Bill Gates Nervously LAUGHS as He Denies Going to Friend Jeffrey Epstein’s Island… Despite His Ties to Dead Pedophile Financier

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By Daily Mail. Bill Gates nervously chuckled as he denied ever going to his friend Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous island, despite his strong ties to the dead pedophile.

The tech billionaire talked about Epstein and other topics, including his thoughts on artificial intelligence, during an NBC Meet the Press interview that aired on Sunday.

Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, appeared frazzled and nervously laughed when discussing his relationship with the disgraced financier.

‘I really appreciated the chance to go in front of Congress and make it clear, uh, you know, to go through every meeting I have with him- which is about 10 meetings over a couple-year period,’ he told journalist Kristen Welker.

In June, he attended a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee regarding his connection to Epstein.

Gates continued to stumble over his words at times, telling Welker: ‘I never, there were never any women in those meetings, there’s nothing financially, I never went to the island or anything like that. (Read more from “Bill Gates Nervously LAUGHS as He Denies Going to Friend Jeffrey Epstein’s Island… Despite His Ties to Dead Pedophile Financier” HERE)

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Jeffrey Epstein’s Secret Child Image Collection Could Involve ‘Thousands’ of Unidentified Victims, Explosive Lawsuit Claims

By Radar Online. Jeffrey Epstein’s massive collection of child sexual abuse material could involve “thousands” of unidentified victims – including people who may have no idea their childhood images were allegedly in the convicted s– offender’s possession, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The stunning claims are at the center of a new class-action lawsuit filed against the co-executors of Epstein’s estate. The predator pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to charges including procuring a person under 18 for prostitution.

According to court records reviewed by Radar, two women identified as Jane Doe and “Amy” filed the lawsuit against Epstein’s longtime attorney Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn in Manhattan federal court.

The women allege Epstein possessed, obtained, and distributed child sexual abuse material for decades, and are now demanding a court-supervised effort to identify the people depicted in the collection.

Attorney Hillary Nappi, who represents the plaintiffs, said the proposed class could potentially include “thousands” of people and claimed most individuals pictured in Epstein’s collection have never been identified. (Read more from “Jeffrey Epstein’s Secret Child Image Collection Could Involve ‘Thousands’ of Unidentified Victims, Explosive Lawsuit Claims” HERE)

Dedicated Dad of 2 Killed by Central Park Bicyclist During Walk to Work

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A dedicated dad of two was knocked to the ground and killed when a bicyclist rammed into him during his morning walk to work in Central Park last week, his family and police said.

Richie O’Brien, 41, strolled through the iconic green space on the way to his steamfitter job during the dawn hours of Sept. 23, when the cyclist pedaling north on the park’s East Drive near East 84th Street struck him, according to the NYPD and a fundraiser launched by his loved ones.

The impact threw O’Brien to the ground and caused severe head trauma, for which medics rushed him to Weill Cornell Medical Center. He succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, his family said.

“Although our hearts are broken by this unimaginable loss, Richie’s legacy will live on,” his family posted on a GoFundMe page.

Kin described O’Brien as “a proud Local 638 Steamfitter who went to work every day to provide for his family and give his wife, Ronni, and their two daughters, Kylie and Mia, the life they deserve.”

Kylie and Mia are 12 and 8 years old, respectively. (Read more from “Dedicated Dad of 2 Killed by Central Park Bicyclist During Walk to Work” HERE)

The Kids Are Alright: Data Finds Young Teens Less Likely To Identify As Gay

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New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that fewer high school-aged Americans are identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB).

The decline is largely driven by young women. According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Survey of U.S. 9th to 12th graders in 2025, there is a relative decline in LGB identification across each grade compared to two years earlier, according to a breakdown of the findings by San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge.

Seniors, ranging in age from 17 to 18, had the highest rate of LGB identification among the four grades measured, with 16 percent identifying as LGB. However, that was still two percentage points below the rate among seniors surveyed in 2023.

Each grade had a lower rate of LGB identification in 2025 than in 2023, with younger grades showing a decline. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that fewer high school-aged Americans are identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB).

The 9th graders, aged 14 and 15, had the lowest rate of LGB identification and the largest drop from previous years. While the CDC found that 17 percent of 9th graders identified as LGB in 2023, only 11 percent did in 2025. (Read more from “The Kids Are Alright: Data Finds Young Teens Less Likely To Identify As Gay” HERE)

French Bakeries Struggle as Iran War Spikes Oil Prices: ‘It’s Catastrophic’

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As the lights of their small bakery flicker on in the early morning darkness, Kevin and Sandrine Luce’s oven is already cranked up to 270 degrees Celsius (518 degrees Fahrenheit) to give their latest batch of baguettes a crunchy crust.

When the couple first fired up the oven in their store in Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, a small town about 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Paris, in March, they paid 2,230 euros ($2,540) for 2,000 liters (528 gallons) of the heating oil that it burns. Last week, they spent almost the same amount on just 1,200 liters (317 gallons).

Fuel prices that have spiked since the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28 are dealing a hard blow to the couple and other small businesses across Europe.

“Originally, it was a good deal, because initially, a fuel-heated oven is more economical than an electric one,” Kevin Luce said. “That is until the price (of fuel) increased by 50%. So, yes, now it’s not a good deal.”

The Luces aren’t alone. There are more than 34,000 bakers across France churning out around 6 billion baguettes each year, according to the national federation of bakeries and patisseries, which says that about one quarter of them use oil- or gas-fired ovens. (Read more from “French Bakeries Struggle as Iran War Spikes Oil Prices: ‘It’s Catastrophic’” HERE)

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‘TOYS’ STORY: Overgrown ‘Kids’ Fuel Iconic Retailer’s Massive Comeback

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Adults and teenagers are now driving an unexpected boom in the U.S. toy business, accounting for nearly 60% of the industry’s growth during the first half of 2026, according to market research firm Circana. The industry posted its strongest first half in six years.

And Toys “R” Us is betting big on its grown-up kids.

The once-bankrupt retailer is adding 120 stand-alone stores to its existing 40, quadrupling its U.S. footprint to 160 locations in a single holiday season — a 300% increase.

The expansion will also use select locations to introduce Creator Studios, where influencers and brands can unveil new products and host “toy reveals,” the company said in a press release.

It’s remarkable growth for a brand that closed every one of its U.S. stores just eight years ago. (Read more from “‘TOYS’ STORY: Overgrown ‘Kids’ Fuel Iconic Retailer’s Massive Comeback” HERE)

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1 in 60 Adults has HIV as Popular Honeymoon Destination Faces National Crisis

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Fiji has officially declared a national HIV emergency on its shores after alarming data revealed that one in 60 adults in the South Pacific island nation is living with the virus.

The Fijian government is urgently expanding testing and treatment to combat a massive surge in new infections, which the United Nations program UNAIDS notes has increased 12-fold over the past 15 years, according to The Associated Press.

Highlighting the rapid acceleration of the crisis, Fiji recorded more than 2,000 new cases in 2025 alone, representing a staggering 16-fold increase compared to 2019, The New York Times reported. . .

UNAIDS estimates that some 9,000 people were living with HIV in Fiji as of 2025. Just five years ago, the infection rate was one in 167 adults, but it has since climbed to one in 60, with one in 50 pregnant women now infected, the AP said.

The human toll is already mounting. Fifty-nine infants were born in 2025 with the virus, the AP and Reuters reported, and 18 died before their first birthday. (Read more from “1 in 60 Adults has HIV as Popular Honeymoon Destination Faces National Crisis” HERE)

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The ‘Unprofessional’ Item Gen Z Brings to Interviews Could be Costing Them Jobs

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In today’s brutal job market, Gen Z is bringing their absolute A-game to interviews.

But they’re also bringing their emotional support iced lattes.

A generational debate has erupted online over a dead-simple question: Is waltzing into a job interview clutching an iced coffee completely unprofessional, or totally fine?

The clash kicked off when TikTok corporate recruiter @caitlinrecruiter called out Gen Z candidates for arriving to interviews with iced lattes in hand. Drawing on her 16 years of experience placing candidates at Fortune 500 companies, she warned job seekers against the casual habit.

“When you show up with an iced coffee or an iced latte, it is perceived — from my opinion and a hiring standpoint—that this interview is just a stop on your list of errands for the day,” she alleged in the viral clip. “It looks like you went to Target, went to Starbucks, and now you’re stopping by your interview before moving on to the next thing.” (Read more from “The ‘Unprofessional’ Item Gen Z Brings to Interviews Could be Costing Them Jobs” HERE)

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Christian Grandma Was ‘Covered In Blood’ During Euthanasia Family Says She Didn’t Want

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A Canadian Christian grandmother was “covered in blood” during euthanasia that her granddaughter says she didn’t consent to.

Two days before Brigitte Stegemann, known as “GG” or “Oma,” was scheduled to undergo assisted dying in Ontario, Canada, her granddaughter, Brigitte Kranendonk, sat her down to make sure she understood what was happening, according to a Daily Mail report.

“She was bawling. Inconsolable,” Kranendonk told the Daily Mail. “I used very frank terms. I said, ‘Do you know that you’re going to die on Friday?’”

The 83-year-old began crying and repeatedly said, “I’ve made a mistake.”

According to Kranendonk, Stegemann also struggled during a cognitive assessment meant to determine whether she had the capacity to consent to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). (Read more from “Christian Grandma Was ‘Covered In Blood’ During Euthanasia Family Says She Didn’t Want” HERE)

Walmart Customer, 77, Beaten to Death by Parents of Teen Employee after Shopping Cart Dispute, Widow Says

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An elderly Walmart customer was beaten to death by the parents of a teen employee who he had argued with after accusing her of nearly ramming his wife with a shopping cart, according to his grieving widow.

Bert Atienza died of blunt head trauma at a hospital on June 8, a day after two people attacked him inside a Walmart in Norfolk, Va., WTKR reported on Monday.

“My husband was still able to speak, he said, ‘Help me, get up,’ but I told him, ‘no you’re bleeding. Your mouth is bleeding. Ambulance is coming,” Atienza’s wife Josephine said.

“I look at him again. He has no more consciousness.”

The 77-year-old was grocery shopping with his wife of 42 years after a morning at church when a 17-year-old employee tore down the aisle the couple was in, almost clipping Josephine with a cart. (Read more from “Walmart Customer, 77, Beaten to Death by Parents of Teen Employee after Shopping Cart Dispute, Widow Says” HERE)

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Police Respond To Clashing Protests Outside Bar That Kicked Out Patrons Wearing ‘XX-XY’ Shirts

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Two rival crowds squared off outside a Portland women’s sports bar Friday over the issue of men in women’s sports, and police got involved to break up the cat fight.

The confrontation erupted near The Sports Bra, a venue that shows only women’s sports, on Sept. 11, according to the Daily Tidings. Roughly seven demonstrators assembled across the street around 5:40 p.m. to object to the bar, and more than 30 counterprotesters gathered in response, KPTV reported. Members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization joined the larger group in support of transgender rights and LGBTQ+ spaces.

Both sides exchanged chants along the street before the standoff shifted into a nearby parking lot, according to KPTV. Conservative livestreamer Thomas Allen appeared at the scene and filmed the dispute, the Daily Tidings reported.

Transgender rights activists claimed Allen and people with him sprayed a chemical irritant at several individuals and walked into the grocery store carrying weapons, according to KPTV.

Portland Police Bureau officers arrvied around 5:45 p.m., directed the crowds away from traffic, and watched until everyone left, KPTV reported. Officers examined two complaints about irritant spray but arrested no one, pointing to insufficient probable cause, and logged no injuries. Activists faulted that response and pressed for accountability, arguing police stood by while attacks occurred. (Read more from “Police Respond To Clashing Protests Outside Bar That Kicked Out Patrons Wearing ‘XX-XY’ Shirts” HERE)