Evening summary
It’s been an active Friday news day, with new details coming out about the downed “high-altitude objects” this week and investigations regarding Mike Pence. Here are the updates you need to know:
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton has settled with four former staffers who accused him of corruption in 2020, agreeing to apologize and pay $3.3m in taxpayer money as a result of an FBI investigation.
Trump has received his fifth Senate endorsement ahead of his 2024 presidential run, this time from Republican senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield will leave her job at the end of February.
John Kirby of the White House national security council confirmed that a second “high-altitude object” was taken down over Alaska on Friday after a separate device was taken down last Saturday.
The FBI has removed at least one additional classified document from Mike Pence’s Indiana residence after a five-hour search.
The family of Tyre Nichols has officially urged the United Nations to condemn his killing.
The Biden administration plans to end the declaration of national emergency over Covid-19 in May of this year.
The US has sanctioned six Chinese tech companies for supporting spy balloon programs.
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who suffered a stroke during his election campaign last year, has been released from the hospital after a stay due to related health concerns.
Updated
Senator Fetterman has been released from the hospital
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has been discharged from the hospital after a several-day stay for concerns over light-headedness.
Fetterman, who suffered a near-fatal stroke during his election campaign last year, was taken in for observation to ensure he was not suffering any related health issues.
His communications director confirmed in a statement that the senator’s medical testing had ruled out a stroke and that he is in good health.
“John is looking forward to spending some time with his family and returning to the Senate on Monday,” the spokesman said.
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