What to Know
- A federal judge has put a hold on President Trump's revised travel ban
- Two members of Russia's intelligence agency have been charged in a recent hack of Yahoo, officials said
- President Trump is unveiling a $1.15 trillion budget, a far-reaching overhaul of federal government spending
Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.
Judge Blocks New Trump Travel Ban
Hours before it was to take effect, President Trump's revised travel ban was put on hold by a federal judge in Hawaii who questioned whether the administration was motivated by national security concerns. The judge also said Hawaii would suffer financially if the order blocked the flow of students and tourists, and he concluded the state was likely to succeed on a claim that the ban violates First Amendment protections against religious discrimination. Trump, at a rally in Nashville, strongly criticized the ruling, calling it "unprecedented judicial overreach."
2 Russian Agents Charged in Massive Yahoo Hack
Two members of Russia's intelligence agency are among four people charged in a recent hack of Yahoo, U.S. law enforcement officials announced. Two criminal hackers also were part of the data breach that affected at least 500 million accounts and millions of user contacts, according to an indictment. The agents are involved in work for the Russian Center for Information Security, which is the FBI's point of contact for cybercrime, said acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's National Security Division. Russian hackers working with Russian spies didn't crack security all at once. Instead, according to an account offered by U.S. officials, they methodically made their way deeper into Yahoo's network over the space of months — maybe years.
First Budget: Defense Spending a Priority
Local
President Trump is unveiling a $1.15 trillion budget, a far-reaching overhaul of federal government spending that slashes a dozen departments to finance a significant increase in the military and make a down payment on a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The scheduled budget release will upend Washington with cuts to long-promised campaign targets like foreign aid and the EPA as well as strong congressional favorites such as medical research, help for homeless veterans and community development grants. The budget goes after the frequent targets of the party's staunchest conservatives, eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts, legal aid for the poor, low-income heating assistance and the AmeriCorps national service program established by former President Bill Clinton.
Trump Challenges Obama-Era Fuel Standards
President Trump announced the administration will re-examine federal requirements governing the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks, moving forcefully against Obama-era environmental regulations that Trump says are stifling economic growth. He revealed his plans during a speech after discussing the issue during a meeting at the American Center for Mobility with auto company executives and workers. The EPA under Obama had promulgated a rule for cars and trucks requiring a fleet-wide average of 36 mpg in real-world driving by 2025. Trump's decision requires the EPA to determine no later than April 2018 whether the 2022-2025 standards established are appropriate. If not, the agency will submit a new proposal.
Rachel Maddow Talks Trump's Taxes
When Rachel Maddow walked onto Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show” stage Wednesday night, the MSNBC host looked comfortable in a black blazer and jeans. She was also wearing some new sneakers. “They are my ‘You Got the President’s Tax Return’ sneakers,” Maddow said. It was a coveted scoop, obtaining documents that Trump had yet to release himself. However, Maddow admitted that the 2005 return wasn’t a “huge, damning bombshell.” She explained to Fallon that the return is important because it is simply “the first piece in the jigsaw."
Canadian PM, Ivanka Trump Catch Broadway Musical
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — along with first daughter Ivanka Trump as a guest — welcomed a new musical that celebrates Canadian compassion and openness to international travelers following the Sept. 11 attacks. Trudeau and Trump and some 120 ambassadors attended the show "Come From Away" at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. The musical is set in the small Newfoundland, which opened its arms and homes to some 7,000 airline passengers diverted there when the U.S. government shut down its airspace. In remarks before the show, Trudeau got on the stage and said he was pleased, "the world gets to see what it is to lean on each other and be there for each other through the darkest times."
Prince's Ex-Wife Opens up About Death of Couple’s Baby
Prince's ex-wife is opening up about the couple's son, who was born with a rare genetic disorder in 1996 and died just six days later. Mayte Garcia writes in a new memoir excerpted in People magazine that baby Amiir was born with Pfeiffer syndrome type 2, a disorder that causes skeletal abnormalities. She says the baby struggled to breathe and underwent multiple procedures before his death. She told People she doesn't think Prince ever got over the baby's death. Prince died last April from an accidental overdose.
Gators Seen on Parade in Florida
A photographer was in the Big Cypress National Preserve when he captured images of alligators crossing a dirt road. He says it was just after sunrise when more than a dozen gators started making their way out of a pond across a road and into a deeper canal. Although the video appears to have been taken at close range, he says he shoots his pictures with a big wildlife lens, so he’s certain not to disturb the reptiles.
