“Minnesota Department of Human Services data analyst Dylan Bryan Adams will likely not face charges for allegedly vandalizing at least six Tesla vehicles, causing a total of $20,000 in damages. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) said it would seek ‘diversion’ over charges. ‘Our main priorities are to secure restitution for the victims and hold Mr. Adams accountable. As a result, we will file for pre-charge diversion to best facilitate both of those goals,’ HCAO spokesperson Daniel Borgertpoepping said, according to Fox 9 Minneapolis. However, he also reportedly said that criminal consequences would be on the table ‘should unlawful behavior continue.’ Pre-charge diversion allows individuals accused of committing crimes to avoid prosecution by participating in a program. Minneapolis police are allegedly unhappy with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office’s decision not to seek criminal charges in this case.” (04/22/25)
“A Thai court convicted and sentenced on Tuesday two former prosecutors in connection with an alleged cover-up of a 2012 Ferrari crash involving an heir to the Red Bull energy drink fortune that killed a police officer. Former Deputy Attorney General Nate Naksuk and former prosecutor Chainarong Sangthongaram were sentenced to three and two years, respectively, for abuse of power to help an individual avoid prosecution, said the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Bangkok. They were among eight people charged with conspiring to alter the recorded speed of the Ferrari driven by Vorayuth ‘Boss’ Yoovidhya to help him evade a speeding charge. The rest, including former Police Chief Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung, were acquitted due to a lack of evidence linking them to the cover-up, the court said on Tuesday.” (04/22/25)
“Three more federal prosecutors who had been involved in the now-dismissed corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned on Tuesday, saying they felt pressured into admitting wrongdoing or regret as a condition for being reinstated to their jobs. ‘We will not confess wrongdoing when there was none,’ Celia Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach and Derek Wikstrom wrote in a letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. The three assistant U.S. attorneys had been placed on leave after a number of prosecutors in New York and Washington refused to follow orders to end the case against Adams, a Democrat. The letter was published by several news outlets. Its authenticity was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person who received the letter.'” (04/22/25)
“Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche on Tuesday said that it would invest $50 billion in the U.S. over the next five years, amid concerns about the impact of possible new White House tariffs on pharma goods from abroad. The investment will create more than 12,000 jobs, Roche said — 1,000 with the company, and the remainder to support new U.S. manufacturing capabilities. The firm said it already employs more than 25,000 people in America. Shares of Roche were 1.1% lower at 8:39 a.m. in London. … Pharmaceutical companies have been scrambling to bolster their U.S. presence amid threats from President Donald Trump to end the industry’s exemption from import tariffs.” (04/22/25)
“Rep. Andy Barr [R-KY] is officially entering the race to replace longtime retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell [R-KY]. Barr, who has served in the House for over a decade, is expected to kick off his campaign in Richmond, Kentucky this evening. He’s also releasing a video to launch the campaign that paints him as a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and a fierce opponent of ‘woke’ trends on diversity, transgender inclusion, and U.S. energy dominance. ‘The United States is the greatest country on Earth, and it’s not even close,’ he said in the video. ‘But here’s the problem. The woke left wants to neuter America – literally. They hate our values. They hate our history. And goodness knows they hate President Trump. But here in Kentucky, that’s why we love him.” (04/22/25)
“Cardinals have taken their first decisions following the death of Pope Francis, setting Saturday as the date for his funeral and allowing ordinary faithful to begin paying their final respects starting on Wednesday, when his casket is brought into St. Peter’s Basilica. The cardinals met for the first time on Tuesday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’[s] successor, as condolences poured in from around the world grieving history’s first Latin American pope. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St. Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. … In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, which is outside the Vatican and home to his favourite icon of the Virgin Mary.” 904/22/25)
“A divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that immigrants who agree to leave the country are allowed some deadline flexibility in a case that was argued before President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. In a 5-4 decision, the court sided with a man who came from Mexico illegally [sic] as a teenager and had lived in Colorado for nearly two decades before he was ordered to leave in 2021. The case was argued in November 2024, days after Trump won re-election. Several other new immigration cases have since come before the court on its emergency docket. In the case of Hugo Abisai Monsalvo Velazquez, the Supreme Court majority found that a Saturday deadline to voluntarily leave should have been extended to the following Monday.” (04/22/25)
“Gold hit a record $3,500 a troy ounce for the first time and the dollar fell on Tuesday, as Donald Trump’s sustained attack on US Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell added to fears over the prospects for the world’s largest economy. Gold climbed 2.2 per cent and the Japanese yen strengthened above ¥140 per dollar for the first time since September as investors turned to haven assets. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump branded Powell ‘Mr Too Late’ and urged the central bank to lower borrowing costs ‘NOW.’ The wave of criticism from Trump comes after Powell warned last week that the administration’s sweeping tariffs would lead to slower growth and higher inflation.” (04/22/25)
“A jury found The New York Times not liable Tuesday after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin claimed she was defamed by a 2017 editorial falsely tying her to a mass shooting. The nine-person jury deliberated in Manhattan federal court for two hours before finding that the Grey Lady did not libel the onetime Republican vice presidential candidate. The Times, which corrected the editorial the day after it ran, had argued that Palin did not show that it met the high bar of ‘actual malice’ needed to find media outlets liable for defamation.” (04/22/25)
“A New York state judge has prohibited New York City Mayor Eric Adams from allowing federal immigration agents to operate within the Rikers Island jail ahead of a hearing scheduled for later this week. Judge Mary Rosado wrote in her ruling Monday that she is issuing a temporary restraining order prohibiting city officials ‘from taking any steps towards negotiating, signing or implementing any Memoranda of Understanding with the federal government regarding federal law enforcement presence on Department of Correction property … until the conclusion of the hearing scheduled for April 25.’ The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed last week by New York City Council against Adams'[s] April 8 executive order permitting federal law enforcement and immigration personnel to maintain office space in Rikers Island’s prison complex to investigate [rival] gang activity.” (04/22/25)
