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Today's top stories
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified for more than six hours yesterday in a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee. The Republican-led committee subpoenaed Hillary and former President Bill Clinton for their investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Hillary Clinton has denied knowing Epstein and repeated that denial to the committee. The Clintons initially resisted the subpoena, but agreed to be questioned after the committee threatened contempt of Congress. Bill Clinton, who appeared multiple times in the Epstein files, is set to answer questions today.
- π§ Hillary Clinton said her husband is likely to discuss how his relationship with Epstein ended years before Epstein's criminal wrongdoings came to light, NPR's Saige Miller tells Up First. The committee's chairman, James Comer, said today's hearing with Bill Clinton is expected to last longer than Hillary Clinton's, as they have many questions for the former president. Comer said that Hillary Clinton's hearing was productive and she answered nearly every question, even if the answer was "you'll have to ask my husband." Hillary Clinton told the press after the hearing that it should have been open to the public and described the questioning as repetitive.
The Warner Bros. Discovery board announced yesterday that Paramount's sweetened bid for the entire company is "superior" to Netflix's $83 billion offer. Netflix's proposed deal included the purchase of the company's streaming services, studios and intellectual property. Netflix pulled out of the running instead of trying to top Paramount's $111 billion deal.
- π§ Paramount's move to take over Warner Bros. Discovery would make the company a "Hollywood behemoth" after the merger, NPR's David Folkenflik says. The deal still has to go through review by antitrust regulators. If it's finalized, multiple entities, including CBS, CBS News, CNN, Comedy Central and TBS, would be under one roof. The merger could position the company as a major player in Hollywood that could compete with platforms like Netflix, Apple and Amazon Prime. Paramount's CEO, David Ellison, and his family are close to President Trump, who has made it clear that he cares about what happens to CNN. Owners of various news outlets, including the Ellisons, have moved to appease Trump and his allies in the current political moment.
Trump is not ruling out the possibility of military strikes on Iran. The president hasn't laid out his specific objectives behind a possible attack, nor has he asked Congress for authorization. He also hasn't explained his reasoning to the American people. The U.S. and Iran are currently set to continue their talks about Tehran's nuclear program next week.
- π§ The Trump administration seems focused on two likely sets of targets, NPR's Franco OrdoΓ±ez says. One could be limited strikes, possibly against Iran's ballistic missile program, nuclear targets or leadership. The second option could be a larger campaign aimed at destabilizing the country or possibly overthrowing the regime. The U.S. and Iran held their third round of negotiations yesterday. Iran has continued to refuse to negotiate on ballistic missiles β a sticking point for U.S. officials.
A U.S. District Court judge yesterday cleared the way for Trump's $300 million White House ballroom project to proceed. The judge denied the National Trust for Historic Preservation's effort to put a pause on construction, but left the door open for a revised filing. The preservation group alleges the president bypassed proper procedures in tearing down the East Wing and soliciting private donations to fund the massive changes. Trump applauded the judge's ruling on social media, writing that it is "Great news for America."
Life advice
To receive certain medical treatments or tests, especially costly ones, your insurer may require prior authorization. When this occurs, your doctor submits a pre-authorization request to your insurance company, explaining why you need the treatment. The insurer then decides if it agrees that the care is medically necessary and if it will pay for it. iIn a statement to NPR, the insurer trade group AHIP, formerly known as America's Health Insurance Plans, said that prior authorizations are a safeguard that helps ensure patients receive safe, evidence-based care and keeps coverage affordable. This is what you should know about getting prior authorization requests approved in a timely manner:
- π§ββοΈ Reach out to your insurance company or pharmacy benefit manager to find out how long your prior authorization lasts.
- π§ββοΈ While waiting for your prior authorization, inform your doctor about your medication supply and any health decline. You can also ask them to request an expedited review.
- π§ββοΈ Ask your doctor about alternative treatments. Health plans have different formularies, so switching medicines may be easier than fighting for coverage approval.
Weekend picks
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
πΏ Movies: Hasan Hadi's debut feature film, The President's Cake, follows 9-year-old Lamia, who is tasked with baking a birthday cake for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The movie highlights how life under Hussein destroyed children's innocence.
πΊ TV: The reality show The Traitors has become weekly appointment television for the Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts. They say this season brings rich drama with alliances, secrets, treachery, and murder.
π Books: Critic Maureen Corrigan says that Allegra Goodman's new novel, This Is Not About Us, will make readers see aspects of themselves and their families in its pages.
π΅ Music: From Lana Del Rey's "White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter" to U2's "American Obituary," here are NPR Music's picks for the best new songs of the week.
βQuiz: This week's newsletters really set me up for success on this test. A "competent" score of eight of 10 this week. Will you do just as well? Give it a try.
3 things to know before you go
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani yesterday presented Trump with a mock newspaper with the headline "Trump to City: Let's Build" during a meeting to discuss housing in New York City. (via Gothamist)
- U.S. mortgage rates have fallen below 6% for the first time since September 2022.
- When Olivia Joffrey was in 6th grade, her teacher organized a Father's Day softball game for students and their dads. Because Joffrey's father had an early, rare case of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, he couldn't attend. Her mom asked her 20-something coworker, Bob, to go in his place. When her unsung hero followed through with the generous act, he helped her feel accepted.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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