[KARAH RUCKER]

A STAGE COLLAPSES DURING A CAMPAIGN EVENT IN MEXICO LEAVING AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE DEAD AND DOZENS INJURED

AND — NIKKI HALEY MAKES HER ELECTION PLANS KNOWN — GIVING HER REASONS WHY SHE’LL BE VOTING FOR DONALD TRUMP.

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS THURSDAY, MAY 23RD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND DOZENS OF OTHERS WERE INJURED WHEN A STAGE COLLAPSED DURING A CAMPAIGN RALLY IN MEXICO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

the terrifying moment was caught on camera.

AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE ARE CONFIRMED DEAD AFTER HIGH WINDS CAUSED THE STAGE TO COLLAPSE.

THE VICTIMS INCLUDED EIGHT ADULTS AND ONE CHILD.

OFFICIALS SAYING AROUND 50 OTHERS WERE INJURED.

VIDEOS FROM THE SCENE SHOW POLITICIANS — INCLUDING A MEXICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE — ON THE STAGE AS THE STRUCTURE BEGAN FALLING.

PEOPLE COULD BE SEEN RUSHING OFF THE STAGE AS THOSE IN THE CROWD RAN FOR COVER.

RESIDENTS IN THE AREA WERE BEING WARNED TO STAY INDOORS DUE TO STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.

THE incident COMES AS MEXICO PREPARES FOR ITS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ON JUNE 2ND.

NIKKI HALEY HAS ANNOUNCED SHE PLANS ON VOTING FOR FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – DESPITE HER CRITICISM OF TRUMP DURING THE HEATED PRIMARY SEASON.

IN HER FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE SINCE DROPPING OUT OF THE RACE IN MARCH, HALEY MADE HER DECISION KNOWN FOLLOWING A SPEECH ON **NATIONAL SECURITY** AT THE HUDSON INSTITUTE IN WASHINGTON D.C.

WHEN ASKED WHO WOULD DO A BETTER JOB HANDLING national security — haley said while SHE STILL DOEsnT AGREE WITH TRUMP ON ALL ISSUES —

SHE WOULD CHOOSE TRUMP OVER BIDEN,

NIKKI HALEY | FORMER U.N. AMBASSADOR

“As a voter, I put my priorities on a president who’s going to have the backs of our allies and hold our enemies to account. Who would secure the border, no more excuses. A president who would support capitalism and freedom. A president who understands we need less debt, not more debt. Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I’ve made that clear many, many times. But Biden has been a catastrophe. So I will be voting for Trump.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

EVEN THOUGH HALEY SUSPENDED HER CAMPAIGN MONTHS AGO – SHE HAS STILL BEEN RECEIVING A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF VOTES IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES – INCLUDING 20 PERCENT IN INDIANA EARLIER THIS MONTH.

IN HER COMMENTS WEDNESDAY — HALEY REPEATED HER CALL TO TRUMP FROM HER campaign SUSPENSION SPEECH – HOPING HE WILL REACH OUT TO HER SUPPORTERS AND NOT ASSUME THAT THEY’LL JUST VOTE FOR HIM IN HER ABSENCE.

THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN QUICKLY RESPONDING TO HALEY’S announcement — SAYING THIS CHANGES NOTHING FOR THE MILLIONS OF REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE CAST THEIR BALLOTS AGAINST TRUMP.

A MICHIGAN DAIRY WORKER IS SAID TO BE THE SECOND HUMAN CASE OF BIRD FLU LINKED TO AN OUTBREAK IN DAIRY COWS IN THE U.S.

THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAYING THE WORKER DEVELOPED PINKEYE BUT NO RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS.

THE WORKER HAS FULLY RECOVERED.

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian

Chief Medical Executive | Michigan

“The risk to the general public remains low. We know that with our current understanding of H5 influenza, and H5 influenza particularly in livestock, that there is the risk for sporadic human cases. And that’s what we’ve seen at this time. What we have not seen is any sort of sustained human to human transmission.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

THIS CASE FOLLOWS A SIMILAR INSTANCE IN TEXAS — THE FIRST DOCUMENTED CASE OF A HUMAN CATCHING THE VIRUS FROM A MAMMAL.

HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE RECOMMENDING PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR THOSE WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH DAIRY CATTLE.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS EXPECTED TO FILE AN ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST LIVE NATION, THE OWNER OF TICKETMASTER, AS EARLY AS TODAY.

THE DOJ COULD TAKE SEVERAL ACTIONS, FROM DEMANDING THAT THE COMPANY HALT ANY ILLEGAL PRACTICES — TO PURSUING A MORE DRASTIC MEASURE OF ASKING A COURT TO BREAK UP THE COMPANY.

THIS ACTION FOLLOWS ALLEGATIONS THAT THE COMPANY HAS ABUSED ITS POSITION AS A CONCERT PROMOTER, TICKET SELLER, AND VENUE OWNER TO SUPPRESS COMPETITION, LEADING TO REDUCED CONSUMER CHOICE AND HIGHER TICKET PRICES.

THE LAWSUIT IS A RESPONSE TO PUBLIC OUTCRY, NOTABLY AFTER TICKETMASTER’S MISHANDLING OF TICKET SALES FOR TAYLOR SWIFT’S “ERAS TOUR” IN 2022 — LEADING TO SIGNIFICANT BACKLASH FROM FANS AND POLITICIANS.

CHIPMAKER NVIDIA IS RIDING HIGH THESE DAYS – THANKS TO THE RISE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE COMPANY IS BEHIND MICROCHIPS THAT POWER MOST AI APPLICATIONS – INCLUDING OPENAI’S CHATGPT.

IN ITS LATEST QUARTERLY EARNING REPORT – NVIDIA SURPASSING WALL STREET PREDICTIONS — REPORTING RECORD REVENUE OF 26 BILLION DOLLARS – A 262 PERCENT INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.

NVIDIA ALSO ANNOUNCING IT WOULD SPLIT ITS STOCK TEN-FOR-ONE – EFFECTIVE JUNE 7TH.

THE COMPANY’S SHARES ARE UP MORE THAN 90 PERCENT THIS YEAR.

A SINGLE SHARE IN THE COMPANY SURPASSED 1,000 DOLLARS ON WEDNEDAY FOLLOWING THE EARNINGS REPORT.

TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE — JUST FIVE YEARS AGO – A SHARE IN NVIDIA WOULD HAVE COST LESS THAN 50 DOLLARS.

AND YOU CAN GET ALERTED TO THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN AI BY DOWNLOADING THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND TURNING ON NOTIFICATIONS.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – AFTER 10 DAYS — APPLE MUSIC HAS COMPLETED ITS COUNTDOWN OF THE 100 BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME – AND – AS A RADIO DJ WOULD SAY — “COMING IN AT NUMBER ONE” – “THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL.”

UPON RECEIVING THE NEWS – HILL SAID  “THE AWARD IS MINE” — BUT ADDED THAT HER 1998 SOLO ALBUM IS A “DEEP NARRATIVE” THAT “INVOLVES SO MANY PEOPLE.”

APPLE MUSIC SAYING ITS 100 BEST ALBUM LIST IS A “MODERN 21ST CENTURY RANKING OF THE GREATEST RECORDS EVER MADE” CHOSEN BY A COMMITTEE OF ARTISTS, APPLE MUSIC EMPLOYEES, AND INDUSTRY INSIDERS.

OTHER ALBUMS IN THE TOP 5 INCLUDE “BLOND” BY FRANK OCEAN, “PURPLE RAIN” BY PRINCE, AND “ABBEY ROAD” BY THE BEATLES.

MICHAEL JACKSON’S “THRILLER” CAME IN AT NUMBER TWO.

AND NOW MUSIC FANS — LET THE DEBATE BEGIN!

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS THURSDAY.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!