Latest news with #PlanA
Axios
2 days ago
- Business
- Axios
What to know about tariffs: Key deadlines and rules
A series of milestone events in coming days will determine the course of the trade war. Why it matters: That in turn will decide the fate of not only the U.S. economy, but the world's. This is what you need to know about the days ahead. What are the major tariff deadlines? What to watch: There are key legal and diplomatic deadlines in coming weeks. June 4: The U.S. expects best and final offers from trade partners, reports say. June 5: The plaintiffs in the case that led to tariffs being struck down by the Court of International Trade have to file their papers with a federal appellate court, explaining why they oppose a motion to stay the trade court's ruling. June 9: The government has to file a reply to those papers, after which time the appellate court could rule on issuing a stay or not. End of June: President Trump has flagged the end of this month as possible timing for new tariffs that would affect cell phone makers like Apple and Samsung. July 8: For most nations, this is the end of the 90-day pause on the sweeping global reciprocal tariffs that Trump imposed in early April, and then froze a week later. July 9: The end of that pause for the European Union. July 14: The EU will impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods "if negotiations are not satisfactory," the bloc's top official said. August 12: The end of a 90-day pause on retaliatory tariffs against China. August 31: The end of an extension on long-standing exclusions for certain products from China tariffs. What tariffs are in place now? Zoom out: For now, all of the tariffs Trump previously imposed are still in effect, including a 10% global baseline tariff and additional levies on certain countries and sectors. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit temporarily stayed the Court of International Trade's ruling throwing out the tariffs Trump imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. That ruling did not affect tariffs previously imposed on sectors like steel and aluminum, which were implemented under a different authority. Can Trump impose tariffs in other ways? Zoom in: If the trade court's ruling striking down the IEEPA tariffs ends up standing, the administration has a variety of other levers it can pull to impose tariffs, though some are more time-consuming than what Trump has done thus far. Section 232 tariffs are sectoral levies imposed in the interests of national security; they require studies first to determine impacts. Section 301 tariffs are designed to respond to the unfair practices of foreign governments that put burdens on U.S. commerce. These also require an assessment process. Section 338 tariffs date to 1930s-era trade law and give the president wide latitude to impose levies on other countries, with fewer restrictions or preliminary requirements. What they're saying: " We're very, very confident that Plan A is all we're ever going to need," National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett told ABC last weekend, referring to the IEEPA tariffs. But failing that, he said administration officials have been working on alternatives since 2017.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kevin Hassett 'very, very confident' courts will back Trump's tariffs amid legal setback
White House Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett says he remains "very, very confident" that courts will support President Donald Trump's tariff agenda. Hassett made the statement during a Sunday morning appearance on ABC's "This Week," telling host George Stephanopoulos that the White House still expects "Plan A" to work out. "And so we're very thrilled. We are very confident that the judges would uphold this law. And so I think that that's Plan A, and we're very, very confident that Plan A is all we're ever going to need," Hassett said. "But if, for some reason, some judge were to say that it's not a national emergency when more Americans die from fentanyl than have ever died in all American wars combined, that's not an emergency that the president has authority over – if that ludicrous statement is made by a judge somewhere, then we'll have other alternatives that we can pursue as well to make sure that we make American trade fair again," he added. Twelve States Sue Trump Over Tariffs, Claiming They're 'Illegal' And Harmful To Us Economy Hassett's appearance comes after a federal court struck down Trump's tariffs in a ruling last week, only for an appeals court to issue a temporary stay protecting the tariffs during litigation. Read On The Fox News App The appeals court ruling paused a decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT), thus allowing Trump to continue to enact the 10% baseline tariff and the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" that he announced April 2 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. The CIT had ruled unanimously to block the tariffs the day before. Federal Judge Blocks 5 Trump Tariff Executive Orders Members of the three-judge panel who were appointed by Trump, former President Barack Obama and former President Ronald Reagan, ruled unanimously that Trump had overstepped his authority under IEEPA. They noted that, as commander in chief, Trump does not have "unbounded authority" to impose tariffs under the emergency law. For now, the burden of proof shifts to the government, which must convince the court it will suffer "irreparable harm" if the injunction remains in place, a high legal standard the Trump administration must meet. Fox News' Breanne Deppisch contributed to this reportOriginal article source: Kevin Hassett 'very, very confident' courts will back Trump's tariffs amid legal setback
4 days ago
- Business
Hassett says he's 'very confident' that courts will uphold Trump's tariffs
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Sunday that the administration is confident it will be able to continue its tariff agenda despite recent legal setbacks. 'And so we're very thrilled. We are very confident that the judges would uphold this law. And so I think that that's Plan A, and we're very, very confident that Plan A is all we're ever going to need,' Hassett told 'This Week with George Stephanopoulos.' An appeals court reinstated President Donald Trump's tariffs this week after a Wednesday court order blocked them. The appeals court decision stands for the time being. The original injunction of Trump's tariffs came after the court decided that the administration's evocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not give the president the right to set 'unlimited' tariffs. The White House argued that the court order could harm its progress in negotiations.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Emails show dueling plans for Harlingen airport firefighting services
May 27—HARLINGEN — For months, city and airport officials have been debating two proposals known as Plan A and Plan B. In the last few weeks, Valley International Airport officials' Plan A has come to the forefront, a proposal to hire Pro-Tec Fire Services, an Appleton, Wisconsin, company that's become North America's biggest provider of aircraft rescue and firefighting services. At City Hall, airport officials' plan to terminate the city's $1.2 million agreement providing the Harlingen Fire Department's airport firefighting services is drawing opposition. In response to the plan, the Harlingen Professional Firefighters' Association is warning it would file a lawsuit against the city if the airport's board of directors hires Pro-Tec, arguing the move could lead to a violation of Civil Service law protecting firefighters' jobs. Meanwhile, Marv Esterly, the airport's aviation director, is standing behind the proposal to hire Pro-Tec. While Pro-Tec is offering its services for $973,000 as part of a proposed five-year contract, the city's planning to boost the fire department's fees by 7% next year and then by 8% in 2027. For the airport operating on a break-even budget, Pro-Tec, which serves more than 20 U.S. airports, would help save about $1.9 million during the next five years. Esterly has also expressed concern over the fire department's federal training violations. From 2017 to 2024, the FAA cited the department for three training violations while last year Esterly self-reported "misleading" entries raising concerns of the possibility of records falsifications in training logs stemming from two classes last June and July. THE PLANS An email thread helps outline officials' discussions over the proposal they call Plan A. In response to the Valley Morning Star's request filed under the Texas Public Information Act, Esterly released emails sent from April 29, 2024 to April 16. In a Feb. 26 email to Mayor Norma Sepulveda, Esterly addressed concerns leading him to propose hiring Pro-Tec. "The rising cost of ARFF services is placing significant strain on the airport's budget," he wrote. "The current ARFF arrangement is unsustainable, placing significant financial stain on the airport." Then Esterly pointed to what he described as "safety and regulatory compliance." "FAA-mandated training standards must be met to maintain (the airport's) Part 139 certification," he wrote to Sepulveda, referring to the FAA's airport operations certification. "Given budgetary constraints and critical safety and compliance concerns, Plan A remains the most prudent and responsible path forward to ensure regulatory compliance and public safety." Meanwhile, Plan B would consist of an overhaul of the fire department's ARFF program. Under Plan B, the department would "implement FAA-recommended best management practices to enhance compliance and transparency," Esterly wrote to Sepulveda, adding the proposal would "address systemic failures in training oversight and establish strict compliance measures to prevent future violations." Esterly then referred to a memorandum of understanding specifying firefighters' qualifications and requirements. While Plan B would call for a "cost-sharing strategy" to "develop a financially sustainable ARFF plan that aligns with federal regulations while balancing fiscal responsibility," the proposal would also "evaluate the current MOU to determine necessary modifications, replacement or possible termination," he wrote. In an April 29, 2024, email to City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez, Esterly expressed concern over what he described as rising costs stemming from fire department ARFF staffing leading to overtime pay. "It has come to our attention that there is a recurring practice of calling in ARFF alternatives from different shifts, rather than utilizing those assigned to the current shift," he wrote. "This has resulted in increased overtime costs that area subsequently billed to the airport." Esterly argued overtime billing violates the parties' agreement. "According to our current memorandum of understanding, the airport board should not have to bear the financial responsibility for overtime expenses that arise due to the city's failure to maintain adequate staffing levels, including the provision of designated alternatives for each shift," he wrote to Gonzalez. "Maintaining compliance with our MOU is crucial to ensure the cost-effectiveness and regulatory adherence of the ARFF services provided." In a Feb. 25 email, Sepulveda pointed to "legal challenges surrounding privatization," adding Gonzalez was working to address overtime costs. Meanwhile, City Attorney Mark Sossi argued the Texas Government Code's Civil Service stance prohibited the city from hiring a contractor such a Pro-Tec. "After review of the legal issues at hand, we believe that Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code will be a legal bar to privatization of the firefighters positions," he wrote in a Dec. 2, 2024, email to Gene McCullough, the airport board's attorney. "This will also confirm that the city, as the airport sponsor, has not given its consent to the privatization of AARF functions at the Valley International Airport." Earlier this month, Evan Mann, president of the Harlingen Professional Firefighters Association, warned city commissioners the union would file a lawsuit against the city if they didn't stop the airport board from hiring a contractor. In an interview, Mann said the board's hiring of a contractor would violate Civil Service law protecting firefighters who could lose their jobs. Mann also claimed airport officials were overstating FAA reports citing "isolated" firefighter training violations as part of a plan to "discredit" the fire department in order to lead the airport board to terminate the city's $1.2 million agreement providing aircraft rescue and firefighting services. Esterly denied the claims. In February, the FAA closed a 2024 investigation stemming from Esterly's move to report "discrepancies" in two firefighter training classes held last June and July. "The FAA determined training and misleading entries to be directly isolated to the identified sessions and not systemic to the entire ARFF training program," Denson E. Stasher, the agency's safety and standards manager, wrote to Esterly in a Feb. 19 report closing the investigation. "In closing this case, we have considered all available facts and have concluded the matter does not warrant legal enforcement." In its investigation report, the FAA found the fire department's ARFF program in "full compliance," Erik Ramirez, the union's vice president, said in an interview. Meanwhile, Mann said airport officials were overlooking the fire department's five years of "perfect scores" on its annual FAA inspections. Featured Local Savings
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
M&S: major UK supermarket opening 12 new food halls
The retailer is doubling down on bricks-and-mortar with bold new stores designed for a fresh, modern shopping experience 🏬 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... M&S is opening 12 new food halls across England, including its largest standalone food store to date The expansion will create over 550 jobs and is part of the retailer's wider store renewal strategy Five locations are confirmed so far: Abingdon, Cannock, Farnham, Godalming, and Northampton All new stores will feature modern designs with expanded food ranges, wider aisles, and eco-friendly features Openings are planned from late 2025 to mid-2026, with more locations to be announced, pending planning approval A major UK supermarket is accelerating its store renewal programme with plans to launch 12 new food halls across England — including its largest standalone food store to date. The new Marks & Spencer stores, all located on former Homebase sites, will create over 550 jobs and play a key role in M&S's wider store rotation strategy focused on developing 'bigger, better' locations. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The expansion reflects M&S's confidence in physical retail investment, as it works through the aftermath of a recent cyber attack that affected trading over the Easter weekend. (Photo:) | Getty Images Where will the new M&S food halls be? Confirmed openings include two 18,000 sq ft food halls in Abingdon and Cannock, both expected to open in late 2025. They will be followed by three more large-format stores in Farnham, Godalming and Northampton by mid-2026. The Godalming site, at 22,000 sq ft, will become the retailer's biggest standalone food hall. All of the new openings will feature contemporary store designs, including market-style fruit and vegetable displays, expanded bakeries with coffee-to-go, Click & Collect points for online orders, larger frozen food areas, wider aisles, and energy-efficient systems in line with M&S's Plan A sustainability goals. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Commenting on the announcement, M&S CEO Stuart Machin said: 'Investing in new and renewed stores is a key priority in our transformation plan. 'Securing these prime locations allows us to accelerate our strategy, grow our food business, and most importantly, deliver the very best shopping experience for our customers.' As of now, five locations have been officially confirmed: Abingdon – An 18,000 sq ft food hall, expected to open in late 2025. Cannock – Another 18,000 sq ft store, also slated for late 2025. Farnham – An 18,000 sq ft store, projected to open by mid-2026. Godalming – A 22,000 sq ft location, set to become M&S's largest standalone food hall, anticipated by mid-2026. Northampton – A 16,000 sq ft store, expected by mid-2026. The remaining seven locations have not yet been confirmed. M&S has said that eight of the new stores are expected to open by July 2026, pending planning approvals. Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
