International news

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated a landmark antitrust trial against Meta, alleging the company unlawfully eliminated competition by purchasing Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 and WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014. FTC lawyer Daniel Matheson argued Meta "decided that competition was too hard" and cited a 2012 memo from CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussing "neutralising" Instagram as a "smoking gun." Meta's defense counters that the acquisitions were made to "improve and grow" the platforms, and that the company faces substantial competition from other apps like TikTok, X, YouTube, and iMessage. If the FTC wins, Meta could be forced to break up its company by spinning off Instagram and WhatsApp.

US consumers are responding to the threat of tariff-induced price increases following President Trump's announcement of sweeping import taxes, including a 10% tax on most imports and a 145% duty on Chinese goods. Some Americans like Richard Medina are rushing to make purchases before prices rise, while others feel uncertain about how to respond, especially as Trump has already modified his plans several times, scaling back duties on EU imports and exempting smartphones from tariffs. Economists predict significant price increases in the coming months, with Yale's Budget Lab estimating that the typical US family faces approximately $4,700 in additional costs due to the new taxes, potentially leading to retail shortages of certain Chinese-dominated products and ultimately reduced consumer spending that could harm the US economy.

Ghana, which became the first sub-Saharan colony to gain independence from colonial rule on March 6, 1957, continues to celebrate Independence Day as a reminder of resilience and unity across the African diaspora 68 years later in 2025. Led by Kwame Nkrumah, who fought relentlessly from 1949 until 1957 for Ghana's freedom from Great Britain, the country's liberation served as inspiration for civil rights movements globally, including influencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his struggle for civil rights in the United States. Today, Ghanaians both at home and abroad commemorate the historic achievement through parades, sharing oral histories, preparing traditional dishes, and embracing pan-African ideals that connect diverse Black communities around the world.