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--:-- John Bickley: I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley. It's Monday, April 3rd, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The Chinese spy balloon that traversed the U.S. earlier this year gathered and reported intelligence from multiple sensitive American military sites. That's despite the Pentagon's claims it blocked transmission. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has more.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: A new report from NBC News cites two current American officials and one former administration official who claimed the Chinese Communist Party maneuvered the balloon to make several passes over specific military sites sometimes in a figure eight pattern and all while transmitting the gathered data back to Beijing in, quote, real time. The three officials also alleged that the data obtained by China was primarily electronic signals that could be collected from weapons systems, communications on the base.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday that it would lead the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, including Russia, to cut over 1 million barrels of output a day starting next month. The move is expected to cause higher inflation in the U.S. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce reports.
--:-- Tim Pierce: The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. has been icy under Biden. And now the kingdom has announced that it will cut its production by another 500,000 barrels a day starting in May. Oil prices soared 7.5% at the week's open after the announcement. Kevin Book managing director of Clearview Energy Partners claimed that the cuts could cause U gasoline prices to rise roughly 26 cents per gallon.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Finland will officially join NATO on Tuesday as its 31st member. The announcement comes as tensions between Europe and Russia remain high over the war in Ukraine. Turkey became the final NATO member to approve Finland's application for membership, which was first filed in May 2022. Here's NATO's Jens Stoltenberg welcoming the newest member.
--:-- Jens Stoltenberg: This is a historic week. We will raise the Finnish flag for the first time here at the NATO headquarters.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered an investigation into the recent actions and the former leadership of Walt Disney World's special planning district in Orlando. Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham reports.
--:-- Megan Basham: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is ordering an investigation into last-minute agreements Disney struck with the outgoing Disney-appointed board for the Reedy Creek District. The district encompasses Disney World and its related theme parks and hotels and has long been under the company's control. These latest agreements allow Disney to largely maintain that control by blocking a new board appointed by DeSantis from negotiating new contracts with the company.
--:-- Georgia Howe: In a letter to the state chief inspector general DeSantis said these collusive and self-dealing arrangements aim to nullify the recently passed legislation, undercut Florida's legislative process, and defy the will of Floridians.
--:-- Megan Basham: And former president Donald Trump is traveling today from Mar-a-Lago to New York City, where he will turn himself into authorities for his arraignment on Tuesday. With protests against the indictment looming, New York officials are warning Trump supporters, including members of Congress, against any lawlessness in the days ahead.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Though we have no specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, she stated she's coming to town. While you're in town, be on your best behavior.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
