Plus: Trump Admin Announces End Of Immigration Surge In Minneapolis

Good evening,

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) disqualified Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych Thursday for his "helmet of remembrance," honoring 24 athletes killed in Ukraine’s war with Russia. The ICO said it violated a prohibition on political speech. “This is price of our dignity,“ Heraskevych said in a social media post.

Tearing up, the IOC President Kirsty Coventry said Heraskevych’s message was “powerful”, but that “we have these rules in place to try and be fair...to allow for athletes to express themselves, but also to allow for athletes to be safe.”
- Officials told Heraskevych he could wear a black arm band honoring fallen athletes instead, and bring the helmet into the post-race media zone. Heraskevych refused those offers.

Heraskevych’s team plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Heraskevych’s courage and accused Olympic officials of playing “into the hands of aggressors.”

Mo News Team

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Trump Admin Ending Immigration Surge In MN As Local Leaders Focus On Recovery

The Trump administration is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, Border Czar Tom Homan announced Thursday morning. Homan said local immigration enforcement will continue, but that most federal agents will be leaving in the next two weeks.

In Minnesota, local leaders are saying it is now time to focus on recovery. Gov. Tim Walz (D) responded that the state is “cautiously optimistic” and now focused on accountability, after the deployment led to two fatal shootings and sparked significant backlash. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) said, "This operation has been catastrophic for our neighbors and businesses, and now it's time for a great comeback."

INSIDE THE OPERATION
DHS says “Operation Metro Surge” led to more than 4,000 undocumented migrants arrested, including some with violent criminal histories. Since the immigration crackdown began late last year, about 3,000 federal officers were sent to the state. By comparison, Minneapolis has only about 600 police officers in a city of roughly 430,000 people.

REWIND: Homan, who has already pulled hundreds of federal agents from the state, said Trump agreed to end the surge.
- Homan was sent to Minneapolis after the killing of two Americans by federal immigration officers: Alex Pretti in late January and Renée Good weeks earlier. Both were protesting agents' actions.
Walz said the surge left “deep damage” and “generational trauma” in the community. He also raised questions about investigations into the deaths of Good and Pretti, and asked for additional information on detained children.

UNACCOMPANIED, UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN
Homan also said Thursday that ICE agents located nearly 3,400 “missing, unaccompanied alien children” during the operation in Minnesota, which he accused the Biden administration of losing track of after they crossed the border alone.

The nonprofit National Immigration Forum called this categorization inaccurate, saying children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or guardian are processed and placed with sponsors — usually family members — while they await court hearings. It added that the claim that these children are unaccounted for is based on their failure to appear at immigration hearings, which “is a valid basis of concern” but does not mean they are missing.
- A 2024 audit by DHS’s internal watchdog found that ICE struggled to monitor the whereabouts of about 30,000 children who came to the country illegally from 2019 and 2023.
- Mo News reached out to DHS, but we haven’t heard back yet.

Big picture: The federal crackdown in Minnesota drew widespread protest and scrutiny — including over aggressive tactics and mass arrests.

About six in 10 Americans believe Trump has “gone too far” by sending the federal agents into American cities, according to a new AP-NORC poll.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PARTNER

Tips From Our Laundry Lowdown 🧺

Ever wonder if sorting your clothes is actually necessary? Downy laundry scientist Sammy says sorting is a personal choice, but it gives you the best control and results — especially with today’s mix of fabrics and dyes. Separating whites and lights from darks helps prevent fading and color transfer, which can be hard to predict in the wash.

That said, Sammy notes that mixed loads can work too. Tide detergents contain ingredients designed to help prevent dye transfer, making it possible to wash colors together if you’re short on time.
When it comes to light grays and tans? They can usually go with whites — just keep them away from the darkest colors. And for those who really want to dive in, sorting can also be done by fabric weight or soil level.

Catch more tips on The Laundry Lowdown series on the Mo News podcast, where Sammy answers your questions about everyday laundry challenges.

🚨 ONE THING WE’RE FOLLOWING

France’s Fertility Push Sparks Debate Over Government Intervention In Family Planning

France is planning to send letters to all 29-year-olds in the country warning them that their fertility is declining, and encouraging women to consider freezing their eggs.

The letters are meant to address France’s waning birth rate, which sits around 1.56 children per woman — well below the 2.1 replacement level needed to keep the population stable.

The move is opening a wider global conversation about whether governments should encourage people to have children amid global declining birth rates, or just provide better information earlier.

INSIDE FRANCE’S CAMPAIGN
The letter will highlight that the French government covers the cost of egg freezing between ages 29 and 37. The government says it’s trying to make sure women don’t later say, “I wish I’d known.”

Not just for women: Men will also receive these letters, which frames fertility struggles as a shared responsibility affecting one in eight couples in France. It’s a stark shift from older messaging that focused almost entirely on women’s biological clocks.
- Male partners contribute to about half of infertility cases worldwide.
France will also launch a new fertility website advising on the impacts of smoking, weight, and other lifestyle choices on fertility outcomes, as well as implement additional sex education in schools.

BIGGER PICTURE
It comes as we’re seeing similar birth rate declines across dozens of developed countries, including the U.S. (birth rate 1.6 in 2023), South Korea (1.8), UK (1.6), Japan (1.2), Italy (1.2), and China (1.0). Governments worry shrinking populations will lead to fewer workers paying taxes and more retirees needing pensions and healthcare.

Not just if, but when: From 2016 to 2023, first births to younger mothers in the U.S. dropped sharply. While first births to moms above age 35 jumped 25%. The takeaway: people aren’t necessarily opting out of kids entirely — many are just delaying until they feel financially or emotionally stable enough. But by that point, they may have fewer kids or struggle to conceive.
So, do government campaigns actually work? Critics argue pressure — especially on women — ignores the real drivers of birth rate decline: housing costs, childcare expenses, career timing, and economic stability.
- It’s why politicians in the U.S. have introduced major policy changes like expanded tax credits, baby bonuses, and free IVF — most of which have not yet materialized.
- Others worry pretending fertility isn’t time-sensitive leaves people without real planning tools.

WHAT THE DR. ORDERED
Connecticut OB-GYN, Dr. Alicia Robbins, tells Mo News that early information can matter: “I have had patients say to me, I wish I had known about my fertility and how ovarian age changes over time sooner,” she says.

Her tips: Good sleep, avoiding smoking, limiting processed foods and sugar, and exercising all support fertility by reducing inflammation and improving blood flow. Robins says the ideal time for egg freezing is between ages 29 to 35.

“It’s also not just a sort of steep cliff at the age of 35,” Dr. Robbins says. “In the U.S., 35 is what we deem as advanced maternal age because we know that the quality of our eggs start to change and there’s more genetic abnormalities at the point… So I think both things are true. I think it’s important to educate as early as possible. And I think it’s also important for women to realize that it’s not an absolute.”

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

Trump moves to repeal landmark climate policy, says Americans will have more $ for healthcare (MO NEWS)
Black gloves found in search for Nancy Guthrie, sources close to the investigation say (CBS)
US Navy ships collide during refueling, 2 personnel injured (THE HILL)
Trump says all Democratic governors except Wes Moore and Jared Polis are invited to White House gathering (NBC)
‘It’s astounding’: NTSB chair chides FAA, Pentagon after El Paso chaos (POLITICO)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

Israeli PM Netanyahu skeptical about Trump’s talks with Iran, but says ‘good deal’ possible (THE HILL)
Russia says it has blocked WhatsApp amid wider clampdown on social media (CNN)
Polls open for Bangladesh’s first election since the Gen Z uprising that ousted prime minister (NBC)
Spy agency says Kim Jong Un’s daughter is close to be North Korea’s future leader (NPR)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

Home sales plunge despite affordability improving (AXIOS)
Instagram chief says he does not believe people can get clinically addicted to social media (AP)
FDA defends its decision not to review Moderna’s mRNA flu shot (NBC)
Spirit Airlines sells more planes, calls back 500 flight attendants from furlough ahead of spring break (CNBC)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Madison Chock and Evan Bates respond to judging controversy following silver medal (NBC)
USA’s Jessie Diggins collapses in pain after winning bronze at Winter Olympics: “I was skiing out of my body” (CBS)
HGTV cancels Nicole Curtis’ ‘Rehab Addict’ after star was caught using racial slur on set (FOX)
Kennedy Center head warns staff of cuts and ‘skeletal’ staffing during renovation closure (AP)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… Team USA’s Breezy Johnson is taking home more than just a gold medal from this year’s Winter Games – the Olympian is engaged! 💍

At the base of her Super-G run on Thursday, her boyfriend, Connor Watkins, proposed, with Johnson tearfully accepting and kissing her fiancé as teammates and officials cheered.