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Welcome back. I enjoy chili as much as anyone, but lately tomatoes have gotten very expensive. We dig into that in our latest story on rising food prices. Also in the news today: Fact checking Trump’s claims about work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool; and Russia warns of escalation in Ukraine. Plus, a California teen wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Wednesday’s newsletter included an article where the spelling of a DHS spokesperson’s last name was later corrected to Bis instead of Bies.
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Tomatoes on the shelves of a supermarket in New York on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Sedensky)
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Tomatoes become latest symbol of America’s affordability squeeze
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Prices for tomatoes are up 40%, more than any other food product over the past year. Experts say the spike is the result of crop yields, the Iran war and Trump’s tariffs. Read more.
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- The war spiked gas prices and increased shipping costs. Meanwhile, the U.S. withdrew from a deal allowing duty-free imports of tomatoes from Mexico, which grows most of America's supply. Tomatoes were slapped with a 17% tariff.
As the cost trickles down, outraged consumers are voicing their displeasure online, but the impact has been most pronounced for businesses that rely on tomatoes as a key ingredient in their kitchens. Wayne Humphrey, chief operating officer of Snarf’s Sandwiches, which operates dozens of stores in Colorado, Missouri and Texas, says tomatoes will cost him an additional $1.7 million annually.
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FACT FOCUS: Trump says Obama and Biden spent ‘hundreds of millions’ on reflecting pool. They did not
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During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, President Donald Trump claimed that the Obama and Biden administrations spent “hundreds of millions of dollars” to fix the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. This is false. Read more.
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The Obama administration spent at least $34 million on a massive, two-year reconstruction project that ended in 2012. No major repairs to the pool were done during the Biden administration.
Trump has put the cost of his administration’s work on the pool at $1.5 million to $2 million. But records show that at least $14.8 million worth of contracts have been awarded for the project so far.
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With a stalemate in Ukraine and discontent at home, Putin seems ready to escalate his war
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Amid a stagnating economy and growing war fatigue among Russians, the government’s warning to carry out “consistent and systematic” missile strikes on Kyiv and call for evacuating foreign embassies from the capital signal President Vladimir Putin’s intention to expand Russia’s campaign. Read more.
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The Iran war has effectively put U.S. mediation efforts in Ukraine on hold and drained American missile arsenals, delaying the delivery of U.S.-made Patriot missiles that Ukraine desperately needs to fend off Russian attacks. Moscow-based military analyst Sergei Poletaev said Russia sees the shortage of air defense assets in Kyiv as an opportunity.
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E.W. Scripps Company president and CEO Adam Symson, right, holds the trophy over winner of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at DAR Constitution Hall, Thursday, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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It’s been nearly two months since I’ve started waking up extra early to write the Morning Wire, and I’ve been loving it. Thanks for sticking with me and please let me know what you think of the newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Nadja
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It’s been nearly two months since I’ve started waking up extra early to write the Morning Wire, and I’ve been loving it. Thanks for sticking with me and please let me know what you think of the newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Nadja
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