Trump accuses Putin of “needlessly killing a lot of people” after Russia’s massive attacks in Ukraine. Phil Robertson, the bearded patriarch of “Duck Dynasty,” dies at 79. And travelers opt for the open road instead of the skies thanks to cheaper gas.

Here’s what to know today.

President Donald Trump said Sunday has criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of causing needless deaths with a massive assault on Ukrainian cities.

“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him,” Trump wrote. “He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.”

This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Putin, Trump said, wants to take over all of Ukraine. But, he warned, “it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”

Trump has called for an end to the war, but his administration has taken a softer line on Russia than previous ones, shifting American policy from supporting Ukraine toward accepting some of Russia’s account of the war.

Russian forces launched a massive barrage over the weekend as 367 drones and missiles targeted more than 30 cities and villages across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv. At least 12 people were killed, according to officials, including three children, in the northern region of Zhytomyr.

Read the full story here.

More politics news:

Trump said that he agreed to extend the E.U. tariff deadline until July 9. His threat to impose 50% tariffs comes amid a broader souring of relations between the two global powers that has seen months of distrust and economic sparring.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson says there’s enough opposition in the Senate to hold up Trump’s “big, beautiful” bill. The criticism signals a tough road ahead for the funding package, which Republicans hope to deliver to Trump by July 4.

Former President Joe Biden attended his grandson’s high school graduation, marking his first public appearance since he announced that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Five years after George Floyd’s murder

In 9 minutes and 29 seconds, George Floyd was killed, sparking protests that called for change around the world. But in the Minneapolis neighborhood where it happened, few can agree if things have gotten better or worse.

Visitors on Sunday dropped colorful flowers on the intersection where Floyd was murdered, decorating a memorial enshrining him on the city’s streets. Five years on, a sense of calm has returned to the community, according to Bridgette Stewart, a freelance journalist and community activist who lives in Minneapolis and works in George Floyd Square. “This is our first year, actually, where we haven’t had to have Homeland Security come in and do the whole bomb sweeping,” she noted.

Floyd’s life was celebrated in other cities as well Sunday — his family held a private memorial service in Houston, and his brother hosted a march in Brooklyn, New York, that led to the unveiling of a community plaque honoring Floyd.

However, Trump’s return to the White House this year marked the end of many widespread initiatives announced in Floyd’s name, some of which were already winding down, forgotten or being purposefully abandoned.

His death ignited what many reform advocates hoped would be a national effort to end, or at least curb, excessive use of force. But the administration’s decision last week to dismiss lawsuits and drop accountability agreements with several police departments could undo some of that momentum, proponents of federal oversight say.

Severe weather threatens Memorial Day travel rush

Millions of people were at risk of severe weather including tornadoes, hail and high winds on Sunday, threatening a potentially record-breaking Memorial Day travel rush. More than 4,000 flights were canceled nationwide. Some travelers cut their holiday weekend short and headed home early to beat the weather — and delays.

A record 45.1 million people were expected to travel between this weekend, according to AAA. Of those travelers, more than 38 million are expected to hit the road, marking the highest number of Memorial Day drivers AAA has ever recorded. Fueling this travel frenzy is good news at the pump: a gallon of regular gasoline is down 11% compared to the same time last year.

Road trips are all the rage this summer as all but the wealthiest travelers are opting to drive — hoping to find a bargain on the open road. Read the full story here.

‘Duck Dynasty’ founding father Phil Robertson dies at 79

Phil Robertson during an interview on Nov. 19, 2012. Paul Drinkwater / NBC

Phil Robertson, the bearded patriarch of A&E Network’s “Duck Dynasty,” has died, his family announced. He was 79.

“We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord,” his daughter-in-law Korie Robertson, wife of Willie Robertson, posted on Facebook. The family had announced in December that he was battling Alzheimer’s disease. Read the full story here.

Read All About It

A man was arrested after being accused of kidnapping an Italian tourist and torturing him for weeks inside a Manhattan home in a bid to steal the alleged victim’s bitcoin, authorities say.

A 28-year-old man was arrested after allegedly planning to bomb an office of the American Embassy in Israel. The suspect, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Germany, was deported to the United States by Israeli authorities.

The bodies of five skiers were found on a glacier in the Swiss mountains after two skiers reported seeing abandoned skis at the bottom of Rimpfischhorn summit.

The United States beat Switzerland 1-0 in overtime to win the ice hockey world championship.

Staff Pick: Dressed for success

A human caretaker dressed as a bear cares for a black bear cub at the San Diego Humane Society, in Ramona, Calif.. San Diego Humane Society

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do — and sometimes that means dressing up as a bear at work. The San Diego Humane Society is no stranger to caring for ursid cubs, but their latest little resident needed some special accommodations. The 2-month-old baby black bear is the youngest the group has ever rehabilitated, and some creative care measures were needed. The adorable, tiny furball may be getting bottle fed, but the people doing the feeding are donning bear costumes while mimicking “maternal behaviors.” If all goes to plan, the cub won’t imprint on humans and will one day be returned to the wild. — Rudy Chinchilla, breaking news editor

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Check out our Memorial Day sales story to find any last-minute deals on mattresses, beauty and tech. Plus, our editors have a breakdown on the best ways to clean your walls, including removing scuff marks, dirt and more.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

Severe weather may put a damper on Memorial Day weekend travel plans for millions across the South, Plains and Mississippi Valley.

Around 13 million people from Texas to Alabama on Saturday are in the risk area, including Memphis, Tennessee; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Birmingham, Alabama; and Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma. Very large hail and damaging wind are the primary expectation this weekend, though a tornado or two cannot be ruled out.

On Saturday, a cluster of thunderstorms was impacting parts of southeast Oklahoma, northeast Texas and Arkansas, where a Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains until 4 p.m. E.T. Storms in this region will be capable of producing 70 mph winds and up to 2-inch hail.

In Missouri, 1 to 3 inches of rainfall was reported as of 2 p.m., with some areas receiving over 5 inches.

Conditions have become more favorable for a few tornadoes Saturday afternoon, especially over central Oklahoma. Storms will linger into the overnight hours.

By Sunday, 15 million in the same vicinity are under the risk for severe weather. Memphis, Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Birmingham are included in that risk for very large hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes. The strongest storms are expected to target parts of the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma.

A Slight Risk for severe weather will remain over parts of Texas for Memorial Day, impacting nine million in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and bringing the same risks as the preceding days.

This setup will also bring the risk for flash flooding to the region, with four million in parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas under Flood Alerts through Monday. Total rainfall accumulation will range from 4 to 6 inches with localized amounts ranging from 8 to 10 inches.

Memorial Day Forecast

Rainy weather will impact the heart of the country for the holiday on Monday, with spotty showers stretching from the Dakotas to the Gulf and Southeast. A severe storm or two is anticipated over parts of the Lone Star State.

As a result of the cloudy and wet weather, temperatures across the Plains and Mid-Atlantic on Monday will range from the 50s to 70s, about 10 to 20 degrees below average. A mix of sun and clouds will impact the Northeast, while the West stays sunny and mild.

A spike in travel was recorded by the Transportation Security Administration this weekend, with over three million travelers screened on Friday. Friday was the third busiest travel day of all time, according to the TSA.

Around three million people are expected to travel over this weekend, with airport authorities and airlines encouraging passengers to arrive to airports at least two hours in advance.

Welcome to the Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather. It’s Sunday, May 25, 2025. Start your week with all the top weather news for the week ahead. You can also get a quick briefing of national, regional and local weather whenever you like with the FOX Weather Update podcast.

Outdoor plans from the Plains to the Southeast and mid-Atlantic could be in jeopardy through the rest of Memorial Day weekend as a slow-moving storm system threatens millions with rounds of torrential rain and severe weather.

Sunday’s threat comes after parts of the same regions were slammed with severe thunderstorms and flooding on Saturday, with damage to buildings reported in Oklahoma , water rescues in Missouri, and storms tearing across communities in Florida .

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed more than 5.6 million people in two parts of the U.s. in a Level 3 out of 5 risk on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.

The first area of concern is located over the southern Plains while the second area of concern is located over portions of the Mississippi Valley.

Development chances remain high for an area of low pressure that could form off the southern coast of Mexico, a little over a week after the official start of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the area of low pressure will likely form in the coming days, several hundred miles off the southern coast of Mexico.

The NHC said conditions appear favorable for the system’s development, and a tropical depression could form early this week. If the system continues to develop and forms into a tropical storm or hurricane, it will receive the name Alvin.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Atlantic basin is set to enter hurricane season without a single named tropical system forming prior to the official start date of June 1.

Forecasters last tracked a named storm in the basin before the annual start date in 2021, when a system developed in late May.

Since then, all named first formations have occurred in June, aligning more closely with the climatological average.

NOAA is predicting an above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season with 13-19 named storms, including 6-10 hurricanes with 3-5 major hurricanes.

A drone video recorded in Ozark, Missouri, shows flooding after torrential rain and thunderstorms pummeled the region on Saturday. Flash flooding also led to multiple highway closures and water rescues in Springfield.

Millions of people in the Plains and South faced the threat of severe weather on Saturday, and damage and power outages were reported in parts of Oklahoma.

Here are a few more stories you might find interesting.

Need more weather? Check your local forecast plus 3D radar in the FOX Weather app . You can also watch FOX Weather wherever you go using the FOX Weather app, at foxweather.com/live or on your favorite streaming service .

It’s easy to share your weather photos and videos with us. Email them to weather@fox.com or add the hashtag #FOXWeather to your post on your favorite social media platform.

Original article source: Weekend Weather Update from FOX Weather: Severe weather threat increases as millions celebrate Memorial Day

Tens of millions of people from the Plains to the Southeast will again be at risk of severe weather, which could halt travel back home after the busy Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Those regions have been relentlessly slammed with extreme weather for days, with damage to buildings reported in Oklahoma, water rescues and flooding in Missouri and thunderstorms tearing across communities in Florida on Saturday.

And on Sunday, massive DVD-sized hail fell in Texas when an intense storm raced across the Afton area.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

The FOX Forecast Center said that as temperatures climb, the atmosphere will become increasingly unstable across portions of Central Texas. This could allow for supercell thunderstorms across Central and West Texas, with lines or clusters of storms into northeastern Texas.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APP

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed the region in a Level 3 threat on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.

This includes cities such as Abilene, Killeen, San Angelo, Copperas Cove and Kerrville.

A Level 2 out of 5 threat extends from Texas to Louisiana and includes more than 7 million people in cities like San Antonio, Austin, Waco and Tyler in Texas, as well as Shreveport in Louisiana.

A Level 1 threat stretches from Colorado and New Mexico to Georgia and South Carolina.

Large hail and damaging wind gusts will be the main threats from storms that develop, but some tornadoes cannot be ruled out.