News from around the nation.

Republicans weigh using the power of Congress to rein in Trump on tariffs; Stocks tumble again after China fires back in trade war; Mississippi urged to invest in jobs, not jails, to cut prison costs; Studies highlight gut health benefits of plant-forward diets in MI.

Transcript

The Public News Service Friday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

The fallout from President Trump's aggressive new tariffs has spurred Congress into action with a growing number of Republicans joining Democrats to express interest in using their power to restrain him.

That from NBC News.

After the GOP-led Senate delivered a rare rebuke to Trump on Wednesday by voting to undo his tariffs in Canada, lawmakers in both chambers are weighing additional steps to rein him in.

Democrats in the House are exploring ways to force a vote to revoke Canadian tariffs.

NBC notes the major US stock index has dropped sharply just minutes into Friday trading as the tariff announcement and fresh retaliatory duties imposed by China sent further shockwaves through the economy.

The S&P fell by more than 3 percent, deepening the decline that began in February.

The index is now down almost 15 percent from its peak.

And as Mississippi grapples with one of the nation's highest incarceration rates a new national campaign highlights the economic and social toll of prison recidivism and the Proven benefits of investing in reentry programs this week the Center for employment Opportunities launched at what cost the campaign says redirecting funds from incarceration to jobs Training could save taxpayers billions and reduce repeat offenses in Mississippi nearly 30 percent of people are released from prison or back within three years According to state data, Center President Samra Haider says the math is simple.

We're spending millions to keep people in cycles of poverty and incarceration.

And that can be all the way from policing, sentencing, keeping people incarcerated for a long time.

And like I said, that cycle of incarceration.

So sometimes 60 percent in certain jurisdictions of people will be reincarcerated within a year of release.

The campaign cites research showing every dollar invested in reentry programs yields $3 in savings by reducing recidivism.

And it turns out mom was right.

Eating your veggies is good for you and that's good news for Michigan, which ranks seventh in the nation for fresh fruit and vegetable production.

New studies highlight the benefits of a plant-forward diet on gut health.

The research shows eating mostly plant-based foods rich in fiber, like broccoli and lentils, supports a healthy microbiome.

And it says people who eat fewer plant-based foods may face higher disease risk.

But University of Michigan microbiology professor Eric Martens acknowledges that some people, including those in the studies, find it difficult to transition to a plant-forward diet.

They experience GI pain, bloating, flatulence, things like that.

Kind of sets up the dilemma that, you know, sometimes making an abrupt shift to a healthier plant-based diet causes GI consequences that turn people off.

But there are benefits for those who can stick with it.

One study from Ireland found that a plant-rich, low-process diet based on the habits of rural residents of Papua New Guinea improved people's cholesterol, blood sugar, and health heart levels in just three weeks.

Crystal Blair reporting.

This story produced with original reporting by Dawn Attride for Sentient Health.

This is Public News Service.

More protest rallies are occurring in response to President Donald Trump's executive orders alongside Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

On April 5th, hands off, a national day of action.

Demonstrations will be held in defiance of Trump's actions.

Ohio Sierra Club State Director Erica Copeland says the president's decisions will also weaken the state's key public safety objectives.

Another significant rollback is the proposed weakening of regulations around hazardous materials and safety standards for transportation.

We all can remember that this was glaringly evident in the aftermath of the East Palestine train derailment a few years ago.

Copeland views protest as a powerful tool for raising awareness and hopes to see the momentum for pushback against Trump's policies continue beyond April 5th.

She advocates for lasting changes in the reinstatement of stronger environmental regulations and the expansion of clean energy programs.

52 Ohio cities, including Akron, Cincinnati, Dayton, Springfield and Xenia, will stage public rallies.

I'm Terry Dee reporting.

And nearly 22,000 Florida college students could lose critical tuition help under a state house budget proposal.

The plan would cut $3,500 annual grants for students at 15 private schools throughout the state, including three historically black universities and Embry-Riddle, the nation's top civilian flight school.

House lawmakers tied eligibility for Florida's effective access to student education, or EASE, program to five performance metrics, including a 54 percent graduation rate and affordability benchmarks.

President of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida warns of fallout.

It's going to really devastate our sector.

These are students that are pursuing nursing degrees, becoming pilots, teachers, and a lot of them will drop out of their high-demand degree fields because they're not getting this voucher.

I'm Tramell Gomes.

Finally, Minnesota bird enthusiasts should keep their binoculars handy.

April is a good month to spot various species migrating back to the region.

A good place to start for birding during spring migration is the Mississippi River Corridor, considered a key flyway for birds traveling back and forth between their winter and summer homes.

Monica Bryan, with the Urban Bird Collective in the Twin Cities, considers this a worthwhile and fun activity.

I've only been a birder for over 20 years and I didn't realize what was out there until somebody took me birding.

And of course, now I'm just absolutely hooked.

As birds fan out across the state, Bryan says residents can do their part to keep obstacles and threats out of the way.

That includes limiting backyard time for outdoor cats and since birds tend to migrate at night, dimming or turning off outdoor lights is helpful so long as personal safety isn't compromised.

I'm Mike Moen.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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