Episode Details

Today’s Headlines: New Mexico has approved a bipartisan “truth commission” to investigate alleged sexual abuse and trafficking at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe. The commission will have subpoena power, a $2 million budget funded by a Deutsche Bank settlement, and will operate through 2026. Meanwhile, Epstein’s former benefactor Les Wexner is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee behind closed doors at his Ohio home. Early voting is underway in Texas’ Senate primaries after late-night host Stephen Colbert said CBS forced him to cancel an interview with Democratic candidate James Talarico following FCC guidance on political airtime. In media shakeups, Anderson Cooper is leaving CBS’ 60 Minutes, and independent journalist Georgia Fort pleaded not guilty to federal felony charges tied to covering an anti-ICE protest. On the corporate front, Warner Bros. Discovery reopened talks with Paramount over a $77.9 billion acquisition bid as Netflix circles with a competing offer. The Trump administration is reportedly reviewing its relationship with AI company Anthropic after questions about military use of its Claude model, while Palantir sued Swiss outlet Republik over an investigative report. Meta is facing scrutiny over AI chatbot safety for minors and a patent for AI systems that simulate deceased users. EU regulators are investigating Shein under the Digital Services Act, and the Trump administration has spent at least $40 million deporting migrants to third countries, including Cameroon. Nuclear talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Geneva reportedly made progress toward a potential new deal. In Argentina, the Senate passed sweeping labor reforms sparking nationwide strike threats. Trump-linked businesses also filed trademarks for “President Donald J. Trump International Airport.” Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at 84.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

The Guardian: New Mexico approves truth commission on alleged Jeffrey Epstein ranch abuse

Dispatch: What do we know about Les Wexner and Epstein as deposition approaches?

NYT: Colbert Slams Trump Administration After CBS Pulls Talarico Interview

Status: Cooper’s Final Minutes

Minnesota Reformer: Journalist Georgia Fort pleads not guilty to felony charges stemming from church protest

WSJ: Warner Reopens Talks With Paramount After Sweetened Offer

Axios: Exclusive: Pentagon threatens Anthropic punishment

European Journalist: Switzerland: US analytics firm takes Republik magazine to court – European Federation of Journalists

Mashable: Meta wins patent for AI that could post for dead social media users

Axios: Unreleased Meta product didn't protect kids from exploitation, tests found

PBS News: