News Wrap: Mangione will not face death penalty after federal murder charge dismissed

Geoff Bennett:

We start today's other headlines in New York.

A judge ruled that federal prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed murder and weapons charges that carried the death penalty. She said they were legally incompatible with separate stalking charges.

Woman:

We're all very relieved.

Geoff Bennett:

Outside the courthouse, Mangione's lawyers welcomed today's decision. Prosecutors have 30 days to appeal.

It comes a day after authorities say a 36-year-old man claiming to be an FBI agent tried to get Mangione released from Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. He was arrested and is now being held there too.

The U.S. Senate moved to pass a spending package this evening that would fund many federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year. As part of an agreement between Republicans and Democrats, funding for the Department of Homeland Security would only be extended for two weeks. That's meant to give lawmakers time to hash out a deal on how to fund the DHS amid efforts by Democrats to rein in President Trump's immigration crackdown.

The House is then set to pick up the measure as soon as Monday, meaning a partial government shutdown is expected to run at least through the weekend.

More than 200,000 homes and businesses across the South have now gone six straight days without electricity after last weekend's debilitating winter storm. And there's little relief in sight. Temperatures are expected to plummet this weekend. More than 200 million Americans are under alerts for extreme cold for the next several days.

And weather officials say a rapidly deepening storm is expected to bring heavy snow and wind from the Southern Appalachians across the Carolinas and into Virginia. At a news conference today, North Carolina's governor said people should prepare for the worst.

Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC):

If the snowfall comes in at the high end and communities experience 15 inches of snow, that's a lot of weight. And that will knock over trees and that will knock over power lines.

Geoff Bennett:

Authorities say nearly 90 people have died in areas suffering from extreme cold from Texas to New York. Roughly half of those deaths were in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, where power outages have been the worst.

Russia says its temporary halt on attacking Ukraine's capital will only last until Sunday, just when temperatures there are expected to get even colder. President Trump said yesterday that he got Russia's Vladimir Putin to agree to a one-week pause in strikes due to the frigid temperatures, but the Kremlin was instead vague on such terms.

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today that Russian forces struck energy-related targets in several other regions yesterday. Meantime, on the icy streets of Kyiv today, generators sat outside businesses providing power, and residents voiced their doubts that any pause would last.

Kostiantyn, Kyiv Resident (through interpreter):

I trust neither Putin nor Trump, so I think that, even if Putin complies now, he will stockpile missiles and will still keep firing. Putin's goal is the destruction of Ukraine.

Geoff Bennett:

Ukraine has often accused Moscow of weaponizing winter by intentionally knocking out power and heat as temperatures plummet.

Panama's Supreme Court has ruled that lease contracts for two major ports at opposite ends of the Panama Canal, held by a Hong Kong-based company, are unconstitutional. The decision is being seen as a political win for President Trump, as the White House looks to limit China's influence in Latin America.

And it comes as the administration leans into a renewed national security focus on the Western Hemisphere, a strategy aimed at expanding U.S. primacy in the region.

President Trump announced today that an IndyCar race will be held in the streets of Washington, D.C. later this year as part of the nation's 250th birthday celebration.

President Donald Trump:

Congratulations. This is really exciting.

(Applause)

Geoff Bennett:

Mr. Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office establishing the event, alongside Roger Penske, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar itself. The White House has dubbed it the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. It's set to be held on August 23. Officials say the route will include the National Mall, though no further details have been announced.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended lower after President Trump announced Kevin Warsh as his pick ahead the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones industrial average lost nearly 180 points on the day. The Nasdaq fell more than 220 points. The S&P 500 also ended the week in negative territory.