The Department of Justice on Wednesday announced several federal agencies were victims of a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group.

The Details: In a statement, the Justice Department (DOJ) said it seized hacking platforms "QScan" and "QTRouter," involved in the hacking of the Federal Reserve, US Senate, DOJ, NASA, the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies. Other targets reportedly included hospital networks, US military networks, power companies and financial institutions. According to the statement, the hacking platforms were operated by a state-run group employed by Chinese-based firm, Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Co., which it said "target[ed] US critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks" for clients like the Ministry of State Security and the People's Liberation Army.

For Context: According to an FBI affidavit, the hacking began in 2018 and continued through 2026. The Hill (Center bias) reported that in 2024, the Treasury Department charged 10 Chinese hackers-for-hire and two of the country's officials in an attempt to steal data from American entities.

'Exploitation at Scale': Many outlets reported on the extent of the hacking operation. Epoch Times (Lean Right) reported on the QCan capabilities to "find vulnerable systems and exploit them." The New York Post (Right) said the hacking services were able to infect thousands of devices across the globe. CNN (Lean Left) said that assessments of the damage will likely remain private due to security concerns.

'Cat-and-Mouse Game': CNN reported that cybersecurity has been a "source of simmering tension for years" between the US and China. USA Today (Lean Left) said that Chinese hacks and US disruptions have "become a virtually routine cat-and-mouse game" over the past decade It quoted a former senior attorney in the DOJ who said the decision to publicize the hacking scheme looks "like a 'name-and-shame' campaign where the U.S. essentially publicly calls out foreign hackers to let them know that we're onto them." The Hill said that the Chinese government "routinely denies allegations of hacking US networks."

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, agreed to pay $18 million and will limit how teenagers can use their social media platforms to settle a lawsuit brought by 29 states that claim the platforms were designed to addict children.

The Details: Meta agreed to pay the states for public health purposes, including crisis intervention services, after-school programs, mental health programs for youth, and outdoor activities for teens. Over the next decade, Meta will also restrict how teens can use Facebook and Instagram, including limiting under-18 users to 2 hours of use a day, blocking access from midnight to 6 a.m., and limiting notifications during school hours. Parents will also be able to choose to default their children's feeds to a chronological timeline rather than an algorithm. The settlement does not, however, require Meta to disable targeted advertising for users under 18.

For Context: The lawsuit alleged that Meta's products were harmful to children and that the company purposely misled the public about their safety. Meta's chief legal officer said in a statement, "Because teens move fluidly across dozens of apps, we need an industry-wide solution. We therefore call on our industry peers, TikTok and YouTube, to implement this new framework right away."

How the Media Covered It: Axios (Lean Left bias) called the settlement "social media's version of the landmark 1990s tobacco settlement," claiming that it "effectively reshapes the industry and the way young Americans experience some of their favorite platforms." Breitbart (Right) noted the states' claims against Meta but also included Meta's opposing argument that "states were cherry-picking features while ignoring safety tools it already offers, including teen accounts that default to private, time-limit reminders, parental supervision options, and restrictions on who can contact minors and what content they see." Reuters (Center) reported that the settlement payout only represents "about three to four months of profit" for the company.

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Theories have emerged about the state of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was "notably absent" from his father's funeral in July.

The Details: "Almost six months since his anointment, Iran's supreme leader has been entirely obscured from the public eye," reported The Atlantic (Left bias) on Tuesday. "Not a single contemporaneous picture, video, or audio recording of him has been released… Not even Mojtaba's close friends and relatives have seen him."

The outlet said sources "inside and close to the government" speculated that Khamenei succumbed to injuries sustained from the US-Israeli strikes that killed his father in February. Several regime officials reportedly speculated he "either passed away or is brain dead."

One of Khamenei's relatives claimed his absence was "due to security precautions," which The Atlantic contended was "not implausible" due to ongoing warfare. The relative, former regime official Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaght, called rumors of Khamenei's death "part of a psychological war hoping to demoralize Iran's officials and its people, for them to give up to the pressures and threats of America." Khoshvaght, along with another former official, said the leader is "in full health" and will soon address the public.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, "I don't think he's dead. He was very seriously wounded... if he is dead, they're putting on a pretty good show."

How The Media Covered It: The Atlantic inferred that "no one seems able to say for sure whether [Iran's leader] is alive or dead. And without a firm hand at the top, indecision can become a purgatory without a foreseeable end." Newsweek (Center) suggested that even if Khamenei is alive, "he is painfully out of his depth and wholly incapable of maintaining control" over Iran. New York Post (Lean Right) alternatively reported a more sensational claim: "Trump confirmed in March that he received a CIA briefing on intelligence that Khamenei may be gay, contending it 'puts him off to a bad start in that particular country.'"

For Context: Joint US-Israeli strikes reportedly killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February, leaving Mojtaba, his son, to succeed him as supreme leader in March. Subsequent reporting suggested Mojtaba was also injured in some capacity. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was "wounded and likely disfigured" on March 13th, though Trump said he was "probably alive in some form." Other reports said he may have been "in a coma" or had undergone surgery in Russia. Read more.

RELATED: Iranians Rally in Support of New Leader Mojtaba Khamenei; Many Remain Skeptical | AllSides

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The Trump Administration is reportedly planning to revoke business and tourism visas held by foreigners who have applied for asylum in the US.

Key Quote: "We are coordinating with DHS [Department of Homeland Security] to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently," said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.

The Numbers: Outlets across the political spectrum have highlighted that "up to 200,000" visa holders may be affected. However, the figure, first reported by Associated Press (Lean Left bias) cited State Department documents and two anonymous US officials, but didn't provide any documents or direct quotes as evidence. Some outlets like The Guardian (Left) are reporting "200,000 visas will be revoked," instead of saying "up to 200,000," while failing to mention that this number hasn't been confirmed. Both outlets on the left and right quoted a statement by Pigott saying, "As the process will be ongoing, the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis," however, only outlets on the right tended to specify that Pigott declined to comment on the number of visas that might be revoked.

Free Speech And Due Process: Outlets on the left like The Guardian were more likely to frame the "sweeping immigration crackdown" around rights groups saying, "the crackdown has violated free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities, who have raised concerns about racial profiling."

Abuse Of Immigration System: Outlets on the right like Fox News (Right) tended to frame the reported plans as a "historic mass visa revocation." Fox also highlighted that "the potential revocations come as the Trump administration cracks down on what it considers abuse of the immigration system."

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President Trump said he would allow up to 300,000 metric tons of beef to be imported into the US with lower tariffs over the next 90 days. News outlets across the political spectrum noted Republican pushback and concern from cattle ranchers.

The Details: In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump blamed high beef prices and a shrinking cattle herd on the Biden administration, and said he the 90-day plan will allow more ground beef imports. Trump didn't share which countries the US is receiving beef from, but told reporters "there are a few" and later mentioned Argentina would be one. He said the beef would be sold at 25% below current market price.

For Context: Data from the Department of Agriculture showed the US cattle herd is at its lowest number in 75 years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, beef prices have risen over 11% in the last year.

Republican Pushback: Outlets across the political spectrum noted Republican pushback that the deal would harm American cattle ranchers. The Daily Signal (Right bias) said "even MAGA members [are] breaking with the president." It cited criticism from Republican lawmakers and rancher associations, and included a quote from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) who called the plan "worse than socialism." In a Substack piece, former CBS News anchor Dan Rather (not rated) said the idea "is so half-baked that even [Trump's] most ardent supporters are crying foul." The Daily Caller (Right) suggested the move could be an effort to address affordability concerns ahead of the midterms.

Will Prices Drop?: The New York Times (Lean Left) analyzed where the beef might come from, but noted that more than 80% of American beef is produced in the US, so "even an increase in beef imports is unlikely to radically increase the supply of beef and lower prices." Rather also said Trump can't guarantee the imports will lower beef prices by 25%. USA Today (Lean Left) quoted a Georgia cattle rancher who said the move was "pitting the farmer against the consumer" as "cattlemen lose profits for the next three months at the same rate the beef is being discounted."

Online Theories: Theories circulated online about where the beef was coming from and what's in it. Straight Arrow News (Center) covered theories that the US would import a batch of beef that China rejected in March after finding the presence of an antibiotic, chloramphenicol, which is banned in multiple countries, including China and the US. NewsNation (Center) reported on theories suggesting a link between the imported beef and the Trump administration's recent move to slaughter wild horses for meat. The outlet noted horse slaughterhouses are illegal in the US, but wrote that some believe horse meat is being sold to the US for consumption.

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Dolly Parton, American country music singer and philanthropist, died on Tuesday at age 80. Parton's cultural influence transcended political and social divisions, with outlets across the political spectrum mourning the loss of the "beloved icon."

Trump Lowers Flags: Fox News (Right bias) reported that President Donald Trump ordered the American flag to be flown at half-staff for the next week in Parton's honor, whom the president called "one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER." Fox described Parton as "one of entertainment's most beloved figures," highlighting her influence in both pop culture and philanthropy.

A Prolific Songwriter: Wall Street Journal (Center) praised Parton's songwriting prowess, celebrating the more than 1,000 songs she has written and released. The singer Pink, while inducting Parton into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, said that Parton "She crafted heartbreaking and soul-stirring stories about the lives of people often overlooked," crafting "a narrative of painful, beautiful, poetic melodic commentary on what it's like to be human, and what it's like to be a woman in America," according to The Journal.

Philanthropic Work: Fox and The Journal both emphasized Parton's philanthropic work, particularly her founding of the Imagination Library, a literacy program that has donated more than 200 million books to children around the world. The Journal also noted that she contributed $1 to Vanderbilt University's virus research in 2020, helping kick-start Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.

Subtly Subversive: The Guardian (Left) called Parton "subtly subversive" in her songwriting and image, claiming that Parton was writing songs "of a distinctly feminist bent" as early as 1968 with her hit "Just Because I'm a Woman," despite never identifying herself as a feminist. The Guardian noted that Parton "was clearly possessed of a far greater artistic and commercial ambition than she was given credit for" and called her the "godmother of the pop-country that has swept the charts in recent years."

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