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Elon Musk alleges $50b treasury fraud after federal judge limits DOGE data access – The Times of India
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Elon Musk ignited a firestorm on social media after a federal judge issued an order temporarily blocking the department of government efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive treasury department data. Musk responded with a barrage of posts on X (formerly Twitter), alleging widespread fraud in government entitlement payments.
The order, issued on Saturday by US district judge Paul Engelmayer, supports a lawsuit filed by 19 Democratic state attorneys general. They argue that granting DOGE “full access” to the Treasury’s payment systems violates federal laws safeguarding sensitive data, including social security, medicare, veterans benefits, and tax refund information. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for February 20. Until then, DOGE will have limited access to treasury data.

China challenges Trump tariffs at World Trade Organization – Yahoo News UK
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China filed a World Trade Organization complaint against U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% tariff on Chinese imports.

In the Wednesday filing, China argues that the tariff, as well as Trump’s cancellation of a duty-free exemption for low-value packages are “protectionist” and break WTO rules.

It says the duties are discriminatory, and quote “are imposed on the basis of unfounded and false allegations concerning China.”

Beijing’s complaint also comes after Trump’s move to shut a trade loophole that allowed small-value packages to be shipped duty-free.

The so-called “de minimis” provision, used widely by e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu, exempted packages with goods worth less than $800 from duties.

State Farm seeks 22% emergency rate hike after receiving 8,700 wildfire claims – OCRegister
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State Farm General requested a 22% emergency rate hike in California on Monday, Feb. 3 to cover losses from the Los Angeles County wildfires and stop its “financial deterioration,” the company wrote in a letter filed with the state’s insurance commission.

The property insurer, the state’s largest and a subsidiary State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., said it has received more than 8,700 claims from the Jan. 7 fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. The company said it has paid more than $1 billion to customers.

The company is seeing signs of rapid deterioration of its capital structure, according to the letter sent to Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara by Dan Krause, State Farm’s president and chief executive officer.

Krause wants Lara to take “emergency action” to help protect California’s fragile insurance market by immediately approving interim rate increases on its filings, with rates to become effective May 1. Besides the average 22% rate increase in homeowners’ insurance policies, State Farm requested a 15% hike for renters, 15% for condo owners and 38% for rental dwellings.

“We know we will ultimately pay out more, as those fires will collectively be the costliest in the history of the company,” wrote Krause. The rate increases are needed to help avert a dire situation for more than 2.8 million poli

U.S. Department of the Treasury Announces Plans to Borrow $1.665 TRILLION Over Next 6 Months– conservativeroof.com
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The U.S. Treasury plans to borrow $1.665 trillion over the next six months, the department announced on Feb. 3 in its first estimate under Secretary Scott Bessent.

According to the Treasury Refunding Estimate, the Treasury projects borrowing $815 billion from January to March. This is $9 billion lower than the October forecast, driven by a higher beginning-of-quarter cash balance.

In the April to June period, the Treasury anticipates borrowing $123 billion.

The Treasury confirmed that it borrowed $620 billion during the October to December quarter, $74 billion higher than initially estimated. Additionally, it finished the three-month span with a cash balance of $722 billion.

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Despite a judge’s order to extend the deadline at least until next week, President Trump’s “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation has already seen 40,000 government employees take the offer. U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. extended the deadline to allow unions a chance to sue.

White House says 40,000 federal workers accepted deferred resignation– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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On Thursday, U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. ruled against President Donald Trump’s “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation offer deadline, extending it from Thursday to at least Monday to allow labor unions to challenge its legality. Before he could extend the deadline, however, tens of thousands of employees had accepted the offer.

According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 40,000 federal workers accepted the deal — eight months of pay and benefits until September. The total represents about 2% of the federal workforce.

The White House’s reported goal was between 5% and 10% of the federal workforce.

Certain specifics of the plan haven’t been disclosed, such as whether workers who accept the offer can go into the private sector while still receiving paychecks from the federal government or how pensions and other benefits are affected. Labor unions cast doubt that Trump would stay true to the agreement.

The offer was emailed to all federal employees by the Office of Personnel Management on Jan. 28. The memo, titled “Fork in the Road,” demanded that employees begin to adhere to a much stricter code or resign.

The memo said that the “reformed federal workforce” would be built around four pillars: return to the office, performance culture, a more streamlined and flexible workforce, and enhanced standards of conduct.

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After DOGE accessed the Treasury Department’s payment data when Homeland Security Officers had to be called to remove resisting bureaucrats from the premises, they discovered a far-left slush fund called USAID. Soon after, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly halted the operation.

Now, the operation, the forensic investigation of government budget by DOGE, can continue after the DOJ agrees to a proposed order that would allow only two Musk-approved, but Treasury Department employed people to have access to the data, but only in read-only mode. These two special employees are Tom Krause and Marko Elaz.

DOJ agrees to proposed order to limit DOGE’s access to Treasury data – ABC News
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In a filing late Wednesday evening, lawyers with the Justice Department agreed to a proposed order that would largely prohibit the Treasury Department from sharing sensitive financial data with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

The agreement allows two individuals associated with Musk but employed by the Treasury Department – called special government employees – to have “read only” access to the sensitive data.

Once approved by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who is overseeing the case, the agreement will stay in place until Feb. 24 when both sides return to court to argue about a long-term preliminary injunction.

The two special government employees allowed to continue seeing Treasury Department data are Tom Krause and Marko Elez, according to the filing. Krause is the former chief executive of Cloud Software Group, a Silicon Valley tech company. Marko Elez is a 25-year-old engineer who used to work for Musk’s X and SpaceX.

Exclusive | Rep. Mike Lawler calls for RICO probe as NY Dems plan election switch to thwart Trump agenda – New York Post
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GOP Rep. Mike Lawler vowed Monday to request a federal racketeering probe against New York over Albany Democrats’ plot to keep an Empire State congressional seat open – and hobble the Republican majority.

Lawler joined a growing chorus of high-profile Republicans who condemned Dems for considering changing state election laws to keep the deep-red upstate District 21 seat held by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) open well after her expected resignation.

“I am going to be requesting that the Department of Justice open up a RICO investigation into New York State, because this is as corrupt a state as we have seen,” Lawler said.

State Farm proposes home insurance price hike after $1 billion spent on LA fire claims– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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State Farm wants to raise home insurance rates for Californians by an average of 22% after the company paid out roughly $1 billion in claims due to the Los Angeles fires.

As the largest home insurance company in the United States, State Farm covers 20% of the area devastated by the fires in Los Angeles County, which the company said ranked as “the costliest disasters in the history of State Farm General.” In Altadena alone, 6,000 homes, or around 40% of all residential units, were destroyed by the fires, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis.

Salesforce Layoffs Over 1,000 Jobs – APAC News Network
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According to a Bloomberg News story, Salesforce plans to fire around 1,000 workers as it focuses on AI-powered products.

The US-based corporation is aggressively hiring for positions that fit with its AI expansion strategy even as it makes layoffs.

Although displaced workers will be given the chance to apply for internal jobs, it is still unknown which particular departments would be affected. Regarding the layoffs, which take place at the start of Salesforce’s new fiscal year, the company has not yet released an official comment.

 

Transgender Service Members Left in Uncertainty After Trump’s Military Ban – TIME
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When Kate Cole, a 34-year-old U.S. Army Sergeant First Class and transgender woman, eventually retires from the military, she has dreams of moving from California to Colorado to work as a climbing guide. But right now, she only wants one thing: to be allowed to serve her country.

“I enjoy the work I do. I like working with the people I work with. The Army is my community,” says Cole, one of six trans service members who are suing the Trump Administration for its trans military ban, an Executive Order announced on January 27 that prohibits transgender troops from enlisting and serving openly in the military. “It’s my life.”

While the way the Department of Defense would implement the ban is unclear, the Executive Order would cut Cole and other trans service members from their jobs.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law) filed a federal lawsuit on January 28 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Trump Administration in response to the order, saying the ban violates equal protection.

Ecuador announces 27% tariffs on Mexican goods – WTHITV.com
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Ecuador will apply a 27% tariff on Mexican goods to “ensure fair treatment” of Ecuadorian producers, President Daniel Noboa said on Monday.

In a post on X, Noboa said he is open to signing a free trade deal with Mexico, but “not when there is abuse,” though did not elaborate. The president said that until a free trade deal is struck, a 27% tariff will apply to goods imported from Mexico.

Ecuador imported $541 million worth of goods from Mexico in 2023, Mexican government data shows. The biggest single import was medication, representing 12.6% of the goods sold from Mexico to Ecuador that year.

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President Donald J Trump’s use of tariffs has been justified by the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a distinction that enables him to use tariffs at will for whatever he deems an “emergency,” with little chance a court would dare set a precedent of empowering the courts to define what emergencies are.

The fruit of that labor has yielded two quick victories, with both Canada and Mexico capitulating to President Donald Trump’s demands to do something to limit the flow of fentanyl coming from both countries into America. Each nation has pledged 10K troops to the task, and each nation is now renegotiating its deals with America as a new 30-day deadline looms.

How Trump’s Bold Use of Tariffs Made Mexico and Canada Cave– www.dailysignal.com
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By using the threat of tariffs to pressure Canada and Mexico to pledge to stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States, President Donald Trump pursued a novel legal theory. He declared an emergency then used his emergency authority to threaten to impose tariffs to get our neighbors to comply with his border enforcement and economic policies.

Trump bypassed the typical avenues of tariff policy and instead used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare the emergency and justify his tariff threats.

The act has been used by various presidents since the 1970s to respond to threats such as the Iran Hostage Crisis, the international drug trade, and the rise of Chinese-owned social media app TikTok. 

But presidents have only used it to freeze transactions or seize properties—never to implement broad tariffs.

Trump threatened 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods if they did not address the importation of fentanyl into the United States. (GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)

Elon Musk responds after claims of DOGE gaining access to sensitive payment systems: Team discovered that – The Times of India
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The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force led by Tesla CEO and billionaire adviser Elon Musk under President Donald Trump, has reportedly secured access to sensitive Treasury data, including Social Security and Medicare payment systems. According to a report in the New York Times, quoting two individuals familiar with the situation, this development raises concerns about potential misuse of taxpayer information. India

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The Federal Reserve announced plans to keep the interest rates at the current level, a move that was met by approval from President Donald Trump. When asked about the decision, Trump responded, “I’m not surprised. Holding the rates at this point was the right thing to do.”

In a switch, Trump approves Fed’s decision to hold interest rates steady– www.cnbc.com
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President Donald Trump agreed with the Federal Reserve for its decision last week to leave interest rates unchanged, an early pivot from his previous demand that the central bank ease “immediately.”

In an exchange with reporters Sunday, Trump said holding its key borrowing level in a range between 4.25%-4.5% was the correct move for the Fed.

“I’m not surprised,” he said regarding the decision, according to multiple reports. “Holding the rates at this point was the right thing to do.”

The statement stood in stark contrast to one Trump delivered when speaking remotely to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In a Jan. 23 appearance, Trump said he would “demand that interest rates drop immediately.”

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Under President Donald Trump, the DOJ arrested former senior Federal Reserve advisor John Harold Rogers, 63, for allegedly stealing trade secrets from the U.S. agency that controlled China’s access to U.S. markets. He took those trade secrets and gave them to his CCP handlers.

Former Federal Reserve Adviser Arrested for Allegedly Passing US Trade Secrets to China – NTD
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Prosecutors on Jan. 31 arrested a former senior Federal Reserve advisor, accusing him of stealing trade secrets from the agency that could allow China to manipulate the U.S. market.

John Harold Rogers, 63, worked for 11 years as a senior advisor for the international finance division of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the main governing body for the U.S. central bank.

A federal indictment alleged that Rogers began working with Chinese conspirators since at least 2018. The Chinese handlers worked for the Chinese intelligence and security apparatus and posed as graduate students at a Chinese university, according to the filing.

Rogers, in the collaboration, allegedly solicited trade-secret information that included proprietary economic data sets, China tariff deliberations, and briefing books for specific board governors. He also allegedly solicited internal discussions and forthcoming announcements from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), a 12-member body consisting of the seven Federal Reserve board of governors, the New York Federal Reserve Bank president, and four of the remaining 11 Reserve Bank presidents that rotate on an annual basis.

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Both Canada and Mexico faced a 25 percent tariff from the U.S. after President Trump ordered it into effect. Mexico announced a temporary deal delaying the tariffs by one month. China has so far appealed to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Trump has warned Americans that there might be a price to pay for the tariff wars, but, in the end, it will be worth it long-term for American prosperity. The EU came out against the tariffs, with concerns they might be next.

Mexico has vowed to send 10,000 national guard troops to the northern border in response to the tariff threat. Canada has vowed it will respond to the U.S. with in-kind tariffs.

Trade War Heats Up After Trump Orders Tariffs and Canada Retaliates– www.nytimes.com
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The United States and its biggest trading partners were hurtling on Sunday into a new era of protectionism as Canada, Mexico and China said they would adopt countermeasures against new tariffs levied by President Trump.

From honey to tomatoes, and from clothes to toilet bowls, a wide range of American goods that cross the border into Canada, worth more than $100 billion, will soon be hit with a 25 percent tariff.

“We don’t want to be here,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a somber televised address from Ottawa on Saturday night in which he spoke of the deep bonds between the neighbors. “We didn’t ask for this.”

On Sunday, China said it would “take corresponding countermeasures to firmly safeguard its rights and interests.” It also said it would take legal action at the World Trade Organization.

And in a video released on Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said that she would unveil the first steps of her government’s so-called Plan B plan on Monday if an agreement with the United States could not be reached. Ms. Sheinbaum earlier warned of retaliatory “tariff and nontariff measures.”

Mexico, US reach deal that puts Trump tariffs on hold – USA Today

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Mexico and the United States have reached a one-month agreement to stave off tariffs and a trade war, the threat of which sent global markets tumbling early Monday.

The tariffs on Mexico were set to go into effect Tuesday. By midday Monday, Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian goods and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods still appeared on course to begin Tuesday.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said her country will send 10,000 National Guard troops to its northern border, while President Donald Trump agreed to work to slow the flow of American weapons south of the border.

Trump had promised 25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico before the two leaders worked out an agreement early Monday in a phone call.

Trade War Heats Up After Trump Orders Tariffs and Canada Retaliates– www.nytimes.com
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Excerpt:

The United States and its biggest trading partners were hurtling on Sunday into a new era of protectionism as Canada, Mexico and China said they would adopt countermeasures against new tariffs levied by President Trump.

From honey to tomatoes, and from clothes to toilet bowls, a wide range of American goods that cross the border into Canada, worth more than $100 billion, will soon be hit with a 25 percent tariff.

“We don’t want to be here,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a somber televised address from Ottawa on Saturday night in which he spoke of the deep bonds between the neighbors. “We didn’t ask for this.”

On Sunday, China said it would “take corresponding countermeasures to firmly safeguard its rights and interests.” It also said it would take legal action at the World Trade Organization.

And in a video released on Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said that she would unveil the first steps of her government’s so-called Plan B plan on Monday if an agreement with the United States could not be reached. Ms. Sheinbaum earlier warned of retaliatory “tariff and nontariff measures.”

Trump announces significant new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, sparking retaliatory actions – CNN– news.google.com
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  1. Trump announces significant new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, sparking retaliatory actions  CNN
  2. Canada’s Justin Trudeau announces retaliatory tariffs following Trump’s executive order  NBC News
  3. Canada’s counter-tariff plan targets food and drink, furniture and perfume  CTV News
  4. Here’s what will get more expensive from Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China  CNN
  5. Mexican president orders retaliatory tariffs against U.S.  Reuters Canada

 

Trudeau Details Canada’s Retaliation Plans in Emotional Rebuke of Trump Tariffs – The New York Times– news.google.com
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada laid out more than $100 billion in retaliatory tariffs against the United States late Saturday, in a forceful response to President Trump’s decision to impose levies on a range of Canadian goods.

But he made clear that Canada was doing so reluctantly.

“We don’t want to be here,” Mr. Trudeau said in a somber televised address from Ottawa that evoked the deep bonds between the two neighbors and close trading partners. “We didn’t ask for this.”

Mr. Trudeau spoke hours after President Trump hit Canada and Mexico with tariffs of 25 percent on all goods, with a partial carve out for Canadian energy and oil exports. Mr. Trudeau said that Canada would swiftly impose its own “far-reaching” retaliatory tariffs of 25 percent on 155 billion Canadian dollars ($106 billion) worth of U.S. goods.

Canada on Sunday published a detailed list of all the U.S. goods imported into Canada that will be subjected to the tariff, including hundreds of products including honey, tomatoes, whiskey and peanut butter. Also on the list were garments, porcelain goods such as toilets and bath tubs, as well as refrigerators and dish washers.

How Trump’s tariffs might affect commodity and energy sectors– www.investing.com
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U.S. President Donald Trump slapped Canada and Mexico with duties of 25% and China with a 10% levy on Saturday, calling the measures necessary to combat illegal immigration and the drug trade.

Canada and Mexico immediately vowed retaliatory measures, and China said it would challenge Trump’s levies at the World Trade Organization and take other countermeasures.

Trump’s move has sparked volatility in the commodities market. Here are some reactions to the news:

GOLDMAN SACHS

“We still expect Canadian oil producers to eventually bear most of the burden of the tariff with a $3 to $4 a barrel wider-than-normal discount on Canadian crude given limited alternative export markets, with U.S. consumers of refined products bearing the remaining $2 to $3 a barrel burden.

“We estimate Canadian natural gas exports to the U.S. might drop by a modest 0.16 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) as a result of 10% import tariffs, with little if any impact on U.S. gas prices.”

China’s non-specific response to Trump tariffs stands in contrast to Canada’s retaliatory measures– www.cbc.ca
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China’s government on Sunday denounced the Trump administration’s imposition of a long-threatened 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports while leaving the door open for talks with the U.S. that could avoid a deepening conflict.

Beijing will challenge President Donald Trump’s tariff at the World Trade Organization — a symbolic gesture — and take unspecified “countermeasures” in response to the levy, which takes effect on Tuesday, China’s finance and commerce ministries said.

That response stopped short of the immediate escalation that had marked China’s trade showdown with Trump in his first term as president and repeated the more measured language Beijing has used in recent weeks.

U.S. tariff move sparks criticism, concern in Germany – Xinhua
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U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff move against Canada, Mexico and China has sparked criticism and concern in Germany.

On Saturday, Trump ordered to impose a 25-percent tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, and a 10-percent tariff on Chinese goods. He also signaled that the European Union (EU) could be next, citing the bloc’s persistent trade surplus with the U.S.

While reaffirming Germany’s commitment to economic ties with the U.S., German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that the first priority should be “not to divide up the world with many tariff barriers.”

Donald: ‘Pain’ Caused By Tariffs ‘Worth The Price That Must Be Paid’– crooksandliars.com
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A Wall Street Journal opinion piece titled, ‘The Dumbest Trade War in History’ really got under Donald’s thin-skin, so he took to Truth Social to rant against the paper while admitting that we may feel some pain from his trade war.

“The “Tariff Lobby,” headed by the Globalist, and always wrong, Wall Street Journal, is working hard to justify Countries like Canada, Mexico, China, and too many others to name, continue the decades long RIPOFF OF AMERICA, both with regard to TRADE, CRIME, AND POISONOUS DRUGS that are allowed to so freely flow into AMERICA,” he scribbled. “THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!”

“The USA has major deficits with Canada, Mexico, and China (and almost all countries!), owes 36 Trillion Dollars, and we’re not going to be the “Stupid Country” any longer,” It continued. “MAKE YOUR PRODUCT IN THE USA AND THERE ARE NO TARIFFS! Why should the United States lose TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SUBSIDIZING OTHER COUNTRIES, and why should these other countries pay a small fraction of the cost of what USA citizens pay for Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, as an example?”

“THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA!” he added. “WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT IS NOW BEING RUN WITH COMMON SENSE — AND THE RESULTS WILL BE SPECTACULAR!!!”

EU slams Trump tariffs, says it will ‘respond firmly’ if targeted– www.channelnewsasia.com
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BRUSSELS: The European Union on Sunday (Feb 2) blasted US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, and said the 27-nation bloc would hit back “firmly” if targeted.

Brussels had until now indicated it hoped to avoid a trade conflict with Trump through negotiation.

But on Friday the US leader doubled down by saying he “absolutely” planned to target the EU in future, as he slapped levies on his north American neighbours and China.

“The European Union regrets the US decision to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China,” said a spokesman for the European Commission.

“Tariffs create unnecessary economic disruption and drive inflation. They are hurtful to all sides.”

The spokesman said “the EU would respond firmly to any trading partner that unfairly or arbitrarily imposes tariffs on EU goods”.

“At this time, we are not aware of any additional tariffs being imposed on EU products,” he added.

EU slams Trump tariffs, says it will ‘respond firmly’ if targeted– www.channelnewsasia.com
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BRUSSELS: The European Union on Sunday (Feb 2) blasted US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, and said the 27-nation bloc would hit back “firmly” if targeted.

Brussels had until now indicated it hoped to avoid a trade conflict with Trump through negotiation.

But on Friday the US leader doubled down by saying he “absolutely” planned to target the EU in future, as he slapped levies on his north American neighbours and China.

“The European Union regrets the US decision to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China,” said a spokesman for the European Commission.

“Tariffs create unnecessary economic disruption and drive inflation. They are hurtful to all sides.”

The spokesman said “the EU would respond firmly to any trading partner that unfairly or arbitrarily imposes tariffs on EU goods”.

“At this time, we are not aware of any additional tariffs being imposed on EU products,” he added.

Trudeau Details Canada’s Retaliation Plans in Emotional Rebuke of Trump Tariffs – The New York Times– news.google.com
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Excerpt:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada laid out more than $100 billion in retaliatory tariffs against the United States late Saturday, in a forceful response to President Trump’s decision to impose levies on a range of Canadian goods.

But he made clear that Canada was doing so reluctantly.

“We don’t want to be here,” Mr. Trudeau said in a somber televised address from Ottawa that evoked the deep bonds between the two neighbors and close trading partners. “We didn’t ask for this.”

Mr. Trudeau spoke hours after President Trump hit Canada and Mexico with tariffs of 25 percent on all goods, with a partial carve out for Canadian energy and oil exports. Mr. Trudeau said that Canada would swiftly impose its own “far-reaching” retaliatory tariffs of 25 percent on 155 billion Canadian dollars ($106 billion) worth of U.S. goods.

Canada on Sunday published a detailed list of all the U.S. goods imported into Canada that will be subjected to the tariff, including hundreds of products including honey, tomatoes, whiskey and peanut butter. Also on the list were garments, porcelain goods such as toilets and bath tubs, as well as refrigerators and dish washers.

Donald: ‘Pain’ Caused By Tariffs ‘Worth The Price That Must Be Paid’– crooksandliars.com
Source Link
Excerpt:

A Wall Street Journal opinion piece titled, ‘The Dumbest Trade War in History’ really got under Donald’s thin-skin, so he took to Truth Social to rant against the paper while admitting that we may feel some pain from his trade war.

“The “Tariff Lobby,” headed by the Globalist, and always wrong, Wall Street Journal, is working hard to justify Countries like Canada, Mexico, China, and too many others to name, continue the decades long RIPOFF OF AMERICA, both with regard to TRADE, CRIME, AND POISONOUS DRUGS that are allowed to so freely flow into AMERICA,” he scribbled. “THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!”

“The USA has major deficits with Canada, Mexico, and China (and almost all countries!), owes 36 Trillion Dollars, and we’re not going to be the “Stupid Country” any longer,” It continued. “MAKE YOUR PRODUCT IN THE USA AND THERE ARE NO TARIFFS! Why should the United States lose TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SUBSIDIZING OTHER COUNTRIES, and why should these other countries pay a small fraction of the cost of what USA citizens pay for Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, as an example?”

“THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA!” he added. “WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!). BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT IS NOW BEING RUN WITH COMMON SENSE — AND THE RESULTS WILL BE SPECTACULAR!!!”

U.S. tariff move sparks criticism, concern in Germany – Xinhua
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Excerpt:

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff move against Canada, Mexico and China has sparked criticism and concern in Germany.

On Saturday, Trump ordered to impose a 25-percent tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, and a 10-percent tariff on Chinese goods. He also signaled that the European Union (EU) could be next, citing the bloc’s persistent trade surplus with the U.S.

While reaffirming Germany’s commitment to economic ties with the U.S., German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that the first priority should be “not to divide up the world with many tariff barriers.”

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After TikTok temporarily shut its doors in response to a ban on the app in the American market if it doesn’t sell itself off to American interests, Donald Trump gave TikTok a reprieve of 75 days to find new American buyers for the CCP-controlled app. So far, some of the candidates to buy the app include Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Elison and Microsoft. They have until April 5 to finalize a deal.

Billions of dollars in value were lost in the tech market, which also includes the Chinese tech market, after a Chinese-owned tech company released a powerful AI reasoning model called DeepSeek that is far cheaper and a little more powerful than current AI models like ChatGPT. The world’s richest 500 people lost over $100 billion after the market responded to the stunning news.

Marc Andreesen, who created Netscape Navigator, called the release “AI’s Sputnik moment,” referring to the shock in America when, in 1959, the Soviet Union successfully launched a space satellite called Sputnik at a fraction of the cost of then-current U.S. programs. Donald Trump said of the “Sputnik moment,” that it “should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser focused on competing to win.”

DeepSeek AI Triggers A Collective Loss of $94 Billion In Wealth Of Tech Billionaires, Mark Zuckerberg And Jeff – Times Now
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DeepSeek AI has taken the tech industry by storm with its cost and resource-effective advanced-language model. DeepSeek engineers claim that their open-source language learning model utilises fewer and cheaper chips to perform the same tasks as any other AI model out there at a ‘shoestring cost’ of $5.6 million. This has led many investors to rethink why a significant capital investment is required to build the strongest models when a competent AI model has been developed at a fraction of development costs.
DeepSeek AI is reportedly outperforming ChatGPT in areas such as mathematics and coding, positioning itself as a new competent AI model. The Chinese AI startup quickly emerged as the no.1 free app on the iOS app store, emerging as a free alternative against ChatGPT. DeepSeek performs all the functions of an open-source AI language learning model by utilising just 2000 chips, DeepSeek engineers reported. Whereas ChatGPT required 10,000 Nvidia GPUs to process its training data.
DeepSeek AI was founded in 2023, by Liang Wenfeng. Headquartered in Hangzhou, China, this new AI model is set to revolutionise the tech industry as it has successfully developed artificial general intelligence at a comparatively low cost…
As per a report by Bloomberg, billionaires tied to artificial intelligence suffered losses. Huang’s wealth decreased by $20.1 billion, a 20% decline, while Oracle Corp. co-founder Larry Ellison’s $22.6 billion loss was greater in absolute figures, yet only accounted for 12% of his total fortune, as per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Michael Dell of Dell Inc. saw a $13 billion decrease in his wealth, while Binance Holdings Ltd. co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao lost $12.1 billion.

US biggest importer of Chinese batteries for fifth straight year · TechNode– technode.com
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The United States has been the world’s biggest importer of Chinese lithium-ion batteries for the fifth year in a row, making up a quarter of China’s overall exports of more than $61 billion last year, Chinese customs data showed. The trade data was better than expected as the strong growth of battery energy storage systems more than offset the effects of the drop in electric vehicle battery exports, after the US government has imposed a 25% tariff on Chinese EV batteries since last September. China’s total export value declined by 6% year-on-year, with the industry grappling with a lithium price slump over the past two years, according to figures published by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) earlier this month. Still, China shipped more than 3.9 billion Li-ion batteries in 2024, which include those for EVs and energy storage systems, representing an increase of 8.1% from a year ago. [Caixin]