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President Donald Trump is ready to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar during his trip to the Middle East this coming week, and U.S. officials say it could be converted into a potential presidential aircraft.The Qatari government said a final decision hadn’t been made. Still, Trump defended the ideawhat would amount to a president accepting an astonishingly valuable gift from a foreign governmentas a fiscally smart move for the country.“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump posted on his social media site on Sunday night. “Anybody can do that!”ABC News reported that Trump will use the aircraft as his presidential plane until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029, when ownership will be transferred to the foundation overseeing his yet-to-be-built presidential library.The gift was expected to be announced when Trump visits Qatar, according to ABC’s report, as part of a trip that also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the first extended foreign travel of his second term.Before Trump’s post trumpeting the idea, Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché, said in a statement that the “possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense.”“But the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made,” the statement added.Meanwhile, administration officials, anticipating ethics concerns, have prepared an analysis arguing that accepting the plane would be legal, according to ABC. The Constitution’s Emoluments Clause bars anyone holding government office from accepting any present, emolument, office or title from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent.One expert on government ethics, Kathleen Clark of the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, accused Trump of being “committed to exploiting the federal government’s power, not on behalf of policy goals, but for amassing personal wealth.”Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer poked fun at Trump’s “America first” political slogan.“Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” the New York Democrat said in a statement. “It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom.”Even some conservatives expressed dismay online, noting that an aircraft being offered by a foreign government could present security risks if used by a U.S. president.Air Force One is a modified Boeing 747. Two exist, and the president flies on both, which are more than 30 years old. Boeing Inc. has the contract to produce updated versions, but delivery has been delayed while the company has lost billions of dollars on the project.Trump intends to convert the Qatari aircraft into a plane he can fly on as president, with the Air Force planning to add secure communications and other classified elements to it. But it will still have more limited capabilities than the existing planes that were built to serve as Air Force One, as well as two other aircraft currently under construction, according to a former U.S. official.The official was briefed about the plane and spoke Sunday on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not yet been made public.The existing planes used as Air Force One are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.The official told The Associated Press that it would be possible to quickly add some countermeasures and communications systems to the Qatari plane, but that it would be less capable than the existing Air Force One aircraft or long-delayed replacements.Neither the Qatari plane nor the upcoming VC-25B aircraft will have the air-to-air refueling capabilities of the current VC-25A aircraft, which is the one the president currently flies on, the official said.Jordan Libowitz, communications director for the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called such a gift “unprecedented.”“The totality of gifts given to a president over their term doesn’t get close to this level,” Libowitz said, adding, “You have to ask, if he makes foreign policyespecially in regards to the Middle Easthow much is he being influenced by his gifts and his business deals.”ABC said the new plane is similar to a 13-year-old Boeing aircraft Trump toured in February, while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport and he was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club.Trump faced lawsuits for violating the Emoluments Clause during his first term, but those were ended by the Supreme Court in 2021, which found the cases moot because the Republican had left office.Trump’s family business, the Trump Organization, which is now largely run by his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has vast and growing interests in the Middle East. That includes a new deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, partnering with Qatari Diar, a real estate company backed by that country’s sovereign wealth fund.Qatar, which is ruled by the Al Thani family, is home to the state-owned airline Qatar Airways. The country also has worked to have a close relationship to Trump after he apparently backed a boycott of Doha by four Arab nations in his first term. Trump later in his term applauded Qatar.Administration officials have brushed off concerns about the president’s policy interests blurring with family’s business profits. They note that Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children and that a voluntary ethics agreement released by the Trump Organization in January bars the company from striking deals directly with foreign governments.But that same agreement allows deals with private companies abroad. That is a departure from Trump’s first term, when the organization released an ethics pact prohibiting both foreign government and foreign company deals.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked Friday if the president might meet with people who have ties to his family’s business, said it was “ridiculous” to suggest Trump “is doing anything for his own benefit.” Associated Press writer Christine Fernando in Chicago and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. Zeke Miller and Will Weissert, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
U.S. and Chinese officials said Monday they had reached a deal to roll back most of their recent tariffs and call a 90-day truce in their trade war for more talks on resolving their trade disputes.Stock markets rose sharply as the globe’s two major economic powers took a step back from a clash that has unsettled the global economy.U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the U.S. agreed to drop its 145% tariff rate on Chinese goods by 115 percentage points to 30%, while China agreed to lower its rate on U.S. goods by the same amount to 10%.Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the tariff reductions at a news conference in Geneva.The two officials struck a positive tone as they said the two sides had set up consultations to continue discussing their trade issues. Bessent said at the news briefing after two days of talks that the high tariff levels would have amounted to a complete blockage of each sides goods, an outcome neither side wants.“The consensus from both delegations this weekend is neither side wants a decoupling,” Bessent said. “And what had occurred with these very high tariff . . . was an embargo, the equivalent of an embargo. And neither side wants that. We do want trade.”“We want more balanced trade. And I think that both sides are committed to achieving that.”The delegations, escorted around town and guarded by scores of Swiss police, met for at least a dozen hours on both days of the weekend at sun-baked 17th-century villa that serves as the official residence of the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.At times, the delegation leaders broke away from their staffs and settled into sofas on the villa’s patios overlooking Lake Geneva, helping deepen personal ties in the effort to reach a much-sought deal.China’s Commerce Ministry said the two sides agreed to cancel 91% in tariffs on each other’s goods and suspend another 24% in tariffs for 90 days, bringing the total reduction to 115 percentage points.The ministry called the agreement an important step for the resolution of the two countries’ differences and said it lays the foundation for further cooperation.“This initiative aligns with the expectations of producers and consumers in both countries and serves the interests of both nations as well as the common interests of the world,” a ministry statement said.China hopes the U.S will stop “the erroneous practice of unilateral tariff hikes” and work with China to safeguard the development of their economic and trade relations, injecting more certainty and stability into the global economy, the ministry said.The joint statement issued by the two countries said China also agreed to suspend or remove other measures it has taken since April 2 in response to the U.S. tariffs.China has increased export controls on rare earths including some critical to the defense industry and added more American companies to its export control and unreliable entity lists, restricting their business with and in China.The full impact on the complicated tariffs and other trade penalties enacted by Washington and Beijing remains unclear. And much depends on whether they will find ways to bridge longstanding differences during the 90-day suspension.But investors rejoiced as trade envoys from the world’s two biggest economies blinked, finding ways to pull back from potentially massive disruptions to world trade and their own markets.Futures for the S&P 500 jumped 2.6% and for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 2%. Oil prices surged more than $1.60 a barrel and the U.S. dollar gained against the euro and the Japanese yen.“This is a substantial de-escalation,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist at Capital Economics. But he warned “there is no guarantee that the 90-day truce will give way to a lasting ceasefire.”Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, welcomed the news but expressed caution. The tariffs only were suspended for 90 days and there is great uncertainty over what lies ahead, he said in a statement.“Businesses need predictability to maintain normal operations and make investment decisions. The chamber therefore hopes to see both sides continue to engage in dialogue to resolve differences, and avoid taking measures that will disrupt global trade and result in collateral damage for those caught in the cross-fire,” Eskelund said.Trump last month raised U.S. tariffs on China to a combined 145% and China retaliated by hitting American imports with a 125% levy. Tariffs that high essentially amount to the two countries boycotting each other’s products, disrupting trade that last year topped $660 billion.The announcement by the U.S. and China sent shares surging, with U.S. futures jumping more than 2%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged nearly 3% and benchmarks in Germany and France were both up 0.7%The Trump administration has imposed tariffs on countries worldwide, but its fight with China has been the most intense. Trump’s import taxes on goods from China include a 20% charge meant to pressure Beijing into doing more to stop the flow of the synthetic opioid fentanyl into the United States. McHugh contributed from Frankfurt, Germany, Kurtenbach from Mito, Japan, and Moritsugu from Beijing. Jamey Keaten, David McHugh, Elaine Kurtenbach and Ken Moritsugu, Assosicated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
This week, the discount retail chain Big Lots will open dozens of new stores. The openings are the third part of a four-wave relaunch of the brand, which marks a radical turnaround for a chain that was expected to close every store permanently after it filed for bankruptcy last year. Heres what you need to know about the latest round of Big Lots store openings. Big Lots back from bankruptcy brink Back in December 2024, Big Lots filed for bankruptcy after years of financial struggles. The company announced that it would close all of its 800 stores and permanently go out of business, and it brought in liquidation specialists Gordon Brothers to oversee the closure. But in a last-minute deal, Variety Wholesalers, which owns discount chains including Super Dollar and Bargain Town, swooped in and agreed to buy 219 Big Lots locations from Gordon Brothers. Variety then announced that it would reopen those locations after a brief period of closure for remodeling and restocking, and continue to operate them under the Big Lots brand. As Fast Company previously reported, those 219 Big Lots reopenings would be conducted in a phased approach made up of four waves: The first wave of stores opened in April. The second wave of stores opened in early May. This week, the third wave of that phased reopening begins. 78 more Big Lots locations to open on May 15 On Thursday, May 15, an additional 78 Big Lots stores will reopen in Variety Wholesalers third wave. The 78 store openings will occur in 13 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The state with the most openings in this wave is North Carolina with 16 openings, followed by Pennsylvania with 10 openings. Here is the full list of Big Lots wave 3 openings: Alabama 14228 US Highway 431, Guntersville, AL, 35976 5510 McFarland Blvd, Northport, AL, 35476 1100 Hwy 78 W, Jasper, AL, 35501 2821 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL, 36303 Florida 4700 Highway 90, Marianna, FL, 32446 225 S Tyndall Pkwy, Panama City, FL, 32404 9119 Merrill Rd Ste 50, Jacksonville, FL, 32225 122 S Nova Rd, Ormond Beach, FL, 32174 146 SE US Highway 19, Crystal River, FL, 34429 Georgia 260 Merchants Square, Dallas, GA, 30132 2932 Canton Rd Ste 210, Marietta, GA, 30066 3791 S Cobb Dr SE Ste G, Smyrna, GA, 30080 4125 Highway 20, Ste A-2, Buford, GA, 30518 2305 E 1st St, Vidalia, GA, 30474 1803 Knight Ave Ste A2, Waycross, GA, 31501 4420 Altama Ave Ste C2, Brunswick, GA, 31520 Kentucky 400 Campbellsville Byp, Campbellsville, KY, 42718 294 Village Ln, Hazard, KY, 41701 845 S Main St, London, KY, 40741 102 N 12th St, Middlesboro, KY, 40965 345 N Hwy 27 Ste 5, Somerset, KY, 42503 Michigan 659 24th St, Port Huron, MI, 48060 14333 Eureka Rd, Southgate, MI, 48195 Mississippi 875 Main St, Southaven, MS, 38671 North Carolina 685 S Hughes Blvd, Elizabeth City, NC, 27909 2725 Northwest Blvd, Newton, NC, 28658 1020 Crossroads Dr, Statesville, NC, 28625 376 West Plaza Drive, Mooresville, NC, 28117 403 N Generals Blvd, Lincolnton, NC, 28092 1728 E Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC, 28152 601 Park St, Belmont, NC, 28012 3718 Battleground Ave, Greensboro, NC, 27410 1811 S Church St, Burlington, NC, 27215 838 Winston Rd, Lexington, NC, 27295 1700 Raleigh Rd Pkwy W Ste 104, Wilson, NC, 27896 609 Greenville Blvd SE, Greenville, NC, 27858 1403 S Pollock St, Selma, NC, 27576 1140 W Broad St, Dunn, NC, 28334 3915 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC, 28311 3910 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville, NC, 28304 Ohio 3946 W Alexis Rd, Toledo, OH, 43623 1800 E State St, Fremont, OH, 43420 825 Cleveland St, Elyria, OH, 44035 408 Bluebell Dr NW, New Philadelphia, OH, 44663 2837 Winchester Pike, Columbus, OH, 43232 4260 West Broad St, Columbus, OH, 43228 3961 Hoover Rd, Grove City, OH, 43123 2050 E Dorothy Ln, Kettering, OH, 45420 1700 E Main St, Lancaster, OH, 43130 Pennsylvania 2215 W 12th St, Erie, PA, 16505 820 Water St, Meadville, PA, 16335 697 Allegheny Blvd, Franklin, PA, 16323 2611 Ellwood Rd, New Castle, PA, 16101 5522 Shaffer Rd Unit 7, Du Bois, PA, 15801 2431 Columbia Blvd, Bloomsburg, PA, 17815 156 Eagles Glen Plz Ste 190, East Stroudsburg, PA, 18301 1241 Blakeslee Boulevard Dr E, Lehighton, PA, 18235 3437 Simpson Ferry Rd, Camp Hill, PA, 17011 467 W Penn Ave, Cleona, PA, 17042 South Carolina 207 Oconee Square Dr, Seneca, SC, 29678 339 Bypass 72 NW, Greenwood, SC, 29649 421 Columbia Ave, Lexington, SC, 29072 3230 Augusta Rd, West Columbia, SC, 29170 Tennessee 3110 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, TN, 37601 2342 E Andrew Johnson Hwy, Morristown, TN, 37814 1475 E Andrew Johnson Hwy, Greeneville, TN, 37745 116 S Hall Rd, Alcoa, TN, 37701 201 Forks of the River Parkway, Sevierville, TN, 37862 264 E Broadwy Blvd, Jefferson City, TN, 37760 Virginia 260 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA, 22630 10611 Courthouse Rd, Fredericksburg, VA, 22407 10001 Hull Street Rd, North Chesterfield, VA, 23236 2660 Weir Place, Chester, VA, 23831 5260 Oaklawn Blvd, North Prince George, VA, 23860 4318 George Washington Mem Hwy, Yorktown, VA, 23692 West Virginia 291 Mall Rd, Oak Hill, WV, 25901 4522 Robert C Byrd Dr, Beckley, WV, 25801 1350 Stafford Dr, Princeton, WV, 24740 Future Big Lots reopenings Thursdays openings will represent the third wave of Variety Wholesalers four-phased Big Lots reopening rollout. With Thursdays opening of another 78 locations, that will bring Big Lots total reopenings to 141. That means the final 78 openings of the 219 total planned stores will happen in wave 4, which is currently scheduled for June.
Category:
E-Commerce
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