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Good morning and happy Thursday. The late Gabriel García Marquez's final novel has been published a decade after his death. The release does not come without controversy. The Nobel Prize winner wanted manuscript for Until August to be destroyed because it was written while he was battling dementia. But his sons decided their father was not in a position to adequately judge his work and felt betraying his wishes was the right decision for his legacy. Have a great day.
In Today’s Brief
Biden: State of the Union tonight
Haiti: U.S. troops ruled out
Musk: No campaign donations
Powell: Fed still not ready to cut rates
Hollywood: Adam Sandler’s big bucks
... and more
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Top Tips
1) Boots under the ground
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is deploying the state's National Guard to New York City's crime-plagued subway system.
The order: Hochul has ordered 750 Guard members to conduct bag checks at the city's busiest stations. About 250 state troopers and MTA officers will also participate in the initiative. Mental health teams and infrastructure upgrades will also occur.
The reasoning: There have been several high-profile subway crimes in recent weeks, including slashings and people being pushed onto tracks. Hochul said fighting the anxiety caused by the specter of crime was important as stopping the crime itself. She also wants judges empowered to ban subway criminals from the rails.
Big picture: City and state officials squabble on the severity of the issues and their causes. But subway crime is up 13% YoY, and the perception has political impacts, both nationally and in a state with several swing House districts.
2) Close call
A Russian attack on a Ukrainian city came dangerously close to hitting President Volodymyr Zelensky and a NATO member's leader.
What happened: A missile exploded in Odessa near a convoy that included Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The strike is believed to have occurred about 500 meters from them.
The debrief: There was no indication Russia was trying to assassinate Zelensky or Mitsotakis. The Ukrainian Navy is headquartered in Odesa and the Russians appeared to be targeting port infrastructure. Five people died in the attack, but none were part of the Greek contingent.
Big picture: Mitsotakis and Zelensky said the attack was a reminder of Russian aggression and the ongoing war. It was also an uncomfortable brush with an incident that could have spiraled into a direct conflict between NATO and the Kremlin.
3) Deja vu all over again
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will officially meet in America's first presidential rematch in almost 70 years.
In the GOP: Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump's final remaining opponent, suspended her campaign after Trump continued his primary romp on Super Tuesday. Haley did not endorse Trump, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell -- the last major holdout in the party -- did.
With the Democrats: Biden's path to the nomination was never in doubt. But Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips ended his quixotic campaign yesterday and endorsed the president. Author Marianne Williamson -- who "unsuspended" her campaign last week -- and other long-shot candidates are still technically in the race.
The history: This will be the first rematch between major party candidates since Dwight Eisenhower defeated Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and '56. Trump is the first candidate to be a three-time major party nominee since Richard Nixon and is seeking to become the first president to serve non-consecutive terms since Grover Cleveland Alexander.
Quick Tips
U.S. News
President Biden will make his State of the Union address tonight. Alabama Sen. Katie Britt will deliver the GOP response after the speech (More)
The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments on former President Trump's immunity claims for April 25. Trump is arguing he cannot face prosecution in his pending federal election interference case (More)
Seven people, all believed to be minors, were shot at a Philadelphia bus stop. It was the fourth shooting in the city's transit system in as many days (More)
World News
The U.S. will not send troops to Haiti to restore order amid anarchy in the Caribbean nation. Gangs have seized much of the capital city of Port-au-Prince and are attempting to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is not in the country (More)
Two civilian sailors died in an attack on a merchant ship in the Red Sea. They are the first fatalities connected to Houthi rebel terror in the region since the start of the Gaza War (More)
Pope Francis appeared unable to climb into the Popemobile yesterday in the Vatican City as he battles mobility and respiratory issues. The 87-year-old pontiff had an aide read his remarks at his weekly audience (More)
Campaign News
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he will not donate money to any presidential candidate. The billionaire businessman met with former President Trump last weekend and has been critical of President Biden (More)
Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz is considering a gubernatorial bid in the state. The Democrat worked for current Gov. Ron DeSantis' Republican administration (More)
South Dakota Sen. John Thune endorsed Kari Lake's Senate candidacy in Arizona. Thune is vying to be the next GOP leader in the chamber; his support of Lake is viewed as an attempt to repair a strained relationship with Trump loyalists (More)
Business & Markets
Major indexes all closed higher yesterday, regaining some of this week's losses. The Nasdaq had the biggest bounceback (Dow +0.20%, Nasdaq +0.58%, S&P 500 +0.51%).
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank is not ready to cut interest rates. Powell told a House committee he still expects cuts this year, but the Fed will be cautious and remains wary of inflation risks (More)
New York Community Bancorp announced a $1B capital infusion for equity. Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's firm is one of several investors; the troubled regional bank also named a new CEO (More)
Entertainment & Sports
Adam Sandler was the highest-paid actor of 2023, raking in $73M thanks to several Netflix films. Barbie star Margot Robbie was the top female earner with $59M (More)
Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted on involuntary manslaughter in New Mexico. The verdict could boost Alec Baldwin's upcoming trial (More)
A UK government watchdog partially reversed a ban on a Calvin Klein ad featuring singer FKA twigs it said objectified women inappropriately. The ad remains barred from display where children can see it (More)
Quick Hitters
Feel Good: Meet Mike "Ninja" Fisher. The 90-year-old Englishman still plays soccer three days a week and recently had a five-goal game.
Go Deep: Jason Palmer defeated President Biden in American Samoa's Democratic caucus. Who exactly is he?
New Idea: A study at a German zoo has concluded bottlenose dolphins have a "seventh sense" and can detect electrical fields. The echidna and platypus are also believed to have the ability.
Donut Debacle: A vegan market on Long Island has accused one of its vendors of falsely claiming its treats were homemade and gluten-free. Their true alleged origin? Dunkin'.
Life Hack: Would you like to reduce your digital footprint? Here are five steps you can take to limit how much of your personal information is online.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes”
Want more health and wellness news? Subscribe to our brand new newsletter, Optimize Me, and start living a healthier life through diet, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness:
Watch This
Showtime has released a trailer for A Gentleman in Moscow, an upcoming adaptation of the Amor Towles novel starring Ewan McGregor.
Links
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Looking Ahead …
House Republicans have invited Hunter Biden and his former business associates to publicly testify on March 20.