Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Dow explodes almost 3,000 points higher, S&P 500 has best day since 2008 as Trump pauses most reciprocal tariffs; Groups oppose Medicaid cuts that would threaten coverage for 3 million PA residents; ME high school students advance local climate related projects; US judges block Trump's Venezuelan deportations using a 1798 wartime law; Ratepayers sound off on proposed sale of Minnesota Power.

Transcript

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, April the 10th, 2025.

I'm Mike Clifford.

U.S. stocks rocketed higher Wednesday as President Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries.

At the same time, he upped increasingly ballooning tariffs on China.

That from Yahoo News.

They report the benchmark S&P 500 roared up over 9.5 percent, posting its best day since 2008, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite roared a whopping 12 percent for its second best day on record.

Meantime, the Dow Industrial Average was up over 7.8 percent, roughly about 3,000 points.

Meantime, in Pennsylvania and around the nation, federal safety net programs may face major cutbacks as President Trump's administration pushes for budget reductions.

More now from our Daniel Smith.

Three million Pennsylvanians are insured through Medicaid.

Becky Lutwick with Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children says her group and more than 160 others, including the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, sent a letter to the state's congressional delegation urging members to reject proposed Medicaid cuts.

She says the move would harm vulnerable residents, especially kids, who depend on the program for health insurance.

Medicaid plays an especially large role for children and covers 1.2 million Pennsylvania children currently, and that includes children with special health care needs, children with disabilities, children who are living in families with lower incomes, children who are in the foster care system or aging out of the foster care system.

She says in Pennsylvania, Medicaid is expanded to also support pregnant women and new mothers, which includes extended postpartum coverage from 60 days to a full year.

Advocates warn that federal Medicaid cuts could worsen the national maternal health crisis by threatening this critical care.

And despite federal uncertainty regarding climate-related programs, high school students across Maine are focusing on local actions they can take.

About 250 students and teachers from more than two dozen schools recently gathered to learn about weatherization, composting and recycling projects and how to implement them in their own communities.

The state's Youth Climate Engagement Coordinator, Abigail Hain, says it was a chance for students to connect with other emerging climate leaders.

We just keep emphasizing that there's so many ways to get involved, really at a local and state level.

And for students, it's all about letting them know where those opportunities are.

Hain says the state has created a new online climate-related jobs board.

The state's Climate and Me website also provides young people with information on how to get active and learn about the impacts of climate change on the state's economy and environment.

I'm Catherine Carley.

And from Reuters, judges in Texas and New York, don't blow this on Wednesday, to President Trump's effort to revive deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members.

That after the Supreme Court struck down a nationwide ban on such removals.

This is Public News Service.

Public hearings continue tonight and tomorrow for the proposed sale of Minnesota's second largest utility.

The deal is drawing a lot of attention, with a private equity firm behind the request.

Minnesota Power serves more than 150,000 electricity customers in the northeastern part of the state.

If regulators say yes, its parent company, Elite, would be sold to BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Stephanie Caro is a customer in this service area.

She says she worries about her rates going up for the wrong reasons.

It seems to me like another case of the rich get richer.

It's about making the most profit that you can in the shortest amount of time.

Minnesota Power doesn't anticipate customer rates being impacted.

It says this deal guarantees more resources in meeting the state's clean energy goals amid spiking demand.

I'm Mike Moen.

And plans to slash funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services have drawn swift opposition from library and union leaders, as cuts threaten Michigan's nearly 400 libraries, as well as libraries across the nation.

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the American Library Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees by Democracy Forward and co-counsel Gare Gallo.

The suit asked the court to block the dismantling of the institute as directed by presidential executive order.

Cindy Hole is president of the American Library Association.

Libraries are trusted anchor institutions providing Americans with access to the internet and technology, and especially in small and rural areas where people may not be able to afford those services or access in their homes.

And 125 supporters of the cuts maintain that reducing federal spending is essential for budget efficiency.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, a new study shows how extreme weather conditions negatively impact production yields on Midwest dairy farms, with a disproportionate impact on smaller farms.

Researchers at the University of Illinois studied milk production records from nine Midwest dairy farms, considering both temperature and humidity when measuring extreme heat.

They found farms lose about 1 percent of milk yield annually because of heat stress, while smaller farms lose closer to 2 percent.

Study co-author Maren Skidmore says when the cows are in extreme heat, it can cause increased restlessness and risk of infection and decreased appetite, which reduces milk yield and impacts bottom lines.

It's only 1.6 percent, but if you're really making every dollar from your paycheck count, then 1.6 percent of your paycheck being gone in a given year is meaningful.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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