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Trump readies matching tariffs on trade partners, possibly setting up a major economic showdown

Trump readies matching tariffs on trade partners, possibly setting up a major economic showdown

By JOSH BOAK

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is taking additional action to upset the world trade system, with plans to sign an order as soon as Wednesday that would require that U.S. tariffs on imports match the tax rates charged by other countries.

“It’s time to be reciprocal,” Trump told reporters earlier this week. “You’ll be hearing that word a lot. Reciprocal. If they charge us, we charge them.”

The president had suggested that the order would come on Tuesday or Wednesday. But when Tuesday passed without the tariffs being officially announced, Trump was asked if he would sign the order on Wednesday and Trump answered: “We’ll see what happens.” On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she believes that the tariffs would come before Thursday’s visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As Trump has unleashed a series of tariffs after being in power for less than a month, he has fully taken ownership of the path of the U.S. economy. It’s a bet that his economic ideas can eventually deliver meaningful results for voters, even if by Trump’s own admission the import taxes could involve some financial pain in the form of inflation and economic disruptions. For all of Trump’s talk, the impact will likely depend on the details of the tariffs and how other nations respond. read more

Which US companies are pulling back on diversity initiatives?

Which US companies are pulling back on diversity initiatives?

A growing number of prominent companies have scaled back or set aside the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that much of corporate America endorsed following the protests that accompanied the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man, in 2020.

The changes have come in response to a campaign by conservative activists to target workplace programs in the courts and social media, and more recently, President Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at upending DEI policies in both the federal government and private sector.

Trump’s halt of US law banning business bribes abroad raises specter of a ‘Wild West’ of dealmaking

Trump’s halt of US law banning business bribes abroad raises specter of a ‘Wild West’ of dealmaking

By BERNARD CONDON

NEW YORK (AP) — To its fans, it’s an undeniable force for good in a corrupt world, a groundbreaking anti-bribery statute that has brought powerful businessmen to heel for secretly paying off foreign government officials to win contracts abroad.

NASA, SpaceX up timeline allowing Boeing Starliner astronauts to return sooner

NASA, SpaceX up timeline allowing Boeing Starliner astronauts to return sooner

SpaceX and NASA under pressure to get a pair of Boeing Starliner astronauts home sooner than later announced Tuesday they have shifted plans for the next mission to the International Space Station.

The Crew-10 mission to the ISS is now targeting as early as March 12. Its four passengers are headed there to relieve the Crew-9 mission, which includes NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams who flew up to the ISS on board the Starliner but were left behind for safety reasons.

The duo have been on board the ISS since June 6 having arrived on Starliner’s Crew Flight Test mission that launched from Cape Canaveral last year.

What was supposed to be as short as an eight-day stay has now passed eight full months on board after NASA opted to send Starliner home without crew because of concerns over thruster failures and helium leaks in its propulsion module.

Watchdog panel’s annual NASA safety report reveals new Boeing Starliner issue, questions viable future

The Starliner astronauts were then assigned to ride home with SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, which flew up to the ISS in September carrying only two instead of four crew, leaving open two seats for Williams and Wilmore for the eventual ride home. read more

Vance offers an ‘America First’ argument on AI deregulation in his first foreign policy speech

Vance offers an ‘America First’ argument on AI deregulation in his first foreign policy speech