In a rare display of bipartisan unity, the US Senate has moved to approve legislation that will compel the release of investigative files concerning the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following an overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives.
Swift Legislative Action
The Senate unanimously agreed to pass the measure yesterday, just hours after the House approved the bill with a staggering 427-1 tally. The legislation will now be automatically approved for Donald Trump's signature once formally forwarded to the Senate, nearly completing a process the former president had resisted for months.
The push for transparency gained momentum in July when the justice department and FBI released a memo stating they had nothing further to disclose about the Epstein investigation, contradicting earlier administration promises to release more information.
Trump's Diplomatic Moves
In separate developments, Donald Trump appeared to dismiss the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi during the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman's White House visit, remarking that "things happen".
This marked the first meeting between the two leaders since Saudi state operatives killed and dismembered Khashoggi, an act US intelligence assessed was ordered by the prince. Trump maintained the crown prince "knew nothing about it" and attacked an ABC News journalist who questioned him about the murder.
The discussions yielded claims of potential Saudi investment in the US economy reaching $1 trillion, while Trump confirmed intentions to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Riyadh despite objections from Israel and US intelligence concerns.
Diplomatically, the leaders confirmed negotiations for Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel in return for commitment to a two-state solution, implying establishment of a Palestinian state.
Global Health Warning
Meanwhile, a landmark study published in the Lancet has revealed that ultra-processed food (UPF) is linked to harm in every major organ system of the human body, posing what researchers describe as a seismic threat to global health.
The world's largest review found UPF associated with increased risk of a dozen health conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and depression. Alarmingly, the study determined that more than half the average diet in both the US and UK now consists of ultra-processed foods.
Researchers suggest profit-driven corporations using aggressive tactics to drive consumption, skew scientific debate and prevent regulation are behind the sharp rise in UPF consumption.
In other significant news, Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer sold for $236.4 million, becoming the second-most expensive artwork ever sold at auction, while more than 80 countries at the Cop30 climate summit in Brazil joined calls for a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels.
