Venezuelan official Alex Saab, a Colombian-Venezuelan businessman and close ally of former President Nicolás Maduro, has reportedly been arrested in Caracas as part of a joint operation between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities, according to U.S. law enforcement and Colombian media reports. Saab, once held in the United States on bribery and money-laundering charges and granted clemency for a prisoner swap, was detained early Wednesday and is expected to be extradited to the U.S. in the coming days. Government figures have neither fully confirmed nor denied the arrest, and his lawyer has called reports “fake news.” (PC: Reuters)

The Washington Post has laid off its Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson as part of wide staff cuts across the newsroom. Johnson said she received the notice while reporting from the war zone. “I was just laid off… in the middle of a war zone. I have no words. I’m devastated,” she wrote on social media. The paper is owned by Jeff Bezos and is reducing about one-third of its staff, according to company statements. Several foreign bureaus and the sports desk are also affected. The editor said the paper needs “a new way forward” after financial losses.

Young voters helped force out Bangladesh’s long-time leader after deadly unrest in 2024, but older parties now look likely to win the upcoming general election. Student-led protests grew after a police crackdown that killed hundreds, according to the UN. Some youth leaders formed the National Citizen Party, but it is split and has limited reach. Many young voters are now backing established parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP. “We are trying to prove ourselves,” one youth party member said. Women activists say they have been sidelined in candidate lists and alliances ahead of the vote. (PC: BBC)

An email said to be sent by Ghislaine Maxwell appears to support the authenticity of a photo showing Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre. Andrew has long questioned the image and said in 2019 he could not be in it because he was at a Pizza Express in Woking that day. A 10 January 2015 email includes a draft statement where Maxwell says she was in London in 2001 when Giuffre met “Prince Andrew” and that a photograph was taken. Giuffre’s family said the email “vindicated” her account. Andrew has denied all allegations and settled a civil case in 2022 without admitting liability. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump has said it is “really time for the country to get on to something else” after the Justice Department closed its review of Jeffrey Epstein files. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the document review found no grounds for new prosecutions. However, a House committee inquiry is still moving forward, with Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton set to testify. Lawmakers and Epstein victims say key records are still missing. Trump denied wrongdoing and said, “Nothing came out about me.” His name appears thousands of times in released files, mostly in past contacts and mentions. Survivors say they will keep pressing for more disclosure. (PC: BBC)

Oracle has publicly responded to market concerns linking its strategic deal with OpenAI to rumours it might lay off up to 30,000 employees. The company denied that the stalled $100 billion Nvidia-OpenAI investment affects its financial commitment or operations, affirming confidence in OpenAI’s funding and execution capabilities. Despite this, Oracle’s stock slid, and analysts from TD Cowen pointed to the potential mass layoffs as a risk tied to funding its AI and data-centre buildout strategy. The controversy has also sparked questions about the viability of the complex financing model at play. (PC: X)

The Washington Post announced sweeping layoffs affecting about one-third of its workforce, marking one of the most severe newsroom cuts in its history. The restructuring, described by leadership as a painful but necessary response to financial losses and changing reader habits, eliminated over 300 jobs, shut down the sports section, reduced foreign bureaus and closed the Books division. Senior international affairs columnist Ishaan Tharoor, son of Indian politician Shashi Tharoor, confirmed his layoff on social media, expressing heartbreak for colleagues. Many affected journalists shared emotional farewells online, calling the cuts a “dark day” for journalism. 

A U.S. federal judge sentenced Ryan Wesley Routh—convicted of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course in September 2024—to life in prison without parole, plus a seven-year consecutive term for weapons charges. Prosecutors showed Routh spent weeks plotting the attack, hiding with a rifle near Trump International Golf Club and aiming at security before a Secret Service agent spotted him. He was found guilty on multiple federal counts, including attempted assassination and firearm offenses. Judge Aileen Cannon described his actions as “deliberate and evil,” noting Routh’s lack of remorse and extensive criminal history. (PC: The Hindu)

Newly released U.S. Justice Department files reveal a 2010 email from Eva Andersson-Dubin, former girlfriend and long-time associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, inviting him to her home when her daughter Celina was 15, saying, “Come and visit next week, Celina will have 5 friends over.” Epstein had already served jail time for soliciting a minor and was a registered sex offender at the time. The correspondence has drawn renewed scrutiny over his access to minors post-conviction. The Dubins, a wealthy couple, had defended Epstein in 2009 and maintained a social connection despite his criminal record. (PC: Reuters)

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has denied allegations linked to newly released Epstein-related emails and said he regrets meeting Jeffrey Epstein. In an interview with Nine News, Gates said the emails cited in the files were never sent and contained false claims about his health and conduct. “The email is false. I don’t know what his thinking was there,” Gates said. He added, “I regret every minute I spent with him.” Gates said his meetings with Epstein were limited to dinners and stated, “I never went to the island. I never met any women.” He said more details will show the allegations have no factual basis. (PC: X)