5 things to know for May 19: Biden, Russia-Ukraine, Severe weather, Brooklyn Bridge, Escaped inmates
Good news, New Jersey! It appears the transit strike may soon be over, and you'll once again have access to the nation's third-largest commuter railroad. Negotiators for New Jersey Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen reached a tentative labor agreement over the weekend and the engineers are expected to be back at work today. However, the railroad will need one more day before resuming full operations.
Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
Get '5 Things' in your inbox
If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an 'aggressive form' of prostate cancer, one that has spread to his bones. Biden, 82, and his family are reviewing treatment options with his medical team. In response to the news, well-wishes came from across the political world. 'We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,' President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social. Former President Barack Obama, who tapped Biden, his then-vice president, to lead the White House task force aimed at curing cancer, shared his thoughts on X as well: 'Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace.'
President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to speak by phone today about ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Yet over the weekend, instead of ceasing hostilities, Russia battered Ukraine with its largest drone attack since the invasion began in 2023. Russia launched 273 drones in one night, the Ukrainian Air Force said, predominantly targeting the central Kyiv region. More strikes hit overnight, killing at least two people and injuring 13 others, local authorities said earlier today. 'I think Ukraine has done a lot to demonstrate that they are interested in ending this war and ending it however it needs to be ended,' US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in a Fox News interview on Sunday. He also said Russia needs to show it is serious about peace.
A violent storm system cut a path of destruction through several states and left dozens dead over the weekend. At least 18 fatalities were reported in Kentucky after a 'large, extremely dangerous' tornado swept east. 'I've now been governor for at least 14 federally declared disasters, 13 of them weather. And this is one of the worst,' Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference. 'It's one of the worst in terms of the loss of human life. It's one of the worst in terms of damage.' Significant destruction was reported in Grinnell, Kansas, where homes were flattened, roads blocked and vehicles overturned. Houses and buildings in three counties were also damaged or lost in storms that produced at least two tornadoes in Colorado. Residents of St. Louis experienced an EF3 tornado, which had winds up to 152 mph. At times stretching a mile wide, the twister traveled at least 8 miles, claimed at least seven lives and damaged about 5,000 buildings.
A Mexican training ship called the Cuauhtémoc crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night. Two people died after falling from its masts and 19 others were injured. Known as the 'Ambassador and Knight of the Seas,' the ship had just spent five days docked at the South Street Seaport Museum. It was on a global goodwill tour and en route to Iceland at the time of the incident. According to the NYPD, a preliminary investigation has determined that the ship 'experienced a mechanical malfunction.' Although the bridge was temporarily closed after the collision, it sustained no visible damage and appeared to be left structurally intact. The collision of the Cuauhtémoc with the Brooklyn Bridge comes just 16 months after a massive cargo ship plowed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge.
A massive manhunt is underway for a group of inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail on Friday. Ten men fled after breaching a wall behind a toilet, and so far, only three have been recaptured. Now, authorities are asking for the public's help in tracking down the remaining seven escapees. Both the governor of Louisiana and the FBI are offering rewards for information leading to their apprehension. 'Unfortunately, they have friends and family members who are helping them and concealing them and helping them move, which makes law enforcement's job more challenging. We end up getting there just a little too late,' Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges said. The inmates, who range in age from 19 to 42 years old, face a wide array of charges, including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, armed robbery, domestic abuse and murder.
Man who stabbed bestselling author sentencedThe 27-year-old man who attempted to assassinate author Salman Rushdie has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Rushdie suffered more than a dozen knife wounds and lost his vision in one eye during the 2022 attack.
'New era' of Alzheimer's researchThe FDA has given clearance to a new test to help doctors with the early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The blood test was approved for adults 55 and older who were already showing signs and symptoms of the illness.
The biggest win of her careerWhen Jasmine Paolini defeated Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 in the Italian Open women's singles final on Saturday, she became the first Italian player to win the tournament in 40 years.
A year of extremes for Scottie SchefflerOne year after his arrest for allegedly trying to drive around the scene of a fatal crash ahead of his tee time, Scheffler won his first PGA Championship. He finished Sunday's final round at 11-under par, five strokes ahead of Bryson DeChambeau, Davis Riley and Harris English.
Ain't no mountain high enoughA British mountaineer broke his own record for the most ascents of the world's highest mountain by a non-Sherpa guide when he scaled Mount Everest on Sunday for the 19th time. Kenton Cool, 51, first scaled the 29,032-foot peak in 2004 and has been doing it almost every year since.
274,000That's about how many sharks are killed globally each day, a rate of 100 million every year.
'Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, 'EAT THE TARIFFS,' and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I'll be watching, and so will your customers!!!'
— President Trump, in a post on social media, after the retail giant announced its products would become more expensive as a result of his tariffs being 'too high.'
Check your local forecast here>>>
Finding a sense of freedom on 4 wheelsDespite the constant hunger, one young girl in Gaza says skateboarding 'helps us forget the bombings, the death, the war.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
18 minutes ago
- Forbes
No Pipeline, No Progress: Meeting The Demand For Advanced Degrees
As demand for master's and doctoral degrees surges, too few programs exist to support the students most often excluded—despite their potential. The United States stands at a crossroads. While innovation, competitiveness, and global leadership increasingly depend on highly educated workers, access to graduate education remains deeply unequal and underfunded. Over 60% of business and government leaders hold graduate degrees—with more than half in business and nearly a third in law. A 2020 report by Brint and colleagues found that 61% of top media figures and 78% of think tank and foundation leaders also held advanced degrees. In many leadership roles, graduate education is no longer a competitive advantage—it's a requirement. Demand is rising. A 2024 report from Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce projects that nearly 1 in 5 jobs will soon require an advanced degree. Among 'good jobs'—those offering middle-class wages of $43,000 or more—1 in 4 will demand graduate credentials. Yet access to graduate education remains deeply inequitable. Madeline Brighouse Glueck finds that parental education still shapes graduate enrollment, especially in high-investment, high-return programs like law, medicine, and PhDs. In medicine alone, over 75% of students come from the top two income quintiles. Even academically qualified first-generation and low-income students are often left behind. While families with financial and social capital can navigate elite admissions and cover soaring costs, others are shut out. The only federally funded graduate pipeline program is the McNair Scholars Program, which supports first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented undergraduates seeking PhDs. This program—and others like Upward Bound—are now at risk of being defunded. As the federal government grows increasingly hostile toward identity-based programs in higher education, the burden of promoting equitable access is falling to the private sector and nonprofit organizations. Yet only a handful of national nonprofits directly focus on this issue: These organizations are doing powerful work—but their combined reach can only serve a fraction of the students who deserve access. To meet the moment, coordinated investments are needed—not just in graduate preparation, but also in affordability, mentorship, and long-term support: Graduate education is not a luxury—it is a national imperative. If we want to lead in science, health, law, and business—and if we believe in opportunity—we must invest in the people who will lead those fields. Let's ensure that talent, not zip code or family background, determines who has a seat at the table. Change can't wait. The time to invest is now. —--------- Help us widen the pipeline. Support Leadership Brainery in creating equitable pathways to graduate education. Donate today!
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Wants the Fed to Cut Interest Rates by a Full Point. That Normally Takes a Recession
President Donald Trump demanded the Federal Reserve lower its benchmark interest rate by an entire percentage point. The Fed, which operates independently of White House control, has resisted Trump's call to lower interest rates. Lower rates could boost the economy but risk igniting inflation. The Fed typically adjusts its interest rate a quarter point at a time: the last time it cut a full point was in March 2020 when the pandemic Donald Trump renewed his calls on the Federal Reserve to lower its benchmark interest rate Friday, and this time, he had a specific (and huge) ask in mind. In a series of social media posts Friday morning, Trump pointed to the economy's recent track record of solid job growth and cooling inflation, and taunted Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not having lowered interest rates sooner. Trump said the central bank should lower its influential fed funds rate by "a full point," saying it would be economic "Rocket Fuel!"The Fed adjusts its fed funds rate, which influences borrowing costs on all kinds of loans, to keep inflation down and employment high. Fed officials have kept their rate higher than usual so far this year in an effort to push inflation down to its goal of a 2% annual rate. Officials said they are waiting to see what happens in the economy because they are concerned Trump's tariffs could push up prices and set off a fresh round of Fed's cautious approach has angered Trump, who wants rate cuts and the economic growth they could promote. A full percentage point cut would be a major move by the Fed and would bring the fed funds rate to a range of 3.25% to 3.5%, its lowest since September 2022. The Fed typically moves rates a quarter-point at a time. The last time the Fed cut rates an entire percentage point was March 2020, when it was evident that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic would thrash the economy. Before that, the Fed cut an entire point in December 2008, during the Great Recession. The posts were the latest moves in Trump's pressure campaign to influence the Fed's decision-making about monetary policy. The central bank is designed to be insulated from politics, and Powell has said the Fed's decisions will be based only on economic considerations. Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell for not lowering interest rates, in contrast to the Fed's European counterpart. The European Central Bank has cut rates eight times since last June. The Fed cut rates three times over that time period, including a jumbo half-point cut in September, but has kept rates flat. Read the original article on Investopedia Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
AVAX Surges 6% After Musk-Trump Dispute Sell-Off
Crypto markets were shaken on Thursday when U.S. President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk engaged in a heated argument on social media over the U.S. national debt, which cumulated in the world's richest man endorsing Trump's impeachment and claiming the twice-elected politician was implicated in the Jeffrey Epstein files. Avalanche's token, AVAX AVAX, was among those hit, dropping to as low as $18.48 from $20.14. It has since rise 6% to $19.65 to reclaim nearly 58% of the losses while forming a promising ascending channel pattern with resistance at $19.76, according to CoinDesk Research's technical analysis model. The token has lost 1% over 24 hours, while the CoinDesk 20, an index of the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market cap except for stablecoins, exchange coins and memecoins, has dropped 0.85%. Recent trading sessions show decisive buying pressure, with notable volume spikes coinciding with price surges that briefly pushed AVAX to a local high of $19.76. Market analysis points to the consistent formation of higher lows over the past 14 hours as evidence of strengthening bullish momentum, with the $20.00 psychological level now within reach if current trajectory holds. Technical Analysis • AVAX experienced a sharp 8.14% decline from $20.14 to $18.48, with peak selling pressure when volume surged to 3.65 million. • Strong support established at $18.48, with price subsequently climbing steadily to $19.65, reclaiming 57.8% of losses. • An ascending channel pattern has formed with resistance at $19.76. • Notable high-volume support emerged at $18.48-$18.88. • Consistent higher lows over the past 14 hours indicate strengthening bullish momentum. • In the last hour, AVAX continued recovery with a 1.01% gain from $19.49 to $19.69. • Volume spikes occurred (45,299 and 64,948 units), coinciding with price surges to a local high of $19.76. • Current price action shows strengthening bullish sentiment with support levels around $19.53-$19.55. Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
