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1. North Korea
Well, here’s a sentence we’d never thought we’d write: President Trump plans to meet with Kim Jong Un. That shocking announcement — delivered in the White House driveway by a South Korean official — means Trump could be the first sitting American President to meet with the leader of North Korea.
The meeting would happen by May, but we don’t know exactly when or where. And Kim reportedly is willing to talk about denuclearization and pledged that his regime would suspend testing of his missiles and nukes.
Getting North Korea to curb or even shut down its nuclear program would be a massive foreign policy victory for Trump, who maintains that only the sanctions his administration has pushed for (and his tough talk) can bring the North to the negotiating table. But the North has a history of making agreements and then backing away from them, so lots of people are skeptical that all this will lead to anything substantive.
2. Tariffs
Before the North Korea meeting bombshell, the President followed through on his promise to impose tariffs on steel (25%) and aluminum (10%) imports. There are exemptions for Mexico and Canada (as the NAFTA talks continue), and other US allies can petition to get exemptions of their own.
The move’s set up a weird political realignment. Most of Trump’s GOP allies hate the idea and fear it’ll set off a trade war that’ll wreck the economy. Jeff Flake — Arizona senator and Trump nemesis — says he’ll introduce a bill to stop the tariffs. But Democrats in districts in Pennsylvania and other steel-producing areas actually applauded Trump’s action.
Our allies are miffed about it, though. China called the tariffs “a serious attack,” while South Korea called them “unjust.” Meanwhile, just hours before the tariff announcement, several US allies signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the sweeping trade deal that Trump pulled the US out of right after taking office.
3. Abortion
Mississippi’s just a step away from having one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation. State lawmakers passed a bill that would bar women from getting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant says he’ll sign it next week. Women who violate the measure would face criminal charges. Doctors who violate it could lose their medical licenses and face civil penalties. Some abortion rights groups are already prepping lawsuits.
4. Colombia
A former Colombian rebel group leader won’t be running for president of the country after all. Rodrigo Londoño, a former leader of FARC, has ended his presidential bid because of health issues. He had led Colombia’s most powerful guerrilla force through negotiations with the government that resulted in a historic peace deal. Colombia and FARC’s agreement in 2016 ended a 52-year civil war that left more than 200,000 people dead.
5. Mexico & spring break
Plan on frolicking on Mexican beaches in Playa del Carmen this spring break? Don’t do it, says the State Department, which warned Americans not to travel to Playa del Carmen after an explosive device was found on a tourist ferry there. A device on another ferry detonated about a week earlier, injuring several people. Playa del Carmen is a popular destination for American college students during spring break.
HAPPENING LATER
Jobs report
When the February jobs report comes out this morning, look at more than just the job numbers and unemployment rate. Keep an eye on wage growth. A really good number could spark inflation fears, which could push the Fed to raise interest rates.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
Coming soon?
Barack Obama’s kept a pretty low profile since leaving the White House. But that might change if his rumored deal with Netflix goes through.
So nice
Hundreds of Canadian doctors have signed a petition protesting … their raises. They want the money redistributed to nurses and patients. Aren’t Canadians the greatest?
Mystery solved?
We may finally know what happened to Amelia Earhart. A new look at bones on a Pacific island suggest they belong to her.
Better than a resort
Heated floors. Cooking classes. Pillow-top mattresses. Some swanky resort? No, just a prison in Norway that North Dakota officials want to emulate.
Power booster
You might soon be able to visit the world’s first “energy-positive” hotel, right in the middle of the Arctic Circle.
TODAY’S NUMBER
21
The number of people in the UK needing medical attention after the nerve agent attack on former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal
TODAY’S QUOTE
“During the first year of this child’s life … you should be able to bring that child on to the floor and continue to do your job.”
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the first US senator expected to give birth while in office, railing against Senate rules she feels are outdated because they wouldn’t allow her to bring her baby to the Senate floor
AND FINALLY
Women are awesome
Yeah, we know, International Women’s Day was yesterday, but let’s keep the celebration going with three minutes of awesome women doing awesome things. (Click to view.)Â
