5 things to know for May 19: Election Day, mosque shooting, Iran war, Ebola outbreak, Elon Musk
CNN
By Alexandra Banner, CNN
SPF 30 or 70? Waterproof or sweat-resistant? Since when did sunscreen shopping become weirdly stressful? A new report warns that many skin products fall short on safety and effectiveness, but experts say a few options are still worth grabbing.
Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.
1️⃣ Election Day
Today marks one of the busiest primary days of 2026, with voters heading to the polls in six states: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania. One of the biggest storylines will be President Donald Trump’s ongoing revenge campaign against Republicans who have opposed him — including Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, a frequent target of Trump’s vitriol. Read more.
2️⃣ Mosque shooting
Authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at San Diego’s largest mosque as a hate crime. Three people, including a security guard, were killed on Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Two teen suspects were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds near the scene. Hate speech was also scrawled on one of the weapons, adding another layer to the case. Read more.
LATEST: What we know about the San Diego shooting suspects
3️⃣ Iran war
President Trump says he will hold off on striking Iran for now, but warned the US is prepared for a “full, large scale assault” if a deal is not reached. This comes as a source tells CNN the US believes Iran’s latest proposal to end the war did not offer big enough concessions on some key sticking points, including Tehran’s nuclear enrichment program. Read more.
VISUAL: Iran war timeline and key moments, explained
4️⃣ Ebola outbreak
Millions of dollars in foreign aid and several tons of medical supplies are pouring into central Africa amid a global effort to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak. The CDC has also banned visitors from the virus-hit region as some Americans affected by the crisis scramble to get out. Read more.
5️⃣ Elon Musk
Billionaire Elon Musk and his legal team are planning to appeal the outcome of his lawsuit against OpenAI. On Monday, a California jury took under two hours to render a verdict in the massive case, finding that Musk waited too long to file the lawsuit against the maker of ChatGPT. Read more.
Breakfast browse
The Shakira tax saga
Spain’s tax authority has been ordered to repay Shakira more than $64 million after a court ruled it wrongly pursued the superstar over unpaid taxes.
Christie’s sells $1.1 billion in art in one night
The blockbuster auction got a boost from a rare art collection — and another Nicole Kidman promo video with unmistakable AMC-ad energy.
This extraordinary monkey was thought to be extinct
But in one forest, it’s bouncing back.
An expensive heat wave
The incoming “Super” El Niño won’t just bring hot weather. Experts say it could cost the global economy trillions.
Podcast: How solar panels can help you fight rising energy costs
As utility bills rise, more Americans are asking whether solar panels are finally worth the investment. CNN’s Clare Duffy breaks this down in her latest episode of “Terms of Service.”
And finally…
▶️ Southwest Airlines bans robots
A humanoid named “Stewie” recently flew from Las Vegas to Dallas, prompting Southwest to create a no-robots policy. Now, a very serious question: Was Stewie offered Biscoff cookies?
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Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.
