PRESS DIGEST- Wall Street Journal - April 6

April 6 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a major escalation in trade tensions with Beijing on Thursday, saying he was considering imposing tariffs on an additional $100 billion in imports from China. on.wsj.com/2GCwfiY

- The two largest proxy advisory firms are recommending that General Electric Co fire KPMG LLP as its auditor after 109 years, in light of accounting issues at the industrial giant. on.wsj.com/2GFsqcT

- Trump said Thursday he continues to have confidence in Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt and praised his service, remarks that come as the White House is looking into several controversies swirling around the administrator. on.wsj.com/2Eo3W5R

- Dozens of U.S. diplomats departed Russia on Thursday hours after the Kremlin failed to garner support for a joint investigation into the use of a Soviet-era nerve agent in UK, moves that underscore the deepening divisions between Russia and the West. on.wsj.com/2GGfi7r

- William Ackman, the famed shareholder activist, is losing investors at a rapid pace and facing a future that would no longer include managing a private hedge fund. on.wsj.com/2GWzUvi (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)