Category: News
Palmer Luckey One-Shots Jason Calacanis Over Epstein Ties
Palmer Luckey One-Shots Jason Calacanis Over Epstein Ties
The beef between Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and Silicon Valley angel investor Jason Calacanis goes back nearly a decade – when Calacanis joined a media circus slamming Luckey for a $10,000 donation to a pro-Trump group in 2016. The donation sparked widespread backlash among Silicon Valley’s liberal elite, and resulted in calls to boycott Luckey’s Oculus VR (which he founded and sold to Facebook in 2014 for $2 billion), along with his eventual ouster from Facebook.
In 2022, Luckey confronted Calacanis – co-host of the ‘All-In’ podcast, at the VC’s own event over what he characterized as “NPC thinking” (non-playable characters, aka idiots who follow their party’s ‘current thing’).
Last year, Luckey said, “Jason just lies to his followers whenever he feels embarrassed, always blocking replies from anyone who doesn’t give him money. For example, accusing my cofounder of photoshopping his fat mug – in reality, it is a screenshot from his CNBC interview!”
This is an un-edited screenshot from your CNBC interview, Jason.
Is this another example of your famous lying sprees, or are are you seriously this out of touch with the reality of your body? pic.twitter.com/acCGOEViv9
— Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) February 28, 2025
In August, 2022, two months after Luckey smoked him at the All-In event, Jason attempted to mend fences after Anduril started landing government contracts, writing “I’m grateful we have Palmer making our weapons now – we need hard-core dudes like him to keep the CCP in check” followed by flexing arm + in love emojis.
Luckey told him to “Go fuck yourself and all the other clout-chasing leeches and liars who pretend sucking my dick post-Ukraine absolves treating me like shit for years.”
Indeud…
Epstein and Calacanis
While Calacanis was busy taking potshots at Luckey for supporting Trump, it turns out he had a longstanding relationship with Jeffrey Epstein – having first met in the 1990s while trying to fundraise for a dot-com magazine, Silicon Alley Reporter. The two met at Epstein’s New York townhouse for a discussion allegedly lasting around 30 minutes according to Calacanis.
Epstein offered some advice; ‘think bigger.’
“He gave me some advice at his townhouse once when I was raising money for the magazine,” Calacanis told fa-mag. “He thought I should think bigger.”
Following Epstein’s July 2019 arrest on sex-trafficking charges, Calacanis reiterated that his contact was confined to the 1990s fundraising meeting, and denied ever flying on Epstein’s plane, visiting pedo island (Little St. James), or attending parties.
Calacanis notably appears in Epstein’s ‘black book’ – despite insisting the two had limited contact.
Hey Pal…
Turns out, not quite… A Friday release of 3 million Epstein files reveals that Calacanis introduced Epstein to early Bitcoin developers Gavin Andresen (a key contributor to Bitcoin’s core software) and Amir Taaki (an open-source advocate involved in Bitcoin and related projects) in 2011.
In his initial email to Epstein, Calacanis addresses Epstein casually, writing “hey pal,” and mentions he’s “running out to a kids birthday party,” but will “dig up their info” on Andresen and Taaki, who he describes as “crazy open source folks” who are “motivated by the same things as wikileaks.”
Calacanis offers to facilitate connections, noting he had recently featured them on his podcast or show.
The exchange continues, with Epstein eventually emailing Andresen directly.
“Calacanis offers to facilitate connections, noting he had recently featured them on his podcast or show.”
Luckey Lays it Out
Palmer took to X following the email release to call out Calacanis over the revelations.
Man starts VR company, donates to Trump: “Total moron, no moral compass!”
Man rapes children: “hey pal!”
See below;
One example where Jason simultaneously denies involvement with Epstein since the 90s and accuses my cofounder @mttgrmm of photoshopping him to look “twice as fat as I ever was”.
(It was an unaltered CNBC screenshot, he refuses to recant or acknowledge) https://t.co/YGTMEZ2ge0
— Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) January 31, 2026
Yeah, you know GMAX? pic.twitter.com/nM5i4osFFB
— Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) January 31, 2026
And of course…
Jason has disabled comments on his account.
— Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) January 31, 2026
And that….’s the rest of the story.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 01/31/2026 – 16:55
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/palmer-luckey-one-shots-jason-calacanis-over-epstein-ties
Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter sued by minority partner for allegedly ‘self-dealing’ to devalue other shares
A minority partner in the Chicago Sky is suing longtime principal owner Michael Alter, alleging he violated his fiduciary duty to investors by misallocating and misrepresenting franchise value for his own benefit, according to a lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court this week.
Minority owner Steven Rogers, an Englewood native and entrepreneur who was an early investor in the team, alleges in the suit that Alter abused his financial control of the Sky’s operations to “self-deal” stakes to boost his own shares while decreasing those of minority partners.
“Alter’s actions breached his fiduciary duty to the minority investors … and unfairly deprived them of the value of their investments,” the lawsuit said.
The complaint was filed Wednesday, and an initial hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Alter and the Sky declined to comment on ongoing litigation.
The suit stems from a dispute over ownership and stake valuation that began in September 2022. Shortly after the Sky won their first WNBA championship in 2021, the lawsuit alleges that “Alter orchestrated a series of transactions to claim a significant portion of the Chicago Sky valuation gains for himself” and then “used his position as the sole manager — with nearly complete control over the Chicago Sky finances and corporate entities — to seize what has quickly become over [redacted] million in value at the expense of other investors.”
The suit claims that Alter seized a majority stake “with no lawful basis and at an unfair price and at the expense of the other investors,” a decision that put his “own interests ahead of the team and other investors.” According to the lawsuit, Alter has declined to appoint a board of directors or advisers and runs the team “as his private concern.”
In September 2022, the suit alleges that Alter claimed the stakes of Rogers and other minority investors had “dropped in nominal value, even as the team value had increased.” Alter eventually went back on this initial valuation and offered a significantly higher value, but Rogers still feels the majority owner has stiffed minority stakeholders of significant value as the Sky’s popularity and revenue continue to build.
Alter brought the Sky into the WNBA in 2006, doling out a reported $10 million expansion fee with an investment group that included other investors such as then-team President and Chair Margaret Stender. The team has never publicized the full roster of minority owners from those early years of the team, but initial investors included Rogers in addition to prominent locals such as Michelle Williams.
The Sky sought new investment in 2023 when the financial realities of competing in the WNBA began to rapidly evolve. Operating chair Nadia Rawlinson bought into the team as a minority owner when she was hired in January 2023. Later that summer, the Sky welcomed a new group of investors who bought a collective 10% stake in the team, earning a new valuation at $85 million. That group — which included Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts and former NBA superstar Dwyane Wade — is not included in Rogers’ suit.
In December 2025, Forbes valued the Sky at $240 million, seventh among WNBA franchises and 12th among women’s sports teams worldwide.
Sky principal owner Michael Alter, left, speaks with co-owner and operating chairman Nadia Rawlinson during a game on Aug. 7, 2025, at Wintrust Arena. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
The cost of WNBA stewardship skyrocketed in the 20 years since Alter first bought the Sky. Expansion fees ballooned from $10 million in 2006 to a record $250 million each for the three newest franchises — in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — set to join the league by 2030. While billionaires buy into the league, Alter has struggled to keep pace in basic necessities such as player facilities and operational staffing.
Significant swaths of the initial claim are redacted in public copies of the filing, making it difficult to piece together the entire scope of Rogers’ claims against Alter — but the claim captures frustration about Alter’s ownership and operation of the Sky that echoes the complaints of former and current players.
“While the Chicago Sky basketball team has had some success on the court, as a business, Alter’s operation has been a mess,” the suit reads. “Throughout his tenure, Alter flouted the agreement’s basic requirements and minimal standards for business operations.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/31/chicago-sky-owner-michael-alter-lawsuit/
Save the Children advierte que los suministros críticos se agotan en campo de refugiados en Siria
Por HOGIR AL ABDO y OMAR ALBAM
AL-HASSAKEH, Siria (AP) — Una organización humanitaria internacional advirtió que los suministros se agotan en un campamento del noreste de Siria que alberga a miles de personas vinculadas al grupo Estado Islámico, mientras el gobierno lucha por establecer el control sobre un área anteriormente controlada por combatientes kurdos.
La declaración de Save the Children, hecha el viernes por la noche, surge una semana después de que las fuerzas gubernamentales capturaran el campamento de al-Hol, que alberga a más de 24.000 personas, en su mayoría niños y mujeres, incluidas muchas esposas o viudas de miembros del EI.
La captura del campamento se produjo tras intensos combates a principios de este mes entre las fuerzas gubernamentales y miembros de las Fuerzas Democráticas Sirias (FDS), lideradas por kurdos y respaldadas por Estados Unidos, durante los cuales las fuerzas leales al presidente interino Ahmad al-Sharaa capturaron amplias áreas del este y el noreste de Siria.
Las FDS firmaron un acuerdo para poner fin a los combates tras sufrir grandes derrotas, pero los enfrentamientos esporádicos entre ellas y el gobierno han continuado.
Se requieren suministros críticos en el campamento
Save the Children dijo que “los suministros críticos en el campamento de al-Hol se agotan peligrosamente” ya que los enfrentamientos impiden la entrega segura de ayuda humanitaria.
Agregó que los enfrentamientos de la semana pasada alrededor del campamento obligaron a las agencias de ayuda a suspender temporalmente sus operaciones regulares en al-Hol. Añadió que la carretera principal que conduce al campamento sigue siendo insegura, lo que impide que los trabajadores humanitarios entreguen alimentos y agua o gestionen servicios básicos para niños y familias.
“La situación en el campamento de al-Hol se deteriora con rapidez a medida que los alimentos, el agua y las medicinas se agotan peligrosamente”, señaló Rasha Muhrez, directora de Save the Children en Siria. “Si las organizaciones humanitarias no pueden reanudar su trabajo, los niños enfrentarán aún más riesgos en el campamento, que ya era extremadamente peligroso para ellos antes de esta última escalada”.
Muhrez añadió que todas las partes en conflicto deben garantizar un corredor humanitario seguro hacia al-Hol para que los servicios básicos puedan reanudarse y los niños puedan ser protegidos. “Hay vidas que dependen de ello”, dijo.
Algunos de los miles de militantes del EI acusados que se encuentran en prisiones en el noreste de Siria, han comenzado a ser transferidos por las fuerzas estadounidenses a Irak, donde serán juzgados, pero el futuro de los campamentos que albergan a las esposas e hijos de los combatientes sigue siendo incierto.
Detalles de la implementación del acuerdo
Las FDS anunciaron un nuevo acuerdo con el gobierno central el viernes, con el objetivo de estabilizar un alto el fuego que puso fin a semanas de combates y establecer pasos hacia la integración de la fuerza respaldada por Estados Unidos en el ejército y los organismos policiales, así como la integración de instituciones civiles en las áreas controladas por las FDS en el gobierno central.
Rohilat Afrin, comandante general de las Unidades de Protección de Mujeres, o YPJ, organismo perteneciente a las FDS, dijo el sábado, en entrevista con The Associated Press, que la implementación del acuerdo de integración comenzará el lunes, con la entrada de algunas fuerzas de seguridad del gobierno en las ciudades de Qamishli y al-Hassakeh, de mayoría kurda.
“Solo un número limitado de fuerzas de seguridad del gobierno entrará para supervisar la integración de las instituciones, después de lo cual se retirarán”, mientras que las unidades del ejército de fuera de la región kurda no entrarán en áreas habitadas en su mayoría por esa etnia, aseguró.
La misión principal de las fuerzas de seguridad que ingresan a las ciudades será “proteger instituciones afiliadas al estado, como el registro civil, oficinas de pasaportes y el aeropuerto, y reiniciar el funcionamiento de estas instituciones”, afirmó Afrin. Las fuerzas policiales locales continuarán proporcionando seguridad en las ciudades.
Ambas partes tendrán comités de coordinación, que se reunirán para “determinar el plan de integración y establecer el cronograma y los mecanismos apropiados”, dijo.
En el acuerdo acordado entre las FDS y Damasco se estipula la formación de una nueva división militar bajo el mando del ministerio de defensa sirio, que consistirá en tres brigadas de combatientes de las FDS en la provincia de Hassakeh, además de la formación de una brigada de combatientes del grupo en una división en la provincia de Alepo.
En el acuerdo no se hizo referencia al futuro de las unidades de combate exclusivamente femeninas de las FDS, el cual es un punto sensible ya que muchos de los líderes de Damasco provienen de un entorno conservador y se oponen a las mujeres en combate.
Afrin dijo que las Unidades de Protección de Mujeres “se unirán a las brigadas que se establecerán y mantendrán su independencia dentro de estas brigadas”.
El gobierno central ha dicho que la aprobación de los excombatientes de las FDS para unirse a las nuevas brigadas se realizará caso por caso tras una evaluación de seguridad. En el acuerdo también se estipula la retirada de Siria de militantes del Partido de los Trabajadores del Kurdistán, o PKK, un movimiento separatista kurdo que ha llevado a cabo una insurgencia de larga duración en Turquía.
El ministerio de relaciones exteriores sirio dijo en un comunicado que el plazo esperado para la implementación completa del acuerdo es de un mes como máximo, mientras que, durante el mismo período, se espera que Estados Unidos complete la transferencia de prisioneros del EI a Irak.
“Durante este período, se llevará a cabo la integración de seguridad, militar y civil, y el estado asumirá el control de los cruces fronterizos, los campos petroleros y el Aeropuerto de Qamishli, además de nombrar a los funcionarios designados”, se lee en el comunicado.
Se añade que desarrollar “confianza mutua” será un desafío, y se agrega que “Esperamos que el inicio de la implementación real contribuya a fortalecer esta confianza, allanando el camino para la finalización del acuerdo y la integración, logrando así un interés común para todas las partes, y sobre todo, para Siria y el pueblo sirio.”
___
Albam informó desde Idlib, Siria.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Iranians Seal Windows & Store Food, Water As They Prepare For Attack
Iranians Seal Windows & Store Food, Water As They Prepare For Attack
As night fell on Friday, a tense sense of dread settled over Iranians at home and abroad, with rumors of an imminent US military strike took hold across Iran.
“I kept waiting for it to hit. I couldn’t sleep until morning. I was waking up and straining to hear any sound of explosions. Let’s see what happens tonight,” Milad*, a 43-year-old engineer living in the capital Tehran, said about that night. Shohreh, a 68-year-old woman, goes to a park near her home in east Tehran every morning for group exercise. When she returned home on the morning of 31 January, she said, “Today, all my friends were saying that it would hit tonight.“
Shohreh, who opposes a foreign attack on Iran, said people seemed to be losing their minds. “They think that if the US strikes, everything will be fine,” she said. “Because of the killings committed by the Islamic Republic, people are becoming desperate. They no longer know what is in their interest and what is against them.”
For the past week, as Washington has once again beaten the drum of war against Iran, the prospect of conflict has become a real and present fear for Iranians. The movement of a large US military fleet to the Middle East has not only triggered a new multibillion-dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia and Israel; for Iranians, it has brought confusion, psychological pressure, and fear of a disastrous future.
Iranians are still in shock following the establishment’s bloody crackdown on protests that erupted on December 28 in Tehran’s bazaar over the economic crisis and quickly spread to cities across the country.
According to government sources, 3,117 people, mostly security forces, were killed in the crackdown. However, human rights groups outside Iran believe the number is much higher, with some putting it at more than 6,500 people, the majority of them civilians. No international fact-finding mission has yet been established to verify the figures.
‘Seal the windows’
Arzoo, a 32-year-old government employee opposed to the establishment, described a quiet anxiety among people. Many avoid talking about the deadliest aspects of war, which are all too familiar after last summer’s brutal war with Israel, and try to stay calm. But everyone is waiting for the first explosion.
“My neighbour across the street, in the building where I live, has sealed his windows,” Arzoo told Middle East Eye. “He said, ‘Seal the windows. When they bomb, there will be no difference between the regime and the opposition.’“
Beneath the fragile calm that Iranian society clings to, perhaps as a way to manage its own mental strain, lurks a persistent question: what to do when war begins? Social media, which became accessible again after a three-week internet blackout during the crackdown on protests, is now filled with advice on how to survive missile attacks and bombs.
The list of precautions is long: stock enough food and water for 10 days; keep a first-aid kit within reach; place identification and essential documents in a bag for quick evacuation; keep emergency exits clear; move to open spaces at the sound of an explosion; lie on the ground next to a wall. Dozens of similar tips circulate on Persian-language platforms.
The sources of much of this advice are unclear. It is also unknown whether the same bots active during the June Israeli-US strikes – promoting Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah – are behind it. Whoever is behind these posts has an evident impact.
Arzoo said she has seen the messages and has stored “10 bottles of drinking water and a few cans of food at home, just in case”.
Amin, a 75-year-old retiree with kidney disease, said he bought a three-month supply of medication last week and is keeping it at home. “Some of this advice may be media manipulation,” he said, “but I bought my essentials anyway, out of caution. No one knows what will happen tomorrow.“
Amin, who lived through the eight-year Iran-Iraq war and last year’s 12-day war, said he is deeply saddened to see his country on the brink of another war.
A leftist activist who has opposed the theocratic rulers since the 1979 revolution, he said: “This regime executed my closest comrades after the revolution and is now killing our children. I have no sympathy for it. But I also hate war. War will destroy everything left for us.”
These fears and preparations are not limited to those inside Iran. They are shared by the Iranian diaspora, estimated at around four million people. Many fear another nationwide internet blackout, like those during the 12-day war and last month’s crackdown, that would disconnect them from their loved ones. They also fear for the lives of their families.
At least one person was killed and over a dozen injured as a result of a “gas explosion” this morning in the Southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, with the apartment building from which the blast originated from suffering significant damage. Claims have circulated that the… pic.twitter.com/ZLZtyF858J
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 31, 2026
Fatemeh, who lives in Finland with her husband and son, worries about her elderly parents in Tehran. During the war with Israel, her parents could not leave the city because they had no access to transportation.
“I asked my parents to leave Tehran before a new war started,” Fatemeh said. “They answered they wouldn’t go anywhere. They said they had nowhere to go, which is true. That’s why I asked a close friend to visit them and buy basic supplies and medicines during these days.”
‘A fool like Donald Trump’
Across Iran, cities remain calm, at least for now. There are no long lines at gas stations. Shops are open. People are going to work as usual. Early in the morning, schoolchildren wait outside their homes for the school bus.
Still, the sense of alarm is widespread. Soroush, a 27-year-old student, moved with his family to a city in northern Iran during the war to escape Israeli missiles. He said while the panic of that period is no longer visible, the fear of another war runs through everyday conversations.
“The vibe is not like the collective panic of the 12-day war,” he said. “It feels like people are mentally prepared. Before the Israeli attack, we had no idea what war would look like. Now we have an image in front of us. We know what we will face.”
Soroush feels that the lives of Iranians have turned into a game for the country’s leaders and for Western powers. He points to the betting website Polymarket, where many have bet thousands of dollars on a US strike on the night of 31 January.
“Our lives and our deaths have become entertainment,” he said. “A game for others.“
Saba, 41, spoke of her fear for the future of her eight-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son. She also described her frustration with the government’s repression, the self-interest of opposition figures abroad, and the US warmongering.
“What a miserable people we are,” she said. “Our rulers massacre people in the streets. Reza Pahlavi has become the face of our opposition abroad. And our enemy is a fool like Donald Trump.”
*Names have been changed for security reasons.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 01/31/2026 – 16:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iranians-seal-windows-store-food-water-they-prepare-attack
Delantero del Atlético de Madrid, Sorloth, es hospitalizado tras choque de cabezas
VALENCIA, España (AP) — El delantero del Atlético de Madrid Alexander Sorloth fue llevado a un hospital después de chocar cabezas con un jugador del Levante en un partido de La Liga el sábado, informó el club.
Sorloth, jugador de Noruega, colisionó con el defensor del Levante, Matías Moreno, mientras disputaban un balón a los 27 minutos del empate sin goles. Ambos fueron sustituidos de inmediato.
El Atlético informó que Sorloth sufrió un traumatismo craneal y fue trasladado a un hospital en Valencia para realizarle pruebas médicas.
Levante no informó de inmediato sobre el estado de Moreno.
Sorloth, de 30 años, ha marcado diez goles en todas las competiciones para el Atlético esta temporada. El equipo ocupa el tercer lugar en La Liga y se enfrentará al Club Brujas en un playoff de la Liga de Campeones el próximo mes.
También ayudó a Noruega a clasificarse para la Copa del Mundo en América del Norte.
___
Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Juez ordena liberar a niño de 5 años y a su padre detenidos en redada migratoria en Minnesota
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Un juez ordenó el sábado al gobierno federal liberar a más tardar el martes a un niño de cinco años y a su padre de un centro de detención en Texas, donde fueron llevados tras ser arrestados por agentes de inmigración en un suburbio de Minneapolis el mes pasado.
Imágenes de Liam Conejo Ramos, con un sombrero de conejo y una mochila de Spiderman rodeado por agentes del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés), provocaron aún más indignación sobre la represión migratoria del gobierno del presidente Donald Trump en Minnesota. También generaron una protesta en el centro de detención familiar y a una visita de dos miembros demócratas del Congreso de Texas.
El juez federal de distrito Fred Biery, quien fue nombrado por el expresidente demócrata Bill Clinton, dijo en su fallo que “el caso tiene su origen en la mal concebida e incompetentemente implementada persecución gubernamental de cuotas diarias de deportación, aparentemente incluso si requiere traumatizar a los niños”.
El mismo juez había dictaminado previamente que el niño y su padre, Adrian Conejo Arias, no podían ser expulsados de Estados Unidos, al menos por ahora.
En su orden del sábado, Biery dijo: “también es aparente la ignorancia del gobierno sobre un documento histórico estadounidense llamado la Declaración de Independencia”, sugiriendo que las medidas del gobierno de Trump reflejan aquellas que el autor y futuro presidente Thomas Jefferson enumeró como quejas contra Inglaterra.
Biery también incluyó en su fallo una foto de Liam Conejo Ramos y referencias a dos líneas de la Biblia: “Jesús dijo: ‘Dejad que los niños vengan a mí, y no se lo impidáis, porque el reino de los cielos es de quienes son como ellos’”, y “Jesús lloró”.
Stephen Miller, el jefe de personal de la Casa Blanca para políticas, ha dicho que hay un objetivo de 3.000 arrestos de inmigrantes al día. Es esa cifra la que el juez pareció describir como una “cuota”.
Los portavoces del Departamento de Justicia y del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional no respondieron de momento a las solicitudes de comentarios.
Vecinos y funcionarios escolares señalan que los agentes federales de inmigración en Minnesota usaron al niño de preescolar como “cebo” al decirle que llamara a la puerta de su casa para que su madre respondiera. El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional ha calificado esa descripción de los eventos como una “mentira absoluta”. Indicó que el padre huyó a pie y dejó al niño en un vehículo en marcha en su entrada.
Durante la visita del 28 de enero de los congresistas Joaquin Castro y Jasmine Crockett, el niño dormía en los brazos de su padre, quien dijo que Liam estaba frecuentemente cansado y no comía bien en el centro de detención que alberga a unas 1.100 personas, según Castro.
Las familias detenidas reportan malas condiciones como gusanos en la comida, peleas por agua limpia y mala atención médica en el centro de detención desde su reapertura el año pasado. En diciembre, un informe presentado por el ICE reconoció que retuvieron a unos 400 niños más tiempo del límite recomendado de 20 días.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Latest Epstein Release Catches Goldman’s Top Lawyer In Massive Lie
Latest Epstein Release Catches Goldman’s Top Lawyer In Massive Lie
Earlier this month the Wall Street Journal reported that there was an internal debate at Goldman Sachs over whether to get rid of General Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler over her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Kathryn Ruemmler, Jeffrey Epstein
Ruemmler, a former White House attorney for Obama, told Goldman execs when they hired her in April 2020 that the relationship was purely professional – yet it would later become public that she not only met with Epstein dozens of times and exchanged friendly emails for years, she was listed as an executor of Epstein’s will as recently as Jan. 18, 2019 – which had been removed before he died in prison on Aug. 10 of that year.
She also denied having ever helped Epstein with PR, telling the outlet “I did not advocate on his behalf to any third party—not to a court, not to the press, not to the government.”
Turns out that was a total lie.
On Friday, the DOJ released over 3 million pages of Epstein documents, including one in which Ruemmler was helping draft statements to help Epstein counter claims that he got a “sweetheart deal” when he was allowed to plead guilty to minor charges in a 2007-2008 sex trafficking case involving dozens of underage girls.
Epstein email confirms what we wrote in December, Kathy Ruemmler was helping draft potential Epstein statements dismissing claims he got a “sweetheart deal” to outlets like Washington Post. pic.twitter.com/rmfk1IG8Z1
— Andrew Kaczynski (@KFILE) January 30, 2026
We also found out that their relationship was far from ‘purely professional’ – as the Washington Free Beacon reported Friday that Epstein showered her with luxury gifts – including a $9,400 Hermes handbag, a Hermes-branded Apple watch, and a spa treatment package at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington DC.
The documents released Friday show otherwise. In emails ranging from 2014 to 2019, Ruemmler routinely corresponded with Epstein’s associates to accept gifts or express her gratitude to Epstein. In some cases, she asked for specific items.
The priciest gift likely came in August 2016, when Epstein purchased Ruemmler a $9,400 handbag from the French luxury brand Hermes. Epstein took a particular interest in ensuring Ruemmler received the bag, directing one of his associates, Lesley Groff, to “confirm receipt with Kathy” and “follow up to make sure it happens.” When Ruemmler received the bag, she wrote to Groff, “OH MY GOD!!!!! He is in so much trouble!!!! I am dying. It is so beautiful,” as Groff relayed to Epstein. Used versions of the same bag—a Jypsiere 31—now sell for around $5,000.
The bag:
The emails:
Two years later, Epstein styled Ruemmler with the Hermes edition of the Apple Watch – which retails for $1,300. In response, she said the gift was “so sweet of Jeffrey!”
“If truly okay with him to do the Hermes, I would love the 40 mm, stainless Hermes with bleu indigo swift leather double tour,” she wrote at the time. “I’ll wear that one every day, whereas the sportier ones I would likely only wear on weekends or when exercising, etc.”
As for the spa treatment, Epstein booked a “full half day” at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown in August 2016 – writing to an associate “she won her case and needs some pampering,” to which an associate replied “Kathy will go either today or tomorrow she says…”
The Free Beacon reports further:
Epstein appeared to provide other gifts of unknown value to Ruemmler. In December 2014, an Epstein associate emailed Ruemmler to inform her that Epstein planned to send his housekeeper to “deliver your ring to you!!” In February 2019, an Epstein associate sent a reminder email to an unidentified individual reading, “Reminder: Bottle of wine and note card to be delivered to Ruemmler today. Let me know once it has been delivered so I can tell Jeffrey.”
Months after that email, Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged with sex trafficking minors.
After graduaating from Georgetown University Law Center, Ruemmler served in the Obama White House from 2011-2014, after which she returned to law firm Latham and Watkins. She joined Goldman in 2020 as a partner, and became chief legal officer and general counsel in 2021 – where she also advises CEO David Solomon.
After an April 2023 report in the Journal detailing the more extensive connections between Ruemmler and Epstein – including how the two had “met dozens of times, that Epstein had visited apartments she was considering buying and that he offered assistance with her travel planning,” including a 2017 plan to take her to ‘pedo island,’ bankers complained to senior management – pointing out that she had a role on the firm’s reputational risk committee. The bankers were essentially told to stand down.
Will Goldman continue to stand behind their Epstein gal-pal top lawyer?
Tyler Durden
Sat, 01/31/2026 – 15:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/latest-epstein-release-catches-goldmans-top-lawyer-massive-lie
Vigil honors slain VA nurse Alex Pretti, his care for those in need
After the clergy offered praise and comfort to a group mourning Alex Pretti’s death, a Merrillville man pulled the scarf from his face and jacket hood from his head in the oppressive cold and took the microphone.
At the start of the vigil in front of the Adam Benjamin Jr. VA Hospital in Crown Point Friday evening, group organizers asked that attendees who didn’t want to be photographed or on video to raise their hands so the media could avoid them. As ICE ramps up its efforts, it’s adding protesters to its list, threatening them and taking them into custody.
Jill Revere, center, and Jan Borden, holds signs during a moment of silence during a candlelight vigil held in honor of Alex Pretti in Crown Point, Indiana on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Both women live in Highland and joined more than 20 other people for the vigil. (Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune)
Ruben Valdez, a U.S. Marine veteran who served from 1975 to 1979, didn’t care.
“I’m here. I’m not covering my face and I’m not backing down,” he said defiantly. “(ICE) is disgusting, and people are getting killed for no reason.”
Rabbi Diane Tracht, of Temple Israel in Miller, was in Minneapolis last weekend when ICE agents shot and killed Pretti, a VA nurse, as he tried to help a woman they’d forcibly pushed to the ground. She never could’ve imagined she and her group would be caught up in the terror of that day.
“Alex Pretti was murdered doing what he did every day: offering care to those in need,” she said. “He showed care and love, including on the last day of his life.”
Purdue University Northwest senior nursing student Hannah Bolton hugs retired nurse Barb Orze during a candlelight vigil held in honor of Alex Pretti in Crown Point, Indiana on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Bolton, of Cedar Lake, was joined by Orze, a retired nurse with 40 years of experience, and more than 20 others for the vigil. (Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune)
Ferass Safadi, chairman of Community Outreach for the Islamic Center in Crown Point, said Pretti stood as a witness, and in doing so reminds us all that justice isn’t passive.
“There is a deep irony we must acknowledge tonight. So many immigrants came to this country fleeing regimes where protest is met with prison, disappearance or death,” Safadi said. “Alex acted in that same belief: that peaceful protest and bearing witness are protected, not punished. When that promise is broken, it is not just one life that is lost; it is trust in the very freedoms that define this nation.
“Let this be a call, especially to our elected officials. Justice cannot be selective; accountability cannot be delayed. We expect truth, transparency and responsibility from those entrusted with power.”
Hannah Bolton, a nursing student at Purdue Northwest who’s graduating this spring, has vowed to be a nurse “like Alex.” She said his death has only fortified her resolve.
Ruben Valdez speaks during a candlelight vigil held in honor of Alex Pretti in Crown Point, Indiana Friday Jan. 30, 2026. Valdez, of Merrillville, served in the United State Marine Corps from 1975-79.(Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune)
“He inspires me because he was sticking to his beliefs,” she said. “We’re taught to do whatever we can to help, and he did just that. Murder is never the answer.”
Connie Karras, of Munster and a veteran herself, called on her fellow veterans to speak up more on the injustice.
“I can’t even wrap my head around this. There are many veterans who’re speaking out against what’s happening, but not nearly enough,” she said.
Barb Orze, a retired nurse from Cedar Lake, said her heart is “torn to pieces” over Pretti’s death. But she too isn’t cowed by ICE’s violence.
A group of women stand in silence during a candlelight vigil held in honor of Alex Pretti in Crown Point, Indiana on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. More than 20 people gathered to remember Pretti who was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis last Saturday. (Andy Lavalley/for the Post-Tribune)
“I’m not going anywhere. (Expletive) them,” she said.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Guardia Costera de EEUU suspende búsqueda tras hundimiento de barco pesquero en Massachusetts
Por MICHAEL CASEY, RODRIQUE NGOWI y PATRICK WHITTLE
GLOUCESTER, Massachusetts, EE.UU. (AP) — La Guardia Costera de Estados Unidos suspendió el sábado la búsqueda de siete personas que iban a bordo de un barco pesquero comercial que se hundió frente a la costa de Massachusetts en aguas agitadas y frías.
La Guardia Costera lanzó una misión de búsqueda y rescate la mañana del viernes tras recibir una alerta del Lily Jean, de 22 metros (72 pies), a unos 46 kilómetros (25 millas) de Cape Ann. Los buscadores encontraron escombros cerca de donde se envió la alerta junto con un cuerpo en el agua y una balsa salvavidas vacía, indicó la agencia.
Las tripulaciones cubrieron alrededor de 2.589 kilómetros cuadrados (1.000 millas cuadradas) utilizando múltiples aeronaves, cúters y botes pequeños durante un período de 24 horas. Sin embargo, tras la consulta entre los coordinadores de la misión de búsqueda y rescate y los comandantes en el lugar, la Guardia Costera anunció el sábado que determinó que todos los esfuerzos razonables de búsqueda de los tripulantes desaparecidos se habían agotado.
Las autoridades dijeron que no hubo una llamada de socorro del Lily Jean mientras navegaba por el frío Océano Atlántico en su camino de regreso a Gloucester, Massachusetts, el puerto pesquero más antiguo de Estados Unidos. La Guardia Costera fue notificada por la baliza del barco que alerta cuando toca el agua.
La Guardia Costera investiga la causa del hundimiento. Hasta el momento, las autoridades no han divulgado los nombres de los desaparecidos.
“Estamos profundamente dolidos, pero somos una comunidad fuerte, y nos levantaremos, nos levantaremos ante esta ocasión”, dijo el sábado el senador estatal republicano Bruce Tarr durante una emotiva conferencia de prensa.
Condiciones climáticas dificultaron la búsqueda
Jamie Frederick, comandante del Sector Boston de la Guardia Costera, dijo que las bajas temperaturas, las condiciones de tormenta y el vasto océano hicieron difícil encontrar sobrevivientes por la noche, una tarea que se complicó aún más con una tormenta del noreste que se acercaba a la costa este este fin de semana. Los buscadores enfrentaron mares de 2,1 a 3 metros (7 a 10 pies) y rocío oceánico helado, dijo Frederick.
En el momento de la alerta de emergencia, el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional dijo que las velocidades del viento en el mar eran de alrededor de 50 km/h (27 mph o 24 nudos) con olas de aproximadamente 1,2 metros (4 pies) de altura. La temperatura era de -11 grados Celsius (12 grados Fahrenheit) con temperaturas del agua de alrededor de 4 °C (39 °F).
Frederick dijo que, hasta ahora, no había “ninguna pista” que llevara a las autoridades a determinar qué le sucedió al Lily Jean.
“Los escombros se parecían a cualquier cosa que estaría suelta en una cubierta, cosas que flotan de una cubierta de pesca”, dijo.
Otra tragedia golpea al pueblo pesquero
Esta es la más reciente tragedia marítima que golpea a Gloucester y su unida comunidad de personas que se dedican al negocio de la pesca. La ciudad que inspiró “La tormenta perfecta” está ligada a su herencia pesquera de una forma que ha generado 400 años de historia y, a veces, tragedia. El libro y la película se inspiraron en el FV Andrea Gail, que desapareció en el mar en 1991.
Vito Giacalone, jefe del Fondo de Preservación de la Comunidad Pesquera de Gloucester, describió a la comunidad como una hermandad que estaba de luto y en estado de shock.
“Todos tienen el corazón roto”, dijo Giacalone el sábado a The Associated Press en una entrevista telefónica. “Perder tantas vidas de una vez, no lo hemos visto en mucho tiempo”.
Paul Lundberg, alcalde de Gloucester, dijo que los nombres de quienes iban a bordo del Lily Jean se agregarían a un monumento de la ciudad en honor a los miles de pescadores que se han perdido en el mar.
El capitán es un pescador estimado
El Lily Jean, su capitán, Gus Sanfilippo, y su tripulación fueron presentados en un episodio transmitido en 2012 del programa “Nor’Easter Men” del History Channel. Sanfilippo es descrito como un pescador comercial de quinta generación, que había pescado desde Gloucester, Massachusetts, en el Banco Georges. La tripulación aparece trabajando en condiciones climáticas peligrosas durante horas, pasando hasta 10 días en el mar en un viaje pescando bacalao, langosta y platija.
“Nos queríamos”, dijo Giacalone sobre su relación con Sanfilippo. ”Él me trataba como a un hermano mayor y yo lo trataba como a mi hermano menor. Conociendo la tragedia de esto y conociendo el tipo de carácter que tenía Gus, él se sentiría mortificado al saber que estas vidas se perdieron”.
Agencia gubernamental tenía un observador en el barco
La Oficina Nacional de Administración Oceánica y Atmosférica (NOAA, por sus siglas en inglés) dijo que había un observador pesquero a bordo del barco. Los observadores pesqueros son trabajadores que recopilan datos a bordo de barcos pesqueros para que el gobierno los use para documentar regulaciones.
NOAA Fisheries dijo que los despliegues de observadores se suspenderían hasta después de la medianoche del miércoles debido al hundimiento y al clima en el noreste.
La pesca comercial es peligrosa
La pesca en alta mar en Nueva Inglaterra siempre puede ser peligrosa, pero puede serlo especialmente en invierno debido a las altas olas, las bajas temperaturas y el clima impredecible. La pesca comercial suele considerarse como uno de los trabajos más riesgosos del mundo.
Everett Sawyer, de 55 años, amigo de la infancia de Sanfilippo, dijo que ha conocido a 25 personas que se perdieron en el mar. Las condiciones frías del invierno pueden complicar las operaciones incluso para los marineros experimentados, dijo Sawyer.
“Las cosas suceden muy rápido cuando estás en el océano”, afirmó.
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Casey informó desde Boston, Ngowi informó desde Gloucester, Massachusetts, y Whittle informó desde Portland, Maine. El reportero de The Associated Press Adrian Sainz contribuyó desde Memphis, Tennessee.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Judge orders US to release 5-year-old and dad taken into custody in Minnesota crackdown
SAN ANTONIO — A judge on Saturday ordered the U.S. to release a 5-year-old boy and his father from a Texas detention center where they were taken after being detained in a Minneapolis suburb last month.
Images of Liam Conejo Ramos, with a bunny hat and Spiderman backpack being surrounded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers, sparked even more outcry about President Donald Trump’s administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. It also led to a protest at the family detention center and a visit by two Texas Democratic members of Congress.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, who was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton, said in his ruling “the case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children.”
A judge had previously ruled that the boy and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, could not be removed from the U.S., at least for now.
Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officers in Minnesota used the preschooler as “bait” by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer. The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an “abject lie.” It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.
During the Jan. 28 visit with Reps. Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett, the boy slept in the arms of his father, who said Liam was frequently tired and not eating well at the detention facility housing about 1,100 people, according to Castro.
Detained families report poor conditions like worms in food, fighting for clean water and poor medical care at the detention center since its reopening last year. In December, a report filed by ICE acknowledged they held about 400 children longer than the recommended limit of 20 days.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/31/judge-orders-release-5-year-old-minnesota-crackdown/
