business 
President Trump on Wednesday ordered the closure of a loophole that allows retailers to directly send clothes and other goods from China to American shoppers without paying tariffs. The loophole, known as the de minimis exemption, currently applies to goods worth less than $800. Such goods are allowed to enter the United States tariff free. … Read more
The global economic system that the United States has shaped and steered for more than three-quarters of a century was animated by a powerful guiding vision: that trade and finance would be based on cooperation and consent rather than coercion. That system, for all its faults, entrenched the United States as the world’s richest nation … Read more
Taiwan, the center of the global supply chain for computer chips, woke up on Thursday to the news that President Trump had put new 32 percent tariffs on the island’s exports to the United States. Except for semiconductors. The decision not to impose tariffs on the chip sector does not mean they won’t be coming … Read more
For years, countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand have worked to turn themselves into alternatives to China for factories making the bags, electronics, shoes and auto parts that eventually end up in the United States. That is now poised to change after President Trump on Wednesday aimed his most punishing tariffs at countries in Southeast … Read more
For years, Myanmar’s army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has been treated like a pariah on the global stage. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing has made few overseas trips, other than to Russia and China, since he seized power in a coup in 2021. Long the subject of Western sanctions, he has been barred from … Read more
Laptop computers from Taiwan, wine from Italy, frozen shrimp from India, Nike sneakers from Vietnam and Irish butter. These products are found in homes across the United States, a testament to America’s enduring role as a champion of free trade and its standing as the most lucrative market for goods from around the world. They … Read more
After being smacked with double-digit percentage tariffs by a key ally, Japan finds itself with few retaliatory options. Since President Trump began threatening broad tariffs in January, Japan has pursued a conciliatory strategy, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledging in February to boost U.S. investment to $1 trillion. Up until the day before Mr. Trump’s … Read more
They call themselves emissaries of the world’s first “sovereign nation” for Hindus, with its own passports and “cosmic constitution.” They claim to have created an official currency in sacred gold, managed by a “reserve bank.” Representatives of this nonexistent country have given statements at U.N. events and posed for photos with global statesmen, American congressmen … Read more
For nearly two hours on a windy Sunday in February, Henry Hurren took a beating in the waters off a largely uninhabited island in Hong Kong, trying to surf a short wave for a few moments at a time. The half-hour ferry ride there from the Chinese territory’s main island was bustling with day trippers. … Read more
