Thursday 03.06.25

NASA's twin Voyager probes, launched in 1977, are currently exploring uncharted territory in interstellar space. But to keep their missions going, the two spacecraft are now shutting off some of their instruments to conserve power. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and on With Your Day.
 

By Alexandra Banner

(Rebecca Cook/Reuters)

Tariffs

The US is pulling back on auto tariffs for Canada and Mexico amid heightened trade tensions and GOP pushback. President Donald Trump granted a one-month exemption on auto tariffs on the two countries — a move he said would protect the Big Three US automakers from financial harm. The decision came after Trump spoke to leaders from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, who argued the tariffs could disadvantage their American-based businesses in favor of foreign carmakers. All the other across-the-board 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada remain in effect. But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would remain open to other tariff exemptions, days after saying there would be none. The stock market rallied on the news Wednesday after it took a beating at the start of the week.

Ukraine

European leaders are meeting at a special summit today as the Trump administration pulls critical support for Ukraine. This week, the US president suspended military shipments to Kyiv following his heated Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The biggest challenge for Ukrainian troops is the potential loss of the US-made Patriot air defense systems, which are currently irreplaceable and help protect Ukraine against Russia's powerful ballistic missiles. French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said his country needs to be ready for the US to not "remain by our side" in the Ukraine-Russia war, adding that France needs to "do more" to strengthen its own "independence in matters of defense and security."

Government cuts

A pair of rulings has exposed deep divisions on the Supreme Court about just how much power the federal judiciary has to prevent President Trump from carrying out some of his plans. The high court on Wednesday rejected President Trump's request to keep billions in foreign aid approved by Congress frozen. Separately, a federal appeals court allowed the president to remove the head of a government watchdog agency while a legal challenge to his firing plays out. Exactly how far the Supreme Court will go toward backstopping lower courts will be critical as judges weigh the president's moves to fire the leaders of independent agencies and freeze spending, among other things.

Gaza ceasefire

The US is now negotiating directly with Hamas militants about the hostages and ceasefire in Gaza. This marks an abrupt change in US policy, which for decades has refused to engage with groups it considers terrorists. The US declared Hamas a terrorist organization in 1997. President Trump on Wednesday also issued what he said was a "last warning" to Hamas to release all of the hostages in Gaza immediately. Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would send Israel "everything it needs to finish the job," and warned that "not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say."

Social media safety

Utah on Wednesday became the first state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors to download apps to their devices. Meta and other social media companies support putting the onus on app stores to verify ages amid criticism that they don't do enough to make their products safe for children — or verify that no kids under 13 use them. App stores, however, say app developers are better equipped to handle age verification and other safety measures. Similar bills have been introduced in at least eight other states in the latest fight over children's online safety. 

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9,400

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(Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Who would have thought a little balloon would crash here?

A resident in Quinlan, Texas, after a US Customs and Border Protection surveillance blimp — resembling a while-hot air balloon — crash landed in the rural city this week. Strong winds dislodged the balloon from its base in South Padre Island off the southern coast of Texas, sending it nearly 600 miles across the state.

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