Greetings! Happy National Carrot Cake Day to those celebrating.

Let’s get into today’s top stories.

🇮🇷 American jet downs Iranian drone near carrier Abraham Lincoln. United States Central Command said a Shahed-139 flew “aggressively” at the aircraft carrier. Captain Tim Hawkins said an F-35C destroyed it about 500 miles offshore. He said warnings came, then silence, then the drone kept closing. Hours earlier, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard harassed the merchant ship Stena Imperative in the Strait of Hormuz. The destroyer McFaul responded, and the ship continued safely. The flare-up arrives as President Donald Trump demands a new nuclear deal. Envoy Steve Witkoff is running talks, and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian signals openness. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said coercion is “unacceptable” and invites consequences. Turkey and Oman offer mediation, but the Gulf’s nerves are hair-trigger.

🇫🇷 French prosecutors raid X offices in Paris over abuse imagery. Investigators said they are probing child sexual abuse images shared on X. They also cited sexually explicit deepfakes and other illegal-content complaints. The file includes allegations of denying crimes against humanity, prosecutors said. Another count accuses X of manipulating automated data processing as an organized group. The prosecutor’s office said executive and engineering staff must sit for interviews on April 20th. X called the investigation politically motivated and vowed to fight it. Officials did not announce any arrests tied to the search. The pressure reflects a wider European push to police platform harms and data practices. For Musk, it’s a reminder digital borders still exist.

🧾 Clintons agree to testify in the House Epstein investigation. Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton agreed to appear after a subpoena fight escalated. The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability wants recorded, closed-door depositions. Bill Clinton is scheduled for February 26th, and Hillary Clinton for February 27th. Chair James Comer issued subpoenas in July and threatened a contempt vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson said those contempt steps are now on hold. Investigators are revisiting how Jeffrey Epstein turned access into a business model. Inclusion in the inquiry does not equal wrongdoing, and no charges have been filed against the Clintons. The committee says the goal is mapping networks, travel, and influence around Epstein. Epstein died in 2019 in New York while detained at Metropolitan Corrections Center, and associate Ghislaine Maxwell remains imprisoned.

🛰️ Complaint targets Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The filing says Tulsi Gabbard released top-secret intelligence to bolster a political argument. It was sent to the Intelligence Community Inspector General, the watchdog for spy agencies. An earlier inspector general, Tamara Johnson, found that claim not credible, officials said. Another allegation faults her office counsel for not referring a case to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Current inspector general Christopher Fox said he could not fully assess that part. Senator Mark Warner said selective disclosure erodes trust in nonpartisan intelligence. Gabbard’s office said the complaint is baseless and misrepresents standard processes. It also said congressional leaders were briefed through the Gang of Eight. In intelligence, perception is operational.

📹 Noem orders body cameras for Minneapolis Homeland Security officers. Kristi Noem said the change applies across Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operations in Minneapolis. DHS linked the shift to January shootings, which left intensive care nurse Alex Pretti and activist Renee Good shot and killed. DHS said video shows an officer shot Pretti while dogpiling him with several others. Noem said cameras add accountability, while some agents may still wear masks. Democrats want $20M for cameras and clear rules on when recording is mandatory. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has 3,000 cameras and wants 250K more. The American Immigration Council says ICE already has nearly $30B for enforcement.

⚖️ Defense fights to keep Charlie Kirk killing videos from jurors. Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist with Turning Point USA, was shot September 10th. Prosecutors want jurors to see footage that already has millions of online views. They say the clips show Tyler Robinson targeting Kirk and firing at him. Robinson is charged with aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. District Judge Tony Graf said he will rule after reviewing the videos in court. Defense attorney Aaron Clinger argued the images would prejudice jurors beyond reason. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, urged transparency and said the videos are part of reality. Cornell University law professor Valerie Hans said saturation coverage can harden opinions before selection. The case tests due process in an era when crime has a replay button.

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That’s all for today!

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