China announced Friday that it will raise tariffs on U.S. goods from 84% to 125% — the latest salvo in an escalating trade war between the world’s two largest economies that has rattled markets and raised fears of a global slowdown.
While U.S. President Donald Trump paused import taxes this week for other countries, he raised tariffs on China and they now total 145%. China has denounced the policy as “economic bullying” and promised countermeasures. The new tariffs begin on Saturday.
Here’s the latest:
Senate confirms Trump nominee Caine for chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff in overnight vote
Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine was confirmed on Friday, almost two months after Trump fired Caine’s predecessor.
Trump nominated Caine to become the top U.S. military officer in February after abruptly firing Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the second Black general to serve as chairman, as part of his Republican administration’s campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks.
The Senate confirmed Caine 60-25 in an overnight vote before heading home for a two-week recess.
Caine is a decorated F-16 combat pilot who served in leadership in multiple special operations commands, in some of the Pentagon’s most classified programs, and in the CIA.
But he does not meet prerequisites for the job set out in a 1986 law, such as being a combatant commander or service chief.
▶ Read more about Caine’s confirmation and background
Trump administration to refer Maine to DOJ over transgender participation in sports
The deadline arrived Friday for Maine officials to reach a resolution with the U.S. Education Department over a finding that the state violated antidiscrimination laws by allowing transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports.
The Education Department said in March that an investigation concluded the Maine Department of Education violated the federal Title IX law by allowing transgender girls to participate on girls’ teams. The investigation followed a public disagreement between Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills and Trump at a February meeting of governors.
The U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights issued a final warning on March 31 telling the state it needed to comply with the law within 10 business days or face enforcement from the U.S. Justice Department. That deadline arrived Friday.
