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For Japan’s new leader, the key to connecting with Trump could be a Ford F-150 truck

TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump has landed in Japan, where he’ll meet new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for the first time. She’s a protege of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whom Trump bonded with over their shared love of golf. It’s a critical meeting for Takaichi, who wants to calm trade tensions. Trump has long complained American cars were shut out of Japanese markets. So Japan’s government has floated the idea of buying a fleet of Ford F-150 trucks to use to inspect roads and infrastructure. Some worry the trucks could clog narrow Japanese streets. But Trump told reporters he likes the idea.

Wall Street rallies to more records as gold’s price slumps again

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rallied to more records ahead of a week packed with potentially market-moving events. The S&P 500 rose 1.2% Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.9%. Stocks also climbed to strong gains in Asia ahead of a meeting on Thursday between the heads of the United States and China. The hope is that the talks could clear rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies. This upcoming week will feature profit reports from some of Wall Street’s most influential companies and a meeting by the Federal Reserve on interest rates. Gold’s price fell back toward $4,000 per ounce.

Trump will meet Japan’s new prime minister and address US troops in next stop on Asia trip

TOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump begins a busy day in Asia on Tuesday, meeting Japan’s new prime minister and speaking to U.S. troops. Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister just days ago and aims to strengthen ties with Trump while defending Japan’s economic interests. Trump seeks $550 billion in Japanese investment to reduce U.S. tariffs. He arrived in Tokyo on Monday after attending a summit in Malaysia. There, he celebrated a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. Meanwhile, tensions between the U.S. and China appear to be cooling, with a trade deal possibly in the works. Trump plans to leave for South Korea on Wednesday.

China’s C919 jet faces turbulent skies as US-China trade tensions add to delays

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s ambition to rival Boeing and Airbus with its homegrown C919 passenger jet is hitting turbulent skies. The C919, made by China’s state-owned COMAC, relies heavily on Western components and trade friction has raised risks for securing those parts. As of October, COMAC had delivered only seven C919s, far short of its initial target of delivering 30 jets this year. The C919 also has yet to obtain international certification. Analysts say while the C919 may gain a bigger market share inside China, it will take years more for COMAC to break the Boeing-Airbus duopoly for big commercial jets.

Flight disruptions continue as air traffic controllers brace for their first full missing paychecks

A shortage of air traffic controllers has caused more flight disruptions at airports across the country. On Monday, Los Angeles International Airport experienced brief delays, while Dallas and Austin airports saw delays averaging 20 and 40 minutes, respectively. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop in Austin earlier Monday for about an hour. The disruptions come as the federal government shutdown nears a month. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned last week of increased delays and cancellations as controllers work without pay. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association reports mandatory overtime and missed paychecks are adding stress to the job.

Private donors gave more than $125M to keep foreign aid programs going after US cuts

NEW YORK (AP) — Efforts to back fill some of the cuts to U.S. foreign aid by the Trump administration raised over $125 million in eight months. The sum is more than the organizers of the emergency funds had imagined possible, while still falling far short of the tens of billions cut or frozen with the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development. A team of former USAID employees launched an effort they called Project Resource Optimization to recommended 80 specific programs for private donors to fund. In September, donors had given more than $110 million in charitable grants. Other emergency funds raised an additional $15 million.

Trump administation narrows list of potential Federal Reserve chairs to 5

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday confirmed the names of five candidates to replace Jerome Powell as chair of the powerful Federal Reserve next year. The names suggest that no matter who is picked, there will likely be big changes coming to the Federal Reserve next year. Bessent, who is leading the search for Powell’s replacement, last month published extensive criticisms of the Fed and some of the policies it has pursued from the Great Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 to the pandemic.

Trump wants to cancel more funding during the shutdown. Courts have hampered his earlier efforts

President Donald Trump’s administration has canceled, or threatened to cancel, billions of dollars of previously approved federal spending and wants to go after even more funding during the shutdown. But an Associated Press analysis shows courts have hampered his earlier efforts to challenge Congress’ power of the purse. As of early October, court orders were at least temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s spending cuts in 66 of 152 lawsuits. The count reflects decisions by district courts, appeals courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. But legal experts say two recent Supreme Court rulings could help the administration ultimately gain more control over government spending.

Republicans grapple with voter frustration over rising health care premiums

WASHINGTON (AP) — Notices of rising health insurance premiums are landing in voters’ mailboxes and sending some to town halls to vent their frustration. Republicans have offered few answers, saying they won’t negotiate until Democrats end the shutdown. The moment revives a familiar dynamic in a the Republican Party that is united in opposing the Affordable Care Act but still without a clear plan to replace it. The lack of a plan to address to rising costs risks political backlash for Republicans in next year’s midterms. Democrats have said tax credits that kept the costs lower should be extended and refused to reopen the government until they are.

US and China say a trade deal is drawing closer as Trump and Xi ready for a high-stakes meeting

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — U.S. and Chinese officials say a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies is drawing closer. The sides have reached an initial consensus for President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to aim to finalize during their high-stakes meeting Thursday in South Korea. Any agreement would be a relief to international markets. Trump’s treasury secretary says discussions with China yielded preliminary agreements to stop the precursor chemicals for fentanyl from coming into the United States. Scott Bessent also says Beijing would make “substantial” purchases of soybean and other agricultural products while putting off export controls on rare earth elements needed for advanced technologies.