
News Wrap: Hundreds of flights canceled or delayed at Newark
Clip: 5/5/2025 | 5m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
News Wrap: Hundreds of flights canceled or delayed at Newark airport
In our news wrap Monday, hundreds of flights were either canceled or delayed at Newark Airport amid staffing shortages and equipment problems, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered cuts to top positions within the military calling for a 20 percent reduction of four-star generals and federal education officials are restarting efforts to collect on student loans that are in default.
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News Wrap: Hundreds of flights canceled or delayed at Newark
Clip: 5/5/2025 | 5m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
In our news wrap Monday, hundreds of flights were either canceled or delayed at Newark Airport amid staffing shortages and equipment problems, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered cuts to top positions within the military calling for a 20 percent reduction of four-star generals and federal education officials are restarting efforts to collect on student loans that are in default.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipGEOFF BENNETT: We start the day's other headlines at Newark Airport outside New York City, where hundreds of flights were either canceled or delayed again today, causing headaches for many fliers.
WOMAN: I don't know how you can operate.
This is such a major airport.
GEOFF BENNETT: Major disruptions have now carried into a second week amid ongoing staffing shortages and equipment problems.
One of the airport's runways is also under construction.
United Airlines says it will begin cutting about 10 percent of its flights from the busy travel hub.
New York Senator Chuck Schumer today called for an investigation of the FAA's handling of the situation at Newark and across the country.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): To say that there is just minor turbulence at Newark Airport and the FAA, that would be the understatement of the year.
We're here because the FAA is really a mess.
This mess needs a real forensic look, a deep look into it.
GEOFF BENNETT: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says his agency will announce plans this week to overhaul the nation's outdated air traffic control infrastructure.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is ordering major cuts to top positions within the U.S. military.
In a memo obtained by the "News Hour," Hegseth called for a 20 percent reduction of four-star generals across the active-duty military.
He also ordered the National Guard to cut 20 percent of its top positions.
The memo further directs the military to trim an additional 10 percent of its general and flag officers across the force.
There are currently about 800 general officers in the military.
Only 44 of those are four-star general or flag officers.
As of today, federal education officials are restarting efforts to collect on student loans that are in default.
Borrowers had enjoyed a pause on such collections that started during the COVID pandemic.
More than five million people are currently in default.
The Trump administration says that could swell to nearly 10 million within a few months.
Officials could withhold tax refunds or Social Security benefits and garnish wages to recover the debt that is owed.
Those who are in default are urged to contact the Default Resolution Group within the Office of Federal Student Aid.
In Upstate New York, a corrections officer pleaded guilty today to manslaughter in the fatal beating of a handcuffed inmate.
Christopher Walrath was one of six guards charged with second-degree murder.
Body cameras recorded the attack on Robert Brooks at the Marcy Correctional Facility in December.
The special prosecutor says Brooks was transferred to the prison that day and that the beating was -- quote -- "to welcome him."
The plea deal calls for Walrath to get a 15-year prison term.
He will be sentenced in August.
Romania's prime minister announced his resignation today after his party's candidate failed to advance in a redo of the country's presidential election.
Hard-right nationalist George Simion far outpaced the other contenders, winning more than 40 percent of Sunday's vote.
He will face pro-Western reformist Nicusor Dan in a run-off later this month.
Simion ran on a nationalist platform and is a vocal supporter of President Trump.
He thanked his backers in a social media video today.
GEORGE SIMION, Romanian Presidential Candidate (through translator): Your thirst for freedom has triumphed.
It is your victory, not mine, and it will continue to triumph.
Your vote today is an outstretched hand to the country you miss.
The Romania you want to return to, we will build together.
GEOFF BENNETT: The election redo could have wide-ranging implications for the direction of the NATO and E.U.
member.
It comes after a court voided last year's election amid allegations of Russian interference, which Moscow denies.
On Wall Street today, stocks slipped amid ongoing concerns over President Trump's tariff and global trade.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell nearly 100 points to start the week.
The Nasdaq dropped around 130 points, or three-quarters of 1 percent.
The S&P 500 also ended in negative territory.
And Skype officially goes offline today.
For more than two decades, the Internet calling service connected people from around the world.
At one point it had more than 300 million users, but competition from the likes of zoom and WhatsApp ate into Skype's popularity.
Microsoft, which bought the company back in 2011, announced in March that it was shutting Skype and is urging users to migrate to its Teams offering.
Skype for Business, which is a separate service, will carry on.
Still, it's the end of an era.
And today is, of course, Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of Mexican history and culture.
Festivities are taking place across the country, including at this school in Dallas, Texas, where children got into the spirit of things with sombreros and pinatas.
Since, this year, Cinco de Mayo fell on a Monday, many chose to celebrate this past weekend with parades and other festivities.
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday in Mexico, where it marks the anniversary of a Mexican military victory in 1862 over French forces.
President Trump, for his part, marked the occasion by reposting a tweet from 2016 of him enjoying a taco bowl at Trump Tower.
The caption, "This was so wonderful nine years ago today."
And still to come on the "News Hour": Amy Walter and Tamara Keith on this week's political headlines; a new book explores the next phase in the battle over reproductive rights; and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sierra Hull on her journey to becoming a mandolin virtuoso.
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