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Episode Date: August 19, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Jail Snyder. A last-minute reprieve for Canada. President Trump says he has paused 50% tariffs on Canadian imports for three days. Dan Carpentuck reports Trump posted online that the two countries have reached a trade agreement. Canadian businesses had been bracing for the tariffs which were to kick in at midnight on an array of Canadian products, from wine to honey to cement to hockey sticks. The new tariffs would have affected $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. As part of the agreement, Trump says the Keystone XL pipeline, which had been killed by the Biden administration, has been revived. Prime Minister Mark Carney had spoken personally with Trump twice over the past two days ahead of the tariff deadline.

Carney had said the negotiations have been intense and delicate, and also that he was preparing for all eventualities, signaling possible retaliation. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce had warned that tariffs made no sense for either country. For NPR News, I'm Dan Carpenshuk in Toronto. Florida Republican Congressman Cory Mills has lost his primary race. Mills is the latest lawmaker in a string of Congress members facing scandals while running for office. He lost his bid for a third term in Tuesday's primary to former local television news anchor Ryan Elijah. California, they're counting votes in Tuesday's special election to fill Democratic Congressman Eric Spalwell's house seat after his resignation. President Trump insisted Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz is open to shipping, contradicting Iran, which,

says it remained shut down. However, Iran is said to be closed to a deal with Oman. President Trump threatened to bomb Oman this week in Peir Zaya Betrowery. They've been meeting with the Iranians for weeks about the shared management of the strait, which they both border. And that includes, you know, discussion around fees maybe being collected from ships, which would be a new, you know, thing for this waterway where, you know, before the war, 20% of the world's oil was freely flowing. And I think that's why Trump, for a second time in this war, just this week, threatened Oman, has been allowing ships, though, to use their waterway to transit the straight. The first full day of testimony at the trial of Dwayne Davis, a one-time gang leader,

accused of orchestrating the murder of Tupac Shakur. Steve Futterman reports from Las Vegas. Jure's were told details of Tupac Shakur's fatal injuries. He died of gunshot wounds of chest and abdomen. Dr. Lisa Gavin, a forensic pathologist, testified, but when graphic autopsy pictures were shown, members of Shakur's family left the courtroom. Later in the day, witness tried to avoid answering questions. James McDonald, a former bodyguard for Shakur's record label, said he wanted to put this part of his life behind him. I'm raising my grandkids, teaching them never to be like they pop-paw. And here I am explaining the people what I used to

be, and I'm not proud of that. He was able to sidestep questions which he said might hurt Dwayne Davis. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Las Vegas. you're listening to NPR News. The West African country of Liberia says it has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third country deportees for the United States. Liberia's information minister said Tuesday the deportees will include Africans as well as nationals from North and South America and the Caribbean. The first group of 20 expected to arrive on Thursday. In Myanmar's largest city, health officials say dozens of people have fallen ill and an outbreak of cholera. At least three people in Yangon have died. Imperus Duri Vaskeran reports that monsoon rains have displaced tens of thousands

of people in the area. Acute diarrhea, often caused by cholera, is a recurring issue during Myanmar's rainy monsoon season. The country's social affairs ministers said that 500 people were hospitalized with diarrhea in Yangon last week. Almost 150 tested positive for colon. Local media reported that health officials suspect the outbreak is tied to contaminated water or food and ask street vendors in the city of Yangon to close over the weekend. Two years ago, more than 2,000 people were hospitalized in a diarrhea outbreak during the monsoons. 15 people died. Derry Buscarin and Pier News, Washington. Court in Australia hearing the appeal of Aaron Patterson, the so-called mushroom murderer.

A three-judge panel in Victoria began hearing Patterson's appeal Wednesday. was convicted for poisoning four of her estranged husband's relatives during a lunch of beef Wellington pastries, laced with death-cap mushrooms. She was convicted on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. I'm Giles Snyder. MPR News.