The Senate voted to end the global tariffs imposed by the Trump administration for a third time this week, with bipartisan support. The vote came shortly after Trump’s trade talks with China, where a new tariff rate was discussed. The measure is likely to stall in the House, but it demonstrates Republican pushback and exposes divisions within the party. Additionally, the Senate hearing for Trump’s nominee for surgeon general has been postponed due to the nominee going into labor.
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Meta Platforms experienced a significant stock drop despite reporting positive results, primarily due to concerns surrounding its substantial investments in artificial intelligence. The company increased its 2025 capital expenditures guidance to between $70 billion and $72 billion to accelerate the development of advanced AI tools. CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended this aggressive spending strategy, emphasizing the early returns in the core business and the company’s proactive approach to capitalizing on future advancements in superintelligence. Zuckerberg believes these investments will strategically position Meta for major opportunities in the coming years.
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On Thursday, the investigation into the Louvre crown-jewels heist saw five more individuals seized, including a suspect linked by DNA, which expanded the scope of the search across Paris and its suburbs. Authorities have now apprehended three of the four alleged members of the “commando” team, with one detainee suspected of being part of the group that committed the crime. The recent arrests have not led to the recovery of the stolen treasures, valued at approximately $102 million. Police have acknowledged significant security flaws at the museum.
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Health Canada has recently approved lecanemab (Leqembi), marking the first new Alzheimer’s treatment approved in over a decade and the first to target the underlying biology of the disease. This drug is intended for adults diagnosed with mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s and works by clearing amyloid plaques in the brain. However, access is limited to those without the APOE4 gene, which increases the risk of side effects. While the drug shows promise in slowing the disease’s progression, challenges include the need for intravenous administration, regular MRIs, and high costs, as well as the fact that the drug is not yet covered by public drug plans.
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Paramount Skydance initiated a significant round of layoffs, impacting over 1,000 employees initially with plans for more, totaling about 10% of its workforce. CEO David Ellison cited a restructuring to align with new priorities following the controversial merger greenlit by the Trump administration. The company, now worth approximately $18 billion, owns major media properties like CBS and Nickelodeon. Amid these cuts, Ellison is pursuing a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery while also shaping the company’s editorial direction to focus on “American storytelling.”
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According to the Associated Press, U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly failed to close loopholes allowing China to access advanced American AI chips, particularly through cloud services. Despite bipartisan efforts and four attempts since September last year, proposals to restrict these sales have been thwarted, often due to significant lobbying efforts from the tech industry. This ongoing issue highlights the complex relationship between the U.S. and China, where national security concerns and human rights abuses are weighed against billions of dollars in tech sales. The government has also previously helped American firms sell technology to Chinese agencies.
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Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2024 shooting death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who had called 911 for help. The jury considered the lesser charge after being instructed on its inclusion. While prosecutors sought a first-degree murder conviction, Massey’s family’s attorneys acknowledged the verdict as a measure of justice. Grayson faces up to 20 years in prison for the crime.
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The Department of Justice has filed federal conspiracy charges against congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh and five others related to a protest outside the Broadview ICE facility last month. The indictment alleges the group conspired to impede or injure federal officers during a September 26th protest, where they allegedly surrounded a government vehicle. Other protesters also face individual charges of assault and resisting officers. The accused, including Cook County board and Oak Park officials, are fighting the charges, calling them an attempt to stifle protest and an attack on First Amendment rights.
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Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has stated that the United States revoked his visa and banned him from the country, a move he links to his criticism of the Trump administration. Soyinka, who previously renounced his US green card in protest of Trump’s 2016 election, made the announcement after being asked to surrender his passport for visa cancellation. The author has been a frequent critic of Trump’s immigration policies and suggested that his comparison of Trump to Idi Amin may have contributed to the recent development. The US embassy has declined to comment on the individual case.
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According to an internal Pentagon directive, all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and US territories have been ordered to create “quick reaction forces” trained in riot control, including the use of various crowd control equipment. The directive, citing a prior executive order, mandates specific training for thousands of National Guard members nationwide, with a goal to be operational by January 1, 2026. This initiative has raised concerns that the forces could be used for political purposes, such as suppressing elections, and recalls the historical use of National Guard troops in quelling civil unrest. Military trainers will be deployed to each state to facilitate the training, and each state is required to report monthly on its progress.
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John Q. Hosedrinker