News Wrap: Federal judge approves motion to unseal records in Ghislane Maxwell probe

Geoff Bennett:

And we start today's other headlines in New York.

A federal judge has approved a motion by the Justice Department to unseal records from the grand jury investigation of Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime associate. Judge Paul Engelmayer had rejected such requests in the past, but today cited a new law signed by President Trump that requires the government to release files related to Epstein by December 19.

But he cautioned that the Maxwell files won't reveal anything new, noting they do not reveal any heretofore unknown means or methods of Epstein's or Maxwell's crimes.

We have an update now to a story we brought you last month. The Army has filed criminal charges against a gynecologist who has been accused of secretly filming patients. Dr. Blaine McGraw has been charged with indecent visual recording and conduct unbecoming an officer, among others.

They stem from his work at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas. Officials say there are a total of 44 victims. He's currently being held in a county jail in Texas.

President Trump is doubling down on threats to expand U.S. military operations against drug trafficking targets. In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, Mr. Trump said he was open to actions in Colombia and Mexico, and he declined repeatedly to rule out a ground invasion in Venezuela.

It comes as administration officials briefed top lawmakers today on the military's nearly two dozen strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Democratic lawmakers are pushing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to release unedited video of a September strike in which two survivors were killed as they clung to the wreckage of their boat.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY):

His answer: We have to study it.

Well, in my view, they have studied it long enough, and Congress ought to be able to see it. I told him that every member of Congress, so many members of Congress, Democrat and Republican, had a right to see it, wanted to see it, and should see it.

Geoff Bennett:

Also today, Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, who will retire from command of the campaign to destroy alleged drug boats, held a separate classified video call with lawmakers.

Honduras is seeking the arrest of the country's former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was pardoned by President Trump and released from a us prison last week. The attorney general of Honduras is asking authorities there and Interpol to execute a 2023 arrest warrant for Hernandez over fraud and money laundering charges.

He was sentenced last year to 45 years in prison for helping move tons of cocaine to the U.S. Mr. Trump announced his plan to pardon Hernandez just days before national elections in Honduras, claiming that he had been treated unfairly by prosecutors.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's ready to hold elections within 90 days, but only if Ukraine's U.S. and European partners can help ensure security for such a vote. Zelenskyy has been criticized for staying in his role after his term ended last year.

Just today, President Trump said in that Politico interview that without elections in Ukraine — quote — "It gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore." Zelenskyy has said it's unsafe to hold a vote during wartime and has pointed to Ukraine's Constitution, which bars elections while martial law is in effect.

But, today, he offered to work with that country's Parliament to change the law to allow a vote.

Australia has officially rolled out the world's first social media ban for those under the age of 16. It's up to the companies to decide how they enforce the ban. Ten platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, face fines of up to us $30 million if they fail to comply.

One high schooler who is part of a lawsuit challenging the ban says it's unfairly cut off his access to the broader world.

Noah Jones, Social Media Advocate:

As young Australians, we will be completely silenced and cut off from our country and the rest of the world with this ban. We have just grown up with this our entire lives, and now it's just being taken away from us all of a sudden.

Geoff Bennett:

The rollout is being watched closely by other countries which are considering similar measures amid global concerns over the impact of social media on children's health and safety.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended mixed ahead of tomorrow's decision by the Fed on interest rates. The Dow Jones industrial average gave back about 180 points on the day. The Nasdaq managed a modest gain of about 30 points. The S&P 500 slipped just six points, so roughly flat.

And Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks, has died. He helped write some of the band's most popular songs, including "There Goes My Heart" from 1994. He co-founded the Grammy Award-winning group back in 1989 fusing alt-country Americana and Latin sounds.

Malo brought his expansive, soulful voice to more than a dozen albums in both English and Spanish. Last year, he announced that he had stage four colon cancer. Raul Malo was 60 years old.