February 27, 2024

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR | Updates from day 144 of the conflict:

• U.S. President Joe Biden said yesterday that he hopes a new temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas could take effect as early as next week. Reports say negotiations mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar are centering on the possibility of a six-week cease-fire in combination with hostage and prisoner releases by the warring parties, but cite Hamas sources as saying that there are still "big gaps to be bridged" to reach an agreement. [more]
• Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon say their forces launched a large volley of rockets at an aerial surveillance base in northern Israel today in response to an Israeli airstrike that killed two Hezbollah militants yesterday. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 733 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Following a statement by French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday about not being able to rule out the possibility of NATO troops being sent to Ukraine, the Kremlin warned today that any such move would inevitably lead to a direct Russia-NATO conflict. Responding to the Macron statement and Kremlin warning today, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that while “NATO allies are providing unprecedented support to Ukraine...there are no plans for NATO combat troops on the ground in Ukraine.”[more]
• The South Korean military and the U.S. State Department say that North Korea has shipped thousands of containers carrying millions of munitions to Russia since September. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | In its latest outlook survey, the National Association for Business Economics forecast panel predicts the U.S. economy to grow by 2.2% in 2024 – up from the panel’s 1.3% growth projection in December. The panel cited upward revisions in personal consumption expenditures, nonresidential fixed investment, residential investment, and government consumption expenditures, as well as lower inflation and lower unemployment, as factors in the improved outlook. [more]

U.S. POLITICS | One week ahead of the March 5 Super Tuesday polls, residents of Michigan are voting today in the state’s Democratic and Republican presidential primaries. [more]

WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT | President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet today with the top four congressional leaders – House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell – for discussions centered on a proposed $95 billion emergency security aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, and on the need to pass government funding measures ahead of March 1 and March 8 deadlines to avert partial government shutdowns. [more]

NEW YORK | New York City’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine will be tuition-free moving forward thanks to a $1 billion donation from former professor Ruth Gottesman, who also serves on the school’s board of trustees. Gottesman said the gift is intended to attract a diverse student body and let students graduate without debt. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | A statement released by 11 of 15 member nations of the U.N. Security Council yesterday calls for Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban to rescind all policies and decrees oppressing and discriminating against women and girls, including in the areas of education, employment, and freedom of movement. Council member nations that did not co-sign the statement were: Russia, China, Mozambique, and Algeria. [more]

PERU | The Peruvian government declared a national health emergency yesterday due to a spike in cases of dengue fever in most of the South American nation’s regions. Health Minister Cesar Vasquez said an outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease is “imminent” and that a recent heat wave and heavy rains have contributed to increased mosquito populations. [more]

NIGERIA | The Nigeria Labour Congress trade union umbrella group has called for protests to take place across Nigeria today to pressure the African nation’s government to address hunger, cost-of-living, and inflation issues. [more]

NEW ZEALAND | A world's-first law banning tobacco sales to future generations is expected to be repealed by New Zealand today. Members of the country's new coalition government say the law, which was due to take effect in July, will be replaced with other regulatory approaches to discourage tobacco use. [more]

RUSSIA | Amidst high domestic fuel prices and shortages linked to the war in Ukraine, Russia today announced a six-month ban on gasoline exports starting March 1. [more]

RETAIL BUSINESS | Macy’s announced today that it plans to close about 150 of its underperforming department stores – or about 30 of the chain’s locations – over the next three years. [more]

GROCERY MERGER | The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed an administrative complaint and a lawsuit yesterday seeking to block the proposed $24.6 billion merger of U.S. grocery store giants Kroger and Albertsons. The FTC says the merger would negatively affect consumers due to reduced competition – a claim the companies deny. [FTC statement] [more]

SOCCER | The U.S. women's national soccer team lost to Mexico for only the second time ever last night. The 2-0 result moves both teams into the knockout round of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, with Mexico finishing atop Group A and the U.S. in second. [more]

TENNIS | With a win over Canada’s Denis Shapovalov yesterday in Dubai, three-time major champion Andy Murray joined Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi, and Rafael Nadal in having won 500 career hardcourt matches. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1951, the Twenty-second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which effectively limited to two the number of terms a U.S. president may serve, was ratified. [more history]