Good morning. It's Saturday, Feb. 21, and in this weekend edition, we're covering a setback to President Donald Trump's economic agenda, a dinosaur that rivals the T. rex in size, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.6 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
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Trump's Tariffs Terminated |
The Supreme Court yesterday struck down President Donald Trump's tariffs on imports from nearly every US trading partner. Trump responded by ordering a global 10% tariff under a statue that lets presidents impose duties for up to 150 days.
Last year, Trump was the first president to invoke the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on imported goods from over 100 countries. While the statute empowers the president to regulate imports to address extraordinary threats, it does not explicitly mention tariffs. Previous presidents have used it to place sanctions and embargoes on other countries, such as after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Citing historical precedent and the letter of the law, the justices ruled 6-3 that Trump exceeded his authority; only Congress can impose tariffs under the 1977 act.
The majority did not address whether companies would be refunded the over $175B reportedly collected under the tariffs, leaving that question to lower courts. In dissent, Justice Brett Kavanaugh warned that issuing refunds would be complicated, particularly since many importers have passed on the costs to consumers. |
Want to understand how the Supreme Court became powerful enough to override the president? Our editor-in-chief takes you inside the high court in our latest "1440 Explores" episode. Listen here or watch here. |
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Team USA and Canada to compete for Olympic men's hockey gold tomorrow.
The puck is set to drop at 8:10 am ET tomorrow, marking the US men's hockey team's first gold medal game since 2010. Canada beat the US in that game to win its eighth of nine gold medals in men's hockey. The US beat Slovakia 6-2 yesterday to reach tomorrow's game, while Canada beat Finland 3-2. Slovakia and Finland will face off today at 2:40 pm ET for the bronze medal.
Separately, Norway broke its own record for the most gold medals won in a single Winter Games when biathlete Johannes Dale-Skjevdal earned the nation's 17th gold in the men's 15-kilometer mass start race. As of this writing, Norway has 37 total medals. |
Trump administration revokes Biden-era limits on toxic power plant pollution.
The White House yesterday reverted standards regulating mercury, arsenic, and other toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants back to those set in 2012. The move comes after industry groups said the Biden-era rules were prohibitively expensive. Meanwhile, environmental groups supported the stricter limits, citing that pollutants can harm brain development and contribute to health problems. As of 2022, burning coal also accounted for roughly 19% of US energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. |
New federal data shows a slowdown in economic growth last quarter.
Gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, grew 1.4% in the final three months of 2025, according to a federal report released yesterday. That is down sharply from the 4.4% rate reported in the third quarter, a decline partly attributed to the record 43-day government shutdown that stretched from October to November. On the whole, GDP rose 2.2% last year, compared to 2.8% in 2024. |
NASA targets March moon launch after latest rocket fueling test.
The successful test comes after a first fueling test earlier this month was plagued by liquid hydrogen leaks. Now, NASA says it could launch four astronauts to the moon as soon as March 6. The three Americans and one Canadian slated for the trip were put into a two-week health quarantine last night in preparation. They're poised to be the first astronauts to fly to the moon since 1972. |
Barcelona's Sagrada Familia reaches its maximum height.
Over 140 years after the first stone was laid, the Catholic church designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí reached its peak height of roughly 556 feet. After a crane installed the upper arm of a cross atop the Tower of Jesus Christ, the Sagrada Familia surpassed its own record as the world’s tallest church. While no additional height is expected, the project remains years from completion. |
Paleontologists discover a new dinosaur species as large as T. rex.
The new dinosaur species' fossils were discovered among 55 tons of specimens in a remote part of the Sahara Desert. Scientists believe the species, named Spinosaurus mirabilis, was a brightly colored carnivore that waded in the water to catch fish and lived about 95 million years ago. Mirabilis is Latin for astonishing. |
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Brothers of US women's hockey star post goofy videos to cheer her and her teammates on in the Milan Cortina Winter Games. (More) |
Florida man jumps in pond to save a pregnant woman; hours later, her baby is born. (More) |
... and another Florida man rescues a mother and her three children after their car flips into a canal. (More) |
Award-winning wedding photographer shares his favorite photos. (More) |
Twins share a special moment the morning after their first night sleeping apart. (More, w/video) |
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In partnership with EnergyX |
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Global Bank Predicts 80K-Ton Lithium Shortage |
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Dear readers— This month, we're pausing our usual act of kindness stories to share a sampling of your love stories. We hope this week's selection makes you laugh. |
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"People have asked me, 'What is the most romantic thing/gift your husband has given you?' My answer is always the same: my heated toilet seat. Not only because my bathroom is cold—and NOBODY loves sitting on a cold toilet—but mainly because my husband heard me complain about being cold and DID something about it. He listened, people ... really listened." |
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— Viktoria S. in Glenpool, Oklahoma |
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"I was a graduate student living nickel to nickel. John, whom I’d just met, treated me to dinner at an expensive restaurant. Our first date. He ordered champagne, which we sipped as we browsed our textured linen menus. Unknowingly, I held my menu over the small table candle. My menu burst into flames! The waiter came running! Glasses of water doused the fire! Diners waved napkins to rid the smoke! And John pushed his chair back and laughed. Later that evening, he told me that I had a flaming-hot personality. Yes, we are still married after 40 wonderful years!" |
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— Sally S. in Tucson, Arizona |
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"I was at a convention in Toronto when a group decided to go to the top of the CN Tower for cocktails. At about the 35th floor, the elevator emerged from the shaft and continued to climb on the outside of the building. I'm deathly afraid of heights, and the elevator walls were all glass! Since I had a spectacular view of where I would land when I plummeted to my death, I gasped, spun around, and buried my face in the chest of the man behind me. Always a gentleman, he held me tightly for the rest of the ride up. One stray thought sneaked through my terror, 'Gee, he smells good!' We've been married over 40 years now." |
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— Bonita Z. in Pewaukee, Wisconsin |
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Humankind(ness) is a reader-built corner of joy. So, if these stories made you smile, share our email (copy URL here). |
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🧑🏻⚖️ 1440 Explores ... Inside the US Supreme Court |
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Once considered the weakest branch, the US Supreme Court has grown into one of America's most powerful institutions, with nine unelected justices and a marble building where decisions can reshape an entire nation. Our latest episode of "1440 Explores" demystifies what happens behind the court's closed doors. |
We'll unpack:
> Where the high court's power actually comes from.
> How the court chooses which cases to hear.
> What shapes a final ruling that can last generations—including young law clerks. |
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Bookkeeping
> 6:38.10: How long it took 80-year-old Gary Patton to run a mile, breaking the world record for 80- to 84-year-olds (w/video).
> $3.6M: Amount Osaka, Japan, anonymously received in gold bars to fix the city's water pipes.
Browse
> This gene may determine "good" and "bad" dads.
> The grandson of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups inventor is upset.
> How do social media influencers get taxed?
> Friends are co-buying homes to achieve the American Dream.
Listen
> You've probably heard the word thrown around, but what really is vibecoding?
Watch
> Can humans unlock the quintuple jump in figure skating?
> Explore 11 countries, in pancakes.
> Inside New York City's $2.7M luxury ice company.
Long Read
> Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack hid out in the Yucca Valley.
> Your soulmate probably doesn't have all the traits you're looking for.
> Decades later, a woman investigates the mysterious circumstances around her mother's untimely death.
Most Clicked This Week: The US's most (and least) expensive supermarkets.
Historybook: "The Communist Manifesto" published by Karl Marx (1848); Musician Nina Simone born (1933); NASCAR founded (1948); Malcolm X assassinated (1965); Rev. Billy Graham dies (2018). |
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"An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times." |
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