President Biden met Tuesday with the families of the victims of Saturday's racist mass shooting in Buffalo, as well as first responders and local officials, then later gave remarks in which he decried white supremacy, and also paid tribute to each of the 10 people killed. Earlier, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden paid their respects at a makeshift memorial outside the Tops supermarket where the attack took place.
The accused 18-year-old shooter, who is white, is alleged to have driven hours to get to the area because its residents are largely Black, and all of those killed were Black, as was one of the three people injured. He's reported to have posted an online screed full of racism and antisemitism that espouses "replacement theory," a racist ideology that claims white people are being intentionally "replaced" by people of color via immigration and higher birth rates.
President Biden says the public must work together to address the "hate that remains a stain on the soul of America" after the Buffalo mass shooting. https://t.co/JM4n1pUknP
— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 18, 2022
Biden said that the country must, quote, "reject the lie" of replacement theory, stating, "I condemn those who spread the lie for power, political gain and for profit." He declared, "Now’s the time for people of all races, from every background, to speak up as a majority . . . and reject white supremacy," saying the country must not be distorted by what he called a "hateful minority." Biden also warned, "The American experiment in democracy is in danger like it hasn’t been in my lifetime. It's in danger this hour. Hate and fear being given too much oxygen by those who pretend to love America but who don’t understand America."
➤UKRAINIAN FIGHTERS FROM STEEL PLANT TAKEN TO FORMER PENAL COLONY: Ukrainian fighters extracted from the steel plant in Mariupol where they'd held out for months as the last pocket of resistance in the city were taken to a former penal colony in Russian-controlled territory. After more than 260 fighters left the plant Monday and turned themselves over to the Russians under a negotiated deal, another seven buses carrying an unknown number of Ukrainian fighters from the plant were seen arriving at the former penal colony Tuesday in the town of Olenivka.
Ukraine is hoping to exchange them for Russian prisoners of war, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "the most influential international mediators are involved." However, the speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament charged there were "war criminals" among them and said, "we must do everything to bring them to justice." Russia's main federal investigative body said it intends to interrogate the fighters to, quote, "identify the nationalists" and determine if they were involved in crimes against civilians, and Russia's parliament planned to take up a resolution today to prevent the exchange of the fighters, according to Russian news agencies.
Russian tank unit pictured in eastern Ukraine following a failed river crossing pic.twitter.com/aArbBXqvwD
— Business Ukraine mag (@Biz_Ukraine_Mag) May 18, 2022
Finland, Sweden Apply to Join NATO: Finland and Sweden officially applied to join NATO on Wednesday. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "All allies agree on the importance of NATO enlargement. We all agree that we must stand together, and we all agree that this is an historic moment which we must seize."
➤COVID VACCINE BOOSTERS APPROVED FOR KIDS AGES 5 TO 11: The Food and Drug Administration yesterday approved booster shots of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for healthy children ages 5 to 11 at least five months after their second original vaccine dose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must now decide whether to formally recommend a booster for this age group, with a meeting scheduled for Thursday. Boosters had already been approved for everyone age 12 and older, and second boosters have been okayed for those over 50.
CEO who saved GM says Biden admin made baby formula shortage worse: 'bureaucratic bungling' https://t.co/eJxbLACUG5
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 18, 2022
➤U.S. SUES CASINO OWNER WYNN, SAYS MUST REGISTER AS FOREIGN AGENT FOR CHINA: The Justice Department sued Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn yesterday to force him to register as a foreign agent because of lobbying work it says he did for the Chinese government. The Justice Department said it advised Wynn repeatedly over the last four years to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and is now suing because he refused to do so. Wynn's attorneys said he would contest the suit. The Justice Department alleges that Wynn lobbied then-President Donald Trump and members of his administration for several months in 2017 on behalf of senior Chinese government officials to remove from a Chinese national from the U.S. who had been charged with corruption in China and was seeking political asylum, efforts that ultimately weren't successful. It's charged Wynn wanted to protect his business interests in China. Wynn stepped down from his Wynn Resorts company in 2018 after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct.
➤POLL..AMERICANS BURNED-OUT ON POLITICS: A new CNN Poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans are concerned about they way things are going in the U.S., and a majority are "burned out" on politics. While just 14 percent of Americans say they are either excited or optimistic about the way things are going in the country, 65 percent said they're concerned, and another 21 percent said they're scared about it. When it comes to politics, just under one-quarter, 23 percent, said they are "fired up," but 53 percent said they are "burned out" on it. Nearly one-third, 32 percent, said they feel their side is currently losing more than winning in politics, with just nine percent feeling their side is mostly winning. As other polls have shown amid current high inflation and gas prices, 59 percent said economic issues are the most important issue to the country, while 30 percent said it's domestic and social issues, three percent named foreign policy, and seven percent said another issue is their top concern.In a Zoom call with reporters after Cawthorn's concession, Edwards said his win means that "the people of the mountains were looking for someone to go to Washington D.C. that had a proven conservative track record of getting things done." https://t.co/4GYMIB2Jyh
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2022
➤U.S. OFFICIALS: CHINA PLANE CRASH IN MARCH WAS INTENTIONAL: The China Eastern Airlines plane crash in March that killed all 132 people on board is believed to have been intentional, according to U.S. officials' preliminary assessment, the Wall Street Journal first reported yesterday, citing sources. The Boeing 737 was flying from Kunming to Guangzhou on March 21st when it plunged into a mountainous area, slamming into the ground with such force that it created a 66-foot deep crater. ABC News cited unnamed U.S. officials who said evidence includes the plane's flaps not being engaged and landing gear not put down, and that the plane's near-vertical plunge would have required intentional force. Investigators also found that one of the pilots may have been struggling with certain issues right before the crash, ABC reported.
➤NEARLY 43,000 KILLED ON U.S. ROADS LAST YEAR, UP 10 PERCENT OVER 2020: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported preliminary figures yesterday that showed nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads last year, up 10.5 percent from 2020 and the highest number in 16 years after people returned to roads after many were forced to stay home due to the pandemic. The 10.5 percent one-year increase was the largest jump since the NHTSA began its data collection system in 1975. The Governors Highway Safety Association, which is a group of state traffic safety officials, blamed the increase on dangerous behavior like speeding, driving while impaired, distracted driving, and "roads designed for speed instead of safety."
➤SOCIAL MEDIA..AMERICANS MORE INTERESTED IN DEPP-HEARD TRIAL THAN ABORTION, INFLATIONS, WAR: A lot of people have become obsessed with the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial, and social media data shows in fact that Americans are more interested in the trial than in current serious issues like inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the future of abortion laws. News articles about the trial have generated more social media interactions such as likes, comments and shares than coverage about inflation, the war, abortion and the Supreme Court, Covid-19, and more, according to data from NewsWhip. Axios reports there have been double the Google searches for Heard over the last month than for Elon Musk, who's been in the news over his bid to buy Twitter, according to Google Trends data, and there have been nearly four times more searches for her name than for abortion or the Supreme Court. Driving the trial going viral is that there are cameras in the courtroom, with clips and memes quickly shared online.
⛽$5 GAS COULD BECOME WIDESPREAD: Prices at the pump could make you weary of traveling for Memorial Day. The AAA reports the national average for regular gas hit a new record of $4.48 a gallon on Monday, an increase of 15 cents over the last week, and 40 cents in a month. Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates told CNN on Monday he’s raising his gasoline forecast from $4.50 to $4.75 a gallon. He also said $5 is “possible,” but that the outlook could change considerably if there is a surprise development in the war with Ukraine or with COVID-19. According to the AAA, the average price per gallon is already above $5 in four states: California, Washington, Nevada, and Hawaii. The issue for now is that supply can’t keep up with the demand of gas, though Lipow says that production should ramp up in the coming weeks as US refineries end maintenance season. The bad news: oil prices remain high.
➤STATINS MAY PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST DEPRESSION: Many people take statins, medications that lower cholesterol. University of Oxford researchers have now found that taking statins can lower levels of negative emotional bias, which can be important for the treatment of depression. Study leader, Dr. Amy Gillespie says, “Our findings are important as they provide evidence that statins may provide protection against depression. Of particular note, we saw these results during the high-stress context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings also provide the first potential psychological explanation of statins’ mental health benefits.” It’s thought this may work through anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Dr. Gillespie concludes, saying, “Researchers should prioritize investigating the possible use of statins as a preventative intervention for depression.”
👰BRIDES ARE PUMPED TO WEAR BLACK WEDDING DRESSES: Modern brides don’t feel obliged to wear white. Wedding dress sellers note there’s increased interest in black bridal gowns. According to Google Trends, searches for “black wedding dress” have kept pace with searches for “white wedding dress” over the past 12 months. In September and October 2021, “black wedding dress” was even searched for more than “white wedding dress” on Google. The trend has picked up so much since last year that David’s Bridal, which previously only offered black wedding dresses by custom order, will offer black versions of its most popular gown styles in select stores for the first time this fall. Laura McKeever, senior manager of brand PR, philanthropy and communications with David’s Bridal says, “The concept of what’s considered traditional has evolved. We started to see this in 2021 with couples wanting to throw traditional wedding rules out the window. Brides who’ve had to postpone their weddings because of the pandemic now want their special day to be unique. They want to wear what they want on their big day. They are picking unique venues, they’re wearing sneakers and having food trucks at their wedding.” Other bridal gown colors brides are choosing include blue, champagne, purple, and red options. David’s Bridal says as a result they’ve upped their selection of gowns in unconventional colors by 30 percent this year.
➤NEARLY 43,000 KILLED ON U.S. ROADS LAST YEAR, UP 10 PERCENT OVER 2020: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported preliminary figures yesterday that showed nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads last year, up 10.5 percent from 2020 and the highest number in 16 years after people returned to roads after many were forced to stay home due to the pandemic. The 10.5 percent one-year increase was the largest jump since the NHTSA began its data collection system in 1975. The Governors Highway Safety Association, which is a group of state traffic safety officials, blamed the increase on dangerous behavior like speeding, driving while impaired, distracted driving, and "roads designed for speed instead of safety."
➤SOCIAL MEDIA..AMERICANS MORE INTERESTED IN DEPP-HEARD TRIAL THAN ABORTION, INFLATIONS, WAR: A lot of people have become obsessed with the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial, and social media data shows in fact that Americans are more interested in the trial than in current serious issues like inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the future of abortion laws. News articles about the trial have generated more social media interactions such as likes, comments and shares than coverage about inflation, the war, abortion and the Supreme Court, Covid-19, and more, according to data from NewsWhip. Axios reports there have been double the Google searches for Heard over the last month than for Elon Musk, who's been in the news over his bid to buy Twitter, according to Google Trends data, and there have been nearly four times more searches for her name than for abortion or the Supreme Court. Driving the trial going viral is that there are cameras in the courtroom, with clips and memes quickly shared online.
⛽$5 GAS COULD BECOME WIDESPREAD: Prices at the pump could make you weary of traveling for Memorial Day. The AAA reports the national average for regular gas hit a new record of $4.48 a gallon on Monday, an increase of 15 cents over the last week, and 40 cents in a month. Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates told CNN on Monday he’s raising his gasoline forecast from $4.50 to $4.75 a gallon. He also said $5 is “possible,” but that the outlook could change considerably if there is a surprise development in the war with Ukraine or with COVID-19. According to the AAA, the average price per gallon is already above $5 in four states: California, Washington, Nevada, and Hawaii. The issue for now is that supply can’t keep up with the demand of gas, though Lipow says that production should ramp up in the coming weeks as US refineries end maintenance season. The bad news: oil prices remain high.
🏒NHL PLAYOFFS: Results from second-round games yesterday:
- Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Florida Panthers 1 - Tampa Bay leads series 1-0
- Colorado Avalanche 3, St. Louis Blues 2 (OT) - Colorado leads series 1-0
⚾ORIOLES PITCHER HARVEY SUSPENDED FOR 60 GAMES FOR DRUG DISTRIBUTION: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Matt Harvey was suspended for 60 games yesterday (May 17th) for distributing a drug of abuse, after he admitted providing opioids to a Los Angeles Angels teammate who fatally overdosed. The 33-year-old former New York Mets star also admitted during a federal trial in February related to Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs' 2019 death that he used cocaine while in New York and California. Harvey agreed last month to a minor league contract with the Orioles. AP reported that minor league games will count toward the suspension.
The Astros hit FIVE home runs in ONE inning off of Nathan Eovaldi 😱 pic.twitter.com/kIMoq4JxKL
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) May 17, 2022
⚾BOSTON PITCHER EOVALDI GIVES UP FIVE HOMERS IN ONE INNING, ONLY THIRD EVER TO DO SO: Boston pitcher Nathan Eovaldi gave up five home runs in one inning last night (May 17th) in the Houston Astros' 13-4 rout of the Red Sox, becoming only the third pitcher in MLB history to do so. Eovaldi, who started, gave up the five homers in the second inning of the game, in which he lasted just one and two-thirds innings, giving up six runs and eight hits in total. The two other pitchers who gave up five homers in one inning were Chase Anderson in 2020 and Michael Blazek in 2017.
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