US imposes 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum imports

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(WASHINGTON) -- U.S. tariffs on imported steel and aluminum are now in effect, part of an escalating series of trade maneuvers by President Donald Trump that have unsettled markets.

As of Wednesday, the U.S. is imposing 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports from all trading partners with no exceptions or exemptions, according to an earlier statement by the White House.

Products that are expected to be impacted include canned goods, vehicles and washing machines.

Baseball bats, sewing needles and lamps could also go up in price.

While the tariff is being slapped on imports from all countries, the U.S. imports more steel and aluminum from Canada than any other country.

The 25% tariffs go into effect just a day after Trump threatened to double the tariff specifically on Canada amid an intensifying tit-for-tat between the two countries over Trump's tariff policies.

Earlier this week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to impose a 25% surcharge on electricity from the province sent to U.S. customers in response to earlier U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

That led to a threat from Trump to up the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to 50%.

Trump later reversed course after an agreement was reached and Ford pulled back his threat to impose the electricity surcharge.

“After President Trump threatened to use his executive powers to retaliate with a colossal 50 percent tariff against Canada, Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke with Secretary Lutnick to convey that he is backing down on implementing a 25 percent charge on electricity exports to the United States," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.

Ford will travel to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on trade.

ABC News' Zunaira Zaki contributed to this report.

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Major US airlines warn demand is slowing

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(NEW YORK) -- The major U.S. airlines thought they were going to have a strong first quarter, but things are not going as well as expected.

Each of the major U.S. airlines has put out guidance pointing to significant economic uncertainty that is directly affecting their domestic bookings this spring.

For its part, Delta was sure this would be a strong first quarter, but this morning the airline's CEO admitted they were wrong.

Speaking out Tuesday during the J.P. Morgan industrials conference in New York, Southwest, United and American all echoed the same message.

The reasons: Two major plane incidents -- including the deadly midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C. -- the uncertain economic future, plummeting government travel and reductions to corporate travel.

Overall, bookings fell after the deadly Jan. 29 D.C. crash, rebounded a bit, and then fell again after the Feb. 17 crash in Toronto, in which a regional jet crashed upon landing, overturned and caught fire.

"It caused a lot of shock amongst consumers. There’s a whole generation of consumers that didn’t realize these things can happen," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said during the J.P. Morgan conference on Tuesday.

Consumer confidence is unsettled and companies are waiting to see how things shake out. While companies wait, they are booking fewer seats.

Delta expects revenue to be down $500 million -- or 4% less than it anticipated this quarter.

Airlines say they will cut capacity -- reducing the number of seats they are flying -- in order to stabilize the market.

American Airlines has taken a significant hit at the D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport from both the January crash and reductions in government travel.

The airline is reducing capacity there to limit the losses.

United says government travel is down 50%.

One bright spot: Airlines say despite the domestic bookings being weak, international travel remains strong -- and airlines believe this summer will still be strong.

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Measles cases are still rising in Texas

WEST TEXAS (AP) – Measles outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico are now up to more than 250 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

Here’s what you need to know about measles in the U.S.

How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 25 new cases of measles since the end of last week, bringing Texas’ total to 223. Twenty-nine people in Texas are hospitalized.

New Mexico health officials announced three new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 33. The outbreak has spread from Lea County, which neighbors the West Texas communities at the epicenter of the outbreak, to include one case in Eddy County.

Oklahoma’s state health department reported two probable cases of measles Tuesday, saying they are “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks.

A school-age child died of measles in Texas last month, and New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult last week.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases — and there have been three clusters that qualified as outbreaks in 2025.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.

Do you need an MMR booster?

The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.

A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don’t always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.

People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

How can you treat measles?

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

Why do vaccination rates matter?

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.

Court stays execution of Texas man days before he was set to die

AUSTIN (AP) — A Texas appeals court on Tuesday halted the execution of a man who has spent more than 30 years on death row and had been set to die by lethal injection this week over the killings of six girls and young women found buried in the desert near El Paso.

It was the second scheduled execution in the U.S. halted on Tuesday after a federal judge stopped Louisiana’s first death row execution using nitrogen gas, which was to take place next week.

In Texas, the order was another reprieve for David Leonard Wood, who in 2009 was about 24 hours away from execution when it was halted over claims he is intellectually disabled and thus ineligible for execution.

Those claims were later rejected by a judge and Wood, 67, had been set to die Thursday. But the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state’s highest criminal court, issued a stay of execution after his latest appeal, which renewed his claims of innocence.

The court put Wood’s execution on pause “until further order.” It did not elaborate on the decision in a brief three-page order.

Had Wood been executed this week, he would have spent 32 years and two months on Texas’ death row, the longest time a Texas inmate has waited before being put to death.

The 1987 murders remained unsolved for several years until authorities say Wood bragged to a cellmate that he was the so-called “Desert Killer.” The victims’ bodies were found buried in shallow graves in the same desert area northeast of El Paso.

Authorities said Wood gave rides to the victims and then drove them into the desert, where he sexually assaulted and killed them. The victims were Rosa Casio and Ivy Williams, both 23; Karen Baker, 21; Angelica Frausto, 17; Desiree Wheatley, 15; and Dawn Smith, 14.

Two other girls and a young woman were also reported missing but were never found.

Wood, a repeat convicted sex offender who had worked as a mechanic, has long maintained his innocence.

“I did not do it. I am innocent of this case. I’ll fight it,” Wood said in recent documents filed in his appeals.

On March 4, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles declined a request to commute his death sentence to a lesser penalty or grant him a 90-day reprieve.

His lawyers have for years sought to have hundreds of pieces of evidence tested for DNA after testing in 2011 of bloodstains on the clothing Smith wore found a male DNA profile that was not Wood. The Texas Attorney General’s Office has fought against new DNA tests and various courts have denied Wood’s request for it.

Prior to the court’s decision Tuesday, Gregory Wiercioch, one of Wood’s attorneys, said that when authorities identified Wood as a suspect, they focused on him and not on the evidence they had.

“We’ve tried to make it clear to the courts that he’s innocent, and we’ll see if anyone listens,” Wiercioch said.

East Texas Human Needs Network merges with Goodwill

East Texas Human Needs Network merges with GoodwillTYLER – The East Texas Human Needs Network (ETHNN) has merged with Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc. ETHNN is a diverse group of organizations and individuals that work together to strengthen the programs, connection, and improve awareness of services that meet essential human needs. Goodwill often serves as a resource center for many of these same human needs. Goodwill’s programs are based in education and skills training designed to help individuals meet their needs through employment.
Continue reading East Texas Human Needs Network merges with Goodwill

Deceased driver identified in Hallsville high-speed chase

Deceased driver identified in Hallsville high-speed chase HALLSVILLE – One person was killed after a high-speed chase ended in them crashing into a Hallsville Church on Monday night. According to our news partner KETK, the driver was identified as 29-year-old Jason Thomas Hart of Longview.

Harrison County Sheriff’s Office received a call at 10:47 p.m. about a suspicious vehicle driving through the Mason Creek Mobile Home Park. The caller said that a dark-colored sedan was driving in circles in front yards and nearly hit several residences. Minutes later, deputies saw the vehicle matching the same description running a stop sign at the intersection of FM 968 and FM 450. Deputies continued their pursuit on FM 450 north, as Hart ignored lights and sirens.

Hart continued fleeing law enforcement, driving erratically, with speeds as fast as 114 mph. Eventually the chase entered Hallsville. As he entered the intersection of FM 450 and U.S. Highway 80, Hart left the roadway on the west part of FM 450, hitting the wall and awning of The First Baptist Church of Hallsville. Deputies attempted to render aid to Jason Hart, but he died at the scene. Officials said case is being investigated under the guidance of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Houstonians pay tribute to Sylvester Turner

HOUSTON (AP) – Mourners in Houston paid tribute to the late U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas as he lay in state at city hall Tuesday, part of a week of public events to honor the Democratic lawmaker and former mayor.

Turner, 70, died on March 5, just weeks into his first term in the House and only hours after attending President Donald Trump’s address to Congress in Washington. His family said he died at his home following health complications.

Residents observed a memorial at Houston City Hall, where Turner served as mayor for eight years before being elected to Congress in November. Houston Mayor John Whitmire made brief remarks to mourners and the Houston Symphony performed while visitors paid their respects.

“Sylvester knew each and every community, and he treated everyone with equality and inclusion,” Whitmire said. “That’s what made him really special. He brought that public service and that message across not only our great city, but our great state.”

Turner had filled the House seat held by longtime Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died in July. Prior to becoming mayor, Turner served as a legislator in the Texas House of Representatives for 27 years.

Turner is also scheduled to lie in state at the Texas Capitol beginning Thursday. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Houston.

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet announced when a special election will be held for Turner’s seat.

Federal appeals court reverses Texas death row inmate’s conviction

AMARILLO (AP) – A federal appeals court has tossed an Amarillo woman’s death sentence after it found that local prosecutors had failed to reveal that their primary trial witness was a paid informant.

With a 2-1 decision, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last week sent Brittany Marlowe Holberg’s 1998 murder conviction back down to the trial court to decide how to proceed.

Holberg has been on death row for 27 years. In securing her conviction in 1998, Randall County prosecutors heavily relied on testimony from a jail inmate who was working as a confidential informant for the City of Amarillo police. That informant recanted her testimony in 2011, but neither a Texas Court of Criminal Appeals or a federal district court found that prosecutors had violated Holberg’s constitutional right to a fair trial.

The appeals court disagreed, saying that the informant was critical to the jury’s determination of guilt and that the prosecution violated Holberg’s due process rights by hiding information that, according to a landmark U.S. Supreme court ruling, must be disclosed. Writing for the majority, judge Patrick E. Higginbotham cast Holberg’s case as a blight on the criminal justice system.

“We pause only to acknowledge that 27 years on death row is a reality dimming the light that ought to attend proceedings where a life is at stake, a stark reminder that the jurisprudence of capital punishment remains a work in progress,” wrote Higginbotham, a Ronald Reagan appointee.

Holberg was sentenced to death by an Amarillo jury when she was 23 years old. The jury found her guilty of murdering A.B. Towery, an 80-year-old man and former client of Holberg, a sex worker. During trial, Holberg asserted that she acted in self-defense and that she stabbed Towery because she feared for her life and sought to protect herself after he struck her on the back of the head and refused to relent.

The prosecution, however, presented testimony from Holberg’s jail cellmate Vickie Marie Kirkpatrick, who alleged that Holberg had admitted to killing Towery “in order to get money” and said she “would do it all over again for more drugs.”

Kirkpatrick was at the time working as a confidential informant for the City of Amarillo police, a fact prosecutors did not disclose. They instead presented Kirkpatrick as a “disinterested individual who ‘wanted to do the right thing,’” Higginbotham wrote.

Holberg had experienced severe and repeated sexual abuse during her childhood and fell into a crack cocaine addiction. She turned to sex work to support her addiction, according to court documents.

On Nov. 13, 1996, she had a minor traffic accident and then sought refuge in Towery’s apartment. A heated argument turned violent, leaving Towery dead with part of a lamp lodged within his throat. Holberg left the apartment cut, bruised and bleeding from her head where Towery struck her.

While in jail, the Randall County District Attorney’s Office approached multiple inmates to question them about Holberg, offering them a deal in exchange for testimony. Kirkpatrick, who was placed in the same cell as Holberg, produced a statement detailing an alleged admission from Holberg. That same day, Kirkpatrick was released on bond.

In a lone dissent, circuit judge Stuart Kyle Duncan, a Donald Trump appointee, wrote that the jury did not solely rely on Kirkpatrick’s testimony to reach their decision of guilt.

“The jury was presented with graphic physical evidence that Holberg sadistically butchered a sick old man—with a lamp rammed down his throat as the coup de grñce,” Duncan wrote. “That evidence doomed Holberg’s self-defense theory and there is no chance that impeaching Kirkpatrick would have resurrected it.”

Randall County District Attorney Robert Love, who was the assistant district attorney when Holberg’s case was first prosecuted, said in an emailed statement that he was “disappointed” by the 5th Circuit’s ruling. He declined to comment further on the case until the Texas Office of the Attorney General decides how to proceed. “They are currently discussing the legal options available,” Love said.

Holberg’s attorneys didn’t immediately respond to The Texas Tribune’s request for comment on Monday. A Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson said the agency had no comment on Holberg’s case. Holberg is currently being held at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit, a Gatesville prison that houses females on death row, among other inmates.

Texas leads the country in executions and is among the top three in imposing death sentences. The state’s use of capital punishment has waned, however, and the number of people on death row has dropped by more than half over the past twenty five years. There are 174 people on Texas’ death row, and seven of them are women.

SpaceX says hydraulic issue that postponed Starliner mission fixed, clear for launch

NASA

(NEW YORK) -- SpaceX said that the hydraulic system issue that postponed the Starliner mission on Wednesday has now been fixed and that the crew is once again cleared for take-off on Friday.

The mission will bring the next crew up to work on the International Space Station (ISS) and begin the return of a pair of astronauts back to Earth.

The launch Wednesday was abruptly postponed less than 45 minutes before liftoff due to a problem with a ground support clamp arm on the Falcon 9 rocket.

The clamps hold the rocket on the pad and if they don't open evenly, could cause the rocket to tip slightly.

NASA's Ken Bowersox told ABC News that while in this instance, the teams thought there was a low probability of a serious failure, they ultimately decided to not take any chances at all.

As of Thursday evening, SpaceX said ground teams have resolved the issue and successfully flushed a suspected pocket of trapped air in the system.

SpaceX said it's now targeting a launch on Friday at 7:03 p.m. ET. The company predicts a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch attempt.

Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams have been in space since June 2024 after they performed the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner. When they launched, they were only supposed to be on the ISS for about a week.

However, NASA and Boeing officials decided to send the uncrewed Starliner back to Earth in September after several issues and keep Wilmore and Williams onboard until early 2025 when Crew-10 was ready to launch on the Dragon spacecraft. Wilmore and Williams are set to return in the Crew-9 capsule.

The pair integrated with the ongoing Crew-9 mission aboard the ISS and could not return to Earth until Crew-9 completed its six-month mission and were replaced by Crew-10.

Wilmore and Williams assisted the crew with research and other responsibilities. However, NASA officials said the pair were using up more supplies meant for the ISS crew.

Steve Stich, program manager for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said that NASA teams spent all summer looking over the data on Starliner and felt there was too much risk with regard to the vehicle's thrusters.

During a press conference in September, Wilmore said he and Williams did not feel let down by anything during the mission.

"Let down? Absolutely not," Wilmore said. "It's never entered my mind. It's a fair question. I can tell you, I thought a lot about this press conference 
 and what I wanted to say and convey."

"NASA does a great job of making a lot of things look easy," he said, adding, "That's just the way it goes. sometimes because we are pushing the edges of the envelope in everything that we do."

If the mission is successful, it's unclear when exactly Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth on Crew-9.

The crew consists of two NASA astronauts, an astronaut from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and an astronaut from Russia's Roscosmos.

SpaceX will share a live webcast of the mission beginning one hour and 20 minutes prior to liftoff on its website and on its X account. NASA will also air coverage on its X account.

"During their time on the orbiting laboratory, the crew will conduct new research to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and to benefit humanity on Earth," SpaceX said on its website.

SpaceX's contracted missions are part of the larger Commercial Crew Program at NASA, which are certified to perform routine missions to and from the ISS.

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Rep. Shofner introduces bill to improve healthcare in rural East Texas

NACOGDOCHES – Rep. Shofner introduces bill to improve healthcare in rural East TexasOur news partners at KETK report that Advanced Practice Registered Nurses could soon have full practice authority in rural East Texas. Rep. Joanne Shofner filed HB 2532 on Feb. 6 that would allow APRNs to practice as independent practitioners. The bill will give APRNs the ability to treat health problems and prescribe medications (including controlled substances). In order to qualify, APRN’s must apply to the Texas Board of Nursing and pay an application fee. The deadline for the fee will vary by program and school. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) range from nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists and clinical nurse specialists. Continue reading Rep. Shofner introduces bill to improve healthcare in rural East Texas

Selena’s killer Yolanda SaldĂ­var seeks parole

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Express-News reports The woman convicted of killing Selena Quintanilla believes she has served her time as her parole eligibility fast approaches, a relative recently told the New York Post. Yolanda SaldĂ­var, a San Antonio native, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the murder of the 23-year-old “Queen of Tejano” at a Corpus Christi hotel on March 31, 1995. SaldĂ­var is now 64 years old. The relative, who was not named in the article, told the Post that SaldĂ­var “feels like she’s a political prisoner at this point,” adding, “Enough is enough.” SaldĂ­var was the president of Quintanilla’s fan club before she killed the singer after the star confronted her over embezzlement alegations, which SaldĂ­var has denied. Quintanilla had conquered the Spanish music scene and was on the verge of an English crossover before she was shot and killed two weeks before her 24th birthday.

$1 billion for school vouchers won’t be enough

AUSTIN – The San Antonio Express-News says Republican state leaders pushing a private school voucher plan have emphasized it would transform the face of education in Texas. They also say its cost would be limited to $1 billion for the first year. But projections from the nonpartisan Legislative Budget Board show demand for the program providing students with taxpayer funds to subsidize homeschooling or private education options could quickly outpace that initial investment, pressuring lawmakers to pour more and more money into it, while pulling millions from public schools. According to the LBB, demand for the program is projected to grow from $1 billion worth of vouchers for its first year of operation in 2027 to $3.2 billion the following year, then $3.8 billion and $4.6 billion by 2030. In other words, the $1 billion budget line on this biennium’s state budget could grow to more than $8 billion over the two-year period up for approval by the Legislature in 2029 as more and more students seek a voucher.

State Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Conroe Republican carrying his chamber’s version of the voucher bill, Senate Bill 2, has described the fiscal note as a “fairy tale” because lawmakers would need to sign off on any future funding increases. “Senate Bill 2 is entirely subject to a future appropriations process and the Legislature making a decision to grow the population of students served,” he said during a committee hearing earlier this year. Although the program’s initial investment would be set at $1 billion under Creighton’s bill, there are other pathways to grow it, even without lawmakers’ support. Gov. Greg Abbott, the state’s biggest voucher proponent, has been able to circumvent the Legislature for funding increases in the past, namely with his ongoing border security initiative, Operation Lone Star, which began with an appropriation from the Legislature of less than $3 billion. Abbott grew the program by billions more while the Legislature was out of session by moving money amongst state agencies with the approval of a small group of lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the House speaker. Critics warn the same thing could happen with vouchers. “What will most likely happen based on what we’ve seen in other states, to start drawing down those dollars
 it’s really unlimited,” said Jaime Puente, a policy analyst with the left-leaning group Every Texan who is critical of vouchers. “It’s really an unlimited amount of funding, an unlimited amount of seats that people will be advertised to with state dollars.”

Trump adds another 25% to tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum

Katherine Ky Cheng/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated a trade war with Canada, imposing a fresh round of tariffs on steel and aluminum products, threatening additional duties, and reiterating a call for Canada to give up its sovereignty and become a part of the United States.

Top Canadian officials responded forcefully, saying the country would keep its countermeasures in place until Trump withdraws U.S. tariffs.

Trump announced the new policies a day after Ontario slapped a 25% surcharge on electricity sent to the U.S., saying that he is adding another 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum, bringing the total to 50%.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the increased tariff "will go into effect TOMORROW MORNING, March 12th."

The U.S. imports more steel and aluminum from Canada than any other country.

In an interview on Tuesday after Trump's announcement, Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Trump to withdraw the tariffs, threatening to further escalate the standoff by shutting off electricity Canada supplies to the U.S.

"That's the last thing I want to do," Ford told CNBC. "I want to send more electricity down to the U.S., to our closest allies."

"Is it a tool in our toolkit? 100%. And as [Trump] continues to hurt Canadian families, Ontario families, I won't hesitate to do that," Ford continued.

A spokesperson for Canada's incoming Prime Minister Mark Carney described Trump's latest tariffs as an "attack on Canadian workers, families and businesses."

"My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade," the spokesperson added in a statement to ABC News.

Trump also said in his post that he will "shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity" in the area impacted by the tariffs from Canada. He said that the national emergency will "allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done" to respond to the tariff from Canada, without providing any specifics on what actions the U.S. might take.

Earlier Tuesday, Ford urged Trump to reconsider his tariffs, saying that they are "causing chaos."

"Markets are tanking. He needs to drop his tariffs and come to the table to negotiate a fair trade deal. Until he does, we won’t back down," Ford said in a post on X.

The announcement from Trump escalated a trade war between set off last week after the U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on imports from Canada. In a near-immediate response, Canada slapped a 25% retaliatory tariff on $30 billion worth of goods. Tariffs on an additional $125 billion worth of products will take effect in 21 days, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said

Trudeau sharply criticized the tariffs, calling them a "dumb" policy that does not "make sense."

The tit-for-tat measures reignited a trade war that had been averted a month earlier, when Trump paused the implementation of tariffs after reaching an agreement with Canada on border enforcement.

In late February, Trump alleged that illicit drugs such as fentanyl had continued to enter the U.S. through Canada, despite the agreements reached weeks earlier to address the issue.

Since September, nearly all fentanyl seized by the U.S. came through the Southern border with Mexico, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agency. Less than 1% of fentanyl was seized at the northern border with Canada, the CBP found.

The reason for the tariffs is based on a false allegation about Canada as a major source of drugs entering the U.S., Trudeau said last week.

As part of his announcement on Tuesday, Trump threatened to impose additional retaliatory tariffs on Canada if duties on U.S. goods remain in place.

"If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada," Trump said in the Truth Social post.

He also called on Canada to drop their tariffs on dairy farmers, and again asserted that Canada should become America's 51st state.

"The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World – And your brilliant anthem, “O Canada,” will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!," Trump said in the post.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

ABC News' William Gretsky contributed to this report.

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Texas measles cases grow to 223, mostly among children and teens

Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto via Getty Images

(AUSTIN, Texas) -- The measles outbreak in western Texas is continuing to grow with 25 cases confirmed over the last five days, bringing the total to 223 cases, according to new data published Tuesday.

Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown, with 80 unvaccinated and 138 of unknown status, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). At least 29 people have been hospitalized so far.

Just five cases have occurred in people vaccinated with one dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to the data.

The new data in Texas comes as the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) reported two "probable" cases of measles in the state on Tuesday

The department said the patients had exposure "associated with the Texas and New Mexico outbreak" and are reporting experiencing symptoms consistent with measles. OSDH said there's currently no public health threat associated with the two cases.

In the Texas outbreak, children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make up the majority of cases at 98, followed by children ages 4 and under at 76 cases, according to the data.

"Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities. DSHS is working with local health departments to investigate the outbreak," the department said in a press release.

So far, just one death has been reported in an unvaccinated school-aged child, according to the DSHS. The child did not have any known underlying conditions, according to the department.

The Texas death was the first measles death recorded in the U.S. in a decade, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A possible second measles death was recorded last week after an unvaccinated New Mexico resident tested positive for the virus. The New Mexico Department of Health said the official cause of death is still under investigation.

Gaines County is the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, with 156 cases confirmed among residents, according to the DSHS. State health data shows the number of vaccine exemptions in Gaines County has grown dramatically.

In 2013, roughly 7.5% of kindergartners in the county had parents or guardians who filed for an exemption for at least one vaccine. Ten years later, that number rose to more than 17.5% -- one of the highest in all of Texas, according to state health data.

As of Thursday, the CDC has confirmed a total of 222 cases in 12 states so far this year in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington.

The total, however, is likely an undercount due to delays in reporting from states to the federal government.

The majority of nationally confirmed cases are in people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Of the cases, 4% are among those who received one dose of the MMR shot and 2% are among those who received two doses, according to the CDC.

Children and teenagers also make up the majority of cases in Texas with 175 infections confirmed among those ages 19 and under, CDC data shows.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humans. Just one infected patient can spread measles to up to nine out of 10 susceptible close contacts, according to the CDC.

Health officials have been urging anyone who isn't vaccinated to receive the MMR vaccine.

The CDC currently recommends that people receive two vaccine doses, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says. Most vaccinated adults don't need a booster.

For those living in the outbreak area, Texas health officials are recommending that parents consider an early dose of the MMR vaccine for children between 6 months and 11 months, and that adults receive a second MMR dose if they only received one in the past.

Last week, the CDC said in a post on X that it was on the ground in Texas, partnering with DSHS officials to respond to the measles outbreak.

Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 due to the highly effective vaccination program, according to the CDC. However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years.

ABC News Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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21 passengers killed on Pakistani train after hundreds taken hostage

Mazhar Chandio/Anadolu via Getty Images

(LONDON) -- Twenty-one passengers were killed after a train in Pakistan was attacked and hundreds were taken hostage by the militant Balochistan Liberation Army on Tuesday, according to the Pakistani military.

Four military members conducting a rescue operation and 33 terrorists, members of the BLA, have been killed, according to the military.

The military operation has ended, according to a Pakistani military official.

On Tuesday, a U.S. official told ABC News at least 450 people were taken hostage on the train and said six Pakistani military personnel were killed.

The separatist militant group claimed it had taken 182 military and security personnel hostage on the train, according to a post on Telegram, but said they had released the majority of the civilians on board. The group claimed a higher number of casualties in the attack, saying they killed 20 Pakistani military personnel and shot down a drone.

The BLA had threatened to kill all the hostages if Pakistan's military tries to rescue them, the official said.

The BLA blew up part of the track, forcing the train to stop, before they boarded and took control, according to the official.

The attack happened in mountainous area right before a tunnel, making a rescue very difficult, they said.

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and said the government would not make any concessions to "beasts who fire on innocent passengers."

The train was trapped in a tunnel after the tracks were blown up and militants opened fire on it, reportedly injuring the driver, local authorities and police have told media.

The BLA believes the Balochistan region of Pakistan, in the country's far west bordering Iran and Afghanistan, should be allowed to break off from Pakistan. They are well-known for committing terror attacks in Pakistan. The BLA also attacked Jaffar Express trains in August 2013 and October 2016.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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