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Thunder is still facing the toughest testing. Do they have different gear?

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Lightning learns in real time what it takes to reach the next level. It’s an encouraging sign. But they need to be far better in the conference final against the Timberwolves.

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Maybe if Aaron Gordon wasn’t limited by hamstring tensions, the Denver Nuggets could have made it a closer game or even beat Oklahoma City’s lightning on Sunday.

perhaps. But we never know.

On the road in Game 7, Gordon was injured and not enough for the Nugget as he should have put him under 100% and had to stand by him.

The Thunder moved to the Western Conference Finals with a 125-93 victory over Denver. Denver is anti-climax game 7, which showed early promise but turned into thunderstorms in the second half to late quarter.

MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored lightning with efficient 35 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals in a 19-12 shooting, while Jalen Williams scored 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Thunder used size, depth, versatility, offensive and defensive power throughout the series, making attacks difficult for Denver MVP finalist Nikola Jokic.

This is an impressive series for Thunder, and they went a step further in the playoffs than last season. Oklahoma City closed Game 5 against Denver with a 3-2 series lead, and there was no doubt about Game 7. Thunder is learning in real time what it takes to reach the next level.

But they need to be far better in the conference finals against the Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards.

Both teams are relatively healthy, as the candidates are healthy at this point in the season, and the seeds are no longer important. Minnesota defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, who were third seeded in five games, dispatching five Golden State Warriors (though there’s no Steph Curry in the last four games), and now they get the Thunder.

Minnesota has a star in Edwards, Julius Randle has an outstanding postseason play, and while the Timberwolves may not be as deep and versatile as Oklahoma City, they still have strong benches and can go big and small.

It must be a competitive series.

However, Oklahoma City is preferred based on 68 regular season wins, No. 1 seed and home court advantage. The roster was assembled and designed for long-term success, including championship competition. The Thunder is approaching, reaching the NBA Finals in 2012 with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, making it three West Finals earlier this season.

After Durant departed in 2016 and Westbrook departed in 2019, the Thunder set out for another rebuild, and this season’s NBA Executive of the Year, executive vice president and general manager Sam Presty, used trades, free agency and drafts to create the roster. He’s as good as you get in the front office. He and his staff not only look to talent, but also have the knack for knowing the right combination of players.

As interests and pressure rise in each game, the Thunder can take the next step to himself and the rest of the league. That’s the storyline that lies in this series.

Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @jeffzillgitt





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Maria Jose Estinan: Colombian model was killed a few days after a Mexican influencer shot in a live stream

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CNN

The killing of the 22-year-old model and influencer from Colombia draws similarities to the killing of Mexican influencers last week, highlighting the high rates of murder in Latin America.

Maria Jose Estinan, a university student in Cukuta, Colombia’s northeastern city of Colombia, near the Venezuela border, was murdered on May 15, according to Magda Victoria Acosta, chairman of the National Gender Committee of Judicial Justice.

Speaking at the press conference, Acosta said the suspect disguised as a childbirth man and shot Estipinan at home as he opened the door.

“She was a young, enterprising woman who had a lifetime before her, but those dreams are cut short like the dreams of many women in this country,” Acosta said.

Estinan was a victim of a domestic violence incident and was trying to get compensation for it, Acosta added. She said the committee will “very strongly” condemn crime and work to bring justice.

Authorities are investigating the killing. CNN has contacted the Columbia National Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office for more information.

Estupinan’s Facebook page featured photos of travel and daily life, including trips to New York and California, as well as posing at the pool and gym.

The case has been widely covered by local media and is spreading on social media, comparing it to a May 13 filming of 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Marquez from Mexico. A few days before Estinan’s death, Marquez was killed in a live stream of the salon by a male intruder.

Officials in Jalisco, Mexico, said they are investigating Marquez’s death, the murder of a woman or girl on gender-based reasons, as a suspicious murder.

Not all murders involving women are feminized, but many do. According to Amnesty International, a quarter of the murders of women in Mexico were investigated as feministes in 2020, and reported in each of the 32 states of the country.

Acosta did not say whether Espinen’s death was a suspected murder, but her murder highlighted the magnitude of violence against women in Colombia.

According to the nonprofit Human Rights Watch, gender-based violence across the country is widespread, including armed groups. Survivors face many obstacles when seeking care and justice, and perpetrators rarely take accountable, the group said in its World Report 2024.

Colombia’s National Gender Committee has documented thousands of cases of gender and domestic violence, including a high percentage of sexual violence, neglect, abandonment and psychological violence, Acosta said.

According to Acosta, a woman who went missing in Colombia between January and August last year was reported missing in Colombia. Most of the women were minors.

Northeast Colombia has been particularly unstable in recent months, with fighting between extremist factions rising sharply. The escalation of violence in the Katatambo region drove tens of thousands of people in January. Many flocked to Kukuta, where Colombian troops deployed thousands of soldiers and special forces.



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Donald Trump Tax Bill wins approval from major House committee votes

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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax bill has stagnated for several days due to Republican inscribed over spending cuts, earning Congressional Committee approval on May 18th and moving forward for a potential passing in the House later this week.

It was a big win for Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson after Hardline Republican conservatives blocked the House Budget Committee on May 16 over the dispute over the cuts to the Medicaid health program for low-income Americans and the elimination of the Green Energy Tax Credit.

Four Hardline members of the committee’s 21 Republicans allowed the law to move forward by voting “now” in a rare session on May 18th. The bill was passed 17-16 votes, with all Democrats voting against it.

The hardlines spent most of the day negotiating closures with House Republican leaders and White House officials.

“The deliberations continue at this moment. They will continue until that week, and I think I’ll doubt until the time we put this big and beautiful bill in front of our house.”

Non-partisan analysts say the bill would add between $3 and $5 trillion to the country’s $36.2 trillion debt over the next decade if it extended the 2017 tax cuts, a legislative victory for Trump’s first signing period. Moody’s cited the increase in debt, which he said on May 16, was on track to reach 134% of GDP by 2035 due to the decision to downgrade the US credit rating.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent dismissed the importance of the cut in a May 18 television interview, saying the bill would promote economic growth that outweighs what the country is paying for.

“I don’t give Moody’s much credit,” Bescent told CNN’s “The State of the Union” program, reflecting criticism from the White House.

Meanwhile, economic experts warn that downgrades from the last of the three major credit institutions are a clear indication that the US should have too much debt and that lawmakers should increase their income or encourage less spending.

Congressional Republicans in 2017 claimed that tax cuts would pay themselves by stimulating economic growth. However, the Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the change has increased the federal deficit to just under $1.9 trillion over a decade, even with positive economic impacts.

House Speaker Mike Johnson on May 18 said the chamber is still “on orbit” and the House Budget Committee is expected to vote at the 10pm hearing.

“We had a lot of conversations, there’s a lot more today,” Johnson said on “Fox News Sunday and Shannon Bream,” when asked about Hardline Republicans, including Texas’ Chip Roy and South Carolina’s representative Ralph Norman.

Medicaid cut his eyes

Trump Republicans have a majority of 220-213 in the House, splitting about how much they will cut their spending to offset the costs of tax cuts.

Hardlines want to cut Medicaid’s health insurance program. This calls for moderates and some Republican senators to counterattack and hurt voters who elected Trump in November, requiring support that Congressional control needs to be gained again in 2026.

The bill’s cuts would drive 8.6 million people out of Medicaid, a joint federal state program for low-income Americans. It also aims to eliminate overtime income taxes both from tips and Trump’s campaign promises, but at the same time increases defense spending and provides more funding for Trump’s border crackdown.

Republicans are also in conflict with state taxes, or salt deductions, which are very important to a small number of incumbents from states such as New York and California, which are important to the party’s narrow House majority.

The downgrade of Moody’s could be further rattling investors when Wall Street reopens on May 19, coming amid continuing economic uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs, which already expands global markets.

Trump and his administration have vowed to balance the budget since the Republican president re-inaugurated in January.

But his attempts to reduce government spending through the efficiency of the government’s government are far below that goal. It also remains unclear what revenues will be raised through tariffs as Trump swings between charging higher fees and cutting transactions.

Johnson said the downgrade indicated the need for a tax bill.

“The Moody’s aren’t wrong,” Johnson said. “We’re talking about historic spending cuts, which means this will help change the trajectory of the US economy.”

He aims to see the bill pass the house this week ahead of the May 26th anniversary holiday. Lawmakers face far more tight deadlines later this summer when they need to address US debt caps or cause potentially catastrophic defaults.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said the credit rating cuts spelled out the troubles of Americans.

“That’s a big deal. It means we’re likely heading into a recession,” Murphy told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“That probably means higher interest rates for people trying to start a business or buy a home. These people are running the economy recklessly.”

(Additional reporting by Katherine Jackson, David Morgan and David Barbascia, edited by Scott Malone, Bill Velcrott and Stephen Coates)



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Biden is diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer

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CNN

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with a “aggressive form” of prostate cancer, as spreading across his bones, according to a statement in his personal office Sunday.

“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen in a new discovery of the prostate nodules after experiencing an increase in urinary symptoms. On Friday he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and is characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (grade group 5) including metastasis to the bone,” the statement said.

“This represents a more aggressive form of disease, but cancer is hormone sensitive and allows for effective management.”

Biden, 82, and his family are “reviewing treatment options with his doctor,” the statement said.

The news comes days after a Biden spokesman said the former president had recently been evaluated for a “small nodule” discovered in his prostate.

“Prostate cancer is very common,” says Jamin Brahmbhatt, PhD, a urologist and robotic surgeon at Orlando Health and an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida School of Medicine who is not involved in Biden’s treatment. “As we get older, most men will have almost cancer cells in them.”

Prostate cancer can be assigned a grade known as a Gleason score based on how the cells look under a microscope. A Gleason score of 9 “means that’s the most aggressive form of prostate cancer,” says Dr. Benjamin Davis, a professor of urological oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who is not involved in Biden’s case either.

Biden will be at his home in Wilmington, Delaware this weekend, according to familiar sources. CNN asked where the former president is being treated.

The oldest president in US history, age and health concerns narrowed focus during his tenure after halting his debate with Donald Trump last June.

In February 2024, Biden experienced a body supervised by doctor Dr. Kevin O’Connor at Walter Reed National Military Center.

Written by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson explains how aides showed signs of decline that their aides ignored or described, even before Biden’s disastrous debate that led to his decision to close the 2024 election three weeks later.

Tupper and Thompson personally debated whether Biden’s aides would have to put him in a wheelchair for his second term, writing that Biden did not recognize movie star George Clooney during a June 2024 fundraiser.

Biden has maintained a relatively low profile since leaving the White House, but has slowly begun to re-emerge on the public stage. He appeared on ABC’s “The View” with his wife Jill Biden earlier this month, where he pushed back a proposal that he had experienced cognitive decline in his final year.

Former President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were guests of

“They’re wrong,” Joe Biden said. “There’s nothing to keep it.”

The former first lady said, “The people who wrote those books weren’t in the White House with us, so we didn’t know how hard Joe worked every day.

Trump continues to criticize Biden even after the then-president dropped out of the 2024 race, claiming that Biden is suffering from cognitive decline. During Trump’s trip to the Middle East last week, he criticized his domestic political opponents while traveling abroad, largely ignored the longtime president’s norms of avoiding avoiding domestic political opponents while attacking his predecessors multiple times. But Trump put his feelings aside on Sunday as he read well for the former president.

“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We will spread the warmest and best wishes to Jill and his family. Joe wishes a quick and successful recovery.”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the Democratic campaign after Biden dropped out of the race, also wanted the former president to recover quickly, adding, “Joe is a fighter.”

“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s diagnosis of prostate cancer. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and throughout this time he is keeping him in our hearts and prayers,” Harris wrote to X. “Joe is a fighter.

In addition to Gleason’s score, factors such as blood prostate-specific antigen levels, imaging tests, and biopsy findings are important in determining cancer behavior and which treatment options are best.

Even patients with high-risk prostate cancer can “live a fairly normal life and improve the quality of life as long as the cancer is being treated,” Brahmbhatt said. The treatment is personalized to each patient and can come in several forms, including hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation.

The fact that Biden’s cancer is spreading to the bone is “very serious and incurable,” Davis said. However, “There is some good news about the recent years of new hormones and chemotherapy treatments in this space (which came) have shown impressive results and have significantly expanded patient lifespan.”

Brahmbhatt said it could take “a few weeks” to see which direction Biden’s treatment will take. “Some treatments can affect memory, mood and quality of life, so you don’t want to be overly aggressive, so you need to be very careful about what you do in the end.”

Cancer has long been a personal issue for Biden, who died in 2015 at 46 years old, a veteran of the Iraq War and former Delaware Attorney General, a son, Beau, who died of a brain tumor at the age of 46.

In the 2016 presidential memorandum, then-President Barack Obama tapped his vice president, Biden, to lead the White House task force aimed at cancer treatment. At the time, Biden vowed that he was “not naive about the challenges going forward,” but he vowed that he was “not optimistic that we could do big things.”

In 2022, then-President Biden reestablished the program, dubbed the Cancer Moonshot initiative, and committed the nation to work towards reducing cancer mortality by at least 50% over the next 25 years.

“We are mobilizing efforts across the country to reduce cancer deaths in America by 20 or 25 years and increase the support of patients and their families. I am confident in our ability to do that. We know we can do it, but that’s not personal – that’s possible.

Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both highlighted Biden’s efforts to end cancer with their well-diluted diluter.

“When the Bidens have cancer, I think they’re a disease that has done a lot to try and save other families. I hope you have a quick and full recovery,” Clinton posted on X.

“Michelle and I are thinking about the whole Biden family,” Obama posted on X.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Arlette Saenz, Kit Maher, Julia Benbrook and Jeremy Herb contributed to this report.



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‘It was looking really good until it wasn’t’ – Egan Bernal falls just short of gravel glory for Ineos Grenadiers at Giro d’Italia

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As the GC carnage unfolded on the gravel stage of the Giro d’Italia, it looked for a long while like Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) was going to be one of the big winners, after he got away in a group with two teammates, and the eventual top two on the stage, Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike).

However, despite Bernal’s big day out on the gravel he excelled on previously, he couldn’t live with the pressure that came from the new Mexican race leader, and was eventually caught by the main chasing group of GC riders 6km from the finish in Siena.



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New Jersey Transit and Unions reach agreement to end work strike

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Woodland Park, N.J. — The New Jersey transit train will be back in operation after the agency signs a contract with Striking Rail Engineers on wage increases, and the engineers union has finished a three-day suspension of work that affected around 350,000 passengers.

With train services reopening on May 20, the agency has time to inspect trucks and prepare rail cars, and Governor Philmurphy announced on May 18 after New Jersey’s transportation officials and government officials confirmed that the deal had reached. The statewide rail strike, which hit New Jersey’s first transport in over 40 years, began just after midnight on May 16th.

“I won’t go into the exact details of the transactions I reached, but I say the only real issue is wages and I have been able to reach an agreement last month that encourages hourly payments beyond the proposal rejected by members when the manager of NJ Transit left the table on Thursday evening,” the network today.

“We were able to demonstrate how NJT can manage to raise wages for engineers that support retention and recruitment without causing serious budget issues or demanding increased fares,” Haas added.

The Locomotive Engineers and Train Brotherhood represents 450 New Jersey Transit Engineers who drive commuter trains at their agency. New Jersey Transit, the third largest transit system in the United States, offers on average over 700,000 passenger travel per day across trains, light rails and bus lines.

After last week’s last minute talks broke unanimously, both sides were blaming each other for the strike. Murphy and New Jersey transport officials said the agency could not afford to meet the union’s wage requirements, but the union simply aims to pay members that match the salaries of engineers in other commuting systems in the area.

After a whirlwind that diverted tens of thousands of people from the rail system in Transit, New Jersey for three days, the agency signed a temporary contract with locomotive engineers to end the historic strike that sent shockwaves throughout the week throughout the state.

The next step is for the union to vote for the contract. If they defeat it, there will be 30 days to negotiate for a new contract before the union can ask for “self-help” again or strike. If they approve the contract, the New Jersey Transit board of directors must also vote for it.

This is the second contract reached between the two parties in three months. The first agreement to avoid a strike in March was voted by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and 87% of train memberships.

When asked why he was confident the deal would win the union, Chris Koruli said they went point by point through the contract.

“We learned some important lessons about what membership wanted. I think this union did a really good job of clarifying their position if you did,” Koruli said.

The fight over an expired contract lasted more than five years before it led to a suspension of work. Agency officials provided annual wage increases to locomotive engineers, which matched those that provided 14 other collective bargaining units, but Brett said it deserves a higher wage rise because it is competitive with the railroads near New York.

For 172,000 weekday daily rail riders, providing additional bus services and increasing travel in other modes of transport costs at least $4 million a day. NJ Transit encouraged commuters to consider working from home on May 19th, if possible.

“We are extremely grateful that both sides acted urgently and reached an agreement this weekend,” said Rep. Nelly Pooh, a Patterson Democrat who represents the 9th Congressional District.

“We hope that transportation services will mostly return to normal by Tuesday,” she said. “Let’s run the system and let people get back on the train as soon as possible.”

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called the deal “fair and financially responsible” and said it would “save taxpayers and clients from rising fares while providing generous wage increases to Brett members.”

“The contract reflects both Brett and New Jersey’s transit commitment to staying at the table engaged in productive conversations, and I admire them,” he said. “Most importantly, we ensure that the rail service of 100,000 people rely on our railway system every day will resume.”

State Senate President Nick Skutary called the settlement a “big victory for New Jersey.”

“The strike definitely made it clear how important public transport is to the everyday functions of the state. It’s the backbone of our workforce, our economy and our quality of life,” he said. “Now we have to adopt the same energy and guide our transportation system to strengthen in the long term. We need a system that is resilient and ready to meet the needs of our riders and workers. The job starts now. We owe it to the people of New Jersey to keep this right and right.”

His colleague in the House of Representatives, Congress President Craig Cofflin, was “reliable.”

“The past few days have been frustrating and uncertain for many, and a return to service provides the sense of security people are waiting for,” he said.

Contribution: Reuters



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Kamala Harris calls Joe Biden a “fighter” after cancer diagnosis

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Kamala Harris’ former vice president praised Joe Biden as a “fighter” and wanted him to “complete and quick recovery” after the former president was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s diagnosis of prostate cancer,” Harris said in a statement on behalf of herself and her husband. “We keep him, Dr. Biden, and his whole family in hearts and prayers. Joe is a fighter, and we know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience and optimism that has always defined his life and leadership.

Harris faced Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and served as his vice president between 2021 and 2025. She took over the president’s Democratic nomination when Biden dropped out after a debate performance that raised questions about his age and mental vision.

A Biden spokesman announced on May 18 that the former president had a “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that spread across the bones.

“The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his doctor,” the statement added.



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‘Feels like it was meant to be’ – Emotional Wout van Aert silences doubters with inspiring comeback gravel stage win at Giro d’Italia

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For a rider with 50 professional victories, including a Monument and 13 Grand Tour stages, Wout van Aert has often seemed like a perennial runner-up in recent years, with his versatility proving both a blessing and a curse, and several wins eluding him by the barest margins at the biggest races.

But on stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia, Siena’s Piazza del Campo burst into a roar as it realised that Van Aert was finally going to take victory, his first of the 2025 season. It was one of those victories that just felt right in sport, meaning no offence to second place on the day, Isaac del Toro, but it was a triumph that “had to be here” according to the Belgian, as his love affair with the Tuscan city goes back seven years.



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Donald Trump wishes Joe Biden a quick recovery in the cancer battle

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President Donald Trump said he was “sad” when he heard of former President Joe Biden’s diagnosis of prostate cancer, and he said he was very hoping for his political opponent.

A Biden spokesman announced on May 18 that the former president had a “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that spread across the bones.

“The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his doctor,” the statement added.

“We will spread the warmest and best wishes to Jill and his family. Joe wishes a quick and successful recovery,” Trump said in a statement on behalf of himself and first lady Melania Trump.

Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election after an overwhelming campaign. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race after a poor performance of debates that raised concerns about his age and mental vision.



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The US Treasury Secretary said Walmart “eats some of the tariffs” after Trump’s request. Trump’s tariffs

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US retail giant Walmart “eats some of the tariffs” in line with Donald Trump’s demands, president’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent claimed Sunday, claiming that he received a guarantee on a personal call with the company’s chief executive, Doug McMillon.

A Walmart spokesman said the company would not comment on the conversations between executives and management. However, sources familiar with the conversation said the phone call between Bescent and McMillon was placed days before Trump’s post and that the company’s position had not changed.

Walmart said this week there is no alternative to raising consumer prices later this month as it failed to absorb the president’s tariff costs on international trade that caused disruption in international markets.

The statement sparked an angry response from Trump who posted a rumour on his true social network on Saturday.

Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Walmart promises exactly that.

“I was on the phone yesterday with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon. In fact, Walmart eats some of the tariffs, like you’re describing it, like ’18, ’19, and ’20,” Bescent said after host Kristen Welker asked if the president asked the American company not too useful.

“What you’re describing is a revenue call for Walmart. Other things businesses have to do – they have to give them the worst case scenario so they don’t get sued.”

On Thursday, MacMillon said in a revenue call that his company, the home of U.S. consumer health, is moving to protect against the effects of Trump’s tariffs, despite the president’s administration’s suspension in a trade war with China called “Suzuma Day.”

“We will do our best to keep prices as low as possible, but given the magnitude of the tariffs, even the levels of decline announced this week cannot absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,” he said.

Walmart Chief Financial Officer John Rainey told CNBC that the company with thousands of U.S. stores is “wired for everyday low prices.” However, he said the tariffs are “more than any retailer can absorb.” And consumers began seeing higher prices towards the end of May, saying, “It’s certainly more in June.”

Trump announced plans for an unprecedented barrage of tariffs on many countries on April 2, a date called “liberation date.”

For a long time, the United States was “populated, plundered, raped, plundered, plundered by nearby countries,” he says, and he presented a list of countries and territories that receive tariffs, ranging from many US allies and longtime trading partners to isolated islands near Antarctica, occupied solely by penguins.

The president’s strategy he claimed would lead to negotiations and trade deals with at least 150 countries was variously ridiculed, accused of flawed and infeasible. And it created six weeks of disruption with high prices, stock markets crashing and slowing economic growth.

He then sought to roam policy oversized over the week, including this week’s announcement that tariffs in China, the dominant supplier of Walmart and countless other US companies, will be reduced from 145% to 30%.

The White House called it a “complete reset” of trade relations and followed up on Friday to announce that, after all, it’s imposing a new tariff rate instead of negotiating with many countries.

“(() we can’t meet the number of people we want to see,” Trump told a meeting of UAE business leaders during a tour of the Gulf countries.

“We want 150 countries to trade, but we don’t see many.”

Bessent told CNN’s alliance in its later appearance on Sunday that the US is focusing on “the 18 most important trading relationships” and hopes that trade talks with many countries will lead to a series of regional deals.



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Isaac del Toro blasts into Giro d’Italia overall battle with pink in Siena but plays down long-term race leadership role

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Isaac del Toro took a giant step for his own career and for Mexican cycling in general when he captured his country’s first ever Giro d’Italia maglia rosa in Siena on Sunday.

However, apart from the celebrations, the 21-year-old also spent much of his first ever Giro leader’s press conference fielding questions about who of his UAE Team Emirates XRG squad was now the main overall contender.



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Rewards increased as searches intensified

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Authorities are urging the public to be vigilant against information leading to arrest after 10 inmates fled the New Orleans prison and provide $12,000. So far, three have been recaptured.

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He entered Louisiana on May 18th for seven of the 10 prisoners who escaped from a New Orleans prison with the help of prison employees on the third day in Louisiana.

According to Susan Hutson, a sheriff of Orleans, the prisoner facing murder charges on May 16 fled the Orleans parish prison around 1am on May 16th.

By the evening of May 17, Kendel Miles, Robert Moody and Doken Dennis had been in custody, according to Gov. Jeff Landry. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are still working to find Corey Boyd, Leo Tate, Jermaine Donald, Derrick Groves, Renton Vanbren, Antoine T. Massey and Gary C. Price.

The FBI in New Orleans said on social media that at least one prisoner was found for hints from the public. Louisiana State Police previously said the recovered fugitive was found hiding under a car in a hotel garage in New Orleans’ famous French neighborhood.

The prisoner was arrested after a short pursuit.

“I’m not done with work!” Laundry said in a social media post.

The city of New Orleans and its police department urged residents and visitors to remain vigilant during the Manhunt and report suspicious activity, WDSU reported. According to Louisiana State Police, the compensation for information that leads to arrests has increased to $12,000.

Did the inmates have help?

Chief Jewelski Mallett of Orleans’ Parish Corrections said the prisoners could not violate a wall near the toilet without external assistance.

“It was more than just a security breach, and it was a kind of help,” Mallett said.

Security footage showed a man tampering with cell doors, fleeing through a loading dock and running across the highway. Hutson said prison employees saw the man escape through surveillance and did not report it. “It shows that these detainees have been assisted in escaping individuals within our department,” Hutson said.

What was the prisoners in prison at first for?

The prison housed 1,400 inmates, including several “high-class” inmates convicted of violent crimes that required “restrictive housing environments that did not exist,” Mallett told PBS.

Parish records show that at least three of the escaped prisoners are charged with murder or attempted murder.

Miles, Moody and Dennis were three prisoners – awaiting trial on a variety of felony charges including attempted murder, armed robbery, aggravation, battery, forced, illegally carried weapons and illegal drug possession crimes.

Price, 21, is charged with attempted first-degree murder. Donald, 42, is charged with second-degree murder. Diocese records show that 32-year-old Massey is charged with domestic abuse, including strangulation.

It is unclear what additional charges prisoners may face after they flee.

Contributed by: Jeanine Santucci, Jonathan Limehouse, Karissa Waddick, Michael Loia, USA Today. Reuters



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Joe Biden has been diagnosed with a “aggressive form” of prostate cancer

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Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with a “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has spread to the bone, a spokesman said on May 18.

The diagnosis Biden received on May 16 shows that the former president has one of the worst forms of illness, but “it looks like hormone sensitivity that allows for effective management,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his doctor,” the statement added.

Biden, who served as president from 2021 to 2025, suddenly ended his re-election bid in July last year, weeks after he stopped during a debate over then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s panic among fellow Democrats. Vice President Kamala Harris took over the party’s candidate, but lost to Trump in November.

Biden’s physical health and mental vision, even before the debate, sparked intense media scrutiny. At the time of the election, Biden was the oldest person to win the presidency. Trump, 78, broke that record when he defeated Harris in 2024. Biden previously served as vice president under former President Barack Obama and was the senator who was first elected to the office in 1972.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer for men, except for non-melanoma skin cancer. “It’s also one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among men of all races,” says the CDC.

A Biden spokesman revealed that former presidential cancer Gleason score is 9 grade group 5. This is described by the American Cancer Society as the type that is “most likely to grow and expand.”

Support for Biden was poured out quickly from across the political field after news of his diagnosis.

President Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, shared a social media message from another explanation, “Politics aside, I hope he has a quick recovery!”

“100% agreed,” wrote Donald Trump Jr.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a cancer survivor and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, posted on social media that Biden is “a ferocious fighter.”

This is a developing story. Please check again for more details.

Contribution: Reuters



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Romanian pro-EU candidates lead difficult nationalists, primary election data is shown

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CNN

Romania’s pro-European Union presidential candidate Nicușor Dan takes the lead in the country’s election on Sunday after more than 80% of the votes were counted.

Right-right candidate George Simion, who has provided military aid to Ukraine and is critical of the EU, was on track to win the election after sweeping the first round on May 4th.

The election took place five months after the outcome of the first vote that saw former far-right outsider Karin Georjuk saw a surge in popularity and was voided to allegations of Russian interference.

Georgek was banned later this month after being charged with various crimes, including the establishment of a fascist group.

Sunday’s election was widely seen as a litmus test choice for the East and West choices and for the rise of Trump-style nationalism in Europe.

Dan, now head of Bucharest, is a strong supporter of Romania’s NATO membership and is committed to continuing to provide assistance to Ukraine. He also promised to crack down on corruption.

Simion appears to be supported by the Romanian diaspora, one of the largest countries in the world. Approximately 60% of the diaspora voted for Simion in the first round. Since then, he has spent much time outside of Romania, travelling to Austria, Italy, Poland, Belgium, France and the UK, striving to win voters abroad.



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JD Vance meets Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Pope Leo XIV’s first Mass

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Vice President JD Vance met with Rome Ukrainian President Voldy Mie Zelensky and after previous spitting in the oval office, he worked towards a peace agreement to end the Ukrainian war with Russia.

Zelenskyy and Vance, who clashed at the White House in February, met after Pope Leo XIV’s Mass on May 18th. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also attended the meeting.

“The leaders discussed their common goal of ending bloodshed in Ukraine and provided an update on the current state of negotiations for ceasefires and lasting peace,” the Vice President’s office said in a statement.

Zelenskyy said it was a “good” meeting, and that Vance accused him of being “disrespectful” and that when their argument exploded from there, and Trump jumped in to berate the Ukrainian leaders, it was a “good” meeting.

“We reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to engage in true diplomacy and emphasized the importance of a complete and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” the Ukrainian leader wrote about the discussion with Vance on May 18th.

The meeting came before Trump’s planned calls with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 19th. Trump met Zelensky at Pope Francis’ funeral in April.

Trump has put pressure on both sides to accept a ceasefire and peace agreement to end the war that began in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. Zelenskyy supports a 30-day ceasefire, but Putin said he hopes to have discussions to confirm details of the ceasefire first.

Ukraine and Russia negotiated in Türkiye, which concluded on May 16th. It was the first time the two had engaged in consultations since the early weeks of the war. They agreed to the prisoners’ exchange and continued their argument.

Putin sent a team of negotiators upstairs to peace negotiations, driving the challenge of meeting Zelensky’s challenge in person. Trump told reporters last week he didn’t expect any progress in peace negotiations until “Putin and I gather together.”

After leaning heavily towards Ukraine and joining Vance to clash with Zelensky at an oval office meeting in February, Trump has been increasingly impatience with Putin in recent weeks, threatening additional sanctions against Russia.

Former Vice President Mike Pence told NBC’s “Meet the Press” in an interview aired on May 18 that Putin only understands strength and that it’s time for Trump to become tough with Russia.

“President Zelensky agrees to a ceasefire…and Vladimir Putin calls a meeting where he will not appear,” Pence said. “So I’m honestly saying it’s time for President Trump to impose harsh sanctions on Russia and increase military support for Ukraine.”

While in Rome, Vance and Rubio also met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission’s Ursula von der Reyen, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. They discussed the issue of trade as the Trump administration threatens mutual tariffs in several countries.

Contribution: Reuters



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Mexican ships headed in the wrong direction before the fatal Brooklyn Bridge crashed

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Officials are investigating why the Mexican Navy’s tall ship Cuauhtémoc took off course, attacked the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two sailors and injuring more.

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Officials are investigating what led to a tall Mexican Navy ship that took off course and attacked the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, killing two sailors and injuring one or more sailors.

The video shared online captured the cuauhtémoc, a training vessel sailing towards the iconic bridge connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan’s New York City Autonomous Borough. The ship’s 147-foot mast, which was brightly shining with decorative lights, was unable to clean the arched bridge and was cut off by impact.

We could see a naval cadet in white uniform hanging from the ship’s cross beam. Meanwhile, bystanders, one of the bases at the suspension bridge near South Street Seaport in New York City, fled in fear.

Of the 277 people on board, two have been killed, 22 people injured and three have been seriously injured, the Mexican Navy said on social media.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the Cuauhtémoc incident on the @Semar_MX training vessel at the Brooklyn Bridge,” Mexican US ambassador Ronald Johnson said in a post on X.

What causes the crash?

The cause of the collision is under investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched “Go-Team” on its site.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Cuauhtémoc lost power just before it crashed into the bridge around 8:20pm. Decorative lights remained lit by the ship’s mast when they hit the bridge.

A little over a year happened after Dali, a 984-foot-long cargo ship, lost power as he departed Baltimore’s port, crashed into a key bridge, killing six people, and destroying critical infrastructure.

The ship was heading in the wrong direction

According to the Mexican Consulate in New York, the training ship arrived at Pier 17 in New York and was open to the public from May 13th to 17th.

Cuauhtémoc was supposed to head south from New York Port, but headed towards Iceland, but headed in the wrong direction and sailed under the bridge, officials told the New York Times and the Associated Press.

The Brooklyn Bridge, a popular tourist attraction completed in 1883, did not cause much damage, New York City Transportation Authority said. After a preliminary inspection, traffic resumed in both directions.

What happened to the ship?

All three of the ship’s masts were damaged during the collision, according to the Coast Guard.

“The Cuauhtémoc is currently moored at Pier 36, East River, as damage assessments and future actions are being determined for the vessel’s rescue plan,” the Coast Guard said.

Authorities established a 50-yard safety zone around the ship, with commercial traffic halted in the area.

What is Cuauhtémoc?

The Cuauhtémoc is a 300-foot-long, three-mast bark of steel launched in 1982, according to a recent fact sheet from the ship’s handler. According to the fact sheet, the ship and its crew, named after the last Aztec emperor and its crew, are foreign Mexican diplomatic symbols.

Contributions: Gabriel Banks and Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today; Reuters

(This story has been updated to add new information.)



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‘Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win’ – Primož Roglič suffers dent to Giro d’Italia GC plans after crash and time loss on gravel roads

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Primož Roglič’s tough end to the first week of the Giro d’Italia took a turn for the worse on Sunday as the Slovenian became the biggest victim of bad luck on the much-feared gravel roads of stage 9 and lost over a minute to all the major pre-race contenders.

The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe leader had been the best-placed of all the favourites when he took a flying charge into the first sector of the 29 kilometres of gravel. But after that, it all went downhill for the 2023 Giro d’Italia winner.



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Kroger closes delivery ships for third-party products

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Kroger has closed its online marketplace Kroger Ship to provide products from other companies along with grocery delivery.

The company said in an entry on the platform’s FAQ page it has stopped selling third-party products “as of March 2025.” This entry guided the customer to the company’s pick-up and delivery options and did not state why the decision was made.

The development was first reported on May 13 by Food Trade Publications Food Dive. The page Grocery Dive said included that the notes were not displayed on May 18th.

The FAQ page states that eligible returns are respected.

Kroger, which owns brand names including Ralph’s, King Sopers, Fred Meyer’s, and others, did not respond to a request for comment from USA Today on Sunday, May 18th.

Kroger Shops Hits Shopping Changes After the Pandemic

Kroger launched Kroger Ship in 2018 as a way for grocery stores to ship their own products. Yael Cosset, chief digital officer at Kroger, was advertising at the time as “the next step in creating a seamless experience where customers can shop when and how they want.”

According to Grocery Dive, third-party products were added to the platform in 2020 and expanded further in 2022 through a partnership with Bed Bath and beyond.

According to the grocery trade outlet, ship-to-home grocery services have dropped significantly in popularity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, moving from 40% of online grocery sales before the pandemic to about 19% of current prices.



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Canadian Sarah Van Dam ‘speechless’ about her first WorldTour podium at Itzulia Women

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Sarah van Dam (Ceratizit) was the revelation of the 2025 Itzulia Women. The 23-year-old Canadian was at the pointy end of the race every day, finishing in the top-five on all three stages and securing a GC podium with a second place on stage 3 – all that in her first full European season.

“I’m a bit speechless, honestly, I just can’t believe that happened. The team rode amazing, from the start we were really aggressive. We had a lot of cards to play, and I just want to thank everyone for all their hard work,” Van Dam hadn’t quite realised her success in the post-race interview.



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18 people died in Kentucky after a violent storm struck states across the country.

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At least 18 people have died in Kentucky, while more have been reported in Missouri and Virginia.

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The Kentucky governor has announced that the state will consider emergency housing options after at least 18 people have been killed in storms and harsh weather.

“We are dealing with the tragic damage and death of severe Saturday morning weather this morning,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Besher wrote in a post on social media site X.

On May 16, Beshear declared a state of emergency due to the weather system moving across the state.

All 18 people killed were adults, ranging from 18 to 74, according to a press release from the Kentucky Governor’s office. Some of the victims’ ages have not been revealed, and only a few have been publicly named. At least five people are suspected of deaths.

Most of the victims lived in Laurel County, but one woman whose age is not disclosed, lived in Pulaski County, 133 miles southeast of Louisville, Kentucky. Laurel County is about 150 miles southeast of Louisville.

A previous report from USA Today found that seven deaths were also reported in Missouri, while two were reported in Virginia.

USA Today has contacted the Kentucky Governor’s office for more information.

After the storm, the power returns to most of Kentucky: see the map

According to Beshear, more than 69,000 people were left without power on May 17th. However, immediately after the storm, the numbers flew over 172,000.

The number had shrunk to 26,517 as of May 18th, according to data from USA Today.

As of 10:30am, as of 10:30am, five states have reported suspensions across five states, including Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Alabama and Arkansas, as of 10:30am, according to USA Today data.

Other states affected by bad weather

The bad weather was not quarantined in Kentucky.

Preliminary reports of tornadoes were also made in the following states:

  • Missouri
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • New Jersey

Contributors: Janine Santucci, Zac Anderson. USA TODAY

Julia is a trend reporter for USA Today. Connect with her LinkedIn, x, Instagram and TiktokPlease email: @juliamariegz or jgomez @gannett.com.

(This is an developing story and will be updated.)





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