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Epstein Files Muddy Waters; AI Fears, Deals, and Backlash

The Trump administration faced accusations of "purposefully muddying the waters" after releasing a list of hundreds of names mentioned in the Epstein files, while French police raided the Arab World Institute in Paris as part of an investigation into potential financial links to the late Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, ByteDance is backpedaling on its AI video tool, Seedance 2.0, after facing backlash for generating copyrighted characters, and retailers are offering significant discounts for Presidents Day. Additionally, India's first AI company to IPO, Fractal Analytics, had a muted debut on the public markets.

According to Sky News, the Trump administration's release of the Epstein files included a six-page letter sent to Congress by Attorney General Pam Bondi, which contained a list of high-ranking politicians and celebrities. The outlet noted that being named in the files does not suggest wrongdoing. The accusations of "muddying the waters" stem from the broad nature of the release.

In France, the raid on the Arab World Institute, as reported by Euronews, was part of a probe into former French Culture Minister Jack Lang and his daughter Caroline over suspected financial links to Epstein. The investigation, which began on February 6th, focuses on "laundering of aggravated tax fraud."

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is taking action after the launch of Seedance 2.0, its AI video tool. Ars Technica reported that the company is rushing to add safeguards to block the tool from generating iconic characters and deepfaking celebrities, following cease-and-desist letters from Disney and Paramount Skydance. The studios claimed widespread infringement, with users sharing AI videos featuring copyrighted characters on social media.

In the tech sector, Fractal Analytics, India's first AI company to IPO, experienced a less-than-stellar debut. TechCrunch reported that the stock listed below its issue price and closed down 7, giving the company a market capitalization of about 1.6 billion. This valuation is a step down from its recent private-market highs, when the company raised 170 million in a secondary sale at a valuation of 2.4 billion in July 2025.

Finally, The Verge highlighted that retailers are offering significant discounts for Presidents Day, with deals across various categories, including earbuds, speakers, TVs, and smart home tech.

AI-Assisted Journalism

Synthesized from multiple sources. Reviewed for accuracy.

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