WASHINGTON (AP) — American employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 new jobs last month, rebounding from a dismal February. And the unemployment rate dipped to 4.3%.

The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring marked a turnaround from the loss of 133,000 jobs in February. The job gains were about three times what economists had forecast. But uncertainty surrounding the war with Iran — and its impact on energy prices — is clouding the outlook for the labor market.

The unemployment rate was down from 4.4% in February. That is partly because the labor force — those working and looking for work — dropped by 396,000 in March so fewer people were competing for jobs. In fact, the percentage of people in the labor force dropped to 61.9% last month, the lowest since November 2021.

Health care companies added 76,400 jobs last month, boosted by the return of 31,000 Kaiser Permanente employees to work after the end of a strike in February. Factories added 15,000 jobs last month but have still shed jobs for 14 of the last 16 months. Construction companies added 26,000 jobs, probably partly because of warmer weather last month.

Average hourly wages were up 0.2% from February. Compared to March 2025, they were up 3.5% — the smallest gain since May 2021 and one consistent with the Federal Reserve’s 2% annual inflation target.

Labor Department revisions shaved 7,000 jobs off combined January and February payrolls.

The U.S. job market has been in a slump over the past year. Most economists say the impact of the war and higher energy prices was probably not fully reflected in the March jobs numbers.

“The data is mostly backward-looking, and likely does not incorporate any impact from the recent rise in energy prices, or other risks related to the war in Iran,’’ Thomas Simons, chief U.S. economist with the investment firm Jefferies, wrote in a commentary.

Diane Swonk, chief economist at the accounting firm KPMG, said that the economy is getting a lift from big tax refunds made possible by President Donald Trump’s 2025 tax cuts. “But those are now being eaten up by higher energy costs,’’ she said.

Last year, employers added an average of just 9,700 jobs a month, the weakest hiring outside a recession since 2002. Businesses have been reluctant to bring on new workers partly because of uncertainty arising from President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports and crackdown on immigration. One measure released by the Labor Department on Monday showed the weakest hiring since April 2020 – in the middle of COVID-19 lockdowns.

But firms have also been reluctant to let go of their existing employees, creating what economists describe as a “no-hire, no-fire’’ scenario that locks young applicants out of the job market. At the same time, there are growing worries that artificial intelligence is taking entry-level jobs.

New jobs are heavily concentrated in health care and social assistance (which includes day care and vocational rehabilitation centers). That combined category accounted for more than half the jobs created last month. The trend reflects an aging U.S. population. A graying Japan saw the same thing in the early 2010s, Vanguard economist Adam Schickling wrote in a commentary ahead of Friday’s jobs report.

“The larger-than-expected rebound in nonfarm payrolls in March mainly reflects a reversal of the strike and weather effects that weighed on hiring in February, rather than being a sign that the labor market is rapidly gaining momentum,” said Stephen Brown, chief North America economist at Capital Economics. Citing higher oil prices, he warned of the risk that “the hit to consumers’ purchasing power will weigh on demand and therefore hiring in the near term.’’

March’s unexpectedly strong hiring is likely to ease pressure on the Fed policymakers to cut interest rates right away to help the job market, giving them time to assess what impact higher energy prices are having on overall inflation.

Worries about the fallout from the war are likely to limit job gains for awhile. “It’s the nature of uncertainties,’’ said Olu Sonola, U.S. head of research at Fitch Ratings. “Companies typically respond by holding back’’ on hiring decisions.

A lot will depend on how long the conflict lasts and what happens to oil prices. The price of benchmark American crude oil closed just below $112 a barrel Thursday. “If that’s $140 next month,″ Sonola said, “God knows what’s going to happen.’’

Mai Truong is the founder of Bo & Mei, which makes games and puzzles designed to celebrate Asian heritage. She’s currently preparing for this year’s holiday shopping season and assessing her hiring plans — but she’s facing lots of unknowns.

The Brooklyn, New York-based company, which had sales of under $500,000 last year, had to pay tens of thousands of dollars in tariffs last year. Truong is not sure what her tariff bill will be this year and whether she will be able to get a refund after the Supreme Court struck down some of Trump’s tariffs. The Iran war is also creating unforeseen costs including higher shipping expenses.

Truong is her company’s only full-time employee. But she typically hires a couple of contractors, who work in operations, marketing and other areas, to help in the months heading to Christmas.

“It makes everything feel very uncertain,” she said. “On the other hand, there’s so little you can do with the volatility. You just have to stay the course and kind of deal with the variables as they become more clear.”

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Anne D’Innocenzio reported from New York.

The World Cup winner was informed by the Chelsea head coach on Friday morning that he has been dropped for upcoming games against Port Vale, in the FA Cup on Saturday, and Manchester City, in the Premier League next Sunday, as a punishment for bombshell comments made during the international break.

HMRC has outlined key tax rules for state pension payments after a query about deductions

HMRC has clarified the tax rules surrounding state pension payments, following an enquiry about deductions applied to those payments.

A state pensioner contacted the tax authority through social media with a question, asking: “Where can I find a monthly statement of my state pension showing the payment and deductions?” With upcoming changes on the horizon, now is an opportune moment to review your state pension arrangements.

The state pension is set to rise by 4.8 per cent from April, boosting the full new state pension from £230.25 per week to £241.30 per week. In response to the query, HMRC outlined the key rules to bear in mind, telling the taxpayer: “State pension is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and no tax is deducted at source.

“Your pension payments do appear only on your bank statements – DWP pays the same amount every four weeks.”

This means those receiving the full new state pension will receive £965.20 each payment period under the new rates, reports the Mirror. Those on the full basic state pension will receive £184.90 per week, or £739.60 every four-week payment period, with payments typically issued in arrears.

The day your state pension is paid depends on the final two digits of your National Insurance (NI) number.

Those preparing for retirement should also take note of another significant change coming into effect from April 2026, when the state pension age will begin rising from 66, gradually increasing to reach 67 between April 2026 and April 2028.

Laws have also been passed to implement a further increase to 68, set to take place between 2044 and 2046. You can check your projected state pension entitlement by using the forecast tool available on the Government website.

The decision was made in a Westhoughton Town Council meeting on March 30, as members expressed confusion over some aspects of the scheme, including a planned £70m for a new link road.

Councillors also wanted to know what made the Metro Mayor so confident the Ryder Cup was going to come to Bolton, despite the number of other – already completed – golf courses vying for the same rights.

Cllr Arthur Price and Cllr Neil Maher at the plot of land in Westhoughton (Image: MyWesthoughton)

Cllr Arthur Price said: “We couldn’t have a crossing on Manchester Road because there was no money, but now Peel want a golf course they’ve managed to find £70m.

“I want to see confirmation that we have actually been shortlisted for the Ryder Cup – do they have it in writing?

“How is he guaranteeing £70m for something nobody knows anything about?

“It will never happen, it’s just a red herring.”

Councillors also expressed concern that, despite previous indications that a plan for the Ryder Cup golf course would be submitted in January, nothing no plans have yet been made public.

Cllr David Wilkinson said: “As far as I’m concerned, the golf course plans are dead in the water until Peel submit something.

The road is long and straight, which increases the likelihood of speeding, according to Cllr Price (Image: Dan Dougherty)

“And why should the taxpayer fund £70m for a road for Peel which hasn’t been confirmed?

“We need to speak to the mayor to ask him what he was doing when he backed the plans.

“If the new roads and trains he has promised for the Ryder Cup are good enough for those three days, why aren’t they good enough for the people who currently use those lines to commute?”

On the topic of Westhoughton’s rail lines, town councillor Jack Speight said: “We’d need to upgrade the line first, it’s not even electrified.

“Where is that money going to come from?”

The impact of the Ryder Cup on Westhoughton’s roads and amenities was also discussed, alongside the potential impact of the Platt Lane Development and the Lee Hall development.

(Image: NQ)

Cllr Martin Tighe said: “Park Avenue, near the development, is an avenue in the truest sense of the word.

“There’s nothing in the plans about widening it – it’ll cause more congestion in what is already one of the most congested areas.”

Tighe also expressed concern that the new course would harm the golf courses that already exist in the area, Westhoughton Golf Course being one.

Westhoughton Mayor Gillian Wroe, alongside the councillors, decided to write to Mr Burnham to invite him to a meeting during which they could discuss the plans.

​A motion calling for better water quality has been passed by Scarborough town councillors, while references to climate change were removed in a row over “focus and delivery”.

​​Issues with Scarborough’s bathing water quality have continued to persist and last year’s ratings saw the South Bay still classed as ‘poor’ and the North Bay’s bathing water quality classed as ‘sufficient’.

​At a full meeting of Scarborough Town Council on Wednesday, April 2, members clashed over how to approach the issue.

​A motion proposed by Cllr Rich Maw, Independent, proposed that the town council “recognises that scientific evidence demonstrates climate change impacts coastal water quality and marine ecosystems, and that residents and regular beach users are increasingly concerned about bathing water quality in both bays”.

​It called for the council to also recognise “its powers do not extend to regulating water quality, which remains the responsibility of the Environment Agency”.

​However, an amendment by Reform’s Cllr William Stuart saw a “focussed” motion tabled after he raised concerns about high workloads that the original proposal would have entailed for council staff.

Stc Amended And Approved Water Quality Motion Proposed By Cllr William Stuart.

​Cllr Stuart’s motion, which was approved by the Reform-led authority, recognised “the importance of bathing water quality in South Bay and North Bay to residents, visitors, and the local economy”.

​Both motions set out to engage with Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency to seek “clear information on causes of water quality issues affecting Scarborough’s beaches”.

​The amended motion also requested “periodic written updates to be presented to the council, subject to available officer capacity”.

Original Stc Water Quality Motion Proposed By Cllr Rich Maw.

​Speaking at the meeting, Cllr William Stuart said: “I agree that the coastline is one of our greatest assets and water quality is important to our residents and they do deserve us to speak on their behalf.”

​He added: “Regarding climate change and anthropogenic climate change, no one would argue we have climate change.”

​The amended motion, which was approved with the support of Reform councillors while Independent and Labour councillors voted against it, concluded: “Prioritise engagement activities to ensure they are proportionate to council resources, and that officer time is used efficiently and effectively.”

Scarborough Town Council Full Meeting 02.04.26

​Cllr Maw said: “It’s an inescapable fact that climate change is linked to this, and there’s absolutely no way that we can talk about a subject such as combined sewer outlets, surface water mixing in combined sewers, without understanding why we’re in this position.”

​He added: “To amend this motion without understanding that would be a failure for us to recognise the importance of understanding climate science. So it’s not abstract, and it’s not theoretical because it’s actually already affecting our coastline.”

President Trump signed an executive order aimed at fixing college sports Friday that would give federal agencies authority to cut funding at schools that don’t comply with mandates covering transfers, eligibility and pay-for-play in the rapidly changing industry.

The order is a laundry list of proposed fixes, many of which lawmakers and college leaders have been pushing for since the approval of a $2.8 billion settlement changed the face of games that were once played by pure amateurs.

Among the notable parts of the order was a call to establish “clear, consistent and fair eligibility limits, including a five-year participation window” — an element that could fend off the dozens of lawsuits the NCAA has faced of late.

It also calls for “structured transfer rules,” but offered no specifics for a system that allows players to move around freely, sometimes in the middle of the season, which adds uncertainty to roster building that many consider unsustainable.

As much as the changes he directs, Trump’s call for the Education Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorney general’s office to evaluate “whether violations of such rules render a university unfit for Federal grants and contracts” stands out as a proactive way to force change.

Several universities across the country have made policy changes related to diversity, equity and inclusion, transgender rights and even the sorts of courses they teach to comply with federal orders and avoid funding-related showdowns with the government.

At a college sports roundtable last month, Trump said he anticipated any order he signed would trigger litigation. Attorney Mit Winter, who follows college sports law, agreed, saying the order “appears to direct the NCAA to create rules that would likely violate” court orders.

NCAA President Charlie Baker, however, did not signal any intent to litigate, saying Trump’s order “reinforces many of our mandatory protections — including guaranteed health care coverage, mental health services and scholarship protections.”

“This action is a significant step forward, and we appreciate the administration’s interest and attention to these issues,” Baker said. “Stabilizing college athletics for student-athletes still requires a permanent, bipartisan federal legislative solution.”

Trump, in the order, also called on Congress to “quickly pass legislation,” the likes of which has stalled multiple times.

The president’s mandate is likely to set up a situation where the NCAA and schools have to decide whether to follow a federal court order or an executive order, Winter said.

“Federal court orders prohibit the NCAA from making athletes sit out a season if they transfer more than once and prohibit the NCAA from enforcing rules that limit collectives from being involved in recruiting,” he said. “The EO appears to direct the NCAA to create rules that would likely violate both of these court orders. Will the NCAA create rules that do that? And if they do, will schools follow them?

“Either way, we’re likely going to see litigation challenging the EO by athletes and third parties.”

Winter added that the order also appears to urge schools to pay new revenue share amounts.

“Most schools are paying 90-95% of their rev-share funds to men’s basketball and football players,” he said. “And those funds are already promised via contracts signed with those athletes. Will the order purport to make schools not adhere to those contracts?”

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AP Sports Writer Maura Carey contributed.

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Ethan Towers, 27, was jailed for life for raping a baby five times while John Watson, 28, was also jailed for life for encouraging the abuse at Cambridge Crown Court

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Two men have been handed life sentences after a baby was subjected to rape on five occasions last summer.

Ethan Towers, 27, and John Watson, 28, were branded “dangerous and a risk to the public” by a judge before receiving their custodial terms.

Cambridge Crown Court was told that Towers, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, carried out five rapes against the infant while Watson, from Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, incited him to commit the abuse. Judge Mark Bishop remarked that the “youth of the baby was extreme”.

Towers received a minimum term of 12 years and five months while Watson was sentenced to 13 years and four months imprisonment on Wednesday (April 1).

The court was informed that Towers transmitted indecent photographs of children to Watson. Watson, who was already subject to a sexual harm prevention order due to prior convictions, also exchanged explicit material with another minor under the age of 16.

Towers entered guilty pleas to five counts of rape while Watson admitted two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The 28 year old also pleaded guilty to multiple offences relating to indecent images of children and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

In addition to their life terms, both men were made subject to restraining orders. They were also required to pay a victim surcharge of £228, reports the Express.

The judge presented a victim impact statement from the baby’s mother during proceedings. She expressed that the trauma has left her feeling “more isolated and fearful than ever”.

A victim statement from a child contacted by both men on social media was also read aloud by the judge. The young person described feeling “set free” after Towers and Watson were convicted.

The judge stated he was “satisfied” that both defendants were “dangerous and a risk to the public”. Cambridgeshire Police confirmed it had referred the matter to the relevant safeguarding authorities.

In an interview with The Times, Lord Walker, who is also the Government’s cost-of-living tsar, said he agreed with his fellow high street giant boss and said: “We call it shoplifting, which sounds like a cheeky bit of pilfering, but actually we should just call it out for what it is, which is violent crime.

The Tory leader said the people who have moved over to Reform and are “his problem now” on a visit to Wilton in Redcar on Thursday (April 2).

It comes after the former UKIP leader launched a campaign in Houghton-le-Spring last week ahead of the local elections, saying Britain was broken.

In a speech at Sunderland Live Arena, the Clacton MP said the May 7 polls were a “referendum on our entire political class”.

In recent months, several high profile Tories have jumped ship to Reform, including former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, former shadow minister Robert Jenrick, and former home secretary Suella Braverman.

But during her visit to Redcar, where she announced that a Conservative Government would axe carbon tax, Ms Badenoch criticised some of the defectors. 

She said: “I think I’ve been very clear that Nigel Farage has been doing my spring cleaning. These are people who were causing problems in the Conservative Party. 


“They’re his problem now.” 

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch in Sunderland (Image: owen humphreys)

Ms Badenoch made the comments responding to a question about former Reform housing spokesman Simon Dudley, who was sacked this week after he said the Grenfell Tower fire in London was a “tragedy” but that “everyone dies in the end”.

The Tory leader said: “The fact is, it is quite inappropriate to say everyone dies in response to a tragedy. 

“That’s the sort of chaos you get from Reform, they are full of people who are in politics, not for public service, but for self service, and we are well shot of them.” 

During the launch in Sunderland, Nigel Farage said the party would campaign on “local policies” and on seeking to control council tax levels, but that the local elections would also be a “vital stepping stone” to changing the Westminster Government.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in Sunderland (Image: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES)

He said: “This effectively will be a referendum on our entire political class and our message is simple.

“If you want real change, if you want different people, if you want those with the courage, who are prepared to stand up and put the interests of British people first, not international treaties or bogus organisations, if you want people who will make sure that it’s British people that go to the top of social housing lists, and not young men who’ve just arrived by boat, if you want change on May 7, you’ve got a chance to vote for change.”

He added: “Something remarkable is happening out there, and it’s because people understand that the two-party system has broken Britain.”

“We’ll begin on May 7, with that campaign, and indeed for the general election, May 7 is an essential, vital stepping stone.

“While local government matters, it’s winning national government ultimately that we have to achieve to change things and turn this country around, change attitudes, and get out of the negativity of managed decline.

“Let’s start believing in Britain and believing in ourselves.”