In a firm dismissal, a federal judge has turned down Ghislaine Maxwell’s recent bid to challenge her conviction, criticizing her submission as excessively lengthy and disorganized. The judge deemed her arguments to be without substance and mostly frivolous.

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, in his decision made public on Tuesday, denied Maxwell’s plea to overturn her conviction following her trial as Jeffrey Epstein’s associate. Engelmayer emphasized the “overwhelming” evidence presented against her in the court case held in the Southern District of New York.

Self-represented, Maxwell sought to annul her conviction along with the 20-year sentence, arguing that there were breaches of her constitutional rights during both the trial and sentencing phases.

Judge Engelmayer noted that most of Maxwell’s claims were dismissed for procedural reasons, as she either addressed and lost them during direct appeal or failed to raise them at an earlier stage.

The judge also shot down Maxwell’s reliance on material released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, finding that the purported new evidence did not support her claims. The supposedly “new” evidence was largely irrelevant to  Maxwell ‘s case, the judge said.

“To the extent it is relevant, far from exculpating her, it incriminates her or reinforces the correctness of the legal rulings Maxwell challenges,” Engelmayer wrote.

“The Court accordingly denies Maxwell’s petition,” he concluded.

Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on five felony counts stemming from her participation with Epstein in the sexual abuse of young girls over the course of a decade.

A horrifying tragedy unfolded in Billings, Montana, as a gunman massacred eight members of the same family, tragically claiming the lives of at least two children in the assault.

After unleashing gunfire, the attacker set the family home ablaze, turning it into a deadly trap as the flames engulfed the house completely.

Police officers raced to the scene, arriving just 10 minutes after the shooting erupted at 6:01 PM on Monday. Despite their swift response, they could not prevent the devastating loss of life.

Among those who perished were 15-year-old Landon Ghekiere and his 12-year-old sister, Charlotte. Their parents, Adam Ghekiere and Erica Jarussi Schneider, along with Charlotte’s stepfather, Danny, were not present during the attack.

Though one individual miraculously survived the dreadful incident and was immediately taken to the hospital, there is no current information available regarding their condition.

The gunman was found dead near the house with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at 6.48pm, police said.

How the gunman was related to the family is unclear. 

Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell said gunshots were heard in the background of a 911 call and the house was set alight within three minutes.

The victims have been identified by police, but their names were not yet released other than Landon and Charlotte who were named by their family. 

Billings Fire Department Chief Matt Hoppel said responding firefighters were hampered by there not being any fire hydrants in the area.

‘The delay and limited access presented significant challenges. Fire conditions continued to worsen, and the residence ultimately became heavily involved and was consumed by fire,’ he said.

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The two children were mourned online by family and friends of their parents.

‘Landon was just 15 years old and preparing to begin his sophomore year at Senior High School,’ they wrote on an online fundraiser.

‘He was a loving, caring young man who was always willing to lend a hand to his family and neighbors. 

‘He was looking forward to getting his driver’s license this week and was a patient, protective, and loving big brother.’

Charlotte was just about to start seventh grade when she was killed alongside her brother.

‘Funny, precocious, and adorable – with just the right amount of stubborn – Charlotte had an angelic smile and loved posing for pictures,’ the fundraiser shared.

‘She especially loved exploring the world around her, turning over rocks to look for bugs. Oh, how she loved her bugs!’

Ghekiere is an Airport Rescue Firefighter and was not involved in the shooting, family said. 

The events leading up to the shooting and how the house was set on fire are being investigated by the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies.

Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Tuesday the outcome of an international collaboration, Operation Statewide Shield, which successfully located 163 missing children. The operation spanned five continents with the youngest child being just 2 months old and the eldest, 17.

Florida law enforcement, in conjunction with federal and international agencies, embarked on a five-day mission in mid-August to trace and recover these children. The operation underscores a significant multi-agency effort to address a pressing issue.

Some of these children had run away, while others were victims of abandonment, neglect, or abuse. A portion had also been trafficked, highlighting the varied and tragic circumstances they faced, Uthmeier’s office reported.

“Tragically, many of these young individuals have been targeted by predators exploiting their vulnerability,” Uthmeier remarked.

The August mission was Florida’s first statewide child-recovery initiative and the largest operation of its kind in Florida history, according to Uthmeier’s office.

Thanks to the work of the operation’s partners, he said, “these children are now safe and receiving the care they deserve.

“Florida will continue leading the recovery of missing children, hunting down every predator and prosecuting abusers to the fullest extent of the law.”

Rescuers recovered the children in Florida, Alabama, California, Ohio, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Tennessee. They also found children in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain and Taiwan, Uthmeier’s office said.

Three men have been arrested so far, a spokesman for Uthmeier told News Media.

Michael Prescott was arrested on Aug. 21 by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, one count of felony battery and one count of aggravated assault.

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Prescott already had an active warrant for interference with child custody, according to Uthmeier’s office.

Robert Ferral Allison was arrested on Aug. 20 by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 16 years old.

Jayden Allen Harwood, according to Uthmeier’s office, was arrested on charges of interference in a child custody case and resisting officers without violence.

“Many more investigations [have been] started,” a spokesman for Uthmeier’s office said. “More arrests are expected.”

As the children were rescued, local law enforcement officers transported them to hubs, where they received support from social services workers, child welfare professionals, medical providers, victim advocates and other child-centered agencies, according to Uthmeier’s office.

Some of the children were reunited with their families, and some were taken into foster care, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office said.

The recoveries allowed the children’s cases with the Missing and Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse to be closed, Uthmeier said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) steered the operation using lessons learned from Operation Dragon Eye and Operation Home for the Holidays, carried out by the U.S. Marshals.

Helping plan and execute the operation were: the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Baycare, More to Life and the Florida Human Trafficking Victims Fund.

Providing critical assistance were numerous municipal law enforcement agencies and federal partners, and 13 Florida sheriff’s offices including Manatee, Sarasota, Jacksonville, Clay, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Flagler, Orange, Escambia, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas, Uthmeier said.

In an astonishing display of nature’s unpredictability, a rare video has surfaced capturing a group of coatis launching a coordinated attack on a massive boa constrictor. This dramatic encounter, a vivid reminder of the intricate dynamics in the animal kingdom, was captured and shared widely, mesmerizing viewers with its unusual spectacle.