Wednesday morning news: June 26, 2024

Secretary Austin meets with Israel's Gallant » Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says U.S. officials are working urgently to tamp down tensions between Israel and another Iran-backed terror group along Israel’s northern border.

AUSTIN: Hezbollah's provocations threaten to drag the Israeli and Lebanese people into a war that they do not want. Such a war would be a catastrophe for Lebanon, and it would be devastating for innocent Israeli and Lebanese civilians.

Hezbollah rocket attacks from Lebanon have been on the rise, forcing more than 60,000 Israelis to evacuate their homes.

Austin addressed reporters at the Pentagon alongside Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

GALLANT:  In the north, we are determined to establish security … and bringing our communities safely back home.

Gallant, while in Washington, has also met with other top U.S. leaders, including Secretary of State Tony Blinken and CIA Director Bill Burns.

Israel Draft » Meantime, Israel’s Supreme Court says ultra-Orthodox Jewish men can no longer be exempted from mandatory military service.

For decades, young men who were studying the Torah in religious schools were excused from the required service after turning 18.

RABBI MORDECHAI BLOY: [Speaking Hebrew]

Ultra-Orthodox educator Rabbi Mordechai Bloy says the army does not separate men and women and may not serve kosher food, all important aspects of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish practices.

Floods, weather » Historic flooding continues to wreak havoc in the Midwest.

Floodwaters have breached levees in Iowa, forcing more evacuations and closing more roads. The sheriff’s office in Monona County says the Little Sioux River breached levees in several areas Tuesday.

Meantime, in southern Minnesota’s Rapidan Township …

CONNELLY:  There was a breach around the dam. So the water's flowing around the dam right now.

Brian Connelly with the National Weather Service.

He said the dam remained intact and was not expected to fail even though water is escaping around it.

South Dakota has also declared a state of emergency as has Iowa. Officials there are praising first responders.

REYNOLDS: It’s just incredible to see everybody kick in, to watch how they communicate, how they back each other up.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

In our program yesterday, I misspoke and referred to Joni Ernst as governor. She is, of course, a U.S. Senator in Iowa.

Despite the breached levees, state officials are hopeful that water levels there have reached their peak.

Judge alters Trump gag order » A judge has partially lifted a gag order on Donald Trump, freeing him to comment about his New York Business fraud trial. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has more.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: The change allows Trump to talk openly about witnesses in the state case and about the jury that found him guilty on 34 counts last month.

But court and prosecution staff are still off limits.

Trump’s lawyers wanted the gag order fully lifted.

They argued there was nothing to justify continued restrictions on Trump’s First Amendment rights now that the trial is over.

But the judge says the order will remain partially in place until sentencing on July 11th.

Trump’s lawyers are appealing the conviction.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Kenya unrest » Chaos in Kenya.

SOUND: [Demonstrators coughing]

Demonstrators react as police hurl tear gas in front of a Nairobi cathedral yesterday. At least five people were killed when protests rocked the city on Tuesday.

At one point, demonstrators stormed the nation’s parliament building setting it partially ablaze.

Kenyan President William Ruto addressed the nation last night promising to put an end to the violence.

RUTO: Today's events mark a critical turning point on how we respond to grave threats to our national security. I assure the nation that the government has mobilized all resources at the nation's disposal to ensure that a situation of this nature will not recur again.

The demonstrators are said to be angry about a bill passed by lawmakers that raises taxes.

One other short note of correction: In our recent coverage of the UK’s upcoming election, we played an excerpt of a speech predicting a lopsided outcome, which we mistakenly attributed to Labour Party leader Keir Starmer. The speaker was actually Nigel Farage.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Republican infighting on Washington Wednesday. Plus, World Tour.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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