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United States District Judge Paul Engelmayer also instructed DOJ to address whether "all such materials" have since been blacked out in the 3.5 million Epstein-related emails, photos, videos and other data from its investigative files that it made public Jan. 30.

Engelmayer's Feb. 3 order came in response to a legal filing by two lawyers representing Epstein survivors "regarding an unfolding emergency that requires immediate judicial intervention" – including an immediate takedown of the Justice Department website hosting the Epstein files until they can be purged of everything identifying his accusers.

What appears to be outdoor furniture is seen in a photo released by US Department of Justice from one of Jeffrey Epstein's properties.

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Inside Epstein homes: See odd items that raise more questions than answers

Lawyers Bradley Edwards and Brittany Henderson, who said they represent dozens of Epstein accusers, also asked the court to appoint an independent special master to oversee redaction and republication of the DOJ files, and to keep open the chance for judicial sanctions, "including contempt and monetary relief."

"For the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, every hour matters. The harm is ongoing and irreversible," the lawyers wrote in a detail-filled seven page filing. "This Court is the last line of defense for victims who were promised protection and instead were exposed. Judicial intervention is not merely appropriate – it is essential."

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in announcing the new release Jan. 30 that images of all women in the files – with the exception of convicted Epstein associateGhislaine Maxwell– would be redacted in an effort to ensure that no personal details would be made public.

But in the first 48 hours since the files' Jan. 30 release, Edwards and Henderson said they reported to DOJ "thousands of redaction failures on behalf of nearly 100 individual survivors whose lives have been turned upside down by DOJ's latest release."

Besides receiving death threats, some Epstein accusers overseas who had wanted to remain anonymous have had to contend with media reports publishing their identities and photos, the lawyers said.

Other victims have also gone public with similar accusations about how DOJ made their identities public after promising not to, while keeping secret the identities of potential Epstein accomplices.

"There is no conceivable degree of institutional incompetence sufficient to explain the scale, consistency, and persistence of the failures that occurred," Edwards and Henderson wrote, "particularly where the sole task ordered by the Court and repeatedly emphasized by DOJ was simple: redact known victim names before publication."

All the Justice Department needed to do, they told Engelmayer, was to type each victim's name into its own search function and then redact it before making the files public in itsonline "Epstein Library"database.

"Had DOJ done that," they said, "the harm would have been avoided."

Instead, the DOJ on Jan. 30 "committed what may be the single most egregious violation of victim privacy in one day in United States history," Edwards and Henderson wrote.

DOJ acknowledges failures. Survivors say that's not enough.

A department spokesman did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment Feb. 5 on whether DOJ would meet the judge's deadline.

In a statement to USA TODAY, the Justice Department said it "takes victim protection very seriously and has redacted thousands of victim names in the millions of published pages to protect the innocent."

"When a victim's name is alleged to be unredacted," DOJ said, "our team is working around the clock to fix the issue and republish appropriately redacted pages as soon as possible."

'Immediate judicial intervention' needed to protect accusers

The seven-page filing by Edwards and Henderson is full of examples of what they say are DOJ's failure to redact information pertaining to women dating to back to an earlier release of files released Dec. 19, 2025, as required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act that went into effect a month earlier.

The next day, Dec. 20, they said, they immediately notified DOJ of "hundreds of redaction failures" that required urgent attention, including unredacted names and dates of birth.

One document alone identified more than 30 victims according to their motion for "immediate judicial intervention."

That failure, the lawyers said, forced the Epstein survivors to stay up "all night using DOJ's search bar to identify and read every single document that was posted publicly identifying them despite being promised by your office that this would never happen."

In all, Epstein is believed to have victimized girls and young women over potentially several decades, forcing them into sex acts at his estates in New York, Florida, New Mexico and on his private Caribbean island.

Many of Epstein's estimated 1,000 to 1,200 victims cooperated with FBI agents and federal prosecutors over the years, and have insisted that their identities − and their involvement in investigations − remain anonymous. Some of the Epstein survivors were minors at the time of the alleged abuse.

But when some Epstein survivors or their lawyers contacted DOJ to request redactions, DOJ often blacked out some identifying information while leaving other data in the files, the lawyers said.

Many victims' concerns were compounded dramatically by the Jan. 30 release of exponentially more DOJ files – and more sensitive information about them and the nature of their allegations. Democratic lawmakers and other critics have called on the Justice Department to act immediately to protect them from further harm.

Maxwell was convicted of related crimes and sentenced to 20 years in prison that she is currently serving. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 after his arrest on similar charges while in a New York jail awaiting prosecution.

One DOJ document listing the names of 32 minor child victims

In their legal filing, the lawyers ticked off a litany of alleged DOJ failures, including one minor victim who had her name revealed 20 times in a single document.

"After reporting the violation," the lawyers said, "DOJ redacted her name three additional times—leaving 17 instances still unredacted as of this filing."

Another email listed 32 minor child victims, with only one name redacted and 31 left visible—despite DOJ's possession of those names, the lawyers said.

Their demand for immediate injunctive relief also contends that:

• FBI victim statements known as "302 reports" contained the full and unredacted first and last names of minor victims.

• Handwritten FBI interview notes included minor victims' full names unredacted at the top and throughout.

• Documents containing victims' names alongside dates of birth, bank information, driver's license numbers, email addresses or home addresses.

• Documents where victims' names are redacted in some places but not others within the same document.

• Documents where redactions are "pencil-thin," revealing the complete name and email address beneath.

• Documents where photographs are properly redacted in one instance and appear fully unredacted nearby.

• Hundreds of documents exposing the names of four women who have been in "near-constant communication with DOJ since December requesting protection."

As a result of those redaction failures, 20 clients who say they are Epstein survivors agreed to issue statements as part of the emergency appeal to the judge, the lawyers said.

'My life is in imminent danger,' one survivor tells DOJ

"It is so wrong on so many levels," said one, identified as Jane Doe 3. "Not only it (sic) exposes victims to potential abuse or blackmail, but it can ruin families or damage our careers. I am horrified."

Some said they are overseas, where newspapers and websites are publishing all of the details that were not supposed to be linked to them, including photos.

"How is this possible?" asked Jane Doe 4. "In [my home country], as in the entire EU, there is a strict privacy law. I'm shocked, I didn't expect such violation of our privacy."

Some noted that while dozens of Epstein accusers went public with their allegations, they had insisted on anonymity to protect their privacy – and said that has now been shattered and placed them and their families at risk.

"Please, I'm begging you to delete my name!!!" said Jane Doe 5. "I can only imagine the devastation your errors are causing to so many other victims of Jeffrey Epstein."

Jane Doe 7 said the release of her name and photo have resulted in unwanted publicity and threats in her home country where she currently lives.

"The press makes up crazy stories and shows me as a legitimate target for others to attack me physically and in the press," Jane Doe 7 said. "My life is in imminent danger as long as you keep on releasing more files and info about me and not remove and redact the ones already released."

She added: "This is a life-threatening situation for me. Please take my plea seriously."

Jane Doe 8 said she also received death threats in the 24 hours following the Jan. 30 DOJ release, which she said included 51 entries mentioning her.

"You even had the audacity to release my private banking info and [I] am now trying to shut down cards and accounts," Jane Doe 8 said. "This kind of vicious attack on a victim at the hands of the 'Department of Justice' is an abomination."

In their filing, the lawyers said the Justice Department needs to do more to ensure that all names and identifying information are redacted immediately to prevent further harm.

Besides an immediate takedown of the files, they asked the court to appoint an independent special master to oversee redaction and republication, and to keep open the chance for judicial sanctions, "including contempt and monetary relief."

"For the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, every hour matters. The harm is ongoing and irreversible," the lawyers said. "This Court is the last line of defense for victims who were promised protection and instead were exposed. Judicial intervention is not merely appropriate – it is essential."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'Every hour matters.' Judge orders DOJ to protect Epstein survivor IDs

The Los Angeles Fire Department reported the crash at 12:11 p.m. at Rochester Avenue and Westwood Boulevard, located by a 99 Ranch Market.

LAFD reported that a bicyclist and other people were possibly struck before the structure collision. Officials did not immediately identify any of the victims.

In a later update just before 2 p.m., LAFD said two patients were in serious condition, two had minor injuries and another two signed out against medical advice at the scene.

"The driver of the silver sedan has preliminarily been identified as an elderly female," stated the LAFD update. "A bicyclist was confirmed struck approximately one block away from the incident address before the vehicle collided with the structure; upon fire department arrival, the vehicle was moved to access multiple patients who were trapped."

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A massive fire and law enforcement response were seen in the area when Sky5 arrived overhead, and an investigation is underway.

LAFD spokesperson Lindsey Lantz joined KTLA live on air after 1:35 p.m Thursday and said early reports suggest the crash was not intentional.

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"We're still working on the cause," said Lantz. "We do not have confirmation yet if this was a mechanical issue, a medical issue, but LAPD is telling us they don't suspect any terrorist intent."

Lantz said the bicyclist who was struck survived and decided not to go to the hospital via ambulance. She also said road closures can be expected for hours.

In addition, Lantz said she could not yet confirm whether the victims were inside or outside the store at the time of the crash.

Councilwoman Yaroslavsky, who represents the Westwood neighborhood, issued the following statement after the deadly crash: "I spoke with LAFD Chief Moore earlier regarding the incident at the 99 Ranch Market in Westwood this afternoon, and my team is closely monitoring the situation. My heart is with those injured and with the families of those who lost their lives. Thank you to the first responders on scene for their swift action."

This is a developing story; check back and refresh this page for updates.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.

Flight 2259 to Quito "returned to MIA and was met by law enforcement upon arrival due to a disruptive customer," on Jan. 31, the airline told USA TODAY.

"We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their assistance in managing a difficult situation," the emailed statement continued. The 8:12 p.m. flight turned around as it was passing over Cuba, according toflight-tracking site FlightAware, landing back in Miami shortly before 10 p.m.

American did not share specifics about the passenger's behavior. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office "responded to reports of a passenger in mental crisis," police said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY.

"Upon arrival, the aircraft was safely deplaned and the individual, an adult male, was taken into custody," the statement said. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported the flyer to a local hospital where he was detained for mental health evaluation.

The Federal Aviation Administration has received 126 unruly passenger reports so far this year, according toits website. The agency received 1,621 in 2025, and 2,096 the year before.

"The rate of unruly passenger incidents steadily dropped by over 80 percent since record highs in early 2021, but recent increases show there remains more work to do," the FAA said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:American flight turns around after takeoff due to unruly passenger

The agreement was reached following meetings between U.S. Gen.Alexus Grynkewich, who is the commander in Europe of both U.S. and NATO forces, and senior Russian and Ukrainian military officials, the U.S. European Command said in a statement.

The channel "will provide a consistent military-to-military contact as the parties continue to work towards a lasting peace," the statement said. High-level military communication was suspended in 2021, as relations between Moscow and Washington grew increasingly strained ahead of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Grynkewich was in the capital of the United Arab Emirates where talks between American, Russian and Ukrainian officials on ending the war in Ukraine entered a second day and as Moscowescalated its attacks on Ukraine's power grid. Russia appears to be aiming to deny civilians power and weaken public support for the fight, while hostilities continue along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile)front linesnaking along eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.

An effort to lower tensions

The resumption of the military-to-military hotline marks an effort to lower the tensions that soared since the start of the war in Ukraine and avoid collisions between the Russian and U.S. militaries.

In one such incident in March 2023, the U.S. military said it ditched an Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Black Sea after a pair of Russian fighter jets dumped fuel on it and then one of them struck its propeller while it was flying in international airspace. Moscow has denied that its warplanes hit the drone, alleging that it crashed while making a sharp maneuver. It said that its aircraft reacted to a violation of a no-flight zone Russia has established in the area near Crimea amid the fighting in Ukraine.

Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern about intelligence flights by the U.S. and other NATO aircraft over the Black Sea, and some Russian officials charged that the U.S. surveillance flights helped gather intelligence that allowed Ukraine to strike Russian targets.

NATO members have been increasingly worried about intrusions into allied airspace, some of them blamed on Russia. Some European officials described the incidents as Moscow testing NATO's response.

In September, a swarm of Russian drones flew into Poland's airspace, prompting NATO aircraft to scramble to intercept them and shoot down some of the devices. It was the first direct encounter between NATO and Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Later that month, NATO jets escorted three Russian warplanes out of Estonia's airspace.

Russia, Ukraine exchange prisoners following talks

The delegations from Moscow and Kyiv were joined Thursday in the capital of the United Arab Emirates by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, according to Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council chief, who was present at the meeting.

They were also atlast month's talksin the same place as the Trump administration tries tosteer Russia and Ukrainetoward a settlement. At the time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the issue of who would control the Donbas industrial heartland of eastern Ukraine as "key."

Officials have provided no information about any progress in the discussions.

Following the talks on Thursday, however, Russia and Ukraine said they had carried out a prisoner exchange. The Russian Defense Ministry said it brought 157 Russian servicemen back from Ukrainian captivity, as well as three Russian nationals captured during Kyiv's incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Ukrainian officials said 150 Ukrainian servicemen and seven civilians returned from Russian captivity.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the released Russian soldiers are currently in Belarus, getting necessary medical assistance, before being taken back to Russia "for treatment and rehabilitation."

Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that among the 150 service members who returned from Russian captivity, "18 had been illegally sentenced by Russia." He said that "overall, those released are in a difficult psychological condition, and some are critically underweight."

Zelenskyy says 55,000 Ukrainian troops killed in the war

Zelenskyy said that 55,000 Ukrainian troops have died sinceRussia's invasionalmost four years ago. "And there is a large number of people whom Ukraine considers missing," he added in an interview broadcast by French TV channel France 2 late Wednesday.

The last time Zelenskyy gave a figure for battlefield deaths, in early 2025, he said 46,000 Ukrainian troops had been killed.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly said his country needs security guarantees from the U.S. and Europe to deter any postwar Russian attacks.

Ukrainians must feel that there is genuine progress toward peace and "not toward a scenario in which the Russians exploit everything to their advantage and continue their strikes," Zelenskyy said on social media late Wednesday.

Last year saw a 31% increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties compared with 2024, the advocacy group Human Rights Watch said in a report published Wednesday.

Almost 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and just over 40,000 injured since the start of the war through last December, according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

Also Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in Kyiv on an official visit.

Two people were injured in the Ukrainian capital as a result of overnight Russian drone strikes, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. In the wider Kyiv region, a man suffered a shrapnel chest wound, authorities said.

Russia fired 183 drones and two ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force.

Russian air defenses downed 95 Ukrainian drones overnight over several regions, the Azov Sea and Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2016, Russia's Defense Ministry said.

Burrows reported from London.

Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine athttps://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

A Ranger helicopter crew responded to assist the Flagstaff Police Department and other law enforcement agencies on Wednesday night, Sgt. Kameron Lee of the department said in a statement.

"Tragically, during the incident, the helicopter crashed, killing both the pilot and the trooper/paramedic on board," Lee said.

The names of the trooper and pilot have not been released.

The Bell 407 helicopter crashed near Flagstaff about 10:15 p.m. and there was a fire afterward, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. A search of the registration number showed the helicopter was manufactured in 2004.

KTVK-TV showed a map indicating that the crash happened northeast of the shooting scene.

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The FAA said it will assist the National Transportation Safety Board in the crash investigation. An email seeking information was sent to the NTSB early Thursday.

The state Department of Public Safety's Air Rescue Unit is trained for various high-risk situations, including mountain and water rescues.

Members of Arizona's congressional delegation posted comments about the crash online.

"Tragic news. Please pray for their families and everyone involved," said U.S. Rep. Eli Crane, whose district includes Flagstaff.

"Heartbreaking news out of northern Arizona this morning, and a grim reminder of the dangers law enforcement face," U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton wrote. "Praying for these officers' loved ones and the entire Arizona Department of Public Safety."

The suspect in the shooting suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds and was taken into custody, Lee said. No one else was injured.