
GOOD MORNING
I’M KARAH RUCKER.
IT’S FRIDAY, MARCH 7-TH.
AND THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES:
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS ALREADY ROLLING BACK SOME OF THE TARIFFS HE JUST SLAPPED ON CANADA AND MEXICO EARLIER THIS WEEK.
AND HIS ADMINISTRATION IS BRINGING BACK A CONTROVERSIAL PRACTICE INVOLVING CHILDREN AS IT AIMS TO MEET TRUMP’S GOAL OF THE LARGEST DEPORTATION OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND U-S HISTORY.
JUST DAYS AFTER IMPOSING SWEEPING 25 PERCENT TARIFFS ON GOODS FROM CANADA AND MEXICO…PRESIDENT TRUMP IS REVERSING COURSE — DELAYING TARIFFS ON SOME GOODS.
THE 30-DAY EXEMPTION WILL APPLY TO ABOUT HALF THE GOODS COMING INTO THE U-S FROM MEXICO, AND 38 PERCENT OF THOSE FROM CANADA.
THE GOODS THAT ARE EXEMPT UNTIL APRIL SECOND ALL COMPLY WITH THE “NORTH AMERICAN TRADE DEAL” REACHED DURING TRUMP’S FIRST TERM, ACCORDING TO A SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL.
THIS MARKS THE SECOND TIME PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BACKTRACKED OVER CERTAIN PRODUCTS —
WE REPORTED THURSDAY TRUMP GIVING THE THREE LARGEST AUTOMAKERS A TARIFF EXEMPTION FOR 30 DAYS AS WELL.
NOT ONLY ARE THE TARIFFS AGAINST CANADA AND MEXICO SET TO GO BACK INTO PLACE IN A MONTH — THE PRESIDENT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE ANOTHER ROUND OF RETALIATORY TARIFFS ON GOODS FROM MORE COUNTRIES.
MEANWHILE, CHINA’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS HIS COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE TO RETALIATE AGAINST U-S TARIFFS.
IN A PRESS CONFERENCE FRIDAY ON THE SIDELINES OF THE CHINESE PARLIAMENT’S ANNUAL SESSION — the foreign minister ALSO ACCUSED WASHINGTON OF QUOTE “MEETING GOOD WITH EVIL” — SAYING CHINA’S EFFORTS TO HELP AMERICA CONTAIN THE FENTANYL CRISIS HAVE BEEN MET WITH “ARBITRARY TARIFFS.”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE STRUGGLING TO MEET THEIR OWN BUDGET TARGET THAT’S NECESSARY TO PASS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA WITHOUT MAKING SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO MEDICARE OR MEDICAID.
STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN EXPLAINS WHY ANALYSTS SAY THEY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CUT MEDICAID IF THEY WANT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
LAST WEEK, HOUSE REPUBLICANS ADOPTED A BUDGET BLUEPRINT LAST WEEK THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE PASSAGE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S POLICY PRIORITIES ON IMMIGRATION, ENERGY AND TAXES.
IT INSTRUCTS THE HOUSE ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE TO CUT SPENDING UNDER ITS JURISDICTION BY 880 BILLION DOLLARS.
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE SAYS WHEN MEDICARE IS SET ASIDE FROM THAT — THE TOTAL FUNDING UNDER THE COMMITTEE’S JURISDICTION IS 8 POINT 8 TRILLION DOLLARS OVER 10 YEARS.
MEDICAID ACCOUNTS FOR 8 POINT 2 TRILLION OF THAT, OR 93 PERCENT.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS REOPENING AT LEAST TWO MIGRANT HOLDING FACILITIES IN TEXAS —
A PLACE FOR ICE TO DETAIN FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.
CBS NEWS SPOKE WITH OFFICIALS WHO SAY THE FIRST GROUP OF MIGRANT PARENTS AND CHILDREN HAVE ALREADY BEEN SENT TO THE HOLDING FACILITY, WHICH INCLUDES A FAMILY WITH THREE CHILDREN, WHO ICE SAYS ARE IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.
THIS COMES AS PART OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EFFORT TO CONDUCT THE LARGEST DEPORTATION IN U-S HISTORY.
HIS DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CONFIRMED WHOLE FAMILIES ARE ONCE AGAIN ALLOWED TO BE TAKEN INTO IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT CUSTODY.
ACCORDING TO DHS SPOKESWOMAN TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS REFITTING TWO TEXAS IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTERS TO HOLD FAMILIES WITH MINOR CHILDREN WHO ARE IN THE U-S ILLEGALLY.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ENDED THE PRACTICE OF HOLDING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FOUR YEARS AGO.
A FEDERAL JUDGE SAYS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS UNTIL MONDAY TO PAY SEVERAL NONPROFIT GROUPS AND AID ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE EXECUTIVE ORDER TO FREEZE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND SHUT DOWN THE U-S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
a U-S DISTRICT JUDGE RULED thursday THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT **MUST** RELEASE FUNDS TO AT LEAST NINE GROUPS — INCLUDING THE GLOBAL HEALTH COUNCIL, CHEMONICS INTERNATIONAL AND THE AIDS VACCINE ADVOCACY COALITION.
the judge DID NOT ORDER THE ADMINISTRATION TO PAY THE FULL 2 BILLION BY MONDAY’S DEADLINE — BUT IT WILL HAVE TO PAY A SMALLER AMOUNT, WHICH IS SET TO BE DETERMINED some time FRIDAY.
THAT SAME JUDGE PREVIOUSLY ORDERED THE ADMINISTRATION TO TEMPORARILY CONTINUE GIVING OUT UP TO TWO BILLION DOLLARS IN FOREIGN AID THAT WAS ALREADY IN PLACE BEFORE TRUMP TOOK OFFICE IN JANUARY.
A NEW MEXICO RESIDENT IS SUSPECTED OF DYING FROM MEASLES —
AFTER AN “ADULT MALE” TESTED POSITIVE FOR MEASLES AFTER THEIR DEATH, ACCORDING TO THE STATE’S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
THE INDIVIDUAL WAS UNVACCINATED —
AND WHILE THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF DEATH IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION —
THIS MARKS A POSSIBLE SECOND MEASLES-RELATED FATALITY IN THE U.S. THIS YEAR.
THE FIRST CONFIRMED MEASLES DEATH WAS AN UNVACCINATED SCHOOL-AGED CHILD IN WESTERN TEXAS —
THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE DIED FROM THE MEASLES IN THE U.S. IN A DECADE.
THAT CHILD’S DEATH IS LINKED TO AN ONGOING OUTBREAK THAT HAS NOW REACHED 159 CASES.
AT LEAST 22 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED, AND MOST CASES INVOLVE UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS OR THOSE WITH UNKNOWN VACCINATION STATUS.
NEW MEXICO HAS REPORTED 10 MEASLES CASES SO FAR THIS YEAR — MANY IN LEA COUNTY — WHICH *BORDERS WESTERN TEXAS.
HEALTH OFFICIALS — ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE REPORTS — SUSPECT A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CASES IN BOTH STATES BUT HAVE NOT CONFIRMED A DIRECT LINK.
THE CDC REPORTS THE MEASLES HAS BEEN DETECTED ACROSS NINE STATES THIS YEAR.
SPACE X’S STARSHIP, THE LARGEST ROCKET SYSTEM EVER BUILT, LOST ITS “UPPER STAGE SPACECRAFT” AFTER LIFT OFF IN THURSDAY’S TEST FLIGHT.
THIS MISHAP COMES AFTER A STARSHIP MEGA-ROCKET EXPLOSION IN JANUARY, BUT ELON MUSK’S ROCKET COMPANY DOES HAVE SOMETHING TO TOUT FROM THE MISSION.
THE 400 FOOT TALL STARSHIP SYSTEM LAUNCHED ITS 8TH TEST FLIGHT THURSDAY EVENING.
HOWEVER, THE MISSION WAS CUT SHORT AFTER CONTROLLERS LOST CONTACT WITH THE UPPER-STAGE VEHICLE PORTION OF THE STARSHIP 8 MINUTES AFTER LAUNCH.
“So we’re still getting video down from the ship, we’ve lost several engines, and we’ve lost…control of the vehicle.”
AFTER THE LAUNCH, SPACE X POSTED ON X,
” With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability. We will conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to make improvements on future Starship flight test.”
BUT NOT ALL WAS LOST ON STARSHIP’S MISSION.
WHILE THE “UPPER STAGE VEHICLE PORTION” WAS LOST, THE FIRST STAGE BOOSTER SUCCESSFULLY RETURNED TO ITS LAUNCH SITE AND SETTLED ONTO THE TOWER’S ROBOTIC ARMS, DEMONSTRATING ONCE AGAIN WHAT IT CALLS THE “CATCH MANEUVER”.
STARSHIP DOES PLAN ON EVENTUALLY CARRYING HUMANS TO THE MOON IN 2027, BUT SAYS HUNDREDS OF TEST MISSIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED BEFORE THEN.