Nominee

Kevin Warsh, Donald Trump's pick to run the US Federal Reserve, used his confirmation hearing to draw a firm line: if confirmed, he said, the White House would not dictate his decisions. Facing pointed questions about his personal wealth and the Fed's autonomy, Mr Warsh said he would safeguard the central bank's freedom to set monetary policy without political interference. A former Fed governor, Mr Warsh moved quickly to underscore what he called his commitment to "ensuring that the conduct of monetary policy remains…

When a partisan writer sits before the Senate: what a contested ambassadorial pick says about U.S.–South Africa ties Leo Brent Bozell III told senators this week he was "coming before you at a challenging moment for U.S.–South Africa relations." What followed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was less a routine credentialing than a snapshot of how American domestic politics are reshaping diplomacy. The nominee — a conservative writer and activist with no previous diplomatic experience — found a largely friendly…

The latest provincial election results strongly suggest that Daniel Chapo, representing the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), is on track to clinch victory. According to initial tallies, Frelimo is in front across all eleven provinces. Nevertheless, election monitors are expressing skepticism about the fairness of the process, claiming it fell short of international standards. Reports are filtering in about chaotic ballot counting, ballot boxes that weren’t secured properly, allegations of vote…