U.S. and world news for May 16

Pope offers to mediate Ukraine-Russia dispute

Pope Leo has offered to act as mediator between Russian and Ukraine to bring about an end to the war that Russian President Putin stated by invading Ukraine. A Vatican spokesperson said that the Pope would be available to travel at any time to bring both sides together for talks. President Trump, when ending his trip to the Middle East and flying back to Washington said nothing will happen until he meets with Putin. Representatives from Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul, Turkey, and the meeting ended today with no progress toward ending the war.

New Jersey transit strike begins

Trains on the nation’s third-largest commuter rail service ground to a halt overnight after its engineers went on strike. The New Jersey Transit work stoppage is expected to affect about 300,000 daily rail commuters who are being urged to work from home, drive or take the bus. Fans of Shakira and Beyoncé may also have to find a different way to get to their concerts at MetLife Stadium in the coming days. A previous deal, which would have given workers their first raise since 2019, was rejected because union members would still be making much less than the engineers at Amtrak and nearby commuter railroads who use the same stations. NJ Transit management said such pay requests are not affordable. The two sides aren’t due to return to the negotiating table until Sunday

More severe weather forecast for today after yesterday’s tornado outbreak

At least nine tornadoes were reported in Wisconsin and Minnesota on Thursday, displacing residents and prompting shelter-in-place alerts. According to a local sheriff, one person was transported to the hospital with injuries and significant damage was reported in Dodge County, Wisconsin. As of early this morning, up to 300,000 customers were without power in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. While a few strong thunderstorms may hit the Mississippi and Ohio valleys this morning, a much more widespread threat could reignite in the afternoon. From Missouri to Kentucky, severe thunderstorms are forecast with the possibility of a regional outbreak and a few intense supercells. “All severe weather hazards are on the table, including damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes, and torrential rainfall,” the National Weather Service warned.

Supreme Court heard Trump’s challenge to birthright citizenship

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday about whether to lift a series of nationwide orders blocking President Donald Trump from enforcing his birthright citizenship policy. Under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Yet on his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that bars agencies from issuing citizenship documents to babies born in the US to non-US citizens. While five of the six conservative justices seemed open to backing Trump, they also didn’t appear to be ready to endorse a departure from the longstanding precedent upholding birthright citizenship. The court’s liberal justices spent much of the argument focusing on the practical implications of allowing the government to enforce the order. It’s not clear how long it will take for the justices to issue a ruling.

Fluoride ban in Florida

Florida just became the second state in the nation to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water. Utah was the first. The move, which was included in the Florida Farm Bill that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed this week, was in line with the state surgeon general’s guidance against community water fluoridation. The CDC says water fluoridation benefits all members of the community by preventing cavities and reducing oral health disparities. In fact, the agency named the fluoridation of drinking water one of the 10 great public health inventions of the 20th century because it caused a dramatic decline in cavities. However, since taking office in February, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to roll back the CDC’s recommendations that fluoride be added to municipal drinking water.

UntitedHealth group still regrouping after killing of CEO

CNN reports that UnitedHealth Group, one of America’s biggest corporations, is in crisis mode. Last December, Brian Thompson — the CEO of its UnitedHealthcare unit — was shot and killed outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan. After an extensive manhunt, the suspected gunman was charged with stalking and federal murder. UnitedHealth had Andrew Witty take over as CEO, but five months later, he announced plans to step down “for personal reasons.” Stephen Hemsley, the health insurer’s board chairman and former CEO from 2006 to 2017, replaced Witty. Then, UnitedHealth abandoned its 2025 financial guidance, blaming higher-than-expected medical expenditures. This week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department was investigating UnitedHealth for possible criminal Medicare fraud. In response, the company has seen its stock lose nearly $300 billion in value and its share price plunge to its lowest level since April 2020.