Statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands returns to the National Mall

Statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands returns to the National Mall

WASHINGTON — A statue depicting President Donald Trump and the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reappeared Thursday on the National Mall amidthe government shutdown. The bronze-colored figures — shown holding hands and each with one leg lifted in the air — were first installed last week butremoved by U.S. Park Policeon Sept. 24. The statue, titled "Best Friends Forever," includes a plaque that reads: "In honor of friendship month, we celebrate the long-standing bond between President Donald J. Trump and his closest friend Jeffrey Epstein." The National Park Service did not respond to a request for comment because of the government shutdown that started Wednesday. The White House and the Interior Department, which oversees the park service, also did not immediately respond to requests for comment. White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson, in a statement last week, dismissed the installation. "Liberals are free to waste their money however they see fit — but it's not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep," she said. "Democrats, the media, and the organization that's wasting their money on this statue knew about Epstein and his victims for years and did nothing to help them while President Trump was calling for transparency, and is now delivering on it with thousands of pages of documents." In a statement toThe Independent last week, a group called "The Secret Handshake" claimed responsibility for the statue. The Trump administration has come under criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, as well as many MAGA supporters, over its handling of documents related to Epstein. While Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel had pledged to make more information about Epstein public, they later reversed course. In July, the Justice Department and the FBI said in ajoint, unsigned memothat all the evidence had been reviewed, no other charges were anticipated, and no further information would be released. Trump was known to have had a friendly relationshipwith Epstein, telling New York magazine in 2002: "I've known Jeff for 15 years.Terrific guy." The two had a falling-out sometime before Epstein faced public accusations of preying on underage girls. In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting one underage girl, though he had been under investigation in several other cases. In 2019, he was hit with federal sex trafficking charges and later died by suicide in jail awaiting trial, fueling widespread conspiracy theories. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the Justice Department over the summer for itsrecords on Epstein. Democrats on the committee have said much of what has since been turned over was already publicly available.

byAdministrator

in

October 02, 2025

Statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands returns to the National Mall

Statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands returns to the National Mall WASHINGTON — A statue depicting President Donald Trump and the late f...

Read More

FDA head says TrumpRx is a "major step" toward making medications affordable

FDA head says TrumpRx is a "major step" toward making medications affordable

The head of the Food and Drug Administration on Thursdaypraised a planannounced by the White House earlier this week that President Trump said is designed to lower the cost of prescription drugs, calling it a "major step" toward making medication more affordable for Americans. On Tuesday, the president announced that drug giant Pfizer had agreed to be part of a new direct-to-consumer government purchasing platform known as TrumpRx, that,according to Pfizer, will allow "American patients to purchase medicines from Pfizer at a significant discount." The president said that Pfizer had "agreed to offer countless prescription medications at major discounts in the United States." Pfizer is the first of many drug makers the president claimed has agreed to offer steep drug discounts to all Americans through TrumpRx, in line with the lowest prices paid by Europeans. "We've seen this disparity for a long time, and we know it has not been sustainable," FDA CommissionerDr. Marty Makarytold CBS News in an interview Thursday. The president also said that Pfizer had agreed to lower the cost of the prescription medications that it provides to Medicaid recipients. "Pfizer is committing to offer all of their prescription medications to Medicaid, and it will be at the most-favored nations prices," Mr. Trump said. Makary argues the Trump administration's agreement with Pfizer will help in addressing health care costs across the board. "By reigning in egregious drug prices, we're actually addressing the larger issue of healthcare costs in the United States, which is something no one has really be able to get a handle on until now," Makary said. According to Pfizer, TrumpRx will provide savings up to 85% for certain medications, such as Duavee, a drug that treats menopause symptoms. Duavee's sticker price is $203 per month, but according to Pfizer, on TrumpRx, it will cost $30 per month. Xeljanz, a Pfizer medication for arthritis, currently costs $6,000 out-of-pocket per month, but on TrumpRx, it will cost about $3,600. "This is a major, major step, and we have to do it," Makary told CBS News when asked if, even with the discounts, the drugs will still be unaffordable for many Americans. The Trump administration said the TrumpRx website will launch next year, but Makarty did not have specific timing. Makary believes that patients with health insurance who are still unable to afford certain medications will still be helped by TrumpRx. "I think it's going to help them significantly," Makary said. "You're going to see a series of announcements by different pharmaceutical companies. This has been the No. 1 health priority in this administration." Sarah Wisniewski, a Maryland resident in her mid-40s, has been living with multiple sclerosis since 2018. Although she she says she has good insurance, it has repeatedly failed to cover the specialty medication her doctor prescribed to slow the progression of her disease. In 2024, when her physician recommended a treatment that could help, she says her insurance company denied coverage three times. She was only approved after the Maryland attorney general intervened. When CBS News asked Makarty about Wisniewski, he explained, "I've seen that story throughout my career as a cancer surgeon, and it's tragic, and we've seen nothing on drug prices for the last 50 years." More than 90% of Americans have some form of health insurance, yet many still struggle to afford critical medications. Wisniewski told CBS News she is skeptical about the new TrumpRx program. "If big pharma isn't required to put their drugs on this market, and if they're not forced to lower prices, then this feels like a toothless, symbolic statement, as opposed to having any real, long-term impact on the lives of the clinically ill," she said. She also questioned how the administration plans to pressure pharmaceutical companies to list the most urgently needed medications on the platform. Even at 50% to 80% cheaper, she said, some of these drugs remain unaffordable. Makary told CBS News that this is just the beginning of the solution: "Each year, we throw good money after bad into a broken system where we pay more and more for drugs," Makary said. "This is the first time we're seeing a major reset — cutting the price of some drugs, not all, but some, by 50% to 80%." Stacie Dusetzina, a prescription medication industry expert and a health policy professor at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says the president's plan will not lower most Americans' out-of-pocket costs for medications."The reality of who can actually benefit by paying cash for these drugs through this website, it's probably going to be a smaller number of people than what is being promoted," Dusetzina said. Sean Sullivan, a health economist at the University of Washington, also previously expressed doubts to CBS News about how much the program would help Americans save. "Most patients have drug coverage…Very few are going to buy medications with cash, unless the drug is not a covered benefit, like weight loss or erectile dysfunction drugs," he said. U.S. government takes stake in lithium mining company in Nevada Arrested former Des Moines superintendent's resume appears to have been greatly exaggerated Reporter's Notebook: Jane Goodall's legacy

byAdministrator

in

October 02, 2025

FDA head says TrumpRx is a "major step" toward making medications affordable

FDA head says TrumpRx is a "major step" toward making medications affordable The head of the Food and Drug Administration on Thurs...

Read More

NTSB, FAA to probe crashes of two Amazon delivery drones

NTSB, FAA to probe crashes of two Amazon delivery drones

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Two U.S. agencies said Thursday they will investigate the collision of two Amazon Prime Air delivery drones with the boom of a crane in Tolleson, Arizona. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration both said they will investigate the incident that occurred on Wednesday. Amazon in November 2024 announced it had begun drone deliveries in the West Valley of the Phoenix Metro Area in Arizona from its same-day site in Tolleson and said Thursday it has temporarily paused Prime Air drone operations in Arizona. Amazon spokesman Terrence Clark said the company was aware of the incident and "currently working with the relevant authorities to investigate." Amazon says customers who live near the Tolleson site can purchase an eligible item weighing 5 pounds or less and have it delivered by drone in under an hour. In 2023, Amazon began delivering by drone prescription medications in partnership with Amazon Pharmacy to customers in College Station, Texas. In August, the U.S. Transportation Department proposed new rules to speed deployment of drones beyond the visual line of sight of operators, a key change needed to advance commercial uses like package deliveries. "It's going to change the way that people and products move throughout our airspace... so you may change the way you get your Amazon package, you may get a Starbucks cup of coffee from a drone," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. Amazon has a goal of delivering 500 million packages annually by drone by the end of 2030. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

byAdministrator

in

October 02, 2025

NTSB, FAA to probe crashes of two Amazon delivery drones

NTSB, FAA to probe crashes of two Amazon delivery drones By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Two U.S. agencies said Thursday they wil...

Read More

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Will Be Sentenced Tomorrow: Will He Spend More Time Behind Bars?

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Will Be Sentenced Tomorrow: Will He Spend More Time Behind Bars?

Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Sean "Diddy" Combs is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, Oct.3 Federal prosecutors have asked that Combs be sentenced to at least 11 years and three months in prison for his convictions for transportation to engage in prostitution Combs' attorneys have urged Judge Arun Subramanian to sentence the former hip-hop mogul, 55, to no longer than 14 months in prison ​​Just over three months after he was found guilty of two prostitution related charges,Sean "Diddy" Combsis scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, Oct. 3. Federal prosecutors have asked that Combs be sentenced to at least11 years and three monthsin prison for the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution he wasfound guilty of in July. Combs' attorneys have urged Judge Arun Subramanian to sentence the former hip-hop mogul, 55,to no longer than 14 months in prison, only a few months more than the time he has already served in jail since his arrest in September 2024. Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, believes that Combs, who was acquitted of the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy during an eight-week trial, will most likely get a sentence between 4 and 5 years. "I don't think he's getting the 11 years that the government is recommending," he tells PEOPLE. "That is more than the statutory max for the prostitution counts." Elizabeth Williams via AP The prostitution related offenses carry maximum sentences of 10 years each, Rahmani says, adding that the Probation Department recommended 5 to 7 years in prison. "If the judge was so inclined he would've released him on bail after the verdict," he adds. "The fact that he kept him detained, even though he was acquitted of a more serious racketeering and sex trafficking counts, leads me to believe that he's going to impose a sentence. Maybe not the full amount the government is asking for, but a split the baby type sentence. So that's why I think five years ends up being in the middle." Rahmani says the judge can consider "other relevant conduct" when making his decision. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "We're talking about the drugs," he says. "We're talking about the violence. Even though he was acquitted of running a criminal enterprise and forcing these women to have sex through coercion. Now there's a lot of bad evidence that came out with respect to violence and drug use. So, I think the judge is going to treat this like more than just a simple prosecution case." Combs wasdenied acquittal and a new trialon Tuesday, Sept. 30. "The government proved its case many times over. That by itself might be enough to dispose of Combs's challenge," Subramanian wrote in court documents obtained by PEOPLE. In aletter ahead of his sentencing, Combs' exCasandra "Cassie" Ventura, who alleged during trial that he abused her during their decade-long relationship, asked the judge to consider "the many lives that Sean Combs has upended with his abuse and control." Read the original article onPeople

byAdministrator

in

October 02, 2025

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Will Be Sentenced Tomorrow: Will He Spend More Time Behind Bars?

Sean 'Diddy' Combs Will Be Sentenced Tomorrow: Will He Spend More Time Behind Bars? Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP Sean "Diddy...

Read More

Country Star Details Heart-Stopping Near Miss With 'The No. 1 Apex Predator on Earth'

Country Star Details Heart-Stopping Near Miss With 'The No. 1 Apex Predator on Earth'

One country music star is opening up about looking danger in the eye with his wife during a recent trip to one of the country's illustrious national parks. Tyler RichandSabina Gadecki, most recently known for her role as Carla onFire Country, were hiking in Yellowstone to celebrate their anniversary, as he detailed in a new interview withTaste of Country, when the two came face-to-face with an angry bear he swears was the size of a car. The two were out on their own on a couple of ATVs at the time, with Rich believing that they were just "seconds away from being mauled" by the "Volkswagen-sized grizzly" who stood a mere 20 yards away with her two cubs. "I just froze," he admitted. "I didn't know what to do. I had like 20 ideas, but in that moment, you are just, like, humbled." He pointed out ot his wife at the time, "A momgrizzly bearthat thinks her cubs are threatened is the number one apex predator on the Earth." Thankfully, the bear and her cubs chose flight over fight, and though the couple's path out of the wilderness happened to be the same trail—in the same direction—where the creatures had run off, they never had to find out what defending themselves from an apex predator would be like. It also alleviated the couple's internal battles over going to war with the bear to protect their loved one, which Rich and interviewerEvan Pauljoked would have been "a romantic way to die"—something Gadecki also noted at the time. "She said, 'You know, it might have been like a sweet ending,'" Rich shared. The "Better Than You're Used To" singer, of course, felt that he "obviously would have just ran straight at the bear so she could get away," while the actress "was like, 'No,Iwould run at the bear.'" They can both rest easy knowing neither of them had to run at the bear. We presume the encounter—or lack thereof—happened relatively recently, asthe two have been married since September of 2019, andrecently shared footage from a road trip together on Instagram, though the specific date wasn't shared by the country crooner. Rich just kicked off his Leaving California Tour, which will take him throughout a small handful of areas of the country this fall. Luckily, Bear Country isn't one of them. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tyler Rich (@tylerrich) This story was originally reported byParadeon Oct 2, 2025, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

byAdministrator

in

October 02, 2025

Country Star Details Heart-Stopping Near Miss With 'The No. 1 Apex Predator on Earth'

Country Star Details Heart-Stopping Near Miss With 'The No. 1 Apex Predator on Earth' One country music star is opening up about loo...

Read More

Kylie Kelce Breaks Down Crying Sharing Details About Her Miscarriage: 'Everything Went Into Slow Motion'

Kylie Kelce Breaks Down Crying Sharing Details About Her Miscarriage: 'Everything Went Into Slow Motion'

Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce/YouTube; Mike Coppola/Getty Kylie Kelce had an emotional episode of herNot Gonna Liepodcast on Oct. 2 She opened up about her 2018 miscarriage before welcoming daughter Wyatt, sharing that she learned of the loss on husband Jason Kelce's birthday The moment came after the couple had already found special ways to tell Jason's family including Donna, Ed and Travis Kelce, that they were expecting Kylie Kelcegot personal and emotional on the Thursday, Oct. 2 episode of herNot Gonna Liepodcast. In honor of October beingPregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, the mother of four opened up about theheartbreaking miscarriageshe suffered before welcoming her first daughter,Wyatt, with husbandJason Kelce. Noting that her first positive pregnancy test came in August 2018, Kylie, 33, shared that she went to the doctor at six weeks pregnant. While the baby was measuring a few days small, everything else appeared normal. She and Jason, 37, traveled to London, where the Philadelphia Eagles played a game ahead of her 12-week appointment, so she planned a visit when she returned. And while in London, they shared the news with Jason's family. "We made it a point to surprise Jason's mom and dad when we were there by pretending to take a photo and telling them that we were expecting," Kylie shared ofDonnaandEd Kelce, getting choked up. "We surprised Jason's mom and dad with a video. We also surprised Jason's Aunt Judy and his grandmother, Grandma Mary. When we were in Cleveland, we surprised [Jason's brother]Traviswith little baby booties. All of these interactions were recorded for memory purposes." Kylie Kelce/Instagram Throughout the retelling, Kylie was audibly emotional, pausing multiple times to compose herself. "I emphasize the fact that this still hurts after having four children, because it does. And it's okay," Kylie, who is mom to daughters Wyatt, 6, Elliotte, 4, Bennett, 2, and Finn, 6 months, said. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kylie then recalled going to her doctor's appointment when she learned that she had miscarried. "It felt like everything went into slow motion," she said. "And they could not find the baby on the doppler." The Philadelphia native shared that while the nurse gave possible alternatives as to why they couldn't locate the baby, she knew she'd lost her child. Kylie Kelce/Instagram "I remember being like, 'Oh, there isn't a heartbeat. You didn't find one because there isn't one,' " she said. "They estimated that the baby had stopped developing between, I believe it was nine and 10 weeks. Essentially, I had had what you would refer to as a missed miscarriage. It means that your body did not realize that the pregnancy was no longer viable." Adding to the sadness of the moment was the fact that this happened on Jason's birthday. Lisa Lake/Getty "It was a s----- day because it was Jason's birthday," Kylie shared, continuing to cry. "I called my mom and told her that I couldn't tell Jason because it was his birthday, which seems very silly. It seems very silly because obviously I'm going to tell my husband what happened. And I did. And it was hard for both of us." Kylie noted that the experience of miscarrying her first pregnancy made future pregnancies a challenge for her mentally. "Having had that experience then messed with my brain for every consecutive pregnancy," she admitted. "So for Wyatt, we did not share that we were pregnant until I was after 20 weeks. For consecutive pregnancies, I waited till I was at least 16 weeks. I Googled almost every week what the percentage likelihood was that a baby could survive, which sounds really dark. I literally did it for Finn." Read the original article onPeople

byAdministrator

in

October 02, 2025

Kylie Kelce Breaks Down Crying Sharing Details About Her Miscarriage: 'Everything Went Into Slow Motion'

Kylie Kelce Breaks Down Crying Sharing Details About Her Miscarriage: 'Everything Went Into Slow Motion' Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Ke...

Read More

Death Toll Rises To 72 After Powerful Earthquake In The Central Philippines

Death Toll Rises To 72 After Powerful Earthquake In The Central Philippines

At least 72 people have died from the magnitude-6.9 earthquake that hit the central Philippines Tuesday. On Thursday, local officials said nearly 300 people were left injured. Disaster officials said there have not been reports of additional missing people. More than 170,000 people were affected, including many who have refused to return home because they were traumatized and fearful of aftershocks. The earthquake damaged or destroyed 87 buildings and nearly 600 houses in Bogo, a relatively new and progressive coastal city of about 90,000, and outlying towns. Bridges and concrete roads were damaged and a seaport in Bogo collapsed The quake was triggered around 10 p.m. by a shallow undersea fault line that Filipino seismologists said has not moved for at least 400 years. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flew to Bogo Thursday to assess the damage and offer aid and support to survivors while mourning with families of the victims. Just days ago, the president was in the central region after a fierce storm left at least 37 people dead and lashed more than half a million people, including in Cebu province. CCTV footage captured some of the initial, terrifying moments during the quake, as buildings swayed violently and families rushed to safety. Calape sits in the central Philippines, not far from Cebu City, one of the country's largest metropolitan hubs. It's also relatively close to Tacloban, which many remember as the city devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. The region is also a popular tourist destination, with Bohol known for its Chocolate Hills and white-sand beaches. Deaths also were reported from the outlying towns of Medellin and San Remigio, where three coast guard personnel, a firefighter and a child were killed separately by collapsing walls and falling debris while trying to flee to safety from a basketball game in a sports complex that was disrupted by the quake, town officials said. The earthquake was one of the most powerful to batter the central region in more than a decade and it struck while many people slept or were at home. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology briefly issued a tsunami warning and advised people to stay away from the coastlines of Cebu and the nearby provinces of Leyte and Biliran due to possible waves of up to 3 feet. No such waves were reported and the tsunami warning was lifted more than three hours later, but thousands of traumatized residents refused to return home and chose to stay in open grassy fields and parks overnight despite intermittent rains. The Philippines lies along the seismically active boundaries of the Philippine Sea Plate, which has produced some of the world's deadliest earthquakes and tsunamis. Among them: the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 5,000 people, and the 1990 Luzon earthquake, which left 2,400 dead. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Weather.com lead editorJenn Jordanexplores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities.

byAdministrator

in

October 02, 2025

Death Toll Rises To 72 After Powerful Earthquake In The Central Philippines

Death Toll Rises To 72 After Powerful Earthquake In The Central Philippines At least 72 people have died from the magnitude-6.9 earthquake t...

Read More