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Consumers are tired of price increases. Big brands are paying attention.

Until recently, Brooke Benson considered herself a Panera Bread loyalist. For the past 12 years, the 40-year-old Orlando, Florida, resident said she’d make three to four trips there every week — an estimate her husband said was closer to four or five — to get her favorite soups.

But after the outpost of the restaurant chain near Benson’s home raised its price to $8.79 for the same bowl of soup that had cost $7.09 three years ago, she said she was done.

“I actually have been looking at soup at all these different places and comparing the prices,” Benson said by text. “I can get better soup in larger portions for cheaper” elsewhere, she said.

Panera Bread didn’t respond to a request for comment, but several big brands are now acknowledging that inflation-weary Americans are walking away from products and services that keep getting costlier.

Many companies that raised prices during the recovery from the pandemic cited higher costs for the ingredients, materials and labor needed to provide goods and services that many consumers were racing to buy. Those price hikes, exacerbated by supply chain snags in late 2021, helped push the annual inflation rate to a four-decade high of more than 9% by summer 2022. It has since fallen to 3.1%, meaning prices overall are still going up, albeit more slowly.

That has put customers in a game of chicken with companies that continue to raise prices.

McDonald’s recently vowed to focus more on affordability this year, with CEO Chris Kempczinski saying in a recent earnings call that lower-income customers were forgoing the golden arches to eat more cheaply at home.

Baja Fresh and Wetzel’s Pretzels operator MTY Food Group said last week that same-store sales fell 0.9% yearly across its brands, after consumers responded to higher prices by reining in spending. CEO Eric Lefebvre said the company would be able to make only “very minimal price increases” as a result.

“We need to make sure we don’t push the customers away,” he said on an earnings call.

General Mills similarly cited “a continued challenging consumer landscape” as sales in its pet food businesses, including the Blue Buffalo brand, fell 4% on a yearly basis. The company admitted it had overestimated customers’ willingness to pay higher prices for dog treats.

“People [are] trading down to less expensive treats — if they’re still treating,” CEO Jeff Harmening told analysts in December.

Kraft Heinz, the maker of iconic mac-and-cheese and ketchup brands, reported a 7.1% decline in yearly sales, suggesting it was hitting the limit of how far it could hike prices before customers cut and run. The company raised prices by 2.5% across its product line over the course of 2023, after doing so by 14.2% the previous year. CFO Andre Maciel told analysts last week that Kraft expects to lift prices by only about 1% this year.

Home Depot said Tuesday it was planning for 2024 to be “a year of continued moderation,” as customers reduced their average spend by 1.3%. The company said shoppers are less excited about big-ticket purchases after a home-renovation frenzy early in the pandemic.

Some companies that have raised prices less aggressively over the past year were rewarded. After raising prices for its burgers by 7% in October 2022, Shake Shack increased them just 1% in October 2023. It said same-store sales jumped 2.8% over the course of the year, and traffic grew by 1.4%.

Walmart has been trying to lower some of its prices to cater to budget-conscious consumers, with clear results.

“We took our French bread back to $1, which had been $1 for a long time and went up as inflation hit the market,” Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner told investors Tuesday. The price had jumped to $1.47 before the cut. “We’re seeing results of that running about 40% over last year, so customers immediately responded,” Furner said.

He added that the retailer has sliced $1 off the price of rotisserie chickens as well.

Businesses’ wholesale costs for many raw materials, contracts with suppliers and other “inputs” are still elevated, with a closely watched index of those expenses recently posting its biggest increase in five months. That makes it unlikely consumers will see brands making deep price cuts across the board anytime soon, analysts say.

Even so, many companies are now more inclined to “swallow some of the cost increases” they’re shouldering, rather than pass them on to consumers completely, said John Zhang, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

That’s already eating into profits for companies that sell essential and nonessential goods and services alike. To protect them, Zhang said, many brands are expanding the range of price points they offer shoppers. That could mean promoting higher-margin premium products for wealthier customers (such as the Double Big Mac) as well as stripped-down basics for more cost-conscious ones (like ad-supported Netflix).

“If you want to maintain your image, if you want your customer to still like you, you need to offer the customer more options,” he said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Stanley tumbler ‘quenchers’ maker is being sued over lead claims

The parent company of viral sensation Stanley tumbler quenchers is being sued over claims that it deceived customers over the presence of lead in the products.

The suit, filed earlier this month as a potential class-action case by a Seattle-based firm, alleges Stanley parent Pacific Market International did not publicly confirm the presence of lead in the products until this January.

In that statement, PMI said the stainless steel vacuum seal insulation at the bottom of each tumbler covers a pellet that contains lead, some of which is melted during the manufacturing process.

But the potential for exposure to a user is minimal, PMI said.

“Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product,” the statement said, adding that its team was also working on a lead alternative for the component.

However, the suit alleges, if the tumbler is damaged or worn, the seal can break and potentially expose the user to lead.

The ‘quencher’ version of the Stanley tumblers have gone viral over the past year thanks to their colorful, Instagram-ready looks. CNBC reported last year that the products now bring in some $750 million in annual revenues.

More recently, clips of Stanley drinkers using at-home lead testing kits on their products have also gone viral.

But experts told NBC’s Today show last month that the reliability of those tests is questionable, and that the odds of serious lead exposure are negligible.

‘There really is practically zero risk of you ingesting any of the lead that’s in this cup,” Jack Caravanos, doctor of public health and professor of environmental public health sciences at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, told Today.

Nevertheless, the suit alleges that even in its January statement, Stanley and PMI continued to mislead customers because it did not warn consumers about the potential for exposure from damage to the vacuum seal. Nor did PMI disclose how much lead is present in each tumbler cup.

“As the manufacturer and designer of these products, the Stanley Defendants knew or reasonably should have known about this lead issue for years but chose to conceal it from the public presumably to avoid losing sales,” the suit alleges.

In addition to an order demanding Stanley stop its allegedly deceptive practices, the suit also seeks unspecified damages.

PMI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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MLB offseason grades: Which teams get an F for their winter?

With a handful of relatively premier free agents still available, baseball’s silly season will run up against March. But it’s never too soon to assess who scored best in their off-season maneuvers.

With that, USA TODAY Sports presents offseason grades for all 30 teams – while offering an opportunity for the class to perform some make-up work:

American League by Gabe Lacques, National League by Bob Nightengale

American League East

Baltimore Orioles: A-

Landing Corbin Burnes, the winter’s best pitching trade chip, without giving up their vaunted group of top 100 prospects was a huge coup for GM Mike Elias. Whether Craig Kimbrel can have a better October than he did in 2023 is to be determined.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

Boston Red Sox: D

New York Yankees: B+

An A+, really, given what they were working with. But acquiring Juan Soto was going to require weakening some of the Yankees’ pitching depth; backfilling with Marcus Stroman is adequate.

Tampa Bay Rays: B

Perhaps the trade of Tyler Glasnow was inevitable and if so, Ryan Pepiot is a promising if not spectacular arm to work with, while Jonny DeLuca replaces Manuel Margot’s outfield depth.

Toronto Blue Jays: C

Like noshing on appetizers without ever getting to the main course. Just a wild amalgam of utility infield-DH types, from Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Justin Turner to Eduardo Escobar and Daniel Vogelbach (on minor-league deals).

AL Central

Chicago White Sox: C-

About what one would expect from a club nowhere near contention, although Mike Soroka and Corey Knebel are interesting reclamation projects that could yield fruit at the trade deadline.

Cleveland Guardians: C

Austin Hedges is back, baby.

Detroit Tigers: C-

An intriguing team in a winnable division could have seemingly used an injection of Matt Chapman or J.D. Martinez. The rotation added veteran innings with Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty.

Kansas City Royals: B

Minnesota Twins: C

Admittedly hamstrung by their local TV deal, the Twins were helpless to retain Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, Tyler Mahle and Emilio Pagan. Starter Anthony DeSclafani and DH Carlos Santana are the cavalry hoping to keep the division flag in the Twin Cities.

AL West

Houston Astros: B-

A fairly out-of-character $95 million commitment to Josh Hader shook up the bullpen; a Jose Altuve extension ensured he’ll be in H-Town forever. Is the bench deep enough? Will they miss Martín Maldonado? A deep division will test them.

Los Angeles Angels: D

Perhaps owner Arte Moreno will get antsy and throw a ton of money at Blake Snell, though it probably doesn’t matter, either way. Shohei Ohtani is gone, and that the Angels had virtually no chance to retain him is an indictment of years of dysfunction.

Oakland Athletics: F

They can’t add viable players because their stadium is years from being built but we don’t know what the stadium will look like nor where they’ll play for three years or if anyone in Las Vegas has heard of Alex Wood.

Seattle Mariners: A-

Snagging Luke Raley from a Tampa Bay club needy for a shortstop was nice; adding Mitch Haniger and Mitch Garver should also help the offense. And an 88-win team didn’t have to touch any of its deep and vaunted pitching.

Texas Rangers: B-

An interesting choice to add Tyler Mahle off Tommy John surgery given that Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer both will miss much of the first half. The lineup remains nearly perfect; Nathan Eovaldi needs to stay healthy all year.

National League East

Atlanta: B- 

Really, they didn’t have to do much considering the way they have dominated the NL East. They have Max Fried and Spencer Strider atop the rotation, and added former Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale. They also acquired former prized prospect Jarred Kelenic to be their everyday left fielder and reclamation project. They could have done more, but why tinker with greatness? 

Miami Marlins: F 

The Marlins will be without ace Sandy Alcantara all season and did nothing to replace him. They lost power-hitting outfielder Jorge Soler to free agency, and did nothing to replace him. Their biggest move was hiring Peter Bendix to run baseball operations.

New York Mets: F(+) 

Remember when they were scaring the daylights out of everyone with Steve Cohen’s checkbook? Well, reality hit with nothing more than a $200 million loss to show for their record payroll. They tried to sign Yamamoto, but once they lost out, decided to pass on the marquee free agents. They signed Luis Severino and Sean Manaea and traded for Adrian Houser simply to fill out the rotation. They are content to tread water this year, and will listen to trade offers for All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso at the trade deadline – but should go for the gusto next year with Juan Soto in their sights. 

Philadelphia Phillies: C+ 

The Phillies re-signed starter Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 million contract, but did little else. They made the highest bid for Yoshinobu Yamamoto but he opted instead for the Dodgers. They haven’t been involved in the sweepstakes for Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, instead just bolstering their depth and bench. They once again will rely on their 2023 team, hoping that Johan Rojas is the answer in center field. 

Washington Nationals: F 

The Nationals, who won the World Series in 2019, haven’t won more than 71 games in a season since. Their biggest move was supposed to be a sale to new owners willing to spend, but the Lerner family decided not to sell after all. Their only significant moves were adding outfielder/first baseman Joey Gallo and reliever Dylan Floro. They have a loaded farm system, and are hopeful that the returns from their 2022 Juan Soto trade Padres and 2021 Max Scherzer/Trea Turner deal start to pay off. The future is bright, but it will be years before they can ever challenge Atlanta. 

NL Central

Chicago Cubs: D+ 

Really the grade should be incomplete. The Cubs vowed all winter to be big spenders in free agency, and barely opened their wallet with the signings of starter Shōta Imanaga and reliever Hector Neris. Yet, with free agent center fielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, Gold Glove winner Matt Chapman, power-hitting DH J.D. Martinez and starters Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery still on the open market, it’s hard to believe the Cubs won’t land at least one of them. One GM predicts the Cubs will actually sign all three position players.

Cincinnati Reds: B+ 

The Reds, refusing to rest on their laurels after missing the postseason by just two games, spent $108 million during the winter, bolstering their pitching staff with Frankie Montas, Nick Martinez, Emilio Pagan. Brent Suter and Buck Farmer. And they added even more infield depth by signing Jeimer Candelario to replace Joey Votto. They’re built to win now, and the future. 

Milwaukee Brewers: C+ 

They are masters at threading the needle, and believe they have done the same again. They signed power-hitting first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a two-year, $34 million contract, but a week later traded Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. Their starting rotation is now Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, Jakob Junis, Colin Rea, and DL Hall, whom they acquired in the Burnes trade. They will rely on their youth movement, led by top prospect Jackson Chourio, to get them back into the postseason. 

Pittsburgh Pirates: D- 

The Pirates keep showing improvement, but their progress is painfully slow. They went out and stunned the industry by signing reliever Aroldis Chapman to a one-year, $10.5 million contract, giving them a dynamic 1-2 punch with David Bednar. They also signed veteran starter Martin Perez and acquired lefty Marco Gonzales in a trade, leaving their projected payroll at $81 million, ahead of only the Oakland A’s. They have yet to sign a free agent for more than $17 million since catcher Russell Martin in 2012.

St. Louis Cardinals: B- 

Cardinals president John Mozeliak promised they would add three starting pitchers after last year’s disastrous season and quickly delivered this winter, bringing in three veterans with Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn. Certainly, the Cardinals aren’t concerning themselves with a youth movement. Lynn and Gibson are 36, and Gray is 34, the heart of the oldest starting rotation in baseball. 

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks: A- 

They had a sneaky-fabulous offseason by signing frontline starter Eduardo Rodriguez, re-signing left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., trading for third baseman Eugenio Suarez and signing free-agent DHs Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk. On paper, this is a much improved team from their 84-win team of a year ago. They may be chasing the Dodgers all year, but they definitely should be back in the postseason. 

Colorado Rockies: F 

The Rockies sat out of the free-agent market, knowing that they still are years away from contending. They signed veteran catcher Jacob Stallings, pitcher Dakota Hudson, and acquired pitcher Cal Quantrill in a trade with Cleveland. They will rely on their youth movement, including potential stars Nolan Jones and Ezequiel Tovar. They badly need Kris Bryant to stay healthy and are moving him to first base. Bryant still has five years remaining on his seven-year, $182 million contract. 

Los Angeles Dodgers: A+ 

Hey, when you spend $1.2 billion, you better get an A. The Dodgers added Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, then kept on going with Teoscar Hernandez and James Paxton. This is a team that won 100 games last year, winning the NL West for the 10th time in 11 years, but now have perhaps the most talented team since they moved in Los Angeles with four MVPs on the roster. The easiest prediction in baseball this season is that the Dodgers win the NL West. It’s World Series or Bust. 

San Diego Padres: D 

When you trade away slugger Juan Soto, let Cy Young winner Blake Snell and All-Star closer Josh Hader walk, along with veterans Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo and Nick Martinez, it’s a lousy winter. They at least got perhaps 60 cents on the dollar in their trade with the Yankees for Soto, bringing in four pitchers: Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez. They all have a chance to make their staff out of spring training. They also signed Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui to a five-year deal, lefty Wandy Peralta to a four-year deal and and Korean reliever Woo-Suk Go to a two-year deal contract.

San Francisco Giants: B 

The Giants didn’t get Ohtani. Or Yamamoto. And it appears not Cody Bellinger or Blake Snell either. But they did grab a leadoff hitter and center fielder in Korean star Jung Hoo Lee with a six-year, $113 million deal, a power-hitter in Jorge Soler (three years, $42 million), trade for a former Cy Young winner in Robbie Ray, and signed hard-throwing right-hander Jordan Hicks (four years, $44 million). The Giants’ free-agent commitments totaled $207.25 million, second-highest total behind only the Dodgers. 

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Messi and Hong Kong fallout results in two Argentina friendlies in US

The fallout from Lionel Messi’s absence for an Inter Miami match in Hong Kong has resulted in two chances to watch him play in the United States next month.

Messi will likely join Argentina, the reigning 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup champions, for both matches that are set up to help the club prepare for this summer’s Copa America tournament.

Argentina will play El Salvador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on March 22and Nigeria at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on March 26, it was announced Thursday.

Messi would miss Inter Miami’s road game against the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on March 23, but could play twice more in the New York area later this year.

Messi would likely return to action with Inter Miami on March 30 at home against New York City FC. Both teams will meet again at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 21.

Argentina will play in the Copa America opener against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Argentina’s second match is against Chile on June 25 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Argentina also will play Peru on June 29 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, where the Copa America final will be held.

Messi had an assist and orchestrated Inter Miami’s 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake in the 2024 MLS season opener on Wednesday night.

Officials in China canceled two Argentina matches in the country after Messi did not appear in an Inter Miami friendly in Hong Kong on Feb. 4 due to an adductor injury, causing fans and local officials to express disappointment in his absence. To make matters worse, Messi appeared close to healthy when he played in Tokyo on Feb. 7.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Manziel says father had secret $3M negotiation with Texas A&M

Former Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel certainly has told some wild stories over the years concerning his time in College Station, Texas, from his autograph scandal that got him suspended for a whole half to his using the urine of a backup quarterback to pass all of his drug tests in college.

The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner left the Aggies after his redshirt sophomore season and says when he was deciding on his future, his father, Paul, stepped in and talked to then-head coach Kevin Sumlin, attempting to secure a big bag for his son to return to school.

‘It’s the spring of 2014, December 2013,’ Manziel said during an interview with Shannon Sharpe, for his podcast Club Shay Shay. ‘I’m getting ready to make this decision on if I’m going to the NFL draft or if I’m going to stay. My dad went and had a meeting with Kevin Sumlin. And pretty much went to him man to man and was like, ‘We’ll take $3 million and we’ll stay for the next two years.’

‘And my dad did this without me knowing. And I ain’t mad at him about it for nothing.’

Manziel eventually left school and was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.

Manziel also said that schools, even a decade ago, had a ‘bag man’, someone known for handing out cash to players and sometimes to recruits to secure a commitment.

‘It’s the way the business worked back then,’ Manziel said. ‘There was a bag man. There was a bag man at LSU. There was a bag man at ‘Bama. There was a bag man at every school around the country if you were competing for a national title. It is what it was, and it was always that way until we’re into the NIL portion of everything now, the way it should be.’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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ESPN college football team confirmed for upcoming video game

ESPN will be in the game.

As more details of the EA Sports’ upcoming College Football 25 video game were released on Thursday, ESPN’s top college football commentary team and some members of its ‘College GameDay’ program confirmed they will have roles in the upcoming game, slated to be released this summer.

The broadcast team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit confirmed they will be in the game Thursday, with both of them adding they will be one of the voices of the game. Herbstreit was the analyst in the game before it was shelved in 2013, and his return means it will be the 14th time he will be featured in the game.

The pair weren’t the only ones to say they will be involved, with ESPN’s Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Jesse Palmer and Kevin Connors confirming they will have a role. David Pollack, a former ESPN college football analyst, also said he will be in the game.

While the roles of each ESPN employee weren’t detailed, the news likely confirms that ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ and its studio in-game updates will be part of the game. ‘College GameDay’ was once part of the pregame festivities in the game, and in the last version of the game, NCAA Football 14, there were in-game updates of other games in dynasty mode. There has also been speculation that Fox Sports will also be involved in the game, which could include its college football broadcast team of Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt.

The news of the ESPN people in the game came the same day EA Sports confirmed all 134 FBS teams will be in the game, and more than 11,000 current college football players will have the opportunity to have their likeness used in the game with a compensation of $600 and a free copy of the game, which is valued around $70.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Eli Manning’s ‘Chad Powers’ character getting television series on Hulu

The former New York Giants quarterback’s alter ego, Chad Powers, will be played by ‘Anyone But You’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ actor Glen Powell in a new television comedy series coming to Hulu.

Powell will create the series alongside Michael Waldron, producer of Disney+ series’ ‘Loki.’ The show will be produced by 20th Television and Omaha Productions, the production company owned by Manning’s older brother Peyton, which produces Eli’s ESPN+ series ‘Eli’s Places’ and the popular ‘ManningCast’ Monday Night Football broadcast on ESPN.

‘The love for Chad Powers has surprised me in spectacular ways,’ Manning said in a statement to Variety. ‘I played 16 years in the NFL, but now when I’m in a restaurant or walking through an airport, it’s not uncommon for fans to scream, ‘Hey Chad!’ I’m so excited to team up with my friends Glen Powell, Michael Waldron and Omaha Productions to continue to tell the Chad Powers story and see what he does next.’

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘Chad Powers’ will now join Apple TV’s ‘Ted Lasso’ as the second major streaming series to be based on a fictional character made for a sports program.

‘We’re both diehard college football fans. When we saw Eli as Chad Powers, we knew that was the way into a big, fun story about this world,’ Powell and Waldron added in a joint statement provided by Variety. ‘We’re excited to be part of this team and can’t wait to get Chad in the game. Think fast, run fast.’

Who is Chad Powers?

The fictional character Chad Powers originates from a 2022 episode of ‘Eli’s Places’ on ESPN+ when Eli went to Penn State and went undercover to learn the Nittany Lion’s tryout process for a walk-on.

The two-time NFL Super Bowl champion tried out as a quarterback and went through all the drills, including the 40-yard dash.

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Pistons player suspended for altercation before Suns game

The NBA on Thursday suspended Detroit Pistons forward-center Isaiah Stewart three games without pay for “initiating a physical altercation with Phoenix Suns forward-center Drew Eubanks’ before the team’s game at Footprint Center in Phoenix. 

‘Stewart punched and pushed Eubanks during the altercation,” the league announced in a news release.

Stewart is expected to begin serving his suspension Thursday when the Pistons play the Indiana Pacers.

The incident happened on Feb. 14, hours before the Pistons and Suns played, and Stewart, 22, was arrested for assault, issued a citation and released, according to a Phoenix Police Department news release. The report said the incident happened in the parking tunnel of the arena. On Thursday, the assault charge was dropped.

Eubanks was walking to the Suns’ locker room when he was stopped by Stewart, the Suns player told the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network.

“Just walking in and words were said and got sucker punched and security stepped in and that was it,” Eubanks told the Republic.

The Suns’ backup big man told the Republic he was OK and said Stewart’s punch was ‘soft.’ Eubanks was in the lineup that night against Detroit and scored six points and pulled down eight rebounds in 17 minutes in the Suns’ 116-100 victory.

Stewart has been suspended once before, following a November 2021 incident in which he went after Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James after James busted up Stewart’s face while battling for a ball. Stewart was suspended two games for that incident.

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US intelligence confirms some claims about UNRWA staff ties to Hamas: report

A new U.S. intelligence assessment found it is likely that some employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) participated in Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, but it also said the U.S. can’t verify Israeli allegations that many United Nations workers have links to militant groups, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The Biden administration recently paused funding to the controversial U.N. agency, which supplies aid to Palestinian refugees, after Israel shared findings alleging that at least 12 UNRWA employees were ‘involved’ in the Hamas attacks and kidnappings that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. The U.S. government had earmarked $51 million for fiscal 2024 prior to the pause.

‘Israeli intelligence agencies said they concluded that 10% of all UNRWA workers had some kind of affiliation, usually political, with Hamas,’ the Wall Street Journal reported. ‘A far smaller number had ties to the militant wings of Hamas and another group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad. UNRWA employs around 12,000 people in Gaza.’

In the new report, which the WSJ reported was completed last week, the U.S. National Intelligence Council said it assessed the allegations that 12 UNRWA staffers participated in the Oct. 7 attack as credible.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.

The new intelligence assessment, as described by the officials to the Wall Street Journal, ‘doesn’t dispute Israel’s allegations of links between some staff at UNWRA and militant groups, but it provides a more measured appraisal of Israel’s assertions than public statements by U.S. and Israeli officials.’

A spokesperson for the U.N. told Fox News Digital that ‘in mid-January the Israeli Foreign Ministry communicated information verbally to our UNRWA colleagues in Jerusalem very serious allegations regarding 12 staff [members’] possible involvement in the 7 October Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel.’

‘Immediate action was taken by UNRWA. Since then, the Israeli authorities have provided no further information to the United Nations regarding alleged activities of staff members. Should information be provided, it will be analyzed quickly, and action will again be taken swiftly,’ the spokesperson said.

An Israeli official told the Wall Street Journal that Israel wasn’t familiar with the U.S. assessment and said, ‘We share intimate intelligence with our U.S. partners in all areas.’ The official, who was briefed on the matter, was unaware of American requests for additional intelligence.

Fox News Digital reported this month that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched raids on Hamas facilities in Gaza, killing 120 terrorists, and discovered a ‘significant’ amount of assets and weapons, including inside a United Nations-affiliated building.

In a joint statement made with the Israel Security Agency (ISA), the Israeli military announced Saturday that the raids were conducted in northern Gaza over the past two weeks.

‘The forces operated in the areas of Shati and Tel al-Hawa in northern Gaza,’ the joint statement from ISA and the Israeli military said. ‘Approximately 120 Hamas terrorists were killed, and 20 terrorist infrastructure sites were destroyed as part of the operation.’ 

The IDF said the ISA initially led them to a tunnel shaft near a school run by UNRWA: ‘The shaft led to an underground terror tunnel that served as a significant asset of Hamas’ military intelligence and passed under the building that serves as UNRWA’s main headquarters in the Gaza Strip.’

The Israeli military said it seized a ‘wide variety of intelligence assets’ while raiding the 700-meter-long tunnel, but they did not specify what exactly was found.

‘The newly found intelligence will allow the forces to operate against additional Hamas targets,’ the IDF said. ‘The dismantling of the tunnel weakens Hamas’ intelligence capabilities.’

That discovery ultimately brought the military to UNRWA’s headquarters, where Israeli forces found that the UNRWA building supplied the Hamas tunnel with electricity.

The State Department and Department of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The National Security Council also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

A UNRWA spokesperson told Fox News Digital that they ‘have not been presented with any evidence from the Israeli authorities. But given the fact that there is an investigation underway by the highest investigative authorities in the U.N., we invite any country, party or institution with information – including information available in the public domain – to provide it to the Office of Internal Oversight Services at U.N. headquarters to help advance this investigation.’

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report.

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When could Trump become the GOP nominee? Here’s what the numbers tell us

Donald Trump continues to dominate in the Republican primary.

The former president notched support from an average of 75% of national GOP voters in polls released by NBC News, CNN and Quinnipiac University over the last four weeks.

His opponent, Nikki Haley, received support from an average of 20% of Republican voters in the same polls.

Still, this race isn’t over until a candidate wins 1,215 or more delegates.

Haley reminded voters this week that she is ‘not going anywhere,’ pledging to stay in until at least Super Tuesday. It could be longer.

The former South Carolina governor faces an extremely steep climb to make this race competitive. She would need a much-stronger-than-expected showing in her home state this weekend and then use the momentum to win several more states between now and late March.

That’s because late March is likely the earliest time when Trump could clinch the majority of delegates and, therefore, become the presumptive nominee.

The state of play

Trump currently has 63 delegates, Haley has 17.

That’s after the former president’s wins in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and the Virgin Islands – the four primaries or caucuses that have taken place so far.

While Haley has not won a contest, the former governor put up a fight in New Hampshire and won nearly as many delegates in Iowa.

Both those states allocate delegates proportionally, meaning that the number of delegates a candidate receives aligns with their relative vote share.

The road to Super Tuesday

There are several contests before Super Tuesday with a total of 185 delegates on the line:

South Carolina, Feb. 24: There are 50 delegates at stake this Saturday night. The statewide winner will take all of the 29 at-large delegates available. The winner in each congressional district receives another three delegates per district won (up to 21 delegates). Haley has campaigned heavily in her home state, making this the next major contest to watch. Special coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel.
Michigan, Feb. 27 and March 2: 16 delegates are on the line in Michigan’s primary, part one of a two-part nominating contest there. They will be awarded to the candidates proportionally (if they get 12.5%+ of the vote). On March 2, another 39 delegates will be awarded at district conventions.
Idaho, March 2: 32 delegates are at stake, and the candidate with a majority of the statewide vote will take all of them.
Missouri, March 2: Missouri is holding precinct caucuses on March 2, but delegates won’t be awarded until later in the process.
D.C., March 1-3: There are 19 delegates on the line in the nation’s capital; the candidate who wins the majority will take them all.
North Dakota, March 4: The day before Super Tuesday, 29 more delegates will be awarded. If a candidate gets 60% of the vote, they win all of those delegates; otherwise, delegates will be awarded proportionally to candidates with at least 20% of the vote.

Super Tuesday

Super Tuesday gets its name from the large number of states – and, therefore, the large number of delegates – on offer in one night. The total is 874.

Here are those states and a summary of the key rules (in many cases, this is not an exhaustive list of all the rules for each state). The total possible delegates for each category of delegates are listed in brackets.

Alabama: 50 delegates. Statewide (29): majority-take-all, otherwise proportional for candidates with 20%+ of the vote. Congressional districts (21): majority-take-all or winner-take-most.
Alaska: 29 delegates, proportional (13%+).
American Samoa: 9 delegates nominated by a delegate resolution.
Arkansas: 40 delegates. Statewide (28): majority-take-most or proportional (15%+). Congressional districts (12): majority-take-all or winner-take-most.
California: 169 delegates, majority-take-all or proportional.
Colorado: 37 delegates, proportional (20%+).
Maine: 20 delegates, majority-take-all or proportional (20%+).
Massachusetts: 40 delegates, majority-take-all or proportional.
Minnesota: 39 delegates. Statewide (15): 80%-take-all or proportional (20%+). Congressional districts (24): proportional (20%+). A candidate who receives 80%+ statewide wins all congressional district delegates as well.
North Carolina: 74 delegates. Statewide (32): proportional (20%+). Congressional districts (42): ⅔-take-all or winner-take-most.
Oklahoma: 43 delegates. Statewide (28): majority-take-all or proportional (15%+). Congressional districts (15): majority-take-all or proportional (15%+).
Tennessee: 58 delegates. Statewide (31): ⅔-take-all or proportional (20%+). Congressional districts (27): ⅔-take-all or winner-take-most.
Texas: 161 delegates. Statewide (48): proportional (20%+). Congressional districts (114): majority-take-all or proportional (20%+).
Utah: 40 delegates. Majority-take-all or proportional (15%+).
Vermont: 17 delegates. Majority-take-all or proportional (20%+).
Virginia: 48 delegates. Statewide (12): majority-take-all or proportional (15%+). Congressional districts (33): majority-take-all or proportional (15%+).

Most of the Super Tuesday states have majority-take-all rules. In a race with two major candidates left, this means the candidate who wins is very likely to take all of those delegates.

If Trump won every single delegate on offer between today and Super Tuesday, which is highly unlikely if Haley remains in the race, he would take a total of 1,122 delegates. That is still about a hundred delegates short of the 1,215 needed to win.

Later in March

There are two more ‘mini Super Tuesday’ events as March rolls on, along with other contests. In summary:

Wyoming, ending March 10: 12 delegates through county conventions.

Then it’s on to Super Tuesday II on March 12 with 161 delegates total:

Georgia: 59 delegates. Statewide (17): proportional (20%+). Congressional districts (42): majority-take-all or winner-take-most.
Hawaii: 19 delegates. Statewide (13): proportional. Congressional districts (6): proportional.
Mississippi: 40 delegates. Statewide (28): majority-take-all or proportional (20%). Congressional districts (12): winner-take-most. A candidate who receives a majority statewide wins all congressional district delegates as well.
Washington: 43 delegates. Statewide (13): majority-take-all or proportional (20%+). Congressional districts (30): majority-take-all or proportional (20%+).

These states have a mix of delegate rules that make it difficult for one candidate in a competitive race to win them all. 

If Trump were to sweep the March 12 contests, he would become the presumptive nominee with a total of 1,295 delegates by the end of March 12.

March 12 is the earliest possible date of a Trump victory

A win on March 12 is very unlikely, though, given that Haley has made investments in several upcoming states.

It’s more likely to take until at least March 19, when several more states with large delegate hauls have their primaries.

The total number of delegates awarded ticks up again starting March 15:

Northern Marianas, March 15: 9 delegates, winner-take-all.
Guam, March 16: 9 unbound delegates (so we’ll exclude these for now).

Then comes Super Tuesday III, on March 19, with 350 total delegates in one night:

Arizona: 43 delegates, winner-take-all.
Florida: 125 delegates, winner-take-all.
Illinois: 64 delegates. Statewide (13): winner-take-all. Congressional districts (51): delegate election.
Kansas: 39 delegates, winner-take-all.
Ohio: 79 delegates, winner-take-all.

If Trump remains the leader of this race, then it is possible that he could win all 350 delegates on this night. That would hypothetically give him as many as 1,654 delegates by this point of the race.

March 19 is a possible Trump victory date

There is only one more contest in late March:

Louisiana, March 23: 47 delegates, winner-take-all.

If Haley is much more competitive by this point in the race, then Trump would have to wait until at least April 2 to reach 1,215 delegates.

And of course, in that scenario, Haley would have amassed a significant number of delegates of her own, making it possible for her to become the presumptive nominee late in the primary season.

If the race continues into April, it will become competitive

There are still many delegates on the table in April. In summary:

April 2: Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. 195 delegates total.
April 6: Missouri (district conventions). 40 delegates.
Ending April 20: Wyoming (state convention). 17 delegates.
April 21: Puerto Rico. 23 delegates.
April 23: Pennsylvania. 67 delegates, but only 16 are bound delegates.

These are all possible dates for Trump or Haley to prevail. The remaining states are split between May and June:

May 4: Missouri (state convention). 11 bound delegates, 3 unbound delegates.
May 7: Indiana. 58 delegates.
May 14: Maryland, Nebraska, and West Virginia. 105 delegates.
May 21: Kentucky and Oregon. 77 delegates.
June 4: Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota. 63 bound delegates, 31 unbound delegates.

No matter what, we will have a presumptive winner before June 5.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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