NPR News: 08-22-2026 5PM EDT
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Why did the U.S. impose 50% tariffs on Canadian goods and how is Canada responding?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. The US is imposing fifty percent tariffs on billions of dollars of Canadian goods this after trade talks between the two nations broke down last night. Canada has promised to match US tariffs dollar for dollar, NPR's Michael Copley reports.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Kearney says he suspended trade talks after the U.S. pushed last minute changes that Kearney called unfair. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative responded on social media, saying Canada had made new demands and walked back prior commitments. U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer said in an interview with Fox News on Saturday that no new trade talks are planned.
What is the U.S. Postal Service’s plan for mail‑in voting and why are courts blocking it?
Carney said Canada has known since the start of negotiations that its relationship with the US has permanently changed, and that his country has been working to diversify its trade relationships globally. Michael Copley, NPR News.
The US Postal Service has released a finalized plan this in response to President Trump's order to restrict mail in voting for the fall midterm election, but multiple court orders are blocking USPS from carrying out that plan for now, NPR's Hanzi Luong reports.
A key change under the finalized rule from the U.S. Postal Service would require states to turn over their absentee voter list to the mailing agency in order to have their mail and balance delivered. For now though, a federal judge in Boston has blocked USPS, which is financial supporter of NPR. The judge found that President Trump's executive order for the Postal Service and other federal agencies oversteps his authority under the Constitution. Trump himself has voted by mail in Florida, and for months his executive order to limit mail-in voting has been caught up in legal fights. A dozen Republican-led states are appealing the latest nationwide ruling by the judge in Boston, and comes as the way continues for the Supreme Court to weigh in on an earlier ruling that blocks USPS from implementing Trump's order in the twenty-three mainly Democratic-led states, plus Washington, D.C.
How will the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race impact Washington, D.C., and who’s behind it?
that sued.
The roads around the mall are lined with concrete barriers and catch fences. They mark out the circuit for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The race's chairman, Bud Denker, says the city makes for a dramatic backdrop.
Also epic will be the speed. The cars are expected to be a very good thing. To hit about 180 miles an hour. It's IndyCar's first race in DC. German tourist Chris Herald has his ticket.
Are college degrees still worth it as fall classes start and enrollment trends shift?
That's uh really maybe once in a lifetime, who knows, but the first race, it's amazing during the anniversary also. Around 120,000 fans are expected to be there. Adam Beer in NPR News, Washington.
Fall classes are getting underway at colleges and universities across the country, despite a renewed question of whether a college degree is even worth it. NPR's Alyssa Nodrinny reports from a college campus in Muncie, Indiana.
I'm at Ball State, a public research university, where students are moving in. I'm seeing roommates meeting up, families unloading U-Hauls. There's so much energy and excitement, but there's a lot happening in the world of higher ed. High tuition, fear of student debt, increased interest in the trades, changes to student visas.
Why are gasoline and diesel prices rising and which states are feeling the biggest impact?
And yet, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergrad enrollment overall is up, driven by gains at public four-year programs. programs like here at Ball State and community colleges. Stephen Combs is the Chancellor at Ivy Tech Community College's campus in Columbus, Indiana.
We provide programs that are everybody's first choices, nursing, flight, cyber, IT, industrial maintenance. So there's so many different opportunities that many community colleges offer that people just need to explore.
And of course, community college is one of the cheapest options that students have. Alyssaadworney, NPR News.
Triple A says the national average price for a gallon of gasoline remains stable today at $4.10 a gallon. That's three cents higher than a week ago and 96 cents more expensive than a year ago.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
Why did the U.S. impose 50% tariffs on Canadian goods and how is Canada responding?
0:00–0:44
2
What is the U.S. Postal Service’s plan for mail‑in voting and why are courts blocking it?
0:44–1:56
3
How will the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race impact Washington, D.C., and who’s behind it?
1:56–2:44
4
Are college degrees still worth it as fall classes start and enrollment trends shift?
2:44–3:32
5
Why are gasoline and diesel prices rising and which states are feeling the biggest impact?
3:32–4:18
6
How does the U.S. national debt surpassing $40 trillion affect everyday finances?
4:18–5:02