An Inevitable Rise in Chinese-Made EVs in America?
U.S. policymakers from both parties have converged on a hard line against Chinese electric vehicles, with President Biden imposing a 100% tariff and former President Trump echoing the same stance. Chinese EV makers leverage years of joint‑venture experience and advanced software to produce cheaper, feature‑rich cars that are already slipping across the border via Mexican dealerships. National‑security worries focus on data collection capabilities, while the economic argument centers on potential market‑share loss for Detroit automakers. Industry leaders acknowledge that, despite current barriers, Chinese EVs are likely to gain a foothold in the U.S. market.
Iran War Shakes Global Economy as Energy Costs Surge and Recession Fears Grow
In just over nine weeks, the Iran war has sent shockwaves through the global economy, driving up oil and gas prices and igniting inflationary pressures worldwide. Countries that rely on Gulf imports—such as Sri Lanka, Mexico, the United Kingdom and...
How Well Can EVs Handle the Heat — and the Cold? AAA Put Them to the Test
AAA’s latest testing shows extreme temperatures dramatically affect electric‑vehicle range. In a heated chamber (95 °F) EVs lost about 8.5 % of their range, while a cold chamber (20 °F) slashed range by roughly 39 %. Compared with AAA’s 2019 study, heat‑related loss improved...
Trump Gives the Go-Ahead for a Major New Canada-U.S. Oil Pipeline
President Donald Trump approved the Bridger Pipeline Expansion, a 650‑mile, 3‑foot‑wide line that would transport up to 550,000 barrels of Canadian crude daily through Montana and Wyoming. The project, dubbed “Keystone Light,” avoids Native American reservations and relies on existing...
The Economy Is Growing – but Soaring Energy Prices Could Put a Damper on That
U.S. GDP showed a 2% annualized gain in Q1, buoyed by big‑tech AI spending and data‑center construction. At the same time, soaring gasoline prices—now $4.30 a gallon after the Iran conflict—are eroding household budgets. Consumer spending grew in March, but...
Musk Continued His Testimony From Yesterday in Lawsuit Against OpenAI
Elon Musk resumed testimony in an Oakland federal court, pressing his lawsuit against OpenAI. He argues the AI lab strayed from its original nonprofit mission, taking large Microsoft investments and becoming a for‑profit entity that betrays the founders' pledge to...
The United Arab Emirates Is Quitting OPEC Oil Cartel After Nearly 60 Years
The United Arab Emirates announced it will leave OPEC on May 1, ending almost 60 years of membership. The exit is presented as part of a long‑term strategic vision that lets the emirate tap its large spare‑capacity and raise output once export...
How the Iran War Is Impacting the Airline Industry
The ongoing U.S.–Iran war has choked jet‑fuel supplies, forcing airlines to raise fees and fares as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. While the four legacy carriers post record profits, smaller low‑cost airlines are hemorrhaging cash and courting bankruptcy. Industry...
U.S. Looks Into Regulating Prediction Market Sites Like Kalshi and Polymarket
U.S. regulators are probing prediction‑market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket after the first criminal indictment involving a Special Forces soldier who allegedly earned $400,000 by trading on classified military information. The case shows that anonymous crypto‑based accounts can be...
Airlines Face Headwinds as Iran War Leads to Rising Fuel Costs
The U.S. and Israel war against Iran has choked the Strait of Hormuz, sending jet‑fuel prices soaring worldwide. In Europe, prices have roughly doubled, prompting Lufthansa to cancel 20,000 flights through the fall, while KLM and Scandinavian carriers trim schedules....
Justice Department Drops Probe Into Fed Chair Jerome Powell
The U.S. Justice Department has closed its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, after the Fed's inspector general found no misconduct in the $2.5 billion headquarters renovation. The move, announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, removes a key obstacle...
Warner Bros. Discover Approves $110B Paramount–Skydance Merger; Regulators up Next
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve a $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, handing media mogul David Ellison control of Warner’s film studio, streaming platforms, and cable assets such as HBO and CNN. The deal faces fierce opposition from more than 4,000 Hollywood...
The Tariff Refund Process Has Begun for Businesses. What About Customers?
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has launched an online portal to begin refunding $166 billion in tariff revenue, but refunds are paid to the importer of record, not directly to consumers. Shipping giants DHL, FedEx and UPS said they will...
Here Are 3 Takeaways as Trump's Pick to Lead the Fed Faces a Confirmation Fight
President Trump’s nominee Kevin Warsh appeared before a Senate banking committee, but his confirmation faces a hurdle from Sen. Thom Tillis, who is demanding the Justice Department end its probe into the Fed and Chairman Jerome Powell. Warsh, a former...
The Onion Has Agreed to a New Deal to Take over Infowars
The satirical site The Onion has reached a deal to lease the Infowars domain and brand from a Texas state receiver for $81,000 a month, pending judicial approval. The arrangement would strip Alex Jones of his flagship platform and allow The...
How Saudi Arabia's Entertainment Investments Are Playing Out at Home and Abroad
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has pledged $24 billion to the proposed Paramount‑Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, a centerpiece of a wider push to wield soft power, diversify the kingdom’s oil‑dependent economy, and expand domestic entertainment options. The deal follows...
Tired of Waiting for Your EV to Charge Up? One Chinese Company Has a Novel Solution
NIO Power has rolled out a fully automated battery‑swap system that replaces an EV’s depleted pack in just over three minutes. The Chinese automaker now operates roughly 4,000 swap stations, primarily in China, and has logged more than 100 million swaps...
NPR Receives $113 Million in Charitable Gifts
NPR announced two of the largest gifts in its history, totaling $113 million, to fund digital innovation and support its network of public‑radio stations after Congress eliminated all federal funding. Connie Ballmer contributed $80 million earmarked for a technology overhaul, while an anonymous...
Jet Fuel Supplies Are Sharply Affected by the Near-Closure of the Strait of Hormuz
Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled as ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz plummets, creating a double‑whammy disruption for both crude imports to Asian refineries and finished jet fuel exports from Gulf refineries. Europe has been warned of a...
Visionary NPR Leader Kevin Klose, Who Led Network to New Heights, Has Died
Former NPR President and CEO Kevin Klose died at 85. During his tenure, he secured a $200 million bequest from philanthropist Joan Kroc, which underwrote NPR’s financial stability and enabled expansion of international reporting. Klose also launched innovative programs such as Day...
Hollywood Heavyweights Oppose Paramount Deal
More than 2,000 Hollywood creators signed an open letter opposing Paramount Skydance’s planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, warning that the merger would shrink opportunities, cut jobs, raise costs and limit audience choice. Showrunner Damon Lindelof explained a chilling effect on talent...
Women Are Getting Most of the New Jobs. What's Going on with Men?
The U.S. Labor Department reports that 348,000 of the 369,000 jobs created since the start of President Trump’s second term went to women, driven largely by a 390,000‑job surge in health care. Men captured only 21,000 of those new positions,...
How an Ancient Resin Traded for Centuries Got Snarled up by the Iran War
Frankincense, a 6,000‑year‑old aromatic resin harvested from Boswellia trees across the Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa, is now caught in the fallout of the U.S.–Iran conflict. The war has heightened the risk of closing the Strait of Hormuz, prompting...
Why High Oil Prices Are Good for Oil Companies — Until They Aren't
Oil prices have surged to $90‑$100 a barrel after the Iran conflict, delivering a multi‑billion‑dollar profit boost for U.S. producers such as ExxonMobil. However, the windfall is tempered by hedging contracts that lock many firms to $57 per barrel and...
Drive Slower, Go Electric, Don't Drive at All? Americans Weigh Options for Saving Gas
Gasoline prices have surged past $4 per gallon nationwide, spurring drivers to seek immediate savings. Experts advise smoother acceleration, proper tire pressure, and avoiding premium fuel when not required, which can cut annual fuel costs by hundreds of dollars. Higher...
Beer Cans, Helium Balloons and Mortgages: An Unexpected Mix of Things Affected by War
The Iran‑War’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz is rippling far beyond oil, driving up prices for aluminum, helium, fertilizer, sulfur and petrochemicals. Aluminum cans for beer and soda, helium for balloons and MRI machines, and key agricultural inputs are...
Gas Prices Are High. What Can You Do About It?
With gasoline hovering around $4 per gallon, NPR experts advise drivers to maximize fuel efficiency by maintaining moderate speeds, proper tire pressure, and shedding unnecessary weight. They also highlight that electric vehicles become financially attractive when owners can charge at...
Entertainment and California Regulators Push Back Against Warner-Paramount Merger
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders will vote on a $110 billion acquisition by David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance, a deal that would unite two historic Hollywood studios. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has launched an antitrust review, questioning the fairness of a federal investigation...
China's AI Chatbots Are Advanced and Versatile — and Begging for More Users
Chinese tech giants are turning AI chatbots into transaction hubs, pouring over $1.1 billion into Lunar New Year promotions to spark user adoption. The giveaways drove record daily active users—Qwen hit 73.5 million on Feb 7 and Doubao surged past 144 million during the...
He Wants Children's Bikes Made in the U.S.A. — and Tariffs Against His Rivals
Guardian Bike Company, based in Seymour, Indiana, now produces about 2,000 children’s bicycles daily using robots and a $1.2 million fiber laser, pricing them between $150 and $400. CEO Brian Riley is lobbying the Trump administration to extend the 50 % steel...
Why a Small Town in Tennessee Is at the Center of a Renewed Global Arms Race
BWXT, a nuclear‑technology firm, secured a $1.6 billion federal contract to expand a munitions plant on the outskirts of Jonesborough, Tennessee, to refine depleted uranium for nuclear weapons. The project, which would emit up to 250 pounds of radioactive dust per year,...
This Tax Season, There's a New Deduction for Interest on Car Loans
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces a tax deduction for interest paid on auto loans tied to new cars bought in 2025. To qualify, the vehicle must be newly purchased, assembled in the United States, and used for personal purposes, with a maximum...
Congress and the White House Are Taking Different Paths to Address Housing Prices
U.S. housing prices have more than doubled since 2000, prompting simultaneous action from Congress and the White House. President Trump signed executive orders to ease mortgage lending rules and trim construction regulations, while the Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan housing...
Pentagon Tightens Controls over Stars and Stripes After Calling It "Woke"
The Pentagon issued a memo on March 9 tightening editorial control over the independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes, citing the need to align content with "good order and discipline." While the paper is promised editorial independence, the memo bans wire‑service...
Desperate for Skilled Workers, a Furniture Maker Looks to Apprenticeships for Relief
Virco Manufacturing in Arkansas is using a three‑year, paid apprenticeship program to upskill internal workers like tool‑and‑die apprentice Caleb Moss, addressing a growing shortage of skilled labor in U.S. manufacturing. The Trump administration’s 2025 executive order targets 1 million active apprenticeships,...
Egg Prices Have Taken a Beating. What's Behind the Drop?
Egg prices have plunged to roughly $2.50 per dozen, a 42% drop from a year ago, as avian‑flu outbreaks receded and an additional nine million hens returned to production. Meanwhile, the wholesale price paid to farmers has slumped more than...
China Slams Trump's Trade Investigation, as It Approves a 5-Year Economic Plan
China’s foreign ministry condemned the United States’ newly announced trade investigation into excess capacity as political manipulation, while the U.S. Trade Representative positioned the probe as a tool to protect American firms after a Supreme Court ruling nullified prior tariffs....
Zuckerberg Grilled About Meta's Strategy to Target 'Teens' And 'Tweens'
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in Los Angeles as part of a high‑profile social‑media addiction trial, facing questions about internal documents that show the company deliberately targeted users as young as ten. Plaintiffs highlighted memos from 2015‑2018 that set goals...