Top Democrats accuse Bondi and DOJ of Epstein files 'cover-up'

Top Democrats on Thursday accused Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department of a "cover-up" over how they have handled the release of theJeffrey Epstein files.

"We're here today to put a shot across the bow of the Department of Justice and the Trump administration that we are going to reveal this massive cover-up," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said at a news conference. "We will not rest. It's an all-out oversight effort, we're going to pull on every thread. We're going to chase every lead. We'll talk with whistleblowers."

Outside aHouse Oversight Committee depositionof former secretary of state and first lady Hillary Clinton related to Epstein on Thursday, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, also accused the Justice Department of a cover-up.

Hillary Clinton's House Oversight Committee deposition in Epstein probe briefly paused after photo leaks

"At this very moment, the Department of Justice continues to lead a White House cover-up, and we are going to be demanding over the next few days that the remaining files that have not been released get released to the public," Garcia said.

Garcia said that includes therecent discoverythat the DOJ appears to have withheld some which Garcia said include accusations against Trump.

"It is unconscionable, it is illegal, and Pam Bondi and the president need to answer where those files are," he said.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment on the Democrats' allegations.  But in astatementposted on X on Wednesday, it vowed to publish any documents if they are "found to have been improperly tagged in the review process."

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"Several individuals and news outlets have recently flagged files related to documents produced to Ghislaine Maxwell in discovery of her criminal case that they claim appear to be missing," the DOJ account said. "As with all documents that have been flagged by the public, the Department is currently reviewing files within that category of the production. Should any document be found to have been improperly tagged in the review process and is responsive to the Act, the Department will of course publish it, consistent with the law."

Schumer and Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, also said that they sent a letter to the Justice Department and the FBI requesting that they preserve records related to the management of the Epstein files over the course of the Trump administration.

DOJ says it's 'reviewing' whether Epstein reports were improperly withheld

The Democrats accused the Trump administration of "mishandling the files for a year" and said that after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the White House broke the law in producing the vast majority of files after the deadline.

They said it also broke the law by violating the legislation's protection for victims by publishing some records without redacting personally identifiable information and including nude photos where names and faces could be identified.

Blanche and Bondi wrote to Congress last month that more than 500 attorneys and others had been involved in reviewing the documents. In a Jan. 30 statement, the DOJ said, "The Department coordinated closely with victims and their lawyers to ensure that the production of documents includes necessary redactions. We want to immediately correct any redaction errors that our team may have made; so, the Department has established an email inbox for victims to reach us directly to correct redaction concerns when appropriate."

Trump has consistently denied allegations of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein or any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.

"It's clear that Donald Trump and his Republican enablers are executing a cover-up and conceal strategy. Heads are rolling at the highest levels in the United Kingdom. Will heads roll in the United States?" Durbin said.

"As I told General Bondi during last year's Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, quote, 'Eventually, you're going to have to answer for your conduct in this. You won't do it today but eventually you will,'" Durbin said.

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February 26, 2026

Top Democrats accuse Bondi and DOJ of Epstein files 'cover-up'

Top Democrats on Thursday accused Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department of a "cover-up" over ho...

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Florida Drought Is Worst In 25 Years. Any Relief In The Forecast?

Florida is suffering its worst drought in at least 25 years, and with only little short-term relief expected, the state could experience a spring of wildfires, stressed crops and water shortages through the rest of the dry season.

Drought Status

The latest Drought Monitor analysis from NOAA and the National Drought Mitigation Center below shows the entire state of Florida in at least some degree of drought.

That's the most widespread drought in the Sunshine State since April 2012, according to the analysis.

But about two-thirds of the state is classified as in "extreme" drought, shown by the darker red contours in the map below. That's the most serious drought in Florida since spring 2001.

The drought also extends through much of the Southeast, from southern Alabama to the mid-Atlantic states, and also from Texas and Louisiana to parts of the Midwest.

It has beenone of the driest winters on recordin parts of the Southeast, including Florida, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. This is aclassic signature of a La Niña winter in the South.

Impacts

This parched ground with dried out vegetation from both a lack of rain and recent freezes has been fuel for wildfires in recent days, including a large one burning in the Everglades, as well as other fires in Louisiana and Texas.Outdoor burn bansare in effect in multiple Florida counties.

Farmers in Levy County reported current conditions are the worst in at least 20 years, and some crop losses have been reported, according to theNational Weather Service.

Water shortage warningswere issued by the South Florida Water Management District for parts of South Florida, including Miami-Dade County.

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Some Rain Through Saturday

Rain and a few thunderstorms will sag through the Southeast through Saturday.

Some areas may pick up over an inch of rain, particularly from the Carolinas to Alabama.

Northern and Central Florida have the best chance of picking up an inch of rain, with showers becoming more hit-or-miss by the time they reach South Florida.

This will be a little short-term relief, but won't do much to replenish the lack of soil moisture or groundwater levels built up over months.

Dry March?

More soaking rain could fall from Texas to the Ohio Valley in several rounds beginning Tuesday into the first weekend of March. Those locally heavy soakings could end up being a little too much of a good thing for that area of drought, potentially triggering flash flooding in spots.

But that wetter pattern may not make it to Florida, and that could be a harbinger of March, overall.

The latest March outlook from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has most of Florida skewing drier than average.

GivenFlorida's dry seasontypically lasts into mid-May, that could mean more water restrictions, stressed crops and a dangerous rash of wildfires in the Sunshine State this spring.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him onBluesky,X (formerly Twitter)andFacebook.

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February 26, 2026

Florida Drought Is Worst In 25 Years. Any Relief In The Forecast?

Florida is suffering its worst drought in at least 25 years, and with only little short-term relief expected, the state c...

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Cuba slams US for 'impunity' on speedboat attack suspects

By Mario Fuentes and Daniel Trotta

Cuba says it killed several exiles and wounded others who attacked from Florida speedboat

SANTA CLARA, Cuba, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Cuba criticized the U.S. government for allowing anti-Cuban groups to operate with impunity on Thursday, as Cuban exiles wounded in an apparent attack aboard a Florida-registered speedboat convalesced at a provincial Cuban hospital.

The government in Havana said heavily armed Cuban nationals tried to infiltrate the country by ‌speedboat on Wednesday, leading to gunfire at sea in which Cuban forces killed four Cuban nationals and wounded six others, who were in Cuban custody.

According to a U.S. official in ‌Washington, at least two of those aboard the speedboat were U.S. citizens, one of the dead and one of the injured, who was receiving medical care in Cuba. Others may have been legal U.S. residents, the official said.

While Cuba laid blame at the ​U.S. for allowing anti-Castro groups to operate freely, it also said it had been in communication with U.S. officials since the outset of Wednesday's incident, saying the Americans in turn showed a willingness to cooperate on clarifying what happened.

The boat's owner alleged that the vessel was stolen by an employee, the U.S. official said.

The deadly confrontation took place at a tense moment in the frequently antagonistic U.S.-Cuban relationship. U.S. President Donald Trump has further tightened economic sanctions on Cuba since the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a key Cuban ally, on January 3.

Fernando de Cossio, a senior foreign ministry official, told reporters in Havana on Thursday that Cuba has in ‌the past alerted the United States to an "increase in violent and terrorist ⁠plans and actions against Cuba" by groups and individuals in U.S. territory, but that the U.S. has failed to act.

"Anti-Cuban groups operating in the United States resort to terrorism as an expression of their hatred of Cuba and the impunity they believe they enjoy," de Cossio said in a prepared statement. He did not take ⁠questions.

He said two of the assailants were previously wanted for plotting attacks and were on a list of suspects shared with the United States.

Cuban exiles who are largely concentrated in Miami have long dreamed of overthrowing Cuba's Communist government or seeing it fall, and Cuban exile paramilitaries have attempted or carried out acts of sabotage in the past.

The suspects came from the U.S. dressed in camouflage and armed with assault rifles, handguns, homemade explosives, ballistic vests and ​telescopic ​sights, Cuba said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday his government would independently investigate the incident and that ​the U.S. Embassy in Havana was seeking access to the survivors to determine ‌whether any were U.S. citizens or permanent residents. He said it was not a U.S. operation and that no U.S. government personnel were involved.

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HOSPITAL UNDER HEAVY GUARD

Cuba said the six survivors were receiving medical attention. At least some of them appeared to be in custody at the Arnaldo Milian Castro Provincial Clinical Surgical Hospital in Santa Clara, about 250 km (150 miles) east of Havana.

Santa Clara is the capital of the province where the incident was reported to have taken place, about one nautical mile off a northern cay.

The civilian hospital was under heavy guard. Security personnel who stopped Reuters journalists near the entrance confirmed the suspects were held there but provided no further details. Uniformed Interior Ministry troops came and went from the hospital.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, whose government has been dealing with an acute oil shortage since the U.S. halted ‌flows from Venezuela and threatened to impose tariffs on any country delivering oil to Cuba, issued a defiant statement on ​X earlier on Thursday.

"Cuba will defend itself with determination and firmness against any terrorist and mercenary aggression that seeks to affect ​its sovereignty and national stability," Diaz-Canel said.

SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED

Cuba said two of the detainees - Amijail Sanchez ​Gonzalez and Leordan Cruz Gomez - were previously wanted and appeared on a 2025 list of suspects that Cuba deemed as terrorists.

Sanchez was accused of involvement in a plot ‌against a municipal court and a Communist Party organization in Havana, and Cruz ​was suspected of arms trafficking in a purported attack ​on a military unit in Matanzas. Both are aged 47 and Cuba-born U.S. residents, according to a report filed with Cuba's official gazette.

The other wounded survivors were identified as Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, Conrado Galindo Serrior, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Castello and Roberto Alvarez Avila.

Galindo was briefly detained in Cuba on at least one occasion, according to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, an inactive ​group that previously reported allegations of Cuban repression.

Cuba identified the four dead as ‌Pavel Alling Peña, Michael Ortega Casanova, Ledian Padron Guevara and Hector Duani Cruz Correa.

Cuba also said it previously had incorrectly identified Rolando Roberto Ascorra Consuegra as a suspect, saying ​now he was uninvolved.

(Reporting by Mario Fuentes in Santa Clara and Daniel Trotta in Havana; Additional reporitng by Sarah Morland in Mexico City, Anett Rios in Havana, Humeyra Pamuk in ​Washington and and Gabriel Araujo in Sao Paulo; Editing by Alistair Bell, Rod Nickel and Stephen Coates)

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February 26, 2026

Cuba slams US for 'impunity' on speedboat attack suspects

By Mario Fuentes and Daniel Trotta Cuba says it killed several exiles and wounded others who attacked from Fl...

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Caleb Downs, Kenyon Sadiq may provide strong draft value for NFL teams at often undervalued spots

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caleb Downs andKenyon Sadiqplayed it cool Thursday at the NFL's annual scouting combine.

NFL Combine Football

Rather than brag aboutsitting atop their respective positional rankings— safety and tight end — for April's NFL draft, the two All-Americans spoke confidently about simply what they could add next fall.

At this stage,there's no real debate about where Downsand Sadiq stand. The only real question is how long they'll be waiting on draft night to see where they end up, largely because of the league's tendency to undervalue both positions.

"I don't know how other teams see it. Frankly, we don't care how other teams see it," said Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta, who has spent two recent first-round picks on safeties — Kyle Hamilton at No. 14 in 2022 and Malaki Starks at No. 27 last year. "We didn't go into the 2022 draft thinking Kyle Hamilton was going to be the best player available when we picked, and he happened to be the best player available, and thank God he was."

Hamilton responded by quickly establishing himself as one of the league's most gifted playmakers, a group many scouts expect Downs to join soon after he's spent the past three years starring at two of college football's powerhouses: Alabama and Ohio State.

The three-year starter made nearly 250 tackles during his career, picked off six passes, forced three fumbles and recovered one, making anyone who dared to challenge him in the middle of the field pay a steep price.

How good is he?

"One of my favorite all-time players," former Alabama coach Nick Saban once said on ESPN's College GameDay. "Absolutely, one of my favorites. As a freshman, the maturity that he showed, the preparation, the way he performed, I loved the guy. He's a great person."

He was equally impressive at Ohio State where teammates raved about the instant impact he made on their 2024 national championship team and the continued impact he made in 2025 when Ohio State returned to the playoffs as the 2025 Big Ten runner-up.

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Some teammates who also were invited to Indianapolis this week believe he just might be the best defensive player in the draft.

Still, Downs is more concerned about what he does in the pros than where he's drafted.

"I feel like my mind really puts me above a lot of people in terms of how I process the game and play with instincts. I feel like that's what makes me special," he said before explaining what traits he brings. "You're getting a really talented player, a smart player who can make an impact on the field and in the facility to make a culture change."

Sadiq could help some NFL team change directions, too.

Listed at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, the former Oregon star hopes to dazzle scouts when he runs the 40-yard dash Friday night, a rarity for a projected first-round selection. His combination of size, speed and athleticism could create the kind of matchup problems pro teams crave and he insists he wants to become better at both route-running and run-blocking.

It's everything an NFL executive wants to hear, and it could lead to Sadiq becoming the second straight Idaho native to be the first tight end selected. Colston Loveland went 10th overall to Chicago in 2025.

But neither Sadiq nor Downs are deterred by any projections. Nope, they're each more eager to prove themselves this fall.

"There's been more credit going to tight ends, and you see the market being reset by guys every year, so, I think the value has definitely gone up," he said. "It creates a lot of mismatches on the defensive side, whether they're nickel or base or whatever it is. So, I think if you have a great tight end or a couple great tight ends, it really helps out your offense."

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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February 26, 2026

Caleb Downs, Kenyon Sadiq may provide strong draft value for NFL teams at often undervalued spots

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caleb Downs andKenyon Sadiqplayed it cool Thursday at the NFL's annual scouting combine. ...

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US women's hockey team has date in July with Flavor Flav in Vegas to celebrate gold medal victory

The United States women's hockey team has a date with Flavor Flav in Las Vegas in July to celebrate winning thegold medalat theMilan Cortina Olympics.

Milan Cortina Olympics Ice Hockey

The rapper reposted a note on his X account on Thursday from sports media brandThe GIST, announcing he's hosting a"She Got Game" weekend eventfrom July 16-19 in partnership with the outlet and MGM Resorts. The post said the event was being held to honor the women's hockey team and other female athletes, with details to follow. It featured a picture of the U.S. women's hockey players celebrating in a circle.

A publicist for Flavor Flav confirmed the event without providing further details.

The women's players accepted the invitation without input from USA Hockey, a person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

The person added that while the team is excited to attend, it's unclear if the entire 23-player roster will be on hand because of potential scheduling conflicts.

The team has yet to determine whether it will visit the White House after USA Hockey cited logistics and travel issues indeclining President Donald Trump's invitationto join the U.S. men's gold medal-winning team at theState of the Unionon Tuesday.

Flavor Flav is alongtime supporter of women's sportsand attended various Olympic competitions this month. He postedhis invitation on Monday, shortly after the women turned down the trip to Washington.

"If the USA Women's Hockey team wants a real celebration and invite ,,, I'll host them in Las Vegas. Do some nice dinners and shows and good times," he wrote. "I'm sure I can get a hotel and airline to help me out here and celebrate these women for real for real."

The event came together quickly after that. Brands swarmed the comments expressing interest: "Let's talk," said a reply from Alaska Airlines.

The GIST, which prides itself on providing equal coverage to men's and women's sports and reaches roughly 1 million newsletter subscribers, will serve as the official media and content partner for the weekend, co-founder Jacie deHoop said. The company had reached out to the rapper after seeing his post.

According to deHoop, the celebration was born as a direct response to Trump's joke on a phone call to the victorious men's team that he would also have to invite the women to the White House or face impeachment.

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"It was really disheartening to see," deHoop said. "I think it definitely came across as that the women's team is an afterthought, and I think women's sports has been in this position too many times where the women have to play second fiddle and are being treated as kind of second-class citizens."

The women's team was originally scheduled to fly commercially to New York on Monday, but was forced to reroute through Atlanta because of a snowstorm in the Northeast. The timing and storm made it difficult for the women to change plans as they returned to their Professional Women's Hockey League and college teams.

The PWHL schedule resumed on Thursdaywith Montreal playing at New York following a monthlong Olympic break, while college players open their conference playoffs this weekend.

Trump said Tuesday night that plans were in the works to have the women's team visit the White House, though it's unclear when that could happen, USA Hockey said. The earliest the team could travel to Washington would be in late spring after the conclusion of the PWHL season.

The president initially invited the women late Sunday, when he called to congratulate the men for their2-1 overtime win over Canada. The women's team was still in Milan, three days after also beating Canada 2-1 in overtime.

"We're going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that," Trump said to the men's team.

U.S. women's captain Hilary Knight on Wednesday referred to the comment as"distasteful and unfortunate."

"I think just the way women are represented, it's a great teaching point and really shines light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats," she said.

___ AP Business Writer Claire Savage in Chicago contributed to this report.

AP Olympic coverage:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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February 26, 2026

US women's hockey team has date in July with Flavor Flav in Vegas to celebrate gold medal victory

The United States women's hockey team has a date with Flavor Flav in Las Vegas in July to celebrate winning thegold m...

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Atlanta Hawks partner with iconic strip club for 'Magic City Monday'

TwoAtlanta institutionsare coming together to bring a new experience toNBA fans.

TheAtlanta Hawksand Magic City are partnering for "Magic City Monday," a celebration of a cultural institution during the team's game against Orlando Magic on March 16.

Magic City is a self-identified "premier Atlanta strip club," and well-known across the city for their performances as well as their kitchen. The club is regularly featured in lists identifying the best chicken wings in the city. Magic City is in downtown Atlanta.

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What to expect at 'Magic City Monday'

Before the game, Hawks' principal owner Jami Gertz, a filmaker and actor, will present alive recording of the Hawks AF podcast, according to a news release from the organization.

Gertz recently produced a five-part STARZ docuseries about Magic City, working with Atlanta native Jermaine Dupri and featuring interviews with Big Boi, Killer Mike and T.I. The series explores the "pivotal role" the club played in "hip-hop and Black culture," in Atlanta and beyond.

The live recording will include a conversation about the documentary, as well as chats with Magic City founder Michael "Mr. Magic" Barney, T.I. and D.C. Young Fly.

"This collaboration and theme night is very meaningful to me after all the work that we did to put together 'Magic City: An American Fantasy,'" Gertz said in the release. "The iconic Atlanta institution has made an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture."

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February 26, 2026

Atlanta Hawks partner with iconic strip club for 'Magic City Monday'

TwoAtlanta institutionsare coming together to bring a new experience toNBA fans. TheAtlanta Hawksand...

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Judge scolds Shia LaBeouf and orders him to rehab after Mardi Gras arrest

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A New Orleans judge ordered actorShia LaBeoufto return to drug and alcohol rehabilitation and set a $100,000 bond Thursday after the film star was charged with two counts of batteryover an alleged assaultoutside a bar during Mardi Gras.

CORRECTION Shia LaBeouf-Arrest

LaBeouf, who appeared in court wearing a fleece jacket and jeans tucked into cowboy boots, was also admonished by the judge forallegedly yelling homophobic slurswhile hitting multiple people near the French Quarter. The police report said LaBeouf dislocated one victim's nose.

The judge ordered LaBeouf, 39, to submit to weekly drug tests, including one on the spot in the courthouse. LaBeouf agreed and his attorney said the test did not show illegal substances in his system.

Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Simone Levine called the episode earlier this month a concern for "the safety of this larger community, especially relative to a marginalized community that has gone through so much terror," referring to the LGBTQ+ community.

"This defendant does not take his alcohol addiction seriously," Levine said. "This court does not believe he understands the level of seriousness when it comes to these allegations."

LaBeouf posted bond and declined to comment to reporters. He has not yet formally entered a plea to the charges.

"No, I won't say a word," he said in a court hallway while returning from taking a drug and alcohol test before the judge's order. "God bless you, leave me alone."

Jeffrey Damnit, a local entertainer identified in the police report as Jeffrey Klein, previously told The Associated Press that LaBeouf repeatedly punched him and used homophobic slurs while threatening his life. Damnit said he believed LaBeouf had targeted him because he wore makeup and eyeliner.

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"This guy wants me to be dead because I wear makeup," Damnit said. "It's a screwed-up thing."

The judge said that when she originally released LaBeouf without bond within hours of his arrest on Feb. 17 she had not previously had access to a police report that describes the actor allegedly using homophobic slurs as he returned to a bar and hit people with a closed fist after being asked to leave. Videos of the altercations have surfaced showing LaBeouf striking multiple people.

After LaBeouf was released from custody, the actor was seen in the French Quarter dancing in the streets on Mardi Gras.

Levine ordered LaBeouf to stay away from the victims and the bar where the episode occurred.

The judge denied a request by LaBeouf to travel to Rome in March for "religious observations, including his father's baptism."

Levine said during the hearing that she was concerned whether LaBeouf "could handle his alcohol."

"Frankly," LaBeouf's attorney Sarah Chervinsky told the judge, "being drunk on Mardi Gras is not a crime." ___

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.Report for Americais a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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February 26, 2026

Judge scolds Shia LaBeouf and orders him to rehab after Mardi Gras arrest

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A New Orleans judge ordered actorShia LaBeoufto return to drug and alcohol rehabilitation and set a $1...

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