19/07/2025

SATURDAY | JULY 19, 2025

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Trump threatens journal over story on Epstein letter

US president diagnosed with vein issue

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with a common, benign vein condition, the White House said on Thursday, following speculation about his heavily bruised hand and swollen legs. The 79-year-old, who in January became the oldest person ever to assume the presidency, was found to have “chronic venous insufficiency“, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. The widely noted discolouration on Trump’s right hand was “tissue irritation from frequent handshaking” and the use of aspirin was part of a standard cardiovascular treatment, she said. Presidential physician Sean Barbabella said Trump “remains in excellent health” despite the condition, in a letter released by the White House. Trump has alleged that Democrats covered up the mental and physical decline of his predecessor Joe Biden, who was 82 years old when he left office in January. Now, Trump has been forced to answer questions about his own health. Leavitt’s revelations follow widespread online discussions about Trump’s visibly swollen ankles and a bruised hand that often appeared to be covered with makeup. “In recent weeks, Trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs,“ she said, adding that he was examined by White House doctors “out of an abundance of caution”. Ultrasound tests “revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70”. Leavitt said Trump had asked her to share the diagnosis “in the effort of transparency”. Dr Matt Heinz, an internist and hospitalist from Tucson, Arizona, told AFP that chronic venous insufficiency is “pretty common“, especially in older adults, and results from vein valves becoming less effective. The White House stressed that the condition does not pose a serious risk to Trump, saying “there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease”. Of the hand bruising issue, Leavitt said: “This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy.” For months, however, the White House had previously dismissed questions about Trump’s bruised hand, saying it was purely due to handshaking. – AFP

o Legal action considered over ‘false, malicious and defamatory’ article

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump threatened to sue the Wall Street Journal on Thursday over a story about an alleged letter he wrote to Jeffrey Epstein, amid lingering political fallout over his administration’s handling of the late financier’s sex trafficking case. The story says the letter, featuring a sketch of a naked woman and Trump’s signature, was part of a collection of notes for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003. The newspaper said it reviewed the letter but did not print an image. Its editor-in-chief Emma Tucker “was told directly by (White House press secretary) Karoline Leavitt, and by Trump, that the letter was a fake”, wrote Trump on Truth Social. “They are going with a false, malicious and defamatory story. “Trump will be suing the Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp and (Rupert) Murdoch, shortly. The press has to learn to be truthful and not rely on sources that probably do not even exist.” The Republican president was already facing a firestorm over his past relationship with Epstein and allegations that his administration

they would not be releasing any more information on the probe. That could change if grand jury testimony or evidence are released. On Thursday, US media reported that a federal prosecutor who handled Epstein’s case, who is the daughter of a prominent Trump critic, was abruptly fired. Maurene Comey, whose father is former FBI director James Comey, was dismissed on Wednesday from her position as an assistant US attorney, the reports said. Maurene also prosecuted Ghislaine Maxwell, the only former Epstein associate who has been criminally charged in connection with his activities. Maxwell compiled the book of letters for Epstein in 2003, the journal reported. “The journal should be ashamed for publishing it. Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it?” wrote Vice-President J.D. Vance on X. Democratic lawmaker Pat Ryan said: “I think we now know exactly why Trump refuses to release the Epstein files.” – AFP LONDON: British police said on Thursday one child was killed and at least two others were seriously injured after a collision involving a bus carrying schoolchildren in Somerset, southwest England. Avon and Somerset police said the bus was carrying about 70 people and heading to Minehead Middle School. Many were seriously injured, including two children who were taken to hospital by air ambulance, said Chief Supt Mark Edgington. Fire crews had earlier rescued people trapped in the bus in what was a “complex and technically difficult incident”, said Chief Fire Officer for the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Gavin Ellis. – Reuters GERMAN ATM BOMBERS JAILED FRANKFURT: Six members of a German gang that stole money from ATMs by blowing them up were sentenced to prison by a district court in Frankfurt on Thursday, reported German Press Agency. The main perpetrator was handed a sentence of 13 years and 9 months’ jail while the others were given five-year prison terms. “ATM burglaries committed by using explosives have been punished too leniently for far too long,“ the presiding judge said while passing sentence. The public prosecutor’s office had sought convictions for attempted murder on three of the men but the court convicted them primarily for using explosives to blow up the ATMs. – Bernama-dpa CHILD KILLED IN SCHOOL BUS CRASH

Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret’.” Trump denies writing the letter or drawing the figure, and said: “This is not me. This is a fake thing. “I do not draw pictures of women. It is not my language. It is not my words.” The far-right has long latched onto the Epstein scandal, claiming the existence of a secret client list and that he was murdered in his cell as part of a cover-up. Trump supporters expected answers when Trump returned to office in January but found themselves being told that the conspiracy theories are false. The Justice Department and FBI said in a memo made public earlier this month there is no evidence that Epstein kept a “client list” or was blackmailing powerful people. They dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his suicide, and said

is covering up details of Epstein’s crimes to protect powerful figures. Epstein died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 during Trump’s first term after being charged with federal sex trafficking in a scheme in which he allegedly groomed young and underage women for sexual abuse by his wealthy contacts. He was previously required to register as a sex offender in Florida after pleading guilty to two felony prostitution-related charges. On Thursday, Trump asked Attorney-General Pam Bondi to release transcripts of grand jury testimony in the Epstein case, “subject to court approval”. The alleged letter, which Trump denies writing, is raunchy, as are others in the collection, the newspaper reported, adding that it contains several lines of typewritten text contained in an outline of a naked woman drawn with a marker. “The letter concludes, ‘Happy

LIVELY PROCESSION ... Masked dancers participating in a parade through the Andean town of Pisac during La Virgen del Carmen celebrations in the Sacred Valley, Peru. – REUTERSPIC

BR I E F S

Details on UK spies found in leaked data LONDON: The details of more than 100 Britons, comprising spies and special forces personnel, were found in data leaked mistakenly, resulting in thousands of Afghans being secretly relocated to the United Kingdom (UK), reported PA Media/dpa. later when excerpts of the spreadsheet were anonymously posted in a Facebook group in August 2023. Other details leaked included the names and contact details of the Arap applicants and the names of their family members. After an unprecedented supporting the application”. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge apologised on behalf of the former conservative government, which was in power when the leak happened and when it was discovered more than a year later. Arap was responsible for

However, an independent review, commissioned by the government in January, concluded last month that the dataset is “unlikely to shift Taliban understanding of individuals who may be of interest to them”. The breach resulted in the creation of a secret Afghan relocation scheme, the Afghanistan Response Route, by the former government in April 2024. Around 4,500 people, made up of 900 Arap applicants and about 3,600 family members, have been brought to the UK or are in transit through the Afghanistan Response Route. An estimated 600 people and their relatives are expected to be relocated before the scheme closes, with about 6,900 people expected to be relocated by the end of the scheme. – Bernama-PA Media/dpa

Defence sources said details of MI6 spies, Special Air Service forces and special forces personnel were included in the spreadsheet, following the endorsement of the list of Afghans that were to be brought to the UK. The dataset, containing the personal information of nearly 19,000 people who applied for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), was released “in error” in February 2022 by a defence official. The Defence Ministry became aware of the breach more than a year

relocating Afghan nationals who had worked for or with the UK government and were at risk of reprisals once the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Between 80,000 and 100,000 people, including the estimated number of family members of the applicants, were affected by the breach and could be at risk of harassment, torture or death if the Taliban obtained their data, judges said in June 2024.

superinjunction was lifted by a High Court judge, Defence Secretary John Healey offered a “sincere apology” on behalf of the British government for the data breach. He told the House of Commons that the spreadsheet contained“names and contact details of applicants and, in some instances, information relating to applicants’ family members, and in a small number of cases, the names of MPs, senior military officers and government officials were noted as