Plus: Measles outbreak in U.S. & travel tips from The Points Guy.

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Good afternoon,

Anyone need Spring Break plans? New evidence from Mars shows the Red Planet once had a large ocean with earth-like, sandy beaches.

The downside: they appear to have existed approximately 4 billion years ago. While the planet no longer has a warm enough atmosphere to supports life (median planet temperature is now -85°F, with winter temps dropping below -200°), the discovery could be crucial in finding out if Mars' surface supported living organisms.
So, what happened to Mars around 4 billion years ago? Some scientists have theorized that a massive asteroidmay have propelled the planet to lose its atmosphere/magnetic field. Others have said its weaker gravity and smaller size, compared to Earth, made Mars’ cooling inevitable over time.
- We may get closer to an answer as we send more missions there. The U.S. has been aiming to send humans to Mars in the next 15 years (late 2030s, early 2040s) – though President Donald Trump and Elon Musk hope it’s even sooner.

For now, we will have to stick to earth 🌎 for our vacation plans.

Mosheh
Mo News Founder & CEO

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🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

U.S. Consumer Confidence Drops, Biggest Monthly Decline Since 2021

A warning for the economy: Americans are bracing for prices to keep climbing and are likely to spend less in the coming months, according to new data released Tuesday.

A survey from the Conference Board showed that consumer confidence fell in February, as inflation expectations rose.

The index measures Americans’ feelings about current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months.
- Important note: Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity and is closely watched by economists.

ON OUR MINDS: EGGS & TARIFFS
Egg prices jumped more than 15% in January, from a year ago, as avian flu continues to impact the nation’s chickens. Prices are set to go up further in the coming months.

Denny's restaurants followed Waffle House and other dining establishments this week in adding a surcharge to menu items containing eggs.

President Trump has added a 10% tariff on imports from China, and is threatening additional taxes, including a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico that could take effect next week. After delaying them last month, Trump said the Canada and Mexico tariffs will “go forward” this time. That is likely to set off a round of counter-tariffs from our largest trading partners.

Inflation Concerns: One of the worries is that tariffs could spark another round of inflation, as importers are likely to pass along increased costs to Americans. The Federal Reserve is closely watching the data, as it considers whether to lower interest rates further or hold steady.

The January inflation rate was at 3%. Inflation expectations for the next year jumped to 6%, according to the survey – that’s well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation goal.

Job Market: Americans are also feeling less bullish about the job market. The Conference Board's expectations index – which measures the outlook for jobs, income, and business conditions – fell more than 9 points in February to 72.9. Readings below 80 are considered a warning sign for possible recession.

🚨 ONE THING WE ARE WATCHING

Measles Infects Nearly 100 People In Texas, New Mexico

A measles outbreak in the U.S. has surged to nearly 100 cases since late January, primarily affecting unvaccinated children in Texas, as well others in New Mexico near the Texas border.

Measles, which was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, can cause severe lung and brain infections, leading to cognitive issues, deafness, and, in rare cases, death.
The CDC estimates three in every 1,000 infected children die from the virus, as there is no cure or specific treatment.

A LOOK AT THE OUTBREAK
Public health officials are expanding vaccination clinics and testing sites to try and contain the outbreak down south. They’re also looking into its origins.

Since COVID, measles vaccination rates have dipped below 93% for kindergarteners nationwide in 2024. Experts warn that outbreaks become significantly harder to contain – and inevitably spread – when vaccination rates slip below 90%.
- Two doses of the measles vaccine are 97% effective against measles, according to the CDC, and the injections are considered safe.

PUBLIC HEALTH UNDER RFK JR.
The outbreak comes as debate over vaccines — and testing around them — have risen with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. taking over as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

RFK Jr. was grilled during his confirmation hearing about past comments he has made disputing vaccine effectiveness. In his new role, he has vowed to scrutinize childhood immunization policies. He has been critical of the measles vaccine in the past, adding that he and his siblings had measles as children and were fine.

🚨 ONE THING WE ARE WATCHING

Measles Infects Nearly 100 People In Texas, New Mexico

You heard it here first: airline status is so last year.

That’s according to Brian Kelly, a travel expert who most know as “The Points Guy” – and who Martha Stewart recently called “America’s travel guru.” We spoke to Kelly on the Mo News: The Interview podcast after he released his new book, “How to Win at Travel,” which is stacked with money-saving, points-gathering, and life-hacking tips for both first-time flyers and airline aficionados.

✈️ Lose the loyalty: 2024 was the first year Kelly didn’t seek out elite status at any airline, because he says the perks don’t stack up anymore.
- When he started “The Points Guy” in 2010, Kelly said roughly 80% of first class seats on domestic flights were given as upgrades to elite members. Now, it’s less than 25%, as prices have changed and more people are opting for higher-priced seats, he reports.
- Plus, you’re competing with more people for those freebees, since it’s easier to build status using credit cards today. “The biggest trend in the industry is airline loyalty is sort of being watered down,” Kelly told us. “If everybody’s V.I.P., nobody’s V.I.P.”
💳 Focus on your credit: Instead of status, Kelly said, “Everyone’s moving to the credit card company programs [like AMEX and Chase Sapphire cards], because you can transfer to so many different partners. If one partner raises the rates on flights, you at least have 20 other partners to transfer to.”
- He says credit cards also add a layer of protection for when something goes wrong: for example, they’ll often pay for rides or hotels when your flight is canceled.
- Kelly suggests maximizing credit card points – that will translate into flights – by figuring out what your major spending categories are, and then getting cards that have high point ratios in those categories. You can Google which credit cards get you the most points when paying for groceries, travel, streaming platforms, and/or business expenses.
  - Spoiler: Kelly told us he has 28 (!) credit cards – though he doesn’t recommend that.

In the years since writing his book, Kelly became a father of two. His two-year-old son Dean has already traveled to 16 countries, so he shares advice on traveling with kids… a journey on its own!

🎙️ Listen to our conversation with Brian Kelly on our Mo News: The Interview podcast for those tips and many, many more – like how far in advance to book flights, how much of your income to spend on travel, and why it’s sometime worth booking the expensive airline.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Former NY Governor readies campaign for NYC mayor; Announcement could come this weekend (NY TIMES)

📌 21 government workers resign instead of helping Elon Musk & DOGE (AP)

📌 Anti-ICE activists post personal info of agents, disrupt raids in LA (FOX NEWS)

📌 FAA looking to use Elon Musk’s Starlink system to improve reliability (THE HILL)

📌 Farmers suing US government over Trump administration deleting climate change data (NEWSWEEK)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Russia contradicts Trump claims on Ukraine peacekeepers (NBC NEWS)

📌 5 signs the US-Europe split is widening (NPR)

📌 Pope met with Vatican leader to approve new possible saints (AP)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Apple shareholders reject proposal to end DEI initiatives (CNBC)

📌 The odds of a 'city-killer' asteroid hitting Earth in 2032 have fallen to zero (NPR)

📌 New Blackberry keyboard-like case now available for Android phones (THE VERGE)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Netflix hit show, ‘You,’ returning on April 24 for a fifth season (THE WRAP)

📌 Inside the first 24 days of the Luka Doncic era in LA (ESPN)

📌 Nike is betting Kim Kardashian can be the next Michael Jordan for the brand (INSIDER)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… The vibes battle (world leader edition).