US pauses shipment of bombs to Israel amid concerns over Rafah operation

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE U.S. PAUSES SHIPMENT OF BOMBS TO ISRAEL AMID CONCERNS OVER AN INVASION IN RAFAH

AND — STORMY DANIELS TESTIFIES IN THE CRIMINAL TRIAL OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PROMPTING A BID FOR A MISTRIAL BY HIS LEGAL TEAM

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, MAY 8TH

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

LAST NIGHT – THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION CONFIRMED THE UNITED STATES PAUSED SHIPMENTS OF AMMUNITION TO ISRAEL LAST WEEK OVER CONCERNS ABOUT A MAJOR GROUND OPERATION IN THE GAZA BORDER CITY OF RAFAH.

U.S. OFFICIALS SAYING THE SHIPMENT INCLUDED THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED BOMBS  (3,500) – SOME WEIGHING TWO THOUSAND POUNDS – AND OTHERS WEIGHING 500 POUNDS.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DELAYED AN ARMS DELIVERY TO ISRAEL SINCE THE WAR BEGAN FOLLOWING HAMAS’S TERROR ATTACK BACK IN OCTOBER.

THE REVELATION CAME JUST HOURS AFTER THE ISRAELI MILITARY SENT TANKS INTO RAFAH – IN WHAT THE US AND ISRAEL DESCRIBED AS A “LIMITED” OPERATION  — WITH ISRAELI FORCES SEIZING CONTROL OVER THE CROSSING WITH EGYPT – A VITAL CORRIDOR INTO THE GAZA STRIP FOR HUMANITARIAN AID.

THE U.S. HAS REPEATEDLY WARNED ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AGAINST A MAJOR OFFENSIVE IN RAFAH – WHERE OVER ONE MILLION PALESTINIANS HAVE RELOCATED.

HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON SAYING THIS DECISION TO WITHHOLD WEAPONS IS “NOT THE WILL OF CONGRESS” FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE LATEST FOREIGN AID BILL LAST MONTH.

SPEAKING AT A HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY AT THE CAPITOL ON TUESDAY — PRESIDENT BIDEN DID NOT MAKE MENTION OF THE DELAY BUT SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE “SURGE OF ANTISEMITISM IN AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD” INCLUDING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND ONCE AGAIN MADE CLEAR OF AMERICA’S CONTINUED SUPPORT OF ISRAEL.

“To the Jewish community, I want you to know. I see your fear, your hurt and your pain. Let me reassure you. As your president, you’re not alone. You belong. You always have, and you always will. And my commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel and its right to exist as an independent Jewish state is ironclad even when we disagree.”

TODAY MARKS THE DEADLINE FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO REPORT TO CONGRESS ON WHETHER ISRAEL’S USE OF U.S. WEAPONS IN GAZA IS VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAWS. THOUGH REUTERS REPORTS THE DEPARTMENT IS LIKELY TO MISS THIS DEADLINE. ALSO TODAY — DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN WILL TESTIFY BEFORE THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WHERE IT IS EXPECTED HE’LL BE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION’S POLICIES.

RUSSIAN MISSILES AND DRONES TARGETED NEARLY A DOZEN UKRAINIAN INFRASTRUCTURE SITES EARLY THIS MORNING, DAMAGING THREE SOVIET-ERA THERMAL POWER PLANTS. UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS SAYING THE STRIKES INJURED THREE PEOPLE AND AFFECTED ENERGY FACILITIES, HOMES, AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ACROSS SEVERAL REGIONS.

OFFICIALS SAY ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSES INTERCEPTED 20 DRONES AND 39 MISSILES IN THE ATTACK THAT LASTED APPROXIMATELY SEVEN HOURS — FURTHER STRAINING UKRAINE’S ENERGY SYSTEM.

THESE ATTACKS CONTINUE MOSCOW’S STRATEGY OF TARGETING CRITICAL UKRAINIAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE.

PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY CONDEMNED THE STRIKES — SAYING THEY CAME ON THE SAME DAY UKRAINE CELEBRATES VICTORY OVER NAZISM ON WORLD WAR II — CALLING FOR GLOBAL RECOGNITION OF THE THREAT POSED BY MODERN NAZISM.

THERE HAS BEEN NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM RUSSIA ON THESE LATEST STRIKES.

THE JUDGE PRESIDING OVER DONALD TRUMP’S CRIMINAL TRIAL IN NEW YORK DENIED THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S LEGAL TEAM’S MOTION FOR A MISTRIAL ON TUESDAY.

TRUMP’S LAWYERS’ BID FOR A MISTRIAL CAME AMID TESTIMONY BY ADULT FILM STAR STORMY DANIELS –

TRUMP’S ATTORNEYS CALLING HER TESTIMONY “EXTRAORDINARILY PREJUDICIAL.”

DURING HER TESTIMONY — DANIELS DETAILED AN ALLEGED SEXUAL ENCOUNTER WITH TRUMP – LEADING TO NUMEROUS OBJECTIONS BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S TEAM.

TRUMP’S TEAM SAYING HER TESTIMONY WAS NOT RELEVANT TO THE CASE – WHERE TRUMP IS ACCUSED OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS TO HIDE HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS HIS FORMER LAWYER GAVE TO DANIELS AMID THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

WHILE DISMISSING THE RETRIAL MOTION – THE JUDGE DID SAY HE AGREED THAT QUOTE “IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF SOME OF THESE THINGS HAD BEEN LEFT UNSAID” BUT ARGUED THAT TRUMP’S TEAM SHOULD HAVE RAISED MORE OBJECTIONS.

TRUMP HAS DENIED THE ENCOUNTER WITH DANIELS EVER HAPPENED AND HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN THIS CASE.

DANIELS WILL RETURN TO THE STAND FOR FURTHER CROSS-EXAMINATION ON THURSDAY WHEN THE TRIAL RESUMES.

OFFICIALS HAVE RECOVERED THE BODY OF THE FINAL MISSING WORKER FROM THE COLLAPSE OF BALTIMORE’S FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE IN MARCH, AS THEY PREPARE FOR DEMOLISH THE WRECKAGE.

THE WORKER WAS AMONG SIX KILLED WHEN THE CONTAINER SHIP DALI LOST POWER, STRUCK A SUPPORT COLUMN AND CAUSED THE BRIDGE TO COLLAPSE — HALTING MOST MARITIME TRAFFIC THROUGH BALTIMORE’S PORT.

THE CONTROLLED DEMOLITION, SET TO BEGIN SOON, WILL CLEAR THE WRECKAGE AND ENABLE TRAFFIC TO RESUME.

MARYLAND OFFICIALS AIM TO REOPEN THE PORT’S MAIN CHANNEL BY THE END OF THIS MONTH AND PLAN TO REBUILD THE BRIDGE BY FALL 2028.

PANERA BREAD SAYS IT WILL STOP SELLING ITS CHARGED LEMONADE BEVERAGES AT ALL RESTAURANTS NATIONWIDE – THE NEWS FOLLOWS LAWSUITS THAT BLAME THE DRINK FOR AT LEAST TWO DEATHS DUE TO ITS HIGH CAFFEINE CONTENT.

A COMPANY SPOKESPERSON CONFIRMED THE NEWS ON TUESDAY – SAYING THE DRINK IS BEING DISCONTINUED AS PANERA UNDERGOES A “MENU TRANSFORMATION” – BUT MADE NO MENTION OF THE WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUITS.

LAST OCTOBER — THE FAMILY OF A 21-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA STUDENT WITH A HEART CONDITION FILED A LAWSUIT CLAIMING SHE DIED AFTER DRINKING THE BEVERAGE. THEN IN DECEMBER — THE FAMILY OF A FLORIDA MAN WITH A CHROMOSOMAL DEFICIENCY DISORDER FILED A LAWSUIT AFTER HE DIED AFTER CONSUMING THE DRINK.

REPORTS OF THE LAWSUITS LED PANERA TO UPDATE ITS WARNINGS – ALERTING CUSTOMERS THAT THE LEMONADE WAS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN, PREGNANT OR NURSING WOMEN, OR PEOPLE SENSITIVE TO CAFFEINE.

PANERA HAS PREVIOUSLY STATED IT STANDS BY THE SAFETY OF ITS PRODUCTS.

FINALLY THIS MORNING –  OPENAI, ONE OF THE MAIN PLAYERS BEHIND THE RISE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, HAS FOUND ITS NEWEST PARTNER TO HELP TRAIN ITS ALGORITHMS – THE PUBLISHER OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE.

DOTDASH MEREDITH – THE COMPANY BEHIND BRANDS LIKE BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS, FOOD AND WINE, AND INSTYLE – ANNOUNCING THE PARTNERSHIP AND LICENSING AGREEMENT WILL ENHANCE OPENAI’S CHATGPT SYSTEM WITH “TRUSTED CONTENT” INCLUDING RECIPES, HEALTH INFO, ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE, AND PRODUCT REVIEWS.

CHATGPT USERS WILL SOON SEE LINKS TO THE PUBLISHER’S VARIOUS SITES IN RELEVANT RESPONSES.

IN ADDITION — AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT — OPENAI WILL WORK WITH DOTDASH MEREDITH TO CREATE NEW AI PRODUCTS FOR ITS READERS AND HELP WITH ITS AD-TARGETING TOOL.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS WEDNESDAY.

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WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M LAUREN TAYLOR. HAVE A GREAT DAY!