South Carolina: The South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary takes place tomorrow. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to be defeated by Donald Trump but Haley says she’ll continue her campaign for the nomination. Haley has become increasingly critical of Trump, blasting him for supporting Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in the war he started in Ukraine and encouraging Putin to invade America’s allies in Europe. She also points out that Trump is responsible for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
New sanctions: President Biden this morning announced more than 500 new sanctions against Russia for its ongoing war on Ukraine and for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexsey Navalny. Biden said that the sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and people who have so far evaded sanctions. Biden said that the new sanctions are designed to ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression and the repression of political opposition in Russia.
Schumer in Ukraine: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York is in Ukraine where he’s seeking to reassure Ukrainian officials that new U.S. aid will be forthcoming. Schumer also hopes his visit to the war-torn country will put pressure on Republicans to approve new aid for Ukraine even though Donald Trump has told them to kill the aid. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is doing what Trump says and refuses to bring an aid package to the floor of the House for a vote.
Moon landing: The U.S. company Intuitive Machines has landed its Odysseus vehicle on the moon. It’s the first U.S. moon landing in about 50 years. The moon lander started to send data back to the Earth about two hours after it touched down. Odysseus is the first vehicle put on the moon by a commercial company. The moon lander has a half dozen devices for scientific study of the moon that were designed by NASA.
Gaza plan: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revealed his plan for Gaza once the fighting there between Israel and Hamas ends. Netanyahu wants full Israeli control over what happens in the Gaza strip, including control over its residents as well as controlling all security. He wants Israel to pick any Palestinians involved in governing Gaza. Netanyahu’s plan flies in the face of plans proposed by countries including the U.S. that would put the Palestinian Authority in charge of Gaza.
Measles cases: Florida’s Surgeon General Joseph Ladaplo, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, has sent a letter to parents of school children telling them they can send their unvaccinated children to schools where cases of measles have been reported if they want to. Ladaplo contradicts advice from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC says that when there are known cases of measles in schools, parents need to keep their unvaccinated children away from school for at least 21 days. Ladaplo also has called for stopping the use of Covid vaccines.
