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RBI, Maldives Monetary Authority sign pact to promote use of local currenciesBy Steve Holland and Alexandra Ulmer (Reuters) -President-elect Donald Trump on Friday said he had chosen prominent investor Scott Bessent as U.S. Treasury secretary, a key cabinet position with vast influence over economic, regulatory and international affairs. "I am most pleased to nominate Scott Bessent to serve as the 79th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States," Trump said in a statement released on Truth Social. "Scott is widely respected as one of the World's foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic strategists." Wall Street has been closely watching who Trump will pick, especially given his plans to remake global trade through tariffs and extend and potentially expand the raft of tax cuts enacted during Trump's first term. The choice came after days of deliberations by Trump as he sorted through a shifting list of candidates. That list included Apollo Global Management Chief Executive Marc Rowan and former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh. Investor John Paulson had also been a leading candidate, but dropped out, while Wall Street veteran Howard Lutnick, another contender, was appointed as head of the Commerce Department. Bessent, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has advocated for tax reform and deregulation, particularly to spur more bank lending and energy production, as noted in a recent opinion piece he wrote for The Wall Street Journal. The market's surge after Trump's election victory, he wrote, signaled investor expectations of "higher growth, lower volatility and inflation, and a revitalized economy for all Americans." Bessent follows other financial luminaries who have taken the job, including former Goldman Sachs executives Robert Rubin, Hank Paulson and Steven Mnuchin, Trump's first Treasury chief. Janet Yellen, the current secretary and first woman in the job, previously chaired the Federal Reserve and White House Council of Economic Advisers. ECONOMY'S QUARTERBACK As the 79th Treasury secretary, Bessent will essentially be the highest-ranking U.S. economic official, responsible for maintaining the plumbing of the world's largest economy, from collecting taxes and paying the nation's bills to managing the $28.6-trillion Treasury debt market and overseeing financial regulation, including handling and preventing market crises. The Treasury boss also runs U.S. financial sanctions policy, oversees the U.S.-led International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other international financial institutions, and manages national security screenings of foreign investments in the U.S. Bessent will face challenges, including safely managing federal deficits that are forecast to grow by nearly $8 trillion over a decade due to Trump's plans to extend expiring tax cuts next year and add generous new breaks, including ending taxes on Social Security income. Without offsetting revenues, this new debt would add to an unsustainable fiscal trajectory already forecast to balloon U.S. debt by $22 trillion through 2033. Managing debt increases this large without market indigestion will be a challenge, though Bessent has argued Trump's agenda will unleash stronger economic growth that will grow revenue and shore up market confidence. Bessent will also inherit the role carved out by Yellen to lead the Group of Seven wealthy democracies to provide tens of billions of dollars in economic support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion and tighten sanctions on Moscow. But given Trump's desire to end the war quickly and withdraw U.S. financial support for Ukraine, it is unclear whether he would pursue this. Another area where Bessent will likely differ from Yellen is her focus on climate change, from her mandate that development banks expand lending for clean energy to incorporating climate risks into financial regulations and managing hundreds of billions of dollars in clean energy tax credits. Trump, a climate-change skeptic, has vowed to increase production of U.S. fossil fuel energy and end the clean-energy subsidies in President Joe Biden's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. FED FACING The Treasury secretary is also the administration's closest point of contact with the Federal Reserve. Both Yellen under Biden and Mnuchin under Trump typically met weekly with Fed Chair Jerome Powell, often over breakfast or lunch. Bessent has floated the idea of creating a "shadow" Fed chair. This would entail nominating as early as possible a presumptive Powell successor to the Fed Board who would then deliver their own policy guidance so that, as Bessent told Barron's last month, "no one is really going to care what Jerome Powell has to say anymore." The next seat to open up at the Fed Board is that of Governor Adriana Kugler, whose term runs to January 2026. Bessent has since said he no longer thinks the idea of a shadow chair worth pursuing, the Wall Street Journal reported. Powell's term as Fed chair expires in May 2026, and presidents rarely wait until the Fed chief's term ends before nominating a successor. FROM FINANCE TO DC Bessent, 62, primarily lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with his husband and two children. He grew up in the fishing village of Little River, South Carolina, where Bessent has said his father, a real estate investor, experienced booms and busts. Bessent worked for noted short seller Jim Chanos in the late 1980s and then joined Soros Fund Management, the famed macroeconomic investment firm of billionaire George Soros. He soon helped Soros and top deputy Stanley Druckenmiller on their most famous trade - shorting the British pound in 1992 and earning the firm more than $1 billion. In 2015, Bessent raised $4.5 billion, including $2 billion from Soros, to launch Key Square Group, a hedge fund firm that bets on macroeconomic trends. Key Square's main fund gained about 31% in 2022, according to media reports, but firm assets have declined to approximately $577 million as of December 2023, according to a regulatory filing. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Alexandra Ulmer, David Lawder, Lawrence Delevingne, Ann Saphir, Costas Pitas, Nathan Layne and Jasper Ward; editing by Megan Davies, Rod Nickel and Rosalba O'Brien)None
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transiton of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. “This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day,” said Susie Wiles, Trump’s designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement comes a week after the Trump transition team with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts have emphasized to Trump’s team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. Republican Senators have also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump’s nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers have been particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump’s designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. “That’s why it’s so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing,” said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine on Monday. John Thune, the incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team “understands there’s going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees.”100% of "I Can Breathe" song proceeds to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI. On Giving Tuesday, announces a new release from the Gibson Band--a revolving collective of musicians who join together to make music and raise funds and awareness for worthy causes.. A hard-hitting rock song, the new benefit single “I Can Breathe” features rhythm guitars and piano from Cesar Gueikian, CEO of Gibson, with special guests Duff McKagan on lead vocals and lyrics, and Slash on lead guitar and solos. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the song “I Can Breathe” will benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), through Gibson Gives. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health resource organization that is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. On “I Can Breathe” Duff McKagan crafted the lyrics and is featured on lead vocals, Cesar Gueikian wrote the music and played rhythm guitar and piano, and Slash wrote and played thelead guitar and solos, while Jota Morelli (drums), and Seta Von Gravessen (bass) rounded outthe group in the studio. The music was recorded by Cesar at La Roca Power Studio in BuenosAires, Argentina, vocals were recorded by Duff at the Sound Factory in Los Angeles and leadguitars and solos by Slash in Los Angeles. The track was produced by Cesar Gueikian and JorgeRodriguez with collaboration from Pablo Toubes and Francisco Trillini, and mixed and masteredby Greg Gordon. A special thanks goes to Gonzalo Riviera Villatte, Gina Furia, and guitar techLisardo Alvarez for all his work at La Roca Power Studio. Gibson Records, Duff McKagan, Slash, and Cesar Gueikian, will donate 100% proceeds from thesale of “I Can Breathe,” in addition to all auction funds raised to the National Alliance on MentalIllness (NAMI), through Gibson Gives. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental healthresource organization that is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affectedby mental illness. NAMI’s mission is to create a world where all people affected by mentalillness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares. “It was such a pleasure to work with Cesar and his whole crew on this tune,” says Duff McKagan.“The musical slant and progressive rock-ness of this huge epic pushed me in a whole new direction. Ilove a challenge and Cesar killed it! Most importantly, to be of service for mental health issues andawareness is super important to me at this time. Let’s rock!” “Cesar and Duff came to me with a really cool piece of music,” adds Slash. “I loved the riff idea, andDuff's vocal, so I felt right at home on the track.” “Guns N’ Roses had a profound influence on me and my guitar playing, so having the opportunity towrite and record this song with Slash and Duff is a dream come true, and it’s an honor to call themfriends and partners,” says Cesar Gueikian, CEO of Gibson. “’I Can Breathe’ started as aninstrumental track I recorded at La Roca Power Studio in Buenos Aires. Upon listening to the mix thatGreg Gordon put together, Jenny Marsh (Global Director of Cultural Influence at Gibson) suggestedDuff as lyricist and vocalist. Guns N’ Roses had just come off touring when I shared the song withDuff, he loved it and quickly wrote the lyrics and cut the vocals at the Sound Factory in Los Angeles.Having Duff on vocals made the next step obvious, which was asking Slash if he would collaboratewith lead guitars and solos. Both Duff and Slash transformed the track from a collection of riffs to agreat song! While Greg Gordon’s mixing and creativity tied it all together. I am grateful for thecollaboration from Slash, Duff and Greg, and from my friend Serj Tankian’s participation with coverartwork. I’m thrilled we are donating all proceeds from the song to a great and relevant cause.” The new Mark IIC+ 1x12 Combo and Head are authentic recreations of Mesa Boogie's original models. The new MESA/Boogie Mark IIC+ in head and 1x12 combo formats isavailable worldwide at authorized MESA/Boogie dealers, and on . The Mark IIC+ is pure “Vintage Boogie” and based on the original Mark II (now called the MarkII-A) design, the world’s first “Dual Mode” amplifier containing independent performance modes dedicated to clean and overdrive sounds. The IIC+ model represents the 3rd generation of that game-changing single channel/dual mode layout and includes all the refinements made to that original format over its nearly five influential years. It was also the last model in its family, as the subsequent model would contain three performance modes and be dubbed the MARK III. The IIC+’s single row of controls is shared by its two modes (preamps), one for Rhythm(clean) and one for Lead (overdrive). Independent, though still interactive, sets of gain and volume controls help optimize each gain structure while shared Tone controls handle the broad stroke voicing. Fine-tuning of the sounds is accomplished by the PULL SHIFT voicing features – some Mode specific – fitted to the simple controls and further shaping via the on-board 5-Band Graphic EQ.Though the “Q” of the individual Bands (Slider Pot frequencies) is fairly wide around their CenterPoints, they provide a surprising degree of surgical-level sculpting quickly and musically. The Rear Panel of the C+ provides the important features that keep this amp as relevant as ever 40 years after its initial run. Global PRESENCE and REVERB controls are centered foreasy navigation from the Front in stage environments. A series, tube buffered Effects Loop provides a seamless interface for your time-based processing. The Power Select switch at the far right (left from the Front) allows for your choice of the full 75 watts of “SIMUL-CLASS” power for richness, authority, and max headroom or “CLASS A” for 25 watts of reduced power and low end along with easier, smoother power clip at lower volumes. One 8Ohm and two 4 OhmSpeaker Outputs provide for a wide array of cabinet impedance matching. And though not a compensated Direct Output for Consoles or Interfaces, a SLAVE tap off the speaker outputs captures the entire sound of the amp – preamp and power section – to produce a non-compensated feed for IRReaders or external processors that might even serve an era-appropriate “dry/wet/wet” rig. Out of production for four decades, we welcome back this icon and celebrate its impact on the incredible guitar heroes and timeless recordings they made during one of rock guitar’s biggest decades. The Mark IIC+ legacy is one we don’t take lightly or for granted and recreating it in today’s world with today’s available components and rigorous worldwide Compliance Regulations was no easy feat. However, we are just as proud and excited about this iteration as we were about the first one that was produced for less than two years, four decades ago. Made in close collaboration and with significant input from , the Jimmy Page EDS-1275 uses new 3D scanning technology to aid in handcrafting an effective clone of his original EDS-1275. There are very few guitars that can claim to be as instantly recognizable and iconic as Jimmy Page’s 1969 EDS-1275 Doubleneck. The photos of him playing it on stage with Led Zeppelin are indelible to rock ’n’ roll history. While has been making doubleneck electric guitars since 1958, Jimmy was the player who defined the EDS-1275 from the day it was delivered to him. Introducing the Jimmy Page EDS-1275 Doubleneck VOS, now part of the Gibson Custom core lineup and built to the exact specifications of Jimmy’s iconic EDS-1275 Doubleneck. The Jimmy Page EDS-1275 features a double-cutaway one-piece mahogany body that provides exceptional access to the full length of both the12-string and six-string mahogany necks. Both necks have long tenons and are hide glue fit, and the neck profiles are recreated from 3D scans of the necks on the original guitar. The necks are both capped with bound Indian rosewood fretboards. Each fretboard is equipped with 20 authentic medium jumbo frets and adorned with aged cellulose nitrate parallelogram inlays. The fretboards of both necks have a 12” radius, which is perfect for both playing chords as well as for string bending while soloing. The 18 tuners are Kluson double line, double ring style, just like those found on the original guitar, and even the headstocks feature the correct 17-degree angle and specific logo stylization found on Jimmy’s EDS-1275. The electronics are just as authentic and deliver all of the sonic character of Jimmy’s legendary EDS-1275. Two uncovered Jimmy Page EDS-1275 Custombuckers with double black bobbins and Alnico 5 magnets are used for the two six-string pickups, while a covered pair is installed on the 12-string neck. Of course, the two volume and two tone controls use CTS potentiometers and period-correct ceramic disc capacitors, and the pickup select switch, neck select switch, and output jack are all from Switchcraft. Here is your opportunity to own a clone of Jimmy Page’s famous EDS-1275, identical to how it appeared on the day that Jimmy first received the guitar. A Gibson Custom hardshell case is included, along with a vintage leather strap, and a certificate of authenticity with a photo from famed photographer Barrie Wentzell. Recreation of the EDS-1275 used by Jimmy Page made using 3D scans of the original guitar, one piece mahogany body, mahogany six and 12-string necks with custom Jimmy Page profiles, Indian rosewood fretboards, Jimmy Page Custombucker pickups with Alnico 5 magnets and double black bobbins, Gibson Custom hardshell case Taking a Squier Affinity and Mini Precision Bass, one reader created a super-versatile instrument for looping that he can pick, pluck, tap, and slap. I've been using a multitrack looper with a guitar and an octave pedal, which was okay for simple bass parts, but didn’t give me thick strings and I couldn’t slap with it. So I decided to build a double-neck prototype specifically for looping, with a 6-string guitar and a 4-string bass. Since building the necks would be the hardest part, I looked around for instruments with bolt-on necks I could reuse. Squier makes an Affinity Stratocaster and a Mini Precision Bass which were affordable and had matching fretboards, so I bought those. It was also cheaper to reuse the electronics and hardware that came with them, rather than buying everything separately. Using two precut instrument bodies saved the burden of having to route cavities for the electronics. My plan was to design my own body from scratch. As I debated which neck should go on top, how far apart they should be, and whether to line up the nuts or the saddles, I realized there was actually enough wood there to make a double neck body, which saved me the work of recreating the neck pockets, etc. Putting the guitar on top made barre chords much more comfortable, and the 28.6" bass scale meant I could still reach the first fret easily. After stripping the paint with a heat gun, I ran both bodies through a table saw, glued them together, and thinned them to 1 3/8". Then I created an offset body shape, a new arm bevel, and reshaped the three cutaways. The pickguards are both original, with the guitar side cut down to make a yin and yang shape. The controls are volume and tone for each neck, using the original knobs. I moved the jack to the back and upgraded it to stereo so the guitar and bass signals can run through separate effects chains. Note the location of the jack on the back of the extended-shape body. It’s unconventional but practical. My top concerns were weight and ergonomics. Many doublenecks are around 12 to 13 pounds and 18" wide. I knew I would never play something that big, no matter how good it sounded. To that end, I saved weight everywhere and tracked everything to the gram in a spreadsheet. (That’s also the reason I chose a fixed bridge instead of a vibrato.) I ultimately used a wipe-on gel stain to keep the weight down further. Stripping the paint from the factory saved 5 ounces! The final playable weight is 9 pounds, 5 ounces, and 15 1/4" wide at the lower bout. This has been pretty manageable, however, there is some neck dive because of the tuners. I’m taking everything I’ve learned from this prototype and designing a new doubleneck, which will be headless. I believe I can shed another pound and eliminate the neck dive that way. You can watch my entire build on . Twenty-seven-time Grammy winner Alison Krauss reveals new tour featuring Jerry Douglas. Their first tour together in a decade next year. The Arcadia 2025 Tour will see the acclaimed group playing 73 dates across the United States and Canada in 2025. They are also set to release new music next year. Krauss has also announced that legendary vocalist and guitarist Russell Moore has joined the ranks of Union Station. Best known as the frontman for chart-topping group IIIrd Tyme Out, Moore is the most awarded male vocalist in the history of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), with six total wins, and has guided his group to more than 50 industry honors including seven IBMA Vocal Group of the Year titles. He joins longtime Union Station members - Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals), Barry Bales (bass, vocals) and newly inducted Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel, vocals). “I’m so grateful to get to make music again with my comrades of 40 years,” says Alison Krauss. “They’ve always accomplished incredible work individually and have been constantly traveling because of it. We’re very inspired to experience this new exciting chapter in the band’s history.” "To say I'm excited about recording and touring with Alison Krauss & Union Station would be a huge understatement,” adds Russell Moore. “After 40 years of playing music full-time and leading my own group for 34 years, this opportunity is among the few things at the top of the list that my music career has offered me. My hopes and desires are to fill this spot in AKUS with the same professionalism, precision, and thoughtfulness as other members who have held this position before me, and I'm looking forward to the 'ride’!” The 73-date tour, which features special guest Willie Watson, kicks off on Thursday, April 17th in Louisville, KY and includes iconic venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Morris, CO), the Greek Theatre (Los Angeles, CA), the Beacon Theatre (New York, NY), and more. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 6th, with presales available from Wednesday, December 4th at 10AM local through Thursday, December 5th at 10PM local. Next year, fans can expect to hear new music from AKUS for the first time since the band’s 2011 masterpiece Paper Airplane, an album hailed as “shining, dramatic, and beautiful” by NPR Music, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Bluegrass, and Folk Album charts. Website: . Thursday, April 17, 2025 | The Louisville Palace | Louisville, KY* Friday, April 18, 2025 | The Louisville Palace | Louisville, KY* Saturday, April 19, 2025 | Mershon Auditorium | Columbus, OH* Friday, April 25, 2025 | Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park | Atlanta, GA Saturday, April 26, 2025 | Live Oak Bank Pavilion | Wilmington, NC Sunday, April 27, 2025 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre | Cary, NC Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | Bell Auditorium | Augusta, GA Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | The Adderley Amphitheater | Tallahassee, FL Friday, May 2, 2025 | The Wharf Amphitheater | Orange Beach, AL Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Brandon Amphitheater | Brandon, MS Sunday, May 4, 2025 | BJCC Concert Hall | Birmingham, AL Tuesday, May 6, 2025 | Orpheum Theatre | Memphis, TN Monday, May 12, 2025 | First Security Amphitheater | Little Rock, AR Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | The Criterion | Oklahoma City, OK Thursday, May 15, 2025 | Saint Louis Music Park | Maryland Heights, MO Friday, May 16, 2025 | Walmart AMP | Rogers, AR Saturday, May 17, 2025 | Starlight Theatre | Kansas City, MO Thursday, May 29, 2025 | Smart Financial Centre | Sugar Land, TX Friday, May 30, 2025 | Whitewater Amphitheater | New Braunfels, TX Saturday, May 31, 2025 | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory | Irving, TX Tuesday, June 3, 2025 | PNC Pavilion | Cincinnati, OH Wednesday, June 4, 2025 | Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater | Decatur, IL Friday, June 6, 2025 | BMO Pavilion | Milwaukee, WI Saturday, June 7, 2025 | The Chicago Theatre | Chicago, IL Sunday, June 8, 2025 | The Ledge | Waite Park, MN Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | Vetter Stone Amphitheater | Mankato, MN Wednesday, June 11, 2025 | Bayfront Festival Park | Duluth, MN Friday, June 13, 2025 | McGrath Amphitheatre | Cedar Rapids, IA Saturday, June 14, 2025 | Denny Sanford Premier Center | Sioux Falls, SD Sunday, June 15, 2025 | The Astro Amphitheater | Omaha, NE Monday, June 16, 2025 | Hartman Arena | Park City, KS Wednesday, June 18, 2025 | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO Friday, June 20, 2025 | Dillon Amphitheater | Dillon, CO Saturday, June 21, 2025 | Kit Carson Park | Taos, NM Friday, July 11, 2025 | Arizona Financial Theatre | Phoenix, AZ Saturday, July 12, 2025 | The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park | San Diego, CA Sunday, July 13, 2025 | Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | Santa Barbara Bowl | Santa Barbara, CA Wednesday, July 16, 2025 | The Mountain Winery | Saratoga, CA Friday, July 18, 2025 | Grand Theatre | Reno, NV Saturday, July 19, 2025 | Redding Civic Auditorium | Redding, CA Sunday, July 20, 2025 | Edgefield Amphitheater | Troutdale, OR Tuesday, July 22, 2025 | Wine Country Amphitheater | Walla Walla, WA Wednesday, July 23, 2025 | Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden | Boise, ID Saturday, July 26, 2025 | Theatre at the Brick | Bozeman, MT Sunday, July 27, 2025 | BECU Live at Northern Quest | Airway Heights, WA Tuesday, July 29, 2025 | Grey Eagle Resort & Casino | Calgary, AB Thursday, July 31, 2025 | TCU Place | Saskatoon, SK Friday, August 1, 2025 | Centennial Concert Hall | Winnipeg, MB Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | Massey Hall | Toronto, ON Thursday, August 21, 2025 | Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park | Indianapolis, IN Friday, August 22, 2025 | Ascend Amphitheater | Nashville, TN Saturday, August 23, 2025 | The Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN Sunday, August 24, 2025 | The Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium | Chattanooga, TN Thursday, August 28, 2025 | The Dome | Virginia Beach, VA Friday, August 29, 2025 | Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront | Richmond, VA Saturday, August 30, 2025 | Earl Scruggs Music Festival | Mill Spring, NC + Saturday, September 6, 2025 | Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre | Sterling Heights, MI Sunday, September 7, 2025 | Jacobs Pavilion | Cleveland, OH Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | Wolf Trap | Vienna, VA++ Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark | Philadelphia, PA Friday, September 12, 2025 | Beacon Theatre | New York, NY Tuesday, September 16, 2025 | Veterans Memorial Auditorium | Providence, RI Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | Leader Bank Pavilion | Boston, MA Friday, September 19, 2025 | BankNH Pavilion | Gilford, NH Saturday, September 20, 2025 | The Green at Shelburne Museum | Shelburne, VT Sunday, September 21, 2025 | Artpark Mainstage Theater | Lewiston, NY Tuesday, September 23, 2025 | Salem Civic Center | Salem, VA Wednesday, September 24, 2025 | Credit One Stadium | Charleston, SC Friday, September 26, 2025 | The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre | St. Augustine, FL Saturday, September 27, 2025 | The BayCare Sound | Clearwater, FL Sunday, September 28, 2025 | Hard Rock Live | Hollywood, FL *
TORONTO -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products , a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, attended a dinner with Trump and Trudeau at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Friday. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . "The prime minister of course spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs, but we also discussed with our American friends the negative impact that those tariffs could have on their economy, on affordability in the United States as well," LeBlanc said in Parliament. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, alcohol and other goods. The Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said last week that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when the countries retaliate. Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the U.S. should Trump follow through on the threat. After his dinner with Trump, Trudeau returned home without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. “The idea that we came back empty handed is completely false,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future Cabinet secretaries. ... The commitment from Mr. Trump to continue to work with us was far from empty handed.” Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice to be his national security adviser. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “the message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood.” Hillman, who sat at an adjacent table to Trudeau and Trump, said Canada is not the problem when it comes to drugs and migrants. On Monday, Mexico’s president rejected those comments. “Mexico must be respected, especially by its trading partners,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She said Canada had its own problems with fentanyl consumption and “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs at the two countries’ border are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security.None
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India News | In 2012, Manmohan Underwent Operations, Never Quite Recovered Physically: Aiyar in BookNEW YORK (AP) — Jason LaCroix felt privileged to work from home, especially as a father to two young children. He needed flexibility when his son, then 6, suffered a brain injury and spent 35 days in intensive care. LaCroix, a senior systems engineer based in Atlanta, took time off and then worked from home while managing his son’s care and appointments. But LaCroix was laid off last February from that job, where he’d been working remotely for five years. His new role requires him to spend four days a week in a company office and commute for three hours a day. “I want to be around for my kids,” LaCroix, 44, said. “It’s very important for me to be around for my son, because we almost lost him.” Heading into 2025, thousands of workers face an unsettling reality: after years of working from the comfort of home, they must return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic or look for new work. Employees at Amazon , AT&T and other companies have been called back to the office five days per week. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to fire federal workers who don’t show up to do their jobs in-person. “People always want to have flexibility,” said Mark Ma, a University of Pittsburgh associate professor of business administration. “I have never heard anyone telling me that I thank my job because it’s so rigid in its schedule.” Ma researched what happened when technology and finance companies in the S&P 500 stopped allowing employees to work remotely in recent years. He found the companies experienced high turnover rates after implementing return-to-office mandates, especially among female employees — who often have childcare responsibilities — and senior-level executives. “Over the years, people have adjusted their lives. They’ve figured out, ‘Oh wow, I can pick my kids up for school. Wow. I can caretake for my aging parents while I am still working,'” said Shavon Terrell-Camper, a therapist and mental wellness coach. “Once you have tasted work-from-home ... it’s difficult to see your life going back to something that could’ve been unsustainable from the beginning.” Workers and experts have advice to share about how to navigate the changes when an employer calls you back to the office . Employers can compromise if their goal is to increase how much time staff members spend together. Ma suggests an “employee-choice” approach which gives teams the authority to decide how many days they will work in the office as a group. If that’s not an option, employees also can ask to adjust their hours. LaCroix leaves home at 5 a.m. and works in the office until 2 p.m. to reduce time in traffic and allow him to be home when his kids get off the bus after school. His employer requires eight hours in the workplace but is flexible on which hours. “A lot of people are pushing back, and they are trying to work out scenarios to see what type of flexibility does exist within the mandate,” Terrell-Camper said. Some are coming up with work-arounds that aren’t endorsed by upper management. “Coffee badging” is a technique that involves heading to the office, swiping a company ID, having a coffee and leaving to work from home. Desperate to hold onto valuable employees, supervisors have tried a “hushed hybrid” approach, where they take their subordinates’ ID badges and swipe them “in” and “out” to make it appear they’ve been in the office, Ma said. It’s best to have an honest conversation with a manager about any personal needs and to “ask for forgiveness ahead of time, because your family is the most important thing,” said Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute. Many companies have employee assistance programs that do more than most people realize, such as directing employees to resources that can help them care for parents or children, she said. Medical conditions can make it especially challenging to work on-site. Kyle Anckney, a public relations strategist based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has cerebral palsy and needs a nurse to help him change a catheter three times a day. His health insurance will only send a nurse to one location, so working in an office isn’t an option. “If that weren’t an issue, I could find my way into the office,” he said. Anckney, who ran his own PR firm for years, was seeking director-level roles, but a recruiter told him he should consider less-senior roles because of his need to work remotely. Instead, he applied to director-level jobs that were advertised as on-site or hybrid, and then reached out to explain his circumstances and ask if the hiring companies were open to him working from home. “While I would never normally, especially in a career setting, lead with, ‘I have cerebral palsy and I’m in a wheelchair,’ I’m finding that I’m almost having to make myself vulnerable in that way just to see if the opportunity is even there for me,” Anckney said. Landing a fully remote job can be competitive. “There are going to be many people that don’t have the luxury just to leave” their current jobs if they’re required to return to the office, “especially in a volatile market such as we’re in right now,” Terrell-Camper said. Attorney Holly Keerikatte was recently working on-site five days a week at a hospital, commuting about three hours a day and looking for a role that allowed more time with her family. She received two job offers. One was fully remote. The other paid 50% more but required a long commute. She recalled reading the phrase, “The only people who remember you worked late are your children.” She chose the remote job. “My primary driver is what’s best for my family,” Keerikatte said. “My advice is to be up-front and transparent about what you want, what you’re looking for and why.” When faced with the inevitability of returning to an office, look for the positives. Friendships can blossom as colleagues take coffee breaks together or sample new lunch spots. In-person conversations can spark ideas that wouldn’t surface at home. Employers can ease the transition by organizing activities that create camaraderie. For example, managers can put together a series of talks about the transition and have groups share what works for them, Dufrane said. Face-to-face contact allows people to better understand what colleagues are thinking and doing, which helps prevent resentment and can provide helpful feedback. Video director Deborah Ann DeSnoo, who owns Plug-In Inc., a video production company in Chofu, Japan, says she has worked in many countries where the film industry was male-dominated and female directors like her were uncommon. She makes a point to connect with colleagues in person, giving her a chance to bond. “You can read the air in a different way, and you find a solution,” DeSnoo said. “When you’re on a Zoom and they ignore you, there’s nothing you can do.”
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