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Wednesday, February 14, 2024

2/14 WAKE-UP CALL: Senate OKs Aid Package, House Showdown Next

The Senate approved a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill, including support for Ukraine and Israel. Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the legislation, creating a potential conflict with the House. The package covers various priorities, such as security aid for Israel and humanitarian assistance for Gaza, the West Bank, and Ukraine. The House's stance, particularly among Republicans, remains uncertain, as many are against providing additional aid to Ukraine.

ࣸ➤NO BREAKTHROUGH IN CEASE-FIRE TALKS: The progress reported in recent negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza did not lead to a breakthrough Tuesday in Cairo, where talks involving the U.S., Israel, Egypt and Qatar failed to yield concrete results.  What's been going on: President Joe Biden said Monday that "key elements" of a six-week truce were in place and he encouraged Israel to work through the "gaps" that remain, ideally before an expected offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah that could scuttle a deal. Why is it so important? The pause would "take the time to build something more enduring," Biden said. Political support in the U.S., crucial to Israel for gaining congressional approval of military aid, has been fading amid the rising civilian casualties. 

➤MAYORKAS IMPEACHED: The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday narrowly voted to impeach Democratic President Joe Biden's top border official, as immigration shapes up to be a major issue in this year's elections. By a vote of 214-213, the House approved two articles of impeachment accusing Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of not enforcing U.S. immigration laws, which Republicans argue led to record flows of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border, and making false statements to Congress.

The vote marked just the second time in U.S. history, and the first time in almost 150 years, that the House has impeached a member of a president's Cabinet. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's office said that senators would be sworn in as jurors shortly after they return from a break on Feb. 26 The Democratic-led chamber is highly unlikely, however, to vote to remove Mayorkas from office.

➤WALL STREET SKIDS: The stock market skidded Tuesday toward its worst loss in nearly a year after a disappointing report on inflation, days after President Biden appeared optimistic about the economy. On Saturday, Biden tweeted the "good news" to start the weekend, saying: "The stock market going strong is a sign of confidence in America’s economy." The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 524 points, or 1.4%, from its record set a day earlier. The Nasdaq composite, which has been flirting with its all-time high set in 2021, sank 1.8%. High interest rates hurt all kinds of investments, and they tend to particularly hurt high-growth stocks like technology companies. A 2.2% drop for Microsoft and 2.1% tumble for Amazon were the two heaviest weights on the market.

➤SUOZZI WINS SANTOS SEAT: Democratic former congressman Tom Suozzi won a special U.S. House of Representatives election in New York on Tuesday, narrowing an already razor-thin Republican majority that has struggled to pass legislation. The seat became available after the House took the extraordinary step of expelling Republican George Santos, whose dizzying array of lies about his biography led to his indictment on fraud charges. Suozzi, who had held the seat before stepping down to run for governor, defeated Mazi Pilip, an Ethiopian-born Republican county legislator who served in the Israeli military. The district includes a small corner of New York City and some of its eastern suburbs. The win reduces House Speaker Mike Johnson's majority to 219-213, making his job of managing an unruly caucus a bit more difficult. His challenges were on full display last week, when the chamber failed to pass a measure to impeach President Joe Biden's top border official, Alejandro Mayorkas, in an embarrassing setback.

➤DEMOCRAT CALLS FOR A $50 MINIMUM WAGE IN CALIFORNIA: Congresswoman Barbara Lee is advocating for a $50 federal minimum wage, emphasizing the high cost of living in California. Lee, running for the Senate, defends her proposal, arguing that employees need a "living wage" to address the state's cost-of-living crisis. She contends that a family of four in the Bay Area needs at least $127,000 to barely get by. While acknowledging calls for a $20 or $25 federal minimum wage, Lee focuses on what Californians need and considers affordable.


The current national minimum wage is $7.25, and the California minimum wage is $16. Lee's proposal faces opposition, with critics expressing concerns about its economic sustainability for small businesses. The federal minimum wage has not increased since 2009, despite efforts by Democrats to raise it. The inflation debate and the impact of a minimum wage hike on inflation remain central to the discussion. Polls indicate majority public support for raising the minimum wage, with 62% favoring an increase to $15.

💘LOVE IS IN THE AIR: This Valentine's Day, consumers seem to be planning on saving money, but going heavy on the romance, according to the National Retail Federation.

  • The sweet spot: After splurging on other relationships last year – like close friends, co-workers and teachers – Americans are returning to normal spending levels as they focus more on their partners. The NRF expects people to spend a record $101.84 per person on their significant others this year.
  • How much money? Americans will spend about $25.8 billion overall on the holiday this year – just a tick down from $25.9 billion last year. Valentine's Day spending peaked at $27.4 billion in 2020. 

➤KATY PERRY ANNOUNCES SHE IS LEAVING ‘AMERICAN IDOL’: Katy Perry revealed on Monday’s (February 12th) episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! that she’s planning to say goodbye to American Idol after the show’s 22nd season. “I think this probably will be my last show, my last season for Idol,” she said. “I mean, I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with, like, the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat, you what I’m saying?” Perry added, “I love the show so much, but I wanna go and see the world and maybe bring new music. Maybe I’ll come back if they’ll have me one day.” The “Roar” singer joined the show for its 16th season in 2018.

🏀SHAQUILLE O'NEAL'S NO. 32 JERSEY FIRST TO BE RETIRED BY MAGIC: Shaquille O'Neal, the first overall draft pick for the Orlando Magic and the franchise's initial player to achieve various accolades, including being an All-Star and Rookie of the Year, had doubted that the Magic would retire his jersey. However, on Tuesday night, the team honored him by retiring his No. 32 jersey, making him the first big-time superstar for the franchise to receive this recognition.

🏀KNICKS FILE PROTEST AFTER INCORRECT CALL: The New York Knicks have filed a protest with the NBA disputing their 105-103 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night. The protest is based on the NBA's Last Two Minute Report and acknowledgments from the game crew chief, Ed Malloy, stating that the foul call on Knicks guard Jalen Brunson against Houston's Aaron Holiday in the final second was incorrectly called. Holiday made two free throws, securing the 105-103 victory. The Knicks aim to either start overtime with a tie game or find a remedy that avoids a loss.

⚾POLICE MAKE ARREST IN THEFT, DESTRUCTION OF JACKIE ROBINSON STATUE: An arrest has been made in connection with the theft of a Jackie Robinson statue in Wichita, Kansas, nearly three weeks after the incident. Ricky Alderete, 45, faces charges of felony theft (value over $25,000), aggravated criminal damage to property, identity theft, and making false information. The stolen statue, valued at $75,000, was commissioned and erected by League 42, a youth baseball league for approximately 600 children, at McAdams Park in 2021. The statue was found dismantled days after the theft.

💸RECORD $185.6M BET ON SUPER BOWL LVIII WITH NEVADA SPORTSBOOKS: The Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers set betting records at Nevada sportsbooks, with over $185.6 million wagered, making it the highest amount ever. This surpassed the previous Super Bowl high in 2022 by nearly $6 million. The state's 182 sportsbooks recorded a $6.8 million win on the game, with bettors holding their own for a second consecutive Super Bowl. This marked the first Super Bowl held in Las Vegas, and the sportsbooks' win was an improvement compared to the approximately $4.4 million won on last year's Super Bowl.

⚾JENNY CAVNAR MAKES HISTORY AS NEW A'S PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER: Jenny Cavnar, a veteran baseball broadcaster, has been named the new primary play-by-play announcer for the Oakland Athletics by NBC Sports California. 

Having covered baseball for 17 of her 20 years in the media business, she spent the last 12 years as a backup play-by-play announcer for the Colorado Rockies while also hosting pregame and postgame shows and regional coverage.

➤NOR'EASTER DUMPS HEAVY SNOW: A potent nor'easter storm was unleashing heavy snow across the mid-Atlantic and New England on Tuesday, disrupting travel, knocking out power and shuttering schools. The storm dropped snow from Virginia to Massachusetts, with some areas receiving as much as 15.5 inches and others, as little as a trace, the National Weather Service said. The sun came out across the region by late afternoon, melting much of the snow in places like Maryland, Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey as temperatures climbed to nearly 50 degrees in Baltimore and up to 38 degrees in New York City, which received from 3-7 inches throughout the city. 

➤WEDNESDAY'S WEATHER MAP:




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