[KARAH RUCKER]

THE FIRST SHIPMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AID MAKES ITS WAY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES’ NEWLY BUILT PIER IN GAZA

AND — AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE ARE KILLED AFTER SEVERE STORMS HIT THE HOUSTON AREA

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS FRIDAY, MAY 17

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

ADDITIONAL HUMANITARIAN AID HAS BEGUN ENTERING GAZA BY WAY OF THE JUST COMPLETED US-BUILT FLOATING PIER.

THE US MILITARY’S CENTRAL COMMAND SAYING THE FIRST TRUCKS CARRYING AID CROSSED THE PIER THIS MORNING – A DAY AFTER IT WAS ANCHORED TO A BEACH IN GAZA.

CENTRAL COMMAND REITERATING THAT NO U.S. TROOPS WENT ASHORE IN GAZA AS PART OF THIS OPERATION.

US AID OFFICIALS SAYING THE INITIAL SHIPMENT INCLUDES FOOD BARS FOR 11,000 PEOPLE, THERAPEUTIC FOODS TO TREAT OVER 7,000 MALNOURISHED CHILDREN AND RELIEF SUPPLIES LIKE HYGIENE KITS FOR 30,000 PEOPLE.

THE AID FOR THE 2 POINT 2 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN GAZA COMES AS ISRAEL DEFENDED ITSELF TODAY AT THE UNITED NATION’S INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE IN THE NETHERLANDS – ASKING THE JUDGES TO TOSS OUT SOUTH AFRICA’S REQUEST TO CALL FOR A CEASE-FIRE AND ORDER ISRAELI MILITARY TO WITHDRAW FROM GAZA.

SOUTH AFRICA HAS ACCUSED ISRAEL OF GENOCIDE IN ITS WAR AGAINST HAMAS.

ISRAEL SAYING SOUTH AFRICA’S CASE IS  QUOTE “COMPLETELY DIVORCED FROM FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES” AND IT “MAKES A MOCKERY OF THE HEINOUS CHARGE OF GENOCIDE.”

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE WORLD COURT HAS HEARD HEARINGS SINCE SOUTH AFRICA FIRST FILED ITS CASE IN DECEMBER.

BACK IN THE U.S. ON THURSDAY – THE HOUSE PASSED A BILL THAT WOULD FORCE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO CONTINUE TO SEND ARMS SHIPMENTS TO ISRAEL. 16 DEMOCRATS JOINED REPUBLICANS IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL. IT IS HOWEVER NOT LIKELY TO ADVANCE IN THE SENATE AND THE PRESIDENT HAS ALREADY SAID HE WOULD VETO IT.

OUR RAY BOGAN HAS MORE ON THE HOUSE’S BILL NOW ON THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP. AND BE SURE TO ENABLE NOTIFICATIONS TO GET ALERTS FOR OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE WAR IN GAZA.

FRENCH POLICE SHOT AND KILLED A MAN SUSPECTED OF SETTING FIRE TO A SYNAGOGUE THIS MORNING.

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE CITY OF ROUEN (ROO–AHN), AROUND 80 MILES NORTHWEST OF PARIS.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAY THE MAN WAS CARRYING A KNIFE AND IRON BAR AND CHARGED AT OFFICERS WHO WERE RESPONDING TO THE FIRE AT THE SYNAGOGUE.

POLICE SAY AN OFFICER THEN OPENED FIRE – KILLING THE suspect.

authorities were able to control the fire at the scene.

ON X — FRANCE’S INTERIOR MINISTER CONGRATULATED POLICE FOR THEIR “RESPONSIVENESS AND COURAGE.”

ROUEN’S MAYOR SAYING THE TOWN IS “BATTERED AND SHOCKed.”

THOUGH THE MOTIVE IS UNCLEAR AT THIS TIME – THE INCIDENT COMES AS FRANCE IS FACING A RISE IN ANTISEMITIC ACTS SINCE THE START OF THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR.

AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED THURSDAY NIGHT AS STRONG STORMS STRUCK THE HOUSTON AREA.

HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS BLOWING OUT WINDOWS IN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS AND LEAVING APPROXIMATELY 800,000 HOMES WITHOUT POWER, PLUNGING MUCH OF THE CITY INTO DARKNESS.

HOUSTON’S FIRE CHIEF SAYING FALLEN TREES LIKELY LED TO TWO DEATHS — WITH ANOTHER BEING BLAMED ON A CRANE THAT TOPPLED OVER.

MAYOR JOHN WHITMIRE IS URGING RESIDENTS TO STAY INDOORS AND AVOID TRAVEL DUE TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS – INCLUDING ON HIGHWAYS — AMID SEVERE FLOODING AND HIGH WINDS.

JOHN WHITMIRE

HOUSTON MAYOR

“All the city departments are working tonight. It’ll be a long night. The first responders are doing what they are trained to do. We had firefighters taking live wires off for 290 this afternoon that was blocking thoroughfares.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED TODAY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS MORE HEAVY RAINFALL IS IN THE FORECAST WITH FLASH FLOODING A POSSIBILITY.

THERE WILL BE NO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CRIMINAL TRIAL OF DONALD TRUMP IN NEW YORK TODAY AS THE FORMER PRESIDENT ATTENDS HIS SON BARRON’S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

THE JUDGE ALLOWING THE BREAK IN THE TRIAL FOR TRUMP TO ATTEND THE GRADUATION AT OXBRIDGE ACADEMY IN WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT WILL THEN HEAD TO MINNESOTA FOR A REPUBLICAN FUNDRAISING EVENT.

THE PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINEE WILL RETURN TO THE MANHATTAN COURTROOM ON MONDAY – WHERE HIS FORMER LAWYER MICHAEL COHEN IS SET TO BE BACK ON THE STAND TO FACE FURTHER CROSS-EXAMINATION FROM TRUMP’S LEGAL TEAM.

DURING FIVE HOURS OF TESTIMONY ON THURSDAY — TRUMP’S LAWYER questioned COHEN’s credibility — at one point telling cohen he is lying TO THE JURY – ACCUSING HIM OF MAKING UP A PHONE CALL COHEN SAID HE HAD WITH TRUMP IN 2016.

TRUMP’S LAWYER says COHEN DID NOT SPEAK TO TRUMP THAT NIGHT – BUT INSTEAD SPOKE TO TRUMP’S BODYGUARD ABOUT A 14-YEAR-OLD WHO HAD BEEN PRANK-CALLING COHEN’S PHONE –

trump’s lawyer providing phone records of communication between cohen and the bodyguard — not trump.

COHEN insisted HE believes he talked to trump too.

in the heated exchange — trump’s attorney told cohen the jury wasn’t interested in “what cohen think happened”.

PROSECUTORS COULD REST THEIR CASE ON MONDAY.

THEN IT’S THE DEFENSE’S TURN. IT IS NOT KNOWN IF TRUMP’S LEGAL TEAM WILL CALL ON ANY WITNESSES TO TESTIFY – INCLUDING whether TRUMP HIMSELF would take the stand.

GENERAL MOTORS AND LG HAVE REACHED A SETTLEMENT WITH CHEVY BOLT EV OWNERS OVER DEFECTIVE BATTERIES.

THE COMPANIES CREATING A 150 MILLION DOLLAR FUND TO PROVIDE RELIEF.

UNDER THE SETTLEMENT – AFFECTED OWNERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED A BATTERY REPLACEMENT OR HAVE INSTALLED THE LATEST SOFTWARE REMEDY CAN RECEIVE UP TO 1,400 DOLLARS IN COMPENSATION.

GM LAUNCHED THE CHEVY BUILT IN 2015 – WITH THE EV USING BATTERIES MADE BY LG.

IN 2021 – GM ANNOUNCED A MASSIVE RECALL OF THE VEHICLES OVER THE RISK OF THE BATTERIES CATCHING FIRE.

GM STOPPED PRODUCING THE CHEVY BOLT LAST YEAR AS THE CARMAKER SHIFTED ITS FOCUS TO NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – AS MCDONALD’S IS TRYING TO LURE BACK CUSTOMERS CONCERNED OVER RECENT PRICE HIKES – IT’S HOPING A NEW ADDITION TO THE MENU MIGHT HELP – ONE INSPIRED BY OUR GRANDMOTHERS.

INTRODUCING THE GRANDMA MCFLURRY!

THE FAST-FOOD CHAIN’S LIMITED EDITION SWEET TREAT IS A MIX OF SYRUP, VANILLA ICE CREAM AND CANDY PIECES – WHAT MCDONALD’S SAYS ARE “JUST LIKE GRANDMA’S FAVORITE TREAT THAT SHE HID IN HER PURSE.”

THE DESSERT IS JUST ONE NEW IDEA AS the fast food giant has been losing low-income customers — who are CHOOSING TO EAT AT HOME.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, REPORTS SAY MCDONALD’S WILL BE RELEASING A 5 DOLLAR VALUE MEAL AS PART OF THE COMPANY’S PLANS TO bring back customers who have felt the recent price hikes.

THOUGH — ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY FROM FINANCE BUZZ — PRICES HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE FOR A WHILE AT MCDONALD’S — WITH THE PRICE OF A MCDOUBLE INCREASING 168 PERCENT OVER THE PAST DECADE.

THE FAST FOOD CHAIN NOW HOPING LOST CUSTOMERS WILL RETURN WITH THESE NEW ADDITIONS.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS FRIDAY.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE ON MONDAY.

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