On Friday, Singapore executed its first woman in 19 years for drug trafficking, despite calls from human rights groups and the United Nations to abolish the death penalty for drug-related crimes. Saridewi Djamani, 45, was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking 31 grams of pure heroin, and her appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in October. This week, a Malaysian man was also executed for trafficking more than 200 grams of diamorphine.
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Former President Donald Trump has been charged with three new felonies related to his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House, including two counts of ordering the deletion of a computer server and one count of willfully retaining documents. The Justice Department has opposed Trump's request to view and discuss documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence, and has filed a motion for a protective order to allow Trump and his attorneys to view and discuss documents only in a secure facility. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and the case is expected to move forward in the coming weeks.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) has criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for the state's new Black history curriculum, which requires students to teach students about the "benefits" of slavery. This has sparked debate over the role of slavery in American history and the role of the government in determining what should be taught in schools. Sen. Scott has argued that there is no silver lining in slavery and that everyone should appreciate this.
Former President Donald Trump has been hit with an additional charge of willful retention of national defense information as part of Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. The indictment has swelled from 38 to 42 counts, including the new charge related to the Iran war plan document allegedly flaunted at Bedminster. Trump has denied the charges and called it "prosecutorial misconduct" while ordering the White House to release all documents related to the case.
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards have been postponed due to strikes led by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, who are seeking better pay in the streaming era. The Television Academy and Fox had looked to move the show to November and January respectively, but no new date has been determined. The strikes have also affected the Daytime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which have been moved to October and November respectively.
U.S. Park Police have arrested Benjamin Robertson, 33, of Washington, D.C. in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash near the National Mall earlier this month. The driver of a Honda Accord fled from Secret Service officers and ran a red light, striking and killing a 75-year-old Philadelphia man who was in a crosswalk. Robertson has been charged with second-degree murder and the investigation is ongoing.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) has criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his state's new standards on how Black history is taught in middle school, which include instruction on how "slaves developed skills." Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) was compared to Vice President Kamala Harris for his criticism of the curriculum. Scott, the Senate's only Black Republican and presidential candidate, said that there is "no silver lining" in slavery and suggested Donalds should not "swing for the liberal media fences like Vice President Harris." The standards have been widely condemned by civil rights groups.
Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his state's controversial slavery curriculum, which suggests that enslaved people developed skills for their own benefit. The curriculum has been met with criticism from civil rights groups, prominent Black politicians, and conservative Florida Rep. Byron Donalds. The controversy has raised questions about the 2024 GOP presidential race, with Senator Scott as one of the contenders.