Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, May 19, 2021:

COVID-19: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

New York, the one-time epicenter of the pandemic, is taking its biggest step toward normalcy today when many COVID restrictions get dropped statewide. The CDC says more than 600,000 kids aged 12 to 15 have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine already, a strong number given that it was only greenlit last Thursday. Meanwhile, India recorded the single highest daily death toll of any country so far -- 4,529 -- though the real number is probably much higher. NBC NEWS

GAZA CONFLICT

Despite growing international calls for a ceasefire, there are still no signs of an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli military said it was expanding its airstrike campaign in the Gaza Strip as Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel. President Biden is said to be privately encouraging Israel to wind down its bombardment even as the U.S. repeatedly blocked what would have been a unanimous statement from the UN Security Council condemning the war, reportedly because it made no mention of Hamas. AP

1/6 COMMISSION

Congressional Republicans are coming together to oppose a 9/11-style independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is against it, saying he’d only support the commission if it also included unrelated “political violence” by groups like BLM and Antifa. His lieutenants are now telling rank-and-file lawmakers to vote no. In the Senate, Mitch McConnell had previously said he’s OK with forming the commission pending the “fine print,” but now says he’s “pushing pause” on the legislation. POLITICO

PA PRIMARY RESULTS

Democratic primary races in Pennsylvania’s two biggest cities delivered a pair of closely watched results. In Philly, the city’s progressive district attorney Larry Krasner easily beat a challenge from a former prosecutor who argued that Krasner’s lenient policies -- he has refused to prosecute low-level crimes like prostitution and drug possession -- had made that city less safe amid a 40 percent spike in homicides. Across the state, Pittsburgh Democratic voters sent that city’s incumbent mayor packing. Bill Peduto lost his re-election bid to Ed Gainey, who will almost certainly become the Steel City’s first Black mayor. NBC PHIL

CONSUMERS, CONFIDENT

“Customers clearly want to get out and shop.” That’s how Walmart CEO Doug McMillon accounted for the company’s blowout earnings report. The world’s largest retailer saw same-store sales rise by more than 6 percent in the quarter. Home Depot’s same-store sales were up 31 percent. Macy’s sales were up 63 percent. Taken together, the retail earnings show that U.S. consumers are shopping like it’s going out of style as the pandemic fades. Lowe’s and Target continued the trend when they reported today. YAHOO FINANCE

STOCKS 4 KIDZ

Fidelity will start offering its brokerage services to teenagers as young as 13, provided their parents are customers and give consent. The teen-friendly investing and savings accounts come with a debit card and the ability to buy and sell stocks, mutual funds and ETFs without fees. Online brokerages like Fidelity and Robinhood have seen a surge in interest from young investors stuck at home during the pandemic. WSJ

NBA PLAY-IN

Jayson Tatum scored 50 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a win over the Washington Wizards in the first night of the NBA play-in tournament. The Wizards will play the Pacers tomorrow in an elimination game after Indiana blew out Charlotte in last night's other game. Boston will play Brooklyn in the first round. Over in the West, the slumping defending champion Lakers are bracing for Steph Curry and the Warriors tonight. ESPN

BOX OFFICE TEST

The global box office gets its first real post-COVID shot of adrenaline in the coming days when the latest Fast & Furious installment starts hitting theaters before it opens in the U.S. in late June. F9 is expected to bring in at least $150 million from Russia, the Middle East, and China this week. The ninth film in the franchise is sitting at a just-barely-fresh 60 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with critics saying it’s more ridiculous than ever. That could be just what audiences ordered after more than a year without much in the way of big-budget action movies. READ THE REVIEWS

SPOTTED...

...Emma Stone, rocking a pantsuit at the premiere of Disney’s Cruella, one of the first big red carpet events in Hollywood in over a year: SEE PICS

…Naomi Campbell, sharing the surprise news that she’s a mom. The 50-year-old supermodel posted a photo of her hands cradling a newborn’s feet, writing, “There is no greater love”: SEE PIC

LEFTOVERS: SANDS OF TIME

A famous rock formation in the Galapagos Islands has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean. Darwin’s Arch, a natural archway that welcomes visitors traveling by boat to the uninhabited Darwin Island, fell to natural erosion, according to officials from Ecuador. The area is a well-known diving site for tourists who want to catch a glimpse of Galapagos sea turtles, and a diving crew apparently witnessed the collapse as it happened. SEE WHAT REMAINS

Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! Hosts Jill and Carlo break down the headlines, every weekday morning Listen on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!

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Pressure to Settle $1 Billion Claim From Nassar Survivors Against FBI
Survivors of Larry Nassar, including Olympian Simone Biles, are seeking $1 billion in damages from the FBI due to its failure to investigate the former gymnastics team doctor convicted of committing years of serial sexual abuse of minors. Jack Queen, a senior reporter at Law360, joined Cheddar News to break down the legal grounds of this case. "This is one of the biggest black eyes that the Bureau has faced in generations, quite frankly, and the FBI has taken full responsibility and admitted that it completely botched this investigation," he said. "So, there's a lot of pressure to settle."
Elevate Prize Foundation Wants to Create 'Fanbase for Good' With $10K Awards
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Stephanie Shojaee on Paving the Way for Women in Real Estate
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Hot summer could lead to rolling blackouts
We are already starting to feel the effects of summer. Heat waves in Texas and California are already sending temperatures soaring. That could spell trouble for the nation's power supply. there are new concerns about outages in many areas of the country. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier explains the two main causes of blackouts, and what states are doing to keep the lights on and the air conditioning running.
U.S. traffic deaths hit 16 year high
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U.S. Stocks Closed at Session Highs Tuesday
U.S. stocks close Tuesday at session highs after a subpar start to the trading day. Tim Chubb, Chief Investment Officer at the wealth advisory firm, Girard, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. 'We're starting to see the moderation of three core things -- we've seen the moderation of prices, we've seen the moderation of wage growth we've seen in the labor market, and we've also seen a moderation of job openings,' he says.
Gymnasts Seek $1 Billion From FBI Over Larry Nassar Case
The victims from the USA gymnastics sexual abuse scandal continue to seek justice. Survivors of Larry Nassar are seeking more than one-billion dollars from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations. According to a report released by the Justice Department's Inspector General, FBI agents knew in July of 2015 that Nassar was accused of abusing gymnasts; however, Nassar wasn't arrested until December of 2016. The group that filed the claim includes Olympic medalist Simone Biles and around 90 other women. Louise Radnofsky, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Kat Tat on Becoming 'Elite' Black Woman Tattoo Artist in Unwelcoming Industry
Tattoo artist Katrina "Kat Tat" Jackson, famous for starring in the VH1 hit series "Black Ink Crew: Chicago," is also the first Black woman to own a tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. She joined Cheddar News to discuss her trailblazing work, the stigma BIPOC tattoo artists face in the industry, and the way the space has changed for artists of color since her start. "In the beginning, I remember walking into a tattoo shop just like, hey, I wanna learn, I wanna be a tattoo artist and kind of just being laughed at, not taken seriously," she said. "Even with the tattoo conventions, a lot of African American tattoo artists were almost scared to go to conventions because it's not a welcoming environment."
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