IN A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT, ONE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT ENDS HIS CAMPAIGN AND — THE US CONFIRMS IT’S IN ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS TO FREE THE HOSTAGES TAKEN BY HAMAS IN GAZA

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

THE FIELD OF GOP PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS IS NOW SMALLER AFTER A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT BY SENATOR TIM SCOTT.

SPEAKING WITH FOX NEWS SUNDAY NIGHT – THE SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN SAID HE IS DROPPING OUT OF THE RACE.

“WHEN I GO BACK TO IOWA, IT WILL NOT BE AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. I AM SUSPENDING MY CAMPAIGN. I THINK THE VOTERS, WHO ARE THE MOST REMARKABLE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET, HAVE BEEN REALLY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE TELLING ME ‘NOT NOW, TIM.’ I DON’ THINK THEY’RE SAYING, TREY,  ‘NO,’ BUT I DO THINK THEY ARE SAYING ‘NOT NOW.’ SO I’M GOING TO RESPECT THE VOTERS AND I’M GOING TO HOLD ON, KEEP WORKING REALLY HARD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.”  

THE NEWS OF SCOTT SUSPENDING HIS CAMPAIGN CAME AS A SURPRISE TO MULTIPLE STAFFERS OF THE SENATOR – WHO TOLD FOX NEWS THEY WERE NOT GIVEN A WARNING ABOUT HIS DECISION BEFORE THE LIVE INTERVIEW.

THE APPEARANCE CAME JUST MINUTES AFTER HIS CAMPAIGN SENT A FINAL FUNDRAISING EMAIL TO SUPPORTERS – WITH THE SUBJECT LINE “ONE LAST CHANCE.”

SCOTT HAD CANCELED A WEEKEND STOP IN IOWA.

HE TOLD FOX NEWS HE WAS RECOVERING FROM THE FLU.

SEVERAL GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WHO REMAIN IN THE RACE REACTED TO THE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WITH FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY SAYING “THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY WAS MADE BETTER BY HIS PARTICIPATION IN IT” AND FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS SAYING HE LOOKS FORWARD TO SCOTT CONTINUING TO BE A LEADER IN THE PARTY FOR YEARS TO COME.

SCOTT TOLD FOX NEWS HE IS NOT LOOKING TO ENDORSE ANY OTHER CANDIDATE AT THIS TIME AND IS NOT INTERESTED IN BECOMING ANYONE’S VICE PRESIDENT  – SAYING QUOTE “VICE PRESIDENT HAS NEVER BEEN ON MY TO-DO LIST FOR THIS CAMPAIGN, AND IT’S CERTAINLY NOT THERE NOW.”

WITH JUST DAYS TO GO FOR CONGRESS TO PASS A PLAN TO AVERT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN – FRIDAY BEING THE DEADLINE – NEWLY-ELECTED HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON ANNOUNCED A TWO-STEP GOVERNMENT STOPGAP FUNDING PLAN OVER THE WEEKEND.

JOHNSON DESCRIBED THE PROPOSAL TO HOUSE REPUBLICANS ON A CONFERENCE CALL – AS A “LADDERED CONTINUING RESOLUTION”.

THE PLAN EXTENDS GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR SOME AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS UNTIL JANUARY NINETEENTH – AND FOR OTHERS UNTIL FEBRUARY SECOND.

THE PLAN DOES NOT INCLUDE BUDGET CUTS NOR DOES IT INCLUDE FUNDING REQUESTED BY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN FOR ISRAEL, UKRAINE OR BORDER SECURITY.

IN A STATEMENT — JOHNSON SAID SEPARATING THE PLAN FROM OTHER FUNDING DEBATES WOULD QUOTE “PLACE OUR CONFERENCE IN THE BEST POSITION TO FIGHT FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, OVERSIGHT OVER UKRAINE AID, AND MEANINGFUL POLICY CHANGES AT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER.”

THE WHITE HOUSE REACTED TO JOHNSON’S PLAN – CALLING IT AN “UNSERIOUS PROPOSAL”

FACING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN SEPTEMBER, CONGRESS PASSED A 47-DAY FUNDING BILL – THEN JUST DAYS LATER — HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY WAS OUSTED FROM HIS POSITION – LEAVING THE HOUSE UNABLE TO PASS ANY NEW RESOLUTION.

JOHNSON WAS ELECTED THE NEW SPEAKER THREE WEEKS AGO.

THE HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON JOHNSON’S TWO-STEP PLAN AS EARLY AS TUESDAY.

THE U-S IS MOURNING THE LOSS OF FIVE ARMY SPECIAL OPERATION TROOPS WHO WERE KILLED IN A HELICOPTER CRASH IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN OVER THE WEEKEND.

ACCORDING TO THE U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND — THE FIVE SOLDIERS WERE KILLED WHEN THEIR M-H -60 HELICOPTER WENT DOWN DURING A ROUTINE AIR RE-FUELING MISSION AS PART OF MILITARY TRAINING.

THE PENTAGON ANNOUNCING THAT THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH LATE FRIDAY IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BUT THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF HOSTILE ACTIVITY.

SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS WERE DISPATCHED AND WORKED INTO SATURDAY BEFORE BEING CALLED OFF..

THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS CREW WAS IN THE AREA TO ASSIST IF NEEDED WITH AMERICAN EVACUATIONS AMID THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR —

ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS FAMILIAR WITH THE SITUATION…

THE NAMES OF THE FIVE TROOPS ARE BEING WITHHELD UNTIL THEIR FAMILIES ARE PROPERLY NOTIFIED.

DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN SAID IN A STATEMENT:

“WHILE WE CONTINUE TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DEADLY CRASH, IT IS ANOTHER STARK REMINDER THAT THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DEFEND OUR GREAT NATION PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY SAFE.”

THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO BE INVOLVED IN ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE RELEASE OF HOSTAGES TAKEN BY HAMAS IN GAZA – INCLUDING SEVERAL AMERICANS — AFTER THE GROUP’S TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAEL OVER ONE MONTH AGO THAT KILLED ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE.

WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN GAVE AN UPDATE TO ABC NEWS ON SUNDAY – CONFIRMING NINE AMERICANS REMAIN MISSING – BUT WOULD NOT CONFIRM ISRAEL’S ACCOUNT THAT OVER 230 HOSTAGES ARE STILL IN GAZA – SAYING ONLY THE NUMBER OF MISSING IS UNKNOWN.

“THERE ARE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS INVOLVING THE ISRAELIS, THE QATARIS, AND WE, THE UNITED STATES, ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THIS AS WELL BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING HOME THOSE AMERICANS WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN HOSTAGE AS WELL AS ALL OF THE OTHER HOSTAGES.”

ON NBC’S “MEET THE PRESS” – ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID THERE “COULD BE” A POTENTIAL HOSTAGE DEAL WITH HAMAS – BUT WOULD NOT GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL.

THE HAMAS-RUN GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS MORE THAN 11,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN GAZA SINCE ISRAEL BEGAN ITS AIRSTRIKES IN RESPONSE TO HAMAS’ ATTACK.

ATTENTION HAS TURNED TO THE CONDITION OF HOSPITALS IN THE REGION AMIDST THE FIGHTING. THE PALESTINIAN HEALTH MINISTER SAYING A MAJORITY OF MEDICAL FACILITIES IN GAZA ARE OUT OF SERVICE — LEADING TO THE DEATH OF THREE NEWBORNS AND 10 OTHER PATIENTS AT GAZA’S LARGEST HOSPITAL.

MEANWHILE – THE PENTAGON SAYS THE UNITED STATES CARRIED ANOTHER SET OF AIRSTRIKES IN EASTERN SYRIA ON FACILITIES CONNECTED TO IRANIAN-BACKED GROUPS ON SUNDAY —  IN RESPONSE TO REPEATED ATTACKS AGAINST U.S. PERSONNEL IN IRAQ AND SYRIA.  THE US SAYING THESE LATEST “PRECISION” STRIKES TARGETED A TRAINING FACILITY AND SAFE HOUSE.

ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS IN ICELAND  — THE NATION IS PREPARING FOR A VOLCANIC ERUPTION THIS WEEK AFTER SCIENTISTS MONITORED A SERIES OF SHALLOW EARTHQUAKES — USUALLY AN INDICATION OF UNDERGROUND MAGMA SPREADING..

SCIENTISTS CALLING THE RISK OF AN ERUPTION IN THE SOUTHWEST OF THE ISLAND – QUOTE – “CONSIDERABLE” – SPARKING EVACUATIONS OF A SMALL FISHING TOWN WITH ABOUT THREE-THOUSAND RESIDENTS.

IN THE PAST FEW YEARS —

ICELAND HAS SEEN SEVERAL VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS IN UNPOPULATED AREAS OF THE COUNTRY.

THE LATEST SEISMIC ACTIVITY ALSO RESULTED IN THE CLOSURE OF THE BLUE LAGOON — A GEO-THERMAL SPA — AND ONE OF THE MAIN TOURIST DESTINATIONS ON THE ISLAND.

THE NORTH ATLANTIC ISLAND IS ONE OF THE MOST SEISMICALLY ACTIVE AREAS ON THE PLANET.

FINALLY THIS MORNING —  SCIENTISTS THINK THEY HAVE THE ANSWER TO A MYSTERY IN HAWAII THAT HAS RESULTED IN A MULTITUDE OF TOURISTS FLOCKING TO A WILDLIFE REFUGE —  AFTER THE POND THERE TURNED PINK.

VO PINK POND 11-13 

BUT STAFF AT THE WILDLIFE REFUGE IN MAUI WANT VISITORS TO KNOW THAT THE BUBBLE GUM-PINK POND IS MOST LIKELY NOT SOMETHING TO CHEER ABOUT.

SCIENTISTS SAYING MAUI’S DROUGHT COULD BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

THE DRY CONDITIONS AND HIGH SALT LEVELS ARE ALLOWING SINGLE-CELL ORGANISMS THAT THRIVE IN BODIES OF WATER WITH HIGH LEVELS OF SALT TO SURFACE.

THE STAFF IS WARNING VISITORS TO NOT ENTER THE WATER OR EAT ANY FISH CAUGHT IN IT.

AND THE REFUGE IS HOPING THE TOURISTS TAKE A MOMENT TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR MISSION OF CONSERVING NATURE AND ENDANGERED BIRDS – WHILE CHECKING OUT THE PINK WATER.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.

AND MANY OF YOU ARE NOW GETTING THE MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER IN YOUR INBOX EACH WEEKDAY.

IF YOU AREN’T YET — 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!