U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday (May 23, 2026) a deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated,” with the proposal including opening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, though the agreement was “subject to finalisation.” “An Agreement has been largely negotiated
A person who approached a White House security checkpoint and began firing at officers has died, according to federal officials. The U.S. Secret Service said in a statement late on Saturday (May 23, 2026) that, according to a preliminary investigation
Pakistani woman says corporate culture makes employees feel guilty for taking leave: ‘Rest needs justification’A Pakistani woman said corporate jobs made employees feel guilty for taking paid leaves they were allowed to use. Published on: May 24
This crunchy veggie rice paper pancake is the perfect quick-fix snack for sudden hunger cravings at home: Full recipeFrom crispy edges to flavour-packed bites, try this veggie rice paper pancake recipe for an ultimate comfort snack for lazy evenings. Updated on: May 24
Amazon techie earning ₹11 lakh/month has 1 house in US, 4 properties in India, Range Rover — but no emergency fundAn Amazon employee earning close to $300,000 feels financially insecure despite significant savings and investments. Published on: May 24
Congress approves bill to release Epstein files that will head to Trump's desk
Congress approves bill to release Epstein files that will head to Trump's desk
Both chambers of Congress agreed to order the US justice department to release its files on sex offender financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The House of Representatives overwhelming approved the measure in a 427-1 vote and the Senate unanimously fast-tracked it without a formal vote.
The moves come just days after President Donald Trump reversed his position and urged Congress to vote to disclose the records following public pushback from many of his supporters.
Last week, Trump and his ties to Epstein were thrust back into the headlines after more than 20,000 pages of documents - some mentioning the president - were released. The White House denied any wrongdoing.
Republican Clay Higgins, of Louisiana, was the sole House objector and cited his concern about “innocent people being hurt” with the release of the information.
Trump's reversal from attacking those on Capitol Hill who wanted the files released to saying there was “nothing to hide” surprised some in Washington.
The Republican congressional leadership was caught off guard after aligning their message with the president for the past few weeks and opposing the release.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had repeatedly called the push to release the Epstein files a "Democrat hoax".
On Tuesday, he voted in support of release.
The measure had been expected to take a few days to reach the US Senate, but after the resounding afternoon vote in the House, the timeline quickly sped up.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer brought up the bill on the floor of the Senate under a procedure called unanimous consent. Because no one objected, there was no debate and no amendments added to the bill.
It will head from the Senate to the president‘s desk, where he is expected to sign it into law.
A congressional vote was not required to release the files - Trump could have ordered the release on his own.
The bill requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell no later than 30 days after the law is enacted.
Those materials include internal justice department communications, flight logs and people and entities connected to Epstein.
But the bill also gives Bondi the power to withhold information that would jeopardise any active federal investigation or identifies any victims.
Epstein, a financier, was found dead in his New York prison cell in 2019 in what a coroner ruled was a suicide.
He was being held on charges of sex trafficking, having previously been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.
During two criminal investigations into Epstein, thousands of documents were gathered, including transcripts of interviews with victims and witnesses.
Trump and Epstein previously socialised in similar circles, but the president said he cut ties with Epstein many years ago, before his 2008 conviction. The president also said he was unaware of Epstein's criminal activity.
Last week, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee published three email chains, including correspondence between Epstein and Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
Some of those make mention of Trump, including one email, sent in 2011, in which Epstein wrote to Maxwell: “I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is Trump.. [VICTIM] spent hours at my house with him.”
The White House said last week that the victim referenced in the email was prominent Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre.
Giuffre, who died in April, has said that she never saw Trump participate in any abuse and there is no implication of any wrongdoing by Trump in the emails.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the emails were "selectively leaked" by House Democrats to "liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump".
The push for the release of the investigative files held by the Department of Justice was led by Republican Thomas Massie, a Kentucky congressman who sometimes dissents from his party, and Democrat Ro Khanna, a California congressman, both of whom introduced the legislation.
Massie has faced criticism from Trump for his push to release the files, but has stood firm.
“In 2030, he's not going to be the president,” Massie said to ABC News over the weekend. He added that fellow Republicans who voted against release "will have voted to protect paedophiles”.
Another Republican who has pushed for the release of the files is House Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. She had been a staunch supporter of Trump before the two fell out over the issue, with the president now calling her a "traitor".
At a news conference earlier in the day on Tuesday, Greene said she is speaking up on behalf of Epstein's survivors. She also called out Trump directly.
"Let me tell you what a traitor is. A traitor is an American that serves foreign countries and themselves; a patriot is an American that serves the United States of America and Americans like the women standing behind me," Greene said.
She said that row over Epstein has been one of the "most destructive things" to Trump's Make America Great Again movement since his election in 2016.
Survivors of Epstein's abuse also spoke at the news conference, urging lawmakers to release the files and pushing Trump to do the same.
Epstein survivor Annie Farmer said that keeping the files under wraps amounted to “institutional betrayal”.
“Because these crimes were not properly investigated, so many more girls and women were harmed,” Ms Farmer said.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Royal Setup, Luxury Furniture And Secret Chambers US justice department investigating Minnesota Democrats over alleged obstruction of ICE U.S. Justice Department sends letter regarding Epstein files redactions to lawmakers US justice department drops criminal fraud charges against Adani Justice Department probes mortgage fraud claims against Lisa Cook of Federal Reserve All you need to know about Justice Department's Jefferey Epstein files Inside a year of firings that have shaken the Trump Justice Department House committee releases some Justice Department files in Epstein case US justice department drops probe into Fed chairman Jerome Powell U.S. Justice Department drops all charges against Gautam Adani
With big-budget spectacles and larger-than-life action becoming the norm, one upcoming Hindi film is now aiming for something Indian cinema has rarely explored in a full-fledged way… alien horror. Actor Akshay Kumar is set to headline Samuk, a sci-fi thriller centred around extraterrestrial
1 days ago
Kara OTT release: Dhanush's ₹50 crore heist film gets digital release in less than a month; when and where to watchKara OTT release: Vignesh Raja's Tamil film starring Dhanush and Mamitha Baiju was released in theatres on April 30. Know when and where to stream it online. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
The Supreme Court on Saturday registered a suo motu case in connection with the death of a woman in Madhya Pradesh, whose family has alleged that her in-laws harassed her for dowry, reported The Hindu. Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi will hear the case on
1 days ago
Rare lung transplant at Apollo saves a life; spotlight on India's organ donor shortageRare lung transplant at Apollo saves a life; spotlight on India's organ donor shortage Published on: May 24, 2026 10:33 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi, A year ago, every breath felt borrowed
1 days ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.These countertop organisers, crockery pick and jars can give your kitchen a Pinteresty spin by keeping the clutter awayTurn your kitchen into a photo-ready space with stylish organisers
1 days ago
Indian athletics witnessed a historic evening in Ranchi as Tejaswin Shankar became the first Indian ever to breach the 8000-point barrier in decathlon at the Federation Cup on Saturday. The 27-year-old produced a sensational all-round performance to finish with 8057 points
1 days ago
The Centre released draft rules for the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 for public consultation. The rules focus on governance, grievance redressal, and transitioning from MGNREGA to the new rural employment scheme
1 days ago
The National Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) has warned of a sophisticated phishing campaign impersonating Apple tech support to target whose devices have been lost or stolen, officials said on Saturday.The I4C, which functions under the Union Home Ministry
1 days ago
Sachin Tendulkar praised his son Arjun's IPL debut for Lucknow Super Giants. Arjun Tendulkar showed patience and skill in his first match. He bowled well and took a wicket. Sachin Tendulkar expressed pride in his son's performance and attitude
1 days ago
White House shooting suspect claimed to be ‘real’ Osama bin Laden, threatened Trump online: ReportOsama bin Laden was the founder and leader of the terror group Al-Qaeda, which was reportedly responsible the 9/11 attacks. Updated on: May 24, 2026 11:02 AM IST By Anita Goswami Share via Copy
1 days ago
May 24, Birthday Horoscope: Here's what the tarot cards have in store for youIf your birthday falls on May 24, here’s what your year ahead looks like, as per Tarot. Published on: May 24, 2026 11:00 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link If you were born on May 24
1 days ago
George Russell may have delivered the perfect answer to mounting pressure at Mercedes. After a fiery sprint race clash with championship-leading teammate Kimi Antonelli earlier on Saturday, the Briton bounced back in style to grab pole position for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix — edging the
1 days ago
BJP candidate Debangshu Panda is leading significantly in the Falta assembly constituency repoll. After five rounds of counting, Panda has secured a lead of over 14,000 votes against his CPI(M) rival. The repoll followed allegations of EVM tampering and irregularities during the initial polling
1 days ago
The suspect in a shooting near the White House was killed in an exchange of fire with Secret Service agents on Saturday evening, officials have confirmed. BBC's US media partner CBS has named the suspect as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old man who was known to the Secret Service and had a documented
1 days ago
CPI(M) MP raises concerns over CBSE's digital evaluation, seeks interventionCPI(M) MP raises concerns over CBSE's digital evaluation, seeks intervention Published on: May 23, 2026 5:22 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi, The Rajya Sabha leader of the CPI, John Brittas
1 days ago
Imagine enjoying a decadent, fudge‑like treat that also supports your hormones, libido, and menstrual rhythm, all while being packed with collagen, magnesium, adaptogens, and lignan‑rich omega‑3s. These Seed Cycling Hormone Bliss Balls are designed around the simple yet powerful practice of
1 days ago
Weekly Love Horoscope for May 24-30, 2026: The stars brings positive energies for these zodiac signsWeekly Love Horoscope for May 24-30, 2026: This week asks for patience, trust, and emotional resilience. Published on: May 24, 2026 7:30 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link Aries Love feels
1 days ago
From a darkly comic tale of revenge to a beautiful contemplation on friendship, here are the year's most acclaimed works of fiction so far. "Daring, deranged, cleverly written," is how Vogue describes the buzzy debut by Caro Claire Burke. In this satirical thriller
1 days ago
Overnight fires in Delhi: Shops, homes gutted in four blazesA fire department officer was injured after the tin shed of one of the shops he was standing on during the firefighting operation collapsed. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:37 AM IST By Karn Pratap Singh Share via Copy link Four separate fire
1 days ago
As per the government, the new rules enable families living in Delhi to submit applications if their annual household income is within the newly prescribed limit. New Delhi: The Delhi government has reopened the process of issuing fresh ration cards under changed eligibility criteria after a gap of
1 days ago
The reported disruption of AI-animated film Critterz after OpenAI allegedly shut down Sora has sparked a larger conversation around one major issue in tech and entertainment: what happens when creators build entire projects on platforms they do not control?The reported disruption of AI-animated
1 days ago
Ex-Meta employee says non-Chinese workers were targeted for layoffsA laid-off Meta engineer has alleged that he was routinely excluded and ostracised by his Chinese colleagues at the company. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:01 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link A laid-off Meta engineer has alleged
1 days ago
Mackenzie Shirilla wanted Kim Kardashian's help; here's why it's not happeningMackenzie Shirilla sought Kim Kardashian's legal support following the release of The Crash documentary, but Kardashian reportedly has no plans to get involved. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
X warns founder against reuploading White House shooting video: 'Revenue reduced by 90%'Nikita Bier of X warned a user against reuploading the White House shooting video, asking him to ‘Quote’ or ‘Video Reshare’ instead. Updated on: May 24, 2026 6:14 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link
1 days ago
Sonam Wangchuk says Article 371 talks for Ladakh still ‘work in progress’; backs Cockroach Janta PartySonam Wangchuk hoped constitutional safeguards will be granted to Ladakh after recent talks between Ladakh groups and the Centre. Updated on: May 24
1 days ago
Talking about international partnerships, PM Modi said India’s growing ties with global companies and countries would create new opportunities for young people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly recruited candidates during the 19th Rozgar Mela
1 days ago
Dipika Kakar’s father-in-law in ICU after suffering stroke, Shoaib Ibrahim seeks prayers: ‘24 hrs are crucial’Shoaib Ibrahim took to Instagram to inform fans that his father has been hospitalised once again after suffering another stroke. May 24, 2026
1 days ago
