Good morning. It's Tuesday, March 11, and we're covering retaliatory actions against the US, Meta's alleged relationship with China, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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The Canadian province of Ontario raised prices on electricity exported to the US states yesterday, adding a 25% surcharge to power transmissions to New York, Michigan, and Minnesota. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the move was in response to ongoing tariff threats from the Trump administration (see overview).
An estimated 4.4% of New York’s power in 2023 came from Ontario, while the regional grid operator servicing Michigan and Minnesota said less than 1% of its power came from Ontario. Still, Canadian officials projected about $280K per day in revenue from the move, which rides a wave of anti-US sentiment in the country.
In related news, retaliatory tariffs from China on US agricultural imports kicked in yesterday, with Beijing placing 10% to 15% duties on products ranging from pork and beef to soybeans. China is the largest international market for US agriculture exports, amounting to nearly $34B annually.
See a visualization of the tariff orders here. |
Syria’s transitional government—which toppled the Assad regime last year—signed a landmark deal yesterday with a US-backed Kurdish-led militia that controls the country's northeast. The agreement, signed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces leader Mazloum Abdi, consolidates northeastern Syria under central government control, including border crossings with Iraq and Turkey, airports, prisons, and vital oil and gas fields.
The breakthrough is a step toward unifying the country after years of civil war and sectarian divisions. It is also part of the government's effort to integrate all armed groups formed during the nearly 14-year conflict. The agreement guarantees Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, which were long suppressed under the Assad regime; Syrian Kurds account for roughly 10% of the country's population. The Syrian Democratic Forces have been the main US partner in fighting the Islamic State.
The deal comes amid violent unrest in Syria's coastal regions that has killed more than 1,000 people since last week. See our previous write-up here. |
Meta developed a content censorship tool and offered data access to China in an effort to enter its market, according to a whistleblower complaint filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (see original report, free w/email). Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former global policy director at Meta who worked on China policy, said the company created a China-specific censorship system in 2015 and provided internal documents to support her claims.
China's Great Firewall regulates online content and blocks access to information deemed contrary to state interests. The complaint alleges Meta was willing to weaken Chinese users' rights and store user data on servers in China, which would have made it easier for the Chinese government to access personal information, including data from Hong Kong-based users. Meta had reportedly planned to appoint a "chief editor" with the authority to remove content.
Meta denies the allegations, saying the complaint was filed by a former employee terminated for poor performance. The company acknowledged exploring entry into the Chinese market but said it ultimately decided against it. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Michelle Obama and her brother, former college basketball coach Craig Robinson, launch "IMO" podcast, produced by Obama's media company Higher Ground (More) |
> UEFA Champions League knockout stage second leg kicks off today; see full schedule and storylines (More) | Stephen Curry takes assistant general manager role for men's and women's basketball at his alma mater, Davidson College (More) |
> Grammy-winning rapper Doechii named Billboard’s 2025 Woman of the Year (More) | Los Angeles district attorney withdraws request to reduce sentencing in high-profile Menendez brothers murder case (More) |
🚀 New 1440 launch: We'll be launching our second 1440 Topics newsletter in the coming weeks, with deep dives into cultural trends—starting with subjects ranging from Disney to Stephen King to Coachella. Sign up here for free! |
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> NASA to eliminate the agency's office of the chief scientists and other roles as part of Trump administration's reduction in force (More) |
> Analysis questions Microsoft's recent announcement of a quantum computer relying on exotic Majorana particles, arguing the test used to confirm performance was insufficient (More) | See previous write-up (More) |
> New study suggests megalodons—a prehistoric shark considered to be one of the largest predators in history—grew up to 80 feet long, weighed 94 tons, and was shaped like a blue whale (More) |
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> US stock markets slide (S&P 500 -2.7%, Dow -2.1%, Nasdaq -4.0%); Nasdaq records worst day since 2022 as tariff policies worry investors over health of US economy (More) | Tesla shares fall over 15% in steepest drop since 2020 (More) |
> Mortgage giant Rocket Companies to acquire digital real estate brokerage Redfin and take it private for $1.75B; Redfin shares close up nearly 68% on the news (More) |
> Nirvana Insurance secures $80M in Series C funding, valuing the AI-driven commercial trucking insurer at $830M (More) | Venture capital 101 (1440 Topics) |
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In partnership with Motley Fool Money |
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> Senate confirms former Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R) to lead the Labor Department (More) | House to vote today on stopgap funding bill ahead of Friday shutdown deadline (More) | US secretary of state says 83% of USAID programs will be cut (More) | Judge blocks deportation of Palestinian student who led Columbia University protests against Israel, pending ruling on petition; student has lawful permanent residency in the US (More) |
> Cargo ship carrying toxic chemicals crashes with US oil tanker in the North Sea off England's east coast; cause of fiery collision unknown, 37 people from both vessels brought ashore alive (More) |
> Guatemala's Volcano of Fire erupts, forcing 300 families to evacuate and putting another 30,000 at risk; the volcano, about 33 miles from Guatemala's capital, is one of the most active in Central America (More) | See photos (More) |
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> When Russia Targets You
The Insider | Christo Grozev. An investigative journalist—who uncovered the Russian security officers behind Alexei Navalny’s poisoning—on how his life became a target of a Russian spy ring. (Read)
> In Search of the Fugitive King
The Guardian | Sean Williams. The story of Noah Musingku, a scam artist turned self-proclaimed king who now lives in an armed compound in the jungles of Bougainville. (Read) |
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In partnership with Pendulum |
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*Based on preclinical studies |
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