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This Week in Explainers: Did Trump send birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein with ‘naked' woman's drawing?
A person takes a photo as a message calling on President Donald Trump to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein is projected onto the US Chamber of Commerce building across from the White House in Washington, DC, on July 18. Trump's administration said it would seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein, as the US president sought to dispel lingering political fallout over his team's handling of the late financier's sex trafficking case. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will ask a court to unseal the grand jury transcripts, as Trump's relationship with Epstein came under the spotlight again over an alleged off-colour letter published by the Wall Street Journal. AFP
It's been yet another week of flip-flops courtesy of Donald Trump. The US President is 'frustrated' with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. So much so that he announced a deal to send US weapons to Ukraine through Nato. That's not all. Trump threatened 100 per cent tariffs on Russia and secondary sanctions on its trading partners if there was no deal to end the war by early September.
Potus reportedly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if Kyiv could strike the Russian capital if he provided long-range weaponry. But he seemed to have changed in mind, later saying that Ukraine should not target the Russian capital.
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West Asia was on the boil yet again. In Syria, clashes broke out between government forces and members of the Druze community, a minority sect, in the Suweida province. As the fighting escalated, Israel intervened, attacking its northern neighbour, even bombing the capital Damascus. The Jewish nation said it was defending the Druze.
The country remains on edge. Sectarian clashes continue in southern Syria despite a ceasefire announcement. Druze fighters reportedly pushed out Bedouin gunmen from the city of Suweida on Saturday.
Trump has been on a war path with Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. There was speculation that he might fire Powell after a meeting on Tuesday (July 15) at which he polled lawmakers about what he should do. Turns out, Potus decided against it.
The president is not having the best week. The Epstein files continue to haunt him. He has ordered the US justice department to produce additional documents related to the sex offender amid an explosive Wall Street Journal report that he sent Jeffrey Epstein 'bawdy letters for a 50th birthday'. Following through on his Libel threat, Trump has also sued Rupert Murdoch and two reporters over the article.
As the controversy refuses to die down, Trump's Maga base is losing patience – they are not happy that the Epstein list has been kept secret, and they are not happy about the support to Ukraine either.
In Asia, Pakistan is battling the same old problem – intense floods that have claimed hundreds of lives. Bangladesh once again was gripped by violence, this time in ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's hometown, Gopalganj. And Thailand was rocked by a sex scandal involving monks.
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In our weekly wrap, we take a deep dive into some of these stories.
1. US President Donald Trump has changed his tune on the Russia-Ukraine war. At one time, he appeared to be courting his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. But this past week has been about tough talk – Potus has set a 50-day deadline for Putin to end the conflict and has threatened Moscow and its trading partners with tariffs. He has a new weapons plan for Ukraine. But why this big U-turn? This explainer analyses.
Ukrainian service members walk next to a launcher of a Patriot air defence system, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location. US President Donald Trump has said to have discussed providing Patriot missiles to Kyiv. File photo/Reuters
2. The Donald Trump-Jeffrey Epstein saga is far from over. The US president has ordered the Justice Department to produce some additional documents related to the sex offender. Amid growing pressure over the Epstein files from the Maga base, an explosive report by the Wall Street Journal revealed that the disgraced financier received a note on his 50th birthday, which bore the president's name and the drawing of a naked woman. Were Trump and Epstein close?
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People walk out of the West Wing of the White House with 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' binders, in Washington, DC, on, February 27 Trump said on Thursday (July 17) that he had directed his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking case. Reuters
3. There's a new chapter to the Donald Trump vs Jerome Powell story. The president has been going after the Federal Reserve chair for a while. Earlier in the week, he almost fired him. Hours after asking lawmakers whether he should sack the central banker, the president said it was 'highly unlikely' that he would do so. But does Potus have this power?
Donald Trump on Tuesday asked a group of House Republicans if he should fire Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. File photo/Reuters
5. Donald Trump wants to make Coca-Cola great again. He says the beverage giant has agreed to use real cane sugar in its drinks sold in the US. The cola currently has corn syrup in American products. So what changes? Well, to put it simply, the American Coke will now taste like the Indian one.
6. West Asia continues to be gripped by instability. In Syria, clashes erupted between Bedouin gunmen and militias linked with the Druze minority. Government forces were blamed for joining in attacks on the Druze. Then Israel decided to step in. It launched strikes against the Syrian forces and bombed military infrastructure in Damascus. The fighting stopped after a truce was announced on Wednesday (July 15). But why did the Jewish nation attack Syria? Why does it want to protect the Druze? We explain.
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Bedouin fighters stand in front of a burned shop at Mazraa village on the outskirts of Sweida city, during clashes between the Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, on July 18. AP
7. Next, we talk about a shocker from Thailand. A sex scandal involving hundreds of monks is unravelling in the Asian nation. A woman has been arrested for allegedly seducing Thai monks and then extorting millions by blackmailing them with intimate videos and photos. Several high-profile monks have been cast out of the monkhood. Here's what we know.
Thailand's Buddhist monks are under scrutiny after the arrest of a woman, who allegedly had sexual relations with monks and used photos and videos to blackmail them. Representational pic/AFP
8. Our last story is about the paranormal. Dan Rivera, the handler of the 'haunted' Annabelle doll, died suddenly while touring in the US. His death comes days after rumours circulated that the toy had gone missing. This is the story of the paranormal investigator and the doll.
That's our reading list for you this Sunday, dear readers. If you are hooked, you can find more such stories here.
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