Geoff Bennett:
In an open letter, the groups say Israel’s restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death.
Experts have warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine for months now. Israeli officials dismissed today’s letter, accusing the groups of — quote — “echoing Hamas’ propaganda.” Meantime, local health officials say Israeli strikes killed 21 people overnight and into today, including women and children. Israel says it targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas.
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he’s reversing course on a controversial bill that aimed to limit the powers of two anti-corruption agencies, but not before rare protests against his leadership. From Kyiv to Kharkiv, Ukrainians voiced their opposition to the bill, which Zelenskyy signed into law yesterday. It gives the prosecutor general new powers over two anti-corruption watchdogs.
Today, Zelenskyy said he would submit a new bill to Parliament to restore independence to the agencies. This week’s protests are by far the largest anti-government demonstrations since Russia’s invasion more than three years ago.
There are reports tonight that Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Trump earlier this year that his name appeared in files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. That’s according to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. The disclosure reportedly came as part of a broader briefing of the case for the president, and his name was one of many cited in the files.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung today said that any suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr. Trump is — quote — “fake news.”
Separately, the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena today for Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell to appear for a deposition next month. A subcommittee also voted to subpoena the Justice Department for files on the Epstein investigation. That subpoena still has to be drafted.
And a judge in Florida rejected a Trump administration request to unseal transcripts from grand jury investigations into Epstein from the years 2005 to 2007. A similar request for the work of a different grand jury in New York is still pending.
The man who murdered four University of Idaho students in 2022 has been sentenced to four consecutive life terms without parole. Bryan Kohberger broke into a home in brutally stabbed Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin.
He had pleaded guilty earlier this month in order to avoid the death penalty. In a Boise court today, friends and family members of the victims described their grief, with some addressing Kohberger directly, including a stepfather of one of the victims.
Randy Davis, Stepfather of Xana Kernodle: You’re going to go to hell. I know people believe in other stuff. You’re evil. There’s no place for you in heaven. You took our children. You are going to suffer, man.
