5 things to know for Feb. 27: Cabinet meeting, Foreign aid, Measles outbreak, Transgender troops, Middle East

CNN’s 5 Things AM brings you the news you need to know every morning.

Crowds are gathering in Vatican City and Rome to pray for the speedy recovery of Pope Francis. The 88-year-old pontiff has shown slight signs of improvement since he was diagnosed with pneumonia last week, though his condition is still being described as “critical.” Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Federal spending and foreign policy were key themes at the first Cabinet meeting of President Donald Trump’s second term. During the wide-ranging question and answer session on Wednesday, Trump repeated numerous false claims that spanned a wide variety of topics, including aid to Ukraine, the history of the EU, inflation, mail-in voting and drug overdose deaths. Presidential adviser and tech billionaire Elon Musk — who was neither elected nor confirmed by the Senate — took on a prominent role at the meeting and spoke more than anyone else besides the president. Musk also signaled his intent to slash $1 trillion from the federal budget and vowed to be “more aggressive” as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Chief Justice John Roberts on Wednesday paused a court-imposed midnight deadline that would have required the Trump administration to release around $2 billion in frozen foreign aid, a goal the government has claimed it cannot meet. The emergency appeal marks the first time President Trump’s efforts to drastically remake the federal government — including through deep cuts across government agencies — have reached the nation’s highest court. The case appears likely to put the justices on a collision course with Trump’s sweeping efforts to consolidate power within the executive branch. Health officials in Texas say the first death from a growing measles outbreak in the western part of the state was an unvaccinated school-age child. It’s the first measles death in the US in 10 years. More than 120 confirmed measles cases have been linked to the outbreak in Lubbock, Texas, according to the Texas Department of Health Services. Most of the cases are in children ages 5 to 17. Measles is an airborne illness that can cause rash, fever, red eyes and cough. In severe cases, it can lead to blindness, pneumonia and death. The best way to stay protected against measles is to get vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, the CDC says. The Pentagon plans to kick out currently serving transgender service members who don’t meet specific requirements under its new policy, according to official guidance made public in a Wednesday court filing. “Service members who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria will be processed for separation from military service,” according to a memo outlining the policy. The guidance follows an executive order signed by President Trump in January directing the Pentagon to implement its own policies that say transgender service members are incompatible with military service. In 2018, an independent research institute estimated 14,000 transgender troops were serving.