Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday, invoking her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during a closed-door deposition. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump threatened to block the opening of a new Canadian-built bridge linking Canada and the US, demanding compensation and fair treatment. In other news, the US military carried out a strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in two fatalities.
Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, appeared virtually for the deposition from a Texas prison. According to BBC World, Republican House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer stated that Maxwell's decision to plead the Fifth was "obviously very disappointing." He added that the committee had "many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein co-committed."
Trump's threat to block the Gordie Howe Bridge, which connects the US and Canada across the Detroit River, came in a lengthy social media post. He demanded that Canada hand over at least half of the bridge's ownership and meet other unspecified conditions. As reported by The Guardian, Trump also made a false claim regarding increased trade between Canada and China, stating it would include a ban on Canadians playing ice hockey. Al Jazeera reported that Trump stated, "I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them and, importantly, until Canada treats the United States with the fairness and respect it deserves."
In a separate incident, the US military conducted a lethal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, resulting in two deaths. The US Southern Command, as reported by Al Jazeera, stated that the strike was carried out against a vessel allegedly involved in drug trafficking, though no further details were provided. One person survived the attack, and the US Coast Guard was notified.
In other news, a trial began in California examining the mental health effects of Instagram and YouTube. According to BBC Business, lawyers for the plaintiff, "K.G.M.," argued that the social media companies built "addiction machines" designed to addict children.
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