The Justice Department's criminal investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell is drawing backlash from both Democrats and Republicans. At least half a dozen Republicans were critical when asked about the probe, which has to do with cost overruns to renovate the Fed's century-old headquarters.

Washington

The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, focusing on cost overruns related to the renovation of the Fed's headquarters. The move has prompted bipartisan criticism, with several Republican lawmakers expressing concern that the probe could undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve and destabilize financial markets. 

International counterparts and all living former Fed chairs have issued statements supporting Powell and condemning the inquiry as an unprecedented attack on the central bank's autonomy. The White House maintains that President Trump had no involvement in the investigation, while some officials defend the probe as a legitimate response to cost concerns. In a related development, a senior federal prosecutor in Virginia was dismissed after refusing to lead a separate case against former FBI Director James Comey.

DOJ probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell draws bipartisan criticism

There are new developments in the Justice Department's investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. This morning, a dozen of Powell's counterparts around the world released a statement supporting the Fed chief. And several lawmakers have joined Democrats calling on the Trump administration to stop its pressure campaign against Powell. Nancy Cordes is at the White House for us. Nancy, good morning. Vlad, good morning to you. You know, for a party that tends to stick together, it is notable how many members of the GOP immediately expressed their deep discomfort with this new investigation. They said it could compromise the independence of the Federal Reserve or that it could rattle the stock market. One even accused the Trump administration of coercion. It's another example of amateur hour as far as I'm concerned. More than half a dozen Republicans did not mince words Monday when asked about the new criminal probe of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. I will be shocked if he has done anything wrong. The investigation has to do with cost overruns to renovate the Fed's century-old headquarters. This new threat. Though in a video, Powell argued the real impetus was Trump's long and well-documented frustration with the Fed's monetary policy. You know what he has to do? Lower interest rates. He's a fool. He's a stupid man. Federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro, appointed by Trump, defended her decision to authorize the investigation, saying her office is quote, necessitating the use of legal process, which is not a threat. But every living former Fed chair signed a statement slamming the inquiry, calling it an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial attacks to undermine the Fed's independence. The White House insists Trump had nothing to do with the probe. Kevin Hassett is Trump's top economic advisor and a possible successor to Powell. I guess the question is, if you think the building costs $20 billion or $10 billion, do you think at some point that it's appropriate for the federal government to investigate? The actual estimate is closer to $2.5 billion. House Speaker Mike Johnson is defending the probe, saying that if Powell is innocent, it will all come out. But another Republican, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, she's the one who called it coercion, aimed at pressuring Powell to lower interest rates before his term as Fed chair ends in May. Vlad? All right, Nancy, I want to switch gears here. In Virginia, another federal prosecutor has been let go. What can you tell us about it? A source familiar with the matter, Vlad, tells CBS News that the second highest ranking federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia was fired on Monday for refusing to lead the Justice Department's prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey, another Trump enemy. Robert McBride is a longtime federal prosecutor. He had only been on the job as first assistant U.S. attorney for a few months. The U.S. Attorney's Office, we asked them for comment or any kind of explanation for why he was fired, but they declined to give us any kind of on-the-record comment. All right, Nancy, thank you very much.

Analysts say the discussions could be pivotal in clarifying U.S. intentions, easing tensions and reinforcing commitments to Greenland’s sovereignty in the face of strategic interests from Washington.

Denmark and Greenland ministers to meet Rubio and Vance at White House

Former Corsican nationalist leader Alain Orsoni, who also served as the president of soccer club AC Ajaccio, was shot dead in Corsica on January 11 during his mother’s funeral. He was 71. Alain Orsoni was one of the leaders of the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC) in the 1980s. He later founded and led the Movement for Self-Determination (MPA).

Vero

Ex-Corsican nationalist leader Alain Orsoni killed at mother's funeral

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who needs to have a graft conviction overturned to seize her best chance at the French presidency, risks seeing her life's work upended if she loses her appeal. It comes after a French court last year barred her from running for office for five years over a European Parliament fake-jobs scam involving her and other officials from her National Rally party.

Paris

Marine Le Pen's appeal in EU fund embezzlement case opens in Paris

British regulators are investigating X for lewd AI images generated by Grok, the AI arm of Elon Musk's social platform. Michael Goodyear, an associate professor at New York Law School, joins CBS News with more.

London

UK investigating Musk's X over Grok's AI-generated images

As U.S. President Donald Trump weighs a response to Iran's deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, Iranian leaders say they are still keeping communications open with the Americans. But on January 12, large pro-government rallies took place across Iran, and the U.S. was clearly framed as the enemy and instigator of the protests.

Tehran

Iranian leaders mobilise supporters as U.S. weighs intervention

Last week an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent shot and killed Renee Good, a Minneapolis mother who was observing a law enforcement action carried out by the agency.

Minnesota

Minnesota sues federal government to prevent further ICE deployment

The demonstrations are the biggest Iran has seen in years. Protests spurred by the Iranian currency collapse have morphed into a larger test of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's rule.

Trump weighs military action against Iran over protest crackdown

President Claudia Sheinbaum has sought to safeguard Mexican sovereignty while cooperating with the US on key issues.

Mexico City

Mexico’s Sheinbaum rejects Trump’s threat of strikes on drug cartels

President Donald Trump said that any country which does business with Iran will face a tariff rate of 25% on trade with the U.S., as Washington weighs a response to the situation in Iran which is seeing its biggest anti-government protests in years.

Trump says nations trading with Iran will face 25% U.S. tariffs

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says his country is ready for war but also for dialogue, after US President Donald Trump said the US is considering ‘very strong options’ in response to Iran’s crackdown on antigovernment protests.

Iran FM Araghchi warns ready for war if U.S. wants to ‘test’ it

Britain will bring into effect a law criminalizing the creation of non-consensual intimate images this week, technology minister Liz Kendall told parliament after regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X.

UK investigates Musk's X over Grok sexual deepfakes

Iran's internet was cut off late last Thursday, apparently in an attempt by government authorities to prevent protesters from organizing and uploading videos for the outside world to see.

Iran enforcing nationwide internet blackout amid protests

Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk's company xAI, amid concerns that it is being misused to generate sexually explicit and nonconsensual images.

Malaysia and Indonesia block Musk’s Grok over sexualized AI images

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is on a two-day visit. Merz is traveling with a large business delegation as Germany seeks to deepen economic and security ties.

New Delhi

Germany's Merz makes first official visit to India

At the first major awards show of the season, "One Battle After Another" and "Adolescence" both won four awards. In a surprise win, "Hamnet" upset "Sinners" for best motion picture for a drama.

Los Angeles

"One Battle After Another," "Adolescence" win big at Golden Globes

Fallout from the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a U.S. immigration and customs enforcement officer in Minneapolis continues with government officials standing by the action and ordering more ICE officers into the city.

Minneapolis

Hundreds more ICE agents headed to Minneapolis after fatal shooting

Powell said the investigation, linked to a testimony he gave to a Senate committee about renovations to Fed buildings, was an attempt to limit central bank independence.

U.S. opens criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell

Protests continue in Iran amid a violent government crackdown. Activists say hundreds of demonstrators have been killed. President Trump says Iran now wants to negotiate to prevent a U.S. military response.

Trump says Iran 'wants to negotiate' as protests intensify

President Trump says Iranian leaders have reached out to the U.S. to negotiate, as massive protests continue and more deaths are reported by activists.

Trump weighs military option in Iran amid rising death toll

President Trump has been briefed on new military options for a strike against Iran amid widespread protests and a government crackdown on communications for Iranians, a senior U.S. official tells CBS News. "We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts," he said at the White House.

Trump briefed on new military options for Iran strikes amid protests

Demonstrations in Iran are now entering their third week and the death toll is surging with hundreds killed, according to a human rights group. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted that the Islamic regime will "not back down" in the face of the growing social unrest and calls for regime change.

Protests in Iran intensifying despite threat of death for dissidents

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas showcased a wide array of AI-powered innovations, including paper-thin televisions, interactive Lego, and binoculars that can identify bird species in real time. Notable breakthroughs included .Lumen's AI glasses for the visually impaired and Roborock's Saros Rover, a robotic vacuum cleaner capable of navigating stairs and various surfaces autonomously.

Las Vegas

Rise of AI

AI-powered innovation dominates Consumer Electronics show

Human remains were found in Australia's southeast where bushfires raging for days have razed buildings, cut power to thousands of homes and burned swaths of bushland, police said. The blazes are burning out of control during a summer heat wave in Victoria state.

Victoria

'Gut-wrenching': Australian bushfires expected to burn for weeks

Anti-government protests in Iran show no sign of stopping. Human rights groups are putting the death toll at 116 with 2600 detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed U.S. support for the protesters.

Protests in Iran defy government crackdown

Iran's army is threatening to join the crackdown on protesters as demonstrations against the regime grow and the death toll mounts. Huge crowds have taken to the streets across the Islamic Republic. Iran's Revolutionary Guard calls them "terrorists." Haley Ott has more details.

Iran's army threatens to join crackdown against protesters

President Trump said, "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not," earlier this week. But Greenland, a territory of Denmark and a NATO ally, is rejecting the threats.

Nuuk

Greenland rejects Trump's threats

Trump, who often cites national security interests as the reason for taking Greenland, said that if the US does not do something, 'Russia or China will take over Greenland'.

Trump says U.S will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

Protests across the U.S., including in Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Miami, are taking place following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Police declared the demonstrations in downtown Minneapolis an 'unlawful assembly'.

Philadelphia

Protests spread across the U.S. over ICE shooting of woman

Internet and phone lines in Iran have been cut off as anti-government protests enter their second week. Reports say at least 65 people have been killed and more than 2,300 others detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of a possible U.S. response to the government crackdown.

Internet blackout in Iran enters second day as protests intensify

Rescue workers are trying to find dozens of people trapped under a collapsed landfill in the Philippines. At least four people have been confirmed dead. The incident took place on Thursday, with more than 100 workers on site at the time.

Breakdown