Lisa

The US president has clashed with Federal Reserve members over his bid to rapidly slash interest rates despite inflation.

The White House has revived its efforts to remove Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a governor at the Federal Reserve, the United States’ central bank.

On Friday, media reports emerged that the administration of President Donald Trump had sent Cook a letter threatening her position at the Federal Reserve.

“You are hereby provided notice that the President is considering removing you from your position,” the letter read.

Signed by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, the letter gave Cook a deadline of three weeks to respond to unproven allegations that she had committed mortgage fraud.

It also warned that the crime she was accused of was punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Her conduct, the letter added, constituted negligence that calls into question her trustworthiness as a Federal Reserve governor.

Trump first unveiled the claims against Cook in August 2025, in a push to fire her from her role.

No other president since the central bank’s founding in 1913 has sought to oust a Federal Reserve governor.

The central bank has historically been insulated from political pressure, and under the law, Federal Reserve governors can only be removed by the president “for cause”. A full term runs 14 years.

Such laws aim is to shield the central bank from making economic decisions based on political pressures.

But Trump has undertaken an aggressive campaign to slash interest rates, which are elevated as a means of combatting inflation.

He has also sought to rid the federal government of appointees aligned with his Democratic predecessors. Cook was nominated in 2022 under President Democrat Joe Biden, Trump’s two-time election rival.

Trump’s claims against Cook centre on the idea that she listed two homes as her primary residence: one in Georgia and the other in Michigan. That could have made her eligible for favourable mortgage rates.

But there is no conclusive evidence so far that Cook sought to deceive lenders, making a successful fraud prosecution unlikely.

In June, a US Supreme Court ruling also blocked Trump’s attempt to fire her, though it did clear the way for the president to fire the heads of other independent agencies.

The letter sent to Cook this week was dated August 5. That same day, Cook spoke at an economic luncheon in Alaska, saying inflation is “too high” and indicating that she is “prepared to act” by raising interest rates, a position shared by others at the Federal Reserve.

Trump has long sparred with the Federal Reserve over interest rates, repeatedly threatening to fire former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for refusing to bow to his demands.

Kevin Warsh, a Trump appointee, took over Powell’s position as chair in May. He has yet to deliver Trump’s wished-for rate cuts, amid stubborn inflation.

“We should have the lowest interest rate in the world,” Trump said after last week’s decision by the Federal Reserve to hold interest rates steady for the fifth consecutive time.

In a statement, Cook’s legal team said “there is no valid cause” for removing her from her position.

“As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed,” lawyer Abbe D Lowell said.

Aug. 7 (UPI) — Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Friday became the second Republican senator to say she’ll vote against Todd Blanche’s nomination for U.S. attorney general, putting his confirmation further at risk.

Murkowski joins Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said Tuesday that she’ll vote against Blanche’s nomination. Blanche, President Donald Trump‘s pick for the role, is now acting attorney general.

Murkowski questioned if Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer, would be an effective check against Trump if he’s confirmed as the leader of the U.S. Department of Justice.

In a social media post Friday, she listed various ways the Justice Department has been politicized and referred to the $1,776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund order that Blanche said he’s rescinded earlier this week.

“I am … keenly aware that the department’s nearly $2 billion dollar slush fund — which likely would have rewarded January 6 protestors — is only off the table because this nomination is pending and the Senate has leverage,” Murkowski wrote. “Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds.

“The country needs an attorney general who will check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”

Collins also questioned Blanche’s independence and approval of the anti-weaponization fund — as well as its connected settlement agreement giving Trump and his family protection from tax investigations — in saying she will vote against the nomination.

Also, “more than 1,200 former Department of Justice employees have opposed his nomination, arguing that he has undermined the institution,” Collins said in her statement Tuesday. “For these reasons, I will vote against this nomination.”

With Murkowski and Collins voting against the nomination, Sen.Mitch McConnell still absent from the Senate and all Democrats saying they’ll vote against him, Blanche can’t lose any more votes and be confirmed.

It is uncertain how Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican and frequent Trump critic, will vote. Cassidy has so far declined to comment on the question.

Before Blanche rescinded the $1,776 billion fund order, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn also said they’d vote against him. However, they reversed course on that Monday.

However, Trump said on social media Saturday — before Blanche issued his order on the fund – that if Blanche is not confirmed, he will remain acting attorney general and the fund “would immediately be back on the table,and I will get it done!”

Blanche has been in the acting attorney general role since Trump fired Pam Bondi in April.

SAN DIEGO — High on the to-do list for the Chargers offense is juicing up the ground game, a pressing priority for a franchise whose last 1,000-yard rusher was Melvin Gordon in 2017.

Max McCaffrey is the team’s new running backs coach, and his last name should be familiar. His younger brother is Christian McCaffrey, All-Pro running back for the San Francisco 49ers and reigning comeback player of the year. Their father is longtime NFL receiver Ed McCaffrey, a favorite target of John Elway in Denver.

So Max knows his stuff about building a running attack, even though he was a receiver at Duke and had only fleeting stints with five NFL franchises, more often on the practice squads than the active rosters.

Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel noted with a half-smile that because Max is “definitely not the most athletic in his family,” his work ethic is “astronomically higher” than most.

Max , 32, chuckled Wednesday when informed of that wisecrack, conceding that he’s got some pretty stiff competition in his family. His dad has three Super Bowl rings — one with San Francisco, two with Denver — and mom, Lisa, was a standout soccer player at Stanford. In addition to Christian, 30, Max has brothers Dylan, 27, a former quarterback at Michigan and Northern Colorado; and Luke, a receiver and return specialist for the Washington Commanders.

They might not be quite as prominent as the Mannings or Kelces, but when it comes to football’s royal families, the McCaffreys are in the conversation.

Chargers running backs coach Max McCaffrey, left, works with running back Keaton Mitchell at training camp in El Segundo on Aug. 1.

(Los Angeles Chargers)

“I love my brothers,” Max said. “I’ll do anything for them, and I just want to see them succeed and chase what they’re passionate about.”

That certainly doesn’t quell his competitive nature, however, and he’ll have more than one chance in his current role to see brother Christian up close. The Chargers and 49ers will hold a joint practice at the Bolt on Aug. 18, and the teams will meet again in a Thursday night game on Dec. 17 at SoFi Stadium.

“My brother’s been my best friend and one of my biggest mentors my entire life,” Christian told The Times Wednesday. “We’re always bouncing ideas off each other. Obviously, he played receiver, but he has such a massive knowledge for football in general. He’s been a coordinator. He’s coached different position groups. Now that he’s got the running back job, it’s so fun just bouncing ideas off of each other.

“I never think I have it all figured out, so getting tips from him feels very familiar.”

Likewise, Max said that while Christian doesn’t share trade secrets with him, he does tap into the running back know-how of his younger brother, collecting tidbits on how best to train and prepare players for the rigorous job.

The eldest McCaffrey son called the 49ers star “the most intentional person I know.”

“He wakes up with a purpose,” Max said. “His day is planned from the second he wakes up to the minute he goes to sleep.”

That’s the kind of laser focus that can help a young running back such as Omarion Hampton, selected 22nd overall by the Chargers in the 2025 draft.

Ed McCaffrey was head coach at Northern Colorado from 2020-22 and had Max on his staff all three seasons, first as receivers coach, then as offensive coordinator for the final two seasons.

“I think it’s tremendous,” Ed said of his son’s play-calling experience. “It’s tremendous for the whole process because it allows you to set your vision as to how much you need to own at the NFL level running an offense.

“He got to really invest into the details across all positions, getting a firm, tangible example of what he needs from position coaches. So to be prepared to be a position coach, I think it directly helped him in that process.”

When McDaniel was head coach of the Miami Dolphins, he brought on Max as an offensive assistant from 2023-25. When McDaniel got the Chargers job, he brought Max with him, giving him a key position to oversee.

Chargers running backs coach Max McCaffrey, working with running back Kimani Vidal in offseason workouts in May, said, “I love my brothers. I’ll do anything for them, and I just want to see them succeed and chase what they’re passionate about.”

(Los Angeles Chargers)

Joked McDaniel: “For fantasy owners out there, if you’re not liking your output, you have Max to blame.”

Max got his name from a since-closed restaurant at the Stanford mall called Max’s Opera Cafe, where Ed and Lisa had their first date.

Since, he has worked hard to make a name for himself, and the spotlight is only growing.

LISA Snowdon has been seen without her ring on after sparking fears that she has split from her fiancé.

After 12 years with George Smart and plans to marry, Lisa, 54, has been seen without her engagement ring.

The TV presenter was spotted going to a Pilates class in Essex this week, with her ring was noticeably absent from her left hand.

She was chatting on the phone as she made her way home while rocking gym gear and carrying a tote.

Lisa said recently that she feels like she’s in a “new chapter of her life” at 54.

Lisa has been enjoying solo travelling recently, and has failed to share snaps of George on Instagram.

SPLIT FEARS

Lisa Snowdon sparks fears she’s split from fiance after 12 years together

secret struggle

This Morning’s Lisa Snowdon reveals she’s bedbound after meningitis battle

She last shared a snap of George, 46, on her Instagram back in January.

Meanwhile, his own social media account is currently set to private.

Her fiancé featured regularly on Lisa’s social media before then, but he hasn’t been seen on her socials in more than six months.

When Lisa shared a gallery of pictures of herself with her friends hanging out at Wimbledon last month, George was absent again.

Some fans noticed this and one wrote: “Oh no, no George again.”

George might be taking a break from social media and there might be nothing in it – but it’s sparked concern about their relationship.

Lisa and entrepreneur George briefly dated 20 years ago and reconnected in 2014,  before getting engaged in 2016.

Last year, Lisa said she was in no rush to marry George. 

She told Hello!: ‘A lot of women imagine walking down the aisle.

“They imagine their flowers, their dresses, and I just have never had that vision. It’s just a contract at the end of the day.

“I don’t want everybody looking at me, which is weird because I do television and hosting.

“I’m just really relaxed and so is George. It will happen, but I just don’t know what that looks like.”

But now she seems to be moving on.

In a chat with Prima this week, Lisa said: “I’m 54 now and see this time in my life as a new chapter. It’s important to reframe ageing in a more positive way. 

“It takes time for that readjustment to happen, but now I’m in this powerful place where it’s about, ‘What do I want? What do I need?”

She went on: “I don’t have children, so it’s easier for me than mums juggling teenage children, but it’s a powerful time for us to reconnect with ourselves and make big life changes. It’s the second spring.”

LISA Faulkner and John Torode have been dealt another blow following her breast cancer diagnosis earlier this week.

The TV couple have reportedly learned that their cookery show, John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, has been shelved after ten series.

Amid ongoing budget cuts at ITV, the show is notably absent from upcoming schedules.

According to The Mirror, the couple remain hopeful that the popular cookery programme could return to the channel at a later date.

An insider told the publication: “John remains a regular contributor to This Morning, where he has been fully supported by everyone, including hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.

“The truth is there are no current plans for series 11 of Weekend Kitchen but no final decision has yet been made over whether it will return in the future.

CANCER SHOCK

John Torode’s wife Lisa Faulkner, 54, gives fans update after cancer diagnosis

END OF TORODE

John Torode’s ITV cooking show with wife set to be axed after BBC sacking

“And John is very much a part of the ITV family through his role as a regular chef on This Morning.”

ITV confirmed that no final decisions have been made yet regarding the future of the show.

The news comes after John suffered a major career setback last year when he left MasterChef.

An inquiry, ordered by MasterChef’s production company, upheld a claim that the chef had used an “extremely offensive racist term”, which he said he had “no recollection of”, and he subsequently departed the show.

His wife Lisa announced her shock cancer diagnosis on Thursday, revealing that she had already undergone surgery and was awaiting a course of radiotherapy.

Lisa is best known for her acting roles in shows including Holby City and EastEnders, and in recent years has carved out a successful career as a TV chef.

She won Celebrity MasterChef in 2010 before going on to front John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen alongside her husband.

JOHN Torode’s wife Lisa Faulkner has given fans an emotional update after revealing her shock breast cancer diagnosis.

The 54-year-old announced the news on Thursday and divulged that she had already undergone surgery and will be moving onto a course of radiotherapy.

She took to her Instagram stories today to thank her fans for all of their support over the last 24 hours.

Lisa penned: “Thank you for all of your support and your lovely messages. i promise I will read every word.

“So many of you going through this or someone who is. Your love and kindness has really touched me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The former EastEnders actress told her fans yesterday why she’d been quiet on social media.

READ MORE ON LISA FAULKNER

BREAST AWARE

The easily-missed signs of breast cancer after Lisa Faulkner’s diagnosis

END OF TORODE

John Torode’s ITV cooking show with wife set to be axed after BBC sacking

She divulged: “I know I’ve been very quiet on here, reason being I have had to have surgery for the early stages of breast cancer.

“I had surgery two weeks ago, it was quite a big op but it’s all good and I’ve my results back and they’ve got everything out.

“So it’s all clear and I just need now to have some radiotherapy in a few weeks.

“I just wanted to say I’ve got a bit of healing to do but I’m good. I’m well and feeling so much better and I’m so grateful I went for my mammogram.

“I just wanted to say don’t put them off, go, because they found this and without that mammogram it wouldn’t have been picked up.

“Thank you to our wonderful NHS and the fact we can have these mammograms and we can get treatment early.”

Within moments of her sharing the difficult news, Lisa was inundated with support from her famous pals and followers.

Actress Tamzin Outhwaite said: “Love you Lise. You’ve got this my darling.”

Another added: “Sending so much love your way, lovely xx.”

Before a third said: “Sending love and hugs.”

Lisa is best known for her various acting roles and in recent years has become prolific as a TV chef.

Her famous telly husband John Torode has yet to comment on the gutting news about his partner.

It is the latest in a long line of blows for John who was sacked from his role on MasterChef following an investigation at the BBC.

He was given the boot from the programme following an investigation which was launched based upon the conduct of his co-star, Gregg Wallace.

June 29 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that Congress’ restriction of the president from firing independent agency employees without cause violates the separation of powers.

The court upheld President Donald Trump‘s firing of Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission, overturning 90 years of precedence. The ruling came down along ideological lines with the conservative majority upholding Slaughter’s firing in a 6-3 decision.

Writing the majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts said Congress’ “for cause” removal protections, meant to shield independent agencies from political influence, violate the separation of powers.

“What text, history, and structure settle, our precedent confirms — the president may remove his subordinates at will,” Roberts wrote.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the minority opinion that the decision has given the president “far greater power than ever before.”

“It is a power, however, that neither the People, nor Congress, nor the Constitution bestowed upon him. In granting the President this unbridled authority, the Court upends its precedent, misconstrues our history, and sheds any pretense of judicial modesty. I respectfully dissent.”

The court’s decision upends the precedent set in 1935 in the case Humphrey’s Executor vs. United States. The high court in that case ordered that Congress could restrict the president from firing members of the FTC without cause.

“Although it is up to the Senate to decide whether to confirm those with whom the President would prefer to work with, neither Congress nor the courts may saddle him with those with whom he cannot work,” Roberts wrote. “Subordinates who exercise the President’s power are subject to removal by him. Then, and only then, can they remain accountable to the President, and the President to the people.”

While the high court allowed Trump to fire Slaughter, it rejected his bid to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve for the moment.

Trump attempted to pause a federal court ruling that prevented him from firing Cook last year. A lawsuit was filed challenging the attempt. In a 5-4 ruling Monday, the Supreme Court rejected the attempt by Trump.

Roberts penned the majority opinion in this case as well, joining the three liberal justices and conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“Not only the fact of independence but also the appearance of independence is key to the Federal Reserve’s design,” Roberts wrote.

Clarkson’s Farm star Lisa Hogan returns to screens for season five, but what do we know about her previous relationships?

The fifth season of Clarkson’s Farm has finally arrived, with four brand-new episodes landing on Wednesday, 3rd June.

After Jeremy Clarkson’s emergency hospital dash back in October 2024, the former Top Gear and The Grand Tour co-presenter lost no time in returning to work at Diddly Squat.

The latest series chronicles Jeremy as he teams up once more with Kaleb Cooper and his other half, Lisa Hogan, on fresh farming ventures, including so-called ‘Easycare’ sheep which prove to be amongst the most challenging animals on the farm, a touching Christmas celebration and even AI-powered tractors.

Now the show has been running for half a decade, with a sixth series scheduled for next year, audiences have become more familiar than ever with television couple Jeremy and Lisa.

However, did you know Lisa was previously wed before encountering Jeremy at a gathering in 2017? Let’s explore what we know about her former spouse, reports Wales Online.

Who is Lisa Hogan’s ex-husband?

Lisa was formerly married to Baron Steven Bentinck, an art collector and Dutch aristocrat residing in Madrid.

He belongs to the House of Bentinck family of Dutch, German and British nobility and is the nephew of steel magnate and art collector Baron Heinrich von Thyssen.

Baron Steven and Lisa first crossed paths in 1996 and tied the knot in 1998. They stayed together for 30 years, until 2011, and share three children, Wolfe, Alice, and Lizzy.

Lisa’s former husband was also previously wed to Nora de Picciotto. He is 69, 17 years Lisa’s senior, with her being 52. His precise net worth remains undisclosed but is thought to run into the multi-millions owing to his links with billionaire industrialist von Thyssen and his remarkable collection of luxury assets, which previously included the 147-foot yacht, alongside several high-value properties such as the Duntreath Castle estate in Scotland.

The Bentinck family wealth is understood to reach into the hundreds of millions, with their Welbeck Estates Company holdings alone estimated at over £230 million.

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Prior to her relationship with Jeremy, Lisa was also involved with Canadian businessman Craig Cohan for a period after meeting at a birthday celebration in Moscow. The pair were seen together at a Battersea Power Station event in April 2014, although the exact timeline of their romance and separation remains unclear.

Jeremy, for his part, has been married twice before. His first wife is Alex Hall, whom he wed in 1989 for six months, while his second is manager Frances Cain, marrying in 1993. They share three children together and separated in 2014.

Clarkson’s Farm season 5 continues Wednesdays on Prime Video.