KARAH RUCKER: COMING UP — A NEW ROUND OF QUESTIONING ON CAPITOL HILL DIRECTED AT THE RAIL COMPANY INVOLVED IN OHIO’S TOXIC TRAIN DERAILMENT —

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TODAY’S HEARING. AND THE F-T-C HAS A NEW WARNING.

HOW SCAMMERS ARE NOW USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN A METHODICAL SCHEME TO STEAL FROM YOU. THE DAILY RUNDOWN STARTS RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS. BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CEO TO TESTIFY

NEW THIS MORNING – LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL ARE TAKING FURTHER STEPS TO BOOST RAIL SAFETY AND HOLD NORFOLK SOUTHERN ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DERAILMENT IN OHIO INVOLVING THEIR TRAIN.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN CEO ALAN SHAW IS RETURNING TO CAPITOL HILL – FACING A FRESH ROUND OF QUESTIONING FROM THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE – AFTER TESTIFYING EARLIER THIS MONTH AND APOLOGIZING ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY.

ACCORDING TO PREPARED REMARKS – SHAW WILL GIVE UPDATED FIGURES ON CLEAN-UP EFFORTS AND SHOW SUPPORT FOR SOME RAIL SAFETY REGULATIONS ON THE INDUSTRY. 

LAST WEEK, OHIO’S ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCED HE IS SUING NORFOLK SOUTHERN TO FORCE IT TO PAY FOR GROUNDWATER AND SOIL MONITORING NEAR THE TRAIN WRECKAGE SITE FOR YEARS TO COME. AS WELL AS TO COVER ECONOMIC LOSSES IN THE SMALL TOWN COMMUNITY.

Dave Yost | Ohio Attorney General: “This derailment was entirely avoidable and I’m concerned that Norfolk and Southern may be putting profits for their own company over the health and safety over the cities and communities they operate in.”

XI, PUTIN DISPLAY ALLIANCE DURING VISIT

CHINESE LEADER XI JINPING PAID A VISIT TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN IN MOSCOW. ON DISPLAY WAS A UNITED FRONT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES – OFFERING A JOINT STATEMENT ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE. CHINA’S LEADER SAID HE SUPPORTS PEACE AND IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AS HE STOOD NEXT TO PUTIN.

THE TWO CALLED EACH OTHER “DEAR FRIENDS” – AND PRESENTED THEMSELVES AS A TWIN COUNTERWEIGHT TO U.S. INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD.  

XI IS STICKING TO HIS PLAN TO ACT AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES TO END THE WAR. SOMETHING THE U.S. CONTINUES TO DOUBT.

John Kirby | White House National Security Council spokesperson: “I don’t think you can reasonably look at China as impartial in any way. They haven’t condemned this invasion. They haven’t stopped buying Russian oil and Russian energy. President Xi saw fit to fly all the way to Moscow, hasn’t talked once to president Zelenskyy.”

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY HAS REPORTEDLY ASKED THE CHINESE LEADER TO NOW VISIT UKRAINE.

NEW REPORT DETAILS DRUG SHORTAGE

CHILDREN’S MEDICATION, ANTIBIOTICS AND TREATMENT FOR ADHD ARE AMONG A NUMBER OF DRUGS THAT HAVE BEEN IN SHORT SUPPLY IN RECENT MONTHS — AND THESE SHORTAGES OF CRITICAL MEDICATIONS ARE ONLY RISING, ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT RELEASED TODAY.

FROM 2021 TO 2022, NEW DRUG SHORTAGES INCREASED BY NEARLY 30%. THERE HAVE BEEN 295 INDIVIDUAL DRUGS AFFECTED BY THE SHORTAGE SINCE THE END OF 2022.

SENATE DEMOCRATS ON A SELECT COMMITTEE INTRODUCED THE REPORT AND WILL HOLD A HEARING TODAY HIGHLIGHTING ITS FINDINGS.

THE CHAIRMAN GARY PETERS OF MICHIGAN SAID NOT ONLY IS IT HINDERING HOSPITALS ABILITIES TO CARE FOR PATIENTS – BUT IT POSES A “NATIONAL SECURITY RISK”. PETERS SAID THE U.S. IS TOO RELIANT ON CHINA AND INDIA AS SUPPLIERS – WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS RISKY.

THE REPORT ALSO DESCRIBED THE EFFECTS OF A DRUG SHORTAGE – INCLUDING DELAYS IN TREATMENTS AND DOCTORS RESORTING TO SUBSTITUTING OUT MEDICATIONS. 

CALIFORNIA’S 12TH ATMOSPHERIC RIVER

Jason Hoppin | Santa Cruz County Public Information Officer: “That’s what we’re mainly concerned about because we have saturated ground throughout the county, and so when we see these wind picks up, it knocks over trees. That takes out roads. And when the trees go down, that takes out wires and that causes a power outage.”

IT’S A STORY THAT HASN’T LEFT THE HEADLINES. CALIFORNIA ONCE AGAIN GETTING BATTERED BY AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER – THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING SHOWING LITTLE CHANGE FROM AN EXTRAORDINARY WINTER.

CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAVE BEEN HIT HARDEST IN THIS LATEST SYSTEM – HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS LOST POWER – WINDS WERE RECORDED AS HIGH AS 80 MILES PER HOUR IS MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES.

THE STORMS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE HELPED TO REPLENISH RESERVOIRS AND EASE THE STATES DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

SCAMMERS USE AI IN NEW TACTIC

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAN BE USED FOR THE GREATER GOOD – LIKE THE STORY WE SHARED YESTERDAY – USING A-I AS A RESEARCH TOOL TO FIND A CANCER CURE

BUT IT CAN ALSO BE MISUSED.

THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IS WARNING SCAMMERS ARE NOW USING A-I “VOICE CLONING” TOOLS TO THEIR BENEFIT.

THE FTC SAYS IF YOU RECEIVE A PHONE CALL FROM AN “UNKNOWN” NUMBER – LET THE CALLER SPEAK FIRST. APPARENTLY THESE SCAMMERS ARE RECORDING SNIPPETS OF YOUR VOICE – AND LATER USING IT TO IMPERSONATE YOU.

THE TECHNOLOGY CAN ACCURATELY CONVERT WRITTEN SENTENCES INTO CONVINCING AUDIO THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU. ONCE THEY’VE GOT YOUR VOICE – THEY CAN CALL PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU. PRETEND THEY’RE YOU. THEN PRETEND TO BE IN SOME SORT OF TROUBLE AND NEED CASH FAST. ACCORDING TO THE FTC – SCAMMERS ONLY NEED THREE SECONDS OF YOUR VOICE TO CONVERT INTO A CONVINCING SCAM TACTIC.

SCAMMERS ARE DOING QUITE WELL AT THEIR JOBS TOO. LAST YEAR –  THEY DUPED AMERICANS OUT OF A RECORD 10 BILLION DOLLARS. WE BREAK DOWN WHAT SCAMS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IN A FULL REPORT YOU CAN FIND ON STRAIGHTARROWNEWS.COM.

DOLLAR TREE TO STOP SELLING EGGS

THE DOLLAR TREE IS TAKING EGGS OFF ITS SHELVES IN THE FACE OF “EGG-FLATION.”

YOUR AVERAGE EGG PRICE HAS INCREASED BY AS MUCH AS 60 PERCENT YEAR-OVER-YEAR – ACCORDING TO REUTERS THE COMPANY CAN’T MAKE A PROFIT OVER CURRENT COSTS TO SELL THEM. SO THEY’RE NO LONGER BEING SOLD IN STORES UNTIL COSTS COME BACK DOWN.

IT’S JUST THE LATEST ADJUSTMENT THE DOLLAR TREE HAS MADE TO KEEP UP WITH HIGH INFLATION – AFTER GOING FROM A PRICE-POINT OF A DOLLAR TO A DOLLAR 25 ON THE MAJORITY OF ITS MERCHANDISE LAST YEAR.

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 STORIES AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.

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