10 things you need to know today: July 22, 2015

Texas looks into alleged edits of Sandra Bland arrest video, Kasich joins a crowded 2016 GOP field, and more

Kasich joins the race.
(Image credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo)

1. Texas authorities look into alleged edits in dash-cam video of Sandra Bland arrest

A dash-cam video released Tuesday showed a white Texas state trooper threatening Sandra Bland, who was black, with a Taser, and dragging her out of her car after she refused to put out a cigarette during a routine traffic stop. Authorities said they were looking into spots where the video appears to have been looped over the audio track. Bland died three days later in jail. A coroner said she committed suicide by strangling herself with a trash bag, but her family contests that explanation.

The New York Times NBC News

2. Kasich joins a crowded GOP presidential field

Ohio Gov. John Kasich announced his run for president on Tuesday, becoming the 16th candidate in the Republican field. The two-term governor has the advantage of leading a key swing state, but he lacks the name recognition and momentum of rivals who declared earlier. Polls indicate that he only has the support of 2 percent of Republicans. Parts of his record have strong conservative appeal, including his balancing of the federal budget as House Budget Committee chair during Bill Clinton's presidency.

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The New York Times CNN

3. L.A. officials approve $15-an-hour minimum wage

Los Angeles County supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to raise the local minimum wage from $9 an hour to $15 by 2020. The wages would apply to county workers and to workers in unincorporated areas under the control of the county government, which is the nation's largest local government. The two supervisors who voted against the measure argued that it would burden businesses. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti praised the vote, saying, "The nation is watching what we do here in Los Angeles."

Los Angeles Times

4. Trump gets personal in feud with Sen. Lindsey Graham

Donald Trump ratcheted up his feud with fellow GOP presidential candidate Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday, giving out the South Carolina lawmaker's personal cellphone number in a speech and urging supporters to call it. "Give it a shot," Trump said. Trump called Graham an "idiot." A day earlier, Graham said Trump was a "jackass." The war of words began after Trump, who leads the GOP field in recent polls, mocked 2008 nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for being captured in the Vietnam war.

CNN

5. Apple stock sinks despite strong quarter

Apple shares fell by 8 percent in after-hours trading after the company reported that earnings had jumped by 33 percent on strong iPhone sales, but that sales of the Apple Watch were lower than expected. Apple's profits of $1.85 per share beat analysts' estimates by four cents. The popularity of the larger-screened iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models cut into iPad sales, fueling fears that once iPhone sales peak Apple's growth prospects could sputter.

USA Today

6. British Muslim accused of plotting attacks against Americans

British authorities have charged a 24-year-old Muslim man, Junead Khan, with plotting to kill an American serviceman by hitting him with a car and hacking him to death with a knife. Khan also was accused of planning to join ISIS in Syria, along with his uncle. The men made their first court appearance on Tuesday. Khan's uncle — Shazib Khan, 22 — allegedly wanted to be a suicide bomber, and was charged with preparing acts of terrorism.

The Independent

7. A group of New York airport workers prepare to strike

Some New York airport security workers and baggage handlers plan to start a strike on Wednesday night, their union said Tuesday. Workers for Command Security Corp. subsidiary Aviation Safeguards voted to strike, saying their employer threatened to fire them for organizing to push for better pay and benefits. The strike would affect both John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports, and could disrupt air travel. Command Security executives say they have made arrangements to avoid "significant" disruptions.

Reuters

8. Three Spanish journalists go missing in Syria

Three Spanish freelance journalists have gone missing in Syria, the Spanish Federation of Journalists' Association said Tuesday. The group identified the men as Antonio Pampliega, Jose Manuel Lopez, and Angel Sastre. The three were working in the contested Aleppo area, which has seen intense fighting and is split among neighborhoods controlled by the government and rebels. The men have not been heard from in several days.

NBC News

9. Court throws out some of Blagojevich's corruption convictions

A federal appeals court in Chicago threw out five of the 18 corruption convictions against former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich due to questions about jury instructions. Blagojevich's family had been hoping to bring him home, and expressed disappointment in the decision because it upheld major charges, including that Blagojevich sought $1.5 million for the appointment to fill President Obama's old Senate seat in 2008. Blagojevich's 14-year sentence was vacated, but his new one could in theory be just as long.

Chicago Sun-Times

10. E.L. Doctorow dies at 84

Acclaimed author E.L. Doctorow died Tuesday at a New York hospital of complications from lung cancer. He was 84. Doctorow won the National Book Award for fiction for World's Fair in 1986. Three of his novels won National Book Critics Circle awards — Ragtime in 1975, Billy Bathgate in 1989, and The March in 2005. President Obama tweeted that Doctorow was one of America's greatest novelists. "His books taught me much," Obama wrote, "and he will be missed."

The Washington Post

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.