WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has once again drawn his go-to diplomatic weapon — tariffs — to coerce the Iranian government to end its bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. Trump said he is imposing a 25% tax on imports to the United States from countries that do business with Iran. The sanctions could hurt…… MORE
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Central bankers from around the world have expressed full support for U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. This comes after President Donald Trump escalated his confrontation with the Fed by threatening criminal charges. The central bankers, including European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, emphasized the importance of central bank independence for…… MORE
Microsoft is trying to win over communities concerned about AI data centers. The company’s president, Brad Smith, is meeting with federal lawmakers to emphasize that the industry, not taxpayers, should cover the costs of these centers. Data centers have faced opposition in towns where they want to build. In Wisconsin, Microsoft has encountered hurdles but…… MORE
DETROIT (AP) — President Donald Trump is defending his tariffs, using a major economic speech in Michigan to argue that they boost domestic manufacturing despite many Americans fears about rising prices. On Tuesday, he visited the plant where Ford’s F-150 is built to highlight his policies. Trump argued that tariffs are paid by foreign nations,…… MORE
LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, is facing global criticism for generating sexualized deepfakes. Despite this, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday that the Pentagon will adopt the technology. Grok’s “spicy mode” allows users to create explicit content, leading to backlash from governments worldwide. Malaysia and Indonesia have taken legal action and…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation declined a bit last month as prices for gas and used cars fell, a sign that cost pressures are slowly easing. The Labor Department said Tuesday that consumer prices rose 0.3% in December from the prior month, the same as in November. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices…… MORE
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street pulled back from its records following a mixed start to the latest profit reporting season for big U.S. companies. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% Tuesday from its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 398 points from its own record, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%. JPMorgan Chase…… MORE
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Activists say the death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has surpassed 2,000 people. This level of violence around protests hasn’t been seen in Iran in decades. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years, gave the latest toll. It…… MORE
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal agents are carrying out immigration arrests in Minnesota’s Twin Cities region already shaken by the fatal shooting of a woman. Agents on Sunday rammed the door of one home and flooded inside before leading a man away in handcuffs. In a dramatic scene similar to those playing out across Minneapolis, agents…… MORE
Associated Press: The head of Minnesota’s state investigations agency says the U.S. attorney’s office has barred it from taking part in the investigation into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer’s fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said in a statement Thursday that after the agency consulted with…… MORE
