In our news wrap Wednesday, a new winter storm iced over much of the Pacific Northwest, the move to toss Donald Trump off the Maine primary ballot is on hold, a judge threatened to throw Trump out of his defamation damages trial in New York, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pulling back from New Hampshire six days before the state's primary and China's population declined for the second year in a row.
News Wrap: New winter storm ices over Pacific Northwest
Nation
Jan 17, 2024 06:50 PM EDT
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Geoff Bennett:
In the day's other headlines: A new winter storm iced over much of the Pacific Northwest. Parts of Washington state and Oregon were coated with snow and up to an inch of ice. It closed government offices, grounded flights and cut power. Snow even extended into Northern Alabama, and bitter cold again gripped the nation's midsection.
The move in Maine to toss former President Trump off that state's primary ballot is now on hold. A judge today blocked Maine's top elections official from barring Mr. Trump on the grounds that he engaged in insurrection. That's until the U.S. Supreme Court rules in a similar case in Colorado.
In her ruling, the judge said the pause — quote — "will promote greater predictability in the weeks ahead of the primary election on March 5."
A federal judge threatened today threatened today to throw Mr. Trump out of his defamation damages trial in New York. It came as the writer E. Jean Carroll charged that he lied about her after she accused him of rape. During Carroll's testimony, the former president could be heard grumbling and saying witch-hunt and con job.
When the judge warned he might be removed, he shot back, "I would love it."
The trial is meant to determine how much Mr. Trump has to pay Carroll in damages.
In the Republican presidential campaign, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pulling back from New Hampshire six days before that state's primary. "NewsHour" has confirmed that he's shifting most of his staff to South Carolina for its primary on February 24. DeSantis finished a distant second in Iowa, and is running far behind in New Hampshire.
Medicine for Israeli hostages held by Hamas has arrived in Gaza tonight. It's part of the first deal between the two sides since a weeklong cease-fire in November, and it also calls for more aid to Palestinians. The medicine arrived in Egypt today and headed for the Rafah Crossing into Gaza, amid warnings that much more is needed.
The U.N. secretary-general issued a fresh appeal in Davos, Switzerland.
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Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General:
I repeat my call for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza and a process that leads to sustained peace for Israelis and Palestinians, based on a two-state solution. That is the only way to stem the suffering and prevent the spillover that could send the entire region up in flames.
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Geoff Bennett:
Meantime, airstrikes and artillery kept pounding parts of Gaza, and the Israelis said they killed more than 30 militants in the city of Khan Yunis in 24 hours. The Gaza Health Ministry said nearly 24,500 Palestinians have died since the war started.
Britain's King Charles will undergo surgery next week for an enlarged prostate. The king is 75. Buckingham Palace said today his condition is not cancerous. The palace also said that Kate, the princess of Wales, is recovering from abdominal surgery and that her condition is also noncancerous. She could be hospitalized for two weeks.
China reports its population declined in 2023 for the second year in a row. Its total population fell to 1.4 billion. Deaths rose sharply to 11.1 million, as China ended its sweeping COVID restrictions. And births dropped more than 5 percent to nine million, the seventh straight year of decline. It all adds to concerns about growth prospects for the world's number two economy, with fewer workers and consumers and the rising costs of elderly care and retirement benefits.
The Biden administration is calling for a crackdown on overdraft charges at the nation's biggest banks. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proposing capping fees as low as $3. Currently, the average tops $26. Major banks say they already cut fees, so there's no need for new regulations.
And on Wall Street, stocks slipped again over concerns that strong December retail sales could fuel inflation. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 94 points to close at 37266. The Nasdaq fell 88 points. The S&P 500 was down 26.
Still to come on the "NewsHour": why a growing number of men in the U.S. say they don't have close friends; school administrators work to keep students in class amid chronic absenteeism; and a Pacific Northwest artist illuminates life's simple pleasures with just a knife and paper.
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