DISPATCH

The US Justice Department has dropped its investigation into Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, whom President Trump had accused of improper cost overruns in renovating the Fed's headquarters. The case had raised concerns about executive pressure on an independent institution.

4/24/2026, 7:10:25 PM

The US Justice Department has dropped its investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major obstacle to the appointment of Kevin Warsh — Trump's preferred successor — as head of the central bank.

4/24/2026, 6:52:00 PM

Reuters reports that the Trump administration is weighing options to suspend Spain from NATO over defense-spending disputes. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez brushed the concern aside, pointing out that the alliance's founding treaty contains no mechanism to expel or suspend a member. The story lands amid growing friction between Washington and several European allies.

4/24/2026, 6:07:55 PM

Two-up, a traditional Australian coin-toss gambling game played by soldiers during World War One, is only legal nationwide on 25 April — Anzac Day — as a way of honouring the wartime tradition.

4/24/2026, 6:05:14 PM

Downing Street affirmed that Falklands sovereignty belongs to the United Kingdom, responding to reports that an internal Pentagon document raised the prospect of a US position change on the islands as potential retaliation for Britain's refusal to join the Iran war. The episode reflects Washington's pattern of leveraging alliance commitments against wavering partners.

4/24/2026, 5:37:28 PM