No cease-fire deal reached in Gaza as Ramadan begins
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins with no signs of a cease-fire in the war in Gaza. And Kate responds after news agencies pulled an image of the Royal Family, claiming it has been altered. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, March 11, 2024.
No cease-fire deal reached as Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins
Despite hopes for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, no agreement has been reached.
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The United States, among other countries, attempted to broker a temporary cease-fire before Sunday night. President Joe Biden issued a statement, saying in part, “The sacred month is a time for reflection and renewal. This year, it comes at a moment of immense pain. The war in Gaza has inflicted terrible suffering on the Palestinian people…While we get more life-saving aid to Gaza, the United States will continue working non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of a deal that releases hostages.”
Biden commented on the reported 30,000 Palestinians that have been killed in the months of fighting and the need for humanitarian aid.
On Sunday, the U.S. Army announced that a ship had set sail for Gaza, carrying equipment to build a temporary floating pier to supply assistance to the territory. The U.S. also continued to partner with Jordan to airdrop aid into Gaza, with more than 11,500 meals parachuting in on Sunday.
In an interview with Politico published on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that there has been no breakthrough in negotiations as of yet, adding, “Without a release” more hostages “there is not going to be a pause in the fighting.”
Ismail Haniyeh, a top Hamas leader, during a televised speech on Sunday, expressed that Hamas is seeking an agreement that would end the war and guarantee Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza.
U.S. Embassy personnel airlifted from Haiti amid state emergency
Over the weekend, the United States military conducted an overnight operation to evacuate American personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti as violence surged in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The Department of State requested the operation to enhance U.S. embassy security, enable ongoing missions, and ensure the safe departure of non-essential personnel.
The airlifts, part of standard security measures, did not include Haitian citizens.
Rising gang violence near the embassy and the airport prompted the State Department to relocate additional personnel. Despite the turmoil, the embassy remains open, actively supporting Haiti’s local police, advocating for security missions, and promoting peaceful power transitions.
The German Foreign Ministry and EU representatives moving to the Dominican Republic due to security concerns. On Monday, leaders from Caribbean nations are set to meet to discuss the crisis in Haiti. They have invited the U.S., Canada, France, the U.N., and Brazil to attend the meeting.
Army National Guard soldiers, border agent killed in helicopter crash
The Department of Homeland Security has announced the names of three individuals who died in a military helicopter crash near the U.S.-Mexico border last week.
Two Army National Guard soldiers, 28-year-old Casey Frankoski and 30-year-old John Grassia, along with 49-year-old Border Agent Chris Luna, were killed when their UH-72 Lakota helicopter crashed near Texas’ southern border during border security operations.
Another National Guard soldier survived the crash and is currently in critical condition.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
News agencies pull image of Kate, children after claims it was altered
A photo from the Royal Family intended to celebrate Mother’s Day in the U.K. has sparked controversy and raised questions about Kate, Britain’s Princess of Wales, in her first image since undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
Several news organizations have pulled the photo of Kate and her three children after it was released on Sunday. Kensington Palace stated that the photo was taken by Prince William days earlier.
However, The Associated Press and other news agencies have claimed the image was manipulated, pointing to inconsistencies in the photo. The AP noted that while there is no suggestion the image is fake, it did not meet the organization’s standards for photos.
Getty and Reuters are among the others that have removed the image. On Monday, Kate released a statement, apologizing for editing the photo, saying, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”
High winds shut down Washington Monument in D.C.
Visitors to Washington, D.C., found one less attraction available on Sunday.
The National Park Service closed the Washington Monument due to severe weather, citing high winds that posed a risk to visitors.
Officials emphasized on X that the monument itself was not in danger, but the closure was a precaution to protect individuals waiting in line as wind gusts reached up to 52 miles per hour.
This is not the first time severe weather has impacted the structure. In 2021, lightning struck the monument, damaging its electrical system and forcing it to close for several days.
‘Oppenheimer’ wins big at 96th Academy Awards
On Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, “Oppenheimer” stole the show yet again. Christopher Nolan’s three-hour epic won seven Oscars at last night’s 96th Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Nolan took home the Oscar for Best Director, while Best Actor went to Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. secured Best Supporting Actor.
Other big winners included Emma Stone, who won Best Actress for her role in “Poor Things,” and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “The Holdovers.”
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, Border, Department of Homeland Security, Gaza, Israel, National Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Washington, Washington DC
[KARAH RUCKER]
THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN BEGINS WITH NO SIGNS OF A CEASE-FIRE IN THE WAR OF GAZA
AND — NEWS AGENCIES PULLING AN IMAGE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY — CLAIMING IT HAS BEEN ALTERED
THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.
TODAY IS MONDAY, MARCH 11TH.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I’M KARAH RUCKER.
DESPITE HOPES OF A CEASE-FIRE IN THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR BEFORE THE START OF THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN – NO SUCH DEAL HAS BEEN REACHED.
THE UNITED STATES – WAS AMONG THE COUNTRIES — WHICH TRIED TO BROKER A TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE BEFORE SUNDAY NIGHT.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ISSUING STATEMENT
– SAYING IN PART —
“The sacred month is a time for reflection and renewal. This year, it comes at a moment of immense pain. The war in Gaza has inflicted terrible suffering on the Palestinian people…
While we get more life-saving aid to Gaza, the United States will continue working non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of a deal that releases hostages.”
BIDEN COMMENTING ON THE REPORTED 30 THOUSAND PALESTINIANS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE MONTHS OF FIGHTING AND THE NEED FOR HUMANITARIAN AID.
ON SUNDAY – THE U.S. ARMY SAID A SHIP HAS SET SAIL FOR GAZA – CARRYING EQUIPMENT TO BUILD A TEMPORARY FLOATING PIER TO SUPPLY ASSISTANCE TO THE TERRITORY.
THE U.S. ALSO CONTINUING TO PARTNER WITH JORDAN TO AIRDROP AID INTO GAZA – ON SUNDAY MORE THAN 11 THOUSAND 500 MEALS PARACHUTING IN.
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH POLITICO PUBLISHED ON SUNDAY – ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYING – THERE HAS BEEN NO BREAKTHROUGH IN NEGOTIATIONS AS OF YET — ADDING “WITHOUT A RELEASE” OF MORE HOSTAGES “THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE A PAUSE IN THE FIGHTING.”
A TOP HAMAS LEADER SPEAKING DURING A TELEVISED SPEECH ON SUNDAY SAYING HAMAS IS LOOKING FOR AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD END THE WAR AND GUARANTEE ISRAEL WOULD WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM GAZA.
OVER THE WEEKEND, THE UNITED STATES MILITARY CONDUCTED AN OVERNIGHT OPERATION TO EVACUATE NON-ESSENTIAL AMERICAN PERSONNEL FROM THE U.S. EMBASSY IN HAITI AND ADDED ADDITIONAL SECURITY AS GANG VIOLENCE SURGES IN THE CAPITAL OF PORT-AU-PRINCE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUESTING THE OPERATION —
THE US MILITARY SAYING THE AIRLIFTS DID NOT INCLUDE ANY HAITIAN CITIZENS.
DESPITE THE TURMOIL, OFFICIALS SAYING THE EMBASSY REMAINS OPEN TO CONTINUE ITS GOALS OF “ADVANCING U.S. GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO SUPPORT HAITIAN PEOPLE.”
THE GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTRY AND EU REPRESENTATIVES HAVE RELOCATED TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DUE TO THE SECURITY CONCERNS IN THE COUNTRY.
TODAY — LEADERS FROM SEVERAL CARIBBEAN NATIONS WILL GATHER TO DISCUSS THE CRISIS IN HAITI.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS RELEASED THE NAMES OF THE THREE PEOPLE KILLED WHEN A MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASHED NEAR THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER LAST WEEK.
TWO ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS – 28-YEAR-OLD CASEY FRANKOSKI AND 30-YEAR-OLD JOHN GRASSIA (GRASS-EE-A)– DIED — ALONG WITH 49-YEAR-OLD BORDER AGENT CHRIS LUNA — WHEN THEIR AIRCRAFT – A UH-72 LAKOTA HELICOPTER CRASHED NEAR TEXAS’ SOUTHERN BORDER AS THEY WERE PERFORMING BORDER SECURITY OPERATIONS.
ANOTHER NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIER SURVIVED THE CRASH AND REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
A PHOTO FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY MEANT TO CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY IN THE U.K. HAS RESULTED IN CONTROVERSY AND RAISED MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT KATE — BRITAIN’S PRINCESS OF WALES – IN HER FIRST IMAGE SINCE UNDERGOING ABDOMINAL SURGERY IN JANUARY.
SEVERAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS PULLING THE PHOTO OF KATE AND HER THREE CHILDREN — AFTER THE IMAGE WAS RELEASED ON SUNDAY –
KENSINGTON PALACE SAYING THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY PRINCE WILLIAM DAYS EARLIER.
HOWEVER — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND OTHER NEWS AGENCIES CLAIM THE IMAGE HAS BEEN MANIPULATED – POINTING TO INCONSISTENCIES IN THE PHOTO.
THE AP SAYING WHILE THERE IS NO SUGGESTION THE IMAGE IS FAKE — IT DID NOT MEET THE ORGANIZATION’S PHOTO STANDARDS.
SOME OF THE WOLD’S LARGEST MEDIA GROUPS LIKE “GETTY” AND “REUTERS” FELT SIMILARLY AND PULLED THE IMAGE FROM THEIR SITES.
KENSINGTON PALACE HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THESE CLAIMS.
AS OF THIS MORNING – THE PHOTO STILL REMAINS ON KENSINGTON PALACE’S SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
VISITORS IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON SUNDAY HAD ONE LESS ATTRACTION TO VISIT.
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SHUTTING DOWN THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER.
OFFICIALS SAYING HIGH WINDS POSED A RISK TO VISITORS.
THE PARK SERVICE CLARIFYING ON X THAT WHILE THE MONUMENT ITSELF WAS NOT AT DANGER — THE MOVE WAS TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE WAITING IN LINE AS WIND GUSTS REACHED UP TO 52 MILES PER HOUR.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE STRUCTURE WAS AFFECTED BY SEVERE WEATHER – IN 2021 – LIGHTNING STRUCK THE MONUMENT – DAMAGING ITS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM – RESULTING IN IT BEING CLOSED FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
FINALLY THIS MORNING – ON HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR – “OPPENHEIMER” STOLE THE SHOW YET AGAIN.
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN’S THREE-HOUR EPIC — WINNING SEVEN OSCARS DURING LAST NIGHT’S 96TH ACADEMY AWARDS — INCLUDING BEST PICTURE.
NOLAN WINNING THE OSCAR FOR BEST DIRECTOR — BEST ACTOR WENT TO CILLIAN (KILL-IAN) MURPHY AND ROBERT DOWNEY JUNIOR TAKING HOME BEST SUPPORT ACTOR.
OTHER BIG WINNERS INCLUDED — EMMA STONE WINNING BEST ACTRESS FOR HER ROLE IN “POOR THINGS”
AND “THE HOLDOVERS” DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH WINNING THE OSCAR FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS.
THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.
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!
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