US Federal Prosecutors Investigate Fed Chair Powell, Trump Weighs Iran Options, Golden Globes Winners

Federal Reserve Independence Under Threat

• 🚨 Fed Chair Jerome Powell states that US federal prosecutors have opened an inquiry into him, threatening a criminal indictment related to a building renovation project.
• 💡 Powell asserts this threat is a pretext to pressure him for not aligning Federal Reserve interest rate decisions with President Trump's preferences.
• 🏛️ Republican Senator Tom Tillis has voiced strong opposition, stating he will not vote for any Fed nominee until the Department of Justice's actions are resolved, emphasizing Trump's attempt to undermine the Federal Reserve's independence.
• 📉 Markets reacted negatively to the news, with the dollar falling against major currencies and US stock futures declining.

US Stance on Iran and Protests

• 🇺🇸 President Trump is reviewing a range of options for intervention in Iran, including military action, amidst rising death tolls from protests.
• ⚠️ Protests in Iran are driven by anger over sky-high inflation, currency collapse, and social repression, posing the most significant challenge to the clerical establishment since 2022.
• 🔗 Trump mentioned discussing the restoration of internet access in Iran with Elon Musk, potentially using Starlink.
• 🌍 Protests in solidarity with Iranian demonstrators have occurred globally, with some turning violent, such as a U-Haul truck incident in Los Angeles.

Homeland Security Deployment in Minneapolis

• 👮 Homeland Security is sending hundreds more officers to Minneapolis to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and border patrol officers.
• 🚔 This deployment follows the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent and is part of what the agency calls its largest operation ever, with 2,000 extra officers already dispatched.

Golden Globe Awards Highlights

• 🏆 The 83rd annual Golden Globes saw "One Battle After Another" win big, including best movie in the musical or comedy category.
• 🎭 Timothy Chalamet won best actor in a movie, musical or comedy for his role in "Marty Supreme."
• 📜 "Hamnet," a drama about William Shakespeare and his family, took home the award for best drama film.
• 🎤 Host Nikki Glazer largely avoided political commentary, focusing instead on lighthearted jabs at the attending stars.