Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has announced her bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, prompting Senator Mitt Romney to warn his fellow Republicans that Donald Trump is the most likely candidate to win the nomination. Romney believes that the only way to stop Trump is to narrow the field to a two-person race, with other potential candidates including Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo, and John Bolton.
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Ryan Seacrest has announced his departure from the popular talk show "Live with Kelly and Ryan" and will be replaced by Kelly Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos. Seacrest expressed his gratitude for the time he spent with Ripa and thanked her for the laughter they shared. The show will be renamed "Live with Kelly and Mark" and Seacrest will transition out in the spring to shoot for the 21st season of "American Idol" in Los Angeles.
US intelligence officials are assessing whether the suspected Chinese spy balloon, which crossed into US airspace, was diverted off course by strong winds or deliberately maneuvered by the Chinese government. The National People’s Congress’s Foreign Affairs Committee has accused American lawmakers of trampling on the sovereignty of other nations in response to the US's condemnation of the balloon's intrusion. The balloon's unexpected route, which went north and reentered the US through northern Idaho, is being investigated.
A judge has ordered the partial release of a highly anticipated report by the Atlanta-area special grand jury that investigated Donald Trump's actions in Georgia after the 2020 election. The report's introduction, conclusion, and a section discussing concerns that some witnesses may have lied under oath will be released on Thursday. The rest of the report will remain under wraps until prosecutors complete their investigation, and it is unclear what new information the portions of the report will reveal.
Mark Meadows, former Chief of Staff to Donald Trump, has been subpoenaed by the special counsel investigating the former president and his role in the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The subpoena was issued in January and seeks documents and testimony related to the attack on the Capitol and Trump's mishandling of classified documents. Pence has spoken out on the matter, saying they will take the case as far as it needs to go. This is a significant step in the investigation and shows the special counsel is taking it seriously.
On Wednesday, one person was killed and three others were wounded in a shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, Texas. An off-duty officer working security at the mall took a male suspect into custody three minutes after gunshots were reported, and a second male suspect was taken into custody later. The mall is next to the Walmart where a gunman killed 23 people in 2019, but police have stated that there is no more danger to the public.
The FBI has conducted two searches at the University of Delaware in the past month as part of an investigation into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents. The documents removed did not have classified markings, but required further scrutiny. The searches were arranged with the Justice Department and no warrants were issued. It is unclear what the FBI is looking for or if the investigation is related to any other ongoing probes.
On Wednesday evening, police responded to a shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, Texas, resulting in one death and three injuries. One suspect has been arrested and a possible second suspect is being sought. The investigation is ongoing and no further information has been released.