US, Iran prisoner swap taking place: The Morning Rundown, Sept. 18, 2023

A PRISONER SWAP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND IRAN IS REPORTEDLY TAKING PLACE TODAY

AND —

THE SEARCH IS ON ONCE AGAIN IN PENNSYLVANIA FOR ESCAPED INMATES.

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS. 

BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.

TODAY IS MONDAY — SEPTEMBER 18TH

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

[L3: PRISONER SWAP BETWEEN U.S., IRAN EXPECTED TODAY, $6 BILLION TRANSFERRED]

THE PRISONER EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN THAT WILL SEE FIVE DETAINED AMERICANS BE FREED IS EXPECTED TO HAPPEN TODAY.

THE SIX BILLION DOLLARS IN FROZEN IRANIAN ASSETS THAT BECAME CONTROVERSIAL CRITERIA TO MAKE A DEAL HAPPEN —

HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFERRED AHEAD OF THE PRISONER SWAP — ACCORDING TO THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY AND OTHERS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEAL.

SANCTIONS ON THE FUNDS WERE LIFTED — AND THE SIX BILLION HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO A BANK IN QATAR —

THE COUNTRY HELPING TO MEDIATE THE DEAL BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN — SEVERAL MONTHS IN THE MAKING.

THE U.S. HAS NOT MADE A PUBLIC COMMENT AS OF THIS REPORT.

WITH THE TRANSFER TO QATAR —

IRAN WILL NOW HAVE ACCESS TO  THE MONEY-

ACCORDING TO THE U.S. SECURITY COUNCIL — THE WHITE HOUSE WILL BE ABLE TO OVERSEE THOSE FUNDS AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE SPENT BY IRAN ON HUMANITARIAN NEEDS.

WHILE IRAN’S PRESIDENT LAST WEEK MADE CONTRASTING STATEMENTS — SAYING THE COUNTRY WILL USE THE MONEY AS THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT SEES FIT.

THE OTHER SIDE TO THIS — THE PRISONER SWAP ITSELF —

IS REPORTED TO HAPPEN TODAY ACCORDING TO IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTRY.

5 U.S. CITIZENS CONSIDERED “WRONGFULLY DETAINED” IN IRAN WILL BE RELEASED BACK TO THE U.S. —

WHILE 5 IRANIAN PRISONERS IN THE U.S. WILL BE RELEASED.

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS ON TRACK TO PARTIALLY SHUT DOWN BY THE END OF THIS MONTH IF CONGRESS FAILS TO INTERVENE.

OVER THE WEEKEND —

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REACHED AN AGREEMENT FOR A SHORT-TERM FUNDING DEAL THAT WOULD KEEP THE GOVERNMENT RUNNING THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST —

GIVING LAWMAKERS MORE TIME TO HASH OUT THE 2024 FISCAL YEAR FEDERAL BUDGET.

BUT THE CRITERIA ATTACHED TO THE GOP’S SHORT-TERM FIX COULD GET REJECTED BY THE DEMOCRAT-CONTROLLED SENATE.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WOULD HAVE THEIR BUDGETS SLASHED BY 8 PERCENT UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER.

ONLY THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WOULD NOT RECEIVE FUNDING CUTS FOR THE MONTH.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE ALSO ATTACHED A BORDER SECURITY BILL TO THE PROPOSAL – BUT WITHOUT A POLICY ON VERIFYING WORKERS’ IMMIGRATION STATUS. 

NOT ATTACHED — IS FUNDING FOR UKRAINE — SOMETHING PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS ASKED CONGRESS TO INCLUDE — 

AND SENATE LEADERSHIP WANTS TO ADD IN — BUT THE HOUSE LEFT OFF.

THE SIDES HAVE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO FIND COMMON GROUND.

MILITARY OFFICIALS ARE ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN LOCATING A MISSING F-35 FIGHTER JET AFTER THEY SAY A “MISHAP” OFF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST ON SUNDAY CAUSED A MARINE CORPS PILOT TO EJECT FROM THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT CRASHED.

OFFICIALS SAY THE JET’S TRANSPONDER WAS NOT WORKING AND ITS LOCATION REMAINS A MYSTERY.

THE F-35 WAS BEING USED AS PART OF A MARINE TRAINING EXERCISE.

BASED ON THE AIRCRAFT’S LAST KNOWN LOCATION —

OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE JET CRASHED INTO NEARBY WATER —

AS HELICOPTER CREWS ARE SEARCHING TWO LAKES NEAR “JOINT BASE CHARLESTON” IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

THAT’S WHERE THE JET WAS SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE BEFORE THE MISHAP TOOK PLACE.

AUTHORITIES DIDN’T SAY WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT —

THE PILOT IS SAID TO BE OKAY.

JUST DAYS AFTER A TWO-WEEK MANHUNT CONCLUDED FOR A FUGITIVE WHO FLED FROM A PENNSYLVANIA PRISON — AUTHORITIES IN THE STATE ARE NOW SEARCHING FOR MORE INMATES WHO HAVE ESCAPED FROM ANOTHER FACILITY – THIS TIME THOUGH THEY ARE JUVENILES.

STATE POLICE SAY NINE YOUNG MALES ESCAPED FROM ABRAXAS (A-BRACKS-US) ACADEMY — A JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY — FOLLOWING A RIOT SUNDAY NIGHT.

THOUGH STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE DETENTION CENTER —  POLICE SAY THE NINE INMATES WERE ABLE TO GET AWAY BY SOMEHOW OBTAINING STAFF KEYS.

THIS MORNING, POLICE SAY FOUR OF THE NINE HAVE BEEN CAUGHT.

THE ESCAPEES ARE SAID TO BE WEARING SHIRTS AND SHORTS – NOT THEIR UNIFORMS.

POLICE ARE ADVISING THOSE IN THE AREA OF THE DETENTION CENTER TO STAY VIGILANT — AND A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS CANCELED CLASSES.

THE SEARCH IS TAKING PLACE IN BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA — WHICH BORDERS CHESTER COUNTY — WHERE CONVICTED MURDERER DANELO CAVALCANTE WAS ON THE RUN FOR 14 DAYS BEFORE BEING CAPTURED LAST WEEK.

EMPLOYERS IN NEW YORK WILL NOW HAVE TO DISCLOSE SALARY RANGES FOR JOB LISTINGS POSTED ONLINE.

THE STATE’S “SALARY TRANSPARENCY LAW” WENT INTO EFFECT OVER THE WEEKEND.

THE LAW REQUIRES EMPLOYERS WITH AT LEAST 4 EMPLOYEES TO INCLUDE HOW MUCH A POSITION PAYS ON ANY JOB LISTING.

THAT INCLUDES ANY REMOTE POSITIONS THAT AREN’T BASED IN NEW YORK — IF THE COMPANY OR SUPERVISOR IS IN NEW YORK.

NEW YORK IS JUST THE LATEST STATE TO MAKE A STANCE ON “SALARY TRANSPARENCY.”

WASHINGTON, RHODE ISLAND, AND CALIFORNIA ENACTED SIMILAR LAWS THIS YEAR.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – SENATORS WILL BE ABLE TO DRESS MORE CASUALLY NOW THAT ITS INFORMAL DRESS CODE IS BEING CHANGED.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS, MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER HAS NOTIFIED THE SENATE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS OF THE CHANGE — EXPECTED TO TAKE EFFECT TODAY — THAT WOULD ALLOW SENATORS TO WEAR WHATEVER THEY WANT WHILE ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

THIS WOULD ALLOW PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR JOHN FETTERMAN TO SPORT HIS HOODIE AND GYM SHORTS – HE OFTEN WEARS.

FETTERMAN HAS BEEN SEEN IN HIS CASUAL LOOK SINCE RETURNING TO THE SENATE FOLLOWING HIS TREATMENT OF CLINICAL DEPRESSION EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THE SENATE HAS BEEN OPERATING UNDER AN UNOFFICIAL DRESS CODE POLICY REQUIRING MEN AND WOMEN TO DRESS IN BUSINESS ATTIRE.

THOUGH SENATORS WILL BE ABLE TO SWITCH UP THEIR WARDROBE WITH THIS CHANGE — THEIR STAFF AND ANYONE ELSE ON THE SENATE FLOOR ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE PREVIOUS DRESS CODE GUIDELINES.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

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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!