Friday morning news: December 29, 2023

GOP Primary roundup » Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is still facing blowback for omitting slavery from a discussion of causes of the Civil War during a town hall earlier this week.

Haley said government and individual freedoms sparked the war, but later clarified that she was looking at the war’s broader causes.

HALEY: Of course, the Civil War was about slavery. We know that. That's unquestioned. Let's not forget what came out of that, which is government's role, individual liberties, freedom for every single person.

Florida Governor and fellow GOP candidate Ron DeSantis wasted no time in criticizing Haley for her comments.

DESANTIS: I just think that this shows this is not a candidate that's ready for primetime. The minute that she faces any type of scrutiny, she tends to cave and I think that that's what you saw.

Haley and DeSantis are both vying to be the Republican alternative to former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential primaries.

The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows the pair tied for second place, each grabbing an estimated 11 percent of party support.

Trump Colorado » Meanwhile, things just got more complicated for the Republican frontrunner late yesterday as a second state kicked former President Donald Trump off the 2024 primary ballot.

Maine’s secretary of state declared the former president ineligible…based on her interpretation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution—and its ban of anyone engaged in insurrection from holding elected office.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows concludes that Trump’s activities on January 6 20-21 amounts to insurrection.

The former president denies any wrongdoing.

Her decision comes after Colorado disqualified Trump earlier this month based on the same argument.

But the Colorado secretary of state Jena Griswold said yesterday that Trump’s name would remain on that state’s ballots while the GOP appeals the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Griswold urged the justices to rule quickly. The state’s primary election is scheduled for March 5th.

Boebert district switch » Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert says she’s ditching the third district ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

The controversial Republican released a video on Wednesday confirming her bid to replace retiring conservative Congressman Ken Buck in the state's fourth congressional district.

BOEBERT: I know all too well how damaging the Liberals have been to our entire state here in Colorado. Republicans will hold the third and I'll proudly represent the fourth and Republicans will be stronger for it. The future of our country is on the line.

Critics say Boebert is making the move to a more conservative district to help guarantee re-election after narrowly winning her seat in the last cycle.

FTC sues Grand Canyon University » The Federal Trade Commission is suing the nation’s largest Christian university over what it calls *deceptive advertising. WORLD’s Lauren Canterberry has more.

LAUREN CANTERBERRY: The FTC in a lawsuit filed Wednesday claims that Grand Canyon University misled students about the cost of its doctoral programs.

The commission also accused the school of misrepresenting itself as a nonprofit organization and of engaging in illegal telemarketing.

Grand Canyon Education Inc. which conducts marketing services for the school and University President Brian Mueller are also named as defendants.

The Phoenix-based university says in a statement to WORLD that the allegations are unfounded and it is recognized as a nonprofit by the IRS and state of Arizona.

The university also claims they are part of a larger attack by the Biden administration on: “institutions to which they are ideologically opposed.”

The school is currently appealing a fine levied by the U.S. Department of Education over similar allegations.

For WORLD, I’m Lauren Canterberry.

Ukraine funding and Lavrov comments » Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country has become more unified since it invaded Ukraine and is at war with what he calls the collective West.

Lavrov’s comments come after the U.S. approved what officials said on Wednesday could be the final package of military aid to Ukraine unless Congress approves more funding.

The Pentagon is sending about $250 million dollars worth of weapons and ammunition from its stockpiles including missiles, artillery, anti-armor systems, and ammunition.

LAVROV (Speaking Russian): They agreed to have another meeting in January and in February to hold a Peace Summit, where (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskiy's formula will be approved.

Lavrov claiming that major Western leaders are planning to approve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace plan in the coming months.

Russia controls nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory as the two-year anniversary of the invasion approaches.

SOUND: [Chain saw]

UK Storm Gerrit » Britons clearing fallen trees Thursday and dealing with other damage in the wake of Storm Gerrit.

The official U.K. forecaster called it a supercell thunderstorm with a strong rotating updraft.

The wind blew trees down on cars, even pulling roofs off houses and blowing away garden sheds in northwest England’s Manchester. Police there heard numerous reports of a localized tornado.

Stalybridge resident Dominic Halpin:

Halpin: So, I just sat in bed, and I heard this noise, this rumbling and it got louder and louder, and for 30 seconds it was literally just mayhem.

London’s Heathrow airport canceled over a dozen flights Wednesday night due to the storm.

An American Airlines flight made a safe landing in London as strong winds buffeted the jet during a rough descent.

In Scotland some train lines were suspended and a few roads were blocked by snow. Elsewhere, the storm brought heavy rain and travel disruption for drivers.

I'm Paul Butler.

Straight ahead: Culture Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus, remembering notable people in arts and culture who died this year

This is The World and Everything in It.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.