Morning rundown: US shoots down more flying objects; Turkey prosecutes contractors

KARAH RUCKER: ONE WEEK SINCE TURKEY WAS DEVASTATED BY EARTHQUAKES – THE COUNTRY IS LOOKING TO HOLD BUILDING CONTRACTORS ACCOUNTABLE. AN AIRBORNE DELTA FLIGHT CATCHES FIRE. AND A SUPER BOWL CHAMPION IS CROWNED IN A NAIL-BITING FINISH.

BUT FIRST — OUR TOP STORY. FOUR FLYING OBJECTS BEING SHOT DOWN BY THE U.S. MILITARY IN JUST OVER A WEEK.

LAWMAKERS RAISING SECURITY CONCERNS OVER WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE SKIES OVER NORTH AMERICA.

THIS IS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS.

U.S. MILITARY SHOOTS FOUR FLYING OBJECTS

WHILE OFFICIALS HAVE SAID ONE OF THE FOUR IS SUSPECTED TO HAVE BEEN SPYING ON MILITARY SITES – AS OF MONDAY MORNING OFFICIALS AREN’T SAYING WHAT THE OTHER OBJECTS COULD BE OR WHAT COUNTRY THEY MAY BELONG TO.

THE LATEST “FLYING OBJECT TAKEDOWN” – HAPPENING SUNDAY ABOVE THE GREAT LAKES AREA IN MICHIGAN THAT TEMPORARILY SHUT DOWN AIR-SPACE OVER MONTANA.

BEFORE THAT – AN OBJECT OVER CANADA. OVER ALASKA. AND THE INITIAL CHINESE SPY BALLOON OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

U.S. OFFICIALS HAVEN’T IDENTIFIED THE THREE MOST RECENT OBJECTS. BUT THEY SAY THE OBJECTS WERE SMALLER AND FLEW AT LOWER ALTITUDES THAN THE CHINESE SPY BALLOON.

A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS THEY’VE BEEN “MORE CLOSELY SCRUTINIZING” U-S AIRSPACE – WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN THE INCREASE IN ACTIVITY.

Gen. Glen VanHerck | head of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command: “Anything that approaches North America, If it’s unknown, I’m going to go identify and assess, is that a threat? If it is a threat, I’ll shoot it down. If it’s not a threat, the kinetic military threat that we talked about earlier, it’s not committing a hostile act or hostile intent, then we’ll have a broader discussion.”

TURKEY PROSECUTING CONTRACTORS

DEVELOPING NEWS OUT OF TURKEY ONE WEEK SINCE EARTHQUAKES DEVASTED THE REGION.

CONTRACTORS WHO BUILT THE BUILDINGS THAT CRUMBLED AND KILLED THOUSANDS ARE BEING ARRESTED IN THE REGION.

THE DEATH TOLL HAS SHARPLY RISEN TO MORE THAN 34 THOUSAND VICTIMS ONE WEEK SINCE THE BODY-COUNT BEGAN.

THE TURKEY PRESIDENT CALLING IT THE DISASTER OF THE CENTURY AND CALLING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.

130 BUILDING CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED OR ISSUED WARRANTS FOR THEIR ARREST.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE — BUILT ON SEISMIC FAULT LINES — WAS REPORTEDLY BUILT WITHOUT PASSING PROPER STANDARDS AND INSPECTION.

CAUSING HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS TO EITHER SLUMP OVER OR IMPLODE ONTO RESIDENTS AS A 7.8 AND 7.5 EARTHQUAKE RATTLED THE GROUND BENEATH.

CONTRACTORS ARE REPORTEDLY TRYING TO FLEE THE REGION TO AVOID ARREST.THE NATURAL DISASTER AFFECTED A 300 MILE RADIUS — HOME TO MORE THAN 13 MILLION PEOPLE.

PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD BLINDED BY LASER

THE PHILIPPINES IS ACCUSING CHINA OF SHINING A “MILITARY-GRADE LASER” AT ONE OF ITS COAST GUARD SHIPS – BLINDING ITS CREW ON BOARD ACCORDING TO THE PHILIPPINE MILITARY.

OFFICIALS CALLING FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO RESTRAIN ITS FORCES SO THAT IT DOESN’T COMMIT ANY PROVOCATIVE ACT THAT COULD ENDANGER THE LIVES OF PEOPLE.

THE INCIDENT HAPPENING IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA – TERRITORY LONG DISPUTED.

THE PHILIPPINES SHIP THAT WAS REPORTEDLY IN EYE-LINE WITH THE LASER WAS CARRYING FOOD AND SUPPLIES TO ITS CREWS STATIONED IN THE DISPUTED-WATERWAY.

CHINA COAST GUARD SHIPS HAVE A HISTORY OF BLOCKING PHILIPPINE SUPPLY BOATS IN THE PAST.

DELTA PLANE CATCHES FIRE

A SCARY THING TO SEE FOR DOZENS OF PASSENGERS ABOARD A DELTA FLIGHT FROM SCOTLAND TO NEW YORK’S JFK AIRPORT.

FLAMES ERUPTING FROM ONE OF ITS WINGS FORCED PILOTS TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON FRIDAY.

THE PLANE HAD ONLY BEEN IN THE AIR FOR FORTY MINUTES BEFORE IT WAS FORCED TO LAND.

FLIGHT CREW TOLD THE NEW YORK POST THE PLANE WAS HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS. BUT THE F-A-A HAS YET TO COMMENT.

ON THE SAME DAY – AN INCIDENT AT THE LAX AIRPORT FRIDAY LEFT FIVE PEOPLE INJURED AFTER AN AIRPLANE BEING TOWED FROM A GATE TO A PARKING AREA MADE CONTACT WITH A SHUTTLE BUS.

THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY IS UNDER A MICROSCOPE SINCE SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF NEAR-COLLISIONS AT U.S. AIRPORTS THIS YEAR.

NEW MEXICO STATE CANCELS BASKETBALL SEASON

NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY HAS CANCELED THE REMAINDER OF ITS MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON FOLLOWING SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS INCLUDING HARASSMENT AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.

THE CAMPUS CHANCELLOR SAYING IT’S TIME FOR THE PROGRAM TO RESET – AFTER A CAMPUS POLICE REPORT REVEALED HAZING-ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING STUDENT ATHLETES COULD BE CRIMINAL.

ONE PLAYER SAYS THERE’S PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL TOUCHING HAPPENING INSIDE LOCKER ROOMS — ALLEGING THAT THREE OTHER PLAYERS REMOVED HIS CLOTHING AND INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHED HIM.

THE REMAINING SIX GAMES ARE WIPED FROM THE SCHEDULE. THEIR SEASON OFFICIALLY OVER AS THE SCHOOL WORKS WITH POLICE TO INVESTIGATE.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WIN SUPER BOWL

THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS HAVE COME OUT ON TOP AS SUPER BOWL 57 CHAMPIONS. THEIR SECOND SUPER BOWL WIN SINCE 20-20. A NAIL BITER OF A GAME…FINISHING 38 TO 35.

QUARTERBACK PATRICK MAHOMES WAS THE GAME’S MVP…LEADING HIS TEAM BACK FROM A 10 POINT DEFICIT AT HALF TIME – PUTTING THE CHIEF’S IN POSITION TO KICK THE GAME WINNING FIELD GOAL WITH JUST A SECOND LEFT ON THE CLOCK.

SINGER RIHANNA STOLE THE SHOW AT HALFTIME–NOT ONLY WITH HER PERFORMANCE BUT WITH A SURPRISE BABY-BUMP REVEAL.

THE SINGER IS PREGNANT WITH HER SECOND CHILD.

STUDENTS IN KANSAS CITY WILL HAVE NO CLASS THIS WEDNESDAY. SCHOOL IS CANCELED TO ALLOW STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY’S “CHAMPIONSHIP PARADE” SET TO TAKE PLACE IN TWO DAYS.