Good morning. It's Wednesday, May 19, and we're covering a decision in a North Carolina police shooting, the aftermath of a cyclone in India, and more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Andrew Brown Jr. 

Officers involved in the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. will not face charges, according to reports yesterday, following a state investigation that found their actions were justified and consistent with training. Brown, who was Black, was killed in April in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, as deputies attempted to serve an arrest warrant. The case sparked protests after an independent autopsy concluded Brown was shot five times, once in the back of the head.

Officials revealed a clip from police body camera footage yesterday, the first time any footage had been publicly released. In the incident, which spanned less than 45 seconds, multiple officers attempt to intercept Brown as he walks to his car. Brown drives the vehicle toward and through the line of officers, at which point shots are fired. Brown was unarmed, though investigators concluded he used the vehicle as a deadly weapon. You can view the clip here (warning: sensitive content and strong language). 

The decision sparked protests throughout the city last night.

Cyclone Tauktae

At least 26 people are dead and more than 100 missing after Cyclone Tauktae slammed India's western coast over the past two days. The storm made landfall Monday with wind speeds equivalent to an intense Category 3 hurricane—almost 125 mph—becoming the strongest cyclone to hit India from the Arabian Sea on record. 

Rescue teams raced to recover more than 90 crewmembers from a barge sunk off the coast of Mumbai, with more than 700 others reportedly stranded on three other ships sent adrift by the high winds. See photos of the aftermath here.

The storm arrived as India grapples with the worst COVID-19 outbreak of the pandemic. While cases have begun to fall from a peak of nearly 400,000 per day (see data), reported deaths—which typically lag a rise in cases—have surpassed 4,100 per day. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 corpses have washed up on the banks of the Ganges River, possibly linked to coronavirus deaths in the country's rural areas. 

Ford Goes Electric

Ford Motor Company previewed the F-150 Lightning yesterday, a fully electric version of the company's most popular vehicle. While the Lightning won't be the first electric truck unveiled—competitors include Tesla's Cybertruck and GMC's Hummer—it marks the biggest foray into the market. The company's F-series pickup trucks have been the top-selling US pickups for years, and make up roughly 250 of every 10,000 vehicles sold in the country. The sneak peek came during a visit by President Joe Biden to Ford's plant in Dearborn, Michigan, with a full public reveal set for this morning.

Demand for Ford's Mustang Mach-E—a crossover SUV—has outpaced supply since debuting in December, and the company announced in April the launch of Ion Park, a Michigan research park focused on batteries. 

Separately, luxury carmaker Lamborghini will transition its full lineup to all-electric by 2024.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by Hamama

> Lollapalooza music festival confirmed for July 29 to Aug. 1 at full capacity after the 2020 festival was virtual; full lineup to be announced this morning (More)

> Charles Grodin, Emmy-winning comic actor known for “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Midnight Run,” dies at 86 from cancer (More)

> “F9,” the latest film in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, set for $160M opening weekend overseas, the largest international box office opening in the pandemic era (More)

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Science & Technology

> Google's I/O developer conference returns after missing 2020 due to the pandemic; company announces updated Android design and a new AI-driven language platform (More)

> DNA sequencing of ancient stool samples provides a glimpse of the human gut microbiome before the industrial revolution, dozens of previously unknown bacterial species discovered (More)

> Century-old lung tissues extracted from World War I soldiers provide genetic insight into how the 1918 Spanish Flu evolved to become deadlier over time (More)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets fall again (S&P 500 -0.9%, Dow -0.8%, Nasdaq -0.6%) on continued inflation fears (More) | Trading giant Fidelity to launch no-fee stock trading accounts targeting teenagers (More)

> Walmart, Home Depot, and Macy’s beat Q1 earnings expectations as retailers see continued strong consumer spending (More)

> JPMorgan names Marianne Lake and Jennifer Piepszak heads of consumer banking division, two female executives are considered top candidates to replace CEO Jamie Dimon in the coming years (More) | Bank of America to increase minimum hourly wage to $25 by 2025 (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Fighting continues between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip as truce efforts stall; 219 Palestinians and 12 Israelis killed over past two weeks as Israel says its targets are senior Hamas commanders (More)

> House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R, CA-23) opposes a proposed bipartisan commission probing the Jan. 6 storming of the US Capitol (More) | New York attorney general says Trump Organization investigation has expanded into a criminal probe (More)

> Rep. Val Demings (D, FL-10) to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in 2022 Senate bid (More) | Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, will seek Republican bid for New York governor; would possibly challenge Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) (More)

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ETCETERA

Norway tops 2021's index of greatest freedom of the press.

Blockbuster movies are making a comeback.

UFOs are now going underwater. 

Was Napoleon killed by his love of cologne​?

Sixty-five species of animals are capable of laughing at you.

Mountains flipped sideways look like humans.

Inside Paris' new $200M art museum.

Coelacanths are getting caught in fishing nets.

Clickbait: When your selfie fail is captured on national news.

Historybook: Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, is beheaded (1536); TE Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, dies (1935); André the Giant born (1946); RIP former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1994); Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle (2018).

"One man can make a difference and every man should try."

- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

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