Trump says James Bond star helped him get golf course approved
Trump performed a lacklustre impression of Sir Sean Connery's accent while addressing guests at the Scottish resort.
Doubts were raised regarding the veracity of Trump's claims about Sir Sean Connery's direct influence on the golf course's planning permission.
Trump met with Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who raised the plight of Gazans and pleaded for more support for those suffering from malnourishment.
Trump also met with Sir Keir Starmer and commented on the Gaza conflict, expressing concern for starving children and suggesting Benjamin Netanyahu might need to change his tactics.
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The Guardian
4 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘It's not a coincidence': after Ghislaine Maxwell's prison move … what next?
When Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred to a minimum security prison camp last week, despite being convicted of sex trafficking for Jeffrey Epstein, her move fueled ever-growing speculation about authorities' handling of the late financier's crimes. For many, the timing of Maxwell's sudden relocation from a Florida penitentiary to a Texas lockup known for its more campus feel and celebrity inmates was especially suspect – with two Epstein victims reportedly describing the event as a 'cover-up'. Maxwell, who was found guilty in 2021 of luring girls into Epstein's abusive world, met with the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, one week before the move. This sit-down with Blanche – who defended Donald Trump in criminal proceedings before working in his justice department – came amid extensive criticism of the president's botched release of Epstein investigative files. The Epstein scandal is once again roiling American politics with many especially focused on the exact nature of Trump's own social links to Epstein, who killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019. Trump had vowed on the campaign trail to release the Epstein files, a siren song to the many Maga devotees convinced that a network of elites protected Epstein and potentially participated in his sex trafficking of teen girls. But Trump's justice department then later released a memorandum stating that there was no Epstein client list and elected not to release extensive case files. Following the backtracking, several reports highlighting Trump's past ties to Epstein stoked still more suspicion. The Wall Street Journal published an article alleging that Trump contributed a 'bawdy' letter to a birthday book for Epstein. Not long after this story was published, Trump said that he had instructed the justice department to request unsealing of grand jury transcripts in Epstein and Maxwell's criminal proceedings. The newspaper on 23 July reported that his attorney general, Pam Bondi, told him that there were multiple instances of his name in the Epstein files, potentially negating whatever benefit he hoped would come from his grand jury directive. The House oversight committee on Tuesday subpoenaed Trump's justice department for Epstein investigation files, per the Associated Press – further amplifying comment surrounding Maxwell's improved prison conditions. Several longtime defense attorneys said that Maxwell's reassignment to FPC Bryan suggested she provided useful information to the justice department officials she talked with. It's also possible that this transfer foreshadows still better conditions for Maxwell – including possible release, they speculated. 'My thinking is: if it walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck,' said Randy Zelin, a longtime defense attorney who has taught law at Cornell Law School. 'If someone who is in a really not nice prison gets moved to a nicer prison, there is typically a reason behind that, and it's not merely because you are the next contestant on The Price Is Right or today's your lucky day. 'It would appear to me that when Ms Maxwell was questioned under what we call a 'proffer agreement' by the government, the answers that she gave were found to be credible, they were found to be truthful and they were found to be helpful,' Zelin said. 'In exchange for her being helpful and being truthful and being candid and being cooperative, she had a [benefit] conferred upon her, which is: she's in much nicer digs than she was before she provided her help to the government.' While the Bureau of Prisons has discretion over inmate placement, Zelin surmises there was probably an agreement between the correctional agency and the justice department to move Maxwell. 'It's not a coincidence, and it's either because she's helping the Department of Justice go after other people, or she has more or less exonerated the president, and she has told the Department of Justice that she knows of absolutely nothing inappropriate, untoward or gross that took place between the president and Jeffrey Epstein,' Zelin said. Asked if one should look at Maxwell's move as a one-off, Zelin said no. 'This is the beginning, not the end.' For Sam Bassett, a criminal defense attorney with Austin, Texas-based law firm Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey, publicity surrounding Maxwell's meeting is particularly interesting. 'One of the things that intrigued me about the whole situation with her interview is how public it was and how public her lawyer was about it. I know that when my clients cooperate, either post conviction or even before they're convicted, it's something that I like to keep under wraps,' Bassett said. He noted that one reason for privacy surrounding meetings and cooperation is because other inmates tend to look down upon those who cooperate. 'So it really flagged to me that this was kind of a political move on a lawyer's part. It puts some pressure on the president or his staff to consider a pardon or commutation at some point.' As for Maxwell's transfer, Bassett said it could stem from security reasons – such as threats at her previous prison in Florida – or her lawyers requested a move. But it was 'unusual' that a person found culpable of such a serious crime as sex trafficking would end up in a prison camp. 'Maybe it's to be a recognition for cooperation, giving her more freedom, so to speak, in a facility,' he said, noting that a move to a lower-security facility might be considered a favor to some. 'The question is: is this a foreshadowing of bigger favors to come? Neama Rahmani, founder of West Coast Trial lawyers and a former federal prosecutor, said there were multiple possibilities behind the move. 'It could be something huge or just a mere coincidence,' Rahmani said. 'The Bureau of Prisons has complete control over inmate placement, and especially when you deal with female inmates, there's not as many facilities, so the options are more limited.' Rahmani said that sex trafficking was considered a more serious crime, a crime of violence, 'so her being moved to a minimum security camp would be atypical, but it's not unheard of'. That said, the chronology continues to raise many questions. Maxwell met with Blanche, she is vying for relief from the US supreme court, and potentially will testify before Congress. 'The timing of it all leads me to believe that maybe something big is really happening, and by something big, that has to be a cooperation, right? That's really all she has to offer.' For Maxwell, relief could take the form of prosecutors requesting a resentencing, prison officials moving her to home confinement, or a pardon. A veteran legal public relations expert, who spoke under the condition of anonymity as they have clients in federal custody, surmised Maxwell 'must have provided prosecutors with information that was valuable enough post conviction for her to warrant these more favorable sentencing conditions – and they're considerably more favorable'. 'The interesting thing to outsiders is it appears that she's a cooperating witness, though, at this point, she's cooperating against a corpse, and a corpse cannot be convicted,' they said. The public relations veteran described the Maxwell-Blanche meeting as 'part one' of a process potentially resulting in better sentencing conditions. 'Part two is the public finding out, through DoJ disclosure, what information she actually provided,' they said. 'I do think that there's going to be some mechanism for them to release what she shared – and I think what she shared was indeed favorable enough to secure these lessened conditions.' Asked for comment about Maxwell's transfer, a senior administration official said: 'Any false assertion this individual was given preferential treatment is absurd. Prisoners are routinely moved in some instances due to death threats, and significant safety and danger concerns.' Trump's justice department pointed to Blanche's tweet about his meeting with Maxwell, in which he said they 'will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time'. Neither the Bureau of Prisons nor Maxwell's lawyer immediately responded to requests for comment.
Daily Record
32 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Simon Community in Motherwell receives visit from Labour candidates for Scottish Parliament seats
They heard from local man Alexander who had been sleeping rough in Glasgow The Simon Community's supported accommodation service in Motherwell received a visit from Mark Griffin MSP and Councillor Ayeshah Khan. There they met staff and residents and backed calls for more investment in homelessness prevention. The visit highlighted the success of the concerted effort between Simon Community Outreach Services, Bridgework and the Homes First model in North Lanarkshire, which provides safe, stable housing with wraparound support for people experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health challenges. The Central Scotland MSP, Labour's current spokesperson in Scotland on Housing, will be standing in the Uddingston and Bellshill seat at next year's Scottish Parliament election. Current Motherwell North Ward Councillor Khan is the party's chosen candidate for the Motherwell and Wishaw seat. The candidates heard first-hand from Alexander, a local man who had been sleeping rough in Glasgow but is now on the verge of moving into his own tenancy through the collective local programme. Alexander spoke about the difference the service had made to his life, including support with addiction recovery, budgeting, and digital access. The Homes First model, supported by the Simon Community and Bridgework, in North Lanarkshire, has helped individuals with long histories of homelessness find and sustain a safe place to call home. George Provan, head of services at the Simon Community, said: 'We were delighted to welcome Mark and Ayeshah and to share the impact our teams are having in Lanarkshire. 'Services like ours work because they're built on trust, flexibility, and trauma-informed care. But at the heart of everything is housing — we need more of it, and we need to keep building strong partnerships that prioritise prevention over emergency response.' Scottish Labour has called for a national strategy to increase housing supply, reduce the use of temporary accommodation, and put prevention at the heart of the Housing Bill currently before the Scottish Parliament. Griffin said: 'I've seen up close the human cost of Scotland's housing emergency, and Alexander's story is a powerful reminder of what's at stake. 'Every day, thousands of people are stuck in temporary accommodation with no place to call home, while others are left to fall through the cracks of a broken system. But services like those provided by the Simon Community show what's possible when we put people before bureaucracy. 'As Scottish Labour's Housing spokesperson, I forced the SNP Government to admit the truth - that Scotland is in the grip of a housing crisis. But recognising the crisis isn't enough. 'With Scottish Labour, ending homelessness will be a national mission. We'll build the homes our communities need, bring rents under control, and ensure everyone, no matter their background, has a safe, secure, affordable place to call home.' Cllr Khan, added: 'This visit really brought home the difference that joined-up services can make. From housing and health to digital access and volunteering, it's the holistic support that helps people move forward. READ MORE: 'The success of the Homes First model here in North Lanarkshire, working alongside organisations like the Simon Community and Bridgework, shows what's possible when local partnerships work - now the challenge is making sure everyone who needs this kind of support can get it.'
Economist
34 minutes ago
- Economist
How is Donald Trump putting America first by bashing Brazil?
Many Republican voters don't like it Democrats have long been split over the Jewish state. Cracks are appearing among Republicans, too If both sides abandon principle, a draw is possible, but Republicans face fewer obstacles Another shocking assault on a non-partisan institution The band's 60th anniversary concerts show how much San Francisco has changed The Trump administration is cutting thousands of staff at America's favourite agency
