Daily roundup: Nasi padang chain Hjh Maimunah to introduce colour-coded price labels — and other top stories today, World News
1. Nasi padang chain Hjh Maimunah to introduce colour-coded price labels
Popular nasi padang chain Hjh Maimunah will soon be launching colour-coded price labels for its dishes... » READ MORE
2. Etomidate found in blood of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA
Etomidate has been detected in the blood samples of two people involved in a fatal road accident in Punggol Road in May, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on July 25... » READ MORE
3. Michelin Guide Singapore 2025: Sushi Sakuta promoted to 2 stars, 1 restaurant earns its first star
After the announcement of the Michelin Bib Gourmand results on July 17, it's now time for the full selection of the Michelin Guide Singapore 2025, now in its ninth edition... » READ MORE
4. Trump, McMahon and Undertaker pay tribute to Hulk Hogan
Donald Trump and wrestlers Vince McMahon and The Undertaker have added to the flood of tributes to Hulk Hogan — as a frantic 911 call ahead of the WWE hero's death was released... » READ MORE
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Epstein victims express ‘disgust and fear' at handling of files
President Donald Trump has acknowledged a friendship with Epstein, but says it ended years before Epstein's death. A pair of Jeffrey Epstein's victims blasted the Trump administration and the Justice Department for their attempts to unseal grand jury testimony in the criminal case against the late financier, saying government officials have not listened to the voices of people who were harmed by his actions. The two victims, who were not identified, asked in separate letters filed in a Manhattan court on Aug 4, that any files related to Epstein be reviewed to protect their privacy before being released to the public. Epstein died in prison in 2019 as he faced sex-trafficking charges. The request comes amid a controversy sparked by the Trump administration's decision in July not to release documents that could reveal some of Epstein's clients. In the wake of the backlash, Attorney General Pam Bondi asked courts in New York and Florida to unseal grand jury documents relating to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein for sex trafficking. In one of the letters, an Epstein victim said they were writing 'in disdain, disgust and fear' of how the Justice Department has dealt with the promise to release information in the case, saying the situation should have been handled with 'more respect towards and for the victims'. 'I am not some pawn in your political warfare,' said the victim. 'What you have done and continue to do is eating at me day after day as you help to perpetuate this story indefinitely. Why not be completely transparent? Show us all the files with only the necessary redactions! Be done with it and allow me/us to heal. You protect yourself and your powerful and wealthy 'friends' (not enemies) over the victims, why?' The US on July 18 asked US District Judges Richard M. Berman and Mr Paul Engelmayer to release transcripts of the proceedings in the case against Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, and both judges have given victims until Aug 5 to respond to the requests. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia What's it like to deal with brutal US tariffs? Ask Malaysia Singapore Singapore launches review of economic strategy to stay ahead of global shifts Singapore A look at the five committees reviewing Singapore's economic strategy Opinion Keeping it alive: How Chinese opera in Singapore is adapting to the age of TikTok Life Glamping in Mandai: Is a luxury stay at Colugo Camp worth the $550 price tag? Sport World Aquatics C'ships in S'pore deemed a success by athletes, fans and officials Singapore Strong S'pore-Australia ties underpinned by bonds that are continually renewed: President Tharman Spokespeople at the Justice Department did not immediately return a request for comment. President Donald Trump has acknowledged a friendship with Epstein, but says it ended years before Epstein's death. Bloomberg News reported last week that the FBI redacted Mr Trump's name and those of other high-profile individuals from government files related to Epstein, citing three people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly. The names were withheld under privacy protections because those individuals, including Mr Trump, were private citizens when the federal investigation into Epstein began in 2006, the people said. The material likely contains information beyond the grand jury testimony sought in the New York and Florida cases. Another victim asked Mr Berman to have a third party review any documents to ensure no victims' names or likenesses are revealed through the process, saying that it appeared the Justice Department's priority is to protect 'wealthy men'. 'To learn that our own president has utilised thousands of agents to protect his identity and these high-profile individuals is monumentally mind-blowing,' the victim wrote. 'That is their focus? Wow!' Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in helping Epstein sexually abuse underage women.
AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- AsiaOne
US DOJ to open grand jury probe into Obama officials, source says, World News
WASHINGTON — US Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed federal prosecutors to launch a grand jury probe into allegations that members of Democratic former President Barack Obama's administration manufactured intelligence on Russia's interference in the 2016 elections, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday (Aug 4). The Justice Department said late last month it was forming a strike force to assess claims made by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard about "alleged weaponization of the US intelligence community." Republican US President Donald Trump has leaped on comments from Gabbard in which she threatened to refer Obama administration officials to the Justice Department for prosecution over an intelligence assessment of Russian interference. Fox News first reported that Bondi personally ordered an unnamed federal prosecutor to initiate legal proceedings and the prosecutor is expected to present department evidence to a grand jury, which could consider an indictment if the Justice Department pursued a criminal case. The report cited a letter from Bondi and a source. A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment. Last month, Trump accused Obama of treason, alleging, without providing evidence, that the Democrat led an effort to falsely tie him to Russia and undermine his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump won the 2016 election against Democrat Hillary Clinton. A spokesperson for Obama had denounced Trump's claims, saying "these bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction." Gabbard had declassified documents and said the information she released showed a "treasonous conspiracy" in 2016 by top Obama officials to undermine Trump, claims that Democrats called false and politically motivated. An assessment by the US intelligence community published in January 2017 concluded that Russia, using social media disinformation, hacking, and Russian bot farms, sought to damage Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and bolster Trump, who won that election. The assessment determined the actual impact was likely limited and showed no evidence that Moscow's efforts actually changed voting outcomes. Russia has denied it attempted to interfere in US elections. [[nid:720498]]
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Brazil police place former president Bolsonaro under house arrest
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BRASILIA - Brazilian authorities placed former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is standing trial on charges of plotting a coup, under house arrest on Aug 4, in a move that could escalate tensions with the administration of US President Donald Trump. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the arrest order, saying in his decision that the right-wing firebrand did not comply with judicial restraining orders imposed on him in July. Bolsonaro is facing charges that he conspired with dozens of his allies to overturn his 2022 electoral loss to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Mr Moraes also banned Bolsonaro from receiving visits, with exceptions for lawyers and people authorised by the court, and use of a cell phone either directly or through third parties. A press representative for Bolsonaro confirmed that he was placed under house arrest late afternoon on Aug 4 and that a cell phone had been seized. In a statement, Brazil's federal police said it had complied with the Supreme Court's orders for house arrest and to seize cell phones, though it did not name the target of the operation. The restrictions on Bolsonaro had been imposed over allegations that he courted the interference of Mr Trump, who recently tied steep new tariffs on Brazilian goods to what he called a 'witch hunt' against Bolsonaro, his ideological ally. The house arrest order follows over two years of investigations into Bolsonaro's role in an election-denying movement that culminated in riots by his supporters that rocked Brasilia in January 2023. The unrest drew comparisons to the riots at the US Capitol after Mr Trump's electoral defeat in 2020. In contrast with the tangle of criminal cases which mostly stalled against Mr Trump, Brazilian courts and investigators moved swiftly against Bolsonaro, threatening to end his political career and fracture his right-wing movement. Bolsonaro's son Eduardo Bolsonaro, a Brazilian congressman, moved to the US around the same time the former president's trial kicked off to drum up support for his father in Washington. The younger Bolsonaro said the move had influenced Mr Trump's decision to impose new tariffs on Brazil. Mr Trump in July shared a letter he had sent to Bolsonaro. 'I have seen the terrible treatment you are receiving at the hands of an unjust system turned against you,' he wrote. 'This trial should end immediately!' Washington late in July hit Mr Moraes with sanctions, accusing the judge of authorising arbitrary pre-trial detentions and suppressing freedom of expression. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bolsonaro's house arrest. However, Mr Trump's tactics may be backfiring in Brazil, compounding trouble for Bolsonaro and rallying public support behind Mr Lula's leftist government. In an interview with Reuters in July, Bolsonaro called Mr Moraes a 'dictator' and said the restrictive measures against him were acts of 'cowardice'. REUTERS
