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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson
Bill Clinton To Be Questioned On Dealings With Epstein; WBD Deems Paramount Offer "Superior," Netflix Drops Bid; Backstreet Boys Extends "Into The Millennium" Residency; Miley Cyrus To Revisit "Hannah Montana" For 20th Anniversary; "Scream 7" Has Lowest Rotten Tomatoes Score in the Franchise; Iran Covering Up Protest Deaths by Pressuring Families to Lie; Democrat Could Win Texas Senate Seat for First Time in 38 Years; Gold Medal Hockey Player Caroline Harvey Speaks to CNN. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired February 27, 2026 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00]
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Call it a Whopper of announcement from Burger King. The fast food giant is making its first major changes in a decade to the iconic burger. Company says the Whopper will have a softer bun and creamier mayonnaise and will also be served in a cardboard box instead of being wrapped in paper. Burger King is making the changes after years of customer complaints. Revamped burger will roll out this week in more than 7,000 locations across the U.S. Of course, the Big Mac also comes in a box.
Thanks for watching. Stay with us. The next hour of The Story Is starts right now.
The Story Is set to testify. Former President Bill Clinton will face Congress about Jeffrey Epstein one day after his wife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I never met Jeffrey Epstein.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: The Story Is, historic merger. The shocking twist in the Warner Brothers Discovery deal. CNN's Brian Stelter with us to break it all down.
And The Story Is a CNN investigation, how families in Iran were forced to lie about their loved ones deaths.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Los Angeles, The Story Is with Elex Michelson.
MICHAELSON: And thanks for watching The Story Is. I'm Elex Michelson. The story this hour is Republicans pressing the Clintons for answers about late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Former President Bill Clinton will testify before a House committee in the day ahead. Hillary Clinton was deposed on Thursday behind closed doors.
Both she and her husband demanded a public hearing, but the Republican led House Oversight Committee refused to do so publicly. The former secretary of state denied any prior knowledge of Epstein and his crimes and appeared exasperated with the whole proceeding.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I thought it was very repetitive. I thought that they asked literally the same questions over and over again, which didn't seem to me to be very productive. I don't know how many times I had to say I did not know Jeffrey Epstein. I never went to his island. I never went to his homes.
I never went to his offices. So it's on the record numerous times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Other Democrats accused the committee of carrying out a clown show. And they say more Republicans and conservatives named in the files deserve their own turn on the hot seat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ROBERT GARCIA (D-CA): We also want to hear from other folks whether it's Howard Lutnick, who of course we know had lied about his relationship with Epstein in many interviews, or whether it's from Donald Trump. Donald Trump has appeared in the Epstein files almost more than any other single person. And if they're going to set a new precedent of now talking to former presidents or current presidents, it is time for Donald Trump to come before our committee under oath and testify.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on that committee. In a moment, we'll have live legal analysis here on our set. But we start things off for the hour with CNN's MJ Lee in Chappaqua, New York.
MJ LEE, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came out of an almost seven hour deposition behind closed do with members of the House Oversight Committee here in Chappaqua, New York. And she essentially said what she has been saying for a while, that she told these lawmakers that she didn't know Jeffrey Epstein, didn't have any information to share about his criminal activities. But of course, the story tomorrow as it concerns her husband, former President Bill Clinton, is going to be very different because he is somebody that did have a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his name and his photos are all throughout the Epstein files that have been released by the Justice Department.
And one question that I asked the former secretary of state when she came out to speak to reporters afterwards was whether she is 100 percent confident that Bill Clinton didn't know anything about Epstein's crimes. This is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I am. And I think the chronology of the connection that he had with Epstein ended years, several years before anything about Epstein's criminal activities came to light. And that he was charged and sadly given a sweetheart deal which as I said in my statement, had that not happened, perhaps his predatory behavior could have been stopped earlier. But I think it is fair to say that the vast majority of people who had contact with him before his criminal plea in '08 were like most people, they did not know what he was doing. And I think that is exactly what my husband will testify to tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:05:03]
LEE: Hillary Clinton also said that she found the questions during Thursday's deposition quite repetitive. She also said there were some unusual moments, confirming CNN's earlier reporting that at times Republican lawmakers were asking her about UFOs and also the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. We also reported that one Republican lawmaker, Nancy Mace, had asked Hillary Clinton how she felt about young women massaging Bill Clinton, the former president. And I'm told she responded by saying she's not here to speculate about things she's not aware of and that she's also not here to talk about her feelings.
M.J. Lee, CNN, Chappaqua, New York.
MICHAELSON: That's a disciplined answer from a trained lawyer. Let's talk about this now with another trained lawyer, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, who is the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers.
Neama, welcome to The Story Is for the first time. Great to have you on our set. Let's talk about Bill Clinton. It seems like the Hillary Clinton thing almost seems like a waste of time, but the Bill Clinton testimony, he actually did know Jeffrey Epstein and has lots of interactions with him, flew on his plane 16 times. What's the potential legal jeopardy for Bill Clinton, who we know has a past of not always being truthful in his testimony?
NEAMA RAHMANI, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Elex, thanks for having me. So excited to be here for the first time. And you're right, I mean, today was the undercard, tomorrow's the main event. I mean, Bill Clinton, Jeffrey Epstein went to the White House the many times. Bill Clinton was on that plane.
We've all seen those infamous photos, the painting of him in a dress and heels. So I think tomorrow we're going to see probably a very feisty fighting Bill Clinton. We saw Hillary Clinton. I don't think Bill Clinton is going to go in there and plead the Fifth or be evasive. He's going to come out swinging because that's really been his M.O.
And we know that this transcript is going to be unsealed and that video will be made public. And I think Bill Clinton is here to preserve his name and his legacy. MICHAELSON: And the Clinton say they want it. So basically, as long as he doesn't lie under oath, it sounds like he's legally in the clear unless there's some huge revelation that we don't know about.
RAHMANI: Of course, if he's involved in sex abuse or trafficking, we know that under federal law there's no statute of limitations issue. Obviously, if he lies and he has lied in the past, we know that this Department of Justice has been very aggressive in prosecuting --
MICHAELSON: Very.
RAHMANI: -- those types of lies. Obviously, we have the Comey case, we have others as well. So expect to see a referral to the DOJ pretty soon. But short of any lie or short of anything that actually implicates Bill Clinton, I don't think there's any legal liability for him.
MICHAELSON: So you just mentioned statute of limitations, because all these files are coming out and there's a lot of people that are wondering, can any of these guys, if they were involved in criminal behavior, be prosecuted? Now you say you got to have a victim.
RAHMANI: That's absolutely right. So what we need, and obviously there's a lot of allegations in these files, but unless one of those victims is willing to come forward and testify in either a civil or criminal case, trial, grand jury, there is no case. The files themselves, Elex, they're hearsay. Under the confrontation clause of the Constitution, an accused has a right to cross examine their accuser. So unless that individual is willing to come forward and tell her story of abuse in a very public way --
MICHAELSON: Yes.
RAHMANI: -- there is no legal case, unfortunately.
MICHAELSON: And so that means that this all could be -- I mean, how do you sort of understand what's going on in other countries? Because you see, like Prince Andrew, former Prince Andrew, now being prosecuted not for this particular thing, they're kind of getting him on something else, but it seems like they're taking it more seriously.
RAHMANI: I do obviously former Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten- Windsor. You have Lord Mandelson over there, both of whom are being prosecuted for different types of crimes. I think we're talking off camera. I compared it to getting Al Capone for tax evasion, but they are taking it seriously. Even before these prosecutions, you had the king, who stripped him of his royal titles, kicked him out of the mansion.
I think one of the differences between here and the U.K. is obviously we have a jury system and we have prosecutors here who sometimes when it comes to these difficult cases involving sex abuse and sexual assault, when there isn't a contemporaneous report, they're not willing to bring the tough cases. That's what MeToo was all about, right? Where you had a woman who came forward. And if you look at the statistics all throughout America, the number of perpetrators of sexual assault and sexual abuse that are brought to justice is anywhere from 5 percent to 10 percent.
MICHAELSON: Wow.
RAHMANI: So it's a very small number. And I think it shows one of the differences between how we approach these cases here in the United States and abroad.
MICHAELSON: How difficult it is for women to come forward and then have to relive that through the testimony and be in sometimes the same room as that person is really, really difficult.
Neama Rahmani, thank you so much for coming in and sharing your insights. We appreciate it.
RAHMANI: Of course. Thanks for having me.
MICHAELSON: Big story in Washington where a source tells CNN that President Trump has been briefed on potential military operations in Iran over its nuclear program. The commander of U.S. Central Command briefed the president on Thursday.
[01:10:10]
The U.S. and Iran are set to continue nuclear talks in Vienna next week. The two sides wrapped up discussions in Geneva on Thursday with signs of some progress but no major breakthrough. Here's how the Iranian foreign minister described it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABBAS ARAGHCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): During these several long and very intensive hours, we made good progress and very seriously entered into the elements of a possible agreement both in the nuclear field and in the area of sanctions. On some issues we have now become very close to an understanding. On certain other issues, we still have differences of opinion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, more U.S. military forces are en route to the region. Vice president of the United States, J.D. Vance, told the Washington Post on Thursday that there is no chance that the U.S. will become involved in a years long war in the Middle East.
Ukraine's President Zelenskyy says the next round of peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. expected to take place next month in Abu Dhabi. That comes after Kyiv's delegation met with top U.S. officials Thursday in Geneva where the U.S. also held talks with Moscow's special envoy. That's at least according to Russian state media.
The death toll is rising in the latest cross border strikes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. A fragile ceasefire has been in place between the neighboring countries since October until last weekend. This is a complicated fight with Taliban forces in both countries. Video from Afghan forces released Thursday shows military vehicles on the move with the sound of heavy gunfire in the background. Let's bring in CNN Senior International Correspondent Ivan Watson following this story live from Hong Kong for us.
Ivan, what do we know about what started this conflict?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is a startling reversal considering that critics for many years accused the Pakistani government of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan and now they're basically at war with each other. What we saw Thursday night was that the Taliban government in Afghanistan announced that it was carrying out a series of cross border raids along the Durand Line. That's the name for the 1600 mile, 2600 kilometer long border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. And then the Pakistani government announced that it was effectively retaliating. The government in Afghanistan says that there were airstrikes in Kandahar in Paktia Province and in the capital, Kabul.
The Pakistani government says that it was targeting Afghan military targets, things like a battalion headquarters, an ammunition depot, a sector headquarters, and that both sides are claiming to have killed scores of troops on each side. And there have been unconfirmed reports of civilians being injured as well.
You mentioned that this is complicated. It is complicated because there's an Afghan Taliban that runs Afghanistan. There's also a Pakistani Taliban, the TTP, that has been waging an increasingly deadly insurgency inside Pakistan. The Pakistani government accuses the Afghan Taliban of supporting the Pakistani Taliban and that is part of why it is carrying out these attacks across the border.
I mentioned the fact that in decades past when the U. S backed, now defeated government in Afghanistan was at war with the Afghan Taliban, the critics accused Pakistan of supporting this Afghan Taliban. And I asked the Pakistani defense minister about this back in November, how the side seemed to have switched and this is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATON: But are some of the Taliban officials that have been fighting with Pakistan some of the same people who used to live and take shelter here?
KHAWAJA MUHAMMAD ASIF, PAKISTANI DEFENSE MINISTER: Yes, yes, that's correct. You know they still have properties overhead.
WATSON: Is that the definition of blowback?
ASIF: Yes, I think so. I think so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: So the blowback continues to unravel and the ceasefire, the shaky ceasefire from October, does seem to be falling apart right now, Elex.
MICHAELSON: We will keep updated with what happens next. Ivan Watson live for us in Hong Kong.
Whereas after 2:00 in the afternoon on Friday, back here in Burbank, outside our window it is 10:15 at night on Thursday and that headquarters, the WBD headquarters, big day. Nothing is final yet, but it looks like Paramount Skydance is set to win the bidding war for Warner Brothers Discovery, the parent company of this network. Netflix refused to match Paramount's latest offer of $31 a share. And the result could be a dramatic reshaping not only of that tower right outside our window, but the entire media landscape.
[01:15:40]
Joining me now from New York is CNN's Chief Media Analyst, Brian Stelter.
Brian, welcome back to The Story Is. What a day. Walk us through, basically, where are we at.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Yes, a lot of folks on Thursday morning did not believe that this outcome would happen, at least not so soon. I have spoken with many sources that are involved with this deal that were caught off guard today. But the series of events does make some sense when you step back and take a look at it. After all, it was Paramount CEO David Ellison who initially put WBD in play by making an unsolicited bid for CNN's parent company last summer, right? Ellison was able to take control of CBS and all those assets last summer after taking over the old Viacom and then he immediately set his sights on WBD, on taking over the Warner Brothers movie studio, HBO, CNN, all of it.
His initial bids were rejected and WBD CEO David Zaslav started a bidding war. Eventually, Netflix got involved. WBD side with Netflix's offer. You know, we've been covering this now at this point for months, but in retrospect, it does make a lot of sense that Paramount is victorious because Paramount started this entire process. And furthermore, for Paramount, these assets are existential in nature.
You know, Ellison, his team believes it is absolutely critical for Paramount to beef up to get a lot bigger in order to compete with the likes of Netflix as well as YouTube and TikTok and all the rest. So Paramount ultimately offered a lot more money and a much sweeter deal that WBD's board felt it had to accept because it has a financial fiduciary duty to its shareholders. And that is why within a matter of hours on Thursday, WBD's board said, hey, Paramount has the better offer. And then Netflix said, well, we're walking away. And by doing so, Netflix basically said they think Paramount is overpaying for CNN and the rest of WBD.
MICHAELSON: Well, and interesting timing on all this as well maybe not a coincidence that this happens on the same day that Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, goes to the White House and meets with President Trump. What do we know about that meeting? STELTER: This is the big question and this is where we need to do a lot more reporting. But we do know that this meeting was on the books for a couple of weeks. We do know that Sarandos had previously met with the president but was not scheduled to meet with the president on this occasion. And we do know that Paramount CEO David Ellison has also been schmoozing with Trump. There's been a real effort to cozy up to the president because frankly, right now all M &A, all mergers and acquisitions run through the Oval Office, or at least that's how Trump wants it to seem.
And he took a real special interest in this deal. He once said back in December that it was imperative, he said, for CNN to be sold. He wants CNN to be in the hands of a company like Paramount. And now it appears he will achieve that, although the regulatory review process will still take months at a minimum. I know you had the California attorney general on the program recently, Rob Bonta.
Well, he came out tonight and said this is not a done deal yet. He said his office is going to vigorously review this Paramount deal. But to be very clear, within a matter of hours, WBD got in line with Paramount. They said they're looking forward to this deal happening. And Paramount has already made a lot of progress in Europe with regulators in Europe.
So it is possible that this deal could take effect as soon as the fall, although it may take longer for it to take effect. And look, we've seen a lot of surprises so far, Elex, so --
MICHAELSON: Yes.
STELTER: -- maybe there will be other twists and turns.
MICHAELSON: And real quickly, Brian, what does this mean for the average consumer, not only of this network, CNN, but also of HBO, of Warner Brothers movies, of Paramount movies. What does it mean for the average person?
STELTER: When it comes to CNN, CNN is the same tomorrow as it is yesterday and today. But in the future, I think Paramount will try to merge CNN and CBS News, try to bring them together, try to find some synergies. For the entertainment business, this means consolidation of two movie studios, Paramount and Warner Brothers, and likely major layoffs. And that's going to be a real concern for unions and others in Hollywood. A lot of pressure points involving this deal.
But ultimately a company like Paramount with Paramount Plus, feels it has to get a lot bigger in order to compete with the likes of Apple and Netflix and YouTube. And that is what's propelling this deal right now.
MICHAELSON: And one of Netflix major competitors is now spending a whole lot of money, which is an interesting twist in all this as well.
STELTER: Yes, yes.
MICHAELSON: Potentially if the deal goes through. Brian Stelter, I could talk to you literally for hours about this, but we appreciate you and all that reporting --
[01:20:04]
STELTER: I'll come back tomorrow.
MICHAELSON: -- all day long. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
Still ahead, a CNN investigation. Families in Iran say the regime is pressuring them to lie about their loved ones deaths. The government's crackdown on protesters. We'll hear from some of them later this hour. Plus, New York's new mayor just had his second in person meeting with President Trump at the White House.
And this time he came with a pitch and some props. Details ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAELSON: NBC's "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie is expected to return to the show at some point. The search for her missing Mother continues. Sources tell CNN Guthrie's return will be on her timeline, however long it takes. The FBI says hundreds of credible calls have come in since Guthrie posted an emotional video on social media offering a million dollar reward for information about her mom, Nancy. The 84-year-old vanished from her Tucson home four weeks ago.
[01:25:21]
New York City's mayor Zohran Mamdani had what he called a productive meeting with President Trump on Thursday. Mamdani visited the White House to make a pitch for a major federal investment in housing in New York City. He also brought props. A mockup of a newspaper front page with the headline Trump to city, let's build, which mirrors a real 1975 front page featuring then President Gerald Ford in the headline Ford to city, drop dead.
Well, we know this is the year of the fire horse in the lunar calendar. Well, in the entertainment calendar, we call this the year of the comebacks. Millennials are flocking to stadiums and concerts to see artists that they once loved back on stage from the Backstreet Boys to The "Hannah Montana" 20th anniversary special. We've got the perfect person to talk about all of this.
Emmy Award winning journalist and media personality Segun Oduolowu is back with us.
Welcome back to The Story Is. Great to see you.
SEGUN ODUOLOWU, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST & MEDIA PERSONALITY: Thank you. Thank you for having me back.
MICHAELSON: So there's this Backstreet Boys residency in Las Vegas --
ODUOLOWU: Money.
MICHAELSON: -- which every sort of bachelorette party and every group they've moved from Nashville. Now they're all going to Vegas all wearing white and they all seem to be having a great time.
ODUOLOWU: Well, the Backstreet Boys at the sphere is a draw. The Backstreet Boys we saw over the Super Bowl, they were in multiple commercials. They are nostalgia. They are songs that a certain generation can still sing every word to.
MICHAELSON: I'm part of that generation.
ODUOLOWU: OK, sure. But the big thing is the tickets prices are extraordinary. Like the range is from 400 to 4,000.
MICHAELSON: Wow.
ODUOLOWU: Yes. I don't know if I'm -- I don't know if I need to see AJ that much.
MICHAELSON: What about Kevin?
ODUOLOWU: Well, what about Kevin? Yes, exactly. No, I mean, look, that residency at the Sphere is going to draw huge numbers. Like I said, it's a great location with the nostalgia. It's a -- it's like a match made in heaven. I do think the ticket prices, though are kind of outrageous.
MICHAELSON: But yet they're selling.
ODUOLOWU: Well, they're selling because they hit that sweet demographic of the -- and we're going to talk about it in the "Hannah Montana" where the group that they're going after so much disposable income. They've aged to a certain point where they are the people with the funds to do this. It's not young kids --
MICHAELSON: Right.
ODUOLOWU: -- that can go see a concert.
MICHAELSON: Right.
ODUOLOWU: It's, you know, 30s, 40s, maybe 50.
MICHAELSON: And so Miley Cyrus, which I'm kind of surprised by, is going back to "Hannah Montana."
ODUOLOWU: The answer to all your questions is always money. This is the perfect sweet spot to hit on that nostalgia. The host of Call Your Daddy, the Call Your Daddy podcast, is going to be speaking to her before the whole 20th anniversary event. That podcast has millions of followers. You tie all of this in, and it's one huge money grab.
Why not? I mean, seriously, why not? Again, same demographic that grew up with Miley --
MICHAELSON: Right.
ODUOLOWU: -- you know, grew up with -- grew up with the whole "Hannah Montana" character. And again, we're talking about a show that ran for just a couple of years, but had gold albums, platinum albums, sold huge, and launched the career of a megastar and Miley Cyrus.
MICHAELSON: Which is interesting because she's still a big star. It's not --
ODUOLOWU: She's still a big star, but she hasn't touched -- she hasn't touched that "Hannah Montana" level.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ODUOLOWU: Like that "Hannah Montana" was everywhere.
MICHAELSON: Yes, because it's interesting because, like, Justin Timberlake hasn't really had to go back to NSYNC. He's done it a little bit once in while.
ODUOLOWU: NSYNC, yes. Had to go back to "The Mickey Mouse Club."
MICHAELSON: He hasn't had to.
ODUOLOWU: No.
MICHAELSON: But the Backstreet Boys guys have stayed together because they're all kind of at the same star level.
ODUOLOWU: Because they need each other.
MICHAELSON: And it's also interesting you say that about the Millennials, because for so many years, you think of Gen X, who has had disposable income, and even the older, the baby boomers, because, you know, the rolling stones, Paul McCartney, all these -- they're still touring.
ODUOLOWU: Right.
MICHAELSON: The ticket prices are through the roof, but people pay them. People pay for Bruce Springsteen because that group has the money.
ODUOLOWU: They have the money. And as that group ages, I mean, look, Bruce is what, 70s?
MICHAELSON: Yes. He looks great
ODUOLOWU: We're talking, you know, the Stones are there. It looks great. No, no, no.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ODUOLOWU: No ageism here. But the Backstreet Boys are of an age where they're the disposable income.
MICHAELSON: No. We're getting -- we're getting old. Yes. Yes. And then --
ODUOLOWU: We? Who's this we?
MICHAELSON: We, we, we.
ODUOLOWU: I didn't know we were speaking French.
MICHAELSON: I'm saying my group.
ODUOLOWU: OK. Cool.
MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, speaking of nostalgia, "Scream" is back for "Scream 7."
ODUOLOWU: Yes. Should have killed it. Should have killed it a long time ago. The reviews are in and it is awful. It's been plagued with controversy.
They've been protests around it for the firing of one of the main characters from "Scream 6." She had some comments about Palestine. So the "Scream 7" is seeing protests, but at the end of it, bringing Campbell back, which I'm a Neve Campbell fan. Great. If you haven't seen her in "The Lincoln Lawyer," she can always act.
[01:29:38]
She's great. But it's not enough to save a bad movie.
And the director is the -- is the original creator of the whole "Scream" franchise. It's just -- it's just not enough and you don't go to the well seven times hoping to strike gold.
MICHAELSON: Although some people probably will go see it, you know. Who knows?
ODUOLOWU: Well, nostalgia -- nostalgia is huge.
MICHAELSON: Yes. Nostalgia is a real thing.
ODUOLOWU: But it's not enough.
MICHAELSON: Segun, great to see you.
ODUOLOWU: Always a pleasure. You look sharp.
MICHAELSON: Looking good. I like -- I like the look tonight.
ODUOLOWU: Thank you.
MICHAELSON: More news ahead on THE STORY IS stay with CNN.
[01:30:38]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAELSON: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.
Let's take a look at today's top stories.
Former President Bill Clinton will testify about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in the hours ahead.
Earlier Hillary Clinton told lawmakers she had never met the late pedophile or communicated with him. She criticized the Republican-led committee for refusing to hold a public hearing. The closed-door deposition for her lasted for more than six hours.
A U.S. citizen was among four people killed after Cuban forces opened fire on a speedboat in Cuba's territorial waters. U.S. officials said a second U.S. Citizen was wounded and is now receiving medical treatment in Cuba. Havana insists the boat's passengers were trying to quote, "infiltrate the island".
The incident comes amid strained relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
The U.S. and Iran wrapped up nuclear talks in Geneva with signs of progress, but no major breakthrough. The Iranian foreign minister says the two sides identified the main elements of a potential agreement.
Sanctions relief was a key topic of discussion on Thursday. Talks are set to continue at a technical level next week in Vienna.
Meanwhile inside Iran, the regime is trying to cover up the deaths of protesters killed in the government's recent crackdown. A CNN investigation finds that Iranian authorities are pressuring the families of slain protesters to lie about their loved ones' deaths.
CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has the story, and a warning the report you're about to see contains some graphic content.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In grief they dance, celebrating the life of those they've lost. This is how Iranians are defying their ruthless clerical regime.
It's not only killed thousands in its bloodiest crackdown ever, but one that has also been trying to bury the truth.
Over the past few weeks, we've collected testimony pointing to a widespread effort by Iranian authorities to pressure families of its victims into silence and falsifying the circumstances of how those protesters were killed.
RELATIVE OF KILLED IRANIAN PROTESTER AMIRHOSSEIN SAEDI (through translator): The family were visited by Basiji paramilitary forces and Revolutionary Guards. They told the father he was talking too much because he had been saying that his son was shot in front of his eyes.
KARADSHEH: This man we're not identifying for his safety is in Iran. He spoke to us about his relatives, the Saedi family, whose member, Amirhossein, was shot and killed by regime forces.
He says security officials tried pressuring the family to label Amirhossein a quote, "martyr", supporting the regime's narrative that so-called rioters, backed by the U.S. and Israel, not state forces, killed protesters. RELATIVE OF KILLED IRANIAN PROTESTER AMIRHOSSEIN SAEDI (through translator): The forces were present at their ceremonies, Basiji members and others stayed nearby. They even went to their house and threatened them, saying, we have to announce your child as a martyr, and you cannot speak anywhere. You must not say anything unless you want your other child's fate to be the same as this one.
KARADSHEH: Amirhossein had never protested before the January uprising, but on that night, not even a medical condition he was struggling with could stop him.
RELATIVE OF KILLED IRANIAN PROTESTER AMIRHOSSEIN SAEDI (through translator): He suddenly jumped up and down, saying, adrenaline has risen in my blood. I'm flying. Tonight, I want to fly.
KARADSHEH: Amirhossein bled to death after being shot in the face by security forces, according to his relative. The 19-year-old and his dad were inseparable. On that night, he died in his father's arms.
The Iranian regime has long been accused of harassing and intimidating families of protesters to silence them and coerce statements that aligned with the official account.
This time, human rights groups tell us it is a systematic campaign that appears aimed at controlling the narrative and concealing the scale of state violence.
Memorials like this one outside Iran allow the world to see the faces of some of the victims.
Getting first hand testimony from people inside the country is very hard. It is extremely dangerous to speak out against the regime.
With the help of Iranian human rights groups and activists, we reviewed voice and text messages from more than a dozen families. They describe coercive tactics by the regime, including withholding protesters' bodies or burial permits.
[01:39:45]
KARADSHEH: In some cases, relatives were pressured to attribute deaths to accidents. Many were harassed to accept the "martyr" designation, and we found that most were pushed to claim their loved ones were affiliated with state forces bolstering state propaganda.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They said Sam's body would not be handed over until he was declared a Basiji and a martyr killed by terrorists.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They said his father either had to declare Abolfazi as a Basiji or pay $6 billion rials.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They openly threatened that if we said or did anything, other members of the family would suffer the same fate that Peyman did.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They arrested his father and told him he had to say his son was martyred by the MEK Opposition Group or Israelis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Authorities were forcing the family to call her a martyr or to say that she had been shot by terrorists.
KARADSHEH: Also declared a martyr was three-year-old Melina Assadi. Her death weaponized by the regime, which falsely accused agents of Israel and the U.S. of killing the toddler.
They even deployed new tools this time to reinforce their version of events, airing this disturbing A.I.-generated video of the moment she was shot.
The rights group Hengaw says Melina was killed by the security forces, and her family was made to appear on state media.
Amirhossein's family was also forced to sit in front of the cameras for this segment, eulogizing so-called martyrs. Like other families, they gather at their boy's grave, defying the theocratic regime, an act of protest against an oppressor trying to rewrite a blood-soaked history.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: Our thanks to her.
For our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is next. For our viewers here in North America, I'll be right back with news from the Texas Senate race. Stay with us.
[01:41:46]
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MICHAELSON: Days ahead of its high stakes Senate primary, early voting turnout is surging in Texas. Through Tuesday, some 850,000 ballots had reportedly been cast in the Democratic Party primary alone as Jasmine Crockett faces off against James Talarico. And turnout up on the Republican side, as well as Senator John Cornyn wages a bitter battle against two challengers.
Now some wonder if this election will send the first Texas Democrat to the Senate in more than three decades.
Jeff Zeleny has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: James Talarico.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: They're calling out his name all across Texas, a rising star making some Democrats dream big.
JAMES TALARICO (D), TEXAS SENATE CANDIDATE: Let's go win this thing. ZELENY: James Talarico is turning heads as Democrats look for signs of
hope, in the midterm elections and beyond.
You weren't born the last time that Texas elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate.
TALARICO: That's right.
ZELENY: Why is this year different, do you believe?
TALARICO: Well, there is a growing backlash in this state to the extremism and the corruption in our government. I can't tell you how many people come up to me at the end of these events and whisper, I'm not a Democrat, like it's some kind of secret.
ZELENY: That fact alone speaks to the challenge or opportunity in a deep red state where the last Democratic senator was Lloyd Bentsen, reelected in 1988, a year before Talarico was born.
TALARICO: There is something happening in this state, and I think we're going to surprise a lot of people on election night in November.
ZELENY: But long before a potential November surprise, he faces a spirited primary Tuesday with Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.
REP. JASMINE CROCKETT (D-TX): People can take a chance on somebody that says that they will fight, or they can go with a proven fighter.
ZELENY: That's emerged as a study in contrasts and a stark choice for Democrats whether to fire up the base or try to expand it.
TALARICO: Whether you're a Democrat or Republican, whether you're a progressive or a conservative, the real fight in this country is not left versus right. It's top versus bottom.
ZELENY: That message has put Talarico, a 36-year-old state representative, on the political map. After appearing with Joe Rogan last year --
JOE ROGAN, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST: You need to run for president because you -- yes. We need someone who's actually a good person.
ZELENY: Talarico has been everywhere, including a star turn on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" who said the FCC sought to block the broadcast in a segment that became political gold.
TALARICO: I think it's safe to say their plan backfired.
ZELENY: The grandson of a pastor and a seminary student himself, he talks more about faith than most Democrats and tackling tough problems with love.
TALARICO: Love is not weak. Love sometimes requires that we stand between the bullies and the bullied.
ZELENY: As you well know, some Democrats aren't in the mood to love right now.
TALARICO: Well, I think it's because we treat love as some kind of soft, sentimental feeling when in fact love is a ferocious force. You think about the love of a mama bear protecting her cub -- that's the kind of love that we need in this moment.
ZELENY: He's tapped into the frustration of seasoned voters like Elaine and Ed Barnes.
ELAINE BARNES, TEXAS VOTER: We used to vote Republican. And in 2016, it changed us.
ED BARNES, TEXAS VOTER: We're not left. We're not right. We just want to be reasonable, somewhere in then sensible center and maybe this is going in that direction.
ZELENY: And younger ones like Oliver Dixon.
OLIVER DIXON, TEXAS VOTER: It shouldn't be left versus right. And I think Talarico is spot-on on that when he talks about that.
ZELENY: Talarico' views are proudly progressive, strongly denouncing Trump's immigration crackdown and most administration policies. Yet his touch is softer.
Do you think voters are looking for a healer more than a fighter?
TALARICO: I don't know if those two things are mutually exclusive. I think the best way to fight is to unite. And I know how to do both of those things.
ZELENY: Electability has become a key issue in the final days of this campaign. At events like this one, Talarico argues he's the stronger general election candidate. Of course that's a moot point if he doesn't win on Tuesday.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[01:49:44]
MICHAELSON: Jeff Zeleny in Dallas.
And a reminder we will have complete coverage of the results on Tuesday night right here on THE STORY IS.
But up next here tonight, Caroline Harvey and her hockey teammates not only won gold at the Olympics but also won the hearts of millions of Americans. We will hear from the MVP of Team USA. She joins me next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MICHAELSON: A Columbia University student detained by federal immigration agents has been released from custody. Elie Aghayeva posted that she was freed after the university said agents used false pretenses to enter a campus building in New York City.
[01:54:46]
MICHAELSON: She's from Azerbaijan. She was arrested Thursday after DHS claimed her student visa was terminated in 2016.
The university's acting president said agents entered her apartment by saying they were police searching for a missing child. DHS denies agents misrepresented themselves.
The U.S. women's hockey team is still celebrating after capturing the gold in an overtime thriller against Canada. Caroline Harvey was the MVP and likely going to be a top round pick in the upcoming professional women's hockey league draft.
Here's what she told me earlier here on THE STORY IS about the moment she and her teammates got the gold medal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROLINE HARVEY, TEAM USA WOMEN'S HOCKEY: There's a pretty speechless, but obviously it's just a special feeling. You feel so united and together as one. I mean, we've been working so hard this whole year towards this common goal of capturing gold.
And of course, like there's been many camps and hard work and efforts gone into it. And the team behind our team that's been there for us and getting us to that moment and just -- it was such a sweet moment.
Cherry on top, of course, bringing the gold home. But yes, in that moment, it was just you're with your sisters and you feel so united, and you guys are -- you know, we were screaming the national anthem, and it means everything.
MICHAELSON: So you got started in this very young, right? Like 3 or 4 years old, and you were skating, right? What is your message to all the little girls and little boys that are watching you all right, now?
HARVEY: Yes. It's been a great journey so far and it started because of my brother and wanting to follow in his footsteps. But for young -- for young kids out there who want to, who want to get started on their own journey and partake in hockey, I would just say follow your dreams and dream big.
And if you're willing to work hard and put in the consistent work every day, you can really achieve whatever you put your mind to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Congratulations to her. What an honor to speak with her.
Thanks for watching THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson. See you tomorrow.
[01:56:45]
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