Morning rundown: White House targets COVID relief fraud; explosive at PA airport

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[TITLE: DAILY RUNDOWN THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023]
[KARAH NAME SUPER]
GOOD MORNING THANKS FOR JOINING THE DAILY RUNDOWN.
I’M KARAH RUCKER.
TOP STORIES ON THIS THURSDAY —
TOP U.S. OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING SANCTIONS ON CHINA IF THEY SEND MILITARY SUPPORT TO RUSSIA.
AND AN EXPLOSIVE WAS FOUND INSIDE CHECKED LUGGAGE AT A PENNSYLVANIA AIRPORT.
BUT FIRST — THE WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING A 1.6 BILLION DOLLAR PROPOSAL TO COMBAT COVID RELIEF FRAUD.
THIS IS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS.
[L3: PROPOSAL TO COMBAT COVID RELIEF FRAUD]
{COVID RELIEF FRAUD VO}
SINCE THE PANDEMIC — THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT 5 **TRILLION DOLLARS IN COVID RELIEF FUNDS.
EXPERTS PREDICT HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS WAS MISUSED.
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS ANNOUNCED A 1.6 BILLION DOLLAR PLAN TO GO AFTER FRAUDSTERS WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PANDEMIC.
600 MILLION DOLLARS WOULD GO TOWARD INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS.
400 MILLION WOULD GO TOWARD VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT.
AND 600 MILLION FOR FRAUD PREVENTION.
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SOME LAWMAKERS WILL MEET TODAY TO DISCUSS BIDEN’S PROPOSAL ON CAPITOL HILL — WHICH WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS SAY COULD PAY FOR ITSELF IN THE AMOUNT OF COVID RELIEF THE INITIATIVE RECOVERS.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE ALREADY SAID THEY WILL BE LAUNCHING THEIR OWN INVESTIGATIONS INTO WIDESPREAD COVID RELIEF FRAUD.

THE U.S. IS GETTING AHEAD OF THE **POTENTIAL THAT CHINA PROVIDES MILITARY SUPPORT TO RUSSIA FOR THE WAR IN UKRAINE —
ACCORDING TO REUTERS — THE U.S. IS ASKING ITS ALLIES IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT SANCTIONS ON CHINA IF THEY WERE TO PROVIDE MILITARY AID TO RUSSIA.
FOUR U.S. OFFICIALS TOLD REUTERS THE TALKS WERE IN EARLY STAGES.
WHAT SANCTIONS WASHINGTON WOULD IMPOSE ON THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY IS NOT CLEAR.
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS WARNED CHINA’S PRESIDENT XI JINPING AGAINST SENDING AID TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADYMIR PUTIN.
CHINA DENIES ANY PLANS TO DO SO.

THE U.S. HAS APPROVED MORE ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN, INCLUDING $619 MILLION WORTH OF MUNITIONS FOR F-16 FIGHTER JETS, IN A DECISION LIKELY TO BE YET ANOTHER POINT OF FRICTION BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAID IN A STATEMENT WEDNESDAY NIGHT IT HAD APPROVED SALES OF MISSILES TO BE USED WITH THE F-16S AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT THE MISSILES.
TAIWAN HAS A FLEET OF F-16’S THAT WERE ALSO BOUGHT FROM THE U.S.

A PENNSYLVANIA MAN WAS ARRESTED AT THE AIRPORT AFTER HE CHECKED IN A SUITCASE WITH AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE HIDDEN IN THE LINING ON A FLIGHT TO FLORIDA.
40 YEAR OLD MARC MUFFLEY IS IN FBI CUSTODY —
FACING FEDERAL CRIMINAL CHARGES —
INCLUDING “POSSESSING AN EXPLOSIVE IN AN AIRPORT”
AND “ATTEMPTING TO PLACE AN EXPLOSIVE ON AN AIRCRAFT.”
AUTHORITIES SAID THE DEVICE CONTAINED POWDER YOU WOULD FIND IN HIGH-GRADE FIREWORKS THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IGNITE FROM HEAT AND FRICTION.
AUTHORITIES SAID THE DEVICE POSED A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO THE AIRCRAFT AND PASSENGERS.

SPACE X SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED FOUR ASTRONAUTS INTO SPACE EARLY THURSDAY MORNING —
EXPECTED TO REACH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TOMORROW.
THE FALCON 9 ROCKET WAS INTENDED FOR LIFT OFF THREE DAYS PRIOR —
POSTPONED DUE TO A CLOGGED FILTER IN THE “ENGINE IGNITION SYSTEM.”
BUT ALL WAS WELL AT FLORIDA’S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH.
THE ASTRONAUTS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY AT THE SPACE STATION FOR SIX MONTHS.

A SHARK FEEDING FRENZY WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEO JUST 15 MILES OFF THE COAST OF VENICE LOUISIANA.
A GROUP OF FISHERMEN WERE CAUGHT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AS DOZENS OF SHARKS WERE HITTING THE SIDES OF THE BOAT AND SPLASHING WATER DRENCHING THE BOAT.
THE SHARKS WERE APPARENTLY GOING AFTER A “BAIT POD” — WHICH IS A SCHOOL OF FISH CLOSELY PACKED TOGETHER.