5 things to know for May 19: Biden, Russia-Ukraine, Severe weather, Brooklyn Bridge, Escaped inmates

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Good news, New Jersey! It appears the transit strike may soon be over, and you’ll once again have access to the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad. Negotiators for New Jersey Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen reached a tentative labor agreement over the weekend and the engineers are expected to be back at work today. However, the railroad will need one more day before resuming full operations. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer, one that has spread to his bones. Biden, 82, and his family are reviewing treatment options with his medical team. In response to the news, well-wishes came from across the political world. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social. Former President Barack Obama, who tapped Biden, his then-vice president, to lead the White House task force aimed at curing cancer, shared his thoughts on X as well: “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace.” President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to speak by phone today about ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. Yet over the weekend, instead of ceasing hostilities, Russia battered Ukraine with its largest drone attack since the invasion began in 2023. Russia launched 273 drones in one night, the Ukrainian Air Force said, predominantly targeting the central Kyiv region. More strikes hit overnight, killing at least two people and injuring 13 others, local authorities said earlier today. “I think Ukraine has done a lot to demonstrate that they are interested in ending this war and ending it however it needs to be ended,” US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in a Fox News interview on Sunday. He also said Russia needs to show it is serious about peace. A violent storm system cut a path of destruction through several states and left dozens dead over the weekend. At least 18 fatalities were reported in Kentucky after a “large, extremely dangerous” tornado swept east. “I’ve now been governor for at least 14 federally declared disasters, 13 of them weather. And this is one of the worst,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference. “It’s one of the worst in terms of the loss of human life. It’s one of the worst in terms of damage.” Significant destruction was reported in Grinnell, Kansas, where homes were flattened, roads blocked and vehicles overturned. Houses and buildings in three counties were also damaged or lost in storms that produced at least two tornadoes in Colorado. Residents of St. Louis experienced an EF3 tornado, which had winds up to 152 mph. At times stretching a mile wide, the twister traveled at least 8 miles, claimed at least seven lives and damaged about 5,000 buildings. A Mexican training ship called the Cuauhtémoc crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night. Two people died after falling from its masts and 19 others were injured. Known as the “Ambassador and Knight of the Seas,” the ship had just spent five days docked at the South Street Seaport Museum. It was on a global goodwill tour and en route to Iceland at the time of the incident. According to the NYPD, a preliminary investigation has determined that the ship “experienced a mechanical malfunction.” Although the bridge was temporarily closed after the collision, it sustained no visible damage and appeared to be left structurally intact. The collision of the Cuauhtémoc with the Brooklyn Bridge comes just 16 months after a massive cargo ship plowed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.