The US says a deal has been reached on TikTok, but details are sparse

By Josh Boak and Suman Naishadham

A framework deal has been reached for the ownership of popular social video platform TikTok, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after weekend trade talks between the U.S. and China in Spain.

Bessent said in a press conference after the latest round of trade talks between the worlds top two economies concluded in Madrid that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping would speak on Friday to possibly finalize the deal.

Bessent said that the objective of the framework deal on the social media platform would be to switch to US ownership. Bessent said that Trump and Xi would speak on Friday to complete the deal.

“We are not going to talk about the commercial terms of the deal,” Bessent said. “It’s between two private parties. But the commercial terms have been agreed upon.”Chinese officials have yet to confirm Bessent’s statement and were not present at the press conference.

Workers commenting on Kirk’s death learn the limits of free speech in and out of their jobs

By Cathy Bussewitz and Wyatt Grantham-Philips

NEW YORK (AP) — In the days following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, numerous workers have been fired for their comments on his death, among them MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd.

Several conservative activists have sought to identify social media users whose posts about Kirk they viewed as offensive or celebratory, targeting everyone from journalists to teachers. Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer said she would try to ruin the professional aspirations of anyone who celebrated Kirk’s death.

It’s far from the first time workers have lost their jobs over things they say publicly — including in social media posts. But the speed at which the firings have been happening raises questions about worker rights versus employer rights.In the U.S., laws can vary across states, but overall, there’s very little legal protections for employees who are punished for speech made both in and out of private workplaces.

2025 Emmys: ‘The Pitt’ and ‘The Studio’ win top awards

By Mallika Sen and Nell Clark

“The Studio” won best comedy series at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday night, breaking an Emmys record, as “Adolescence” and “The Pitt” took the night’s other top prizes.

But the night’s most popular winner was likely Stephen Colbert. He received a prolonged and rousing standing ovation for his talk series win, which comes after CBS announced it is canceling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”