Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
The U.S. is set to impose 50 percent tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods
“imported from Canada just after midnight.”
NPR's Christian Wright reports. Americans could end up paying more for a range of Canadian products, including hockey sticks, cement for building and construction and wine. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government and the U.S. are in last-minute trade negotiations to stop the substantial tariffs.
President Trump is relying at a section of the tariff act of 1930 that's never been used.
It authorizes the President to impose up to 50 percent tariffs on imports from countries that discriminate against U.S. commerce, Trump claims some of Canada's trade policies do just that. The new tariff threat against Ottawa comes as free trade negotiations between the U.S. Canada and Mexico have hit major stumbling blocks, Christian Wright and PR News Washington.
South Korea's President called for strengthening the nation's military capabilities a day after President Trump suddenly ordered the downsizing of annual joint military exercises. If your Anthony Cune reports, Trump called the drills a costly and hostile gesture toward North Korea.
“President E. J. Myeong told a cabinet meeting that a stronger alliance with the U.S. increases”
the nation's security, but increasing its own military capabilities he added would make South Korea a more valuable ally to the U.S. That includes, for example, developing its own nuclear-powered submarines. The commander of the U.S. military in South Korea, meanwhile, visited South Korea's defense ministry to discuss scaling back the annual exercises.
Trump's order took many South Koreans by surprise. An editorial in the Hancock-Ulbonews paper said, "It's absurd that the U.S. appears to treat North Korea more respectfully than its ally, South Korea. Anthony Cune and PR News sold." Water levels in the country's second biggest reservoir have reached a new record low.
From Member Station KJZ, Alex Hager reports, Lake Powell is just 22 percent full.
The Colorado River Reservoir covers parts of Utah and northern Arizona. If the water level drops much lower, it could force the shutdown of hydropower turbines that send electricity to about 5 million people.
“If it drops further, the dam could have trouble sending water downstream at all, jeopardizing”
the supply for major cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Just downstream, Lake Meade, the nation's largest reservoir also hit his historic low last week. The records are the result of drought, climate change, and steady demand for Colorado River Water.
Policymakers are trying to agree on a new plan to rain in demand for the river over the next two years. It's expected to be released in the coming weeks. For NPR News, I'm Alex Hager in Phoenix. New data from the CDC shows exemptions from routine vaccines among kindergarteners has increased
to 4.2 percent during the last school year, and that's a record mainly for non-medical
reasons. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. California Democratic Congress when Jimmy Gomez is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct, including inappropriate sexual contact with a house staffer.
The New York Post first reported allegations that Gomez kissed an intern who worked for a colleague. Gomez tells NPR that although his actions were consensual, and he says didn't violate laws or house ethic rules, calls them mistakes, and says he takes full responsibility. Gomez has represented parts of Los Angeles since 2017.
Amazon has changed its terms of service to give it more protection against class-action lawsuits. The company brought back an arbitration agreement that will generally require shoppers to resolve any disputes outside the court system. Here's Elena Seljuk has more.
Amazon says anyone who uses its services now automatically bound by its new legal clauses, their aimed at preventing customers from filing class-action lawsuits. They also require any grievances against the company be resolved privately through arbitration, rather than in front of a judge or a jury. People can still file in small claims court, a note that Amazon is among NPR's financial
supporters. Amazon previously removed to this kind of arbitration clause about five years ago after facing tons of thousands of claims over allegations the company's smart speaker recorded without permission. Amazon's new terms have a way to handle a potential repeat by settling any waves of similar
claims in batches. Elena Seljuk and PR News. Wall Street is trading lower this hour down to 10 points, Nasdaq down 3506. You're listening to NPR News. This week on Sharkwave, you are what you eat may not be afraid you associate with your mental
health, but one in three people have insulin resistance in our country. And if you have insulin resistance, you are double the likelihood of developing major depression. We explore the link between your body and your brain.
