• Market declines continue: Asian and European shares sank again on Wednesday as the latest set of U.S. tariffs, including a 104% levy on Chinese imports, went into effect. China said it will take “resolute measures” to defend its trading rights, but gave no details on how it will respond to U.S. moves. – The Associated Press
• Court backs Trump firings: The Supreme Court blocked a judge’s order for President Donald Trump’s administration to rehire thousands of employees fired in Mr. Trump’s bid to reduce the federal workforce. It was the latest decision in recent days in which the Supreme Court sided with the Republican president. A decision that applied to probationary employees at some key agencies was put on hold. – Reuters
  • Related Monitor story: The Supreme Court has helped presidential power expand. In February we looked at how President Trump may test its limits.
• Immigrant tax data: The Internal Revenue Service has agreed to share confidential taxpayer data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It’s a major shift for the IRS, which issues a special tax ID to those ineligible for Social Security numbers. Unauthorized workers have long been encouraged to file tax returns, understanding that their closely guarded data was separate from immigration enforcement. The acting commissioner of the IRS is reportedly resigning over the deal. – Staff
• First Amendment ruling: A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump ruled that the Associated Press be allowed back into the Oval Office and onto Air Force One as part of the press pool. The AP was denied access after it refused to adopt the president’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden said wherever the White House opens its doors to journalists, it can’t shut them to other journalists based on their viewpoints. “The Constitution requires no less,” he wrote. – Staff
• A shift on Iran? President Trump’s announcement Monday that a U.S. delegation will meet with Iranian officials in Oman Saturday suggests the administration’s Iran doves have prevailed over the hawks, at least for now. Iran’s foreign minister confirmed yesterday what he said would be indirect talks. The U.S. goal: a verifiable agreement blocking Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon. Mr. Trump – critical of previous administrations’ engagement with Tehran – says Iran is “in great danger” if diplomacy fails, reflecting the perspective of administration hawks recommending military action to take out Iran’s nuclear sites. – Staff
• Kentucky battles floods: After days of deluges pushed rivers to near-record levels across Kentucky, residents are eager to return home and assess what might be salvaged. Officials hope most will be able to return by the end of April 9. Inundated rivers are the latest threat from persistent storms that have killed at least 23 people. Officials warned of further flooding along the Ohio River. – AP

China has long relied on exports of manufactured goods to drive economic growth. But the escalating U.S.-China trade war will exacerbate the mounting global glut of such goods – raising the question of where the surplus output from the world’s second-largest economy will go. China’s export volume grew last year by more than 12 percentage points, three or four times as fast as global trade overall. Some argue that Beijing should rely more on consumers at home.

The arrest of a Turkish Tufts University doctoral student by undercover agents has had a chilling effect on international students pursuing degrees in the United States. Several hundred have had their student visas revoked; a number have been detained. Trump administration authorities cite foreign policy reasons, including a portion sparked by pro-Palestinian protests. But amid confusion about what’s driving such actions, many students worry they could be handcuffed next and whisked off to jail or deported.

With the world increasingly roiled by tariffs, investors are scared and some of President Donald Trump’s billionaire backers are pointing fingers. But it’s consumers who are most important to the economy. If they slow their spending, a recession looks increasingly likely. Their mood has already soured, and by one measure, consumer expectations for the economy’s future have hit a 12-year low. The data suggests they’re not yet at a tipping point, but are growing wary.

President Donald Trump’s threats to take back control of the Panama Canal are surfacing decades-old emotions about U.S. imperialism and foreign occupation in Panama. The locally run Panama Canal Authority has managed the canal successfully for 25 years, bringing investment, tourism, and wealth into the country. “Since the U.S. left Panama, the canal has earned” so much more money, says resident Samuel Castañeda. And yet “The majority of Panamanians don’t see ... the canal’s wealth” impacting their lives.

Young people in Nigeria have long shunned careers in traditional farming. But Samson Ogbole, a biochemist and entrepreneur, is enticing them into the fields through hydroponics. Nigeria has the second-highest number of people facing food insecurity, and its farmers are aging. Mr. Ogbole aims to train 12,000 young people to leverage technology for vegetable production. So far, his trainees have launched at least 160 companies, and he expects to hit his target of 240 by year’s end.

What are neighbors for? New York City is about to provide one answer: They’re to help the children of other neighbors not play hooky.

Last week, the largest school system in the United States announced it will enlist 1,600 volunteer parents to contact other parents in their communities whose children – about 300,000 in all – are chronically absent from school.

These “family connectors” are the latest innovation by American educators trying to curb a high rate of student absenteeism that has persisted since the pandemic – and that can be costly. A Stanford University study last year found the learning loss for students not in class during the pandemic is 5% to 6% of their lifetime earnings, or $31 trillion from the nation’s gross domestic product.

“We need to ask the question: ‘Parents, what is keeping your children from getting to school and how can we help you?’” said Melissa Aviles-Ramos, leader of the Big Apple’s public schools.

The fact that the volunteers are local and unpaid – and not formally tied to government – is a way to tap into neighborly trust. That approach is far different from sending a truancy officer to a home to make threats. These parent leaders can then link up a family to either city or nonprofit services – such as child care, safe transportation, and mental health counseling – to overcome barriers to a child attending school.

Such a method is anchored in an assumption that parents really do care about their children’s future. “Our parent leaders are our best partners to make sure we give our parents everything they need so our babies can get to school every single day,” said Ms. Aviles-Ramos.

Engaging families with care and concern – such as teachers making home visits – does make a difference. One study found that schools that scored high on family involvement before the pandemic have seen far less absenteeism. Now New York wants to step up that care and concern by enlisting neighbors – who care about their neighbors.