Trump’s Economic Disapproval Soars, Cuba Faces Nationwide Blackout – 3/16/25

United States

  • An NBC poll reveals 54% of registered voters disapprove of Trump’s economic management, with 55% unhappy about his handling of inflation
  • Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day kicks off with the Chicago River dyed a vibrant kelly green, per ABC
  • Over 70% of U.S. workers feel they couldn’t find a better job than their current one, per Bloomberg Economics
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remains unconcerned about stock market dips tied to Trump’s tariff threats, but says an economic “adjustment” isn’t off the table, per NBC
  • Paul Dans, former Project 2025 director, celebrates Trump adopting his agenda, saying it’s “beyond my wildest dreams,” per Politico
  • Nita Lowey, former New York Congress member, passes away at 87, per Politico
  • Nurse practitioner Nikki Gooding credits her Oura ring’s stress alerts for leading to her Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis after nearly three years of use, per GMA
  • A civic group estimates New York City’s economy could grow by $1.3 billion yearly due to a new toll reducing traffic and boosting business, per Bloomberg Economics
  • Southwest Airlines will end its 50-year free checked bag policy in May, sparking customer backlash
  • The U.S. will tighten reporting rules for money services near the Mexican border to curb drug cartel money laundering, per Bloomberg Economics
  • Sen. Rubio says no clear path exists to end the Ukraine war, citing a recent Trump-Putin call. “The next few weeks will determine. It’s difficult… it’s complicated… it won’t be easy to end this conflict…”
  • Arizona lawmakers advance a bill allowing volunteer chaplains to counsel students in public schools, claiming it addresses a “spiritual deficit” in mental health. Critics argue it breaches the First Amendment. It awaits a full House vote, per Yahoo
  • Only 7% of Americans view the Democratic Party “very” positively, hitting a historic low, per an NBC poll
  • March Madness may drain up to $20 billion from the U.S. economy due to lost productivity, a survey suggests, per Fox Business
  • National Security Adviser Mike Waltz signals U.S. could target Iranian assets in Yemen, including ships and trainers aiding the Houthis. “They are on the table,” he says, after Trump’s airstrikes killed Houthi leaders, per Axios
  • Trump’s first-term travel ban may return, potentially expanding to over 40 countries, per The New York Times
  • Momentum builds for a bill to impeach Judge James Boasberg for blocking Trump’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act
  • Elon Musk’s DOGE projects $115 billion in taxpayer savings, roughly $714.29 per taxpayer
  • Sen. Rubio says he’s heard no plans for U.S. ground raids in Yemen. “I don’t think there’s a necessity for it right now”
  • An NBC poll shows 44% of Americans now say the country is on the right track—highest in 13 years—up from 27% in November 2024, with wrong track views dropping from 66% to 54%
  • Democratic Party favorability has plummeted 20 points since Biden’s 2021 inauguration, per recent data
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismisses Biden-era “vibecession” claims, saying, “The American people don’t know what they talk about”
  • Over 250 migrant gang members from the U.S. arrive in El Salvador for detention in a mega-prison, per NYP
  • Apple Maps now lists the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge, renamed by Trump’s order to honor the 12-year-old killed by allegedly released Venezuelan gang members. Trump says, “Jocelyn loved animals so much…”
  • Trump praises Canada but insists it can’t rely on $200 billion in U.S. subsidies yearly. “You have to run your own country… Canada only works as a state,” he says
  • Trump signs an order to dismantle Voice of America, aiming to “eliminate” its functions as a government-funded “propaganda” outlet, per Fox

International

  • Zelensky names Major-General Andriy Hnatov as Ukraine’s new chief of general staff, replacing Lieutenant-General Anatoliy Barhilevych, to boost military modernization amid Russian threats, per Reuters
  • Cuba’s electric grid failure leaves millions without power into Saturday after a nationwide blackout struck Friday night, per NBC
  • A U.S. influencer apologizes on Instagram for taking a baby wombat from its mother, claiming she feared it would be hit by a car, per NBC
  • North Macedonia issues four arrest warrants after a nightclub fire in Kocani killed 59 and injured 155, sparked by indoor fireworks, per Sky News
  • Satellite imagery reveals a fresh highway slicing through Brazil’s rainforest in the state hosting COP30, per ABC