US flights to Israel, early hurricane season, NBA playoffs: 5 things to know this weekend

2 of the biggest US airlines resuming flights to Israel after cease-fire

Two of the three biggest U.S. airlines, United and Delta, said Friday they are resuming flights to Tel Aviv after Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas Hamas agreed to a cease-fire in violence. Delta Air Lines planned to operate its first flight from New York to Tel Aviv since early last week Friday night, with the first return trip on Sunday. United Airlines also planned to resume service Friday night, with a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Tel Aviv. A spokeswoman said the airline plans to also resume flights from Chicago and San Francisco over the weekend. United, Delta and American all suspended flights last week amid the violence in the conflict. After an 11-day war that left more than 250 people dead, most of them Palestinians, the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appeared to pass at least one early test Friday and is holding going into weekend.

  • Cease-fire in Gaza:What we know about the Israel, Hamas agreement
  • ‘People don’t feel safe to travel now’:Israel travel push a tough sell amid conflict
  • ‘It’s absolutely disgusting and unacceptable’:Dozens arrested after Times Square demonstrators clash over Israel; Jewish man ‘viciously beaten’

President Joe Biden said Friday there has been no shift in his commitment to Israel's security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains "the only answer" to that conflict. (May 21)

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2021 hurricane season could start this weekend

The 2021 tropical storm and hurricane season – which doesn’t officially begin until June 1 – appears to be jumping the gun yet again. The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two separate areas for possible tropical development, one in the Gulf of Mexico and the other in the Atlantic Ocean. In the Gulf Coast region, forecasters said there was a possibility that a short-lived tropical depression or storm may form before the system moved inland. Early Saturday, the NHC reported “the chances of the system becoming a tropical depression or storm are decreasing.” Despite that, downpours could persist into Saturday and are likely to focus on Gulf areas that have already been doused this week, AccuWeather said. Meanwhile, a separate system located about 200 miles northeast of Bermuda has close to a 100% chance of development over the next two days, the NHC reported early Saturday. Whichever storm strengthens enough to become a named system first will be given the name Ana.

  • Hurricane season:NOAA predicts another busy Atlantic hurricane season with up to 20 named storms possible
  • From Ana to Wanda:Here is the list of tropical storm and hurricane names for 2021
  • What happened this week?Take our news quiz see how much you remember.

The head of the National Hurricane Center says the 2021 hurricane season will likely be above average again. (May 14)

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Stars will be at the Billboard Music Awards

Awards show season isn’t quite over yet, not until the Billboard Music Awards take place this Sunday. This year’s show, hosted by Nick Jonas, might as well be renamed “The Drake Show,” since he’s the most decorated winner of all-time and will accept the artist of the decade award. Pink will also be honored with the Icon award and is just the 10th person to receive the award. Also, rapper Trae Tha Truth will be receiving the Change Maker award for his social justice work. The Weeknd, who has a whopping 16 nominations, and Drake with seven nods, are competing for top artist. Other finalists include Taylor Swift and deceased rappers Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke. Among the performers are BTS, The Weeknd, Doja Cat, Sza, Duran Duran and DJ Khaled with H.E.R.  

  • If it seems like the Billboard Music Awards just happened,it’s because they did.
  • ‘I wouldn’t tell her anything. She’d kick me in the shin’:Pink talks new documentary, advice for younger self
  • The Weeknd will continue to boycott Grammysdespite the academy’s changes to the nomination process

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