Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, triggering fresh concerns about the independence of the US central bank. Powell has publicly linked the probe to ongoing political pressure over interest rate decisions, raising alarms across financial markets.

The world is in a state of shock following the pre-dawn military operation on January 3, 2026, that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. As Maduro is transported to a federal detention center in Brooklyn to face narco-terrorism charges, a massive wave of anger is sweeping across the globe.