TEN AMERICANS AND A FUGITIVE ARE RELEASED FROM VENEZUELAN CUSTODY AS PART OF A PRISONER EXCHANGE

AND — TWO MEDIA GIANTS BEGIN TALKS ABOUT A POTENTIAL MERGER

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21ST.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

TEN AMERICANS AND A FUGITIVE IMPRISONED IN VENEZUELA HAVE BEEN RELEASED AS PART OF A PRISONER SWAP ON WEDNESDAY.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAID SIX OF THE TEN AMERICANS WERE WRONGFULLY DETAINED AND THEY ARE NOW BACK ON U.S. SOIL.

THE DEAL ALSO INCLUDED THE RETURN OF A FUGITIVE KNOWN AS “FAT LEONARD.”

MALAYSIAN BUSINESSMAN LEONARD FRANCIS FLED TO VENEZUELA IN 20-22 WHILE UNDER HOUSE ARREST IN SAN DIEGO AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST BRIBERY SCANDALS IN U.S. NAVY HISTORY.

FRANCIS ADMITTED HE OFFERED MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CASH BRIBES TO NAVY OFFICIALS SO THEY COULD STEER BUSINESS TO HIS COMPANY IN ASIA.

ALSO AS PART OF THE PRISONER EXCHANGE – THE U.S. FREED ALEX SAAB (SOB) — A CLOSE ALLY OF VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO (MAH-DER-ROW) – WHO WAS CHARGED IN 2019 IN FLORIDA FOR MONEY LAUNDERING.

THE SWAP IS THE LATEST AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS.

IN OCTOBER – THE U.S. LIFTED SOME SANCTIONS ON VENEZUELA’S OIL INDUSTRY AFTER THE COUNTRY’S GOVERNMENT PROMISED TO OPEN ITS 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO OPPONENTS OF MADURO.

MORE EVIDENCE IS BEING UNCOVERED AFTER THREE HOSTAGES WERE MISTAKENLY KILLED BY ISRAELI TROOPS LAST WEEK IN GAZA.

THE ISRAELI MILITARY SAID LATE WEDNESDAY THAT THE VOICES OF THE THREE HOSTAGES COULD BE HEARD ON VIDEO THAT WAS RECORDED APPROXIMATELY FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE SHOOTING – BUT RECOVERED A FEW DAYS AFTER.

THE MILITARY SAID THE VIDEO WAS CAPTURED ON A GO-PRO CAMERA THAT WAS ATTACHED TO ONE OF ITS DOGS.

THE DOG WAS SENT INTO A BUILDING AND WAS KILLED BY HAMAS MILITANTS – BUT THE CAMERA KEPT RECORDING.

ISRAEL’S MILITARY SAID ITS SOLDIERS KILLED THE MILITANTS INSIDE THE BUILDING –

WHICH ALLOWED THE HOSTAGES TO ESCAPE.

DAYS LATER, THE THREE HOSTAGES WERE SHOT DEAD BY ISRAEL’S TROOPS AFTER BEING MISTAKEN AS A THREAT.

THE MILITARY SAID IT WILL SOON RELEASE THE RESULTS OF ITS INVESTIGATION INTO THE ACCIDENTAL KILLING – WHICH VIOLATED ITS RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.

PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID THE INCIDENT “BROKE THE NATION’S HEART” BUT VOWED TO CONTINUE ISRAEL’S FIGHT AGAINST HAMAS.

THE DEATH OF THE THREE HOSTAGES PROMPTED RENEWED CALLS FOR A PAUSE IN THE FIGHTING FROM NATIONS INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES.

ON WEDNESDAY, HAMAS LEADERS ARRIVED IN EGYPT TO POTENTIALLY NEGOTIATE ANOTHER TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE AND A DEAL FOR HAMAS TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES IN EXCHANGE FOR IMPRISONED PALESTINIANS IN ISRAEL.

A FEDERAL JUDGE ON WEDNESDAY STRUCK DOWN A CALIFORNIA LAW THAT WOULD BAN CARRYING FIREARMS IN PUBLIC PLACES STARTING IN JANUARY.

U-S DISTRICT JUDGE CORMAC CARNEY WROTE IN HIS RULING THAT THE LAW VIOLATES THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND UNCONSTITUTIONALLY DEPRIVES THOSE WITH “CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS” OF THEIR RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THE LAW WAS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM IN SEPTEMBER AND WOULD HAVE PROHIBITED GUNS AT PLACES LIKE PUBLIC PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, ZOOS, CHURCHES, AND BANKS.

JUDGE CARNEY CALLING THE LAW QUOTE “REPUGNANT TO THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND OPENLY DEFIANT OF THE SUPREME COURT.”

CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA SAYS THE STATE WILL APPEAL — AND CLAIMS THE JUDGE’S DECISION “WOULD ENDANGER COMMUNITIES BY ALLOWING GUNS IN PLACES WHERE FAMILIES AND CHILDREN GATHER.”

‘HASTE MAKES WASTE’

THAT’S WHAT ATTORNEYS FOR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WROTE TO THE SUPREME COURT ON WEDNESDAY — ASKING THE JUSTICES TO LET THE ISSUE OVER PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY PLAY OUT IN THE LOWER COURTS FIRST.

THE DEBATE REVOLVES AROUND SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S CASE AGAINST THE FORMER PRESIDENT – CHARGED WITH A “CRIMINAL SCHEME” TO OVERTURN THE 20-20 ELECTION RESULTS.

TRUMP’S TEAM SAYS HE CANNOT BE PROSECUTED FOR TRYING TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION —

ARGUING FORMER PRESIDENTS CANNOT FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR ALLEGED CONDUCT RELATED TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WHILE IN OFFICE.

LAST WEEK JACK SMITH URGED THE SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON TRUMP’S CLAIM IN AN EXPEDITED MANNER – BEFORE LOWER COURTS HAVE A CHANCE TO — SAYING IT IS OF HIGH PUBLIC IMPORTANCE.

TRUMP HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES AND — AS OF NOW — A TRIAL DATE IS SET FOR MARCH 4TH.

WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY AND PARAMOUNT ARE IN TALKS OF A POTENTIAL MERGER – ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE REPORTS.

FIRST REPORTED BY AXIOS — SOURCES SAY THE CEOS OF THE TWO COMPANIES MET TUESDAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

A MERGER WOULD MEAN COMBINING THEIR STREAMING SERVICES — MAX AND PARAMOUNT PLUS — TO BETTER COMPETE WITH NETFLIX AND DISNEY PLUS.

PARAMOUNT BRINGS TO THE TABLE ITS TV NETWORKS INCLUDING CBS AND NICKELODEON AND MOVIE FRANCHISES LIKE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE AND STAR TREK.

WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY’S PROPERTIES INCLUDE —

CNN, HBO —

THE DC UNIVERSE AND LORD OF THE RINGS FILMS.

THE DEAL COULD MEAN WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY BUYING PARAMOUNT OR ITS PARENT COMPANY – NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS. SOURCES SAYING BOTH OPTIONS ARE POSSIBLE.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – WITH ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT IN THE YEAR – NEW YORK CITY IS GETTING READY TO RING IN 2024 – AND ON WEDNESDAY – ONE IMPORTANT PART OF THE CITY’S TRADITION ARRIVED IN TIMES SQUARE.

THE NUMERALS TWENTY TWENTY-FOUR WERE DELIVERED AFTER THE LIGHTED DISPLAY TOOK A COAST-TO-COAST ROAD TRIP FROM CALIFORNIA THAT BEGAN EARLIER THIS MONTH — COVERING MORE THAN 2,800 MILES.

THE NUMBERS WERE TESTED – MAKING SURE THEY’LL LIGHT UP THE SKY WHEN THE BALL DROPS AND THE CLOCK HITS MIDNIGHT ON NEW YEAR’S.

BEFORE BEING RAISED ATOP “ONE TIMES SQUARE” ON FRIDAY –

THE NUMERALS WILL REMAIN ON DISPLAY FOR VISITORS TO SEE IT UP CLOSE.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS THURSDAY.

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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!