Trump’s Fed chair pick says he’ll maintain independence – but won’t say president lost 2020 election

Donald Trump’s nominee for US Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Warsh, faced a tumultuous hearing in Washington on Tuesday, fielding scrutiny over his wealth and his ability to operate independently of the president who appointed him.Should he be confirmed, Warsh will hold one of the most powerful roles in the US federal government, with massive influence over the global economy and the ability to move markets.During a hearing before the Senate banking committee, Warsh did his best to bat away questions that he argued verged too far into “politics”.“We need to take politics out of monetaryd policy and monetary policy out of politics,” he told the Senate. “If I’m confirmed, the Federal Reserve should stay in its lane

Wage growth hits lowest level since November 2020; Rachel Reeves will not take ‘knee jerk’ action on Iran war – as it happened

Time to wrap up… Unemployment in the UK unexpectedly fell in the three months to February, according to official figures – but the fallout from the conflict in the Middle East is expected to cause a rise in job cuts.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment was 4.9% in February, the lowest level since last summer. This compares with 5.2% in the three months to January, a rate that economists had expected to also see in February

Diplomatic duties for Tim Cook after stepping down as Apple CEO

Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, US tech editor at the Guardian, writing to you after seeing The Jellicle Ball, a revival of Cats that I found fabulous and which the Guardian called “thrillingly new”.Apple announced late on Monday that Tim Cook will step down as CEO but will not leave the iPhone maker. Head of hardware engineering John Ternus will succeed him on 1 September.“I love Apple with all of my being,” Cook said in a press release announcing his succession

Palantir manifesto described as ‘ramblings of a supervillain’ amid UK contract fears

The US spy tech company Palantir published a manifesto extolling the benefits of American power and implying some cultures are inferior to others – in what MPs have called “a parody of a RoboCop film” and “the ramblings of a supervillain”.“Some cultures have produced vital advances; others remain dysfunctional and regressive,” wrote Palantir in a 22-point post on X over the weekend, which also called for an end to the “postwar neutering” of Germany and Japan.The post exhorted the US to reinstate a military draft, saying that “free and democratic societies” need “hard power” in order to prevail.It also predicted a future dominated by autonomous weapons: “The question is not whether A.I

Jannik Sinner says Alcaraz’s absence from Madrid Open ‘tough to swallow’

Jannik Sinner described Carlos Alcaraz’s injury withdrawal from the Madrid Open as “tough to swallow” for the tournament and believes the absence of his greatest rival will make a big difference as he tries to win a record fifth straight Masters title.“It’s a very tough thing for the tournament,” said Sinner. “Last year he didn’t play, so twice in a row is tough. And also Novak [Djokovic] is not here, it’s tough to swallow for the tournament. It is always different when Carlos and Novak are not in the draw

NFL draft questions: what should the Jets do at No 2, is Love worth it and will the Cowboys trade up?

Fernando Mendoza is a lock to go No 1, but what happens after is less certain. From a difference-making running back to a polarizing QB, we look at the biggest questions entering draft nightThe draft begins with the second pick this year. We know Fernando Mendoza will be the Las Vegas Raiders’ selection at No 1 overall. With the second pick, the Jets have a decision to make: edge-rusher David Bailey from Texas Tech or the hybrid defender Arvell Reese from Ohio State.Bailey is widely viewed as the top pure edge-rusher in the class