Morning rundown: DOT investigating Southwest; dozens dead in storm

KARAH RUCKER: AIR TRAVEL AFTER THE HOLIDAYS HAS BEEN SO BAD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW INVESTIGATING ONE OF THE LARGEST AIRLINES. THIS IS YOUR MORNING RUNDOWN AIMED DOWN THE MIDDLE WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

DOT TO INVESTIGATE SOUTHWEST

Beenish Saleem, Southwest passenger: “Christmas was just ruined. This was the worst Christmas ever. I wish it was not like this. Thousands of people have been stranded, flights cancelled, and the personnel don’t have an idea. And whenever you ask them what’s going on, they say ‘We don’t know.”

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS NOW LOOKING INTO “SOUTHWEST AIRLINES” AFTER FLIGHT DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS LIT UP THE BOARDS AT AIRPORTS.

THE GOVERNMENT IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE TRAVEL CHAOS WAS SOMETHING SOUTHWEST COULD’VE BETTER HANDLED OR IF IT WAS “OUT OF THEIR CONTROL.”

SOUTHWEST CANCELED NEARLY THREE THOUSAND FLIGHTS MONDAY…OR 70 PERCENT OF SCHEDULED FLIGHTS.

ON SUNDAY, NEARLY HALF OF FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED.

AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES THIS MORNING WITH ALREADY 60 PERCENT OF FLIGHTS TODAY ALREADY DISRUPTED.

Jay McVaY | Senior Director, Southwest Airlines: “This is the main focus right now is to try to take care of our customers as quickly as we can and get them out of this line and with their loved ones or somewhere where they can get some rest. It’s obviously been a very long week with the storm, so that’s our primary concern.”

DOZENS OF PEOPLE DEAD IN HISTORIC BLIZZARD

AUTHORITIES ARE CALLING IT “THE BLIZZARD OF A CENTURY.” OFFICIALS IN BUFFALO NEW YORK ARE EXPECTING ITS DEATH TOLL TO CLIMB TODAY.

RESCUE CREWS ARE SCRAMBLING TO UNBURY VEHICLES LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS. AFTER HOURS-LONG BLIZZARD-CONDITIONS DUMPED MORE THAN 60 INCHES OF SNOW.

THE NEW YORK GOVERNOR CALLING IT A WAR WITH MOTHER-NATURE AS DOZENS OF PEOPLE DIED OVER CHRISTMAS WEEKEND.

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL | (D) NEW YORK: “And as much as we can see the skies right now, we know that the storm is coming back. We’re expecting another 6 to 6 or 12 inches. So anyone who declares victory and says it’s over — it is way too early to say this is at its completion.”

SO FAR 27 PEOPLE IN THE STATE HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD, SIXTY NATIONWIDE, FROM THE EXTREME COLD PRODUCED BY THE WINTER STORM.

SOUTH KOREA TO BOOST MILITARY, DRONES

AS THE YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE…SOUTH KOREA IS REFLECTING ON THE NORTH’S ESCALATED HOSTILITY THROUGHOUT 20-22.

AND AFTER NORTH KOREA’S LATEST BREACH OF THE BORDER…THE SOUTH IS AIMING TO BOOST ITS AIR DEFENSE AND DRONE TECHNOLOGY IN THE FACE OF FURTHER CONFLICT.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AFTER NORTH KOREAN DRONES WERE REPORTEDLY SPOTTED ACROSS IT’S BORDER-LINE…AND SOUTH KOREA FAILING TO SHOOT THEM DOWN.

SOUTH KOREA’S MILITARY APOLOGIZED FOR ITS INABILITY TO REACT FASTER TO THE NORTH’S THREATS. VOWING TO PUT EMPHASIS ON MILITARY EXPANSION AT A TIME THE U.S. IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN SOUTH KOREAN MILITARY EXERCISES.

Kang Shin-chul | South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Senior Official: “Our military will thoroughly check each troop’s detection and strike assets against the enemy’s drone provocation, and actively employ detection devices to spot the enemy’s drone from an early stage, and aggressively deploy strike assets.”

CHINA DROPS QUARANTINE REQUIREMENT

TRAVEL TO CHINA IS TAKING A SIGNIFICANT TURN AFTER THE COUNTRY’S LATEST SHIFT AWAY FROM ITS ZERO-COVID POLICY. TRAVELERS WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE STARTING JANUARY 8TH.

THE MOVE WILL LARGELY REOPEN THE COUNTRY TO THOSE WITH WORK AND STUDY VISAS OR THOSE WANTING TO VISIT FAMILY AFTER ALMOST THREE YEARS OF CLOSED BORDERS.

WHILE CHINA PULLS BACK ON ITS STRICT POLICY…COVID CASES IN THE COUNTRY ARE RISING.

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT CAUGHT IN LIES

A REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN ELECTED TO THE HOUSE IN NOVEMBER IS ADMITTING HE LIED ON HIS RESUME LEADING UP TO MIDTERMS.

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT GEORGE SANTOS OF NEW YORK SAYS HIS JOB HISTORY AND EDUCATION WAS EMBELLISHED ON HIS RESUME.

HE CLAIMED HE WORKED FOR CITIGROUP AND GOLDMAN SACHS BUT THAT WASN’T TRUE. HE DIDN’T GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE DESPITE TOUTING MULTIPLE PRESTIGIOUS DEGREES.

SANTOS REPORTEDLY LIED ABOUT RUNNING A NON-PROFIT AND DOESN’T OWN MORE THAN A DOZEN PROPERTIES DESPITE TELLING VOTERS HE DID.

SANTOS SAYS HE STILL PLANS TO TAKE THE OATH OF OFFICE ON JANUARY THIRD DESPITE THE NEW REVELATIONS.

THAT’S GOING TO DO IT FOR THIS EDITION OF YOUR MORNING RUNDOWN. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. WHERE WE STRIVE TO DELIVER JOURNALISM WITHOUT AGENDA.