Nikki Haley ends GOP presidential bid after Super Tuesday losses

Republican Nikki Haley has suspended her 2024 presidential campaign. Haley ended her White House bid hours after Donald Trump dominated Super Tuesday voting. She wished her GOP rival well, but did not offer an endorsement. Haley’s departure leaves Trump as the last remaining major Republican candidate and sets up a likely rematch with President Biden in November.

Biden and Trump dominate Super Tuesday races

Donald Trump and President Biden cruised to multiple victories in Super Tuesday voting, all but setting up an election re-match in November. Former President Trump celebrated the night at a Mar-a-Lago victory party, saying “they call it Super Tuesday for a reason.” President Biden didn’t give a speech, but instead issued a statement warning that Trump is “focused on his own revenge and retribution, not the American people.” Nikki Haley won the Vermont GOP primary, but she trails Trump in the delegate count by a wide margin.

It’s Super Tuesday with multiple presidential primaries and caucuses

Today is Super Tuesday — the biggest day on the presidential primary and caucus calendar. Sixteen states and one territory are holding presidential voting contests and over a third of all the available delegates –for both the Republican and Democratic nominations– are at stake. In the GOP race, Donald Trump has 244 delegates heading into Super Tuesday, while Nikki Haley has 43. For Democrats, President Biden is not facing any serious challengers in his bid for the party’s nomination.

White House ends remaining COVID-19 testing requirement

The White House has lifted its last remaining COVID-19 testing requirement. Up until now, COVID testing was still required for those who were in close contact with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and their spouses. Monday’s announcement ending that requirement brings to a close the last coronavirus prevention protocol at the White House. The change is in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, the CDC relaxed its recommendations for those who test positive for COVID-19.

Poll: most Americans doubt mental capabilities of Biden, Trump

A large share of U-S adults doubt the mental capabilities of both President Biden and former President Trump. A new AP-NORC poll finds that more than 6 in 10 Americans are not very or not at all confident in Mr. Biden’s mental capability to serve effectively as president. A slightly smaller share — 57 percent– says that Trump lacks the mental fitness for the job. Many respondents to the survey were deeply pessimistic about their likely choices in November because of age and the risk of cognitive decline. Biden is 81 years old and Trump is 77.

Supreme Court restores Trump to ballot, rejects Colorado ruling

The U-S Supreme Court has handed Donald Trump a major legal victory as he runs for re-election. In a unanimous ruling, the high court said Trump could not be removed from the ballot in Colorado. The justices ruled that states, without action first from Congress, cannot use the Constitution’s insurrection clause to keep presidential candidates from appearing on ballots. As a result, the court’s move ends efforts in Colorado, Illinois, Maine and elsewhere to disqualify Trump and kick him off the ballot. On social media, the former president issued a four-word statement: “Big win for America.”

GOP candidates react to Alabama’s frozen embryo ruling

Republican presidential candidates are reacting to the Alabama Supreme Court ruling on frozen embryos. In Alabama, several clinics paused in vitro fertilization services after the court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law. Former President Donald Trump said he would “strongly support the availability” of IVF for couples who are trying to have a baby. And he called on lawmakers in the state “to act quickly to find an immediate solution.” Nikki Haley said she does not endorse the Alabama ruling, but agreed that an embryo is an unborn baby.

Haley refuses to end her GOP presidential campaign

Nikki Haley is not dropping out of the presidential race after South Carolina’s primary. Haley says she’s “not going anywhere” and that ending her campaign now would be the easy path. The former South Carolina governor describes both Donald Trump and Joe Biden as “hugely flawed candidates” who are “both too old to be president.” And Haley argues that most states haven’t held their primaries yet and that people “deserve a real choice.” She says “we don’t anoint kings in this country. We have elections.”

New U.S. sanctions on Russia as war with Ukraine enters Year 3

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its third year, the Biden administration has imposed hundreds of new sanctions on Russia. President Biden said the latest sanctions come in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “brutal war of conquest” and to the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. But while previous sanctions have increased costs for Russia’s ability to fight in Ukraine, they appear to have done little so far to deter Putin and his forces.

Trump enjoys big lead over Haley heading into SC primary

Donald Trump enjoyed a sizable lead over Nikki Haley heading into today’s [SAT] Republican primary in South Carolina. Even though South Carolina is Haley’s home state, where she previously served as governor, polls show the former president as a runaway favorite in the GOP primary. According to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, Trump was leading Haley by 25 percentage points in South Carolina. Despite her showing in the early primaries, Haley is vowing to keep campaigning and says she’ll still be in the race after the voting is finished in her home state.

GOP Gov. says Biden is looking at possible executive border actions

President Biden is said to be considering a tougher approach to illegal immigration at the southern border. Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox says the president told a governors’ meeting that he’s been working with White House lawyers about possible executive actions to be taken at the border — absent any action by Congress. Despite the governor’s comments and other media reporting, the White House press secretary refused to confirm if such considerations were taking place.

Biden admin imposes 500+ new sanctions on Russia

The Biden administration is imposing hundreds of new sanctions against Russia. The sanctions come following the suspicious death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and are timed to mark two years since Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded Ukraine. In a statement, President Biden said, “The American people and people around the world understand that the stakes of this fight extend far beyond Ukraine.” The European Union also announced that it’s imposing sanctions on several foreign companies accused of aiding Russia’s war effort.

Progress reported in Mideast ceasefire, hostage talks

International efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appear to be gaining new momentum. The new signs of progress came ahead of an expected summit this weekend in Paris, where mediators plan to present a new proposal. White House Mideast envoy Brett McGurk held talks throughout the day Thursday with Israeli leaders and families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. According to national security spokesman John Kirby, the discussions were “going well.”

U.S. to unveil new sanctions on Iran soon

The Biden administration also plans to unveil new sanctions on Iran in the coming days. The White House says those forthcoming sanctions on Iran are in retaliation for its arms sales that have bolstered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also issued a new warning to Iran that providing ballistic missiles to Russia would be met with even more sanctions and a “swift” and “severe” response.

Biden, Haley respond to Alabama’s frozen embryos ruling

Presidential candidates are reacting to the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos are legally considered children. In a White House statement, the president blasted the Alabama ruling, saying “the disregard for women’s ability to make these decisions for themselves and their families is outrageous and unacceptable.” He said it’s a “direct result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.” Republican Nikki Haley also weighed in. She told CNN that she does not endorse the Alabama ruling, but agreed that an embryo is an unborn baby.

Biden meets with Navalny’s wife, daughter to express condolences

James Biden to GOP: Joe Biden not involved in business dealings

James Biden told GOP lawmakers that Joe Biden had no involvement in the family’s business dealings.
During a voluntary private interview on Capitol Hill, presidential brother James Biden testified as part of the House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry. According to his opening statement obtained by the AP, James Biden said the president “never had any involvement or any direct or indirect financial interest in those activities. None.” The impeachment process has lacked evidence directly related to the president, which has even drawn criticism from some Republicans.

Biden cancels $1.2 billion dollars in additional student loans

The Biden administration is canceling more student loan debt. The administration this week is canceling one-point-two-billion dollars worth of student loans for some 153-thousand people. This latest round of loan forgiveness applies to people enrolled in a debt relief program and covers those who borrowed 12-thousand dollars or less who have been repaying the money for at least 10 years. That program was introduced last year after the Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s original student debt relief program.

New Biden regulations to protect ports from cyberattacks

President Biden is taking steps to better secure the nation’s ports from potential cyberattacks. With an executive order, the president has created new cybersecurity regulations that port operators must comply with across the country. The requirements are part of the federal government’s focus on modernizing how critical infrastructure like power grids, ports, and pipelines are protected as they are increasingly managed and controlled online. Nationwide, ports employ roughly 31 million people and contribute more than 5-trillion dollars to the economy.

Haley has no plans to drop out of GOP presidential race

Nikki Haley has no intention of dropping out of the presidential race after Saturday’s nominating contest in South Carolina. Haley said she’s “not going anywhere,” even if she loses her home state South Carolina primary this weekend. In a Tuesday speech, she said she’s heard the calls to drop out. But she plans to campaign “until the last person votes.” Polls show Haley trailing Donald Trump by 30 points or more. Yet, she argued that most states haven’t held their primaries yet and that people “deserve a real choice.” Haley said “we don’t anoint kings in the country. We have elections.”

U.S. to add “major sanctions” on Russia later this week

The United States is preparing more sanctions on Russia in response to the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the White House will unveil the new sanctions later this week. Kirby said the U-S had not determined how Navalny had died, but insisted that Russian President Putin is “responsible.” The announcement of this week’s sanctions will coincide with the two year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

NY Times publisher defends coverage of Biden age issue

The publisher of the New York Times says the White House is “extremely upset” with the newspaper’s coverage of President Biden’s age. According to Politico, A.G. Sulzberger said in an interview that Joe Biden “is a historically unpopular incumbent and the oldest man to ever hold this office.” He went on to say that the New York Times has “reported on both of those realities extensively, and the White House has been extremely upset about it.” But the publisher told The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism that the newspaper will “continue to report fully and fairly” about the 81-year-old president.

Biden: House GOP making a “mistake” by not passing Ukraine aid

President Biden says House Republicans are making a “mistake” by not passing aid for Ukraine. With the Senate-approved foreign aid bill stalled in the House, the president is pushing Republicans to respond. He told reporters that the way GOP lawmakers are “walking away from the threat of Russia…walking away from NATO…walking away from meeting our obligations…it’s just shocking.” Speaker Mike Johnson has said the House will not be “rushed” to pass the measure, even as Ukraine’s military warns of dire shortages of ammunition and artillery.

Biden open to meeting with Speaker “if he has anything to say”

President Biden is suggesting the possibility of a sit-down meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson. Last week, the White House rejected the idea of the president meeting with the speaker, saying there is nothing to negotiate when it comes to foreign aid. But now Mr. Biden says he’d “be happy to meet with him if he has anything to say.” Speaker Johnson has suggested the House will not vote on a bipartisan Senate bill that includes emergency funding for Ukraine. The president says it’s “shocking” the way House Republicans “are walking away from the threat of Russia.”