Welcome to the Bulletin,

• RFK Jr.'s debate fight: The Robert F. Kennedy Jr. campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission claiming that CNN, President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump and their election committees colluded to exclude Kennedy from a planned June 27 televised debate. Find out more.
• Hunter Biden handed legal win: A scheduled hearing in Hunter Biden's tax case has been postponed indefinitely following the confirmed trial delay. Find out more.
• North Korea balloons trigger alert: South Korea's military briefly issued an air raid warning late on Tuesday after it detected suspected North Korean "propaganda" balloons carrying waste and excrement across the border. Get the latest.
• SNAP benefits update: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in over 40 Texas counties impacted by recent storms can now use their benefits to purchase hot food and ready-to-eat meals, according to the Gov. Greg Abbott.
• In the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian forces launched four separate assaults with armored vehicles on Ukrainian positions along the eastern front line in recent days as Moscow probes the strength of Kyiv's defenses in the country's Donetsk region, according to a new assessment.

Is China Stockpiling Resources to Prepare for War?

TL/DR: China claims democratic Taiwan as its territory, though Beijing's ruling Chinese Communist Party has never governed there.

China's rapid accumulation of commodities has drawn global attention and led some analysts to speculate President Xi Jinping's country is girding itself for war over Taiwan.

Why it matters: Gold is among the resources being stockpiled. Gold prices hit record highs recently as China's central bank diversified its holdings, and consumers turned to the haven amid a flagging stock market and the country's strict capital controls. Tensions in the Taiwan Strait rose further last week. Chinese forces kicked off two days of drills around Taiwan to punish the island over its inauguration of Beijing-skeptic President Lai Ching-te. China said the exercises served to test the People's Liberation Army's ability to "occupy and control key areas."

Read more in-depth coverage:

Chinese Activity Around Taiwan Intensifies

What happens now? U.S. officials believe Xi has instructed Chinese forces to be prepared to invade the island by 2027. However, opinion in Washington is divided on the reality of this threat.

Trump's Lawyers Failed To 'Confront' Key Evidence: Attorney

TL/DR: Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance reacted to the closing arguments at the former president's hush money trial.

Donald Trump's legal team failed to "confront" two potentially key bits of evidence while delivering their closing arguments to the jury in the hush money trial, former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance said.

Why it matters: Vance criticized former President Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, for not adequately addressing key evidence during closing arguments. This evidence included a handwritten note from former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg indicating that a $130,000 payment to Michael Cohen was increased to $360,000 to cover federal taxes. Another note from former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney mentioned the need to increase Cohen's payment for taxes. Blanche argued to the jury that Trump was unaware of Cohen's payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, claiming Trump's subsequent payments to Cohen were solely for legal fees.

Read more in-depth coverage:

Donald Trump's One-Word Response to Closing Arguments at Trial

What happens now? The hush money trial will resume this morning, where Judge Merchan will hand down jury instructions before the jurors begin their deliberations on the 34 felony charges against Trump, which the former president has pleaded not guilty to.

'All Eyes on Rafah' Meaning Explained as Israel Faces Growing Anger

TL/DR: An image depicting tents in a camp aimed at raising awareness of the plight of Gaza has gone viral.

A phrase calling for the world to pay attention to the plight of people in Gaza is gaining momentum on social media months after it was uttered.

Why it matters: "All Eyes on Rafah" refers to comments by Rik Peeperkorn, WHO director for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, following Israeli PM Netanyahu's evacuation order. This phrase, along with an image depicting tents in a camp aimed at raising awareness of the plight of Gaza, has spread online after Israeli strikes in southern Gaza killed at least 45 people on Sunday. The attack prompted calls for the International Court of Justice to enforce a ceasefire. Israel claimed the strikes targeted Hamas officials, with a nearby weapons store explosion causing the fire.

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Joe Biden Faces Backlash Over Broken Gaza Pier: 'Humiliation'

What happens now? Israel has rejected warnings of catastrophic humanitarian consequences from the ground operations that started in the east of the city on May 6. Meanwhile, Mercy Corps vice president of global policy and advocacy Kate Phillips-Barrasso said that 95 percent of people in the Al-Mawasi region north of Rafah, considered a humanitarian zone, face "harrowing" conditions.

Trump Handed Election Loss in Texas

TL/DR: Dade Phelan, who came in a close second to Covey in the initial primary results in March, thanked his supporters for the "resounding victory" in the runoff on Tuesday night.

Former President Donald Trump has suffered an election loss in Texas after his endorsed candidate fell in a GOP primary.

Why it matters: Republican Texas State House Speaker Dade Phelan narrowly survived a primary runoff election against Trump-backed candidate David Covey on Tuesday night, according to The Associated Press. Trump endorsed Covey following backlash over Phelan leading last year's Texas House impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, known nationally for his support of discredited pro-Trump 2020 election conspiracy theories. The impeachment involved allegations that Paxton misused his office to protect a political donor.

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What Anti-Trump, Biden Primary Votes Means for 2024 Election

What happens now? While Phelan won the primary election, his fate in the general election and GOP leadership remains unclear. Republicans are expected to mount a fierce challenge to his speakership should he win reelection.

California High-Speed Rail Issues New Traffic Message

TL/DR: Plans for U.S. high-speed rail lines have become more frequent recently. Additional lines are proposed in other California, Texas and the southeast areas.

Brightline West has announced new locations for field investigation work being conducted amid the construction of a planned high-speed rail line in California and Nevada.

Why it matters: The 218-mile route, which officially broke ground in April, is planned to run from Rancho Cucamonga, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, alongside Interstate 15. Brightline West says the route will be the country's "first true high-speed passenger rail system," with trains capable of traveling up to 200 mph, comparable to Japan's famous bullet trains. Investigative work, including land surveying and geotechnical borings, will occur mainly during the day, with some night work to minimize traffic disruption.

Read more in-depth coverage:

Map Shows Possible Southeast High-Speed Rail Route

What happens now? The rail line from Southern California to Las Vegas is expected to open in 2028 when the Summer Olympics are set to take place in Los Angeles.

Today's Front Pages: State Labels Trump a Fraudster, Musk Muscles Out Rivals

Good morning, and welcome to Newsweek's summary of Wednesday's national, regional and international newspapers.

The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal leads with the closing arguments in the Donald Trump hush-money trial. State prosecutors said the former president forged a corrupt bargain with Michael Cohen, his former aide. Trump's defense, meanwhile, argued there was no such conspiracy and that Cohen had lied on the stand, the paper reported.

The New York Times

The New York Times features a piece on how Elon Musk has muscled his rivals out of the space race. The paper reports that Musk has made his company SpaceX the dominant force in the space launch business thanks to the billionaire's engineering genius and entrepreneurial drive.