Memorial Day, weather, Israel-Hamas war, Gaza, student loan relief, bird flu, Indy 500: daily briefing

Lina PortmanMay 27, 2024

0 3 minutes read

An avalanche of powerful storms threatens the holiday weekend. Israeli nighttime strikes targeted the Rafah area designated for displaced Palestinians, killing and injuring dozens of people. A Carnival Cruise ship coordinated with the Coast Guard to rescue 25 stranded people.

I am Nicole Fallert, Author of the daily briefing. It's Memorial Day. Take a minute of silence to remember fallen soldiers.

Memorial Day marred by extremes across the country

Severe weather and heavy rain are expected to progress toward the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Gulf Coast on Memorial Day.

Extreme weather comes next Powerful storms and tornadoes swept through the middle of the country on Sunday, killing at least 15 people in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky, injuring many and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses In the region.

Seven deaths confirmed in North Texas after an apparent tornado ripped through Cooke County near the Oklahoma border Saturday evening, officials said. Two children, aged 2 and 5, were among the dead.
Forest fires could occur in the Southwest and High Plains over Memorial Day weekend. Dangerous and potentially record-breaking heat is expected to continue in parts of Texas, the West Gulf Coast and South Florida.
And then there are the sharks. If you're heading to the beach on Monday, watch out for stinky seaweed, dangerous rip currents, freezing cold water – and yes, hungry sharks.

Israel strikes displaced area in Rafah, Gaza

At least 20 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured after a number of Israeli airstrikes hit a camp for displaced people in Gaza's Rafah, burning their tents, a civilian emergency official told Reuters . The final death toll at the Tal Al-Sultan camp is still being established, another doctor said, adding that dozens of people were injured by the fire that followed the strikes, which residents are still trying to achieve. to turn off. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Learn more

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What weather is it today? Check your local forecast here.

Who gets part of the $7.7 billion in student loan relief?

Student loan borrowers should keep an eye on their accounts in the coming months as the Biden administration continues its student loan relief initiatives. After the Supreme Court blocked Biden's initial 2023 forgiveness program, the administration continued to implement a series of programs to help some of the 43.2 million borrowers struggling with the $1.6 trillion of US federal student debt. Earlier this month, the administration also announced an additional $7.7 billion in forgiveness for undergraduate loan holders. This round of student loan relief will cover the debts of three categories of borrowers.

Vital bird flu tests fail to reach farmworkers

Farmworkers are among the most at risk from the bird flu virus, but advocates say many of them would lack resources to fall back on if they became ill. So far, only two people in the United States have tested positive, after being exposed to a wave of bird flu spreading among cows. These people were farm workers on dairy farms in Texas and Michigan. Scientists warn the virus could mutate to spread from person to person like seasonal flu, potentially triggering a pandemic. It's critical to keep an eye on farmworkers, experts say, but testing is usually only done when a person has symptoms. Learn more

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Carnival cruise ship saves 25 people

A Carnival Cruise Line ship responded to a call from the U.S. Coast Guard and rescued 25 people stranded in a small boat off the coast of Mexico, the company announced Saturday. The Carnival Radiance, carrying 2,984 passengers, had left Long Beach, Calif., on Friday and was heading to Ensenada, Mexico, for a three-day sailing when the cruise ship's officers were informed by the Coast Guard “of a distress call involving a small vessel. The vessel immediately headed to the ship's location and rescued all 25 people on board, including three children. Learn more

Photo of the day: Josef Newgarden wins the Indy 500

The reigning Indy 500 champion is now a back-to-back champion. Josef Newgarden on Sunday became the sixth driver to win consecutive Indianapolis 500s.

Nicole Fallert is the newsletter editor at USA TODAY, sign up to receive the email here. Do you want to send a message to Nicole? Email him at [email protected].

Memorial Day marred by extremes across the country

Lina Portman

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