
FBI Ignored Key Evidence In Hillary Clinton Email Case: Declassified Files
US former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is once again under scrutiny in the United States after a report claimed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) "failed to fully investigate" Clinton's use of a private email server and mishandling of highly classified information during her time working with the Obama administration. The report comes days after US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard alleged that the Obama administration manufactured the 'hoax' around Donald Trump's Russia link.
The FBI received "thumb drives" from a "confidential source" that contained official data acquired via cyber intrusions - including emails from President Barack Obama -- the federal agency "barely glanced" at it, according to a declassified appendix to a June 2018 Justice Department (DOJ) inspector general report.
US Senator Chuck Grassley's office released a statement on the DOJ's Clinton annex report, alleging that then-FBI Director Comey, Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former Agent Peter Strzok, and others failed to perform additional, targeted searches of the drives, even though they contained information relevant to the inquiry.
Im making "Clinton annex" public 2day so the American ppl hv all the facts Sen Johnson & I hv requested this document's declassification together since 2020 & Pres Trump/Pam Bondi/Kash Patel + others finally got it done Thx 4 ur dedication to transparency https://t.co/tfdg3TlVig
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) July 21, 2025
"This document shows an extreme lack of effort and due diligence in the FBI's investigation of former Secretary Clinton's email usage and mishandling of highly classified information," Grassley said.
According to Grassley, the thumb drives contained highly sensitive information exfiltrated from US government agencies, including the Department of State, as well as then-President Barack Obama's emails and, potentially, congressional information. The thumb drives were reportedly never reviewed as part of the Clinton investigation, contrary to the recommendation of a draft FBI memorandum.
The report was penned by then-DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who holds the same position at the Federal Reserve Board and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It is not known if the FBI has carried out any other thorough investigations of the said hard drives since the 2018 watchdog report was released.
The federal agency's Cyber Division had tried to obtain access to the hard drives during the 2016 campaign cycle to carry out targeted searches for information relevant to the Clinton probe. However, the request was rebuffed, according to a Fox report.
Then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe also asked then-US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates if he could refer to the drives for the bureau's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, but again, the request was shot down. This was reportedly done due to concerns that the FBI's probe parameters were too wide and didn't properly safeguard privileged information.'
Hillary Clinton Mailing Controversy
Before she was sworn in as Secretary of State in 2009, Clinton set up a private email server at her home in New York. During her four years in office, she relied on this server for official as well as private communications rather than using official State Department email accounts maintained on federal servers.
Clinton's mailing system courted controversy after a New York Times 2015 report claimed that the system "may have violated federal requirements" and was "alarming" to current and former government archive officials.
However, the FBI later determined that Clinton's server did not contain any information that was clearly marked classified and cleared her of all charges.

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The Hindu
25 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Punnapra-Vayalar — The blood-red uprising that shaped Kerala's Left
The story so far V.S. Achuthanandan, the communist icon who passed away at the age of 101, was one of the last living flagbearers of the historic Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of 1946 in Kerala. The movement, which played a critical role in shaping Kerala's political landscape, was the crucible that forged his lifelong commitment to justice and resistance. What was Punnapra-Vayalar uprising? The Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of 1946 was a mass revolt by workers and peasants against the autocratic Travancore monarchy and the autocratic rule of Diwan C.P. Ramaswami Iyer. Rooted in the coastal belt of Alappuzha, particularly in the villages of Punnapra and Vayalar, the movement was spearheaded by the nascent Communist Party of India, which mobilised coir workers, agricultural labourers and tenants who were bearing the brunt of feudal exploitation and starvation in the wake of World War Two. At the heart of the protest was rising discontent against the Diwan's proposal to keep Travancore an independent nation, separate from the Indian Union, an idea modelled on the American presidential system. The communists were objected to this 'American model', coining the slogan: 'Throw the American model into the Arabian Sea!' A revolt fuelled by suffering The economic hardship was acute. Food shortages, black market, inflation, unemployment and starvation plagued the people. Landlords, backed by the State, ruled with impunity. In the face of such cruelty, the coir workers' union and the communist party began building ward committees and organising local resistance in Cherthala and Ambalapuzha taluks. By 1945, a general strike was held across Alappuzha, Cherthala and Muhamma, demanding basic rights and rations. The response was swift and brutal in the form of martial law and police repression. The flashpoint On 25 October 1946, as Travancore prepared to declare independence with a U.S.-style constitution, unrest was already boiling over. The All Travancore Trade Union Congress had called for a general strike starting October 22. Thousands of workers took to the streets, marching toward the reserve police camp at Punnapra, demanding freedom. When the protesters reached the camp, the officer-in-charge gave the order to open fire. Several demonstrators were shot dead. The officer and five policemen were also killed in the clashes that followed. Outraged, over 1,000 communists in Vayalar retaliated with crude spears (varikuntham, as it is locally called) carved from arecanut tree stems and killed several police personnel. The Diwan responded by declaring martial law. By October 27, the Travancore army, with naval support, had surrounded Vayalar. Outgunned, the rebels resisted fiercely but were eventually crushed. The exact toll remains uncertain, but hundreds of communists lost their lives in the brutal crackdown. Achuthanandan's role Achuthanandan, then a 23-year-old coir worker and newly minted Communist, was deeply involved in organising workers ahead of the uprising. Though arrested before the final clashes, he played a crucial role in mobilising resistance. After the uprising, V.S. went underground. Escaping to Kottayam through the backwaters, he trekked 30 km to reach Poonjar as instructed by Travancore Communist Party acting secretary K.V. Pathrose. In Poonjar, he hid in the homes of sympathisers but was soon caught and subjected to intense torture. He was presumed dead and nearly dumped in the forest. But he survived and was treated in Pala hospital before being transferred to the Poojappura Central Jail in Thiruvananthapuram. Aftermath and legacy Though the uprising was violently suppressed, it dramatically shifted Travancore's political trajectory. It symbolised the awakening of class consciousness among the oppressed and laid the ideological foundation for the rise of Left politics in the State. Less than a year later, Diwan C.P. Ramaswami Iyer resigned and left the State after an attempt on his life. This struggle also led to the beginning of a process through which the two princely States of Travancore and Cochin were first made into what was known as the Travancore-Cochin State. Seven years later, they were merged with the Malabar district of the British-ruled Madras presidency to form the new, united linguistic State of Kerala. In 1957, following the first-ever elections to the Kerala Legislative Assembly, the first democratically communist government came to power under the leadership of E.M.S. Namboodiripad. The communists regard Punnapra-Vayalar uprising as not isolated. It was part of a broader wave of militant actions across Kerala — Karivellur, Kavumbai and Thillankeri in Malabar saw similar uprisings. But the resistance in Alappuzha stood out for its intensity, sacrifice, and impact. The slogan 'the blood of Vayalar is our blood' became a rallying cry for generations of Left activists. A life lived in the spirit of resistance For Achuthanandan, the uprising was a turning point that charted the rest of his life. As a trade unionist, Leader of the Opposition, Chief Minister and elder statesman of the Left, he carried the spirit of Punnapra-Vayalar into every phase of his public life. With his passing, Kerala also looses a bridge to its revolutionary past. But the legacy set by V.S. has ensured that the fire lit in 1946 lives on in Kerala's politics, memory and conscience.

Business Standard
25 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Trump announces Asia trade deals, offers relief to some, others await
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It was a huge relief for automakers like Toyota Motor Corp and Honda, whose shares jumped by double digits in Tokyo. Trump also announced trade deals with the Philippines and Indonesia. After meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, Trump said the import tax on products from his country would be subject to a 19 per cent tariff, down just 1 per cent from the earlier threat of a 20 per cent tariff. Indonesia also will face a 19 per cent tariff, down from the 32 per cent rate Trump had recently said would apply, and it committed to eliminating nearly all of its trade barriers for imports of American goods. Earlier, Trump announced that Vietnam's exports would face a 20 per cent tariff, with double that rate for goods transshipped from China, though there has been no formal announcement. Talks with China may be extended Negotiations with China are subject to an Aug 12 deadline, but it's likely to be extended, Bessent told Fox Business on Tuesday. 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No deals yet for South Korea and other Asian countries Pressure is mounting on some countries in Asia and elsewhere as the Aug. 1 deadline for striking deals approaches. Trump sent letters, posted on Truth Social, outlining higher tariffs some countries will face if they fail to reach agreements. He said they'd face even higher tariffs if they retaliate by raising their own import duties. South Korea's is set at 25 per cent. Imports from Myanmar and Laos would be taxed at 40 per cent, Cambodia and Thailand at 36 per cent, Serbia and Bangladesh at 35 per cent, South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 30 per cent and Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Tunisia at 25 per cent. Nearly every country has faced a minimum 10 per cent levy on goods entering the US since April, on top of other sectoral levies. Economists expect tariffs to sap growth even with trade deals Even after Trump has pulled back from the harshest of his threatened tariffs, the onslaught of uncertainty and higher costs for both manufacturers and consumers has raised risks for the regional and global economy. Economists have been downgrading their estimates for growth in 2025 and beyond. The Asian Development Bank said Wednesday it had cut its growth estimate for economies in developing Asia and the Pacific to 4.7 per cent in 2025 and 4.6 per cent in 2026, down 0.2 percentage points and 0.1 percentage points. The outlook for the region could be further dimmed by an escalation of tariffs and trade friction, it said. Other risks include conflicts and geopolitical tensions that could disrupt global supply chains and raise energy prices, as well as a deterioration in China's ailing property market. Economists at AMRO were less optimistic, expecting growth for Southeast Asia and other major economies in Asia at 3.8 per cent in 2025 and 3.6 per cent next year. While countries in the region have moved to protect their economies from Trump's trade shock, they face significant uncertainties, said AMRO's chief economist, Dong He. Uneven progress in tariff negotiations and the potential expansion of tariffs to additional products could further disrupt trade activities and weigh on growth for the region, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Blow softens for Japanese knives: Trump rolls back to 15%; Seki CEO sees strategy, not surprise
Donald Trump In Seki, a Japanese city with a 700-year legacy of blademaking, news that US tariffs on Japanese goods will be reduced from 25% to 15% starting August 1 has been met with calm acceptance, and some skepticism. Around 40% of Seki's kitchen knives are exported to the United States, according to local authorities. But Katsumi Sumikama, head of Sumikama Cutlery, isn't rushing to celebrate. 'Lower tariffs are better,' he said, 'but I'm not that surprised.' Sumikama suspects the tariff rollback was part of a calculated play by US President Donald Trump. 'It's so Trump-like, propose something extreme first, then scale it back to look like a win.' The tariff reduction comes as part of a broader trade push by Trump, who vowed to strike '90 deals in 90 days.' Japan joined four other nations, Britain, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, in finalizing an agreement with Washington by the July-end deadline. While headlines have largely focused on the impact of tariffs on Japan's auto and steel industries, the high-end Japanese kitchen knife sector, a growing favorite among US chefs and home cooks, is also deeply intertwined with American demand. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo Despite the tariffs, Sumikama said his company did not plan any price hikes for the US market. North American exports account for a modest five percent of the firm's revenue, with more sales flowing to Europe and Asia. Seki's artisans have long adapted to global pressures. 'We've weathered the storm,' said Sumikama, recalling past currency shocks and the 2008 financial crisis. His US clients, he added, are also used to uncertainty and 'not worried at all.' Still, Sumikama had a warning: 'If Trump thinks he can make America strong just by raising tariffs, he's mistaken. The American people will ultimately pay the price.' Sumikama Cutlery employs about 30 workers, blending cutting-edge machinery with hand-finishing to produce blades accurate to one-thousandth of a millimeter. Their knives are known for their durability, sharpness, and subtle 'wabi-sabi' beauty, a quality that, as Sumikama notes, cannot be mass-produced elsewhere. 'Even if President Trump tells people to make Japanese-style knives, they cannot,' he said.