Buckingham Palace announces King Charles III is being treated for cancer. And country music superstar Toby Keith passes away after his own cancer battle. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024.
King Charles III diagnosed with cancer
Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III began outpatient treatment after being diagnosed with cancer. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday, Feb. 6, during an interview with the BBC that he was “shocked and sad” to learn of the King’s diagnosis but is thankful the cancer was caught early.
The BBC reported King Charles would continue regular treatment and postpone his public duties under doctors’ advice. Still, the King looks forward to returning to his full public responsibilities as soon as possible.
Charles is less than 18 months into his reign, becoming King following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, after her 70 years on the throne. You can read Lauren Taylor’s full report now.
Toby Keith dies at age 62
Country music star Toby Keith has died. A statement was posted to his official “X” account early this morning, saying Keith passed away peacefully Monday night, Feb. 5, surrounded by family. Keith announced he’d been diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2022 and was receiving treatment. The statement read, “he fought his fight with grace and courage.”
The country star, known for songs such as “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “Red Solo Cup,” was named Artist of the Decade at the American Country Awards in 2011 and received the Country Music Icon Award at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards.
“I want to thank the almighty for allowing me to be here tonight. You’ve been riding shotgun with me for a little while,” Keith said during his acceptance speech in September. He also thanked his team, adding “Most of all I want to thank the fans for still allowing us to do what we do.”
Deadly storm causes mudslides, flooding, power outages in California
At least three people have died as a severe storm swept through California. All three deaths were due to fallen trees.
Heavy rainfall led to flooding and mudslides throughout the region, with about 38 million people under flood alerts from California to southwest Arizona. In Los Angeles, firefighters rescued 16 people from mudslides on one street.
Evacuations in parts of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties that were called on Sunday, Feb. 4, have been lifted or downgraded. The severe storm hit California on Sunday, Feb. 4, and left 250,000 homes and businesses without power in central and northern parts of the state.
The National Weather Service, marking the storm as potentially historic, called it one of the wettest storms to hit Los Angeles since records have been kept dating back to the 1870s.
In a 24-hour period, nearly a foot of rain was measured at the University of California at Los Angeles. According to the White House, President Joe Biden has pledged federal aid to California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.
Biden threatens to veto House GOP’s standalone Israel aid bill
With the Senate scheduled to hold an initial vote tomorrow on a $118 billion bill focusing on border security and aid to Ukraine and Israel, House Republicans are looking to push forward with a standalone bill of their own that would provide aid only to Israel.
In response, President Joe Biden has come out to say he would veto the House bill. In a statement, the White House called the standalone bill a “political ploy” that “does nothing to help secure the border” or “defend the people of Ukraine.” House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., told CNN on Monday, Feb. 5, that Biden’s veto threat is “a betrayal of our great ally and friend Israel in their time of desperate need.”
The speaker has said that the Senate’s bill would be dead on arrival in the House, but it might not get to that point, as on Monday night, Feb. 5, Senate Republicans held a closed-door meeting, threatening to block the bipartisan package.
Nikki Haley requests Secret Service protection
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has requested Secret Service protection. Haley’s campaign did not provide any specific threats that prompted the request. Still, the former ambassador to the United Nations has been the target of at least two “swatting” incidents, where callers file false reports looking to generate a significant response by law enforcement.
There have also been protesters at her recent campaign events opposing her support for Ukraine and Israel. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Haley confirmed the application for protection with the Department of Homeland Security, saying, “We’ve had multiple issues.” Haley added, “It’s not going to stop me from doing what I need to do.”
Haley remains the last remaining opponent to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination. Nevada holds its Republican and Democratic primary elections today. On Thursday, the Nevada Republican Party will host a caucus.
Most Americans consider football to be ‘America’s sport’
Baseball has long been considered to be America’s pastime, but now it appears that baseball’s time has passed as the top sport in the nation. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey of 12,000 adults, 53% said football is “America’s sport.”
Baseball came in second with 27%, followed by basketball and soccer. But while football was the top choice of those surveyed, most do not consider themselves diehard sports fans. In fact, 60% said they do not closely follow professional or college sports. But there’s probably still a good chance most will be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday, Feb. 11, even if it’s for the commercials.