have access to classified or sensitive government information, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

The 13 websites purported to be affiliated with consulting companies that advertised job openings for current and former holders of security clearances. But the companies were all fakes and the job postings were a sham, officials said.

The internet domain seizure is part of a broader effort by Western law enforcement and intelligence agencies to sound the alarm about alleged Chinese government plots to recruit workers who can be duped into disclosing sensitive information.

Last week, for instance, the English-speaking Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S. — issued a bulletin warning that China is targeting personnel from those countries on job websites to get access to classified or sensitive information.

The bulletin said spies for Chinese military intelligence have been posing as workers acting on behalf of private businesses or think tanks, advertising for bogus jobs such as foreign policy or defense analysts and pressuring candidates to provide “non-public” information.

According to an FBI affidavit filed in connection with the website seizure, the fake websites relied on fraudulent or stolen identities and AI-generated photographs to give them the appearance of legitimacy, and advertised generic “consulting” jobs geared toward current or former U.S. government employees.

“These websites are often linked or referenced within the entities’ job postings on LinkedIn and other hiring platforms,” the affidavit said.

Applicants and recruits were offered money for reports related to their work and for sensitive information, the Justice Department said. The operators of the plot, who officials allege to be tied to Chinese intelligence services, used cryptocurrency and online payment systems to hide their real identities, officials said.

Law enforcement officials identified the website through information from targets who came forward to report what they believed to be suspicious interactions.

“A lot of this information came from doing interviews, interviews with people who came forward that something didn’t seem right,” Dan Wierzbicki, the special agent in charge of the counterintelligence and cyber division of the FBI’s Washington field office, said in an interview.

“They provided information and said, ‘Hey, this is kind of weird, we’re kind of getting paid by a cryptocurrency or an online payment system that’s not typical,” he added.

He said the FBI believes there are other websites serving a similar purpose and is seeking the public’s help in identifying them.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington called allegations of Chinese espionage “entirely fabricated” and “malicious slander.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Feds Charge 8 Pro-Palestinian Activists with Intimidation Conspiracy

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Feds Charge 8 Pro-Palestinian Activists with Intimidation Conspiracy

(Headline USA) Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment Wednesday against eight pro-Palestinian activists who are accused of conspiring to run a criminal intimidation campaign against University of Michigan officials while trying to force the school to cut financial ties to Israel.

The indictment describes threats and vandalism at officials’ homes, some businesses and the Jewish Federation of Detroit.

“In America, we rule by law not by fear. These alleged threats and attempts to terrorize government officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation are anti-American. We will counter intimidation with justice,” U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said.

The document highlights several incidents that made headlines in the past few years, including fake bloody corpses that were placed in an elected university board member’s yard and the spray-painting of anti-Israel messages at the home of the school’s president at the time, Santa Ono.

Two glass jars filled with a blue substance were thrown through a window at the home of the university provost, the government said.

“They marked their victims with threatening symbols used by Hamas, including red inverted triangles and red handprints,” the indictment states. “They used the internet and social media to broadcast their message to ensure their threats and commitment to continuing criminal activity were heard by their victims and others who support Israel.”

All eight are charged with conspiracy to transmit threats through interstate commerce, but some face more charges than others.

Five people made an initial appearance in federal court in Detroit; four of them were ordered to remain in custody at least until another hearing Friday.

About two dozen supporters appeared at the courthouse. Some carried Palestinian flags outside, and one had a sign that read, “Drop The Charges.”

“Everything that happened today is a shock,” said Eaman Ali, an organizer with the TAHRIR Coalition, a group of students and Ann Arbor community members that calls for divestment from Israel. “When one of us is targeted, we want to make sure we show up for them.”

Ali declined to comment about the specific allegations.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began, pro-Palestinian protesters have demanded that the University of Michigan’s endowment stop investing in companies with ties to Israel. But the university has insisted it has no direct investments and less than $15 million placed with funds that might include companies in Israel. That’s less than 0.1% of the total endowment.

In 2024, a pro-Palestinian camp on campus was cleared by police after a month. The university said it was a threat to public safety.

Sarah Hubbard, a member of the university’s Board of Regents who found phony corpses on her lawn in 2024, welcomed the indictment, saying she was “very appreciative of the tireless work” of law enforcement.

Another board member, Jordan Acker, said his home, car and law office were vandalized with paint.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

Police Investigating a Large Burning Cross at a Chicago Park

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Police Investigating a Large Burning Cross at a Chicago Park

(Headline USA) A large, burning cross was discovered at a Chicago park on Tuesday afternoon, and police said they are investigating how it ended up there and the motive behind it.

Video taken by a motorist shows the wooden cross engulfed in bright orange flames as it leans against a tree in Grant Park, a popular area near Lake Michigan. The Chicago Fire Department confirmed the flaming object was a cross, and said officials put out the fire.

Chicago Police said there were no reports of injuries and that they are investigating the motive and circumstances around the “object on fire.”

Keinika Carlton, 43, was driving home from running errands with her daughter and mother-in-law when they saw the cross on fire. She said she felt a combination of shock, sadness, disgust, as well as curiosity.

“Is this a racial thing? Is this a religious thing?” she said. “As black women, of course, our first thought is racial, because burning crosses are known to be used as a tactic, an act of violence toward Black Americans in the South.”

Carlton estimated the cross was at least 6 feet tall. The experience was new to all of them, including Carlton’s mother-in-law, who grew up in Kentucky.

Carlton said as they slowed down to shoot a video of the flames, she saw around her other cars slowing down and people walking nearby, staring at the cross burning.

While the motive behind the burning cross was not immediately clear, cross burnings in the U.S. have historically been seen as “symbols of hate” that are “inextricably intertwined with the history of the Ku Klux Klan,” according to a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision written by the late Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The justices ruled that the First Amendment allows bans on cross burnings only when they are intended to intimidate because the action “is a particularly virulent form of intimidation.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

U.S. Supreme Court Slaps Down Biden Administration Energy Ruling

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U.S. Supreme Court Slaps Down Biden Administration Energy Ruling

(, The Center Square) The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday slapped down a decision from the Biden administration that regulated efficiency standards for furnaces and water heaters.

Justices on the high court vacated the District of Columbia district court’s decision in American Gas Association v. Department of Energy, where the lower court upheld the Biden administration’s decision to enforce regulations on non-condensing appliances.

Lawyers for the American Gas Association and other trade organizations argued the Biden administration’s rules improperly regulated the sale of commercial water heaters and furnaces. The lawyers argued certain furnaces and water heaters would effectively be eliminated from the market.

“The Department may not adopt standards that effectively eliminate from the market products that have distinct ‘performance characteristics,'” Solicitor General John Sauer wrote in a brief to the high court.

The lawyers argued the Biden administration’s Department of Energy did not properly consider how its regulation would impact the industry as a whole. The high court ruled that the D.C. district court must reconsider its ruling that affirmed the Biden administration’s decision.

The Trump administration petitioned the high court to slap down the decision. Sauer said the Trump administration is considering how it will roll back the Biden-era regulations at issue in the case.

“The Department has determined that the rules at issue are factually and legally flawed, and the agency is considering a new rulemaking in which it would correct those errors,” Sauer wrote.

The case will return to the D.C. district court for further decisionmaking where judges will likely issue a different ruling in light of the high court’s decision.

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