ALL EYES ON MILWAUKEE FOR TONIGHT’S FIRST GOP PRIMARY DEBATE  – WE HAVE WHO’S IN, WHO’S OUT AND WHAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXPECTED PLANS ARE.

AND RESCUERS RUSH TO HELP A GROUP OF CHILDREN DANGLING FROM A CABLE CAR.

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS.

BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY — AUGUST 23RD

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

TONIGHT EIGHT GOP CANDIDATES VYING TO BECOME THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL TAKE PART IN THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRIMARY DEBATE OF THE 2024 CYCLE.

HERE IS WHO HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO BE ON THE STAGE IN MILWAUKEE TONIGHT.

FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, TECH ENTREPENUER VIVEK RAMASWAMY, SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR TIM SCOTT, FORMER U.N. AMBASSADOR AND SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE, NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM, FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE AND FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON.

THESE 8 CANDIDATES ALL MET THE RNC’S POLLING AND DONOR REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THE DEBATE – RECEIVING AT LEAST ONE PERCENT IN THREE NATIONAL POLLS OR IN A MIX OF NATIONAL  AND EARLY STATE POLLS –

AND ACCRUING A MINIMUM OF 40 THOUSAND DONORS – WITH 200 IN 20 OR MORE STATES.

AND UPON VERIFICATION OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, EACH CANDIDATE HAD TO SIGN THE GOP LOYALTY PLEDGE EXPRESSING THEIR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT WHOEVER WINS THE GOP NOMINATION.

FOUR CANDIDATES WERE DISQUALIFIED FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE DEBATE BASED ON THESE REQUIREMENTS — MICHIGAN BUSINESSMAN PERRY JOHNSON, CONSERVATIVE TALK RADIO HOST LARRY ELDER, MIAMI MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ AND FORMER TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE WILL HURD.

THEY HAVE EACH VOICED THEIR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE RNC’S DECISION, INCLUDING JOHNSON WHO SAYS HE DID QUALIFY, POSTING TO X – QUOTE – “THE DEBATE PROCESS HAS BEEN CORRUPTED, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.” JOHNSON AND ELDER HAVE SAID THEY PLAN TO SUE THE RNC OVER BEING LEFT OFF THE STAGE.

ONE OTHER CANDIDATE WHO DID MEET THE CRITERIA WILL NOT BE ON THE STAGE PER HIS CHOOSING – THAT’S FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, THE GOP FRONTRUNNER

TRUMP INSTEAD HAS REPORTEDLY RECORDED A SIT-DOWN INTERVIEW WITH HOST TUCKER CARLSON THAT IS SET TO AIR AS COUNTER-PROGRAMMING AS THE DEBATE IS BROADCAST ON CARLSON’S FORMER NETWORK FOX NEWS.

TRUMP HAS SAID BECAUSE OF HIS LEAD OVER OTHER CANDIDATES IN RECENT POLLS HE DOES NOT NEED TO BE ON STAGE.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT, WHO IS FACING FOUR INDICTMENTS, IS EXPECTED TO TURN HIMSELF IN TO AUTHORITIES IN GEORGIA ON THURSDAY AS HE FACES RACKETEERING CHARGES IN THE STATE.

ANOTHER TOP US OFFICIAL IS HEADED TO CHINA TO DISCUSS THE TWO COUNTRIES’ COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP.

BOTH COUNTRIES CONFIRMED TUESDAY – U.S. SECRETARY OF COMMERCE GINA RAIMONDO WILL VISIT CHINA FROM AUGUST TWENTY-SEVENTH TO THE THIRTIETH.

WHILE CHINA SAYS IT WAS AT THE INVITATION OF THE CHINESE MINISTER OF COMMERCE, THE U.S. HAS NOT CONFIRMED IF THAT IS THE CASE.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN SAYS RAIMONDO’S TRIP WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE U.S. TO EXPLAIN PRESIDENT BIDEN’S RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER PUTTING INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS ON SOME CHINESE HIGH-TECH INDUSTRIES.

THE COMMERCE SECRETARY’S VISIT FOLLOWS OTHER U.S. OFFICIALS’ TRIPS TO CHINA THIS SUMMER INCLUDING SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN AND TREASURY SECRETARY JANET YELLEN.

U-P-S WORKERS HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED TO RATIFY A NEW FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT AGREEMENT —

THE PROPOSED NEW WORKERS CONTRACTS WERE FIRST REPORTED IN LATE JULY —

THE TENTATIVE DEAL AVOIDED A SIGNIFICANT STRIKE — AND IS NOW OFFICIALLY APPROVED BY THE WORKERS UNION.

THE NEW CONTRACTS INCLUDE **SIGNIFICANT PAY INCREASES OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE CONTRACT — WITH A 48 PERCENT PAY INCREASE FOR ITS PART TIME EMPLOYEES.

AND A PUSH TO ADD MORE FULL TIME WORKERS WHICH MAKES THEM ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS.

ACCORDING TO EMPLOYMENT SITE INDEED — THE AVERAGE ANNUAL RAISE IS TYPICALLY BETWEEN 3 AND 5 PERCENT.

BUT RECENT CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN BIG UNIONS AND BIG COMPANIES — ARE WAY ABOVE IT.

UPS JUST BEING THE LATEST.

FOR A REPORT OF OTHER EXAMPLES OF EMBOLDENED UNIONS WINNING BIG CONTRACT DEALS IN A RECENT MOVEMENT —

HEAD TO S-A-N DOT COM.

TERRIFYING MOMENTS — CAUGHT ON CAMERA  — AS EIGHT PEOPLE — INCLUDING SIX CHILDREN — INSIDE A CABLE CAR WERE LEFT DANGLING NEARLY A THOUSAND FEET ABOVE A RIVER IN PAKISTAN —

AFTER ONE OF ITS MILE-LONG CABLES SNAPPED.

RESCUERS MIRACULOUSLY WERE ABLE TO SAVE ALL OF THOSE ON BOARD —

THOSE BELOW HELD THEIR BREATH AS A HELICOPTER ABOVE PRODUCED HIGH WINDS — THREATENING THE RESCUE MISSION.

ONE CHILD WAS AIRLIFTED TO SAFETY BEFORE OFFICIALS SUSPENDED USE OF THE CHOPPER.

HOURS LATER — IN THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT — OFFICIALS WERE ABLE TO DEPLOY A ZIPLINE TO THE CAR AND PULL EVERYONE TO SAFETY.

THESE MAKESHIFT CABLE CARS ARE MEANT TO MAKE TRANSPORTATION EASIER, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS HEADING TO SCHOOL —

BUT ARE OFTEN TIMES MADE FROM SCRAP METAL AND CAN LACK PROPER MAINTENANCE.

RESEARCHERS SAY A DAILY ASPIRIN CAN PREVENT A HEART ATTACK IN ADULTS WHO HAVE SURVIVED AN EARLIER HEART ATTACK OR STROKE.

BUT DESPITE THE STRONG EVIDENCE —

A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS LESS THAN HALF OF ADULTS WHO HAVE A HISTORY OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE ARE TAKING THE PILL.

ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK ARE TAKING ASPIRIN ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AND MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH WORLDWIDE —

WHICH IS WHY DOCTORS PART OF THE LATEST STUDY WANT PEOPLE WITH A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS TO TAKE ASPIRIN AS “SECONDARY PREVENTION” — MEANING REDUCING THE RISK OF AN ADDITIONAL HEART ATTACK OR STROKE.

AVAILABLE RESEARCH SHOWS THE BENEFITS FAR OUTWEIGH THE RISKS ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORS OF THE STUDY.

SOME COUNTRIES HAVE FAR LESS ACCESS —

WITH ONLY 16 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WITH PRIOR HEART ATTACKS TAKING ASPIRIN IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES.

IN THE U.S. — THE PERCENTAGE IS CLOSER TO 65 PERCENT — MEETING THE GOAL OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.

FINALLY THIS MORNING, STUBHUB HAS RELEASED ITS COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW —

WITH A LIST OF THE MOST IN-DEMAND TEAMS AND GAMES FOR THE 2023 SEASON.

AND AS ONE STUBHUB TICKET EXPERT SAYS – QUOTE – “SALES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF!”

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE, THE MICHIGAN WOLVERINES, AND NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH ROUND OUT THE TOP THREE IN-DEMAND TEAMS.

THE MOST IN-DEMAND GAME?  OHIO STATE AT NOTRE DAME ON SEPTEMBER 23RD.

NATIONALLY — TICKET SALES ARE UP OVER 50 PERCENT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR —

PENN STATE FOOTBALL TICKET SALES ARE UP 150 PERCENT COMPARED TO LAST SEASON.

OFF-SEASON SHAKE UPS INCLUDING TEAMS MOVING CONFERENCES AND COACHING STAFF CHANGES HAVE PLAYED A PART IN THE UPCOMING SEASON HYPE.

THOSE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING. THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS AS YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE.

AND NOW YOU CAN KNOW THE SECOND THE MORNING RUNDOWN IS AVAILABLE WITH THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP. THE APP IS FREE TO DOWNLOAD IN THE APPLE AND GOOGLE PLAY APP STORES. JUST SEARCH “STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.”

THEN MAKE SURE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS AND YOU’LL GET ALERTED EACH WEEKDAY MORNING WHEN IT’S TIME TO WATCH.

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.