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Senate Democrats have moved to stall President Donald Trump's bid to install a new leader of the US Federal Reserve, condemning the move as 'absurd' given ongoing criminal investigations into the central bank's leadership.Democratic lawmakers on the Senate banking committee urged its Republican leadership to postpone the planned confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh, the financial executive and former Fed governor Trump has nominated to replace Jerome Powell as Fed chair.In a letter to banking committee chair Senator Tim Scott, the 11 Democrats called for a hearing currently scheduled for Tuesday to be delayed until investigations into Powell and Lisa Cook, a Fed governor, are closed.Powell is facing a criminal investigation into the renovations of the central bank's headquarters, which he dismissed as a 'pretext' tied to the Fed's refusal to bow to Trump's demands. The Trump administration also tried to fire Cook, an appointee of Joe Biden, for alleged mortgage fraud.The Democratic senators wrote in their letter to Scott: 'It would be absurd on its face to allow President Trump to handpick the next chair of the Federal Reserve as his Department of Justice actively pursues criminal investigations of not one, but two sitting members of the Federal Reserve board.'Warsh's nomination also faces hurdles from within the president's own party, with outgoing GOP senator Thom Tillis stating he would not support any nomination as long as there is an investigation into Powell.

Brazil's Federal Police have launched an investigation into Flavio Bolsonaro, a right-wing presidential candidate, for allegedly issuing defamatory statements against his election rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The probe was ordered by the Supreme Court's Justice Alexandre de Moraes and relates to posts Bolsonaro published in January.In the posts, Bolsonaro responded to the news of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's abduction by the US with insinuations linking Lula to crimes. He wrote that Lula will be exposed and predicted the collapse of the left-wing alliance known as the Sao Paulo Forum due to scandals including international drug and arms trafficking and money laundering.Brazil's penal code considers defamation a criminal offence, with prosecutors able to seek heightened penalties for defamation against presidents or heads of state. The Federal Police have 60 days to carry out their initial investigation.The development comes as Bolsonaro and Lula are in a neck-and-neck race for the presidency ahead of October's general election. A recent poll showed Lula slightly ahead in the first round with 37% of the vote compared to Bolsonaro's 32%, but Bolsonaro polls slightly ahead in a one-on-one contest.Flavio Bolsonaro, a senator for Rio de Janeiro and the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, entered the 2026 presidential race with his father's endorsement. He has suggested that seeking his father's freedom would be part of his campaign.

Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat, has announced plans to lay off 1,000 workers, or 16% of its employees, citing rapid advancements in artificial intelligence as the reason. The social media company informed staff of the decision in an internal memo on Wednesday.The layoffs are part of a wave of tech industry job cuts in the past year, with many firms, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Oracle, blaming AI for the reductions. Snap Inc's CEO, Evan Spiegel, claimed that the layoffs would help the company move towards profitability and suggested that AI could fill the gap left by human labor.In his memo to staff, Spiegel wrote: “While these changes are necessary to realize Snap’s long-term potential, we believe that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence enable our teams to reduce repetitive work, increase velocity, and better support our community, partners, and advertisers.”The company, which employed around 5,200 people as of December last year, had also posted 300 open roles that will no longer be filled. Snap's stock rose around 6% in early trading following the news of the layoffs.The move has sparked concerns about the impact of AI on the labor market, with some experts and workers accusing firms of “AI-washing” layoffs to posture for investors and the market. However, top AI firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic have launched a charm offensive to address AI's potentially harmful effects on the labor market.

Kanye West has delayed his scheduled concert at Marseille’s Velodrome following reports that France’s interior minister is actively seeking to prevent the event due to the rapper’s recent antisemitic statements. The artist, who now goes by Ye, posted on X that after careful deliberation he has decided to postpone the Marseille show until further notice, citing the need to reassess the situation. A source close to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told AFP that the minister is "highly determined" to stop the 11 June performance and is exploring "all possibilities" to enforce a ban, including discussions with the regional prefect and the city’s mayor. Marseille’s left‑wing mayor Benoît Payan has publicly opposed the concert, stating that the city will not serve as a platform for "hatred and unabashed Nazism". He wrote on X, "Kanye West is not welcome at the Vélodrome, our temple of living together and belonging to all Marseillais." The controversy follows a series of provocations by the 48‑year‑old rapper, including a 2025 track titled Heil Hitler and the promotion of a swastika‑bearing T‑shirt. Major streaming services subsequently removed the song, and West later attributed his behavior to bipolar disorder in a public apology. Internationally, the United Kingdom has already barred West from entering the country, prompting the cancellation of his headline slot at the Wireless Festival. By contrast, the Dutch migration minister, Bart van den Brink, indicated no current plans to prohibit the artist from performing in the Netherlands. In an attempt to mitigate the fallout, West said he is willing to meet with London’s Jewish community to demonstrate genuine change, acknowledging that "words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions." – AFP contributed to this report

A three‑judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a two‑to‑one decision on Tuesday that blocks District Judge James Boasberg from moving forward with contempt hearings against the Trump administration.The case stemmed from Boasberg’s attempt to determine whether officials violated his March 15, 2025 order to turn around two deportation flights while they were airborne. The flights had carried 137 Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 statute granting presidents broad wartime powers.In the majority opinion, Judge Neomi Rao (a Trump appointee) wrote that Boasberg’s contempt inquiry was a “clear abuse of discretion,” noting that the district court’s order did not expressly forbid the transfer of the migrants into Salvadoran custody. She emphasized that criminal contempt applies only to violations of a “clear and specific” order.Judge Justin Walker, also appointed by Trump, joined Rao, while Judge J. Michelle Childs—a Biden appointee—dissented. The split reflects the broader partisan tension surrounding the case.Critics of the deportations argued that invoking the Alien Enemies Act represented presidential overreach and that the rapid operation denied the immigrants due process, including the ability to appeal. Some detainees were later released to Venezuela in a July 2025 prisoner exchange after spending months in El Salvador’s maximum‑security Centre for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT).Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche praised the ruling on X, stating it should “finally end Judge Boasberg’s year‑long campaign against the hardworking Department attorneys doing their jobs fighting illegal immigration.”The decision underscores the judiciary’s role in checking executive immigration actions, especially when emergency court orders intersect with national‑security‑related statutes. It also signals that future attempts to pursue contempt for alleged violations of ambiguous orders may face heightened scrutiny.

A Miami‑based U.S. District Judge, Darrin Gayles, dismissed former President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its proprietor Rupert Murdoch. The case centered on a July 2025 article that linked Trump to a birthday greeting allegedly sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Judge Gayles concluded that Trump, as a public figure, did not satisfy the stringent “actual malice” threshold required in defamation actions. To prevail, a plaintiff must prove that the media outlet knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.In his written opinion, Gayles noted that WSJ reporters had reached out to Trump for comment before publishing the story and included his denial, thereby giving readers a balanced view. He wrote, "This complaint comes nowhere close to the actual‑malice standard—quite the opposite."The judge granted Trump permission to file an amended complaint, setting a deadline of April 27 for any revisions.Trump’s original filing labeled the alleged birthday note to Epstein as a “fake” and sought damages for perceived harm to his reputation. The newspaper’s parent company, News Corp’s Dow Jones & Company, defended the article’s accuracy, emphasizing its adherence to journalistic standards.The dismissal adds to a series of legal setbacks for the former president as he attempts to curb reporting on his connections to Epstein. Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he intends to re‑file the suit within the court‑ordered timeframe.A Dow Jones spokesperson welcomed the decision, stating, "We are pleased with the judge’s decision to dismiss this complaint and stand behind the reliability, rigor, and accuracy of The Wall Street Journal’s reporting."

U.S. President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV on Sunday night, branding the pontiff “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy.” The criticism was posted on Trump’s Truth Social account, where he asserted he does not want a Pope who “criticises the President of the United States.” The outburst appears to be a direct response to recent statements by Pope Leo that condemned the United States’ involvement in the Israel‑Iran conflict. Last week, the Pope issued a rare rebuke of Trump’s threat to eradicate Iranian civilisation, calling the threat “truly unacceptable.” On Sunday, he further urged world leaders to halt ongoing bloodshed, describing the war‑driving mindset as a “delusion of omnipotence.” Trump’s post also referenced the Pope’s earlier questioning of the administration’s hard‑line immigration stance, noting the pontiff’s remark that such policies might not be “pro‑life.” In his response, Trump demanded that Leo “use common sense,” stop “catering to the radical left,” and focus on being a “great Pope, not a politician.” Adding a personal jab, Trump claimed credit for the Vatican’s selection of the first U.S.-born Pope, suggesting the election was intended to curry favour with the White House. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” he wrote, before reiterating that he is “not a big fan” of the pontiff, accusing him of “liking crime” and labeling him “very liberal.” The tension echoes past friction between Trump and the Vatican, notably with Pope Francis, who had previously criticized the president’s immigration proposals and questioned his Christian credentials. Despite the diplomatic spat, Pope Leo is scheduled to commence an 11‑day African tour on Monday, beginning with a historic visit to Muslim‑majority Algeria.

Jorginho, the Flamengo footballer, has clarified his comments on last month's incident between his 11-year-old stepdaughter and a security guard in Brazil, calling his previous claims against Chappell Roan “a misunderstanding”.“I made my initial statement in the heat of the moment, after hearing that my child and wife had been approached by an adult male security guard in an intimidating way,” Jorginho wrote on Instagram. “I reacted as any father would. My priority is, and always will be, protecting my family, and that is exactly what I did.”Chappell Roan was in Brazil to perform at Lollapalooza festival, two years after reportedly drawing one of the biggest crowds in the festival’s history.“At the time, we acted on the information that was available to us,” Jorginho said. “Since then, I have become aware of new information that has changed my understanding of parts of what happened. Chappell Roan made a public statement, reached out privately to [my wife] Catherine, and our teams also spoke directly. It became clear that she had no knowledge of what took place at breakfast and had not asked anyone to approach them. She was understanding and sympathetic to what had happened to our child.”Previously, the ex-Chelsea player had said that his stepdaughter was “extremely shaken and cried a lot” after Roan’s security spoke “in an extremely aggressive manner” to her and his wife when they saw the singer at a São Paulo hotel. Roan denied that the security guard was part of her team, saying: “No one came up to me, no one bothered me, I was just sitting at breakfast at my hotel.”Following Roan’s response, security guard Pascal Duvier spoke up about the events, saying: “I take full responsibility for the interactions on March 21st. I was at the hotel on behalf of another individual, and I was not part of the personal security team of Chappell Roan.”Noting Duvier’s comments, Jorginho said: “While we still do not know what prompted him to approach them, and do not believe an 11-year-old at breakfast could reasonably be seen as any kind of security threat, it is now clear that he was not acting on behalf of Chappell.“It was, ultimately, a misunderstanding in that respect, and I am glad to set the record straight. It’s important to me that this is clarified fairly and accurately. I regret the impact this situation has had on Chappell Roan, Catherine Ada, and our family.”Jorginho ended his statement by drawing a line under the incident. “As far as I am concerned, this matter is closed.”

At 19,000 miles above the lunar surface, the Artemis II astronauts heard the voice of Apollo‑13 commander Jim Lovell greeting them from beyond the grave, a message recorded shortly before his death at 97. Mission control transmitted the tribute on the morning of 6 April, when astronaut Reid Wiseman held a silk square bearing the original Apollo 8 patch—handed to him by Lovell’s son—before the crew’s launch. Launch director Charlie Blackwell‑Thompson secured a unanimous "go" from every console, a moment the author describes as a snapshot of humanity’s capacity to honor the past while reaching for the future. The ceremony stood in stark contrast to the Pentagon’s agenda. Two decades after a 2006 Iraqi kill‑board note reading “Let the bodies hit the floor,” the current defense chief pledged “death and destruction from the sky all day long” against Iran, a stance legal scholars warn could constitute a war crime. That rhetoric accompanies a proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget, including an additional $200 billion earmarked for operations against Iran—figures that dwarf NASA’s entire annual budget of $24.4 billion. Amid this fiscal disparity, crew members reflected on their place in history. Victor Glover, the first Black astronaut to travel deep space, described the view of Earth as an "oasis" in the void, while Christina Koch, the first woman to orbit the Moon, pressed her face to the window and formed a heart with her hands, calling the mission’s spirit "humility." Reid Wiseman watched the planet rotate beneath him, noting the sight of Africa, Europe, and the aurora‑lit north, saying it "paused all four of us in our tracks." Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen broke Jim Lovell’s 56‑year distance record and asked mission control to name a lunar feature after his late wife, Carroll. The crew agreed, designating a bright spot on the Moon as "Carroll," a tribute that will endure beyond any single lifetime. When Koch announced the spacecraft’s descent, she radioed, "We are now falling to the moon rather than rising away from Earth," a poetic reversal that underscored the mission’s symbolic return. The article recalls the author’s 2022 reflection on the James Webb Space Telescope, noting how humanity’s finest inventions now aim outward, seeking answers to our origins rather than turning inward toward conflict. Artemis II’s vessel, named Integrity, carried four breathing humans who, in a moment of collective grief, pressed their faces to the glass and imagined the faces of every loved one ever lived, captured in a single frame. Beyond the spacecraft, cultural threads wove through the mission: Hansen’s patch displayed the Seven Sacred Teachings of the Anishinaabe people, and the Chinese myth of Chang’e reminded viewers of the Moon’s timeless allure. As Carl Sagan famously wrote, "We are made of star‑stuff," the Artemis crew embodied that sentiment—not as passive observers, but as active participants in a fragile, hopeful narrative that rises above the relentless tally of bodies on Earth’s battlefields.