The Latest: Asia shares sink as US tariffs take effect

Asian shares sank again on Wednesday as the latest set of U.S. tariffs, including a 104%  levy on Chinese imports, went into effect. The drops in trading on Wednesday morning in Asia came before the sharply higher tariffs were scheduled to start after midnight on the U.S. East Coast. Investors have no idea what to make of President Donald Trump’s trade war.

Trump disrupts global economic order even though the US is dominant

WASHINGTON (AP) — By declaring a trade war on the rest of the world, President Donald Trump has panicked global financial markets and raised the risk of a recession. He has also broken the political and economic alliances that made much of the world stable for business after World War II. Trump’s latest round of tariffs went into full effect at midnight Wednesday, with higher import tax rates on dozens of countries and territories taking hold. Economists are puzzled to see Trump trying to overhaul the existing economic order and doing it so soon after inheriting the strongest economy in the world.

Asian shares deepen losses after another Wall St retreat as tariffs due to take effect

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares have slipped further as the latest set of U.S. tariffs, including a massive 104% levy on Chinese imports, is due to take effect. Japan's Nikkei 225 index initially lost nearly 4% early Wednesday and other markets in the region also declined. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 dropped 1.6% after wiping out an early gain of 4.1%. That took it nearly 19% below its record set in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.8%, while the Nasdaq composite lost 2.1%. Uncertainty is still high about what President Donald Trump will do with his trade war. Sharply higher tariffs were scheduled to kick in after midnight Eastern time in the U.S.

IRS acting commissioner is resigning over deal to send immigrants' tax data to ICE, AP sources say

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service’s acting commissioner is resigning over a deal to share immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the purpose of identifying and deporting people illegally in the U.S. Two people familiar with Melanie Krause’s decision confirmed the intended resignation to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about it. The memo signed Monday by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will allow ICE to submit names and addresses of immigrants inside the U.S. illegally to the IRS for cross-verification against tax records.

Trump signs executive orders to boost coal, a reliable but polluting energy source

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed four executive orders aimed at boosting coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that’s long been in decline. Under the orders, Trump will use his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity to meet rising U.S. power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars. Trump has long promised to boost what he calls “beautiful” coal to fire power plants and for other uses, but the industry has been declining for decades.

Netanyahu-Trump meeting reveals unexpected gaps on key issues

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington for a hastily organized visit bringing a long list of concerns. Iran. Tariffs. Turkey’s surging influence in Syria. And the war in Gaza. Netanyahu appeared to leave the meeting largely empty-handed — a stark contrast with his triumphant visit two months ago. In an hourlong Oval Office appearance, President Donald Trump appeared to challenge many of Netanyahu’s policy prerogatives. Monday’s meeting shows that while Trump remains sympathetic to Israel, Netanyahu's relationship with the president during his second term is more complicated and unpredictable than he may have expected.

AP wins reinstatement to White House events after judge rules government can’t bar its journalists

A federal judge has ordered the White House to restore The Associated Press’ full access to cover presidential events. He ruled on a case that touched at the heart of the First Amendment and affirmed that the government cannot punish the news organization for the content of its speech. U.S.. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, an appointee of Donald Trump, ruled that the government can't retaliate against the AP’s decision not to follow the president’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The decision handed the AP a major victory at a time the White House has been challenging the press on several levels.

The roof collapses at a Dominican Republic nightclub, killing at least 79 people

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — A roof collapse at the iconic Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic has killed at least 79 people and others may be trapped. Emergency center director Juan Manuel Méndez says crews would “search tirelessly for people” who might be trapped in the rubble at the site of the collapse in Santo Domingo. Montecristi province Gov. Nelsy Cruz and former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco were among the dead. Among the missing is merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing when the roof collapsed. Jet Set was known for its traditional Monday parties where renowned national and international artists performed. The cause of the collapse wasn't immediately known.

Kentucky watches for surging rivers to recede so widespread cleanup can begin

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — After days of deluges overfilled rivers to near-record levels across Kentucky, residents are anxious to return to their flooded homes and assess what is salvageable. Water is slowly receding in flooded Frankfort, and officials hope most people will be able to return by the end of Wednesday. Gov. Andy Beshear urged patience and caution, asking people to wait if they couldn't get to their homes without driving through water. Inundated rivers are the latest threat from the storms that have killed at least 23 people. The National Weather Service says freeze warnings are in effect in much of Kentucky and a freeze watch has been issued for Tuesday night.

Texas measles outbreak tops 500 cases, including multiple at a day care in Lubbock

Public health officials say a day care facility in a Texas county that’s part of the measles outbreak has multiple cases, including children too young to be fully vaccinated. West Texas is in the middle of a still-growing measles outbreak with 505 cases as of Tuesday and the state expanding the number of counties in the outbreak area this week to 10. The highly contagious virus began to spread in late January. Three people who were unvaccinated have died from measles-related illnesses this year, including two elementary school-aged children in Texas. Lubbock Public Health director Katherine Wells says day care there had seven cases as of Friday.