Trump, tariff, Gaza, education, spelling bee, NBA, Elon Musk, COVID: Daily Briefing

Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert. Board flight, place bag in overhead bin … catch a pigeon?

Happy Thursday. Here’s the news:

Wall Street jeers as Trump faces tariff setback

The Trump administration filed a notice of appeal minutes after a federal court ruled the president can’t use an emergency-powers law to impose tariffs on foreign countries.

What it means: The ruling notes that the U.S. Constitution gives Congress, not the presdient, the authority to “regulate commerce with foreign nations.”

  • Tariffs were ordered to be halted: The three-judge panel of the United States Court of International Trade unanimously found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, which President Trump invoked to unilaterally enact duties on foreign goods, “does not authorize” the tariffs.
  • “Trump always chickens out”: President Trump is no fan of “TACO trade,” of an emerging acronymic nickname on Wall Street mocking his on-again, off-again approach to tariffs.
  • What this means for you: The chances of a recession currently stand at about 40%, according to a report released this week. But you won’t know when a recession starts because a recession isn’t a called such until the downturn has persisted for at least a few months.

Gateway, Arkansas, is on edge

The town where Arkansas prison escapee and convicted murderer Grant Hardin once served as police chief remains on alert, according to its mayor, who is also the sister of Hardin’s victim. Hardin, 56, escaped from the North Central Unit in Calico Rock on May 25, wearing a “makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement,” according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Hardin had been serving time for the 2017 murder of James Appleton, the mayor’s brother, in Gateway and the 1997 rape of a school teacher in nearby Rogers. He was sentenced to 80 years on the combined convictions, according to court records. Hardin remained at large as of Wednesday night.

More news to know now

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Chaos and criticism for Trump-backed Gaza aid plan 

With famine imminent after nearly three months of Israeli blockade, thousands of Palestinians stampeded a fenced checkpoint in southern Gaza on Thursday, and Israeli soldiers opened fire, according to Israel’s military and the United Nations. Supported by the Trump administration and Israel, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has pitched its “secure distribution sites,” staffed with paramilitary contractors, as the solution to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and Israel’s distrust of the U.N. Other aid organizations say its model of militarized aid distribution and its ties to Israel violate basic humanitarian principles.

These parents are ‘unschooling’ their kids

No grades, no tests and no curriculum: The unschooling educational movement has amassed fascination — and is growing. Even Kourtney Kardashian said sending kids to school felt “so dated” while speaking with her sister during a recent episode of the “Khloe in Wonder Land” podcast. Some parents say their children are thriving in the unschooling environment, fueling their confidence and desire to learn. But not all students find success in unschooling. Some former students say the lack of structure and accountability can lead to educational neglect if parents don’t have the resources to make it work. Some kids who were unschooled feel they were left unprepared for adulthood.

Today’s talkers

Hoda Kotb chats about wellness company Joy 101

“I’m hopeful, and I’m also proud that we did something. We’re not just talking about it. Something’s going to be put out into the world. Is it going to be perfect? I doubt it, but it’s going to be really good.”

Former “Today” anchor chair Hoda Kotb, who debuted her wellness company, Joy 101, on Thursday. The brand offers an app and events that aim to enhance the lives of its users, with a tailor-made program. On the app, Kotb provides a daily dose of her optimism and wisdom and greets users with a 21-day course, in which she shares life lessons. And members can go on retreats with Kotb. 

Photo of the day: We can’t get enough s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g

The best competitors in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee continue Thursday for the finals. We simply can’t get enough of these photos of the emotions on stage as spellers attempt the toughest words.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at [email protected].

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