5 things to know for May 21: Israel, Habeas corpus, Golden Dome, Severe weather, Ransomware attack
Oreo has partnered with singer/actress Selena Gomez to create a new cookie flavor based on her love of horchata. It has a layer of chocolate and cinnamon creme, mixed with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. The filling is sandwiched between two chocolate-cinnamon flavored wafers. YUM!
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. The United Kingdom followed through on its threat to take 'concrete actions' if Israel doesn't stop its military offensive in Gaza and continues to block humanitarian aid from entering the enclave. On Tuesday, the UK paused trade negotiations with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that while the UK backed Israel's right to defend itself after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the conflict in Gaza was 'entering a dark new phase.' With the European Union's foreign policy chief describing the situation in Gaza as 'catastrophic,' the EU also announced plans to review its relationship with Israel. According to the UN, on top of the military offensive, Israel's monthslong blockade of aid has left one in five people in Gaza facing starvation.
What is habeas corpus? That was the question put to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday. Her answer: 'Well, habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country, and suspend their right to – ' That answer was incorrect, and New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan interrupted Noem to say so. In Article I, Section 9 — which deals with the Legislative branch — the Constitution says: 'The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.' As President Donald Trump has tried to speed up deportations, immigrants have filed habeas petitions alleging unlawful detention and requesting a court determination. Now, the administration is looking for ways to suspend that right. 'If not for that protection, the government could simply arrest people, including American citizens, and hold them indefinitely for no reason,' Hassan said. 'Habeas corpus is the foundational right that separates free societies like America from police states like North Korea.'
President Trump is still keen on building his 'Golden Dome,' a new missile defense system, within the next three years. The project, similar to Israel's Iron Dome, would, in theory, protect the entire US from long-range missile strikes. On Tuesday, Trump announced that the system would cost about $175 billion, of which $25 billion would be allocated from his domestic policy bill. However, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated the US would have to spend more than $500 billion over the course of 20 years to develop a viable Golden Dome. One military expert told CNN he believes creating the missile defense system may be possible in seven to 10 years, but even then, it would have severe limitations.
The death toll from the latest round of violent weather has climbed to 28 since Friday: 19 in Kentucky, seven in Missouri and two in Virginia. In addition to strong winds, heavy rain and large hail, more than 100 tornadoes were reported in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, leaving behind damaged homes and businesses as well as downed trees and power lines. According to the National Weather Service, severe weather and flash flooding are possible in the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic regions today. Flood watches have also been issued for areas of Maryland and Pennsylvania due to heavy to excessive rainfall.
A ransomware attack on a network of 14 medical centers in Ohio has triggered a 'system-wide technology outage.' Kettering Health, which employs more than 1,800 doctors, said the cyberattack had disrupted its call center and caused the cancellation of elective inpatient and outpatient procedures. However, emergency rooms and clinics were still open. Ransomware locks computer systems until the victim accedes to the hacker's extortion demands. The US health care sector reported more than 440 ransomware attacks and data breaches to the FBI last year, the highest tally of all critical infrastructure sectors.
The International Booker Prize goes to …Indian author Banu Mushtaq and her translator Deepa Bhasthi won the prize for fiction for 'Heart Lamp,' a collection of 12 tales chronicling the lives of women in southern India. It's the first time a short story collection has been honored.
After nearly 5 years, 'Fortnite' returns to Apple's app storeEpic Games' popular multiplayer shooter video game has been banned from the store since 2020. Apple claimed the gaming giant violated its policies by introducing a way for users to circumvent Apple's in-app payment system.
Speaking of 'Fortnite,' there's a new controversyHollywood's actors' union has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic Games, for allegedly replacing actors' work in 'Fortnite' with artificial intelligence.
Documentary about Shia LaBeouf prompts walkoutsDozens of people reportedly walked out of a screening for 'Slauson Rec' at the Cannes Film Festival this week. The movie provides an insider's view of the experimental theater company the actor started in 2018, and features examples of his aggressive behavior toward the participants.
Who steals art off a tombstone? Well, people are strange.A bust of Doors frontman Jim Morrison that once adorned his grave in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris disappeared 37 years ago. Last week, the sculpture was found during a police investigation.
'Cheers' actor George Wendt dies at 76The Chicago-native played Norm Peterson on the hit NBC sitcom, a barfly who was hailed by name in 269 episodes. During his nearly five-decade career in Hollywood, Wendt appeared on dozens of TV shows, including 'Taxi,' 'Alice,' 'Seinfeld' and 'Portlandia.' He also starred in his own series, 'The George Wendt Show.'
$3.8 trillionThat's how much the Congressional Budget Office said President Trump's sweeping domestic policy bill would increase the budget deficit by between 2026 and 2034.
'I have no one left. I feel like I've died. Emotionally, I'm dead.'
— Jana Mohammed Khalil Musleh Al-Skeifi, age 12, on trying to survive in northern Gaza after years of war between Israel and Hamas.
Check your local forecast here>>>
'Free Mahmoud!'Columbia University students booed acting president Claire Shipman during her commencement speech and chanted in support of Mahmoud Khalil, a student who was detained by ICE for participating in campus protests.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Israel's Strikes on Iran Trigger Elevated Shipping Risks Across Middle East
Israel's airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities early Friday morning have prompted the U.K. and Greece to advise their merchant shipping fleets on taking a more cautious approach to sailing certain trade bottlenecks in the Middle East. According to a report from Reuters sharing information from the U.K.'s Department for Transport, all U.K.-flagged vessels, which include ships registered under the flags of Gibraltar and Bermuda, were advised to avoid sailing through the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. More from Sourcing Journal China-to-US Freight Rates 'No Longer Surging'-Is it All Downhill from Here? As Houthis Warn of 'War' Amid Israel-Iran Tensions, Red Sea Shipping Still Stagnant USTR Eases Port Fees for Foreign Vehicle Carriers, Scraps LNG Export Mandate If transiting these areas, vessels must adhere to their highest level of security measures and limit the number of crew on deck during transits, said the advisory. The Union of Greek Shipowners, which represent more than 60 percent of the E.U. controlled merchant fleet, urged shipowners to send details of their vessels sailing through the Strait of Hormuz to Greece's maritime ministry, Reuters said. The Strait of Hormuz flows into the Persian Gulf, with roughly one-fifth of the world's daily oil supply passing through, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The pre-emptive airstrikes bring speculation as to the immediate future of Red Sea shipping, particularly since the Iran-aligned Houthi militant group responsible for attacks in the waterway have been in direct conflict with Israel in recent months. Ahead of Friday's attacks, the Yemen-based Houthis had warned both Israel and the U.S. that any escalation against Iran would 'drag the entire region into the abyss of war.' The militants had conducted drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels traveling through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait starting in late 2023, which lasted throughout 2024. The U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization said it began the attacks in support of Palestinians in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. Overall, the Houthis conducted more than 130 attacks on commercial vessels in that time frame, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a crisis monitoring organization. The onslaught resulted in container shipping firms mostly abandoning the Suez Canal, instead committing to rerouting their ships around southern Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The mass diversions lengthened East-to-West ocean shipping times by roughly one-to-two weeks. Although the Houthis have not conducted any attacks in the Red Sea in 2025, most of the major ocean carriers have refused to return to the trade artery due to a lack of safety guarantees. A circular shared by maritime security firm Ambrey early Friday said there was no impact to shipping at the time of the report. The firm warned of heightened risk to Israel-affiliated shipping in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, similar to a warning sent out by the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office of the Royal Navy ahead of the Israeli airstrikes. For safety precautions, Ambrey recommended thorough affiliation checks for vessels planning to transit through the affected regions. Vessels with strong affiliations to Israel are advised to avoid these areas where possible. With tensions continuing to escalate in the Middle East amid Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza, roughly 200 protesters occupied the lobby of Maersk's Manhattan headquarters on Wednesday morning. The demonstration occurred in protest of the container shipping giant's transport of military equipment to Israel, namely the reported shipping of F-35 fighter jet parts. Maersk has stated that while it carries military equipment to Israel, it does not transport weapons or ammunition to the area, or any other conflict zones. Earlier this year, the company's shareholders voted against a proposal to halt shipments of arms to Israel on the grounds that premise of the proposal was incorrect. Members of the protesting group, which was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement and Jewish Voice for Peace, refused to move from the lobby and chanted phrases like 'Maersk, Maersk, drop the cargo, we demand an arms embargo.' The demonstrators also demanded that more food and aid be sent to Gaza. Members of the NYPD's strategic response group moved in after about an hour and cuffed protesters. At least 50 had been taken into custody by the time the protest ended. The Manhattan demonstration follows a series of protests in major cities like Copenhagen, Paris and Berlin. Last month, more than 50 activists including Greta Thunberg held a demonstration in the Copenhagen office of Maersk's tankers division in protest of the equipment shipments, as well as the carrier's overall carbon emissions. Thunberg and a group of other activists on a Gaza-bound flotilla were later detained by Israeli officials after attempting to bring food and humanitarian aid to the region. The detainees were brought to Israel before they returned to their home countries.
Atlantic
27 minutes ago
- Atlantic
Iran's Stunning Incompetence
News of the Israeli attacks on Iran reached me in the United States just before 5 a.m. Tehran time. The city had been hit in multiple places, and strikes meant for Iran's military commanders and nuclear scientists had brought down residential buildings across the city. So I figured my friends and family in the Iranian capital would be awake. I rushed to call. To my shock, I woke several of my relatives. They hadn't heard anything. No sirens had sounded; there had been no rush to shelters. The number of civilian casualties so far seems to be relatively low, but every lost life hurts. Online, the stories circulate—of a young woman who loved cycling and ecotourism, of children found under rubble. I spoke with a friend whose close relative suffered a miscarriage last night, in her eighth month of pregnancy. Iranians have the right to condemn Israel for the attacks. But what was their own government doing to protect them? Everything about the June 13 attacks speaks to the Iranian regime's incompetence. Israel was able to hit major nuclear and military sites all over the country in the space of a day. It has taken out dozens of high-ranking military and nuclear officials. The list includes Ali Shamkhani, one of the most powerful men in Iran's military, political, and economic firmaments. Among other portfolios, he was in charge of Iran's nuclear talks. Shamkhani was also a longtime commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the militia that undergirds the power of the Iranian regime. The IRGC lost its chief and several of its top commanders in the Israeli assault. Consider this: The Islamic Republic wasn't even able to protect its own brass, let alone the people of Iran, to whom it has long shown nothing but contempt. The Iranian regime's utter ineptitude is matched by a record of belligerent action and rhetoric. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the only world leader who celebrated Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel. His state armed Hamas and a host of other militias in the region. For years, he has promised to bring destruction to Israel. In 2018, faced with the first Trump administration, he gave an ominous double pledge: 'There will be no war; nor will we negotiate with the U.S.' In the end, Khamenei was forced to negotiate and still couldn't avoid war. Although the United States did not participate in the Israeli attacks, Donald Trump is now gloating about their success. The next round of talks between Washington and Tehran were scheduled for Sunday in Muscat; now Trump is telling Khamenei that he should have taken the president's repeated threats more seriously and moved faster to reach an agreement. Israel has only just begun a long campaign—one that it says will go on for at least two weeks. Iran has promised harsh retaliation, but it has woefully few options. The last time its territory was attacked at such a scale was when Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded Iran, in 1980. Now the regime appears to be in shock, taking the time to lick its wounds before it acts. Iran has been facing down a crisis over succession to the 86-year-old Khamenei for some time. Now the old Grand Ayatollah appears to be watching feebly as Israel brings blow after blow on his regime and its so-called Axis of Resistance, the collection of militias Tehran has backed throughout the Middle East. Once celebrated as Khamenei's crowning achievement, the Axis now lies in ruins. Last year, Israel killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah. The group that was long Iran's most powerful weapon against Israel is now so weakened that it has said it won't join any counterattack on Iran's behalf. Could Iran see a change in leadership in the coming days? To imagine a new group of military commanders taking the reins, whether formally or informally, is not all that far-fetched. Given Israel's apparently thorough intelligence penetration of Iran, one could even speculate that it might help engineer such changes itself. Barring a dramatic transformation, however, Iran's leadership will have a decision to make. The country has its back against the wall. As limited as its options are against Israel, it might still try to strike as hard as it can. It might attempt to launch cyberattacks on Israeli infrastructure. It could also make the fateful decision to dash for a nuclear bomb—but that's a process that could take years. If Israel can figure out where the IRGC's leaders live and how to kill them, surely it can also put a stop to such plans. Iran might hope that it can wear out Israel's resolve over time, but that's a gamble that hasn't worked out so well for Iran thus far. Iran might also attempt to attack American bases in the region, or to strike Gulf countries allied with the United States. The latter possibility explains why several Gulf countries have normalized relations with Tehran and strongly condemned the Israeli attacks. Taking the war to these countries could drive up oil prices and hurt the global economy. It would also involve the U.S. more directly and make still more adversaries for Iran. Another course is possible. Maybe the time has at last come for the brittle, ideological, postrevolutionary regime to surrender. Maybe a new, pragmatic leadership will emerge—one that realizes that the time has come for Iran to stop picking fights, end its global isolation, and pursue its own development. Despite all our differences, Iranians are a patriotic people. We don't want to see our country so easily laid open to foreign aggression, so hopelessly incompetent in the face of fire. Iranians deserve a leadership that can defend its people and territory and that seeks peace with the region and the world. In the coming days, perhaps they will strike a path to get there.
Washington Post
36 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Unrest in the Middle East threatens to send some prices higher
Israel's attack on Iran Friday has catapulted their long-running conflict into what could become a wider, more dangerous regional war and potentially drive prices higher for both businesses and households. Oil and gold surged and the dollar rose as markets retreated, signaling a flight to investments perceived as more safe. After years of sky-high inflation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have become increasingly leery about the economy this year due to President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, though the impact so far has been muted. The latest escalation in the Middle East has the potential to cause widespread price increases that could set consumers back again. Here's a look at some of the sectors that could face an outsized impact from the escalation in the Middle East, and what that might mean for consumers. Oil prices surged Friday to their biggest gain since the onset of Russia's war on Ukraine began more than three years ago. If or when Israel's attack on Iran could impact gas prices, which have been in decline for nearly a year, isn't entirely clear. Iran is one of the world's major producers of oil, though sanctions by Western countries have limited its sales. If a wider war erupts, it could significantly slow or stop the flow of Iran's oil to its customers. Energy prices have been held in check this year because production has remained relatively high , and demand for it low. A widening conflict could tilt that balance. 'The loss of this export supply would wipe out the surplus that was expected in the fourth quarter of this year,' analysts for ING wrote in a note to clients. In the past, conflicts in the Middle East have sent energy price soaring for extended periods but in recent years, because of the huge supply of oil, those spikes have been more fleeting. Earlier this month, the countries in the OPEC+ alliance decided to increase production again, which often pushes crude prices down. They hit a four-year low in early May. That usually means cheaper gas, of which there is currently a surplus. According to the auto club organization AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. on Friday was $3.13 per gallon, down from $3.46 a year ago. Shipping costs were already on the rise for a number of reasons. Cargo is being rerouted around the Red Sea where the U.S. began conducting air strikes on Yemen's Houthis , the Iran-backed rebels who were attacking ships on what is a vital global trade route. And this year, companies have scrambled to import as many goods as possible before Trump's tariffs kicked in, pushing demand, and prices to ship, higher. The Baltic Dry Index, a key indicator of dry bulk shipping demand that tacks the movement of coal, iron ore, grains and more, is hitting eight-month highs. The window for companies seeking to ship goods before the year's end is coming to a close this month. A widening conflict in the Middle East would only drive prices higher as those companies jostle to get goods from overseas as geopolitical tensions in the region rise. Shares of ocean shipping companies like Teekay and Frontline rose sharply following Israel's attack. Higher energy prices can lead to elevated costs for a wide range of products because just about everything is made and transported using oil or natural gas. Government data this week revealed that Trump's tariffs have yet to cause a broader rise in inflation. Still, many companies have announced price hikes due to the tariffs. Walmart has already raised prices on some goods and said it will do so again as the back-to-school shopping season begins. J.M. Smucker, largely due to the impact of tariffs on coffee from Brazil and Vietnam, said it's also raised prices and will do so again. Combined with the higher shipping and production costs that could result from the escalated Middle East conflict, prices will almost certainly rise further, analysts say. 'Inventory buffers may have allowed firms to put off decisions about raising prices, but that won't be the case for much longer,' the ING analysts said. 'We expect to see bigger spikes in the month-on-month inflation figures through the summer,' they added, noting that The Fed's recent Beige Book cited widespread reports of aggressive price hikes already in the pipeline. Federal Reserve officials meet next week to make their next interest rate decision, and the vast majority of economists still think the U.S. central bank will leave its benchmark rate where it is for the fourth straight time. The Fed has been juggling its dual mandate of supporting the labor market while keeping inflation at bay. That goal may become increasingly difficult to achieve if prices for gas, food and other essential rise due to the Israel-Iran conflict. If prices go up, Fed officials may be inclined to raise its benchmark rate, raising borrowing costs for businesses and consumers. That could lead to businesses to cut jobs, particularly in the high-growth tech sector, and force Americans to pull back on spending, which drives more than 70% of economic activity in the U.S. Shares of tech companies and retailers were among the biggest decliners Friday. Perhaps contrary to conventional wisdom, one cascading effect of the heightened Middle East tension may be that the cost of traveling, even if fuel prices rise, will come down. Airlines have been downgrading their travel forecasts as businesses and families tighten their travel budgets in anticipation of tariff-related price hikes. Several major air disasters also have made some wary of getting on a plane. Most major U.S. airlines have said they plan to reduce their scheduled domestic flights this summer, citing an ebb in economy passengers booking leisure trips. Last month, Bank of America reported that its credit card customers were spending less on flights and lodging . And because of the Trump tariff wars, the dollar has fallen almost 10% this year when measured against a basket of foreign currencies, making it more expensive for Americans to travel abroad due to unfavorable exchange rates. On Friday, shares of major U.S. airlines were in sharp retreat.
