Today’s Big Story

Tariffs Take Effect Today

Stocks tumble, countries retaliate, and car prices could jump dramatically

President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada’s and Mexico’s exports to the U.S. and new levies on China took effect early Tuesday. U.S. stocks fell drastically Monday after the White House confirmed that the tariffs would go ahead. In response, China and Canada announced retaliatory measures on Tuesday after U.S. tariffs took effect overnight, escalating trade tensions and rattling global markets.

After Chinese exports were hit with an additional 10% tariff on top of the 10% Trump had imposed earlier this year, officials in Beijing announced 15% tariffs on some U.S. agriculture imports, including chicken, corn, cotton and wheat.

You might remember that last month, Trump struck a deal on border security with Canadian and Mexican officials and paused for 30 days his threat to impose on the countries his planned tariffs, but the president made clear on Monday no progress had been made during negotiations. Trump is defending the decision, arguing they would punish Canada and Mexico—America’s two largest trading partners—for fentanyl trafficking. He also said the move would encourage car manufacturers and other businesses to move their production to the United States.

But as now widely warned by economists, Trump’s tariff plan serves as little more than a tax on consumers. Gizmodo reported that new research shines light on just what it will mean for consumers trying to buy a new car in the months ahead: Prices on popular models like crossover utility vehicles will likely rise by at least $4,000, or around $12,000 for an electric vehicle. They also point out that it’s worth noting that “during his first administration, Trump signed a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico that enabled more production to shift to those countries by incentivizing automotive production in North America.” Now, Ford is rushing to ship products over the Canadian border so they have the parts necessary to keep manufacturing going for a little while.

Some retailers have already warned that they could be forced to raise prices. Exactly how much of the tariffs’ costs are passed onto consumers remains to be seen, but experts predict that by next year the tariffs will reduce Americans' overall after-tax income by a little more than 1%. Which means, with the average salary in the U.S. ringing in around $66,700, these tariffs could end up costing each American more than 600 bucks.

Trump Pauses Military Aid to Ukraine

Officials say the extraordinary pressure tactic would be lifted if Zelenskyy moves toward quick end to war

President Donald Trump is ordering a pause on shipments of U.S. military aid to Ukraine after his heated Oval Office argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, officials told reporters on Monday—deepening the fissure that has opened between the one-time allies.

A White House source told the Associated Press that Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Zelenskyy “committed” to that goal. The official added that the order will remain in effect until Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia. Of course, American military support for Ukraine has been essential to fending off Russia’s invading forces—but what started as a conflict with widespread bipartisan support has fractured along partisan lines amid doubts about the war’s costs and a diplomatic off-ramp.

According to CNN, Trump has echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s talking points, falsely claiming Ukraine started the war and accusing Zelenskyy of being a dictator, but his decision to halt the delivery of military aid is a move that could have real consequences for the balance of the conflict and strengthen Putin’s hand. And the move follows an order last week for U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive cyber and information operations against Russia as long as negotiations to end the war are ongoing.

Do We Need Better Cameras on Our Phones?

Chinese phone brands are partnering with serious camera makers for serious upgrades

When was the last time you picked up a dedicated camera? Most of us just reach for the phone in our pocket, right? Which is why phone makers have been vying for the title of the “best camera phone” for decades. My iPhone camera continues to surprise me with its quality but recently, I was having coffee with a photographer friend, when he showed me his new toy … a OnePlus phone outfitted with a Hasselblad camera. This is a guy who has an actual Hasselblad camera and he said the photos this slim phone takes are basically identical.

According to WIRED, the top Chinese phones today have crazy good camera hardware—namely, large sensors that promise to upgrade the quality of the photos captured on a phone. For example, that OnePlus 12 camera I mentioned? It’s equipped with the all-new Sony LYT-808 sensor, an advanced 64MP 3X periscope telephoto camera and 114° ultra-wide camera.

The Verge’s Dominic Preston just posted a piece about his love for Vivo’s Xiaomi 15, which he calls an “ugly phone with a beautiful camera”. The quadruple rear camera made by Leica comes with 200-megapixel periscope lens, which he says handles everything from everyday snaps to product review photoshoots. Vivo also makes the X70, co-engineered with Zeiss, with a built-in gimbal stabilization for those who like shooting video. And action-lovers are praising Honor’s collaboration with PORSCHE DESIGN for the fast-focusing and telephoto lenses in the new Magic 7 phone. But WIRED also points out that unfortunately, you can't buy most of them in the U.S. At least, not yet.

Should Men Read More Novels?

Guys often read non-fiction books in the name of self-improvement but skip narrative tales

This is news to me, but are straight men reluctant to pick up works of fiction? The question has been hurtling through think pieces, op-eds, and ominous headlines over the past few years and seems to have reached a boiling point: Have American men stopped reading? Specifically, have they stopped reading fiction? And is that why the world is so bad now?

As GQ puts it, the “self-improvement-obsessed grindset bros who can't spare the bandwidth to pick up a novel are the people who need literature the most.” We at Valet. have long touted a novel’s ability to provide you with the tools to think more decisively and connect with others. But it’s true, the benefits are more handy than ever. As Dazed discovered though, a lot of men believe that “reading for pleasure is a waste of time.”

A recent Vox investigation determined that while men are still less likely to read fictional novels compared to women, the reality is that regardless of gender, American adults don’t read many books. The concern over men not reading fiction, however, stems from a real fear: Instead of turning to novels for “intellectual stimulation,” men are turning to manosphere figureheads like Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate. London-based writer Lucas Oakeley has a solution: His TikTok series “Books for Boys” encourages men to stop listening to podcasts and read a book instead. His attention-grabbing introductions segue into five book recommendations with a quick synopsis for each. And if you need further convincing, InsideHook’s “Take It From a Woman” column just declared that the hottest thing a guy could do … is read a novel.

The Long Read

An investigation into what microplastics are doing to our bodies

Aim high.