logo
Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Murdoch over reporting on Epstein ties

Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Murdoch over reporting on Epstein ties

Irish Examiner2 days ago
President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Friday against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, a day after the newspaper published a story reporting on ties to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Miami. It seeks at least 10 billion dollars (£7.4 billion) in damages.
Mr Trump promised a lawsuit after the newspaper described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper says bore Mr Trump's name and was included in a 2003 album for Epstein's 50th birthday.
The president denied writing the letter, calling the story 'false, malicious, and defamatory'.
Jeffrey Epstein in 2017 (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP)
The letter was reportedly collected by disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell as part of a birthday album for Epstein years before he was first arrested in 2006 and subsequently had a falling-out with Mr Trump.
The letter bearing Mr Trump's name includes text framed by the outline of what appears to be a hand-drawn naked woman and ends with, 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,' according to the newspaper.
The outlet described the contents of the letter but did not publish a photo showing it entirely or provide details on how it came to learn about it.
It comes after the US Justice Department asked a federal court to unseal grand jury transcripts in Epstein's case at the direction of Mr Trump amid a firestorm over the administration's handling of records related to the case.
Deputy attorney general Todd Blanche filed motions urging the court to unseal the Epstein transcripts as well as those in the case against Maxwell, who was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein.
Epstein killed himself in 2019 shortly after his arrest while awaiting trial.
The Justice Department's announcement that it would not be making public any more Epstein files enraged parts of Mr Trump's base, in part because members of his own administration had hyped the expected release and stoked conspiracies around the well-connected financier.
Activists put up a poster showing President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein near the US Embassy in London (AP/Thomas Krych)
The Justice Department said in the court filings that it will work with prosecutors in New York to make appropriate redactions of victim-related information and other personally identifying information before transcripts are released.
'Transparency in this process will not be at the expense of our obligation under the law to protect victims,' Mr Blanche wrote.
But despite the new push to release the grand jury transcripts, the administration has not announced plans to reverse course and release other evidence in its possession.
Attorney general Pam Bondi had hyped the release of additional materials after the initial Epstein files disclosure in February sparked outrage because it contained no new revelations.
A judge would have to approve the release of the grand jury transcripts, and it is likely to be a lengthy process to decide what can become public and to make redactions to protect sensitive witness and victim information.
The records would show testimony from witnesses and other evidence presented by the prosecution during the secret grand jury proceedings, when a panel decides whether there is enough evidence to bring an indictment, or a formal criminal charge.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Japanese PM's coalition loses majority in upper house election
Japanese PM's coalition loses majority in upper house election

Irish Examiner

timean hour ago

  • Irish Examiner

Japanese PM's coalition loses majority in upper house election

Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition has failed to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, NHK public television said. Mr Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already had to reach the goal. With two more seats to be decided, the coalition had only 46 seats. The loss is another blow to Mr Ishiba's coalition, making it a minority in both houses following its October defeat in the lower house election, and worsening Japan's political instability. Voters fill in their ballots at a polling station in Tokyo (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) It was the first time the LDP had lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's foundation in 1955. Despite the loss, Mr Ishiba expressed determination to stay on to tackle challenges such as US tariff threats, but he could face calls from within his party to step down or find another coalition partner. 'I will fulfil my responsibility as head of the number one party and work for the country,' he said. Mr Ishiba had set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which meant his LDP and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already had. Mr Ishiba could face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner (Shuji Kajiyama, Pool/AP) Exit poll results released seconds after the ballots closed on Sunday night mostly showed a major setback for Mr Ishiba's coalition. The LDP alone won 38 seats, better than most exit poll projections of 32, and still the number one party in the parliament, known as the Diet. 'It's a tough situation. I take it humbly and sincerely,' Mr Ishiba told a live interview with NHK. He said the poor showing was because his government's measures to combat price increases had yet to reach many people. Sunday's vote comes after Mr Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) The poor performance in the election will not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader, but it will certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Mr Ishiba could face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Mr Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. US president Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations (Alex Brandon/AP) It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. US president Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations and the lack of sales of US vehicles and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect on August 1 has been another blow for Mr Ishiba. Mr Ishiba resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters were rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. But the eight main opposition groups were too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative.

Russia open to peace but must 'achieve goals' in Ukraine
Russia open to peace but must 'achieve goals' in Ukraine

RTÉ News​

time3 hours ago

  • RTÉ News​

Russia open to peace but must 'achieve goals' in Ukraine

Russia is open to peace with Ukraine but achieving "our goals" remains a priority, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Mr Peskov and other Russian officials have repeatedly rejected accusations from Kyiv and its western partners of stalling peace talks. Meanwhile, Moscow continues to intensify its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, with more drones launched in a single night than during some entire months in 2024, and analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate. Mr Peskov told state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin: "(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. "This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy. "The main thing for us is to achieve our goals. Our goals are clear." Kremlin on peace conditions The Kremlin has insisted any peace deal should see Ukraine withdraw from the four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully captured. It also wants Ukraine to renounce its bid to join NATO and accept strict limits on its armed forces, demands Kyiv and its Western allies have rejected. In his nightly address yesterday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his officials had proposed a new round of peace talks this week. Russian state media reported today that no date had yet been set for the negotiations but that Istanbul would likely remain the host city. Mr Trump threatened Russia on 14 July with steep tariffs and announced a rejuvenated pipeline for US weapons to reach Ukraine, hardening his stance towards Moscow after months of frustration following unsuccessful negotiations aimed at ending the war. Previous negotiations in Istanbul The direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul resulted in several rounds of prisoner exchanges, but little else. Mr Trump said he would implement "severe tariffs" unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days. He provided few details on how they would be implemented, but suggested they would target Russia's trading partners in an effort to isolate Moscow in the global economy. In addition, Mr Trump said European allies would buy "billions and billions" of dollars of US military equipment to be transferred to Ukraine, replenishing the besieged country's supplies of weapons. Included in the plan are Patriot air defence systems, a top priority for Ukraine as it fends off Russian drones and missiles. Russian drones shot down overnight Elsewhere, Ukraine's air force said it shot down 18 of 57 Shahed-type and decoy drones launched by Russia overnight, with seven more disappearing from radar. Two women were injured in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian region partly occupied by Russia, when a drone struck their house, according to the regional military administration. Two more civilians were injured in Izium, north-eastern Ukraine, after a drone hit a residential building, local Ukrainian officials said. Later, drones struck a leafy square in the centre of Sumy, wounding a woman and her seven-year-old son, officials said. The strike also damaged a power line, leaving some 100 households without electricity, according to Serhii Krivosheienko of the municipal military administration. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said its forces had shot down 93 Ukrainian drones targeting Russian territory overnight, including at least 15 that appeared to be headed for Moscow. Ten more drones were downed on the approach to the capital today, according to mayor Sergei Sobyanin. He said one drone had struck a residential building in Zelenograd, on the outskirts of Moscow, damaging an apartment but causing no casualties.

Child killer Lucy Letby & Sara Sharif's evil stepmum spend hours playing Uno in cushy jail sparking fury from lags
Child killer Lucy Letby & Sara Sharif's evil stepmum spend hours playing Uno in cushy jail sparking fury from lags

The Irish Sun

time4 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Child killer Lucy Letby & Sara Sharif's evil stepmum spend hours playing Uno in cushy jail sparking fury from lags

KILLER nurse Lucy Letby and the stepmother of murdered Sara Sharif have bonded in prison over family card game Uno. Letby and 5 Killer nurse Lucy Letby has struck up a new friendship in her cushy jail unit Credit: PA 5 Stepmother of murdered Sara Sharif Beinash Batool, who is serving 33 years Credit: AP 5 The child killers are both inmates with 'enhanced' privileges at HMP Bronzefield, Surrey Credit: Alamy The child killers — both inmates with 'enhanced' privileges at HMP Bronzefield, Surrey — also spend time in each other's cells and in the kitchen together. But their love of the Uno game, which sees players try to match cards and yell 'Uno' when they have just one left, has sparked fury among staff and lags. Our source said: 'It's a grim spectacle. They spend ages at the table playing and get really into it. 'People are angry, but staff have to do what they can to keep prisoners happy. Read more on Lucy Letby 'Letby and 'They are both enhanced prisoners, so they get a lot of freedom and can buy decent food. And they are often in the kitchen, chatting and making cheese toasties. 'The difference between them is that Batool does not discuss her crime, while Letby tells anyone who will listen that 'They both have jobs, with Letby doing cleaning and Batool helping in the library. Most read in The Sun 'They are also monitored closely by staff as they are at risk of attack. But their lives will stay quite comfortable as long as they behave.' Letby, 35, and Batool, 31, are held on Unit 4 of 527-inmate Bronzefield, which is run by private firm Sodexo. I'm the expert who helped nail Lucy Letby - and here's eight reasons why she's guilty They both have TVs with Freeview channels and a DVD player, along with books and films, which they can order from the library. Others on the unit include Shamed prison officer Letby — Batool was Sara's dad, Urfan Sharif, is A pre-inquest review into Sara's death will be held today. The girl's mother, A spokesman for Sodexo said they would not comment on individuals. 5 Ten-year-old Sara Sharif was murdered by her parents Credit: PA 5 The pair's love of card game Uno has sparked fury among staff and lags Credit: Stewart Williams

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store