JUSTTHENEWS (Misty Severi) - Comer says alleged Epstein victim named three alleged abusers: 'She was very brave coming forward'
The House committee interviewed Sarah Kellen in a closed-door meeting Thursday which Comer said resulted in the most "substantive and productive interview that we’ve had.”
STRIPES (John Vandiver) - NATO ministers meet amid mounting questions about US role in Europe | Stars and Stripes
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio presses NATO allies to boost defense spending and secure the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions over troop cuts.
NYTIMES (Ephrat Livni, Vivian Nereim, Erika Solomon and Farnaz Fassihi) - Iran and Oman in Talks Over Strait of Hormuz Ship Payment System
The discussions suggest that the United States and the Iranian government may not be close to reaching a deal to end a war that has badly damaged the global economy.
WASHINGTONPOST (Cat Zakrzewski, Ian Duncan, Ellen Nakashima, Isaac Arnsdorf) - Pressure from Silicon Valley helped block Trump’s expected order on AI
Industry leaders warned in last-minute calls to the president that the proposed safety vetting system could inhibit development of the pivotal technology.
AXIOS (Rebecca Falconer) - Trump says U.S. will send 5,000 more troops to Poland
The U.S. will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, President Trump said Thursday. Why it matters: Trump's surprise announcement came a week after the Pentagon abruptly canceled a planned deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland. - The Trump administration had previously said 5,000 troops would be withdrawn from Germany and that further troop reductions in Europe were expected. Driving the news: Trump wrote on Truth Social that his decision was based on the election last year of Poland's conservative President Karol Nawrocki, whom he endorsed. Background: Poland has in recent months faced threats from Russia that included NATO and Polish forces having to shoot down Russian drones that had violated the EU country's airspace. -…
AXIOS (Sara Fischer) - Spotify bets on taste as differentiator in the AI era
Spotify believes it will become much more profitable over the next four years by leveraging AI to build a "large taste model" that supports interactive sharing over passive listening. Why it matters: The streamer spent the past four years proving it could turn its popularity into a meaningful business . Now, it wants to show Wall Street it can sustain and build on that momentum in the agentic era. Driving the news: Leaning into taste as a strategic differentiator will help the streaming giant create a stickier audio ecosystem and strike more partnerships that serve fans, executives told investors at an event in New York City on Thursday. - The company unveiled a new "Reserved" ticketing service, in partnership with Live Nation, that…
YOUTUBE (Newsmax) - Woman’s gym membership cancelled after she reports seeing a biological man in women’s locker room
On Thursday’s “Finnerty,” Judy Walcott recounted seeing a biological man in the women’s locker room, reporting the incident to the Planet Fitness front desk, and subsequently having her membership canceled.
REDSTATE (Sister Toldjah) - Update: Trump's D.C. Arch Project Is One Step Closer to Reality
NYTIMES (Frances Robles) - Cuba Celebrates Raúl Castro After the U.S. Accuses Him of Murder
Cuban officials closed ranks around Mr. Castro, their embattled former president, who was indicted on murder charges in the downing of two civilian planes 30 years ago.