Florida Governor Ron Desantis on Sunday (Jan 21) stepped out from the 2024 presidential race and backed former US president Donald Trump.&nbsp;

Desantis backed out ahead of the Republican primary election to be held in New Hampshire, where the leader was polling in the single digits. DeSantis was once seen as a strong contender for the nomination of the party - but on Sunday he announced that he did not "have a clear path to victory".

Trump's last remaining challenger, Nikki Haley, said she was the "only one" who can defeat US President Joe Biden. Trump and Haley will face each other in New Hampshire's primary election on Tuesday (Jan 23). This will be the second in a series of state-by-state contests which are being conducted to select a Republican nominee for the general election scheduled in November.

DeSantis, in a five-minute long video posted on social media platform X on Sunday, said that his campaign had "left it all out on the field".

"If there was anything I could do to produce a favourable outcome - more campaign stops, more interviews - I would do it," he said while announcing the end of his seven-month campaign.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-vs-michelle-obama-in-2024-us-elections-reports-say-former-first-lady-could-replace-joe-biden-682065">Donald Trump Vs Michelle Obama in 2024 US elections? Reports say former first lady could replace Joe Biden</a>

The Florida governor said that he is now endorsing Trump who has emerged as a clear frontrunner after garnering &nbsp;51 per cent of the vote and marking a major victory in the first contest held in Iowa.&nbsp;

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DeSantis said it can be clearly seen that a majority of Republican voters "want to give Donald Trump another chance".

He accepted "disagreements" with the former president, but added that Trump was "superior" to Biden, who is most likely to be the Democratic nominee in November's general election.

"I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honour that pledge," said DeSantis.

<h2>Trump receives loud cheers after DeSantis's withdrawal&nbsp;</h2>

After DeSantis withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Trump on Sunday afternoon (Jan 21), Trump was greeted with loud cheers. Later, while addressing the people at a rally, Trump said that his former opponent Desantis was a "really terrific person", and added, "He ran a really good campaign, it's not easy."

DeSantis had earlier presented himself as the Republican candidate who could deliver the populist agenda of Trump without any baggage or drama.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;US Elections 2024: Now Nikki Haley to take on Donald Trump

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-elections-2024-now-nikki-haley-to-take-on-donald-trump-682241/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

After the announcement was made by DeSantis, the Trump campaign appealed to all Republicans to rally in support of the US president, while criticising his former UN Ambassador as "the candidate of the globalists and Democrats who will do everything to stop the America First movement".

DeSantis also took a jibe at Haley and called her a member of "the old Republican guard of yesteryear - a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism".

Haley, who is a former South Carolina governor, in her response, insisted that she was the "only one" conservative candidate who can defeat Biden.

"There's two people in this race. That's what we wanted all along, and we're going to keep going," she said while speaking to CNN in New Hampshire.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Florida Governor Ron Desantis on Sunday (Jan 21) stepped out from the 2024 presidential race and backed former US president Donald Trump. Desantis backed out ahead of the Republican primary election to be held in New Hampshire, where the leader was polling in the single digits.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis on Sunday (Jan 21) stepped out from the 2024 presidential race and backed former US president Donald Trump. Desantis backed out ahead of the Republican primary election to be held in New Hampshire, where the leader was polling in the single digits. DeSantis was once seen as a strong contender for the nomination of the party - but on Sunday he announced that he did not "have a clear path to victory". Trump's last remaining challenger, Nikki Haley, said she was the "only one" who can defeat US President Joe Biden. Trump and Haley will face each other in New Hampshire's primary election on Tuesday (Jan 23). This will be the second in a series of state-by-state contests which are being conducted to select a Republican nominee for the general election scheduled in November. DeSantis, in a five-minute long video posted on social media platform X on Sunday, said that his campaign had "left it all out on the field". "If there was anything I could do to produce a favourable outcome - more campaign stops, more interviews - I would do it," he said while announcing the end of his seven-month campaign. Also read: Donald Trump Vs Michelle Obama in 2024 US elections? Reports say former first lady could replace Joe Biden The Florida governor said that he is now endorsing Trump who has emerged as a clear frontrunner after garnering 51 per cent of the vote and marking a major victory in the first contest held in Iowa. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill pic.twitter.com/ECoR8YeiMm — Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 21, 2024 × DeSantis said it can be clearly seen that a majority of Republican voters "want to give Donald Trump another chance". He accepted "disagreements" with the former president, but added that Trump was "superior" to Biden, who is most likely to be the Democratic nominee in November's general election. "I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honour that pledge," said DeSantis. Trump receives loud cheers after DeSantis's withdrawal After DeSantis withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Trump on Sunday afternoon (Jan 21), Trump was greeted with loud cheers. Later, while addressing the people at a rally, Trump said that his former opponent Desantis was a "really terrific person", and added, "He ran a really good campaign, it's not easy." DeSantis had earlier presented himself as the Republican candidate who could deliver the populist agenda of Trump without any baggage or drama. Watch: US Elections 2024: Now Nikki Haley to take on Donald Trump After the announcement was made by DeSantis, the Trump campaign appealed to all Republicans to rally in support of the US president, while criticising his former UN Ambassador as "the candidate of the globalists and Democrats who will do everything to stop the America First movement". DeSantis also took a jibe at Haley and called her a member of "the old Republican guard of yesteryear - a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism". Haley, who is a former South Carolina governor, in her response, insisted that she was the "only one" conservative candidate who can defeat Biden. "There's two people in this race. That's what we wanted all along, and we're going to keep going," she said while speaking to CNN in New Hampshire. (With inputs from agencies)

Ron DeSantis drops out of US presidential race, extends support to Trump

The players of the Spanish Women's national team have reiterated their boycott call despite being called up for the Nations League matches by new head coach Montse Tome. This comes after Jennifer Hermoso was excluded from the squad following the Luis Rubiales kiss scandal at the FIFA Women's World Cup last month.

Spain players reiterate boycott call despite national team call-up

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara on Sunday scored 91 off 83 balls in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai on Day four of the game.

The Saurashtra batter had scored a duck on Saturday in the first innings as the side got folded for 220.

Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were on Saturday also dropped from were dropped from the Test squad for the Sri Lanka series.

However, Pujara returned to form as he scored 91 off 83 balls on Sunday. His innings was studded with 16 fours and one six.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chetan-sharma-names-3-potential-captaincy-candidates-for-india-who-will-be-groomed-under-rohit-sharma-454782">Chetan Sharma names 3 potential captaincy candidates for India who will be groomed under Rohit Sharma</a>

Rahane too had returned to form earlier this week as he scored a ton against Saurashtra before Mumbai posted 544/7 in the first innings.

Meanwhile, Chetan Sharma, Chairman of, All India Senior-Selection Committee on Saturday said that batters Rahane and Pujara were informed in advance about them being dropped for two Test matches against Sri Lanka.

"The selection committee deliberated a lot on Rahane and Pujara. We told them we will not consider them against Sri Lanka but doors are open for them. We have told them to go and play Ranji Trophy," said Chetan Sharma during a virtual press conference.

"They have served the country for so long. They can come back, why not? It's like a graph...Rahane hit a hundred yesterday against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. This is a process of managing...Who wouldn't be happy if they come back?" he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virender-sehwag-reacts-as-wriddhiman-saha-shares-screenshots-of-disturbing-messages-from-a-journalist-454752">Virender Sehwag reacts as Wriddhiman Saha shares screenshots of disturbing messages from a 'journalist'</a>

Coming back to Ranji Trophy, the tournament is being held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15.

The post-IPL-phase would run from May 30 to June 26. The Ranji Trophy this season would see 64 matches being played across 62 days.

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara on Sunday scored 91 off 83 balls in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai on Day four of the game. The Saurashtra batter had scored a duck on Saturday in the first innings as the side got folded for 220.

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara on Sunday scored 91 off 83 balls in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai on Day four of the game. The Saurashtra batter had scored a duck on Saturday in the first innings as the side got folded for 220. Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were on Saturday also dropped from were dropped from the Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. However, Pujara returned to form as he scored 91 off 83 balls on Sunday. His innings was studded with 16 fours and one six. ALSO READ: Chetan Sharma names 3 potential captaincy candidates for India who will be groomed under Rohit Sharma Rahane too had returned to form earlier this week as he scored a ton against Saurashtra before Mumbai posted 544/7 in the first innings. Meanwhile, Chetan Sharma, Chairman of, All India Senior-Selection Committee on Saturday said that batters Rahane and Pujara were informed in advance about them being dropped for two Test matches against Sri Lanka. "The selection committee deliberated a lot on Rahane and Pujara. We told them we will not consider them against Sri Lanka but doors are open for them. We have told them to go and play Ranji Trophy," said Chetan Sharma during a virtual press conference. "They have served the country for so long. They can come back, why not? It's like a graph...Rahane hit a hundred yesterday against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. This is a process of managing...Who wouldn't be happy if they come back?" he added. ALSO READ: Virender Sehwag reacts as Wriddhiman Saha shares screenshots of disturbing messages from a 'journalist' Coming back to Ranji Trophy, the tournament is being held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15. The post-IPL-phase would run from May 30 to June 26. The Ranji Trophy this season would see 64 matches being played across 62 days.

Day after being dropped from Test squad, Cheteshwar Pujara scores 91 against Mumbai in Ranji Trophy

A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday that a helicopter dropped containers of toxic&nbsp;gas&nbsp;overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. 
 
The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons. 
 
A spokesman for the Syria Civil Defence said 33 people, mostly women and children, were affected by the&nbsp;gas, which they suspect was chlorine, in Saraqeb, in rebel-held Idlib province. 
 
The group, which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers, posted a video on YouTube apparently showing a number of men struggling to breathe and being given oxygen masks by people in civil defence uniforms. 
 
&quot;Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic&nbsp;gasses. The Syrian Civil Defence was not able to determine the type of the&nbsp;gas,&quot; said the spokesman. 
 
The Syrian government and its Russian allies were not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;The SNC said in a statement: &quot;After shelling, besieging and killing civilians and perpetrating war crimes on them, the Assad regime has resorted once again, and in breach of UN resolutions 2118 and 2235, to using chemical substances and toxic&nbsp;gasses.&nbsp;The daily reality confirms that all the international agreements and previous security council decisions, be they about chemical weapons or otherwise, are meaningless for the Assad regime.&quot; 
 
The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic&nbsp;gas. The group was aware of around nine suspected chlorine&nbsp;gas&nbsp;incidents across Idlib province since the conflict began, he said.&nbsp;Monitors at the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war, said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday, wounding a large number of citizens. 
 
Russia&#39;s defence ministry said a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb during the day on Monday, killing all five people on board, in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. 
 
 
Denials 
 
The helicopter came down roughly mid-way between Aleppo and Russia&#39;s main air base at Khmeimim in the western province of Latakia, near the Mediterranean coast. 
 
Russian air power began supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad late last year, an intervention which tipped the balance of the war in Assad&#39;s favour, eroding gains the rebels had made that year.&nbsp;The Russian defence ministry said the Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo as it made its way back to Khmeimim.&nbsp;No group has claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter. 
 
Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison&nbsp;gas. 
 
UN&nbsp;investigators established that sarin&nbsp;gas&nbsp;was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack, which it estimates killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility, and blamed rebels. 
 
Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the state&#39;s declared stockpile of chemical weapons, a process completed in January 2016. 
 
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulphur mustard, commonly known as mustard&nbsp;gas, had been used for the first time in the conflict, without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it. 
 
(Reuters)

The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic gas

A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday that a helicopter dropped containers of toxic gas overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons. A spokesman for the Syria Civil Defence said 33 people, mostly women and children, were affected by the gas, which they suspect was chlorine, in Saraqeb, in rebel-held Idlib province. The group, which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers, posted a video on YouTube apparently showing a number of men struggling to breathe and being given oxygen masks by people in civil defence uniforms. "Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic gasses. The Syrian Civil Defence was not able to determine the type of the gas," said the spokesman. The Syrian government and its Russian allies were not immediately available for comment. The SNC said in a statement: "After shelling, besieging and killing civilians and perpetrating war crimes on them, the Assad regime has resorted once again, and in breach of UN resolutions 2118 and 2235, to using chemical substances and toxic gasses. The daily reality confirms that all the international agreements and previous security council decisions, be they about chemical weapons or otherwise, are meaningless for the Assad regime." The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic gas. The group was aware of around nine suspected chlorine gas incidents across Idlib province since the conflict began, he said. Monitors at the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war, said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday, wounding a large number of citizens. Russia's defence ministry said a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb during the day on Monday, killing all five people on board, in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. Denials The helicopter came down roughly mid-way between Aleppo and Russia's main air base at Khmeimim in the western province of Latakia, near the Mediterranean coast. Russian air power began supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad late last year, an intervention which tipped the balance of the war in Assad's favour, eroding gains the rebels had made that year. The Russian defence ministry said the Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo as it made its way back to Khmeimim. No group has claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter. Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison gas. UN investigators established that sarin gas was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack, which it estimates killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility, and blamed rebels. Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the state's declared stockpile of chemical weapons, a process completed in January 2016. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulphur mustard, commonly known as mustard gas, had been used for the first time in the conflict, without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it. (Reuters)

Rescuers say toxic gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian helicopter was shot down

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