Latest news with #KenKlippenstein
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hegseth Slaps Racist Ban on Eyelash Extensions and Nail Polish
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has released revised rules on personal appearance for members of the Army and Air Force that could disproportionately affect women and minorities. This month, the U.S. Army and Air Force issued separate directives that tightly regulate how service members are allowed to look, including the length of their hair, the way they wear their uniforms, and the color of nail polish they wear. Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein reported on the memos on Thursday, writing that the secretary believes that 'disciplined hair care will lead to a disciplined military' and restore a 'warrior ethos,' which he often talks about in interviews and hearings. One of the most detailed sections in the Army's directive from July 8 pertains to shaving, which most members of the Armed Forces are required to do daily. The Army previously granted 'shaving waivers' to service members who suffer from pseudofolliculitis barbae, also known as razor bumps. These waivers allowed soldiers to sport neatly trimmed beards instead. However, under the new directive, soldiers with razor bumps will be allowed to keep their beards for only a temporary treatment period, after which they risk being banned from the Army if they do not shave. The Army will even cover the cost of laser hair removal for soldiers if other treatment options have been exhausted. When the Marines adopted a similar policy in March, critics noted that Black service members are at a much higher risk for razor bumps; 66 percent of Navy members with waivers are Black. A military dermatologist told in March that those with a shaving waiver are promoted more slowly than their peers, creating a 'racial discriminatory impact' against Black service members. Dermatologists also told NBC News that the Marines' policy had 'nothing to do with readiness'; soldiers are more than capable of performing their duties with facial hair. The Air Force's new directive, issued on July 11, is even broader. It does away with a detailed chart specifying which color nail polish female Air Force members can wear, replacing it with an instruction for nail polish to be 'clear or French or American manicure only.' The directive bans eyelash extensions (except for medical purposes) and rolled-up shirt sleeves. It also replaces the term 'gender' with 'sex' throughout the 140-page personnel guidebook. Klippenstein noted that the eyelash provision, like the Army and Marines' changes to shaving requirements, is likely to impact Black servicemembers more than their peers. 'I'm sure it's a coincidence that this also impacts black and brown people the most,' he wrote tongue-in-cheek. A spokesperson for the Army said that, given that the directive on facial hair is new, the branch is still reevaluating medical waivers and issuing treatment plans. 'Discipline is critical to war fighting,' he said. 'The Army is committed to supporting the health and welfare of our soldiers.' The U.S. Air Force did not respond to an immediate request for comment. Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Gizmodo
New DOJ Memo Shows Jeffrey Epstein Had 1000+ Victims
A Justice Department memo published earlier this week states that Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious pedophile, had 'over one thousand' victims—a figure that is substantially larger than previous estimates. In earlier times, the government claimed that Epstein had 'dozens' of victims, and a lawsuit last year claimed there were 'hundreds.' The news comes amidst ongoing backlash against the Trump administration for not releasing more information about Epstein. In many of the previous reports about the Epstein scandal, authorities have referenced the 'dozens' of victims that the billionaire is alleged to have abused. Meanwhile, a class-action lawsuit filed last year alleged the predatory financier had 'hundreds' of victims. However, in a recently released memo regarding the prison footage at the facility where Epstein was housed prior to his death, the government now claims that Epstein abused 'over one thousand victims.' Major outlets like NPR noted the number in their initial reporting on the memo, though the discrepancy between the new figure and the old estimates was highlighted by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein, who wrote about it on his Substack. The key part of the memo states: Consistent with prior disclosures, this review confirmed that Epstein harmed over one thousand victims. Each suffered unique trauma. Sensitive information relating to these victims is intertwined throughout the materials. This information is interesting since it seems inconsistent with prior disclosures, and greatly expands the scope of Epstein's crimes without further explanation. The memo doesn't otherwise provide any additional information about the hundreds of previously unknown victims, nor does it explain how the government discovered this information. Instead, the memo simply states that the government doesn't think Epstein had any accomplices that are worth pursuing. 'We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties,' the document states. It adds: 'Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.' Gizmodo reached out to the Justice Department for more information. The Epstein files have become one of the Trump administration's biggest headaches yet. As the president has failed to release more information, MAGA has become increasingly aggravated, and influential voices that have long supported Trump have begun to question his inaction. Over the past few weeks, figures such as Tucker Carlson, Laura Loomer, and Glenn Beck have all criticized the administration over its handling of the issue. On Thursday, other notable figures like one-time MAGA convert Roseanne Barr and conservative senator Mike Lee questioned the government's disinterest on the subject. On X, old clips of Joe Rogan's podcast have circulated that show the podcaster questioning the government's official narrative. Meanwhile, conspiracy mogul Alex Jones (who has expressed support for Trump in the past) has been critical of the administration over the matter. 'Will the White House officially fly the flag of Jeffrey Epstein and Mossad?' Jones asked sarcastically on Thursday, sharing a photoshopped picture of the White House painted with the colors of the Israeli flag, a reference to the theory that Israel is behind a cover-up of the case. In a later tweet, Jones wrote: 'If God spared President Trump's life it wasn't so that America could make money and fix the budget, it was to burn down a system that relies on people like Jeffery Epstein. Betrayal of that mission could bring the wrath of God onto America the likes of which we have never seen.' Jones's show, InfoWars, also alleged that the Trump administration was involved in a 'coverup' of the Epstein matter. Of course, this all looks very bad for Trump since he was reputed to have been friends with Epstein over a period of at least ten years, and often partied with him, and there are plenty of pictures and videos of the two hanging out together. What's the president's next move? It's anybody's guess, though he'd better do something quick, lest the controversy come to define his presidency for his crankiest loyalists.
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS U.S. military braces for Iran counterstrikes on 'bases and facilities' after Trump destroys critical nuclear sites
In the wake on America's attack on Iranian nuclear sites Saturday, US military leaders are telling their troops to prepare for potential retaliatory attacks. Military leaders are telling troops that tonight's attack 'will likely result in counterstrikes on US bases and facilities' in the Middle East, and 'likely activate Iran and other foreign terrorist organizations cells abroad including the US to conduct strikes against US persons and facilities.' US military now briefing troops that its strike on Iran "will likely result in counterstrikes on US bases and facilities" in the Middle East, and "likely activate Iran and other foreign terrorist organizations cells abroad including the US to conduct strikes against US persons… — Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) June 22, 2025
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
NC man arrested as part of international child exploitation ring ‘764,' DOJ says
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — A man from High Point has been taken into custody by the Department of Justice for his role in what is described as a violent organization participating in the exploitation of children. Prasan Nepal, 20, of High Point, was taken into custody on April 22 after being accused of being a leader of the organization '764' since at least 2021. 764 is described by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue as a 'network of online groups that engage in sextortion and the glorification of violence. The network, which comprises a constantly shifting landscape of splinter groups and offshoots, forces minor victims to produce Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). They then use that CSAM as leverage to force victims to perform acts of violence, animal abuse, or self-harm. They also engage in extensive swatting, harassment, and intimidation campaigns to silence their victims.' The ISD says that 764 also has taken inspiration from extremist groups such as the Order of Nine Angles, an esoteric neo-Nazi group. 'The 764 network's accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government,' according to the DOJ complaint. 'Members of 764 work in concert with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors.' The DOJ describes this disparate network as 'NVEs,' or 'nihilistic violent extremists,' in their complaint. Nihilistic violent extremists, according to an early DOJ filing, are 'individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with these goals of destroying civilized society.' Indicted 'Terrorgram' neo-Nazi cited Randolph County substation attack, court documents show; 'This avenue of attack … has really caught on' Journalist Ken Klippenstein opines that the designation, created by the FBI under Kash Patel, is an attempt to make terrorism designations sound 'non-partisan' in the wake of Jan. 6's anti-government insurrection and the Biden administration's focus on anti-government extremism. The DOJ states that Nepal, along with an American citizen living abroad in Greece, identified as Leonidas Varagiannis, 21, engaged in a 'child exploitation enterprise' as leadership in 764. Nepal and Varagiannis are accused of exploiting minors and facilitating the production of child pornography. 'Members of 764, both individually and as a group, methodically targeted vulnerable populations, including minor girls with mental health challenges, and attempted to socially engineer them, gain their trust, and then groom them to share private information and intimate visual depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct,' the complaint reads. According to the complaint, 764 members would use this information and intimate content to escalate further, coercing the victims into providing images of more extreme acts such as self-harm, abusing pets and siblings, setting themselves on fire and even suicide. Nepal is accused of operating 764 since its inception in late 2020 or early 2021. He took over leadership after the original founder of 764 was arrested in 2021. Nepal used monikers such as 'Leather Jacket,' 'Rebirth,' and 'KingKrampus,' but the complaint says he was known in 764 Inferno as 'Trippy.' Varagiannis joined in 2023 and was known in the primary 764 chat, '764 Inferno,' as 'War.' Defunct nonprofit run by Mark Robinson's wife misses deadline to pay more than $100,000 owed to NCDHHS '764 Inferno leadership, including the defendants, conspired with group members to create and distribute images of the exploitation of minors,' the complaint reads. 'These images depicted both the sexual exploitation of minors as well as images depicting self-mutilation. The defendants controlled membership in and access to the group. The defendants posted instructions to group members regarding methods they should employ to exploit vulnerable minor children. The defendants also interacted with group members by commenting on the exploitation material they posted. 764 relied on members recruiting other members into the group in order to generate additional content, including child exploitation content, that could be distributed in the group.' Nepal is accused of admitting on social media as far back as 2019 that he had child sex abuse material, posting on Snapchat 'I got cp if u wanna see it … child porn … I'll send it.' He is also quoted as advocating for the extortion of young girls, writing 'I'd rather have extortions continue than stop generally because it does in a way promote harm and teaches cringey e girls lessons.' Nepal is also accused of controlling recruitment into 764 Inferno, telling a co-conspirator that several aspiring members couldn't be let in until they 'do some crazy s—.' One co-conspirator allegedly shared a video of a young girl taking her own life at their direction. The two men, along with unnamed co-conspirators, are also accused of creating a 'guide' for aspiring 764 members on how to create child sexual exploitation material and other material for the group. 'The guide specifically instructed recruits on 'grooming' victims into producing content for 764, and advised members to target particularly vulnerable victims, such as individuals with depression or mental illness,' the complaint reads, adding that the guide provided instructions for extorting the vulnerable young people being targeted. Nepal is accused of writing in the chat, 'Extortion is a form of discipline to little girls who might not have a father at home. It's a good thing.' The complaint goes into detail about child sex abuse material that the unnamed co-conspirators posted in the '764 Inferno' chat, of which Nepal and Varagiannis were administrators. Nepal is currently in the Guilford County jail on a federal hold. Federal court filings show he has a public defender. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
High Point man arrested as part of international child exploitation ring ‘764,' DOJ says
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — A man from High Point has been taken into custody by the Department of Justice for his role in what is described as a violent organization participating in the exploitation of children. Prasan Nepal, 20, of High Point, was taken into custody on April 22 after being accused of being a leader of the organization '764' since at least 2021. 764 is described by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue as a 'network of online groups that engage in sextortion and the glorification of violence. The network, which comprises a constantly shifting landscape of splinter groups and offshoots, forces minor victims to produce Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). They then use that CSAM as leverage to force victims to perform acts of violence, animal abuse, or self-harm. They also engage in extensive swatting, harassment, and intimidation campaigns to silence their victims.' The ISD says that 764 also has taken inspiration from extremist groups such as the Order of Nine Angles, an esoteric neo-Nazi group. 'The 764 network's accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government,' according to the DOJ complaint. 'Members of 764 work in concert with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors.' The DOJ describes this disparate network as 'NVEs,' or 'nihilistic violent extremists,' in their complaint. Nihilistic violent extremists, according to an early DOJ filing, are 'individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with these goals of destroying civilized society.' Indicted 'Terrorgram' neo-Nazi cited Randolph County substation attack, court documents show; 'This avenue of attack … has really caught on' Journalist Ken Klippenstein opines that the designation, created by the FBI under Kash Patel, is an attempt to make terrorism designations sound 'non-partisan' in the wake of Jan. 6's anti-government insurrection and the Biden administration's focus on anti-government extremism. The DOJ states that Nepal, along with an American citizen living abroad in Greece, identified as Leonidas Varagiannis, 21, engaged in a 'child exploitation enterprise' as leadership in 764. Nepal and Varagiannis are accused of exploiting minors and facilitating the production of child pornography. 'Members of 764, both individually and as a group, methodically targeted vulnerable populations, including minor girls with mental health challenges, and attempted to socially engineer them, gain their trust, and then groom them to share private information and intimate visual depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct,' the complaint reads. According to the complaint, 764 members would use this information and intimate content to escalate further, coercing the victims into providing images of more extreme acts such as self-harm, abusing pets and siblings, setting themselves on fire and even suicide. Nepal is accused of operating 764 since its inception in late 2020 or early 2021. He took over leadership after the original founder of 764 was arrested in 2021. Nepal used monikers such as 'Leather Jacket,' 'Rebirth,' and 'KingKrampus,' but the complaint says he was known in 764 Inferno as 'Trippy.' Varagiannis joined in 2023 and was known in the primary 764 chat, '764 Inferno,' as 'War.' Defunct nonprofit run by Mark Robinson's wife misses deadline to pay more than $100,000 owed to NCDHHS '764 Inferno leadership, including the defendants, conspired with group members to create and distribute images of the exploitation of minors,' the complaint reads. 'These images depicted both the sexual exploitation of minors as well as images depicting self-mutilation. The defendants controlled membership in and access to the group. The defendants posted instructions to group members regarding methods they should employ to exploit vulnerable minor children. The defendants also interacted with group members by commenting on the exploitation material they posted. 764 relied on members recruiting other members into the group in order to generate additional content, including child exploitation content, that could be distributed in the group.' Nepal is accused of admitting on social media as far back as 2019 that he had child sex abuse material, posting on Snapchat 'I got cp if u wanna see it … child porn … I'll send it.' He is also quoted as advocating for the extortion of young girls, writing 'I'd rather have extortions continue than stop generally because it does in a way promote harm and teaches cringey e girls lessons.' Nepal is also accused of controlling recruitment into 764 Inferno, telling a co-conspirator that several aspiring members couldn't be let in until they 'do some crazy s—.' One co-conspirator allegedly shared a video of a young girl taking her own life at their direction. The two men, along with unnamed co-conspirators, are also accused of creating a 'guide' for aspiring 764 members on how to create child sexual exploitation material and other material for the group. 'The guide specifically instructed recruits on 'grooming' victims into producing content for 764, and advised members to target particularly vulnerable victims, such as individuals with depression or mental illness,' the complaint reads, adding that the guide provided instructions for extorting the vulnerable young people being targeted. Nepal is accused of writing in the chat, 'Extortion is a form of discipline to little girls who might not have a father at home. It's a good thing.' The complaint goes into detail about child sex abuse material that the unnamed co-conspirators posted in the '764 Inferno' chat, of which Nepal and Varagiannis were administrators. Nepal is currently in the Guilford County jail on a federal hold. Federal court filings show he has a public defender. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
