With July Fourth less than a week away, U.S. airlines are already showing signs of a repeat of last summer's holiday travel nightmares. More than 2,200 flights were canceled on both Monday and Tuesday, and over 16,000 flights were delayed. As of 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, 1,661 U.S. flights were canceled and there were more than 24,621 delays. Severe weather is receiving the brunt of the blame, but the problems run much deeper, including staffing shortages for the airlines. 

SEE HOW AIR TRAVEL IS MAKING A POST-COVID COMEBACK

Former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney said the Republican Party will collapse if Donald Trump is nominated in 2024, exposing the division within the GOP over the ex-president's candidacy. The former congresswoman reiterated that she will not do "anything that could help Donald Trump," establishing her stance on not getting the business mogul re-elected. Cheney also pointed out that politicians on both sides should think of "what kinds of alliances are necessary to defeat him."

IS CHENEY CALLING FOR CUTTING A DEAL WITH DEMOCRATS?

Madonna is recovering after falling ill with a "serious bacterial infection" that landed her in an intensive care unit for several days. The 64-year-old pop icon's "Celebrations" tour, due to start July 15 in Vancouver, Canada, was postponed until further notice. The global, nearly sold-out tour was billed as paying homage to her more than four-decade long career. Stops in the US were to include Detroit, Chicago, Miami and New York, the city where her storied rise to superstardom began.

WILL MADONNA RECOVER IN TIME TO RESCHEDULE TOUR?

Who broke Madonna's record for the most No. 1 hits by a female artist?

Wednesday's answer: Herbert Simon and Allen Newell developed the Logic Theorist, the first artificial intelligence program, in 1955.