2/27 WAKE-UP CALL: Biden Says Gaza Ceasefire ThisClose

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he hopes to have a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza start by next Monday as the warring parties appeared to close in on a deal during negotiations in Qatar that also aim to broker the release of hostages. The presence of both sides for so-called proximity talks - meeting mediators separately but in the same city - suggested negotiations were further along than at any time since a big push at the start of February, when Israel rejected a Hamas counter-offer for a four-and-a-half-month truce.

Biden said he hoped a ceasefire would start within days. "Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend, by the end of the weekend," he said, when asked when he expected a ceasefire to start. "My national security adviser tells me that we're close. We're close. We're not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire," Biden told reporters during a visit to New York. A U.S. official said U.S. negotiators had been pushing hard to get a pause-for-hostages deal by Ramadan's beginning on March 10 and top U.S. officials were working on the issue last week. The optimism appeared to grow out of meetings between the Israelis and Qataris, the official said.

➤TRUMP APPEALS:   Donald Trump appealed a New York judge’s order to pay $355 million plus interest in a civil-fraud case that has put the future of his real-estate business at risk. The former president was hit with the financial penalties for inflating his real-estate empire’s value to secure low-interest financing. Trump already owes about $100 million in interest on the financial gains the judge found to be improper, so his total bill as of last week is roughly $454 million. Despite multiple legal battles, Trump remains the Republican presidential front-runner. Places like Michigan highlight why white working-class voters continue to embrace him; many supporters like his mix of economic policy proposals and unique personality. At the same time, President Biden is running into trouble in the Wolverine State, where grassroots organizations have urged the public to vote “uncommitted” to express their opposition to his Middle East policies. Dearborn, a Detroit suburb, is home to the largest Muslim population in the U.S. and is roughly 54% Arab-American, according to census figures.

Filed for Monday’s @CBSEveningNews… pic.twitter.com/n3cJrHid1Q

— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) February 27, 2024

➤HALEY LOST IN S-C, BUT TRUMP NEEDS TO BE CONCERNED: Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s loss in her home state's primary over the weekend was clearly an embarrassing one. South Carolina voters opted for former President Donald Trump over the candidate they chose twice to serve as governor. But Haley still received a significant chunk of support from Republicans in the Palmetto State, a factor that should be deeply concerning for Trump's reelection bid, according to many political observers. Trump received close to 60% of the vote on Saturday, with his former United Nations ambassador netting almost 40%. That means while it’s a crushing loss for her, Trump's performance should be sounding alarms among his campaign, said William F. B. O'Reilly, a Republican strategist from New York.

Amid the ongoing crisis at the southern border, both Pres. Biden and former Pres. Trump have planned dueling trips to the Texas border. The surge of asylum seekers in the U.S. has become a top issue in the 2024 race for president. @rachelvscott reports. https://t.co/U1gK2bvzjJ pic.twitter.com/cjlFZAHRR4

— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) February 27, 2024

➤IRAN EXPANDING NUKES: Iran reduced its stockpile of near-weapons-grade nuclear material as it continued expanding its overall nuclear program, the U.N.’s atomic watchdog said. Iran’s surprise decision to pare its stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium over the past 3½ months by deliberately diluting the material is the first time the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported a quarterly drop in Tehran’s highly enriched stockpile since the country started producing 60% material in 2021. Iran says its nuclear program is for purely peaceful, civilian purposes. Iran and the U.S. have sought to avoid direct confrontation in the conflict that grew out of Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel’s aggressive response. Separately, the Palestinian Authority’s government resigned, an early step toward the overhauls the U.S. and Middle Eastern powers see as a condition for the body to take charge of Gaza after the war.

➤BLACK SEA SAFETY AT RISK: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that without new U.S. military aid his country would be unable to defend a Black Sea shipping corridor that has allowed Kyiv to export millions of tons of grain to global markets. Ukraine launched the shipping corridor hugging its western Black Sea coast near Romania and Bulgaria in August, a month after Russia quit a year-long landmark deal - brokered by the United Nations and Turkey - that had allowed the safe Black Sea export of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukraine grain.

Ukraine is on track to export all grain from its 2023 harvest despite Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports and infrastructure, Britain's foreign office said this month. "We ... created the new route in the Black Sea," Zelenskiy told CNN in an interview, describing the shipping corridor as a "big success" for so far allowing the export of about 30 million tonnes of grain and other agricultural products.

3 ESCAPED PRISONERS BELIEVED TO HAVE MURDERED AMERICAN COUPLE: Three escaped prisoners hijacked an American couple’s yacht and left a bloody trail after likely tossing the victims’ bodies overboard in the Caribbean, police revealed Monday. Local authorities said Ralph Hendry, 66, and his wife Kathy Brandel, 71, both of Virginia, are presumed dead after they were last seen on Feb. 18 and the boat was found anchored and deserted days later. Abita Stanislaus is one of the three suspects police believe were involved in the bloody scene.

Royal St. Vincent and Grenadines Police Force official Junior Simmons said during a press conference Monday afternoon the officers who responded to the boat found a scene that was “consistent with signs of violence.” “Several items were strewn on the deck and in the cabin and a red substance that resembled blood was seen on board,” Simmons said. “There was no discovery of bodies on board the yacht.”

➤US AIRMAN DIES AFTER SETTING HIMSELF ON FIRE:  After self-immolating in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force has died of his injuries. Aaron Bushnell, 25, of San Antonio, lit himself on fire in front of the embassy on Sunday afternoon. He was taken to a hospital, where he died, officials said. Authorities would not confirm whether the self-immolation was an act of protest, but a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Bushnell began livestreaming to Twitch as he approached the embassy, declaring that he "will no longer be complicit in genocide." Protests in support of Palestinian rights and against U.S. military support for Israel have been widespread since Israel launched its invasion of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas' deadly surprise attack on Oct. 7. 

New questions are being raised in the murder of a nursing student on the Univ. of Georgia campus, with officials asking why the suspect, who authorities say was in the U.S. illegally, was allowed to stay despite multiple arrests. @SteveOsunsami reports. https://t.co/ZzC4gVCyJx pic.twitter.com/oEfdZbWhi0

— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) February 27, 2024

➤JUSTICES QUESTION SOCIAL MEDIA CONTROLS: The Supreme Court cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The AP reports the cases are among several this term in which the justices could set standards for free speech in the digital age. In nearly four hours of arguments, several justices questioned aspects of laws adopted by Republican-dominated legislatures and signed by Republican governors in Florida and Texas in 2021. But they seemed wary of a broad ruling, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett warning of “land mines” she and her colleagues need to avoid in resolving the two cases. While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.

🛒FTC WANTS TO BLOCK SUPERMARKET SWEEPSTAKES: The FTC sued to block Kroger’s $25 billion bid for rival Albertsons, one of the largest supermarket deals in history. The merger would lead to higher food prices and lower wages for workers, the agency said in the lawsuit, seeking to block the companies from closing their deal on antitrust grounds. A Kroger spokeswoman said the FTC’s decision makes it more likely that America’s consumers will see higher food prices, fewer grocery stores and that it will strengthen nonunionized retailers. An Albertsons spokesman said the deal would lower prices for consumers, increase worker pay and allow the combined company to better compete with Amazon, Walmart and Costco. The FTC’s challenge comes as the portion of Americans’ income spent on food has reached a three-decade high. Kroger and Albertsons are the largest and second-largest U.S. supermarket operators in terms of sales.

➤RNC CHAIRWOMAN RONNA McDANIEL TO STEP DOWN AFTER SUPER TUESDAY: Ronna McDaniel, who has served as the chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) for seven years, will step down from her position on March 8. Her resignation is anticipated to be effective after Super Tuesday on March 5. McDaniel stated that she will officially resign at the party's spring training meeting in Houston, Texas, to permit the party's nominee to choose a new chair.

➤POLICE INVESTIGATING AFTER LETTER WITH WHITE POWDER FOUND AT DONALD TRUMP JR.'S FLORIDA HOME: Authorities are investigating an incident where Donald Trump Jr. received a letter with unidentified white powder at his Florida home. Test results on the substance were inconclusive, but officials believe it is not deadly. Trump Jr., the eldest son of former President Donald Trump, shares the home with his fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle.

➤WENDY'S PLANS FLEX PRICING: Wendy’s is preparing to test an “Uber-style” surge-pricing model where the cost of menu items will fluctuate throughout the day based on demand — meaning a Dave’s burger will cost more during the lunch or dinner rush. The fast-food chain’s unappetizing plans, set to be tested in a high-stakes rollout next year, will squeeze more money out of already inflation-battered Americans who may not have the option to eat their meals during “off-peak” hours. Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner announced the new system on a call with investors, noting the Ohio-based company will invest $20 million on high-tech menu boards that will be able to update prices in real-time without incurring additional overhead costs.

“As we continue to show the benefit of this technology in our company-operated restaurants, franchisee interest in digital menu boards should increase further supporting sales and profit growth across the system,” said Tanner, who rose to the chief role earlier this month. Tanner didn’t put a ceiling on how much the dynamic pricing model could spike the cost of a meal or whether the base price would actually fall during slower periods.

➤ALEC BALDWIN TO STAND TRIAL IN JULY: A judge in New Mexico set a trial date for Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charge on Monday (February 26th) in the Rust shooting that took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021. bThe judge announced that jury selection will begin on July 9th, 2024. The trial itself is expected to last from July 10th to July 19th, 2024. The 30 Rock actor pleaded not guilty to the charge in January. He could face up to 18 months in prison if convicted.

⚾DODGERS TRADE MANUEL MARGOT TO TWINS, ADD KIKE HERNANDEZ: The Los Angeles Dodgers made a trade, sending outfielder Manuel Margot to the Minnesota Twins and agreeing to a one-year, $4 million contract with super utility man Kiké Hernández. In the deal, the Dodgers traded Margot and shortstop prospect Rayne Doncon to the Twins for shortstop prospect Noah Miller. The Dodgers will also provide cash to cover the $12 million owed to Margot, which includes $10 million for this year and a $2 million buyout on a $12 million club option.

🏈BENGALS PLACE FRANCHISE TAG ON WR TEE HIGGINS: The Cincinnati Bengals have utilized the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins, ensuring the possibility of retaining him for the upcoming season. If a long-term agreement is not reached by July 15, Higgins will play under a one-year deal worth $21.816 million, which is the 2024 leaguewide franchise tag amount for wide receivers. The deadline for teams to apply the franchise or transition tag is March 5.

✞JOSE DELEON, MLB PITCHER FOR 13 SEASONS, DIES AT AGE 63: Former Major League Baseball pitcher José DeLeón, who played for 13 seasons and led the National League in strikeouts for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1989, has passed away at the age of 63. DeLeón died at a hospital in Santo Domingo, as announced by his team in the Dominican Winter League, Los Leones del Escogido.
 The team mentioned health issues but did not provide further details. DeLeón had a career record of 86-119 with a 3.76 ERA and pitched for several teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos.

➤TUESDAY'S WEATHER MAP: