Trump Backed Down on Tariffs

Just hours after President Trump imposed steep tariffs on dozens of America’s trading partners, he reversed course. The president announced this afternoon that nearly all of his so-called reciprocal tariffs would be paused for 90 days.

The stock market reacted with glee, rebounding after a week of sharp declines. The S&P 500 ended the day up 9.5 percent, its largest daily increase since 2008. The tariffs, which Trump had raised to the highest level in a century, had caused economists to warn of recession risks.

Still, Trump made clear that he is not backing entirely away from the levies. He said that imports from China, which sharply retaliated today, will face an even higher 125 percent tariff, up from a 104 percent figure proposed yesterday. Other countries would face a universal 10 percent tariff — a meaningful fee, but far lower than the tariff that most of them had been subject to this morning.

White House officials repeatedly tried to suggest that today’s change in policy was a premeditated strategy designed to secure favorable deals. But Trump himself acknowledged that his decision was made in response to the market turmoil, particularly in the bond market. “You have to be flexible,” the president said. “Over the last few days, it looked pretty glum.”

To add to the uncertainty, the president said he might consider exempting some U.S. companies from the tariffs over the 90-day pause period. He said his thinking on the issue would be made “instinctively.”

Trump even used his social media network to encourage people to buy equities before the market surged.

The rulings were in direct response to a Supreme Court decision from earlier in the week that allowed the deportations to go forward because the migrants’ lawyers had filed their lawsuit in the wrong court.

In other politics news:

The Islamic State is eyeing a return in Syria

The Islamic State has regained strength in Syria, where it is attracting new fighters and increasing attacks, according to U.N. and U.S. officials. Any serious resurgence of the extremist group would threaten to undermine the recovery of a country still reeling after the fall of its brutal dictator, Bashar al-Assad.

In other news from the Middle East, an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza City neighborhood killed 23 people, including eight children, according to Gazan officials. Israel said it was targeting a Hamas operative.

Scientists mapped miles of wiring in a mouse brain

A team of more than 100 scientists announced today that they had accomplished something that was until recently considered unthinkable: They recorded the cellular activity and mapped the structure in a tiny fraction of a mouse’s brain. “This is a milestone,” said a neuroscientist who was not involved in the effort.

In the process, the researchers amassed 1.6 petabytes of data — the equivalent of 22 years of nonstop high-definition video. It was a step forward in our understanding of the brain, but also an indication of how much more challenging a whole brain — mouse or human — will be.

The ecologist, Douglas Tallamy, also recommended four ecologically crucial goals to aim for: Manage the watershed, support pollinators, bolster a viable food web and sequester carbon. You don’t have to change everything all at once, he said: Pick an improvement, and make it.

For more: Margaret explained how to begin propagating plants on your windowsill.

Post-workout massages can help, but not for the reason you think

You don’t have to be a professional athlete to know that it feels great to get a massage after exercise. Even something as simple as foam roiling can help your muscles feel better. And yet, there isn’t strong research to support most of the purported physiological benefits, scientists told us.

Instead, the biggest benefit of massage may be in your mind. If it can help you relax and reduce stress, your body is more likely to feel better.

The food is just OK, but the décor is amazing

Sharpies is one of hundreds of pizzerias in Chicago. But it’s the only one with a flying saucer in the dining room. Its owner is one of many restaurateurs who say that, in our visuals-obsessed Instagram era, atmosphere and appearance matter as much as, and often more than, anything on the menu.

Buzzy restaurants are using bright colors, memorable branding and eye-catching backdrops to draw in customers and make them feel like their dinner was worth the price. “The way the space makes them feel,” one chef said, “might just make the food taste better.”

Have a stylish evening.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew

Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor.

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