Democrats on Wednesday released emails in which Jeffrey Epstein said US President Donald Trump had “spent hours at my house” with one of the financier's alleged victims, and that the President “knew about the girls”.
The emails breathed new life into a long-simmering scandal that Mr Trump says is a Democrat-fuelled hoax. He has rigorously denied any involvement in or knowledge of the sex-trafficking activities of Epstein, his former friend who died in federal prison in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Mr Trump sought to portray the emails' release as a "deflection" to distract America from the negative impacts of the government shutdown.
Democrats on the House oversight committee released emails Epstein had written to Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking after Epstein's death, and to author Michael Wolff.
In the message to Wolff, dated January 31, 2019, Epstein allegedly wrote “of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop”.
Another message from April 2011 showed Epstein had told Maxwell: “I want you to realise that dog that hasn't barked is Trump.” He added that an unidentified victim “spent hours at my house with him. He has never once been mentioned”.
Mr Trump has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein or Maxwell.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the emails "proved absolutely nothing other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong".
She accused the Democrats of having “selectively leaked emails” to “create a fake narrative to smear President Trump”.
Ms Leavitt said in a statement that the unidentified person referred to in the emails was Virginia Giuffre, who had accused Britain's Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager and who died by suicide in April. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has rejected Ms Giuffre’s allegations and said he didn’t recall meeting her.
"Miss Giuffre maintained, and God rest her soul, that she maintained that there was nothing inappropriate she ever witnessed, that President Trump was always extremely professional and friendly to her," Ms Leavitt later told reporters at the White House.
But Democrats on the House committee said the emails “raise serious questions about Donald Trump and his knowledge of Epstein's horrific crimes”.
The Epstein case has already led to the disgracing of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor and of British politician Peter Mandelson over their ties to Epstein. While in opposition, Republicans spent years demanding the release of investigative files that could inculpate other friends of Epstein but since Mr Trump returned to office they have largely dropped those calls and refused to publish the files.
Democrats, meanwhile, have worked to capitalise on the case and want to force a vote that would compel publication of the full Epstein case files.
Democrats on the House oversight committee obtained the emails after subpoenaing Epstein's estate this year.
In a July 7 memo, the Justice Department said the Epstein “client list” that Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed to have been reviewing did not in fact exist, and reaffirmed that he died by suicide in his prison cell.
Mr Trump's Maga supporters have long asserted that Epstein was murdered in prison.
The case has long been the subject of conspiracy theories, considering Epstein's rich and powerful friends and the circumstances of his death. Mr Trump was friendly with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, and their interactions faced renewed scrutiny this year.
Democrats in September released a sexually suggestive letter to Epstein that was purportedly signed by Mr Trump. He has denied it is his signature.
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
