JD Vance tries to broker a TikTok deal, forecasters predict another active hurricane season, and a new ‘Superman' sneak peek
Good morning, all. Looking to save money on groceries? You might like the quality of these products from generic brands. Now, on to the news.
Subscribe to get this newsletter in your inbox each morning.
NEED TO KNOW
Photo illustration: Chesnot/Getty Images
Another TikTok ban looms
President Trump said the U.S. was 'very close to a deal' that would spare the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from getting banned. The deadline to reach a deal is tomorrow.
Recap: The U.S. passed a law last year to force TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to sell it or face a U.S. ban. It went dark on the initial deadline in January, but Trump delayed its enforcement until April 5, though it could be pushed back again. [Yahoo News]
Making a deal: Vice President JD Vance is brokering the negotiations and said an announcement 'will come out before the deadline.' Multiple investors are involved in discussions, including Oracle, Blackstone and Amazon. [Politico/Bloomberg]
Incentives: Trump said he's willing to offer tariff relief in exchange for China's help facilitating the sale. It comes amid a budding trade war: After Trump announced 54% tariffs on Chinese imports, China retaliated this morning with a 34% tariff on all U.S. goods. [Reuters/AP]
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT♥️ Cruise honors Kilmer
Tom Cruise honored his late Top Gun costar Val Kilmer with a moment of silence at CinemaCon, saying he was "grateful" to work together on the movie and its 2022 sequel. Read about how their reunion came together. [Yahoo Entertainment]
➡️ National Security shake-ups
Trump fired several national security officials yesterday, including Gen. Tim Haugh, the head of the NSA, and 'some' National Security Council directors after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns about them. [AP]
⛈️ 2025 hurricane forecast
Colorado State University experts released an above-average forecast for the 2025 hurricane season, predicting it will deliver 17 named storms, nine of which will turn into hurricanes. See your state's storm chances this year. [CNN/USA Today]
🏀 Cali competition
The Golden State Warriors beat the L.A. Lakers 123-116 in a potential playoff preview last night, thanks in part to 65 combined points between Steph Curry and Brandin Podziemski. Don't miss the highlights. [Yahoo Sports]
🦸 It's a bird, it's a plane…
It's a new sneak peek of Superman: Legacy. DC released the five-minute clip, which includes David Corenswet as an injured Superman, whose dog, Krypto, playfully comes to his aid. Watch it. [GMA]
WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY
🎬 Now in theaters: Jason Momoa and Jack Black star in the 'surprisingly well-crafted' Minecraft live-action movie adaptation, and Pedro Pascal and Tom Hanks anthologize '80s pop culture in Freaky Tales. [Entertainment Weekly/IndieWire]
⚾ On the field, the Pirates begin a three-game series against the Yankees at 4:12 p.m. ET on the MLB app. [AP]
🏀 On the court, March Madness continues with the women's Final Four — Texas vs. South Carolina and UConn vs. UCLA — starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. [Yahoo Sports]
☀️ And don't forget to: Read your daily horoscope. Play the crossword. Check the forecast in your area.
TODAY IN HISTORY
Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Doug Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images
In 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft. Fifty years later, Gates credits his parents with his success. 'My parents were both amazing, but my mom was around all the time telling me to fix my manners and to get dressed and be on time,' he said. [Yahoo Finance]
3 QUESTIONS
... about March Madness
The women's Final Four tips off tonight, before the men get started tomorrow. Anthony asked Yahoo Sports reporters Cassandra Negley and Jeff Eisenberg what to expect.
Anthony: Cassandra, tell me about how this women's tournament has shaped up so far.
Cassandra: It's everything I expected, with incredible games along the way. Paige Bueckers's storybook UConn ending is alive, although South Carolina, with its close calls, feels inevitable. And there are newer entrants: UCLA, who's in the Final Four for the first time, and Texas who hasn't been this far since 2003.
Anthony.: Any predictions for tonight's games and who could make it to Sunday?
Cassandra: I haven't wavered from my prediction that UConn will win it all. Bueckers and the Huskies are a team on a mission, playing their best in the tournament. But I'll switch to Texas as their opponent in the title match. South Carolina looks more beatable than ever, and Texas has the recipe.
Anthony: Hi, Jeff! The men's Final Four begins tomorrow. What are you keeping an eye on?
Jeff: Whether anyone can beat Duke. All four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four for only the second time ever, but Duke is the heavyweight of heavyweights. This is the best Blue Devils team in at least a decade, if not longer. It would be a surprise if they don't cut down the Alamodome nets Monday night.
Need the men's schedule? Here are tomorrow's start times and where to watch.
FEEL-GOOD MOMENT
Fram2/SpaceX
A group of astronauts traveling on a SpaceX spacecraft are on a mission to become the first humans to complete a spaceflight over both of Earth's poles. They recently shared some spectacular views from 267 miles up. Don't miss the footage. [USA Today]
Have a great weekend! See you Monday.
💡 P.S. Before you go, your daily advice: Ever wonder how often you should be washing your sheets? At least once a week is best — even more often if you sleep with pets. [Yahoo Life]
About The Yodel: The Yodel is a morning newsletter from Yahoo News.
Start your day with The Yodel to get caught up on weather, national news, politics, entertainment and sports — in four minutes or less.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
33 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Samoa to hold snap election on Aug. 29 after PM's government collapses
NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — Samoa will head to the polls on Aug. 29, a half-year earlier than expected, after Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa's government collapsed following a budget defeat in parliament late last month. Fiamē, who became the South Pacific island nation's first female prime minister in 2021 and ended four decades of Human Rights Protection Party rule, now faces a three-way political battle that has ramifications far beyond Samoa. The snap election comes at a time of heightened geopolitical interest in the South Pacific, with Samoa viewed as a strategic player in the growing contest for regional influence between China and traditional partners like Australia and the United States. Climate change is also seen as an existential threat for the Samoan archipelago, which has a population of 200,000 people, and is among the world's most imperiled by rising seas. Fiamē's FAST government fractured earlier this year after she fired party chairman La'auli Leuatea Polataivao from the cabinet over criminal charges. The move triggered a party split. Though Fiamē survived two no-confidence votes, a combined effort by HRPP and FAST defectors to block her budget forced the early election. Fiamē now leads the newly formed Samoa Uniting Party, facing off against her former boss Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's HRPP and La'auli's rebranded FAST. The Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Sualauvi Vaaletoa II, formally announced the election date on Tuesday, after the country's Supreme Court rejected a bid to allow more time for preparations. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
34 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Israel says Greta Thunberg has been deported after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized
JERUSALEM (AP) — Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel Tuesday, the country's Foreign Ministry said, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry shared a photo of Thunberg on a plane, saying she had departed Israel and was headed to France before continuing on to Sweden. Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing Thunberg and the other activists, said Thunberg, two other activists and a journalist had agreed to be deported and leave Israel. Other activists refused deportation, were being held in detention and their case was set to be heard by Israeli authorities. Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on board the Madleen, a boat carrying aid destined for people in war-torn Gaza. Israeli naval forces seized the boat early Monday about 200 kilometers (125 miles) off of Gaza's coast, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group that organized the journey. The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in the Israeli port of Ashdod Monday evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. The activists said they were protesting the ongoing war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel says such ships violate its naval blockade of Gaza. Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Newsweek
36 minutes ago
- Newsweek
China Challenges US Sea Power With Two Aircraft Carriers in West Pacific
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. For the first time ever, two Chinese aircraft carriers operated simultaneously in the western Pacific beyond a strategic island defense line meant to keep China's naval forces in check. Chinese naval activities in relevant waters are "fully consistent with international law and international practices," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said at press conference on Monday. Newsweek has also reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters The Chinese navy is the world's largest by hull count, with more than 370 vessels, including two aircraft carriers—CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong—in active service. This growing fleet enables China to expand its military reach and presence in the Pacific Ocean. Under a containment strategy, the United States has established three island chains across the western and central Pacific by using its own territories, as well as those of its allies and partners, in an effort to restrict China's naval access to the broader Pacific during wartime. On Saturday, Japan—a U.S. treaty ally—announced that the Liaoning had become China's first aircraft carrier to be spotted sailing in waters east of the Second Island Chain, which links Japan to New Guinea, north of Australia, via Guam—America's westernmost territory. What To Know A second Chinese naval task group—consisting of the Shandong and four other vessels—was tracked operating in the Philippine Sea on Saturday, approximately 340 miles southeast of Miyako Island in Japan's southwestern waters, the Japanese Defense Ministry announced. The Chinese vessels deployed alongside the aircraft carrier—which has served in China's navy since 2019—included one Type 055 destroyer, two Type 054A frigates, and one Type 901 fast combat support ship, according to hull numbers provided by Japan's military. It remains unclear when and where the Shandong and its task group breached the First Island Chain—formed by Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, west of the Philippine Sea. They may have passed through the Luzon Strait, which lies between Taiwan and the Philippines. The Liaoning, which has been tracked underway since late May, was first spotted operating in the East China Sea before transiting the Miyako Strait—a key waterway in the First Island Chain near the Japanese island of Miyako—toward the Philippine Sea. The Shandong-led naval task group was later tracked moving northeast, reaching north of Okinotorishima on Monday. The island, located over 1,000 miles south of Japan's capital, Tokyo, is the country's southernmost territory. The Shandong conducted flight operations with its fighter jets and helicopters within Japan's 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the island, according to a Japanese Defense Ministry map. The carrier was accompanied by a Type 052D destroyer and a Type 054A frigate. All countries have the right to conduct freedom of navigation and overflight within an EEZ, a maritime area beyond and adjacent to a nation's territorial sea—which extends up to 13.8 miles from the coastline—according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The dual aircraft carrier deployment is just another example of the Chinese navy expanding its reach in international waters, Tom Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submariner and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told Newsweek in an email. "In the event of a conflict, a PLA Navy that is the U.S. Navy's equal is not one that fights in the Western Pacific—it's one that challenges for control of the Central Pacific," Shugart said, referring to the official name of the Chinese navy, the People's Liberation Army Navy. Chinese aircraft carriers CNS Liaoning, right, and CNS Shandong carry out a dual carrier formation exercise for the first time in the South China Sea in late October 2024. Chinese aircraft carriers CNS Liaoning, right, and CNS Shandong carry out a dual carrier formation exercise for the first time in the South China Sea in late October 2024. Chen Mengxi/Xinhua via AP "I think the [dual aircraft carrier deployment] is interesting, but also unsurprising in the larger context of evolving Chinese blue water operations," Australia-based naval analyst Alex Luck said in an email to Newsweek, referring to a navy capable of operating globally. "I would expect [the Chinese navy] to schedule repeats and increasing complexity for such future activities," Luck said—especially once CNS Fujian, China's third aircraft carrier, which is yet to be commissioned, becomes operational with a more capable carrier-based aviation unit. What People Are Saying Tom Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submariner, told Newsweek: "China is now, by far, the world's dominant maritime power by every measure other than sheer naval tonnage (U.S. Navy ships are, on average, still larger), and its maritime interests are global in nature. That we also see global Chinese naval power should come as no surprise." Australia-based naval analyst Alex Luck told Newsweek: "My personal view is that China does consider their carrier force as an important element in adding strategic space across the Pacific, aimed at making American deployments near the Chinese main more challenging." What Happens Next The Chinese navy may conduct its second dual aircraft carrier operation as the Liaoning and the Shandong operate around the Second Island Chain, a Newsweek map shows. The two aircraft carriers conducted their first joint operation last October in the South China Sea.
