Biden tackles pipeline political peril; nowhere to run for Palestinians in Gaza; Ellen’s big news
Today is Thursday, May 13, 2021. Let’s get caught up.
These headlines are in the news this morning: The Biden team is moving swiftly to tackle the political peril from major pipeline hack; Palestinians have nowhere to run amid Israeli airstrikes in Gaza; and Ellen will end talk show next year.
Read on for these stories, other top headlines, celebrity birthdays and more.
TOP STORIES
Biden team moves swiftly to tackle pipeline political peril
The Biden administration swung aggressively into action after a primary gasoline pipeline fell prey to a cyberattack — understanding that the situation posed a possible series of political and economic risks.
The pipeline shutdown was an all-hands-on-deck situation for a young presidency that has also had to deal with a pandemic, a recession, an influx of unaccompanied children at the southern border, a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and high-stakes showdowns globally that carry the specter of war.
The administration devoted the first half of the week to showcasing all the steps it was taking to get gas back to service stations in affected areas. It scrambled into action after ransom-seeking hackers on Friday shut down the pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the East Coast’s gas. The shutdown caused a supply crunch and spiking prices — all of which the administration was preparing to address.
Then, hours before the Colonial Pipeline was restarted, President Joe Biden signaled Wednesday that there were reasons for optimism. Read more:
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Nowhere to run: Fear in Gaza grows amid conflict with Israel
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Screams and flying debris enveloped Umm Majed al-Rayyes as explosions hurled her from her bed in Gaza City. Groping in the dark, the 50-year-old grabbed her four children and ran as Israeli bombs struck their apartment building Wednesday, shattering windows, ripping doors to splinters and blasting away concrete.
While casualties mounted this week in the most severe outbreak of violence between Israel and the Gaza Strip since a 2014 war, al-Rayyes and other Palestinians in the line of fire faced an all-too-familiar question: Where should we go?
“This whole territory is a tiny place. It’s a prison. Everywhere you go, you’re a target,” al-Rayyes said by phone from a neighbor’s house, where she sought refuge with her teenage sons and daughters and a few bags of clothes after the Israeli airstrike that she says came without warning. Read more:
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Ellen DeGeneres to end long-running TV talk show next year
NEW YORK (AP) — Ellen DeGeneres is calling time on her long-running talk show.
The daytime host, who has seen a ratings hit after allegations of running a toxic workplace, has decided that the upcoming 19th season will be the last, ending in 2022. It coincides with the end of her contract.
“You may wonder why I’ve decided to end after 19 seasons. The truth is, I always trust my instincts. My instinct told me it’s time,” a tearful DeGeneres said Wednesday during a taping for Thursday’s show. Read more:
Click on the links below for full versions of these stories and scroll further for a look at today in history and celebrity birthdays.
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