Opening statements in Trump’s Manhattan trial
this First criminal trial of former US president begins yesterdayLawyers for both sides expressed differing views on Donald Trump in their opening arguments.
Prosecutors have laid out a stark account of Trump’s sordid past, painting him as a co-conspirator in a plot to cover up three sex scandals that threatened his 2016 election victory and claiming he lied “over and over again” to protect own candidacy.
Trump’s lawyers called the case a “business records violation,” but that was not the case. They argued that the 34 felony counts Trump faced were “just 34 pieces of paper.” They have sought to undermine the credibility of key prosecutors’ witnesses, such as Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen.
The day also included guests from David PeckProsecutors say he bought and buried stories that could have jeopardized Trump’s 2016 campaign. The proceedings ended early due to the Passover holiday and emergency dental appointments for jurors.
Israeli intelligence leader resigns
Israeli military intelligence chief Major General Aharon Haliva resigns Intelligence failures preceded the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. He is the highest-ranking official to resign following the attack.
General Haliva has become a symbol of the Israeli authorities’ failure to prevent the deadliest attack in the country’s history. His resignation is expected to increase pressure on other senior figures, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to take greater responsibility for the disaster.
UK approves Rwanda deportation bill
The British Conservative government finally Rwanda deportation bill passedHuman rights activists say the law is inhumane, immigration experts say it is unworkable and legal critics say it damages the country’s reputation for the rule of law.
The purpose of the legislation is to allow the government to put some asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda, where their claims will be processed. If they are subsequently granted refugee status, they will be resettled in Rwanda rather than the UK. But any deportation attempts are likely to face further legal challenges, making it unlikely that large numbers of asylum seekers will be sent to Rwanda.
More headlines
Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk’s battle for a weight-loss drug has brought a windfall to the Danish town of Kalundborg.
That concludes today’s press conference. Thank you for spending time with us this morning, see you tomorrow. —Dan
Attachment: “interview,” A new podcast featuring chats with interesting people will debut on Saturday.
You can contact Dan and the team at: Briefing@nytimes.com.
