American killed in Syria drone attack, US retaliates: March 24 rundown

KARAH RUCKER: COMING UP — PRESIDENT BIDEN ORDERED AIRSTRIKES IN NORTHERN SYRIA AFTER AN AMERICAN CONTRACTOR WAS KILLED IN A DRONE ATTACK.

THE DAILY RUNDOWN STARTS RIGHT NOW. THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS. BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS. I’M KARAH RUCKER

AMERICAN KILLED IN SYRIA DRONE STRIKE

HAPPENING OVERNIGHT – AN IRANIAN SUICIDE DRONE HAS KILLED AN AMERICAN CONTRACTOR IN NORTHERN SYRIA – AND IN AN ACT OF RETALIATION — THE U.S. UNLEASHED ITS OWN AIRSTRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN-LINKED TARGETS.

A U.S. CONTRACTOR WAS KILLED — FIVE U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS AND ANOTHER CONTRACTOR WERE WOUNDED — WHEN A SUSPECTED IRANIAN DRONE STRUCK A FACILITY ON A COALITION BASE IN NORTHEAST SYRIA ON THURSDAY — ACCORDING TO THE PENTAGON.

IN A STATEMENT RELEASED BY DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN — THE U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND FORCES RETALIATED WITH PRECISION AIRSTRIKES AGAINST FACILITIES IN EASTERN SYRIA USED BY GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD. 

THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAID THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY DETERMINED THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS OF IRANIAN ORIGIN.

U.S. AND CANADA REACH BORDER DEAL

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND THE FIRST LADY HAVE ARRIVED IN CANADA – GREETED BY PRIME MIINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND HIS WIFE THURSDAY EVENING. A DEAL BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CANADA TO TURN AWAY ASYLUM-SEEKERS IS EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED TODAY.

THE DEAL WOULD ALLOW THE COUNTRIES TO RETURN THOSE WHO CROSS THE NORTHERN BORDER WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.

FIRST REPORTED BY THE L-A TIMES – PEOPLE WITHOUT U.S. OR CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP CAUGHT WITHIN 14 DAYS OF CROSSING THE U.S.-CANADA BORDER WILL BE SENT BACK OVER BORDER LINES.

Karine Jean-Pierre | White House Press Secretary: {“We’re seeing an increase in irregular migration going north into Canada, which reflects the regional and global migration challenges as we have been talking about. But we’re committed to working with them to address it, including by prioritizing orderly and safe migration through regular pathways.”

CANADA WILL ALSO REPORTEDLY TAKE IN AN ADDITIONAL 15 THOUSAND MIGRANTS NEXT YEAR FROM THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE ON A HUMANITARIAN BASIS.

ILLEGAL CROSSINGS INTO THE U.S. FROM CANADA HAVE CLIMBED TO HISTORICALLY HIGH LEVELS. THIS WEEK MARKS BIDEN’S FIRST PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO AMERICA’S NEIGHBOR IN THE NORTH.

FIRE RISK LEADS TO HYUNDAI, KIA RECALL

HYUNDAI AND KIA ARE RECALLING MORE THAN HALF A MILLION VEHICLES IN THE U.S. – AND URGING OWNERS TO PARK THEM OUTSIDE BECAUSE OF A FIRE RISK. THE RECALL IMPACTS LATE MODEL HYUNDAI SANTA FE S.U.VS, INCLUDING HYBRIDS, THE SANTA CRUZ PICKUP – AND KIA’S CARNIVAL MINIVAN.  THE VEHICLE’S ELECTRICAL TOW-HITCH HARNESSES CAN CATCH FIRE IF WATER GETS INTO THEM.

L.A. SCHOOLS REOPEN, STRIKE ENDS

STUDENT IN LOS ANGELES PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE RETURNING TO CLASS TODAY — FOLLOWING A STRIKE FROM EMPLOYEES THAT SHUT THE SCHOOLS DOWN FOR THREE DAYS.

EVEN WITH 30 THOUSAND SCHOOL WORKERS SET TO SHOW BACK UP TO CAMPUSES, THERE’S STILL NO DEAL REACHED IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT.

THE CITY’S MAYOR HAD TO STEP IN AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN THE UNIONS AND DISTRICT AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID THE UNION WAS REFUSING TO NEGOTIATE ON PAY.

THERE’S NO UPDATE ON HOW THE ARBITRATION IS CURRENTLY GOING. THE STRIKE LEFT MORE THAN 400 THOUSAND STUDENTS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR THREE DAYS THIS WEEK.

UTAH LIMITS CHILDREN USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

UTAH HAS BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO PASS LAWS LIMITING HOW CHILDREN CAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA. THE MEASURE REQUIRES PARENTAL CONSENT BEFORE KIDS CAN SIGN UP FOR SITES LIKE TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM.

REPUBLICAN GOV. SPENCER COX SIGNED A PAIR OF MEASURES ON THURSDAY. THE TWO BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW ALSO PROHIBIT KIDS UNDER 18 FROM USING SOCIAL MEDIA BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10:30 P.M. AND 6:30 A.M.

SOCIAL MEDIA APPS WILL REQUIRE AGE VERIFICATION FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE STATE. THE LAW ALSO SEEKS TO PREVENT TECH COMPANIES FROM LURING KIDS TO THEIR APPS USING ADDICTIVE FEATURES. A SIMILAR MEASURE HAS BEEN PROPOSED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. LAST MONTH SENATOR JOSH HAWLEY OF MISSOURI INTRODUCED A BILL THAT WOULD SET THE MINIMUM AGE FOR KIDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT 16.

OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN SPOKE WITH SENATOR HAWLEY ABOUT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.YOU CAN FIND HIS INTERVIEW OVER ON OUR WEBSITE STRAIGHTARROWNEWS.COM.

STARBUCKS CEO TO WORK COUNTER

STARBUCKS’ NEW CEO, LAXMAN NARASIMHAN, IS TAKING A PAGE OUT OF UNDERCOVER BOSS. THE CEO SAYS HE WILL TAKE HALF-DAY SHIFTS WORKING THE COUNTER ONCE A MONTH IN ONE OF THE COMPANY’S STORES. 

HIS GOAL IS TO STAY CLOSE TO THE COMPANY’S CULTURE AND ITS CUSTOMERS.  THE 55 YEAR OLD TOOK THE REINS FROM LONG-TIME FORMER CEO HOWARD SCHULTZ EARLIER THIS WEEK.

IT ALSO COMES AS ALMOST 300 OF THE COMPANY’S 9-THOUSAND STORES HAVE VOTED TO UNIONIZE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS.