WITH THE CEASE-FIRE NO MORE — ISRAEL SAYS IT’S EXPANDING ITS GROUND OPERATIONS TO ALL OF GAZA  AND — PLANS OF THE NEXT MERGER IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 4TH

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

JUST DAYS AFTER THE TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS ENDED – ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SAID SUNDAY IT WAS EXPANDING ITS GROUND OPERATIONS TO ALL OF GAZA.

THE IDF SAID THE OFFENSIVE IN SOUTHERN GAZA WOULD BE “NO LESS POWERFUL THAN” THOSE IN THE NORTH.

ISRAEL EXPANDED ITS EVACUATION ORDERS ON SUNDAY – WITH REPORTS SAYING THE IDF DROPPED LEAFLETS IN COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN GAZA – WARNING NEIGHBORHOODS OF A HEAVY ATTACK.

ON SUNDAY NIGHT – AN ISRAEL MILITARY SPOKESMAN SAID THE COUNTRY “CONTINUES AND EXPANDS ITS GROUND OPERATIONS AGAINST HAMAS-STRONGHOLDS ALL ACROSS THE GAZA STRIP.”

THE ISRAELI MILITARY SAID THIS MORNING ITS AIRSTRIKES HIT ABOUT 200 HAMAS TARGETS IN GAZA OVERNIGHT – INCLUDING A SCHOOL IN NORTHERN GAZA IT SAID CONTAINED “TERROR INFRASTRUCTURE.”

SPEAKING TO ABC NEWS ON SUNDAY – NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY SAID THE U.S. IS STILL WORKING TO GET CEASE-FIRE DISCUSSIONS BACK ON THE TABLE TO FREE THE APPROXIMATE 140 HOSTAGES THAT REMAIN IN GAZA – INCLUDING 8 AMERICANS.

KIRBY ALSO SAID ISRAEL HAS BEEN “RECEPTIVE” TO THE U.S.’S MESSAGE TO MINIMIZE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

ON SUNDAY, THREE COMMERCIAL SHIPS WITH TIES TO FOURTEEN NATIONS WERE ATTACKED BY YEMEN’S HOUTHI REBELS IN THE RED SEA, ACCORDING TO A U-S CENTRAL COMMAND REPORT.

HOUTHI REBELS – BACKED BY IRAN – REPORTEDLY FIRED BALLISTIC MISSILES AT THE THREE SHIPS OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT EIGHT HOURS.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT A U-S WARSHIP ALSO SHOT DOWN THREE DRONES IN SELF-DEFENSE, THOUGH IT WAS NOT CLEAR IF THE WARSHIP WAS THE TARGET OF ANY SPECIFIC ATTACKS.

MINOR DAMAGE WAS REPORTED AS A RESULT OF THE HOURSLONG ASSAULT.

IN A STATEMENT — THE U-S MILITARY  CALLED THESE ATTACKS A DIRECT THREAT TO INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE AND MARITIME SECURITY. QUOTE:

“WE ALSO HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THESE ATTACKS, WHILE LAUNCHED BY THE HOUTHIS IN YEMEN, ARE FULLY ENABLED BY IRAN. THE UNITED STATES WILL CONSIDER ALL APPROPRIATE RESPONSES IN FULL COORDINATION WITH ITS INTERNATIONAL ALLIES AND PARTNERS.”

THE BODIES OF FIVE U-S MILITARY CREW MEMBERS HAVE BEEN RECOVERED IN THE WRECKAGE OF THE OSPREY (OS-PREE)  AIRCRAFT THAT CRASHED OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN LAST WEEK — ACCORDING TO LOCAL REPORTS.

THE OSPREY CRASHED DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT LAST WEDNESDAY AFTER REQUESTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE ISLAND OF YAKUSHIMA (YA-KOO-SHEE-MA).

INITIALLY THE REMAINS OF ONE OF THE EIGHT U-S MILITARY MEMBERS ON BOARD WAS RECOVERED.

THE AIR FORCE CONFIRMED THE IDENTITY OF THE VICTIM AS 24-YEAR-OLD STAFF SERGEANT JACOB GALLIHER (GAL-LI-HER) FROM MASSACHUSETTS.

ON MONDAY, THE U-S MILITARY – ALONG WITH DIVERS FROM THE JAPANESE NAVY — RECOVERED THE ADDITIONAL  VICTIMS AMID WRECKAGE BELIEVED TO BE THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

JAPAN’S MILITARY HAS TEMPORARILY GROUNDED ITS FLEET OF OSPREYS DUE TO THE CRASH AND HAS  ASKED THE U-S MILITARY TO HALT OSPREY FLIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY UNTIL SAFETY INSPECTIONS CAN BE CONDUCTED.

THE U-S MILITARY CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH.

ANOTHER AIRLINE MERGER WAS ANNOUNCED OVER THE WEEKEND –

ALASKA AIRLINES SAID SUNDAY IT PLANS TO BUY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES FOR ONE POINT NINE BILLION DOLLARS.

ALASKA — THE FIFTH LARGEST U.S. CARRIER — WOULD KEEP BOTH BRANDS.

OFFICIALS WITH ALASKA AND HAWAIIAN AIRLINES SAID THE DEAL WOULD COMBINE TWO CARRIERS WITH FEW OVERLAPPING ROUTES.

THEY SAID THE COMBINED ORGANIZATION WOULD PROVIDE SERVICE TO 138 DESTINATIONS – INCLUDING NONSTOP SERVICE TO 29 INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS.

THE COMPANIES SAID THE PLAN WOULD  ALSO ADD MORE TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES TO AND FROM HAWAII.

THE DEAL STILL HAS TO BE APPROVED BY HAWAIIAN AIRLINE INVESTORS – AND U.S. REGULATORS – WHICH COULD BE AN ISSUE.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO BLOCK JETBLUE’S PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF SPIRIT AIRLINES.

DRIVERS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN DETROIT SEARCHING FOR THE NEXT STATION TO CHARGE THEIR CAR NOW HAVE ANOTHER OPTION –

THE FIRST WIRELESS-CHARGING PUBLIC ROAD IN AMERICA.

FOR A FEW DAYS NOW – DRIVERS OF CERTAIN EVS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHARGE THEIR CARS ON THE NEWLY PAVED 14TH STREET IN THE MOTOR CITY.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS —

RUBBER-COATED “COPPER INDUCTIVE CHARGING COILS” INSTALLED IN THE QUARTER-MILE STRETCH OF THE ROADWAY ALLOW EVS THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH RECEIVERS TO CHARGE — WHILE DRIVING, IDLING OR PARKING.

THE TECHNOLOGY WAS DEVELOPED BY ISRAEL-BASED COMPANY ELECTREON. (ELECT-TREE-ON)

THE COMPANY – WHICH HAS SIMILAR PROJECTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING SWEDEN, GERMANY, ITALY AND NORWAY – SAID THE ROADWAY IS SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS.

STATE OFFICIALS SAID THE COST FOR THE PROJECT IS APPROXIMATELY 6 MILLION DOLLARS.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – FOR ONE DAY – IT WASN’T POLITICIANS GETTING THE ATTENTION IN WASHINGTON D.C.

BUT A GROUP OF CELEBRITIES – WHO WERE HONORED FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE ARTS.

SINGER DIONNE WARWICK – COMEDIAN BILLY CRYSTAL – BEE GEES MEMBER BARRY GIBB – RAPPER AND ACTRESS QUEEN LATIFAH – AND OPERA SINGER RENEE FLEMING MADE UP THIS YEAR’S KENNEDY CENTER HONOREES.

SPEAKING AT A WHITE HOUSE RECEPTION BEFORE SUNDAY EVENING’S EVENT – PRESIDENT BIDEN WELCOMED THE GROUP.

A SLEW OF GUESTS FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY APPEARED ON STAGE TO HONOR THE STARS – INCLUDING ACTORS MEG RYAN, ROBERT DENIRO, AND KERRY WASHINGTON, COUNTRY GROUP LITTLE BIG TOWN AND RAPPER MISSY ELLIOT.

THE EVENT WAS HOSTED BY 2017 HONOREE SINGER GLORIA ESTAFAN.

IT WILL AIR ON CBS ON DECEMBER 27TH.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.

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JUST GO TO SAN DOT COM SLASH RUNDOWN TO SIGN UP.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!