In our news wrap Thursday, the Trump administration is imposing new tariffs on dozens of countries starting the exact moment a prior round of tariffs is set to expire, tensions are running high in Madison, Wisconsin, following the fatal police shooting of a man with a knife and the man who killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was sentenced to life in prison.
Geoff Bennett:
In the day’s other headlines: The Trump administration is imposing new tariffs on dozens of countries starting just after midnight. That’s the exact moment a prior round of tariffs is set to expire.
Officials say the new tariffs are the result of an investigation into the alleged failure of around 60 trade partners to prevent forced labor in their supply chains, to the detriment of American workers. The U.S. will collect duties of at least 10 percent on roughly 99 percent of all imports.
Today’s action is the most significant step yet to rebuild President Trump’s tariff regime after it was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In Madison, Wisconsin, tensions are running high following the fatal police shooting of a man with a knife. City officials identified him as Corey Ruiz, who was homeless, and say he was resisting arrest when a struggle broke out and an officer opened fire.
Video of the shooting posted on social media sparked widespread anger, with protesters marching to the state capitol to demand accountability. At a news conference today, Madison’s mayor promised a thorough investigation.
Satya Rhodes-Conway (D), Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin: As a city, as a community, as a society, we have to do better. I want to be clear. It does not matter who you are or what your past is. You should not lose your life as a result of an encounter with law enforcement.
Geoff Bennett:
The news conference was interrupted when a group of protesters burst in, with one taking over the podium to voice the group’s anger as police and city officials looked on.
The man who killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was sentenced to life in prison today. Vance Boelter pleaded guilty last month to killing the Democratic lawmaker and her husband, as well as critically wounding another state senator, John Hoffman, and his wife.
That plea allowed him to avoid the death penalty. Instead, he was given two life terms, plus an additional 40 years, the longest sentence the judge on the case says he has ever handed down. Boelter also faces state charges for murder and attempted murder, as well as a personal injury lawsuit.
Floodwaters are slowly receding in West Virginia after torrential rain caused flash floods that submerged entire neighborhoods. Authorities reported dozens of water rescues. And hundreds of National Guard troops are out in force to assist. Governor Patrick Morrisey has said he’s concerned about fatalities, as some people remain unaccounted for.
Meantime, Tropical Storm Bertha made a second landfall today, this time near the Texas-Louisiana state line, causing a storm surge and flooding in some coastal areas. But its heaviest rains have mostly stayed offshore, and the storm is expected to weaken as it moves inland. No deaths or major damage has been reported.
An unnamed member of Vice President J.D. Vance’s security detail is under investigation over a suspected leak to the media. The Secret Service tells the “News Hour” that the internal review is in response to an MS NOW report last week about frustration over the vice president’s last-minute travel and his use of resources for personal matters like flying his son to a golf lesson by military helicopter.
An agency spokesperson adds that disciplinary action could include a possible criminal inquiry for allegedly compromising operational and information security.
The Justice Department today withdrew subpoenas issued to New York Times reporters as part of an investigation into the sources behind reporting about security concerns involving President Trump’s new Air Force One. The Times had reported the Qatari-donated jet lacked some of the defensive systems found on the existing presidential aircraft.
The subpoenas were part of an investigation into the possible disclosure of classified information. The move had drawn criticism from press freedom advocates, who accused the administration of trying to uncover journalists’ confidential sources.
U.S. health officials are investigating a new outbreak of cyclosporiasis that has sickened at least 72 people. The FDA did not provide information about the source of the new outbreak or where the cases are actually located. But it comes amid a broader outbreak of the intestinal illness, with thousands of cases reported across more than 40 states.
India’s government says it’s ready to speak with protesters after weeks of demonstrations, even as the protesters call for nationwide rallies tomorrow. Young protesters defied a security crackdown today, staging a sit-in on the streets of New Delhi. They’re part of the so-called Cockroach Movement, which has fueled a wave of protests following the alleged leak of national entrance exams.
The demonstrators are demanding sweeping reforms to India’s education system and the resignation of the country’s education minister. Today, the movement’s leader said that failing to take such action would hurt the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Abhijeet Dipke, Cockroach Party Founder (through interpreter):
Please listen to students. An incompetent, a failed minister cannot be more important than the millions of students of this country. And if a failed and incompetent minister is more important than millions of students, then remember that no one among them will vote for you.
Geoff Bennett:
The protests have become one of the biggest challenges to Modi’s government since he took power in 2014. Today, he addressed the issue publicly for the first time, vowing what he called stringent punishment for anyone who may have leaked the exams.
On Wall Street today, stocks tumbled after oil prices topped $100 per barrel. The Dow Jones industrial average lost more than 500 points. The Nasdaq dropped more than 2 percent. The S&P 500 also ended sharply lower.
