Warsh sworn in as

new chairman of Fed

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has overseen the White House swearing-in of the new Federal Reserve chair.

Trump said Friday that he’d like Kevin Warsh’s help in stimulating the economy even as the president tried to emphasize that the nation’s central bank would remain independent.

Trump has spent months criticizing Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, for being reluctant to cut interests rates. Warsh noted the Fed’s mandate “is to promote price stability and maximum employment” and he pledged that the central bank would pursue those aims with “independence and resolve.”

Trump accents tax cuts

in NY campaign stop

SUFFERN, New York — President Donald Trump has begun testing his midterm message, focusing on the economy. But in New York, he quickly veered off-topic, discussing voter ID, crime and transgender women in sports.

He did highlight his tax cuts, claiming Democrats opposed them. Trump appeared with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, praising him for supporting the tax law that expanded state and local tax deductions. Lawler, up for reelection, said he will embrace Trump to energize Republican voters.

The White House aims to spotlight Trump’s economic achievements amid his declining poll ratings.

Judge dismisses charges

against Abrego Garcia

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia in Tennessee has been dismissed without a trial. Abrego Garcia’s mistaken deportation to El Salvador last year became an embarrassment for President Donald Trump’s administration when it was ordered to return him to the U.S. Abrego Garcia claimed the timing of the criminal charges and inflammatory statements about him by top Trump officials demonstrated the prosecution was vindictive. A federal judge in Tennessee on Friday agreed to dismiss the charges.

Rubio reports progress in talks to end Iran war

TEL AVIV, Israel — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says “slight progress” has been made during talks with Iran. Rubio made the comment Friday as Pakistan’s army chief traveled to Tehran in a renewed effort to mediate a peace deal and uncertainty loomed over whether war will resume. The secretary of state’s remark comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because negotiations were underway.

SpaceX takes test flight

SpaceX launched its biggest, most powerful Starship yet on a test flight Friday, an upgraded version that NASA is counting on to land astronauts on the moon.

The redesigned mega rocket made its debut two days after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced he’s taking the company public. It blasted off from the southern tip of Texas, carrying 20 mock Starlink satellites that were released midway through the hourlong spaceflight that stretched halfway around the world.

The spacecraft reached its final destination — the Indian Ocean — despite some engine trouble, before erupting in flames upon impact. That last part was not unexpected, according to SpaceX.

The Associated Press

Musk called it “an epic” launch and landing. in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania that was allocated by Congress last year. Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley led the letter. Republican Sens. Kevin Cramer and Thom Tillis, as well as Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and Catherine Cortez Masto also signed it.