Briefly

IRAN

Registration opens for presidential candidates

Iran on Thursday began the formal registration of presidential candidates ahead of a vote on June 28 after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash. "Candidate registration for the 14th presidential elections began at 8 am … at the interior ministry," the official IRNA news agency said. Presidential hopefuls will have five days to register, IRNA added. Candidates must be between the ages of 40 and 75 and have at least a master's degree, according to Iran's electoral law. A final list of candidates will be announced on June 11 by the Guardian Council. Also, Iran on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a sabotage explosion leading to the helicopter crash, IRNA reported.

UNITED STATES

Trump trial jury ends 1st day of deliberations

Jurors completed opening deliberations on Wednesday on whether to convict Donald Trump in the first criminal trial of a former US president. The 12-person jury deliberated for about 4 1/2 hours on Wednesday without reaching a verdict. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Trump is considering tapping billionaire Elon Musk as a policy adviser if he reclaims the White House in November's election.

American Airlines sued over race discrimination

American Airlines was accused in a lawsuit on Wednesday of racial discrimination for temporarily removing three black men from a flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to New York City. In a complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn, the plaintiffs said they and five other black men were removed from the flight in January after a white flight attendant complained about a passenger with offensive body odor. The airline said it was investigating the matter. Susan Huhta, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the incident was part of a "disturbing history" of allegations that the airline discriminates against black passengers.

Agencies Via Xinhua