Daily Briefing: 'We don't have a clear path to victory'

The day before the New Hampshire primary, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump remain in the GOP race. Also in the news: Two major grocery chains could merge and some eager shovelers removed snow from Highmark Stadium ahead of the Bills' loss to the Chiefs Sunday.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Who do you think will get an Oscar nom this year?

Here is the news to know Monday.

Trump looks for victory against Haley in New Hampshire

The New Hampshire primary on Tuesday will be a big turning point in the Republican presidential race: Donald Trump is looking for a knockout while Nikki Haley is trying to keep her 2024 campaign alive - something Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was unable to do.

 "I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory," DeSantis said in a video posted Sunday announcing his exit from the race.

• DeSantis endorsed Trump, who finished 30 points ahead of him in Iowa last week.
• Haley's strategy: The former South Carolina governor is going after Independent voters, who are permitted to cast a vote in New Hampshire's primary.
• But for now, Trump remains the favorite in New Hampshire despite the fact he faces up to four criminal trials in months ahead, that he is in the middle of a civil damages trial in which he is accused of sexual abuse, and that he's made shaky statements on the campaign trail.

What about Biden? Biden supporters are pushing a write-in campaign in New Hampshire.

Netanyahu doubles down on his refusal to support a Palestinian state 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Sunday he would not stand for a Palestinian state in Gaza, pledging to win the war and ensuring that "there will be no entity in Gaza that finances terrorism (or) educates for terrorism." The U.S., Saudi Arabia and most of the world have been urging Israel to agree to a two-state solution as part of a long-term deal to bring peace to the region. Netanyahu, however, is adamant Hamas be destroyed and Gaza disarmed as Israel oversees security in the battered enclave of more than 2 million Palestinians. Read more

More news to know now

• The E. Jean Carroll defamation trial against Donald Trump enters a second week. Will he testify?
• It's out of the freezer and into the warmth this week with rain and flooding.
• Two Navy SEALs are presumed dead after a mission to confiscate Iranian-made weapons.
• A Kansas couple lived with a dead relative for 6 years, collecting more than $216K in retirement benefits.
• For subscribers: My cousin was killed by a car bomb in 1978. Now, I’m looking for answers.
• On today's The Excerpt podcast, how wealthy voters might help Nikki Haley in New Hampshire. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

What would it mean if two grocery rivals merge?

Kroger's $25 billion bid to take over grocery rival Albertsons would be one of the largest retail mergers ever. Combining the businesses would affect nearly 5,000 stores nationwide and has drawn controversy, attracting the opposition of politicians as well as consumer and union groups. While some other recent mergers went for higher dollar value, a Kroger-Albertsons combination would have an outsized impact on employees and the grocery industry at a large.  The rivals' combined $170 billion food sales represent nearly a fifth of America's $1 trillion grocery market. Read more

• Walmart managers are set to earn at least $128,000 a year in new salary program.

How Texas' governor has shaped the border policy debate

While Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, promote hardline border policies in stump speeches and press conferences, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has effectively exported the border – and all the problems that come with it – to America's backyards. Abbott's controversial migrant busing program crossed a threshold this month: Operation Lone Star has bused more than 100,000 migrants from the Texas border to cities like New York, Chicago and Denver. Democratic leaders of the cities Abbott has targeted are pushing back against what they say are his “cruel” tactics. But they’re also saying too many immigrants are arriving in their communities. Read more

• Trump weighed in on a border security deal, adding new pressure to Republicans in Congress.

Keep scrolling

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• Take a look at your 401(k). The S&P 500 and Dow just hit record highs.
• Young girls are flooding Sephora.

How Kansas City held on to earn trip to another AFC title game

The Kansas City Chiefs ousted the Buffalo Bills 27-24 in the teams' latest playoff classic Sunday night. The reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs advance from the divisional round to their sixth consecutive AFC championship game, in which they will face the Ravens in Baltimore next Sunday. And, once again, Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was a huge component of Buffalo’s misery. Here's how KC cinched the victory.

• ICYMI: A shirtless Jason Kelce celebrated Travis Kelce's touchdown.
• Here's how the NFL playoff bracket looks after divisional round games.

Photo of the day: Snow shovelers volunteer at Highmark Stadium

Snow shovelers returned to Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Saturday to help clear snow ahead of a playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Their response followed a request from the NFL team to help clear the stadium after heavy lake-effect snow piled up in western New York. Shovelers were paid $20 per hour, according to the team’s website.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to Paste BN here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.