HARD NUMBERS: US lawmakers call for chip trackers, Elon’s PAC gets sued, Manitoba burns, Honda drains its Canadian battery investment, Rubber ducks migrate
8: Where do US advanced microchips go? US lawmakers want to know. A bipartisan group of eight congresspeople has introduced a bill requiring tracking technology on any export-bound artificial intelligence chips. The proposal, similar to a Senate bill introduced last week, is meant to stop cutting-edge American AI tech from going to China.
100: Tesla owner Elon Musk’s political action committee is being sued for failing to pay the $100 that it – controversially – promised to give swing-state voters who signed a pro-Constitution petition during last year’s presidential election.
21: The central Canadian province of Manitoba is struggling to control 21 active wildfires. The fast-moving blazes killed two people earlier this week and have forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 Manitobans. So far, this season’s 80 fires are nearly double the 20-year average.
11 billion: Honda is moving production of some of its vehicles from Ontario to the US, and postponing a plan to invest $11 billion in the production of EVs and batteries in Canada. The move is a direct response to Donald Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian autos and parts.
3,000: Honda may be leaving, but the rubber ducks are coming! The owners of the Rubber Duck Museum in Point Roberts, Washington, a US town accessible only via Canadian territory, are decamping for Canada — along with their famous retail shop of 3,000 novelty ducks. The reason? Trump’s threats and tariffs on Canada have caused such a severe drop in cross-border visitors that the business can no longer stay afloat in the US.