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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Tracy Park |Jerry Lin |Terry Zhou |Ryan Mueller
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs could place the central bank in an increasingly difficult position, potentially forcing it to choose between combating inflation and supporting economic growth - a dilemma not seen in decades.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Terry Zhou |Ryan Mueller |Tracy Park
Gary Shapley, the IRS supervisor who gained national attention for blowing the whistle on alleged interference in the Hunter Biden tax investigation, has been appointed Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, officials confirmed Wednesday.
Shapley's elevation comes as Trump administration officials move to install loyalists across the federal government while continuing to scrutinize President Joe Biden and his family's financial dealings.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Tracy Park |Jerry Lin |Ryan Mueller |Terry Zhou
Japan is poised to launch trade negotiations with the United States in Washington on Wednesday, making it one of the first countries to test President Donald Trump's openness to modifying the sweeping tariffs he recently imposed. The talks come as the White House fields requests from more than 75 countries seeking exemptions under Trump's 90-day pause on reciprocal tariff increases.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Jerry Lin |Ryan Mueller |Terry Zhou |Ethan Zhao
India's merchandise trade deficit with China soared to a record $99.2 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2025, driven by a surge in electronics, batteries, and industrial inputs, despite government rhetoric aimed at curbing Chinese imports and improving self-reliance.
Official trade data released Wednesday by India's commerce ministry showed imports from China reached $113.5 billion in FY25, up 11.5% from the previous year.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Tracy Park |Terry Zhou |Ryan Mueller |Ethan Zhao
The Trump administration is facing renewed legal pressure after attorneys for a Maryland man deported to El Salvador accused federal officials of ignoring a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return to the United States. The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, now detained in El Salvador's maximum-security CECOT prison, has become a flashpoint in the administration's broader immigration enforcement strategy.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Terry Zhou |Ryan Mueller |Ethan Zhao |Tracy Park
A Pennsylvania man with a history of mental illness, domestic abuse allegations, and financial distress is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly firebombing the official residence of Governor Josh Shapiro while the governor and his family were inside. Cody Allen Balmer, 38, was arrested Sunday and arraigned Monday on charges including attempted homicide, aggravated arson, and terrorism.
Magisterial District Judge Dale Klein denied Balmer bail, citing concerns for public safety.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Ryan Mueller |Ethan Zhao |Tracy Park |Terry Zhou
The United States has deployed a second aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, to Mideast waters just days before a crucial second round of nuclear negotiations with Iran, satellite images analyzed by the Associated Press revealed Tuesday. This deployment, intended to support the USS Harry S. Truman, coincides with continued U.S. airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, which the Trump administration has explicitly linked to pressuring Tehran in ongoing talks.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Tracy Park |Ryan Mueller |Terry Zhou |Brett Wattles
The Trump administration has initiated national security investigations into imported pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, potentially paving the way for new tariffs and amplifying tensions in an already unsettled global economy. Notices filed to the Federal Register indicate a swift timeline, with public comments due within 21 days of Wednesday's official publication, and final determinations mandated within 270 days.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Ryan Mueller |Terry Zhou |Tracy Park |Brett Wattles
The Trump administration on Monday froze $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, escalating a political standoff over campus policies and free speech. The move came after Harvard declined to implement a series of sweeping policy changes demanded by a federal task force, which included eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, banning face masks during protests, and instituting merit-based admissions and hiring criteria.
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1 week ago | 
btimesonline.com | Terry Zhou |Tracy Park |Brett Wattles |Ryan Mueller
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck near the mountain town of Julian in Southern California on Monday morning, rattling areas across San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange counties. The tremor occurred at 10:08 a.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and was followed by a series of aftershocks ranging from magnitude 2.0 to 3.0.
The quake's epicenter was located roughly 2.5 miles south of Julian, a small resort town in the Cuyamaca Mountains known for its apple orchards and bakeries.
