Morning brief: US to send $1bn worth of weapons to Israel; Russia advances in Kharkiv; and more

The US is going forward with over $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel. The latest weapons package includes the potential transfer of $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar shells.

In other news, the estranged attorneyof former US president Donald Trump, MichaelCohen has been facing questionson the stand and speaking about how he repeatedly lied and also went to prison for protecting his former boss.

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The Joe Biden administration notified US Congress on Tuesday (May 14) that it was moving forward with over $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's arrival in Kyiv coincided with advancing Russian forces in the Kharkiv region. As Blinken asserted Washington's purported commitment to support Kyiv's war effort, Ukrainians faced their toughest battlefield scenario in months.

45 Chinese aircraft were detected around the self-ruled island in yet another violation of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) by Chinese leader Xi Jinping's forces.

In the hush money trial case, Michael Cohen was cross-examined on Tuesday (May 14). The case is centred around whether business records were falsified by Trump to cover up a hush money payment of $130,000 made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.