On May 24, these are the noteworthy events: a state visit, assistance for Gaza, Covid-19 updates, college sports news, and mortgage rate changes.

5 key points for May 24: Visit from a leader, Aid for Gaza, Covid-19 updates, College sports action, Mortgage rate fluctuations

Here's your daily dose of news refined:

5 Things You Need to Know

1. Diplomatic Affairs

The lavish state visit by President Joe Biden for Kenya's President William Ruto is underway. This is Biden's effort to strengthen ties with Africa, countering the growing influence of Russia and China in the continent. A state visit, one of the highest diplomatic honors, aims to integrate and showcase American and Kenyan cultures. Important figures like former President Barack Obama attended the state dinner for Ruto on Thursday. It's the first time an American president has hosted an African leader since President George W. Bush hosted Ghana's president in 2008.

2. Aid Distribution in Gaza

Aid groups have started distributing humanitarian aid to Palestinians after facing various obstacles. The delivery of food and other essentials was initially affected by a Hamas drone attack on Israeli forces miles away from the pier. There were also instances of looting in distribution routes. Around 500 metric tons of aid have been offloaded, provided to humanitarian partners, and distributed so far. The operation was launched last week with the help of over 1,000 US troops who built the humanitarian pier and causeway off Gaza's coast.

3. Dominant Covid-19 Variant

The CDC reports that the Covid-19 variant KP.2 has become the predominant strain in the US in recent weeks. While it's part of the Omicron family, it doesn't seem to cause more severe disease. In the two-week period from April 28 to May 11, nearly 30% of new cases in the US were caused by KP.2, up from less than 16% beforehand. The mutations in this variant may lead to increased transmissibility, potentially causing another wave this summer. Currently, existing vaccines may not be as effective.

4. College Sports

The NCAA and five power conferences have reached a settlement that allows schools to pay their student-athletes. The plan will allow schools to share roughly $20 million yearly per athlete, marking a defining moment in college sports. This settlement resolves three antitrust cases and involves the payment of more than $2.7 billion in damages to past and current student-athletes. Many college programs have dealt with sanctions in the past for compensating their players.

5. Mortgage Rates and the Housing Market

Mortgage rates decreased for the third consecutive week, reaching slightly below 7%. The declining rates are good for prospective homebuyers, even though high inflation in the US has killed hopes of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates. However, financial analysts foresee a sluggish recovery for the housing market in the short term. Sales of pre-owned homes have dropped for two months in a row, contrary to their early-year surge.

Bonus Happenings

Barbecue Around the World: America enjoys barbecue on Memorial Day, but the cooking style is global. Discover the best BBQ from around the world - from Brazilian to Indian, Korean to Peruvian.
Mammoth Bones in a Wine Cellar: A man in Australia found massive mammoth bones during a wine cellar renovation. Archaeologists are calling it a "sensation."
Underground Museum in Rome: Rome is constructing a six-story underground museum, but artifacts continue to be uncovered.
Ticketmaster and Live Nation Split: The US government has filed a lawsuit to split up Ticketmaster's parent company, reportedly abusing its position in the concert industry.
Celine Dion Returns to the Stage: The forthcoming documentary "I Am: Celine Dion" showcases her determination to perform live despite the challenges she faces with stiff person syndrome.

Quiz Time:

Which airline faced deadly turbulence this week?

A. United Airlines

B. Singapore Airlines

C. American Airlines

D. Qatar Airways

Test your knowledge

Do you feel confident with your knowledge?

A recent study unveils that prescriptions for weight loss and diabetes medications among the youth have skyrocketed by 600% since 2020. This drastic increase can be attributed to the rising fame of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.

Today's Quote

"This is an attempt to, I believe, mislead some of our people here,"

Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York expressing her thoughts on ex-President Donald Trump's recent rally in the Bronx. The event was his first major campaign rally in New York since he kicked off his presidential bid in 2016. Trump, along with President Biden, have been making efforts to woo minority voters to increase turnout in the upcoming November elections.

Today's Weather

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And Lastly...

Exciting updates from the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Curious cinephiles, discover the most talked about films thus far at this year's prestigious event. https://www.cannes.com/