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Both President Biden and Donald Trump are all but assured to win their respective Michigan primaries today by large margins. But a prominent Democratic protest movement there will offer an important measure of the intraparty division facing Biden’s re-election campaign.
Activists in Michigan, which is home to a sizable Arab American community, are encouraging Democratic voters to cast their ballots for “uncommitted” to protest the president’s support of Israel in its war against Hamas. Some Democrats have warned of the political fallout of Biden’s stance on the war, especially among young progressive voters, but the magnitude of the discontent has yet to be broadly quantified.
A high number of “uncommitted” votes would send a warning to Biden’s campaign. A low number would give Biden renewed faith that he can weather the tensions and focus on campaign priorities like the economy and abortion rights. The Arab American-led group that began the push, Listen to Michigan, has set a modest goal: 10,000 votes.
My colleague Jennifer Medina, who is covering the election, said the protest voters are looking not necessarily to elect a different candidate but rather to convince Biden to change his policies. “They want to send a message,” Jennifer said, that if Biden doesn’t alter his strategy in Gaza, “he will have a real problem on his hands for the election in November.”
Congressional leaders said a shutdown might be avoided
Both Republican and Democratic congressional leaders came out of a White House meeting today with President Biden voicing optimism about the chances of averting a partial government shutdown at the end of this week. But they remain short of a deal.
Speaker Mike Johnson is facing intense pressure to agree to a spending deal over the fierce objections of his right-wing allies, and he suggested after the meeting that he might soon be ready to do so. But his House Republicans loaded up their proposals with hundreds of partisan policy mandates, a vast majority of which had no chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate.
If Congress does not approve a fresh tranche of funding before Friday at midnight, funding for roughly a quarter of the government will lapse. Funding for all other agencies, including the Pentagon, is set to expire at midnight on March 8.
Russia warned against NATO forces in Ukraine
The Kremlin issued a warning today that a ground intervention in Ukraine by any NATO country would lead to a direct military clash between the Western alliance and Russia. The warning came in response to a provocative comment by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who said he would not rule out the possibility of a NATO country sending troops to Ukraine.
European countries that previously ruled out the move rushed to distance themselves from Macron’s comment, and the NATO chief said the alliance had no such plans. France later clarified that Macron was trying to emphasize how Europe must consider new actions to support Ukraine. But a Kremlin spokesman called the open discussion of such a step “a very important new element.”
In Ukraine, Russian forces have an unorthodox view of what is considered an acceptable level of military losses, one Western official said.
Lead-tainted applesauce sailed through safety tests
Hundreds of American children were poisoned last year after eating cinnamon-flavored applesauce pouches with extremely high doses of lead. Parents were left anxiously watching for signs of brain damage.
Interviews and a review of hundreds of pages of documents found that in the weeks and months before the recall, the tainted applesauce sailed through a series of checkpoints in a food safety system meant to protect American consumers.
A Met Opera soprano cemented her stardom
Lise Davidsen skyrocketed to stardom in her early 30s, quickly establishing herself as the Metropolitan Opera’s go-to soprano for Wagner and Strauss. Her lightning-bright sound and power were considered perfect for those roles.
Now 37, Davidsen is ready to prove her range. Last night, she starred in the Met’s new production of Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino,” a distinctly Italian opera unlike anything she has performed for the company. At times, our critic Zachary Woolfe wrote, the music called for an earthier voice. “But come on,” Zachary stressed, “there are vanishingly few artists in the world singing with such generosity, sensitivity and visceral impact.”
What’s your exercise I.Q.?
Few things are more important to your overall health and longevity than exercise. But getting started can feel overwhelming: How much exercise is recommended? Should you stretch first? What’s the best way to track your progress?
Britain’s wonkiest pub could soon be resurrected
The Crooked House, a beloved pub that used to slouch at a 16-degree angle in England’s West Midlands before a fire razed it last year, could soon be rising from the rubble.
The tavern, known as “Britain’s wonkiest pub” for its slanting walls and floors, was demolished by its owners after a suspected arson attack. Outraged locals demanded the government take action, and today the pub’s owners were ordered to rebuild the nearly 260-year-old landmark brick by original brick, restoring the pub to its former lopsided glory.
Have a unique evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
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