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A Supreme Court ruling is reshaping the boundaries of presidential trade power, with ripple effects for companies, consumers, and global partners. Fresh data show the U.S. economy losing momentum just as policymakers face tighter constraints.

Across the Atlantic, European governments are racing to adapt military strategy to a new era of low-cost drone warfare. Markets, supply chains, and security planners are all recalculating at once. Here’s what connects the shifts — and why they matter now.

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The Big Read

Supreme Court Blocks Trump’s Broad Tariffs

In a 6–3 ruling, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s global tariff program, narrowing how presidents can use emergency powers to reshape trade policy. Markets and trading partners now brace for a reset as the administration explores alternative paths for imposing duties and companies reassess pricing and inventory strategies.

Small businesses and trade groups that challenged the tariffs called the decision a win for cost predictability. Importers and state officials immediately began sorting through refund eligibility and compliance timelines as guidance from courts and agencies takes shape.

Trade policy’s next phase hinges on how aggressively the White House deploys narrower authorities. Households will feel the effects through consumer prices, employer costs, and potential retaliation from trading partners.

U.S. Growth Slows as Government Spending Drops

Fourth-quarter data show GDP growth cooling to a 1.4% annual pace. Investors are recalibrating expectations for interest-rate cuts, hiring, and consumer demand as budget disruptions ripple through contracts and paychecks.

Spending pullbacks tied to federal shutdown pressures weighed on the latest GDP reading. Private-sector resilience now becomes the key variable, especially if households scale back discretionary purchases after months of price and credit volatility.

When growth runs thin, policy shifts in Washington carry greater weight, since even modest shocks can quickly alter business plans. Workers and borrowers are likely to see changes first in job openings, loan rates, and wage momentum.

Europe Bets on Low-Cost Drone Defense With Ukraine’s Know-How

Five European nations have launched a joint initiative to build lower-cost defenses against drones and missiles by scaling Ukrainian battlefield designs through the LEAP program. The effort targets the cost imbalance that allows inexpensive drones to exhaust high-priced interceptors.

Shared production is designed to shorten procurement cycles and reduce reliance on single-country supply chains. Rapid iteration is critical as drone tactics evolve week by week on active front lines.

European militaries are seeking systems that can be deployed at scale without straining budgets, keeping air defense sustainable over a prolonged conflict. NATO’s eastern members also gain a model for rapid modernization that avoids dependence on scarce, high-end components.

World View

U.S.-Indonesia Trade Deal Moves Fast

Jakarta agreed to drop most import levies in a pact described in a U.S.-Indonesia trade deal. Supply chains across energy and agriculture could adjust quickly if implementation stays on schedule.

Germany’s China Reset

A planned trip by Friedrich Merz to China will test how Europe balances commercial dependence with security concerns and Russia-related diplomacy. Berlin’s approach could ripple across the EU, as shifts in German supply-chain policy and export exposure often set the bloc’s direction.

Reform UK Tests a Tougher Line on Unions

A union review pledge from a prominent Reform UK by-election candidate spotlights tensions as the party tries to widen its appeal. Competing messages on labor rights can shape turnout and coalition building across the UK’s fractured political landscape.

Need To Know

Meta Detaches a Flagship Service From VR

Meta said Horizon Worlds will no longer require VR hardware in a Horizon shift. Platform strategy is changing as consumer appetite for headsets and immersive social spaces remains uneven.

D.C. Eyes Lifting Potomac Water Advisory

A Potomac spill could lead officials to end some restrictions if tests keep improving after repairs stabilized the system. Public confidence and recreation plans hinge on clear benchmarks as warmer weather approaches.

Scare on the Short-Track Oval

A dramatic crash left a Polish skater needing stitches after a blade cut during the women’s 1,500 meters. Athlete safety and equipment rules tend to tighten after incidents like this, especially under Olympic scrutiny.

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Money & Markets

Aston Martin Sells F1 Naming Rights for Cash

An F1 naming deal aims to boost liquidity as Aston Martin warned about weaker performance, pressure from tariffs, and soft demand. Investors will watch upcoming results closely because the brand’s turnaround hinges on execution and funding.

Tesla Cuts Cybertruck Prices

Tesla has lowered Cybertruck prices, signaling softer demand and increasing pressure across the EV market. Analysts say the move could affect resale values and intensify incentive competition among rival automakers and suppliers.

Consumer Impact Depends on What Replaces the Tariffs

A legal reset does not guarantee lower shelf prices, since replacement authorities could reintroduce duties quickly in a different form. Price relief tends to show up only after inventory cycles clear.

Future Frontiers

Discord Drops a Partner After Age-Check Backlash

A U.K. pilot program sparked a heated privacy and safety debate following Discord’s rollout of age checks. As regulators tighten rules around teen access, major platforms are accelerating efforts to implement verification systems.

Microsoft Gaming Leadership Turns Over

Phil Spencer’s retirement closes a defining chapter for Microsoft Gaming. The leadership transition puts renewed focus on big-budget release pipelines and long-term studio strategy.

Scientists Still Can’t Fully Explain Curling’s Signature Curve

A physics puzzle at the Winter Games got fresh attention in the curling question, with competing theories still under debate. Better models could influence ice engineering, equipment design, and any sport where friction and micro-texture matter.

The Score

U.S. and Canada Set a Gold-Medal Hockey Final

A pair of intense matches set up a U.S.-Canada title game after semifinal wins. The rivalry consistently draws some of the tournament’s largest TV audiences and advertising interest, raising the stakes well beyond the championship itself.

Alex Ferreira Wins Gold, Ties U.S. Winter Olympic Record

American freestyle skier Alex Ferreira claimed gold in the men’s halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics, delivering a 93.75 on his final run to seal the victory. The win completes his Olympic medal set and brings Team USA’s gold medal count to 10, matching its highest total ever at a single Winter Games.

Friday’s NBA Slate Sets Up a Busy Weekend

The NBA schedule stacks games across time zones as teams push through the late-season grind. Standings pressure rises because seeding gaps often come down to a few head-to-head results.

Life & Culture

Final Fantasy Tilts Toward PC

Square Enix is shifting to a PC-first strategy for future Final Fantasy releases, signaling a meaningful change in platform priorities. The move could reshape launch timing and long-term franchise growth, as mod support and sustained PC engagement play a larger role in the series’ lifecycle.

A Spring Museum Season Focused on Identity and Renewal

A nationwide roundup of major exhibitions points to big bets on contemporary voices and long-overdue retrospectives. Travel plans and cultural calendars often follow lists like this, especially when blockbuster shows anchor tourism.

Hollywood Grapples With Epstein Fallout and Surprise Strike Threat

Storms brew in Hollywood as studios face renewed turbulence over Epstein fallout and a potential surprise strike. Industry leaders are weighing reputational risk, contract tensions, and possible production delays at a time when the box office recovery remains uneven.

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Deep Dive

Age Verification Is Becoming the Default Online

Discord’s aborted U.K. pilot put a spotlight on how fast age checks are spreading across major platforms after a verification test triggered backlash. Governments want fewer minors exposed to adult content, and companies want fewer fines and fewer enforcement surprises.

Design choices drive the trade-offs because many age systems rely on IDs, facial scans, or third-party vendors, all of which raise privacy and data-retention fears. Public trust can erode quickly when verification feels mandatory, unclear, or easy to spoof, even when the goal is child safety.

Regulators are pushing platforms toward “know your user” norms, and firms are experimenting with lighter-touch options such as tokenized proofs and on-device checks. Industry pressure is also rising because app stores, advertisers, and payment processors increasingly want guardrails that reduce brand and legal risk.

Next flashpoints will come from how companies handle edge cases, including adults who refuse ID checks, teens seeking access for legitimate communities, and cross-border rules that conflict. Users should expect more gated features, more appeals processes, and more friction around content that once required only a click.

Extra Bits

An Ohio couple briefly thought they had won big after lottery officials posted the wrong numbers, but a drawing mistake revealed the mix-up and reset the payout.

Police in Indiana rounded up a runaway farm animal after a neighborhood chase ended with a captured loose pig and no injuries reported.

A Wisconsin man suffered severe injuries, including a broken neck, after tripping over his cat at home in an accident detailed in a freak household fall.

Today’s Trivia

Which part of the human eye controls how much light enters?

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