Supreme Court appears ready to keep Lisa Cook on Federal Reserve board despite Trump efforts to fire her
The Supreme Court appeared poised to give President Donald Trump one of his biggest legal setbacks in office, offering strong support Wednesday for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook remaining in her leadership position — at least for now. The justices debated in their packed courtroom whether Trump has broad unilateral executive authority to fire someone from the central bank, despite its special status as a stand-alone federal agency. During nearly two hours of oral arguments, a majority seemed to agree the Fed’s unique public-private hybrid structure limited removal without clear “cause,” and that Trump did not meet his legal obligations when seeking Cook’s dismissal for alleged private mortgage fraud. REPUBLICAN SENATOR VOWS TO BLOCK TRUMP FED NOMINEE OVER POWELL INVESTIGATION The case comes before the Supreme Court on an emergency basis — with the government seeking to dismiss Cook now, for as long as the courts decide the matter, a process that could last months. The justices could decide the larger constitutional questions now or give the lower federal courts a chance for a full examination of the facts, with some guidance from the high court on the standards of “for cause” removal. In arguments, most on the court seemed skeptical of Trump’s actions. “That’s your position that there’s no judicial review, no process required, no remedy available?” Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked Solicitor General D. John Sauer. “Very low bar for cause that the president alone determines. And that would weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve.” “Let’s talk about the real-world downstream effects of this. Because if this were set as a precedent, it seems to me just thinking big picture, what goes around, comes around,” added Kavanaugh, who has typically been an ardent defender of executive power. “All the current president’s appointees would likely be removed for cause on January 20th, 2029 — if there’s a Democratic president or January 20th, 2033. And then, we’re really at, at will removal.” Others on the bench raised questions of “public confidence” if the president could fire Fed governors without fully explaining or justifying the reasons. “We have amicus briefs from economists who tell us that if Governor Cook is” fired, asked Justice Amy Coney Barrett, “that it can trigger a recession. How should we think about the public interest in a case like this?” Cook’s lawyer told the nine-member bench court the Federal Reserve System was created by Congress in 1913 as a wholly independent entity, to insulate it from political influence, and from any one president “stacking the deck” with their own nominees. The first Black female Fed governor claims to be a political pawn in Trump’s very public efforts to dictate the board’s interest rate policies and by exploiting what she calls “manufactured charges” of wrongdoing. GOP SENATOR SUGGESTS FED CHAIR POWELL RESIGN NOW TO DODGE POTENTIAL CRIMINAL INDICTMENT With Cook in the audience as a show of support was Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, whom Trump has also sought to remove in a broader, ongoing feud with the agency over the pace of lowering benchmark interest rates to spur the domestic economy. But the Trump Justice Department said he had executive authority to seek Cook’s removal, free from judicial review. The conservative court has allowed much of Trump’s challenged executive actions to be enforced at least temporarily — including upholding firings of members of the National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission, despite federal laws protecting them against removal without good cause. The justices last month heard arguments in a separate case, on Trump’s efforts to remove Democrat-appointed Rebecca Slaughter from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which, like the Fed, is a congressionally-created independent, multi-member regulatory agency. The 6-3 conservative majority in that petition appeared ready to rule for the president when it involves semi-autonomous agencies like the FTC. But in the Federal Reserve dispute, the high court clearly indicated this institution was different. In the Cook case, lower courts ruled she did not receive due process when the president tried to fire her. The current posture of the case is whether Trump can remove Cook — at least temporarily — while the dispute continues to play out on the merits. The “for cause” removal restriction’s constitutionality is not directly before the justices, but nevertheless played a key role in the oral argument session. The Supreme Court could go ahead and settle the competing issues now — which seems unlikely — or leave it to the lower courts to continue hearing the appeal, with guidance on how to proceed. Though its leaders are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, the seven-member board is considered an independent government agency, since its monetary policy decisions do not need presidential or legislative approval. But the agency does provide Congress with regular reports on its work. It also does not receive any federal funding, and the terms of the members of the board of governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms. Under law, the Federal Reserve’s leadership has a three-fold mandate: “maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.” The 12 Federal Reserve Banks are not part of the federal government, but set up like private corporations, and regionally located across the country. In arguments, most justices agreed Cook deserved some chance to make her case that a dismissal would be improper. SUPREME COURT PREPARES FOR MAJOR TEST OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER IN TRUMP EFFORTS TO FIRE FEDERAL RESERVE GOVERNOR “Why are you afraid of a hearing?” asked Justice Amy Coney Barrett, at one point. Justice Neil Gorsuch asked: “Let’s, just suppose with me, hypothetically, for the moment, that the court read the act to require notice and a hearing … What would that hearing look like?” Gorsuch asked if the president could just call Cook into the White House Roosevelt Room. “So just a meeting across a conference table, finish with ‘you’re fired?’” But Chief Justice John Roberts repeatedly said a hearing on
Ted Cruz’s 2026 game plan: Lose weight, skip the drinks, read the Bible daily
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Ted Cruz has three New Year’s resolutions — and he’s making it his 2026 mission to stick to them. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Cruz, R-Texas, laid out his 2026 promises. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SHARES HIS NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION “The first is one that a lot of people make in the New Year, which is hard to deliver on — to lose some weight,” Cruz said. “In particular, to drop 30 pounds this year.” Cruz told Fox News Digital he weighed in at 236 pounds Jan. 1, 2026. “My goal by January of next year is to be 206,” he said. “When I graduated from college I was 135 — skinny as a rail,” Cruz continued, joking that some say he is “twice the man I used to be.” “Dropping 30 pounds is something that would be good to do, so I’m going to work on diet and exercise,” Cruz said. Cruz told Fox News Digital he is focusing on a ketogenic diet to start. “I’m cutting out carbs and focusing on eating meat and cheese and vegetables,” he said. “Keto can be tough to do, but it can produce real effects.” Cruz’s second New Year’s resolution is to stick to “dry January,” meaning no alcoholic beverages for the month of January. “I’ve long enjoyed red wine with dinner, and you can have fun at dinners and laugh a lot, but at the same time, wine is filled with calories, and if you’re trying to drop 30 pounds, pouring grape juice into your midsection is not exactly conducive to that objective.” Cruz said he’s replaced that red wine with sparkling water with lime, vitamin water and more. “You know, drinks that taste good and that I enjoy,” he said. “I’ve been amazed at how many friends of mine are doing dry January,” Cruz said. “We had good friends who came to the house. They brought a six-pack of nonalcoholic beer, and we had that beer and cheese and meat charcuterie board. It was just a good chance hanging out with friends, but I didn’t know they were doing that, but it turns out, we all were.” And finally, Cruz’s third resolution for 2026 is to read the Bible every day. SEN. TED CRUZ BREAKS DOWN THE HIGH-STAKES STRATEGIC FIGHT FOR GREENLAND “This is something I’ve done during different times of my life. With all the demands of work and family and kids, it is easy to get pulled in different directions and lose that discipline,” Cruz said. Cruz recalled that he and his wife, Heidi, would do an “evening devolution” when his daughters, now 17 years old and 15 years old, were younger, but told Fox News Digital that as they have gotten older, it has been more difficult to stick to. “I want to read the word and reflect on it and have your spirit open to listen — listen to the Holy Spirit. Let the words of Jesus impact your daily life,” Cruz said. “It is something I’ve always wanted to do, and in fact, after I made my resolutions, my pastor texted me and suggested we’d spend a Sunday afternoon a month and spend some time together in prayer and in Bible study together.” Cruz said faith and Bible study has “been a part of my life since I was a kid.” “There are different times in life where you have more or less discipline and consistency,” he said. “Every day, we should start with Jesus first, and that has remained true in my prayer life, but at times, the demands of the moment have distracted me from reading the word consistently every day and I’m going to return to that.” It’s been 21 days into 2026 and Cruz says he is going strong. “Its going well,” he said. SUCCEEDING TRUMP IN 2028: SIX REPUBLICANS TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON As for the diet, he said he has been “keeping to it,” and is going to be working more exercise into his routine. “I already play basketball twice a week,” he said. “I’m going to be working in daily pushups.” As for other priorities for the new year, Cruz said he and his wife are focused on their daughters. “Our girls are 15 and 17 — one is a senior in high school and one is a freshman. They are teenagers getting ready to go off to school,” he said. “You reflect on the limited number of days they’re going to be home much longer.” He added: “When they leave for school, I’ll go into their bedrooms and just cry. I love my girls.” “The days that the girls are home and not out in the world are rapidly dwindling, and that makes you want to make sure you’re carving out time right now,” he said. “Because the time right now, today, will never be back tomorrow.” As for a potential 2028 presidential run, Cruz told Fox News Digital that his “focus right now is representing 31 million Texans, and it is an incredible privilege to serve them and represent the great state of Texas in the U.S. Senate.” “That is my priority right now and my sole focus,” Cruz said.
Fired under Trump, former military officers launch Democratic bids for Congress
Two officers who were pushed out of the military during President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House have launched new missions this week: running for Congress as Democrats. A retired U.S. Space Force colonel, who was forced out of the military under the Trump administration’s ban on transgender service members, announced a run for Congress in Northern Virginia. And a senior Navy official removed from her post last year by War Secretary Pete Hegseth launched a congressional bid in South Carolina. Their candidacies highlight a growing political backlash to Trump-era military policies, as former officers removed from service look to re-enter public life through Congress. PENTAGON SCORES COURT VICTORY IN TRANSGENDER BAN LEGAL FIGHT Bree Fram joined the U.S. Space Force in August 2021, where she rose to the rank of colonel. President Donald Trump signed an executive order and the Pentagon, under Hegseth, issued guidance that barred most transgender people — including those with a diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria — from military service. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in March 2025 blocking enforcement, but courts later allowed the policy to move forward while litigation continued. According to Fram, she was placed on administrative leave in June 2025 pending separation, and was forced to retire at the end of 2025 due to presidential policy. Fram pledged that “I’m not going to run away from my oath to the Constitution.” In a campaign launch video posted on Tuesday, Fram said, “I served 23 years wearing the flag on my shoulder, reaching the rank of colonel. But then Donald Trump fired me, not because of my performance but because of who I am.” Fram said she’s running for Congress “because too many Americans are afraid of what the federal government will do to them instead of being confident of what it can do for them.” Virginia is likely to redraw its congressional map ahead of November’s midterm elections, as part of the high-stakes redistricting battle between Trump and Republicans versus Democrats. And Fram plans to run in whichever district she resides in once the new congressional lines are finalized. Fram’s hometown of Reston, Virginia, is currently in the state’s 11th Congressional District, which is represented by Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw, who last year won a special election in a landslide to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, who died from cancer in May. Walkinshaw was a former Connolly chief of staff. In South Carolina, former three-star vice admiral Nancy Lacore on Tuesday jumped into the open seat race in the state’s 1st Congressional District. Lacore, a 35-year military veteran who served as a Navy helicopter pilot and later as chief of the Navy Reserve, a 60,000-person force, was removed last August. The reason for her firing was not made clear, but it occurred as part of a high-profile leadership purge headed by Hegseth which included the dismissal of Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, and Rear Adm. Milton Sands, a Navy SEAL officer who oversees Naval Special Warfare Command. “After decades of service to our country, a career that started as a Navy pilot and finished as a three-star admiral, I was removed from my position without cause,” Lacore claimed in her campaign launch video. HEGSETH FIRES TOP PENTAGON OFFICERS And she emphasized, “I still have more to give, more to fight for, more work to do — and I am not done serving.” The War Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment when asked about Lacore’s claim. Lacore joins a crowded field of Democrats and Republicans running to succeed three-term GOP Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for South Carolina governor. Democrats are aiming to flip the right-leaning coastal congressional district in the state’s Lowcountry. “The South Carolina First isn’t a District that Democrats can concede if we’re going to build a lasting and winning coalition, and Nancy is the only candidate in a position to win,” said Matt Corridoni, a spokesperson for The Bench, a Democrat-aligned group that highlights it’s “building the next generation of Democratic leaders by recruiting and supporting great candidates in tough districts.”
Trump says framework of ‘future deal’ on Greenland reached after NATO talks as tariffs put on hold
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will not impose tariffs that were set to take effect Feb. 1, citing a “framework of a future deal” with NATO involving Greenland and the Arctic region. “Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump said the deal, if finalized, “will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” adding that the agreement led him to halt the planned tariffs. “Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st,” he said. TRUMP CHALLENGES CARNEY AT DAVOS, ASSERTS CANADA SHOULD BE ‘GRATEFUL’ FOR GOLDEN DOME MISSILE DEFENSE Trump added that talks are continuing, saying, “Additional discussions are being held concerning The Golden Dome as it pertains to Greenland,” and said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will lead negotiations and “report directly to me.” In a spray later in the afternoon at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the president said the proposed deal framework “gets us everything we need to get.” “The deal is going to be put out pretty soon, we’ll see. It’s right now a little bit in progress, but pretty far along,” Trump said to reporters. “It gets us everything we need it to get.” NATO CHIEF PRAISES TRUMP AT DAVOS, SAYS HE FORCED EUROPE TO ‘STEP UP’ ON DEFENSE After being asked by another reporter about what NATO Secretary Rutte had to say during their meeting, Trump simply referred to him as “a great leader” and “fantastic.” “The Secretary General was representing the other side, which is really us too, because, you know, we’re a very important member of NATO,” he said. “I’ve done a lot for NATO. And it’s really nice. I mean, it’s a deal that everybody’s very happy with.” NATO confirmed to Fox News Digital in a statement from Spokesperson Allison Hart that negotiations are aimed “at ensuring Russia and China never gain a foothold” in Greenland. “The Secretary General had a very productive meeting with President Trump during which they discussed the critical significance of security in the Arctic region to all Allies, including the United States,” Hart said in a statement. “Discussions among NATO Allies on the framework the President referenced will focus on ensuring Arctic security through the collective efforts of Allies, especially the seven Arctic Allies. Negotiations between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States will go forward aimed at ensuring that Russia and China never gain a foothold – economically or militarily – in Greenland,” Hart added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “As President Trump said, the details of the framework will continue to be unveiled as discussions continue,” White House Spokeswoman Anna Kelly said to Fox News Digital. “The White House has nothing more to add at this time.”
Rand Paul says personal experience with YouTube and Google changed his mind about platform liability
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said a personal experience with Big Tech has led him to change his thinking, and he now believes companies should be liable for the content posted on their platforms. Paul asserted that YouTube and its parent Google had refused to remove a video that falsely claimed that he had taken money from Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. “I’ve formally notified Google that this video is unsupported by facts, defames me, harasses me and now endangers my life. Google responded that they don’t investigate the truth of accusations… and refused to take down the video,” the senator asserted in the opinion piece published by the New York Post on Monday. RAND PAUL SAYS US IN ‘ACTIVE WAR’ WITH VENEZUELA: ‘I STILL HOPE IT WORKS OUT FOR THE BEST’ Paul also noted that the person who posted the offending video removed it “under threat of legal penalty.” “My default position as a libertarian/conservative has been to defend the internet liability protections known in law as Section 230 of the Communications Act. The courts have largely ruled that Section 230 shields social-media companies from being sued for content created by third parties,” he wrote. “Until now, I had not sufficiently considered the effects of internet providers hosting content accusing people of committing crimes.” The experience was a turning point in his thinking. “The arrogance of Google to continue hosting this defamatory video and the resultant threats on my life have caused me to rethink Congress’ blind allegiance to liability shields,” he asserted. RAND PAUL SAYS TRUMP’S THREAT TO BOMB IRAN ‘IS NOT THE ANSWER’: NOT THE ‘JOB OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT’ Paul accused the company of being inconsistent. “So Google does not have a blanket policy of refraining to evaluate truth. Google chooses to evaluate what it believes to be true when it is convenient and consistent with its own particular biases,” he wrote. “This complete lack of decency, this inconsistent moderation of truthfulness, this conscious refusal to remove illegal and defamatory content has led me to conclude that the internet exemption from liability, a governmentally granted privilege and a special exemption from our common law traditions, should not be encouraged by liability shields and I will pursue legislation toward that goal,” the senator explained. RAND PAUL SAYS GOP COLLEAGUES ‘DON’T GIVE A S— ABOUT THESE PEOPLE IN THE BOATS’: THEY ‘SAY THEY’RE PRO-LIFE’ “I think Google is, or should be, liable for hosting this defamatory video that accuses me of treason, at least from the point in time when Google was made aware of the defamation and danger,” he asserted. Fox News Digital reached out to Google for comment on Wednesday — YouTube noted that the video had been pulled down by the user and is no longer on the platform. YouTube added that it relies on its openly available community guidelines to decide what material it will yank, and only takes down material “that poses a serious risk of egregious harm such as terrorist content.” The video platform also claimed that it has always advocated for anyone to be able to share their view, asserting that it does not check the accuracy of individual videos “and the vast majority of content stays up.”
Palestinians react to Netanyahu joining Gaza ‘Board of Peace’
NewsFeed Palestinians in Gaza have expressed disbelief at the prospect of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joining a US-backed “Board of Peace” aimed at rebuilding the Strip. Many say a leader they blame for the war cannot be a credible peacemaker. Published On 21 Jan 202621 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Who was Rifaat al-Assad, commander of Syria’s 1982 Hama massacre?
EXPLAINER ‘Butcher of Hama’ and former Syrian vice president, convicted of money laundering in France and accused of war crimes in Switzerland, has died at age 89. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 5 mins Rifaat al-Assad, the uncle of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the former commander of the paramilitary “Defence Companies” (Saraya al-Difa), has died in the United Arab Emirates at the age of 89. The Reuters news agency cited two sources confirming his death on January 21, 2026. Rifaat had reportedly fled from Beirut to Dubai following the collapse of the Assad regime and the flight of his nephew to Russia in December 2024. Born in Qardaha, northwestern Syria, in 1937, Rifaat, a member of the country’s Alawite minority, was a central figure in the establishment of the Assad family’s rule in the 1970s. But he fell out with his brother, former President Hafez al-Assad, following a failed coup attempt in the early 1980s. Here is a brief timeline of the main events during the life and career of the man known as the “Butcher of Hama”. The Hama massacre Rifaat was notorious for his role in the 1982 crackdown on the city of Hama to suppress an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood. Commanding the Defence Companies – a force of approximately 40,000 soldiers independent of the regular army – Rifaat led a siege on the city that lasted nearly a month. The operation involved heavy shelling and ground assaults. According to a 2022 report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the campaign resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths, and 17,000 people went missing. The assault destroyed entire neighbourhoods, including 79 mosques and three churches. In a 2011 televised interview, Rifaat denied responsibility for the events, claiming he “did not know Hama” and attributing the orders to his brother, Hafez. A photo taken in 1984 shows late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad (R) with his youngest brother, Rifaat, left, at a military ceremony in Damascus [AFP/HO] Rifaat’s rise to power – and a failed coup Advertisement Rifaat joined the Baath party in 1952 and rose through the military ranks. He played a key security role in the 1970 coup, which brought overthrew the former head of state, Salah Jadid, and brought Hafez al-Assad to power. In the late 1970s, as the regime faced internal opposition, Rifaat advocated for extreme measures. In a 1979 speech at a Baath party congress, he reportedly suggested “Stalinist” methods to purge opposition and proposed closing mosques to curb “sectarian ideology”. His influence peaked in the early 1980s, but tensions with his brother were mounting. In November 1983, while Hafez was ill, Rifaat attempted to seize control, deploying his own forces in Damascus. The confrontation ended in a standoff. By 1984, Hafez had regained control. Rifaat was stripped of his command, appointed to the ceremonial post of vice president and sent into exile. Reports at the time suggested he received $200m from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as part of a settlement to leave the country. Exile and legal troubles Rifaat spent the next 36 years primarily in Europe, where he faced multiple legal challenges over the source of his wealth. France: In 2020, a French court sentenced him to four years in prison for money laundering and misappropriation of Syrian public funds, confiscating real estate assets worth an estimated $100m. Switzerland: In August 2023, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Rifaat for his alleged role in war crimes committed in Hama in 1982. Assets Frozen: Authorities in the UK and Spain also froze family assets and investigated him for illicit financial activities. Return and death To avoid imprisonment in France, Rifaat returned to Syria in October 2021. Despite his previous calls in 2011 for Bashar al-Assad to step down, he appeared voting for his nephew in the May 2021 election at the Syrian embassy in Paris. Following the fall of the Assad government in December 2024, Lebanese security officials reported that Rifaat had left Syria for Dubai, where he passed away in January 2026. Adblock test (Why?)
Canada detains Israeli ex-soldier and comedian over Gaza complaint
NewsFeed Israeli comedian and former combat soldier Guy Hochman was detained and questioned in Toronto after the Hind Rajab Foundation accused him of war crimes and incitement in Gaza, based on his own social media posts. Published On 21 Jan 202621 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Delhi-NCR’s air quality improves to ‘very poor’ category, GRAP-4 restricts revoked; Check area-wise pollution level
Delhi continued to reel under ‘very poor’ air quality on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 341 around 7 am, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
India takes tougher line on Bangladesh than Pakistan, classifies posting as ‘non-family’, ask spouses, children to return; here’s why
In a big move, India has categorized Bangladesh as a ‘non-family’ posting for diplomats, and has advised the families, dependents of Mission and Post officials to back to India, as security concerns and communal tensions arise in Dhaka. What does it means?