Morning Briefing: Impending Immigrant Ban; Sanctuary City Crackdown; Border Wall Timeline

For reporters covering the early days of Donald Trump, keeping up can feel daunting. For the public, dizzying. We'll try to keep it simple here and get you the non-presidential news to know this Thursday, too.

Don't go changin'

In his first interview since taking office last night, President Trump stuck to his guns. He again insisted, incorrectly, that he enjoyed the "biggest audience in the history of inaugural speeches." He also spoke about the slew of executive orders in his first week and his intention that a wall along the Mexican border begin construction within months. (ABC)

Checking off the boxes

On day three of his presidency, Trump got the ball rolling on another two campaign pledges, signing an executive order on immigration issues and for his promised wall along the border. The order on sanctuary cities sparked outrage and defiance from leaders in many cities and counties that shield undocumented immigrants. (Patch)

Next up

As soon as Thursday, Trump is expected to sign another executive order blocking visas from several predominately Muslim nations. These reportedly include Syria, Iraq, Iran and others. Some countries are excluded from the list, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Asked by ABC, Trump would not say why but pledged "extreme vetting" for anyone entering the country. (AP and ABC)

Also important...

Torture 'Absolutely' Works, Says Trump (Patch)

President Calls for 'Major' Voter Fraud Investigation (Patch)

Mexican President Reportedly Considers 'Scrapping' U.S. Trip (AP)

Trump White House Senior Staff Have Private RNC Email Accounts (Newsweek)

Tired of politics?

We don't blame you. Here's an adorable baby seal, the newest addition to the National Zoo. (Patch)

She turned the world on with her smile

The world lost Mary Tyler Moore Thursday at age 80. Her sunny smile and boundless optimism helped usher in the dawn of modern television and paved the way for female leading roles. (Patch)

Monitoring concerns

In a new article, medical experts found that baby health monitors not only have little proven benefit but may actually pose risks. (Patch)

Tragic anniversary

NASA is marking the 50-year anniversary of America's first space tragedy by displaying the scorched hatch of the Apollo 1 capsule at the Kennedy Space Center. One astronaut's widow was relieved. "They finally decided to do something — visibly — to honor the three guys," she said. (Denver Post)

Well, that's all really sad

We agree. Here's another cute animal. It's now a little better, right?

A few final tidbits...

The Dow Hit 20,000 Wednesday — Should We Care? (Patch)

ESPN Play-by-Play Announcer Brent Musburger Is Retiring (Patch)

Allman Brothers Drummer Butch Trucks Dead At 69 (Patch)

The busy week continues. We'll be back with you tomorrow to finish it out together. Hang tight, Patchers. You can do it!

Photo via Boston Patch: Protesting Trump's proposed border wall at Women's March for America