5 things to know for Dec. 17: Wisconsin school shooting, UnitedHealthcare CEO, Electoral College, Stock market, Spacewalk

(CNN) — Honda and Nissan are discussing a possible merger, potentially bringing together two Japanese automaking titans that have recently fallen on hard times. Mitsubishi also appears to be part of the preliminary talks but none of the automakers have disclosed details about how the venture could take shape.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Wisconsin school shooting

Hundreds gathered outside the Wisconsin State Capitol on Tuesday night to remember the victims of Monday’s shooting at a Madison, Wisconsin, private school. The incident at Abundant Life Christian School left one teacher and a student dead and wounded six others. Investigators are still trying to determine how and why a 15-year-old female student opened fire on her peers. Police are talking to students to determine if bullying was one of the factors while investigators are looking through the online presence of the shooter to try to learn new information. Court records obtained by The Washington Post also show that the shooter had “a turbulent home life” and that she had been enrolled in therapy. The mayor of Madison said it is too early to comment on if the parents of the shooter will face criminal charges.

2. UnitedHealthcare CEO

Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was indicted in New York on Tuesday for murder as an act of terrorism. An unsealed, 11-count indictment charged Mangione with one count of murder in the first degree and two of murder in the second degree in the fatal shooting on December 4, along with other weapon and forgery charges. At a news conference announcing the charges, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and other top law enforcement officials said Mangione intended to “evoke terror” with the killing. His actions, the prosecutors added, “were intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population [and] influence the policies of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion.” He faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.

3. Electoral College

President-elect Donald Trump has received enough electoral votes to officially clinch the presidency, a major milestone that he reached when Texas’ electors awarded him the state’s 40 electoral votes. While Trump won the election on November 5, his victory was formalized on Tuesday as presidential electors gathered across the country as part of the constitutional process to officially elect a president known as the Electoral College. It takes 270 of the 538 electoral votes to be elected commander-in-chief. Trump won 312 in November’s election to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 226.

4. Stock market

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended down for its ninth-straight day on Tuesday, closing lower by 267 points, or 0.6%. The blue chips haven’t closed in the red for nine consecutive days since February 1978 — when Jimmy Carter was in the White House. But the recent market slump has been mild, with the Dow losing just 3% over the prior eight trading days. The Dow’s losing streak comes ahead of today’s interest rate decision from the Federal Reserve. Investors widely expect the Fed to cut rates by a quarter point, although officials could signal plans to slow the pace of cuts in 2025.

5. Spacewalk

China says two of its astronauts completed a nine-hour spacewalk on Tuesday, breaking a US record. Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, crew members of the Shenzhou-19 spaceflight, wrapped the nine-hour extravehicular activity just before 10 p.m. Beijing time, according to the China Manned Space Agency. The previous record of eight hours and 56 minutes was set by US astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms on March 12, 2001, according to NASA. This comes as China has mounted a significant effort to establish itself as a major player in space: China is aiming to become the second country, after the US, to land on the moon and has already unveiled a spacesuit for the mission, set to take place by 2030.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

A small glass of wine each day might be good for the heart, study finds
But slow your pour … Many medical experts don’t have grape feelings about daily wine consumption.

Prince Harry and Meghan share photo of their children on Christmas card
This year marks the first time since 2021 that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have released a Christmas card featuring their children, whose privacy they fiercely guard.

‘Bluey: The Movie’ is coming
A movie based on the popular children’s animated series “Bluey” is headed to theaters. Here’s what we know about the project.

Tom Cruise becomes a military hero in real life
After years of playing military heroes on screen, Tom Cruise is now one in real life. The “Top Gun” star was awarded the US Navy’s highest honor that a person outside of the Department of the Navy can receive.

Milwaukee Bucks win NBA Cup title
The Milwaukee Bucks won the second annual NBA Cup after stifling the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was named MVP.

TODAY’S NUMBER

30 million
That’s around how many people in the southern US are under fog alerts today. The warnings are in place across parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

Check your local forecast on CNN Weather.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“We recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”

— Disney, announcing it has cut a transgender storyline from its new animated series, “Win or Lose,” ahead of the show’s release. When asked if the decision could be interpreted as Disney distancing itself from diversity initiatives in anticipation of a second Trump administration, the company declined to comment.

AND FINALLY …

What excessive phone use can do to your brain
In this short video, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains the science behind “brain rot,” Oxford’s word of the year for 2024.

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