Hillary Clinton Condemns Republican 'Fishing Expedition' in Epstein Testimony
Hillary Clinton strongly criticized a congressional committee investigating her alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday, accusing Republican members of engaging in a "fishing expedition" designed to "distract attention from President Trump's actions." In her opening statement to the House of Representatives' oversight committee, the former secretary of state labeled the event as "partisan political theatre" and "an insult to the American people," reiterating that she never met Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex trafficker who died in 2019.
Background and Context of the Hearing
The Clintons reluctantly agreed to testify after being subpoenaed by the committee's Republican chair, James Comer, under threat of contempt of Congress charges. Both have previously argued they are being unfairly targeted to shift public focus away from Trump, who had a long-standing friendship with Epstein before their fallout. In related news, the Guardian reviewed FBI memos from 2019 containing unsubstantiated claims that Donald Trump sexually abused a minor in the early 1980s with Epstein's assistance, which Trump has consistently denied.
Democratic Bills Target ICE Employees in Multiple States
Supercharged by billions from Congress, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hired thousands of new officers for Trump's mass deportation campaign, described as "wartime recruitment." In response, Democratic lawmakers in at least four states—New Jersey, California, Maryland, and Washington—have introduced bills to impose long-term consequences on new ICE employees. These measures would make them ineligible for jobs in law enforcement, public education, or the entire state civil service, aiming to undermine Trump's hardline immigration policies.
- Current Status: None of the bills have been signed into law, and they may face legal challenges.
- Funding Source: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, approved by Republicans, allocated nearly $30 billion for hiring and training new ICE agents, with recruitment ads using xenophobic slogans and offering signing bonuses up to $50,000.
Pakistan Declares 'Open War' with Afghanistan After Cross-Border Attacks
Pakistan's defence minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, declared an "open war" with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, marking a major escalation between the neighbours. This follows Pakistan's bombing of Kabul and two other provinces on Friday, hours after a cross-border attack, despite a Qatar-mediated ceasefire signed in 2025. Afghan forces had attacked Pakistani border troops on Thursday night in retaliation for earlier airstrikes.
- Casualty Claims: Pakistan's information minister claimed the strikes killed 133 Afghan Taliban officials and wounded over 200, while Afghanistan's defence ministry said 55 Pakistani soldiers died in the border clashes.
- Ongoing Violence: The conflict underscores months of tit-for-tat clashes, with both sides reporting different casualty figures and sites hit.
Other Key News Developments
In other significant updates, high-stakes talks between the US and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program ended without a deal as the White House considers military options. The World Economic Forum's president resigned amid criticism of his Epstein connections. In the UK, the Green party secured an upset byelection victory, dealing a blow to Keir Starmer's Labour party and beating Reform UK. Additionally, a Columbia University student detained by ICE was released after intervention by New York City's mayor.
Business and Culture Highlights
Netflix withdrew from its planned $82.7 billion takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, paving the way for the Ellison family to acquire the company for $111 billion, including CNN. In culture, choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall discussed her work on The Testament of Ann Lee, starring Amanda Seyfried, while textile artist Tabitha Arnold showcased tapestries inspired by the labor movement. A climate experiment at the University of Sydney tested the effects of future heatwaves, and music critic Alexis Petridis ranked Lily Allen's greatest songs, highlighting her latest album West End Girl.
