THE UNITED STATES  LAUNCHES STRIKES  AGAINST IRANIAN-BACKED TARGETS IN THE MIDDLE EAST THREE DAYS IN A ROW

AND — MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER DEVASTATING WILDFIRES TEAR THROUGH CHILE 

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

[ANCHOR]

L3: THE MORNING RUNDOWN: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2024

KARAH NAME SUPER

TODAY IS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

SOUNDS OF THE U.S. MILITARY STRIKING AT IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHI REBELS OVER THE WEEKEND.

THE STRIKES CARRIED OUT BY THE U.S. AND BRITAIN TARGETED WEAPON STORAGE FACILITIES – MISSILE SYSTEMS – AND AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS – AS THE US CONTINUES TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE HOUTHIS FOR THE GROUP’S ILLEGAL ATTACKS ON SHIPS IN THE RED SEA.

THE LATEST STRIKES AGAINST THE HOUTHIS CAME HOURS AFTER THE U.S. CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN-BACKED FORCES IN SYRIA AND IRAQ — INCLUDING THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEADLY ATTACK IN JORDAN THAT KILLED THREE U.S. TROOPS.

THE STRIKES AIMED AT MORE THAN 85 TARGETS – INCLUDING COMMAND AND CONTROL OPERATIONS AND OTHER FACILITIES.

WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN SAYING THAT WAS JUST THE START OF THE U.S. RESPONSE TO THE SOLDIERS’ KILLINGS.

“This was the beginning of a response. There will be more steps. Some of those steps will be seen, some may not be seen. But there will be more action taken to respond to tragic death of the three brave service members. And we cannot rule out there will be further attacks from Iranian-backed militia or from the Houthis.”

THE HOUTHIS MEANWHILE VOWED THEY WOULD RESPOND TO THE U.S.-LED STRIKES IN YEMEN. SHORTLY AFTER THE GROUP’S STATEMENT WAS RELEASED – THE U.S. LAUNCHED ANOTHER ATTACK ON SUNDAY – DESTROYING A CRUISE MISSILE  – THAT WAS SAID TO BE POSING AN IMMINENT THREAT TO U.S. NAVY SHIPS.   

A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS HAVE UNVEILED A 118 BILLION DOLLAR PACKAGE —

BUT THE HOUSE IS ALREADY VOICING DISAPPROVAL.

THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING — 60 BILLION DOLLARS — WOULD GO TO UKRAINE.

14 BILLION FOR ISRAEL.

AND 10 BILLION IN HUMANITARIAN AID – INCLUDING FOR PEOPLE IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK.

THE BILL ALSO INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 20 BILLION DOLLARS FOR BORDER SECURITY POLICIES.

THE BILL CALLS FOR A MANDATED BORDER SHUTDOWN SHOULD THE DAILY AVERAGE OF MIGRANT CROSSINGS REACH 5,000.

THE BILL ALSO ENDS THE PRACTICE KNOWN AS “CATCH AND RELEASE” —   WHERE MIGRANTS CAUGHT CROSSING THE BORDER ILLEGALLY ARE RELEASED INTO THE U.S. WHILE THEY WAIT FOR THEIR ASYLUM APPLICATION TO BE PROCESSED.

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER SAYS THE SENATE WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE LEGISLATION THIS WEEK – BUT THE BILL IS ALREADY FACING OPPOSITION.

HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAYS THE BILL IS “WORSE THAN EXPECTED” — ADDING IF THE BILL REACHES THE HOUSE IT WILL BE “DEAD ON ARRIVAL.”

AT LEAST 112 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND HUNDREDS REMAIN MISSING AFTER WILDFIRES BROKE OUT IN COASTAL CITIES IN CENTRAL CHILE (CHILL-LAY) POPULAR WITH TOURISTS .

THE WILDFIRES ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE DEADLIEST IN THE COUNTRY’S HISTORY.

CHILE’S PRESIDENT SAYING THE DEATH TOLL COULD RISE AS RESCUERS CONTINUE WORKING TO LOCATE SURVIVORS IN COLLAPSED HOMES.

THE FIRES STARTED ON FRIDAY — HIGH WINDS ALONG WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO GET THE FLAMES UNDER CONTROL.

LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE FIRES WERE INTENTIONALLY SET.

THE CHILEAN PRESIDENT DECLARING TWO DAYS OF NATIONAL MOURNING – SAYING IN A STATEMENT “ALL OF CHILE IS SUFFERING. BUT WE WILL STAND UP ONCE AGAIN.”

CALIFORNIA IS BRACING FOR WHAT COULD BE DAYS OF HEAVY RAINS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES AS A SEVERE STORM SYSTEM MOVED IN SUNDAY.

GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN EIGHT COUNTIES – INCLUDING LOS ANGELES, SAN DIEGO AND SAN BERNARDINO.

IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA –SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BRING WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.

NEARLY ONE MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE WERE WITHOUT POWER AT ONE POINT ON SUNDAY.

THE HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH TUESDAY.

WITH MORE THAN TWO YEARS TO GO  – FIFA HAS MADE IT OFFICIAL  — THE 20-26 WORLD CUP FINAL WILL BE HELD AT MET-LIFE STADIUM IN NEW JERSEY.

FIFA RELEASED THE TOURNAMENT’S SCHEDULE ON SUNDAY.

THE U.S. WILL BE HOSTING ITS FIRST MEN’S WORLD CUP SINCE 1994 – AND IT WILL BE SHARING THE HOSTING DUTIES THIS TIME AROUND WITH MEXICO AND CANADA.

THE 104-GAME TOURNAMENT WILL FEATURE 48 TEAMS PLAYING ACROSS 16 HOST CITIES. 

THE OPENING MATCH WILL TAKE PLACE JUNE 11TH 2026 IN MEXICO CITY.

THE FINAL IN NEW JERSEY IS SET FOR JULY 19TH 2026.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – TAYLOR SWIFT HAS MADE MUSIC HISTORY ONCE AGAIN. THIS TIME SHE DID IT AT THE GRAMMY AWARDS.

SWIFT WON ALBUM OF THE YEAR – FOR HER ALBUM “MIDNIGHTS” – AT LAST NIGHT’S 66TH ANNUAL GRAMMYS.

IT WAS THE FOURTH TIME SWIFT WON THE CATEGORY – THE MOST OF ANY ARTIST IN GRAMMY HISTORY.

SWIFT ALSO WON BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM – ANNOUNCING A NEW ALBUM DURING HER ACCEPTANCE SPEECH.

OTHER BIG WINNERS OF THE NIGHT INCLUDE MILEY CYRUS FOR RECORD OF THE YEAR — VICTORIA MONET (MO-NAY) WINNING BEST NEW ARTIST — AND BILLIE EILISH TAKING HOME SONG OF THE YEAR.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.

AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER  TO GET THE TOP STORIES EACH WEEKDAY MORNING.

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!