Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has firmly denied ever meeting disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, telling lawmakers she has no recollection of any interaction with him and no knowledge of his crimes.

Clinton made the declaration on Thursday during a closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee in Chappaqua, New York.

In a written statement issued during the session, she said she never boarded Epstein’s private jet, visited his properties, or had any encounter with him.

The testimony comes amid renewed congressional scrutiny over Epstein’s connections to powerful political and business figures before his 2019 jail death while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

Political Tensions Rise

Clinton accused the Republican-led committee of attempting to deflect attention from President Donald Trump and his past social relationship with Epstein.

She also criticized the Trump administration, alleging it weakened a State Department office tasked with fighting global sex trafficking.

The deposition briefly stalled after a photo of Clinton during the session surfaced on social media. According to her adviser Nick Merrill, the image violated committee rules. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted the photo, claiming it was taken by Republican Representative Lauren Boebert.

Contempt Threat Forced Testimony

Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had initially resisted appearing before the panel. They agreed to testify only after lawmakers initiated contempt proceedings.

Bill Clinton is expected to face questioning on Friday.

Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer dismissed claims that the probe is politically driven, noting that some Democrats had also supported calling the Clintons to testify.

“No one is accusing the Clintons of wrongdoing at this point,” Comer said, adding that the panel wants clarity on any potential contact with Epstein, his involvement in the Clintons’ charitable initiatives, and possible links to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently imprisoned.

Comer said transcripts of both interviews will be released publicly.

Democrats Demand Broader Accountability

Representative Robert Garcia, the committee’s ranking Democrat, countered that the investigation should not stop with the Clintons. He called for testimony from Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who has acknowledged visiting Epstein’s private island years after cutting ties with him.

Garcia also accused the Justice Department of withholding portions of nearly three million Epstein-related documents recently made public. He claimed the missing records include allegations from a woman who accused Trump of sexual abuse when she was a minor.

In Washington, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would review unredacted materials and urged the Justice Department to safeguard all related records.

The department has stated it is reviewing whether any documents were improperly withheld and has warned that some released materials contain unverified or sensational claims.

Authorities have not charged Trump with any crimes connected to Epstein. The two were known to have socialized in the 1990s and early 2000s before Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Comer said the committee has not uncovered evidence implicating Trump.

While Bill Clinton has acknowledged flying on Epstein’s private jet several times after leaving office, he has denied any misconduct and expressed regret over the association. Comer also stated that Epstein visited the White House 17 times during Clinton’s presidency.

Recently released documents have further highlighted Epstein’s links to prominent figures across politics and business, including Lutnick and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Ukraine has alleged that more than 1,700 African nationals are currently fighting alongside Russian forces in the ongoing war, accusing Moscow of using deceptive tactics to recruit them.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha made the disclosure on Wednesday during a joint press briefing with Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. According to Sybiha, Ukraine’s intelligence indicates that at least 1,780 individuals from 36 African countries have been enlisted into the Russian military.

Kyiv claims that many of these recruits were misled with false promises of employment opportunities, only to find themselves deployed to the frontlines of the conflict.

“We are witnessing attempts by Russia to pull African citizens into a brutal war,” Sybiha said, noting that Ukraine is engaging several African governments in discussions aimed at curbing what he described as exploitative recruitment schemes.

Russian officials have rejected allegations of unlawful recruitment. However, reports have surfaced in recent months suggesting that African men were enticed to Russia under the guise of civilian job offers before being redirected into combat roles in Ukraine.

Ablakwa stated that numerous African nationals caught up in the conflict were victims of online scams, particularly through dark web channels. He stressed that many lacked military training or prior security experience.

“These individuals were misled and placed directly in harm’s way,” he said.

Ghana also expressed support for Ukraine’s call for peace, urging a ceasefire as the war entered its fourth year earlier this week. Ablakwa disclosed plans to appeal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the release of two Ghanaian nationals currently held as prisoners of war after being captured while fighting for Russia.

Looking ahead to Ghana’s leadership of the African Union next year, Ablakwa said the country intends to spearhead awareness campaigns to expose trafficking networks allegedly facilitating the recruitment of Africans into foreign conflicts.

Pope Leo will embark on a 10-day tour of Africa from April 13 to 23, visiting Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, the Vatican announced on Wednesday.

The trip will be his first major overseas journey of 2026 and comes as the Catholic Church continues to record rapid growth across the continent, which is home to about 20 per cent of the world’s Catholics.

The pontiff, elected in May to succeed Pope Francis, is expected to draw large crowds and promote development as well as Catholic-Muslim dialogue during the visit.

Algeria, a predominantly Muslim nation, will be hosting a pope for the first time. Leo, a member of the Augustinian order, has shown special interest in the country, the birthplace of St. Augustine.

The Vatican also confirmed that the pope will visit Monaco on March 28 and travel to Spain from June 6 to 12. During his Spain trip, he is expected to visit the Canary Islands, a key entry point for migrants into Europe.

The last papal visit to Africa was in 2023, when Pope Francis travelled to Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.