February 3, 2026 – Short News

Epstein victims demand shutdown of Justice Department website after data breach!

We also immediately anonymized the affected data. At first, we were literally left speechless when we came across unredacted names and images. Out of respect for those affected and out of journalistic responsibility, we acted immediately and removed all identifying information.

Victims of Jeffrey Epstein have urged a federal judge in New York to temporarily shut down the website of the U.S. Department of Justice after their names and sensitive data were published. Federal Judge Richard M. Berman, who has been dealing with the Epstein complex for years, ordered a hearing for Wednesday and spoke of significant urgency. Attorneys for the victims said the lives of nearly one hundred survivors had been thrown off course by the disclosure. In millions of released files, names had not been redacted thousands of times. Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged errors and pointed to technical or human failure. Thousands of documents have since been taken offline and are being reprocessed. The materials are to be redacted retroactively and put back online quickly. The release of the files was legally mandated and was intended to ensure the protection of the victims. That very protection has now been breached, the attorneys say. Those affected report media harassment, public exposure, and financial risks. In one case, even bank details were published. The attorneys speak of an acute emergency that requires judicial intervention. In addition to the shutdown, they are demanding an independent monitor for future releases. Whether the court will take this step will be decided at the hearing.

Ana Reyes halts deportation drive – court freezes protected status for Haitians

Federal Judge Ana Reyes put a legal stop to the Trump administration at the last minute and temporarily halted the planned termination of protected status for around 350,000 Haitians. The decision came just hours before the status was set to expire and gave thousands of families at least a brief breathing space. The order was issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington. The specific case number has not yet been publicly named, but the injunction is immediately effective and binding. Reyes ordered that the termination of Temporary Protected Status has no legal effect until further notice. Work authorization, residence, and protection from detention or deportation therefore remain in place for now as long as the case is pending. In her detailed reasoning, the judge found that the plaintiffs are highly likely to prevail. She wrote that it is substantially likely that the decision of the Department of Homeland Security was preordained and driven by a hostile attitude toward nonwhite migrants. This finding is legally sharp and politically explosive. The court held that such an approach undermines the statutory standard of review and disregards core duties of protection.

In Springfield, Ohio, where a large Haitian community lives, the ruling was met with prayers, singing, and palpable relief. Many speak not of a victory, but of a reprieve from social collapse. The Department of Homeland Security immediately pushed back. The decision was denounced as activism, and the protected status portrayed as an abused instrument. This rhetoric, however, changes nothing about the reality on the ground. Haiti continues to be marked by massive violence, displacement, and hunger. For many affected, a return would not mean safety, but acute danger to life. In Springfield, many children with U.S. citizenship live with parents who could be detained at any time without protected status. Powers of attorney in case of separation have long been part of daily life for many families. After racist statements during the campaign and subsequent threats, fear in the community has further solidified. The judicial intervention slows this course, it does not end it. How long the protection lasts will now be decided in the further proceedings before the federal court.

When clowns go to church

It was not an ordinary church service that filled the pews of All Saints Church in early February. Between singing, prayer, and Bible readings sat people with white-painted faces, red noses, and colorful costumes. The occasion was the annual Grimaldi Service, which for 80 years has commemorated Joseph Grimaldi, a 19th-century artist who decisively shaped the image of the modern clown. Without him, there would be no typical makeup, no exaggerated facial expressions, no slapstick that still fills circuses and stages today. What once began as a quiet remembrance of clowns killed in war has become a fixed date on the London calendar, bringing together worshippers, the curious, and fans of clowning.

The procession consisted of about thirty clowns, but as the service went on, many more of them sat among the church pews, embedded in a congregation of several hundred people. There was shared prayer, laughter, and remembrance, of those who had died as well as of difficult times. The clergy emphasized that joy and faith do not exclude one another. In between, a rubber horn honked, children lit candles, and later there was cake with Grimaldi’s face. The service remained calm, but never stiff, carried by the idea that laughter also needs space when there is grief. At the end, the church briefly turned into a place of play, with unicycles, small acts, and lots of children’s laughter. Grimaldi’s name was hardly mentioned anymore, but precisely in that lay his presence.

Trump calls himself a crypto fan while distancing himself from his own company

The Wall Street Journal reported that the royal family of Abu Dhabi invested hundreds of millions of dollars in World Liberty. Why did you accept this investment?

Trump: I know nothing about that. 🤣🤣🤣 – I only know that crypto is a big thing. My son handles it. My family handles it.

Donald Trump emphasized at the White House that he is a big crypto person, but wants nothing to do with his family’s business. The occasion was reports about massive investments from Abu Dhabi in World Liberty Financial, a crypto project in which the Trump family holds almost half. Trump said his sons run the company and that he himself is not involved. At the same time, he recalled that he had publicly accompanied the launch of the project shortly before the 2024 election. The distancing therefore appears more formal than realistic.

According to investigations, a three-digit million-dollar sum flowed into the company from the Gulf state. Just weeks later, the U.S. government agreed to grant the emirate access to large quantities of highly advanced AI chips. A direct connection is officially denied, but the research points in the opposite direction. Trump broadly defended crypto and argued geopolitically. If the United States did not do it, China would. To support this, he referred to his Treasury Secretary. What remains open is the political boundary between state power, technology policy, and family business interests. It is precisely this lack of transparency that characterizes the case.

Hegseth warns Iran: negotiate or other means

Secretary of War and former FOX host Pete Hegseth said that U.S. armed forces are prepared for possible action against Iran, while at the same time emphasizing that the Trump administration does not seek this path. Iran will not obtain nuclear weapons capability, Hegseth said, making clear that Tehran has a choice: negotiations over the nuclear program or other options. Neither he nor Donald Trump want a military escalation, and regime change is not currently on the agenda. The task of the military is to be prepared, not to prejudge decisions. At the same time, diplomatic efforts are underway, with Turkey attempting to mediate a meeting between U.S. and Iranian representatives. Meanwhile, the United States is strengthening its military presence in the Middle East and has deployed, among other assets, an aircraft carrier strike group to the region. The message is clear: talks are offered, pressure remains visibly in place.

Trump responds to Epstein questions by attacking Grammy host

“When Epstein was still alive, so about ten years ago, nobody cared about him. Now all of this is really coming back on them, because Bill Clinton was such a big part of it. It turns out it was the Democrats who conspired with Epstein.”

Donald Trump once again used the debate over Jeffrey Epstein to deflect responsibility and personally attack critics. Epstein had not interested anyone while he was alive, Trump said, now the matter was boomeranging because Bill Clinton played a major role. It was the Democrats who conspired with Epstein, he claimed without any evidence.

“Trevor Noah said I spent time on Jeffrey Epstein’s island. I did not. He’s a lightweight, this guy, I think he’s terrible. He did a terrible job at the Grammys. Not as bad as Jimmy Kimmel, but very close.”

At the same time, Trump denied ever having been on Epstein’s island and reacted with open contempt to corresponding remarks by Trevor Noah. Noah, who hosted the Grammy Awards and alluded there to Trump’s Epstein connections, was a lightweight and terrible, Trump said. His performance at the Grammys was awful. Only Jimmy Kimmel was worse. A substantive explanation of his own contacts with Epstein was once again absent. Instead, Trump resorted to mockery, blame-shifting, and personal attacks.

Clintons give in – testimony on Epstein investigations before Congress

Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee as part of the Epstein investigations. The decision came just days before the House of Representatives was set to vote on holding them in contempt of Congress. For months, the Clintons had rejected the subpoenas as illegitimate and said they were the result of a politically motivated attack. Only when several Democrats on the committee sided with Republicans did the situation turn. The move marks a complete retreat from positions that had appeared outwardly unyielding. Their attorneys said they would appear for questioning on mutually agreed dates. In return, they asked that the planned contempt proceedings be dropped.

At the center of the dispute is Republican committee chairman James R. Comer, who has been pushing the investigations in a targeted manner. He rejected earlier offers from the Clintons, such as time-limited testimony or written statements. Attempts to limit the scope to Epstein were also turned down. Comer openly stated that he wanted to ask questions about Clinton’s personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and about possible influence after the end of his presidency. After he refused any restrictions, the Clintons ultimately accepted all conditions. There are now no time limits and no thematic boundaries. The only remaining issue concerns the location of the testimony.

Politically, the episode is sensitive because the investigations clearly serve to shift focus away from Trump’s own Epstein connections. Clinton has acknowledged knowing Epstein and having used his private jet multiple times, but denies visiting his island and says he broke off contact decades ago. Hillary Clinton, for her part, emphasizes that she never met Epstein, yet was still drawn into the proceedings. Open resentment is growing within the Democratic Party. Several lawmakers criticized that the process is less about clarification than about public humiliation. Nevertheless, the willingness not to shield the Clintons was greater than expected. In the end, they had no choice but to appear before the committee.