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Murals, megadeals and meddling: Trump eyes replacing Powell as Gulf states warn Iran escalation, courts tackle migrants and prosecutors, EU/UK speech rules get scrutiny, McConaughey locks down “Alright,” Dodgers pay Kyle Tucker, and conservative media tightens its grip on the GOP

Wiltshire pub landlord seeks retroactive OK for St George’s Cross mural on listed building

Jerry Kunkler, landlord of The Moonrakers Inn in Pewsey, wants permission to keep a large St George’s Cross mural on the outside of the Grade II listed pub after Wiltshire Council opened a planning enforcement investigation following a complaint. He says it went up in 2016 for an England football final and sat there for years without drama, while the council says listed building consent can be needed for external redecoration that changes paint colour. Locals are split, and a decision is expected by March.

Dodgers hand Kyle Tucker a four-year, $240 million deal

The Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with outfielder Kyle Tucker, previously with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, because apparently the only thing bigger than MLB outfields is MLB payrolls.

Greek court acquits 24 humanitarian workers accused of migrant smuggling

A Greek court acquitted 24 humanitarian workers who had been accused of migrant smuggling, ending more than seven years of legal uncertainty for the defendants.

Powell investigation clouds Fed succession timeline as Trump talks up replacing him

A criminal investigation involving Jerome Powell is raising questions about whether he will leave the Federal Reserve in May. Donald Trump said he hopes to name a new Fed chair within the next few weeks, but the probe could delay any transition, because nothing says “market confidence” like leadership roulette with legal paperwork.

Gulf states urge restraint on Iran, warn bombing could ignite wider war

Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, along with Israel and Türkiye, reportedly urged Washington to avoid military action and return to talks, warning that bombing Iran would not topple its government and could spark a broader regional conflict. Trump has softened his rhetoric while directing the US military to position assets. Gulf leaders, unsentimental about Tehran after its protest crackdown, still fear the fallout of regime collapse, as disruptions so far include flight diversions and new US secondary tariffs affecting Iran’s trading partners, especially the UAE, amid scrutiny of Iran-linked financial networks.

Charlie Kirk killing case returns to court as defense seeks to disqualify prosecutors

Tyler Robinson, charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is set to return to court while his attorneys ask a judge to disqualify the prosecutors, citing an alleged conflict of interest.

State Department public-diplomacy chief warns EU and UK online rules could chill lawful speech

Undersecretary Sarah Rogers argues that Europe’s online regulation, including the EU Digital Services Act and UK online-safety rules, risks chilling lawful speech by nudging platforms toward risk-averse moderation. In a podcast interview she rejects claims her stance is a proxy push for Elon Musk or Europe’s far right, and discusses First Amendment litigation, anonymity, X-related controversies, deepfake sexual imagery, selective enforcement concerns, and whether similar speech principles should apply to AI systems.

Matthew McConaughey trademarks “Alright, alright, alright” to deter AI likeness misuse

Matthew McConaughey has trademarked his catchphrase “Alright, alright, alright,” and his lawyers and an expert say it may be the first time an actor used trademark law to help protect their likeness from AI-driven misuse. The future is here, and it is a legal department in cowboy boots.

Conservative media, not GOP electeds, increasingly drives the party’s agenda

A new analysis argues the GOP’s real power center has shifted away from elected officials to conservative media, with Republican politicians reacting to media-driven narratives and controversies rather than setting the party’s direction themselves.

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This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.

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