US economic council head denies tariffs were part of strategy to crash financial markets and pressure fed to cut interest ratesThe Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is in Washington for a second meeting since Donald Trump took office in January, where they’re expected to discuss tariffs, Iran, Israel’s war in Gaza, efforts to return the Israeli hostages, relations with Turkey, and the international criminal court, which has issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli leader for alleged war crimes in Gaza.The meeting, which NPR notes comes on the 18-month mark since Israel’s assault on Gaza began (follow our live coverage of the war here), appears to have been arranged quite last-minute. On Thursday Trump said he expected a visit soon from Netanyahu – “maybe even next week” – though Axios reported that the timing caught Israeli officials and even some in the Trump administration by surprise. Continue reading... ...read more read less