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The Morning Rundown™

Israel withdraws troops from Gaza’s largest hospital after two-week operation


Israel withdraws its troops from Gaza’s largest hospital after a two-week military operation. And AT&T has a warning for millions of current and past customers after data was found on the dark web. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, April 1, 2024.

Israel withdraws troops from Gaza’s largest hospital

After 14 days, the Israel Defense Forces said its troops had withdrawn Monday, April 1, from the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, ending its second military operation at the territory’s largest medical facility. Video from the scene showed buildings destroyed in the area. 

The IDF said it had exited the hospital after completing “precise operation activity in the area” and has exited the hospital.”

“The troops killed terrorists in close-quarters encounters, located numerous weapons and intelligence documents throughout the hospital, while preventing harm to civilians, patients and medical teams,” the IDF statement read.

A Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson told CNN the facility has been “completely destroyed and burned down,” adding “injured and burned bodies fill the hospital grounds.”

The withdrawal comes after Israel targeted the area outside another medical facility, Al-Aqsa in central Gaza, on Sunday, with hospital officials there saying two people were killed by the drone strike. Israeli officials said it struck terrorists that were operating from that hospital’s courtyard.

In Israel, anti-government protesters took to the streets on Sunday, demonstrating outside the country’s parliament in Jerusalem. They called for the release of hostages and the removal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu underwent surgery for a hernia on Sunday. Hospital officials said the surgery was successful. 

Pope calls for end of conflicts in Easter message

In his Easter message on Sunday, Pope Francis hoped for an end to conflicts across the world, appealing for peace in Israel, Gaza and Ukraine.

Francis spoke in front of tens of thousands of worshipers at the Vatican, calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the release of all hostages and prisoners of war.

Following Sunday’s mass, the pontiff toured St. Peter’s Square in his vehicle before delivering his annual Easter message.

The Vatican has said the 87-year-old pope has been battling the flu all winter leading him to skip the Way of the Cross procession on Good Friday to “preserve his health.”

Work continues to remove wreckage after bridge collapse

The Captain of the Port of Baltimore is preparing to establish a temporary alternate channel to allow commercially essential vessels to travel around the area of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Over the weekend crews removed a 200-ton piece of the bridge that plunged into the water after being struck by a cargo ship last week.

However, that’s just the start of the cleanup operation.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore said tons of the wreckage of the Key Bridge still needs to be cleared, as this will allow crews to continue searching for the missing four victims and to continue work to reopen the port.  

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg told ABC News on Sunday there is no timeline for reopening the main channel or rebuilding the bridge.

“The Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy are working on it. They have not wanted to speculate yet on a timeline because the operation is so complex. It’s not that you just have to remove the wreckage, it’s that you have to do it in a way that doesn’t cause portions of the bridge that are there across the water to shift,” Buttigieg said. “They’ve been under a lot of compression, tension; they could behave almost like a spring if they are not expertly managed.”

Buttigieg added crews are also working to prevent the 213-million-pound cargo ship from swinging into the channel.  

AT&T alerts millions of customers of data breach

Millions of AT&T customers were alerted over the weekend of a breach that resulted in their data, including social security numbers and passcodes, being released on the “dark web.” AT&T said it reset passcodes belonging to the affected 7.6 million current customers.

Approximately 65.4 million former account holders were also impacted by this breach, the company said.

AT&T released a notice on Saturday saying the compromised data appears to be from 2019 or earlier and does not contain any personal financial information. The company is investigating the breach with cybersecurity experts.

It is not yet known if the customer data originated from AT&T or one of its vendors.

$20 an hour minimum wage begins for Calif. fast-food workers

Starting Monday, April 1, half a million workers in California will see their pay increase as the state’s new minimum wage for fast-food employees takes effect.

Workers at places like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Starbucks will start making a minimum wage of $20 an hour. That’s a 25-percent raise for many.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the “Fast Act” back in September, which requires fast-food chains with 60 or more locations around the country to pay this new minimum wage.

Fast-food chains like Chipotle, McDonald’s, and Jack in the Box have warned prices could increase to offset these higher wages. Other changes fast-food restaurants are said to be taking include increasing automation and cutting workers’ hours.

Men’s NCAA Tournament Final Four is set

The Final Four four is set in the men’s NCAA tournament and it wouldn’t be March Madness without a few more shockers.

Eleventh-seeded North Carolina State continues its run to the national championship by upsetting No. 4-seeded Duke Sunday, March 31, 76-64, making it to the Final Four for the first time since 1983.

NC State will meet No.1 seed Purdue after the Boilermakers took down Tennessee 72-66 earlier in the day.

Another No. 1 seed UConn, looking for back-to-back championships, defeated Illinois 77-52 on Saturday — a win which included the Huskies scoring 30 unanswered points.

Alabama’s 89-82 victory over Clemson secured the Crimson Tide’s place in the Final Four for the first time in school history.

The women’s Final Four will be finalized after today’s games.

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[ANCHOR]

ISRAEL WITHDRAWS ITS TROOPS FROM GAZA’S LARGEST HOSPITAL AFTER A TWO-WEEK MILITARY OPERATION.

AND — AT&T HAS A WARNING FOR MILLIONS OF CURRENT AND PAST CUSTOMERS — AFTER DATA WAS FOUND ON THE DARK WEB.

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS MONDAY, APRIL 1ST.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

AFTER FOURTEEN DAYS – THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SAYS — ITS TROOPS HAVE WITHDRAWN TODAY FROM THE AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL IN GAZA CITY  – ENDING ITS SECOND MILITARY OPERATION AT THE TERRITORY’S LARGEST MEDICAL FACILITY.  

VIDEO FROM THE SCENE SHOWS BUILDINGS DESTROYED IN THE AREA. 

IN A STATEMENT – THE IDF SAID IT HAS COMPLETED “PRECISE OPERATION ACTIVITY IN THE AREA” AND HAS “EXITED THE HOSPITAL.”

ADDING QUOTE:

“THE TROOPS KILLED TERRORISTS IN CLOSE-QUARTERS ENCOUNTERS, LOCATED NUMEROUS WEAPONS AND INTELLIGENCE DOCUMENTS THROUGHOUT THE HOSPITAL, WHILE PREVENTING HARM TO CIVILIANS, PATIENTS AND MEDICAL TEAMS.”

A GAZA CIVIL DEFENSE SPOKESPERSON SAID THE FACILITY HAS BEEN “COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND BURNED DOWN” —

SAYING “INJURED AND BURNED BODIES FILL THE HOSPITAL GROUNDS.”

THE WITHDRAWAL COMES AFTER ISRAEL TARGETED THE AREA OUTSIDE ANOTHER MEDICAL FACILITY IN CENTRAL GAZA ON SUNDAY— WITH HOSPITAL OFFICIALS THERE SAYING TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY THE DRONE STRIKE.

ISRAEL OFFICIALS SAID — IT STRUCK TERRORISTS THAT WERE OPERATING FROM THAT HOSPITAL’S COURTYARD.

IN ISRAEL – ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS TOOK THE STREETS ON SUNDAY – DEMONSTRATING OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY’S PARLIAMENT IN JERUSALEM — CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF HOSTAGES AND THE REMOVAL OF BENJAMIN NETANYAHU.

THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER UNDERWENT SURGERY FOR A HERNIA ON SUNDAY. HOSPITAL OFFICIALS SAID THE SURGERY WAS SUCCESSFUL.

IN HIS EASTER MESSAGE ON SUNDAY – POPE FRANCIS HOPED FOR AN END TO CONFLICTS ACROSS THE WORLD – APPEALING FOR PEACE IN ISRAEL, GAZA AND UKRAINE.
FRANCIS SPOKE IN FRONT OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPERS AT THE VATICAN —
CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA AND THE RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS OF WAR.
FOLLOWING SUNDAY’S MASS – THE PONTIFF TOURED ST. PETER’S SQUARE IN HIS VEHICLE — BEFORE DELIVERING HIS ANNUAL EASTER MESSAGE.
THE VATICAN SAID THE 87-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN BATTLING THE FLU ALL WINTER – LEADING HIM TO SKIP THE WAY OF THE CROSS PROCESSION ON GOOD FRIDAY TO “PRESERVE HIS HEALTH.”

THE CAPTAIN OF THE PORT OF BALTIMORE IS PREPARING TO ESTABLISH A TEMPORARY ALTERNATE CHANNEL IN THE PORT OF BALTIMORE TO ALLOW COMMERCIALLY ESSENTIAL VESSELS TO TRAVEL AROUND THE AREA OF THE COLLAPSED FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE.

OVER THE WEEKEND CREWS REMOVED A 200-TON PIECE OF THE BRIDGE THAT PLUNGED INTO THE WATER —

AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A CARGO SHIP LAST WEEK.

HOWEVER – THAT’S JUST THE START OF THE CLEANUP OPERATION.

MARYLAND GOVERNOR WES MOORE SAID TONS OF THE WRECKAGE OF THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE STILL NEEDS TO BE CLEARED –

AS THIS WILL ALLOW CREWS TO CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR THE MISSING FOUR VICTIMS — AND TO CONTINUE WORK TO REOPEN THE PORT.  

SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION PETE BUTTIGIEG TELLING ABC NEWS THERE IS NO TIMELINE FOR REOPENING THE MAIN CHANNEL OR REBUILDING THE BRIDGE.

“THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE NAVY ARE WORKING ON IT. THEY HAVE NOT WANTED TO SPECULATE YET ON A TIMELINE BECAUSE THE OPERATION IS SO COMPLEX. IT’S NOT THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO REMOVE THE WRECKAGE, IT’S THAT YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT DOESN’T CAUSE PORTIONS OF THE BRIDGE THAT ARE THERE ACROSS THE WATER TO SHIFT. THEY’VE BEEN UNDER A LOT OF COMPRESSION, TENSION; THEY COULD BEHAVE ALMOST LIKE A SPRING IF THEY ARE NOT EXPERTLY MANAGED.”

BUTTIGEIG ADDING CREWS ARE ALSO WORKING TO PREVENT THE 213-MILLION-POUND CARGO SHIP FROM SWINGING INTO THE CHANNEL.  

MILLIONS OF A-T-AND-T CUSTOMERS WERE ALERTED OVER THE WEEKEND —

OF A BREACH THAT RESULTED IN THEIR DATA INCLUDING SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS AND PASSCODES BEING RELEASED ON THE “DARK WEB.”

A-T-AND-T RESETTING PASSCODES BELONGING TO THE AFFECTED SEVEN POINT SIX MILLION CURRENT CUSTOMERS.

65-POINT-4 MILLION FORMER ACCOUNT HOLDERS WERE ALSO IMPACTED.

THE COMPANY RELEASING A NOTICE ON SATURDAY – SAYING THE COMPROMISED DATA APPEARS TO BE FROM 2019 OR EARLIER AND DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY PERSONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

A-T-AND-T SAYS IT IS INVESTIGATING THE BREACH WITH CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS.

IT IS NOT YET KNOWN IF THE CUSTOMER DATA ORIGINATED FROM A-T-AND-T OR ONE OF ITS VENDORS.

STARTING TODAY – HALF A MILLION WORKERS IN CALIFORNIA WILL SEE THEIR PAY INCREASE – AS THE STATE’S NEW MINIMUM WAGE FOR FAST-FOOD EMPLOYEES TAKES EFFECT.

WORKERS AT PLACES LIKE MCDONALD’S, PIZZA HUT, AND STARBUCKS WILL START MAKING A MINIMUM WAGE OF TWENTY DOLLAR AN HOUR –

A 25-PERCENT RAISE FOR MANY.

GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNED THE “FAST ACT” BACK IN SEPTEMBER – WHICH REQUIRES FAST FOOD CHAINS WITH SIXTY OR MORE LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO PAY THIS NEW MINIMUM WAGE.

FAST-FOOD CHAINS LIKE CHIPOTLE, MCDONALD’S, AND JACK IN THE BOX HAVE WARNED PRICES COULD INCREASE TO OFFSET THESE HIGHER WAGES.

OTHER CHANGES THESE RESTAURANTS ARE SAID TO BE TAKING — INCREASING AUTOMATION AND CUTTING WORKERS’ HOURS.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – THE FINAL FOUR IS SET IN THE MEN’S NC-DOUBLE-A TOURNAMENT AND IT WOULDN’T BE MARCH MADNESS WITHOUT A FEW MORE SHOCKERS.

ELEVENTH-SEEDED NORTH CAROLINA STATE CONTINUES ITS RUN TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BY UPSETTING NUMBER 4-SEEDED DUKE SUNDAY 76 TO 64 – MAKING IT TO THE FINAL FOUR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1983.

NC STATE WILL MEET NUMBER-ONE SEED PURDUE – AFTER THE BOILERMAKERS TOOK DOWN TENNESSEE 72-66 EARLIER IN THE DAY.

ANOTHER NUMBER ONE SEED – UCONN LOOKING FOR BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS DEFEATED ILLINOIS 77-52 ON SATURDAY – A WIN WHICH INCLUDED THE HUSKIES SCORING 30 UNANSWERED POINTS.

AND ALABAMA’S 89-82 VICTORY OVER CLEMSON SECURES THE CRIMSON TIDE’S PLACE IN THE FINAL FOUR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY.

THE WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR WILL BE FINALIZED AFTER TODAY’S GAMES.

[ANCHOR]

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.

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

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M LAUREN TAYLOR. HAVE A GREAT DAY!