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Super Tuesday preview — more than a dozen states holding contests

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Super Tuesday is here, with voters in more than a dozen states looking to make a difference in the presidential race. And Elon Musk has been dethroned as the world’s richest person. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

16 states holding contests on GOP, Democratic choice for President

Super Tuesday is underway across America, with the 2024 presidential race becoming clearer as more than a dozen states host contests. Former President Donald Trump, the GOP frontrunner, heads into the day bolstered by a Monday’s victory in North Dakota’s caucuses and a Supreme Court decision that rejected Colorado and other states’ attempts to remove his name from their ballots over the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause. The justices ruled that such power resides with Congress, not the states.

While Trump and President Joe Biden aim to edge closer to securing their party’s nominations, Trump’s primary GOP challenger, Nikki Haley, hopes today’s results will sustain her campaign. Despite winning only one primary so far, Haley has pledged to continue her campaign efforts but has made no commitments beyond Super Tuesday.

President Biden, on the other hand, might encounter opposition in some states as seen last week in Michigan, where a faction of Democrats voted ‘uncommitted’ to express their disapproval of his handling of the war in Gaza.

With over 850 Republican and more than 1,400 Democratic delegates at stake, Super Tuesday plays a critical role in the nomination process for both parties.

Supreme Court temporarily blocks new Texas immigration bill

The Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Texas’ controversial new immigration law, which would have allowed state police to detain individuals suspected of illegal entry into the country.

This pause, effective until March 13th, will give the High Court time to review the case. The law, known as Senate Bill 4, was signed into effect by Governor Gregg Abbott in December.

A federal judge had already blocked the law last week, citing concerns that it could prompt states to create their own immigration regulations. A federal appeals court then ruled the law could take effect unless the Supreme Court intervened. Abbott has pledged to continue his efforts to protect Texas.

The Supreme Court’s decision came after the Biden administration raised alarms about the potential for the law to cause racial profiling and enhance state-controlled immigration enforcement.

Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Israel’s Benny Gantz on Gaza aid

Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the need for Israel to boost its humanitarian efforts in Gaza amidst the conflict with Hamas, in a meeting with a top Israeli official at the White House on Monday, March 4. The meeting with Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz came a day after Harris, in a speech in Alabama, labeled the conditions in Gaza as “inhumane” and called on Israel to do more to aid the people in the territory.

During her discussion with Gantz, the vice president highlighted the situation in Rafah and stressed the importance of having a credible humanitarian plan before considering any major military operation in the border town. Rafah is home to approximately 1.5 million people, most of whom have been displaced from their homes elsewhere due to the fighting.

Gantz, who is a political rival to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is expected to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken today.

Jack Teixeria pleads guilty; Air Force employee charged with sharing info

Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira pleaded guilty on Monday, March 4, to leaking highly classified military documents on social media, accepting a plea deal that could result in a 16-year prison sentence.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to all six charges under the Espionage Act, with his final sentencing set for September.

In a separate but related case, a U.S. Air Force employee is expected to make a court appearance in Nebraska today after being accused of sharing classified defense information with a woman he met on a foreign dating platform. David Slater, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, could face up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted on all charges.

Both incidents involved the unauthorized release of classified details concerning the ongoing state of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Bitcoin hits record high amid rally following SEC approval

Bitcoin is witnessing a resurgence, reaching an all-time high of $68,791 on Monday, March 4, eclipsing its previous record set in November 2021. 

This latest rally has been propelled by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) earlier this year, enhancing the cryptocurrency’s accessibility to investors. 

Bitcoin now represents more than half of all cryptocurrency in circulation, solidifying its position as the world’s leading digital currency.

Jeff Bezos surpasses Elon Musk to become richest person on Earth

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has once again ascended to the top of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, surpassing Elon Musk to reclaim the title of the world’s richest person. 

Bezos’s net worth is currently valued at $200 billion, edging out Musk’s $198 billion, after he experienced a $31 billion decrease over the past year. Bezos last held this prestigious title in the fall of 2021, marking his return to the pinnacle of global wealth.

According to Oxfam’s annual inequality report, the net worth of the five wealthiest people on Earth has surged by 114% to a total of $869 billion, even after adjusting for inflation.

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[KARAH RUCKER]

SUPER TUESDAY IS HERE — WITH VOTERS IN MORE THAN A DOZEN STATES LOOKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE

AND — ELON MUSK IS DETHRONED AS THE WORLD’S RICHEST PERSON.

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS TUESDAY, MARCH 5TH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

IT’S SUPER TUESDAY IN AMERICA – AND THE LANDSCAPE OF THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE SHOULD BE CLEARER AFTER TODAY – WITH MORE THAN A DOZEN STATES HOLDING CONTESTS.

THE GOP FRONTRUNNER — FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP — NOTCHED ANOTHER VICTORY LAST NIGHT HEADING INTO SUPER TUESDAY – WINNING NORTH DAKOTA’S CAUCUSES – AND HOURS EARLIER – WAS DELIVERED A KEY WIN IN A DIFFERENT SETTING – THE SUPREME COURT.

THE HIGH COURT REJECTING ATTEMPTS BY COLORADO AND OTHER STATES TO REMOVE TRUMP’S NAME FROM THEIR BALLOTS OVER THE 14TH AMENDMENT’S INSURRECTION CLAUSE.  THE JUSTICES RULING THE POWER RESIDES WITH CONGRESS – NOT THE STATES.

WHILE TRUMP AND PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN LOOK TO MOVE CLOSER TO CLINCHING THEIR RESPECTIVE PARTY’S NOMINATIONS – TRUMP’S LAST REMAINING GOP RIVAL NIKKI HALEY IS HOPING TODAY’S RESULTS WILL KEEP HER IN THE RACE. DESPITE ONLY WINNING ONE PRIMARY — HALEY HAD VOWED TO REMAIN CAMPAIGNING — BUT HAS NOT COMMITTED TO ANYTHING BEYOND SUPER TUESDAY.

AS FOR BIDEN – HE MAY FACE OPPOSITION IN SOME STATES TODAY SIMILAR TO WHAT HE SAW IN MICHIGAN LAST WEEK – WHEN A GROUP OF DEMOCRATS VOTED ‘UNCOMMITTED’ AS A WAY TO SHOW THEIR DISAPPROVAL OF THE PRESIDENT’S HANDLING OF THE WAR IN GAZA.

OVER 850 DELEGATES FOR REPUBLICANS AND OVER 14 HUNDRED FOR DEMOCRATS ARE UP FOR GRABS THIS SUPER TUESDAY.

THE SUPREME COURT HAS TEMPORARILY PAUSED TEXAS’ NEW IMMIGRATION LAW — THAT WOULD ALLOW STATE POLICE TO DETAIN PEOPLE THEY SUSPECT OF ENTERING THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.

THE LAW — KNOWN AS SENATE BILL 4 — WAS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR GREGG ABBOTT IN DECEMBER.

JUST LAST WEEK, A FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKED THE LAW, WARNING THAT IT MIGHT ENCOURAGE STATES TO ENACT THEIR OWN IMMIGRATION POLICIES. A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT THEN RULED THE LAW COULD TAKE EFFECT UNLESS THE SUPREME COURT INTERVENED.

ABBOTT REMAINS FIRM, SAYING HE’LL NOT BACK DOWN FROM PROTECTING TEXAS.

THE HIGH COURT HAS PAUSED THE LAW UNTIL MARCH 13TH TO REVIEW THE CASE.

ITS DECISION ON MONDAY FOLLOWED A BIDEN ADMINISTRATION REQUEST HOURS EARLIER.

VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS CONTINUED HER CALLS FOR ISRAEL TO INCREASE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN GAZA AMID ITS WAR WITH HAMAS – DURING HER MEETING WITH A TOP ISRAELI OFFICIAL AT THE WHITE HOUSE ON MONDAY.

HARRIS MET WITH ISRAELI WAR CABINET MEMBER BENNY GANTZ – A DAY AFTER DELIVERING A SPEECH IN ALABAMA WHERE SHE CALLED CONDITIONS IN GAZA “INHUMANE” AND URGED ISRAEL TO DO MORE TO HELP THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE TERRITORY.

ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE – THE VICE PRESIDENT DISCUSSED WITH GANTZ THE SITUATION IN RAFAH AND THE NEED FOR A CREDIBLE HUMANITARIAN PLAN PRIOR TO “CONTEMPLATING ANY MAJOR MILITARY OPERATION” IN THE BORDER TOWN – WHERE AROUND ONE POINT FIVE MILLION PEOPLE ARE LIVING – MOST BEING DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES ELSEWHERE DUE TO THE FIGHTING.

GANTZ – A POLITICAL RIVAL TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU – IS SLATED TO MEET WITH SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN TODAY.

MASSACHUSETTS AIR NATIONAL GUARDSMAN JACK TEIXEIRA PLED GUILTY ON MONDAY TO LEAKING HIGHLY CLASSIFIED MILITARY DOCUMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA –ACCEPTING A PLEA DEAL THAT COULD SEND HIM TO PRISON FOR 16 YEARS.

THE 22-YEAR-OLD PLED GUILTY TO ALL SIX COUNTS HE FACED UNDER THE ESPIONAGE ACT.  A FINAL SENTENCING IS SET FOR SEPTEMBER.

MEANWHILE – A U.S. AIR FORCE EMPLOYEE IS EXPECTED TO APPEAR IN FEDERAL COURT IN NEBRASKA TODAY AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH DISCLOSING CLASSIFIED DEFENSE DETAILS TO A WOMAN HE MET ON A FOREIGN DATING SITE.

DAVID SLATER – WHO IS ALSO A RETIRED ARMY LIEUTENANT COLONEL –  FACES UP TO 30 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON IF CONVICTED ON ALL CHARGES.

IN BOTH CASES – THE LEAKS INVOLVED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ON THE STATE OF THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR.

BITCOIN IS MAKING A RESURGENCE.

THE PRICE OF THE WORLD’S FIRST CRYPTOCURRENCY HIT AN ALL-TIME HIGH ON MONDAY – SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY-ONE DOLLARS  ($68,791) — SURPASSING ITS PREVIOUS RECORD REACHED IN NOVEMBER 20-21.

THE RECENT RALLY BY HAS BEEN FUELED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION APPROVING BITCOIN EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS – OR ETFS – EARLIER THIS YEAR –

WHICH MAKES THE CRYPTO MORE ACCESSIBLE TO INVESTORS.

BITCOIN ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN HALF OF ALL CRYPTOCURRENCY IN CIRCULATION.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – MOVE ASIDE ELON MUSK – A NEW NAME HAS TAKEN OVER THE TITLE OF WORLD’S RICHEST PERSON. AND IT’S SOMEONE VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOLDING THAT POSITION.

AMAZON FOUNDER JEFF BEZOS IS ONCE AGAIN NUMBER ONE – OVERTAKING MUSK AT THE TOP OF THE BLOOMBERG BILLIONAIRES INDEX.

BEZO’S NET WORTH STANDS AT 200 BILLION DOLLARS –

MUSK IS AT 198 BILLION DOLLARS – AFTER LOSING AROUND 31 BILLION OVER THE PAST YEAR.

BEZOS LAST HELD THE TITLE OF WORLD’S RICHEST PERSON IN THE FALL OF 2021.

[ANCHOR]

L3: THE MORNING RUNDOWN: TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2024

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS TUESDAY.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!