TikTok bids; Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ tariffs; Final Four : NPR

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Today’s top stories

President Trump unveiled yesterday that starting this weekend, his administration plans to impose a 10% minimum tariff on goods from all countries. Imports from certain trading partners will be subject to much higher levies. Trump said the tariffs would help spark the rebirth of the American industry. Early reaction to the move has been mostly negative.

• 🎧 Trump calls the move “reciprocal tariffs,” however, the White House acknowledged it would be hard to calculate the actual trade barriers from every country, NPR’s Scott Horsley tells Up First. As a result, the Trump administration picked an arbitrary number they thought would be high enough to chip away at each country’s trade surplus. Economists say the tariffs will likely mean higher prices and slower growth in the U.S.

World leaders have responded with confusion over Trump’s tariff announcement. Some are working to prepare countermeasures to target the U.S., while others are hoping to negotiate a deal. Global markets are experiencing a fallout.

• 🎧 NPR’s John Ruwitch says many world governments are frustrated and believe the tariffs are unwarranted. The European Union was hit with 20% tariffs. The European Commission president stated that Europe is open to negotiations but is working on countermeasures in case talks fail. Trump has signaled that he’s open to making deals. Japan, Brazil and China have suggested that the tariffs break World Trade Organization rules.

TikTok’s owners have until Saturday to sell the popular video app. Earlier this year, a law went into effect banning the app unless it sheds its China-based owner, ByteDance. After his inauguration, Trump said he wouldn’t enforce the ban and would hold a public auction to sell TikTok over the coming months. Under the leasing plan, a new U.S. entity would be created led by software giant Oracle.

• 🎧 Oracle is a top contender because it already operates almost all of TikTok’s cloud and it has experience with high-level national security dataNPR’s Bobby Allyn says. Leasing TikTok’s algorithm from its current owner is an unusual tactic, but it would circumvent the need for the Chinese government to sign off on selling the algorithm. Lawmakers remain concerned that China will use TikTok to influence Americans and steal their data. Trump hopes this deal will put those fears to rest, according to Allyn. Meanwhile, Chinese authorities were hoping TikTok would help provide leverage to get a better deal on tariffs.

Living better

Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.

Sports betting can be recreational and responsible, but it’s not for everyone, especially those who have a gambling addiction. The excitement of the March Madness NCAA tournament can be a particularly challenging time for those trying not to gamble. According to the American Gaming Association, Americans are expected to wager $3.1 billion on the March Madness games this year. Experts say many people don’t clearly understand what a gambling problem looks like and how to address it.

• 🏀 Look for these four signs of a gambling problem: a preoccupation with it, gambling alone, not being able to stop gambling even when trying to and feeling compelled to gamble more after losses.
• 🏀 Regulations and resources differ from state to state. The National Problem Gambling Help Line — 1-800-GAMBLER — connects people to their local resources.
• 🏀 Support can be important for people in recovery. Gamblers Anonymous doesn’t have in-person meetings everywhere in the U.S., but they have virtual ones.
• 🏀 Experts say that recovery is possible with a mindset change. Limiting access to money and gambling apps are short-term solutions.

Picture show

In the Apache community, the Sunrise Dance is a vital ceremony marking a young lady’s transition into womanhood. During the ceremony, she temporarily becomes the incarnation of White Painted Woman, the Apache’s first lady and mother of their people. Through the blessings of song and dance, she becomes an adult. This four-day spiritual event brings the entire community together to prepare. The week before the ceremony, the community cuts down cottonwood trees and gathers yucca plants and other supplies for the dance. Members help prepare the food and build the camp. A cow is slaughtered to help feed everyone. Alejandra Rubio, a Nevada-based photographer and a member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation in Arizona, recounts the sacred gathering through photos.

3 things to know before you go

1. The parents of Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr., a Bucknell University football player who died after his first practice last July, are suing the school. They allege he died as a result of a hazing ritual for freshman players.
2. It’s Final Four weekend for both the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments. Keep an eye on these future top draft picks and National Player of the Year candidates.
3. Tesla announced yesterday that global deliveries of its flagship electric car models dropped 13% compared to the first quarter of last year.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.