Hello from CNN, I'm Joe Beck, with the five things you need to know for Wednesday, May 15th.

The Biden administration has started the lengthy process to approve a new $1 billion arms deal for Israel.

That's what two congressional sources are saying, and the State Department has now opened

discussions with two House committees about it, but there's no timeline set for it yet.

The timing is interesting because it comes after the US paused shipping heavy bombs to

Israel over worries that they'll be used in densely populated areas in the city of Rafa in Gaza.

And just last week, President Joe Biden said this to CNN.

If they go into Rafa, I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafa. to to Israel immediately and the sale would still need to be approved by Congress, which could be a lengthy process.

The match-ups are set for two key races in November's Battle for Control of the Senate, after primaries in Maryland and West Virginia.

In Maryland, Larry Hogan, the moderate ex-governor, won the Republican race.

Meanwhile, Angela also Brooks, a county executive, beat Congressman David Trone in a tough and costly

Democratic face-off. Trone had pumped tens of millions of his own dollars into his campaign,

but also Brooks will now run to become only the third black woman

ever elected to the US Senate. In West Virginia, Senator Joe Manchin's retirement will give Republicans

a big chance to gain ground in November.

Governor Jim Justice won the GOP primary easily,

gearing up for a face-off against the Democratic nominee,

Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliot.

The driver of a pickup truck involved Wheeling Mayor, Glenn Elliot.

The driver of a pickup truck involved in the crash that killed eight farm workers in Florida

yesterday has been charged with eight counts of DUI manslaughter. The Florida Highway Patrol says a bus carrying about 53 farm workers

was cruising on the highway when it was hit by the man's Ford pickup coming from the opposite

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