KARAH RUCKER: COMING UP – PRESIDENT BIDEN TRAVELS TO IRELAND TODAY – CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF AN AGREEMENT THAT ENDED DECADES OF TURMOIL IN THE COUNTRY. AND ALSO TAKING A FEW DAYS TO EXPLORE HIS OWN IRISH HERITAGE.

AND – A WARNING FROM THE FBI ON USING PHONE CHARGING STATIONS IN PUBLIC. TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY HACKERS COULD BE STEALING YOUR DATA WHEN YOU PLUG IN YOUR DEVICE.

THE DAILY RUNDOWN STARTS NOW. THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS. BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS. I’M KARAH RUCKER.

PRESIDENT BIDEN VISITS IRELAND

PRESIDENT BIDEN ARRIVED IN NORTHERN IRELAND OVERNIGHT – THE TRIP MARKS 25 YEARS SINCE THE U.S. HELPED BROKER A PEACE DEAL – THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT – THAT BROUGHT AN END TO MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF VIOLENCE IN IRELAND.

TODAY THE PRESIDENT WILL BE IN NORTHERN IRELAND – WHICH IS PART OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE PEACE AGREEMENT CELEBRATION COMES AT A TIME THE AREA IS SEEING UNREST.

HOURS AHEAD OF THE PRESIDENT’S VISIT…POLICE RECOVERED FOUR SUSPECTED PIPE BOMBS FROM A CEMETERY. AND IN RECENT DAYS ATTACKS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT ON THEIR POLICE.

BIDEN HAS ALREADY MET WITH UK’S PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK AND IS EXPECTED TO MEET WITH IRELAND’S PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER.

WHILE A PORTION OF THE TRIP WILL BE FOR DIPLOMACY – THE PRESIDENT WILL SPEND WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY ABROAD ALSO EXPLORING HIS ROOTS AS AN IRISH CATHOLIC PRESIDENT.

HIS SON HUNTER BIDEN ALONG WITH OTHER RELATIVES ARE ALSO TAKING PART IN THE PRESIDENT’S IRISH HERITAGE JOURNEY THIS WEEK.

BIDEN WILL VISIT TWO IRISH TOWNS CONNECTED TO HIS FAMILY HISTORY ON BOTH HIS MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S SIDE.

AHEAD OF THE TRIP, THE WHITE HOUSE DISTRIBUTED AN EXTENSIVE FAMILY GENEALOGY STRETCHING AS FAR BACK AS 1803.

FENTANYL WITH XYLAZINE THREAT TO U.S.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY – A SUBSTANCE HAS BEEN DECLARED AN “EMERGING THREAT” TO THE U.S.

TODAY – THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DECLARED THE POWERFUL SYNTHETIC OPIOID FENTANYL – COMBINED WITH XYLAZINE – AN ANIMAL TRANQUILIZER OFTEN FOUND IN ILLICIT DRUGS – IS THREATENING THE COUNTRY DUE TO ITS ROLE IN THE OPIOID CRISIS.

THE DRUG IS AN ANIMAL SEDATIVE BEING MIXED WITH FENTANYL AND FOUND IN ALMOST ALL 50 STATES. BY DECLARING THE DRUG “AN EMERGING THREAT” – IT INITIATES A NATIONAL RESPONSE PROCESS THAT MUST BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN 90 DAYS.

ACCORDING TO THE DEA – NEARLY A QUARTER OF ALL FENTANYL POWDER SEIZED CONTAINED XYLAZINE. XYLAZINE IS FDA APPROVED FOR USE AS A TRANQUILIZER IN VETERINARY MEDICINE.

OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN HAS A REPORT ON HOW CONGRESS IS LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED TO SLOW DOWN THE DEADLY IMPACT OF THE DRUG. YOU CAN FIND HIS STORY ON OUR WEBSITE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.

ARRESTS MADE IN MIGRANT CENTER FIRE

LAST MONTH WE REPORTED ON A DEADLY FIRE THAT BROKE OUT INSIDE A MIGRATION DETENTION CENTER IN MEXICO – NEAR EL PASO, TEXAS. NOW WE’RE LEARNING THE 40 MIGRANTS WHO DIED HAD NO CHANCE OF SURVIVING – THE PERSON WITH THE KEY TO THEIR LOCKED JAIL CELL WASN’T THERE WHEN THE FIRE BROKE OUT.

NOW – THE HEAD OF MEXICO’S IMMIGRATION AGENCY WILL FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES ALONG WITH OTHER STAFF FOR ONE OF MEXICO’S DEADLIEST MIGRANT TRAGEDIES. MEXICAN AUTHORITIES SAY THE FIRE INSIDE WAS STARTED BY MIGRANTS WHO SET FOAM MATTRESSES ON FIRE IN PROTEST OF THEIR DEPORTATION.

THE SUPERVISOR WASN’T ON THE PREMISES AND OTHER SURROUNDING STAFF WERE SEEN RUNNING FROM THE SCENE – AUTHORITIES SAY THEY DID NOT HAVE KEYS TO THE JAIL CELLS.

SO FAR FIVE PEOPLE LINKED TO THE INCIDENT HAVE BEEN ARRESTED. 

FBI WARNS AGAINST PUBLIC PHONE CHARGING

SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO CHARGE OUR PHONE BEFORE HAVING TO HEAD OUT THE DOOR. WHILE PHONE CHARGING STATIONS AROUND AIRPORTS, MALLS, HOTELS AND BUSINESSES ARE MEANT TO BE A CONVENIENCE FOR CUSTOMERS – IT COULD ALSO BE PUTTING YOUR DATA IN DANGER.

THE FBI IS WARNING OF PUBLIC CHARGING SPACES – SAYING HACKERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INFECT THEM WITH MALWARE. IF THEY’RE ABLE TO GET INTO YOUR DEVICE THEY COULD ACCESS YOUR PRIVATE MESSAGES, EMAILS AND OTHER DATA – BUT ALSO INSTALL TRACKING SOFTWARE ON YOUR DEVICE.

THE FBI SUGGESTS CARRYING YOUR OWN PORTABLE CHARGER WHEN YOU’RE IN PUBLIC SPACES.

UN INSTRUCTS AFGHAN WORKERS STAY HOME

THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS IT’S BEING FORCED TO INSTRUCT ALL OF ITS PERSONNEL IN AFGHANISTAN TO STAY AWAY FROM ITS OFFICES IN THE COUNTRY.

Stéphane Dujarric | UN Secretary-General Spokesperson: “UN national personnel – both women and men – have been instructed not to report to UN offices, with only limited and calibrated exceptions made for critical tasks, but they will be working from home and continue to be paid.”

THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS TRIGGERED BY THE TALIBAN – BANNING FEMALES FROM WORKING WITH THE ORGANIZATION. AFGHAN MEN WORKING FOR THE UN STAYING HOME LAST WEEK IN SOLIDARITY WITH THEIR FEMALE COLLEAGUES.

THE TALIBAN ANNOUNCED WOMEN WERE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO WORK FOR NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN DECEMBER AND ARE NOW ENFORCING THAT MEASURE WITH THE UN.

IT’S THE LATEST SETBACK FOR WOMEN IN THE COUNTRY FOLLOWING THE TALIBAN’S TAKEOVER IN 2021 WHEN THE U.S. PULLED OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.

SCHWARZENEGGER FILLS LA POTHOLE

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER IS REPORTING FOR DUTY! THE ACTOR AND FORMER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR HAS BEEN SPOTTED FILLING POTHOLES.

STILL SERVING HIS CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES – THIS TIME WITH A SHOVEL IN HAND.

THIS POTHOLE IN A LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN VISIBLE AND GROWING FOR WEEKS – RUINING CAR TIRES AND BIKES IN THE PROCESS. SO ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS. BUYING SOME BAGS OF CONCRETE AND FILLING THE POTHOLE HIMSELF.

CALIFORNIA WAS RAVAGED BY A STORMY WINTER SEASON – THE CONDITIONS TAKING A TOLL ON ROADS. LA RECEIVING 20 THOUSAND REQUESTS FOR POTHOLE REPAIRS FROM ITS RESIDENTS.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES. THANKS FOR WATCHING THE DAILY RUNDOWN. WE’RE ON A MISSION TO BRING BACK TRUSTWORTHY JOURNALISM BY SERVING ONLY YOU – NOT AN AGENDA. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR WORK AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW! UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!