[KARAH RUCKER]

THREE EUROPEAN NATIONS MAKE A HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT — THEY WILL BE RECOGNIZING PALESTINE AS A STATE

AND — A PASSENGER DESCRIBES WHAT IT WAS LIKE ON THE SINGAPORE AIRLINES FLIGHT HIT BY TURBULENCE THAT RESULTED IN ONE DEATH AND MULTIPLE INJURIES

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, MAY 22ND.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

SIMON HARRIS | IRISH PRIME MINISTER

“TODAY, IRELAND, NORWAY AND SPAIN ARE ANNOUNCING THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE STATE OF PALESTINE. EACH OF US WILL NOW UNDERTAKE WHATEVER NATIONAL STEPS ARE NECESSARY TO GIVE EFFECT TO THAT DECISION.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

AT A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY — IRISH PRIME MINISTER SIMON HARRIS ANNOUNCING THE THREE U.S. ALLIES COMING TOGETHER FOR A HISTORIC MOVE — RECOGNIZING PALESTINE AS A STATE – AMID ISRAEL’S 7-MONTH WAR WITH HAMAS.

HARRIS SAYING HE IS CONFIDENT THAT MORE COUNTRIES WILL FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE THREE EUROPEAN NATIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS.

IN RESPONSE – ISRAEL HAS ORDERED ITS AMBASSADORS TO RETURN FROM IRELAND AND NORWAY IMMEDIATELY – AND SAID IT WILL DO THE SAME FOR SPAIN.

HARRIS SAYING THAT IRELAND FULLY RECOGNIZES THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND ITS RIGHT TO EXIST – ADDING HIS COUNTRY CONDEMNS HAMAS’S MASSACRE BACK IN OCTOBER – AND CALLS FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES.

THE NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER released  A STATEMENT –

“In the midst of a war, with tens of thousands killed and injured, we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike: Two states, living side by side, in peace and security.’”

SPAIN’S PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ SPEAKING TO THE SPANISH PARLIAMENT SAYING THIS MOVE WILL GIVE PALESTINIANS “DIGNITY AND HOPE.”

WHILE THE DECISION WAS WELCOMED BY THE PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT AND THE HEAD OF THE ARAB LEAGUE – THE ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER RESPONDED — SAYING THE COUNTRIES ARE SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE PALESTINIANS AND THE WHOLE WORLD —  that TERRORISM PAYS.

MORE THAN 140 MEMBER-STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS RECOGNIZE A PALESTINIAN STATE. MEANWHILE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF A TWO-STATE SOLUTION –  BUT SAYS IT MUST BE REACHED AS PART OF NEGOTIATIONS.

AND Remember — you can get our latest coverage of the war in gaza by downloading the Straight Arrow News App.

MOST OF THE PASSENGERS WHO WERE ABOARD A BATTERED SINGAPORE AIRLINES FLIGHT FINALLY MADE IT TO THEIR DESTINATION THIS MORNING. THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT FROM LONDON ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE ON TUESDAY. A 73-YEAR-OLD BRITISH PASSENGER DIED OF A SUSPECTED HEART ATTACK AND AT LEAST 30 OTHERS WERE INJURED.

TEN HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT —  THE BOEING TRIPLE 7 — CARRYING 211 PASSENGERS AND 18 CREW MEMBERS — WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN BANGKOK AFTER A SUDDEN DESCENT OF 6-THOUSAND FEET — LIKELY CAUSED BY CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE.

ONE OF THE PASSENGERS SPOKE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ON THE PLANE.

DZAFRAN AZMIR

PASSENGER

“I saw people from across the aisle just going completely horizontal, hitting the ceiling and landing back down in really awkward positions. People, like, getting massive gashes in the head, concussions.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

MOST PASSENGERS CONTINUED TO SINGAPORE ON A RELIEF FLIGHT, WHILE 79 ARE STILL IN BANGKOK, INCLUDING THOSE WHO are HOSPITALIZED.

THE U.S. NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD AND SINGAPORE’S TRANSPORT SAFETY INVESTIGATION BUREAU ARE AMONG THE AGENCIES INVESTIGATING THE TURBULENCE.

MULTIPLE TORNADOES TORE THROUGH THE MIDWEST, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DESTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY IN GREENFIELD, IOWA, WHERE POLICE CONFIRMED SEVERAL FATALITIES AND NUMEROUS INJURIES.

THE POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM LEFT A TRAIL OF DEVASTATION, FLATTENING HOMES AND BUSINESSES, UPROOTING TREES, AND SCATTERING DEBRIS ACROSS THE SMALL TOWN OF ABOUT 2,000 RESIDENTS.

THE SEVERE WEATHER cut POWER TO more than 34-THOUSAND HOMES IN THE STATE.

IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS HAS DECLARED A “DISASTER EMERGENCY” FOR 15 COUNTIES.

EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE ACTIVELY CONDUCTING SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS, AND AUTHORITIES ARE CLOSELY MONITORING THE ONGOING SITUATION WHILE BEGINNING TO ASSESS THE SCALE OF THE DAMAGE.

THE SAME STORMS swept ACROSS NEBRASKA, UNLEASHING TORRENTIAL RAINS, HIGH WINDS, AND LARGE HAIL.

THE DEFENSE RESTED TUESDAY ON THE 20TH DAY OF THE CRIMINAL TRIAL OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP  – AFTER CALLING TWO WITNESSES TO THE STAND —

AND OPTING NOT TO HAVE trump TESTIFY IS IN OWN DEFENSE.

FOLLOWING TESTIMONY OF PARALEGAL DANIEL SITKO AND ATTORNEY ROBERT COSTELLO – A HEARING WAS HELD WITH BOTH SIDES DEBATING OVER THE EXACT INSTRUCTIONS THE JUDGE WILL PRESENT TO THE JURY.

THE TRIAL WILL RESUME ON TUESDAY – DUE TO JURORS’ SCHEDULES AND THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY.

THE DEFENSE AND PROSECUTION WILL MAKE THEIR CLOSING ARGUMENTS – THEN THE CASE GOES INTO THE HANDS OF THE 12-PERSON JURY.

TRUMP HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN THE CASE WHERE HE IS CHARGED WITH 34 FELONY COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN CONNECTION TO PAYMENTS MADE TO HIS THEN-LAWYER MICHAEL COHEN.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCING THIS MORNING – IT WILL BE FORGIVING 7 POINT 7 BILLION DOLLARS IN STUDENT LOANS. THE RELIEF COMING FOR MORE THAN 160 THOUSAND BORROWERS.

AND IT BREAKS DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES: THOSE RECEIVING PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS –

THOSE WHO SIGNED UP FOR THE SAVING ON A VALUABLE EDUCATION PLAN – ALSO KNOWN AS “SAVE” –

AND THOSE RECEIVING FORGIVENESS ON INCOME-DRIVEN REPAYMENT PLANS.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN FINDING VARIOUS WAYS TO REDUCE OR CANCEL BORROWER’S PAYMENTS AFTER THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN A SWEEPING CANCELLATION PLAN LAST SUMMER.

AS OF TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT – THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS THE TOTAL LOAN FORGIVENESS APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION COMES TO 167 BILLION DOLLARS FOR more than 4 and a half MILLION AMERICANS.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – NESTLE — THE WORLD’S LARGEST FOOD COMPANY – BEHIND SUCH BRANDS AS DIGIORNO PIZZA, HOT POCKETS AND STOUFFER’S – IS RELEASING A LINE OF NEW FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS – TARGETing A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE: THOSE TAKING WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS.

NESTLE ANNOUNCING IT WILL BEGIN TO MARKET FIVE DOLLAR PIZZAS AND PROTEIN-ENRICHED PASTAS TO AMERICAN SHOPPERS WHO USE WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATIONS LIKE WEGOVY AND OZEMPIC.

THEY WILL BE UNDER A NEW BRAND CALLED “VITAL PURSUITS” – DESCRIBED AS “FOOD SOLUTIONS” – COMPLIMENTING “THE EATING HABITS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS” – WHO ARE PRESCRIBED A WEIGHT LOSS DRUG.

THE PRODUCTS ARE SET TO HIT STORE SHELVES IN OCTOBER.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS WEDNESDAY.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

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