drops

The announcement on Friday is expected to clear the path for the confirmation of his successor, Kevin Warsh.

The United States Department of Justice has ended its probe into US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major roadblock to the confirmation of his successor, Kevin Warsh.

US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro said on X on Friday that her office was ending its probe into the Fed’s extensive building renovations because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinise them instead.

Pirro, a Trump ally and the top federal prosecutor in Washington, DC, said she had instead asked the Fed’s internal watchdog, the Office of Inspector General, to examine cost overruns in renovations of the central bank’s Washington headquarters.

“The IG has the authority to hold the Federal Reserve accountable to American taxpayers,” Pirro said in a social media post. “I expect a comprehensive report in short order and am confident the outcome will assist in resolving, once and for all, the questions that led this office to issue subpoenas.”

The move could lead to a swift confirmation vote by the Senate for Warsh, a former top Fed official whom US President Donald Trump, a Republican, nominated in January to replace Powell. Powell’s term as chair ends May 15.

Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, had said he would oppose Warsh until the investigation was resolved, effectively blocking his confirmation.

The leadership transition at the world’s leading central bank could now proceed quickly.

Republicans praised Warsh during a Tuesday hearing even as Democrats questioned his independence from Trump, the lack of transparency around some of his financial holdings, and what they said was his flip-flopping on interest rates. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the committee, questioned if Warsh will be a “sock puppet“.

Still, Trump’s previous appointment to the Fed’s board of governors, Stephen Miran, was approved by the full Senate just 13 days after his nomination.

No evidence

The investigation was among several undertaken by the Department of Justice into Trump’s perceived adversaries. For months, it had failed to gain traction as prosecutors struggled to articulate a basis to suspect criminal conduct.

A prosecutor handling the case conceded at a closed-door court hearing in March that the government had not yet found any evidence of a crime, and a judge subsequently quashed subpoenas issued to the Federal Reserve.

The judge, James Boasberg, said prosecutors had produced “essentially zero evidence” to suspect Powell of a crime. Boasberg branded prosecutors’ justification for the subpoenas as “thin and unsubstantiated”.

More recently, prosecutors made an unannounced visit to a construction site at the Fed’s headquarters but were turned away, drawing a rebuke from a defence lawyer in the case who called the manoeuvre “not appropriate”.

Warsh said during the Senate hearing on Tuesday that he never promised the White House that he would cut interest rates, even as the president renewed his calls for the central bank to do so.

“The president never once asked me to commit to any particular interest rate decision, period,” Warsh said during the hearing. “Nor would I ever agree to do so if he had … I will be an independent actor if confirmed as chair of the Federal Reserve.”

Warsh’s comments came just hours after Trump, in an interview on CNBC, was asked if he would be disappointed if Warsh did not immediately cut rates and responded, “I would.”

The decision to abandon the investigation represents a rare pullback for a Department of Justice that over the last year has moved aggressively, albeit unsuccessfully, to prosecute public figures the president does not like.

Robert Hur, an lawyer for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, did not immediately respond on Friday to an email seeking comment.

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

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro said on X that her office was ending its probe into the Fed’s extensive building renovations because the Fed’s Inspector General would scrutinize them instead.

The decision ends an investigation, one of several undertaken by the Justice Department into President Trump’s perceived adversaries, that for months had failed to gain traction as prosecutors struggled to articulate a basis to suspect criminal conduct.

A prosecutor handling the case conceded at a closed-door court hearing in March that the government hadn’t yet found any evidence of a crime, and a judge subsequently quashed subpoenas issued to the Federal Reserve. The judge, James Boasberg, said prosecutors had produced “essentially zero evidence” to suspect Powell of a crime. Boasberg prosecutors’ justification for the subpoenas as “thin and unsubstantiated.”

More recently, prosecutors made an unannounced visit to a construction site at the Fed’s headquarters but were turned away, drawing a rebuke from a defense attorney in the case who called the maneuver “not appropriate.”

The move could lead to a swift confirmation vote by the Senate for Warsh, a former top Fed official whom Trump, a Republican, nominated in January to replace Powell, whose term as chair ends May 15. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, has said he would oppose Warsh until the investigation was resolved, effectively blocking his confirmation.

Warsh said Tuesday that he never promised the White House that he would cut interest rates, even as the president renewed his calls for the central bank to do so.

“The president never once asked me to commit to any particular interest rate decision, period,” Kevin Warsh, a former top Fed official, said under questioning by the Senate Banking Committee. “Nor would I ever agree to do so if he had. … I will be an independent actor if confirmed as chair of the Federal Reserve.”

Warsh’s comments came just hours after Trump, in an interview on CNBC, was asked if he would be disappointed if Warsh didn’t immediately cut rates and responded, “I would.”

Former state Controller Betty Yee dropped out of the 2026 governor’s race on Monday, citing low levels of support from voters and donors.

Yee, a Democrat, was part of a sprawling field of politicians vying to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. But despite the bevy of prominent candidates running to lead the nation’s most populous state and the world’s fourth-largest economy, this year’s governor’s race has long lacked a clear front-runner well known by the electorate.

“The whole notion that voters are looking for experience and competence is not a top priority, and that’s been really my wheelhouse in terms of how we grounded this campaign was based on my experience,” she said in a virtual press conference Monday morning. “The donors have felt the chill of the polling … and it really just came down to where I’m not going to have sufficient resources to get us to the finish line.”

The former two-term state controller did not immediately endorse another candidate and said she would take a few days to assess the field before making an announcement.

The race was upended earlier this month when then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, among the leading Democrats in the race, was accused of sexual assault and other misconduct. The East Bay Democrat, who is facing multiple criminal investigations, promptly ended his gubernatorial bid and resigned from Congress.

Yee, 68, was well regarded by Democrats during her tenure in Sacramento. And she highlighted her no-drama persona on Thursday.

“California — had enough chaos, fear and horrendous political scandals? Ready for calm, cool, collected change? Some may consider that boring. But that’s the point. We need Boring Betty,” Yee posted on the social media site X. “No crisis. No circus. Just competent, drama-free leadership you can trust. #BoringisBetter”

But she never had the financial resources to aggressively compete in a state with many of the most expensive media markets in the nation.

Yee reported raising nearly $583,000 for her gubernatorial bid in 2025, according to campaign fundraising reports filed with the California secretary of state’s office. Yee’s announcement that she is dropping out of the race came days before the latest financial disclosures will be publicly reported.

Despite being elected to the state Board of Equalization twice and as state controller twice, Yee was not widely known by most Californians. She never cracked double digits in gubernatorial polls.

Her name will still appear on the ballot. She was among the candidates who rebuffed state Democratic Party leaders’ request earlier this year to reconsider their viability amid fears that the party could be shut out of the November general election because of the state’s unique primary system. The top two vote-getters in the June primary will move on to to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation.

Though California’s electorate is overwhelmingly Democratic, the makeup of the gubernatorial field makes it statistically possible for Republicans to win the top two spots if Democratic voters splinter among their party’s candidates. Yee said fear of that scenario playing out “kind of took over” the gubernatorial race.

“Was it possible? Yes. Was it plausible? No, we’re in California. That was not going to happen,” she said, adding that the top-two primary system should be done away with.

Still, Yee was beloved by Democratic Party activists, and previously served as the party’s vice chair.

No Democratic candidate reached the necessary threshold to win the party’s official endorsement at its February convention, but Yee came in second with support from 17% of delegates despite calls for her to drop out of the race.

“Every poll shows that this race is wide open, and I know this party,” she said in an interview at the convention. “Frankly, I’ve been in positions where it’s been a crowded field, and we work hard and candidates emerge.”

The gubernatorial primary will take place June 2, though voters will start receiving mail ballots in about two weeks.

JUSTIN Bieber superfan Billie Eilish dramatically dropped to the floor on at Coachella when he brought her out on stage.

At weekend 2 of the desert festival, Billie could be seen crawling up the stage before sitting on a chair in front of her idol, Justin, who she has long been a fan of.

Justin then sang the song One Less Lonely Girl to her midway through his Coachella set.

Billie, who has long been a fan of the Baby singer, looked so emotional as she was serenaded by the star.

On X, fans have reacted to the moment.

One person penned: “THE FACT that it wasn’t planned, literally it was Hailey Bieber herself who pushed Billie Eilish to get on stage and be the OLLG.”

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A second wrote: “No way that Billie Eilish became one less lonely girl in 2026.”

“This is so cute I love how Billie still stays in her fangirl zone around Justin,” said a third.

“Will go down as one of the most iconic Coachella performances ever,” added a fourth.

“She’s such a fan lmao,” penned a fifth.

While a sixth said: “Justin pulling Billie on stage for ‘One Less Lonely Girl’ and holding her like that?? Coachella 2026 just healed my 2015 heart. This is the collab we NEVER knew we needed.”

Billie has long credited Justin as an inspiration, and even grew up as a Belieber.

“He’s amazing. He’s so sweet and, like, I feel – just, honestly, I feel for him, man. He’s been through a lot, dude,” Billie told Ellen DeGeneres previously.

The pair met at Coachella in 2019 and went on to collaborate on the remix to her song Bad Guy.

When the remix came out, Billie shared a photo of her as a teen in her bedroom which had posters of Justin plastered all of the walls.

Alongside the snap, she penned: “BAD GUY FEAT. JUSTIN BIEBER OUT NOWWW OMGFFFFGGG ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE MAN.”

This weekend’s set from Justin marked his second weekend headlining at Coachella this year.

Following his headline set last weekend, the star hosted a blowout bash with wife Hailey and A-list friends.

A source told The U.S. Sun that the party was ultra-exclusive and hosted by Justin’s new fashion brand, Skylrk, which also had a pop-up at the festival.

“Many people were turned down who had previously been invited,” they claimed.

“Promoters also had a lot of girls on their guest lists and I heard Hailey was turning them away.”

Influencer Zach Clayton echoed this by sharing a video on his TikTok showing a guy complaining, “They cut all my guest list off.”

He explained he invited 20 girls and they were all denied, joking that Hailey is a “boss,” and she was likely the reason they were not given access to the private event.

The Dropout tells the story of the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of biotech company Theranos, starring Amanda Seyfried.

The true crime series starring Amanda Seyfried is now available to stream on ITVX.

The Dropout chronicles the true story behind the collapse of tech firm Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes.

The tale commences in 2002, when Holmes embarked on a chemical engineering degree at the prestigious Stanford University in California, where she quickly began developing concepts for groundbreaking inventions.

Her initial concept involved creating a patch that would adhere to a person’s skin and continuously monitor the body for infections, automatically dispensing antibiotics when required. While the idea appeared fascinating in principle, it proved physically unachievable.

Professor of Medicine Dr Phyllis Gardner (Laurie Metcalf) advised Holmes of this, but she appeared to dismiss the academic’s knowledge as an underestimation of her capabilities.

Holmes insisted that she could “change the world” with this pioneering technology and garnered international acclaim, reports the Express.

She left Stanford before completing her second year to concentrate on her new venture, Theranos, which centred around an equally ambitious and potentially transformative piece of technology.

Nevertheless, when The Wall Street Journal launched an investigation into the firm, its reporting triggered a cascade of enquiries and increased scrutiny of Theranos, prompting it to become more transparent about its tightly guarded methods.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched an investigation, and 40 per cent of staff were made redundant a year later as the company went through restructuring.

Following the charges, the trial was postponed due to Holmes’ pregnancy and the COVID-19 pandemic, but eventually commenced in September 2021, with a jury convicting her on four counts of defrauding investors four months later.

No verdict was reached on three additional counts of wire fraud against investors, which the government later dropped, while Holmes was also acquitted on four counts of defrauding patients.

On 18th November 2022, Holmes received a sentence of 11 years and three months in prison, and she began serving her sentence in Texas on 30th May 2023.

The Dropout chronicles the dramatic downfall of the woman Forbes once dubbed the “youngest self-made female billionaire” in the world.

“Wow.. this show is insane. I want to start off by saying that I know movies and shows overdramatise true stories, so I’m speaking solely about the show right now. This goes from you rooting for the main character to you hating her.. like a real life Anakin Skywalker story”, one viewer commented about the series in a review on IMDB.

Another remarked, “The story itself is good. It moved at a quick pace, and everything they got is amazing. The one that played Edmund Ko, Stephen Fry as Ian Gibbons, are standouts for me. Sunny was also great.”

A third wrote: “Highly Watchable With Great Performances”, while another stated: “Wonderful! One of the very best shows you can see. Amanda Seyfried deserves every award to which she is eligible. Her performance as Elizabeth Holmes is off the chart.”

The Dropout is available to stream on ITVX

BBC Morning Live expert Laura Pomfret has highlighted the top six easy access ISA accounts as savers face the ‘last chance’ to use the full tax-free allowance

A BBC finance expert has outlined which ISA accounts people should be considering as a ‘fresh start’ gets underway. With the new financial year having kicked off on 6 April, savers have the opportunity to make use of cash ISA accounts for up to £20,000 of tax-free savings — and crucially, it’s the final year before this allowance is reduced.

Appearing on BBC Morning Live, finance expert Laura Pomfret explained what people should be doing and highlighted which accounts are currently offering the most competitive interest rates.

She said: “It is a fresh start and there’s an opportunity to make the most of your money and we’re going to start with cash is because the ISA limit resets every year and we’ve got £20,000 per person that we can utilize within cash ISA, stocks and shares is lifetime is a little bit different, but it’s a way of growing your savings tax-free because you know saving is a really good thing and you do make interest on it but if it’s outside of an ISA you will have to pay tax on that interest.”

Those with savings held outside of ISAs remain liable for tax. Ms Pomfret further explained: “Most people get a personal savings allowance per year so if you’re a basic rate taxpayer you can earn £1,000 outside of an ISA tax free it drops to £500 when you are a higher rate taxpayer but basically this is why we should use our ISA allowance first because you can put £20,000 in and not have to worry about any interest that you make you don’t have to pay tax on it.”

Those with ISAs are set to face a significant change from 7th April 2027. She explained: “This is the last tax year before the allowance for a cash ISA drops to £12,000. So this is the last year that you get £20,000 that you can put into a cash ISA, and then going forward from 6th of April next year, 2027, it drops to £12,000, apart from if you’re 65 or over, you can save into a cash ISA, and you get the other allowance. So it’s important to maximise that this year while you can.”

Host Helen Skelton asked: “If you are in a position that you can save money, where should you put it right now?”

According to the BBC expert, there are six accounts worth considering for ‘easy access’ savings. She stated: “Easy access is where you can get it in and out usually without penalty, but you can have a look at the terms and conditions and these are some of the best. So, first up, we’ve got Trading 212 with a 4.6% interest rate.”

“It drops after the first year. Now, to be clear, that is an investment platform as well, but they do have a cash ISA that you can use, and they’ve got a 4.6%. You’ve then got, for example, Virgin Money with a 4.15%. You are limited to two withdrawals per year on that. So, it’s classed as an easy access, but there are some limits to withdrawals.

“So, Bank of Ireland UK 4.06%. The rate drops after a year with that one. It’s like a you know in a new rate, and then interest is paid annually. Leeds Building Society of 4.05%. You have to pay in a minimum of £1,000 to get that one. Um, Yorkshire Building Society, 4.05%, withdraw as often as you want. And then Tesco Bank, for example, 4.02%, the rate drops after a year. With that one, you can do it over the phone. The rest are all online or using the app. But these are just examples. These rates change quickly.”

Top ISA easy access accounts highlighted

• Trading 212 4.6%
• Virgin Money 4.15%
• Bank of Ireland UK 4.06%
• Leeds Building Society 4.05%
• Yorkshire Building Society 4.05%
• Tesco Bank 4.02%

She explained that, generally, individuals should check comparison websites for terms and conditions, with at least 4% interest being the crucial figure.

She continued: “You may get higher if you go for a fixed, but this is where your money can be fixed and locked away for one, two, three years. So this is about choosing what’s right for you.

“If you can afford to put some away and not need access to it, you might beat that rate with a fixed one. And obviously, as I said earlier, there’s also stocks and shares is you could look at a lifetime is if you fit the criteria, but ultimately getting it in tax wrapper is a great thing to do so that you can you know grow your interest tax-free.”

World championship boxing returned to the historic Kensington venue for the first time in decades. The Olympia had previously staged headline fights involving stars such as Chris Eubank Jr and Prince Naseem Hamed.

Harper strode towards the centre of the 19th-Century grand hall, buoyed by her travelling Yorkshire faithful.

Dubois, who once pretended to be a boy named Colin so she could be allowed to box, also received a warm reception as she entered to “I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston.

The fight had been a long time coming, and the rivalry had grown increasingly tense in the build-up. Dubois repeatedly questioned Harper’s achievements and credentials, while Harper shoved Dubois during a fiery media face-off earlier in the week.

By the halfway stage, however, the contest had not quite lived up to the hype, with Dubois edging the rounds through steady work to the body.

Then, suddenly, the fight came alive. Dubois set up a knockdown with a sharp double jab followed by a left hook, sending Harper to the canvas.

Harper rose to her feet as Dubois leapt in celebration, prompting the referee to warn her for failing to return to her corner.

Dubois increased the pressure. She landed thudding southpaw left hands in the seventh and eighth as blood began to drip from a cut on the inside of ‘Belter’ Harper’s left eye.

Watching from ringside was pound-for-pound star Claressa Shields, shouting encouragement for Dubois.

A strong combination from Dubois in the ninth suggested a stoppage might be imminent, but Harper rallied to land shots to Dubois’ head in the 10th and final round.

“Terri is very tricky; she navigated herself very well and it was up to me to push the pace,” Dubois told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“She is a champion and she doesn’t like to lose, but neither do I.

“The better woman won tonight and I hope she can give me my respect.”

April 3 (UPI) — More than three million bottles of eye drops sold at stores across the United States have been recalled by their manufacturer because they may not be sterile.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals earlier this month issued a nationwide U.S. recall of roughly 3.1 million bottles of eight different eye drop products because of a “lack of assurance of sterility,” an FDA notice about the recall said.

The drops have been sold at some of the nation’s largest drug and grocery retailers, including CVS, H-E-B, Publix, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Kroger, Good Neighbor and several pharmaceutical supply companies.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals bills itself as the largest private label eye care supplier in North America, servicing 26 of the top 30 U.S. retailers and more than 90,000 stores across the country.

The voluntary recall, issued on March 3, has been categorized as a Class II recall, which the Federal Drug Administration told USA Today indicates that “the probability of a serious health issue is remote.”

People who have the drops also can continue to use them unless otherwise directed by K.C. Pharmaceuticals or the FDA, the agency said.

NBC News also reported that the FDA has not received reports of injuries linked to the recalled drops.

The eight types of drops included in the recall are Sterile EYE DROPS AC, EYE DROPS Advanced Relief, Dry Eye Relief Eye Drops, Ultra Lubricating Eye Drops, Sterile Eye Drops ORIGINAL FORMULA, Sterile EYE DROPS REDNESS LUBRICANT, STERILE EYE DROPS SOOTHING TEARS, and Artificial Tears Sterile Lubricant Eye Drops.

A complete list of the products, lot numbers and expiration dates, and what company or retailer sold the recalled drops can be found at the FDA’s website.

The life of a showgirl wouldn’t be complete without a few lawsuits, and who knows that better than Taylor Swift and Elizabeth Taylor?

On Monday, the “Bad Blood” singer was hit with a trademark infringement lawsuit regarding her most recent album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Real-life Las Vegas showgirl and writer Maren Wade, born Maren Flagg, alleges that Swift knowingly disregarded her claim to a similar name.

According to the lawsuit, Wade launched the column “Confessions of a Showgirl” in the Las Vegas Weekly in 2014. The column eventually became a live show, which became a touring production. “Over the course of a decade, Confessions of a Showgirl grew into a brand encompassing performances, writing, and digital media — built by one person, city by city and show by show,” reads the lawsuit, which adds that Wade took the show across the country, and used the brand when appearing on television and podcasts.

Wade as a performer herself respects Swift’s right to creative expression, according to the suit, “and nothing in this action challenges it.” The filing argues that “whatever [legal] protection might attach to creative expression, it does not immunize Swift’s separate decision to adopt a confusingly similar designation as a trademark, affix it to goods, and deploy it as a source identifier in commerce.”

In 2015, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered “Confessions of a Showgirl” and named Maren Flagg as the owner. And according to the suit, in November 2025, the office refused an attempt by Swift’s team to register “The Life of a Showgirl” based on a likelihood of confusion with Wade’s established brand.

Patent attorney JD Harriman told The Times in a statement that although the trademark office did reject Swift’s mark, she voluntarily suspended the “Life of a Showgirl” application while a separate trademark application for “Showgirl” moved forward.

“This case isn’t about the music, and it may not even be about confusion,” Harriman said. “Wade’s own complaint concedes she’s not challenging the album itself — only merchandise. And before filing, she was publicly hashtagging Swift’s album and calling herself a fan.”

Jaymie Parkkinen, an attorney for Wade, told The Times in an emailed statement that Maren spent more than a decade building Confessions of a Showgirl.

“She registered it. She earned it. When Taylor Swift’s team applied to register The Life of a Showgirl, the Trademark Office refused, finding Swift’s mark confusingly similar,” Parkkinen said. “We have great respect for Swift’s talent and success, but trademark law exists to ensure that creators at all levels can protect what they’ve built. That’s what this case is about.”

Wade’s team argues that since Swift’s 12th album dropped last year, search results are dominated by Swift, and even though Wade established her own showgirl brand a decade ago, her brand is now seen as affiliated with Swift’s.

“The Life of a Showgirl is one designation among more than 170 active or pending trademark registrations managed by Defendant TAS on behalf of Swift, spanning names, phrases, and commercial designations across one of the most extensive trademark portfolios in the entertainment industry,” reads the suit.

Swift’s broader enterprise “does not depend on the continued use of any single designation,” the suit continues. “By contrast, Confessions of a Showgirl is the sole trademark under which [Wade] has built her professional identity for more than a decade. It is not one mark among hundreds. It is the only one she has. The continued erosion of that mark threatens the entirety of Wade’s brand.”

In other Swift news, the Grammy winner dropped the music video for “Elizabeth Taylor” on Tuesday.

The video features archival film clips of the latter starlet — also known for high-profile legal battles, media scrutiny aimed at her love life and larger-than-life fame — rather than the songstress herself, who does not appear in the video.

The video, which has been exclusively released via Spotify Premium and Apple Music, includes scenes from “Father of the Bride,” “Rhapsody,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Cleopatra,” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” among other classic films starring Taylor. The homage also has old press footage of the Oscar winner.

Back in October, Swift told BBC radio that if she mentions a real person in her songs, she warns them ahead of time, and in the case of someone like the late movie star, she asked the Taylor estate for permission to pay homage with the song.

“If it’s Elizabeth Taylor,” she said, “we go to their family and her estate and let them know, and they were lovely about it.”

Published on
01/04/2026 – 9:58 GMT+2

Renewed optimism over a possible de-escalation in the Iran war, now in its fifth week, gave a strong boost to stock markets in Europe and Asia on Wednesday.

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At the time of writing, the Euro Stoxx 50 is up over 1%, while the broader pan-European Stoxx 600 is around 2.5% higher.

In London, the FTSE 100 has risen roughly 0.8% with Germany’s DAX 30 and France’s CAC 40 making equal moves to the upside. Italy’s FTSE MIB has jumped the most and is 1.7% higher.

During a press gaggle at the White House on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump stated that the country would “probably” stop attacks on Iran within two to three weeks “‘whether we have a deal or not”.

Following Trump’s comments, the front month future contracts for oil also saw a sharp decline, with Brent crude and WTI both trading around 4% lower and below $100 a barrel.

Trump also stressed that the US would “not have anything to do with” what happens next in the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite the relief, markets are eagerly anticipating Trump’s address to the nation about the conflict, which will occur overnight on Wednesday, according to the White House Press Secretary.

Asian markets, US futures and precious metals

Asian shares also rose sharply on Wednesday after Trump’s statement.

At the time of writing, South Korea’s Kospi has recovered losses from earlier this week, surging over 8%, while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose more than 2%.

A survey by Japan’s central bank released on Wednesday showed that business sentiment among major manufacturers had improved despite concerns over the Iran war.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index is also over 2% higher, while the Shanghai Composite has jumped around 1.5%. Additionally, India’s Sensex rose roughly 2%, Australia’s ASX 200 is up 1% and Taiwan’s Taiex climbed more than 4%.

“De-escalation hopes have given markets a lift, but we think the effects of the war would, in many cases, persist even if it were to end soon,” said Thomas Mathews, head of markets for Asia Pacific at Capital Economics, in a research note on Wednesday.

US futures are also all trading between 0.7% and 1.2% higher.

The move comes after US stocks recorded their strongest day in almost a year on Tuesday, when the S&P 500 rose 2.9%, its largest gain since May.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 2.5%, while the Nasdaq jumped 3.8%.

“It’s worth considering how markets might respond if the war were to end very soon. Do markets have further to recover if sentiment continues to improve? The answer is almost certainly yes,” Mathews added.

In other trading, gold rose is up 1.4% trading at around $4,730 while silver is down roughly 1% to $74.3 an ounce.

The second season of a controversial comedy is now available to binge in its entirety on ITVX

ITV has quietly dropped another season of a comedy that’s been branded “highly offensive”.

Piglets is a British comedy that’s set in a police training college. The first series aired on ITV1 in July 2024, shortly before getting renewed for a follow-up instalment.

The series follows a newly-recruited group of six very different would-be cops, and the handful of key staff whose task it is to knock them into shape.

Sarah Parish and Mark Heap lead the cast as no-nonsense Superintendent Julie Spry and Superintendent Bob Weekes, whose job it is to oversee the training of the next batch of new recruits.

The new recruits include Steph (Callie Cooke), Leggo (Sam Pote), Geeta (Sukh Kaur Ojla), Afia (Halema Hussain), Dev (Abdul Sessay) and Paul (Jamie Bisping). The cast also features Rebecca Humphries as Head of Admin Melanie, as well as Ukweli Roach and Ricky Champ as police trainers Mike and Daz.

Despite pulling in 5.6 million views for its first six episodes, the show was at the centre of huge controversy shortly after its premiere.

The Police Federation of England and Wales described the comedy’s title – which is based on the slang term “pig” for police – as being “highly offensive” and “insulting”. Piglets also received several Ofcom complaints from frustrated viewers when it was broadcast.

Now, the show’s second season has landed on ITVX, with The Traitors favourite Maddy Smedley joining the cast.

Maddy took to her Instagram earlier this week to promote the new series, saying: “So apparently, ITV aren’t really promoting Piglets series two, so this is the advert for it.”

After explaining how fans can find the show on ITVX, the star added: “I worked my butt off on that show, so this is the advert now, like it or lump it. Let me know what you think of the show, and thanks for your time.”

Despite the controversy surrounding the programme, there are lots of viewers who have shared their praise since its release.

One person wrote on IMDb: “This show is an absolute riot. While it may not be for everyone, the hate this show gets is completely unjustified… It’s a simple comedy with funny characters that mesh together perfectly, combining to create one of my favourite shows from this year. I can’t recommend this show enough. I’d love to have more of this show to watch.”

Another added: “I thought this was absolutely brilliant, well written, funny and such a mixed bunch of characters who gel well together for this type of show. A much needed comedy show in today’s TV world!”

A third said: “Piglets has a lot of laughs and is a lot of fun. Yes, it’s silly, which is why it’s so good. Who doesn’t like laughing at silly jokes and puns and references??? It’s a classic comedy and we need more of this on TV.”

Piglets is available to stream on ITVX

Sky has just dropped the chilling first-look at the return of one of its best new thrillers coming back to screens very soon

A critically acclaimed comedy-thriller series that entranced countless fans back in 2024 is finally coming back for a second season.

Sweetpea starred Fallout’s Ella Purnell as shy wallflower Rhiannon Lewis, an unassuming newspaper assistant who has been either bullied or ignored her entire life.

After the sudden death of her father and reuniting with her school bully, Julia (played by Nicôle Lecky), something snaps in Rhiannon and she goes on a murderous rampage.

A synopsis for the second season reveals: “Navigating a new promotion, an irresistible rebound, and a copycat killer threatening to expose her, the kill list is mounting.

“And Rhiannon is forced to question whether her perfect ex AJ, was right: is she a monster?”

This week, Sky has dropped a tantalising new image from the second season of Sweetpea, which reveals Purnell back as Rhiannon.

In the snap, she’s donned a dark raincoat and emblazoned a wall with the word “monster” in what seems to be tomato ketchup.

Several new names are joining the main cast this time round, including Rish Shah (Overcompensating) as Rhiannon’s new love interest Gabriel, along with Tamsin Greig (Riot Women) as AJ’s mother, Liv.

Greig’s Riot Women co-star Taj Atwal will also feature as Freya, Rhiannon’s new boss, with Heartstopper’s Jenny Walser added as a new friend named Daisy.

Jon Pointing (Big Boys), Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso), Leah Harvey (Foundation), Ingrid Oliver (Thursday Murder Club), Nitin Ganatra (Mr Bigstuff) and Alexandra Dowling (Game of Thrones) will all be reprising their roles from the first season.

Sweetpea season two is shaping up to be a must-watch thriller when it arrives at an unconfirmed date in 2026 after the first outing received rave reviews from fans and critics.

One IMDb user wrote: “I’ve waited a long time for this to come out on Sky, and it did not disappoint! Brilliant dark comedy, it’s right up my street. No spoilers here, just a basic review to say I loved it!

“I binged the whole series in one night, I just couldn’t turn off, the end of each episode leaving me wanting more, and to know ‘what next!?’ It may be a little slow to get started initially but it had me hooked straight away.”

Someone else gave it a strong recommendation: “If you like shows that dig deep into the dark corners of the human mind while still managing to throw in some wicked humour, Sweetpea is going to be right up your alley.

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“It’s fresh, it’s disturbing, and it’s a story you won’t easily forget. I absolutely love it!”

And a final fan called it “an intriguing and captivating series that keeps you hooked from start to finish”, adding Purnell’s “amazing” lead performance is “impossible to look away” from.

Sweetpea season 2 will premiere in 2026 on Sky and NOW.

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The Israeli military has dropped charges against five soldiers, whose alleged sexual abuse of a Palestinian detainee was caught on camera. The video caused international outrage but also led to protests in support of the soldiers in Israel.

Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd is back for his first drama since the multi-award winning Netflix series.

BBC is set to release an “intense” drama that explores “brotherhood, violence and the fragility of male relationships”.

In 2024, Netflix subscribers went mad for Richard Gadd ’s gripping drama Baby Reindeer revolving around a comedian dealing with his obsessive female stalker.

Now, two years on, Richard Gadd is back for the first time since the Netflix hit’s release with the BBC revealing details for its upcoming drama Half Man.

Filming for the original six-part drama wrapped up last year in and around Glasgow with the series set to launch in April on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and on HBO Max in the US.

Gadd will star in Half Man alongside BAFTA winning actor Jamie Bell, famed for All of Us Strangers and Rocket Man, with the pair portraying Ruben and Niall, respectively.

The official synopsis reads: “Niall and Ruben are brothers. Not related in blood but the closest you can get. One, fierce and loyal. The other, meek and mild-mannered. Inseparable youth.

“Brought into each other’s lives through death and circumstance, all they have is each other…

“But when Ruben turns up at Niall’s wedding three decades later, everything seems different.

“He is on edge. Shifty. Not acting like himself. And soon, an explosion of violence takes place which catapults us back through their lives, from the eighties to the present day.”

Half Man, which has been created and written by Gadd, will follow Ruben and Niall throughout the past 30 years of their lives, exploring “brotherhood, violence and the intense fragility of male relationships”.

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The synopsis concludes: “After all, when things fall apart… it is sometimes the closest relationships which break the hardest.”

Gadd and Bell aren’t the only familiar faces starring in Half Man either with an abundance of other familiar faces joining the cast.

These include SAS Rogue Heroes actor Stuart Campbell, Rivals’ Charlie De Melo, The Nevers star Amy Manson, Outlander actor Tim Downie and T2 Trainspotting’s Scot Greenan, to name just a few.

Half Man will debut in April on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.