Author: Michael Wilner

WASHINGTON — Former President Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer, his office said Sunday, a devastating development after having dropped his bid for reelection last summer over widespread concerns over his age and health. Biden’s personal office said he was examined last week after the president reported a series of concerning symptoms.“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” the office said in a statement.“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians,” the statement added.The former president, 82, had been making his first public appearances since leaving office in recent weeks, including a public address and a lengthy sit-down on ABC’s “The View,” and also hired a communications strategist to help burnish his legacy amid the publication of a series of books critically examining his time at the White House.Biden has a tragic personal history with cancer, losing his son, Beau Biden, to glioblastoma in 2015, when he was serving as vice president. At that time, he launched the “cancer moonshot,” a government-wide push for improved cancer treatments that he relaunched during his presidency.The spread of cancer to the bones will make Biden’s cancer difficult to cure. But its receptiveness to hormone treatments could help his medical team inhibit the cancer’s growth, at least temporarily. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race in July under immense pressure from leadership in the Democratic Party after a disastrous debate with the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, laid bare concerns over his age and acuity.Within hours of dropping out of the race, Biden endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to run in his place. She quickly coalesced the party around her nomination and avoided a primary battle, but lost to Trump in November.In a post on X, Harris said she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were saddened to learn of Biden’s diagnosis. “We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time,” she wrote. “Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”Last week on “The View,” Biden said he took responsibility for Trump’s return to power, because he was in office at the time. “I do, because, look, I was in charge and he won. So, you know, I take responsibility,” he said.But he continued to reject criticisms that he and his team worked to conceal the effects of his age on his performance as president, saying he was not surprised by Harris’ loss and suggesting he still believes he could have beaten Trump had he stayed in the race.“It wasn’t a slam dunk,” he said, referring to President Trump’s victory. “Let me put it this way. He’s had the worst 100 days any president’s ever had. And I would not say honesty has been his strong point.”Trump expressed concern about Biden’s condition in a Truth Social post Sunday. “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,” he wrote.California Gov. Gavin Newsom was among the many politicians from both parties who posted their warm wishes and prayers for the former president. “Our hearts are with President Biden and his entire family right now. A man of dignity, strength, and compassion like his deserves to live a long and beautiful life. Sending strength, healing and prayers his way,” Newsom wrote on X.House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote on X: “This is certainly sad news, and the Johnson family will be joining the countless others who are praying for the former President in the wake of his diagnosis.”Biden was spending the weekend in Delaware with family, an aide said. More to Read

WASHINGTON — The California attorney general’s office said Tuesday that it will seek a preliminary injunction in its case challenging President Trump’s tariff policy, a move that could result in a court order freezing sweeping import duties on worldwide products that have rocked the global economy and U.S. markets since last month.The case, filed last month in the Northern District of California, argues that Trump lacks authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the tariffs he announced April 2 on nearly all U.S. trading partners, as well as those levied against China, Mexico and Canada due to the fentanyl trade, a set of tariffs that used the same national security rationale.A hearing in the case is scheduled for next week, and a decision on the preliminary injunction could come from the San Francisco federal court as soon as mid-June, an official with the attorney general’s office told The Times.Trump announced a new baseline for global tariffs on April 2 and a series of country-specific tariff rates that sent banks and financial institutions into a panic. The White House has retreated on several of the harshest elements of the policy, but tariffs remain far higher on most trading partners, inflicting continuing harm on California, the state’s lawyers argue.“Uncertainty and unpredictability are bad for business, bad for the economy, and bad for California,” Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said in a statement. “California is set to experience an outsized share of losses due to our larger economy, workforce, and exposure to trade. We are pulling out all the stops and will today ask the court to immediately halt these illegal tariffs while California argues its case.”In a filing in another case, the attorney general’s office submitted an amicus brief supporting an effort by other states to halt the tariffs in the Court of International Trade, which could issue a ruling on the matter even earlier.“President Trump has overstepped his authority, and now families, businesses, and our ports are literally paying the price,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “As the largest economy in the nation, California has the most to lose from President Trump’s weak and reckless policies.” More to Read

WASHINGTON — China and the United States retreated from an emerging economic crisis on Monday, agreeing to drastically reduce tariffs on each other for the next 90 days as they continue to negotiate a more permanent trade deal, providing welcome news for investors and retailers who increasingly feared a breakthrough was out of reach.The temporary truce will see the United States lower tariffs on Chinese imports to 30% from 145%, and China reduce its import duties on U.S. goods to 10% from 125%, starting Wednesday. Wall Street rejoiced at the announcement of a deal, with the Dow Jones industrial average up 2.81%, the Standard & Poor’s 500 up 3.26%, and the Nasdaq up 4.35%, the largest market rally since President Trump last walked back rate hikes on other countries in mid-April.Trump referred to the development as a “total reset with China.” But the end result of the provisional agreement is a return to tariff rates that were in place before the president launched a global trade war on April 2, in what he called “Liberation Day” — a move that brought the largest decline in commercial shipping traffic since the COVID-19 pandemic and prompted financial institutions to warn of an imminent recession.Supply shortages and price increases on Chinese products may still hit American consumers in the coming weeks, a lingering effect of weeks of uncertainty, experts said. Many retailers have already increased their prices. And shipping costs are expected to skyrocket as manufacturers and wholesalers attempt to make up for lost time. The 90-day deadline for a more lasting trade deal could fuel further market volatility in the coming weeks.Trump’s Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, who led the negotiations with Beijing, also secured a commitment from China to cut non-tariff barriers it had put in place after April 2, including certain import restrictions and blacklisting of U.S. companies.“It de-escalates trade tensions and reduces the probability of a stagflation,” said Sung Won Sohn, a professor of finance and economics at Loyola Marymount University and a former commissioner at the Port of Los Angeles, referring to a phenomenon feared the world over by economists: a combination of slow economic growth, high inflation and increasing unemployment. “But this is a temporary truce. A tough road is ahead of us.”Over the next three months, the Trump administration says it intends to develop a “mechanism” that will “rebalance” the U.S. trade relationship with China — a task that has eluded presidents for decades. Trump hopes to change Beijing’s policy of providing government subsidies to state-owned enterprises and to reduce a $400-billion U.S. trade deficit with China, both tall orders in such a short time frame.“Supply chains have been disrupted and there are a lot fewer ships sailing the ocean,” Sohn added. “Supplies in stores won’t be as plentiful as it used to be. During the back-to-school season, for example, there will be shortages, stockouts and higher prices. If the negotiation progresses well, there will be more merchandise at retail stores for back-to-school and Christmas.”After the deal concluded in Geneva, Bessent said he would draw inspiration in the upcoming talks from a preliminary agreement negotiated with Beijing at the end of the first Trump administration called Phase One, which included new rules governing the exchange of intellectual property, technology transfer and financial services. Bessent claimed that deal was not enforced by the Biden administration.But the Treasury secretary acknowledged that the upcoming talks would be difficult. “Neither side wants a decoupling,” he said.“I don’t think anything’s going to be easy, because this has been going on for a long time,” Bessent told CNBC.Before departing for an official visit to the Middle East, Trump said he expected to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping and praised the agreement as a temporary step toward a permanent deal. The truce, Trump added, does not include tariffs on cars, steel and aluminum.He also spoke with Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook shortly after announcing the deal, Trump said.“The relationship is very good. We’re not looking to hurt China — China was being hurt very badly,” the president told reporters at the White House. “They were very happy to be able to do something with us.”Trump said that pharmaceuticals may also be exempt from tariff reductions with China going forward, speaking at a signing ceremony for an executive order aimed at lowering drug prices.The majority of the world’s pharmaceuticals are manufactured in China and India. But Trump reserved his harshest critique at the event for the European Union, which produces several high-profile drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, weight loss medications that Trump said are heavily overpriced in the United States.“The European Union is in many ways nastier than China,” Trump said, adding: “We’ve just started with them.“We have all the cards,” he said. “They treated us very unfairly.” More to Read