Jury deliberations enter a second day in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. And a volcano in Iceland erupts, sending lava more than 160 feet into the air. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, May 30, 2024.
Jury deliberations to continue in Trump criminal trial
The jury in Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York will reconvene for a second day of deliberations after failing to reach a verdict on Wednesday, May 29. The former president is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
The judge dismissed the 12 jurors for the day after they deliberated for approximately four and a half hours. The jurors requested to rehear parts of the testimonies from Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen and the former publisher of the National Enquirer, David Pecker. The jurors also asked to review part of the instructions the judge provided before they began their deliberations.
Speaking outside the courthouse, the former president reiterated his claims that the trial is rigged.
“In listening to the charges from the judges, as you know, very conflicted and corrupt because of the confliction, very, very corrupt,” Trump said. “Mother Teresa could not beat these charges. These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged. The whole country’s a mess between the borders and fake elections. And you have a trial like this.”
Justice Alito dismisses calls to recuse himself over flag controversy
Justice Samuel Alito has declined requests to recuse himself from two Supreme Court cases involving former President Donald Trump and the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol due to flags displayed outside his homes.
Alito stated in letters to House and Senate Democrats that he was not involved with the placement of an upside-down American flag and an “Appeal to Heaven” flag, nor was he aware of their interpretations.
The upside-down flag has become notable among Trump supporters who dispute President Joe Biden’s election win.
Alito argued that a reasonable person would not see a need for recusal, noting that the flags were his wife’s interest and emphasizing her independence and legal rights over their properties.
US District Court judge killed in crash
A U.S. District Court judge died after being struck by a car outside the federal courthouse in downtown Reno, Nevada, on Wednesday, May 29. Washoe County’s sheriff confirmed the death of 80-year-old Judge Larry R. Hicks in a post on X, describing it as “tragic.“
Hicks was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2001. Authorities report that the driver involved in the crash remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
World Central Kitchen pauses operations in Rafah after continued strikes
World Central Kitchen has paused its operations in Rafah due to ongoing Israeli attacks. The organization has relocated north amid a series of Israeli strikes that resumed Wednesday, May 29.
A Sunday, May 26, airstrike, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a tragic incident, killed at least 45 civilians sheltering in tents.
Despite these challenges, the kitchen provided 100,000 meals on Monday, May 27, and plans to increase this effort. The group had only recently resumed operations four weeks after an airstrike killed seven of its workers.
Iceland volcano eruption spews lava 160 feet into air
A massive volcanic eruption occurred in southern Iceland on Wednesday, ejecting lava more than 160 feet into the air.
The eruption, the fifth and most powerful in the region since December, forced authorities to evacuate the seaside town of Grindavík, including the country’s biggest tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
Most of the 4,000 residents of Grindavík had been permanently evacuated in November due to ongoing volcanic activity.
Ancient Egyptian skulls may show earliest signs of cancer surgery
Researchers studying a pair of ancient Egyptian skulls have discovered what may be signs of the earliest attempts at cancer surgery. Published Wednesday, May 29, in the “Frontiers of Medicine” journal, the study includes images of skulls dating back more than 4,000 years, held at the Duckworth Lab at Cambridge University.
One male and one female skull exhibit marks around cancerous growths, suggesting ancient Egyptians may have attempted to treat cancer through surgery or conducted medical autopsies.
Either way, researchers describe these findings as a milestone in the history of medicine.