eto.

Trump's 50% tariffs take effect after US, Canada fail to reach trade deal

President Donald Trump's 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods took effect early Saturday morning, following the collapse of U.S.-Canada trade negotiations. Both sides blamed each other for the breakdown, with the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stating Canada walked away from a deal, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the U.S. of making last-minute changes to the terms. The tariffs target a range of products, including food items and alcoholic beverages, and are expected to affect a fraction of U.S. imports from Canada. Canada announced it would retaliate with its own tariffs, matching the U.S. levies "dollar for dollar."

The trade dispute comes weeks after Trump imposed new tariffs on 60 trade partners, including the European Union. Trump had previously paused the 50% tariffs on Canada after claiming a preliminary deal had been reached, but the negotiations collapsed before the final agreement was finalized. Carney stated that the U.S. introduced new demands in the final hours of talks, which he described as a "power play" and an attempt to restrict Canada's ability to negotiate with other countries.

Where the accounts differ

ABC News and Fox Business both report that Canada suspended trade talks and would retaliate with tariffs, but differ on the amount of Canadian goods affected. ABC News states the tariffs would apply to roughly $28 billion in Canadian goods, while Fox Business mentions $20 billion. Additionally, Fox Business notes that Canada plans to match the tariffs "dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses," a claim not included in ABC News. NPR and Newsweek both mention the tariffs took effect at midnight, but Newsweek states the tariffs apply to $20 billion in goods, while ABC News and Fox Business cite $28 billion. BBC and Washington Examiner describe the breakdown of negotiations, with Washington Examiner specifying that Carney outlined three "last-minute changes" in U.S. terms, which are not detailed in other accounts. ABC News and Washington Examiner both mention the U.S. Trade Representative's office denying the last-minute changes, while Fox Business and Newsweek attribute the breakdown to the U.S. introducing new demands.

US judge strikes down Trump immigrant visa ban affecting 75 countries

A federal judge in Manhattan ruled against the State Department’s suspension of immigrant visas. The policy, introduced by the Trump administration, suspended visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and Somalia. The judge, Jeannette Vargas, found the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority and violated the Immigration and Nationality Act. The ruling overturned visa denials based solely on the ban and required the State Department to review cases on an individual basis.

The State Department had argued that applicants from these countries were “at a high risk for becoming a public charge,” citing concerns about the use of public resources. The policy, which took effect in January, affected applicants from Latin American, Balkan, South Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean countries. The administration has not yet commented on the ruling.

Where the accounts differ

Al Jazeera and UPI both state the policy affected 75 countries, while Mother Jones and Washington Examiner mention the policy affected “nearly 40% of the world’s countries.” Al Jazeera and UPI list specific countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and Somalia, while Just The News and Washington Examiner also list these countries. Mother Jones and New York Post attribute the claim about “nearly 40% of the world’s countries” to the State Department, while Al Jazeera and UPI do not mention this figure. Washington Examiner and New York Post attribute the claim about “nearly 40% of the world’s countries” to the State Department, while Al Jazeera and UPI do not mention this figure.

US Postal Service shares mail-in ballot restrictions despite court ruling

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has published a final draft of its proposed rules to restrict the use of mail-in ballots under President Donald Trump. The rules have so far been blocked by the US court system. The USPS shared the 95-page update on Friday so that the rules can go into effect immediately if the existing court injunction is reversed. Under the proposed rules, the Postal Service will not distribute mail-in ballots in states that do not comply with federal demands for voter records. States would be required to identify to the USPS any voters who have requested mail-in ballots. They would also have to redesign the ballot envelopes to feature barcodes that the Postal Service could use to track and identify voting materials.

The USPS argued that such changes were necessary to ensure compliance with federal law. Critics have accused the Trump administration of seeking to exert federal oversight on election administration, a task that falls to the states under the US Constitution. They warn that the Postal Service could use the proposed rules to gather voter information and reject ballots in states that do not comply with Trump’s demands. Trump has sought to place additional restrictions on voting, based on false claims of widespread election fraud. He has continued to maintain that he was the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential election, a race he lost. Mail-in ballots have been a longstanding focus of Trump’s efforts to exert greater control over the electoral process.

Where the accounts differ

Al Jazeera and The Guardian both report that the USPS shared the 95-page update on Friday, but Al Jazeera states the rules are blocked by the court system, while The Guardian notes that two court orders currently block the changes from taking effect. UPI and Straight Arrow News both mention that the rule was published on Friday and that it is blocked by court injunctions, but UPI adds that the rule is an amended version of the initial proposal which received more than 200,000 comments during its review phase. Washington Examiner states that the rule will be released on Wednesday, while Just The News does not mention a release date. The Guardian and UPI both note that the USPS is ready to implement the new restrictions on mail-in voting if the court injunctions are lifted, while Al Jazeera and Straight Arrow News mention that the rule is not enforceable for this year’s midterms unless the court lifts the injunctions.

Trump will kick off the IndyCar race in the Beast before cars zoom through Washington’s streets

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to watch Sunday’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix as the cars whip through the city’s downtown, including a stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue not too far from the White House. Trump will lead a traditional prerace kickoff in his presidential limo. The open-wheel race, with cars whizzing past Washington’s monuments at speeds approaching 200 mph, is the latest of Trump’s celebrations this year to mark America’s 250th birthday. The event will also include a prerace show and flyovers of military aircraft.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is the first IndyCar race in Washington, D.C., with cars expected to reach speeds of up to 180 mph. The race will cover 250 miles over 147 laps, winding through the National Mall and past landmarks such as the Smithsonian museums and the Capitol building. The event is expected to attract about 140,000 people, with street closures and traffic disruptions planned for the weekend.

Where the accounts differ

The Associated Press reports that Trump will lead a prerace kickoff in his presidential limo, as stated by U.S. Ambassador Monica Crowley. Straight Arrow News mentions that Trump will take a ceremonial ride ahead of the main event, while the New York Post states he will drive the course in his armored limo “the Beast” on race day. The Christian Science Monitor notes that Trump signed an order calling for the race, while the CBS News account does not mention this. The Straight Arrow News includes quotes from Karen Jarussi and Colton Snedecor expressing differing opinions on the event, which are not present in the other accounts.

TikTok agrees to $400m settlement to resolve US children’s privacy litigation

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and TikTok, along with its parent company ByteDance, have reached a $400 million settlement to resolve allegations that the app violated children’s online privacy laws. The DOJ filed the lawsuit in 2024, accusing TikTok and ByteDance of failing to protect children’s privacy and collecting personal information from users under 13 without parental consent. Under the settlement, TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million once a court vacates a prior consent decree from 2019 involving TikTok’s predecessor, Musical.ly. The DOJ stated that TikTok has made significant changes to its ownership, management, compliance functions, and privacy practices since the lawsuit began.

The settlement is described as one of the largest ever obtained in a case under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The DOJ emphasized that the resolution ensures stronger protections for American families without prolonged litigation. TikTok’s U.S. joint venture, established in 2024, requires users to enter their date of birth to use the app and claims to have systems in place to identify and delete underage accounts.

Where the accounts differ

The Guardian and Axios both state that TikTok did not immediately comment, while Fox Business and Straight Arrow News mention that TikTok did not respond to their requests for comment. The Guardian and BBC note that the settlement only involves TikTok’s operations in China, whereas the Washington Examiner and Fox Business do not specify this limitation. The BBC and Washington Examiner mention the $5.7 million fine paid by Musical.ly in 2019, while the Guardian and Axios do not include this detail. The Guardian and BBC attribute the statement about TikTok’s age-moderation systems to a court filing, while the Washington Examiner and Fox Business attribute similar claims to the DOJ. The Straight Arrow News includes a quote from U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, which is not present in other accounts.

Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief, publisher, and reporter

The Pentagon has fired Erik Slavin, the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, along with publisher Max Lederer and Middle East reporter Lara Korte. The firings were cited as insubordination, according to multiple accounts. Slavin, who has worked at the military newspaper for 21 years, stated he was fired for expressing concerns about potential censorship by the Pentagon. Korte, who covers the Middle East for Stars and Stripes, said she was informed she was fired for insubordination after telling a CBS reporter she works for the newspaper, not the Pentagon or any administration. Lederer, who had announced his retirement, also received a separation notice. Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper partially funded by the Department of Defense, has long maintained editorial independence, though it has faced pressure from the Pentagon to align its content with certain priorities.

Stars and Stripes, founded in 1861, has a history of editorial independence, including during World War I when it was revived under General John Pershing. The paper has been published continuously since World War II and is known for representing "the free thought and free expression of a free people." However, in January 2026, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X that the department was modernizing Stars and Stripes, refocusing its content away from "woke distractions" that "syphon morale." The paper's independence was further challenged in March 2026 with a memo from the deputy secretary of defense that placed new restrictions on the paper's operations, including barring it from running comics and news from paid wire services.

Where the accounts differ

CBS News states that the Pentagon rescinded a federal regulation that required Stars and Stripes to operate "without news management or censorship," while UPI and Straight Arrow News report that the Pentagon described the firings as insubordination. The Daily Caller and UPI mention that the Pentagon fired three key figures, including Lederer, while CBS News and BBC note that Lederer had announced his retirement before being fired. The BBC also mentions that Slavin was considering his response to the firing notice, which is not explicitly stated in other accounts. The Daily Caller and Straight Arrow News report that the Pentagon installed a new deputy publisher, Capt. William Urban, before Lederer's firing, while CBS News and UPI do not mention this detail.

Prosecutors In Karmelo Anthony Case Hid The Most Damning Evidence

Karmelo Anthony, a 19-year-old high school student, was convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a track meet altercation in April 2025. The conviction led to a 35-year prison sentence. Anthony’s legal team is now seeking a new trial, arguing that critical evidence was withheld from the jury. Prosecutors disclosed during a hearing that they possessed text messages and photos that could have supported their case, including a message from Anthony to his ex-girlfriend describing his mental state on the day of the killing. The defense claims Anthony was coerced into waiving his right to testify and that the trial was unfair due to judicial bias.

Where the accounts differ

The Daily Wire and New York Post both report that Anthony sent a text message to his ex-girlfriend on the morning of the stabbing, including a photo of his knife with the caption “I’m low key on the verge.” The New York Post adds that Anthony also sent a text in 2023 stating, “imma shoot the school up tmr.” The UPI and CBS News do not mention these specific texts. The Daily Wire and FOX News both state that prosecutors disclosed a text where Anthony fantasized about stabbing someone and licking the blood off the blade, though the New York Post and CBS News do not include this detail. The Daily Wire and FOX News describe the evidence as a “confession” and “overwhelmingly beneficial to the prosecution’s case,” while the New York Post and CBS News do not make such characterizations. The UPI and CBS News do not mention the “gentleman’s agreement” between prosecutors and defense lawyers, while the Daily Wire, FOX News, and New York Post do.

U.S. and Iran escalate economic tensions with sanctions and retaliatory threats

The U.S. has intensified its economic pressure on Iran, with President Trump vowing to launch the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country" and threatening "tremendous economic consequences" for any nation that supports Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the measures as the "greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world." Iran has responded by warning that any country joining the U.S. economic war will be considered an enemy and face retaliation. Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, have condemned the sanctions as "economic terrorism" and a violation of international law. The U.S. naval blockade and restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, have further strained relations. Diplomatic efforts to revive peace talks have stalled, with the 60-day memorandum of understanding to negotiate an end to the war expiring.

Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, has dismissed the U.S. economic strategy as evidence of Washington's inability to prevail militarily, calling it a "cognitive war." Meanwhile, Iran has allowed some Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, though it has not fully reopened the waterway.

Where the accounts differ

NPR reports that Trump called the sanctions an "economic D-Day" and that Bessent threatened secondary sanctions on nations, not just businesses. Al Jazeera states that Bessent said China was the "only country Bessent mentioned by name" and that China buys "about 90 percent" of Iranian oil. CBS News mentions that Iran's president acknowledged citizens face "many problems" and that Iran executed a man accused of carrying a chainsaw during protests. Straight Arrow News adds that Iranian officials rejected the sanctions as "economic warfare" and that Bessent described the measures as part of "the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world." The Guardian notes that Trump claimed the Strait of Hormuz is a "new US territory" and that Rezaei warned of targeting oil-shipping routes if neighbors join the U.S. economic war.