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Hillary Clinton testifies as part of House investigation into Epstein… Developing…

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Hillary Clinton testifies as part of House investigation into Epstein… Developing…

Today’s live updates have ended. Read what you missed below and find more coverage at apnews.com.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told U.S. House lawmakers on Thursday that she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s or Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes at the start of two days of depositions that will also include former President Bill Clinton.

The deposition was paused after Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert sent a photo of Hillary Clinton in the room to a conservative influencer who posted it on social media, violating the committee’s rules for depositions.

The incident prompted the former secretary of state to repeat her longstanding demand that the deposition be made open to reporters.

The Clintons agreed to testify after their offers of sworn statements were rebuffed by the House Oversight panel, whose chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., threatened criminal contempt of Congress charges against them.

Bill Clinton’s Friday testimony will be the first time a former president has been forced to testify before Congress — the latest sign that the demand for a reckoning over Epstein’s abuse of underage girls has become a near-unstoppable force on Capitol Hill and beyond.

Other news we’re following:

  • Cuba says 4 killed in speedboat shooting were attempting to infiltrate the country: Cuba’s government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism. Cuba’s government said the majority of the 10 people on the boat “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.”
  • US and Iran wrap up another round of indirect nuclear talks: Oman’s foreign minister, who is mediating the talks, said Thursday that they had ended but “will resume soon.” The talks are aimed at reaching a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and potentially averting another war as the U.S. gathers a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the Middle East.
  • FBI fires agents who worked on Trump classified document investigation, AP sources say: The FBI has fired additional agents who worked on an investigation into Trump, this time terminating employees who participated in the probe into the Republican’s hoarding of classified documentspeople familiar with the matter said.

Trump huddles with GOP senators on midterm-year agenda

Among the other meetings that the president had at the White House on Thursday was a strategy session with Senate GOP leaders and other close allies on the party’s agenda.

Among those who attended the afternoon meeting with Trump were Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso and Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, according to two people with knowledge of the discussion.

The meeting was to discuss the party’s broader agenda, said one of the people, both of whom were granted anonymity to discuss a private meeting.

Hillary Clinton says she told lawmakers repeatedly she did not know Epstein

The former secretary of state’s deposition has ended and she told reporters as she exited that she answered the same question again and again from lawmakers about whether she knew Jeffrey Epstein at all.

“I don’t know how many times I had to say I did not know Jeffrey Epstein,” Hillary Clinton said.

She also told reporters that her husband Bill Clinton had ended his relationship with Epstein before Epstein’s sexual abuse came to light in 2008.

Anthropic says it can’t agree to Pentagon demands

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said Thursday that the artificial intelligence company “cannot in good conscience accede” to the Pentagon’s demands to allow wider use of its technology.

The company said in a statement that it’s not walking away from negotiation but that new contract language received from the Defense Department “made virtually no progress on preventing Claude’s use for mass surveillance of Americans or in fully autonomous weapons.”

Top Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said earlier that the military would use the technology in legal ways and not let Anthropic dictate any limits ahead of a Friday deadline to agree to its demands or face losing its contract.

He said the Pentagon “has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement.”

JUST IN: Anthropic CEO says AI company ‘cannot in good conscience accede’ to Pentagon’s demands to allow wider use of its tech

JUST IN: Hillary Clinton’s deposition in House Epstein investigation ends after over six hours of questioning

US official says 1 American killed, another wounded in speedboat shooting near Cuba

A U.S. official says at least one American citizen was killed and another wounded in an incident in which the crew of a Florida-registered speedboat exchanged fire with the Cuban military.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation into Wednesday’s firefight, said another member of the 10-person crew was in the U.S. on a visa and several others may have been green card holders.

The official said the owner of the boat has alleged that it was stolen by one of his employees.

National Trust says decision on the White House ballroom project means the case can continue

Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said the group was “disappointed” that the injunction it sought to halt work on the ballroom wasn’t granted.

But she said the group was pleased that the decision found that the National Trust “has standing to bring this lawsuit, as we have asserted from the start.”

Thursday’s ruling “encouraged us to amend our complaint — specifically, to assert that the president has acted beyond his statutory authority — and we plan to do so promptly,” Quillen said in a statement.

She added that doing so would allow the case to continue.

Denver mayor announces steps against ICE to “keep every resident safe”

Mike Johnston, a Democrat, announced that federal immigration agents wouldn’t be able to operate on city property and that the city’s police would be authorized to intervene to prevent any illegal activity like brutality against suspects and protesters.

Johnston said he was acting to reassure residents rather than because Denver had information about any upcoming increase in immigration operations.

Denver becomes the latest Democrat-dominated city to announce new restrictions on immigration operations, joining Chicago, New York and Seattle. Democratic-led states have also pushed back.

“We will keep every resident safe, regardless of their status,” Johnston said.

Trump to award Medal of Honor to 3 Army veterans

The White House said Trump will give the highest military decoration on March 2 to three U.S. Army veterans: Master Sergeant Roderick W. Edmonds, Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis, and Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson.

The Medal of Honor is being awarded posthumously to Edmonds for thwarting efforts at a German prison camp during World War II to segregate Jewish-American prisoners.

The Medal of Honor is being awarded posthumously to Ollis for his work to repel an enemy attack in 2013 of a base in Ghazni, Afghanistan that led to his death after an insurgent detonated his suicide vest.

Richardson is receiving the Medal of Honor for his leadership in a reconnaissance mission in 1968 in Vietnam to occupy an enemy regiment’s base camp and direct airstrikes despite being wounded by an enemy sniper.

Mamdani presents Trump with mock newspaper touting future big housing initiative

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented Trump with a mock newspaper front page during his visit to the White House on Thursday to show the president how a significant housing initiative might be received.

It’s a tactic designed to appeal to Trump, who is known to voraciously consume coverage in the local New York City publications.

Anna Bahr, Mamdani’s communications director, said the Democratic mayor’s team created the mock front page and its headlines for the Republican president to look at and demonstrate what kind of reaction that new federal housing investments could bring.

The mock New York Daily News front page says “Trump to City: Let’s Build” — a riff on the famous 1975 cover that read “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” referring to Gerald Ford’s vow to veto financial assistance to the city.

Mamdani’s office declined to elaborate on the mayor’s housing proposal, but Bahr said Trump was “very enthusiastic” about it.

Read more

EPA union denounces layoff of environmental justice workers

The 22 fired workers focused on poor and minority communities that are disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards and industrial pollution.

The layoffs come as the Environmental Protection Agency has reduced its workforce by about 30% in Trump’s second term.

Justin Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, said Thursday that the cuts have “stretched remaining staff to the breaking point and weakened our ability to respond to mounting environmental and public health threats. There is no justification for further cuts.”

EPA spokesperson Brigit Hirsch said the layoffs are consistent with a notice to Congress last year and are part of EPA’s “broader effort to ensure that the agency’s workforce is best positioned to meet its core mission.”

Columbia student detained by ICE to be released after Mamdani meeting with Trump

The New York City mayor and the president’s surprise meeting at the White House was intended to be about housing.

But during the meeting, Mamdani raised the issue of Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia University student from Azerbaijan who was arrested earlier Thursday by federal immigration agents.

The agents had accessed a campus residence by claiming they were searching for a “missing person,” according to Aghayeva’s attorneys and Columbia’s president.

But in a social media post on X, Mamdani said he had received a call from Trump after his in-person meeting at the White House, and that the president “informed me that she will be released imminently.”

Boebert says ‘why not?’ send photo of Hillary Clinton in closed door deposition

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. leaves the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center during a deposition by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. leaves the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center during a deposition by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who was testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., was defiant in remarks to reporters as she left the closed-door deposition for Hillary Clinton.

Boebert had violated committee protocol by sharing a photo of Clinton with a conservative influencer who posted it online.

When asked why she had shared the photo, Boebert responded, “Why not?”

Boebert also sarcastically said she admired Clinton’s blue suit and wanted to show it to everyone.

Hillary Clinton again demands a public deposition after leaked photo

The former secretary of state repeated demands that reporters be allowed into her deposition after a Republican lawmaker shared a photo of her inside the room with a conservative influencer who posted it on social media.

Clinton has been calling for a public hearing before the House Oversight Committee, but the chair, Rep. James Comer, has insisted that it be conducted in the same manner as other depositions.

Democratic lawmakers said that the leaked photo underscored that there needs to be a clear public record of the deposition. They called for a transcript and video to be released within 24 hours of the deposition’s conclusion.

All three Texas Senate GOP candidates to appear with Trump

The president — and Republican Party kingmaker — has declined to endorse in Texas’s hotly-contested Senate primary.

So when Trump appears in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday to talk about energy policies and the economy, all three candidates — incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Rep. Wesley Hunt and state Attorney General Ken Paxton — will be there, too.

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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, makes a campaign stop in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, speaks at a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks to a supporter during a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Tyler, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Their appearance at Trump’s visit to the southern Te xas town was confirmed by their campaigns and congressional offices.

Cornyn, who is running for his fifth term, is fending off challenges in a primary battle that has gotten vicious and personal.

A candidate must win 50% of the vote in the March 3 primary in order to win outright. If that doesn’t happen, the race will go to a May 26 runoff with the top two vote-getters.

Justice Thomas alludes to threats to explain his remote participation in DC law school conference

Thomas said he changed his plans to appear in person on the American University law school campus because “I wanted to make sure that I didn’t endanger anyone by my mere presence.”

A couple dozen students who protested outside the conference said they were upset that the school provided no notice about or access to the private event. They also distributed a single sheet with excerpts of the testimony of law professor Anita Hill, whose allegations that Thomas sexually harassed her nearly derailed his nomination in 1991.

Spokespeople for the Supreme Court and the school didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Thomas was honored with an award by the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, made up mainly of members of the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Thomas spoke from the Washington office of Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

Pennsylvania governor vows to block 2 planned ICE facilities

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro vowed Thursday to do whatever he can to block a pair of warehouses slated to become U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in his state as part of a massive expansion.

The Democratic governor met privately for more than an hour with local government officials about plans for the facilities in Berks and Schuylkill counties. Shapiro said they voiced concerns about water and sewer capacity, the impact on roads, the demand for emergency fire and rescue response as well as medical care and other potential effects.

Shapiro said he plans to flex his regulatory authority and legal powers to try to stop them.

First lady Melania Trump to preside over UN Security Council in a historic first

When the wife of President Donald Trump sits in the president’s seat to chair a meeting on Monday afternoon, it “will be the first time a first lady, or first gentleman for that matter, has ever presided over a Security Council meeting,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday.

The United States takes over the rotating presidency of the 15-member council for the month of March and the first lady’s office said the meeting she will preside over on Monday will “emphasize education’s role in advancing tolerance and world peace.”

Asked the significance of Melania Trump’s presiding role, Dujarric said: “Obviously, it’s a sign of the importance that the United States feels towards the Security Council and the subject.”

He said U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo will be briefing the Security Council at the meeting officially entitled “Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict” on behalf of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Pentagon spokesman says they won’t let AI company dictate limits

The Pentagon’s top spokesman reiterated that the military wants to use Anthropic’s AI models in legal ways and won’t let the company dictate any limits ahead of a Friday deadline to agree to the demands.

Sean Parnell said Thursday on social media that the Pentagon “has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement.”

Anthropic’s policies prevent their models from being used for those purposes. It’s the last of its peers to not supply its technology to a new U.S. military internal network.

Parnell says the Pentagon wants to “use Anthropic’s model for all lawful purposes” but didn’t offer details and asserted that Anthropic’s resistance is “jeopardizing critical military operations.”

After meeting Tuesday, the Pentagon told the company to open up its technology or risk losing its contract and be designated a supply chain risk.

Mediator cites progress as indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran wrap up

Oman’s foreign minister said Thursday that talks between the United States and Iran had ended in Geneva but “will resume soon.”

Badr al-Busaidi wrote on X that there had been “significant progress in the negotiation” without elaborating.

He said technical-level talks would take place next week in Vienna, home to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

There was no immediate comment from either American or Iranian officials. Analysts had been concerned that ending Thursday’s talks without an immediate deal could spark U.S. military action against Iran.

Read more

JUST IN: Oman’s foreign minister says talks between Iran and the US in Geneva have ended but ‘will resume soon

Trump hails ruling on White House ballroom construction

“Great news for America, and our wonderful White House!,” Trump posted on his social media site after a federal judge rejected a preservationist group’s request to block continued construction of a ballroom that crews demolished the East Wing to build.

Trump wrote that the project is “ahead of schedule, and under budget” and that the finished project “will stand long into the future as a symbol to the Greatness of America.”

Hillary Clinton deposition resumes

After a pause, the House Oversight Committee’s deposition of the former secretary of state has restarted.

It was put on hold after Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert shared a photo of Clinton at the closed-door proceeding with a conservative influence who posted it on social media.

The photo violated committee rules for depositions, but Boebert posted on social media that the influencer “did nothing wrong.”

Democratic senator says Vance is visiting Wisconsin to help congressman

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says that Vice President JD Vance is visiting Wisconsin to “shore up” a Republican congressman in a district targeted by Democrats.

Vance’s trip to central Wisconsin on Thursday was touted by the White House as a chance to talk about President Donald Trump’s successes in the wake of the State of the Union address.

But Baldwin says the true purpose is to help Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who she says is in “lock step with this administration.” Van Orden planned to attend Vance’s event at a manufacturing business in Plover, Wisconsin.

Baldwin says it’s good for Vance to come to Wisconsin “so he can see exactly how this administration’s policies are affecting and in many ways harming Wisconsinites.”

She says Van Orden has not been responsive to voters who oppose Trump’s tariffs, cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies and reductions to federal food aid.

Vance speaks in Wisconsin on affordability, fraud

Vice President JD Vance speaks at Pointe Precision in Plover Wis., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, Pool)

Vice President JD Vance speaks at Pointe Precision in Plover Wis., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, Pool)

Vice President JD spoke on Thursday in Plover, Wisconsin, about affordability and reducing fraud, making the case for Republicans in the 2026 midterms.

“The question in November is do we give power to the people who fight for corruption, who fight for fraud, who fight for illegal aliens, or do we give the government to the American citizens for whom it was designed and for whom it was created?” he asked during his address at Pointe Precision Inc., a machining facility. “I think I know the answer. Let’s vote for our people .”

Vance blamed Democrats for the current affordability crisis and called out alleged corruption in Minnesota, citing an example that involved money supposedly being taken away from autistic children.

Democratic senator says Vance coming to Wisconsin to help congressman

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says that Vice President JD Vance is coming to Wisconsin to “shore up” a Republican congressman in a district targeted by Democrats.

Vance’s trip to central Wisconsin on Thursday was touted by the White House as a chance to talk about President Donald Trump’s successes in the wake of the State of the Union address.

But Baldwin says the true purpose is to help Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who she says is in “lock step with this administration.” Van Orden planned to attend Vance’s event at a manufacturing business in Plover, Wisconsin.

Baldwin says it’s good for Vance to come to Wisconsin “so he can see exactly how this administration’s policies are affecting and in many ways harming Wisconsinites.”

She says Van Orden has not been responsive to voters who oppose Trump’s tariffs, cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies and reductions to federal food aid.

Trump, Mamdani to meet at the White House

The New York City mayor is planning on meeting with the president at the White House on Thursday.

That’s according to a person with knowledge of the meeting, granted anonymity to discuss something that was not on Trump’s public schedule. The meeting is expected to be in part about housing.

Despite deriding Mamdani as he campaigned for mayor, Trump has taken a liking to him after their one-on-one meeting late last year.

FILE - President Donald Trump talks after meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

FILE – President Donald Trump talks after meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Judge rejects request to block Trump White House from building its $400 million ballroom project

A federal judge on Thursday rejected a preservationist group’s request to block the Trump administration from continuing construction of a $400 million ballroom where it demolished the East Wing of the White House.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that The National Trust for Historic Preservation was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its bid to temporarily halt President Donald Trump’s project.

Read more

Hillary Clinton deposition paused over leaked photo

The House Oversight Committee’s deposition of Hillary Clinton is being paused after Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert sent a photo of the closed-door proceeding to a conservative influencer.

Benny Johnson, a right-wing Youtuber, posted a photo of Clinton at the deposition online and said Boebert had provided it.

The deposition is being recorded on video, but Comer has said that will only be released after Clinton’s attorneys have a chance to review it. The committee’s rules do not allow outside press or photographers to take photos of the proceedings.

JUST IN: Federal judge rejects request to block Trump White House from building its $400 million ballroom project

GOP chair of House Oversight panel says it’s possible lawmakers will question Lutnick on Epstein ties

FILE - Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

FILE – Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Outside the House Oversight Committee’s deposition for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. James Comer told reporters that it’s “very possible” that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is called to testify in the House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

Comer is seeking to cast the investigation as a bipartisan effort that is also willing to question Republicans.

Lutnick was Epstein’s neighbor in New York City. He had previously claimed that he cut all ties with Epstein after 2005, but the release of case files on Epstein showed that they had several interactions in the years after that.

JUST IN: Convoy carrying US diplomats in Geneva arrives to resume indirect talks with Iran

Noem says more than 250 DACA recipients arrested and dozens deported in 2025

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a letter to Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and other senators that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program provides just that, a deferral of removal “for a period of time.”

Dubin and Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Ca., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., blasted the treatment of DACA recipients, known as Dreamers.

“News of DACA recipients being arrested and deported is deeply troubling,” the senators said in a statement.

FILE - Susana Lujano, left, a dreamer from Mexico who lives in Houston, joins other activists to rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE – Susana Lujano, left, a dreamer from Mexico who lives in Houston, joins other activists to rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The DACA program was created during the Obama administration to provide a way for young people who arrived in the U.S. illegally as children to remain in the country, so long as they register, undergo a background check and meet other requirements, such as attending school or working. Many have spent much of their lives in the U.S., and have since become adults with families of their own.

From Jan. 1, 2025 to Nov. 19, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported 261 DACA recipients were arrested and 86 had been removed from the country, according to Noem’s letter.

It said of those arrested, 241 had criminal histories, but didn’t provide further information, citing privacy issues. The senators demanded DHS provide more information on the rationale for arresting and deporting Dreamers.

Hillary Clinton testifies she has no information on Epstein’s criminal activities

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is telling U.S. House lawmakers she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s or Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes.

“I had no idea about their criminal activities. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein,” Hillary Clinton said in an opening statement she shared on social media.

Her testimony starts off two days of depositions that will also include former President Bill Clinton.

JUST IN: Hillary Clinton in testimony says she has no information on Epstein’s criminal activities and never recalls meeting him

Hillary Clinton’s deposition is getting underway

The House Oversight Committee’s closed-door deposition of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting underway in Chappaqua, New York, as lawmakers start two days of depositions that will also include former President Bill Clinton.

Hillary Clinton has previously told the committee she has no memory of ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who killed himself in 2019 while facing charges for sexually abusing and trafficking underage girls.

“There is no indication — zero, zip, zilch, nada — that Secretary Clinton had any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes,” Rep. James Walkinshaw, a Virginia Democrat, said just before the deposition.

Clinton did have connections to Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, through the Clinton Foundation. Maxwell was also a guest at the 2010 wedding of their daughter Chelsea Clinton.

WATCH: Hillary Clinton’s motorcade arrives

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers in New York as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Democrats call for Trump to answer questions in House Epstein investigation

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. Speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center before the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. Speaks outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center before the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are arguing that former President Bill Clinton’s appearance for a deposition sets a precedent that should apply to President Donald Trump as well.

” Let’s get President Trump in front of our committee to answer the questions that are being asked across this country from survivors,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel.

The Republican chair of the committee, Republican Rep. James Comer, has previously said the committee can’t deposition Trump because he’s a sitting president. Trump, however, has expressed regret that the Clintons are being forced to testify in the committee’s probe.

Republicans relishing the chance to question the Clintons

It’s hardly the first time congressional Republicans have pressured the Clintons to answer their questions, but this time it comes as both former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are more than a decade removed from public office.

None the less, the Clintons have emerged as a top target for Republicans in the House investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and they were successful in forcing them to appear for depositions in Chappaqua, New York, over the next two days.

“No one’s accusing at this moment the Clintons of any wrongdoing,” Rep. James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters just before the deposition for Hillary Clinton began.

Comer added that Republicans were hoping to understand how Epstein accumulated his wealth and influence with high-powered men around the world.

IN PHOTOS: The press awaits Hillary Clinton’s arrival ahead of testimony

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A New Castle police officer sets up barricades outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as members of the media await the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

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Members of the media set up outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center as awaiting the arrival of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who is testifying before U.S. House lawmakers as part of a congressional investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Chappaqua, N.Y. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Republican chair pledges long days of depositions for the Clintons

FILE - House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., joined at left by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters after a closed-door deposition with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidante of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE – House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., joined at left by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters after a closed-door deposition with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidante of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Rep. James Comer, the GOP chair of the House Oversight Committee, previewed lengthy interviews for both Hillary and Bill Clinton as lawmakers question them about Jeffrey Epstein.

“This is going to be a long deposition,” Comer told reporters outside the convention center in Chappaqua, New York, where the depositions are being held.

Hillary Clinton has said she doesn’t remember ever meeting with Epstein, although she does have some connections to his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

House Democrats to force war powers vote on Iran

House Democratic leaders say they’ll force a vote next week on legislation requiring President Trump to terminate military force against Iran unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war from Congress.

The U.S. has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the Middle East and the two nations are engaged in indirect talks to reach a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and potentially avert a war.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries was joined in the announcement by several Democrats who serve as the ranking member on committees with jurisdiction.

Their news release says the Iranian regime is “brutal and destabilizing,” and cited the killing of thousands of protesters.

“However, undertaking a war of choice in the Middle East, without a full understanding of all the attendant risks to our servicemembers and to escalation, is reckless,” the news release stated. “We maintain that any such action would be unconstitutional without consultation with and authorization from Congress.”

Trump administration appeals to the Supreme Court in immigration case

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow it to end legal protections for migrants from Syria for now. It’s the administration’s latest emergency appeal to the nation’s highest court.

The government wants the court to lift a New York judge’s ruling halting the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end temporary protected status for Syrians.

The justices have previously allowed immigration authorities to end legal protections for migrants from Venezuela while lawsuits continue to play out. The federal government argued the Syria case is similar.

About 6,000 people from Syria have temporary legal status after fleeing armed conflict. Ending those protections could mean people lose work authorization and be exposed to possible deportation.

White House drug czar is in Mexico following operation that killed powerful cartel leader

Sara Carter, who heads the administration’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, is in Mexico for talks with government officials following this week’s operation that killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the country’s most powerful drug lord.

“The Mexican government is demonstrating a sincere ongoing commitment to the shared counternarcotics cause which has plagued both of our nations for decades,” Carter said in a statement. “Defeating the cartels is an ongoing mutual effort necessary for the safety and security of both our nations.”

Newspapers hang on display for sale in Mexico City, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, a day after the Mexican army killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as

Newspapers hang on display for sale in Mexico City, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, a day after the Mexican army killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.” (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)

U.S. intelligence officials provided support to the Mexican government for the operation that killed the cartel leader known as “El Mencho,” according to the White House.

The operation follows President Trump repeatedly pressing the Mexican government to more aggressively target the country’s illegal drug trade. The U.S. president has threatened to send U.S. troops to take out cartels, if Mexico’s government can’t.

Carter and U.S Ambassador Ronald Johnson have met with Mexico’s security cabinet and offered condolences to Mexico’s defense secretary, Gen. Ricardo Trevilla, for the deaths of 33 Mexican national guardsmen and three special operations members killed in the operation.

Led by new generation, Democrats prioritize transparency on Epstein over defending former leaders

Several Democratic lawmakers joined with Republicans on the Oversight panel to advance the contempt of Congress charges against the Clintons last month. Several said they had no relationship with the Clintons and owed no loyalty to t hem.

Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the Oversight panel, said both Republican and Democratic administrations “have failed survivors in not getting more information out to the public.” He also said he wanted to ask about Epstein’s possible ties to foreign governments.

Democrats are also coming off an effort this week to confront Trump about his administration’s handling of the Epstein files by taking women who survived Epstein’s abuse as their guests to Trump’s State of the Union address. Even senior Democrats, such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, said it was appropriate for the committee to interview anyone, including the former president, who was connected to Epstein.

World Economic Forum head Børge Brende steps down following pressure over Epstein links

FILE - CEO of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende talks during of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

FILE – CEO of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende talks during of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, said in a statement Thursday that he’d decided “after careful consideration” to step down as president and chief executive of the forum, known for its annual January summit in the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos.

“I am grateful for the incredible collaboration with my colleagues, partners, and constituents, and I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions,” Brende said in a statement released by the WEF.

Brende was Norway’s foreign minister from 2013-2017 and is one of several prominent Norwegians who’ve faced scrutiny following the latest release of Epstein files.

He didn’t refer directly to that controversy in Thursday’s statement, but the WEF announced earlier this month that it was opening an internal review into Brende to determine his relationship with Epstein after files indicated the two had dined together several times and exchanged messages.

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Iran would be outgunned in any war with the US but could still inflict considerable pain

As U.S. forces mass in the Middle East, Iran faces the threat of major strikes by the world’s most powerful military, potentially targeting its leaders, military, nuclear sites and critical infrastructure.

Iran has nowhere near the same capabilities, and is even more vulnerable after last year’s war launched by Israel and recent anti-government protests. But it could still inflict pain on American forces and allies, and may feel it has to if the Islamic Republic’s survival is at stake.

While Iran suffered major losses last June, it still has hundreds of missiles capable of hitting Israel, according to Israel’s estimates. Iran boasts a much larger arsenal of shorter-range missiles capable of hitting U.S. bases in Gulf countries and offshore American forces, soon to be joined by a second aircraft carrier.

Iran has previously threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the global oil tradeand claimed to have done so partially during military drills last week.

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Slightly more Americans now see Iran and the US as enemies: AP-NORC poll

Most Americans, 61%, say Iran is an “enemy” of the U.S., according to the new AP-NORC poll. That is up slightly from 53% in a Pearson Institute/AP-NORC poll conducted in September 2023.

Roughly 3 in 10 Americans currently say the countries are “not friendly, but not enemies,” and only about 1 in 10 Americans consider the two nations “friendly” or “close allies.”

At the same time, there’s a bit of an age gap on that perception. Only about half of U.S. adults under 45 say Iran is an enemy, compared with about 7 in 10 Americans ages 45 and older.

Most US adults have low trust in Trump’s judgment on military force: AP-NORC poll

Most Americans have significant reservations about Trump’s judgment on foreign conflicts, the AP-NORC poll shows.

Only about 3 in 10 of U.S. adults have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of trust in Trump’s judgment on the use of military force, relationships with U.S. adversaries or the use of nuclear weapons. More than half trust him “only a little” or “not at all.”

On each measure, Republicans are more likely than Democrats and Independents to trust that the president will make the right decisions. About 6 in 10 Republicans have a high level of trust in Trump, while roughly 9 in 10 Democrats have a low level of trust in him.

Most Americans see Iran as an enemy but doubt Trump’s judgment on military force, AP-NORC poll finds

As the U.S. and Iran head into their next round of nuclear talks in Genevaa new AP-NORC poll finds that many U.S. adults continue to view Iran’s nuclear program as a threat — but they also don’t have high trust in Trump’s judgment on the use of military force abroad.

About half of U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned that Iran’s nuclear program poses a direct threat to the United States, according to the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About 3 in 10 are “moderately” concerned and only about 2 in 10 are “not very” concerned or “not concerned at all.”

The survey was conducted Feb. 19-23, as military tensions built in the Middle East between the United States and Iran. The U.S. is seeking a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons, while Iran says it is not pursuing weapons and has so far resisted demands that it halt uranium enrichment on its soil or hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

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The Dictatorship

Trump administration admits error in New York health care fraud probe

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Trump administration admits error in New York health care fraud probe

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration this week acknowledged it made a significant error in figures it used to help justify a fraud probe into New York’s Medicaid program, a glaring mistake that undercuts a federal campaign to tackle waste, mostly in Democratic-led states.

The error, which the administration admitted first to The Associated Press, prompted health analysts to question how many of the Republican administration’s sweeping anti-fraud efforts around the country were based on faulty findings. One of a few mischaracterizations it made about New York’s Medicaid program, it also reflected a common criticism that’s been made of Trump’s second administration — that it tends to attack first and confirm the facts later.

“These numbers could have been cleared up in a phone call, so it’s really slapdash,” said Fiscal Policy Institute senior health policy adviser Michael Kinnucan, whose recent analysis called attention to the Trump administration’s inaccurate claim.

The mistake appeared in comments made last month by Dr. Mehmet Ozthe administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in a social media video and in a letter to New York’s Democratic governor announcing the fraud investigation.

Oz claimed that New York’s Medicaid program last year provided some 5 million people with personal care services, which assist people in need with basic activities like bathing, grooming and meal preparation. That would add up to nearly three-fourths of the state’s 6.8 million Medicaid enrollees.

“That level of utilization is unheard of,” Oz said in the video, adding in his post that New York needs to “come clean about its Medicaid program.”

But the real number of New Yorkers who used those services last year was about 450,000, or between 6% and 7% of total enrollees, CMS spokesman Chris Krepich told the AP this week. He said the agency misidentified New York’s approach to applying billing codes and had since refined its methodology.

“CMS is committed to ensuring its analyses fully reflect state-specific billing practices and will continue to work closely with New York to validate data and strengthen program integrity oversight,” he said in an emailed statement.

Krepich said the probe was ongoing as the administration still has concerns with New York’s oversight of personal care services and the Medicaid program and is reviewing the state’s response to last month’s letter. CMS had raised other flags about New York’s program, including that it spends more per beneficiary and per resident than the average state, has high personal care spending and employs so many personal care aides that the job category is now the largest in the state.

Health analysts said the state’s high spending reflected both high costs for services in New York and a policy choice to provide robust at-home care. Cadence Acquaviva, senior public information officer for the New York Department of Health, called Oz’s initial mischaracterizations “a targeted attempt to obscure the facts.”

“New York State remains committed to protecting and preserving vital Medicaid programs that deliver high-quality services to New Yorkers who depend on them,” she said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “The initial claim by CMS was patently false, and we are glad they now admit it.”

“Governor Hochul has been clear that New York has zero tolerance for waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, or any other state programs, and will continue her efforts to root out bad actors, protect taxpayer dollars, and safeguard the critical programs that New Yorkers rely on,” spokesperson Nicolette Simmonds said.

New York probe is part of a larger crackdown

The Trump administration’s investigation into New York comes as it has similarly approached at least four other states, including California, FloridaMaine and Minnesota, with investigations into potential health care fraud. The anti-fraud effort appears to be expanding as voters in the upcoming midterm elections say they’re concerned about affordability.

Trump last month signed an executive order to create an anti-fraud task force across federal benefit programs led by Vice President JD Vance. As part of that project, Vance announced the administration would temporarily halt $243 million in Medicaid funding to Minnesota over fraud concerns, a move over which the state has since sued.

Kinnucan, the analyst with expertise in New York’s Medicaid program, said he’s concerned that the Trump administration’s adversarial approach to targeting fraud in some states “politicizes” a conversation that should be a team effort.

“We want to think collaboratively among all the stakeholders in the program about how we can actually fix it,” Kinnucan said. “We don’t want to have fraud be this political football.”

Oz made other claims New York advocates say are inaccurate

In his video, Oz made at least two other claims about New York that Medicaid advocates and beneficiaries say distorted the facts.

In one instance, he said the state recently made its screening for personal care eligibility “more lenient by allowing problems like being ‘easily distracted’ to qualify for a personal care assistant.”

Rebecca Antar, director of the health law unit at the Legal Aid Society, said the opposite was true — that the state in a rule change that went into effect last September instead made its program requirements more stringent. She said being “easily distracted” doesn’t appear anywhere among them.

Krepich said the administrator was referring to whether New York’s standard for personal care services was “sufficiently rigorous.”

“When standards are overly permissive, it risks diverting resources away from individuals with the highest levels of need and placing long-term pressure on the sustainability of the Medicaid program,” he said.

Oz in the video also referred to personal care services as “something that our families would normally do for us, like carrying groceries.”

Kathleen Downes, a 33-year-old who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and uses personal care services in New York’s Nassau County, said she was offended by the notion that all Medicaid beneficiaries have family members who are willing and able to help.

Downes, who has been disabled since birth and needs personal care help for things like showering, using the toilet and eating, said she hires both her mother and outside assistants for personal care services, so her aging mother doesn’t have to take on those tasks full time. She said her mother did the labor unpaid for years, precluding her from pursuing other career opportunities.

“He’s assuming that everybody wants to and can just do it for free forever,” Downes said. “And that’s not feasible for a lot of people.”

___

Associated Press writer Anthony Izaguirre contributed to this story.

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The Dictatorship

Trump’s proposed cuts to NASA are an insult to astronauts like the Artemis crew

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Friday’s splashdown of the Artemis II crew, the first to travel to the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972, is a moment of celebration for all of us on Earth.

But it’s also an important reminder that, despite this success, the current administration’s Office of Management and Budget is proposing budget cuts that will all but dismantle much of NASA. It’s surprising, illogical and very troubling.

The proposed cuts would terminate 53 NASA Science missions, throwing away more than $13 billion in taxpayer investment.

The proposed cuts would terminate 53 NASA Science missions, throwing away more than $13 billion in taxpayer investment and halting the development of nearly every future NASA Science mission.

These cuts would be an insult to our astronauts and entire NASA workforce. Astronauts and their colleagues are civil servants who work hard, accomplish nearly impossible things and represent our country to the world.

It’s an odd choice from an administration that has pledged to put America first, to be sure. But stranger still, and quite personal to me, is the OMB’s proposal to completely end NASA’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) outreach program, which supports students and teachers nationwide. Programs like this have helped the United States be a world leader in science and technology.

We cannot allow this.

The U.S. has many great institutions, but NASA is a unique part of the American story. NASA is the best brand our nation has. When people around the world think of the U.S. at its best, they think of astronauts exploring the moon, telescopes opening new windows on the cosmos and spacecraft making profound discoveries on other worlds. NASA is who we are when we’re curious, bold and united.

There is also a growing consensus in Washington that we are in a new space race, this time, with the China National Space Administration, which, by the way, is planning to have taikonauts walk on the Moon in 2030. If the race is on, why abandon so much? Why cede the lead? The U.S. cannot be first in space if it is second in science and technology.

The administration proposed almost the same draconian cuts to NASA last year. When it did, we the people fought back. The Planetary Society, along with more than 300 advocates and 19 other partner organizations, went to Washington and organized the largest grassroots advocacy outreach for space science in history. Tens of thousands of citizens from every state and congressional district wrote, called and made their case to their elected officials. Together, we successfully saved NASA.

Now, this year, we have no choice but to fight back. On April 20, we will return to Washington, where people can join in person or join our Save NASA Science campaign online.

Science is not a luxury. It is a responsibility. Our founders knew it; you will find “Science” cited in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. Only a public space agency can sustain decades-long investments in the kind of science that tells us whether life ever existed on Mars, that tracks the asteroids that could threaten every living thing on Earth and that reveals the story of our origin.

NASA’s science program is a bargain for Americans. It accounted for one-tenth of 1% of the nation’s expenditures last year, a tenth of a penny of every tax dollar.

Cutting science would not just delay discovery; it would destroy it. It would shatter our STEM talent pipeline. It would abandon our international partners. And, it would cede U.S. leadership in space science to China and other nations.

NASA’s science program is a bargain for Americans. It accounted for one-tenth of 1% of the nation’s expenditures last year, a tenth of a penny of every tax dollar. And for every dollar spent, three come back into the economy. Every year, NASA generates $75 billion of economic growth and supports over 300,000 jobs in all 50 states.

Members of Congress and the Senate agree: NASA is a remarkable investment. I’ve met with both Republicans and Democrats, all of whom support space science. And last year, an overwhelming bipartisan majority rejected these same cuts.

NASA is what makes America great. It represents our best values: curiosity, determination, tenacity, and global cooperation. It proves that we are capable of extraordinary things. When we invest in scientific exploration, we invest in ourselves — in our economy, security and future.

If we concede and retreat from the frontier of space after a half century of leadership, it would be an unworthy choice. If Artemis II has showed us anything, it’s that the public, across the political spectrum, strongly supports space exploration, scientific discovery and a deeper understanding of the universe and our place within it.

Bill Nye is the chief ambassador at The Planetary Society, the world’s largest space interest organization.

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The Dictatorship

Artemis II mission splashes down, returning to Earth

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Artemis II mission splashes down, returning to Earth

After making history as the farthest journey into space humans have ever made, NASA’s Artemis II mission returned to Earth on Friday, splashing down off the coast southwest of San Diego.

The Artemis II crew splashed down successfully at 5:07:47 p.m. PT. The Orion spacecraft launched last weekfrom the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the first crewed flight to the moon in more than 50 years. The entire mission from liftoff took a total of nine days, one hour, 31 minutes and 35 seconds, which NASA rounds up, to call it a 10-day mission.

In the buildup to the mission, questions about the craft’s heat shield led to concerns among some experts about whether Orion would hold up on reentry to the Earth’s atmosphere, the most perilous part of any crewed mission. A NASA-commissioned panel ultimately deemed the ship safewith the astronauts themselves endorsing it ahead of time.

The four-member crew — NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — embarked on the 10-day mission to fly around the moon, setting the stage for future missions aimed at establishing a permanent lunar base.

After splashdown, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman praised the crew, calling them “wonderful communicators, almost poets,” during an interview Friday evening.

“These were the ambassadors from humanity to the starts that we sent out there,” Isaacman said.

He also emphasized that this mission set the stage for a future moon landing — and base.

“This is not a once in a lifetime … This is just the beginning,” he said during the interview. “We are going to get back into doing this with frequency, sending missions to the moon, until we land on it in 2028 and start building our base.”

On April 6, the spacecraft reached 252,756 miles from Earth, the farthest distance traveled by humans. Artemis II broke the Apollo 13crew’s record of 248,655 miles, set in 1970.

The crew conducted a seven-hour lunar flyby, coming within about 4,000 miles of the moon’s surface and seeing areas of the moon never before seen by the naked eye. In addition to testing the spacecraft, the astronauts studied the far side of the moon during a solar eclipse and observed lunar geological features and color variations.

Now back on Earth, the astronauts will undergo medical evaluations before heading to shore and traveling to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The next such mission, Artemis IIIis expected to launch next year.

Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.

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