Trump vows to take back 'stolen' wealth as tariffs on steel and aluminum imports go into effect
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is openly challenging U.S. allies by increasing tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to 25% as he vows to take back wealth he says was “stolen” by other countries, drawing quick retaliation from Europe and Canada. The Republican president’s use of tariffs to extract concessions from other nations points toward a possibly destructive trade war and a stark change in America’s approach to global leadership. It also has destabilized the stock market and stoked anxiety about an economic downturn. Trump on Wednesday removed all exemptions from his 2018 tariffs on the metals, in addition to increasing the tariffs on aluminum from 10%.
From soup cans to airplanes, steel and aluminum are a fundamental part of American life
Steel and aluminum are ubiquitous in Americans’ lives. A stainless steel refrigerator holds aluminum soda cans. A stainless steel drum tumbles inside an aluminum washing machine. That’s why President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports could have a widespread impact on manufacturers and consumers. The Retail Industry Leaders Association says the compound effect from Wednesday's metal tariffs and Trump's multiple rounds of tariffs on Chinese products could be substantial. The trade group calculated potential duties of 45% to over 70% for a range of common household items when they go through U.S. customs. They include pushpins, trash cans, ladders, mixing bowls, wine racks, shower caddies, chicken coops and steel wool.
'In DOGE we trust': House GOP governs by embracing Trump's effort to cut government
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson has accomplished the seemingly unexpected, keeping his Republican majority in line to fund the government. The Republican speaker was able to convince even the most staunch conservatives who prefer budget cutting to come on board. Now the bill is before the Senate and Democrats are struggling to respond with an alternative. It helped Johnson that President Donald Trump publicly badgered GOP lawmakers, and threatened political retribution against the holdouts. But rank-and-file Republicans were also won over by what Trump and the chainsaw-wielding billionaire Elon Musk are already doing with his Department of Government Efficiency — slashing the government and firing federal workers. Democrats warn Trump is dismantling government itself.
Kuwait frees a group of jailed Americans, including contractors held on drug charges
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kuwait has released a group of American prisoners, including veterans and military contractors jailed for years on drug-related charges. That's according to Jonathan Franks, a representative for the detainees. The move Wednesday is seen as a goodwill gesture between two allies. The freed prisoners have been flown to New York amid a U.S. government push to bring home Americans jailed in foreign countries. Families of those detained have alleged their loved ones faced abuse while imprisoned in a country that bans alcohol and has strict drug laws. Others have criticized Kuwaiti police for bringing trumped-up charges and manufacturing evidence against them, allegations never acknowledged by Kuwait.
SpaceX delays flight to replace NASA's stuck astronauts after launch pad problem
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A launch pad problem has forced a flight delay to replace NASA's two stuck astronauts. The new crew needs to get to the International Space Station before Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can head home after nine months in orbit. Concerns over a critical hydraulic system arose less than four hours before the Falcon rocket’s planned evening liftoff from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The decision to cancel finally came down with less than an hour remaining in the countdown. Officials say the launch is off until at least Friday.
Education Department layoffs gut its civil rights office, leaving discrimination cases in limbo
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department’s civil rights branch is losing nearly half its staff in the Trump administration’s layoffs, effectively gutting an office that already faced a backlog of thousands of complaints from students and families across the country. Among more than 1,300 layoffs announced Tuesday were roughly 240 in the department’s Office for Civil Rights. Seven out of 12 regional offices were entirely laid off. It leaves thousands of cases hanging in the air, including cases from families trying to get school services for students with disabilities, allegations of bias related to race or religion, and complaints over sexual violence on college campuses.
EPA head says he'll roll back dozens of environmental regulations, including rules on climate change
WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Environmental Protection Agency has announced a series of actions to roll back landmark environmental regulations, including rules on pollution from coal-fired power plants, climate change and electric vehicles. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said Wednesday his actions will eliminate trillions of dollars in regulatory costs and “hidden taxes,” lowering the cost of living for American families and reducing prices for such essentials such as buying a car, heating your home and operating a business. The Biden administration had said the power plant rules would reduce pollution and improve public health while supporting the reliable, long-term supply of electricity that America needs.
US arms flow to Ukraine again as the Kremlin mulls a ceasefire proposal
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian and Polish officials say U.S. arms deliveries to Ukraine have resumed. The deliveries came Wednesday, a day after the Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid for Kyiv in its war against Russia and Ukrainian officials signaled they were open to a 30-day ceasefire backed by Washington. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow is awaiting more information about the proposal from the U.S. The American military help is vital for Ukraine’s shorthanded and weary army, which is having a tough time keeping Russia’s bigger military force at bay.
Columbia grad student's detention will stretch on as lawyers spar over Trump's plan to deport him
NEW YORK (AP) — A government lawyer has asked a federal judge to move the legal fight over the detention of Mahmoud Khalil to either New Jersey or Louisiana. The request was made Wednesday during a hearing in New York City. Khalil is a Columbia University graduate student whom the Trump Administration is trying to deport over his role in pro-Palestinian protests at the Ivy League school last year. Khalil is a legal U.S. resident and is married to an American citizen. After the 30-year-old's detention last weekend, Judge Jesse M. Furman in New York ordered that Khalil not be deported while the court considers his lawyers' legal challenge.
Kobe Bryant's former players remember his words during their first year of college basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Five years after the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash, six members of his Mamba Basketball Academy team are finishing up their first season of college basketball. A proud group that learned so much from him — forever connected by a club team and a tragedy that shook their world. They are spread throughout the country — and right beside each other through text messages of love and support. Emily Eadie plays for Princeton, and Annika Jiwani is a freshman forward for Dartmouth. Annabelle Spotts just finished her first season at the University of Chicago. Mackenly Randolph is at Louisville, and Zoie Lamkin plays for Orange Coast College back home in Southern California.
