Thursday morning news: May 16, 2024

SOUND: [Plane landing]

Ukraine latest/Putin says he wants negotiated end to war » Vladimir Putin’s jet touching down in Beijing ahead of meetings today with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Among the topics of discussion: Ukraine.

In an interview with state-run Chinese media this week, Putin said he was open to negotiating an end to Russia’s war with Ukraine.

But speaking from Kyiv yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken told reporters:

BLINKEN: I imagine that if Putin showed any interest in seriously engaging in negotiations, I’m sure Ukrainians would respond to that. But what Putin has demonstrated every single day is exactly the opposite.

And the White House says China isn’t helping matters by assisting Russia’s war effort.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre:

JEAN-PIERRE: If China purports to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it cannot continue to fuel the biggest threat to European security right now.

The U.S. says Beijing’s been providing non-lethal military assistance while also helping Russia circumvent sanctions.

Supreme Court ruling on Louisiana voting map » The Supreme Court has ordered Louisiana to hold its 2024 elections with a new majority-Black U.S. House district in place for now. WORLD’s Mark Mellinger has more.

MARK MELLINGER: With control of the House a toss-up this fall, the new voting map could result in Louisiana voters sending a second Democrat to Congress.

The High Court reversed a lower court finding that the state’s new voting map relied too heavily on race and needed to be redrawn.

But the justices didn’t address the racial issue. They only stopped the creation of another new map for the November election… which they say could confuse voters.

The High Court’s order may not be the final word on the matter. The justices could still decide to hear arguments on the substance of the case.

Ongoing debate in Washington over Biden’s Israel weapons restriction » House Republicans are moving forward with a bill aimed at forcing President Biden to deliver weapons to Israel without restriction.

Biden has paused shipments of 2,000-pound bombs fearing mass civilian casualties if Israel launches a major assault on Hamas in the town of Rafah.

GOP Congressman Michael McCaul chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee …

MCCAULEY: Congress appropriated with the intent to spend the money on weapons to go to Israel. And yet this president, without any consultation with Congress, has decided to stop and withhold the shipments.

The bill may be dead on arrival in the Senate, but it could pick up support from some House Democrats, turning up the heat on the president.

However, Democratic Congressman Pete Aguilar said Wednesday …

AGUILAR: Overwhelmingly, House Democrats will reject this overly political bill that did not come through committee.

The Biden Administration is going ahead with a separate sale of $1 billion dollars in arms and ammunition to Israel.

House hearing on weaponization of government » Also on Wednesday, in a House hearing … Republicans scrutinized what they call a misuse of the legal system.

Jim Jordan chairs the panel on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. He charges that allies of President Biden have turned the courts into a political battlefield.

JIM JORDAN:  None of these cases happened until after President Trump announced he was running for president. Fannie Willis opened her investigation two and a half years, but she didn't announce she was going forward until after he announced it.

Willis is the Fulton County, Georgia DA prosecuting Trump and others for alleged election interference in 2020. The former president is currently on trial for alleged business crimes in New York. The Justice Department is also charging Trump in multiple cases.

Democrats accuse Republicans of running political cover for the presumptive GOP White House nominee.

Emergency spending on AI » While members clashed in the House, a bipartisan group of senators is on the same page when it comes to one matter with big implications for America’s future. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer:

SCHUMER:  Because AI is so complex and so rapidly evolving and touching every aspect of society, we just couldn't wait on the sidelines or wait several years to see what might happen because it keeps evolving.

After completing a yearlong review, that bipartisan group released a report urging more than $30 billion dollars in emergency spending on artificial intelligence.

GOP Sen. Mike Rounds:

ROUNDS:  If we invest now and we use AI the way that the experts in these fields tell us that it can be incorporated, the quality of life for Americans will improve.

The group says Congress should take action to tap into AI’s potential for things like stronger cancer research, but also to tackle the risks that it poses such as disinformation and threats to jobs.

Presidential debates » Donald Trump said Wednesday, “Let's get ready to Rumble!!!” as he prepares for a rematch with President Biden.

AUDIO: [2020 debate clip]

Audio there from the contentious first 2020 debate.

And the two candidates have just agreed to square off in two between now and Election Day.

Trump has been challenging Biden to debate ever since he effectively clinched the nomination in March. And in a video message this week, the incumbent clapped back:

BIDEN: Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. And since then, he hasn't shown up for a debate. Now he's acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I'll even do it twice.

CNN will host the first debate on June 27th in its Atlanta studios with no audience present. And ABC will host the second on September 10th.

Pro-life activist sentenced » A pro-life activist who blocked access to an abortion facility has been sentenced to years in prison.

A federal judge sentenced Lauren Handy to 4 years and 9 months behind bars for violating the 1994 FACE Act which made blocking abortion business entrances a federal crime.

In 2020, she led the live streamed blockade of a late-term abortion business in Washington, DC.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Voter registration safeguards. Plus, church collaboration in Alaska.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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