Thursday morning news: May 30, 2024

SOUND: [Media]

Trump trial » Scores of reporters pointed cameras and microphones at Manhattan courthouse Wednesday as 12 jurors weighed the fate of former President Donald Trump.

The jury will reconvene this morning for a day-two of deliberations in New York’s business fraud case against him.

Trump told those reporters at the courthouse that the trial has already gone on far too long.

TRUMP: It’s a disgrace. This thing ought to be ended immediately. The judge ought to end it. And save his reputation.

The jury must decide if the former president committed fraud on business documents to silence allegations of an extramarital affair, as prosecutors allege.

Jurors on Wednesday did ask to re-hear testimony and wanted clarification on the judge’s instructions.

Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charge is a class E felony in New York punishable by up to four years in prison.

But a conviction would not be a guarantee of jail time. The first ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president is uncharted territory.

World leaders pressure Israel » Many global leaders continue to pile on pressure for Israel to halt military operations in Gaza.

JOLY:  What happened in Rafa is absolutely horrific. Uh, we are against this military operation and we are calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly heard there at a joint news conference with her Swedish counterpart.

What happened in Rafah was an Israeli airstrike targeting two Hamas leaders over the weekend. A massive fire then engulfed a tent camp killing dozens of civilians.

Israel's deputy ambassador to the UN Brett Miller says the evidence suggests that it was not the strike itself that caused the fire.

B.MILLER: Preliminary findings indicate the fire broke out due to secondary explosions from terror munitions stored near the civilians. Where are the condemnations of Hamas for using Gazans as human shields and civilian sites as weapon depots?

UN/Israel » But that has done little to sway opinions at the United Nations. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

DUJARRIC: We want this to stop.

And Israel faces renewed condemnation over its Gaza offensive at the UN in the form of a new draft Security Council resolution.

The especially scathing text accuses Israel of “the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, including women and children, and civilian infrastructure.” And the resolution would demand that Israeli forces immediately halt operations in Gaza.

China is among the countries voicing support for the resolution. Chinese diplomat Fu Cong:

CONG (translated): The international community, the UN Security Council in particular, must take further actions to promote an immediate cease-fire.

The U.S. response to the resolution was somewhat muted, but U.S. diplomat Robert Wood remarked …

WOOD:  The fact that Hamas's leaders and fighters hide among civilians does not lessen the requirement for Israel to conduct its operations in accordance with international humanitarian law.

However, U.S. officials did say the resolution would not be helpful or change the situation on the ground.

Waltz on Iran » The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency, the IAEA will meet next month to vote on censuring Iran over the country's nuclear program.

The news comes as the White House is reportedly warning against the move over concerns it would further destabilize Iran and the Middle East.

Those reports drew strong criticism from GOP Congressman Mike Waltz:

WALTZ:  Next. It's going to be one that's weaponized on a warhead. Next. It'll be one that's launchable. They're moving the goalposts, uh, in, in very subtle, but very dangerous ways.

Many Republicans have advocated a return to the heavy pressure policies of the Trump administration … while the Biden White House has voiced a desire to restart the Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran.

SOUND: [Speaking Swedish]

Sweden pledges $1.3 Billion to Ukraine » Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch announcing $1.3 billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine.

It’s the third billion-dollar commitment from a supporting country this week.

The move will, among other things, bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.

For now, Sweden is holding off on plans to send Swedish-made fighter jets so Ukraine can focus on introducing American-made F-16 fighter jets donated by several other countries into its fleet.

All told, Sweden has pledged $7 billion dollars in military support for Ukraine over the next three years.

GOP Moves to Overturn HHS Rule on Funding Trans Surgeries » Republicans in Congress are fighting back against President Biden’s move to have taxpayers foot the bill for transgender surgeries. WORLD’S Mark Mellinger has more.

MARK MELLINGER: GOP lawmakers in both chambers have introduced measures to overturn the Biden Administration’s newly expanded definition of ‘sex discrimination.’

In April, the Department of Health & Human Services issued a rule expanding the term to include ‘gender identity’ as it relates to what Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance must cover.

Republicans say that forces taxpayers and insurance companies to fund transgender surgeries, and might compel faith-based organizations to do the same.

The new policy would also overrule state laws blocking or limiting transgender treatments.

But the GOP efforts are unlikely to survive in the Democrat-led Senate.

The rule takes effect July 5th.

For WORLD, I’m Mark Mellinger.

I’m Kent Covington. 

Still ahead, what’s at stake in the upcoming EU elections.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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