Trump administration orders DoJ to question Ghislaine Maxwell on Epstein
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the move, stating he expects to meet with Maxwell soon, acting under the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Maxwell, an associate of Epstein, is serving a 20-year sentence after her 2021 conviction on charges related to her role in a scheme to abuse multiple minor girls with the deceased financier.
This development follows the DOJ's recent memo which concluded that its review of Epstein's files did not uncover evidence of further third-party wrongdoing or a so-called 'client list'.
Maxwell's attorney confirmed discussions with the department, saying his client would testify truthfully, and motions have been filed to unseal grand jury transcripts in the Epstein and Maxwell cases.
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Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Deranged gunman's twisted revenge plot on the NFL revealed as four are killed in NYC shooting rampage
The Nevada man who waltzed into a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper with an M4 assault rifle and killed four people before turning the weapon on himself may have been taking revenge on the National Football League. Shane Tamura, 27, was found with a letter on his body indicating he had grievances with the NFL and its handling of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after the rampage at 345 Park Avenue. In the note he railed against the NFL and pleaded for his brain to be studied. 'Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,' Tamura wrote, according to CNN. 'You can't go against the NFL, they'll squash you.' The shooter was referring to former Pittsburgh Steeler Terry Long, who committed suicide by drinking antifreeze in 2006 after suffering from CTE. 'Study my brain please I'm sorry Tell Rick I'm sorry for everything,' the note read. Authorities say Tamura traveled all the way from his home in Las Vegas in his black BMW, passing through Colorado on July 26 and making his way through New Jersey to Manhattan. He was then caught on chilling surveillance footage wearing a sport coat and button-down shirt while carrying a large assault rifle into the building, which houses the headquarters for the NFL. The gunman then opened fire inside the lobby just before 6.30pm. Tamura had been a star football player in high school, obsessed with the game and once on a path that suggested a future defined by discipline and teamwork. During his senior year, he even earned six Player of the Game awards and registered 126 carries for 616 rushing yards and five touchdowns in nine appearances. But in more recent years, Tamura had a 'documented mental health history,' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed at a news conference. Yet Tamura earned a private investigator's license and was able to obtain a concealed carry permit to carry firearms, both legally granted through the Las Vegas Sheriff's Department. He had the license on him when he marched into the building and opened fire. Officer Didarul Islam, a 36-year-old father-of-two who was working private security at the time, was then shot in the back and killed and an unidentified security guard who took cover behind a desk was also targeted. From there, police say Tamura took the elevator up to the 33rd floor and the offices of Rudin Management, which operates the building, and shot and killed a third victim before taking his own life. The National Football League headquarters are on the fifth floor of the building, which law enforcement officials say Tamura did not travel to. However, an employee of the league was 'seriously injured,' according to a memo to staff written by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and obtained by CNN. He said the unidentified employee was rushed to the hospital, where other league employees are comforting his family. All of the other employees are believed to be safe and accounted for, Goodell said, as he vowed to boost security at the league's headquarters 'in the days and weeks to come.' In the meantime, police in New York City and in Nevada are continuing to comb Tamura's social media presence and are rifling through his Las Vegas home to collect evidence pointing to a motive. They have already found a rifle case with rounds, a loaded revolver, ammunition and magazines, as well as a backpack and medication prescribed to him inside his vehicle. It is now believed Tamura was the sole shooter in the broad daylight attack, as police say there is no evidence he had an accomplice. Still, officers are continuing to work to determine whether anyone may have helped plan or facilitate his movements across state lines or into the high-security office tower, which was put on lockdown as heavily-armed police officers swarmed the floors. Photos from the scene showed scores of people in business attire frantically leaving with their hands up, as others inside the building barricaded the doors with furniture to prevent Tamura from entering. The shooting also led to a chaotic scene in Midtown Manhattan, with nearby worker Anna Smith, who had just stepped out to grab dinner, describing the 'crowd panic' that wafted over the area. 'People just started running,' she said. 'We had no idea what was going on.' Another witness told The New York Post that 'it sounded like a barrage of shots …Like an automatic weapon. Like a high-capacity weapon.' Another person told the paper that a 'guy came in with an assault rifle and started shooting.' A shocking image showed the victim splayed out on the floor of the office building after he suffered the self-inflicted gunshot wound. His bloodied weapon, which was equipped with a silencer, was found nearby. Meanwhile, the city's emergency management system issued alerts about road closures, subway disruptions, and traffic delays around Grand Central Terminal and St. Patrick's Cathedral - both just blocks from the shooting scene. As night fell, many turned their attention to the loss of Officer Islam, who was working in private security for Rudin Management Company Monday night, according to The New York Post. He regularly works in the Bronx's 47th precinct 'He was doing what he does best, as all members of the police department carry out he was saving lives,' New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at an evening news conference. 'He was protecting New Yorkers. He's an immigrant from Bangladesh, and he loved this city, and everyone we spoke with stated he was a person of faith and a person that believed in God and believed in living out the life of a godly person.' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said that Islam 'died as he lived: a hero.' 'He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm's way, he made the ultimate sacrifice — shot in cold blood, wearing a uniform that stood for the promise that he made to the city,' Tisch added. At least four people were killed in the attack, and a fifth is fighting for their life 'I want to extend my profound sympathies to all of the victims and their families and to the brave NYPD cops who today lost a brother,' she concluded. Patrick Hendry, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, called the loss 'devastating.' 'He was a hardworking police officer who was proud we know from hearing from his family to put on that uniform and shield of a New York City police officer, Hendry said. 'Every day, he went out and did his job, and he went out every single day to provide for his family, whether it was overtime or whatever he had to do to provide for this family.' In a statement, the New York Police Department also called Islam 'the very best of our department. 'He was protecting New Yorkers from danger when his life was tragically cut short today,' the department said. 'We join in prayer during this time of incomprehensible pain. We will forever honor his legacy.' Officials have not released any further information about the others killed and injured in the massacre on Monday. But New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state mourns ' four New Yorkers, including one of New York's Finest, taken in a senseless act of violence. 'Our hearts are with their loved ones and everyone affected by this tragedy, and we honor the first responders who bravely ran toward danger.' Mayor Adams added that the city is reeling as 'four innocent families are mourning.' He said that in addition to Officer Islam, the 'city also mourns the three other innocent lives lost this evening and is praying for another innocent victim fighting for his life in critical condition. 'It's unthinkable these people were taken from us so randomly and senselessly. They and their loved ones are in our hearts.' Similarly, New York Attorney General Letitia James added that she is 'praying for our law enforcement and the New Yorkers impacted in the shooting situation this evening in Manhattan.'
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Trump's short fuse could set off Russian oil sanctions timebomb
LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly shortened his deadline for hitting Russia with the most severe sanctions on its oil exports to date. While the market has called the president's bluff thus far, the sheer scale of the threat may force investors to start pricing in this meaningful tail risk. Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland on Monday, Trump said he was giving Moscow only 10 to 12 days to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine before he would impose so-called secondary sanctions on its oil exports, cutting short his previous 50-day timeframe set on July 14. The sanctions would slap 100% tariffs on buyers of Russian oil, with the biggest customers being India and China. This move has the potential to disrupt global oil supplies, given that Russia exported 4.68 million barrels per day of crude oil in June, around 4.5% of global demand, as well as 2.5 million bpd of refined products, according to the International Energy Agency. Will Trump actually follow through on his threat? That's anyone's guess. Going through with the secondary tariffs on Russia risks causing a severe spike in oil prices that could put upward pressure on U.S. inflation, an outcome that could stay Trump's hand, even if he is 'disappointed' in Russian President Vladimir Putin. And there have been several headline-grabbing moments in recent months where the Republican president has rowed back on his threats, including the "reciprocal tariffs" originally announced on April 2 that he quickly toned down in the face of market pressure. But Trump has also made good on some of his threats, most notably the bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities on June 22. Unlike his initial announcement on secondary tariffs, which investors appeared to shrug off, oil prices rose by nearly 3% on Monday. So his erratic Russia policy may make some investors wary of writing off the risk altogether. The next question is, would secondary tariffs – a relatively untested, blunt financial weapon – be effective? The answer is probably yes. One of Russia's key customers, India – the largest importer of seaborne Russian crude in June at 1.5 million bpd – is currently engaged in tense trade talks with the United States. New Delhi is therefore unlikely to want to exacerbate trade tensions with Washington and thus may be apt to ditch Moscow in favour of new, though undoubtedly more expensive, energy sources. On the other hand, China, which imported around 2 million bpd of Russian oil in June via pipeline and by sea, is less likely to change its buying patterns since it already faces several layers of U.S. tariffs and considers its ties with Moscow to be strategic. But the Kremlin's finances would still be squeezed regardless if India were to cease purchasing Russian oil, as China would likely be able to buy it even more cheaply. The scale of the potential new sanctions' impact on the global oil market is hard to gauge, given current supply and demand dynamics. World oil demand is expected to grow by 700,000 bpd in 2025, its lowest rate since 2009, while supplies are forecast to rise sharply by 2.1 million bpd to 105.1 million bpd this year, according to the International Energy Agency. The growth in supply has been driven in recent months mostly by output increases by the Saudi Arabia-led oil producing group collectively known as OPEC+. The group in April started unwinding 2.2 million bpd of production cuts and upped the United Arab Emirates' production quota by 300,000 bpd. The OPEC+ production increases have led, naturally, to a decline in the group's spare production capacity, but Saudi still held, as of June, 2.3 million bpd of production it can bring on stream within 90 days, while the UAE and Kuwait held 900,000 bpd and 600,000 bpd of spare capacity, respectively. This means that the three Gulf producers could ramp up output relatively quickly in the event of a sudden supply disruption. But that knowledge is unlikely to be enough to calm markets should Trump impose his secondary sanctions, partly because of the uncertainty surrounding possible retaliatory measures by Moscow. Revenue from oil and gas export taxes accounted for between 30% and 50%, opens new tab of Russia's federal budget in recent years, making these funds the single most important source of cash for the Kremlin. Putin is therefore likely to respond quite forcefully to any western measures constraining his revenue. One such hint was given last week, when Moscow temporarily blocked foreign tankers from loading crude at Russia's main Black Sea ports following the imposition of new regulations. Loadings from the port of Novorossiisk, which account for more than 2% of global supplies, were resumed the following day, meaning Moscow was likely sending a warning that it can easily introduce similar measures. Trump's latest threat could be an empty one, but regardless, it has shortened the fuse of a timebomb that oil markets might struggle to ignore. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI),, opens new tabyour essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI, opens new tab can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X., opens new tab
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
As Trump's tariff regime becomes clear, Americans may start to foot the bill
Burying the hatchet with Brussels, Donald Trump – flanked by the leader of the European Commission – hailed a bold new era of transatlantic relations, an ambitious economic pact, and declared: 'This was a very big day for free and fair trade.' That was seven years ago. And then on Sunday, the US president – flanked by a different leader of the European Commission – hailed another new era of transatlantic relations, another economic pact and declared: 'I think it's the biggest deal ever made.' Trumpian hyperbole can typically be relied upon as long as he's in the room, at the lectern or typing into Truth Social. What matters after that is the underlying detail – and we have very little, beyond a handful of big numbers designed to grab headlines. What we do know, as a result of this deal, is that European exports to the US will face a blanket 15% tariff: a tax expected, at least in part, to be passed along to US consumers. The price of key products shipped from the EU, from cars to medicine and wine, is about to come into sharp focus. This pact is not unique. Trump's agreement with Japan also hits Japanese exports to the US with a 15% tariff. Most British exports to the US face a 10% tariff under his deal with the UK. A string of countries without such accords, including Brazil, Canada and South Korea, are set to face even higher US tariffs from Friday. The Trump administration currently has a blanket 10% levy in place for US imports, although the president threatened to raise this to 'somewhere in the 15 to 20% range' earlier this week. Ignore, for a moment, the chaos and the noise. Put to one side the unpredictable stewardship of the world's largest economy, and its ties with the world. And forget the many U-turns, pauses and reprieves which have followed bold pronouncements, again and again and again. If you, like many businesses in the US and across the world, are struggling to keep up, take a step back and look at a single number. Since Trump took office, the average effective US tariff rate on all goods from overseas has soared to its highest level in almost a century: 18.2%, according to the Budget Lab at Yale. Trump argues this extraordinary jump in tariffs will bring in trillions of dollars to the US federal government. On his watch, tariffs have so far brought in tens of billions of dollars more in revenue this year than at the same point in 2024. But who picks up the bill? The president and his allies have position this fundamental shift in economic policy as a historic move away from taxing Americans toward taxing the world. But in reality, everyone pays. Tariffs are typically paid at the border, by the importer of the product affected. If the tariff on that product suddenly goes from 0% to 15%, the importer – as you'd expected – will try to pass it on. Every company at every stage of the supply chain will quite literally try to pass the buck, as much as possible. And the very end of the chain, economists expect prices will ultimately rise for consumers. The Budget Lab at Yale estimates the short-term impact of Trump's tariffs so far is a 1.8% rise in US prices: equivalent to an average income loss of $2,400 per US household. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Big firms that have so far done their best to hold prices steady amid the blizzard of tariff uncertainty are now starting to warn of increases. Inflation, which Trump claims is very low in the US, picked up in June. The president appeared to reluctantly reckon with the reality that Americans may start to foot the bill for his tariffs before setting off for Scotland late last week. Asked about the prospect of using revenue from tariffs to distribute 'rebate' checks to US consumers, Trump said: 'We're thinking about that, actually … We're thinking about a rebate, because we have so much money coming in, from tariffs, that a little rebate for people of a certain income level might be very nice.' Given what inflation did to Joe Biden's electoral fortunes, and Trump's keen eye for populist policies, it's hardly a stretch to imagine those cheques – signed by Donald J Trump – landing in bank accounts in time for the midterm elections next November. And such a move would, indeed, be very nice. Especially as it appears increasingly likely that, after this week, Americans will probably be paying more for almost everything.
