CNN

By Tierney Sneed, Jake Tapper, Bryan Mena, CNN

(CNN) — A federal judge has quashed subpoenas the Justice Department had issued against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, according to court documents unsealed Friday.

The ruling is a major blow to President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Powell for not lowering interest rates, and an embarrassing setback for the DC US attorney, Jeanine Pirro, who launched the probe. Pirro slammed the opinion in a hastily scheduled news conference Friday, saying she plans to appeal.

US District Judge James “Jeb” Boasberg wrote in the new opinion that a “mountain of evidence suggests that the Government served these subpoenas on the Board to pressure its Chair into voting for lower interest rates or resigning.”

“On the other side of the scale, the Government has produced essentially zero evidence to suspect Chair Powell of a crime; indeed, its justifications are so thin and unsubstantiated that the Court can only conclude that they are pretextual,” Boasberg said.

The federal probe underscores the Trump administration’s intense pressure campaign against Powell and the Fed in a bid to get the politically independent central bank to lower interest rates.

Trump continues to insult Powell on social media and his administration is currently trying to push out Fed Governor Lisa Cook, appointed by then-President Joe Biden, in a landmark case at the US Supreme Court.

Powell had stayed mostly mum in the face of Trump’s attacks, but just a few days after he was served with a subpoena in early January, the Fed chief released a remarkable video calling out the investigation as an affront to the Fed’s independence.

Powell’s term as chair expires in May, and Trump in January nominated former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh to run the central bank. But Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, a key vote on the Senate Banking Committee that would confirm the nomination, has said the committee should not consider a vote until the criminal probe of Powell is resolved.

With Republicans having a slim majority in the Senate Banking Committee, which approves Fed chair nominations, Republicans need Tillis on board with confirming Warsh. In a statement Friday, Tillis described the probe as “nothing more than a failed attack on Fed independence.”

“Appealing the ruling will only delay the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair,” he wrote.

Remarkable news conference

Friday afternoon, Pirro said the Justice Department will appeal the judge’s ruling and denied claims the investigation is politically motivated.

“Politics is not the lane I’m in right now,” Pirro told reporters during a remarkable news conference protesting Boasberg’s ruling. “We are focused on the law. We’re focused on the people of the District. We are not focused on politics.”

Pirro s

Por Federico Leiva, CNN en Español

A exactamente dos semanas de que Argentina y España deban medirse las caras por un nuevo título, la pregunta que reina en el aire no es si la Albiceleste de Lionel Messi podrá levantar su quinto título consecutivo, o si la Furia de Lamine Yamal podrá alzar un trofeo que la sitúe como la máxima candidata a conquistar el Mundial 2026. No, la incógnita a develar por estas horas empieza por algo mucho más básico: ¿acaso se jugará?

A 14 días del encuentro, no hay sede confirmada. El calendario deportivo marca que el viernes 27 de marzo, durante la fecha FIFA, mientras algunas selecciones juegan amistosos preparatorios para el Mundial y otras se juegan la clasificación en los repechajes, las de Argentina y España, campeonas vigentes de la Copa América y de la Eurocopa, se enfrenten mano a mano por un título en juego.

Sin embargo, las horas pasan y el partido está cada vez más en el aire. Oficialmente, el encuentro sigue pautado para desarrollarse en Qatar, en el estadio Lusail, el mismo en el que Argentina se coronó campeona del mundo en 2022.

Pero el conflicto en Medio Oriente obligó a las partes involucradas a buscar una alternativa. Qatar quedó involucrado indirectamente en la guerra entre Estados Unidos, Israel e Irán, ya que los iraníes han puesto como objetivo las bases militares que el país norteamericano tiene desplegadas en la región. Qatar incluso suspendió por unos días toda actividad deportiva y hasta los vuelos, y, aunque la liga local ya retomó su agenda este último lunes, llevar a algunas de las principales figuras del mundo a ese territorio no parece una posibilidad real. Al menos no hasta que el conflicto se detenga, lo cual, a raíz de las declaraciones políticas de esta semana, no parece cerca de suceder.

Entonces surgió la necesidad de buscar otro escenario. El problema es que ninguno de los propuestos parece tener el visto bueno de las dos selecciones en disputa. Según el acuerdo al que llegaron la UEFA y la Conmebol para dar forma a esta copa, que ya tuvo su primera edición en 2021 (cuando Argentina venció a Italia en Londres), la competencia tiene que volver a ser organizada por el ente europeo, antes de que le toque al sudamericano organizar dos consecutivas. Sin embargo, un poco más de dinero no viene mal, y por eso la UEFA le abrió las puertas a los dólares qataríes a costa de tener la final en su territorio.

Con la opción de Qatar perdiendo más fuerza cada día, la situación se complicó aún más, ahora que la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) no parece muy dispuesta a aceptar cualquier propuesta que la Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) y la UEFA pongan sobre la mesa.

Por eso se descartó rápido la opción del Santiago Bernabéu, la casa del Real Madrid, que, según periodistas en España y Argentina, fue la propuesta más firme que entregaron hasta ahora los europeos. La AFA dijo que no, y hasta pareció molesta de que España intente ser completamente local, algo que no sucedió en la Finalissima anterior, jugada en Inglaterra. Es más, el presidente de la AFA, Claudio Tapia, al ser consultado a la salida de una citación judicial el jueves, respondió doblando la apuesta: “Queremos que la final se juegue en el Monumental”, dijo, en referencia al estadio de River Plate, el recinto con mayor capacidad de Argentina. En sus palabras pareció haber poca verdad y mucha ironía, ya que se sabe que la Finalissima tiene que ser organizada por la UEFA y, además, el Monumental estará abocado durante toda esa semana a los conciertos que la banda australiana de rock AC/DC dará en Buenos Aires. Pareció casi como si dijera: “Si ellos quieren jugar de local, yo también”.

Lo cierto es que la Conmebol, según reportes de medios especializados y para sorpresa de nadie, ya apoyó a su asociación miembro, y se esperaba que este viernes o sábado, a más tardar, p

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Some of the world's most influential scientists and leaders gathered at UC Santa Barbara to talk about a technology many believe could reshape the future.

The convening brought together top researchers, state officials, and Nobel Prize winners to explore California’s growing role in quantum innovation.

Panels and presentations focused on how quantum science could transform computing, cybersecurity, and scientific discovery.

Guests also toured some of UC Santa Barbara’s advanced quantum research labs, where researchers are working on systems designed to tackle problems today’s computers struggle to solve.

Leaders hope gatherings like this help keep California at the forefront of the global race to develop quantum technology.

The post Quantum Future Takes Center Stage at UC Santa Barbara appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Hundreds of young creators are about to see their imagination on display.

More than 250 pieces of artwork by local elementary school students will be featured in a public show at the Santa Barbara County Education Office Auditorium at 4400 Cathedral Oaks Road in Santa Barbara starting Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The exhibit includes colorful paintings, drawings, and mixed-media projects created in classrooms across the community.

Families and visitors will get a chance to experience the creativity and talent of some very young artists.

The show is free and open to the public.

The post Young Artists Take the Spotlight in Santa Barbara appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

By Sunlen Serfaty, Kristen Holmes, CNN

(CNN) — President Donald Trump is expected to remove Richard Grenell as head of the Kennedy Center, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The move comes as the arts and culture institution, which now bears Trump name on its façade, is expected to close for two years for renovations as the president seeks to remold it in his image.

The announcement of Grenell’s departure could come as soon as today, two of the sources said.

Grenell’s tenure as interim president of the Kennedy Center since February 2025 has been marked by tumult, plagued by high-profile performance cancellations, protests, declining ticket sales and financial strain as he sought to execute the president’s vision for the arts center.

Despite earlier warmth between Trump and Grenell, a longtime loyalist who has served in various roles across the president’s two terms in office, the president had become frustrated with a slew of negative headlines about his revamp of the arts institution, the sources said.

One source familiar with the White House view said that the president liked Grenell, but felt that he had fumbled when it came to his leadership of the Kennedy Center, including on managing the publicity.

A White House official insisted that Grenell wasn’t being fired but that he was always intended to help during the Kennedy Center’s transition period and then leave the role.

While leading the Kennedy Center, Grenell often bucked the trends of the arts world, defying traditions and stretching norms in place for decades, which critics contend has led to strain and brought irreparable harm to the institution.

Those who work with Grenell described him as combative, confrontational and headstrong. A source close to the Kennedy Center lamented that Grenell had no experience or grounding in the arts world and came in “with a sledgehammer” and “campaign schticks” that are moving the institution in the wrong direction.

But others contended that he was exactly the person to carry out Trump’s vision and that he brought a “no-nonsense mentality” to his work and brought in many new staff to the center.

In recent days, Trump has been “kind of is souring on him,” a source close to the Kennedy Center said.

“Ric worked really hard to keep in Trump’s good graces, but Trump got tired of turning on the news and hearing every day how bad the Kennedy Center was being run and (how) Trump is killing it,” the source said.

One of the sources familiar with the plans moving forward for the Kennedy Center also described Grenell’s departure as a transition, not a removal, noting that the arts institution is moving towards the building phase of its planned renovation, and that Grenell did want to be there during the construction.

CNN has approached Grenell and the White House for comment.

The-CNN-Wire
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The post Exclusive: Trump is preparing to replace Ric Grenell as head of the Kennedy Center appeared first on News Channel 3-12.