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Here's your midday brief for Monday, April 20th. I'm Alex O'Sullough for the Wall Street Journal.

We're exclusively reporting that the Justice Department's Antitrust Division has opened a criminal

investigation into meatpacking companies. Last year, President Trump called for a probe of beef

companies, accusing them of manipulating prices for cattle and driving up prices for consumers.

The Justice Department had disclosed an investigation of beef companies after Trump's call for intervention,

but officials haven't revealed that it's a criminal matter.

Starting today, businesses can now officially request refunds on tariffs paid to the U.S. government.

A system set up by U.S. Customs and Border

Protection launched today to allow U.S. importers to file the refund claims. Companies paid

$166 billion in tariffs over the past year. A February ruling from the Supreme Court determined

they were collected illegally. And FBI director Cash Patel has filed a defamation lawsuit against the

Atlantic Magazine and one of its writers. In the suit, which was filed in federal district court in

Washington, D.C. today, Patel alleges that an article about his drinking and overall conduct was

malicious and factually inaccurate. He's seeking $250 million in damages. The publication said that

it stands by its reporting and called the lawsuit, quote, meritless. Heads up, an artificial

intelligence tool helped us make this episode by creating summaries that were based on

WSJ reporting and then reviewed and adapted by an editor. We'll have more coverage of the day's news on

the WSJ's What's News podcast. You can add it to your playlist on your smart speaker or listen

and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Enterprises are already creating efficiencies with

agenic AI, particularly in areas like finance, HR, and IT, says Jason Gersadis, CEO of Deloitte US.

Those will continue to proliferate and strengthen.

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