World/National

Dow drops 1,600 as US stocks lead worldwide sell-off after Trump’s tariffs cause a COVID-like shock

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets around the world reeled following President Donald Trump’s latest and most severe set of tariffs, and the U.S. stock market took the worst of it. The S&P 500 fell 4.8% Thursday, more than other major stock markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,679 points, and the Nasdaq composite sank 6%. Little was spared as fear flared globally about the potentially toxic mix of weakening economic growth and higher inflation that tariffs can create. Everything from crude oil to Big Tech stocks to the value of the U.S. dollar against other currencies fell. Even gold pulled lower.… Continue Reading

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 3,145 as more bodies found

BANGKOK (AP) — The death toll from the earthquake that hit Myanmar nearly a week ago has risen to 3,145 as search and rescue teams find more bodies. State television reported Thursday that the information minister also said that another 4,589 people were injured and 221 are missing. The 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 had an epicenter near Myanmar’s second-largest city of Mandalay. It brought down thousands of buildings, buckled roads and destroyed bridges. Local media reports of casualties have been much higher than the official figures. The numbers could rise sharply as more details come in.… Continue Reading

Trump announces sweeping new tariffs to promote US manufacturing, risking inflation and trade wars

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is imposing a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries and even higher tariff rates on dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the United States. It threatens to upend much of the architecture of the global economy and trigger broader trade wars. Trump is declaring a national economic emergency to launch the tariffs, which are expected to produce hundreds of billions in annual revenues. He has promised that factory jobs will return back to the United States as a result of the taxes, but his policies risk a sudden economic slowdown as consumers and businesses could face sharp price hikes on autos, clothes and other goods.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: More swerves hit Wall Street as Trump’s “Liberation Day” nears

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks swerved through another shaky day of trading, with uncertainty still high about just what President Donald Trump will announce about tariffs on his “Liberation Day.” The S&P 500 rose 0.4% Tuesday after roaring back from an early drop of 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by less than 0.1% after likewise pinging between gains and losses, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.9%. Treasury yields dropped in the bond market after a report said U.S. manufacturing contracted last month. Markets have been shaky in the run-up to Wednesday, when Trump will announce a sweeping set of tariffs.… Continue Reading

Smell of death permeates Myanmar cities after quake kills over 1,600 and leaves countless buried

MANDALAY, Myanmar (AP) — The smell of decaying bodies permeated the streets of Myanmar’s second-largest city on Sunday as people worked frantically by hand to clear rubble in the hope of finding someone still alive, two days after a massive earthquake struck that killed more than 1,600 people and left countless others buried. The 7.7 magnitude quake hit midday Friday with an epicenter near Mandalay, bringing down scores of buildings and damaging other infrastructure like the city’s airport. Relief efforts have been hampered by buckled roads, downed bridges, spotty communications and the challenges of operating in a country in the midst of a civil war.… Continue Reading

Plastics are seeping into farm fields, food and eventually human bodies. Can they be stopped?

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Around the world, plastics are finding their way into farm fields. Some farmers say agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, is becoming even more necessary as climate change fuels extreme weather. And plastics from other industries end up in fields, too, and eventually the food grown there as well as waterways. Scientists, farmers and consumers all worry about how the plastics that enter the food supply affect health, and research is continuing to show that it’s ending up in human bodies. Researchers are looking for solutions, but industry experts say despite attempts to tackle the plastic problem, it’s difficult to know where plastic ends up or get rid of it completely, even with the best intentions of improving reuse and recycling programs.… Continue Reading

Myanmar’s earthquake death toll jumps to 1,644 as more bodies are recovered from the rubble

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s ruling military has said on state television that the confirmed death toll from a devastating earthquake rose to1,644. Saturday’s new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier. It underlines the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday’s quake. Rescue efforts are underway especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw. Teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations. But they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.… Continue Reading

Was classified information shared? Senators overseeing military request probe into Signal leak

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee are requesting an investigation into how Trump national security officials used the Signal app to discuss military strikes. A federal judge also says he will order the preservation of the messages. Thursday’s action ensures some scrutiny on an episode President Donald Trump has dismissed as frivolous. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and Democratic Sen. Jack Reed signed onto a letter to the acting inspector general at the Defense Department for an inquiry into the potential use of unclassified networks to discuss classified information. Contents of the Signal chat published by The Atlantic show Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listed weapons systems and a timeline for an attack on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.… Continue Reading

3D printed and factory-built homes could help tackle housing crisis

DENVER (AP) — Businesses and lawmakers are trying to address the U.S. affordable housing crisis by turning to alternative ways to build homes. These include 3D printing houses out of concrete, building homes in a factory and shipping them to their final destination, and even using the hemp plant in construction. The 3D printing technology is far off from making a dent in the crisis, but proponents hope its speed in building walls can bring down construction time and costs. Modular and manufactured homes, built inside a factory, are gaining ground in the U.S., with homes built in a matter of days. Hemp, a plant related to marijuana, has also shown promise when combined with other materials to build more cheaply and efficiently.… Continue Reading

Military veterans are becoming the face of Trump’s government cuts and Democrats’ resistance

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional lawmakers are scrambling to formulate a response to President Donald Trump’s slashing of the federal government as one group takes a front and center role: military veterans. Former service members have been acutely affected by the Republican president’s actions, including layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs and a Pentagon purge of archives that documented military diversity. Trump is determined to continue slashing the federal government, but the burden will only grow on veterans. Veterans make up roughly 30% of the federal workforce and often tap government benefits they earned with their military service. Democrats have zeroed in on protecting veterans, introducing legislation to shield them from mass layoffs.… Continue Reading

Category Archives: World/National