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This is the world in brief from The Economist.

Our top stories.

America's Department of Justice asked a federal judge to make public grand jury testimony about Jeffrey Epstein,

as controversy over the convicted paedophile continues to

engulf Donald Trump's administration. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump sued the Wall Street Journal's publisher

and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, for libel. On Thursday, the newspaper published excerpts from

a risque birthday note note Mr. Trump allegedly

wrote to Epstein, which the president denies.

El Salvador sent home over 250 Venezuelans who have been detained there after America

deported them. In exchange, Venezuela released dozens of political prisoners, including 10 Americans.

Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, announced the American's homecoming. An earlier attempt to

reach a deal was reportedly botched when Mr. Trump's envoy to Venezuela conducted his own negotiations separately from Mr. Rubio.

Exxon Mobile, the world's biggest independent energy company, lost its bid to block its rival

Chevron from acquiring Hess, an oil firm. An arbitration panel rejected Exxon's argument that it had a contractual right of first refusal

to lucrative assets that Hess owns in Guyana.

The victory clears the way for Chevron to complete the $53 billion takeover deal

...