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The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, supported by US President Donald Trump, proposes stringent sanctions against countries continuing to purchase Russian energy products, notably including a 500% tariff on imports from India and China. This legislation, introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham, aims to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine through broad penalties on Russian entities and officials. India, a significant buyer of Russian fossil fuels, is directly impacted by the bill. Indian officials have expressed their concerns to US lawmakers, particularly regarding energy security implications.
Following Chelsea’s Club World Cup victory over PSG, former US President Donald Trump controversially remained center stage during the trophy presentation, disrupting the team’s celebratory moment. Despite the unusual protocol breach, Chelsea players appeared largely unfazed, ultimately securing a dominant 3-0 victory. Cole Palmer’s brace and Joao Pedro’s goal sealed the win, further solidified by a red card for PSG’s Joao Neves, etching Enzo Maresca’s team into history as the inaugural champions of the revamped Club World Cup.
The White House continues to face scrutiny regarding its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, with Google searches for “Epstein” surging significantly compared to previous weeks and even surpassing interest in topics like “tariffs”. This increase in interest follows the White House’s confirmation that no “client list” of Epstein exists, sparking criticism from figures within the former MAGA base and leading to calls for further investigation. Data analysts like Harry Enten suggest that the president’s attempts to distance himself from the topic are ineffective, and that the situation is a “self-inflicted error,” leading to decreased likelihood of the release of more Epstein files.
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Former CNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta believes President Trump is anxious about the ongoing “Epstein files” controversy. Acosta, drawing on his experience covering Trump, suggests the former president is “freaking out” over the situation. This assessment follows news that the DOJ and FBI confirmed Epstein’s suicide and debunked theories of a client list. Acosta raises questions about Trump’s potential involvement in influencing the DOJ and FBI’s handling of the case.
Amidst controversy surrounding the Justice Department and FBI’s conclusion that Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide and lacked a client list, former President Trump called for unity among his supporters. Trump defended Attorney General Pam Bondi after his supporters expressed outrage over the handling of the Epstein case, and potential lack of transparency. Some of these supporters have openly questioned the findings. Trump has dismissed these concerns and urged them to focus on other matters, and asserted the Epstein files were originally created by Democrats.
Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, expressed gratitude to former US President Donald Trump, endorsing his false claims about the 2020 US election and seeking a reduction in economic sanctions. The junta’s response came after Trump sent a letter to the general, indicating a 40% tariff to be imposed on the country from August 1. This communication marked a notable instance of US recognition of the junta, which seized power in 2021, and prompted Hlaing to justify the military’s actions by citing electoral fraud. Furthermore, the junta leader also expressed appreciation for the shutting down of US-backed media outlets that had provided independent coverage of the country.
In a recent exchange on X, Elon Musk questioned Donald Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, suggesting their non-release was a “very big deal.” Trump responded on Truth Social by staunchly defending Attorney General Pam Bondi and urging people to move on from the Epstein matter. Trump’s post, similar to his previous statements, repeated Epstein’s name while discouraging further discussion, which Musk and others have found problematic. Bondi, meanwhile, explained that the child pornography found was not going to be released to the public, as well as that the video was being reset every night, therefore deleting a minute.
Michael Wolff, author of a biography on Donald Trump, has disclosed that media outlets are declining to publish his work detailing Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Wolff has been turned away by numerous publishers who are hesitant to publicize the story. He possesses hours of recordings of Epstein discussing his relationship with Trump. The tapes, recorded in 2017, are considered controversial given Epstein’s alleged suicide and the nature of their friendship.
John Q. Hosedrinker