South braces for severe storms, possible tornadoes on Tuesday

South braces for severe storms, possible tornadoes on Tuesday.

Trump says 25% tariffs on Mexico, Canada to go into effect Tuesday.

Israel breaks ceasefire deal, blocks aid to Gaza.

Starting tomorrow morning, a severe weather front will make its way from Texas and Oklahoma all the way across the Southeast to the Carolinas and Georgia by Wednesday. The system will bring a danger of high winds, tornadoes, and potentially hail throughout the entire state of Mississippi as well as Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Meteorologists are currently predicting that the severe front will cross the Mississippi River at about 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday and cross over Northeast Mississippi between about 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Then it will cross over Alabama, Atlanta, the Florida panhandle overnight and into the morning before finally crossing into the Carolinas around 6:00 a.m. Wednesday.

Be sure to pay attention to local weather reports starting about midday Tuesday and make sure your phones and other devices are fully charged.

Trump says 25% tariffs on Mexico, Canada to go into effect Tuesday

President Trump said today there is “no room” for Canada or Mexico to avert implementation of a 25% tariff on all goods entering from countries into the United States starting tomorrow. The White House has promoted the tariffs as a way to pressure our northern and southern neighbors to do more to halt the flow of undocumented migrants and fentanyl into the US, even though the numbers of both migrants and fentanyl entering the US are already on the decline.

Both Canada and Mexico have promised retaliatory tariffs on US goods entering their countries if Trump’s tariffs do go into effect. US firms and consumers are bracing for what could be the beginning of a major North American trade war that could send prices on a range of goods skyrocketing. Investors have reacted unfavorably to the news, fearing that more inflation could be on the way.

Trump has threatened tariffs before, only for them to be averted at the 11th hour. Diplomatic efforts are still ongoing with a deadline of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

Israel breaks ceasefire deal, blocks aid to Gaza

On Saturday, March 1, the first phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas ended. For weeks, Israel had refused to negotiate entry into the next phase, which requires Israel to withdraw all of its remaining troops from Gaza. This was despite Hamas offering to release all remaining hostages, dead and alive, in exchange for the second phase being implemented.

Instead, Israel introduced new demands, including the total disarming of Hamas. Such maximalist demands were not foreseen in the original talks, and Israel made the demand knowing that Hamas would not accept it. Hamas has agreed to step down from government in Gaza if Palestinian leadership can take over. Egypt is expected to propose this as part of a larger plan for Gaza’s reconstruction in an emergency summit of Arab nations tomorrow.

There are conflicting reports on this, but according to Israeli officials, Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff proposed a bridging deal that would extend the first phase of the ceasefire by 6 weeks, with a demand that Hamas continue releasing hostages. Neither Witkoff nor any US official has confirmed that these were the terms he proposed.

Hamas has rejected this proposal, insisting that the second phase be implemented as agreed. Mediators Egypt and Qatar also tried unsuccessfully to pressure Israel towards moving into the second phase.

Blockade, airstrikes resume

Over the weekend, Israel resumed both airstrikes using drones as well as targeted shootings of civilians, with at least a dozen killed in different incidents throughout the Gaza Strip. Israel had already killed well over 100 people in Gaza during the ceasefire.

Israel has also now cut off all aid, including food, water, fuel, and electricity from entering the Strip. The UN and international human rights groups have condemned the resumption of this blockade as a potential war crime. Israel has alleged, without evidence, that Hamas was “stealing” the aid. Even if Israel could furnish proof of this, it would still be a violation of their obligations as an occupying power.

It is not clear when or if Israel intends to resume a full-scale military assault in Gaza. However, Israel’s military has been ordered to prepare to resume operations in the Strip.

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South braces for severe storms, possible tornadoes on Tuesday – National & International News – MON 3Mar2025