From Visas to Jets, US and China Are Finding New Trade Leverage
While tariffs kicked off the dispute, it's the new trade weapons being unsheathed by both sides that have come to define the latest standoff. And if the damage done so far is any indication, the scars will prove more enduring — no matter the outcome of trade talks in London that will continue into a second day on Tuesday.
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8 minutes ago
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Trump signs executive order to rein in ‘chaotic' influence of money on college sports
Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order prohibiting 'third-party, pay-for-play' payments to college athletes, a move the White House says is intended to curb the booster-funded bidding wars that have upended the landscape of college sports in recent years. The order asserts that recent court rulings and a patchwork of conflicting state laws have dismantled long-standing NCAA rules, creating what it describes as a 'chaotic environment' that threatens the financial stability and competitive balance of collegiate athletics. Related: Why female athletes are challenging the NCAA's $2.8bn settlement It marks the most aggressive federal intervention yet in response to the rapid commercialization of college sports, particularly in football and men's basketball, where top programs now spend tens of millions of dollars to attract and retain athletes through name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. Under the new directive, schools would be expected to eliminate any third-party NIL payments used as recruiting inducements, while still allowing fair-market compensation for legitimate services such as brand endorsements. The order also seeks to protect women's and non-revenue sports, directing athletic departments to preserve – and in some cases expand – scholarship opportunities and roster spots in programs that don't generate significant revenue. Starting with the 2025–26 academic year, schools with more than $125m in athletic revenue are urged to increase their investment in non-revenue sports, while schools with $50m or more are required to maintain existing levels. The president's order points to growing disparities fueled by state-level legislation, including the more than 30 states that have passed NIL laws, and warns that the resulting imbalance has created an 'oligarchy' of wealthier programs that can simply outbid rivals for the best players. It also cites rising concerns that runaway NIL spending is draining resources from Olympic and educational sports that form the foundation of America's athletic system. 'Absent guardrails to stop the madness,' the order reads, 'many college sports will soon cease to exist.' In addition to targeting NIL abuses, the executive order: Calls on the Department of Education, the FTC, and the Department of Justice to develop enforcement and regulatory plans within 30 days Directs the Department of Labor and National Labor Relations Board to clarify the employment status of student-athletes in ways that prioritize educational benefits Instructs federal agencies to use Title IX enforcement, funding decisions, and litigation strategy to protect the long-term viability of college athletics Encourages collaboration with Congress and state governments to advance a national framework The order highlights the outsized role that college athletics play in US Olympic success, noting that 75% of athletes on the 2024 Olympic team were current or former collegiate athletes, and argues that preserving a broad base of non-revenue sports is essential to maintaining America's international dominance. While the order outlines sweeping federal priorities, it remains unclear how many of its provisions will be implemented in practice, particularly in the absence of new legislation. Still, the White House insists the move is necessary to restore fairness and stability to a system that it describes as 'drifting toward professionalization'. 'College sports are not, and should not be, professional sports,' the order declares. 'A national solution is urgently needed before it's too late.'
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's AI plan calls for massive data centers. Here's how it may affect energy in the U.S.
President Donald Trump's plan to boost artificial intelligence and build data centers across the U.S. could speed up a building boom that was already expected to strain the nation's ability to power it. The White House released the 'AI Action Plan' Wednesday, vowing to expedite permitting for construction of energy-intensive data centers as it looks to make the country a leader in a business that tech companies and others are pouring billions of dollars into. The plan says to combat 'radical climate dogma,' a number of restrictions — including clean air and water laws — could be lifted, aligning with Trump's 'American energy dominance' agenda and his efforts to undercut clean energy. Here's what you need to know. What AI means for the environment Massive amounts of electricity are needed to support the complex servers, equipment and more for AI. Electricity demand from data centers worldwide is set to more than double by 2030, to slightly more than the entire electricity consumption of Japan today, the International Energy Agency said earlier this year. In many cases, that electricity may come from burning coal or natural gas. These fossil fuels emit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide and methane. This in turn is tied to extreme weather events that are becoming more severe, frequent and costly. The data centers used to fuel AI also need a tremendous amount of water to keep cool. That means they can strain water sources in areas that may have little to spare. What Big Tech is saying and doing about finding all that power Typically, tech giants, up-and-comers and other developers try to keep an existing power plant online to meet demand, experts say, and most existing power plants in the U.S. are still producing electricity using fossil fuels — most often natural gas. In certain areas of the U.S., a combination of renewables and energy storage in the form of batteries are coming online. But tapping into nuclear power is especially of interest as a way to reduce data center-induced emissions while still meeting demand and staying competitive. Amazon said last month it would spend $20 billion on data center sites in Pennsylvania, including one alongside a nuclear power plant. The investment allows Amazon to plug right into the plant, a scrutinized but faster approach for the company's development timeline. Meta recently signed a deal to secure nuclear power to meet its computing needs. Microsoft plans to buy energy from the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, and Google previously signed a contract to purchase it from multiple small modular reactors in the works. What's at stake in the kind of energy that powers data centers Data centers are often built where electricity is cheapest, and often, that's not from renewables. And sometimes data centers are cited as a reason to extend the lives of traditional, fossil-fuel-burning power plants. But just this week, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the world's largest tech players to fuel their data center needs entirely with renewables by 2030. It's necessary to use fewer fossil fuels, he said. Experts say it's possible for developers, investors and the tech industry to decarbonize. However, though industry can do a lot with clean energy, the emerging demands are so big that it can't be clean energy alone, said University of Pennsylvania engineering professor Benjamin Lee. More generative AI, ChatGPT and massive data centers means 'relying on wind and solar alone with batteries becomes really, really expensive,' Lee added, hence the attention on natural gas, but also nuclear. What does AI growth mean for my electricity bills? Regardless of what powers AI, the simple law of supply and demand makes it all but certain that costs for consumers will rise. New data center projects might require both new energy generation and existing generation. Developers might also invest in batteries or other infrastructure like transmission lines. All of this costs money, and it needs to be paid for from somewhere. 'In a lot of places in the U.S., they are seeing that rates are going up because utilities are making these moves to try to plan,' said Amanda Smith, a senior scientist at research organization Project Drawdown. 'They're planning transmission infrastructure, new power plants for the growth and the load that's projected, which is what we want them to do," she added. "But we as ratepayers will wind up seeing rates go up to cover that.' ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at Alexa St. John, The Associated Press
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
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Is Coinbase Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold After Trump Signed the Genius Act?
President Donald Trump's signing of the GENIUS Act into law creates a clear regulatory framework for stablecoins, positioning Coinbase (COIN) as a primary beneficiary alongside Circle (CRCL) in the evolving crypto landscape. One Seeking Alpha analyst identified Coinbase and Circle as 'the biggest immediate winners in the public markets' from the landmark legislation. The Act establishes full reserve backing, real-time redemption, and transparency standards for U.S. dollar-pegged tokens, effectively launching what analysts refer to as the 'Web3 economy.' More News from Barchart NVDA Broken Wing Butterfly Trade Targets A Profit Zone Between 150 and 160 Is Opendoor Stock a Buy at New 52-Week Highs? Can Lucid Motors Stock Hit $7 in 2025? Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! The GENIUS Act should also benefit platforms like Coinbase that integrate stablecoin functionality with decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. With regulatory uncertainty removed and Coinbase positioned as a key infrastructure provider for the emerging stablecoin economy, the stock offers strong upside potential as institutions embrace compliant digital dollar applications. Is Coinbase Stock a Good Buy Right Now? Beyond the regularity wins, there are three other key catalysts for investors to watch here. First, the ETF success story continues to drive institutional adoption, with over $120 billion in assets gathered across crypto ETFs. Coinbase serves as custodian for the vast majority of these products, generating steady revenue while validating crypto's mainstream acceptance. CFO Alesia Haas noted that institutional buyers have been net purchasers of Bitcoin (BTCUSD), with corporations and even countries adding cryptocurrency to their balance sheets. Second, the $2.9 billion Deribit acquisition represents Coinbase's largest deal to date, adding the world's leading crypto options platform, which holds a 75% market share and $30 billion in open interest. This plugs a critical gap in Coinbase's derivative offerings, targeting the 75% of crypto trading volume that occurs in derivatives markets. Lastly, the company's crypto as a service offering serves over 200 financial institutions, positioning Coinbase as the infrastructure provider as traditional finance increasingly adopts cryptocurrency. With regulatory clarity emerging, institutional adoption accelerating, and utility-driven use cases maturing, Coinbase appears well-positioned to benefit from crypto's ongoing mainstream evolution. What Is the Target Price for COIN Stock? Out of the 31 analysts covering COIN stock, 14 recommend 'Strong Buy,' one recommends 'Moderate Buy,' 14 recommend 'Hold,' and two recommend 'Strong Sell.' The average COIN stock price target is $341, 14% below the current trading price. On the date of publication, Aditya Raghunath did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
