Powell probe

is dropped

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has ended its investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major roadblock to the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as his successor.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said on X Friday her office was ending its probe into the Fed’s extensive building renovations because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinize them instead. The move could lead to a swift confirmation vote by the Senate for Warsh, a former Fed official President Donald Trump nominated in January to replace Powell.

The investigation was among several undertaken by the Justice Department into the Republican president’s perceived adversaries. Powell says the investigation was intended to intimidate the Fed.

Asylum ban

ruled illegal

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. appeals court has blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order suspending asylum access at the southern border. The court ruled Friday that immigration laws allow people to apply for asylum at the border, and the president cannot bypass this.

The decision stems from Trump’s action on Inauguration Day 2025, declaring the border situation an invasion and suspending asylum.

The court found that the Immigration and Nationality Act doesn’t give the president authority to override asylum procedures. The White House says the asylum ban was within Trump’s powers, but the Department of Justice plans to seek further review.

Tornado

spares lives

ENID, Okla. (AP) — Officials say a powerful storm churned up multiple tornadoes that barreled through Oklahoma, damaging at least 40 homes and sending emergency crews door-to-door in a hard hit neighborhood.

The most extensive damage was in the rural town of Enid in Garfield County on Thursday night, where some homes were reduced to rubble. Video shows a rapidly moving column of air touching down along with totaled homes.

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said there were no immediate reports of fatalities and only minor injuries hours after the tornado passed through. The mayor of Enid says some people were trapped in their homes and had to be rescued.

Intel’s best

day since ’87

NEW YORK (AP) — A surge for Intel following a blowout profit report led the U.S. stock market to more records, while oil prices kept yo-yoing in the wait for what’s next with the Iran war. The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% Friday and topped its prior all-time high.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 1.6% to its own record. Intel led the way and roared to its best day since 1987 after joining the parade of companies reporting stronger quarterly results than analysts expected.

Oil prices swung up and down through the day.